As Li Zhouwei concluded his prayer, a ring of pure light circled the hall. White vapor surged within the Chongming Cave Xuan Screen, and from the void emerged two motes of white light. They circled once before dropping down as two white blossoms suspended in midair, each bearing a line of golden characters.
One bore the name:
“Li Jiangqian.”
The other bore the name:
“Li Shuwan.”
Li Zhouwei and the others offered their thanks, raised their brows to exchange glances, and turned to Li Qinghong, only to see her face filled with astonishment. As the two white blossoms fluttered downward, she immediately reached out and caught them.
“Two talisman seeds…”
The name Li Jiangqian brought relief to them all, but none had ever heard of the other name. All three were momentarily stunned, though a look of reminiscence crossed Li Xuanxuan’s weathered face.
Li Qinghong wore a complicated expression, while Li Xuanxuan’s brows knitted tightly. He retrieved a jade slip from his storage bag to inspect it. The old man was sentimental and nostalgic, often brooding over which family or branch had lost its line of succession and deciding which branch should be adopted over to fill the void. Consequently, he kept the clan registers of every passing year close at hand.
After a full pause of two breaths, Li Xuanxuan revealed a trace of proud satisfaction and answered, “So she is a descendant of mine… though somewhat distant… and belongs to a minor branch now.”
He let out a hearty laugh, inverted the jade slip, handed it to the two of them, and said in a low voice, “Couldn't be better!”
Breathing a sigh of relief, Li Qinghong took the jade slip to read. She located Li Shuwan’s name at a glance and traced the lineage upward, only to frown again as she read aloud:
“Li Yesheng… Li Xiewen… Li Pingyi… Hmm? Isn't this Uncle Xiewen’s branch? Did Eldest Uncle misread it?”
At the mention of this matter, a flicker of sorrow crossed Li Xuanxuan’s eyes, and he said softly, “This matter… goes back to your eldest brother!”
Li Qinghong’s brows rose instantly, and she murmured, “Brother Yuanxiu?”
Li Xuanxuan took a seat nearby, gathered his thoughts, and said in a gentle voice, “Uncle Yesheng had few descendants, with Xiewen being the main one. The others were good-for-nothings. Back then, they operated gambling dens and engaged in illicit debauchery. Caught by your eldest brother, one was executed on the spot, while the rest had their hands branded and were banished from the town, their names expunged from the clan register. That left Xiewen as the sole remaining son…”
“Xiewen had three daughters and one son, with Li Pingyi being his only boy. Yet at such a tender age, he…”
Though decades had passed, Li Xuanxuan still choked up as he spoke of it. He sighed. “…Because of the Yu family’s thunderfire incident, he took his own life out of guilt… and so the lineage was severed.”
“With Xiewen left childless and his brothers guilty of grave offenses and exiled from the clan, I remembered my past affection for him. The second son of my seventh grandson was a mortal and had already descended into a minor branch. Since it was a minor branch either way, I had him adopted into Xiewen’s line…”
“So that was how it happened…”
Li Qinghong fell silent for a breath and said softly, “Then now that a spirit aperture bearer has emerged, let them return to the main branch!”
Li Zhouwei listened quietly from the side. Li Xuanxuan said, “I shall go fetch her back right away.”
Li Qinghong smiled, nodded, and said, “Let me go. This shouldn't be delayed. Counting the time… she cannot be more than six years old. We must not draw unwanted attention. I will go under the cover of night to meet her and see what this little girl is like.”
Li Zhouwei agreed and answered, “I shall go bring Jiangqian over.”
In a flash, Li Qinghong vanished from the great hall. Li Xuanxuan picked up the two white blossoms. Not daring to hold them bare-handed, he suspended them in midair with his Dharmic power and lightly nudged his spiritual sense forward.
The blossoms bore twelve petals, all of pure white, while their stamens flickered like shifting light and shadow, giving off an intense fragrance of osmanthus. Breathing it in, the old man felt refreshed in body and spirit. He looked up and asked, “Does Minghuang know what this is?”
Li Zhouwei shook his head, sensing the extraordinarily abundant Taiyin power within the blossoms. He retrieved two jade boxes, sealed the flowers inside, and whispered, “I fear this is yet another extinct spiritual item. Once I have the chance, I will search for ancient jade slips documenting spiritual flora among the dragonkin or the fox clan to identify it.”
The Li family’s Taiyin treasures were not limited to these. Back when Yu Muxian arrived at the lake, the Immortal Mirror had erupted, shedding an osmanthus sprig and a white blossom, which Li Yuanjiao had carefully gathered. Yet with the Li family’s preservation techniques, there was no way to fully retain its essence, and it had dissipated year after year.
A small portion had been used to complement Li Wushao’s fate, while the remainder had vanished completely over the decades. Having stored the flowers away, Li Zhouwei said in a low voice:
“It appears difficult to preserve, perhaps another treasure that must never be revealed to outsiders. If we cannot identify it, or if its identity is too precious, it would be better to consume it. The White Ape suffered far too many injuries in his early years; using these two items to complement his fate should allow him to mend his foundation.”
“Mm…”
It was not that Li Xuanxuan did not care for his old companion, but hearing this still made him wince at the sheer extravagance. He suspected that in Taiyin orthodoxies like Chunyi Dao, such items would be vastly more precious than even a Mingfang Sky Stone.
“For our family to use it just to complement fate… is much like using Taiyin moon essence to cultivate the Xuanjing Wheel in the old days…”
The old man did not know whether to laugh or cry. Yet he turned the jade boxes over and over in his hands before tucking them carefully into his robe.
***
Lijing Mansion, Lichuankou.
The night wind carried a chill, and the loquat trees in the courtyard hung low under the patter of falling rain. Shivering from the cold, Li Baotuo put on two extra layers of clothing while several children laughed and played in the yard.
“What are you clamoring about!”
Buttoning his coat, he pushed open the door and stepped outside, rubbing his hands together. The weather was indeed growing colder by the day, yet Li Baotuo’s heart burned like glowing charcoal.
“Heaven bless us… Generations of mortals, and finally a cultivator has emerged…”
Two days ago, his daughter, Li Shuwan, had read the cultivation method distributed by the clan and condensed a wisp of spiritual energy, leaving Li Baotuo utterly ecstatic.
Li Baotuo’s line had never produced a cultivator, so they ranked near the very bottom of the registers when cultivators came to inspect spirit apertures. Mortal households like his were countless, and six-year-old children were even more numerous. It was impossible to examine them one by one, so the clan typically distributed the most ordinary Embryonic Breathing manuals for families to take home and test on their own.
Li Baotuo’s ancestors had known glory, so he was not lacking such texts. The moment Li Shuwan turned six, he did not even bother queuing up, fetching his own manual to test her. That single test had nearly caused Li Baotuo to faint from sheer joy.
“Shuwan!”
Seeing his daughter approach, a broad smile instantly spread across his face. Once his sons and daughters were seated around the table, he sat down with an air of dignified gravity and said solemnly:
“This is a matter of great importance. I went to find Clan Uncle Chengzhi… and through him, invited a cultivator to come and examine Shuwan! Counting the time, they should be arriving shortly. Every one of you, mind your manners.”
Li Shuwan propped her chin on the table, her gaze darting toward the meatballs in the bowl—this meal was truly a rare feast.
The glory of Li Baotuo’s ancestors belonged strictly to the past; their present life was exceedingly modest. They possessed only a large manor house, as everything else of value had long since been sold off by their predecessors. If this great manor were sold as well, nothing would remain.
The entire family relied on Li Baotuo and his eldest son operating a few boats on the lake. Such modest livelihoods were permissible, and whenever the Clan Rectory came to inspect, Li Baotuo had a clear conscience.
“Yet how could that compare to immortal cultivation?”
To put it plainly, as long as Li Shuwan possessed sufficient talent, the entire family might even relocate to the lake, where the clan stipend would be more than enough to sustain them comfortably for the rest of their days.
“As for Shuwan… once decades of cultivation have passed, when she looks back to see us, she probably won't even recognize us.”
That was how the plays always told it, and Li Baotuo had heard plenty of rumors. Immortals came and went high in the clouds; he reckoned he would not have many opportunities to see Li Shuwan in the years to come. Amidst his relief and gratification, he could not help feeling a pang of melancholy.
Li Baotuo quickly cast the thought to the back of his mind and began discussing with his sons how to arrange the feast and notify their relatives and friends for a grand celebration. Now that Li Shuwan possessed a spirit aperture, those who had looked up to them and those who had looked down on them would all come bearing smiles. Even the closely related cultivation branches would send representatives, and those were the ties they needed to secure for Shuwan’s future.
He waited for a while, feeling increasingly anxious, until a call finally came from outside the courtyard:
“Good nephew! I have brought the guest elder!”
Li Baotuo sprang up from the table. His sons scrambled to their feet, trailing behind him in an orderly line as they swarmed out to the front courtyard and bowed respectfully:
“Greetings to the two elders!”
The man leading the way was Clan Uncle Li Chengzhi. Though a mere mortal, his bloodline was extraordinarily distinguished. Li Baotuo’s ancestors had shared a deep fraternal bond with Li Chengzhi’s forebears, and Li Baotuo had seen him during his own youth. He called out repeatedly:
“I have not seen Clan Uncle in many years! Your nephew has missed you dearly!”
Li Chengzhi laughed heartily. He was a man well versed in currying favor and climbing the ranks. Being a direct son of Li Ximing, even as a mortal he had befriended many cultivators. Holding a favorable opinion of Li Baotuo, he had brought a cultivator over without delay.
He pointed toward the brown-robed old man beside him and smiled. “This is Guest Elder Hu! A high-level cultivator at the Qi Refinement stage!”
“Qi Refinement!”
Li Baotuo was instantly awestruck. He was not without worldly knowledge; figures of this caliber held significant authority across the mansion peaks. For Li Chengzhi to invite such an esteemed person left him profoundly stirred. He said respectfully:
“Greetings, Senior! Our humble home is crude… please forgive our inadequacies!”
Guest Elder Hu treated Li Chengzhi with great courtesy, but toward a branch like Li Baotuo’s, which had fallen into mortal obscurity for countless years, he was far less accommodating. Giving a slight nod for Li Chengzhi’s sake, he said softly, “No need for formalities.”
Li Baotuo took no offense, nodding repeatedly as he ushered the guest into the courtyard. When he caught Li Chengzhi’s meaningful glance, he was momentarily taken aback, but immediately understood:
‘He is trying to secure a patron for my Shuwan!’
‘Yet… is this appropriate…’
If Li Baotuo were merely an ordinary member of a minor branch, he would have fawned over the guest without hesitation upon receiving such a hint. Yet he possessed his clan’s heritage and understood the inner workings of the mansion peaks; the Sixteen Mansions were hardly a picture of harmonious unity.
‘This is Lijing Mansion… the territory of the old four surnames… If we are to align ourselves, it should be beneath those four surnames. Who knows which mansion peak this man surnamed Hu hails from? If we entangle ourselves with him… we might offend the four surnames…’
Furthermore, Li Baotuo knew his own family’s history. While they appeared to be an ordinary minor branch, they had actually been adopted from the main branch. If his descendant proved exceptionally outstanding, striving a little might even allow them to return to the main branch, sparing them from having to scramble amidst petty factions!
Many thoughts flashed through his mind in that instant, yet his hands had already drawn the young girl forward. He smiled and said, “Shuwan! Greet the two seniors!”
Li Shuwan tilted her head to look. She noticed six flickering points of light upon the brown-robed man, surrounded by slightly turbid currents of air. They differed somewhat from the figures she had once seen flying across the sky, and she could not help gazing at him a moment longer.
Guest Elder Hu merely spared her a fleeting glance, nodded, and strode forward, sighing inwardly:
‘Li Baotuo’s lineage has been mortals for generations, and only now has a first cultivator emerged. How remarkable could her talent possibly be? Li Chengzhi wants me to offer some guidance… what a nuisance.’
Maintaining an aloof posture, his eyes swept over the table, only to find that nothing upon it was fit for his consumption. He said softly, “Tea will suffice.”
The lavish spread Li Baotuo had painstakingly prepared went untouched. Sweating profusely, Li Baotuo ushered him inside and saw him seated in the inner hall. At first, Li Chengzhi exchanged a few pleasantries, to which Guest Elder Hu offered brief replies. But the moment Li Baotuo opened his mouth, the brown-robed man merely lowered his head in silence.
By now, even a fool could perceive Guest Elder Hu’s disdain. The dishes in the hall grew cold, and Li Baotuo’s wife stood helplessly near the end of the room. When all was said and done, Li Baotuo was just a mortal; what could he possibly converse about with an immortal cultivator? The awkwardness left him speechless.
Though Li Shuwan was only six years old, she took it all in and felt a pang of sorrow in her heart. She said softly, “Your daughter takes her leave.”
Li Baotuo let out a breath and was about to stop her, but Li Chengzhi smilingly waved her away. Once Li Shuwan had departed, Guest Elder Hu noticed Li Chengzhi’s dissatisfaction and asked casually:
“May I ask how long it took your daughter to condense her first wisp of spiritual energy?”
Only then did Li Baotuo feel his embarrassment ease slightly. He whispered, “It seemed to take about one shichen.”
Guest Elder Hu froze. Seeing Li Baotuo’s utterly oblivious expression, a wave of shock surged within his heart:
“What?”
***
While the adults spoke in the hall, Li Shuwan wandered alone to the rear courtyard. Several loquat trees stood in the desolate yard. As she strolled among them, the memory of her parents’ helpless, awkward expressions brought tears to her eyes, and she wiped them away.
“That fellow…”
She took two steps, only to run into someone standing in the courtyard, startling her.
“Ah…”
Li Shuwan gasped, her attention immediately captured by the woman before her. Her eyes remained fixed, unable to look away.
The woman wore robes of long plumage, her black hair pinned up with a tiny white blossom hairpin. The green-patterned hem of her skirt flickered with dots of purple light, and a purple haze veiled her eyes as she looked down at the child with a beaming smile.
“You…”
Li Shuwan was left dazed, at a loss for words. The woman naturally caressed her cheek, letting out a soft laugh. Her voice was remarkably crisp and pleasant to the ear:
“Li Shuwan?”
“Yes…”
Li Shuwan nervously clasped her hands behind her back. Knowing that the person before her was certainly a cultivator, she dared not make any sudden movements. Stealing another glance, she noticed that the woman bore no six points of light upon her, but only an undulating, water-like radiance of pure purple.
The celestial-looking woman nodded, her purple eyes turning toward the front courtyard gate, her tone turning slightly cold:
“This Hu Jingye… truly knows how to calculate. Seeing your extraordinary talent, he immediately resorts to threats and inducements, intending to arrange a betrothal between you and his youngest son…”
Strangely enough, the moment this white-robed woman stopped smiling and spoke with that trace of chill, her entire aura shifted completely. A terrifying majesty that inspired dread appeared upon her face, and thunder seemed to rumble and roll amidst the clouds above.
Li Shuwan looked up, faintly perceiving a tinge of purple within the overcast sky. She hurriedly whispered:
“Yet I heard my father say that man is very formidable… some grand figure from the mansion peaks…”
The woman was caught off guard by the child's remark, and the coldness vanished from her face instantly. Her almond eyes curved, like a spring breeze thawing the frost, and she burst into a bright, clear laugh:
“A grand figure indeed!”
Chapter 661