Chapter 3075 Yuan Qi's Ambition!
Ah Ru could already imagine what would happen to Li Cheng. She regarded Li Cheng as her life. In order to earn resources for Li Cheng, Ah Ru had worked as hard as Li Hen. However, once the direct descendants gave the order, there was no way to refuse.
Ah Ru knew that she couldn't protect Li Cheng. If it weren't for the fact that she had to heal Li Hen's injuries, she would most likely have fallen into a zombie-like state.
Upon hearing her words, Li Hen was stunned. He ignored the pain in his back and stood up. Li Hen asked excitedly with reddened eyes, "The clan really gave such an order!?"
Ah Ru knew that it wasn't that Li Hen didn't believe her, but that Li Hen was also in a state of uncontrollable emotions like her. She threw herself into Li Hen's arms and said with tears in her eyes, "Li Hen, we're about to lose Little Cheng. Little Cheng doesn't know about the clan's orders yet, but I think the news will reach his ears soon. What do you think we should do?"
Li Hen comforted Ah Ru briefly and came to the area where the members of the direct descendants lived with red eyes.
What Ah Ru saw was Li Hen, who was critically injured and barely clinging to life, she knew what Li Hen had done.
Li Hen had gone to look for the direct descendants, hoping that they could retract their order and not let Little Cheng be the Sixth Young Master's study companion. Looking at the current situation, not only did the direct descendants of the clan reject Li Hen, but they also punished him with martial force.
Ah Ru bandaged the wounds on Li Hen's body again and felt sad. If news of Little Cheng's death spread in the future, Ah Ru was not prepared to continue living in such a clan. It was just that Ah Ru was a little reluctant and worried about Li Cheng.
It was dark in the house late at night, and Li Cheng already knew the news. Ah Ru left to accompany Li Cheng. When Li Hen, a man who used to brush off even severe injuries during explorations in the abyss, woke up, tears of warmth streamed down his face involuntarily.
In the darkness, Li Hen extended his hand and gazed at his scarred palm. He felt overwhelmed by a profound sense of helplessness. At this moment, Li Hen, who was most loyal to his clan, actually had the thought of abandoning his clan.
Li Hen wanted to rebel against his clan and take Li Cheng and Ah Ru far away. Even if he had to join a mercenary group and become one of those precarious mercenaries, it would still be much better than now. However, such thoughts were just wishful thinking for Li Hen. For the clan, disciples from collateral branches were seen more as tools than lives. After all, tools didn't have the right to rebel, did they? If Li Hen were to truly act on his rebellious thoughts, the clan might just kill him, Ah Ru, and Little Cheng.
At this moment, Li Hen really wanted to endure the pain in his body and meet his only son, Li Cheng. However, as a father, Li Hen only felt deep sorrow for his own incompetence. He lost the courage to see Li Cheng as he was afraid that he would see Li Cheng's terrified and disappointed expression.
It was said that men did not cry easily. Li Hen, who had always hated tears, cried extremely sadly as a father. After crying for a long time, Li Hen made a wish in his heart. If he could leave the Myriad Shadow Wolves and stop Li Cheng from becoming the follower of the cruel Sixth Young Master, he was willing to exchange everything.
Thinking of this, Li Hen couldn't help but laugh at himself. It didn't seem like everything he had was anything. His cheap life was simply worthless!
Under the dim night sky, there were five young men and women sitting by a river. Behind the young men and women, elemental phantoms of different postures appeared.
Four of the five elemental phantoms looked rather condensed, but one was extremely illusory. This illusory elemental phantom belonged to an ordinary-looking woman.
The expressions of the other four people were normal when they manifested these elemental phantoms of different postures, but the expression on this woman's face was extremely difficult.
Large drops of sweat fell from their foreheads. The other figures sensed the woman's state and looked at her with contempt and mockery.
A coquettish laugh sounded. "Ah Meng, your talent is really too poor. With your talent, it's meaningless even if you practice behind us every day. If I were you, I wouldn't persevere anymore.
"If I continue like this, I'll only embarra.s.s myself. Although you're a direct descendant, your bloodline power is so weak. I really don't know how you were born and raised! If the clan hadn't carried out the test, I wouldn't have been able to help but wonder if your bloodline is impure!"
This woman with a coquettish voice looked very sweet, but her words were filled with an unconcealable viciousness. It could be said to be an extremely vicious act to openly question the bloodline of any species that valued bloodlines. Those whose bloodline was questioned in such a clan would be mocked and isolated.
Closely following this charming female voice was a clear male voice, "Third Sister, don't say that. Before Yuan Qi condensed the elemental shadow, she was a genius valued by the clan's elders. It's said that the elemental shadow that might awaken contains two elements! By that time, who in our generation could compare to Yuan Qi?"
"It's just the way the wind blows. The same elders who were once thrilled are now furious. Yuan Qi's elemental awakening is already so late, and even condensing the Elemental Shadow is extremely difficult for her. How could someone like her possibly bear the clan's high expectations?"
"Speaking of which, among the talents in our clan's generation, Third Sister, you are undoubtedly the most outstanding one!"
This clear male voice was very pleasant to the ear, but the words he said were filled with flattery. His words were filled with flattery towards the charming female voice and contempt for Yuan Qi.
It was unknown if it was because of the young man's admiration or his instinct to curry favor with the powerful, but every time they came to the elemental river to cultivate together, such evil words would always sound.
"Alright, we're all from the same generation. Yuan Qi's poor talent didn't hinder your matters, nor did she s.n.a.t.c.h your resources."
This rough voice seemed to be helping Yuan Qi out of the predicament, but the topic quickly turned back to Yuan Qi.
"Yuan Qi, you know your own talents best. I advise you not to force yourself any further. It's a waste of the clan's resources for you to come to the elemental river to absorb the elements. Among the nine main lineages, our lineage is the weakest.
"Don't you feel guilty for occupying these resources without any value? If you don't tell the clan yourself, I will report it to the clan."
Upon hearing this rough voice, the ordinary-looking Yuan Qi pursed her lips tightly, "Yuan Meng, I know that you've already reported to the clan more than once that you want to deprive me of the opportunity to absorb elemental energy here. The reason the clan didn't agree with you is because the clan hasn't given up on me. As a direct descendant, I should enjoy these resources. Why should I give these resources to others? You can say whatever you want about me, but I'll never miss a single session of our cultivation here!"
After saying that, Yuan Qi stood up and left the place, not letting herself continue to be entangled in trouble. By the time she left, blood had already seeped out of Yuan Qi's tightly clenched fists.
Yuan Qi felt that her elemental body, which seemed to never be full, had fallen into a deep sense of powerlessness. Her body absorbed elemental energy at an extremely fast rate, far surpa.s.sing the few fellow clan members who recently advanced in strength alongside her. However, when the elemental energy was absorbed into her body, it was as if it had disappeared out of thin air.
Yuan Qi was sure that she had absorbed the elemental energy into his body. With such a ma.s.sive amount of elemental energy, it wouldn't simply vanish into thin air. Yuan Qi was understandably perplexed by this. Although she didn't understand his situation, Yuan Qi didn't tell the clan about this.
Her water-type lineage was the weakest among the nine main lineages. Due to some historical reasons, it had always been suppressed by the other main lineages.
There was only one elemental river suitable for the younger generation left, and Yuan Qi felt like she was wasting the clan's resources with his current situation.
Originally, those few individuals who were against Yuan Qi didn't harbor such strong opinions about her. It was because she had absorbed the elemental energy in the elemental river too quickly recently that these individuals were dissatisfied and thought that she was s.n.a.t.c.hing resources.
In Yuan Qi's heart, she had never taken his clan seriously. What Yuan Qi cared more about was the improvement of her personal strength. Only by improving her own strength could she obtain everything.
Her grandfather, father, and mother had contributed everything to the clan, but in the end, they did not receive anything. She also did not receive much preferential treatment either.
The clan was still providing her with resources because they were unwilling to give up on her talent. Once she made the clan feel that she was worthless, the clan would definitely abandon her without hesitation. Just like how they had abandoned her father back then.
When she thought of this, Yuan Qi felt a chill in her heart, and at the same time, she also felt a wave of hatred. However, Yuan Qi felt a deep sense of helplessness in her heart.
She was indeed very ambitious, but her strength was clearly not worthy of her ambition. She wondered how many more times she could come to the elemental river. If the clan saw that Yuan Qi hadn't made any progress or achievements, they might soon stop allowing her access to the elemental river. Yuan Qi's expression darkened when she thought of this.
Yuan Qi silently thought to himself that if this world could provide an opportunity for her to rise and have enough strength to dominate everything, she would be willing to exchange everything for it!
Yuan Qi had always admitted to being an extremely ambitious person. However, having ambition without strength was equivalent to being a joke.
Because Yuan Qi's parents and grandfather were already dead, she had not received much care from her aunt's clan when he was young.
However, she had received a lot of eye-rolling. Her aunt had always wanted her to give up on going to the elemental river to train because if she had voluntarily given up, her younger brother would have a chance to go to the elemental river to train.
Regardless of how Yuan Qi's aunt persuaded her, she refused to give up this opportunity. As a result, Yuan Qi had been beaten multiple times by her aunt and uncle. Even her younger brother would openly target her.
Yuan Qi quietly let the elders in the clan discover the truth of his abuse. Only then was she able to break away from her aunt's clan and return to the old house where she had lived with her parents when she was young.
As soon as Yuan Qi returned home, she found that her aunt had come to look for her. Yuan Qi's aunt could only be visiting her for one reason, as Yuan Qi suspected. She listened as her aunt spoke in a commanding tone.
"Little Qi, your unyielding personality is exactly the same as your big brother, but you've already tried everything you need to try. With your condition, there's no point in you going to the elemental river.
"Little Dong has already awakened his elemental veins, and you haven't even condensed the elemental shadow yet. Even if you occupy this opportunity, the elders of the clan won't let you occupy it for long."
Upon hearing her aunt's words, Yuan Qi felt a chill in her heart for no reason. Was this her so-called relative?
Yuan Qi suddenly felt that her aunt didn't seem to be from the same species as her. She was more like a Bloodian who was ready to suck on her at any time. There were many rules in the clan, and the most taboo one was to contradict one's elders.
Yuan Qi took a deep breath and said softly, "Aunt, my opportunity was obtained for me by my father and mother. It is also related to my own talent. Even if I forcefully give up the opportunity, I don't believe that Yuan Dong's talent is worthy of it! Aunt, we're the closest blood relatives in the clan. Why can't you see me doing well? Not only have you mistreated me for so many years, but you've also been depriving me of opportunities. You've also s.n.a.t.c.hed so many things my parents left me."
Yuan Qi calmly asked the one thing that she had wanted to know the most in all these years. When the woman standing in front of Yuan Qi heard this, she directly cursed loudly, "If it weren't for the fact that your father, mother, and that old man loved you so much when you were born and had been collecting supplies for you everywhere, they wouldn't have died! If the two of them hadn't died, how could our lineage be suppressed so badly?
"This is all your doing, you cunning little girl! You even begged the elders to reclaim some of the resources left by your parents. If it weren't for you taking away those resources, Little Dong wouldn't have taken so long to awaken his elemental veins!"
Upon hearing her aunt's words, the last bit of hope in Yuan Qi's heart was completely cut off. It turned out that her aunt had always hated her father, who was known as the guardian of the lineage, and her mother, who had saved her aunt and uncle's lives more than once.
In her aunt's eyes, taking back the resources her parents had left for her was like doing something outrageous. To think that when she had been treated coldly by her aunt and uncle, she had been reflecting on what she had done wrong. Now, it seemed that she had been too stupid.
"Aunt, I'm tired. You can go back. No matter what, I'm still one of the five people chosen and nurtured by the clan. You're affecting my advancement and slowing down the speed at which I condense the elemental shadow. I don't think you want me to get an elder from my clan to chase you away, right?!"