Yu Clan, Milin Prefecture.
"Li Tongya?"
Yu Xiaogui's face was dark, and the stone door behind him closed slowly. His aura was imposing, indicating further progress in his cultivation. Kneeling before the stone door, Yu Mugao was dressed fully in black with his head lowered, obscuring his expression.
"A Maha in the north was reincarnated at Duanchen Temple and had already ascended to Master Monk. Somehow... he killed Li Xuanling, but was eventually killed by Li Tongya..." Yu Mugao answered respectfully.
Yu Xiaogui frowned deeply, then sneered and waved his hand dismissively.
"Impossible! I have fought with Li Tongya... he's only slightly stronger than me. What do you take a Maha Reincarnate for? Not even Li Chejing, the sword immortal himself, could handle one!"
Yu Mugao nodded in agreement and replied, "There must be more to this than meets the eye."
Seeing Yu Xiaogui's furrowed brow, Yu Mugao cupped his fist and spoke warmly, "Father, Yu Muxian has already broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm and attained his immortal foundation. I heard that in a few years, he will personally visit the lake during the next tribute collection."
"What? Xian'er has broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm?!"
Yu Xiaogui was overjoyed, laughing heartily. However, his expression soon shifted and he looked at Yu Mugao suspiciously and asked coldly, "We are all family... Why do you address your younger brother like that?"
"Brother?"
Yu Mugao raised his head and sneered coldly, "You may see him as a son, but he does not see you as a father! You do not know, Father, but Yu Muxian is now the treasured son-in-law of Tang Yuanwu.[1] He could even betray our own ancestor to gain the trust of the Azure Pond Sect... why would he care about our little Yu Family?!"
Yu Xiaogui was stunned by his words, and he grabbed Yu Mugao's collar in fury.
"What did you say?!"
"Yu Muxian has long seen our family as a stepping stone... He knew about our ancestor's death long ago! We have nurtured him since childhood, spent great efforts to send him to the sect, supported him for decades, and let him build connections within the sect... Yet, when our market was destroyed and our family declined, he refused to say a word! He even conspired with the Azure Pond Sect to betray our ancestor and specifically had Chi Zhiyan warn me..."
Yu Mugao, always a schemer, had long noticed that his brother Yu Muxian was no longer the same. He recounted event after event, leaving Yu Xiaogui in a daze, unable to believe the words he was hearing.
"How... how could this be... Despite our sincere devotion to Muxian, how could he..."
Yu Xiaogui's face was a mix of both disbelief and anguish, making his pain all the more evident in his expression.
Yu Mugao stared into his father's eyes and said harshly, "Father... do not hold any more hope for him!"
Yu Xiaogui slowly released him and took a step back, seemingly still processing Yu Mugao's words. After a long silence, he finally spoke, his voice final and decisive.
"Go get your Fourth Uncle."
"Fourth Uncle has passed away." Yu Mugao replied softly.
Yu Xiaogui's expression changed dramatically, and he looked up in shock. "He is a Qi Cultivator barely over seventy years old... how did he die?!" he roared.
"He embezzled family funds... I killed him."
Yu Mugao answered matter-of-factly, his words leaving Yu Xiaogui feeling weak. His face turned pale, and he clenched his teeth. After a long pause, he finally said, "Go get your Sixth Granduncle."
"Sixth Granduncle colluded with rogue cultivators, selling spirit rice at a low price. I killed him too," Yu Mugao answered.
Yu Xiaogui looked up at him in disbelief, his lips trembling. Suddenly, he realized that something was wrong... deathly wrong. While he had been in seclusion, everything outside seemed to have been turned upside down. His face flushed red as he asked, "How many people have you killed?"
"Fifty-eight of our granduncles, sixty-seven uncles, and one hundred ninety-four cousins, all with undeniable evidence of their heinous crimes."
Yu Mugao's expression remained respectful, but his words were chilling, causing Yu Xiaogui to step back and stare at him in disbelief.
"You... you... wretched beast! You!"
Yu Xiaogui raised his hand high and slapped Yu Mugao hard, sending him stumbling back a few steps. His anger was uncontrollable and his eyes were red with fury.
"Beast! Beast! Is there anyone you dare not kill?!"
Yu Xiaogui's face turned crimson, his imposing aura surging as he cried out hoarsely, "Your Fourth Uncle personally carried you to Milin Prefecture and sought a marriage alliance on your behalf. Your Sixth Granduncle raised me... yet you... you... They are your family! Mugao! How could you be so foolish?!"
"I know, Father."
Half of Yu Mugao's face was bright red from the slap, with blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Yet his expression remained calm as he spoke softly, "In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures must be taken. Without such actions, the Yu Family would not survive beyond three generations."
————
Li Tongya rested for a while in the forest. Using his finger as a sword, he cut a block of wood from a tree, hollowed it out with a wave of his hand, and placed Li Xuanling's head inside carefully. He then carved another piece of wood as a cover, meticulously securing it.
His eldest son's death was tragic, and Li Tongya spent half a day using his mana to mend and repair his son's appearance as best as he could, making it somewhat presentable.
Carrying the wooden box, Li Tongya flew intermittently, finally reaching the Li Family territory. He cast a spell to clean the mud and dust from his body, concealed his presence, and entered Mount Lijing quietly.
The small courtyard on Mount Lijing was spotless, clearly having been cleaned regularly. Li Tongya placed the wooden box on the table, used his mana to send a message, and then went inside to change his clothes and compose himself. By the time he returned, the younger generation had already gathered outside to pay their respects.
Li Tongya sat high on the main seat and looked around. Li Qinghong was the most grief-stricken, weeping inconsolably with her face covered. Her beautiful almond eyes were now red and swollen as she sobbed quietly.
Li Xuanxuan had returned from the market. His years of business had given him a shrewd and calculating demeanor, and his hair was now streaked with white, showing signs of age. He stood silently, staring blankly at the wooden box, lost in thought, and said nothing.
Li Yuanping's pale face looked even worse, his eyes filled with deep resentment. Standing between them, Li Yuanjiao's face was sorrowful but he remained calm, gripping the Dragon Coiling Pillar sword tightly in his left hand with his lips pressed together.
Li Tongya sighed and handed the wooden box to Li Qinghong. She wiped her tears and took it silently, not saying a word. Li Tongya, his voice slightly hoarse, asked, "Has Yuanyun arrived yet?"
Li Yuanjiao stepped forward and replied, "I have already sent someone to Eastern Mount Yue to bring him back."
Li Xuanling had a son and a daughter—Li Yuanyun and Li Qinghong. However, Li Yuanyun, lacking a spiritual orifice, had always been pretty much invisible in the family. This was the first time Li Tongya had summoned him back to Mount Lijing. Hearing this, he nodded and fell silent.
For a while, the courtyard was filled only with Li Qinghong's sobs. The younger generation remained silent, watching Li Tongya's weary and pale face with a sense of foreboding.
After the time it took to burn a stick of incense, footsteps approached from below. The courtyard door creaked open and a middle-aged man stumbled in. He was plump, with dark circles around his eyes, and his lips were trembling.
The middle-aged man fell to his knees in front of Li Tongya with a thud, his voice tinged with sorrow and muffled by tears as he spoke softly.
"Yuanyun, your unworthy grandson, greets Grandfather..."
1. Tang Yuanwu was briefly mentioned in Chapter 236 before, but not much is known about him at this point. ☜