Li Xuanfeng hiccuped incessantly from weeping. He lay across Old Man Xu's corpse, resting for a quarter of an hour until the hiccups finally ceased before slowly clambering to his feet.
He took hold of Old Man Xu's left foot and pulled with all his might, dragging him over toward a headstone half the height of a man. Only then did he realize the old man's body was as light as a bundle of firewood—even a child like him could pull it along.
He exerted himself to prop up the upper body, leaning him against the stele. Li Xuanfeng tried his best to smooth out the pained, contorted look on the old man's face, wanting to make him look a little more at peace.
"Waaah—"
Looking at the wrinkled face that seemed caught between tears and laughter, Li Xuanfeng burst into a wail, quickly turning away to run up the mountain while wiping his tears.
After walking for a while until he could look up and see the courtyard beneath the golden sunlight, Li Xuanfeng hurriedly dried his tears, pouted, and walked inside.
Past the gate lay a ground paved in blue flagstones. A young girl dressed in a small fur vest sat quietly by the table, cradling a cat white as snow in her arms and murmuring softly to it.
The sunlight fell over her lowered brow and eyelashes, her curved eyes lovely, making anyone who saw them want to smile along with her.
She was the Li family's only girl at present—Li Jingtian. Liu Rouxuan had borne Li Tongya a son named Li Xuanling, who was currently studying in the academy, leaving Li Jingtian alone in the courtyard.
"Brother Feng."
The girl looked up, placed the white kitten on the table, and said with a smile, "Who bullied you this time?"
"Who would dare bully him? It's always him bullying others."
A youth walked out from the main courtyard. His eyebrows were soft and long, his eyes gentle, his features bearing a faint resemblance to Li Changhu. He chimed in with a beaming smile.
"Brother Xuan, you've ended your seclusion?"
The girl's eyes lit up. She bounded over with a laugh, took Li Xuanxuan's hand, and asked full of anticipation, "Is it the third layer of Embryonic Breathing, the Zhouxing Wheel?"
Li Xuanxuan nodded with a smile, but seeing that Li Xuanfeng remained quiet with his head hung low, he bent down to ask him, "What's wrong, Feng'er?"
Li Xuanfeng replied sullenly, "Grandpa Xu is dead."
"What?!"
Li Xuanxuan froze instantly. The gentle smile on his face vanished, replaced by sorrow in his eyes. His mouth opened, but no words came out.
Li Xuanxuan had been fatherless since birth. Though his grandfather, Li Mutian, doted on and loved him, the old man was stern, rarely smiled, and usually sat in silence; Li Xuanxuan himself wasn't sure whether he revered him more or loved him more.
Once he grew a bit older, Li Xiangping kept him by his side every day, and Li Xuanxuan was exceedingly cautious every day, carefully studying and pondering his uncle's words and orders, not daring to slacken in the slightest.
In his dozen-odd years of childhood, Old Man Xu was the only one who wove grass crickets for him, painted portraits of him, and told him stories of his father, Li Changhu...
Despite the immense grief in his heart, Li Xuanxuan quickly composed his expression, patted Li Xuanfeng on the shoulder, and said in a heavy voice:
"Take me to see him."
————
Li Chengfu stooped as he stepped over the high threshold of the main hall. Inside, several stern-faced elders were seated, discussing affairs. At the head sat a dignified middle-aged man clad in a gray wolf-fur coat, his head lowered as he unconcernedly sipped tea.
"Manager, Old Man Xu has died."
Li Chengfu's temples were now flecked with white, yet his movements were still agile. He stooped beside the middle-aged man and whispered.
The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow and lowered his voice as well, asking, "What did the main branch say?"
"Buried on the mountain. It was an order from the Young Patriarch."
The middle-aged man nodded, pondered for a few breaths, placed his teacup on the table, clapped his hands, and said in a low voice:
"Let us conclude our deliberations here for today. There are pressing affairs to attend to on Mount Lijing, so Yesheng will not keep you all."
Li Yesheng had served as manager for over a decade and was now thirty years old, possessing an inherent air of authority in his glances and bearing. In these mountains, where the average lifespan was under sixty and people wed at thirteen to fifteen, he could be considered in the prime of his life; even his eldest son, Li Xiewen, was already twelve or thirteen.
Ren Ping'an had fallen ill and died the year before last, and Jingyang Village was now managed by eldest uncle Liu Linfeng. Hearing Li Yesheng's words, the men stood up and took their leave, returning to their respective villages under the escort of household guards.
Only after watching everyone leave did Li Yesheng take a sip of tea and say in a deep voice:
"Go fetch Xiewen. He will come with me to Meichi Mountain to report to the Patriarch."
Li Xiangping had already managed clan affairs for over ten years, so those below naturally addressed him as Patriarch.
"The Young Patriarch came out of seclusion, and my Qiuyang went up the mountain to pay his respects. He returned saying the Young Patriarch's strength is already on par with his."
Seeing Li Xiewen hurry into the room, Li Chengfu glanced up at Li Yesheng and chuckled softly, his face brimming with joy.
Thanks to Li Xiangping sparing no effort and generously instructing Li Xuanxuan over the past decade and more, anyone with eyes could see that Li Xiangping was truly grooming Li Changhu's posthumous son as the next patriarch of the Li family. The managers and village men naturally addressed Li Xuanxuan as the Young Patriarch.
"Congratulations, Uncle Fu."
Li Yesheng also smiled and cupped his hands to Li Chengfu.
"Heh, heh-heh."
Li Chengfu gave two dry laughs. He met Li Yesheng's gaze for a few breaths, then nodded, bowed with cupped fists, and withdrew.
Watching Li Chengfu bow and back out of the room, Li Yesheng let out a cold snort and said to Li Xiewen in a grave voice:
"Do you know why your father congratulated Li Chengfu?"
"Your son does not know..."
Li Xiewen scratched his head, looking at his father with a bewildered expression.
"Though over the past few years, Uncle Chengfu has been coming by day after day asking about Brother Xuan's cultivation. Your son didn't know whether to tell him or not..."
Li Yesheng let out a deep sigh, his brow furrowing tightly as he scolded:
"I told you to fool around less every day! Spend more time at your old man's side learning, but you refuse to listen!"
"In the main branch right now, only Li Xuanxuan possesses a spirit aperture. It is still unknown what talents Li Xuanfeng and Li Xuanling have. Li Qiuyang has cultivated for a longer time; if he were to cultivate faster than Li Xuanxuan, could the main branch help but be wary?"
Only then did Li Xiewen realize the truth. After thinking for a few breaths, he replied:
"So that's how it is! Father fears that when this generation withers away, leaving only Li Xuanxuan and Li Qiuyang, a situation of a weak trunk and strong branches..."
"It is still early."
Li Yesheng waved his hand and said coldly:
"The main branch plans far and schemes deep; they may not necessarily be wary of him. It's just that we are surrounded by and tied to the main line, so we cannot help but be vigilant. If heaven and earth truly turn upside down one day, none of us will come to a good end! Fortunately, Xuan'er has superior talent, so Li Qiuyang can also let loose without having to guard against the main branch, or vice versa."
Saying this, Li Yesheng took a sip of tea and said in a grave voice:
"Let your father test you. If Li Xuanxuan truly cultivated slowly, do you know what should be done?"
Li Xiewen lowered his head and racked his brains for a moment before whispering:
"Investigate whether Li Qiuyang is falsely reporting his cultivation?"
"Correct. A child worth teaching—it is no small feat that you could think of this layer."
Li Yesheng nodded and said solemnly:
"If he falsely reported his cultivation, how could the main branch fail to see through it? That old fox isn't that stupid. He would only make Li Qiuyang slow down his cultivation pace to watch how things unfold. You would only need to deploy your men and await the main branch's orders."
"Li Xiewen, you must remember: our branch has done too much for the main branch, and there are no cultivators in our household. We have no path forward other than relying on the main branch, unless..."
"Unless what?"
Li Xiewen and Li Xuanxuan had grown up playing together and shared deep affection. Hearing this, he frowned and asked in return.
A trace of terror flashed across Li Yesheng's face, and he said with a slight tremor in his voice:
"Unless, a hundred years from now, all four branches of the main line wither away, and not a single child born possesses a spirit aperture."
Chapter 65