Chapter 13 : Chapter 13
Chapter 13: The Grand Elder’s Breakthrough
Riding at full speed the entire way, it was not until the following afternoon that Li Xingge and his party finally returned to Qingfeng Valley.
During the days Li Xingge had been away, nothing major had happened within the clan.
Aside from the Fourth Elder, who had gone out to inspect the family’s territories, all the other elders were summoned by Li Xingge to the council hall.
They took their seats one after another.
Seeing the way the elders seemed hesitant to speak, Li Xingge burst into laughter and took the sandalwood box containing the Qi-Blood Pill from his robes.
“Elders, this is the Qi-Blood Pill.”
Everyone’s breathing immediately grew heavier.
Li Xingge opened the wooden box.
The instant the box was opened, an incomparably rich medicinal fragrance drifted out.
In a moment, that fragrance had filled the entire council hall.
The elders greedily breathed in the scent.
The Second Elder exclaimed in amazement, “As expected of a second-grade treasured pill. Merely smelling it is worth three days of bitter cultivation for me.”
The others also clicked their tongues in wonder.
“The pill is good, yes, but it is far too expensive. This single pill alone emptied out all of my Li family’s coffers.”
The Third Elder said with obvious pain in his expression.
The Third Elder, Li Xuanyong, oversaw the family’s finances and was famously the Li family’s miser and skinflint.
“And so what? If it can bring the family one more Qi-Blood Realm cultivator, then no matter how much it costs, it is worth it.”
The Fifth Elder, Li Xuanqi, said with a smile.
The Grand Elder, meanwhile, was broad in experience. He had once been fortunate enough to see a Qi-Blood Pill before, but the medicinal fragrance of that one had been far inferior to the pill in Li Xingge’s hand.
“Family Head, could this perhaps be a high-quality Qi-Blood Pill?”
The Grand Elder asked with furrowed brows.
Li Xingge raised a brow, somewhat surprised.
“The Grand Elder truly has a sharp eye. That’s right. This is indeed a high-quality Qi-Blood Pill. It can increase the success rate of the breakthrough by forty percent!”
Hearing this, everyone sucked in a cold breath.
“A high-quality Qi-Blood Pill? Then the money we brought with us should not have been enough...”
The Third Elder said dryly.
“Hahaha, not a single coin was spent on this Qi-Blood Pill.”
Seeing the Third Elder’s expression, Li Yanzhao, seated nearby, finally could not help laughing aloud.
“Not a single coin was spent?”
Everyone was baffled.
“Then where did this Qi-Blood Pill come from?”
Seeing the puzzled looks directed his way, Li Yanzhao did not keep them in suspense. He narrated everything that had happened along the road from beginning to end.
After hearing it, everyone applauded and praised the outcome.
“For the Mangshan Su Clan to pay such a price to purchase a Qi-Blood Pill, it seems they truly have grown anxious.”
The Grand Elder said, stroking his beard.
“Who would have thought that in the end, they would lose both the lady and the army—ending up with nothing at all.”
The Third Elder looked thoroughly delighted at their misfortune.
“Fortunately, the Family Head broke into the Qi-Blood Realm and turned the tide. Otherwise, against the Mangshan Su Clan, my Li family would have had no chance of survival.”
The Fifth Elder said with heartfelt emotion.
When Li Xingge heard this, he quickly waved his hand.
Modestly, he said, “The family gave birth to me and raised me. This is what I should have done. Without the family’s nurture, how could there be the Li Xingge of today?”
Those words came entirely from the heart.
After speaking, he changed the subject.
“As I said before, if we obtained the Qi-Blood Pill, it would be given to the Grand Elder for consumption. I trust no one has any objections now?”
“We have no objections.”
Everyone answered in one voice.
Li Xingge nodded in satisfaction, then handed the Qi-Blood Pill in his hand over to the Grand Elder.
The Grand Elder received it with utmost care. At this moment, even his hands were trembling.
This single Qi-Blood Pill carried far too many people’s hopes.
“Family Head, fellow clansmen, please rest assured. This old man will certainly not fail your expectations.”
The Grand Elder said with absolute resolve.
After that, the Grand Elder entered death seclusion.
During the days of the Grand Elder’s seclusion, the clouds of war drew near in silence.
The Mangshan Su Clan began gathering its strength, waiting only for its Supreme Elder to emerge from seclusion before fighting the Li family to the death.
Naturally, the Li family had no intention of sitting still and waiting for doom. The clan’s cultivation resources were supplied without limit, solely so that the clansmen might gain a little more strength before the great battle.
Beyond that,
the two clans also made frequent contact with the other major powers, hoping to win over some allies. But which ruler of a great power was not an old fox?
Every one of them chose to sit atop the mountain and watch the tigers fight.
That the Su and Li families intended to fight to the death was something they were delighted to see. They could not have been happier about it, so why would they intervene?
No matter which side won and which side lost, both clans would suffer grievous losses.
That brought them nothing but benefits and not a single disadvantage.
Several more days passed.
On this day,
within Qingfeng Valley, in the Family Head’s courtyard,
Li Xingge was handling clan affairs.
Suddenly, as though sensing something, Li Xingge lifted his head and looked toward the back mountain. Seeing the qi and blood surging into the sky there, a smile curved his lips.
Hands clasped behind his back, he slowly walked out of the Family Head’s courtyard.
Then, after a few leaps, he vanished from the spot.
A few minutes later,
Li Xingge had arrived before a sealed stone chamber, where he waited in silence.
At the same time,
the clan’s several elders had also clearly sensed the changes in the back mountain and arrived one after another.
Half a quarter of an hour later,
a powerful surge of qi and blood suddenly erupted out of control from within the stone chamber. With a thunderous boom, it blasted straight through the heavy stone door.
The massive stone door was blown into fragments on the spot, and dust filled the sky as shattered stones scattered everywhere.
The Grand Elder slowly walked out from the cloud of dust.
When the others saw him clearly, they found that the Grand Elder’s aged face had grown noticeably younger, and his once-stooped back had straightened as well.
The aura of his fresh breakthrough, not yet fully restrained, pressed down on everyone present except Li Xingge, leaving them unable to breathe.
Only when he saw their flushed faces did the Grand Elder realize what had happened. He hurriedly drew in his aura and gave an embarrassed laugh.
“Family Head, fellow elders, this old man has not failed your expectations. I have successfully broken through the Qi-Blood barrier!”
Everyone immediately cupped their hands and offered congratulations.
“We congratulate the Grand Elder, we rejoice for the Grand Elder, on advancing to the Qi-Blood Realm and strengthening our Qingfeng Li Clan!”
Li Xingge also smiled and said from the bottom of his heart, “Congratulations, Grand Elder!”
The Grand Elder had completely cast off the gloom of before. Full of high spirit, he said, “Without the Family Head and the family’s full support, this old man would never have dared dream that such a day would still come.”
At those words, everyone burst into laughter.
“Now that the Grand Elder has emerged from seclusion, some matters should also be dealt with.”
Li Xingge said with a smile.
The Grand Elder’s expression turned solemn. He naturally understood what Li Xingge meant, so he nodded.
The scene shifted.
Inside the Li family council hall.
“Family Head, Grand Elder, according to the report from the insider we planted in the Su family, the Su family’s Supreme Elder, Su Changqing, has not shown himself for a long time and is suspected to have entered death seclusion. At present, under our pressure, the Su family has already given up all of its industries. Now the experts of both the Su family and its subordinate forces have withdrawn into Mangshan and are holding it under the strictest defense.”
The Fifth Elder, Li Xuanqi, said with a serious expression.
Hearing this, everyone’s faces grew grave.
“Family Head, if Su Changqing truly has entered death seclusion, then this matter may produce unforeseen variables.”
“Su Changqing is a veteran Qi-Blood Realm cultivator. Rumor in the outside world says that he is only one step away from Minor Accomplishment in the Qi-Blood Realm. This time, his seclusion is certainly for the sake of breaking through that bottleneck.”
“Though we all know such a realm is not easy to break through, one fears not ten thousand, but the one in ten thousand.”
“If Su Changqing truly takes that final step, then my Li family will be in danger.”
The Grand Elder said in a deep voice.
“The Grand Elder’s concern is not without reason.”
Li Xingge nodded in agreement.
If Su Changqing had not broken through, then with the two of them joining forces, he would still be manageable.
But if he had broken through, then the balance between attack and defense would likely reverse.
“Then what should we do now?”
The Third Elder asked.
“What should we do?”
A cold light entered Li Xingge’s face, and he slammed a palm down hard on the table.
“Then we destroy him before he can break through!”
Li Xingge was a decisive man.
Having made up his mind, he immediately ordered, “Elders, mobilize every expert in the clan at once. In one hour, we launch a surprise assault on Mangshan. The situation is urgent and cannot be delayed. If anyone slows matters down, do not blame me for showing no mercy under family law.”
“Yes.”
The six elders cupped their fists with solemn expressions and accepted the order. Then they turned and left the council hall at once.
The great battle was on the verge of erupting.