Yuan Chengdun, assuming Li Xuanxuan was merely pondering, continued waiting. But Li Xuanxuan's unfocused eyes and slumped face told another story. Breathing heavily, he suddenly snapped out of his trance and rasped, "Ah… this matter… still depends on Yuexiang's decision."
He took a small step back after saying this, his weariness as an elder becoming evident. Yuan Chengdun paused in surprise, then turned to look at the young woman standing beside him.
Li Yuexiang's gray-black eyes carried a trace of Li Yuanjiao's coloring. Her face was delicate and beautiful, but her most striking feature was her pair of phoenix-like eyes inherited from her mother.
Yuan Chengdun met those eyes directly. They were bright and unwavering, without even the faintest trace of fear or deference, despite his reputation as a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator renowned throughout Jiangnan. Instead, her gaze was calm and composed, exuding a quiet strength.
A fine young woman, Yuan Chengdun thought to himself, his heart stirred.
Li Yuexiang softly asked, "May I inquire, Senior, about your son's temperament? His level of cultivation? And his age?"
Yuan Chengdun sighed and replied, "He is about the same age as you. However, he lost his mother at a young age and has rarely received my guidance. Within the clan, he has suffered some injustices. While he is kind-hearted, he cannot help but be a little weak in character."
The man spoke honestly, laying bare his son's shortcomings without embellishment. This sincerity caused Li Yuexiang to view him in a better light. She responded gently, "As the saying goes, like father, like son. I will reserve my judgment. Why not have your son visit Moongaze Lake? I can take him for a walk around the lake and have a good conversation with him."
Yuan Chengdun hesitated briefly, but Li Yuexiang smoothly continued, "If the matter does not work out, your son can also remain here to study the Dao and spells with our family. When you return, you can take him back with you."
Yuan Chengdun was stunned by the young woman's perceptiveness. Her words struck directly at the heart of his concerns, causing him to waver. Initially, he had only intended to secure a protector for his son. Yet now, he was genuinely moved, thinking to himself, A woman like this could safeguard my lineage. No wonder back then Xiao Jiuqing insisted that Xiao Xian marry a direct descendant of the Li Family. No wonder the Xiao Family at Mount Yu remained stable even after father and son both perished. The Li Family's upbringing is remarkable!
Yuan Chengdun had dealings with the Xiao Family of Mount Yu in the past. At the time, Xiao Xian could have married his sister, but Xiao Jiuqing had made a firm decision to have him marry Li Qingxiao instead. Back then, Yuan Chengdun hadn't understood the reasoning, as he was still young and full of pride.
My Yuan Family, a great clan with hundreds of years of history—how could we not match the Li Family? That was what he thought back then.
Now, seeing Li Yuexiang, Yuan Chengdun finally understood Xiao Jiuqing's perspective. After a moment of silence, he said softly, "I do not have much time left. When my child arrives, we will settle the engagement. I will leave the betrothal gifts here. If Yuexiang truly dislikes him, your family need not force the matter. Consider the gifts as my token of respect for your clan."
As he finished speaking, Yuan Chengdun waved his large hand, and a heap of jade boxes appeared in the hall. The clinking sound of dharma artifacts filled the air as they scattered across the floor. Most of the items were crafted primitively by demon clans, with materials far exceeding the skill used to shape them.
Li Yuexiang paused, her expression unshaken, and said softly, "If this arrangement does not work out, I will personally ensure all these items are handed over to your son."
Yuan Chengdun gave her a deep look and replied in his resonant voice, "Very well."
He said no more, cupping his fist respectfully to a dazed Li Xuanxuan before riding the wind and departing. As he left, the sky broke into a downpour. Yuan Chengdun flew through the rain, gazing at the overcast sky with a complicated expression, "If only Yao'er could rise to the occasion. With a family like this as his support and a sharp-witted wife like her, there would be nothing to fear anymore."
Yuan Chengdun continued with a trace of concern, "But I worry this dog son of mine will not live up to her, always looking at shallow places and walking into murky waters. One day, something will happen, and he will meet a tragic end."
Yuan Chengdun's time with his son had been brief, leaving him feeling a deep sense of guilt. It was this guilt that had driven him to make this trip. Flying through the clouds, he thought to himself, Children and grandchildren have their own destinies. I cannot control everything.
Yuan Chengdun's decision to leave was not as simple as he claimed. In truth, the internal strife within the Yuan Family had reached a fever pitch, with the involvement of various external forces becoming increasingly evident. Both Yuan Huyuan and Yuan Chengdun were deeply concerned.
His journey to hide in the Eastern Sea was both a retreat to safeguard himself and an attempt to find a way out of the predicament. He aimed to locate Yuan Tuan and resolve the crises besieging them.
Yuan Chengdun gradually disappeared into the torrential rain as he flew further away.
On Mount Qingdu, Li Yuexiang deliberately took a storage pouch and carefully collected the items scattered on the ground, meticulously sorting and recording them. It took her an hour to categorize everything.
Once she had finished her tasks and raised her head, she noticed Li Xuanxuan still staring blankly at her.
Li Yuexiang misunderstood his intentions slightly and frowned as she asked, "Grandfather… are you planning for me to marry that young master from the Yuan Family?"
Who could have guessed that such a simple question would cause Li Xuanxuan to leap from his seat in the grand hall? He hurriedly stepped forward from his lower seat and exclaimed, "I… Jingtian… it is entirely up to you to decide…"
Li Yuexiang lowered her head slightly and replied, "Grandfather, you have mistaken me for someone else."
Li Xuanxuan seemed to awaken from a dream. The light in his eyes dimmed quickly as he murmured, "Xiang'er, it is your choice. The family does not lack these things now… no need to force yourself."
He muttered a few more words—something about "evaluating his character" and "don't think about the family's expectations." Shortly after, he left in a fluster, stepping into the pouring rain. In a rush, he ascended the stone steps toward the mountainside cemetery.
Li Yuexiang gently hung the storage pouch on the jade belt at her waist. As she slowly walked out under the eaves, her voice was light. "We will just see what kind of person this so-called son of Sprawling Azure Mountain is."
Her phoenix-like eyes, sharper than almond-shaped eyes, differed from the heroic aura of Li Qinghong. Having been raised by Li Xijun since childhood, Li Yuexiang concealed a thoughtful and calculating mind beneath her calm and gentle demeanor. She didn't mind a political marriage, but she had her plans and considerations.
————
Eastern Sea.
The Scarlet Pristine Sea remained its usual blend of azure and crimson, with whales leaping and gulls soaring as waves crashed mightily. A streak of purple light sped in from the distance, stopping swiftly above the sea's surface.
Li Qinghong rode the wind as she flew over the waves. The jade bottle in her hand shimmered with flashes of violet lightning, with thunder-like patterns that flickered ominously. The power coalesced into a sphere of purple light around her as she continued southward.
Over the past two years, Li Qinghong had managed to collect two additional spirit thunders in the Eastern Sea. Together with the Silver Hook Spirit Thunder she had acquired earlier, she now wielded three.
During this journey of collecting thunders, she had also discovered the profound utility of the artifact in her hands. The three thunders resided within the bottle, neither interfering with nor repelling one another. Instead, they nourished each other, enhancing the artifact's power.
The two spirit thunders had been highly sought after, and her journey had been anything but smooth. The Eastern Sea was rife with bloodshed and darkness. To claim these thunders, many had fallen beneath her spear.
Having studied the Cloud-Thunder Inquiry Technique , Li Qinghong had greatly improved her mastery of thunder techniques. Previously, there had been few thunder-based techniques for her to study, but now, with her cultivation of this method, her strength had advanced considerably.
Riding the wind for some time, Li Qinghong finally saw Zongquan Island appear before her. The island was bustling with activity, its palaces and pavilions scattered across the landscape.