The study was antique, with simple and rustic furnishings.
However, whether it was the tables, chairs, tea tables, screens, or ancient paintings on the walls, all were invaluable.
It was luxury in a low-key manner.
Li Feiyu surveyed the room, smiled lightly, and muttered to himself, "He certainly knows how to enjoy himself."
The wealth he had left for Zhang Xiuer and the others back then was enough for several generations, and with the Li Family producing top Jianghu experts for generations, their safety was almost guaranteed. There were also Family Disciples who engaged in business.
Accumulated over generations, even with frequent aid to the poor and acts of charity, their wealth was now inexhaustible.
Li Qingyun frowned, scrutinizing Li Feiyu, but couldn't quite make him out, like looking at flowers through a fog.
He was a Grandmaster-level expert himself and had seen many grand occasions, yet now his heart was filled with intense nervousness.
"This person should be an Immortal Master, and not just an ordinary one."
Unlike the Chaotic Star Sea, in Heavenly South, cultivators generally did not appear before Mortals unless necessary.
Li Qingyun held a rather distinguished position among Mortals and had met several Qi Training Stage Loose Cultivators; some lower-Realm Qi Training Stage cultivators were even no match for him.
But the person before him was different from any he had seen before—profound and unfathomable, having returned to simplicity.
The more ordinary, the more terrifying!
Li Feiyu once again faced Li Qingyun directly and chuckled, "What, you don't recognize me?"
"Look closely again!"
Li Qingyun's brows furrowed into a "Sichuan" shape, his pupils slightly contracted as he stared intently at Li Feiyu's face.
"It does look a bit familiar. I should have seen it somewhere."
"Where was it..."
Suddenly, Li Qingyun's eyes widened in disbelief, then he roared, "How dare you! How dare you desecrate the appearance of my Li Family's ancestor! Are you not afraid of being hunted down by my Li Family with all our might?"
"Desecrate?" Li Feiyu scoffed a few times, "I naturally look this way, so how is it desecration?"
"Perhaps, I am your ancestor!"
Li Qingyun said, "Your Excellency, please don't jest. My Li Family's ancestor passed away over a hundred years ago. How could he possibly be resurrected now?"
"If Your Excellency is merely here to make a joke of my Li Family, then my Li Family does not welcome you. Please leave immediately, and I will not pursue the crime of you trespassing into my Li Family Fort!"
Li Feiyu sighed slightly; his situation was different from Han Li's.
Han Li's Family knew he had gone out to cultivate, and there were records in the clan.
However, he had faked his death to escape, and twice at that. Zhang Xiuer and the others had firmly believed it back then, and now, explaining it clearly again was truly difficult for Li Feiyu.
Thus, he stopped playing hide-and-seek and said directly, "Does Li Family Fort still have any Yellow Dragon Pills, clear spirit powder, Marrow Washing Pills, or other Medicinal Pills left?"
"How do you know that!" Li Qingyun blurted out without much thought.
Although outsiders knew that Li Family Fort might possess miraculous healing elixirs and sacred cultivation Medicinal Pills, they did not know their names.
This was the Foundation of the Li Family; even within the clan, only a handful of people in each generation knew, and most were completely unaware.
The Li Family guarded this very strictly, and he didn't believe it had leaked from a Li Family member's mouth.
But if not, then besides the ancestor who passed down these Medicinal Pills, there was only the extraordinary person who bestowed the sacred Medicinal Pills upon the Li Family.
There were not many records in the clan about that extraordinary person.
Zhang Xiuer had also promised Li Feiyu not to tell their children about him, so even Li Fengxing and the others were unaware.
"Is Your Excellency the extraordinary person who bestowed the sacred Medicinal Pills upon my Li Family back then?"
"It is I. My name is Li Feiyu, and I am your Li Family's ancestor."
Li Qingyun's brows furrowed.
"I faked my death to cultivate back then, and now I have achieved something. I only returned to check on the Li Family's situation."
"It doesn't matter if you don't believe me; I never intended to disturb your lives. There is a distinction between Immortals and Mortals, and it is best for each to be well and not disturb each other!"
"Your Excellency... are you truly my Li Family's ancestor, Li Feiyu?"
"If that Masked Uncle from back then was you, then you must recognize the old items from that time. Could you perhaps identify them to dispel my doubts?"
How was this exactly like Han Li's situation back then?
What a coincidence!
"Alright, bring out the items and let me see them."
Li Qingyun led Li Feiyu from the study to the Family ancestral hall, where the ancestral tablets of the Li Family were enshrined, and some old items of the ancestors were kept.
Li Qingyun activated a mechanism and took out a black refined iron mask from a secret compartment.
"Senior, please see if this is the mask you wore to conceal your face back then."
Li Feiyu chuckled, "Don't try to test me; I didn't leave the mask behind back then. This is indeed identical to the one I wore, but it must have been specially made by Fengxing and the others to commemorate me, their Masked Uncle."
Although Li Qingyun still found it incredible, he now had no choice but to believe him.
The person standing before him was very likely his Li Family ancestor, Li Feiyu!
"There is indeed this record in the Family Chronicle."
Li Qingyun immediately knelt down, kowtowing, "Unworthy descendant Li Qingyun greets ancestor. I hope ancestor does not blame Qingyun for his probing."
Li Feiyu gently waved his hand, and Li Qingyun stood up involuntarily, beyond his own control.
"Is this the capability of an Immortal Master? Ancestor is indeed immensely powerful!"
"Ancestor, over a hundred years have passed, yet your appearance remains unchanged. It's truly incredible."
"Just a small trick," Li Feiyu said. "Don't spread word of my existence. Only inform each generation's Family Head."
Thinking of the life-saving trump card Han Li left for the Han Family, Li Feiyu felt he should also do something.
He thought for a moment, then patted his Storage Pouch, and a large swarm of Gold Devouring Bugs, numbering three thousand, flew out.
He activated the Insect Armor Secret Art, condensing them into a golden-silver longsword, mostly golden, with silver occupying only a small portion.
"This can serve as the Li Family Fort's Family-Town Sword. Take this token."
Li Feiyu conjured a token from refined iron, with the character "Li" engraved on it.
"This is the Family Head Token, an ordinary Magical Artifact. You can recognize it with a drop of blood. Anyone holding this token with the Li Family Bloodline can draw this sword. This sword can be drawn five times in total, and each time it is drawn, it can be briefly controlled to eliminate invading enemies."
"Furthermore, I will refine some Mortal Medicinal Pills and leave them with the Li Family. The Medicinal Pills must be used cautiously; each generation can at most cultivate two people with Medicinal Pills."
"I will give you this in a few days."
Li Qingyun was overjoyed. He was worried that these Medicinal Pills were running out and didn't know what the Li Family would do in the future.
Once there was any sign of decline, the enemies hidden in the dark would pounce like sharks smelling blood, devouring the Li Family completely.
"Thank you, Ancestor!"
"By the way, Ancestor, would you like to meet the Family Disciples? I can call back all the Li Family members from various places."
Li Feiyu said, "No need to meet them, but you can gather them all."
"Besides returning to check on the Li Family's situation this time, I also plan to observe if there are any Spiritual Root Disciples in the Li Family now. If there are, I can bring them into the Immortal Realm."
Li Qingyun's expression was agitated, "Then Ancestor, what about me...?"
Li Feiyu laughed heartily, "Don't even think about it. Just be your Family Head honestly. Among Mortals, those with Spiritual Root Aptitude are one in ten thousand. I'm just trying my luck."
The Han Family didn't have any, but perhaps my descendants, Li Feiyu's, do!
A look of disappointment flashed in Li Qingyun's eyes, but he quickly recovered and said, "I will immediately give the order."
"Alright, you may withdraw. I will stay here. No need to come unless there's an emergency. I will notify you when I leave."
Li Qingyun left the ancestral hall and immediately issued the Li Family's emergency recall order, summoning every Li Family Disciple scattered abroad back to Li Family Fort.
No matter where he was or what he was doing, he had to return, otherwise, he would be expelled from the Li Family!
Many Family Disciples rushed back, thinking something major had happened, only to find it was just a banquet.
This couldn't help but make them feel a little depressed.
But since they had returned, they naturally ate a meal before leaving.
Li Qingzhou, Li Qingyun's younger brother, was also the most legitimate direct descendant of Li Family Fort.
He was the one who was currently a first-rank general in the Yue Kingdom's government, representing the Li Family.
If purely comparing martial prowess, Li Qingzhou was even slightly stronger than Li Qingyun, the Family Head, and the two were only three years apart in age.
"Family Head, what's the meaning of this emergency recall? Did something happen at home?"
Li Qingzhou asked with a grave expression, "I don't believe you would call all the clan Disciples back just for a Family banquet."
"I know you're not someone who would confuse priorities like that."
Seeing Li Qingyun remain silent, Li Qingzhou pressed on, "What exactly is it? Can't you even tell me, your younger brother?"
Li Qingyun sighed, "Don't ask too many questions! In short, it's a good thing!"
Suddenly, a voice sounded in his ear. Li Qingyun paused, then said, "Qingzhou, where is your youngest son?"
"Take him to the ancestral hall. I'll meet you there. Remember not to tell anyone else!"
"If you want to know the truth, do as I say!"
"Understood."
"I'll go to the ancestral hall to wait for you first."
A moment later, Li Qingzhou, holding the hand of a handsome seven or eight-year-old boy, entered the ancestral hall.
Inside, besides Li Qingyun, there was another person.
"Who is he?"
Li Qingyun said, "Qingzhou, quickly come and pay respects to our Li Family's ancestor."
Li Qingzhou's expression faltered, his look paused, and he asked in confusion, "Ancestor?"
"That's right, the person before you is the first-generation ancestor of the Li Family, Li Feiyu!"
The highest layer of ancestral tablets in the Li Family Fort's ancestral hall was precisely where the tablets of Li Feiyu and Zhang Xiuer were placed.
Seeing Li Qingyun's solemn expression, he felt that the other party wasn't lying to him, but the sudden appearance of a Li Family ancestor was truly incredible to him.
After paying respects to Li Feiyu, Li Qingzhou pulled Li Qingyun aside and quietly asked about the whole story.
Li Feiyu chuckled, not minding, merely examining Li Qingzhou's youngest son.
Among the numerous Family Disciples in Li Family Fort, Li Feiyu had only discovered his youngest son possessed a Spiritual Root, and upon closer inspection, he even had three Spiritual Root Aptitude.
It was common for Spiritual Roots to appear in a person after dozens of generations of ancestors without them, though the probability was very small.
However, if it were a cultivation Family, where each generation married individuals with Spiritual Root Aptitude, the number of descendants with Spiritual Root Aptitude would greatly increase.
There was even a certain chance for two Spiritual Roots, Variant Spiritual Roots, or even Heavenly Spiritual Roots to appear.
Li Qingzhou said, "Then bringing Yun'er here is because..."
He looked at his youngest son, "He has Spiritual Root Aptitude and can cultivate?"
After all, it was better than the Han Family!
Very good!
Li Feiyu smiled slightly, nodding, "Indeed, his Aptitude is quite good."
"However, I don't like to force people. The Dao of cultivation is far more perilous than living in the mundane world. If you are reluctant, you are free to give up."
"But once you decide to let him embark on the Dao of cultivation, the number of times you can see him in this life will be very limited."
"There is a distinction between Immortals and Mortals. Except for a few individuals, you should consider him dead."
Li Qingzhou was filled with reluctance, while Li Qingyun, for the sake of the Family's grand plan, tried to persuade him.
Li Xingyun blinked his bright eyes, looking at his father and elder uncle, and suddenly spoke in a tender voice.
"Father, is cultivation like what the storybooks say, where one can fly through the sky and burrow into the earth? If so, I want to learn!"
"Even if you don't see me and Mother for a long time, you don't mind?"
"Hmm..." Li Xingyun thought for a moment, "When I achieve something in my studies, I can often return to visit my parents. Once I can fly through the sky and burrow into the earth, returning should be much faster."
Li Feiyu smiled freely, a child's Heart-Nature.
"Since you've decided, you cannot give up. You must have the spirit of forging ahead bravely and continuously climbing."
"The surname Li is too conspicuous. From now on, your surname will be Yun, Yun Xingzhou."
Li Feiyu patted Yun Xingzhou's head, then patted his Storage Pouch, and a wooden box appeared on a nearby table.
"You have handled the Medicinal Pills very well. The box contains enough Medicinal Pills for dozens of generations of the Li Family."
"Remember, use them carefully."
"The Li Family doesn't need too many experts, but at least one must appear in each generation, and no more than three."
Li Qingyun and Li Qingzhou bowed simultaneously, saying, "Understood, Ancestor. We will remember your teachings."
When they looked up, Li Feiyu had already left with Yun Xingzhou.
They rode on the back of the Crimson Crow, flying high in the sky, soaring between heaven and earth.
Yun Xingzhou was full of excitement along the way, his little face flushed like a red apple, constantly reaching out to touch the clouds that brushed past them.
In the Li Family ancestral hall, Li Qingyun comforted Li Qingzhou, "Don't worry, this is Yun'er's good fortune, beneficial to our Li Family in every way and without harm."
"Elder Brother, I understand, but Yun'er is so young, I still feel a little reluctant."
Li Feiyu would not put all his eggs in one basket. His intention was to lay a Foundation for the Li Family that would last for ten thousand generations.
Although he had embarked on the Immortal Dao, he was not immune to worldly concerns; he naturally hoped his descendants would continue to thrive.
This way, after he left the Mortal Realm, as long as the Yun Family in the Immortal Realm did not fall, and the Sect he established did not fall, the safety of the Li Family would be assured.
"Master, these are your descendants left in the Mortal Realm. They bear some resemblance to you."
Li Feiyu smiled, "You're getting better and better at flattery!"
"Ancestor, is this big bird a monster? It can actually speak!"
Yun Xingzhou's eyes widened. At this moment, he was full of curiosity, completely without the sorrow of leaving home.
"Kind of."
"Xingzhou, don't call me Ancestor from now on. You should address me as Sect Master."
"Understood, Sect Master."
Li Feiyu smiled. He probably wouldn't return to the Mortal Realm again. The matter was concluded, and even if anything else arose later, it would be left to Yun Xingzhou or his descendants to resolve.
This time, he had completely severed his worldly attachments. With a clear mind, Li Feiyu felt his Divine Sense had slightly strengthened.
He patted the Crimson Crow, "Let's go, back to the mine."