Qingdu Cave Dwelling.
The tightly shut stone doors slowly swung open, and Li Qinghong stepped out lightly. Her aura was steady and vast, the lightning about her largely restrained, glinting only in faint, cold sparks at the tips of her hair and the hem of her robes.
During this period of secluded cultivation, Li Qinghong had stabilized her cultivation. Compared to the dazzling brilliance she radiated when she first broke through, she appeared far less conspicuous now, making it difficult to discern her immortal foundation at a glance.
Li Yuanjiao had already settled matters with her beforehand: riding the Profound Pattern Spiritual Mist, he would accompany Li Xuanxuan's group of three to Hengzhu Dao Sect in Hengdong Commandery, while Li Qinghong would end her seclusion to watch over the family estate.
Now, riding the wind outside, jade boots treading upon purple lightning as she descended, she found Li Xicheng attending to affairs in the central hall. Two stacks of letters were piled upon his desk, making him appear exceedingly busy.
As Li Qinghong touched down, people in the hall dropped to their knees in unison with a rustle of garments. Li Xicheng hurriedly rose as well and bowed respectfully.
"Aunt has ended seclusion... The Thunder-Praying Altar is already under construction. About sixty percent of the work remains, and it can be completed within a year."
"Good," Li Qinghong replied amiably. Her immortal foundation, the Xuanlei Pool, possessed the property of praying for thunder and drawing lightning, though whether it would prove effective remained unknown. She could only build the raised terrace first to give it a try.
Li Qinghong had sent people earlier to construct this elevated terrace. It was a troublesome undertaking—array patterns had to be inscribed, spiritual materials gathered, and thirty-six bronze implements fashioned across its hexagonal form. Even for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it required a great deal of effort.
Fortunately, the Li family had plenty of hands. Li Qinghong needed only to inscribe the diagrams and array patterns, leaving Li Xicheng to dispatch people to handle the work.
Li Xicheng acknowledged her and took two small letters from the desk, presenting them respectfully.
"The Jade Court Guards traveling to and from Daxu and the State of Zhao have sent back reports. Please take a look, Aunt."
With a beckoning wave of Li Qinghong's slender hand, the two letters unfurled before her one after the other.
One contained news from the State of Zhao: Chu Yi, the "Lihuo Spear," had traveled northward through Zhao, annihilating three Hujie noble clans and razing six Buddhist temples large and small. Facing a host of pursuers, he broke through to the Purple Palace right on the battlefield, then joined a certain peak of Mount Luoxia and entered the mountains to cultivate.
Li Qinghong clicked her tongue in amazement. An ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator had to make untold preparations to break through to the Purple Palace—scouting an ideal secluded spot, gathering all manner of spiritual materials to lay out formations, and waiting for the spiritual aura of heaven and earth to align with their immortal foundation.
Even with so much preparation, they still had to stock various pills and remain in secluded cultivation within layers of formations for many years.
'Yet Chu Yi's breakthrough seems almost like child's play; he just broke through on a whim... Advancing to the Purple Palace after merely a few months of seclusion is simply unheard of.'
'He has already broken through to the Purple Palace... It has only been about ten years from start to finish... and he broke through so effortlessly... He is undoubtedly a reincarnated Golden Core.'
It had taken Chu Yi barely ten years from reaching Foundation Establishment to achieving the Purple Palace, practically announcing to the entire world that he was a reincarnated Golden Core. The three Hujie noble clans and six temples were merely scapegoats pushed forward by the Buddhist cultivators and pitiful souls who failed to grasp the situation.
"Ten years... Truly the methods of a Golden Core."
However, the letter made no mention of Chu Yi's immortal foundation or his divine ability. Such details were likely impossible to ferret out, leaving Li Qinghong somewhat disappointed.
'Mount Luoxia barely has any interaction with the Jiangnan region. Now that Chu Yi has entered the mountain, he will presumably reclaim his Golden Core attainment and never return.'
As for the exterminated clan of Yufu Commandery and slaughtered factions, no one naturally cared. Li Qinghong committed the details to memory with a glance, then turned to the other small letter.
It reported that a band of demonic cultivators had arrived at the barren hills along the great river to the north, occupying several small peaks. Originally, this was an inconsequential matter; had a rogue cultivator not fled here, the Li family would not even have known about it.
Yet according to this rogue cultivator, while the demonic cultivators' cultivation was not particularly high, one among them wielded a blood-colored mirror of immense power. Attached behind this was a great deal of interrogated information.
"A blood-colored mirror?!"
Li Qinghong's gaze turned chilling in an instant.
"Zhang Huaide?!"
Li Xicheng nodded and answered in a low voice, "According to that rogue cultivator's description, it should indeed be that scoundrel!"
Back during the demonic calamity, a band of demonic cultivators had pushed westward, among whom were Zhang Huaide, Qiu Ji, and others. They had killed Tian Youdao, wounded Li Xuanxuan and Xu Gongming, and fled scot-free. Zhang Huaide possessed a powerful backing and had escaped unscathed using an escape art; his magical artifact was precisely a blood-colored mirror.
Zhang Huaide did not matter as much, but Qiu Ji was the chief culprit who had murdered her younger brother Li Yuanyun and nearly killed Li Xuanxuan. Li Qinghong hated them deeply. She asked in a low voice:
"What is his cultivation now?"
"It is said he has reached the ninth layer of Qi Refinement."
Li Xicheng braced himself and answered, "The group of demonic cultivators are all Qi Refinement cultivators, mostly in the middle to late stages."
He was pondering how to persuade his aunt, but Li Qinghong's expression grew hesitant.
'Elder Brother is away, and more than half of the family's fighting strength has gone with him. Why would Zhang Huaide appear precisely at this time?'
Though deep hatred simmered in her heart, she understood that this was likely no coincidence. Swallowing her anger, she said softly:
"It is too suspicious. Send more people to investigate."
"Yes!"
Li Xicheng nodded in assent, feeling a weight lift from his heart. Li Qinghong added:
"Have your people pinpoint their location. I will have Wushao make a trip to scout them out further. Zhang Huaide has an extraordinary background and might well be a covert agent of the three sects. Lingering here is bound to have some hidden scheme."
Li Xicheng agreed respectfully. Only then did Li Qinghong ride the wind upward, instructing him once more:
"Interrogate him thoroughly! That rogue cultivator fleeing to our family is too coincidental. Do not trust him blindly."
Li Xicheng nodded in affirmation, watching Li Qinghong depart. Returning to the head of the hall, he flipped through the ledger and looked down at Dou Yi, asking softly:
"One hundred and eighty-one jin... Is this all the Mishui Cold Iron there is this year?"
Dou Yi's hair had already turned grizzled, and he looked much steadier. He answered in a deep voice:
"In reply to the Young Master, that is all."
"Good."
Li Xicheng dismissed him very amiably, then waved a hand. Chen Mufeng stepped forward from behind him, and Li Xicheng whispered:
"The amount of Mishui Cold Iron does not match the vein fluctuations reported by An Zheyan. Quietly dispatch the Jade Court Guard to investigate... If anyone is caught, report back to me first."
Chen Mufeng, having worked with him for years, said in a low voice:
"Isn't this method far too foolish? The ore reserves can be verified at a glance. If the reduction does not match what was mined, a problem is obvious. How could they embezzle it like this?"
The Li family possessed the *Tingcha Diting*; shifts in mineral veins were clear at a glance. All the great clans relied on such methods, which was why clans like the Xiao family could openly entrust their veins to subordinate families for mining, leaving nowhere to embezzle in secret.
Li Xicheng shook his head.
"The vein was reported as yielding one hundred and eighty-one jin, but I privately sent someone to inspect the storehouse, and there are one hundred and ninety jin inside. No one embezzled anything."
"They likely saw that I have only recently taken charge of household affairs and wanted to secretly test me. If I were to make a grand fuss and then go recount the storehouse, only then would I find one hundred and ninety jin."
"That way, at most I could only fault them for carelessness, after which they would put forward the lesser-branch cultivator who keeps the books as a scapegoat to test my mettle."
Li Xicheng had not spent nearly a decade following Li Yuanping for nothing. Regardless of his skill, he could at least see through the petty schemes below. He said with slight hesitation:
"Go investigate first and report back once you have news. Aunt's matter takes priority; there is no harm in setting this aside for now."
Chen Mufeng took his orders and left. After pondering for a while, Li Xicheng rose, rode the wind up Mount Qingdu, circled around, and settled softly into an ordinary little courtyard.
He knocked and entered. Li Yuanping was sitting on a stone stool in the yard, holding a brush and meticulously recording something.
Li Yuanping's spirits seemed decent enough, but his hand trembled slightly, making it difficult to keep a steady grip on the brush.
Only then did Li Xicheng step forward. Li Yuanping asked:
"How do you intend to handle it?"
Li Xicheng hesitated a moment before answering:
"This matter... the lesser-branch cultivator was made a scapegoat, so I should begin with the lesser branch. Many brothers are obedient to me; finding out who secretly altered the numbers from beginning to end shouldn't be difficult..."
"All that will do is turn up another scapegoat."
Li Yuanping shook his head and said softly:
"I shall teach you one last time..."
"This probing is merely meant to learn your preferences and test your bottom line. All the factions under your command stand to gain together, and most implicitly consent and support it. That lesser-branch cultivator was also a scapegoat put forward within the branch itself... If you start from the lesser branch, it shows you favor and trust the collateral lines. Whether you rely on the Jade Court Guard, start from the Dou clan, or start from Fu Peak, you will expose your preferences."
Li Yuanping continued softly:
"The greatest taboo in such an affair is when the interests of all the cultivators under your command align with each other while opposing yours. The lesser branch appears to be the victim on the surface, but they also consented to it. The only real victim is that innocent cultivator."
Li Xicheng listened intently. Li Yuanping sneered coldly and answered:
"You need only dispatch someone to the storehouse to secretly turn those one hundred and ninety jin into a true one hundred and eighty-one jin. Then this rabble will fall apart on their own!"
Li Xicheng was taken aback, then nodded in sudden realization, saying delightedly:
"That's it!"
He nodded repeatedly, muttering:
"This will implicate far too much! The lesser branch will surely be unable to sit still; they'll suspect someone turned pretense into reality and have no choice but to turn around and point fingers. None of the seven or eight factions will be able to bear the blame, and they will inevitably turn on one another. I will only need to sit high above, hand down a few rulings, curb the strong while supporting the weak, and maintain balance..."
Li Yuanping did not respond to him, silently writing with his brush. With a clear plan now formed in his mind, Li Xicheng bowed deeply and withdrew.
Li Yuanping calculated the days, writing the clan history. After waiting a short while, he saw Li Qinghong ride the wind and tread upon lightning as she entered. She sat beside him, pressing her vermilion lips together without speaking, simply sitting in silence.
The sister and brother sat quietly opposite each other as the cool breeze of early spring blew gently. Li Yuanping had actually not seen this elder sister often, nor had they grown up together. Pausing, he finally spoke:
"The matter of Zhang Huaide is suspicious. I ask Eldest Sister to swallow your hatred and swallow your anger... Do not act rashly."
Li Qinghong merely murmured:
"I understand, of course. I have endured all these years; my only fear is that by constantly enduring hatred, one tends to forget it as time goes by."
Li Yuanping gave a muffled grunt, set down his brush, and replied:
"That is why history must be written."
Li Qinghong glanced at the pages he had set aside and said:
"Though Xicheng is not very forceful, he is at least doing his best. I have watched his changes over the past ten-odd years; he is a completely changed man."
Li Yuanping nodded and answered:
"I know."
...
Li Qinghong practiced her spear techniques on the mountain for several days. Before clear information about the demonic cultivators in the north could be obtained, a demon deer arrived from the south. Being very sensible, it landed before the mountain, first had An Zheyan and the others report its arrival, and only then entered the mountain in an orderly manner.
It requested to see Li Yuanjiao, but with her elder brother away, only Li Qinghong could receive it. The demon deer knelt on all fours before her and spoke in human tongue:
"Reporting to the exalted immortal, my master has found a clue regarding the Xuetun Fruit. We request Senior to accompany me into the mountains to discuss the details with my master."
"Good!"
A smile surfaced on Li Qinghong's face. She nodded, called Li Wushao out from the lake, told him to keep a close watch on the estate, and rode the wind into the mountains alongside the demon deer.
Li Yuanjiao had spoken to Li Qinghong about this Foundation Establishment deer monster, Lu Ken. Lu Ken had now established a monster cave on the northern foothills, selecting a peak that was not very tall, with gentle slopes at its base, and had relocated numerous herds of deer there.
As soon as Li Qinghong and the small monster arrived before the cave, Lu Ken naturally stepped out to greet them. With brown hair and dark eyes, he paused slightly in surprise.
"And you are...?"
"I am Li Qinghong. My elder brother Li Yuanjiao is away on clan business, so I have come in his stead," Li Qinghong replied with a smile.
The deer monster blinked, then nodded. "I am Lu Ken. Greetings, Fellow Daoist."
Meeting her, Lu Ken did not dally either. Cupping his hands, he said:
"Your esteemed brother entrusted me with searching for a precious herb, the Xuetun Fruit. Having now found a lead, I came to inform your noble clan."
Li Qinghong nodded, and he continued:
"I made inquiries in many quarters, and a fellow daoist in the southern foothills wrote back, claiming to have seen a tiger monster displaying this item at the Mount Quanwu monster cave. The description in the letter matches in every detail; it is undoubtedly the Xuetun Fruit."
Li Qinghong gave a slight nod. Lu Ken flicked his sleeves and said crisply:
"This monster holds some standing in the Quanwu monster cave, but in the end he cannot be considered any great figure. He is very easy to bully."
"No day is better than today. Why don't you and I ride the wind over right now and snatch his precious herb, lest complications arise with time?"
Lu Ken spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world:
"We'll snatch this spirit fruit first, then see if we can kill him. If we can slay him, that's best; if not, so be it."
"If we can't manage to snatch it, then we can see about buying it."
Li Qinghong could only nod. Monsters, after all, were not of the same species and acted directly, far more blatantly and without disguise. She asked:
"What is this tiger monster's cultivation?"
"Middle stage of Foundation Establishment."
Observing her expression, Lu Ken understood her concern and added, "He is merely a monster general without a heritage. He cannot learn the divine arts of humans, possessing nothing more than a body of monster power. There is no need for Fairy to worry."
He chuckled:
"At most it will take a month or so. When Fellow Daoist sees him, you will understand."
Li Qinghong nodded. Sensing the profound thunder within the thunder pool of her qi sea, she indeed felt confident. She said politely:
"Lead the way."
With that, she rode the wind alongside him. As the two flew into the clouds, Lu Ken seemed to calculate her age and sighed in admiration:
"Your noble clan's heritage is truly exquisite... The cultivation speed of you two siblings is considered fast even among the great clans... It makes old things like us, who have cultivated for several hundred years, feel deeply ashamed."
Li Qinghong offered a few modest words. Lu Ken spoke again:
"May I ask what Dao foundation Fellow Daoist possesses? Since we are to join hands against an enemy shortly, it is best we coordinate beforehand."
As he spoke, the deer monster revealed his magic power first. A pair of large antlers emerged upon his brow, and his voice turned rough. The demonic wind he rode was fresh and pleasant, brimming with vibrant life. He said in a deep voice:
"What I cultivate is Cloud-Soaring Wood. It can heal, govern qi, nourish spiritual flora, cultivate earth veins, and allow transformation into vegetation..."
The moment his immortal foundation was revealed, his wind-riding speed noticeably increased. Li Qinghong nodded slightly, purple lightning surfacing beneath her feet to grant her an even greater burst of speed. Purple thunderous light flared across her jade armor as she said softly:
"Xuanlei Pool. Driving thunder and spurring lightning, dispelling demons and suppressing evil."
Chapter 404