[Congratulations. Your family has received an Imperial Decree, becoming the "Guardian of the Southern Border."
Acquired Trait: Southern Region Immortal Clan.]
[Obtained the blessing of Heaven and Earth Qi Luck.
Your family has the authority to manipulate a portion of the Heaven and Earth Qi Luck and to appoint "Region Princes," "Region Officials," and "City and Town Officials" within the eighteen Regions of the two prefectures.
Only an Imperial Decree can remove these officials.]
[Your family can manipulate a portion of the Southern Border's Qi Luck.
In lands with majestic Qi Luck, cultivators' cultivation speed is increased, Heaven and Earth Spirit Qi is enhanced, and fortuitous opportunities are increased.]
[Please view the map...]
On the planet.
Li Wei was following his descendants' field of vision, preparing alongside them for the war against the Immortal Zhao Clan.
The words in the event log caught his eye, startling him.
The Human Emperor and Min Youguo were unusually generous this time.
On the map, cloud-like masses were visible.
The clouds over the land of Merit City were particularly dense and rich; this was the Qi Luck that Yaowen had been ceaselessly "borrowing" for many years.
For years, Qi Luck had seemed an ethereal and mysterious concept to Li Wei, but now, it had become tangible.
"So it means an increase in Heaven and Earth Spirit Qi and fortuitous opportunities."
Li Wei gazed thoughtfully in the direction of the Azure Cloud Region.
Even after many years, the Qi Luck of the Azure Cloud Region was merely average.
The border areas were thin in Qi Luck, while the places where the government officials resided were much richer.
He then looked at the Duravia Trade Prefecture.
The Qi Luck there was bizarre in the extreme.
"That shouldn't be." Li Wei was stunned.
He saw that within the Duravia Trade Prefecture, the territory centered on the [Immortal Domain] possessed extremely dense Qi Luck.
The [Ethereal Immortal Sect] had a fair amount as well, yet the Qi Luck in other places was beginning to thin out gradually.
When he zoomed in on the map, Li Wei saw the high towers the Immortal Zhao Clan had built over the past hundred years.
Those towers were ceaselessly sucking in the cloud mist from the sky—that is, the Qi Luck!
Every family and clan in the twelve Regions of the Duravia Trade Prefecture was having their Qi Luck siphoned by the Zhao Clan—without exception.
At this rate, in a few hundred years, they would be completely void of Qi Luck.
The Qi Luck of the Ethereal Immortal Sect was denser, so it could still hold out for a few thousand years.
Upon closer inspection, Li Wei's expression grew increasingly unsightly.
Even though the Qi Luck within the [Immortal Domain] was majestic to the extreme, the places where the common people lived looked like pinholes pricked into a giant cotton candy.
As the scope of the [Immortal Domain] grew larger and larger, the range of its siphoning was gradually spreading to Perennis Immortal City and heading toward Azure Cloud Prefecture.
"No wonder. No wonder that ever since the Immortal Zhao Clan arrived, the geniuses of the Duravia Trade Prefecture have disappeared."
Li Wei seemed to somewhat understand why this Zhao Clan had nearly been exterminated twice.
Even Yaowen hadn't been this excessive back in the day.
...
"Reporting to the Clan Elder: A distress message has come from the Imperial Capital.
The Merchant Li family is expending Spirit Stones to put a bounty on our Zhao clansmen!"
"This is bad, Clan Elder! The Li clan has moved.
The Li clan's 'Hall of Heavenly Principle,' ranked ninth among the world's assassin forces, is conducting a bloodbath against our shops throughout the Imperial Dynasty.
Assassins from the Hall of Heavenly Principle have already posted bounties for our Zhao clan across the thirty-six prefectures, and other assassin forces have begun to take action!"
"Within three days, there have been abnormal movements in Azure Cloud Prefecture; the grand formations of all the major sects and cultivation families have been activated simultaneously.
In the sea region off the eastern coast of Azure Cloud Prefecture, the Crab Clan that has entrenched itself there over the years is patrolling.
Demonic cultivators and evil cultivators have suddenly appeared on the islands and have already stepped into the Duravia Trade Prefecture, though their intentions are unknown."
"The Li Family Head, Li Xinnian, has issued an order: the experts of the Three Families and Six Sects of the Azure Cloud Region are to guard Azure Cloud well.
The Divinity Transformation experts of the four great powers of Azure Cloud Prefecture have emerged from seclusion, each occupying a territory.
Their Primordial Spirits are patrolling the entire Azure Cloud Prefecture; the moment an enemy enters, they will rise up in a swarm to attack!"
"The demon beasts of the Ethereal Immortal Grove have all emerged, hiding in the mountains and wilds, deployed around the perimeter of our Duravia Trade Prefecture."
"Li Tianyue of Duskwild Prefecture and Li Xinghuo of the Northern Border are leading a thousand spirit arks right outside our Duravia Trade Prefecture, yet they haven't moved an inch."
"The Martial Emperor and Zhuo Linlin are already in Perennis Immortal City!"
"..."
Inside the Immortal Domain, clansmen arrived one after another at the Zhao Clan's high tower.
The entire Zhao Clan of the Immortal Domain had not been thrown into disarray; the clansmen raised their grand formation, fully prepared to face the threat.
Inside the high tower, Fairy Bai, Zhao Buqun, and Zhao Jingmiao remained silent for a long time.
Before them was the Longevity Tablet Zhao Qingguang had brought from the family Ancestral Hall—Zhao Wan's Longevity Tablet, covered in cracks and on the verge of shattering at any moment.
They had no choice but to accept a reality.
Their Old Ancestor, Zhao Wan, did not have long to live.
"How could this happen so suddenly?" Zhao Jingmiao pinched his thigh and shook his head stiffly.
"Ancestor Wan enjoys the Crown Prince's favor.
In the Imperial Capital—the One Palace, One Pavilion, Two Departments, and Four Guards—the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, the Heaven-Suppressing Department, and the Imperial Capital Guards all obey the Crown Prince's every command.
Even when the Crown Prince executed the court officials years ago, no one dared to stop him; Min Youguo even went into seclusion because of it."
"Ancestor Wan's disguise is indistinguishable even to mighty figures, and his Charm techniques cannot be withstood even by Void Refining cultivators.
After so many years, he has long become Crown Prince Sheng's truest love.
Furthermore, Ancestor Wan never provokes others; all he seeks are minor benefits, and no one knows his true identity..."
No one in the Zhao family knew what had transpired in the Imperial Capital.
The only information they received was that the Demon Clan was wreaking havoc there, and the Imperial Capital had now become an impenetrable wall.
If not for this spirit tablet, they wouldn't even know that Zhao Wan was on the brink of death.
"The Azure Cloud Li Clan." Fairy Bai's expression was calm.
"Your Xianhe lineage killed Li Qiukong.
For many days, the Li clan remained silent, but the moment trouble befell Grandfather Wan, the Li clan mobilized their forces for war, surrounding our Duravia Trade Prefecture so tightly that not a drop of water can trickle through."
"It cannot be the Li clan; we can only say that we underestimated Min Youguo."
Zhao Buqun's face was clouded like a stormy sky.
"Changes in the imperial court are frequent.
Perhaps Min Youguo refused to submit and raised an army to storm the Heavenly Palace.
Ancestor Wan suffered disaster as a result, and the Li family, having good luck, profited from it."
"They believe that because our Zhao Clan Elder met with trouble in the Imperial Capital and we have lost Crown Prince Sheng's protection, this is the best time to move against our Zhao Clan.
But those who rely on opportunistic trickery lack the most important thing."
Zhao Buqun extended his hand, gazing coldly at the formation rising from his palm, and uttered a single word: "Strength."
Zhao Jingmiao put away the spirit tablet and nodded slightly.
"I will first secure Ancestor Wan's Longevity Tablet and return it to the Ancestral Womb. Since the Li clan wants a war over a mere junior, then let there be war!"
"Wait until Feimeng and Tingyu return.
If that Martial Emperor and Zhuo Linlin of the Li clan dare to come, they will be seeking their own deaths!
To deal with a mere two incompetent Void Refining cultivators, Tingyu alone is enough."
Just as Zhao Jingmiao reached the door, he furrowed his brow.
He saw Zhao Qingguang standing there numbly.
The sight of this foolish and cowardly descendant fueled the rage already burning in Zhao Jingmiao's gloomy heart.
"What are you doing here again?"
Zhao Qingguang simply stared blankly as he held up a Longevity Tablet.
Inscribed upon it was the name [Zhao Tingyu].
An urgent voice transmitted from the Longevity Tablet, echoing within the high tower:
"Someone is chasing me! You must... prepare for battle!"
---
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