"Real Person... Following the incident at Qingsong Temple, Yuanwu perished in haste. That fiend was hard-pressed to save himself and had no leisure to make trouble for my clan..."
Li Chengliao answered deferentially. Tu Longjian nodded gently, resting one hand upon the low table. "Yuanwu was hasty and venomous," he said. "Before he died, he suffered his fair share. Yuanwu Peak is a tangled mess; with a temperament like his, even his own kin feared him."
Noticing Tu Longjian's unexpected familiarity with Yuanwu and even the Tang and Yu families, Li Chengliao felt a slight stir within. Tu Longjian, however, fell into contemplative silence.
*Back then, Guo E entered the Mirage Mirror Sky alongside Yu Xiuxian, Zhang Lingshu, Cheng Mianfu, Zhang Cuotian, and several others. Midway through, strife erupted; most were killed, and only a few escaped.*
*Guo E claimed that Yuanwu pressed him so hard he dared not emerge. Mortally wounded, he had no choice but to refine himself into the Six Ding Combined Fire Medallion, sinking into slumber to be brought out by Zhang Lingshu... But how did Zhang Lingshu die?*
*Guo E said that before reaching the Chongyang Hall, there was a prayer mat beside the outdoor staircase, likewise holding a jade box that Zhang Cuotian took. That box is now lost without a trace.*
*Where on earth did the jade stone Zhang Lingshu took end up? When Cheng Mianfu died, who took his spirit sword back then?*
Though exceptionally gentle toward friends, Tu Longjian was far from devoid of wariness. Thoughts flashed through his mind like lightning, yet on the surface he merely took a sip of tea. His gaze paused upon the white ape standing beside Li Chengliao, and his train of thought broke abruptly.
"This one is..."
That remark caused Li Chengliao's heart to sink. Tu Longjian's expression instantly darkened as he set down his jade cup, his voice dropping low: "Has Your Excellency ever been to this mountain before?"
The old ape bowed low, speaking with a choked voice. "This old ape was fortunate to pound medicine here for over ten years, and once had the honor of beholding the Real Person."
Tu Longjian's eyes reddened slightly. As he channeled his Purple Mansion divine ability, fragments of memory surfaced at once. He stood up abruptly, silent for over a dozen breaths, his voice trembling with emotion as he asked:
"Back when the demonic cultivators attacked the mountain gate, the Sect Master escorted me out through the secret path, only to turn back himself. I intended to return and look, but demonic cultivators discovered and pursued me. I fled thousands of li before managing by luck to slay the pursuer... I never knew what became of the sect afterward. Where is my father?"
Li Chengliao hurriedly bowed and explained in a low voice, "Real Person, when the mountain gate fell, the old ape was captured by the Yu family. His neck was shackled with cold iron and lashed with iron whips. Later, he met with a demonic calamity in the market. Fortunately, our clan rescued him, and he has remained grateful for that kindness to this day."
The old ape bowed to the ground, his tone thick with sorrow and rasping with grief. "The Sect Master fought six foes alone and had his body refined alive. Eldest Martial Uncle had his head severed at the foot of the mountain... Demon smoke billowed, and the demonic cultivators even used his head to devour Eldest Martial Brother. In no time, the disciples were all slaughtered."
"The Protector possessed a sturdy body, which drew the demonic cultivators' appetite. They hoisted him together and flew across the mountains. This old ape lay below on the brink of death, listening as the demons played drinking games and divided his flesh and blood, until silence fell beyond the horizon."
"This old servant lay in that mire for a long time. Fortunately, the demonic cultivators ran rampant and scattered the beasts, so no beast came to devour me. Crawling out with my hands, I swallowed a few mouthfuls of muddy water and dug a cave dwelling. Only then did I narrowly escape with my life..."
Though the old ape's appearance differed vastly from the past, his aura bore resemblance. Comparing them with his divine ability, Tu Longjian felt a tremor in his heart. "I understand," he said heavily. "Accompany me into the mountains shortly and point out those places one by one. I shall listen with my divine ability to see whether we can recover any of their bones."
Tu Longjian closed his eyes. Li Chengliao felt his heart thumping wildly and his soles growing burning hot, blood rushing toward his head. A hazy glow leaped twice in the Real Person's palm before extinguishing.
Noticing Li Chengliao's discomfort, the anomaly dissipated instantly. A full quarter of an hour passed before Tu Longjian opened his eyes and said softly, "You have met with a different fortune... You have achieved Foundation Establishment, and with 'True Qi' no less... Why not tell me of it?"
After a brief conversation, Tu Longjian looked toward the ape, who glanced at Li Chengliao. Seeing Li Chengliao nod, the ape stepped outside alongside Tu Longjian. The young Real Person left behind only a parting word: "Wait here, Chengliao; someone will soon invite you up the mountain to attend the banquet."
Li Chengliao saw them out, only then feeling the sweat streaming down his face subside. Looking down, he noticed the bluestone floor pulsing with a faint red glow.
Li Chengliao's somber face relaxed into a faint smile. After all, this was rare good news for the Li clan: having a Real Person close to their family might save several lives and spare them many grievances.
He waited for a while. Sure enough, a cultivator descended riding the wind, exceedingly respectful, and announced, "Daoist, the banquet on the mountain is prepared. Please take your seat."
Li Chengliao naturally understood that for grand occasions like this, Foundation Establishment and Qi Refinement cultivators had to arrive hours early to wait, often waiting four to six hours before the Purple Mansion figure appeared. Nodding, he thought to himself, *Given the unusual circumstances today, fewer Purple Mansions will likely attend.*
"Envoys of the Qingchi Immortals present precious herbs and spirit tools to congratulate the Real Person!"
Hearing the herald's call, Li Chengliao realized that Qingchi cultivators had arrived. They were spirited youths conversing with ease, dressed in lustrous azure robes and bright white jade crowns, carrying fine magical artifacts. The handsome youth leading them was evidently a member of the Chi family.
Li Chengliao did not take a seat right away, but quietly observed from the edge. When the leader sat down and engaged the youth beside him in eager conversation, Li Chengliao's gaze was instantly arrested by that very youth on the Chi cultivator's right.
The youth was wildly uninhibited, leaning one arm on the table with a foot propped on the prayer mat of the neighboring table. His expression brimmed with disdain, his eyebrows sharp and long, his eyes narrow and keen—if straightened, his visage would surely be fierce. He held a pair of jade chopsticks, idly turning a few spirit fruits back and forth.
"That old bastard refuses to teach me real skills, so what use is he? Brother Fubo, we might as well talk about something else... Chi Fuju went north to the cave dwelling ruins, leaving us to do nothing but eat and drink in this place."
"Yuanqin speaks the truth... But of the thirty-six peaks, the main lineage still holds eight. Prevailing over him won't be easy. I tried the method we discussed, but Eldest Uncle does hold some prejudice against him..."
Li Chengliao found the youth's features familiar. Harboring suspicions, he feigned looking for a seat and strode past their tables, hearing the Chi cultivator smile and say, "Yuanqin! Your cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds these past days! As expected of the Immortal Bow's legitimate son!"
*It's him...*
Li Chengliao's heart gave a sudden thump. Fearing discovery, he quickly walked past. White mist gradually rose among the banquet seats, muffling their voices. Reaching the end of the aisle, he cautiously looked back.
Through a gap in the gathering white mist, his eyes met that haughty, piercing gaze. The youth was still turning the spirit fruits with his jade chopsticks. Fortunately, he did not seem to be looking at Li Chengliao, merely lost in contemplation, his lips moving briskly before looking away.
Surrounded by cloud and mist, Li Chengliao reached his seat. That gaze lingered in his mind, leaving his heart churning with a tangle of unnameable emotions.
***
Mount Bianyan.
Li Xuanfeng had just exited seclusion. Stepping out from his cave dwelling, he sat before the hall sipping tea when Ning Heyuan hurried forward.
Approaching, Ning Heyuan was startled by the middle-aged man before him. Looking closely, he finally recognized Li Xuanfeng. Seeing his sharp brows, fierce aura, and the platinum light faintly radiating from his body, Ning Heyuan hastily offered congratulations: "Returning to youth! A great joy!"
Li Xuanfeng was still unaccustomed to his current appearance. His brow furrowed slightly; even without an expression, his visage exuded valiant ferocity. He gave a slight nod. Seeing Ning Heyuan's rushed approach, he knew something was amiss and waited for him to speak.
Ning Heyuan said in a low voice, "Brother-in-law, on the demonic side, two newcomers from the Murong clan have arrived... Their cultivation is said to be formidable. Expecting the demons to strike south again within two months, Chi Zhiyan has asked after you several times; he likely has plans."
Li Xuanfeng showed no haste, changing the subject instead. "How has the situation been over the past half year?"
"Over the past half year, Tang Shedu capitalized on Tuoba Chongyuan's death to stage a raid on Baixiang Valley, reclaiming most of the lost territory and pushing several li north in a few areas. Subsequent life-and-death clashes saw casualties on both sides, but no major shifts have occurred since. In recent months, the demonic cultivators have suffered setback after setback, losing many men... Several cave dwelling ruins have also fallen from the sky, two of them spanning a hundred li, drawing many to fight for fortunes."
Li Xuanfeng asked, "How did the reforging of the spirit armor go?"
"It turned out well, of course! I'll have someone bring it up for my brother-in-law right away!" Ning Heyuan had wanted to linger in the cave dwelling, but the scorching heat inside was so intense that even his magic power was vaporized, making it unbearable to stay. He took two steps out of the cave dwelling and waited patiently before the stone door.
Even as they spoke, the Chi family members were not slow at all, following right behind. Before Ning Heyuan's words finished, two men came up to the hall, together carrying a brilliant platinum helmet bathed in a faint white radiance.
"It is the Heavenly Gold Helmet."
The helmet had yet to be given a name, but Li Xuanfeng had specially instructed that many Mingyang treasures be forged into it, mostly traded from his own pocket at the cost of half a storage bag.
With no time to inspect the helmet closely, Li Xuanfeng stowed it away and strode out. Ning Heyuan followed closely behind, and the two rode the wind together, landing before the main hall.
Inside, Chi Zhiyan was studying a map. Seeing the two enter, he waved casually, and Ning Heyuan tactfully withdrew. Chi Zhiyan approached warmly and pulled Li Xuanfeng over, lightly tracing a circle on the map to encompass a tract of mountainous forest. He said solemnly, "Demonic cultivators from the Murong clan have descended once more; none but Senior Xuanfeng can break them! Senior, take the forces I've assembled and advance down the river. I have already ordered Tang Shedu to strike from the other flank, while Purple Mansion intercepts to the south."
"This place is Chenshui Mausoleum, once the royal burial grounds of the State of Ning. The terrain is rugged, but the spiritual veins are rich, ideal for laying formations—hence why the Murong demonic cultivators are stationed there."
Li Xuanfeng knew this was no easy assignment. Sighing inwardly, he asked, "Where are the troops to be drawn from?"
"Transferred from Yanshan Pass! The cultivators there have won battle after battle lately, earning great merits and suffering the fewest injuries. Li Qinghong, Lingu Lanying, and the others are standouts among Foundation Establishment..."
*He wants all our clan's Foundation Establishment cultivators deployed together,* Li Xuanfeng thought. *Still, having them under my command is better than sending them to Tang Shedu or the Purple Mansions; at least I can look after them. Chi Zhiyan doesn't want pointless losses, which is why he put the Li clan's cultivators under me. Besides, agreeing to this means I won't have to leave seclusion to fight again for a year or two.*
As for Li Xizhi serving under Tang Shedu, that was the familiar ploy of forcing mutual rescue. Glancing at the roster, Li Xuanfeng indeed saw many from the Tang and Yu families assigned under his command.
Examining the map closely, the three forces would precisely intercept the demonic force; even if the demons broke through, they would only collide with the Purple Mansion cultivators to the south, posing no threat to Yanshan Pass.
Ning Heyuan had previously introduced the recent events: Tu Longjian was one, and another was an immortal cultivator from the State of Wu who had achieved Purple Mansion—a member of the Ni clan on the western border of the Great Western Plain in Wu, so it had caused little stir.
Li Xuanfeng asked, "What kind of immortal foundation did the Daoist attain?"
Chi Zhiyan smiled and replied, "Mu Fire and Pin Water... they are exceedingly rare nowadays... their power is hard to predict, let alone in a Purple Mansion."
Chi Zhiyan then added, pleased, "The Real Person has planned well! Heavenly Gold is extraordinary, and paired with Senior Xuanfeng's archery, these demonic cultivators will have no way back! Tuoba Chongyuan made us suffer such a heavy loss before; now it is time to strike back!"
Li Xuanfeng nodded slightly, but thought to himself, *Either Chi Zhiyan knows which pill the Gengjin Three Qi Pill actually was, or there is a tacit consensus among Qingchi's true core lineage on this matter.*
Chi Zhiyan discussed with him for a while. Li Xuanfeng nodded in assent, took a command token, and rode the wind out. Ning Heyuan had already been waiting before the hall for a long time. Li Xuanfeng simply tossed the roster to him and said in a deep voice:
"Issue the order: all cultivators are to assemble within eight days!"
Chapter 568