Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 2009 1473: Thunderstorm (Part 2)

When the conversation turned to establishing contracts with clan members and pairing them up for joint training, Li Zhirui refrained from giving an immediate answer. Instead, he replied, "You must consult with the Clan Leader and the rest of the leadership regarding this. I have refrained from meddling in the affairs of the clan for many years now."

He was not truly issuing a refusal, but rather adhering to family protocol. In truth, even if he were to intervene, no one within the clan would dare to offer a word of objection.

"I understand."

Shenling nodded briefly, then beckoned to Mu Qi, and the pair set off to locate Li Debo for a formal discussion.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of a visit from the two Spirit Ancestors?"

Upon the pair’s arrival, Li Debo appeared quite startled. Although he had recently ascended to the position of Clan Leader, he was well aware that these two had spent a vast amount of time away from the family, rarely ever gracing it with their presence.

Why, mere moments after returning, would they seek him out?

Nevertheless, he kept these inner suspicions to himself, wearing a polite expression as he welcomed them.

"I wish to establish a partnership involving the clan. Our devil spirits and your clan members would choose their partners of their own volition and sign contracts of equality, then set out to undergo cultivation together in the outside world..."

"These devil spirits will not require any cultivation resources from the clan. They merely intend to utilize the prestige of your clan name to facilitate their training abroad."

It was a necessity created by circumstances; after all, the human race holds hegemony over the Primal Spirit Realm, leaving other races disadvantaged.

Furthermore, the status of a devil spirit attracts significant scrutiny. As they are exceptional spiritual objects, trouble acts like a magnet to them; they have no choice but to rely on the backing of the clan members.

"Hmm..."

Upon hearing this request, Li Debo hesitated, uncertain whether he ought to grant approval.

After a brief period of reflection, he finally spoke: "This is a grave matter. I cannot reach a decision alone. I must convene a meeting with the elders to deliberate thoroughly before I can provide the Spirit Ancestors with a definitive response."

Shenling was not disappointed, as he was well-versed in the procedural customs of the clan, especially regarding issues of such magnitude. He knew an immediate answer was unlikely.

"Then I shall await the Clan Leader’s response."

Once the two had departed, Li Debo promptly summoned the elders to present Shenling’s proposal concerning the equal contracts. He requested their perspective on the matter.

"In truth, this serves as a benefit to our members. To receive a devil spirit partner of a shared realm—one that requires zero support—even if they cannot engage in combat, their cultivation and realm are added to the total. Should danger arrive, they would be compelled to provide assistance."

"Precisely! Moreover, it fosters a stronger connection between the clan and the Spirit Ancestors. Why would we refuse such an offer?"

The majority of the elders were in favor of the arrangement.

Even those who remained non-committal voiced no genuine opposition, merely a touch of hesitation.

Consequently, the meeting concluded shortly thereafter.

When Shenling and Mu Qi returned, Li Debo lost no time in relaying the outcome of the council’s deliberations.

"Excellent! You have my thanks, Clan Leader—this must have been taxing work for you."

"Do not praise me, Spirit Ancestor. This matter required very little effort on my part."

Li Debo added, "Spirit Ancestor, I request that you bring the devil spirits here with haste upon your return. The clan still possesses many talented individuals, and they will need the opportunity to make their selections."

"Understood. You have my gratitude." This time, his thanks were genuine, echoing from his very heart.

The duo journeyed back to the Demon Spirit Star Domain with haste and selected a contingent of members eager for outside experience, planning to lead them directly to Mount Wanxian at the appointed time.

Truthfully, most devil spirits were clamoring to join, driven by a profound eagerness to explore the outside world. Having resided in the starry reaches since their inception, their curiosity for unknown territories was intense.

Moreover, as this was the inaugural trial—a blueprint for future efforts—Shenling dared not be sloppy. He hand-picked a group of exceptionally talented devil spirits to bring to Mount Wanxian.

"You may select your partners from the clan members yourself, but ensure you do not harass anyone who declines," Mu Qi instructed with a wave of his hand, allowing them to mingle and choose.

Shenling felt a flicker of regret—not for entering the partnership with the Li family, but for his lack of organization in allowing the devil spirits to roam and choose so freely.

However, the deed was done; there was no way to recall the spirits, so he simply surrendered to the situation.

...

Meanwhile, Li Chengsheng and Li Chengshuo soon discovered why Li Zhixuan had succeeded in transcending with such speed.

Sacrificing a Middle Thousand World had been a virtuous act, and the slaughter of two Heavenly Immortals during the Great Calamity had earned her substantial merit as well. Combined with the vast accumulation of her past efforts, the entire process had unfolded with ease.

Yet, knowing the path was one thing; replicating it was entirely another!

For starters, the Great Calamity had already ceased—even if it were ongoing, they were gods and could not personally involve themselves in mortal skirmishes.

Furthermore, the prospect of sacrificing a Middle Thousand World? Though they had spent years maneuvering to conquer Outer Worlds, never had they considered needing to sacrifice one.

As divinities, their existence was tethered tightly to the Primal Spirit Realm. A single Middle Thousand World would be insufficient for their needs, let alone both of them combined.

If assessed in terms of Middle Thousand Worlds, they would require the sacrifice of seven or eight!

And that calculation presumed they had exhausted all current merit—otherwise, the requirement would be even higher!

After crunching the numbers, Li Chengsheng and Li Chengshuo concluded that relying on world sacrifice was an impossible hurdle; they simply lacked the requisite strength.

In a sense, that path was barred. They had no choice but to continue with their original, long-term strategy.

This meant that time would stretch out towards an eternity. Heaven only knew how many eons would pass before they resolved their karma and finally transcended.

...

Ever since her breakthrough to the rank of Heavenly Immortal, Jiang Fengwu had been planning an expedition into The Void to refine her skills. Having finally finished her preparations, she took flight into the outer reaches.

It was not her first foray into The Void, but during her previous attempts, her cultivation was too low to venture deep into the Chaos. Now, she possessed the courage to push further.

Jiang Fengwu’s objectives were straightforward: to grasp the Chaos Dao Patterns, elevate her cultivation levels and her mastery over Array Tao, and seek out spiritual treasures to aid in her future transcendence.

Rumble——

Whether Jiang Fengwu’s luck was favorable or cursed, it was difficult to discern, for only a short time after breaching The Void, she stumbled upon an incredibly rare Chaos Thunderstorm!

Even entities born of Chaos who reside within The Void may never witness such a phenomenon in their infinite lifespans.

Yet, here it was, manifesting right before her!

Possessing nerves of iron, she did not deviate or attempt to escape. Instead, she fixed her gaze upon the tempest with glowing eyes, gripped by intense excitement rather than fear.

To her thrill, she perceived complex Chaos Dao Patterns weaving through the storm’s perimeter. She realized with absolute certainty that if she let this opportunity slip, she would regret it for the entirety of her life.

Choosing to disregard the peril of being struck, she opted to remain stationed close by.

Boom——

A gargantuan bolt of lightning descended, shattering the local Chaotic Spiritual Energy and leaving nothing but a void in its wake.

As time ticked by, the storm did not dissipate; rather, it surged with greater ferocity, its radius expanding outward.

This growth forced Jiang Fengwu to retreat, breaking her focus on the precious Chaos Dao Patterns.

Self-preservation eventually took precedence over enlightenment. However, she did not walk away entirely empty-handed.

"Hm?"

Slowly, a feeling of unease settled into Jiang Fengwu’s mind.

"Is it possible that there is some form of life residing within that storm?"

The thought sent a shiver through her very core. Her expression turned to one of alarm, and even her stable Dao Heart wavered, unable to regain its composure.

"Impossible! It must be a hallucination. How could anything survive within a tempest that annihilates everything it touches?"

Internal denials aside, she found herself haunted by the image of that shifting silhouette.

She struggled to suppress her racing thoughts, forcing herself to focus on the fleeting insights within the storm.

But soon after, the Chaos Thunderstorm began to fade, and the intricate Chaos Dao Patterns gradually dissolved into nothingness.

Not daring to linger a moment longer, Jiang Fengwu transformed into a streak of Escape Light and fled the site with all possible speed.