The sky over Azure Cloud Prefecture was gloomy, but the roaring thunder gradually weakened.
Faint rays of sunlight were increasingly able to pierce through the clouds and creep onto the lands of Azure Cloud Prefecture.
The experts of the Li Clan, as well as those inside and outside Azure Cloud Prefecture who cared about this matter, all knew that Uncle Rain, sealed within the Dao Domain by the Li clansmen, was growing weaker by the day.
Meanwhile, the Azure Cloud Li Clan was growing stronger, to the point where they could part the clouds and see the sun.
Within the City of Merit, a peaceful scene remained.
The numerous bigwigs who had rushed over to help last year had not left.
Duanmu Qi and the Zhangsun Clan were both in the Southern Frontier; if the Li Clan perished, they would suffer alongside them.
The disaster in Azure Cloud Prefecture this time had cast a shadow over them.
Until the newly advanced mighty figure inside the Dao Domain, the 'Spirit Puppet Fire Ancestor' Li Yaotie, emerged, they truly could not be at ease.
Wang Jinhu was waiting for his junior martial brother.
He himself had only recently broken through to the Void Refining realm, and now his junior martial brother Li Yaotie had become a Body Integration expert.
The Heavenly Light Sect also gained face because of this.
As for Ah Hei and the people from the Department of Immortal Suppression, these two groups had become Empress Wenren Xianyi's 'smear campaign team'.
Anyone with a discerning eye could tell that this was an attempt to brand the people of the Southern Frontier as 'rebels'.
As for Sword Venerable Drizzle, a few days ago, taking advantage of the fact that Li Yunlin was weakened after transmitting Spiritual power from outside the Dao Domain, he lightly challenged him to a spar.
Today, he was crestfallen, repeatedly muttering "a formidable younger generation."
According to Li Yunlin, he had defeated Sword Venerable Drizzle by half a move.
However, Sword Venerable Drizzle had many other things on his mind, such as Nun Dairou's 'Great Dao of Green Mountain' and Uncle Rain's 'Great Dao of Rain'.
He only needed one of them to complete his Dao path.
As for whether they would give it to him or not, that depended on how deep the relationship was between the Sword Pavilion and the Azure Cloud Li Clan.
In the main hall.
Li Chang sat in the seat of honor.
The hall was filled with juniors, while Li Qiuming and Li Chuxiu—the two new Patriarchs managing the family—sat in the corner.
Li Chang was meticulous as always.
Having returned from the Imperial Capital, although he couldn't realize his wish of bringing long-lasting peace and stability to the entire Imperial Dynasty, he could at least keep Azure Cloud Prefecture peaceful and safe.
He said indifferently, "Sword Venerable Drizzle wants to complete his Dao. The Great Daos of Green Mountain and Rain have reached their ends. No one can snatch them from him. By coming to ask first, he preserves the face of both sides."
The clan members listened to Li Chang's admonition.
Since returning ten years ago, Li Chang had acted with magnanimity, strategizing the affairs of Changyang Prefecture.
As these words were spoken, the sound of footsteps came from outside the room.
The husband and wife, Li Xinghuo and Zishu Wandong, returned, their armor clinking.
The two had been slaying demons in the Northern Frontier for a span measured in centuries.
Even after returning to Azure Cloud Prefecture, they couldn't stay idle.
Following the battle on the rainy night, the couple patrolled Azure Cloud Prefecture day and night, hunting down the remnants of the invaders.
Whenever there were demons or monsters plaguing the world, even if the targets were only at the Qi Condensation realm, the two would kill them without a second thought.
"Uncle An."
The couple bowed in greeting.
Li Chang nodded, gesturing for them to sit nearby.
His son, Xingchen, was living a carefree life overseas with his first wife, only returning once every few decades, usually just sending letters.
Li Chang remarked that his son was a born wanderer. He used to roam from the south of the city to the north, and now his daughter-in-law followed his son from the far south of the sky to the distant north of the seas.
Li Chang simply stopped caring; as long as the two were alive, it was fine.
On the contrary, the filial piety his son Xingchen failed to fulfill was provided by Xinghuo and Zishu Wandong, who treated him with the respect due to a father.
The old man finally experienced the 'love of children'.
He was absolutely unwilling to let the Xinghuo couple go back to dangerous places like the Northern Frontier, nor would he let them go to the Western Frontier.
On what grounds did that fellow Lin Jiu get to be the adoptive father to his good nephew and niece-in-law? Hmph.
As soon as he sat down, Li Xinghuo said,
"Uncle An, these past few days, many experts have appeared near our Azure Cloud Prefecture: the Department of Immortal Suppression, the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, some hidden factions... There are even people from the Peerless Hall."
"Where are they?" Li Chang asked.
Li Xinghuo replied casually, "Soul-searched them, then killed them."
Hearing this, the descendants sitting nearby, including Li Xinri, Li Xinjue, and Li Zhijing, all had their expressions darken.
A year had passed, and their clansmen still went about their usual business.
The arrival of over a thousand cultivators had supplied Azure Cloud Prefecture with a massive amount of resources, making this the perfect time for everyone, top to bottom, to cultivate.
Yet, beneath the surface of Azure Cloud Prefecture, undercurrents were surging.
Inside and outside the Azure Cloud Prefecture were entirely outsiders, naturally, all here for the trapped Uncle Rain.
Some found it hard to believe that a figure like Uncle Rain had actually met with disaster in Azure Cloud Prefecture, and came to verify the truth.
Some wanted to rescue Uncle Rain, such as those from the Peerless Hall, or even some who simply acted out of personal friendship.
The final group was waiting for Uncle Rain to die.
For example, Ah Hei of the Emberwing Guard.
Although he never said anything, he had kept watch outside Azure Cloud Prefecture for this short year without daring to slack off for even half a step.
These people with their own agendas probed each other, while ironically, the Azure Cloud Li Clan had absolutely no issues.
"The Peerless Hall is still the same as always. The people they sent had Dao Seeds planted in them; they died the moment we tried to soul-search them." Li Xinghuo spoke quickly.
He had only returned briefly and had to continue his patrol, planning to visit the border between the Wu Tribe and Westfall Prefecture to survey the terrain to formulate a strategy for both offense and defense.
He hastily added, "People came from the Imperial Capital. Just like last time, they are inviting us to send someone to attend the court assembly.
People from Duskwild Prefecture also came. Uncle An was right, the Fourth Prince wants to rope us in."
Immediately after, he hurriedly stood up, bowed, and left.
Sitting down below, Li Jianshu let out a cold snort.
"The Fourth Prince trying to rope us in is perfect. Whether it's Crown Prince Sheng, Fei Heng, or Wenren Xianyi wielding the supreme power, our Li Clan is a thorn in their sides."
"Can our Li Clan still be bullied by them? What's the worst that can happen? A man dies with his bird pointing to the sky!"
Just now, when Li Xinghuo was present, Li Xinri was like a good little boy. But the moment Li Xinghuo left, Li Xinri immediately adopted the attitude of a silk-pants playboy.
Even Li Zhijing couldn't stop him.
This kid's cultivation had advanced further.
Back when he was beaten up by the people of Azure Cloud Prefecture, his forbearance had indeed not been wrong, and now...
Having been gang-beaten by Azure Cloud cultivators, he hadn't dared to leave the house.
He was holding onto a massive bellyful of anger, ready to vent it out on the Imperial Dynasty.
Hearing talk of going to war, Li Yuanshang's eyes lit up brightly.
He raised his hand to slam the table, but then he thought about how he didn't have many spirit stones left, to the point where he could barely afford to pay the military salaries for all of Azure Cloud Prefecture.
His expression softened as he said mildly, "Lord Ri, calm down, calm down."
Amidst this clamor, Li Chang smiled gently.
Suddenly, however, everyone froze and abruptly grabbed the spirit tablets in their hands.
"The Old Ancestor says Uncle Rain has reached his end," Li Zhijing grinned.
Right now, there were people from all over the Imperial Dynasty keeping an eye on Azure Cloud Prefecture.
Once Uncle Rain died, their Li Clan's status would climb step by step.
When walking the world in the future, everyone would have to respectfully call her 'Sister Jing'.
"Let's go."
Li Chang's eyes were bright as he led the clan members outside.
His strategizing within the clan was merely managing the household.
As for which direction the family should take, in the end, it still depended on the elders besieging Uncle Rain and guarding against Min Tiange in the Western Frontier.