[Your descendant, Li Xinnian, having managed family affairs alongside Li Kuangren and Li Chang'an for thirty years, has become the new Li Family Head.
He has implemented numerous systems for Merit City and the family's subordinate powers, raising the family's influence to a higher level.
Acquired Trait: Diligent Governance]
[Upon becoming Family Head, the loyalty of subordinate powers increases by 20%, and Family Qi Luck increases by 5%.]
At this moment.
In the Li family courtyard, the Nangong family's ancestor, Nangong Xianliu, was pacing back and forth anxiously.
From time to time, he would scold the dozen or so young members of the Nangong family kneeling before him.
"You have some nerve! Do you really think that just because Li Xinnian has become the new Li Family Head, you can do whatever you please?
You actually dared to bribe the officials of Eternal Sun Prefecture to secure important positions?
That might be one thing, but you even dared to embezzle Spirit Stones? Do you really think the Li family's Hall of Heavenly Principle is just for decoration?"
A young man, clutching his earlobes, grumbled with dissatisfaction,
"What are you afraid of, Ancestor? Family Head Li is famous for his benevolence.
Besides, we're related by marriage, and we didn't commit any huge mistakes.
Can't you just return the embezzled Spirit Stones and plead for mercy, Old Ancestor?"
"You..." Nangong Xianliu ground his teeth in anger and kicked the child who had spoken.
If not for the fact that this child was born with a Single Spirit Root and was the number one figure in the family's younger generation, he really might have crippled the brat right then and there.
After venting his anger, Nangong Xianliu looked toward the main hall.
Li Xinnian had left him hanging for several hours, causing him to frown slightly.
"I suppose he must be busy with something. But this time, this old man really has to swallow his pride. Sigh."
This wait lasted until nightfall. Just as Nangong Xianliu was beginning to grow angry, the Li family's old steward, Huang Xiujin, finally led him into the main hall.
Li Xinnian, having become the Family Head, looked exactly the same as he did more than thirty years ago.
Nangong Qingya was serving tea to Li Xinnian.
The young girl of the past had become a married woman; naturally, she no longer wore those revealing clothes. However, she still favored black, and her black dress appeared quite low-key without losing any of her beauty.
Even upon the arrival of Ancestor Nangong Xianliu, Nangong Qingya spoke not a word; she merely bowed slightly to Nangong Xianliu before taking her seat in the secondary position.
"Senior Nangong, affairs in Azure Cloud were busy today. Hearing that Ancestor Nangong had arrived, I rushed back home through the night," Li Xinnian said with a faint smile.
"If I have slighted you, Senior, please forgive me."
"Think nothing of it, think nothing of it."
After exchanging pleasantries with Nangong Xianliu for a while, Nangong Xianliu finally could not hold back any longer.
He brought up the matter of the younger generation outside and gave a bitter smile.
"Family Head Li, they are ultimately young and do not understand the affairs of the world. It is also my clan's fault for being lax in discipline.
This old man has rarely asked for favors in his life, but I ask Family Head Li to spare them this once. I will teach them well hereafter and ensure they know their place."
"Senior, you have grown old and muddled." Li Xinnian picked up his teacup with gentle movements and took a sip.
"What?"
Li Xinnian's words clearly went far beyond Nangong Xianliu's expectations, leaving the latter stunned and at a loss.
"Senior, oh Senior, do you have any idea what crimes those juniors of yours have committed? What kind of Spirit Stones did they embezzle?
Those were life-saving Spirit Stones for the common people of Eternal Sun Prefecture in this year of great catastrophe.
My Li clan rose from a humble village and has developed to where it is today, thanks largely to the common people; many of our family's subordinates also come from common backgrounds.
To put it gravely, your Nangong family is destroying the very foundation of my Li clan."
Li Xinnian's voice was placid and his expression genial, yet this very demeanor caused Nangong Xianliu's heart to pound with dread.
Suddenly, Li Xinnian gave a gentle smile.
"But perhaps I spoke too harshly. The Nangong family is related to me by marriage, after all. I cannot make things difficult for you, Senior. Please, go ahead and punish your clansmen yourself as you see fit."
"I am busy with many affairs, so please, Senior, make yourself at home here in my Li family residence."
With those words, Li Xinnian took Nangong Qingya and left without looking back, leaving Nangong Xianliu sitting there alone, his eyes filled with terror.
20 minutes later.
Scholar Wuwen of the Hall of Heavenly Principle approached, following closely behind Li Xinnian and Nangong Qingya as they strolled hand in hand through the night.
His voice was faint and eerie. "Reporting to the Family Head: Nangong Xianliu took several juniors of the Nangong family to the bustling marketplace of the Inner City and executed his own kin for the sake of righteousness before the eyes of the crowd.
The personnel monitoring Nangong Xianliu have been withdrawn."
Scholar Wuwen did not leave, and Li Xinnian merely asked casually, "Is there anything else?"
"There is." Scholar Wuwen spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
"In accordance with your instructions, the twelve factions in Eternal Sun Prefecture that refused to submit to discipline—including the Thousand Snow Sect, the South Sea Ning family, the West Mountain Hu family, and Prince Yun's Mansion—were all exterminated three days ago.
Following your orders, we deliberately left a few remnants alive from each; we are currently watching to see if we can fish out some bigger fish."
"The various Clans in the regions of the Duravia Trade Prefecture have received the Family Head's demand.
The Sun Family Head, Sun Haotian, was the first to agree and has already sent a direct descendant of the Sun family to Azure Cloud to join the Azure Cloud Army.
However, the Zhao Clan is somewhat dissatisfied with this and has gone to negotiate with the major Clans."
"However, the Department Head has a matter requiring the Family Head's decision.
Recently, an elder from a Divinity Transformation sect in another prefecture sent a letter.
But... this sect is an Evil Path sect. They delight in using techniques to enter dreams while people are sleeping or in meditation, absorbing their Divine Soul essence energy.
It is impossible to guard against effectively, and they are not tolerated by the world."
"The Department Head does not wish for the Dream Demon Sect to enter our territory. What do you think..."
Li Xinnian glanced at Nangong Qingya.
Having been husband and wife for over thirty years, the two of them kept no secrets from each other.
"Qingya, what do you think?"
Nangong Qingya's delicate brows unfurled. "Haven't you fostered enough of these forces over the years? It is likely that the people of the Dream Demon Sect heard some rumors from those eccentric forces you keep, and that is why they came specifically to seek refuge."
"You truly are the one who understands me."
Li Xinnian gave a faint smile to Scholar Wuwen.
"Tell my Great-Aunt for me: human nature is rarely innately good or evil; it is simply that sometimes, people are forced to become villains.
In the future, regardless of whether such factions are righteous or evil, as long as they are loyal to our family and can withstand the test of time, then the territory controlled by my Li family shall be their paradise."
"As for the Dream Demon Sect, tell them to conceal their tracks well and make their way slowly to Eternal Sun Prefecture.
Just select a small island near the Southern Sea for them to hide."
"Yes, Family Head!"
[Your descendant, Li Xinnian, appears magnanimous and kind before the people of Eternal Sun Prefecture and the Duravia Trade Prefecture, yet hides murderous intent in the shadows.
If anyone refuses to submit, he exterminates them to the last.
Acquired Trait: Ultimate Hypocrite]
[Duplicitous to the point that even he himself cannot see through his own guise of benevolence. Prone to triggering "Protagonist Revenge" events.
Growth speed of subordinate forces increased by 20%, favorability gain increased by 20%, and the probability of obtaining fortuitous opportunities from others is increased.]
[Your descendant, Li Xinnian, leveraging his excellent reputation within the "Villain World," has subdued numerous demonic cultivators, evil cultivators, and desperate factions with nowhere else to turn.
Acquired Trait: Evil Faction]
[When facing evil or demonic cultivators, the probability of making them submit increases to 25% (the higher the opponent's cultivation, the lower the probability).
Due to the "Hypocrite" trait, cultivation speed for Righteous Path techniques is increased by 10%.]
...
"Ah?"
Inside Planet Yinwater, Li Wei had been frozen into an ice sculpture. The device before him was absorbing the power of the Rules.
He stared at Li Xinnian's traits on the computer screen, lost in a daze for a long time.
He truly couldn't figure out if Li Xinnian became this way because he was a [Fated Villain], or if he became a [Fated Villain] because he was already this way.
This kid was different from Li Chang'an; Li Chang'an was a true gentleman.
As for Li Xingchen, sandwiched in the middle?
Li Wei glanced at the screen. At that moment, Li Xingchen was in a tavern in a city of the Azure Cloud Region, loudly pontificating with a group of cultivators who had just returned from their travels abroad... Mm, Li Xingchen was a carefree hero without a worry in the world.
"Who cares if they are gentlemen or hypocrites? They are all my good children!"
Li Wei raised his eyebrows and casually picked up a tribute offering Li Xinnian had presented not long ago, beginning to eat.
It was stir-fried meat from some unknown demon beast, perfect in color, aroma, and taste. After taking a bite, Li Wei licked his lips. "Truly delicious."
"And there's that concubine-born child in the Northern Border."
Li Wei casually switched the screen.
The "Sky-Chasm Wall," which the Grand Tutor had spent over a hundred thousand years of painstaking effort to build, stretched for who knows how many miles.
The wall towered into the clouds; it was truly an insurmountable chasm for the Demon Clan of the Northern Border for over a hundred thousand years.
The largest city in the Northern Border lay behind the "Sky-Chasm Wall," named "Northguard City."
"A profligate scion, is he?"
Looking at Li Xinri, who was of the same generation as Li Xinnian but in a completely different situation, Li Wei checked his panel again.
Aside from the previous traits, a few new items came into view.
[Rebellious], [Prodigal], [Ostentatious], [Pack Rat]—without exception, every single one was a negative trait.
Li Wei let out a long, drawn-out sigh.
Then, he turned his gaze to the screen.
He saw:
A "Li Residence" is situated within the city.
Its grandeur was magnificent, standing out uniquely even in this bustling market where an inch of land was worth an inch of Spirit Stones, occupying a vast area.
This was the family property Li Xinghuo had established in the Northern Border.
As Li Xinghuo married and had children, in recent years, some people had also begun to refer to the Northern Border Li family as the "Azure Cloud Li Clan Branch Family."
In a courtyard, a handsome young man with eyes full of unruly arrogance was glaring at a beautiful woman holding a child before him.
He opened his mouth and cursed, "Wu Chunxiu, don't fucking think that just because you bore me a daughter, I'm going to spoil you. If I want to go out and have fun, even if your Wu family's Supreme Elder came, he couldn't stop me!"
This was Li Xinghuo's concubine-born son, Li Xinri.
Li Xinri's reputation as a profligate scion was known to everyone in Northguard City; he was a pest of such magnitude that even dogs despised the sight of him.
Wu Chunxiu's eyes were already red from weeping, and the daughter in her arms wailed loudly, but Li Xinri only grew more furious.
"Don't play the victim with me! I know you tell your maiden family every day that I'm useless!"
"Is it that I'm useless? It was you and your Wu family who ruined me!
Seeing that my father was favored, you shamelessly insisted on marrying me.
Well, I'm determined to be a good-for-nothing, just so none of you get what you want!"
"Wah!"
The daughter in Wu Chunxiu's arms cried in pain. Li Xinri gritted his teeth and strode toward the teary-eyed Wu Chunxiu, his expression ferocious. Yet, when he snatched the daughter from her, his movements were gentle to the extreme.
"You fucking hurt my daughter! If you want to cry, get the hell back inside!"
Saying this, Li Xinri carried the swaddled Li Zhijing out of the house.
The rage on his face vanished instantly, and to everyone's surprise, the daughter stopped crying as well.
The infant watched the strange, funny faces the adult was making, broke into a smile through her tears, and reached out to grab Li Xinri's face, letting out a tender, gurgling laugh.
"Let's go. Daddy will take you to the Beast Arena to gamble Spirit Stones, okay? And when we've lost all the Spirit Stones, Daddy will take you to visit a brothel and go bully some people, okay?"
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