Chapter 1319
The predicament is hard to break, one pill can save one's remaining life.
As soon as he finished speaking, the tribesmen below were shocked and stood up, their faces filled with disbelief.
"Ancestor, you mustn't!"
Li Qing said urgently, his voice trembling slightly.
"If that happens, our Li family will have no future. In the current Great Star Sea Era, the Li family may even face annihilation!"
"Yes, Ancestor, absolutely not!"
Other members of the clan echoed this sentiment.
"Breaking through to the Nascent Soul Realm is important, but we can't gamble with the future of the entire Li family!"
"Moreover, Dao Ancestor Ye might not bestow the Thunder Yang Elixir upon you simply because we submit!"
"My mind is made up!"
Li Cangxuan slammed his hand on the table, his tone firm and leaving no room for argument.
"I have lived for so many years, and my lifespan is almost over. If I cannot break through to the Nascent Soul Dao Realm, my lifespan will be exhausted in a few years, and I will die and my Dao will dissipate."
"I am not afraid of dying, but the Li family cannot be allowed to decline! As long as I can break through to the Nascent Soul Realm and become a Nascent Soul Realm expert, the Li family will have a powerful backer and can continue to grow stronger!"
He paused, his gaze falling on Li Qing, his tone softening slightly.
“Qing’er, I know that you have worked diligently for the Li family for many years. But this matter concerns my life and the future of the Li family. I must take this gamble. You don’t need to say more.”
"Three days later, come with me to Daozu Ye's cave and kneel down to beg for the precious pill!"
Looking into Li Cangxuan's resolute eyes, Li Qing knew in his heart that the ancestor's mind was made up, and no matter how he tried to persuade him, it would be to no avail.
He could only sigh helplessly, slowly lower his head, and say in a deep voice, "Grandson, I obey your command."
Seeing this, the other tribesmen could only lower their heads and remain silent.
They were filled with helplessness, but they had no choice but to obey Li Cangxuan's orders.
After all, Li Cangxuan was the patriarch of the Li family and its pillar; his decision was the decision of the Li family.
Flying Gate, Council Hall.
Gu Xuan, Yan Qingying, and several elders sat upright, all with joy on their faces.
"Dr. Ye has been in seclusion for half a month, and not only has he refined the Thunder Yang Treasure Pill, but his cultivation has also improved significantly. This is truly a blessing for our Flying Heaven Sect!"
An elderly man with white hair stroked his beard and smiled.
"Yes, the spiritual energy within the mountain gate is now abundant, and the disciples' cultivation has improved. This is all thanks to Daozu Ye."
Another elder echoed this sentiment.
Just as everyone was discussing this, a series of hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.
A deacon hurried in, his expression somewhat strange.
"Reporting to the sect leader, the Li family... the Li family patriarch, Li Cangxuan, requests an audience, saying he has important matters to report."
"Li Cangxuan?"
Gu Xuan frowned slightly.
The Li family is one of the affiliated families of the Flying Heaven Sect.
Li Cangxuan was the patriarch of the Li family, whose cultivation had been stuck at the peak of the Dharma Aspect realm for more than two hundred years, and he had never been able to break through to the Primordial Spirit realm.
"Let him in."
Gu Xuan waved his hand.
A short while later, an elderly man dressed in a gray robe walked in.
This man had white hair and beard, a weathered face, and a sense of hardship between his brows. He was none other than Li Cangxuan, the patriarch of the Li family.
To everyone's surprise, following behind him were more than a dozen members of the Li family, all with solemn expressions.
"Old Li, this is..."
Gu Xuan had a vague sense of unease.
Li Cangxuan walked to the center of the main hall and suddenly knelt down with a "thump," and the Li family members behind him also knelt down.
"Li Cangxuan greets the Sect Leader and all the Elders!"
"Mr. Li, please rise. Let's talk this out."
Gu Xuan quickly got up to help him, but Li Cangxuan remained kneeling on the ground, refusing to get up.
"Sect Leader, I have come here today to ask you for a favor."
Li Cangxuan's voice was hoarse, and his eyes were full of earnestness.
"I have cultivated for over two hundred years, yet I remain stuck at the Dharma Aspect Realm, unable to step into the Primordial Spirit Realm. Now, having heard that Dao Ancestor Ye has refined the Thunder Yang Treasure Pill, I dare to request one of these pills in order to seek a breakthrough!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the hall fell silent.
Gu Xuan and Yan Qingying exchanged a glance, both seeing the difficulty in each other's eyes.
The Thunder Yang Elixir is so precious that even they dare not easily ask for it.
Li Cangxuan's actions were tantamount to making an exorbitant demand.
"This……"
Gu Xuan was about to speak when Li Cangxuan spoke first.
"I know this is presumptuous, but I have no other choice. To obtain this pill, I am willing to exchange the resources of three generations of the Li family, only asking for the sect leader's permission!"
"Third-generation resources?"
The elders present all changed color.
This means that all profits earned by the Li family for the next three generations will have to be handed over to the Flying Heaven Gate.
For a family of cultivators, this is almost tantamount to destroying their own foundation.
"Fellow Daoist Li, have you thought this through?"
Gu Xuan asked in a deep voice.
"I have thought this through very clearly."
Li Cangxuan raised his head, his eyes filled with determination.
"I am already 673 years old this year, and my lifespan is only ten years. If I cannot break through this barrier, I will have no choice but to pass away."
"Rather than that, let's take a gamble! As long as I can break through to the Nascent Soul Dao Realm, the Li family will still have hope. Otherwise, it's all just empty talk."
At this point, the Li family members behind him also spoke up.
"I humbly request the sect leader's permission!"
"I humbly request the sect leader's permission!"
The voices were unified and echoed throughout the hall.
Gu Xuan fell silent.
He was well aware of Li Cangxuan's predicament.
The path of cultivation has a limited lifespan; if one cannot break through, there is only death as the way out.
Li Cangxuan's actions will severely damage the Li family's vitality.
However, if he can break through to the Nascent Soul Dao Realm, the Li family will still have a chance to turn things around.
The problem is, that Thunder Yang Elixir was refined by Dao Ancestor Ye; what right do they have to make decisions about it?
"This matter requires Ye Daozu's approval."
Gu Xuan sighed.
"Fellow Daoist Li, please rise first. I will inform Daoist Ye before making a decision."
"Thank you very much, Sect Leader Gu!"
Li Cangxuan then stood up, but still stood respectfully to the side, not daring to slack off in the slightest.
Three days later, just as dawn was breaking.
Li Cangxuan was dressed in a neat blue robe. Although his face was old, his eyes were full of determination and resolve.
Behind him followed Li Qing and several core members of the Li family.
Each person's face carried a complex expression, a mixture of worry, helplessness, and a faint glimmer of hope.
The group continued their journey, heading towards the summit of the Flying Heaven Gate's main peak.
Along the way, many disciples of the Flying Heaven Sect and members of their subordinate families whispered among themselves, but no one dared to step forward and ask.
Before long, the group arrived outside Ye Yang's cave.
Outside the cave, the spiritual energy was rich, and the fragrance of elixirs could still be faintly smelled.
There were no guards at the entrance of the cave, but an invisible barrier shrouded the place, exuding a powerful aura that made people dare not approach easily.
Li Cangxuan stopped, took a deep breath, and then, without hesitation, bent his knees and knelt heavily on the ground at the entrance of the cave.
Upon seeing this, Li Qing and several other members of the Li family also knelt down without the slightest hesitation.
"Li Cangxuan of the Li family, along with his clansmen, pays his respects to Daoist Ye!"
Li Cangxuan's voice was hoarse, yet filled with utmost respect, and it echoed throughout the area surrounding the cave.
"I beg Patriarch Ye for mercy, to bestow upon me a Thunder Yang Pill to help me break through to the Nascent Soul Dao Realm!"
"From this day forward, the Li family will be willing to serve Daozu Ye for generations, to serve him faithfully, even if it means severing the karmic ties between the Li family and the Flying Heaven Sect, even if it means paying any price, we will never go back on our word!"
His voice was loud and clear, with a hint of sob and urgency, echoing through the valley for a long time.
Inside the cave, Ye Yang sat upright on the stone bed, closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, felt the flow of Dao power within his body, and pondered how to break through to the mid-stage of the Thunder Tribulation.
Hearing the sounds outside the cave, he slowly opened his eyes, a hint of surprise flashing in them before his expression calmed down.
He had already sensed the arrival of Li Cangxuan and his group, and knew Li Cangxuan's purpose in coming.
He also knew something about Li Cangxuan. As a subordinate family of the Flying Heaven Sect, the Li family had worked diligently and loyally for many years.
Li Cangxuan, on the other hand, was obsessed with breaking through to the Yuan Shen Dao Realm throughout his life, exhausting countless efforts.
As a result, the foundation of the Dao became weak, and the hope of a breakthrough became slim.
Even with the help of elixirs, whether he can break through to the Nascent Soul Dao Realm remains an unknown.
"If we give it to him, it will be equivalent to severing the future entanglement between the Li family and the Flying Heaven Sect. Even if the Li family has problems in the future, it will have nothing to do with the Flying Heaven Sect."
“If we don’t give it to him, Li Cangxuan will definitely harbor resentment, and the Li family will gradually drift away.”
Ye Yang weighed the pros and cons in his mind.
A moment later, he opened his eyes, a complex expression flashing across them.
"Never mind."
"Junior Brother Li was born into the Li family. He devoted himself to our Flying Heaven Sect until his death. Even in death, he did not break through to the Nascent Soul Dao Realm, leaving him with regrets on his path to immortality."
"The Li family are also elders of the Flying Heaven Sect, so let's give them a pill to try!"
He sighed deeply, got up, and walked towards the main hall.
Li Cangxuan has made many sacrifices for the Li family and the Flying Heaven Sect.
Now, in order to find a glimmer of hope, they are willing to gamble with the future of their family.
This determination and courage are admirable.
Moreover, he seemed to see the shadow of Li Bayuan in Li Cangxuan.
Both were stuck in a bottleneck and unable to break through, both were nearing the end of their lives, and both were willing to do anything for that glimmer of hope.
"In that case, let's give him a chance."
Outside the quiet room.
Li Cangxuan remained kneeling on the ground, as did the rest of the Li family behind him.
They had been waiting for a full hour.
Just as everyone was feeling uneasy, a vast aura suddenly emanated from outside the hall.
Immediately afterwards, a figure slowly appeared.
It was Ye Yang.
"Li Cangxuan of the Li family pays respects to Daoist Ye!"
Li Cangxuan lay prostrate on the ground, his forehead pressed against the cold floor tiles.
Ye Yang's gaze fell on Li Cangxuan, and he remained silent for a moment.
This patriarch of the Li family had a weak and unstable aura, clearly indicating that he was forcibly suppressing the injuries within his body.
His lifespan was coming to an end, and the vitality within his body had begun to wither away.
If a breakthrough cannot be achieved soon, it may not last more than ten years.
"Please rise, Elder Li."
Ye Yang spoke calmly.
Li Cangxuan stood up tremblingly, his eyes filled with anticipation and trepidation.
Ye Yang didn't say much, but simply raised his hand and waved, sending a jade bottle flying to Li Cangxuan's front.
"This bottle contains one Thunder Yang Treasure Pill. As for the resources of the Li family for three generations, I don't want them."
"What?"
Li Cangxuan suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with disbelief.
Not only him, but everyone present was stunned.
Ye Yang looked at Li Cangxuan and slowly said:
"You have done a great deal for the Li family and the Flying Heaven Sect. The Flying Heaven Sect will remember this kindness. Consider this pill as an opportunity given to you by the Flying Heaven Sect. Whether you can break through depends entirely on your own destiny."
After he finished speaking, he paused, and his voice became serious:
"But I also have something to say."
"In the path of cultivation, opportunities are certainly important, but the Dao heart is even more important. If the Dao heart is not firm, even if there are many elixirs, it is nothing more than drinking poison to quench thirst."
Do you understand?
Li Cangxuan shuddered, and his eyes instantly welled up with tears.
He knelt down again with a thud and kowtowed three times to Ye Yang.
"Thank you for your grace, Dao Ancestor! I will certainly live up to your expectations!"
"Go."
Ye Yang waved his hand.
Li Cangxuan trembled as he accepted the jade bottle, then led the Li family members out of the main hall. (End of Chapter)