The old Daoist’s spiritual sense and quick reflexes barely saved his life from the devastating force of the Supreme Yin Profound Light. With an instinctive sidestep, he narrowly dodged the fatal blow, though the attack vaporized his left arm, leaving his upper torso frozen and his face tinged with a ghastly shade of purple from the cold.
Despite the pain, the old Daoist managed a wry smile as he coughed up a mouthful of dark blood that froze before hitting the soft ground.
“I-Impressive.”
With his remaining strength, he conjured a white shield with his right hand to fend off Li Xiangping’s relentless assault.
Even a slight movement like that caused him to cough up more dark blood, now tinged with frost. Feeling a chilling qi coursing through his body, the old Daoist quickly performed a hand seal to protect his heart and preserve his life.
Upon realizing his attacks were futile against the old Daoist’s shield and knowing the talisman given by Li Chejing was intended more for escape than combat, Li Xiangping reluctantly ceased his assault.
With no viable options to the west, where the Li Residence was, or to the east, where ten cultivators of the Qi Cultivation Realm were besieging the Wan Family, and hindered by the disadvantageous terrain of the Mount Dali to the south, Li Xiangping opted for the only remaining path; he pressed onward to the north, propelled by a wind talisman.
————
Ji Dengqi stared coldly at Wan Xiaohua’s upper body, where a deep cut marred his waist, before mercilessly stabbing his long saber into his lower body.
“You should have prepared for this day when your Wan Family set foot on Mount Huazhong,” he remarked frostily.
Despite the severity of his injuries, Wan Xiaohua was still alive thanks to his strong vitality as a peak cultivator of the Embryonic Breathing Realm. His eyes further widened in agony as he emitted a series of pained gasps through his bloody mouth.
“W-Why...?” he asked.
Ji Dengqi could see the once lavishly dressed proud youth who smirked at him years ago now before his very eyes. He bent down slightly and replied in a low voice, “Who do you think we are? We’re merely pawns to those two families. They’ll never care about what happens to you. While you pay your tributes every year, they’re all just waiting for us to fatten up so they can slaughter us like livestock.”
As Wan Xiaohua fought for each breath, a tear trickled from his eye.
Ji Dengqi shut his eyes, then lifted his head and said, “Now, I will drive every descendant of your Wan Family, along with the eight thousand mortals under your governance, to their doom under the lord’s command. The lord will then proceed to the Mushroom Forest Plain which remains unguarded by the Azure Pond Sect. There, he plans to sacrifice between fifty to seventy percent of its inhabitants, be they mortals or immortal cultivators, to collect resentment qi and blood qi.”
A cynical smile spread across Ji Dengqi’s face as he watched Wan Xiaohua’s life fade away.
“The very Azure Pond Sect you hoped would save you is now mobilizing its forces to the border of the Golden Tang Gate to commit the same vile act. When the livestocks learn too much, they’re exchanged to be slaughtered.”
Ji Dengqi gently closed Wan Xiaohua’s eyes, his laughter raspy and cold, echoing with contempt. He then looked up defiantly at the figure cloaked in gold above.
————
“Senior Xiao!” Li Tongya greeted and cupped his fist respectfully to Xiao Chuting, the ancestor of the Xiao Family and a cultivator of the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Xiao Chuting sipped his tea leisurely and offered, “How about staying a few more days at the Xiao Residence, Tongya?”
Li Tongya was surprised by the suggestion. Doubt clouded his thoughts as he respectfully probed, “May I ask...”
Xiao Chuting interrupted Li Tongya’s question with a dismissive wave of his hand and said, “The Wan Family hasn’t approached us this year. They’re likely heading south to meet with the forces from the Golden Tang Gate. Given the timing, they’re probably at the Mushroom Forest Plain. Your Li Family stands isolated in the mountains, while the Mushroom Forest Plain is on the brink of becoming a battlefield. It would be wise to wait a few days until the forces from the Golden Tang Gate have retreated before returning.”
Li Tongya, taken aback by the wealth of information Xiao Chuting divulged, quickly cupped his fist and expressed his gratitude, “Thank you, Senior Xiao.”
After Xiao Chuting acknowledged him with a slight nod, Li Tongya excused himself and departed, allowing Xiao Chuting to return to his contemplation.
As soon as Li Tongya walked out of the courtyard, a lavishly dressed youth walked out from behind a veiled screen. He was Xiao Yongling, the young man whom Wan Yuankai and Li Tongya had met at the tavern years ago.
He gracefully took a seat and asked, “Grandfather, is the Li Family truly worthy of our friendship?”
Xiao Chuting sipped his tea silently, then looked at his favorite grandson and said, “Li Chejing has mastered the Moon Lake Autumn Reflection Technique, causing quite the stir within the sect.”
Xiao Yongling’s eyes went wide with shock. “The Moon Lake Autumn Reflection Technique? Where did he find the Supreme Yin Moonlight?!”
Xiao Chuting dismissed the question with a gesture and said, “It doesn’t matter. What matters is fostering a closer bond with the Li Family. We mustn’t seem too eager though, it may put them off.”
As Xiao Yongling mulled over these words, Xiao Chuting changed the subject. “Do you know why the three sects and seven gates do not intervene in the feud between the families under their governance and even encourage those sharing the same border to kill and annex each other?”
Xiao Yongling thought for a few moments before responding, “The Azure Pond Sect never needed the few Spirit Stones worth of tributes. Instead, they rely on powerful clans like ours to marshal vast numbers of mortals and immortal cultivators. This labor force is essential for producing spirit items to be contributed to cultivators of the Foundation Establishment and even Purple Mansion Realms.”
Xiao Chuting continued sipping his tea and questioned back, “You think the Azure Pond Sect can’t raise their own cultivators of the Qi Cultivation and Foundation Establishment Realms? Why do you think they need to involve our family, even if it means sharing the gains with us? Given the wealth of spirit items and dharma artifacts accumulated by our Xiao Family in Lixia Prefecture over centuries, the Azure Pond Sect is surely aware of this.”
Xiao Yongling paused, seeming to have grasped the idea yet hesitant to voice his thoughts.
Xiao Chuting smiled coldly and said, “Let me answer that for you—our clans are merely crops cultivated by the Azure Pond Sect. They spend centuries nurturing major clans like us, only to harvest us entirely, then subtly encourage smaller families to engage in conflict, annexation, and finally grow into another clan.”
Xiao Yongling shivered. With a slightly trembling voice, he asked, “Is this... the fate of an immortal family...?”
Xiao Chuting laughed and said, “The war between the immortals and devils has long ended. Today, which of the three sects and seven gates doesn’t gloss over their actions while standing atop a mountain of corpses?”
“Have you ever wondered about the origin of the Moon Glaze Tree on Azure Pond Peak? It flourished from the flesh and bones of Li Jiangqun, watered with his blood. There isn’t a corner of the Azure Pond Sect that is untainted by blood.”
“Hmph, the Azure Pond Immortal Sect... They really gave themselves a nice name!”
Xiao Chuting laughed coldly and stood up.
“Do you know the name the Azure Pond Sect went by several centuries ago before it ascended to its current status among the three sects?” he asked Xiao Yongling.
“No.” Xiao Yongling shook his head.
Xiao Chuting leaned in and revealed, “Azure Chi Devil Gate.”
“Azure Chi Devil Gate?!”