Seeing the three younger juniors quietly settling their minds, Li Yuanjiao looked toward Li Xicheng, whose six senses remained sealed. Gently taking his hand, he led him out of the courtyard and into an adjoining side yard.
"Xicheng."
Li Yuanjiao tapped him lightly on his Shengyang Mansion, unsealing his magic power. Li Xicheng came to at once. Meeting Li Xicheng's bewildered gaze, Li Yuanjiao asked in a low voice, "Do you use a spear?"
Li Xicheng nodded obediently. Li Yuanjiao asked again, "Has Qinghong taught you the Folded Feather Spear?"
"No."
Li Xicheng answered with a tinge of anticipation, "Aunt said she had sworn a Xuanjing Spiritual Oath and could not pass it on to outsiders, so she never taught me."
"Good."
Li Yuanjiao drew a jade slip from his sleeve and said, "Your younger brothers are receiving the clan's inheritances. This is the third-rank art, Folded Feather Spear; consider it the inheritance bestowed upon you. Memorize it completely in this courtyard before you leave, and swear a Xuanjing Spiritual Oath never to reveal it, nor anything that occurred today!"
"Yes!"
Li Xicheng promptly swore the spiritual oath, then took the jade slip from Li Yuanjiao's hand as though receiving an invaluable treasure, repeating gratefully, "Thank you, Second Uncle..."
Li Yuanjiao gave a composed nod, walked slowly out of the courtyard, and shut the gate. As the warding array isolating the interior from the exterior activated, a complex expression finally surfaced on his face.
"It makes up for it somewhat... but we must keep him in the dark after all."
Li Yuanping was waiting outside, his face pale. Seeing this, he shook his head slightly and replied, "It is better for him to know less. Barring the head of the household and those receiving the register, no one may enter under any circumstances. This rule was established long ago."
"Mm."
Li Yuanjiao acknowledged with a nod and smiled. "That three were able to receive the seeds far exceeded our expectations. Seeing that time is about up, let us go check on the three children."
***
Following the incantation from the Reception Method, Li Xizhi guided the dark pearl downward past the Twelve-Story Pagoda and into his Qihai acupoint. Immediately, a gentle warmth washed over his entire body, and his sea of qi surged ceaselessly.
*This!*
As a direct descendant of the Li family, Li Xizhi had been cultivating the Li family's premier Embryonic Breathing manual, the Shanglang Wheel Cultivation Formula. A third-rank art, it was balanced, moderate, and upright, conflicting with virtually no Qi Refinement methods.
However, the manual had minor defects and shaved a few years off one's lifespan—a negligible price compared to the speed of progress it offered. Having cultivated it for years, he had already formed three Shanglang spirit wheels within his body; with their jade-like sheen, they were quite pleasant to behold.
Yet as this white pellet was received into his body, the two slightly jade-like spirit wheels in his Qihai acupoint, condensed through the Shanglang Wheel Cultivation Method, trembled gently and gradually transformed into a brilliant white.
His slightly grayish sea of qi churned up and down, growing clearer and clearer amid the white light until it became a lucid, delightful pond.
*What kind of... immortal art is this?*
Of the six wheels of Embryonic Breathing, Li Xizhi had already condensed three: Xuan Scenery, Chengming, and Zhouxing. Seeing the two wheels in his Qihai acupoint change their appearance, he hurriedly circulated his magic power to inspect the Zhouxing wheel within his Juque Court. Sure enough, it too shone a gleaming white.
As Li Xizhi marveled in astonishment, a dignified, weighty voice echoed in his mind:
"Hereby is a descendant of the Li clan, having refrained from... Bestowed is the Xuanming Wondrous Art, causing Dao karma to burgeon, passing from mortal to sage, from beginning to end; first receiving the precepts and register, and only then ascending to the truth."
"Bestowed is one volume of the Taiyin Breathing and Wheel Nourishing Scripture, and one volume of the Cold Pine Dew and Snow Formula."
Profound, wondrous phrases surfaced one after another, searing themselves deep into his mind. He quickly concentrated his attention. Only after a full incense stick's time had passed did he slowly open his eyes.
The scenery before him shifted from a blur to sharp focus. Li Xizhi found himself surrounded by dimness, dense mists pooling beneath his feet like an immortal realm. The magical lamps on both sides cast a faint white glow, illuminating the dais above.
Directly ahead stood a tall, ancient stone pedestal, its intricate patterns polished to a mirror sheen.
"This is..."
A greenish-gray magical mirror hovered in the air. Drifting moon essence streamed down, rising upward along his robe. Li Xizhi did not even hear Li Yuanjiao speak beside him; he only stared at the magical mirror above and murmured, "Father, what is this?"
Standing at his side with a solemn expression, Li Yuanjiao said in a deep voice, "A cultivator once scorned this immortal relic and attempted to seize it with a magical artifact. Both person and artifact were dissolved into nothingness by the Taiyin Mysterious Light. If you do not fear death, by all means keep staring at it."
"Ah!"
Li Xizhi shuddered and hastily lowered his head, averting his gaze. Inwardly pleading "please take no offense" twice, he then said with delight, "A magic treasure?!"
"Perhaps even more than that."
Li Yuanjiao drew his eldest son down to sit beside him. While waiting for the other two boys to guide their dark pearl talisman seeds, he whispered, "The Immortal Mirror's origins date back to antiquity; it is our family's heirloom passed down through generations. Setting that aside for now, what technique was bestowed upon you?"
Realization dawned on Li Xizhi, and he answered, "The Cold Pine Dew and Snow Formula, and..."
Seeing Li Xizhi struck dumb with awe, Li Yuanjiao smiled. "No doubt you have felt it already. Regardless of what Embryonic Breathing art you cultivated before, the moment the talisman seed entered your body, your wheels instantly converted into the six Taiyin wheels, shifting your cultivation to that immortal scripture!"
Li Xizhi was left speechless by this string of revelations. He could only manage a raspy murmur, "I thought the greenish-white immortal sword was already an incredible speculation. I never imagined our family harbored such a wondrous relic. I fear even the Qingchi Sect's legendary sect-guarding treasure, Daxue Juefeng, cannot compare..."
As they spoke, Li Xijun and Li Ximing opened their eyes and looked up one after another. Li Yuanping stepped forward to speak gently with them, then turned back with a joyful expression and said, "Brother! Both of them were bestowed cultivation methods!"
"Good, good."
Joy showed on Li Yuanjiao's face as he lowered his voice and replied, "This is no place for loud talk. Let us speak outside."
***
The side hall was far brighter. The two boys were bent over their desks, writing furiously. Li Xizhi, being older and adept with a brush, had already written out the Cold Pine Dew and Snow Formula from memory.
"A third-rank art. Its immortal foundation is 'Snow on Pine'—a fine method indeed."
Having read through the formula, Li Yuanjiao could not help nodding. Once mastered, this art came with innate cold qi, commanding rain and turning it into snow. It was certainly a solid cultivation art, complete with an attached qi-gathering formula:
*To be collected on a high peak during swirling rain and snow, amid lush pine forests, when the moon hangs high in the clear sky free of clouds, gathering qi as fresh snow falls between green pines. One wisp every three months; ten wisps make one portion.*
"That shouldn't be too difficult," Li Yuanping nodded gently and said. "Mount Yuting is towering and capped with snow; it should serve our needs. I will first send men to plant pine trees."
"No hurry for that. The high peaks along the north bank are covered in pine forests; a single trip there will suffice." Li Yuanjiao put away the wooden slip and remarked, "Even with magical assistance, a pine forest cannot be grown overnight. Besides, who knows what path lies ahead for this technique."
Li Yuanjiao's words carried a deeper meaning. That single phrase about the path ahead made it plain. Li Yuanping nodded in understanding. Just as their conversation concluded, Li Xijun stepped forward and presented his wooden slip.
"The Golden Hall Huangyuan Formula."
Li Yuanjiao gently picked up the cultivation method Li Xijun had transcribed. After reading it carefully for a while, his brows arched in surprise: "A fourth-rank art?!"
He eagerly leafed through the manual twice, laughing, "Good... wonderful..."
Li Yuanping leaned in to read along. At first, joy washed over his face, but upon seeing the small line of ink notes at the end, both men's expressions changed drastically. Li Yuanjiao narrowed his eyes and whispered, "Recorded by Cui Mu of Zhaoyuan Immortal Mansion in the State of Wei of the Central Plains... This is an inheritance from Zhaoyuan Immortal Mansion of the State of Wei?!"
"The State of Wei?"
Li Yuanping looked puzzled and said softly, "I have heard that the only great states in the north are Yan and Zhao, with the rest being mere regional vassal states. I have never heard of any State of Wei... Much less this Zhaoyuan Immortal Mansion... Are there still immortal sects in the north?"
Li Yuanjiao placed the wooden slip carefully on the table, his heart pounding violently. He murmured in a low voice, "I fear this State of Wei is an ancient realm from who knows how many centuries ago. I heard that seven hundred years ago, Buddhism was still confined to northern deserts while the Central Plains belonged to the Daoist sects, with a hundred and twenty-seven states in existence. The State of Wei was most likely one of them. If so, that explains it. It was precisely because it existed centuries ago that it had immortal Daoist sects..."
This knowledge had naturally come from Xiao Guiluan. The Xiao family possessed ancient lineage, having originally been an immortal clan that migrated from the north, and they understood these matters quite well—they even possessed several northern Daoist arts.
However, Xiao Guiluan was born to a concubine of the direct line—akin to a concubine-born son of the main branch in the Li clan—and once married into the Li clan, it became even harder to glean information.
Li Yuanjiao's excitement was palpable. Li Yuanping was momentarily stunned by the revelation before his mind raced to a conclusion. He said in a deep voice, "Brother, you mean... this cultivation art, or perhaps even techniques sharing this same gold nature, have long been lost! Doesn't that mean..."
The words *an unobstructed path* caught in Li Yuanping's throat as Li Yuanjiao exhaled a long breath and whispered, "Let us not leap to conclusions just yet. There are indeed remnants of immortal Daoist sects in the north; this matter still needs thorough confirmation."
Li Xizhi, listening from the side, felt his eyes gleam with excitement. He chimed in at once, "Both younger brothers have just embarked on the Dao; it will take at least ten years for them to reach Qi Refinement. Once I enter the Qingchi Sect, I can investigate this State of Wei and Zhaoyuan Immortal Mansion on the clan's behalf."
"Good!"
Li Yuanjiao voiced his praise, his expression and demeanor relaxing considerably. In the years since Li Tongya's passing, he had felt as if treading on thin ice, terrified of failing expectations. Now that there was a clear goal and bright prospect, he felt reinvigorated.
"What a pity Uncle-in-Law is merely from a collateral branch of the Xiao family; otherwise, we could have asked Aunt to make inquiries..."
Looking at the tiny writing on the wooden slip, Li Xizhi spoke offhandedly in his excitement. But seeing Li Yuanjiao's smile vanish, his face hardening, Li Yuanjiao chided in a deep voice, "Zhi'er!"
Li Xizhi looked up blankly, only to see that Li Yuanping had also stopped smiling. Li Yuanping explained gently, "Once your aunt married out, she became a member of the Xiao family. Even if Xiao Xian were truly of the main lineage, asking your aunt to do such a thing would put her in an impossible dilemma, wouldn't it?"
When Li Xizhi was young, he had played on the mountain every day and spent a great deal of time around Li Qingxiao, sharing a close bond with her. Hearing this reprimand, he was struck dumb, mumbling, "I... was thoughtless."
Li Yuanjiao looked at him and sighed, "Though our family is unlike other clans—having become an established noble house in merely three generations and maintaining harmony among our kin—closeness is closeness, but one must not overstep boundaries. In the end, it only ruins familial affection..."
"I understand," Li Xizhi replied with cupped hands. Standing beside them, little Li Xijun listened intently without a word, his handsome face filled with thoughtful contemplation.
With a turn of his hand, Li Yuanjiao put away the wooden slip. Looking down at Li Ximing, who was drenched in sweat and still scribbling away furiously, he could not help letting out a chuckle. Striding down, he asked gently, "How is it you are still not finished?"
Li Ximing looked utterly aggrieved. Two wooden slips were already laid out on the desk before him. Carefully dipping his brush in ink, he replied, "Everyone else's is merely a few thousand grand words, but mine alone drags on endlessly, babbling on and on."
His childish remark prompted snickers from both Li Xijun and Li Xizhi. Li Yuanjiao glanced down and saw four large characters along the edge of the wooden slip:
*Brief Explanation of Alchemy*
"The Alchemical Dao?!"
Li Yuanping and Li Yuanjiao exchanged glances. Li Yuanping remarked, "How strange. This is the first time one of the hundred immortal arts has been bestowed—and an alchemy book at that."
Before his words had even settled, he realized something. Stepping forward in succession, the two brothers placed their hands upon Li Ximing—one feeling toward his Qihai acupoint, the other pressing against his Twelve-Story Pagoda.
"This..."
After all, the Li family had never produced an alchemist. The two men studied him closely and reached only an ambiguous conclusion. In the end, Li Yuanjiao made a decisive call, smiling, "Cultivate according to the alchemy book for now. We will send someone to the Xiao family to invite Senior Yuansi!"
***
Southern Border, Yishan City.
A biting, frigid wind blew fiercely along the ramparts. A middle-aged man clad in leather armor stood silently, his sharp brow and eyes watching the demonic beasts below the wall, his grayish-black eyes weary and calm without a ripple.
Raising the golden longbow in his grip, he exhaled and called out. Golden brilliance converged in his hand, intertwining and weaving together into a gold-and-white arrow.
"Strike!"
A speck of gold-and-white light reflected in his pupils as the arrow plunged like a meteor, blazing a magnificent streak across the vast sky.
*Swoosh.*
Circling in the sky, an eagle as massive as a house let out a shrill cry that could split metal and shatter stone. It beat its wings, trying to climb higher, but it had no time to dodge; its shrill screech was abruptly cut off in its throat.
*Awoo—*
Watching the eagle plummet into the mountain forests in the distance, Li Xuanfeng lowered his bow and stood still. The brilliance in his eyes dimmed again. Sitting down upon the rampart, he retrieved a wineskin from his chest and took a small sip.
"Brother Feng... your archery has improved yet again."
Fei Yihe, dressed in white robes and holding a spear, sat down beside him and said softly, "A Qi Refinement level-seven demonic beast felled with a single arrow. I imagine you are not far from Foundation Establishment, are you?"
"Mm," Li Xuanfeng acknowledged. He set the longbow down on the wall with a loud clatter that made the eyelids of the surrounding men twitch.
"I have already reached the peak of Qi Refinement. I can choose a day to enter seclusion and make the breakthrough."
When Li Xuanfeng said this, the people around immediately cast sidelong glances of admiration and stepped forward one after another to offer auspicious congratulations. Li Xuanfeng waved a hand in acknowledgment. Fei Yihe gave a wry smile:
"Brother Feng's talent is rare in my lifetime. If you were left back at the lake, Yu Mugao and Yu Xiaogui would have had headaches over you all over again! It's just a shame we are trapped in this godforsaken place, watching the Qingchi Sect game against the Demon King every single day. If they win, the slain demons brought back belong to the Qingchi Sect. If we lose, we end up buried in monsters' bellies as nourishment for those beasts. Back then, there were fifty-six of us atop this city wall; now barely fifteen remain. In a long gamble, the house always wins; gamble long enough and you're bound to lose..."
Li Xuanfeng gave a dry chuckle and replied, "You certainly fear death less and less—daring to speak such words so openly?"
"Hah..." Fei Yihe sighed, his expression exhausted and helpless. "All of us will die sooner or later anyway. Why would the Qingchi Sect care what we think?"
Li Xuanfeng took another sip of wine, his gaze deep and inscrutable, pondering who knew what. He asked in an undertone, "I heard the Qingchi Sect plans to summon a group of formation masters to Yishan City to repair the warding formations?"
"That's right."
At the mention of this matter, everyone around was filled with joy and keen anticipation. Fei Yihe let out a laugh and replied, "It must have been ten years. Cut off from the outside world for so long, finally someone can come up! Who knows how the world outside has changed all these years!"
Chapter 324