Not long after, the seniors who had burrowed into the mountain range flew out one by one.
"Tianming, the seniors entered the mountain range in their soul forms and found traces from one hundred and sixty thousand years ago.
They are buried 400 meters deep underground. Destroy the mountain, quickly!"
Li Tianming dared not delay.
Sheet after sheet of talisman paper surrounded him, while Spirit Artifacts and Dharma Treasures floated into the air.
The talismans radiated light as they adhered to the Spirit Artifacts and Dharma Treasures, their brilliance nearly blotting out the sky and covering the earth.
Before long, these Spirit Artifacts bombarded the ground below like a torrential rainstorm.
[Your descendant, Li Tianming, due to his split personality, has a second personality that can only practice the main body's Righteous Path techniques and possesses positive traits.
He excels most at Talismans and the Art of Weapon Control.
Seeing that this child, Li Tianming, was so well-behaved, numerous seniors doted on him dearly and taught him the way of talismans.
Acquired Profession: Talisman Master ]
[Broke through to the Divinity Transformation realm. Acquired Heaven-bestowed Technique: Innocent Heart Heavenly Technique.
Possessing a pure heart, he can petition the Heavenly Dao to borrow power once a year.]
[Acquired Heaven-bestowed Technique (Sealed)]
[Acquired Domain: Pure Spring. With a mind free of distractions, he can divide his focus, manipulating numerous talismans and Spirit Artifacts simultaneously.]
[Domain (Sealed)]
"Big Brother, Tianqi, I... I can't go on. My spiritual power is exhausted."
As the dust and smoke billowed, the earth-shaking spiritual power was contained by Li Tianqi's formation.
Having exhausted his spiritual power, Li Tianming plummeted from the sky and was caught by Li Tianqi.
The seniors from within the "Talisman of the Fifteen Profound Seals" once again searched the ruins for clues regarding the site from one hundred and sixty thousand years ago.
"It's alright. Your spiritual power will recover in two years. Big Brother and I will protect you." Li Tianqi smiled at the weak Li Tianming, then went back to work.
Lying on the lotus platform, Li Tianming nodded slightly.
Before he closed his eyes in exhaustion, a glint of red light flashed in them. He glanced at his two brothers, sighed, and his gaze became peaceful and clear once more.
...
"Good kids."
Watching the continuous mountain range being destroyed, Li Wei couldn't help but feel a little shocked.
The teamwork of the Three Thieves was simply astounding; they didn't leak a single trace of their aura.
It was no wonder they could run wild in Duskwild Prefecture and the Duravia Trade Prefecture.
The seniors from within the talismans charged into the mountains.
Perhaps it was because they had accompanied Li Tianyi on so many tomb-robbing expeditions, but every single one of them was incredibly skilled.
They easily located the ancient auras left behind from one hundred and sixty thousand years ago amidst the ruins, using their techniques to trace them back to their source.
Often, a group of old grandfathers and grandmothers would gather together to deliberate, looking just like a gaggle of old scholars.
"Come, look at this fragment of a Dharma Treasure. The aura indicates it should be from one hundred and sixty thousand years ago.
Look at the degree of damage on this armor scale; it appears to have been burst open by immense spiritual power, causing the Dharma Treasure to crack from the inside out."
"This ought to be a sword. Look closely; this sword was crafted using 'Spirit-Severing Gold.'
To destroy a sword like this to such an extent, I suspect the opponent primarily used fire techniques."
"Quick, quick, quick! I found a place where a Formation foundation once stood.
I heard the Immortal Zhao Clan has a member named Zhao Buqun who specializes in spiritual formations.
Hiss... the aura of this formation is extremely similar to what we sensed in the Duravia Trade Prefecture. It's practically identical."
"..."
Holy... shit?
Watching these old folks so absorbed in their work, Li Wei's eyes went wide. As the saying goes, one is never too old to learn.
These old guys used to follow Li Tianyi to rob tombs—back then, they were just a bunch of unorthodox amateurs.
But after a few hundred years, they had gone from amateurs to a professional army of archaeological experts?
...
Time passed.
The Li clan and the Zhao clan engaged in a silent struggle in the shadows, while the Li family members, under Li Xinnian's arrangement, were multiplying and thriving rapidly.
The world was in great chaos, yet the people of the world continued on their paths amidst these turbulent times.
Duravia Trade Prefecture, Spirit Dao Mountain, under the jurisdiction of the Aeternus Sect.
Every fifty years, the spirit spring on this mountain would gather the spiritual qi of heaven and earth, capable of cleansing one's marrow and purifying the body.
It is rumored that the one with the strongest aptitude among the Aeternus Sect's current hundred elders achieved a Heavenly Spirit Root precisely because they absorbed from this spirit spring.
For cultivators, it is all about destiny; this Heaven and Earth Spirit Spring is obtained by those who are destined for it.
At this moment on the mountain, a man with long, flowing hair held a staff. Dressed in white robes and barefoot, he stepped onto the snowy ground, making his way up Spirit Mountain.
"Heaven and Earth Spirit Spring, Amitabha."
The young man paid no mind to the cold of the snow, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"I was born with ordinary aptitude. Even with Master's help during my Foundation Establishment, my Four Spirit Roots only transformed into Double Spirit Roots.
If I can obtain the Heaven and Earth Spirit Spring today, it will be a fundamental transformation in my aptitude."
"When that time comes, just as Great-Grandfather said, I will be able to meet the seniors and have an audience with the Old Ancestor."
A look of anticipation blossomed in Li Qiukong's eyes.
"The ancestors are truly extraordinary.
They came from the mountains, possessing nothing when they began their adventures, yet they fought and cultivated their way to where they are now. Every elder possesses extraordinary strength.
But when it comes to me..."
As he spoke, Li Qiukong gave a bitter smile.
He had spent his entire life cultivating. He didn't know about his peers; all he knew was that he was far too dull-witted.
Since birth, he had been nurtured by the family, receiving Blood Fruits, cultivation methods, spirit artifacts, and the standard six-piece set of protective treasures from the family elders, yet he still couldn't compare to his seniors.
Taking a deep breath, Li Qiukong's gaze turned resolute as he ascended the mountain.
"Even if I cannot gain the appreciation of the elders, I must at least make Grandfather and Great-Grandfather see me in a new light.
My Master calls me foolish, but once I become a Single Spirit Root, or even a Heavenly Spirit Root, Master won't have to wear that sour expression all day long."
---
Donate on Ko-fi ➡️ [https://ko-fi.com/darktea] ⬅️
Get Early Access to 70 Chapters: Search for "Dark Tea" on Ko-fi (Explore tab) and join my membership to read ahead!