An Zheyan entered the mountain and returned within just four hours. By the time he stepped back into the hall, Family Head Li Xicheng and the young heir were nowhere to be seen, leaving only Li Chengliao seated beside the desk.
The setting sun spilled across the hall, stretching his shadow long. Li Chengliao stared absently at the teacup on the table. An Zheyan bowed and reported, "Young Master, the matter has been concluded. The Yu clan is in utter chaos, on the verge of splintering. After just a few days of infighting among the contenders, a new landscape should take shape."
Li Chengliao nodded slightly and replied, "You have worked hard, Fengqian."
An Zheyan held the clan post of Fengqian. Hearing this, he nodded and took his leave. Li Chengliao then summoned Dou Yi and said, "Milin Commandery will belong to our family sooner or later. We cannot allow them to ruin it recklessly."
Dou Yi quickly understood and answered, "I shall dispatch our own people at once to give them a warning!"
"Mm," Li Chengliao said softly. "They may fight however they please, but if they slaughter the common folk or destroy the spirit fields, they should not blame our family for settling the score later."
Dou Yi bowed and retreated. Li Chengliao's expression darkened slightly. He spun the teacup in his fingers, saying nothing.
The truth was that his father, Li Xicheng, and Li Chengliao himself had delayed moving against the Yu family partly due to underlying reasons and personal sentiments that were difficult to voice aloud.
First and foremost, the family harbored immense hatred toward the Yu clan. In particular, the elders of the older generation had never let go of their resentment over the murder of Young Master Yuanxiu all those years ago; they had brooded over it ever since.
Their voices carried great weight within the clan. When they marched on Milin Commandery, they wanted to crush the Yu family and repay blood with blood, not watch it fracture into petty factions like the Chi and Lu families in a sordid mess.
In fact, the father and son—Li Xicheng and Li Chengliao—stood on the exact same side as those elders. Neither possessed outstanding cultivation; what they desired most was to leave a mark in the chronicles of history so their lives would not have been in vain.
It required very little—just a single line: *In the seventh month of autumn, Young Master Liao crushed the Yu clan.* With that, Li Chengliao felt he would have lived without regrets. If it became "crushed the Chi clan" or "crushed the Lu clan," it would simply lack that grandeur.
"Unfortunately, no matter what, we must ensure the Yu family finds no way out of their desperate straits."
He took a sip of tea and mused inwardly, *When personal satisfaction clashes with prudence, one must always make concessions.*
Li Chengliao rose to his feet. Having settled the affairs at the foot of the mountain, he rode the wind and flew toward Mount Qingdu.
With Li Xijun in secluded cultivation, Qingdu Peak was managed by Li Xuanxuan, assisted by Li Yuexiang and Li Chengliao. Landing on the mountain, Li Chengliao saw Li Yuexiang dressed in white, standing with sword in hand.
Li Yuexiang cultivated the *Pheasant Fire Continuous Motion Art*. Though only at early Qi Refinement, she already commanded an initial aura of power; crimson flames swirled around her, hovering along her longsword.
Her swordplay was fairly skilled. With a delicate twist of her wrist, she sent the pheasant fire drifting down like petals, a striking sight. Finishing her sword dance, she sheathed her blade and turned her phoenix eyes toward Li Chengliao.
"How did it go?"
"All went smoothly," Li Chengliao replied first.
Just as he was about to explain in detail, ripples of azure light manifested across the great mountain array, accompanied by a resonant, deep masculine voice:
"Yuan Chengdun of Xunlin has come to visit! I request that the grand array be opened!"
"Someone from the Yuan family is here!"
Both of their expressions shifted. Li Yuexiang stepped onto a fiery cloud and flew into the air as Mount Qingdu's Azure Ox River-Snuggling Array slowly parted. Blinking, she clasped her hands in a bow and said softly, "Li Yuexiang of Qingdu greets Senior!"
The man before her possessed an imposing presence and upright features, exuding an air of inviolable dignity. At his waist hung a pair of short cudgels carved with intricate patterns, shimmering with flowing azure-yellow light. His cultivation was at the late Foundation Establishment stage, exceptionally profound.
This was none other than the Yuan clan's renowned Fuqingshan, Yuan Chengdun. He was hailed as the foremost prodigy of the Yuan family in the past century; at barely over sixty years old, he had already reached late Foundation Establishment.
He opened his mouth, his voice heavy, textured, and deep: "Are you the child of an old acquaintance?"
Li Yuexiang invited him into the array and said gently, "My father was Li Yuanjiao."
Yuan Chengdun fell silent for a moment before answering, "I once shared a friendship with your father and fought shoulder to shoulder with him. Back then, I never saw him go all out... I never expected that with that man from the Yu family..."
Yuan Chengdun had joined Li Yuanjiao in slaying the pig demon, and together they had dealt with Fu Daimu of the Shanyue, hence his remark.
Over the past few years, Li Yuexiang had heard such words countless times. She simply guided him down, where he offered a stick of incense to Li Yuanjiao, before escorting him to the main hall.
The Yuan family was currently in utter turmoil and could spare no attention for outside matters. As someone at the vortex's center, Yuan Chengdun naturally had not made this journey without reason. Following her into the hall, he found Li Xuanxuan already waiting.
Because Yuan Chengdun had associated with Li Yuanjiao as an equal, he addressed Li Xuanxuan as an elder. Yet the man's reputation was so illustrious that likely only Xuanxuan's younger brother could match him in combat; Li Xuanxuan did not dare put on airs and exchanged polite pleasantries.
Yuan Chengdun came straight to the point: "Xizhi is my aunt's eldest disciple, so you must have heard some rumors. My aunt has vanished in the Eastern Sea, and there has been no news of her for a full two years.
"The short-sighted fools in my clan are still squabbling and fighting for scraps..."
He paused, his voice low and firm. "I simply cannot be bothered to fight with them, so I threw it all to their hands. I plan to journey to the Eastern Sea. I received word that she may be near the Qunyi Strait, so I will find my aunt and bring her back first."
This man never beat around the bush, laying out his business directly and explaining his intentions in just a few sentences. Li Xuanxuan said politely, "The Peak Master is blessed by heaven; she will surely be safe."
"May Senior's auspicious words hold true."
Yuan Chengdun's voice was mellow and steady like bedrock as he continued, "In this Yuan family... there is little left that I hold dear. It was only to repay the kindness of Clan Uncle Huyuan that I allowed them to order me around for all these years. Now, before heading to the Eastern Sea, there is still one thing I cannot let go of.
"I have a son."
As Yuan Chengdun paused, Li Yuexiang understood immediately. Her phoenix eyes lifted slightly as she listened intently.
"He is my only child... I fear that once I leave for the Eastern Sea, my whereabouts will be uncertain, and my safety unpredictable. If something happens to me there one day, my clan uncle will not be able to protect him."
Reaching this point, even this normally bold, formidable warrior showed a hint of embarrassment. He said in a lower voice, "I heard that Yuexiang has not yet been betrothed. Relying on our past friendship, I have shamelessly come here. Whether we can unite by marriage... it would bring immense benefits to both sides."
He patted his chest and added, as if to make amends, "I dare not boast of other things, but over the years, I have fought in all directions and slain countless demons. These betrothal gifts... will certainly satisfy Senior!"
"This..."
Li Xuanxuan was stunned for an entire breath. He turned his head to look at the girl in white. Those phoenix eyes were staring straight at him—a gaze so terrifyingly familiar that it struck his cheek like a lash of lightning, leaving his face numb and his legs weak.
Li Xuanxuan froze, drifting into a daze. The old man's loose white hair fluttered gently in the breeze, the wrinkles on his face trembling slightly. He seemed completely oblivious to what Yuan Chengdun was saying. Instead, a face rose before his eyes.
She had round apricot eyes, stubbornly charming, staring straight at him with clever clarity. A faint, gentle voice echoed in his ears:
*Elder Brother... do you want me to marry Chen Donghe?*
"Jingtian..."
Yuan Chengdun assumed he was deep in thought, but Li Xuanxuan's eyes held no focus at all. His aged face sagged, his breathing heavy. As if jolted awake from a dream, he raised his head and said in a rasping voice, "Ah... this matter... depends on what Xiang'er thinks."
Having spoken, he took half a step back in silence, looking utterly worn and old. Yuan Chengdun paused in surprise, then looked at the young woman beside them.
The girl's greyish-black eyes carried traces of Li Yuanjiao, set in a pretty face, but the most striking feature was that pair of phoenix eyes inherited from her mother.
He met those phoenix eyes head-on. They were bright and resolute, showing not the slightest hint of timidity before a Foundation Establishment cultivator whose name shook Jiangnan; instead, they were composed and serene.
*What a fine young lady.*
Yuan Chengdun felt a surge of admiration. Li Yuexiang spoke softly: "May I ask about Senior's son—what is his temperament? What is his cultivation level? And what is his age?"
Yuan Chengdun sighed. "His age is close to yours. It is just that he lost his mother at an early age and received little discipline from me. Having suffered some grievances in the clan, though he is kind-natured, he is inevitably somewhat mediocre and weak-willed..."
The man spoke with complete candor. Rather than praising virtues, he laid bare his son's flaws, which actually raised Li Yuexiang's opinion of him. She replied gently, "As the saying goes, a tiger father does not sire a hound. I will not jump to conclusions... Why not have the young master come to Lake Wangyue? I can show him around the lake and have a proper talk with him."
When Yuan Chengdun hesitated slightly, Li Yuexiang smoothly added, "Even if this union does not come to pass, your son may still study spells with our family until Senior returns to bring him home."
Yuan Chengdun was shaken by the girl's sharpness. Li Yuexiang's words hit the nail right on the head, genuinely tempting him. At first, he had merely wanted a safe haven for his child, but now he was truly moved. He thought to himself:
*A woman like this could keep my lineage safe and sound... No wonder Xiao Jiuqing insisted that Xiao Xian marry a direct daughter of the Li family back then! No wonder the Yushan branch of the Xiao clan held its ground even after both father and son died sudden deaths... The Li family's upbringing is truly remarkable!*
Yuan Chengdun had dealt with the Yushan branch of the Xiao family before. Back then, Xiao Xian could have married Yuan Chengdun's younger sister, but Xiao Jiuqing had pushed hard for him to marry Li Qingxiao instead. At the time, Yuan Chengdun had not understood, being young and full of indignation:
*Our Yuan family is a centuries-old great clan! How are we inferior to the Li family?*
Looking at it now, Yuan Chengdun finally understood how Xiao Jiuqing had felt. After a moment of silence, he said softly:
"I do not have much time left. When my child arrives, let us arrange the engagement first. I will leave the betrothal gifts here. If you truly dislike him, your noble clan need not force anything. Consider these gifts a present left for your family!"
With that, he waved his large hand. A large pile of jade chests appeared in the main hall, and magical instruments clattered to the ground. Most were forged by demon tribes using primitive methods, where the value of the raw materials far surpassed the craftsmanship.
Li Yuexiang paused, showing no sign of being swayed, and said softly, "Should this matter fail to materialize, I will personally hand every item left by Senior into your son's hands."
Yuan Chengdun gave her a deep, searching look and said in his resonant voice, "Good."
He said no more. Clasping his hands toward the dazed Li Xuanxuan, he rode the wind into the sky. A torrential downpour began to fall once more. Flying through the rain, Yuan Chengdun gazed at the leaden grey sky ahead, his feelings conflicted:
*If Yao'er can show some ambition, backed by a family like this and wedded to such a sharp wife, I will never have to worry about anything again.*
*My only fear is that my pup will fail to tame this dragon daughter—that his eyes will fix only on shallow trifles, his feet wading into muddy waters, until catastrophe strikes overnight and leaves him with a wretched end.*
He had spent little time with his son and always felt he owed him, which was why he had made this special journey. Cruising through the clouds, he thought to himself:
*Children and grandchildren have their own fortunes. I cannot fret over so much!*
His departure was naturally not as simple as what he had claimed—that he "could not be bothered to fight with them, so I threw it all to their hands." In truth, the struggle within the Yuan family had reached a fever pitch, with various external factions visibly meddling, causing Yuan Huyuan and him great worry.
Fleeing to the Eastern Sea was partly a strategic retreat to preserve himself, and partly a desperate bid for survival: finding Yuan Tuan to resolve these crises.
Yuan Chengdun flew further and further away, vanishing into the pouring rain.
On Mount Qingdu, Li Yuexiang retrieved a storage bag and gathered the items from the floor one by one. She spent a full hour identifying each piece and cataloging them in an inventory.
When she finished her tasks and looked up, Li Xuanxuan was still staring blankly at her.
Li Yuexiang slightly misunderstood his stare and frowned. "Grandfather... do you wish for me to marry the young master of the Yuan clan?"
Who could have guessed that at this casual question, Li Xuanxuan would jump up from his seat, hurriedly rushing up from below, crying out, "I... Tian'er... it only depends on what you want..."
Li Yuexiang lowered her head slightly and answered, "Grandfather has mistaken me for someone else."
Li Xuanxuan snapped awake from his reverie, the light in his eyes quickly dimming. He replied, "Decide for yourself, Xiang'er. Our family does not lack these things now... There is no need to force yourself."
He mumbled something indistinct—mostly things like "observe his character" and "do not think of the family's needs"—before hurriedly leaving in a fluster. In the heavy rain, he hastened onto the stone steps, heading toward the graveyard on the mountainside.
Li Yuexiang gently hung the storage bag on the jade belt at her waist. Walking slowly beneath the eaves, she murmured in a light voice:
"Let us see just what kind of figure the son of the renowned Fuqingshan turns out to be."
Her phoenix eyes were sharper than almond eyes. Different from Li Qinghong's heroic valor, Li Yuexiang had been raised by Li Xijun from childhood; beneath her calm and gentle exterior lay a calculating mind. She had no objection to an alliance through marriage, but she had her own plans and considerations.
...
The Eastern Sea.
As always, the Zhulu Sea was an expanse of mixed azure and crimson. Whales breached, gulls soared, and waves rolled endlessly. A streak of purple light arrived swiftly from afar, coming to a sudden halt above the sea's surface.
Li Qinghong had been flying across the sea atop the wind. In her hand, a jade bottle crackled with purple lightning, its thunderous patterns flickering with immense might. Together with the radiance radiating from her body, it formed a sphere of purple light speeding south.
Over the past two years in the Eastern Sea, Li Qinghong had gathered two spiritual thunders. Together with the Silver Hook Spirit Thunder from years ago, she now possessed three spiritual thunders.
This journey of collection had allowed her to uncover the wondrous function of this magical apparatus in her grasp: with three thunders converging within, they coexisted without interference, nurturing one another and augmenting the magical instrument's might even further.
Spiritual thunders were exceptionally alluring, so her journey had naturally not been smooth sailing. Moreover, the Eastern Sea was brutal and lawless; in the struggle over these two thunders, quite a few lives had already fallen beneath Li Qinghong's spear.
She had also been studying the *Firmament Cloud Thunder-Inquiry Art*. In the past, lightning arts had been exceedingly scarce, leaving her with no reference techniques to consult. Now, cross-referencing the two, her strength had advanced considerably.
After riding the wind for a while longer, Zongquan Island came into view. The island was bustling with lively activity, filled everywhere with palaces, towers, and pavilions.
Chapter 480