C16 All of You Are Alive

Lee Qi meandered through the dappled sunlight, the warmth of the day enveloping him in leisurely comfort. A gentle breeze wafted by, a simple yet profound delight.

Wang Ling'er, sensing his underlying tension, stayed close by his side, her presence a quiet reassurance.

With a creak, the door swung open, revealing a frail middle-aged man. His temples were touched with gray, betraying a weariness beyond his years.

"Uncle!" Lee Qi approached, his body quivering with emotion. "You must have endured so much."

Lee Longxiang gazed upon Lee Qi, his eyes brimming with affection. "I haven't suffered, Qi. It's you who have been through hardships," he said, tenderly stroking Lee Qi's head.

Lee Qi reveled in the affectionate gesture, thinking to himself that if the luminaries of the Immortal Realm could see this, they'd be utterly astounded.

"Uncle, this is Wang Ling'er, my wife," Lee Qi introduced her with pride.

"It's only because of Ling'er that I've made it this far. Without her, I might not have survived," he admitted.

A rosy blush tinted Wang Ling'er's porcelain complexion, Lee Qi's words rendering her bashful. Yet, she greeted him with a gentle, "Uncle!"

Lee Longxiang regarded Wang Ling'er with a look of esteem. "Good! Good! Good!" he exclaimed, his approval unmistakable.

"Qi is blessed to have found a wife like you. It's my turn to thank you for rescuing him from the perils of the Lee family," he said with heartfelt gratitude.

Wang Ling'er replied softly, "No, it's my fortune to have married Lee Qi in this lifetime."

Her words were sincere, her eyes sparkling with joy, her face aglow with the radiance of happiness.

Lee Qi broached a delicate subject, "Uncle, the three elders have been kneeling, seeking your forgiveness. And Lee Longfei and his son are now incapacitated. What should be done with them?"

The three elders shuddered, their anxiety palpable as their fate hung in the balance. Lee Longxiang's decision could mean life or death.

Lee Longxiang's face was etched with sorrow. After a prolonged contemplation, he exhaled deeply, the weight of his decision evident. His demeanor shifted to one of solemnity as he addressed them coldly, "Elders, you merely followed Lee Longfei and committed no grave sins. Henceforth, you are relieved of your duties. I trust you will put the family's welfare first and guide your kin towards a better future."

"Thank you, Patriarch Lee! Thank you, Patriarch Lee!"

The three individuals bowed deeply, addressing Lee Longxiang directly as the Patriarch.

Lee Longxiang, clearly bewildered, inquired, "Qi, what's happening here?"

Lee Qi explained, "Uncle, you're the chosen Patriarch. Everyone agrees."

"I can't! I'm not up to the task!" Lee Longxiang protested, shaking his head emphatically.

Lee Qi reassured him, "Uncle, with you as the Patriarch, I'll be right there to support you."

"Qi, I'm not the one to lead as Patriarch. It should be you!" Lee Longxiang said, his face tinged with sadness. "At my current level, just the third tier of the Qi Gathering Stage, I lack the strength to lead our family to greatness."

A subtle emotion flickered in Lee Qi's eyes as he responded, "Uncle, since I've married into the Wang family, I can't take on the role of the Lee family Patriarch. But rest assured, I will certainly help you guide our family to a bright future."

Wang Ling'er had been tense, worried that Lee Qi might depart from the Wang family.

His words eased her concerns, and she visibly relaxed.

Noticing the worry in Wang Ling'er's eyes, Lee Qi offered her a comforting look, warming her heart and easing her anxiety.

Lee Longxiang's face was a mask of displeasure, but he soon came to terms with the situation.

"If that's your decision, then I accept the role of Patriarch."

"Uncle, Lee Longfei and his son await your judgment, and we still need to inscribe my parents' and sister's names onto the family stele," Lee Qi said, eager to proceed.

With a decisive gesture, Lee Longxiang summoned the full presence of a Patriarch.

"Let's proceed! We'll add your parents' and sister's names to the family stele first. Today is the day we honor our ancestors, so let's begin with the ancestral rites before we address the matter of Lee Longfei."

Together, they made their way to the Main Courtyard, where the ancestral tablets of the Lee family's forebears were arrayed, with numerous offerings arrayed before them.

Arrayed before the Lee family's ancestral tablets were also imposing statues of deities, long venerated by the Lee family's offerings in hopes of divine protection.

The Lee family eagerly awaited the day when their divine statues would reveal their spirits, bolstering the family's strength. Surrounding the statues stood four celestial pillars, each inscribed with simple runes intended to bridge the gap between the earthly and the divine. Yet the runes were so crudely etched, they seemed incapable of connecting with the gods above.

Despite this, the Lees faithfully held ceremonies on the first and fifteenth of each month. The family's ancestral stele stood at the forefront, with Lee Qi and his family's names conspicuously absent.

Lee Longxiang approached the stele with a grave demeanor, his lips moving in silent prayer. He then produced his tools and carefully restored Lee Qi's family names to their rightful place. As he did, the adjacent Life Tokens burst into light, their brilliance undeniable.

"Father, mother, little sister, you're all still alive. How wonderful it is to be alive!" Lee Qi's face beamed with joy as he gazed at the shimmering Life Tokens of his family, twinkling like stars in the night sky.

Wang Ling'er clasped Lee Qi's hand, her touch radiating warmth and comfort. A smile of deep understanding spread across Lee Qi's face, his tension melting away.

For Lee Qi, the knowledge that his family lived meant everything. It meant hope, the promise of reunion, and the strength to face whatever lay ahead.

Lee Longxiang, too, shared in the joy, his smile reflecting relief and contentment. "Qi, as long as they live, hope endures."

With a look of steely resolve, Lee Qi affirmed, "Regardless of the hardships or perils that await, I will find my parents."

Lee Longxiang nodded, his eyes alight with anticipation. "Qi, once you've brought your parents and sister home, I'll be here to celebrate your return."

"Thank you, Uncle!"

The conversation turned somber as Lee Longxiang broached a difficult subject. "Qi, how should we deal with Lee Longfei and his son?" It was clear he was reluctant to resort to extreme measures, despite their betrayal.

After a moment's reflection, Lee Qi responded, "Banish them from the family, erase their names from the stele, and leave them to their fate."

Lee Longxiang agreed with a nod. "Very well. I wish never to lay eyes on them again."

Lee Qi addressed the Lee family elders with a firm command, "Take care of it. Expel them from the Lee family. We don't ever want to see them again. Let them go as far away as possible!"

"We'll handle it immediately!" the elders responded promptly.

They stood before Lee Qi, scarcely daring to breathe too loudly, knowing they would find relief once they left his presence.

Lee Longfei and his son had a reputation for their overbearing arrogance, having made many enemies, including numerous elders within the Lee family who had endured their wrath.

Seizing this rare chance, they were eager to exact a measure of humiliation upon Lee Longfei and his son.

Lee Qi, perceiving their eagerness, allowed a slight smile to play upon his lips but did not intervene.

Lee Longfei and his son deserved to face some hardship. While Lee Qi held no desire to be the one to administer it, he also did not hinder others from taking action.

Lee Longxiang lamented, "We were once family, yet misfortune has struck within our own walls, turning our plight into a spectacle for others."

"Uncle, I recognize your kindness," Lee Qi reassured him. "But Lee Longfei and his son have wrought much wickedness. This punishment is lenient compared to their misdeeds."

Reflecting on the past stirred anger within him, yet his rebirth had granted him a new perspective. The knowledge that his parents and younger sister were still alive filled him with joy.

"There will come a day when we'll all be together again," Lee Qi vowed, gazing into the sky.

Abruptly, an urgent message arrived: "Young Master, Young Miss, dire news! The Zhao family has launched an attack, and the Wang family is struggling to hold them off. They're fighting valiantly."