309: Chapter 309 Testing

Li Xinghe immediately used the Huangji Immortal Dynasty's military teleportation array to return home.

The teleportation array flickered with light, and in the next moment, he appeared in the immortal city where the Li Clan was located.

Without a moment's delay, his figure moved like lightning, flying straight toward the core residence of the Family.

As soon as he reached the entrance of the house, Li Xinghe felt a solemn and oppressive atmosphere.

On both sides of the once grand gates, plain white soul-summoning banners had been hung, fluttering gently in the wind.

The guards at the door had also changed into plain-colored attire, their expressions solemn.

The entire residence was shrouded in an atmosphere of mourning.

“Xinghe, you're back.”

A gentle voice tinged with sadness rang out.

Li Xinghe's mother, a dignified lady, hurried out to meet him, supported by a maid.

Her eyes were filled with tears, clearly heartbroken over Grand Elder Li's passing.

Li Xinghe nodded slightly, scanned the surroundings, and asked,

“Mother, where is Xingchen?”

Mother Li wiped the corners of her eyes with a silk handkerchief and explained,

“Because Xingchen accepted the Grand Elder's Empowerment Technique, inheriting a vast amount of cultivation and insights, his Divine Soul and Physical Body were unable to withstand it for a time. He is currently in secluded meditation, putting all his effort into adapting and consolidating. He cannot come out to see anyone for the time being.”

Hearing this, Li Xinghe's brow furrowed imperceptibly.

Secluded meditation to adapt?

On the surface, this reason was indeed reasonable and logical.

But combined with Su Mo's words, a strong sense of strangeness quietly welled up in Li Xinghe's heart.

“I see.” Li Xinghe's face remained calm as he nodded. “It is Xingchen's good fortune to have such an Opportunity. It's just a pity he couldn't see Grandfather off on his final journey. Mother, I wish to pay my respects before Grandfather's memorial tablet.”

“Alright, follow me.” Mother Li led Li Xinghe toward the mourning hall in the inner courtyard.

Li Xinghe followed behind his mother, his gaze growing deeper and deeper.

He decided that after paying his respects, no matter what, he had to find a way to see Li Xingchen with his own eyes.

Li Xinghe properly burned incense and paid his respects in the mourning hall, his expression solemn, showing no signs of anything unusual.

After paying his respects, he walked straight toward the courtyard where Li Xingchen usually resided.

Just as he reached the entrance of Li Xingchen's courtyard, he was stopped.

The one who stopped him was a lean middle-aged man with sharp eyes and a steady aura; he was impressively an Early Stage Profound Immortal Cultivator.

This person was named Li Zhong, a trusted confidant of Grand Elder Li, and in a sense, an uncle figure to the Li brothers.

“Young Master Xinghe has returned.”

Li Zhong bowed slightly, his etiquette perfect, but his body happened to block the entrance.

“Young Master Xingchen is at a critical juncture and cannot tolerate any disturbance.”

Li Xinghe's brow furrowed slightly, the suspicion in his heart almost becoming tangible.

Secluded meditation certainly required peace, but he couldn't even see his own elder brother?

His face remained impassive, and he even showed a smile of understanding and concern.

“Uncle Zhong speaks truly; I naturally know the stakes involved.”

As he spoke, he took out a warm jade box from his storage ring. The lid opened slightly, and a medicinal fragrance that cleared the mind and calmed the spirit immediately wafted out.

“This is an Ice Heart Jade Soul Grass I happened to obtain in the Northern Region. It has miraculous effects on stabilizing the Divine Soul and calming agitated blood and Qi. It is perfect for Xingchen to use right now.”

Li Xinghe handed the jade box to Li Zhong, his tone sincere.

“I have no intention of disturbing him; it is just that we are brothers, and I am worried about his condition. This item might be able to lend him a helping hand. I will just go in, give it to him, and leave.”

Hearing this, a look of appropriate gratitude appeared on Li Zhong's face, but his body still didn't move an inch as he smiled.

“Young Master Xinghe is very thoughtful; this item is indeed precious and rare. However, Young Master Xingchen is currently at the critical stage of Fusion. It would be better to leave this item with this old servant for safekeeping. Once Young Master Xingchen successfully emerges, I will definitely hand it over immediately and describe Young Master's care in detail.”

The smile on Li Xinghe's face faded slightly.

“Uncle Zhong, I am Xingchen's biological elder brother. Our Bloodlines are connected, and our auras draw upon each other; how can ordinary external forces compare?”

“I only need to stand outside the meditation room and send this item inside wrapped in Divine Sense. I won't step a single foot inside, nor will I make a sound to disturb him. Is it possible that even as an elder brother, I am to be so strictly guarded against just for sending a calming Spiritual Plant to my brother through a door?”

His gaze was like a torch as he looked directly at Li Zhong.

“Or is it that... Xingchen's seclusion has some other hidden story, such that even I cannot know the slightest bit about it?”

These words already carried a clear tone of interrogation.

A trace of imperceptible panic flashed deep in Li Zhong's eyes, but it vanished instantly.

He still maintained his respectful expression, but his waist bent even lower, and his voice dropped.

“Young Master Xinghe's words are too heavy! This old servant would never dare! It's just that the Master's deathbed command cannot be disobeyed! I ask Young Master to understand this old servant's difficulties and not make things hard for me...”

Hearing this, Li Xinghe's face turned completely dark.

If he only had thirty percent suspicion before, then Li Zhong's current attitude had pushed his suspicion to at least eighty percent!

“What a 'deathbed command cannot be disobeyed', what an 'understand my difficulties'!”

Li Xinghe's voice was as cold as ice.

“Since that's the case, don't blame me for forcing my way in! I want to see exactly what critical juncture it is that even blood relatives must be kept out!”

Before his voice had even faded.

“Boom—!”

The aura around Li Xinghe's body suddenly exploded.

Five brilliant lights of dao rhyme instantly rose from within him, entwining around his body!

A majestic pressure, mixed with the iron-blooded Evil Qi of the battlefield, crushed toward Li Zhong without reservation.

The terrifying power of a Middle Stage Profound Immortal was revealed in full!

And Li Zhong was merely an Early Stage Profound Immortal with a High Grade origin fruit Foundation; he had no power to resist at all.

Li Xinghe didn't even spare him a glance, lifting his foot to walk toward the meditation room door shrouded in a Restriction.

Today, he insisted on seeing for himself exactly what was going on inside.

Just as Li Xinghe was prepared to force his way in, a voice came from within the seclusion room.

Creak—

The tightly closed wooden door was slowly opened from the inside.

A figure walked out.

He was slender, and his face indeed bore several points of resemblance to Li Xinghe.

“Brother, you're back?!”

A look of appropriate surprise appeared on Li Xingchen's face, which then turned into a trace of weak apology.

“I was putting all my effort into stabilizing my cultivation when I sensed movement outside. I didn't expect it to be you, brother...”

“Xingchen?!”

Li Xinghe's movements paused, his gaze like lightning as it instantly swept over the other's entire body.

When he had left home, Li Xingchen was only at the Late-stage True Immortal cultivation, but now he was already at the Middle Stage Profound Immortal Realm.

He was on par with Li Xinghe's current Realm!

Li Xinghe forced a smile of concern onto his face and stepped forward quickly.

“Xingchen! Are you alright? I heard Grandfather performed an empowerment for you; I was truly worried, which is why I was so desperate to see you.”

As he spoke, he carefully observed every subtle expression and movement of Li Xingchen.

Li Xingchen showed a moved expression and led Li Xinghe to sit on a stone bench in the courtyard, beginning to recount the empowerment process in detail.

How Grandfather had been noble and righteous, how he had exhausted his final strength, how the process had been dangerous but successful, and how he just needed time to slowly digest it, and so on.

His narrative was logical and rich in detail; he could even mention several childhood anecdotes that only the two brothers knew to corroborate his identity, and his emotional expression seemed natural.

As Li Xinghe listened, the suspicion in his heart seemed to waver.

Could it be... that he was really just overthinking things?

Were Su Mo's words just nonsense?

But years of intrigue with the Xuan Ye Immortal Dynasty had caused him to develop a habit of extreme caution.

He decided to perform an extremely secretive probe.