Chapter 100: Avoiding the Inevitable

Li Xiangping sat quietly by the bonfire, the fiery red glow casting a golden-red hue on his face. His leather clothes were tattered, his expression weary, and the hairs on his legs were slightly curled from the heat. Yet, his gaze was fixed intently on the taro in the fire pit.

In recent days, he had been constantly on the run, fleeing east and west, narrowly escaping death multiple times at the hands of Qi Cultivators. He had witnessed countless partings of life and death, killed numerous Shan Yue chieftains, and incited their people to attack the Great Que Court.

Li Xiangping’s expression no longer carried the relaxed air of a grand mansion; instead, it had reverted to an earthy wildness. The days of blood and fire had forged a steely resolve in him, making him increasingly similar to Jini Xi.

A Hulai still hadn't corrected his way of addressing him; he even led a group of Shan Yue, influencing Li Qiuyang and Chen Donghe, so they all howled "Great King" at him.

"Mujiao Man went to Wushan; I wonder what his intentions are!"

Chen Donghe's leather armor on his arm was broken, revealing a deep red wound. Covered in mud and black blood, he held a map, deep in thought, tracing the routes and patterns with his finger. He spoke with a solemn expression:

"Great King, please be extremely careful!"

"Well said!"

Li Xiangping chuckled, silently tightening his grip on the translucent pearl at his waist. He thought to himself:

"He's most likely gone to invite a Foundation Establishment cultivator. We can't delay any longer; I must get this item home as soon as possible."

Li Xiangping had fought his way to the westernmost region, where he discovered this transparent precious pearl on the altar of a great clan. The Xuanzhu Talisman Seed in his Qi Sea acupoint inexplicably pulsed, and he immediately understood that this item was most likely connected to his family's Fa Jian. He then kept the pearl with him at all times.

Looking at the solemn-faced Chen Donghe, Li Xiangping decided to tease him. He looked up at him with a mischievous smile and said:

"Hey, Her'er, do you fancy my Jing Tian? Should I propose for you?"

Chen Donghe's handsome face instantly turned crimson. He lowered his head, looking at his toes, and remained silent. Beside him, Li Qiuyang held his stomach and burst into laughter. Angered, Chen Donghe kicked him, not daring to look at Li Xiangping.

Li Xiangping chuckled, shaking his head, and said with a smile:

"If Tian'er is willing, I have no objection! But my Tian'er must be the main wife!"

Hearing these words, Chen Donghe's face burned. Unsure what to do with his hands and feet, he stammered:

"I... I... absolutely... will not disappoint... Tian'er..."

The crowd burst into laughter, making Chen Donghe wish he could burrow into the ground from embarrassment. A Hulai laughed so hard he coughed, muttering:

"We Shan Yue, if we fancy someone, we simply snatch them and make them our wives. We don't bother with your human customs."

"You try?"

Li Xiangping raised an eyebrow and smiled, scaring A Hulai into pleading for mercy. Chen Donghe let out a soft laugh, finally escaping his embarrassment.

The fragrant aroma had already permeated the air. Li Xiangping ate very carefully, as if reminiscing about the days when he was twelve or thirteen, secretly roasting taro by the pit with his elder brother, Li Changhu. Back then, Li Changhu, ever resourceful, always found ways to get food for his young brother.

Beside him, Li Qiuyang cautiously looked around, guarding against "eagle eyes" in the sky. His gaze, when he looked down at Li Xiangping, was filled with deep reverence.

Li Xiangping had led them out of countless desperate situations and delivered incredible victories. Just as the Shan Yue believed Jini Xi was the Son of Destiny, the clan soldiers following Li Xiangping similarly believed their patriarch was invincible.

Everyone's gaze was fixed on Li Xiangping, but he suddenly put down the taro in his hand, staring blankly, stunned.

The Avoid Death and Prolong Life Talisman Qi, which had countless times appeared in his mind, indicating directions of crisis and risk, suddenly burst into brilliant light. An intense sense of danger emerged, and Li Xiangping vaguely saw himself kneeling on the ground, spitting blood, surrounded by cries for help and wails.

"I'm going to die. There's no escaping it, no prolonging it."

A chilling coldness rushed from his spine to the top of his head. Li Xiangping murmured, then snatched the map from Chen Donghe's hand. He picked up a still-hot piece of charcoal from the pit, closed his eyes for a moment, and began drawing on the map.

Chen Donghe was startled and at a loss. He quickly knelt down, watching him with worry.

After Li Xiangping finished drawing, he quickly and urgently stuffed the translucent precious pearl into Chen Donghe's embrace, saying in a deep voice:

"After I die, Mujiao Man will surely return for reinforcements. All of you, follow this path east and return home!"

Before Chen Donghe could speak, Li Xiangping gritted his teeth and whispered:

"No matter what, you must deliver this precious pearl into Li Tongya's hands!"

"Everyone!"

Li Xiangping stood up, disregarding the still stunned Chen Donghe below him, and declared loudly:

"After I die, all of you are to follow Donghe east and return home. Do not linger here..."

Li Qiuyang and the others were at a loss. They watched Li Xiangping's voice grow softer and softer until he gently sat on the ground. They cried out urgently:

"Patriarch!"

Li Xiangping looked up at the blazing sun in the sky. All sorts of illusions appeared in his eyes, and the sun seemed to gently lose a piece, which fell before him like a meteor.

That piece, crackling with sparks, landed directly on his chest, burning him so intensely that his mouth twisted and his eyes went blind. He had once used fire to roast alive the chieftain of the Shan Yue tribe, a man as fat as a pig. Now, that same pain was equally extending to him.

The world in Li Xiangping's eyes had turned black; he could see nothing. He only felt someone collapsing onto him, and hot tears falling onto his face. The corners of his mouth curled slightly, and he let out a low laugh with his remaining strength:

"What a base method!"

Li Xiangping's long hair fell loose, revealing sparse white strands. He had lived to an age where an ordinary farmer would be enjoying grandchildren. He had never suffered any major grievances in his life. Now, the only thing he couldn't let go of was the Li family, struggling to survive amidst the cracks of various powers.

Thick black mist emerged from the void, melting his greyish-black eyes and causing his body to wither. Li Xiangping spat out a mouthful of black blood from his throat, saying hoarsely:

"I've already lived a profitable life!"

Many scenes flashed through his mind like lightning, finally settling on a winding river. A young boy, who had just caught a green fish, held up a tattered greenish-grey jianzi with a puzzled expression. The morning sun shone on his face, revealing a brilliant smile.

The black mist came and went swiftly, shriveling Li Xiangping's body. Just as it was about to retreat back into the void, it saw a grey light emerging from Li Xiangping's Shengyang Mansion.

The black mist paused, then surged into Li Xiangping's Shengyang Mansion. Like starved ghosts encountering a grand feast, it threw itself into that Talisman Qi and completely vanished.

Only Li Xiangping's withered corpse remained, kneeling on the ground. A faint white radiance emerged from his Qi Sea acupoint, gently vanishing into the void. The people below burst into cries and wails, and A Hulai shouted, his eyes splitting with rage:

"A curse! It's a killing curse! Mujiao Man, you scoundrel!"

"Patriarch!"

Chen Donghe knelt before Li Xiangping, tears streaming down his face. He cried for a while with his head bowed, his clenched fists drawing blood. His ears were filled with sobs. Li Qiuyang's eyes were slightly red as he stumbled closer.

"Buzz, buzz, buzz..."

Suddenly, a noisy buzzing sound of flapping wings reached them. Chen Donghe froze, stopped crying, and with a sorrowful expression, knelt on the ground. He moved a few steps closer and put his ear to Li Xiangping's body, listening intently.

"Everyone, quiet down!"

Chen Donghe frowned and barked an order, and the voices of the crowd immediately quieted. They watched as he listened to Li Xiangping's corpse for a moment, then carefully laid him down.

Chen Donghe's trembling fingers slowly rested on Li Xiangping's pale lips. He pressed gently with pursed lips, and immediately the noisy flapping sound grew louder. A Hulai and Li Qiuyang on either side suddenly looked serious, and they too knelt down to examine.

"Buzz..."

As Chen Donghe exerted force, a greyish-black locust suddenly jumped out of Li Xiangping's mouth. Covered in barbs with leaf-like patterns on its thin wings, it hopped around on Chen Donghe's hand for a moment before flapping its wings and flying away.

"This..."

"Locusts! So many locusts!"

The people below shouted. Before the few could react, hundreds and thousands of greyish-black locusts emerged from beneath Li Xiangping's corpse. They buzzed as they ascended into the sky, rising like a black storm, crashing around haphazardly. They struck the onlookers, causing them pain all over, forcing them to retreat repeatedly.

"Donghe... what is this..."

A Hulai spoke blankly. Chen Donghe retreated a few steps, tears still on his face. He picked up Li Xiangping's dark green bow and glanced at the vanished corpse.

The locusts in the sky slowly ascended. Chen Donghe gritted his teeth and said:

"Go! Don't let them catch us!"

Lijing Mountain.

"Alas."

A shimmering white pellet suddenly appeared from the void and entered the greenish-grey jianzi on the stone platform, stirring up a faint white moonlight. A deep sigh echoed in the courtyard.

"Li Xiangping, you've had me for twenty-five, twenty-six years..."

The child who caught fish back then was still vivid in memory, but Li Xiangping in the west had already fallen. Lu Jiangxian's emotions were complex; words were on the tip of his tongue, but he didn't know what to say.

Lu Jiangxian felt his spiritual sense and magical power continuously rising. The information recorded in the Xuanzhu Talisman Seed slowly flowed into the jianzi. Li Xiangping had died due to a curse, and his cultivation was at the peak of Fetal Breath, yet the magical power emerging from the Xuanzhu Talisman Seed greatly exceeded Lu Jiangxian's expectations.

"The feedback from the Xuanzhu Talisman Seed seems not only related to cultivation but also involves ethereal and illusory elements like destiny and faith. He seized Jini Xi's destiny and garnered the Shan Yue's faith."

Lu Jiangxian's mirror surface shimmered with colorful light, and the Taiyin Xuan Guang also wandered across its body. Its power could now kill cultivators at the peak of Qi Cultivation. The increase in his magic power limit allowed him to release five Taiyin Xuan Guang consecutively. If he encountered a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he could even block them, though he would still need three days to recover afterward.

"The black mist of that curse was originally a spell transformed from talisman qi. It was completely swallowed by the talisman qi within Li Xiangping's body. I wonder what strange changes resulted from that."

Lu Jiangxian had been studying the structure of that curse in the courtyard for the past few days, but progress was not significant. Fortunately, he neither ate nor slept and had no urgent needs, so he could spend more than ten years on the research. There was no need to rush; he could slowly chip away at it.

"However, that precious pearl..."

Lu Jiangxian swallowed non-existent saliva. After becoming a spirit artifact, his desires had greatly lessened. On weekdays, he even tried his best to observe the human world below the mountain to maintain emotional fluctuations. Yet, the precious pearl Li Xiangping obtained made him yearn for it from the depths of his heart.

Li Tongya was explaining swordsmanship to Li Xuanling in the courtyard when his heart suddenly trembled, and he abruptly stopped his movements.

"Father, what's wrong?"

Li Tongya frowned, feeling uneasy. He waved his hand and whispered:

"It's nothing."

Yet, he pondered:

"The grand formation on Lijing Mountain needs to be set up sooner. Without its protection, my heart always feels unsettled."

"Clang!"

A loud bang suddenly came from the window, causing Li Tongya and Li Xuanling to turn and look.

Li Xuanling cautiously walked over and opened the window. He saw a thin, greyish-black locust that had crashed and died against it, its upper body completely smashed and barely clinging to the pane. Puzzled, he carefully removed it and turned to look at his father.

Li Tongya's spiritual sense had already perceived everything clearly, and he felt inexplicably sad. He took the locust to examine it closely.

"Oh."

Under the scrutiny of Li Tongya's spiritual sense, he found no trace of demonic energy on the locust. Instead, there was a faint, almost imperceptible sense of familiarity.

"Tomorrow, I'll go into the mountains again to inquire about Xiangping's whereabouts."

He shook his head, casting this thought aside. Li Tongya waved his hand, tossing it out the window, and said softly:

"Don't be distracted. Read this 'Profound Water Sword Art' carefully."

Instead, he heard a commotion. Li Xuanxuan walked in cheerfully, carrying a swaddled infant, and whispered:

"Uncle!"

Li Tongya raised an eyebrow, a hint of joy appearing on his face as he asked:

"The child is born? Is it a boy or a girl?"

Li Xuanxuan had married a woman with a spiritual aperture from another clan the year before last. Her talent was not high; she was only at the first layer of Fetal Breath, Xuanjing Wheel, so far. Li Xiangping had also assigned him several good-looking mortal women as concubines. This was now his first direct descendant.

"It's a boy!"

The smile on Li Xuanxuan's face was irrepressible. He tightened his hold on the child, and Li Tongya smiled, saying:

"This is the first third-generation descendant of our Li family. Have you thought of a name?"

"According to the generation character, it should be Yuan!"

Li Xuanxuan laughed heartily, mumbled softly to the child for a moment, then answered:

"Let's call him Li Yuanxiu."

"Li Yuanxiu..."

Li Tongya nodded and smiled, glancing at the child as he silently said:

"Excellent, excellent."

"How many sons have your concubines had?"

Seeing Li Tongya suddenly speak, Li Xuanxuan looked up and replied:

"One son and one daughter, both only three or five years old."

Li Tongya was thoughtful and said in a deep voice:

"From now on, within our Li family's main lineage, illegitimate sons who lack a spiritual aperture will be demoted to a minor branch if they establish their own household. However, any descendant possessing a spiritual aperture, whether legitimate or illegitimate, shall belong to the main lineage. For minor branches, if there are no spiritual apertures for three generations, they will be demoted to a collateral branch. Should a member of a collateral branch gain a spiritual aperture, they can be recognized back into the ancestral line as part of the main lineage."

Li Xuanxuan paused, then nodded, asking in confusion:

"The Ye clan now numbers over two thousand. If any of their members possess a spiritual aperture and are to be integrated into our branch system, how should they be handled?"

"They will only be allowed to reach the minor branch status."

Li Tongya pondered for a few breaths before answering.

Li Qiuyang is currently part of a collateral branch of the Li family. If his legitimate son possesses a spiritual aperture, he can be elevated to a minor branch. However, even if that legitimate grandson also possesses a spiritual aperture, he cannot be elevated to the main lineage.

"This way, it ensures that only those from grandfather's direct line remain within the main lineage..."

Li Xuanxuan nodded. Noticing Li Tongya's uneasy expression, he spoke:

"Uncle, what's troubling you?"

Li Tongya opened his mouth, his expression somewhat tired, and said in a deep voice:

"I'm still worried about Xiangping. I'll go west tonight. All of you, guard the home well."