"Father!"
Li Zhiheng disappeared from the cloudy sky, his aura completely vanishing. Li Yuanshang stared blankly at the spot where Li Zhiheng had just been.
Ripples swept through the cloud layer, spreading toward the entirety of Azure Cloud Prefecture. An incredibly profound Dao rhythm reached every corner of the prefecture.
Such a phenomenon only occurred when a mighty figure assimilated their Dao into the world.
Just as Li Yuanshang's mind flashed through scenes of his father's life like a spinning lantern, he suddenly froze. His father's voice echoed in his ear: "I am still here."
Driven by some inexplicable urge, he scooped up a handful of yellow earth from the ground and turned to his mother, Sun Sixiu, whose eyes were already red. "Mother, Dad is here."
Sun Sixiu didn't find it strange either. Reaching out to caress a nearby tree, she wept tears of joy.
"Yes, children, he is everywhere!"
The descendants of the Immortal Martial lineage looked around in all directions; they were deeply shocked and found it utterly unbelievable!
Every single place carried Li Zhiheng's aura.
Placing a hand on the ground.
"Thump... thump..."
The rhythm of a heartbeat echoed in their ears!
...
Li Wei emerged from his secluded cultivation.
Everyone in Azure Cloud Prefecture was experiencing the changes currently occurring within the prefecture.
They could feel that the very soil of Azure Cloud Prefecture... seemed to have come alive!
[Your descendant Li Zhiheng has broken through to the Body Integration realm and comprehended the true essence of Illusion and Reality.
Much like the 'Red Dust Realm' taught by the six Masters of the Martial Academy, he combined the Body Integration Dao rhythm with the flesh-and-blood illusions of the Heavenly Dao Divine Heart and its ability to refine heaven and earth karmic luck into reality, using himself as the Dao to assimilate into the lands of Azure Cloud Prefecture!]
[Your descendant Li Zhiheng has acquired the Trait: Will of Azure Cloud]
[Fusing techniques, immortal methods, and Dao paths such as the 'Red Dust Realm', 'Rebirth', and the 'Dao Path of Illusion and Reality', and empowered by the karmic luck of Azure Cloud Prefecture, he now dominates this entire land.
The Heavenly Dao Divine Heart and Li Zhiheng have assimilated into Azure Cloud.]
[The Heavenly Dao Divine Heart advanced alongside Li Zhiheng. Breaking through to Body Integration, its immortal methods have adapted once more.]
[Acquired Immortal Method: Turn Illusion into Reality]
[Advanced from the immortal method 'Rebirth'.
Through the heaven and earth karmic luck of Azure Cloud Prefecture, it can gather the vitality, spiritual qi, and death qi of Azure Cloud Prefecture. However, all things in the world abide by the law of conservation; turning illusion into reality also requires time and a price.]
[Acquired Immortal Method: Azure Cloud Realm]
[The Azure Cloud Realm is his foundation, transformed from the 'Inner Soul World'. Blending illusion and reality with the Dao, it instantly manifests illusions when fighting enemies.]
[Immortal Method...]
A massive pile of immortal methods!
Li Wei realized that he might have vastly underestimated the Heavenly Dao Divine Heart, the Zhao Clan, and the six Masters of the Martial Academy.
Or rather, to a certain extent, he had become another Heavenly Dao beneath the world's overarching Heavenly Dao, independently ruling over Azure Cloud Prefecture.
And now.
Li Zhiheng's 'Azure Cloud Realm' was using the Immortal Martial Grotto-Heaven as a starting point to expand across the entirety of Azure Cloud Prefecture.
If it were anywhere else, Li Zhiheng's 'Azure Cloud Realm' might not have gained approval—after all, acquiring the Heavenly Dao will of any given place required various methods.
But Azure Cloud Prefecture was different.
The people, objects, and even the karmic luck here were completely under the family's control. It wouldn't be long before Li Zhiheng would...
Become Azure Cloud Prefecture!
At the same time, this meant that Li Zhiheng was omnipresent. If any enemy appeared in Azure Cloud Prefecture, they could never escape Li Zhiheng's eyes.
Furthermore, his 'Azure Cloud Realm' could form illusions in any location; once the illusions invaded an opponent, he could easily kill anyone at the Nascent Soul realm.
There was also the terrifying immortal method 'Turn Illusion into Reality', which was simply a heaven-defying existence.
Just as its name implied, it turned something that didn't exist into something real!
Of course, it wasn't so heaven-defying that it had no limits. All things in the universe operate according to their own rules. Just like a designer, without a blueprint and a design, one cannot realize what is in their mind.
Energy and heaven and earth spiritual qi did not appear out of thin air either; just like everything within the Heavenly Dao Divine Heart, it required sufficient flesh, blood, and karmic luck to operate.
But given enough time?
Li Zhiheng was now the entirety of Azure Cloud Prefecture. His 'Azure Cloud Realm' encompassed everything within Azure Cloud Prefecture, and it could even expand!
There was only one word Li Wei could think of... 'Creator'.
"Holy crap... he... hehehe."
Li Wei giggled foolishly. He realized the family now possessed a massive golden finger, and that was...
Li Zhiheng!
......
Li Zhiheng walked amidst the illusions.
Passing the bustling market, he stepped into the red leaves; there lay the City of Merit.
In the City of Merit, he stood outside a delivery room. His father, who was usually very strict, was pacing anxiously back and forth outside the door. This was the first time in his life he had seen his father in such a panic.
It wasn't until the sound of a bottom being slapped echoed from inside the room, followed by a loud wail, that he finally saw his mother and father in the delivery room.
His father laughed loudly, "Hahaha, my son is premature. Look at that little head of his, he's definitely going to be an innocent, simple-minded fool."
"Who calls their own child a fool?"
"A fool is good. It's good to be a fool."
His father ran everywhere holding him, bowing to the elders one by one, burning incense, and happily shouting to the Old Ancestor,
"Old Ancestor, in this life, your child hopes that this boy will never walk the path your child has taken. I hope he marries a good wife and stays away from worldly affairs.
We shall name him Zhiheng. May he know when to stop in his life, and remain balanced and steady, unlike your child who was born into and walks amidst danger."
"Father..."
Li Zhiheng lowered his head. He had never known that when his father used to call him a fool, he truly wanted him to be one.
Thinking about it now, his father always locking him in solitary confinement was out of fear that he would be tainted by the filth of the world.
He had spent many peaceful years protected by his father just like this.
Just as he wanted to take a step forward, the Li Xinnian before his eyes vanished.
When he saw him again, he had already embarked on the path of cultivation.
His three children were born. Two of them ran around everywhere, and the family was in deep poverty.
Yuanshang wasn't that fat yet. He spoke solemnly to Yuanwu:
"Big Brother, I want to go to the Imperial Capital. Our Hall of Heavenly Principle is operating very well, and the Old Ancestor has bestowed upon us the secret mercantile scripture.
If we go to the Imperial Capital, we will definitely be able to stretch our wings. You like to practice martial arts, and we will have pills for that too."
"Then what about Father and Mother?" Li Yuanwu was practicing martial arts, sweating like rain.
"My advice is to stay and practice martial arts with me. There will always be a day we make our mark.
Your aptitude is much better than mine; you won't have to worry no matter how many pills you consume."
"Father has always loved martial arts. He doesn't really like me. I think too much; I love money and I am greedy."
Li Yuanshang lowered his head.
Li Yuanwu walked over and patted his younger brother's shoulder.
"Nonsense. In Father's eyes, we are all the same. It's just that Grandfather makes him cultivate hard, so sometimes he neglects us."
The scene before his eyes dissipated like smoke once again. Everything Li Zhiheng had neglected during his cultivation days surfaced before his eyes one by one.
Li Zhiheng's face was covered in tears. Yuanwu was already gone.
Thump... thump...
A heart was beating. A voice filled with temptation echoed in his consciousness:
"You are now the will of Azure Cloud Prefecture. You can create everything, and restore everything you have lost..."
Li Zhiheng's eyes grew hazy; he was tempted.
But suddenly.
"Bang!"
"Ah!!!"
The Heavenly Dao Divine Heart let out a shrill scream, and footsteps drew closer and closer.
Li Zhiheng, who had unknowingly knelt on the ground, suddenly jolted awake. He raised his head and saw Li Yaowen's face.
"High Ancestor."
A trace of bewilderment flashed through Li Zhiheng's eyes. He knew he had almost been bewitched by the Heavenly Dao Divine Heart.
"A person's life always has regrets."
Li Yaowen looked down at the child of the family, her smile gentle.
"Always remember to maintain your original heart. Treasuring what is right in front of you is the most important thing."