"Let him come up."
Li Tongya looked at the clan soldier who had come to report, musing inwardly, *Nine times out of ten, this is related to the Ji family. The Lu family of Tiaoyun and our Li family of Lijing flank the Ji family on the east and west. They are most likely seeking our cooperation.*
Just as Li Tongya was pondering this, an old man was led into the courtyard. He was clad in a white robe, had white hair yet a youthful complexion, and held a jade ruyi in his hand. Catching sight of the two men, he cupped his fists with a beaming smile and greeted, "Under the governance of Qingchi, Lu Sisi of the Tiaoyun Lu family greets you both."
"Li Tongya of the Lijing Li family."
Li Tongya also cupped his hands in greeting. Sweeping with his spiritual sense, he found the man possessed the cultivation of roughly the fifth or sixth layer of Qi Refinement. The jade ruyi in his hand gleamed with a brilliant luster, clearly an extraordinary item—far superior to the Embryonic Breathing realm sword at Li Tongya's waist.
"Please."
Li Tongya and Lu Sisi entered the courtyard and took their seats, while Li Xuanling and the others withdrew. Accepting the tea offered by a servant, Li Tongya spoke up, "May I ask what brings Senior here today...?"
"Oh."
Lu Sisi raised his ash-gray eyebrows, a smile playing at the corners of his lips, and murmured, "I came to congratulate you, little friend Tongya."
"Congratulate me for what?"
Li Tongya furrowed his brow, unsure what this man was plotting.
"The Shanyue have raided across the border in many places. Dozens of families suffered disaster, and six were wiped out entirely. Yet as I made my way up Mount Lijing, aside from a few commoners wearing sorrowful expressions, I saw no white mourning robes and heard no wailing. It is clear your noble clan suffered little loss. Does that not warrant congratulations?"
Lu Sisi finished with a chuckle. Li Tongya felt thoroughly irked and said with a frown, "Senior, speak plainly."
Taking a sip of tea, Lu Sisi abandoned the idle chatter, nodded, and said, "The Ji family has seized Mount Huaqian, and my Lu family wants it back. My Lu family wants the mountain itself, and we will compensate your family in full with the wealth, spirit stones, and goods found there. This would not only eliminate an enemy lying between our two clans, but also avenge my Lu family."
"Oh?"
Li Tongya gave a light murmur, unmoved in his heart, and asked in turn, "What grudge has your clan formed with the Ji family?"
"You might not know, little friend, but my Lu family once dispatched a Qi Refinement cultivator to provide support, only for him to perish on Mount Huaqian..."
Seeing Lu Sisi's embarrassed expression, Li Tongya asked, "How many Qi Refinement cultivators does the Ji family have, and what is their backing? Has Senior probed their depth?"
Lu Sisi nodded and explained, "The Ji family currently possesses two Qi Refinement cultivators. The clan head, Ji Dengqi, is at the mid-stage of Qi Refinement, likely around the fifth or sixth layer. Another Ji disciple attained Qi Refinement only in recent years. As for their backing... rumor has it that a daughter of the Ji family attends by the side of a great figure in the Tangjin Sect."
Li Tongya smiled faintly and shook his head helplessly. "Since Senior Lu already knows this, you must know the Ji family is not to be touched lightly."
Lu Sisi chuckled, set down his teacup, and smiled. "If I came to seek you out, little friend, naturally I have gathered reliable intelligence!"
Lowering his voice several degrees, Lu Sisi whispered, "I have a brother-in-law who serves as a guest elder in the Tangjin Sect. Three years ago, he said that the Tangjin Sect had already recalled many of its garrisons along the shores of Lake Wangyue. If my guess is correct, some internal turmoil must have occurred within the Tangjin Sect..."
"Oh?"
Li Tongya finally took an interest and pressed, "What does the Qingchi Sect say?"
"Naturally, they have issued orders."
Lu Sisi produced an official missive bearing the endorsement of Qingchi on the reverse. Its several dozen characters roughly stated that the border between the Qingchi Sect and the Tangjin Sect was to be shifted thousands of li to the north, and the entire eastern shore of Lake Wangyue now belonged to the Qingchi Sect.
"This order was handed down by the commandery just a few days ago. When I saw it, I returned and calculated the days. If my guess is correct..."
"The mid-Purple Palace cultivator of the Tangjin Sect has exhausted his lifespan. He must have passed away, leaving behind only an early-Purple Palace cultivator to hold the fort!"
Li Tongya paused, shock registering on his face, and he immediately questioned, "The fall of a Purple Palace cultivator is such a monumental event—the Tangjin Sect would surely hide it with utmost care. How could even the Qingchi Sect know so clearly?"
The Three Sects and Seven Gates stood high above the rest precisely because each possessed one or more Purple Palace heritages. The Three Sects were said to each hold three or more Purple Palace heritages, while the Seven Gates held one or two, along with Purple Palace cultivators presiding within each sect.
Now that a mid-Purple Palace cultivator of the Tangjin Sect had passed away, while it would not lead to the sect's destruction, a drastic shrinkage of its territory and influence was inevitable.
"How could people like us understand the petty squabbles between Purple Palace cultivators?"
Lu Sisi shook his head and asked in turn, "I won't waste more words. Will your Li family take on this job or not?"
Li Tongya closed his eyes and pondered. At present, the Li family lacked heritages and spiritual items; this proposition was indeed an immense temptation. Furthermore, getting rid of the Ji family would remove a major thorn in their side.
Out of caution, Li Tongya confirmed once more, "The great figure the Ji family latched onto is rumored to be the Young Sect Master of the Tangjin Sect. What relation did he have to the fallen Purple Palace cultivator?"
"He is that Purple Palace cultivator's grandson! Now that branch can barely protect its own power; who knows what bloody turmoil will erupt there? They will have no spare hands to care about a tiny clan like the Ji family."
"Very well."
Li Tongya nodded and gritted his teeth. "I have several conditions."
"Please speak, little friend Tongya."
"First, if the cultivation methods and secret scriptures of the Ji family fall into our hands, my Li family will make a copy of every single one, and they shall not be counted toward the spiritual items meant to compensate us."
Lu Sisi nodded without hesitation and whispered, "Agreed."
"Second, I will strike under the guise of an itinerant cultivator of Lake Wangyue, not as a member of the Lijing Li family. If we encounter an enemy far beyond our strength, I will retreat immediately. If I kill someone, all spoils of war shall belong to me."
Lu Sisi was taken aback. He smiled wryly and said with a hint of envy, "You truly are cautious, little friend. If only the younger generation of my Lu family possessed even sixty percent of your capability, I would not have to worry so much about what comes after me..."
Seeing Li Tongya smile silently, Lu Sisi answered, "Agreed. The wealth and goods on Mount Huaqian shall be split evenly. For all spirit springs and spirit fields, my Lu family will compensate your family with spirit stones or treasures at thirty percent of their evaluated value."
Li Tongya took a sip of tea and said in a low voice, "I want you to swear a Xuanjing Spiritual Oath!"
Once again, Lu Sisi nodded without hesitation and said gravely, "That is only proper."
The two swore the oath using a secret method. Feeling an imprint lightly branded onto his Xuanjing Wheel, Li Tongya asked, "When?"
"Three days from now, I will come here, and together we shall head for Mount Huaqian!"
Li Tongya nodded and saw Lu Sisi off. Returning to the courtyard, he looked at Li Xuanxuan, who sat below in deep thought, and murmured softly, "In my storage bag, there is still the Yuya Pill Xiangping obtained from killing someone. I will now enter seclusion to break through to the third layer of Qi Refinement, which will grant us greater certainty."
Li Xuanxuan rose, cupped his hands, and said respectfully, "Second Uncle, enter seclusion with peace of mind. Leave the family to me."
***
Li Chijing gazed down at the beast tide surging up the mountain. His cultivation aura surged majestically, his white robes snapping in the evening wind, as the people around him cast looks of awe and respect in his direction.
"Is this man the 'Qingsui Sword,' Li Chijing?"
"Who else could it be? Look at that imposing presence of his—he is probably only half a step away from Foundation Establishment."
Yet Li Chijing knew his own situation best. It was far more than being half a step away; practically every moment, he had to suppress the true essence within his body to prevent it from liquefying on its own.
With just a single thought, the six wheels formed during the Embryonic Breathing realm within his body would immediately liquefy, converging his entire cultivation to condense the Great Dao's foundation within his Qihai acupoint, achieving Foundation Establishment right then and there.
*I cannot stall any longer... The messengers sent by the sect have already urged me three times.*
As Li Chijing muttered inwardly, a handsome man in white robes beside him clapped his shoulder and said softly, "Junior Brother, you are at the peak of Qi Refinement now, aren't you?"
Li Chijing sighed faintly in his heart, turned his head with a calm expression toward the white-robed man, and answered, "Indeed. Has Senior Brother Chi come to persuade me to attempt Foundation Establishment?"
The man addressed as Senior Brother Chi was slightly taken aback, then nodded. "The sect intends for it. The breakthrough pill has already been prepared for you, Junior Brother; you may enter seclusion to break through at any time."
Li Chijing nodded and replied with a beaming smile, "The sect has truly been thoughtful. Chijing is deeply grateful!"
Senior Brother Chi's expression shifted slightly, and he replied somewhat awkwardly, "Naturally. It's just... I wonder what degree of certainty you have, Junior Brother?"
Li Chijing assumed a troubled expression and murmured, "I fear... less than eighty percent."
"Eighty percent?!"
Senior Brother Chi frowned. Compared to anyone else, such a probability was terrifyingly high, but he knew very well how many heavenly treasures and earthly delicacies had been fed to Li Chijing. For it to be merely eighty percent left him bewildered, and he thought to himself: *It seems I cannot save this Suiyuan Pill after all...*
Senior Brother Chi sighed softly, produced a jade bottle from a brocade pouch, and smiled. "I still have a Suiyuan Pill here. Take it and use it for now."
Li Chijing nodded with an expression of immense gratitude, accepted the jade bottle, and said loudly, "Thank you, Senior Brother!"
Suppressing the heartache within, Senior Brother Chi maintained the smile on his face and said warmly, "Once you are ready, enter seclusion to break through!"
Only then did Li Chijing nod vigorously and amble down the mountain. As he brushed past Senior Brother Chi, a chilling whisper drifted into his ears:
"Li Chijing, your Foundation Establishment can only succeed; it must not fail. You would not want to know the consequences."
Li Chijing's figure paused slightly. Looking back at the gentle smile on Senior Brother Chi's face, he chuckled, shook his head, and continued down the mountain.
Senior Brother Chi stared coldly at Li Chijing's departing figure, muttering to himself, "What do a few pills matter? He is merely a dead man walking; giving them away is of no consequence. But nothing must go wrong with the Patriarch's Infant Essence Pill."
***
Having descended the mountain, Li Chijing pondered for several breaths, then entered a small pavilion at the mountain's foot. He slowly ascended the yellowish pearwood stairs, and a young man slumped drunk over a brownish-red square table came into view.
"Deng Qiuzhi!"
Li Chijing seized him by the collar. Autumn moon essence swiftly gathered in his palm, condensing into a handful of clear lake water that splashed straight onto his face.
The dousing left Deng Qiuzhi completely dazed as the water ran down his hair, evaporating into spiritual energy the moment it hit the floor. This effortless display of technique demonstrated the caster's superb cultivation.
Deng Qiuzhi jolted awake. Looking up at Li Chijing, he shook his head with bleary, sleepy eyes and chuckled foolishly. "Brother Jing! You came early today?"
Li Chijing sat down quietly. Rummaging through the wine pots on the table, he finally scraped together a cup of wine, brought it to his lips, took a sip, and said gravely, "Tomorrow, I will break through to Foundation Establishment."
Deng Qiuzhi froze abruptly. When he looked up, tears were already glistening in his eyes, and he choked out, "Brother Jing! Have you truly thought this through?"
Li Chijing nodded and smiled. "Isn't it just being eaten?"
Deng Qiuzhi was stunned. He silently raised his cup, only to find it already empty, and could only murmur, "You are still the broad-minded one."
Li Chijing chuckled softly and replied, "We have figured it out over these past years: I am the primary ingredient, and you are the auxiliary material. Who knows what divine medicine we can be refined into."
Draining the wine in his cup, Li Chijing turned and walked out of the pavilion, leaving behind only the dazed Deng Qiuzhi and a single phrase lingering in the air:
"This wine isn't strong enough."
Leaving the small pavilion, Li Chijing headed straight for a cave dwelling nestled in the mountains. He tapped lightly on the stone door, and before long, someone came to open it.
"Jing'er..."
The person who emerged was none other than Senior Brother Xiao Yuansi, still clutching several herbs in his hand. Seeing Li Chijing, an expression of guilt crossed his face as he called out softly.
"Why don't you invite me in, Senior Brother?"
Li Chijing spoke with a grin. Xiao Yuansi hurriedly stepped aside to welcome him in, served tea at the stone table, and stared blankly at Li Chijing.
"Senior Brother's cultivation has also reached the peak of Qi Refinement. What certainty do you have in attempting Foundation Establishment?"
Hearing this, Xiao Yuansi shook his head and replied, "I cannot compare to you. Right now, I have only thirty to forty percent certainty at best; I still need to accumulate for a few more years."
Li Chijing nodded. After exchanging a few more pleasantries, he finally turned to the main topic.
"Coming here today, I have a few matters to entrust to you, Senior Brother."
"Jing'er, tell me..."
Li Chijing produced the jade bottle and explained, "This is the Suiyuan Pill Chi Jiuyun gave me. Please take it home to my family on my behalf, Senior Brother."
Xiao Yuansi nodded, then hesitated before speaking, "Then what about you...?"
"I have no use for this thing."
Li Chijing shook his head and smiled with confidence. He then took out several items from his storage bag and explained them one by one: "Over the years, I accumulated some merits and exchanged them for an alchemy heritage. Hearing that Xuanfeng is fond of the bow and arrow, and that my elder brother also uses archery techniques, I exchanged for this secret method as well. The rest I converted into spirit stones—just over a hundred of them. Along with the talismans I drew over the years, please take them all back together, Senior Brother."
Xiao Yuansi naturally understood Li Chijing's intentions. His eyes welled with tears as he said in grief, "Jing'er, my Qingsui Peak has wronged you!"
Li Chijing was startled, then shook his head with a smile. "Why must you speak like this, Senior Brother? My entire cultivation was bestowed by Qingsui. Returning it to the sect now—what is amiss with that? Do not give others an excuse to gossip, Senior Brother.
"Regardless of what the sect did, the Xiao family and Qingsui Peak have done a great deal for me and the Li family. Both Chijing and the Lijing Li family remember this in our hearts!"
With that, Li Chijing rose to his feet. Facing north toward Si Yuanbai, who was imprisoned in the prison tower, he performed three prostrations and nine kowtows with solemn respect. Then, he bowed deeply and respectfully to Xiao Yuansi. Tears finally welled in the corners of his eyes as he spoke earnestly:
"Senior Brother, I entrust my family to you from now on!"
Xiao Yuansi rose with a solemn expression and answered with grave sincerity, "Jing'er, as long as I, Xiao Yuansi, draw breath, the Li family's heritage will never be broken!"
Li Chijing wiped the corners of his eyes and embraced Xiao Yuansi with a smile. The senior brother lowered his head slightly and asked softly, "Do you have any other wishes?"
Li Chijing laughed heartily and said coldly:
"My wishes in this life are already fulfilled. If I truly have any wish left, it is for that Purple Palace Patriarch who uses us to refine pills to fail in his breakthrough to the Golden Core realm, exhaust his lifespan, and perish body and soul!"
Chapter 97