“So, you are from the Li Family from Lijing Village? By the Moongaze Lake?” Ning Wan inquired.
Her question instantly prompted whispers among the onlookers.
“Li Family by the Moongaze Lake? I’ve never heard of them. What did they do to catch the envoy’s attention?”
“Who knows...?”
Xiao Chutin was also looking in their direction. He smiled and offered Li Tongya an encouraging nod.
Despite being momentarily taken aback, Li Tongya quickly composed himself and raised his gaze. He could see the fair skin and soft jawline under Ning Wan’s veil.
“Yes, I am Li Tongya of the Li Family. Our home, Mount Lijing, is indeed by Moongaze Lake,” he replied calmly.
“And who is this Li Chejing to you?” Ning Wan asked.
A spark of realization lit up Li Tongya’s face. He figured that Li Chejing must have told something to this lady in the sect.
“He’s my younger brother,” he answered respectfully.
Ning Wan extended her left hand, and a small brocade pouch gracefully floated toward Li Tongya. “This is from your younger brother,” she stated softly.
Li Tongya hurriedly accepted the pouch. He could not help but feel the weight of the curious gazes around him, making him uncomfortably aware of his sudden prominence as he never enjoyed such attention.
“Thank you, Fairy!” he quickly expressed his gratitude.
Ning Wan gave him a nod. While she shared a light-hearted exchange with Xiao Chuting, all the families eventually submitted their tributes.
“All thirty-four families in Lixia Prefecture have presented their tributes!” one of the attendants respectfully reported to Ning Wan.
“Good.” Ning Wan nodded, then addressed Xiao Chuting, “I must attend to other duties. With the tributes collected, I’ll take my leave now.”
“Take care, envoy,” Xiao Chuting replied, cupping his fist as he watched Ning Wan make her way back to the flying ship.
As the Dawn Cloudliner ascended into the eastern sky, Xiao Chuting’s gaze returned to the crowd. He spoke in a calm tone. “The rogue cultivators have gathered at the foot of the mountain. The market there has been open for a few days now. You’re all welcome to head there for trading.”
He paused, adding a firm reminder, “Just remember, we’re all old friends now, you should be aware that the Cloud Crowned Market is under the management of the Xiao Family. I expect everyone to respect that. Any acts of robbery or forced transactions within the market will be seen as a direct affront to my family’s authority.”
“Understood,” the crowd acknowledged respectfully before dispersing toward the foot of the mountain. Several approached Li Tongya with the intention of engaging with him, and Wan Yuankai could only stare at him enviously.
He was about to say something when Xiao Chuting’s sudden cough drew their attention. “Young Tongya, would you kindly join me for a conversation?” he asked with a smile.
The people who tried to approach Li Tongya quickly stopped in their tracks. Wan Yuankai quickly buttoned his lips as well.
Li Tongya eagerly responded, “You’re flattering me, Senior. It would be my honor to speak with a cultivator of your caliber!”
Xiao Chuting led Li Tongya to the main courtyard. They settled at a stone table, with attendants promptly serving tea. Taking a sip of the delicately flavored brew, Xiao Chuting remarked, “I rarely visit Cloud Crowned Peak, so the hospitality here is modest. I hope you don’t mind, young one.”
Li Tongya accepted the teacup and took a small sip. A sweet, refreshing flavor instantly exploded on the tip of his tongue, clearing his mind. While resisting the urge to empty his cup in one go, he shook his head humbly in response to Xiao Chuting’s remarks.
“Your younger brother and my grandson have been cultivating on Qingsui Peak for several years. My grandson had mentioned him to me before. That younger brother of yours shows great potential in swordsmanship and has caught the eye of Master Si Yuanbai, who considers his talents to be unparalleled in Qingsui Peak’s recent centuries.”
Raised in a farming family, Li Tongya was more accustomed to the teabowls of his village than the delicate teacups. His surprise was palpable when he heard Xiao Chuting’s remarks.
Pausing momentarily, he replied with a pleasant surprise, “Jing’er has never mentioned that to us...”
“Your younger brother is a good kid. Have you taken a look inside that brocade pouch?"
Xiao Chuting’s gaze softened as he looked at Li Tongya, revealing a look of nostalgia on his face. A smile graced his lips as he continued, “There are five Spirit Stones in there. These are part of the provisions he received over five years. He has probably used the Spirit Rice and pills, but he saved these Spirit Stones.”
Li Tongya’s expression immediately shifted to one of poignant realization. “My family has truly been a burden to him,” he murmured.
Xiao Chuting raised his hand dismissively and said, “Ah, you shouldn’t think that way. In a family, one’s success is everyone’s glory, and one’s loss is borne by the entire family.”
He then produced a white jade vial from seemingly nowhere and placed it on the table. “I see you’re still at the Azure Essence stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm. This is a Bright Spirit Powder, use it to break through to the Jade Capital stage.”
Li Tongya was taken aback by the unexpected generosity. He stood up hastily and waved his hand. “Senior, I couldn’t possibly accept such a valuable gift!”
“Do not refuse it. Take it before you leave. Without a Jade Capital cultivator at home, you’re letting Qingsui Peak down. Now, go.”
With those final words, Xiao Chuting rose and retreated to the backyard, leaving a stunned Li Tongya to be ushered out by the attendants.
————
At the foot of Cloud Crowned Peak, Li Tongya clutched the precious pill and smiled wryly. He looked at Wan Yuankai, who wore an expression of mixed emotions, and said, “Brother Yuankai, about this market...”
“Hm?” Snapping back to the present, Wan Yuankai gestured ahead and said, “Just follow this path. There are illusionary formations around the market to keep the mortals away. Stay close and don’t wander off.”
As they ventured further, the once quiet mountain path transformed. They entered a bustling marketplace, alive with the sounds of barter and conversation.
“Brother Tongya, my clan has entrusted me with a task, so let’s part ways here. We’ll meet later at the foot of the mountain and return together by carriage.” Wan Yuankai cupped his fist and smiled at Li Tongya before quickly heading eastward.
Li Tongya watched him disappear into the distance, then turned his attention to a small roadside stall. The stall owner was deeply engrossed in a book with a perplexed expression. There was a collection of talismans, a few unknown spirit objects, and several small flags displayed in his stall.
“These are formation flags, aren’t they?” Li Tongya inquired, his curiosity piqued as he eyed the small grayish-white flags but refrained from touching them.
“Yes, crafted from the leather of a beast demon in the Jade Capital Stage stage and mounted on poles made of white jade wood. They’re priced at eight Spirit Stones each.”
Recalling the six flags Xiao Yuansi had sold to his family, Li Tongya probed further, “I’ve heard of flags made with white-striped crucian carp skin for the body and red birch wood for the poles... Do you know how they are usually priced?”
The stall owner looked surprised, his gaze on Li Tongya turned into a mix of eagerness and respect. “That’s quite specialized, Senior. Red birch wood is not that uncommon, but white-striped crucian carp skin is typically used for crafts in the Qi Cultivation Realm. You might want to check the stalls on the east side for those. Our stalls here mainly cater to the Embryonic Breathing Realm.”
“I see.” Li Tongya nodded as a realization dawned on him.
It appears the price Xiao Yuansi charged my family was quite reasonable. If these flags of the Embryonic Breathing Realm are eight Spirit Stones each, then twelve Spirit Stones for those of the Qi Cultivator Realm is still a fair deal.