The sound of shattering glass rang out just as Li Xuanfeng entered. The white robe floated to the ground, and the beast vanished entirely, leaving only the infant, now cradled in Li Chengliao's arms.
Li Xuanxuan hurried forward, unable to contain himself. Li Chengliao stared blankly at the child in his arms, his hands trembling. When Li Xuanxuan looked closer, he met a pair of golden, amber-like eyes.
Within the infant's gaze, golden rings nested inside one another, deep and dark, emanating a chilling and regal aura that sent shivers through their hearts.
"Gasp…!" The two of them gasped simultaneously.
Meanwhile, Li Xuanfeng's expression darkened as he gripped the longbow behind him. The bowstring vibrated violently, letting out sharp, piercing sounds as he growled, "I am Li Xuanfeng. May I ask which senior… has chosen to entrust themselves to my descendant?"
His words reverberated through the room, shaking the very cups and plates until they trembled, as though they might shatter under the pressure. Yet the infant only pursed its lips without answering.
After waiting briefly, Li Xuanfeng turned to signal for the others to retreat. He stepped forward, meeting the child's clear, innocent gaze. After a moment of hesitation, he said in a low voice, "Chengliao, take him to Mount Qingdu."
After all, it was his own child. Li Chengliao quickly wrapped the baby in the white robe, worry evident on his face as he glanced toward his weak wife on the bed. Li Xuanxuan noticed his gaze and understood immediately, saying, "I will take care of things here."
The two of them flew off together. Li Xuanfeng remained vigilant throughout the journey, his thoughts racing, If the baby were a Buddhist cultivator, they wouldn't look like this. They must be a Daoist cultivator… At least of the Purple Mansion Realm… It couldn't possibly be a Golden Core Realm.
He roughly gauged the cultivation level of this unknown cultivator, thinking further, Logically, only Buddhist cultivators would reincarnate like this. Immortal cultivators wouldn't seize a newborn's body. If the physical form has no spiritual orifices, it would be a path to certain death. Moreover, such fanfare… What would be the purpose?
Li Xuanfeng, being far more experienced, had heard of such cases where souls took over others' bodies during reincarnation. Usually, they disguised themselves, mastered techniques, consumed resources, and then left without a trace. This made him deeply concerned.
Li Xuanfeng had a sudden flash of inspiration, Reincarnated souls would have a distinct spirit from a newborn. A sweep of the immortal mirror would reveal their nature, any hidden tricks, and the thread of fate tied to them!
When they landed, Li Xuanfeng instructed Li Chengliao to wait outside the ancestral hall. He strode inside and respectfully invoked, "I, Xuanfeng of the Li Family, humbly request Profound Light to patrol the unseen, pierce through the mysteries, perceive the hidden truth, and illuminate all directions, capturing spirits and discerning the divine…"
A clear light emerged before him, and the pale blue Immortal Mirror descended from the great void, hovering in front of him. Li Xuanfeng focused his spiritual sense and swept over the baby cradled outside.
The baby's spiritual platform appeared pristine—no enchanted items, no seals, pure and new, without any signs of declining spirit. While the child's body brimmed with spiritual energy, it showed no traces of being possessed or reincarnated.
Li Xuanfeng checked thoroughly several times, finally sighing in relief. He returned the Immortal Mirror to the void, waited for the light to fade, then stepped out of the hall with a faint smile.
Li Chengliao had been anxiously waiting all this time, closely observing the golden, amber-like eyes of the child. No matter how he looked, there were no signs of the child harboring some ancient demon.
When Li Xuanfeng strode out confidently, laughing heartily, Li Chengliao hurried forward. Li Xuanfeng, still smiling, took the baby into his arms and, after looking him over carefully, exclaimed with satisfaction, "This is our family's auspicious child!" 𝔯Ãℕò𝐛Ęs̩
Hearing this, Li Chengliao finally relaxed and chuckled awkwardly. Li Xuanfeng stroked his beard and waved a hand, "Go, Chengliao, call everyone over!"
"Yes, yes…" Li Chengliao reluctantly handed the baby over and hurried off. Li Xuanfeng continued to examine the child closely, growing more pleased the longer he looked. The baby didn't cry or fuss but instead stared back at him with those golden eyes.
As he sat at the head seat, holding the child, he thought to himself, White cicadas filling the courtyard, a scaled beast bearing a child with jade-like horns… This is a sign of fate.
He studied the baby again, noting the domineering gleam in their golden eyes, and smiled, "This child was born to cultivate Bright Yang—a proper descendent of the Wei Li line."
Before long, figures descended hastily into the courtyard. Li Xuanxuan entered first, looking puzzled. Li Xuanfeng waved him off lightly, "Nothing to worry about! He is an auspicious child."
Li Xuanfeng handed the baby over. Li Xuanxuan inspected the child closely, his aged eyes glistening with tears. After a few moments, the hall filled with people, and Li Xuanfeng finally spoke softly, "This child may carry a thread of fate."
Everyone exchanged glances of joy. Suddenly, a clear and bright voice came from the corner, "I see!"
"Hmm?" Li Xuanfeng raised an eyebrow and turned to look.
Li Yuexiang's eyes were bright with realization, and her mind worked quickly. Mimicking her mother's calm demeanor perfectly, she explained, "Do the elders still remember the incident with Xu Xiao?"
When these words fell, Li Xuanfeng's eyes narrowed slightly, and he said coldly, "If I had been at home then, something like this... could never have caused such a commotion!"
Li Chengliao and the others, who had experienced the incident firsthand, still seemed to have lingering fears. Li Chengliao laughed and said, "Now that our family has an auspicious child of its own... Oh?"
As he spoke, a look of sudden realization flashed across his face, as though he had already guessed what Li Yuexiang intended to say. Li Yuexiang softly explained, "At that time, after killing that person, elder brother mentioned something—that Xu Xiao's influence on Chengliao was limited. If not for this, he would have left much earlier, and we might never have noticed anything unusual!"
Li Xuanfeng frowned slightly and murmured, "Are you saying that because Chengliao was destined to be this child's father... that he had an innate ability to resist it?"
The crowd fell silent, mulling over this idea in disbelief. Li Xuanfeng shook his head and said, "It is hard to say. For now, it is merely a guess. If fate truly possesses such a power..."
He left the rest of the sentence unfinished, but for once, he smiled as he gazed at the child in his arms. Sweeping his eyes over everyone present, he declared, "Seeing this child, I feel much at ease. I can now return to the southern border without worry!"
The atmosphere among the crowd, which had been heavy for months, lightened noticeably. Everyone seemed genuinely happy for once. Li Ximing, in particular, looked the child over again and again, his entire body relaxing, as though a heavy burden had finally been lifted from his shoulders.
Li Ximing held the child and met their gaze. Suddenly, he felt the Radiant Origin Pass within him stir violently. Unable to suppress his amazement, he said, "This truly is a child destined for Bright Yang cultivation."
Li Xuanfeng nodded, then gestured for Li Chengliao to step forward and asked with a smile, "Have you prepared a name for him?"
Li Chengliao had previously considered naming the child Li Zhou'an, but at that moment, he felt the name was somewhat lacking. Bowing respectfully, he said, "I ask the elders to bestow a name."
Li Xuanfeng pondered for a moment before speaking softly, "How about Wei ? It matches perfectly. Li Zhouwei."