Four years slipped by in the blink of an eye. During this period, Li Ye's growth was painfully sluggish. Relying on the limited resources provided by the Rising Cloud Sect was nowhere near enough to sustain the staggering requirements of the Spirit Tempering Realm. Without adequate spirit stones and pills, he remained trapped at the Fourth Level of the Spirit Tempering Realm.
Over these years, he and Su Qingxue were blessed with a son and a daughter. The boy was named Li Tian, and the girl was named Li Yue. Watching the two children chase each other through the sun drenched courtyard, Li Ye experienced a tranquility he had never known. He felt that in this lifetime, his final evaluation would surely be impressive.
But the question of resources continued to haunt him. If his cultivation remained stagnant, his final settlement score would suffer. During dinner one evening, Su Qingxue placed a choice piece of meat on his plate. Noticing his vacant stare, she spoke softly.
"Husband, has something been weighing on your mind lately?"
Li Ye pulled himself back to reality and swallowed a mouthful of rice, masking his inner frustration. He let out a long sigh.
"The Grand Azure Empire is restless. The Duke of the North has officially raised the banners of rebellion. War is returning to our lands. I only hope the reach of the conflict stays far from our home."
Su Qingxue's eyes clouded with worry. "I pray the Emperor can settle this chaos swiftly."
In a world governed by strength, the wishes of the common people were always this modest.
A year later, that wish was shattered.
The state of the Grand Azure Empire did not stabilize. Instead, it fractured further. The rebel army was like a tidal wave, crushing all resistance as it swept southward. The Empire's forces were visibly buckling under the pressure.
Eventually, the fires of war reached Azure Creek City. The Rising Cloud Sect was forcibly requisitioned by the Imperial military, and the city was placed under the command of the Fifth Legion. Every cultivator, whether they desired it or not, was drafted.
Li Ye, being at the Fourth Level of the Spirit Tempering Realm, was a significant asset. He had no choice but to follow the army's orders and march to the front lines. On the day he left, Su Qingxue did not shed a tear, though her eyes were raw and red. She pleaded with him to stay cautious and promised to wait for his return. His two children clung to his legs, sobbing loudly.
"I will come back," he told them. "I have a family waiting for me."
Despite his deep reluctance, Li Ye eventually departed. This deployment lasted ten years.
A decade was a long time, yet in the heat of battle, it felt like a blur. The front line proved to be the ultimate tempering ground, offering growth that surpassed years of quiet meditation. Over those ten years, Li Ye refined himself through countless brushes with death.
He fought. He killed. He cultivated. He used every ounce of military merit he earned to trade for rare resources, pushing his power upward with a desperate ferocity. Now, he stood at the Ninth Level of the Spirit Tempering Realm. With his vast combat experience and status, he had earned great fame and commanded a force of several thousand as a General.
The rebellion was finally drawing to a close. Inside the command tent, a personal guard at the First Level of the Spirit Tempering Realm rushed in with a scroll.
"General, an urgent directive from headquarters!"
"We are ordered to move toward Sunset Ridge immediately to intercept the rebel vanguard on their right flank."
Li Ye unrolled the command and read. A rare smile touched his face, and he let out a breath he felt he had been holding for years. It was finally ending. This operation was the key to the entire war. Once this raid succeeded, he could retire from the army and return to Azure Creek City.
He could return in glory and be with his family at last. Ten years had passed. He realized with a pang of guilt that he could no longer clearly remember the faces of his wife and children.
"Tian'er and Yue'er must be adults by now," he thought.
He quickly suppressed his emotions and regained his cold, professional mask. "Relay my orders! Assemble the entire unit. Our target is Sunset Ridge!"
Sunset Ridge
Dust kicked up along the mountain path as Li Ye's troops advanced through the rugged terrain. Suddenly, a scout galloped back with an urgent report.
"General! A force has been spotted ahead! Their numbers are unclear!"
The column halted instantly. Soldiers tightened their ranks, sliding sabers from sheaths and nocking arrows to their bows.
"Has our path been compromised?" Li Ye frowned, his hand instinctively gripping the hilt of his blade.
A white robed figure appeared in the distance, looking somewhat solitary against the mountain wind. Lin Xue spurred her horse forward. Beneath her icy exterior, a flicker of panic was visible.
A few days ago, she had heard a whispered rumor that Li Ye's current mission was a deliberate trap. She didn't know the origin of the trap or who had set it, but the unease had made it impossible for her to stay away. She knew that interfering in military movements was a grave offense, but her heart wouldn't let her rest.
She had been deeply in love with Li Ye for years, a secret she buried under her cold pride. She had rushed here without regard for the consequences, hoping to provide a warning or at least her sword. Yet, standing before him, she felt a wave of guilt, unsure how to explain her presence without revealing her true feelings or the vague nature of the news she carried.
Soon, the two groups met. Li Ye recognized the woman at the front immediately.
"Lin Xue? What are you doing here?" he asked.
The "Ice Cloud Sword" reined in her horse, her voice as cold as ever, though a slight tremble betrayed her. "General Li, I trust you are well."
She avoided his eyes quickly. Li Ye felt a surge of suspicion. "General Lin, this mission is classified. Only my unit should be on this route."
Lin Xue forced a faint, evasive smile. "I am here under a confidential order to provide reinforcement. I cannot share the specifics."
Her words were stiff and carried the weight of her rank, but Li Ye sensed something was being hidden. He didn't dwell on it; in war, more swords were always welcome.
"I see. Then I thank you for the help. Our chances of victory have increased."
Lin Xue nodded slightly, her eyes lingering on him with a depth of emotion she hoped he couldn't read. "The battlefield is a place of shadows, General Li. Please, be careful."
The two forces merged and moved forward. As night fell, the sound of hoofbeats and heavy wagon wheels echoed from the valley below. The enemy had arrived.
Li Ye gave the signal. When the rebel vanguard was fully inside the kill zone, he lowered his hand.
"Kill!"
Battle cries shook the sky. Arrows and spiritual techniques rained down, blanketing the valley. The ambush was a total success. The rebels were caught off guard, and their lines broke instantly. Li Ye drew his saber and was the first to leap into the fray. Where his blade flashed, heads rolled.
Lin Xue stayed close to him, her sword dancing through the air. Her Sword Qi was precise, harvesting an enemy life with every strike. She kept her focus on Li Ye's position, cutting down anyone who tried to approach him from the side.
"Brothers! Fight for the Empire!" "Win this, and we go home to our families!" "Victory or death!"
The soldiers were ecstatic. They knew that if they won this battle, they could finally leave the blood and mud behind.
Just as they were about to finish the annihilation, a sudden change occurred. Large numbers of troops poured out from both ends of the valley, a dense, dark mass of thousands. They carried the banners of the Duke of the North.
They were surrounded.
"What is happening?" "How did they know we were here?" "Who sold us out?"
Despair spread like a plague. It was a trap designed specifically to bury them here. The battle turned into a slaughter.
"General! You must leave! We will hold them!" his personal guards screamed, falling one by one.
Li Ye's eyes turned a terrifying shade of red. Leave? There was nowhere left to go. He roared, and his Ninth Level aura exploded outward as he met several enemy masters at once. His saber shattered. He used his fists. His arm broke. He used his teeth.
But there were too many. A long spear finally pierced through his chest. Intense pain surged through his body, and his strength began to drain into the dirt. He collapsed.
As his vision blurred, he saw Lin Xue rushing toward him. She was drenched in blood but still standing tall. She looked at him with a gaze filled with fury, regret, and a deep, final resolve.
"General Lin! Save yourself!" Li Ye coughed, blood bubbling at his lips.
She ignored him, signaling to a few surviving soldiers. "Protect him!"
Then, she turned toward the thickest part of the enemy army where their commander stood. Her sword emitted a mournful hum, vibrating with a terrifying power.
"Li Ye... you must live..." she whispered.
The cold mask was gone, replaced by a heart full of tenderness. A violent explosion rang out as she self destructed her Spirit Core. The resulting shockwave swept into the valley, engulfing the enemy and her own broken body.
Pain. Agony beyond words. Li Ye's consciousness finally faded.
[Host's second life, complete.]
The cold voice of the system filled his mind.
[Evaluating...] [Evaluation: Green One-Star.] [Reward: 70 Reincarnation Points.]
[Please allocate attribute points for the next life.]
Li Ye's soul was filled with exhaustion and a bitter unwillingness. "Aptitude, max it out. Family Background, max it out. Comprehension, also maxed. Luck? Whatever is left."
[Attribute allocation is as follows:]
Aptitude: 30
Family Background: 20
Comprehension Ability: 15
Luck: 5
[Allocation complete. The third life begins.]