Chen Yang, his face beaming with joy, replied:
"Duxian Dao withdrew overnight, vanishing without a trace. The entire wilderness was left deserted and empty. We encountered no one to block our way until we went all the way east to Shanji Commandery, where it seems Shanji and the Xuanyue mountain gate have been occupied by someone."
"Kong Guxi and his people were elated and returned to the wilderness. Leaving only two behind to reorganize their forces, the rest followed Kong Guxi to the lake to offer their congratulations and gratitude. They are currently waiting outside the islet."
"Good!"
Li Zhouluo stood up, radiant with delight. Chen Yang bowed, likewise wearing a broad smile—the two bore a striking resemblance in their demeanor. Chen Yang brought out a jade box and replied:
"Reporting to the Family Head, both magical artifacts are inside, hereby returned to the clan."
He first presented the jade box, then retrieved a pitch-black bead from his robes, saying respectfully:
"Reporting to the Family Head, a few days ago when demonic cultivators came raiding, the Kong family members and I coordinated an ambush with Master Ding. Although the demon managed to narrowly escape, we came away with an unexpected windfall."
"This is the magical artifact left behind by that demon to cover his retreat. It was originally meant to self-destruct, but unexpectedly Sect Master Kong summoned a spiritual mountain and barely managed to suppress it, allowing it to survive..."
He knelt upright with utmost deference, raising both hands to present the black bead resting in his palms, and said:
"This object is called the Mishui Bead. It was forged from exceptionally pure Mishui cold iron. Though the materials cannot be considered extraordinary, the refinement techniques are extremely sophisticated. It is a magical artifact of cold qi."
This was also exceptionally rare good news. Li Zhouluo nodded with a bright smile. The Li clan maintained strict rules, so Li Zhouluo could not inspect presented items immediately; he merely had Di Liguang pick up the bead and examine it. Meanwhile, Li Zhouluo asked:
"I often hear that these demonic cultivators travel in groups of three to five, yet even with Protector Ding taking action, they managed to flee. It seems this group of demons is no simple bunch. Did you detect anything?"
Chen Yang nodded repeatedly and replied:
"The Family Head has keen insight. When Protector Ding and I struck together, we discovered that while these people appeared shrouded in dense demonic qi on the surface, beneath it every one of them possessed pure cultivation. I fear they are no rogue demonic cultivators, but members of other lineages in disguise. Afraid of stirring up trouble, although we had an opportunity to encircle and slay him at the time, we only forced him to give up his magical artifact and spared his life."
"These people are very formidable, and they didn't even use their full strength during their previous raids. Yet one cannot tell which Daoist lineage they belong to. Protector Ding and I pondered it, and they are likely cultivators from overseas."
Li Zhouluo nodded slightly and glanced at Di Liguang beside him. The Shanyue youth replied:
"Reporting to the Family Head, this magical artifact is indeed exceptionally pure, showing no traces of blood sacrifice or refinement."
Only then did Li Zhouluo say:
"The clan will make a determination on this matter later, and your merit has been recorded. As for Duxian Dao's withdrawal, it must have been calculated and agreed upon by the several Violet Palace masters, negotiating the surrender of Shanji Commandery... Protector, you have worked hard during this period. Several elders wish to see you, so send the Kong family up first."
Chen Yang bowed and withdrew. Li Zhouluo waited a moment before Kong Guxi hurried into the hall, lifting the hem of his robes.
"Greetings, Family Head!"
Kong Guxi's eyebrows were raised high now, his eyes bright and spirited, the wrinkles on his face smoothed away. His aged visage seemed a veritable barometer of Xuanyue's fate, now radiating an excited, uplifted glow. Kneeling firmly on the floor, he said respectfully:
"Duxian has retreated! Congratulations to the Family Head!"
Kong Guxi was shameless enough that, despite being an imposing late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, he dropped to his knees before Li Zhouluo without hesitation. This left Kong Qiuyan behind him no choice but to kneel as well. In the past, whenever this woman saw anyone of the Li family, she had always kept her head bowed and eyes nearly shut. Now, lifting her head straight, she finally showed genuine gratitude.
On the other side, Fu Yuezi knelt like a stone statue, his eyes tranquil as if none of this had anything to do with him.
Li Zhouluo helped the sect master to his feet and smiled.
"This is also a joyous occasion for Sect Master. All of Xuanyue's previous administrative structures across the wilderness remain under Sect Master's governance. The agreement made between our two families years ago still stands—the lake will not claim half an inch of Xuanyue's territory."
Kong Guxi nodded compliantly, but the Li clan now had no desire to meddle in this mess at all. Li Zhouluo said warmly:
"Now that the enemy has retreated and the wilderness is back in your hands, the hearts of your people can no longer remain scattered! The banner of Xuanyue must be raised again as soon as possible... Sect Master would do well to demarcate borders, recruit a new batch of disciples, and rebuild Xuanyue without delay!"
When these words were spoken, Kong Qiuyan behind Kong Guxi could scarcely believe her ears. There was no such thing as a free lunch in this world; after receiving such immense favors, even handing over most of their Daoist library and sending away all their guest elders might not have freed them from Wangyue's tether.
She had thought they would have to pay an unfathomable price to gain their freedom, yet here it was, laid right before them. She looked at him in bewilderment, even mild shock.
Fu Yuezi stirred for the first time as well, the expression beneath his golden mask seeming to hint at a smile.
Only Kong Guxi knelt dazed on the spot, unable to answer for a moment.
What sounded like wonderful news to the other two carried an entirely different meaning to Kong Guxi's ears:
'The promise between your ancestor and my family's Zhenren has been fulfilled to the utmost; my family has helped as much as we could. Now that our own Zhenren is missing, how could we look after you? We return the wilderness to you so you can rebuild your sect quickly—after that, Xuanyue is entirely on its own!'
Presently, matters concerning the Xuanyue mountain gate were unclear, and Duxian Dao still watched hungrily. In the Kong family, only Fu Yuezi was skilled in combat; what could he withstand out in the wilderness? Establishing a sect right now was undoubtedly perilous...
Looked at from another angle, Xuanyue Gate had nothing left for the Li clan to exploit anyway. Their mountain gate was completely lost; their Violet Palace spiritual artifact and resources had been surrendered to the Li clan; even their Violet Palace grand array was gone. All that remained was the Yu Ganshan lineage, a few Foundation Establishment precious herbs, artifacts, and supplies—things the Li clan might not even want.
He could only bow and say:
"Right now, the wilderness is in turmoil and strewn with chaos. We must reorganize it properly before considering rebuilding the mountain gate."
Although Li Zhouluo was also awaiting news from Shanji Commandery, his stance remained firm. He replied:
"Sect Master need not be so polite. My family has no desire to encroach upon Xuanyue's lineage. The wilderness lands will be handed over to your noble sect, and the resources stored on our mountain will be returned in full by the Jade Court Guard, without a single scrap missing. All subsequent arrangements are left in your hands."
Kong Guxi looked embarrassed and uneasy, lacking the nerve to be obstinate, and said with deep shame:
"We ask that the Family Head grant us a little more time..."
Li Zhouluo nodded and said in a low voice:
"Rest assured, Sect Master. Tidy up the wilderness well. With the three great mountains moved from Shanji, Xuanyue's heritage remains."
Weighing these words, Kong Guxi gathered that the Li clan wasn't forcing him to establish the sect this very instant, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Li Zhouluo did not linger in conversation with Kong Guxi; having given his orders, he tactfully sent him away. The two behind the sect master were in high spirits, following him out of the main hall.
Li Zhouluo instructed people to inquire about Shanji Commandery. With Duxian lifted from overhead and the sticky business of Xuanyue soon to be passed off, his mood was radiant. He chuckled:
"I heard Xinghan just returned from the west, and I have good news for her. Quick, have her come up!"
Di Liguang immediately stepped down. Before long, Li Xinghan entered the hall, travel-worn, carrying a sword on her back. She greeted him respectfully:
"Greetings, Family Head!"
"Sister, please rise!"
Li Xinghan had indeed just returned from the Great Desert and had also heard about Duxian Dao's withdrawal. Filled with joy, she congratulated Li Zhouluo. Seeing her elder brother, she heard him ask:
"How are things in the desert?"
Li Xinghan knew her brother most likely already knew the situation, but simply wanted to hear it directly from a kinsman who had taken part firsthand. She sighed:
"Demonic cultivators are rampant. Protector An said there never used to be so many demonic cultivators in the desert, but they have grown increasingly numerous in recent years. Though we drove the demons off, that stretch of city wall has collapsed completely. Qi can no longer be gathered there."
"What a pity."
The Li clan's Bright Yang cultivation methods mostly relied on that ancient city wall to gather qi. Now that their Violet Palace master was absent and the source of qi gathering was severed, it was truly troublesome. Li Zhouluo lamented:
"I also received reports saying that since the desert stronghold lies across Mount Xiping, maintaining it was difficult to begin with. The clan viewed it as a thankless chore that direct descendants disliked taking on. Now that the wall has crumbled, everyone is talking about abandoning it."
Li Xinghan frowned upon hearing this and advised:
"Family Head, our market fair was delayed time and again because of our dispute with Duxian Dao, left ninety percent finished and idle in the dense forest. While opening it now might not be suitable, it will have to open sooner or later. If we can hold the desert stronghold and foster more traffic, it will greatly benefit the market fair."
"As for what people in the family say, it's just doting words out of pity for their children; there's no need to heed them."
Li Zhouluo chuckled and asked:
"I hear you brought back something for Fifth Brother, is that so?"
Li Xinghan was not surprised. She had obtained the White Falcon Gold fair and square, compensating the clan with her own resources in exchange, so Li Zhouluo naturally knew about it. She replied:
"Indeed. I obtained seven liang of White Falcon Gold in the desert this time and brought it back for Fifth Brother. I already sent someone to deliver it to him."
Li Zhouluo shook his head and said:
"You sent it over today, but in a month or so, who knows if it won't end up as a hairpin in some beauty's hair? You don't know his temperament. Over the years, he begged me several times for various kinds of metals... He's useless at other things, but crafting hairpins is something he has quite a knack for."
Hearing this, Li Xinghan sighed and replied:
"I guessed as much, but it was his first time asking me, and I couldn't bear to brush him off. Besides, it isn't anything terribly important, so I figured I might as well let him hone his craft."
In high spirits these days, Li Zhouluo gave a wry smile, shook his head, and picked up a scroll with a black background and silver edges from his desk. He said:
"Setting that aside, I have excellent news for you."
He smiled and said:
"A few days ago, several clan elders were conversing and brought you up. The Old Master broached the topic of your magical artifact. Since the Zhenren is not currently in the clan and the requirements for forging a sword are exceptionally high, they thought you might inherit one of the family's swords to use."
Li Xinghan was someone deeply devoted to the sword. Hearing this, she grew instantly excited and asked:
"Heavens... Which one could it be?!"
Li Zhouluo untied the scroll in his hands and slowly unrolled it, smiling:
"Length: three chi, nine cun, three fen. Weight: ninety-two jin, twelve liang. Bright as flowing water, pure as white frost..."
'Hanlin!'
Li Xinghan practically knew the dimensions of every clan sword by heart. As soon as Li Zhouluo read off the length, she guessed it immediately. Both shocked and overjoyed, she said in astonishment:
"How could it be Hanlin..."
Sword practitioners were especially numerous in the Li clan. Within the family, Hanlin was acclaimed as a sword colder than winter snow, marking the autumn harvest of years, and enjoyed immense prestige. Because its former owner was Li Xijun, who had managed the clan, it carried an added aura of authority. As Li Xijun had left no offspring, it had remained in the treasury ever since...
The weight and significance of this sword among the family's blades was unique. Aside from Jiaopanying resting on Li Zhouluo's desk—whose symbolic meaning outweighed the blade itself—Hanlin stood second only to Qingchi.
Li Xinghan had considered that if Li Zhouluo acquired a new sword, he might pass Xushi to her, or that Li Chenghuai might replace Dark Sea Serpent and give it to her. She had never dared covet Hanlin, and now stood stunned on the spot.
Li Zhouluo let out a long sigh and replied:
"After Granduncle Xijun fell, this sword was put away by the Old Master. None of the middle branch had the standing to claim it, so the Old Master overrode all objections to place it in your hands first."
Li Xinghan took the scroll with both hands, nodding solemnly. A precious item of this caliber could not be transferred through intermediaries; she had to present the scroll and retrieve it in person. Li Xinghan's eyes reddened as she replied:
"I must go thank the Old Master in person."
Li Xinghan was from the elder branch. Had any elder-branch senior stepped forward to bestow Hanlin upon Li Xinghan, it would have invited gossip and controversy; only an elder like Li Xuanxuan was upright and beyond reproach.
Li Zhouluo nodded, watching her depart. He attended to affairs in the hall for more than half a day, in exceptionally good spirits. Realizing he had not rested for several days, he sighed and finally indulged himself enough to go take a stroll outside.
Just as he stepped out of the hall, he saw several uncles waiting before the entrance in the distance, their faces full of bitter grievance. He stopped in his tracks at once and frowned:
"What is this about?"
Di Liguang shook his head.
Having experienced the ways of these clansmen in recent days, Li Zhouluo knew how shameless they could be when asking for cultivation resources or official posts, yet they were all his seniors. Seeing them gathered together like this, it boded nothing good. Darkening his expression, he said:
"Take the side hall. Don't meet them."
He had just turned around when he encountered Li Wen ascending with steady strides. Bowing before the hall, Li Wen said respectfully:
"Reporting to the Family Head, the Jade Court Guard received word: a group of cultivators climbed Mount Qingdu to present a report, co-signing a blood petition. They claim that the officials of the four offices on the West Shore are colluding with one another, deceiving those above and oppressing those below, and they beg Qingdu to uphold justice."
Hearing this, Li Zhouluo's heart seized. The joy on his face vanished completely, replaced by utter disbelief.
"What?! The four offices of the West Shore?!"
He froze on the spot and asked in a low voice:
"Where are they now?"
Li Wen answered:
"All of them are at Qingdu. It so happens several elders have just emerged from seclusion, and even Master Chengzhi has been invited up. The disturbance is immense."
Although Li Chengzhi was a mortal, he was the Zhenren's direct son. Loyal to the core, Li Wen still addressed him as Master. Li Zhouluo, however, broke out in a sudden cold sweat. Of the Li clan's sixteen offices, two peaks, and one mountain, the West Shore accounted for four full offices. Without exaggeration, since the Li clan established the office-and-peak administrative system, Qingdu had never witnessed such a monumental crisis, let alone a blood petition signed by cultivators across the West Shore! Gritting his teeth, he said:
"No wonder a crowd gathered to intercept me before the hall..."
The names of the sixteen offices, two peaks, and one mountain were all etched in Li Zhouluo's mind. The relevant names immediately surfaced:
"An Xuanxin, Ren Ting, Li Chengpan, Li Hun... They went to Qingdu, not Yuting... which means Li Chengpan and Li Hun are the ones making trouble..."
The West Shore was home to a scattering of minor clans and families left behind by He Jiumen. They had never possessed a voice of their own within the Li family, uncared for by any faction. Yet the region was abundantly rich in spiritual ores, and its administrative posts had always been carved up among the various factions...
"An Xuanxin represents the Huayu faction. Ren Ting of the Ren family belongs to the Lijing faction. As for the rest, Li Chengpan is a direct-line kinsman elevated to the islet, while Li Hun is from a collateral branch... Fine... Every side has a hand in this!"
He closed his eyes and asked:
"I will go to Qingdu at once... You heard about this first; is the evidence solid?"
Li Wen answered respectfully:
"Almost certainly."
"Are Qingdu and Yuting blind, then..."
To Li Zhouluo, this news was like a bolt from the blue. Hastening over, he heard Li Wen reply in an honest, straightforward manner:
"Master, the matter is complicated. I don't understand it well. Please go to the peak to hear the details."
Li Wen was honest and loyal, yet it was precisely this guilelessness that put Li Zhouluo in an awkward spot, depriving him of any chance to catch his breath on the way and prepare in advance. He could only brace himself and fly over. After a short while, he landed atop Mount Qingdu, where people were indeed gathered everywhere.
"The Family Head has arrived!"
Cries erupted across the peak all at once. The hall at the summit was already packed with people. The elder Chen Donghe stood to the side, while white-clad An Siwei stood with head bowed. The rest who were seated were elders—some with cultivation, some without, and some decrepit beyond measure—all seated in the places of honor.
With a single glance, Li Zhouluo saw only a few prominent figures.
On the far left was the Zhenren's direct son, the aged Li Chengzhi, slumped in his chair looking frail and worn. Standing beside him, powdered and rouged, was Li Zhouluo's fifth brother, Li Zhouming.
Further down sat the elder Li Chengkun, uncle to Li Zhoufang and his brothers. Having recently broken through to Qi Refinement, he enjoyed a degree of status in the family; still in his prime with merely salt-and-pepper hair, he was staring fixedly at Li Zhouluo.
On the opposite side sat elders of even higher generational standing: Elder Li Xie, robed in gray and grim-faced, father to Li Chengkun, holding a high position in the clan; slightly below him was the plump, fair-skinned Li Xixuan, father to Aunt Li Minggong...
'Now things have truly blown up...'
Among the elders of the older generation, these four were the only ones whose words carried real weight. Li Zhouluo sighed inwardly. Fortunately, Li Xuanxuan's expression remained steady as usual, giving him an anchor of reassurance. Under everyone's greeting, Li Zhouluo took the central seat, only then noticing a person kneeling on the floor.
This man seemed to be a petty clan leader from the West Shore named He, related by kin to He Jiumen of old. He was likely the ringleader, though he had no standing to speak here. Chen Donghe had already brought forward the silk petition.
The first item that caught his eye accused Li Chengpan and others of extorting private bribes—as much as thirty percent—when collecting spirit rice and spiritual ores.
This was hardly uncommon; such things occurred across various offices and peaks. The Jade Court Guard was dispersed across all of Huzhou and could at most supervise the year-end collections. After being caught a few times, officials simply resorted to taking cuts surreptitiously during daily operations, usually skimming ten or five percent at most, unlike Li Chengpan who was blatantly audacious.
"It's also because the West Shore lacks backing... leaving them with no choice but to be slaughtered at will."
Li Zhouluo skipped past it with a glance. The next entry was far more severe: the He family accused Ren Ting of bullying men and seizing women, abusing his authority, and forcing He family daughters to become concubines.
The final charge concerned the mineral veins of the West Shore, which were intricately interwoven and difficult to verify, often spawning new branches that shifted as frequently as once a month. An Xuanxin and others had allegedly colluded from top to bottom to embezzle mineral ores... These had been mined by workers dispatched from the East Shore and recorded by someone keeping watchful track.
Having read through it, he set down the letter, thoroughly uncertain in his heart:
'These four people... their entanglements run too deep...'
Before he could speak, the plump, fair-skinned Li Xixuan said in a low voice:
"Family Head! Yuting has already investigated the matter regarding Ren Ting. The He family daughter was offered by He himself, and now he turns around to bite back... The marriage contracts and letters have already been retrieved; this man's fawning sycophancy is written all over them. They can be brought out for confrontation at any time!"
Li Zhouluo looked at the stack of letters brought before him and fell silent for a breath. The Ren family belonged to the Lijing faction and was aligned with the elder branch. Li Xixuan's wife—Li Minggong's mother—hailed from the Ren family, making Ren Ting the direct maternal uncle of Li Minggong...
The others held their tongues, evidently confident in their positions, waiting for him to finish dealing with this letter. Li Zhouluo could only steel himself to question Patriarch He kneeling below. The old man offered only a single mournful cry:
"Those above us are both immortals and officials. When they give so much as a glance, what choice did we have but to flatter and fawn?"
Li Zhouluo was struck speechless by this reply. Beside him, Li Chengzhi hesitated for a moment before Fifth Brother Li Zhouming smiled and said:
"Family Head, there are also oddities regarding An Xuanxin's mineral veins. All records have been retrieved from Yuting, and those minerals were delivered to the islet."
Li Zhouluo finally found an opening to interject and frowned:
"Why weren't they routed through the islet?"
Li Zhouming hurriedly replied:
"At the time, we were locked in the war with Duxian, and the islet sent no reply for several days. That vein was on the verge of shifting and vanishing. An Xuanxin feared wasting the resources, so after mining them, separate letters were sent over, which the clan reviewed and approved back then."
Li Zhouluo indeed recalled replying to such matters, but reports like that arrived every year. When an unrecorded branch vein sprang up, whatever amount they reported was taken at face value—how could anyone possibly verify it after the fact? Before he could answer, an irritated Li Chengkun spoke up:
"I trained Li Chengpan with my own hands! Who in the family does not know his character? It is impossible that he would do such things!"
This man was the uncle of Li Zhoufang and his brothers. Feeling somewhat numb by now, Li Zhouluo retorted:
"All matters depend on evidence. How can a mere 'impossible' settle anything?"
Among the assembly, only Li Chengkun's father, Elder Li Xie clad in gray, had remained silent.
Now that his peers had all finished speaking, they turned their gazes toward the old man's face. Li Xie coughed once and said in a low voice:
"May the Family Head judge with clear discernment."
"..."
As the clan elders all watched him together, Li Zhouluo held the letters, examining them while anger simmered inside him:
'Father entered seclusion long ago; otherwise, I would have brought out the talisman brush to test every single one of them!'
Li Chengzhi and Li Zhouming carried Violet Palace blood, so the test naturally could not reveal them clearly, and Li Xixuan would likely prove troublesome too. But there was no need to test them. Li Zhouluo did not need to get tangled in the elders' words either, and simply ordered:
"Bring the four of them up."
From a distance below came a chorus of "Yes." Four figures entered the hall and knelt one after another. Li Chengpan knelt at the very front; he was Li Zhouluo's clan uncle, with upright and regular features, keeping his head bowed in silence.
Among the three behind him, the one of highest standing was An Xuanxin. The young man answered fluently; according to him, every single vein had been duly reported, down to the exact day.
Li Zhouluo questioned them on a few points, but the four either kept quiet or held stubbornly to their stories. The atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly awkward. The elders remained silent, listening intently to Li Zhouluo's interrogation.
To the side, Li Zhouming, who had initially been looking about and enjoying the spectacle, seemed to suddenly wake up to reality. Sensing that something was amiss with the mood, he straightened up, examined the expressions on everyone's faces one by one, and muttered to himself:
"Aren't they just putting Fourth Brother on the spot... What are these elders stirring up trouble for..."
Chapter 787