Establishing the Heart Through the Sword

When Li Dalong emerged from the Death-Stilling Heavenly Coffin.

This seemingly ordinary coffin had transformed into a dazzling silver, with mysterious patterns emerging upon its surface.

Without Li Dalong needing to say a word, Li Xiang could already see the information for the Death-Stilling Heavenly Coffin!

[Death-Stilling Heavenly Coffin]

[Grade: Top-tier Spirit Treasure]

[Unsealed, First Layer!]

[The owner of the first layer may unlock the authority of the Heavenly Coffin to battle the endless stream of Qi Refining zombies within. The trial-taker is immortal and indestructible, possessing infinite true energy.]

[The Heavenly Coffin Corpse-Driver can use the Heavenly Coffin Corpse-Driving Technique to place the corpses of the deceased into the Heavenly Coffin and refine them into zombies!]

"Holy crap!"

This was merely the first layer of the Death-Stilling Heavenly Coffin, yet its powerful functions still left Li Xiang feeling shocked.

It could be said that once the family obtained this opportunity, they would begin to take off instantly!

"If I have a need, I can also take the Heavenly Coffin out to use."

One day in the real world is one year in the game world; he could send it back to the Li Family the very same day he took it out!

"Whew."

Li Xiang could even feel his own heartbeat at this moment; this was a Top-tier Spirit Treasure, after all. If it were placed in the real world, it would instantly trigger a bloody storm!

"Calm down, calm down."

Suppressing the excitement in his heart, Li Xiang also managed to steady himself.

He watched as Li Dalong entered the Death-Stilling Heavenly Coffin once more, this time entering the second layer of the trial.

It was another space devoid of light.

However, this time.

Li Dalong was facing countless Hopping Zombies!

Compared to the previous zombies, these things possessed stronger physical bodies. They could even emit black true energy and leap several meters high, with each one possessing the strength of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

He hadn't even been inside for half a moment.

Li Dalong had already been swamped by these Hopping Zombies. In just one minute, he had died several times, forcing him to retreat from the Death-Stilling Heavenly Coffin.

"Too terrifying. Even a False Core Stage expert might not be able to unlock the authority of the second layer!"

Emerging from the Heavenly Coffin.

Li Dalong still felt a lingering fear.

With the Death-Stilling Heavenly Coffin, the members of the Li Family liked to lie in the coffin for a couple of days whenever they had free time, and their combat experience was constantly accumulating.

[Li Family Year 39.]

[Your family has taken the lead in establishing the Ancestral Spirit Array at the family residence!]

"Is this the power of the Ancestral Spirit Array Diagram?"

"Thank you, Ancestor, for your blessing. With the Ancestral Spirit Array, our family has another trump card to deal with enemies!"

"Even if a False Core expert breaks into our home, as long as we gather the strength of the entire clan, we can kill them in one strike!"

In the Ancestral Hall of the Li Family, all the clan members gathered together.

The ground was glowing, and mysterious ancient characters appeared on the floor, forming a diagram of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams.

At the same time.

Spiritual energy emerged from everyone's bodies, converging toward Li Dalong, who held his right hand high, forming a long sword as dazzling as the scorching sun!

This sword gathered the strength of all the Li Clan Members.

"It's finally complete."

Li Xiang was also delighted by the completion of the Ancestral Spirit Array Diagram; this was only Li Dalong gathering the strength of the clan members.

As long as the spirit array diagram was gradually carved throughout the entire Zhien Village.

Everyone in Zhien Village would be able to converge their power onto the long sword, which was undoubtedly the strongest means of protecting the clan.

But the surprises of this year had not yet ended.

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

[Obtained Incense +10]

The members of the Li Family were already kneeling and bowing in the Ancestral Hall, and Li Yaotie was even holding the chubby baby boy and kowtowing repeatedly.

"Ancestor bless us, I've had four now, hahaha, I'm going to have more!"

Bai Rourou rolled her eyes at her husband, "Did you give birth to them? Isn't it because I have wide hips?"

"Hahaha!"

In an instant, the Ancestral Hall was filled with laughter and joy.

Li Xiang was also amused.

Come to think of it, Bai Rourou, this daughter-in-law of the Li Family, was far better than the previous Qu Xiaoxia.

This girl's personality was as tough as her physique, and she spoke her mind directly. Since the members of the Li Family were originally from the mountains, they liked her even more. Furthermore, Bai Rourou was extremely diligent and began helping the family with their affairs shortly after they were married.

People say women are inherently weak, but Bai Rourou was different. Hearing that people from Zhien Village had been robbed by horse bandits while she was still in the early stages of pregnancy, she picked up a pair of battle axes to settle the score, capturing the bandits from an entire stronghold and dragging them to Tailin Town to be dealt with by the authorities.

Continue accelerating time.

Li Xiang was already prepared to welcome the arrival of the ten-year grand sacrifice.

Yet, this year, the Li Family continued to bring him new surprises.

[Your descendant Li Yaoqing has successfully refined the 'Black Jade Intermittent Ointment'!]

"Ancestor, Yaoqing has finally succeeded!"

An ointment capable of regrowing severed limbs!

This substance was pitch black and stored in a specially crafted small gourd.

"A genius!"

Li Xiang sighed in heartfelt admiration, then bestowed a 'Love from the Ancestor' upon Li Yaoqing.

Perhaps Li Yaoqing's aptitude for cultivation was poor.

But when it came to his comprehension of alchemy, he was truly a genius among geniuses. Real alchemists were rare, though not non-existent. They also possessed medicinal formulas, but alchemy was not something easily mastered, even with a recipe.

It required the use of one's own spiritual energy to wash and cleanse the concoction, completing the refinement of impurities through layers of complex processes.

"Thank you for the reward, Ancestor. Yaoqing is going into seclusion. Once I reach the Foundation Establishment Realm and possess Dantian Fire, I will be able to attempt refining eighth-grade potions!"

After saying this, Li Yaoqing left the Ancestral Hall and headed to the training room to enter seclusion.

Following Li Yaoqing's departure, the lad Li Yaotie also arrived at the Ancestral Hall.

"Ancestor, this child is also going into seclusion. Once I possess Dantian Fire, I can try to refine this arm of mine!"

Li Yaotie bared his teeth in a grin.

This lad had always wanted to forge a War Puppet, but he could never quite grasp the essence of it; after all, the biotechnology within a War Puppet was something Li Yaotie could not comprehend. However, after he lost his arm and began using a prosthetic, he started to develop other ideas.

"So you're planning to walk the path of mechanical ascension..."

Li Xiang raised an eyebrow, though he knew he was only joking. Transforming oneself into a machine required things like chips, which were far beyond their reach. Still, Li Yaotie always had some unexpected ideas.

For instance, the equipment Li Yaotie forged... the attributes were very random...

Using the exact same forging process, two sets of Black Iron Beast Blood Armor could end up with two completely different attributes.

The two siblings had only just entered seclusion.

Suddenly, a surge of true energy erupted within the Li Family compound, and the manifestation of their aura became visible.

[Your descendant Li Yaozu has successfully broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm and emerged from seclusion!]

[After many years of seclusion, his spiritual roots have undergone a transformation, discarding his weakest earth and fire roots.]

[His basic swordsmanship has reached the pinnacle of perfection. Combining his years of insight with the 'Sword Radiance' technique, he has comprehended the peak-level common sword technique Hundred Shadow Sword Radiance!]

[Obtained profession—Swordsman!]

"Holy crap!"

Li Xiang slapped the table. Only now did he understand why Li Yaozu had been in seclusion for so many years.

So this lad had been holding back a major move!

To comprehend a sword technique on one's own was equivalent to founding a sect. Although the sword technique he realized was only at the peak of the common level, self-created techniques often unleashed double the power when used by the creator. In Li Yaozu's hands, this peak common-level sword technique could likely reach the level of a Yellow-grade technique!

Looking at Li Yaozu's spiritual roots, his strongest wood root had even increased directly to 83 points.

"Establishing my heart through the sword. Ancestor, I have attained enlightenment. From this day forward, your descendant Yaozu shall be the sword of the Li Family!"

Li Yaozu stood straight and tall.

Li Xiang felt gratified for this eldest son of the Li Family. This lad had never been the one with the best aptitude in the family.

However, due to his age, Li Yaozu had experienced more than anyone else and was more diligent than anyone else. This was the reason why, despite having five-element spiritual roots, he was always able to stay at the forefront.

Even the now 9-year-old Li Yunbing, though very afraid of Li Yaozu, took him as a role model and practiced his martial arts day and night.

As for Li Yunlin...

"What is that lad doing?"

Li Xiang suddenly remembered Li Yunlin, who had gone to the Litian Sect to cultivate, and couldn't help but click on Li Yunlin's avatar.

Time flew by; the stubborn child from back then had grown into a handsome young man.

But at this moment...

He was sitting alone in meditation inside a cave, with a stone tablet at the entrance. Cliff of Reflection?

"Hmm???"

Li Xiang scratched his head. Wasn't this child scouted by the Daoist masters of the Litian Sect?

Why was he already facing the wall in reflection?

He wondered if Li Yunlin had gone to the wrong place, but at a glance, the map confirmed it was indeed the Litian Sect. The sect was not small, occupying an entire mountain that pierced the clouds, filled with jade towers and magnificent pavilions—truly a celestial realm away from the mortal world.

[Li Yunlin (Third-generation member)]

[Realm: Peak of the 6th level of Qi Refining]

[Arts and Techniques: Litian Secret Canon (Restricted), Basic Sword Technique, Wang Family Body Tempering Art, Gale Step...]

[Trait: Humiliating Self-Proof]

Several years had passed, and Li Yunlin, who had intended to pursue advanced studies at the Litian Sect, had only improved by a single minor realm.

Feeling puzzled.

Li Xiang opened Li Yunlin's character history events.

[Year 35 of the Li Family, joined the Litian Sect.]

[In September of the same year, during a battle between the Litian Sect and the Xuanwu Sect, his master died a tragic death.]

[Year 36 of the Li Family, demoted to an outer disciple.]

[Year 37, because he risked his life to retrieve his master's remains and killed a disciple of the Xuanwu Sect, nearly triggering another war between the two sects, he was punished with five years of reflection at the Cliff of Reflection.]

"..."

Li Xiang suddenly felt some regret for letting Li Yunlin join the Litian Sect; given this situation, he would have been better off cultivating in the Li Family!

And now.

Since Li Yunlin had already joined the Litian Sect, there was really nothing he could do, especially since the Litian Sect had a Nascent Soul ancestor holding down the fort!

"Forget it, everyone has their own path to choose, and destinies are all different. Li Yunlin, you must look after yourself."

Li Xiang shook his head and still bestowed upon Li Yunlin a dose of 'Love from the Ancestor'.

Li Yunlin, who was reflecting at the Cliff of Reflection, felt a warmth spread through his body. He was all too familiar with this sensation, and his eyes instantly turned red.

"Ancestor, are you watching over this child from the heavens?"

"This child has no regrets, and I have never forgotten that I am a part of the Li Family."

"Please rest assured, Ancestor, this child will definitely make a name for himself in the Litian Sect and will not be inferior to my father!"

Li Xiang could only sigh and shake his head.

However, his gaze soon locked onto Li Yunlin's arts and techniques.

"Litian Secret Canon? It has a restriction? I wonder if I can..."