Chapter 12: Golden Light Technique

Li Changhu was startled awake from his meditation for the sixth time. Gritting his teeth, he sat cross-legged again and calmed his mind.

"It's too difficult."

After more than three months of cultivation, he had only managed to gather a few wisps of moonlight essence. Xiangping had already attempted to condense the Xuanjing Wheel, and Tongya had gathered over seventy wisps of moonlight essence. Only Li Changhu was still struggling with single digits.

Compared to the effortless cultivation of his two younger brothers, Li Changhu found it incredibly difficult to guide spiritual energy through the twelve heavenly pillars. Even the talisman seed in his Qi Sea acupoint was listless and dim.

Furthermore, when refining moonlight essence, let alone during the day, he couldn't even perceive it on nights with slightly poor moonlight. The few wisps of moonlight essence he possessed now were still condensed with the aid of the magical mirror.

Alas.

Li Changhu already knew he had no talent for cultivation. Each time it was his turn to use the magical mirror, he felt immense guilt, believing he was obstructing his brothers' path.

Startled awake from meditation for the seventh time, Li Changhu's expression was grim. He glanced at Li Tongya and Li Xiangping beside him, then quietly rose and walked out the door.

Li Mutian was in the backyard, bent over, sharpening a long saber.

His right hand gripped the back of the blade, his left thumb and index finger held the body of the blade, both hands steadily holding it as he repeatedly ground it against the whetstone.

Li Changhu's expression firmed, and he spoke:

"Father."

"What is it?" Li Mutian asked indifferently, without lifting his head.

"I'm afraid I'm not cut out for cultivation," Li Changhu replied with some shame.

"So you're giving up?" Li Mutian looked up, staring at him coldly.

"It's not that I'm giving up," Li Changhu had already prepared his thoughts. He looked at his father and explained:

"My talent is far inferior to Tongya's and Xiangping's, not to mention Jing'er's. I can barely cultivate even with the aid of the magical mirror. It would be better for me to manage the family estate for you during the day and walk around the fields, so as not to arouse suspicion."

"Very well."

Li Mutian pondered for a moment, his expression softening considerably. He shook his head and said, "Forget about tomorrow's task for now. You go prepare for Xiangping's wedding. Don't make it too ostentatious; just invite a few relatives and keep it low-key."

"Yes," Li Changhu nodded heavily, then hurried towards the main courtyard.

As soon as he entered the main courtyard, he saw his wife, Lady Ren, sitting there, sewing clothes and chatting with Tian Yun. The women were not allowed into the ancestral hall in the back courtyard, so they had to wait there.

Tian Yun saw Li Changhu emerge, and sensing the couple had something to discuss, she smiled, found an excuse, and returned to the Tian family's home.

"What is it, Ping'er?" Li Changhu's eyes softened when he saw his wife, and he asked gently.

"Changhu."

Ren Ping'er, with her dignified and graceful appearance and a hint of joy in her eyes, quietly said, "I'm pregnant."

"What?" Li Changhu was greatly surprised. The suppression and frustration in his mind vanished. His face flushed slightly, and he excitedly asked in return:

"Are you really pregnant?"

"Do you think I'd lie to you? Mother-in-law has already confirmed it," Ren Ping'er said, nodding shyly and chiding him playfully.

"Father, Father! Ping'er is pregnant!"

Li Changhu burst into joyful laughter, immensely pleased, and hurried towards the backyard, calling out.

Clang...

Hearing a clang of metal, Li Mutian immediately dropped his blade, rushed to the main courtyard, and asked with an excited expression:

"What did you say, boy?"

"Ping'er is pregnant!" Li Changhu beamed like a child, laughing.

"Good! Good."

Li Mutian burst into hearty laughter, patted the blushing Ren Ping'er, and loudly said to Li Changhu:

"I'll go invite a physician. You take good care of her."

Li Changhu nodded repeatedly, pulled Ren Ping'er to sit down, and began to dote on her, asking about her well-being.

****

Backyard

Li Xiangping performed a hand seal and slowly awoke from his meditation.

He reached out and picked up the wooden slips standing before him, untied the cloth strip, and unfurled them with a rustling sound.

Under the bright moonlight, the large characters at the beginning of the scroll stood out clearly:

Golden Light Art

The Grand Yin Breathing and Wheel Nurturing Scripture could neither be recited nor written, but its accompanying spell formulas could be orally taught and transcribed. Li Tongya and the others transcribed the spells they had obtained and shared them among themselves.

The Golden Light Art scroll before him was the spell Li Chijin had obtained. Li Xiangping had completed the Xuanjing Wheel a few nights ago, so he borrowed this spell to practice.

The Golden Light Art was not difficult. Li Xiangping had read through it and cross-referenced it for two nights, fully grasping all its intricacies.

He flipped his left hand, and a shimmering, iridescent golden light emerged from his palm.

"Golden Light Art!"

This was an offensive and protective cultivation art. By forming a hand seal and casting the spell, one could condense a golden light, which was exceptionally sharp.

This golden light could be attached to a blade or sword to attack enemies, or it could be thrown as a projectile, its power quite considerable.

Waving his hand to dispel the spell, Li Xiangping exited the courtyard gate. His older brothers were all cultivating cross-legged. He found a large bluestone by the entrance, hugged it with both hands, and quietly commanded:

"Lift!"

Unexpectedly, Li Xiangping easily lifted the bluestone, even staggering back a few steps as he overexerted himself.

"Entering Fetal Breathing grants a lifespan of one hundred and twenty years. Mana circulates through the meridians, leading to light bodies, great strength, keen hearing, and clear sight. Performing hand seals to cast spells makes one unlike ordinary people."

Li Xiangping recalled the description in the Grand Yin Breathing and Wheel Nurturing Scripture, couldn't help but chuckle, and carried the bluestone into the backyard.

He placed the bluestone upright, stepped back three zhang, performed a hand seal to cast the spell, and a golden light leaped from his palm, directly striking the bluestone.

Clang~

Bright sparks flashed, and a blade mark, neither deep nor shallow, appeared on the bluestone's surface. The stone, however, moved back a full palm's length, leaving faint white scuff marks on the ground.

"What a good spell!"

It was Li Tongya, who had already awakened from his meditation, looking at Li Xiangping with a smile, saying:

"Jing'er's spell is the most effective. A few days ago, he cast a spell and accidentally cut crookedly through the rockery in the backyard, and I didn't even dare to tell Father."

"When it comes to cultivation, we're truly not as good as Jing'er." Li Xiangping pursed his lips, righted the bluestone, and estimated the mana in his body, figuring he could cast the spell four or five more times.

"Jing'er entered Xuanjing in less than a month. Although he had the aid of the magical mirror, it's still astonishing." Li Tongya shook his head.

The six stages of Fetal Breathing are called Xuanjing, Chengming, Zhouxing, Qingyuan, Yujing, and Lingchu. Among these, Xuanjing, Zhouxing, and Yujing are known as the Three Barriers of Fetal Breathing, and are exceptionally difficult.

Li Chijin and the others easily broke through the gate of Fetal Breathing with the aid of the magical mirror. However, there were no shortcuts for the subsequent Chengming stage; they simply had to diligently absorb spiritual energy and condense fetal breath.

"Guiding qi to refine essence, achieving Xuanjing in nine months, and breathing to reach Chengming in three months, is considered excellent aptitude." Li Xiangping sat beside his second elder brother, reciting the description from the Wheel Nurturing Scripture, and said to Li Tongya:

"With the aid of an external object, the standard for Xuanjing doesn't really count. However, this three-month Chengming stage is something we can definitely compete on."

"Indeed." Li Tongya nodded slightly, then whispered:

"Big brother, he..."

"Big brother is probably even worse than you and I," Li Xiangping said gloomily, quietly gazing at the Great Li Mountain under the night sky.

"I'll meditate for a few more days, then I can try to condense the Xuanjing Wheel. If successful, the magical mirror can then be fully dedicated to big brother's cultivation," Li Tongya mused.

Li Xiangping, who was gazing at the Great Li Mountain, suddenly narrowed his eyes, abruptly stood up, and sharply shouted towards the back mountain:

"How dare those villains!"