Yu Xiaogui rode the wind back to Milin Prefecture hurriedly. As soon as he crossed the mountain, he saw the entire area filled with smoke and blood. Various buildings had collapsed, and his heart skipped a beat at the sight.
He descended and stood still in shock.
The entire marketplace had been reduced to ruins, with severed limbs scattered everywhere. Only a few flickering flames remained. The ground was strewn with bodies, stacked haphazardly, with semi-dried blood glistening on the surface.
For a moment, Yu Xiaogui's mind went blank, before he exploded with grief and rage. His heart ached as countless questions flashed through his mind.
How did Fei Wangbai break through the Jade Court Guarding Formation?! How is this possible...
This question lingered in his mind for only a second before a more terrifying and heartbreaking thought entered his head. Yu Xiaogui cried out in shock, "Big Brother!"
Without hesitation, he soared into the air, flying toward the grand palace which was situated at the highest point.
The magnificent palace had mostly collapsed, with rubble strewn everywhere. Yu Xiaogui landed hastily in front of the hall and, before he could push the door open, his Foundation Establishment Realm spiritual sense had already shown him a kneeling corpse on the ground.
"Big Brother..."
Yu Xiaogui placed his hand on the door, letting out a cry of pain before he shattered the door with a single palm strike. Stumbling, he kneeled before Yu Xiao'ou, his heart filled with boundless regret and sorrow. His usually expressionless face now showed a myriad of emotions.
"T-This... this..."
The destruction of the entire marketplace was nothing compared to the pain of Yu Xiao'ou's death for Yu Xiaogui. The blood on Yu Xiao'ou's body had long dried, and the old man's face still wore a gentle smile.
Yu Xiaogui's mind turned blank. Tears streamed down his face as he gritted his teeth and hissed, "Fei Wangbai...!"
————
Li Tongya rode the wind away, leaving Li Xuanxuan to handle the affairs and organize the tasks. Mount Yuting did not have vast spirit fields, but Mount Huazhong was a valuable treasure. Once the grand formation was established, the problem of the Li Family's insufficient spirit veins for cultivation would be greatly alleviated, with even some surplus.
An Zheyan and the others rode the wind back to Mount Huaqian. The blood on Mount Huazhong was again cleaned away, returning to its picturesque state once more. The autumn wind blew gently as leaves fluttered down, exuding a sense of tranquility and harmony.
"Congratulations, fellow Daoist! Congratulations to your esteemed family!"
Li Xuanxuan hurried forward. The man before him was an elder with thick eyebrows and a rough face, holding a staff. His cultivation had reached the peak of the Qi Cultivation Realm. Despite a hint of sorrow in his expression, he endeavored to maintain a facade of calm and joy as he extended his congratulations.
"Senior Xiding, it is very kind of you to come all this way personally."
Li Xuanxuan cupped his fist in greeting. The man before him was Ding Xiding, the head of the Ding Family in the west. Years ago, when they had divided the Lu Family's territory, they had become part of the Moongaze Lake.
At that time, Li Tongya had personally received him. Now, with Li Xuanxuan achieving the Qi Cultivation Realm and Li Tongya reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm but absent in the mountain, Li Xuanxuan's reception was a mark of respect.
"Senior Tongya's breakthrough to Foundation Establishment Realm fills us with admiration... I have come to present a gift in celebration. Our families have been friends for over a decade, and I wish for our friendship to last forever," Ding Xiding said.
But as he said these words, his face was somewhat pale. When he first visited the Li Family, he was at the peak of the Qi Cultivation Realm while Li Tongya was only at the fifth heavenly layer. Now, Li Tongya had broken through to Foundation Establishment Realm, while he remained at the peak of Qi Cultivation Realm. It was impossible not to feel jealous, but he maintained a polite smile and spoke graciously, presenting a jade box.
"This is too much!" Li Xuanxuan protested as he waved his hands repeatedly, but a quick scan with his spiritual sense revealed that it contained a Qi Cultivation Realm spirit item. Though not exceptionally valuable, it was a sufficient gift. After some polite refusals, he finally accepted it graciously.
Now that the Li Family had gained control of both Mount Huazhong and Mount Yuting, they had completely blocked the Ding Family's access to deeper parts of the Moongaze Lake. The Li Family's strength was truly formidable, and Ding Xiding dared not say much, portraying only a friendly demeanor.
The Ding Family had once had two peak Qi Cultivators, one being Ding Xiding and the other his son, who had reached the peak of Qi Cultivation Realm at fifty-eight, showing good potential.
Over the years, the Ding Family had managed to produce a promising candidate for the Foundation Establishment Realm. Ding Xiding was naturally overjoyed and had been gathering spirit items and treasures to help him break through, hoping to nurture a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator amidst the mutual conflicts of the An, Li, and Yu families.
The Ding Family had kept to themselves in silence all these years, focusing all their efforts on helping their heir's breakthrough. However, things did not go as planned.
His son had been in seclusion for many years, but there had been no progress. A few months ago, Ding Xiding had finally broken into the retreat, only to find a skeleton and dried bloodstains.
Ding Xiding was heartbroken and could not make a public scene about it. Instead, he buried his eldest son quietly. After laying his son to rest, Ding Xiding heard that the Li Family had advanced northward, completely cutting off the Ding Family's escape route. The Ding Family was now wedged between the powerful Li and Yuan families with a bleak future ahead of them, leaving them unable to pursue other plans.
Suppressing his grief, Ding Xiding hurried to pay his respects. The elder's face was naturally pale, and his brow was furrowed with worry. He exchanged a few words with Li Xuanxuan before hearing a loud voice outside the formation.
"Yuan Huyuan from the Yuan Family has come to visit Senior Tongya! Please open the mountain gate!"
"Ah!"
The expression on Ding Xiding's old face changed slightly, and he bowed his head even lower, as if trying to bury it in his chest. The Ding Family was a vassal of the Yuan Family, and meeting them in this situation was not a good thing.
Xuanxuan noticed his plight and said gently, "It would be best if you wait in the side hall..."
"Yes, indeed!" Ding Xiding exclaimed as he left hurriedly. Li Xuanxuan then controlled the formation.
An honest and sincere-looking man in a long robe descended. He stepped forward and cupped his fist, smiling gently as he recognized Li Xuanxuan.
"Are you Daoist Xuanxuan?"
"You can just call me Xuanxuan!"
The Yuan Family was powerful, so Li Xuanxuan regarded the man with even more respect. Besides, he appeared rather old, so Li Xuanxuan spoke politely to him.
Yuan Huyuan smiled and reintroduced himself. "I am Yuan Huyuan from Mushroom Forest Plain. Greetings, Daoist! Congratulations to Senior Tongya on establishing his immortal foundation and achieving great advancement in cultivation!"
The news of Li Tongya's achievement had just reached the Yuan Family, who promptly sent Yuan Huyuan to congratulate them, showing their goodwill. Li Xuanxuan cupped his fist in return and replied, "My second uncle is currently away on business, Senior. I regret that you've missed him. Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience caused."
Yuan Huyuan waved his hand repeatedly and smiled. "No problem at all! I share a special connection with your esteemed family. Years ago, when the Sword Immortal returned home, he had landed at Mushroom Forest Plain, and I escorted him back to Lijing personally. Time has flown by, and now the Sword Immortal is renowned in the four realms, while I remain a Qi Cultivator. When the Sword Immortal achieves the Purple Mansion Realm, I will be able to brag about this story to everyone!"
Yuan Huyuan's words were meant to be complimentary, but they made Li Xuanxuan feel a pang of sadness. However, he could not show it and simply laughed along with him. Seeing that his flattery had little effect, Yuan Huyuan patted his brocade pouch and retrieved a long, flat jade box.
"Our ancestor remembers the close relationship between the Sword Immortal and Yuan Tuan as fellow disciples of the same sect, and he specifically asked me to present this congratulatory gift!"