The clan tournament concluded.
Without a doubt, the descendants of the Immortal Martial Lineage achieved a sweeping victory, with a child from the 'Chu' generation named Li Chuxiu taking the top spot.
The clan elders met with Li Chuxiu, offering much praise and bestowing gifts.
In reality, however, neither Li Wei nor the descendants of the older generation felt much excitement.
Over the course of more than seven hundred years, they had seen far too many "monsters."
"Caw—"
A Dark Crow flew down and landed in Li Xinnian's hand.
Li Xinnian bowed to the elders.
"It is a reply from Big Brother. He arrived at the branch of the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagems a step ahead and concealed his tracks."
"That branch has already been destroyed by the Immortal Suppression Department.
Contained herein are the records and ancient texts Big Brother sent back from the Mountain of Esoteric Stratagem."
The clan members accepted the Spatial Rings.
Inside were three sets of ancient records.
As everyone scanned through them with their Divine Sense, they all furrowed their brows.
These records actually described methods of refining techniques using living humans.
The monsters captured outside over these years were, without exception, created by refining living people.
Li Yaoqing frowned slightly as she read aloud,
"Cultivators practice techniques and cultivation methods.
If one masters a movement technique, their legs become distinct from those of ordinary people.
By severing these legs and grafting them onto another using esoteric arts, the recipient can acquire that Spiritual power. Even a mortal could run like a wild horse..."
"A single drop of Lingtian blood can be used to refine the bloodline...
Over tens of thousands of years, hundreds of millions have been refined into "These Beings," possessing extraordinary strength."
Li Yaowen smiled faintly.
"From the looks of it, they are attempting to appropriate the Three Corpses of Lingtian for their own use."
After only a cursory inspection, the expressions of the Li Clan members turned peculiar.
"The methods of cultivation are complex.
Body Refinement cultivators, in particular, often need to integrate the blood of powerful races to temper their own bodies.
However, to slice off parts of one's own body and replace them with something else...
That is something an ordinary person truly could not bring themselves to do."
"Why are you all looking at me?" Li Yaotie rubbed his bald head, blinking his large, bull-like eyes.
"Hmph."
Li Dalong let out a cold snort.
As the saying goes, 'one's body, hair, and skin are received from one's parents'.
Back then, when Li Yaotie chopped off his own legs to replace them with puppet legs, it had truly infuriated him to no end.
Deciding to simply ignore this stupid third son, he turned to Li Xinnian and said:
"Xinnian, send a message to Su Chen. Tell him he must proceed with caution and must not advance rashly."
"Big Brother reincarnated from sixty thousand years ago; he possesses an understanding of those two factions and has even fought against them in the past. He knows what he is doing."
Li Xinnian smiled.
"He has already reached the Peak of Divinity Transformation.
Since he is constantly abroad handling clan affairs, a few years ago, I gifted him a Primordial Blood Fruit.
I imagine he will not act rashly in the near future; rather, he is likely preparing to attempt his breakthrough to the Void Refining realm right now."
"He is indeed worthy of being the existence who led the Peerless Hall sixty thousand years ago.
The former Celestial Venerable Xuan'er was stunningly brilliant.
Now reborn, his aptitude and foundation will be even stronger—to think he is breaking through to the Void Refining realm with such ease."
The clan members exchanged bitter smiles.
They had once struggled painstakingly to break through to the Void Refining realm.
Even Li Yunlin, who possessed a divine object like the Skyveil Hall, had only managed to break through to Void Refining on his own after reaching over seven hundred years of age.
Yet for Su Chen, the goal they had chased with such difficulty was nothing more than a thin sheet of window paper, ready to be pierced at any moment.
However, considering where they stood today, one could say that their hardships had finally yielded sweet rewards.
Li Dalong looked around at his clansmen, sensing their undisguised auras, and felt a profound sense of relief in his heart.
He then waved his hand toward Li Xinnian.
"Nowadays, our clan need not belittle itself.
With us elders standing guard on all sides, and with you, Zhiheng, and Su Chen among the younger generation, we are already no inferior to an ordinary Hidden Immortal Clan."
"Since the Three Corpses of Lingtian have appeared, if the opportunity arises, we will naturally make our move."
Li Xinnian hurriedly bowed.
His petty little scheme to obtain the Three Corpses of Lingtian could not be hidden from the Grand Ancestor.
Li Dalong then looked toward Li Chang'an.
"Chang'an, the Imperial Capital, is a place rife with intrigue and infighting.
The dignitaries there are accustomed to looking down from on high.
Since our clan has only been established for a short time, it is inevitable that we attract scorn. It has been hard on you."
"High Ancestor exaggerates." Li Chang'an smiled effortlessly.
"People say the Imperial Capital is dull, but it is actually quite interesting.
Whether before the Immortal Suppression Department or the dignitaries, this child may appear to bow three inches lower than them, but in reality, I already stand ten feet above them."
Hearing this, a trace of shame flashed across Li Kuangren's brow.
In truth, he was the one originally sent to handle matters in the Imperial Capital.
Well... on his very first day, he kicked a civil official in the Royal Court until the man vomited blood.
He never dared to go back after that.
Crown Prince Fei Heng had even remarked that if Li Kuangren stayed in the Royal Court any longer—beating someone to death every day—Fei Heng would end up just like the late Crown Prince Sheng...
Seeing how sensible the children had become, Li Dalong put his arm around Xu Cuihua, his face filled with gratification.
"This is just as well; I can now go down to the Underworld with peace of mind."