“The Shanyue were meant to be split four ways, so why force a unity? The demon lord of the exalted mansion stands upon the clouds... to ensure he... ensure he has no burial ground!”
The narrator beating the gongs and drums strained his throat in a wail. The young actor playing Jianixi, clad in an imposing black robe, flicked back the hem of his gown and barked:
“Heh! When your granddaddy did this, right and wrong were known to you, known to me, and known to Heaven and Earth! Ay, even if I die to become a ghost, my conscience is clear!”
Below the stage, the audience craned their necks and heaved long sighs; some even rose to their feet cheering. Jianixi held an exalted status in the hearts of the Shanyue people. Among the Shanyue who had migrated eastward, there was no lack of refugees from Dajueting who had brought with them the tales of Jianixi’s final days. The veneration of the Shanyue mingled with the fear the native folk of Lijing Town felt toward Jianixi, giving birth to this morally ambiguous monarch upon the stage.
The old man continued to sigh. Behind him, a warm, mellow voice drifted over, distinct and clear despite the clamor all around.
“Old sir, why the heavy sigh?”
The old man shook his head, his eyes brimming with sentiment as he murmured, “That year, I had just turned thirty. I followed Duke Xiangping on campaign into the Shanyue lands and saw many things with my own eyes. Jianixi... was a true hero.”
He glanced back at the speaker behind him. It was a man in his middle years with broad shoulders, long and gentle brows, and an expansive, commanding bearing. Standing with hands clasped behind his back, he clearly looked out of the ordinary, and the old man’s attitude immediately grew far more respectful.
Onstage, the narrator resumed his lilting chant, striking the gongs and drums:
“You, you, you—do not bring harm upon the common folk under your rule!”
“Bah! The commoners shall be my chariot, and the army shall be my blade and lance! Ay, what can you do about it?!”
The young actor in the black robe shouted at the top of his lungs. Below, the spectators drew their heads back and fell into silent awe. The middle-aged man listened and nodded slightly, murmuring:
“Those sound like words a man like Jianixi would speak. It carries quite an air of grandeur.”
“Ah!” The old man slapped his thigh and grinned. “The next act is called *Duke Xiangping’s Soul Returns Home, Mu Jiaoman Seizes the Throne in the Great Drought*. Now that will truly make everyone sigh and curse in fury. It will be quite a spectacle to behold!”
“A great drought...” Li Tongya murmured softly. “There truly was a great drought back then.”
“How old were you back then, sir, to still remember it? Impressive indeed,” the old man praised. Yet the more he looked at Li Tongya, the more familiar the man seemed, though he simply could not recall where he had seen him before. He asked tentatively, “Sir... might your surname be Li?”
Li Tongya shook his head gently without answering. He merely smiled and said, “This young actor in black is good in every way, save for the color of his eyes. Jianixi possessed brown eyes flared like an owl.”
“Sir, brown eyes flared like an owl belong to the countenance of an owl. Such people are hard to come by!” The old man chuckled in response. Seeing that Li Tongya appeared refined and courteous, easy to converse with, and showed him respect in both tone and words, he leaned closer and whispered, “Sir, people often speak of prowling like a wolf and flaring like an owl. Since you know of the brown eyes flared like an owl, do you know of another ominous visage?”
“Oh?” Li Tongya’s interest was piqued. Smiling, he asked, “Would you care to elaborate, old sir?”
The old man cleared his throat, lowering his voice even further. Had Li Tongya not possessed superhuman hearing, he would have struggled to catch the old man’s words amid the surrounding din.
“Brown eyes flared like an owl, wolfish gaze and grey pupils. A person with a wolfish gaze and grey pupils bears the countenance of the wolf lord mentioned in the plays. Their pupils are greyish-white; they are cautious, suspicious, harboring dark ambitions, and constantly scanning about as they walk. They have a nature that seeks to swallow their rivals.”
“I see!” Li Tongya burst into laughter, instantly catching the old man’s drift. Chuckling, he said, “Those with brown eyes flared like an owl might be hard to find, but people with a wolfish gaze and grey pupils are plentiful in Lijing Town!”
“Aiya!” The old man practically jumped, smiling wryly as he whispered, “It’s enough that you understand, sir! To speak it aloud is unsightly...”
Li Tongya chuckled under his breath, knowing the old man was secretly hinting at the ruling Li family. Straightening his expression, he asked, “Since you understand physiognomy, old sir, why not read mine?”
The old man gave a sly grin, studied him for a moment, and replied, “Yours is an imposing countenance meant to guard a realm—great wealth and nobility, auspicious beyond words.”
Li Tongya laughed. All around them, an uproar arose as the play reached its climax; the young actor portraying Jianixi collapsed to the boards. The old man hurriedly craned his neck to watch. By the time he turned back with a sigh, the man behind him had already vanished without a trace.
***
Mount Lijing.
Chen Donghe, clad in white robes, stood in the courtyard. The drizzling autumn rain swept past him, repelled by his magical power. He slowly drew his sword, a faint grey sword ray illuminating the blade. Opposite him, Li Xuanling already stood with his sword in hand, his own magical blade shining with a similar grey glow. Chen Donghe nodded slightly and lunged forward with his sword drawn.
“Pardon the offense!”
Li Xuanling had not yet unsheathed his blade, merely smiling at him. Only when Chen Donghe reached him did he draw his sword in an upward sweep, unleashing a brilliant white sword arc. Chen Donghe’s pupils dilated. Hurriedly shifting from attack to defense, he exclaimed in shock:
“Lunar Crescent Sword Arc!”
The sword arc struck Chen Donghe’s blade, forcing him back several paces. His hands tightened as he exhaled to steady his essence, only catching his breath after retreating another step. Li Xuanling capitalized on the momentum of his draw, his sword techniques pressing relentlessly forward.
Unaware that Li Xuanling had mastered the Lunar Crescent Sword Arc, Chen Donghe suffered an initial setback and fell into a disadvantage. Fortunately, both cultivated the River Unity Qi Formula and the Xuan Water Sword Art, making them intimately familiar with each other’s styles. Relying on his deeper foundation, Chen Donghe quickly reversed the situation, switching from defense to offense and subduing Li Xuanling.
“My brother-in-law is still the superior swordsman.”
Having sparred with him for half an hour, Li Xuanling caught his breath slightly, sheathed his sword, and stepped back. Chen Donghe sheathed his blade as well, smiling:
“I didn’t expect you to have mastered the Lunar Crescent Sword Arc. Congratulations.”
“Twelve whole years, and I’ve only managed this single stance.” Li Xuanling shook his head and sighed, answering somewhat dejectedly, “Father could already execute this Lunar Crescent Sword Arc back when he was only an Embryonic Breathing cultivator. Yet I dragged on until Qi Refinement, able to unleash it only after acquiring true essence. The difference in skill is plain to see...”
Chen Donghe smiled and shook his head, comforting him, “Do not compare yourself to your father. How many on the lake can truly match him? Your talent in the sword is already remarkable. I only managed to suppress you by relying on the few extra years I have on you. Do not belittle yourself.”
“Yuanjiao, on the other hand, has already grasped the sword ray. His talent in the sword is quite fine as well, likely better than mine.”
Mentioning Li Tongya brought a hint of worry into Li Xuanling’s eyes. He murmured, “I wonder how Father is faring right now.”
The moment his words fell, the courtyard gate creaked open. A middle-aged man stepped inside. His temples were touched with white, and he wore a simple grey robe and plain cloth shoes. He emanated no magical power whatsoever, yet in the pattering rain, he remained entirely dry; before the raindrops could touch him, they obediently slid aside, appearing exceptionally wondrous.
The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow slightly and took a step forward. The puddles beneath his feet seemed to come alive, parting before him so that his cloth shoes remained immaculate.
“Had that sword arc tilted two tenths to the right, you would have fought Donghe to a draw.”
“Father!” Overjoyed, Li Xuanling stepped forward excitedly. After taking a closer look, he beamed. “Father has established his immortal foundation!”
Li Tongya smiled and nodded. Beside them, Chen Donghe bowed with cupped hands and said respectfully, “Congratulations, Second Uncle!”
Looking at the unrestrained joy on the faces of the two juniors before him, Li Tongya felt immensely gratified. He chuckled:
“From this day forth, our Li family is the third Foundation Establishment clan on the lake!”
***
Li Tongya took the head seat in the hall. Below him sat the gathered Li family members, every face brimming with delight as they chatted and laughed among themselves.
Li Tongya sat at the head with a gentle smile. To his left sat Li Xuanfeng, who had attained the sixth layer of Qi Refinement; to his right sat Li Xuanxuan, at the second layer of Qi Refinement. Below them were Li Xuanling and Chen Donghe, while Li Yuanjiao and Li Yuanyun occupied the lowest seats. Together, they bowed respectfully:
“Congratulations to Second Uncle / Father / Granduncle on establishing the immortal foundation!”
Li Tongya nodded and smiled. “During this seclusion, I completed the ‘Vast Sea’ and stepped into Foundation Establishment. Our clan is now a true prominent family, and adjustments must be made accordingly.”
With that, he looked toward Li Xuanxuan and asked, “Xuan’er, how have things been across the lake these past few years?”
Li Xuanxuan stood, cupped his hands, and answered respectfully, “Only a month after you entered seclusion, Second Uncle, the earth dragon turned over in Milin Commandery. The ground fractured, and towns collapsed. Before Yu Mugao could even get to the bottom of it, all three major thoroughfares leading out of Milin Commandery came under attack—whether relay posts or narrow passes, the assailants slaughtered travelers, wrecked the roads, and choked the mountain defiles.”
“Yu Mugao was beside himself with rage, yet he had to handle it all alone. None of the younger generation in the Yu family are capable of much, and Yu Mujian remained shut away in seclusion, paying no heed to worldly affairs. Second Uncle, do you still recall the man who brought about Yuanxiu’s death?”
Li Tongya nodded gently. That man had indeed been sharp and decisive. In an instant, he had used another person’s corpse to create a distraction, promptly disposing of two storage bags to avoid aiding the enemy. In the end, knowing he could not escape, he used a talisman to destroy his own remains. He had truly been formidable.
Li Xuanxuan nodded and continued, “That man was named Yu Muyuan. Clever and decisive, he was Yu Mugao’s right-hand man. In the past, Yu Muyuan assisted him, but with his death, Yu Mugao has been stretched thin, finding things increasingly difficult.”
“The following year, before the market towns of Milin Commandery were even repaired, an unaffiliated Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator arrived among the clans of the eastern shore—territory the Yu family considered their exclusive preserve. He intended to seize land and establish a clan, which led several Qi Refinement families to harbor divided loyalties, playing both sides. It gave Yu Mugao an immense headache.”
Li Tongya nodded slightly and murmured, “This must be Fei Wangbai’s handiwork. Though Yu Mugao is ruthless and vigilant, he has been left utterly harried, with no room left to plot harm against others.”
The seated members nodded in agreement. Li Yuanjiao clenched his fists and sighed bitterly. Li Tongya spoke again:
“It has always been easy to harm others, but difficult to guard against them. If the foundation of one’s rule is unstable, the larger the territory, the more miserable one becomes.”
Li Xuanxuan nodded, then brought forward Li Yuanping and Li Qingxiao. Li Qingxiao was an adorable child with rosy cheeks, greeting each elder in a crisp, sweet voice. Li Yuanping was a few months older, yet appeared much smaller. He was still held in the arms of Li Xuanxuan’s principal wife, Lady Dou, looking timid and too shy to speak.
Li Tongya first held Li Qingxiao close, examining her for a moment and patting her head, before taking Li Yuanping from Li Xuanxuan’s arms, his brow furrowing slightly.
Li Xuanxuan lowered his head with a trace of guilt. Beside him, his wife, Lady Dou, slowly raised her head and said softly, “When I was carrying Ping’er, it coincided with the misfortune that befell Xiu’er. As a result, he was born prematurely, with weakened blood and qi, bearing signs of congenital deficiency.”
Li Tongya raised his brows to look at her, praising, “When Xiangping and I arranged your marriage with Xuanxuan all those years ago, it was precisely because we valued your dignity, poise, and sound judgment. Over the years, living quietly within the inner quarters, you have aided Xuan’er greatly, and your cultivation has now reached the fifth layer of Embryonic Breathing.”
“Second Uncle flatters me,” Lady Dou murmured, nodding slightly as she handed the child into Li Tongya’s hands. Li Tongya examined him closely and formed a hand seal. Instantly, a refreshing fragrance surged forth, drawing the attention of everyone present.
Li Yuanping stared up at Li Tongya. An inch above the boy’s face, sparkling points of light materialized in the air, swirling before sinking into his little mouth. Li Yuanping smacked his lips and let out a soft grunt.
Li Tongya ceased his technique. Under the hopeful gazes of Lady Dou and Li Xuanxuan, he shook his head and said, “This merely replenishes his blood and qi. The loss of innate primordial essence can likely only be mended by a divine ability.”
Lady Dou took Li Yuanping back in silence, bowed, and stepped back. Li Xuanxuan lowered his head and murmured, “Replenishing his blood and qi is already a blessing.”
Li Tongya looked around at the faces of the crowd below and said warmly, “Now that I have broken through to Foundation Establishment, several matters must be put on the agenda.”
“Donghe.”
Chen Donghe stepped forward, and Li Tongya instructed:
“Make a trip to the Xiao family to deliver the news. Do not go empty-handed. Take some spiritual items from the clan treasury—they need not be overly precious, just items suitable for the Qi Refinement realm.”
“Understood!” Chen Donghe answered respectfully, quickly leaving the courtyard and heading down the mountain.
Only then did Li Tongya turn back and say in a low voice, “Senior Xiao Chuchou of the Xiao family once had an agreement with me: if I broke through to Foundation Establishment, we would draw closer and arrange a marriage alliance; if I failed, our relations would remain as they are.”
“Now that the immortal foundation is forged, this matter of marriage must also be set in motion.”
The expressions of those below shifted, filled with mixed feelings of joy and apprehension. Li Xuanfeng cupped his hands and spoke:
“Regarding this marriage alliance, if our family takes in a bride, it would be simple enough, as several boys of the Yuan generation have reached the proper age. But if our family must marry off a daughter, Qinghong is the only one of suitable age...”
Li Xuanling was Li Qinghong’s biological father, and his anxiety surged immediately. He murmured, “Out of the question! Qinghong has been bestowed a talisman seed, and her talent is the highest among the Yuan-Qing generation. How could we marry her off!”
Li Xuanxuan also shook his head in distress, saying in a heavy voice, “Indeed, that cannot be. Yet the Xiao family possesses great power and vast holdings; agreeing to a marriage alliance with our family is already showing us great face. It is impossible to ask one of theirs to marry into our household as a matrilocal husband!”
“A matrilocal marriage is naturally out of the question, but Qinghong cannot be married off either!”
Li Tongya shook his head, settling the matter decisively before continuing, “As of now, the terms of the marriage are undecided. Our family is the weaker party, so by convention, we ought to marry a daughter into their house. However, there is another way.”
He took a sip of tea and went on, “At worst, we can match a legitimate son of our main line with a concubine-born daughter from their house. Such a concession should suffice to keep the Xiao family from taking offense.”
“Second Uncle speaks truly!” Li Xuanxuan agreed, then continued, “There is one more matter that has not yet been reported. Using our family as an excuse, the Yu family slaughtered a portion of the An family, propped up a puppet, and turned them into vassals. An Jingming is dead as well. Only An Zheyan managed to flee. Later, he fled to us and has now pledged allegiance to our clan, offering several formulas and techniques.”
“An Zheyan.” Li Tongya paused for a moment, then said softly, “Have him come up to see me.”
The crowd nodded in succession. After discussing matters in detail for a while longer, they took their leave. Some went to draw talismans, others to cultivate, each attending to their duties.
Chapter 213