Chapter 672

Chapter 672: The Silver Snake Has Departed

In the Ancient Tomb, Li Hui conversed with the Two Spirit Treasures. Noticing them kneeling and begging for forgiveness, he shook his head and said, “You two are still inexperienced. It is a great achievement that you were able to protect my body and the Ancient Tomb. Those practitioners failed to discern right from wrong; their calamity has come, so don’t worry about it.”

Li Longhua and Li Dingjun were momentarily stunned, thinking their father was deliberately favoring them, feeling both surprised and delighted.

Li Hui saw their expressions and smiled, saying, “You both misunderstood. These practitioners easily broke through in the Heavenly Realm, and with my help dissipating their calamity power, their minds inevitably became unstable. Suddenly gaining such strong cultivation made it easy for them to lose their heads, wanting to solve problems with brute force without considering the consequences. Hmph, they even dared to search your souls without thinking of where they were.”

The Two Spirit Treasures understood. While those people indeed had calamities to face, Father was also favoring them and did not want to pursue the matter too much.

As expected, Li Hui inquired, “What comes next? Hao Yue Lin and the practitioners behind her won’t easily give up control of Mufeng City, not to mention the other branches of the Hao Family and representatives from the ten Great Families.”

Li Dingjun quickly replied, “Father guessed correctly. After we drove those people out of the Ancient Tomb, powerful practitioners would come to probe their strength at regular intervals. Longhua and I changed our previous ways and began to establish our authority by eliminating the small-time crooks. Honestly, this method was quite effective.”

“People’s hearts can be wicked, and the practitioners entering the Ancient Tomb have become increasingly powerful. Some can control talismans, some use poison, and some appear as if they are human or ghosts. If we are not careful, they can cause great trouble. We had no choice but to use our greatest treasures to fight back and gather demonic energy to create monster-conjuring talismans, striving to cultivate demons to help us. Looking back, I truly don’t know how we managed to endure that period; at least we didn’t embarrass you, Father…”

Li Hui felt grateful in his heart, suddenly rising to pat their heads and said, “Good. If you only focus on closed-door cultivation, it isn’t enough for your growth. You persevered until today, and it gives me great comfort.”

The two treasured beings smiled, feeling that their years of hard work were rewarded with this praise! Unexpectedly, as Father’s hand patted their heads, it made a loud crackling sound, and terrifying lightning suddenly gathered. Following that, thunder roared, condensing into two strange talismans that crashed into the body of the spirit treasures.

Li Longhua quickly expressed gratitude, “Thank you, Father, for your blessing.”

Li Hui nodded and said, “These two Thunder Dao Talismans are the accumulation of this body over six hundred years. They can help you suppress your fortune, which will benefit you in the future.”

This was the highest reward he could give the two treasures.

Li Dingjun was ecstatic, quickly thanking him. Suddenly, he felt that Father’s aura was completely different from before; it seemed shrouded in mysterious fog. However, upon closer inspection, there was no fog at all, leaving him feeling baffled.

At this moment, Li Hui’s Dao Fruit was fully mature, indicating that the Heart Talisman was about to enter the ranks of Dao talismans. However, this critical transformation could only take place when he retrieved his true form.

Even though this body could not enjoy the Dao Fruit, its completion was already remarkable! He walked forward, signaling the two treasures to follow, while asking, “What happened next? When did it become impossible to leave the Ancient Tomb after entering?”

“It started when changes appeared on the altar,” Li Dingjun recalled, catching up to Li Hui’s steps. “We worked for two hundred years, and Hao Yue Lin suffered massive losses and gradually pulled back. About three hundred years after you left, a demoness entered the Ancient Tomb. She was more stubborn than the practitioners before, and we used all our abilities to drive her back.”

Li Hui abruptly stopped, smiling oddly as he said, “Hehe, she is your Mother. Be sure to apologize sincerely when you meet her again!”

“What?” The Two Spirit Treasures felt thunder rumbling—what was going on? Did Father marry a demoness? Was this a trend in the cultivation world?

“Alright, let’s get back to the main topic,” Li Hui urged, bringing the two treasures back to their senses.

“About two hundred years ago, the people you left in the city retreated into the Ancient Tomb. Hao Yue Lin decided to go all out. You called Uncle Tie Yixin to form Silver Radiance, which, after four hundred years of development, has covered the entire Nine Mystic Continent and extended to other continents. Facing the increasingly powerful Silver Radiance, the enemies became fearful! Uncle Tie sensed that the situation was volatile and made arrangements in advance, leading his clansmen and followers into the city lord’s residence and retreating into the Ancient Tomb. After that, we fought for a hundred years to protect the Ancient Tomb. Suddenly, one day, the altar shone with light, and we heard terrible roars, followed by the broken artifacts and fragments of spirit treasures piled beneath the altar burning fiercely.”

“Yes!” Li Longhua shivered, saying, “That feeling still makes me uneasy today. Half of the spirit treasures inside the Ancient Tomb burned with the altar. If it hadn’t been for the talisman formations we had nurtured over many years, Mufeng City would have been engulfed in silver flames. Dingjun and I saw a massive light and shadow falling from afar, then took control of all the talisman formations, firmly defending the Ancient Tomb, preventing a whisper of energy from leaking. Since then, no matter who entered the Ancient Tomb, none could escape—Prince Russell, Old Demon Granny, Bi You Daoist, Doctor Iron, and the Nine Phoenix Sect practitioners, all were suppressed upon entry. We have a feeling that the Ancient Tomb seems to be waiting for your return, Father.”

“Prince Russell…?” Li Hui frowned and asked.

“Yes, we discovered that Russell is a practitioner from another world. Old Demon Granny and those dark guards follow his orders. Upon learning that we were your cultivated spirit treasures, they didn’t hide much and helped us eliminate many enemies. Now, there are thirty-six thousand eight hundred and forty-three individuals in the Ancient Tomb, most practitioners at the All-Manifestation Realm, with one thousand three hundred and ninety-nine at the Profound Law Stage and sixty-eight at the Traveling Realm. However, no matter how hard they try, they cannot break through the altar’s blockade on the Ancient Tomb.”

“Sixty-eight Traveling Realm practitioners?” Li Hui was astonished—what kind of power was that?

“Hehe, I have also reached the Traveling Realm and refined my spirit and soul, but I have not entered the later stages to become a Demon God,” Li Dingjun and Li Longhua proudly said, unknowingly that their father still lingered in the Late Wanxiang Stage.

Li Hui stepped into the altar hall and saw a magnificent snake shadow coiled in the air, its body radiating infinite light, suddenly opening its eyes to gaze at him.

“You have finally returned,” voices echoed from all directions.

Li Hui abruptly turned, seeing Li Dingjun and Li Longhua frozen in place, as well as the Li Sifan body—his Legal Form had somehow left the dantian.

“Silver Snake, you feel very much like the projections of those Departed Immortals,” his Legal Form said, fully on guard.

“Indeed, it is a projection,” the massive silver snake spoke. “The collapse of the Heavenly Dao is severe. My sister Nüwa and I want to mend the sky once more, but we find ourselves powerless. In the end, my sister burned herself to preserve a fragment of the Remnant Soul for me, this useless brother. Unbeknownst to us, the calamity of immortals, by devouring countless immortals, has taken on a terrifying form and has been hunting the Silver Snake for many years. Fortunately, I had a backup plan; amid the slaughter in the vast world, I concealed the heavenly mechanisms and left the incomplete Creation Jade Plate by your side. Now, the Silver Snake has departed, and the task of restoring the Creation Jade Plate falls to you. This projection is merely a message; I left behind a few things that might help you.”