Chapter 2164: Joy Turns to Sorrow

The main target of the heavenly tribulation was still Huang Lao, after all, Huang Lao had the highest cultivation and greatest strength.

But even just facing a single heavenly thunder, Li He Li still couldn't cope.

As the heavenly thunder slowly dissipated, Li He Li himself also disappeared along with it.

Not even a corpse was left behind; even his aura completely dissipated, leaving no trace of his existence.

Such a heavenly tribulation of Huang Lao's level was something Li He Li could not handle, unless he also had, like Yun Xiantai, a talisman of an external incarnation equal to a being of Huang Lao's caliber.

However, although the Li Family counts as a major clan in the Immortal Realm, they haven't reached that level, so naturally they lack such a treasure.

Moreover, even if they truly possessed such a treasure, it wouldn't be on Li He Li's person.

Li He Li died, and Huang Lao's side was also shattered by the heavenly thunder.

However, it's just a matter of an external incarnation; it's no big deal.

With Li He Li's death and the dissipation of Huang Lao's external incarnation, the heavenly tribulation also slowly dispersed.

The whole heaven and earth returned to calm again, except for the mess all over the ground.

As for Yun Xiantai, he had long since fled far away, found a safe place, and cautiously began to undergo the heavenly tribulation.

For Yun Xiantai, an Immortal Realm-level heavenly tribulation gave him a good chance; at least it wasn't a hopeless situation with no chance to fight back.

Adding his prior preparations, successfully passing the tribulation should pose no problem.

Yun Xiantai peacefully underwent the tribulation; meanwhile, inside the City Lord's Manor of Wuji Xiancheng...

Li Hongyan was currently waiting with several Elders of the Li Family in the backyard for the Ancestor to successfully complete his tribulation and return.

They were just about to take action against the Dao One Immortal Sect when Li He Li broke through; for the Li Family, this was absolutely wonderful news.

From the start until now, Li Hongyan's smile never faded; he had even begun preparing a banquet, waiting for Li He Li's breakthrough and return, after which the Li Family would feast guests from all directions to show off.

"How are the banquet preparations coming along?"

Li Hongyan asked an Elder beside him; upon hearing, that Elder replied.

"We've already arranged for people to purchase the ingredients."

"Remember, we must use top-grade ingredients; this time the Ancestor's breakthrough is a great joy for our Li Family."

"Don't worry, elder brother, I understand."

This banquet that Li He Li will host will be splendid; on one hand to celebrate the Ancestor's breakthrough, and on the other to display the Li Family's strength to the outside world.

Especially those who are now in the Li Family but were formerly offerings of the Dao One Immortal Sect.

Although they have now "broken away from the Dao One Immortal Sect," Li Hongyan naturally could not fully trust them.

This is the perfect opportunity to intimidate them, so they realize that obeying the Li Family and voluntarily distancing themselves from the Dao One Immortal Sect is a very wise choice.

Li Hongyan was thinking this when suddenly a white-haired old man rushed in, his eyes full of tension and anxiety.

"Family Head, no... it's not good..."

Upon seeing Li Hongyan, he hurriedly spoke; seeing this, Li Hongyan also became doubtful.

This old man is a branch clan member of the family; because he is old and has no hope of breaking through, he was assigned the duty of guarding the Life Tablet Pavilion.

This Life Tablet Pavilion, as the name suggests, is the place where the Li Family's life tablets are kept.

Basically, everyone in the clan has a life tablet made, and they are always kept stored in the Life Tablet Pavilion.

If any abnormality occurs with a life tablet, the family can know immediately.

Given how nervous the old man is, something must have happened to someone in the family.

However, Li Hongyan isn't too concerned about this right now; at present, nothing matters more than Li He Li's breakthrough.

Let's put this aside for now; everything can be discussed after Li He Li successfully breaks through.

So, facing the old man's nervous urgency, Li Hongyan merely asked lightly.

"What's the matter?"

Not wanting to be distracted from other matters, his tone calm, but just as Li Hongyan's words fell, the old man urgently replied.

"It's terrible, Family Head, the Ancestor's life tablet... the Ancestor's life tablet has shattered."

"What did you say?"

As soon as those words were spoken, Li Hongyan went dumbfounded, his eyes widened, and he abruptly turned his head to look at the old man.

Under Li Hongyan's sharp gaze, the old man was startled, slowly regained his composure, and stammeringly repeated it again.

Upon hearing that Li He Li's life tablet had shattered, Li Hongyan and the several Family Elders present were all stunned, as if struck by lightning.

At this point, the shattering of Li He Li's life tablet can only mean one thing: he failed his heavenly tribulation.

Just how could this be..........

"Family Head, Family Head."

At that moment, Li Hongyan staggered on his feet, nearly falling to the ground; fortunately, someone nearby, quick-eyed and quick-handed, hurried to support him.

The world spun before his eyes; Li Hongyan never imagined this would be the outcome.

He was smoothly undergoing a heavenly tribulation—how did he end up failing and dying?

This turned a great joy into a great sorrow; such a huge shift left Li Hongyan unable to accept it at once.

I had thought that with the Ancestor's breakthrough we could nicely showcase the Li Family's strength; now, the strength hasn't even been shown yet, and the joke has arrived.

Several Elders surrounded Li Hongyan, some producing medicinal pills, others expressing concern and asking.

After taking the pills and drawing a few deep breaths, Li Hongyan slowly recovered a bit.

Then, with a dark face, he instructed those present.

"This matter must absolutely not be told to anyone; seal the information, do not let it spread."

"Yes."

"This matter certainly can't be kept hidden forever, but for now we can't broadcast it widely."

Having said that, Li Hongyan's teeth ground together as he spoke coldly.

"Dao One Immortal Sect, it's all the Dao One Immortal Sect's fault—I will surely destroy this sect."

No matter how you say it, it's definitely the Dao One Immortal Sect's fault.

Upon hearing that, the others around also didn't speak up to refute; at this point, Li Hongyan's condition was clearly off.

Soon, Li Hongyan was taken back to his/her residence to rest by two Elders, and that old man also returned to the Life Tablet Hall.

Meanwhile, the others began to suppress the news of Li Hel's failed breakthrough and his death.

Meanwhile, inside the Dao One Immortal Sect, in the canteen, Yun Xiantai, who had just successfully broken through and returned, was relating his/her dangerous experiences to the crowd.

Ye Zhangqing, Qi Xiong, Wu Shou, Hong Zun—the crowd found it wonderfully exciting, full of twists and turns.

"You don't know, during this Heavenly Tribulation, I almost died; I had left the Sect intending to find a deserted place to undergo the tribulation, but who would have thought I inexplicably charged into someone else's Heavenly Thunder."

"That person's cultivation is not low; the Heavenly Thunder above his head is simply earth-shattering, but when that Heavenly Thunder struck toward me, I felt I might not be able to pass this trial."

"That Heavenly Thunder was simply beyond what I could handle; at that moment I thought, if I were to die under this Heavenly Thunder, then so be it—who would have expected that, in my desperation, I suddenly..................."