Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 1992 - 1465: The Choice

Actually, prior to the complete conclusion of the massive disaster, the cultivators from the Western Continent and those of the Human Dao Hundred Schools had quietly allied for withdrawal—they were genuinely concerned that the Demonic Tao might set up an ambush or hinder their route, thus planning an early departure.

Indeed, their karmic connections had already been severed, and through battling the Sea Clan, they had even garnered a measure of merit.

Initially, they refrained from retreating right away since, as part of the human race, they believed it wrong to stand by while the Sea Clan bolstered their forces.

Yet now, as the massive calamity neared its end, the priority shifted to the post-calamity era where the world would emerge pure and radiant, the Heavenly Dao would reveal itself, and comprehending the Laws would grow far simpler.

An outstanding chance like this to advance one's realm and cultivation level—they surely wouldn't want to let it slip away without a fight, so they opted to depart just shy of the calamity's final close.

Furthermore, since the two primary alliances were pulling out jointly from the West Continent, the Demon Cultivators, despite any secret schemes, lacked the boldness to act on them and simply observed their exit.

Truth be told, though, the Demon Cultivators never seriously entertained notions of ambushing—firstly, the Western Continent had turned into a war zone, left in ruins; recovery could drag on for ages.

Secondly, the combined might of the Immortal Tao and Human Dao proved overwhelming, so any strike would likely bring no gains but only worsen the already battered Demonic Tao's losses.

Thirdly, dangers loomed in the Western Continent from both the Sea Clan and Ghost Clan—the Ghost Clan's power could be dismissed, but confronting the Sea Clan demanded the Demonic Tao's total commitment, and they might soon need aid from the other two sides.

Given these conditions, how could they possibly chance provoking the Immortal Tao and Human Dao right then?

...

At the same time.

Upon Mount Wanxian, owing to his practice of the Purification Principle, Li Zhirui possessed acute sensitivity to Tribulation Evil Energy, placing him among the earliest beings to detect the shifts in heaven and earth.

As the massive calamity approached its close, a profound lightness enveloped the spirit of the entire world.

Following that was the recognition of efforts and distribution of rewards—namely, the Heavenly Dao granting merit based on each person's distinct contributions.

Suddenly, it felt like a cascade of soft golden rain drenched the Primal Spirit Realm, blanketing every corner of existence.

Despite the impressive display, in truth, relative to the vast multitude of life forms, the number who had cleared their karma and earned merit remained quite limited—likely just thirty to forty percent.

Still, a figure like Li Zhirui, who missed out on merit yet had cleared his karma, stood as exceptionally uncommon, since few across the entire Primal Spirit Realm could outright use merit to erase karma in the manner he did.

After all, producing or willingly offering up such a vast quantity of merit wasn't something everyone could or would do.

And even without gaining merit, at least his karma stood resolved, granting Li Zhirui full access to the heaven-and-earth transformations post-calamity.

As a result, he alerted his clan in advance, directing his family members to ready themselves for secluded cultivation and meditation, aiming to grasp the moment for boosting their cultivation. By the calamity's conclusion, he had tuned his state perfectly and immediately settled into steady breathing, channeling every bit of focus toward grasping the Purification Principle.

The whole Primal Spirit Realm sank into a serene hush—scarcely any conflicts erupted.

This stemmed not just from most creatures eagerly seizing the golden window and loathing any time squandered, but also from the fresh end of the calamity, stirring a deep longing for tranquility among all life!

Though no tally existed for the losses across each faction and power in this grand disaster, the toll undoubtedly ran deep.

And a precise count would reveal that close to thirty percent of the Primal Spirit Realm's inhabitants, through direct or indirect means, had fallen during the calamity!

Such a staggering statistic highlighted the sheer horror of the great calamity's ravaging force.

Having endured the calamity's wrath, creatures everywhere harbored no desire to dive back into warfare so quickly—not even the Sea Clan or Demonic Tao, despite their lingering grudges.

...

With seasons cycling through springs and autumns, dozens of years slipped past in tranquil quietude.

In this era of recovery, while population numbers didn't rebound rapidly, the Primal Spirit Realm's collective power saw notable enhancement.

Additionally, throughout this span, Thunder Tribulations raged almost ceaselessly in various areas!

It appeared, for a stretch, that cultivation challenges worldwide had eased up.

However, this proved mere deception. The true reason lay in the post-calamity breakthroughs by numerous entities, sparking frequent Thunder Tribulations as a result.

Nevertheless, a close examination would show that fatalities from Thunder Tribulation vastly exceeded successful advancements.

The world simply spotlighted the triumphant few while overlooking the defeated, whose forms and spirits vanished into oblivion.

Over these decades, atop Mount Wanxian, bolts of Tribulation Thunder descended sporadically too—some kin faltered, while others prevailed.

Thanks to the Li family's diligent self-cultivation, bolstered by elixirs, and considering most of these members had weathered the fierce great calamity,

consequently, the rate of success for those facing Tribulation hit a remarkable sixty percent.

An impressively elevated figure—typically, success hovered around just forty percent.

During this cultivation phase, Li Zhirui too harvested benefits; his realm saw a modest rise—slight as it was, he felt deeply satisfied.

That said, a grave issue now confronted him: after years of devoted practice, he distinctly sensed his grasp of the Purification Principle had hit an absolute ceiling!

Not merely a temporary blockage, but a genuine boundary!

To put it plainly, further progress in mastering the Purification Principle eluded Li Zhirui.

This didn't mean he had fully conquered the Purification Principle—impossible for a Heavenly Immortal Cultivator alone—but that within the Primal Spirit Realm, no additional insights awaited him from it.

Should it be some alternate Outer World, the Laws might unfold uniquely, allowing continued study—yet the dilemma remained: where to locate such a realm?

Besides, Outer Worlds fiercely resisted and suppressed outsiders like them—why would they permit unhindered Law comprehension?

Confronting this outcome, Li Zhirui's optimal path involved braving The Void to hone and uplift his being further.

Alternatively, he could pursue transcendence outright, departing the Primal Spirit Realm!

Under those terms, Li Zhirui would shed concerns over additional cultivation hurdles—beyond the Primal Spirit Realm, such issues held no sway.

Logically, to secure his Dao Path, he should strive to tie up all loose karmic ends and ascend directly, whether that meant chasing prospects in The Void or ascending to a superior realm—both far preferable to stagnation here.

He had exhausted the Laws of this domain, extracted all possible wisdom, and could advance his cultivation not one iota more.

Still, choices like these rarely prove straightforward, leaving Li Zhirui undecided for the time being.

Particularly given the clan's precarious state—Li Zhixuan remained absent, Jiang Fengwu had secluded herself for years without emerging—if he transcended and departed, burdening Li Mingyao alone with upholding the family, the clan could truly falter!