Qi Rong wrote to Qin Ruqing that the Eastern Region had also experienced a beast tide.

“I went with Brother Ru Yu, and my mother provided support.”

Qin Ruqing nodded in response.

The level of their efforts was indeed sufficient.

“Our Qin family just needs to do what we’re supposed to,” Qin Ruqing advised.

This meant that the Qin family should follow the other families in defending the borders without overextending themselves—just doing what was required was enough.

Qi Rong understood Qin Ruqing’s words well now.

This meant that the Qin family only needed to cooperate in the border defense and not to stand out too much—doing their part was sufficient.

Qi Rong agreed and, full of youthful vigor, took on the first real family task he received as he grew up.

“Are you not going back?” Cheng Yiming, who was standing beside Qin Ruqing, asked.

He had recently become the leader of the South Ridge branch and was in the process of integrating the local forces.

Hao Gou, upon learning of his rapid rise, nearly had his eyes pop out in surprise.

Cheng Yiming understood Hao Gou’s astonishment.

The Cheng family had once been an ordinary family that didn’t even count as a major family, but after aligning with the Qin family, it had soared to new heights.

While others might view him with a mix of emotions, Hao Gou’s reaction was one of envy and jealousy—he, too, was once a small miss’s person.

Why hadn’t he had the fortune to become a branch leader of a prominent family?

Cheng Yiming enjoyed the complex and envious looks from others, which only strengthened his determination to cling to Qin Ruqing’s side.

So, when the beast tide began to occur frequently in various places, Cheng Yiming no longer panicked as he once did.

Instead, he saw it as an opportunity—he began to actively strategize, hoping to showcase himself in front of Qin Ruqing.

Qin Ruqing smiled and accepted everything.

She even gave Cheng Yiming some advice.

“No, I’m not going back!” Qin Ruqing said lightly. “The situation isn’t urgent enough yet. They haven’t remembered me.”

Cheng Yiming leaned forward, instinctively wanting to ask more questions.

For instance, why must the upper families remember her?

What role did she play in this yet-to-happen event?

Cheng Yiming was not prying into Qin Ruqing’s affairs.

His exploration was a kind of instinctive probing—trying to understand if there was room for him to contribute.

But he soon controlled his curiosity and asked nothing.

He was keenly aware of the dangerous implications behind such questions.

Not all questions should be asked outright.

Cheng Yiming remained faithfully in his role as the leader of the South Ridge branch, focusing on preparing for potential beast tides or attacks in the South Ridge and not concerning himself with other matters.

The situation Qin Ruqing anticipated was indeed getting closer.

The upper families had been in a state of panic for nearly a year.

They were not so much afraid of the beast tides themselves, but rather what the beast tides symbolized and foreshadowed.

In the Void Realm, the threat of the ancient Beast Emperor’s soul still lingered, “One day, the beast army will break through the barriers and tread upon the human world’s territory!”

Now, everything was unfolding as the Beast Emperor had foretold—beast tribes were indeed breaking through the barriers into the human world!

Although it was only the vanguard, with a small number, it was not yet a serious threat.

But the danger symbolized by this was what truly alarmed people.

Moreover, there was also the “end-of-days prophecy.”

Families whose younger generation had participated in the Void Realm’ inheritance struggle had heard, to varying degrees, about the prophecy of the human race’s extinction after their juniors emerged.

This prophecy had been directly conveyed by the great powers who granted the inheritance to those prodigies—if it weren’t for this, why would the inheritance doors, closed for thousands of years, be so readily opened?

The human race urgently needed to strengthen its power.

The ancient sages’ thinking was that even if it meant accelerating growth, it was necessary for the seedlings to grow a bit more.

The two successors of the Celestial Family, Fifth Youlin and Feng Mingyue, had spoken more clearly about this after emerging.

Feng Mingyue said, “On top of the two celestial beings’ orthodox inheritance, there is another inheritance, originating from the Masters of the Dao Sovereign. The Dao Ancestor left a prophecy that the human race will face an extinction calamity.”

Feng Mingyue’s words shocked the Feng family members repeatedly.

And each time they reflected on it, their shock came from different aspects.

What?

There is an inheritance beyond the two celestial beings, originating from the Dao Sovereign’s Master?

Master… which means going back two generations. Going back to the ancient times, heavens, they could hardly imagine the status and position of that Master.

What shocked them even more was the ancestor’s prophecy.

“Extinction calamity for the human race?!” Could it be brought by the beast tribes?

Does it mean that in the conflict between humans and beasts, not only will the humans suffer a crushing defeat, but it will also lead to extinction?

How could it be so extreme!

The Feng family, after their initial shock, began to consider another matter. “Isn’t the Chaos Physique mentioned by the Beast Emperor the same as the one referred to by the Dao Ancestor’s?”

After asking, they looked hopefully at Feng Mingyue. “Mingyue, is the Chaos Inheritor you?”

Although the Feng family knew that the most likely candidate was still that little devil, it didn’t mean they were willing to give up on the idea that Mingyue might be the inheritor.

Feng Mingyue coldly shook her head and said, “No.”

The Feng family couldn’t help but sigh in disappointment.

After the sigh, they said, “Then it certainly isn’t from the Fifth Family either.”

“It must be that Demon Star. If it weren’t for the Chaos Inheritor, there wouldn’t be so much commotion.”

Following that, the Feng family inevitably asked the question: “Have you inquired whether the Dao Ancestor is still alive?”

If she were alive, they wouldn’t have to worry about the Beast Clan’s threat!

But Feng Mingyue shook her head again. “The Dao Sovereign didn’t say. She only pointed towards the Sixth Domain.”

The Sixth Domain!

Indeed!

The Feng family felt a sense of confirmation and sighed, “Only such legendary immortal ruins could match the Dao Ancestor’s status.”

Compared to the information the Feng family obtained from Feng Mingyue, the Fifth Family’s situation was similar.

The only difference was in the speculation about the Chaos Inheritor:

“Is it Lingyu, or the Qin family’s Demon Star?” Fifth Sheng asked.

As for why the speculation didn’t include Fifth Youlin, it was because Fifth Youlin himself had personally denied it.

“Should call Lingyu and ask him,” others in the Fifth Family suggested.

But Fifth Lingyu simply wouldn’t come.

Although he shared the Fifth surname, his relationship with the Fifth Family was awkward.

He never listened to the Fifth Family before and listened even less now.

“That kid said if we want to manage him, we should exchange it for the position of clan leader.”

Current Fifth Immortal Clan Leader Fifth Sheng couldn’t help but scowl. “It’s simply absurd!”

“He’s gone off somewhere. Send someone to bring him back!” Fifth Sheng ordered.

“He left after coming out of the Void Realm and has gone who knows where to cause trouble,” the Fifth Family members said.

Finally, they turned to Southern Domain Head Celestial Bureau Da Jiao.

Due to the previous clan leader’s request, Da Jiao was the only one who could contact Fifth Lingyu. “Do you know where he is?”

Head Director Da Jiao awkwardly shook his head. “I only know he went to the Eastern Sea for cultivation. Beyond that, I know nothing.”

“To the Eastern Sea?”

“Let it not be that he’s looking for trouble with that Demon Star again.” When the Fifth Family thought of this possibility, they felt a headache coming on.

Qin Ruqing was already troublesome enough, and Fifth Lingyu seemed to have a conflict with Qin Ruqing while also being out of touch with the Fifth Family.

It made things even more troublesome.

The worst part was that he had the revered yet delicate status of the former clan leader’s son, which made it impossible for the current clan leader, Fifth Sheng, to manage him.

Fifth Sheng finally said, “All we need is one word from him—whether he is the Chaos Inheritor!”

Head Director Da Jiao, as the messenger, relayed the message, and the response from Fifth Lingyu left the Fifth Family with endless speculation.

Fifth Lingyu said, “Who knows?”

Although he didn’t admit it, he didn’t deny it either.

Thus, with this layer of ambiguity, the Feng family’s intention to win Qin Ruqing over became more apparent, while the Fifth Family’s stance was much more reserved.

They still held out a glimmer of hope—Lingyu could still be the Chaos Inheritor.

If he were, it wouldn’t matter if he ignored the clan’s affairs.

They could just let him cultivate in peace, and even if he became a lucky charm in the future, he would still be their Fifth Family’s lucky charm!

This was the real reason the Fifth Family tolerated Fifth Lingyu’s arrogance and impudence.

Now, the barrier’s boundary indeed seemed to be thinning day by day, and the Beast Clan could no longer be restrained—everything seemed to confirm the Dao Ancestor’s prophecy about humanity’s future.

If not for the Dao Ancestor’s prophecy, they could fight the Beast Clan without fear.

But now, with legendary figures claiming it was a battle destined to be lost, what was there left to insist on?