Li Yuanjiao accompanied him on a trip to the Xunlin Plain. Yuan Huyuan brought him down onto a peak, excused himself with an apology, and went into his clan to discuss the exchange of pills.
Li Yuanjiao sat on the peak for a while. A direct-line Qi Refinement cultivator of the Yuan family kept him company, chatting with him. The man was decent-looking and articulate enough. Li Yuanjiao answered offhandedly while harboring doubts, musing inwardly:
'Hook snake... extraordinary life-binding art... the north.'
He rested his hand on the table, tapping it gently, suspicion swirling in his heart. The Yuan clansman beside him saw that he was distracted and did not dare disturb him, gradually falling silent. As Li Yuanjiao pieced together the clues, his expression grew rather somber.
'To survive like this amid the divine abilities of Purple Mansions and the tangles of fate makes everything suspect... Better to get a clear picture of the Six Weirs Life-Binding Art first, then return to investigate the hook snake.'
Not until Yuan Huyuan returned riding the wind from outside did a smile appear on Li Yuanjiao's face. He asked eagerly, "Senior? How did it go?"
Yuan Huyuan flicked his sleeves and smiled. "Naturally, there was no problem."
Yuan Huyuan hailed from the same lineage as Yuan Tuan and wielded great influence within the Yuan clan. Though only a Qi Refinement cultivator, he had managed household affairs for many years. He had already brought two jade slips over and introduced them: "This is the Six Weirs Life-Binding Art. Please examine it carefully, Fellow Daoist! The other is the required cold qi harvesting method; take a look to see if you already possess it."
Li Yuanjiao took the jade slips. The middle section of the technique was sealed by a secret art, revealing only the beginning and end. Having read it through, Li Yuanjiao spoke up suddenly: "Senior! I do have a question or two."
Yuan Huyuan had been looking down in thought, and when Li Yuanjiao's eyes suddenly locked onto him, he jumped slightly. He replied, "Please speak, worthy nephew."
"If the casting fails, this Six Weirs Life-Binding Art only states that the spiritual objects are entirely consumed, but makes no mention of the demon's fate. Your clan has attempted it multiple times, so perhaps you could enlighten me."
Hearing this, Yuan Huyuan stared blankly for a moment, then gave a bitter smile: "At best, it suffers severe injury and a shortened lifespan; at worst, it perishes on the spot..."
Li Yuanjiao's smile faded slightly, and he merely said, "This spell of yours, Senior... is indeed immensely costly."
Though Li Yuanjiao appeared somewhat displeased on the surface, inwardly he was thoroughly relaxed and immensely pleased.
Li Yuanjiao had been intrigued the moment he heard of this art, and not merely for the sake of a minor hook snake. While Foundation Establishment combat strength was certainly enticing, and his family also needed the cold qi, those were secondary considerations.
In his eyes, the greatest use of this art was to conceal his family's frequent practice of capturing live demons. The Li family had been looking for a similar technique for a long time.
'After all, our family often captures live demons for sacrifice. Once brought up the mountain, no word of these demons is ever heard again. Once or twice is fine, but in the future, as it happens more frequently, if anyone looks into it with an ulterior motive, it will be difficult to clear ourselves completely.'
'Once we have this art, we can brazenly capture demons and bring them up the mountain. After the sacrifice, we can brush it off simply by claiming the casting failed...'
Moreover, Li Yuanjiao understood that the Yuan family's repeated failures were simply because they could not find suitable Purple Mansion-grade spiritual objects and had to make do with Foundation Establishment-grade ones instead.
Not to mention that his family had a steady, endless supply of Lunar Essence whose grade was unknown, when Yu Muxian came to Lake Wangyue years ago and the Immortal Mirror revealed its divine power, the entire secret chamber had been filled with platinum osmanthus blossoms and Moonbright Orchids.
The Li family could not tell what kind of spiritual objects those were, but they had still gathered and stored them. Though they did not know the taboos of preserving them, and their spirit-sealing methods were far too crude—causing them to dissipate day by day—there were still plenty preserved within that Purple Mansion-grade jade box that had not vanished.
With confidence restored in his heart, Li Yuanjiao asked again, "What is the origin of Senior's art? If it is some secret technique of dubious origin or one that offends someone powerful, I wouldn't dare use it."
Li Yuanjiao had already made his calculations, but Yuan Huyuan, watching his expression, felt somewhat embarrassed, thinking his clan had withheld information from Li Yuanjiao. When Li Yuanjiao asked, he hurriedly replied as if to make amends: "This Six Weirs Life-Binding Art was obtained by our ancestor from the Yanyang Temple Palace in the north. After acquiring this inheritance, he soared to great heights, and only then did our Yuan family come to be. Since then, it has been..."
Yuan Huyuan counted on his fingers and answered, "I fear it has been about one thousand six hundred years."
"One thousand six hundred years?!"
Li Yuanjiao murmured internally in disbelief. Yuan Huyuan explained: "Our ancestor met with a great opportunity to establish a dao lineage, but unfortunately, those were dark ages. The ancient state of Wei fell, the myriad Hu and Jie tribes swept southward, and golden-natured demons and evils walked the land everywhere. Though the venerable elder was a True Person, he could only protect himself..."
"Later, our family was uprooted, drifting southward all the way. Halfway through, our True Person was captured and devoured by a golden-natured entity, and our clansmen fled in all directions. Most of our lineage's inheritances were lost along the way. My branch fled to Daxu six hundred years ago, with only two Qi Refinement cultivators left."
Speaking up to this point, a look of pride emerged on Yuan Huyuan's face, and he continued: "Our ancestors continued south, clashing repeatedly with the Chi family's ancestors, and occupied the Xunlin Plain. After all, being descendants of a Purple Mansion cultivator, Foundation Establishment experts arose generation after generation. Over a century later, the Qingchi Sect was founded, and our family merged into it, occupying four of the twelve peaks at the time, flourishing in prime glory."
Li Yuanjiao listened on. Yuan Huyuan suddenly gave an awkward smile and said in a low voice, "It is only a pity that our family failed repeatedly to break through to the Purple Mansion realm, gradually declining..."
Li Yuanjiao could naturally see the desolation in his expression. Jiangnan today was unlike several centuries ago; back then, cultivators were scarce, spiritual objects abounded everywhere, and the immortal abodes had only just withdrawn from the world. It was a time of surging winds and gathering clouds.
The Yuan family's strength back then was hardly different from what it was now. That they remained the same after several centuries naturally left them discontented.
Yuan Huyuan sighed: "Back then, Ziyan was just a tiny Daoist abbey; the Kong family ran themselves ragged just for a petty magistrate post; the Wanyu Sword served as a minor guest elder under the Dongli Sect; the Lingyu Chen clan leased cave abodes on our territory and humbled themselves for a mere thirty spirit stones. Even if those four sects were bundled together, they couldn't compare to a single market of ours... Now... now... alas!"
In an era when serpents and jiaolong turned into dragons, the Yuan family had squandered their opportunities bit by bit—a lingering sorrow shared by many Yuan elders. Yuan Huyuan could only sigh repeatedly, unable to utter another word.
Li Yuanjiao nodded slightly. The Yuan clan's luck was indeed poor, but this alleviated a fraction of his suspicion:
'At least the Six Weirs Life-Binding Art itself is no trap. This art predates even the history of Qingchi...'
He held the technique in his hand. The other jade slip provided by the Yuan clan was a qi-harvesting formula for Linming Cold Qi. Stowing them both away, he took out the pill and said softly, "Please have a Foundation Establishment cultivator of your noble clan accompany me to capture the demon. Once the matter is done, I will hand over the pill, and Senior will undo the secret seal on the jade slip."
"Very well!"
Yuan Huyuan nodded repeatedly and replied, "Wait a moment, worthy nephew! I have already invited a cultivator of our clan over."
The two waited for a while. A burly man rode the wind down into the courtyard, sporting full whiskers and thick eyebrows. He cast a glance at Li Yuanjiao, cupped his fists, and said, "I am Yuan Chengdun. Greetings to the clan head and fellow daoist!"
Yuan Huyuan introduced: "This is my clan nephew, Yuan Chengdun. His immortal foundation is Subduing the Green Mountain, and he is skilled at subduing demons and suppressing evils. Let him accompany you, Fellow Daoist. A mere pig demon will surely be captured with ease."
Yuan Chengdun was quite renowned during the demonic disaster, and Li Yuanjiao had heard of his name before. Immediately delighted, he bowed with hands clasped. "Greetings, Fellow Daoist!"
Yuan Chengdun carried two short staves on his back and possessed a cultivation of mid Foundation Establishment. He seemed a man of few words, merely nodding slightly in response.
After exchanging a few casual words, Li Yuanjiao led him toward the lake.
***
The Li family.
Li Yuanping sat high in the central hall. Standing to one side was a young man of tall build and thick eyebrows who appeared quite magnanimous—it was Li Xicheng.
The talents of the Xi-Yue generation were all quite good. Aside from Li Yuanjiao's late-born daughter Li Yuexiang, who was not yet six and whose aptitude remained unknown, none of the other direct descendants were lacking.
Li Xicheng was in his thirties and had already reached the second layer of Qi Refinement. At this moment, he said respectfully, "...The trouble at the mine has been resolved... It was a rat demon... Granduncle Qiuyang was dispatched there..."
Li Yuanping listened attentively until he finished, then said patiently, "Cheng'er, the Qingwu mine yields the most, so it must be firmly held in our own people's hands. Using Uncle Qiuyang was the right call... Every disturbance at the mine must be investigated thoroughly. It could very well be someone using demons to cover up the deficits left by mineral theft..."
Li Xicheng bowed his tall frame slightly, nodded in contemplation, and answered, "I will bear this in mind."
"Good."
Li Yuanping nodded and continued, "Go on a trip to Shanyue. I have arranged for Li Jiman to meet you; have a heart-to-heart talk with him. The Shanyue region yields a great deal..."
Li Xicheng nodded in assent. Li Yuanping then asked, "Counting the days, most of the Chengming generation have reached the appropriate age. You have many children of your own; are there any outstanding ones?"
Li Xicheng answered, "The sons and daughters of both the primary and collateral branches all possess decent aptitude. Two collateral branches were elevated to the primary branch because their children possessed spirit apertures. Currently, there are eleven children in total, all cultivating on the mountain."
"As for outstanding ones..."
Li Xicheng paused, then said in a low voice, "Each of them possesses the talent to attain Qi Refinement, but when it comes to exceptionally remarkable talent or disposition, I have yet to see any..."
Li Yuanping was in no hurry and said gently, "With the new system implemented, the four branches have grown much closer. These children have lived and eaten together since coming up the mountain. So long as their hearts are dedicated to the clan and they can become Qi Refinement cultivators and pillars of the family in the future, we don't need them to possess extraordinary abilities."
Li Yuanping glanced at Li Xicheng beside him, ultimately still somewhat uneasy, and explained in detail: "Having the direct descendants of both primary and collateral lineages cultivate on the mountain is meant to make them familiar with one another so that when they are sent out to administer the peaks and manors in the future, things run smoothly. As for Mount Qingdu, with you brothers holding the fort, there won't be any major issues."
As uncle and nephew discussed matters in detail, someone came up from below and reported respectfully: "Reporting to the Clan Head... Xiao Muyun of Yushan has come to pay a visit!"
"Xiao Muyun?"
Li Yuanping was taken aback for a moment, then beamed with joy. "Hurry, invite him in!"
Soon, a youth walked up. He looked barely twelve or thirteen years old, with cultivation at the third layer of Embryonic Breathing. Dressed in black, he bowed firmly and said, "Muyun greets Uncle!"
This boy was none other than Li Qingxiao's son, the orphan of Xiao Xian, and the young master of Yushan, Xiao Muyun. Li Yuanping stepped down at once to help him up, examining him closely. Seeing his composed demeanor and spirited eyes, he praised, "Good, a fine bearing, a splendid manner."
Xiao Muyun cupped his hands modestly. Reaching the third layer of Embryonic Breathing at twelve or thirteen was indeed quite remarkable. Li Xicheng also stepped forward to greet him with a smile: "So it is Cousin."
Li Qingxiao and Xiao Muyun had been spared only through the Li family's earnest efforts to rescue them, so Xiao Muyun naturally felt great warmth toward the two of them. Li Yuanping said warmly, "Has something happened at Yushan? Your second uncle has already achieved Foundation Establishment. If you need anything, your mother's clan will back you up!"
Deeply moved by these words, Xiao Muyun replied, "Uncle! Back then, when my father and grandfather fell together, it was our mother's clan that stepped in to save us, pulling strings everywhere and helping us with spirit stones and talismans, which allowed us to retain our position as clan head!
"Everything in Yushan is now firmly in my mother's hands and mine, leaving only a few stubborn old fools. My purpose in coming today is to repay the seventy spirit stones we borrowed!"
He took a storage bag from his robes and placed it into Li Xicheng's hands, saying respectfully, "Should our family ever have any need, our Yushan lineage will spare no effort to assist!"
"Eh!"
Li Yuanping shook his head and replied, "Yushan is the Xiao family after all; excessive contact might invite gossip. Devote yourself to cultivating and break through to Foundation Establishment as early as possible—that will be the greatest help of all."
"Yes!"
Xiao Muyun answered resolutely. Li Yuanping instructed Li Xicheng: "Take your cousin around for a tour and let him meet the brothers."
Li Xicheng cupped his hands in assent, and the two walked down amicably. Only then did Li Yuanping open the storage bag. Inside lay eighty spirit stones—ten more than borrowed. Li Qingxiao had also enclosed a brief letter, heartfelt and sincere in every word.
'With these eighty stones, the deficit from constructing the family's array is plugged.'
With the matter that had weighed heavily on his heart for so long finally resolved, he put away the storage bag, his mood unusually bright.
Just as he settled these matters, a clan soldier entered from outside the hall, taking two brisk strides in and lowering his voice to report: "Clan Head, the Elder sent word to ask... does the clan have any more spirit objects for calming qi?"
The Elder referred to in his words was naturally Li Xuanxuan. The Li family had suffered severe losses in personnel, and he was the only one left who could be called an Elder.
Li Yuanping hesitated, on the verge of speaking, before whispering, "If needed, I will send someone to Mount Qingdu right away to inquire."
Li Xuanxuan was, in fact, barely seventy years old. However, having repeatedly used lifespan-shortening techniques and suffered serious injuries three or four times, he had aged drastically. Year after year, he wasted away on the path of talismans, refusing to let up.
Li Xuanxuan had never had much hope of further advancement; his current cultivation was merely the result of various strokes of fortune. Now, having stubbornly thrown himself headlong into the art of talismans, he grew increasingly paranoid and suspicious.
Whenever he cultivated and regulated his breathing, numerous illusions would arise, giving birth to mental barriers that required heart-calming pills to soothe.
Now, the old man could not even draw talismans properly. He constantly took the clan's heart-calming pills, yet every time he took one, he felt he was squandering the family's spirit stones in vain, driving himself to draw talismans with fierce desperation.
Li Yuanping closed his eyes and sighed. Li Xuanxuan was now of the highest seniority; no one in the family could persuade him, and he refused to rest even for a moment.
'A few pills are a secondary matter... I fear only that... alas!'
The Li family had hired someone to divine his lifespan; Li Xuanxuan was supposed to have eighty to ninety years remaining, with only half of his long life gone. Yet seeing him exhaust his spirit in such madness, he would likely lose over a decade.
Deep in thought, Li Yuanping felt a chill spread through his whole body and began to cough incessantly. Only after taking a sip of medicinal tea brewed from spiritual flowers did he come to a dazed realization: "I don't have many years left either."
Dizziness washed over him. He sat silently back down in the head seat, tapping gently on the table: "Eleven children... all with hope of attaining Qi Refinement... Sister Hong will soon achieve Foundation Establishment, and in another thirty years, Ming'er should be able to break through as well. By then, the family will have fifteen or sixteen direct-line Qi Refinement cultivators..."
For no apparent reason, Li Yuanping thought back to the Yu family of the past, his heart sinking slightly: "Prosperity easily leads to decline... I wonder if that boy Xicheng will be able to manage the family well..."
Chapter 384