Chapter Thirty: Every Five Hundred Years, a King Shall Arise

"A-Jie, A-Jun, what are your thoughts on this matter?"

Li Tianxing sat in the business car, flanked by two young men sitting opposite him. These two were also members of the clan, hand-picked by Li Tianxing to assist him. In ancient times, they would have been retainers and strategists; in the modern era, they were his true right-hand men, the core of his team. Controlling a power structure without one's own cultivated personnel, relying solely on the old guard, was nothing short of a fantasy. Even if those elders were loyal, they could never be as effective as people he had nurtured himself. Ever since the Old Master decided he would be the successor, he had begun building his own inner circle.

"This is a good thing!"

"The Old Master doesn't doubt those he employs, and he doesn't employ those he doubts. Since he has chosen you, Tianxing, as his successor, he is not going to waver on a whim."

"If I have guessed correctly, when the Old Master treats Li Qi to lunch, he will only discuss compensation and will not mention a single word about the group's affairs."

"The Old Master's time is drawing near. If you, Tianxing, are left to shoulder the burden of the group alone, it will inevitably lead to exhaustion. Now that Li Qi has emerged, as long as he is present, it will surely deter the dark schemes of many."

Of the two, Li Jie spoke unhurriedly, clearly having prepared his thoughts well in advance.

"My thoughts are the same as A-Jie's. Tianxing, you need only treat him with the respect he is due. There is no need to intentionally alienate him, nor is there any reason to go out of your way to get close. Just treat him normally."

"After all, we have never had a deep bond with him; forcing one would only backfire."

"Li Qi was able to master the essence of the Eighteen Tiger-Slaying Blades; he must be a person of clear mind and principle. Otherwise, he could never control such a ferocious weapon."

After Li Jie finished, Li Jun added, "Moreover, to achieve such feats at this age despite mediocre initial talent suggests he is a martial arts fanatic. Investing in such a person is a win-win. Others would struggle to find such a good investment even if they begged for it."

"We are all family, after all. One 'Li' cannot be written in two different ways."

Li Tianxing listened quietly as they finished, then nodded slowly. "Your thoughts are exactly my own."

"It is a pity, however, that the world is filled with fools who cannot see the reality of the situation. Look at our family—some of the older generation even claim that Li Qi and I will fight like brothers. Such a notion is truly laughable."

"Sigh!"

"It is no wonder the Old Master often worries about the family's future, fearing that in a few decades, the children of the Li family will be reduced to servitude."

"There are too many parasites in this family, unworthy of cultivation."

"If we really let these people control the group, caring only for their own petty interests instead of expanding our horizons, and spending their days in infighting, then we are not far from ruin."

Li Tianxing sighed. A few years ago, he was young and frivolous, but under the Old Master's tutelage, he had gradually settled down. Now, he viewed the governance of the family and the prosperity of the business as a form of discipline—a way to temper his own spirit and cultivate his character, hoping to use this grind to strengthen himself and attain a higher state of being. All forms of practice are valid; if one has the realization, life itself is a form of practice—it is just that many fail to grasp it.

"The Old Master likely has three to five years left. Time is running out for us. Without the Old Master to act as our anchor, the wolves and tigers from all sides will surely descend the moment they hear the news."

"In this world, every five hundred years, a king arises; their rise is sudden, and their fall is just as swift. Even within a family, no matter how destitute, every hundred years there is bound to be a restorer. The Old Master is a man of the previous century, nearly a hundred years old. I wonder whose hands the Li family will flourish in during this coming century..."

Li Tianxing reflected, looking at his own reflection in the car window with a hint of fatigue. Managing a group with all its complexities and constraints was indeed a grueling experience that consumed one's mental energy. Of course, he enjoyed it, treating it as a challenge and a test of his own mettle.

...

On the other side, Chen Di looked at the video her mother had forwarded to her, her mind filled with confusion. Her only thought afterward was that this kind of explosive power from the back was simply superhuman. It was not as if she hadn't seen it before—the training and matches at her school's Fencing Club—but those who had achieved "entry-level" status were considered elites. While there were a few, their strength was never this terrifying. Not to mention the sheer aura; those others paled in comparison.

In the video, the wildness and dominance Li Qi displayed were truly tiger-like and awe-inspiring, completely unlike the lazy demeanor she had seen before. After watching, Chen Di couldn't help but wonder if Li Qi had an identical twin brother.

"Xiao Di, look! Isn't this the 'civilized yet martial' man you were looking for? It's a perfect match!"

Chen Di's mother had leaned in at that moment.

"You're so annoying! Why do you care so much!"

Feeling agitated and with her mind in a jumble, Chen Di ran into her room and locked the door behind her.

...

Old Master Li worked quickly. Ten minutes after he gave the order, someone added Li Qi on his messaging app. The avatar was a meticulous-looking middle-aged man, and the nickname was simply his name: Li Yuan. This man was Li Changqing's grandson; within the group, he acted as a chief steward and was the liaison officer appointed by the Old Master. As for sending a beautiful woman to use a honey trap, that was for outsiders. For one's own family, one naturally chose someone with genuine competence.

Li Qi communicated with him for a while, and within half an hour, various nutritional supplements were delivered—more than fifty types in total. Li Qi tasted a tiny bit of each and finally selected numbers five, seven, seventeen, and forty-two. Of course, when sold to the public, these supplements had cool-sounding names; here, they were simply numbered for convenience.

The value of these items was undoubtedly much higher than the pills Li Qi had been taking, which cost ten yuan to produce. Even the cheapest, number seventeen, cost a hundred yuan per serving, while the most expensive, number seven, cost about six hundred per serving—a pure condensation of herbal essences. Nevertheless, this was still much cheaper than hiring a professional nutrition team; human labor was the most expensive cost. This undoubtedly filled the gap in Li Qi's resources.

In the afternoon, Li Qi continued to listen to the Old Master talk about the blade until dinner time. After sharing a meal, he headed home.

However, halfway there, Li Qi suddenly saw a dark shadow flicker in the bushes, accompanied by a rotting, sinister smell. Without a doubt, the signs of the Demonic Tribulation were appearing again. This time, Li Qi's expression remained unchanged, and he acted as if he had seen nothing. Mere illusions and phantoms wanted to shake or erode his will? He was not that fragile.

Returning home, Li Qi lay down quietly. His parents were out visiting relatives, though they had bombarded him with messages earlier that day, asking if a tiger spirit had taken over their son's body... It was understandable, as his "tiger back" was indeed somewhat intimidating.

At ten o'clock in the evening, Li Qi practiced his blade work as usual. As he did, he immediately felt a very distinct change.