Chapter 922: Chapter 916: I’m Not Afraid Of You…
At this moment, atop the auspicious cloud.
Seated alongside the Li family members were numerous cultivators from the Hall of Heavenly Principles, currently receiving the spoils of war distributed by Li Yunbing.
However, the expressions on most of their faces were solemn.
Throughout its development, the upper echelons of the Hall of Heavenly Principles had come to be composed largely of geniuses from the Azure Cloud Prefecture of several centuries past, along with the “Caged Bird” prodigies from Qilin Mountain. Yet, in this operation, more than thirty had lost their lives.
This was unavoidable.
They had been consulted before coming, as was the rule of the Hall of Heavenly Principles. Unless a battle concerned the very survival of the Azure Cloud Prefecture, participation was not mandatory; ordinary operations were conducted solely to seize resources.
A large portion of the spoils from this battle would also be delivered to the friends and families of the fallen.
Li Yaoqing, meanwhile, was busy tending to the injuries of the wounded.
“Lady Yaoqing, after you return to the Azure Cloud Prefecture, I must trouble you to deliver this poor monk’s personal effects to the Great Ming King Temple and hand them over to Abbot Yuming.”
The speaker was the Mang Monk of Great Ming King Temple—the very same man who, back in Tian Xing’s Cave Abode, would fight anyone he laid eyes on.
Now, his robes were in tatters, and his face was drained of all blood.
He pushed away Li Yaoqing’s hand, which was transmitting life-force Spiritual power to him. His Divine Soul was already shattered beyond repair, yet a sudden flush of color returned to his cheeks—a final surge of vitality.
He grinned.
“This trip… was not in vain for this poor monk.
Back at the temple, they always said I was prone to violating the precepts. But here in the Hall of Heavenly Principles, I have no fear of breaking them.
To have encountered so many experts in this lifetime… my life has not been wasted.”
As he spoke, the Mang Monk turned his head to glare into the distance at Li Tianming.
Having just survived the great battle, Li Tianming was pale, his face twisted in pain as he channeled Spiritual power to repair the wound on his chest.
Seeing him, the monk’s face instantly filled with rage, and he gnashed his teeth.
“Li Tianming, even if you put a collar on this poor monk in the next life, I still won’t fear you.”
“I’m not afraid of you…”
The Mang Monk closed his eyes.
Sunlight from the heavens pierced through the clouds, shining upon the ordination scars atop the monk’s head; the radiance seemed poised to welcome him into the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss.
“Alright, you aren’t afraid of him.”
A trace of sorrow flashed across Li Yaoqing’s brow.
She responded softly, then slowly collected the Mang Monk’s body and belongings.
Li Tianming, still in the midst of healing his injuries, stood frozen in place. His eyes were filled with confusion, reluctance, and distress.
Although he did not understand what this “collar” was, nor why the Mang Monk spoke of fearing him, his heart was overwhelmed by the deep grief of losing a friend of the clan.
The numerous members of the Hall of Heavenly Principles all managed forced smiles. Afraid of Li Tianming? They had long ceased to be afraid.
Soon after, they exchanged glances, nodded slightly to one another, and closed their eyes to rest and recuperate their spirits. There were still great battles ahead.
Over these years, whether it was them or the people of the Azure Cloud Prefecture, everyone had come to understand one truth: in this chaotic world, those who do not contend will perish.
At the very least, the Li clan was clear and impartial in meting out rewards and punishments.
Even if one lost their life while pursuing the Dao, by fighting alongside the Li clan, their earnings would benefit their clansmen or sect members.
Li Yaoqing slowly walked over to the side of her own clansmen.
Every member of the clan bore injuries to some extent.
They were now sitting cross-legged as Li Yaoqing went from one to the next, feeding them medicinal pills and treating their wounds.
The group remained silent; for were they not just like these members of the Hall of Heavenly Principles—all chasing after these spoils of war and the Three Corpses of Ling Tian?
To contend for the opportunity to reach the Body Integration Realm, and to secure the capital needed to stand firm in this world.
…….
Meanwhile.
Inside the Profound Seals Talisman within Li Tianyi’s body, the group of old seniors had completely erupted in shock.
“Tianyi, how… how is it that every single one of your family elders has broken through to the Void Refining Realm?!”
“Hiss… In the past, when we observed Li Yaotie and Li Yaoqing, they were cultivating Unorthodox Paths.
They were supposed to be far from breaking through to Void Refining. Without a two or three-thousand-year cultivation base, they shouldn’t have even been able to touch the threshold!
And your Second Uncle, Li Yunbing—he didn’t have the aptitude to reach Void Refining in this lifetime! This…”
“Where would even a typical Secluded Faction find as many Void Refining powerhouses as your Li clan?”
Li Tianyi did not reply.
They were right. With the existence of the Void-Soul Exchanging Dao Technique, their Azure Cloud Prefecture had long since been reborn!
The Old Ancestor, Great-Grandfather Li Dalong, Grandfather Yaozu, and Eldest Uncle Li Yunlin—these were four True Void Refining cultivators.
Within the Azure Cloud Prefecture, there were also Zhuo Linlin, the Martial Emperor, Fairy Hongxiu, and Supreme Elder Pu Ci—four more Void Refining experts.
And now…
Over these years, Great-Grandmother, Grandfather, Grandmother, Second Great-Aunt, and Second Uncle had all become Pseudo-Void Refining cultivators.
Just counting the living, they already possessed thirteen Void Refining cultivators!
“I wonder where Master has fled to…”
Li Tianyi took a deep breath and glanced at Li Tianming, whose face was still filled with confusion.
The true reason he had allowed his Master to escape was not merely because his elders were unfamiliar with him.
It was because of Tianming.
He could sense that when his Master’s life was in critical danger, Tianming’s eyes had gradually turned crimson.
Only those who had spent these years on the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems truly knew how cruel and tyrannical the people there were.
To Li Tianming, whenever any existence appeared that might pose a threat to the family, the logic was simple: as long as there was an opportunity to strike, the only good “threat” was a dead “threat.”
Looking at Tianming’s innocent display, Li Tianyi sighed inwardly.
“Is it because I’ve restricted him too much that he’s suppressing himself, keeping his true nature hidden from the world?”
“Big Brother, why are you staring at me?”
Li Tianming blinked his eyes.
“Go heal your wounds.”
Li Tianyi rolled his eyes.
To the side, Li Tianqi shrugged, brimming with excitement.
After this battle—a narrow escape where survival hung by a thread—he felt that his Spiritual power had grown significantly more robust.
“These past few years spent on Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems really weren’t a waste.”
In the distance.
Li Yunbing’s expression was grave.
“Yuanshang sent a message from the Imperial Capital. The matters involving Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems and the Grand Tower are becoming increasingly complex. The person behind the scenes is Min Tiange.”
As he spoke, he looked toward Li Yaotie. Li Yaotie, naked from the waist up, was frowning in deep contemplation.
He was also the least injured among them; with the hardness of his Unorthodox Artifact Body—comparable to a Middle-Grade Dharma Treasure—how could an ordinary Void Refining cultivator possibly harm him?
Li Yunbing continued, “Third Uncle, do you remember the incident with the Peerless Hall when you broke through in the Imperial Capital all those years ago?”
At this moment, Li Yaoqing was treating Li Yunlin’s injuries.
On Li Yunlin’s shoulder, a black cat covered in scars was licking its wounds. Hearing Li Yunbing’s words, a look of hostility flashed in Li Yaoqing’s eyes.
“Min Tiange… Third Brother may have forgotten, but I certainly haven’t. It was the Sect Master of Heavenly Light Sect back then who hired the Peerless Hall to make the move!”
“Mn.” Li Yunbing nodded.
“I suspect the Sect Master of Heavenly Light Sect also possessed a ‘Dao Seed.’ It is a pity his corpse has already been sent back to Heavenly Light Sect, leaving us no way to verify it.”
Hearing this, the cold look in everyone’s eyes deepened.
“Under their Master’s protection, the disciples of Heavenly Light Sect have infiltrated every aspect of the Imperial Capital.
This time, not even the Immortal Suppression Department traced anything back to Heavenly Light Sect.
If Min Tiange’s reach has extended into Heavenly Light Sect, then the other major factions won’t be able to escape his influence either.”
Li Yaotie rubbed his head; he usually looked like this when he was thinking.
“These things can’t be kept under wraps. There are plenty of people in the Imperial Capital who will deal with Min Tiange. We don’t need to worry about him.
No matter how long Min Tiange’s reach is, he still had to send the Grand Tower and Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems out to meet their doom.
Our urgent priority right now is to gather the Three Corpses.”
“Old Third is right.”
Xu Cuihua looked at the children with a gratified expression.
“The Old Ancestor has already obtained the ‘Scripture of Corpse Stitching’ from Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems.
Dabao has already reached the Nascent Soul Realm, and we have materials available in both the Netherworld and on the battlefield.
As for the Three Corpses, the most important matter now is obtaining the opportunity for the Body Integration Realm from the Fourth Prince.
Now that we have severed two of the major powers under Min Tiange’s command, the day of our vengeance is not far off.”
Hearing this, smiles appeared on the faces of the clan members as they began to tally the spoils of war.
In this operation to besiege the Grand Tower, aside from Concubine Ji, who managed to escape, the rest were completely annihilated!
Seventy percent of the gains were distributed entirely to the members of the Hall of Heavenly Principles, with a portion used as death benefits.
These were all items that everyone needed; the three hundred members of the Grand Tower were all powerhouses, so the possessions they carried were truly extraordinary.
The remaining thirty percent, however, was almost entirely suited for the use of the Li clansmen.
The members of the clan truly had no interest in ordinary treasures; only compatible Dharma Treasures were of any real use to them.
Li Wei also took a cursory glance at the gains from this trip.
[Obtained a massive amount of spoils.]
[Void Refining Corpses x3; Divinity Transformation, Nascent Soul, and Golden Core Corpses…]
Among these, there were three items that made Li Wei look twice.
[Middle-Grade Dharma Treasure: Crimson Souldew Tear]
[When worn on the body, it nourishes the Divine Soul and increases the cultivation speed of Soul-type techniques.
It can be used to conceal one’s Spiritual power; cultivators who are not more than two minor realms above the user will be unable to perceive the user’s true strength.
Increases the might of Soul-type techniques.]
It was a crimson crystal shaped like a water droplet.
It was unknown which master artifact refiner had crafted it, but the craftsmanship was so exquisite that Li Yaotie clicked his tongue in wonder, sighing inwardly that he would likely never be able to refine such a beautiful Dharma Treasure in his entire life.
This Dharma Treasure was ultimately taken by Xu Cuihua and worn as an earring, hanging from her left earlobe.
This woman, who had followed Li Dalong in braving the Netherworld, was dressed simply, yet her appearance as a Saintess of the Fox Clan was truly capable of toppling cities.
Xu Cuihua rarely adorned herself in her daily life, but with this earring on, she appeared even more glamorous and enchanting.
If she were to enter the public eye like Li Tianyue, the ranking of the world’s “Top Ten Beauties” would likely have to be reshuffled.
After donning the earring, Xu Cuihua was overjoyed.
Her Fox Clan arts were rooted in charm and seduction to begin with, but after the battle in the Longevity Domain, she had obtained Zhao Wan’er’s charm techniques, taking her skills to the next level.
In this recent battle, even Void Refining cultivators would have been entranced by her.
Now, the “Crimson Souldew Tear” made her even more formidable—like adding wings to a tiger.
She was confident that before long, she would become as powerful as Zhao Wan.
“Hmph, when the time comes, let’s see how Li Dalong withstands my charm arts.” Xu Cuihua wrinkled her small nose.
Meanwhile, in Li Yaoqing’s hand, a jade-green bamboo pole appeared.
It was about 1.2 meters long and looked slightly curved; holding it, she looked exactly like the Chief of the Beggars’ Sect.
[Grade 4 Spiritual Object: Heavenroot Verdant Jade Bamboo]
[A sentient segment harvested from a million-year-old Jasper Bamboo born of Heaven and Earth.
When kept on one’s person, it increases the cultivation speed of Wood-attribute techniques and cultivation techniques, accelerates the absorption of the world’s vital spiritual energy, and enhances the intensity of Wood-attribute Spiritual power.
Contains the Void Refining Technique: Three-Cycle Technique.
First Cycle: Healing;
Second Cycle: Bamboo Descends;
Third Cycle: Stores Spiritual power within the bamboo body to heal one’s own body.]
Li Yaoqing was overjoyed. Even though she had broken through to the Void Refining Realm, her Wood Divine Art had not yet broken through.
However, this “Heavenroot Verdant Jade Bamboo” deepened her comprehension of the technique.
This was especially true for the third cycle of the Three-Cycle Technique.
Although it would take approximately twenty years to fully store a reserve of Spiritual power once, it undoubtedly possessed the ability to instantly restore her condition, no matter how severe her injuries were—even recovering her… Spiritual power!
Li Yaoqing sensed the “Nine Leaves” generated by the Divine Art within her body.
Five of the leaves had already bloomed, and there was another leaf—barely visible—forming.
“The sixth one is about to bloom soon. I currently possess a Single Wood Spiritual Root. I wonder what my aptitude will become once the sixth leaf blooms, and what kind of techniques the Wood Divine Art will bestow upon me.”
Li Yaoqing continued to study her bamboo pole.
Not far away, Li Yunbing frowned as he gazed at a palm-sized rectangular iron box in his hand.
Protruding from the box were numerous silver needles; they were as fine as hair yet incomparably hard.
[High-Grade Dharma Treasure: Hidden Void Needles]
[A top-tier hidden weapon containing over a thousand silver needles.
When activated by techniques, the thousand silver needles conceal themselves within the void. They are difficult to detect even by an Divine Soul, allowing one to slay enemies with a single thought.]
Li Yunbing looked at the black cat on his big brother’s shoulder.
The old cat was licking the small, bleeding puncture wounds all over its body… Then he looked at the Skyveil Hall in his big brother’s hands, which was covered in marks from being pierced, and finally at his big brother’s injury-ridden body.
All of this had been caused by these “Hidden Void Needles,” demonstrating just how powerful and insidious this item was.
“I don’t care for this thing.”
Li Yunbing handed the item toward the elders, glanced at Li Tianyi and the others, and casually picked up a Low-Grade Dharma Treasure, smiling.
“I’ll use this. Besides, I still have my Official Seal.”
Hearing this, Li Yunlin patted Li Yunbing’s head, just like he did when they were children.
“Take it. Since you are the Prefecture Lord, there are plenty of people eyeing you. Or do you expect me, your big brother, to protect you all day long?”
Li Yunbing scratched his head.
Li Yunlin continued, “Besides, since I am so upright and aboveboard, one of us has to act like Father. We can’t let the true teachings of his craft go to waste.”
Hearing this, the corners of Li Yunbing’s mouth twitched.
Meanwhile, on the road to the Grand Tower headquarters, Li Yaozu suddenly let out a loud sneeze.
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