Muyuan

Retainer Jiang was still gazing into the distance when a golden ray swept gracefully toward him from afar. He retreated several paces, but the moment he formed an incantation gesture, the arrow pierced straight into his abdomen. Crying out in agony, his entire body went numb. Knowing he was exposed, he shouted: "Young Master, save me!" Retainer Jiang possessed only a Qi Refinement third layer cultivation and had spent his entire life on underhanded curse arts, completely devoid of combat experience. With this arrow penetrating his belly—Li Xuanfeng's wrathful strike delivered at the cost of his own vitality possessing immense power—the surging astral qi left him unable to even ride the wind. Beside him, Yu Muyuan's expression changed drastically, filled with terror. Hearing Retainer Jiang's wails, he shouted: "How is this possible! Does Li Xuanfeng possess a divine ability?! Just how many li apart are we!" Even as he shouted, Yu Muyuan was not the least bit indecisive. He struck a palm onto Retainer Jiang's Shengyang Mansion. Retainer Jiang's eyes instantly turned blood-red, and blood leaked from his seven orifices. The Shengyang Mansion was where the soul and spirit resided. Retainer Jiang was already drenched in cold sweat and immobilized; this palm turned him into an idiot, collapsing limp like a slaughtered pig. Yu Muyuan's mind worked quickly. Between words, he had already devised a plan. With both palms moving like the wind, he stripped away Jiang's storage bag, used a scorching fire spell right against Jiang's face to destroy his features, slapped several Windstride Talismans onto his body, and sent Retainer Jiang flying away like the wind. Yu Muyuan himself ducked his head, scattering talismans as if they cost nothing to erect layers of shields. He also summoned an artifact spiritual shield, hurled two storage bags into the lake—noting their location—and fled into the distance. In just that brief moment, a second golden ray had already risen from the horizon, and a middle-aged man carrying a sword on his back flew toward him, riding the wind. Yu Muyuan was scared out of his wits, crying out in sheer dread: "Another one is coming! And that Li Tongya! This... my life is forfeit!" Li Tongya had sharp eyes. His gaze swept over Retainer Jiang drifting in the air, seeing through the diversion, and settled firmly on Yu Muyuan, who was fleeing with his head low. Yu Muyuan acted with great caution, wearing a robe that blocked spiritual sense. Li Tongya could not discern his depth or background, but from the man's actions, he could see that the man was terrified of him. In anger, he shouted: "Scoundrel, take my sword!" The sword at his waist was drawn with a sharp hiss, and a pure white Lunar Crescent Sword Arc swept forth with immense power. *Boom!* A glittering golden miniature shield summoned by Yu Muyuan rose into the air; it appeared to be a Qi Refinement tier artifact. The Yu family was indeed a prominent clan; even a disciple not particularly valued like Yu Muyuan could casually produce an artifact superior to Li Tongya's. The weapon in Li Tongya's hand was the dharma sword taken from the woman of the Wu clan back then. With one strike, he sent the shield flying backward, its radiance dimming with a sharp clang. Yu Muyuan stirred his magic power, intending to resist further. Li Tongya was no longer who he once was. With another strike, he shattered the artifact Yu Muyuan had summoned into two pieces. Changing his sword stance again, he pierced through the shields of more than ten talismans around Yu Muyuan, and with a third move, thrust straight toward his chest. Yu Muyuan pinched an incantation gesture in defense, but the golden ray struck him squarely in the lower abdomen, breaking his spell and causing him to vomit a mouthful of blood. Li Tongya's sword ray had already penetrated his chest. Yu Muyuan was terrified, having never expected Li Tongya to be so overpowering. His chest felt both agonizingly painful and chillingly cold; his legs trembled, and his breathing turned ragged. Having obtained the *Moon Crescent Sword Scripture*, Li Tongya was no longer the man of the past who relied solely on drawing his sword to unleash a single Lunar Crescent Sword Arc to subdue enemies. In just three breaths, he had driven Yu Muyuan, a mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivator, to a dead end. Yu Muyuan was horrified, but fortunately, he had prepared early. He had long held a bright white talisman in his hand, and after channeling it for some time, it finally lit up with a golden radiance. "A Foundation Establishment tier talisman." Li Tongya could have taken a risk to sever his head with a sword strike, but unsure of the talisman's power, trading mutual destruction with him was far from worthwhile. Wanting also to capture him alive, he pulled back his stance and retreated, drawing out the dharma sword, which brought forth a spray of blood and elicited a muffled groan of pain from Yu Muyuan. Never did he expect that the gray-robed man, upon activating the talisman, did not attack Li Tongya at all. Instead, acting with absolute resolve, he slapped the talisman straight onto his own forehead. *Rumble!* A brilliant golden light instantly erupted over Lake Wangyue. Yu Muyuan turned into a fireball radiating golden light, erupting with waves of magical power fluctuations. After flickering over the lake for two breaths, it slowly extinguished. Li Tongya took two steps back to avoid the surging flames. His expression was grim as he remained silent. Channeling his magic power to shake the blood off his sword, he gritted his teeth and said: "A dead-sworn assassin... quite the lavish move." How could Li Tongya not know that this was nine times out of ten the work of the Yu family? Across the lake, who else possessed such power, such malice to harm his Li family, and the ability to expend a Foundation Establishment tier talisman in this manner, if not the Yu family? Now, he could only let out a resentful sigh and hesitate as he turned back. He retrieved the other gray-robed figure from the lake. The man had already drowned in the water, covered in bloody water. Li Tongya lifted his gray robe to look; the man's entire face had been scorched into a charred mass. "Second Uncle." Li Xuanfeng arrived, riding the wind. His face was slightly pale, still fuming with rage. Looking at the corpse in Li Tongya's hand, he said coldly: "Destroying the face is useless. Qi Refinement cultivators are all known across the lake. This man was an old fellow, and his attire is intact. Show the corpse to the various families, and I refuse to believe he won't be recognized..." By the time Li Xuanfeng finished speaking, his fury had subsided slightly, and he sensed something was off. Li Tongya shook his head and said in a low voice: "This is not the place to talk." Li Xuanfeng nodded hesitantly. Magic power surged from Li Tongya's hand, conjuring a flame that burned the corpse to ashes. Together with Li Xuanfeng, he took to the wind and headed toward Mount Lijing. Just as the two departed, two figures revealed themselves over the lake. The leader had a cold expression, graying temples, and hands as pale and smooth as jade. His gray robes snapped in the wind. The man behind him was fairly young, yet his face was covered in tears, and his teeth ground together audibly. "Fifth Brother..." Yu Mugao wept, his voice slightly hoarse. Yu Xiaogui's expression was unsightly as he whispered: "How... how did this matter spiral to this point? Retainer Jiang dying is of no consequence, but losing Muyuan and arousing the Li family's suspicion makes this a terrible loss!" Yu Xiaogui was truly hardhearted, having watched with his own eyes as Yu Muyuan died before him without lending a hand to save him. Hearing this, Yu Mugao said indignantly: "This was not an oversight in the plan. There is definitely something wrong with this Li Xuanfeng! I have never heard of anyone whose spiritual sense could span a hundred li... How is this a Qi Refinement cultivator?! Even Purple Palace cultivators are only so much!" "Enough!" Yu Xiaogui cut him off coldly, replying: "Li Tongya is no fool. It is not that he could not seize evidence, but that he did not want to seize evidence. He did not pursue the matter or tear away all pretense of civility, but this grudge has been forged. From now on, our two families are no longer merely estranged in spirit, but mortal enemies..." "Father... I understand." Yu Mugao straightened his posture, wiped away his tears, and looked resolute as he said coldly: "The pressing priority is to use this momentum to kill An Jingming!" *** Shore of Lake Wangyue. Li Xuanfeng and Li Tongya flew in silence for a while before Li Tongya finally said in a heavy voice: "It was the Yu family." Li Xuanfeng looked gloomy, anger still simmering within him. He gritted his teeth and said, "When I saw Second Uncle destroy the corpse, I knew it was the Yu family's doing. For now, we probably cannot afford to tear off all pretense with them..." "If not for... we probably would have been completely in the dark. Who knows what methods Yu Mugao used to harm Xiu'er like this." Li Tongya's voice also turned cold. He said gravely, "No need to say more about this; we will know once we investigate upon returning." Li Tongya slowly sheathed his sword and continued, "This disturbance was so loud that the various parties on the lake probably all know of it. If I am not mistaken, Yu Xiaogui had most likely arrived long ago, or at least was on his way. "That was why I wanted you and me to leave first. Even though he did not dare strike against us, we still had to depart quickly." Li Xuanfeng's heart sank. The various families on the lake were all wary of the Li family because of the sword immortal's protection, but only the Li family members knew that they were merely borrowing a tiger's skin to make a great banner. On the surface, the two families were not yet openly hostile, but in secret, they had become mortal enemies. Who knew what the future would hold... "What if... we ask the Xiao family to step in?" Li Xuanfeng asked in a low voice. Li Tongya shook his head and answered: "At least wait until I attain Foundation Establishment. Furthermore, behind the Yu family stands Yuanwu Peak. At present, the Xiao family wishes that no one in the entire sect would pay attention to them; they will not enter the fray to do such things. We shall see after the Xiao family's affairs succeed... Others cannot be relied upon; we must rely on ourselves." After Li Tongya and Li Xuanfeng conversed for a while, Mount Lijing appeared beneath their feet. The ground was covered with kneeling people, and sounds of weeping drifted up. Li Xuanfeng's eyes moistened slightly, unable to bear the sight, while Li Tongya gave a soft sigh, standing above on the wind. Lijing Town. Li Xuanxuan landed before the collapsed rear hall. Flames leapt upon the timber, and clan soldiers rushed forward from all sides. He merely swept his spiritual sense across the scene, and everything beneath the ruins appeared in his mind. His face was slightly pale, sweat beading on his forehead. Li Xuanxuan turned his head and asked in a low voice: "Is the Young Patriarch not in the courtyard?" On the ground, the unconscious Li Pingyi had already been helped up and carried away for medical treatment. A nearby clan soldier approached tremblingly and answered softly: "Reporting to the Clan Patriarch, this lowly one saw him earlier. He should be... in the courtyard." Li Xuanxuan felt a tightness in his chest, his face turning pale and greenish, stars dancing before his eyes. He opened his mouth, collapsed to his knees with a thud, and rasped: "Xiu'er..." With a sweep of his spiritual sense, beneath the ruins there were only a few clan soldiers and a ground covered in bloody water, crushed flesh, and shattered bones—there was no sign of Li Yuanxiu anywhere. Instantly, his vision went black, the world spun around him, and he wailed aloud in grief. Hearing his tone, the surrounding clan soldiers and clan cultivators were filled with terror and fell to their knees one after another, lowering the crowd in an instant. Li Xuanxuan clutched his chest, taking several breaths to steady himself, tears streaming down uncontrollably as he gritted his teeth and asked: "What... what happened here?" A clan soldier rescued from the ruins crawled out on his knees, crying as he shouted: "The pearl! There was a spell on that precious pearl!" Beside him, Xu Gongming was already gripped by shock and fear; he had been the one to deliver the precious pearl from the mine to the courtyard. Hearing these words, his vision darkened, never expecting this matter would be pinned on him. Kneeling, he shuffled forward a few paces and cried out: "This pearl came from the mine! This lowly one will go investigate immediately..." "From the mine?" Li Xuanxuan's face was pallid. At the Qingwu mine tunnel, the An family took the lead in surveying the ore vein. If someone was to be suspected of tampering, the An family naturally bore the greatest suspicion. Exhaling a breath of pent-up resentment, Li Xuanxuan said through clenched teeth: "Has the An family gone mad?!" Li Xuanxuan had not yet lost his reason. Wiping his tears, he shouted: "Go investigate further!" Xu Gongming stumbled backward and withdrew. Li Xuanxuan lowered his head and saw Li Yuanjiao had long since arrived, still crawling over the rubble and digging through the ruins, his cheeks smeared with soot and dirt, tears streaming down all the way to his chin. Li Yuanyun was held in Li Qinghong's embrace, the two leaning against each other and weeping. Several clan elders were on their knees, their gray-haired heads shaking, their faces grim and tears falling. The entire courtyard was quiet, save for the low drifting sobs. The suffocating silence hung heavily over the courtyard for a moment before Li Tongya and Li Xuanfeng finally landed back inside. Seeing Li Tongya, the tears Li Xuanxuan had just held back burst forth again, and he said in fury: "Second Uncle! Xiu'er, he..." Li Tongya gave a soft sigh, while Li Xuanfeng clenched his fists tightly. Li Tongya stepped forward and said gently: "Come with me..." Li Xuanxuan gritted his teeth and nodded. Taking to the wind alongside Li Tongya, they descended toward the mountain. Li Xuanfeng took charge, sorted through the sequence of events, and fumed: "What a vicious and underhanded trick!" Just as he spoke, a flurry of hurried hoofbeats sounded. Tian Zhongqing appeared on horseback not far away, carrying a person in his hand. Dismounting, he tossed the man to the ground, drawing sharp yelps of pain from him. Tian Zhongqing cupped his hands and said: "My lord, the person has been brought! It is a spy of the An family!" *** An family. The An family had built a grand hall atop Mount Huazhong, glittering with golden light. An Zheyan had specifically constructed a pavilion for An Jingming, magnificent and resplendent, carved with intricate formations that possessed the effects of gathering spiritual qi and calming the mind and soul. Sitting cross-legged atop the pale golden formation was a figure with handsome features and long hair tied behind his head. Both wrists wore translucent, glittering golden rings, and a jade axe was planted upside down before him. Framed against the faint white mist, he exuded an ethereal immortal air. It was time for An Jingming to cultivate, yet his mind remained unsettled, unable to enter meditation. His cultivation had already reached the Qi Refinement eighth layer, far surpassing his father An Zheyan. Seeing that Foundation Establishment was not far off, An Zheyan was exceptionally proud of him. After sitting cross-legged for a while, An Jingming remained restless. After waiting for the time it took an incense stick to burn, he finally stood up, walked down the stairs with brisk steps, and pushed open the luxurious door. In the hall, his father An Zheyan was smilingly holding up a wine cup, holding a pair of silver chopsticks in his other hand, while seven or eight dancing girls performed below to waves of decadent music. An Zheyan had just picked up a morsel of rabbit meat from his plate when he saw An Jingming, dressed in flowing Daoist robes, striding down the stairs. He quickly tossed down his chopsticks and shouted: "Leave, leave, all of you get out!" The musicians and dancing girls were thrown into panic, scrambling to retreat in disarray. Only then did An Zheyan look up, saying rather guiltily: "Did Father disturb you?" "No, there is a sound-insulating formation in the pavilion." An Jingming shook his head, stared at An Zheyan for a moment, and said in a low voice: "Today, I have felt constantly uneasy. Did we overlook something...?" An Zheyan gave a somewhat guilty chuckle and quickly consoled him: "What could possibly happen... Do not overthink it." How sharp was An Jingming? He immediately sensed something was wrong. Glancing at his father, he grew wary and said in a heavy voice: "Father! Do not hide anything from me! Have you done something foolish?!"