As Li Yuanjiao rode the wind into Mount Dali, a streak of magical light came flying from the south. Before it could touch down before Mount Qingdu, it was intercepted and forced to halt.
An Zheyan, who had been patrolling for a long time, brought the newcomer to a stop beside the lake and barked, "Who goes there?"
With his cultivation at the eighth layer of Qi Refinement, An Zheyan was more than capable of handling ordinary rogue cultivators. However, the visitor's cultivation was remarkably high, putting him deeply on guard.
The visitor had ordinary features and the cultivation of peak Qi Refinement. He appeared no more than thirty-odd years old, though the robes he wore were quite costly. Cupping his hands, he stirred his magical power and said respectfully, "Liu Changdie of Lixia has come to pay a visit. I ask that..."
Before he could finish his sentence, a clear, pleasant voice sounded beside his ear: "Fellow Daoist Changdie?"
Liu Changdie turned his head and caught sight of a valiant, striking face with bright almond eyes, donned in jade armor and bearing a silver spear. Stunned for a breath, he hastily clasped his hands. "So it is Fellow Daoist Qinghong!"
Liu Changdie lowered his head, inwardly marveling, 'A jade beauty indeed... In my past life, I never had the fortune of meeting her, only hearing that she slit her throat atop Mount Yuting. With such bearing and beauty, no wonder she caught the eye of that Master from the Lotus Temple.'
Li Qinghong had long heard from her elders that this man had something peculiar about him. Seeing his complicated expression, she thought nothing of it and smiled. "Follow me up the mountain, Fellow Daoist!"
Only then did An Zheyan let him pass, cupping his hands before silently retreating.
Liu Changdie submissively followed her down onto the mountain. Inside the grand hall atop the peak sat two men. One was doddering with age, withered and frail, while the other was middle-aged, though his complexion was exceedingly pale.
Li Yuanping had been discussing clan affairs with his father, Li Xuanxuan. When he greeted Liu Changdie, the latter hurriedly returned the gesture, inwardly rejoicing, 'Li Qinghong and Li Yuanping are not dead! Yuanjiao will not end up all alone as he did in my previous life, sitting withered on Mount Wutu and constantly drinking by himself!'
Li Xuanxuan smiled, called him forward, chatted warmly for a time, and then inquired in a low voice, "How much does Fellow Daoist know about the Donghuo Grotto-Heaven?"
Liu Changdie sighed repeatedly and replied, "It is hardly any good place... After this affair, another batch of Eastern Sea rogue cultivators will be allowed inside. All that fighting and scrabbling is nothing more than doing thankless labor for the Three Sects and Seven Gates!"
Having lived two lives, Liu Changdie had only seen through the true face of the Three Sects and Seven Gates just before his death in his previous life. Naturally, he was unwilling to go to the Donghuo Grotto-Heaven.
"Fellow Daoist sees things clearly!" Li Xuanxuan praised him before asking, "Do you know if the Daoist canon of the Donghuo Grotto-Heaven has leaked out?"
This was the matter Li Xuanxuan cared about most. Their clan's Golden Hall Huangyuan Formula was deeply intertwined with the ancient State of Wei, and the Dongli Sect traced its lineage directly from Wei, so he naturally hastened to ask.
Liu Changdie had not actually gathered any information on the subject. Relying solely on his memories of his past life, he said gravely, "The crucial Dongli Daoist Canon was taken away by that Chu Yi, so who knows what good or bad was in it. But some second- and third-tier outer sect cultivation methods of the Dongli Sect ended up scattered all over the ground. They all belong to the Jinyang lineage, which was a boon for the rogue cultivators."
Li Xuanxuan felt a wave of joy and nodded. "Good, good!"
He had been worrying about how to explain the origin of their Golden Hall Huangyuan Formula. Now that good and bad cultivation methods of the Jinyang lineage were strewn everywhere, their clan's Huangyuan Pass was all the more concealed and much safer.
Since the three sects had not obtained the Daoist canon, they likely acquired no Violet Palace-tier cultivation method, so naturally none of their direct disciples would cultivate it, let alone pose a threat to his own Foundation Establishment.
'Moreover, we will be able to collect techniques of this lineage in the future to corroborate against one another and further our cultivation.'
Li Xuanxuan even mused inwardly, 'Perhaps the magical mirror can bestow the subsequent Violet Palace-tier cultivation method in the future. When the family has a Violet Palace cultivator, techniques of this same lineage will be all the more useful!'
Li Xuanxuan was thinking quite far ahead, his heart filled with delight.
***
Li Yuanjiao rode the wind into the borders of Mount Dali. Passing through folds of mountain ridges, a shimmering white banyan tree appeared beneath him. He alighted among the branches and put away the Mystic Pattern Bottle.
All around lay soft, rolling grasslands with no demon in sight. Golden sunlight spilled across the canopy, looking exceptionally warm.
His narrow eyes narrowed slightly as his gaze swept across the slope, which was so clean that not a single fallen leaf could be seen. Knowing the fox was hiding, he cupped his hands slightly and called out clearly, "Descendant Yuanjiao of the Li clan has come to pay respects to Senior. I ask Senior to show yourself!"
Li Yuanjiao waited where he was for a time. Finally, a pale red demonic wind swirled up, and a half-person-tall fox appeared not far away, watching Li Yuanjiao warily.
The fox's figure was much more diminutive now, and its cultivation had reached the ninth layer of Qi Refinement. Its two pitch-black eyes stared straight at Li Yuanjiao.
Li Yuanjiao cupped his hands once more and said respectfully, "Congratulations on Senior's great advancement in cultivation."
The fox lowered its head and replied from a distance, "Naturally, it cannot compare to yours. Reaching Foundation Establishment in mere decades... you must be remarkable even among humanity."
Li Yuanjiao spoke a few modest words. Seeing that the fox was on high alert, he first set down a bag of spirit rice and softened his tone. "I came today to ask Senior about a matter.
"This junior captured a hook snake. First, I do not know if this demon can be controlled for my clan's use. Second, I have heard that hook snakes are an oceanic demon race, so I wonder if it has any backing?"
The fox looked at him carefully and answered, "The art of controlling spiritual nature is a secret transmission of the demon caves; one would have to take it to a demon cave and have a demon king personally act. You had best abandon that notion...
"As for hook snakes, their lineage dates back far. To speak of their background, one would have to trace back to antiquity. They were quite renowned, but you can only take it as a story.
"In antiquity, this species had a demon palace in the Eastern Sea. They practiced feathered snake methods and refused to obey the flood dragons' commands, but were later annihilated by the Heshui True Chi... Their remnants were left wandering displaced across the sea, so naturally they have no backing."
Li Yuanjiao listened attentively. The fox appeared to relax considerably and squeaked, "In that battle, the Lushui feathered snake was swallowed whole by the True Chi. Seven years later, it gave birth to nine sons, who devoured the True Chi together. Lushui dissolved into Heshui, and ever since, the two paths of Lushui and Heshui have been entangled in ceaseless conflict. Only in the present day, with Lushui within the inner sea and Heshui in the outer sea, have things finally settled down a little."
Li Yuanjiao wanted to hear more, but the fox ceased speaking of it, merely saying, "In short... hook snakes are easy to bully, and there are plenty of them in the sea."
Li Yuanjiao pursued the topic with a few more questions, but finding the fox unwilling to elaborate further, he had no choice but to lower his voice and ask, "Senior, the Foundation Establishment pig demon in the mountains... can we make a move against it?"
The pig demon in the mountains had entrenched itself right beside the Li clan for a century, and Li Yuanjiao had always kept it in mind. Now that he held the formation disc in hand, the thought immediately surfaced, and he began to calculate.
"That clumsy oaf..."
The fox demon hesitated, then whispered, "Killing it is permissible, provided you lure it out of Mount Dali. If it dies outside, it won't be considered a big deal... Bring some more spirit materials and spirit stones, and I will smooth things over for you in the cave, so nothing will go wrong.
"My only fear is that with its mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, if you fail to kill it and let it flee back to the cave to rally allies, your family will be the ones to suffer misfortune."
Li Yuanjiao nodded slightly, feeling reassured. He asked a few more questions, but seeing that the fox had little interest left, he had no choice but to cup his hands and take his leave.
As Li Yuanjiao rode the wind away, the fox demon finally breathed a sigh of relief. Lazily sprawling beneath the tree, it mused inwardly, 'This child is exceptionally gifted, cautious, and suspicious. He lacks a bit of Tongya's magnanimity, but possesses far more ruthlessness. With Tongya handing the clan over to him, all should be well.'
The fox demon produced a gleaming white piece of quartz from beneath its fur and said softly, "Li Yuanjiao has reached Foundation Establishment!"
***
Flying out of Mount Dali, Li Yuanjiao formed his own assessment, thinking to himself, 'This fox demon senior has been on good terms with our family for generations, so it shouldn't deceive me. Yet to know so much, it is definitely no ordinary fox demon!'
When Li Yuanjiao had descended on the wind earlier, he had activated the Mystic Pattern Bottle; unless someone drew within three paces, not even a Foundation Establishment cultivator could detect him. Yet this fox had noticed him far in advance, and when he reached the tree, there had been no sign of it.
'A Qi Refinement fox demon could detect me so early, and come and go without a trace, leaving me entirely unable to track it... What is this? Isn't it far too obvious? Was it warning me?'
He rubbed his chin and reached a deduction: 'It seems it is connected to the Mount Dali Demon Cave!
'Only, I do not know how our ancestors forged ties with this demon fox... Xiao Chuting was so certain our family possessed a Violet Palace cultivator; perhaps it was also due to Mount Dali's attitude...'
Li Yuanjiao turned the matter over in his mind without finding any clear answer, but he firmly kept the pig demon in his thoughts. Alighting back on the peak, he found Li Qinghong keeping a cultivator company in conversation. Seeing Li Yuanjiao descend, the cultivator hurriedly stood up and smiled. "Brother Yuanjiao! Long time no see!"
Li Yuanjiao was taken aback for a moment before a smile surfaced on his face. "So it is Brother Changdie!"
Liu Changdie was now at the ninth layer of Qi Refinement. His face was full of smiles, appearing exceedingly warm. "I haven't seen you in years, brother, and never did I expect you to reach Foundation Establishment so quickly!"
Yet inwardly, he felt a faint pang of dejection, thinking, 'To think that in this life, Yuanjiao's cultivation would be even faster... Even with a second life, I still cannot keep up with him. Can the disparity between people truly be this vast?!'
Li Yuanjiao spoke a few modest words. His mind was entirely occupied with the grand array atop Qingdu Peak, and he pondered, 'The grand array on Qingdu Peak has long remained unbuilt, but with Liu Changdie here, there is finally hope for it! Uncle Xuanfeng has not returned for many years; this is also a fine opportunity to ask after him...'
The two cheerfully took their seats, and Li Yuanjiao smiled. "I heard that Fellow Daoist went to Yishan City. I wonder if you happened to hear any news of my clan uncle, Li Xuanfeng?"
"Naturally!" Liu Changdie cupped his hands and replied, "Congratulations, brother! Senior has married Fellow Daoist Ning Hemian of the Ning clan. He is now greatly favored by the Real Person, and his prestige in the city is at its peak!"
The moment these words left his mouth, Li Yuanjiao was shaken, Li Qinghong froze, and beside them, Li Xuanxuan's aged brows furrowed deeply. Yet mindful of Liu Changdie's presence as an outsider, none of them voiced their unease. Li Qinghong immediately followed up with a smile: "That is grand news indeed! Many thanks for informing us, Fellow Daoist!"
Liu Changdie repeatedly demurred. Having lived two lives, he nonetheless sensed that something was amiss. Chuckling awkwardly without saying more, he silently retrieved a storage bag and a small letter from his robes. "This is what Senior entrusted me to bring back..."
Li Yuanjiao thanked him and took them. Setting the items down first, he asked, "I wonder if Brother's current attainment in arrays allows you to lay down a Foundation Establishment grand array?"
The Li clan now possessed inheritances in arrays, talismans, and pills, but their array path stalled at Embryonic Breathing. Although they had quite a few Qi Refinement array diagrams, setting them up was nowhere near as effortless as it was for Liu Changdie, let alone attempting a Foundation Establishment array.
As for the talisman path, the elderly Li Xuanxuan held up the mantle, but unfortunately, the apprentices and clansmen he trained were incompetent, capable of drawing only Embryonic Breathing talismans, which infuriated Li Xuanxuan to no end.
After all, the various cultivation crafts placed heavy emphasis on innate talent. In the Li clan's main branch, only Li Xuanxuan and Li Ximing had ever shown aptitude for them.
Hearing the question, Liu Changdie nodded with some embarrassment and lowered his voice. "I have repaired arrays in Yishan City over these years and gained a great deal. If there is an array diagram, I can give it a try. However, my abilities are limited, and the expense would likely be immense..."
Foundation Establishment arrays were rare. For an intermediate array master like Liu Changdie, laying one down even once was invaluable experience. Seeing that the Li clan intended to establish a Foundation Establishment array, Liu Changdie was quite eager. "If your esteemed clan can grant me this opportunity to lay the array, I can even front some of the materials myself. All told, it should come to no more than four to five hundred spirit stones."
'Ten years of our clan's tribute...'
The group was stunned into silence by the price. Operating at full capacity, the Li clan's annual profit was merely forty spirit stones, barely enough to pay their tribute. Savings could only be accumulated through the Qingwu ore vein and the Wanling Flowers, yielding a meager thirteen or fourteen stones a year.
By that calculation, it would take the Li clan forty to fifty years to construct such an array.
'Though we made a considerable haul from slaying demonic cultivators, after preparing the tribute, the clan has only fifty to sixty spirit stones in reserve. It falls far too short.'
Seeing everyone fall silent, Liu Changdie shrank his neck and said no more. After a pause, Li Yuanjiao replied, "The cost is far too great; my clan still cannot afford it. It would be better to stick with a Qi Refinement array for now."
Liu Changdie hurriedly nodded and responded, "I will go down right away to survey the terrain, ley lines, and the distribution of spiritual qi on the mountain. In a few days, I shall erect the grand array."
Li Yuanjiao nodded and exchanged a few casual pleasantries with him before Liu Changdie took his leave.
"Jiao'er!"
The moment Liu Changdie stepped outside, Li Xuanxuan's face grew uneasy, and he immediately spoke up: "What is Yuansu plotting against our family..."
There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world. For True Person Yuansu to promote Li Xuanfeng so abruptly and marry a member of his own clan to him, Li Xuanxuan could not help but be terrified. The old man muttered fretfully for a moment, then asked, "What is Xuanfeng... what on earth is Xuanfeng thinking!"
Li Yuanjiao retrieved the letter Liu Changdie had brought back, unsealed it using their clan's secret technique, and read it carefully. Suddenly, a look of bewilderment crossed his face: "Remnants of the Wei Li clan?"
Handing the letter over, Li Yuanjiao fell into thought. In the letter, Li Xuanfeng mentioned Yuansu's attitude toward their clan, piecing together and explaining the fragments of rumors he had overheard across a dozen full pages...
The others read it thoroughly. Li Qinghong faintly felt it might be a good thing, whispering, "Since Yuansu mistakenly believes our clan is the main branch of the Wei Li clan, the matter of generational spirit apertures can be concealed. It is just that Yuansu likely intends to use the bloodline for something."
Initially, Yuansu had only promoted him casually, but after learning of the Wei Li bloodline, he developed the intention to marry a clanswoman to him. Upon reflection, the four of them immediately grew suspicious of the bloodline angle.
Li Yuanjiao turned it over in his mind, but with far too little information, he could not deduce anything conclusive. He picked up the storage bag and looked inside; Li Xuanfeng had entrusted Liu Changdie to deliver thirty spirit stones and a Suiyuan Pill.
Li Yuanjiao took out the jade bottle and tipped out a dull gray pill covered in swirling veins. He sighed inwardly, 'As expected, a pill formed from blood and qi.'
Although Li Qinghong was preparing to break through to Foundation Establishment, this blood pill could not be used. Li Yuanjiao scrutinized it for a moment, his mind settling on a plan.
'This medicine cannot be used, yet it is exceedingly precious. If sold well, the proceeds won't fall short of what we would have gained by taking it to advance.'
Chapter 382