Chapter 619: Uncle and Nephew

His words sent a chill through Chi Fubo. His gaze swept around, then landed on the young man standing silently behind him, head bowed. He asked, "Yuanqin! What's your take on this...?"

The young man behind him had sharp, long eyebrows, slightly narrow eyes, a gloomy expression, and gray-black pupils. His cheeks were thin, his demeanor somber, and his clothes luxurious. This was Li Yuanqin, son of Li Xuanfeng.

Li Yuanqin seemed somewhat distant, his mind blank, with only one thought: "He's dead! How could that be!"

The initial news of Li Xuanfeng's slaughter of the Buddhist sect had shocked the cultivators of Qingchi, who thought it was a false rumor. Li Yuanqin naturally became the center of attention, but he paid no mind. Li Xuanfeng's battle reports always arrived like this; he was long used to it.

But when news of Li Xuanfeng's death spread the next day, all the cultivators breathed a sigh of relief. Although Ning Hejing remained secluded, Li Yuanqin knew his 'good uncle' was overjoyed. Some members of the Chi family even laughed aloud; Ning Hejing staying indoors was already a show of restraint.

Although Chi Fubo immediately came to offer condolences, even with slightly red eyes, Li Yuanqin had known him for so many years; how could he not understand what kind of person he truly was inside? If not outright joy, it was at least a sigh of relief.

Li Yuanqin's expression didn't change; his heart felt empty, and his confusion outweighed his sorrow: "He's dead? He can die too."

This emptiness gave him an uncontrollable restlessness. Fortunately, he was always profoundly thoughtful and never let anyone see a hint of it. He drank when he should drink and conversed when he should converse.

Now, watching the panic-stricken crowd with a cold eye, his heart remained utterly calm. Even the death of Chi Zhiyan didn't stir any ripples within him. His mind was blank, and when Chi Fubo questioned him, he paused.

Ning Hejing, however, sprang up.

This uncle had no idea what his nephew looked like; only now, hearing the name, did he react, bristling and grunting as he rose from his seat, watching with cold eyes. 'What is Chi Fubo doing!'

Ning Hejing naturally understood that Li Yuanqin was close to the Chi family, but he had no trust in Li Yuanqin whatsoever. Ning Hejing had researched the Li clan deeply, to the point of scoffing at Li Yuanqin: "The Li family members are cruel and suspicious, tyrannical and ruthless, yet they are also united and devoted, fearless of death—they are the most venomous of wolves! Li Xuanfeng was one, and Li Yuanjiao is too..."

His only dissatisfaction with Yuansu was the heavy reliance on Li Xuanfeng, which also made him utterly disgusted with Ning Heyuan shamelessly calling him brother-in-law. Now that Ning Heyuan was dead, he was still a kinsman brother, so there was nothing more to say, but he utterly distrusted his nephew, Li Yuanqin.

"As for Li Yuanqin? There's no need to even think about it! It must be an act! These types of people are cruel yet fickle, adept at manipulating hearts. This kid is a born evil seed; how can he be trusted?"

Even if Li Yuanqin truly were one of them, what right did he have to be in this place? To put it nicely, he's his nephew; to put it harshly, he's a spawn of the Li family! His bloodline is tainted; he shouldn't even be allowed into this main hall!

To be frank, he is Li Xuanfeng's orphan. Li Xuanfeng's ostensible achievements were great, making him difficult to eliminate, otherwise Ning Hejing would have dealt with him long ago!

He couldn't stand Li Yuanqin standing before him and said coldly, "So it's you! Your father's achievements are truly significant!"

These words were clearly malicious, instantly alerting the young man. His gaze lingered on his uncle's face for a moment, then he heard the face snarling, "Get out, at once!!"

"Wait..." Chi Fubo, having witnessed Li Yuanqin's tactics, quickly held back Ning Hejing and tugged at Li Yuanqin. The young man slowly lowered his head and said in a low voice, "Sir... Si Yuanli stubbornly defended the riverbank, forcing my father to hold the position, sacrificing his life to protect the great river... He and the direct descendants of the Si family clearly possessed Violet Palace talismans and methods, yet they refused to use any of them! They watched my father die a horrific death."

His words stunned everyone. Li Yuanqin's narrow, elongated eyes filled with tears as he lamented, "Si Yuanli is now treating the rewards issued at the riverbank as property of his Si family, using them to win over various noble families. There will surely be major moves later... With True Person Yuanxiu absent... he is acting on his own... We cannot let the noble families follow his reckless commands..."

"This..." Ning Hejing's expression froze. He replayed it in his mind, secretly thinking: "That's right... Although the Si family's strength is great, Yuanxiu hasn't appeared. They are merely another group of Foundation Establishment cultivators... If we can unite the power of the various noble families, it might not be so terrifying... Li Yuanqin's suggestion provides a good pretext, and only when it comes from his mouth will it have an effect. His seniority in the Li family is very high; these words can be used to rally the Li family's forces..."

Although Ning Hejing's strength was not particularly outstanding, he had managed Yuanxing Peak for many years, possessed sharp insight, and was quite calculating; he was no simple individual. How could he not understand this point?

Even with great reluctance, he could only temporarily keep silent and listen. Chi Fubo's eyes, however, gleamed, and he nodded repeatedly, whispering, "Esteemed sirs, as long as True Person Yuanxiu doesn't act personally, what can Si Yuanli really do? Will he truly lead the direct descendants of the Si family into a major battle against us? He merely wants more power. We hold the dominant position. As long as we stand firm, what does it matter if his prestige is currently the highest? Must all peak masters obey Si Yuanli?"

Li Yuanqin nodded, not speaking much more. At this moment, any word of persuasion would be inappropriate. There were no fools present; everyone would think for themselves.

Indeed, the Zhong branch elder, Chi Zhihu, slowly became moved, his voice softening as he thoughtfully said, "The Bo branch's personnel are almost depleted, but our Zhong branch, after all, has no one of high authority or influence, only Hejing alone. Relying solely on Yuanxing Peak... we are merely Daoists..."

Li Yuanqin bowed respectfully and said in a low voice, "Esteemed sirs... The Sect Master long ago issued a command that authority rests only in the hands of Master Hejing."

Li Yuanqin's words echoed in the empty hall, natural and steady.

He voiced the restless thoughts of several people. The Chi family members all brightened, but Ning Hejing's expression remained grim. He gestured for the Chi family members to stop and said coldly, "Li Yuanqin, I don't trust you."

These words echoed in the hall, firm and chilling. He slightly narrowed his eyes and said in a low voice, "You put on a very convincing act, but everything is done for personal gain. What reason do you have for doing all this? Hmm? Because you hate Li Xuanfeng? What a joke!"

He paced down step by step from the head of the hall, his expression icy, his tone somber and chilling. "The discord between the Bo and Zhong branches has long existed, but this generation's intense animosity probably owes something to you! Your Li family members are malicious, cruel, treacherous, and cunning—never anything good."

The man's eyes were exceptionally sharp, even revealing a hint of murderous intent. He continued to pace until he stood before his nephew, his voice low, gritting his teeth, his tone icy: "People like you are difficult to deal with, and I'm far away in the sect, so of course I couldn't get anything on you. But Chi Fuju's repeated punishments, even incurring the Sect Master's displeasure, were also your doing, weren't they? You've certainly been sowing discord all these years, haven't you?"