Chapter 557 - 286: Family Annihilation, Time for a Reckoning
"We can’t just let this go!"
Ou Tianye’s eyes were bloodshot, his hair and beard standing on end. His face was a mask of fury and hatred.
"Once I’ve recovered, I will slaughter everyone in the Western Domain!"
At his words, everyone fell silent.
Clearly, when Ou Tianye spoke of "everyone in the Western Domain," he didn’t just mean cultivators, but also its mortals.
The Cultivation Immortality Realm had an unwritten rule: one could not harm mortals. Violators would face sanctions from a coalition of the major powers.
However, the mortals of the Ou Family had already been slaughtered to the last one by Western Cultivators.
No one was in a position to object, so they could only let Ou Tianye do as he pleased.
A short while later, Gu Qinghong arrived, bringing with him the Cyan Cloud Sect’s Treasure, the Cyan Heaven Flowing Cloud Seal.
"Everyone, I intend to travel to the Western Domain to annihilate one of their Golden Core Clans. Are you willing to come with me?"
His words stunned everyone.
Most of them were still pondering how to defend against another sneak attack from the Western Domain.
Yet here was Gu Qinghong, inviting them to take the initiative and launch an attack on the Western Domain, to wipe out one of their Noble Families.
Ou Tianye was the first to respond. "Daoist Gu, I’ll go with you!"
"No, Daoist Ou. Your injuries haven’t healed yet. You should stay at the Ten Thousand Swords Sect to recover."
Gu Qinghong refused, his expression grave.
After some discussion, a total of seventeen Golden Core Masters agreed to join Gu Qinghong in plotting an assault on the Western Domain.
Li Chang’an did not take part.
Everyone understood.
After all, his reputation as a Turtle had long since spread across the two domains. No one expected him to take the initiative to attack another domain.
Not long after, Li Chang’an left the Ten Thousand Swords Sect and returned to his cultivation.
Like many others, he was not optimistic about the Southern Domain’s chances in this war.
If they were ultimately defeated, he had no intention of making a last stand; he would simply flee to another region.
’Perfect. Elder Jiang has already been ennobled as a king in the Great Qi Immortal Dynasty, a king of a different surname, with his own fiefdom.’
’If the Southern Domain can’t hold out, I’ll run to the Eastern Domain and seek refuge with Elder Jiang...’
Li Chang’an had already planned his escape.
Seeking refuge with Jiang Xuanyuan was just one of his options.
He had made several other preparations as well.
For instance, he could kill a Golden Core cultivator from the Western Domain and assume his identity.
In short, the world was a vast place, and he could go anywhere!
In the days that followed, his cultivation routine continued as usual.
His true self remained disguised as Mu Yuanchen, cultivating on the Mu Family’s Tier Three Spiritual Land while also studying the legacy of a Tier Three Top Grade Array.
He had a faint feeling that he was on the verge of becoming a Tier Three Top Grade Array Master.
Perhaps in another month or two, he would make the breakthrough.
...
「Another month passed.」
On this day, Li Chang’an received a message.
Gu Qinghong and the others had taken the initiative. They had crossed the border between the two domains overnight and annihilated a family in the Western Domain that had three Golden Core Masters.
They had been extremely well-prepared for the battle, killing all three Golden Core Masters and returning to the Southern Domain overnight before the other Golden Core powers in the West could react.
When the news spread, both domains were shaken.
Almost everyone sensed that this war between the two domains was spiraling out of control into madness.
So much so, that some within the Western Domain began to condemn Shi Hu Master, saying he should never have launched the initial sneak attack.
Others tried to contact the Golden Core powers of the Southern Domain, attempting to douse the raging flames of this conflict.
’Are they going to negotiate for peace?’
Li Chang’an learned that even the Hundred Beasts Sect had secretly sent envoys to the Cyan Cloud Sect.
He performed a divination, trying to see how the future would unfold.
However, the divination was still filled with signs of slaughter and bloodshed.
’It seems this war is far from over,’ Li Chang’an thought as he looked up at the horizon, seeing only a wash of blood-red.
「A few days later.」
News suddenly spread from the Ten Thousand Swords Sect.
The patriarch of the Ou Family, Ou Tianye, had fully recovered from his injuries and broken through to the Late Stage of Golden Core.
’Ou Tianye will most likely go to the Western Domain for revenge,’ Li Chang’an mused silently, tinkering with an array.
Mu Chengsong asked, "Yuanchen, is there anything we should do?"
"Nothing. Seal off Red Leaf Valley, quietly build up our strength, and focus on producing the next Golden Core Master as soon as possible."
"Yes."
Mu Chengsong immediately relayed Li Chang’an’s instructions to the entire family.
But producing the next Golden Core Master was no easy task.
The Mu Family currently had no suitable prodigies.
Therefore, in the days that followed, the members of the Mu Clan were either cultivating or trying to produce heirs.
’With so many Mu Clan Members, even if they can’t produce a child with a Celestial Spirit Root or an Earth Spirit Root, it shouldn’t be too hard to get one with a Top Grade Spirit Root, right?’
Li Chang’an mused silently as he took in the atmosphere pervading the Mu Family.
The Mu Family now reminded him of the Wang Family from years ago, determined to produce a prodigy no matter the cost.
’It’s a shame Mu Xiaoxiao has been missing for so many years. If she were still alive, she’d probably have reached Core Formation by now.’
At this thought, Li Chang’an summoned Mu Chengsong and asked for the details of Mu Xiaoxiao’s disappearance.
Mu Chengsong thought for a moment before answering, "Xiaoxiao... back then, she said she was going to seek the legacy of a certain elder. If she obtained that legacy, not only could she break through to the Golden Core realm, but she would also have a smooth path to Nascent Soul."
"A legacy?"
Li Chang’an frowned, deep in thought.
’What kind of legacy could help a cultivator smoothly overcome the hurdles of both the Golden Core and Nascent Soul realms?’
’Could it be that the elder’s cultivation in life had reached the legendary realm—Divinity Transformation!’
Li Chang’an asked again, "Did Xiaoxiao leave anything behind?"
"Yes, this Communication Jade Pendant."
Mu Chengsong took out a Jade Pendant and handed it to Li Chang’an.
If nothing had happened to Mu Xiaoxiao, they would have been able to contact her through this pendant.
But now, no matter what message they sent, there was never any response from the other side.
’If it really is the legacy of a Divinity Transformation Celestial Monarch, it most likely contains opportunities to reach the Nascent Soul or even the Divinity Transformation realm. For Mu Xiaoxiao to go looking for it before even reaching Core Formation was incredibly reckless... but that’s just her personality. She was always reckless.’