[Special Event—The Zhao Clan's Background]
[Your descendants, the Three Thieves, have investigated the Zhao Clan's formations in the Duravia Trade Prefecture for many years.
Numerous seniors researched the formations' foundations to no avail, so they settled for the next best thing: accompanying members of the Hall of Heavenly Principle to trace the roots, traveling to the places where the Zhao Clan has appeared over the past one hundred and sixty thousand years to probe this clan's background.]
"Damn it, the old Zhao family hides themselves fucking deep. Chang'an went to the Imperial Capital and investigated the Zhao family's background with the Imperial Preceptor, but even he didn't find much."
Three lotus platforms traveled through the air—what a grand display.
Even though he was over five hundred years old, Li Tianyi still looked as sloppy and casual as ever. With his two younger brothers by his side, his words carried a hint of irritability.
It was no wonder; ever since Li Xinnian became the Family Head, the family had assigned the three of them the mission of investigating the Zhao Clan, and they had been running around for decades.
In the past, they had succeeded in everything they touched, yet with the Zhao family, they hit walls at every turn.
The only way they could vent their hatred was by striking down that Zhao family genius with lightning all those years ago.
"The old Zhao family still has some skill." Li Tianqi used to carry a tortoise shell on his back, but now that he had reached the Divinity Transformation realm, that shell was long gone.
Perhaps because the "Iron Triangle" had been playing the part of charlatans for too long, Li Tianqi now wore a suit of emerald green battle armor with a golden halo glowing behind him.
Now, whenever the Zhao clan was mentioned, he was just as disgusted as Li Tianyi.
"Whatever our family does, they do too. In these past hundred years, they've made plenty of moves and seem to have finally realized the importance of worldly connections.
Just like us, they searched the entire imperial court for a backer and found their way to Crown Prince Sheng.
Now that they have a backer, they think they can contend with our Li family."
Li Tianyi let out a cold snort.
"Who else could they find? The old geezers of the Zhao family sent gifts to the Imperial Preceptor and the Grand Tutor, but they didn't even bother to acknowledge them.
I have to say, those two old bastards finally acted like human beings for once. When we get back, we'll have to dig their Tablets out of the latrine in Merit City."
"Tr... true, Big Brother, doing that wasn't very proper."
Sitting on the far left, Li Tianming—the most normal of the three—spoke weakly.
"If the Grand Tutor and the Imperial Preceptor found out, they would be angry."
"..."
Li Tianyi and Li Tianqi were instantly choked into silence.
Years ago, they thought Li Tianming was the abnormal one, but now the wheel of fortune had truly turned. In Li Tianming's eyes, the two of them were no different from lunatics suffering from hysteria.
Before the three lotus platforms, numerous cultivators from the Shadow Division of the Hall of Heavenly Principle led the way for the trio.
Among the crowd, Scholar Wuwen swallowed hard and touched his own neck.
This time, he was the one leading the three brothers to the mission location.
He had thought that after two or three hundred years, he would have forgotten the shadow cast over his heart. But as it turned out, he was even more terrified.
These three were unrestrained and carefree, never doing anything remotely decent.
Back when he emerged from the Tian Xing Cultivator Abode, he had already broken through to the Divinity Transformation stage.
Even then, he had been terrified of these Three Thieves, let alone now.
Upon arriving at a great mountain, Scholar Wuwen stopped, turned back, and bowed to the three.
"My three Lords, this is the place where the Immortal Zhao Clan was destroyed one hundred and sixty thousand years ago."
"Thank you for your hard work; it's all thanks to you, Big Brother." Li Tianming smiled gratefully at Scholar Wuwen.
"No... it was no trouble." Seeing Li Tianming's shy smile and those big, pure eyes, Scholar Wuwen instantly felt goosebumps rise all over his body.
The scene of being tortured by a savagely grinning Li Tianming back in the Tian Xing Cultivator Abode played out vividly before his eyes.
It felt as if a chain had been thrown around his neck once more, and he hurriedly stammered, "My Lord, can... can I go back today?"
"Go on." Li Tianyi waved his hand.
Scholar Wuwen, looking as if he had been granted a great amnesty, led his subordinates and used a secret technique to flee toward Azure Cloud Prefecture.
Looking at Li Tianming's innocent expression, Li Tianyi slapped him on the back of the head.
"Look how badly you scared him. Stop looking so confused and get to work."
...
Li Wei had arrived at yet another new planet.
This planet was dazzling; as soon as he entered, he was buffeted by fierce winds, accompanied by flashes of lightning and rumbles of thunder.
Below, muddy torrents surged wildly, and the air was filled with the pungent smell.
Taking out the device to absorb the power of Rules, Li Wei looked at the computer, and the Three Thieves came into view.
In the past, the Three Thieves had truly committed every crime imaginable—murder, arson, theft, and robbery.
However, as their cultivation bases grew, such petty matters no longer caught their eyes, because... There were others to do such things for them.
The Dharma Treasure, the "Talisman of the Fifteen Profound Seals," rose into the air within a mountain range.
From within, hundreds of elderly figures in soul form drifted out.
Layer upon layer of Domains encompassed the entire mountain range, and subsequently, the seniors descended into the rocks and mountains.
"Black Tortoise Formation Technique, Third Formation"
Numerous seniors emerged from the black-and-yellow talisman paper and vanished into the mountain range.
Li Tianqi had already risen into the air, chanting incantations.
The green armor on his body transformed into a tortoise shell, which then split into hundreds of fragments.
These fragments arranged themselves into an array formation and floated up.
In less than two hours, the spiritual formation encompassed the mountain range.
On the surface, everything looked normal. However, mortals passing by outside could not see the mountain at all. Confused, they walked toward where the mountain should be, only to circle back to where they started.
Filled with bewilderment and terror, they cried out, "What the hell? The mountain was here yesterday, so how... how is it gone today?"
[Your descendant, Li Tianqi, cultivates the Dao of Risking Death. He obtained the Tortoise Shell Inheritance and the Tian Xing Inheritance.
Having been cultivated by his eldest brother Li Tianyi's side for many years and been taught Formation arts by numerous seniors, he has achieved great mastery in Formation arts, allowing him to break arrays in tombs and obtain treasures.
Acquired Profession: Formation Master]
[After hundreds of years, he has finally discovered the true, orthodox use of the tortoise shell.
The shell is incredibly hard and unfathomably mysterious, capable of serving as a Core Formation Foundation, totaling nine hundred and ninety-nine pieces.]
[He has broken through to the Divinity Transformation realm. Acquired Domain: Black Tortoise.
Within the domain, physical defense is increased, and the more damage the physical body sustains, the stronger his spiritual power becomes.]
[Over many years, using the Black Tortoise Domain and the Black Tortoise Shell, he has cultivated the Formation compendium "Mystic Tetragate Heaven-Quelling Formation," comprising four Rank 5 Grand Arrays divided into Slaughter, Defense, Concealment, and speed.]