"My Lord!"
As Chen Donghe entered his home, people on both sides called out to him and addressed him as lord, a title that burned uncomfortably in his heart; yet, he could not voice his discomfort.
Before Chen Erniu passed away, he had a final meeting with Donghe.
Donghe, choking with tears, found himself at a loss for words. Chen Erniu squeezed his hand and said hoarsely, "From now on, be bold in your actions... your father won't blame you. You're a smart child who knows how to handle affairs... Take good care of our family."
Chen Erniu understood Chen Donghe's inner conflict: marrying into the family was a mutual decision, and Chen Erniu no longer cared about surnames.
If it had not been for Li Mutian's father, Li Genshui, who saved him, the Chen Family as it was today would not exist. Besides, they did not have the right to refuse anyway since they were living on Li Family's territory.
However, Chen Erniu had publicly disowned him, cursing his beloved son in the street to prove that the Chen Family had completely severed ties with him.
Chen Erniu knew that such an act was unnecessary given their current relationship with the Li Family, but he still cautiously made the gesture to remain cordial.
Now, with the old man gone, Chen Donghe stood before his coffin... filled with guilt.
From childhood to adolescence and now at twenty-six years old, he had been educated by two men—Chen Erniu until the age of seven, and then Li Xiangping.
One taught him to be steady and forbearing, while the other taught him to strike fiercely.
"Father!"
Chen Donghe cried out as he kneeled in front of the coffin, weeping bitterly.
How could he not be in pain when both the man he viewed as a father and his biological father had passed away one after another?
Li Jingtian gently patted his back. Chen Donghe, dressed in his white robe, appeared particularly frail in the wind.
Li Tongya sighed softly at the sight. Donghe was like a son to him and was now also married to Li Jingtian. Watching Donghe cry so painfully, he remained silent, unsure of what to say.
Moved by the solemn atmosphere, Li Pingyi could not help but shed tears as well. He covered his eyes to look at Li Yuanxiu, only to find his eyes brimming with tears as well, whispering, "Brother Yuanxiu..."
Li Yuanxiu turned his head and gestured for him to remain silent. The two then bowed their heads, weeping silently.
After Chen Erniu's funeral ended and the two boys stepped outside, Li Yuanxiu sat quietly on the steps. Li Pingyi, choking back sobs, whimpered, "If my father dies... I'll be just as sad!"
Wiping away his tears, Li Pingyi, looking at Li Yuanxiu's tearful eyes shimmering in the sunlight, spoke softly.
"Brother Yuanxiu..."
Li Yuanxiu lifted his gaze and turned to look at him, also managing to catch sight of Li Pingyi swearing earnestly.
"I'd be sad if you died, too."
Li Yuanxiu nodded vigorously, about to say something more when Li Xuanxuan came out from the courtyard and took the child by the hand. Together, the two departed.
Li Pingyi sat alone for a while before getting up and dusting off his trousers, wandering off alone into the alley to play.
————
Li Xuanfeng had arrived in town three days prior and spent several days playing around with Jiang Yunu, their days and nights reversed.
The angry goose still paced furiously in the yard, squawking away.
Holding Jiang Yunu in his arms for a few turns around the yard, he heard the young woman ask, "What should we name the child if we have one?"
Her face was flushed and her voice soft.
Li Xuanfeng chuckled, explaining, "I am of the Xuan generation... If it's a boy, his first name should start with Yuan; if it's a girl, she should start with Qing."
Jiang Yunu nodded in understanding. Li Xuanfeng glanced at the sky, then carried her back to bed, whispering, "The Cloud Crowned Peak market is about to open, but I still have important matters to attend to. I'll step out for a bit and come back to find you after I'm done."
After getting dressed and kissing Jiang Yunu goodbye, he left and flew westward, soon landing at the foot of Cloud Crowned Peak.
Walking a few steps along the street of the market, the stalls became fewer, and several shops appeared before him.
Li Xuanfeng looked around, choosing a shop that sold dharma artifacts, and stepped over the threshold into the store.
A cultivator of the Embryonic Breathing Realm stood inside, smiling warmly as he approached.
Li Xuanfeng said in a deep voice, "Go ask your shopkeeper how many Spirit Stones it takes to commission a dharma artifact... I want to commission a longbow of the Qi Cultivation Realm."
The shop assistant was momentarily stunned but quickly regained his composure. "Right away! I'll go and ask now," he blurted and hurried off.
Shortly after, a muscular man with a bare chest rushed in from the backyard, with various iron implements hanging on his body clanging together. He was clearly a peak Qi cultivator.
"What are your requirements, fellow Daoist?" The man's face was stubbled, and his eyes were piercing as he stared directly at Li Xuanfeng. He looked rugged but spoke quite softly.
After observing Li Xuanfeng for a while, he seemed to recall something.
"I am Li Xuanfeng of the Li Family from Lijing. Pleased to meet you!" Li Xuanfeng said as he politely introduced himself.
"The Li Family from Lijing..? So, you belong to the family of the Qingsui Sword Immortal!" the rugged man praised as he cupped his fist, realization dawning upon him. He let out a laugh.
"My name is Chu Minglian. Back in the day, I also had a small shop on Moongaze Lake and might have had some connections with your elders!"
"Really?" Li Xuanfeng asked as he immediately perked up.
"Indeed. The Qingsui Sword Immortal once sold me a rare Fire Baleful Qi from the Yue State in my shop. Later, when the Sword Immortal's fame reached me, it sounded familiar... After much thought, I finally made the connection! I regretted not offering more Spirit Stones; who knows, I might have earned a favor from a Sword Immortal!" Chu Minglian chuckled as he humorously bridged their relationship with light-heartedness.
Li Xuanfeng laughed heartily and said, "Since Senior has such a destined connection with my family, it seems I might be able to save some Spirit Stones today!"
Chu Minglian was chuckling but Li Xuanfeng's words had caught him off guard, leaving him speechless for a second. However, he soon burst into laughter again.
"You're quite the witty young man!"
After looking at him thoughtfully, he remarked, "The Li Family truly produces geniuses. When the Sword Immortal visited my shop, he was merely at the Embryonic Breathing Realm... Now, he's established his Dao foundation! You, young and already at the Qi Cultivation Realm, have an immeasurable future as well."
After exchanging pleasantries, Li Xuanfeng quickly got to the point, describing the dharma artifact he wanted to commission.
Chu Minglian listened carefully and nodded.
"Your request is quite rare. Few cultivators use bows, let alone one so heavy."
After pondering for a moment, Chu Minglian said seriously, "I intend to use the Golden Barrier Stone for the bow's frame and refine it with a mystic flame to withstand the strength of five thousand jin while maintaining sufficient flexibility. As for the bowstring... do you prefer the tendons of a demonic beast or a metal?"
"Let's use metal!" Li Xuanfeng said after some time, considering the destructive power of Astral Qi on the frame. He figured that metal would transmit it faster and that a demonic beast's tendons might not withstand it, making metal the better choice.
"Then we'll use the essence of ebony ore. Refining it from ordinary ebony ore to craft this ebony metal essence will meet your requirements!" Chu Minglian suggested with confidence.
Li Xuanfeng nodded eagerly as he heard this.
"How many Spirit Stones will it cost?"
Chu Minglian smiled slightly, explaining, "The raw materials will need eighty Spirit Stones, and it will take me a good half year to craft it... charging forty Spirit Stones for the labor; totaling one hundred and twenty Spirit Stones!"
Li Xuanfeng felt a slight tingle in his feet when he heard the price, which far exceeded his budget. Even with the spirit stones from his storage pouch and the fifty provided by his family, the total value barely exceeded a hundred. However, satisfied with the bow Chu Minglian described, he bit the bullet and asked in a low voice, "Senior... if I provide the ebony ore myself, how much can the price be reduced?"
After a moment of thought, Chu Minglian answered, "The ebony ore costs thirty Spirit Stones. If you can provide it yourself, the price would be ninety Spirit Stones."
"Then it's settled!" Li Xuanfeng hummed, thrilled with his answer. He then dumped a pile of Spirit Stones on the table for the shop assistant to count.
He also produced a large piece of ebony ore for Chu Minglian to take a portion of, watching eagerly until Chu Minglian nodded and said, "Young friend, come back in half a year to collect it!"
Li Xuanfeng nodded vigorously and the two went to the Xiao Family in the market to draw up a contract, swearing a Profound Scenery Spiritual Oath together.
Only then did Li Xuanfeng leave in great contentment, not minding his now-empty pockets. He then cheerfully returned to Jiang Yunu.