Baiku Commandery.
Endless yellow sand swept over the city walls, swirling high into the heavens on the howling gale. Laced with pervasive metal poison, it forced passing cultivators to squint against the stinging grit.
Amidst the churning dust, an elderly cultivator in white robes rode the wind toward the city. The gusts battered him until he too had to narrow his eyes. Frowning, he peered downward.
*Strange. If I recall correctly, this area borders Duxian Dao. It is a Violet Palace-level force, yet they let metal poison ravage the land like this, claiming who knows how many thousands of commoners… They truly lack any virtue in governance…*
He watched with a pang of pity and descended on the wind, thinking inwardly:
*No wonder, though. I hear they are locked in a standoff against the Wangyue immortal clan along the river, and both sides have fought until their true tempers flared. Who would care about metal poison at a time like this? Still… the Li clan has a reputation for righteousness and would never stoop to this. That means Duxian Dao deliberately let it loose to force the Li clan to divide their attention to save the mortals…*
*What a sin!*
He let out a deep sigh. After hesitating a moment, he ultimately shook his head.
*I should still go down and look… Back when I followed the general to resist Buddhist cultivators, the local people never suffered such misery. Now that the immortal path flourishes, such calamities happen instead…*
Passing through the cloud layer, the old Taoist indeed saw scattered bones and corpses. Yet no one in the streets paid them any heed, as if blind to these mortals, their attention fixed entirely on the teahouse at the city center where crowds were gathering.
Landing upon an eave atop his dharma light, he was astonished to see a Qi Refinement cultivator battling one in Embryonic Breathing.
"Ah?"
He stared in disbelief. The Embryonic Breathing youth held a dharma sword, parrying and shattering incoming spells one after another. Though it looked immensely arduous, he not only fended off the Qi Refinement attacks, but even did so with an effortless, flowing grace.
"Oh!"
The old Taoist took two steps forward, stroking his beard as he watched.
The youth's face was speckled with blood, yet he stood upon the stage with commanding vigor. His unyielding pride pierced straight toward the heavens like a sharp sword, and his blade danced with mounting ferocity, drawing involuntary murmurs of admiration from the onlookers.
In contrast, the young master in brocade standing opposite was pale green with frustration, his hands trembling so violently he could hardly maintain his hand seals. His eyes widened, shot through with blood, and he roared, "You… you… what demonic sorcery are you using?! How can you withstand my Qi Refinement spells!"
The youth before him was only at the peak of Embryonic Breathing, yet his bearing stood head and shoulders above the rest. His robes were tattered, but his expression remained steadfast and indomitable. He retorted proudly:
"A frog in a well! Have you never heard that man's will can conquer heaven? I possess fearless valor, unbending pride, and cloud-scaling ambition! With these three alone, even if I were a mere mortal standing before divine abilities, they could not harm me in the slightest—much less a petty Qi Refinement like you!"
"You could do nothing against me at the peak of Embryonic Breathing, and now that you have reached Qi Refinement, you are still useless trash!"
"Watch my sword!"
The moment his words fell, ribbons of white qi leaped from the blade. Not only did they tear the oncoming spells to shreds, but they also traversed the air and struck the brocade-clad youth.
A spray of blood erupted. The young master collapsed onto the ground with an ashen face, rolling in agony as he shrieked with venom:
"Why! Ten years of cultivation, without slacking for a single day… Losing to you once was one thing, but I expended countless blood and sweat to secure this one strand of spiritual qi and luckily broke through to Qi Refinement within three months! Why should I lose to your three months of cultivation?!"
The sword-wielding youth strode forward at an unhurried pace, pointing his sword straight at him as he said coldly:
"Laughable. You ask why? Why not ask those cultivators with worse talent than yours… why their ten years of cultivation fell short of yours? Why not ask those with worse family backgrounds… why their ten years fell short of yours? Only sheltered fops like you still foolishly demand fairness… Tomorrow, if a beggar picks up a treasure on the street, he could snuff out your ten years of cultivation with a flick of his finger! Why don't you ask him why?"
The pampered fop was struck dumb. He squirmed an inch or two across the ground, dragging a smear of blood behind him. The onlookers stood motionless like statues. Stepping forward, the youth planted a foot on his face and chuckled:
"If cultivation in this world were measured by effort, the donkey turning the millstone would be the world's foremost immortal. My ambition reaches the clouds, and with six months of cultivation, I can kill you. Aside from accepting it, you have no other choice."
"People like you always pretend not to see the things you cannot change. You should be complaining about spirit apertures and luck instead—those are the truly unfair things! How many people have you crushed beneath your family background? Now that it is your turn to complain about family background and fortune, you only feel jealousy and indignance…"
The fop's eyes were nearly splitting open as he groaned, "I didn't…"
Yet before he could finish, the atmosphere shifted. The gazes directed at him by the crowd turned from pity into disgust. A look of humiliation crept across his face, and the youth kicked him hard in the chest.
*Crack!*
Bone shattered, and the fop lay entirely paralyzed. The youth slowly lowered his head, watching him in silence. The fire on his face suddenly vanished, replaced by an enigmatic smile.
"The mortal world does not bend to your desires. Understand? There is no unfairness. My standing here is the greatest fairness of all."
The fop had no idea what he was talking about. Seeing the sword rise, his expression warped in terror, and he frantically pleaded for mercy. Disdain immediately flooded the youth's eyes, and he sneered:
"Wang Xie! Having lost the duel, you drop to your knees and beg for life. You possess neither unbending pride nor the heart to seek the Dao, nor cloud-scaling ambition—only the groveling posture of a snake or rat wagging its tail! Spared once, you still refuse to repent. You deserve death!"
The fop could only let out a bloodcurdling wail. But then, a thunderous roar boomed from midair:
"Audacious! Spare my son!"
A figure materialized in the sky, and an enormous palm came sweeping through the air, sending a majestic, suffocating pressure crashing down! Cries of alarm broke out through the crowd:
"The Lord of Baiku City, Wang Bakong!"
"Lin Feng is finished now!"
Lin Feng showed no fear, standing tall and unmoving. Just then, an old Taoist stepped out from the other side, effortlessly deflecting the descending technique. The blast stirred up scattered corpses beneath their feet, sending blackened blood flying in all directions.
"This humble one is Bai Yinzi! It is rare to behold such a genius. I pray you stay your hand, Daoist friend!"
Wang Bakong's naturally stern countenance twisted in fury. He barked, "Where did this rogue cultivator come from?! How dare you interfere in my affairs!"
Bai Yinzi had only attained Foundation Establishment by pure luck, and his strength was naturally no match for his opponent's. But having encountered such an uncut gem, he was loath to let go. Feeling his scalp tingle, he swiftly scooped up the youth from the ground, took to the wind, and called out:
"Since your esteemed son is unharmed, an apology should suffice! Why must the City Lord make such a fuss!"
The youth stood quietly behind him, cupped his hands, and gave thanks: "Senior stepped forward out of righteousness to save me. Lin Feng is deeply grateful!"
"Ah."
Bai Yinzi shook his head, keeping an eye on their pursuer as he replied, "It was merely a passing effort! Let us find a place to land in Jiangbei, and we shall have a good talk!"
He had completely forgotten his original intention of resolving the metal poison in the area. Behind them, Wang Bakong glared with wide eyes, poised to give chase, when the young master on the ground began to groan. Relaxing his tense spirit, the boy abruptly passed out. Wang Bakong had no choice but to halt. His eyes reddened with anguish as he cried:
"What vicious methods this little beast uses!"
Tears pricked his fierce eyes as he helped the youth up, gnashing his teeth: "Wang He refused to see me… made me wait at the foot of the mountain for months on end… giving this wretch the chance to strike and bring such disaster upon you…"
His expression darkened as he scooped up his eldest son, thinking with bitter venom:
*So be it, then! So be it! I thought that since this place lies near Duxian Dao and my branch is close to Wang He, we ought to lean toward Duxian… Who knew he would be so heartless!*
Wang Bakong cast a piercing glare around him. The onlookers promptly whispered among themselves and scattered. When the guards on both flanks came forward, the Foundation Establishment cultivator slapped them fiercely across the face, sending them tumbling off the stage spitting blood.
*Useless trash!*
He darkly summoned an attendant and asked in a low voice, "Is that Wang Quwan… currently cultivating around Jiangbei as well?"
The cultivator beside him hurriedly nodded, whispering back, "I hear he is cultivating in that area… No one knows why he won't return to his branch's mountain… But it's said that no matter whose family visits him, he keeps his doors firmly shut…"
"Understood."
Wang Bakong turned away with his son in his arms. In his grasp, Wang Xie broke into a cold sweat, suddenly waking with a start. Trembling, his lips still muttered fragments of unbending pride and cloud-scaling ambitions.
***
Lake Wangyue.
It was early autumn once more. Red and yellow leaves fluttered down from the trees around the lake. An old man sped across the wind, landing before the main hall. Without stepping over the threshold, he bowed, seeing two figures standing within the hall from afar.
The man in the seat of honor wore crimson robes, holding a brush midair with a pensive look. Beside him stood a woman in palace attire of dignified grace, a cyan orb resting in her hand.
Seeing Qu Bushi arrive to pay respects, the man at the front raised his eyebrows before turning to Li Minggong. "Grand-Aunt's words make sense. Since Zhuang Pingye is returning to the desert, it is only right to give a word of caution. Have him pass a message to Zhuang Cheng… tell them not to head toward Jiangbei."
He pondered for a moment. "Say that our family is locked in a great war with Duxian Dao involving Violet Palace figures, and it is exceedingly dangerous. Advise the Zhuang family not to venture east, lest any accidents occur… Zhuang Cheng is a figure of renown in the desert and won't ignore sound advice… As for how effective it will be…"
Li Jiangqian sighed softly. "That will depend on the will of those above. If they were already meant to be drawn in, there will be no escaping it."
Li Minggong nodded slightly, and Li Jiangqian addressed the hall: "Report."
Only then did Qu Bushi enter the hall to bow, speaking respectfully: "My lord, Wang Xie has been defeated a second time… It is said he nearly lost his life this time, saved only because his father returned in time. Just as he sought vengeance, Lin… Lord Lin was spirited away… by an old Foundation Establishment Taoist."
Qu Bushi was no fool. Having participated in affairs in the north all this while and maintained contact with Duxian Dao, though he did not know the full truth, he had already deduced that Lin Feng's identity was extraordinary. Hearing him say 'Lord Lin,' Li Jiangqian paused briefly, yet neither corrected him nor inquired about the old Taoist's identity. Instead, he asked gravely:
"Did you follow my instructions?"
"This subordinate obeyed your commands strictly! The rumors were all collected from tavern gossip. Strange as it is… perhaps because the tale itself is so entertaining, it spread at astonishing speed… It seems everyone delights in chiming in…"
Li Jiangqian nodded in silence. Qu Bushi continued:
"On the other front… the news has been delivered to Lord Gong. He was deeply grateful and bade me tell you… that according to word on his end, Black Rat Protector has uncovered the truth behind the ore vein. He suspects Lord Lin and has set off in person for Baiku Commandery, likely to meet Wang Bakong."
Li Jiangqian waved a hand to dismiss him, then looked toward Li Minggong, saying softly:
"Chen Yang has been overseeing affairs on the northern shore. It is said Fei Qingya's cultivation speed is startlingly fast. She was only at the fifth layer when she arrived, yet she has already broken through to the sixth layer of Embryonic Breathing, outshining most of our direct lineage."
"Real Person Tinglan gave no orders on what spiritual qi to bestow upon her… and Real Person Qiuhu has sent no instructions either… We can only have her consolidate her cultivation for now… This matter will likely have to be decided by us."
Li Minggong thought for a moment, then asked, "What are your thoughts…"
Li Jiangqian smiled faintly and spoke:
"River Clear Qi."
The Li family's *Jianghe Daling Classic* had yet to be unsealed—how could they let such a prime opportunity slip by? As long as Fei Qingya absorbed the River Clear Qi, she would eventually require the subsequent cultivation method. As long as she emerged from seclusion within three years, a mere mention of it would likely prompt Lin Feng to resolve the problem for her!
What an assembly of Violet Palace figures could not achieve might not be impossible for a True Monarch!
Li Minggong's eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly. Li Jiangqian leaned back, chuckling:
"Protector Chen has taken extraordinary care of her, worrying that she might lack a proper technique to cultivate. Not only did he offer a portion of River Clear Qi, but he also found an excellent matching technique…"
"He said… with similar cultivation methods, it would be far easier to offer guidance."
Watching his expression, Li Minggong shook her head with a wry smile. "Who could blame our Protector Chen for having such a warm heart?"
Li Jiangqian laughed. "Yet Protector Chen also lamented repeatedly that the ancestral technique passed down in his family was locked by secret arts, its method of unsealing lost to time, and wondered what manner of genius might ever unravel it—a truly great regret!"
With the matter settled, Li Jiangqian put down his brush and said, "Protector Chen's family has raised fine children. They are of age now and possess remarkable talent. His second son, Chen Jinxi, has already reached Qi Refinement and came to the clan to report his qi absorption. There is also a nephew named Chen Jinbao. Both are quite promising. According to the elder, they are no worse than the An brothers."
Hearing such an evaluation for the first time, Li Minggong looked up in mild surprise and nodded. "The Chen family has always been discreet… I knew of their existence, but never that they could rival the two An brothers… Splendid talent indeed!"
Li Jiangqian nodded silently, rubbing his jade cup. "Jiangliang has reached Qi Refinement as well, so it is a good time to assign him a subordinate. The Chen clan members are renowned for being capable and dependable, rarely producing anyone useless. It works out well."
Li Minggong smiled and nodded, feeling a quiet sense of relief rise in her heart.
*It is truly fortunate that Zhouwei emerged and the clan's offspring are numerous. If not for him, relying solely on Xinghan, Zhoufang, and at most Jiangzong and Zhouda, we might never have kept so many talents in check…*
Li Jiangqian, lost in his own thoughts, remarked offhandedly, "That Fei Qingyi is quite obedient now. He dares not return to the northern shore, spending his days handling affairs on the islet with great dedication, seemingly eager to atone for his mistakes. His actions may be somewhat clumsy, but his attitude is very proactive."
Li Minggong sighed. "How could he not be proactive? The entire Fei family is watching eagerly, terrified of displeasing you."
Li Jiangqian scoffed softly and replied, "The matter does not rest on me. The Fei family possesses its own fortunes. Fei Qingyi, Fei Qingyi, Fei Qingya—whether for better or worse, these three have at least kept the family's breath of life going!"
Chapter 850