was taken directly.

In the quiet and elegant courtyard, a gentle breeze rustled through the branches under the eaves, scattering dappled sunlight and shadows, and all was peaceful and serene. But Chen Yang sat upright inside, his heart already churning with turbulent emotions and countless thoughts.

His initial purpose in traveling to Shengyang Fortress was simply to investigate his origins and unravel the mystery of his birth. Little did he expect that he would inadvertently stumble upon a shocking secret that Shengyang Fortress had kept hidden for three years!

Lu Huaiyun, the dignified lord of Shengyang Fortress, secretly colluded with the Moon Clan and used a strange parasitic technique to silently control eight powerful beings at the Innate Dao Body Realm!

If this matter gets out, it will surely cause a huge uproar and completely shake the entire cultivation world!

Shengyang Fort and the Chen family's fiefdom are adjacent and coexist. Their relationship has always been lukewarm, neither particularly friendly nor deeply hostile. There have only been sporadic minor skirmishes over the years, and no large-scale bloody battles have ever broken out.

But now that the truth has come to light, Chen Yang instantly saw through Lu Huaiyun's true colors.

This once ambitious overlord, who aspired to expand his territory and annex the Chen family's lands, completely lost all ambition after suffering a cultivation mishap and a sharp drop in his cultivation level. All his former grand ambitions vanished, and now he only seeks to peacefully occupy Shengyang Fortress, indulging in extravagance and living a life of mediocrity.

At first, Chen Yang subconsciously felt that this was an internal secret of Shengyang Fortress and had nothing to do with him or the Chen family.

But he paced back and forth in the courtyard with his hands behind his back, pondered for a moment, then suddenly raised his hand and slapped his forehead, a self-deprecating bitter smile flashing in his eyes.

"How foolish I am! How could this have nothing to do with me?"

He is now the rightful head of the Chen family, bearing the weight of the family's rise and fall!

If they could seize this opportunity to subdue the hidden dangers and control the eight innate powerhouses of Shengyang Fortress, it would be an absolutely advantageous and harmless opportunity for the Chen family! Having realized this, Chen Yang chuckled to himself, fully recognizing his own status and limitations. After all, he had only recently assumed the position of family head, and he had not yet fully grasped the overall picture from the perspective of a clan leader.

With his mind completely made up, Chen Yang no longer hesitated and immediately began to plan his strategy.

The key to taking over Shengyang Fortress is to eliminate its lord, Lu Huaiyun!

This matter is not difficult for him now. Lu Huaiyun's cultivation has already plummeted, falling from the peak of the Innate Dao Body Realm to the ordinary Dao Body Realm, his strength is less than one-tenth of what it used to be. As long as he avoids the Eight Vajras and faces Lu Huaiyun alone, the opponent will have absolutely no power to resist.

With my Heavenly Dragon Body, I have absolutely nothing to worry about.

With his plan already decided, Chen Yang remained calm and composed.

Just then, a hearty and loud laugh came from outside the courtyard. The joyful laughter of the Purple Sun Immortal Lord pierced through the courtyard and broke the tranquility inside.

Chen Yang stepped out of the courtyard and saw that the mansion courtyard had already been decorated in a magnificent and splendid manner, with a high-standard banquet already prepared.

Immortal Lord Ziyang and Liu Yuyun stood side by side, their expressions gentle, warmly greeting visiting relatives, friends, and guests. Upon seeing Chen Yang emerge, they immediately stepped forward and ushered him to the seats of honor, treating him with utmost courtesy.

Chen Yang appeared calm and polite. He bowed to each of Ziyang Xianjun, Liu Yuyun's relatives and elders, displaying impeccable manners and composure, showcasing the demeanor of a great man.

He knew perfectly well that Ziyang Immortal Lord was already under the control of Lu Huaiyun's Moon Clan puppet soul, and that news of his arrival at Shengyang Fortress must have already reached Lu Huaiyun's ears.

However, the two regions are far apart, and the speed of communication is usually slow. Lu Huaiyun would never know that the Chen family's young master, who had been missing for five years and had little reputation, is now the new head of the Chen family, in charge of two quasi-divine artifacts! If he did not possess the Primordial Shadow Shuttle, a top-level spacetime artifact that can instantly cross tens of thousands of miles of territory, it would be impossible for him to arrive at Shengyang Fort so quickly, and news from the outside world would be far behind.

The banquet was filled with melodious music, delicious food, and various song and dance performances. The scene was grand and of extremely high standard, showcasing the prestige of the top family in Shengyang Fort.

After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere was quite lively. Chen Yang slowly rose, raised his wine glass, and looked sincerely at Liu Yuyun and Ziyang Immortal Lord: "Aunt, Uncle. Although I have come here to inquire about my origins, as the young master of the Chen family, I also wish to convey the goodwill and friendly sentiments of my family. If it is convenient, I hope to pay my respects to the Lord of Shengyang Fortress in person, to express the kindness and remembrance left by my father."

Upon hearing this, Liu Yuyun immediately nodded with a smile, full of approval: "Of course! Although you are not my biological child, your status is what it is. Moreover, as the young master of the Chen family, it is only reasonable for you to pay respects to a local lord."

The Immortal Lord Ziyang laughed loudly, his eyes showing a deliberate gentleness: "Nephew, you are very thoughtful! After the banquet, I will personally take you to Shengyang Fortress to meet the Fortress Master."

"Then thank you very much, Aunt and Uncle, for your kindness." Chen Yang bowed slightly, sat down calmly, and showed no sign of any unusual thoughts.

As the grand banquet came to a close and the guests departed, night deepened. As promised, Immortal Lord Ziyang set off, taking Chen Yang with him to the nearby main city of Shengyang Fortress.

The majestic Shengyang Fortress stands tall in the night, its entire structure cast from massive black iron stones, resembling a lurking primordial beast, exuding an imposing aura that suppresses all directions.

The entire castle is covered with layers of densely packed restrictive formations, their spiritual light flowing and shimmering. A blazing, masculine heat wave continuously emanates from the castle's core, enveloping the entire territory, which is the origin of the name "Holy Sun Castle".

At this moment, the inner hall of Shengyang Fort is filled with luxurious fragrance and warmth.

Lu Huaiyun lay languidly on the soft couch, his eyes slightly closed, letting two graceful maids gently massage him, his expression languid and extremely luxurious.

After suffering a cultivation mishap and a sharp drop in his power, he completely abandoned all ambition. In the past, he was ambitious, single-mindedly aiming to reach the Tribulation Transcending Realm, plotting to annex the Chen family's territory, monopolize the Star Moon Forest, and become a top powerhouse on the Primordial Continent. But now, holding control over eight innate powerhouses, he has long since lost all desire, only wishing to remain in Sacred Sun Fortress, indulging in extravagance and pleasure, and living a peaceful life.

He had already learned of Chen Yang's visit through the unusual movements of Immortal Lord Ziyang.

He felt nothing but disgust and resistance towards this meeting. He was already tired of social interactions and only wanted to stay in his own brothel and enjoy his wealth and luxury.

However, as the young master of the Chen family, Chen Yang represented a powerful force, so he had to meet with them in order to send a friendly signal to the Chen family, avoid conflict between the two sides, and resolve potential misunderstandings.

In his view, Chen Yang had been missing for five years and had been silent for many years. He seemed to have no cultivation progress and was just a young master of a noble family with empty reputation but no strength. He was not afraid of him at all and he would never expose any flaws.

Lu Huaiyun waved lazily, signaling the two maids to bow and leave.

With his eyes slightly closed and a thought forming in his mind, he remotely manipulated the Moon Clan soul residing within the body of Immortal Lord Ziyang, quietly taking control of all of Immortal Lord Ziyang's words, actions, and thoughts.

At this moment, outside the gates of Shengyang Fort.

Immortal Lord Ziyang stopped and turned to look at Chen Yang beside him. His tone was calm and distant, with an unyielding coldness: "Chen Yang, you will enter the fortress alone to pay your respects."

Chen Yang slightly raised his eyes and glanced at the other person indifferently.

At that moment, he clearly sensed a dramatic change in the tone and expression of the Purple Sun Immortal Lord.

Previously, the Immortal Lord Ziyang had been gentle, warm, and affectionate, addressing him as "my dear nephew" with great respect. But now, his tone was stiff, his attitude distant, and he addressed him by his first name, showing no trace of familial warmth. Chen Yang instantly understood: the one currently controlling the Immortal Lord Ziyang's body and dominating his soul was no longer the original body, but Lu Huaiyun!

Having seen through all the secrets, Chen Yang remained expressionless, showing no sign of surprise. He calmly nodded, turned around, and strode straight toward the Holy Sun Fortress, which was radiant with spiritual light and heavily guarded by array formations.

The layers of barriers along the way sensed the presence of a living person and automatically opened and closed, slowly retreating to open a path for him.

Chen Yang walked with ease and without any obstacles, soon entering the magnificent and solemn council hall.

On the main throne in the main hall, Lu Huaiyun sat in the clouds, wearing a brocade robe, his face kind and smiling, yet his body exuded an incomparably heavy aura of superiority.

He deliberately adopted a friendly demeanor, wanting to extend goodwill to the Chen family, while at the same time subtly displaying a sense of intimidation, unwilling to be looked down upon in the slightest.

Upon seeing Chen Yang enter the main hall, Lu Huaiyun spoke slowly and gently: "Nephew Chen, I am delighted to hear that you have come from afar."

Chen Yang raised his eyes and looked directly at Lu Huaiyun in the main seat. Without exchanging any pleasantries or formalities, his mind suddenly stirred!

Om-!

His palm flashed with spiritual light, and the ancient, black gourd that devoured the heavens soared into the sky, tearing through the sky above the hall. Its supreme killing pressure instantly enveloped the entire council hall!