A gentle drizzle misted between heaven and earth. Inside the carriage, it was exceptionally quiet. Li Tongya stroked his beard and said softly:
"This person has his own calculations as well... No one could have foreseen him cultivating at such a pace. Most likely, he intends to take advantage of the unrest on the lake to press forward and break through to Foundation Establishment in one fell swoop."
"Once he achieves Foundation Establishment, the vast world will be his to roam. At home, he can rely on defensive formations and geographical advantage to resist Yu Xiaogui; abroad, he will have even greater freedom, forcing the Yu family to stay their hand lest they break the vase to strike the rat, leaving them unable to touch his An family..."
Just as Li Tongya finished speaking, Li Yuanxiu took up the thread and said in a grave voice:
"What is more, with his talent, he certainly will not stop at Foundation Establishment. As long as An Jingming escapes into the outside world, who would dare touch his An family? In twenty or thirty years, the one returning will be at the peak of Foundation Establishment, or even a Purple Palace cultivator!"
Li Xuanxuan fell silent for a moment, then raised his brows and said:
"Things cannot be allowed to go so favorably. Our Li family has already expanded right to the edges on both east and west. To the west, there is a mid-Foundation Establishment Shanyue cultivator, leaving us with nowhere further to go. If another An family rises to our east, our Li family will be sandwiched between Lake Wangyue and Mount Dali. Where will there be room for our expansion in the future?"
Seeing both juniors treat the matter with gravity, Li Tongya nodded. He already had an idea in mind, yet he looked toward Li Yuanxiu and smiled.
"Do you have a plan?"
Li Yuanxiu's spirits lifted at once, realizing Li Tongya was testing him. Cupping his hands, he lowered his voice:
"When our family swallowed the Lu family, it was made unsightly by that fool Lu Yuanlu. While the clans across the lake did not speak of it openly, they harbored private grievances and grew rather guarded. If we rashly meddle in the An family's affairs now, I fear we will invite collective wrath... Currently, our only recourse is to pit the tiger against the wolf."
Seeing both elders nod, Li Yuanxiu smiled and continued:
"We are anxious, but the Yu family must be far more anxious than us. The Xiao family's venture is about to begin. When that time comes, we will have a powerful ally without and the sword immortal's deterrence within; even if An Jingming attains Foundation Establishment, we would merely be confined to our current lands."
"As for the Yu family, they have forcibly demanded tribute from the lake's various clans and repeatedly interfered in clan affairs, encroaching step by step through vassalage and arranged marriages. Every family hates them to the bone. It is only because the Yu family is formidable in strength and Yu Mugao's methods are shrewd—wielding suppression, division, and co-optation all at once against the major clans—that they have kept the situation under control."
Li Yuanxiu chuckled softly and said:
"They are the ones who fear An Jingming reaching Foundation Establishment most. Once they learn of this news, I suspect even their Foundation Establishment ancestor, Yu Xiaogui, will have to break out of his seclusion."
"Well said."
Li Tongya nodded in approval and exchanged a glance with Li Xuanxuan. He instructed, "Since Xiu'er already has a plan, this matter will be left to you. See to it that the Yu family learns of this quietly and discreetly."
"Understood!"
Li Yuanxiu cupped his hands and took his leave with full confidence. Li Xuanxuan beamed as he watched him walk away. From the side, Li Tongya glanced at Li Xuanxuan and chuckled:
"You certainly fathered a fine boy!"
"Heh heh."
Li Xuanxuan laughed twice and cupped his hands. "Second Uncle, I should also let you know that in a few more months, my principal wife will give birth again, adding a full sibling for Xiu'er."
"Oh?"
Li Tongya raised an eyebrow and said softly, "In this regard, you have done well. Ling'er is singularly devoted to one woman, and Feng'er is still trapped in what happened back then. Among the younger generation, only you have branched out and multiplied our bloodline."
Waving his hand, Li Tongya felt a touch of worry creep between his brows, and he said in a heavy tone:
"Still, what An Zheyan said back then was true. Yu Mugao is ruthless. He is wary of An Jingming, but he fears our Li family just as much. He will never let us off so easily. Over the years, the Fei family caused him plenty of trouble, and the Yu family also swallowed two other clans, which is why he hasn't been able to free up his hands."
"The quieter this man is, the more uneasy I feel..."
Hearing this, Li Xuanxuan fell silent for a while before cupping his hands. "Now that Xuanling is in seclusion seeking a breakthrough, the rest of us brothers will keep extra watch. Unless Yu Xiaogui takes the field in person, what can they do to us?"
"Mmh..."
Li Tongya nodded gently. Li Xuanxuan then asked some questions regarding cultivation. Although Li Tongya practiced a different technique, his decades of cultivation experience allowed him to offer pointers that brought instant enlightenment, and Li Xuanxuan left in high spirits.
*Once we return to the mountain, I must focus on breaking through to Foundation Establishment in peace. Without a Foundation Establishment cultivator holding the fort in these lakes and hills, one can never truly feel at ease after all.*
Li Tongya sighed softly and closed his eyes to cultivate.
***
When the Li family's troops returned to the four towns of Lijing, there was little clamor of carriages and horses. Most of the family's figures of high rank and authority had left the town with the army, leaving only Li Yuanyun leading people to welcome them before the town gates. Li Yuanjiao and Li Yuanxiu stepped down from their carriages. The brothers embraced for a while, chatting about the events of the past few months.
Off to the side, Li Qinghong held a spear with a radiant smile, wearing light soft armor. The girl was now twelve or thirteen years old, with bright eyes and black hair simply tied behind her head. She stood gracefully, her eyes the usual grey-black typical of the Li clan descendants, narrowing playfully with an amused gaze as she watched the brothers.
"Qinghong!"
Li Yuanjiao scratched his head. Having romped and sparred with her side by side since childhood, he had always treated Li Qinghong like a boy and never thought anything of it. Now, seeing her again after several months away, she had already blossomed into a young maiden. Feeling suddenly somewhat awkward, he greeted her rather stiffly, as though he hardly recognized her.
"What, Brother Jiao? After leading troops and fighting the Shanyue for months, you don't recognize your own sister?"
Li Qinghong gently raised an eyebrow, her gentle features instantly turning vivid and spirited. Free of rouge or powder, her cheeks were lightly flushed with vitality as she teased him playfully.
"Not at all, not at all!"
Li Yuanjiao laughed aloud. Her words instantly restored his familiar ease, and he shouted, "Wait until I get back into town, and we'll spar again!"
Li Yuanxiu offered a warm smile and stepped forward, pulling Li Yuanyun along. Li Qinghong called out briskly in a clear voice:
"Elder Brother!"
"Yes."
Li Yuanxiu had been pondering the arrangements after returning to town. Hearing her call, he looked up, his eyes brightening, and chuckled, "Qinghong has grown quite a bit taller this year."
While the juniors of the Yuan-Qing generation were chatting, someone stepped down from the carriage behind them. He bore a stern expression, and his temples were slightly greying—it was Li Xuanxuan.
"Father," Li Yuanjiao and Li Yuanxiu greeted him respectfully.
Li Xuanxuan nodded slightly. Looking at the smiling Li Qinghong before him, his vision blurred for an instant, as if he saw Li Jingtian from more than a decade ago. Yet Li Jingtian had been gentler and quieter, whereas Li Qinghong's features were bolder and more spirited, radiant and assertive.
"Eldest Uncle," Li Qinghong called out with a smile.
Her greeting left Li Xuanxuan's heart feeling faintly hollow. He responded aloud, but his thoughts drifted, musing to himself:
*I should go see Jingtian once I'm back. After being in seclusion for so many years, I marched west against the Shanyue as soon as I emerged, without even seeing her once.*
While Li Xuanxuan was testing the juniors on their cultivation progress, Li Yuanxiu stood quietly in the back. Li Pingyi stepped forward quickly and whispered:
"Young Patriarch, Tian Zhongqing has been summoned."
Li Yuanxiu turned his plan over in his mind several times before finally nodding. He answered:
"Have him wait for me at the Clan Rectory."
Chapter 192