Deliberations

Once Li Ximing uttered those words, Duche felt as though granted a grand amnesty. Sweat poured down his face like rain as he kowtowed nine times before finally withdrawing. "Many thanks to the Real Person for sparing my life!" Li Ximing did not bother to take this minion to task, but the members of the Li clan gave him no pleasant looks. At the foot of the mountain, An Siwei did not spare him a single glance. Knowing better than to linger, Duche retreated down the mountain in trembling terror, fleeing north in panic into the night. Li Ximing sat quietly for a moment before a middle-aged man ascended the stone steps. Draped in glowing feather garments, he carried himself with magnanimous poise. Li Ximing's face finally broke into a smile. Rising from his low table, he went forward to greet him. "Brother Zhi!" Li Xizhi smiled and bowed his head, cupping his hands in salute. "Greetings to Real Person Zhaojing!" "Brother, do not tease me." Now that his own brother had returned, Li Ximing put on none of the airs of a Violet Palace cultivator. Acting just as he always had, he pulled Li Xizhi down to sit beside him and said with warm concern, "You have had a hard time in the sect all these years, Brother. You and Zhouwei have shouldered the family with all your might. Over the past decade, we have not lost a single person or inch of land, and many have achieved Foundation Establishment. It is all thanks to your efforts." "Most of the credit belongs to Zhouwei." Li Xizhi demurred with a shake of his head, a look of worry crossing his face. He lowered his voice. "I have just returned from the ancestral hall. Uncle Yuanqin is still offering sacrifices to our late grand-uncle... but I ran into that man from Baiyedu Immortal Dao fleeing in panic. Has something happened?" "Indeed..." Li Ximing fell silent. Li Xizhi spoke again: "Ye Gui, the Real Person of Baiyedu Immortal Dao, is in the mid Violet Palace stage and cultivates the rare Shaoyin lineage. He will not be easy to deal with... Furthermore, I noticed Changxiao Gate did not attend the banquet. That sect truly harbors enmity against our family... Changxiaozi's divine ability is formidable; we must remain vigilant." Li Ximing nodded. After waiting a short while, Li Zhouwei arrived riding a streak of light and bowed to both of them. Only then did Li Ximing push forward the jade box, frowning. "This is Baiyedu Immortal Dao's congratulatory gift." Both men inspected it with their spiritual sense and exchanged a glance, their expressions darkening. Li Zhouwei said in a deep voice, "Reporting to the Real Person, Wenhu remains by the riverbank and has not been recalled to Mount Baiye. He still conducts daily affairs in his cave. Either he knows nothing about this, or he has something to rely upon." Li Xizhi stayed silent for a breath. Seeing that Li Ximing did not speak, the elder brother of the Xi-Yue generation spoke prudently, his enunciation crisp and clear: "I heard that Situ Ku of Tangjin Gate is still held at the Qingdu Water Manor. Has Tangjin Gate sent anyone over?" "They have not," Li Zhouwei answered, his expression solemn. "Situ Mo is a ruthless, venomous man who cares nothing for Situ Ku's life. Unless the Real Person brings Situ Ku directly to his doorstep, he will keep playing dumb, pretending the man never existed." Li Xizhi then said, "The matter with Tangjin Gate came first and remains unsettled, while Jinyu Sect behind them shows no intention of mediating. Baiyedu Immortal Dao is also north of the river, in cahoots with Tangjin Gate. Our family has no foundation north of the river, and a mighty dragon cannot crush a local serpent—not to mention that Real Person Ye Gui is by no means weak..." "That is the first point." "Secondly, regardless of Changxiaozi's true motives, Changxiao Gate already harbors grievances against our family. He is far more terrifying than Baiyedu Immortal Dao. He keeps quiet, but who knows what venomous plot he might be hatching? Our family should not act rashly." Li Zhouwei glanced at Li Ximing. The present Real Person Zhaojing nodded gently and agreed, "What Brother says is very true..." Li Ximing paused slightly before continuing, "This Duche is a smart man who dared not enter the banquet. If he had humiliated me in public, his life would certainly have been forfeit. I deliberately did not let him come onto the island either, but met him here on Mount Zhijing... Meeting him alone was also to avoid causing a scene that would embarrass our clan. "However..." Li Ximing let out a heavy sigh. "All of this is merely stalling for time. Changxi will perish soon. Neither Ye Gui nor Changxiao is in a rush; both fear Changxi's dying retaliation. They are simply waiting for Changxi to die, at which point Xuanyue Gate will immediately become a glaring weakness, allowing them to deal with our family with ease." Li Xizhi was alarmed. His brow furrowed tightly as he asked in a low voice, "To think the rumors were true... How much lifespan does the Real Person have left?" Li Ximing exhaled. "His words were very vague, but it seems he has less than three to five years." "Is that not practically overnight!" To Foundation Establishment cultivators, three to five years was merely the span of a single closed-door meditation! Hearing this news, Li Xizhi's mood instantly darkened. He replied, "And Xuanyue still wishes to entrust itself to our family... That makes things even more difficult! We must defend the river's north, yet also tend to the wilderness and Xuanyue." Li Xizhi could raise no objection to this. When he had strayed into the territory of the dragonkind years ago, it was Xuanyue that covered for him. He choked up for a moment before saying in a deep voice, "We cannot give up the north of the river... The territory around Fuyun Cave must remain in our clan's grasp." All three understood that once the Li clan withdrew from north of the river, the next step would be the Mifan Three Sects attempting to meddle with the northern shore of Lake Wangyue. Facing Changxiaozi alongside Ye Gui, the pressure would be terrifying. *The north shore must never be endangered.* A Violet Palace immortal clan incapable of even defending a single commandery would inevitably become a laughingstock. Meanwhile, Qingchi behind the Li clan... would surely be delighted to see such a spectacle. The Si family desperately hoped the Li clan would fall into dire straits and bow their heads once more to beg Qingchi for help. Once that happened, the nature of everything would change completely. The Li family was different from the Xiao family. Xiao Chuting had achieved the Violet Palace through a fate divine ability; the demonic disaster had required his aid, and he was an exceptionally formidable figure in his own right, leaving him with no lingering worries as he severed his vassalage to Qingchi completely. Though Li Ximing had broken through, he had preserved an avenue of retreat without cutting ties cleanly. Li Xizhi had not left Qingchi either, keeping things ambiguous, so that nominally they were still an immortal clan under Qingchi. Once they begged Qingchi for aid, it would no longer be merely nominal. Everything would be laid bare and confirmed, truly reducing them to vassals of another. A moment of silence hung over the mountain. Li Xizhi asked, "Did Real Person Chuting give any instructions?" Li Ximing organized his thoughts and answered, "The Real Person hinted that I could sever ties with Xuanyue. That might not be his genuine thought, perhaps only a test. But looking at the broader situation, he never takes anyone's side, and he already shows signs of stepping aside." He lowered his voice. "Unless our family throws our lot in with either Jinyu or Hengzhu... but how is turning to Jinyu any different from bowing to Qingchi? Hengzhu is far to the south and can at most be drawn in as an ally, yet Hengzhu has no shortage of enemies either!" Unless pushed to the absolute brink, Li Ximing would never consider siding with either of those sects. He poured a cup of tea and sighed, "Once these three to five years pass, our situation is bound to become dire." Beside them, Li Zhouwei raised his brows, cupped his fists, and said in a resolute voice, "Reporting to the Real Person... In this junior's view, Ye Gui and Changxiao are waiting for Real Person Changxi to fall and are making no moves, but we cannot simply sit by and await our doom. "Why not take advantage of Real Person Changxi still being around to resolve the affairs north of the river first? Deal a vicious blow to Tangjin Gate and Baiyedu Immortal Dao... and secure our footing north of the river..." Li Ximing nodded. "I understand your meaning, but that would amount to nothing more than seizing most of the territory belonging to the two Mifan sects... Could that really inflict any substantial losses on Baiyedu Immortal Dao? As for Tangjin Gate, Jinyu backs them, so we can only demand reparations; we cannot act rashly against them. "Once Changxi dies, how could we hold such vast territory belonging to the two Mifan sects? Losing it would take no time at all." Li Xizhi remained silent, but Li Zhouwei replied with ringing conviction: "Real Person! Taking one step forward today grants us one more step to retreat tomorrow! Even if the territory we cede falls back into Baiyedu Immortal Dao's hands... it will be picked clean down to barren earth, which is far better than leaving it under their control from start to finish..." Li Zhouwei said solemnly, "Moreover, the situation is gradually deteriorating for our family. Right now, it is Baiyedu Immortal Dao that wishes to maintain stability, while our Li clan seeks change. Only through chaos can change arise. Over three to five years of struggle, who knows how many variables might emerge? "Regardless of how things develop in the future, it is far better than doing nothing, clinging solely to the Fuyun Cave territory and waiting for death!" Li Ximing exchanged a glance with his elder brother and nodded decisively. "Good..." Li Ximing then stood up and said solemnly, "The affairs north of the river are entirely entrusted to Minghuang! If you have any requests, do not hesitate to raise them with me. I will go see Changxi. With leverage over Wenhu in our clan's hands, much can be accomplished!" He lightly shook his sleeve, and a spread of jade boxes, stone cases, and various spiritual materials materialized on the table. Li Ximing simply said, "The congratulatory gifts from the various families are all here, including several magical artifacts. Minghuang, take them down first and divide them with Cheng and the others." Li Zhouwei respectfully voiced his thanks and gathered everything up. Just as he was about to take his leave, Li Xizhi also produced two jade boxes and said softly, "Qingchi's congratulatory gift is the recipe for the Suiyuan Pill, which is with the Real Person. These two magical artifacts are from my personal collection. They are not particularly precious, but add them to the family's reserves for now." Li Zhouwei bowed in gratitude and flew off on a beam of light. Li Xizhi sighed with regret: "It is a pity that I am, after all, a peak master of Qingchi... Qingchi will not allow me to act as I please." Li Ximing waved his hand. "It has been hard on you, Brother... You also need to put the Si family's mind at ease. Moreover... if you were to sever ties with Qingchi, should Chi Buzi hold people accountable in the future, the Si and Linggu lineages would certainly pin everything on our family, giving him free rein to wipe us out without reservation. It is still necessary to maintain your official affiliation." Having said this, his expression grew grave, and he said in a heavy voice, "However, there is one matter I must tell you, Brother. It is of grave importance!" Li Xizhi turned serious as well, listening as Li Ximing said, "Yang Tianya broke through to the Violet Palace long ago! He has hidden it for decades!" Li Xizhi was thoroughly stunned, raising his head in disbelief. Li Ximing immediately recounted everything concerning the people from the Underworld. Li Xizhi fell into deep contemplation, speaking only after a long silence: "The Yang clan harbors grand ambitions." Hearing that Yang Tianya had long since broken through to the Violet Palace, Li Xizhi understood everything in his heart. From the feather garment Yang Xiao'er gifted him that protected him time and again, to the talisman Yang Ruizao gave him that made Tuoba Chongyuan hesitate for a moment, to even the marriage alliance discussed between Yuan Tuan and the Yang family, and the sudden shift in the Chi family's circumstances—faint traces and echoes of it all fell into place. "I understand." Seeing that Li Xizhi grasped the situation, Li Ximing said no more on the subject. Setting it aside, Li Xizhi soon asked, "Which seniors does the Real Person plan to visit?" This was a troublesome matter. Li Ximing had already prepared himself somewhat and replied, "The first is naturally Real Person Yuanxiu. The second... is Senior Xiao. As for the third... I am in a dilemma." Li Xizhi was slightly surprised and asked, "Senior Tu Long..." Li Ximing shook his head. "Real Person Chuting told me that he does not want to get entangled. Even if I go, I will not be granted an audience." Li Xizhi immediately understood and began listing them off: "There is no need to visit Xuanyue; Changxi no longer cares about such formalities. As for Xueji, Changxiao, and Ziyan, none of them need to be considered. That leaves Sword Sect, Jinyu, Hengzhu, and Xiukui." Jinyu and Hengzhu posed a dilemma. Whichever one he visited would cause great offense: going to Jinyu would offend Hengli, while going to Hengzhu would offend Tianque. Yet on the surface, both sects had treated the Li clan quite well. "Tianque and Hengli are not easily fooled. If you visit either of the other two instead, it will inevitably breed dissatisfaction..." Li Ximing said, "In fact, I could also make a trip to Sword Sect. Our clan's senior had his sword intent recorded in the sword tome; visiting under the pretext of paying respects to our forebear's sword intent would not be seen as a mere brush-off." Not knowing much about these affairs, Li Xizhi said no more on the matter, only reminding him, "Uncle Yuanqin has arrived. You and I still ought to meet with him." *** Pingya Island. Inside the great hall, light shone brightly in all directions. Dressed in blue-gray robes, Li Xuanxuan sat upright in the center as two figures entered from outside. Leading the way was a woman of Foundation Establishment cultivation, appearing in her forties with lingering charm. Dressed in white Daoist robes and adorned with green jade, her face still bore traces of the beauty of her youth, though she had not used magic power to maintain her appearance, intentionally letting age show. Behind her was a spirited young man in black, likewise at Foundation Establishment. His magic power was not particularly profound, but the contours of his brow and eyes were sharp. The woman curtsied gently and said respectfully, "Hemian greets elder brother!" Li Xuanxuan hurriedly helped her up, his eyes showing a trace of emotion as he looked at the two of them. He nodded and said, "Sister-in-law... In years past, I never had the chance to meet you..." "Yuanqin pays respects to Uncle!" Li Xuanxuan was visibly aged, and Li Yuanqin treated him with great courtesy. The old man quickly helped him up and examined him closely, his eyes reddening slightly as he murmured, "Truly, so very alike..." It was unclear whether he meant Li Xuanfeng or Li Xiangping. Li Yuanqin listened in silence as Li Xuanxuan said repeatedly, "Of our family's four branches, the Shu branch has long been vacant... Now that you have returned, Yuanqin, there is no need to leave. Reclaim your place and fill out the next generation, so that my uncle's incense and lineage may be carried on." Li Yuanqin hesitated without answering, so Ning Hemian spoke up. She said softly, "Elder Brother, my own elder brother lacked good judgment and brought about his own death, cutting short his entire branch without leaving a single heir. "Fortunately, our clan brother Ning Heyuan left behind an orphan, though the child is still too young to accomplish anything. The Ning family relies entirely on Qin'er to keep it afloat... At a time like this... it truly is difficult for him to return..." Li Xuanxuan was struck speechless. There was little he could say to Ning Hemian's words. Moreover, Li Yuanqin had grown up within the sect since childhood and felt little attachment to the Li clan, harboring no intention of staying in the first place. As he hesitated, celestial light streamed in from outside the hall, resolving into two men—one clad in platinum Daoist robes, the other in radiant feather garments. They came to a halt within the hall, and Li Yuanqin immediately cupped his hands to bow: "Greetings to Real Person Zhaojing and Master of Jiutian Pavilion." Li Xizhi would never dare let him bow and helped him up. Having overheard the exchange, he urged, "Uncle... there is no one in our family's Shu branch; we still need you to support it... If our late grand-uncle could see this today, he would also wish for you to remain with the clan..." Li Ximing took up the thread, saying solemnly, "This junior is about to pay respects to Real Person Yuanxiu. As long as you give the word, Uncle, you need not worry about anything else." Hearing them both speak, Li Yuanqin only replied respectfully, "Above, our clan has Real Person Zhaojing and Master of Jiutian Pavilion, as well as Daoists such as Minghuang and Cheng; it is as stable as Mount Tai. My maternal Ning clan teeters on the brink of collapse, and my mother cannot support it alone. I am afraid I cannot return to the clan. Please forgive me." His expression was resolute, and Ning Hemian also pleaded on his behalf. Li Xuanxuan could only shake his head with a sigh and see them off. Li Ximing waited in the courtyard for a while before Li Xizhi returned riding the rosy mist, sighing, "The inability to make the four branches whole will likely remain Grandfather's regret." Li Ximing merely said, "Once Uncle has offspring, we can take one back... Even a mortal would do. The family will know no peace hereafter; it is just as well that he remains in Qingchi."