Li Yuanxiu stepped onto the mountain along the stone path, finding the courtyard quiet and serene. Most of the elders were secluded in cultivation, only Li Xuanling was in the garden, holding a tea bowl in one hand and a white jade slip titled River Crossing Torrential Step in the other
Noticing Li Yuanxiu's joyful entrance, he softly inquired, "What brings you such joy?"
"Eastern Mount Yue was attacked by a demon beast, Mu Jiaoman died a sudden death, and his son, Shamoli, has sought refuge with our family... He's waiting at the foot of the mountain as we speak," Li Yuanxiu explained as he shared the news, to which Li Xuanling promptly placed down his tea bowl with a nod.
"Good news indeed!" he remarked, beaming.
Observing Li Yuanxiu's eager look, Li Xuanling then asked, "You seem to have some plans in mind..?"
"Exactly!"
Li Yuanxiu cupped his fist and nodded eagerly, having clearly thought through his strategy.
He proposed, "With Shamoli in our grasp, our natural course is to support him as the leader of Eastern Mount Yue. However, this is quite a complex matter. While we hold Shamoli, we mustn't underestimate Mount Wu. It's prudent to gather intelligence before making any decisive moves."
"Well said," Li Xuanling nodded with a serious expression on his face. He then inquired, "What kind of person is Shamoli?"
"I've met him before. He appears naive and simple-minded... Even so, we must be wary of him, in case he's putting up a facade for our family to see. For now, we'll entertain him with singers and dancers to probe his intentions. Ideally, he'll father a few children here," Li Yuanxiu explained.
"Oh?" Li Xuanling pondered after a pause, "He's not a Qi Cultivator yet, is he..?"
"No," Li Yuanxiu met Li Xuanling's gaze, both having the same thought in mind.
Li Yuanxiu then suggested, "We have a copy of Purple Thunder Secret Origin Technique . Once he has offspring here, we can bind him with a spiritual oath and grant him this technique without telling him about its side effect of infertility. Grateful as he might be, once he returns to Eastern Mount Yue, regardless of his future ambitions, he'll have no descendants! Inevitably, we'll have to send a king's heir we've raised, thus keeping everything within our control."
Li Xuanling nodded in agreement, picking up where Li Yuanxiu left off, speaking softly, "We need not refine an entire portion of Profound Yin Thunder Liquid. Just extract ten to twenty percent of it and mix it into various unrefined qi for his cultivation will suffice... Even if the Purple Thunder Secret Origin Technique is potent, what could possibly come of cultivating with such unrefined qi? Once he attains the Qi Cultivation Realm, he'll only be mediocre at best, preventing him from becoming too powerful and slipping out of our control with a Grade Three technique!"
Li Yuanxiu nodded vigorously, his thoughts in sync with Li Xuanling. It took them just a few words to each other to concoct a plot tightly ensnaring Shamoli.
Li Xuanling chuckled, then said seriously, "Though we've made this plan, I still need to discuss it with your father to keep him informed. He's privy to many secrets, and we might as well inquire about Mount Wu."
Li Yuanxiu cupped his fist and replied, "Then I shall proceed with making arrangements. Shamoli shows a particular fondness for Brother Jiao, so his involvement will be crucial in this matter."
"I trust that you'll do a good job," Li Xuanling encouraged with a satisfied smile. After a moment of thought, he then patted his storage pouch and pulled out several jade boxes.
"These contain spirit fruits of the Embryonic Breathing Realm, mostly gifts from other families. They're good for improving cultivation progress. Our family doesn't have any recipes to make them into pills, but direct consumption can lead to a shaky foundation, thus complicating future cultivation. Therefore, they've remained unused and are losing spiritual qi to the extent of nearly becoming ordinary fruits now," he explained.
"Take these spirit fruits and offer them to Shamoli when the time is right to accelerate his cultivation progress, ensuring his progress matches our pace. It'll be good to elevate him to the Qi Cultivation Realm as soon as possible so we can put him to good use," he instructed.
"Got it!"
Li Yuanxiu took the jade boxes and said respectfully, "Uncle's plans never cease to amaze! Xiu'er will get everything done."
Watching him leave the courtyard, Li Xuanling mulled over the entire plan once more before heading to Mount Meiche to find Li Tongya.
————
"Mu Jiaoman died a sudden death..?" Li Tongya muttered as he placed down the jade slip just as Li Xuanling finished recounting the turmoil in Mount Yue. A flicker of doubt crossed his mind.
Mu Jiaoman had ways to communicate with Mount Wu. Logically, he could have enlisted the help of Qi Cultivators from Mount Wu by offering something in return. It's puzzling why he'd just let himself be killed by a demon beast...
After pondering for a moment, Li Tongya recalled Xiao Yuansi's mention of a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator from Mount Yue nearing the end of his lifespan.
Given Mount Yue's history, this Purple Mansion Realm cultivator likely had the highest seniority among them and hence most respected, living nearly six hundred years through several extensions of life via secret methods.
"The figure from Mount Wu is probably attempting to break through to the Golden Core Realm. With the Xiao Family also at a critical juncture, it's best to send a letter to inform them and to inquire about the specifics. This will allow us to gauge Mount Wu's current hold over Mount Yue," Li Tongya suggested.
"Get Donghe here," he instructed.
Li Xuanling nodded and left. Li Tongya picked up a jade slip but after a brief consideration, opted instead for a sheet of cheaper spirit cloth to write a concise letter.
After sealing the letter, he resumed reading the jade slip.
Chen Donghe had attained the Qi Cultivation Realm for over four years now and was currently in the early stages of the second heavenly layer. He consumed proper Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth for his Qi Cultivation and practiced with an authentic technique, thus possessing a pure true essence.
He approached respectfully.
"Greetings, Senior!"
Li Tongya waved his hand, then handed the letter to him and said, "Please take a trip to the prefecture and deliver this letter directly to Senior Xiao Yuansi of the Xiao Family. If he can write a reply immediately, then bring it back with you."
"Understood!" Chen Donghe cupped his fist and took his leave, riding the wind out of the cave dwelling.
Li Tongya turned back to look at Li Xuanling standing beside him and quietly asked, "Have you managed to condense the Nascent Spirit Chakra?"
"Yes, Father! I just broke through last month."
Li Tongya scanned his son with his spiritual sense and nodded approvingly. "You are twenty-five this year. This pace is just right, no need to rush. With a few more years of diligent practice, you should be able to break through to the Qi Cultivation Realm before turning thirty."
"I will keep your advice in mind," Li Xuanling replied respectfully and then shared the plan that he and Li Yuanxiu came up with.
Li Tongya listened impassively and responded, "Yuanxiu is thoughtful! Eastern Mount Yue sends not only many spirit items but also a large quantity of food and materials to the east every year, which are crucial for the livelihood of over a hundred thousand people under our Li Family's rule. This also indirectly affects the abundance of offerings for next year's sacrificial ritual. If Mount Wu is indeed preoccupied, we can boldly take further control of Eastern Mount Yue!"
"I understand. But what if that person from Mount Yue attains the Golden Core Realm..?" inquired Li Xuanling, forever a cautious person.
Li Tongya smiled and explained, "In the path of cultivation, it's always best to break through as early as possible on a stable foundation. Those Purple Mansion Realm cultivators who wait until their lifespan is nearly over and force themselves to break through as their vitality wane, show that they're uncertain about their breakthrough."
"I've also reviewed numerous historical records. After the war between immortals and devils, the Yue State was established, and some individuals broke through to the Golden Core Realm in that period. Later, when the Moonlight Origin Mansion withdrew from the world and the three sects and seven gates emerged, there has not been any cultivator breaking through to the Golden Core Realm since then—let alone those from Mount Yue."