Ten minutes later...
No corpses could be seen within Medicine King Valley. Only the Li family members remained, and Fairy Yao, who was pinned to the walls in a spread-eagle position with nail-like Spirit Weapons, unable to move. The light had vanished from Yao Xian's eyes; she looked as if she had lost her soul.
She saw it.
A blood tree with a crimson crown appeared within Medicine King Valley, its roots piercing through the living beings of the valley one by one. She saw countless zombies and innumerable crazed demonic beasts. These beasts and fiends were tearing and biting the people of Medicine King Valley, and the zombies slowly dragged the drained corpses into a silver coffin.
A demonic figure emerged from the silver coffin, its body filled with demonic energy but devoid of sentience. This demon and the Li family's demonic tree almost fought over the blood, and she witnessed the demon gradually growing stronger, advancing from the Qi Refining stage to the False Core Formation stage.
"Demons, they are all demons!"
Yao Xian'er murmured.
She saw them, these heartless fiends, gathered together, feeling no remorse for the recent slaughter, putting on a hypocritical show of compassion before her.
The first four generations of the Li family gathered together, erected an altar, knelt before the ancestral tablet engraved with the character "Li," and cried out, "May the ancestors protect us!"
The cloudy eyes of the seven demonic fiends flickered, briefly regaining a moment of clarity. They knelt and bowed, one by one, to the first two generations of the Li family.
"Child... has become a demon!"
"If we truly lose our minds one day, Grandfather, you must throw us into the coffin and let Father and Mother in to beat us until we regain our senses."
"It's alright, Mother. Don't worry. As long as we have blood to drink, we'll be fine. Your child believes we can maintain our sanity."
"Yes, we have the recordings. I don't know why, but as long as we look at those days we spent in Green Valley Village, the demonic thoughts in our hearts can be suppressed."
"..."
The seven demonic fiends showed simple and honest smiles.
Yao Xian'er couldn't understand. These demons deserved to be condemned by all; they were devoid of humanity!
But how could she know that it was precisely those she considered humane, those who committed the most inhumane acts, that drove the Seven Sons to abandon their humanity. Now, they were struggling to hold onto the last vestiges of their human nature.
"Father, Uncle, Second Uncle!"
The children of the Li family's fourth generation knelt and bowed to the Seven Sons. Even though they had already learned about the Seven Sons succumbing to demonic influence, seeing their current state still brought tears to their eyes.
They knew deep down that their fathers, like them, had endured unspeakable experiences.
The omens given to them by the Primordial Blood Tree were never just trials.
Whenever they had free time, they would recall Tailin Town and Green Valley Village. There, they had fields of spiritual crops, kind villagers, and family gatherings. There, they could casually walk into any villager's home for a meal, spar with their peers using wooden swords, and every day was filled with laughter and joy.
Sometimes, they would even feel a sense of pride that they were members of the Li family, that it was the Li family who had led Green Valley Village to its current prosperity. At least in Green Valley Village, they were born with boundless glory.
But now, they had left the village, left Tailin Town, and never saw those familiar faces again. They rarely had the chance to reunite with their family.
They had to battle ferocious beasts and contend with the forces of nature. They also learned that the world was filled with deceit and treachery. Who wouldn't want to live a life of innocence? Shedding naivety and childishness and slowly becoming mature and strong was never an easy task.
Growing up was so painful. They were like naked mortals, running through a jungle of thorns, far more painful than falling off their great-grandfather's back.
The children of the fourth generation, for the first time, felt the deep pain of growing up.
Their seven fathers, who once even went so far as to "forbid people from urinating and defecating in the latrine," should have been even more childish than them. They should be yelling at the top of their lungs, their voices high-pitched, demanding to know why they were crying here. And then, with a swift kick each, they should send them flying into the wall, stuck so firmly they couldn't be pried off.
For the first time, they began to miss that feeling.
But now, the Seven Sons simply stood silently, their eyes bloodshot beneath their demon-marked faces.
Their fathers had finally become the responsible, mature, and quiet figures they had wished for as children, no longer scolding or fussing. But sometimes, what they had wished for as children turned out to be truly naive. Their fathers had to endure far more than they ever did.
"Father, Uncle, Second Uncle!"
The children of the fourth generation called out again, and this time, the Seven Sons finally managed to force a strained smile.
Li Yaowen seemed to sense the children's distress. She gently waved her hand, and the children stood up. Li Yaowen smiled and said, "Alright, with your Fourth Aunt here, they'll be fine."
"Yes!"
Everyone nodded slightly.
"Demons! You're all demons!!!"
Yao Xian'er, pinned to the wall, finally shouted out. She understood. This Li family never cared whether their family members had succumbed to demonic influence. All they cared about was whether they could invade a peaceful place like Medicine King Valley and slaughter her kind-hearted disciples!
Amidst the roars, she saw the glint of sharpness in Li Yaozu's eyes in the distance and the sword gradually enlarging before her eyes.
Then came endless pain.
"Aagh!!!"
Li Yaozu, using his sword, was mercilessly flaying her skin!
No one paid any attention to Yao Xian'er's wails. The Li family members gathered together. They still remembered the words of their ancestors: it should be the enemy who grieves, the enemy who suffers, not them.
They looked towards the distance, to the place where Li Dalong had fought Elder Qiuye and Xiao Huang!
"I returned after sensing your auras."
As the head of the family, Li Dalong gazed calmly into the distance. "Yaoqing," he said, "thank you for inviting Senior Drunken Madman. He is truly powerful."
Li Yaoqing nodded slightly. "Even within the Demon Cave, the Drunken Madman is a top-tier expert."
Li Yundou, one of the Seven Sons, with his bloodshot eyes, flashed a cold look. "Grandfather," he asked, "are they... still alive?"
Upon hearing this question, everyone focused their attention.
They knew that if Li Yaowen wished, with the support of their ancestors and the Li family's current strength and influence, eliminating Qiuye and Xiao Huang discreetly would be an effortless task!
Yet, they were still gathered here because they wanted to take revenge together, to repay the Li family's suffering completely!
"They are still alive."
Li Dalong, with a smile, uttered the words everyone longed to hear.
They wanted their enemies alive. If they died easily, it would be a grave disrespect to the Pig Demon King!
The Heaven-Piercing Coffin rose into the air, gradually growing larger until its surface could accommodate all the Li family members.
Li Dalong led his family onto the coffin and soared into the sky.
It was as if the Li family, riding the clouds, were bringing the coffin to their enemies. The enemies would be forever trampled beneath their feet, their corpses subjected to endless torment within the dark and desolate confines of the coffin.
---
Loving the story? Fuel the adventure! 🔥 Donate on Ko-fi and unlock the next 5 chapters! ➡️ /darktea] ⬅️
Thank you for your support! ❤️ Progress: [Progress: [25/65]]