Departure and Rebirth

However, it was not only Li Yaoqing who brought Li Xiang a pleasant surprise.

Li Yaotie, the blacksmith, had not fallen behind either.

Although he had lost an arm, it was not an insurmountable problem for a cultivator.

On the day this kid married Bai Rourou, the generous gift presented by the Su Family was a prosthetic limb—an arm that could be mounted and operated simply through the use of spiritual power. The downside, however, was that the silver arm looked a bit unsightly, could not perform flexible movements, and required the consumption of spiritual power for every action.

Yet, this was already enough for Li Yaotie to continue his artifact refining!

[Your descendant Li Yaotie has forged the Black Iron Beast Blood Armor set into a mid-grade magical artifact using 'Azure Stone', 'Thousand-Jin Sand', 'Gale Winged Tiger bones', and a 'Gale Winged Tiger inner core'!]

"It's done, hahaha!"

After crafting the first mid-grade magical artifact of his life, Li Yaotie couldn't wait to come to the ancestral hall to report the good news. "Old Ancestor, although we only have one Gale Winged Tiger, as long as I work hard to find materials from Foundation Establishment Realm demonic beasts, I can continue to forge mid-grade magical artifacts!"

Looking at the freshly minted set of equipment, Li Xiang nodded slightly.

It must be said that if a person has a bit of talent and pursues something based on their passion, it is truly easy to succeed.

Li Yaotie was just such a person.

Look at how happy this child is... he looks like he's getting married for the second time.

"Right, there are also the corpses of the Chaoyang Beast and the Hundred-Eyed Demon Spider, as well as the bodies of those experts from Tailin Town buried under the Beast Blood Fruit Tree. Soon they will be reduced to nothing but bones, and I can use them all for refining, hahaha!"

Hearing this, Li Xiang didn't find anything strange about it; after all, using human bones for artifact refining was a perfectly normal affair.

Soon, Li Xiang's gaze shifted to the Artifact Pavilion in Zhien Village.

Following the acquisition of a massive amount of spoils, the Li Family and Zhien Village were developing at high speed every day.

In Zhien Village, there were already over a dozen artifact refining masters, all of whom were apprentices of Li Yaotie.

He had also gradually realized that one person's energy for refining was limited, so he began to cultivate an artifact-refining force for the Li Family.

"Huh? They've started reclaiming Spirit Fields?"

Li Xiang looked at the game screen in surprise.

Originally, Zhien Village was filled with farmland, and they only raised livestock.

But after the battle, only a portion of these farmlands remained, just enough to supply daily needs. The rest of the fields had been leveled, and Li Xiang saw the villagers of Zhien Village in the screen burying Spirit Stones underground.

Meanwhile, some outsiders were busy carving arrays onto the fields!

Glancing at the event log, Li Xiang finally understood the reason.

[After the great battle, Zhien Village suffered a shortage of labor, and because there was no longer a need to worry about food, Li Dalong decided to stop planting regular crops. He found the method for planting Spirit Rice from the spoils of the Wang Family and invited array masters from the county town to reclaim Spirit Fields.]

[One mu of Spirit Field requires the consumption of 10,000 Spirit Stones to maintain operation for ten years.]

[Your descendant has consumed 300,000 Spirit Stones to reclaim 30 mu of Spirit Fields.]

Li Dalong had consulted him about this matter.

Spirit Fields existed on Earth as well; they produced rice, corn, and the like, which were filled with spiritual energy. Eating them could strengthen the physique and prolong life!

Ordinary people lived less than a hundred years, but if they ate Spirit Rice regularly, their lifespan could reach over one hundred and twenty years.

It could also slightly increase the speed of cultivation.

This stuff was usually consumed by wealthy families. It just so happened that they had obtained a large number of Spirit Stones from the Hu Family and the Wang Family, making it perfect for reclaiming Spirit Fields—whether for sale or personal use, it was a great choice.

"Once the family earns more money, it would be great if all of Zhien Village were Spirit Fields."

Clearly, thirty mu of Spirit Fields was far from satisfying Li Xiang's appetite.

Following that, Li Xiang continued to watch the event log.

[Villager Wang Ergou of Zhien Village has broken through to the first level of Qi Refining!]

[Villager Cai Xukun has broken through to the first level of Qi Refining, and your descendant Li Yaowen has rewarded him with the cultivation technique Wang Family Body Tempering Technique.]

[Villager...]

In a courtyard within Zhien Village, Li Yaowen was sitting under a peach blossom tree, with the villagers of Zhien Village queuing up in front of her.

"Fourth Miss, this is this year's tax silver."

"Is this the Wang Family? Since your Wang Ergou sacrificed himself in Tailin Town last year, you are exempt from tax silver. Here, you have two children, go collect a copy of the Wang Family Body Tempering Technique."

"Thank you, Fourth Miss."

"Next."

"Fourth Miss, I've come to apply for the guard squad. I've reached the Qi Refining Realm."

"Application rejected. You are the only seedling left in your Liu Family. How about this: you go serve as an instructor first to teach the village children how to cultivate. You will receive medicinal soup as a salary, which can accelerate your cultivation. Come back and apply once you have children of your own."

"Thank you, Fourth Miss."

"Next..."

After reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm, Li Dalong had clearly become a strategic-level expert; he didn't show his face at all, leaving many matters to Li Yaowen.

However, this was the norm for the family; experts were always meant to remain hidden.

They were constantly cultivating, while also leaving behind trump cards for the family.

However, handing the family over to Li Yaowen to manage was clearly the right choice.

Only under Li Yaowen's arrangements could the entire Zhien Village and the Li Family have such peaceful and steady development, with every matter properly planned.

[Li Family Year 35.]

[A Daoist from the Litian Sect in Taiqing City passed through Zhien Village and happened to see Li Yunlin training in combat against a demonic beast. Deeply impressed that a 14-year-old had already reached the peak of the fifth level of Qi Refining and possessed masterful spear techniques, he felt Li Yunlin had a boundless future and wished to take him as a disciple.]

"The Litian Sect?"

Li Xiang raised an eyebrow.

In the game world, Tailin Town was equivalent to a starter village, while Taiqing City was the county seat, governing the thirteen towns beneath it.

This world was not just about families; there were also sects.

Generally speaking, sect forces were more powerful than family forces, and they occupied far more resources. Li Xiang had heard that the mayor of Tailin Town, and even the lord of Taiqing City, all followed the orders of large sect powers.

These sect powers sat firmly behind the scenes, dominating the entire world, and even the imperial court.

"Ancestor, this unfilial descendant intends to join the Litian Sect. In the Litian Sect, I will learn more formidable methods, and once I have achieved success, I will return to serve the family!"

Li Yunlin arrived at the ancestral hall immediately.

But the moment he stepped inside.

Li Yaoqing followed right behind him, "Hmph! What is so good about joining a sect? Does our Li Family lack resources or cultivation techniques? Have you mastered all the arts and martial skills we obtained from the Wang Family and the Hu Family?"

"Second Aunt..."

Li Yunlin hung his head. In the family and in Zhien Village, he felt like everyone was calling him a traitor to the Li Family, and he was constantly reminded of the past when his mother betrayed the family.

Li Yaoqing continued, "You don't know the methods of those sects. Once you join, they will tell you that to cultivate, you must first sever all worldly ties! They will use all sorts of ways to make you forget your former identity. You are young and might think you won't believe their nonsense, but what happens once you are actually at the Litian Sect?"

"Ten years, twenty years? Will you still remember that you are a member of the Li Family?"

Seeing the stubbornness in Li Yunlin's expression, Li Yaoqing narrowed her eyes.

She knelt before the ancestral hall, "Ancestor, let me break this unfilial descendant's legs. Let's see how he goes to the Litian Sect then!"

Watching the dispute on the game screen.

Li Xiang fell into deep thought. What Li Yaoqing described was the reality of joining a sect.

However, Li Xiang also understood Li Yunlin's current situation. This third-generation descendant had witnessed everything when his mother was expelled from the family; he likely harbored a mental demon. Otherwise, given his aptitude and the resources provided by the Li Family, he would not just be at the peak of the fifth level.

The child was already 14; perhaps seeing the outside world would be better. Although the map had not yet unlocked the location of the Litian Sect, Li Xiang had heard rumors that there were even Nascent Soul ancestors sitting in command within such sects!

If he went to the Litian Sect, Li Yunlin might become stronger than anyone in the Li Family, and besides, children and grandchildren have their own pursuits.

As an ancestor, he had no reason to stop him.

"Go."

Li Xiang clicked on the avatar of the Purple Thunder Heavenly Sun Python and entered the text. In an instant, the Purple Thunder Heavenly Sun Python opened its eyes and let out a serpentine hiss.

With Li Xiang's consent.

Li Yaoqing did not stop him either, merely scolding Li Yunlin, "You useless thing, you will regret this," before letting it go.

Although the scolding was harsh, the Li Family still saw Li Yunlin off, and Li Yaoqing even gifted Li Yunlin a Storage Ring filled with medicine for self-defense.

Soon.

In the scene, the Daoist from the Litian Sect stood on a flying sword with Li Yunlin, flicked his horsetail whisk, and broke through the air.

Not long after Li Yunlin left.

"Ah!!!"

[Bai Rourou, after ten months of pregnancy, gave birth to a son, named Li Yundou!]

[Congratulations, you have gained +10 Incense!]

"Holy crap, this kid looks huge!"

The newborn let out a cry as he entered the world!

At this moment, the Li family gathered in the courtyard again, and Li Yaotie was spinning around holding the child!

Li Xiang rubbed his hands together.

After this kid got married, he really put in the work; his wife was pregnant within two months.

Speaking of Bai Rourou, this formidable woman was no simple character either.

Only after she became a member of the Li Family did Li Xiang obtain her personal information. Bai Rourou was only 20 years old this year, yet she had already reached the eighth level of Qi Refining, and her aptitude was even that of a Dual Spiritual Root!

The Li Yundou they gave birth to also had good aptitude, similar to Li Yunlin, and especially looking at his size at birth, he would definitely be a carbon copy of Li Yaotie in the future!

A banquet was soon set up in the scene.

After the wedding, the people of Tailin Town came to the Li Family again to participate in the banquet.

Su Yun, the head of the Su Family, saw the astonishing changes in the Li Family and became even more certain that his initial choice had been correct.

He presented a piece of jade this time.

"Nephew, this jade can nourish a child; keep it by your side, and you shall be immune to all illnesses. It is engraved with the history of our two families, from the moment we met, to fighting side by side, and finally to the bond we share today, as close as brothers!"

The members of the Chen Family standing nearby turned dark in the face at the sight.

Chen Chuang gritted his teeth, "He's already sucking up to them? Engraving the friendship between the two families on the jade—he's trying to cultivate the child's affection for the Su Family from a young age, the old fox!"

In the real world, on the surface of the sea.

Two days had already passed since the excavation of the underwater ruins began.

They discovered that the scale of the ruins beneath was truly staggering!

At the same time, all sorts of artifacts from unknown eras were gradually being cleaned up by the staff.

Inside the history research lab.

A woman wearing glasses and a white lab coat was gazing at a piece of jade, her face filled with boundless joy.

"This piece of jade was likely a special magical artifact once, but due to the passage of time, its spiritual energy has long since dissipated. However, the text engraved upon it has been preserved remarkably well!"

"Tailin Great War... The Su Family exhausted the strength of their entire clan to help the Li Family achieve a great victory... Grandson Yundou possesses the potential of a Great Emperor..."

Xiao Qingling burst into laughter.

"Hahaha, as long as I record everything about this family, my discovery will shock the world!"