Speaking of the new generation of children, Li Wei still felt quite sorry for Li Xinjue; this child truly had rotten luck.
Subsequently, he went to check on the other children.
The "Jian" generation had already been born, and these children were growing up safe and sound.
Li Wei pondered for a moment, then clicked on the Family Skills, specifically the Spirit Tablet skill.
Ever since he gained the ability to descend into the game world, this skill had become increasingly useless. But as the family grew and he broke through to the Void Refining realm, this skill had undergone new changes.
[Do you wish to consume 5000 points of Family Will to break through the skill to the Void Refining realm, evolving it into—]
[Ancestral Possession]
[Consume 2 points of Family Will to form a "Ancestral Spirit Tablet" at the Golden Core realm. Bestow it upon a clansman to form an Ancestral Spirit, aiding the clansman in obtaining one hour of Golden Core spiritual power.]
[20 points of Family Will to form a "Ancestral Spirit Tablet" at the Nascent Soul realm, obtaining one hour of Nascent Soul spiritual power.]
[200 points of Family Will to form a "Ancestral Spirit Tablet" at the Divinity Transformation realm, allowing access to one hour of Divinity Transformation spiritual power.]
[5000 points of Family Will to form a Void Refining realm...]
"What a fine ability!" Li Wei's eyes lit up.
This ability was far inferior to him taking the field personally, but with so many clansmen now, he couldn't possibly protect the children every single moment of the day, could he?
However, when he saw the Family Will consumption required for the Void Refining realm, his brow furrowed.
The consumption was too high. Besides, combat at the Void Refining realm was hardly a simple matter. But Li Wei came to terms with it; ultimately, this was a means to protect his descendants.
[You have consumed 5000 points of Family Will to evolve the skill into—Ancestral Possession]
[Consumed 2000 points of Family Will to refine 10 Divinity Transformation Spirit Tablets.]
[Consumed 2000 points of Family Will to refine 100 Golden Core and Nascent Soul Spirit Tablets.]
[Distributing to the descendants' spirit tablets...]
"With this ability, the children should be safer in the future."
Li Wei gave a faint smile, monitoring the game while heading toward another planet.
In his spare time, he also checked his Star Domain communication wristband for the situation on Earth; after all, if a great war were to break out in the Star Domain, it wouldn't be safe for him out here.
...
"By chanting the spiritual incantation, can we truly invite the Old Ancestor to possess the body and protect us with his spiritual power?"
At this moment, the spirit tablets carried by all the Li family descendants were shimmering with light, and everyone was overjoyed.
Especially now, as the family's numerous descendants continued to multiply generation after generation, these spirit tablets bestowed by the Old Ancestor had become their ultimate trump card for survival.
Silvermoon City, inside a secret chamber of the Li family mansion.
Li Xinjue sat solemnly in the main seat. Before him stood six people, ranging from youths to teenagers.
Back when he was in Northguard City, his mother's family had arranged numerous marriages for him, so he had long since had a house full of children and grandchildren.
At this moment, these six descendants all wore expressions of shock, occasionally stroking the spirit tablets at their waists.
Just seeing their expressions, Li Xinjue knew that these children had all received the Old Ancestor's reward.
Li Xinjue said in a grave voice, "I told you when you were young that the Old Ancestor of our Li clan possesses boundless power. His Venerable Self is watching over us at all times.
Now that the Old Ancestor has bestowed this technique, you should understand just how earth-shattering his might truly is."
Hearing this, the descendants of the Silvermoon City branch all nodded in agreement.
Most of them were cultivators at the Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment stage.
Growing up, they had only heard the Old Ancestor's name in stories.
They had only a partial understanding of the Main Family and had no idea just how powerful the Li clan truly was.
But now, for the first time, they truly felt the power of the family and the Old Ancestor!
This spirit tablet contained spiritual power at the Golden Core realm, allowing them to invite the Old Ancestor to possess their bodies.
In the entire Silvermoon City, there were only four Golden Core cultivators!
"Father, just what kind of existence is the Main Family? And the Old Ancestor..."
"Hmph!"
Hearing the children's words, Li Xinjue's heart skipped a beat; he didn't know what kind of existence the Azure Cloud Main Family was either.
Immediately, he said haughtily, "Don't ask what you shouldn't ask. As long as you cultivate diligently and gain the recognition of the clan elders in the Main Family's Ancestral Hall, you will naturally be able to return to the Main Family and have an audience with the Old Ancestor."
As he spoke, Li Xinjue's tone softened slightly.
"The spirit tablets must not be used lightly. This is our greatest secret, the very foundation that allows our lineage to establish a foothold here in Silvermoon City, and our final trump card for survival. You must absolutely not neglect your cultivation because of it."
"Yes!"
The descendants nodded gravely; they had never felt their future was so bright.
...
Imperial Capital Li Branch Family.
Li Xinnian's youngest grandson, Li Yuanshang, was a man who delighted in wearing magnificent clothes, preferably those trimmed with gold.
His figure, however, was quite round; it was no wonder he had preferred to be a merchant since childhood. Yet, if he were to slim down, he would likely be a handsome man.
Li Yuanshang held the Ancestral Spirit Tablet in his hand, looking at his eldest son, Li Jianguo, and asked with a smile, "Jianguo, do you keep the Ancestral Spirit Tablet with you at all times?"
"Yes."
Li Jianguo was just a child of seven, with snot still running down his nose.
He said with a puzzled look, "The spirit tablet glowed today. The Old Ancestor can possess the body now, Daddy."
As he spoke, he made to pick up the spirit tablet to try it out.
This action made Li Yuanshang glare, scaring Li Jianguo into straightening his back instantly.
"Nonsense! This is a boon from the Old Ancestor. If you dare use it recklessly, just see if I don't give you a whipping!"
After his scolding, Li Yuanshang instructed him earnestly,
"Father is a merchant with poor aptitude. In the future, the Imperial Capital branch will have to rely on you. This Imperial Capital is a fat prize.
The Heavenly Light Grand Ancestor of the Heavenly Light Sect has deep ties to our family.
The products of the unorthodox immortal paths from there can fetch a high price through our lineage. And all the households in this Imperial Capital—that is all business."
Hearing this, Li Jianguo blinked and asked, "Dad, didn't you say our Main Family is very powerful? Why do we still have to come here to earn Spirit Stones?"
"Look at you, acting like a good-for-nothing."
Li Yuanshang said angrily, "This is called strengthening the family. Our ancestors started as farmers with nothing, and didn't our family still come to dominate a region?
Now that we have the family as our backer and the protection of the Ancestral Spirit Tablets, if we can't even earn some Spirit Stones, you and I might as well hang ourselves right here in the Imperial Capital!"
...
Azure Cloud Main Family.
Li Xinnian looked at the Divinity Transformation realm spirit tablet in his hand, yet there was no joy on his face, only a deathly pallor.
His appearance made Nangong Qingya incredibly anxious. "Xinnian, what is wrong?"
"I have disappointed the Old Ancestor."
Li Xinnian set aside the matters at hand and ran out of the main hall.
Nangong Qingya hurriedly followed. As they sped along, the servants they passed were thrown into a panic; they had never seen the Family Head and the Matriarch in such a state of anxiety.
A short while later, the two arrived at the Ancestral Hall.
Li Xinnian knelt before the Ancestral Spirit Tablet, kowtowing repeatedly.
"Old Ancestor, please punish me! The elders entrusted this child with the position of Family Head, yet I neglected the condition of our clansmen in the various branch families.
To have forced the Old Ancestor to expend his painstaking effort amidst his busy schedule... Xinnian knows his mistake!"
Li Wei saw this plea for forgiveness on his panel and immediately used the spirit tablet to tell Xinnian not to take it to heart.
He naturally knew that Xinnian was conscientious and diligent.
As elders, they too had neglected the growth of the younger generation over these past few decades.
In fact, even after decades had passed, many of the elders were unaware of just how far the family had developed.
This was simply because the chaos in the world was growing ever more intense.
The older generation was striving to gather resources and break through their own cultivation bases to ensure the family's safety in this chaotic age, facing powerful enemies such as Peerless Hall and the Zhao Clan.
As for the new generation led by Li Xinnian, they were slowly expanding and strengthening the family under the protection of the elders, each with their own duties and goals.
"Before I knew it, the family's power had already become this vast."
Li Wei clicked on the map in the game interface.
On the vast map of the Azure Dynasty, Mottled green dots had appeared all over the map; those were the Li branch families.
Time drifted by slowly.
[Year 630: Your descendant, Li Dalong, has broken through to "False Void Refining" and obtained the Ice Space.]
[Acquired Void Refining Technique: Extreme Cold Seal]
[After adventuring in the chaotic Underworld for many years, he stepped into the "Hell Layer I: The Silence Maw," specifically the Ironjaw Territory.
He has been enemies with the Ironjaw Territory's Punishment Officer, the "Hellblade King," for many years, vying for the unique ore material of Hell Layer I: The Silence Maw, the "Ghost Tongue Blood Stone." Li Dalong suffered minor injuries.]
[Ghost Tongue Blood Stone: Rank 5 ore material.
Formed from the blood left behind during the tongue-ripping punishments in the Hell Layer I: The Silence Maw, soaked in ghostly qi for many years to become ore.
Artifacts refined from this stone can affect the human heart and Divine Soul.]
"Hiss~"
Upon seeing this message, Li Wei instantly appeared in Hell Layer I: The Silence Maw.
He saw that the land here was composed entirely of black soil.
Li Dalong, along with numerous zombies, was hiding within a cavern where lava surged and rolled.
The scorching lava stirred up hot winds, causing the bells on Xuan Tianzi to jingle continuously.
The Moon God and the Soul Duke stood guard on Li Dalong's left and right like protective deities.
He hadn't descended into the world to see Li Dalong for many years.
He hadn't realized that after coming to this wretched Underworld, Li Dalong's face would have become unhealthily pale, with bloodshot colors in his eyes.
[Your descendant, Li Dalong, because the aura of the living in the Underworld easily attracts attacks from evil ghosts, has absorbed the Endless Sea of the Dead into his body to mask his human scent, accumulating Deathly Qi over many years. Acquired Trait: Half-Zombie]
[A body that is half-zombie. Combat power within the Underworld is greatly increased. Can practice Underworld techniques. Restrained by the paths of Confucianism and Buddhism.]
"Old Ancestor!"
Seeing the spirit tablet light up, Li Dalong was instantly overjoyed.
"The zombies under this child's command have already conquered half of the Hellblade King's territory. When the time comes, all the Ghost Tongue Blood Stones will fall into our hands, and another Void Refining Space can be completed!"
"Oh, right, Old Ancestor. This child has acquired a Talismanic Seal Technique from this place, obtained from the body of a Daoist priest who died many years ago.
Years ago, Xinnian mentioned that the children of our clan are establishing branch families and require a foundation to rely upon.
This technique can seal evil ghosts within talismans and serve as a trump card for our descendants. However, they will need to be extra careful to avoid inviting criticism."
As Li Dalong's voice faded, a dark red formation rose up.
Numerous zombies pressed down a long-tongued evil ghost, dragging it forward and chaining it within the formation.
As the hideous ghost wailed, Li Dalong held the Seal of the Twin Serpents of Righteous Qi, using the twin serpents to trace seal characters.
A talisman flashed with red light within the lava cavern.
[Ghost-Sealing Demon-Subduing Talisman: Seals a Golden Core realm "Long-Tongued Ghost General." Nurture it with blood for three years, and it can be used as one's own, obeying orders to kill enemies.]
"Holy... shit!"
In this lava purgatory, watching Li Dalong casting spells with tens of thousands of zombies, yin souls, and evil ghosts bowing in submission behind him, Li Wei's scalp tingled.
It seems Brother Long... has found his own paradise.