Mushroom Forest Plain.
Clouds drifted slowly above the Mushroom Forest Plain. Yuan Huyuan stood quietly over the forested hills, watching the people below crawl like ants. The hands hidden within his sleeves had turned slightly pale.
A band of Heavenly Glow approached from afar, dazzling and floating in the sky. Yuan Huyuan instinctively prepared to retreat, but saw the glow take shape beneath the feet of a graceful young man.
"Senior Huyuan."
"Li Xizhi..."
The newcomer was indeed Li Xizhi. Upon returning to the Li Family, he had immediately received word from the sect that Yuan Tuan’s soul lamp had gone out and he had perished in the Eastern Sea.
Upon receiving the news, and with Yuan Chengdun’s pair of Demon Subduing Copper Rods already returned to the Li Family, Li Xizhi rode the Heavenly Glow to seek out members of the Yuan Family.
Unbeknownst to him, a brief survey of the skies using his cultivated perception technique quickly revealed Yuan Huyuan who was quietly concealed above.
Yuan Huyuan was nominally no longer part of the Yuan Family, but in truth, it was merely a ruse orchestrated by him and his brother Yuan Hudu. Upon seeing Li Xizhi, Yuan Huyuan sighed inwardly. Both families clearly understood the current situation, so there was no need to hide. He cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, Daoist."
Li Xizhi cupped his hands and said softly, "Master has fallen."
Yuan Huyuan’s aged face sagged, his brows tightly furrowed. He froze upon hearing the words and only said, "Oh... Tuan'er has fallen."
Of course, Li Xizhi knew his sister had been played by the Yuan Family, but their patriarch Yuan Hudu had also been shot in full view of the public, utterly disgraced and now still recovering from his wounds. In the end, the scales had balanced somewhat.
Li Xizhi simply asked, "The Dragon Clan needed Master as a key. The Yuan Family couldn’t have obtained the Azure Manifestation Dao lineage by chance. Your ancestors were disciples of Yanyang Temple, weren’t they?"
Li Xizhi stood still for a moment. The old man before him kept adjusting his sleeves, his wrists trembling slightly, never once meeting Li Xizhi’s gaze. With a trembling voice, he said, "Yes... yes..."
The multicolored glow around Li Xizhi gradually dimmed as he asked, "Did Master know the truth? Was she forced out by people like you... or did she go willingly?"
Yuan Huyuan had grown noticeably hunched and only said, "I don’t know... Xizhi... I truly don’t know... She was so clever that she must have known all along."
Li Xizhi looked at his expression and sighed inwardly, Whether she went willingly or not no longer matters. She had to go, either way.
As Li Xizhi briefly drifted in thought, Yuan Huyuan was already drenched in sweat. Li Xizhi cast a quiet glance at him and said in a low voice, "You tricked Yuan Chengdun into leaving, didn’t you?"
Yuan Huyuan lowered his eyes and answered, "Yes... He thought he was going to rescue Yuan Tuan, but in truth, it was because he also cultivated the Azure Manifestation Dao. The Dragon Clan believed having another Azure Manifestation cultivator would increase their chances..."
"Good." Li Xizhi understood and nodded. He cupped his hands, preparing to leave. Yuan Huyuan spoke as if trying to hold him back, "Xizhi... back then, when Yuan Tuan brought Chejing back, I personally escorted him. He even called me senior... Li Tongya treated me with respect... even Li Yuanping and Li Yuanjiao...
"I never imagined things would come to this..."
Li Xizhi simply cupped his hands in return and said softly, "Senior, the tides of the era bring gathering and parting. No personal feeling can stand in their way."
He withdrew the Demon Subduing Copper Rods from his sleeve and continued, "These belong to their rightful owner, please take care of them."
With that, Li Xizhi rode the wind and departed. Yuan Huyuan clutched his sleeves in unease, still dazed, when a strong herbal scent wafted over. Another figure had appeared before him.
This man had a broad face and graying temples, with numerous medicine pouches hanging from his robes. Tears covered his gentle, kindly face, and his reddened eyes silently watched Yuan Huyuan.
Yuan Huyuan could only kneel with a sorrowful cry and said, "Brother Yuansi!"
Xiao Yuansi couldn't speak, he merely waved his hand silently. The kind and honest old man reflected bitterly. Yuan Tuan had been missing for years, and not a single person had told him.
"It must have been orchestrated by that infallible Daoist Master of our family."
He cast a glance at Yuan Huyuan. Xiao Yuansi, never one to speak harshly, gently persuaded him to go home. Then he rode the wind alone, returning to the Xiao Family. He had completely forgotten what he’d originally come to this place to do.
In his mind, the scenery of Qingsui Peak from years ago resurfaced. Li Chejing reading with his sword in his arms, and Yuan Tuan tying his hair back, smiling brightly as she called him senior brother.
"A hundred years in the blink of an eye, and I no longer even have the right to protect the junior sister who remains," muttered Xiao Yuansi, returning alone to Xianyou Peak.
———
Mount Qingdu.
Li Xijun sat cross-legged beneath a pine tree, white snow drifting down upon his robes. After a moment, someone approached and respectfully said, "My lord, someone from Profound Peak Gate has arrived."
"Send them up," said Li Xijun.
Li Xijun waited briefly, and a strange young woman came forward. As expected, she was an envoy offering condolences for Li Xicheng’s passing. Among the Three Sects and Seven Gates, hers was the only one to do so.
"Kong Qiuyan of Profound Peak Gate. Greetings, Daoist friend." The woman appeared composed and confident, with a tall nose and delicate skin. She offered her respects before speaking gently, "I’ve long heard tales of the Li Family’s Radiant Frost Pine Snow. Now that I’ve seen you, I realize those weren’t exaggerated at all."
Li Xijun responded politely, returned a few compliments, and asked about Profound Peak's recent affairs. Kong Qiuyan answered gracefully and with appropriate formality, earning a slight nod from him.
In recent years, he had broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm and gradually taken control of Qingdu. With increasing public appearances, many surrounding families had heard his name. Though oddly enough, it wasn’t his abilities that first spread far and wide, but rather his graceful appearance. Eventually, every major power across several prefectures knew of the Li Family’s elegant, snow-clad young cultivator.
The woman also gave him a couple of glances before finishing her formalities and retreating. Li Xijun paid it no mind and asked, "Has Ximing emerged from seclusion and descended the mountain yet?"
Seeing the man nod, he rose with the wind and made his way down the mountain.
Li Xicheng’s funeral had been ongoing for several months. White mourning cloths hung throughout the family, and Li Family members from every township had returned. The event was grand in scale, and the central hall saw a constant flow of figures. It was mostly the family’s core members.
First, because Li Xicheng had supported many family men and was highly respected within the family. Second, because the second lineage was now in power, and Li Xicheng was the father of the current family head. So everyone felt the need to pay their respects.
White cloths also hung in the central hall, fluttering gently in the air. Li Xijun descended amid wind and snow, landing at the front steps just as he crossed paths with Li Zhouwei, who was slowly walking forward with a halberd in hand.
"Eighth Uncle!" Li Zhouwei nodded and cupped his hands in greeting. Li Xijun helped him up with a soft nod, then followed him inside. Several others had already arrived and were quietly waiting.
Li Xuanfeng and Li Qinghong were absent, and Li Xuanxuan refused to take the main seat. As Li Xizhi had returned rarely, and with Li Xijun now present, everyone turned their gaze toward Li Xizhi. But he only glanced around, shook his head and said softly, "I cultivate in Azure Pond Sect and am not suited to preside, let the eighth brother take the seat instead."
Li Xijun could only nod and take the seat. Famous for his handsome appearance, snowlights danced around him. At his sides stood Li Xizhi who was graceful and radiant in heavenly glow, and Li Ximing, wreathed in crimson pill-fire, arms folded.
Li Ximing had just emerged from seclusion and was already at the late stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm. His cultivation speed was remarkable, and he had begun exploring secret techniques and pill arts, making him now one of the most powerful in the family.
Aside from Li Xuanfeng, both Li Qinghong and Li Ximing were in the late stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm. Then came Li Xizhi and Li Wushao at the mid-stage, followed by Li Xijun in the early stage.
If Kongheng was included, the Li Family’s current Foundation Establishment Realm strength could be considered quite formidable.
Li Ximing had just received news of his elder brother’s death. Each time he emerged from seclusion, great events seemed to have occurred, and now he still felt somewhat dazed. Li Xizhi was already speaking softly, "From what I’ve heard, Shangyuan has successfully broken through, likely attaining the Jade True Fruition Attainment. He was besieged by Pristine Water, Taiyuan, and Taiyi. Two early stage Golden Core Realm cultivators and one late stage Golden Core Realm cultivator..."
He paused briefly and continued softly, "But one who has Fruition Attainment is not so easily slain. In years past, even when Yingze killed the Lesser Yang Devil Monarch, it still had to be split into three parts. How much more so with someone like him..."
After saying this, Li Xizhi drew a letter from his robes and said quietly, "My master... the soul lamp in the sect has gone out. In a few days, I may have to return to take up the position of Qingsui Peak Master. I cannot stay long."