Chapter 878: Chapter 872: Is The Debt Too High
[Year 760]
[Your clan is holding its first Grand Tournament for descendants under the age of fifty.
This is to encourage the children in their cultivation. Victors will receive rewards and legacies bestowed by the elders.]
At this moment, Merit City was exceptionally bustling.
The clan had just concluded the Grand Ceremony.
Even Li Dalong had rushed back from the Underworld, bringing Xu Cuihua along with him.
Among the older generation, only Li Yaozu remained in the Forgotten Immortal Domain.
Taking advantage of this rare moment of leisure, the elders watched the martial contests of the younger generation with gratified smiles, while simultaneously discussing important clan matters.
Li Xinnian stepped forward and reported to the elders:
“Currently, the clan possesses sixteen Grotto-Heavens.
Among them, the construction of the Combat Grotto-Heaven is complete.
Our clan is restricted by the Imperial Dynasty regarding the number of troops we can officially command; however, the Combat Grotto-Heaven faces no such restrictions and serves as a hidden training ground.
Now, every ten years, we will rotate the most outstanding Soldiers from there into our Azure Cloud Army.”
“The Merchant Lineage, while conducting their trade, is simultaneously recording the vital weaknesses of the major Immortal Clans and Sects.
However, in recent years, the dignitaries in the Imperial Capital have become unwilling to see our Li Clan’s merchant influence expand any further.
They have gradually realized the danger of having their economic lifelines controlled by the Li Clan.
I have already instructed Yuanshang to proceed with caution.”
“As for the Silver Moon Lineage…”
As Li Xinnian presented his report, Li Dalong and the others nodded slightly in approval.
With every return for the Grand Ceremony, the clan would grow somewhat stronger.
Simultaneously, their own strength would increase.
The more he spoke, the wider the smile on Li Xinnian’s face became.
“Each Grotto-Heaven has its own unique yields.
The Silver Moon Lineage is rich in mineral resources; the mountain range there is ancient.
At our current rate of extraction, it could not be fully exhausted even in fifty or sixty thousand years.
There is even news of Fifth-Grade mineral materials deep within.
As for the Combat Grotto-Heaven, they are currently at war with the Wu Tribe, though we cannot openly transport the corpses of the Wu tribesmen back here.”
“Regarding the Demon Suppression Grotto-Heaven, our clan disciples go there for experience and training.
Every year, they hunt quite a few Demon Beasts and obtain numerous heavenly materials and earthly treasures.
Uncle Xinghuo’s contribution to this has been immense.”
“Nowadays, most of the major Grotto-Heavens can maintain themselves through self-sufficiency.
There is even a surplus in production, and the clan members have ample grounds for training.”
Seeing the appreciative expressions of the elders, Li Xinnian felt thoroughly at ease.
He looked at the elders with anticipation.
“Not bad. You have truly worked hard these past years.”
“I always said this kid Xinnian was capable. He’s much better than when Yunbing was the Family Head back in the day.”
“Second Aunt??? Back then, you clearly said you couldn’t find a Family Head more suitable than me!”
“He’s also much better than when Dad managed the family affairs. Old Dad really isn’t material for ruling a region. Ah! Dad, don’t… don’t hit me!”
“Husband, why are you bickering with Old Three? He’s already an old man himself; don’t beat him in front of everyone, it looks bad.”
“…”
Li Xinnian had just been feeling great, but the more the elders spoke, the more cold sweat poured down his back.
If they kept praising him like this, it was going to seriously damage family unity.
Immediately, Li Xinnian hurriedly moved on to another important matter, his voice turning grave.
“Over these years, for the descendants with exceptional talent, aside from their standard earnings, I have not been stingy with rewards to aid their cultivation.
Starting with myself, these debts drawn against future family stipends have been placed on record.
Among everyone, Big Brother Su Chen owes the most…”
A bamboo scroll, fully twenty meters long, unfurled in mid-air, the records upon it incredibly detailed.
Li Yaoqing stared blankly as she scanned the list. “Isn’t this…”
Just as she was about to speak, Xu Cuihua’s expression tightened, and she hurriedly covered her daughter’s mouth.
The members of the older generation all wore peculiar expressions, looking as if they wanted to say something but held back.
Li Xinnian sensed that something was amiss. “Is… is the debt too high?”
“….”
The group of old timers gradually relaxed their expressions and began secretly transmitting their voices to one another.
Li Dalong: “How did this get passed down from generation to generation? Back then, wasn’t this just a lie to scare Yaotie, who was using up heavenly treasures without restraint?”
Li Yaotie: “Dad, I wasn’t scared. I have thick skin.”
Li Yaoqing: “What do we do now? Do we tell them the truth?”
Li Yaowen: “Second Sister, if you tell them, what will they think? That we’ve been playing them for fools for hundreds of years?”
Li Yunlin: “What?! You mean I don’t have to pay back the one hundred and thirty thousand years’ worth of debt I owe?”
Xu Cuihua: “The more they owe, and the more they pay back, the more it proves the children’s capability. It also serves to restrain them from recklessly squandering the family fortune.”
“…”
Immediately, the elders nodded with firm gazes, tacitly agreeing that the children could continue paying it back… slowly.
After discussing these family matters, the group noticed that Li Chang’an was frowning deeply.
Upon being asked, Li Chang’an replied, “It concerns the Imperial Court. The Crown Prince personally led the campaign against the Wu Tribe, a war that has lasted for decades.”
“The Immortal Suppression Department has kept the court and the public stable, and Min Youguo has handled government affairs appropriately. However, over the past two years, flaws have begun to appear.”
“The Immortal Suppression Department holds the authority to execute first and report later, and they have been squeezing me out at every turn.
Only recently did I discover that these people… have already begun abusing their power for personal gain.”
“Abusing power for personal gain?” Li Yaowen’s expression turned peculiar.
“Indeed.”
Li Chang’an lived up to his reputation as the one with the most gentlemanly demeanor in the Li Clan; when speaking of this matter, he showed deep abhorrence.
“In recent years, three major powers—the Sword Pavilion, the Zhangsun Family, and the Heavenly Monarch Dao Sanctuary—joined forces to eradicate a secluded faction.
I ordered the Secret Division of the Hall of Heavenly Principle to investigate.
The alleged crime of that secluded faction was absorbing the life force of the common people.
However, Great-Uncle Tianyi and the others also made a trip there.
Only after the seniors used Origin Tracing did we discover that the so-called evidence was fabricated—a frame-up.”
“I do not believe the Immortal Suppression Department is ignorant of this.
Commander Wu Neng is turning a blind eye, yet I… I dare not question him.”
Hearing this, the clan members wore complex expressions.
Let alone the Imperial Capital, even within the Azure Cloud Prefecture, instances of abuse of power occurred.
However, it was different here than in the Capital.
In the territory of the Azure Cloud Prefecture, the Li Clan possessed the absolute strength to suppress such corruption.
“That is the authority granted by Fei Heng. At this point, even he has to turn a blind eye to it.”
Li Dalong waved his hand dismissively.
“Chang’an, act as if you know nothing of this matter, and do not send word to Fei Heng either.
We will not conspire in their corruption, nor will we blindly follow the crowd.
You need only remember one thing: we joined them solely to secure the title of the Immortal Suppression Department, ensuring that outsiders would not dare to covet our clan.”
“I will bear that in mind.” Li Chang’an nodded slightly.
“Since the Lord Imperial Preceptor is paying it no heed, I naturally won’t be foolish enough to interfere.”
“By the way, Grandpa,” Li Xinnian asked, “didn’t the Immortal Suppression Department go to handle the matter of the Three Corpses?”
Li Chang’an replied,
“Yes, the Department acted in secret. However, the movements of the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems and the Hong Tower are elusive.
They fought a major battle, but what was destroyed were merely the empty shells of those two factions.
Factions with sixty thousand years of history possess immense reserves.
Furthermore, the person secretly contending with them from behind the Immortal Suppression Department is none other than the Imperial Preceptor himself.”
“Min Youguo is involved again?” Li Dalong looked somewhat interested.
“Yes,” Li Chang’an replied.
“I probed him a little. The Lord Imperial Preceptor holds Zishu Lingtian in high esteem.
In his eyes, Zishu Lingtian—with his royal bloodline—is even more suitable to inherit the throne than the Crown Prince.”
Everyone raised their eyebrows.
Truth be told, that fellow Min Youguo was quite a character.
He didn’t seem to like a single one of the Crown Princes appointed by the Human Emperor.
Back when Fourth Prince rebelled, Min Youguo had held him in extremely high regard.
Unfortunately, Fourth Prince looked down on Min Youguo completely and even intended to use him as the target for ‘clearing the Emperor’s side.’
In Li Dalong’s words, this Imperial Preceptor was simply a glutton for punishment.
“Grandpa, if there is a chance to obtain the Three Corpses, I believe our Li Clan should also contend for them.”
Li Xinnian’s expression was grave.
“Prince Yu cares so deeply about the Three Corpses; the secrets hidden within must surely outweigh even the benefits of a chance at Body Integration.”
…
Meanwhile.
Within the ruins, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was still raging chaotically.
Figures clad in grey robes were searching through the wreckage.
The numerous corpses scattered across the ground were all grotesque in appearance, their faces twisted and hideous like malicious ghosts.
Sword Master Fang Yunyu stood beside one of the bodies, inspecting it with a technique.
“It’s these things again—neither human nor ghost. How exactly did the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems and the Grand Tower breed these vile monstrosities?”
“These things were bred using the Three Corpses of Lingtian.”
Zhangsun Buhuo carried herself with a grace that did not lack for dignity.
Her white palace-style dress stood out in stark contrast against the backdrop of the ruins.
“When Zishu Lingtian was alive, he must have had at least half a foot in the Mahayana realm.
Otherwise, it would be impossible for his corpse alone to influence the bodies of mortals to such an extent.”
Heavenly Lord Ning’an narrowed his eyes slightly.
“This place is merely a branch location of the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems. They were here specifically to study these monstrosities. We have made a wasted journey.”
Fang Yunyu sighed and said,
“They have been researching this for sixty thousand years. These corpses are the result of generation after generation of derivation.
Just the records in this branch alone show that their research has spanned over three thousand generations.
In the beginning, mortal corpses could only reach the Qi Refining realm; now, they can transform mortals into the Golden Core realm.
These things all possess bizarre talents… I fear they have become a new race within this world.”
“Over the past sixty thousand years, at least a hundred million subjects of our Azure Dynasty have died at their hands.”
Heavenly Lord Ning’an’s expression was grave.
“It no longer matters how it came to this. The actions of these two sects must be stopped; otherwise, the entire world will face calamity.”
Sword Master Fang Yunyu nodded slightly.
“I will send word to Li Chang’an. This matter is of grave importance.”
“Hmph!”
Zhangsun Buhuo let out a cold snort.
“The Commander has long since made it clear that the Li Clan has close ties with Prince Yu and is also close with the Imperial Preceptor.
Are you not afraid that we might fall into a trap?”
“They are merely an opportunistic Immortal Clan that knows only how to fawn upon the powerful.
We may give them some face during ordinary times, but when it comes to critical matters like this, do not let the Li Clan cause us trouble.”
Fang Yunyu had no choice; he could only sigh and leave with the other two, leading their subordinates away.
Tap.
No sooner had the group left than the sound of footsteps echoed within the ruins.
A grey-robed figure gradually materialized from thin air.
He glanced at the corpses on the ground and raised an eyebrow slightly.
“Compared to sixty thousand years ago, these two factions have certainly not been idle.”
As he spoke, Su Chen’s expression was gloomy.
He had heard every word those three major powers had just said.
“Fawning on the powerful? Opportunistic? You must be as blind as dogs! Hmph!”
Having been in the family for so many years, how could he not know the truth?
That old geezer, Min Youguo, was only able to become Imperial Preceptor again because he relied on the Li Clan.
The Crown Prince was able to regain his position entirely thanks to the Li Clan’s influence.
As for the Li Clan joining the Immortal Suppression Department, it was Fei Heng who had begged the Li Clan to join.
And regarding the matter of the Three Corpses?
While these people were struggling to fumble around in the dark, they probably knew less than ten percent of what he knew!
“I had intended to tell you some details to make your task easier, but now… You can go investigate slowly by yourselves.”
Su Chen sneered.
A Dark Crow appeared in his hand, and with a thought, the intelligence was transmitted back to the Azure Cloud Prefecture.
Immediately, he searched around the ruins for a while, then took a deep breath.
“The Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems and the Grand Tower have moved away from their old site.
Currently, I am only at the Peak of Divinity Transformation; it is the perfect time to re-forge my Void Refining Space.
Once I ascend to the Void Refining realm, relying on a foundation and reserves far deeper than in my previous life, along with a full set of Heaven Rank cultivation methods, I will be able to surpass the strength I possessed sixty thousand years ago.”
“When that time comes, I will investigate these two major forces again.
That headless corpse from back then possessed physical strength rivaling the Body Integration realm, yet had no Spiritual power.
I wonder if I will be able to control and capture it. If I can, that debt of nearly one hundred thousand years of salary… can finally be paid off.”
—
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