Cultivation Begins from Infancy - Chapter 339

Volume 3 - Chapter 67: Desolate God

Within Qingzhou City, at the Divine General Mansion... the glow of the Ancestral Blood Array faded away. Li Tiangang emerged from the family shrine of the Li Clan's ancestral temple and returned to the Shanhe Courtyard. Casting a glance at the cold expression of Li Xiaoran, he chose not to explain anything further and instead said, "Fourth Uncle, the reinforcements returning to the Li Clan need you to escort them. I’m planning to activate the Ancestral Secret Path and have them enter through the Huai River!"

"You make the plans. I'll follow your instructions," Li Xiaoran replied indifferently, his tone firm.

Li Tiangang nodded slightly. Sweeping his gaze over those present, he ordered someone to fetch a brush and paper, swiftly drafting a plan for the next steps. At that moment, his thoughts seemed to return to the sleepless nights on the Yanbei Battlefield. Casting a glance at his wife, who still stood by his side, her unwavering gaze filled with shared resolve, his emotions stirred ever so slightly. With a wife like her, what more could a man ask for?

He spoke decisively, "Prepare to open the secret treasury. Each division shall command fifty thousand elite soldiers, ready to form ranks at any time. Collect from the treasury fifty thousand portions of the Divine Medicine Blood Elixir and ten thousand Dragon Qi Pills. These divine medicines, once reserved in minuscule quantities for even the direct descendants and given only to those of lesser status who had achieved great contributions, are now being distributed as if they cost nothing."

The accumulation of thousands of years, including countless spiritual pills and miraculous medicines, along with divine weapons and treasured armor, was now being poured into this final battle. Secret messages were sent out, guiding the returning members of the Li Clan through the Ancestral Secret Path from the Huai River’s eastern mountain range.

Li Tiangang unfolded the detailed map of Qingzhou, laying out his plans for receiving the reinforcements. The eastern peaks of Qingzhou were nestled beside the winding Huai River, resembling a coiled dragon. This river, which provided water for countless households in Qingzhou, also concealed a secret. Unknown to all, the Li Clan had long ago established a secret passage beneath the Huai River, a contingency envisioned by an ancestor to deal with Qingzhou’s gravest crises. It was a route not only for escape but also to allow reinforcements to enter the city.

Now, with the city besieged by monstrous forces, retreat was not an option. As long as the Great Yu Divine Dynasty endured, as long as the Divine General Mansion remained, the major provinces of the empire could not be surrendered...

As a flurry of orders was issued, sweat began to bead on Li Tiangang’s forehead. His expression grew grave, his brows furrowing deeply. Yet, the weight pressing on his heart lightened slightly.

The Li Clan’s army within Qingzhou City began mobilizing in response. From the city guards to the commanding officers, all were members of the Li Clan’s bloodline. In this city, the Li Clan reigned supreme, their word absolute.

Following the orders of the Divine General Mansion, half of the elite forces were drawn from the city’s army to retrieve the divine medicines stored within the mansion. With the aid of these rare elixirs, their combat capabilities could surge dramatically within a short period. Even those merely at the Tongli Realm could unleash power comparable to the Heaven and Man Realm.

Though such a rapid rise in strength came with significant repercussions, survival outweighed all other concerns.

Large chests filled with treasures were carried out from the mansion’s secret treasury. The expressions of those in charge of the various divisions were somber. These were the accumulated treasures of the ancestors, passed down through generations... and now they were being exhausted.

"When the bloodline members of the Li Clan return, it will be time for a battle to the death," Li Tiangang declared with a commanding voice.

The returning bloodline members were essential for a pivotal reason. Their ancestral blood would be used to reconstruct the ancestral body, allowing the heroic spirits of the ancestors to manifest. The resulting power would depend on the number of bloodline members returning.

...

As He Jianlan and others departed to guard the city with their divisions, the Shanhe Courtyard grew emptier. Against this backdrop, Li Tiangang exchanged a silent glance with Ji Qingqing, his wife.

“If only I had reached the Supreme Dao Realm…” Ji Qingqing murmured softly, her tone laced with regret. As a once-prominent genius of the Ji Clan, she lamented not dedicating herself more fully to cultivation. If she had, at her current age, she might have reached the Supreme Dao Realm. With that power, combined with the strength of Second Uncle Li Muxiu, the tide of this battlefield could be reversed.

With their top forces tying down the most formidable monsters, the army of Qingzhou City, composed of over three hundred thousand elite soldiers, would be more than a match for the monstrous forces outside.

“Don’t say that,” Li Tiangang said, shaking his head. “You’ve done enough, standing by my side through the Yanbei Campaign. If anyone delayed you, it was me.”

Ji Qingqing bit her lip and glanced at him. Having been cast out of the Ji Clan, she could no longer seek aid from them. When Qingzhou City was first besieged, she had already appealed to the power of the Great Wilderness Heaven to deter the monsters. However, the Dragon Gate and Sacred Palace forces were not so easily intimidated.

Unlike the Yanbei Campaign, this time, they had gathered their full strength and were poised to attack. The deterrence of the Ji Clan’s reputation was no longer sufficient...

“I’ll rest,” Ji Qingqing whispered. “You should see how the preparations are progressing.”

Li Tiangang gave her a faint smile, then stepped out of the Shanhe Courtyard. As he passed through the gates, several figures rushed toward him.

“Uncle!”

The newcomers were Li Yuanzhao, Li Wushuang, and a few others. They froze upon encountering Li Tiangang, their awe of the family head evident. Though they were uncle and nephews, his accumulated authority left them visibly uneasy.

“We’ve come to see if there’s anything we can do to help,” Li Yuanzhao said hesitantly, lowering his gaze. Li Wushuang, however, stared directly at Li Tiangang without speaking.

Seeing the younger generation in full armor, ready for battle, the coldness in Li Tiangang’s eyes softened. His tone grew gentler. “You’re all good children. Just wait for now. You’ll be needed when the other Li Clan members return.”

With that, he stepped around them and strode into the distance.

Li Yuanzhao and the others stood stunned, watching his imposing figure recede. For a moment, they felt a sense of unfamiliarity. Today, their usually stern Seventh Uncle seemed... kind.

Li Wushuang gazed after him, her cold eyes softening into a rare melancholy. “He was the best…” she muttered. “If only I’d said those words to him back then, things wouldn’t have turned out this way. He wouldn’t have had to die…”

Her words silenced the others. Memories of a brilliant, carefree figure flooded their minds, leaving them in quiet sorrow. Li Yuanzhao clenched his fists tightly, lowering his head as his teeth ground together. Though several days had passed since the incident, the mere mention of Li Hao made his eyes redden with grief.

...

Within Shuihua Courtyard, the estate had been sealed off. Only an old servant remained, tending to Liu Yurong. In the pavilion, she gazed blankly in the direction of the ancestral shrine. Gone was the stunning, resplendent beauty she once was. Her hair was simply pinned up, her face bare of makeup, her expression weary and sorrowful.

"Ancestral Blood Guide... Ancestral Blood Guide..." Liu Yurong murmured to herself.

She stared into the distance, her voice trembling. "Li Tiangang, how ruthless you are. No wonder even your own son was driven away by you... My child, you mustn’t be foolish. Follow the Boundless Buddhist Lord and cultivate well. If you can achieve the Supreme Dao Realm, comparable to our forebears, even if the Divine General Mansion is lost, you can rebuild it. But don’t be foolish enough to come back for me...”

Her gaze shifted toward the distant Boundless Mountain, her red-rimmed eyes lowering as she clasped her hands in prayer, softly chanting her hopes.

...

As time passed, the secret orders from the Li Clan spread across Qingzhou and its surrounding cities. The bloodline descendants stationed in various cities quickly released signals, a means of communication known only to members of the clan. These signals served to guide their kin. However, many who had long been separated from the main branch of the Li Clan had likely forgotten the meaning of these signals.

Even so, those who understood them began to stream toward Qingzhou, following the directives that led them to the Huai River. Some traveled along the river, others moved through the wilderness, clashing with scattered monster forces as they made their way to the city.

...

In the depths of the monstrous horde outside Qingzhou City, a gathering of the Dragon Gate, Sacred Palace, and the leading forces of other top demonic factions stood atop a distant mountain. The Dragon Gate Leader, Long Jue Shen, appeared as a cold and imposing youth cloaked in black robes. His gaze lingered on the city, a faint unease crossing his features.

Overhead, a figure in green skirts, graceful and radiant, transformed from the fleeting light of the stars. Her form coalesced into a maiden who descended swiftly, her expression anxious.

“Leader, it appears that the Li Clan’s Divine General Mansion has activated the fabled Ancestral Blood Guide secret technique,” she said urgently.

Long Jue Shen’s face darkened, his unease deepening. "So they’re prepared to fight to the death without leaving any descendants behind?"

He understood the foundation of the Divine General Mansion well. A thousand years ago, when one of these mansions had been destroyed, it had resorted to this secret technique, calling forth the ancestral body and heroic spirits of the entire clan’s bloodline. The result was terrifying power, yet the mansion had ultimately been defeated.

The Sacred Palace Master, Feng Lingxiao, opened his eyes, his gaze sharp with a trace of fury. "If that’s the case, it saves us the trouble of hunting them down one by one. We’ll settle it all in one strike.”

Long Jue Shen glanced at him, then asked, “How much longer until you’re fully healed?”

“Another three to five days,” Feng Lingxiao replied, his tone grim.

“That’s too long,” Long Jue Shen said, his frown deepening.

Feng Lingxiao’s eyes flickered with anger but he held his tongue. Deep down, he wanted to retort that if Long Jue Shen was truly willing to risk his life, there would be no need to fear even a half-step Dao Realm master. Yet, he restrained himself, knowing this was not the time for infighting.

"If you can hold off Li Muxiu, I can break the array," Feng Lingxiao said instead.

Long Jue Shen remained silent.

At that moment, a wisp of black mist flew toward them from the distance, descending upon the mountaintop. This eerie presence went unnoticed by the surrounding monsters until it landed and dissipated, revealing a woman with alabaster skin, a graceful figure, and faint dark-purple markings etched onto her face.

Her arrival instantly made Long Jue Shen and Feng Lingxiao tense. Though they were top figures among the monstrous forces, they displayed visible wariness as they addressed her with reverence.

"Desolate God, what brings you here? Has something happened in the royal capital?" Long Jue Shen asked cautiously.

"This is merely a sliver of my incarnation," the woman said lightly, her tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority. "That sly emperor in the imperial capital is clever. The imperial clan has no intention of deploying their Dao Realm master. They will protect their own lives above all else."

She swept her gaze over them, her voice growing colder. "If you continue to delay, forget about the Li Clan’s bloodline. Prince Qing is already on his way. Once he arrives, things will be far more complicated than they are now."

“What?!”

The mention of Prince Qing sent shockwaves through Long Jue Shen and Feng Lingxiao. As one of the strongest among the emperor’s brothers, Prince Qing ranked just below the famed Ninth Prince, the Sword Demon.

“When did this happen? How far is he from here?” Feng Lingxiao asked, his expression grim. The mere thought of his past clash with Prince Qing during the Yanbei Campaign made his face darken. He remembered wounding the prince severely, but to think he had recovered so quickly...

“He’s close,” the Desolate God replied. “I’ve come in this incarnation to block him, should it become necessary. But if you two keep faltering, don’t expect my help to bail you out. Eliminate the Li Clan. It’s not yet time for us to reveal ourselves, and you’d better ensure you succeed. Otherwise, there’s no need to keep the incompetent.”

Her words made both Long Jue Shen and Feng Lingxiao pale. They quickly promised to carry out the mission.

The Desolate God cast them a final glance before turning her gaze toward Qingzhou City. With a wave of her hand, a dark artifact filled with malevolent energy appeared out of thin air.

“This is the Sacred Heart Treasure,” she said coldly. “I am lending you both this artifact. By today’s end, I want to see the Li Clan drenched in blood.”

Without waiting for a response, her figure dissipated into a wisp of black mist, leaving behind two Sacred Heart Treasures floating midair.

Long Jue Shen and Feng Lingxiao exchanged glances, their eyes lighting up as they swiftly grabbed the treasures.

Even among top demonic forces, such treasures were rare beyond measure. A thousand years ago, when the Daoist Lord of Heavenly Treasures perished, the looting of the Myriad Treasures Pavilion yielded only a few supreme artifacts. These treasures were typically monopolized by the imperial clan or the Five Divine General Mansions.

In the Great Wilderness Heaven, only the Ancient Holy Clans could produce such treasures with ease. For smaller clans and sects, possessing even one was an extraordinary feat.

...

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