"Mount Yue should have fragmented, so why try to unify them by force? The devil lord stood upon the clouds... to ensure that he... that he would be left with no place to be buried!" a narrator shouted hoarsely, beating against gongs.
The actor playing Jianixi, a young general dressed in a black robe, exuded an aura of power. With a flick of his robe, he declared, "Ha! I did this deed... and it is known to you, to me, and to the heavens and earth alike. Even if I die and become a ghost, my heart will remain guilt-free!"
In unison, the audience leaned forward and sighed deeply, and some even stood up to cheer. In the minds of the Mount Yue people, Jianixi held a high status. Many of the Mount Yue people who migrated from the Great Jueting were refugees who brought with them stories of Jianixi's last days.
The reverence of the Mount Yue people mixed with the fear of the natives of Lijing Town had given birth to the figure of this ruler who stood both just and evil.
The old man continued to sigh, while a gentle voice from behind him—calm and clear amid the commotion.
"Elder, why are you sighing?"
The old man shook his head, his eyes filled with sentiment as he whispered, "When I was thirty, I followed Lord Xiangping to the lands of Mount Yue... I saw many things. Jianixi was... a heroic figure."
Turning to look at the person behind him, he saw a man who appeared middle-aged, with broad shoulders and long, gentle eyebrows. His aura was commanding, and he stood with his hands behind his back. Knowing that he was no ordinary person, the old man's attitude immediately became much more respectful.
On stage, the narrator sang and continued to beat against his gongs.
"You, you, you—don't harm the people under your rule!"
"Bah! The common folk shall be my carriage, and my soldiers will be my blade and lance. Ha! What can you do about it?!" The young general in the black robe shouted loudly, and the people in the audience withdrew their heads in silence.
The middle-aged man nodded slightly and murmured, "Such words are something Jianixi would have said... He had such spirit."
"Indeed!" the old man said as he slapped his thigh and laughed. He then continued, "The next act is called Lord Xiangping's Soul Returns Home, and Mu Jiaoman Seizes Power During a Drought , which will make people sigh and curse with rage. It'll be quite a sight to see!"
"Drought..." Li Tongya muttered softly and whispered, "There was indeed a severe drought back then."
"How old were you at the time, to remember such things? That's remarkable!" the old man praised.
The longer he looked at Li Tongya, the more familiar he seemed, though he could not recall where he had seen him before. Tentatively, he asked, "My lord... is your surname Li?"
Li Tongya shook his head gently and did not respond directly. Instead, he smiled and said softly in light amusement, "This young general in the black robe is nearly perfect, except for his eye color... Jianixi had fierce brown eyes."
"The fierce brown eyes of the eagle owl are a rare sight!" the old man responded cheerfully. Seeing that Li Tongya appeared refined and courteous, giving him the respect he deserved, he leaned in closer and whispered in his ear.
"My Lord, the world always speaks of the wolf with the fierce eyes of an eagle owl... Since you know the sign of fierce brown eyes, are you also aware of another ominous trait?"
"Oh?"
Li Tongya's curiosity was instantly piqued, and he smiled warmly, urging the man to share more. "Tell me more, Elder," he encouraged with a small smile.
The old man coughed and then lowered his voice even further. If Li Tongya had not had exceptional hearing, he might not have caught the old man's words in the noisy environment.
"Eagle-owl-like brown eyes and wolf-like gray pupils... those with wolf-like gray pupils possess the appearance of the Wolf Lord described in the play—eyes gray and white, cautious and suspicious, harboring ill intentions, and always scanning around while walking... Such people have a nature that seeks to devour and annex enemies."
"I see!" Li Tongya laughed heartily, instantly grasping the old man's meaning. "People with fierce brown eyes are hard to find, but those with wolf-like gray pupils are abundant in Lijing Town!" he replied with a grin.
"Hah!" the old man jumped in surprise, forcing a bitter smile and whispering, "As long as you understand, my lord! Speaking of this openly isn't a pleasant topic..."
Li Tongya chuckled softly, recognizing that the old man was hinting at the Li Family, the master household. He straightened his expression and asked, "Since you are knowledgeable about face reading, Elder... why not take a look at me?"
The old man chuckled and observed Li Tongya for a while before responding.
"You have an imposing aura and the face of one who will guard his domain... blessed with great fortune beyond description."
Li Tongya let out a small laugh as the crowd erupted into a noisy frenzy. The play on stage had reached a climax, and the actor playing Jianixi had fallen. The old man quickly looked up, but when he turned back with a sigh, the person behind him had vanished.
————
On Mount Lijing, Chen Donghe stood in the courtyard, dressed in white. A gentle drizzle slid past him, blocked by his mana. He slowly drew his sword, and a pale gray aura glowed from the blade.
Opposite him, Li Xuanling had already drawn his sword, which was also radiating a gray light. Chen Donghe nodded and advanced with his sword drawn.
"Here I come!" he announced.
Li Xuanling did not unsheathe his sword immediately but instead watched Chen Donghe approach with a smile on his face. When Chen Donghe reached him, Li Xuanling finally drew his sword, unleashing a bright white arc.
Chen Donghe's pupils widened, and he switched to a defensive position right away, exclaiming in surprise, "The Celestial Moon Slash!"
The sword technique clashed with Chen Donghe's blade, forcing him to retreat several steps backward. He tightened his grip and steadied his breath before taking another step back to regain his composure.
Li Xuanling capitalized on his momentum and advanced with relentless sword moves.
Chen Donghe had not expected Li Xuanling to have mastered the Celestial Moon Slash technique and suffered a slight loss, leaving him at a disadvantage. However, both men had practiced the River One Qi Technique and the Profound Water Sword Technique , so they were rather familiar with each other's techniques.
With his stronger foundation, Chen Donghe quickly turned the tide and went on the offensive, suppressing Li Xuanling.
"Brother-In-Law is indeed superior!"
After an hour of fighting, Li Xuanling, slightly breathless, sheathed his sword and stepped backward, admitting his defeat.
Chen Donghe also returned his sword to its sheath and smiled.
"I never thought you had mastered the Celestial Moon Slash technique. Congratulations," he praised with a smile.
"Twelve years, and that is all I have got..." Li Xuanling said as he shook his head and sighed.
His voice was melancholic as he continued, "My father could use this Celestial Moon Slash technique when he was only at the Embryonic Breathing Realm... I, however, had only managed to wield it with true essence after I reached the Qi Cultivation Realm. The difference is clear..."
Chen Donghe shook his head and smiled, reassuring him, "Don't compare yourself with your father. How many around the lake can rival him? Your talent in swordsmanship is already remarkable. I can only suppress you because I'm a few years older... Don't underestimate yourself."
"But Yuanjiao has already mastered the sword aura... His talent in this is quite good, possibly better than mine," he said quietly
The mention of Li Tongya brought a look of concern to Li Xuanling's eyes, and he said quietly, "I wonder how Father is doing now."
As soon as he spoke, the courtyard door creaked open, revealing a middle-aged man stepping inside. His temples were graying, and he wore a gray robe and simple cloth shoes. Though he radiated no mana, the light drizzle did not wet him at all. Raindrops slid off his silhouette obediently before touching him, giving an otherworldly impression.
The man raised an eyebrow and took a step forward, making the puddles part away like they had come to life, keeping his cloth shoes perfectly dry. He then shot out a word of advice.
"If that sword technique had shifted two degrees to the right, you would have held your own against Donghe."
"Father!"
Li Xuanling was immediately overjoyed and stepped forward with excitement. After studying the man for a moment, he exclaimed, "Father, you've established your immortal foundation!"
Li Tongya nodded with a gentle smile, and Chen Donghe respectfully cupped his fist and congratulated him, "Congratulations, Second Uncle!"
Li Tongya looked at the two younger men in front of him, their faces radiating uncontrollable joy, and felt immense satisfaction within him. He smiled, proud.
"Now, our Li Family is the third Foundation Establishment Clan on the lake!"