Li Yuanjiao used a spell to clean the dust from his clothes and burned incense before entering the secret chamber to retrieve the mirror. Holding the cold bluish-gray artifact in his hands made his heart race and left him somewhat bewildered.
"To think that the destiny of our clan is tied to this single mirror..." he murmured.
The general family's historical records made no mention of this particular mirror. After Li Yuanjiao had received a talisman seed, Li Tongya retrieved another version titled Internal History from beneath the stone platform in this secret chamber. It was only after reading it with mixed emotions that Li Yuanjiao finally understood more about this mirror.
He read the jade slips repeatedly, committing them to memory before leaving the ancestral hall.
Li Yuanjiao was puzzled that even the Internal History was vague and contradictory about the origins of the bluish-gray mirror.
Aunt Li Jingtian wrote this in the clan's biography— The ancestor obtained a dharma artifact. From it, he received a talisman seed and began to cultivate.
However, in Li Mutian's biography, it was stated that— The old ancestor journeyed north with an immortal, and established the immortal foundation. With the profound mirror in his hands, he traveled across Wu and Yue states before ultimately returning home to establish his clan 219 years ago.
"Obtained a dharma artifact...? What did they mean by 'obtained a dharma artifact'?"
Li Yuanjiao had heard from Li Xuanxuan that Li Mutian was a mere mortal. How could a mortal obtain such a dharma treasure in the first place...?
Lost in thought, Li Yuanjiao descended the mountain, flying north for over ten li before snapping out of his reverie. He then retrieved the mirror from his chest pocket, glancing at it. The complex patterns around its rim glowed faintly, lending the mirror an even more mystical aura.
Gently running his thumb over its patterns, he immersed his spiritual sense into the dharma artifact and whispered quietly but respectfully, "As a disciple of the Li Family, I, Li Yuanjiao, respectfully request the Profound Light to grant me the Supreme Yin Profound Light to vanquish evil, cleanse impurity, and subdue demons!"
As soon as Li Yuanjiao had finished speaking, a brilliant light burst before his eyes. He felt as if he were soaring into the sky, witnessing Lijing Town and the entire Li Residence sprawled below his eyes.
The bustling townsfolk, the clucking of chickens, and the barking of dogs echoed in his ears. From patrolling clan soldiers to dense forests and the deep turquoise ripples of the lake, everything lay vividly before his eyes.
"Whoa..."
Li Yuanjiao quickly realized that with a mere thought, the dazzling Supreme Yin Profound Light could strike anywhere at the mountain's foot in an instant. He refocused his mind and zoomed in closer toward the direction provided by the jade bracelet.
As his mind traveled through the sky, forests, and dark mountain rocks, a cave finally appeared before his eyes. It was rugged and narrow, with walls marked by deep knife cuts, as if hastily excavated.
At the center of the cave sat a middle-aged man with a short beard in black robes on a futon. He was clearly a Qi cultivator of the second heavenly layer. He was playing with the other jade bracelet with a cold expression on his face, occasionally glancing anxiously at the entrance with a hint of fear lingering in his eyes.
Seeing the jade bracelet in the man's hands, Li Yuanjiao immediately sensed that something was amiss.
"This is indeed suspicious..."
The man's attire was plain, revealing nothing discernible. Li Yuanjiao secretly committed his face to memory before scanning the mountain surroundings around him. However, he found no other signs of human presence.
Suppressing the urge to unleash the Supreme Yin Profound Light on the man, Li Yuanjiao slowly withdrew his hand and began to retreat into the mountain. However, just as he was about to leave, a thought struck him, causing him to halt his actions.
He lifted his head and gazed toward the Glacial Cloud Peak in the north where the Fei Family was, shrouded by the Cloud Gathering Southern Heaven Formation . An irresistible curiosity seized him.
"Maybe I should take this opportunity to explore what lies beneath the Fei Family's grand formation!"
After pondering for a few moments, Li Yuanjiao ascended swiftly, concealing the mirror in his chest pocket since it couldn't be stored in his storage pouch.
He flew over the lake, causing ripples on its surface, and found a small island near the northern shore where he landed and sat cross-legged. Once again, he retrieved the mirror and closed his eyes in concentration.
Crossing the lake's shore, the earth's veins loomed ahead on the northern shore, with terrain rising steeply. As Li Yuanjiao gazed upon the chaotic Fei Family territory, he witnessed several towns in disarray.
Fires blazed amidst intertwining mana lights, demonic auras surged, and dark-colored energies flowed ominously. In the midst of the turmoil, cultivators clashed, their dharma weapons colliding in the air.
The immortal mountain of the Fei Family remained sealed and most of the towns were populated by Embryonic Breathing Realm cultivators. These cultivators were powerless against any rogue cultivators who passed through and might seek to cause trouble.
Fortunately, the longstanding reputation of the Fei Family had kept these rogue cultivators in check until now. Nonetheless, the towns did not get along with each other, and tension between them remained high.
The demons from Mount Dali and Xu State took advantage of this chaos like hungry wolves on the prowl, causing great havoc and capturing people. The Embryonic Breathing cultivators struggled to defend themselves against them, let alone eliminate these demons.
"The Fei Family has been a prestigious clan for many years... At the very least, these rogue cultivators dare not act rashly. If they did, the situation would be far worse."
After a brief survey of the scene before him, Li Yuanjiao turned his attention to the grand formation radiating white light that enveloped the towering Glacial Cloud Peak. It appeared ancient and complex, rumored to withstand even Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators.
Li Yuanjiao cautiously approached the formation and suddenly, his vision brightened, as if he had passed through it effortlessly, overlooking the entire Fei Family town's formation.
Glacial Cloud Peak was shrouded in clouds and fog which was brimming with spiritual qi and covered by pines and cypresses. Snowflakes and scattered paper money [1] fluttered down, covering the mountain like white flowers while courtyards were decorated with white ribbons that swayed gently in the wind.
At the foot of the mountain lay collapsed buildings devoid of people, save for deep sword marks that were etched into the ruins, emitting sharp sword qi that scattered the falling snowflakes.
Li Yuanjiao silently adjusted his field of vision and spotted a handsome young man. He was kneeling in the highest part of the courtyard, all dressed in white and surrounded by elders from his clan, their faces etched with sorrow.
"Tongyu... This grand formation has been running for over half a year. The family can't sustain this anymore..."
"Yes, Tongyu... Although the family head had left behind a vast fortune, it can't support your expenditures like this..."
"All you do is kneel at the ancestral hall all day, yet you don't realize how quickly the Spirit Stones are depleting..."
As the snowflakes continued to fall, Fei Tongyu's handsome features remained composed, masking the grief and worry within.
He clenched his teeth in silence.
Li Yuanjiao recognized him as Fei Tongyu, the young master of the Fei Family. They had met during Li Yuanjiao's wedding and now, he was already a peak Fetal Breath cultivator.
Li Yuanjiao's gaze moved beyond the group to the tablet in front of them.
Here lies the esteemed Ancestor of the Fei Family, whose birth name was Wangbai.
The candle flame flickered, casting an intense glow on the lettering of the golden tablet. In the middle of the snow-covered courtyard lay a black coffin. As Li Yuanjiao peered closer, shock gripped his heart.
"Fei Wangbai... is dead?"
Fei Wangbai's body lay in the coffin, his face looking no different than how it was when he was still alive. His head, however, had been separated from his body. A white cloth covered his neck, concealing a grisly wound.
"Fei Wangbai... He's truly dead."
Fei Wangbai, the only Foundation Establishment Realm Immortal Cultivator of the Fei Family in the recent century—the genius who had quietly elevated the Fei Family to prominence, leading them to stand at the pinnacle of Moongaze Lake—had unexpectedly perished on his own immortal mountain.
1. White colored paper money that is burned during Chinese funerals. ☜