Meanwhile.
Li Wei gazed at the scene unfolding outside the Prince's Mansion. The entire populace of Azure Cloud City had gathered, their initial shock giving way to a burning rage. Their homes had been ravaged, and their families were torn apart by the Wu Clan invasion.
And now, the truth dawned upon them: it was Feng Qingyang, their revered Prince, who was the architect of their suffering!
Their initial hymns of praise had soured into venomous curses.
"He truly is a ruthless hero, capable of leading both demonic and righteous cultivators in the Thunderfire Demon Cave. How utterly ruthless."
Li Wei observed all that transpired on the screen.
With a soft sound of admiration, Li Wei switched the view.
It was...
[The Endless Forest]
At this moment, within one of the Division tribes, a towering figure covered in demonic tattoos sat upon a table.
Before him were all the elite warriors of an entire Wu Clan tribe, even their Great Priest.
These old rivals of the Li family, who had once risked life and limb on the battlefield, the toughest of opponents, now forced smiles at the Li family member before them.
"I'm out of wine. Pour me some more."
Li Yundou grabbed the bowl made from a skull and held it out. As a Wu Clan beauty beside him poured the wine, he glanced at the many elite warriors with sullen expressions before him and grinned. "Don't look so glum, you have plenty of experts. Surely you can spare a chieftain for a while. It's no big deal.
"I saw one of your sacrifices before, where a chieftain was casually killed during a divination. Chieftains aren't exactly valuable around here, are they?"
"Come, let me show you a special trick."
Even after seeing Li Yundou casually detach his head to show them, then reattach it to his neck with a frivolous grin, the Wu Clan members still maintained their sullen expressions.
And it was no wonder.
[Your descendant, Li Yunbing, dispatched six members of the Seven Ironclad, who had reached the mid-Golden Core stage, with the Mad Blood Demon Lord providing support. They went to six different Wu Clan tribes, died dozens of times, and returned to harass them again after reviving, irritating the Wu Clan to no end.]
[Eventually, both sides reached an agreement: the Wu Clan would pay the price of having their chieftains slander Feng Qingyang for the Li family, in exchange for the Seven Ironclad ceasing their harassment of the tribes outside of wartime.]
[Your descendants, the Seven Ironclad, have earned the notorious nickname "Immortal Cockroaches" among the Wu Clan.]
"...."
Li Wei had miscalculated. He had thought Li Tianyi, Li Tianming, and Li Tianqi – those three – would be the first to fire the shot of 'bringing shame upon the family,' but unexpectedly, it was the Seven Ironclad who spearheaded the family's descent into infamy.
"If Yaowen had been in charge of the planning, it wouldn't have turned out like this."
Li Wei stroked his chin. Within the entire family, Yaowen and Yunbing were the only ones who could be considered strategist-type talents.
Both were the type to achieve their goals by any means necessary, yet they differed somewhat. Li Yaowen's schemes were like battles fought from the shadows; she was more composed and considered her plans more thoroughly.
As for Li Yunbing... that fellow employed every possible means, regardless of the consequences.
For example, many years ago, when asking for help from the head of the Gu family, he was even willing to entertain murderous thoughts towards the Gu family, his supposed allies, all for the sake of his own family.
In the Thunderfire Demon Cave, to consolidate Li Yaoqing's power, he was even capable of striking down his most loyal subordinates.
When this fellow took action, even Li Wei had to consider the consequences...
"Immortal Cockroaches... After this, it's probably best to let the Seven Black Bears lie low for a while. Their reputation has certainly spread, but that will inevitably make the Wu Clan wary. While they may be called 'immortal,' it doesn't mean there's no way to deal with them. If the Wu Clan were to truly figure them out, that would be troublesome."
Li Wei had no choice but to be extra cautious; currently, Li Yaowen was completely focused on seizing the Luck.
The Seven Ironclad had many flaws. Their cultivation was slow; after all, even the Mad Blood Demon Lord took many years to reach the Nascent Soul stage.
They seemed to be a special kind of existence, with endless lifespans but incredibly slow cultivation.
Having considered everything, Li Wei lit up the ancestral spirit tablets.
Only then did the Seven Ironclad reluctantly bid a tearful farewell to the Wu Clan and return to the family compound to enter secluded cultivation.
....
"Traitor to Azure Cloud region!"
"No wonder the Prince's Mansion ordered us to stay home back then; he wanted us dead!"
"Perhaps Feng Qingyang has already fallen to the path of demonic cultivation! He wants to use us for a blood sacrifice! He's a demonic cultivator, a demonic cultivator!"
"...."
A full half-month passed, and the area outside the Prince's Mansion was still filled with a chorus of curses.
Inside a pavilion within the Azure Cloud region, the aged Li Yunbing stood at a window, gazing at the Prince's Mansion, its defensive arrays fully activated.
Behind him stood Li Kuangren, Feng Mi, Li Changsheng, and Li Changyao, all of them staring intently at the Feng family.
"He hasn't come out even now. He truly is someone of note."
Li Yunbing offered a word of praise, then noticed Li Kuangren and Feng Mi frowning. He chuckled, "Feng Qingyang is indeed a worthy opponent. If he hadn't encountered our Li family, and if our Li family hadn't had these thirty years of development, everything might have gone according to Feng Qingyang's wishes, and he might even have ascended beyond the Nascent Soul stage."
"Unfortunately for him, he has no chance now. Grandfather said he wanted him to die in terror and perish in disgrace. He's been sufficiently humiliated, and now it's time for the next step."
As Li Yunbing's voice faded.
A figure appeared in the room, clad in white robes, wearing a mask –
Feng Chunlin!
"Brother!" Feng Chunlin removed his mask, and Feng Mi's face lit up with joy.
Thirty years ago, he had been captured by the Li family, only to be released by Li Yaowen. And now, on this day, when the Li family had driven the Wu Clan from the Azure Cloud region, he returned once more!
He gave Li Changsheng's family a faint smile.
Then, he walked out of the room, pausing at the doorway, just as he had done that day when he left the Li family hall, only this time, he was filled with even greater confidence.
"Leave everything that follows to me."
Not long after, on the road to the Feng family's estate, Feng Chunlin, dressed in luxurious robes, gazed at the plaque of the Prince's Mansion and, with trembling hands, knocked on the gate.
Li Yaowen was right that day!
He would wait, Azure Cloud region still had a chance. Under the Li family's leadership, they had won a glorious victory.
But it wasn't over. Azure Cloud region was still surrounded by powerful enemies.
There were some things only he could do, and today was the day he would complete his unfinished task!
Only by eliminating all unfavorable factors could the Azure Cloud region continue to be victorious!
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