Thoughts raced like lightning through Miao Ye's mind. Seeing that the Li family members before him remained silent, he had no choice but to pick up where he had left off, saying in a low voice, "My visit this time is to resolve a misunderstanding."
"My clan uncle... ran into your noble clan's fairy maiden in the Eastern Sea. Suddenly catching sight of a dharma treasure belonging to our senior, he was overcome with emotion."
"He has a rash personality. Seeing that spear so abruptly, he could not restrain himself, and I heard he had a conflict with your noble clan's senior. I have come precisely for this matter..."
Though Miao Ye looked rough-hewn, his speech revealed a shrewd mind beneath a coarse exterior, and his words were tactful. But the Li family was not so easily fooled. Whether Miao Quan had acted out of a momentary impulse or harbored ulterior motives when he crossed paths with Li Qinghong in the Eastern Sea was something everyone present understood full well. Li Ximing showed no reaction, while the expressions of Li Xuanxuan and Li Chengliao were nothing more than polite on the surface.
Miao Ye sighed softly and said solemnly, "My clan uncle's physical body was severed by the head of the Shen clan, and he nearly lost his demonic embryo. He has already reaped what he sowed. If your noble clan looks upon his miserable plight, consider your grievance vented, and please harbor fewer hard feelings."
Li Ximing watched him calmly, waiting until Miao Ye had finished before replying, "Those words should be said to my aunt. Fellow Daoist, you certainly did not make this trip solely to apologize. If you have something to say, speak plainly."
Miao Ye could only lower his head and say, "To tell the truth, that Duruo Spear in your noble clan senior's hands was originally an item of our Tinglei Island... It was just that many years ago, an elder went out to travel and train inland, where he formed some enmities with the Jinyu and Qingchi Sects."
"That feud was rather nebulous to begin with. Jinyu claimed that our senior had stolen their dharma formula, while Qingchi alleged that he harbored remnants of the Lingyu Sect and escorted direct descendants of the Chen family in flight."
"Heaven be our witness! Generation after generation of our Miao clan have been lightning cultivators. At most, we practice some arts to drive thunder and command lightning. Even though we were later branded as demonic, how could we possess blood arts or witchcraft? Much less any clever thievery! Someone was undoubtedly making mischief behind the scenes!"
Miao Ye could not gauge their attitude toward the Qingchi Sect and Jinyu Sect, so his tone was very tactful. His words sounded polite, but his underlying meaning was that Qingchi Sect and Jinyu Sect had falsely slandered and persecuted them.
"My visit this time is solely to ask about the origins of that spear! We hope your noble clan can share some information. If it was acquired elsewhere, did you happen to see our senior's skeletal remains?"
The speaker had spoken without intention, but the listener took it to heart. Li Chengliao, standing to the side, became vigilant. He had been a firsthand witness to the events of those years and clearly remembered that the Duruo Spear had been retrieved from a serpent demon's cave dwelling.
And that serpent demon's cave dwelling lay right beneath their feet, connected to Mount Qingdu—the very site of today's Qingdu Cave Dwelling.
"This matter is too distant in the past... Does the Grand Elder have any memory of it?" Miao Ye asked.
Li Chengliao remained silent for a breath, stroked his beard, and said solemnly, "May I ask what kind of Dao Foundation your noble clan's senior had, and what protective treasures he possessed? I do have some impression. If you can disclose some information so I can match them one by one, I might recall a bit more."
Miao Ye was not surprised. Staring intently at the old man, he answered in a hushed voice:
"Our clan senior was a man of peerless talent, who by his own strength combined lightning techniques with demonic arts, founding our Tinglei Island's current lineage of cultivation. He should have carried several precious demonic scriptures on him, and his mount was a Kansu Python... of immense size, skilled at manipulating water currents."
"He also possessed a spiritual artifact called the Tianyin Primordial Pearl. Completely blood-red, it was likely only the size of a palm. Records of it have been lost for many years, and its exact appearance can no longer be remembered."
"A Zifu spiritual artifact! Our clan's Zhenren values it tremendously. Were it not for the conflict between North and South, the vigilance of the various clans, and the unfavorable timing, the Old Master would have come to visit in person long ago!"
Li Chengliao's heart surged like stormy seas. The truth he had suddenly realized left him with mixed feelings. He had heard Li Tongya describe this matter in person and even knew the exact dialogue between the two men back then.
"Zhang Yun and Second Uncle each chose one item. Zhang Yun had slightly bested Second Uncle, so he chose the demon core first..."
"As for that blood pearl... it was found on the serpent demon's skeleton. Zhang Yun claimed it was a demon core, and so each took two items and departed."
"It wasn't a demon core! How could it possibly have been a demon core?!"
"A demon core of a Foundation Establishment demon beast... how could it compare to the Duruo Spear!"
Back then, the Li family had scarcely any dharma treasures. Li Tongya was merely a cultivator who had just entered Qi Refinement, and the dharma treasures in his own hands were tattered and broken, so how could he recognize the true value of a Foundation Establishment dharma treasure?
Later, as the family gradually obtained Foundation Establishment dharma treasures, they had also seen Li Wushao's demon core—it was merely a treasure emanating chilling qi, utterly incomparable to a Foundation Establishment dharma treasure. The Li family had always rationalized that since the serpent beast had failed its breakthrough to Zifu, perhaps its demon core had some unusual properties. Now, hearing Miao Ye's words, how could Li Chengliao not understand!
"Fine... No wonder Zhang Yun remained so nonchalant... He quietly took away a Zifu spiritual artifact without a sound! The items in the cave were not obtained by the serpent demon at all—rather, the Kansu Python had been guarding the Miao clan's senior as he passed away in meditation!"
"He took away the best treasure, but left behind the Duruo Spear that revealed the senior's identity... The Miao family tracked it all this way and would naturally come asking our clan for their things..."
"Zhang Yun at that time was not yet the foremost figure among Jinyu Sect's younger generation, nor was he yet one of the cultivators closest to Zifu as he is today, but his shrewd methods were already evident, besting Chi Zhiyun by a cut."
"Even... even Zhang Yun claimed he came to retrieve the Xuemo Dharma Book. That Xuemo Dharma Book was very likely not Jinyu Sect's item either! But rather the Miao clan senior's dharma book!"
Li Chengliao thought to himself:
"If Qinghong hadn't possessed formidable strength and encountered Miao Quan at the right moment, she might have been robbed by his full might and lost her life. Once an enmity was forged back then... who would have had the heart to unravel the original rights and wrongs?"
"If this matter isn't handled gracefully, we will offend Tinglei Island again... Ever since the Duruo Spear came into our hands, the grudge was already planted."
Li Chengliao sighed and asked in a low voice, "Does Fellow Daoist know of our clan's Moon Sword?"
"I have heard a little."
Li Chengliao stroked his beard and said solemnly, "Is your noble clan here for the Duruo Spear?"
Miao Ye replied, "Not necessarily... Our clan has searched for our senior for hundreds of years. First, we hope to bring his bones and spiritual remains back to the island; second, we desire the whereabouts of the Tianyin Primordial Pearl most of all. As for demonic scriptures and dharma treasures, losing them is merely a slight pity."
Li Xuanxuan narrowed his eyes, and Li Chengliao spoke in a raspy voice, "If you do not believe me, this old man has no way to prove it. Duruo is currently with our Qinghong. She is in the north, under orders to slay demons, so naturally we cannot grant it to your noble clan."
Miao Ye hesitated for a moment and answered, "I understand Senior's meaning, but I do not know how to write back to my clan. If there is no clear cause and effect, I cannot account to my family, and people will still suspect your noble clan."
Li Chengliao was silent for a moment, unable to tell him the truth, and could only say in a low voice, "Fellow Daoist, I cannot speak of it."
Miao Ye smiled awkwardly and whispered, "This concerns a blood feud. My clan has been suspicious for a hundred years. Miao Ye sincerely asks one question: after leaving Lake Wangyue, should one cross Mount Xiping and head west, or follow the woods and head south?"
Li Chengliao remained silent, but his gaze offered a subtle cue.
Miao Ye nodded, hastily saying, "The scenery of the great desert to the west is very fine."
"Junior understands. I cannot give a definitive answer to my clan regarding this matter. Allow me to investigate first. After some time, I will certainly bring heavy gifts to exchange for Duruo."
Miao Ye offered thanks, stepped on the wind, and flew into the sky. Li Xuanxuan leaned back against his seat, and everyone felt somewhat solemn. Li Ximing explained in a low voice, "As for running into the Miao clan's Zifu, how could we have any room to speak?"
After two breaths, everyone walked out of the hall. Drops of crystalline pure qi drifted down from the sky, swirling as they descended. When they struck the water's surface, they leaped up three feet high with white trailing wisps before falling back down, sending bursts of pure qi dancing across large swathes of the lake.
Outside the hall, clear light billowed continuously, weaving into several dragon-and-serpent-like threads in the air, intermingled with ascending golden-cyan pure qi that shimmered across the sky in dazzling brilliance.
"Someone has established their Dao Foundation..."
Li Ximing was silent. Just as he was about to speak, sensing something, he raised his head, and Li Xuanxuan's eyes lit up.
Li Xuanxuan looked with astonishment at the heavenly phenomenon, unable to immediately recognize what kind of Dao Foundation it was. After discerning it carefully, he said thoughtfully, "It is neither of the Five Virtues nor Yin-Yang, nor is it of the Ancient lineages. It seems to belong to the Twelve Qi."
Just as Li Xuanxuan's words fell, a beam of clear light rose from the lake, the water surged, and an ape leaped out!
The ape had white fur and gray eyes, his gaze weathered with age, with crystalline qi circulating around him. His build was vigorous and robust, with fists as large as tabletops; his back and belly were stark white, and two strands of white qi wrapped around his wrists, giving him an imposing, majestic aura.
As soon as he flew above the water's surface, he rapidly shifted his form, donning a black armored robe and transforming into an eight-foot-tall elderly man. Landing before the three of them, his voice sounded like clashing boulders, raspy and deep:
"This old ape greets the masters."
"You've established your Dao Foundation!"
Baiyuan, as taciturn as ever, merely bowed to the three of them and rasped, "Following my bloodline, this old servant has achieved the Dao Foundation Embracing Stone Slumber, which belongs to the True Qi of the Twelve Qi."
"This old servant pounded medicine for three hundred years, frequently witnessing calamity and often lamenting my inability to save others. Now that I have attained this Dao achievement, whether it brings blessing or misfortune remains unknown."
Li Xuanxuan felt relieved of a heavy burden. Li Chengliao watched with a smile, pulling the old ape over and examining him with deep satisfaction, laughing in a raspy voice, "Old partner, your karmic blessings are truly profound!"
Li Chengliao had genuinely prepared for a final farewell. Truth be told, Baiyuan was merely a spirit beast of a minor sect. In his early years, he had drifted in hardship and was covered in injuries. When Li Chengliao rescued him during the demonic disaster, he was plagued by fire poison, without a single patch of intact fur. At that time, surviving to a normal demon beast's natural lifespan was already difficult, let alone establishing a Dao Foundation. A few years ago, when the white ape entered secluded cultivation to break through, his chances of success were even lower than Li Tongya's had been back then.
Seeing the silent demeanor of the old ape after his shapeshifting, Li Chengliao was filled with emotion. Taking his hand, Li Chengliao asked, "Now how much lifespan do you have? How much lifespan is left?"
The old monkey's voice was weathered, like stones falling in an empty valley: "As a mortal beast, two hundred and eleven years; Embryonic Breathing, sixty-three years; Qi Refinement, one hundred and eleven years; up to now, already four hundred and seventy-eight years. My race is naturally long-lived, and having cultivated this kind of Dao Foundation, by a rough estimate, I should still have over seven hundred years of lifespan."
Li Xuanxuan showed an envious expression. Glancing at the two beside him, he sighed, "That is thrice the lifespan of the likes of us!"
Li Ximing asked with interest, "This is the first time I have seen it. What are the effects of this Dao Foundation?"
The old ape, seeing that Li Chengliao's expression held a trace of heaviness, used his own pure qi to nourish Li Chengliao's aging physique and said gently, "Embracing Stone Slumber grants prolonged vitality, restores the flesh and bone to authenticity, aligns the body with True Qi, breaks through illusions, and discerns human hearts. The longer the lifespan, the more formidable the Dao Foundation becomes."
His voice was deep and husky, carrying a steady composure, and he soon fell silent.
Li Chengliao's mood quickly brightened. He hurriedly took a jade pendant from his bosom and placed it into the old ape's hands, saying joyfully, "Now that you have reached Foundation Establishment, the task of patrolling the lake is entrusted to you! If anything happens, crush the jade pendant immediately, and I will emerge from seclusion..."
"Old ape, it is good that you are alive... Foundation Establishment demon beasts live even longer."
***
In contrast to the bright and joyful atmosphere in the hall on Mount Qingdu, Mount Bianyan appeared far gloomier. Amid the dark mountain ranges, cultivators rose and descended on the wind.
The central hall to the right was deathly solemn. In the spacious hall, two rows of cultivators stood in silence, while the white floor tiles in the center remained empty. Everyone kept their heads lowered and brows knit, not daring to speak.
The oppressive atmosphere persisted for a long time. Ning Heyuan had a slight sheen of sweat on his forehead. He glanced across at his brother-in-law Li Xuanfeng, who had just been summoned out of seclusion. The old man looked serene; outwardly, one could no longer tell whether he still harbored injuries. Just standing there quietly, he exuded a palpable aura of pressure.
Seated above, Chi Zhiyan remained silent. Ning Heyuan finally could not hold back any longer and whispered, "Reporting to Sir... the Tuoba family's seventh young master, Tuoba Chongyuan... personally led men to raid Baixiang Valley..."
Fearing that Chi Zhiyan above would erupt in rage, he intentionally weighed his tone, speaking swiftly and urgently.
After he finished speaking, he indeed saw the old man opposite slowly raise his head. Though Li Xuanfeng's expression was not fierce, his searching gaze struck like two black arrows, piercing the entire hall into absolute silence.
A thought flashed through Ning Heyuan's mind for a breath, and he could not help the heavy gloom in his heart.
He didn't know whether Chi Zhiyan knew or not. Damn it, why did Tuoba Chongyuan take the field in person! It clearly wasn't time for that yet—what were the Zifu masters thinking?
Chapter 559