5 Chapter 5: Past 2

Inside a seclusion room that was as grand as Li Tian's chambers, Ancestor Li Xian opened his eyes, ready to unleash his anger upon the audacious cultivator who dared to disturb the ancestral grounds. Stepping out of his seclusion room situated atop one of the highest mountain peaks, he began tracing the source of the scream. To his surprise, he discovered that the one who had shouted was none other than Ancestor Li Tian. This revelation left Ancestor Li Xian dumbfounded and a tad worried. After a brief moment, Ancestor Li Fang approached Ancestor Li Xian near Li Tian's cultivation room on the mountain.

Ancestor Li Fang said to Ancestor Li Xian, "This is the first time Tian has shouted; not even in his childhood did he exhibit such behavior. He must have encountered a problem or a barrier in cultivation, considering he secluded himself for one thousand years to break through the half-step immortal realm."

"You must be right, Ancestor Li Fang. Tian is still young and a genius, but he is only human. Eventually, he will face cultivation barriers. I believe he attempted to break through to the half-step immortal realm and failed," remarked Ancestor Li Xian.

"Tian must be injured from this unsuccessful breakthrough attempt. It's his first failure in advancing to another realm, and it has likely shaken his dao heart, leading to his outcry of 'NO,'" Ancestor Li Xian concluded.

"That must be it," exclaimed Ancestor Li Fang. "We should encourage Tian, assuring him not to worry and advising him to try again next time," continued Ancestor Li Xian.

.....

In the cultivation chamber, Li Tian, having just solidified his cultivation base at the True Immortal Realm, expressed,This is the best feeling of pleasure I've ever experienced. This is satisfaction one feels after solidifying the base of cultivation." His words were filled with a sense of profound accomplishment."

"It's almost like the pleasure you get after overcoming a long and arduous challenge, or perhaps even more gratifying than that, like masturbation, or even more pleasurable than that; almost it's like the real deal," Li Tian thought, his words tinged with a sense of elation. But Li Tian's cheeks almost turned red after saying that.

"Well, I do have two wives that I just ignore." Li Tian's voice trailed off, carrying a tinge of contemplation as he found himself caught in the web of introspection. A moment of self-reflection brought forth a stark realization, a revelation that prompted him to reevaluate his actions and the dynamics of his relationships.

"After getting a reality check," Li Tian thought, his mind unraveling the threads of his recent behavior. "Well, I never paid attention to them in the first place. Despite the ceremonial union with Lin Hua and Chen Lian, my interactions with them were mere formalities. I guided them to their designated living quarters within the clan, ensuring their comfort, but that was the extent of my involvement. All the necessary cultivation materials and pills were provided to them from time to time, but always through the hands of the servants. Surprisingly, I didn't make the effort to visit them, not even once in those five hundred years."

The weight of his oversight pressed upon Li Tian's conscience as he acknowledged the gaps in his actions. The two women, who had become integral to his life through the sacred bond of marriage, were marginalized and their significance diminished in his priorities. This realization evoked a profound sense of remorse, compelling him to further contemplate his role as a husband and the responsibilities he had towards them.

As he continued to reflect, Li Tian recognized the need for change. The revelation acted as a catalyst for a shift in his priorities, urging him to bridge the emotional distance that had inadvertently grown between him and his wives. With this awareness, he vowed to rectify the oversight he had done with Lin Hua and Chen Lian, recognizing the importance of nurturing the bonds that tied them together.

"Well, in any case, they will be happy to see me at least after I go and greet them, won't they? I can show them my affection for them," Li Tian pondered, a flicker of optimistic anticipation crossing his mind as he considered the prospect of meeting with Lin Hua and Chen Lian as a responsible husband. However, as he delved deeper into his contemplation, an unsettling transformation occurred as he thought about his two beautiful wives. 

With a perverted smile on his face, contemplating inappropriate thoughts about intimate acts between a husband and wife, a manifestation of questionable intentions gradually crept onto his face—a visage that no woman would wish to encounter on the countenance of an older man.

(Well, here Li Tian was in seclusion for almost one thousand years, and he didn't maintain his age, so his face looks like that of an old man, but he possesses the ability to change his appearance to that of his young self.)

His dreamy musings were abruptly interrupted as something struck Li Tian's memory, causing his face to darken. A sudden realization hit him like a ton of bricks, and he couldn't help but exclaim aloud, "Holy shit, I even messed up my life." With those words, his countenance grew even more somber, and, unbeknownst to him, a palpable aura of killing intent began to emanate around him, reflecting the turmoil that started inside his mind.

The optimism that had briefly touched his thoughts now gave way to a profound sense of regret and worry. Li Tian's acknowledgment of the neglected relationships and the realization of his own actions cast a shadow over his previous enthusiasm. The perverted smile, a fleeting glimpse into a moment of questionable intent, was now replaced with a face made of slight anger and worry, which looked like a stain on his beautiful face and was a reflection of the turmoil going on in his mind.

As the weight of his own mistakes settled in, Li Tian's expression darkened further, and the atmosphere around him shifted. The air crackled with an unseen force, the aura of killing intent echoing the turmoil within his conflicted soul. His thoughts of living with Lin Hua and Chen Lian, which had started with a glimmer of hope, now bore the heavy burden of remorse.

In contemplating the circumstances, Li Tian delved into the reasons behind his wives' independent journeys. "I just left them on their own for nearly one thousand and five hundred years of life, and during this time, they chose to embark on numerous traveling journeys. If my memory serves me right, Lin Hua, my first wife—a mature beauty in the truest sense—had requested my permission multiple times to return to her clan and explore various places. However, after a series of such appeals, I grew fatigued with the constant requests. At that point, I decided to address the matter more assertively."

Li Tian chose to communicate his stance through letters. To Lin Hua, he sent a missive that not only scolded her for seeking his approval incessantly but also emphasized that she had the freedom to pursue her desires without seeking his permission. Simultaneously, a similar letter was dispatched to his second wife, Chen Lian, a captivating beauty hailing from the Heavenly Tiger Clan, conveying the same sentiment of autonomy and freedom in her decisions. It was a moment where Li Tian sought to assert their independence, inadvertently leading to a period of separation that now weighed heavily on his conscience.

 Li Tian was now deeply regretting his past actions, feeling a strong desire to chastise his former self. The world of cultivation, as he understood it, was far more unforgiving than Earth. Adultery was a prevalent issue, and Li Tian had not only failed in fulfilling his duties as a husband but had also neglected to spend any time with his wives. In this cutthroat realm, where even brothers could betray each other for personal gain and where young women, despite their purity, were vulnerable to temptation, the stakes were exceptionally high.

Complicating matters further, both Lin Hua and Chen Lian were heavenly beauties; their ethereal beauty made them potential targets for those with malicious intentions.

As Li Tian meticulously assessed the situation, he became increasingly aware of the need to summon the courage to confront his wives if they had, in any way, strayed from their marital vows. The weight of his prolonged neglect and the uncertainty surrounding the faithfulness of Lin Hua and Chen Lian to him had now started to press heavily on him. The path ahead of him looked like a looming challenge and was emotionally charged as he grappled with the consequences of his actions and the potential betrayal that lurked in the shadows of his past decisions.