[Your descendant, Li Yaotie, has broken through to the fifth-tier Divinity Transformation!]
[Obtained Heaven-bestowed Primordial Spirit Art: Primal True Fire. True Fire returns to origin, capable of melting the myriad things.]
[Obtained Domain: Heavenly Domain Furnace. Within the domain's range, a Thunder Pool can manifest.]
"This... This kid actually benefited from a disaster!"
"Such powerful thunder-fire spirit Qi! Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Heavenly Light, on having such an outstanding disciple under your tutelage."
"With this Primordial Spirit Art and Domain, your personal disciple will soon become a fifth-rank artifact refiner. The unorthodox path lies wide open before him!"
At the site where Li Yaotie underwent his tribulation, the thunderclouds had already dispersed, yet the scene remained vast and imposing.
Li Yaotie floated bare-chested, his muscles flowing with smooth lines.
Arcs of lightning flickered around him, not the lingering power of the tribulation, but his domain!
The furnace formed by the Heavenly Domain Furnace domain had already reached a range of a thousand meters the moment Li Yaotie broke through.
If anyone were to enter the domain, it was uncertain if they would be struck by the lightning within this Thunder Pool until not even ash remained.
He stood suspended in the air, the purple light within the Thunder Pool reflecting off his muscles, his large bald head gleaming.
Li Yaotie already had a naturally fierce appearance, lacking even eyebrows, and his face still held the anger from the unexpected turn of the lightning tribulation, making him appear even more intimidating.
At this moment, his left hand was held palm up, and upon it danced a small flame, conspicuous even amidst the gloomy sky and the purple Thunder Pool.
This was the 'Primal True Fire'.
The surrounding experts could feel from afar that this Primal True Fire art was extraordinary; even the arcs of lightning leaping upon the Thunder Pool dissipated completely when they drew near the 'Primal True Fire'.
The experts all spoke out to offer their congratulations.
This wasn't just because of Li Yaotie's powerful, Thunder God-like posture upon breaking through to the Divinity Transformation realm, but also because they had sensed the danger and peculiarity of his fifth-tier Divinity Transformation breakthrough, fearing the Heavenly Light Grand Ancestor might think they were involved.
"Thank you, fellow Daoists, hahaha!"
The Heavenly Light Grand Ancestor forced a loud laugh, then cupped his fists towards the auras of the experts arriving from all directions in the sky.
"Thank you all for coming to observe the ceremony. I'm afraid there are still urgent matters within my sect. If I have leisure another day, I will naturally pay each of you a visit!"
As soon as these words were spoken, the numerous experts all retracted their auras, some even appearing nervous.
They could sense that Old Daoist Heavenly Light was truly furious this time. They feared that the next time they met him, he would curse them out.
After all, their arrival this time had indeed provided cover for the person behind the scenes to silently harm Li Yaotie.
As these experts departed.
"Disciple, come down."
The Heavenly Light Grand Ancestor waved toward Li Yaotie in the air.
Sensing Li Yaotie's abundant spirit Qi, despite his Primordial Spirit being unstable after the breakthrough, the Heavenly Light Grand Ancestor felt relieved, but also a lingering fear.
Previously, he had felt it was disgraceful for Li Yaotie to undergo only a third-tier lightning tribulation. Now, however, he felt it would perhaps have been better if his disciple had faced no danger at all, sparing him such anxiety.
"Master, Second Sister."
Li Yaotie retracted his domain and Primal True Fire. As he floated down before the two, he scratched his head, his face breaking into a simple grin.
"Damn it, some bastard came out of nowhere and nearly wiped out my soul."
"Heavenly Light Grand Ancestor, did you discover anything when you left earlier?"
Li Yaoqing's face was grim.
Hearing her words, the Heavenly Light Grand Ancestor's expression changed.
Li Yaoqing usually seemed indifferent to everything, her temperament very mild; she had always addressed him as 'Grand Ancestor'.
Now, however, she called him by his Daoist name, her voice cold enough to make one feel as if they had fallen into an ice cave. For some reason, he couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.
He immediately said, "The opponent's methods are skillful; they must have sensed my presence."
"Those fellow Daoists were also used by the opponent. Their auras interfered with my investigation, and it was precisely then that an aura entered Yaotie's lightning tribulation area. However, the opponent certainly paid a price as well; otherwise, they wouldn't have escaped my perception."
Li Yaotie, seeing the strange tone between his Second Sister and Master, quickly tried to smooth things over.
"Second Sister, it's okay, just some petty villain from who knows where. It's all over now, and besides, I have the Old Ancestor's protection..."
"Hmph!"
Frost covered Li Yaoqing's small face. She merely glanced at Li Yaotie, who didn't dare utter another word now.
Li Yaoqing bowed to the Heavenly Light Grand Ancestor.
"Thank you, Grand Ancestor Heavenly Light, for your care over these years. My Li family owes you, venerable elder, a great favor.
Next year, this junior will have someone send a large quantity of wondrous spirit pills and high-grade materials over. Later, after picking up my sister-in-law, we must return home and leave this place of trouble."
"What?!!"
The Heavenly Light Grand Ancestor's expression changed drastically. He was about to say something, but Li Yaoqing was already pulling Li Yaotie away.
"Second Sister." Li Yaotie looked back at his Master.
"Let's go!"
Li Yaoqing's face was grim. No one knew how anxious she had been just moments ago; the fifth-tier lightning tribulation had come so suddenly, she had even sensed Third Brother's Nascent Soul on the verge of dispersing in that instant.
If not for the Old Ancestor, she dared not imagine what the consequences would have been. Seeing Li Yaotie's hesitant look now only fueled her anger.
"Can't you see it yet? The Azure Dynasty is no longer safe to stay in. The Sect Master of the Heavenly Light Sect tried to kill you because he's fighting with General Wang Jinhu for the position of Sect Master."
"That dog Mingkong?"¹ Li Yaotie's face contorted with rage. "I'll go kill him!"
"Like hell you will." Li Yaoqing took a deep breath. "Even if Daoist Mingkong dies, then what? Another Sect Master will appear. The world has fallen into great chaos, and in the end, it has affected the Heavenly Light Sect. The situation inside is complex; sooner or later, it will affect us too. In this world, nowhere is safer than our own home."
"But..."
Li Yaotie thought of his Master, whose tense expression had held a hint of guilt.
"What about Master? I'm his disciple..."
"And then what?" Li Yaoqing narrowed her eyes. "I saw it more clearly than you. The moment your lightning tribulation changed, he sent Wang Jinhu back to the Heavenly Light Sect. His order was to capture Mingkong, not kill Mingkong."
Li Yaotie's expression changed.
He stopped struggling against his sister's pull. Li Yaoqing's voice sounded by his ear, "Use that lightning-struck brain of yours and think properly. How would Mingkong dare to harm you right in front of the Heavenly Light Grand Ancestor? If you had really... I fear it would have been a different ending. We've been through so much; don't you understand yet?"
"I understand, Second Sister."
Li Yaotie no longer argued. He let out a long sigh—not because he didn't understand, but because he was unwilling to think about it.
...
Heavenly Light Sect.
Outside Daoist Mingkong's cave-dwelling, a group of Heavenly Light Sect cultivators surrounded the location.
Beside him, a female cultivator holding a purification vase smiled at Wang Jinhu.
"Brother Wang, Mingkong's move was too clever for his own good; it seems we really pushed him into a corner. Now that his misdeeds are exposed, the position of Sect Master will be yours next."
Hearing this, Wang Jinhu felt not the slightest joy in his heart.
Ever since Li Dalong became Prefecture Lord, Li Yaotie became the Grand Ancestor's personal disciple, and news concerning Eternal Sun Prefecture and Duravia Trade Prefecture reached the Heavenly Light Sect; his life had also changed significantly.
Many cultivators in the Heavenly Light Sect who previously had little interaction with him began to draw closer to his side, all assuming he had the backing of the Li family.
He had never thought about becoming the Sect Master, but what happened?
Somehow, the news had just spread. And because of past events, he and Mingkong had become enemies.
Mingkong's faction began to view him with extreme vigilance, and he even found himself forced to oppose Mingkong.
Because of this, he had even tried various methods to thoroughly investigate, to see if there was some hidden hand manipulating events from behind the scenes.
The result... it was entirely due to people's hearts, causing things to reach this state step by step.
"Grand Ancestor!"
The Heavenly Light Grand Ancestor suddenly appeared, and all the cultivators bowed.
Wang Jinhu looked left and right but couldn't see the siblings Li Yaotie and Li Yaoqing.
His expression changed instantly, "Grand Ancestor, Brother Yaotie, he..."
"Gone."
"Go... Gone? Brother Yaotie, has he... perished?" Wang Jinhu's face turned pale.
He hadn't expected that, despite him doing nothing, it would lead to today's...
"He broke through. Taking his wife and Miss Yaoqing, he went home."
The Heavenly Light Grand Ancestor's face turned black.
Only then did Wang Jinhu breathe a sigh of relief, a trace of joy flashing across his face. "Thank goodness, thank goodness!"
Soon, the two walked into Daoist Mingkong's cave-dwelling.
This Daoist Mingkong, who had once obstructed Wang Jinhu from rescuing the Li family, now sat calmly upon a cattail cushion.
As befitting a Sect Master, knowing his plot was exposed, he remained unhurried, calmly accepting his fate.
He silently rose to his feet, gently patted his Daoist robes, and bowed to the Heavenly Light Grand Ancestor. "Disciple Mingkong pays respects to Grandmaster."
"Senior Brother."
"Mingkong!"
Wang Jinhu, seeing this Senior Brother acting so calmly, felt his battlefield temper flare up uncontrollably.
He roared angrily, "If you want to fight me, then I'll fight you to the end! Why did you have to go and harm others?!!"
"Junior Brother, what you say is wrong. I wasn't fighting you; I was saving the Heavenly Light Sect." Daoist Mingkong's expression was calm.
"Ridiculous!"
Wang Jinhu grew even angrier.
But Daoist Mingkong continued calmly, "Remember when I stopped Junior Brother back then? Junior Brother said that I, as Sect Master, had grown too close to the powerful and noble. But Junior Brother, you have ultimately never been the Sect Master; you do not understand the ways of the world. I am close to the powerful and noble, but which one of them does not hold the utmost respect for my Heavenly Light Sect?"
"But what about the Li family?"
Daoist Mingkong looked toward the silent Heavenly Light Grand Ancestor.
"The Li family has no respect for my Heavenly Light Sect, no respect for the Grand Ancestor. All these years, they have treated my Heavenly Light Sect like their own backyard garden.
If Junior Brother were to become the Sect Master, what do you suppose outsiders would think of my Heavenly Light Sect? At that time, the Heavenly Light Sect would be the Li family, and the Li family would be the Heavenly Light Sect—the two would be indistinguishable."
"But now, with the world in turmoil and the Li family controlling the lands of two prefectures, guess what will happen if they make enemies with others? Will my Heavenly Light Sect be dealt with? The Heavenly Light Sect is far from Eternal Sun Prefecture; when that time comes, how could Junior Brother possibly save my Heavenly Light Sect?"
The Heavenly Light Grand Ancestor looked deeply at Daoist Mingkong.
"So, you harmed my disciple, rather than harming Jinhu?" The Heavenly Light Grand Ancestor understood now.
In truth, it would have been much easier for Daoist Mingkong to kill Wang Jinhu.
"Harm one Junior Brother, and with Li Yaotie remaining long-term in my Heavenly Light Sect, another Junior Brother would appear."
Daoist Mingkong stated frankly, "Grandmaster, Disciple merely bet wrong; it wasn't that I did wrong. Now, Disciple has a plan. Grandmaster can announce to the world that Disciple was killed by Li Yaotie. From then on, the Heavenly Light Sect can sever ties with the Li family."
"With Disciple's head held high, only then can the Heavenly Light Sect survive through the ages in this chaotic world."
Daoist Mingkong bowed deeply, a smile upon his face.
For a moment, the Heavenly Light Grand Ancestor and Wang Jinhu stared at the man who had been the Sect Master of the Heavenly Light Sect for so many years.
They made no move, their eyes filled with an indescribable complexity.