Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan-Chapter 2017 - 1477: Ambition (Part 2)

Dong, dong, dong—

Just as everyone was gripped by alarm and uncertainty, not knowing what was going on, the sound of a bell suddenly rang out from Mount Wanxian.

"What happened!?"

No matter if it was the suddenly activated Great Array from just now, or the bell ringing now, both gave people an extremely eerie and bizarre feeling.

Clearly, there was peace outside and nothing dangerous or hidden within the clan, so what exactly was the purpose behind these successive actions?

Many clever clan members had already guessed a key point from these two seemingly unrelated events—that everything was inseparable from the Clan Leader, Li Debo!

After all, only a few people could do both of these things at the same time. Li Zhirui, Li Mingyao and the other ancestors could be ruled out directly, so there was only Li Debo left as a suspect.

Full of questions and confusion, everyone gradually gathered in the square as instructed. Regardless of Li Debo's intentions, as the head of the clan, his summons—barring special cases—were to be obeyed by all.

Only a few with guilty consciences and ill intentions felt that this matter was far from simple, but as for the specifics, they couldn't put their finger on it.

If they could, they all wished to skip this assembly—but they simply didn't have the guts. Besides, with the Mountain Protection Array activated, even if they wanted to escape, they couldn't.

Once all the members on Mount Wanxian had gathered, especially all the Elders present, only then did Li Debo make his appearance.

"I have summoned you all today to announce an important matter. Because it carries tremendous weight, it requires everyone to witness it together!"

As soon as he said this, the clan members below reacted differently—some showing tension, others fear.

But everyone assumed the matter stemmed from the outside, rather than within the clan—even those Elders were yet unaware that disaster was looming over their heads.

"Li Chongtong, Li Deyun, Li Dee..."

Li Debo read out more than twenty names in one breath, and instantly clan members noticed—they were all Elders!

And the ones named—in that moment, their heartbeats skipped, expressions turned stiff and terrified. Only now did they realize what was happening.

"During the expedition to the East Sea, you colluded up and down, embezzled a vast amount of spiritual objects; evidence is irrefutable. According to clan rules, your dantian and sea of consciousness are to be sealed, and you are to be imprisoned for life in Immortal City. You may not step outside even a single pace!" Li Debo's voice was icy to the extreme, delivering their final judgment.

Immortal City was the nearest mortal settlement to the Ten Thousand Immortals Mountain Range. In fact, because of its proximity to the Li family, it had no city walls to guard against devil beasts, so its expansion was unhindered, able to spread without restriction!

This in turn led to more and more mortals fleeing there—by now it had grown into a sprawling city of more than a million inhabitants.

But lifelong imprisonment in Immortal City might look like just a loss of freedom—yet it's far from so simple. Just from the mention of the words "Immortal City," the clan members' faces changed dramatically.

And that's because, there, people were treated as breeding males—forced every day to copulate with countless female cultivators to bear offspring, until they were utterly spent and dead!

"No! I refuse!"

A few clan members struggled madly, howling continuously, unwilling to surrender or simply wait to die.

"I am not resigned! Words alone prove nothing—what evidence do you have that shows I embezzled from the clan? And what right do you have to imprison me in Immortal City!"

"Hmph!"

Hearing this, Li Debo let out a cold snort and said, "You want evidence? How do you explain those spiritual objects found in your Cave Mansion?"

After gathering these Elders together, he had sent people to forcibly break into their Cave Mansions—just to nail down the fact of their embezzlement.

As for any other evidence, there was no physical proof. If they refused to admit it to the end, Li Debo would have to resort to force, which would inevitably cause some bad consequences.

Hearing this, those few clan members finally had nothing to say, collapsing to the ground like heaps of rotten mud.

Roar!

But there were also a few bold and reckless clan members who, despite ironclad evidence, remained defiant, refusing to admit guilt—actually attempting to start trouble on Mount Wanxian and create chaos so they could escape.

"Courting death!"

If before, Li Debo had been angry but not murderous at their actions—now, seeing them rampage without regard, his heart was instantly filled with killing intent. He meant to kill these damned wretches on the spot.

But there was no need for Li Debo to strike personally—just by activating the Mountain Protection Array, these rebels were trapped by heavy starlight. No matter how they struggled, it was futile.

"You are truly audacious! Not only refusing to confess, but also attempting to attack your own kin—such a crime is punishable by death!"

Li Debo intended to leave a powerful impression—or rather, a lesson—for all the clan members.

Let them know: attacking one's own kin is an unforgivable, heinous crime!

"Clan Leader, please show mercy! For the sake of their past contributions to the clan's development, please spare their lives!"

Seeing Li Debo actually draw his Spirit Sword, fully intent on executing them, one Elder couldn't help but step forward and intercede.

"Yes, Clan Leader, please spare their lives!"

Other clan members voiced support as well, a kind of "the fox mourns for the rabbit" sympathy stirring among them.

With so many pleas, Li Debo yielded, agreeing to their request and sparing those few clan members' lives.

After all, calming down, he realized: had he actually killed in anger, even if he was in the right, in time he might be slandered, forced into a disadvantaged position.

Afterward, Li Debo made additional arrangements to handle the matter properly, warning everyone to learn their lesson and not harbor any wishful thinking—only then did he dismiss the assembly.

"Ancestor Rui, thank you for your help." With that, he gave a deep bow.

"No trouble." 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

From the start, Li Zhirui had been observing the development of these events in secret—if Li Debo had lost control, he would have stepped in.

Fortunately, Li Debo's abilities were strong enough to keep the situation from deteriorating to that degree.

"If there is nothing further, I shall take my leave now."

"We respectfully send off Ancestor Rui!"

Actually, bringing those Elders to justice was only the beginning. There were many more matters awaiting Li Debo's attention.

And Li Zhirui knew this, which was why he took his leave early.

In the days that followed, the Li Clan frequently arrested several clan members, mostly for embezzling spiritual objects.

Depending on the amount embezzled, the punishment ranged from confiscating several times the value in spiritual objects to replenish the clan, to sealing up their dantian and sea of consciousness and exiling them to Immortal City to breed outstanding offspring for the clan.

After this round of purging and rectification by Li Debo, the atmosphere in the Li Clan improved considerably.

And his reputation, which had not been positive among the regular clan members, gradually began to improve.

Once he raised everyone's monthly stipend by ten percent, giving it out reliably and in full, Li Debo was suddenly held in great esteem by all!

...

The story splits here, each thread progressing on its own.

East Sea—after months of relentless travel, the Sea Clan army finally returned from the West Continent to their most familiar seas.

As soon as they returned, the Heavenly Immortal cultivators of the Immortal Tao were alerted and immediately ordered everyone to retreat, not to linger.

Of course, if anyone refused to obey, they didn't care—those courting death needed no saving.

As for the members of the Li Family? They had already completely withdrawn from the East Sea half a month prior.

"Those cunning and treacherous cultivators! After we rushed back exhausted, they still refuse any confrontation!"

As the Sea Clan dispatched a great army to regain control of the East Sea, not a trace of cultivator could be seen—prompting a Heavenly Immortal Water Demon to grumble indignantly.