Meanwhile, on the shore of Moongaze Lake...
Li Xuanfeng and Li Tongya flew in silence for a while before Li Tongya finally broke the silence.
"It's the Yu Family's doing."
Li Xuanfeng's expression darkened, a simmering anger evident as he clenched his teeth.
"I knew it was the Yu Family when I saw you disposing of the body. However, we probably can't confront them right now... If we didn't have that... we would have never known who had done this. Yu Mugao must have employed some insidious tactics to harm Xiu'er in this manner."
Li Tongya's voice turned cold as he spoke with finality in his tone.
"There's no need for further discussion on this matter. The truth will become clear once we return and investigate."
Li Tongya slowly sheathed his sword and continued, "This incident has stirred up quite a commotion... I suspect that everyone on the lake is already aware of it. If my guess is correct, Yu Xiaogui has likely arrived or is on his way to the scene. That was why I suggested that we leave first. Although he might not dare to fight us directly now, it was still better for us to leave quickly."
Li Xuanfeng's heart sank. Although everyone feared the Li Family because it was under the protection of a sword immortal, only members of the Li Family knew that this was merely a facade.
On the surface, the two families had not yet turned openly hostile, but in secret, they had already become enemies. No one knew for sure what would happen from now on...
"Should we... seek assistance from the Xiao Family?" Li Xuanfeng inquired in a low voice.
Li Tongya shook his head in response.
"We should wait until I attain the Foundation Establishment Realm. Besides, the Yu Family has the Yuanwu Peak backing them, and the Xiao Family is trying to lay low for now so they won't intervene in such matters. We'll reassess the situation when the Xiao Family makes their move. We can't always rely on others... we must rely on ourselves."
As they conversed, Moun Lijing loomed beneath them. People had gathered below, kneeling and crying. Li Xuanfeng's eyes welled with tears, unable to bear the sight.
Meanwhile, Li Tongya sighed softly, hovering in the sky above.
Upon arriving at Lijing Town, Li Xuanxuan landed before the collapsed rear hall. Flames were still licking at the wooden structure. Clan soldiers hurried over to him.
Li Xuanxuan swept his spiritual sense forward, allowing the scene beneath the ruins to materialize in his mind.
His face paled slightly as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He turned his head to the side and asked, "Was the Young Family Head in the courtyard?"
The unconscious Li Pingyi had already been retrieved and taken away to be treated, while a trembling clan soldier stood before him. "Reporting to the Family Head, I saw him earlier... he should have been in the courtyard," he said, his voice timid.
Li Xuanxuan's chest tightened. His face paled and he could almost see stars before his eyes. He dropped onto his knees with a thud and cried out loudly.
"XIU'ER...!"
He continued sweeping the area with his spiritual sense but found only the remains of a few clan soldiers amidst the rubble, along with blood, dismembered body parts, and bone fragments.
There was no sign of Li Yuanxiu. He doubled over, feeling the world spin before his eyes as he wailed in agony.
Hearing the head of the family in such distress, the surrounding clan soldiers and cultivators were filled with horror, joining him and kneeling on the ground as well.
Li Xuanxuan clutched his chest as he struggled to catch his breath. Tears streamed down his face as he spoke through gritted teeth. "W-What... what has happened here..?"
A clan soldier rescued from the rubble kneeled and cried out in agony.
"It was the pearl! The pearl... it unleashed a spell!"
Beside him, Xu Gongming recoiled in shock and fear. It was he who had sent over the precious pearl from the mine to the courtyard.
His vision darkened, never expecting that he would become a suspect in this incident. He got down on his knees and stumbled forward.
"The precious pearl came from the mine! I-I will... go investigate this...!"
"From the mine..?" Li Xuanxuan's face darkened. The Ebony mine had been explored under the leadership of the An Family. Naturally, they were the prime suspects.
Li Xuanxuan let out a frustrated sigh before hissing resentfully, "Is the An Family out of their minds?!"
Despite his turmoil, Li Xuanxuan managed to compose himself. He wiped his tears away and barked a command, "Go and investigate this!"
As Xu Gongming scrambled to leave, Li Xuanxuan lowered his gaze to see Li Yuanjiao, who had already arrived before him. His cheeks were smeared with dirt for he had been searching among the rubble with tears streaming down his face, and they were still dripping from his chin.
Meanwhile, Li Qinghong cradled Li Yuanyun in her arms, both of them sobbing uncontrollably. Several clan elders were kneeling nearby, their aged faces stained with tears. The courtyard was silent, save for the sound of mournful weeping.
The oppressive stillness was shattered when Li Tongya and Li Xuanfeng finally descended into the courtyard. Seeing Li Tongya, Li Xuanxuan's tears surged once more, and he spoke with indignation.
"Second Uncle! Xiu'er... he..."
Li Xuanfeng clenched his fists while Li Tongya sighed quietly and approached Li Xuanxuan.
"Come with me..." he said softly.
Li Xuanxuan nodded through clenched teeth, accompanying Li Tongya as they rode the wind toward the mountain.
Meanwhile, Li Xuanfeng stayed behind to investigate. When he finally pieced together the events, he spat angrily, "What a low move!"
As soon as he said that, the rapid sound of hoofbeats echoed nearby. Tian Zhongqing rode in on his horse, carrying a mystery person. He quickly dismounted and dropped the person to the ground, eliciting cries of pain from that person. He then addressed Li Xuanxuan with a respectful bow before speaking.
"My lord, the culprit has been captured. He's a spy from the An Family!"
————
Meanwhile in the An Residence...
The An Family had just constructed an impressive, shimmery golden pavilion atop Mount Huazhong.
An Zheyan had commissioned the pavilion for his son, An Jingming, and it had complex formations engraved onto it. It was designed to harness spiritual qi and to stabilize one's soul.
An Jingming sat cross-legged alone within the golden formation, his handsome features illuminated by its soft glow. His long hair was tied back neatly, and he wore crystal-clear gold bracelets on his wrists. A jade ax stood before him, surrounded by a gentle white mist that seemed to lend him an aura of immortality.
An Jingming should have been deep in cultivation, but he was frequently distracted and was unable to immerse himself in his meditation.
Currently at the eighth heavenly layer of the Qi Cultivation Realm, he was far ahead of his father, An Zheyan, in terms of cultivation. This fact filled An Zheyan with pride.
After sitting for a while, An Jingming found himself still unable to concentrate. After another half an hour, he finally rose to his feet, descended the stairs, and pushed open the door to a luxurious hall.
An Zheyan was seated inside, with a wine cup and a pair of silver chopsticks in each hand, watching as seven or eight dancers danced to a beautiful melody in front of him. He had a contented expression, and there was a smile on his lips.
He was just picking up a small piece of rabbit meat from the dish in front of him when he spotted An Jingming descending the stairs in his flowing Daoist robe.
An Zheyan hastily discarded his chopsticks and dismissed everyone in the hall hurriedly.
"Go away, all of you!"
The musicians and dancers quickly scattered as An Jingming approached.
"Did I disturb your meditation, son?" An Zheyan asked, looking somewhat guilty.
"Not at all, since the building has a soundproofing formation," An Jingming reassured his father, shaking his head.
He looked at his father for a moment before continuing, "I've been feeling restless today. Have I forgotten something important...?"
An Zheyan attempted to dispel his son's concerns with a hearty laugh.
"Nonsense, my boy... Don't worry yourself."
However, An Jingming, sharp as ever, sensed that something was aloof and fixed his father with a penetrating gaze.
"Father, you mustn't keep secrets from me! What are you hiding?!" he demanded with a slightly gloomy expression.