Li Qingxuan said nothing, her calm gaze remaining on the carp in the pond.
"Don't worry, it's really not that bad. You'll just be a little exhausted after the ritual. You'll recover after a few days' rest."
The young man, assuming she was afraid, offered words of comfort.
"Worried? No. I was just rembering the sight of my father withering away and dying before my eyes. He was only forty-five at the ti."
"He wanted to transcend this fate, to prove that he could beco strong even without the power of his Bloodline. But in the end, he failed to break through to Saint Awakening and ultimately succumbed to his destiny."
"Years of arduous training, all his contributions to the family… and this was all he got in return. He's the one who fought for my chance to choose a 'seed,' all so I could escape this fate."
"So how could I possibly disappoint him?"
Li Qingxuan said slowly.
"A sha you failed in the end. There's been no word from that man for a whole month. We've already made inquiries. He was critically injured and near death after the battle on Haisa Island. He hasn't woken up, and I'm afraid he never will. anwhile, the family needs to create a stronger 'Descendant' as quickly as possible to reinforce the Northern Wei Battlefield."
"Qingxuan, sotis, whether you admit it or not, a person has to accept their fate. Besides, your sacrifice isn't without value. Never mind the power and wealth—it's worth it for the stability of the nation and the prosperity of our family."
"Get your mind right. The aning of life isn't always asured in length."
The young man shook his head, slowly rose to his feet, and walked out of the courtyard.
"Accept my fate? Too bad. This isn't my fate…"
Watching the young man's retreating back, Li Qingxuan spoke, her expression calm.
'Still no sign of him? The ceremony is in three days.'
Li Qingxuan lowered her head, murmuring so faintly that only she could hear.
"Rest assured. That person has indeed broken the shackles of his mind. For him, saving you is a simple matter. It should happen soon. This is 'destiny'."
And yet, in the courtyard where Li Qingxuan stood alone, a peculiar voice resounded in her mind.
The voice was ethereal, seeming to exist outside of reality, and it was impossible to discern its gender.
"What exactly is 'destiny'?"
Li Qingxuan muttered to herself.
"If it could be clearly explained, it wouldn't be 'destiny.' Besides, destiny isn't unchangeable. It's rely a form of inertia. I can only sense it when it intersects with you in so way."
The voice spoke again.
"Then what, exactly, are you?"
Li Qingxuan asked softly. The voice fell silent, not responding for a long ti.
"I… am rely a guide. And you just happen to be soone who can converse with ."
...
...
anwhile, Zhou Yuanjue quickly received the Data Lu Zhen had sent over about the Li Family and Li Qingxuan.
The Li Family of Shangjing Prefecture was one of the first Guardian Spirit Races to cooperate with Donghua's high command. For nearly a century, they have contributed imnse power to maintaining the prosperity and stability of Donghua.
Publicly, the Li Family is one of Shangjing Prefecture's top aristocratic families. Secretly, they are the guardian gods of the prefecture and the founding power behind a special agency called the "Secret Protection Bureau," which stands in opposition to the Secret Inspection Bureau. One defends while the other attacks, making them two sides of the sa coin.
Li Qingxuan belongs to a branch lineage of the Li Family. A key purpose of these branch lineages is to select individuals with suitable Bloodline Power from each generation of relatives. These individuals beco part of the "Inheriting Vein Technique" ritual, during which their Bloodline Power is extracted and converged into a single recipient. This process makes the recipient's Bloodline Power stronger, thereby maintaining the family's strength and the purity of their Bloodline.
Those from the Li Family's branch lineages who take part in the ritual suffer extre and irreversible damage to their bodies and Spirit. Their aging process accelerates dramatically, and they often "die of natural causes" before reaching the age of forty, passing away without any apparent illness.
Li Qingxuan was one of those chosen for this ritual. Due to the war in Beiwei, the Secret Inspection Bureau requested aid from the Secret Protection Bureau. The Li Family is therefore preparing to conduct the ritual ahead of schedule and then commit their forces to the Northern Wei Battlefield. This is likely why Li Qingxuan was recalled.
'They can actually use a thod like that to purify their own Bloodline's Power? The thods of the Spirit Guardians are truly sothing else...'
Zhou Yuanjue sighed in mild astonishnt. He hadn't expected Li Qingxuan's background to be so complicated. He had never sensed any unusual power from her. 'Is it because her Bloodline Power is too weak?' he wondered.
He rose to his feet and walked out of the room.
Since this involved a Guardian Spirit Race, going to Lu Zhen wouldn't be enough to easily resolve it. Besides, they were all the way in Shangjing Prefecture, and he'd rather not make such a long trip if he could avoid it.
Soon, he arrived at Liehong Mountain's office once again.
"I need your help protecting soone."
Zhou Yuanjue said to Liehong Mountain, getting straight to the point.
"Oh? And who might that be?"
Liehong Mountain asked.
"Li Qingxuan of the Shangjing Prefecture Li Family. She's one of the 'sacrifices' for the Inheriting Vein Technique."
Zhou Yuanjue replied.
"A chosen mber from a branch lineage of the Shangjing Prefecture Li Family?"
Liehong Mountain's brow furrowed slightly upon hearing this.
"What is it? A problem?"
Zhou Yuanjue asked, his expression calm.
"Heh. It's a bit troubleso, but not a major issue. Even after the Inheriting Vein Technique is perford, the recipient's importance can't compare to people like you and . I'll have soone take care of it for you. Given our status and power, and the fact that we're the ones charging the front lines, we're entitled to so basic privileges. Your identity hasn't been made public yet, so I'll have it done in my na. This, I suppose, is the advantage of 'the greatest hermit hides within the court.' An individual's strength may be great, but so matters are better handled with the power of the collective."
"However, I expect you to head to Beiwei as soon as you're ready."
Liehong Mountain said.
"Then I thank you. As long as you arrange the travel, I can leave at any ti."
Zhou Yuanjue nodded, rose to his feet, and left the office.
'This incident showed him how much importance the higher-ups now placed on Saint Awakening Level experts. As long as he was willing to cooperate on certain matters, they wouldn't mind providing him with considerable conveniences.'
'This is good, too. Although he had reached the Saint Awakening Realm, he was still human. As long as he lived in the mortal world, he would be tied down by worldly affairs.'
'Before Saint Awakening, he had to fight constantly in the arena just to earn money and resources. After Saint Awakening, the resources he'd consu would only increase.'
'Techniques, location, companions, and wealth—the four essentials of cultivation. Until one completely severs their ties to the mortal world, these things can never be truly forsaken.'
'Wealth, information, intelligence, technology, supplies…'
'Going it alone wasn't suitable for people like them. The correct path was to gather the flas of collective wisdom, to use the power of an entire civilization to help oneself continuously break through limitations and explore the unknown.'
'This was the best of eras. To ignore the conveniences of the age wasn't noble—it was foolish.'
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