"Senior, I wish to do this..."
Liu Changdie, still harboring a bit of restraint and excitement, quickly reiterated what he had discussed with Li Xuanfeng on Cloud Crowned Peak. He knew that Li Chejing was Li Tongya's younger brother.
His words were more measured, lacking arrogance, merely mentioning his encounter with Li Chejing at the Azure Pond Sect.
Li Xuanfeng also took over the conversation, recounting the events that transpired on Cloud Crowned Peak. Li Tongya, having not heard from Li Chejing for many years, was visibly moved, listening intently until they finished speaking.
Once they had finished, he lightly chuckled.
"Good! Very good indeed!"
Li Xuanxuan who was beside him, was so thrilled that he could barely contain himself, envisioning Li Chejing holding a sword and repelling enemies on a city wall. He smiled in great contentment.
"Chejing is doing well on the southern border... and we can rest easy now!"
Li Tongya listened to the younger generation's excited chatter and expressed his contentment. He then steered the conversation back to the formation on the mountain.
After hearing Liu Changdie's plan, he nodded and instructed, "Master Liu, please proceed as you see fit... The Li Family will fully cooperate. Xuanxuan, you and Master Liu will take charge of the Sun Rite Profound Light Formation."
"Yes!"
Both men promptly responded readily. After a few more exchanges, Li Tongya waved his goodbyes.
After seeing off Li Tongya, the atmosphere immediately relaxed and the three began to discuss the specific locations in more detail.
"On Lijing Peak, we'll place eight flags, following the mountain's terrain at the Qian, Kan, Gen, and Zhen corners. On Meiche Peak, four flags will be placed at the Xun, Li, Kun, and Dui corners. In total, eight high platforms will be constructed, engraved with numerous formation patterns to serve as the formation's eyes, which will greatly alleviate the burden and increase the spiritual qi in the mountains."
With Li Tongya's approval, the Li Family sprang into action, summoning craftsmen from the four towns to Lijing Town.
Over a thousand craftsmen ascended the mountain, with villagers transporting timber and stone materials, spending several days under Liu Changdie's direction to begin the construction of high platforms at the designated formation eyes.
The dimensions and structures were strictly controlled, with different formation eyes requiring different materials for construction, each involving complex pathways.
A protective mountain formation was not like those smaller formations that protect cave dwellings, which were often completed with just a single formation plate. Constructing a protective mountain formation was no short task; it required five to six months of setup and hard labor.
Liu Changdie would need to stay with the Li Family for more than half a year, as determining the formation's positions and inscribing the formation patterns couldn't proceed without him.
Li Xuanxuan found a small courtyard at the foot of the mountain for Liu Changdie, which facilitated their daily interactions. Liu Changdie, living up to his expectations, walked the mountains daily, personally overseeing the work. This proved his serious dedication and that he truly took the matter to heart.
After arranging the craftsmen, Li Xuanxuan received a report that the Lu Family had arrived, and the wedding was to take place in the next few days.
"So soon?"
Li Xuanxuan frowned slightly, thinking about Lu Sisi's health condition. Although cultivators of the Qi Cultivation Realm have a lifespan of two hundred years, it's common for injuries or major damages to shorten it by a decade or so.
Could it be that Lu Sisi's health was failing..?
"Let them come up to see me."
Li Xuanxuan scheduled Li Xuanling's wedding, instructing preparations for the ceremony in the coming days.
————
Mount Lijing bustled with activity, and the area below was also lively with preparations. The Li Family members, both from the minor sect and its branches—numbering thousands, lived scattered around the foot of Mount Lijing. Every household was decorated with vibrant lights and colors, the verdant mountains adorned with red.
The marriage alliance between the Li and Lu families was known by the Li Family's higher-ups as a reluctant move by the Lu Family.
Li Qiuyang, representing the minor sect of the family, had also managed to roughly work out the situation, but others in the minor sect and branches knew little; merely hearing word that the Lu Family was a prominent family from the east, having settled there for two to three hundred years. They were overjoyed about the union between the two immortal clans and were spontaneously decorating the area, lighting up the mountainside in a festive atmosphere.
The Li Family's younger members gathered at the village entrance, curiously looking out for the distant procession when suddenly a voice was heard.
"I heard the bride is a cultivator with a spiritual orifice!"
"The Lu Family's sincerity is indeed great... even marrying off a daughter with a spiritual orifice from their main family!" another voice exclaimed in response to the comment.
Today, the Li Family's minor sect and branches numbered around four thousand—all considering themselves descendants of immortals, adopting an air of superiority. The Ye Family's offspring were manageable, but the descendants of Li Mutian and his illegitimate brothers became notorious in the four towns, with everyone currying favor with them.
If not for Li Mutian's establishment of a family code during his lifetime, dedicating a group of people to constantly monitor these individuals, they might have long since become tyrants in the village; exploiting the common people.
However, the daily opportunities to take advantage of them were still never missed.
The Lu Family's carriage approached from the Guli Road, its arrival eagerly anticipated by those lining the streets that were already adorned with red silk. A few clan guards in brocade clothing stood watch, curbing the curiosity of the gathered youths who dared not act out—left only to gaze longingly from the sidewalks.
"I wonder what this person looks like!" One of the youths pondered out loud but was immediately reprimanded by his sister.
"Big Brother, the clan elders are watching! Keep it together!" she hissed fiercely.
Lu Wanrong sat inside the swaying carriage, enduring the bumpy ride that would have left ordinary people sick and unconscious. Fortunately, her cultivation provided her with some comfort.
"I thought having a spiritual orifice meant I could lead my own life, but I didn't expect to become a higher-level tool for marriage alliances..."
She could not help but sulk slightly in despair. Physical discomfort did not bother Lu Wanrong much; it was the sorrow in her heart that pained her more. Listening to the surrounding chatter filled her with confusion.
Arriving at the grand courtyard at the foot of the mountain, Lu Wanrong was led through the ceremonies like a puppet... from dawn till dusk, reassured only by the sound of Li Xuanling's firm and powerful voice on the opposite side.
Seizing an opportunity during another bow, she sneaked a peek and saw a young man with a resolute face and extraordinary demeanor across from her. Despite being ordered around by relatives, his gaze was resigned yet gentle.
The golden-red wedding attire made him look exceptionally ethereal, easing some of her sorrow as she drowned in her own thoughts.
At least I'll spend my life facing a handsome man... which is a small comfort. I've heard people say of the Li Family's three legitimate sons: Li Xuanxuan is solemn and just, Li Xuanfeng is unrestrained, and Li Xuanling is steady and gentle. He should be easy to get along with!
Contemplating deeply, Lu Wanrong changed her thoughts. Li Xuanling, not yet twenty, had already attained the third stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm, marking him as a potential Qi Cultivator in the future. With his stable temperament and handsome looks among the surrounding families—aside from An Jingming of the An family—who could compare to such a youth..?
Lu Sisi had bartered his entire family's fortune to marry her off, making it seem as though she was the one reaching above her station.
However spirited a teenage girl might be, she could not help but laugh at her own thoughts, the moonlight casting a crimson glow on her sleeves.
Shaking her sleeves, Lu Wanrong found herself looking forward to her future life with renewed hope.
As she bowed her head, she heard someone nearby exclaim loudly, snatching her from her thoughts.
"Family Head! Your child has been born!"
"What?" a slightly mature voice responded, filled with unbridled surprise at the sudden exclamation. It was likely that of Li Xuanxuan, followed by hurried footsteps and then a chorus of congratulations.
"Double happiness has arrived... double happiness!"
————
While one side of the courtyard buzzed with lively celebrations, the other side was eerily quiet. Mu Yalu's hair was damp, strands sticking to her cheeks, and her usually sly eyes filled with exhaustion.
She looked lovingly at the child in the cradle, then turned coldly to inquire, "Hasn't Li Xuanxuan arrived yet?"
The servant, visibly frightened, kneeled down and stammered, "The Family Head... the Family Head has gone to attend Young Master Xuanling's wedding and hasn't returned! Someone has already been sent to notify him!"
"To think... at the birth of his own child, he's still outside..."
Just as she finished speaking, rapid footsteps approached.
Li Xuanxuan entered with two attendants, his voice heavily tinged with guilt.
"Lu'er!"
Mu Yalu gave him a look, but Li Xuanxuan merely lifted the wrinkled baby and playfully toyed with it.
"What shall we name the child?"
Raising her head and gathering her damp hair, Mu Yalu smiled warmly before replying lovingly, "Family Head, I have already thought of a name."
"And what might that be?" Li Xuanxuan asked tenderly, leaning in to listen.
And Mu Yalu, with a beautiful smile, softly whispered the baby’s name.
"Li Yuanjiao."