"Good. Jianning, come with me to see Father."
"Yes, Big Brother."
Li Jianning followed Li Jianshu. Sensing the aura radiating from his elder brother, Li Jianning was startled. "Big Brother, you... your Dharma Body!"
He looked closely.
The aura behind Li Jianshu felt almost like a heavenly thunder punishment, resembling the lightning tribulation of a Nascent Soul.
A massive Lightning General manifested there, majestic and imposing, gripping a long spear as if ready to slaughter the enemy!
"Recently, over in the Azure Cloud Region, Senior Jin Yu of the Artifact Sect and Old Ancestor Tian Ye of the Ghost Eye Sect have successively broken through to the Divinity Transformation realm.
Furthermore, my lightning arts have reached great completion. I utilized the power of the lightning tribulation to refine my Dharma Body, allowing the Heavenly Punishment to enter my form.
I have now forged a Heavenly Punishment Physique and reached the peak of the Golden Core realm." Li Jianshu spoke in a casual tone.
"Father and Grandfather will surely be overjoyed."
Li Jianning's face was beaming with smiles.
The two brothers had supported one another since childhood. Seeing his elder brother achieve success in his lightning arts, Li Jianning felt a heartfelt joy.
Not long after.
The brothers arrived to see Li Yuanwu.
Inside the high tower, they saw a middle-aged man who resembled a wild lion, sweating profusely as he practiced his fist techniques. The wind generated by his punches roared like thunder.
The two exchanged a glance, both secretly startled, and hurriedly knelt in salutation.
"Father!"
Inside the tower, Li Yuanwu had already sensed the arrival of his two sons. He did not cease his punches and kicks, his voice resonating deeply.
"Hahaha, you two lads have my style. Not bad at all."
With just that one sentence, the corners of Li Jianshu's and Li Jianning's mouths rose uncontrollably.
Knowing their father's obsession with the Martial Dao, they did not disturb him further and went to seek out their grandfather, Li Zhiheng.
Just as they arrived outside the Eight Trigrams formation where their grandfather was cultivating, the two brothers looked up to see a dark raven flying over.
Within the Eight Trigrams Formation.
Thump! Thump! Thump!
A heart was beating audibly. Li Zhiheng exhaled a long breath of turbid air. As he reached out to receive the dark raven, he looked toward his two grandsons kneeling in salutation, feeling exceptionally satisfied.
In truth, he cared deeply for his descendants, yet he rarely intervened.
The tradition of the clan elders was that each individual must strive for their own opportunities. With so many branch families, as an elder, it would not do for him to show favoritism.
His two grandsons had possessed mediocre aptitude since childhood, yet in the end, they had indeed defied the heavens to change their fate.
After chatting with his grandsons for a moment, Li Zhiheng sensed the message contained within the dark raven.
His expression remained calm as he said, "Jianshu, take a trip to the Thunderfire Demon Cave. At the same time, draft letters to notify the various major factions and have them prepare their manpower for war."
Li Jianshu's expression changed abruptly.
Li Zhiheng continued, "Jianning, go find your grandmother and send word to the Sun Clan Head. Tell them to join the war."
"Grandfather, what has happened?"
Li Jianshu's expression shifted again.
Li Zhiheng said indifferently,
"A certain Blue Moon Immortal Sect has arrived in our Azure Cloud Prefecture.
Taking advantage of the absence of our clan elders and assuming our defenses are hollow, they intend to kick us while we are down.
The Immortal Suppression Department in the Imperial Capital seeks to suppress our Li Clan; I fear their missives have already reached the major sects and families."
"This..."
Having held the fort at the Thunderfire Demon Cave for years, Li Jianshu was well acquainted with the darker, squalid side of the world.
His expression darkened involuntarily. "What if there are betrayals?"
"I cannot concern myself with that."
Li Zhiheng shook his head. "Whether they come or do not come, or even if they seize this opportunity to incite chaos, my Li Clan will simply answer every challenge."
"We fight. That is all."
With those words, Li Zhiheng soared into the air, striding away into the distance.
In the past, he had dared to march upon the Zhao Clan; today, he held no fear of the Blue Moon Immortal Sect either.
...
Night fell.
At the site of the Blue Moon Immortal Sect.
They were currently establishing their sect gate at a location within the Azure Cloud Prefecture.
Their disciples acted without the slightest restraint, using their Spiritual power to shift mountains and move rocks right upon the soil of the Azure Cloud Prefecture.
The Sect Master had already sent word to the Li Clan regarding their intention to settle down in the Azure Cloud Prefecture.
This Azure Cloud Li Clan... they had suffered a disaster at the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems, losing two Void Refining cultivators.
By sending a notification, the Sect had already shown the utmost courtesy. Unlike what the Immortal Suppression Department suggested—striking at the Li Clan directly—they were acting with benevolence.
At this moment, above the clouds.
Duanmu Qi had arrived.
He concealed his aura, yet his expression was one of confusion.
"Strange. In the past, the Azure Cloud Prefecture was filled with the probing senses of numerous Nascent Soul and Divinity Transformation cultivators. Yet today, despite our arrival, no one has intercepted or questioned us."
For nearly three hundred years, the Azure Cloud Prefecture had been the most strictly guarded prefecture he had ever seen.
Now, following the incident at the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems, the situation in the Azure Cloud Prefecture was extremely abnormal.
Beside him, Li Chuyuan spoke in a deep voice, "Elder Duanmu, this disciple visited home. The Clan Head has sworn to fight to the death..."
Before his voice had even faded, the expressions of both Li Chuyuan and Duanmu Qi changed abruptly.
The moon was bright, and the stars were sparse.
The Blue Moon Immortal Sect was in the midst of major construction; outside their perimeter, the land had been leveled flat.
In the darkness of the night, a bright light appeared, resembling a fire gradually growing in intensity.
Someone was approaching, and the aura radiating from his body was just like that raging flame!
As this person approached, the members of the Blue Moon Immortal Sect, who had been busy with their construction, sensed his arrival.
Over two thousand people in the sect fell instantly silent.
The night wind picked up, whistling through the air.
Li Xinnian strolled forward until he stood right before the Blue Moon Immortal Sect.
He merely raised his head, but the cold resolve in his words made Duanmu Qi's heart skip a beat—Duanmu Qi, who had originally intended to mediate the situation.
"I will give you two hours. Two choices."
"Get lost."
"Or die."
For the first time in his life, Li Xinnian did not disguise the killing intent in his heart, nor the wild arrogance inherited from his ancestors!
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