"Believe me, join the Lord Imperial Preceptor's command, and you will gain benefits beyond your imagination. You should also consider this carefully: for all these years you've aided the Li family, what have you truly gained? The Li family cannot help you withstand the Heavenly Tribulation, nor can they assist you in fending off your enemies...."
Yet, scarcely had his words faded when his own expression abruptly changed.
Here on this mountain, a figure, appearing from an unknown origin, leaped up and landed upon the summit, causing dust and smoke to billow. Gazing at the person emerging from within that swirling dust, Cheng Lingwu's eyes narrowed slightly. He recognized this individual—
From the Li family—Li Kuanghua!
Li Kuanghua glanced at Cheng Lingwu—this old coot—and, sensing his peak Nascent Soul strength, frowned deeply. She wondered how her Master had come to know such an unsightly old man in the Imperial Capital, but she didn't pay him much mind.
She then tossed a storage ring to her Master, saying with a smile, "Master, take a look—what wonderful things have I brought for you?"
"Hmm?"
Ye Xiu took the storage ring and glanced at its contents. A flicker of astonishment crossed his eyes, and he looked at Li Kuanghua in confusion. "Kuanghua, these items..."
"Oh."
Li Kuanghua grinned, revealing a mouthful of pearly white teeth, and stood with her hands on her hips, looking rather mischievous.
"Although your breakthrough was rather abrupt," she said, "it's a good thing you have a fine disciple like me! I didn't forget about you, Master, and urgently requested some treasures from the family to help you break through to the Divinity Transformation realm."
Observing Li Kuanghua's proud demeanor and the fleeting shock that had crossed Ye Xiu's eyes, Cheng Lingwu frowned.
He could discern that the items within the storage ring were likely beneficial for Ye Xiu, yet, from the depths of his heart, he doubted the Li family could produce anything of true utility.
Yet, in the very next instant, his heart skipped a beat.
Then, Ye Xiu straightforwardly emptied all the contents of the storage ring. In an instant, the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spirit Qi began to grow rich and dense.
There were numerous Rank 6 medicinal pills, Rank 6 spirit medicines, and even Rank 6 spirit objects and array discs. Furthermore, there were two supreme-grade spirit artifacts specifically designed to protect the divine soul!
Moreover, without exception, all of them were capable of protecting the Nascent Soul and healing injuries to the divine soul.
"How is this possible? How can there be so many medicinal pills and spirit medicines???"
Cheng Lingwu muttered to himself and couldn't help but touch the storage ring in his own hand. His ring contained Rank 5 medicinal pills and a Dharma treasure bestowed by the Lord Imperial Preceptor, but... it was simply no match for the sheer quantity of the Li family's Rank 6 pills and spirit medicines!
"Master, why did you take everything out? Don't you understand the principle of not flaunting your wealth?"
Looking at the treasures now floating in the air, Li Kuanghua shot a wary glance at Cheng Lingwu.
Cheng Lingwu, however, found his face turning livid. He understood: Ye Xiu had brought out all these items entirely to show off to him!
Ye Xiu's eyes were filled with undisguised mockery as he addressed Cheng Lingwu: "Convey my thanks to Min Youguo. And yes, tell him that in the future, he should entertain fewer designs on me. Our paths are different; we cannot work together."
"You..."
A flicker of anger crossed Cheng Lingwu's face, but he abruptly sensed the killing intent emanating from Li Kuanghua. Though furious, he dared not voice his anger. Ye Xiu himself might still harbor some reservations, but Cheng Lingwu knew that the Li family members of today were absolutely fearless!
He could only let out a cold snort. "Ye Xiu, the Li family may have given you many pills, but you truly need to think this through—there's no medicine for regret!"
"What nonsense are you spouting? My Master told you to scram!"
Following Li Kuanghua's furious rebuke, Cheng Lingwu finally departed in resentment.
Before long, he had already reached a considerable distance away. Only then did he dare to grit his teeth and curse, "For the Lord Imperial Preceptor to even deign to notice you is your greatest honor! To be so utterly incapable of appreciating kindness—what a genuine fool!"
Soon after, he saw several figures materialize, hovering in the air.
A smile spread across his face. "Hahaha, Lai Teng! Ye Xiu and that reckless Li family lass—they're all yours now!"
...
Glaring at Cheng Lingwu's retreating figure, Li Kuanghua turned to Ye Xiu and asked in confusion, "Master, you just mentioned Cheng Lingwu? Who exactly is he?"
Ye Xiu scoffed. "He's nothing but a running dog for Min Youguo. He came this time to try and win me over."
Upon hearing this, understanding dawned on Li Kuanghua. Her Master had spoken to her of such matters before—how those in the imperial court always liked to try and win people over to their side.
Back when they were in the Azure Cloud region, the Li family had also received numerous recruitment overtures from various Imperial Capital factions, even from imperial princes. Indeed, if one were to speak strictly in terms of allegiances, the Li family of that time had been closest to Grand Tutor Lin Jiu.
But now, the clansmen had gradually come to understand: compared to these so-called worldly connections and social niceties, true friends were those with whom one could endure adversity and share prosperity.
"It seems he was here to offer Master some gifts, then."
Li Kuanghua grumbled, "Master, you really are something else! You should have just accepted their gifts. Our family folk always say, things that come for free are the most welcoming!"
"Hmph!"
Ye Xiu let out a cold snort. "A person like Min Youguo? Even if he were to gift me an Immortal Artifact, I wouldn't spare it a second glance—I'd consider it tainted!"
"Enough of this."
Only then did Ye Xiu turn his attention to the medicinal pills surrounding him.
He frowned at Li Kuanghua. "Kuanghua, these items... they must have been incredibly difficult to obtain, mustn't they? As your Master, I know the Li family is not what it once was; your clansmen are fugitives. My own confidence in this breakthrough was never particularly high to begin with. You should take these items back. The Li family members need them far more than I do. It would be a terrible waste for them to be expended on me, only for it to come to nothing."
These words were no pretense; the breakthrough to the Divinity Transformation realm is fraught with innumerable difficulties, and countless cultivators have perished attempting it. Even with additional aid, he still lacked absolute confidence.
Besides...
He narrowed his eyes, sensing his surroundings, and he knew: numerous auras were fixed upon him!
"Heehee."
But Li Kuanghua leaped forward, paying not the slightest heed to those Rank 6 medicinal pills and spirit medicines—items that outsiders would cherish dearly and which were exceptionally rare in places like Azure Cloud Region.
Calling out to Ye Xiu from a distance, she said, "Master, the family said that you are not just my Master; over these many years, you have helped our family clan immensely. This is a bond forged through life and death! Let alone these pills and spirit medicines; if there were even better things, they would have sent them to you all the same."
"Focus on your breakthrough and set your mind at ease, Master. As for what's outside..."
Li Kuanghua slowly turned around. She, too, sensed the prying divine senses probing from all directions. These senses were brimming with killing intent and a palpable danger, making her akin to a wary wild beast.
"Leave it to us! As long as we are here, we will not allow anyone to disturb Master's breakthrough!"
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