Chapter 57: The Five Emperors of the Universe

One hundred years ago, a young Saint and a Monarch emerged into the world out of nowhere. It took them merely twenty years to pacify the chaotic realm. The Monarch ascended with the virtue of water, thus establishing the dynastic title of Xuan, historically recorded as the Xuan Heavenly Empire!

Today, the five great empires of the universe—Xuan, Bai, Purple, Qing, and Yellow—constitute a landscape where five powerful forces carve up the world.

Such a historical trajectory has shaped everything differently.

This is also why, fifty years ago, Li Changqing was able to completely eradicate three major clans and yet remain entirely unscathed.

The imperial court had long coveted the powerful local clans, but it was not easy to wield the blade against them casually.

In a sense, Li Changqing served as the imperial court's hatchet man.

Fifty years ago, during that era of dramatic upheaval, when Li启 reviewed history, he noted that countless places were engulfed in raging fires, with great clan estates constantly reduced to ashes...

Even so, while this might foster new regional monopoly factions, it could at least temporarily delay certain inevitabilities.

Now, the delicate balance of the tripartite confrontation exhibits a subtle dynamic. Upon closer contemplation, one can perceive the survival wisdom embedded within it.

To become overly powerful is to court destruction. A tripartite balance is neither too much nor too little—it is just right. It provides pressure for future generations without arousing the imperial court's apprehension.

"As for the Mu and Zhang families, they were indeed well-behaved decades ago. But in recent years, our Li family has suffered from a generational gap, with no exceptional talents emerging from the clan. Although we now have you and Tianxing to shoulder the heavy burdens, it is ultimately a bit too late. In secret, those two families undoubtedly harbor alternative intentions long ago."

"However, this is not necessarily a bad thing. Only when the turbulent seas rage does the true character of a hero reveal itself. After my death, the two of you will inevitably encounter difficulties. Yet no matter how difficult it gets, it cannot surpass the hardships I faced back then," Li Changqing offered in guidance.

Both Li Qi and Li Tianxing naturally understood Li Changqing's implication. It boiled down to the fact that outsiders cannot be trusted, even though intermarriages between the various families have been continuous over the years, creating a tapestry where your family is in mine, and mine is in yours.

Yet upon deeper reflection, were the five great families of Tiannan back then not the same?!

In the end, three clans were exterminated while two submitted. Among the butcher blades swung against those three, the remaining two undoubtedly played their part.

In the past, no one would have ever spoken of such matters to Li Qi. They were too distant from him then. Now that he has stepped into the spotlight, peace will certainly elude him both overtly and covertly.

To this, Li Qi was not afraid.

As long as Li Changqing draws breath, his safety remains assured.

As for the future, Li Changqing still has three to five years of lifespan remaining. Give him another year, and ordinary practitioners entering the Dao will truly find it impossible to kill him.

Three to five years from now, as to who will find things difficult, it is far from certain.

...

The convoy wound along the twisting mountain road for about an hour and a half, penetrating more than a hundred kilometers deep into the mountains. Yet, measured from this distance, they were still only at the outer periphery of Mount Qi.

The heaven and earth of this realm are unimaginably vast, and the mountain ranges are equally immense, with towering peaks soaring tens of thousands of meters high. Precisely because of this, the complex terrain has forged a unique environment. Coupled with the subtle differences this world possesses compared to his previous life, it has nurtured numerous exotic beasts and supreme medicinal herbs.

As for exotic beasts and rare herbs, Li Qi's previous world did have them, but their numbers fell far short of this era.

Eventually, the convoy arrived at a temporary base constructed upon a vast flat expanse deep within the mountains.

The base was built on a grand scale, encircled by layers of barbed wire. A six-lane road lay before the massive gates, and viewed from the outside, the facility clearly underwent year-round maintenance.

Li Qi was not unfamiliar with this place. Decades ago, it was known as the Medicine King Market, a massive distribution center for medicinal herbs where gatherers who found superior ingredients in the mountains would come to trade.

Later on, however, a massive fire broke out here, claiming numerous lives before the site was abandoned. It was not until twenty years ago that it was recommissioned, with the three families uniting to construct a large-scale base.

Through the vehicle's glass window and the iron mesh fence, Li Qi caught sight of several elongated specialized vehicles parked within the compound.

These vehicles carried various emergency medical equipment along with standby professional medical personnel to guard against any unexpected accidents.

Indeed, everyone entering the mountains donned professional protective gear, yet inevitably, every year a few individuals would inevitably stumble and sustain minor injuries.

Nevertheless, the martial spirit of this realm runs deep, and hunting is inherently meant to cultivate the courage and martial prowess of younger generations, so no one considered this problematic.

Of course, Li Qi naturally understood that in principle, unauthorized hunting was currently prohibited, and poaching was illegal. Yet in a place like Tiannan, principles were evidently dictated by local powers.

Just like this joint hunt by the three families, it was reported under the guise of local folklore and registered with the imperial court in advance, permitting hunting within a restricted timeframe.

Individual hunting, however, was an entirely different matter.

Scanning the higher platforms, Li Qi even discerned the faint silhouette of helicopters.

Given the resources of the three clans, procuring a few helicopters was hardly an achievement.

These aircraft were likewise deployed to facilitate rapid rescue operations.

The convoy drove into the base, and the entire party disembarked amidst a formidable aura.

The moment Li Changqing's vehicle came to a steady halt, two white-haired elders hurried forward to open the door.

One of these elders was named Mu Yanjin, and the other Zhang Chongyue. Both were in their eighties yet radiated immense vitality and spirit.

However, though both had entered the Dao and were even a dozen or so years younger than Li Changqing, to Li Qi's perception, they fell far short of Li Changqing, lacking a certain extraordinary profundity.

As for where the discrepancy lay, Li Qi knew it clearly in his heart.

The two of them had failed to shatter the human body's ultimate limits upon crossing the threshold, nor had they tempered their physical vessels upon entering the Dao.

Neither the six major limits nor the four great temperings had been achieved by either man.

Even so, these two remained absolute elites—the patriarchs of the Mu and Zhang families.

The six limits and four temperings are milestones reserved for peerless prodigies. For others, regardless of innate talent, resources, or perseverance, their martial arts journey could only reach the heights these two had attained.

"A year has not passed, Brother Changqing, yet your bearing remains as magnificent as ever. In contrast, the vitality and spirit of the two of us have greatly decayed..."

"Alas, time spares no one!"

The two elders spoke in turn. One opened the door while the other bent down to help Li Changqing out of the vehicle.

From this attitude alone, one could discern who held authority and who played a subordinate role among the three families.

Indeed, in terms of overall strength, the Li family possessed a sparse lineage, yet a single Li Changqing outweighed all other members combined.

This was the prestige forged and slaughtered by Li Changqing himself back in the day.

"I am on the verge of death; what magnificence could possibly remain? As for you two, living another twenty years should pose no problem at all," Li Changqing chuckled.

His words caused the expressions of the two elders to shift slightly before they smiled wryly. "Brother Changqing jests. If we could truly live for that long, how wonderful would that be!"