As one of the largest markets in the sea and one of the most prominent immortal islands, Splitreed Island housed many natural resources. Its unusual terrain made it difficult to set up formations, leading to constant unrest.
And for reasons unknown, Purple Mansion Realm cultivators rarely appeared in the area. Each sect avoided assigning a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator for oversight, relying mostly on Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators.
Li Xuanfeng gave his assent. Soon, the majestic island appeared before them as the Ning brothers introduced the island's background while steering the ship down toward the water.
About ten li from Splitreed Island, a massive light shield shimmered across the seabed. Li Xuanfeng produced a jade token and guided them through the barrier.
The scene below was indeed radiant, with houses of all sizes nestled within the shimmering barrier. As the Ning brothers docked the jade ship, a cultivator approached them on a gust of wind.
Dressed in a green robe, the approaching man's storage pouch and sword glinted in the sun. His cloak was made of spirit silk, his robe of spirit cloth, and even the jade adorning him was of the highest grade—truly extravagant. He glanced at Li Xuanfeng and nodded, greeting, "Brother-in-law."
This man was Ning Heyuan, his wife's younger brother and the authority over the market on the island. With early-stage Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation, he was not unfamiliar to Li Xuanfeng, who gave him a brief nod in acknowledgment.
Ning Heyuan was of the main Ning Family line, but he had been taken in by the Chi Family at a young age and returned to the Ning Family only upon reaching adulthood. His position in the Ning Family leaned more toward the Chi lineage.
However, with Chi Wei's death and Daoist Master Yuan Su relocating to Yi Mountain City, many of the Ning Family had shifted their focus to the southern territories. Even though Chi Zhiyun was the sect leader, he dared not give orders to a senior like Yuan Su, who now acted independently in the Southern Border without taking directives or heeding summons.
This slight rift between the Ning and Chi families had placed Ning Heyuan in an awkward position. Li Xuanfeng had met him once more than ten years ago when he had been quite boastful. However, after hiding out at sea for over a decade, he now seemed far more subdued in character.
Bringing along several guest cultivators for introductions, Ning Heyuan quickly assigned tasks to the disciples and then pulled Li Xuanfeng aside, saying, "Brother-in-law... this is my first time working with you directly. If there is anything I overlook, please guide me."
Li Xuanfeng found his attitude somewhat unexpected and gave a polite nod. Ning Heyuan led him to his cave dwelling, explaining that he needed to meet with some of the disciples before departing. Meanwhile, Li Xuanfeng wrote a letter and handed it to the elder Ning brother to be delivered to the Li Family.
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Great Jueting.
This was an ancient city, grand and majestic. At its height, it had a population of a hundred thousand, but under Fu Daimu's rule for several decades, only about ten thousand remained. Fei Luoya had reclaimed it and, after years of nurturing, had restored the population to thirty or forty thousand.
The stone bricks of the old city were mottled with the marks of time, and Li Family soldiers hurried through the narrow streets. The Mount Yue townsfolk hid inside their houses, peeking out with hope in their eyes.
Just as the people of Eastern Mount Yue envied the prosperous lives of the Easterners, the inhabitants of Great Jueting longed for the affluence of Eastern Mount Yue. Having heard of the Li Family's reputation, they now eagerly anticipated the Li Family's takeover.
Clan cultivators and Jade Court Guards patrolled the skies while Li Xicheng rode the wind with his younger brother Li Xijun by his side. They both studied a map, deep in discussion.
"The Liu and Xu families cannot be allowed on new lands... As for those from the prestigious family, it would be best to restrict them and promote common families to settle along the western lakes and establish villages."
Fei Luoya had chosen to take a hands-off approach, handing over his territory to the Li Family before entering secluded cultivation. The Li Family had sent people to inspect the area twice, discovering that it was divided into two major sections.
One part was Mount Yue's grand city of Great Jueting, a rare ruin with a vast expanse, while the other was a fertile plain with no significant mountains.
The Li Family focused their efforts on the ancient city of Great Jueting, an old and distinguished place within Mount Yue, second only to Mount Wu. Li Yuanjiao had visited it once, but his attention had been consumed with dividing the spoils of war, so he had not been able to take a closer look.
As the two juniors explored, they found it rich in age-old elegance. The palace walls still bore many murals, though most had been damaged by years of warfare. Some still depicted scenes of cataclysms, darkness, and despair.
Li Xijun stepped inside, admiring the artwork. The recent murals depicted the rise of the Li Family, the east bursting with blossoms and the brightness of flames atop oil.
But, as he moved deeper, the murals took on a bleaker tone, showing fields overrun with locusts, drought in every direction, foreign invasions, and the death of the king... Li Xijun paused to look, then turned back and commented, "This must be the legendary Jianixi."
The two brothers continued through the palace halls, passing one scene after another of the heavens collapsing and landscapes withering, only to later reach depictions of people thriving and living in abundance.
The later murals were worn beyond recognition, but after searching for a while, they found another complete one.
This mural depicted a figure dressed in black whose face was obscured. In one hand, they held an object resembling a book, while in the other, a staff. Many people were painted kneeling before this figure, while beside them, a sun hung in the sky, casting its light downward.
"That must be Duanmu Kui..."
Both Li Xicheng and Li Xijun were familiar with their family's history and many recorded stories. Li Xijun remarked, "Duanmu Kui dominated his era, even daring to suppress the gates of Azure Pond Sect... but in the end, he could not break through to the Golden Core realm. And... that immortal text he possessed vanished without a trace, with no clues left to its whereabouts."
"As for the sun..." Li Xijun paused, then sighed, "Perhaps it has something to do with the Wei-Li lineage."
He had complex feelings about Wei-Li. Many Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, including some Purple Mansion Realm cultivators, had assumed that the Li Family was of the direct line of Wei-Li. Li Xuanfeng had passed along information, and Li Xijun had done his own research, forming some theories.
Daoist Master Yuan Su believed our family to be of Wei-Li blood. If the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators' divine abilities are accurate, then we are indeed descended from Wei-Li... which explains the family's numerous connections to monks. But as for whether we are direct descendants... that is hard to say...
Li Xijun knew the truth about his family. Despite the recent streak of exceptional Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, he understood that it was not due to their bloodline.
The Li Family's rapid cultivation progress was primarily due to the talisman seeds each main branch member possessed, which accelerated their cultivation speed. They had also received multiple boosts from talismans and a talisman pill, creating an aura of distinction around them.
Piecing these insights together, Li Xijun quickly came to a conclusion, Our family is likely a side branch of Wei-Li, merely appearing as direct descendants due to the support of these immortal artifacts, thus attracting such complex connections.
As he pondered these thoughts, he gazed at the grand and unadorned palace, then stopped and turned around abruptly.
"Elder Brother, I will return for now; the rest is in your hands."
Li Xicheng, puzzled but compliant, nodded, while Li Xijun took to the wind and rode swiftly back to Mount Qingdu, entering the ancestral shrine. Activating the protective formation, he stepped into the hidden chamber.
The altar of cold iron emitted a faint glow, carved with osmanthus patterns that added a mysterious, serene air. Li Xijun bowed deeply and spoke with respect, "I, Xijun, the descendant of the Li Family, humbly request the mirror to pierce through the mysteries, perceive the hidden truth, and illuminate all directions, capturing spirits and discerning the divine..."
Li Xijun had observed the supposedly ordinary Great Jueting, which, despite the multiple inspections by Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, seemed to reveal nothing remarkable. He thought to himself, The Immortal Mirror should reveal something different.