Qingdu Peak.
Li Ximing sat by the furnace, a golden flame flickering across his face. With a light gesture, he drew the Profound Yang Li Fire to the tip of his finger.
The spirit fire was usually explosive and challenging to control, yet in his hands, it danced gracefully like an obedient spirit. Originally, it was a great spirit fire for combat, but unfortunately, they had only a portion at home and it had to be transformed into Long Marching Fire Essence .
As Li Ximing played with the fire, feeling its raw power and heat, a sense of regret washed over him.
He had received a talisman seed and having reached the fifth heavenly layer of the Qi Cultivation Realm, Li Ximing was just one step away from the sixth heavenly layer.
After a four-month seclusion, he had easily broken through, breathing smoothly and effortlessly.
Talisman qi is indeed wonderful; it's a pity I can only take one dose. It would be wonderful if I could take several...
As soon as he emerged from seclusion after two months, Li Ximing felt restless. He called the servants from outside the courtyard and ordered, "Get Dou and the others here."
The servant, familiar with his intentions, was about to bow and take his leave when Li Ximing quickly stopped him, "Wait! Someone is coming."
The courtyard door creaked open, revealing a young man in a white robe. With sharp eyebrows and bright eyes, his true essence radiated a chill that was as cold as snow. He smiled and said, "What a coincidence! You've emerged from your seclusion, Ximing!"
Li Xijun, now also at the fifth heavenly layer of Qi Cultivation, had received a Foundation Establishment Realm talisman alongside Li Ximing. After a series of breakthroughs, both were a level above Li Xizhi in the sect and firmly established themselves as mid-stage Qi Cultivators. Only Li Xicheng, who was at the foot of the mountain, remained at the second heavenly layer.
The two brothers sat down. Li Ximing still felt slightly awkward, but Li Xijun did not address it directly; instead, he shared everything that had happened during Li Ximing's seclusion, including details about two ore veins.
Li Ximing listened, genuinely pleased.
"That's great news!" he exclaimed.
Li Xijun continued, "Second Uncle has been in seclusion to recover from his injuries. I spent the last two months gathering qi and practicing the Slaughter Jun Kui Light . I visited two markets and bought all the spirit items and spirit herbs you need for the Yang Nourishing Technique ."
He then produced an array of items from his storage pouch—A spirit stone with a phoenix tail pattern, a warm jade bottle, and a red spirit herb among them.
"This is the Phoenix Tail Stone , this is Dark Gray Smoke , and this is Yang Essence Spirit Herb ..." he explained, handing them to Li Ximing one by one.
He noticed Li Xijun's travel-worn appearance and quickly thanked him, placing the items on the table. Feeling shy about expressing more, he only managed to convey his gratitude.
Li Xijun waved his hands, dismissing the formality.
Now that his cultivation had improved, Li Xijun had begun practicing Spirit Eye Perception . His eyes shimmered as if he could see right through people.
He spoke softly, "Granduncle has been looking very exhausted lately. He must be haunted by his inner demons, though he refuses to say a word about it. You should refine more pills that can help to relax him. I'll try to ask a few people to go to the southern prefecture to search for other similar medicines... It just so happens that I need to find a type of spirit water, so I can handle both tasks together while I'm at it."
Li Ximing heeded the instruction with a nod. Li Xuanxuan was his grandfather, and he should have been the one most concerned for him. Yet, he had been practicing in seclusion, wasting precious time.
Feeling a pang of shame, he replied, "I'll get to work right away and be more attentive to Grandfather's needs in the future so you don't have to worry about it."
Li Xijun smiled and nodded. Curious, Li Ximing asked, "Is the Slaughter Jun Kui Light really that difficult to practice? We already have cold water and cold qi at home, and also obtained one from the Yuan Family. With three cold qi from the Chilling Snow Series and a method for finding cold water... Do you really need to go out?"
"The only thing missing now is the cold water. My Radiant Snow Pine Ridge excels at using spells, and Slaughter Jun Kui Light is exceptionally powerful in my hands," Li Xijun replied with a smile.
He extended two fingers. Positioning his thumb at the base of his index finger, he began to chant the incantation. Suddenly, strands of white cold light scattered from his fingertip, glowing brightly in the air.
Li Ximing felt a chill wash over him, causing the hairs on the back of his neck to stand up. A layer of white frost quickly formed on the ground beneath him, and the flow of true essence within his body soon became sluggish.
Since there were spirit materials on the table, Li Xijun suppressed his power and only demonstrated a fraction of his power before waving his hand to dispel the spell.
" Slaughter Jun Kui Light is not just cold; it's also infused with Yin energy. Once I acquire the spirit water, I can elevate my abilities further. By then, even if my opponent's cultivation is significantly higher, they'll still suffer terribly if caught off guard during battles."
Li Ximing looked on enviously and remarked, "It's a pity that my skills are rooted in the Golden Yang lineage and I can't practice that... While the Golden Palace Radiant Origin Manual is excellent, it lacks compatible spells and escape techniques."
As they conversed, a delicate shout resonated from outside Mount Qingdu's formation.
"Kong Family of Profound Peak Gate has arrived as promised. Please open the mountain gate!"
The two brothers exchanged surprised glances and swiftly flew upward.
Outside the formation stood a graceful woman in plain clothes, adorned with a golden pearl at her waist and two curved blades hanging by her side. She was accompanied by an ordinary middle-aged man who remained silent.
What a beautiful woman!
Li Ximing had a calm demeanor. Although he still felt attracted to beautiful women, he was not so lustful as to lose his composure. Recognizing that she was a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, he lowered his gaze and dared not look directly at her.
Li Xijun cupped his fist and asked, "Are you Senior Kong Tingyun?"
"Yes, and you are...?" Kong Tingyun glanced at him, secretly impressed, and explained politely, "I have once promised Brother Jiao to establish a fire vein for your esteemed family, and I've come as promised."
Splash...!
Suddenly, the dark green surface of Moongaze Lake broke open, and a young man in a black robe soared into the air. He silently stared at Kong Tingyun, his gaze lingering on the two curved blades hanging at her waist. His face darkened, and he stood there in silence.
Kong Tingyun cast a glance at him and felt a sense of familiarity. The next moment, she exclaimed in surprise, "You're that Hooked Serpent?!"
Li Wushao took a deep breath and replied humbly, "The Hooked Serpent is dead. I am Li Wushao of Qingdu... Greetings, Exalted Immortal."
Kong Tingyun's response was somewhat awkward. The long-buried doubts in her mind began to resolve by themselves.
So that's why Li Yuanjiao brought this Hooked Serpent back to the Li Family without any complaints... It seems he has a way to control demonic creatures. Given their family's proximity to the north, it's not entirely surprising.
Although it was awkward that the Foundation Establishment Realm dharma artifacts at her waist were made from the Hooked Serpent's tail hooks, she had to be courteous toward the serpent who was now a member of the Li Family.
She silently stowed the dharma artifact in her storage pouch and replied, "Kong Tingyun of Profound Peak greets fellow Daoist."
Li Wushao's expression visibly improved as he quietly retreated to stand behind Li Xijun.
With Li Yuanjiao and Li Qinghong in seclusion, this responsibility naturally fell on Li Xijun.
He informed politely, "I'm afraid you will have to wait for a bit, Senior. My elders are currently cultivating in seclusion and unable to come out to greet you..."
Kong Tingyun waved her hand dismissively and did not seem to mind as she said, "I don't need to meet Li Yuanjiao. You can just show me the way to the mountain so I can open the fire vein for you. Once that's done, return the formation plate to me, and I'll take my leave. I don't have much time to waste here."
After a brief pause, Kong Tingyun asked with some concern, "Is Li Yuanjiao hesitant to see me because he has damaged the formation plate? That's a valuable item. If it's damaged, I expect a huge compensation from your family!"
"Don't worry, Senior. The formation plate is still in perfect condition," Li Xijun assured her.
The fire vein's location had been planned by the Li Family, specifically chosen at Mount Wutu.
Changes to the fire vein would affect the surrounding spirit fields. While the other peaks had large spirit fields, Mount Wutu was isolated in the mountains and forests, making it the only viable choice.
Kong Tingyun signaled, and the middle-aged man at the peak of Qi Cultivation Realm flew toward Mount Wutu. Li Xijun and his brother followed suit, watching from the air.