“Peace and joy don’t last forever. Life can change in an instant, but that’s not what I’m afraid of. What worries me is whether our next generation will carry on their responsibilities.”
Li Xiangping let out a wry smile and then changed the subject. He handed over a cloth and brush to Li Chejing so that he could document the sword technique.
“I only have one move for this sword technique. Its name shall be...” Li Chejing paused, a vision of a white sword aura in the shape of a crescent flashed through his mind.
“I’ll name it the Celestial Moon Slash,” he declared.
With that, he set to work, detailing the technique across several pieces of cloth with meticulous attention to the flow of qi, the distribution of mana along the sword, and the execution of the move. Once done, he set his brush down with a nod of satisfaction.
“I’ll transfer these onto a wooden slip once you return to the immortal sect,” Li Xiangping said happily as he carefully put away the pieces of cloth.
Li Chejing looked at the sky and realized that two hours had gone by. He spent the remainder of the evening imparting important knowledge on talisman arts to Li Xiangping, then talked with his father until late at night and nourished the old man’s body with spells and supplements.
With dawn approaching, he prepared to depart for Lichuankou Village.
————
After spending a quarter of an hour aboard the Dawn Cloudliner, Li Chejing found his thoughts continually drifting back to his family.
Noticing that his mind was preoccupied, Yuan Tuan softly asked, “How’s your father?”
Li Chejing, who was reminded of the excuse he used to visit home, clutched the slender green jade bottle hanging at his waist and responded somberly, “He’s still able to eat. I've reconditioned his body, so he should hold on for a few more years.”
Yuan Tuan sighed gently, interpreting Li Chejing’s worry as sadness, and offered some words of consolation. “In the world of cultivators, the natural cycles of life and death are an inevitable reality, even more so for mortals. Perhaps it’s best to push through the pain.”
As they conversed, Li Chejing mulled over how to justify the acquisition of the Supreme Yin Moonlight to Si Yuanbai.
If the Golden Autumn In Lake has to be acquired from the sect, borrowing the Moon Lake Autumn Reflection Technique manual alone will definitely require Master’s approval. This means practicing the technique in secrecy isn’t possible. I must first speak with Master , he concluded.
He then turned to Yuan Tuan and asked, “Senior Sister, is Master currently on Qingsui Peak?”
“Yes, I received a letter yesterday mentioning that Master has returned to Qingsui Peak. Upon hearing that you got bullied, he unleashed twelve Rain Summoning Talismans on Yuanwu Peak, nearly flooding it,” Yuan Tuan replied with a grin.
“Huh?” Li Chejing was momentarily taken aback by this news before his heart flooded with emotions.
“He caused quite a big scene, even the disciples from nearby peaks came over to see what happened. It was only until the master of Yuanwu Peak personally apologized to him that he dispelled the dark clouds,” Yuan Tuan explained.
“I’ve really caused trouble for Master,” Li Chejing remarked with a wry smile. He appreciated the gesture but did not consider himself to be bullied. Although Deng Qiuzhe was mean to him, that guy was from a prominent clan so Li Chejing was afraid of offending him too.
The Dawn Cloudliner’s speed never disappointed. As their conversation continued, it was not long until the Azure Pond Sect’s mountain gate came into view. Yuan Tuan dropped Li Chejing off at Qingsui Peak before heading to the main peak.
Upon landing and walking a short distance, Li Chejing bumped into his senior, Xiao Yuansi, who had just finished refining pills at dawn and was collecting them into bottles.
His eyes lit up as soon as he saw Li Chejing and happily said, “I, your Senior Brother, taught Deng Qiuzhi a lesson for bullying you! I beat him up real good!”
“Thank you, Senior Brother!” Li Chejing laughed, then approached him and asked, “What kind of pills are you making?”
“Just experimenting with some new formulas of my own,” Xiao Yuansi replied with a smile, shaking his head as he touched the pill furnace that was still warm.
“Master is at the summit, hurry up and go see him,” he urged.
“I was just about to,” Li Chejing responded with a nod, then retrieved ten Spirit Stones from his pouch with a chuckle. “I had almost forgotten about the debt my family owed you, Senior Brother. We can finally pay you back now.”
Xiao Yuansi waved nonchalantly, then accepted the Spirit Stones and tucked them away into his storage pouch before returning his attention to a pill manual.
Li Chejing bowed respectfully before making his way up the path. Soon, he spotted a small pavilion shrouded by pale white clouds in the distance.
As soon as he reached the summit, he spotted a handsome man in his thirties or forties, dressed in blue, and wearing a friendly smile. He stood in the pavilion, exuding an ethereal presence with a sword, shimmering with white light, at his waist.
Li Chejing quickly climbed the stairs, cupped his fist respectfully, and greeted, “Master!”
Si Yuanbai returned his greeting with a smile and said, “Deng Qiuzhi came to Qingsui Peak to offer you an apology, only to find that you had gone home to visit your father.”
The mention of Li Mutian brought a peculiar expression to Si Yuanbai’s face as he observed Li Chejing.
To his surprise, Li Chejing quickly kneeled and said, “I must apologize, Master! I’ve deceived my seniors! I actually returned home to Moongaze Lake for another purpose.”
Si Yuanbai, visibly concerned, quickly pulled Li Chejing up to his feet. “What made you go to such lengths? Get up and tell me more.”
Li Chejing hung his head and then nervously revealed, “Years ago, I received a letter from my family that they had stumbled upon the cave dwelling of a predecessor. After much effort, they finally breached its formation only to find that the cave had been emptied, except for a jade green bottle. My family checked the jade bottle and realized that it contained a spiritual qi of heaven and earth. It was white like frost and fluid as water.”
Si Yuanbai’s brow furrowed as he mulled over Li Chejing’s words. “White as frost, fluid as water? Could it be Frosty Snow Qi or Pine Forest Wind? No... It couldn’t possibly be...”
Si Yuanbai shook his head, his eyes widening in disbelief as he gasped. “Supreme Yin Moonlight?!”
Li Chejing confirmed with a solemn nod. “I spent a long time researching in the scripture pavilion but still, I was not convinced. So, I made up an excuse to return home to verify it for myself. Indeed, it is the Supreme Yin Moonlight!”
“Show it to me!” Si Yuanbai urged.
Li Chejing quickly presented the slender jade green bottle. Si Yuanbai examined it and remarked, “This jade green bottle indeed looks like one of those from a century ago.”
He closed his eyes, and after a moment of concentration, snapped open his eyes again. “It truly is the Supreme Yin Moonlight! You’ve handled this exceptionally well,” he exclaimed.
He then regarded Li Chejing thoughtfully, “The Supreme Yin Moonlight holds immense value. You must carefully consider how it should be utilized.”
“I entrust all decisions to Master,” Li Chejing responded, cupping his fist respectfully.
Si Yuanbai chuckled, affectionately ruffling Li Chejing’s hair, before adopting a serious tone. “What a cunning boy you are.”
“Given that your cultivation has reached the peak of the Embryonic Breathing Realm, if you plan to attain mastery of the Moon Lake Autumn Reflection Technique, the existence of the Supreme Yin Moonlight must not be disclosed to the sect. Your senior sister will request access to the technique on your behalf. Meanwhile, I shall request for the Golden Autumn In Lake spiritual qi. You’ll begin cultivating the technique first, and we’ll only inform the sect after you’ve made substantial progress.”
“If word of this discovery spreads, it could spark a vigorous pursuit among the members of the Moon Lake Peak. They’ll all be eager to get their hands on the Supreme Yin Moonlight, even if the old ancestors in the sect are too proud to fight for it.”
He paused, concern shadowing his features as his voice dropped to a whisper. “No one in the Azure Pond Sect has been able to master this technique for the past three hundred years. They’ve been waiting too long for the opportunity...”
After hearing Si Yuanbai’s words, Li Chejing felt a twinge of guilt and gritted his teeth. He acknowledged his master’s concerns, his emotions a whirlwind of gratitude and determination.
Li Xiangping and himself had always been skeptical of everything. Having grown up away from home, Li Chejing had always approached the world with caution. Yet, standing before Si Yuanbai, whose face radiated kindness, Li Chejing felt a profound sense of relief and belonging. At Qingsui Peak, among his fellow seniors and juniors, he could finally lower his guard.
“Thank you, Master!”