Li Xijun reread the contents of the scroll twice and spoke softly, "These items are indeed beyond what our family can afford. Aunt, brother, what are your thoughts?"
Li Qinghong responded, "That Li Encheng's younger brother, Li Enxi, a full-fledged Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, lowered himself to plead bitterly in your brother's hall, shedding tears and invoking the past favor of the Essence Gathering Pill and the ties between the Wei-Li Clan. Your brother found it difficult to outright refuse..."
"I understand." Li Xijun calmly put away the jade scroll and said softly, "I will gather one or two of these requested items. As for the rest, we will substitute them with similar Qi Cultivation Realm materials. We will expend some resources, send the package to Green Pine Island, and that will suffice."
Li Xijun continued, "The newly constructed formation at home has indeed strained our resources. Speak with Li Enxi and help him understand."
Li Qinghong nodded slightly and said quietly, "That is all we can do!"
Li Xuanxuan, however, winced as if in physical pain and reminded them, "Why should we always let him take advantage? Li Encheng has not done a thing for our family..."
Li Xijun understood his concern and replied gently, "Since Brother Zhi has agreed, he must have his own plans. We should do our best to support him."
Although reluctant, Li Xuanxuan trusted Li Xizhi's decisions. He relented and said, "You are right. Let us proceed with that plan."
Li Qinghong nodded and took the opportunity to relay the news she had gathered during her journey. Speaking softly, she added, "There is no rush to depart. Jun'er, handle the collection of materials first. We can leave in a few months."
Lijing Town.
Li Chengliao had been waiting anxiously on the mountain for quite some time. When he finally saw Li Qinghong returning with Li Zhouwei, she teased with a smile, "It has not been that long since we took him up the mountain, are you that reluctant to part with your family treasure?"
Li Chengliao laughed awkwardly, scooping up Li Zhouwei as they stepped onto the wind. They flew over the lake and entered the grand hall. As Li Chengliao observed his son, everything seemed the same as before, yet he felt there was a subtle change in the boy. He asked, "Wei'er, how was the mountain?"
Li Zhouwei seemed to be lost in thought, still savoring the scenes he had just experienced. He replied softly, "Father, there were many white irises on the mountain."
Li Chengliao paused, sensing the boy was speaking in riddles. But those seated in this central hall were no ordinary individuals. He raised his eyebrows slightly and began to think carefully.
It did not take long for him to pull a memory from the depths of his mind. That year, he was only twelve when he was sent to the mountain to have his aptitude assessed. His father, Li Xicheng, was not present, but he had gone with several younger siblings.
"The ancestral hall... soft cushions... Minggong... Chenghui..." As these hazy recollections sharpened, Li Chengliao remembered kneeling somewhere, his five senses sealed, before being led out and taught a spell.
Now that his knowledge far exceeded what it was then, he lowered his gaze and murmured, "Did they take you to the ancestral hall?"
Li Zhouwei raised his head to meet his father's eyes. His dark golden pupils flickered slightly as he replied softly, "Father has also been there?"
Li Chengliao nodded silently, his eyes reflecting deep thought. His mind raced, and in a low voice, he said, "I have been there, yes. They could not seal your sight, could they... No matter, Wei'er must understand."
Li Zhouwei seemed surprised, pausing briefly before answering, "Father, you ask too many questions."
Li Chengliao suddenly snapped out of his thoughts, momentarily at a loss for words. After a few moments of stunned silence, he laughed heartily, scooped up his son again, and said softly, "My mistake. I lost myself for a moment. My son possesses such divine bearing; he will never disappoint anyone."
He sighed and added, "But everything we do is for the good of the family..."
Li Zhouwei fixed his gaze on his father, as if studying his expression. In that moment, his dark golden eyes, as wild as a tiger's or leopard's, betrayed a hint of primal ferocity. But he silently absorbed the words, pondering them deeply.
A bright smile spread across his face as he tugged Li Chengliao into the grand hall. Picking up the long halberd at his side, he grinned and declared, "My halberd techniques have improved again. Let me demonstrate for Father!"
————
Eastern Mount Yue.
Rain dripped steadily as Yuan Fuyao completed a circuit around the town before retreating to his cave dwelling. Two servants approached him eagerly, asking for news.
Yuan Fuyao waved them off and replied, "The weather in northern Yue seems to be gradually returning to normal, though who knows how far the conflict between the two sects has progressed."
He sat down by the stone table and, after a moment, asked, "And at home... how is the Second Elder?"
The Yuan Family's internal strife had, like the shifting climate, begun to settle. Yuan Fuyao, who had spies within the family, was not entirely uninformed. His granduncle, Yuan Huyuan, no longer dared to return home. His father had disappeared without a word, leaving the Second Elder, Yuan Hudu, in full control of the situation.
Yuan Fuyao had long expected this outcome. With the backing of the Chi Family, how could the Second Elder lose? From the beginning, it had been a futile struggle—trapped prey lashing out pointlessly—only depleting the family's resources.
With the dust now settled, the Second Elder, Yuan Hudu, who had once shared a cordial relationship with Yuan Fuyao, now left him feeling conflicted and troubled, "Why on earth did they align with the Li Family? Once, I shared familial ties with Yuan Hudu and even benefited from his care. But now, this makes him my enemy... In this vast world, I am confined to this one small town!"
As Yuan Fuyao sat in his courtyard, sighing heavily, two of his attendants suddenly approached him with excited expressions, calling out, "Young Master! A letter has arrived from home!"
Yuan Fuyao quickly took the letter from them, eagerly scanning it from start to finish. His hands trembled as he read, finding the handwriting sharp and unmistakable. Upon closer inspection of the signature, it was indeed from Yuan Hudu!
Yuan Hudu's tone was courteous, and he thoroughly laid out his analysis in the letter, explaining every detail with transparency and clarity. He wrote:
"I am now in charge of the family, temporarily earning the trust of the Chi Family while letting Huyuan search for the Peak Master's whereabouts. This was all carefully planned with your father. For your part, I have arranged a marriage with a young lady from the Song Family. Please return home promptly."
"Your father has already made this promise, and it is unavoidable that you go through with it. The betrothal gifts are considerable, and the Li Family will surely demand them. If you have already obtained any of the items or clues regarding them, do not reveal anything. Find an excuse to leave Moongaze Lake and return home immediately. As long as you make it back safely, I will personally come to resolve the issue. Otherwise, if you fall into someone else's hands, you will become a pawn for their schemes, and there will be no way out."
Yuan Hudu explained everything thoroughly, even breaking down which factions the elders aligned with in their respective immortal sects. He ended with a warning, "The Li Family has aligned themselves with the Ning Family, who have been entrenched in the Southern Border for years. The Chi Family has long been displeased with this alliance... Your father only has you as his sole heir! Do not follow this path to destruction!"
Yuan Fuyao finished reading, drenched in sweat, with a sudden sense of clarity washing over him. Inwardly, he thought, Could it be true?! So, Father had already planned all this out! Were the elders merely acting all along?
He mulled over the situation repeatedly. However, the memory of Yuan Huyuan's expression on that day resurfaced in his mind, leaving him conflicted once more. Unsure of what to do, one of the Yuan Family attendants cautiously spoke up, "Young Master... the messenger said they will wait for you in the south at midnight... this..."
Yuan Fuyao was instantly shocked, exclaiming in frustration, "Why are you telling me this only now?!"
Looking at the moonlight in the sky, his composure faltered entirely. Never one to act decisively, he floundered like an ant on a hot griddle. One moment, he wanted to rush out; the next, he hesitated, feeling he needed to think things through a little more. Stomping his feet anxiously, he muttered, "What should I do? What should I do?!"