Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan

Chapter 372 - 378: Trouble

Li Shiqing shook his senses awake and then his face brightened up as he said, ”Youʼve finally returned!”

Although Li Zhiyue had her Life Token left within the family, the drawback of the Life Token was that it only indicated whether she was alive without providing any knowledge about her safety.

Furthermore, for cultivators, many injuries could be more serious than death itself, such as damage to oneʼs Dao foundation or a shattered Dantian.

Now, after many years, Li Shiqing was finally able to see Li Zhiyue return unharmed, naturally he was ecstatic, especially at a time like this when Li Zhirui had left Wanxian Island.

”Have you broken through to the Middle Golden Core Stage?” Li Shilian joined in with pleasure, as the further advancement of a junior meant the strengthening of the familyʼs power.

”Mhm, after years of trials and tribulations outside, Iʼve managed to gain some insights,” Li Zhiyue said, who seemed to have not smiled for a long time. Now, in the presence of her two elders, she could only muster a strained curl of the lips, very rigid indeed.

Seeing this, Li Shiqing couldnʼt help but sigh. He knew that Li Zhiyue and Li Shiting shared a deep bond, but he never expected that the death of Li Shiting would become Li Zhiyueʼs obsession!

If she couldnʼt break through this obsession, it was likely that she would remain this way all her life, which meant his hope for Li Zhiyue to attain the Nascent Soul Stage was simply impractical.

At this moment, Li Shiqing suddenly remembered something Li Zhirui had mentioned a long time ago, as well as another main character in that conversation, Li Zhixuan, who also hadnʼt returned for over a decade.

”Zhiyue, now that youʼve come back, you donʼt plan to leave again in a short time, do you?” Li Shilian asked.

Li Zhiyue shook her head, her face showing a complex expression intertwined with guilt and hatred, but she still revealed the purpose of her sudden return to the family, ”I plan to go to the Central Region, to enter The Secret Realm of Wanxian, to acquire resources from the stone tower in order to rapidly enhance my strength.”

”I want to take some Spiritual Objects from the family.” She said this last bit with an awkward twist.

Why did Li Zhiyue feel embarrassed? First, because the family had nurtured her for many years, yet at a critical moment, she only considered her own needs. Second, her reason for returning home was rather ungracious.

”This...” Li Shiqing and Li Shilian exchanged glances, unsure of what to say.

Li Zhiyue saw their expressions and quickly said, ”If the family is facing difficulty, then never mind.”

Far from feeling dissatisfied, she actually felt a sense of relief.

”Itʼs not as you think,” Li Shiqing began to explain, ”but you also know, Zhirui is also a Hundred-Year Golden Pill cultivator, and he planned to enter the Secret Realm for exploration long ago, so the family had been preparing for a while, gathering quite a few Spiritual Objects for him.”

He paused, then continued, ”However, not long ago, Zhirui set off alone and headed to the Central Region.”

”Jiu has gone too?” Li Zhiyue murmured to herself, ”With Jiuʼs capabilities, how could he not go?”

And without having to think about it, she knew that Li Zhiruiʼs intentions for entering the Secret Realm were entirely different from hers. She was in it for herself—regardless of whether she claimed to seek vengeance for Li Shiting, she couldnʼt deny her self-interest!

Li Zhirui, however, was different. He was doing it for the future of the family. Of course, this future included him, but it was the entire Li family that stood to benefit the most.

”Thereʼs still some time before the Secret Realm opens. During this period, just stay with the family. There are some Spirit Materials left from before, letʼs see how many Spiritual Objects we can refine for you.”

Li Zhiyue wanted to refuse, but she knew clearly that if she did, she might lose the opportunity to even enter the stone tower altogether, so in the end, she chose to remain silent.

And so, the cultivators of the Li family, having just rested for a few days, once again grew busy.

Letʼs talk about two things.

After leaving the family, Li Zhirui headed straight to the west without stopping. He intended to quickly cross Myriad Thunder State, Wind Corruption Prefecture, and other places to enter the Central Plains. Then, before the Secret Realm opened, he planned on gathering information while experiencing trials in the bustling Central Plains of the Cultivation World.

Of course, The Secret Realm of Wanxian was the most important. Li Zhirui intended to be as cautious as possible to avoid any mishaps that might delay the significant events on his hands!

However, he didnʼt expect that despite not pausing for a moment on his Spirit Boat, trouble would still find him.

”Fellow Daoist, please hold on!”

When Li Zhirui heard this from afar, he didnʼt stop but instead spurred the Spirit Boat faster, pushing its speed to the limit. Like an arrow off the bowstring, he disappeared without a trace with a whoosh.

But no matter what Li Zhirui did, the cultivator behind him managed to keep up closely, as if sticking to him like glue.

This caused irritation to surge in Li Zhiruiʼs heart, but he could not possibly get involved in such a nuisance. He had no choice but to turn a deaf ear and keep pushing forward.

Chasing day and night, Li Zhirui finally grew impatient. He stopped the Spirit Boat and demanded, ”May I know what your intentions are?”

”I am Wang Daozhi. I have seen the Fellow Daoist!” Dressed in a Daoist robe featuring the Yin and Yang, with a lotus crown in his hair, he looked every bit of a transcendent daoist as he performed a Daoist salute.

With bright and sincere eyes, Wang Daozhi looked at Li Zhirui and said, ”I felt a strong connection with the Fellow Daoist upon seeing you and wished to befriend you.”

When he got a closer look at Li Zhirui, he was greatly astonished. He had never seen anyone like Li Zhirui with such abundant and ever-changing fortunes. That was why he pursued him, to make contact and see if he could understand the situation.

”Are you not just someone who was chased for your life and wants to cling to me? Thereʼs no need to say such laughable things,” Li Zhirui said coldly, not hiding his distaste for this person in the slightest.

”Uh...” Hearing this, Wang Daozhi scratched his head, showing a bit of embarrassment as he explained, ”I only divined for that family, and as a result, they have been chasing me ever since. At a critical moment, I happened to come across the Fellow Daoist and had to resort to this tactic. I hope the Fellow Daoist can forgive me.”

His divination for that family was also related to the upcoming Secret Realm of Wanxian. The divination was highly unfavorable, suggesting that all the cultivators might perish in the realm.

But such harsh words, what difference did they make from a curse? Naturally, they didnʼt want him to live.

”A diviner?” Li Zhirui couldnʼt hide his surprise upon hearing this, as successors of this lineage were rare and pitiful in number. He hadnʼt expected to encounter one.

Rare as they might be, he had no intention of engaging with Wang Daozhi.

”In that case, please keep your distance from me! I wonʼt involve myself in this trouble!” Li Zhiruiʼs eyes flashed dangerously as he said, ”If the Fellow Daoist continues to follow, donʼt blame me for being ruthless!”

The journey to The Secret Realm of Wanxian was not only crucial for the Li family but also for Li Zhiruiʼs hope to acquire the subsequent Methods of the Wanling Sutra. He would not allow anyone to disrupt it!

Seeing how unwelcome he was, Wang Daozhi felt a tinge of regret and thought to himself: If only he had met Li Zhirui earlier, how great that would have been!