Chen Mufeng accepted his task and left. Li Xicheng stood in contemplation for a moment before riding the wind up to Mount Qingdu. After making a big around, he gently landed in an unassuming courtyard.
He knocked on the door and entered. Inside, Li Yuanping was seated on a stone bench, carefully recording something with a brush in his hand.
Though he appeared fine, his hand trembled slightly, and he was struggling to hold the brush steadily.
As soon as Li Xicheng stepped forward, Li Yuanping glanced up and asked, "How do you plan to handle it?"
Li Xicheng hesitated for a moment before replying, "About that... a minor sect cultivator was used as a scapegoat. I'll have the minor sect investigate this. Many of the brothers listen to me, so it shouldn't be too difficult to uncover who altered the numbers in the report..."
Li Yuanping shook his head and spoke softly, "But you will only find yet another scapegoat. I will teach you one final lesson..."
"This whole incident is a test—to gauge your preferences and to probe your limits. All the forces under your command share in the benefits and silently acquiesce to support this. That minor sect cultivator was just a convenient scapegoat for them... If you rely on them for the investigation, you'll expose your closeness and trust toward the branch families. Whether you rely on the Jade Court Guards, the Dou Family, or peak offices, your inclinations become clear."
He continued in a low voice, "The greatest danger here is that the interests of the cultivators under your command align against yours. On the surface, the minor sect appears as the victim, but in reality, it is complicit. The only truly innocent party is the cultivator that had been made a scapegoat."
Li Xicheng listened intently, only to see Li Yuanping smile coldly before saying, "All you need to do is send someone to the warehouse and quietly adjust the 190 jin to match the reported 181 jin. Once the numbers align, this coalition of opportunists will collapse under their own weight!"
Li Xicheng was stunned, but then realization dawned upon him. He nodded eagerly, a smile spreading across his face as he exclaimed in delight, "That's brilliant!"
He nodded repeatedly, murmuring to himself, "That will really stir the pot! The minor sect will panic and they'll start suspecting each other, wondering which faction turned the false report into reality. Inevitably, they'll start pointing fingers and tear each other apart. All I'll need to do is sit back and arbitrate—suppress the strong, support the weak, and maintain the balance of power..."
Li Yuanping did not respond, continuing to write in silence. With his plan set, Li Xicheng bowed deeply and took his leave.
Li Yuanping was counting the days as he meticulously updated the Family History. After a short while, he noticed Li Qinghong arrive, her form subtly crackling with electricity as she sat down beside him gracefully. She pursed her vermillion lips and simply sat in silence.
The two siblings faced each other quietly, with the early spring breeze gently sweeping through the courtyard. Li Yuanping had never spent much time with this elder sister as they had never grown up together.
After a long pause, he finally broke the silence by commenting, "There's indeed something suspicious about Zhang Huaide. Please be patient, Big Sister... You mustn't act impulsively."
Li Qinghong merely replied softly, "I know. I've been patient for so many years... I'm just afraid that if I keep holding back, I'll eventually forget about this resentment."
Li Yuanping snorted, setting his brush down.
"WelI... Isn't that why we record history?"
Li Qinghong glanced at the sheets in front of him.
"Xicheng may not be the strongest, but he's trying his best. I've seen how much he's changed over the past ten years. He's a completely different person now," she remarked.
Li Yuanping nodded in agreement.
"I noticed."
————
Li Qinghong had spent several days practicing with her spear on the mountain. Before she could uncover anything about the devil cultivators in the north, a deer demon arrived from the south and landed at the foot of the mountain politely. He waited for An Zheyan and the others to inform the family about his arrival first before entering the mountain.
The deer demon was looking for Li Yuanjiao. Since he was away from home, Li Qinghong was the one to receive him.
The deer demon deer kneeled on all fours before her and, in a human voice, said, "Exalted Immortal, my master has discovered a clue regarding the Blood Sun Fruit . Please follow me to the mountain to discuss the details with him."
"Very well," Li Qinghong replied with a smile and a nod. She summoned Li Wushao from the lake, instructing him to take care of the household before following the deer demon into the mountain.
Li Yuanjiao had mentioned to Li Qinghong about the Foundation Establishment Realm deer demon named Luken before. Hence, she knew that he had picked a mountain that was not particularly tall and set up a demon den on its northern slope. The foot of the mountain was flat, so many deer had been relocated there.
When Li Qinghong and the lesser demon reached the cave, Luken himself came out to greet them. He had brown hair, black eyes, and was slightly taken aback by the sight of her.
"You are...?"
"I am Li Qinghong. My brother, Li Yuanjiao, is currently away from home, so I've come in his place," she replied with a smile.
The deer demon blinked and nodded.
"I am Luken. It's a pleasure to meet you, fellow Daoist."
Without beating around the bush further, Luken cupped his fist and explained, "Your brother asked me to track down a treasured panacea known as Blood Sun Fruit . Now that I've found a lead, I wanted to inform your esteemed family."
Li Qinghong nodded.
"I've received multiple reports. A fellow Daoist from the southern slope once wrote to me, claiming to have seen a tiger demon from Mount Quanwu Demon Den possessing this fruit. The description in the letter matches what we know of the Blood Sun Fruit ... I believe it to be genuine."
Li Qinghong simply nodded in agreement without saying a word.
Luken shook his sleeves and continued, "That tiger demon holds some sway within the Quanwu Demon Den, though it isn't an important figure and is often bullied."
"Better to act sooner than later. Why don't we ride the wind to Mount Quanwu and seize the panacea before circumstances change?" he suggested.
"Let's seize the spirit fruit first, and if possible, kill the demon. If we manage to slay it, all the better. If not, no harm is done. If we can't take it by force, we'll try to buy it," Luken spoke matter-of-factly.
Li Qinghong had no choice but to nod in agreement. After all, dealing with demon creatures was different; they acted openly and without pretense.
"What is the cultivation level of this tiger demon?" she asked.
"Mid-stage Foundation Establishment Realm," Luken replied, noticing the concern on her face.
"But don't worry, fairy. He's just a demon general without a proper Dao lineage. He hasn't learned the spells of the human race and relies solely on his raw demon power," he explained.
He smiled reassuringly and continued, "Give it a month, and you'll see for yourself."
Li Qinghong nodded. Sensing the profound thunder swirling in the thunder pool within her Qihai acupoint, she felt confident in her own strength.
"Lead the way, please," she responded politely.
With that, she followed Luken, and the two soared up into the clouds.
As they flew on, Luken seemed to be mulling over her age and sighed, "The legacy of your esteemed family is truly remarkable... The cultivation speed of you and your elder brother is astonishing, even compared to other clans. It makes us old-timers, who've been cultivating for hundreds of years, feel ashamed."
Li Qinghong offered a few modest words in return. Luken then said, "Which Dao foundation have you cultivated? Since we'll be fighting together soon, we should get to know each other's abilities first."
He activated his mana, and a pair of large antlers appeared on his head. His voice grew deeper and more resonant while the demonic wind he summoned was fresh and filled with renewed vitality.
"Mine is Lingyun Wood . It allows me to heal, control qi, nurture spirit plants, cultivate earth veins, and even transform into plants..." he explained.
As soon as he revealed his immortal foundation, his speed on the wind quickened significantly.
Li Qinghong nodded lightly, and a crackle of purple lightning appeared beneath her feet. Her speed increased even further, her jade armor flashing with violet sparks as she replied softly, " Profound Thunderpool, I can wield thunder and lightning to eliminate demons and suppress evil."