As Li Jiangqian finished speaking, the woman beside him nodded and said softly, "You may decide as you see fit. I just returned from the Old Master's place. The elder inquired as well, and his thought was... now is not a good time."
Since Li Minggong put it that way, Li Jiangqian naturally nodded, committing the matter to memory. Laying two letters upon the desk, he said in a low voice, "There is one more matter. The issue regarding Daoist Shouding has finally reached a conclusion."
Years ago, when Daoist Shouding departed from the Li household, he originally intended to make for the Chen family. Li Jiangqian stopped him and sent letters to the Chen clan and Mount Jingyi instead. Now, replies had returned from both.
"One is from the Yuyang Chen clan. It consists mostly of gratitude for our family's warning. The courier contacted Shouding and explained that turmoil had also broken out within the Chen clan, suggesting that if he wished to come, he could first proceed to a stronghold in the Southern Border."
Li Jiangqian shook his head in resignation and replied, "Though Daoist Shouding was filled with doubt, he saw through their polite refusal and decided against going. The other letter came from Mount Jingyi, arranging for him to travel through the Southern Border, so he had no choice but to head south in dejection."
Li Minggong let out a faint breath. Li Jiangqian continued with evident surprise, "Mount Jingyi is quite peculiar as well. Their letter was courteous toward our family, yet they gave Shouding a furious scolding. It seems that sect is rather fiery and temperamental."
Joking lightly, he saw Li Minggong out, his mind still dwelling on their previous discussion.
The Fei clan held a degree of autonomy on the north bank. For all these years, the Li family had never moved against them, but many within the clan had voiced objections. Regardless of what was said in the council hall, the two prominent surnames, Chen and An, held firm stances, resolutely supporting the curtailment of the Fei clan's autonomy or even outright annexation.
*Chen Yang is very clever. On such a sensitive issue, there was truly no second choice for the Chen clan...*
*As for the An clan...*
The old patriarch of the An clan, An Zheyan, was still alive. Having paid respects to Li Tongya in his youth, his prestige was comparable to Chen Donghe of the Chen clan. Yet the true leader of the family was his son, An Siwei.
This Guest Elder An had once been one of the Li clan's few Foundation Establishment protectors and was deeply valued at the time. But once the Li family rose to the Violet Palace, his shallow immortal foundation proved inadequate for major affairs... Later, he was captured by enemies. After his return, various younger generations supplanted his position, and he had kept a low profile ever since. Yet regarding this matter, he had spoken up several times, to the point where the Fei clan could hardly save face.
As for the various branches of the Li clan, most maintained silence. Counting from the Zhou/Xing generation, there were four figures: Zhoufang and Zhouyang were occupied with securing benefits for their own descendants and had no inclination to meddle in such politics, essentially agreeing with whatever the main household decided; Xinghan and Zhouming took no part in clan management at all, so their voices were even fainter.
The sole survivor of the Cheng generation, Li Cheng, was stern and eccentric, making his thoughts difficult to gauge. Though Li Minggong and Li Xuanxuan had never given an explicit decree, their current attitude also leaned toward leaving the Fei clan undisturbed for now.
*Fei Qingya... So long as Fei Qingya's future remains unsettled, all plans regarding the Fei family are mere empty words... Yet having cultivated river clear qi, she makes it awkward to explain things to Fei Qingyi, who can only be brushed off with excuses... Strange indeed. Why haven't the Violet Palace elders made any arrangements for her?*
Amid his heavy contemplation, the door creaked softly. Footsteps hurried toward the hall as two figures rushed before him. One was burly and honest-faced, dropping to his knees in homage immediately; the other did not even bother bowing, striding straight inside. Though an imposing presence clung to him, his face was terribly grim, pale with cold fury.
"Greetings, Family Head!"
Li Jiangqian's heart stirred. The two before him were Li Wen, who oversaw Mount Yuting and was a veteran servant across several generations, and Li Cheng, who governed Qingdu with Qi Refinement cultivation, the lone pillar of the Cheng generation. Li Jiangqian immediately stepped down from the dais and asked, "What has happened?"
Li Cheng's face was livid, his lips bloodless as he whispered, "Reporting to the Family Head... Old Second's life jade has shattered."
"Second Uncle?!"
Li Cheng's own children had almost all perished in clan service, and his daughter Li Xingsai had met her end at the hands of demonic cultivators. He had raised his two nephews as his own sons—namely the brothers Li Zhoufang and Li Zhouyang of the Zhou generation.
These two brothers held substantial authority, cared most for the clan's younger generations, and enjoyed considerable prestige. Because they constantly sought shelter and advancement for their close kinsmen, they were quite an eyesore in the eyes of clan administrators. Li Jiangqian had transferred them to guard the east bank while bringing Li Cheng back to manage Qingdu, never anticipating such a disaster!
"How could this be!"
Though this elder's talent had not been first-rate, he was still a core pillar of the direct line and a prominent figure of the Zhou generation, commanding eminent status. Stunned at first, Li Jiangqian felt anger rise in his eyes. He immediately asked, "Then... how is Eldest Uncle? The two elders were together on the east bank... Has any message been sent back?!"
Li Cheng shook his head darkly, his rigid face brimming with agony as he gritted his teeth. "No news has arrived. Fortunately, his life jade remains intact, so he is in no grave peril."
Li Jiangqian secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Though Eldest Uncle Li Zhoufang and Second Uncle Li Zhouyang had always acted in unison, sharing similar standing and cultivation, their places in Li Jiangqian's heart were starkly different.
For one thing alone: Li Queyi, who was cultivating in Ziyan, and Li Jiangzong, the clan's rising star, were both children of Eldest Uncle Li Zhoufang. Li Zhouyang was merely their uncle...
Cruel though it was, a flicker of relief had indeed crossed Li Jiangqian's mind. What remained was bewilderment and rage. Looking toward Li Wen kneeling before the dais, he heard another set of footsteps. Chen Yang, clad in black armor, strode in, dropping to one knee to present a letter with both hands.
Entering with him were Li Minggong and Li Xuanxuan. Li Minggong's expression was merely troubled, whereas Li Xuanxuan looked torn between anguish and wrath. Neither disturbed Li Jiangqian, standing silently to the side.
Li Jiangqian offered a brief salute, took the letter with a grim expression, and read through it before passing it into Li Xuanxuan's hands.
The old man took it and read, while Li Jiangqian said in a chilling voice, "Today, our family engaged in skirmishes with Duxian upstream over the wilderness... A contingent of Foundation Establishment demonic cultivators secretly infiltrated the wilderness, raided the east bank, breached two grand formations, and slaughtered many of our people. Though Protector Cui rushed to the scene in time... it was already too late."
Having read this far, Li Jiangqian understood. When the Li clan fought Duxian Dao upon the river, distances and timings were fully controllable, and any flank assault was prone to being encircled. This was clearly a premeditated ambush orchestrated by outside parties.
"Recently, Eldest Uncle and Second Uncle were stationed on the east bank and were supposed to stay alongside Protector An. However, Eldest Uncle had rearranged their duties. Today was originally his shift, but he persistently asked Second Uncle to take his place. It was this swap that spared his life."
Li Cheng finished reading in seething fury, handed the letter to Li Wen beside him, prostrated himself on the floor, and shouted fiercely, "Our family's scouts cover the entire wilderness! For a band of Foundation Establishment cultivators to appear and vanish like ghosts and slip onto the east bank, they must have relied on a concealment artifact—this is utterly extraordinary! Someone has deliberately plotted against us... I beg the Family Head to investigate thoroughly!"
Li Jiangqian naturally understood this. Those who struck at his family could never be ordinary demonic or rogue cultivators. His face darkened as deeper doubts surfaced in his mind. Li Wen bowed and said, "Our family holds the western portion of the wilderness. To suffer an attack in our very heartland means this group came from the downstream reaches to the east. Downstream on both banks lie Duxian, Muquan, and Xuanmiao..."
Li Jiangqian shook his head and replied, "With a high-grade concealment artifact, traversing the territories of those factions is no difficult feat. Let us wait for Protector Cui to arrive before we question him."
At these words, Li Cheng had no choice but to suppress his temper.
The east bank lay very close. Not long after the life jade shattered in Qingdu, commotion arose outside. Cui Jueyin descended onto the islet, stepping forward with an uneasy expression.
Arriving with him was Li Zhoufang. This eldest uncle, who had always schemed for his children's benefit, showed none of his usual honest simplicity; his face was pale and gray. With a thud, he threw himself onto his knees, trembling as he cried, "Family Head... the Family Head must avenge him!"
"My younger brother... toiled conscientiously all his life, only to be murdered by the enemy... not even leaving his bones behind! He barely had any children to his name!"
He wept as if heaven and earth were crumbling, leaving Li Jiangqian in a thorny predicament. This was no time to fuss over formalities. After comforting Li Cheng and Li Zhoufang, Li Jiangqian bade Cui Jueyin step forward and demanded in anger, "Protector Cui, you engaged the demonic cultivators. How were they attired, and did they reveal any traces?"
Cui Jueyin hesitated, glancing at Li Jiangqian and then at Li Cheng. Having lost the nephew he had raised from childhood, the middle-aged man bore a crushing sorrow beyond what others could fathom; seeing Cui Jueyin hesitate, he nearly lost all restraint.
Noticing Li Cheng's volatile state, Cui Jueyin finally spoke with unease, "The exact number of the assailants remains unknown... but all were at the Foundation Establishment level and wielded magical artifacts that seemed tailored to unraveling formations. Those two arrays were not profound to begin with, crumbling like paper... breached in an instant."
"Two of them clashed with me. Guest Elder An, Miaoshui, and many other cultivators present witnessed it... One wielded 'Heshui', though their immortal foundation was indiscernible. The other was unmistakable... it was 'Nanchou Water'... Moreover, they produced exceptionally fine talismans to make their escape... They certainly did not hail from an ordinary background."
"Later, I pursued them all the way to Muquan territory, where their clan was actually engaged in fierce combat against another contingent of demonic cultivators. The clash was savage, and I had no choice but to fall back."
At these words, Li Jiangqian's brow furrowed at once, understanding why Cui Jueyin had been reluctant to speak.
'Nanchou Water'!
There was only one Violet Palace power under heaven renowned for practicing 'Nanchou Water'—Duxian Dao, right across the river, currently locked in a standoff with the Li clan!
*How could that be?!*
Li Jiangqian was caught off balance. Li Cheng, however, seemed struck by a sudden revelation. He dropped to his knees with a thud and cried in anguish, "It truly is Duxian! They pinned down our main force on the river while secretly dispatching cultivators to infiltrate the east bank and ambush us! Truly... this Duxian Dao has coveted our downfall for ages!"
Li Jiangqian helped him to his feet, consoling him, "There are many lineages practicing 'Nanchou Water' across Jiangnan; the Lingu family also cultivates it. A single immortal foundation is insufficient to draw a conclusion. Please take care of your health, Great-Uncle..."
Li Cheng refused to rise, while Li Zhoufang, tears streaming down his face, gritted his teeth and said, "Lineages with 'Nanchou Water' may be many, but among our warring enemies, there is only that one!"
Li Cheng turned toward Cui Jueyin and wept, "May I ask Protector Cui—since you exchanged blows with the enemy, how profound was their immortal foundation? Were their spells exquisite? There must be a clear distinction! If they were from some ragtag lineage, they could never be a match for you, Lord Cui!"
"To escape from your hands without leaving behind a single trace, it could only be that house of 'Nanchou Water' across the river!"
Li Cheng harbored deep-seated hatred. The death of his daughter, Li Xingsai, back then had also been tied to Duxian, and now Li Zhouyang was added to the score. How could he not gnash his teeth?
Though normally rigid and eccentric, his mind moved no slower than anyone else's, instantly seizing upon the crucial point. Every word he spoke echoed what Li Jiangqian and Li Xuanxuan wished to ask. Cui Jueyin sighed and answered, "That person's cultivation technique was exceedingly refined, certainly originating from an established lineage, and their arts were in no way inferior to my Cui clan's. Regrettably, their cultivation was modest, and they relied on several high-grade talismans to slip away."
Seen this way, that person practically had the name 'Duxian Dao' emblazoned across their forehead!
Li Jiangqian sighed inwardly. Not everyone was privy to the secret arrangements north of the river. From Li Cheng's perspective, this deed could only have been committed by Duxian Dao. But Cui Jueyin and the others knew the two families maintained a private understanding. To believe that at such a juncture Guan Gongxiao would lose his mind and plot against their family was something Li Jiangqian could not fathom.
*Guan Gongxiao knows when to yield and when to stand tall, but he is certainly not someone who acts recklessly without considering the consequences, nor would he do such a thing for petty immediate gains...*
He glanced at Cui Jueyin, who was clearly at a loss, unsure of how to voice this truth. As Li Jiangqian pondered, Li Xuanxuan let out a long breath, tapped his walking stick against the stone floor, straightened his frame, and spoke in a weathered voice, "Ninth Nephew, our family stands in opposition to Duxian Dao in the north, yet it is merely a standoff. Both sides fear collateral damage and dare not truly come to blows. Yet now this incident suddenly erupts, flaunting 'Nanchou Water' without the slightest concealment. How do we know another faction isn't watching enviously, quietly fanning the flames in hopes that we and the other bank slaughter each other to the death, allowing them to reap the spoils? When that happens, it will only grieve our kin and gladden our foes!"
"Refined arts of 'Nanchou Water' are indeed the emblem of Duxian and the Lingu family, but that does not mean others cannot obtain them. If the other side truly possessed such capability, why didn't they strike our rear during the grand battles on the river? Why take such a circuitous route merely to slay a minor Qi Refinement cultivator? Solely to disgust our family?"
These words proved remarkably effective. Li Cheng's expression shifted, tinged with doubt, though the fury in his eyes did not abate. Prostrating himself once more, he spoke respectfully, "The Old Master speaks truly; this junior was reckless... Yet with so many eyes watching the east bank, for such an event to occur in broad daylight—if there is no response, it will be disastrous."
Li Cheng's point was valid. The Li clan's Violet Palace cultivators had not shown themselves. Having suffered such a sudden loss with a direct elder holding real authority slain, if the entire clan remained idle, their prestige would be severely undermined.
Li Jiangqian merely frowned at Li Zhoufang and asked softly, "Eldest Uncle, what delayed you by half an hour?"
Li Zhoufang wiped away his tears, casting aside shame. "It was an embarrassing matter, but now I must speak. I brought a concubine to the east bank, only to discover traces of infidelity. In my fury, I spent half an hour ferreting out the adulterer... And because of that... because of that..."
"I understand."
Li Jiangqian withdrew his gaze and shifted the topic. "Did the elder leave behind any relics? How should the ancestral incense and offerings be arranged? Please let Qingdu attend to these matters first. I will send men to investigate... perhaps an answer will come. Rest assured, Great-Uncle, this matter will not be dropped... but before venting our wrath, we must identify the true culprit."
"As for the east bank, I will dispatch Chen Yang to scour the area for traces."
Li Zhoufang immediately kowtowed in tearful gratitude. Li Cheng was harder to placate; hearing no concrete timeline, he kept silent and raised his head, only lowering it again after a stern glance from Li Minggong. Kowtowing twice more, he led Li Zhoufang away.
Li Jiangqian ordered the hall doors shut. His expression darkened instantly as he murmured, "Which faction possesses such audacity... at such a time... to dare stir up trouble in the wilderness! Do they truly hate our family to the very marrow of their bones..."
Li Minggong's countenance turned equally cold. "I believe the east bank is suspicious as well. For Zhouyang to run directly into them indicates his movements had been exposed."
"That was inevitable!" Li Xuanxuan shook his head and replied, "Our Foundation Establishment cultivators were right by the river, so there was naturally no reason to conceal their movements. But who could have predicted that a band of Foundation Establishment cultivators, cloaked from sight, would suddenly emerge from the mountains?"
"For now, the proper course is to sweep the east bank and confer with Duxian Dao."
Li Jiangqian pondered for several breaths, then asked again, "Why would they do this? I believe the Old Master's earlier deduction was closer to the mark: someone hopes our clash with Duxian Dao grows fiercer, or is unwilling to see us reach a quiet détente..."
Li Minggong sighed. "Following that thread, Muquan, Xuanmiao, or even Chengyun are all possibilities."
Li Jiangqian remained silent, feeling deeply unsettled.
*Where are Real Persons Tinglan and Qiuhu? It is one thing for Fei Qingya's refined qi to receive no guidance, but now that a band of intruders has raided the wilderness, there is still zero response from them...*
To his knowledge, Ning Wan was at Salt Lake; being unable to spare attention was understandable. But now Tinglan had vanished as well. Affairs north of the river had likely shifted, drawing that Violet Palace master further north. Li Jiangqian let out a heavy sigh and continued, "Furthermore, I fear a divine ability was at play in this. Eldest Uncle escaped by mere coincidence—could the instigator have deliberately avoided implicating Ziyan? If so, matters are far too troublesome!"
"Unlikely." Li Xuanxuan stroked his beard and shook his head, sighing repeatedly. "You are not privy to the inner details, but I know. This was not the work of a day or two. He deliberately wanted to catch them in the act, which was why he secretly had Old Second take his place while he watched from the shadows. There would be no need for a Violet Palace figure to orchestrate such a protracted scheme, influencing events all the way from the lake. There is no reason for that. In my eyes, it was truly... luck!"
Hearing this, Li Jiangqian's complexion improved considerably. He nodded. "Then I have more confidence. Weighing everything together, I doubt it was Chengyun or Xuanmiao. Neither has the appetite for this right now... Truth be told, neither may have failed to see that our family and Duxian Dao are merely putting on a show, so such a stunt would be nothing more than borrowing trouble—smearing mud on themselves for no reason."
"As for Muquan Gate, Real Person Zhugong is a close friend of Real Person Tinglan. Though she governs with leniency, she would not be lenient to such an extent, nor would the demonic cultivators under her command possess the loyalty to stoke such a fire."
He turned, drew out a sheet of letter paper, and said solemnly, "Regarding this matter, I think we should direct inquiries toward the East Sea."
Before Li Jiangqian could elaborate, another flurry of hurried footsteps sounded outside. He had no choice but to open the doors. The old man Qu Bushi hurried forward, his expression filled with both alarm and astonishment as he reported, "Reporting to the Family Head, reporting to the Lords... The Locust Soul Hall has crossed the Fanyun border and... clashed with Tangjin Gate!"
Receiving this news, Li Jiangqian was surprisingly not caught off guard. Stepping down from the dais, he asked, "Tangjin Gate?"
"Indeed!"
Li Jiangqian raised his eyebrows. "When did this news arrive?"
"Reportedly last night."
Li Minggong held a dreadful impression of Tangjin Gate. Learning of this should have pleased her, but having just lost a direct kinsman, her interest was lukewarm. She merely shook her head. "They had it coming... Back then, Tangjin was so overbearing north of the river; they too have met their day. How many people does their entire immortal gate even have left now? I doubt they can stand against that makeshift Locust Soul Hall."
"What pretext did they use?"
At Li Minggong's question, Qu Bushi hurriedly answered, "Unifying the territory of Baijiang Stream... It is said that not long after Locust Soul Hall was established, the Jinyu Sect sent envoys, acknowledging his dominion north of the river and explicitly stating that the Sanjiang territory belongs to Locust Soul Hall."
"Tangjin Gate also possesses territory along Baijiang Stream, so Daoist Bai seized upon this to make his move. Originally, those tracts were of little consequence—after all, Tangjin Gate has sealed its mountain, retaining only a few peaks, so handing them over would have been fine..."
"Yet beyond demanding those lands, Locust Soul Hall also wanted the nearby spirit ore veins... The Situ family currently has no other livelihoods and relies solely on those veins to survive, so naturally they refused to yield."
Li Jiangqian breathed a sigh of relief and mused inwardly:
*I feared time was running short, but I underestimated Daoist Bai's greed. Now that fate rests upon him, no Violet Palace figure would use divine abilities to guide him; this stems entirely from his own boundless avarice...*
"What did the Jinyu Sect say?"
Qu Bushi replied hastily, "Ever since Real Person Tianhuo personally intervened, seized Tangjin Gate's treasure, and treated the Tangjin disciples with utter disdain... rumors north of the river have faded. The cultivators of Tangjin Gate were so humiliated and resentful that they dared not claim Jinyu was friendly. Daoist Bai... likely noticed this and boldly advanced westward."
Li Jiangqian nodded. So many events had unfolded within a single day. Rubbing his temples, he asked abruptly, "Tangjin Gate still has a Situ Ku... he is held in our dungeons, correct?"
Situ Ku had been imprisoned by the Li clan for many years, his cultivation sealed and his person kept under house arrest. Furthermore, because the Ding clan had previously resided in Funan and Ding Weizeng shared friendship with Situ Ku, the old man had lived quite comfortably relying on that connection.
*Tangjin Gate has already been abandoned by the Jinyu Sect. After all, they did the sect's dirty work for so many years, and north and south of the river, everyone knows the name Tangjin is foul and tainted. Once they clash with Locust Soul Hall, no good end awaits them.*
*Such a struggle will buy time for the True Monarch to grow. Once those ore veins are lost and the Situ family holes up in their mountain, a flourishing Locust Soul Hall will serve as the perfect stage for the drama to unfold.*
As for the Situ family hitching a ride on the True Monarch's momentum, that was highly improbable. After all, north or south of the river, the sects offended by the Situ family could not be counted on both hands, the Violet Palace masters they had crossed were innumerable, and their reputation was thoroughly ruined. Everyone was merely watching in silence.
Recalling Situ Ku at this moment, Li Jiangqian also harbored ill intentions. That old man was weak and greedy, exceptionally easy to manipulate, and crucially, his cultivation was high enough relative to what remained of Tangjin Gate today...
*Mount Tangdao possesses a grand array; Locust Soul Hall is unlikely to breach it. In the end, it will mostly result in the mountain being sealed. Once this storm passes, Situ Ku will become an important player—a fine pawn after all.*
Chapter 881