Yi Mountain City.
The ancient walls of Yi Mountain City were weathered, etched with countless traces of runes. A group of guards atop the walls looked downward. The desolate land before the gates was littered with white bones. A few crows had landed on the barren ground and were cawing harshly.
Above them stood a group of youths in luxurious robes, starkly contrasting with the family cultivators at their sides. One of them even sat suspended in midair, holding a wine cup and was leisurely admiring the view.
To the guards, Yi Mountain City was a place where lives were gambled. But to these Azure Pond Sect disciples, it was merely a site for bartering with demonic creatures and tempering disciples. It was hardly something to fear.
A few of them were in a playful mood, they were chatting and drinking atop the city wall. Slightly left of center sat a youth who seemed tipsy. He was leaning lazily against the wall.
His robe was loose and he straddled the steps as he tilted his head while raising his cup. His gray-black eyes were dazed with intoxication. This was Li Yuanqin, son of Li Xuanfeng in the southern border. He was seated at the center of the group.
The group chatted boisterously about amusing stories from various families and who in which immortal sect had obtained new fortunes. One man drank and said with a laugh, "Brother Yuanqin, you carry that bow on your back every day. Why not take a shot and let us see how much of your father's skill you’ve inherited?"
Li Yuanqin sneered at the comment, unstrapped the bow from his back and tossed it casually to the man as he said, "What skill could I have? It's just for show."
The group exchanged glances and, in unspoken agreement, shifted the topic. Soon, someone brought up a joke and said, "I heard there’ve been big changes in the southern border recently. Several of the shaman kingdoms near the northern edge are warring with each other. Rumor has it they’re trying to form some kind of major sect... Quite a strange thing."
The southern border wasn’t entirely ruled by demonic creatures, only Yi Mountain City faced their territory directly. The borderlands stretched for thousands of miles, running near Wu State and even bordering the territory of the Golden Feather Sect.
There were many shaman kingdoms in that region and most were raised by demonic creatures as a food source. Some were obscure minor factions, many of which perished during the devil plague.
"Weren’t there already many minor sects in that area...?" One of them asked.
Those tiny sects and humble temples were nothing compared to the massive Three Sects and Seven Gates. Most were founded by Qi Cultivation Realm rogue cultivators, nestled in the vast wilderness between Wu State and the southern border. They rose and fell with each day. He wore a nostalgic expression and murmured, "I think there used to be a fairly decent faction back then... called Slaughter... Slaughter Jun Gate?"
How could news of those minor sects from the wastelands reach the ears of these direct descendents? Thinking it over, only one came to mind, Slaughter Jun Gate. It had once gone unnoticed but now was known across the world thanks to Tu Longjian. Everyone seemed to understand the implication.
They brushed past that side topic and finally someone chuckled and asked, "So I’ve heard Daoist Master Shangyuan is attempting to break through to the Golden Core Realm. Gentlemen... have your families heard any inside news?"
Upon hearing that, Li Yuanqin's hazy eyes instantly focused. He quietly fixed his gaze on his wine cup as a member of the Chi Family spoke, "What news could there be? Even Duanmu Kui failed... what chance does Shangyuan really have?"
As soon as he said this, a man of higher status and finer clothing beside him sneered and replied softly, "Cousin, you're amusing. Shangyuan has the support of that one from Yue Cultivating Sect. What does Duanmu Kui have? Just one immortal text. He’s good in a fight, sure, but can that help him break through?"
The Chi Family member who spoke earlier clearly wasn’t aligned with him and immediately retorted, "Even an immortal once said he'd reach the Golden Core Realm. So what happened to him now?"
A chorus of voices erupted into noisy debate. Li Yuanqin stayed silent and glanced at the Ning Family members present. Their expressions were no better, each of them wore a gloomy face and drank heavily.
The reason was simple. Just a few days ago, Daoist Master Yuan Su had personally appointed Ning Heyuan as head of the family and peak master of the Immortal Peak. With Ning Heyuan receiving such authority, it was clear to the Ning Family that Daoist Master Yuan Su’s time was nearing its end.
With their own pillar faltering, none were in the mood for jokes. The Ning Family members wore somber expressions. Li Yuanqin listened quietly until the group settled on a shared question, "Where is Daoist Master Yuan Xiu now?"
With Purple Mansion elders in the sect seemingly about to fall one after another, the whereabouts of Yuan Xiu, whose condition remained unknown, suddenly became a hot topic. All eyes turned to one person in the corner.
The man had thick brows and large eyes, sitting in the corner with a cheerful smile. A member of the Chi Family spoke up, "Brother Si Honglang... Do you know anything? Let us hear it..."
Si Honglang didn’t have much talent nor any outstanding traits and usually remained unnoticed among the crowd. But now he finally had his moment and said proudly, "Our Daoist Master is skilled in longevity techniques, and he’s the youngest among the Three Primordials. He still has plenty of time!"
The crowd burst into laughter, but the leading Chi Family member suddenly fell silent as a golden figure flew toward them and landed slowly in front of the city wall. His expression was stern as his gaze swept over the group.
Most of the young nobles lost their nerve, backing away with bowed heads. Only a few Chi Family direct descendants stood their ground, cupped their hands and respectfully called out, "Greetings, General. Brother Yuanqin is here."
Li Xuanfeng immediately spotted Li Yuanqin where his face was flushed with wine and seated among the crowd. Even the bow he always carried was tossed carelessly at his feet and was lying cold on the ground. For a moment, Li Xuanfeng said nothing.
The crowd wore faintly troubled looks, they were too afraid to speak, though a subtle air of schadenfreude passed among them. Li Yuanqin stood up, picked up his bow and staggered toward his father.
Li Xuanfeng cast a cold glance at him and grabbed his collar without a word. He hoisted him up and flew swiftly back to the estate on golden spirit wind. Only after the father and son had left did soft laughter ripple through the group left behind.
Someone spoke up, "Truly a tiger of a father, but a dog of a son!"
A Chi Family direct descendant beside him smiled and said, "You fool, Li Yuanqin is no simple character. He just doesn’t see eye to eye with his father, that’s all!"
A look of great satisfaction flashed in his eyes.
Li Xuanfeng flew through the air on the wind, carrying Li Yuanqin all the way back to the estate. Only then did he let go and set him down in the courtyard. Li Yuanqin said nothing, he straightened his robes and stood quietly to the side.
Li Xuanfeng stood in silence for a moment before speaking softly, "I don’t know how you ended up like this. When I return from the Northern Sea, I’ll take you traveling... Don’t mix with that crowd anymore."
Li Yuanqin nodded, stepped back and gave a respectful farewell before leaving on his own. Li Xuanfeng remained standing a few more seconds before rising on the wind and flew toward Daoist Master Yuan Su’s cave-dwelling.
He circled past the stone statue by the entrance. Inside the cave, white mist still drifted in ethereal coils. Before Li Xuanfeng even reached the inner chamber, he heard the soft tinkling of spring water. Bowing low, he entered to find Daoist Master Yuan Su seated upright on the jade platform as always.
Yuan Su still bore the appearance of a round-faced youth in his twenties, sitting calmly in the seat of honor. When he saw Li Xuanfeng approach, he finally stood and spoke in a gentle voice, "Come with me to the Northern Sea."