Breakthrough

Li Yuanjiao waited only a moment before Li Xijun came riding the wind. Having consolidated his cultivation during this period, Li Xijun was in no hurry to attempt a breakthrough because he frequently had to handle public affairs; he remained at the fifth tier of Qi Refinement, spending most of his time practicing swordsmanship and magical arts. "Second Uncle… my condolences." Upon meeting Li Yuanjiao, Li Xijun bowed and offered a few words of comfort. Li Yuanjiao nodded, his voice heavy as he said, "You let Kongheng pass!" Li Xijun took a quiet breath and said respectfully, "Your nephew is confident… Kongheng cultivates the ancient art of the Shakya path… his strength is meager. Though he is courteously called a Master, his true power does not exceed early Qi Refinement. Furthermore, he is an upright and noble man at heart…" Li Yuanjiao could not bear to listen any further, anger flickering across his face. Without unsheathing the Qingchi Sword in his hand, he struck Li Xijun across the back, sending him stumbling forward. Li Yuanjiao called him out sharply: "How could you gamble on this!" Li Xijun bowed again. "Nephew begs Second Uncle to trust me. Kongheng is truly an honorable person—I could not have misjudged him. For years, he watched over the common folk and healed the sick at the foot of our mountain, all while waiting for this very opportunity…" Li Yuanjiao knit his brows and said coldly, "What does Kongheng's opportunity have to do with me? Whether he lives or dies has nothing to do with my family! Why should someone from my family take a risk for him?" "I do not care how many years he has waited for this chance—those Shakya cultivators are all predators who feast on life! You share a close personal friendship with him and are willing to fulfill his wish, but I am not!" Having heard this, Li Xijun raised his head and replied, "If Kongheng can achieve a breakthrough, he will become a true Shakya Master, someone formidable even among Foundation Establishment cultivators… In receiving such a tremendous favor from us, he would add a powerful combatant to our clan…" "Nephew understands the hatred in Second Uncle's heart. But among the lands within the four seas, Shakya cultivators already hold sway over six out of ten realms. Having offended the lineage of Wrath, our clan can no longer expand north. Must we provoke an orthodox power like Liaohe Temple as well…" Li Yuanjiao snapped, "That is your aunt breaking through to Foundation Establishment!" Li Xijun dropped to his knees, keeping his voice low. "Second Uncle! Nothing will go wrong with Aunt's Foundation Establishment! No matter who might want to use, devour, or manipulate destined lifespans…" He raised his head, his tone resolute. "One must at least reach Foundation Establishment to even qualify as prey! If Kongheng were not possessed by a Maha, how could he escape the eyes of the Yuan family and Senior Wushao? And even if he were a Maha, he would have to wait for Aunt to complete her breakthrough before devouring her life—meaning it would have been negotiated beforehand among all the Violet Palace masters, and our clan would not be able to avoid it anyway!" "If he truly harbored intentions to harm her, how much difference would it make whether he did so at Lake Wangyue or Tianlei Peak!" Li Yuanjiao narrowed his eyes at him and said coldly, "And how would you know how much difference it makes!" With that, he seized Li Xijun, sealed his cultivation, and rode the wind down to the ancestral hall. He pushed open the heavy gates with a creak, tossed Li Xijun into the grand hall, and commanded harshly: "Kneel there! Wait until I bring Kongheng back!" Li Xijun lowered his head and complied. Li Yuanjiao turned and strode out, taking to the wind to depart the mountain. Li Ximing, slow to realize what had happened, hurried out from his courtyard in an attempt to dissuade Li Yuanjiao, but Xiao Guiluan intercepted him. "Aunt! This… there is no disturbance atop Tianlei Peak. Why must he fly into such a rage!" Li Ximing tried to reason, but Xiao Guiluan shook her head helplessly and spoke gently: "Go back… just go back… Uncle and nephew were merely putting on a show for Kongheng to see. Do not go meddling in it." "Ah!" Li Ximing stared blankly for a moment, letting out a couple of dumbfounded acknowledgments. Though he was rather easygoing, he was no fool. Once he understood, he rode the wind back to his quarters. After persuading Li Ximing to turn back, Xiao Guiluan landed on the peak and scooped up Li Yuexiang, who had come running to greet her. She thought to herself, *Husband still despises Shakya cultivators after all…* …… Inside the central hall of Lijing Town. An elderly man knelt below the steps of the hall. His hair and beard were completely white, his cultivation was at the ninth tier of Qi Refinement, and his expression was grave and solemn. He offered a respectful kowtow and said in a deep voice: "Reporting to the Clan Head: I am deeply grateful to the Clan Head for the accommodations granted to my daughter and me over the years; the Meng family holds this debt close to heart. Now, I am old and muddled, and I fear I can no longer forge magical instruments for your esteemed clan. I am willing to offer up my inheritance!" "Offer up your inheritance?" Li Yuanping looked at the old man before him, frowning. "Old Meng, you must be joking. Our clan has no desire to covet Senior's inheritance." Meng Taizhi lowered his head submissively and replied, "This old man believes he has few years left to live and intends to enter secluded cultivation to attempt a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment. It is merely a desperate gamble before death, done solely in hopes of securing a way forward for my daughter… I am willing to trade the inheritance in my possession in exchange for your clan's protection." Li Yuanping could not fathom his background and shook his head slightly. Meng Taizhi pressed on: "The inheritance I received comes from Jiaozhu Gate in the East Sea. It is by no means an ordinary legacy. Please, Clan Head, hear me out first…" The old man prostrated himself on the ground, saying with utter respect: "The legacy I obtained originates from Jiaozhu Gate, whose orthodox lineage was severed a millennium ago. All past grudges and debts have long since scattered into the wind; it is clean and entirely free of karmic entanglement. Clan Head may adopt it without worry." "Furthermore, this path contains the Nine Refinements and Six Castings, far beyond ordinary forging formulas. As long as one possesses talent for the craft and cultivates it diligently, their achievements will never be minor. Even if one cannot forge Foundation Establishment magical instruments, crafting Qi Refinement ones is well within reach." "Oh?" Li Yuanping looked at him quietly and asked, "What do you want, Old Sir? Do you wish to marry your daughter into the family?" Meng Taizhi bowed again, lowering his voice. "This old man would not dare… My daughter was once betrothed and married to a young talent of the East Sea, but he was later slain, and my daughter was injured by radiant magical light, leaving her barren…" Li Yuanping nodded, his expression relaxing slightly. Meng Taizhi continued: "I ask for only two things. First, I hope my daughter may learn a few alchemy skills under the young master so that she can earn a living and avoid being bullied by others." "Second, after my death, I hope your esteemed clan can provide her with protection for a few years until she grows strong enough. She will never burden your esteemed clan and will leave to make her own way in the world without lingering." Li Yuanping fixed his gaze on him and asked, "Old Sir, having journeyed all the way from the East Sea, could it be that you brought trouble upon yourself?" Meng Taizhi shook his head, speaking with absolute candor: "To speak plainly with Clan Head, my family were merely rogue cultivators in the East Sea. Later, our home was destroyed by demonic cultivators. Because our ancestors maintained some ties with the Xiao family, we sought refuge with them all the way… By the time we arrived, only the two of us, father and daughter, remained alive. Even my son-in-law perished on the road…" "I see." Li Yuanping responded lukewarmly, then asked, "Yet I specifically looked into it: there has been no blacksmith clan named Meng in the East Sea of late, nor have there been reports of artisans leaving the East Sea." Meng Taizhi shook his head with a bitter smile and answered, "My family were originally guest retainers of a small sect called Yuanting Island. After it was conquered and wiped out by demonic cultivators, we became wanderers. Clan Head may verify this freely; the Xiao family is aware of it as well." Li Yuanping nodded, then asked again, "Then why did you not hand this forging inheritance over to the Xiao family? Would not the protection of a Violet Palace immortal clan be far better? My family is merely an ordinary noble clan—how could we compare?" Meng Taizhi shook his head in apparent helplessness and smiled wryly. "Naturally, I already offered it to them. That was the only reason I was granted the opportunity to come to the lake. Otherwise, what could a distant connection from centuries ago amount to? I would not have even been allowed past the threshold of an immortal clan." Li Yuanping studied him intently for a moment, then nodded. "Once you have delivered the inheritance, send your daughter up the mountain. I will contact the Xiao family from my end." "Many thanks! Many thanks, Clan Head!" Meng Taizhi let out a sigh of relief, thanking him with a smile before hurriedly withdrawing. Li Yuanping then beckoned Li Xicheng over and instructed: "Have Ximing write a letter to Senior Yuansi to ask if this matter is genuine. If it is true, take the inheritance." Li Xicheng studied his face, hesitating before reminding him, "However, Brother Ming… is easily swayed by beauty. If he develops feelings for this Lady Meng… and should they have concealed some lingering blood feud, when enemies come knocking on our door…" "It matters not. First, confirm the matter with Senior Yuansi," Li Yuanping explained. "As long as his account checks out, she will leave after a few years anyway. It is harmless." "Meng Zhuoyun is naturally not an issue," Li Xicheng said hesitantly. "I only worry that when the time comes, Brother Ming will be reluctant to let her go and wish to keep her…" Li Yuanping let out a cold laugh and retorted bluntly, "What kind of affection could that rascal possibly have? He is utterly heartless. He dallied with several women in the Xiao family and might have even fathered children, yet did you ever see him ask after them? He has numerous concubines, yet have you ever seen him speak a single word on any of their behalves?" He felt somewhat disheartened, shaking his head. "In that boy's heart, his supreme priority remains his Grand Dao. Women are merely a passing diversion; everything else must step aside before his Dao… Having raised him for so many years, I have seen through him completely." Li Yuanping coughed twice and bent over in pain. Li Xicheng rushed forward to support him, channeling true essence into his body. Only after resting for a while did Li Yuanping slowly recover. He said faintly, "Let him be. In any case, this Meng woman cannot bear children. Whether they grow close or indulge in fleeting passion, let him amuse himself as he pleases. When the time comes, simply have her depart." Li Yuanping's expression was calm, speaking with the absolute certainty of a father: "He is colder and more unfeeling than anyone. He will not try to keep her." …… Li Yuanjiao had always been cautious when riding the wind, using the dark-pattern spirit mist to conceal himself. With the added boost of Circulating Qi and Devouring Spirit, his speed was exceptionally fast. The greatest boon Circulating Qi and Devouring Spirit granted Li Yuanjiao remained the acceleration of his cultivation speed. From youth, his cultivation speed had lagged behind Li Qinghong's, but under this talisman qi, he had caught up step by step to reach where he was today. *Xijun… places quite a bit of trust in this monk!* Li Yuanjiao rode the mist while contemplating the matter carefully. He had inquired thoroughly about Kongheng with the Xiao family and had discussed him privately with several Daoist friends. Ancient Shakya cultivators indeed had doctrines regarding crossing tribulations, and if one of the Mahas from the north had arrived in avatar form, they would not have been able to deceive the Immortal Mirror. Be that as it may, though Li Yuanjiao had put on a show earlier, he had genuinely felt a flicker of anger deep down—not directed at Kongheng, but at Li Xijun's spoken defense of him: *Your grandfather died at the hands of Shakya cultivators, and your great-grandfather died at the hands of Shakya cultivators as well. Yet in the end, you defend a Shakya cultivator like this!* Li Yuanjiao also understood what kind of person Kongheng was, yet he found it hard to accept. Sighing, he drifted down on the wind onto the Xunlin Plain. The Xunlin Plain was a fertile expanse of lush, verdant woods. Beyond this forest rose a dark, somber mountain peak, pitted with caverns large and small, sealed off on all sides. The ores on this mountain were entirely purplish-black, faintly drawing thunderous light. Thunderbolts crashed down from time to time with intense, reverberating rumbles. A formation protected the mountain, within which Li Qinghong presumably resided. Just as Li Yuanjiao touched down at the foot of the mountain, someone came rushing over on the wind. The man, possessing only Qi Refinement cultivation, said respectfully, "Senior, this is the territory of our Yuan family. How may we assist you?" Li Yuanjiao waved his sleeve and said in a deep voice, "Li Yuanjiao of Qingdu." The Yuan family's Qi Refinement cultivator immediately understood, cupping his hands. "Senior, please head up the mountain. Senior Wushao is in the courtyard." Li Yuanjiao nodded and flew upward, cloaked in the dark-pattern spirit mist to conceal his figure. From far away, he heard a roar: "Stinking monk, what scripture are you chanting again!" The corner of Li Yuanjiao's mouth twitched slightly. Li Wushao usually carried a ferocious, venomous demeanor, rarely losing his composure like this. Looking ahead, Li Yuanjiao saw the black-robed youth standing atop the courtyard wall, looking thoroughly irritable. "Fellow Daoist Wushao… this is called *Words of Subduing and Submission of the Venerable*. The Seven Paths of the North excel most at using this scripture to subdue demons… Listen to it more, so you may be on guard against it in the future." Inside the courtyard, Kongheng was bare-chested, wearing a peaceful smile while pinching a golden light between his fingers. Li Yuanjiao was taken aback: in less than three years, this man had actually achieved the rank of Master! Li Wushao glared at him with gnashed teeth, looking utterly exasperated. Kongheng said softly, "Fellow Daoist, remember: calm your mind, steady your spirit, and guard your heart. I shall teach you several incantations capable of resisting this art." "Screw your mother." Li Wushao cursed under his breath, yet made no hostile move, obediently listening instead. Kongheng then recited several hundred words at length, every one of which Li Wushao committed to memory. Curious, the snake asked, "Monk, I hear the Shakya cultivators of the north like nothing more than capturing demonic beasts, controlling and taming them, and bewitching their minds. Is that true?" "Naturally, it is true." Kongheng furrowed his brow, speaking gravely: "Once controlled by such an art, it is far worse than merely surrendering one's innate spirit… One falls deeply into the trance, completely transformed in both body and mind, becoming a so-called spirit beast." Li Wushao shook his head with lingering dread, asking, "Then wouldn't you also capture demonic beasts?" "No." Kongheng shook his head. "Magical arts deliver oneself, not others. To bewitch the minds of others through magical arts is an evil path; one cannot witness the World-Honored One that way." Li Wushao glanced at him and smiled, nodding. "You truly are an ancient cultivator. No wonder you say Liaohe Temple is declining day by day… Cultivating and breaking through is difficult enough, yet having spells at your disposal without being allowed to cast them—naturally, you cannot compete." "Indeed." Kongheng nodded, seemingly unconcerned about the fate of his own sect. Sitting down cross-legged, he fretted slightly: "I wonder if Xijun will be implicated because of me…" Sitting to the side, Li Wushao advised, "If you ask me, now that you've become a Master, you might as well head back early… Lest you stir up trouble lingering here. You only just broke through, and I've already sent word back." Kongheng whispered, "I am keeping watch here. If anything goes wrong, I can still offer assistance. At the very least, I am now a Master; I can put up a fight against Foundation Establishment cultivators." After listening to a few more exchanges, Li Yuanjiao drifted down on the wind and revealed his form, startling Kongheng and Li Wushao so badly that they jumped into the air. Li Wushao was frightened nearly back into his true form, stammering subserviently: "Wushao greets the Master!" He stole a glance at Li Yuanjiao and, seeing his expression calm as usual, quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Kongheng, looking rather uneasy, glanced at him through narrowed eyes and responded: "This humble monk greets Fellow Daoist." "Master is too courteous." Li Yuanjiao spoke with utmost calm: "Since Master has successfully achieved your breakthrough, why not return with me?" "Yes." Kongheng complied, then said respectfully, "However, our temple's secret art requires channeling the Great Void Yin Thunder. This humble monk merely borrowed the lake of dark lightning formed as Fellow Daoist Qinghong condensed her immortal foundation to cultivate. Since this humble monk has already achieved his breakthrough, presumably Fellow Daoist Qinghong is near completion as well."