Liu Changdie crawled out of the lake as dawn broke. His feathered robe had not let even a drop of water stain it. He staggered along the shore in a daze, as he realized that everything from the past had vanished without a trace. He didn’t know what to do, and simply rode the wind toward the mountains.
It was not until he reached Mount Qingdu that Liu Changdie realized he still had the formation flag. He had no choice but to pass through the formation and head toward the hall Li Xijun had occupied.
Liu Changdie stepped inside after the armored guards at the gate reported his presence. An elderly man with white hair and a white beard, clad in black and gold armor, was seated inside.
The man’s eyebrows rose as he exclaimed, "Daoist Changdie!"
"Brother Xuanfeng!" replied Liu Changdie as he hurried forward to greet Li Xuanfeng.
Liu Changdie was momentarily rendered speechless when he carefully examined the latter. Li Xuanfeng was the first member of the Li Family he had seen in this life. Liu Changie had only heard of Li Xuanfeng’s renowned Astral Golden Bow technique in his previous life. But in this life, they had met as youths and forged a bond.
Li Xuanfeng was examining his friend, and noticed his lost and hollow-eyed appearance. Although Liu Changdie’s Foundation Establishment aura was deep and clearly not from an ordinary cultivation technique, his breath was short and his heart was wavering. He seemed at a loss.
The two stood in the hall. One had once been brimming with youthful vigor, passionate and bold. He wielded a golden bow and dared to shoot anything. Now, he was cold-eyed and white-haired, driven by others to protect his family.
The other had once been full of ambition, rising to fame as he formed bonds with heroes through his mastery of formation arts. Now, he was empty-handed and alone. They looked at each other, and their eyes said everything.
They clasped fists in greeting and did not ask about each other's hardships. Li Xuanfeng simply expressed his gratitude. "This formation can only exist because of you. I, Xuanfeng, thank you on behalf of my family."
He fumbled out a jade box from his storage pouch, but Liu Changdie had lost interest.
He handed over the formation flag and said softly, "If you truly wish to thank me… There is a concubine that goes by the surname Liu in the town’s Hu Family. She is a distant relative of mine. Look after her on my behalf, and that will suffice as thanks."
Li Xuanfeng frowned as an exhausted Liu Changdie pressed his Shenyang Mansion point and softly said, "Brother Xuanfeng, you can see that I am troubled by inner demons. I truly cannot delay. I must hurry to find spirit items and secret techniques to suppress it. I should not linger… Forgive me… Forgive me…"
Li Xuanfeng was a straightforward person. So when he saw Liu Changdie’s face covered in cold sweat, he had no choice but to escort him out. He watched as Liu Changdie took out his flying shuttle and quickly disappeared into the distance. Li Xuangeng rode the wind back to the hall, where Li Xijun was already waiting.
Li Xuanfeng valued Li Xijun the most among the younger generation of the Li Family. His expression softened a little as he asked, "What happened with Yuexiang?"
Li Xijun explained the whole situation and his speculations. Li Xuanfeng’s stern expression eased slightly, and he said quietly, "Although it was unavoidable, does that mean my family can be humiliated without reason? I will pay a visit to the Yuan Family soon. If Yuan Huyuan wants to cut ties with us, I’ll make sure he completely understands the consequences."
Li Xijun nodded. Though he was also holding a grudge over his sister’s matter, he still advised, "Azure Pond has issued strict orders against crossing borders and involving neighboring counties. The Yuan Family is a natural ally due to geography. If lives are lost, it may not bode well."
Li Xuanfeng simply waved his hand in response, his face unusually showing a rare smile. He said, "Let’s not speak of this further. I have my own arrangements. First, take me to see that promising junior. I want to see what he looks like now."
—--
At the Chen Residence.
Chen Mufeng rode the wind back to his residence, where he was greeted by a crowd of wives and concubines. The Chen family had always been favored across generations and Chen Mufeng held a respectable position within the clan. So it was natural that he had many wives and concubines. Their chirping voices overlapped, but his face was dark as he waved them aside.
He hurried inside, going straight to the innermost part of the courtyard, where he found a woman seated quietly. She did not have a particularly remarkable appearance, yet Chen Mufeng greeted her with a beaming smile.
He approached attentively and spoke softly, "Dear…"
Madam Li, the younger sister of Li Xicheng, was sipping tea in the courtyard. A young boy of twelve or thirteen, with narrow eyes and gentle brows, stood beside her with his hands behind his back.
Madam Li acknowledged her husband and replied, "You’ve returned just in time. Yang’er has broken through to the fourth stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm. We were just about to go find you."
Chen Mufeng was both shocked and delighted. "What!"
When he ran his spiritual sense over his eldest son, he found that Chen Yang had broken through to the fourth stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm. Chen Mufeng exclaimed in awe, "Even though this cultivation speed can’t compare to Li Ximing in his youth, it should be able to rival the current overseer of Mount Qingdu!"
Madam Li smiled and nodded. Chen Yang raised his brows and looked at his father, speaking softly, "The technique of the Embryonic Breathing Realm is too crude. Otherwise, I could be even faster."
He had inherited his mother’s gray-black eyes, while his gentle and elongated brows resembled those of his maternal uncle’s line. If one were to compare closely, he looked more like a member of the Li Family than the Chen Family. Chen Mufeng’s heart skipped a beat whenever his son narrowed his eyes.
Chen Mufeng's fear of those eyes had kept him from growing particularly close to his child. There had been times where he had seen the Li Family’s cunning and suspicion in the boy’s unintentional movements or expressions.
However, compared to his other children, who were like a flock of quails, Chen Yang’s talent was simply unmatched. Chen Mufeng would rather choose Chen Yang than one of those incompetent and useless kids.
On the other hand, Madam Li adored her child. Her gaze was gentle as she said, "The reason I wanted to talk is because I want Yang’er to serve the heir."
Chen Yang did not lift his head, but his narrow eyes swiftly and subtly flicked up as he scanned his father’s face. His gray-black pupils contracted slightly, and the dark center fixed itself in an unblinking stare.
"Ah." Chen Mufeng responded. When he looked at Chen Yang, he saw a compliant expression on the boy’s face. He then continued, "It is naturally a good thing. I only worry about Chengliao…"
"I’ve already spoken to him," replied Madam Li. She returned her gaze to her tea and dismissed Chen Yang. Her expression grew serious and anxious as she said, "Can you not see it in Yang’er? He is not destined to remain in a shallow pond! The reason I rarely let him meet my elder brother is precisely because of his nature… He’s like… I don’t even know who he resembles. His cunning and ambition grows by the day. If he cannot gain the trust of the Li Family early on, I fear he will not meet a good end!"
"What?!" Chen Mufeng jerked his head up in disbelief. He had once been a young man with ambitions himself, so he felt his wife was exaggerating. He spoke softly, "Why go so far, Madam? A child in his teens will naturally have a little ambition. It will fade with time…"
"You don’t believe me?" asked Madam Li.
Chen Mufeng immediately held his tongue and nodded. "I’ll take him to see Chengliao right away."
Madam Li grabbed his hand. "I’ve heard that the heir is no easy character either. When you go, you must personally accompany Yang’er to meet him. Just in case anything happens."
Chen Mufeng felt like his wife was overthinking things but still nodded again. He hurried out of the courtyard, bringing Chen Yang with him. They rode the wind all the way to the grand side hall, where they waited for about an hour until Li Chengliao finally returned.
The two wove through the corridors between the pavilions. This was Chen Yang’s first time here. His eyes widened and his heart trembled when he saw the golden rooftops and the white jade steps on the terraces.
Li Chengliao was returning from patrolling their territory with his men. The friction of their armor produced audible clang as they walked. Chen Yang knelt alongside his father at the bottom of the steps. The boy quietly scanned the eighteen stone steps leading to the top of the hall.
His heart trembled as he thought, What magnificent power.
Thoughts flickered lightly in his mind as he peeked at the man in the wolf-fur cloak above. Li Chengliao did not exert much pressure. Yet he exuded authority simply by standing above them.
A surge of audacity rose in Chen Yang’s heart, A true man… should stand above tens of thousands and overpower all heroes with his cultivation… He should manipulate heaven and earth with his schemes… If one merely follows instructions and cultivates without question, what is the purpose of cultivation?