The Journey Home and Hidden Worries

The stench of blood had yet to fully disperse from the valley, while the lingering fluctuations of Soul Power spoke of the brutality of the battle that had taken place. Li Xuansheng took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart as his consciousness sank into the system.

"System, submit and complete Mission Three: Successful Kill!"

[Ding! Detected that the host has successfully killed an enemy Super Douluo (Qiu Qianlie, Level 97) and two Titled Douluo (Level 91 ×2), fulfilling the completion requirements for Mission Three!]

[Mission rewards issued: 200 Summoning Points! One Level 99 Limit Douluo Summoning Card!]

[Current Summoning Points: 400.]

Looking at the Level 99 Summoning Card in the system space, flowing with heart-palpitating power, as well as his replenished Summoning Points, Li Xuansheng finally felt somewhat reassured. This was a powerful trump card capable of turning the tide!

The situation was urgent, leaving no room for delay. Li Xuansheng swiftly made a final confirmation with Principal Mu and Ye Qi.

"Brother Ye Qi, Principal Mu, our agreement remains unchanged. In five days, my Li Family will send people to meet you. The journey is long, so please be sure to stay safe," Li Xuansheng said solemnly.

Ye Qi nodded forcefully, his clear eyes filled with gratitude and anticipation for the future. "Young Master Li, rest assured. I will be waiting on time."

Principal Mu repeatedly gave his assurance as well. With that, the two sides parted ways. The group from Azure Stone Academy hurried away, carrying both the relief of surviving the disaster and hopes for the future.

After seeing Ye Qi and the others off, Li Xuansheng immediately used the family's specially made emergency communication Soul Tool to send a concise report to Heavenly Phoenix City about everything that had happened in the Azure Jade Forest—especially the conflict with the Qiu Family, their loss of three Titled Douluo, and Qiu Qiansha's escape. He knew this news would inevitably cause a tremendous uproar at home.

"We must return immediately!" Elder Dongyue Qingxuan said in a deep voice, his expression grave. "Qiu Qiansha escaped. The Qiu Family will never let this go, and the war may come sooner than expected."

Everyone understood the gravity of the situation. They could not afford to search too carefully now. Relying on the powerful senses of two Super Douluo, they soon found a Heavenheart Fox that met their requirements, roughly 1,400 years old. This type of soul beast excelled at spiritual interference and illusions, making it perfectly suited for Dongyue Xuejian's Heavenly Heart Ring.

Under the protection of Dongyue Qingxuan and Li Tianwu, Dongyue Xuejian successfully completed the kill and absorption, obtaining her third Soul Ring and raising her Soul Power to Level 31.

With that, every objective of the trip had been accomplished. The group did not linger any longer. Led by the two Super Douluo, Li Tianwu and Dongyue Qingxuan, they traveled at full speed toward Heavenly Phoenix City. The journey there had taken over twenty days, but the return trip took less than two-thirds as long.

When the towering walls of Heavenly Phoenix City came into view, everyone let out a sigh of relief.

After returning, Elder Dongyue Qingxuan politely declined the immediate celebration banquet. He needed to return to the Dongyue Family at once to report the situation to the family head and discuss countermeasures. After solemnly bidding farewell to Li Xuansheng and the others with the Dongyue Family disciples, he hurried away.

Within the Li Family residence, however, there was jubilation and shock.

Family Head Li Yuanhui personally led the core members remaining behind—Chen Jianjun, Li She Long, Li Tiancheng, and the others—to greet them at the gates. When they saw Li Tianwu, whose aura was unfathomably deep and whose sword intent pierced the heavens, and Li Changlong, whose burly frame radiated an intimidating murderous aura, even Li Yuanhui and the others, despite being mentally prepared, were overcome with unbelievable delight.

That night, the Li Family held a grand banquet to welcome Li Tianwu and Li Changlong's "return" and celebrate the Soul Hunting team's fruitful journey. At the banquet, Li Yuanhui formally bestowed elder positions upon Li Tianwu and Li Changlong, granting them the family's patronage. The entire Li Family was immersed in celebration and excitement over their explosive rise in strength.

Yet after the celebration, dark clouds still hung overhead.

After the banquet ended, the Li Family's core members—Family Head Li Yuanhui, Young Master Li Xuansheng, and six Titled Douluo elders: Chen Jianjun (98), Li Tianwu (98), Li She Long (94), Li Changlong (92), Li Tiancheng (93), and Li Tianji (92)—gathered in a brightly lit secret chamber. The atmosphere was solemn.

Li Xuansheng was the first to give a detailed report on Ye Qi's situation and his astonishing talent.

"Level 30 at ten years old, a super martial soul... This child possesses limitless potential. If he can truly pledge his loyalty to us, he will become a great asset to the Li Family in the future." After pondering for a moment, Li Yuanhui made his decision. "In five days, we will proceed as Xuansheng suggested. Elder Tianwu will personally make the trip, protect them in secret, and ensure that his entire family is brought safely back to Heavenly Phoenix City." Li Tianwu nodded and accepted the order.

The topic then shifted to the most pressing threat—the Qiu Family.

Li Yuanhui swept his gaze across the room, his voice heavy. "Everyone, the Li Family now openly possesses six Titled Douluo. Our strength can be said to be greater than ever before. However, our enemy, the Qiu Family..." He paused before continuing, "According to our years of investigation, the Qiu Family has more than twenty Titled Douluo in the open alone! This time, they have consecutively lost Qiu Wanhe, Level 94; Qiu Qianlie, Level 97; and two Level 91 Titled Douluo. It has dealt them a severe blow, but with their remaining forces, along with those hidden in the shadows, they likely still have at least twenty Titled Douluo!"

This number left everyone present except Li Xuansheng feeling suffocated. Six against twenty—the disparity remained enormous.

"Moreover," Chen Jianjun slowly spoke, voicing their greatest concern, "the Qiu Family still has two Level 99 Limit Douluo overseeing it. Although Qiu Qiansha escaped after being injured this time, the other one, Qiu Qianchi, is in his true peak condition. That is the insurmountable chasm before us."

"Furthermore, the Qiu Family's ancestor, Qiu Qianchen, is a Level 104 Divine Official. Although the gods of the continent made an agreement that deities cannot intervene unless a family faces extinction, we must still take him into consideration." Li Yuanhui shook his head and revealed an even crueler fact.

Li Tianji added, "And while the Dongyue Family is our steadfast ally, they also have their blood feud with Five Poisons Valley to guard against. They cannot devote their full strength to helping us fight the Qiu Family. No matter how strong the Dongyue Family is, they cannot handle the combined pressure of the Qiu Family and Five Poisons Valley at the same time."

The atmosphere in the secret chamber grew increasingly oppressive. Their surge in strength had brought temporary joy, but after a calm analysis, they still faced an almost despairing difference in power. Even after losing four Titled Douluo, the colossal Qiu Family still possessed overwhelming strength.

Everyone spoke in turn, analyzing the situation and discussing countermeasures. From strengthening city defenses and contacting allies to allocating resources and evacuating younger family members, every possibility was raised for discussion. Though Li Xuansheng's cultivation was still shallow as the young master, the decisiveness and "luck" he had displayed during this incident meant that his opinions were held in high regard.

This meeting, which concerned the survival of the family, continued until the eastern sky began to pale with dawn, yet they still failed to devise a foolproof plan. But no matter what, the Li Family had to prepare itself for the coming storm.

(End of Chapter 15)