Li Xuanfeng walked out of the ancestral shrine. Outside, the rain had eased considerably, yet it still pattered steadily against the stone steps. His black-gold boots stepped onto the flagged walk, splashing in a shallow puddle that had gathered before the doors.
His gray pupils peered into the water for a long moment. Reflected back was a face marked by age: temples gone gray, eyebrows thinned, the lines of his jaw blurred, lips narrowed, and eyes sunken deep. It bore none of the joy of monumental triumph, only the haggard weariness left behind by parting between life and death.
Li Xuanfeng was startled by how decrepit he had grown. In that fleeting instant, he finally realized the indelible scars eighty years of struggle and torment had etched into his flesh. Like the vast majority of cultivators throughout heaven and earth, he was chronologically still in his prime, yet aged beyond recognition.
He stepped into the main hall. The threshold seemed far higher than in his youth, reaching all the way to his shins. Descendants stood aligned on either side. At the highest seat stood his elder brother, Li Xuanxuan, aged into a fragile wreck, his lips trembling. Behind him was a young man clad in mourning sackcloth, who was presumably Li Ximing.
Slightly lower stood Li Qinghong of the second branch, followed by the brothers Li Xijun and Li Xicheng, with several other juniors scattered behind them. In the farthest corner stood Li Yuexiang, beside whom stood a man in black robes, bowed low, reeking of demonic qi, utterly silent.
Li Xuanfeng recognized him as a hook snake with a single glance, but said nothing. Li Xuanxuan came forward with tears welling in his eyes, taking his hand. "Come, take this seat."
In his youth, whenever Li Xuanfeng was present, Li Xuanxuan had never spoken much, subtly yielding ground everywhere to this exceptionally gifted younger brother. Just as in years past, he urged him into the seat of honor. Below, the assembled family bowed in unison. "Greetings, Old Ancestor! We respectfully welcome Old Ancestor's return!"
"Rise!"
Li Xuanfeng's gray gaze swept calmly over them. Who could meet his eyes without flinching, and who lowered their heads in evasion—he took the family's state in at a glance. Having fought his way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood in the Southern Border over all these years, an intimidating, fierce aura hung about him. His brief silence immediately drew everyone's breathless attention.
He had not seen his elder brother in decades. Over the past year and a half, he had been garrisoned in the Eastern Sea and unable to return at will. Now that they were finally reunited, he was momentarily at a loss for words.
Ache tugged at Li Xuanfeng's heart, but he kept his voice steady. Reaching into his storage bag, he drew out several jade slips, cast his gaze downward, and said in a heavy voice, "Yuanjiao was killed in the grotto-heaven. I have returned home this time to bring back his relics."
Prepared for the news, everyone fell into a solemn silence. Li Xuanxuan slowly closed his eyes. He seemed to have braced himself long before; though the juniors had concealed it from him, he had already deduced much from their strained expressions. Now that Li Xuanfeng had returned alone, what had transpired in the grotto-heaven went without saying.
Li Xuanfeng spoke softly. "Brother, let us sit and speak at length."
Li Xuanxuan merely waved a frail hand. Several profound apertures across his body faintly gleamed with clear light as the calming array that Hengzhu Dao had inscribed upon him years ago worked furiously to steady his mind. Taking the jade box from Li Xuanfeng's hands, he spoke in a hollow, aged voice. "I shall go lay Jiao'er to rest first."
Leaving those words behind, he hobbled away.
Li Wushao was about to withdraw as well, but Li Qinghong stopped him. Li Xuanfeng spoke solemnly to the snake demon. "Li Wushao… Qinghong told me that you have served diligently and faithfully. Before Yuanjiao fell, he released your life-spirit. You are no longer bound to our family. If you have somewhere to go, we grant you leave to depart."
The black-robed youth dropped to his knees with a thud in the center of the hall as rain pattered outside the windows. Li Xuanfeng narrowed his eyes slightly. Having slaughtered countless beasts, his gaze struck utter terror into this hook snake; with just that slight squint, the Foundation Establishment demon pressed his forehead flat against the stone floor.
How could Li Wushao dare think of leaving? Not to mention that the Li family had treated him generously all these years, he was a loyal old servant here; were he to return to the Eastern Sea, he would be nothing more than an appetizer for the dragon clans. How could that compare to the comfort of this rich land? In a raspy voice, he pleaded, "Wushao is merely a minor demon. Having received the old master's great kindness, I would never dare turn my back on the family…"
Li Xuanfeng was unsure what rank of beast-taming arts his family possessed and hesitated slightly. From below stepped forward a handsome youth carrying a sword on his back, his gaze crystal-clear, who bowed respectfully. "The family already has regulations in place for such matters. It would be best left for Xijun to oversee."
Li Xuanfeng nodded in agreement. He then laid out the jade slips in his hands and announced in a grave voice, "Three of these are Embryonic Breathing arts: two third-grade manuals, Three Chapters on Seeking Immortality and Scaled Beast Seeking the Law, and one fourth-grade Embryonic Breathing manual, Insights from the Scripture of Taihua."
"A fourth-grade art!"
This sent a visible jolt through the crowd. Li Xuanfeng did not stop there, drawing out a deep-golden halberd whose curved side-blade resembled a crescent moon, standing considerably taller than an ordinary man. "This is an ancient Mingyang magical artifact; it may be put to use by our clan."
He then took out various assorted spiritual items, before finally presenting a disk of purple jade. In a solemn tone, he declared, "This is a Violet Palace talisman. I have tested it; channeling magic power into it can unleash its power. The family may keep it to safeguard our clan's fortune."
He added, "The other three items obtained from the grotto-heaven are the Wei Ming Qian Guan Method, the Xiaoyun Thunder Inquiring Art, and the Cang Snake Facing the Sea Incantation. All are ancient arts related to our clan's legacies. Aside from the lightning technique, the others currently lack corresponding spiritual qi in the world, but they may be practiced if opportunities arise in the future."
Li Xuanfeng looked around the room. Seeing that none of them showed greed in their eyes, he felt far more gratified. Li Xijun nodded and received the items, and Li Xuanfeng continued, "Your elder brother is away in the sect, so the eldest branch must have a voice here. As for the Xiaoyun Thunder Inquiring Art, Qinghong should study it carefully."
Li Xijun read through the Xiaoyun Thunder Inquiring Art with care, pondering it for a while. He felt it was not noticeably superior to the Purple Lightning Secret Origin Method; it simply lacked the curse of ending one's bloodline, yet did not spare much more lifespan. He murmured, "How strange… it seems to be due to changes in heaven and earth, rather than flaws within the technique itself. As for whether it is good or bad, one cannot judge it so simply… Still, there is much to glean from it. The Eastern Sea is currently undergoing the phenomenon of 'Water Descending, Thunder Ascending.' Once matters at home are settled, I shall head to an offshore island for secluded cultivation."
With his profound mastery of lightning arts and two ancient lightning manuals in hand, Li Xijun quickly made his assessment.
Looking around, the group discussed recent developments within the family for a while, finding no major issues. Li Yuexiang then said softly, "Word has arrived from outside. Ancestor Yuan Licheng of the Yuan family failed his attempt to break through to the Violet Palace and has sat in death. This lingering downpour outside the hall is likely the celestial omen of his passing."
"What!"
"I heard that the Yuan family's ancestor, Yuan Licheng, once cultivated under Real Person Buzi, but was sent back after committing a transgression… Now that Buzi is missing and Yuan Licheng has fallen, the Yuan family is bound to face difficult days ahead."
Li Xuanfeng frowned inwardly and said in a low voice, "When I was vying for spiritual items near Qingsong Island, I saved someone from the Dongliu Han family, and I seem to recall hearing that cultivators of the Yuan family perished as well. After all, they are our allies…"
Prompted by his reminder, Li Xijun suddenly recalled and said softly, "I have already dispatched men there."
Li Yuexiang nodded. "Let us hope it will not affect the sect. Counting the days, Brother Xizhi should soon succeed in his Foundation Establishment as well."
She looked up at the unceasing downpour in the sky and nodded faintly. The brothers exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.
The family divided the manuals. The fourth-grade Embryonic Breathing art, Insights from the Scripture of Taihua, was naturally designated as a secret lineage art reserved for direct descendants. The Li family had always been generous toward retainers and foreign surnames, so the third-grade Three Chapters on Seeking Immortality and Scaled Beast Seeking the Law were slated to be bestowed upon the descendants of meritorious elders. As for ordinary collateral relatives and branch cultivators, being able to receive third-grade Embryonic Breathing arts was already quite remarkable, comparable to the treatment of unfavored direct descendants in many other prominent clans.
As the group dispersed toward the rear courtyard, those remaining in the main hall rose. Li Ximing cupped his hands and said softly, "As for the pills needed by the clan this year, you may send someone to my Dan Pavilion tomorrow to collect them."
Years ago, when Qingchi issued its conscription decree, Li Xuanfeng had not been the only one called from the region to march to the Southern Border. Over all those decades, so many had died and suffered wounds that hardly anyone remained alive. Hearing that Li Xuanfeng was departing the Southern Border, those cultivators had naturally written letters, while those who perished had left their relics stored within the border city. After all, having fought side by side, their shared camaraderie endured; Li Xuanfeng still needed to visit several families around the lake to return those relics.
He touched the storage bag at his waist, fingering several letters and several magical artifacts, musing to himself, 'I must also find an opportunity to take a tour around the lake.' Once a cultivator reached the late Foundation Establishment stage or the Violet Palace, spirit stones diminished significantly in utility. True Violet Palace-grade artifacts, precious herbs, and rare spiritual qi or waters were almost never traded for spirit stones, but were exchanged via barter instead.
Li Xuanfeng stepped outside with heavy, weary steps, wandering the surroundings for a bit. Although the precious medicine bestowed by the True Person was extraordinarily potent, the injuries within his body had not yet fully healed, so he retired to nurse his wounds first.
He remained in seclusion for only half a month, and his injuries were soon mostly mended. After all, he had applied a precious medicine that cost over a hundred and eighty spirit stones for a single dose, so its efficacy was naturally remarkable. Adjusting his breath, he soon emerged from his cave dwelling, thinking to himself, 'The Immortal Mirror devoured the jade buckle and showed no response for the longest time. I wonder how it fares now; I should go take a look.'
***
Inside the realm within the mirror.
With the Mingyang golden nature in his grasp and his transcendent status, Lu Jiangxian had spent half a month tethering that golden nature to the unborn child before slowly pulling back.
Because it was still an unborn fetus, he had not dared to connect too deeply, fearing that mother and child would both be incinerated by the Mingyang radiance. The endeavor was exceedingly delicate; even having mastered immortal arts, it had taken him a full half-month just to establish the initial connection. Had it been his former self, he could never have accomplished such an intricate feat.
'Difficult as it was, it is utterly seamless!' Lu Jiangxian thought to himself. 'This method of mine is brilliant. Utilizing the Violet Palace's unsearchable nature, I harbor the golden nature within the Violet Palace and gently project its influence outward. Paired with Tongzhen Miaojue, even if Lushui were to arrive in person, unless he could locate the Violet Palace first, he would never perceive any flaw in the child, assuming only that karmic destiny rests upon him.'
Lu Jiangxian had gone far too long without obtaining a component of the Immortal Mirror. Compared to when he had first arrived in this world, receiving components in rapid succession and falling unconscious for years at a time, this jade buckle only made him feel slightly drowsy.
Those two improvements had not moved him overly much. As the half-month passed and the jade buckle gradually dissolved, the mirror finally gained a new and peculiar capability. Gaining eight talisman seeds and elevating the Taiyin Mysterious Light to the Violet Palace tier were secondary compared to this.
The jade buckle appeared to have originally been the Immortal Mirror's innate ability to escape into the Great Void. For some unknown reason, it had been severed and condensed into that buckle; now, upon reuniting and merging, this capability had returned to the Immortal Mirror.
Roaming the Great Void!
Lu Jiangxian finally let out a long breath of relief. Having persevered here for so many years, the Immortal Mirror could at last bridge the Great Void and escape into it! Coupled with the mirror's unfathomable nature, it was safe to say that anyone beneath the Golden Core realm could forget about ever touching him.
Likewise, he no longer needed to be carried about the world by a crowd of people. The Immortal Mirror could now hover suspended within the Great Void and descend at the location of any talisman seed.
He could also commune with any talisman seed from within the Great Void, unleashing a thunderous blast of Taiyin Mysterious Light from across the void to annihilate enemies. This meant that if Lu Jiangxian were determined to slay a Violet Palace cultivator, there were few places in the world where they could hide.
Of course, no one knew how many fiends and monsters lurked within the Great Void. Striking an enemy from tens of thousands of li away through the void would be no different from setting off firecrackers right beside the ears of slumbering Golden Core sovereigns.
His contemplation finished, Lu Jiangxian's spirits lifted. He slowly formed a hand seal. Atop the pattern-etched altar outside, the gray-green surface of the mirror gradually turned a brilliant, gleaming white. Lu Jiangxian felt a chill wash over his entire being; all surrounding illusions vanished, and the Immortal Mirror disappeared from its place just like that.
Escaped into the Great Void!
At that exact moment, an invisible ripple spread outward. Outside, Li Xijun snapped his head up, a look of delight surfacing on his face. His gaze seemed to pierce the cloud cover, sensing the ethereal shadow of the Immortal Mirror in a distant quarter.
Along the stone path, Li Ximing raised his eyebrows sharply as a cascade of enlightenment rose within his heart. Just as shock surfaced on his face, the resplendent Dan Pavilion before him let out a tremendous boom, spouting a plume of crimson flame. Li Ximing tumbled out covered in soot and grime, clearly interrupted mid-concoction by this abrupt revelation. His talent in alchemy was exceedingly high, and he virtually never suffered a cauldron explosion; this was the very first time he had ended up so disheveled. Hastily casting a Clothes Cleansing Technique, he hurried toward the ancestral shrine alongside Li Yuexiang.
Meanwhile, Li Xuanfeng stepped into the secret chamber. Raising his brow, he was struck with sudden dread: the stone altar was completely bare, holding nothing at all!
He froze, his chest hollow with shock. Yet he faintly sensed that something was still present before him. Straining his eyes to look, the talisman seed within his body stirred, and he discovered a shadowy, illusory silhouette hovering over the altar.
'It's that jade buckle!'
Standing in the secret chamber, Li Xuanfeng gazed at the vacant stone platform. With his vast experience in the Southern Border and frequent contact with Violet Palace cultivators, he quickly deduced what had occurred. Thoughts flashed rapidly through his mind; after a moment's consideration, he unbuckled the Qingchi Sword from his waist.
When Li Yuanjiao had designed this altar, he had carefully anticipated various scenarios and had long prepared to substitute the Qingchi Sword if needed. Li Xuanfeng placed the blade gently upon the altar. It settled into place seamlessly, as though it had rested there all along.
The stone door behind him shifted faintly as several core lineage descendants of the Li family arrived in haste. Li Xuanfeng waved his hand, signaling for everyone to step back.
Chapter 473