Li Tongya returned to Mount Lijing where Li Xuanfeng, carrying his long bow and holding a jade slip with a furrowed brow, hurriedly tucked away the jade slip upon seeing Li Tongya. He greeted him respectfully, "Second Uncle, you're back... How is Qinghong?"
"She has settled into the Fei Family," Li Tongya replied as he sized him up for a moment and smiled.
"Fifth heavenly layer of the Qi Cultivation Realm... and you're just over thirty! That's remarkable progress, but you still need more training," he said.
"Indeed." Li Xuanfeng nodded.
He listened quietly as Li Tongya continued, "When Yu Mujian was your age, he had just begun cultivating qi. You have received the enhancement of a talisman seed and are endowed with talisman qi, which has brought you to this level of cultivation... Although you cannot compare with the monstrous An Jingming, you are certainly among the best on the lake.
"An Jingming was truly exceptional, feared by friends and foes alike... Not to mention the Yu Family, even the Ding Family feared him and hoped for his death. With him overshadowing you, everyone's attention was diverted from you. Now that An Jingming is dead, you must tread carefully," Li Tongya advised.
Li Xuanfeng nodded in response. "I understand."
After a wry smile, he told Li Tongya, "Do you still remember the Spirit Eye Perception technique? It was a rare pupil technique Senior Xiao brought us. I've been studying it for years but with little progress. The book mentions that cleansing one's eyes with Pure Essence Spirit Water would benefit greatly. I've never heard of such spirit water, so I'm still keeping an eye out for it."
Li Tongya hummed in acknowledgment, Li Xuanfeng hesitated briefly before looking up at the older man.
"Second Uncle... are you preparing to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm?" he asked.
"Indeed."
Li Tongya nodded, causing Li Xuanfeng's expression to change to one of concern right away. Seeing this, Li Tongya instructed, "I will enter seclusion today to break through... Keep an eye on the younger ones, don't let them wander out needlessly. The Fei Family is stirring trouble for the Yu Family, and Yu Mugao won't be free for a while. Just remember to keep a low profile."
After a brief pause, Li Tongya continued, "I may take two to three years—or even as long as five years. If I succeed, I'll emerge from seclusion. However... if you don't see me in ten years, then it means I've perished. In that case, you can break in to retrieve my remains."
Li Xuanfeng could not bear such talk and hung his head low. Li Tongya gave his instructions and was about to head directly to his cave dwelling, but on impulse, he stopped at the graveyard on the mountain.
Amidst the various-sized tombstones, the oldest ones bore light green moss, while the newest shone brightly. Li Tongya walked among them, stopping before the cenotaph of Li Xiangping.
After a moment of silence, he suddenly clapped his brocade pouch to retrieve a brown eyeball. He carefully placed it in front of Li Xiangping's grave and then opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't find any words.
His gaze swept over the tombstones before he walked past each one, eventually arriving at a small open space positioned somewhat lower than Li Mutian's, between Li Changhu and Li Xiangping—a spot that stood out starkly amidst the rows of graves.
Li Tongya lowered his gaze to the spot and quickly estimated his own height to ensure that the space was more than sufficient to accommodate him. Then, with a loud laugh, he rode the wind toward his cave dwelling on Mount Meiche.
————
Within the territory of the An Family at Moongaze Lake, the southern shore lacked significant mountains. Mount Huazhong had gentle slopes covered in lush forests.
The blood from the Yu Family's massacre on the mountain had long been washed away by heavy rain and then meticulously cleaned under the directive of An Zheyu. However, dark red stains could still be seen in the crevices of the rocks.
Mount Huazhong was originally owned by the Ji Family but had been conquered by the Wan Family, then passed to the Lu Family before eventually falling into the hands of the An Family.
Over just a few decades, it had witnessed four massacres with countless beheaded, which ironically had helped the trees on Mount Huazhong flourish.
Several li south of Mount Huazhong stood a small orchard that was enclosed by a palisade of palm wood. A few fruits hung from the branches, suggesting that it probably belonged to a farmer. On the adjacent hillside, a few small houses had been constructed.
An Zheyan lay bewildered and fearful in bed, worried about being discovered by the Yu Family. He had hidden in the forest for several days, too afraid to fly. Determined to evade detection, he changed his appearance and walked to this place instead.
The family was hospitable. Having lost a son years ago in an accident where a tree branch pierced his neck in their own yard, they now had an extra guest room, which they had kindly offered to An Zheyan.
"The Li Family..."
An Zheyan was unaware of the current state of Mount Huazhong but learned from the family that An Zheyu had become the new head of the An Family.
Feeling a void in his heart, he thought to himself, That bastard... he has probably become a lapdog for the Yu Family...
An Zheyan did not know the fate of An Jingming's body, but he had a bad gut feeling about it. Wiping away tears, he sighed softly. "Although it's aggravating... it's time to leave. I have to go to the Li Family."
With that thought, An Zheyan's expression turned fierce as he muttered, "I can't let this couple live."
He performed a series of hand seals and conjured a flame before slowly rising to his feet. Since this was a wooden house, it would burn away quickly. All it would take was just one spark of fire to erase his trail completely.
Knock, knock!
A knock came from the door, causing An Zheyan to raise an eyebrow in surprise and confusion. He stepped forward and opened the door, only to see the wife of the household standing timidly with a bowl of duck soup in her hands.
"It's rare for us to have a visitor in these remote hills... You're probably not used to the wild vegetables, so my husband killed a duck and stewed it for a few hours. He hopes that you'll find it tasty," the woman said meekly.
An Zheyan was profoundly moved by her words. Accustomed to delicacies, he had only nibbled at the meals over the past few days, which the couple had noticed and worried that he wasn't eating well.
"T-Thank you so much..." An Zheyan stuttered as he accepted the soup in a daze, feeling as though he had been slapped right in the face as he lowered his head and tasted it hesitantly.
The couple probably only cooked duck soup on rare occasions, for it was bland with a slightly earthy taste. The taste lingered briefly on his tongue before settling in his stomach.
In the past, anyone who dared to serve such a soup to An Zheyan would have lost their hands. But now, An Zheyan had to force himself to swallow it while cursing internally.
It truly tastes awful!
Even so, tears welled up in his eyes, and he couldn't control himself from crying out in delight.
"Delicious! Truly delicious!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, An Zheyan began to sob uncontrollably, his heavy body of a hundred and eighty jin rolling on the ground.
The woman, clearly startled, stepped back in alarm, spilling some of the soup on her arm in her haste. She looked at An Zheyan on the ground, then carefully sipped the soup dripping from her hand.
"I've truly made a grave mistake..."
As ridiculous memories flooded his mind, An Zheyan sat on the ground crying for a while before spitting out a mouthful of stale blood, feeling much better after he had done so.
Ignoring the screaming woman, he threw down two pieces of gold and rode the wind northward.
The woman, left confused in the courtyard, watched on as her husband entered the room in a hurry. Both of them stared at the gold pieces in shocked silence.
After a moment, the man quickly grabbed a hoe and exclaimed, "What are you waiting for? Bury it first!"