Chapter Fifteen: The Wisdom of Li's Mother

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Li’s mother spoke solemnly, “You have only two choices, otherwise your father will never allow you to leave. First, stay here. We won’t force you to bear us grandchildren, but you must remain in the village. Second, marry Yue’er and give us a lovely grandson who can stay with us. Only then will we agree to let you leave the village. There’s no room for negotiation. Besides, you and Yue’er are not biological siblings. You used to like Sister Yue’er very much… Why are you rejecting her now?”

Li’s father nodded with a smile, patting his chest reassuringly. “As long as you agree, your father will teach you the supreme cultivation techniques. Otherwise, you won’t get even the slightest scrap of knowledge from me.”

Li Yue’er sat beside them, stunned and motionless, her face instantly flushing as red as a ripe apple. She never imagined that Li’s parents would put forward such a demand to Li Ziyuan.

In her heart, there was a mixture of hope and fear. She hoped Ziyuan would agree, but feared he would refuse.

Seeing Li Ziyuan remain silent, Li’s parents grew puzzled. Why didn’t he ask why Yue’er was not their biological daughter?

Li’s mother didn’t care about that and hugged Yue’er tightly, recounting her tragic past.

Li Ziyuan listened quietly. When he heard that Yue’er had been orphaned since childhood, a flicker of pity crossed his eyes.

Yet his thoughts were soon consumed by the flames of revenge. Clenching his fists, he thought to himself that he must become strong in order to return to his original world and avenge Yu Tian.

However, he also knew clearly that if he refused his parents’ unreasonable demand, he would lose the chance to obtain powerful martial techniques, which would be a huge obstacle on his path of revenge.

His heart was torn by fierce inner conflict. On one hand, he could not let go of his longing for Yu Tian and his resolute determination for revenge—these were unwavering beliefs, like a lighthouse in the dark guiding him forward.

On the other hand, he knew Yue’er was a good girl—her gentleness, kindness, and deep affection for him were not lost on him.

But his heart was already filled with Yu Tian. He felt that if he accepted Yue’er, it would be a betrayal of Yu Tian… and Yu Tian would be very saddened to know this.

Yet reality left him with no choice. Without great power, he could barely survive in this brutal world of cultivation, let alone return to his original world to seek justice for Yu Tian.

Yue’er secretly observed Li Ziyuan’s expression and saw the struggle in his eyes, which stirred a bitter feeling in her heart.

She did not know that in Li Ziyuan’s heart there was another girl he deeply loved, and she might never occupy the most important place in his heart. But she could not suppress her feelings for him. Since childhood, he had been the most special presence in her life.

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She herself did not know why she felt this way about Li Ziyuan—love really was a mystery!

She longed to stay by his side, to face the storms of the future together, even if only as friends.

After Li’s mother finished speaking, she looked at the silent Li Ziyuan and emphasized again, “If you do not agree to my request, there will be no room for negotiation.”

Li Ziyuan lowered his head, the pain within him surging like a tide. After a long moment, he slowly said, “I can marry Yue’er, but I don’t want to have children for the time being.”

Li’s parents exchanged a glance and clapped their hands, declaring their victory.

Li’s mother placed her hands on her hips and said, “A man must be responsible. After marrying Yue’er, you must treat her well. Having grandchildren a few years later is still the same. Li, since you agree to marry Yue’er, you must learn the techniques well, or else you won’t even be able to protect your own wife outside. Yue’er is so beautiful, even more lovely than this old mother of yours.”

Yue’er wanted to refuse again because she seemed to sense Li Ziyuan’s unhappiness.

“Mother, this…”

“That’s decided… In this family, I am the greatest, and you must obey me.”

But Li’s mother rejected her firmly, as if her command could not be altered.

Li’s mother cheerfully pulled Yue’er out the door. “Let’s go, let’s notify the villagers and make it lively. You’ll get married at Qingyan Village’s annual Harvest Festival in ten days.”

Li’s father turned to Li Ziyuan and said, “Come, today I will formally teach you the techniques. The Lingyun Step—this technique moves extremely fast. It can be used to approach an enemy or to escape.”

Hearing that he was about to learn something real, Li Ziyuan’s suppressed heart finally eased somewhat. “Thank you, Father.”

The two of them flew on hoes, a scene reminiscent of cultivators soaring on swords. Father and son riding hoes as if scripting a fantastical story across the sky.

Soon, they arrived at the peak of the back mountain, shrouded in mist like a fairyland.

Standing atop the peak, the scenery that unfolded before them was dreamlike.

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With a casual wave, Li’s father summoned two manuals floating before Li Ziyuan—one for the Lingyun Step and the other for the Flame Explosion Technique.

Li’s father clasped his hands behind his back and explained, “On the Canglan Continent, every cultivator dreams of obtaining a technique suited to themselves. Martial techniques can enhance various attributes of the cultivator, greatly increasing their strength in battle.

Techniques also differ in quality and rank. There are eight ranks: Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced, Top, Spiritual, Profound, Immortal, and Sage.

The Spiritual Awakening Realm corresponds to beginner techniques. You are currently at the Spiritual Gathering Realm’s first stage, so intermediate techniques are suitable for you. Your realm level corresponds to the technique rank, allowing you to maximize your strength.”

Li’s father grinned, waving the manuals back and forth, “Do you know what rank the Flame Explosion Technique and Lingyun Step are?”

Li Ziyuan was indeed curious to know the rank of these two manuals.

But Li’s father did not tell him, wanting Li Ziyuan to understand on his own.

“Don’t worry. I won’t give you anything inferior. Just one of these manuals could cause a fierce competition among the great sects. So you must spend time memorizing the formulas inside. You can’t carry the manuals with you—good things must be kept in the heart.”

Li Ziyuan eagerly took the manuals and opened the Flame Explosion Technique first.

His eyes burned with intensity, as if he could see through the pages to the immense power contained within. Li’s father quietly watched him, a trace of expectation and satisfaction in his gaze.

Li Ziyuan excitedly flipped through the Flame Explosion Technique, murmuring to himself, “This Flame Explosion Technique is so powerful… When fully mastered, it can multiply one’s strength tenfold. The founder was one of the ancient Ten Tribes—the Fire Tribe… the Flame Sage!”

Suddenly, he looked up, fixing his gaze on Li’s father with a mixture of curiosity and doubt. “Father, who exactly was this Flame Sage back then?”

Li’s father paused briefly, a complex expression flickering in his eyes, but soon regained his calm and smiled. “The Flame Sage, huh? He was a legendary figure from over thirty thousand years ago…”