"Oh?"
Li Ye's interest was piqued, and he asked,
"What sort of people did Fellow Daoist Yu bring? Aside from her group, who else seeks an audience?"
He was well aware of his circumstances.
Given his past, there were truly very few people he could call friends. Those in the Chidi Mountains who could claim any real bond with him were already gathered here at Pingyang Mountain. As for those from his time at the Purple Profound Sect, there were only a handful.
Without hesitation, Hong Yao replied,
"Fellow Daoist Yu brought three people a woman, a burly man, and a young girl. However, they don't seem to be your old acquaintances, Master."
"As for the others seeking an audience, there's a young cultivator named Ji Xiangyang from the Purple Profound Sect, and some people claiming to be from your Li Family... How should we handle them?"
At this point, Hong Yao's tone became noticeably cautious, carefully watching Li Ye's expression.
From what she knew, Li Ye had never once mentioned belonging to a cultivation family during all his years at Chidi Mountains. There was likely some story or perhaps even a taboo buried there, and she knew to tread carefully.
Her instincts were correct.
While Li Ye merely furrowed his brows with a hint of nostalgia when hearing about Yu Lijun's visitors, and even visibly relaxed when Ji Xiangyang's name was mentioned, his expression grew darker and colder at the mention of the Li Family.
Hong Yao couldn't help but feel relieved.
Thankfully, she and Rong Yue hadn't been swayed by the so-called Li Family's name and let them in otherwise, displeasing their Master would have brought serious consequences even for them.
"Hmph!"
Li Ye snorted coldly, his face expressionless as he instructed,
"Go and invite Fellow Daoist Yu's group and Ji Xiangyang in."
"As for those claiming to be from the Li Family, drive them away immediately. I don't want them sullying my eyes here in the Chidi Mountains. If they dare persist, feel free to suppress them and throw them out."
"Also, spread the word: I, Li Ye, severed all ties with the Li Family in my youth there is no association whatsoever."
"I have no clan. Anyone falsely claiming kinship with me has no protection; any cultivator who encounters them may strike them down at will. I will not hold anyone accountable!"
Hiss
Hong Yao secretly drew in a sharp breath, startled.
In all her years at his side, she had never seen Li Ye reveal such a cold and ruthless attitude.
It seemed that in his youth, he had suffered deeply at the hands of this so-called Li Family. Otherwise, he would not harbor such unyielding hostility even tinged with murderous intent.
Could it be that, despite his extraordinary talent, his early years were filled with hardship?
"I understand, Master," Hong Yao said quietly, then quickly withdrew to carry out his orders.
.......
"You're nothing more than servants under Uncle Ye's command, and yet you dare block our way? We're his blood relatives! Do you have a death wish?!"
"Once we meet Uncle Ye, we'll be sure to have him punish you, so you'll learn your place!"
In the reception hall of Pingyang Mountain
A rather handsome young man stood in the center of the hall, scowling and shouting angrily at Rong Yue, who was currently attending to Yu Lijun and the others.
Seeing Rong Yue turn around with a clear intention to act, the young man grew even more arrogant.
"Li Junhua shut your mouth!"
At that moment, a middle-aged man sitting nearby, who had been wearing an unpleasant expression the entire time, finally barked out a furious command. He struck out with a wave of mana, sealing his son's mouth, and with a flick of his sleeve, sent him sprawling back into his seat.
He then turned to Rong Yue, cupping his fists in apology.
"My son has been rude. I apologize on his behalf, Fellow Daoist."
Rong Yue cast him a cold glance and said indifferently,
"Fellow Daoist, you claim to be a clansman of my master, but I, a mere servant girl, cannot bear your apology. There's no need to say anything further."
She had served Li Ye personally for many years, even receiving a Foundation Establishment Pill from him to aid her cultivation.
These so-called "clansmen" who had popped up out of nowhere even if their blood ties were real could never truly threaten her.
After all, if Master Li Ye still cared for the Li Family, would he have lived in the Chidi Mountains for so many years without ever once mentioning them?
The middle-aged man's expression shifted a few times, but in the end, he could only force a bitter smile and remain silent.
Meanwhile, Li Junhua, having been slammed back into his seat, glared furiously, his eyes practically spitting fire. Yet, with his mouth sealed, he could do nothing but squirm in his chair.
Across the room, a young girl saw the scene and couldn't help but giggle mischievously, finding the whole situation incredibly amusing.
Her laughter only further provoked Li Junhua, who tried to glare fiercely at her to intimidate her but instead, she laughed even harder.
At this point, an old man sitting beside the middle-aged cultivator, his face heavily wrinkled and full of deathly gloom, spoke up:
"Zongyin, Junhua is just eager to see his Golden Core Uncle. Being stopped has made him lose his temper. Was it necessary to humiliate him like this and let outsiders laugh at him?"
The middle-aged man replied coldly and directly,
"Third Uncle, I may call you 'Third Uncle' out of respect, but you should know, in the Li Family now, what I say goes. How I discipline my son is none of your concern! The boy's been spoiled by his mother otherwise, how could he be this old and still so lacking in judgment?"
This middle-aged cultivator was none other than Li Zongyin!
And the elderly man with him was the very same Third Uncle who, back in the day, had a slight connection to Li Ye!
Third Uncle opened his mouth but said nothing more.
After all, the fact that the Li Family had even survived the demonic invasion and escaped was already a miracle. Many clansmen had perished, and it was only thanks to Li Zongyin, their Foundation Establishment patriarch, that the family line endured.
As for himself, with little lifespan left and still having descendants to care for, how could he dare to oppose Li Zongyin?
Ignoring him, Li Zongyin's face grew even gloomier.
He had once thought that reaching the Foundation Establishment and taking over as head of the family was the pinnacle of his life. But the moment the demonic tide broke out, the Li Family was torn apart like paper.
They fled to Wu Country, barely surviving with only a handful of family members. Before they could even settle properly, they heard the stunning news Li Ye of the Chidi Mountains had broken through to the Golden Core realm.
At first, Li Zongyin thought it must just be someone with the same name. But when an image scroll of Li Ye was presented to him, he realized that the boy he had once thought dead during the early chaos of the demon invasion had, in just a few short decades, achieved what most cultivators could only dream of.
In that instant, the last sliver of pride Li Zongyin had shattered completely.
Desperate, he had brought his son and Third Uncle to seek out Li Ye, hoping to cling to him and find a way to revive their dwindling family.
But when he witnessed Li Ye effortlessly subdue a fearsome third-rank black flood dragon at the grand ceremony, the remaining fragments of his pride were crushed into dust.
His heart along with his Dao heart collapsed entirely amid a flood of bitter absurdity.
At this moment, he saw the beautiful, alluring maid who had earlier gone to report reenter the hall. He instinctively cast her a hopeful look.
He might have lost his future, but perhaps his son could still forge a path forward if Li Ye acknowledged their kinship...
Yet the maid merely glanced around and walked straight toward the group from the Purple Profound Sect.
"Fellow Daoist Yu, Fellow Daoist Ji, and esteemed guest Mountain Lord Li invite you to proceed."
She spoke politely but didn't spare a single glance at Li Zongyin or his group.
A sinking feeling washed over Li Zongyin. He stiffly stood up, forcing a strained smile.
"Fellow Daoist, what about us the Li Family members ?"
"The Li Family?"
Hong Yao shot him a sideways glance, her voice icy.
"Mountain Lord has given his order: he severed all ties with the Li Family long ago and has no intention of meeting any of you."
"Moreover, should anyone falsely claim kinship with him, any cultivator who encounters them is permitted to strike them down without consequence? Mountain Lord Li will not pursue the matter."
"You would be wise to leave now before we are forced to make you."
Li Zongyin and Third Uncle froze in stunned silence, their faces turning ashen.
As for Li Junhua, who had only just begun to look smug, his expression froze in disbelief.
The young girl walking past them caught sight of their stunned faces and once again burst into delighted laughter.
This time, before Li Junhua could even show any anger, Hong Yao and Wen Chu, who had just arrived with reinforcements, coldly declared:
"Pingyang Mountain does not welcome you. Please leave immediately."
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