Li Qinghong put away the feather robe and thanked Chu Minglian. The old man had been sent by the Ning family, and his compensation was settled by them as well, but Li Qinghong still drew a storage bag from her sleeve and pressed it into his hand.
Chu Minglian naturally declined, but Li Qinghong merely said softly, "Senior Chu's artifact-refining skills are superb, and my family may well trouble you in the future. Our two families have long shared ties, so please accept it, Senior."
After a moment's hesitation, Chu Minglian finally tucked it into his robe, drew his sleeves together, and withdrew. Li Qinghong saw him out of the hall just as golden light flowed across the northern sky, flashing twice before gradually fading. She calculated the direction; it was precisely where the ruins had fallen.
"The ruins have likely been carved up by now, leaving only scraps they lacked the energy to carry away for the ordinary disciples of the various sects to gather."
Not only Li Qinghong, but the cultivators around her were all accustomed to this. After all, year after year, whenever ruins or a grotto-heaven appeared, the major sects inevitably divided it among themselves, leaving ordinary cultivators without so much as a share.
She looked closely. Golden light rose from that direction, trailing plumes of flame as it rode the wind toward her, gradually expanding as it approached until it halted before her. It was a woman in xiang-colored robes, her dharmic vestments flowing and a golden pearl in her hand.
Stopping before the formation, she smiled. "Is Qinghong within the formation? Kong Tingyun of Xuanyue has come to visit!"
Kong Tingyun had just returned from the north, yet her aura was steady and her garments neat, bearing not the slightest look of someone returning from a great battle, but rather appearing like someone who had emerged from seclusion after making strides in cultivation.
Li Qinghong dismissed the others and took her hand to lead her into the cave dwelling. "A few years without seeing each other, and you've changed so much, Tingyun."
Kong Tingyun was as warm as ever. Stepping into the formation, she smiled sweetly and said softly, "I did obtain some fortunate opportunities, but our friendship remains unchanged. Don't be a stranger, Qinghong."
Kong Tingyun shook her head with a smile, sat down beside her, and murmured, "I had sect business here. Hearing that you were stationed nearby, I came to see you the moment my affairs were done."
Li Qinghong paused only briefly before understanding at once: Xuanyue Gate had also received a share in those unnamed ruins, and with Kong Tingyun now at late-stage Foundation Establishment, she had naturally been dispatched there.
Kong Tingyun appeared far more noble and imposing now. Perhaps having just fought her way out of the grotto-heaven, though her curved brows and eyes still bore a smile, her robes and the radiance of her dharmic power carried a sharp, formidable edge.
Kong Tingyun said in a low voice, "Earlier there were too many ears around, so I couldn't speak freely and called it sect business. In truth, it was just that fallen [Dongning Palace]. I saw many people and affairs inside... Just a few months felt as agonizing as several years.
"Qinghong, do you still remember the Wrathful Mahasattva Fahui?"
Li Qinghong nodded naturally. Kong Tingyun continued, "He cultivated four lifetimes and was only a single step from a Dharma Idol, yet he perished at Mount Bianyan. The Wrath Path's lineage was already sparse, and with that it suffered a steep decline...
"Yet while there, I met a monk and pried some information from him. It is said that in earlier years, the Wrath Path had another loyal Lianmin who returned from the northern desert. Ambushed and grievously wounded, he fled and vanished.
"This person possesses considerable strength and bears a grudge against you, though his current whereabouts are unknown..."
"Naturally, I haven't forgotten." Li Tongya had died because of this affair; who in the Li family did not know it?
Kong Tingyun waved her hand and added, "First, an Akasa-lakshana Master fled into your noble clan's territory and was slain. That Master was an Arhat highly valued by the Seven-Eyed Lianmin... I fear trouble will come of it eventually.
"Second... in the north, there is a Lianmin named [Nuzi] who seems to have his eyes on Senior Xuanfeng. He is watching quietly from the shadows. Although he dares not act before the various Purple Palace seniors... it is unsettling nonetheless..."
Was this truly information Tingyun had gathered on her own, or had Master Changxi used Tingyun's mouth to warn the Li family? Either way, it made little difference; Changxi had shown goodwill to their clan on more than one occasion. Li Qinghong quickly expressed her gratitude.
Counting it up, between cause and effect, as many as three Lianmin had set their sights on the Li family! Li Qinghong's heart grew heavy. Cupping her hands in gratitude, she said, "Thank you for the sect's warning. The kindness is remembered."
Kong Tingyun waved her hand, her expression solemn. "You needn't thank me, Qinghong. Beyond this trouble, there is also good news.
"Years ago, your noble clan inquired with mine about news of a Mingyang spiritual item. I never had any word, but now, in that [Dongning Palace], I finally saw a Mingyang Purple Palace spiritual item, the [Ansiwei Stone]!"
Hearing this, Li Qinghong was energized and turned her gaze toward her, asking, "Did it fall into your hands, Sister?"
Kong Tingyun shook her head with regret and whispered, "That [Ansiwei Stone] was scrambled over by the crowd, and ultimately fell into the hands of Changxiao Gate's disciple.
"At that time, I was in dire straits and only caught a fleeting glance. That hexagonal white stone gleamed with bright radiance, surrounded by intertwining light and fire so scorching that the neighboring clouds turned an orange-red hue. It was indeed the [Ansiwei Stone]."
Li Qinghong met her eyes keenly, her heart leaping like lightning. The relationship between Changxiao Gate and Xuanyue Gate was not particularly good. Moreover, Li Qinghong herself had killed members of Changxiao Gate in the past, an act that remained undisclosed to this day.
"In earlier years, my clan's influence lay between Xu and Ning, and we only came south of the Jiang after a clan upheaval, so we know a bit about these things. I gained benefits in [Dongning Palace] and heard some news..."
Kong Tingyun's meaning became faintly apparent, and Li Qinghong's heart sank. The Li family had inquired several times about spiritual items. The Cui family had initially pointed them toward the Ning family, but when Li Xuanfeng asked, Yuansu had indeed obtained a portion of [Suyuanhua] in Donghuo Grotto-Heaven. Yet he had long since traded that spiritual item to Master Puyu of the open sea for [Sui Dong Cold Qi] to aid Ning Wan's breakthrough. That item had fallen into Master Puyu's hands, and that Master's mountain gate was ethereal and impossible to trace, leaving them with nowhere to look.
"That disciple is of the Changxiao direct line. Changxiao Gate has two Purple Palace masters, and one of them should currently be watching from the Great Void, so it really is difficult. Now that the news has been delivered, if your noble clan has allies, you may give it a try. Use your own discretion."
Li Qinghong said softly, "Thank you, Sister." Kong Tingyun naturally meant Xiao Chuting, but in recent years the Xiao family had become increasingly low-profile, remaining behind closed doors. Xiao Chuting spent years away from Jiangnan, and the Xiao family avoided entanglements whenever possible; they likely could not serve as help.
Kong Tingyun had never thought of trading for the item herself, likely believing the Li family had nothing that could tempt Changxiao. Li Qinghong could not simply agree with her, so she remained silent.
After a brief chat, Kong Tingyun took her leave on the wind. Li Qinghong saw her out, and upon returning to her cave dwelling, she pondered carefully and began quietly writing a letter.
***
Winter snow rustled down; this year's snowfall was heavier than usual. Cold snow piled upon the long stone embankment along the riverbank, starkly dividing grey and white. A few pedestrians hurried past, carrying freshly sewn quilts in their arms.
The great dam along the river had originally been built because of the great flood stirred up by the two sects using the death of the Yuan family ancestor. The lake waters had receded long ago, leaving behind the long, greyish-white embankment wall.
Having cultivated for so long, he now had the leisure to observe the common folk's livelihoods by the lake.
Li Zhouwei wore a white fur cloak, strolling casually along the snow-covered path, followed only by Chen Yang.
A faint golden light flowed gently within Li Zhouwei's eyes, and upon his shoulder perched a verdant bird conjured by the magical artifact [Qingxuan]. That artifact had been a gift from Yuan Tuan, and the spiritual bird it manifested looked remarkably lifelike.
Li Zhouwei naturally represented the town of Huayu, while the other Li branch lines, the four towns of Wutu, the seven towns of Huaqian, the fourteen towns of the Dense Forest, and the seventy-eight tribes of Eastern Shanyue... each struggled against external foes, yet harbored internal discord as well. The complexity was already a far cry from a century ago.
Among them, the Lijing faction held the greatest sway. Li Zhouwei's father, Li Chengliao, heavily relied on Chen Yang—whose reputation was poor and whom the various families disliked—while also drawing in Li Zhouwei, who commanded the respect of the Huayu families, naturally out of this calculation.
After a hundred years, internal factions had long formed within the Li family. Just like Chen Yang behind him, who represented the Chen clan, he was also the leader of the seven towns of Lijing.
Over the past few generations, the Li clan had reformed its system, showing a trend of separating secular clan affairs from the cultivation matters of Qingdu, much like the brothers Li Yuanping and Li Yuanjiao, or Li Xizhi and Li Xijun... But now things were different.
His father, Li Chengliao, had reached late-stage Qi Refinement and was gradually transferring clan affairs into Li Zhouwei's hands to cultivate on the mountain. Although Li Zhouwei had not yet formally assumed the title of clan head, all affairs of the family, great and small, had already fallen into his hands.
On Mount Qingdu, Li Xijun was severely injured and Li Ximing was in secluded cultivation, leaving Li Zhouwei to make decisions. With Li Chengliao also relinquishing power, the affairs of the Central Hall likewise fell into Li Zhouwei's hands.
He handled it all with composure. Every day he simply took his seat in the Central Hall, his brush moving like a flying dragon, resolving several complicated clan matters in a quarter of an hour before shaking out his robes and returning to Mount Qingdu without the slightest delay.
Li Zhouwei asked softly, arms folded across his chest, "How have the remnants of the Yu family been settled?"
Hearing this, Chen Yang behind him immediately replied, "Reporting to the Heir: all those families now take Mount Nanzhang at the southernmost edge of the Shanyue lands as their name, claiming to hail from Nanzhang and never mentioning the past again."
From the phrase "claiming to hail from Nanzhang," Li Zhouwei understood that this clan was deliberately uniting against common foes—first to deal with the local Shanyue tribes, and second to secure a footing amid the overt and covert struggles among the towns held by the prominent surnames.
"No wonder," Li Zhouwei remarked calmly.
"They are a useful clan," Li Zhouwei said. "They fear no offense to others, and having been placed in such a treacherous land, giving them a measure of responsibility will prevent their extinction while also serving to balance the internal lineages."
He was just thinking of promoting one or two from Nanzhang when he saw a subordinate hurrying forward to report: "Your Highness! News from the Clan Rectory!"
The confidant drew a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Li Zhouwei. Unfolding and glancing through it, a rare hint of joy appeared between his brows.
Putting the letter away, he dismissed the attendants and rode the wind down toward Mount Lijing, landing in the white jade courtyard of the Central Hall. The guards on both sides bowed one after another, and Li Zhouwei strode directly inside.
Li Zhouwei's boots produced cold thuds against the ground. Unlike his father, Li Chengliao, who would pause to let the guards rise, he walked all the way to the end of the grand hall before floating back a single command: "Rise!"
A rank of white-armored courtyard guards bowed on either side, jade halberds and jade swords clinking crisply as they lowered them in unison, their voices echoing together through the vast hall.
Walking a few paces forward, he soon reached the rear hall. His father, Li Chengliao, had only one wife, and this place had always been quiet and empty in the past. Now, however, it had grown lively, with maidservants frequently seen hurrying by.
Lady Xu was the first woman Li Zhouwei had taken into his household. Although he subsequently married women from the An and Tian clans and now possessed seven concubines to stabilize the hearts of various factions, Lady Xu still held a certain weight in his heart.
Lady Xu's pavilion was quite close. Entering the hall, Li Zhouwei saw a physician step forward, bow respectfully, and hail, "Greetings, Your Highness! Congratulations, Your Highness! Lady Xu is one month pregnant."
"One month?" Li Zhouwei repeated, his voice growing somewhat cold. He had seen Lady Xu several times this month. As a cultivator, how could he fail to notice whether she was pregnant? He felt only that this man's medical skills were shoddy and that he was spouting utter nonsense.
The physician lifted his eyelids but heard nothing in reply. Seeing only the lustrous jade boots remaining motionless, sweat trickled down his forehead as he waited under the oppressive silence. It was often said that the moods of great figures were impossible to fathom, and so it proved today.
Just then, Lady Xu rushed out to greet him. Li Zhouwei glanced at her belly, his expression softening considerably. Waving the sweat-drenched fellow away, he carefully observed Lady Xu's complexion.
Sure enough, though she seemed in high spirits, dark circles rimmed her eyes, faintly betraying a decline in vitality, and her cheeks were noticeably thinner than usual. Li Zhouwei remained silent and followed her into the hall.
"Husband." Whether aware or unaware, Lady Xu pulled him along, chattering about this and that. Li Zhouwei composedly comforted her. The woman watched his eyes with keen sensitivity, murmuring, "Your Highness is so extraordinary and imposing, soul-captivating, with yellow irises and golden pupils—scarcely like a mortal, but rather like an evil spirit..."
Every day she saw him, she thought only of intimacy, refusing to rest until she was completely exhausted. Having had no word from her for the past two days, he had thought she was finally resting; turns out she was pregnant.
Whenever she shared intimacy with Li Zhouwei, a peony fragrance intoxicating to the soul nearly made her lose her senses. But once Li Zhouwei had been gone for a while, Lady Xu would gradually feel dread creeping over her, and terrifying thoughts would haunt her mind:
*How could a mortal bear a child with an evil spirit? Where is the sense in that? It might easily devour you!*
*That child hasn't even been ten days, yet it already looks a month along...*
Yet the moment he walked to the front of the hall, she would ecstatically rush to welcome him again.
"These past few days, I often feel dizzy and light-headed, my vitality drained. Several times I nearly fainted. I fear I need more tonic herbs..."
A faint golden light flowed within Li Zhouwei's eyes, and his expression turned dark and solemn. "Like an evil spirit..."
An ominous foreboding rose in Li Zhouwei's heart. Looking at her closely, he slowly stepped out and directly rode the wind into the air, leaving her waiting in the hall.
"I will make arrangements. First, let the elders examine you."
Only after Li Zhouwei vanished from sight did a flicker of dread show on Lady Xu's face. Feeling all her vitality flowing into her belly, she sat blankly in her seat, a faint terror welling in her heart. Lady Xu dared not tell anyone; even her family merely proclaimed that conceiving a child was a joyous event. Right now, her feet felt freezing cold as she sat silently in her chair. It felt as though a great stone were hanging in her womb, pressing down so hard she could hardly breathe.
Chapter 564