Chapter 1677 - 305:

Later, when Alii began using ancestral plaques to carve wooden flower rolls, new plaques kept flowing out for restocking, leading to the altar increasingly neglecting to distinguish between the plaques of the Qin and Liu families, arranging them solely by the years they represent instead.

To some degree, this contributed to the historic reconciliation and integration between the Qin and Liu Families.

Historically, the two families had deep-seated vendettas over competing for the Dragon King, with nearly every Dragon King from the Qin Family having slain members of the Liu Family, and every Dragon King from the Liu Family stained with the blood of the Qin Family.

These grievances and hatreds ultimately drifted away within the wooden flower rolls of the joint descendant little granddaughter.

Zhao Yi: "Calculating by the years, those few were very close to my ancestors."

Li Zhiyuan: "Hmm."

Standing before the plaques, looking forward, one sees the tales of past generations of Dragon Kings; looking back, one sees the graceful era of one's own future as a Dragon King.

During this period, there might be a mixture of some sentiments and youthful exuberance.

Born from humble origins, one can still assertively carve out and write one's era within the hand of the Dragon King's Court.

Sadly, the spirits of ancestors from the Qin and Liu Families are gone; otherwise, this interaction would be more intense, not just one-sidedly moving.

Exiting the East Room, re-entering under the sun.

Zhao Yi stretched out his hand to shield his forehead, showing a bitter expression; his discontent was not just with the sunlight.

"The Li family, things seem to have gotten a bit out of hand."

"Hmm."

"If it truly is like this, then after my ancestors, my Zhao Family has not produced a Dragon King, nor Zhao Family members who can contest for the title of Dragon King on the river, then we truly deserve it."

Li Zhiyuan lowered his head, looking at the thick "Zhao Family Extinction Guide" Zhao Yi handed him.

"The Zhao Family might be countless times filthier than you, the Eldest Young Master of the Zhao Family, know."

...

Alii was painting, with a sketchbook brought by Cui Cui placed in front of her.

The sketchbook was downsized, its area reduced, many details blurred, and perspectives unable to unfold.

Alii held the brush, seemingly copying, but was actually just taking the shapes and then reinterpreting.

Cui Cui also held a brush, but in front of her was no paper, nor was there paint on the tip, just watching closely while moving her wrist in tandem.

Alii is not a good teacher; in this way, she is similar to Li Zhiyuan.

The more proficient one is in a field, the harder it is to teach students, because the baseline they subconsciously assume as natural might be the ceiling in the eyes of the students.

However, Cui Cui is a good student; she appreciates the overall mental realm Alii presents while painting, but for most of the time, her eyes stay locked on Alii's wrist and brush tip, observing how she paints each small scene and object.

Being able to grasp these and manage to replicate a bit is enough to stand out in the school interest class.

Li Zhiyuan walked in.

Alii paused; she could tell from the boy's footsteps that he was troubled.

However, after a brief pause, she resumed painting.

Having troubles is a normal thing. Since the boy did not call for her, it indicated he did not need her help with the matter.

Li Zhiyuan's room served as their activity space; the distribution of time between them had long been tacitly understood.

From waking in the morning until Aunt Liu's call to "have breakfast," this period was their traditional leisure time, usually spent sitting on the outdoor chairs watching the sunrise and playing chess.

In the afternoon, there would be a time for reading; sometimes Alii would accompany the boy to read, sometimes she simply stayed by his side.

Outside those times, they were mostly in one room with their own spaces - one at the study desk, one at the art desk - each doing their own tasks.

"Brother Xiao Yuan, try this, I brought it."

Cui Cui brought over the bag, filled with popcorn, not corn, but rice, round and plump, snowy white.

Li Zhiyuan grabbed a handful and put it in his mouth, fragrant and slightly sweet.

Several households in the village specially make these for children as snacks.

Upon sensing the boy's troubles, after delivering the popcorn, Cui Cui returned to Alii's side to continue learning painting.

Li Zhiyuan first took out a blank notebook, fetched a pen from the pen holder, and then spread open the "Walking River Behavior Regulations," turned to the section on "Dream Ghosts."

The pen cap had yet to be removed, merely resting on the blank page of the notebook, slowly stroking.

A formalized divination had altered the character of events.

Adding a major twist to what should have been a simple and smooth resupply trip.

Currently speaking, it really was uncertain whether the truck he planned to drive to Jiujiang could bring back the needed items.

Frequent river crossings often formed a certain cognitive pattern, underestimating the risks beyond the waves, a point particularly apparent to the Li Zhiyuan team targeted by the Heavenly Dao.

Yet, in reality, this Jianghu itself is exceptionally perilous; it can make people successful, but also swallow them up leaving no trace.

Placing the Zhao Family file Zhao Yi provided on his lap, Li Zhiyuan reclined slightly on the chair, eyes half-closed.

His consciousness split into three tracks: reviewing the preliminary preparations for the Dream Ghosts' wave, reading the Zhao Family file, and planning and designing the forthcoming action plan.

The boy did not feel he was making much ado about nothing, for it is often the most inconspicuous ditches that are the easiest to founder.

Meanwhile, along the path leading from Li Sanjiang's house to the village road, Zhao Yi leaned alone against a tree, watching the small river flow before him, geese and ducks passing alternately, occasionally "uh-uh" and then "quack-quack."