Li Tongya remained in the prefecture for a few more days. Upon receiving word of the Golden Tang Gate’s withdrawal, he quickly bid farewell to the Xiao Family and got onto his carriage to make his way home through Guli Road and the Mushroom Forest Plain.
Since he had no coachman and lacked horse-riding skills, he relied on an oxcart for the journey. After two hours on the Guli Road, he could not help but cover his nose.
“The stench of corpses is overpowering.”
The previous day’s rain had soaked and bloated the corpses by the roadside, causing bubbles to swell up on their skin, filled with festering dark flesh and blood, emitting a nauseating and vile stench. After a morning of exposure to the sun, the smell had only intensified even more.
“What a tragedy.”
As Li Tongya drove the oxcart, he had to stop frequently to clear the corpses from the road. The journey grew increasingly arduous due to the severed limbs and lifeless torsos obstructing his path. Before long, the oxen, overwhelmed by the pervasive stench of decay, refused to proceed any further. Left with no choice, Li Tongya abandoned the oxcart and continued on foot.
Covering his mouth and nose, Li Tongya had to pause frequently to wipe away tears triggered by the pungent fumes. He was overwhelmed by inexplicable and intense emotions after walking alone among countless corpses without eating for a day and a night.
He could not help but wonder, What will the Azure Pond Sect document about this?
In a mocking tone, he replied to his own question, “Summer, in the fourth month, the Golden Tang Gate invaded the Mushroom Forest Plain and withdrew within a few days.”
He moved a stack of corpses, then sat down on a blood-stained boulder, sneering bitterly.
During his journey, Li Tongya encountered living people, but the villagers who had clawed their way out from the mountain of corpses seemed to have lost their ability to speak. When they encountered one another, they would just hug each other and weep. After their tears had run dry, they would begin a desperate search through the ruins, scavenging for any morsel of food they could find.
Li Tongya, with his clothes relatively clean and unstained with blood, as well as a long saber at his side, looked like a mere merchant passing through the Mushroom Forest Plain.
Before long, a group of children, most around five or six years old, began trailing behind him, casting pitiful glances in his direction.
Li Tongya continued along the mountain trails in silence, occasionally hunting wild boar or wolves which he would then cook to feed the hungry children following him. His journey eventually led him to the outskirts of the Wan Family’s territory.
The village that was once inhabited by the members of the Wan Family now stood abandoned, devoid of life, leaving behind only a landscape marred by decaying corpses and blood.
“Xuanfeng?!”
While walking, Li Tongya noticed a small figure walking around a mountain of corpses. Upon closer inspection, he realized it was Li Xiangping’s eldest son, Li Xuanfeng. The boy looked disheveled, his body smeared with dried blood as he picked his way through the corpses.
“What's going on? Where’s your father? Why are you rummaging through these dead bodies? What if you catch a disease?”
Li Tongya furrowed his brows, his heart pounding as he grabbed the boy. Looking at the boy’s dry and cracked lips, he grew increasingly concerned.
Li Xuanfeng pouted and kicked a severed hand on the ground before saying dejectedly, “I’m looking for my father!”
An ominous feeling gripped Li Tongya as he asked softly, “Xiangping...? Has your father not returned home yet?”
“Brother Xuan won’t tell me. My father was supposed to go help the Wan Family, but I don’t know where he is right now.”
Li Tongya pondered for a few moments after hearing Li Xuanfeng’s response. His face turned serious as he said, “Come home with me first.”
“All right...” Li Xuanfeng responded in a subdued tone.
“The Ji Family is really fierce. They’ve killed everyone in all the five villages of the Wan Family. Why would they do such a thing?” he asked.
“They’re killed by the Golden Tang Gate and the Azure Pond Sect,” Li Tongya replied without much thought.
Upon hearing this, Li Xuanfeng froze for a moment and then mumbled to himself, “Golden Tang Gate and their young master are truly heartless. When I grow up, I’ll make sure to kill all of them and kick that young master’s head around like a ball!”
————
Li Xuanxuan sat alone in the courtyard, his heart heavy with worry. He had scoured the entire Lidaokou Village for the past few days but found no signs of any conflict, let alone any trace of his uncle, Li Xiangping.
“I don’t know where Feng’er has gone, either... I’ve sent people to search all day, but there's no sign of him.”
Li Xuanxuan had a horrible headache. After Li Xuanfeng received the talisman seed, he dashed off into the mountains and later returned, pressing Li Xuanxuan to search for Li Xiangping. Left with no choice, Li Xuanxuan had to find a way to pacify him.
However, Li Xuanfeng was a clever child. He often eavesdropped on the adults and had likely pieced together the situation with the Wan Family, deducing that something dire had happened so he ran away from home.
As the eldest in his generation, Li Xuanxuan could not act impulsively and venture into the Ji Family’s territory like Li Xuanfeng. He needed to maintain a calm facade, reassure the villagers, and try to control the situation before Li Tongya returned, even if it pained him to do so.
“Young Family Head!”
While Li Xuanxuan was lost in his thoughts, he heard footsteps approaching from outside the courtyard. Li Yesheng entered with a smile and announced, “The Immortal Master is back!”
Li Xuanxuan was taken aback, feeling a weight lifted from his shoulders. He smiled with joy and rushed down the mountain to greet Li Tongya.
Li Tongya had made some arrangements for the children who had followed him all the way home before making his way up the mountain. When he met Li Yesheng and Li Xuanxuan, his face remained stoic.
He patted Li Xuanfeng on the shoulder and said, “Go take a bath and get some rest.”
Seeing Li Xuanfeng nod and leave, Li Tongya entered the courtyard with Li Xuanxuan. He dismissed Li Yesheng and then whispered, “Tell me, what’s going on?”
Li Xuanxuan recounted the events of the past few days in a solemn manner. After Li Tongya heard everything, he asked, “Have you investigated the situation at the Wan Family’s territory?”
Li Xuanxuan shook his head and replied, “I’ve only ordered the people of Lidaokou Village not to reveal their whereabouts to the east, but I haven’t sent anyone to cross the border.”
Li Tongya sneered and said, “The Wan Family has been wiped out for over a month, and you’ve yet to realize that Mount Huaqian stands empty. Your uncle has vanished for more than a month, and yet here you are, aimlessly walking around with those managers without a clue! To make matters worse, you let Feng’er sneak into the Ji Family’s territory alone! What the hell have you been doing, Li Xuanxuan?!”
As if struck by lightning, Li Xuanxuan found himself kneeling in the courtyard, tears brimming in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak but words eluded him.
“What is there to be afraid of?” Li Tongya shook his head and continued in a deep voice, “Even if you were to send village soldiers to patrol the forest after your third uncle hadn’t returned overnight and dispatched Li Qiuyang to guard Lidaokou Village, no one would dare to go against you as long as you hold the power of the Li Family in your hand! Even if there are whispers or suspicions about Li Xiangping’s fate, who would dare to voice them?”
With a sigh, Li Tongya continued, “There’s no need to fear the managers. They are mere lapdogs of our Li Family. If you’re feeling generous, you can throw them a few bones as a reward. If they dare to go against you, you can just deal with them swiftly!”
“The power of our Li Family is rooted in our blade and cultivation. We must be decisive, ruthless, and unafraid to take lives! The Li Family doesn’t need a leader who hesitates or fails to act. We need someone who commands with the ferocity of a wolf and the courage of a tiger!”