Yu Jiang raised his head, quietly watching the astral qi tearing through the void in the distance. The brilliant golden radiance resembled a sharp sword cleaving the heavens, splitting a swath of dark clouds in two and trailing a long tail of golden flame.
His gaze was deep and solemn as he watched. Without much change in his expression, he silently stepped back, watching the golden light streak over and manifest before him.
Li Qinghong, cloaked in lightning, flicked her slender wrist to draw back her long spear, letting it hang inverted behind her. Purple lightning poured down like rain, and beside her, a man clad in white-gold armor materialized.
The man was broad-chested, standing slightly taller than Li Qinghong. Clad in armor and bearing arms, his eyes were piercingly sharp. He held a massive, menacing golden bow in his hand, hovering in midair as invisible astral qi pervaded the atmosphere, creaking and groaning under its own weight.
Beneath long brows, his hawk-like eyes snapped open and swept over the heavy demonic clouds.
"Second Uncle!"
Li Qinghong called out in delight. The man in white-gold armor gave a slow nod, then lifted his eyes, meeting Yu Jiang's gaze directly.
The scrutiny in those eyes was faintly cold, yet their brow and contour made Yu Jiang unconsciously clench his teeth. A chill seemed to cover him in ice and snow, freezing him from head to calf. The young man forced himself not to look away, returning the gaze in silence.
He watched as the man's brows gave a slight, trembling twitch upward. The dark gray pupils slowly dilated, and the fierce baleful aura dispersed entirely. The man's lips quivered, and Yu Jiang heard a hoarse voice:
"You..."
The youth was stiff with cold, almost frozen, yet those words sent a surge of hot blood rushing to his head. The hand holding his profound talisman twitched twice in an involuntary spasm. A strange thought surfaced in his mind:
*His voice is much older than his appearance.*
Yu Jiang raised his hand, reached to his storage bag, and withdrew an item. He tried his best to steady his voice, but a tremor still crept in, making his words slightly slurred:
"Senior."
Resting in his palm was a golden arrow, heavy and icy cold. The fletching on its shaft gleamed brightly, and the arrowhead was polished to an exquisite luster, glowing with a faint, subtle sheen.
Inscribed on the arrow shaft were a few small characters: *Li Xuanfeng of Mount Yishan*. The calligraphy was wild and unrestrained, exuding the demeanor of its owner.
The man's gaze fell upon the arrow. For a moment, the youth even felt the weight in his hand increase. Li Xuanfeng then looked gently toward his facial features, studying them with utmost care. Maintaining his expression, the young man whispered:
"This belongs to Senior. I have come specifically to return it."
Li Xuanfeng's eyes lingered on the arrow for a moment. Yu Jiang faintly heard the sound of his restrained breathing before that slightly hoarse voice sounded again:
"So it was you."
Those words seemed to scald the youth. He instantly shut his eyes, his figure turning from black to gray before fading away. As if fleeing, he left behind a trail of black smoke that dissipated into thin air.
Li Xuanfeng remained standing firmly in place. The golden arrow still hovered in the air, glowing intermittently. All his emotions were suppressed beneath an ironclad, stone-cold exterior, leaving nothing for anyone to discern.
Astral qi twisted in the air, occasionally grazing Li Qinghong's Queqing Plume with a grating screech. Li Qinghong studied Li Xuanfeng's face intently, then recalled Yu Jiang's features, lapsing into thoughtful contemplation.
Li Xuanfeng, however, maintained his cold, hard posture. His voice was somewhat hoarse as he murmured softly:
"So it was you..."
As Li Qinghong stood beside him, a streak of azure light galloped across the sky and descended nearby, revealing a middle-aged man. A sword hung at his waist, lending him an air of dashing elegance, but he looked grimly at the dark clouds to the north, his expression grave.
*Damn it!*
"Brother Xuanfeng!"
This person was naturally Si Yuanli. The moment Daning Palace emerged from Chenshui Mausoleum and the two broke free, they had ridden the wind straight here, only to run right into the sight of billowing demonic smoke.
Knowing full well the sordid machinations between the sects and the scheming among the Violet Palace cultivators, Si Yuanli was profoundly shaken to see demonic smoke rolling along the way while recalling that all the Violet Palace masters were trapped within. He lowered his voice:
"Brother Xuanfeng... I fear this is the scheming of other sects! We are in deep trouble now..."
Si Yuanli took a close look at the opposite bank, then immediately turned around toward Li Qinghong behind him and barked in a deep voice:
"Where is Chi Zhiyan? Is he overseeing things in the rear? And who is in charge of the riverbank defensive line? Have them come see me at once!"
Though Si Yuanli had acted humble and submissive earlier in Daning Palace, he was a direct junior of Si Boxiu and held in high regard. Even if he kept a low profile and held no official post in the sect, he did not even need to bow when meeting Chi Zhiyun!
What was more, though the Si family was sparse in numbers and had always kept a low profile, Si Boxiu was notoriously protective of his own. Even Si Yuanbai, considered gentle and good-natured, had once in his rage hurled twelve Rain Gathering Talismans at Yuanwu Peak in a single breath, nearly submerging the peak entirely.
The cold authority in his words immediately asserted his status. Yet Li Qinghong merely returned a salute and said softly:
"Reporting to Senior, there is no one in command of the riverbank."
Si Yuanli seemed to dimly catch on. He said coldly:
"Where is Chi Zhiyan?!"
"The lord is still at Mount Bianyan."
Li Qinghong's voice was gentle, courteous, and impeccably polite:
"The lord is guarding Mount Bianyan with the main lineage to observe the situation within the demonic cultivators' ranks, so that he may better plan our strategy."
Polite though her words were, Si Yuanli saw Li Xizhi lowering his brows and Li Ximing curling his lip nearby. How could he not understand? The man was so furious that he laughed in exasperation, fuming:
"What a cowardly wretch! He doesn't hold a candle to even a single hair of his brother's! What time is it, and he still worries about petty self-interest? Is he going to sit by and watch the riverbank collapse, let the demonic hordes pour in, and see Jiangnan pillaged down to a barren wasteland?"
Having said this, Si Yuanli narrowed his eyes. Realization struck him, and a chill settled in his heart:
*Though he covets petty gains and treasures his own skin, he is no fool... Could it be he knows Chi Tianxing and the others died in Anhuaitian, leaving the Chi family without a single Violet Palace cultivator? Is he driven by fear to prune the branches to preserve the trunk, preventing the subordinate factions from growing too powerful to control?*
*Yet Chi Zhiyun is still around... Could it be Chi Zhiyun has already gone into seclusion to break through to the Violet Palace?*
Having grown up in the sect, Si Yuanli was exceptionally sensitive to factional strife. The Si family had few members, but the Chi family was hardly better off. Worse still, internal infighting within the Chi family had grown increasingly fierce in recent years—an omen of dire circumstances.
Growing uneasy at the thought, he touched the embroidered pouch at his waist and took out a small, luminous bead. Blowing gently upon it, he conjured a swirl of white wind.
The wind enveloped them, isolating them from the outside world. Only then did Si Yuanli say with a grim face:
"A thought just struck me... Across two generations of the Chi family, there were only so many direct descendants, and now they have died in Anhuaitian. With Realized One Buzi missing for years, how could Chi Zhiyan not be afraid?"
"Fearsome though this demonic calamity is, and as heavily as the various clans' lineages have suffered, Xuanfeng held off Tang Shedu at Chenshui Mausoleum, preserving the lives of their finest talents... Instead, they have seized an abundance of resources from this war, mended many cultivation arts, and even learned numerous secrets..."
"The clans don't have many Foundation Establishment cultivators, but every one of them was forged through blood and slaughter. They have no artificial retainers or bloated ranks; they do not fall easily. One need only look at your esteemed clan to see this..."
He narrowed his eyes and said in a heavy voice:
"Qingchi is not like Jinyu; its exploitation has been far too ruthless. Jinyu had plenty of clan and rogue Foundation Establishment cultivators to throw away as cannon fodder, but among those who survived on Qingchi's domain, which one is a simple character? They could only carve away at their own flesh with cold steel..."
"Most of the Foundation Establishment cultivators lost in this war between north and south were Qingchi's own retainers and Foundation Establishment cultivators. After taking inventory, Chi Zhiyan must have realized that the sect cannot afford any more losses... That is why he pulled back his forces! He intends to use this crisis to whittle down your strength!"
Si Yuanli's voice dropped:
"I understand now... The Violet Palace masters merely intended for Qingchi to bleed, but Chi Zhiyan reacted swiftly. He made his choice immediately, opting for a cut that carried both gains and losses to minimize his own damage."
Li Qinghong saw through it all clearly. Hearing this, how could she fail to understand? She thought to herself:
*Which is why several of the Violet Palace masters who harbor deeper vendettas against Qingchi are dissatisfied!*
Li Qinghong cast a quiet glance, suddenly understanding the words Kong Tingyun had delivered on behalf of Realized One Changxi. She thought:
*Perhaps those words were never meant for me... but for me to pass on to Second Uncle!*
She immediately sent a secret transmission:
"Second Uncle! When I passed by Xuanyue Gate earlier, Daoist Tingyun relayed a message on behalf of Realized One Changxi..."
Li Xuanfeng listened carefully, his expression finally shifting. His sharp brows relaxed, and in a deep, hoarse voice, he murmured:
"To drown the crops and destroy harvests for a century is gratifying enough, but to have the river flood backward and submerge the courtyard steps brings even greater satisfaction."
He seemed merely to be repeating the words, yet they gave Si Yuanli a jolt of horror. He stared blankly at him. How could he fail to grasp the meaning? As long as the riverbank proved a harder bone to gnaw than Mount Bianyan, more terrifying and unyielding, the river would naturally flood backward and seek out Mount Bianyan, hanging isolated in the belly of the demonic cultivators' territory!
And on Mount Bianyan sat the Chi family's direct lineage! Compared to crippling the Qingchi clans—drowning the crops and destroying harvests for a century—submerging the courtyard steps, the main lineage itself, would strike the Chi family to the bone!
Hearing up to this point, Si Yuanli's heart pounded like a war drum, blood surging into his head:
"The river flooding backward... the river flooding backward..."
Such a countermeasure was masterfully shrewd, so legitimate and beyond reproach that even Chi Zhiyan could find no fault with it. Yet Si Yuanli hesitated—so much so that the protective light of his dharmic power flickered slightly...
He certainly took pleasure in watching the Chi family make fools of themselves, and would even laugh aloud at the deaths of Chi Tianxing and Chi Fuju. But ultimately, the four surnames—Chi, Si, Ning, and Tang—were tied together as one. His clan had suffered much oppression over resources, but he had never harbored the intention to actively undermine them...
The scheme was brilliant, and entirely justifiable on paper, but how could anyone with eyes fail to see through it? Making this choice meant offending the Chi family! Hearing these words, even a man as deeply calculating as he felt panic rising. Though his expression did not change, the hand gripping his sword hilt turned white.
Before him, Li Xuanfeng slowly raised his head. His eyes were terrifyingly sharp, and his voice, cold and hoarse, struck straight into Si Yuanli's heart.
"Daoist Yuanli... why do you think the Realized One placed the Huaijiang Map into my hands?!"
*That is an ancient spirit artifact specifically meant to guard the riverbank... To guard the riverbank! Could it be it was meant for this very moment?!*
That single sentence shattered Si Yuanli's defenses cleanly and utterly, sending a chill like ten-thousand-year-old black ice straight through his heart. The implication was glaringly obvious: Si Boxiu himself supported this!
"But the Realized One never spoke of this to me beforehand!"
Si Yuanli was thoroughly flustered. Yuanxiu had never shown any distaste toward the Chi family; on the contrary, he had always treated them with courtesy, even taking the trouble to have someone bring the Chi cultivators to Daning Palace. He could not have been more accommodating...
*Yet the minds of Violet Palace cultivators are unfathomable. The Realized One possesses boundless depths of wisdom and design; who knows what he truly thinks...*
His heart sank. Before him, Li Xuanfeng spoke in a low voice, his reasoning coinciding perfectly with Si Yuanli's thoughts:
"Chi Tianxing and Chi Fuju were also invited over specifically by the Realized One..."
Coming from his lips, the very same fact took on a completely different tenor. Chi Tianxing and Chi Fuju were now in Anhuaitian, likely without even corpses left to recover. Si Yuanli could not help but suspect:
*Could it be the Realized One did it intentionally?*
Every piece of evidence pointed to Si Boxiu's tacit approval, yet Si Yuanli still felt doubts. All these clues intertwined with Li Xuanfeng's words, darting through his mind and leaping across his thoughts, giving him a headache that felt as if his skull were splitting open.
Li Xuanfeng simply opened his hand, revealing a bright golden talisman in his palm. Barely two fingers wide, it was covered in gleaming white patterns. He said coldly:
"Brother Yuanli! You should recognize that this talisman was given to me privately by the Realized One! Perhaps for this very moment! It should not have been revealed in secret, but urgent circumstances call for expedient measures, leaving me no choice!"
He said in a deep voice:
"The Realized One saved my life from the hands of the Maha and has aided me greatly; I, Xuanfeng, keep this close to my heart. So long as Brother Yuanli gives the order, I will strike without hesitation! But if Brother Yuanli wishes to abandon the river and leave..."
Li Xuanfeng's expression was calm as he said steadily:
"I shall naturally hand the spirit artifact and talisman over to Brother Yuanli. However, I cannot treat the millions of common folk behind me as nothing. I will remain here and hold out to the very end!"
Si Yuanli did not even need to look closely. The talisman was extraordinarily potent; he had watched with his own eyes as the Realized One refined it with his divine ability, never imagining it had been given to Li Xuanfeng. Taking a silent breath, he was at a loss for words, merely murmuring:
"How could this be..."
Li Qinghong understood the stakes clearly. Stepping forward slowly, she urged him in a gentle yet urgent tone:
"Senior... I will not speak of our family's selfish concern for our lake. Even if this place cannot be held, my clan possesses some ability to protect itself. But behind this river are tens of millions of common folk... their lives are entirely in our hands!"
As Si Yuanli fell silent, the demonic cultivators across the river grew impatient. Heavy demonic winds slowly pressed closer. The white cloud mist dissipated, flowing back into the bead in Si Yuanli's hand. Li Xuanfeng turned his profile coldly and finally made his move.
*Clang!*
Li Xuanfeng raised his bow. Dazzling golden light coalesced upon the string, a piercing hum ringing in everyone's ears. A ferocious killing intent surfaced in his eyes, and his voice rolled forth like thunder, drifting on the wind:
"Li Xuanfeng of Bianyan is here! Step forward and die!"
Empowered by his dharmic power, the roar swept through the dense black smoke, rolling like thunder among the clouds.
"Li Xuanfeng of Bianyan is here! Step forward and die..."
"Step forward and die..."
Carrying across the cacophony of demonic sounds, the shout actually brought the restless demonic clouds at the horizon to a halt. The demonic cultivators exchanged glances, none daring to take the first step.
Only the river surged past in torrents. Suspended above it, the man in white-gold armor looked on coldly. Having halted the hordes with a single shout, treating the hundreds of demonic cultivators before the river as mere air, he slowly turned his head. His eyes were sharp and composed as he spoke in a heavy voice:
"A show of might can only intimidate them for a moment. Brother Yuanli, make your decision quickly!"
His voice carried through the air, prompting Lingu Lanying and the others not far away to look up. Si Yuanli's face flushed faintly. Exhaling a breath from deep within his chest, he uttered a single, resolute word:
"Hold!"
With that word, the man before him slowly raised an eyebrow. The icy composure cloaking his face faded away, replaced once more by the savage ferocity of a beast of prey.
The corners of his lips curved into a faint smile, taking on the proud, defiant bearing he had possessed at age six when crawling through a mountain of corpses, led by the hand of his second uncle. An icy voice escaped his lips as golden light blazed:
"Xuanfeng obeys."
Chapter 606