On the terrace of the central palace.
Two straw men stood upon the terrace steps, fully suited in tight-fitting armor. A middle-aged man stood nearby clutching a short halberd, his back slightly bowed, draped in a suit of white armor as he watched in silence.
A mask covered half his face, while the exposed skin on the other side of his neck was a mottled, blackened red, presenting a ghastly sight.
Yet despite his fearsome appearance, his tone and demeanor were humble. He stood quietly behind the boy before him, watching him thrust and retrieve his halberd, striking against the helm and armor with metallic clangs. After watching for a full quarter of an hour, he finally spoke in a soft voice:
"Your Young Lordship learns exceedingly fast. In just two years' time, you already show true form."
The wooden halberd in young Li Zhouwei's hands had already been replaced with an iron one, forged shorter than an ordinary long halberd specifically to suit his height, wrought from lightweight spirit iron.
Wielding it with both hands, he executed hooks, cleaves, stabs, and thrusts with great proficiency, precisely sliding the weapon into the seams of the armor to trigger a clatter of ringing blows. Li Zhouwei rested the butt of the halberd against the ground, wiped away his sweat, and replied:
"Chiliarch Xu... this is merely playful practice, nothing more. You overstate it."
The masked man was none other than Xu Gongming. His appearance had been ruined years ago during an attack by demonic cultivators. Over the intervening years, he had cultivated all the way to the mid-stage of Qi Refinement, but his latent talent was mediocre to begin with, and he had reached a point where further progress was nearly impossible.
Faithful to the dying injunctions of the elder of his house, he had served diligently and conscientiously. Though he would occasionally make minor missteps, with age he had grown increasingly steady, leading the Xu family to achieve considerable renown throughout the various towns.
Xu Gongming shook his head and said, "The halberd is an overbearing weapon. Over the years, this subordinate has practiced both the long and short halberd, yet I have barely crossed the threshold of a cultivator's martial craft—which only proves how difficult this path is. Your Young Lordship is still young, so to achieve such proficiency is truly no small feat."
Li Zhouwei nodded and set aside the long halberd. As he finished changing out of his training attire and draped on a robe, the white ape, which had been standing quietly at his side, cast a glance at Xu Gongming and spoke:
"Today is the day of spirit testing, and the young lord must set out for Qingdu. Gongming, you should return early."
"Understood, Senior."
The white ape was advanced in years and profound in cultivation, commanding considerable status within the Li family. Xu Gongming promptly bowed and took his leave. Li Zhouwei waited below the terrace steps for a while, sipping a couple of mouthfuls of tea, before a young man stepped into the palace forecourt.
Li Chengliao was dressed quite formally, clad in a mantle of grey wolf fur. The silver-grey guard hairs faintly shimmered, making his frame appear somewhat larger and lending him an air of commanding presence.
Though this trip was called spirit testing, Li Chengliao had naturally examined his child long before. Li Zhouwei had already passed the age of seven and possessed spirit apertures; the stone that had hung over his heart had long since dropped. It was only because he could not discern the quality of the boy's talent that he still needed to bring him up the mountain.
Gathering Li Zhouwei into his arms without saying much, he took to the wind with him. Rays of magical power glinted as they soared across the lake surface, soon alighting upon Mount Qingdu.
Li Zhouwei found the sensation of riding the clouds and mists novel. Just as he gained his footing, he noticed two figures already standing atop the mountain.
The foremost was a woman who looked middle-aged, cradling a long spear in her arms with her long hair bound high. She stood atop the peak clad in translucent jade armor, looking exceedingly formidable. Beside her was the elder Li Xuanxuan, whom Li Zhouwei had seen before.
Li Chengliao hurriedly clasped his fists in greeting. "Great-Aunt has returned!"
Li Qinghong arched an eyebrow slightly and said softly, "I had clan matters to attend to anyway and have been back for several days. It worked out well to wait for Zhouwei's spirit testing and lead him into the ancestral hall."
Li Chengliao nodded slightly. Beside her, Li Xuanxuan's aged face betrayed a mixture of gravity and anticipation as he murmured, "Leave what follows... to us. Wait here on the mountain."
Li Chengliao asked no questions, simply nodding before withdrawing. Li Qinghong stepped forward, asked Li Zhouwei a couple of gentle questions, stared into his eyes for several breaths, and picked him up. Together, the two entered the great hall atop the peak.
Li Qinghong paused for a moment and asked, "Where is Ximing?"
Li Xuanxuan waved a hand and replied, "In secluded meditation adjusting his breath, preparing to break through to the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment... That boy cultivates remarkably fast. It has only been a few years; though he has the aid of those bottles of spirit fluid and pills Xuanfeng brought back, his speed is still astonishing."
Li Qinghong had indeed returned with the intention of seeing Li Zhouwei receive the talisman seed, but she had gathered much news as well. She murmured, "The Eastern Sea has grown increasingly chaotic of late. I heard the young master of the Tangjin Gate died out on the sea under bizarre circumstances. The Tangjin Gate dispatched search parties multiple times and even enlisted northern Shakya cultivators to divine the truth, yet they failed entirely to calculate his whereabouts."
Li Xuanxuan furrowed his brows. Since their family was on poor terms with that immortal sect, he felt neither pity nor regret, asking only, "If so, what is the Tangjin Gate's stance? Now that their Purple Mansion cultivator is missing, do they still dare investigate?"
"Naturally they dare not!" Li Qinghong said softly. "When passing by Qingsong Island, I questioned Zhi'er in detail. Having investigated to this point, the Tangjin Gate realized that a Purple Mansion master likely acted, and they no longer dare delve deeper. Now, they have dispatched a force into the sea with great bluster, claiming they are hunting down the culprit... It is nothing more than saving face after losing their young master. Making a hollow sweep across the sea prevents them from being utterly humiliated."
"Merely fooling clan cultivators and itinerants!" Li Xuanxuan sighed. "How overbearing was that sect in years past, yet when two great immortal sects merely intervened to contend for them... within a few short decades, their talents have withered away. Not only are their young masters good-for-nothings, even their Purple Mansion cultivator departed never to return. Sooner or later, the Tangjin Gate will be reduced to the Tangjin Situ Clan!"
As the two conversed, Li Xuanxuan laid his hand upon the child's crown. His spiritual sense and magical power surged, intending to seal the boy's six senses.
After working his techniques, Li Xuanxuan lifted his hand, only to find the boy's dark-golden eyes still gazing alertly at him. Taken aback, he had no choice but to look at Li Qinghong.
Li Qinghong shook her head. "He must come to know of it eventually. Since we cannot veil it, let it be."
Li Xuanxuan nodded thoughtfully. Drawing a scroll from his sleeve, he placed it into the child's hands and said softly, "Commit this text to memory."
Li Zhouwei nodded quietly. Taking the scroll, he read through it carefully, turned the pages gently, read it once more from beginning to end, and then handed it back to Li Xuanxuan, answering, "I have memorized it."
"Good!" Li Xuanxuan could not help but praise. To memorize several thousand words without any cultivation was no small feat. He tested him once or twice, and upon finding that the boy had indeed memorized every word, he led the way forward.
The three entered the interior of the ancestral hall. Tapping upon the bare stone wall several times, a stone portal abruptly emerged.
*Rumble...*
A coarse grating sound echoed. Li Zhouwei's eyes slowly widened as he followed his elders inside. He found the stone chamber quiet and smooth, bathed in a faint, pearly white radiance that left the stone altar indistinct in the half-light.
The child's dark-golden eyes swept the chamber, coming to rest upon the pale blue-and-white spirit sword hovering in midair above the altar. He thought to himself:
*That must be the Qingchi Sword and the Sword Scripture!*
Just as he was about to come to a halt, Li Xuanxuan said softly, "Wei'er, bow."
Li Zhouwei felt puzzled, but as he lowered his head, Li Xuanxuan and Li Qinghong spoke in unison from either side. One voice was hoarse and weathered, the other valiant and potent, echoing together within the hidden chamber:
"The Li clan of Qingdu reverently presents pure wine and humble fare, the rites of cold meats and sacrificial beasts, to beseech the talisman for our descendant. We humbly petition the wondrous method of Xuanming, to govern destiny and calm the spirit, upholding the Dao in cultivation..."
"In accordance with time, merit shall be reported, faith and duty unbetrayed; following the writ to burn to ash, offering the body in thanks to the Great Yin."
The voices of the two echoed within the secret chamber. Hearing this, Li Zhouwei's eyes widened slightly in shock. Before he could ponder the meaning behind the words, he slowly raised his head, only to see a bright white radiance illuminate upon the stone altar.
The white light was blindingly brilliant, shining forth from a small aperture as though something were slowly breaking free from within. Vaguely, the pitch-black color of the Great Void could be seen.
He stared blankly for a breath or two as the scent of sweet osmanthus drifted to his nostrils. Li Xuanxuan and Li Qinghong exchanged glances, delight just dawning upon their faces, when Li Zhouwei suddenly let out a muffled groan.
"Ugh..."
He abruptly clutched his eyes, trembling tears spilling down the corners of his face as he let out a stifled cry of pain. Quick-witted, Li Qinghong understood at once:
*This child's eyes are unlike ordinary mortals'! Staring directly at such an immortal object naturally brings harm!*
She immediately stroked his back and said softly, "Calm your breath and focus your mind. Remember the incantation and guide the talisman seed."
Li Zhouwei felt a faint tremor in his sea of qi as a flash of white light burst forth. It was a tiny white pellet, gleaming and luminous. He hurriedly sat cross-legged, chanting the incantation to guide the talisman seed.
Li Xuanxuan let out a sigh of relief. Hurriedly stepping out of the secret chamber with Li Qinghong, a smile broke across his face as he said in a low voice, "Though we anticipated he would receive the talisman seed, only seeing it firmly accepted allows me to truly relax."
"It has not been easy," Li Qinghong said. "How long has it been since someone in our family received a talisman seed? Ximing finally had a child or two, but it is yet unknown if they possess spirit apertures. Xijun remains unwed... not a single person of the Chengming generation has gained the immortal blessing..."
"Fortunately, we have Zhouwei..."
Li Xuanxuan sighed, his spirits greatly bolstered. Li Qinghong was about to speak when she abruptly snapped her head up, her expression a mix of surprise and delight as she gazed toward the northern mountain range.
After all, Li Xuanxuan was not of Foundation Establishment, and his perception was far weaker. He quickly looked up into the distance, vaguely discerning swirling snow and northern gales. Joy instantly leaped onto his brow, and he exclaimed, "It is Yuting Peak!"
The mountain peak was draped in snow, pine winds howling in waves. Li Qinghong stepped upon streaks of lightning to rush outside, and sure enough, Yuting Peak was engulfed in drifting snow and screaming gales. While the sky for ten thousand li around remained entirely cloudless, the snow upon that peak fell relentlessly into the mountains.
At the same time, the northern gales roared, and snow shook loose from every green pine on the peak. A pristine streak of white light rose from the mountain, carrying an icy chill of pine and snow right to them—it was a young man in white robes, carrying a sword on his back.
"Aunt!"
Li Xijun appeared even younger than he had before entering secluded meditation. He drifted forward treading upon the snow, the spirit sword Hanlin on his back humming with joyful resonance. His sword-straight brows were lifted, displaying considerable delight.
"Good boy."
Li Qinghong pursed her lips in a smile without speaking. Li Xuanxuan rushed out with a hearty laugh. Among the many children of the Xi-Yue generation, Li Xijun was closest to him, and his current joy was deeply genuine. Taking Xijun's hands, he smiled from ear to ear.
Li Xijun's bearing carried an even cooler, more otherworldly air than before. Straightening his white robes, he answered, "I have not failed the hopes of my elders. Xijun has forged the Dao foundation 'Snow on Pine.' It enables me to tread upon snow and command cold, summon northern gales, augment sword radiance, refine magical arts, prolong lifespan, and ward off wounds..."
He descended along with the two elders, politely recounting the traits of his immortal foundation:
"Treading upon snow and commanding cold, as well as summoning northern gales, has miraculous effects against Qi Refinement cultivators. It can cast down another's magical winds, and it can also infuse cold snow and northern gales into magical arts and sword radiance. It is an immortal foundation adept at combat.
"This foundation also enhances lifespan, eases received injuries, and allows me to endure longer in dangerous places where spirit energy is thin..."
After describing the primary effects, he demonstrated several new magical arts that accompanied the immortal foundation. He then pinched two fingers together and explained, "The Tujun Sunflower Light has undergone considerable changes as well, growing about thirty percent stronger than before. I finally understand why one must practice magical arts before Foundation Establishment..."
He said thoughtfully, "Perhaps influenced by it, now whenever I employ this art, it naturally resonates with the immortal foundation within my body, complementing each other to produce vastly greater might..."
Li Xuanxuan listened with a warm smile, visibly in high spirits. Li Xijun's face then flickered with a hint of doubt, and he murmured, "However, while I was midway through secluded meditation, for some reason the spirit energy and earth veins of Heaven and Earth began fluctuating endlessly, flickering between bright and dim... It was terribly precarious. Had it not been for that Suiyuan Pill, I fear I would have been thoroughly undone."
"...That confounding mess!" Li Xuanxuan was momentarily at a loss for words, murmuring softly, "You had it better... Over on Guiluan's side... she has already undergone corporeal release... Your younger sister buried her spiritual remains alongside Yuanjiao, laying husband and wife to rest together."
Li Xijun's face paled. He seemed to have anticipated it, whispering, "Second Uncle went to find her. Aunt was brilliant beyond measure; she had already deduced that he would not return. Entering secluded breakthrough this time was an act born of a resolve to die, not a pursuit of life."
Li Xuanxuan grew even quieter. His gaze fell toward the ancestral hall on the mountain, remembering Li Zhouwei, and he murmured, "This matter is a long story; we shall discuss it thoroughly later... Zhouwei is in the ancestral hall right now. Let us go check on him first!"
Since the three stood outside the warding array, it was unsuitable to speak openly of the talisman seed. Li Xijun was quick to grasp implied meanings, and hearing that Zhouwei was in the ancestral hall, he already understood what was happening. He said gently, "Indeed, this is no place for such talk. Let us speak once we enter the mountain."
The three alighted back inside the ancestral hall, only to find Li Zhouwei already standing quietly within the secret chamber. His dark-golden eyes were raised, staring blankly at the stone altar as if perceiving something.
"So fast!"
Li Xuanxuan had witnessed the talisman conferrals of several generations. Which of them had not taken several hours? Some had even waited from broad daylight until the dead of night to finish.
Now, in the span of a single stick of incense while they had stepped away, Li Zhouwei had already finished receiving the talisman seed and was standing there lost in thought. Sighing in his heart, the old man rushed forward and asked, "Zhouwei, did you obtain any magical art or scripture?!"
The boy raised his head slightly, his golden-and-white robes fluttering in the breeze. He answered:
"I received a Purple Mansion cultivation method."
These words exploded like thunder in the ears of the three, stunning them into dead silence. A flush rushed to Li Xuanxuan's face as he stammered, "What?!"
Li Zhouwei nodded gently, blinked his dark-golden eyes, and spoke word by word:
"A fifth-grade Purple Mansion cultivation method, the *Scripture of Minghua Huangyuan*."
Chapter 492