Chapter 222 - 221: The Old Ancestor’s Heartache for his Grandson

Chapter 222: Chapter 221: The Old Ancestor’s Heartache for his Grandson

The setting sun cast a warm, golden glow over the quiet courtyard of the Li family manor. Returning from the tavern, the Li family Patriarch tidied his spotless white robes and strolled toward the guest quarters where Elder Chu was resting. Stepping onto the polished wooden pavilion, he found her sitting gracefully by a stone table, pouring herself a cup of fragrant tea.

"Ah, Little Chu," the Patriarch greeted her with a beaming smile, his steps lightened as he entered the pavilion: "After all that commotion earlier, I trust you’ve had a good rest?"

Seeing the Patriarch enter the courtyard, Elder Chu looked up with curiosity: "I rested very well, brother Li. How did things unfold after I left?"

The Patriarch’s expression turned somewhat complex. He sat down opposite her and poured himself a cup of tea; only after sipping half of it did he speak:

"How did it go? Those three shameless old bastards were openly robbing me right there in my own grandson’s tavern."

Elder Chu raised an eyebrow slightly: "Openly robbing?"

"It was no different from outright robbery."

He then recounted the events that followed her departure from the residence: how he had stayed behind to catch up with Elder Mo and the other sect elders; how he had overheard Li Jian and Liu Xiong urging for a jar of spirit wine; and how he had managed to secure the very last jar for himself.

"When those three old foxes saw me drinking it, they immediately asked for a taste. In a moment of generosity, I let them try a little, but once they’d had a single cup, the old scoundrels completely abandoned all shame."

"I see..." Elder Chu nodded in realization. "To be honest, though, I was quite surprised to hear that you were willing to bring out such peerless spirit wine and share it with Elder Mo."

The smile on the Patriarch’s face faltered for a moment; then, stroking his silver beard, he composed himself: "Heh heh, Little Chu, this was all part of my plan, intertionally. As the saying goes, Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will never be defeated. Elder Mo has always harbored great ambitions regarding the Nine Spirits Sect’s resources and tends to act quite aggressively. Yet, a mere taste of this exquisite, heavenly wine was enough to completely pacify him, while simultaneously offering a subtle display of the Li family’s unfathomable prosperity!"

He chuckled softly and swept his wide sleeves with an air of distinguished confidence: "He thinks he got the better end of the deal, but in reality, he has fallen right into my trap. Now that he owes the Li family a favor, he certainly won’t dare to cause trouble for you or the clan anytime soon."

Elder Chu covered her lips with a pale blue folding fan and let out a melodious laugh: "I see. Patriarch Li is truly a man of exceptional wisdom and foresight. It seems Elder Mo completely failed to grasp your underlying intentions."

"Precisely, precisely!" the Old Ancestor boasted with pride, puffing out his chest, his face beaming with self-satisfaction.

...

Time flowed slowly, and in the blink of an eye, three months had passed.

During this period, the spiritual energy surrounding the Li family estate seemed to grow increasingly rich and abundant, as if nourished by the wafting aromas of the spirit meals prepared by Li Jain. Thanks to the combined effects of daily cultivation, the power of rare spirit meals, and the attentive guidance of their father, the seven brothers all achieved astonishing progress in their cultivation.

On the martial arts arena, sword qi whistled through the air as the brothers gathered to spar and test the fruits of their training.

Li Yujian stood in the center with his hands clasped behind his back, his eyes calm and deep, resembling a vast ocean. With a slight flick of his wrist, a surge of potent spiritual energy rolled outward like the tide, swirling around him to form a protective aura. His cultivation base had officially broken through to the sixth level of the Spirit Sea Realm! His composure gave him the air of a towering peak that no storm could ever move.

Beside him, Li Yuhan and Li Cheng were executing their respective martial arts techniques, their every movement radiating explosive power. Both had reached the pinnacle of the Physical Body realm, the Ninth Stage of the Physical Body Realm! Li Yuhan moved with swift precision, each strike whipping up a gust of wind.

Whenever Li Cheng’s fist struck the training post, his dense internal force unleashed an astonishing burst of power.

Li Zhang was furiously practicing against a heavy ironwood post; his body was sweat drenched in the afternoon sunlight. Having reached the Eighth Stage of Physical Body, he possessed formidable physical strength; a single punch left a deep indentation in the reinforced post, drawing gasps of amazement from the onlookers.

Meanwhile, Li Jingsheng was practicing agile footwork, his figure gliding lightly across the flagstone floor. He had attained the Seventh Stage of Physical Body, and his speed was such that he left faint afterimages in his wake. Not far away, Li Jingxuan was also making steady progress; he had reached the Fifth Stage of Physical Body.

Even the youngest, Li Juanxin, sat cross-legged in the shade of a tree, steadily channeling spiritual energy into his meridians. Despite his weak constitution, he had successfully entered the Third Stage of Physical Body.

Watching his children’s remarkable progress, Li Jain nodded with satisfaction, a gentle smile appearing on his handsome face.

...

In the afternoon, the Li family patriarch strolled into Li Jain’s West Courtyard. Over the past three months, he had noticed a peculiar change: Liu Xiong, that loud-voiced, flamboyant brabrain who loves to wear black robes, had completely vanished from the manor!

Furthermore, Li Jain was busy running the tavern and rarely had time to sit idly in the courtyard. Curious as to what was going on, the Patriarch decided to pay a visit and see what’s going on.

He pushed open the gate and found Li Jain sitting beneath a blossoming plum tree, carefully sealing a jar of freshly brewed spirit wine with a silver talisman.

"Xiao Jain," the patriarch greeted him gently, then stepped forward to sit at the stone table.

Li Jain looked up, his expression as gentle as ever: "Grandfather, you’re here. You’ve come at just the right moment." He slid the newly sealed jar toward the Old Ancestor. "This is the batch of newly brewed spirit wine you asked for."

A flash of delight crossed the Old Ancestor’s eyes as he carefully took the jar, sensing the rich spiritual energy surging through the jar’s walls. Yet, as he looked at his grandson, he noticed something amiss.

Although Li Jain wore a polite smile, a faint trace of melancholy lingered between his brows, and his gaze kept drifting toward the empty courtyard gate.

"Xiao Jain," the Old Ancestor asked, narrowing his eyes curiously as he set down the jar, "I haven’t seen that brabrain Liu Xiong lately. Where has that boisterous, rough fellow gone off to?"

Li Jain lowered his eyes slightly and sighed softly: "He returned to his hometown three months ago to attend to an urgent matter... and he hasn’t come back since."

Observing the clear sorrow and longing beneath Li Jian’s calm appearance, the Old Ancestor felt a pang of heartache and pity. Despite his past clashes with Liu Xiong, his grandson’s happiness was ultimately what mattered most to him.

The Old Ancestor cleared his throat, leaned slightly forward, and softened his tone: "Xiao Jain... you have always been sensible and composed, shouldering everything on your own. I admit, those absurd rumors and Liu Xiong’s scoundrel-like behavior used to infuriate me. But seeing you like this now..."

He paused, stroking his beard thoughtfully, before speaking earnestly: "If that person truly treats you well, respects you, and brings you genuine happiness... then I, as your grandfather, will bless your union. You need not worry about the gossip of outsiders, nor let yourself be bound by the family’s antiquated conventions."

Li Jian was momentarily stunned; he looked up in surprise, a deeply moved and sincere smile spreading across his face: "Grandfather... Thank you. I..."

"Grandfather! Did I hear that right?! Are you officially giving your blessing?!"

A loud, cheerful voice abruptly shattered the heartwarming atmosphere. With a resounding "bang", the courtyard gate was kicked open, and Li Xinyue and Chen Xiarong, hand in hand and covered in the dust of their journey, swaggered in!

Li Xinyue stood with her hands on her hips, a grin on her face: "What about me, Grandfather? Do I get your blessing too? Don’t forget, three months ago I specifically gave Elder Chu two portions of spirit-infused cuisine, capable of helping one break through to a higher cultivation realm as a ’bribe.’ I did it just to make sure she kept an eye on you and ensured you wouldn’t oppose our relationship!"

The warmth and concern on the Old Ancestor’s face vanished instantly, replaced by a complexion flushed red with anger. His silvery-white beard trembled violently, and the veins on his forehead bulged only then did it dawn on him that the girl had originally asked for just one month of leave, yet she had actually stayed away for a full three months!

"You wretched girl!" Old Ancestor Li roared, the terrifying pressure of a Holy-realm powerhouse surging forth like a volcanic eruption: "How dare you speak of ’bribing a guest’ right to my face?! You go missing for three months, and the moment you return, you dare to infuriate this old bag of bones?!"

"Eek! Grandpa’s blowing his top again! Xiao Rong, run!" Li Xinyue squealed with a playful laugh; grabbing Chen Xiarong’s hand, she bolted out of the courtyard like a startled rabbit.

"Stop right there! If I don’t snap your legs with a birch switch today, you’ll never learn the meaning of a Family Head’s authority!" Snatching up a broom from the corner, the Old Ancestor gave chase; he cursed furiously as he ran, his thunderous footsteps echoing loudly against the flagstone path.

Sitting beneath a plum tree and watching this chaotic, uproarious chase, Li Jain couldn’t help but smile; the lingering feeling of sadness in his heart dissolved into the warm afternoon breeze.