The Heavenly Glow Dawn Cloudliner.
Li Yuanqin stood on the deck, watching the pitch-black night wind weave beneath the Heavenly Glow. His mother, Ning Hemian, stood beside him.
After a long silence, Ning Hemian said, "In truth, now that the southern border is stable, remaining on the lake may not be a bad choice."
"It will be difficult." Li Yuanqin shook his head. "Li Zhouwei is a genius, and Li Chenghui is also an outstanding figure of his generation. I am neither strong nor bound by close ties of kinship. Even though Daoist Master Zhaojing has achieved the Purple Mansion Realm and might acknowledge someone as young as me as an elder, the factions within the family will hardly respect me.
"A sudden appearance of a so-called elder of lofty seniority would only stir resentment. Whoever it may be, no one would accept it. At most, I would be ridiculed and perhaps given a nominal idle post. It would be better to stay away, to be out of sight and out of mind. Once I left, returning would become difficult, and offending so many people would be inevitable.
"Right now, keeping these ties leaves me with ample prospects within the sect. I can advance or retreat as needed. Is that not far better than remaining in the Li Family?"
Ning Hemian understood the reasoning and sighed. "Li Xuanxuan treats you with sincerity, regarding you as his own junior."
"That is true." Li Yuanqin nodded. "My uncle is indeed earnest toward me, but he is only at the Qi Cultivation Realm. His will is soft and his words hold little weight. He may speak well for me in private, but he would hardly be able to support me in the family.
"The Li Family appears harmonious, but no family or sect in this world can truly remain free of discord. It only seems so because discipline is strict, the elders are in their prime, and each generation's strength is clearly defined. That is what creates the appearance of peace."
Leaning against the stern, he gazed at the bright moon in the sky and said casually, "The Li Family will not live in peace in the days ahead either. After all, it is what my father dedicated his heart to. If I can help, then I should help."
Ning Hemian nodded and asked, "The White Lightning has already been sent to the southern border. Should it be returned?"
Li Yuanqin paused briefly, then shook his head. "There is no need. No one in the vast Azure Pond Sect has yet to gain the bow's recognition. Si Yuanli himself once tried to draw it, and the moment he released it, blood flowed from his hand. Leaving it in Azure Pond Sect is fine. When the Li Family produces someone truly worthy, they can come and claim it."
————
Li Zhouwei descended from Zhijing Mountain to find Chen Yang waiting at the foot.
He instructed, "Go invite the Daoists back to the island. We have important matters to discuss."
Chen Yang promptly hurried away. Li Zhouwei rode a stream of light down into the main hall, just as An Siwei approached quickly and reported respectfully, "Family Head, Tian Zhongqing entered seclusion a few days ago. He is preparing to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm."
Li Zhouwei was slightly surprised, then said with a nod, "Such courage."
Tian Zhongqing was already an old man, having once served under Li Yuanxiu, the eldest son of Li Xuanxuan. Now he was one hundred and five years old, a late-stage Qi Cultivation Realm cultivator for most of his life, and among the rare few of a foreign surname who had returned from Jiangbei.
His chances of breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm were pitifully low, yet since the old man still wished to attempt it, Li Zhouwei had no intention of discouraging him.
After calculating the time, he asked, "Li Wen has been in seclusion for seven years now, hasn't he?"
An Siwei nodded in reply. The minor branch of the Li Family was not descended from the four main cultivation branches, and its innate ability was not high. Li Wen was already the foremost of the minor branch line, and though he could not yet attempt the Foundation Establishment Realm at sixty, he had a far greater chance than Tian Zhongqing with the Essence Gathering Pill.
"Seven years is a bit too long... he may be in danger." Li Zhouwei still remembered the honest man who stood daily at the great hall's gate, gripping a pair of golden maces. He felt a pang of regret and thought, He cultivated the Guardian of the Courtly Path and secluded himself within the spirit jade mines. He should have had considerable confidence with the jade veins flourishing...
While Li Zhouwei pondered, Li Minggong and the others descended into the hall. Li Minggong wore a crimson dress, while Li Chenghui stood beside her in silver armor over a black robe. Once they had taken their places, Li Zhouwei picked up a stone box from the desk and carefully opened it.
Inside lay a small hexagonal lamp, its body gleaming like brass and adorned with bright red patterns of True Flame. Li Zhouwei handed it to Li Minggong with a smile. "Aunt, this is the Six-Cornered Scarlet Flame Lamp, gifted by the Golden Feather Sect. It is a fine Foundation Establishment Realm dharma artifact. Take it and use it first."
Li Minggong thanked him repeatedly, receiving it with joy. Both sects' gifts were suited to their status. The Essence Gathering Pill formula from the Azure Pond Sect was indeed precious, yet somewhat opportunistic, while the Six-Cornered Scarlet Flame Lamp was truly practical.
The remaining gifts were from the Seven Gates. Excluding those from Snow Ji Gate and Changxiao Gate, there were five in total. Li Zhouwei retrieved a jade bottle from Hengzhu Dao Gate and handed it to Li Minggong. "These sects have shown their goodwill. The Purefeather Li Fire may not be True Flame, but it is luan[1] fire, and matches well with the Pheasant Li March. Aunt, accept it first."
Li Minggong looked a little embarrassed, but still accepted it after seeing his brow furrow. Li Zhouwei then drew out a long jade box from the Sword Gate's offering. Opening it, he found a Foundation Establishment Realm spirit sword, the Dark Sea Serpent.
"In the family, only Uncle Chenghuai wields a sword... but he has yet to emerge from seclusion..." muttered Li Zhouwei.
Thus, he had no choice but to put it away for now. The Burning Flame Pill Manual from the Purple Smoke Gate had already been taken by Li Ximing, leaving only the Profound Peak Gate's gifts, the Earthbearing Spirit Shield and the Earthbinding Boots.
Since Profound Peak Gate sought their favor, the gifts they offered were better. Li Zhouwei took out the two dharma artifacts, the Earthbearing Spirit Shield, condensed from stone and soil with a spirit turtle pattern, and the Earthbinding Boots, ornate and luxurious, adorned with Heavenly Glow patterns. Both were genuine Earth Virtue dharma artifacts.
"Thunder drowns within earth... these two... Uncle Chenghui cannot make use of them," said Li Zhouwei.
He handed the Earthbinding Boots to An Siwei. The middle-aged man's face was filled with shock, clearly never expecting to receive a dharma artifact himself. His words of gratitude, however, were cut off by Li Zhouwei, "These boots restore mana upon touching the ground and also enhance speed. Protector, refine them later. For now, go to the riverbank and deliver the Earthbearing Spirit Shield to the white ape. That item suits him perfectly."
An Siwei nodded rapidly, striding out with quick, almost buoyant steps, clearly exhilarated. Li Zhouwei then took out the congratulatory gift from Xiukui Temple, a talisman covered with ornate patterns, and said with a smile, "This is a Mountain Spirit Talisman. It holds Foundation Establishment Realm strength, but in our hands, each use consumes it bit by bit. That would be a waste. I will leave it for Quewan, she should gain something from it."
Li Chenghui examined it closely. For him, it wasn't merely that each use would deplete it, it was that he could not use it at all. He chuckled and shook his head.
After reviewing the offerings from the three sects and seven gates, Li Zhouwei then took out the Art of Miao Tai Transformation from the Slaughter Jun Gate. It described methods of absorbing Li Fire and consuming Earth Fiends, allowing one to cultivate a baleful earthfire qi that, when breathed out, could force others to reveal their forms.
"Daoist Master Junjian achieved a divine ability. Slaughter Jun Gate refines both earthfire and cold baleful qi, and is renowned for drawing out baleful qi," said Li Zhouwei.
Li Zhouwei hesitated for a moment. The earthfire baleful qi was not something Li Chenghui could cultivate, so he could only leave it to Li Minggong for study.
At this point, only one jade box remained on the table. Li Zhouwei casually opened it, revealing a pair of dark-golden, rounded clasps that were as thick as a thumb and the size of a palm. A chilling metallic aura emanated from it.
"The White Shadow Gold Clasps from Chengyun Gate..." Li Zhouwei felt somewhat helpless. He glanced at Li Chenghui, hesitating, while Li Minggong stifled a laugh and remarked, "What a coincidence this is."
The elegant young man in silver armor and black robes looked equally awkward. Yet he himself took it lightly, smiling as he said, "Fading thunder falls into metal... and this Dui Metal artifact... ordinarily I would manage, but if I were ever injured, the artifact's metallic chill would end up wounding me instead."
1. A reminder, this is a type of bird in Chinese mythology that is associated with the phoenix. ☜