Cultivation: From Menial Laborer to Immortal Venerable

As the battle erupted within the Lin Family's ancestral grounds, chaos also spread throughout Red Leaf Square, and order began to collapse.

Countless cultivators, under the guise of pursuing Lin Family members, stormed various shops and even private cave dwellings to loot. Cultivators like Zhou Xun, who held some status and possessed considerable wealth but lacked high cultivation, were prime targets for these individuals.

Zhou Xun's residence had its protective formation shattered, the door ripped off, and the entire house was in disarray. The few bottles of elixirs he had no time to pack before fleeing were all plundered. Of course, Zhou Xun was unaware of this.

Taking advantage of the ensuing chaos, he had already reached the market's exit. Zhou Xun hid on a rooftop about thirty feet from the exit, his expression grim. The entire grand formation of Red Leaf Square had been activated, and the restrictions at the exit were at full power. They were trapped inside!

At this moment, a middle-aged man, clad in beast hide and dressed as a demon hunter, piloted a shield-type Mystic Tool and charged towards the exit. Judging by his magical energy fluctuations, he was a cultivator at the seventh layer of Qi Condensation. However, as he neared the exit, several bolts of lightning flashed, striking the middle-aged man. His shield-type Mystic Tool blocked a few lightning strikes before flickering and becoming completely useless. The middle-aged man's face contorted in alarm; it was too late to retreat as the lightning directly hit him, instantly incinerating him into charcoal. A Late-Stage Qi Condensation cultivator, who could once intimidate a region, couldn't even last a few breaths.

Zhou Xun immediately abandoned any thought of forcing his way through. After a moment's consideration, he turned back and retreated. As time passed, more and more cultivators would surely gather at the exit, so it was best for him to leave first.

Wang Erniu, after the grand formation was broken, decisively led his wife and daughter in a rapid escape. Unfortunately, as he was not a member of the Lin Family, his assigned position was not the optimal point for a breakthrough. After darting left and right, he found himself back within Red Leaf Square. It was important to note that although the Lin Family's ancestral grounds were located within Red Leaf Square, they were situated in the northwest corner. When the Lin Family's formation collapsed, a gap appeared in Red Leaf Square's formation in the Lin Family's direction. Fortunately, most cultivators were either busy looting or fleeing, and had no opportunity to pay attention to those they encountered along the way. This allowed Wang Erniu and his family of three to remain safe until now.

"Erniu, what should we do?" his wife, the second daughter of the Lin Family, asked in panic. Fortunately, she had changed into an ordinary tunic during the escape, and it was nighttime, making her less conspicuous. Otherwise, with Lin Xue'e's beauty, it would surely have brought great disaster.

"Xue'e, don't worry, I will definitely lead you all to escape!" Wang Erniu said with determination. His current cultivation was at the fourth layer of Qi Condensation, placing him within the top twenty percent in Red Leaf Square. Coupled with the mid-grade Mystic Tool he carried, he was not without a fighting chance.

Subsequently, the three of them bypassed the main roads and headed toward the exit, following the market's alleyways.

"Stop!" A man's voice suddenly called out from behind them.

Wang Erniu's face stiffened, and he slowly turned his head. Two men emerged from a house, both cultivators at the third layer of Qi Condensation. They were also carrying blood-stained long staffs, upon which faint magical energy fluctuations indicated they were semi-Mystic Tools.

"Do the two sirs have business with me?" Wang Erniu asked with a strained smile, extremely vigilant in his heart.

The two men paid no attention to Wang Erniu's words and looked directly at Lin Xue'e. Upon closer inspection, they noticed Lin Xue'e's stunning beauty. The pockmarked youth immediately grinned lewdly, "What a beautiful young lady, we almost missed you. Fourth brother, we're in luck today!"

"Hehehe," the short, stout youth beside him rubbed his hands excitedly.

"Two sirs, this little brother offers this Spirit Stone to you. Please let my wife and I go!" Wang Erniu was eager to leave and did not wish to fight these two, lest it attract the attention of those nearby. If he could resolve this with money, it would be ideal.

Seeing this, the short, stout youth's eyes lit up, and he immediately snatched the Spirit Stone from Wang Erniu's hand. "Third brother, the Spirit Stone!"

The pockmarked youth took it, blew on it, and rubbed it, then smiled greedily.

"What a fat sheep! Hand over all your Spirit Stones, we're taking all your money!"

His tone paused for a moment. He exchanged a glance with the short, stout youth, chuckled, and continued, "We'll take the girl too, hahaha!"

Wang Erniu's face turned extremely grim. Knowing he couldn't escape this easily, he brushed his hand towards the Storage Pouch at his chest, and a Talisman appeared in his hand.

"A mid-grade first-tier Gold Blade Talisman!"

Infusing it with spiritual energy to activate it, a three-inch golden blade materialized before Wang Erniu.

Sensing the spiritual energy fluctuations from the golden blade, the two men's expressions changed drastically. They shouted, "Hurry, attack!"

Immediately, they raised their staffs and swung them towards Wang Erniu.

"Clang—"

A sound of metal colliding echoed, and then the staffs of the two men instantly snapped into two pieces.

It was Lin Xue'e who had intervened. As a direct descendant of the Lin Family, she had naturally received combat training. The fiery red longsword in her hand was a mid-grade Mystic Tool.

The two men turned pale with fright and were about to turn and flee.

Wang Erniu's Gold Blade Talisman had already been activated.

"Go!"

Wang Erniu spoke emotionlessly, spitting out a single word.

"Swish— Swish—"

With the sound of two golden blades piercing the bodies of the two men, they fell to the ground and died on the spot!

"Let's go!"

After killing the two men, Wang Erniu and his wife, carrying their daughter, quickly fled.

However, before they could even exit the alley, they were surrounded by a group of people, numbering eight or nine.

The leader, over forty years old, had a fierce, brutish face.

"Good cultivation, good Mystic Tool, killing my two brothers in such a short time!"

The ruffian sneered sinisterly, then commanded his men, "Kill the man, and take the woman back to have some fun!"

"Yes!"

The crowd roared with laughter and surged towards Wang Erniu and his wife.

Fortunately, Wang Erniu and his wife were well-off, possessing many Talismans and excellent Mystic Tools. Under the siege of this group, they actually managed to hold their ground.

They even managed to kill one of their attackers.

Seeing that the battle was prolonged, the ruffian immediately changed tactics, surrounding them without attacking, opting to wear them down with ranged spells.

Outnumbered and outmatched, the couple was forced into a dead end, unable to advance or retreat.

Once their spiritual energy was depleted, their end would be certain.

Half an hour passed. Wang Erniu gradually fell into despair. He glanced at his wife and daughter, a tragic smile on his face, "Xue'e, I'm sorry to both of you!"

Just as he was about to make a desperate final stand, Suddenly, a drastic change occurred in the situation!

On the other side, Zhou Xun, having hit a dead end at the exit, avoided the main road and continued walking back along the alley.

All he could see was chaos, and he could occasionally hear sounds of fighting and the screams of women.