From a nearby cloudbank, a figure emerged. The man wore a green robe, with a jade flute swaying on a red cord at his waist. He was a middle-aged man with a Daoist crown perched atop his head, standing with hands clasped behind his back. His expression was calm, and he smiled faintly as he addressed Tang Shedu, "So, even the mighty wielder of the Long Sky Halberd meets his match today?"
Tang Shedu's expression shifted subtly as he stared at the man. After a moment, he spoke in a low voice, "Shen Xi?"
The man in green offered no reply. Instead, he drew a longsword, pointing it directly at Tang Shedu. The radiant green light of his feathered robe clashed with the platinum-white glow rising from Tang Shedu's armor.
Though the flames in the sky had not yet fully dissipated, another brilliant collision of mana erupted. The resulting shockwaves scattered the clouds, clearing a vast space in the heavens.
————
Tu Longjian chased on the wind, while Xiao Yongling descended to catch Li Yuanjiao. Using his mana, Xiao Yongling scoured back and forth, painstakingly retrieving Li Yuanjiao's shattered body piece by piece. A few drops of blood stained Xiao Yongling's face, and his expression carried a faint sadness.
Li Yuanjiao's body was already torn apart, barely held together by Xiao Yongling's mana. The wound left by Cloudsunder continued to spread, threatening to dissolve his body into a mist of blood.
With one hand, Xiao Yongling channeled mana into Li Yuanjiao, while the other reached for a medicinal pill. Born of a great clan and rich in experience, Xiao Yongling needed only a glance to know that Li Yuanjiao could not be saved. Yet, despite this, he still fed him the pill.
In the distance, a golden light streaked closer as Li Xuanfeng arrived in haste. His hands were drenched in blood, with white bone exposed, and a few of his fingers hung loosely, clearly having been hastily reattached.
Li Xuanfeng's trump card, unlike the Qingche Sword, came from the accumulated power of countless arrows he had fired over the years. This stored energy, meticulously nurtured, unleashed an immense and overwhelming strike that nearly killed Yu Muxian in a single blow. However, the backlash almost crippled Li Xuanfeng's hands.
Disregarding his injuries, Li Xuanfeng had drawn his bow again to save Li Yuanjiao, firing another arrow that nearly cost him his hands. After hurriedly swallowing some medicine, he arrived with pale lips and a chill in his heart.
Although Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators were not as resilient as Buddhist cultivators, they still possessed remarkable vitality. Li Yuanjiao's vision blurred as he faintly heard Tang Shedu's relieved laughter and the angry shouts of Xiao Yongling and Tu Longjian.
His hands felt icy cold, bringing back memories of an afternoon many years ago. Li Yuanjiao had walked step by step down a moss-covered stone path as faint pale-green rain drizzled from the sky. Back then, too, his hands had felt cold.
Yet, the chill of today felt oddly warmer, for at least now he was holding something tangible, something worthy of passing on to his ancestors.
This situation was within my calculations—deceiving step by step, leveraging Tu Longjian, and striking Yu Muxian down with ambush after ambush. Still, I fear that my granduncle, watching from below, will fault me for a life spent without scruples, resorting to dishonorable tactics, Li Yuanjiao mused.
The binding power of Cloudsunder began to ebb away like a retreating tide. The first thing Li Yuanjiao saw was Li Xuanfeng's blood-soaked face. The man gripped Li Yuanjiao's hand tightly, his wet grip faintly revealing the hardness of bone.
Li Yuanjiao's vision dimmed as his vitality ebbed. Yet, sustained by the medicinal pills he had swallowed, his life clung stubbornly on, dragging him through a torturous cycle of hallucinations. He saw his mother, Mu Yalu, smiling as they sat together at the table. He saw Li Yuanxiu reading alongside him. Then he was back in the bridal sedan, where Xiao Guiluan's gentle face appeared, before it shifted to the innocent smiles of Li Xizhi and Li Yuexiang.
The stars above flickered like lamps in the darkness. A cool breeze swept by, and droplets of blood-soaked rain splattered on his face. As his consciousness faded, he found himself in a memory of another night. The stars transformed into lights at the foot of the mountain, while the clouds became the silhouette of a tall figure.
Unlike Li Yuanjiao's usual black attire, this figure wore a flowing white robe with a billowing cloak. His face was youthful, his expression serene, and his eyebrows relaxed. The man exuded an air of grace, smiling silently as he gazed at Li Yuanjiao.
A faint sweetness filled Li Yuanjiao's mouth, jolting him back to reality. It seemed he had been fed some life-saving elixir. Summoning his last breath, a faint light appeared in his hand, faintly resembling a coiling and flying serpent.
"Li… Wushao…" he murmured.
Li Xuanfeng grasped Li Yuanjiao's hand tightly, clenching his jaw as tears welled up in his bloodshot eyes. Before him, Li Yuanjiao's pupils had already begun to turn gray. The soft patter of pale-green rain fell from above, striking Li Xuanfeng's black-gold armor with a dull rhythm.
Li Xuanfeng bent forward slightly. Li Yuanjiao's lips moved, and he rasped in a barely audible voice, "Brother… brother…"
Li Yuanjiao's tone was light, a cheerful inflection that Li Xuanfeng had never heard from him before. His tongue moved sluggishly in his mouth, but no further words came.
The pale-green rain continued to fall within the grotto heaven, dripping steadily onto Li Xuanfeng's black-gold armor. The middle-aged man covered his face with one hand, remaining silent. His other hand, wounded and revealing bone, gently closed his nephew's eyes.
————
Moongaze Lake.
Autumn arrived early this year at Moongaze Lake. The landscape was painted in hues of crimson and yellow. Over at Qingdu Peak, the rains returned once more, falling in a gentle drizzle that passed through the formation barrier and gathered on the mountain. The water streamed down the stone crevices and channels, flowing clear and bright as it descended. ℝÁΝÓBЁ𝒮
The Li Family ancestral hall had been meticulously relocated to Mount Qingdu, every brick and stone transported without damage. The bluestone bricks exuded an ancient air, their surfaces covered in moss. The six massive doors of the hall were tightly shut, the brass fittings on them now dulled with age.
Li Yuexiang, dressed in a flowing white dress, gently pushed the door open. The lamps inside the hall flickered faintly, casting a soft and warm yellow glow. Familiar with the rituals, she stepped inside, offering incense and bowing reverently. The faint scent of incense lingered on her.
Few people came to the Li Family ancestral hall. In years past, there had been objections from some of the elders about allowing women to enter. However, ever since Li Qinghong reached the Foundation Establishment Realm, those voices had gradually fallen silent and were never heard again.
As Li Yuexiang entered the hall, she noticed someone standing silently in the center of the grand hall. The figure stood motionless, as though lost in deep thought. Only when he heard her movements did he turn around.
"Brother!" Li Yuexiang greeted.
The man before her was none other than Li Xijun. Normally calm and composed—unshaken even if Mount Tai were to collapse before him—her elder brother seemed uncharacteristically restless. He nodded slightly in acknowledgment and asked her a couple of questions absentmindedly.
During their brief exchange, Li Xijun glanced twice toward the head of the hall. There, positioned between the ancestral tablets and the altar, hung a row of jade stones. Some of the jade stones gleamed brightly, while others had grown dim, emitting a faint, warm glow.
Li Yuexiang kneeled on a soft mat to the side, bowing her head slightly. As her eyes wandered over the neatly arranged ancestral tablets, she silently recited in her heart, Mother has gone into seclusion to attempt her breakthrough... I only hope... heaven grants her success… and that no unexpected troubles arise.
She closed her eyes lightly, bowing deeply. But just as she did, a faint cracking sound reached her ears. At the same time, she heard the unmistakable rasp of Li Xijun gripping his sword hilt tightly, accompanied by his heavy breathing.
Crack…
The sound echoed sharply through the otherwise silent hall. The lamps within the hall dimmed simultaneously, and Li Yuexiang froze mid-bow.
Lifting her head, she saw shards of jade scattered across the floor. At the forefront of the jade display, the lustrous piece that Li Xijun had been staring at for months had shattered completely, fragments cascading with a faint tinkling sound.
Li Yuexiang squeezed her eyes shut tightly, tears falling swiftly from the corners of her eyes. They slid down her neck and dripped onto her white dress. Sniffling softly, she began gathering the broken jade pieces into a small pile. She couldn't suppress a quiet sob as she murmured, "Father…"