Family Management Game In Immortal Continent Chapter 813: Zhao Clan’s True Purpose
Previously on Family Management Game In Immortal Continent...
"Time."
At that particular heartbeat, a flash of enlightenment struck Li Wei.
His gaze shifted from the Yin-Yang Fish Diagram to the Power of Laws harvested from the Yin Water Star, finally resting upon the Myriad Dao Divine Bell Pagoda.
As a Supreme-grade Dharma Treasure, the Myriad Dao Divine Bell Pagoda acted as the primary legacy of the ancient Myriad Dao Immortal Palace.
The Time Laws contained within it granted cultivators the ability to progress at a pace far exceeding standard limits.
Furthermore, the Law essence from the Yin Water Star held an immense quantity of Glacial Laws alongside a small fragment of Time Laws.
The Yin-Yang Fish Diagram comprised both Yin and Yang aspects; it occurred to him that he had never fully unleashed its latent potential.
His personal Void Refining Space differed slightly from that of Li Yaozu.
Deep within that frigid realm, beneath a layer of crystalline ice, a nearly invisible stream of white light flowed!
With these three forces aligning, it appeared that channeling his spiritual power to trigger the Yin-Yang Fish Diagram simultaneously awakened that subtle essence of Time within his Void Refining Space.
"What exactly is time?" Li Wei stood motionless, lost in thought.
In that brief window, the entire dimension seemed to freeze, leaving nothing but his own quiet reflections.
"Time has no inherent existence; it is like a blank canvas. If the canvas remains empty, then to the observer, nothing has transpired.
However, if I take a brush and mark a line, the span of that stroke... that represents time."
Defining time is a feat no one can perfectly achieve, or perhaps every individual possesses their own unique interpretation.
Yet, in this moment, a definition took root in Li Wei’s heart—a heart that never claimed to be scholarly.
Or maybe it was that fragment of Time Law itself providing him with the answer!
Suddenly, Li Wei snapped his eyes open. Zhao Tingyu was still in the middle of his escape!
"Heaven, Earth, and the Mortal Realm!"
"Pagoda, Suppress!"
A brilliant white radiance erupted in Li Wei’s eyes.
He was no longer merely utilizing that sliver of Time Law by accident.
He could perceive the slight depletion of his Time Law reserves.
Counting the previous instances, he calculated that he could employ this power roughly eight more times before the Time Law in his Void Refining Space required replenishment.
In that infinitesimal gap of time, Li Wei noted that everything inside the Void Refining Space had come to a momentary standstill.
A single finger snap lasts 7.2 seconds.
One snap contains twenty instants.
And one instant is comprised of twenty thoughts!
The freezing shimmer of his spear tip erupted as Li Wei materialized behind Zhao Tingyu.
"One Thought!"
[Congratulations. By utilizing the trace Time Laws within your Void Refining Space, you have mastered a new technique: One Thought!]
[You possess the ability to halt time for the duration of One Thought.]
...
Deep within the Immortal Domain.
The Immortal Zhao Clan found themselves with no alternatives.
The final path Li Chang'an had offered was, ironically, their most viable choice.
Li Chang'an had already pulled back to a safe distance, accompanied by the two Void Refining experts.
Despite this, a dark expression remained etched on Li Chang'an's face.
He witnessed it clearly.
Ding Yuanxiao—who had previously turned away in shame at Li Chang'an's words—along with the leaders of the Duravia Trade Prefecture’s various families, were paralyzed by dread.
Several had even collapsed where they stood.
Across the span of the Immortal Domain, ribbons of light—some pale, others vibrant—rose like mist into the sky before crashing back toward the ground.
"What is this... what is happening... what on earth is going on?!!"
"The glow on my skin! My light!"
"My spiritual power is intact, and my body feels fine... then what is this? What is happening to me?!!"
Confused, Ding Yuanxiao held out his hands, watching the golden light drifting away from his form.
He thought back to a moment millennia ago, when his family patriarchs had escorted him to the Imperial Capital to ask the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets to evaluate his potential.
The Pavilion Elder had remarked:
"Qi Yun manifests as gold. This Qilin son of your house is blessed with immense destiny; he shall encounter few sicknesses or mishaps.
Even with his bold and tempered spirit, his path of Immortal Cultivation shall be a smooth one.
But heed this: pay closer attention to the counsel of true friends."
"Gold... Destiny... My Destiny!"
Ding Yuanxiao watched in horror as the massive pagodas drank in the radiance, then he glared at the three Zhao Clan Elders.
"You... you are plundering my Destiny!!!"
In that heartbeat, he caught the distant, pitying look in Li Chang'an's eyes.
The Li family... they had been aware of this all along!
Within the boundaries of this Immortal Domain, the Destiny of every soul was being forcibly extracted!
It made sense now.
It was no wonder that the Immortal Zhao Clan offered no help when the Li Clan ambushed the other Immortal Clans.
Instead, they had commanded them to desert their kin and seek refuge inside the Immortal Domain.
"Why?!! Why must you steal my Destiny?!!"
Ding Yuanxiao screamed until his voice cracked, staring hatefully at Zhao Jingmiao.
"My Ding family has remained steadfast in our loyalty to the Zhao Clan! I even led my people here to fight for you in this war! Return my Destiny to me!!!"
Nevertheless, the Destiny surrounding Ding Yuanxiao was ruthlessly pulled into the massive pagoda without pause.
The Zhao Clan members did not rush out to join the fray; instead, they kept the elders of the Duravia Trade Prefecture’s clans pinned down.
Fairy Bai watched with an icy expression, her eyes showing no hint of compassion.
These broken leaders had already been demoralized by Li Chang'an's speech.
Even if they were sent back to the front lines, they would be useless in combat; they might even betray her own people just to save their own skins.
"You are already a dead man; what use is Destiny to you? Be comforted—using Destiny like yours to bolster my Zhao Clan is the path of the true Righteous Dao! Hahaha!"
The laughter of Zhao Buqun thundered through the air above the Duravia Trade Prefecture.
He saw the truth. Everything was clear to him now!
Ding Yuanxiao shook with uncontrollable rage and fear.
At last, he understood that the Zhao Clan had never cared for their lives.
It was likely that from the start, the Zhao Clan’s true goal in coming to the Duravia Trade Prefecture was to harvest everyone’s Destiny during the turmoil of the era.
That was their real objective!
This Zhao Clan formation, which could manipulate the very weather and heavens, was never intended to be a sanctuary.
It was... a slaughterhouse!
They were nothing more than cattle, bred for the knife.
"Save me!"
Under the dark sky, Ding Yuanxiao screamed desperately toward the edge of the Immortal Domain, "Brother Sun, help me! Li family, the Grand Formation is exposed! Attack! Save us!!!"
Outside the Immortal Domain.
Li Chang'an had already moved back with the two seniors, taking his place among his family.
Together, they watched the tragedy unfolding within the Immortal Domain.
Following Ding Yuanxiao’s desperate plea, everyone—from the high-ranking experts of the Duravia Trade Prefecture to the common folk—began to wail and cry out.
Many didn't even comprehend what the lights leaving their bodies were, but they knew something catastrophic was happening.
Those lights were being systematically reaped by the Zhao Clan!
"Elders..."
Li Chang'an turned his head toward the senior members of his clan.
However, the Li family members looked upon the chaos with cold indifference.
Li Yaowen’s voice was soft and carried a sense of detachment.
"More than a century has passed.
They made the choice to follow the Immortal Zhao Clan themselves.
We must allow people to live with the consequences of their choices."