The female cultivator was named Xia Ziling. She claimed to be from the Xia family of Dongyang, a family with an exceptionally deep foundation. Their ancestors had produced more than one Golden Core True Adept, and they still had seven Emergence from Dust Adepts.
However, twenty years ago, the Xia family had a full ten Emergence from Dust Adepts, three of whom belonged to Xia Ziling's branch. But her father and elder brother had gone hunting in the Endless Sea, clashed with Adept Ma, and been slain on the spot by him.
Adept Ma was exceedingly ruthless and understood well the need to uproot the weeds and destroy the roots. Thus, he went to Dongyang as well, intending to wipe out the Xia family entirely.
Fortunately, the Xia family possessed the Soul Lamp Secret Art. Whenever an adept of the clan died, their soul lamp went out. Warned in advance, most of the family retreated into their ancestral residence and relied on the grand formation left behind by their ancestors to withstand Adept Ma's sudden assault.
During that time, one Xia family adept who returned late was killed by Adept Ma. Yet it was precisely because of his warning that the Xia ancestral residence had the chance to activate its Defensive Formation.
Logically, no matter how powerful a Defensive Formation was, it could not withstand someone attacking it without restraint—unless there was a gap in cultivation level.
Adept Ma had also wanted to grind down the Xia family's Defensive Formation, but after attacking for two days, his actions drew the displeasure of the Myriad Blessings Platform. The main reason was that the Xia family still had an old ancestor in the Glory Merit Hall of the Myriad Blessings Platform.
Disciples who entered the Four Sects and Five Platforms were supposed