Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan

Chapter 52: Man-made Disaster

Li Shiren didnʼt believe this nonsense at all. It wasnʼt Li Zhiruiʼs first time seeking refuge, so he waved his hand and said, ”There will be a few clansmen returning to the family tomorrow. You should go back with them.”

Li Zhirui had originally wanted to stay in the backyard for a while longer and then slip away from the marketplace quietly, but upon hearing Li Shirenʼs words, he immediately abandoned his previous thoughts.

Although the prying eyes had disappeared, who knew if the other party was hiding somewhere, waiting for him to show up?

Since there were clansmen returning home tomorrow, it was certainly much safer than going back alone. There was no need to take the risk.

”However, all the rooms in the backyard are full, and I think there wonʼt be any rain tonight given the moonlight. You can rest in the yard for the night.”

Li Zhirui nodded. Resting outdoors was a very normal thing for cultivators; there was no need to specifically go to an inn for rest.

”You must be close to breaking through to the ninth level of Qi Cultivation now, right?” After finishing talking about serious matters, the two started to chat idly, but it was mainly Li Shiren asking questions and Li Zhirui answering them.

”If nothing unexpected happens, one year should be enough,” he said.

”Hmm, breaking through in one year, then spend another year or two to push the realm to perfection. After that, you can try to break through to Foundation Establishment,” Li Shiren said to himself.

There was no need to worry about the Foundation Establishment Pill, as the Li family was preparing Spirit Stones recently to see if the Yuanming Sect would hold an auction this year.

According to the intelligence collected by Li Shize, the Yuanming Sect would auction off one or two Foundation Establishment Pills every few years, whereas Spiritual Objects for Foundation Establishment were more common and appeared almost every year.

However, the Li family would definitely not allow Li Zhirui to risk using Spiritual Objects for Foundation Establishment, because if he failed, Li Zhirui would be ruined.

Although there is someone with better talent in the Li family now, Li Zhiyue has not started cultivating. If Li Zhirui fails his breakthrough, it wouldnʼt lead the Li family into a situation where there is no one to succeed, but it definitely wouldnʼt see a new Foundation Establishment for a short period.

”Uncle Shilian told me that the Clan Leader has already spoken to you about taking over as the Clan Leader, but you refused?” Although Li Shiren didnʼt directly ask why, Li Zhirui understood what was implied.

Li Zhirui felt there was nothing to hide and frankly said, ”I donʼt want to be tied down by family affairs at such a young age, nor do I want to be entangled in various trivial matters. I want to appreciate the scenery along the path of cultivation and strive for higher realms.”

”Youʼre right,” Li Shiren agreed, but then he shook his head and said, ”But the family hasnʼt confined you; itʼs the sense of responsibility in your heart that has trapped you.”

”However, I hope you can temporarily put aside this responsibility. The family still has us elders.”

”I understand,” Li Zhirui smiled and said, ”But I didnʼt expect you, Uncle Ren, to come up with such meaningful words. Who did you overhear that from?”

”You cheeky kid!” The serious atmosphere instantly dissipated due to Li Zhiruiʼs teasing.

In the end, Li Zhirui couldnʼt escape Li Shirenʼs clutches and got his back resoundingly slapped twice.

...

The sun dipped westward and night fell; the bustling and lively marketplace gradually became quiet.

But if someone were looking down from above the marketplace, they would see a group of cultivators in black under the moonlight scattered throughout the marketplace, with faint Spirit Light flashing in their hands, clearly preparing some kind of spell.

”Boom—”

The moment the first explosion sounded, only an instant later, explosions erupted throughout the marketplace, followed by specks of firelight rapidly expanding across the marketplace.

”Whatʼs happened?” Li Zhirui, who was in the yard, was startled awake by the explosion sounds ringing in his ears. As he looked up, he saw the sky tinged with red and was greatly alarmed.

”Someone has attacked the Marketplace!”

Li Zhirui, with a panicky expression, knocked frantically on Li Shirenʼs bedroom door, shouting, ”Ren Uncle, get up quickly, someone is attacking the Marketplace!”

Li Shiren, who was in the middle of engraving an Array Plate, trembled upon hearing Li Zhiruiʼs words. The Array Plate that was near completion was ultimately ruined, but he could not afford to worry about that now. He immediately rushed out of his room and looked towards the Marketplace engulfed by the sounds of explosions and cries.

”There is a second-level Giant Stone Array protecting the back courtyard, and the Array Plate is in my room,” Li Zhirui said hurriedly. ”You organize the other clan members to defend the back courtyard; Iʼll go to the Cloudtop Pavilion and bring those clan members over!”

”Ren Uncle...” Li Zhirui wanted to say something more, but Li Shirenʼs figure had already vanished.

Meanwhile, Sun Dahai, the Foundation Establishment Cultivator stationed here by the Yuanming Sect, activated the Marketplaceʼs Formation as soon as he sensed something was amiss.

The Yunqing Marketplace, which was of great importance to the Yuanming Sect, was naturally protected by no simple Formation. It was the Chaotic Stone Fire Burning Grand Array, an integrated offensive and defensive array of the second order. Even a Golden Core Cultivator would have to expend considerable effort to break it.

”Fellow Cultivators, heed the command of the Yuanming Sect! Kill all the rogue cultivators creating chaos, and their bounty shall be the same as that of evil cultivators!” The angry voice of Sun Dahai echoed through the entire Marketplace, amplified by the Formation.

However, Sun Dahai might not have anticipated that his words would trigger an even greater disaster. Now, he was confronted with four suddenly-appeared Foundation Establishment enemies.

At first, the crowd only targeted those black-clad Cultivators who had initiated the conflict. These individuals, however, were prepared and quickly vanished into the throng of Cultivators, making it impossible to trace their whereabouts.

Eager Cultivators rushed out, yet found little to gain. Many were dissatisfied and set their sights on other Cultivators, hoping to exchange their lives for the bounty. After all, if someone were killed, who could prove whether they were causing trouble before their death?

The result was that more and more Cultivators joined in, indiscriminately attacking those weaker in strength.

While pursuing other Cultivators, some noticed the shops with tightly closed doors on both sides and promptly gave up the chase in favor of attacking the shops. After all, compared to the meager savings of those Cultivators, the bounty offered by the Yuanming Sect was trifling next to the Spiritual Objects and Spirit Stones inside those shops, which were far more tempting and substantial.

What began as a disturbance caused by a group of black-clad Cultivators swiftly escalated due to the greed of numerous Loose Cultivators. The flames of battle spread in an instant, and countless Cultivators burst into the shops, ransacking various Spiritual Objects. The entire Marketplace was in utter chaos.

And in this upheaval, those shops that normally did good business naturally drew significant attention from the Loose Cultivators, such as the Li familyʼs grocery store, for example.

”Damn!” Li Zhirui, looking at the dense crowd of Cultivators outside, was filled with panic, and this situation made him exceedingly anxious about Li Shiren, who had gone to the Cloudtop Pavilion to fetch people.

Even if Li Shiren was a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, he would likely not escape a fatal outcome under the attack of several hundred Qi Cultivation Cultivators.

”Zhirui, what should we do now?” a clan member said tremblingly.

Most of the Li familyʼs Cultivators were accustomed to peace, especially those willing to work in the Marketplace. The majority of them had never ventured out for trials, not even during the times when Loose Cultivators invaded Da Rong Island. They had spent their entire lives under the protection of the clan.

Now, seeing such a terrifying and bloody scene, many were at a loss, their faces pale, standing there in a daze.

Alas!

Seeing the reaction of his fellow clan members, Li Zhirui couldnʼt help but let out a sigh. The clan had protected them too well.

Just like Trose Flowers, once they left the greenhouse of the clan, they couldnʼt survive on their own.