Aboard the Xiaguang cloud boat, Li Yuanqin stood on deck, watching the pitch-black night winds sweep beneath the rosy glow. His mother, Ning Hemian, stood beside him. After a long silence, Ning Hemian asked, "With the Southern Border at peace from now on, staying on the lake wouldn't be bad either."
"It would be difficult."
Li Yuanqin shook his head. "Li Zhouwei is a genius, and Li Cheng is an outstanding figure of his time. For one, my strength is modest; for another, I share little bond of kinship with them. Even if Real Person Zhaojing attained the Violet Palace and is willing to acknowledge someone young as an elder, the factions in the clan would hardly hold me in high regard.
"If an elder of astonishingly high generational rank suddenly appears out of nowhere and is younger than them, anyone would be disgruntled. Going back would only bring humiliation, yielding at best an idle post... out of sight, out of mind. Once there, it would be difficult to return, and I would offend so many people in the process.
"Preserving this goodwill for now leaves plenty of room to accomplish things within the sect. Being able to advance or retreat as needed—isn't that far better than staying with the Li family?"
Ning Hemian understood the truth in his words and sighed. "Li Xuanxuan was truly sincere; he looked upon you as his own junior."
"Indeed," Li Yuanqin agreed, nodding. "Eldest Uncle was exceedingly warm toward me, but he is merely a Qi Refinement cultivator. An old man has soft ears, lacks influence, and is easily swayed. If I truly went to the clan, he could hardly support me.
"The Li family appears harmonious, but under heaven there is no clan or sect where every matter remains peaceful. It is only because discipline is strict, the elders are in their prime, and the gap in strength between generations is stark that it looks so tranquil."
Leaning against the stern, he looked toward the bright moon in the sky and remarked casually, "Moving forward, the Li clan will not have peaceful days either. Still, this was what Father cared about with all his heart; I will help wherever I can."
Ning Hemian nodded and asked, "Shenbai has already been brought to the Southern Border. Should it be returned?"
Li Yuanqin paused, then shook his head. "No need. In all of vast Qingchi, not a single person has gained this bow's recognition. Si Yuanli pulled it himself, and his hands bled the moment he let go. Leaving it at Qingchi is fine; whenever the Li family produces the right talent in the future, they can retrieve it."
***
Li Zhouwei descended Mount Zhijing. Chen Yang stood waiting at the foot of the mountain. Li Zhouwei instructed, "Go invite the Daoists back to the isle to discuss important matters."
Chen Yang acknowledged the order and sped away. Riding his light, Li Zhouwei landed in the hall, just as An Siwei hurried forward and reported respectfully, "Reporting to the Family Head, Tian Zhongqing entered secluded cultivation a few days ago to attempt a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment."
Li Zhouwei was slightly surprised, then nodded. "Quite the courage."
Tian Zhongqing was a clan veteran who had once served under Li Xuanxuan's eldest son, Li Yuanxiu. By now, he was a full one hundred and five years old! Having spent most of his life in late-stage Qi Refinement, he was one of the few cultivators of an outside surname to return alive from north of the river.
His chances of breaking through to Foundation Establishment were pitifully slim, but seeing the old man willing to make one last attempt, Li Zhouwei naturally said nothing to dissuade him. Calculating the time, he asked, "It has been about seven years since Li Wen went into seclusion, hasn't it?"
An Siwei nodded.
The Li family's minor branch had not split off from the four lineages with cultivation legacies, so their aptitude was low. Li Wen was already the foremost among the minor branch. Though unable to attempt Foundation Establishment at sixty, having taken a Suiyuan Pill, his prospects were far better than Tian Zhongqing's.
"Seven years is rather long... He is in danger."
Li Zhouwei still remembered that loyal, honest man who stood daily by the hall entrance holding two melon maces. Feeling a touch of regret, he mused, *He cultivates the Court-Knocking Palace Guard Incantation and is in seclusion within a spiritual jade mine. Jade is flourishing in this world; he should have had a fair degree of certainty...*
While Li Zhouwei pondered, Li Minggong and several others landed in the hall one after another. Li Minggong was clad in a red dress, and Li Cheng wore silver armor beneath a black robe. Once they had taken their places, Li Zhouwei picked up a stone box from the table and gently opened it.
Inside lay a delicate hexagonal lamp, brass in color and painted with bright red patterns of true fire. Li Zhouwei handed it to Li Minggong with a smile. "Aunt, this is the Hexagonal Scarlet Flame Lamp gifted by Jinyu. It is a fairly good Foundation Establishment magical artifact; take it for your use."
Li Minggong thanked him repeatedly and received it with delight. The gifts from the two sects suited their status: Qingchi's pill recipe for the Suiyuan Pill was indeed precious, but somewhat opportunistic, whereas the Hexagonal Scarlet Flame Lamp was truly practical.
The rest were offerings from the Seven Gates. Excluding Xueji and Changxiao, there were five items in total. Li Zhouwei retrieved the jade bottle sent by Hengzhu and placed it in Li Minggong's hands. "These gates have put thought into this. Although Pure Feather Lihuo is not true fire, it is Luan-fire, which accords with the Zhili path. Take it for now, Aunt."
Li Minggong felt a bit embarrassed to accept so much, but seeing his furrowed brow, she took it. Li Zhouwei then drew out the long, narrow jade box sent by the Sword Sect. Looking closely, it held a Foundation Establishment spirit sword called Dark Sea Serpent.
"In our family, only Uncle Chenghuai wields a sword... and he has not yet emerged from seclusion..."
Li Zhouwei could only set it aside for now. Ziyan Gate's Queyan Pill Book had already been accepted by Li Ximing. What remained were the Bintu Spirit Shield and Qindi Boots presented by Xuanyue Gate.
Xuanyue Gate had requests to make of them, after all, so their gifts were far heavier. Li Zhouwei brought out the two artifacts. The Bintu Spirit Shield was formed from gathered earth and stone, inscribed with patterns of a spirit tortoise. The Qindi Boots were splendid and ornate, woven with traces of rosy light—a bona fide artifact of Earth Virtue.
"Surging lightning is buried in earth... Uncle Cheng cannot use these two."
Li Zhouwei picked up the Qindi Boots and placed them in An Siwei's hands. The middle-aged man was utterly stunned, clearly having never imagined he would receive a magical artifact himself. Li Zhouwei cut off his words of gratitude. "These boots replenish magical power upon touching the ground and also grant a boost of speed. Protector, you can refine them later; first, head immediately to the riverbank and deliver the Bintu Spirit Shield to the White Ape. Nothing could suit him better."
An Siwei nodded hastily and rushed out with brisk, light steps, visibly thrilled. Li Zhouwei then produced the congratulatory gift from Xiukui Abbey: a talisman dense with intricate patterns. Li Zhouwei smiled. "This is a Mountain Ghost Talisman, possessing the strength of Foundation Establishment. In our hands, using it bit by bit would merely deplete it, which would be a complete waste. I will leave it to Que Wan; she should be able to gain something from it."
Li Cheng looked at it closely. For him, it was not even a matter of depleting it bit by bit—he could not use it at all. He chuckled and shook his head.
Having gone through the gifts of the Three Sects and Seven Gates, Li Zhouwei finally took out Tujun Gate's *Miaodai Art Transformations*. It detailed a method of gathering and ingesting Lihuo and earthly baleful qi to cultivate a breath of earthfire baleful qi that could be exhaled to force others to reveal their true forms.
"True Master Junjian attained divine abilities. Tujun Gate draws from both earthfire and cold baleful qi, renowned for refining baleful qi."
Li Zhouwei hesitated for a breath. Earthfire baleful qi was likewise something Li Cheng could not cultivate, so it could only be given to Li Minggong for study.
Now, only a single jade box remained on the table. Li Zhouwei opened it casually to find a pair of rounded, dark-gold ring-plates resting in the center. No thicker than a thumb and the size of a palm, they emanated a metallic chill.
"Chengyun Gate's White Shadow Gold Clasps..."
Li Zhouwei felt a wave of helplessness. He looked at Li Cheng and hesitated. Li Minggong suppressed a chuckle and remarked, "Isn't this a bit too much of a coincidence?"
The dashing youth in silver armor and a black robe was equally embarrassed. Taking it in stride, he merely laughed. "Remnant lightning settles upon metal. As an item of Dui-metal... I am fine on ordinary days, but if I were ever injured, I would instead suffer harm from my own artifact's metallic chill..."
Chapter 700