Imperial Capital.
The Min Family of Longleaf Mountain.
Li Yuanshang arrived with his son, Li Jianguo.
The father and son presented two completely different appearances.
Li Yuanshang was draped in gold and silver. His physique clearly suggested a history of overindulgence; one feared that with every step he took, the earth would shake and the mountains would tremble. His eyes, however, were filled with the shrewdness of a merchant.
Li Jianguo, on the other hand, was dressed simply. While he was handsome, he had a somewhat dull and vacant look about him.
"Dad, why are we coming to the Min family again? We've been visiting constantly these days, and it's not like our family is begging for their food."
Li Jianguo looked around as he spoke. Although he and his wife shared a deep, supportive affection, he truly disliked the Min family.
These in-laws of his had always looked down on him as a son-in-law.
However, the Min family estate was indeed well-constructed.
The architecture was ancient and rustic, carved with dragons and painted with phoenixes. If only there were a few floating immortal mountains in the clouds above, it would truly display the grandeur of the Min Clan.
"What do you know?" Li Yuanshang snorted coldly.
Never mind inheriting the family business—this eldest son of his struggled to manage even a simple accounting record book. Since childhood, he had been fond of carpentry. Now, at his age, he still neglected honest work, constantly running off to the Ministry of Works.
The reason for their visit to the Min Family today was naturally because the clan believed the Min family was becoming restless.
Yuanshang intended to use Li Jianguo as a cover to sound out the Min family's tone and intentions, hoping to seize the initiative by anticipating the enemy's moves.
Upon arriving at the Min estate, the father and son made their way to the main hall with practiced familiarity.
The Min family butler approached them.
"Gentlemen, the Family Head has urgent matters to attend to. Please wait for a while; feel free to make yourselves at home."
"You may withdraw."
Li Yuanshang waved his hand dismissively.
"Arrange the guest rooms and have the chef come see me. If the Family Head becomes free, just let me know. By the way, free time is hard to come by; if anyone comes looking for me, just make up an excuse."
"..." The butler's facial muscles twitched. Unable to say anything, he retreated quickly.
"Dad, this is the Min estate, not our home." Seeing how casually his father was behaving, Li Jianguo gave a light cough.
"What do you know?" Li Yuanshang snorted coldly.
"Once they get used to it, this will be our home. You're just too honest, kid; it's no wonder your in-laws look down on you. You don't even know how to spend Spirit Stones.
I gave you a Storage Ring filled to the brim with Spirit Stones—if you knew how to use them to curry favor with your in-laws, who would dare look down on you then?"
Li Jianguo lowered his head slightly.
"Using so many Spirit Stones just to curry favor with people seems far too wasteful. Dad, do you still remember back in Merit City?
We had to scrimp and save every fraction of a Spirit Stone. You had no choice but to come to the Imperial Capital to do business, all to earn some Spirit Stones for Great-Grandfather and to supplement the family assets."
"Back then, during the heavy snows in the Azure Cloud Prefecture, how the common people suffered!
Their houses couldn't even keep out the wind and rain. People would crawl into their bedding to sleep, and by the next day, they were stiff.
We watched helplessly as mortal cities were submerged by the heavy snow. If we had possessed this many Spirit Stones back then, so many people wouldn't have died."
"Spirit Stones should be used where they matter most; why give them to those people?"
Li Jianguo's words silenced Li Yuanshang for a moment.
"So, that Storage Ring of Spirit Stones I gave you—have you finished using them?"
Li Jianguo blinked. "I used a little, but I definitely won't use them to win over the Min Clan."
"I give you one month to finish using them, otherwise I will send you to the Silver Moon Branch for punishment."
Seeing the troubled look on his eldest son's face, Li Yuanshang sighed.
"You really don't understand. The Min family has huge ambitions. Only by maintaining good relations with them can our Azure Cloud Li Clan remain safe and sound."
Li Yuanshang rubbed the gold ring on his finger.
He was now crystal clear about the events regarding Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems and the Grand Tower, and even more aware that Min Tiange of the Min Clan was manipulating everything from behind the scenes.
In truth, a secret struggle had already begun between the Min Clan and the Imperial Family—perhaps starting as early as the time of Crown Prince Sheng.
The main family had already placed its bets on the Imperial Family, while his Merchant Branch was placing its bets on the Min Clan.
This way, no matter what happened, they would always have a way out!
...
At a secret ground that resembled a galaxy of stars.
Min Nantian sat cross-legged on a prayer mat. Behind him, numerous stone statues were visible within the secret ground.
The expression of this Min Family Head was tranquil. Standing before him with hands clasped behind his back was Min Youguo.
Before long, a figure descended into the area and approached slowly, causing Min Youguo to frown immediately.
"Greetings, Family Head. Greetings, Father."
Min Tiange smiled faintly and bowed to the two of them.
Min Nantian raised his head slightly. "Tiange, you came in the form of a clone? Is it possible that you dare not even reveal your true body when returning home?"
Hearing this, Min Tiange maintained his smile.
"Currently, Wu Neng, the Commander of the Immortal Suppression Department, is keeping a close watch on your son. It is better to be cautious."
"Hmph." Min Youguo snorted lightly.
"Cautious? I am the Imperial Preceptor of the Dynasty; why do you need to be cautious? Could it be that you have done something disloyal or unjust?"
"Your son would not dare," Min Tiange said with apparent trepidation.
"Father must be referring to the matters of the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems and the Grand Tower. These matters have nothing to do with me.
I was completely unaware that Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems and the Grand Tower had been acting lawlessly for sixty thousand years; I have been cultivating in the Peerless Hall all this time.
Ever since I learned that the Immortal Suppression Department intended to deal with these two major forces, I have already meted out punishment.
Now that both forces have been disbanded, it surely will not implicate you, Father."
"You..."
Min Youguo was furious. This son of his had been arrogant since childhood, with a mind as deep and scheming as an abyss.
He had left home sixty thousand years ago, and since then, even when he returned, he came only as a clone.
He rarely saw his father, and even when he did, not a single word he spoke was the truth.
Regarding the matters of the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems and the Grand Tower, even Min Youguo had been kept completely in the dark.
Min Nantian shook his head at Min Youguo, then smiled and asked,
"Tiange, your father called you back because the Immortal Suppression Department has set its sights on you.
And it is not just the Immortal Suppression Department; even Lin Jiu (Grand Tutor) of the Northern Frontier and Fourth Prince of the Duskwild Prefecture regard you as a thorn in their side.
You must not act recklessly from now on. The Three Corpses of Ling Tian were merely a brick thrown to attract jade by the Fourth Prince."
Seeing the concern in his elders' eyes, Min Tiange's expression softened slightly.
Seeing that his father's face was still filled with rage, Min Tiange let out a long sigh.
"I have realized it. Fourth Prince has long been dissatisfied with you, Father.
He knows full well that as long as you are present, there will be layer upon layer of obstacles preventing him from becoming the Human Emperor."
"Therefore, he intends to use me to force you into rebellion, Father, and to force me into rebellion as well, all so that he may win over Grand Tutor Lin Jiu."
"Please, Father and Family Head, rest assured. No one will be watching me any longer; they have more pressing matters to attend to."
As Min Tiange's voice faded, both Min Nantian and Min Youguo frowned deeply.
But Min Tiange had already bowed to the two of them and was retreating towards the outside.
Walking along the paths of the Min estate, Min Tiange kept his gaze lowered.
The Min family had existed since the very founding of the Imperial Dynasty, standing as a major Immortal Clan.
He had grown up here, witnessing how the Min family had performed distinguished service and toiled tirelessly for the dynasty, building up a vast legacy.
Yet, he had seen with his own eyes that even after his father, Min Youguo, ascended to the position of Imperial Preceptor, he still had to bow and scrape before the Human Emperor.
He remembered that day even more vividly.
Sea Demons from the oceanic regions had crossed the border and slaughtered living beings. Who could have predicted such a sudden catastrophe? Yet, the burden of blame fell squarely on Min Youguo's head.
The Human Emperor had stormed into the Min estate in a rage, and his father had scrambled—rolling and crawling—to kneel before him.
It was clear that with the slightest misstep, the Human Emperor would have exercised his power over life and death, showing absolutely no regard for the loyalty the Min family had dedicated to the country.
Father had claimed that because the Min Family's power was too great, the Human Emperor wanted to use that incident to test whether Father was still loyal—it was merely a method of imperial control.
That incident was something Min Tiange would remember for his entire life.
"The Zishu Clan is heartless, so do not blame me for being ruthless."
Min Tiange strolled through his home with his hands clasped behind his back.
Suddenly, he saw a "round ball" and a simple-looking youth sitting in the main hall, gorging themselves on food and drink.
He paused, stunned.
Upon asking, he learned they were members of the merchant Li Family, who were now in-laws to the Min Family.
"Guardians of the Southern Frontier, the Azure Cloud Li Clan?"
Min Tiange raised an eyebrow slightly.
"To possess such strength after standing for eight hundred years is indeed extraordinary.
It is a pity that in the battle at Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems, two Void Refining cultivators lost their lives, effectively cutting off the Li Clan's line of Void Refining experts."
"This clan is loyal to the Imperial Dynasty. Sadly, they never imagined that the battle at Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems was actually that fellow Wu Neng's attempt to suppress them.
You, just like my Min Clan... aren't we all being suppressed by the Zishu Clan, with hardly a chance to ever truly stand tall?"
"It is also a pity that you possess no one like me, capable of breaking this deadlock and establishing a new order!"
With these words, Min Tiange departed with an air of arrogance.
---
Donate on Ko-fi ➡️ [https://ko-fi.com/darktea] ⬅️
Get Early Access to 90 Chapters: Search for "Dark Tea" on Ko-fi (Explore tab) and join my membership to read ahead!