Immediately, the two paid no more attention to the Star Sword Saint, silently returned to their room, took out the ancestral spirit tablet, and reported to the Ancestor.
[What are your plans next?]
Hearing Li Changsheng say [in his report] that he had already begun supporting a direct lineage descendant of the Eternal Sun Prefecture Li family, Li Wei inquired further via the ancestral spirit tablet. The Li family [team] had arrived three months ago; the Li family children were scattered in all directions throughout Eternal Sun Prefecture, disguised as ordinary people.
To be honest, as Li Wei gradually learned more about Eternal Sun Prefecture, he only then realized its complexity and power. To plot to seize Eternal Sun Prefecture relying solely on the strength of the Li family alone? That was simply harder than ascending to heaven. Unless they wielded the entire power of present-day Azure Cloud region, brought along those six Wu Clan Divisions from the Endless Forest as well, plus those two Elders Luo Xing and Soul Duke—then there might be some hope.
Seeing Li Wei inquired.
Li Changsheng knelt on one knee. "Ancestor, Eternal Sun Prefecture is truly vast. Just within the capital city alone, the number of Nascent Soul–level aristocratic families is beyond counting. This place is nothing like our Azure Cloud region. Here, everything is governed by the Prefect, who answers directly to the Emperor."
"I had originally planned to control the Prefect in order to gain influence over the entire prefecture. But now, I see that plan won't work. The whole system here is tightly bound to the imperial structure—no single force or family has ever ruled over the entire region. Even within the five regions under the prefecture's jurisdiction, it's the same story: aristocratic clans and sects are as numerous as trees in a forest. Power constantly shifts from one faction to another. That's just how things are in the Eternal Sun Prefecture."
Listening to Li Changsheng report point by point, Li Wei slightly furrowed his brow.
Azure Cloud region continued like that for over a hundred thousand years, entirely under the Daoist lineage of Azure Cloud Pavilion; everything cultivated throughout the Azure Cloud region consisted of the techniques and martial arts left behind by Azure Cloud Pavilion. Only after Li Tianyi dug up the Azure Cloud Pavilion ancestor, coupled with the matter of Feng Qingyang and Yu Xian's various schemes, did the Azure Cloud region become united as it is today.
But Eternal Sun Prefecture... let's put it this way: the various powers there number in the thousands, even tens of thousands. Wanting to control them?
Impossible!
Even if control was temporarily established, the human heart is hard to fathom. After just a few years, they would harbor dissent and turn around to sell out the Li family.
"Ancestor, this child hopes that Great-Grandfather Yunlin can come! I also hope that Grandfather Tianniu's children can contribute more strength for our Li family."
Hearing this, Li Wei stared into Li Changsheng's bright eyes, and he suddenly understood.
Eternal Sun Prefecture didn't have an Azure Cloud Pavilion that had lasted for over a hundred thousand years and could command all forces. Then... the Li family will just create an Eternal Sun Pavilion in Eternal Sun Prefecture!
They [Eternal Sun Prefecture forces] don't acknowledge Azure Cloud Pavilion's lineage.
But what if... Li Tianniu's children joined the various powers one by one, eventually becoming elders and sect masters. After two or three hundred years, or even a thousand years, if the sect master says their heritage comes from the Azure Cloud Pavilion, will the disciples believe it or not?
A trace of wild ambition flashed in Li Changsheng's eyes. "As long as we succeed, our Li family can silently swallow the entire Eternal Sun Prefecture!"
[Special Event – Thousand-Year Blood Exchange Plan]
[Your descendant Li Changsheng has decided to support the Li family's children bit by bit to join all sect forces in Eternal Sun Prefecture, subsequently causing the entire Eternal Sun Prefecture to change its surname to Li!]
"A thousand-year grand plan..."
Li Wei was stunned for a moment. Thinking back, Feng Qingyang had also spent several hundred years waiting for the right opportunity. Li Changsheng was even more capable—able to endure pushing forward step by step for over a thousand years.
[Implement the plan.]
Li Wei approved this method, causing Li Changsheng to become ecstatic.
That night.
"Changsheng's plan?"
Inside Merit City, Li Yunlin, who had the refined air of an immortal, also received the Ancestor's command. Without hesitation, he led the remaining five thousand plus disciples of the Skyveil Sect and headed towards Eternal Sun Prefecture.
Five thousand cultivators traveled on flying swords, streaking across the vast sky. Li Yunlin held the Skyveil Hall in one hand, a horsetail whisk resting in the crook of his other arm. The fierce night wind lifted his hair and black robe.
Five thousand cultivators traveled on flying swords, streaking across the vast sky. Li Yunlin held the Skyveil Hall in one hand, his black robe and long hair billowing in the fierce night wind.
"Tonight, Skyveil Sect leaves Azure Cloud region. From this day forward, the Daoist traditions of the Eternal Sun Prefecture shall be united under one banner."
"And in the years to come—who will ascend to become the Dao Ancestor?"
"It will be me. I shall become the Dao Ancestor!"
That night, Li Yunlin's eyes shone like the moon—unable to truly light up the world, yet burning with unshakable ambition. He silently vowed that when dawn arrived, his gaze would blaze like the sun itself—so bright that none would dare look directly at him.
At that time, let's see who dares harm his father, who dares oppress the Li family!
At this moment, the Skyveil Hall in his hand seemed to sense his resolve and began to flash frantically.
[Your descendant Li Yunlin, after his Master left, constantly worried about his Master's safety; his Dao Heart was damaged. Because he was plotted against, his Dao Heart was damaged. When the Wu Clan invaded, he found it difficult to help the family resist the enemy. Seeing the Li family children all achieve success while he struggled to break through the Nascent Soul stage, having studied all the Daoist methods of Azure Cloud region yet finding it hard to overcome his inner demon.]
[Now that his father Li Yaozu is seriously injured, he becomes increasingly enraged, increasingly craving power. He deeply understands that only powerful strength can break through everything and vows to avenge his father! He has carried the Skyveil Hall for many years. The artifact spirit of the Skyveil Hall, angered because Li Yunlin repeatedly accessed it to bestow gifts upon Li's family juniors, did not recognize him as the Master of Skyveil. Today, finally sensing Li Yunlin's resolve, it helps Li Yunlin break through his inner demon!]
[Acquired trait: Skyveil Dao Heart]
[Gained recognition from the Skyveil Hall, obtaining the true method of using it. This item can contain all kinds of spiritual items from Heaven and Earth and can protect the Dao Heart from damage. The possibility of your descendant Li Yunlin being disturbed by inner demons -99%. While the Skyveil Hall is present, the speed of comprehending Heaven and Earth laws using spiritual items is increased by 30%.]
[Your descendant Li Yunlin's Seven-Nine Heavenly Tribulation is imminent. Your descendant Li Yunlin has suppressed all the spiritual power in his body, choosing not to undergo the heavenly tribulation now, vowing instead to undergo the Nine-Nine Heavenly Tribulation!]
"Good kid."
Seeing Li Yunlin's state, Li Wei finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Actually, among the children of the Yun generation, the one he worried about most was Li Yunlin. The kid was good at everything—he just thought too much. He'd been like that since he was young. When Li Yaozu and Qu Xiao separated, he blamed himself, thinking he was the reason. After joining the Skyveil Sect, he was constantly worried about how to bring honor to the family, always afraid he wasn't doing enough.
Later, when Old Pig died, the kid completely fell apart. He drowned himself in wine day after day, convinced that it was his fault—that he had let Old Pig down, and that his mistakes had brought hardship and exile upon the clan. When the Wu Clan invaded, Daoist Jiuyou traveled to the Imperial City to expose Feng Qingyang, only to vanish without a trace. And again, the kid believed he had failed—this time, his Master.
Layer upon layer of inner demons stacked up, obscuring Li Yunlin's natural talent. But now, he had finally walked out from his inner demons.
"This is how a child of our family should be." Li Wei felt deeply gratified. "With Yunlin like this, even if Yaozu gets seriously injured a few more times, it's still worth it."
Silver Iron Forest Sick Room.
On this day, Li Yaozu woke up again. "Achoo!"
Fang Linglong, beside him, knitted her fine eyebrows tightly. A jade leg stretched out, kicking Li Yaozu, who had woken her, off the Cold Jade Bed with one foot.
"....."
Although he didn't know why someone with his level of cultivation would still sneeze, having been kicked down, Li Yaozu rolled his eyes and simply decided to sleep on the floor.
Li Yaoqing outside the door heard the commotion, hastily ran in, carried Li Yaozu back onto the bed, and complained to her Master.
"Honored Master, why did you kick my older brother off again? This Cold Jade Bed is so big, what's wrong with letting him use it too? Both of you have reached a great age, and you're both injured into this half-dead ghost-like state. Why still fuss about that 'separation between men and women' stuff?"
Fang Linglong: ...
Li Yaozu: ...
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