Cultivation is just so scientific!

"Don't underestimate this consumption. When a cultivator's lifespan is about to end, any bit of consumption could lead to an early demise of their lifespan."

Elder Zang's current condition is absolutely confidential within the Mingxin Sect, and Bo Ran is among the few elders who know the truth.

Elder Zang's lifespan is about to run out, solely relying on an artifact from the Mingxin Sect to cling to life; his lifespan won't last more than five years, and during this period, Elder Zang won't be able to leave the sect, and if he acts, it will only be with the capacity for a single strike.

If Elder Zang acts, the result will surely be his instant demise.

Elder Zang is extremely important to the Mingxin Sect. If it weren't for Elder Zang, even if the Mingxin Sect's overall strength was stronger than the seven sects, the seven sects would not have obediently ceded the foundation of Sky Sea Island.

With the Mountain Gate Formation, the seven sects would definitely defend their gate, help each other out, and perhaps the Mingxin Sect would still be battling with the seven sects even now.

Not to mention, once the news of Elder Zang's death spreads, the remnants of the seven sects' forces will certainly counterattack, striving intensely for some resource points, instead of shrinking back as they are now.

However, Li Shiming had no intention of acting against the Mingxin Sect for now, as long as Bo Ran sends Bao Zhao over, the matter concerning his father and the family could be concluded.

As for his grudge against the Mingxin Sect, that could wait until after Elder Zang had passed away.

Perhaps the next time he returned to Sky Sea Island, he could avenge the grudge of being driven away from Sky Sea Island by the Mingxin Sect.

Li Shiming returned home, and not long after, Mo Yan rushed into the backyard.

"Mo Yan, you're a father now, why do you still act like before!" Li Shiming glanced at him and said with a smile.

Si Qin stood aside and started to giggle, then feeling it was impolite, she quickly covered her smile with her fan.

"Young Master, big trouble! The State Preceptor has sent an order from the Immortal that the entire Jin Family of the Royal Family has been killed by the State Preceptor!" Mo Yan was too urgent to catch his breath when he said this.

The State Preceptor of Xia, naturally, was the stationed cultivator, Meng Bin.

Li Shiming was not at all surprised, for the Mingxin Sect, the life of the Jin Family of the Royal Family held no value.

If it weren't for the stability of the mortal kingdom, perhaps the Mingxin Sect would have replaced all the royal families of the mortal kingdoms immediately upon invasion.

As Li Shiming knew, when Xia was still under Sky Sea Sect's domain, this Jin family was descended from a cultivator of the Sky Sea Sect and had a small amount of power within the sect, which is why they had the opportunity to rule a country.

The act of killing mortals, being carried out by Meng Bin, a stationed cultivator whose lifespan was nearing its end, was most suitable.

"Does Father know about this?" Li Shiming nodded without any surprise and asked.

"The Master instructed us not to disturb him with mundane matters, so it hasn't been reported!" Mo Yan, curious about Li Shiming's calmness, didn't think much and replied.

"I'll go tell him." Li Shiming stood up and walked toward the main house.

Li WenYuan was not inside the house, but was sitting under the tree in front of the main house, quietly savoring a pot of tea.

This tea was a spiritually-enriched tea grown by Li Shiming upon his return and personally roasted, which, in terms of health benefits and taste, had reached the peak achievable in the mortal world.

Having been an official all his life, Li WenYuan, like other officials and scholars, loved tea. The spiritually-enriched tea left by Li Shiming, even with careful rationing, had been completely finished several years ago.

Having experienced life and death, and political struggles, although he remained thin, his demeanor had become even more serene.

"Father!" Li Shiming somewhat did not want to disturb this peaceful and beautiful moment of Li WenYuan, he said softly.

"Shiming, sit down and join me for a cup of tea; this tea you've made is truly Immortal Tea!" Li WenYuan said with a gentle smile, pointing to the stone stool opposite him.

Li Shiming sat on the stone stool, took a teacup for himself and poured some tea, lightly took a sip.

"What is it? You've become an Immortal, and you're still hesitant!" Li WenYuan noticed his preoccupation and said with a laugh.

"Father, today the State Preceptor executed the entire Jin Family of the Royal Family!" Li Shiming put down his cup and said.

Li WenYuan's hand paused slightly with the tea cup before he slowly brought it to his lips, took a sip, and then placed it back on the table.

"Was it because of you?" Although it was a question, he used a tone of certainty.

Otherwise, it was too coincidental that as soon as Li Shiming returned, the entire Imperial Family was massacred.

"The Jin Family violated the rules of the Cultivation World; they deserved to die!" Li Shiming did not deny it.

"The Royal Family was quite decent, governing Xia Country well, ensuring peace and prosperity!" Li WenYuan shook his head with a hint of pity.

"Father, what do you think about letting Shijie take over Xia Country?" Li Shiming asked with a smile.

"As an Immortal, one ascends and brings along even the pets and livestock. Shijie's life from now on should follow his own will, let him do what he wishes. I won't live much longer. Each day, I drink tea and enjoy your company, reminiscing about the past," Li WenYuan replied calmly, showing no surprise, and smiled gently.

Having been involved in the governmental scene for many years, he had understood Li Shiming's terrifying power after hearing that the Royal Family had been annihilated.

As for letting Li Shijie become the Emperor of Xia Country, his idea was to go along with Li Shijie's wishes.

Li Shijie was very intelligent. Having had his path in the imperial examinations cut off, he had read various miscellaneous books at home. He might not match a true scholar graduated through the imperial examinations in terms of classics, but his breadth of knowledge was exceptionally vast.

"Father, I have left behind a powerful puppet in this ancestral home. No matter how brutally Shijie fights outside, returning to the ancestral home will ensure his safety for life. In the future, as long as he chooses a descendant to stay in the ancestral home, the bloodline of our Li Family will never be cut off!" Li Shiming explained in detail to Li WenYuan the plan he had left behind.

He knew what his father was most worried about, so he eased his father's heart in advance.

"That is good. Do you have a favored woman? When will you have offspring?" Li WenYuan, with a smile, looked at Li Shiming and asked.

"Yes, her name is Yin Shilan. When I returned, she was in closed-door cultivation. Our marriage might still be decades away. If she marries before her realm is sufficient, it will affect her cultivation path. As for children, that would have to wait until after marriage."," Li Shiming said.

"After the child is born, he or she will not return to the mortal world but will stay in the Cultivation World. Then, the bloodline of the Li Family will have branches in both the mortal world and the Cultivation World," Li Shiming, who had never discussed his plans with others, did not hide anything in front of his father.

"I won't be able to see it!" Li WenYuan's eyes gleamed with longing as he sighed softly.

His son was already approaching forty, yet it would still be decades before he married and had children. He couldn't grasp a cultivator's perception of time, but he was very happy upon understanding Li Shiming's intentions.

Li Shiming did not offer consolation, as comforting others was not his forte; he simply and quietly kept his father company.

"Master, Young Master, the State Preceptor has come to visit!" Mo Yan held a bright golden card and reported.

"Shiming, you handle the reception. Talk to Shijie first; I'm tired and will go back to my room to rest," Li WenYuan said as he stood up, rubbing his waist and gesturing with his hand.

"Direct the State Preceptor to wait in the front hall; I'll go find Shijie first," Li Shiming did not take the card, casually instructing Mo Yan.

Mo Yan wanted to say something but obediently went on his way.

As he approached the front hall, he hesitated.

The State Preceptor had just executed an entire Royal Family, and yet the Young Master had him wait in the front hall. What if the State Preceptor became enraged?

While thinking, he entered the front hall.

"State Preceptor, the Young Master asks that you wait here for a moment. He will come over after handling some matters," Mo Yan said carefully.

"It's fine; I will wait here. Don't mind me; go on with your tasks," Meng Bin said as he stood respectfully without even daring to sit.

Seeing the State Preceptor behaving this way, Mo Yan's courage grew, thinking that his own young master was an Immortal, and this State Preceptor was really nothing in comparison.

Of course, he still didn't dare to be disrespectful, as after all, this was a State Preceptor, who in the eyes of a butler like him, was an existence as high as the sky.