Li Yuanjiao sat in the mountains, reading the Law of Celestial Moon for a while before taking a moment to reply to Li Xizhi's letter, informing him of the situation back home.
The Li Family was preparing to head overseas, and with their current strength, capturing a Foundation Establishment Realm demon creature to be used for requesting talisman qi for Li Xizhi would not be too difficult. Li Yuanjiao had been thinking about this and decided to write to ask if they could carry out the task.
He waited for over a month, but Kongheng had not yet returned. Instead, a letter from Li Xizhi arrived first.
"...I have already broken through to the seventh heavenly layer of the Qi Cultivation Realm, and my foundation is solid. I should be able to reach the eighth heavenly layer in three to five years. After taking some pills, I will be able to touch upon the Foundation Establishment Realm. Using that qi to increase my cultivation now would be a waste. It would be better to wait until I reach the Foundation Establishment Realm, and then I will return home."
Li Yuanjiao understood Li Xizhi's point and nodded in approval. As a disciple of an immortal sect, Li Xizhi still had many spells and techniques to learn and was in no rush to break through to the Foundation Establishment Realm. He could even afford to delay it for a while longer. Thus, Li Yuanjiao dismissed the idea of requesting talisman qi for him and decided to wait until his son achieved the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Reflecting on the passage of time, Li Yuanjiao suddenly realized that Li Xizhi was already thirty-five years old. He felt a moment of surprise, then realized that he himself was over fifty, though his early advancement in the Qi Cultivation Realm left him still looking like a man in his early mid-thirties.
"What a shame the repeated injuries have delayed my cultivation. Otherwise, I would have reached the edge of the mid-Foundation Establishment Realm by now..." Li Yuanjiao said as he let out a sigh.
Li Yuanjiao's talisman qi had significantly enhanced his speed of cultivation during the Qi Cultivation Realm, but since the Foundation Establishment Realm only had three stages, its effects had not manifested yet, leaving him feeling somewhat behind.
"Well... it is inevitable."
He held a pale purple jade slip in his hand when a tall, broad-shouldered man with a square face approached him. In a respectful tone, he said, "Xicheng greets the ancestor."
Li Xicheng had already reached the fourth heavenly layer of the Qi Cultivation Realm. He had been diligent and meticulous in his duties over the years, never making any serious mistakes.
In a gentle tone, Li Yuanjiao asked him a question, to which Li Xicheng replied, "Reporting to Ancestor, something has happened at the devil lair in the east... I had stationed people to keep watch, and although it has been quiet for the past few years, there was constant fighting early this morning. Blood was spilled and the sounds of battle echoed through the sky. The returning scouts reported that the devil lair has been destroyed."
"How many people were involved?" Li Yuanjiao asked.
Li Xicheng hesitated before replying, "Just one."
"A Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator?" Li Yuanjiao frowned.
Li Xicheng replied cautiously, "It is said that the man came from the east. The devil cultivators in the lair swarmed him, but he killed nearly all of them, leaving only three or five that managed to escape."
Upon hearing this, Li Yuanjiao frowned even deeper.
"Not of the Foundation Establishment Realm..? Then he must be a Qi Cultivator..."
The devil cultivators were not fools. If they had encountered a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, they would have fled immediately rather than fight. If it had been a proper Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, there would not have been any survivors at all.
Li Xicheng nodded slightly and added, "The man wielded a golden hammer and breathed fire, fighting the devil cultivators for quite some time before scattering them. He might be a cultivator from the Eastern Sea..."
Just as he finished speaking, a purple bolt of lightning descended from the sky. Li Qinghong emerged from her seclusion, looking radiant and full of energy. Li Yuanjiao waved for Li Xicheng to leave and fell into deep thought.
Li Qinghong stopped Li Xicheng and listened closely to his report before letting him go. She then remarked, "Zhang Yun personally escorted someone and went out of his way to intimidate the nearby families, ensuring they would not interfere... It seemed he was expecting that man to show up!"
Li Yuanjiao nodded and analyzed further, saying, "Perhaps they intended to deliver some cultivation technique or dharma artifact to that person, setting up this scenario deliberately. Leaving such obvious clues was a clear ploy to pass the item into his hands. It was likely part of the Golden Feather Sect's plot... they were either targeting someone or manipulating him."
The Li Family, having become a clan, had learned over the years how to navigate the schemes of the three sects and seven gates. In the past, they were inexperienced and got caught up in the schemes, but now Li Yuanjiao could see through them immediately.
He sighed, contemplating, "When Maha set up their trap years ago, I am sure other clans saw our Li Family the same way... All we could do was remain silent, waiting in fear to see how things would unfold."
Li Qinghong nodded, now fully understanding. Whoever that person was, the Li Family would not dare to get involved, lest they bring ruin upon themselves. She spoke softly, "As long as there is an outcome, that is all that matters. With the devil lair dealt with and Zhang Yun gone, we can finally relax a little."
The siblings both sighed in relief. Just then, Kongheng arrived, looking travel-worn as he descended into the formation on a gust of wind. He chanted a Buddhist verse and said, "This humble monk is pleased to have fulfilled his duty."
Li Qinghong accepted the letter being handed to her, glancing briefly at the monk who delivered it. He lowered his gaze, a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead. After a few polite words, he hurriedly withdrew from the mountain.
Li Qinghong raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Beside her, Li Yuanjiao merely glanced at the letter before reading through it quickly.
It was from Kong Tingyun. Her handwriting was elegant, and her tone casual. She began the letter by launching into a tirade against Situ Mo, calling him treacherous and deceitful, devoid of honor and loyalty. She then warmly invited the Li Family to visit her, mentioning that it would be a good way to vex Situ Mo.
Her tone felt as if she were smiling while saying it, without any sense of distance. At the end of the letter, she added, "Toward the end of June, a group of disciples from the sect will head overseas. If it is convenient, Brother Yuanjiao, why not join them and offer some protection to our disciples? It will save me another trip."
Not a bad idea, Li Yuanjiao thought, nodding quietly to himself. If they could travel alongside members of Profound Peak Gate, it would be safer, especially against any potential scheming from the Buddhist cultivators.
Li Qinghong took the letter from him and, after a brief glance, smiled and said, "Kong Tingyun seems quite agreeable."
Her almond-shaped eyes briefly lingered on her brother's face. Seeing that Li Yuanjiao's expression remained unchanged as he pondered and planned, she quietly exhaled in relief, thinking to herself, Sister-In-Law's talent is slightly inferior. She's only at the seventh heavenly layer of the Qi Cultivation Realm. Once she breaks through, I should give her a talisman pill. Although my brother and his wife share deep affection, they shouldn't be too far apart in strength...
Li Qinghong had known Xiao Guiluan for many years and had grown quite fond of her. Li Yuanjiao, being upright and impartial like his granduncle Li Tongya, had never granted Xiao Guiluan any special treatment or resources. It was only Li Qinghong who occasionally sent her some pills.
As Li Qinghong was lost in thought, Li Yuanjiao quickly noticed her distraction and asked a question. She shook her head, snapping herself out of her own thoughts. Only then did Li Yuanjiao say, "The agreed date is approaching. Let us pack up and head out together."
Li Qinghong, still holding her spear, replied, "There is nothing much for me to pack. Let us go!"
Li Yuanjiao then summoned the brothers—Li Xicheng and Li Xijun—along with Li Wushao, instructing them to manage the household carefully and avoid any rash actions.
Only after ensuring everything was in order did he and Li Qinghong, along with Kongheng, rise into the sky, riding the wind.