"Are you of the Lijing Li family? The Li family by Lake Wangyue?"
As soon as Ning Wan parted her vermilion lips, the figures gathered below wore varying expressions, whispering covertly among themselves.
"Why have I never heard of this Lijing Li family? How are they worth an emissary asking after them in person?"
"Who knows..."
Xiao Chuting also looked down toward Li Tongya, nodding with a light smile.
Li Tongya was startled at first. Raising his head slightly, he caught a glimpse beneath Ning Wan's veil of tender white skin and a clear, elegant jawline. Neither servile nor arrogant, he answered, "Replying to the Emissary, this humble one is Li Tongya of the Li family. My family's Mount Lijing sits right beside Lake Wangyue."
"What relation is Li Chijing to you?"
Hearing those words, Li Tongya's eyes brightened, and his heart settled completely. Knowing that Li Chijing had likely put in a word for them within the sect, he answered with deep respect, "He is my younger brother."
Ning Wan pursed her lips. With a flick of her left hand, a small brocade pouch flew forth and gently settled into Li Tongya's grasp. She said softly, "This is from your brother."
"Many thanks, Fairy!"
Li Tongya quickly caught it. Seeing the people around him staring in astonishment, he could not help a bitter smile. By nature, he disliked standing out; he had never expected to become the center of attention. Feeling as though needles were pricking his back, he hastily expressed his gratitude once more.
Ning Wan gave him a nod, then turned to speak with Xiao Chuting beside her. As the two shared a few words with smiles, the cultivators below handed over all their tributes.
"Replying to the Immortal Master, all thirty-four families of Lixia Commandery are present and accounted for!" a servant below called out respectfully after tallying the items.
"Good."
Ning Wan nodded, then said to Xiao Chuting, "I still have other duties to attend to. Now that the tribute has been collected in full, I will not linger."
"Safe travels, Emissary."
Xiao Chuting cupped his hands, smiling as he watched Ning Wan board the flying boat.
Watching the Rosy Dawn Cloud Vessel rise slowly and vanish into the eastern horizon, Xiao Chuting turned back toward the assembly below, speaking in a measured voice:
"You are all old friends. The rogue cultivators have already gathered at the foot of the mountain, and the market down there has been open for several days. You may all head down to trade.
"The old rules still stand: this Guanyun Market is an asset of my Xiao family. I ask that everyone give me face. If anyone tries to rob, plunder, or force trades in the market, they will be wrecking my family's establishment."
"Understood."
The crowd below chorused their agreement and began dispersing down the mountain. A few took steps toward Li Tongya, intending to strike up a conversation. Wan Yuankai looked at him enviously and opened his mouth to speak, but Xiao Chuting coughed lightly and said with a smile, "Young friend Tongya, would you be willing to share a word with this old man?"
The cultivators nearby froze in their tracks, and Wan Yuankai promptly closed his mouth. Li Tongya hastily answered, "Senior is too polite. To converse with a great cultivator like yourself is this junior's great fortune!"
Xiao Chuting chuckled and led Li Tongya into the main courtyard, taking a seat beside a bluestone table. An attendant stepped forward to serve clear tea. Taking a gentle sip, Xiao Chuting said softly, "I do not visit Guanyun Peak often, so hospitality here is unavoidably meager. Please do not take offense, young friend."
Li Tongya took the tea cup and had a small sip. Instantly, a refreshing sweetness bloomed on his tongue, clearing his mind with pristine lucidity. Resisting the urge to drink it all down in a single gulp, he shook his head and repeatedly murmured that he would not dare complain.
"My grandson trained alongside your brother on Qingsui Peak for several years and mentioned a few things to me." Xiao Chuting smiled, then continued, "In the way of the sword, your brother possesses astonishing talent. Peak Master Si Yuanbai declared him the foremost genius Qingsui Peak has seen in centuries and cherishes him dearly."
Li Tongya had been born to a farming family, and his village had always drunk from wide tea bowls; holding the dainty little cup already felt awkward. Hearing this, he froze in surprise, answering with delighted astonishment, "Jing'er never mentioned this to the family..."
"Your brother is a fine boy. Have you looked inside that brocade pouch?"
Looking at Li Tongya, Xiao Chuting showed a fleeting glint of reminiscence in his eyes, as though recalling something from long ago. He smiled. "Inside are five spirit stones—the stipends that boy was allocated over five years. He likely consumed the spirit rice and spiritual pills himself, but every one of those spirit stones was saved up for you."
Li Tongya went rigid, a surge of sorrow and warmth gripping his heart. He murmured under his breath, "Our Li family has made that boy suffer..."
"Come now, do not think that way. Families share both honor and ruin."
Xiao Chuting waved a dismissive hand. Brushing his palm across the tabletop, he produced a small white jade bottle and spoke again: "I can see that you are still at the Embryonic Breathing Qingyuan Wheel. Here is a dose of Mingshen Powder. Use it to break through to the Yujing Wheel."
Caught completely off guard, Li Tongya scrambled to his feet, waving his hands in refusal. "Senior! This... this is far too generous; I cannot accept!"
"Take the medicine and go. Cease your fussing. Not having a single Yujing Wheel in the family brings shame to Qingsui Peak."
Xiao Chuting spoke flatly, frowning as he stood up and strode toward the back courtyard, leaving behind only two words:
"See him out!"
***
At the foot of Guanyun Peak, Li Tongya smiled wryly and tightened his grip on the elixir tucked in his breast, turning to look at Wan Yuankai, whose face was a tangle of complex emotions.
"Brother Yuankai, about this market..."
"Oh."
Only then did Wan Yuankai snap out of his daze. Pointing toward the path ahead, he explained, "Just follow me along this road. An illusory formation rings the market to keep mortals out, so do not wander off."
After walking for a short while, the view suddenly opened up. What had been a deserted mountain trail gave way to a small, thriving settlement bustling with people and endless chatter.
"Brother Tongya, my clan assigned me a few errands. Why don't we part ways here for now and meet back at the foot of the mountain later so we can take the carriage home together?" Wan Yuankai cupped his hands with a smile, then hurried off toward the east.
Watching Wan Yuankai vanish into the distance, Li Tongya shook his head and turned his attention to a roadside stall. The stallholder was reading a book, a look of frustration plain on his face. Laid out across the cloth were several talismans, a few unfamiliar spiritual materials, and several small flags.
"Are these formation flags?" Li Tongya asked, gazing at the small grayish-white flags while prudently keeping his hands to himself.
"They are. The banners are made from the refined hide of Yujing Wheel monster beasts, and the poles are crafted from white jade wood. Only eight spirit stones."
Li Tongya could not help recalling the six flags Xiao Yuansi had sold to their family. He inquired, "I heard of a kind made with the skin of white-striped carp for the banners and red birch wood for the poles... May I ask how much those might cost?"
The stallholder froze. His gaze toward Li Tongya instantly turned much warmer, and his tone grew markedly more respectful. "Senior, red birch wood is easy enough to come by, but white-striped carp skin is a material for the Qi Refinement stage. For artifacts of that grade, please head to the shops on the eastern side; the stalls around here only carry items for the Embryonic Breathing realm."
"I see."
Li Tongya had a sudden realization, musing inwardly, *It seems Xiao Yuansi gave our family a real bargain. If even Embryonic Breathing formation flags cost eight spirit stones, then valuing those flags at twelve spirit stones was truly not expensive at all.*
Chapter 50