After the path was cut off

Chapter 46 I Stay

In the main hall of the Li residence, the oil lamp cast a dim yellow light.

The halo of light struggled futilely in the deep night, barely illuminating a small area.

"Xuanli" floated beside Li Wangxiang, its mirror surface flowing with a warm glow, using its invisible power to isolate this small area from the deeper darkness outside.

In this tranquil setting, protected by lights and mirrors, Li Wangxiang elaborated on his plan to help the sect's "Golden-Backed Ray" migrate.

He described how enormous and docile the third-tier spirit beast was, how it carried more than 100,000 townspeople, and how it turned treacherous roads into smooth ones, his tone filled with uncontainable excitement.

However, there was not a trace of joy on Li Wangchuan's cold and hard face.

"Longing for home," he interrupted in a hoarse voice.

"Things aren't as simple as you think. Baixi Town... isn't a place we can just leave on a whim."

Li Wangxiang's heart tightened:

"Brother, why do you say that? With me here, and with the sect's Golden-Backed Ray..."

"The tranquility of Baixi Town is merely an illusion." Li Wangchuan took a deep breath, a sharp, weathered glint flashing in his cloudy eyes:

"In the fifty years since you ascended to immortality, the town's population has grown from a few hundred to over one hundred thousand. Don't you think that's too fast?"

"It's not because of the refugees who came to seek refuge," Li Wangxiang blurted out.

Li Wangchuan stared at him:

"Where do these refugees come from?"

"Since you returned forty years ago and left behind the illusion array, Baixi Town has never activated it on its own initiative. How come those refugees always manage to sneak in?"

Li Wangxiang belatedly realized what was happening, and his expression suddenly changed.

Li Wangchuan continued:

"This is the work of evil cultivators! They keep driving refugees to come here, and when they harass them, they deliberately spare women and children. Such methods have caused the population of Baixi Town to surge, and in recent years it has become out of control."

"To suppress population growth, the clan elders and I tried every possible method: dividing villages, limiting marriage, delaying childbirth, limiting births..."

"But once the suppression is over, those beasts use evil magic to lure away the women in the town, impregnate them, and then release them back."

"Qingfeng's mother, Madam Xue, was sent back in this way."

"She couldn't bear the thought of Jingtian abandoning her and their child, plus the bastard child of unknown origin in her belly..."

Li Wangchuan closed his eyes: "He died from starvation."

"In this town, countless strong-willed women have died in this way."

The main hall was deathly silent.

A chill mixed with anger surged into Li Wangxiang's heart. It wasn't that he hadn't noticed the situation in the town, but he never expected that the truth would be so dirty and so cruel!

His eyes were bloodshot, and he slammed his hand on the table:

"How could this be?!"

"Brother, why didn't you tell me sooner?!"

"What's the use of telling you?" Li Wangchuan retorted sharply, his voice suddenly rising.

"What is the essential difference between Taoist temples that nurture ordinary people seeking spiritual enlightenment and unorthodox practitioners who keep ordinary people as offerings and resources?"

"Wangxiang, as a cultivator, you should know better than I that this is the norm in this world, and it is beyond human power to change."

He stared at his younger brother, his eyes revealing a chilling clarity.

"My only hope was that you would achieve the Golden Core stage, which might break the deadlock! How could I dare to use such a hopeless matter to disturb your Dao heart!"

Li Wangxiang's face turned ashen, and he felt utterly ashamed.

It turns out that his elder brother was carrying such an abyss of pressure all by himself, yet he still held a glimmer of hope for him.

"Now you should understand, right?" Li Wangchuan said, his voice trembling with exhaustion.

"The more than 100,000 people in Baixi Town have long been cattle and sheep under the clutches of evil cultivators. If you want to take your fellow villagers around, do you think those beasts will agree?"

"Only three days."

Li Wangxiang growled in frustration:

"If we hold out for three days, and the sect's 'Golden-Backed Ray' arrives, we won't be afraid of any more evil cultivators."

"Besides, my senior brother came along too, so I can contact Master, I can also..."

Li Wangchuan simply shook his head.

"The immortal who enlightened our ancestors once left us a warning: 'A settlement of mortals should not exceed 100,000.'"

"This is the bottom line of the Taoist sect."

"The population of Baixi Town has now exceeded 100,000, but the Taoist sect has not made the slightest move."

Why do you think that is?

Li Wangxiang found it all absurd:

"That's just an old saying passed down orally for thousands of years. Who still takes it seriously today?"

"In all my years in the Tianxuan Sect, I have never heard of such a prohibition."

"When have those high-ranking immortals and true rulers ever cared about the life and death of mortals?"

Li Wangchuan remained unfazed.

He may not believe many people in his life, but he will never disbelieve this immortal who enlightened the Li family.

"Then now, try contacting your senior brother and your master."

An extremely ominous premonition instantly gripped Li Wangxiang's neck.

His master ordered his senior brother, Mo Guyun, to return home with him, but Mo Guyun claimed he had something to attend to and left halfway there. At the time, he didn't think much of it. Could it be…?

He pulled out his senior brother's magic jade and infused it with spiritual energy. There was no reaction.

He then took out his master's jade pendant and frantically activated it.

It remained deathly silent.

Li Wangxiang's fingers grew cold inch by inch.

"This…"

Li Wangchuan took in everything, but his expression showed no surprise whatsoever.

"Longing for Home".

"You take Qinghan, Qingfeng, and Jingshan with you."

"They are still young, and Qinghan is highly talented. As long as we can protect her and help her continue, there will still be a chance for the Li family once she achieves the Golden Core."

Li Wangchuan stood up, his tone leaving no room for argument:

"Take those who number over 100,000 with you as well."

"I'll draft the list."

"As for me—"

The old man turned around, his hunched back straightening ramrod straight at that moment:

"I stayed."

"Stay here to repay the lives of the villagers I've personally sent to their deaths over the years."