Family Management Game In Immortal Continent Chapter 806: The Three Possibilities
The night was pitch-black, and a fierce wind howled.
The Great Formation of the Immortal Domain had been triggered.
A familiar glowing dome manifested—though this one possessed a depth far exceeding the Ding family's own defensive barrier.
Alarm bells within the Immortal Zhao Clan rang incessantly, as wave after wave of experts soared into the sky toward the shimmering ceiling.
Standing among the masses, Ding Yuanxiao did not feel even a hint of security.
Visible at the peak of the dome was another curved pillar of ice—the unmistakable mark of Li Changyao's archery technique striking once more.
While Li Changyao did not follow the strike by charging in atop the ice this time, Ding Yuanxiao still found himself involuntarily wiping cold sweat from his brow.
"Where are they?!!"
Zhao Jingmiao led the elite of the Immortal Zhao Clan, eyes darting to scan the perimeter.
Following the impact of that ice pillar, every trace of enemy aura outside the Great Formation had vanished!
The protective shield of the formation was brilliantly lit by the glow of spirit stones, yet beyond that barrier, the world was swallowed by an absolute, ink-like darkness.
From a hundred meters below the earth, the frantic cries of cultivators echoed upward.
Amidst the chaos, Zhao Jingmiao released his Primordial Spirit, probing the void outside the barrier.
"Thump! Thump! Thump!"
It was not the footsteps of the Old Ancestor he heard this time, but the frantic rhythm of his own heart!
A bead of cold sweat rolled down his temple.
Even though his Divine Soul confirmed no one was present outside, Zhao Jingmiao felt no sense of relief.
He felt like a common mortal trapped in a dark room, reaching out blindly to avoid obstacles; the mere thought of touching something unknown in that void made his heart throb with dread.
In this moment, he actually prayed for the forces of Azure Cloud Prefecture to attack—at least then, the Li family members would be visible!
Those cursed people of the Li family!
What sort of hidden power did they truly command?
They had picked off the Zhao Clan members one by one—even Ancestor Wan'er had perished by their hands.
Every trace they left behind seemed fragile and minor, yet it was enough to make the entire Zhao Clan shudder in terror!
The true variable was never the Immortal Zhao Clan, but... the Azure Cloud Li Clan!
"I can't detect a single enemy presence outside the Great Formation."
"It is the same tactic again! They move like ghosts, appearing and vanishing without a trace; a single red leaf is all they need to mask their Qi. That arrow was nothing but a test."
"Recall that even the Fourth Rank defensive formation of Prince Qian's Estate failed to halt the Li family. They could strike for real at any second."
"Zhao Jingmiao, what is the plan? What do we do now?!!"
"..."
These Divinity Transformation cultivators, who once held themselves in high esteem, were now like birds terrified by the mere sound of a bowstring.
They were consumed by fear because they saw that Clan Elder Zhao Jingmiao—a man they viewed as peerless—was just as bewildered as they were; they could see the flicker of terror in his eyes!
Nothing could be more demoralizing.
It was the Zhao family who had dismissed the Li family as insignificant.
It was the Zhao family who had commanded them to prepare for a slaughter within Azure Cloud Prefecture.
It was the Zhao family who had pledged them a glorious future.
By what right, then, did Zhao Jingmiao have to be afraid?!!
Sensing the shifting, suspicious looks from the cultivators of the subordinate clans, Zhao Jingmiao snapped back to his senses.
He forced down his internal panic and let out a sneer,
"What is there to fear?
My Zhao Clan boasts a legacy of one hundred and sixty thousand years, six mighty Void Refining realm experts, and more than fifty Divinity Transformation cultivators.
Our Great Formations, hidden techniques, and Dharma treasures all stem from ancient roots.
If the rabble of Azure Cloud dares to show themselves, they are merely inviting their own destruction!"
"My Zhao Clan is simply waiting—waiting for our traveling Clan Elders to return.
Their arrival will signal the total annihilation of the Li family!"
Upon hearing this, the various subordinate forces felt a slight easing of their tension.
"Return to your posts. This is nothing more than a cheap trick..."
But the instant Zhao Jingmiao finished speaking, his face turned pale.
Clap, clap, clap.
The rhythmic sound of clapping suddenly pierced the silence of the night.
Despite every cultivator present scanning with their Nascent Souls and Primordial Spirits, the applause felt as if it were happening right next to their ears.
"Who goes there?!!"
The crowd spun around, only to witness a figure stepping out from the shadows beyond the Great Formation.
The man stood alone, yet his mere presence forced everyone within the barrier to feel as if they were confronting a catastrophic threat.
He walked through the air, treading as casually as a wandering cloud.
Slowly, he drew closer to the gathered crowd inside the Great Formation—appearing entirely at peace!
"Li Chang'an?!!"
...
The young boy from the tiny fishing village, once the darling of local maidens who always came home with nets full of fish, had been forged by time into a sophisticated and refined gentleman.
Under the cover of night, the moon cast a soft, silvery glow.
Li Chang'an seemed to materialize from the moonlight itself, his form growing clearer to the eyes of those within the Immortal Domain.
Even his enemies—those about to engage him in a struggle for their lives—could not help but feel a secret spark of admiration at the sight of him:
Bathed in the lunar light, he looked like a statue of exquisite jade—composed, perfect, and without rival in this realm.
Polished and calm, even when facing a sea of powerful cultivators within the Great Formation of the Immortal Domain, Li Chang'an maintained the elegance he had refined over decades.
"Li Chang'an, you have the audacity to come here by yourself?" Zhao Jingmiao’s voice thundered like a physical blow.
Over the last century, Li Xinnian had ascended as the Head of the Li family, and Li Kuangren had seized the reins of the Prefecture Lord's power, leaving all external diplomacy of Azure Cloud Prefecture to Li Chang'an.
Li Chang'an’s reputation as a true gentleman was widespread; he had even cultivated friendships with high-ranking officials within the Imperial Dynasty.
However, he and Zhao Jingmiao had never crossed paths until now.
Despite Zhao Jingmiao’s aggressive shout, Li Chang'an remained still in the night air, a cyan iron fan held to his chest in his right hand while his left was tucked behind his back.
He offered a polite bow to the hostile crowd.
A soft smile never left his jade-like face.
Even in this high-stakes environment, his voice felt as refreshing as a breeze in spring.
"Chang'an has arrived to pay his respects to you seniors, and to speak plainly with you all.
The members of my Azure Cloud Li family are currently waiting in the shadows of this night.
The Zhao Clan truly has a deep foundation; my Elder Sister Changyao has tested your formation and found that shattering it is no simple task."
The sheer bluntness of Li Chang'an’s words caused a ripple of unease through the crowd.
He went on, "However, if you Fellow Daoists of Duravia Trade Prefecture were to dismantle it from the inside, it would spare my Li family significant trouble. For such a gesture, Chang'an would be profoundly grateful."
"You're dreaming!"
"Enough, Li Chang'an! On the eve of battle, do you really find it necessary to insult us?"
"We are bound together, heart and soul. Li Chang'an, do you truly believe such transparent tactics can turn us against one another?"
"Hahaha!"
Mocking laughter erupted from within the Great Formation.
Having spent centuries Cultivating, how could they not see through his intent?
He was trying to plant seeds of doubt, suggesting that betrayal was their only path to survival.
But in this conflict, their homes had been burned and half their families slaughtered.
How could such blood-feuds be forgotten?
The sounds of derision grew louder in the darkness.
Li Chang'an’s expression remained unmoved. He showed no sign of irritation or mockery.
His voice, as steady as a leaf floating on a calm pond, possessed a quality that naturally soothed the soul.
"Years ago, rumors began to circulate that His Majesty the Human Emperor was nearing the end of his life.
This is common knowledge across the realm.
The Wu Clan and the Demon Clan are restless, Prince Yu has raised his banners, and this era of chaos is an inevitability.
Without the Human Emperor to hold them back, the heavens show no mercy to our Azure Dusk Dynasty; the hidden, reclusive powers are all scrambling to carve out a piece of this empire for themselves."
The onlookers frowned, confused as to why Li Chang'an was reciting facts known to every soul under the sun.
Li Chang'an sighed softly. "Almost all of them have committed atrocities in the past that the world could not forgive, or they have undermined the peace of the Imperial Dynasty.
The Human Emperor's suppression of them was a double-edged sword.
The benefit was that for many years, the Dynasty saw no wars involving those above the Nascent Soul realm.
The cost is what we face now: in this time of upheaval, the Imperial Dynasty is riddled with internal rot because of them."
"As for my Li family, the various Daoists of Azure Cloud, and the great Immortal Clans of Duravia Trade Prefecture, we are the ones most to be pitied in this chaos. We are forced to survive in the gaps between giants, or worse, become prey for these ancient, reclusive forces."
Hearing this, Zhao Jingmiao’s heart skipped a beat.
The Zhao Clan knew nothing of the Li family’s secrets, yet the Li family seemed to have peeked behind their curtain.
"This is disastrous. Could it be... that the Li family is aware of Ancestor Buqun using the formation to plunder fortune?!!"
He immediately bellowed, "Li Chang'an, you are a master of silver-tongued diplomacy! What lies are you spinning now to deceive the masses?!!"
However, Li Chang'an did not mention the theft of fortune.
Instead, with a look of genuine pity, he said,
"My Li family has no desire to be prey, nor can we endure any more unforeseen tragedies.
Back then, we asked ourselves: how can we survive in such a fractured world?
To find safety, we made extensive preparations.
The Li family began to run simulations—calculating how we should act if ten Void Refining realm experts were to invade Azure Cloud Prefecture during this chaotic age."
"Ten?!!" Zhao Jingmiao’s face drained of color.
He was almost certain Li Chang'an wasn't bluffing.
His Zhao Clan had already seen the proof: eight Divinity Transformation cultivators had entered Azure Cloud, only to vanish like pebbles dropped into an abyss.
They had foolishly believed eight Divinity Transformation experts would be enough to bring Azure Cloud to its knees.
But... this terrifying Li family had spent years preparing to fight not Divinity Transformation experts, but Void Refining ones!
"Ten," Li Chang'an confirmed with a small nod.
"A gentleman should be transparent.
Senior, you must be an Elder of the Zhao Clan.
When I say these things, I do not mean to belittle you; I ask for your understanding."
"You..."
Ignoring Zhao Jingmiao, and under the stunned gazes of the Duravia Trade Prefecture cultivators, Li Chang'an smiled.
"But even those preparations were insufficient.
To my Li family, an unknown enemy is the greatest threat.
In a world this chaotic, we must do everything possible to mitigate risk.
In truth, there is little difference between a human and a demonic beast.
Beasts are fiercely protective of their territory, and humans are no different."
"The reclusive forces are like the apex predators among those beasts; once they have claimed a territory, they do not easily seek to invade another's.
As it happens, an elder in my clan has a deep understanding of these powerful, hidden forces."
Li Chang'an’s voice was quiet.
Yet, to Fairy Bai and Zhao Buqun, hidden within the Immortal Domain's Grotto-Heaven, his words hit like a thunderclap from the highest heavens, leaving them paralyzed.
"What are you implying?!!"
Zhao Jingmiao seemed to grasp the truth; his eyes slowly filled with bloodshot rage.
Li Chang'an looked at the horrified faces of the Duravia Trade Prefecture experts and sighed.
"The lands of these two prefectures are vast.
Finding such peace within the Azure Dusk Dynasty is rare. Yet, only we truly understood how fragile that peace was.
We knew we could not stop the eventual arrival of a force powerful enough to crush us all."
"However, there is a choice between being crushed passively and choosing to be crushed actively.
Therefore, we eventually decided to 'invite' a reclusive force—one that was slightly weaker, one that we could eventually manage—to settle here."
The night air turned freezing!
Li Chang'an’s sigh was colder than any frost outside the Immortal Domain—a chill so deep it made every soul within the Great Formation tremble.
"For such a force, there were three outcomes.
First, they might remain detached, seeking only resources; in that case, we would compete fairly.
Second, they might be honorable, willing to protect these two prefectures—that was our hope."
"And the third..."
Li Chang'an’s tone turned frigid.
In the blackness of the night, countless lights suddenly ignited—it was the army of Azure Cloud Prefecture, previously hidden outside the Immortal Domain.
Their features were obscured by the dark, yet those inside the formation could feel the murderous intent radiating from the Azure Cloud forces.
They were like a pack of starving demons.
This legion of monsters emitted cold, spectral flames that spread across the Duravia Trade Prefecture, ready to consume the prize they had set upon the table long ago!