Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 341

Volume 3 - Chapter 68: Sorrow - Part 2

This array not only seals the formidable spiritual essence of the demon kings within the divine formation to fight for it but, more crucially, allows the array to absorb the essence of the sun and moon for self-repair.

Moreover, the power of its "Life Wheel" can temporarily extract a portion of the lifespan of all living beings within the array, transforming it into the divine formation's strength.

This array has transcended the level that a Fourth Realm cultivator could easily destroy, containing within it the profound principles of the Great Dao.

At Li Tiangang's command, the divine formation reversed, activating the power of the Life Wheel. From within countless buildings in the city, golden threads of life force seemed to float, surging into the divine formation. These threads included the life force of Li Tiangang, the soldiers, and all the inhabitants of the city.

However, those within the Divine General Mansion were shielded by its own protective divine formation and were unaffected.

Deep within the mansion, in the ancestral shrine standing near the mountain, the flames of the ceremonial candles before the memorial tablets flickered violently, nearly extinguishing.

Sitting at the shrine's entrance, Li Qingzheng, with his white hair and aged frame, gazed into the distance, his face etched with worry.

When he saw the countless golden threads of life force rising from the city, his body trembled slightly. As if realizing something, he abruptly turned to look at the solemn ancestral shrine behind him.

On the once-quiet memorial tablets, streaks of golden divine light emerged, floating upward and manifesting heroic spirits.

In this moment, the heroic spirits of the Li Family's ancestors, who had not yet perished, all appeared.

Figures of extraordinary bearing, who had once graced the martial world for decades, stood tall before their respective tablets.

“The Life Wheel has appeared. It seems Qingzhou City has reached its final moment.”

“To think that in this lifetime, I would witness the activation of the Life Wheel Array.”

“The Seventeenth Ancestor sacrificed his remnant soul earlier to guide the bloodline. It wasn't long ago. It seems we must now pave the final path of return for these children.”

“We stood before countless people in the past. We cannot allow the people to stand before us now. Everyone, it is time for us to act!”

“The Life Wheel Array has been triggered. What are we waiting for? Take my remnant soul and kill!”

One by one, the heroic spirits of the Li Family ancestors charged forth, leaving the solemn ancestral shrine that had stood for thousands of years, receiving the incense offerings of the family.

Standing at the shrine's entrance, Li Qingzheng wept as he watched his ancestors march resolutely toward battle.

“This place no longer needs your guard.”

An ancestor, passing by Li Qingzheng, spoke calmly before soaring into the sky, heading for the Divine General Mansion.

“You’ve worked hard.”

Other ancestors passing by also uttered soft words to him before departing the shrine to fly toward the distance.

As each heroic spirit passed, Li Qingzheng was moved to tears. The burden he had borne for decades was lifted in this moment, but he could no longer straighten his back.

“Fifth Brother, don’t cry. Are you willing for us brothers to join forces for one last great battle?”

The remnant soul of Li Xuanyin, the third elder of the Li Family, appeared before Li Qingzheng, speaking warmly.

Though his appearance was youthful, as a man in his prime, he was actually the elder of the two.

Li Qingzheng looked up at his third brother, who had died young yet retained his spirited demeanor. Memories flooded his mind. Suppressing the grief in his heart, he wiped away the tears at the corners of his eyes and smiled, relieved.

“This time, I can fight alongside you!”

Li Xuanyin smiled faintly. His remnant soul suddenly radiated golden light, draping over Li Qingzheng like a feathered robe.

“Brothers united...”

“Their strength cuts through gold!”

The sound of Li Qingzheng's bones cracking echoed as his frail frame, seated for decades in the ancestral shrine, straightened. Though his hair remained white, his eyes regained the vigor of his youth, reminiscent of his days of glory on the battlefield.

“Let’s go!”

He stepped forward, rising from the shrine like a streak of golden light, rushing toward the battlefield ahead.

...

The other heroic spirits of the Li Family ancestors bade farewell to the golden figure at the center of the shrine, the original founder of the Li Family, before flying toward various parts of the Divine General Mansion.

Sitting atop the golden figure, Li Tianyuan gazed ahead. His expression did not betray sorrow but exuded a profound desolation—the pain of witnessing countless bloodlines and soldiers perish.

He waited, anticipating the return of the Li Family's bloodline, to forge bones from their bloodline and cloak their remains with his remnant soul, fighting once more for the generations to come.

The other heroic spirits rushed toward the Li Family descendants within the Divine General Mansion.

Golden lights streaked across the sky. People in the various courtyards of the mansion looked up in astonishment.

During ancestral worship, they had seen portraits of these ancestors. Now, they recognized these heroic spirits as their ancestors.

“Ancestors…”

In the courtyards, He Jianlan, Gao Qingqing, and others looked up at the heroic spirits soaring out from the shrine, stunned.

But soon, an overwhelming sadness welled in their hearts.

“Child, would you don my soul robe, inherit my path, and slay those demons?”

A heroic spirit of a valiant female general descended before He Jianlan. Her brows exuded unyielding strength, but her eyes were gentle as she gazed at He Jianlan.

He Jianlan was momentarily stunned and hastened to bow, but a wisp of the heroic spirit’s power lifted her.

“Ancestor, but I lack the bloodline of the Li Family…”

He Jianlan recognized her—an ancestor from the 32nd generation, a renowned female general who had shaken the battlefield over two millennia ago.

“No matter.”

The female general smiled. “Those who join the Li Family are Li Family members.”

Hearing this, He Jianlan’s eyes reddened with emotion. She nodded firmly.

The female general’s figure shimmered, her form blazing like fire as golden light enveloped He Jianlan. The light transformed into a golden battle dress that fit her perfectly.

The power and intent of the heroic spirit merged with He Jianlan’s soul. As a cultivator at the early stage of the Three Immortals Realm, she now radiated the aura of the Dao Heart Realm.

In other courtyards, similar scenes played out.

In Feihua Courtyard, Wang Xiangru hesitated as an elder heroic spirit extended his invitation. She took a step back, her eyes filled with trepidation.

The elder heroic spirit paused, gazing at her deeply before departing without a word, his figure soaring into the sky to seek another descendant.

As he passed Shuihua Courtyard, the heroic spirits noticed a restrictive barrier outside, deducing that the courtyard imprisoned someone guilty of a grave offense. They chose to bypass it entirely.

In Linglong Courtyard, two golden heroic spirits descended.

“Child, will you join me in the battle to slay demons?”

A youthful heroic spirit looked at Li Yuanzhao. Despite his youthful appearance, his voice carried the weight of age and wisdom.

Li Yuanzhao froze, his voice trembling. “M-me? Can I really do this?”

“Do you have the will?”

“Of course I do!”

“Then that is enough.”

The heroic spirit smiled faintly before transforming into divine light, wrapping around Li Yuanzhao.

A surge of formidable energy erupted. Though Li Yuanzhao was only at the Spiritual Wandering Realm, he now emanated the aura of the Three Immortals Realm.

“Just entrust your body to me,” the heroic spirit said gently. “There is a chance you may die. Are you afraid?”

Li Yuanzhao’s expression shifted. A memory flashed in his mind of the boy who had always walked ahead of him in his youth. A resolute gleam appeared in his eyes. “I’m not afraid!”

“Good!”

The heroic spirit laughed heartily before soaring into the sky, charging toward the battlefield.

“Yuanzhao…”

Xiao Yujing stood frozen, tears streaming from her eyes. A storm of emotions surged in her chest. Though she had never truly invested much affection in Li Yuanzhao before, seeing him now rushing toward certain death, she felt an unfamiliar and piercing pain in her heart.

“Madam, would you join me in the battle as well?” asked an elder heroic spirit beside her with a gentle smile.

Xiao Yujing took a deep breath, meeting his gaze. “Marrying into the Li Family was a mistake.”

The elder paused.

“But I do not regret it,” Xiao Yujing said through gritted teeth.

Her husband had died in battle shortly after their wedding, leaving her with complex feelings of resentment toward the Li Family. But now, she seemed to understand a little of what her husband had felt during his final march.

The elder regarded her intently before bowing slightly. “The Li Family has protected the borderlands and earned the people’s reverence, but it has been hard on the women who married into the family. The Li Family owes you.”

His gesture of respect stunned Xiao Yujing.

The bitterness and resentment she had harbored for years suddenly shattered as if struck by thunder. Tears streamed uncontrollably from her eyes as she sobbed openly.

...

Compared to the ancestors who sought out specific descendants, some heroic spirits, with fiery dispositions, charged directly out of the Divine General Mansion to join the Li Family members already on the battlefield.

Others hovered above the mansion, shouting boldly, “Does any Li Family bloodline wish to join me in fighting to the death?”

“I do!”

“I will!”

Figures from the courtyards surged forth. Among them were powerful members of the Li Family’s branch lineages.

These individuals, now donning the heroic spirits’ remnant souls, streaked across the sky like meteors, rushing to the battlefield to support the defenders against the tide of demon hordes.

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