By the banks of the Qinhua River.
Beneath the deep shroud of night, the river churned with rushing murmurs.
An old man sat alone upon a bluestone slab. His weathered eyes gazed into the distance as the great river rolled ceaselessly eastward.
Behind him stood a middle-aged man with his hands clasped behind his back, looking upon the elder's silhouette with deep filial reverence.
The night wind howled, buffeting the elder's heavily wrinkled face.
In years past, he would have brushed it off as a gentle breeze, but now Li Jinhuang felt a touch of chill, and his body gave an involuntary shiver.
Concern washed over Li Yingzhang's face. "Ancestor, the wind is harsh here. Let us return!"
Li Jinhuang raised a hand, turning down the suggestion.
Yet his hand did not drop. Instead, he reached forward, as though longing to touch the surging waters beneath him.
"Yingzhang, my lifespan is at its end, and I feel keenly how arduous life is.
"Much like this ceaseless river—though it yearns to flow east into the vast sea, the journey is long and fraught with trials.
"Yet the eastward waters will always have their day to merge into the sea, while my ambition to bring prosperity to our clan remains unfulfilled—a regret to carry to my grave."
The raspy, aging voice reached the listener's ears, but it felt as though it struck straight at the heart.
Throughout his life, Ancestor Li Jinhuang had poured all his heart and soul into revitalizing the Qinhua Li family.
Even on the brink of old age and death, he still bustled about to forge alliances, terrified that after he was gone, the Li family would be swept away by the wind and rain like the Fu family before them.
Truly, he had given his all to his dying breath.
To outsiders, his life had appeared glorious beyond measure.
Yet only those closest to him knew the profound resentment and helplessness that lay beneath that veneer.
Heaven had denied him longevity!
Li Yingzhang felt as though a hand had seized his heart, making it difficult to breathe.
Choking with emotion, he said, "Grandson understands your heart, Ancestor. You are wise and perceptive, with a gaze like a blazing torch. Your longing to revitalize the family is indeed the aspiration of our generation.
"Yet even for trickles of water to gather into rivers is no easy feat. When they rush forward to merge into the vast sea, they only feel their own insignificance.
"Like you, like me, all of us are merely mayflies between heaven and earth.
"The rise and prosperity of our clan does not depend on just one or two generations. It lies in enduring through the ages, keeping the ancestral incense burning without end."
A morning breeze stirred, and waterbirds took flight, scattering countless drops of spray.
"Enduring through the ages, keeping the incense burning without end..."
Li Jinhuang muttered the words, then suddenly burst into hearty laughter!
"Hahaha..."
The booming laughter resonated across dozens of li.
Across the Qinhua River, fish leaped, waterbirds startled into flight, and humble rogue cultivators dwelling along both banks were jolted awake from their dreams in bewilderment.
After roughly seven breaths,
the laughter gradually subsided.
Li Jinhuang said with gratified relief, "It seems cultivating the Ninefold Origin Restitution has truly tempered your character."
"It is all thanks to Ancestor's guidance!"
Li Jinhuang smiled, waved his hand, and a sheathed longsword materialized in his grasp.
The blade was three feet and seven inches long. Layered ripples were etched into the scabbard, which had been crafted from tanned fiend-shark hide.
Though still sheathed, it radiated a formidable pulse of spiritual qi.
"In that case, you are qualified to inherit this Chilong Sword."
Li Yingzhang gasped in shock. "This is your personal treasure, Ancestor! Grandson is merely in the Qi Refinement stage. How can I possibly inherit it?"
He could tell that the sword had not undergone a blood sacrifice, meaning he could not inherit it purely through shared bloodline.
Yet under Li Jinhuang's burning gaze, he gathered his courage and accepted the longsword after all.
"Grandson shall surely succeed in Foundation Establishment and never tarnish the glory of the Chilong Sword!"
"Very good. From this day forth, you are the clan head of the Qinhua Li family!"
Li Jinhuang nodded with gratification.
Turning aside, his weathered eyes gazed toward the east.
Deep darkness shrouded the boundless river, whose rolling currents continuously surged toward the east.
Suddenly!
A sliver of pale golden light slowly rose over the vast horizon.
The darkness receded as radiant light blossomed.
Ten thousand leagues of azure waves shimmered under the gentle morning breeze.
Before this breathtaking vista, Li Yingzhang fell into a momentary daze.
When he regained his senses, the figure before him had already breathed his last.
A surge of sorrow welled within his chest.
"Your grandson, Li Yingzhang, respectfully sees Ancestor off!"
***
Atop Danxia Peak.
Inside Luotian Grand Hall, Luo Chen turned a yellowed jade slip over in his hands, feeling an inexplicable heaviness in his heart.
"Old fellow, was it truly necessary to be so resolute?"
He could understand Li Jinhuang's choice, yet he could not truly empathize with it.
With a sigh, Luo Chen carefully tucked the yellowed jade slip into his robes.
Crisp footsteps sounded from outside.
A moment later, Zhou Yuanli entered the hall.
"Reporting to the Association President, the Qinhua River Li family has sent somber tidings. Clan Head Li Jinhuang reached the end of his lifespan and passed away early this morning.
"He sat peacefully by the riverbank and drew his last breath upon seeing the morning sun.
"His grandson Li Yingzhang saw him off, and numerous rogue cultivators along both banks bore witness."
"He is finally dead, is he?" Luo Chen murmured softly.
His voice was faint.
Yet as a ninth-layer Qi Refinement cultivator, Zhou Yuanli heard it with utter clarity in the vast, empty hall.
He was momentarily taken aback.
What did he mean by "finally dead"?
Could the Association President have been wishing for the man's demise?
Gritting his teeth, he pushed the inappropriate thought aside and respectfully asked, "Does the Association President intend to make the trip in person?"
Many knew that Luo Chen had maintained a good relationship with Li Jinhuang.
Ever since the marriage alliance was arranged, they had visited each other frequently.
Hence, Zhou Yuanli felt compelled to ask.
To his surprise, Luo Chen shook his head.
"I will not go. An old friend has just departed, his soul drifting away to the heavens; going now would only add to the sorrow.
"The local custom is to hold a seven-day vigil, correct?"
Zhou Yuanli nodded. "Indeed. Cultivators believe that those who die of old age will have their souls return on the seventh day. Therefore, the body is laid in state for seven days to await the soul's return.
"This custom is particularly prevalent among cultivation clans."
*Indeed!*
True Cultivators either followed heaven's will or defied it to rise.
In life, they experienced the heights of glory and disgrace; in death, their bones were buried in the green mountains.
Who among them cared about matters after death?
Only cultivation clans held steadfast belief in such customs.
Luo Chen said calmly, "Then I shall go see him off on the seventh day.
"However, pass down word that Yuan Dongsheng and his wife should return to her maiden family to fulfill their filial duties."
"Understood!"
Zhou Yuanli received the order and departed at once.
During the year Luo Chen had spent in seclusion, the marriage alliance between the Luotian Association and the Li family had been finalized.
Yuan Dongsheng of the Medicine Hall and Li Jinhuang's granddaughter, Li Yingjun, had tied the knot, becoming Dao companions.
When the news reached Li Yingjun's ears, tears streamed down her face on the spot.
After handing off his minor duties at the Medicine Hall, Yuan Dongsheng accompanied her back to the Li family's ancestral grounds by the Qinhua River.
Not only that.
Under Murong Qinglian's arrangements, the Luotian Association also sent a suitably generous condolence gift,
thereby demonstrating the close ties between the two factions!
***
The death of a mere mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator caused little ripple in Tianlan Immortal City.
Yet to those directly concerned, the news spread as swift as the wind.
Within the Danyuan Sect!
Sect Master Danyuanzi learned the news from the messenger.
In that instant, he was ecstatic!
"I have pursued the Dao for over a hundred and fifty years, yet I remain merely at the fourth layer of Foundation Establishment, all because of insufficient wealth and resources!
"If I can seize the Li family's herb fields, the cost of Yangyuan Pills will be brought under control. When that time comes, I might well turn the tide and surpass both the Luotian Association and the Zheng family!"
Danyuanzi's expression was exceedingly agitated.
He was no fool.
The competition between the Luotian Association and the Zheng family had seemed fierce at first, but after dragging on for so long, neither side had suffered real harm. In fact, both were raking in ever-greater profits.
Meanwhile, bystanders like him, who had hoped to watch the tigers fight from the mountaintop, were practically starving to death.
It was glaringly obvious that the two were staging a sham fight with tacit understanding.
"Utterly detestable!"
Yet he dared not provoke either power. One was growing immensely powerful, while the other was backed by the Ice Fort; neither was an entity he could afford to cross.
If he could bring costs down and reclaim a share of Tianlan's low-tier pill market for his Yangyuan Pills, he would make staggering profits.
After all, the competitors crushed by those two giants were not limited to the Danyuan Sect.
The entire market had been cleared out.
The thought of the Luotian Association and the Zheng family each earning hundreds of thousands of spirit stones a year made Danyuanzi's eyes turn red with envy.
"If I could earn that much, I might still have a chance in this lifetime to glimpse the Golden Core realm!"
He immediately summoned his disciples!
Yet once the sect members gathered, he began to hesitate.
"That old scoundrel Li Jinhuang has always been meticulous in his affairs. How could he pass away without making any preparations?
"What if he did not die of natural causes, but faked his death to bait me into striking prematurely?"
The mere thought sent a cold sweat drenching his back.
"That must be it! That must be it!
"That old bastard is exceedingly insidious. There is a high probability he wanted to stake everything on one final gamble before his lifespan ran out—
"to thoroughly eliminate all future troubles for his family!
"I must not fall into his trap!
"This matter requires careful consideration."
With a shift in thought, he dismissed the disciples, keeping only a few confidants.
"Go inquire about the exact circumstances surrounding Li Jinhuang's passing on that day!
"You, go contact the Tanqiu Hu family. They share an irreconcilable blood feud with the Li family; they certainly won't be able to hold back.
"Oh, right!
"We cannot overlook the Luotian Association either. I heard the two factions have forged a marriage alliance."
Danyuanzi paced incessantly in the hall, various considerations storming through his mind.
*In the face of great events, one must maintain composure!*
This could very well be the most crucial decision that would alter his path of cultivation.
It brooked not the slightest error!
***
Tanqiu was called a hill, but in reality, it was not small at all.
In the past, Tanqiu had been covered in red sandalwood trees, boasting scenic and enchanting vistas.
Yet as the Hu family successively produced three Foundation Establishment cultivators, Tanqiu's fortunes, rather than flourishing, had gradually fallen into decline.
Today, Tanqiu was strewn with jagged rocks and withered trees.
Several seemingly ornate palaces sprawled across the landscape, looking starkly out of place, even jarring to the eye.
The sandalwood that had once carpeted the mountains had been completely felled and traded for resources to help the fourth brother achieve Foundation Establishment.
Now, the three Hu brothers were gathered together.
Even the eldest brother, Hu Changxi, had emerged from secluded cultivation.
All for the sake of the Qinhua Li family!
"Father and Third Brother died by Li Jinhuang's hand. I must avenge this feud!" The second brother, Hu Changnu, lived up to his name of fury, his tone dripping with immense anger, as though the slightest trigger would send him into a violent rage.
The fourth brother, Hu Changle, shook his head. "Second Brother, a gentleman's vengeance may wait nine generations. There is no need to rush."
Hu Changnu glared at him. "You're not in a hurry? Of course you aren't! You were too young back then to know what kind of grudge lies between our families. All I know is that when I, Hu the Second, seek revenge, it is from morning till night!"
Hu Changle curled his lip, declining to argue.
Instead, he spoke calmly:
"Vengeance must be planned with utmost thoroughness before we act.
"First, we must consider the possibility that Li Jinhuang faked his death. Years ago, when the Golden Core ancestor of Tiandao Dock neared the end of his lifespan, he faked his death and dragged the newly ascended Golden Core of a rival sect to mutual destruction. In the end, Tiandao Dock, which had seemed doomed, was brought back to life. I do not wish to see such a thing happen to our Hu family."
Hu Changnu was momentarily stunned.
The past conflict between Tiandao Dock and Hanya Pool had long circulated throughout the Jade Cauldron Domain.
Naturally, he was well aware of it.
Today, Tiandao Dock had produced another Golden Core ancestor, flourishing to a degree second only to the Seven Jade Cauldron Sects.
Meanwhile, the once-unrivaled Hanya Pool had long since seen its sect grounds destroyed, its birds scattered south, its former glory reduced to ash.
Hu Changle glanced at him and continued:
"Second, we must pay close attention to the movements and attitudes of the Li family's allies. Azure Pill Valley has historical ties with the Li family and will be governing the immortal city for the next ten years. If we wish to remain in the city, we must consider Azure Pill Valley's stance."
Hu Changnu could not help but ask, "How are we supposed to fathom the attitude of a great sect?"
"Very simple. Just watch whether Azure Pill Valley sends anyone to attend the funeral of a minor family that no longer has a single Foundation Establishment True Cultivator," Hu Changle stated with complete confidence.
Hearing this, Hu Changnu was instantly enlightened.
Great sects rarely lowered themselves to socialize with minor powers.
Unless their ties were exceptionally close, they would never dispatch representatives to attend celebrations, weddings, or funerals held by subordinate forces.
"There are also the Luotian Association, the Danyuan Sect, and the Geng family. All three have good relations with the Li family—either through marriage, cooperation, or past pacts of mutual support.
"Especially the Luotian Association! Over the past few years, Li Jinhuang has spared no effort to desperately curry favor with this newly risen power.
"We must watch their movements closely!"
Hu Changnu frowned in bewilderment. "They are nothing more than upstarts. Why bother paying them so much attention?"
Hu Changle sighed in exasperation. "They have four Foundation Establishment cultivators in a single organization. Tell me, should we pay attention or not?"
Hu Changnu opened his mouth, momentarily speechless.
He only wanted to take his revenge; why did it have to be so troublesome?
"Is there a final point?"
"Of course there is!"
Hu Changle scoffed. "The Li family is hardly a paragon of virtue. Aside from us, they have plenty of enemies. If we can unite those enemies to strike together, then even if allies like the Luotian Association, Danyuan Sect, and Geng family lend their full support, they will be nothing more than clay chickens and pottery dogs!"
"Ah! Yes, exactly!" Hu Changnu finally heard something to his liking. "When the time comes, we will storm in together, slaughtering the Li family until not a single soul remains, dyeing the Qinhua River in blood!"
*Sigh...*
Hu Changle let out a quiet sigh. He wondered whether their father had truly foreseen their temperaments when naming the four brothers Joy, Anger, Sorrow, and Delight.
Second Brother was indeed hot-tempered and rash, completely lacking foresight.
Yet by some miracle, he had survived intact.
Meanwhile, Third Brother Hu Chang'ai, who had calculated every move without fail and always considered defeat before victory, had died miserably beneath Li Jinhuang's blade.
Had Third Brother still been around, how could the grand Hu family have fallen to such a state?
Nor would the youngest like him have had to shoulder the burden of analyzing and strategizing everything.
Today, the Tanqiu Hu family seemed formidable with three Foundation Establishment cultivators, yet it was merely flowers heaped upon brocade, oil poured onto a raging fire!
They had an upper tier, but their foundation was utterly hollowed out.
Their reputation as a cultivation clan was on the verge of existing in name only.
Melancholy gripping his heart, Hu Changle looked toward Hu Changxi, who had remained silent all this time.
"Big Brother, what do you think?"
Hu Changxi's expression was cold, devoid of the slightest trace of joy.
Ever since their father and third brother were beheaded by Li Jinhuang's single sword strike years ago, he had never smiled again.
His gaze fell upon Hu Changle's face, noting the smugness the youth could not entirely conceal.
The youngest was very clever.
Yet his character...
Hu Changxi spoke slowly: "I think you are mistaken on certain points."
Chapter 278