"Very well!" Li Yongcheng declared.
"It seems the Chen Clan is truly desperate. They can't even guarantee food for their clansmen!"
"In that case, in three days, it will be our time to strike."
The clan member who had come to report looked confused.
"But I saw Chen Tianyu, and he seemed full of Qi. He even chased away several of our clansmen!"
Li Yongcheng snorted, dismissing the concern with a wave.
"Isn't it obvious? If the Chen Clan can't even provide food for their Blood Coagulation Realm warriors, why should we wait another three days?"
"You're right, Patriarch," the clan member replied, smiling awkwardly before retreating.
Li Yongcheng unfurled a map, meticulously detailing the Chen Clan's buildings and key passages.
With an ink brush in hand, he began marking the exits and entrances, carefully plotting the vital routes of the Li Clan. Each stroke of the brush carried the weight of their imminent attack.
In a clan war, there was no room for complacency or underestimating the enemy. Even in a place as remote as Chaotic Burial Mountain, rival clan members had sometimes been spared out of compassion, only to later annihilate their former enemies.
Ironically, Li Yongcheng himself had once been a spared clan member. It was only after their enemies were utterly defeated that the Li Clan had been able to flourish, growing stronger with each passing day.
He wouldn't overlook anyone from the Chen Clan, not even a tree from their family---he'd cut it in half!
After meticulously reviewing and confirming the plan for the next three days, Li Yongcheng carefully folded the map and put it away with a satisfied nod.
"Patriarch, Fifth Uncle has just broken through to the Late Blood Coagulation realm!"
Another clan member hurriedly reported.
Li Yongcheng's face lit up at this news! This was truly good news.
The Li Clan already had two warriors in the Late Blood Coagulation Realm, along with six other Blood Coagulation Realm cultivators, making a total of eight.
On the other hand, the Chen Clan had only four Blood Coagulation Realm warriors. If it weren't for their Ancestor, the Chen Clan would have fallen long ago.
With another breakthrough to the Late Blood Coagulation Realm, even the intervention of the Chen Clan's Ancestor wouldn't be a threat.
The path to victory was now crystal clear.
Even if they attacked the Chen Clan now, they could defeat them.
However, after a moment's thought, Li Yongcheng decided against it.
The Chen Clan might not be formidable, but another clan in Chaotic Burial Mountain required caution.
It was wiser to minimize their own losses and wait for the perfect moment.
As night descended, Chen Xingzhen paced atop a high vantage point within the clan, his eyes sharp and vigilant. Only when he was certain that all was calm did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Today's efforts seemed to have bought the family a few more precious days.
Quickening his pace, he headed toward the ancestral hall.
When he arrived, he peered through a crack in the door and saw the shimmering Divine Tree within.
Perhaps it was his imagination, but the tree's radiance seemed even brighter tonight.
Chen Xingzhen gently pushed open the door and stepped inside, his heart pounding with anticipation. The sight that greeted him left him awestruck.
The Divine Tree had not only grown taller but its trunk was thicker, and its branches and leaves emitted a luminous radiance, resembling scattered jade stones---crystal clear and translucent.
He hadn't visited during the day, and the immense changes in the Divine Tree took him completely by surprise.
It seemed that last night's sacrifice had produced remarkable results.
Chen Xingzhen found himself caught in a moment of hesitation, his brow furrowed with concern.
Earlier that day, he had issued a decree for the clan to abstain from hunting tonight.
The reason was clear; the encounter with the fearsome Innate Realm green wolf during yesterday's hunt had left lingering fears. If the wolf still prowled nearby, the risks to his clan members would be dire.
Yet, as he gazed at the radiant changes in the divine tree, a thought nagged at him. Would interrupting the nightly offerings halt the tree's transformative growth?
He had heard from the clan elders that during critical moments, the clan's divine tree needed daily sacrifices.
The more offerings made, the stronger the tree's divine power would be, providing better protection for the clan.
He recalled asking the elders once before; What exactly constituted a critical moment?
The clan elder had smiled and remained silent, assuring him that he would understand when the time came. Now, the current situation perfectly matched what that elder had described as a critical moment.
If this were indeed the case, stopping the offerings today would make him a sinner against the clan.
The two ferocious beasts sacrificed last night had mostly been consumed by the clan members. Sacrificing them now would likely prove insufficient.
Could it be that tonight, they would have to take another risk?
"But if we must go out hunting, whom should we send?" Chen Xingzhen muttered to himself.
Sending clan members with lower cultivation levels would pose problems during the hunt. On the other hand, dispatching Chen Tianyu and the others, carried the risk of encountering that Innate Realm ferocious beast again, jeopardizing their lives.
Just as Chen Xingzhen wrestled with these thoughts, a faint voice spoke from behind him,
"Clan leader, I'll go."
"Qingyu? When did you arrive?" Chen Xingzhen asked, pleasantly surprised by his sudden appearance.
Chen Qingyu glanced at the significantly transformed divine tree, his expression remained composed as he continued,
"I can handle tonight's hunt alone."
Chen Xingzhen hesitated at his words. Upon reflection, he realized there was truly no one better suited for the task than Qingyu.
Among the clan's late-stage Blood Coagulation Realm warriors, only two remained---himself and Qingyu
Even though he was much older, a warrior's strength did not necessarily increase with age. If one's age became too advanced and one's cultivation realm remained stagnant, one's internal energy and blood would rapidly decline.
Currently, Qingyu stood as the clan's strongest warrior. His prowess in the late-stage Blood Coagulation Realm enabled him to navigate the perilous Zang Cemetery with ease.
If faced with a formidable adversary beyond his abilities, his acute senses would ensure a strategic retreat.
After careful consideration, Chen Qingyu was indeed the most suitable candidate.
Chen Xingzhen turned to him, his voice laced with concern.
"Be careful on this mission," he advised. "If you sense any danger, retreat immediately---don't be reckless."
Qingyu nodded, his expression calm and unwavering. His composure was both reassuring and worrisome, causing Chen Xingzhen to sigh inwardly.
Chen Qingyu had many commendable qualities, but perhaps he was too young and temperamental.
Yet, in retrospect, perhaps young people needed to be . How else could they break through their limitations?
After all, it was the family's fault. If the clan were stronger, they could provide better resources and opportunities for exceptional talents like Chen Qingyu.
Seeing the clan leader's approval, Chen Qingyu immediately headed for the secret passage.
"Leader, I'm leaving!"
"Very well, take care and be careful."