"In the eighth month, the Tangjin Sect marched south once more and slaughtered Lixia Commandery. Its people were extinguished by household or lost whole clans. The entire city was strewn with corpses, with none left to shroud them; the thoroughfares were deserted, and the four borders reeked of foul decay. The remaining branch of the Wan family also resided in the city, and perished."
Li Jingtian lifted her brush. In a mere few dozen characters, she had encapsulated the tragedy of countless families with understated brevity. Dipping her brush in the ink, she continued:
"The wife and child of Young Master Feng were both slain. His eyes blazed as if splitting with fury. Riding the wind eastward, he sighted men of the Tangjin Sect from afar and shot them dead."
"Aunt!"
Li Xuanling's son and daughter burst into the courtyard with cheerful laughter. Li Qinghong was the elder sister. Girls grew quickly; she already reached Li Jingtian's waist. Her long hair was tied back, and with her lively temperament, she dashed right into the courtyard with a bright smile.
The second child, Li Yuanyun, was much quieter. He followed cautiously behind his sister and bowed respectfully when he saw Li Jingtian. Li Qinghong, however, had already plopped down beside the table, staring curiously at her aunt's robes.
The two children were only six or seven years old, not yet of the age to go down the mountain. They often visited Li Jingtian's quarters to chat with their aunt and beg for sweet snacks. Last year, Li Yuanjiao had been found to possess a spirit aperture and was brought up the mountain. After their daily studies, the two children would wander about between places, constantly calling for their elder brother Yuanjiao, and whenever they grew tired of playing, they would head over to Li Jingtian's yard.
Li Jingtian set down her brush and covered the unfinished silk scroll on the desk. With a gentle smile, she gave Li Qinghong a hug. Footsteps sounded outside the doorway, followed by a soft, polite voice.
"Yuanjiao pays his respects to Aunt."
A boy dressed in black stepped inside. His long hair was bound up, a sword was tied at his waist, and his eyes were bright and spirited as he looked at Li Jingtian. Ever mindful of his mother Mu Yalu's instructions after coming up the mountain, Li Yuanjiao frequently visited Li Jingtian to borrow books from her.
"Come, have a seat," Li Jingtian answered with a smile. Seeing how harmoniously the three children got along brought a surge of warmth and ease to her heart. She looked at Li Yuanjiao and asked, "Where is your father?"
At the mention of Li Xuanxuan, Li Yuanjiao cast his eyes down and answered rather sullenly, "If he isn't handling affairs at the foot of the mountain, he's secluded in cultivation. He only ever goes to those two places—where else could he be?"
Li Jingtian was taken aback, then quickly reached out and ruffled his hair, consoling him, "Your father manages such an enormous clan. It is naturally difficult for him to look after you and your mother at all times... You mustn't be cross with him."
"I wouldn't dare," Li Yuanjiao answered hurriedly, nodding and falling silent. Yet in his heart, he thought, *Mother says so, and Aunt says so too! But it's not as if I'm blind... Why is he able to look after Brother Xiu every single day, yet never has time for me and my mother?*
His eldest brother, Li Yuanxiu, was quiet and gentle, and Li Yuanjiao was very fond of him. Harboring such resentment made Li Yuanjiao feel miserable inside, so he simply pursed his lips and kept quiet. Li Jingtian saw this and was about to offer a few more soothing words when two crisp knocks sounded at the door.
Li Tongya shook out his robes and strode into the room, followed by Li Xuanling in leather armor and Li Xuanxuan in a flowing robe. The sight startled the children in the room, and they scrambled to their feet, chiming in one after another:
"Granduncle!"
"Grandfather!"
"Mm," Li Tongya replied with a smile. A few months ago, on a sudden burst of inspiration, he had broken through to the eighth level of Qi Refinement. It had been a truly pleasant surprise that kept him in high spirits for the past two months. Seeing the cheerful looks on the children's faces brought a rare, beaming warmth to his normally placid countenance.
"Has Xuanfeng still not emerged from seclusion?"
"Not yet."
After burying his wife, Li Xuanfeng had quietly gone up the mountain into secluded cultivation. He no longer ran around outside and pursued his training far more diligently than before, having remained in seclusion for more than two years now.
Li Tongya stroked his beard, feeling rather gratified by the change in the young man. As an elder of the clan, he always looked at matters with a long-term view.
"Had a child not been lost in the commandery, this harsh lesson could almost be called a blessing in disguise... It has forced the boy to rein in his heart and cultivate in peace."
Looking at the somewhat constrained children, Li Tongya calculated the time and turned to Li Xuanxuan. "Have Yuanxiu brought up the mountain... The time has come. If we delay any longer, I fear we might hold the boy back."
The two brothers exchanged a glance, instantly understanding what Li Tongya meant. Li Xuanxuan nodded, and clan soldiers were dispatched immediately down the mountain to summon Li Yuanxiu. The boy was now fourteen years old and had been helping manage clan affairs below.
Li Tongya took the seat of honor and sipped his tea slowly, studying the children before him. His gaze lingered for a moment on Li Yuanjiao, who was clad in black, as he mused inwardly:
*All these children are quite sharp. Under Ling'er, there is only Yuanyun as a male heir. Xuanxuan, on the other hand, has plenty of offspring... four or five born of concubines already. One could be chosen to be adopted into Jing'er's lineage to carry on his line. It would be best if the child possessed a spirit aperture, which points straight to Yuanjiao.*
*Still, this is a grave matter. Better to first observe the boy's aptitude and character.*
While he was lost in thought, Li Yuanxiu had already arrived outside the room with brisk steps. The youth possessed clean, delicate features and wore a white goose-down cloak. Quiet and well-mannered, he carried a gentle smile and held a green-hued longsword in his hand, bearing an impressive air of poise.
"Greetings to all the elders!"
Li Yuanxiu's voice rang clear and firm. The moment Li Yuanjiao and the other children saw him, they all stood up, gazing at him with eager anticipation, looking as if they wanted nothing more than to rush over and embrace him.
Li Tongya gave a slight nod, while Li Xuanxuan broke into an even wider smile, thoroughly pleased with this eldest son of the fourth generation. In poise, bearing, handling of affairs, and talent, Li Yuanxiu was exceptional in every regard. His younger siblings all looked up to him with genuine affection; he was truly someone capable of shouldering great burdens.
Once everyone had taken their seats, the younger children stood in the middle of the room feeling somewhat awkward and shy, retreating one by one behind Li Yuanxiu. Li Xuanxuan glanced at his siblings beside him, then spoke gently to the youngsters below:
"It is rare for everyone to gather today, and Second Uncle has also emerged from seclusion. Don't be timid, you children—come forward."
Li Tongya cast an observant eye over the longsword at Li Yuanxiu's waist and asked in a mild tone, "How is your sword art cultivation progressing? Have you mastered the Mystic Water Sword Art?"
"Replying to Granduncle: Yuanxiu began learning the sword at the age of seven. It has now been six years. I have committed the Mystic Water Sword Art to heart and have already grasped the sword ray."
"Good."
Li Tongya nodded and said, "Tomorrow, come to my cave abode on Meichi Mountain. I shall instruct you in swordplay."
Beside them, Li Xuanxuan was overjoyed. Across the entire Lake Wangyue region, everyone knew of Li Tongya's sublime swordsmanship; to receive his personal tutelage was an incomparable fortune. Li Yuanxiu nodded repeatedly, while the other children of the Yuan-Qing generation looked on with envy. Li Tongya smiled at the youngsters and added:
"The same goes for the rest of you. Whoever condenses a sword ray before the age of fifteen may come seek me at my cave abode on Meichi Mountain."
With that, he nodded to Li Xuanxuan, rose, and stepped out of the room. Li Jingtian took her leave as well. The two brothers, Li Xuanling and Li Xuanxuan, exchanged a look, and Li Xuanling said quietly, "Let us take the children to the back courtyard, then. Yuanxiu, Yuanjiao, Yuanyun... As for Qinghong..."
"She goes as well."
Li Xuanxuan pondered for a moment, and Li Jingtian's face suddenly flashed through his mind. He remembered the lost, helpless look in her eyes all those years ago when he had asked if she was willing to marry Chen Donghe. His chest tightened. Gritting his teeth, he said in a low voice, "They all go together! If Second Uncle asks, I will explain."
Chapter 157