Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan

Chapter 490 - 496: Trouble

Li Zhirui had just finished crafting the Spirit Pills and hadnʼt yet handed them over to Li Chengshuo when Li Shiqing hastily sent someone over, urgently saying there were important matters to discuss.

”You go ahead!” Jiang Fengwu took the Spirit Pills and headed toward Li Chengshuoʼs courtyard.

Li Zhirui didnʼt hesitate, understanding that if Li Shiqing was in such a rush, it must be something significant, and he quickly left the cave dwelling.

Knock, knock—

”Mother? Why is it you? Where is Father?” Li Chengshuo, who had opened the door at the sound, spoke with a hint of disappointment.

Jiang Fengwu feigned anger, a trace of sadness crossing her face, ”You girl, you have only Zhirui in your heart; thereʼs no place for your mother, it seems.”

”Thatʼs not it, thatʼs not it, I was just worried that Father hasnʼt forgiven me yet,” Li Chengshuo hurriedly explained.

Seeing her daughter in front of her, who seemed to have grown up overnight, Jiang Fengwu sighed with mixed emotions. She was more mature than before but had lost that straightforwardness.

”Uncle had urgent business with him, so he couldnʼt bring the Spirit Pills to you personally. Rest assured, he has forgiven you long ago.”

”Really? Thatʼs good,” Li Chengshuoʼs face finally showed a smile.

Seeing this, Jiang Fengwu felt a sourness in her heart and said with jealousy, ”It seems that in your heart, your father is more important than your mother.”

”No! You both are equally important and precious to me!” Li Chengshuo threw herself into Jiang Fengwuʼs arms, cooing and trying to please her.

”Alright, alright, take the Spirit Pills and go treat your injuries,” Jiang Fengwu said, smiling at the corner of her mouth yet with a show of distaste on her face.

—

A short while later, Li Zhirui appeared in Li Shiqingʼs cave dwelling.

”Uncle, what happened? You summoned me in such a hurry.”

Li Shiqing looked at him seriously and said, ”The great battle in Great Void Province will end before long!”

”How can that be?! The war just began a month ago, neither the Devil Race nor the two major sects could possibly suffer defeat so swiftly!” Li Zhirui said in disbelief.

Shen Leishan and Profound Ice Sect had spent months preparing for this battle alone; they surely could not be defeated easily.

Moreover, from the Devil Raceʼs side, Great Snow Mountain had sent several fourth-order Great Devils to aid, matching the strength of the two major sects. Furthermore, Great Void Province was essentially the home field of the Devil Race.

This war was key to the future situation the Li family faced—whether to maintain the status quo or fall into dire straits depended closely on the outcome of the war.

Thus, they valued intelligence gathering highly and had stationed many family members on the periphery of the battlefield to gather news, enabling the family to respond promptly to developments.

Just a few days ago, Li Zhirui received word that the battle was intense and evenly matched. How could it have become so one-sided in just a few days?

”According to the news the family has gathered, it seems there was a sudden appearance of a fourth-order Great Devil on the Devil Race side that broke the stalemate and injured True Lord Qing Lei, forcing Shen Leishan to retreat,” Li Shiqing said gravely.

”A sudden appearance of a fourth-order Great Devil? Did Great Snow Mountain secretly send one?”

But the more he thought about it, the less likely it seemed. After all, Great Snow Mountain had to contend with Profound Ice Sect, and they undoubtedly had a detailed and profound understanding of the Devil Raceʼs internal strength; it was improbable that they had overlooked a fourth-order Great Devil.

Unless they were not truly aligned with Shen Leishan and had intentionally concealed this information.

”However, this should be good news for the family, Uncle. Why do you still have such a somber look on your face?”

The Devil Race secured a victory, the situation around wouldnʼt change, and the Li family would not have to worry about facing the dilemma of being attacked from both sides again.

Moreover, Qing Lei was injured, and itʼs highly probable that it was a serious injury, otherwise, he wouldnʼt have withdrawn immediately.

All these are beneficial to the clanʼs interest after all!

Li Shiqing sighed helplessly and said, ”Indeed, but that newly advanced fourth-rank Great Devil specifically named the Li family for trouble.”

”Hmm? Why is that? The family doesnʼt have any deep-seated hatred with the Devil Race.”

Hunting Devil Beasts was such a trivial matter, it wasnʼt worth the Devil Raceʼs attention.

If one was to talk about a dispute between the family and the Devil Race, then it was only the recent incident in the Secret Realm where the Li family allied with Shen Leishan to force the Devil Race to cede the Secret Realm.

”Just because of the Secret Realm?” Li Zhirui said incredulously.

The resources within the third-rank Secret Realm are indeed very precious, but it shouldnʼt be enough to have a fourth-rank Great Devil take action, right? Li Zhixuan didnʼt eradicate them root and branch; she only took a portion.

”No matter the reason, since that Great Devil has said so, we must be prepared,” Li Shiqing shook his head, not wanting to delve into the causes.

”Mm, if possible, itʼs best to set the battlefield in the Great Void Province to avoid damaging the familyʼs territory.”

A battle between Nascent Souls, to say it would destroy heaven and earth, would be an exaggeration, but moving a small mountain, filling a small lake, and changing the terrain locally was no problem.

”Thatʼs why I must take the initiative to attack and intercept that fourth-rank Great Devil ahead of time.”

Li Zhirui pondered for a moment and said, ”Iʼll set off right now.”

”Do you need to prepare anything?” Li Shiqing didnʼt stop him, as no one knew when the opponent would make a move.

”No need, I have a batch of pills with me, and if thatʼs not enough, Iʼll call for more from the family later,” Li Zhiruiʼs thoughts quickly spun, saying, ”At the same time, I need to take a few Mountain Guardian Spirit Beasts with me, as well as Li Zhixuan and Li Chenghuo.”

As for not taking Jiang Fengwu, whose strength was even greater, it was because she was an Array Master!

With her on Wanxian Island, even if a fourth-rank Great Devil attacked, using the Spirit Stones accumulated by the family, they could hold out for several hours.

And that would be enough time for Li Zhirui to rush back.

”Alright!” Li Shiqing immediately agreed, saying, ”After you leave, I will have Jiang Fengwu activate the Island Defense Array and at the same time notify all family members to ring the Hundred-Miles Resonance Bell if they detect the presence of a fourth-rank Great Devil.”

”Donʼt worry, the family will be fine,” Li Zhirui assured his elders in a soothing voice, seeing their tense expressions.

But in his heart, he was thinking, when would the Li family produce a second Nascent Soul True Lord!

Even if not a Nascent Soul, having a few more Golden Core cultivators would be good, so they wouldnʼt be in the current situation, needing the help of those enslaved Spirit Beasts.

Although they wouldnʼt dare not to fight because their Spiritual Souls were controlled, if they slacked off just a bit in battle, it would be a disaster for the other cultivators.

ʼOnce this crisis is over, I must push Li Dayuan and the others to the fullest, speed up the transfer of responsibilities, and give them more time to cultivate, to reach the Golden Core threshold!ʼ he thought.

Initially, because Li Shiqing and Li Shilian said that this approach was too aggressive and not conducive to the emotional stability of the clan members, Li Zhirui hadnʼt been strict about this matter.

But now, Li Zhirui had made up his mind, no matter who came to advise him, he would implement this matter thoroughly!

Otherwise, if everything fell onto him, when would he have sufficient time to cultivate? To ponder Pill Recipes?