Chapter 1637: Yang Tianya (I)
Chapter 1637: Yang Tianya (I)
After Li Zhouwei finished speaking, silence fell over the room. Li Ximing rose anxiously, hesitated for a moment, but ultimately chose not to mention Xiao Yuansi.
Li Xuanxuan lowered his brows and said, "At the very least, no consequences have surfaced yet...
"No matter how things turn out, we must be prepared. As for the affairs concerning the ancestor and the events from around a century ago, regardless of how much they know, we cannot let our guard down."
Li Ximing nodded. "The situation in the north has already made their intentions quite clear. Luoxia does not think much of us. As long as we are useful, they will use us. Since the Underworld's judiciary and Luoxia are powers of the same standing, their approach to this matter may very well be the same..."
Li Zhouwei carefully studied their expressions before withdrawing his gaze and silently nodding.
"Furthermore..." The old man said quietly, "We live because of that lord's affairs, and we would die because of that lord's affairs as well. Bright Yang's entanglements did not arise without reason."
The lord he spoke of seemed to refer to Luoxia and the Underworld's judiciary, yet also to the Wei's Li lineage itself. Whether it was Li Zhouwei or Li Ximing, both understood exactly whom he meant.
Ever since the Li Family had risen from Moongaze Lake, their true backing had never changed, no matter which side they appeared to be on. Others might not realize it, but all three of them knew that someone of the stature of 'that lord' stood behind their family.
Yet when faced with the Underworld's judiciary, one of the greatest powers in the world, a force that rivaled Luoxia and vaguely divided the world into north and south, Li Ximing found himself with very little confidence. Unlike Luoxia, the Li Family had risen step by step right under the watchful eyes of the Underworld's judiciary!
The three of them remained silent for a while. Just as Li Ximing was about to rise, Li Zhouwei lowered his gaze and said first, "Granduncle, you can cultivate at home. This time... leave the meeting to me."
————
Simin Prefecture.
The sky was clear and the air crisp as sunlight flooded the pavilion. A graceful young woman dressed in black hurried up the stairs. Upon reaching the doorway, she paused to straighten her clothes before stepping inside.
Creak.
The room was sparsely furnished. A dark wooden chair stood in the middle, while a cup of hot tea sent wisps of steam into the air. Seated in the place of honor with his sleeves gathered, the old man quietly read the scroll in his hands.
Though advanced in years and showing his age, he still possessed broad shoulders, a powerful frame, and an overwhelming presence. His lowered eyelids made him resemble a slumbering tiger brought low by illness, yet he remained a fearsome sight.
The woman bowed respectfully. "This junior, Tianyou, pays her respects to ancestor!"
This woman was none other than Yang Tianyou of the Yang Imperial Lineage, the wife of Li Jiangliang!
The old man did not lift his eyes. "Rise."
He calmly continued reading the black leather-bound volume in his hands. Pale golden characters shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight as his deep voice slowly rang out, "Tianyou... where is your husband?"
Yang Tianyou lowered her head and replied respectfully, "He is overseeing the founding ceremony of the state in the prefecture."
The old man smiled faintly. "I've observed that child as well. He is unlike Bright Yang. Though born into a great clan, he shows compassion toward commoners. That is neither how the great clans conduct themselves nor the way to preserve oneself."
Yang Tianyou lowered her eyes. The old man turned his gaze toward her and smiled. "Think about it. The Ning State has endured for no short time. Great Ning is close at hand, while Wei's Li are far removed. The Li Family and the Jiang Family have also been bound by marriage for generations, which is how someone like Li Jiangqun, favored by Supreme Yin, came to be. How much connection does he still have to Bright Yang? If you ask me, those of you serving in your posts are far too cautious. Despite only the slightest trace of bloodline, you insist on keeping it under constant watch."
Frightened, Yang Tianyou immediately dropped to her knees and hurriedly said, "Ancestor... I believe one can never go wrong by being cautious. Only by eliminating all future troubles can one truly rest easy."
Only then did the old man look away. His smile vanished, and he casually set down the scroll in his hand.
"Oh?"
The old man's voice remained calm, but Yang Tianyou trembled as she replied in a low voice, "Ancestor... Qingyu Qian and Lord Xuan'an still command the immortal formation, wield the [Laurel-Derived Profound Light], and are protected by an immortal artifact. The current turmoil is already severe enough. Once the situation stabilizes, they should all be eliminated together to remove every remaining variable!"
The old man finally let out a sigh. "Your reasoning has its merits. But once something happens to Xuan'an, that demon fox won't have many days left to stir up trouble either. What difference does it make how much the two of them struggle? How many times have they already done this?
"Xuan'an is neither Zhang Yuanyu nor Suxikong. Even those two had to seize the right circumstances to accomplish great things. As for a wretch barely clinging to life within a single mansion, even if his attainments in mystics are truly exceptional and he exhausts every scheme at his disposal, what can he really achieve? He once believed himself a master at manipulating the tides of the world, but the one who was truly formidable was Senior Yingze.
"Tang Shu is watching him. No matter what methods he employs, the moment his name appears on the register, he will be banished into the Underworld, and every trace of him will vanish. What use are those schemes then?"
Yang Tianyou quickly lowered her head again and agreed, "I understand... In the beginning, when the Mansion Lord reincarnated, he still carried the aura of someone capable of manipulating the world. But that aura was never truly his; it belonged to Lord Yingze. After that... Whether it was Duanmu Kui or Li Jiangqun, it all amounted to nothing. Qingyu Qian acted timidly, lowering himself to target minor cultivators and even mortals. He made three moves, and all three backfired spectacularly. It's almost laughable.
"Without that lord supporting him, Qingyu Qian would accomplish nothing, even with an entire lake at his disposal. He thought he had succeeded, never realizing that a certain lord had lost the [Sun Seeker Ring], allowing it to drift onto the lake. That drew Bright Yang's attention, and no amount of explanation could ever clear the suspicion. Those descendants of Ning's Li were mistaken for the legitimate direct line of Wei's Li. In the end, the whole world wanted them dead anyway. It was a complete defeat!"
She laughed as she cautiously watched the old man's expression. "Now the Order of [Heaven-Governing] has been banished to the Underworld, left guarding nothing more than their own little patch of land. They've long since become useless. It's better to eliminate them sooner rather than later. What if the fox backing Qingyu Qian succeeds in breaking through?"
"Mm..."
Yang Tianyou silently lowered her head as the old man before her said casually, "You're still inexperienced. The loss of the Sun Seeker Ring may well have been the fox's doing. Never underestimate them. But when carving away flesh, one uses a soft blade. Even if the fox succeeds, so what? We simply won't covet what belongs to them anymore. We'll gladly welcome them into the game and let them have a share. They have no desire to see the lord father return either.
"But as far as we're concerned, Luoxia and the dragons are what truly matter. Once the overall situation is settled, all these matters can be dealt with together... After all, there's still one remnant hiding away in the Southern Sea..."
He smiled and looked at Yang Tianyou with amused interest. "You needn't test me any further. You've made your stance so resolute. Do you truly have no intention of preserving even a single trace of that bloodline?"
Yang Tianyou replied in alarm, "I would never dare harbor any divided loyalties!"
The old man withdrew his gaze and said casually, "In all the world, perhaps only my Yang Family and Judge Jiang both have the motive and the ability to preserve them to some extent... Even then, we could only preserve them in death, not in life. We can only preserve the people, but not their bloodline."
His expression turned noticeably colder as he said, "Qingyu Qian and his lake are merely one of Judge Tang's minor affairs. They do not fall within our jurisdiction. We simply make use of them. If the piece can be played, we play it. If not, so be it. What truly matters is whether the matter of Great Song succeeds. The ten halls are watching. If it fails, none of us can expect an easy time."
Yang Tianyou continued kowtowing without pause, cold sweat streaming down her face. Suddenly, the door creaked open and someone stepped inside.