Li Qinghong composed herself and carefully recounted the events of recent years. When she finished, Li Xuanfeng, who had been listening quietly by her side, said softly, "I have not been at home to lend a hand with all these matters. It must have been hard on all of you."
With that, he gently ran his hand over the black-gold tiger belt at his waist, producing a glimmering jade slip in his palm. "This contains the talismans I acquired in the Southern Border. Take it back and let your eldest uncle examine it. Yue State is well-suited to cultivating talismans; our family could make great strides in this field."
Li Qinghong accepted the slip and, after listening to Li Xuanfeng, asked with curiosity, "Yue State is suitable for cultivating talismans...? This is the first I have heard of it."
Li Xuanfeng paused briefly before replying softly, "It is not something widely known. Fortunately, we are within a secluded cave dwelling, so I can share it. It seems that the True Monarch of Azure Pond Sect has Pristine Water Fruition Attainment connected with talisman cultivation. His Dao field is located in Yue State, making the region a fertile ground for talismans."
Now that he mentioned it, Li Qinghong realized that nearly everyone in Yue State knew at least a few talisman techniques. Talismans were indeed abundant, and although true mastery was rare, there were far more talisman cultivators than those skilled in alchemy or smithing. Even rogue cultivators would have a few reliable talismans in their possession.
Nodding thoughtfully, Li Qinghong remembered the True Monarch she had glimpsed by the shore earlier, hesitating to speak. She thought to herself, It is said that the head of the Yue Cultivating Sect has unmatched divine abilities, greater than any of the three sects. I'd better keep quiet to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Glancing down at the jade slip Li Xuanfeng had given her, she noticed faint, handwritten notes on its surface. The title read Annotations on the Upper Enclosures , written by Chen Gao of Mount Douxuan, detailing various techniques of talisman arts.
Mount Douxuan—it must be an ancient sect, Li Qinghong mused as she skimmed through it. She found several methods for crafting talisman swords appended at the end, finally understanding Li Xuanfeng's intent. She nodded, saying, "This will work well. Many in our family are sword cultivators, so we could forge some talisman swords for our younger generations. They could be passed down to bolster our clan's future."
Li Xuanfeng nodded in agreement, then produced two jade bottles, one large and one small. The larger bottle was a blue-green hue, with what seemed to be a liquid flowing inside, while the smaller was the usual size for holding pills. He explained, "This is Yuwa Stone Liquid and Enduring Tranquility Spirit Pills , both to aid Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation. There are five portions of Yuwa Stone Liquid and ten Enduring Tranquility Spirit Pills . Using these will greatly enhance one's progress in cultivation."
Most of these items he had acquired in the Southern Border, though some he had saved over the years. Placing them on the table, he added in a low voice, "If there is anything else the family needs, let me know. I can spend some time at the marketplace to complete any purchases."
Li Qinghong picked up the two jade bottles from the table. The Yuwa Stone Liquid inside the first was a translucent, pale green, and the Enduring Tranquility Spirit Pills in the second were a dusky color, ten in total.
She tilted the bottle slightly, letting one pill fall into her palm. She examined it closely, tracing the lines on its surface and confirming its properties with her spiritual sense before saying, "Second Uncle... this is a blood-qi pill."
"What?" Li Xuanfeng paused.
Li Qinghong chose her words carefully, speaking in a low tone, "Uncle... this pill was refined from blood qi. This practice has become widespread, both at home and abroad, though it remains a closely guarded secret. Azure Pond Sect has been gathering blood qi over the years largely for this purpose..."
She then gave him a full explanation of the situation. Li Xuanfeng listened in silence, taking a long moment before he exhaled, saying, "I have come to know a great deal while in the Southern Border, but I was entirely unaware of this. It seems Azure Pond Sect has maintained very tight control over information within the city..."
His gaze drifted over the two jade bottles before waving dismissively. "The Yuwa Stone Liquid can be used, but have Ning Heyuan exchange the Enduring Tranquility Spirit Pill for something else."
Li Qinghong nodded and finally inquired about the Ning Family. As the matter was somewhat sensitive, she lowered her eyes, asking softly, "Can the Ning Family be trusted?"
Li Xuanfeng hesitated, then answered, "Not entirely, but they are a reliable ally. Contrary to rumors, the Ning and Chi families are not that close-knit. The Ning Family holds considerable influence within Azure Pond Sect, so if our family wants to annex Moongaze Lake, we will need their support, along with that of Daoist Master Yuan Su."
Li Xuanfeng continued, "I asked around within the sect about Yuanwu Peak's affairs. It is clear that Daoist Master Yuanwu holds Yu Muxian in high regard—even offering his daughter's hand to him. If we fail to contain the situation... we may face Yuanwu's wrath."
Li Qinghong understood that he was referring to the matter with Yu Muxian and sighed, "None of us could easily handle him, let alone Daoist Master Yuanwu's possible retaliation. My brother sees this as a serious matter. He hopes to draw Yu Muxian out and resolve it directly before he reaches the Purple Mansion Realm..."
"That will be difficult to achieve," Li Xuanfeng replied, shaking his head. "I have inquired with Hemian, and apparently, this man is wholeheartedly dedicated to the immortal cultivation. He is practically devoid of desires or attachments, seeing everything except the path to ascension as a burden. Bound by no worldly restrictions... and his cultivation method is aimed directly at reaching the Purple Mansion Realm. He will not leave the sect without cause."
"His Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation technique is an ancient one, causing unbearable pain during cultivation, with golden blades seemingly circulating through his meridians at every moment. Over the past hundred years, he is the only one known to have successfully practiced it... Rumor has it that he is calm to the point of cruelty, with a technique for refining dharma artifacts using soul blood, and he has amassed considerable personal wealth," Li Xuanfeng explained.
Li Qinghong listened intently as Li Xuanfeng recounted several stories and rumors circulating in the sect about Yu Muxian. Gradually, she formed an image of him in her mind, her expression growing worried, An emotionless, ruthless seeker of the Dao... that will be troublesome to handle.
Seeing her concern, Li Xuanfeng said in a serious tone, "You do not need to worry. I will send someone to gather more information. Stay here for a few months, and you can also take me to Yuanjiao when the time comes."
"Alright," Li Qinghong agreed naturally. She had several tasks on this trip: one was to collect thunder energy according to a schedule, and another was to explore the grotto heaven near the Qunyi Strait. She then voiced a concern: "I just hope we do not alert him prematurely."
"It is of no consequence," Li Xuanfeng replied. "The Yu Family has grievances with ours, so asking around for such information would not raise suspicion."
Hearing this, Li Qinghong added, "Please also ask Ning Heyuan. The family has discovered one or two valuable items, so it is best for an elder to inquire about them."
Their family had found an underground river within the Great Jueting, along with a reddish mineral the size of a table, covered in white veining and accompanied by a piece of golden ore.
Not knowing the value of these items, Li Qinghong worried about asking too openly, thinking it would be safer for Li Xuanfeng to handle it. After all, with a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator behind them, any gain could be managed without fear.
After hearing her description, Li Xuanfeng nodded. With a flash of spiritual sense, he summoned someone nearby. It was none other than Ning Dingbo, the eldest brother of the Ning Family. Li Xuanfeng gestured to him and said, "Fetch Ning Heyuan."