Baiku

Hanyun Peak. White snow fluttered within the small courtyard, and a thick frost coated the stone steps. A retinue of white-robed cultivators knelt outside the immortal cave. Leading them was a slightly stout man kneeling at the very front. His expression was a mix of shock and joy, his forehead pressed firmly to the ground. "We respectfully welcome the master out of secluded cultivation!" The wind and snow before them stirred faintly. A young man strolled out from the courtyard, cloaked in the falling flakes. He bent slowly, helping the middle-aged man to his feet, patted his shoulder, and smiled. "On such an auspicious day, Uncle Tongcai, there is no need for such ceremony. The struggle between north and south took a severe toll on our family's vitality. Today, only a few elders like you remain, and much will still depend on you." Though Fei Tongcai was somewhat stout, he still possessed a certain mature charm. After all, members of the Fei family were fair-featured from top to bottom. Fei Qingyi cultivated cold qi, which lent him an even crisper, colder air. Hearing this, Fei Tongcai nodded repeatedly and reminded him, "First and foremost... we must go to the main family..." "I understand." Fei Qingyi nodded and said in a low voice, "This cannot be delayed. There are a hundred, a thousand eyes watching on the lake. Had our ancestors not been allies with the lake, we would not have been granted even a single mountain... The old master is nostalgic. Go fetch some spiritual items from the mountain and come with me. "Of those in our clan who have met Li Qinghong in the past, only you remain. When we pay our respects at the lake, you can use that topic to exchange a few words with the old master... This elder... can be considered our family's protective talisman." "Understood! Understood!" Fei Tongcai hurriedly prepared the items and followed along. Fei Qingyi added in a cold voice: "In any case, Fei Qingyi has climbed to higher branches, throwing herself at the feet of the Si family. We cannot count on her for our clan's affairs; we can only rely on ourselves..." The two flew for a time, but just as they emerged from the grand formation, they saw a black-robed man waiting quietly outside, standing with his hands clasped before his chest. Seeing Fei Qingyi, the man lowered his head slightly and spoke calmly: "Fellow Daoist Fei, let us head to the isle together!" "Ah, Protector Chen." Fei Qingyi quickly forced a smile and nodded. "We were just heading there... just heading there..." Chen Yang found him thoroughly displeasing. The new faction of senior elders, led by him and An Xuanxin, had long regarded the Fei family as a thorn in their side and a splinter in their flesh. For a time, they could not tolerate this semi-autonomous clan on the north bank, yet they had never managed to catch them at fault. Chen Yang had previously been dispatched to Funan to clean up traces, handling the matter alongside Li Jianglong. He understood what had taken place in the north and was even more aware of the True Monarch's schemes. With his cautious nature, he had wished back then that he could overturn every square inch of turf across all of Funan. At this critical juncture, Chen Yang harbored even less goodwill toward Fei Qingyi. His hand resting on his sword tightened slightly, but a smile appeared on his face as he escorted them, chatting and laughing along the way. Following behind Chen Yang, Fei Qingyi flew all the way into the lake. He found the hall within utterly silent. Crossing the threshold, he saw the crimson-robed man seated at the head of the room, who had clearly been waiting for a long time, looking at them with a smile. In truth, Fei Qingyi was terrified of that smile; it always sent a shiver down his spine. From the backward wilds of Shanyue to ruling over Wangyue, the Li clan had fought its way out of a brutal landscape. From top to bottom, they inspired in him an innate dread that did not abate even now that he had attained Foundation Establishment. He bowed in the hall and offered respectful greetings. Li Jiangqian spoke words of congratulations, which Fei Qingyi answered one by one, constantly emphasizing that the Fei family was honest, loyal, and without double-dealing. Li Jiangqian was not satisfied with his answers, still harboring doubts regarding his breakthrough. After watching him quietly for a while, he spoke: "The Funan territory in the north was once deeply entangled with the Fei clan. The lake has sheltered the north bank for ten years, gradually weathering the storm. Now that land has been cleared for several Violet Palace masters to conduct their affairs, the Fei clan's hands should be pulled back. The lake gave instructions on this once before, yet the outcome was less than satisfactory." The Fei clan likely did not have the courage to reach their claws into Jiangbei, but unlike the Li family, they completely lacked the operational efficiency and discipline of the lake. Li Jiangqian suspected that numerous unintentional ties remained. Faced with Li Jiangqian's question, Fei Qingyi did not even know where his clan had fallen short, and could only answer hurriedly: "It is this subordinate's incompetence. Once I return, I will surely clean things up properly..." Li Jiangqian had no intention of letting him handle it blindly. A Fei family with a Foundation Establishment cultivator was vastly different from one without. He had specifically sent Chen Yang to intercept Fei Qingyi at the formation's gate precisely out of fear that he would head north upon emerging. Now he simply said: "No need. For now, you will stay temporarily on the lake. All news regarding the north will be sent to the isle to be handled. Should there be the slightest concealment..." Fei Qingyi nodded repeatedly, but Li Jiangqian's gaze suddenly locked onto Fei Tongcai, who was breaking out in a cold sweat nearby. Without Li Jiangqian saying another word, Chen Yang stepped forward, drew his sword, and rested the blade against the middle-aged man's neck, barking: "Speak!" Fei Tongcai frantically looked toward his nephew, who was also scared out of his wits. Had Fei Qingyi not cultivated Snow upon Pine and ceased sweating, his back would likely have been drenched as well. He dropped to his knees alongside him, shot him a look, and said: "This subordinate... this subordinate has only just emerged from secluded cultivation... I know nothing of what news the family has received..." Li Jiangqian watched the two quietly. Fei Tongcai began kowtowing, stammering timidly: "Reporting to the master... A few days ago, a secret letter arrived. A former clansman... cultivating in Baiku Commandery, sent a secret letter back, hoping to obtain some resources for assistance..." He claimed it was a former clansman, but Fei Qingyi knew it was an emergency bloodline branch left behind by the older generation, and fear gripped his heart. Having received a subtle cue from the man at the head of the room, Chen Yang's face darkened menacingly. In a terrible, low voice, he said: "We told your family long ago to withdraw your hands, yet you concealed information and maintained secret contacts... You truly have treachery bred in your bones!" "This humble one truly did not know earlier!" Fei Tongcai could only shiver upon the floor. Li Jiangqian still wore a smile, but dark clouds gathered in his mind as he thought: *Baiku Commandery... It is truly in Baiku Commandery. That Black Rat is in Baiku Commandery, Wang Quwan and Wang He are in Baiku Commandery, and the core lineage of the Jiangbei Wang clan is centered around Baiku Commandery...* Yet now that a Fei clansman was in Baiku Commandery, the matter took on a completely different nature. Li Jiangqian stepped down swiftly, helped Fei Qingyi to his feet, and said with a hint of reproach: "Protector Chen is being too harsh... This matter has not yet reached a conclusion, so there is no need to rush." Only then did Fei Qingyi relax slightly, and Fei Tongcai ceased stammering. When Chen Yang questioned him, he replied in a low voice: "That person is of my generation. Years ago, he committed an error and was expelled from the family, severing contact with our household. He cultivated at Salt Lake for a time, and later went to Baiku Commandery, where he found work running a teahouse. "Recently... he heard that turmoil broke out in the commandery and that the grand formation of the ore vein destroyed itself, provoking the fury of Protector Black Rat. His business was affected as well. Moreover, he reached a crucial juncture for breaking through to Qi Refinement... so he sent a plea to the peak. "Rest assured, Clan Head! Rest assured, Clan Head! Our family will never contact this person again!" With his hands behind his back, Li Jiangqian clutched his fists so tightly that veins bulged on his skin. Wisps of Lihuo flickered in and out from between his palms. On the surface, this matter seemed entirely innocuous—after all, the person had been expelled by the Fei family. If this person basked in the True Monarch's favor, the Fei family would be unlucky; if this person offended the True Monarch, the Fei family would still suffer. But with just a moment's thought, one would realize how laughably false that 'expulsion' was. *What if this person was supposedly expelled under pressure from our family, serving as an escape burrow for the cunning hare? Once he catches the True Monarch's favor, our family will be the one drawing all the hatred!* Li Jiangqian spoke in a very gentle tone: "Why expel him for no good reason? Are you still refusing to speak the truth?" His voice carried a chilling undertone. Chen Yang's expression darkened even further as he stood motionless. Fei Tongcai finally broke under the pressure, kowtowing repeatedly: "Reporting to the master... this was Fei Tongyu's doing... When he led our Fei clan to submit to the lake back then, he secretly made backup plans. He dispatched four branches of our clan outward, and out of fear of detection, we hardly dared contact them all these years... He said... as long as those outside knew they were of the Fei clan, that was enough; there was no need for us to know where they were. If one day the Hanyun Fei clan fell silent, they would have the chance to rebuild the ancestral lineage and carry on the incense! "This household... only reached out to us recently..." With Li Jiangqian's intellect, he understood the truth immediately upon hearing this. Though Fei Tongyu had led the clan to surrender back then, a shadow of distrust toward the Li family had clearly lingered in his heart. He feared that his clan would be gradually worn down to nothing by the Li family until the north bank was thoroughly consumed... That was why he had dispersed his bloodline outward. As for barely daring to contact them all these years, who else could they have been guarding against? Naturally, the Li family! The so-called expulsion was nothing more than that! It was originally meant as a contingency plan, but swept up by the karmic mandate of Jiangbei, one branch had ended up in Baiku Commandery. Who was to say they wouldn't run straight into the True Monarch? He cast a heavy glance at Chen Yang, noticing his dark expression and deep disgust toward Fei Tongcai. Chen Yang was no fool either; he had likely deduced this layer as well. Gripping his sword, he sneered in a sinister voice: "All these years, has our lake treated your family poorly?" At these words, the two could only kowtow against the floor, having nothing to say in defense. This had been Fei Tongyu's doing, purely to leave a path of retreat. No one could have anticipated such developments in the future, let alone that it would invite trouble in this manner. *The Fei family are all exceptionally fair-faced. Who knows if a daughter or two might offer her beauty and catch the True Monarch's eye? If I truly indulged this Fei Tongcai and had them sever contact, when trouble comes knocking, could it possibly be blamed on the Fei family? Naturally, it would be seen as Li Jiangqian's coercion...* Lost in thought, he returned to the raised dais and sat down in the main seat. He gestured for Chen Yang to sheath his sword. For now, wary of the True Monarch's methods, he maintained a pleasant countenance and said placidly: "This matter was merely an excess of caution from our predecessors; there is no need to make an issue of it now. Qingyi's breakthrough to Foundation Establishment is a great joy, and there is no need to leave clansmen wandering abroad. Send someone to bring him back so he may break through on the peak!" His intentions completely bewildered the two Fei clansmen. They could not tell whether this boded ill or well, nor did they understand why such an order was given. They kowtowed in gratitude, and Chen Yang asked in a low voice: "May I ask who should be chosen..." This matter was of critical importance, best entrusted to someone privy to the inside information. Had it not been improper for Li Jiangqian to go personally, he had even considered going himself, armed with his talisman seed. Shaking his head with slight vexation, he dismissed the two to wait outside before replying: "Perhaps Protector Chen will need to make the trip. Fei Qingyi need not go; take Fei Tongcai along to win the man's trust, and select a few direct descendants of the Fei clan from the north bank who are close to our family and have been promoted. Go fetch him together. Using Fei Qingyi's breakthrough as a pretext to receive him will not arouse much suspicion." Chen Yang nodded respectfully. Instead of taking this opportunity to badmouth the Fei family, he voiced his doubts: "This is troublesome indeed. I wonder if we will make it in time... As for some accident with an ore vein, eight or nine times out of ten, there is something fishy about it." Li Jiangqian understood the strangeness far better than he did, which was precisely why this Fei clansman had to be retrieved. He shook his head and answered: "This cannot be considered entirely bad news. Jiangbei is vast, and whether it be Duxian Dao or our family, our shadow here can no longer be erased. There must always be characters in the True Monarch's script; no matter how one tries, there is no dodging it. It is merely a matter of whether the role is good or bad. "To detect it in advance now is already the greatest fortune amidst misfortune. By retrieving him like this, we may not necessarily run into the person himself. The situation has only just begun to shift, and no one's cultivation should be too high yet. The arrival of a Foundation Establishment cultivator at this time cannot be treated as an enemy, so nothing too terrible will happen... But if we do not retrieve him, eight or nine times out of ten, disaster will strike in the end." Chen Yang nodded solemnly, his head lowered in thought. Li Jiangqian was actually reluctant to send him, but he truly lacked capable Foundation Establishment cultivators on hand, and each had their shortcomings. Cui Jueyin was skilled in domestic administration and carried himself with grace, but asking him to perform deceitful, underhanded tricks was out of the question. Ding Weizeng was purely a battle general for combat. Qu Bushi, though shrewd, was old and timid, wishing only to shrink back from everything. Li Jianglong and Li Jiangxia had not yet broken through. There was truly not a single Foundation Establishment cultivator as dependable as Chen Yang, who could operate smoothly in both the light and the shadows. *Sending him overtly is best, but I should follow along as well, keeping watch from the river... If anything truly happens, there will still be room to maneuver...* Chen Yang exited the hall, where Qu Bushi had brought the people forward. Having just received the glad tidings, the Fei clansmen were high in spirits. Fei Tongcai had also collected his emotions and was waiting quietly outside the hall. Assuming a solemn expression, Chen Yang offered apologies and sighs, putting on the air of having been too rash earlier. Though it left Fei Tongcai sweating profusely, it eased the tension somewhat. Beaming with smiles, Chen Yang took Fei Tongcai by the arm and led the way forward, offering congratulations. The Fei clansmen broke into cheerful chatter as they rode the wind toward the north. Once they entered Jiangbei territory, the sun grew noticeably fiercer, devoid of any lingering chill of early spring. Chen Yang smiled and said: "After all, Duxian Dao is on poor terms with my family. Everyone, please wait here on the riverbank. Fellow Daoist Tongcai and I will go ahead to receive him." The sole purpose of these people was to prevent Fei Tongcai from having too much private contact with that Fei clansman; once brought over, the relative would immediately be greeted by a crowd of Fei family members thriving under the Li family's rule. Chen Yang could not be bothered to drag along such dead weight, lest they cause trouble on the spot, and so left them behind. By the time they reached Baiku Commandery at the southernmost edge of Baiye Brook, the surroundings were in utter chaos. The administration of Huaihun Hall was worse than no administration at all. Cultivators flew to and fro across the entire city as though walking through an uninhabited land. Corpses littered the main thoroughfares, yellow smoke rolled through the air, and the stench of decay assaulted the senses. There were hardly any pedestrians. Here and there, one or two people knelt on the ground, groaning helplessly, whether from illness or hunger. Fei Tongcai frowned continuously at the sight. Chen Yang swept the area with his spiritual sense and murmured: "It seems that because the formation in Baiku Commandery was destroyed... the spirit ore powder from the vein has dispersed throughout the Baiku Commandery area..." Metal baleful aura and metal poison were fatal to mortals. The former was present even on magical artifacts, which was why the Li clan always put away their artifacts when meeting mortals. The latter was cold and severe, commonly found deep within ore veins; years ago, when the Rui family mined Cuiyuan copper essence for the Xiao family, countless people had perished from this very metal poison. *How could that Protector Black Rat care about mortals... He simply leaves those below to die...* Following the directions from the message, Fei Tongcai found the teahouse. The surroundings were indeed desolate to the extreme, the courtyard thoroughly dilapidated, and the adjacent street strewn with corpses, leaving nowhere to step. However, as this teahouse was frequented by immortal cultivators, it appeared clean and orderly. Halting at a distance, they heard a commotion and saw a crowd of people kneeling, with a man in lavish robes standing arrogantly in the courtyard. Amidst the ring of kneeling cultivators stood a single slender figure, his delicate face etched with unyielding defiance. The lavishly dressed man barked: "Insolent slave! I am the son of the commandery governor! How dare you not bow before me!" The delicate youth before him replied coldly: "Why should I kneel to you? I, Lin Feng, kneel only to Heaven above and Earth below! Can a pampered profligate relying merely on his father's prestige... force me to bend my knee?" He threw his head back, and a surge of imposing momentum erupted from his frail frame. The profligate flushed with fury, and a guest elder beside him stepped forward with an angry scowl, barking coldly: "Kneel!" The crowd gasped in shock, sensing that this guest elder possessed the aura of Qi Refinement. A pair of charming sisters beside the youth tugged at his sleeves in distress: "Brother Lin..." Yet the youth stood firm and motionless. Soon, the crowd parted, and an old man hurried forward, pleading in a low voice: "Please do not take offense... do not take offense. This old man pays spiritual resources to Protector Black Rat... please, grant the protector some face..." At these words, the guest elder and the profligate hesitated slightly, appearing inclined to relent. But the youth strode forward and shouted: "You, surnamed Wang! Do you dare accept a duel against me?" "Laughable!" The Wang profligate's eyes turned cold as he retorted, "A mere third tier of Embryonic Breathing dares challenge my fifth tier? Why wouldn't I dare!" "Good! Three months from now, you and I shall fight to the death right here—to determine who is superior, and who lives and dies!" Lin Feng's shout provoked a scornful laugh from the profligate. Casting a cold glare at the old man who had stepped in to plead, the profligate flicked his sleeves and departed, leaving the establishment buzzing with murmurs. Chen Yang watched with furrowed brows. He patted Fei Tongcai beside him, only to see Fei Tongcai shake his head and remark: "This Baiku Commandery is quite fascinating; the stage has been set as though it were real... Yet that protagonist truly possesses an admirable demeanor... One cannot help but feel respect for him." Chen Yang glanced at him briefly and whispered, "Go closer and take a look." Arriving before the hall, Fei Tongcai's smile grew wider. Staring intently at the youth, he shook his head and said: "Master... this Lin Feng is truly a rare talent... Seeing his bearing, he is practically a divine figure." Chen Yang's expression shifted slightly. Stepping closer, he nodded and agreed: "He is indeed an extraordinary figure, rarely seen even on the lake..." All of Fei Tongcai's earlier caution and gloom had vanished. Hurrying into the teahouse, he took the old man's hands and laughed: "Yo! Second Cousin, it has been far too long!" The old man recognized Fei Tongcai as well. Astonished, he asked hurriedly: "How did you end up here... How are things at home..." "Qingyi has broken through to Foundation Establishment! I have come to take you back to enjoy good fortune!" The two exchanged nostalgic sighs. Fei Tongcai's face was completely devoid of misgivings, immersed in the joy of reuniting with an old friend. Meanwhile, Chen Yang went to observe Lin Feng, adopting a simple, warm, and honest demeanor as he patted the youth's shoulder and praised: "Fine lad! I saw from afar just now—this is truly what a genius of the immortal path ought to look like!" "A Foundation Establishment cultivator!" The courtyard erupted into chaos. The surrounding cultivators fell to their knees in terror. If they had merely feared the governor's son for his authority, the fear they felt toward the figure before them sprang from the depths of their souls. The two charming women beside him also knelt. Only the youth stood proud and fearless, offering a bow: "Greetings, Senior!" Chen Yang nodded repeatedly, full of admiration, and sighed: "In all my life, what I admire most are figures who stand unyielding before might! What I loathe most are those pampered profligates and wicked, cunning schemers! Fine lad! For Jiangbei to produce a figure who remains fearless in the face of peril... this is truly a blessed land!" He pulled Lin Feng to sit beside a table and asked in a low voice: "Yet with only three months, how do you intend to defeat him?" Lin Feng shook his head slowly, his eyes resolute as he answered: "This junior naturally has a plan!" "Good!" Chen Yang marveled endlessly. Reaching into his sleeve, he produced a talisman and said softly: "Meeting you and conversing so heartily has brought me immense delight. If you encounter danger in the future, you may use this talisman to escape with your life. Consider it a means to preserve a kindred spirit of mine!" "Many thanks, Senior!" Chen Yang let out a hearty laugh and replied: "I hail from Lake Wangyue. A cultivator of the Fei clan has attained Foundation Establishment, earning a higher standing on the lake. I have come here to retrieve this old gentleman; he happens to be on the verge of breaking through to Qi Refinement... so he shall cultivate upon the lake." Hearing this, the sisters on either side gasped. Chen Yang smiled and remarked: "Seeing the appearance of you two sisters, you must also belong to the Fei clan, truly blessed with countenance like flowers and moonlight... Do you possess spirit apertures? You may enter the mountain to cultivate together." The elder sister hesitated, while the younger sister looked downcast. Yet they spoke in unison: "Brother Lin saved our lives; we only wish to cultivate by his side..." Lin Feng shook his head silently and replied: "Qingya possesses a spirit aperture; it is naturally best for her to enter the gates of Wangyue to cultivate... As for Qingfei... she can only suffer hardship and wander with me..." The three immediately fell into tender, affectionate murmurs. Chen Yang watched with a smile, yet beads of cold sweat rolled down his cheeks, sliding past his neck and into his collar. His lips trembled slightly, but no words would come; he could only maintain the stiff smile on his face. When Lin Feng turned his gaze back, the faint struggle on Chen Yang's face shattered instantly. A hearty smile surfaced once more as he beckoned Fei Tongcai over and said warmly: "It is about time. After all, this is another's territory, and our family is on poor terms with their lineage. It is not suitable to linger here..." Fei Tongcai took the elder sister by the hand and nodded repeatedly. His elderly cousin followed along as well. Lin Feng sighed softly, an arm wrapped around the younger sister as he saw them out of the hall, saying with deep affection: "Fret not, Qingya... Wait three years for me! In three years, I shall attain Foundation Establishment and come to Hanyun Peak in person to propose marriage!" The younger sister pouted with jealousy, while a blush rose on Fei Qingya's cheeks. His claim was utterly preposterous, yet not a single person present found it strange. Even Fei Tongcai nodded with a warm smile, his face full of gratification. Chen Yang rose upon the wind, leading the group southward. Lin Feng quietly put away the talisman, raised his head, and declared coldly: "Wang clan... covering the sky with a single hand, throwing your weight around... Just you wait!" Yellow dust swirled past him in billowing clouds. As he stood proud and upright, his cultivation surged uncontrollably. In mere moments, another embryonic breathing wheel condensed within his body.