The Immortal Martial Lineage represents the family's greatest potential right now; the sixteen members of this lineage cultivate with wholehearted dedication.
In contrast, the Demon-Suppressing Lineage of the Northern Border, upheld solely by the couple Li Xinghuo and Zishu Wandong, is truly suffering from a lack of successors.
Under the couple's protection—and given that many are children of concubines or collateral branches—the lineage has produced many wastrels and unruly girls.
Only Li Zhijing shows some ambition. Last year, she barely managed to reach the upper levels of the Path to the Summit, and now she cultivates even more painstakingly within the Ethereal Immortal Grove.
Daoist Mosquito, the leader of the Great Demons within the Grove, is personally offering her guidance.
This Daoist Mosquito, who came from the Northern Border, was clad in black robes.
He had a slightly pointed face, appeared pale and frail, and his figure was exceptionally gaunt.
Having made his home in a remote corner of the Azure Cloud Prefecture, Daoist Mosquito often thought of the Northern Border and the Fox Sage.
Regrettably, the Fox Sage's whereabouts remain unknown to this day.
No one knows where that old fox, who had protected the clan for so long, fled to when his lifespan was nearing its end.
This was especially true since the Saintess had no interest in managing the legacy of the Fox Sage's lineage; thus, the burden of the ten thousand demon clansmen brought by the Great Fox Sage fell entirely into Daoist Mosquito's hands.
However, Daoist Mosquito was truly loyal.
At a single word from Xu Cuihua, he swore a Blood Oath to follow only the Li family.
Since arriving in the Azure Cloud Prefecture, he had participated in two great wars.
Having gorged himself on massive amounts of human blood on both occasions, Daoist Mosquito's spiritual power had become increasingly profound.
"There are two paths for a Beast Tamer," Daoist Mosquito explained.
"One involves taking the Demon Beast into your Dantian and using your own body as a vessel for the beast.
This allows you to transform into a Demon Beast, seeking a path to break through bloodline limits as a half-human, half-demon hybrid.
The other involves thunderous methods—using techniques to form a Blood Contract with Demon Beasts to command their Demonic Arts.
The Saintess of my Fox Clan is a half-demon. Girl, which do you choose?"
Li Zhijing thought for a moment.
"Can't I choose both? Father told me that since our family is powerful, we should take all the good things for ourselves.
Father also told me to learn skills from you so I can catch many Great Demons for him to eat.
I want to learn the most powerful one."
"Your family elders were right; you really are clever."
Daoist Mosquito's fist clenched tightly inside his sleeve, though his expression remained mild.
"This poor Daoist believes your father has extraordinary aptitude.
How about this: why don't you invite him over?
This poor Daoist has a matter of great benefit to discuss with him."
"Senior, you... You aren't planning to beat up my dad, are you?" Li Zhijing looked at him warily.
"How could that be?" Daoist Mosquito forced a laugh.
"Three months ago, Eldest Uncle said the exact same thing, tricked my dad into coming over, and gave him a beating."
[Your descendant Li Zhijing speaks of her father to every friend she meets, lacking any filter.
Many cultivators in Azure Cloud believe that Li Zhijing's bad nature is entirely caused by Li Xinri.]
[Acquired Trait: Dad-Saboteur]
[Mental damage dealt to father increases by 20%.]
Meanwhile.
In the city of the Northern Border, a group of hedonistic scions had arrived at the Li residence, anxiously waiting for Li Xinri to join them at the brothel.
Inside the house, Li Xinri stepped one foot out, then pulled it back, his brow furrowed tightly.
"No can do. Three months ago, I was tricked into going to the Azure Cloud Prefecture.
My cousin said that if he hears about me going to a brothel again, he'll come beat me personally.
The main family's intelligence network is way too sharp."
The calls from outside grew louder and louder.
Li Xinri scratched his ears and cheeks in anxiety.
"Exactly which bastard is stabbing me in the back?"
Turning around, he looked at the letters on the table...
[Great-Aunt Changyao: Grandnephew Xinri, your Auntie misses you dearly. I hope you will come to Azure Cloud Prefecture for a chat.]
[Great-Granduncle Tianyi: You little bastard. You just wait until I'm done with my work; I'm going to show you exactly what a monkey's butt looks like.]
[Yuanshang: Great-Uncle is very bad. Don't even think about writing to me to scam Spirit Stones ever again.]
"...."
Li Xinri felt his vision go dark; the sky was falling.
He immediately summoned a servant, his expression grave.
"Prepare Fasting Pills and a Seclusion Room. If outsiders ask where I am, just tell them I died.
If you really can't hide the truth, then say... say I am cultivating a Divine Art and am at a critical juncture of life and death."
After the servant left, Li Xinri grabbed his hair in agony.
"Who is it? Who is slandering me behind my back?"
...
"Hmm?"
Li Wei paused for a moment.
On the panel, for the very first time, Li Xinri had developed a slightly positive trait alongside the likes of [Cricket King], [Casino God of War], and [Propagator of Erotic Books].
[Cultivating out of Idleness]
[Having absolutely nothing else to do, the subject begins to cultivate voluntarily.
During this idle time, negative traits are temporarily offset, and cultivation speed increases by 20%.]
"What a talent."
After realizing the truth behind this development, Li Wei sighed with emotion.
However, after Li Xinri had been in seclusion for a few days, a new trait appeared.
[Withdrawal]
[Having not engaged in daily hedonistic activities for many days, the mind becomes chaotic.
Cultivation speed decreases by 80%.
The negative effects will diminish as time passes.]
While Li Xinri was going mad inside the seclusion room, Li Wei shifted his attention slightly to check on the situation of the Branch Families.
Currently, the Li clan has twelve branch families.
The children have started their own families and careers, developing independently by relying on the clan's network and the inheritance of techniques.
Every ten years, they send representatives back to the Merit Grotto-Heaven to worship the ancestors.
Over the span of more than a hundred years, they have developed peacefully, making steady progress.
The Immortal Martial Lineage focuses primarily on cultivation, living, and multiplying within the Immortal Domain Grotto-Heaven, which had previously been stripped bare of resources.
The Merchant Lineage is located in the Imperial Capital.
Li Yuanshang is truly a business genius, and many children in the family have followed him into commerce.
This has saved Li Chang'an a great deal of trouble, as the business of the family's Heavenly Principles Hall is gradually being handed over to their management.
As for the other lineages, they possess no particularly unique traits.
Time passed quickly, arriving at [Li Family Year 670].
The descendants returned to the Merit Grotto-Heaven for the ancestor worship ceremony.
This occasion marked the most complete assembly of the clan's descendants to date; after several years of development, the family now numbered over three hundred members.
Li Dalong had returned from the Underworld to lead the younger generations in worship within the spacious courtyard before the Clan's Great Hall.
Curling smoke of incense ascends to the heavens; in the Star Domain, the Old Ancestor's eyes brim with hot tears.
Li Dalong stood at the very front.
Behind him, generation after generation knelt in succession, holding three sticks of incense aloft as they kowtowed repeatedly.
After Li Dalong stepped forward to place his incense, the descendants followed one by one to place theirs and offer prayers.
Before long, the massive incense burner was bristling with the incense offered by the clan's children.
Li Wei suddenly understood.
For an Old Ancestor, the greatest joy was simply watching the clansmen gather together during festivals and special occasions to discuss their domestic affairs.
It was the joy of witnessing the children settle down, establish careers, and grow into capable individuals.
He didn't necessarily demand that they bring glory to the ancestors; their health, peace, and harmony were what truly mattered.
This Grand Ceremony lasted for several days, accompanied by days of feasting for the children.
Afterward, the heads of the various branch lineages stepped forward one by one to report their respective affairs to the Family Head.
At this moment, gazing upon the family's prosperity—so far removed from the desperate hardships of the past—Li Wei's heart was filled with only a single word.
Satisfying!
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