By the time Li Yuanping arrived, the street had already been sealed off. Both ends stood empty, the road deserted except for two rows of clan soldiers that were standing in formation.
The demon in the Qi Cultivation Realm emanated strong demonic qi that posed a danger to mortal humans. Even slight exposure to it could cause sickness, while severe contact could prove fatal. As a result, none of the townspeople dared to stay in its vicinity.
The fox sat cross-legged, anxiously waiting at a wonton stall by the roadside. The stall's owner had long fled in a panic, leaving only a mess behind him.
Standing beside the fox was Chen Donghe, his sword held in silent vigilance, his expression solemn. He had ascended to the fourth heavenly layer of the Qi Cultivation Realm, placing him among the foremost in the family.
Sitting opposite the fox, An Zheyan grinned broadly, holding a bowl of wontons while he chewed enthusiastically. Despite nearing a hundred years old, his appetite was undiminished. The aroma of the grease from his meal made the fox gulp with envy.
Li Yuanping observed the fox from afar and confirmed that it matched the rumors.
"Yuanping greets Senior!"
He hurried forward and cupped his fist respectfully, prompting the fox to emit a high-pitched squeak.
"Where's Li Tongya?"
Seeing Li Yuanping's arrival, An Zheyan tossed aside his bowl immediately, rising to his feet. Chen Donghe nodded to him before they said in unison, "Greetings, Young Master."
Li Yuanping acknowledged them before addressing the fox politely, saying, "Senior, the Old Ancestor is currently meditating in his cave dwelling. You will have to ascend the mountain to speak with him."
The fox twitched its muzzle, casting a wary glance around it. Its narrow eyes then took in the pale golden formation on Mount Lijing and hesitated momentarily before glumly saying, "But first, let's be clear... I am a close friend of your family's Old Ancestor and the demon den knows about it. If this is a ploy to ensnare and kill me within the formation, Mount Dali surely won't let this matter slide!"
"Oh, we would never dare to deceive you, Senior," Li Yuanping assured with a smile. He gestured to dismiss the clan soldiers trailing him and An Zheyan, then led the fox away.
As they passed through the shimmering barriers and entered the mountain, the fox muttered with a hint of annoyance, "Is he really that badly injured that he can't even descend the mountain to meet me?"
Li Yuanping knew that Li Tongya received about fifty percent of his information from this fox. Hence, the fox was likely aware of the Li Family's situation.
In his heart, Li Yuanping could only muster a bitter smile and thought to himself, After all, foxes are known for being cunning and calculating.
However, he replied, 'You'll see him soon and find out, Senior. The last time I saw the Old Ancestor was when I ascended the mountain a few months ago to send him healing medicine... so I am unsure of his current condition.'
After they walked the winding mountain path for a bit, the cave dwelling's entrance eventually came into view.
Li Yuanping hesitated before the sealed stone door and said respectfully, "Please wait here a moment, Senior. My elder brother will arrive shortly to unlock the door."
Despite the long friendship between the White Banyan Fox and Li Tongya, Li Yuanping could not dismiss his reservations—after all, the fox was still a demon, and Li Tongya was seriously injured. If the fox harbored ill intentions, it would be difficult for him to handle the situation.
Li Yuanjiao, at the middle stage of the Qi Cultivation Realm and possessing talismans of the Foundation Establishment Realm, was the best candidate to escort this fox into the cave dwelling.
The fox nodded, seemingly oblivious to Li Yuanping's thoughts, but just then, a loud, grating sound erupted as the stone door creaked open.
"Let it enter."
The hoarse voice of Li Tongya rang out. With no other option, Li Yuanping nodded and gestured for the fox to enter. It hurried into the cave without any further hesitation.
Inside, the cave was filled with abundant spiritual qi and illuminated white by a dharma lamp on the wall. Li Tongya, seated cross-legged on the stone bed at the center, smiled warmly at the fox.
The stone table before him was piled with a variety of spirit elixirs and pills that glowed faintly, most of which remained untouched.
"Li Tongya!" the fox exclaimed when he saw Li Tongya, looking at him with gentle eyes. His white hair and withered face shocked the fox, who hurried forward a few steps and grasped his hand, sniffing anxiously before exclaiming, "T-This... This is..."
Li Tongya chuckled and responded, "Thanks to the information you gathered, I managed to survive the wrathful Maha!"
"Why the hell are you still laughing?!"
Li Tongya had no idea where the fox had learned to say that, but its face quickly fell as it squeaked, "Your Dao has been destroyed..."
"More than that."
Li Tongya rolled up his sleeve, revealing the cracks that covered his arm, oozing droplets of light green liquid. He dabbed the liquid away and continued softly, "My cultivation has been damaged too."
Pointing at the spirit items on the stone table, Li Tongya shook his head in resignation. "I had told them not to send these things.... I know the juniors mean well, but most are of little use. This is just a waste of resources," he said dejectedly.
The fox silently gulped but squeaked, "In my opinion... This is a manageable situation! Your five organs are damaged, hence leading to the imbalance of five qi. I have a technique that involves extracting organs from people to replace your heart, spleen, stomach, lungs, and liver. You can get your disciples and grandchildren to gradually gather qi over a few months... Within three years, you'll be as good as new!"
The fox grew more animated with each word, gesturing eagerly as it continued, "As for your destroyed Dao, we can search for a horned flood dragon and feed it 6,600 people to create a blood pool. As long as we do this every three years..."
The fox's voice trailed off as Li Tongya shook his head and interrupted, "Your proposed technique involves using the internal organs of a living human, right? By gathering qi, you're essentially suggesting a blood sacrifice... And by creating that blood pool to renew my Dao... That's nothing short of dark arts."
He chuckled wryly and continued, "I, Li Tongya, hail from humble peasant origins. My life is worth nothing. Though I have taken many lives, they were mostly evildoers or cultivators, individuals who posed a threat. I've never entertained thoughts of senseless slaughter... All I seek is survival."
"This is a clan rule passed down by my father... and the moral boundary of my family."
The moment Li Tongya said "moral boundary", memories of a shiny mirror flashed through his mind.
After a brief pause, he concluded, "The Li Family may not be virtuous, but we won't resort to such dark arts... Forget it."
"You...!"
The fox froze in irritation. "What's wrong about eating people? It's all just about the survival of the fittest! Isn't it always like this? Just because you refuse to eat people doesn't stop others from doing it!" the fox hissed.
Seeing Li Tongya's silence, the fox grew even more frustrated. It rose from the stone bed and snarled, "Stubborn man! That old-fashioned thinking has prevented you from seeing my good intentions!"
Li Tongya remained seated calmly, watching the fox with a smile. It ranted on for a while, then let out a loud wail of frustration and cried.
"I still have over a hundred years to live... how am I going to continue living?!" the fox grumbled to itself for some time more before eventually falling silent.
Opening its mouth wide, he spat out a fruit the size of a jade bead that emitted a clear, cool light.
The fox cleaned its saliva off with its paws before explaining, "This is my prized Huashang Fruit, it's a precious medicine even among human cultivators. It enhances mana and vitality. If you ingest it, you might sustain yourself for a few more years and regain some strength."
Li Tongya was taken aback, unsure about how to refuse the fox. Before he could respond, the fox jumped off the bed, swinging its tail as it grumbled, "What a great loss... I thought we promised to keep ourselves safe. Now, you're going to kick the bucket in a few years..."
Without waiting for Li Tongya's response, the white banyan fox jumped and exited the cave.
Left alone in the cave, Li Tongya gazed silently at the Huashang Fruit glowing softly in his hand like a luminous pearl. A myriad of emotions flooded through him, but all were condensed into a single sigh.