Lingdou Peak was weaker than Qingsui Peak, with its peak master reaching only the Qi Cultivation Realm. Li Xizhi sighed with regret. He stared at the jade pendant in his hand for a moment before making up his mind.
He took off on a rainbow, guiding the colorful light through the mountains for a while until he soon spotted the low and short Lingdou Peak. Upon arriving at the mountain, he inquired about the peak master, who hurried out to greet him.
"Yu Fuyu greets fellow Daoist."
"I am Li Xizhi of Qingsui Peak."
Yu Fuyu was short and stout. Li Xizhi had heard some rumors about him; he was a cultivator from the Yu Family. However, due to various scandals associated with the family, Yu Fuyu's branch had long been extinguished, leading him to sever ties with the Yu Family and live a humble life.
"Ah, Li Family of Qingdu... Your reputation precedes you!" Yu Fuyu remarked humbly.
When Li Xizhi explained the purpose of his visit, Yu Fuyu immediately replied, "That's not a big problem!"
He then took out another jade pendant and handed it to Li Xizhi, who nodded politely and expressed his gratitude. Not wanting to linger any longer, he made his way back to the General Affairs Hall to complete the necessary procedures before returning to Qingsui Peak.
As soon as he landed, Yang Xiao'er approached, cradling a swaddled bundle in her arms. Li Xizhi gently embraced her and said softly, "I’ve just accepted a mission from general affairs, and will take Huai'er back with me."
Yang Xiao'er held the child close, saying nothing. Li Xizhi felt guilty but said softly, "Huai'er must not remain in the sect, no matter what... He belongs to my Li Family, not to Azure Pond Sect."
Tears welled in Yang Xiao'er’s eyes as she replied, "I understand... but he’s only one year old. Having to leave us fills me with reluctance and worry!"
Despite saying that, Yang Xiao'er would be even more worried about keeping him in Azure Pond Sect. She placed Li Chenghuai into Li Xizhi’s arms, then removed the jade pendant she wore around her neck and tied it around the child.
With that, she finally said, "Please take care of yourself out there, my dear."
Li Xizhi nodded, planting a kiss on her smooth forehead as he whispered, "Take care of yourself in the sect too."
The couple had already planned this long ago. They exchanged a few intimate words before Li Xizhi gathered his belongings and took flight, leaving Yang Xiao'er in a poignant silence.
Soaring through the layers of clouds, Li Xizhi activated a jade token and passed through the Heavenly Essence Dao Spirit Formation . After a brief flight, Simin County came into view.
Simin was the largest prefecture in Yue State and the foundation of Azure Pond. As Li Xizhi departed from Azure Pond, he felt his spiritual energy wane two or three times. Yet, he flew faster on the rainbow, feeling an exhilarating sense of freedom.
"It’s been twenty years... I’m finally out here again..."
The scenery below rushed past him like a blur, and Li Xizhi, eager to reunite with his family, quickened his pace.
————
Qingdu Peak.
Li Qinghong landed on Qingdu Peak, where Li Wushao was already waiting. The black-clad man bowed and respectfully reported, "I have gone north to investigate. There is indeed a group of devil cultivators stationed in that temple... They seem to be setting up a formation and have been cultivating there for some time. Among them, there are two in the late-stage Qi Cultivation Realm, six in the middle stage, and three in the early stage. They all seem to work well with each other."
Li Wushao paused before adding, "I didn't want to spook them so I didn’t get too close. I only observed strange black clouds forming above that place... It seems like something is going on there."
Li Qinghong nodded, contemplating for a moment before saying, "I’ll go and take a look from a distance."
Li Wushao hurriedly followed her as they both rode the wind and took flight, with Li Wushao leading the way.
Unexpectedly, as they exited their territory, a middle-aged man appeared before them, flying at an astonishing speed straight toward them.
Li Qinghong quickly drew her Duruo Spear, eyeing the middle-aged man warily.
"May I ask why you are stopping us, Senior?"
The middle-aged man, dressed in golden robes that were adorned with white cloud patterns, had an unassuming appearance. A sword hung at his waist, and his dharma robe was so lavish that Li Qinghong could not gauge his cultivation level at first.
The man glanced at Li Wushao, causing him to feel a chill down his spine. He felt as though the man could see through his true form.
Li Qinghong grew vigilant and instinctively stepped back. However, the man remained silent and reached out to Li Qinghong without drawing his weapon.
His hand, pale as jade, suddenly loomed large before them, emanating a vague pulling force that captivated their spiritual senses, making it difficult to look away.
Rumble!
Since Li Qinghong had been on guard and gathering power in her hands, a bolt of purple lightning split the air. Underneath Li Wushao's black robe, two shadows silently emerged, their presence barely noticeable.
"A thunder cultivator, huh?" the middle-aged man remarked casually.
He brought his fingers together and instantly dispersed the purple thunderstrike, revealing his cultivation level—surprisingly, he was at the peak of Foundation Establishment Realm. Even without activating his immortal foundation, Li Qinghong and Li Wushao were already filled with dread.
The middle-aged man’s shimmery golden eyes revealed that he had clearly mastered a perception technique before. Though Li Wushao's tail hooks were devious, he spotted them right through the shadows. With a swift motion of his golden sleeve, he struck Li Wushao, leaving him pale with shock.
Seizing the opening that Li Wushao had created, Li Qinghong’s eyes filled with a fierce purple light. Her jade armor glowed with crackling purple lightning, and parting her vermillion lips, she spat out a speck of purple light which rapidly expanded to the size of a fist, radiating a brilliant white glow.
Swoosh!
Crackle!
Complex purple lines manifested in the air, unleashing an overwhelming aura of destruction.
The middle-aged man’s expression shifted slightly, and he remarked with a hint of appreciation, "Looks like Li Tongya has a successor!"
Li Qinghong was slightly puzzled, yet refused to be distracted. She directed the profound thunder toward the man, and quickly pulled away from him with Li Wushao, propelling purple lightning backward for several li.
The middle-aged man in golden robes made no attempt to evade or chase them. Instead, he stared at the thunder talisman before him with keen interest. He finally touched the long sword at his waist, exhaling softly before drawing it from its sheath.
BOOM!!
A brilliant white light erupted in the sky. The thunder roared like an avalanche, shaking the lake and causing rocks on the nearby mountain to tumble down. The white thunder turned into dense purple lightning, cascading down like a waterfall in a show of power.
CLANG!
A brilliant sword light cleaved the thunder waterfall, splitting it into two easily. The middle-aged man strolled forward leisurely, performing a hand seal.
"Disperse," he commanded with a smile.
The thunder in the sky and the turbulence in the lake dissipated like mist. Li Qinghong and the others had already reached the foot of the mountain when the middle-aged man altered the spell in his hand and whispered softly, "Come."
Suddenly, they felt their bodies freeze, the wind around them spiraling out of control. Li Qinghong made their escape with the Blood Escape Technique, halting just a step away from the mountain gate.
The middle-aged man in gold used an escape spell too and effortlessly closed the distance, reaching them in just two strides and fixing his gaze on Li Qinghong.
This is no ordinary peak Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator... He is likely close to ascending to the Purple Mansion Realm! He must be a direct descendant of one of the three sects... The spells he uses are definitely not of Grade Three or Four... He’s truly a significant figure!
Fei Wangbai, who was defeated in just twenty or thirty moves, flashed through Li Qinghong’s mind. She quickly regained her composure and said softly, "Li Qinghong of Qingdu greets Senior... Which sect do you hail from?"
He raised his eyebrows with a smile and replied, "Li Tongya truly taught his junior well! What a thunder talisman! Had I just entered Foundation Establishment Realm and been caught off guard by that move, I might have sustained some serious injuries..."
The middle-aged man regarded Li Qinghong with interest and continued, "As for me? I am Zhang Yun, just a swordsman from Jiangnan. Today, I am here to look after you, and is taking the opportunity to visit the Li Family." [1]
1. Recap: Zhang Yun was a disciple from the Golden Feather Sect who met Li Tongya and rogue cultivators Xu Yangping and his wife in the Snake Demon Cave back then. ☜