Chapter 486 Fall of the spirit jade turtle Li family (2)
However, even with its absence, the Li family was still powerful as it still had four soul formation experts at the helm who had more talent than their founder, a deep foundation established over hundreds of thousands of years, and had the bloodline of the spirit jade turtle which gave them some of its abilities, spirit jade body was one.
But without the founder, and the spirit jade turtle, as with most long-established organizations, rifts here and there appeared with factions, each vying for hegemony of the clan. Something about bloodline purity came about, and those with low spirit jade turtle bloodline were evicted from the main clan to the branches bringing about a sense of alienation and discrimination.
Fathers abandoned sons because of it, and wives abandoned daughters while there were those who resented the clan for separating them like that.
That rift created an opening, and slowly by slowly they were chewed away by enemies left right, and center, some found their identities but no longer existed, but others hid themselves well.
Eventually, the spirit jade turtle Li family, a family that had survived a million years, was eradicated 16,000 years ago. The four soul formation experts they had before had already died at that point, however, owing to their resources and bloodline, they still managed to create another one who had a talent that dwarfed all the others, however, she was killed immediately after breaking through, and without a soul formation expert, they were quickly swept away.
The attack moved from the main clan and even went to the side branches. There were a few survivors here and there, and Jiang Fu's father was one of them.
Jiang Fu's part of the Li family was a side branch, and they had survived thanks to the efforts of a friend of their grandmother. He was a young chancellor of a certain empire at the time but is now retired, he saved them due to a promise he made to their grandmother, that he would look after her family in case something happened to her.
Something did happen to her, and the chancellor kept his promise. That chancellor retired, and is now the owner of the Thousands Flavors Restaurant..."
Yang Qing and the trio were wide-eyed when they heard that bit.
"As for why the spirit jade turtle Li family was targetted, you all took spirit beast ecology at the institute right?" asked Meng Chao.
The trio nodded as an answer that they did.
"Then you know spirit beasts don't just cannibalize each other for the sake of it or for territory or hegemony. Yes, the latter two could be factors, but usually, they do it with the sole purpose of improving and strengthening themselves and the targets they choose aren't random.
It's usually ones that are able to enhance their own bloodline for example a water typhoon lizard will likely target a cerulean kingfisher that has a lower cultivation base than it would a thunderhead mockingbird with a strong cultivation base, not unless the latter has a wisdom pearl.
Spirit beasts target those of similar attributes and consume them to improve on what they have. That is usually the case, however, there are exceptions where symbiotic partnerships appear where they each makeup for what the other needs or lacks.
The snapping willow tree is one such example, which houses the scarlet hummingbird, the withering weevil, the black verdant porcupine, and the grey fog tree frog, which cooperate not only to ensure their own safety but even in terms of cultivation they form a cycling exchange between the five of them.
Then there is another relation that is a mix of the two, cannibalistic and cooperative, where spirit beasts attack other spirit beasts to consume them or use them as a panacea to quell the negative aspects of their own attributes, like the rainbow mist toad in your possession that needs something with a purifying ability to help quell the toxins in its own body from running rampant.
It can either consume a spirit beast with a gentle purifying nature which will help strengthen its body to the toxins or cultivate next to a treasure with similar properties..."
Yang Qing nodded at this since this was the same measure he had employed for Bolin's training. He had him cultivate next to a hundred moon-cleansing hawthorn flower to help him balance his body before it was overrun by poison.
"The reason I mention this is because the same thing applies to mythical creatures. They will devour each other to improve themselves when their attributes align, or use each other to fix a flaw.
While I'm not sure who massacred the spirit jade turtle Li family, I can tell their motives which definitely fall under the two reasons I mentioned as to why spirit beasts would target each other.
The one thing the Li family had of value more than anything else, so enticing that one would risk fighting against soul formation experts, is the spirit jade turtle bloodline.
And who would be so determined to do that? it's those with a lot to gain from it like let's say an organization similar to the Li family that has some bloodline of a mythical creature on the same level as the spirit jade turtle, who need its bloodline because they either share overlaps in attributes, or they need its bloodline to quel the negative side effects of their own bloodline or it could even be at the behest of a mythical creature that is injured that needs the blood of the spirit jade turtle to heal.
And such a thing might be much more tantalizing to them than some saint-grade treasure. This is why I strongly believe the Crystal Palm Jade Sect was attacked because of Deng Chao's background rather than the treasure, and based on the display I saw of him, I'm willing to bet he is from the main branch due to how dense the spirit jade was on him.
The culprits are still hidden, but using the spirit jade turtle bloodline as the motive puts them out in the open.
The list of suspects capable of pulling what they did off, while also standing to gain the most from it, is really small, and over the years I've been narrowing it, and now it's just three.."
The ears of the trio immediately perked up, especially Zhang Qinggee's.
"I can't tell you yet, since each one is more terrifying than the next, but when I do have something concrete I will make sure to inform you.
As for Jiang Fu's current state, I had someone watch over him as he breaks through who discovered some cultivators stalking him.
Clearly, they're waiting for him to break through to the palace realm and kidnap him after, but they're just mercenaries, who had their memories altered and have no idea of who gave them the job..."
"Isn't it dangerous, and how did they discover about him?" asked Zhang Qinggee.
"I can promise you we have taken every measure to ensure his safety. Jiang Fu is like a son to us, who we have seen grow. We wouldn't risk his life like that.
As for how they found out, like I said Jiang Fu is safe, Li Fu is another thing. They seem to have the means to track the Li bloodline, and while we can block it, it's more prudent if we let things be and catch all who came.
Jiang Fu can't live his life as a prisoner, locking away Li Fu, he needs his life, and his name back, and if it's any consolation he was the one who suggested using himself as bait in this. But I can promise you, I have my chief inquisitor watching him, and Zhu Lao and the rest have sent their representatives as well, along with having a saint-grade artifact in his abode as a fail-safe and instant teleportation runes that could? work even with the interference of a soul formation expert.."
Zhang Qinggee went silent, with worry still on her face.
"It will be okay Qingge. It's what Jiang Fu wants.." Yang Qing said with a gentle tone.
"Sorry.." Zhang Qinggee said in a low tone to Meng Chao.
Meng Chao had known Jiang Fu far longer than she had and had more likely been protecting him in all that time, even going as far as having him close by at the Thousand Flavors Restaurant, was likely his doing.
She felt sorry for letting worry cloud her judgment.
"It's okay. I'll keep you all appraised, but it will take time since I also need to make preparations of my own.
One way or another I need to resolve it myself, but these are opponents who can kill soul formation experts.
With my realm as it is, I would not be able to do much just like back then.." a flash of regret passed through his eyes as he said this.
"I will be going into seclusion to reach the soul formation realm from today. By my estimates, it should take six months to a year at most. At that time, my inquisitor Bo Gen will inform you of any changes that may happen or you can seek out Dean Zhu Lao, Ren Shu, Yu Long, or Shao An, they're also closely monitoring the situation.
Hopefully, by the time I come out, we will have something to work with, which will finally give me the chance to give reprieve to Little Fu, Deng Chao, and other Li family survivors who may still be there, and lay this 900-year ghost case to rest..."
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