Before these words could elicit any change in Li Yuanqin's expression, Chi Fubo's face changed first. Startled and suspicious, he hastily interrupted Ning Hejing, protesting anxiously, "What kind of talk is that, Uncle Hejing! Yuanqin is my closest and dearest friend—how could you speak of him like that!"
Beside them, the faces of several elders from the Chi family's Zhong branch looked equally displeased. Every word of Li Yuanqin's proposal was framed with the Zhong branch's interests in mind, pleasing them immensely. Yet Ning Hejing's few remarks had completely disrupted the fine atmosphere in the hall, instantly spoiling everyone's mood.
Chi Zhihu's displeasure was plain on his face, though he kept it from erupting. His gaze weighed heavily on Ning Hejing: *This cur is devoted heart and soul to the Bo branch. Speaking of heavily employing people from my Zhong branch is like murdering his own mother to him—now he's lashing out and biting blindly...*
As Chi Fubo's words faded, the hall sank into utter silence. Li Yuanqin replied in a low voice, "Yuanqin merely cultivated alongside Brother Fubo. The disputes between the two branches have persisted for a long time, while Brother Fubo and I resided in Yishan City, tens of thousands of li away. Where would I find the ability to sow discord? My lord overestimates me far too much."
"Yuanqin, say no more."
Chi Fubo shielded him. He understood with complete clarity that Li Yuanqin's current status was an extremely crucial link in this upheaval and had to be won over. Lowering his voice, he said, "Step back for now. I will explain it to him in detail."
Li Yuanqin acknowledged with a calm face and stepped back a few paces.
Chi Fubo then pressed Ning Hejing, "This is no time to dwell on such matters. I ask Uncle Hejing to quickly bring forth the Sect Master's order to confer the peaks upon the uncles and elders, so as to preserve the master family! You oversee Yuanxing Peak. It was one thing to act strictly on ordinary days, but now that fire is singeing our eyebrows, how could you push our own people away!"
Ning Hejing narrowed his eyes, concealing his pupils, and spoke in a deep voice: "The Sect Master ordered me to seal off the peaks; he left behind no orders."
How could Chi Zhiyun have left any orders? He had not even taken the Sect Master's seal into his secluded cave dwelling. He was not a Violet Palace cultivator; how far ahead could he calculate? How could there possibly be an order appointing the members of Yuanxing Peak?
Yet how could the Zhong branch not understand this? Whether Chi Zhiyun had left a posthumous decree was entirely unimportant; the legacy order Chi Fubo kept mentioning was merely something they intended to draft themselves...
The Bo branch of the Chi family had finally stumbled catastrophically. It was impossible for the others not to harbor ambitions of supplanting them. After all this circling, would power simply return to the Bo branch's hands?
Seeing Ning Hejing speak so bluntly in resolute refusal, the Zhong branch elders looked thoroughly displeased. Addressing him, Ning Hejing kept his tone relatively mild and said in a low voice, "The stakes are truly too immense; I dare not act rashly. There are still several Peak Masters within the sect who are confidants of the Sect Master, possessing both strength and fine character. Their merits over the years are sufficient, so promoting them now would not overstep propriety. I shall hold Yuanxing Peak, and you lords may assist from the sidelines. If the situation turns sour, we can make further decisions."
Chi Buxin's gaze swept back and forth across Ning Hejing's face, finally realizing that the man's purpose in summoning their group was actually to seek out Chi family members loyal to the Bo branch. In his heart, fury mingled with cold derision.
Chi Buxin paused. Seeing that Ning Hejing remained completely unmoved, he said in a deep voice, "The Sect Master has no sons, but Chi Zhiyan has numerous wives and concubines, with a legitimate son still within the sect. He is merely an infant and can be jointly elevated. For now, we preserve ourselves. In the future, once all authority is in hand and our own people control Yuanxing Peak, we can slowly observe the situation. If all turns out well, even when the Sect Master emerges from seclusion, he will have nothing to reprove, and might even reward you lords."
Ning Hejing rubbed the space between his brows, the gloom on his face lingering dispiritedly. He summoned a confidant and instructed in a low voice, "Go invite the Peak Masters."
He secretly thought to himself: *I believed the elders could see the big picture and unite to protect the main branch, yet they are all jackals from the same lair, demanding that I appoint exclusively their own men. If I were to do so, I would fail the Sect Master's trust. I can no longer place faith in them.*
What more could the crowd say? With the surrounding Yuanxing array looming threateningly, they all dispersed, leaving Ning Hejing alone.
Outside the hall, the Chi family members all wore grim expressions. Chi Zhihu said resentfully, "Ning Hejing is a loyal hound of the Bo branch. His mother was a daughter of their direct line, so naturally he refuses to favor us. Furthermore, he acts with extreme severity and little grace. How could such a man endure? I fear he will ruin our affairs."
Chi Buxin appeared quite aged, yet his tone was the most resolute as he said in a low voice, "Since when is it the Ning family's place to interfere in the affairs of the Chi family? Were it not for him currently controlling Yuanxing Peak, such that striking him down would inevitably trigger turmoil, why should we care about his opinion?"
Chi Fubo then lowered his voice and said, "Lord Ning prides himself on considering the main branch. If the direct line of the main branch issues an order in person, how could he refuse to comply? With the main branch nearly wiped out, you lords are the elders of the Chi family. Could that child truly trust anyone else? My lords, that child is in Qi Refinement; after Qi Refinement comes Foundation Establishment, which is a trial between life and death. Yuanqin assists us so greatly: first, he is driven by hatred, and second, he has the ambition to take charge of the Li family. If we go with the flow and make use of him, once his entanglements run deep, how could he easily extricate himself? Sooner or later, he can only be used by us. What is amiss with that?"
Chi Buxin felt a spark of temptation, yet his reason held him back, and he sighed: "But we are weak in force, lacking both official mandate and popular support. Without a token of authority, and with Ning Hejing opposed, presumptuously seizing the master's seat is nothing more than seeking our own doom, gratuitously aiding Si Yuanli."
"I see him as even more tyrannical than Si Yuanli!"
***
Lake Wangyue.
A white-robed man riding the frost descended upon the peak, a sword girded at his waist. It was Li Xijun. As he stepped onto the stone stairs, two young men were waiting beside the hall.
Both came forward to pay their respects. They were already grown into young men, and when looking at Li Xijun, their ages seemed hardly different; they looked more like brothers than uncle and nephews.
Li Xijun understood the reason well. In the generation of Li Tongya and Li Xuanfeng, the family had almost never consumed medicinal pills or spiritual items, relying entirely on their own cultivation, so they naturally aged swiftly. Li Tongya had reached Foundation Establishment late in life, so even with Foundation Establishment cultivation, he looked like a man in his fifties or sixties when he was seventy or eighty.
By the time of Li Yuanjiao, the situation had noticeably improved. And by Li Xijun's generation, they fully possessed the poise of a great clan's direct line, retaining youthful appearances in their twenties that showed no perceptible age difference from the juniors.
*After all, pills and spiritual items nourish the body.*
One of the young men wore a heavy cloak, tall and well-built, carrying a spear behind his back with an extraordinary bearing and sharp, forceful eyes. It was none other than the former family head, Li Chengliao.
The other was slightly younger, with a sword at his waist. Compared to Li Chengliao, he appeared slender, clad in a long robe and standing at his side—it was Li Xizhi's son, Li Chenghuai.
Li Chenghuai had reached the seventh layer of Qi Refinement and was managing affairs in the Shanyue territory. Though he lacked his father's commanding presence, he handled matters with ease.
With Li Zhouwei still overseas and the two brothers of the Chengming generation having returned from the north to govern the family, Li Chengliao, having been the family head, handled such affairs with seasoned competence.
Li Chengliao stepped forward with a salute, presenting a letter as he said softly, "News from Zongquan Island. It is joyful news."
Since an elder had only recently passed away, though Li Chengliao spoke of joyful news, there was no smile on his face, which remained quite solemn. Li Xijun took the letter gently and unfolded it to read.
Following his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment, Li Zhouwei had written of several matters in the letter, and they were indeed all happy occasions.
Li Zhouwei had entered seclusion to attempt Foundation Establishment, having brought along the Three-Perfections Realm-Breaking Pill and a talisman pill before his departure, so his breakthrough was within reason. Li Xijun nodded and continued reading.
The first matter concerned the youth cultivating lightning methods, who had already reached late Qi Refinement. As long as the family sent over an elixir, he could practice the Night-Cloud Lightning-Inquiring Method and attempt Foundation Establishment.
The Night-Cloud Lightning-Inquiring Method he currently practiced was an ancient method brought back from the Three Drums Cliff of Qingsong Abbey. Not only did it shorten one's lifespan less, but it was also more profound than the Purple Lightning Secret Origin Method. Its marvelous virtue lay in forging the Mystic Lightning Mooring Dao Base, which allowed one to master the Purple Talisman Origin Light Secret Method.
Though Li Qinghong's Purple Lightning Secret Origin Method was a grotto-heaven legacy of the Lightning-Commanding Cloud-Mooring Dao, it was a method modified for different spiritual energies and of modest grade in itself, though the appended Purple Talisman Origin Light Secret Method was exceedingly potent.
*He is young, yet his cultivation progresses swiftly and his technique is exceptional. If he successfully achieves Foundation Establishment and crosses that threshold of life and death, he will surely become a Dao protector for our family.*
Li Xijun praised inwardly, his mood brightened considerably by this news. Reading further down, the second matter was the birth of Li Zhouwei's second son.
The second son possessed handsome features, neither crying nor fretting, though his appetite was remarkably large. He displayed no extraordinary anomalies and was no different from a mortal child.
Li Xijun felt a wave of relief. The sight of Jiangqian was still vivid in his mind; showing no divine anomaly was already the best possible news. He continued reading:
*Although the second son displays no divine anomaly, Zhouwei bears a karmic mandate, and I fear all his sons are scions of Bright Yang, which is no trivial matter. I hope Uncle will weigh this carefully; it would be best not to record him in the genealogy for now. He shall not enter the five branches, and is named Li Zhongqian. If Uncle has any considerations, please reply to me.*
Li Xijun understood immediately. Li Zhouwei was clearly cautious, fearing that his second son might be human on the outside yet monstrous within.
Exhaling softly, Li Xijun put away the letter and offered his congratulations to Li Chengliao: "Congratulations!"
Li Chengliao nodded heavily and said in a low voice, "I previously feared that Lady An might also perish, which would have inevitably stirred rumors among the various families. Fortunately, Qian'er is safe, and my heart is at ease."
Li Xijun nodded gently, dismissed the two men, and turned to enter the main hall. Sweeping his gaze across the desk, he channeled magical power to connect with the grand array. A clear radiance immediately shone before his eyes, revealing a jade box.
This jade box had been obtained by Li Tongya. Exceedingly sturdy and covered in mystical patterns, it could accommodate Violet Palace-grade spiritual items, though it had sat unused in the family for many days.
Li Xijun had made a special trip back to Qingdu precisely to retrieve this jade box.
Putting the jade box away, he rose upon the wind and flew north, traversing more than half of Lake Wangyue before pausing above the waters. Before him emerged a large islet, shimmering with radiance and resounding with unending lightning and fire, faintly revealing ruins beneath—it was none other than Lake Central Islet, the site of the Lake Wangyue Market.
Years ago, when the market fell, Chen Taoping of Lingyu Sect had died, and the ancient array was shattered by the Thunder-Striking Array-Breaker Wedge, forming a restrictive grand array that had flickered upon the lake for thirty years.
The restrictive grand array was difficult to breach, yet Foundation Establishment cultivators could enter and exit freely. Back then, the goods in the market had been scavenged by passing Foundation Establishment cultivators in turn. Now, the power of this restrictive array was gradually waning, allowing some Qi Refinement cultivators to endure within it for a short time. Its contents had been plundered over and over until eventually no one cared to visit.
Were it not for the extreme hassle of traversing the restrictive grand array and the impossibility of setting up another array within it—making it thoroughly unsafe, offering little benefit to Foundation Establishment cultivators, while Qi Refinement cultivators could not linger long—someone likely would have occupied this place long ago.
Although the Li family did not know the full background of Daoist He and was temporarily holding back, such a precious opportunity could not be wasted. Li Qinghong and Li Ximing had already departed for Lake Central Islet ahead of him.
Li Xijun passed through the barrier and set foot upon the islet. As expected, the spiritual energy was dense. Making a careful estimate, he thought: *Even just this spot on the lake is already comparable to our Mount Qingdu! If it were a convergence of spiritual energy, it could probably rival Mount Wu.*
The White Ape stood upon the lake and bowed upon seeing him. His physique was immense, casting a broad shadow as he called out respectfully, "Senior."
Broken walls and ruined foundations lay scattered everywhere before him, overgrown with luxuriant weeds. Submerged bones beneath his feet had weathered into fragments of various sizes. Li Xijun rode the wind to land at the very center, where the ground was covered in array patterns, and four pale stone pillars stood surrounding a deep well.
A young man clad in golden robes stood in the center, counting on his fingers as he read the runes on the stone pillars. Seeing him, his eyes lit up, and he called out, "Brother Jun has returned. Have you brought the item?"
Li Xijun nodded and stepped forward onto the dilapidated array foundation. The deep well serving as the array eye was carved with profound, intricate patterns, its water seemingly drained away, leaving only a pitch-black void.
Li Ximing had initially assumed it was a symbolic object used to suppress the array eye, like the five kinds of spiritual water in their own Mount Qingdu array eye, and had asked: "If this is the object suppressing the array eye, perhaps it will aid in breaking the array."
Yet the white-robed young man inspected it closely, comparing the patterns on the ground with those on the jade box, and shook his head: "No, this jade box does not match the grand array; it is not an auxiliary item for the array eye."
"According to clan records, this jade box was taken from this very well by our Great-Grandfather..."
Li Xijun pondered for a while, a realization dawning in his heart, and answered, "It seems this profound well was dug specifically to guard and conceal this jade box..."
Chapter 621