Hearing this, Xiao Yongling’s expression shifted slightly. After a moment of hesitation, he said in a low voice, “Would doing so… not seem disrespectful to your noble clan? I fear it might be inappropriate.”
Li Tongya naturally understood that Xiao Yongling was merely speaking out of courtesy. Cupping his hands, he replied, “The matters between our two families have not yet been brought out into the open, nor has word of my breakthrough to Foundation Establishment been made public. Sitting prominently in the upper seats would mean throwing away our initial advantage for nothing. You need not overthink it, Brother Yongling. The bond between our families is secure; there is no need to bind ourselves to mundane etiquette.”
Xiao Yongling nodded repeatedly. How could he fail to see the stakes involved? He had only feared that arbitrarily arranging a rear seat might breed resentment between them. That was why he had come personally to seek out Li Tongya so early and pointed out the Li family’s designated place, waiting precisely for these words from Li Tongya. He cupped his hands and said:
“Brother Tongya is truly sensible. I have already arranged a seat on the opposite side and staggered the seating for the various families of Lake Wangyue far from the rearmost places. When the mist and clouds gather, no one will be so ill-mannered as to probe around with spiritual sense, so all will naturally be well.”
Xiao Yongling handled matters thoroughly and cleanly. Li Tongya nodded with a smile, expressed his thanks, and made his way toward the rear seats. Xiao Yongling escorted him partway in person before returning to the upper section. The area was still largely empty, and Xiao Jiuqing, who stood behind him, praised:
“Seeing Brother interact with Senior Tongya is like mountains echoing in a valley or the moon shining upon a clear stream. It is truly marvelous.”
Xiao Yongling broke into a laugh, patted his shoulder, and chuckled. “That mouth of yours! If your praises ranked second, no one would dare claim first.”
Xiao Jiuqing repeatedly offered smiling apologies. Xiao Yongling chuckled, then straightened his expression slightly and replied:
“You overstate it. Both Li Tongya and I are people of deep deliberation and tactful speech, which is why our conversations align so well. If it had been Li Xuanfeng who came today, I would have spelled out the pros and cons to him the night before and then arranged the seating. I would never have taken such a risk.”
Xiao Jiuqing nodded in agreement and spoke again. “Your younger brother accepts the lesson. However, I have heard that demon trouble has arisen again in Qingchi Sect’s Nanjiang region, and they are drafting hands to head to Yishan City. I wonder how much truth there is to that?”
Xiao Yongling shook his head and answered, “The Demon King of Nanjiang and Qingchi Sect have always worked hand in glove. It is nothing more than Chi Zhiyun’s scheme. Fortunately, our family no longer falls under Qingchi’s jurisdiction, so there is no need to worry.”
While the Xiao brothers were conversing, Li Tongya had already found a seat and settled down. After about three-quarters of an hour, figures finally began to descend sparsely onto the upper seats. A white-haired old man took a seat beside him. Looking around, he glanced at Li Tongya, his expression instantly filling with astonishment, and greeted respectfully:
“Greetings, Senior…”
This section surrounding Li Tongya was entirely occupied by Embryonic Breathing and Qi Refinement cultivators. Sitting alone among them as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he caused the people nearby to shy away in fear. The old man had dared to greet him only out of caution, terrified that he might be some eccentric Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator, and dared not speak further, turning away to drink his wine in silence.
Li Tongya was glad for the quiet. Looking up, he watched the figures on the upper jade terrace gradually fill the seats until an announcer's cry rang out.
“Xiuyue Sect, Master Shangyuan has arrived—!”
“Of the Three Sects and Seven Gates, the first to arrive is actually Xiuyue Sect.”
Murmurs erupted all around. Li Tongya looked up and saw a figure already seated on the elevated dais. The master wore loose white robes with azure jade pinned to the lapel, his face obscured and hazy. A sword swayed at his waist as he sat upright at the upper seat, quietly inspecting a jade cup held between jade-white fingers, appearing entirely unremarkable at a glance.
“For Senior to take the trouble of traveling from afar and condescending to bestow a treasured missive, this humble peak is bathed in glory. Chuting is deeply grateful and honored.”
Xiao Chuting’s voice echoed across the peak. Li Tongya’s expression grew slightly solemn upon hearing it. Seeing the master above set down the jade cup and give a slight nod in reply, he could not help but muse to himself:
‘For Xiao Chuting to adopt such a humble posture… this man must at least be a master of the late or even peak Purple Mansion realm. Though Xiuyue Sect has always kept a low profile, it remains one of the Three Sects. Its heritage is truly profound!’
The crowd below whispered among themselves even more. Though counted among the Three Sects, Xiuyue Sect was the least prominent of them all. Not only was its mountain gate ethereal and untraceable, but it also took a hands-off approach toward the prominent clans under its rule, maintaining an aloof posture as if watching the shifting winds from afar. It was also the only sect whose jurisdiction hosted a Purple Mansion immortal clan.
As Li Tongya listened to the idle chatter around him, a burst of red light flared above, and another Purple Mansion cultivator appeared. He had youthful features despite his crane-white hair, held a jade ruler in hand, and possessed a fluttering white beard.
“Xuanyue Gate, Master Changxi has arrived—!”
“Changxi pays respects to Senior!”
The moment Master Changxi appeared, he hastily cupped his hands in greeting. The white-robed Master Shangyuan, wearing the azure jade at his lapel, answered softly. Only then did Master Changxi dare to raise his head, turning to offer his congratulations:
“Congratulations to Fellow Daoist on breaking through to Purple Mansion.”
Watching closely from below, Li Tongya felt inwardly alarmed. After lingering his gaze on the sword at Master Shangyuan’s waist, he hurriedly lowered his head, daring not look any longer, and thought to himself:
‘I fear this Master Shangyuan is a sword immortal. Otherwise, it would be difficult to command such deference from several masters.’
“Tangjin Gate…”
“Changxiao Gate…”
The Purple Mansion cultivators arrived one after another, each cupping their hands in greeting to Master Shangyuan before taking their seats. Except for Master Shangyuan of Xiuyue Sect, the rest brought along Foundation Establishment disciples. Li Tongya observed carefully and noted that aside from the seats for the Three Sects and Seven Gates, there were also several Purple Mansion immortal clans.
“Qingchi Sect, Master Buzi has arrived!”
With the arrival of Qingchi Sect’s master, the upper seats were fully occupied. Xiao Chuting cupped his hands with a warm smile and exchanged several polite formalities. Immortal music then drifted decadently through the air, painting a scene of peace and tranquility.
Li Tongya looked up for a while and spotted a familiar face among the retinue of Ziyan Gate. The man was stroking his beard with one hand while savoring his wine, his jade chopsticks poking through the dishes as he hummed some tune.
‘This fellow is living quite comfortably now!’
Amused and exasperated, Li Tongya shook his head helplessly. Seeing the man seated beneath the master of Ziyan Gate, he knew he must have reached Foundation Establishment by now. Shaking his head once more, Li Tongya thought to himself:
‘It is rather inconvenient at the moment, but let us see if an opportunity arises to ask him about it. Lingyanzi claimed he would send spirit stones to my home, yet there has been no word for years, while he enjoys himself here.’
This person was naturally Lingyanzi, the Ziyan Gate cultivator who had fled to Mount Lijing years ago during a pursuit. Li Tongya had joined forces with him to eliminate the two Changxiao Gate cultivators, but they had been left with two spellbound storage bags they could not use. Thus, he had let the fellow take them back to exchange for spirit stones, with the promise that he would send the proceeds back.
Li Tongya had never expected him to deliver them in person, and indeed, over a decade had passed without so much as a strand of hair to show for it. Now that he had run into him, he considered asking about the matter.
‘I only fear the old fellow might default on the debt. I will simply ask once; if it fails, I will treat it as water down the drain!’
***
Xu Gongming rode his horse along the mountain path. Rain had just fallen, leaving the ground exceptionally muddy, and the horse’s hooves kicked up splashes of mud. The sound of dripping water in the forest and the whistling wind made him frown slightly.
He had already reached the fourth layer of Embryonic Breathing and could run much faster than the horse beneath him. Yet humans were inherently lazy, and becoming an immortal cultivator did not change that. If asked to walk in such rainy weather, he would rather stay holed up indoors and never step out.
Xu Gongming was now in his thirties. Old Master Xu had passed away the previous year, and the mountain had sent someone down to offer condolences. Old Master Xu had, after all, been the son of Xu San, so some sentiment still remained on the side of Li Xuanxuan and Li Xuanfeng.
Xu Gongming had expressed his gratitude repeatedly before seeing the envoy off. Yet alongside his gratitude was a twinge of sorrow, for this signified that the bond of favor between the Xu family and the main household had grown thinner by another fraction. After seeing to the funeral arrangements, he had rushed to the Huaqian townships to assume his post.
Upon arriving, he first paid respects to the steward of the main household, then hurried without pause toward the small courtyard behind the town to see the Tian clan's representative in the Huaqian townships—Tian Zhongqing.
Xu Gongming dismounted. A servant immediately came forward to take the reins and lead the horse away. Xu Gongming knocked gently on the gate and said to the attendant who walked up:
“Please inform your master that his old friend Xu Gongming has come to visit.”
Both the Xu and Tian families were founding elders of Lijing Town, and their old residences were close to each other. Xu Gongming and Tian Zhongqing had played together in their youth, though they had parted ways for many years and grown unfamiliar. But after meeting a few years ago and frequently working together, the two had developed quite a good relationship.
With a creak, the door swung open, and a handsome young man stepped out with a sword bound at his waist. Stepping forward, he exclaimed with delight, “I haven't seen you in months, Gongming!”
Xu Gongming laughed heartily and entered the courtyard with great courtesy. Tian Zhongqing closed the courtyard gate, ordered a servant to serve tea, and exchanged pleasantries with him. Xu Gongming cupped his hands and offered congratulations:
“Congratulations, Brother Zhongqing! It seems the second Qi Refinement cultivator of an outside surname is about to come from your family!”
Tian Zhongqing laughed heartily. A few days ago, the peak Embryonic Breathing cultivator of the Tian clan had ascended Mount Lijing, received pills bestowed by the main household, and traveled to Mount Huaqian to enter seclusion. Knowing what Xu Gongming was congratulating him for, he smiled and said:
“This is entirely thanks to the generous treatment of the main household. We are endlessly grateful in our hearts. If congratulations are due, they should be given to the main household.”
Straightening his expression, he added, “My clan uncle is already over fifty years old. Back then, he was discovered when the older farming households were re-tested for spiritual roots. His talent was outstanding, but he began cultivating far too late and missed his prime window for nothing. Now he can only gamble on reaching Qi Refinement. If he succeeds, wonderful; if he fails, he can only become a miscellaneous qi cultivator.”
Xu Gongming nodded slightly. Li Qiuyang had failed his breakthrough, and the Li family had issued new regulations only a few months ago, making the details of Qi Refinement and miscellaneous qi known to all. He first offered several rounds of congratulations and auspicious words.
Tian Zhongqing acknowledged them one by one, then lowered his voice and asked, “Brother Gongming’s visit this time… does the clan have instructions?”
Xu Gongming shook his head and replied softly, “What instructions could there be? I was merely dispatched out here to the Huaqian townships. After all, there are more cultivators in Lijing Town now, and the spiritual energy is no longer as abundant as before, making cultivation less rewarding. The old fellows who have no hope of Qi Refinement and are just waiting around to die might not care, but I cannot afford to waste away there for nothing.”
Taking the tea, Xu Gongming took a sip before continuing, “A few months ago, my family’s old master passed away. Since he still held some sentiment with the mountain, someone was sent down to offer condolences. I brought up the matter then and seized the opportunity to be reassigned out here.”
“So that’s how it is!” Tian Zhongqing nodded, raised an eyebrow, and cupped his hands. “Please accept my condolences, brother.”
“Ah.” Xu Gongming waved his hand, a hint of bitterness surfacing on his face. “The grace left behind by our forebears has run dry. I am the only cultivator left in the Xu family today. If I fail to reach Qi Refinement, I fear our household will decline until it is indistinguishable from common, destitute folk.”
Tian Zhongqing paused slightly. His Tian clan was currently the most prosperous among those under the Li family’s rule, so he naturally had never shared such worries. He could only sigh comforting words in reply: “Brother Gongming possesses exceptional talent; Qi Refinement is naturally within your grasp.”
Had the matter not been mentioned, it might have passed, but hearing the phrase 'exceptional talent' only struck Xu Gongming as bitterly ironic. He chuckled wryly and replied with a pained expression:
“Brother Zhongqing has been in Huaqian for a long time, so I fear your news is not up to date. If you knew the news from the clan, you would never speak of 'exceptional talent'!”
“Why do you say that, brother?” Tian Zhongqing was startled and could not help but ask.
Seeing this, Xu Gongming raised an eyebrow, set down his cup, and said with a faint smile, “Brother, why don't you guess what cultivation those two from the main household have reached now?”
“Those two?” Tian Zhongqing pondered briefly, knowing Xu Gongming was referring to Li Yuanjiao and Li Qinghong. He smiled and said, “I know nothing of the other, but I have witnessed Young Master Jiao’s cultivation speed. Could it be the fourth layer of Embryonic Breathing?”
“The fourth layer of Embryonic Breathing?” Xu Gongming gave a cold sneer and replied, “Both have formed the Yujing Wheel and attained the fifth layer of Embryonic Breathing!”
“What?!”
A bitter taste instantly filled Tian Zhongqing’s mouth. Among the Tian clan, his talent was the highest, yet he was only at the fourth layer of Embryonic Breathing even now. Li Qinghong and Li Yuanjiao were merely seventeen or eighteen, yet they had already reached the fifth layer. He sighed at once:
“Truly, I have lived a dozen extra years in vain!”
Xu Gongming merely sighed without speaking. Both fell silent, leaving only the bleak autumn wind and the pitter-patter of rain in the courtyard. Xu Gongming drank two large gulps of tea before whispering:
“Can the bloodline of Foundation Establishment truly be so noble? Three generations, all attaining Qi Refinement… it truly fills one with envy.”
“Qi Refinement?”
This time it was Tian Zhongqing who sneered. Interrupting him, he lowered his voice and said, “The Old Ancestor has not emerged from seclusion for years. Who can say if he has already refined the six wheels, broken through to Foundation Establishment, and recast the family into an immortal clan!”
Xu Gongming was visibly startled. Calming himself to think it through carefully, he found it increasingly plausible, yet he did not fully agree, answering only:
“It has been merely three or four years. Foundation Establishment carries nine chances of death to one of life. The Old Ancestor is most likely in seclusion attempting the breakthrough, right at the critical juncture. As for whether he succeeds or fails, that remains unknown.”
Having touched upon this topic, both fell into mutual silence, drinking tea to mask their awkwardness and fear. A dozen breaths passed before Tian Zhongqing regained his composure and voiced his doubt:
“Still, that cultivation speed is truly astonishing. The Yu and Fei families are also Foundation Establishment clans, yet I’ve heard the Yu family only produced a single genius in Yu Muxian. Setting aside that sect disciple, Yu Mujian and Yu Mugao were in their late twenties, nearly thirty, when they attained Qi Refinement…”
The Tian clan had produced spirit aperture bearers for three generations and gathered information on many fronts, maintaining connections both on and off the mountain. Tian Zhongqing’s words truly broadened Xu Gongming’s horizons. He nodded repeatedly and replied:
“Beginning cultivation at seven, they have cultivated for only ten years by seventeen. One wheel every two years…”
The two exchanged a glance. Tian Zhongqing said in a low voice, “I have also been to Mount Lijing; its spiritual vein is not even comparable to Mount Huaqian’s. The gap between Embryonic Breathing cultivators should not be this vast.”
Tian Zhongqing paused, extended his left hand, and his eyes grew brighter as he pressed down his fingers one by one, murmuring solemnly:
“Talent.”
“Pills.”
“Spiritual energy.”
“…”
Both froze. Xu Gongming opened his mouth and lowered his head as if committing a theft, while Tian Zhongqing also began to speak. In unison, they uttered:
“Cultivation method!”
Chapter 229