Preparations
Qing He County, Li Family House.
Within the three years that Li Wu You was the head of household, improvements were prioritized and there were many gains in every aspect.
These days, the Li family had already become the number one wealthy group of merchants in the county.
Three steps forward, three steps deep in the county, there was a grand residence and courtyard.
They held Qing He county's most flourishing seat of honor.
It had to have been at least several hundred Zhang* long. (TL: 1 Zhang = 3.3m)
Within the property's courtyard, various grand pavilions and kiosks sat on top of water, with paths connecting them all together between the main buildings, filled with various gardens and statues all over.
Like spring in full bloom, there was all sorts of rare vegetation throughout the courtyard.
Some people even say that this place was even slightly superior to the imperial palace's courtyard and garden, and that the group of maidens who tend to the garden are even more numerous.
And yet, among all these people, not a single one knew of the details Li Wu You's trip to Xiao Yun temple, where he went mad while murdering the entirety of the hundreds of monks within.
They all believed that he had gone to the temple to serve and pray like normal.
Li Wu You had silently returned to his home and then entered the secret underground room that was developed by the wealthy.
It was a 3 x 10 Zhang room.
All four walls were heavily fortified to withstand any kind of attack.
Within the room, there was a white jade bed.
Near the end of the bed, there was a box carefully wrapped in red silk.
"Everything has been thoroughly prepared, I can start now."
Li Wu You gently felt the red silk, and his deathly pale face had begun to warm up.
Within the box was what he used half a year's worth of time to refine.
A soul stealing pill.
...….
Ever since he had found out he didn't have much time left, Li Wu You started thinking of a way out.
He had searched for Gods and prayed to Buddhas, he had sought doctors and asked for medicine.
He had given every option an honest try.
However, it was to no avail.
He could feel his life force depleting by the second.
Regarding this, Li Wu You was very unwilling to abide by his fate.
Why were my innate gifts so weird, exceptional ability and wisdom, but only with the tiniest lifespan of 20 years?
And yet, those ordinary, mediocre, ignorant, pathetic, simple people more or less have the lifespan of 60 or 70 years?
So, he will fight upstream, against heaven, to change his fate!
Two years ago.
Li Wu You had bought a strange jade stone from a grave robber.
He had also researched an ancient era's method to steal one's soul.
It was to use one's own soul to forcefully occupy another's body, in the end, exchanging one's essence.
It had sounded just like a classic fantasy story!
But desperate people will never safeguard their cherished items, always willing to pay any price for any piece of straw if it were able to save one's life.
Li Wu You believed in it, and started working on his secret preparations.
After half a year, he had collected all kinds of rare and precious herbal medicines and successfully refined the soul stealing pill.
Today, he had once again summited the mountain to go to Xiao Yun temple to kill another hundred Buddhist monks, to sufficiently collect 100 drops of the blood of the heart and mind.
Preparations were ready.
….
Taking the red box and putting it in his breast pocket, Li Wu You left the secret room.
The table along the rear side of the secret room swung around, and after the final revolution, a copper Qi Lin statue ended up at 'entrance.' (TL Note: Qilin is an animal of Chinese mythology, It's like a Dragon + Horse)
With the soft grinding of the fake wall as it rotated, the 'door' of the secret room tightly locked in place.
Li Wu You went to his living area's lobby and said:
"Let Li Xing Yun come over to meet me." (TL note: FYI, Xing Yun means nebula)
Li Xing Yun was Li Wu You's paternal cousin.
Li Wu You had decided today was the day to steal a soul, and now was the time to look for his new body.
The new body had two conditions that must be satisfied.
First was the mind.
The body's mind could not be too strong, nor too intelligent.
Otherwise, while fighting for control, the body's original soul could turn the situation around, it was easy to be devoured by the soul that was meant to be stolen!
Next was the body.
The new body's physical constitution and aptitude for cultivation must at least be decent.
Li Wu You did not want to spend all this time and effort just to possess human trash, yet it was not worth it to clash souls against someone with a profoundly strong spirit.
An accomplished cultivator would naturally also have a tenacious spirit.
From within Li Wu You's family bloodline, he found Li Xing Yun.
The family blood line had a special quality.
It had profound ability.
It could naturally refine and hone the body.
Someone with this blood, their bones, muscles, skin, etc etc, they would all be significantly stronger than the average person's.
And if they were injured, they would recover incredibly fast.
Additionally, with such an advantage as the foundation, the prospects of cultivation would probably be greater than the average person's by five fold!
It would absolutely suit cultivating powerful techniques.
Having this bloodline innately qualifies anyone to become a cultivation master.
It was if cultivation was so natural, that they could even ascend beyond imagination.
He would be peerless among his own realm.
Li Xing Yun satisfies both requirements.
Therefore, Li Wu You had secretly schemed, and gave him a special opportunity.
In less than two years, the latter had risen to fame in the Li family, and become the handpicked successor.
Naturally, Li Wu You gave him the successor's identity, it was also for Li Wu You's personal gain.
This way, after stealing his soul, he could still be the rightful, authoritative leader of the Li family.
"Yes!"
Outside Li Wu You's room, day or night, there would always be an attendant waiting on him.
After hearing his order, the attendant quickly left to pass on the message.
...
"It will be time to start very soon."
"First, I must prepare."
Upon hearing the distant footsteps outside, Li Wu You took out the soul stealing pill, as well as the blood of the hearts and minds.
The pill appeared to be milky white.
An intense medicinal scent quickly filled the room.
When inspecting it closely, one could even notice some dense vapor around the pill.
It's profundity was peerless.
Tick tock, tick tock….
Li Wu You took the hundred drops of the blood of hearts and minds and slowly poured it on top of the soul stealing pill.
*Qi La*
The red pill slowly emitted a halo of light, and then, the blood was slowly absorbed.
The milky white color was completely covered.
The pill turned red.
At the same time, all sorts of chaotic patterns of flames emerged on its surface.
By absorbing the blood into the soul stealing pill, its efficacy will reach its peak.
*Huuuu*
Li Wu You sensed that the soul stealing pill had warmed up, and he looked forward to the road ahead.
Whether success or failure, henceforth, my plan of action.
If success, I will avoid my own death.
If failure, I will fade away from this world for eternity.
"Grasping my own life comes first, I don't follow heaven!"
(TL: Lit: I follow life, I do not follow heaven!"
Li Wu You talked to himself meanwhile.
Holding the soul stealing pill, he popped it into his mouth.
Boom!
Immediately there was an incredibly strong and rich effect, it was like the floodgates had been opened, spreading from his stomach throughout his chest.
In the blink of an eye, the sensation had spread all over his body.
"Ahh!"
Next, Li Wu You's body suddenly became rigid, his face had become twisted and distorted due to the sheer pain.
He suddenly felt that whether it was his bones, skin, muscles, mental state, or whatever, it was all being forcefully peeled away.
His body began to wither.
All of his black hair turned white.
His skin shrank and wrinkled, barely clinging to his bones.
The area surrounding his eyes had turned black.
The whites of his eyes became muddled.
Additionally, the space right between his eyebrows became incredibly hot!
It even had begun to swell!
That was because all of his mind and spirit had all condensed there.
His body was wrecked, but a mark had formed in that exact spot.
"It's ready."
Li Wu You grit his teeth, endured all of the immense pain, and then, with great difficulty in his soon to be disposed of body, he leaned on his bed.
And then, simply waited for Li Xing Yun to arrive.
…..
Li Family outer courtyard.
In a secluded area for practicing martial arts, flourishing with beautiful flowers, stood the silhouette of a tall and sturdy figure, in the middle of practicing sophisticated movements with great effort.
His facial features were gruff.
His brows were fierce, like a wild animal.
His muscles protruded from his clothes, hard as diamonds.
It was as if he could move mountains.
A blade grasped by his hand reflected brilliant light as it hacked away, all while producing the humming sensation of a blade slicing through air.
Truly extraordinary.
This person was undoubtedly Li Xing Yun.
Facing Heaven, first stage.
The future of the Li family, the heir to the throne.
"Young Master Yun, the family patriarch has called for you to come by."
As the reminder from the person by the entrance sounded, the blade emitting brilliant colors dropped with a thought, its tip piercing straight into the ground.
Dust splattered into the air.
Li Xing Yun turned around, and saw the servant's face clearly, and impatiently asked:
"What's the matter? What does that cripple want?"
This servant had already accepted bribes from Li Xing Yun, as the primary attendant outside Li Xing Yun's door.
Li Xing Yun had no idea, that his recent status as the supreme heir to the Li family that was given to him was all the arrangement of Li Wu You.
He believed it was his natural heaven defying talent, his unparalleled brilliance.
He believed his success was the natural will of heaven.
It was none other than that he was the Li family's future and hope!
Therefore, he very early on disdainfully saw Li Wu You as an obstacle.
"Yesterday, I heard the family doctor say: 'The family head can't last any more than a few days now'."
The house servant knew of Li Wu You's situation, so he flattered and smiled at the soon to be heir.
"Calling for Young Master Yun at this time, it ought to be to brief you on the current affairs, and to promote you to the family head."
"Really?"
Li Xing Yun's complexion appeared pleased, as he smiled.
"Just wait for me to become the family patriarch, I will certainly spoil you without end!"
"Go! Go see him!!"