Li Xijun parted ways with Li Ximing and silently returned to his immortal's cave to rest. Having missed his window of opportunity to break through to the seventh layer, he would not be able to achieve a breakthrough anytime soon. He sat in the cave with a hand resting on his sword, lost in thought.
"The Mingyang lineage is likely at Mount Luoxia, something our family will find exceedingly hard to obtain. The cultivation arts bestowed by the Immortal Mirror are random and uncertain, and they only reach up to Foundation Establishment. We cannot place our hopes solely on external things..."
Li Xijun had tipped his hand to Li Ximing just to see what his attitude would be. Li Ximing prized cultivation above all else; if the day came when his path forward was severed, there was no telling what he might do. Li Xijun had no confidence in his own chances of breaking through to Foundation Establishment, dreading that he might perish during the breakthrough itself:
'If that day truly arrives... without me mediating between them, things will turn exceedingly ugly.'
This was the root of his deepest anxiety. Li Yuanjiao was obsessed with that jade buckle. Li Xijun could not help him, yet he knew Yu Muxian was not someone to be trifled with. If matters were pushed to an impasse, Li Yuanjiao's decisive nature meant he would never wait until Yu Muxian broke through to the Violet Palace.
With a sigh, Li Xijun ultimately set the matter aside for now.
He held no grudge against Li Ximing for this. Li Ximing had been born with peerless talent; if he could secure a cultivation method, he truly had the makings of a Violet Palace cultivator. Divine abilities were intoxicating, and with the hope of climbing to that pinnacle, it was only natural that he would be single-mindedly devoted to cultivation.
"After all, roaming the Great Void in spirit, reflecting divine abilities upon the world, attaining five hundred years of longevity, being treated with supreme courtesy by immortal sects, playing with the mortal realm, penetrating profound mysteries... nothing can compare to such a temptation!"
With a Mingyang divine ability of one's own, traversing the Great Void to roam the world, holding beauties and averting calamities, never to be treated as a disposable pawn, watching clouds gather and disperse, and being treated with utmost respect by any genius one encountered—who could resist such allure?
The temptation Li Ximing faced was on an entirely different scale from everyone else. If Li Xijun and the others wasted some time on mundane affairs, it merely meant lingering at Foundation Establishment slightly earlier or later. But for Li Ximing, it could decide whether he would ever reach that supreme summit. Torn by such a dilemma, the fact that Li Ximing had managed even this much left Li Xijun without any heart to blame him.
While he sat lost in thought, the door of his immortal's cave was gently knocked upon. A young woman in a white dress walked in with measured steps. Looking around fifteen or sixteen, she had a pair of striking phoenix eyes. She said softly,
"Brother, Brother Ming asked me to deliver a magical artifact..."
This girl was none other than Li Yuexiang, currently at the fourth layer of Embryonic Breathing. She disliked bustling about and spent all her days on Mount Qingdu. Li Xijun raised his brows and saw her present a jade bead.
The bead was cyan throughout and tied with a red cord—it was precisely Qingxuan, a top-grade Qi Refinement magical artifact that fell just a hair short of Foundation Establishment rank. Li Yuexiang said,
"Brother Ming said that since he has broken through to Foundation Establishment, this artifact can at most summon a cyan deer at peak Qi Refinement, which is no longer of any use to him, so he had me bring it over."
Li Xijun glanced at the jade bead and said softly,
"Take it and use it yourself..."
"Xiang'er stays on this mountain day in and day out; I have no need for such a fine thing. Better to leave it for Chenghuai."
Li Chenghuai had been sent back by Li Xizhi and was currently studying on the mountain, having not yet reached the age to cultivate. Li Yuexiang had always been fiercely independent and declined resolutely, placing the jade bead onto the table. Li Xijun had no choice but to nod, asking softly,
"Have you chosen your spiritual qi? What cultivation art do you plan to practice?"
Li Yuexiang replied,
"Little Sister plans to swallow Continuous Motion Pheasant Fire and cultivate the Pheasant Fire Continuous Motion Art."
Seeing that she had not even thought to consult Li Yuanjiao, Li Xijun felt a slight headache, but nodded silently. Li Yuexiang said,
"Brother, you still ought to think more about yourself."
Li Xijun merely nodded and waved for her to take her leave. He spread open the roster on the table; members of the Chengming generation were approaching Qi Refinement one after another, and arrangements needed to be made for them all.
Qi Refinement hardly counted for much these days; only by reaching Foundation Establishment could one enter the Li clan's core decision-making circle. Li Xijun read through the dozen or so names again and again, musing inwardly:
'I wonder how many will fall along the way, and how many will achieve Foundation Establishment...'
***
Mount Yuting.
Time flowed by. Having cultivated for a few months, Li Qinghong opened her eyes. As usual, she channeled her immortal foundation, spreading out a sheet of purple radiance.
'Time to cast the spell to seek thunder again.'
She cast the spell and incanted the chants. Purple radiance surged, and lightning flickered. To her surprise, several statues on the right lit up one after another, transmitting a flood of information into her mind:
"Third month, twenty-third day, north of Hancan City in the State of Yue... Diao-Ru Thunder descended upon Mount Douxuan... Tenth month, sixth day, the shaded northern slope of Mount Fenkuai in the State of Yue... Fu-Yin-Chen Thunder descended... Twelfth month, second day, Ehu Island of the Cape of Many Barbarians... Juque Thunder descended..."
A succession of messages surfaced, over a dozen in all. At the very end lay a vague, fragmentary line:
"Of the flood dragon and serpent kind... failed to prove the union with water... now dissolving into heaven and earth... the Eastern Sea's waters recede as thunder rises."
After digesting this, Li Qinghong thought in shock:
'A demon king has fallen in the Eastern Sea!'
According to the feedback from the altar, a demon king at peak Violet Palace had failed to break through to the Golden Core and died, its Dao extinguished. This caused a succession of heavenly and earthly anomalies—thunder descended upon the mortal world, waters dropped, and lightning ascended.
This unexpected news could not be turned into immediate benefits, yet learning of something so momentous gave her a head start. She could not help thinking:
'To think this altar has such a function! With heaven and earth so altered nowadays that even transmission talismans have lost their efficacy... its value is immense! Knowing these things in advance will let us make preparations for the family!'
The path of thunder shaved away one's lifespan. Practicing it up to this day, Li Qinghong had already lost thirty percent of her years. She had not cared much for herself, nor had she wished for other clansmen to tread this path. But seeing this now, it could not be abandoned.
"This altar requires having achieved Xuanlei Pool or Winter Thunder Sound to be utilized... If no one cultivates it after me, this path will be severed."
Her thoughts turned, and she recalled another matter:
"This cultivation art was gifted back then by Lingyanzi of Ziyan Gate... I never got to the bottom of it. I fear I can delay no longer. Regardless of whether it was arranged by a Violet Palace cultivator... I must make a trip to Ziyan Gate!"
Li Qinghong retrieved a token from her storage bag. Shimmering with a translucent purple sheen, it was quite beautiful. She gazed at it for a moment:
"Back then, Lingyanzi also left this token, which allows a disciple of our family to enter Ziyan Gate. It comes in handy right now!"
"For this trip, I'll first set out for Ziyan Gate to pay a visit to Lingyanzi, and then head to the Eastern Sea along the way to collect lightning."
Her mind made up, she rose and drew over several letters lying beside the altar. Flipping through them casually, a look of delight surfaced on her face as she thought:
'Second Uncle has finally come out of the Southern Border!'
Immediately riding the thunder into the air, she descended upon Mount Qingdu. Li Xijun had just finished cultivating and was drinking water in the courtyard.
Li Qinghong explained her intentions. Li Xijun nodded silently and said in a low voice,
"Situ Mo is trapped on Jindou Island, so this is indeed an opportune time to head out. Since Aunt is going to the Eastern Sea, you can meet with Second Grand-Uncle."
"As for Ziyan Gate..."
Li Xijun asked,
"Which junior of our clan do we send?"
Li Qinghong pondered for a breath and said softly,
"Most of the Chengming generation have mediocre talent, and Chenghuai must stay with our family... I fear only Yuexiang has slightly better aptitude..."
Li Xijun shook his head. "Without Uncle Yuanjiao's consent, this cannot be done. There is no rush; let us shelve this matter for now. Aunt, you can visit the Eastern Sea to ask Uncle Jiao, and it won't be too late to decide upon your return."
"That works too."
Seeing his point, Li Qinghong could only nod. After packing her things, she rode the wind aloft alone. Li Xijun saw her off across Lake Wangyue, then picked up his sword scripture to read through it twice before shutting his stone door to resume cultivating.
The spring breeze lingered on Mount Qingdu amidst lush vegetation. Terraces and pavilions stood with scattered silhouettes, slowly swallowed by the creeping veil of night.
***
Just after Li Qinghong left Qingdu, a drizzling rain began to fall. Looking out across the horizon, dark clouds stretched endlessly. The rain was not heavy, yet it fell without pause. She rode the wind for a long time without seeing any end to the dark clouds.
Had she not received the message from the altar earlier, Li Qinghong certainly would not have suspected anything, assuming it was merely a heavy storm. But viewing it now, she felt it was an omen born of a failed Golden Core breakthrough and demise.
Riding the wind, she crossed Yufu Commandery and Mount Dongli, soon catching sight of Ziyan Gate's territory from afar. In midair stood a female cultivator clad in the Daoist robes of Ziyan Gate, pinching her fingers in calculation as she gazed into the sky, her delicate brows slightly furrowed.
As Li Qinghong rode the lightning toward her, the female cultivator snapped back to her senses and bowed politely, saying softly,
"Shen Yanqing of Ziyan Gate greets Senior. May I ask..."
"Li Qinghong of the Qingdu Li clan."
The cultivator was at the seventh layer of Qi Refinement, around the same age as Li Xijun. Hearing this, she said in surprise,
"So it is Senior! Yanqing has long admired your name."
Li Qinghong had not actually achieved widespread fame, so she took it as mere politeness. To her surprise, the cultivator stepped forward and said gently,
"A few days ago, I heard rumors that Senior had successfully established your foundation. Thunder cultivators in this world are scarce to begin with, and female cultivators who successfully establish their foundation are rarer still! Junior admires you greatly."
Li Qinghong sensed her aura for a breath and asked in surprise,
"You are a thunder cultivator as well?"
"Indeed!"
Shen Yanqing smiled with crinkling eyes and replied, "Junior hails from the Shen clan of Xiuyue, cultivating under Ziyan Gate. Early in his years, our clan's Real Person obtained a thunder method, so our clan has always maintained a thunder lineage."
"So you are of a direct immortal clan lineage."
The Shen clan was a Violet Palace immortal clan within the Xiuyue Sect's domain in the State of Xu, possessing an ancient heritage. The standing of the woman before her was comparable to Xiao Yuansi's in the Xiao clan—exceedingly noble. Yet Shen Yanqing displayed no haughtiness, warmly ushering her down as she asked,
"What brings Senior on this visit?"
Li Qinghong answered,
"I have come to pay a visit to Senior Lingyanzi."
Shen Yanqing realized her purpose, threw out a purple token, and guided her inside. Towering peaks rose up before them, peaks large and small drowned within dense purple clouds. Wisps and ribbons of purple qi spiraled upward, shifting into all manner of shapes, creating an ethereal immortal atmosphere dotted with magnificent pavilions and terraces.
Ziyan Gate possessed this natural wonder and had collected numerous related cultivation methods over the years, cultivating this immortal mountain into a true celestial realm. Cultivators from various states and overseas frequently traveled thousands of li to harvest qi here.
"This Ziyan Blessed Land is renowned far and wide. Sixty to seventy percent of the world's purple qi originates here, and every purple-qi lineage regards this place as a holy site of cultivation. If Senior happened to arrive as the morning sun rose, you would see what true immortal splendor looks like."
Watching Li Qinghong take in the breathtaking view, Shen Yanqing laughed and said,
"Back then, the old peak master bragged no small amount about his friendship with your noble clan. We've finally had the chance to welcome you."
Li Qinghong had long heard from Li Tongya that Lingyanzi was quite an eccentric and unreliable character. She gave a faint smile, only to hear Shen Yanqing ask softly,
"Junior cultivates Firmament Thunder through the Firmament Cloud Thunder Art. If I succeed in forming my Dao foundation, it will be Gentle Thunder Descent... May I ask what Senior cultivates...?"
Li Qinghong did not know why she was asking, but politely replied,
"Xuanlei Pool."
'Xuanlei Pool...'
Shen Yanqing thought for a breath, furrowing her brows. "I haven't heard of that one..."
"Originally, it was Winter Thunder Sound," Li Qinghong added.
Shen Yanqing understood at once and said delightfully,
"So it's Firmament Thunder as well! If there's an opportunity, I hope I can visit Senior's thunder altar."
This single sentence revealed a wealth of information. Li Qinghong grew pensive, musing inwardly:
'So it's Firmament Thunder... It seems all Firmament Thunder natures possess the ability to set up altars and perform rites. The Shen clan has an ancient heritage, so I could certainly ask her about it and gather some information!'
Seeing Li Qinghong smile and nod, Shen Yanqing smiled brightly, feeling much closer to her. She nodded and said,
"Unlike other paths, we Three Thunder lineages cannot touch blood qi, so fellows of our Dao are the closest to one another. Once I succeed in Foundation Establishment, I'll demonstrate the thunder invocation rite for Senior!"
Li Qinghong was slightly taken aback; only now did she learn that thunder cultivators could not consume blood qi. In an instant, the many perplexities in her mind unraveled into sudden enlightenment:
'No wonder! No wonder there are no thunder lineages in Jiangnan! No wonder thunder arts have fallen into decline across the overseas realms and Jiangnan! So that was why. No wonder this girl is so warm toward me!'
Most of the pills circulating in Jiangnan were forged from blood qi. If consuming blood qi was truly harmful to thunder cultivators, how could the thunder lineages not decline? Few thunder inheritances existed among the Three Sects and Seven Gates, let alone those capable of reaching the Violet Palace. Most clan cultivators and rogue cultivators were entirely unaware of this, making thunder arts all the more difficult to cultivate successfully.
Beside her, Shen Yanqing continued,
"There are certain pills that Senior surely knows about even if I don't mention them. Once a thunder cultivator consumes blood qi, their cultivation advances initially, but soon slows down rapidly. Those who don't know the truth often take pills even more diligently, only to grind to a halt before long, finding it impossible to break through, until their lifespan is severely diminished..."
Chills of lingering fear ran through Li Qinghong. Fortunately, when she was young, the Li clan had been dirt-poor, with no pills to consume at all. Later, she was sent to the Fei clan, where she likewise had no opportunity to take pills.
By the time she reached Qi Refinement, Li Yuanjiao had received the White Talisman, and what few resources the clan possessed were skewed toward him. Li Qinghong had only ever taken one or two pills, likely obtained from the Xiao clan, and the amount was negligible. In this way, she had miraculously survived intact. Later, Wang Xun revealed the truth of the pills, and she never touched them again.
Even so, Li Qinghong finally understood why her cultivation speed had slowed slightly when she was at the third and fourth layers of Qi Refinement—it must have been caused by those one or two pills.
She let out a soft breath, feeling heartfelt gratitude toward her grandfather, Li Tongya, to the point where a slight doubt surfaced in her heart:
'Could it be... Grandfather guessed something, and that was why he made those arrangements step by step?'
She drifted into thought for a moment before quickly steadying herself as a second realization dawned upon her:
'No wonder this girl is so friendly toward me. If the thunder lineages cannot touch blood qi, they likewise cannot consume dao complements to boost cultivation and forge divine abilities... Naturally, there is far less suspicion and wariness between us.'
Shen Yanqing continued politely introducing the various sights of Ziyan Gate ahead of her. Li Qinghong's mindset, however, had completely transformed. With a sense of fortunate relief and joy, she walked forward into this sect shrouded in purple clouds.
Chapter 437