Lijing Town.
The lakeside dam bustled with activity as the great ship docked at the shore. Bathed in sunlight, it cast a wide shadow that enveloped the crowd below. Everyone on the ground looked up at it.
An old man stood before the ship, extending his one remaining arm. His aged face was relaxed as he watched the people boarding. Cultivators nearby were all busy seeing others off, but no one urged him.
It was only when everyone had boarded that a white-robed cultivator descended from the sky on a breeze. He carried a spear on his back, and his striking features made him stand out.
Landing on the ship’s prow, he cupped his hands toward the old man and greeted, "Elder Qiuyang!"
Li Qiuyang waved his one arm, signaling An Siwei not to fuss. He gave a slow smile and said in a hoarse voice, "Your father is due to return from the desert around now. It’s a good occasion for a reunion."
An Zheyan’s punishment hadn’t been severe. He had merely been sent to the desert, and the fine of spirit stones and spirit paddies had been burdensome but not crippling for the An Family. An Siwei nodded respectfully, clearly pleased.
The two spoke for a while before a few cultivators aboard the ship approached to greet them. They were originally there to report to An Siwei, but upon recognizing him, they became especially courteous.
"So it's the elder!"
Li Qiuyang stroked his beard with his single arm. Though he seldom spoke, his status was by no means low.
Each of Li Qiuyang’s wounds had a story. They were injuries from the market, strikes from devil cultivators, and scars from subduing demons. Every one of them was the result of loyal service to the family. He had lost his arm to Merging Fire while intercepting Xu Xiao. An Siwei understood all this well and stood respectfully at his side.
The sail rose, and the ship headed out onto the lake. Li Qiuyang stood up and looked over the railing. Three streaks of light flashed across the sky in succession.
He chuckled quietly and said, "I remember patrolling this lake with Uncle Tongya. Back then, the area was shrouded in thunder and fire. The Yu and Fei Families were at their peak, and both had Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators overseeing things. How mighty they seemed!
"Yu Mujian even dared to provoke Uncle Tongya publicly. The Yu Family only showed our family courtesy because of the Sword Immortal's face. Who would have imagined we’d see a day like this!"
The old man had seen much in his time and remembered every perilous moment along the way. Among all those boarding the island, he was unexpectedly the most emotional. When the great ship finally docked and he saw the lush grass and fertile land, he turned and laughed, "What a fine island this is!"
An Siwei dispatched attendants and followed him closely onto the island. Overhead, a woman in Xiang-style robes rode a golden mountain through the sky, leaving a trail of brilliance.
The old man said with a sigh, "There are several Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators in the sky... Boy from the An Family, take a look and tell me who they are."
His aged eyes were sharp and he could instantly tell that the figures above were no ordinary cultivators. But An Siwei didn’t have the knowledge to identify them by family, so he said softly, "Our family only invited the Xiao Family and the Profound Peak Gate. As for those Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators' true identities, I too am unsure.
"Judging by her Xiang-style robes, that female cultivator might be from Profound Peak Gate."
Li Qiuyang let out a quiet oh of acknowledgment. When he saw a tall platform within the island, he shuffled over to its base. An elder in gray-blue robes rose on the wind to greet him. A sword hung at his waist, and he appeared silent and reserved.
"Donghe!" Li Qiuyang called out, and Chen Donghe nodded silently before leading him inside.
Just then, Li Xijun descended on drifting snow with two others in tow and greeted softly, "Honored elders."
Before he could finish, a middle-aged woman stepped forward from behind him and said quietly, with a trace of melancholy, "Father!"
Chen Donghe quickly raised his head to look and stood frozen for three full breaths before he murmured, "Qingxiao..."
The woman before him, now in the late stage of Qi Cultivation Realm, was none other than his daughter, Li Qingxiao. In his memory, she had still been a child, but now, she had passed fifty.
Father and daughter stood in a daze at their reunion. Li Qingxiao pursed her lips, and the young man behind her stepped forward. His eyes were bright and spirited, and his cultivation had reached the Foundation Establishment Realm.
He bowed and said respectfully, "Greetings, Grandfather. I am Muyun."
Chen Donghe didn’t recognize him at all, but he understood that this Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator was Li Qingxiao’s son. He responded with a couple of dry, stiff words. Li Xijun stepped in with a few words to ease the mood and led the group up the ceremonial platform.
Li Qiuyang remained visibly emotional. As a clan elder of the Li Family, he naturally had a place of honor at the high platform during the ritual. Watching as two demonic creatures were dragged up in chains to await the ceremony, he thought to himself, This marks our first year on the island, our family traditions are continuing!
Li Qinghong stood atop the platform, observing the two creatures being dragged into place with a faint smile of satisfaction. Below her, Li Chengliao had just finished the ceremonial rites and was now lifting a jade blade.
As far as the ritual went, this year’s was not especially grand. Many of the Radiant Lure generation had fallen, and the children of the Crimson Palace generation had not yet come of age. As in past years, they had only procured a few Qi Cultivation Realm demonic beasts for the rite. It was considered a modest and proper offering.
The symbolism outweighs the substance this time.
It was her first time participating in the ritual as the most powerful figure in the Li Family, both in authority and cultivation. It hadn’t been as difficult as she imagined, perhaps even too simple, but her heart was far from light.
Watching the rites conclude, she quietly exhaled, Fortunately, today’s talisman pills did not form instantly. They condensed within the ritual mirror and must be sought before being granted. Otherwise, if Chengliao didn’t know the truth, the aftermath would’ve been difficult to manage.
She should have explained the situation to Chengliao. But only those who had received talisman seeds through the Immortal Mirror were immune to divine abilities. The Li Family had gradually entered the gaze of various Purple Mansion Realm sects. If Li Chengliao were to learn the full truth, it might stir unwanted trouble in the end.
The Xiao Family already had a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator back then, and Chi Buzi still dared to question Xiao Guitu with divine abilities. We must be even more cautious ourselves!
Having finished her role in the ceremony, she rose on a bolt of lightning and hovered over the island at the heart of the lake. Below, the northern shore lay covered in snow, with towering peaks while the west was densely populated with cultivators coming and going. The east held immortal mountains and vast fertile plains while the south was a lush jungle teeming with Mount Yue tribes. All these were visible in her gaze.
The azure waters rippled endlessly below her feet. Mist rose over the vast lake, reeds stretched in all directions, and white vapor poured over the landscape. Five hundred kilometers of lake and marsh lay before her eyes.
Li Qinghong thought to herself, This is Moongaze Lake, ours, the Li Family’s.
She stared intently for a while. Then, a streak of golden light flashed toward her. Kong Tingyun, clad in Xiang-style robes, descended from the sky. She first offered condolences before smiling and offering congratulations, "From now on, your esteemed family should rightly be called the Moongaze Li Family!"