Homecoming: Old Li, Light as a Feather, and the End of the Battle

In the blink of an eye, the Golden Money Tree had already carried them to Qinghe County.

They landed in their own courtyard.

Even from a distance, Li Mo could sense the earth-shaking commotion coming from the direction of Red Maple Mountain.

Dozens of Inner Realm and even Outer Realm experts were clashing, their battle no less destructive than a natural disaster.

"I must return to join the fight."

After setting everyone down, Qian Bufan stood with his hands behind his back, his short and stout figure radiating an imposing aura.

"You all have no further business, correct?"

The group shook their heads in unison.

"Elder Qian."

Li Mo stepped forward and spoke earnestly:

"Han Zhen was the Grand Preceptor of the former Great Shang Kingdom. His methods are bizarre and intricate. Now that he’s joined forces with the Demon Summoning Sect, who knows what underhanded tricks he might employ? Please be extra cautious, honored elders."

He had already checked with his Heavenly Fate Divine Eye.

Elder Qian might suffer minor injuries this time, but nothing serious.

He was just giving a casual reminder.

"Grand Preceptor of Great Shang..."

Qian Bufan narrowed his beady eyes and nodded:

"Rest assured. Thanks to you, we’ve gained the upper hand in anticipating the enemy. With Elder Brother Shangguan and the Lord of the Blazing Jade Forest present, no major chaos will arise."

"Your contribution will be duly rewarded by the sect."

"It was merely my duty as a disciple."

Li Mo clasped his hands in salute.

Truthfully, he had only taken a casual glance at the time—never expecting to reel in such a big fish.

The elders of the Qingyuan Sect were reliable, after all. Even Sect Master Shangguan had personally arrived.

By the time this was over, a fair share of the credit would likely be attributed to him.

Qian Bufan soared into the sky and vanished.

"Whew... I can’t rest yet."

Li Mo relaxed his body, but after the intense battle and the shattering of space, he felt utterly drained, as if even lifting a finger was too much effort.

"Son."

The familiar voices echoed in his ears—twice.

Before he could even resist, his eyelids grew heavy, and he succumbed to sleep.

Snore...

Li Mo was out cold.

The middle-aged couple stared silently at their son, who had slumped against Ying Bing and fallen asleep.

Earlier, Shang Wu had also been napping.

The moment their son returned home, he passed out instantly.

Just what had he been learning from Shang Wu?

"Servants, take the young master to his room."

After checking Li Mo’s condition—though his upper robe was in tatters, he bore no injuries—the couple sighed in relief and instructed the attendants to carry him away.

"If he’s just sleeping all day under Elder Shang Wu’s tutelage, fine. But please, don’t let him pick up any other... unsavory habits."

Li Dalong’s face was etched with worry.

Originally, his son had been a bit mischievous, so he’d sent him to the Qingyuan Sect to temper his character while learning useful skills.

Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined Li Mo would end up as Shang Wu’s disciple!

If he was mischievous before, wouldn’t he become downright insufferable now?

"Dear."

Gu Xueqin tugged at her husband’s sleeve.

Snapping back to reality, Li Dalong cupped his hands toward the gathered youths:

"Young heroes, my son has caused you all much trouble. Thank you for your care."

"Our humble residence has prepared a feast. Please..."

As a man of rank, Li Dalong was no stranger to formalities.

A glance at their attire told him these young martial artists were no ordinary talents—each hailed from prestigious sects, the cream of the crop.

Among them were disciples of the Blazing Jade Forest, the Gangdou Sect, and even true inheritors of the Qingyuan Sect.

Any one of them would command the utmost respect from even the county magistrate.

And then there was that swordsman from the Hengyun Sword Citadel—a true powerhouse sect spanning entire regions.

Moreover, Li Dalong recognized him from portraits.

Bai Jinghong!

A prodigy of the Hidden Dragon Ranking, his status surpassing even the sons of dukes and marquises.

Whoosh—

Yet before Li Dalong could finish speaking—

"Uncle, you flatter us!"

The burly Tie Qi bowed so deeply his forehead nearly scraped the floor.

"Greetings, Uncle and Aunt!"

Ouyang flicked his sleeves with a flourish.

Bai Jinghong and Luo Yu had initially planned to offer a simple salute, but then—

A certain icy gaze swept over them, deliberate or not.

The frosty stare of a certain ice block.

"Greetings, Uncle and Aunt!"

The two straightened instantly, their movements synchronized.

The others naturally followed suit.

If one replaced "Uncle and Aunt" with "Big bro and sis, happy New Year,"

The scene would’ve been indistinguishable from a certain underground organization’s annual gathering.

Honestly.

The vibe was uncannily similar.

Meanwhile, fifty miles away, the battle raged like New Year’s firecrackers.

Li Dalong froze, nearly blurting out, "Rise, my loyal subjects."

Fortunately, Gu Xueqin knew her husband’s tendencies and pinched his waist in time.

With an awkward chuckle, Li Dalong waved his hands:

"No need for such formalities, no need... Please, go ahead and eat."

"Bing’er, lead our young guests to the hall."

"Mm."

...

The couple watched as the group of elite talents obediently trailed behind Ying Bing into the reception hall.

Li Dalong felt as if waking from a dream, his body tingling with exhilaration.

This feels amazing.

Why was the sun so radiant today? Why were the flowers so vibrant?

Old Li was practically floating.

"Since when are genius martial artists this... polite?"

Gu Xueqin was baffled.

"Didn’t you notice?"

Li Dalong withdrew his gaze, pausing before continuing.

"Notice what?"

"These sect disciples all seem to regard Bing’er with reverence—almost as if they defer to her leadership."

Li Dalong spoke with solemn realization.

He had long known that Ying Bing was now the direct disciple of the Qingyuan Sect's sect master.

But status alone was certainly not enough to earn such deference from other prodigies of her generation.

"It can only mean that Ying Bing's talent and brilliance have compelled them to willingly bow before her."

"I always said Ying Bing was extraordinary—calm, composed, and wise."

Gu Xueqin was overjoyed.

Li Dalong smacked his lips.

He wondered if his own brat had managed to learn anything useful.

He’d have to wait until the boy woke up to ask.

Meanwhile, on the other side.

The battle between the two sides had reached its peak.

The disciples of the Demon-summoning Cult gathered around Han Zhen, forming what seemed like an intangible array.

This array was neither for offense nor defense.

Its purpose was to call forth a certain existence.

Boom—

The sky darkened as if shrouded by an inescapable shadow, pressing down like a storm about to break. An overwhelming aura of malevolence gathered, as if something terrifying was about to descend.

Everyone present felt suffocated.

Suddenly.

A figure appeared at the center of the battlefield.

Shangguan Wencang.

He did not unleash any domain, yet all barriers were meaningless before him. His presence was overwhelmingly powerful.

With a casual wave, the clouds in the sky gathered, forming a colossal hand.

This single palm strike carried the momentum to seize stars.

It was the pinnacle of force, pure law, and condensed essence.

"Shangguan Wencang is just one step away from the Dharma Body."

The white-browed elder from the Hengyun Sword City sighed softly, withdrawing the dangerous sword energy swirling around him.

When external phenomena solidify into reality, and all mysteries return to the self,

When every gesture becomes akin to divine power—

That is the Dharma Body.

Boom—

The array presided over by Han Zhen shattered instantly.

Amid the chaotic energy, his figure suddenly split into countless blood shadows, scattering across the sky.

This wasn’t him being obliterated—it was an escape.

The others weren’t so fortunate.

They were all crushed into the ground by the cloud-formed hand, unable to move.

The long-depleted remains of the Palm Mystery relic fell into Shangguan Wencang’s grasp.

His face showed no joy, only deep contemplation.

"Li Mo said the one who escaped was the former Great Shang Kingdom’s Grand Preceptor," Qian Bufan said softly as he approached.

Shangguan Wencang’s expression darkened. After a long silence, he sighed.

"Troubled times indeed."

"We’ll need to question Li Mo to understand the details of what happened in the secret realm."

Qian Bufan glanced at Yin Huaxuan, who was being dragged over by Shang Wu, half-dead, and couldn’t help but sigh.

"If not for him, nearly thirty percent of our sect’s elite would have perished in the Blood Phoenix Secret Realm, leaving us with a crippled future generation."

"We’ll discuss sect matters later."

Shangguan Wencang turned, his voice resonating through the clouds:

"All of you, come. We must speak."