Li Xijun spent years in secluded cultivation, refining spell arts and consolidating his Immortal Foundation. When he finally emerged, Mount Yuting had been influenced by his Immortal Foundation, Snow On Pine . The snow that once only covered the mountain's summit had now spread downward, blanketing the entire mountain in frost and snow.
By the time he emerged, the sun was shining, and the trees were flourishing. As expected, several letters that were all from Li Xizhi had been sent to him. Before he could read them, he heard that Li Xuanfeng was already waiting at Mount Qingdu.
Hurriedly riding the wind toward the meeting, he quickly pulled out two letters and read them carefully. One discussed the shifting patterns of spiritual energy, while the other described the increasing turmoil in the Eastern Sea.
Direct descendants from Chunyi Dao Gate and Island of Mount Qingdu have perished, and several members of the Guo Family on Crimson Reef Island have also died suddenly...
He only glanced at it briefly before tucking it into his sleeve and flying swiftly to the mountaintop.
"Second great uncle has been returning frequently! It seems the Ning Family has loosened their grip... or perhaps they've assigned him a task," muttered Li Xijun. He had been keeping track of these matters. He was perceptive and noticed that each time Li Xuanfeng returned, he always seemed to be under repeated instructions. He probed for information but dared not ask too much.
Now, passing through the deep blue Heaven-Guarding Formation of Five Waters, he landed back on Mount Qingdu. Li Xuanfeng stood with arms crossed in the grand hall, with Li Chengliao standing below him. Li Xijun took one look and spoke in a firm voice, "Ancestor, what is this!"
Li Xuanfeng had already advanced to the late stage of Foundation Establishment Realm. His expression was no longer as deeply furrowed and heavy as before but had become cold and rigid. His chest armor was covered in glistening white blade marks and two pieces of his golden arm guard were shattered, revealing the gleaming silver interior.
A deep scar now ran along the side of his face, stretching from his jaw to his collarbone. The wound was a crystalline blood-red hue. It was glistening under the sunlight, indicating it had only recently begun to heal. It was a gruesome sight.
Li Xuanfeng hesitated for a moment before lightly waving his hand. He had originally concealed the wound with an illusion technique, but since Li Xijun had mastered the perception technique and saw through it instantly, he casually explained, "Just some minor wounds from dealing with a demonic beast."
Li Xuanfeng had spent decades slaughtering demons in the southern border. In the past ten years, he had also killed many people. His hands were drenched in blood. Though most were enemies or those deserving death, there were also innocent ones among them. Yet, with no choice, he steeled himself and carried out the killings.
Only a handful of families from that list had survived. The cunning and deceitful Xiao Family had sealed their mountain early, while the arrogant scion from Crimson Reef Island had his head taken by someone else. Nearly everyone else had been killed by his hand. The jade talisman bound with densely packed storage pouches was now stacked within his Eastern Sea cave dwelling.
Fortunately, this jade talisman was indeed extraordinary and the targets had been carefully selected. No one had discovered the truth and instead, conflicts among several families with Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators were provoked, leading to bloody feuds.
In the end, my hands are stained with filthy blood! thought Li Xuanfeng.
Li Xuanfeng's temperament was different from his elder brother Li Xuanxuan’s. The more bloodshed and enmity he faced, the more his resolve hardened like iron. His will was unyielding. The only time his will broke was when Li Tongya was killed. Now, the more he was tempered, the more unshakable he became.
He was not one to wallow in self-pity. He remembered both his grudges and debts with clarity, to the point that any sense of self-righteousness or arrogance had been thoroughly stripped away. What remained was a somber and profound realization, which lurked a faint, menacing indifference that made him seem less refined.
Seeing Li Xuanfeng’s guarded demeanor, Li Xijun dared not press further. He only sensed that something about Li Xuanfeng had changed. Just then, Li Xuanfeng changed the topic and asked, "The Ning Family has calculated it several times. After all this turmoil, Jiangnan is now a place of Upper Evil Spirit Storage, benefiting those cultivating Earth Virtue, devil cultivation, Water Mansion, and blood qi. It neither harms nor benefits our family, just something to be aware of."
Li Xijun nodded, assuming that Li Xizhi’s letter had also mentioned this. Then he heard Li Xuanfeng continue, "He has gone out less these past two years.. Zhouwei is naturally talented, so he doesn't need to rush within his sixty-year cultivation limit. Don’t let him focus solely on cultivation day after day. He should observe the world and see bloodshed. Otherwise, he might grow up twisted, becoming nothing more than a reckless fighter."
Li Xijun nodded. Just then, he saw Li Xuanfeng retrieve a jade slip from the beast-head ornament on his belt and softly said, "I selected this halberd technique after much deliberation. It was acquired by exchanging treasures I found from an Eastern Sea cave dwelling with one of the forces there. The more it's practiced, the more domineering it becomes. It seems well-suited for Zhouwei. Deliver it to him."
Li Xijun took it but hadn’t yet examined it when someone below reported, "My lord, Ancestor Fei Luoya has come to visit."
Li Chengliao, who had been listening attentively for a long time, seized this opportunity to interject, "Eighth Uncle, this man has come multiple times... You were in seclusion the previous times, so we had to send him away. This cultivator from Mount Yue isn't known for his patience, he’s starting to grow restless."
Li Xijun finally recalled this person. This Foundation Establishment cultivator of Mount Yue had long hoped to gain favor with the Li Family’s Purple Mansion Realm cultivator. This person had been half-heartedly dealt with since Li Yuanjiao's time.. Now, after decades, this old Mount Yue cultivator had actually reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment.
Li Xijun immediately turned to Li Xuanfeng and softly said, "This matter..."
Li Xuanfeng naturally understood. Currently, that man was the only one in the Li Family that was at Purple Mansion Realm. He nodded and said, "Let’s go take a look."
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Li Xijun left Mount Qingdu and arrived at the hall. In the center, the Mount Yue cultivator stood with his hair disheveled and his hands behind his back. Despite wearing a Daoist robe, he had a fierce and menacing appearance and was standing coldly in the courtyard.
Upon seeing Li Xijun, his expression eased slightly, and he spoke in a deep voice, "Are you the one in charge now?"
Fei Luoya’s tone softened a little. He had met Li Tongya and Li Yuanjiao before. Over the past century, the Li Family had changed several elders, yet he had heard that all of them had died for their clan. Though he didn’t fully understand it, he held a certain respect for them and asked, "Has your esteemed family made any progress on the promise you made me years ago? I can’t stay by the lake any longer, I’ll be leaving in the next few days."
Li Xijun acknowledged his words first, then asked with some confusion, "Senior, why such a sudden decision?"
Had he not asked, it would have been fine. But the question made Fei Luoya glare at him and replied, "Zhu Xian is dead! He died so suddenly while he was out and his body wasn’t even found!"
Zhu Xian was one of Fei Luoya’s subordinates, he was at the early stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm. Back in the day, Hooked Serpent Li Wushao had yet to grow back his twin-hooked tail, and his strength was similar to Zhu Xian’s. Though considered weak among Foundation Establishment cultivators, he was still a cultivator at that level. Yet now, without a sound, he was simply gone.
Fei Luoya continued, "Look around, the Golden Tang Gate’s young master is dead, Crimson Reef Island and the Great Xiukui Temple are at war. Cultivators from the Yue Cultivating Sect have stopped venturing outside, Golden Feather Sect and Mount Changhuai are constantly at odds and the Xiao Family has sealed their mountain in seclusion. This place may seem calm, but it's already caught in a storm!"
Fei Luoya spoke these words, but inwardly, he silently added, Your damned Li Family has severed ties with the Yuan Family, dismantled the Yu Family, and keeps producing Foundation Establishment cultivators. Your influence in the sect is rising rapidly, it’s only a matter of time before you set your sights on the lake. At least I won’t lose face if I leave early!
He paused for a moment before he spoke, "Besides... do you know what kind of spirit beast flew over the lake a few years ago?"
Hearing this, Li Xijun immediately became interested and asked, "My family has inquired far and wide but received no news. It seems that knowledge of such ancient beasts is still preserved in Mount Wu! I humbly ask for your guidance, senior!"
Although Fei Luoya was from Mount Yue, he had lived for over a century. Flattered by Li Xijun’s words, he remained composed and simply replied, "That was Weihou, a descendant of the Hongluan. It resides upon the Tongxin Tree of Mount Taishi. The mere sight of it invites calamity. Families will be torn apart and lives cast into endless exile. Leave sooner rather than later!"
Mount Yue cultivators were already highly superstitious about such omens. Now that Fei Luoya had reached the Foundation Establishment Realm, he believed in them even more. With worry etched across his face, he continued, "It’s not just me, Fei Luoya. Jiao Zhongzi of Northern Mount Yue has been missing for years. He may have met a grim fate... Now, only Huo Luo'e in the south remains, secluded in cultivation like me."