When Li Xuanxuan reached the main hall, the lanterns inside were brightly lit. Li Zhouluo remained within, having seemingly just finished handling official affairs and now practicing a spell. With a hand seal formed, five or six brilliant golden sharp edges hovered and circled above his fingers, emitting shrill, piercing whistling sounds.
As soon as the old man entered, the young man opened his eyes, halted his spell, stepped down from the main seat, and greeted respectfully, "Old Master, you have arrived."
Li Xuanxuan nodded and gave a dry cough before replying, "You have worked hard these past days... The matters on the West Shore are troublesome. Caught between the various branches without trusted confidants of your own, your position is truly difficult... Have you heard about Xixuan?"
Li Zhouluo bowed and replied, "This is merely this junior's duty. As for that elder's matter... there have indeed been some grievances and laments on the island recently, but they are not directed at you, Old Master. Most blame Qingdu, claiming there are villainous schemers within stirring up discord in the clan."
He guided Li Xuanxuan to sit to the side and said, "I read the letter you wrote to me several days ago, Old Master. It is indeed thorny."
Li Xuanxuan shook his head. "Back then, the ancestors established that descendants of the main line without spirit apertures were forbidden from serving as officials or engaging in commerce. Yet after all, the spiritual energy on the island is rich, and the status of the main line is noble, so these children never divide the household, continuing to live on the island. The root of this matter is that they want to retain their status in the main line while also enjoying hereditary privileges to enter officialdom... I have thought this over repeatedly, and these two prohibitions must never be lifted. Going ashore with the banner of the direct lineage, even a fool sitting in office would have people flocking to shower him with silver... to say nothing of the harm those with too many schemes could cause. That would ruin everything."
Having heard Li Xuanxuan establish his stance first, Li Zhouluo lowered his voice and spoke: "This junior has also been pondering this lately. Life on the island is indeed too idle, and living right under Qingdu's nose leaves them feeling constrained. These two prohibitions definitely cannot be eased, but we could compensate in other areas. Perhaps supervision over their wealth could be relaxed slightly... When they receive wealth from their cultivating siblings or offspring, it is hard to reproach them. Moreover, the competitive tactics used to divide external surnames cannot be applied against them, lest it damage harmony among the four branches. In the end, they are mortals; there is no harm in letting them enjoy some comfort."
After hearing this, Li Xuanxuan spoke in an aged voice, "Do not underestimate mortals. These people are the parents of future cultivators; I fear fostering a trend of decadence and luxury... The clan system must change, but it must not change by your hand... You are the sole seedling of the Ji branch. If you offend the clan members, your entire lineage will be alienated from the rest."
Li Zhouluo had indeed not considered this point. He nodded slightly and listened attentively as the old man continued: "The plan for now is first to appease them for a few years and ensure you can step down whole and unscathed—preferably earning a reputation for benevolence. That way, the Ji branch will remain close and amicable with the other branches in the future, which is of paramount importance."
Di Liguang had long since stepped down. Li Zhouluo personally served tea to the old man, hearing Li Xuanxuan ask, "How many people currently enjoy hereditary privilege?"
Li Zhouluo replied, "I strictly observed the clan regulations and did not grant them lightly. I only conferred them upon the orphaned children of several uncles and brothers who fell in battle. As for the remaining mortal clansmen, after their bitter pleading, my heart softened, and after due consideration, I arranged some minor official posts for them..."
He did not implicate Zhoufang and his brother, merely claiming his own softheartedness. Li Xuanxuan took a sip of tea and said, "Tomorrow at dawn, bring people to my courtyard to plead for Xixuan. Take Zhoufang along as well; I have seen how anxious he has been lately... Once you have pleaded for mercy, escort Xixuan out."
Li Zhouluo assented respectfully. The old man continued, "Once you bring him back to this hall, say that you cannot bear to see your brothers and sisters suffer, and that you are already considering hereditary privileges and promotions for the mortal clansmen.
"Let Qingdu handle the selection for these privileges through a confidential evaluation that takes into account character, parental merit, scholarship, loyalty, filial piety, and other virtues to promote the younger generation. The evaluation will last three years, and the roster will be announced at the sacrificial rites three years from now."
Li Zhouluo grasped his intent. The old man continued, "Under no circumstances mention the number of spots on this roster. First keep them peaceful for a few years. When three years have passed and you have promoted people from the various branches, you can step down right on time, having garnered more than enough good repute. Then wait for Jiangqian to step up as the harsh enforcer... That child is fierce and ruthless, yet clever and quick-witted, with no fear of offending anyone. He will give them plenty to chew on."
Li Zhouluo was thoroughly convinced and filled with respect for the old man. Few in the clan understood his awkward position, but Li Xuanxuan was always the elder who considered things from his perspective. Deeply moved, he replied, "Thank you, Old Master."
Li Xuanxuan nodded and answered, "Although the people on the island share the same desire, few dare to step forward as the vanguard. Among the four who made things difficult for you that day, Chengzhi and Xi'e are easy to placate, and Xixuan is currently locked up. Only Chengkun is stubborn; he fiercely protects his clansmen and acts with seasoned shrewdness. It is best to send him elsewhere; without him, the rest will be like dragons without a head.
"Though I came discreetly, I have already shown my face. The island will find out sooner or later. You know what to say... there is no need for me to..."
He was only halfway through speaking when hurried footsteps sounded before the hall. Di Liguang's voice was tense as he whispered, "Patriarch, an urgent report from the island."
Seeing Li Xuanxuan nod, Li Zhouluo called out, "Bring it in."
Di Liguang briskly stepped forward, bowed to both of them, and said respectfully, "Young Master Zhouming has arrived on the island and went to the courtyard of the Yuanwan branch to cause an uproar. Tonight, the clansmen invited elders from other branches and were in the courtyard weeping and lamenting, only to be cursed by the young master until they scattered in all directions. Several elders have been left thoroughly embarrassed."
Li Zhouluo was taken aback, while Li Xuanxuan was not surprised at all. Rising from his seat, he said flatly, "That reckless brat stirs up trouble everywhere. You and I shall go apprehend him right now."
Li Zhouluo understood that the old man was going to back Li Zhouming. He nodded and said, "After you, Old Master..."
Riding the wind together, the two quickly descended into a residence on the island. It covered a considerable area and had an antique charm, but the central main courtyard was a complete mess. Several middle-aged men stood in the yard flushed with anger, amid a clamor of voices.
Clad in a red robe, Li Zhouming was actually seated right in the main courtyard, a folding fan resting by his hand, a hint of a smile even playing on his face. Amidst the expressions around him of people daring to be enraged but not daring to speak, he truly exuded the air of a profligate young scion.
When Li Xuanxuan and Li Zhouluo touched down in the courtyard, a chorus of voices arose at once as everyone dropped to their knees. Li Zhouming also sprang from his seat and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Old Ancestor! Greetings, Patriarch!"
Li Xuanxuan cast a glance around and scolded, "You are making trouble again! With so many elders present, is it your place to speak? Yet here you are, lecturing your brothers."
Li Zhouming hastily answered, "Old Ancestor, I was just passing by when the courtyard was full of weeping. That made me wonder if Granduncle Xixuan had reached old age and passed away, only to hear that he had merely gone to stay on Mount Qingdu..."
Folding his arms, he said with feigned indignation, "Seeing them so eager to divide the family property that they held a funeral wake in advance, the fire in my heart... I simply couldn't hold it back..."
"You... you are spouting venomous slander!"
Hearing this, the middle-aged men to the side flushed crimson once again. Li Zhouming laughed and retorted, "If not dividing the family property, then what is it?"
A wave of commotion broke out around them. Li Chengkun immediately stepped forward, tugging at the people on both sides to make them hush, his fierce glares suppressing the onlookers until silence was finally restored in the courtyard.
Li Chengkun was one of the few surviving cultivators of the Chengming generation. Aside from the two Foundation Establishment cultivators, his cultivation was the highest. Two of his brothers had gone to the river alongside him, and he was the only one who returned. Earlier, an arm of his had been severed, which Li Ximing reattached.
Now his daughter had also fallen in Funan. With vast meritorious service, rich experience, and having weathered the vicissitudes of the world, he was not someone these sheltered residents on the island could compare with.
*The Old Master is clearly taking sides. Bickering with Zhouming will yield nothing and only invite questions turned back upon us. We must seize upon the present situation.*
Raising his brows, he bowed and said, "Old Master, Young Master Zhouming created a disturbance in the courtyard without cause and insulted his clan elders and kin. Please send him to Qingdu for punishment."
Yet Li Xuanxuan was even more seasoned and shrewd than him. He nodded immediately and responded, "Well said. Come... escort the young master to Qingdu."
Di Liguang briskly came forward and escorted Li Zhouming away. The young man flicked his fan and departed with an aggrieved expression. Li Xuanxuan gave a cough, reached out to support Li Chengkun up, and said in a gentle tone, "It is just as well that you are here, Kun'er. I was looking for you to entrust you with an important clan matter."
Though Li Chengkun was stubborn, he held deep respect and love for Li Xuanxuan. Hearing this, he rose at once and respectfully followed him out, leaving behind the crowd in the courtyard looking at one another in dismay. Some wished to excuse themselves, some lamented tearfully to Li Zhouluo at the front of the courtyard, while others began to confess their wrongs and beg for forgiveness.
With just two sentences, Li Xuanxuan had completely dispelled the turmoil in the courtyard. Leading Li Chengkun outside was by no means an impromptu impulse. After leaving the courtyard and walking for a while, the old man sighed, "Kun'er, Minggong and Chenghuai have both entered secluded cultivation. There are few elders left in the clan, and many burdens must fall upon your shoulders... Xuanyue has relocated, and Cui Jueyin has returned to the island. The families and wildlands of the East Shore should not all be gripped in Jiangxia's hands alone, nor can Mount Milin's authority to oversee the East Shore be left vacant. We must trouble you to make a trip there to take charge of the palace affairs on his behalf."
This was a task that was both arduous and barren of personal profit, yet Li Chengkun flipped his robe and dropped to his knees with a thud. His voice was particularly deep: "If the Lake commands it, Chengkun will not shrink even from ten thousand deaths! But I only ask that the Old Ancestor not send me away merely to pacify the island..."
He knocked his head on the ground in a resounding kowtow and answered, "When my clan uncle stirred up trouble, this junior only sought to protect Chengpan. Yet the clan's current state is undeniably flawed, and it must be reformed! Our Wangyue Li clan has raised a horde of idlers on this island—a crowd of Violet Palace immortal scions tilling fields! What kind of propriety is that? It must be changed, Old Master..."
Li Xuanxuan helped him up and instructed, "I know what is in your heart. You grew up in the courtyard alongside Chengliao and the others, or else you would not have fought with your life in the north back then. None of the Chengming generation are cowards. Here is what I think... Take the clan's younger generation—those willing to strive and fight, especially those without elders to back them—along with you. Let them learn and observe at your side..."
"Thank you, Old Master!"
Li Chengkun nodded repeatedly. After soothing him with a few more words, Li Xuanxuan saw him off. Gathering his sleeves, he stood in place, drew a breath and released it, then leaned against a lacquered wooden pillar in the corridor to gaze at the night scenery. Speckles of purple qi were unexpectedly visible on the horizon. Just as he was wondering about it, he soon saw Di Liguang hurrying over to report, "Old Master, people from Ziyan Gate have arrived! A large, bustling entourage has come, asking by name to see you, Old Master."
"So soon!"
Li Xuanxuan was both startled and delighted. For a group of people from Ziyan Gate to arrive at this moment and ask for him by name, it had to be regarding the formation without doubt. He hurried off immediately, walking so fast that Di Liguang, lacking his cultivation, broke into a sweat trying to keep up.
In a couple of strides he arrived at the grand hall. Wen Wu had long been waiting, engaged in an animated conversation with Li Zhouluo. Upon seeing Li Xuanxuan, his eyes crinkled with an exuberant smile. Pulling out two wooden boxes shaped like carps from his sleeve, he chuckled, "Senior is as kindly and gentle as ever; just seeing you warms this junior's heart... The two children in the sect are doing very well. Quexi asked me to deliver a letter, and thinking of their filial devotion, I made a special trip to Ziqi Peak to bring Queyi's letter along as well!"
Wen Wu's conduct was very endearing. As he handed the letters to Li Xuanxuan, a smile also surfaced on the old man's face, and he received them with one hand. Being a cultivator at the late stage of Qi Refinement, Li Xuanxuan did not even need to weigh them to know that the weight of the two boxes differed substantially. Stowing them away with a flick of his wrist, he replied, "You have truly gone to great trouble, sir... The children from our family are dull; we must still trouble you, Eldest Martial Brother, to instruct them well."
Wen Wu let out a hearty laugh and replied, "Senior may not know, but our Ziyan Blessed Land holds competitions every year, split by cultivation stages. Junior Martial Sister possesses profound mastery of spells and lightning-fast reflexes; she happily secured sixth place in Embryonic Breathing and received a reward!
"Everyone in the sect knows she comes from the Wangyue immortal clan and gives thumbs up in praise, saying she carries the demeanor Shen Yanqing had in her day..."
Li Zhouluo nodded repeatedly and asked, "How about Queyi...?"
Wen Wu picked up smoothly, chuckling, "She did not let anyone down either... Within the sect, the Qi Refinement cultivators' synergy between spells and cultivation methods has already matured, and their magical artifacts are formidable. Queyi placed thirty-first among the cultivators of early-stage Qi Refinement, barely missing the top thirty. Though regrettable, her display of the Yueque Sword Arc made even the Peak Master of Qijian Peak raise his brows, stunning the entire audience!"
Wen Wu selected the pleasant things to say. Li Zhouluo was also pleasantly surprised and remarked, "Ziyan Blessed Land is truly extraordinary. At home, she could never quite master it, yet look how soon she grasped it after entering your sect."
Li Xuanxuan smiled and steered the conversation back, not mentioning Li Queyi at all and instead praising Li Quexi at length. Wen Wu walked forward with a nod, the pair of gold-and-white talismans at his waist chiming against each other as he said with a smile, "Senior, my visit this time is on account of the Real Person. According to my Peak Master, your clan's Real Person deposited a Violet Palace Grand Formation with our Blessed Land. After all, the Real Person's Dao of formations is exquisite, and the initial intention was to invite him to oversee its deployment. However, a Violet Palace Grand Formation is not the work of a day or two, so we have come ahead."
He observed the expressions of the two before speaking solemnly: "Matters of formations concern the continuation of an orthodox lineage. As the saying goes, they must not be lightly imparted to others. Our Blessed Land took this into account as well, which was why we hesitated to come and forge it. Now that we have been dispatched, it is merely to forge a few components related to the formation dais. This timing will allow Real Person Zhaojing to inspect and verify each one upon his return before proceeding to the next stage of forging."
His words fully displayed the magnanimous style of the Taiyang lineage. He withdrew a heavy, purple-gold scroll from his sleeve, bordered with depictions of elaphures, birds, and scriptural talismans. Tucking it against his chest for a moment, he said, "This time, three peaks of Ziyan Blessed Land—Muzuo, Tianzhen, and Cuiqing—have joined forces: five Foundation Establishment cultivators, twenty-seven late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators, two Master Artifact Forgers, six artifact forgers, one Master Formation Crafter, and four formation crafters, totaling thirty-two members, led by Wen Wu, the first disciple of Muzuo Peak, under orders."
He presented the purple-gold scroll into Li Xuanxuan's hands and said, "Senior, this grand formation requires thirty-two Purple Gen Broad Valley Mountain-Piercing Profound Spikes, each roughly one hundred and eighty ren in length and three zhang two chi in circumference. All specifications, runes, and spiritual materials are recorded within this scroll. Please verify them, Senior."
Chapter 793