Billows rolled across the Reef Sea as a massive vessel sailed through the sky. A youth in black robes stood at the prow, both hands tucked inside his sleeves.
In the center stood a white-haired old man with sharply raised, fierce eyebrows. Draped from head to toe in gold and jade, dazzling magical radiance coursed over him, instantly marking him as a direct descendant of the Chi family.
Guest officials lined both flanks in two rows, all clad in gleaming spirit armor and brandishing magnificent dharma artifacts—axes, sabers, spears, and staves. There were three on each side, and not a single one possessed a cultivation lower than mid Foundation Establishment.
*What an imposing display. It's arranged specifically for Li Xizhi!*
At the center, Chi Buhua was advanced in years, his hair streaked white. Surrounded by the Foundation Establishment cultivators, an anxious look flickered across his face. He peered out over the sea every now and then, finally speaking in a heavy voice:
"Why haven't we arrived yet!"
"Rest easy, Senior!"
Li Yuanqin chuckled and remarked casually, "There is more than enough time. The monk dispatched by Ning Hejing may be formidable, but Li Xizhi cultivates the Dao of Rosy Glow; his life won't be taken so easily."
Chi Buhua glanced at the black-robed youth, a glimmer of satisfaction finally surfacing as he nodded. "Earlier, we misunderstood you. You deserve immense credit for this matter!"
The Chi Buhua before him held considerable standing, so Li Yuanqin merely responded with courteous modesty.
Chi Zhihu was rash, impulsive, and overbearing, frequently ruining matters. While Chi Fupo ostensibly respected him as an elder, in his heart he actually looked down on him with profound distaste.
Only Chi Buhua was Chi Fupo's capable right-hand man. Not only did he act with steady caution, but his cultivation was also the highest in the Chi family, which was why he was privy to the inner workings of this plot.
The old man raised his eyebrows and said leisurely, "The Lingu family is bogged down by the demonic turmoil in the South Sea, Si Tongyi has been kept on Qingsong Island by Ning Hejing, and every member of the Si family is under our surveillance. Li Xizhi has truly become an abandoned pawn!"
Chi Fupo was by no means lacking in ability. Ever since Si Yuanli went into secluded cultivation, the forces of the various families had been under his watch. Daring to send Chi Buhua here meant he held at least a ninety percent certainty and numerous contingency plans to keep the Si and Lingu families completely pinned down.
Even so, Chi Fupo had still deployed six Peak Masters alongside Chi Buhua, whose late Foundation Establishment cultivation ran deep. Chi Zhihu's grand array contained hidden depths and formidable might; even if there were an outside chance that Lingu Lanying and Si Tongyi were present, relying on the array would still suffice to suppress all three.
"Zhihu knows nothing of this and entered the board in person, which was the only reason the Si family believed it. Now, unless Perfected Yuanxiu arrives here in the flesh, there is no longer any room for maneuvering!"
The only thing Chi Buhua was anxious and fearful about was that the monk and Chi Zhihu might kill Li Xizhi ahead of time, which would leave them in an awkward spot...
*The Li family still possesses plenty of Violet Palace goodwill. If Li Xizhi is killed, we would likely have to sacrifice quite a few people to appease their wrath. It would be best to capture him and force Si Yuanli to back down...*
By now, Chi Buhua was no longer worried that Perfected Yuanxiu would actually intervene:
*The Perfected One must have given his tacit consent. He wants to target the Li family and test the waters... Otherwise, things would never have reached this state. How passive it would be; even if he stepped forward now to protect Li Xizhi, he would lose all face!*
*Even taking ten thousand steps back, if Li Xizhi truly is protected... at most we return home. Could the Perfected One really execute several of us?*
All these signs made it an ironclad certainty. Ning Hejing's scheme was clumsy, and Chi Fupo had only acted by turning the scheme against him; otherwise, why would he make a move?
As the old man pondered in secret, Li Yuanqin stood respectfully at his side, his mind wandering through an entirely different realm.
*Chi Fupo truly wants Chi Zhihu dead...*
Chi Buhua knew only half the story. That direct descendant junior of his was no gentle soul. Chi Fupo had long tampered with the formation in secret so that once activated, it allowed entry but no exit. He had also sent the Taiyu Sword and Wen Liuguang away early on...
As for Monk Liaokong, Chi Fupo was even more certain that this man would not give his full effort!
*Liaokong wants to harm the Li family. He must have Li Xizhi kill Chi Zhihu... Even if Li Xizhi refuses, he will help Li Xizhi do the deed. Only with this crime pinned on him can he take the lives of the Wei Li clan... Ning Hejing's thinking was far too naive!*
With all these factors compounded, Chi Fupo was practically praying for his uncle to die by Li Xizhi's hand!
*There is no other reason: if the two only traded blows, no matter how much black was painted as white, capturing Li Xizhi would at most result in him being locked beneath the pagoda...*
*Yet once lives are on the line, once Chi Zhihu dies by Li Xizhi's hand, Li Xizhi will be stripped of any defense, and that alone will cost him his life! Only then can this become a razor-sharp sword pointed straight at the Si family!*
Looking across all the figures of the Chi family, Chi Fupo was undoubtedly the most ruthless and far-sighted. Though he had never met Monk Liaokong, based purely on his assessment of the board, their interests had implicitly aligned!
Thoughts raced through Li Yuanqin's mind, yet he held his arms crossed quietly, uttering not a word.
*The Si family is even willing to push the Li family out... Just what are they thinking?*
Li Yuanqin's thoughts turned grim. Through the shimmering azure water, he seemed to see Si Yuanli's honest, placid face.
*Does the Si family want to overthrow the Chi family and divide Qingchi between themselves, the Li, and the Lingu?*
*Hardly!*
Li Yuanqin suddenly arrived at an epiphany:
*How many Foundation Establishment cultivators does the Si family even have?*
Only two could be put forward! And how much lifespan did Yuanxiu have left?
*How many Foundation Establishment cultivators do the Li and Lingu families have? Leaving aside Li Xizhi, the Changtian Peak Master, Li Ximing is at late Foundation Establishment and an alchemical prodigy, while Li Zhouwei is a Mingyang child the likes of which hasn't been seen in a century...*
The youth's expression darkened.
*More importantly... the Li family connects with Violet Palace figures everywhere. Li Xuanfeng and Li Qinghong urged Si Yuanli to strike at the Chi family. Did Si Yuanli truly fail to notice their private motives? When Yuanxiu was treated as a pawn, did he truly harbor no thoughts about it?*
*And what of the Lingu family? Lingu Lanying may not be a genius, but are her methods any weaker? The Lingu family colludes with the Xiukui Violet Palace, keeping bandits alive in the South Sea to boost their own importance, and leveraged the grievances of Jiangnan's cultivators along the river to coerce Si Yuanli. How could that not arouse wariness?!*
*Is this the Qingchi Sect that Si Yuanli wants to inherit?*
In Li Yuanqin's view, the seat of authority in the Qingchi Sect was an immortal throne bristling with sharp thorns. Among them, the sharpest was the Li family, and the most venomous was the Lingu family. The Si family had sparse bloodlines—how much lifespan did Yuanxiu have left?! If Si Yuanli took the seat under such conditions, who would stage a usurpation once Yuanxiu passed away? The Li? Or the Lingu?
His perspective vaulted higher in an instant. Faintly, that honest face of Si Yuanli—dull almost to the point of sluggishness—became transparent, and behind it stood the grim, unsmiling silhouette of that Violet Palace Perfected cultivator.
*Be it Chi Fupo... or Chi Xuxiao, they are all shears... all battleaxes... They dare not touch the main trunk of the Si family, so they can only serve the Si family by chopping away those two poisoned thorns, the Li and the Lingu...*
*Once the Li clan declines and the Lingu clan loses the South Sea, when the crowd of cultivators trembles in fear, Si Yuanli will feign heartbreak, loudly decrying the Chi family's harsh treatment of peak masters and poisoning of the prominent clans. He will step out of secluded cultivation like a savior to take their place.*
*Then he will treat both clans generously, console the various peaks, and eliminate all future troubles! When that time comes, even if both families realize something is amiss and harbor suspicions, what could they possibly do?*
Showing no emotion on his face, a massive shock roared through his heart:
*Brilliant! So that's how it is!*
The moment this thought clicked, all the bizarre actions of the Si family instantly resolved themselves. Yet amidst this sudden realization, he felt not the slightest sense of relief—only a bottomless chill.
The thought flashed past in an instant. The youth adjusted his black robe, feeling a chill run down his neck, and could not help reaching up to touch his throat. Chi Buhua was staring at him and immediately asked:
"What is it?"
*What is it? Checking if my head is still attached, of course...*
Li Yuanqin cursed inwardly, dreading that some talisman light might suddenly flash by and sever his head in an instant. Outwardly, he simply smiled warmly. "Thank you for your concern, my lord. I merely feel it is rather cold here."
"Cold..."
Chi Buhua burst into hearty laughter, realization dawning as he sighed, "The Reef Sea Dragon King cultivates the Dao of Cold Qi and has turned the seabed into an ice crystal blessed land. It is naturally somewhat colder here. If you fly further ahead, you will even see icebergs!"
He turned back rather gently toward the men on either side and chuckled, "Look at me, forgetting that Yuanqin is still a Qi Refinement cultivator. We Foundation Establishment cultivators naturally sense nothing—an oversight on my part!"
Inside the grand array, Chi Zhihu was besieging Li Xizhi to frame him for murder; Li Yuanqin's testimony would be indispensable. Chi Buhua kept this firmly in mind:
*After all, this Li Yuanqin is Li Xizhi's clan uncle, an important figure. Though we don't fear him recanting his testimony... he still must be won over properly.*
Li Yuanqin deflected the gesture with smooth pleasantries and turned away. After the spirit vessel flew for a few breaths, the talisman in Chi Buhua's hand suddenly flared with bright light, pointing toward the north.
"Found him!"
Chi Buhua was overjoyed. He steered the spirit vessel to alter course and pursue. Seeing only empty air ahead, the old man circulated an ocular technique, swiftly forming hand seals and pressing his hands over his eyes.
A bright yellow grand array then revealed itself, cloaking the sea. Chi Buhua's delight deepened, and he said in a deep voice:
"Just ahead!"
Watching this unfold, Li Yuanqin's heart sank.
*The old bastard has lived long, and his foundation is far too deep. Practicing a formidable ocular technique is one thing, but he even has a specialized technique that cups the eyes to enhance it...*
Such specialized techniques were only useful in rare situations; that he had cultivated even this was proof of his profound mastery over arts. Though Li Yuanqin's cultivation was modest, his breadth of knowledge was not. A single glance was enough to make his chest tighten:
*It seems Chi Zhihu isn't dead. The old bastard is formidable enough on his own, and now there are six more Foundation Establishment cultivators... Liaokong stepping in, backed by the grand array... there are too many variables...*
Though his face remained as calm as an ancient well, anxiety churned within him. Seeing everyone prepare to disembark from the vessel and enter the array, Li Yuanqin wracked his brains and whispered:
"Senior, hold on!"
At such a delicate juncture, before Chi Buhua could speak, a Chi family guest official beside him narrowed his eyes, casting a fierce glare his way.
These members of the Chi family had always been arrogant. Tolerating Li Yuanqin's meddling was already giving face to Chi Buhua; how could they allow him to boss seven Foundation Establishment cultivators around with a single word? Just as the man opened his mouth to scold him, the old man hurriedly stopped him and asked gently:
"Yuanqin, what is the matter?"
Chi Buhua was quite courteous. For one, Li Yuanqin was useful and shrewd, often playing an unexpected role. For another, in his view, delaying their entry into the array was entirely pointless.
*Even if Li Yuanqin harbored wicked intentions and wished to save his clan nephew, he should have entered the array ahead of time. Delaying things... will only cost his clan nephew's life!*
Thus, he showed leniency. A look of doubt appeared on Li Yuanqin's face as he murmured, "Senior, firstly, I worry that people from the other two families are still lingering nearby. Secondly... I worry that because Li Xuanfeng visited the Daning Palace, Li Xizhi might carry a Violet Palace talisman on him."
"A Violet Palace talisman?"
Chi Buhua paused, unable to resist asking, "What of it?"
"I only fear he might use the talisman to escape the array... If we swarm in all at once and allow him to slip away, his rosy glow is swift, leaving us with nothing but regret."
He smoothed out his words and added softly, "Capturing him is well within our grasp. Wouldn't it be better to leave someone outside? In case he uses a Violet Palace talisman to breach the array, we can still seize him."
Chi Buhua frowned upon hearing this. Escaping Violet Palace talismans of that nature were exceedingly rare, capable of traversing through the Great Void to bypass arrays. The Qingchi Sect possessed only a few, all in the hands of Perfected Yuanxiu, save for one held by Sect Master Chi Zhiyun and another belonging to the deceased Chi Zhiyan.
*Li Xizhi possesses such a treasure? Isn't that making a mountain out of a molehill?!*
Suspicion crept into the old man's heart as he stared at him heavily. Li Yuanqin paused for a breath, and seeing that he had indeed hooked his suspicion, he finally hesitated before saying:
"My lord... in truth, this array permits entry but no exit... I fear that if we enter en masse... we might fall into a trap!"
A truth cloaked in partial concealment was always far more enticing. Hearing these words, the old man froze, a tremendous shock tearing through his chest. Chi Buhua was old and experienced; with this slight nudge, a moment's reflection was all it took for him to comprehend. He gasped in horror:
"He wants to use Zhihu's life..."
The old man cut himself off halfway through. His face darkened swiftly as he drew a deep breath into his lungs, raising his chin, closing his eyes, and knitting his brows. The wrinkles on his face bunched together like dried bark, and he sighed:
"Then... let us wait a little longer."
He waited where he stood. The movements inside the grand array had already fallen silent, with only occasional specks of flowing light flaring up—a clear sign that the cultivators inside had already finished off their opponents.
"Good..."
Chi Buhua clenched his teeth like iron, exhaled a breath, and coldly commanded:
"You six stand guard outside. If something goes awry with me inside, I will shatter my jade pendant. Three of you are to enter, while the remaining three act according to their jade pendants..."
All six acknowledged the order. Chi Buhua's aged face twitched slightly. Seeing Li Yuanqin standing respectfully by his side, a flicker of doubt crossed his sullen countenance:
*Viewed from this angle, could this boy... be colluding with Li Xizhi, trying to buy him some breathing room with this maneuver...?*
*And where is Liaokong...? Since Zhihu was murdered, that monk should be inside the array contending with Li Xizhi...*
He stared heavily at Li Yuanqin, a trace of ruthlessness rising in the depths of his eyes:
*This serves as a fine opportunity to test him...*
Chi Buhua suddenly broke into a smile and shook his head. "As for Yuanqin... why not accompany me inside? You are Li Xizhi's clan uncle, the perfect person to persuade him to surrender, saving us the trouble of entering and exiting!"
Li Yuanqin caught the implication, nodded, and cupped his fists. "I shall naturally obey!"
"Good..."
Chi Buhua laughed heartily and brought him to his side with magic power. Looking at the youth's calm demeanor, he felt everything was clearly within his grasp:
*Since Li Xizhi is a member of the Li family, how could he disobey his clan uncle's command...? Even if he pretends not to hear, he will still have to divert attention to protect Li Yuanqin... Could he possibly bear the infamy of slaying his own clan uncle? That gives him an added weakness!*
*Even if he proves stone-hearted and completely unswayed, proving the two are not colluding, I can simply summon three guest officials inside—one to guard Li Yuanqin, and the remaining two alongside me will easily subdue Li Xizhi. What is more, he still faces his mortal foe, Liaokong! Even if Li Qinghong were here, she would be helpless, let alone this man!*
Chapter 681