"Greetings, esteemed seniors of the Azure Cloud Pavilion."
Li Yaowen's voice was calm, though faint, barely audible above the howling wind and snow. Yet, it clearly reached the ears of everyone in the Azure Cloud Pavilion. "Do you know what kind of family my Li family is?" she asked.
The people of the Azure Cloud Pavilion furrowed their brows.
They hadn't known before. They only knew that the Li family was likely just another rural family in the Azure Cloud region, delusional about lasting for thousands of years, complacent with their meager abilities in that impoverished land.
But they were wrong.
Over these seven years, they had come to understand. The Li family embodied all the evils of the world. They were utterly indifferent to life, employing wicked cultivation methods and unorthodox paths, committing acts that angered both humans and gods, deserving to be condemned by all!
"My Li family is a family of great benevolence. During the twenty-year drought in various regions, my Li family provided for thousands, tens of thousands of people."
"During the decades-long war between the Skyveil Sect and Black Tortoise Sect, my Li family traveled far and wide, protecting over a million common people."
"My father once said, 'With great power comes great responsibility.' He said that when my Li family gains control of Tailin, we should accumulate blessings for the people, leave a good name for a hundred generations, and gather merit for our Li family."
"My eldest brother once said, 'My sword is the sword of the Li family. It slays all enemies, but it can also protect millions.' I have a second elder sister whom I admire the most. She was a divine healer. She had dozens of disciples, and their number grew to hundreds. Later, all the physicians in Tailin Town came from my Li family. They went to many town and city, healing hundreds of thousands of people."
"..."
Li Yaowen recounted the Li family's benevolent deeds one by one, causing the disciples and elders of the Azure Cloud Pavilion to exchange puzzled glances.
Gu Cangsheng let out a cold snort, interrupting Li Yaowen. "Lord of Dawn," he said, "is this all you have to say after coming to my Azure Cloud Pavilion? Your Li family has performed good deeds, but under the heavens, is there any sect, any family, any clan that hasn't done good deeds?"
Li Yaowen, however, ignored Gu Cangsheng's words.
She continued listing the Li family's good deeds one by one, then said, "My Li family was meant to be a family of great kindness. That's why I left the Li family and haven't returned for so long. I have committed many evil deeds in my life and probably won't be able to accumulate any merit for the family."
"Back then, I thought I should die outside, lest the heavenly tribulation befall me and affect the great merit and virtue that the family had accumulated over a hundred years."
"But then..."
Li Yaowen sighed deeply. "Old Pig died."
"It turns out my father was wrong all along. Great kindness and benevolence are not rewarded. Those like you, high and mighty, rumored to be like celestial beings, the Skyveil Sect, and Black Tortoise Sect, they commit great atrocities and receive no karmic retribution. Old Pig never committed any great sins. In his entire life, he only killed a hundred cultivators who invaded the Silver Iron Forest, yet he was brutally murdered by your Azure Cloud Pavilion's Elder Xiao Huang."
"Actually, when Pavilion Master Yu Xian left and you released Xiao Huang and Elder Qiuye, I was relieved."
"This will teach my Li family a true lesson. What 'Heaven's Will'? It's blind. My Li family will become the heavens of this Azure Cloud region."
"Spring arrives."
Li Yaowen's voice remained calm, but everyone in the Azure Cloud Pavilion's expressions changed drastically.
What shameless arrogance!
Boom!
Thunder roared.
Li Yaowen waved her hand casually, and the seasons shifted. Ice and snow melted, flowers bloomed on withered branches, and a fine drizzle fell!
Gu Cangsheng exclaimed in shock, "Literary cultivation? Words manifesting reality! What kind of literary cultivation is this?!"
This heavenly tribulation was being suppressed by some unknown literary power. As long as Li Yaowen willed it, the tribulation would descend!
Just as he finished speaking, a cultivator arrived on a flying sword from outside the Azure Cloud Pavilion. Ignoring the unseasonal spring blossoms in the middle of winter, he hurriedly delivered his report: "Pavilion Master, it's terrible! At the Azure Cloud Martial Pavilion at the foot of the mountain, someone named Li Tianyi set up an altar, then charged into the pavilion without a word and massacred our disciples!"
"What?!"
The elders of the Azure Cloud Pavilion were enraged.
But then, paper cranes, spirit stones, and other objects arrived one after another!
The elders of the Azure Cloud Pavilion, upon receiving the intelligence reports, cried out in alarm.
"Pavilion Master, it's Medicine King Valley! The Sword King, along with those seven devils, is attacking Medicine King Valley! They're requesting our support!"
"The Wu family is requesting aid! The Ancestor of Spirit Puppets led dozens of spirit puppets and many zombies to attack!"
"The demoness Xu Cuihua and Bai Rourou, along with the Beast King Li Tianshuang, have led a horde of beasts to assault the Hundred Weapons Sect! Pavilion Master, they're asking us to request reinforcements from the nearest Skyveil Sect branch!"
"Whitewater town..."
One intelligence report after another reached the Azure Cloud Pavilion.
Gu Cangsheng was overwhelmed, his head spinning. As he looked at the changing weather and the old woman calmly sitting in her wheelchair, he felt sweat trickling down his back.
In an instant, he realized the Li family's choice of attack locations was no coincidence.
Medicine King Valley, the Wu family, the Hundred Weapons Sect... these locations were all places the Azure Cloud Pavilion could quickly reinforce. They were also situated far from powerful sects and families. Even for Golden Core experts, it would take half a day to provide support.
He should dispatch his disciples to provide support now; this was also the best opportunity to severely damage the Li family.
But he understood even more clearly that this was an operation aimed directly at the Azure Cloud Pavilion!
If the Azure Cloud Pavilion didn't send support, their reputation would be ruined.
If the Azure Cloud Pavilion did send support...
it wouldn't just be their reputation that would be ruined. If Li Yaowen brought down the heavenly tribulation, with its Nascent Soul level power, the Azure Cloud Pavilion's sect-protecting formation would be rendered useless. The entire Azure Cloud Mountain would be subjected to the baptism of thunder tribulation!
He was now even afraid that this ruthless woman, who had nothing to lose, would charge into the Azure Cloud Pavilion!
Gu Cangsheng glared at Li Yaowen with fury.
Li Yaowen gripped the armrests of her wheelchair. She lifted her chin, narrowed her eyes, and gazed at the cultivators of the Azure Cloud Pavilion, who stood high above her, a gentle smile spreading across her face.
"You can't go anywhere."
"After today, the Azure Cloud Pavilion's reputation will be in ruins, and my Li family will become the rulers of the Azure Cloud region. The whole world will know that it was the Azure Cloud Pavilion, in their attempt to protect Xiao Huang, who brought disaster upon the entire Azure Cloud region."
"But don't worry, esteemed seniors. I, Li Yaowen, value my life, and so do you. Today is not the day the Azure Cloud Pavilion will fall."
"You, the Azure Cloud Pavilion, stood by and watched as Xiao Huang wreaked havoc. Today, you shall watch as my Li family does the same."
"You protected Xiao Huang back then, but whether it's today or in the future, you won't be able to protect anyone from my Li family."
"This is the price you will pay."
Hearing this...
Gu Cangsheng furiously destroyed all the intelligence reports. His anger suddenly dissipated as he looked up at the sky, inhaling the fragrance of flowers that filled the air after Li Yaowen's alteration of the seasons. He let out a long sigh.
"I'm old. It's time to relinquish this position of Pavilion Master."
Hearing this, the elders behind him furrowed their brows and took a step back.
Their eyes flickered with uncertainty. They sensed that from this day forward, the Azure Cloud Pavilion would no longer be able to maintain its lofty position.
The fear brought by the Li family crept into their hearts little by little.
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