Chapter 31: The Great Upheaval of the Tang Family
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Idle Cloud Abode!
The heavenly treasures growing from the sheer cliff radiated wisps of immortal mist. Their rich medicinal fragrance filled the air, surging toward Idle Cloud Abode like the haze of dawn.
Jiang Qingyue and Li Chenxi stood anxiously outside Idle Cloud Abode, watching the heavenly treasures as their medicinal potency was completely extracted and poured into Li Xuan’s body.
Li Xuan sat suspended in midair, bare-chested and enveloped in dense source power.
Elder Xingxiu was exhausting his cultivation to prolong Li Xuan’s life.
Li Xuan was not only Elder Xingxiu’s last disciple, but also his sole disciple. The reason Elder Xingxiu had never accepted a disciple throughout his life was simply that he had never encountered a suitable candidate.
Now that Li Xuan was gravely wounded, Elder Xingxiu would not hesitate even if saving him required exchanging his own life for Li Xuan’s.
At that moment, Li Xuan’s body was like a furnace for refining medicine. With Elder Xingxiu’s assistance, the spiritual herbs were being refined within him, while the elder’s profound and unceasing source power served as the blazing fire.
It was not until noon that Li Xuan regained consciousness. He slowly opened his eyes and murmured, “Master, you have worked hard.”
Elder Xingxiu barked, “Xuan’er, do not speak! I am using a secret tempering art to help you refine the medicinal essence. Gather your spirit and hold fast to your unity!”
Li Xuan closed his eyes tightly and simply treated himself as though he were dead, allowing Xingxiu’s source power to course through his body and refine the medicinal essence.
As time passed, Elder Xingxiu’s source power grew weaker and weaker, as though his lamp were nearing the end of its oil.
“Master, you…”
Li Xuan was horrified and tried to break free, but Xingxiu’s source power held him fast. Then the elder’s aged voice rang out:
“Xuan’er, even if I am reduced to the last drop of strength, I will still make you recover!”
Li Xuan screamed inwardly, No!
At that moment, the thoughts in Li Xuan’s mind spun rapidly. He immediately activated a rejuvenation technique from the Sacred Emperor Azure Lotus Canon. Wisps of rebirth power, mingled with strands of sacred aura, descended and nourished Elder Xingxiu’s bloodline.
As Li Xuan circulated the technique, Elder Xingxiu’s blood surged and boiled. An unending stream of source power burst forth, completely refining the medicinal essence and infusing it into Li Xuan’s body. At the same time, the elder himself benefited enormously.
Because Elder Xingxiu’s cultivation was profound and his source power immensely vigorous, the benefits he received far exceeded Li Xuan’s. In the blink of an eye, elasticity returned to his skin, and he regained the appearance of a vigorous young man despite his white hair.
“This is… the Rejuvenation Art!”
Elder Xingxiu was shocked, and even more deeply moved by the magnitude of his fortune and the blessings of heaven.
“Ha!”
With a great shout from Elder Xingxiu, Li Xuan slowly descended. He was astonished when he saw his master.
“Master, you…”
Elder Xingxiu’s complexion was rosy. He waved his hand and said, “Xuan’er, I had intended to exhaust my cultivation to prolong your life. Who could have guessed that you were protected by our founding ancestor? Instead, you have granted this old man a second life!”
Li Xuan was too stunned to speak. He stared at his radiant master and asked, “Master, what do you mean?”
Elder Xingxiu waved his hand again. “Enough. This is your master’s fortune. Have your sisters come inside.”
Li Chenxi and Jiang Qingyue were equally astonished.
“Elder, you…”
Elder Xingxiu chuckled. His golden eyes rolled mischievously as he scanned the two beautiful young women. Then he said, “I have become younger and more handsome. Heaven must finally be taking pity on me.”
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Elder Xingxiu continued, “Xuan’er, I am going into seclusion for a while. Go have fun with your two beautiful elder sisters. Once I figure a few things out, I will come out and enjoy myself for a while!”
The three of them bid Elder Xingxiu farewell. The two women asked in unison, “What exactly happened?”
Standing on either side of Li Xuan, they each grabbed one of his arms, pinching and twisting him until he grimaced in pain and spilled every secret in his heart.
“You little rascal! So you comprehended the Nine Yang Soul-Returning Needles of the founding ancestor. With the aid of those heavenly treasures, Elder Xingxiu risked his life to protect you and ended up living a second lifetime. Now he is young and vigorous, with a great future ahead of him!”
Li Chenxi finally understood.
For no apparent reason, Jiang Qingyue muttered, “Like master, like disciple. Both of them are old lechers.”
Li Chenxi had also noticed the way Elder Xingxiu had looked at them. She coughed and said, “Xuan’er, following your master in cultivation is about learning his skills. You can forget about learning anything else!”
Jiang Qingyue, however, said, “Who is learning from whom remains to be seen.”
“By the way, how is Tang Ruoqian?”
Li Xuan asked weakly. The two women rolled their eyes.
“How is she? The Tang family is going through a massive upheaval, all because of you…”
Li Xuan immediately became alert and moved several steps away.
“What do you mean?”
Jiang Qingyue put one hand on her hip and beckoned him over with the other.
“Come here. Your elder sister will tell you.”
Li Xuan tested the waters but remained wary.
“Isn’t it fine to tell me from there? Why do I have to come over?”
Before he could react, both women attacked at once, twisting his ears.
“What did you do to Tang Ruoqian? The entire Tang family has now unanimously agreed that you must marry into their family…”
For an ordinary man, that would have been a delightful surprise. To Li Xuan, it was pure terror. He looked timidly toward his two elder sisters, utterly frightened.
Naturally, Li Chenxi was unwilling to see it happen. Jiang Qingyue was even more opposed to Li Xuan marrying into the Tang family. She immediately declared, “Move into the Jiang family. I would like to see what the Tang family dares to do!”
Jiang Qingyue’s face flushed scarlet, and she quickly added, “Do not misunderstand! I am only thinking of Li Xuan’s best interests!”
Li Chenxi gave Jiang Qingyue a highly peculiar look and thought to herself, Guarding against thieves is not enough—I even have to guard against my best friend! The Li family is on the verge of rising. If he could marry into the Jiang family, it would be like adding wings to a tiger. He would soar to glory. I just wonder what Little Yueyue is thinking.
“Tell me about this upheaval in the Tang family. What exactly happened?”
Li Xuan truly could not understand why the entire Tang family had unanimously decided overnight that he must marry into their clan.
It turned out that the Tang family had once possessed an extraordinary ancestor. After creating the Profound Maiden Heaven-Defying Art, she had naturally ascended and become a Saint. However, she seemed to have encountered some form of suppression. None of her descendants had been able to cultivate the art. Even those fortunate enough to master part of the formula would eventually transform into source power and die for no apparent reason.
Thus, the technique had always been regarded as a forbidden art, and no one in the clan was permitted to cultivate it. No one could have expected that the younger generation would produce Tang Ruoqian. Not only had she cultivated the Profound Maiden Heaven-Defying Art, but she also possessed the glory of her ancient ancestor.
Yet forbidden arts always came with grave taboos.
What Tang Ruoqian had displayed the previous day was bound to happen sooner or later. After losing control, she would transform into source power and return to her ancestor. From then on, her body and spirit would perish.
However, after her fierce battle with Li Xuan, that vast power had not only been suppressed but had also fused with Tang Ruoqian’s body. In other words, Tang Ruoqian’s future achievements might rival those of her ancestor, allowing her to attain Sainthood.
One could scarcely imagine how many resources and how much talent were required for a Saint to rise.
Not merely the Tang family—even the entire outer star region possessed almost none. Such a person would leave an indelible mark upon history and shine with unparalleled brilliance.
“Tang Mingchen said that the method used to seal Tang Ruoqian’s power was the Nine Yang Soul-Returning Needles. The reason Elder Xingxiu accepted you as his last disciple was precisely because you had learned the founding ancestor’s Nine Yang Soul-Returning Needles. That is why the entire Tang family unanimously agreed that you should marry into their family!”
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As Jiang Qingyue spoke, her chest rose and fell with agitation. Why should merely looking at and kissing her be enough for him to marry into her family? I am…
Li Chenxi said gently, “We cannot act recklessly where the Tang family is concerned. Even the Imperial Court today would not dare oppose them directly, so…”
Indeed, with enemies circling the Li family from every side, surviving between those forces while the situation remained unclear was extraordinarily difficult.
Dealing with the Tang family was not something that could be settled with a simple saying about soldiers being met by generals and floods being blocked by earth.
Li Xuan guessed, “Does the Tang family want to use me as a cultivation vessel to help Tang Ruoqian ascend to Sainthood?”
Li Chenxi pondered for a long while before replying, “That is possible. To nurture a Saint for the family would be an earth-shaking achievement. So the situation ahead is unlikely to be favorable.”
Li Chenxi looked toward Jiang Qingyue. Though the request was difficult to voice, she still asked, “Little Yueyue, did you mean what you said earlier?”
Jiang Qingyue’s eyes flickered. Her limpid eyes blinked rapidly.
“What did I say?”
Li Chenxi’s gaze sharpened, and she moved to tickle her. The two women began teasing each other. In the end, both had flushed faces and burning ears.
“Fine. Xuan’er, your elder sister will protect you. You have nothing to fear!”
Jiang Qingyue gave him a strange look, making Li Xuan draw in his neck. He thought to himself, I would be a fool not to be afraid. If brother-in-law finds out you are keeping a pretty young man, the consequences…
Li Xuan could hardly imagine the miserable sight of being hunted with nowhere to flee, neither in heaven nor on earth.
Jiang Qingyue, meanwhile, was thinking about how to arrange Li Xuan’s dowry after he moved into the Jiang family, how to enjoy herself, and how to train him… A lascivious smile spread across her handsome face.
Li Xuan’s throat went dry as he shouted, “I would rather marry into the Tang family!”
Jiang Qingyue froze. She turned around abruptly, seized Li Xuan by the back of his collar, and said, “Dream on. Work hard and repay me for taking care of you. And stop whining!”
Li Chenxi could not protect Li Xuan herself and had instead sought help from her best friend. It was a desperate measure, but the only one available. Hopefully, her eldest sister, Li Luocheng, would return soon, and they would no longer have to live in constant anxiety.
“Xuan’er, I am taking him with me. Come visit whenever you have time!”
Jiang Qingyue looked as though she were adopting a cat or dog, which made Li Chenxi smile sweetly.
Along the way, Jiang Qingyue began nagging him.
“Serve me properly. Use just the right amount of pressure when massaging my shoulders and legs. Then we will go to the stone-gambling market and make a fortune, find some treasures, and afterward cultivate…”
Li Xuan was covered in imaginary black lines. What kind of wealthy young lady was she? She was practically possessed by money!
Li Xuan was delighted inwardly. He knew that Jiang Qingyue’s actions would inevitably invite gossip. As the cherished daughter of the Jiang family, her personal reputation was of the utmost importance.
Therefore, Li Xuan had to become stronger himself. Only then could he protect Jiang Qingyue, Li Chenxi, and Li Luocheng. They were all family members of vital importance to him. Without their help, Li Xuan would have long since been nothing more than a pile of bones.
When Li Xuan and Jiang Qingyue returned to the estate, the Grand Princess, Gong Jinglin, slowly approached with a little boy.
“Yue’er, Li Xuan, you are back!”
Jiang Qingyue hurried forward and rubbed the little boy’s head.
“Mo’er, you have grown so much taller! Come here and let Big Sister hold you!”
Gong Mo obediently opened his tender arms and waited for his sister’s embrace.
Gong Jinglin, however, walked up to Li Xuan and said, “Li Xuan, I have something I would like to ask your help with.”
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