Several months later, at Moongaze Lake.
Formation lights shimmered across the lake isles, reflected in the serene azure waters. Above the main continent, cultivators came and went. Streaks of light chased each other as they descended around the lake. An air of prosperity and bustle filled the scene.
A cloud veiled in white spiritual gauze silently drifted in from the east. As Chen Xuanyu came to a stop above the lake, Li Qinghong stepped forward and immediately expressed her thanks, "Thank you for all the trouble along the way, Senior."
"It’s nothing." Chen Xuanyu nodded, hand resting on his sword. The blue sash on his pleated robes fluttered in the wind, giving him an elegant air as he spoke lightly, "I merely circled Xifeng Island a few more times. It took little effort, and it's hardly worth calling trouble."
He seemed somewhat distracted, clasping his hands as he said, "I still need to make a trip to the Great Western Plains, so I won’t impose further."
Li Qinghong studied his expression carefully and replied gently, "This junior understands. If you will be staying long in the west and not in Tongmo Prefecture, I’ll send Xijun to visit you there instead."
Her words responded to an earlier invitation from Chen Xuanyu, spoken with good reason. Yet Li Qinghong noticed his gaze shift slightly before he nodded and replied, "Very well."
He swept his blue-and-white patterned sleeves, performed a parting salute, and rode his cloud westward. Li Qinghong silently watched him leave, her almond eyes lowering.
Throughout the journey, Li Ximing kept both hands tucked into his sleeves, seemingly feeling chilled. As he and Li Qinghong passed over Xifeng Island with Chen Xuanyu, they saw no sign of Li Xijun, but that didn’t mean they returned empty-handed.
Remnants of Merging Fire still blazed fiercely above Xifeng Island, with gray-red clouds churning in the sky. It was clearly an ominous sign. At the time, Chen Xuanyu had glanced twice, then said to the aunt and nephew, "I fear a Merging Fire cultivator has fallen."
Upon hearing those words, Li Ximing’s heart sank halfway to ice. As they traveled, he flew fifty kilometers with the wind, three times hesitating and looking back, finally asking, "Do either of you elders feel a chill in this place?"
Li Qinghong remained silent the entire time, offering no reply.
Li Ximing felt nothing but a bitter northern wind in the area. Li Qinghong had to call him twice before he came to his senses and followed along, floating all the way back to the island.
There, dressed in crimson-black robes, Li Chengliao stepped forward and greeted them respectfully, "Greetings to both elders."
Li Qinghong stepped into the hall, flipping her hand to store away her long spear. Li Ximing quietly followed and sat down to the side. Li Chengliao then recounted the matter regarding the visitors from Azure Pond Sect.
Li Yuanqin and the others had returned the bow and waited aboard the Dawn Cloudliner under the Heavenly Glow for some time, but never disembarked again. The remaining visitors, including Ning Hemian, had roamed the island for a few days before bidding farewell on their behalf. The cloudliner had then departed.
Li Qinghong gave a faint sigh and said, "You handled this matter well; there was little else to be done. Returning the bow will surely spark some debate, but it has nothing to do with our family. Just observe and leave it be. And what of Azure Pond?"
Li Chengliao promptly replied, "There’s unrest in both the Southern and Eastern Seas. It seems the Lingu Family is backing the Si Family, and they’re coming on strong. A few days ago, there was discussion to send Uncle Xizhi to the Eastern Sea."
Li Qinghong nodded. Since Li Xizhi hadn’t come to inquire at home, it likely meant the Li Family didn’t need to interfere. As for Li Chengliao, not seeing Li Xijun return left him faintly puzzled, but noticing the poor mood of the two before him, he dared not probe and only said softly, "In recent months, a fire sparrow has been circling above the lake, appearing and disappearing, seemingly searching for something. It moves with great speed, and we haven’t been able to catch it..."
"Has it harmed anyone?" Li Qinghong asked, and seeing Li Chengliao shake his head and gesture that the matter could wait, she dismissed him. Li Ximing immediately grew restless, excused himself, and sped off toward Mount Qingdu.
Li Qinghong waited in the hall for several seconds before Li Ximing rushed back, descending on radiant light and exhaling in relief, "Aunt! Xijun’s life jade is intact, only slightly dimmed!"
Seeing his spirits lift, Li Qinghong couldn’t bear to say more and only nodded lightly, thinking to herself, If someone at the Purple Mansion Realm interfered... then of course it wouldn’t shatter. Against such divine powers, these simple tricks are barely worth mentioning!
Li Ximing clearly understood this as well, but seeing that Li Qinghong showed no joy, he simply sat beside her. The Yang Li Red Sparrow Banner flipped back and forth in his sleeve. He took it out and began silently refining it.
After fifteen minutes, Li Qinghong suddenly looked up and saw a hazy red light rising into the sky. She scrutinized it for a second, then drew her spear, saying, "I fear it’s a Molten Fire demonic creature!"
The aunt and nephew rode the wind beyond the formation, and sure enough, standing outside was a fire sparrow as tall as a person. Its eyes gleamed with spirit as it examined the two. Its body was wreathed in hazy flames, each feather distinct. Yet its aura was murky and its strength unreadable.
Unlike ordinary sparrows, its neck was longer and more graceful, while its wings were slightly larger. Its eyes glowed gold-red, and the hazy firelight it gave off made the two feel a searing pain on their faces
Unclear of its origins yet sensing no hostility, Li Qinghong cupped her hands and said, "May I ask, fellow Daoist..."
Flames before the fire sparrow condensed into two ancient seal-script words, Slaughter Jun . It then spoke in human tongue, its voice high and sharp, "I come bearing the directive of Daoist Master Junjian, please receive the decree within the formation."
"Daoist Master Junjian?"
The two were stunned for a moment. Though they didn’t know what command Tu Longjian had issued, they dared not show any disrespect. Li Qinghong recognized the flame as indeed from the Molten Fire Dao, but they had never before received a directive from him and couldn’t tell if the fire sparrow was real or fake.
The grand formation on the island behind Li Qinghong was only at the Qi Cultivation Realm. It was meaningless as a defense against Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators like them. She wasn’t worried about anyone intruding, and the fire sparrow seemed proper enough, so she suppressed her unease and spoke softly, "Please."
"Very well!" Her gesture of trust softened the fire sparrow’s tone. It stopped in front of the island's main hall, flapped its wings to stop the pair from inviting it inside, and opened its beak to spit something out.
Thump.
Li Ximing’s face flickered with the glow of Molten Fire, its light casting shifting shadows across his cheeks. He heard a heavy plop as something landed before him, a pitch-black jade box that rolled once, and he instantly snatched it up.
His spiritual sense surged into it instantly, and he saw a thumb-sized white stone, radiating brilliant Radiant Light like mist and smoke. Within the whiteness ran intricate, luminous patterns. Daylight churned within the box like a swirl of bright white sunfire—just brushing it with his spiritual sense caused his Immortal Foundation to tremble.
Radiant Sky Stone!
The thing he had dreamed of day and night was finally in his hands. Li Ximing’s pupils widened and his face lit with joy as he looked up, only to see another dark shape spew forth from the fire sparrow’s beak.
It landed with a thud in front of him. It was a corpse, rigid and still as it lay face down.