Si Yuanli entered the mountain with a stern expression on his face and noticed that every family had sent people to the lake. However, aside from several obscure small families he had never heard of, only the Fei Family’s contingent was somewhat presentable.
However, the Fei Family members were being exceedingly humble, seemingly not having fared well in recent years. Si Yuanli sighed inwardly at the sight and didn’t spare them another glance.
Everyone bowed as a chorus of voices respectfully called out, "Greetings, Emissary!"
Under the watchful eyes of all, Li Xijun brought out the talisman and placed it flat on a jade plate so every clan could see it clearly. Li Qinghong received it first and said softly, "The Monarch Calling Command Golden Talisman is here. We will return it to you first, Senior."
Si Yuanli sighed as he accepted the talisman, secretly inspecting it closely. He circulated his mana through it twice and confirmed it was genuine. He said apologetically, "Brother Xuanfeng stepped forward to preserve Jiangnan for my Azure Pond Sect. It is an unprecedented merit. Your family also suffered great losses of vital qi in this struggle; I have seen it all..."
His words were vague, but Li Qinghong shook her head and replied, "Before my second uncle perished, he said that Daoist Master Yuan Xiu saved him from Maha's hands, and prevented the traitor Tang from being offered to the Merciful One. He not only preserved the lord's life but also safeguarded our family's security. The favor is immense; fulfilling our duty is only right."
The two had not had much prior contact, and Li Qinghong had only spoken a single sentence when he had come to persuade them. Now that both had exchanged pleasantries, she feared Si Yuanli might say more about stepping forward.
So she lightly stepped aside and said softly, "Please."
Si Yuanli nodded, rode the clouds through the formation, glanced over Mount Qingdu, and said with a smile, "The immortal peak is serene, and isolated in the lake. It’s a fine place for cultivation."
Although Mount Qingdu was fairly decent among the peaks of Moongaze Lake, it was rather unimpressive in the eyes of a Purple Mansion Realm immortal descendant like Si Yuanli. He managed to force out a compliment before heading toward White Gauze Hall.
Everyone waited outside the hall as he went in to pay respects to Li Xuanfeng. When he came out, he wore a deeply sorrowful expression. A trusted aide of the Si Family stepped forward to support him, and the middle-aged man sighed, "The sect has suffered a major loss of vital qi, and now Xuanfeng is dead. The sect master is in seclusion, with no sign of when he’ll emerge. You and I held the demons at bay along the riverbanks, but we didn’t expect Chi Zhiyan and the others to vanish. Now we return with our people, yet we have no idea what to do next."
Si Yuanli’s time was indeed extremely limited; he could not afford to linger. As soon as the rites were complete, he immediately began to speak. The members of the Li Family all lowered their heads in silence, as if they hadn’t heard a thing.
Only Li Xizhi spoke softly, "You overthink things, my lord. Your achievements are clear to me and the other peak masters. With Master Yuan Xiu suppressing the sect, no petty man would dare stir trouble. Now that you return, all that remains is to reward merits and achievements..."
He exhaled and said solemnly, "As for matters of the upper sect and immortals, they should not be revealed before the noble clans. I ask that the Li Family be excused."
Li Xizhi’s words made Si Yuanli pause for a moment before he sighed. "You all stood with me defending the riverbank. We share the bond of comrades in arms... There’s no need for such formality..."
Li Xizhi, of course, refused and cupped his hands respectfully, "In times of sect unrest, you have returned triumphant. Though your prestige is well-earned, favoritism is inappropriate. We must still abide by the rules."
What a joke! The Li Family’s Foundation Establishment Realm strength was now ranked among the top families, and they had considerable achievements to their name. How could they possibly throw their entire family under Si Yuanli’s command just like that...?
Admittedly, the Li Family and Si Yuanli were naturally aligned in position, but the man had been on the lakeshore for less than fifteen minutes and hadn’t offered a single benefit. Li Xizhi had already shown enough goodwill and courtesy.
Si Yuanli was merely making a gesture; he had never expected others to pledge their entire households just because he spoke a few words. He walked out of the hall with Li Xizhi, saying warmly, "Xizhi, your cultivation has advanced swiftly. You once governed the marketplace and managed Green Pine Island, I’ve heard of your name long ago. It’s just a pity... alas... even Qingsui Peak has long voiced grievances on your behalf!"
Li Xizhi cupped his hands and replied, "Many thanks, my lord... But Qingsui Peak originally belonged to the Yuan Family. The sect had its reasons for arranging things as it did. The sect master compensated me with Changtian Peak, so consider it balanced."
"Oh?" Si Yuanli paused and glanced at Li Xizhi.
The elegant young man was composed as he said softly, "The Yuan Family, after all, is an ancient family with a long legacy, and has had ties with my family since the early days. In the end, it’s all about interests. There’s no need for conflict or enmity."
His words carried a subtle implication, stirring something in Si Yuanli’s heart. Stroking his beard, he thought to himself, It seems the Li and Yuan Families haven’t become completely hostile yet...
He’s right... How much favor has the Yuan Family really received from the Chi Family? They may lack standout figures, but the Mushroom Forest Plain is larger than an entire province. If we can draw them in along with the Li Family, that’s far better than making them enemies.
His eyes lit up, and he looked at Li Xizhi with newfound appreciation, thinking, A family that rose from such a harsh land within barely a century, with strict upbringing—of course they’d produce talented heirs... Good, good... this Li Xizhi will save me quite a bit of trouble!
Just as he was about to offer praise, a streak of light rapidly flew in from the distance. Only when it drew close did he see it was his own junior, Si Tongyi. The Li Family opened the formation to let him in. Si Tongyi landed beside him and stepped close, sending a whisper through a secret sound-transmission technique.
Si Tongyi’s lone arrival already made Si Yuanli’s expression shift slightly, but the words that followed made him turn grim, Li Yuanqin isn’t in Yi Mountain City... Chi Fubo has also vanished. Ning Hejing has mobilized all forces from Yuanxing Peak. I tried to fly over with the cloudliner, but he seized control of the Heavenly Glow Dawn Cloudliner...
If not for Yuanxing Peak being understaffed due to years of inactivity, I might not have been able to leave the Azure Pond Sect at all... I fear we can’t afford any more delay!
"Ning Hejing..." muttered Si Yuanli.
The Chi Family had six branches. The brothers Chi Zhiyan and Chi Zhiyun were born of Chi Wei’s main line and were Purple Mansion Realm immortal descendants. They were always considered prime candidates for the sect master position. Meanwhile, Chi Fubo, whom Li Yuanqin was close to, belonged to the secondary branch, which, while competent, was not as strong.
Only those two lines had ancestors who reached the Purple Mansion Realm. The other four were not worth fearing. However, the main branch had nearly been wiped out in the north. Si Yuanli’s face grew darker as he listened.
Standing beside him, Li Xizhi seemed to sense something and said softly, "Since your lordship has finished the rites, it’s unwise to linger. Allow me to accompany you back to the sect and report in."
"Very well." Si Yuanli let out a deep breath, not even sparing time to bid farewell to Li Qinghong and the others, and said gravely, "With Xuanfeng’s passing, his great merits must be honored. I will return to the sect and deliberate on it thoroughly."
Several of them boarded the cloudliner and activated it with mana. They left streaks of white mist in the sky as they sped southward under the gaze of the crowd. The other peak masters followed behind and soon disappeared into the distance.
Si Yuanli had departed in such haste that he stayed for less than fifteen minutes. Li Xijun watched the large group of cultivators depart, silent and contemplative as his fingers rested on his sword hilt.
Li Qinghong moved to face him, and the young man spoke in a cool voice, "Aunt, the men we sent to fetch Uncle Yuanqin will likely return empty-handed."
He had immediately deduced from Si Yuanli’s unceremonious departure that something had almost certainly gone wrong at the Azure Pond Sect. No matter how fast the Li family moved, they couldn’t outrun the Si Family, and the result would inevitably be failure.
"The Azure Pond Sect reacts quickly."
Li Qinghong did the math. Though the demonic smoke in Jiangbei was slowly dissipating, the jade talismans tied to the lives of their guest cultivators had not yet shattered. The Azure Pond Sect’s soul lamps might be far more refined, but couldn’t be much faster.
It would have taken ten days for Qi Cultivation Realm cultivators to travel from the riverbank to Mount Azure Pond with intermittent flying. An ordinary Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator would need three days without rest, relying on pills to recover. Even the fastest escape spell user among the Li family, Li Qinghong, would still need a full day.