As Wu Momo and the others left, Li Man'er immediately entered her space.
The slight warmth in her dantian was a precursor to her progress in cultivation and a significant increase in her power. This body belonged to the original owner, and while it was a good candidate for cultivation, it had never been trained before. The meridians were not yet opened, and there were still many impurities in the body.
After Li Man'er transmigrated, she used needles to stimulate acupoints and the spiritual mist spring water in her space to help this body expel impurities and repair meridians, thus improving her physique and increasing her strength.
However, this was merely the basic requirement for an ordinary martial artist.
One's aptitude determines their limit.
This rule applied to everything.
For instance, some people are naturally intelligent, possess eidetic memory, and have exceptional IQs, enabling them to learn anything quickly. They are academic prodigies from a young age, reaching heights unattainable by ordinary people.
Similarly, some athletes are born with highly developed motor nerves. After systematic training, their explosive power and speed far surpass those of others. But is systematic training alone enough to turn someone into an Olympic champion? This is clearly unrealistic. A few succeed through luck, but most rely on strength. Therefore, ultimately, it all comes down to talent.
The Xuan Yi (Profound Medicine) lineage is no different.
Those who can merely treat illnesses and possess some unconventional skills have not even touched the threshold of Xuan Yi. Most of the revered masters in the martial world are charlatans.
Xuan Yi practitioners are those who have one hand on the threshold of the Great Dao, chosen ones, something that cannot be explained in a few words.
Li Man'er sat cross-legged beside the spiritual mist spring, inhaling the mist and converting it for her own use. She felt tiny currents circulating through her meridians, her muscles all over her body aching severely, and the meridians hidden beneath her skin throbbing with pain, yet this brought her joy.
Her current strength had not yet recovered to its peak in her previous life, but if she continued cultivating like this, she would soon regain her former power, and perhaps even surpass it.
With this thought, Li Man'er held her breath and circulated her energy, coordinating it with a special breathing technique to activate the flow of qi within her body.
After an unknown amount of time, Li Man'er finally opened her eyes. She nodded with satisfaction, cautiously observed the situation outside her space, and then, with a flicker of her will, exited the space.
The room was silent, the sky growing darker, and the snow falling more heavily.
Li Man'er glanced at the hourglass on the small table, estimating that it was time for dinner. She was not hungry and did not rush, quietly waiting for someone to bring dinner.
Instead of dinner, she received a summons from Cui Shi, asking the masters of the second and third branches, Bai Shi, and Li Man'er to gather at Songhe Hall.
"What happened? Why are they calling for us at this hour?" Wu Momo said with concern, preparing a hand warmer for Li Man'er and sending someone to find deerskin boots. kanδん
The roads were slippery in the snow. If she wore ordinary shoes, her socks and shoes would be soaked before she even reached Songhe Hall. Deerskin boots were light, waterproof, and non-slip.
Li Man'er casually tied up her hair, sat on the couch, put on her boots, and said, "This matter might be related to Father."
Wu Momo was stunned. "How is it related to the Marquis?"
"Think about it. Grandmother summoned Second Uncle, Second Aunt, and Third Uncle. She probably didn't call Third Aunt because she's heavily pregnant. From our first branch, only I was called. Why?" Li Man'er suspected that Li Shu was in trouble, which was why she was being urgently summoned.
Li Zhao'er was married. Li Qingyun was not yet thirteen after the new year, barely out of his infancy, and of little use, let alone the younger ones.
"That makes sense."
"Miss, your hand warmer."
Luyi handed the hand warmer to Li Man'er and casually took a fur-lined vest made of fox fur from the coat rack for her to put on.
Ziyan held the umbrella, and Luyi held the lantern in front. The three of them, mistress and servants, trudged through the snow towards Songhe Hall.
Cui Shi sat on the large kang by the window with a dark expression. Her small, triangular eyes held an extremely angry and violent emotion.
Li Man'er lowered her head slightly, revealing no emotion.
Li Yi and Li En, the brothers, also arrived.
Bai Shi was also present. Surprisingly, Tian Shi had also come, sitting there with her pregnant belly, appearing uncomfortable.
Even more surprisingly, Li Tian'er was also present. She really didn't know what she was doing here.
"Mother, you summoned all of us children, has something major happened?"
Li Man'er already had an idea, so she remained silent.
"Li Wenchang has returned."
Li Man'er's first thought was, Li Shu is indeed in trouble!
"Li Wenchang, isn't he Eldest Brother's personal guard? Has he returned on Eldest Brother's orders?" Although Li Yi was a civilian official, his instincts were sharp. He felt something was wrong, but he couldn't pinpoint it.
"Mother, what's the matter on such a cold day? I'm about to sleep." Li En, the third master of the Li family, was no different from a dandy. He didn't care why Li Wenchang had returned; he just wanted to go to bed.
"Your Eldest Brother is in trouble."
As soon as this was said, everyone in the room exclaimed. Even Li En's eyes widened, and he began to panic. Eldest Brother was the pillar of the family; if something happened to him, the family would be ruined.
Li Yi wondered if the Li family had any enmity with the Xiao family. Could the Xiao family have been involved?
Li Man'er was prepared and therefore not surprised at all, her expression calm.
Seeing this, Li Tian'er couldn't help but snort coldly. She immediately transformed into a white lotus, exclaiming, "What happened to Uncle? Did something… oh, Eldest Sister, why don't you look worried at all?"
Everyone turned to look at Li Man'er. Li En's gaze was filled with disdain. He had always looked down on this niece of his, guarding so much money like a miser, and not even giving him, her third uncle, some.
"What's the use of worrying? The key is how to deal with it. We don't know the full story yet, so what's the use of rushing?"
Just as Li Tian'er was about to retort, she saw Cui Shi showing an appreciative look towards Li Man'er and immediately shut her mouth.
"Man'er is right. Panicking now is no different from seeking death."
"Grandmother, what happened to Father? Was he in danger?"
Cui Shi looked at the people in the room and pointed at Li Tian'er and Tian Shi. "The two of you staying here won't help. Go back. Especially you, Third Madam. You're heavily pregnant, and your due date is near. Be careful!" wΑp.kanshu伍.net
Tian Shi immediately raised her hand, and Lin Momo helped her up. "Mother, please rest assured, I'm fine. Since I'm not needed here, I will return. If you have any requests, Mother, please tell your daughter-in-law."
Cui Shi nodded with satisfaction. "The roads are slippery, be careful."
Wang Momo dispatched two maids to personally escort Tian Shi back.
Li Tian'er didn't want to leave; she wanted to stay and hear the gossip.