Cultivation Starts with Rejuvenation

In the midst of upheaval in the Dantian, the Nine Foolish Ascendant found himself completely unguarded under the hidden puppet’s blade as his magical power raged uncontrollably.

Without any surprise, the life-saving secret technique he had resolved to use to sever the Dao Path was not truly successful before he met his demise.

”No! Fellow Daoist Chang’an, I was wrong. I am willing to pay any price to buy my life, and also willing to swear a Great Heart Demon Oath to keep my mouth shut. Spare me.” Seeing the Nine Foolish Ascendant fall beside him, Meng Tingzhen completely broke down.

Under the assault of a True Monarch level puppet, he had no power to resist.

Just now he thought there might be some restriction on the True Monarch puppet, and the slight hope he just kindled was completely extinguished.

Li Ji’an glanced at Ning Sujin, confirming she was unharmed.

With Ning Sujin’s Primordial Spirit Power, she could control the invisibility puppet at most three times in a short period, and each time would severely deplete her Divine Soul.

This was the reason she hadn’t made another move after killing the Cyan Feather Ascendant earlier.

”Beast!”

Suddenly, a tremor appeared at the array hub where Li Ji’an and Ning Sujin were, followed by an angry shout that seemed to traverse through time and space.

Li Ji’an instantly embraced Ning Sujin and flashed to the side to dodge.

The next moment, with the fluctuation of the Teleportation Array, two figures appeared simultaneously.

”Beast, what have you done...”

Before the figure was fully visible, Meng Tingyi’s angry voice had already rang out.

However, when he stabilized himself and saw the situation in the cave, the latter half of his sentence was suddenly stuck in his throat.

”Big brother, save me!” Meng Tingzhen exclaimed joyfully, seeing another glimpse of hope for life.

”You... you all...” Meng Tingyi felt a sudden pause in his thinking, completely unable to believe the scene before him.

A short while ago, while in closed-door cultivation, he suddenly received reports from the Elder Hall of the Commerce Association that the Soul Lamp of the Tributor Void Inference Ascendant had extinguished.

This shocked him immensely and filled his heart with sorrow.

The Commerce Association cultivating a Core Formation Ascendant tributor was extremely difficult and costly, involving huge sacrifices.

And since the Void Inference Ascendant had always been accompanying the second brother as a Guardian Path, he quickly rushed to Meng Tingzhen’s Dao Field.

Eventually, Meng Tingzhen’s Ring Array had trapped him for quite a while.

When he finally gathered the Commerce Association’s tributor to break the Grand Array, he was greeted by the anxious waiting of Guo Wanzhi and Yao Rui.

At that moment, he guessed the entire sequence of events.

Regarding the older man from beyond whom the Meng Family’s ancestor followed, the ancestor’s dying wish was for his descendants to seek and hope to continue following him. If the man passed away, they were to handle the aftermath and enshrine him at the Meng clan’s ancestral ground. If he had descendants, they were to fully assist and loyally guard them.

However, over time, the ancestor’s dying wish gradually evolved into three factions within the clan.

The first faction completely adhered to the ancestor’s wish, seeking the trace of the man from beyond or his descendants.

The second faction was the complete opposite, intending to seize the relics of the man.

The third faction, which consisted of most of the clan, chose to let nature take its course, neither demanding nor resisting. They wouldn’t fret over the man from beyond’s matters nor specially seek out for such. However, if they encountered it by chance, it would be destiny, and they would naturally follow the ancestor’s wish.

Clearly, among the current Meng Family, the second brother Meng Tingzhen was a staunch supporter and practitioner of the second viewpoint.

Those with such thoughts often had decent talents in the clan and aspired to the Immortal Path.

Thus, ever since Huang Jie appeared on the Spiritual Ship and displayed two superior skills, Meng Tingzhen began plotting.

Meanwhile, the elder brother Meng Tingyi belonged to the third faction.

He lacked talent, was straightforward and peaceful, not wishing to go against the ancestor’s wish, but also not wanting the clan to make huge efforts to search.

Moreover, after once knowing about Meng Tingzhen’s covetousness for Huang Jie, he had tried to reason with him, appealing with emotion and explaining with reason.

However, this time, he still took a reckless gamble.

”Fellow Daoist Chang’an, regardless of why this situation arose, I first apologize to you, for this beast has actually used such despicable means within the Commerce Association to harm the Business Alliance’s tributor. It’s truly unforgivable.

As for Alchemist Guo and Fellow Daoist Yao, you needn’t worry, Fellow Daoist Chang’an. They have left this beast’s Dao Field.” In a flash, Meng Tingyi had some speculation in his heart but needed to verify, so he straightforwardly first apologized to Li Ji’an.

Li Ji’an’s eyes narrowed slightly, his Divine Sense constantly probing his heart-mind, staying wary of him.

Hearing this, he said no more, but slightly raised his hand to point to Meng Tingzhen across.

”Beast, what exactly has happened? Do you not confess truthfully?” Meng Tingyi then looked at Meng Tingzhen, sternly rebuking.

”Big brother, I was wrong. I didn’t listen to your counsel, I violated the ancestor’s dying wish, I... I coveted Fellow Daoist Chang’an’s inheritance from the man from beyond. I was wrong and I dare not do so again.” Meng Tingzhen hurriedly admitted guilt, repenting.

For he knew that even the tributor Meng Tingyi brought couldn’t change the situation here.

If Li Ji’an was determined to kill him, Meng Tingyi and that tributor couldn’t escape, let alone stop him.

So, while it seemed like he was apologizing to his elder brother, he was actually making a statement to Li Ji’an.

”What? Fellow Daoist Chang’an really is...” Meng Tingyi, upon hearing this, was instantly thunderstruck.

He suddenly glanced at Li Ji’an again, his face filled with shock.

When breaking through Meng Tingzhen’s Dao Field array, what Guo Wanzhi had said, he guessed that Meng Tingzhen was still targeting the inheritance of the man from beyond.

However, he did not think Li Ji’an was the descendant of that Ascendant.

Thought his second brother had become consumed by a Heart Demon.

Never thought...

Looking at Meng Tingyi’s expression, Li Ji’an was slightly surprised, then said half-smilingly, ”Well? Does the Chairman Meng also wish to reclaim the remnant of your ancestor Meng’s inheritance?”

”No, no, no, Fellow Daoist Chang’an misunderstood. My Meng Family’s ancestor never claimed to be the successor of the Ascendant, and his dying wish was also for my clan’s descendants to have another chance to follow the Ascendant...” Meng Tingyi immediately relayed the actual dying wish of the Meng ancestor.

”...” Li Ji’an paused in his heart after hearing this.

”May I ask Fellow Daoist Chang’an, are you truly the descendant of that Ascendant?” Meng Tingyi inquired once more.

”Big brother, I can testify, Fellow Daoist Chang’an is indeed the descendant of the Ascendant, completely genuine, without any falsehood.” Meng Tingzhen, seeking life, urgently affirmed.

Li Ji’an also recovered from his moment of realization.

A trace of delight unexpectedly rose in his heart.

Never expected Ning Sujin’s prior voluntary divination of danger but great opportunity was like this?

Meng Family’s total support...

Doesn’t that mean that the entire Five Blessings Commerce Association will be my enterprise in the future?

”According to Meng Tingyi, the elder from beyond whom your Meng Family ancestor followed has been over two thousand years, likely having fallen for many years?”

After pondering for a moment, Li Ji’an did not deny it.

”The eighty-sixth generation descendant of the Meng Family, Meng Tingyi, pays respects to the Young Master!” Meng Tingyi immediately bowed to Li Ji’an.

”The eighty-sixth generation descendant of the Meng Family, Meng Tingzhen...” Upon seeing this, Meng Tingzhen, with a joyful face, quickly knelt and bowed.

Having acknowledged him as the Young Master already, he must be one of us. Surely he wouldn’t kill him now, right?

After all, our Meng Family has handed over our millennium-old foundation, how could anyone go through with it?

”Boom~” Yet before he finished his words, his entire being ignited into roaring flames, the leftover power of the Little Fire Spirit’s Spirit Flame having released right upon him.

”Master once said, ’Every cause has an effect; one should not forcefully alter, nor lightly forgive.’” Li Ji’an said softly.

Meng Tingyi watched as his second brother was consumed by the flames, his body dissolving in an instant, his Divine Soul extinguished, a trace of unwillingness flitting through his eyes. Ultimately, he could only look down and not witness it any longer.

”I respectfully obey the Young Master’s decree, this beast violated the ancestral teachings, plotted against the Young Master, he deserves to die a thousand deaths... death is not to be regretted!”

Li Ji’an nodded gently, ”Very well!”

”In the future, my Five Blessings Commerce Association will follow the lead of the Young Master and never be unfaithful!” Meng Tingyi solemnly declared once more.

Li Ji’an, upon hearing this, gave a playful smile, ”I wonder, Chairman Meng, how much of your words are sincere, and how much are insincere? Without evidence, I, Li, do not know how to decide.”

All the words were spoken by Meng Tingyi, but how his ancestor truly was, Li Ji’an had no way to know.

Couldn’t exclude the possibility he was just seeking to survive?

Perhaps it was just a stall for time.

He entered this place already knowing that he had killed three Core Formation Ascendants, there might be a deliberate fabrication of a huge lie using the Commerce Association as bait to deceive him.

”Before the ancestors of the Meng Family, the unfilial descendant Meng Tingyi swears, from this day forth...”