"Old Ancestor, the Zhao Clan has suffered a loss at our hands, but this child can confirm that since Chang'an laid out the major figures connected to our Li family on the table, the Zhao Clan will certainly have more misgivings..."
Inside the Ancestor Space, Li Kuangren, leading many of the children, was reporting the clan's affairs to Li Wei.
This made Li Wei feel dazed.
He recalled how, back in the day, Li Dalong would report the family's situation to the Old Ancestor in the Ancestral Hall whenever he had a moment; now, the children of the family were all in secluded cultivation, one by one, and the one who came to report had become Li Kuangren.
The heavy burden of the family had also fallen onto Li Kuangren's head.
[Year 510]
[Special Event—Shadowfell Prefecture in Crisis]
[Following the Wu Clan's invasion from the southwest, Shadowfell Prefecture has had half its territory occupied by the Wu Clan.
The totems of the various Wu Clan tribes are overjoyed by this and feel even more strongly that the Human Race's fated luck has run out.
The various prefectures and cities of the Azure Dynasty are hurriedly dispatching cultivators to Shadowfell Prefecture to guard the border.]
This year, a spirit ark from Shadowfell Prefecture landed on the border of Eternal Sun Prefecture. A group of cultivators with bloodshot eyes emerged.
Upon entering Merit City and seeing its scene, which was like a paradise beyond the mortal world, they were instantly overcome, their eyes brimming, and cried out loudly on the spot.
When Li Kuangren arrived, the lead cultivator kowtowed deeply in greeting.
He was a young general; judging by his age and bone frame, he was no more than a hundred years old, yet his entire body was saturated with killing intent. Even kneeling on the ground, his back remained ramrod straight.
"Xu Shihua of Shadowfell Prefecture, begs... begs the Li family to dispatch troops to aid my Shadowfell Prefecture!"
"Huu." Li Kuangren looked at this group of cultivators, his heart filled with a myriad of emotions.
He was, without a doubt, the one in the family who most detested the Imperial Court.
He could never forget that time when Azure Cloud Region was isolated and without aid, and he could never forget the cold indifference and heartlessness of the court officials.
The Human Emperor, Min Youguo, Lin Jiu, even old generals like that Dongfang Liancheng—he regarded them all as no better than pigs and dogs.
But what these superiors did had nothing to do with these cultivators and common folk.
Li Kuangren took a deep breath and helped the many cultivators from Shadowfell Prefecture up, one by one.
"In this age of great chaos, our Li family also has its own troubles. But everyone, rest assured. For now, rest in my Merit City for a few days. I believe my Eternal Sun Prefecture and Duravia Trade Prefecture will still have soldiers willing to travel far to the battlefield."
"On behalf of the million soldiers of Shadowfell, I thank you, Your Excellency!"
That young general, Xu Shihua, seemed to have never expected Li Kuangren to agree so readily. With his eyes bloodshot, he kowtowed to Li Kuangren repeatedly.
[Your descendant, Li Kuangren, within one month, gathered one hundred thousand soldiers from Eternal Sun Prefecture and Duravia Trade Prefecture to aid the young general Xu Shihua in traveling far to the battlefields of Shadowfell Prefecture.
Acquired Trait: Benevolent King]
[The name of the Li family's Li Kuangren has spread throughout Shadowfell Prefecture. He has earned the gratitude of the people of Shadowfell Prefecture.
Qi Luck slightly increased, Merit increased.]
At this moment, spirit arks from the Azure Cloud Region floated into the air, one after another, numbering about two hundred.
On them were also many supplies and war Dharma instruments sent from Azure Cloud Region's Hundred Treasures Mountain.
In truth, these years of heavy snow were the best time for conscripting soldiers, and also the easiest time to invite cultivators to come out of seclusion.
At least on the battlefield, there were fortuitous opportunities. For cultivators with even a little aptitude, joining the army meant they could at least earn some Spirit Stones.
"Uncle Kuangren." Xu Shihua stayed in Merit City for a month and was extremely respectful toward Li Kuangren.
"This time, perhaps this nephew will never see Uncle again. But, please rest assured, Uncle. This nephew will charge into the fray on the battlefield and exterminate those Wu Clan dog-barbarians!"
The spirit arks departed in a vast and mighty procession.
Li Kuangren was expressionless, his thoughts instantly returning to those years of slaughter in Azure Cloud Region.
"Great-Uncle."
Li Xinnian also, along with the Li family members and the soldiers' families who had come to see them off, watched the spirit arks depart.
Li Xinnian frowned and said, "Shadowfell Prefecture, in such a state, is the Wu Clan's domain. I wonder how many of the cultivators we've sent will be able to return."
Li Kuangren patted Li Xinnian's shoulder and said with a laugh:
"You don't know, but back then, when we were in such a predicament, how much we hoped someone would help us. We aren't just helping Shadowfell Prefecture; we're also helping our past selves."
Hearing this, Li Chang'an and Li Xinnian, who were off to the side, both looked thoughtful.
Suddenly, they were stunned for a moment. Li Kuangren looked left and right for a moment. "Chang'an, where is your Aunt Kuanghua?"
Aboard the Spirit Arks heading toward the battlefield, the soldiers from the Duravia Trade Prefecture and the Eternal Sun Prefecture all had resolute gazes.
When the Li family called upon them, they said, "When the nest is overturned, can any egg remain unbroken?"
In truth, the Wu Clan's invasion was already a matter of vital concern to every single one of them.
Amidst the crowd, a short, robed figure suddenly squeezed to the edge of the spirit ark, gazing at Merit City as it grew ever more distant.
As she pulled back the hood of her robe, it revealed a small head with a ponytail and a yellow skirt.
Li Kuanghua stood on her tiptoes, leaning against the railing. She took a deep breath of fresh air, and then her face filled with a smile. "Hee hee, battlefield, here I come!"
Following Li Kuanghua's cheer, a small white snake appeared on her shoulder.
This little snake was holding a small piece of golden iron in its mouth, which it swallowed down in one gulp.
It then roared savagely at Li Kuanghua in a very human-like manner, "Little girl, you're already at such an old age, what are you doing learning from others and running away from home? This old master was sleeping! I could have slept for another dozen years, and you just up and dragged me away!"
"Alright, alright, stop talking."
Li Kuanghua flicked Old Flood Dragon with her small hand.
"Damn it, the elders back home have all gone to cultivate. They're all preparing for the fortuitous opportunity to break through to the Void Refining realm. Who knows what year they'll finally come out of seclusion.
"I'm not a law cultivator; I'm a body cultivator. The battlefield and the Wu Clan's blood are the real treasures for me. Besides, don't I still have you, old senior, and the Old Ancestor protecting me?"
"Don't you dare spout nonsense! I'm not qualified to be mentioned in the same breath as the Master." A trace of fear flashed in Lao Gen'er's eyes, and he glanced left and right for a moment.
Only it knew that the family's mysterious Old Ancestor, its mysterious Master, really knows how to hold a grudge.
However, Old Flood Dragon's big eyes were also filled with pride.
He had received the Dragon Scale sent by the family and was not far from breaking through to the Divinity Transformation realm. Under the bloodline's blessing, he could even instantly break through to the peak of the Divinity Transformation realm.
This is the bloodline of a Dragon!