Devilish Cultivators Wreak Havoc

The tenacity of Li Dalong's character is truly rare.

Otherwise, he would never have been able to lead his family from the countryside, during a year of severe drought, to such a state of prosperity relying solely on a single copy of the Qi Refiner Cultivation Manual.

If it were anyone else, Li Xiang reckons he would have had to trigger the Ancestral Patriarch's Fury every single day.

[Trait: Achieve Greatness]

[Late bloomer; cultivation speed increased by 20%. Having overcome inner demons, your state of mind is open and your comprehension is improved, making it easier to successfully master arts and martial techniques!]

After returning from Tingfeng Town, Li Dalong's first act was to burn incense and kowtow.

Li Xiang glanced at the amount of Incense he currently possessed--

.

"Still a long way to go."

Li Xiang raised an eyebrow. As the number of descendants in the Li Family grew, he could basically obtain 3,000 Incense every year, with even more during special events.

He had long coveted the Earth-grade technique, Phantom Heavenly Cluster Steps, found within the Litian Secret Canon.

Now, after years of cultivation, Li Yaozu, who had delved the deepest into it, had only reached 28% progress.

"By the time Yaozu can truly master this technique to the point of perfection, it will probably take 100,000 Incense points to replicate it."

Li Xiang pondered how to best utilize these Incense points.

[Your family has constructed a large-scale training room, named the Three-Story Martial Practice Tower!]

He followed the prompt in the event log.

He saw that.

In the center of Zhien Village, a three-story spire stood tall. After learning the details, Li Xiang understood that under the guidance of the master the Li Family had hired at a high price, this Martial Practice Tower had become a large-scale magical artifact in its own right. As long as no one dug up the tower, the existence of the Martial Practice Spirit Pearl would remain undiscovered.

The Martial Practice Tower could manifest the phantoms of experts; as long as there were enough Spirit Stones, they would demonstrate arts and martial techniques day and night, which could also increase the spiritual energy within the tower.

Those at the third level of Qi Refining could enter the first floor, and so on.

The members of the Li Family immediately took the thirty-six insights into arts and martial techniques they had collected over the years, including the Wang Family Body Tempering Art, Dragon Wandering Footwork, and Clear Wind Art, and channeled them into the Martial Practice Tower using their mana.

As for the Li family members, they now placed greater importance on cultivating the Litian Secret Canon.

After dealing with the matters of the Martial Practice Tower, the Li family members gathered together. For them, eradicating the Tingfeng Martial Pavilion was merely the beginning!

Li Yaowen said to Li Dalong, who was sitting in the head seat of the house: "Father, the matter of the Tingfeng Martial Pavilion was handled very cleanly; no one suspects us. Since you used the Thunder-Attracting Heavenly Scripture of the Litian Sect, the Xuanwu Sect has begun to suspect that it was the Litian Sect who took action."

"Hmm."

Li Dalong nodded slightly. The past had vanished like the wind, and he was now as steady as an ancient tree in a gale. "Let this matter rest; do not speak of it again. We, the Li Family, are just a small family, which is our best disguise."

"Understood, Father."

Li Yaowen took a sip of tea and said in a low voice: "The trip to Qingting River Valley we planned earlier must be called off."

As soon as these words were spoken, before Li Dalong could respond.

Li Yaoqing became anxious instead. "Why? Has something happened? What about the Heavenly Heart Grass?"

During these days, the Li Family had been planning more than just the Tingfeng Martial Pavilion.

As the family developed and conducted business everywhere, they had both friends and enemies.

Now was the time for settling accounts.

The Qingting River Valley that Li Yaowen mentioned was one such place; their sect's base held a large amount of Heavenly Heart Grass.

It was also a key herb missing from the new medicine Li Yaoqing wanted to refine!

"Devilish Cultivators."

Li Yaowen's two simple words caused the expressions of the Li family members to shift.

Devilish Cultivators exist in this world, and they are often different from ordinary cultivators. To achieve rapid cultivation, their techniques often violate the laws of nature.

They either use human blood for sacrifices or use humans as cauldrons for cultivation.

It is much like cannibalism, and of the unrefined sort, akin to eating human brains raw. Such cultivation, much like how Li Xiang knew that cannibalism leads to disease, causes them to become insane, irritable, bloodthirsty, and greedy.

One can think of them as cultivators who are constantly high on drugs.

"I received the news from the Su Family; the small sect we had our eyes on was snatched up by others."

Li Yaowen continued: "The scene was left with the unique aura of Devilish Cultivators, and their methods were unorthodox. They were extremely cunning, taking advantage of the war between the two sects to act while no one was paying attention, and they vanished without a trace after succeeding."

"My Heavenly Heart Grass!"

Li Yaoqing knew that once the Heavenly Heart Grass fell into the hands of Devilish Cultivators, it would be impossible to get back, and he instantly became listless.

Just then.

A guard belonging to the Li Family's Black Blood Hall hurried over to report, and the moment he held up a token, the expressions of the Li family members froze.

A token from the Litian Sect!

Li Dalong took the token, and a beam of white light entered his mind.

It was a message left within the token by an expert of the Litian Sect using their mana.

In just a moment, Li Dalong narrowed his eyes.

"There is news about the Heavenly Heart Grass."

[Special Event]

[Demonic Cultivator Menace]

[Due to the great war between the two sects, the experts of the Litian Sect are too occupied to attend to the mundane affairs of Taiqing City. Upon hearing of the chaos caused by the demonic cultivators, the sect's disciples have descended the mountain to gain experience and are cordially inviting experts from all factions to assist the Litian Sect in eliminating the demons!]

After receiving the order from the Litian Sect, Li Dalong went to the Ancestral Hall to report.

Li Xiang also saw the information.

Eliminating demons and defending the path?

It was actually quite interesting; sects like the Litian Sect and the Xuanwu Sect all claimed to be righteous factions.

Yet, look at how many lives were lost when they opened the Ancient Tomb?

The two sects waged war every so often, stirring up trouble.

But to say they were evil...

Whenever the demonic cultivators caused harm, they were quite proactive in stepping up.

While he was pondering, Li Dalong knelt and kowtowed, "Ancestors, I have come to bid you farewell. During the next Grand Sacrifice, I will only be able to offer incense to you from afar!"

As these words were spoken.

The members of the Li Family were stunned.

Li Xiang also frowned; listening to Li Dalong, it seemed he intended to participate in this operation to eradicate the demonic cultivators.

He saw small text appear above Li Dalong's head.

"The disciples of the Litian Sect have found the location of the demonic cultivators: the Thunder-Fire Demon Cave! If the Temple Guardian Beast wishes to undergo metamorphosis, the Thunder-Fire Demon Cave contains the very Heavenly Thunder and Earthly Fire it needs!"

No wonder Li Dalong was getting involved in this.

Li Xiang felt a stir of excitement as well.

If the Purple Thunder Heavenly Sun Python wanted to advance to the rank of Demon King, the Heavenly Thunder and Earthly Fire were one of the necessary conditions!

But...

The location of this mission was very far away, not a journey of a single day. Eliminating the demons was already difficult enough, and the Litian Sect disciples coming for training were just greenhorns; they didn't even know the exact number or strength of the demonic cultivators, making the danger level extremely high.

Just as Li Xiang was considering whether he should take this risk.

The members of the Li Family in the Ancestral Hall had already begun deciding who would go.

"The Temple Guardian Beast is the strongest existence in our Li Family. If it can evolve into a Demon King, it will be a blessing for our family."

Li Dalong looked around at everyone, finally fixing his gaze on Xu Cuihua, "Wife, in the days I am away, you must take charge of the family affairs."

As soon as he said this, the Li Family members became anxious.

"Father, how can you go? You are the head of the family; everyone relies on you!"

"That's right, Father, let me go! I'm bored at the Black Blood Hall anyway."

"Husband, you cannot go under any circumstances; the family cannot function without you. On the contrary, I can fight against a False Core Stage cultivator using the Tianjun Seal. Besides, my Spirit Beast Pavilion has already moved to the Silver Iron Forest, and with the old pig helping to watch over it, I have no other pressing duties."

They all knew that although this trip was led by Litian Sect disciples, it was still fraught with danger.

"Enough!"

Suddenly, Li Yaoqing, who was usually somewhat reticent, raised her voice, causing everyone to fall silent.

Feeling everyone's gaze, Li Yaoqing rubbed her messy hair, a smile appearing on her dirty face, making her white teeth stand out even more, "Father, please don't go. Big Brother is right; for so many years, it has always been you and Fourth Sister who have been out in the public eye. The families we secretly control only recognize you; if you are gone for too long, chaos will ensue."

"Mother, you can't go either; your identity as a demon cultivator is inconvenient."

Glancing at her relieved eldest brother.

Li Yaoqing said, "Big Brother shouldn't go either."

"Hmm?" Li Yaozu frowned.

"The plans Fourth Sister made require the Black Blood Hall, and only Big Brother is most familiar with the people there. Besides, you can't have Father dragging the Black Blood Hall all over the place, can you?"

Once she finished speaking, she looked at Li Yaotie, who was already standing tall and proud.

Li Yaoqing rolled her eyes, "Third Brother..."

"You have seven children who haven't grown up yet. Do you want them to not even recognize you when you return? And the Forging Pavilion—so many years have passed, and you are the only refiner. Everyone in the family is waiting for you to forge high-grade magical artifacts."

These words struck Li Yaotie's weak spot.

Everyone's eyes turned to Li Yaoqing.

"Second Sister, are you going?" Li Yaowen's expression was complex. Everyone in the family had volunteered, but she was a weak woman with no cultivation, and could only watch helplessly as her family faced danger.

Whenever this happened, she questioned whether the path she had chosen was correct.

"What? Looking down on your Second Sister?"

Li Yaoqing teased with a laugh, her usually carefree face suddenly turning serious as she looked at her many relatives. "I am the most suitable choice. I have no more medicines to refine. The fifteen apprentices in my Spirit Herb Garden can all prepare standard potions, and I have one whom I adopted as a child and raised step-by-step into a ninth-grade apothecary; that is enough to fulfill the family's needs."

"Qing'er..."

Li Dalong wanted to persuade her otherwise.

But he was interrupted by Li Yaoqing. "Father, you know that when it comes to ability, I am not as good as you all, but with my potions and the new skills I have recently acquired, protecting my life will not be a problem."

"In terms of wit and intelligence, I am also not your match... excluding the third brother. But after experiencing so much over these years, I still understand how to deal with outsiders."

"Especially as a woman, outsiders will naturally look down on me, which is the best disguise in itself."

"Besides..."

"I'm not stupid. My goal is to find the devilish lair and investigate the situation regarding the Heavenly Thunder and Earthly Fire, not to throw my life away. If I encounter danger, can't I just run? Those Devilish Cultivators even stole my Heavenly Heart Grass; I intend to settle that score as well!"

Her words were logical and well-founded, leaving the members of the Li Family speechless.

Li Yaoqing immediately bowed toward the Ancestral Tablet and said in a solemn voice:

"I ask the ancestors to allow this child to take on this great responsibility!"

[Good.]

Li Xiang silently clicked on the icon of the Purple Thunder Heavenly Sun Python; Li Yaoqing had convinced him.

Immediately following this.

At the end of the year, as the Li Clan Grand Sacrifice approached.

Facing the cold wind, Li Yaoqing wore her usual thin clothes and walked to the entrance of Zhien Village, accompanied by four spirit beasts borrowed from the Silver Iron Forest.

She pulled the Ancestral Tablet from her bosom.

Then, she smiled at the family members who had seen her to the village entrance: "Don't worry, I'm taking the ancestors out with me. Whether it's the Litian Sect or the Devilish Cultivators, with the ancestors' protection, I am not going to my death. I will let them know that in the territory of Taiqing County, there is a Li Family."

"The Li Family has a daughter, Li Yaoqing!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the members of the Li Family laughed.

"Well said!"

Li Dalong squinted his eyes. "Yaoqing, there will be people from all the major powers of Taiqing County on this trip. Don't be afraid of trouble; if anything happens, just send a letter back."

"Dad, I'm already forty-two, not a child anymore."

Li Yaoqing gave a wry smile.

Then, under the gaze of everyone, she slowly turned around and headed in the direction of Taiqing County, waving her hand.

In the afterglow of the setting sun, the clothes that usually looked dirty from her time in the Spirit Herb Garden, along with her slender frame, made her look like a glowing celestial maiden.