Emerging from Seclusion, Traces of Demonic Cultivators

At that moment, the Spiritual Energy across all of Ganyang Mountain was stirred into turmoil.

Ji Bochang and Ji Yunfan, who had been talking together in the Back Mountain, both looked up in astonishment.

At the location of Ji Haoyuan's Cave Mansion in the distance, vast surges of Spiritual Energy churned.

Heaven and earth seemed to have formed a funnel.

Wave after wave of Spiritual Energy poured into Ji Haoyuan's Cave Mansion below.

"Fifth Uncle, is he...?"

Though he had already guessed the answer, Ji Yunfan could not help but speak.

Ji Bochang did not answer at once. Instead, he swiftly took several Formation Flags from his person and tossed them toward Ji Haoyuan's Cave Mansion.

Then he stamped hard on the ground, his hands rapidly forming seals.

Buzz!

In an instant, the Spiritual Energy around Ji Haoyuan's Cave Mansion grew even more violent.

At the same time, the faint aura leaking from within the Cave Mansion was effectively sealed off.

Only then did Ji Bochang turn to Ji Yunfan and say,

"Your guess is right. Your Fifth Uncle has likely made another breakthrough.

"But do not spread this matter for now. It is enough that you know it in your heart."

So it really was...

Ji Yunfan was shaken.

How long had it been since his Fifth Uncle broke through to Foundation Establishment?

And now he had actually...

At this thought, as the Clan Leader, he quickly understood Ji Bochang's intentions. His expression turned solemn as he nodded.

"Rest assured, Old Ancestor. I will not reveal a single word of this matter."

Three years later.

Inside Ji Haoyuan's Cave Mansion.

Phantom images of spells continuously flickered through the air around Ji Haoyuan.

At times, they transformed into snarling Fire Serpents; at times, into enormous shields as vast as mountains; at times, into blazing rays like shooting stars; and at times, into sword qi that radiated bone-chilling cold.

In the end.

These lights and shadows gathered into Dharma Seals that seemed to possess wills of their own, entering Ji Haoyuan's body one after another.

Such seals could only be condensed when a spell surpassed the perfected stage and reached the realm of transcendent mastery.

They were commonly known as Dharma Seals.

No hand seals were needed, no incantations required, and there was no need to deliberately cast a spell.

With a single thought, the spell would emerge.

Moreover, all Dharma Seals could be switched between at will.

Some could even be fused together, amplifying their power.

This was one of Ji Haoyuan's gains over the past three years after his cultivation broke through to Foundation Establishment Late Stage.

Beyond that, he had also truly advanced his weapon-refining attainments into the Second Order.

With a casual lift of his hand.

Buzz!

In an instant, a large umbrella gleaming with yellow light appeared above Ji Haoyuan's head.

This umbrella was called the Kun Luo Spirit Umbrella. It had been refined from many materials taken from the Earth Spirit Demonic Python and possessed formidable defensive power.

Though it was only a Tier 2 mid-grade defensive spirit artifact, it was not much inferior to ordinary Tier 2 high-grade defensive spirit artifacts.

Of course.

These were not his greatest gains of the past three years.

Ji Haoyuan's greatest gain over those three years was completing the deductions for the Divine Sense Secret Art known as the Phantom God Stab and successfully cultivating it.

Once this secret art was unleashed, anyone below the Golden Core realm without a Spiritual Sense defensive spirit artifact would find it difficult to remain his opponent.

After sorting through his gains and reviewing his condition once more, Ji Haoyuan finally stopped lingering in the Cave Mansion.

He opened the Cave Mansion's restrictions and walked out.

The moment he emerged, he saw Ji Bochang standing there.

As well as Ji Yunfan, the Clan Leader of their Ji Family.

Neither had expected Ji Haoyuan to emerge from seclusion at this time. They both froze slightly, before delight inevitably appeared on their faces.

"Haoyuan, you...?"

"Yes. I had some good fortune while out this time and encountered a few opportunities, so I was lucky enough to make a breakthrough."

Before the two of them, Ji Haoyuan had nothing to hide. He immediately recounted the general course of his earlier experiences outside.

Both were quite surprised after hearing it.

They had not expected that Ji Haoyuan's journey out three years ago had led to such events.

"By the way, enough about me.

"I saw that you two seemed to be discussing something just now. What is it? Has something happened to our Ji Family recently?"

Ji Haoyuan suddenly interrupted their thoughts.

He had seen clearly just now that Ji Bochang and Ji Yunfan seemed to have been discussing something.

Moreover, neither of them had looked particularly well at the time.

Hearing Ji Haoyuan's question, the two, who had still been astonished by his earlier experiences, both took on grave expressions.

"Yunfan, you should tell your Fifth Uncle about this matter."

Ji Bochang prompted Ji Yunfan.

Ji Yunfan immediately agreed, then spoke to Ji Haoyuan with a solemn expression.

"Reporting to Fifth Uncle, during this period, we have discovered many traces of Demonic Cultivators within Ji Family territory."

"Mm..."

The moment he heard Ji Yunfan's words, Ji Haoyuan's expression tightened.

"What exactly is going on?

"Yunfan, tell me everything in detail."

Ji Haoyuan, who had personally encountered two Foundation Establishment Demonic Cultivators in the Autumn Forest Mountain Range that day, knew full well that this was no small matter.

Ji Yunfan did not dare delay and immediately continued.

"Not long ago, members of our family discovered traces of Demonic Cultivators near Luohe Market Town, West River Market Town, and the Cloud Iron Ore Vein."

It was worth mentioning that ever since Ji Haoyuan advanced to Foundation Establishment and the Ji Family's overall strength gradually began to recover, the properties they had previously sold off at dirt-cheap prices had gradually returned to their hands.

Among them was the West River Market Town that Ji Yunfan had just mentioned.

At this point, Ji Yunfan continued,

"Moreover, as far as I know, the traces of Demonic Cultivators are no longer limited to Ji Family territory.

"The Liu Family and the Zhang Family also seem to show signs of Demonic Cultivator activity.

"As for whether Demonic Cultivators have appeared among other forces beyond Nanning Prefecture, I do not yet know for certain."

"Mm, even the Liu Family and Zhang Family have traces of Demonic Cultivators?"

Ji Haoyuan's gaze narrowed slightly.

Instinctively, he sensed that something was amiss.

The cloud of doubt that had previously surfaced in his mind rose again.

Could it be that the Demonic Cultivators truly intended to launch a war against them—or, more precisely, against the Crimson Cloud Sect above them?

If that was truly the case, things might become exceedingly troublesome.

War was the kind of thing that, once it began, no one could fully control.

At the very least, the various families and sects living under the Crimson Cloud Sect's jurisdiction would absolutely be unable to escape it.

They would certainly be swept into this storm.

"By the way, have you captured anyone specific?"

Ji Haoyuan suddenly thought of this and immediately asked Ji Yunfan.