Lu Wanrong hurried into the house and took a piece of cloth from the desk while the servant girl quickly ground some ink. She dipped the brush and began to write furiously.
Having heard of our ancestor's passing, I am filled with extreme anxiety and fear. Our family has lost its support, and I fear we cannot protect the two mountains— Huaqian and Tiaoyun. I urge senior clan brother to lead our family eastward, either to Mushroom Forest Plain or the prefecture, and offer the two mountains to the Li Family. Leave by dawn to ensure our family's survival. If you hesitate and delay, disaster will strike us overnight... and it will be too late for regrets!
Pausing briefly with her hand hovering mid-air, Lu Wanrong looked at the tear-streaked face of her servant who had come with her as part of her dowry.
Her voice was trembling when she spoke.
"Currently, there are still marital ties between our two families... If my senior clan brother could speak kindly and offer both mountains, perhaps we could save our family's dignity and ensure its survival. If blood is shed between our families, it will lead to our entire clan's annihilation!"
After putting down the brush, she quickly rolled up the letter and stepped out of the house. However, in her haste, she accidentally bumped into someone, which made her stagger backward.
The person was dressed in a white robe with his hair neatly tied, standing quietly in the yard. His jade pendant tinkled in the wind. His eyes were clear and gentle as he looked at her, looking as though he had been standing there for a long time.
"Husband," Lu Wanrong called out timidly.
Li Xuanling hummed in response and said softly, "Let me see it."
Lu Wanrong handed over the letter. She kneeled down suddenly, sobbing, "Please give the Lu Family a way out, my dear! My clan brothers are all frivolous pleasure-seekers, moving the family to the prefecture will render them incapable of causing any threat... please, spare them!"
After reading the letter, Li Xuanling sighed softly and gently said, "What of today's useless bunch? Who knows about tomorrow? Lu Sisi was quite a figure... but he ended up with such unworthy descendants. Nonetheless... who can say that these unworthy descendants won't produce a genius? There's absolutely no reason to spare them."
He handed the letter back to Lu Wanrong and took her hand before continuing, "Moreover, with your senior clan brother's character, even if you showed him a way out, he wouldn't know how to take it... he would just blindly rush toward his doom. So, what way out is there to speak of?"
Lu Wanrong immediately cried out, saying softly, "The Lu Family has been arrogant and unbridled, causing harm without restraint... I have already given up on them! But... since I was born into the Lu Family, how could I just watch by idly and do nothing?!"
Having finished speaking, tears streamed down Lu Wanrong's face as her voice fell softer.
"I was thinking... if our families became blood enemies, resulting in the slaughter of our entire clan, what would become of our children in the future?! My dear, you must also consider the future!"
At this, Li Xuanling paused, glancing at her for a moment before speaking again.
"Rest assured, I know what I'm doing."
Watching Li Xuanling hastily leave the courtyard, Lu Wanrong wiped away her tears and placed the letter on the table. The servant girl hurriedly asked, "Madam, should we still send this letter?"
"There's no need," Lu Wanrong replied sorrowfully, adding softly, "What use is human effort against a Qi Cultivator's speed..? There's no longer any need to send this letter. Let my junior clan brother stay here first... no need for him to go back."
————
Li Xuanling quickly headed up the mountain, walking along the stone steps. He soon came across Li Xuanfeng and Li Tongya who were standing in front of the courtyard, appearing to be in deep discussion about something.
"Feng'er, weren't you on your way to the prefecture to forge a dharma artifact..?" Li Xuanling asked in confusion, noticing Li Xuanfeng shaking his head slightly and laughing.
"I passed by the Lu Family's territory and saw the hills covered in white... It seems Lu Sisi has passed away. Thinking it was a great opportunity, I decided to return first."
Li Xuanling couldn't help but laugh and shake his head, saying, "You really can't wait for others to know! What was Lu Yuanlu thinking?! The Lu Family sent someone to notify Wanrong, and I also received this news, so I hurried up here to report to Father as well!"
Li Tongya nodded slightly and said in a low voice, "Before the Yu Family has time to react, we should deal with the Lu Family quickly. If the Yu Family gets involved, it will only complicate matters further... Xuanxuan has already gone down to organize the clan soldiers. Let us go ahead first."
Li Xuanfeng and Li Xuanling responded quietly, with Li Xuanling going down the mountain to find Li Xuanxuan, while Li Xuanfeng and Li Tongya—both Qi Cultivators—took to the air, heading toward Mount Huaqian.
Just after flying half a kilometer, Li Xuanfeng hesitated for a moment before speaking, "The Lu Family—both main and side, numbers over two thousand people... and with in-laws, the number touches tens of thousands! If not handled properly, it could definitely become a troublesome affair."
Li Tongya was also in deep thought and nodded upon hearing this.
"Indeed, it's a difficult situation... This is the first time our Li Family is annexing another clan. We need to set a precedent for future generations. If we rashly exterminate them, not only do we waste the spiritual orifice bloodline, but since they are our in-laws, it wouldn't sound good if it spread out. It would potentially displease the surrounding families."
"This matter with the Lu Family needs to be handled gracefully and tactfully, ensuring no future problems that would prove to be quite the challenge."
As they flew onward, Mount Huaqian soon appeared in view. Below it scattered were small houses all draped in white cloth, while the mountain itself buzzed with feasting and joy— a rather ironic contrast.
The terrain of Mount Tiaoyun where the Lu Family was originally situated, was steep and humid, and was full of mosquitoes. Since acquiring Mount Huaqian, the Lu Family had moved there, with most of the population now living at the foot of the mountain.
The formation protecting Mount Huaqian was rather ordinary. As Li Tongya approached and saw flickering lights on the other side of the mountain which signaled Li Xuanxuan and his troops' arrival, he drew his sword and struck at the mountain's protective formation.
With a loud clang, the formation around Mount Huaqian lit up instantly, covering the entire mountain in a bright glow.
The banquet below descended into immediate chaos as everyone looked up at the source of the sound, only to hear a loud shout:
"Who dares to attack the Lu family?!"
Lu Yuanlu rose into the air, cheeks visibly flushed from drinking. He appeared both shocked and angry upon seeing Li Tongya, and he cursed, "Since the Li family has become in-laws with the Lu Family, why now covet our Mount Huaqian?!"
Li Tongya simply sneered as he continued his assault on the formation without pausing, and said coldly, "Lu Sisi has only just passed away, and here you are... his unworthy descendant, feasting and celebrating on the mountain! You dare speak of in-laws? The Lu Family's current strength can no longer protect these two mountains... If you know what's good for you, disable this formation yourself and you may yet live."
"Foolishly arrogant!" Lu Yuanlu roared. Enraged and eyes bloodshot, he drew his sword to confront Li Tongya.
Li Tongya, with a single sword move, forced him backward. And just after a few exchanges, Lu Yuanlu's expression shifted quickly as he began to think of retreating.
"Such excellent swordsmanship!"
Though proud and arrogant, Lu Yuanlu was somewhat skilled, comparable to Yu Mujian. However, his cultivation was far less than his. After a few losses, he still stubbornly resisted.
Li Tongya remained silent, merely exchanging a few dozen moves before knocking Lu Yuanlu's sword out of his hand completely and swiftly advancing upon him.
Lu Yuanlu's complexion drastically changed, and just as he tried to speak, a flash of light appeared before his eyes as Li Tongya decapitated him cleanly with his sword.