Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan

Chapter 498 - 504: Hidden Danger

”I appreciate your help.”

Li Zhiyue shook her head repeatedly with a smile and said, ”Jiu has helped me so much, it was but a trifle, no need for Aunt Fengwu to thank me so formally.”

After a pause, she asked with some trepidation, ”Iʼm not sure, how has the family developed over these years?”

”Itʼs been quite good. Zhirui made a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul, but apart from Cheng Huo, there are no other Golden Core cultivators.”

”Jiu made a breakthrough to Nascent Soul?” Li Zhiyue initially felt surprised, but quickly regained her composure and murmured to herself, ”With Jiuʼs talent, it is only natural for him to achieve the honor of the Nascent Soul.”

Because they were not very familiar with each other, their conversation was rather awkward and stiff, entirely a matter of question and answer, showing no sign that they were from the same clan.

”Youʼre here to temper yourself in the hopes of making a breakthrough to Nascent Soul, right?”

Jiang Fengwu answered unrelatedly, ”It has been a long time since I have been out for tempering. My strength has declined too much, and I wish to take this opportunity to improve myself.”

Suddenly, a member of Jiang Fengwuʼs team ran over to call her, as it was time to distribute the spoils from their latest expedition.

”Iʼm sorry!” Li Zhiyue said apologetically, ”You go ahead with your business, Aunt Fengwu. I wonʼt disturb you any longer.”

”Alright, then I will take my leave first. Be extra careful on your way back.”

After speaking, Jiang Fengwu turned around and left.

Li Zhiyue was left standing alone in the wilderness, her expression indescribably complex.

——

On the usually tranquil Wanxian Island, spiritual energy suddenly began converging towards a particular place, immediately alarming a great number of clan members.

”Isnʼt that the direction of Mrs. Zhixuanʼs cave residence?”

”Thatʼs right! It looks like the Lady is about to make a breakthrough!”

”Iʼve heard she is a Four Spiritual Roots cultivator with not-so-high spiritual root purity, yet she can actually breakthrough to the Middle Golden Core Stage, thatʼs really amazing!”

Previously, because Li Zhixuan had spent most of her time tempering herself outside, many clan members were unaware of her existence.

However, following several major battles, Li Zhixuanʼs outstanding performance, along with her unique choice of not contracting a Spirit Beast, left a memorable impression on many clan members.

And after more details about Li Zhixuan were revealed, she instantly became an idol for the younger generation.

Especially for those clan members with lesser talents, in their eyes, Li Zhixuan was even more formidable than Li Zhirui, and more worthy of their admiration.

But for senior members like Li Zhirui and Li Shiqing, Li Zhixuanʼs breakthrough was not surprising.

Although her spiritual roots were poor, her talent in the Sword Dao could be described as outstanding. If it were not for solidifying her foundation and having the Spirit Pills provided by Li Zhirui, Li Zhixuan could have made a breakthrough much earlier.

The fluctuation of spiritual energy didnʼt last too long—about a quarter of an hour. Accompanied by a sharp and murderous Sword Intent soaring into the sky, the spiritual energy gradually returned to calm.

Yet this breakthrough left an exceptionally profound impression on many clan members!

That soaring Sword Intent not only stirred fear among many clan members, but it also invoked longing in others, who aspired to become Sword Cultivators.

——

”Mom, I want to be a formidable and powerful Sword Cultivator, I donʼt want to contract a Spirit Beast!” a young child no older than five or six years old pleaded with a woman by the roadside.

Their voices were so loud that they attracted the gazes of many passing clan members.

However, they only glanced once before continuing on with their own affairs, as if this were already normal.

Indeed, that is the case!

Ever since Li Zhixuan had her breakthrough, many children living in the clan had been pestering their parents, eager to become sword cultivators.

Although family rules dictated that Spiritual Root testing would only take place on the last day of each year, if both parents were cultivators, they would secretly test their children the day after they turned five, to prepare accordingly.

If the child had a Spiritual Root, they would begin refining their physical body and meridians, but if not, they would mentally prepare for separation from the child.

However, Li Zhirui, who had just emerged from seclusion today, felt lonely in his cave abode, since his Dao companion and children were all out gaining experience, and came out for a stroll, was utterly unaware of all these developments.

He found it very strange, When did the family become so obsessed with sword cultivation?

What had happened during the time he had been in seclusion?

Speaking of the past half-year Li Zhirui had spent in seclusion, he still hadnʼt achieved the two goals he had set. His Escape Skill had only just begun, and the rest required a lot of time to meticulously carve and perfect.

As for comprehending the Laws, there was no clue, no progress whatsoever.

Li Zhirui took his doubts and investigated the cause of this situation.

Before long, he understood what was going on.

It was simply that the children thought sword cultivators were impressive and powerful, thus they yearned to become one.

It might seem like a simplistic notion to the children, but Li Zhirui saw a problem in it, the composition of the cultivators in the Li family was too homogenous!

From Li Shiqing to the newest generation of cultivators, nearly all the clan members practiced the ”Wanling Sutra.”

There were many benefits to doing so, like a wealth of experience; descendants who followed the prescribed cultivation path would encounter no issues.

But there was also a significant hidden danger!

If other powers discovered any weak points in the ”Wanling Sutra” and targeted them, the strength of the Li family could be greatly diminished in an instant.

Of course, the chances of this were slim; after all, a cultivation technique that had been created, especially one capable of at least the Void Refinement Realm, was unlikely to have any obvious flaws.

Besides, apart from the ”Wanling Sutra,” the Li family had high-level Methods only until the Golden Core stage for most of their cultivation techniques. Only the ”Taiyi Scudding Wind Path Scripture” could take one to the Nascent Soul stage.

But even that was incomplete, with only the methods up to the early stages of Nascent Soul. The rest of the content was unknown.

Whatʼs most important!

The Li family had merely collected these Cultivation Techniques, without any experiences or insights left by predecessors. Everything had to be figured out by the new generation themselves.

And this would undoubtedly slow down their cultivation progress.

However, not resolving the problem seemed improper to Li Zhirui.

After much thought, Li Zhirui finally decided to ask for Li Shiqingʼs opinion.

”Uncle...” After paying his respects, he voiced his concerns.

”Thereʼs no need to worry so much, right?” Li Shiqing seemed to not fully understand, feeling that Li Zhirui was overly concerned.

After all, it was very common for a power to practice a single Cultivation Technique, as this was more conducive to nurturing the younger generation.

”As long as we ensure that the ʼWanling Sutraʼ doesnʼt leak, other powers wonʼt be able to decipher it.”

Li Zhirui shook his head, smiling wryly, ”Uncle, have you forgotten that there is another power practicing the ʼWanling Sutraʼ?”

And it wasnʼt as if the Li family understood ”Wanling Sutra” better than the Beast Taming Sect. After all, they had been practicing this technique for several thousand years, while the Li family hadnʼt even reached five hundred years.