Li Xiangping had just broken through to the Azure Essence stage last night. Just like his older brother, Li Tongya, they had now successfully condensed the fourth chakra of the Embryonic Breathing Realm.
When he was done with his work at home for the day, he settled down in the courtyard and began studying the Profound Water Sword Technique manual. His concentration was absolute until the sound of approaching footsteps came from outside the courtyard.
“Big Brother?” he asked.
As expected, Li Tongya entered the courtyard wearily. His clothes were drenched by the morning dew and mud clung to his shoes. He dropped a cloth bag onto the table and then gave Li Xiangping a bear hug as soon as he saw him.
Li Xiangping sighed with relief and smiled. “You’re finally home. Father could hardly sleep every night when you were away from home.”
“Hahaha, I’ve got quite a haul from this trip.” Li Tongya’s laughter filled the courtyard as he carefully retrieved a silver box from his chest pocket and checked its contents. Seeing how weak the Wuzha Worms inside were, he could not help but let out a soft sigh.
Nevertheless, he quickly brightened as he handed Li Xiangping the dark longbow he had been carrying on his back.
“Give it a try,” he urged.
Li Xiangping’s eyes widened in amazement as he tested the bowstring and carefully ran his fingers along the bow. With the flow of mana, the bow emitted a white glow and shimmered.
“I-It’s... a dharma artifact?” he asked in awe.
“I bought it at the market for two and a half Spirit Stones,” Li Tongya replied with a grin.
Li Xiangping’s heart ached when he heard the price, then turned to his second brother doubtfully and asked, “That’s steep, where did you get those Spirit Stones?”
Li Tongya recounted every detail of his journey to Cloud Crowned Peak. At the end of it, Li Xiangping nodded and sighed. “Jing’er is really a big boy now.”
News about Li Tongya’s return soon reached Li Xuanxuan and Li Qiuyang, and both of them quickly made their way up the mountain to greet him.
Li Tongya handed the box of Wuzha Worms and its detailed manual to Liu Rouxuan. His voice took on a serious tone as he said, “This is our first attempt at raising Wuzha Worms. Read the manual carefully, find some experienced silkworm raisers, and set up a dedicated space in the courtyard. I’ll have Li Yesheng send over the necessary leaves and stems of Spirit Paddies later. These spirit worms have suffered on the rough journey and are in poor condition right now.”
“Understood.” Despite her eagerness to spend time with her husband who had been away for a few months, Liu Rouxuan knew the urgency of the task and carefully took the silver box and descended the mountain to make the necessary arrangements.
Li Qiuyang, seated comfortably on a wooden chair, looked at Li Tongya with sparkling eyes and said, “Clan Uncle, the Azure Pond Immortal Sect is truly something else!”
Li Qiuyang, now around eleven or twelve years old, had taken on the significant responsibility of overseeing the Spirit Paddies production for the past few years. He generally kept a low profile within the village.
Fortunately, his father, Li Chengfu, had been prudent as well. He made sure that his brothers focused on farming and constructing courtyards, steering clear of any actions that might lead to scandalous behavior or the bullying of others.
“Of course, their envoy arrived on her Dawn Cloudliner. The brilliant light that accompanied it in the sky was quite a spectacle!” Li Tongya chuckled, his voice resonating with a mix of awe and respect.
————
“That’s really impressive!” Li Chejing commented coldly. He rested his left hand on the hilt of the sword at his waist but suppressed the urge to draw it.
“I was in seclusion for years, and it seems I’ve missed the arrival of a new disciple on Qingsui Peak,” the youth in front of Li Chejing mused as he played with a golden pearl in his hand.
The peculiar closeness of his eyes somewhat detracted his otherwise handsome features. Clad in fox fur and flaunting an elegant storage pouch at his waist, he exuded an air of refined sophistication.
The young man and his entourage inched closer toward Li Chejing, slowly pushing him into a corner along the narrow path.
“Don’t be so scared, Junior Brother, we’re merely testing your mettle,” the young man said.
Li Chejing continued backing up slowly, only to find his back pressed against the cold stone wall behind him. He tightened his grip on his sword hilt as he watched the young man’s every move.
“You’re already a cultivator in the Qi Cultivation Realm. Aren’t you ashamed to gang up on someone who’s only at the peak Nascent Spirit stage of the Embryonic Breath Realm like this?” he retorted.
The young man merely responded with a faint smile. The pearl in his hand suddenly burst into a golden light and flew toward Li Chejing.
Li Chejing frowned and quickly summoned an azure-colored spirit net in front of him in an attempt to counter the golden pearl that was quickly approaching him.
“Disciples from Qingsui Peak really know everything except swordsmanship.” The youth scoffed, though he could not hide his admiration when he saw Li Chejing’s action. “But I have to commend you for your quick reaction.”
Li Chejing gripped the scabbard with his left hand and the sword hilt with his right. The impact of countering the golden pearl with his spirit net caused blood to spill from his lips. Yet, he lunged forward and closed the gap between him and the young man.
The young man was caught off guard and tried to recall his dharma artifact with his spiritual sense. Unfortunately, it was now entangled in the azure net. Although his spirit pearl flickered to life and managed to free itself from the net, the net’s grip had delayed its escape.
Le Chejing clenched his jaw and finally drew his sword. A brilliant crescent arc of white light trailed from his left to the right, as he swung his longsword toward his opponent’s neck.
“Impossible!” the young man gasped, his skin prickling with shock. His mind raced for a counter-spell, but it was too late. The talisman hanging around his neck flared to life, projecting a shield of golden light that managed to deflect the sword’s lethal trajectory just in time.
Even so, the impact of the contact was so great that the young man staggered back several steps in disbelief.
“Oh no!” The young man could not be bothered by the dissonance in his Qihai at this point. He quickly performed a hand seal to swiftly retract the golden bead that was flying toward the back of Li Chejing’s head, then looked at Li Chejing with a conflicted look on his face.
Cultivators in the Qi Cultivation Realm who possessed the ability to manipulate a dharma artifact from a distance typically put sword-wielders at a disadvantage. However, Li Chejing’s daring approach with his Profound Water Sword Technique managed to turn the tables.
The young man had always disdained those from Qingsui Peak. With the initial intention of intimidating the new disciple on Qingsui Peak in a playful ruse, he found himself unexpectedly outwitted.
“You’ve won!” the young man admitted with a conflicted look on his face and cupped his fist as he locked his gaze on Li Chejing, who stood with a sword in hand.
Li Chejing’s face was pale as he returned his sword to its scabbard. “I’m grateful for your restraint, fellow Daoist. That was my first real combat with the sword, and I failed to keep my strength under control.”
The young man clapped his brocade pouch and retrieved several vials of ointments, placing them before Li Chejing. “I apologize that one of my men had accidentally hurt you, fellow Daoist. I am Deng Qiuzhi from Yuanwu Peak, and I promise I’ll visit your quarters soon to extend a proper apology.”
Noticing Li Chejing’s pale face, Deng Qiuzhi quickly instructed two of his men to escort him back to Qingsui Peak, then quickly departed with his remaining man as if they were fleeing from the scene.
After walking a small distance, Deng Qiuzhi turned around with a sour expression and then slapped one of his followers.
“You, come with me to Qingsui Peak tomorrow to apologize!”
The man who got slapped hung his head and then muttered under his breath, “But you’re the one who provoked him...”
Little did he expect that Deng Qiuzhi would seize him by his neck and lift him off the ground. With a conflicted look on his face, Deng Qiuzhi asked, “Do you think that guy will hold a grudge against me?”
“Of course not, Young Master! You even gave him ointments, I’m sure he’ll forget about this...” The man, startled by Deng Qiuzhi’s sudden action, began assuring Deng Qiuzhi in order to save his own life.
Deng Qiuzhi listened to the man for a brief moment, then narrowed his eyes and gazed sternly at the man as he squeezed every word out of his mouth slowly. “...And you won’t hold a grudge against me, right?”
The man’s heart pounded with dread, his legs shaking uncontrollably as he stammered, “O-Of course not...”
“Good,” Deng Qiuzhi replied, setting the man back on his feet. He stood there for a moment, lost in thought, and mumbled to himself, “Li Chejing from Qingsui Peak...”