The Peak of Qi Refinement

A white ribbon bound around her forehead, Li Qinghong walked up the mountain path paved with flagstones. Her white robes whipped in the wind. The wooden spear she once used had long since been replaced with one of flexible white waxwood. Its spearhead glinted cold beneath the moonlight, and its red tassel danced lightly with the breeze. "Father has been in secluded cultivation all this time, and I wonder how he is faring now. The barrier between Embryonic Breathing and Qi Refinement is not terribly difficult, depending mainly on swallowing a mouthful of heaven-and-earth spirit qi, so there should be no need to worry..." Li Xuanling had entered seclusion before the new year to break through to Qi Refinement and had not emerged since. This breakthrough was a critical juncture. Though many things had happened in the clan, no one had dared disturb him. Li Qinghong planted her spear and halted her steps. She was thirteen this year, and her cultivation had lingered at the third layer of Embryonic Breathing for some time; reaching the fourth layer would still require further accumulation. Her affinity with the talisman seed was exceptionally high, and her innate talent was remarkable, making her the fastest among the younger generation. "Grandfather summoned me up the mountain, but I wonder why." Li Qinghong first went to the grave, where she spoke to Li Yuanxiu for a while as if he were listening. Seeing that the appointed hour was drawing near, she finally proceeded to the cave dwelling on Meichi Peak. Meichi Peak had become one of the summits of Mount Lijing. The peak was hardly a land of abundance, but it was just sufficient to sustain Li Tongya, a cultivator of the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, alongside Li Xuanfeng at the fifth layer. Accommodating any more Qi Refinement cultivators would reduce their speed of cultivation. Because of this, Chen Donghe had been dispatched to Mount Huaqian, while Li Xuanxuan cultivated on Lijing Peak. Mount Huaqian's cultivation environment was actually superior to Meichi Peak's, but its defensive arrays were weak and vulnerable to intruders, so having Chen Donghe—a cultivator of an outside surname—guard it was the safest arrangement. "If Father reaches Qi Refinement, he will probably have to cultivate in the cave dwelling beneath the lake. When that time comes, I'm afraid we will see each other even less..." Li Qinghong mused inwardly. The cave dwelling in the lake was the serpent demon cave dwelling that Li Tongya had discovered years ago. It was vast and spacious, and over the past dozen years, the Li family had excavated several additional chambers within it. However, many eyes were fixed on them now; going in and out too frequently would invite suspicion, so none of them had yet gone there to cultivate. As these thoughts drifted through her mind, the stone door of the cave dwelling slowly opened. Li Qinghong stole a curious glance inside. The furnishings were plain, bordering on austere: a stone table, a few stone chairs, two stone shelves, and a small meditation cushion. Seated in the center was a figure whose hair and beard were half-gray. He held a purple jade slip, reading it, while a small cup of tea on the table sent wisps of white steam curling into the air. Li Qinghong bowed low and greeted respectfully, "Your granddaughter Qinghong pays her respects to Grandfather!" Hearing her voice, Li Tongya looked up and set the jade slip on the table. His cultivation was profound, solid, and utterly refined, already brought to full completion. Over the past two years, he had untied the knots in his heart, and his cultivation had grown increasingly cohesive. It could truly be called the peak of Qi Refinement, leaving him only a single step from Foundation Establishment, lacking only the final ignition of an immortal foundation. "With the Suiyuan Pill brought back by Jing'er, I can already attempt the breakthrough to Foundation Establishment." As Li Tongya was reflecting on this, Li Qinghong offered her soft congratulations: "Granddaughter congratulates Grandfather on advancing another step in your cultivation." Li Qinghong could not truly perceive the nuances of his realm. She said it only because Li Xuanxuan had mentioned when sending her up the mountain that the old patriarch had made further progress, instructing her to speak auspicious words. "Very good." Li Tongya nodded gently. Qi Refinement inherently consisted of only nine layers; there was strictly no such thing as a "Qi Refinement peak" or "Qi Refinement great perfection" beyond the ninth layer. It was merely that Foundation Establishment was a pass between life and death. Countless cultivators found themselves stranded at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement, unable to advance an inch. Without the heritage secret arts of the Three Sects and Seven Gates, more than seventy percent of Qi Refinement cultivators could not even gauge their odds of success, so how could they muster the courage to attempt Foundation Establishment? Such people could do nothing but polish their cultivation day after day, waiting out their lives at the ninth layer. To flatter them, those beneath called it the "Qi Refinement peak." In great sects such as the Qingchi Sect or the Jinyu Sect, there were only the peaks of Foundation Establishment and the Purple Palace; Qi Refinement was merely a stage of polishing and accumulation, where the term "Qi Refinement peak" was never used. Li Tongya looked at the young girl. Seeing her upright posture, bright and bold features, and agile frame, with the spear held firmly in her hand as proof of constant practice, he gave a slight nod and sighed. "I never thought that the one advancing fastest among the Yuan-Qing generation would be you, a girl. Last month, Jingtian became pregnant, though it remains to be seen what talent her child will possess. I examined Yuanping when Xuan'er brought him up the mountain; his embryonic qi is deficient and his innate constitution lacks vigor, so cultivation will likely not come easily to him. In the future, you must shoulder the burden and guide them well." "Grandfather, please set your mind at ease! Of course I will!" Li Qinghong replied in a crisp voice. Li Tongya acknowledged her with a hum, then continued: "When you took up the spear, I gave my approval back then as well. I have a superior magical artifact here, but its might is formidable and none can wield it. Once you attain Qi Refinement, you may come and try your hand at it. As someone skilled in the spear, you will, after all, be different." "Thank you, Grandfather!" Li Qinghong's eyes instantly lit up. She could only imagine the grandeur of a spear worthy of being called a superior magical artifact by Li Tongya. But then she lowered her brow and spoke hesitantly: "It is just that no one at home knows spear techniques, and I have nowhere to study them. My spear arts have stagnated for years, relying entirely on my own comprehension, which has proven quite difficult..." Li Tongya patted the girl's head and said gently, "Your father spoke to me about this. The Fei family on the lake is most adept with the spear. I summoned you this time to send you secretly to the Fei family to find you a good master. Go pack your belongings." "Ah!" Li Qinghong was taken aback, feeling both delight and apprehension. Myriad concerns rushed through her mind. If she went to the Fei family, she would rarely see her parents and kin, which filled her with reluctance. Furthermore, living under another clan's roof was bound to invite complications. Biting her lower lip, she replied, "Thank you, Grandfather. I will follow your arrangements in everything." Li Tongya nodded slightly and watched Li Qinghong hurry down the mountain. Less than half an hour later, she stood outside the cave dwelling bearing a wooden chest on her back. Li Tongya stepped out, took her with him into the air, cast a concealment art, and soared toward the northern shore. "Once you arrive at the Fei family, do not reveal your surname to anyone except Fei Wangbai." Li Qinghong was excitedly looking down at Lijing Town below, reveling in the sensation of riding the wind, when Li Tongya spoke in a deep, contemplative voice: "I will place you with the Fei family under the guise of an itinerant cultivator. I reached an agreement with Fei Wangbai some days ago. Yu Mugao is vicious; if your identity is exposed, it will only invite more trouble." Li Qinghong nodded with slight hesitation and murmured, "If it causes trouble, there is no need to make this trip. It would not be impossible for me to keep cultivating at home..." Li Tongya shook his head and answered, "The Fei family is far on the northern shore, and Fei Wangbai governs his clan strictly. You will actually be safer there than in the Li family. Taking this precaution is merely an extra layer of insurance against Yu Mugao, who cannot be judged by common reason. "Moreover, the Fei family's spear techniques follow an orthodox path, and the spirit qi on their mountain is far more abundant than ours, which will bring you great benefit. Fei Wangbai also wishes to forge ties with our clan, so this move will benefit both sides and cement our friendship." Li Qinghong nodded in realization and tightened her grip on her spear. She asked, "Then when may I return?" "When you reach the peak of Embryonic Breathing," Li Tongya calculated the time and said warmly, "Once you return home to break through to Qi Refinement, our family will gain another pillar of strength."