Heavy snow blanketed the Northern Border.
The Qiu Clan was born in the Northern Border.
Having multiplied for tens of thousands of years, they naturally possessed their own methods of survival to provide for their tribe.
Over these tens of thousands of years, their bloodline had long since spread across the world; their clansmen numbered far more than millions.
Some no longer even knew of their Qiu Clan identity.
Those actually utilized by the Qiu Clan numbered only a little over a hundred thousand.
Among them were farmers, and it was already considered good if cultivators made up thirty percent.
At this time, within a mountain city, a Qiu clansman served as the City Lord.
The City Lord, Qiu Siwei, who was at the Golden Core realm, was currently looking joyfully at the returning hunters of the city.
In this snowy, mountainous land, fishing and hunting had also become a way of survival.
It was just that today, the number of commoners returning from hunting in the city was much higher than usual.
Qiu Siwei only felt joy.
"Things are getting better. The Northern Border is a harsh land.
Today, our clansmen have gone to the main branch; they will head to the Northern Border City and Silver Moon City, marching straight for the Southern Border.
The family sent word that if this matter succeeds, our Qiu lineage can break free from the Northern Border and head to the lands of the Southern Border.
We will seize the Li Clan's destiny, and from then on, suffer from the bitter wind and snow no more."
Amidst his thoughts, he saw two of the hunters walking straight toward him.
There were two old men.
One lacked any aura of cultivation, while the other was at the Foundation Establishment realm and looked to be on his last legs. However, these two men were heavily built.
Such sturdy old men... why haven't I seen them before?
Qiu Siwei felt a sense of vigilance rise in his heart. As the two drew closer, he hastily asked, "What business do you have?"
The two old men wore brand-new animal hide garments.
The Foundation Establishment elder, who was nearing the end of his lifespan, exhaled a breath of cold air and slowly took off his hat, revealing a face full of wrinkles.
A trace of coldness flashed through his murky eyes. "City Lord, Qiu Siwei?"
"What is your business?" Qiu Siwei's heart grew even more uneasy.
"Apologies."
As the old man's hoarse voice faded, this frail body with numbered days unexpectedly erupted like a ferocious beast of the mountains.
His energy gathered within his body as he formed his hand into a blade, thrusting straight for the throat!
"You..."
Qiu Siwei's eyes widened.
He had never seen such a Foundation Establishment cultivator before.
This person was a body cultivator; although he looked withered and old, the moment he made a move, it was as if a hundred beasts were housed within his body, gathering the profound essence of the martial dao.
Qiu Siwei's Golden Core Spiritual power transformed into frost and snow. His Dharmic Avatar, a Snow Sparrow, manifested behind him, stirring up a blizzard and crying out.
Yet, this kind of oppressive might didn't cause the old man to retreat even half a step; instead, the hand blade drew ever closer to his throat.
Just as he was about to unleash his Spiritual power, the other old man beside him—who seemingly had no Spiritual power at all—suddenly erupted.
Multiple Dantians appeared within his meridians, surging with boundless, multicolored Spiritual power.
A Five Elements Eight Trigrams array formed before him, shooting out a hundred streaks of Spiritual power that bound Qiu Siwei's Snow Sparrow Dharmic Avatar.
The hand blade slit his throat, and blood gurgled out from his neck.
Qiu Siwei only felt various types of Spiritual power eroding his divine soul.
He wanted to ask these two men why they were killing him, but he couldn't utter a single word.
He could only watch as the hunters who had entered the city today threw off their animal hides one by one, shedding their disguises, and charged into the City Lord's Manor with shouts of slaughter.
Qiu Siwei's face was filled with bewilderment as he fell to the ground unwillingly, allowing the snowflakes to cover his face.
He hadn't gone to the Southern Border yet; he hadn't led his clansmen to break free from the lands of the Northern Border...
Two figures stepped over his corpse.
"Cough, cough!"
Li Jianning hastily supported the violently coughing Li Yuanwu, whose body was tottering.
"Father, you shouldn't fight anymore. Just leave everything to this child."
Li Yuanwu pushed Li Jianning away.
Beside them, their clansmen surged past, and the sounds of slaughter echoed from within the City Lord's Manor.
Li Yuanwu squatted beside Qiu Siwei's corpse and slowly closed Qiu Siwei's eyes for him.
His aged voice sounded out, "Do you still remember the Zhao Clan?"
"This child remembers." Although he didn't know why his father was bringing this up, Li Jianning still replied respectfully.
"Shu'er's child, Qiukong, lost his life at the hands of the Zhao Clan.
Back then, our lineage only sought to avenge Qiukong. But now I understand that whether it is you, me, or Qiukong, we are all exactly like him."
Li Yuanwu stared at Qiu Siwei.
"The struggle for clan destiny concerns everyone.
With the slightest carelessness, it isn't just about you or me losing our lives; bringing disaster upon the entire clan is the true catastrophe."
"Life and death are all driven by the continuation of our bloodline. Today, I no longer resent the Zhao Clan."
"Leave no one from the Qiu Clan alive. Go do it."
Li Yuanwu's words were deeply engraved in Li Jianning's heart.
He hurriedly responded, "Yes, Dad."
[Your descendant Li Yuanwu has cultivated the martial dao for many years.
As he ages, the deeper his research into imitating the hundred beasts becomes, the more he understands the underlying principles.
After the battle with the Northern Border Qiu Clan, he has acquired the Trait: Philosopher of the Cultivation World.]
[Comprehension of the ultimate principles of heaven and earth is increased by 10%, which can be applied to the martial dao.]