Merit City, the Li Clan Main House.
"Reporting to the Family Head. Lady Tianyue and Lady Kuanghua have sent back intelligence from the Battle Grotto-Heaven."
The Wine Madman respectfully reported to Li Xinnian,
"A conflict erupted in Shadowfell Prefecture. A Nascent Soul clan fought a great battle within the city, using a formation to capture a demonic cultivator.
This demonic cultivator possessed a unique natural gift—a pair of 'wind-catching ears.'
Our clansmen captured members of that family for interrogation.
After Soul Searching them, we learned that their clan was tracking a severed head."
Li Xinnian smiled and nodded. "Thank you for your hard work. You are dismissed."
"Yes!"
The Wine Madman hurriedly retreated.
Upon leaving the main hall, he glanced at the swaying Old Tree and exhaled a long breath of relief.
When facing other members of the Li family, he was never quite so deferential, yet he maintained a distinct respect for Li Xinnian.
This newly appointed Family Head appeared amiable and approachable on the surface, but the Wine Madman had an intuition:
Li Xinnian was absolutely the last person in the Li family one should provoke—not even with a joke.
A few years ago, during a grand assembly in Azure Cloud Prefecture, a small clan—ignorant of the danger—had jokingly remarked,
"The Li family rising from the wilderness to such greatness is truly inspiring; surely we can do it too."
Li Xinnian had laughed and played along at the time.
And then... within just two short years, that clan vanished without a trace.
For such a massive event, not a single whisper was heard in their local region city.
...
After the Wine Madman departed, Li Xinnian's face remained wreathed in smiles.
The storage ring on the slender pinky of his left hand flashed, and three jade slips materialized before his eyes.
Among the reports were:
"From Shadowfell Prefecture: News regarding Zishu Lingtian's head; a sect is tracking a malevolent ghost."
"A hidden sect has resurfaced; crimson light flooded the starry night, suspected to be related to tracking Zishu Lingtian."
"Several major powers have intruded into Wu Clan territory; rumors say someone was heard shouting about Zishu Lingtian's body."
"It appears Fourth Prince didn't just make a deal with us.
To find Zishu Lingtian's Three Corpses, the news has been spread throughout the entire Azure Imperial Dynasty.
The opportunity to reach the Body Integration realm is simply too great a temptation for the world."
Li Xinnian furrowed his brow.
For over a decade, ever since the Fourth Prince asked them to search for Zishu Lingtian, incidents like this had been occurring incessantly.
This piqued his interest in the Zishu family's affairs; yet, the deeper he investigated, the more doubts accumulated in his heart.
The Human Sovereign is undoubtedly the strongest existence in the world.
Most people from his era are still alive, yet the Human Sovereign is dying.
He had many heirs, every one of them a peerless monster in their own right, yet they died one after another.
Now, only Fei Heng remains as a qualified Crown Prince.
Fourth Prince clearly cares so deeply for the Zishu Clan's empire, yet he insists on rebelling.
These doubts inevitably unsettled Li Xinnian.
The Li Clan was integrated with the Imperial Dynasty in every aspect; the more unknowns there were, the easier it would be to step into danger.
Suddenly, a pair of hands pressed against his head, massaging his temples.
A wisp of fragrance drifted past his nose.
Li Xinnian's expression relaxed, and he smiled.
"Qingya, didn't you go back to your clan to observe that senior breaking through to Divinity Transformation? What is it? Did they upset you again?"
"Mn."
Nangong Qingya appeared increasingly dignified and graceful.
She smiled faintly and said,
"It was only a matter of two or three days; somehow, I just can't get used to staying at my clan anymore.
Ancestor Xianliu wanted me to whisper some 'pillow talk' in your ear to help the Nangong family business expand further.
After staying there for three days, I found it unbearably annoying."
"The Nangong family's old failing." Li Xinnian closed his eyes to rest his mind, enjoying this rare moment of relief.
"If he asks again, tell him to bring it up with me personally.
Given his age and cultivation base, his thoughts and actions are far too foolish.
Is he not afraid of becoming a laughingstock to his descendants?"
"I already told him as much. If the Nangong family truly has the capability, they will naturally flourish.
If they lack the skill, then no matter how much we help them, they won't be able to hold onto their family legacy."
Nangong Qingya asked, "As soon as I returned, I saw you frowning deeply. What is it that troubles you so?"
Li Xinnian sighed.
"Years ago, Fourth Prince offered us a condition to obtain the opportunity for the Body Integration realm.
For all these years, our Li Clan paid it no heed.
But now, Fourth Prince has spread this condition throughout the entire Azure Dynasty, and many major factions have been lured in by the temptation."
Upon hearing this, Nangong Qingya did not interrupt, simply continuing to listen in silence.
Her husband was burdened with countless affairs, keeping many things suppressed within his heart.
He would never dare speak of these worries to his elders, for fear that if he performed poorly, he would disappoint them.
At times like this, all she needed to do was listen quietly.
"With Fei Heng holding power these past years, and the affairs of High Ancestor Tianyue in the military camps, the world has long known that our Li Clan enjoys the Imperial Family's deepest trust.
Added to this is the fact that disciples of our clan often wield the decrees of the Immortal Suppression Bureau to eliminate dissidents; consequently, even the Hidden Factions are trying to avoid conflict with our Li Clan ."
"This is a good thing, yet also not a good thing."
"The Family has occupied the Cave Abodes of others, establishing ourselves in over a dozen locations across the world.
We have, to all appearances, achieved the scale of a Hidden Immortal Clan.
However, our Li Clan falls far short of the actual strength of a Hidden Immortal Clan.
Even counting the Old Ancestor, the Grand Ancestor, two Forefathers at the Void Refining realm, and two Void Refining guest elders...
Our true strength is not even equal to that of the Immortal Zhao Clan back in the day."
"Back then, Crown Prince Sheng fell from power in the blink of an eye.
Do not be deceived by how Fei Heng is currently pacifying the borders and stabilizing the interior, nor by the Dynasty's gradual recovery of vitality—the Human Sovereign's days are numbered.
The winds and clouds of the world are ever-changing; without a Body Integration expert in the Family, how can I ever truly feel at ease?"
As he spoke, Li Xinnian gave a self-deprecating laugh.
"Qingya, would you say I'm being petty? When the Elders said they didn't want it, I couldn't have cared less.
But now that other factions are fighting over it, I find myself truly salivating over this opportunity for Body Integration."
Nangong Qingya smiled elegantly.
"You are not being petty. It is simply that others are making the attempt first, saving you a great deal of effort.
Now that the waters are muddy, it is precisely the opportune moment to 'fish in troubled waters' and enter the game."
The husband and wife chatted and laughed together.