The two fell silent for a moment. Down below, another man came forward. Li Xuanxuan tilted his ear as An Siwei said in a low voice, "My Lord, Lady An is with child."
The Lady An he spoke of was naturally one of Li Zhouwei's concubines. Had it been a few months earlier, it would have been cause for Li Xuanxuan to celebrate; hearing it now, however, the old man felt his heart sink. Yet a smile formed on his face, and he consoled him, "Go on down. Bring her to Qingdu and have the Master take a look."
Kongheng listened from the side. Li Ximing waited with his hands behind his back, his gaze lingering on the monk's face. Once An Siwei had withdrawn, Li Ximing asked softly, "Does the Master have any remedy for this matter?"
Kongheng could only close his eyes and shake his head. "Let us examine the lady first."
The three of them rode the wind down onto the peak and took their seats in the hall one by one. Li Ximing held his tea and pondered for a few breaths as Lady An stepped in from outside.
This woman had a rounder face and appeared gentler and more submissive than Lady Xu. She walked forward with a trace of apprehension, and as she was about to bow, Li Xuanxuan immediately supported her up. Kongheng scrutinized her with two glances, felt her pulse, and formed an incantation gesture with one hand.
He probed twice with his dharma light, first ensuring there were no signs of reincarnation within her. Not daring to divine further, he sank into deep thought, recalling the state of Lady Xu he had seen before. After musing for a moment, he nodded slightly.
Lady An softly acknowledged him and stepped out of the great hall. Only then did the narrow-eyed monk say in a low voice, "This monk has examined her carefully; the issue with the lady is not severe. Had this monk been present in the clan earlier, I could have used our Buddhist secret arts to pacify her destiny and nourish her body, which could have preserved Lady Xu's life as well."
"As for fate and bloodline, they pertain to spiritual opportunity, spiritual atmosphere, birth hour, parents... Even the Purple Palace and Golden Core sovereigns of the Great Wei, Northern Qi, and Great Liang imperial dynasties cannot grasp them clearly; it is far beyond what this monk can weigh..."
Li Xuanxuan nodded and asked in a low voice, "Will this child also be like Jiang'ao? Can there be any turn for the better with the child? Will Jiang'ao show any abnormalities in the future?"
"This monk cannot say for certain..." Kongheng replied with some difficulty, whispering, "The young master's matter is beyond my ability. Judging by Young Master Jiang'ao's state, I fear it bodes ill, but we must wait several years to see clearly."
The image of Jiang'ao with a mouthful of fangs and greedy eyes still lingered in Li Xuanxuan's mind. He reckoned that Kongheng's 'it bodes ill' was most likely an understatement. He could only say, "Since the Master can preserve the lady, then let us marry several more to Zhouwei and let him look upon them."
Li Ximing made no move, still staring at his tea, but then spoke in a low voice: "Purple Palace is far out of reach, and the White Lin bloodline appears only once in several centuries. We must preserve this bloodline. Be it like a wolf or like a tiger, even if they do not resemble their father, they are still better than ordinary men."
"If the bloodline is too fierce, we should even have Li Jiang'ao mate. Though he is scarcely human, even beasts know the act of mating! Across multiple generations and many sons, there will surely be those with human temperaments and extraordinary gifts!"
Li Xuanxuan was taken aback for a moment, then objected: "What then of Jiang'ao... A hundred years hence, chaos will surely rage. If only this single lineage holds power, where will the four branches stand? Would they not become a laughingstock? The balance among the four branches relies entirely on the Qingdu main lineage and living together from childhood. If descendants of the White Lin multiply, and with White Lin inherently overbearing, how could they ever treat mortals as brothers? I fear they will claim to be the direct lineage and disdain the four branches."
Li Xuanxuan fell silent. Li Ximing's words were not without reason, yet they fell upon the old man's ears cold and unfeeling. Looking at the spiritual radiance of the young Daoist before him, Li Xuanxuan suddenly realized: Li Ximing was no longer that stubborn child of the past who cared only for cultivation. With his cultivation standing at the heights, the household had to heed him.
Yet this ruthlessness was just as before. If they truly acted thus, where would clan law stand? How should they view the family rules?
He did not know whether he would live to see that day, but Li Xuanxuan had seen far too much. The old man sat back in his seat and mused: *I do not know whether Zhouwei resists this matter. I see he still holds some affection for his concubines. He knows what is important and should follow the arrangements.*
*His father taught him that way too. He did not even need his father to teach him; tumbling a bit in the secular world was enough for him to understand. In fact, he is better off than...*
Lady Xu, after all, had been a concubine. Li Zhouwei had buried the woman at the foot of Mount Lijing, while the guards and maidservants were placed under strict watch. The news had not leaked, and Li Jiang'ao's birth occurred in complete silence; only a few on Qingdu knew of it.
Li Zhouwei had felt no real affection for Lady Xu; it had merely been the temptation of desire. Those of weak will quickly succumb to the flesh. He had planned well: whatever status and comfort Lady Xu wanted, he had provided. The woman had always lived happily, never imagining she would suddenly die from this.
The bright moon shone pure and clear, its snowy moonlight falling upon his face. Li Xuanxuan waved his hand and instructed, "Do not spread word of this for now."
An Siwei could only acknowledge him: "Yes."
Li Ximing said softly, "I am going to concoct pills. If anything happens, send someone to call me."
Li Ximing bowed and took his leave, but his words weighed heavily on the old man's heart. Li Xuanxuan sat thinking somberly.
***
Having stepped out of the hall, Li Ximing walked over to his Alchemy Pavilion. Several people were already waiting outside the pavilion. Leading them was none other than Clan Rector Li Zhouwei. Behind him followed a middle-aged man in his thirties, with a woman beside him and a young child held by the hand.
Li Ximing paused, casting a questioning look at Li Zhouwei. The bowed middle-aged man stepped forward at once, speaking in a low voice.
The man before him was none other than Li Ximing's eldest son, Li Chengzhi. Born without a spirit aperture, he had soon been sent down the mountain. Li Ximing spent his days in secluded cultivation; a single blink of an eye meant several years, to the point he could hardly recognize his eldest son.
"Chengzhi..."
"Father!" Li Chengzhi said hurriedly, feeling very nervous as he pulled the child forward. "Chengzhi understands Father's time cannot be delayed. Back then, I wed my wife. Later, Zhouming was born, but unfortunately Father was in seclusion, so we dared not enter the mountain. Today, the child was tested to have a spirit aperture! Chengzhi truly dared not delay, so I have brazenly come into the mountain!"
Even if Li Ximing had a heart of stone, hearing these words made him unable to turn away. He drew the child over to examine him and questioned him carefully; the child's talent was indeed exceedingly poor.
The child looked up with wide, eager eyes and called out, "Grandfather..."
Li Ximing took the child's hand. With an ache in his heart and finding it awkward to face them, he waved his hand to cover it: "Leave him with me to look over first. If there is nothing else, you may withdraw!"
The husband and wife bowed repeatedly in gratitude and withdrew. Li Ximing asked Li Zhouwei, "How are the two of them living these days?"
Li Zhouwei replied in a low voice, "According to the clan rector's rules, direct-line mortals are not permitted to engage in commerce, hold authority, annex farmland, or inherit houses... The young master currently makes a living by teaching."
"Take me to go take a look."
"Yes."
Receiving the order, Li Zhouwei rode the wind alongside him. Braving the late winter chill, the two flew down together, quickly passing through a large expanse of orderly halls and dwellings. A continuous stretch of lamplight spread out below, and they stopped above a small house in the town.
The small house was not luxurious, just an ordinary dwelling. The roof tiles were pale, a few broken and never repaired.
Li Ximing had been delayed for over half a double-hour, and it was late at night; the couple had already returned to their bedchamber. Li Ximing halted on the roof, staring at a crack, and suddenly stopped moving.
His Foundation Establishment hearing allowed him to catch every sound inside clearly from the roof, listening to his daughter-in-law's voice.
The husband and wife were delightfully discussing things. Li Zhouwei listened until sweat broke out on his forehead, a hint of anger rising.
"Husband... what a marvelous plan! The legacy of a Foundation Establishment pill cultivator... who knows how many immortal pills and spirit medicines there are... perhaps even Foundation Establishment magical artifacts!"
"Of course! With this backing, Ming'er's future Dao path will surely be smooth."
"What's more, Father has no close kin by his side, and the north is repeatedly conscripting troops. I hear they suffered another defeat recently, so they will certainly summon people again."
"I hear alchemist cultivators are often poor at fighting. Just think—if we strike it lucky and something happens to him in the north, his belongings will surely be left to Zhouming, with no need to divide them with anyone else!"
Li Chengzhi's voice was no longer as humble and submissive as before, tinged with smugness, whispering conspiratorially.
Li Ximing, however, was far calmer. He waved his hand to restrain Li Zhouwei, lifted him with the wind, and flew back toward the mountain without looking back.
Back at the mountain, Li Ximing had someone take the child down and watched carefully as his things were arranged, only to discover that the child had already brought all his luggage up with him. A strange, unnamable feeling welled up in his heart. He said softly to Li Zhouwei:
"Just raise him."
"Do not spread word of this for now."
"There is no need to report this to the clan rector. I was the heartless one first, so I cannot blame others. Wishing for my death is just the same—honeyed words, dagger in heart, trading favors for profit..."
He paused, then softened his tone and said, "There is no rush; perhaps there will still be a turn for the better later."
"I am going to concoct pills. If anything happens, send someone to call me."
***
Li Zhouwei had only walked for a bit after taking his leave when someone came forward to report: "Your Highness, someone has arrived from the north."
Li Zhouwei asked in a somewhat deep voice, "Who was sent? Where is Zhao Tinggui?"
"The visitor calls himself Ning Heyuan."
Li Zhouwei had anticipated this; it had come slightly later than he expected. As he rode the wind, he asked, "Have Xizhi and Qinghong returned?"
An Siwei shook his head silently.
Li Zhouwei said in a low voice, "Seventh Granduncle may be a divine archer, but once in Qingchi's hands, he might not be able to look after the family. Aunt and Xizhi have both gone missing in the demonic clouds, Wushao's life is hanging by a thread, and who knows how many of those who went north will return."
Though Li Zhouwei had an introverted personality, his father-in-law An Zheyan had just lost contact in the north, and Chen Mufeng, Li Wen, Li Minggong, and the others were all unaccounted for. Now Qingchi Sect had sent someone again, nine chances out of ten to conscript more people, so he felt a surge of indignation.
Li Zhouwei rode the wind down to the shore. The snow on Lake Wangyue had already melted, and early spring greenery was spreading along the banks, looking quite pleasant.
He walked along the shore for a while, his mind calming down.
When Li Zhouwei arrived before the hall, he could hear Li Xuanxuan's courteous voice from afar. The old man exchanged pleasantries, listening to Ning Heyuan smile: "The old senior is too polite! Heyuan visited your esteemed clan back in the day as well. Back then, I was young and hot-headed, and even crossed hands with Fellow Daoist Qinghong. At that time, a Foundation Establishment cultivator of the Fei family was slain with a single sword stroke, and the sect sent my aunt to investigate, so I came to pay a visit. That is old history."
Hearing this, Li Xuanxuan felt the heart he had been holding in suspense relax considerably.
Li Zhouwei stepped sideways into the hall. Li Ximing had not yet arrived, so Li Zhouwei waited to the side. Ning Heyuan took a hasty glance and could not help looking at him a few more times. Thoughts spinning in his mind, he secretly thought: *This should be the Li family's heir. I have heard that his cultivation talent rivals Li Xuanxuan's, yet his disposition and methods are superior. From his appearance, however, he seems domineering and martial...*
Just then, Li Ximing landed from outside the hall. Ning Heyuan exchanged greetings with him and said softly: "Tang Shedu acted decisively, handing us a major defeat, to the point that Yanshan Pass was breached. Fortunately, my brother-in-law is in no great danger; at this moment, he should be following behind the Master. Perhaps there is still good fortune ahead, so Senior need not worry."
He sighed, then added heavily, "Zhao Tinggui died in battle. My Moon Lake Peak lost seventy to eighty percent of our personnel, and three Foundation Establishment cultivators died!"
Ning Heyuan's tone was extremely heavy. Clearly, Moon Lake Peak had suffered an immense blow in this affair. After all, Yuansu was dead; although he had left behind many preparations, he could never protect them as completely as in life.
Still, no matter what, it was better than Yuanwu Peak.
Before the three of them could speak, Ning Heyuan took a jade box from his robes and said, "The sect master issued an order: however many Foundation Establishment cultivators each family lost, Suiyuan Pills will be compensated accordingly. Qinghong had originally accumulated some merit, and your esteemed clan's forces suffered losses at Yanshan Pass, so the sect is first providing your clan with two pills."
Opening it before the three of them, inside lay two round, lustrous pills, snow-white and crystalline. As soon as it was opened, a fragrant aroma rushed out.
These two pills were extremely precious—the Suiyuan Pills that all families flocked to for assisting Foundation Establishment.
Li Xuanxuan took a brief look. Stroking his beard, he fell into contemplation. Ning Heyuan said softly, "If your clan's direct-line Foundation Establishment cultivators suffer losses in the north, once their deaths are confirmed, the sect will likewise subsidize Suiyuan Pills."
"The sect has arranged to establish another defensive line on the south bank of the Great River. Considering that your esteemed clan has suffered no small losses, for Foundation Establishment, only Ximing needs to go. But seeing that your esteemed clan is abundant in Qi Refinement cultivators, several more will need to be mobilized."
Li Zhouwei asked in a low voice, "Should I go to the north to take a look and provide some support?"
Li Xuanxuan shook his head and said, "It is good that you have the heart, but you must not head north again."
He then added, "This matter still needs to be asked of Xijun, though I do not know how his injuries are."
If not for that precious herb, the Diwang bloodstone, Li Xijun would have fallen on the lake that day. In these years of secluded cultivation, there had been no sound from him, and the old man had never dared to disturb him.
Li Xuanxuan looked with a sense of unfamiliarity upon this descendant of his. The golden robes shimmered in the sunlight, rippling with radiance; his late Foundation Establishment cultivation made his countenance appear somewhat hazy in the bright light.
Chapter 581