Li Yuanjiao rode the wind along the northern foothills of Mount Dali, the mountains and rivers passing swiftly beneath him. Spirit mist poured out of the Profound Patterned Bottle, shrouding him as he flew onward with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression calm and composed.
Xijun should be able to manage it... Although the old man is stubborn, he is aging and in poor health. A little tact might coax him out.
Li Yuanjiao's face darkened. He had always felt dissatisfied with Li Xuanxuan's neglect of his own health.
He really likes dragging things out...
Li Yuanjiao suddenly recalled a moment from his youth when his mother, Mu Yalu, had sat with him alone in the yard. She was still young then, with her flowing silky hair draping over her shoulders.
She always told him gently—"Your father... is a very boring man. He loves only one thing in this life—the Li Family. Even Xiu'er barely made it to the list. Li Xuanxuan doesn't even love himself, maybe he's even disappointed in himself. He never takes care of himself and looks down on himself, thinking that his life is probably worth less than a few pieces of Spirit Stones."
At the time, Li Yuanjiao still did not understand what she meant, but now, witnessing his father's state, the truth finally dawned upon him.
Among all the members of the Li Family, he only looks down on himself. After the old ancestor's death, he has lost all interest in living. He keeps drawing talismans day and night, longing for death yet afraid to embrace it.
Li Yuanjiao felt a pang in his heart, but yet could not bring himself to say those words out loud.
Before his mother drew her final breath, she refused to look at Li Xuanxuan. He never shed a tear for her either. Li Yuanjiao stood between them at the time, feeling a mix of both sadness and anger.
"Forget it," he mumbled.
Not wanting to dwell on it further, he pushed his thoughts aside and continued flying through the mountains.
Soon enough, he spotted two brown deer demons flying toward him, their smooth, delicate fur glistening in the light. They stood together and spoke earnestly, "Greetings, Exalted Immortal!"
These two deer demons were both late-stage Qi Cultivators, bowing so low that their heads were nearly buried in the clouds. They dared not look directly at him, only glancing nervously at his Qingche Sword.
Li Yuanjiao nodded slightly, and the deer demon on the left explained hurriedly, "I serve the demon general. The general has specially prepared a banquet and would like to invite the Exalted Immortal to join us!"
Their politeness caused Li Yuanjiao to grow suspicious. He quietly tightened his grip around the hilt of his sword. Although the White Banyan Fox was a guarantor, he was not certain of the deer demon's strength. If they harbored ill intentions, a peaceful resolution could be difficult.
He had not brought the mirror with him this time, but fortunately, the Qingche Sword retained a sword intent within it, so dispatching a deer demon would not be a problem.
Since I've asked the White Banyan Fox to introduce me, they shouldn't ambush me. If they do, I'll have no choice but to use my sword intent.
When he rode the wind closer, Li Yuanjiao noticed that both sides were lined with demons bowing their heads in respect. Most were deer species, their fur similar in color and perfectly symmetrical, having fully adopted the ways of the human race.
As he rode along, he spotted three tables set up beneath a massive white banyan tree. The White Banyan Fox lounged comfortably on the table at the front, munching on a spirit peach.
Next to him stood a middle-aged man with brown hair and black eyes. His long hair cascaded past his shoulders, over a large shield that he carried on his back. Li Yuanjiao sensed that he was a mid-stage Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivator and guessed that he was the demon general.
The tables were filled with an array of peaches, apricots, fruit wine, and fresh flowers. As soon as Li Yuanjiao landed, the middle-aged deer demon approached him with a polite greeting.
"Luken of Mount Dali greets fellow Daoist," he said.
Luken had a small face, round eyes, and a rare yellowish-brown hair color—remnants from his transformation. His clear eyes held no trace of bloodlust or cruelty.
"Li Yuanjiao of Qingdu."
Li Yuanjiao observed Luken, noting the clear aura between his eyebrows, which set him apart from the pig demon before. Having a better impression of him, Li Yuanjiao bowed respectfully to the White Banyan Fox.
"Greetings, Senior."
Although he had witnessed the White Banyan Fox's abilities in the cave, the friendship between the fox and Li Tongya alone compelled him to show respect. Despite his breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment Realm, he remained humble and courteous.
The fox nodded, flipped over, and slid behind the table.
"I've taken care of the pig demon's issue. Since his background was lacking, I added a few more Spirit Stones and invited this Daoist friend to join us."
Pointing to the deer demon, it continued, "This is Luken, a kind demon and my friend from the den. You can interact freely with him in the future."
Li Yuanjiao thanked him and quickly retrieved ten Spirit Stones from his Storage Pouch to offer to the White Banyan Fox. The fox accepted six pieces and tucked them away, reaching for another spirit peach to munch on while saying, "Carry on, both of you; I have some other matter to attend to."
With that, he took off. Luken then turned to Li Yuanjiao and said, "When I was cultivating on the southern foothill, I'd already heard about your esteemed clan. Now that I see you, it's clear you are indeed exceptional."
Li Yuanjiao merely nodded in acknowledgment. Luken then led the others to sit down, producing a jade box.
Presenting it with a smile, he said, "This is the Qianyan Radiant Fruit, a treasured panacea. It's a gift for you. I'll be cultivating in the northern foothills from now on and I would appreciate any guidance you might offer..."
Li Yuanjiao opened the jade box to find an orange-red stone bead inside. It had no distinct smell, and its light was faint.
Luken quickly explained, "Don't be fooled by its unassuming appearance, fellow Daoist! This fruit is highly beneficial for cultivators practicing earth and stone techniques. It can aid in cultivation and breakthroughs, and it has many miraculous effects when used to craft dharma artifacts. If consumed, it can also stop bleeding and prolong lives."
Li Yuanjiao shook his head slightly and replied, "Fellow Daoist, you must have been cultivating for quite some time to reach the Foundation Establishment Realm. It's quite rare to find any earth and stone cultivators in Yue State, aside from those in the Profound Peak Gate. This treasured panacea... it's not particularly useful to me as I also have a Wanglin Blossom at home, which is also quite well-known... It can also be used to prolong lives."
Luken's expression fell slightly as he lowered his head. He rummaged through his sleeves and pulled out two large deer antlers that resembled small trees rather than twigs.
He said warmly, "I didn't mean to present such a meager gift! These antlers were shed when I reached the Foundation Establishment Realm. They're substantial enough to be made into weapons or dozens of Qi Cultivation Realm dharma artifacts."
Though Luken had kept these antlers all this time with the intention of crafting them into dharma artifacts for himself, he reluctantly offered them instead.
Li Yuanjiao had no desire to embarrass him. Since the White Banyan Fox had made it clear that the deer was its friend, he had to be courteous toward the deer too and instead asked, "Fellow Daoist, do you know anything about the Blood Sun Fruit?"
"Blood Sun Fruit? That sounds unfamiliar," Luken replied with a slight frown.
However, he visibly relaxed when he received the request from Li Yuanjiao.
"While I haven't heard of that treasured panacea, you've come to the right person. I'm older and hold some sway among the other demons. I'll ask around for you—it's no trouble at all!"
Li Yuanjiao nodded and described the Blood Sun Fruit as outlined in the letter from Li Xizhi, detailing its appearance and characteristics for Luken to note. He then inquired, "How old are you, fellow Daoist?"
Feeling reassured after receiving clear instructions, Luken replied, "I am over five hundred years old. If we count from when I gained intelligence, I've been around for more than four hundred years."
"That's pretty impressive!" Li Yuanjiao responded.