[System Notification: Congratulations! Special Event 'Siege by the North Sea Crab Spirit Beast' – Completed!]
[Details: Through your direct intervention, and with the crucial assistance of your clanswoman Qingyu and the Wine Maniac, your descendant Li Kuanghua has successfully broken free from the Crab Clan's siege.]
[Battle Outcome: You personally eliminated the transformed Crab Spirit Beast leader, despite her exceptionally strong defenses.
The Wine Maniac's 'Golden Source Divine Bowl' shielded your descendant Li Kuanghua, preventing her from being overwhelmed by the enemy encirclement. The other three transformed Crab Spirit Beast leaders have broken off the engagement and are now fleeing for their lives.]
[New Development: Overawed by the display of formidable power from Yourself and Your kin, one of the transformed Crab Spirit Beast 'Qing Yuan' has developed a profound captivation with Your clan. Subsequent to your solemn vow that you would not seek the annihilation of the entire Crab Spirit Beast race, Qing Yuan has pledged to serve the Li family faithfully for a century.]
[Reward: Family Will +5]
Despite expending 3 points of Family Will during the intervention for Li Kuanghua, with the new reward, the total Family Will had paradoxically increased to 15 points.
Currently, Qing Yuan, the Early-stage Transformed Spirit Beast, was lurking on the seabed about ten meters down, near the small fishing village.
As a proud Transformed Stage Spirit Beast, if this period of servitude hadn't come with a clear expiration date, offering at least some faint hope for the future, Qing Yuan would likely have chosen self-destruction rather than submit.
The Wine Maniac, however, had a different take. "A mere century of service? Far too short for the likes of him! Better to make him into hotpot Crab," he'd quipped. "After a meal like that, our strength would surely jump a fair bit!"
[Spoils of War Acquired: Transformed Crab Spirit Beast (Early Stage) Corpse x1.]
[Item Description: Transformed Stage Crab Spirit Beast – Possesses an exceptionally tough carapace, comparable in hardness to Rank 6 mineral ores. Its body yields 'Crab True-essence', a substance found in common crabs, and is itself a rare and valuable Rank 6 medicinal component. When consumed directly, it can raise one's cultivation level and provide a temporary boost to combat strength. For cultivators below the Golden Core realm, it serves to solidify their foundation and nourish their Spirit Qi.]
Inside Li Kuanghua's storage ring at this time were no fewer than ten thousand Crab Spirit Beast corpses, their power levels varying from common Spirit Beast beasts all the way up to those of the Transformed Stage.
Among them were even four Golden Core level specimens. Most prominent among them was a colossal green crab, easily the size of a small hill. Next to its remains sat a large pot brimming with 'Crab True-essence,' which exuded faint wisps of Heaven and Earth Qi – a clear testament to the substance's extraordinary value.
"Chang'an, quickly now, greet your Aunt! This is your Aunt! And Xingchen, Xinghuo – you two, quickly, pay your respects to your Grandaunt!"
The instant Li Kuanghua had appeared, Qingyu had ushered the three 'boys' forward to greet her.
Whether it was due to their long separation or simply Qingyu's nature, she was already fussing over Li Kuanghua, ensuring she was well taken care of in every respect.
Even now, with Li Kuanghua a formidable Golden Core Peak cultivator in her own right, Qingyu doted on her with the same tender solicitude she had once shown her own husband, Li Kuangtu, all those years past – as if no time had changed a thing.
"Aunt!" Chang'an said.
"Grandaunt!" Xingchen and Xinghuo echoed.
All three hastily bowed. Yet, stealing glances at Li Kuanghua's current, rather terrifying transformed state, they couldn't help but feel a touch of awkwardness.
The ways of the cultivation world were indeed peculiar.
Take Li Kuanghua, for instance. Her appearance was deceptively childlike: dressed in a simple Yellow dress, she stood barely over 1.5 meters tall, her sleeves so long they hid her hands.
Her hair was done up in two small tails, framing a face that looked remarkably tender and youthful.
Around her neck, incongruously, hung an Ancestral Spirit Tablet. Yet, despite this youthful guise, her expression was perpetually icy and intensely vigilant. If one were to encounter her on a bustling city thoroughfare, she would undoubtedly be mistaken for a sheltered young miss from some affluent household who had simply lost her way.
To them (Chang'an, Xingchen, and Xinghuo), this 'Aunt' and 'Grandaunt,' far from appearing senior, actually resembled their own younger sister – a rather pitiable sight, given her supposed seniority.
"Hmm. Well, now that I'm here, I don't suppose I have much in the way of suitable gifts for you all." After some casual conversation during which she learned of their current circumstances, Li Kuanghua's brow furrowed for a moment.
Then, decisively, with a flash from her storage ring, two large pots materialized. She immediately apportioned half of the freshly acquired 'Crab True-essence' between the three juniors.
"Here, take this and consume it," she said. "With this, Xinghuo, you should be able to go into seclusion and achieve your Foundation Establishment breakthrough in less than a month's time. Chang'an, your own cultivation level should also advance considerably. And Xingchen, you ought to reach the absolute peak of Qi Refining within the year."
"This...!"
"The ambient Spirit Qi in this is incredibly potent!"
The three juniors gazed in stunned silence at the pot of 'crab essence.' Never in their lives had they encountered a Heavenly Material and Earthly Treasure of such evident rarity and power.
It was abundantly clear that over the past fortnight, their elders had indeed been involved in momentous undertakings! None of them made any move to decline the generous gift.
A short while later, Li Chang'an and Li Xingchen stepped outside. The Wine Maniac was there, squatting by the doorway in his usual begging posture... except this time, he was tucking into some crabs.
The old tippler had even employed a minor spell to place a crab neatly in his bowl; with a splash of wine poured over it, a serving of 'Drunken Crab' was instantly ready.
He alternated between a bite of raw crab and a gulp of wine, the loud 'kaka' crunching noises from his mouth making nearby passersby grimace repeatedly in distaste.
"Senior," Li Chang'an said respectfully, approaching the Wine Maniac, "you are indeed a man of uncommon abilities. Thank you for intervening to rescue my Aunt."
"Me? Saved her, you say?" the Wine Maniac responded, looking up from his meal.
Li Chang'an's words made the Wine Maniac pause, mid-bite.
He absently ripped a claw clean off the crab he was devouring, his mind suddenly replaying images of Li Kuanghua's utterly berserk battle form...
He'd wandered the cultivation world for ages, and had even crawled out of the depths of a Demon Cave, yet never in all his travels had he seen anything quite like Li Kuanghua's Bizarre, indescribable form, nor encountered anyone who fought with such terrifying ferocity.
He knew of the legends from the old Starfall Region – tales of an exceptionally mighty body cultivator, none other than Li Kuanghua's own master, Ye Xiu. Yet, looking at Kuanghua now, in her current terrifying incarnation, the Wine Maniac was utterly convinced she was destined to surpass even her renowned teacher.
"Indeed it was!" Li Xingchen piped up, his eyes shining with pure, unadulterated admiration.
"It was you who rescued our Grandaunt, wasn't it? Your esteemed self is truly remarkable, Senior!"
"Now, now, none of that," the Wine Maniac demurred, waving his hands hastily.
He saw at once that this father and son had mistaken him for some kind of unparalleled expert.
"I wouldn't dream of calling myself 'remarkable' in the presence of those other venerable ones," he said quickly. "Now that would be truly courting a world of big trouble!"
Li Chang'an and Li Xingchen shared a look, then both peered towards the inner chamber.
Inside, Qingyu and Li Kuanghua were huddled together, conversing in hushed whispers; even Li Xinghuo was included in their quiet discussion.
Li Chang'an and Li Xingchen tried to edge closer, hoping to listen as the other three spoke of grave clan affairs. Yet, they found themselves unable to understand even half a sentence of the family's discussions, completely outside the loop.
Later that night, Li Xingchen found his way into the courtyard.
Sure enough, his father, Li Chang'an, was there, absently holding a bowl and spoon as he gazed up at the moon, his face etched with a deep, unspoken sorrow.
Xingchen approached him. "Father," he began, his own voice subdued and earnest, "why is it that I always feel like such an outsider around Grandmother and Grandaunt (Kuanghua)? Even compared to Ah Huo – I feel like I don't measure up to him either?"
"Ai." Li Chang'an sighed heavily.
Li Chang'an expelled a long, slow breath.
"Xingchen," he began, "you and I... we're not like them. We've always known a measure of peace, growing up sheltered beneath your grandmother's wing. They, however, are not the same. They've weathered true storms. Take Xinghuo, for example – he was forced to become a fugitive at the tender age of ten and has been fleeing for his life these past five years. Xingchen, think back. What were you doing when you were ten years old?"
"I..." A flush of shame crept up Li Xingchen's neck. "I... I was using my True Qi to make cow dung explode."
"And your old man was no different," Li Chang'an admitted with a self-deprecating smile.
Silently, Li Chang'an took a spoonful of the 'crab essence' from his bowl, forcing it down despite its potent, fishy aroma.
His voice grew heavy. "Son," he said, "Your father's been a fisherman for many a year. I've heard tales from the old salts – true treasures hidden in the deeps. Tomorrow, I'm going to have a word with your Grandmother. Then, I'm taking you out to get some real-world tempering. It's a late start for you, I know, but we can't go on being a burden to the rest of the clan."
"Yes, Father!" Li Xingchen replied, his voice suddenly firm with anticipation.
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