Perennis Immortal City, Li Residence.
There was a garden inside, within which an Eight Trigrams Daoist field was inscribed.
A young Daoist priest sat cross-legged in its center.
This young man was Li Xinnian's son, Li Zhiheng.
Years ago, he had come to this Perennis Immortal City, married Sun Sixiu—a daughter of the Sun family, one of the two greatest families in the Duravia Trade Prefecture—and established his home and career here in the Duravia Trade Prefecture.
In the entire Perennis Immortal City, few knew his true identity.
Even his marriage to Sun Sixiu had been extremely low-key; this low profile was perhaps where he most resembled his father.
Cultivation had become Li Zhiheng's constant daily routine.
"I am now fifty years old. I have reached the Golden Core realm and forged a Heavenly Core, yet I am far inferior to my father's aptitude in his youth.
It must be that my aptitude is too poor, and I am simply too dull."
Li Zhiheng exhaled a breath of turbid air.
At this moment, sitting cross-legged before Li Zhiheng was Sun Haotian of the Sun family from the Duravia Trade Prefecture.
Hearing Li Zhiheng's sigh, this Head of the Sun family smiled and said, "Zhiheng, oh Zhiheng, in the lands of our two prefectures, how many would dare say your aptitude is poor or that you are too dull? You must not belittle yourself so much."
"Mm." Li Zhiheng merely gave a faint response.
How could he not tell that this great-grandfather from the Sun family was merely comforting him?
Every time he returned to Merit City, he would seek guidance on techniques from the numerous seniors.
The more he learned, the more he realized that with aptitude like his, ranking even in the top hundred before the seniors of Merit City would be a pipe dream.
And that was merely one Merit City; if he were to venture into the wider world, would he stand any chance at all?
Glancing at Sun Haotian's evasive gaze, Li Zhiheng asked, "Great-Grandfather, you seem to have something on your mind?"
Hearing this, Sun Haotian let out a long sigh.
"Zhiheng, ever since the rift formed between my Sun family and the Ding family at the Zhao Clan's banquet all those years ago, the Zhao Clan has been ostracizing my Sun family more and more.
But now, the Sun family is caught in a difficult position, yet your father refuses to lend us a hand.
I was thinking... could you return to the Li family with me and speak to your father on my behalf?"
As he spoke, Sun Haotian felt rather helpless.
Years ago, the conflict between his Sun family and the Ding family had grown increasingly intense. For this reason, he had tried every method to form a marriage alliance with the Li family.
When Li Zhiheng was willing to marry his great-granddaughter, he had been overjoyed, thinking he could finally enjoy the shade beneath a great tree and no longer fear the Immortal Zhao Clan.
Who could have known that this kid, Li Zhiheng, would care for nothing but cultivation? Even his great-granddaughter, Sun Sixiu... had taken on the color of her company.
Now, in the two Daoist fields within the Li residence of Perennis Immortal City, the couple had become completely detached from worldly affairs, not lifting a single finger to help the Sun family.
"Great-Grandfather, I am not clear on family matters, but listening to your words, it sounds as if the Sun family has acted as a fence-sitter."
Li Zhiheng's gaze was pure, making it impossible for Sun Haotian to muster any anger in his heart.
"I have not met many people, but many of them like to beat around the bush. Your affairs are very complicated; how can you possibly trust one another?"
"This..." Sun Haotian's expression changed.
"I am different. Everyone says I am dull-witted, but they all believe what I say without a shadow of a doubt, because I have never spoken anything but the truth."
Li Zhiheng smiled.
"Contribution is mutual. On the night Sixiu married me, I asked her: Did Great-Grandfather's family want to gain benefits from my family?
That day, she looked at me, and I looked at her. We laid everything out in the open, and ever since then, we have treated each other with mutual respect."
"Great-Grandfather, do you and my father trust each other?"
Sun Haotian stared into Li Zhiheng's direct, unblinking gaze. His own eyes couldn't help but dart away. Finally, he let out a sigh and walked out.
Damn it, I just got schooled.
But how could things be so simple?
The Zhao Clan and the Li family had contended for years without ever engaging in full-scale war.
He and everyone in the entire Duravia Trade Prefecture knew the truth: the Zhao Clan was waiting for the Human Emperor to die.
Once the Li family's backer was gone, that would be the moment the Zhao Clan and the Li family fought to the death.
No one knows what trump cards these two families hold, which is precisely why he remains so indecisive amidst this chaotic situation.
"Mutual trust.... that means picking a side once and for all. But such a gamble involves the lives of my entire clan."
Sun Haotian looked up and sighed deeply to the heavens.
Sometimes, he truly wished he could live as lightly as that kid Li Zhiheng—knowing only cultivation, acting straightforwardly, and worrying about nothing.
Lost in thought, he saw a slender figure emerge from another Daoist field within the Li residence.
It was a woman dressed in Daoist robes, her hair coiled up and secured with a hairpin.
As she approached, she bowed to Sun Haotian. "Great-Grandfather."
Seeing Sun Sixiu's eyes, as pure as Li Zhiheng's, a wave of irritation washed over Sun Haotian.
Sun Sixiu had been the most talented woman of the Sun family's younger generation, originally possessing a lively disposition.
But look at her now—after marrying Li Zhiheng, she's practically become a Daoist nun.
Sun Sixiu spoke calmly, "I heard everything you just discussed with my husband.
I can only offer you one thought: The Li family has existed for a mere six hundred years, while the Immortal Zhao Clan has stood for one hundred and sixty thousand.
Yet, both my husband and I are cultivating with all our might. If the Zhao Clan dares to make a move, even with our humble strength, we husband and wife will not retreat."
As his great-granddaughter departed, Sun Haotian stood frozen in place.