Chapter 342: The Ten Thousand Streams Return to the Ancestral Root

Yunzhou, Emperor Tianzhao Divine General's Mansion.

The Wang family, Pingchuan Courtyard.

Within the secluded, refined courtyard, only a few elderly servants attended; the grounds were utterly quiet, the birds perched on the branches—until suddenly, a frantic voice from within startled them, sending them fluttering away.

In the main hall of the courtyard, Li Li Jiangying and Li Li Rumeng, brother and sister, stared anxiously at the elderly man before them.

"Grandfather, we just felt our ancestor's call—Qingzhou is in trouble!"

"Please, go save our father and mother."

Both were pleading with the old man— their grandfather, Wang Zhenping, the sixth elder of the Wang family.

Earlier, while cultivating in the courtyard, their bloodlines had suddenly surged, sensing a series of distant ancestral cries calling them home.

They knew this was the Blood Invocation technique—a last resort that sacrificed an ancestor's spirit when the Li family faced annihilation.

When bloodline resonance activated, all who carried Li blood would sense it and rush to gather.

Wang Zhenping's face darkened; he had already received intelligence of Qingzhou's plight, but never imagined it had deteriorated to this—forcing the ancestral Blood Invocation, a sign of utter desperation.

The Wang family lay a million miles from Qingzhou, too distant—even if an army were dispatched, by the time reinforcements arrived, the outcome would be sealed, victory or defeat, beyond influence.

Though the Wang and Li families were connected by marriage, they were too far apart and rarely in contact; even in dire straits, mutual aid was nearly impossible. Far relatives are no match for close neighbors, let alone two ends of the Great Yu Dynasty.

Thinking of his beloved only daughter still trapped in Qingzhou, his heart clenched—he had fiercely opposed that marriage, but his daughter had insisted on marrying Li's eighth son.

Yet after marrying in, she had not found the happiness he imagined; she often wrote letters home complaining, leaving him deeply unsettled.

But in this age, divorce without cause after marriage was unthinkable—especially since the Li family was a Divine General's Mansion, and her husband a general guarding a province. To complain her husband was often away on campaign and demand divorce would turn the entire Wang family into a laughingstock at court, despised by all under heaven.

Besides, their children were already grown—they could only endure.

Now, with Qingzhou in peril, his daughter would likely perish with it.

"This Li family is utterly incompetent!"

Wang Zhenping's face was grim; he looked at his grandchildren, his anger subsiding, and said:

"It's too late to mobilize the Wang army. I'll go myself—bring your mother back. I hope it's not too late."

Seeing their grandfather agree, both were overjoyed, immediately kowtowing in thanks.

Seeing how dutiful the young ones were, Wang Zhenping's fury eased slightly—these two sensible children were the only comfort he'd had in years.

"Grandfather, we're coming too," Li Li Rumeng said immediately after kowtowing.

Wang Zhenping's expression changed sharply: "You stay here. Go nowhere!"

"But this is the ancestral Blood Invocation—if we don't go, we'll never be able to face our ancestors…" Li Li Jiangying said, fear flickering in his eyes.

Wang Zhenping took a deep breath—he knew. If distant collateral branches who had left the Divine General's Mansion centuries ago failed to appear, it was understandable; their ties were long gone. But if the current direct line failed to show, they'd never dare return.

"I don't even know if I'll make it in time for your mother—if I don't, you two are the last of the Li bloodline. With your Spirit Traveling realm cultivation, rushing there now is meaningless."

Wang Zhenping said sternly: "If the Li family survives this catastrophe, I'll personally go to explain to them. Given their situation then, I don't believe they'll dare deny you!"

The siblings exchanged glances, faces pale; Li Li Rumeng clenched her fingers tightly, her face filled with dread.

But Li Li Jiangying suddenly said: "Grandfather, what if we go to Mo River first?"

Wang Zhenping froze, realizing he'd been foolish—of course! Why hadn't he thought of that?

If they went to Mo River, even the ancestral Blood Invocation would be blocked. And since one couldn't simply leave Mo River at will, they'd have a valid excuse for not appearing.

His eyes brightened slightly as he looked at Li Li Jiangying and smiled:

"Good grandson—you're clever. I'll send your Xianzhou uncle right away to fetch you. Take you to the Yin-Sha level Mo River. You've already studied its conditions and past passage records. If you're lucky, with your Spirit Traveling realm, you might pass it—that's 1000 merit points. Work hard!"

They had been brought to the Wang family originally because the Merit Treasury had opened.

The treasures within could be exchanged for anything—so dazzling, that with merit alone, one could rapidly surpass even the most gifted peers.

In recent days, the Wang family had become a target for alliances; countless noble houses and martial cultivators sought to use the Wang family to accumulate merit in Mo River.

Why let the water flow to others? Naturally, their own young ones were the first to be brought in and given these advantages.

That was why Li Li Jiangying and Li Li Rumeng were here.

"Yes!"

Hearing Wang Zhenping's words, Li Li Jiangying's eyes gleamed—even destroying a Mo River granted 10 merit points; passing it meant 1000 points, enough to exchange for countless treasures.

Sword Heart required only 100 merit points—boosting weapon comprehension speed.

Tianren Zongshi Heart required the same—meaning if they passed, combined with family resources and the Tianren Zongshi Heart, they could swiftly reach the Heaven-Man realm without obstruction. Many geniuses piled resources to the peak of the Fifteen Li realm, then got stuck at Heaven-Man. Now, with the Merit Treasury, it was a direct express lane for these geniuses.

"Remember: aim to pass the Mo River, don't just destroy it with brute force. Mo River is now a precious resource—destroy it, and it vanishes. The loss in merit is a hundredfold difference."

Wang Zhenping warned.

Mo River was no longer feared—it had become a scarce resource under protection. At least all Mo Rivers discovered by the Wang family were now guarded by troops, strictly forbidden to ordinary explorers.

After all, destruction meant disappearance—low returns. Now, everyone sought to pass Mo River for maximum benefit. But passing was extremely difficult. Thus, the Wang family now enforced a strict rule: either fail and retreat to try again, or pass. No more mindless destruction, as in the past, when the goal was merely to reduce Mo River numbers within Great Yu.

This two-sided reversal was perfectly natural.

If eating shit granted immortality, even dogs wouldn't wait in line.

"Your talent isn't bad. Though you can't match Li Qianfeng of the Li family, with Wang family support and today's Mo River resources, we've reserved these lower-level Mo Rivers just for you to accumulate merit. If you gather ten thousand points, you can exchange for the Ultimate Power realm—that's power beyond limits. Once obtained, you'll leave all other prodigies far behind, far beyond what Li Qianfeng could ever achieve." As he left, Wang Zhenping continued to urge them.

Hearing their grandfather's earnest advice, the siblings nodded, eyes gleaming.

During their time at the Wang family, the many new things they'd heard had opened their eyes; they were especially eager for the Ultimate Power realm.

If they obtained it, they would no longer be mere spectators when the Li family next competed for the True Dragon title!

"I'm leaving now. I've already sent word to your Xianzhou uncle—he'll adjust your Mo River entry records."

Wang Zhenping said, then handed the two children to his old steward and hurried off.

The siblings exchanged glances, eyes filled with worry—would their grandfather make it in time to rescue their mother?

"Pity—heard that brute is dead. We never got a chance to chase him."

Li Li Jiangying stared at the direction his grandfather had vanished, eyes flickering as he murmured:

As members of Li's generation, since that boy appeared two years ago, all of them had lived under his shadow.

That boy shone so brilliantly, he completely eclipsed even the Buddha Tianren Zongshi's direct disciple—let alone them.

As a young man, how could he not be angry, not jealous?

When news of Liangzhou reached them, they knew the gap with that boy had widened further. They had nearly given up hope—until that Chong Er appeared, revealing the Merit Treasury, giving them hope, a chance to catch up.

Though the boy had surged far ahead, even he would eventually stop once he reached the Four Foundations realm.

Like the elders in their family—many reached Four Foundations at thirty-four, then stagnated for decades, even centuries, until they died in battle without further breakthrough.

The higher the realm, the slower the progress. They had fallen behind in the early sprint—but that didn't mean they couldn't catch up later.

The Merit Treasury and their maternal family's resources were now their greatest hope and confidence.

"That man was too arrogant—the heavens couldn't bear it. Do you think our family's crisis now is because he grew too bold in Liangzhou, provoking the demons to vent their rage on us?"

Li Li Rumeng, when mentioning him, clenched her teeth, her bright eyes flashing with fury.

"Maybe. But the demons should've attacked Tianmen Pass, not Li family. Perhaps it's another reason."

Li Li Jiangying's eyes darkened with killing intent: "I was planning to accumulate merit, exchange for Ultimate Power realm treasures from the treasury, then settle the score with him—return that slap he gave you. But now he's dead. If Mother dies in this, even if he's gone, I won't let him rest—I'll find the Mo River holding his lingering soul and make him beg for death!"

Hearing her brother's words, Li Li Rumeng's eyes grew worried:

"Will Mother be alright? Will Grandfather make it in time? He's a Supreme Technique realm cultivator—he's no weaker than Second Uncle…"

"Too far away…"

Li Li Jiangying's eyes also showed concern.

…

The ancestral blood call released from Qingzhou resonated throughout all regions of Emperor Da Yu.

The ancestral Blood Invocation released from Qingzhou resonated across the Great Yu Dynasty.

"It's the ancestor's call—our family is in peril!"

"Our Li family has reached this point? How? What happened in Qingzhou?"

"Father, aren't we surnamed Zhao? Why do we feel this?"

"Your grandmother was surnamed Li—she married into our Zhao family. Though your bloodline is thin, if you feel the call, you still carry Li blood!"

"Thanks to your grandmother's connections, our Zhao family's business has thrived and taken root in Yunwu City."

"Of course we go—it's your grandmother's family, and the Li family has protected Emperor Da Yu for a thousand years. Now that the Li family is in trouble, how can we not go?"

"Yes, of course. That's your grandmother's family. And the Li family has protected Great Yu for a thousand years. Now that they're in trouble, how can we not go?"

"Tianren Zongshi, will you go too?"

"Yes. Stay here and wait for me. If I don't return, your eldest brother will inherit the sect."

"Great-grandmother, will you go too?"

From all nineteen provinces, from every city, town, and village, those who felt the call of their bloodline were stunned; some hesitated, but far more firmly set out, heading toward Qingzhou.

From all nineteen provinces, cities, towns, and villages, figures who felt the bloodline's call were stunned—some hesitated, but most chose to set out without delay, rushing toward Qingzhou.

Like scattered stars gathering into the sea, they converged upon Qingzhou— their ancestral homeland, the Divine General's Mansion bearing three-thousand-year glory, the direction they had gazed upon in countless memories.

Their departure stirred all forces across the nineteen provinces. The Li family's bloodline, scattered over millennia, was vast—and now, with these movements, nearly every power in the Great Yu Empire learned of Qingzhou's plight.

Among them were Li bloodline members serving as Elders or Directors—now not only leaving themselves, but mobilizing every resource within their organizations to reinforce Qingzhou.

This was the deep-rooted bloodline foundation of a Divine General's Mansion.

They traveled in groups—some on swift steeds, others soaring through the skies.

Some descended from sacred mountains, swords in hand, lightly stepping as they raced toward the distant Shanhe.

Some emerged from sealed towers of nobility, shooting skyward with resolve.

With the dissolution of one Li ancestor's spirit, countless bloodlines from a thousand miles away surged toward the devastated province, where demons raged and lives lay in ruin.

(End of Chapter)