Meanwhile at Li Residence on Mount Lijing...
The small courtyard atop the mountain was eerily silent, bathed in moonlight so white it resembled frost.
Li Ximing, who was dressed in white, kneeled quietly on the ground. His cheeks were swollen, bruised with patches of purple and red.
Li Yuanjiao sat in the high seat before him with a dark face. His naturally fierce face was filled with anger, and he looked as if he were on the verge of devouring someone alive.
Unlike his granduncle, Li Tongya, whose anger was silent and brooding, Li Yuanjiao's wrath blazed visibly in his eyes. When his face tensed, malice was clearly etched across his features.
Li Qinghong was present from the beginning and she stood silently at the side, her expression as cold as frost. Li Ximing dared not lift his gaze.
After a prolonged tense silence, the sound of hurried footsteps approached from outside. Li Yuanping pushed the door open, his expression grim. He stood at the side of the room in silence despite his heart aching for his child.
Li Yuanjiao narrowed his eyes, trying his best to suppress his rage as he asked dangerously calmly, "Brother Ping... is this the work of Man On Creek ?"
Li Yuanping's face was pale. The frail man kneeled and bowed deeply, answering the question solemnly, "He has no reason to.... Besides... Ximing has a talisman seed in him."
Li Yuanjiao slowly shook his head, his upset evident. He had just retreated into seclusion not long ago, only to be abruptly interrupted. The sight of his junior in such a state only deepened his dismay.
He lamented internally, I can only blame myself for being so engrossed in cultivation that I failed to observe the younger ones closely. I always thought he was a disciplined one, so I rashly sent him to the Xiao Family... This is my fault!
Uncertainty about any descendants in the Xiao Family weighed heavily on him.
Shattering his Yang Essence is no great sin; youthful indiscretions are not unheard of... But what if he leaves behind an heir out there...
Ximing is the eldest son of the Changhu's direct lineage... the first lineage! Any child of his would follow in that lineage. Without future offspring, that child will be the last of Changhu's lineage. Even if Ximing does leave behind a child out there, there are still clan rules and laws to consider...
A profound silence fell over the courtyard. Li Yuanping slowly sat down and said softly, "Why not..."
Before he could finish, Li Yuanjiao interrupted him with a wave of his hand. He cast a glance at Li Ximing and suggested, "Let's discuss this inside."
The three moved to the backyard, where Li Yuanping continued in a hushed tone, "Why not strip this child of his status in the clan system and expel him from the main family, just as a precaution?"
"No!"
Li Yuanjiao looked at him and continued, "He is your only son. Doing so will end the first lineage!"
"This can be solved with an adoption," Li Yuanping suggested.
Li Ximing was his biological son, yet his words were ruthless. His face betrayed no emotion, save for his slightly trembling hands.
Li Yuanjiao shook his head and said, "He's just a young man lured by pleasures... We shouldn't be too harsh. Since he has shown genuine remorse, we'll revoke only his title as the future young family head; all else will remain unchanged."
Shadow enveloped Li Yuanjiao's face as he continued in a deep voice, "This matter should not be met with harsh punishment, but handled with leniency. He worries about having to balance cultivation with clan duties, right? Let him receive the Golden Yang Radiant Origin qi as planned, and before he establishes his foundation, we will not burden him with too many responsibilities in alchemy."
Li Yuanping listened to the lenient sentence, slowly lifting his head to ask, "And who shall be the future young family head?"
"We'll try Xicheng."
As soon as Li Yuanjiao finished speaking, Li Yuanping's expression shifted rapidly, and he whispered urgently, "Brother... This could lead to chaos!"
Li Yuanjiao shook his head, gritting his teeth.
"This is the only path forward for now."
Li Yuanping's face reddened, his voice deepening, "What happens after Xicheng? Will the second lineage continue ruling the family or will it revert to the first lineage? You should know that this decision could start a crack in the family!"
Li Yuanjiao's response was hoarse.
"What do you want then? Turn Ximing—a prodigious alchemist of our family—into a bitter enemy...?"
Li Yuanping's expression hardened and he replied ruthlessly, "If it comes to that, I will cripple his cultivation with my own hands!"
Tears streamed down Li Yuanping's face, having already lost his voice at this point. Li Yuanjiao rose from the shadows, his face illuminated by moonlight.
"Ximing has received a talisman seed and read the Internal History!" he reminded his younger brother sternly.
Both men fell into a heavy silence. After a long pause, Li Qinghong finally spoke.
"How about this: we claim he was led astray by an enemy's divine ability, which will spare him excessive self-blame and calm the public's unrest. It's unwise to punish him too harshly. Let's set this accusation aside for now and pretend nothing happened. We'll explain to Ximing that he was under the influence of a divine ability."
Li Yuanping's anger ebbed slightly as he whispered, "So, you want us to pretend nothing happened... But we can't be certain what the Xiao Family thinks. Moreover, given what has transpired, how can we still rely on him?"
Li Qinghong replied thoughtfully, "Using him might be better than not. He is still a descendant of the Li Family. Perhaps he's only confused momentarily, but not forever... Let's wait and see. Xicheng used to be stoic but now he's a benevolent and kind person. Who can predict the future? People can change."
"We can't say for sure he will give up on his debauchery ways after this, but my brother and I are still in our prime. With the Profound Light's protection, the family isn't in immediate danger," she added.
Exhaling softly, she continued, "When Grandfather was still around, he was always cautious, never sowing seeds of disaster over uncertainties. It's wiser to act prudently."
Li Yuanping cupped his fist and calmly urged, "I still think it is better to remain vigilant, brother and sister. My days are numbered, I fear I cannot avert the inevitable."
After bowing deeply, he departed.
Li Qinghong watched him leave, then turned to the silent Li Yuanjiao and sighed.
"Yuanping is being too extreme! Although Ximing has made a mistake, he doesn't deserve to be punished so harshly... Brother, you should've intervened!"
The recent quarrel between the two brothers was apparent. Though Li Yuanjiao appeared to defend Li Ximing, his suggestions subtly pushed Li Ximing toward peril, prompting Li Yuanping's outcry about crippling his own son's cultivation.
Yet, Li Yuanjiao was still dissatisfied and wanted to push further. Li Qinghong listened to the entire exchange, feeling chilled to her core, and knew she had to intercede to put an end to it.
Li Yuanjiao stood under the moonlight, listening to her as he clutched his sword tightly.
"I can't bear it either. Yuanping's harshness stems from a deep affection for his son... Otherwise, he'd never allow leniency," he commented softly.
He understood the immense effort Li Yuanping had invested in his only son and how much hope he had for him. Li Yuanjiao murmured, "Brother Ping's talents are limited by his root bone. His only hope lay in this boy. Since he had high hopes for him, his disappointment is great."
"His child has truly let him down..." Li Qinghong commented, emotionally torn.
Li Yuanjiao sighed and instructed, "Don't let them meet for the time being. Send Ximing to Mount Yuting to cultivate! We must prevent Yuanping from saying something that might fracture their bond. Young men are quick to anger, and too much blame could bring trouble."
With those words, he departed from the rear courtyard in silence. Li Ximing was still kneeling at the entrance, accompanied by Li Xijun. However, now Li Xicheng was also kneeling beside them quietly.
As Li Yuanjiao emerged, Li Xicheng began, "It's my fault for not guiding my brothers properly. Please..."
Li Yuanjiao, already irritated, interrupted him with a dismissive gesture. He soared into the sky and gazed at Moongaze Lake from above, clutching his sword tightly.
"Ancestor! I've never hesitated to vanquish foes and slay demons. Yet I find myself utterly drained when it comes to upholding justice and fairness..." he murmured softly with a burdened sigh.
He stood in the air, feeling the northern wind blowing against his face. After a long, contemplative sigh, he repeated the familiar words solemnly.
"Jiao dares not forget."