Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 1898 - 1418: Pending Repair

In the serene quiet room, Li Zhirui assumed a cross-legged position, contemplating his treatment of Xiaoqing, and released a soft sigh; truly, he preferred not to advance things this way if he had any choice.

Yet the dilemma persists, for even without his efforts to hasten the progression, Xiaoqing would soon become trapped by the Heart Demon regardless.

Precisely so!

After enduring prolonged stagnation in his cultivation, Xiaoqing's lingering fixations morphed into a Heart Demon the instant he observed Li Mingyao's breakthrough. Lurking deep in his Sea of Consciousness, it began to subtly erode his mind.

Such an affliction wouldn't wreak such havoc on Da Qing or Cang, yet it struck Xiaoqing, whose disposition ranks as the most volatile among the trio.

Should the Heart Demon fester unchecked in the darkness and swell unchecked, Xiaoqing might only recognize it once it had fully matured!

At that point, victory over the Heart Demon would elude him almost entirely.

Informing him outright at this stage might convince Xiaoqing to trust Li Zhirui and initiate a hunt for it, but such efforts would prove fruitless, since the Heart Demon conceals itself too cunningly for detection.

Soon, doubt and turmoil would seize him; fueled by these dark feelings, the Heart Demon would surge in power, dominating him further until escape became impossible!

Li Zhirui might never have spotted Xiaoqing's strange state—except during Li Mingyao's triumphant crossing of the Tribulation, as he drew in Spiritual Energy, when Xiaoqing abruptly flared with fierce resentment and envy!

It's typical to feel envious seeing a younger one outpace you, but that level of hostility stands out as profoundly abnormal.

Without the presence of numerous clan members observing, he could have actually assaulted Li Mingyao right in his vulnerable phase!

Later, as Xiaoqing and Cang came to his Cave Mansion seeking his aid for swift advancements, Li Zhirui subtly probed him and detected subtle traces of Heart Demon essence in Xiaoqing's Sea of Consciousness.

Without his mastery of the Purification Principle, he could never have uncovered this deadly threat lurking in Xiaoqing.

"Sigh!"

Pondering Xiaoqing's plight, Li Zhirui couldn't suppress yet another heavy sigh.

Heart Demons offer scant aid from outsiders; conquering them demands one's inner strength alone.

All he can achieve is safeguarding Xiaoqing's life if he falters against the Heart Demon and nears defeat; otherwise, his hands remain tied.

"I hope Xiaoqing can conquer the Heart Demon."

The deeper one delves into cultivation and the loftier the Realm, the scarcer the companions along the path. Yet since Li Zhirui shuns the Heartless Path, he favors traveling with allies over enduring isolation.

He invested no excessive energy here, having already pushed his capabilities to the limit.

With that, Li Zhirui turned to his personal matters, organizing the abundant spoils from his recent training session.

Of all the treasures gained, the crown jewel remains the world-traversing Secret Technique seized from that master and disciple pair.

Once fully refined, it promises total command over a world's assets. Even a mere Minor Thousand World could propel the family's growth and roots to unprecedented heights!

Still, it carries numerous drawbacks, such as the erratic nature of the world-traversing method!

The unknowns beyond a space-time rift elude prediction; it might open to a Minor Thousand World or a vast Great Thousand World; safety could await, or perils might lurk everywhere.

This unpredictability looms too immense, deterring Li Zhirui from rash deployment, for landing in a Great Thousand World could doom dispatched clan members—a small loss in itself.

Far graver, should it connect back to the Primal Spirit Realm or allow invaders to locate it via scouting cultivators, catastrophe would ensue.

Moreover, space-time rifts endure far too briefly, hindering Outer World ventures, as the Heavenly Dao could seal them mid-journey during repairs.

Imagine clan explorers left stranded forever in foreign realms? The fallout requires no spelling out.

Hence, Li Zhirui approaches the world-traversing Secret Technique with utmost wariness.

In truth, when he shared it initially, his goal was to rally Immortal Tao powers for joint Outer World expeditions.

True, the clan wouldn't claim a world's riches exclusively, but security would be assured.

Regrettably, those grand sects harbor selfish agendas and trust their might too much, showing no desire for partnerships or unions.

"Indeed, only after a harsh blow humbles them will they perhaps bow their arrogant heads and seek ties with fellow powers."

This realization soothed Li Zhirui's earlier agitation and frustration in an instant. Patience suffices as he refines the world-traversing Secret Technique.

He has pinpointed the refinement path, focusing chiefly on prolonging space-time rift stability to enable secure Outer World probes.

"Maybe insights from the Teleportation Array's principles could prove useful..."

Embracing this idea, Li Zhirui departed the Cave Mansion, swiftly reached the Li family's holy site, the Scripture Pavilion, collected pertinent Classics, and withdrew to the quiet room for deep study.

...

After departing, Xiaoqing hurried back to his Cave Mansion at once, diving into insights on the Laws of the Wind Dao, yearning for their boost toward a prompt breakthrough.