Chapter 1735: Silver Light (I)

Simin.

The radiance of dawn spilled between the rows of pavilions, lending the newly built official residence an imposing air. Several carriages hurriedly pulled up outside, and heavy chests were unloaded and carried inside one after another.

"My lord, we have arrived at Military Adviser Li's residence."

The carriage curtain immediately opened at the servant's deferential announcement. A man dressed in green and white leisurely stepped down. He had handsome features, a green-purple mark between his brows adorned with the pattern of a purple-gold python, and an extraordinary bearing that left a lasting impression.

He nodded to the attendant at the entrance and said, "Please inform your master that Li Jiangliang, Privy Profound Envoy of the Martial Reverence Hall, requests an audience."

The attendant immediately hurried inside. Before long, a powerfully built young man strode out of the residence and cupped his hands in greeting at the entrance. "Greetings, my lord!"

Li Jiangliang raised his brows. Their golden eyes met briefly before he smiled and said, "It has been a long time, yet you have not changed at all, elder brother."

Li Jiangxia silently studied him for a moment, then grinned. "Please come inside, my lord."

Li Jiangliang dismissed his attendants and instructed them to carry all the lavish gifts inside. He then followed his elder brother through the halls and took a seat in the magnificent residence before sighing. "You have grown distant, elder brother."

"Oh?" Li Jiangxia laughed heartily. His golden eyes shone with forthright magnanimity as he shook his head. "I am not Li Jianglong. I am not so petty. Now that you have made something of yourself, I could not be prouder. This is not distance, but a difference in status. You had the courage to take risks and earned yourself a divine ability. You deserve to be called 'my lord.'"

The green-purple mark between the brows of his fourth brother, Li Jiangliang, had grown even more vivid. His imposing presence had clearly transcended the Foundation Establishment Realm, and now carried the might of a divine ability!

With Yang Zhuo's ascension to the imperial throne, Li Jiangliang had clearly been among the first few to reap the benefits!

However, Li Jiangliang did not agree with him and shook his head. "It was not a matter of having the courage to take risks. The circumstances simply required someone like me. I know perfectly well how capable I am."

Although Li Jiangxia was merely at the Foundation Establishment Realm, his commanding presence somehow seemed even greater than Li Jiangliang's.

He chuckled in reply. "His majesty's rewards were exceedingly generous. He bestowed an official position, a residence, cultivation resources, and beautiful women upon me. I hardly deserve any of it."

Li Jiangliang grew solemn at the mention. "His majesty has told me several times that you are his favorite among all his generals. He intends to promote you ahead of the usual order, and appoint you as a Profound Holder of the hall. Compared to that, this residence and these cultivation resources are hardly worth mentioning."

Appointments within the Purple-Gold Hall were not granted in a single leap, but bestowed according to one's territory and authority, with Profound Holder being the highest rank. Yang Zhuo clearly intended to make him the foremost of all military commanders.

Seeing his elder brother remain noncommittal, Li Jiangliang sighed softly. Li Jiangxia, however, was more concerned about his divine ability.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he asked, "What exactly is your current state?"

Li Jiangliang raised his brows and replied, "My current posts are Privy Profound Envoy of the Martial Reverence Hall, True Radiant Cloud Envoy, Founding Duke of Lizhou, and Profound Holder of the Purple-Gold Hall. I have also been vested with the Tianwu divine ability. Although I do not possess a specific divine ability, I now wield the various mystics of True Essence, the inherent rank of the Purple Mansion Realm, and the ability to traverse the great void..."

Li Jiangxia narrowed his eyes and asked, "A Merciful One?"

His fourth brother shook his head and replied solemnly, "A few degrees stronger. I should be above the Golden Lotus Throne, but beneath a Maha."

Li Jiangxia's expression turned solemn. "That is more than enough... What about your own divine ability? If I remember correctly, you cultivate Radiant Fire! Do you still have the opportunity to attain a divine ability? How confident are you?"

A trace of hesitation crossed Li Jiangliang's face. "My Immortal Foundation has reached completion and is being nourished by the mystics of True Essence, growing closer to perfection by the day. However, I know that my Dao conduct is not particularly profound. I estimate... it will be at least another ten years before I can attempt to attain a divine ability."

Li Jiangxia set down his cup. A trace of doubt flashed through his mind as he raised his brows and said, "You can still attain a divine ability!"

Li Jiangliang did not deny it and nodded. "Yes. In fact, this will be greatly beneficial when I attain a divine ability. Once I succeed, the combination of the two will immediately grant me power surpassing that of an ordinary Purple Mansion Realm cultivator with one divine ability!"

Li Jiangxia remained silent for a long while before asking, "How many offices do you currently hold?"

Li Jiangliang replied, "His majesty governs both water and fire, with water representing civil officials and fire representing military officials. The Martial Reverence Hall where I serve is essentially a military hall tasked with confronting external enemies. Strictly speaking, I can now be considered half a military official. With the additional honorary title of Founding Prefecture Duke... I suppose that makes me the head of all officials."

Li Jiangxia slowly exhaled and asked, "Why did his majesty send you here? What instructions does he have?"

Li Jiangliang replied solemnly, "His majesty wishes to appoint you as a Profound Holder, but lacks a suitable pretext. Considering that the Shamanic Kingdoms along the southern border have yet to submit, his majesty intends to dispatch troops to subjugate the six bordering states and secure the rear for the Stillness Sea Military Governorship."

He swept out his sleeve and extended it before him as he said, "The tiger talisman and official seal are outside. With them, you can leave as a Profound Holder and take command of a region. As long as his majesty does not summon you back, you may continue to hold this office in his stead, making your rank equal to mine!"

In Li Jiangliang's view, Yang Zhuo's favor toward Li Jiangxia was unmistakable. It was not merely that he liked Li Jiangxia's temperament and character. There were other considerations involved as well.

Second brother was brought back by General Yang and has clearly become his trusted confidant. I wonder what benefits General Yang promised him... Second brother has acted with extreme caution. After meeting his majesty, he was soon ordered to lead troops elsewhere and only met me briefly...

Li Jiangliang could not determine whether his second brother had truly aligned himself with Yang Ruiyi. But it was clear that the Song Emperor was not very interested in him. Instead, he was much fonder of his forthright third brother, who had arrived at the imperial capital later. Li Jiangliang did not dare claim that there was any struggle between the Song Emperor and the Yang Family, but at the very least, the Song Emperor did not want the Yang Family interfering too much.

For this reason, Li Jiangliang had long been certain that his third brother, Li Jiangxia, would become a Profound Holder before his second brother. Yet when he received the order that morning, he was still deeply shocked.

This is far too sudden...

His expression grew complicated. Yet, faced with the tempting offer his fourth brother had laid before him, Li Jiangxia showed little interest. Instead, he stared intently into those golden eyes and said softly, "Liang'er, you finally seem like a member of my Li Family."

Li Jiangliang was caught off guard, but he recovered quickly and smiled faintly. "I thought you would say I seemed like a guest cultivator of the Cui Family."

Li Jiangxia laughed, rose to his feet, and walked over to the window. Shaking his head, he said, "Of the five of us brothers, only Jiangnian failed to distinguish himself and is just like a mere mortal. The least virtuous among us is Li Jiangqian. You probably do not know this, but our eldest brother is utterly ruthless. He is the most unscrupulous of us all, and once he sets his mind on something, there is nothing he will not sacrifice."

He stepped forward and emphasized, "Nothing."

Li Jiangliang looked thoughtful, but Li Jiangxia merely smiled. "As for Li Jianglong, your second brother, he refuses to submit to our eldest brother in his heart. Yet he also understands that the two of them are actually extremely alike. He is afraid of death and selfish, but he lacks that streak of ruthlessness. That is why I do not like him.

"You and I are more alike. At the very least, I have read the clan records. Wherever armies passed, devastation followed, and only you and I gave any thought to the mortals. Eldest brother scoffed at the message you sent home, but I believed you. You said you entered Song to pursue your ambitions, and I believe that as well. I also know that you feel guilty."

Li Jiangliang stared blankly at him as though struck by lightning.

His elder brother smiled. "But there is no need.

"Now that Tianwu has emerged into the world, rather than saying I came to Simin because I had no choice but to obey orders, it would be more accurate to say that I came here bearing ambitions of my own. In that regard, we are both like father."

He pushed open the hall doors to look upon the golden tiger talisman and green-purple seal of office, which rested silently upon a cushioned jade tray in the hands of a Profound Official.

He said calmly, "You and I cannot remain beneath his wings and simply wait for death. No one's ambitions are greater or more unbridled than his, nor do they demand more sacrifices."

————

The white cloth before the hall fluttered gently in the setting sun, scattering shard-like flecks of gold through the shadows. Li Suining waited in the covered walkway for some time before Li Zhoufang finally hurried out of the hall.

Li Qiuyang had been a person of considerable standing, but to most members of the Li Family, whether he lived or died made little difference. His funeral had somehow taken on a bustling, almost festive atmosphere. Even a direct descendant of the Li Family like Li Zhoufang emerged after paying his respects with little sorrow on his face, showing only a trace of concern for Li Xuanxuan's health.

The young man following behind the middle-aged man glanced about distractedly. The two sides of his upper garment had been carelessly tucked into his belt, exposing a strip of white lining and making him look thoroughly absentminded.

It was Li Suiqing.

Li Suining sighed inwardly. Li Zhoufang had actually been delighted when his son, Li Jiangzong, became the head of a branch of the clan. It had nothing to do with the prestige he enjoyed among his peers. He was simply proud that his child had made something of himself and could help shoulder the clan's burdens.

Yet after Li Suining emerged from several years of seclusion, he found that Li Zhoufang had visibly aged, with nothing but profound exhaustion showing on his face. He brightened somewhat upon seeing Li Suining, but his grandson behind him had clearly grown restless after being bored for so long and turned to leave.

Li Zhoufang looked back and glared at him, but the boy showed no fear, staring straight at him and looking ready to question him. Li Zhoufang gritted his teeth, his heart filling with bitterness.

Child... Your elder cousin possesses extraordinary innate ability, and a good-for-nothing like you will have to rely on him in the future... If you do not grow closer to him now, what will you have to stand on in the future?

However, he feared that pushing the matter would look too shameless, so he could only wave the boy away. Turning back to Li Suining's smiling face, he said with a sigh, "I have made a fool of myself before you."

Li Suining shook his head. The elder immediately took his hand and led him forward, speaking with deep concern. "Over the years, Suiqing's incompetence and wretched behavior have only worsened. Your Uncle Jiangzong has only this one son. I have tried time and again to discipline him, but the more I do, the more I realize that he is beyond saving..."

Li Suining was about to speak when Li Zhoufang waved his hand. "Do not try to comfort me by bringing up Zhouming. They are different. Zhouming might have been somewhat playful in his youth, but he always smiled whenever he saw us. He was never bad at heart.

"But I do not know where Suiqing got this stubborn temper of his. Not only is he devious, but the more you scold and beat him, the fiercer he becomes. Even if he were dragged before the clan chief, unless they beat him to death on the spot, he would still retain that vicious air."

He stared dazedly at Li Suining, his eyes glistening. "The old elder and I still believe he can be saved, but your Uncle Jiangzong curses him every time he sees him. He has privately told me several times that he truly wants to kill the boy with a single palm strike."

Li Suining knew that his younger cousin was a good-for-nothing who had brought far too much gossip upon their family, but he did not think killing him with a single slap would resolve anything.

He simply bowed and said, "Just keep a tighter rein on him and do not let him see uncle..."

Li Zhoufang shook his head bitterly as he said, "My innate ability is extremely poor. I cannot even glimpse the possibility of reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm. Two years ago, I tried to advance further and hastily took some medicine, only to destabilize my qihai and severely deplete my vitality. I can no longer avenge even one or two of my blood feuds.

“Only the King of Wei remembered me and killed Nuxiao on my behalf. Yet I still harbor hatred in my heart. It does not feel like enough, and I still had hopes of exacting greater vengeance. But seeing what Suiqing has become leaves me too ashamed to face anyone, making my hatred all the more helpless."

Having vented his emotions in a few sentences, he shook his head distractedly and smiled. "You are preparing to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm... I have already reported it to the Daoist Master. He specifically asked you to visit Zhijing Mountain. He is probably preparing a pill for you."

Li Suining's heart ached for him, but he could not find any words of comfort. He could only nod silently before riding the wind toward Zhijing Mountain.

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