The Chengming Generation

Mount Qingdu. Nearly ten years had passed since the family relocated to Mount Qingdu. As the earth veins shifted and settled, three smaller peaks had thrust up on either flank, rising and falling in staggered heights. The tallest stood over a hundred ren tall, barely reaching halfway up Mount Qingdu's main peak, while the shorter ones measured fifty to sixty ren, dotted with numerous newly built dwellings. The tallest flanking peak was known as Fu Peak, reserved year-round for Li Xuanxuan's residence, where several apprentices in the talisman arts lived alongside him. The lower peaks were granted to the brothers Li Chengju and Li Chengdi of the lesser branch. Both brothers had already formed their Yujing Wheels and assisted Li Xicheng in managing clan affairs. Word had it they were quite dependable. 'Xicheng acts with propriety and keeps to the rules. The two brothers grew up in Qingdu Cave Dwelling as well, so they are loyal and reliable.' Li Yuanjiao rode the wind down into Mount Qingdu. Lanterns shone brightly at the cavern entrance atop the mountain, guarded by two men. Following the stone stairs all the way down, the space suddenly opened up into a vast, luminous cavern dwelling. This was naturally the serpent demon cave dwelling of years past, now known as Qingdu Cave Dwelling. Renovated by the Li family over several decades, orderly cavern chambers lined its stone walls. Though spiritual energy was not exceptionally dense here, its sheer breadth and scale made up for it, easily accommodating several Foundation Establishment cultivators at once. Supporting Foundation Establishment cultivators was a heavy burden, which was why cultivator clans placed such great importance on territorial expanse. Fortunately, Li Tongya had claimed this site decades ago, so even as the Li family's Foundation Establishment cultivators increased, they would not lack a place to cultivate; it had ceased to be a concern. 'The fire vein on Mount Wutu is finished, and Kong Gusun of Xuanyue Gate is still keeping watch over Mount Wutu until it stabilizes. Ximing is preparing to move over... and Qinghong has entered secluded cultivation again. No wonder it feels so quiet.' As he was looking around, Li Xijun rode the wind over and greeted him respectfully, "Greetings, Second Uncle." Li Yuanjiao nodded and asked, "When do you plan to enter seclusion for your breakthrough?" Li Xijun was steady in his ways. He had remained at the fifth layer of Qi Refinement for quite some time, polishing his cultivation. Seeing how deep and refined his aura had become, Li Yuanjiao listened as he answered respectfully: "Within the next few days." Li Xijun accompanied Li Yuanjiao through Qingdu Cave Dwelling for a while until the faint sound of voices drifted from ahead. Li Yuanjiao asked, "What is up ahead...?" "The children of the Chengming generation. Most of them have already entered the cave dwelling to cultivate." Understanding dawned on Li Yuanjiao. "Unawares, more than a decade has slipped by, and the juniors of the Chengming generation are all grown..." The two rode the wind forward. In a small courtyard, a group of youths had gathered, sparring in pairs while shouting energetically. This collection of young boys and girls was naturally the children of the family's Chengming generation. It was even Li Yuanjiao's first time laying eyes on these children. With a gentle sweep of his hand, he concealed his figure. Having not yet even formed their Yujing Wheels, these children naturally did not warrant the use of the Mystic Pattern Bottle. Li Xijun had been in secluded cultivation in recent years. He cultivated diligently and rarely spent time wandering about, so he too had only seen them a few times. He promptly formed a hand seal to conceal himself as well, standing upon the clouds to watch. The youngest among the children was merely six years old, while the oldest was no more than fifteen or sixteen. Their cultivations ranged between the first layer of Embryonic Breathing, the Xuanjing Wheel, and the third layer, the Zhouxing Wheel. "No wonder Brother Cheng said none stood out above the rest. The cultivation talent of these children is mostly above average at best." Even Li Xicheng, the least gifted among the Xi-Yue generation, had formed his Zhouxing Wheel by age fifteen. Though the Chengming generation was flourishing in numbers, most were descendants of the main branch elevated from the lesser branches. Aside from Li Xicheng, several cultivators of the Xi-Yue generation had not yet had children, which was why none appeared to possess extraordinary talent. Li Xijun's gaze lingered over the dozen or so youngsters in the courtyard, finding none with truly exceptional bearing. Only the oldest youth was quite tall and sturdy, carrying himself with a generous, hearty demeanor in speech and action. He had thick eyebrows and bright, spirited eyes. Gripping a spear, he stood in the center of the courtyard. Being the eldest, he kept his siblings in line, earning everyone's respect. Li Xijun watched him closely. Seeing him settle the sparring matches among his brothers, give pointers to the younger ones, and help the injured to tend their wounds, he found the boy rather intriguing. Turning toward Li Yuanjiao, he saw his clan uncle watching with utter absorption. As the boys and girls below gathered to chat, Li Yuanjiao showed a rare hint of gratification. He immediately lowered his wind to descend. ... "Brother Liao!" Li Chengliao was sixteen years old, the eldest among the boys. He had thick eyebrows and nothing particularly extraordinary about his appearance, standing simply with a sword in hand. Now that the other youths had finished their practice, he gathered them all to sit in a circle. Once his siblings were all seated, Li Chengliao took his place in the center. One of them spoke up: "Brother Liao, what immortal foundation are you telling us about today?" Li Chengliao merely said, "Every one of you comes asking me, but our family only has a few methods to reach Foundation Establishment. As for how wondrous they are, won't you know once you cultivate them yourselves?" "Brother, that makes no sense at all." A girl beside him smiled, her eyes round and brows gently curved. She spoke up, "How many in our family have reached Foundation Establishment? You are of the primary descent and highly gifted; whatever you cultivate will succeed. Our talent isn't as good as yours, so we just want to listen for fun. How could we ever reach it?" The young boys and girls nodded lightly, their expressions tinged with dejection. In the corner, however, a small child piped up in a crisp voice: "Sister Gong, that's not fair to say. My father said Great-Great-Grandfather didn't break through to Yujing until he was over twenty, yet he still formed the [Vast Sea]. Foundation Establishment isn't just about innate talent." To this group of teenagers, Foundation Establishment cultivators were already rare, formidable beings of great power. Each immortal foundation possessed its own marvelous wonders, and as the tales were passed down by word of mouth, they grew ever more mystical. Naturally, every one of them dreamed of Foundation Establishment day and night. Li Chengliao nodded, adopting the tone of an elder as he said, "Chengjiu is right. Everyone must cultivate diligently. We are all children of the main branch, and we have entered Mount Qingdu. Even if we cannot achieve Foundation Establishment, we must at least attain Qi Refinement no matter what. We must never bring shame upon our respective lines." The children voiced their agreement in harmony. Though several boys exchanged competitive glances, the atmosphere remained wholesome. Li Chengliao looked warmly at his brothers and sisters, then added, "I did hear that the clan recently obtained a new technique called the *Pheasant Fire Continuous Motion Art*. It is a bona fide fourth-rank manual. By absorbing [Continuous Motion Pheasant Fire], one can form the immortal foundation [Zhilixing]." The girl beside him, Li Minggong, hurried to ask, "What kind of wondrous power does it have?" "How would I know?" Li Chengliao retorted helplessly. The youths burst into cheerful laughter and began chatting animatedly, their eyes filled with longing. Li Chengjiu's thoughts also drifted, his head lowered in silent contemplation. Standing beside Li Yuanjiao, Li Xijun whispered softly, "They're all quite decent. At least they grew up in Qingdu Cave Dwelling under daily instruction, with no profligates among them." Li Yuanjiao nodded slightly. His nephew beside him remarked with a sigh of regret, "It's just a pity that while their talent is far better than their fathers', they are all quite ordinary. The hope of Foundation Establishment is slim." Li Xijun put it delicately. In truth, without some stroke of fortune, these children might not even touch the ninth layer of Qi Refinement. Li Yuanjiao hummed in acknowledgment, a rare gentleness in his eyes as he smiled. "In the past, Granduncle was also considered ordinary among the four sons, holding hope only for Qi Refinement. Who could have imagined he would shake Jiangnan with his fame? As long as one has a spirit aperture, there is always hope." "It's just a pity..." Li Yuanjiao paused briefly. "None of these children have received the favor of the immortal artifact. They can serve as pillars, but not as leaders." Li Xijun lowered his gaze. Li Yuanjiao smiled and said, "Let us go down and see them." Li Chengliao was picking up the wooden practice weapons from the ground when the noisy chatter of his siblings suddenly ceased. The surroundings became quiet enough to hear a pin drop, save for Li Minggong's nervous whisper: "Brother Liao... Brother Liao..." Called by those around him, Li Chengliao looked up in response, only to find an elegant young man in white standing before him, a sword strapped to his back, exuding an otherworldly air. His eyes instantly lit up with excitement, and he said nervously, "Liao'er greets Uncle!" Li Xijun was taken aback, only then realizing that this child was the eldest son of his elder brother, Li Xicheng. He had seen him before when the boy was newborn and yet unnamed, but in the blink of an eye, a decade had passed, and he could no longer recognize him. "Your name is Li Chengliao?" Feeling slightly awkward, Li Xijun said warmly, "Liao'er... come... greet your granduncle." Only then did Li Chengliao notice the middle-aged man standing beside Li Xijun. His eyes were somewhat narrow, the space between his brows rather short. He wore a simple black robe, a single sword slung across his back. 'Granduncle?!' Who else could receive such respectful deference from Li Xijun as 'Granduncle'? Combined with Li Yuanjiao's attire, Li Chengliao was instantly overwhelmed by awe and joy. Bowing in disbelief, his voice trembled slightly: "Chengliao pays respects to... Granduncle!" The young boys and girls, who had just raised their heads, dropped them back down in an instant. Not daring even to exchange glances, they bowed together and chorused in unison: "Juniors pay respects to Granduncle!" Li Chengliao's gaze was brimming with such reverence that Li Yuanjiao looked away slightly. With a gentle lift of his hand, he raised them all up, thinking to himself: 'If Granduncle Tongya were here, these little rascals would have gone mad with joy.' Reflecting inwardly, Li Yuanjiao was always gentle toward his kin. He asked warmly, "Which lines of the main branch are you all from?" "Li Chengliao, eldest son of the primary descent of the Second Line!" Li Chengliao took the lead. The girl beside him, Li Minggong, as the eldest sister, said respectfully, "Li Minggong, eldest sister of the Yuanwan branch of the Eldest Line." "Li Chengjiu, youngest son of the Yuanyun branch of the Second Line." "..." The twelve children answered in order of age. Li Yuanjiao nodded. Calculating their ages, he noted that the most gifted among them, Li Minggong and Li Chengjiu, were merely on par with Li Xicheng. He said softly: "Strive hard in your cultivation. Among the clan's many cultivation arts, aside from the few whose spiritual energies are too difficult to gather... you may read through them and choose the technique that suits you best." The youths voiced their assent. Li Yuanjiao glanced at the weapons scattered on the ground. Sure enough, they were either spears or swords, with an occasional bow or two. He instructed: "Whatever weapon you favor, feel free to learn it. You don't have to fixate solely on these three. Our family needs people proficient in every kind of weapon. The clan can go to the market towns to find manuals for you." Having said that, he asked quietly, "Have you ever killed a person? Have you ever killed a demon?" Seeing all the children shake their heads, Li Yuanjiao made a mental note and turned to Li Xijun. "Tell Xicheng that since the family now has plenty of Qi Refinement cultivators, any Embryonic Breathing monsters captured in the prefectures and towns shouldn't be killed carelessly. Send them here to let the children see blood." "Yes," Li Xijun agreed with a smile. The Chengming generation showed no fear; instead, they all looked eager to try. Li Yuanjiao paused, musing: "As for killing people... there will be plenty of opportunities in the future... there is no need to rush it so early..." Leaving aside the fallen descendants of the Li family's direct line, over fifty guest elders and cultivators had met untimely deaths—slain by demon beasts or ambushed by wandering rogue and demonic cultivators. Though Jiangnan was calmer than the Eastern Sea, murdering others for treasure was still a common sight. Li Yuanjiao offered the children guidance in their cultivation. Then, at Li Xijun's cheerful urging, he reluctantly manifested the [Jing Dragon King] to show the juniors. Li Chengliao and the others had been cheering initially, but when the greyish-green flood dragon bared its fangs and brandished its claws, they turned pale with fright, dropping their weapons and tumbling backward onto the ground. Rejecting Li Xijun's suggestion to divide the immortal foundation into snakes, shrimp, crabs, and fish to give the Chengming juniors a sound thrashing, Li Yuanjiao took Li Xijun and drifted away, riding the clouds and mists until they vanished above the cavern dwelling. Only long after the two had departed did the children catch their breath, their admiration for the might of Foundation Establishment burning even hotter. Li Chengliao's heart thudded wildly. Looking at the brothers and sisters around him, he saw they were equally thrilled. "Come, come, back to cultivation!" On the other side, watching Li Xijun's cheerful amusement, Li Yuanjiao finally let out a chuckle. He said in a muted voice: "You two truly are aunt and nephew. When you fool around, you're the spitting image of Qinghong! Not a shred of dignity." Li Yuanjiao recalled softly, "When she was young, she insisted on hooking peaches down with a spear and tricked Brother Yun into catching them. They hit Brother Yun so hard he bawled, while she just laughed merrily, never stopping until Brother Xiu came over to scold her with a smile." Li Xijun pursed his lips and smiled. He could clearly see the fondness in Li Yuanjiao's eyes. Knowing better than to argue, he simply listened obediently, nodding along. After speaking a few words, Li Yuanjiao pulled himself from his memories. Realizing in hindsight that he had let his composure slip, he returned to his usual solemn demeanor, though his tone remained far gentler: "The children are quite fine, very endearing." Li Xijun cupped his hands and said softly, "I've already asked Brother Ming about Granduncle Xuanxuan. He has always wanted to see you." "Alright," Li Yuanjiao said gravely. "I will head over now." Li Xijun nodded, bowed, and took his leave, riding the wind toward Mount Wutu first to give Li Ximing a forewarning, sparing Li Yuanjiao from walking into an awkward situation. Li Yuanjiao understood this perfectly well. Knowing was one thing, but he had no desire to walk into such an awkward scene directly. Waiting until enough time had passed, he took his time descending toward Mount Wutu. Mount Wutu. Li Ximing had already tidied up and was waiting. Uncle and nephew took their seats. Li Yuanjiao listened as he explained the matter respectfully, suppressing the urge to ask, *Did Xijun teach you to say that?* He said in a deep voice: "The matter itself is fine... Hengzhu Gate has cultivated this path for many years. What did your grandfather say?" Li Ximing replied hurriedly, "Xijun went to ask him. The old man insists on finishing the talismans for the next two years before leaving, wanting to delay a bit longer." "As long as he is willing to go, that is fine." Li Yuanjiao looked him up and down and praised, "Not bad, you're almost at the seventh layer of Qi Refinement." Li Ximing quickly said, "I could have broken through, but considering how fast my progress has been lately, I feared my foundation might be unstable, so I held back for now." "Mm." Li Yuanjiao nodded. Li Ximing's guidance in cultivation combined the methods of both the Xiao and Li families; he would not make such a basic mistake. Sweeping his gaze across the courtyard, Li Yuanjiao spotted a painting hanging in the corner, more than half-finished. The painting depicted Li Ximing reclining in white robes, his expression utterly placid. Li Yuanjiao narrowed his eyes slightly and remarked softly, "The likeness is vivid indeed." Li Ximing nodded with a hint of embarrassment. Li Yuanjiao tilted his head to look at him. "Do you like it?" Li Ximing was startled, then answered, "It's merely a painting. What is there to like or dislike?" Li Yuanjiao only sighed, clasped his hands behind his back, and walked out.