Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 2017 1477: Ambition (Part 2)

Clang, clang, clang—

Amidst the sudden wave of confusion and unease sweeping through the air, the heavy resonant chime of a bell echoed from the heights of Mount Wanxian.

"What is happening?"

Whether it was the abrupt activation of the Great Array moments ago or the booming bell now, the entire scene felt fraught with a strange and unsettling atmosphere.

The surroundings remained peaceful, with no apparent external threat or hidden dangers within the walls, leaving everyone to wonder: what purpose could these dramatic, sequential actions possibly serve?

Several sharp-minded members of the clan had already inferred the truth connecting these disparate events—the Clan Leader, Li Debo, was behind it all.

Only a select few held the capability to execute both feats simultaneously. With ancestors like Li Zhirui and Li Mingyao dismissed as candidates, Li Debo remained the sole source of doubt.

Plagued by growing skepticism, the members gathered in the square per his summons. Despite their confusion, his authority as Clan Leader dictated obedience, barring extraordinary circumstances.

A handful of individuals harboring guilty secrets found the situation deeply ominous, though they struggled to identify exactly why they felt so exposed.

They longed to avoid the assembly entirely, yet lacked the courage to do so. Moreover, with the Mountain Protection Array fully deployed, escape was a pipe dream.

Only after the entirety of the Mount Wanxian community, particularly the Elders, had congregated did Li Debo finally make his presence known.

"I have assembled you all today to disclose a matter of grave importance. The weight of this situation demands that every one of you serves as a witness!"

His proclamation triggered varied reactions throughout the ranks—faces tightened with apprehension, while others paled with quiet dread.

Most assumed the issue originated from outside threats, never suspecting that the true storm was brewing within. Even the Elders remained blissfully unaware of the catastrophe descending upon them.

"Li Chongtong, Li Deyun, Li Dee..."

Li Debo reeled off a list of over twenty names in a single breath. The realization struck the clan instantly—every single one of them was an Elder!

Upon hearing their names, those singled out suffered sudden heart palpitations, their features hardening in terror. Only then did the reality of their predicament dawn upon them.

"During the investigation into the East Sea campaign, it was revealed that you colluded to siphon a massive quantity of spiritual objects; the evidence is air-tight. By the dictates of clan law, your Dantian and sea of consciousness shall be sealed, and you are to be committed to lifelong imprisonment in Immortal City. Not a single step beyond your confines is permitted!" Li Debo’s tone was glacial as he laid down their sentence.

Immortal City stood as the nearest settlement for mortals near the Ten Thousand Immortals Mountain Range. Because it lacked defensive walls against devil beasts due to its proximity to the Li clan, the city had experienced explosive, unrestricted growth, ballooning into a sprawling metropolis of over a million people.

While life imprisonment might sound like a simple loss of liberty, for those familiar with the reality of Immortal City, the sentence was a nightmare. The very mention of the city sent shockwaves of horror through the crowd.

The truth was that in those wretched streets, men were kept essentially as studs—forcibly bred with countless female cultivators to churn out offspring until their bodies were drained entirely of life.

"No! I will not accept this!"

A few of the condemned began to thrash, howling in despair, refusing to accept such a hollow end.

"I refuse to be framed! Words are not proof—what evidence do you possess that I embezzled from the clan? You have no authority to confine me to such a place!"

"Hmph!"

Li Debo let out a sharp, frigid huff. "You demand evidence? How do you justify the illicit spiritual items discovered in your own Cave Mansion?"

Prior to collecting the Elders, he had dispatched others to raid their private chambers, securing concrete proof of their theft.

Outside of these caches, physical evidence was scarce. Should they continue to resist, Li Debo would have been forced to use more coercive measures, though that would have invited undesirable repercussions.

Confronted with the discovery of their stashes, the accused finally fell into a deathly silence, collapsing to the ground like discarded debris.

Roar!

Yet, a few reckless individuals remained defiant, clinging to their denial. They attempted to stir up riots on Mount Wanxian, hoping to spark enough chaos to facilitate an escape.

"Seeking your own demise!"

If Li Debo had felt mere anger before, he was now consumed by a murderous intent. The sight of them rampant and brazen made him yearn to extinguish them right then and there.

However, personal intervention proved unnecessary. With the Mountain Protection Array fully activated, the rebellion was stifled instantly by crushing starlight, rendering their struggles utterly futile.

"Your audacity knows no bounds! Not only do you refuse to repent, but you actively attempt to shed the blood of your kin—such treachery is a capital offense!"

Li Debo aimed to solidify a lasting lesson here, teaching the entire clan that turning one's blade against their own blood was a sin beyond redemption.

"Clan Leader, please temper your judgment! Contemplate their former contributions to the clan and grant them mercy!"

An Elder stepped forward, voice trembling, pleading on behalf of the doomed men.

"Indeed, Clan Leader, we beg for leniency!"

Others echoed the call, their spirits stirred by a classic case of the fox mourning the dead rabbit.

Yielding to the collective pressure, Li Debo eventually agreed to spare the lives of the rebels. Upon reflection, he realized that killing them in a fit of rage—even if justified—could be twisted against him, leaving his reputation vulnerable to future slander.

Following the event, Li Debo established new protocols to manage the fallout. He issued stern warnings to the clan to learn from this disgrace before finally dismissing the assembly.

"Ancestor Zhirui, I offer my gratitude for your support." He gave a profound, respectful bow.

"It was no trouble."

Li Zhirui had monitored the entire proceedings from the shadows, prepared to intervene had Li Debo lost his grip on the situation.

Fortunately, Li Debo displayed enough competence to resolve the crisis without further escalation.

"If there is nothing else, I shall depart."

"We respectfully send off Ancestor Zhirui!"

The sentencing of the Elders was merely the opening act; endless organizational matters still awaited the Clan Leader’s attention.

Understanding this, Li Zhirui took his leave promptly.

In the succeeding weeks, the Li clan carried out frequent arrests, targeting those involved in the embezzlement of spiritual goods.

Sentences were doled out based on the severity of the theft: ranging from the mandatory replenishment of the clan's treasury to the sealing of meridians and exile to Immortal City, where they would serve the clan's future by breeding progeny.

Following this thorough purge and rectification, the atmosphere within the Li clan underwent a massive improvement.

Li Debo’s standing, previously lukewarm among the common folk, began to rise sharply.

Once he increased the monthly stipend by ten percent and ensured it was paid out honestly and on time, his popularity reached unprecedented heights!

... The story threads now begin to diverge, each pursuing its own path.

East Sea—after months of arduous trekking, the Sea Clan army finished their retreat from the West Continent, returning to home waters.

Their arrival triggered an immediate alert among the Nascent Soul cultivators of the Immortal Tao, who commanded an emergency withdrawal.

They could not be bothered to worry about those who ignored the warning—if someone insisted on throwing their life away, they were beyond help.

As for the Li family? They had already vanished from the East Sea a fortnight prior.

"Those deceptive and sly cultivators! We rush back, exhausted and worn, only to find them avoiding a proper face-off!"

As the Sea Clan marched their legions to seize back the East Sea, they found only an empty void where the enemy had stood. A Heavenly Immortal Water Demon growled in pure, indignant frustration.