Li Xizhi first arrived at the General Affairs Hall and returned the jade token. The cultivator in charge nodded politely and said respectfully, “Greetings, Daoist... your cultivation truly progresses with remarkable speed.”
Li Xizhi nodded slightly, and the man continued, “However, the merit you’ve earned will have to be withheld for now...”
Before Li Xizhi could ask, he quickly added, “The sect sent someone to investigate. They found that you hadn’t been on your peak for nearly half a year, and that you’d gone to Xia Mountain to gather glow for personal affairs, this was reported to the main peak.
“It was Daoist Chi Liangzhe of Hongda Peak who reported it... and the matter reached the sect master himself, who’s considering punishment.”
Li Xizhi had already expected someone would seize this issue to make trouble, so he wasn’t surprised. He asked, “Very well. Am I to be sent to Yuanxing Peak?”
The man shook his head repeatedly and said in a low voice, “This matter didn’t spread because the sect master suppressed it. He left a message here, asking you to visit the main hall upon your return.”
Li Xizhi nodded, said nothing more and rode his Heavenly Glow toward the Azure Pond Sect’s main hall. Mist swirled atop the jade tiles. A figure stood within. Li Xizhi waited a moment before the dragon-carved and phoenix-painted doors until he was finally allowed in.
He walked slowly into the hall, straightened his sleeves, and bowed loudly, “Xizhi greets the Sect Master!”
The man above had already risen and came down quickly, using both hands to help him up, speaking gently, “No need for such formality.”
Li Xizhi rose accordingly and met his gaze. He saw a face with upright features and a neatly trimmed beard, eyes full of warmth. He lowered his gaze and said, “I stand as one awaiting punishment! I dare not speak freely!”
Chi Zhiyun, however, took the chance to observe those handsome, slightly narrowed eyes, elegantly arched brows and composed bearing. Then he thought to himself, Just as the rumors say. He is not someone to provoke lightly.
Chi Zhiyun simply smiled and said, “I’ve long heard of your reputation, Xizhi, and have been looking forward to meeting you! But you’ve often been away on tasks, and we’ve kept missing each other, only now do I finally get to see you.”
Li Xizhi cupped his hands in salute, but Chi Zhiyun waved it off, cutting him short and pausing before saying, “That task at Xia Mountain was assigned by the Purple Mansion Realm cultivator, it was no personal errand... but some petty men are using it to slander you...”
He lifted his head and said with a laugh, “If it had been them, they’d have offered up their lives and fortunes at a single order from the Purple Mansion Realm cultivator. What face do they have to judge you? Of course I would never believe them!”
Li Xizhi made a show of gratitude, nodding with a slight bow. Chi Zhiyun came forward eagerly, gripped his arm, and said in a low voice, “I know you’ve heard all kinds of rumors, saying the Chi Family meant to harm you... Sigh, this really is my fault.
“Some in my family still hold grudges from the past, thinking Chejing shamed me. What kind of logic is that? They lack perspective. When I went into seclusion, they deliberately sent you away... and snatched Qingsui Peak.”
Chi Zhiyun looked deeply embarrassed, painting a picture of remorse on his face, though his eyes remained alert, quietly studying Li Xizhi’s expression as he said with a sigh, “As fate would have it, you never ended up going to the Qunyi... and it was the Han Family brothers who paid the price instead!”
Li Xizhi asked in confusion, “Qunyi? What happened there? I only heard the Han Family was present... Ah, they were searching for news of my master on Azure Pond Sect’s behalf.”
Chi Zhiyun sighed and said, “The Han Family’s master and servant both died! While investigating, they ran straight into the Dragon Clan’s hands! You weren’t there at the time... If you had been, you could’ve used your Azure Pond Sect’s credentials to get them out safely... What a pity!
“Those fools, in trying to push you aside and seize Qingsui Peak, ended up getting the Han Family killed instead!”
Li Xizhi appeared visibly shocked but inwardly applauded him, What a clever redirection! What a graceful misdirection about ‘saving them had I been there’... If I hadn’t actually gone myself, I really might’ve been fooled!
Outwardly, Li Xizhi only showed sorrow, saying softly, “It seems I’ve caused their deaths...”
Chi Zhiyun patted his shoulder and said gently, “This was my oversight in the end. I asked you here today to make it right, to restore fairness and return the peak master position to you!”
“I dare not!” said Li Xizhi. How could Li Xizhi accept that now? His heart turned cold. If he reclaimed the position so directly, that would no longer be a mere falling-out with the Yuan Family, it would be a full-blown feud!
From then on, the Yuan Family wouldn’t just distance themselves from the Li Family, they would truly hate them and the Li Family would find itself beset on all sides. So he let guilt fill his face, choking with emotion as he said, “I’ve thought it through... Putting aside grudges and resentment, my master always valued the family above all. The Yuan Family is in a difficult spot, if she could choose, she’d choose our junior brother too... I’ve toiled in the Eastern Sea all this time and still haven’t found my master, not even a whisper... I’ve no face left to be a peak master!”
Chi Zhiyun shook his head repeatedly and said in a sorrowful tone, “Xizhi... the world is full of helpless things. We must learn to let go... Back then... there was more to Chejing’s case than you know... I too was powerless!”
Li Xizhi showed just the right trace of curiosity on his face, and Chi Zhiyun immediately changed the topic, speaking solemnly, “Since you won’t take back Qingsui Peak, there are still empty seats among the Thirty-Six Peaks. Zhang Lingshu of Changtian Peak just died in the Eastern Sea, and his Dao lineage was severed. So I’m assigning that peak to you!”
Just as Chi Zhiyun finished speaking, Li Xizhi didn’t immediately give thanks. Instead, he feigned a look of being deeply moved and asked, “May I ask which Dao lineage it belongs to...”
“Oh, it came from a rogue cultivator. Zhang Lingshu was an only daughter,” replied Chi Zhiyun.
Li Xizhi nodded repeatedly, appearing touched as he said, “Thank you, Sect Master! I am truly grateful...”
Chi Zhiyun was smiling as he stroked his beard when someone below interrupted. An elegantly dressed man stepped forward and respectfully said, “Sect Master! To the east...”
Only then did he notice Li Xizhi in the room. Startled, he fell silent at once. Li Xizhi immediately recognized him as Ning Heyuan of the Ning family, now showing great deference toward Chi Zhiyun.
Chi Zhiyun said warmly, “Xizhi, you may go for now... My younger brother is already waiting below, just follow him.”
Li Xizhi bowed respectfully and withdrew. Ning Heyuan kept his gaze lowered in silence. Chi Zhiyun, smiling inwardly, waved his hand and listened as Ning Heyuan began his report, “Sect Master... there’s trouble at Crimson Reef Island and Great Xiukui Temple... Lin Chensheng killed Guo Hong’er on an Eastern Sea island. Red rain filled the sky and it caused quite a stir. It seems a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator intervened.”
Chi Zhiyun seemed to already know. He calmly turned the jade talisman in his hand and said softly, “The east and west sides of Crimson Reef have long been at odds. Guo Shentong hasn’t appeared for ages... this was bound to happen eventually.”
Ning Heyuan finished reporting a few other minor matters and gradually withdrew, leaving Chi Zhiyun seated alone. He quietly gazed in the direction Li Xizhi had gone, the smile on his face slowly fading.
A thought stirred in his heart, None of them are easy to handle... I thought Tang Shedu was already troublesome enough. But this Li Xizhi... he’s even harder to control than Tang Shedu. The Kong Family indeed needs Heavenly Glow. And Changxi did request it from Daoist Master Suiguan... Li Xizhi alone doesn’t have that much clout...
Chi Zhiyun pondered for a moment, then set the jade talisman aside, If Tang Shecheng and Yu Yuxie were still alive, with Xiao Yuansi and Yu Xiuxian also here... I wouldn’t have to rely on anyone in particular right now...
Among the many Purple Mansion Realm cultivators, he actually preferred Yuan Su’s way of doing things and disliked people like Chi Wei, who fished the pond dry. But then he reconsidered and thought, Once I reach Purple Mansion Realm myself... perhaps I’ll think differently.