After sending his daughter, Li Jingtian, away, Li Xiangping found himself besieged by an unease that disrupted his meditation attempts. Unable to find peace, he finally rose and summoned his men.
Chen Donghe, who had been standing guard outside the tent in his armor, responded promptly to Li Xiangping’s call, “Yes, Family Head?”
“Any news from the scouts yet?”
Chen Donghe shook his head and replied, “None.”
“It has been two hours since we’ve last heard from Lichuankou Village. Send someone to check on it.” Li Xiangping shook his head and watched Chen Donghe leave to execute the order.
Jianixi’s victory two days ago should have left his forces depleted. He can’t be launching an eastward assault so soon, right? And with our scouts scattered throughout the western mountains, how could silence prevail?
Li Xiangping rose to his feet and donned his armor. Watching the burning fire in the brazier that cast a red glow over his eyes, his heart skipped a beast as he considered the worst possibilities looming on the horizon.
“That man has battled through the northern foothills for over a decade and claimed countless victories. Judging him by common sense is folly. I better withdraw the troops across the river first.”
Picking up his long saber and carrying his Ebony Bow on his back, Li Xiangping yelled, “Beat the drums!”
The call to arms was sounded. Drums echoed, rallying the troops. As Li Xiangping emerged from his tent, he was met with Chen Donghe’s urgent approach.
“Family Master!”
Chen Donghe stepped forward, his voice filled with shock as he leaned in to whisper, “Lichuankou Village has fallen under the control of Mount Yue, and the scouts we’ve sent there have been killed. There are two to three thousand enemy soldiers stationed on the other side of the river, and they’ve destroyed several bridges. Our escape route has been cut off!”
The news hit Li Xiangping like a thunderbolt. For a moment, he stood frozen, unable to speak. He gripped the hilt of his long saber so hard that his knuckles turned white.
“Has this news spread among our ranks?”
Chen Donghe shook his head vigorously and whispered back, “No. I’ve kept it under wraps, fearing it would demoralize the troops.”
With a deep exhale, Li Xiangping commanded, “Reorganize our troops.”
As Chen Donghe withdrew with a grim look on his face, Li Xiangping closed his eyes and began strategizing.
“Crossing the river to retake Lichuankou Village with our limited forces is out of the question. It’s unlikely that Jianixi came with only two thousand soldiers, especially when he’s a cultivator of the Qi Cultivation Realm...
“His rear defenses are likely weakened after his recent victory. We should attempt a westward attack. Every moment we delay here brings greater peril!”
Li Xiangping slowly made his way to the back of the tent where he surveyed the towering stacks of grains. After a brief calculation, he began storing them in the storage pouch tied around his waist. The storage space of the old Daoist’s pouch was as vast as a courtyard, enough to accommodate the rice and beans with ease.
Stepping forward to address his clan soldiers, Li Xiangping inhaled deeply. He gritted his teeth before barking out, “Head west!”
Instantly, the eight hundred clan soldiers and two hundred Mount Yue soldiers mobilized, embarking westward into the forest without looking back.
————
Meanwhile, Jianixi’s forces had just entered the territories of Lijing Town. His aura as a cultivator of the Qi Cultivation Realm immediately alerted Lu Jiangxian. With his divine sense, he quickly assessed the situation.
Looks like Jianixi has secured Lichuankou Village and is advancing eastward toward Lijing Town,
he mused silently.
Expanding his divine sense as far as he could, Lu Jiangxian immediately located the key members of the Li Family.
Li Tongya and his wife, Liu Rouxuan, were busy gathering River Pure Qi for his third brother, Li Xiangping, for his breakthrough to the Qi Cultivation Realm. They were currently waiting for dawn when pure qi would ascend and murky qi would descend.
Li Xuanxuan and Li Xuanfeng had just finished exterminating demons in the western part of Lidaokou Village and were now aiding the wounded in the village. The streets that the demonic creature destroyed would require repairing.
On Mount Lijing, Tian Yun and Ren Ping’er shared a conversation by the fireplace. The women had aged considerably, especially Ren Ping’er who was now in her forties and had trouble sleeping well at night.
Meanwhile, Li Jingtian leaned against the window, her round eyes filled with concern as she gazed into the distance. The gentle night breeze ruffled her black hair. Beside her, Li Xuanling was asleep soundly on the bed.
Despite his ability to observe all the cultivators of the Li Family, Lu Jiangxian’s divine sense was confined to the boundaries of Lijing Town. After a moment of consideration, he cast an illusion spell, directing it into Li Xuanling’s sleeping mind.
With his divine sense far superior to that of an average cultivator, Lu Jiangxian easily gained access to Li Xuanling’s dream, considering that the boy was only a cultivator of the second stage of the Embryonic Breathing Realm.
————
Li Xuanling, who was jolted awake by the jarring sound of shattered porcelain, found himself in a cold sweat. He sat up on the bed, staring blankly at the now-empty windowsill.
His older sister, Li Jingtian, was on her knees, carefully picking up the broken pieces of the teapot she had accidentally dropped.
“Sorry, I woke you up, Ling’er,” she murmured an apology.
With sweat beading on his forehead and body, Li Xuanling felt slightly more awake as a gust of cold wind blew in through the window.
“Sister, I saw so many corpses in my dream... Jianixi has defeated uncle and led his soldiers up the mountain, killing many of us.”
Li Jingtian’s concern intensified upon hearing his words, reflecting the fears that had kept her awake at night. She mustered a gentle smile and tried to soothe Li Xuanling.
Li Xuanling merely nodded half-heartedly. After a few moments of contemplative silence, he mumbled, “I’m going to take a leak.”
With that, he slipped out of bed and made his way to the backyard, avoiding Li Jingtian’s gaze.
In the solitude of the night, he came upon a worn wooden chair. Li Xuanling pursed his lips; it reminded him of Li Mutian’s absence.
Entering the room where the mirror was kept, the familiar scent of sandalwood and dim candlelight greeted him. His eyes fell upon the cold stone platform, atop which sat a small bluish-gray mirror, with white moonlight gathered around it.
He stood on his tiptoes, sticking his hands through the moonlight that felt rather cold, and carefully reached for the mirror. To his surprise, the dharma artifact felt warm in his hands.
Recalling his father’s words, Li Xuanling raised the mirror in his hands and solemnly recited,
“As a disciple of the Li Family, I, Li Xuanling, respectfully request the Profound Light to grant me the Supreme Yin Profound Light to vanquish evil, cleanse impurity, and subdue demons!”
In response, Lu Jiangxian nodded silently, granting his request. Li Xuanling felt himself lifted, soaring high above Lijing Town.
The tranquil moonlight bathed Lijing Town in a peaceful slumber, but Li Xuanling’s gaze was drawn to the distant Lichuankou Village, now overrun by Mount Yue’s forces. He observed two teams of soldiers clad in leather armor marching from the south. Their destination was unmistakably clear—Lijing Town.
Li Xuanling immediately broke out in a cold sweat. Shaking his head to clear his mind, he hastily withdrew from his heightened perspective and stowed the mirror in his arms before he hurriedly left the backyard.