I Accumulate Spirit Roots for My Next Life

With a face full of blood stains and a sealed tongue and Divine Soul, Li Qingyun was freed from his restraints as soon as he entered the Dharma Realm.

“Grand Ancestor, please spare my life. If I, your great-grandson, have offended you in any way, please tell me, and I will compensate you a hundredfold.” Li Qingyun saw everything clearly in the main hall of Prince Yun’s Mansion, and although he could not express it, he knew that the entire mansion was suppressed by Li Jizhou, causing his heart to tremble.

“Did Prince Yun leave seclusion once twelve years ago?” Li Jizhou asked.

Li Qingyun paused in thought and nodded eagerly, “Yes, yes, that year Father left seclusion. I was even punished with a hundred lashes, genuine lashes, and then confined for half a year.”

“What blasphemous words did you say at that time?”

“I… Grand Ancestor, I’m innocent. I didn’t say anything blasphemous on that day. I merely wanted to flatter my father, having seen him come out of seclusion, but… but I don’t know why he was so furious.” Li Qingyun grew increasingly aggrieved as he spoke.

“What did you say?” Li Jizhou felt he was close to solving the mystery.

“I was offering a toast to my father, congratulating him on his progress after nearly twenty years of seclusion, and then added some flattering words. Who would have thought he would suddenly become enraged.”

“Recite the original words, without embellishment.”

“Yes, yes, yes. I held up a cup of wine at the time… ’Father, having secluded yourself for nearly twenty years, there’s progress to be celebrated. Child congratulates you on breaking through to Divinity Transformation, becoming the first Divinity Transformation Daoist Venerable of our Yun line. At that time, if you leave behind descendants again, perhaps one might have the Celestial Spirit Root.’ I tried my best to recall the scene carefully.

“Was it this statement that enraged Prince Yun? Did he say why he punished you?” Li Jizhou didn’t feel he understood the problem after listening.

Li Qingyun shook his head in grievance, “No, I finished speaking, and he suddenly changed his expression, slapped me flying, admonished me for speaking nonsense, and then sent me to the penitentiary for a hundred lashes!”

“…” Li Jizhou closed his eyes, deep in thought.

“Perhaps he had already broken through to Divinity Transformation? No, if that were the case, there would be no need for such anger.”

“The first Divinity Transformation Daoist Venerable of the Yun line? Nothing problematic there.”

“Leave descendants again? If Prince Yun breaks through to Divinity Transformation, he would indeed leave descendants again, as it helps improve the bloodline, nothing wrong there.”

“Celestial Spirit Root? Prince Yun’s current Earth Spirit Root is considered the best within the Yun line, and Celestial Spirit Root is indeed an advancement. Is he not satisfied with Celestial Spirit Root? That seems unlikely too.”

Li Jizhou was utterly puzzled.

“Could it be that Prince Yun was simply looking for a reason to vent on that day?” After analyzing phrase by phrase, Li Jizhou gained nothing.

“Do you know where the expenses of Prince Yun’s Mansion have gone in recent years?” Li Jizhou bluntly asked Li Qingyun, the Crown Prince of Prince Yun.

“Expenses? They are primarily allocated to Father’s secluded chamber.” Li Qingyun spoke with some dissatisfaction.

“Do you know the annual revenue of Spirit Stone resources for Prince Yun’s Mansion these years?” Li Jizhou chuckled as he asked.

“Grand Ancestor, I secretly calculated it once, at least fifteen million Middle Grade Spirit Stones a year, most of which was consumed during Father’s seclusion.” Li Qingyun spoke without hesitation.

By now, Li Qingyun was gradually gaining some insight.

Though he was a scoundrel, he wasn’t foolish. Li Jizhou’s actions would inevitably lead others to think he had grievously offended him, but in reality, he knew he hadn’t offended Li Jizhou that much.

Clearly, Li Jizhou was merely a front, an excuse.

His true aim seemed to be targeting Prince Yun.

This could be deduced from Li Jizhou’s investigation of the accounts.

Now that the accounts have been examined by Li Jizhou, and all those clerks and shopkeepers were imprisoned here, the matter of Prince Yun is likely to end badly.

The mastermind behind it might very well be the Saint Emperor.

After all, Prince Yun’s long seclusion all these years for cultivation advancement is ultimately a grave mistake.

For years, the Saint Emperor tolerated the Yun line because they were inherently lacking in talent, ensuring their cultivation could never be high.

Yet the current Prince Yun seems not perceptive enough.

However, this is indeed a good thing for Li Qingyun, the Crown Prince.

The Yun line after all carries the decree of the former emperor, with even secret letters left behind by the former emperor to be used at crucial moments for safeguarding the Yun line. Nonetheless, the current Prince Yun is bound to face a fatal consequence.

Upon his demise, Li Qingyun, with his poor talents, mediocre cultivation, and even more frivolous nature, would be the preferred Yun heir of the Saint Emperor.

He rejoices in this outcome!

Seeing Li Qingyun’s reaction and attitude, Li Jizhou sneered.

Such plastic father-son affection indeed.

However, it’s likely Li Qingyun knows nothing of the truth.

“Tell me everything you know!”

“Yes, yes, Great-Grandfather, your great-grandson will say everything he knows without missing anything.” Li Qingyun promptly recounted the affairs concerning Prince Yun that he knew.

After listening for a while, indeed nothing substantive emerged.

Even the involvement with the Cangming Dynasty was merely a transaction between Prince Yun’s Mansion and the dynasty, not outright rebellion.

Based on Li Qingyun’s narrative, there appeared to be no significant ties between Prince Yun’s Mansion and the Cangming Dynasty, and they seemed to have deliberately distanced themselves.

As for the depletion of hundreds of millions of Spirit Stone resources, it had nothing to do with the Cangming Dynasty, for the dealings these years with Cangming were simply for resource brokering.

“For these Spirit Stone resources, Prince Yun truly goes to any lengths! Why are you like this?” Li Jizhou frowned internally.

Unable to gain the answers he sought from these scribe managers and Li Qingyun, Li Jizhou withdrew his Divine Sense from the Dharma Realm.

In the empty hall of Prince Yun’s Mansion, Li Jizhou pondered for a moment, then gradually relaxed his expression.

“Forget it, since I’m not yet enthroned, let the Saint Emperor worry about this resource depletion worth billions of Spirit Stones.”

With both account evidence and numerous witnesses, and the sheer magnitude involved, Li Yuan would surely investigate thoroughly, leaving no need for personal effort.

With this thought, Li Jizhou resolutely took out the Communication Talisman with Li Yuan.

This talisman was originally given by Li Yuan for use in critical moments; he hadn’t used it all his travels until today when it became imperative.

Soon, Li Jizhou summarized and transmitted the situation of the significant deficit concerning Prince Yun’s Mansion to Li Yuan.

The next step was simply to wait.

“Your Highness the Seventh Prince, an old servant seeks urgent audience.” A voice came from outside the hall just then.

It was the voice of the head steward.

Having reported to Li Yuan, Li Jizhou had no interest in further performances, letting Hong Luan remove the array in this place.

“Your Highness, a stunning female cultivator seeking an audience outside the mansion claims acquaintance with your highness.”

“Stunning female cultivator?” Li Jizhou’s expression was peculiar.

Is this an attempt at seduction?

“Let her in.”

“Yes, yes.” A hint of delight flashed across the head steward’s face as he hurriedly retreated.

In a while, Fang Qingwei was led in by the head steward.

Li Jizhou was taken aback.

“Commoner Fang Qingwei pays respects to His Highness the Seventh Prince, thanking him for rescuing my father and clan!” Fang Qingwei bowed respectfully.