[Year 686]
[Six years after the defeat in Shadowfell Prefecture. The Wu Race increasingly feels that the Azure Dynasty is entering its twilight years.
Three great totems—Divine Bird, Moon Dragon, and Red Sun—are resting and recuperating within the occupied territories, awaiting the arrival of other Wu tribes to launch a massive combined invasion into Shadowfell Prefecture.]
During this year, the Li family continued to act like invisible people, still busy digesting the gains obtained from the Zhao Clan.
A spirit boat descended from the heavens into Azure Cloud.
The man standing at the bow possessed an innate air of nobility.
His handsome face bore a trace of worry, but upon seeing that the ceaseless heavy snows of Azure Cloud Prefecture from years past had vanished, replaced by a scene of flourishing prosperity, a rare smile surfaced on his face—though it was quickly replaced once more by that same melancholy.
Upon arriving outside the Merit Grotto-Heaven, he found the Li Family Head, Li Xinnian, already waiting with his wife.
"Hahaha, Nephew Xinnian."
Crown Prince Fei Heng could not wait to fly down from the spirit boat.
Escorted by a crowd of Li family members, he entered the Merit Grotto-Heaven.
He had now held the title of Crown Prince and served in the court for quite some years.
Stepping once again onto the land where he had tilled the fields for three hundred years, he could not help but feel a myriad of emotions.
In just a short span of twenty-odd years, the Merit Grotto-Heaven had become increasingly brimming with immortal energy.
When they arrived at the main hall, Li Xinnian ordered tea to be served.
After a moment of idle chatter regarding how the family had changed with each passing day in recent years, Li Xinnian smiled.
"Ultimately, it is because the elders laid such a solid foundation.
I, Xinnian, am merely following the elders' teachings, wielding the authority they entrusted to me to seek welfare for our family and Azure Cloud."
Li Xinnian felt exceptionally grateful toward Fei Heng as well.
In recent years, the Li clan had not asked Fei Heng for any favors, yet Fei Heng had cherished their old bond.
Whenever good opportunities arose, he ensured the Li clan benefited, even offering to appoint Li descendants to positions within the imperial court—though these offers were all politely declined, one by one.
"If the entire dynasty were like Azure Cloud Prefecture, it would be the good fortune of our Human Race."
Fei Heng gave a bitter laugh.
"Back when I desired to become Crown Prince and wield the great power of the court...
Only after truly holding that authority on behalf of my Father Emperor did I realize that bearing the weight of the Human Race is like walking on thin ice."
Li Xinnian's expression remained unchanged, though his fingers rubbed together inside his sleeves.
"I wonder what assistance Your Highness requires?"
"Shadowfell Prefecture."
Fei Heng didn't beat around the bush.
"The Wu Race's momentum is growing stronger by the day. If we do not suppress their arrogance, Shadowfell Prefecture will be in peril."
Hearing this, Li Xinnian smiled bitterly.
"Your Highness, our Azure Cloud Prefecture sends people to assist every year.
Your Highness is also aware of our situation; the people of Azure Cloud Prefecture fought two wars in the Duravia Trade Prefecture. My Li clan has only just managed to catch its breath."
"No, you've misunderstood." Fei Heng let out another bitter laugh; he truly knew some of the Li family's background—the Li family had spent their entire existence in battle.
Although the Immortal Zhao Clan had perished, the Li clan was not actually as powerful as the true hidden factions; they possessed very few cultivators at the Void Refining realm.
To truly send the Li clan into a great war against the Wu Race would be no different from throwing them into a fire pit.
At that point, it was likely that even Azure Cloud Prefecture would be seized by other hidden factions.
Fei Heng spoke,
"I know that the Li clan shares a considerable friendship with my elder brother, Fourth Prince.
Many hidden factions I invited to Duskwild Prefecture have already tried to mediate for peace, but all to no avail.
I have no choice but to ask the Li clan to step in."
Li Xinnian hesitated for a moment, then asked, "There is one matter Xinnian does not understand."
"Please, speak freely."
Li Xinnian continued,
"Back then, Fourth Prince was not favored by His Majesty and was banished to Duskwild Prefecture.
After such a vast span of years—ten thousand years have passed—why has Fourth Prince chosen to rebel in this manner?"
"I do not know either." Fei Heng furrowed his brows.
"I even wrote to inquire, but Brother Fourth Prince did not reply to any of it.
He merely told me to step aside immediately and not to obstruct his Path of the Human Emperor."
Li Xinnian was puzzled, yet he refrained from asking further questions; even Ancestor Yaowen had failed to find a reason for what happened back then.
However, since Fei Heng had come to him for help, he acquiesced, "Regarding the matter of persuading Fourth Prince for peace, I, Xinnian, will inform the elders."
"Hahaha, excellent! As long as you can reason with him for a time, I can personally lead the campaign against the Wu Race with peace of mind," Fei Heng laughed heartily.
As the two were speaking, a shout suddenly rang out from outside the hall.
"Who? Who wants to personally campaign against the Wu Race?
Those blasted Wu tribesmen are absolute scum!
They charged into my Buddhist temple without a word of warning—scared this old lady into fleeing fourteen times!"
Li Kuanghua strode in, gnashing her teeth.
Having just returned, she was evidently still in a fit of rage.
She merely spared a glance for Li Xinnian and Fei Heng before plonking herself down in a side seat, huffing with anger.
She snatched a teacup from the table and rudely gulped down a mouthful of tea.
Smack!
Before the two in the hall could even process how Li Kuanghua, with her petite and adorable frame, could be as explosive as a tiger, she had already slammed her teacup down, grabbed Fei Heng, and started dragging him outside.
"Let's go! We're going to fight the Wu Race! Let's summon the troops from all thirty-six prefectures of the Dynasty and wipe them out completely!"
"..."
As Fei Heng was dragged along, he pressed a hand to his forehead.
Why were all the members of the old Li family such 'hobmeat' rascals?