Chapter 125: Tempering

The people present shivered at the thought. Once these two Heavenly Wind Cloud Smoke Pearls were released, a massive uproar would surely ensue. At that time, countless powerful figures would be attracted. While the Li Clan would profit from the turmoil, whether they could control the ensuing chaos was another matter.

After a long silence, someone finally spoke, “Originally, the materials for this batch of Heavenly Wind Cloud Smoke Pearls wouldn’t be collected until two years later. It was only due to His Majesty’s urgent need that several precious items were allocated from the imperial treasury to make up the shortfall.” He paused, then probed, “Elder Brother, I heard it was Lin Xitang who suggested this to His Majesty?”

Li Tianshi glanced at him and said, “That’s right, the Heavenly Wind Cloud Smoke Pearls are related to the floating land changes. Keep it in mind, but don’t spread it around. Lin Xitang wouldn’t use such a dead object to target our Li Clan, so don’t think too much about it.”

But the person remained hesitant, saying, “The national fortune battle has not started well. Lin Xitang was severely injured in the Great Beast’s Sleep campaign. Could his divination this time… be inaccurate?”

At these words, the others remained silent, each harboring their own thoughts.

Li Tianshi, with a calm demeanor, said indifferently, “Lin Xitang may not be liked, but he can never be underestimated. Moreover, the national war situation is always intertwined with celestial fate and the fortune of the factions, influenced by those standing at the pinnacle. Whether it’s Eternal Night or Great Qin, who dares to claim absolute certainty?”

The man opened his mouth, finding nothing to say, and took a sip of tea.

After a brief pause, Li Tianshi continued, “Moreover, even if the floating land doesn’t change, what does our Li Clan lose? The Heavenly Wind Cloud Smoke Pearls can raise the cultivation potential of anyone below the Divine General rank by one level. Just this alone is enough to make those outside go wild.”

Someone felt aggrieved, sighing, “But we have put in so much effort, are we really just going to give them away like this?”

“Two Cloud Smoke Pearls, if they can help us gain a Misty Forest, it would not be a loss. This is key to our clan’s ascension to the noble class,” Li Cunjian, who led the armies, saw this point clearly. Then he sneered, “Those outsiders, even if they get such treasures, must still have the lives to use them.”

Everyone nodded in understanding.

Li Tianshi said, “Then it’s settled. Oh, and fetch Xiao Jiu back. Let him assume a new identity and name, and go compete for military merit on the floating land.”

“Call Qingyun back?”

Li Tianshi nodded, “Yes. His talent is slightly inferior, and the hope of becoming a Divine General is slim. With the help of the Cloud Smoke Pearl, he might reach the final step. I can’t openly favor him, but giving him an opportunity won’t cause too much controversy. If Xiao Jiu has this chance, with a bit more luck, he might cross that threshold.”

Everyone looked at each other and slowly nodded.

High-ranking families all have the ability to balance Divine Generals, but to become a noble family, a true Divine General is necessary. The Li Clan had prepared for this, but noble families are not static. A slight weakness can lead to a fall, as seen in the Song Clan’s current predicament. So, opportunities for the younger generation are always welcome.

Li Tianshi’s arrangement was multifaceted and good, but it was extremely difficult to snatch food from the wolves’ mouths. Even if successful, the path to becoming a Divine General was long and arduous.

Li Qingyun, clever from a young age, was obsessed with martial arts. Whatever technique he learned, he mastered quickly. His nature was fierce, and his killing intent was strong, making him a formidable opponent even against those of equal cultivation, sometimes even stronger than Li Kuanglan. However, his slightly inferior talent, despite the Li Clan’s prowess in secret medicines, could not be fully addressed, a source of regret.

Li Tianshi scanned the room, seeing no further objections, and said, “Then it’s settled. Release the news first.”

The Li Clan members’ faces grew solemn, and they agreed. They knew a storm was coming soon.

After everyone left, Li Tianshi sat motionless until a forty-something retainer entered the garden. He then stood and led the man into the study.

In the elegantly furnished room, a man was leisurely arranging a chess board. Dressed simply, he looked like a man in his twenties, but closer inspection revealed he was far older.

Li Tianshi said, “Uncle.” He then turned to the retainer, “Have you gathered all the intelligence? Speak directly.”

The retainer opened the file in his hand and said, “The matters Rui Taiye asked to investigate have some leads.” The issues were not complex, and the retainer, being an expert, reported concisely and clearly.

“So, Lin Xitang did indeed leave the capital during the Great Beast’s Sleep campaign.” Li Rui’s eyes remained fixed on the chessboard as he leisurely placed another piece. “He went to the Qingyang Prince’s Mansion yesterday? What boldness. How do you see it, Lord?”

Li Tianshi, sitting upright, looked at his hands on his knees and said calmly, “During the national fortune battle, it’s unwise to provoke more incidents. The turbulence on the floating land will only increase.”

Li Rui smiled, tossing two white pieces into the chess box, “It’s not the number of incidents that matters; without waves, how can there be a tide? Very well, the old folks will handle the orthodoxy disputes. You young ones should focus on external expansion! Are you ready for the reorganization of the military districts?”

Li Tianshi replied, “Uncle Fangqing will be transferred to the War Department, and the others have a good chance of obtaining actual command positions. The Imperial Guard will also recruit two of our generals. Unfortunately, the timing is a bit rushed, and we cannot promote a Marshal.”

Reorganizing the military districts wasn’t just about shifting Marshals; it involved countless changes from the military to local levels. Li Fangqing, the highest-ranking military officer in the Li Clan, was currently the Chief of Staff, a prestigious position, though it didn’t match the power of the War Department’s regional commanders.

Li Rui said, “Our military foundation is shallow. Even if we exposed our Divine General’s strength earlier, we might not secure military power. Gaining more actual command positions is good, but we need to carefully choose the candidates for the Imperial Guard.” He thought for a moment and said, “Father is very concerned about you and especially Alanzheng.”

Li Tianshi’s composed expression changed, and his brows involuntarily furrowed.

Li Rui, seeing his face, said, “You don’t know how Alanzheng got entangled with those two little ones?”

Li Tianshi smiled bitterly, “My younger sister met Zhao Jundu when exploring the central cave of the Great Beast’s Sleep. But Song Zining was with the main army, almost always in the Qingyang Prince’s headquarters. If she visited the Zhang Clan’s camp… we would have known!”

Li Rui also showed a hint of helplessness, “Alanzheng is truly spoiled!” But there was no real reproach in his tone.

Li Tianshi’s smile deepened. His younger sister was the favorite of the elders, and he and the other siblings treated her like a daughter. Her sharp intellect and stunning talent only enhanced her wayward nature, which was hardly anyone’s fault.

However, the matter was delicate. If nothing happened, it was fine, but if something did, it would be hard to resolve.

“Alanzheng was too reckless this time. You must rein her in,” Li Rui said. “Song Zining is tolerable, but what is Zhao Jundu? He’s the son of the Princess, a generation apart. Furthermore, during the orthodoxy dispute, Duke Xuan Yuan Zhao Xuan supported the East Dantai Clan against us, causing mutual losses and allowing Lin Xitang, a minor figure, to rise. Orthodoxy is the foundation of our Li Clan, and reconciliation with the Zhao Clan is impossible.”

Li Tianshi’s expression hardened slightly. He hadn’t expected Li Rui to take the children’s games seriously. After thinking, he asked, “Recently, the senior elders were working on an alliance with the Qingyang Prince. It seemed to encounter some difficulties. How is it now?”

Li Rui frowned, “Prince Zhang was noncommittal but didn’t outright refuse. I’ll seek an opportunity to discuss it with the Empress when I go to the capital.”

Li Tianshi lowered his gaze, his face somber.

Li Rui stood, “I’m leaving tonight.” Instead of the main door, he headed to the inner chamber, touching a hanging flower stand, and a hidden passage appeared silently on the book-filled southern wall.

Before entering the passage, Li Rui turned, “Lord, your grand vision makes you worthy of leading our Li Clan to revival. Just don’t let emotions cloud your judgment.”

Li Tianshi sat for a long time, the retainer standing motionless like a pillar.

“Zhijie, is Alanzheng still in seclusion?”

“Yes, she has gained new insights on the perfect path of combat techniques. She vowed to fully integrate the Frost Shadow Sword Form before emerging.”

Most of the Li servants knew only of the Master’s younger brother. This retainer, a trusted servant, was the son of Li Tianshi’s wet nurse, and had grown up with him, unable to change the informal address in private.

Li Tianshi asked, “What about Commander Lin?”

The retainer replied, “Rumors of him being seriously injured during the Great Beast’s Sleep were false, spread by the Northern Prefecture. But he does have a health issue, the details unclear.” This information was withheld in front of Li Rui, and for someone of Lin Xitang’s status, verifying injuries was difficult.

Li Tianshi nodded, dismissing him. After the retainer left, Li Tianshi sat for a while longer, then stood and walked to the window, his gaze seemingly piercing through layers to the mountains and seas.

The Li Clan, one of the oldest inheritors of the Heavenly Fate Art, had a history as long as the Four Clans. Despite setbacks from orthodoxy disputes, they remained a formidable force, sought after by many nobles and high officials.

However, every strength has its weakness. The Li Clan’s overt power hovered in the middle of the aristocracy. To this day, they held only two counties in the coastal southern province and a few more in other continents, short of the territorial requirement for a noble family.

Though the two major factions were constantly at war, the empire’s heartlands had enjoyed peace for a long time. For a territory like the Li Clan’s, expanding was challenging. Gradual progress might not elevate Li Tianshi to a noble family in his lifetime.

Li Tianshi smiled, his eyes aglow, “Without real power, we are merely making clothes for others. I, Li Tianshi, will not always be constrained by others. The national fortune battle, hmm!”

News spread in the empire, fast and slow. Frontier events took months to reach the capital, but significant matters could travel to noble families in a day. In less than a day, the news of the Heavenly Wind Cloud Smoke Pearls appearing on the Li Clan’s military merit list reached the heads of the major noble families.

Turbulence surged.

Far on the floating land, Qian Ye knew nothing of the Heavenly Wind Cloud Smoke Pearls, and even if he did, he wouldn’t care. These pearls, which could enhance the cultivation potential of those below the Divine General rank, were miraculous, but useless to him.

His practice of the Song Clan’s ancient scrolls was radically different from mainstream secret techniques, with no concept of bottlenecks. Both Daybreak and Eternal Night origin forces were refined to the utmost purity by the Profound Brilliance Chapters. His task was to balance both sides, reaching the ultimate peak to explore the state of returning to the primordial chaos described in the main text.

Qian Ye sought military merit, not resources, from this war.

At this moment, Qian Ye’s attention was on the slowly opening Book of Darkness.

Under the heavy cover lay the familiar index page, still with only one word: Refinement.

With a thought, the index page flipped, revealing the next. A swirling darkness gradually formed into a figure wielding a sword, slashing down.

This strike, the Annihilation Slash, was as familiar to Qian Ye as his own breath. But now, it was different, clearer, with a chilling blade aura. The move was more refined, more potent.

Qian Ye, feeling enlightened, tried to flip further. Sure enough, a new page appeared after the Annihilation Slash. Another figure, holding a sword with both hands, struck in eight directions simultaneously.

Compared to the Annihilation Slash, this move was simpler, but the profound, ancient aura of the sword, each strike with the power to split the heavens and the sea, made Qian Ye hold his breath in awe!