Li Xuanling set down his jade chopsticks, his expression tinged with despondency. Only after pausing for a long while did he say, "Yet what else can we do? Yuanyun and Sister Jingtian share the same sorrow. If he is willing to stay on the mountain and read, let him read. Could we... really make him go down the mountain? That would only hurt the boy's feelings even more."
Lu Wanrong sighed softly and said gently, "It is best that Sister is willing to teach him. Originally, I thought of sending him down the mountain to look after mundane family affairs—staying busy would distract him from feeling depressed, and over time his heart would settle."
During her youth in the Lu family, Lu Wanrong had seen many kinsmen without spirit apertures and knew well how they had coped; she had plenty of experience and had only come to make a suggestion. But being able to study under Li Jingtian was naturally better than descending the mountain, so she said no more on the matter. Shifting the topic, she said, "Qinghong is fond of spear techniques, but our family has no spear masters. Now that she has broken through to the second layer of Embryonic Breathing, the mortals down the mountain who practice spearplay can no longer match her. Husband, could you think of a way to choose a good teacher for her?"
"I will keep it in mind. When the opportunity arises, I will ask Father."
Li Xuanling nodded in agreement. The couple spent a tender moment together, but the stone door beside them hummed with a grating friction, shaking loose specks of stone dust. Turning sideways, a young man bearing a golden longbow stepped out. Seeing the two, he raised an eyebrow and said, "Brother Ling, Sister-in-law."
"Greetings, Elder Brother."
Both rose to greet him. Li Xuanfeng nodded, looking relatively relaxed, and answered, "I have broken through to the fourth layer of Qi Refinement. Seeing that the day of the sacrifice draws near, I came out to catch my breath."
Seeing him, Li Xuanling let out a breath of relief and said, as if a weight had been lifted, "At present, the demon beasts for the sacrifice have not yet been settled. Father is in seclusion for a breakthrough, so we dared not disturb him. Elder Brother's emergence from seclusion comes just in time; Yuanxiu came looking for me several times, and was nearly about to knock on your door."
Li Xuanfeng set down the Jin Geng bow, immediately raising a gust of air against the floor. He sat beside the table with Li Xuanling, listening as Xuanling recounted everything that had happened over the past few years, before replying, "Fortunately, all of it is good news. Once Shamoli attains Qi Refinement, there will be no need to trouble Second Uncle. With just me and my bow, not a single Shanyue Qi Refinement cultivator will escape."
Li Xuanling smiled and nodded, then reminded him, "The portion of impure qi for Shamoli hasn't been found yet. I already told Donghe to keep an eye out and collect it, but I haven't broken through to Qi Refinement myself, so I do not know if it will be ready in time."
"No matter."
Li Xuanfeng nodded and replied, "Since I have come out of seclusion, I can just collect the qi myself when the overcast thunderclouds arrive. After all, it is impure qi, so it won't take much effort."
As he said this, Lu Wanrong had already prepared the tea, placing jade cups before the two men. Li Xuanfeng took a sip and smiled. "How is Yuanxiu managing the household?"
Setting down his jade cup, Li Xuanling looked gratified and said softly, "His methods are brilliant. He maneuvers both sides skillfully, keeping every branch thoroughly obedient. Even those clan elders who gave Brother Xuanxuan such headaches came to me in person, full of praise for him.
"He employs both the carrot and the stick while protecting the clan, bringing the greater and lesser branches closer together. At the same time, he drives wedges and fans the flames, shattering in a single night the tacit understanding maintained for years among the non-kin cultivators, setting them to compete with one another... This boy truly knows how to manage a clan—he is a cut above both you and me!"
Li Xuanfeng had not expected Li Xuanling's appraisal of Li Yuanxiu to be so high. Stunned for a moment, he slapped his thigh and exclaimed, "Truly? When he was small, the child was quiet. Who knew he had such capability!"
Speaking of Li Yuanxiu, Li Xuanling was all smiles as he said warmly, "Xiu'er keeps his brilliance within. At first glance, one sees nothing remarkable, leading people to let down their guard—only to realize without warning that they've already fallen into his schemes. Jiao'er, on the other hand, is visibly bold and daring. Neither brother is to be underestimated!"
"Hahahaha!"
Li Xuanling and Li Xuanfeng had not seen each other in years, and the two chatted warmly for a time. Li Xuanfeng pondered for a few breaths, took up his longbow, and laughed, "Let me go settle the matter of the sacrificial offerings first. Catching some demon beasts early will keep us from having to rush at the last minute."
With that, he took his leave of the two, riding the wind out of the cave residence to fly toward the mountains. Watching Li Xuanfeng fly into the distance riding the wind, Lu Wanrong said softly, "Elder Brother is approaching thirty now, yet he has not taken a wife or fathered an heir. That is somewhat of a concern."
Lu Wanrong had only met Li Xuanfeng a few times and spoken a handful of words with him, so she felt no deep attachment to her husband's elder brother. Deep down, she did not truly consider this an urgent matter—in fact, she felt a subtle sense of relief, as the more offspring there were in the family, the less attention would be lavished upon Qinghong. Still, as his sister-in-law, she had to say the proper, polite words.
"Indeed."
Li Xuanling shared a close bond with Li Xuanfeng, so he nodded solemnly, taking the matter to heart. "It's just that that incident struck Elder Brother quite hard, so he likely has no heart for it. We cannot sway him; it will have to be left to Father to speak to him."
***
Li Xuanfeng rose into the air, riding the wind. Following the route Li Tongya had taken him along years ago when ambushing the two cultivators from Changxiao Gate, he flew for the span of an incense stick before descending beneath a large banyan tree with white leaves.
A large fox was clinking and clattering away, digging at something by the tree roots. All around, various foxes were bounding and leaping about; seeing Li Xuanfeng, they showed no fear, wagging their tails and sniffing around his feet.
"Junior Li Xuanfeng greets Senior."
Li Xuanfeng cupped his hands. Seeing this, the fox froze and hurriedly asked, "Where is Li Tongya? Why are you the one here? He was fine—he couldn't have died out there, could he...?"
"My elder has entered seclusion to make a breakthrough, which is why he sent me,"
Li Xuanfeng answered. The fox stood up on its hind legs and chattered, "Could it be a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment? That is nine deaths to one life..."
"Second Uncle is currently at the eighth layer of Qi Refinement; his seclusion is not to break through to Foundation Establishment."
Hearing this, the fox finally settled down and squeaked, "You humans truly cultivate fast—breaking through a layer every two or three years. Now he's far outstripped me."
Glancing at Li Xuanfeng, the fox said mysteriously, "I heard from a great demon of my clan that the fellow out in Shanyue to the west is nearing the end of his lifespan. Are you all aware? Your family lives right next to Shanyue—you'd best be prepared!"
Seeing how concerned it had been for Li Tongya earlier and how eager it was to warn the Li family, Li Xuanfeng immediately felt much more favorably disposed toward it. He thought to himself, 'How ironic. The demons of this world are far more sincere than humans...'
Pondering this, Li Xuanfeng replied aloud, "Many thanks for Senior's reminder. Our family already knows."
"Good that you know!"
The fox gave a sharp huff, as if dissatisfied that it had failed to elicit an astonished or delighted reaction from Li Xuanfeng, leaving its urge to gossip itching and unfulfilled. It flopped onto the ground and barked, "What did you come here for?"
"Xuanfeng wishes to capture two demon beasts; I ask Senior to point me in the right direction."
"Oh."
The fox took the spirit rice Li Xuanfeng handed over, grinned, and informed him of the locations of several demon beasts. Wagging its tail, it watched him ride the wind away, shoved a mouthful of spirit rice into its jaws, and chattered, "What a fine golden bow."
***
Flying on the wind for half an hour, Li Xuanfeng saw a mist-wreathed knoll appear before him. Stretches of fruit trees covered it, with herds of deer and horned horses weaving among them. Li Xuanfeng focused his gaze for a while, but saw no demon beasts.
'That fox said there was a pack of hyena-hounds here, two of which are at the Qi Refinement level, yet I see nothing—not even a sliver of demonic qi. They truly hide well.'
Li Xuanfeng watched for a while and finally spotted a gray hyena-hound atop a large bluestone. It possessed a cultivation at the third layer of Embryonic Breathing, with thick hind legs and short, weak forelimbs. It sat on the rock like a child, watching the deer below. With high shoulders and a sloping rump, at first glance it almost looked like a toddler bundled in a gray woolen coat.
'Is it... herding them?'
Chapter 173