Half a month later.
Little Moon Mountain was decked out in lanterns and colorful decorations, livelier than even during festivals.
Under Aaron's lead, the cultivators brought along the old and the young and had been waiting early in the plaza for their clansmen to return.
As time ticked by second by second, there was still no sign of anything in the eastern sky.
Some cultivators could not help growing restless. Li Yaotian lowered his eyes, seemingly lost in thought.
Only Aaron remained calm and composed, his hands tucked into his sleeves as he continued to wait.
By noon.
A flash of light appeared on the eastern horizon, and a massive floating flying boat abruptly emerged.
"They're here!"
Many members of the Li Family cried out in excitement.
The flying boat slowly came to a stop, and streaks of escape light descended from it.
Once they clearly saw the figures within those streaks of light and how they were dressed, the entire Li Family fell into dead silence.
The cultivators descending from the sky were all clad in plain white—they were dressed in mourning clothes!
It formed a stark contrast with Little Moon Mountain's festive atmosphere.
"Li Family, Supreme Elder... I have returned."
Dressed in coarse mourning cloth with white fabric wrapped around his head, Li Yaohuo personally carried an urn as he came before Aaron and the Li Family members.
"It is good that you have returned. You are all fine sons of the Li Family. You have worked hard in this campaign, so I, your ancestor, specially prepared a banquet for you."
As though he had not seen the reddened eyes of those clansmen, Aaron laughed heartily.
"In seventy years of war, two hundred and seventy-one Li Family cultivators went to the front. One hundred and thirty-eight died in