Early the next morning, Li Chang'an stepped out of Hu Liena's home, stretched his limbs a bit, and let out a wicked, devil-may-care smile.
'Not gonna lie, Nana appearance after martial soul possession really adds a whole different kind of... flavor.'
What's more, Hu Liena was born with a naturally seductive au ra. Even though it was her first time, she adapted fast. Before long, she was utterly routed.
Still, while Hu Liena was strong, Li Chang'an had the advantage of endurance. In the end, he was the one who came out on top!
So, the first order of business today was to ask for a day off on Hu Liena's behalf—so she could stay in bed and properly rest. Second, he planned to buy some fruit and hydrating snacks to help her replenish... what she lost.
After requesting her day off, Li Chang'an had breakfast with Mu Xi before casually heading back home.
After all, he rarely got the chance to return. Naturally, he needed to check in at home. Plus, there were some matters at the Spirit Hall that required his decision—he even had a meeting to attend that afternoon.
At this point, the Li Family's hotel business in Spirit City had become a true juggernaut. Practically an entire street had turned into Li family property, and business was booming.
It made sense, really—this was the Holy Son's home.
Outside the house, Li Chang'an casually guessed the color of Sister Xiao Tao's underwear before pushing the door open and stepping inside.
From Xiao Tao, he'd already learned that today only his mother was home; his father had gone out on business.
"Mom! Long time no see—did you miss your favorite son?" Li Chang'an opened his arms for a hug, causing his mother, who was sitting on the sofa reading, to gape in surprise.
"You little rascal, always clowning around. You've been gone forever—do you even remember this family still exists?"
Though she scolded him, Madam Li's face was full of joy. Even though Li Chang'an hadn't been around much in recent years—mostly busy with his studies—their family relationship remained warm and close.
That was thanks to Li Chang'an's lovable personality, but also to the temperament of both his parents. Since childhood, he'd been a sturdy and cheerful little kid—never one to cause trouble, and always good at making them laugh.
"Aw, come on, Mom. I've just been busy! Look, I came home, and Dad's not even here—clearly I'm the more dependable one!"
He joked shamelessly while plopping himself down on the sofa, lounging back with a sigh of satisfaction.
His mother promptly flicked him on the forehead and asked, "That tired, huh? You come home and immediately collapse on the couch? You hungry?"
"Yeah, I'm starving, Mom. I've been craving meat lately" he said, rubbing his stomach.
"Alright, alright, I'll have the kitchen make you some right away." Madam Li nodded and quickly gave the order.
"By the way, how's the family business been lately?" Li Chang'an asked while waiting for food.
Although his status as the Holy Son smoothed many paths, and he'd contributed quite a few business ideas, success was never guaranteed.
In some places, even the title of Holy Son from the Spirit Hall didn't hold much sway.
Hearing the question, Madam Li's expression turned a little serious. "There's been a bit of trouble. Three days ago, one of our stores in Heaven Dou City was vandalized. Your father went there to handle it."
Heaven Dou City—capital of the Heaven Dou Empire. The empire's power was strongest there, and Li Chang'an's title didn't carry as much weight as that of a royal prince.
The Li Family had several businesses there—he remembered at least three major hotels, not to mention countless smaller shops and bakeries.
"That doesn't make sense... Isn't Bishop Salas the one overseeing the Spirit Hall branch in Heaven Dou City? Didn't he protect our stores?" Li Chang'an frowned.
Spirit Hall placed great importance on the capital. Salas, a Spirit Douluo, was no pushover. By all logic, no one would dare slap the Li Family in the face like that.
"Bishop Salas is currently in Spirit City, reporting for duty—he wasn't in Heaven Dou. And it wasn't some noble family that did it either, just a no-name shop."
"But here's the strange part: that 'small, unknown shop' had a Spirit Emperor-level expert. The attack happened at night. At that time, we only had a Spirit King guest elder standing guard. That Spirit Emperor destroyed three of our hotels and five stores in one night."
"That same night, there was also a fire in another district. The city guards were delayed. By morning, the store was already abandoned. In the end, the authorities labeled it a 'business rivalry incident.'"
Madam Li sighed deeply at this point. As a seasoned businesswoman, she knew better than to believe in coincidences. There was clearly a larger force working behind the scenes.
In the open, none of the major business alliances dared to cross the Li Clan—everyone had backing, sure, but whose backing was stronger than the Holy Son's family?
Li Chang'an's frown deepened. He quickly pieced it together—this was retaliation, plain and simple. The only question was which forces were behind it.
'Looks like it's time the Li Family flexed some muscle.'
"Mom, I need to head out tomorrow—should be back within five days. Write a letter to Dad for me and send it through Spirit Hall's internal channels. Tell him it's from me, and he's to investigate, but not act rashly. I'll handle things personally once I get to Heaven Dou."
"I'll also assign two Red-robed Archbishops from the local Spirit Hall to protect him in the meantime. I won't let those rats make a move."
Li Chang'an gave clear and immediate instructions, even penning a formal decree on the spot and handing it to his mother.
"Alright, I understand. Don't worry about us—we've weathered plenty of storms. Just promise me not to act recklessly. Do your best, that's all I ask."
Madam Li didn't urge him to keep things peaceful—that wasn't how the Li Family operated. But she did want him to be cautious, not impulsive. That was her way of handling things.
"One more thing, Mom. In the next few days, keep an eye out and take in a group of orphans—kids without parents, under the age of ten. They need to have awakened their martial soul already. Quality doesn't matter—just take as many as you can find."
Li Chang'an's voice lowered as he made this request.
It was an idea he'd had for a while, but now felt like the right time to act on it.
With soul power fruits, soul ring fruits, and Mental fruits in hand, even kids with weak martial soul could be turned into full-fledged spirit masters. In the long run, with enough resources, even grooming a few Title Douluos wouldn't be out of the question.
As for why he specified under ten—it was because young children had the highest malleability, both physically and mentally.
Li Chang'an wasn't trying to rebel or stage a coup—he just wanted his own elite spirit master unit. After all, no one man can do everything alone.
This team wouldn't just be proficient in combat, either—they'd also be trained in assassination, infiltration, intelligence gathering, personal protection, and more. But those were concerns for when the recruits were ready.
"Alright. I'll do my best to find as many as I can," Madam Li nodded. She didn't ask questions—she trusted her son's judgment and knew he wouldn't do anything reckless.
The Li Clan's business stretched across the entire continent. While such orphans weren't common in any one place, with enough money and reach, they were certainly out there—waiting to be found.
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