The next day.
In the main hall of the Perennis Immortal Palace—within the Perennis Great Hall—upon a nine-tiered red jade dais, stood three ceremonial chairs.
Seated upon them were the Perennis Immortal Palace's Palace Master, Fairy Hongxiu; the Skyveil Sect's Grand Elder, Li Yunlin; and the Duravia Trade Prefecture Lord, 'Jiang Chenghuan'.
They were the three individuals with the highest authority among the Li family-led powers in the Duravia Trade Prefecture.
Below them were the leaders of many small and medium-sized powers who had migrated from Azure Cloud, as well as the younger generation who had made a name for themselves in the Duravia Trade Prefecture in recent years.
Standing at the very front were none other than the Li family's Li Kuanghua, the Perennis Immortal Palace's first direct disciple, Zishu Wandong, and a descendant of the Jiang family, Jiang Wenshang.
"Hmm?"
This was the territory of the Perennis Immortal Palace, so Fairy Hongxiu naturally sat in the main seat.
Li Yunbing, seated at the side, let out a soft sound of surprise. He glanced toward Fairy Hongxiu and his own big brother.
For some reason, he felt the two of them were acting strangely today; it seemed they were always exchanging too many glances when he wasn't paying attention.
But just then, someone else arrived in the great hall, causing him to set aside the doubt in his heart.
Just then.
Outside the great hall, Li Xinghuo, clad in black armor, approached step by step, followed by two men and one woman.
Here in the Perennis Immortal Palace, the crowd below the raised platform all looked at Li Xinghuo, bowing respectfully with cupped fists, their expressions filled with dread.
In the eyes of the major powers of Eternal Sun Prefecture and Duravia Trade Prefecture, this Li Xinghuo was one of the Li family's most terrifying members—at least more terrifying than Grand Elder Yunlin.
This man served as a general in the Northern Border, commanding the Asura Army—which slaughtered Demon Clan members and cultivators without batting an eye—and was also one of Grand Tutor Lin Jiu's most favored godsons.
According to rumor, ten years ago, this man went to the Imperial Capital and, within the imperial court, personally executed an official in charge of logistics.
He used the Grand Tutor's name to intimidate the assembled officials so thoroughly that not one of them dared to speak a word.
If Li Xinghuo were representing the Li family on this trip, it would be one thing, but he had come bearing an official post.
[Special Event—Dynasty Conscription]
[Your descendant, Li Xinghuo, has returned from the Northern Border, carrying a mission from Grand Tutor Lin Jiu.
He travels among the major prefecture cities of the Azure Dynasty that still remain loyal, in this world suffering from the Wu Clan invasion and Prince Yu's rebellion, to conscript cultivators into military service.]
Li Wei appeared within the great hall of the Perennis Immortal Palace.
He watched Li Xinghuo's majestic and imposing appearance. Xinghuo, this child, had also come to be held in increasingly high regard by the Grand Tutor during his decades in the Northern Border.
In recent years, he had begun to travel throughout the Azure Dynasty, representing Lin Jiu.
This time, he had returned not only to worship the ancestors but also with a mission.
Li Xinghuo had simply scheduled the ancestor worship first, intending to also complete the matter of Li Yunbing asking him to take Su Chen as his godson before proceeding.
Li Xinghuo, dressed in black armor, held his helmet in the great hall, looking incredibly imposing.
But his eyes, from leading the Asura Army year-round, held an added trace of shadow, and the killing intent about him was impossible to disperse.
Very quickly, Grand Tutor Lin Jiu's order was transmitted via the Perennis Immortal Palace to the entire Duravia Trade Prefecture.
After the reception in the great hall concluded, Li Yunbing and Li Xinghuo met in secret.
Li Yunbing inquired of Li Xinghuo, "Have you mentioned the matter of taking Su Chen as your godson to him?"
Hearing this, Li Xinghuo frowned.
"On this trip, when bringing Xinnian over, Su Chen and Nangong Qingya also came along. I had some brief contact with Su Chen during the journey.
He is indeed an extraordinary young man, reaching the Golden Core realm at such a young age.
However, this Su Chen is also the proud and arrogant type. I'm afraid he won't recognize me as his godfather just because of my status. If it's forced, it will only make him resentful."
"Oh?" Li Yunbing was very satisfied. It seemed Xinghuo had grown a lot during these years in the Northern Border.
He smiled and said, "In your view, then, how can we make him willing?"
"This Su Chen is friends with Xinnian, but that doesn't mean our Li family has the obligation to help him."
Li Xinghuo's words revealed a trace of ruthlessness.
"Since he has a karmic connection with the Aeternus Sect, given his temperament, he will naturally encounter trouble.
Adding flowers to brocade is not as good as sending charcoal in snowy weather.
Only then will he willingly recognize me as his father."
Li Yunbing felt more and more pleased as he looked at this child, but he remembered how the elders had rarely praised him in his youth, so he also hid his admiration, lest the child become too arrogant.
"Although there are some shortcomings, your idea is not bad. You may go and try it."
"Yes."Li Xinghuo replied. He suddenly frowned.
"Great Ancestor, although Xinghuo has been in the Northern Border these years, he also knows about our family's troubles in the Duravia Trade Prefecture.
Great Ancestor is not having an easy time; the Aeternus Sect and the twelve Regions of Duravia make it extremely difficult for us to control the Duravia Trade Prefecture."
"I wonder, Great Ancestor, your asking me to take Su Chen as my godson this time—is there... something else to it?"
Hearing this, A strange smile appeared on Li Yunbing's face.
"The Old Ancestor said that Su Chen's future is limitless. That's likely the case.
Xinnian's aptitude is already so heaven-defying, yet Su Chen still steadily surpasses him.
A monstrous talent like that, given time, will certainly be of great use.
Breaking the stalemate in the Duravia Trade Prefecture might just depend on Su Chen!"
"Xinghuo understands."
Li Xinghuo let out a cold laugh.
In this dark secret room, watching Li Yunbing and Li Xinghuo's sinister appearance, Li Wei wiped the cold sweat from his head.
He glanced again at Li Xinnian's [Fated Villain] trait, thought about that kid's kind personality, and then looked at these two elders who manipulated people's hearts and had arranged everything so thoroughly...
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