Nangong Qingshan roared in fury, "The only reason I surrendered control linked to my Nascent Soul was entirely because of you, you despicable bitch!"
"You..." Nangong Yazhi began, choked with rage.
Witnessing the two Nangong clan members verbally tearing into each other, the assembled Li family made no move to intervene. Instead, gathered together, they simply began dividing the spoils amongst themselves.
"Big Brother," Li Yundou spoke up, "We seven are tough enough as it is; we don't really need these things. But look here – this 'Rank 7 Gold Ingot'? It seems like exactly the type of Spirit Object your Skyveil Hall requires. If you refine it, your power will surely rise et another notch."
"This Golden Coin and Treasure Gathering Pot are fundamentally a matched set of supreme-grade spirit artifacts, versatile for both attack and defense. Nangong Yazhi's ability to wield power comparable to the Nascent Divinity List likely relied heavily upon these two. So... who wants 'em? Too tacky, perhaps? Too eye-catching? Nobody? Alright then. Changyao, you take them for the time being."
"And this Golden Thread Clothing – Changsheng, you should take it. You could use some better protective gear, and this Tian Xing Abode is proving to be extremely dangerous."
"..."
Li Changyao and Li Changsheng stared blankly at the supreme-grade spirit artifacts just bestowed upon them.
For a long moment, complex, mixed feelings swirled within them. These elders... they really kept nothing of the best spoils for themselves, passing most of it directly to the younger generation.
Once the spoils taken from Nangong Yazhi had been distributed, the Li family group then began dividing the other spoils gathered during this expedition.
They had slain numerous geniuses within the Tian Xing Abode and acquired many treasures along the way. Since leaving was currently impossible, preventing them from taking the loot back to the main clan, they decided it was best to utilize the resources here and now to boost the strength of everyone present.
The group retreated off to one side to examine their haul. As the contents of the various storage rings were emptied out, everyone's eyes began to shine brightly.
Li Yunqian, in particular, with his five-meter frame, squatted down at the front like a small mountain, effectively blocking everyone else's view.
When they got to the storage rings belonging to Li Tianyi, Li Tianming, and Li Tianqi, however...
"Rank 6 items?!" Li Yundou exclaimed. "Rank 6 herbs and ores... hundreds of pieces?! You three little brats! What in the blazes have you been doing?!" Eyes bulging with astonishment, Li Yundou grabbed Li Tianyi.
Li Tianyi managed a wry smile. "We have an audience, you know, Dad! Getting all worked up like this... what will people think?"
"Oh, right, right, right." Li Yundou hastily put Li Tianyi down, chuckling somewhat foolishly.
"That's my boy!" he declared proudly. "Got a real talent for looting, you do!"
"Hehehe."
The Seven Ironclads looked on with satisfaction as the 'Three Thieves' finished dividing their haul.
Li Tianyue, however, having been primarily responsible for transporting the Seven Ironclads, hadn't found a suitable opportunity to act herself, and thus her own gains were negligible.
As the distribution proceeded, Li Yunlin's face suddenly lit up with joy.
"Four Spirit Objects in total?" he exclaimed.
"Hahaha, wonderful!" one of the Tian brothers exclaimed.
"Elder Uncle, as long as you refine these four Spirit Objects, the Skyveil Hall will grow even more powerful! Then, within this Tian Xing Abode, we can finally move without restraint!"
Li Tianming roared with laughter. Yet before the sound fully left his lips, just like that previous time in the Ancestral Hall, he found himself hoisted into the air.
Li Tianming looked completely aggrieved. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?!"
Without a word, the others simply grabbed him by the legs and began shaking. Just as expected, two more storage rings promptly tumbled out.
Sure enough, this fellow Li Tianming still knew best how to keep a private stash.
Seeing the glares directed his way from the others, Li Tianming finally snapped.
"What's with the stares?! I've toiled my entire life, killing endlessly!" he retorted. "Can't I even keep a few odds and ends for myself?! Besides, the contents are useless to the rest of you anyway! See? This ring here – apart from a collection of human heads, it's empty! As for the other one, sure, it holds a few decent spirit artifacts, but they're all specialized tools for surveillance!"
"Oh, right, right, right." Li Yundou hastily put Li Tianming down, chuckling somewhat foolishly.
"Hehehe." The brothers chuckled.
Seeing his brother's reaction, Li Tianyi laughed awkwardly. He took back the two storage rings and handed them to Li Tianming.
"Right, right," he said quickly, trying to smooth things over. "Speaking of which, our ability to monitor Elder Uncle's predicament this time was mainly thanks to your treasures, Tianming. Especially that mirror... what's its name again?"
"The Heavenly Spirit Mirror."
Seeing his Big Brother defending him, Li Tianming's expression finally brightened somewhat.
"See? Told you so!" he declared smugly. "My rings only hold my specialized gear – treasures useful for killing and looting! Utterly useless for any of you lot; you couldn't utilize them properly even if you had them!"
"So..." Li Tianyi drawled, cutting him off mid-boast, "...what might this be?"
Scarcely had Li Tianming finished speaking when Li Tianyi, who had just been defending him, had his own expression darkening considerably, pulled from somewhere within Li Tianming's messy hair... yet another hidden storage ring!
"Ah... Heheh."
For a brief moment, Li Tianming was enveloped in darkness, and miserable screams echoed. After administering Li Tianming's 'punishment', the group gathered closely together and began to confer in hushed tones.
Li Tianyue addressed the group, her voice somber. "With the Tian Xing Abode now sealed, we currently have no known method of departure. I fear utter chaos will soon consume this Abode; all external restraints have vanished for those trapped within. Moreover, our earlier battle against Nangong was likely witnessed by other Nascent Soul masters."
Hearing her words, everyone's expression turned solemn. During the confrontation with Nangong Yazhi, they had indeed sensed other Nascent Souls extending their consciousness via Nascent Soul towards the area, probing the unfolding situation.
The Li contingent had remained wary, even sensing certain Nascent Soul observers hoping to reap a fisherman's profit from the conflict. Fortunately, Li Yunlin's timely arrival and display of power had deterred those harboring ulterior motives from making any reckless moves.
Li Changsheng drew a deep breath. "Esteemed Elders," he advised, "This area is no longer secure. It would be wise for us to leave this vicinity promptly, lest the experts from other factions converge here..."
But Li Changsheng barely got the words out when the expressions of everyone present changed abruptly.
All they sensed was a sudden surge of Nascent Soul Qi flaring nearby.
"Not good!"
Li Yunlin's face contorted, and the Skyveil Hall reappeared instantly in his grasp!
Hurriedly turning, the group saw Nangong Qingshan suddenly erupt with power, unleashing his Heaven and Earth Spirit Qi. With immense force, he blasted apart all the spiritual restraints holding Nangong Yazhi captive. Then, seizing her by the leg, he violently flung her away from the group!
It all happened in the space of a finger snap; Nangong Yazhi's figure was already gone!
...
"Nangong Qingshan."
High across the vast sky, Nangong Yazhi fled with frantic speed! She dared not even glance behind her, yet her eyes were completely bloodshot.
Everything that had happened this day had utterly surpassed her wildest calculations.
She hadn't foreseen Li Yunlin's terrifying strength; hadn't foreseen that two Elders of her own family would launch a revolt demanding a share of her gains; hadn't foreseen the sheer number of Li operatives present within the Tian Xing Abode...
But the thing she had foreseen least of all... was that Nangong Qingshan, while seemingly aiding the Li family in capturing her, had actually been swallowing insults and enduring humiliation, biding his time for the perfect moment to rescue her!
The scene remained vivid in Nangong Yazhi's mind: Nangong Qingshan, crouching before her, telling her with a smile to keep living.
Never in her life had she witnessed – nor would she again – a smile so utterly, soul-captivatingly brilliant.
Growing up within the calculating environment of a great merchant clan, Nangong Yazhi's entire life had been oriented around one thing: the Pursuit of profit.
Yet now, for the first time, she grasped it: the Nangong family, it turned out, wasn't only about cold calculation and profit.
The Patriarch had always taught her that a merchant's tears are inherently false, devoid of true feeling. But now, for the first time... she had seen selfless sacrifice.
Points of starlight glittered in the sky above, crystal clear like falling tears.
"Nangong Qingshan! NANGONG QINGSHAN!" Nangong Yazhi roared his name again and again as she fled frantically onward.
"I WILL SURVIVE!" she vowed, "And I swear, I will offer the very LIVES of the Li family as sacrificial tribute TO YOU, QINGSHAN!!!"
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