Li Tongya shook out his sleeves, a faint touch of melancholy on his face. The northern wind rustled through the woods, his words still echoing in the air. The Qi Refinement cultivator cupped his hands gently and answered:
"A pity indeed."
Li Tongya nodded and asked, "May I ask your esteemed name?"
The man cupped his hands slightly and smiled. "Xiao Jiuqing."
As the two were speaking, a gust of wind descended hurriedly before them. The newcomer had long, narrow eyes, wore a snow-white fox fur cloak, and carried a dharma sword tied at his waist. Though he appeared to be in his early forties, he still retained a handsome middle-aged elegance. Releasing his spell, he cupped his hands and said:
"We haven't seen each other in years, Brother Tongya, yet your grace remains unchanged!"
Li Tongya gave a hearty laugh and cupped his hands in reply. "As does yours, Brother Yongling!"
The newcomer was indeed Xiao Yongling, possessing a cultivation at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement that appeared thoroughly honed over many years. Smiling warmly, he said:
"Brother Tongya makes rapid progress. I am thoroughly ashamed to lag behind."
Waving his hand to Xiao Jiuqing, who stood bowing in wait, Xiao Yongling said:
"Jiuqing, Brother Tongya and I haven't seen each other in years, and we have much catching up to do. Go attend to the others; I will receive Brother Tongya personally."
Xiao Jiuqing quickly withdrew. Li Tongya and Xiao Yongling took to the wind, Li Tongya chuckling:
"This Xiao Jiuqing is quite the capable fellow."
He then recounted what had just happened. Hearing the tale, Xiao Yongling chuckled, quite pleased, and bantered:
"It seems what I said back then has indeed come to pass."
Li Tongya laughed and shook his head. With a half-smile, Xiao Yongling continued:
"It's just that you keep too low a profile, Brother Tongya. You didn't even send invitations or hold a ceremony upon reaching Foundation Establishment! I had hoped to present a gift or two, but it seems there was no way to do so!"
The two smiled at each other. Li Tongya chatted with him a bit more as they descended together onto a small peak amidst the mountain range. A middle-aged man sat upright beside a jade table, carefully reading an alchemy manual held in his hand. Landing, Xiao Yongling smiled and said:
"Clan Uncle, look who this is."
The middle-aged man looked up in surprise. Upon seeing them, he quickly put away the alchemy book and cupped his hands.
"So it is Fellow Daoist Tongya."
"Greetings, Senior!"
This person was none other than Li Chijing's senior martial brother, Xiao Yuansi. Once they were seated and tea was served, Li Tongya formed his plan. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he adopted a solemn expression and said:
"I actually have a matter to trouble Senior with. For the Zhenren's Dharma Assembly, I went to great pains to procure a precious herb, intending to offer it to the Zhenren. However, I cannot judge its quality or tell what manner of spirit root it is, and I fear making a fool of myself. May I ask Daoist Friend to appraise it?"
"Please."
Xiao Yuansi replied, and Xiao Yongling beside them turned his attention as well. Li Tongya drew a jade box from his storage bag and used his dharmic power to draw out the precious herb. It was a golden-yellow spiritual object glowing with iridescent light, its skin delicate and tender enough to break at a breath, an aura of light swirling across it most captivatingly.
Xiao Yuansi examined it closely for a while, then took out several jade slips to verify multiple times before finally answering:
"In my view, this should be a Jinmie Fruit. It has the effect of enhancing cultivation and stabilizing one's essence. Even among the Foundation Establishment grade, it ranks as superior. It fears scorching sun and flames, and is rare within the State of Yue; this is my first time seeing one in person as well."
With that, he held the fruit in his left hand and flicked his right fingers, conjuring a flame with a sudden puff. When it was brought within a foot of it, the fruit began to hop, splitting open a mouth-like slit and letting out a piercing, clamorous wailing.
Xiao Yuansi nodded slightly and snuffed out the flame, answering:
"It is indeed a Jinmie Fruit, without a doubt.
"The alchemy texts state: 'When approached with fire, it wails ceaselessly and is prone to foul cursing; thus is its origin known. When slightly more aged, it grows legs and flees; consumed at that stage, it benefits even the Purple Mansion.'"
Listening attentively, both men showed looks of wonder. Xiao Yuansi smiled and said:
"Right now, this fruit can only cry. If it reached the age where it could run and walk, even Purple Mansion cultivators would covet it deeply."
While Xiao Yuansi spoke, though he had already extinguished the flame, the Jinmie Fruit remained utterly defiant, jabbering and clamoring noisily. Xiao Yuansi listened with an odd expression and hissed in a low voice:
"Shut up!"
The Jinmie Fruit paid him no heed, squawking away on its own. Xiao Yuansi could not help laughing and said:
"My immortal foundation is 'Vermilion Salvia,' which enables me to understand the speech of vegetation."
Smiling, he pinched an incantation seal. Li Tongya's hearing suddenly cleared, and he heard the fruit cursing:
"Bloody motherfucker! Your granddaddy was doing just fine on the vine, and that barbarian bastard just had to damn well pick me..."
Li Tongya was greatly amazed. But after listening for a while, the fruit merely repeated those same two phrases over and over. He had no choice but to take out the jade box, force the struggling Jinmie Fruit back inside, and snap the lid shut. Only a loud "Fuck your grandmother's shins!" could be heard before silence fell. The uncle and nephew of the Xiao family both burst into laughter. Li Tongya shook his head helplessly, and Xiao Yuansi said:
"A few breaths after being plucked, this object can speak, and a few breaths later, it dies. Though it can still speak afterward, it only repeats two or three phrases. Quite peculiar."
Li Tongya nodded slightly and asked the question he cared about most, speaking in a low voice:
"May I ask what price it might fetch?"
Xiao Yuansi paused briefly, then answered:
"Ordinary precious herbs range in price from two hundred to three hundred spirit stones. This can be considered medium-high grade, around two hundred and fifty spirit stones. If you come across someone in urgent need of it, there could even be a premium of over a dozen stones."
With that, he looked at Li Tongya and said softly:
"If you offer this as a congratulatory gift, Brother Tongya, while it may not be considered precious to a Zhenren, it is certainly sufficient to show your sincerity."
Li Tongya nodded, the weight in his heart finally settling. He asked in a low voice:
"Regarding the Yu family matter, does Senior have any word?"
Xiao Yuansi nodded gently and replied:
"I have already presented the River-Crossing Torrent Steps. The Old Ancestor was greatly pleased, but he is still deliberating whether to act against the Yu family. Around the time of the Dharma Assembly, he will likely summon you for questioning. Just be patient, Tongya."
Li Tongya quickly expressed his thanks, but Xiao Yuansi shifted aside to decline the formal gesture. He then brought out another jade slip shimmering with spiritual radiance; it was precisely the Folded Feather Spear. Li Tongya received it carefully. As the three conversed and waited, they finally saw the spiritual energy above the Xiao family connect with the earth veins, clouds surging and churning into the shape of a lotus flower. Xiao Yuansi smiled and said:
"Brother Tongya, come with me."
***
Following the jade steps all the way up, Li Tongya saw that the Xiao family had established an array formation at the mountain peak, drawing shrouds of mist and clouds like a celestial paradise. The foremost grand hall was crafted of gold and jade, arranged with exquisite low tables—seventeen elevated seats in total. This caused Li Tongya to frown slightly as he pondered to himself:
'Three Sects and Seven Gates... and seven more powers. I wonder if they are rogue cultivators or experts from other states.'
Those seventeen elevated seats were still entirely empty. A Purple Mansion power was indeed magnificent; the tables were laden with spirit wine and spirit fruit, and the jade flagons and jade bowls radiated magical light, looking far from ordinary items.
Below the high platform lay a circular ring of scattered tables, set with white-jade-colored vessels. As Li Tongya observed them closely, Xiao Yongling strode through the mist, smiling as he said:
"The very first seat among the Foundation Establishment cultivators is reserved for your noble clan."
How could Li Tongya's temperament ever accept such an arrangement? He hastily waved his hand and whispered:
"That would never do!"
He sighed softly and cupped his hands.
"Brother Yongling, you are putting me on the spot over an open fire. Spare me, please; remove that seat. I will merely find a place at the very bottom to sit."
Chapter 228