The Eternal Sun Prefecture was far from peaceful either.
At that moment, Li Wei appeared in the Li family's main hall. Li Dalong's face was dark as he read through letters from the various major powers of Eternal Sun Prefecture.
These factions, long suppressed by the Li family, had all suddenly resurfaced—not to rebel against Li Dalong, but rather...
The letters:
[Lord Prefecture Lord, while Abbot Yuming of the Great Ming King Temple was burning incense in worship, he witnessed a manifestation of the Buddha.
The Buddha declared that the Human Emperor had disrespected the heavens and that the time had come to overthrow the Azure Dynasty.
All people of the Human Race must now shoulder this great responsibility!]
[We have found a scion of the imperial bloodline and implore you, Lord Prefecture Lord, to make a decision!]
These cowards in Eternal Sun Prefecture actually wanted to rebel.
Who knows where these rats, once suppressed by the Li family, found such gall?
Recently, these scums had even begun to sing a different tune, daring to oppose the Li family.
His thoughts were interrupted when he saw two particular letters.
It was from the Prince Qian mansion and the Aeternus Sect in the neighboring Prefecture.
"One, a marriage alliance? The other, a request for our Li family to send one of the children to the Aeternus Sect as a disciple?"
Li Yaozu, who had been staying home to accompany his father, took the letters, his brow deeply furrowed.
Over the years, countless clans and sects had sought a marriage alliance with the Li family, and such proposals had only become more frequent since the world fell into chaos.
But Li Yaozu immediately sensed something was amiss this time.
"The Prince Qian mansion," he mused, "At most, our families have only ever conducted a single transaction; we have no deep relationship. Why would they suddenly want a marriage alliance?"
"And the Aeternus Sect only specified they want a disciple from our clan, but they haven't said which person they have their eye on."
"At this very moment, these factions from Eternal Sun Prefecture are urging our family to rebel. For all this to happen at the same time is too much of a coincidence. What are they plotting?"
If it were just an ordinary marriage alliance, it would be a simple matter. Many of the clan's children were still unmarried; if worst came to worst, they could just send the madman Tianming.
But for all these things to come together at once was too suspicious, and Li Yaozu faintly sensed that something was deeply wrong.
At that moment, Prince Feiheng was also in the main hall. Li Dalong had shown him each of the letters.
After all, this was the prince the Li family supported, and even with the situation so uncertain, they still afforded him his due respect.
Prince Feiheng frowned.
"It's quite simple," he explained. "For years, Duravia Trade Prefecture has never once supported the Imperial Dynasty. The Prince Qian's entire household of a thousand is there, and he holds the title of Region Prince. He has been amassing troops for a long time; his ambitions are an open secret. The only reason they haven't rebelled is that they don't know what the factions in Eternal Sun Prefecture are planning."
Upon hearing this, Li Kuangren, seated among them, nodded slightly.
"The Hall of Heavenly Principle has gathered significant intelligence on this. Those major powers in our Eternal Sun Prefecture have indeed been growing closer with the factions in the Duravia Trade Prefecture."
As he spoke, all eyes in the hall turned to Li Dalong.
Li Dalong remained with his head bowed, saying nothing.
After so many years as Prefecture Lord, it had become increasingly difficult for outsiders to read his expression.
Only Li Yaozu knew that at this moment, his father was likely furious beyond measure.
Seeing the Li family's silence, Prince Feiheng spoke in a grave voice. "Prefecture Lord Li, the marriage alliance, the disciple offer—it's all about taking a hostage!"
"A hostage?" Li Yaozu's expression grew increasingly grim.
Feiheng continued, "It's a common tactic. Duravia Trade Prefecture wants to rebel, so they have to guard against us in Eternal Sun Prefecture. Only by holding a member of the Li bloodline can they rebel with peace of mind. If the Li family refuses…"
"Then it seems," Li Yaozu concluded, "they are trying to force our hand."
With a deep frown, Li Dalong slowly rose to his feet. He took the letters and burned them one by one, his profound eyes fixed on the flames.
"Yaozu," he said, "you make a trip to the Duravia Trade Prefecture. I'm going to check on Changsheng."
"Yes, Father." Li Yaozu nodded slightly, but at the mention of Changsheng, a flicker of worry crossed his face.
Before long, Li Yaozu had set off for Duravia Trade Prefecture with his sword box, while Li Dalong walked over to the side of the Old Tree, where Li Changyao stood waiting.
There, Li Changsheng lay upon the Old Tree's branches, enveloped in its crimson Qi.
"How is Changsheng?" Li Dalong asked.
Her face filled with worry, Li Changyao could only shake her head.
A human face manifested on the Old Tree's trunk, and its ancient voice rang out.
"The boy's Great Dream Human Emperor Scripture has been cultivated to its absolute peak," it said.
"He has refined himself back into a mortal body, and the Human Emperor's Blood within him is about to be fully assimilated. For the past two years, he has been suppressing his breakthrough because he saw… those eyes!"
The very same eyes that Tian Xing himself had once seen.
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