Watching Li Dalong adapt so perfectly to the Underworld left Li Wei feeling somewhat at a loss.
This boy started as a simple farmer and hunter. Even after obtaining the Heaven-Piercing Coffin, he had remained relatively normal.
He was once the rock-solid Family Head of the Li family in the Azure Cloud Region. Yet, a single trip to the Underworld had wrought changes that left Li Wei unable to recover his senses for a long time.
Seeing him become like this for the sake of earning resources, Li Wei truly didn't know if it was a blessing or a curse.
Subsequently, Li Wei asked about the situation in the "Underworld"; it was, after all, his first time seeing such a place.
"This child does not know either." Li Dalong shook his head.
"The reason this child sought out this place was that Brother Tianye of the Ghost Eye Sect once opened the 'Gates of the Underworld.' Furthermore, after becoming an official, I obtained the technique to summon from the Netherworld.
Thus, I had Yaowen consult the ancient records, which led me to the These Lands. However, there is no order here; instead, there are many evil ghosts fighting over territory."
"Oh, right. Occasionally, a few monks shouting 'Until hell is empty, I vow not to become a Buddha' come here to throw their lives away."
Hearing this, Li Wei could only let the matter rest.
There were many places in the game world that neither he nor his clansmen understood.
Let alone the Underworld—even concerning the Azure Dynasty, where they had lived for hundreds of years, what they knew seemed to be only the tip of the iceberg.
After telling Li Dalong to stay safe, he left the game world and continued his journey.
...
[Year 631: Your descendant, Li Yuanshang, has established the Li Clan Chamber of Commerce in the Imperial Capital.
The family's guest retainer, Daoist Shanchen, presides over it, and Wang Jinhu, the new Sect Master of the Heavenly Light Sect, serves as the Chamber's backer.]
[The Li Clan Chamber of Commerce in the Imperial Capital serves as the main business of the Li Branch Family there.
It trades in 'Face-Preserving Pills' and 'Yang-Boosting Elixir' refined by Li Yaoqing, as well as crab and rare seafood produced by the Crab Demon Clan of the Azure Cloud Prefecture's Southern Sea.
Acquired Traits: Fortune-Sniffing Merchant, Silver-Tongued Negotiator.]
[That year, a vast amount of Spirit Stones was spent to purchase one hundred thousand Wu Clan corpses from Duskwild Prefecture and Shadowfell Prefecture.
These were sent to the Underworld as a tribute to the Old Ancestor, Li Dalong, making a significant contribution to Li Dalong's campaigns in the Underworld and earning his great favor.]
[Your descendant, Li Yuanshang, used True Fire to burn Spirit Stones as an offering to you.]
"..."
Li Wei's Divine Soul entered the game world, only to see a large, fat man decked out in gold and silver, standing with his hands on his hips in a grandiose manner, burning Spirit Stones for fun in the Ancestral Hall.
This brat was Li Xinnian's grandson, Li Yuanshang, looking every bit the merchant.
Behind him, there were already four scions of the Li family.
Without a doubt, Li Yuanshang was the most shrewd and astute, resembling Li Xinnian the most, and he thrived even in a place like the Imperial Capital.
The people of the Imperial Capital also referred to Li Yuanshang's branch as the "Merchant Li Family."
...
[Year 640]
[Your descendant, Li Yaozu, walks the world. The name "Ring-Snatching Maniac" is known to all.
He rejected the invitation to become an Elder of the "Sacred Sword Pavilion," to which the Heavenly Star Sword Saint belongs, enraging the Pavilion Master.
The two battled before the Sword Pavilion. In front of the Pavilion's disciples, he sliced off the Pavilion Master's hair crown with a single strike.
He was then permitted to cultivate in the Sword Pavilion's Sword Domain for ten years before departing with a carefree air.]
[Ten years in the Sword Domain seeking the Dao Heart, his sword intent has seeped into his very marrow. Cultivated Earth-rank Sword Technique: Trickster Flashstrike]
[Fills the Domain with sword intent, commanding the Sword Intent of Heaven and Earth to disrupt the enemy's vision, Divine Soul, Domain, and spiritual power, then slays them with a single strike while they are caught off guard.]
"..."
This swordsman rode his sword, hands tucked into his sleeves; Li Yaozu looked every bit the Sword Immortal of the current age. Yet, seeing Li Yaozu's solemn and serious demeanor, the corner of Li Wei's mouth still twitched involuntarily.
Seeing this "Trickster Flashstrike" sword technique, he instantly recalled the "Sword Technique" Li Yaozu had cultivated hundreds of years ago.
That sword technique was used to blind people's eyes. Now that he had reached the peak of the Divinity Transformation realm, Li Yaozu was still as despicable as ever.
"Old Ancestor!"
That night, Li Yaozu bowed in worship before Li Wei's spirit tablet.
"This child heard that the younger generation of the family is establishing their own undertakings.
I have spent many years infusing multiple traces of sword intent into these swords.
Inside this spirit artifact are treasures I have won over the years, treasures snatched from the Master of the Sword Pavilion, and the 'Swords' forged from this child's Sword Dao."
[Your descendant, Li Yaozu, has sent back a large amount of resources and Spirit Stones.]
Among the items, the swords floating within the storage ring particularly caught Li Wei's attention.
These were the trump cards Li Yaozu had forged for the children; each sword was no larger than a pinky finger.
[Hidden Edge Sword: Contains Li Yaozu's sword intent. By channeling spiritual power, one can instantly unleash the Hidden Edge Sword Intent. An excellent hidden weapon.]
.....
[In his spare time, your descendant Li Yaotie ordered Jin Yu, Sect Master of the Artifact Sect, to secretly refine "Ice-Fire Demon Puppets," ranging from the Golden Core to Nascent Soul stage.]
[They contain the power of ice and fire. When engaging an enemy, the powers of ice and fire can collide to trigger a self-destruct.]
"Old Ancestor, these are the new spirit puppets this child has refined!"
In their spare time from refining, Li Yaotie and Li Yaoqing stood in the Ancestral Hall, their faces filled with joy as they reported the good news to the Old Ancestor.
Li Yaotie rubbed his big bald head, looking extremely proud.
"These spirit puppets were created using a bit of the mana left over from the Power of Rules you sent, combined with the divine fire of the Heavenly Fire Divine Tree!"
"The spirit puppets' feet also possess wind-attribute mana, so ordinary people of the same realm really can't escape them.
If anyone faces the Ice-Fire Demon Puppet, they'll get blasted, and if they try to run, they'll get blasted too."
He couldn't help but be proud; this was the ultimate inspiration he had gained from the "Star-Seeking Spirit-Seeker" the Old Ancestor had once sent him.
Unfortunately, due to insufficient materials containing the power of Rules, they could not be mass-produced.
"Good, good, good." Li Wei was immensely gratified.
Then, a spirit pill appeared in Li Yaoqing's hand. This pill was unremarkable and emitted no aura whatsoever.
"Old Ancestor, this spirit pill of mine is called the 'Breath-Holding Pill.' After consuming it, one appears completely dead.
If the children of the clan encounter trouble they cannot resolve, they can simply play dead."
With that said, Li Yaoqing held her head high and puffed out her chest, secretly praising her own wit; she had finally outdone Old Third.
Old Third's Ice-Fire Demon Puppets still had to fight the enemy and might not necessarily kill them, but playing dead solved the problem completely.
Hmph!
After a moment's thought, Li Yaoqing added, "Tianyue and Xinghuo are always fighting on the battlefield. It's dangerous there, so they definitely need these."
"..." Li Wei was speechless.
Generals taking the lead in playing dead... I thank you on behalf of the soldiers under their command.
However, this [Breath-Holding Pill] truly had its merits.
[Breath-Holding Pill: Rank 6 Spirit Pill. Upon consumption, the Divine Soul, physical body, and spiritual power enter a state of "dissipation." Even ordinary heavenly secrets technique cannot detect them.]