On the other side, Li Wen, having received his orders, silently flew up. The courtyard on the mountain was quiet, with Li Yuanjiao standing motionless in black, his face somber.
Xiao Guiluan held his arm silently, her face also showing worry. She had recently broken through to the Qi Cultivation Realm, her vitality-filled cultivation healing injuries and detoxifying poisons.
"Brother."
Li Qinghong, holding a long spear, also wore a solemn expression. After a long silence, she said, "Though it is said so, leaving Brother Ping alone at the foot of the mountain makes me very uneasy."
"There is no other choice..." Li Yuanjiao muttered as he gritted his teeth and said quietly, "After all... there is no room for sentimental attachments now. I swore before our granduncle's spirit that you and I must not come to harm."
"Hand that spear over to me!" Li Qinghong demanded glumly.
Li Yuanjiao was slightly stunned but still took out a jade box from his storage pouch, speaking softly, "I thought of this before coming and brought it along. Granduncle said this spear is fierce and unruly, damaging one's vitality and shortening one's lifespan... He never used it after acquiring it. He instructed that it should not be handed to you unless you reached the peak of Qi Cultivation Realm, but if things truly turn dire, having this spear might give you a better chance of escape..."
He handed over the jade box, and Li Qinghong quickly took it. Just then, the courtyard door creaked open, and several external Qi Cultivators and guest cultivators hurried in, greeting in unison as they stepped into the courtyard.
After greeting them, Li Qinghong gently opened the jade box, revealing a long spear lying inside.
The spear was entirely silver-white, with a seven cun long, diamond-tipped head, flat like buckwheat. The shaft was six che long and was intricately patterned, with mana light flowing through it. It was all one color, making it indistinguishable without close inspection.
As soon as the box was opened, the spear, as if harboring years of pent-up anger, burst forth with a series of white, shimmering electric sparks, leaping out of the box instantly. However, Li Qinghong caught it single-handedly.
"Hah!"
Delicate purple energy swirled in her almond-shaped eyes. Li Qinghong grunted with joy, and with a flip of her hand, the long spear gradually calmed down, emanating streaks of purple lightning that lay obediently in her red-tinged white palm.
"And the spear's name..?"
The spear bore no markings, as the maker had left no name on it. It would reveal its name only when it acknowledged its master, and Li Yuanjiao had been curious for a long time. Seeing Li Qinghong tame the spear now, he eagerly asked his question out of deep curiosity.
Li Qinghong's jade-like fingers opened, grasped, and turned. The spear spun like a beam of white light, swiftly moving from a horizontal position to an upright one. The long, flat tip pointed diagonally at the ground and it hummed softly.
"Its name is Duruo [1]!"
Li Qinghong's voice was clear and bright, her eyes sparkling like stars. Dressed in jade armor and long boots, her already heroic attire combined with the spear gave her a breathtaking presence, capturing everyone's attention.
Most of the family's Qi Cultivators were present. Tian Youdao and An Zheyan, being the oldest, remained calm, while Tian Zhongqing and Xu Gongming were momentarily stunned before quickly averting their gazes.
Madam Dou, dressed in a red dress, looked at her niece with envy.
"Good!"
Li Yuanjiao could not help but praise, a hint of pride on his face. He did not have time to ponder why the spear had such a name, thinking to himself, Qinghong's equipment is probably on par with that of sect disciples... With this spear, our family will surely gain renown!
The Duruo Spear was considered excellent among Foundation Establishment Realm artifacts. The Li Family had not seen many of such artifacts, but both the Qingche Sword and this spear were clearly superior to the Jade Smoke Mountain of the Yu Family.
Li Yuanjiao recomposed himself and coughed twice, making Tian Zhongqing and Xu Gongming, who kept glancing at Li Qinghong, feel a bit embarrassed. He then said in a deep voice, "A Foundation Establishment Realm external cultivator has arrived at our home and is waiting at the foot of the mountain. Coincidentally, the ancestor is away in the north seeking opportunities to break through to mid-stage Foundation Establishment Realm..."
Their doubts were instantly dispelled. Tian Youdao stroked his long beard and said in a grave voice, "I fear that this person might be a devil cultivator... If he goes mad, it could result in a bloodbath!"
Tian Zhongqing and Xu Gongming exchanged a glance and suddenly realized why they had been called up the mountain. If that person was indeed a devil cultivator, only the Sun Rite Profound Light Formation could hold him off to some extent...
"Thank you for your protection, Family Head!" An Zheyan quickly said, offering a word of flattery, though his expression was somewhat grim. After all, his wife and children were still at the foot of the mountain. His wife Li Feiruo had borne him two sons and a daughter, all with spiritual orifices, which was quite rare.
Li Yuanjiao shook his head slightly and said in assurance, "The Clan Affairs Courtyard has already taken the direct descendants and their wives and daughters to the foot of the mountain."
At these words, the group relaxed. Li Yuanping had been thorough in his preparations, easing a lot of the burden on Li Yuanjiao. After all, they might need these people to guard the formation later, and it was better for them to have no distractions.
Liu Changdie had left eight high platforms when he established the Sun Rite Profound Light Formation, which could be used to reinforce the barrier. With eight people present, they could fully activate the formation, making it difficult even for a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator to break through it.
Li Wen was still at the foot of the mountain...
As Li Yuanjiao was thinking of this, someone descended into the courtyard with a gust of wind. The figure was large, holding a big mace with both hands, looking quite fierce—it was Li Wen.
Li Wen landed, then bowed respectfully.
"Family Head!"
After conveying Li Yuanping's message and explaining the situation, Li Yuanjiao nodded slightly and waved his hand, "Go to your designated formation points."
The guest cultivators and external cultivators all nodded and dispersed. Li Qinghong assigned a formation point to Li Wen, then turned back and asked, "Brother! Can we trust him?"
"Probably..." Li Yuanjiao said as he squinted slightly.
However, Li Qinghong was still wary and cautioned, "I am afraid Brother Ping might be under a spell."
Li Yuanjiao suddenly had an idea and replied, "Let us take a look and find out!"
He turned and entered the courtyard, soon returning with a small bluish-gray mirror. Li Qinghong immediately understood his intentions and Li Yuanjiao closed his eyes, focusing on the mountain.
Sitting by a small table in the side courtyard was a young man in white, with a daoist crown on his head and an ordinary face. His aura was calm and transparent under the mirror's gaze, even exuding a celestial air, and he was clearly not an evildoer.
At that moment, Wang Xun was holding a jade cup, sipping tea. A peach wooden sword lay on his knees, and the cuffs of his daoist robe were embroidered with golden patterns. He carried a sword case on his back that glimmered with a golden light, giving off a slightly ethereal quality.
"A sword case..?" Li Yuanjiao voiced his doubt.
1. Duruo also means White Iris flower. ☜