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Chapter 82: Chapter 82: The 72 Tricks of Destiny (Seeking for Follow-up Readings)
"Young Master.... The old master will be very happy to know you have returned."
Li Qian’s steward, Xu, followed carefully behind him with a very respectful expression.
He originally thought that the young master would not come back.
Li Qian nodded and walked towards the side courtyard where he had lived before.
Steward Xu followed closely behind.
The side courtyard was still empty, and all the ornaments were almost unchanged from before he had left home.
But it was quite clean.
It must have been cleaned regularly.
Suddenly, a burst of hurried footsteps came from outside.
Following that, Li Donglin hurried in with a refined-looking young man following him.
"My boy."
This once always stern father... now seemed exceptionally excited.
His long-awaited eldest son had finally come home.
"Father."
Li Qian spoke calmly.
"It’s good you’re back, good you’re back."
Li Donglin repeated.
"Brother."
The refined-looking young man behind, Li Kun, stepped forward and saluted Li Qian.
Li Qian’s gaze fell on this refined young man. According to the memories in his mind... this should be his half-brother from the same father and a different mother, also the son of his stepmother, Li Kun.
Regarding this brother, his former self had not had much contact, nor any direct conflicts... Any aversion he had was due to that stepmother.
Li Qian just nodded, then spoke to Li Donglin, "Father, I will not show up at your birthday banquet. Tomorrow I will go to worship Mother."
"That’s fine."
Li Donglin knew his son was a martial artist, indeed somewhat incompatible with the attendees of the birthday banquet.
After a few more words, the delighted Li Donglin finally left to attend to the guests at the birthday banquet.
"Brother, due to my mother, I understand you’ve suffered over these years. Now that father has dismissed her and she has taken monastic vows at Jing’an Temple, if you are still not appeased, I am willing to atone for my mother’s sins and submit to any punishment you choose, without any resentment."
Li Kun did not leave with them but asked Steward Xu to step out and wait, then he knelt in front of Li Qian.
As he spoke, tears streamed down his face.
Actually, he had never known how his mother treated his brother... until their father, in a great rage, decided to dismiss his mother. Only then did he learn of the events of those years.
His greatest fear was that his brother, a martial artist, would return and kill his mother to vent his frustrations.
"If this were a few years ago, I would have definitely killed her..."
Li Qian walked up to Li Kun, patted his shoulder, and said indifferently, "I’m a disciple at Divine Sword Sect now and might rarely come back. You will have to fulfill the filial duties in front of father for me. Alright, go out and attend to the guests to avoid any gossip."
"Thank you for your magnanimity, brother."
Li Kun sighed in relief, stood up, bowed, and then walked out.
Outside, he was still barely holding himself together, covered in sweat as thick as paste, his walk wobbly, barely able to stand.
"Young Master."
The waiting steward Xu hurriedly went to support Li Kun.
"I’m alright."
Li Kun waved his hand, struggling to steady himself, and took a deep breath before walking out of the side courtyard.
In his eyes, this older brother had become tremendously formidable.
Having spent a very brief time with his brother in the room felt like an era; that sort of intangible mental pressure, even after walking out, was still vivid in his memory.
He feared he would never forget it in this lifetime.
...
Li Qian stayed in the Li estate for only two days, after paying respects to his former mother, he left Baibi City straight away,
and when he returned to the Divine Sword Sect, several days had already passed.
Moreover, he brought back a cowhide treasure map, which he handed in at the Task Hall, earning a large number of contribution points and exempting him from two inner-sect duties in the upcoming year.
Thump thump thump thump...
As he stood atop the bell tower, striking the Chen Bell, the clear sound of the bell gradually soothed his restlessness.
Feeling the vibrant Qi Blood Energy, True Qi, and Sword Intent within him... Li Qian drew out Sword Eighteen and began to practice.
After one session, Li Qian felt completely relaxed.
Indeed, practicing by striking the bell at Chen Bell Platform is the best.
Life, calm and quick-paced, passed very swiftly.
Another year and more passed.
He didn’t go out on any missions this year.
His days were comfortable and fulfilling.
He learned from Pang Bai that outside the fight over the treasure map grew even more fierce.
It’s said that even martial arts powers from outside the nation of Taixingdao had involved themselves.
After all, the treasure of the Taiping Sect was too tempting.
So the outside world is now in utter chaos.
However, no matter how fiercely they competed for it, even if they managed to collect the four treasure maps through hardships, they still wouldn’t be able to locate the treasure site.
Late night.
On top of the bell tower.
Li Qian was seated cross-legged, absorbing the essence of the demon stone to enhance his Pure Holy Body.
Threads of demon energy merged into his body and were refined by the Pure Holy Body, turning into faint golden Qi Blood Energy.
Now, the Qi Blood of his Pure Holy Body was dense like mercury, golden in color, each strand containing astonishing energy.
This year, he still absorbed it three times a day, but each time he absorbed more demon energy.
Thus, the progression rate of his Pure Holy Body was even faster.
However... the energy essence contained within the demon stone was dwindling.
Crack...
Suddenly, a faint sound arose in the quiet night sky.
Li Qian looked at the demon stone in his palm, now full of cracks, and sighed deeply.
This demon stone is completely spent.
Without the demon stone, his cultivation of the Pure Holy Body would come to a complete halt.
Li Qian summoned the system interface to check the latest information.
Host: Li Qian.
Cultivation: Innate True Essence (Late Stage 35/100).
Sacrificial Artifact: Chen Bell (Power 4029/10000).
Martial Arts: Sword Stabbing Fist (Perfect), Heartless Sword Technique (Perfect), Pure Holy Body (Minor Achievement 86/100), Soul Chasing Sword Skill (Perfect).
Martial Intent: Heartless Sword Intent (True Form 34/100).
Secret Skill: Ten Thousand Transformation Sword Qi, Blood Burning Technique.
....
This past year, both his cultivation and his Pure Holy Body had greatly improved.
This was thanks to his increased absorption of the demon stone’s essence.
"It looks like I need to find a new demon stone."
Li Qian pondered.
If there’s any chance of finding a demon stone, it undoubtedly would be in the Taiping Sect’s treasure location.
However... he looked at the information displayed on the panel and sighed.
His cultivation level is still insufficient.
Still just in the Late Stage of the True Essence Realm.
Let alone reaching the Heavenly Human Realm, he was even far from the True Pill Realm.
As for Sword Intent... a breakthrough?
He’s still a long way off.
"Forget it, no rush... without the demon stone, cultivation will just be slower, but venturing into the treasure site might cost me my life. It’s not worth it, definitely not worth it."
After pondering for a moment, Li Qian dismissed the thought.
....
Yu Capital.
Imperial Ancestral Land, Candle Dragon Hall.
In the vast, empty hall, there was a copper coffin, surrounded by thousands of lit oil lamps.
"Great Ancestor, the fourth treasure map has been collected."
An elder knelt down in the hall.
He held up a cowhide parchment treasure map high with both hands.
Suddenly, a strange wind blew through the hall, causing all the oil lamps to flicker and sway unpredictably.
The next moment, the cowhide parchment treasure map slowly rose into the air.
Whoosh...
Accompanied by a sound like flowing water.
The person in the copper coffin suddenly sat up.
The figure was emaciated, as if only covered by a layer of skin, with sparse white hair remaining.
In the sunken eye sockets, there was a ghostly fire-like glimmer.
The person caught the treasure map with hands like chicken claws.
Just a glance, and suddenly with a wave of their hand, the entire treasure map exploded into powder, scattering around.
"The other three maps were made following the arrangement of the Heavenly Machines 72 Configurations, but this one is completely chaotic, obviously a fake."
A hoarse voice sounded.
The elder trembled all over, "Great Ancestor, from the moment I received it, it absolutely hasn’t been tampered with..."
"Ah, even if we had the complete treasure map, how could it... could it let me break through the bottleneck and step into the supreme Martial Saint Realm? If really possible... back then, it was the Taiping Sect that would have won, not our Chai Royal Family."
A melancholic sigh echoed, "I no longer have time, proceed with the final plan."
.....
PS: Seeking monthly tickets, seeking recommendation tickets!!!!!!
