Li Chenghuai, now eleven or twelve years old, stood beside Li Yuexiang, holding her hand. He bowed respectfully. Li Xizhi raised his gaze to look at them—one was his younger sister, whom he had never met before, and the other, his son, whom he had not seen in years.
The faces of the two were both unfamiliar and familiar, carrying a sense of distance. It was evident that neither of them felt very close to him.
Yang Xiao'er, however, was overjoyed. She embraced the bewildered Li Chenghuai and began fussing over him with concern. Li Xizhi, on the other hand, felt a pang of loss and stood there silently. Nearby, Li Xuanxuan watched him intently.
For cultivators, a single seclusion could last several years, often causing them to miss many aspects of life. It was no wonder that so many children of clans became unruly, their personalities warped, spoiled, or unskilled. The Azure Pond Sect's practice of isolating its disciples from worldly ties proved highly effective in severing emotional connections.
Li Xizhi remained quiet, sending his son, younger sister, and Yang Xiao'er away to rest. Only then did he sit down and listen carefully as Li Xuanxuan shared the news from this year. After hearing every detail, he asked about the specifics regarding the events within the grotto heaven. With a surprised expression, he inquired, "Xiao Yongling and Tu Longjian were also involved in killing Yu Muxian? There is no word of this outside."
"Well..." Before Li Xuanxuan could respond, Li Xizhi paused to think.
He quickly pieced things together and nodded, saying, "The Xiao Family offering assistance already indebts them to us. Naturally, this blame will fall upon our family. It is not something beneficial, so of course, the Xiao Family would not publicly admit their involvement."
"That is true." Li Xuanxuan agreed with a nod.
Li Xizhi lifted his head, his expression complex. Though his drooping gaze brimmed with sorrow, the corners of his lips curled upward ever so slightly. A mixture of grief and resignation filled his voice as he said, "Father and I once dreamed of unifying Moongaze Lake, but I never imagined it would come at the cost of his life. Now that Yu Muxian is dead, it is only a matter of time before Moongaze Lake falls into our hands."
"As for when we make our move..." He paused before speaking softly, "There is one thing to consider—Yu Muxian had a wide network of connections on Yuanwu Peak. Acting while Moongaze Lake is still under Yuanwu's command would give them a reason to intervene. By my calculations, it would likely stir unnecessary trouble."
Li Xuanxuan immediately understood and responded, "There are still more than ten years until the next rotation. It will take careful maneuvering until then."
"Exactly," Li Xizhi replied. "Ten years is neither long nor short. It is just two cycles of seclusion for a cultivator. In the meantime, we must ensure that Yuanwu Peak does not come back to recruit disciples."
"Recruit disciples?" Li Xuanxuan chuckled and replied, "Do you know what the Yu Family has become? Since Yu Mugao's death, the power consolidated under him from external cultivators, branch elders, and collateral lines has completely unraveled. Now, any promising talent from their main line dies mysteriously before they can rise. How could they possibly recruit disciples?"
Li Xizhi, his face like a polished jade crown, lowered his gaze slightly. He didn't relax despite Li Xuanxuan's reassurance. Instead, his voice, gentle yet steady, echoed faintly, "Grandfather, you must not let your guard down. Father's life was defined by caution, and there is much to be learned from it."
Li Xuanxuan's smile faded, and he nodded solemnly. Li Xizhi then spoke softly, "The Yu Family splintered under Jiang's example. Let it serve as a cautionary tale."
"I understand," Li Xuanxuan replied.
He was fully aware of what Li Xizhi meant—that dismantling Yu Muxian's network of connections was the best strategy. Breaking it apart would render them powerless, allowing the Li Family to advance or retreat as needed, creating unparalleled advantages. With a quiet determination, Li Xuanxuan said, "I will take care of it immediately."
Li Xizhi quickly shifted topics and asked, "How are the younger generation of the family?"
Li Xuanxuan nodded and replied, "The heir, Zhouwei, is of the Bright Yang bloodline. He is only two years old, so his talents have yet to fully emerge, but his potential seems promising."
Li Xuanxuan continued, "As for Chengliao, he has the steadiness and prudence of Yuanping. He manages household affairs with clarity and thoughtfulness. Though outwardly unremarkable, he is brilliant within. During the matter with Xu Xiao years ago, he contributed greatly. He is an excellent child, though the family has been too peaceful in recent years to fully utilize his talents."
Finally, he concluded, "Chenghuai has decent aptitude and should have no problem reaching the Foundation Establishment Realm. The two of them can serve as aides to Zhouwei and help mold him into something exceptional, ensuring the family remains secure for the next century."
"Zhouwei..." Li Xizhi was surprised and said, "I should meet him. And where is Ximing?"
"Brother!" Before Li Xizhi could finish speaking, a figure clad in a golden Daoist robe appeared at the door. The robe shimmered with alchemical fire qi, and the eight trigrams were emblazoned on its back. The figure was none other than Li Ximing.
In recent years, Li Ximing had focused primarily on alchemy and rarely entered seclusion. Yet, his exceptional natural talent allowed his cultivation to progress steadily even as he refined pills.
Li Xizhi's eyes lit up upon seeing him and patted him on the shoulder, laughing heartily, "And where is Aunt?"
"She has gone to the Eastern Sea!" Li Mixing answered.
When they were younger, Li Ximing often accompanied this elder brother to watch plays, and their bond had been close. Smiling absentmindedly, he felt a wave of nostalgia as he realized that Li Xizhi hadn't changed much from the brother he remembered.
Li Xizhi gestured for them to come closer, his demeanor turning a bit more serious. After a moment of hesitation, he began, "This time, I was only able to leave because I accepted an assignment. I am heading to Green Pine Island to serve as its guardian."
He explained further: Green Pine Grotto Heaven, briefly in contact with the mortal world before separating again, had caused Green Pine Island to become a land of concentrated spiritual energy, even though no spirit creatures had been born from it since. Its abundant spiritual energy made it suitable for qi-gathering and cultivation, effectively making it a minor blessed land.
The immortal sects, ever opportunistic, split the island into sections and claimed territories for themselves. Li Xizhi had been assigned to guard one of these areas and oversee qi-gathering.
Li Xizhi said, "Since this is an official task assigned by the sect, time is tight. I need to report back immediately after completing it, but I will find time to return home in the future. While I am at it, I will head to the Eastern Sea to look for my master's whereabouts. There is no time to delay, so let me first discuss a few matters with you, Grandfather, to prevent any issues."
Li Xuanxuan nodded, understanding the urgency, and prepared to listen intently. Li Xizhi continued, "First, about the Yuan Family. Although my master has disappeared in the Eastern Sea and there is infighting within the Yuan Family, with their powerbase crumbling and showing signs of decline, they are far from finished. A centipede may die, but it does not stop wriggling. The family must avoid any impulsive actions against them; it would only bring harm to ourselves."
Li Xuanxuan chuckled and shook his head, responding earnestly, "At the very least, our two families are allies. The Yuan Clan has offered us assistance many times in the past, so such a thing is impossible!"
"Good! If there is a chance, we might even lend them a hand. True loyalty in times of hardship is remembered the most." Although reassured, Li Xizhi couldn't help but add another cautionary note. Lowering his voice, he continued gravely, "What about the Yu Family? This rain has been falling for two whole years now, which is far beyond the influence of someone at the Foundation Establishment Realm."
Li Xizhi speculated, "No matter how talented Yuan Licheng may have been, he is merely someone who failed to break through. This prolonged rainfall is excessive. Based on my observations, there is likely someone orchestrating it from behind the scenes."
His expression grew tense as he added, "Furthermore, I encountered Dawn Rayfish on the way. These creatures descend during heavy rains and are usually linked to Converging Water or Pristine Water. However, as far as I recall, my master once mentioned that Yuan Licheng cultivated the Water Mansion System!"
Li Ximing was visibly startled and whispered, "Are you suggesting… that someone in Azure Pond Sect is deliberately using divine techniques to bring down this rain?"
Li Xizhi nodded and explained, "I have some theories derived from Daoist principles. It is a long story, but I will summarize."
He led them to a desk, where he drew a circle on the surface. As his rainbow-like qi flowed, the lines turned bright white.