Three months passed quietly. Li Qinghong, clad in jade armor, arrived by riding the wind.
She still looked like she was in her early twenties. The spear in her hand was sharp and her jade armor was crystalline, adorned with intricate patterns. This was an Embryonic Breathing Realm dharma artifact.
Armor-type artifacts were extremely expensive, second only to alchemy furnaces. This set was discovered when the family conquered Mount Yuting, and Li Tongya had gifted it to Li Qinghong, who in turn had given it to Li Yuanping.
However, Li Yuanping insisted on sending it back, having Li Xicheng carry it to Mount Yuting for Li Qinghong, making poor Li Xicheng run back and forth, exhausted and out of breath.
She took a few steps into the hall. Li Yuanping, who was seated at the end of the hall, raised his head. The spirited woman stood there conspicuously with her spear and dazzling jade armor. He quickly got up and smiled warmly with fondness in his eyes.
"Sister Hong."
Li Qinghong smiled radiantly and stepped forward, her eyes shimmering with purple hues as she assessed Li Yuanping. She then remarked in a spirited tone, "Your cultivation is about to be overtaken by Xizhi!"
Li Yuanping smiled gently. Li Ximing stepped forward, bowed respectfully, and said, "Ximing greets Auntie!"
"Our family alchemist has arrived," Li Qinghong said teasingly, making Li Ximing blush.
Li Yuanping saw that Li Qinghong's cultivation had advanced significantly, noting she had been at the fifth heavenly layer of Qi Cultivation Realm for a while, and sighed, "You and Brother Jiao's cultivation speed is truly astonishing. Back then, Yu Mujian was considered highly gifted for reaching the Qi Cultivation Realm before thirty. You and Brother Jiao are not even thirty, yet both of you are already at the fifth and sixth heavenly layers respectively. How truly remarkable!"
Li Qinghong laughed heartily before speaking seriously, "An Jingming reached the eighth heavenly layer of the Qi Cultivation Realm in his twenties... We are nothing compared to him."
Li Yuanping nodded, recounting recent events. Li Qinghong listened carefully, pondered for a moment, and said, "I spent some time with the Fei Family and am familiar with the Fei brothers—Fei Tongyu and Fei Tongxiao."
Her eyes gleamed with a purple hue as she continued softly, "Fei Tongyu is handsome, gentle, and amiable, but lacks decisiveness. He can go with the flow but not survive adversity. Fei Tongxiao is brave and resolute but loyal, and would not betray our family's kindness."
Li Yuanping rarely heard news about these two, so he cherished this information, listening and taking notes mentally. Li Qinghong then smiled and said, "Even if a member of the Fei Family joins the sect, these two would not easily turn against us. At most, they would be indecisive and try to balance both sides, so there is no need to worry!"
They conversed for a while, becoming somber as they remembered their purpose today. Li Yuanjiao and Li Xuanxuan were already approaching the hall. Li Xuanxuan appeared to have just rushed home from the market.
Now over fifty, his temples were graying, and he was stern and unsmiling. The younger generation quickly went up to greet him. The four of them, all clad in white robes, exchanged glances. Li Yuanjiao then gave them the solemn command.
"Let us go up the mountain."
————
Meiche Peak cave dwelling was discovered by Li Xiangping and Li Tongya, who used the Supreme Yin Profound Light to break it open. It had been renovated multiple times with smooth stones, complex formation patterns, and two majestic stone lions.
The four of them stood on the platform before the cave dwelling. Li Yuanjiao performed a series of hand seals and cast a spell, but the door of the cave dwelling remained motionless. He was slightly stunned and frowned.
"It is sealed from the inside..."
Seeing this, the other three turned to Li Qinghong. She practiced spear techniques and had mastered lightning-type skills, excelling in breaking through barriers. Li Yuanping cupped his fists and said, "Elder sister, please."
Li Qinghong, hearing this, stepped forward with her spear, silently apologizing in her heart before swinging the spear. Lightning surged along the spear, concentrating at the tip of it.
"Ha!"
Li Qinghong thrust her spear with great force, swinging it down with a backhand strike. Purple lightning, taking the form of a serpent dragon with its claws bared, crashed into the stone door.
This was the Dragon Reflection technique gifted by the Fei Family five years ago, adept at breaking formations and defeating enemies. Li Qinghong had practiced it for years and mastered it, and it was perfect for this occasion.
BOOM!
The formation on the stone door, primarily designed for gathering spiritual energy, suddenly lit up and shattered. Li Yuanjiao and Li Xuanxuan had prepared in advance, pressing their hands against the wall to absorb the aftermath and protect the stone door.
When the last trace of purple lightning disappeared, Li Yuanjiao exhaled deeply and slowly pushed open the stone door.
Whoosh—
A cold wind rushed out from the cave instantly, dispersing into the sky. The three carefully ascended the steps and entered.
Inside, on a stone bed, a white-clothed youth rested his chin on his hand with a sword on his lap. His eyes were closed, his black hair flowing down, with green water pooled on the floor. The stone table by the door had dew dripping from it.
The four stared in a daze at the youth on the bed, bowed together, and then saw the white-clothed youth dissolve into green spirit water, leaving behind coral, glass, mica, and basalt scattered on the ground.
Li Yuanjiao stepped forward and saw writing on the stone table, carved deeply into the surface, with characters like flying dragons and dancing phoenixes—bold and vigorous.
"I have been dead for five years. My eyes have become glass, which can be placed in a box and buried. My bones have turned into mica and basalt; I hope future generations will discard them into the mountain streams for craftsmen to pick up, to be used as a foundation or beam.
My internal organs have turned into green water. Pour it into great rivers and seas, so that I can see the world's scenery. The rest of me has turned into coral and talc, to be scattered in the mountains and forests, or added into medicine and paint.
Final words of Li Tongya, of the Li Family."
In the room, the four remained silent, each with different expressions. Li Xuanxuan gently touched the stone table while Li Yuanjiao took out a jade box, carefully placing the two pieces of glass inside.
He then respectfully removed the Qingche Sword from the bed, holding it close, and said to Li Qinghong, "Sister, please gather the basalt and mica, collect the spirit water, and find a mountain stream and a great river. I will first take Granduncle back to the ancestral hall."
Li Qinghong, with her head bowed, kneeled before the bed, lost in thought. After several moments, she finally managed to utter a word from her lips.
"All right..."
She took out a jade box, carefully picking up the black and white, crystal-clear spirit items with her hands, then used a spell to condense the green spirit water into a water ball. She held it in her hands, then flew away.
Drifting away from Mount Lijing, Li Qinghong flew in silence for a while, searching all around until she finally found a mountain stream.
The spring water trickled melodiously, and the ground was covered with orchid grass. Not far away, there was a small village of mortals, which suited Li Tongya's wishes. She took out the mica and basalt from the jade box and carefully placed them into the spring, one by one.
After finishing her task, Li Qinghong sat down nearby, resting her chin in her hand, gazing thoughtfully.
"Awooo... Awooo..."
She was slightly startled and looked around with reddened eyes. She then noticed a fox with fiery red fur sitting by the stream, crying loudly.
Li Qinghong hesitated, then cautiously stood up and said respectfully, "Junior Li Qinghong greets Senior!"
"Damn it!" the fox cursed, looking up at Li Qinghong.
It spat out a spirit herb and said angrily, "Li Tongya sealed the mark I left on him. I just found out he is dead now, and I had gone into the mountains to find this medicine for him for nothing! What a waste!"
Though cursing, the fox drooped its head, looking dejected. It glanced at her, picked up a piece of mica from the river, threw the spirit herb back into its mouth, and drawled, "I came to find Li Tongya but saw you burying him. Just happened to stop by."
Then, it took off on a demonic wind, disappearing into the sky like a black wind, heading toward the depths of Mount Dali.
Li Qinghong stood still for a moment, slowly bowed in the direction it had left in, then flew off to find the great river.
The serene mountain stream returned to tranquility. Dew dripped softly, and the stream water tinkled as it flowed. After a long while, a figure slowly emerged from the void.
This person wore white robes, his loose clothing adorned with a piece of green jade at the front of it. His face was indistinct, and a sword dangled from his waist. He stood with his hands behind his back.
"Li Tongya..."
He looked down at the mica and basalt in the stream. Lifting one white cloth shoe, he gently kicked a stone, which rolled and tumbled into the water.