Chapter 774: Thunderstorm

Li Minggong rested for a while, carefully tending to her injuries. Much time seemed to pass. Li Chenghuai entered from outside the hall, his expression solemn, a mix of joy and worry. He whispered, "Elder Sister, Situ Mo has fallen. I heard that the Patriarch acted on Salt Lake, first killing Situ Mo to take revenge, then facing six people from Changxiao and killing Yu Nanzi, forcing the Changxiao disciples to retreat."

Li Minggong quickly looked up, a look of vindication on her face. Then, with renewed worry, she asked, "What happened next?"

Li Chenghuai replied, "I heard they were met by the Cheng family and retreated to Wanyu."

Li Minggong immediately breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a great weight lift from her heart. She said, "It's good that he got away. Both sides are safe. Just let him... stay alive out there."

Li Chenghuai nodded. Li Minggong coughed and asked, "I can't hold on much longer; I'll need to go into seclusion soon. First, handle your brother's funeral arrangements to spare the elder from too much toil. Afterwards, I hope you'll look after the family and make decisions for them. Do you... have any plans?"

Li Chenghuai immediately hesitated. He replied, "I wish to share the family's burdens, but my younger brother's father is the Lord of Jue Tian Pavilion, and his mother is a descendant of the Azure Pond Immortals. If I were to make decisions, it might not look good... The Ji lineage has always practiced cultivation in Azure Pond. My leadership of Qingdu was already an exception; there's no precedent for me to preside over the affairs of the continent or lead the clan."

Li Xizhi is the Lord of Jue Tian Pavilion, and highly valued and promoted by the Si family, clearly an Azure Pond cultivator. The Yang family is also an imperial clan allied with Azure Pond. Li Chenghuai's identity is indeed somewhat sensitive. However, Li Minggong currently had no one else available, so she could only sigh and reply, "Just keep a low profile; there's no need for you to be conspicuous. Now that things have quieted down, the various families won't easily make a move. My only fear is that some family might intentionally use you to implicate Third Uncle, giving Azure Pond an excuse to intervene. With no Purple Mansion cultivators in our family, we'd be powerless to resist and could end up in a muddled situation."

Li Chenghuai said softly, "Father was too deeply involved in the downfall of the Chi family. The True Monarch hasn't returned, and Chi Buzhi is still out there; we don't know what his fate will be. That was precisely why Father and the True Person considered not returning to the family back then... It's still best to be cautious."

Li Minggong finally nodded and replied, "This matter isn't too troublesome; after all, there's still Cui Jueyin. His cultivation is formidable, his Dao is profound, and his character and abilities are all top-notch. With him watching over the clan, nothing will go wrong."

After Li Minggong finished discussing with him, she saw Qu Bushi requesting an audience outside the hall and quickly asked, "Did you find Ding Weizeng?"

Qu Bushi's expression was odd; he shook his head repeatedly and replied, "Guan Lingdie from the Duxian Dao is here to see you."

Li Minggong paused, surprised, and hesitated for a moment. She then replied, "Well... let her come up first."

Li Chenghuai frowned and took a step forward, standing beside his elder sister. Li Wen also quickly retreated, and the two surrounded the woman, one on each side. Only then did they see the woman in the colorful skirt enter the hall.

Guan Lingdie had not come alone; several escorting guest cultivators remained outside the hall. Only Gongsun Baifan, clad in a straw cape, was by her side. The woman finally showed some sense, stopping at a distance, looking a bit awkward. She said, half-softly, half-firmly, "Greetings, Fellow Daoist Li."

"Fellow Daoist, this is...?" Li Minggong concealed the weariness in her expression and politely responded as usual. Guan Lingdie then said, "My family has a Duchin Bell in your clan's possession, and I have come to retrieve it."

Although the Duxian Dao seemed unpredictable and volatile, Li Minggong would not offend them now; there wasn't even time to ease tensions. She only said softly, "Please speak, Fellow Daoist."

As soon as she spoke, Guan Lingdie, who had the demeanor of a young girl, immediately dropped her pretense. Her tense body relaxed, and she replied, "When we sparred years ago, Situ Mo sent a guest cultivator to your esteemed clan. My Duxian Dao has always treated him well with food and drink. Now, we intend to send him back as a gesture of gratitude for your clan's return of the Duchin Bell."

*An Siwei...* Li Minggong's heart suddenly lightened. She raised her eyebrows hopefully and asked, "Is this true?"

Guan Lingdie paused, then whispered fluently, "Many of the past conflicts and misunderstandings were mostly instigated by Xuanyue and forced by Changxiao; we had no choice..."

She spoke for a while. Li Minggong saw that her words were fluent, yet it didn't seem like something she would say herself; perhaps she had memorized it from Guan Gongxiao. Patiently, she waited for Guan Lingdie to finish, then took out the dark, unassuming bell from her sleeve and said softly, "The artifact is here. Please take it, Fellow Daoist."

Guan Lingdie was overjoyed. She gave Gongsun Baifan a few instructions and sent him away. Soon after, Qu Bushi also came up. The old man walked around Guan Lingdie, then approached Li Minggong and whispered, "The Duxian Dao people down the mountain have released Guest Cultivator An. His breathing is steady, and he's not gravely injured; all his previous wounds have healed."

Li Minggong returned the artifact. Guan Lingdie inspected it briefly, then breathed a sigh of relief. Without further words, she took her leave, riding the wind. A few breaths later, An Siwei finally entered from outside the hall.

An Siwei's breathing was steady, his clothes clean, and his long spear was on his back, exactly as it had been when he left. Only his eyes were a little red, and his face had visibly aged in just a year or so. Although he had no white hair, his demeanor was clearly one of decline.

The Duxian Dao actually didn't care much for An Siwei. In Guan Gongxiao's eyes, An Siwei was merely a person who had achieved Dao through spiritual aura and jade truth, attaining Foundation Establishment by chance, and was nearly forgotten in the dungeon. However, the struggle and unease in An Siwei's heart grew stronger by the day, tormenting him for a long time.

The Li family using a top-grade artifact to exchange for him was truly too sudden. Suddenly released, An Siwei was still somewhat unsettled. He bowed and said, "Thank you, milady."

An Siwei, being an elder, was more like a senior family member. Li Minggong simply comforted him and told him to rise, whispering, "Please rest and recover. I still have matters to attend to here, so I won't keep you long, Protector. The Old Patriarch is worried, so this will be good news for him to hear."

An Siwei bowed again and quickly withdrew. Li Minggong, with effort, got up from the main seat, looked somewhat bewilderedly at the thunder in the sky, and said, "Brother Huai, go catch a few bolts of thunder... seal them in a bottle, so we can bury them in the clan tomb."

Li Chenghuai took out a dark bronze-colored small bottle from his sleeve and replied, "I already caught them yesterday..."

Li Minggong sighed and followed him out of the hall. A young man with golden eyes, black hair, and an ordinary appearance was waiting outside the main entrance. It was none other than the second young master, Li Jianglong.

Li Jiangqian had given instructions earlier, and the family affairs had been arranged. The few of them silently rode the wind towards the lake. After crossing the river, the Fei family on the north bank had already hung white mourning cloth.

Li Cheng had defended the north bank back then, saving many members of the Fei family from the Floating Cloud Cave. He had also spent most of those ten years on the north bank, so the Fei family members were even more familiar with him. Cries of mourning could now be heard.

After crossing the north bank, the lake was covered in white mourning. Although Li Chenghuai had instructed them to keep it as simple as possible, white was still everywhere, and the silence was astonishing. Only upon reaching the island did the loud cries of mourning begin.

White cloths were hung in the hall, and many respected elders sat on either side. Young men and boys knelt below, with the coffin placed in the center. The soft cries of mourning awaited the arrival of the funeral items.

Li Minggong changed into white mourning clothes. The moment she stepped into the main hall, the cries of mourning intensified dramatically. One by one, everyone began to wail. Those who had been whispering and chatting below, upon seeing her, cried at the top of their lungs, whether they had tears or not. This caused Li Xuanxuan, who was in the very center, to shed tears.

In front of the coffin, a young boy was still kneeling, crying especially sorrowfully. Li Minggong silently stood aside. The spiritual objects representing the remains were brought forward. Li Xuanxuan then presided over the ceremonies one by one. The young boy cried himself almost to death, nearly fainting.

Li Minggong waited for a long time. Everyone watched her, clearly waiting for her to announce the succession. Feeling deeply uncomfortable, she turned and went outside the hall. After the sun set, Li Chenghuai emerged first with the elder, and only then did the few of them begin to discuss.

Li Minggong still found it hard to accept, but she had to ensure the distribution of assets was handled properly to avoid future issues. So, suppressing her pain, she quietly asked, "My brother was not married, let alone having children. The Six Thunder Profound Punishment Token, a treasure of its kind, must be returned to the clan. As for the remaining spiritual resources, Foundation Establishment artifacts, and Qi Cultivation robes, all of which are quite valuable, they must be passed down according to the laws of succession. Is there anyone suitable?"

Li Chenghuai, having once governed Qingdu, immediately replied, "Elder Brother had considered this matter before. Having no children of his own, he thought of adopting one of his elder brother's descendants. But the Old Patriarch, considering his young age, feared that he might later have his own child, leading to unpleasantness, and thus prevented it."

No one had imagined that Li Cheng would fall so early. Li Xuanxuan no longer had tears, only clutched his sleeve and remained silent. Li Minggong asked, "Who are the closest relatives now?"

Li Chenghuai replied, "There are three. One is the closest by blood, the youngest son of a clan elder brother, who was just about to be adopted. He is thirteen years old, has never met Elder Brother, and was the one crying his heart out in the hall just now. That clan elder brother brought the child early this morning, telling him to kneel there first to claim the spot..."

Li Minggong's brows were furrowed with worry. She whispered, "I wondered who it was... crying so hard! I fear he is good at deception, feigning emotions, and if he were to be the successor, I'm afraid it would tarnish my brother's good name."

Li Chenghuai continued, "There are also two others. The elder one is also closely related by blood to Elder Brother. He's good in every way, except for his hot temper and straightforwardness. He was kneeling in the hall just now but didn't cry."

"The other is younger, more distantly related by blood to Elder Brother. For a period, he often visited Elder Brother's residence, and I heard Elder Brother was fond of him... but he went to guard the East Bank and hasn't returned."

Li Minggong was silent for a moment, then asked, "Looking at the scene in the hall, under the present circumstances, most people care more for their own small families and lineages, or even just themselves. Few genuinely care for the clan; they all act more like disciples of a sect. This isn't just our family; the Xiao and Chen families are the same. It's a common ailment of aristocratic families, and it's not inherently wrong. Let's reserve the Dao lineage for these three for now, and discuss the succession after careful observation in the future."

She hesitated, listening as Li Xuanxuan said in a hoarse voice, "Minggong... bring all three of them to the island. Don't let them have other ideas; it wouldn't look good then."

After Li Xuanxuan finished speaking, both nodded in agreement. They then heard a faint commotion below, and hurried footsteps echoed in the corridor. A man in red robes arrived late, hastily changing into white mourning clothes as he rode the wind. His face was quite handsome, but at the sight of him, the elder's heart sank, and his lips began to tremble.

Li Chenghuai quickly glanced over and saw that it was indeed Li Zhouming, Li Ximing's legitimate grandson. They hadn't seen him earlier, and both Li Chenghuai and Li Minggong had tacitly decided not to mention it. Who knew this child would walk right into trouble?

"You beast!" Li Xuanxuan, having been at Qi Cultivation Stage Nine for many years, immediately swept up his sleeve and caught him in mid-air. Li Zhouming had intended to sneak in, but he hadn't expected the three of them to be waiting at the entrance. Panic surged in his heart.

He trembled with fear, not daring to struggle, and knelt down with a thud. "You... you! Your uncle died for the clan's affairs, and you... how dare you be late for his funeral!"

Li Xuanxuan was filled with both grief and rage. As a direct descendant of the Purple Mansion, Li Zhouming should have been a pillar of strength alongside Li Zhouwei and Li Zhouluo, each from their respective branches. But now he was so worthless and ill-behaved that it made Li Xuanxuan's vision darken.

Now, the young man knelt on the ground, a golden lock pendant, given to him by Li Xuanxuan at birth, dangled and glittered around his neck. His face was filled with panic. He clutched Li Xuanxuan's leg and pleaded, "Old Patriarch, don't be angry... don't be angry! Mind your health!"

He wasn't bad-looking, somewhat delicate in features, and well-dressed. If he weren't kneeling and begging for forgiveness, he would have had some poise. Li Ximing had only recently gone missing, making it even harder for Li Xuanxuan to punish him. He merely maintained a cold expression.

Li Minggong had never liked him; she turned her head away, refusing to look. She allowed Li Zhouming to babble to Li Xuanxuan on the ground.

*Sigh...* After all, it was a funeral. Li Xuanxuan gave him a kick and told him to get inside. Li Chenghuai never commented on such matters; he even offered a few comforting words to the young man.

Li Minggong, feeling dispirited, nodded and glanced around the hall. As soon as the three had left, the crying immediately lessened, though many still wept loudly. Seeing this, she felt disappointed and couldn't help but say, "I only fear that the ambition of our family's six generations will ultimately fall to a group of..."

"Minggong!" The elder rapped his wooden staff, interrupting her words. Though tears were clearly in Li Xuanxuan's eyes, his voice was strong and firm: "When there are many people... there are bound to be some mediocrities... they'll cry a bit here and then go back to their ways... The selection of talent on the island is still very clear and fair, and Jiangque and the others are quite good. Don't speak such disheartening words."

Li Minggong quickly nodded. Li Chenghuai, though silent beside her, still had words suppressed in his heart and secretly sighed: *If not for Zhouwei, Zhouxing would already show signs of exhaustion. If not for the good children Zhouwei raised... how many capable individuals would Jiangque have now? The Old Patriarch always likes to look on the bright side...*

The three gradually fell silent. The rain in the sky grew heavier, and the lake waters churned. Li Minggong suddenly raised her eyebrows in surprise, casting her gaze skyward, and said in a hoarse voice, "Someone has broken through!"

Li Chenghuai also looked up, his expression much more surprised and delighted. He took a step forward, briefly sensed the aura, and exchanged a glance with his elder sister. "Jing Dragon King!" "Chen Yang has been in seclusion for these past few years and has already broken through! It's no wonder... he must have utilized the power of the Residing Heart Profound Impact."

The lake water rippled. Li Chenghuai nodded to his elder sister and rose into the wind. He traversed through the heavy rain for a moment and indeed saw a swirling gray flood dragon rising from Qingdu Mountain, baring its fangs and claws, its eyes fierce, and its whiskers extremely long.

A young man in black robes rode the flood dragon, with broad shoulders, long eyebrows, and light gray pupils. His black hair was loose in the heavy rain. He circled once and landed before Li Chenghuai, a smile on his face, and cupped his hands in greeting, "Greetings, Milord!"