Chapter 123: The River Styx

"Noisy."

Before the words even faded, Li Changsheng’s expression turned cold, and the aura of the Styx suddenly descended!

As a pressure of absolute control over the fates of all living things emerged, a look of profound horror appeared in Tang Yun's eyes! This presence was no less formidable than that of the Ancestor of the Demon Immortals—in fact, it was several times more terrifying!

"You have seen the conduct of this boy," Li Changsheng continued, his expression growing increasingly somber, as if he were truly the one aggrieved. "Even if I were willing to let it go, how could he ever be content to let it rest? From the very beginning, I have never targeted him! Yet he? He refuses to mend his ways, provoking me time and again. Does he truly take my cultivation to be mere decoration?"

Tang Yun was stunned by his words, a flicker of hesitation crossing her mind.

"Or perhaps," Li Changsheng sensed her reaction and shifted his tone, knowing that to defeat a person, one must first strike at their heart—to sow discord and seek a flaw was the superior strategy—"is it that your lineage is truly so overbearing that it cannot tolerate the slightest offense from others?"

"My lineage is not so unreasonable! Your words are, I fear, somewhat one-sided!" Tang Yun replied, looking indignant, her voice icy.

"Oh?" Li Changsheng’s expression remained indifferent, a cold sneer hidden in his heart. *A Dao oath? With the Styx in my grasp, is it hard to forge one? Being framed? Compared to Lin Hao, this is nothing.*

He was not worried about the truth of his words. Playing a hot-headed Son of Destiny to his death was easy; it was merely a matter of time. As for this woman's life, he truly did not care. Had he not wanted to weaken Lin Hao's destiny value further, she would have already been reduced to nothingness.

"Young Master!" "Young Master."

Suddenly, Zhao Wan'er and Elder Jian appeared, bowing deeply with expressions of reverence. They were surprised to see the ethereal, graceful figure beside Li Changsheng, but they dared not speak of it.

"Where is the Patriarch now?" Li Changsheng asked calmly after a brief pause.

"You brat, it’s about time you remembered your old man!" A cold, resentful huff echoed as a man in black appeared abruptly before them. "Come back with me and inherit the Li family!" Li Yue commanded with a look of deep dissatisfaction.

"No." Li Changsheng remained unmoved.

"You... you! You brat, you’re going to be the death of me!" Li Yue looked annoyed, his eyes filled with helplessness. He sighed, his tone softening with earnest advice: "Changsheng, the Li family’s endless elixirs, our vast collection of arts—why would you turn your back on such a place? Do you not know that all of this is the legacy I built for you? If you were to take charge of the Li family, your future would be immeasurable!"

"No."

Li Changsheng remained unmoved. In a short while, he would be able to exchange for a great treasure in the system shop; what fun was there in the Li family? Would he go back just to busy himself with trivialities? He asked himself if he were truly that dull-witted to abandon his own path for such a boring choice. *But why is my father so eager to push the Li family onto me?* Li Changsheng felt there was something strange about it. *Perhaps leading the Li family is just too exhausting... Yes, that must be it.*

"What is that look, you brat? Do you think your father would harm you?" Li Yue demanded, his brows furrowing in displeasure.

"Of course not. It is just that there are some things I still do not understand. I must travel the mortal world to achieve enlightenment," Li Changsheng replied, bowing respectfully.

"Very well..." Li Yue sighed, no longer forcing the issue. "I will leave the Dao-Extinguishing Stele with you for protection. If anyone dares to provoke you, beat them down without mercy. The Li family will always be your home."

"Thank you... Father..." Li Changsheng was stunned, his eyes thoughtful as he bowed deeply. The Dao-Extinguishing Stele was the true foundation of the Li family—a treasure of mysterious origin, yet the most formidable artifact they possessed. Seeing Li Yue give it away without a hint of reluctance, he realized his father truly had no selfish motives toward him. A sense of hesitation began to stir in his heart. *Family affection...* he murmured, a flicker of sadness in his eyes. In his previous life, he was alone and helpless; to have such a bond in this life was truly a stroke of fortune.

"If there is nothing else, I should be going."

"You brat, if there are any changes, you must notify me immediately!" Li Yue huffed, clearly dissatisfied with Li Changsheng's silence. He turned and stepped away, his figure rapidly fading into nothingness.

"Respectful farewell to the Patriarch!" Zhao Wan'er and Elder Jian bowed deeply.

Only Li Changsheng’s eyes flashed with a sharp light. He flicked his finger, and a seed radiating a majestic aura flew swiftly into Li Yue’s dantian, merging with it instantly. It was a seedling of the World Seed! Concealed by the aura of the Styx, Li Yue did not notice as he vanished into the distance.

"Let’s go." Li Changsheng’s expression returned to calm. With a wave of his hand, he stowed the profound Dao-Extinguishing Stele and, having casually obliterated the old man suppressed beneath it, he stepped forth toward the land of Chuling.

Zhao Wan'er and Elder Jian followed without delay. Tang Yun, her soul-body residing within a small blood-colored sword, followed close behind. Even though Li Changsheng had spared both her and Lin Hao, she remained suspicious. To prevent him from going back on his word and killing Lin Hao, she felt she must act as a hostage and stay by his side.

Li Changsheng did not spare her a second glance. He was confident in the absolute control of the Styx; once Tang Yun had entered its grasp, she could never turn back. As for extracting information through soul-searching, he felt it was a cruel method that would leave him unsettled. If it came down to it, he could simply annihilate the entire Demon Immortal lineage. He was not worried.

His plans for the future were already forming. If Chuling alone contained two Sons of Destiny like Lin Hao and Chu Tian, there would surely be more elsewhere. He had a long road ahead. Moreover, he was only at the Half-Step Immortal Realm; he had not even reached the Ancient Mirror stage. This journey would be a good time to cultivate. After all, if he were to run into a powerhouse with luck as vast as his own, he would be in for trouble.

Two hours later, they arrived at a lush, mountainous region. A middle-aged man in golden brocade robes stood above, his face dark as he scolded his disciples below, seemingly searching for something. This was Zhao Ming, the Sect Master of the One-Sword Sect.

"Gr-great one!" Seeing Li Changsheng, Zhao Ming trembled violently. He fell to his knees, kowtowing repeatedly, his voice trembling with panic. "I deserve to die! Please, I beg you, spare the disciples of the One-Sword Sect; they are innocent!"

"What is it?" Li Changsheng asked calmly, slightly surprised by his terror.

"G-great one... Lin... Lin Hao... he is... gone..." Zhao Ming stammered, his body shaking uncontrollably. He had personally sealed Lin Hao; for him to vanish so inexplicably was absurd!

*Is that all?* Li Changsheng felt a hint of amusement. "How did the task I assigned you go?"

"R-returned, great one, it is... it is done..." Zhao Ming did not dare delay, offering a blue jade slip with trembling hands.

"And the integration of the sects in Chuling?" Li Changsheng asked after scanning the information.

"Great one... except for the Illusion Demon Palace, whose mountain-guarding formation is difficult to break, all other sects have submitted..." Zhao Ming sounded nervous, fearing punishment.

"I am aware." Li Changsheng shook his head slightly and turned to Zhao Wan'er. "It is said there is a famous winery where the Illusion Demon Palace is located. Would you like to go with me?"

"I... I would be willing..." Zhao Wan'er blushed, her voice barely a whisper.

"In that case... Elder Jian, you shall remain here to guard this place." Li Changsheng took the young woman by the waist, and they vanished in a single step.

"Respectful farewell to the Master!" Zhao Ming shouted. Only Elder Jian was left standing there, frozen in the wind. *The two of them... they just left?*

"Go on and do your work," Elder Jian said, quickly regaining his composure. He turned and walked toward the grandest hall of the One-Sword Sect.

High above, far from the sect, Li Changsheng held the beauty in his arms, riding on auspicious clouds. He held a faint smile, lost in thought. His destination was the winery mentioned in the jade slip—the Tianyuan Winery. Legend had it that the entire Qingling World was once a massive chessboard where gods and immortals played, using the vast masses as pieces. The land of Chuling was the "Tianyuan" (the center) of that board.

It was all too coincidental. The Tianyuan site was linked to the ancient cataclysm that nearly destroyed the world, and both the Demon Immortal lineage and the reincarnated Dan Demon, Chu Tian, were connected to that era. Li Changsheng felt as though he were deep within a grand game. While he possessed the System and the Styx, he could not be certain that no other remnants of the ancient world existed—descendants of gods or demons wielding heaven-defying arts.

He could not afford to be ignorant. He would begin his search here in Chuling. If he were to encounter another Son of Destiny with an ancient inheritance, he would need to be prepared. Otherwise, the cost would be far greater than just his life.