Li Qinghong reflected a moment before saying, "Kong Yu mentioned that disciples from the three sects and seven gates were barred from entering for three years... Now, those three years have elapsed."
Li Xuanxuan exhaled, grasping the unspoken implications, and responded, "You mean... Chu Yi is most dangerous before completing his foundation establishment...? Once he completes it and opens the Eastern Fire Grotto Heaven, things will stabilize...?"
Li Qinghong nodded slowly, adding softly, "I've considered Kong Yu's story. I find it hard to believe that this reincarnation is merely the Golden Core True Monarch's amusement... Just consider the Daoist Masters of Jiangnan—all of them are insightful and cunning. Do you think the Golden Core True Monarch, above the Purple Mansion Realm, would truly descend to the mortal world for amusement? Isn't such a reincarnated form inherently fragile?"
Li Xuanxuan nodded thoughtfully as Li Qinghong continued, "From a Qi Cultivator's perspective, things may appear one way, but from the vantage of the Purple Mansion or even the Golden Core Realm, it's entirely different..."
"Although there are Purple Mansion Realm immortals, none established sects. Why was the Kong Family destroyed overnight, allowing Daoist Master Changxi to swiftly establish the Profound Peak Gate and secure a position in Yue State?" she added.
Chills ran down Li Xuanxuan's spine as he stammered, "Could it be Changxi... T-That's..."
Li Qinghong replied softly, "This situation is a disgrace in the eyes of the Kong Family... How do you know if it isn't Daoist Master Changxi's maneuvering?!"
Li Xuanxuan broke out in a cold sweat but urged, "Carry on..."
Li Qinghong hummed in response and continued softly, "I suspect that although the meteoric rise of the Li Fire Spear is portrayed as the True Monarch's reincarnation among the mortals, he's actually orchestrating something beneath the surface. The Eastern Fire Grotto Heaven likely serves as the reward he promised to the three sects... Meanwhile, the seven gates are merely kept informed, privy to the knowledge but not the power."
Li Xuanxuan nodded in realization and sighed.
"As for the rogue cultivators, they only see the surface, believing it to be Chu Yi's genius ascent... Had Kong Yu not informed me, my family would also remain oblivious..."
After piecing together their thoughts, Li Qinghong pursed her lips and added, "As for why Kong Yu confided in you, uncle... it seems he was extending an olive branch to our family. The Kong Family of Profound Peak Gate clearly harbors favorable intentions toward us."
Li Xuanxuan hesitated before whispering, "But still... Is there any way for our Li Family to profit from this?"
————
Meanwhile at the Azure Pond Sect...
The bamboo forest on Qingsui Peak swayed gently in the breeze. Standing amidst it, Li Xizhi's true essence radiated a faint purple-red glow, casting its hue on the bamboo shoots around him.
He practiced the Dawn Dew Gathering Technique , a Grade Four technique including six spells and three secret arts, ranging from the intricate footwork of Dawn Imperial Movement to the powerful spell Gold In Cloud , along with other escape spells and various techniques.
Although it had only been two years since Li Xizhi broke through to the Qi Cultivation Realm, he was already capable of beating three or four early-stage rogue Qi Cultivators single-handedly.
"So, this is the foundation of the three sects..."
Chuckling to himself, he re-read a letter from home.
"My family is prospering this year; they've even moved a mountain and named it Qingdu Peak . Surely, it wasn't Father who chose the name! I wonder when I'll be able to return to see it..."
As he mused on, a voice from the forest interrupted his thoughts.
"Senior Brother!"
Turning around, Li Xizhi saw a young lady dressed in black looking at him. She appeared to be seventeen or eighteen years old, with a warm smile on her delicate face. Li Xizhi cupped his fist and greeted her.
"Junior Sister Yang..."
This was Yang Xiao'er, a match made by Yuan Tuan from the Yang Family for Li Xizhi. With Imperial Cloud Peak's master, Yang Tianya, in seclusion, their planned meeting never materialized. In the end, she was sent over.
Her talents were modest and her looks were ordinary. She was usually quiet, but during the few times they met, she spoke warmly and adorably. As Li Xizhi often secluded himself for cultivation, they did not get to spend much time with each other.
Li Xizhi's response was tinged with unfamiliarity, but Yang Xiao'er seemed unperturbed. She continued smiling and said, "Senior Brother often cultivates in seclusion... It's rare for Xiao'er to see you."
Li Xizhi nodded slightly in agreement.
Yang Xiao'er stepped closer, saying, "Recently, there have been disturbances outside the sect. Have you heard about the Eastern Fire Grotto Heaven ?"
Li Xizhi's eyebrows rose in surprise the moment he heard this.
" Eastern Fire Grotto Heaven? Well, I've heard a little about it. There's talk of a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator named Chu Yi the Li Fire Spear... Is this real?"
Yang Xiao'er nodded gently and replied, "Chu Yi must be a truly remarkable genius to be able to turn Yufu upside down as a rogue cultivator! My father warned that this man is quite unusual and should not be provoked, suggesting he must carry a special fate on him."
Li Xizhi nodded as he thought about writing home to his family about this matter.
Yang Xiao'er continued, "When the immortal gates of Wei State fled south, one of them established the Dongli Sect. The Eastern Fire Grotto Heaven is well-known, and its recent appearance has alarmed the cultivators of Wu and Yue States. The three sects and seven gates have already secured the grotto heaven, poised to break through its formations and enter... Yet, Chu Yi has already accessed it using secret techniques..."
As Li Xizhi sat quietly on the rock, listening to Yang Xiao'er's stream of news when she suddenly paused and asked, "I wonder how many of us from Qingsui Peak are here?"
After a brief calculation, Li Xizhi replied, "Probably just you and me."
"I see..." Yang Xiaoer said as she nodded, her expression turning resolute as she gazed directly at him.
Though not particularly striking, Yang Xiaoer had made an effort with her appearance, managing to look quite pretty. She raised her eyebrows and spoke with a hint of nervousness, "Senior brother, being from the sword immortal clans, you are handsome and talented. Xiao'er fears she isn't a suitable match for him. Although I've considered it... I don't wish to waste time."
Taken aback, Li Xizhi listened as she continued softly, "Xiao'er has been on this peak for two years... Senior Brother has never truly seen me... My talents are modest and my looks are plain. If Senior Brother is interested, I will dedicate my life to supporting him. If not, I will ask my father to annul our marriage."
Li Xizhi, surprised by her frankness, stared at her in silence before responding in a serious tone, "Xizhi is not such a person. Since we have shared our wedding wine, we are bound as husband and wife for life, with no second thoughts. The past two years were solely to strengthen our cultivation..."
He smiled shyly and added, "Moreover, I feared you might think... I was too frivolous."
Yang Xiao'er had braced herself for a range of reactions, but she had not anticipated such a response. Stunned for a moment by his sincerity, she stepped forward and kissed him on the cheek.
Without hesitation, she pulled a white dharma robe with black patterns from her storage pouch and offered it to him.
"This is the robe I requested from my clan. It can protect my life in critical moments. Please accept it, Senior Brother..."
Li Xizhi's face was tinged red and before he could recover from the surprise, a snowy white robe was presented to him.
"How could I possibly accept such a lavish gift... and this is a mid-quality Qi Cultivation Realm feather robe?!"
Feather armors were rare treasures. The Li Family possessed only one piece of Embryonic Breathing Realm jade armor, which was long since bestowed upon Li Qinghong as a treasured heirloom.
Now, holding such a precious dharma robe, Li Xizhi felt as if he was clutching a fortune in Spirit Stones.
This is worth two hundred Spirit Stones! No... possibly three hundred?
Yang Xiao'er gently pushed the robe into his hands and said with a smile, "This was part of my dowry from my father..."
"You..."
Li Xizhi looked into her eyes, which sparkled with joy, yet he felt a pang of melancholy.
She's so innocent and genuinely devoted to me...