Gathering Storms, the Lang Household's Calamity

At Demon-Suppressing Pass, in the Kong Household's residence.

Eldest Uncle Kong Yushuo, Fifth Uncle Kong Yuluo, Thirteenth Aunt Kong Yuqian, Nineteenth Uncle Kong Yugui, and Fourth Sister Kong Wenjun, who was of the same generation as Kong Wenxuan, were all away from Demon-Suppressing Pass. They had escorted the vermilion fruit tree and the patriarch back to the Lineage's home at Peacock Ridge, and had yet to return.

Some of them had gone back together to try to cultivate the vermilion fruit tree, of course, while others had simply been away from home too long and were taking this opportunity to visit and spend time with their families.

For now, Third Aunt Kong Yuyin was in charge of the Kong Household's affairs at Demon-Suppressing Pass.

So after Kong Wenxuan emerged from seclusion, he sought out Third Aunt Kong Yuyin to find out what had happened.

According to Third Aunt Kong Yuyin, Demon-Suppressing Pass had been stable and peaceful over the past two months, with no major changes. Just as the patriarch had predicted, the Du Household was now focused on defending its position and maintaining stability at the pass.

Outside Demon-Suppressing Pass, however, winds had been rising and clouds gathering over the southern mountains these past two months. The main reason was that cultivators from many Lineages and factions had been pursuing and intercepting the "Gray Wolf" Lang Household, inflicting heavy losses on them.

The "Gray Wolf" Lang Household had once run rampant through the southern mountains without restraint. Their name had long been infamous, and they had offended far too many Lineages and factions. Previously, no one had dared strike back at them only because the Lang Household was strong enough, ruthless enough, and vengeful enough to repay the slightest grievance.

But in their earlier clash with the Kong Household members, the Lang Household's cultivators, including the gray wolf demons they commanded, had suffered heavy casualties. The blow to the Lang Household's strength was secondary; most importantly, it had shown cultivators from many Lineages and factions how weak the "Gray Wolf" Lang Household was.

They had suddenly discovered that even the "Gray Wolf" Lang Household could be overmatched, and that its members could be killed until their hearts quailed, leaving them too afraid to continue their pursuit or seek revenge.

Thus, the Lineages and factions that bore blood feuds with the "Gray Wolf" Lang Household, had set their sights on its territory, resources, and treasures, or harbored other intentions and wanted to stir up trouble began, knowingly or otherwise, to coordinate with one another. They pursued and intercepted the Lang Household throughout the mountains beyond the pass, repeatedly dealing it heavy blows and seizing its resources and interests.

After two months, their efforts could be said to have borne their first fruits. The "Gray Wolf" Lang Household had become like a rat in the street that everyone wanted to beat.

According to Third Aunt Kong Yuyin, some members of Bloodline Lineages had even approached the Kong Household, hoping to join forces with them to besiege Wolf Fang Mountain, the "Gray Wolf" Lang Household's ancestral home in the mountains beyond the pass. They meant to wipe out the "Gray Wolf" Lang Household entirely and plunder the resources and treasures in its ancestral home.

After all, their "Peacock" Kong Household also had a blood feud with the "Gray Wolf" Lang Household. If the "Gray Wolf" Lang Household escaped this calamity, it would surely take frenzied revenge on the Kong Household, so it was better to strike first and gain the advantage.

Third Aunt Kong Yuyin was quite tempted, but in the end she did not agree outright. She only said she would report it to the Lineage and wait for its decision.

Kong Wenxuan was also quite interested. He asked Third Aunt for information on the "Gray Wolf" Lang Household, and after reading it, discovered that Wolf Fang Mountain, the Lang Household's ancestral home, was a resource site rich in spiritual metal veins.

It produced a metal-element spiritual material called Dark Iron, ranging from First-Tier Inferior-Grade to First-Tier Superior-Grade. This metal-element spiritual material was said to be highly beneficial to the development of the Lang Household cultivators' Bloodline Divine Ability, Bronze Head and Iron Bones. That was why the Lang Household had once paid a steep price to claim this Dark Iron vein resource site, naming it Wolf Fang Mountain and making it their ancestral home.

Kong Wenxuan's eyes lit up when he saw this information. He was not far from completing the Crimson Fire Divine Sword and advancing to the Qi Refinement Eighth Layer, and had been worrying about where to find the First-Tier Superior-Grade metal-element spiritual material needed to refine the final sword, the White Metal Divine Sword.

The Dark Iron spiritual material in the Lang Household's ancestral home was undoubtedly a good choice. If there was a chance to take the Lang Household's ancestral home and mine the Dark Iron there, he clearly would not pass it up.

So he asked Third Aunt Kong Yuyin to pay closer attention to the various cultivators' pursuit and interception of the "Gray Wolf" Lang Household. If factions really did join forces to besiege the Lang Household's ancestral home at Wolf Fang Mountain, she had to notify him at the earliest opportunity.

Third Aunt Kong Yuyin knew that his cultivation and refinement of the Five Elements Divine Swords required five-element spiritual materials of the corresponding grade. Hearing this, she immediately understood what he had in mind and nodded. "Wenxuan, rest assured. I'll keep a constant watch on the 'Gray Wolf' Lang Household. If there really is a chance to take their ancestral home and mine the Dark Iron there, we'll do everything we can to help you."

"Thank you, Third Aunt!" Kong Wenxuan thanked her. No longer in the mood to relax or unwind, he hurried back into the secret chamber and continued refining the vermilion fruit and spiritual fire in seclusion, striving to complete the Crimson Fire Divine Sword and advance to the Qi Refinement Eighth Layer as soon as possible.

After all, winds and clouds were churning over the mountains beyond the pass, and the various factions were pursuing and intercepting the "Gray Wolf" Lang Household with increasing intensity. They might launch an attack on the "Gray Wolf" Lang Household's ancestral home at Wolf Fang Mountain at any time.

He wanted to do everything he could to finish refining the Crimson Fire Divine Sword and advance to the Qi Refinement Eighth Layer before then. That way, when he joined the attack on the Lang Household's ancestral home at Wolf Fang Mountain, he would have stronger means and greater strength, a better chance of staying alive, and more confidence in obtaining the First-Tier Superior-Grade Dark Iron spiritual material needed to refine the White Metal Divine Sword.

Naturally, he had neither the inclination nor the time to relax and unwind anymore.

Time flew as Kong Wenxuan refined the Crimson Fire Divine Sword in seclusion, and in the blink of an eye, another two months had passed.

With the power of the second vermilion fruit, Kong Wenxuan had successfully refined two more First-Tier Superior-Grade spiritual flames over those two months. Only half of the final flame remained unrefined. In another month at most, he would be able to complete the Crimson Fire Divine Sword and advance to the Qi Refinement Eighth Layer.

At this point, however, he could not continue cultivating in seclusion. He had to come out and see what was happening.

After all, Eldest Uncle Kong Yushuo had said before that they would stay and cultivate at Demon-Suppressing Pass for four months at most this time. That time was now up, and he needed to see whether Eldest Uncle and the others were preparing to head into the mountains beyond the pass again.

When he emerged from seclusion, he found that Eldest Uncle and the others had indeed returned from the Lineage some time ago, and seemed to be waiting for him to come out.

"Eldest Uncle." After greeting him, Kong Wenxuan asked, "Is it time to set out again? I haven't held everyone up, have I?"

Eldest Uncle Kong Yushuo shook his head. "With the situation as it is, it makes no difference whether we head beyond the pass a little earlier or later."

"Whether we set out now depends mainly on your situation."

"Wenxuan, how is your refinement of the Crimson Fire Divine Sword going? How much longer until you can advance to the Qi Refinement Eighth Layer?"

Kong Wenxuan promptly replied, "Eldest Uncle, I've completed more than half of the Crimson Fire Divine Sword's refinement. I'll be able to finish it completely in another month at most, and I should be able to advance smoothly to the Qi Refinement Eighth Layer then."

"One month?" Eldest Uncle Kong Yushuo nodded. "In that case, we'll wait another month. Once you've completed the Crimson Fire Divine Sword and advanced to the Qi Refinement Eighth Layer, we'll head beyond the pass."

"As it happens, the various factions' siege of the 'Gray Wolf' Lang Household's ancestral home should be about to start by then. We'll be just in time."

Kong Wenxuan's eyes lit up. "Eldest Uncle, has the siege of the Lang Household's ancestral home at Wolf Fang Mountain been confirmed?"

"That's right!" Eldest Uncle Kong Yushuo nodded at once. "The siege and the alliance have basically been settled, and our Kong Household has already agreed to join. All that remains is to set a specific time."

"So you must hurry and finish the final refinement of the Crimson Fire Divine Sword and break through to the Qi Refinement Eighth Layer. Don't take too long and miss the siege of the Lang Household's Wolf Fang Mountain."

"Rest assured, Eldest Uncle. I'll return to seclusion right away, and I guarantee I'll finish refining the Crimson Fire Divine Sword within a month," Kong Wenxuan promised at once. Without further delay, he returned to cultivate in seclusion and refine the remaining half of the spiritual flame.