With victory already in his grasp, the old Daoist performed a hand seal and conjured a spell with leisurely ease, extending his left hand to reveal a dazzling white light, all while wearing a smug smile.
Li Xiangping drew a yellowish talisman from his possession in response and slapped it onto himself. A shield of pure white light materialized around him and without a word, he turned around and sprinted toward the lake.
The old Daoist calmly clapped the storage pouch at his waist and stowed away the jade pendant before trailing Li Xiangping with a smile on his face. His small eyes, however, remained sharply vigilant, tracking every movement.
Internally, he mused, “The talisman he used looks like those from the Azure Pond Sect. Haven’t the two sects made an agreement long ago? The disciples from the Azure Pond Sect along Moongaze Lake to the Mushroom Forest Plain should have vacated by now.”
"No, he wouldn’t be fleeing if he’s from the Azure Pond Sect. This man must have connections to that sect. I should be careful. Let him run and exhaust his mana first. That way, he won’t be able to use any of his talismans or dharma artifacts.”
The old Daoist followed behind Li Xiangping like a haunting presence. He was enjoying the chase and felt almost giddy with anticipation.
“It’s like the heavens itself is guiding this. The people from the Azure Pond Sect have retreated and the Golden Tang Gate’s forces are preoccupied in the south. Meanwhile, this young man flees in panic toward the north, straight into the Golden Tang Gate’s realm. Looks like the stars are aligning for me.”
The old Daoist’s excitement grew as he recalled the tales of the immortal mansion’s successor who had vanquished foes in all directions centuries ago and his master’s dying words to him.
He was once a mere rogue cultivator under Golden Tang Gate, barely twenty when his master, nearing the end of his life, entrusted him with a jade pendant.
“Centuries ago, my lineage was also entangled in the chaos surrounding the immortal mansion’s successor, and this jade pendant was obtained from that person. That fierce man had mastered the divine technique so profoundly that his blood, flesh, tendons, and bones were all considered heavenly treasures. Thus, he was torn to pieces by the three sects and seven gates. Rogue cultivators like us had no chance to claim a share of even a piece of his flesh and had to resort to collecting the blood spattered during the conflict with containers. Your grandmaster stumbled upon this jade pendant amidst the rain of blood, and it was this that caused him serious injuries, leading to his return and eventual passing.”
Back then, he was only a naive young Daoist, listening intently as his master spoke in a frail voice. “Your martial uncle and I have investigated this pendant over a century and found that it is possibly linked to the immortal mansion’s legacy, yet it lacks a companion artifact... It falls upon you to find this missing piece...”
While he was reminiscing, he was startled by Li Xiangping’s abrupt halt and defiant stare.
This unexpected defiance caught the old Daoist off guard, momentarily embarrassing him.
Attempting to recover his composure, he jeered, “Had a change of heart?”
Li Xiangping responded with a cold laugh as he took out a bluish-gray mirror that projected a menacing white light directly at the old Daoist’s face.
“Damn it, I knew he had something!” the old Daoist exclaimed in frustration, activating a series of talismans that conjured a formidable golden shield in defense. In a fluid motion, he performed a hand seal with both hands and channeled his mana into the shield.
The old Daoist usually immersed himself in cultivation and rarely engaged in battles with others, so he had painstakingly practiced this technique for over thirty years, relying on it along with a combination of spells and talismans to save his life multiple times.
However, the sense of danger disappeared in an instant. The old Daoist was momentarily stunned, and by the time he regained his senses, Li Xiangping had already darted away like a rabbit.
Realization struck the old Daoist as he let loose a string of curses, deactivating his spell with a flick of his wrist. With a scornful chuckle, he remarked, “That man is quite a trickster.”
He moved swiftly, closing the gap like a specter, yet the old Daoist saw Li Xiangping had taken out the mirror once again, casting a brilliant white light toward him.
Feeling the impending danger, the old Daoist reflexively activated twelve talismans, conjuring a formidable golden shield without hesitation.
“Idiot!” He heard a mocking sneer from ahead.
Despite his generally calm demeanor, a wave of uncontrollable fury surged within him. He conjured several golden lights in his hands, dissipating the shield with a wave of his hand and intending to cast a deadly spell on Li Xiangping.
As soon as the shield dissipated, a blinding, immaculate white light engulfed the old Daoist’s vision.
————
Li Xuanxuan paced the courtyard restlessly. Their family head, Li Xiangping, had not returned since the night before, and their contacts in Lidaokou Village reported no sightings of the expected white light phenomenon.
“The plan was to cast the Supreme Yin Profound Light and then quickly return. The whole operation shouldn’t have taken more than a few hours!”
With dawn breaking, Li Xuanxuan’s anxiety deepened. The urge to dash to the Wan Family for answers nearly overwhelmed him.
A fleeting golden light in the east last night had faded within minutes, leaving Li Xuanxuan to face the long night alone on Mount Lijing, clenching his fist hard in silence.
“Should we prepare for the worst?”
His eyes were red as names flickered through his mind.
“Li Yesheng, Li Qiuyang, Chen Erniu...”
With Li Tongya away at Cloud Crowned Peak and Li Xiangping’s fate uncertain, the mantle of leadership unexpectedly fell to thirteen-year-old Li Xuanxuan. His youngest kin, Li Xuanfeng and Li Xuanling, were only seven and five, respectively.
“Young Family Head!”
The sudden call snapped Li Xuanxuan back to reality, his youthful face quickly regaining its warmth.
“Uncle Yesheng? Is something wrong?” he asked.
“I’ve scoured both Mount Meiche and Mount Lijing multiple times but found no sign of our Family Head...” Li Yesheng stroked his beard with a troubled look on his face.
He also witnessed the golden light streaking across the sky last night and intended to report this to Li Xiangping. However, after visiting the mountain twice, he found no sign of Li Xiangping.
“I believe Uncle said he had a hunch that he could achieve a breakthrough last night and has since entered seclusion.” Li Xuanxuan offered a comforting smile, locking eyes with Li Yesheng.
“Ah, I see!” Realization dawned on Li Yesheng, his spirits lifting. “So, the Family Head has chosen to seclude himself in Mount Lijing’s backyard this time?”
A moment of panic flickered through Li Xuanxuan’s heart, but he maintained his composure and answered, “Yes.”
Li Yesheng nodded, then deftly shifted the conversation to the recent happenings in the village before departing.
Once Li Yesheng had descended the mountain, Li Xuanxuan settled into a seat in the empty courtyard and gazed at the sky contemplatively.
In the village below, Li Yesheng briskly entered his courtyard. He removed his coat and put it into the waiting hands of a servant. With a furrowed brow, he called out, “Li Xiewen!”
The silence that followed reminded him that Li Xiewen had been dispatched to Lidaokou Village by Li Xiangping.
Surveying the people that had gathered in the courtyard, Li Yesheng accepted the teabowl served to him and settled into his seat.
“Any word on Li Qiuyang?” he asked.
“None.”
Li Yesheng sipped his tea thoughtfully. His expression darkened with concern as he said, “Has the Wan Family requested assistance today?”
“No, Manager.”
Li Yesheng's expression grew pensive. He looked at his men, then hesitantly asked, “Has there been any move... to mobilize the clan’s forces?”
His men shook their heads. Li Yesheng heaved a long sigh of relief before a faint smile broke through his worry.
“I must be overthinking things.”