After Li Xuanli arrived, he first offered First Madam He Jianlan a slight bow in greeting.
He then greeted his other older sisters-in-law one by one, followed by his younger siblings and sisters-in-law. Only then did he sit down and say with a smile:
"Shuang'er, how has your cultivation at the Thousand Machines Sect been going? I heard you made it onto the Qian Rankings. Well done."
Li Wushuang remained composed at her father's praise. Beside her, however, Li Yun's eyes lit up with pride, while Li Zhining gazed at her eldest sister with sparkling eyes, seemingly already treating her as her role model.
"I'm only at the bottom of the rankings. If I could be like Ninth Uncle and seize first place the very day I entered the Qian Rankings, that would truly be impressive."
She was not trying to show off, merely stating the truth.
At his daughter's mention of his ninth brother, Li Xuanli's gaze shifted slightly, and the smile faded from his face.
That dazzling figure, brilliant as a shooting star-as the Yu Emperor had said fourteen years ago, the fall of that light was the Li Family's great sorrow!
There had been nine brothers, not counting their sisters, and their hearts had always been closely bound together.
Only after they married and began visiting one another less had they gradually grown distant.
Once, they had practiced martial arts and eaten together in the great courtyard, laughed and roughhoused together, and dodged their father's punishments together...
Time flew like a shuttle.
Even the summer croaking of frogs that lingered in that courtyard in their memories could no longer be heard...
Noticing that the gathering had grown a little quiet, Li Wushuang realized she should not have touched upon that scar of the Li Family. Her expression