Li Encheng sat still, studying Li Xizhi's expression for a while before replying calmly, "I have my own people to handle this. Your family is an esteemed sword immortal clan, I can't possibly have you do such a thing. I'm merely looking for a sample of the Blood Sun Fruit on Mount Yue, and that Mount Yue Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator named..."
He paused for a moment, as if unsure what that Mount Yue cultivator's name even was. Fortunately, Li Xizhi stepped in, reminding Li Encheng of his name.
"Ah yes, Fu Daimu. He somehow found out about this and approached my manager at Xuanyuan Market and brought him there. In any case, it is not a big deal. I will have someone else continue the search, there's no need to trouble your esteemed clan!"
"As for the others..."
He narrowed his eyes slightly, lowering his voice before continuing, "I have no desire to cultivate friendships with any peaks. Please return to where you came from, back to Qingsui Peak."
"Understood," Li Xizhi replied. He offered an apology, then exited the hall without a change in his expression. As soon as he reached the steps outside, a middle-aged man approached him.
It was Li Encheng's second disciple. The man attempted to say something nice to Li Xizhi on behalf of his master, to which Li Xizhi smiled in response before leaving with the wind.
The middle-aged man entered the hall and saw Li Encheng sipping from a wine cup at the top. He lowered his voice and said, "Father! This is..."
Li Encheng shot him a glare, prompting the middle-aged man to close the door hastily and activate an isolating formation before continuing.
"This Li Family is our own, and it is very weak—merely a name at this point. They are just what we needed right now! The Azure Pond has had a firm hold over our people for so long and you've been thinking this for quite a while... Why drive them away?"
Li Encheng shrugged dismissively and replied, "Why does it matter? I've told him everything necessary. It doesn't matter whether my tone is harsh or not. Don't confuse Yuan Tuan and Li Xizhi with Si Yuanbai... Even Xiao Yuansi has his own agenda."
The middle-aged man recalled Li Xizhi's expression and nodded hesitantly.
————
Qingsui Peak.
Li Xizhi rode the wind back to the courtyard, closing the door behind him. Yang Xiao'er then asked, "What did Water Wall Pearl say?"
"It's settled."
Li Xizhi nodded with a smile. He then picked up a brush from the table and began writing a letter.
"... Have our prominent clans find the Blood Sun Fruit... Send it to the Azure Pond's sect manager at Xuanyuan Market. This person is Li Encheng's subordinate..."
Li Encheng was a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator; how could he not remember a name? Moreover, Li Xizhi had clearly mentioned Fu Daimu's name. Li Encheng's behavior seemed intended to downplay this person's significance which was an unmistakable hint of his willingness to forge a connection with them.
He had also made his requests clear—first, to acquire the Blood Sun Fruit , and second, to contact him through his man at Xuanyuan Market, rather than return to Fuchen Peak.
"This person has kept to himself in the sect for many years; he certainly has his own reason..." Li Xizhi mused.
After a moment of contemplation, he set down his brush and turned to Yang Xiao'er.
"Xiao'er, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you to head to the Imperial Cloud Peak to investigate what transpired before and after Li Encheng joined the sect... whether he offended anyone, and why he might feel silenced even in his own peak."
Although Li Encheng was a master alchemist, he was entirely at the mercy of Yundan Peak. Most of the favors he sought were funneled through them. He poured effort into refining pills and elixirs, only for the majority of the credits and benefits to be claimed by Yundan Peak.
His behavior had always been peculiar, leading others to believe he was indifferent. But now, Li Xizhi found this odd and did not want his father to act impulsively—he planned to uncover the truth first.
Yang Tianya must have covered for my family; he likely has ties to us or some connection to the Xiao Family. Going to Imperial Cloud Peak can help us gather real information without revealing our intentions.
He put aside his brush and took out the jade slip titled Six-Colored Essence Evasion . The senior who created this escape spell was obviously a vain person as the jade slip was colorful and engraved with intricate patterns.
When it comes to the brilliance of true essence, the Dawn Dew Gathering Technique is truly top-tier...
Li Xizhi spent the entire night studying the slip until Yang Xiao'er eventually returned with a frown.
"Li Encheng... has indeed offended someone!" she said seriously.
"Who?" Li Xizhi asked, looking up quickly.
He noticed the strange expression on Yang Xiao'er's face as she whispered, "Chi Wei!"
"Chi Wei?!"
Li Xizhi was taken aback, disbelief flashing across his features as he continued asking, "How is that possible?!"
Yang Xiao'er carefully checked the doors and windows, then used a secret technique to transmit her voice.
"Chi Wei was still at the Foundation Establishment Realm when he went out with Li Encheng, and they discovered an alchemy legacy in a ruin. Li Encheng, tempted by profit, injured Chi Wei and locked him in a secret realm to seize this Dao for himself...
"He never expected that Chi Wei would gain significant benefits in the secret realm and later return to the sect. Li Encheng was apprehended for interrogation, relying solely on the backing of Fuchen Peak's Master, who defended him. Chi Wei, in a show of generosity, chose not to pursue the matter.
"The two reached an uneasy peace, and from that point on, Li Encheng never left the sect again. He spent his days refining pills on the peak, trying to atone for his past misdeeds..."
Li Xizhi shook his head upon hearing this and murmured, "I see, so that's why..."
Yang Xiao'er added, "Now that Chi Wei is dead, Li Encheng has become a cash cow for the sect. They've erased this part from the records and no longer mention it. It was the ancestor who informed me."
Li Xizhi nodded and reflected, "That certainly explains why Li Encheng rarely leaves his peak... It may not be that he's unwilling to go out, but that he dares not."
He retrieved a jade slip from the shelf and examined it closely before realization dawned upon him.
He whispered, "Ah, there's a brief record here. It was an alchemy legacy from the Mifan Sect ... So that's the backstory of this legacy."
Yang Xiao'er nodded, reminding him, "This happened a very long time ago. Except for a few elders in the Purple Mansion Realm, most peak masters and disciples in the sect today are unaware of it, so we should be safe. My ancestor was just a lowly disciple back then. No one knows how much of what transpired in that secret realm according to the sect is true... We should just take it with a grain of salt."
Li Xizhi nodded thoughtfully, then picked up his brush to add a few more words to the letter before silently folding it. After sealing it with his family's secret technique, it was ready to be sent out.
The three treasured panaceas he received from Li Yuanjiao remained unused. Although his father had stated in the letter that if there was no hope of forming connections, he should keep them for his own use, Li Xizhi hesitated to pocket them all.
After considering his options, he carefully extracted one of the Cloud Vine Spirit Peppers , planning to have the Yundan Peak refine them into a batch of pills. As for the other two he set them aside, placing them in a small bag to be sent back home along with the letter.