At the break of dawn, before the morning dew upon the lake had dispersed, Li Qinghong emerged from the great hall. Li Xijun stepped forward, sword at his hip, and said softly, "Autumn dew blankets the lake. Though the various families can see it clearly, we must still send obituaries in all directions: to Qingchi to inform the Ning family, and then to Mount Yishan, the five commanderies, and even the cultivators along the riverbank. The Master preserved Jiangnan through his singular might; this favor is newly deepened, and we must move quickly to consolidate it."
Li Qinghong nodded and bade him see to it. Li Xizhi took a light step forward and took over the conversation. "Leave the news for Qingchi to me. I shall set out in three days to fulfill the courtesies first." He paused, changing his tone, and murmured, "We should also wait for Si Yuanli."
None of them showed any doubt. Li Qinghong nodded as a matter of course. When Si Yuanli marched back, he would definitely stop when passing Lake Wangyue; he would never leave without putting on a full display of propriety. She then said softly, "Yuanqin was held hostage at Mount Yishan, leaving us with no hope of meeting. Now that Qingchi is plunged into sudden turmoil, we should seize this opportunity to summon him back urgently. If we hesitate, I fear we may never see him again. Although the Chi family has suffered devastating losses and their main line is nearly wiped out, there might still be ambitious figures among their collateral branches. It is widely known that Li Yuanqin is close to the Chi family, and I fear the situation may shift and cause complications."
Li Xijun frowned and answered in a low voice, "I fear there may not be enough time. I shall send someone through the night."
Li Qinghong looked thoughtful. As expected, Li Xizhi shook his head. "Whether he arrives in time is not what matters. We only need an excuse to have him make a trip back to the Li family so we can confer with him—and also take measure of his mettle."
Li Xijun immediately rode the wind, speeding away toward the south. Only then did Li Qinghong set her mind at ease, carefully pondering whether anything else had been overlooked.
Before long, a voice called from outside: "Masters, Li Minggong, Li Wushao, and the others have returned from the north and are waiting outside the formation!"
Li Qinghong's heart tightened, and she called out, "Quickly, invite them in!"
The formation chimed, and several figures landed before the hall, bowing low. At their head was Li Minggong. Her face was slightly pale, but her robes were still tidy, making her the one in the best condition among them. Behind her, apart from a dark-faced Li Wushao who stood alone and did not dare look at Li Qinghong, were only an old man and a burly man, both at the ninth level of Qi Refinement.
The old man had a full white beard, a bald head, and was missing an eye. He knelt dully upon the floor. The burly man's body was intact, but his face was as pale as golden paper; he stood like a swaying iron tower, seemingly on the verge of collapsing at any moment.
"Greetings, elders... We have come together to plead guilty," Li Minggong said, her voice choked with sobs. She had always been a radiant, generous woman of the Bo branch who loved to smile, but now she could barely speak.
Li Qinghong said gently, "The fall of Yanshan Pass due to the chaos at Chenshui Mausoleum was the result of shifts in the greater situation. We do not blame you. Speak of what happened first."
She looked quietly at the old man before her. He had pledged his loyalty back in the days of Li Tongya and had served faithfully across generations. His two sons had given their utmost, and An Siwei was still guarding the base of the mountain... What could she possibly reprove him for? Silence fell over the hall.
Li Minggong gathered her emotions and said softly, "The masters had departed for Chenshui Mausoleum. Less than half a day later, the demonic cultivators arrived. A demonic general rode purple qi, holding the severed head of Yu Su, and cast several talismans. In less than a quarter of an hour, the pass was broken. Cultivators collapsed in total defeat, fleeing south for their lives, only fearing they could not flee fast enough. They crashed into the formations to the rear, and fully half abandoned their posts... Halfway through, I encountered Si Tongyi. I rallied the retreating forces under his banner and rushed to join my aunt."
The aunt she spoke of was, of course, Li Yuexiang. Remorse surfaced on Li Minggong's face, and she choked back tears for several breaths before continuing: "At that time, everything was in sheer chaos under an overcast sky. It was impossible to tell which high-stage cultivators were fighting above. Spirits were broken, and everyone merely rushed toward the rear. Soon, we spotted my aunt wielding her sword and commanding flames against the demonic cultivators. Wanting only to rescue her, we led the cultivators to her aid. But when Yuexiang saw us, her expression changed, and she rebuked us..."
An Zheyan paused, then spoke in a rasping voice. "At that time, all of Jiangbei was in turmoil, and seeing our own kin battling demonic cultivators, anyone without sharp wit would have found it difficult to realize the danger... Si Tongyi certainly had no wish to harm her. Yet a Shakya monk descended from the sky, pinched his fingers to calculate, and said with delight, 'I nearly let a choice delicacy slip away.'"
He banged his head against the ground. "Only then did I remember that Buddhist cultivators relish consuming noble flesh, but the damage was already done. That bald monk killed Li Cheng with a single palm, ripped out his heart to examine it, and smiled thinly, terrifying everyone. My son Siming charged out with his sword, only to die violently within seven bouts. The monk slaughtered several people and moved to kill me, but Li Wen threw his hammer to block him."
Li Minggong wept, "My aunt then seized my hand and said urgently, 'Now that I am doomed, I cannot drag everyone down with me.' She handed over her spiritual items, cast her talismans, and looked at Si Tongyi, commanding him: 'Escort them back to the clan. Do not let my life be spent in vain.' We galloped several li away. My aunt cast a Foundation Establishment talisman to shield herself and headed north, clad in pheasant fire; she must have burned herself to death."
Reaching this point, she was overcome with weeping. Behind her, An Zheyan crawled forward several paces on his knees like a living corpse, taking up the tale in a harsh, ugly voice. "In years past, I was reckless and brought about the death of my eldest son. Today, through my foolishness, I have killed my second son, harmed the master clan, and doomed our fellow cultivators... There is no one more useless in this world than me. It would be better that I die early, sparing others from further ruin! This old servant is incompetent—I beg you to strike off my head to atone for my crimes!"
An Zheyan lay prostrated on the floor like a corpse. Li Yuexiang, An Siming, and Li Cheng had all perished because of his blunder; how could the old man not be driven nearly mad with anguish?
Hearing this, Li Qinghong slowly closed her eyes. She bowed her head, while Li Wushao gripped his sword hilt until his knuckles turned white. An Zheyan's forehead thumped heavily against the floor.
From behind, Li Wen finally spoke. The honest, burly man had lost his golden hammer and said in a deep voice, "The situation was critical. Even if I had led the team, I would have attempted the rescue. Si Tongyi merely happened to be there... I beg to be punished alongside him, Master."
"Did she leave behind any relics?" Li Qinghong asked.
Li Minggong finally stepped forward, raising her hands to present a broken sword and a small box. Li Qinghong received them gently. She glanced briefly inside the box, then looked away to inspect the sword. The wooden talisman at the pommel swayed lightly. Examining the handwriting, Li Qinghong put away the sword and handed the small box to Li Xijun.
Only then did she speak softly: "Enough. Let them be dealt with leniently."
***
Meanwhile, at the foot of Mount Bianyan, all was empty and desolate. The vegetation lay in ruined heaps, and even the hundred spiritual cables driven into the mountain as the array's foundation had been pulled out cleanly.
Si Yuanli stood atop the summit, gazing out in silence. Clad in his daoist robes with a sword at his waist, his bearing was otherworldly, yet his brow was clouded with deep worry. Behind him stood his clan nephew, Si Boxiu, his most trusted confidant, waiting respectfully.
The other companions from his clan had already been dispatched by Si Yuanli under the guise of "searching for traces of Chi Zhiyan," but the white-robed middle-aged man knew the truth full well. Most of the Chi family's direct line, peak lords, and guest elders had perished here. The celestial phenomena had been completely veiled as if nothing had ever happened, leaving behind only this wreckage.
Before his confidant, he had no need to put on an act and dispensed with regretful sighs, standing quietly in the night sky and turning matters over in his mind. The Mahas and Violet Palace masters of Jiangbei had dispersed together, and the broader board of the North-South struggle had vanished. Everything would soon be deduced. The soul lamps atop the peaks of Qingchi would surely be extinguished in swathes like grass before a gale; this could never be concealed.
Should he return to the sect to inspect things? Chi Zhiyun was in secluded breakthrough, and there was likely no one to oversee the overall situation. Any move Si Yuanli made in this limited window would shape the future of the entire Qingchi Sect. The faces of each clan patriarch and peak lord flashed across his mind one by one. Standing alone, he exhaled a long breath into the biting wind.
Turning things over, he suddenly remembered a matter. He turned to Si Boxiu with an exceedingly grave expression, retrieved a white jade token, and said with urgent solemnity, "Take my token and ride back to the sect through the night. Secretly order Li Yuanqin to go to Lake Wangyue to see his father one last time. You must not leak a word of this."
Moments later, the light of divine abilities rippled before Si Yuanli. He raised his head thoughtfully as a familiar, aged figure materialized. Overjoyed, he immediately steadied his mind and bowed respectfully. "Old Ancestor!"
"Real Person... Li Xuanfeng defended the riverbank with the Huai River Chart, invoked the Please Sir Hold Gold Talisman, fought with all his might, and died in battle. Following orders, we expended all the hidden measures left behind by the Real Person..."
Si Yuanli quickly recounted everything, only to find Real Person Yuanxiu looking back at him impassively. There was no praise on the old man's face; with hands clasped behind his back, he remained silent for a long time. His gaze swept across the ruined Mount Bianyan, his eyelids twitching slightly. Without a word, he flicked his sleeve, and everything before Si Yuanli went dark as they traveled through the Great Void.
***
Over Chengshui Ze, the gloom of Jiangbei had slowly receded. The morning light shone down, reflecting off the waters of the marsh. The bloodiness had faded considerably, and wreckage could faintly be discerned on the lake bed.
The air trembled, and the pitch-black Great Void parted. An old man in green holding a talisman manifested out of thin air, his complexion slightly flushed as he began to cough. "Haha... Cough, cough..."
His cough caused ripples to spread across the water, sparkling with golden glints. Right behind him stepped out another figure, likewise clad in green, but appearing as a youth who walked forward cheerfully. That person was none other than Chi Buzi.
Looking at Chi Buzi, Real Person Yuanxiu frowned. Chi Buzi showed little interest, shaking his head. "Uncle, are you feeling better?"
"It is just that this was Xuyu's final intervention," Yuanxiu replied in a low voice. "Upon her return, she must attain the Violet Palace—how arduous that will be! Once her breakthrough concludes, this round of the North-South contest will have drawn its curtain. Three portions of golden nature were never enough to divide. Zipei struck and caught Zhelu off guard, forcing out the golden nature so that the northern monks did not obtain a single sliver. Truly gratifying!"
Recalling the clash, he showed a lingering look of regret and sighed. "That was, after all, the golden nature left behind by True Monarch Tianwu of True Qi and Divine Fiends... With that throne vacant, that golden nature is a wondrous thing. Even if True Monarch Tianwu harbored some scheme, he was ever open and upright; at worst, one would simply attain a subordinate throne."
Chi Buzi curled his lip, ran his divine ability, and calculated with his fingers before shaking his head. "Uncle knows I am most suspicious by nature. Such things look terrifying to me. Nor am I any kind of saint. If I were truly to attempt proving True Qi, whether I could succeed is one matter, but I fear the grand figures behind the scenes would send me to the grave before I finished."
"Mount Changhuai is, after all, the foremost sect of the State of Wu..."
"You think too much," Chi Buzi replied. "If the True Monarch were not truly dead, the three golden natures in Anhuaitian would never appear in such a state. A vacant fruit status is truly vacant; those exalted figures have no need to, nor could they, leave a throne empty to fake death."
He then chuckled and asked, "As for you, Uncle, why did you not make an attempt? If you had set your mind to it, you might have seized one of the three golden natures."
Yuanxiu shook his head. "You know full well what Master Sui Guan is like. The Chi family was never populous, and now there is not a single Violet Palace master left to hold down the fort! Zhiyun is in seclusion, and if you do not return, I fear the Chi family will not hold out."
"Isn't Uncle still here? And if all else fails, there is Master Sui Guan. What is there to fret about?"
Chi Buzi had no intention of cleaning up Qingchi Sect for the Chi family. Ever since Chi Wei died, Chi Buzi had gradually realized the hidden flaws in the method of seeking gold. Every moment he spent in Qingchi felt like a torment; why would he ever return?
He sneered inward and said, "With me staying away for years, that fellow Zhiyun is thrilled! He has coveted the Yueming Liuli Tree for ages and has finally gotten his wish. He hopes I die outside more than anyone!"
Yuanxiu frowned. Chi Buzi showed no interest in further debate, speaking flatly: "An immortal ought to cast aside mundane burdens. If you care for your family, you will care for your sect; once you care for common mortals, you will care for heaven and earth. Heaven and earth operate by natural principles—what do they have to do with me? A 'Real Person' has only one thing that is real: to preserve his nature and cultivate his life. If one succeeds, one succeeds; if not, one dies.
"I was born into this world alone to cultivate my life and preserve my nature. My parents gave birth to me with no claim to drive me, and I raised them with no thought of repaying a debt. Both elders died long ago, and I have already swapped through several bodies. Bloodline means nothing to me. 'Chi Buzi' is merely a name. What does the Chi family have to do with me?"
Yuanxiu looked deeply at him, seeming to gradually understand how this man had advanced so rapidly through his cultivation, breaking through several bottlenecks in succession. He could only shake his head secretly.
Chi Buzi was cunning by nature; how could he not recognize Yuanxiu's probes beneath well-meaning words? Yet he had no desire to spar in circles. Eager to hunt for Violet Palace spiritual beasts, he stated his stance plainly, stepped into the Great Void, and vanished.
Left behind, Yuanxiu tucked his hands into his sleeves, stepped into the Great Void, and likewise disappeared.
Chapter 616