Situ You stood on his large flying shuttle, his heart mixed with bitterness and joy. Below, the bustling crowds of Lixia Prefecture looked up at them, causing him discomfort and agitation.
Just like decades ago, when the Golden Tang Gate invaded Azure Pond to slaughter mortals for crafting artifacts, Situ You did not revel in the invasion as his clan brothers had back then.
He understood that this was not a deal but a demand from Azure Pond Sect, marking this mission as perilously risky. And quite frankly, that was why the gate had chosen him—the least valued among the illegitimate descendants of the Embryonic Breathing Realm—for this task.
The Golden Tang Gate might sound prestigious, but it was essentially controlled by the Situ Family. As cultivators reached for higher realms, their offspring were more likely to be born with a spiritual orifice, inevitably leading the sect to be dominated by a single family like the Azure Pond Sect by the Chi Family, and Golden Feather Sect by the Zhang Family. Outsiders who joined the sect would eventually be serving these families.
With the Golden Tang Gate losing its pillar after the death of a middle-stage Purple Mansion Realm cultivator, Situ You's branch, which had marital ties with the Azure Pond Sect, naturally ascended to power.
His clan brother, Situ Yi, who had slaughtered thousands had met a grim fate, leaving Situ You wary of the deep waters surrounding invasions. He was aware that any involvement likely spelled doom. Thus, with complex feelings, he embarked on this mission.
Now a vassal to Azure Pond Sect, the Situ Family was ordered to attack the five prefectures of Azure Pond.
Situ You, unclear on why the Azure Pond Sect suddenly began slaughtering its own subjects, obediently led his team southward.
"How ridiculous! I'm only an Embryonic Breathing Realm cultivator, yet they expect me to lead a few Qi Cultivators to plunder Lixia Prefecture which is guarded by a Foundation Establishment Clan..."
Situ You's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts until a realization hit him.
"I see... I get it now! It seems a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator in the Azure Pond Sect is nearing death... Azure Pond Sect is in fear!"
"Brother!"
A Qi Cultivator called out to Situ You, snapping him back to reality. He hastily summoned his blood-red long saber, a Foundation Establishment Realm dharma artifact with the blood of over a hundred thousand mortals on it.
After this sacrifice, its kill count might even rival the top-ranked dharma artifacts of the Azure Pond Sect.
Activating the saber, Situ You unleashed a torrent of blood-red saber light. Thousands of blood lights danced in the air, seemingly sentient as they swooped down toward the mortals of Lixia Prefecture like birds, signaling the beginning of the massacre.
————
"Clan Uncle!" Xiao Ruyu cried out as he approached Xiao Yongling with urgency.
"We must act quickly! Lixia Prefecture is home to tens of thousands of mortals and thousands of our Xiao Family's common descendants... The attackers are but a dozen Qi Cultivators; we cannot let them proceed with this slaughter!"
"Wait a bit longer," Xiao Yongling replied as he shook his head, coldly observing the silhouettes of the Qi Cultivators in the sky above them.
"It's not so simple... Azure Pond Sect’s people must be watching from the sidelines. This is a trap to lure our Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators into action, aiming for a complete encirclement trap and consequent massacre! Chi Wei won't live much longer... and we cannot ruin the grand plan of our ancestor!"
Xiao Ruyu's expression stiffened when he heard this.
"We’re talking about the lives of a few hundred thousand mortals who have served the Xiao Family for generations! How can we... How can we just ignore them and let Golden Tang Gate turn them into dharma artifacts?!"
His voice was hard, pained.
"I’m well aware of that!" Xiao Yongling said as he appeared somewhat irate, raising his voice at his junior. Gritting his teeth, he continued, "But our Xiao Family has been biding its time for over three hundred years! We finally have a prodigious talent like Chuting, our ancestor, who broke the alliance of the three families and took control of the entire Lixia Prefecture... Now, with just a decade or so away from breaking free from Azure Pond Sect and establishing ourselves as a Purple Mansion immortal clan, how can we afford to act rashly?"
Xiao Yongling kept talking, almost as if trying to convince himself.
"Do you not fear that Chi Wei may be just waiting at the mountain gate, ready to seize us the moment we act impulsively, forcing our ancestor to intervene and ultimately leading to the annihilation of our hard-earned Purple Mansion Realm cultivator? In the end, not only would the mortals be sacrificed, but our Xiao Family could also be destroyed!"
Xiao Ruyu remained silent, not uttering a word. Xiao Yongling gave him a stern look and continued harshly, "As soon as Chi Wei dies, the Azure Pond Sect will no longer have the power to besiege our ancestor. Everything will be worth it! To establish our own territory... and perhaps, in a few decades, take over Milin Prefecture at Moongaze Lake! With the lake and Mount Dali at our back, our Xiao Family will have no more worries..."
Xiao Ruyu never spoke another word. Together with Xiao Yongling, they witnessed the horrific scene below the mountain. It was hell on earth, with screams and cries of anguish echoing outside the formation.
Xiao Ruyu's teeth clattered in anger. It was not a while until he spoke again, his voice filled with anguish and grief.
"I have always despised the Golden Tang Gate and Azure Pond Sect for their despicable acts... but now, looking at our Xiao Family, we're not any better!"
Xiao Yongling was slightly shaken by these words, his expression complex as he looked at him and said softly, "If you're seeking purity, the only place you might find it is in tales and stories... Perhaps you'll find one or two there. Do not be deceived by the dazzling sun; there's nothing truly pure in this world!"
————
Li Xuanfeng emerged from his cave dwelling, the Golden Age longbow in his hand shimmering under the sun.
Greeted by Li Xuanxuan, Li Xuanfeng laughed heartily.
"It seems like you’ve been cultivating hard during my five years of seclusion! You're nearing the peak of the Embryonic Breathing Realm already!"
"Haha, but I'm still no match for you!" Li Xuanxuan replied cheerfully. He too, had made rapid progress over these five years. Not only had he condensed the final sixth chakra of the Embryonic Breathing Realm, but he was also reaching its peak.
"How's your bow technique coming along?" Li Xuanxuan asked.
Li Xuanfeng, with a gleeful smile, handed over a jade slip, declaring proudly, "This is the Astral Golden Bow technique. Although it’s quite complex, fully mastering it means inheriting at least seventy percent of my true legacy."
"Excellent." Li Xuanxuan praised as he accepted the precious jade slip, carefully tucking it into his chest pocket, planning to place it in the stone cave for safekeeping.
With a beaming smile, he said, "Sit down for a moment. I'll go and call our second uncle."
Li Xuanfeng nodded slightly, his mustache giving him a more mature appearance. Sitting on a stool, he drank his tea in big gulps, feeling restless.
"Strange..." Li Xuanfeng said, setting down his tea bowl. He suddenly thought of Jiang Yunu, murmuring to himself, "In any case, I should bring that woman back home... It’s not easy for a Qi Cultivator to have children. Waiting for her to get pregnant might take forever, and leaving her outside all the time isn’t right either. Regardless of how Second Uncle and the others might react, I’ll have to do my best and explain."
"Feng'er!" Li Tongya called out as he descended in front of the courtyard before entering leisurely.
Li Xuanfeng’s eyes lit up, and he quickly stood up, cupping his fist respectfully.
"Congratulations to Second Uncle for breaking through to the seventh heavenly layer of the Qi Cultivation Realm!"
Li Tongya, with his aura already exuding the seventh heavenly layer of Qi Cultivation Realm and even brimming with true essence, indicated that he had broken through a year or two ago. He simply nodded and took his seat.
He accepted the tea bowl and smiled. "Have you made any progress with your bow technique?" he asked.
"I certainly have!" Li Xuanfeng replied as he beamed with pride, lifting his bow.
"A few years ago, my mastery was confined to the sheer sharpness of the bow. Now... I've truly grasped the intent of the bow. Without the need for arrows, merely drawing and aiming the bow at rabbits is enough to startle them to their demise, while aiming at people can shatter their resolve. Even Qi Cultivators—struck by my formless, colorless arrow intent, will find themselves thrown into disarray for an extended period... let alone ordinary people and those in the Embryonic Breathing Realm! Those with weaker wills may even succumb to vomiting blood and falling to a fever, unable to even take flight."
"It’s that miraculous..?" Li Tongya repeated softly as he found his bow technique quite peculiar. Lacking knowledge of archery, he could not tell whether Li Xuanfeng’s current mastery was good or bad, deciding it would have to be tested in real combat.
Seeing Li Xuanfeng looking around, Li Tongya asked softly, "What's wrong?"
Li Xuanfeng shook his head, choosing his words carefully before saying, "Well... before I begin, please forgive me, Second Uncle... I've actually taken a liking to a girl in the prefecture. She is of humble background, so I've always hesitated to bring her home. It's been over a decade. I thought of bringing her back today, to continue our lineage here..."
"Huh?" Li Tongya sipped his tea and replied, "Young love is no crime. Find an opportunity to bring her home."
Li Xuanfeng was overjoyed, nodding vigorously. Initially planning to demonstrate his bow technique to Li Tongya and the others, he was now too excited for that.
After bidding farewell to Li Tongya, he rode the wind to the prefecture to fetch Jiang Yunu.