[Special Event — Rescue Li Tianyue]
In the Ancestral Space, the words on the panel were clearly visible.
Li Wei raised his eyebrows slightly.
He had been watching Li Tianyue's predicament the entire time.
The reason he had not appeared was not that he refused to save her, but because even without his help—and without the family's help—Li Tianyue was capable of saving herself.
Li Tianyue had obviously arranged her manpower long ago.
Even without the message from the Imperial Capital, the supplies under her command, the hijacked war artifacts, and the city gates under her control would all have served as her trump cards.
That Dongfang Liancheng was truly senile and blind.
The very person the Fourth Prince was willing to sacrifice a million soldiers to rescue was viewed by Dongfang Liancheng as someone he could discard at will.
Of course, the Fourth Prince's actions also carried the intent of winning over the Li Clan.
[Your descendant, Li Tianyue, having been forsaken by Dongfang Liancheng, saw her last glimmer of hope for the Eastern Expedition Army shattered.
Consequently, she rose in counterattack, her mind achieving a state of broad clarity, allowing her to break through to the absolute limit of the Divinity Transformation stage.]
[Acquired Trait: Distrust of Authority]
[She no longer places her trust in any power or authority, remaining perpetually prepared to be stabbed in the back by the powerful at any moment.
She has begun to comprehend the true essence of power: it is nothing more than a weighing of benefits against costs, where anything and everything can be discarded.
State of mind improved; Comprehension increased by 10%.]
Unwittingly, Li Tianyue had arrived at the limit of the Divinity Transformation stage, her cultivation realm surpassing that of the Three Thieves!
At this time, within the Ancestral Space, many clansmen were also present.
The events concerning Li Tianyue had long since alarmed them.
However, the moment Li Tianyue entered, the clansmen greeted her with reassuring smiles, signaling that she need not fear anything—they were right there behind her.
Li Dalong walked up to her and, just as he had done when she was a child, patted her on the head.
"That Old Thief Dongfang is getting on in years.
I've already sent a letter to curse him out; it should arrive in a few days.
The next time I see him, I'll break his dog's legs myself to vent this anger for you."
"That's right, don't worry, Tianyue. Grandpa Yaozu is going to the Tang Clan.
He intends to see just what the Tang Clan is made of."
Li Tianyi stood with his hands on his hips.
"Just you wait. Your Big Brother here was just in the middle of excavating a tomb.
Now that I know about this, I certainly can't sit idly by.
I'll follow behind Grandpa Yaozu later and go dig up the Tang Clan's ancestral graves!"
"Big Brother, digging up ancestral graves..." Li Tianming was just about to say something, but upon seeing the stern look in Li Tianqi's eyes, he shrank his neck back.
"Dig... just dig half of them. Digging too many isn't good."
Li Xinnian stood with his hands clasped behind his back.
"High Ancestor Aunt can depart with her subordinates in ten days.
As for the matters in the Eastern Border, this child will dispatch agents to intervene.
Not a single one of those harboring ill intentions shall escape."
"..."
As the clansmen spoke one after another, Li Tianyue could not stop her eyes from reddening.
The transition from the humiliation suffered within the Eastern Expedition Army to standing before her clansmen now was like stepping out of a world of ice and snow into the warmth of blooming spring flowers.
The cold glares of Dongfang Liancheng and the members of the Eastern Expedition Army vanished like smoke, leaving only a welling sense of grievance that threatened to spill over in crystal-clear tears.
Seeing that the child was about to lose her composure, Xu Cuihua pulled Li Tianyue aside to chat about family matters.
"Enough. Let us speak no more of these unhappy matters."
Li Wei waved his hand slightly, drawing the gaze of the clansmen.
"Kuangren, tell us the result of your mediation with Fourth Prince."
"Yes, Old Ancestor."
Li Kuangren's expression instantly turned grave.
"Fourth Prince has decided to take a step back for the sake of the nation and the world."
Upon hearing this, the members of the Li family were just as astonished as Li Tianyue.
"Yes, a concession." Li Kuangren wore a puzzled expression.
"War between the two sides is already unavoidable.
Fourth Prince's situation is equally complex.
He sits in possession of twelve prefectures, and many of his supporters and those who joined the army have vested interests in this war.
Since a ceasefire is impossible, allowing the Imperial Dynasty to fight the Wu Clan without distraction is actually not that difficult."
"He simply needs to lose a few battles.
Even if it means losing the territory of two or three prefectures, he can afford the loss.
When that happens, his side will also need to rest and recuperate, which will allow Fei Heng to feel at ease."
"But there is a price. He wants only one person—"
"Zishu Lingtian!"
...
"Zishu Lingtian? He wants Zishu Lingtian?"
In the Imperial Capital, at the Li Clan's merchant establishment.
Facing the conditions transmitted back by Li Yuanshang, Fei Heng locked his brows in a tight frown.
Li Yuanshang blinked.
"Correct, that is the man he wants.
Your Highness, just who is this person in your family?
Is he really worth such a massive price to Fourth Prince?"
"I have only heard of him. He is the grandson of my Third Imperial Brother, Zishu Qingtian.
He is far older than I am."
Fei Heng shook his head.
"My Third Imperial Brother passed away long ago, and his lineage has vanished from the world.
Only this Zishu Lingtian remains.
As for him... it is hard to say whether he is alive or dead."
"Hard to say whether he is alive or dead?" Li Yuanshang was exasperated.
"Then where are we supposed to find him?
Let's just fight Fourth Prince!
I have spirit stones, and you have authority.
If we join forces..."
"We would be invincible under heaven."
Fei Heng beat him to the punch. He rolled his eyes.
"That Zishu Lingtian's life or death is uncertain is something I learned by chance from reading secret records after I became Crown Prince.
You... what are you doing?"
Li Yuanshang shot up with a whoosh, and by the time he returned, he had grabbed a handful of melon seeds. His small eyes were wider than they had ever been.
"Please, go on."
"Back then, when Father Emperor was expanding our frontiers, several Imperial Brothers and their descendants fought alongside him.
Among them, the Third Imperial Brother was the most valiant.
At that time, Father Emperor had already attained the Authority of Humanity.
The Third Imperial Brother had the Human Sovereign Blood flowing in his veins, just like us, but his bloodline was incredibly potent—he was a nearly undying existence.
His soul possesses a Phylactery(Life Box); as long as the Phylactery is not destroyed, he will never perish."
"An imperishable body, the innate talent of a pure-blooded human... his natural gifts even exceeded Father Emperor's.
He was one of the pioneers of our Azure Imperial Dynasty."
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