Li Family's Response

Inside the cultivation chamber, Li Xinge sat cross-legged on a cushion, refining the medicinal power of the Blood Spirit Fruit.

"Patriarch, the First Elder urgently requests an audience! He says it concerns the Lineage's very survival and begs you to leave seclusion at once!"

Outside the stone chamber, the guarding cultivator spoke anxiously.

Li Xinge abruptly opened his eyes and strode out of the stone chamber.

The moment he emerged, his gaze fell upon the Second Elder.

At this moment, the Second Elder's complexion was ruddy, and the Qi and Blood power throughout his body was exceptionally solid and abundant.

Even his appearance had suddenly become more than twenty years younger.

Clearly, with the help of that Blood Spirit Fruit, the Second Elder had successfully taken that step!

Seeing Li Xinge leave seclusion, the First Elder and Second Elder both let out a breath of relief and hurried forward. "Patriarch!"

"What happened?"

Li Xinge asked with a puzzled expression. How had the Lineage reached a life-or-death crisis after only a few days of his seclusion?

"Patriarch, many things happened in the Lineage during the days you were in seclusion. Allow me to make a long story short."

In the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the First Elder told Li Xinge everything that had happened over the past three days.

As the First Elder spoke, Li Xinge's expression grew increasingly grim.

"This Song Family is courting death!"

Li Xinge said furiously.

First, they had intercepted and slaughtered the new blood of the Li Family, severely injured the Sixth Elder, and killed numerous Li Family Cultivators.

And now, they had even created some so-called alliance, attempting to destroy the Li Family.

A man could endure this, but could he endure anything?

Originally, wary of that old ghost from the Song Family, Li Xinge had not planned to fall out with the Song Family just yet. Yet he had not expected the Song Family to grow restless first.

"Patriarch, the Five Great Families have joined forces. They cannot be underestimated. Our Li Family is truly in danger."

The First Elder spoke with a solemn expression.

The alliance of five families had six Qi and Blood Realm Cultivators alone. Among them was even a great expert like the Song Family Old Ancestor, who had reached the Lesser Qi and Blood Accomplishment Realm.

Although the Chen Family served as an insider, no matter how one looked at it, the Li Family was at a disadvantage.

Even if Li Xinge had also broken through to the Lesser Qi and Blood Accomplishment Realm and was confident he could hold off the Song Family Old Ancestor—

—his own two Qi and Blood Realm Elders had only recently broken through. They still could not perfectly control their Qi and Blood power. If they fought old hands like Song Tianbo, who had been immersed in the Qi and Blood Realm for years, they would most likely be no match.

But the Song Family could form an alliance, and the Li Family was not without allies. Now was the time to see whether his brother could be relied upon.

Of course, Li Xinge would not place his hopes on one person alone. If Zheng Lingjun refused to help, he had other measures prepared, though they would cost him a certain price.

But the one holding victory in his grasp would surely be Li Xinge!

"Bring me brush and ink!"

"Yes."

After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Li Xinge blew the ink dry on the letter and handed it to the First Elder.

"First Elder, I must trouble you to personally make a trip to East River Town and deliver this letter to Zheng Lingjun!"

The First Elder accepted the letter and tucked it into his sleeve.

"Go quickly and return quickly. Be extra careful on the road!"

Li Xinge did not forget to remind him.

The First Elder nodded, turned around, and vanished from Li Xinge's sight.

After the First Elder left, Li Xinge turned to the Second Elder and ordered, "Second Elder, take my command token to the Hao Family and Jiang Family. Requisition the cultivators of both families for my use. Any who refuse are to be executed on the spot!"

"Yes!"

The Hao Family had originally been a vassal of the Li Family.

As for the Jiang Family, after reporting the surviving remnants of the Su Family last time, they had taken the opportunity to establish ties with the Li Family and become a vassal family of the Li Family.

In Li Xinge's eyes, so-called vassals naturally existed to serve as cannon fodder for their master clan at critical moments.

Now was precisely the time for them to fulfill their purpose.

"Guards!"

Li Xinge gave a low shout.

"Patriarch!"

Two black-robed cultivators entered and bowed with clasped fists.

"Pass orders to the Third Elder and Fourth Elder. Have the two of them gather the clan cultivators and strengthen the defenses!"

"Pass orders to the Fifth Elder. Order him to return to Green Maple Valley!"

"Yes!"

East River Town, Zheng Family residence.

Zheng Lingjun opened Li Xinge's letter and swiftly read through it at a glance. By the time he finished, his brows had already furrowed.

Beside him, the Li Family First Elder bowed with clasped fists. "I beg Patriarch Zheng to lend the Li Family a hand. Afterward, the Li Family will certainly repay this kindness handsomely!"

Zheng Lingjun quickly helped Li Xuantong up and said with a smile, "Brother Xuantong, there is no need for this. Our two families are joined by marriage. Now that the Li Family faces trouble, I naturally will not stand by and watch."

Upon hearing this, the tightly wound heart in Li Xuantong's chest finally relaxed.

With an expert of the Lesser Qi and Blood Accomplishment Realm like Zheng Lingjun helping them, the Li Family had gained a few more chances of victory in tonight's battle!

Having achieved his goal, the First Elder, worried about the Lineage's safety, hurriedly prepared to return.

"Many thanks, Patriarch Zheng. There are still urgent matters in the clan, so I shall take my leave first!"

Zheng Lingjun nodded. He knew the Li Family's situation was dire and did not try to keep him.

After the First Elder left...

The aged, decrepit figure of Old Ancestor Zheng slowly emerged from behind the screen.

"Old Ancestor, what brought you here?"

Zheng Lingjun asked in surprise.

Old Ancestor Zheng chuckled. "I merely happened to leave seclusion."

"You heard everything?"

"Of course. That old ghost from the Song Family remains as bold as ever."

Old Ancestor Zheng said with a sigh.

"Yes. Otherwise, the Li Family would not have been in such a hurry to send someone to ask me for help." Zheng Lingjun smiled bitterly.

"What do you intend to do?"

Old Ancestor Zheng asked with a smile.

"Since the Zheng Family has chosen to be on good terms with the Li Family, then at this critical juncture, we must naturally aid them! I intend to make the trip personally."

Zheng Lingjun's expression was incomparably resolute.

"Is that all?"

Zheng Lingjun looked at Old Ancestor Zheng in confusion.

The latter shook his head. "It is not enough! There is a great chance that Li Xinge is one of the legendary Children of Destiny. I wonder whether you have noticed that, since he burst onto the scene and took control of the Li Family, in only a short time, two Li Family Elders at the Body Cultivation Grand Perfection have both successfully advanced to the Qi and Blood Realm."

"You and I both know how difficult it is to advance to the Qi and Blood Realm. Li Xuantong and Li Xuanzong are already advanced in years, and their qi and blood have begun to show signs of decline. For them, advancing to the Qi and Blood Realm should have been harder than ascending to the heavens. Yet despite that, the two of them still succeeded. Why do you think that is?"

Zheng Lingjun was stunned. After pondering for a long while, he still could not make sense of it. "This grandson is foolish. I ask Old Ancestor to enlighten me!"

Old Ancestor Zheng gave a soft laugh. A trace of envy showed in his eyes. "It is because Li Xinge's fortune and blessings have reached the entire Li Family!"

Zheng Lingjun's eyes suddenly widened.

"If Li Xinge were a descendant of my Zheng Family, perhaps I could ride his east wind and advance to the Qi and Blood Great Perfection. What a pity."

Old Ancestor Zheng sighed.

Before Zheng Lingjun could respond, Old Ancestor Zheng continued, "Adding flowers to brocade is easy; delivering charcoal in the snow is hard. Right now is the Li Family's most difficult time. Our Zheng Family must be the one to deliver charcoal in the snow."

"Old Ancestor, you mean...?"

Zheng Lingjun took a deep breath.

"You are no match for that old ghost from the Song Family. I will go with you."

Old Ancestor Zheng stroked his grizzled beard.

Zheng Lingjun's pupils suddenly contracted.

The last time his Old Ancestor had acted was forty years ago.

As the sun set and the moon rose, a chilling killing intent quietly shrouded Green Maple Valley.

[Following reader feedback, the author has added an explanation of the realms and talents. It was originally placed on the first page, but many readers would not go back to look, so it is included again here.]

[Realms from low to high: Body Tempering Realm, Physical Body Realm, Qi-Blood Realm, Innate Realm, Divine Mansion Realm (further realms yet to be determined). Each realm is further divided into: initial entry, minor accomplishment, major accomplishment, and great perfection. After breaking through to the Qi-Blood Realm, one can extend one's lifespan to one hundred and thirty years. Qi-Blood Great Perfection practitioners can live for two hundred years.]

[Talent: first-grade is the highest, ninth-grade the lowest. Those with Ninth-grade talent have a chance of advancing to the Qi-Blood Realm; those with eighth-grade talent have a chance of reaching Qi-Blood Great Perfection; those with Seventh-grade talent have a chance of reaching the Innate Realm; and so on (further details yet to be determined).]