Li Xuanfeng nodded after some thought, then added, "Writing a book shouldn't be a problem... but mastering this bow technique is no easy feat for an ordinary person. Without a spiritual orifice in the hand, it would prove challenging to master such a technique. Even if one manages to do so over years, the power will be significantly diminished and they won't be able to harness the Astral Qi."
"My bow technique relies heavily on Astral Qi... without it, the arrows will lose most of their power which can be quite disheartening," Li Xuanfeng finished with a tight-lipped smile.
Li Tongya frowned slightly, shaking his head in resignation.
"In that case, perhaps you should document it when you have the time... At least it will serve as a record for future generations of our family."
"Understood!"
After landing on Lijing Peak and checking the time, they realized they still had over a day before the agreed-upon meeting with the Yu Family.
Li Tongya handed over his storage pouch with the bear carcass inside to Li Xuanfeng and gave him a set of instructions.
"Sell these in the prefecture and gather information from the disciples there before returning to report to me."
"Understood," Li Xuanfeng replied eagerly, accepting the storage pouch from Li Tongya and bowing before taking off into the wind and flying eastward.
As Li Tongya watched Li Xuanfeng leave, he could not help but smile and mutter to himself.
"This kid..."
When Li Xuanfeng's figure disappeared from view, Li Tongya mused, "Without an heir for Jing'er, we must keep an eye out for any children with spiritual orifice who could serve as his successor, ensuring that his lineage continues..."
————
Li Xuanfeng flew along the Guli Road for a while. Having learned from his previous experiences, he flew over the city wall before landing in the town.
Despite the urge to meet his woman, he remained focused on the task at hand and headed toward the medicine store operated by the Li Family.
Upon entering, he found a young man dozing off behind the counter. Li Xuanfeng managed to identify him as Li Yesheng's son, whom Li Xuanxuan had sent to oversee the store in the prefecture.
He snorted coldly, then nudged the guy awake. The young man lifted his head and rubbed his eyes drowsily before being startled awake.
"Brother Feng! W-Why... are you..."
Despite being younger, Li Xuanfeng had earned a reputation among the children as a little tyrant, often seen chasing older kids with his bow... and despite being older, the drowsy young man behind the counter addressed him as "Brother Feng".
Li Xuanfeng simply waved dismissively and ignored him.
"Go fetch Wan Tianchou for me."
The young man hurried out of the courtyard and summoned Wan Tianchou.
Wan Tianchou emerged promptly, clad in gray clothes. Although his face seemed a lot chubbier and resembled much of how he looked when he was younger, his cultivation had already reached the third stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm.
"What can I do for you, Young Master?" he asked respectfully.
Ever since Li Tongya destroyed the Ji Family and presented Ji Dengqi's head before him, Wan Tianchou had lost his aspirations. He eventually married into the Li Family, but his cultivation progress had remained stagnant ever since.
His wife was an extremely ferocious woman, so he quickly accepted his assignment in the prefecture to avoid her wrath at home. While he was having a good time here, he did not expect to be visited by Li Xuanfeng.
"Good thing I stayed home today, otherwise I would have missed your visit, Young Master. Facing my wife's wrath upon returning home would have been unbearable..."
While Wan Tianchou was pondering the purpose of Li Xuanfeng's visit, the other man spoke up.
"When will the market on Cloud Crowned Peak open again?" Li Xuanfeng asked curtly.
"It'll reopen after the first lunar month, Young Master!" Wan Tianchou promptly replied.
"Got it."
Li Xuanfeng nodded, then cast a glance at Wan Tianchou before turning to him to speak.
"How are you doing in the prefecture? Has anyone caused you any trouble?"
"No, not at all! After hearing that we are from the Li Family, the other forces in the prefecture dare not cross us. With assistance from the Xiao Family, everything is smooth sailing!" Wan Tianchou assured him with a proud smile.
After hearing Wan Tianchou's report, Li Xuanfeng nodded and then bid farewell to the two men before departing.
After leaving the medicine store, he skipped his way to a small courtyard and knocked on the door with a smile.
Jiang Yunu's soft and alluring voice came from behind the door.
"Who is it?"
"It's me," Li Xuanfeng answered.
A series of rapid footsteps approached before the door creaked open, revealing the round-faced girl standing before him. Accompanying her was a swan goose strutting proudly by her side, its head held high with a blank stare fixed on its face.
"Young Master!"
Li Xuanfeng caught the girl who leaped into his arms but kept his eyes on the swan goose. He grinned foolishly then planted a kiss on her lips before asking, "Why didn't you eat it?"
"I feel lonely alone here. This swan goose broke its wing, it just flutters around all day. When I was a child, we raised geese at home, so I decided to keep it as a pet!" the girl replied with a jovial laugh.
Li Xuanfeng carried her to the bed, then loosened his clothes while saying, "Didn't I tell you to buy a few servants?"
"I looked, but they're too expensive! Besides, I'm used to doing laundry and cooking. I'm not some noble lady so there's no need for servants," Jiang Yunu responded sheepishly.
Li Xuanfeng kicked away the stern-looking goose that attempted to peck him while fluttering its wings, then used his mana to restrain the animal to the ground.
He chuckled and remarked, "This goose is really vengeful!"
After enjoying each other's company between the sheets, Lu Xuanfeng wiped away the sweat that clung to Jiang Yunu's forehead with a smile.
"How have you been these days?" he asked gently.
"I've been doing fine," Jiang Yunu replied, pinning up her hair as sweat rolled down her fair neck.
Sitting in Li Xuanfeng's lap, she wrapped her arms around his neck, gazing at him with her adorable almond-shaped eyes.
"I came to the prefecture to take care of some matters. Once I'm done here, I'll need to enter seclusion and focus on my cultivation. I've been stuck at the first heavenly layer of the Qi Cultivation Realm for two years now... it's time for a breakthrough," Lu Xuanfeng explained with a small sigh.
Jiang Yunu's expression turned downcast as she asked, "How long will you be staying this time?"
"A few months at least, a year at most," Li Xuanfeng replied, trying to sound as comforting as possible.
Jiang Yunu pursed her lips, tracing the unchanged contours of his face over the past year with her fingers.
She tried her best to cheer up, but could not disguise the loneliness in her voice as she spoke.
"You're an immortal, your cultivation easily takes up years of your life. While I'll be aging over these few years, you'll remain as youthful as you are now. That's really unfair! In twelve years, when I'm twenty-eight, I bet you'll probably just give me a sum of money and tell me to live out the rest of my life by myself..."
"What are you talking about?" Li Xuanfeng chuckled as he embraced the petite and fair girl tenderly.
"Just wait for a few more years... we'll have a child. I'll take you home and make sure no one looks down on you!" he assured her with a soft kiss.
————
Meanwhile, Li Tongya was practicing the River One Qi Technique.
He exhaled a wisp of white qi, then concluded his training and rose to his feet. The sun was just beginning its ascent into the sky.
He estimated what time it was before slinging his sword over his back and stepping out, coincidentally running into Li Xuanxuan.
"Second Uncle!" Li Xuanxuan cupped his fist and greeted, now sporting a beard that gave him a mature appearance.
It had been nearly a decade since he had overseen the family's affairs, ensuring that things were well within the major and minor sects.
Li Tongya nodded to him and then announced, "I'm heading out onto the lake. Keep a close watch here, and don't let anyone through the Sun Rite Profound Light Formation unless absolutely necessary."
"Understood, Second Uncle."
After giving his instructions, Li Tongya soared into the air and flew northward, crossing over the crystal-clear lake and stopping above the island at the heart of the lake.
The island was bustling with activity. A large brown boat was docked on the serene waters, surrounded by a dozen smaller vessels.
Mortals stood on these boats and they were bound with ropes, their expressions blank as they gazed fearfully at the sky, too frightened to utter a word.
"Number twenty-one!" someone shouted on the large boat.
Ten cultivators of the Embryonic Breathing Realm emerged at the stern of the boat, channeling mana into the palm of their hands.
Suddenly, the smaller vessel at the end floated upward, eliciting cries of fear from those aboard. Women sobbed, children wailed, and a cacophony of curses filled the air.
However, the cultivators remained indifferent, their faces impassive as they watched the boat drift toward the sky above the island at the heart of the lake.
With a tilt, the mortals aboard tumbled downward, creating ripples on the surface of the forbidden formation below. Lightning and fire then ensued, detonating spells of light one after another.
The screams of the crowd vanished instantly. Blood and severed limbs soared into the air before raining down, dyeing the lake a crimson red.
Crocodiles, shrimps, and crabs surged to the lake's surface, greedily seizing the flesh.
"So... this is what Lu Sisi meant by a venture without any initial investment..." Li Tongya mused.