Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan

Chapter 125 - 127: Revenge

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After dealing with those three cultivators, dawn was breaking, so Li Zhirui and the others did not return and simply waited in the main hall for the clan members to come.

As expected, it wasnʼt long before all the cultivators on the island who were not in closed-door cultivation, including those who had married into or married out of the Li family, also arrived at the main hall.

They looked at Li Zhizhun and the others with excitement.

In fact, they had already known last night that Li Shiqing had made a breakthrough to Golden Core, but there were still many puzzles in their hearts, such as when Li Shiqing broke through to Golden Core, and when he would be able to leave seclusion, among other questions.

Li Zhizhun answered each one, and was frank about what he didnʼt know.

It was not until a clan member stood up and asked, ”In the past, our family faced a beast tide, and due to the schemes of the three families to the east, five of our members fell, and several were left with disabilities. At that time, Clan Leader, you said our familyʼs strength was insufficient.”

”But now that Uncle has achieved Golden Core, shouldnʼt we take revenge for them?”

Li Zhizhun was taken aback; he hadnʼt expected this issue to be raised at this time, but since it had been, he naturally had to address it head-on.

And it was also a pain he had kept buried deep in his heart.

”Of course!” Li Zhizhun affirmed confidently, ”Once Uncle stabilizes his realm, I will immediately inform him of this matter, and ask him to lead the clansmen to attack Red Pine Island and avenge our members!”

In the past, they had been concerned about Yuanming Sect, worried that it would side with the Zheng family, and that they would suffer losses in a fight without reaping any benefits, which was why they had endured in silence.

But now, the Li family already had a Golden Core true person. Although they were still no match for Yuanming Sect, with clear evidence—the matter of the Devil-Attracting Liquid, which Li Shiren had recorded with a Memory Stone—combined with a certain amount of strength, they could ensure that Yuanming Sect would stay out of the affair.

”Good!”

”Clan Leader is mighty!”

The crowd cheered and clapped, and their gaze towards Li Zhizhun was filled with even greater respect than before.

As one story develops here, another unfolds elsewhere.

Meanwhile, at the Rare Beast Pavilion of the Wang family in Green Mountain State, a white-haired elder hurried into the family hall with an urgent expression.

”Elder Ba?” The middle-aged man seated at the head noticed the newcomer and a glint flashed in his eyes as he said, ”Shouldnʼt you be in Yunping State at this time? Or have you already retrieved the secret technique? But where are the other three?”

”Please punish me, Patriarch!” The elder known as Elder Ba had a trace of humiliation in his eyes, but under the current circumstances, he had to humble himself to maintain his position in the family.

”What happened?” Patriarch Wang did not understand and looked at him with confusion, though a sense of foreboding rose in his heart.

Elder Ba recounted tearfully, ”I accompanied Liu and the others in attacking the Li family, but who could have expected that the Li family had a Golden Core true person. Liu and the others sacrificed their lives to let me escape, holding back that Golden Core.”

”But why did the clansmen guarding the ancestral hall not report the shattering of their Life Tokens right away?” Patriarch Wangʼs gaze sharpened as he focused on Elder Ba.

Elder Baʼs heart trembled—could it be that the Li family hadnʼt killed those three yet? During his anxious thoughts, he said mournfully, ”Perhaps the Li family has captured them and is trying to pry out our familyʼs strength before killing them.”

”What I really want to know, Elder Ba, is how you managed to escape unscathed from a Golden Coreʼs grasp?”

In truth, the Life Tokens had already shattered before he returned, but only Elder Ba had survived of the four, prompting the Patriarch to be suspicious, especially after seeing Elder Baʼs condition.

”Please see the truth, Patriarch. During my travels, I had fortuitously obtained an Escape Talisman, and with Liu and the othersʼ desperate protection, I was able to escape to safety,” Elder Ba had thought through this matter on his way back and had his response prepared.

Although it was not entirely flawless, there was no way to investigate, as Talismans shatter upon activation, and the three of them had been captured by the Li family—surely they wouldnʼt allow them to leave alive?

”I already understand the situation. You have had a hard time, Elder Ba. Rest well after you return,” said the Patriarch, waving his hand for Elder Ba to leave.

After his departure, the Patriarch stood up and walked towards the council hall to the side. Surveying the Elders already seated there, he asked, ”What are your thoughts on this matter, Elders?”

”Now that the Li family has a Golden Core defender, we should forget about the secret technique,” came one response.

As for the Li familyʼs retaliation? They were part of two great powers, separated by a great distance, and moreover, the Wang family was the stronger of the two and didnʼt worry about the Li family retaliating.

”The secret technique is a minor issue, the real concern is the three fallen clan members,” one Elder said indifferently, ”Weʼll just provide some compensation for their descendants.”

Although it was somewhat unfair to them, could they really start a full-scale war with another Golden Core power over them?

Time flew swiftly, and life continued peacefully for more than two months.

One day, the doors that had been shut for several years opened with a heavy creak as someone opened them from the inside.

”Zhizhun.”

Li Zhizhun, who was immersed in calculating last monthʼs family accounts, raised his head reflexively upon hearing his name called, and to his surprise, he saw a figure that brought immense joy.

”Uncle, youʼre out of seclusion! Iʼll immediately inform the clan,” said Li Zhizhun, overjoyed, taking out a Jade Token to spread the good news to everyone.

Li Shiqing watched quietly as he finished, then asked, ”What has happened to the family in these years?”

Li Zhizhunʼs expression froze before he relayed the losses caused by the beast tide and the reasons behind it to Li Shiqing.

”Back then, due to our familyʼs lack of strength and concern for Yuanming Sect, we did not seek revenge for those clansmen. However, recently, because you achieved Golden Core, Uncle, I promised in front of the clan that once you leave seclusion, we will go avenge them against those three families,” he explained.

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Li Shiqingʼs eyes revealed a trace of murderous intent as he spoke with an ice-cold voice, ”That is indeed the plan! As soon as I have seen the clan members, I will deal with the Zheng Family and the Jiang Family!”

”Uncle, do you plan to go there alone?” Li Zhirui had been about to practice spells with Da Qing and happened to pass by the main hall, so he arrived quickly and overheard the conversation.

Li Shiqing nodded, ”I have successfully refined those two third-rank Magical Treasures. With the Qingyuan Sword and the Profound Origin Umbrella in hand, even if they have any hidden lethal moves, they will not be able to harm me.”

These two Magical Treasures had been obtained from that unlucky Golden Core Loose Cultivator; back then, they, along with the Core Formation Comprehension, were given to Li Shiqing by Li Zhirui and the others.

Li Zhirui and the others suddenly understood; it was no wonder he had only emerged from seclusion so late—it turned out he was refining Magical Treasures.

The main reason for Li Shiqingʼs refusal was his worry that the murderous moves of those two families could harm the clan members who would go with him.

Therefore, he simply decided to go alone, so in case of any danger, he could ascend to the skies and fly away directly.

Soon, clan members such as Li Shilian gathered at the scene. Although they had known Li Shiqing had achieved Golden Core, they couldnʼt help but feel excited when they saw him in person.

”Uncle, now that you have achieved Golden Core, shouldnʼt we hold a grand Core Formation ceremony to invite all the nearby major powers?” Li Zhizhun asked.

Li Shiren eagerly said, ”Of course, and it has to be held in a very grand manner!”

”That wonʼt be necessary,” Li Shiqing shook his head, understanding the current situation of the clan very well, knowing that the clan didnʼt have enough Spirit Stones to spare for the face.

Moreover, after his breakthrough, the Spiritual Energy emitted by the second-rank Spirit Vein in the clanʼs territory was no longer sufficient for the clan membersʼ cultivation. They needed to save Spirit Stones to upgrade the Spirit Vein.

And that was no small sum!

When the Spirit Vein was upgraded to second-rank years ago, it cost one hundred thousand Spirit Stones. Now, to upgrade it to third-rank, at least five hundred thousand Spirit Stones would be needed!

”This is an important matter for the clan; it cannot be taken lightly,” Li Zhizhun shook his head.

”Well then, you all do as you see fit. I will make a trip to Red Pine Island!” Before his voice fell, a streak of blue light shot up into the sky.

For a Golden Core Cultivator, a mere three hundred li was a matter of moments.

Li Shiqing stood in the air, gazing down at his clan territory protected by a Formation, but soon he noticed something amiss.

Almost no Cultivators were visible within the Formation!

It was common knowledge that although the Zheng Family was not as powerful as the Li family, they had far more Qi Cultivators. Yet during broad daylight, not a single Cultivator could be seen moving about.

Li Shiqing couldnʼt be bothered to ponder too much about this. He brandished the Qingyuan Sword, sending forth a fiercely sharp sword light that hurtled towards the Defensive Spiritual Light. Within mere moments, it shattered the defense, and the sword light, undiminished in power, cut open a crack in the Zheng Familyʼs territory.

Once the Formation was breached, his powerful Divine Sense instantly spread out, enveloping the entire territory.

”How come there are only a few Cultivators?” Li Shiqing was surprised. Could it be that the Zheng Family knew they would strike and had abandoned Red Pine Island to escape early on?

An old man walked out tremblingly and asked calmly, ”Are you Li Shiqing from the Li Clan? When did you achieve Golden Core?”

The other few also came out one after another, without exception, all were old Cultivators nearing the end of their lifespan!

”Where are the Zheng Familyʼs Cultivators?” Li Shiqing asked.

In fact, seeing this scene, he had already confirmed his guess that the Zheng Family had abandoned Red Pine Island to escape. These old Cultivators who remained were there firstly to take care of the Spiritual Objects on the island, and secondly, to use their own lives to inform the escaping clan members not to return, as Red Pine Island was lost.

The old Cultivators did not answer; instead, in front of Li Shiqing, they all simultaneously took poison to end their own lives.

”If it werenʼt for your three families laying an ambush back then, trying to kill off my Li Clan members, you wouldnʼt have ended up in such a plight,” Li Shiqing waved a hand and sent out a ball of Spiritual Fire, burning the corpses to ashes.

Meanwhile, at the very moment they committed suicide, the Zheng Family in Myriad Thunder State received the news.

”Third Uncle, Fifth Uncle…” Patriarch Zhengʼs eyes brimmed with tears; with a low and sorrowful voice, he choked up, ”Itʼs my fault, Iʼve caused your deaths!”

If it hadnʼt been for his desire year ago to seize the opportunity to eradicate the then shallowly rooted Li family, the Zheng Family wouldnʼt have abandoned their centuries-old foundation to come to this dangerous borderland, nor would they have abandoned those elders who had dedicated their lives to the family.

Yet even if given another chance, he would still choose to join forces with the other two families to move against the Li family.

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After dealing with those old Cultivators, Li Shiqing wasnʼt in a hurry to head to Nine Springs Island. Instead, he strolled around the island to assess the situation.

Red Pine Island was roughly the same size as Da Rong Island, only the length of its sides differed slightly; the terrain was higher in the center and lower around the edges.

In the center of the island was a large mountain, the site of the Zheng Familyʼs clan territory, as well as the location of the first second-rank Spirit Vein.

The island contained four Spirit Veins in total: besides the one second-rank vein, another was amidst a small, low range of hills where the Zheng Family had planted a vast quantity of Spiritual Medicine, though now hardly a trace of it remained.

The remaining two first-rank Spirit Veins, because they were close and the land was flat, had been developed into a vast Spirit Field where a large number of first-rank Spiritual Objects were cultivated.

Beyond that, there wasnʼt much else of interest.

Of course, this was just Li Shiqingʼs rough observation from the air.

To understand the specifics, clan members would have to come and take possession of the territory later and conduct a thorough search.