Daoist Jiuyou let out a long breath. He had witnessed the bravery of these Li family members during the explosion. They had used their own flesh and blood bodies to desperately hold back those three Nascent Soul cultivators, and now, incredibly, they had reappeared.
Not only were they unafraid of death, but their cultivation levels were like ants compared to those of Nascent Soul cultivators. Yet, they showed no fear. This was what was truly terrifying!
Then, above the mist-shrouded clouds, more and more Li family members appeared!
The three-tailed fox demon Xu Cuihua, the Sword King Li Yaozu, a giant tree with a crimson crown, even taller than the Skyveil Sect itself, a colossal python entwined around its trunk, crackling with lightning, a woman standing on its branches, enveloped in vines, Li Yaotie and his wife standing atop a silver puppet, embracing each other, Li Yaowen flying through the sky in her wheelchair.
The first two generations of the Li family seemed completely unsurprised by this scene.
They seemed to have everything under control.
No.
Their confidence wasn't derived from this, but from the ancestral tablet in their hands, the one that could summon the mysterious figure shrouded in mist. The previous scene was still vivid in their minds: the Yin-Yang Diagram, the teleportation, the Five Elements of Heaven and Earth... and that weapon capable of destroying everything.
Their confidence stemmed from that ancestral tablet, and from their most sincere faith!
Following that, the fourth generation of the Li family, as mentioned in the intelligence reports, arrived from all directions. Compared to the composure of the older generations, the fourth generation was filled with excitement. It seemed this was the first time they had witnessed such immense power!
Daoist Jiuyou saw the young talents of the Li family mentioned in the reports for the first time.
A hint of envy flickered in his eyes.
The Skyveil Sect also had many talented youths, but compared to the Li family's descendants, they paled in comparison. It wasn't a matter of talent, but... their gaze, their character!
These Li family descendants, who were merely at the Foundation Establishment stage, some even at the Qi Refining stage, faced the current situation without any fear.
Their eyes were filled with killing intent, as if even facing Nascent Soul cultivators in person was no big deal.
This was a grand family, built upon a path stained with blood, a foundation of corpses. Any one of them, placed in any other power, could ensure its continuation for a hundred, even a thousand years!
"If only these were my disciples..."
Daoist Jiuyou murmured, then glanced back at the panicked disciples of the Skyveil Sect.
He looked again at Daoist Zhenyang outside the sect-protecting formation, who had been spared by the Li family but was now left with only his upper body, dragging his intestines as he crawled before the sect's gates. Daoist Jiuyou shook his head and sighed.
Beside each of those Li family descendants, an ancestral tablet floated!
Perhaps this was the source of their strength and courage.
At this moment, Daoist Jiuyou suddenly furrowed his brow.
Li Dalong, his upper body bare, emerged from the sea of fire and landed before the Skyveil Sect's gates. Xu Cuihua held out a robe for him to wear.
All the descendants of the Li family surrounded the vast Skyveil Sect from all directions, waiting for the opportune moment to strike.
Li Dalong hoisted the silver coffin onto his back once again and walked, step by step, towards the gates of the Skyveil Sect.
"Save me, Master, save me..."
Sect Leader Zhen was still crawling, but before he could finish his plea, Li Dalong had already grabbed him by the hair and lifted him up, his intestines spilling onto the ground. Then, in full view of everyone, he extracted Sect Leader Zhen's wailing soul and tossed it into the black-flamed formation at his feet.
Li Dalong and his wife raised their heads, looking at Daoist Jiuyou, who was floating in the air above the Skyveil Sect, along with the many elders. He smiled.
"This junior, Li Dalong, along with the descendants of the Li family, greets Senior Jiuyou!"
"Greetings, Senior Jiuyou!"
All the members of the Li family were courteous and respectful. If not for their slightly aggressive demeanor, it would have been even better.
"Senior, outside the gates of the Skyveil Sect is not really a suitable place for conversation. Why not allow this junior to enter and speak with you?"
Hearing this, Daoist Jiuyou glanced at the ancestral tablets floating beside each member of the Li family, then looked at, the little girl beside Li Yaowen, bound by chains and suppressed with various talismans and Spirit Weapons. It was Xuan Tianzi!
While Li Wei was trapped, Xuan Tianzi, who was charging up her power, was intercepted by Li Dalong wielding the coffin lid as a weapon. Now, both her physical body and Nascent Soul were injured, her life hanging by a thread!
"Whew."
Daoist Jiuyou let out a long breath. He knew that things had changed from the moment that weapon exploded outside the Skyveil Sect, with two of the three Nascent Soul cultivators fleeing and one captured.
No faction would dare provoke the Li family lightly unless they had absolute certainty of victory.
Otherwise, these madmen would undoubtedly unleash another disaster like the one they had caused throughout the Azure Cloud region today.
Perhaps the best option now was to immediately leave the Skyveil Sect and kill the Li family members, but...
"Rumble!"
Thunder rumbled, and an oppressive aura descended. He glanced at Li Yaowen, the Lord of Dawn sitting in her wheelchair, who was once again invoking the wrath of the heavens.
The Li family still had more tricks up their sleeves!
This family was like an abyss. No one knew what terrifying things might emerge from this bottomless, dark pit.
And this fear, following the explosion outside the Skyveil Sect today, would spread throughout the entire Azure Cloud region.
What was the Azure Cloud Pavilion?
It could no longer compare to the fear the Li family instilled in everyone.
What were Nascent Soul cultivators?
At the very least, Daoist Jiuyou didn't want that incredibly powerful weapon with its wide attack range to land on the Skyveil Sect's doorstep.
"Everyone, please come in."
Daoist Jiuyou forced a smile, a rather unpleasant one. He had a feeling that if he dared to refuse, these Li family members would charge into his Skyveil Sect without hesitation.
Li Dalong, holding Xu Cuihua's hand, walked step by step into the Skyveil Sect.
He tightly gripped his wife's hand, his eyes scanning the disciples gathered from all directions within the Skyveil Sect, the numerous Golden Core cultivators, and Daoist Jiuyou, a Nascent Soul expert, standing before them. He swallowed nervously and sent a mental message to Xu Cuihua.
"Wife," he whispered, "Yaowen said we should come and talk to Daoist Jiuyou. But... if anything happens, you take the children and escape. I'll hold them back."
Xu Cuihua tightened her grip even more. "Husband," she said, "we should trust Yaowen. Besides, the ancestors have also said that everything will be fine. Don't be afraid. We have our ancestors with us."
"May the ancestor protect us!"
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