After the battle.
At the headquarters of the Demon Sect.
Blood flowed like rivers!
Most of the people from the seven major sects of Zhao Kingdom were injured. They formed small groups and sat cross-legged on the ground, adjusting their breathing and circulating their energy to heal.
A small number of Demon Sect remnants, seeing their leader flee, also scattered like birds and beasts, fleeing in all directions.
However, the members of the seven major sects were severely weakened and unable to pursue them.
Lin Li, who had appeared unexpectedly in this battle and played a decisive role, naturally received the gratitude and respect of the various sects.
Especially from the four major sects.
They had fought bitterly against the Three Great Daos for many years, harboring deep grievances and blood feuds.
Now, with Lin Li at Xuantian Sect, if the Three Great Daos decided to attack the four major sects, the latter would be defenseless, and the Three Great Daos would completely dominate Zhao Kingdom.
Thus, the elders of the four major sects who were not gravely injured all gathered before Lin Li, expressing their gratitude with both words and actions.
As the saying goes, one doesn't strike a smiling face, so they could only hope that Lin Li would show them some mercy.
Meanwhile, the people from the Three Great Daos regarded them with cold, disdainful looks.
Lin Li was indifferent toward them as well.
In truth, apart from Lin Li, the members of the Three Great Daos were also severely injured and had no desire to continue fighting.
So, after a brief exchange of pleasantries, the Three Great Daos drove the four sects away.
After half a day of rest, the Core Formation cultivators who had not been seriously injured summoned their magical artifacts and carried their respective sect members back to heal.
...
Upon returning to Xuantian Sect, the elders all went to help the Nascent Soul ancestors recover from their injuries. Elder Zou, however, was particularly concerned and pulled Lin Li aside to inquire about his situation.
But how could Lin Li tell him the truth?
By now, Lin Li's heart was no longer in Zhao Kingdom, but in Hailan Kingdom.
Casually using the excuse that he needed to enter the ancient space—where time flowed differently—Lin Li claimed he had been injured during the great battle and needed to heal. He refused any further visitors and returned to the secluded hut at Xuantian Sword Sect where he had once stayed.
One day later.
Fairy Qinglian requested an audience.
Creak~
Lin Li opened the door and saw Fairy Qinglian standing at the entrance, dressed in a simple yet elegant green robe. She gently parted her red lips and said, "Lin Li... all these years, you..."
Feeling a mix of emotions, Lin Li shook his head and said, "Fairy Qinglian, if you have something to say, come in."
...
Inside the room.
After exchanging pleasantries, Fairy Qinglian brought up the fact that since Lin Li had now reached the Nascent Soul stage, he could marry her.
However, Lin Li hesitated and stammered in response to this suggestion.
Fairy Qinglian, whose beautiful eyes had been filled with hope, became visibly disappointed. Although Lin Li tried to apologize and persuade her to stay, it was to no avail. She sensed that Lin Li no longer wished to announce their relationship as he once did, and so, she left hurriedly.
...
Later that afternoon.
The sect master of Xuantian Sword Sect invited Lin Li to the main hall of the sect.
In the grand hall, two Nascent Soul ancestors, whose injuries had stabilized, treated Lin Li with great courtesy and proposed that he join them as a consecrated ancestor of Xuantian Sect.
But Lin Li politely declined.
"Actually, I am not from Zhao Kingdom," Lin Li said. "I am of royal blood from the northern Da Jing Dynasty. I fled to Zhao Kingdom after being hunted by my enemies."
"I aided in the battle against the Demon Sect this time out of past ties. Now that those matters have been resolved, I should return to Da Jing to avenge my family. I am deeply grateful for the kindness of Xuantian Sect's elders. I could only do my best during the battle with the Demon Sect to repay that kindness in some small way."
"Sigh!"
The two Nascent Soul ancestors of Xuantian Sect sighed and shook their heads. "Since you are so determined, we won't force you to stay. Go, if you must."
Elder Zou felt a pang in his heart and said, "Li'er?"
Lin Li's expression was complicated as he clasped his hands and bowed. "Thank you, Master, for passing down the Jinghong Sword to me! It has benefited me greatly. I will never forget this kindness for the rest of my life."
With that, Lin Li gritted his teeth and said, "Everyone, take care!"
Then, without another word, he rushed out of the grand hall and soared into the sky, transforming into a streak of golden light as he sped northward!
Inside the grand hall, Fairy Qinglian felt as if her heart had been torn apart, but she could do nothing to stop him.
...
Within three days, Lin Li had left Zhao Kingdom.
He arrived at the vast Hulna Grassland in the north.
The grassland was incredibly expansive, covering an area larger than Zhao Kingdom!
If not for the desperate protection of his household retainers, Lin Li would never have been able to cross the Hulna Grassland and reach Zhao Kingdom all those years ago.
Sadly, after arriving in Zhao Kingdom, Lin Li's retainers died from their injuries, and Lin Li had to follow their advice and become a wandering cultivator.
Later, because of a curse from rebel forces, Lin Li's cultivation had progressed slowly. It took him over ten years to reach the fourth level of the Qi Refining stage before joining Xuantian Sect, where he found the demonic sword, Ye Fan, and changed his fate.
Now, the grassland that had once taken Lin Li three years to cross was traversed in just over ten days.
Returning to Da Jing after so many years, Lin Li's heart was filled with complex emotions.
"When I left Da Jing, I was just a young marquis, forced to abandon my home."
Now, as Lin Li flew over Da Jing's mountains and rivers, they felt strangely unfamiliar. "Now, I return as a Nascent Soul powerhouse!"
"All of this is thanks to the demonic sword. Without it, during the war in Zhao Kingdom's cultivation world, cursed and progressing slowly, I would've died long ago."
As Lin Li caressed Ye Fan, his heart filled with gratitude and reflection. "But although the demonic sword brought me to where I am today, it has also stained me with endless bloodshed!"
"In the past, I had no choice but to kill to survive! Now, I have the power to avenge my family. However, if I continue to rely on this sword after my revenge, I fear I will become nothing more than a bloodthirsty demon!"
"Once I've avenged my family, I will bury this demonic sword somewhere and return to Zhao Kingdom's Demon Sect ruins, where I'll use the ancient teleportation array to return to Hailan Kingdom!"
As he thought about this, Lin Li's mind cleared, and he felt an immense sense of relief.
Even the countless malicious thoughts and karmic debts from his years of killing seemed to dissipate in that moment.
Finally.
Three days after entering Da Jing, Lin Li arrived in Changlin County!
"Once, my Lin family was the hereditary ruling family of Changlin County."
"I, Lin Li, was the only son of the Marquis of Changlin, the young Marquis of this land."
"Yet all of this was stolen by the man my father trusted the most, his favorite general!"
"My mother, father, elder sister, younger sister... My entire family of five... I will settle this blood debt with Mo Wentian!"
Lin Li descended from the sky, landing in front of the largest mansion in Changlin County, his eyes blazing with anger!
The plaque at the entrance of the mansion once bore the words "Lin Manor."
But now, it had been changed to "Mo Manor."