The two had an agreeable conversation.

Seeing Su Changkong in a good mood, Li Song took the opportunity to sigh and say, “Mr. Su, actually, there is another matter I would like to ask for assistance with.”

This caused Su Changkong to mutter to himself in annoyance; he had known that Li Song’s willingness to meet with him and invite him into Literacy Paradise was for some ulterior motive.

“But feel free to speak.” Since the other party had treated him with courtesy, Su Changkong felt obliged to listen to what he had to say.

“Three years ago, officials from Mysterious Stone City paid a visit to Book Fragrance Mountain, claiming that our Li Family was colluding with bandits. They intended to arrest our family members and confiscate our property.

We initially thought there might be some misunderstanding, but we discovered that there were prominent clan members among the official ranks, specifically from the Shi Family!” Li Song began to recount the enmity between the Shi Family and the Li Family.

“Our Li Family dislikes conflict, and after a major battle, we chose to retreat into Literacy Paradise and shut ourselves away, refusing to come out. The Shi Family would often harass and provoke us, but we did not react impulsively. We stayed behind closed doors, and the Shi Family couldn’t do anything to us.”

Li Song explained why the Li Family remained within Literacy Paradise.

Outsiders thought the Li Family had relocated their entire clan, but in reality, it was because of the threat posed by the Shi Family that they took refuge in Literacy Paradise. As long as they stayed inside, outsiders couldn’t get in.

Su Changkong couldn’t help interrupting, “If your family had not offended the Shi Family, why would they go to such lengths to target you?”

The Li Family appeared significantly destitute at present, with not many clan members remaining. Yet the Shi Family, another prominent clan, harbored intense hostility toward the Li Family, which they had not abandoned even after three years.

After pondering for a long time, Li Song asked, “Aren’t you from a prominent clan, Mr. Su?”

“No,” Su Changkong shook his head in denial.

“Then you may not know… The Shi Family covets the bloodline of our Li Family. A prominent clan’s bloodline is powerful because their ancestors once experienced a bloodline ascension and metamorphosis, becoming extraordinary and transcending the mortal world. Their descendants inherit part of that power, but as it passes from generation to generation, the bloodline gradually weakens.”

“And some clans, in order to maintain the strength of their bloodline, will consume the bloodlines of other clans as nourishment. In this way, they can ensure a continuous emergence of talented individuals and powerful members within their family.”

Li Song shared some of the secrets of the prominent clans.

The special bloodlines of those ancient families were no mystery to Su Changkong. He was aware that the origin of each clan’s bloodline represented a powerful Martial Saint!

Achieving the realm of Martial Saint and wielding formidable Divine Skills, one transcends the ordinary and undergoes a metamorphosis, even capable of flying through the void and traveling between the heavens and earth!

The descendants of Martial Saints also inherit their bloodline, being born into exceptional circumstances!

“Prominent clan bloodlines can consume each other?” Su Changkong learned more secrets from Li Song—special clan bloodlines could indeed consume and plunder others, using people with powerful bloodlines as nourishment to strengthen their own, thereby ensuring their longevity and prosperity.

“Those millennium-old prominent families have been able to maintain their legacies for so long without weakening because of this practice?” This sent a chill down Su Changkong’s spine.

The strength of a millennium-old clan was sustained by consuming countless others’ marrow and blood.

“These clans rely on devouring other bloodlines to ensure their own bloodline remains strong, but there are side effects… To a certain extent, their bloodline will become impure. Although powerful, the offspring born will more or less be affected, often consisting of reckless madmen.

Some clans refuse to do this, and over time, they become weaker, blending into the masses or even becoming prey for other clans.”

Li Song sighed as he spoke.

“No wonder… the clan members I’ve met seemed mad, because these clans have ravaged other bloodlines, leading to defects in their own.”

Li Song’s words also resolved some of Su Changkong’s doubts.

Most descendants of prominent families are oddly tempered and quick to violence, influenced by their own bloodlines. Consuming too many other bloodlines led to impurities in their own!

However, some clans are unwilling to do so. Over time, their bloodline weakens through succession. Occasionally, a generation may produce a prodigy capable of Bloodline Regression, but ultimately it doesn’t change much. The Li Family belongs to the latter category.

The Li Family are descendants of the Paint Saint Bai Xingzhi, having once enjoyed a shining legacy. However, the Li Family has mostly consisted of literati and elegant scholars who love poetry and painting. By now, their numbers have dwindled, and those capable of wielding the Divine Skills of their bloodline are few.

The reason why the Shi Family has targeted the Li Family is simple: to devour the bloodline of the Paint Saint Bai Xingzhi and strengthen their own. This is a common practice among the long-standing and powerful prominent families.

Weak clans? They are simply not worthy of survival! Those prosperous, powerful millennium-old clans have all relied on this method to flourish and endure!

“That letter just now was sent by the Shi Family. It says that several members of our Li Family, who were traveling abroad, have been captured alive by the officials of Mysterious Stone City. They will be branded as bandits and beheaded in public at the Mysterious Stone City execution ground, as they plan to lure our Li Family into a rescue attempt and then capture us.”

Li Song spoke wearily.

In the past three years, the Shi Family occasionally went to Book Fragrance Mountain to provoke them, but the Li Family never emerged from seclusion. The Shi Family had not given up. Although the Li Family had entered Literacy Paradise three years ago, some descendants had not received the news and were traveling abroad.

Those few were the geniuses of the current generation of the Li Family, possessing extraordinary bloodline of the Paint Saint.

Recently, the Shi Family had captured several of the Li Family members who were traveling abroad. They intentionally sent a letter, planning to behead them in public as criminals who had committed outrageous offenses, naturally hoping to provoke the Li Family into coming to their rescue.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Madara Web Novel