Yuan Hudu soared through the wind. Though he doubted that Li Xuanfeng’s arrow would be too overwhelming, his cautious nature kept him on guard. He burned through two talismans in succession and retrieved a spirit shield from his storage pouch.

Placing the earth-colored shield behind him, Yuan Hudu finally felt a trace of security. With a thought, he calculated and there were still eleven breaths left.

He thought to himself,

The farther, the better!

Drawing on his past experience, he surged forward in one breath but hesitated for just a moment, thinking to himself,

After all, he is adirect descendant of the three sects. I must not be careless.

Yuan Hudu went as far as to reverse his mana flow, causing a flush of red to appear on his face. His essence qi surged wildly as he used an escape spell that consumed his vital energy and blood essence. His figure flickered with layers of blood shadows as he sped away.

Suddenly, a piercing buzzing sound echoed in his ears, and two deep gashes split open on his cheeks. Before he could even react in shock, he felt a hollow sensation in his chest.

Looking down, he saw nothing but an empty hole where his heart and lungs should have been. Only then did the sound of his shattered shield reach his ears. The earth-colored spirit shield had been blasted away, embedding itself deep into a distant cliffside.

Yuan Hudu nearly lost consciousness in one breath, his eyes staring blankly at the sky as he coughed up misty bursts of blood.

His unwavering willpower saved his life. He forcefully stabilized his cultivation, activating his Immortal Foundation, Origin Stabilization. It rapidly circulated, preserving his vitality and keeping him alive.

With trembling hands, he grabbed a jade box and crushed it with a crack, retrieving the delicate spirit flower within. Without hesitation, he swallowed it. A flush of red immediately returned to his face, barely keeping him alive.

He exhaled sharply, but the wind beneath his feet had already been shattered by the violent golden energy. Unable to divert mana to control his flight, he reached into his storage pouch and retrieved a round, rolling object.

The spirit item was crimson-red. It was neither entirely flesh nor earth, yet it writhed restlessly. Yuan Hudu stuffed it into the gaping hole in his chest. Only then did he regain the strength to steer the wind beneath his feet.

But dizziness overtook him as streams of golden Astral Qi surged through his body. The wind beneath his feet formed and dissipated repeatedly, causing him to hover briefly in midair. He crashed through countless trees before finally plummeting to the ground with a heavy thud.

He crashed through numerous trees and sent flocks of birds and beasts scattering in alarm. But regardless of everything, he still had the body of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. The brief pauses in midair had lessened the impact, preventing his injuries from worsening further.

However, he was still gravely injured. Though the fall did not kill him outright, he lost consciousness and his breath was slowing to a near stop. Only then did the spirit shield, which had been buried in the mountain, finally break free and clatter to the ground beside him.

The gathered cultivators halted their steps, landing one by one around Yuan Hudu. All were too stunned to speak as they sensed his faint, nearly extinguished aura. But before they could get a closer look, a streak of gray mist rushed into their midst, rapidly solidifying into human form. It scooped up the unconscious Yuan Hudu and vanished instantly.

The gray mist, of course, was the Yuan Family’s guardian demon beast. It did not forget to sweep up the spirit shield from the ground. They then carefully erased all traces of blood from the dirt to prevent it from falling into others' hands, before disappearing swiftly beyond the horizon.

The remaining cultivators exchanged glances before silently withdrawing. One of them glanced around and said with a sigh, "To think a single arrow…could wield such power!"

The person beside him nodded in agreement, replying, "Who would have thought that after Li Chejing’s disappearance, the Li Family would still have such a powerful figure? And yet, they dared to bully the orphan he left behind…"

"Looking at how he's barely clinging to life, it’s clear that he could be easily killed. He was spared only out of previous ties between the families."

————

At Mount Qingdu.

"Chen Yang... Chen Mufeng..." muttered Li Xijun. He sat at the desk, carefully recounting the earlier events. Seated across from him were two elderly men.

The leading elder wore a wide-sleeved Daoist robe, listening attentively with a gentle expression. He was at the ninth stage of Qi Cultivation. The other elder, a one-armed man, seemed to possess only various unrefined qi. His expression was stern, and his head was full of white hair.

"Esteemed elders, that is the situation," said Li Xijun.

After he finished speaking, the elder in the Daoist robe sighed with a nod and replied, "I understand."

This man was Chen Donghe. As time flowed like water, he had spent over a decade lingering at the Qi Cultivation stage. This old man was diligent and devoted, with no hobbies aside from occasionally sitting atop Mount Xiping.

The other man was the eldest clan elder of the Li Family, named Li Qiuyang. He had suffered injuries in the marketplace and had been burned by Merging Fire. Though he had been saved with great effort, his hair had withered, his eyes dimmed, and he could barely lift his hands.

Yet the old man still nodded and said, "We will go to the Chen Family immediately!"

One was Chen Mufeng’s master, and the other an elder of the Chen Family. Li Xijun naturally trusted them and said softly, "It is merely a mention, no need to dwell too much on it."

Watching the two depart, Li Xijun finally settled back into his seat of authority. Beside him, Li Yuexiang blinked and murmured, "Brother, you seem to take this matter quite seriously."

Li Chengliao, also standing to the side, appeared to have something to report but had yet to find an opening. Li Xijun sighed and said, "I can see that boy has the eyes of someone unwilling to concede. Though the heir can keep him under control… we, as guardians of the house, cannot simply let things be. Naturally, we must add a few more chains to be at ease."

"He doesn't seem to have much talent for the cultivation of Radiant Lure and Celestial Whirl.. Perhaps it was all taken by Zhouwei alone. If he has to hold everything up by himself, he will struggle to balance it all. If put to good use, Chen Yang’s worth could rival that of dozens."

Li Yuexiang nodded slightly, yet before she could speak, Li Xijun pondered for a moment, then solemnly gestured for both of them to come closer. He said, "Yuexiang, Chengliao, listen carefully."

Li Yuexiang immediately focused her gaze, and Li Chengliao likewise looked over with a serious expression. Only then did Li Xijun speak softly, "Looking back at the past generations of our family heads many have perished violently, fallen to curses and assassinations. How many have truly retired in peace? Even an ordinary family in town would not see such generations of sudden deaths. Anyone sitting in the highest seats of Qingdu and the Central Hall must always be prepared for the end of their path."

"I’ll oversee matters in Qingdu. As for Chengliao, you govern the household in Lijing. We must be cautious and nip dangers in the bud. But if the time ever comes when we must trade son for son…"

Li Xijun paused briefly before speaking gently, "Do not be stingy with your lives. More importantly, plan for the next hundred years."

Both nodded in understanding. Li Xijun put away the wooden slip in his hand while Li Chengliao stepped forward and respectfully reported, "Eighth Uncle, Elder Xuanfeng appeared at the Song Family wedding, saying that he would settle all grievances between the two families once and for all!"

"With just one shot of an arrow, Elder Xuanfeng nearly obliterated Yuan Hudu's body and soul! He was left with only a single breath. He was barely kept alive by our Wanglin Blossom, before the Yuan Family took him back."

Li Xijun raised his eyebrows slightly at the news. He had expected Li Xuanfeng to go and threaten the Yuan Family, but he hadn’t imagined his overwhelming might to reach such an extent. Turning to Li Yuexiang, he said softly, "Little sister, the elder has avenged you!"