The marriage arrangements of the Li Family were sudden, but invitations were sent out to all the families with Qi Cultivators and above on the lake. All the families, except the Yu Family, attended. Even the Foundation Establishment Realm rogue cultivators on the western shore sent representatives to observe the ceremony. Fei Wangbai did not attend personally but sent his grandson, Fei Tongyu, in his stead.
Fei Tongyu, always the elegant gentleman of the Fei Family, held a fan in his hand as he stood among the guests. His words were polite and courteous, but his demeanor showed little joy. He observed the various proceedings of the Li Family, particularly at Li Yuanjiao who was holding a cup at the head of the table, and felt a sense of unease stirring within him.
Li Yuanjiao at the peak of the Embryonic Breathing Realm... such rapid progress. Although I have not seen Li Qinghong here, with her talent, she must at least be at the fifth stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm! The rise of the Li Family is too swift; this could spell trouble.
Fei Tongyu set down his cup and glanced at a young man sitting quietly, drinking alone. Despite having no apparent cultivation, he was seated in a prominent position, indicating his importance within the family.
Fei Tongyu inquired, "May I know how to address you, brother?"
Li Yuanyun, lost in thought, was startled by Fei Tongyu's voice. Although Fei Tongyu did not know him, Yuanyun recognized him as the direct descendant of the Fei Family.
He replied politely, "You flatter me, but I am just a commoner. My name is Li Yuanyun, a direct descendant of the Li Family, but I do not deserve such respect from an immortal like you."
After spending several years mingling among the common folk, Li Yuanyun had long shed his youthful innocence and put on some weight. He had tried countless folk remedies and rituals to nurture a spiritual orifice—from praying to gods and Buddhas to distributing wealth and seeking the blessing of paper talismans, all of which had worn him down to a weary semblance of a middle-aged man.
Fei Tongyu, upon seeing him, then asked, "May I inquire about your relationship with Lady Qinghong?"
"Li Qinghong is my elder sister, born of the same mother," Li Yuanyun answered.
Fei Tongyu immediately perked up. Before he left, his younger brother Fei Tongxiao had begged him multiple times to bring along several letters for Li Qinghong. Seeing no sign of her at the banquet, Fei Tongyu quickly asked, "Is Lady Qinghong in seclusion on the mountain?"
"Indeed," Li Yuanyun nodded.
Fei Tongyu hesitated for a moment before continuing, "My younger brother..."
Seeing Fei Tongyu's hesitant expression, Li Yuanyun shook his head and interrupted, "My elder sister asked me to mention that her current cultivation method precludes descendants. That is all I can say on the matter."
Fei Tongyu, not at all a fool, paused momentarily before calming down. He simply responded, "Thank you, Brother Yuanyun."
Fei Tongyu had some admiration for Li Qinghong, but his feelings were more about the alliance's benefits and appreciation for her talent and conduct. Being older than Fei Tongxiao, he was less driven by romantic ideals. Upon hearing that Li Qinghong could not bear children, he easily dismissed any thoughts of pursuing her.
In those few moments, Fei Tongyu's mind raced through various considerations, now focusing on how to dissuade his stubborn younger brother, as he engaged in light conversation with Li Yuanyun.
"On my way here, I noticed the abundance of external cultivators in your family. I am afraid even if the Fei and Yu families combined, we would not match your numbers," Fei Tongyu said, smiling as he glanced around.
Li Yuanyun only chuckled dryly, not giving a response. Given the scarcity of descendants in the main and side families, most of the vast spirit fields were inevitably tended by external cultivators.
Seeing that Li Yuanyun did not wish to elaborate on this topic, Fei Tongyu changed the subject, commenting on the well-behaved members of the Li Family in their seats.
"Nevertheless, your family's strict discipline is well-known. I have heard that the Li Family's laws are strict, and with ancestor Tongya in his prime, there is no fear of losing control," he praised.
Li Yuanyun laughed heartily and joked, "Strict is an understatement. In our clan, the Clan Affairs Courtyard is rumored to be like the Underworld's palace of judgment. The clan rules are truly roasting the children over an open fire!"
Both men chuckled, exchanging a few bawdy jokes. Fei Tongyu, still preoccupied with thoughts of his younger brother, half-heartedly joined the conversation while his eyes roved over the banquet guests.
After a few rounds of wine, Fei Tongyu made up his mind. He left the banquet, standing in the woods to get some fresh air. As the setting sun disappeared behind the mountains, Fei Tongyu took out the letters from his sleeve and conjured a bright red flame with a spell.
With a bitter smile, he burned the letters that were meticulously written and rewritten by Fei Tongxiao countless times. Watching the letters turn to ash, he murmured, "Xiao'er, the celestial maiden has gone to the heavens. Forget your earthly feelings... let go of your feelings... let it go..."
Fei Tongyu resolved to tell his brother that the letters had been given to Li Qinghong, who had not responded. This way, Fei Tongxiao would have to move on. As he watched the tender words burn to ash, he sighed. "What a mess. Perhaps many men in the Fei Family are womanizers, and now we're suffering the karma..."
Having finished his task, Fei Tongyu sat on the steps, drinking silently. The faint red glow from the flames illuminated his face. He looked up, trying to identify the object in the sky before exclaiming in disbelief, "How is this possible?"
In the sky, brilliant rays of light began to appear. They were colorful and radiant, shining vividly against the dusk as light waves rolled in from the southeast like ocean waves. At the forefront, a massive ship resembling a giant bird with phoenix-like wings glided gracefully yet swiftly.
The banquet fell silent as everyone stared in awe at the sky. The magnificent aura of the ship left them speechless and dumbfounded.
Shortly after, various exclamations could be heard from the crowds.
"The Dawn Cloudliner... people from the upper sect! What is going on?!"
"It is not even time to pay our tributes yet..."
"It's the Dawn Cloudliner!"
Fei Tongyu's heart was filled with dread and anxiety, sensing impending doom. Among the three families by the lake, only his Fei Family had no backing within the sect so they could only bribe a few managers for information.
The sudden arrival of the Dawn Cloudliner could only mean something significant was happening, either instigated by Li Chejing or Yu Muxian. If it was Yu Muxian, both the Fei and Li families would be in trouble. If it was the Li Family, and they knew nothing about it, it could not be good news either.
Fei Tongyu's face turned pale as he watched the Dawn Cloudliner fly past Mount Lijing, heading toward Milin Prefecture. He felt slightly relieved and then rose into the air to find Li Xuanxuan.
————
"The Dawn Cloudliner..." Yu Mugao mumbled as he stared, mesmerized by the descending lights. The ship slowly docked on the mountain peak, its intricate patterns glowing brightly. The oppressive aura of the formation eased as a young man descended from the ship.
The young man who was dressed in green, was handsome, but there was a perpetual frown on his face. From his hair to his boots, he was bathed in radiant light. The Yu Family members kneeled down hurriedly, lowering themselves to the ground. The young man scanned them with disdain.
"Where is Yu Xiaogui? It is one thing for Yu Yufeng to be absent... but where is Yu Xiaogui?"
Yu Mugao quickly explained, "Yu Mugao greets the envoy! My father is in seclusion, and the ancestor has not yet returned!"
The young man scowled, looking down at the group with contempt.
"For Muxian's sake, I will not hold it against you... My name is Chi Zhiyan, the head disciple of Yuanwu Peak. Today, I am here to summon the families around Moongaze Lake to send people to Yi Mountain City. I hope the head of the Yu Family can assist."