Chapter 66

After Yang Lingrui was taken away by Pei Xuejian, Li Cheng remained restless, anxiously waiting in his attic.

This situation was entirely beyond his expectations.

He never imagined the talismans crafted by the Yang Family would catch the Su Family’s interest.

Yang Lingrui had attended the ceremonial gathering at his invitation; if any harm came to him, Li Cheng would truly become the "vicious villain" Li Qingwan accused him of being, dooming the Yang Family.

“Young Master Li, I’ve brought Fellow Daoist Lingrui back.”

Hearing Pei Xuejian’s voice outside the attic, Li Cheng vaulted through the window.

Relief initially washed over him, but the sight of Yang Lingrui’s pallid face ignited fury in his eyes.

“Friend Pei, what happened to Lingrui? You promised to return him unharmed!”

Li Cheng steadied Yang Lingrui, whose feeble state resembled that of someone tortured.

“Heh, Fellow Daoist Lingrui’s life isn’t threatened. Isn’t that ‘unharmed’ enough?”

Pei Xuejian smirked, offering no explanation for Li Cheng’s accusation.

“So this is how the noble Su Family treats guests? What an eye-opening spectacle!”

“Young Master Li,” Pei Xuejian’s voice turned icy, “the Su Family’s methods are not for outsiders to question.”

A single sarcastic remark from Li Cheng darkened Pei Xuejian’s expression.

Yang Lingrui hastily interjected, “Young Master Li, I’m fine. Young Master Su merely wished to buy our talismans. My current state is my own fault—I grew overexcited and lost control of my qi.”

“Lingrui, I…”

Li Cheng’s chest tightened. He saw through the flimsy excuse but barely opened his mouth to retort before Pei Xuejian’s cold chuckle cut him off.

“How amusing that Young Master Li still has energy to meddle in others’ affairs.”

Pei Xuejian’s gaze taunted him. “Were I you, I’d prioritize accompanying Elder Yuande and courting Miss Qingwan.”

Li Cheng froze. The fire in his eyes died, leaving hollow defeat.

Yang Lingrui watched silently, not daring to speak.

Pei Xuejian glanced at their expressions with disdain. “My task is done. Farewell.”

With a flick of his sleeve, he vanished into the illusion array.

“Young Master Li… Li Cheng!”

When Li Cheng remained unresponsive, Yang Lingrui barked his name.

Li Cheng jolted back to awareness, avoiding Yang Lingrui’s gaze until steadying his breath.

“I’m fine. Let’s return.”

They walked home in heavy silence.

Yang Lingrui lacked strength even to speak.

Li Cheng moved like a man drained of purpose.

Only upon reaching the Residence did Li Cheng collapse onto a mat, exhaling a long, shuddering breath.

“How is the Su Family?”

“I dare not speak of it.”

“Are they truly purchasing your family’s talismans?”

“Yes. A hundred divine movement talismans. The spiritual crystals are in this bag.”

Li Cheng accepted the storage bag and swept his divine awareness through it.

“Five hundred extra?”

“Compensation for me.”

“Damn! This is just…”

Li Cheng nearly exploded in anger, but Pei Xuejian’s parting words still echoed in his mind, forcing him to swallow his rage.

Yang Lingrui propped himself against the headboard, offering a weak smile. “Stop overthinking. Suffering through this ordeal for five hundred spiritual crystals? We’re turning a profit.”

“You! How can you joke after nearly dying?!”

“Heh. Cough, cough…”

Li Cheng retrieved three rejuvenating elixirs from the bag.

These superior-quality elixirs for late-stage Gathering Qi cultivators were worth three hundred spiritual crystals each. A single dose would heal most of Yang Lingrui’s injuries within hours.

Yet Yang Lingrui refused to touch them, distrusting anything from the Su Family. He’d rather sell them for plain crystals.

“Not taking these? How will you heal?”

“Aren’t you the Li Family’s second young master? Don’t you keep healing pills? Take the crystals from the bag if needed.”

The gloomy Li Cheng actually chuckled at this. He fished out two mid-stage Gathering Qi replenishing pills from his own pouch and tossed them over.

Half an hour of meditation after swallowing the pills restored Yang Lingrui to half-strength. Opening his eyes, he found Li Cheng brooding by the window.

Yang Lingrui had heard Pei Xuejian’s warning too. Combined with Su Lingyun and Old Qin’s earlier conversation, the picture became clear.

“Elder Li Yuande and Young Miss Li…”

“Hn.”

Li Cheng’s curt reply confirmed Yang Lingrui’s unspoken question.

“This storm’s too big. The Yang Family can’t get involved. I can’t help you.”

“I know.”

“But we’ll remember your recommendation favor.”

“Tch.” Li Cheng leaned on the windowsill, shaking his head. “Meaningless words now.”

Silence fell between them. The saying “no grief exceeds dead hopes” fit Li Cheng perfectly – his former vigor utterly extinguished.

Yang Lingrui swallowed his unspoken thoughts. The Li Family’s rot ran too deep. Not even a Condensing Essence cultivator’s backing could salvage it now.

Merely imagining Li Cheng’s burden made Yang Lingrui feel suffocated. That the man had endured this secret for years spoke volumes about his resilience.

Leaving two more replenishing pills, Li Cheng turned to leave. His parting words hung heavy:

“My family’s doomed. Yours still has hope. Stay vigilant – don’t get swallowed like we did.”

Alone, Yang Lingrui pondered the warning. To the world, the Yang Family remained insignificant – their apparent shortsightedness hiding untapped potential.

Properly nurtured, they might yet thrive between empires, sects, and great clans. But everything hinged on producing a Condensing Essence cultivator.

Yang Lingrui’s eyes snapped open. The burden fell on him. Fail to reach the Condensing Essence stage, and they’d end like the Lis – carcasses for vultures.

Yet hope remained. “We hold the land and the people’s hearts. With the Immortal Master’s presence, we’ll seize our destiny!”

Calm washed over him… until icy fury replaced it. Three faces burned in his memory – Pei Xuejian, Su Lingyun, Old Qin.

Today’s humiliation was carved into his bones.

“The Su Family will wait. A gentleman’s vengeance needs no hurry. I’ll repay every slight in full measure.”