Kong Guxi's words made several members of the Kong Family lower their heads. Kong Qiuyan answered softly, regret clouding her face as she shook her head, "My uncle meant no harm. I beg the gate master's forgiveness... If our uncles had not been slain by Changxiao Gate at sea, we would not have fallen into such hardship... Forgive us for troubling you."
Before Kong Guxi could reply, a streak of purple lightning raced through the sky and landed before them, transforming into a silver-armored man.
Kong Guxi hurried forward, cupping his hands respectfully and said, "Brother Chenghui... I suffered some injuries... and was occupied reorganizing the disciples, so I did not have time to come and pay my respects..."
"Gate Master Kong, there is no need for such formality." Li Chenghui quickly helped him up. Kong Guxi's generation was actually that of Li Ximing's, far senior to his own, so he could not possibly accept a bow from him. He composed himself and said solemnly, "My family's head requests your audience!"
Kong Guxi indeed did not bow again. He rose at once and followed Li Chenghui closely. Li Chenghui knew that Profound Peak Gate had suffered heavy losses and offered words of comfort, "I heard several guest cultivators were injured, most while shielding our people. I offer you my gratitude on their behalf."
" Ah , it was only what ought to be done." Pain made Kong Guxi's legs tremble, but he suppressed it with his mana and replied with utmost courtesy, "The Profound Peak Gate Dao lineage would no longer exist without Moongaze. Brother Chenghui, you are too polite. Although Guest Cultivator Bai of Spring's Echo has fallen, Sun Bai, who is even more skilled in healing, still lives. These injuries are not a major concern."
When the two entered the main hall, Li Zhouwei sat at the head, questioning Sun Bai in detail about the cultivators' injuries. When he saw Kong Guxi approach, Sun Bai immediately stepped aside. The old man knew his place and quietly withdrew.
Sun Bai was a guest cultivator of Profound Peak Gate. Strictly speaking, bypassing Kong Guxi to speak directly with Li Zhouwei was improper, but people followed strength, and now only Fu Yuezi refrained from crowding around the Li Family.
However, Kong Guxi paid it no mind. He too had once been proud and arrogant in his youth, a wastrel who understood well the source of swagger. Without the backing of a Purple Mansion Realm, he was now nothing more than a dog picking up scraps beneath the table.
Even so, he stepped forward reverently and bowed deeply, "Greetings, family head!"
"Elder, please, you mustn't." Li Zhouwei offered polite words, and attendants immediately moved to help Kong Guxi up.
Yet Kong Guxi stubbornly completed his bow and said respectfully, "The family head turned the tide and saved the Profound Peak Gate Dao lineage. Such deeds deserve my deepest bow!"
He offered bows and thanks again and again, performing the full set of formal rites. Li Zhouwei waited patiently for him to finish, exchanged a few polite refusals, then cut straight to the heart of the matter and asked, "How does the elder intend to arrange your people now?"
When Li Zhouwei asked this, Kong Guxi naturally could not reply with anything like "we shall return to Profound Peak Gate". He knew that much of Shanji Prefecture had already been lost. If his group returned to the Profound Peak Gate, the Purple Mansion Realm's grand formation would indeed keep them safe, but what of the Wilderness? Should they leave it all for the Li Family to defend alone?
The master of Profound Peak Gate immediately dropped to his knees, fear and timidity written across his face, "Family head, the checkpoints of Shanji Prefecture have fallen, and danger looms on all four borders. Travel will likely be intercepted by Guan Gongxiao... I beg the family head to grant us a place, so that we may first station ourselves in the Wilderness. Once the situation eases, we will then return to Profound Peak Gate."
When he finished speaking, silence fell over the hall. Sun Bai, waiting outside, could not help but turn his head, guilt rising within him. Even Li Zhouwei glanced at him for a moment.
Whether Shanji Prefecture could even be held aside, Li Zhouwei had always planned to place the Profound Peak Gate's Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators and disciples in the Wilderness. The Li Family members had their own posts, and even then manpower was insufficient. There was no way Kong Guxi and his people could return to their gate to cultivate and heal, for if they did, who would guard the Wilderness?
Li Zhouwei had never even considered allowing Kong Guxi and his people into the mainland. The Li Family had no intention of annexing Profound Peak Gate; its name still had its uses. He had not even thought about recruiting Profound Peak Gate's few guest cultivators.
Only this Sun Bai may prove useful... After all, he is of the Grave Verdant Grove, which is most skilled in the arts of healing. I had intended to seek out Spring's Echo before, but this Wood Virtue Dao foundation is far superior to that half-trained Spring's Echo.
Li Zhouwei weighed his thoughts silently, then nodded slightly and spoke, "Gate Master Kong is too polite. The Wilderness is already the domain of your esteemed family, so why speak of making room? I too worry that Profound Peak Gate is far off by Lake Xian. Not only is travel inconvenient, but support would be difficult to send.
"Since Patriarch Kong shares my thoughts, please select a fine mountain range here in the Wilderness to serve as your foothold!"
Kong Guxi nodded quickly. He had planned to move part of the gate's treasures out, in case the situation deteriorated beyond recovery. Even if the gate were lost, Profound Peak Gate would still have hope.
He waited with an anxious heart for a moment before finally hearing Li Zhouwei ask, "Has there been any news regarding Jingyi Mountain?"
Kong Guxi dropped to his knees with a thud and bowed his head as he spoke. Li Zhouwei listened with furrowed brows, and only after hearing him out did his expression ease slightly as he shook his head, "Gate master, your family's people... truly refuse to meet?"
He fixed his eyes firmly on Kong Guxi, watching as the latter nodded, a mixture of sorrow and fear in his eyes. There was no trace of pretense. The gate master then handed over a letter written by his brother.
Li Zhouwei read it and advised, "Overseas sects cannot be trusted. Having left the family since youth, it is hard to expect them to side with the Kongs. Let it be."
As he dismissed Kong Guxi, he offered a careful reminder, "However, my word alone is not final in this matter. You must seek out the Daoist Master. Once he returns, I will send someone to you."
The relief Kong Guxi had begun to feel vanished halfway. He sighed and withdrew to seek Sun Bai for treatment.
Li Chenghui escorted him out, then stepped back into the hall and said thoughtfully, "Daoist Master Changxi chose well. Kong Guxi may lack in schemes and strategies, but he has the rare ability to see clearly, let go quickly, and bow his head when needed. Those few traits alone... are enough to save Profound Peak Gate!"
Li Zhouwei nodded in agreement. "He may lack strategic talent and be mediocre in ordinary times, yet he is a pillar in moments of crisis and a fine steed in times of decline. To see clearly and swallow his pride; you say it is merely these two traits, but how many can truly do so? When collapse comes, life and death hinge on only a few steps, and how many can reach that far?"
Li Chenghui agreed with the praise but voiced his concern, "Only, with the Daoist Master still absent and Jingyi Mountain's situation shifting again and again, the path ahead grows ever harder."
Li Zhouwei neither confirmed nor denied matters, only saying, "At worst, we can yield both Shanji Prefecture and Profound Peak Gate. We will not walk away empty-handed. Those charging at the front are still Profound Peak Gate's cultivators. Setting aside the Capital Immortal Dao that we have long since offended, as long as our family is careful, this matter will remain a sure profit.
"But we cannot surrender Shanji Prefecture or the Profound Peak Gate right away. After all, our family has yet to even set foot in them... To abandon them too quickly would harm our reputation. Holding one step and retreating one step is still better than never having taken anything at all."
In truth, the Li Family had suffered almost no substantial losses apart from An Siwei in this great battle. A few minor territorial gains and some injuries were all there was, and with a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator, none of it mattered as long as their people remained alive.
Li Zhouwei paused for a moment, troubled by An Siwei's situation, then glanced at the letter from Jingyi Mountain. He pondered briefly, and said, "You say Jingyi Mountain is wavering, but I think not."