Chapter 258: Such is the Way Things Are
"Is there really no other way?" Wang Xiangru, sitting below, asked with a pale face.
Her husband, Li Feng Hua, had rushed back from Cangzhou with his army. He had nearly perished in the great battle defending Qingzhou and now, severely wounded and not yet recovered, he looked weak and frail.
Li Xiaoran glanced at her coldly without a word, his eyes fixed on Li Tiangang.
Li Tiangang's expression was grim. He never imagined that in just over a month, the Li family would find themselves in such a desperate situation.
"I'll go and invite the ancestor's blood sacrifice!"
Li Tiangang grit his teeth and stood up.
He glanced at Li Xiaoran, wanting to say something to his fourth uncle, but the other man's gaze was icy cold, looking at him as if he were a stranger. This stabbed at Li Tiangang's heart.
He knew the reason.
When he had returned with his wife, Ji Qingqing, he had also confessed to everyone about Li Hao. He had failed to bring Li Hao back, and Li Hao had died because of him.
This news had stunned LiMuxiu and Li Xiaoran. On that day, angry roars had erupted within the General's Mansion, and several rooms in the Shanhe Court had been smashed to pieces, except for the one that the young man had once lived in, which remained intact.
After a night, LiMuxiu seemed to have aged over a decade. He didn't say another word to Li Tiangang, and Li Xiaoran's gaze toward Li Tiangang was equally cold, as if he were a stranger. This pained Li Tiangang deeply.
As Li Tiangang walked forward, Li Xiaoran merely sidestepped slightly to let him pass, both men remaining silent.
The rest were also silent, having grown accustomed to this. These days, whenever Li Xiaoran came to find Li Tiangang, it was only regarding the battle reports from Liangzhou, and each time, his tone was icy cold.
They all vividly remembered the day they learned of Li Hao's death and the events that had transpired in the Shanhe Court. The old man with the hottest temper and the deepest bond with Li Hao had, despite violating the Li family's soul oath and injuring himself, slapped Li Tiangang hard several times, causing himself to cough up blood.
And all of this while the demons were still attacking Qingzhou, requiring the presence of that second uncle to hold the fort.
It was only then that they realized how deep the bond was between that second uncle and the child, for him to be so grief-stricken that he would disregard the bigger picture.
However, it wasn't just LiMuxiu who was grief-stricken. Many of the women were also dejected, for although the child was not of their own flesh and blood, he was still a part of the Li family, their pride and glory. But due to some misunderstandings in the past, he was now lost to them forever, and there was no way to make amends.
"This time, with the ancestral blood offering, let's see if your precious son and daughter will return!"
He Jianlan glared at Wang Xiangru, her eyes cold.
In the past, she would have considered her position as the eldest daughter-in-law and refrained from causing a scene, but not today. She no longer cared about what others might say about her bullying the other daughters-in-law or about having the support of her powerful clan, whose members held official positions in the imperial court.
Ever since learning of Li Hao's death, coupled with the recent events in Qingzhou, she could no longer contain her pent-up anger.
In her spare time after that incident, she often felt heartbroken and resentful, replaying the events in her mind. She felt that instead of blaming Li Yue Rong, the true villain was Wang Xiangru, who had spoiled her children rotten.
From a young age, Wang Xiangru had not allowed her children to train with others in the martial arts arena, indulging and spoiling them. This had led to her children having no emotional connection with their cousins, Li Hao, Li Yuanzhao, and Li Zhining, resulting in a strained relationship. It had also caused her daughter to lack discipline and offend Li Hao's mother, earning herself a slap from Li Hao.
And when the conflict in that courtyard had reached its peak, Li Rumeng's tearful pleas had been the final straw, completely tearing the father-son pair apart and pushing them to opposing sides.
Li Tiangang's bizarre obsession, Li Yue Rong's malicious stupidity, and Wang Xiangru's indulgence of her children—all of these factors had led to the outbreak of that great battle, and in the end, it was that lonely child who had borne the brunt of it all.
Whenever He Jianlan thought of this, she couldn't help but feel tears welling up in her eyes. She hated herself for not doing more to stop it all.
However, the truth was that everything had happened so suddenly, one event after another, catching everyone off guard. No one could have predicted the outcome.
At this moment, hearing He Jianlan's cold words, Wang Xiangru's face twitched. Ever since Li Tiangang had brought back the news of Li Hao's death, her status within the General's Mansion had plummeted. She felt like she had become the second Li Yue Rong, except that Li Yue Rong was imprisoned, while she was still out here, having to constantly watch her step and endure the glares of the others. This had long ignited a fire of anger within her.
"Sister-in-law, what do you mean by that? If Jiang Ying and Rumeng sense the call of the ancestral blood, they will definitely return, unless something is holding them back," Wang Xiangru said angrily.
With these words, the faces of the other wives changed slightly, and they glared coldly at Wang Xiangru.
After the Li Hao incident, they weren't foolish either. Looking back at this major event, they all realized how damaging Wang Xiangru's daughter's slander had been in that environment.
Her family could be considered one of the culprits that drove Li Hao away, and Wang Xiangru's spoiling of her children had been well-known for over a decade. In the past, they had quietly disliked her, and at most, they would have nothing to do with each other. But now, a disaster had been brewed, and at this moment, Wang Xiangru's words were even more problematic.
"If everyone thought like you, then all our warriors could disperse, and you could leave too," said He Jianlan, her eyes icy as she stared at Wang Xiangru.
"I, as a member of the Li family, will share their life and death, regardless of cultivation," Xiao Yuqing said coldly, glancing at Wang Xiangru.
"Xian'er, as a member of the royal family, is willing to stay with our Li family until the very last moment. This has nothing to do with cultivation," Gao Qingqing added, her tone more implicit.
Jiang Xian'er was Li Junye's fiancee, and although they were only betrothed, she was willing to remain a widow for him for life. Now that Qingzhou was in dire straits, when LiMuxiu had suggested that Jiang Xian'er leave, she had refused, as she was royal blood and had not even shared a room with Li Junye. It was merely a betrothal agreement, but Jiang Xian'er had shaken her head and refused.
Hearing Gao Qingqing's words, Wang Xiangru's expression turned ugly as she realized her mistake.
"I didn't mean it that way. I just feel that Sister-in-law is eager to see my children meet with misfortune. I, Wang Xiangru, married into the Li family, and I am a part of this family. Even if the city falls, I will die with everyone else. There's no need to make things difficult for me," Wang Xiangru said through gritted teeth.
The others glanced at her and ignored her. Words were cheap, and one could say whatever they wanted, but whether one truly considered themselves a part of the Li family was evident in their actions. At the very least, from how she spoiled her children, it didn't seem like she did.
Her children were not close to their husband's family and were instead closer to their mother's family, the Wang family, and this was all due to Wang Xiangru's influence.
"Marrying the wrong wife brings disaster to three generations," Li Xiaoran coldly hmphed, glancing at Li Feng Hua, who remained silent with his head lowered, knowing that his situation was not any better.
The women present were all his sisters-in-law, and no matter how unpleasant their words were, he couldn't refute them, especially since they were speaking the truth. As for his wife, he couldn't control her. If he defended her, he would be unreasonable. If he didn't, he would seem unmanly. If he didn't defend his children, he would be neglecting his duties as a father. He was in a difficult position and could only remain silent, appearing weak and helpless.
Hearing Li Xiaoran's words, Wang Xiangru's expression changed, and she looked extremely displeased. He was her elder, and she didn't dare to retort.
Li Xiaoran was highly renowned when he was younger, and now, his prestige was even more formidable.
"It's a pity that the child will never return... Perhaps it's for the best. Listening to what you've said, the Li family has wronged him so much that even if he were alive, he wouldn't have a reason to come back, nor should he," Li Xiaoran said, his hands behind his back as he looked towards the ancestral hall in the back mountain, his eyes dimming.
Hearing Li Xiaoran's words, the others fell silent.
Indeed, even if he were alive, he shouldn't come back. After all, there were two Great Perfection Realm demons outside, and whoever came would have to face one of them alone.
Now, using the ancestral blood sacrifice to summon all members of the Li family was not because there was someone among them who could rival a Peaceful Way Realm cultivator, but to utilize the power of everyone to form a battle formation and use the various precious resources in the Li family's secret treasury, like the Sacred Heart Heavenly Treasure, to fight a desperate battle.
After all, if they didn't use these treasures in the battle, they would end up in the hands of the demons anyway.
Therefore, this battle would be fought until the Li family shed their last drop of blood and exhausted all their accumulated wealth.
And when all these resources were combined, there was a chance they could rival a single Peaceful Way Realm cultivator.
This was the power of a legacy spanning three thousand years!
Not long after, a towering blood formation rose from the ancestral hall in the back mountain, covering half of the General's Mansion.
The numerous members of the Li family within the mansion felt their blood stir and their bodies heat up.
At the same time, they felt a guiding and beckoning sensation in their blood, as if a predecessor was sacrificing their soul, using their dissipation as a means to summon all those with Li family blood!
The blood sacrifice formation, using the soul sacrifice of an ancestor, was a desperate measure to be used only in the most dire of situations.
He Jianlan and the other wives who had married into the family couldn't feel it, but they saw what seemed to be divine flames burning on Li Xiaoran, whose powerful cultivation caused his blood to stir and his aura to fluctuate when the blood sacrifice was activated.
This was their final glimmer of hope!
"Our ancestor is calling out to us..."
In the courtyard, Li Yuanzhao, Li Zhining, and the others looked up, witnessing the towering blood formation rising from the ancestral hall.
They felt the call in their bloodlines, their hands reaching for their chests as their eyes filled with sorrow, soon replaced by determination.
Like them, many other members of the Li family in the training grounds and other courtyards looked up, feeling the call in their bloodlines. They understood that the Li family was facing a moment of life or death!
...
...
In the boundless Mount Wuliang, within the Pure Land of Brahma Heaven.
The sprawling mountain ranges stretched endlessly, shrouded in mist, resembling a sacred sanctuary.
At this moment, within several majestic peaks...
"My body..."
"Father said it's the call of our ancestor's blood, summoning me..."
"Is our family in danger?"
In the inner sect disciples' peaks of Mount Wuliang, several disciples of the Li family's collateral bloodline had also taken refuge in the mountain to cultivate.
At this moment, they felt their bodies heating up, sensing a call and guidance that was difficult to describe. Without any verbal summons, they felt a sense of urgency and sorrow.
"I must go home!"
"Master, I'm leaving the mountain!"
These few collateral disciples, though not as exceptional as the direct lineage geniuses, were still considered prodigies among the inner sect disciples of Mount Wuliang, with the potential to become Grandmasters.
As for the Three Immortal Realms, apart from enlightenment, it was also dependent on opportunity.
At this moment, they rushed to the mountain gate, explained their situation to their masters, and quickly packed their bags to descend the mountain.
Within the spiritual realm of Mount Wuliang, in the abode of the Buddha where the Buddha Lord resided.
On the majestic spiritual mountain, a young figure sat with his legs crossed, draped in a snowy-white kasaya, appearing devout and ethereal.
Suddenly, his eyes opened, and he looked down, sensing the heat in his chest.
"Is this... the guidance of my bloodline?"
The youth was taken aback, his expression changing as he wondered what was happening. Why would his family resort to using the ancestor's blood to summon him?
Without hesitation, he stood up and rushed towards the Buddha Hall at the peak of the spiritual mountain.
Upon reaching the Buddha Hall, he quickly informed the Buddha Lord of his intention to meet, and before the two Dharma Protectors could convey his message, the Buddha Lord's voice echoed from within, granting him permission to enter.
Li Qianfeng immediately rushed into the Buddha Hall and saw the Buddha Lord seated on the hall, and he immediately knelt down and bowed, saying, "Master, my Li family is in peril, and I wish to descend the mountain."
The Buddha Lord's expression was compassionate as he spoke gently, "There's no need to rush, Dharma Protector Li. Although you have already attained the Heaven-Human Realm, your cultivation is still too low for the impending calamity. Even if you return now, you will only add another soul to the Li family's losses."
Li Qianfeng was stunned, his body trembling slightly. He knew that the family must be facing a grave crisis for them to resort to using the ancestor's blood to summon him, and with his current cultivation, he could only provide minimal assistance.
"Master, please lend us your aid and help my Li family overcome this tribulation!" Li Qianfeng pleaded, kneeling with urgency.
The Buddha Lord spoke with a gentle voice, "Your Li family's fate has not yet come to an end, and there is still a glimmer of hope. You should remain here and cultivate in peace."
Li Qianfeng looked up at him, hesitating, "But my family is in peril, and I..."
"How can you attain transcendence if your mind is not at peace?" the Buddha Lord asked.
"You have already reached the Great Perfection of the Heaven-Human Realm at the age of twenty, an achievement that is not easily attained. It is the result of your diligent cultivation day and night. As long as your bloodline remains, the Li family shall not perish. This crisis is also an opportunity for you. Once the calamity passes, you may descend the mountain and return. You will surely inherit the position of True Dragon and lead the Li family to rebuild from the ruins."
Li Qianfeng was taken aback, a figure flashing through his mind. "But what about my mother..."
"I will send Bodhisattva Pujie to bring your mother here and, at the same time, help the Li family overcome this tribulation," the Buddha Lord said gently.
"Your thoughts should not be focused on such worldly matters. To achieve the Three Immortals, you must purify your six senses. You have not yet completely severed your ties to the mortal realm. How can you attain true enlightenment? You must realize the path of your heart early on and pursue what you truly desire. For that, you must be willing to sacrifice everything else."
"Remember, all phenomena are like illusions, like bubbles, like dreams, and like lightning in the sky. They should be contemplated in this way."
Li Qianfeng paused for a moment, feeling the heat in his body gradually subside. After a moment of silence, he said softly, "Disciple understands."