Chapter 930: Chapter 924: Easy To Bully
Ethereal Immortal Grove.
This place was now lush with greenery, the calls of birds and beasts echoing in unison through the mountain forests.
Deep within the mountain grounds lay a blood pool. A black-robed figure hovered a foot above it, surrounded by floating droplets of blood—a truly eerie sight.
Seated before him was a woman. It was Li Zhijing.
Years ago, after the battle in the Immortal Domain, she had stayed behind in the Azure Cloud Prefecture to cultivate.
She had originally said she would return to the Northern Region in a few years, yet one “few years” turned into another, and decades had slipped by just like that.
Li Zhijing sat cross-legged, her hair tied in a thick braid. Her beautiful features hadn’t changed, yet clad in tight leather armor, she now bore a heroic, untamed air of the wilderness—resembling nothing so much as the Wu tribe women of the Endless Forest from the past.
Phantom shadows of beasts flickered behind her, while a black scale upon her brow shimmered with a dark luster.
“In the blink of an eye, over a hundred years have passed.”
Li Zhijing exhaled a long breath. Turning her divine soul inward, she saw that the miniature figure sitting within her dantian had already reached adulthood.
“Mid-Nascent Soul stage. My advancement has been so rapid, thanks in large part to the clan’s secret beast-taming techniques.”
For over a hundred years, the Clan Head had taken great care of her, frequently sending resources. The clan elders, too, had been exceptionally doting.
This was especially true of Great Ancestor Li Yaotie. Upon seeing her cultivate beast-taming techniques, he would often stare at her, lost in a daze for a long time.
He had eventually gifted her numerous inheritances—beast-taming insights left behind by a deceased great-grandfather.
Rumor had it that this great-grandfather had once commanded a million demon beasts, slain the clan’s most vicious enemies, and even ventured through the lands of the Wu tribe.
Between that, the teachings of her master, Daoist Mosquito, and the guidance of the various senior Great Demons within the Ethereal Immortal Grove, Li Zhijing had gained profound enlightenment.
“Caw!”
The cry of a dark raven interrupted Li Zhijing’s thoughts.
“A clan missive?”
Daoist Mosquito also roused from his seclusion. Li Zhijing opened the letter, her brows knitting together in a deep frown.
“What is it?”
Daoist Mosquito made a sound of inquiry.
“Master.” Li Zhijing had shed some of the petulance of her younger years. Her voice was deep and grave.
“My clan is at war. Some wretched ‘Blue Moon Immortal Sect’ seems to think my Li Clan is easy to bully.”
Daoist Mosquito smiled faintly. With a mere wave of his hand, the blood-red water in the pool floated into the air, signaling the Great Demons of the Ethereal Immortal Grove to prepare for war.
When the Saintess had gone to that wretched “Netherworld,” she had left him with strict instructions: he was to protect the Li Clan with his life.
Seeing her Master release his Spiritual power, Li Zhijing’s eyes brightened slightly.
“Master, you mentioned before that you had scattered your Primordial Spirit, and that once you had devoured the flesh and blood of the Zhao Clan, it would be the time to forge your Void-Refining Blood Domain. Are you now…”
“Half-step.”
A trace of arrogance flashed across Daoist Mosquito’s expression.
“Thanks to the heart’s blood of a Body Integration realm cultivator. But let us not speak of this. Disciple, do not go on this trip. You are at a critical juncture to stabilize your cultivation.”
“No, I’m going.” Li Zhijing grinned broadly.
“After over a hundred years of cultivation, I am already at the mid-Nascent Soul stage. Since when have the people of the Li Clan ever shied away from a fight?
I cultivate the technique passed down by my Great-Grandfather. Great Ancestor Grandpa said that this technique left behind by my Great-Grandfather is one that fears absolutely no one.”
Hearing this, Daoist Mosquito nodded in gratified approval.
This disciple had once been so unruly and willful that he had often wanted to give both her and her father a sound beating. But heaven had eyes after all; she had finally discarded those bad habits…
“Besides, my dad is still waiting for me to make something of myself, earn some Spirit Stones, snatch some heavenly treasures, and take him to the casino to have some fun!”
That damned Li Xinri!
…
Immortal Martial Grotto-Heaven.
In the past, this Grotto-Heaven—formerly belonging to the Zhao Clan—was truly bustling.
It was the destination most frequented by the descendants of the various Li Clan branch families.
No matter which branch produced a genius of excellent aptitude, they would be sent here to the Immortal Martial Grotto-Heaven for advanced studies.
This location was closest to the Main Family, allowing access to cultivation sites such as the Main Family’s Myriad Dao Pagoda, the Dao-Transmitting Secret Stele, and the Path to the Summit.
Various major Immortal Clans and Sects also had secret realms open for use here.
The Immortal Martial lineage, in particular, boasted a vast collection of tomes and techniques.
Here, one could receive instruction from the seniors of the Azure Cloud, or join sects like the Ethereal Immortal Sect and the Perennis Immortal Palace for training.
Once they achieved success in their studies and returned to their respective branches, they would find themselves in a completely different world of status and opportunity.
There were over three hundred clan disciples here, all cultivating diligently.
Suddenly, everyone looked in astonishment toward the depths of the Grotto-Heaven, in the direction of the Cliff of Reflection.
Five-colored radiance burst forth, and rosy clouds descended from the heavens!
“Golden Core! Someone in the clan has broken through to the Golden Core realm.”
“That is the Qi of the Five Elements of Heaven and Earth.
It is a Golden Core forged from Five-Element Impure Spiritual Roots.
This… which kinsman is this? He is simply a supreme talent!”
“The fewer the spiritual roots, the easier the cultivation, but having more roots signifies stronger Spiritual power.
However, those in the world who can successfully form a Golden Core with Five-Element Spiritual Roots are barely a handful. Yet, once the Golden Core is achieved, the path ahead is smooth sailing!”
The clan members were all filled with envy. To form a Golden Core in such a manner meant the clan had surely gained a genius rarely seen in a thousand years.
At this moment, amidst the clouds of the Immortal Martial Grotto-Heaven, a figure wreathed in lightning observed the five-colored radiance.
He raised an eyebrow slightly, then transformed into an arc of lightning, shooting toward the Cliff of Reflection.
A moment later.
Li Jianshu, clad in black robes, let a smile flash across his dignified face.
He looked at the middle-aged man with hair streaked by gray walking out from the Cliff of Reflection.
“Jianning.”
“Big Brother.”
Li Jianning burst out after his breakthrough, unable to contain his delight as he prepared to report the good news to the elders.
Now seeing Li Jianshu, he immediately exclaimed with joy, “Big Brother, I did it! I am no longer a useless person!”
With these words, tears gushed from his eyes.
Hearing this, Li Jianshu let out a long sigh, his expression complex.
The elders of the family were all individuals of extraordinary aptitude. Yet, for some unknown reason, when it came to the recent generations, most possessed only average aptitude.
Across the Yuan, Jian, Qiu, and Chu generations, only Li Chuyuan had emerged as a supreme talent.
From childhood to adulthood, they had followed their grandfather and father in cultivation.
Their father, too, possessed average aptitude and had been forced to forge a new path, taking Martial Arts as his Dao.
As for him and Jianning, their aptitude was even worse.
If his son, Li Qiukong, hadn’t brought back the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Spring to successfully cleanse his marrow and reshape his constitution, how could he have ever earned the title the people of the Azure Cloud bestowed upon him: the “Dharma King of Thunder”?
And Jianning, too, only possessed his current Five Elements Primordial Spirit Body thanks to the clan bestowing upon him the Primordial Origin Blood Fruit.
Now, seeing his younger brother defy the heavens to change his fate, shedding his former dejected state, Li Jianshu felt a wave of comfort in his heart.
“Good. Jianning, come with me to see Father.”
“Yes, Big Brother.”
Li Jianning followed Li Jianshu. Sensing the aura radiating from his elder brother, Li Jianning was startled. “Big Brother, you… your Dharma Body!”
He looked closely.
The aura behind Li Jianshu felt almost like a heavenly thunder punishment, resembling the lightning tribulation of a Nascent Soul.
A massive Lightning General manifested there, majestic and imposing, gripping a long spear as if ready to slaughter the enemy!
“Recently, over in the Azure Cloud Region, Senior Jin Yu of the Artifact Sect and Old Ancestor Tian Ye of the Ghost Eye Sect have successively broken through to the Divinity Transformation realm.
Furthermore, my lightning arts have reached great completion. I utilized the power of the lightning tribulation to refine my Dharma Body, allowing the Heavenly Punishment to enter my form.
I have now forged a Heavenly Punishment Physique and reached the peak of the Golden Core realm.” Li Jianshu spoke in a casual tone.
“Father and Grandfather will surely be overjoyed.”
Li Jianning’s face was beaming with smiles.
The two brothers had supported one another since childhood. Seeing his elder brother achieve success in his lightning arts, Li Jianning felt a heartfelt joy.
Not long after.
The brothers arrived to see Li Yuanwu.
Inside the high tower, they saw a middle-aged man who resembled a wild lion, sweating profusely as he practiced his fist techniques. The wind generated by his punches roared like thunder.
The two exchanged a glance, both secretly startled, and hurriedly knelt in salutation.
“Father!”
Inside the tower, Li Yuanwu had already sensed the arrival of his two sons. He did not cease his punches and kicks, his voice resonating deeply.
“Hahaha, you two lads have my style. Not bad at all.”
With just that one sentence, the corners of Li Jianshu’s and Li Jianning’s mouths rose uncontrollably.
Knowing their father’s obsession with the Martial Dao, they did not disturb him further and went to seek out their grandfather, Li Zhiheng.
Just as they arrived outside the Eight Trigrams formation where their grandfather was cultivating, the two brothers looked up to see a dark raven flying over.
Within the Eight Trigrams Formation.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
A heart was beating audibly. Li Zhiheng exhaled a long breath of turbid air. As he reached out to receive the dark raven, he looked toward his two grandsons kneeling in salutation, feeling exceptionally satisfied.
In truth, he cared deeply for his descendants, yet he rarely intervened.
The tradition of the clan elders was that each individual must strive for their own opportunities. With so many branch families, as an elder, it would not do for him to show favoritism.
His two grandsons had possessed mediocre aptitude since childhood, yet in the end, they had indeed defied the heavens to change their fate.
After chatting with his grandsons for a moment, Li Zhiheng sensed the message contained within the dark raven.
His expression remained calm as he said, “Jianshu, take a trip to the Thunderfire Demon Cave. At the same time, draft letters to notify the various major factions and have them prepare their manpower for war.”
Li Jianshu’s expression changed abruptly.
Li Zhiheng continued, “Jianning, go find your grandmother and send word to the Sun Clan Head. Tell them to join the war.”
“Grandfather, what has happened?”
Li Jianshu’s expression shifted again.
Li Zhiheng said indifferently,
“A certain Blue Moon Immortal Sect has arrived in our Azure Cloud Prefecture.
Taking advantage of the absence of our clan elders and assuming our defenses are hollow, they intend to kick us while we are down.
The Immortal Suppression Department in the Imperial Capital seeks to suppress our Li Clan; I fear their missives have already reached the major sects and families.”
“This…”
Having held the fort at the Thunderfire Demon Cave for years, Li Jianshu was well acquainted with the darker, squalid side of the world.
His expression darkened involuntarily. “What if there are betrayals?”
“I cannot concern myself with that.”
Li Zhiheng shook his head. “Whether they come or do not come, or even if they seize this opportunity to incite chaos, my Li Clan will simply answer every challenge.”
“We fight. That is all.”
With those words, Li Zhiheng soared into the air, striding away into the distance.
In the past, he had dared to march upon the Zhao Clan; today, he held no fear of the Blue Moon Immortal Sect either.
…
Night fell.
At the site of the Blue Moon Immortal Sect.
They were currently establishing their sect gate at a location within the Azure Cloud Prefecture.
Their disciples acted without the slightest restraint, using their Spiritual power to shift mountains and move rocks right upon the soil of the Azure Cloud Prefecture.
The Sect Master had already sent word to the Li Clan regarding their intention to settle down in the Azure Cloud Prefecture.
This Azure Cloud Li Clan… they had suffered a disaster at the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems, losing two Void Refining cultivators.
By sending a notification, the Sect had already shown the utmost courtesy. Unlike what the Immortal Suppression Department suggested—striking at the Li Clan directly—they were acting with benevolence.
At this moment, above the clouds.
Duanmu Qi had arrived.
He concealed his aura, yet his expression was one of confusion.
“Strange. In the past, the Azure Cloud Prefecture was filled with the probing senses of numerous Nascent Soul and Divinity Transformation cultivators. Yet today, despite our arrival, no one has intercepted or questioned us.”
For nearly three hundred years, the Azure Cloud Prefecture had been the most strictly guarded prefecture he had ever seen.
Now, following the incident at the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems, the situation in the Azure Cloud Prefecture was extremely abnormal.
Beside him, Li Chuyuan spoke in a deep voice, “Elder Duanmu, this disciple visited home. The Clan Head has sworn to fight to the death…”
Before his voice had even faded, the expressions of both Li Chuyuan and Duanmu Qi changed abruptly.
The moon was bright, and the stars were sparse.
The Blue Moon Immortal Sect was in the midst of major construction; outside their perimeter, the land had been leveled flat.
In the darkness of the night, a bright light appeared, resembling a fire gradually growing in intensity.
Someone was approaching, and the aura radiating from his body was just like that raging flame!
As this person approached, the members of the Blue Moon Immortal Sect, who had been busy with their construction, sensed his arrival.
Over two thousand people in the sect fell instantly silent.
The night wind picked up, whistling through the air.
Li Xinnian strolled forward until he stood right before the Blue Moon Immortal Sect.
He merely raised his head, but the cold resolve in his words made Duanmu Qi’s heart skip a beat—Duanmu Qi, who had originally intended to mediate the situation.
“I will give you two hours. Two choices.”
“Get lost.”
“Or die.”
For the first time in his life, Li Xinnian did not disguise the killing intent in his heart, nor the wild arrogance inherited from his ancestors!
—
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