"This junior would not dare forget."
Li Tongya nodded gently. Xiao Yuansi set down his teacup and said in a warm voice, "Our two families ought to arrange a marriage alliance to watch over and support each other. Does the Li family currently have any unmarried descendants of the direct line?"
"Indeed we do," Li Tongya replied respectfully. Sending a transmission of magical power to Li Xuanxuan outside the door, he instructed, *Bring up all the children of the Yuan-Qing generation, except for Qinghong and Yuanyun.*
Li Xuanxuan hurried down to make preparations. Meanwhile, Xiao Yuansi scrutinized Li Tongya and remarked with a smile, "If I am not mistaken, that immortal foundation of yours was cultivated using the River One-Qi Formula you traded from my family. It should be called 'Vast Sea.'"
"Precisely," Li Tongya answered with clasped hands.
Xiao Yuansi grew solemn and replied, "An immortal foundation is a matter of grave consequence. Now that you have established yours, there are a few words of caution I ought to impart."
"Please speak, Senior!"
Seeing Li Tongya respond with utter gravity, Xiao Yuansi took a sip of tea and lowered his voice. "'Vast Sea' and my family's 'Old Man on the Stream' originate from the very same lineage. There is a deep affinity between these immortal foundations. Should you ever encounter Foundation Establishment cultivators of this kind, you must exercise supreme caution!"
Li Tongya looked up, a thought instantly coming to mind. "Are there any taboos?"
Xiao Yuansi nodded and continued, "Foundations like Vast Sea and Old Man on the Stream are referred to by ancient orthodox Daoism as 'dao complements,' while the demonic and heretical paths call them 'companion elixirs.' Great resonance exists between these foundations, allowing them to replenish each other. If you cross paths with someone of wicked intent, they will more than likely..."
He paused, finding the next words difficult to voice.
"Gouge out the immortal foundation and swallow it for replenishment..."
"Swallow it." Li Tongya fell silent for a long moment before whispering, "May I ask, Senior, are such atrocities common?"
"They are not," Xiao Yuansi said, shaking his head. "For one, the method carries grave risks and can easily drive one slightly mad. Dao complements are also exceedingly hard to find, and whoever consumes one must possess considerable mastery in alchemy. For another, although one's cultivation surges drastically and the immortal foundation becomes far more wondrous after consumption, it halts one's progress at Foundation Establishment, making it nearly impossible to reach the Purple Palace. Only those with no hope of breakthrough and driven to dead ends would ever dare attempt it."
Li Tongya sighed softly in his heart. Looking at Xiao Yuansi, he asked, "May I ask, Senior, what kinds of immortal foundations serve as dao complements to Vast Sea?"
Xiao Yuansi gathered his sleeves and answered, "The first is called 'Obscured Long Clouds.' The second is 'Vast Sea.' The third is 'Old Man on the Stream.' The fourth is 'Stationed Amid the Ridges.' And the fifth is 'Hating the River's Flow.'"
Seeing that Li Tongya had committed them carefully to memory, Xiao Yuansi used a transmission of magical power to add, *These immortal foundations are coveted by Purple Palace cultivators as well. However, for a Purple Palace master to make use of one, they must nurture the cultivator painstakingly from Qi Refinement onward and perform rituals to plant the dao seed. We, at least, have no need to worry on that score.*
"Junior understands," Li Tongya replied with a nod. Understanding at last why Chijing had been murdered by that Purple Palace cultivator of the Qingchi Sect, he let out a quiet sigh and smiled wryly. "If a Foundation Establishment cultivator plunders another's foundation to surge in cultivation only to find the Purple Palace forever barred to them, then surely a Purple Palace cultivator who steals a foundation must suffer some unspeakable consequence as well!"
Xiao Yuansi nodded slightly, growing even more guarded as they touched on the subject. He whispered, *Provided adequate preparations are made, a divine ability forged from a stolen foundation may not be as harmonious and consummate as one cultivated from one's own flesh and blood, but it drastically reduces the time required for cultivation. Naturally, the masters of the Purple Palace flock to it like moths to a flame...*
As the two conversed in hushed tones, Li Xuanxuan had already led the others upstairs. Li Yuanjiao held Li Qingxiao by the hand, followed by Lady Dou carrying Li Yuanping in her arms.
Li Tongya smiled and said, "These are the juniors of our family's Yuan-Qing generation. I invite Senior to have a look."
The two younger children merely stared at Xiao Yuansi with slight nervousness. Li Yuanjiao stepped forward and said respectfully, "Junior Li Yuanjiao greets Senior!"
Xiao Yuansi swept his gaze across them, his eyes immediately settling on Li Yuanjiao at the very front. Seeing that the youth was only seventeen or eighteen yet already at the fifth layer of Embryonic Breathing, he nodded and said, "Li Yuanjiao. A fine name indeed."
Beside him, Li Tongya murmured, "There was originally an elder son of the direct line, but he was murdered by the Yu family..."
"The Yu family." Xiao Yuansi stroked his chin, offered his condolences, and said in a low voice, "I have heard of them even in Lixia Commandery. Back when my clan uncle achieved Foundation Establishment, the Yu family sent someone to offer congratulations. I had heard they were overbearing and vicious; now I have truly seen proof of it."
With that, he shook his head and steered the conversation back on track, smiling. "It is just that your esteemed family has no daughters of suitable age, making it awkward for me to propose a match. My family still has an unmarried daughter of the direct line. How would Brother Tongya feel about betrothing her to Yuanjiao?"
"How could that possibly do!" Li Tongya had never expected Xiao Yuansi to arrange a betrothal this way. Taken aback, he said solemnly, "A marriage alliance between our families is already us reaching far above our station. How could we accept this..."
"Ah," Xiao Yuansi said, beaming. "I see Qingxiao is only three to five years old and still quite small. Waiting a few more years would not be too late. There is no rush."
Li Tongya dismissed the juniors with a wave of his hand, bowed deeply, and pleaded earnestly, "A daughter of the direct line wed to my family's Yuanjiao is truly out of the question! I beg Senior to withdraw the proposal!"
"Rest assured, Brother Tongya! Our ancestor looks favorably upon your noble clan. With me handling the matter personally, there will be no objections from the Xiao family."
Xiao Yuansi tried to persuade him further, but Li Tongya remained bowed and said in a stern voice, "Tongya understands Senior's kindness, but my Li family cannot bear such honor! I beg Senior to withdraw the proposal!"
Xiao Yuansi froze. After pondering for a moment, he seemed to realize something and whispered, "It was my lack of forethought. Brother Tongya, forgive me."
"Senior is too polite!"
Stroking his beard, Xiao Yuansi continued, "How about this: my family has a daughter born of a concubine within the direct line, named Xiao Guiluan. Both her character and appearance are of the highest caliber. It would be most fitting to match her with Yuanjiao."
"Thank you for your understanding, Senior!" Li Tongya replied. He paused, suddenly recalling something, and asked, "I heard from Donghe that your family's main peak is called Xianyou Peak, and within it lies a river named the Yue River... Is this true?"
"It is." Xiao Yuansi nodded, looking up in some confusion, only to hear Li Tongya ask:
"Does Senior know of Xiao Xianyou?"
Xiao Yuansi's expression turned grave. With a flick of his palm, the courtyard gates shut tight, magical light swirling over them to seal the interior from the outside world. Only then did he speak: "Where did Brother Tongya hear that name! Xiao Xianyou belonged to my branch—he was our ancestor's paternal uncle!"
Li Tongya paused before recounting steadily, "Tongya once obtained a sword inscribed with a secret method that, when channeled with River true essence, yielded a movement technique named River-Crossing Torrent Steps. It was created by Ancestor Xianyou..."
"Are your words true?!" Xiao Yuansi was instantly overjoyed. Li Tongya produced the dharma sword, its Lingyu Gate insignia already smoothed away into an ordinary engraving. Xiao Yuansi took it, examined it, and shook his head in disappointment. "It is merely a standard dharma sword; there is nothing wondrous about it."
Li Tongya nodded, turned his hand, and retrieved a jade slip, saying quietly, "Since this belonged to your family's forebear, I return it to Senior."
"This..." Movement techniques were inherently precious, yet Li Tongya had offered it without hesitation. The hesitating Xiao Yuansi was stunned. He wanted to refuse, but found it impossible to say the words; to the Xiao family, River-Crossing Torrent Steps meant far more than an ordinary third-rank movement technique. Letting out a soft sigh, Xiao Yuansi replied, "Brother Tongya's righteousness is profound, yet I know not what to offer in exchange. Is there anything your esteemed family currently lacks?"
***
The evening wind swept through the mountains, wandering amidst the woods of Qingchi Peak until it brushed against Chi Wei's face atop the summit. His white hair drifted in the breeze, and the corners of his deeply wrinkled eyes narrowed. Chi Wei raised a hand and touched his own face. He could have easily presented himself with a youthful countenance, but having lived for several hundred years, he had long shed any obsession with beauty or ugliness; he simply let nature take its course.
Scattered figures already stood amidst the clouds. Chi Wei was not as renowned as Duanmu Kui; only a few Purple Palace masters from the three states of Yue, Wu, and Xu had arrived, all looking down upon him from the clouds.
Chi Zhiyun stood behind him, his face filled with sorrow and reluctance as he watched Chi Wei's moon-white patterned robe flutter in the wind. Chi Zhiyun whispered, "Ancestor, the affairs within the sect have all been settled..."
As if deaf to his words, Chi Wei stood upon the peak, reminiscing in the evening wind. Smiling, he asked, "Zhiyun, what do you think of a man like Chi Wei?"
Not understanding his intent, Chi Zhiyun bowed respectfully and answered, "Ancestor is the pillar of our Qingchi Sect. You possess formidable might, dominating an entire era, with learning that spans heaven and earth, thoughts deep as an abyss, and an extraordinary bearing..."
Chi Wei burst into laughter, waved his hand, and shook his head. "What 'dominating an era'? I cannot even compare to Duanmu Kui and Li Jiangqun—it only invites ridicule. And 'learning spanning heaven and earth' is sheer nonsense. Never mind being inferior to that Old Flood Dragon, I cannot even match Xiao Xianyou or Tang Yuanwu."
He paused, a look of poignant emotion crossing his features, his gaze turning sharp as he chuckled. "As for 'thoughts deep as an abyss,' how could I ever compare to Xiao Chuting?"
"Xiao Chuting?!" Chi Zhiyun searched his memory back and forth several times before finally digging up the name. Stunned for a moment, he muttered, "Xiao Chuting... Xiao Chuting... of the Xiao family of Lixia."
Chi Zhiyun was not foolish. Jerking his head up, he cried, "Xiao Chuting broke through to the Purple Palace?!"
"Mm..." Chi Wei answered with a smile and nodded toward a certain patch of clouds. Chi Zhiyun still found it hard to believe, murmuring, "How could it be! How could it be! Where did he get a Purple Palace cultivation method? Where did he get the secrets of divine abilities? Where did he get the courage!"
"Where did he get the courage..." Chi Wei let out an aged laugh and said, "Do not take the Qingchi Sect for some supreme overlord, imagining that all living beings are mere chess pieces to be taken and discarded at will. The geniuses of this world are as numerous as crossing carps, breaking their heads trying to climb upward. With our Qingchi Sect sitting in this position..."
Chi Wei paused, sighing, "We are like someone sitting upon a boiling cauldron, roasting over glowing charcoal!"
Seeing Chi Zhiyun struck speechless, Chi Wei continued, "You juniors grew up listening to my name, truly taking me for a hero who towered over an era..."
"Are you not?!" Chi Zhiyun protested indignantly, his voice heavy. "Breaking demonic plagues, driving away fiends, sweeping across Nanjiang, slaying wicked monstrosities—the lives Ancestor saved number far more than a million! Even if several hundred thousand were sacrificed for cultivation, what of it? These people never stop to think: without our protection over this region, where would any of them even be..."
"Enough!" Chi Wei cut him off with a sneer, shaking his head. "I, Chi Wei, am a villain. From the moment I stole Li Jiangqun's pouch at seventeen until now, when my vitality is nearly spent at three hundred and seventy-seven and I consume human elixirs, all of it has been the despicable conduct of a petty scoundrel, utterly disgraceful to behold.
"I rode upon Li Jiangqun's momentum, allied with the various sects in sieges and purges, seized the chance to eliminate two sects, wiped out Lingyu, disposed of Xiao Xianyou, harvested the noble clans year after year, and refined and consumed disciples bearing foundations of moon essence—all of which the Purple Palace masters have watched with their own eyes."
Chi Wei looked up and laughed, calling out toward the pitch-black night sky, "All of you up in the heavens can hear clearly: can I, Chi Wei, not be called a villain?"
The assembly of Purple Palace cultivators above exchanged glances with mixed expressions. Some sighed softly, some sneered with contempt, while others uttered cold snorts. After a long while, a cool, detached female voice rang out:
"If you are not a villain, who else in this world could possibly qualify!"
"You!" Chi Zhiyun flushed with anger, but dared not make a sound before the speaker's Purple Palace cultivation. Chi Wei, however, merely nodded with a smile. The morning sun was already rising on the horizon. Chi Wei remained motionless, standing quietly. The Purple Palace masters watched him just as quietly. Even the youngest among these Purple Palace cultivators had lived for more than a century; they were in no hurry—certainly in less of a hurry than Chi Wei.
As the sun ascended slowly, the clear qi of heaven drifted upward while the turbid qi sank downward, blending sun and moon essence into a unified harmony. It was the prime moment for a breakthrough. The radiant colors of divine abilities rose from Chi Wei's body, his expression entirely calm.
When the sun and moon essence between heaven and earth reached its zenith, Chi Wei's spiritual sense stirred. A dark ray of light flew forth from his Shengyang Mansion—it was the activation of his innate divine ability, 'Heavy and Turbid.'
Chi Wei took a step forward. The world before his eyes cleared above and below, revealing two indistinct figures amidst the clouds. Chi Wei laughed heartily and said loudly, "The two of you have come to collect my corpse!"
The two above were accustomed to all manner of scenes accompanying Purple Palace breakthroughs, so they took no offense at his banter. One of them let out a shrill laugh and shouted, "Chi Wei, oh Chi Wei! Your day has finally come!"
Chi Wei waved his hand nonchalantly. His appearance grew increasingly youthful and handsome, though his brow and eyes retained a hint of sinister coldness. Four other divine abilities flew out from his body, stirring the heaven-and-earth spirit qi as they darted and leaped beside him.
The five divine abilities converged in midair into a single ribbon of colored light, swirling in turn and transforming into five-colored radiance. Each took on its own hue—divided into metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—intertwining and soaring in the sky. Someone above whispered, "It is the Five Elements Metal-Seeking Method."
Chi Wei flicked his finger, and an elixir pill materialized in his hand. Instantly, radiant rays scattered in all directions and a rich fragrance wafted abroad, releasing a brilliant aura. The figures above leaned forward to look, murmurs of doubt rippling through them.
"Oh?" The two blurred figures also turned their attention toward it. One of them asked in a shrill voice, "Which pill is that?"
The other focused his gaze and said in a reedy voice, "Judging by its exterior appearance, it should be 'Lake Moon Autumn.'"
"Indeed." Hearing this, the first speaker glanced at Chi Wei's other immortal foundations and chuckled. "That is certainly one way to go about it!"
Chi Wei tossed the pill into his mouth. After waiting for several breaths, however, there was only a faint stir. Great horror seized his heart, and his expression shifted repeatedly. For the first time, fury and shock broke across his face as he roared:
"Old Flood Dragon! How dare you deceive me with a counterfeit elixir!"
Yet the five-colored radiance summoned by his divine abilities did not wait for him. Still blazing, it faintly condensed into a brilliant point of light. The two blurred figures above scoffed and spoke in unison:
"Chi Wei! You, too, have been swindled!"
The Purple Palace masters all widened their eyes, pointing and murmuring at the spiritual light. Chi Wei swiftly composed himself, closed his eyes with a sigh, and pushed his palms forward. Sun and moon essence surged forth, crashing against the spiritual light.
Five rays of colored light slowly emerged above the spiritual glow, bright and ethereal, drooping slightly. The spiritual light grew ever more luminous, but the colored rays flashed only momentarily before vanishing entirely.
*He truly falls short of Duanmu Kui...*
The crowd above conversed through their spiritual senses, while the two blurred figures in the air had already formed their hand seals, waiting for the metal nature to burst forth.
Chapter 219