7: Late, but here we are

Meanwhile, as a great battle was about to erupt in the Li Family hall, Ice Peak Zhenren, whom they had been eagerly awaiting, finally returned to Purple Cloud City.

Li Xiangyun did not ostentatiously fly directly into the sky above Purple Cloud City.

Instead, he rode a green ox, like an ordinary old man, swaying as he entered the city.

“More than two hundred years have passed~”

Li Xiangyun looked at the familiar streets around him, feeling very emotional.

More than two hundred years might seem long in his previous life, enough to witness the rise and fall of a Dynasty.

But in the world of cultivation, two hundred years isn't even enough to witness the demise of a Foundation Establishment Family.

Let alone Purple Cloud City, which had stood for over a thousand years.

Looking at this familiar city, memories that had been sealed deep within his mind finally surged forth like a tide.

“Dad, is this our new home?”

Three-year-old Li Xiangyun came to the entrance of the Li Family for the first time, looking at the two stone lions at the gate with great excitement.

“Yes.” Li Renjie held Li Xiangyun's small hand, looking very dejected. He led Li Xiangyun into this grand mansion with a blank expression.

Later, Li Xiangyun learned that he had stepped into an abyss... Li Renjie, as the Li Family's Eldest Young Master, his return naturally caused a stir within the Li Family.

At that time, the Li Family had just established itself in Purple Cloud City. As newcomers, they urgently needed to stabilize their position through marriage alliances.

And Li Renjie, as the Li Family's Eldest Young Master, had long been betrothed to the legitimate daughter of the Wang Family.

But now, the Eldest Young Master had returned to the Family with a son. How could the Li Family bear the Wang Family's wrath?

For the sake of the greater good, the entire Li Family concealed the news of Li Xiangyun. Outsiders only knew that the Li Family's Eldest Young Master, who had been away, had returned, but they didn't know that he had also brought back a child.

And to better conceal this news, he was separated from his father and entrusted to a collateral branch for upbringing.

At this time, he had not yet experienced the Awakening of his past life's wisdom, and he was very ignorant of all this.

He only knew that his father no longer wanted him, and he had been given to others... Later, his father married the legitimate daughter of the Wang Family as promised, while he secretly watched this scene from a corner.

But there is no wall that doesn't leak. The legitimate daughter of the Wang Family still found out about Li Xiangyun's existence.

“Little beast, kneel down properly for me!”

The harsh voice pierced Li Xiangyun's heart like a sharp blade. At this time, he was only six years old.

His small, thin figure knelt there helplessly. How he wished his father could appear.

But it became a delusion... Time stretched out incredibly long. Li Xiangyun not only had to keep kneeling but also endure the merciless and harsh curses.

His legs gradually lost all sensation until he finally fainted.

Li Xiangyun didn't know how he returned to his room that day, but it was after that fainting spell that he Awakened his memories of his previous life.

Afterward, the Li Family was enraged, after all, Li Xiangyun was still a member of the Li Family.

Li Xiangyun also spent his last period of happiness because of this.

Later, the Ten Thousand Swords Sect came to Purple Cloud City to recruit Disciples, and Li Xiangyun naturally joined the Ten Thousand Swords Sect, only returning today.

In fact, Li Xiangyun never truly hated the Li Family.

After all, although the Li Family concealed his news for the sake of the greater good,

his adoptive parents treated him extremely well and never lacked him in food or clothing.

He truly hated only one person, and that was his father in this life, Li Renjie.

He hated him for not being worthy of being a father!

But now, the person he hated had long turned to dust, and it was time for him to come back and see.

After all, his adoptive parents were both buried here... A trace of reminiscence flashed in Li Xiangyun's eyes, as if he had returned to a Family of four under dim lamplight.

“Get out of the way! Everyone get out of my way!”

Just as Li Xiangyun was reminiscing about the past, a young man's arrogant and overbearing voice came from his ear.

Li Xiangyun turned his head in the direction of the voice and saw a frivolous-looking young man riding a demonic horse, charging wildly through the street.

The crowd along the way scattered, but many were still knocked over, people and horses alike.

“Damn it, are you rushing to reincarnate?!”

“Brother, watch your words. These are people from the Zhao Family.”

Everyone's expressions changed. There was only one Zhao Family in Purple Cloud City.

And a Foundation Establishment Family was not someone they could afford to offend.

So, they all shut their mouths, daring not to speak out in anger, fearing that it would bring about a deadly disaster.

Only Li Xiangyun sat calmly on the back of his green ox, casually glancing at the demonic horse galloping towards him.

“Whinny~”

The demonic horse shrieked in terror, as if it had seen an unprecedented horror, struggling to stop its galloping body.

The young man was also instantly thrown off by the demonic horse's sudden stop, falling to the ground in a face-plant.

“Pfft~”

“Haha, I'm dying of laughter~”

“Damn it, serves him right!”

The onlookers couldn't hold back and burst into laughter, feeling a sense of satisfaction.

“Who?”

The young man, covered in dust and with a bloody nose, crawled up and angrily looked around, trying to find the culprit.

But he suddenly noticed that his “Snow Stepper” was lying on the ground in terror, its body trembling uncontrollably, as if it had seen a primeval beast.

This made the young man realize that he had encountered a powerful person, and staying any longer might bring trouble to his Family.

So, he quickly pulled Snow Stepper and scurried away.

A moment later, the previously chaotic street returned to peace.

As if everything that had just happened had never occurred... On the other side, Li Xiangyun, riding his green ox, finally arrived leisurely at the entrance of the Li Family.

Looking at the two familiar stone lions at the gate, before Li Xiangyun could reminisce about the past, a clear and pleasant voice suddenly sounded in his mind.

“Ding!”

“Detecting Family: Li Family. Congratulations to the host for binding the ‘Family Prosperity System’!”

“Please select a bloodline Family to bind.”

“Li Family: Pseudo Golden Core Family.”

“Old Ancestor: Li Xiangyun, Golden Core Early Stage (detached state)”

“Clan Chief: Li Zhongwen (Foundation Establishment Middle Stage)”

“Grand Elder: Li Zhongwu (Foundation Establishment Early Stage)”

“Second Elder: Li Xiaotian (Foundation Establishment Early Stage)”

“Third Elder: Li Xiaofei (Foundation Establishment Early Stage)”

“Fourth Elder: Li Xingping (Foundation Establishment Early Stage)”

...Listening to the cold, electronic-like voice in his ear, Li Xiangyun felt a long-lost sense of familiarity.

His body couldn't stop trembling.

Two hundred and fifty years have passed, and you are finally here.

He had always thought that he would follow the Mortal path or the Genius path in this life, but he never expected it to be a System path and a Family path...

This reminded him of a line from a novel in his previous life, “Though late, it arrived!”

What Li Xiangyun didn't expect even more was that he had returned to his roots, but he bound the System at the brink of death.

This instantly revitalized Li Xiangyun, who had been disheartened, and ambition surged within him once more.

It truly was: “I will ascend to the highest peak, and all other mountains will seem small!”

At this moment, Li Xiangyun really wanted to laugh three times to vent the grievances he had accumulated during this period and the exhilaration he felt now.

But to be honest, if he hadn't returned to his Family at the brink of death, he wouldn't know when the System would have activated.

A loss may turn out to be a gain!

Clearly, the sudden appearance of the System stirred up a tremendous wave in Li Xiangyun's heart, which had been as firm as iron.