Chi Zhiyun’s voice was stern and sharp, forcing Chi Zhiyan to lower his head in silence. He paced back and forth on the jade platform for two rounds, feeling irritated. Beside him, Ning Hejing’s expression was grim as he spoke, "Since we have already offended him, Li Xizhi must have harbored resentment in his heart for a long time. Even if he dies, Li Xuanfeng will surely investigate. If he uncovers anything, he will turn his hatred toward us again.
"Why not go all the way and wipe out the entire Li Family? Tear down Moongaze Lake, and as for Li Xuanfeng…"
Chi Zhiyun pressed his hand against the jade throne and pondered for a moment. His thick eyebrows arched slightly, his pristine white robe draped over the silver celestial seat. He still felt a trace of irritation in his heart as he murmured, "If we really kill Li Xuanfeng, then all the trouble we went through before would have been for nothing! Destroying Moongaze Lake is fine, but once we fall out with the Yue Cultivating Sect, who will act as our vanguard? Who will hold off the Buddhist cultivators coming from the south?
"Out of the thirty-six peaks, nineteen are stationed to guard the Four Seas, six are scattered across market towns and the remaining eleven must also consider Daoist Master Yuan Xiu. Only six peaks are truly available for deployment. When the time comes, who will be sent to fight against the devil cultivators and Buddhist cultivators?"
His speech grew increasingly fast, carrying a ruthless edge. He cast a cold glance at Ning Hejing and asked, "Will you go?"
Ning Hejing naturally lowered his head and shook it. Though he held considerable power within the sect, his innate ability was weak. Achieving Foundation Establishment Realm had already been a struggle for him. How could he possibly take on such a task? He could only shake his head.
Chi Zhiyun then turned his head toward Chi Zhiyan and asked, "How about sending you?"
Chi Zhiyan remained silent as well. He had aspirations of reaching the Purple Mansion Realm and was already preoccupied with his cultivation. How could he afford to go and risk his life in battle? Chi Zhiyun sneered coldly, saying, "Or should we send a few elders from the family? Who among us can command them? Or perhaps send our brothers? If they get injured, it won't just end there. Our uncles will demand a hefty price.
"Should we send the Yu Family instead? After Yu Yuxie was devoured by the ancestor, their entire family scattered, and they have no one left to use. Or should we send the Yuan Family? Yuan Tuan and Yuan Chengdun have already been harmed by you lot!
"Only the Jiachuan Lin Valley Family still has some talents left, and even if we select one or two more from Linhai Prefecture… it’s far from enough!"
Chi Zhiyan was utterly humiliated by the relentless questioning. He had nothing left to say and could only reply, "I was reckless… But… but forgive me for speaking frankly, is the current situation really our responsibility? Isn't it all because of the ancestor…"
Chi Zhiyun shot him a sharp glare and responded, "What a pity that Yu Muxian is dead… Leaving behind only Tang Shedu and Yu Su…"
When it came down to it, the Azure Pond Sect had very few truly reliable people. Daoist Master Yuan Xiu was a solitary cultivator. He was cold and stubborn, following only his own path. Chi Zhiyun would never dare to mobilize him.
The elemental forces had once again taken control of the southern border. Though it would likely return to the hands of the Ning Family in a few years, Chi Zhiyun only found it troublesome. He lowered his voice and asked, "You deliberately sent him to find Yuan Tuan… he most likely won’t survive…
"Regardless of whether Li Xizhi lives or dies, an explanation must be given. None of the major families are blind, especially the Yang Family. We killed their son-in-law…"
A headache overtook him. He could only wave his hand and say softly, "Find a scapegoat…"
The two quickly nodded and withdrew. Only then did Chi Zhiyun slowly take his seat, covering his forehead with his hand. He closed his eyes as if recalling something else.
The Dragon Clan has always despised us, and those Dragon Monarch descendants are lurking around Thundercloud Temple. How can we act recklessly? Brother Yan is too naïve… If we offend a Dragon Monarch, it will only bring disaster upon us!
At this thought, Chi Zhiyun could no longer sit still. He hastily picked up a jade slip from the table and assigned several people from the sect to track down leads.
Zongquan Island.
After several days of secluded cultivation, Li Xizhi sank his spiritual sense into his qihai acupoints. He saw a vast ocean of iridescent clouds and mist, with various colors drifting about. Compared to the usual dense cloud smoke, it appeared thin, a sign that his injuries had yet to heal.
Amidst the deep sea of clouds, not only did multicolored light drift but a dark blue cloud smoke also weaved through. It pushed aside the surrounding mist and condensed into a single mass.
Li Xizhi observed for a long time before realizing something was amiss.
He had assumed that when Dongfang Heyun’s mana invaded his body, it would cause great destruction. Yet, to his surprise, it merely left him cold throughout. Using his talisman qi, he was able to dissolve and expel most of it quickly, leaving only this lingering mass in his qihai acupoints.
The residual mana had gathered on its own, forming a compact mass in his qihai acupoints, floating obediently amidst the mist. It seemed ethereal and could be easily dissipated by his own mana, let alone with his talisman qi.
What does this mean…
Li Xizhi had read many Daoist texts. This kind of intrusive mana usually dispersed throughout the body. The mana would invade the organs and cause destruction, never gathering into a single entity like this.
He studied it closely and sensed the subtle changes in the mana. It didn’t seem like an offensive technique but rather an art of perception. He quickly came to a realization.
Dongfang Heyun wants to spy on the situation in Azure Pond Sect…
Muhai had achieved the Purple Mansion Realm and was a direct descendant of the Dragon Monarch. He was rumored to be the seventh son of the current Dragon Palace ruler. He was not someone to be trifled with. How could he tolerate Azure Pond Sect humiliating him without retaliation?
On the surface, he had sent Dongfang Heyun to hunt down Li Xizhi to fulfill an old agreement, but in truth, he was using this opportunity to plant a spy in Azure Pond Sect and monitor its movements through Li Xizhi.
And this completely unguarded approach clearly conveyed to Li Xizhi, he thought, The life granted to you by the Purple Mansion Realm cultivator was not granted to you for free…
Moreover, making this technique so obvious as a spying method would instill fear in Li Xizhi, preventing him from carelessly seeking the Muhai’s aid. The entire ploy was clear now.
Having already suffered betrayal by the Chi Family, Li Xizhi fell silent and hesitated.
"The Chi Family wants to use Muhai as a blade, but Muhai is one of the top cultivators of the Purple Mansion Realm. He will surely retaliate… And yet, I am the one who suffers, caught between them, unable to offend either side…"
Now that Li Xizhi understood the situation, he sighed deeply, not daring to erase the mana cluster recklessly.
Li Qinghong had only waited two days on the island. She practiced thunder techniques, summoned wind and rain and cast spells to conceal the iridescent anomalies caused by Li Xizhi’s healing process. After three days of waiting, the sealed stone door finally opened.
Since achieving the Foundation Establishment Realm and receiving the blessing of the Immortal Foundation Realm, Li Xizhi had developed an innate noble aura. His features had become smoother and more composed compared to his youth. However, his current pallor lent him the appearance of a frail nobleman.
Dorlaken's Thoughts
Some readers might wonder why some Daoist Masters like Yuan Su and Yuan Xiu have spaces in between while some Daoist Masters like Yuanwu have no space in between. The reason: Yuanwu is the only one that had no space because it is his real name, the other two were Yuan Su and Yuan Xiu, which are their titles.Yuan Su is from the Ning family, while Yuan Xiu is from the Si family.And Yuanwu is from the Tang Family with the name being Tang Yuanwu.