Chapter 123: Green Tassel Sword Immortal

Li Xuanfeng settled Jiang Yunü, spending a few peaceful days with her in town, living like ordinary folk. However, the day to pay homage at Guanyun Peak arrived. He gently patted her head, took out a brocade pouch, and instructed her:

"I'm leaving these one hundred taels of silver for you. Use them to hire two trustworthy servants and live a peaceful life. I have important matters to attend to and will return to see you in a month or, at most, three months."

"Yes," Jiang Yunü obediently replied, not daring to say anything more. Li Xuanfeng fastened her sash, looked at her closely, and then said:

"Wait a moment."

With that, he raised his bow, squinted at the sky for a moment, drew the string taut withoutching an arrow, and then suddenly released it. The courtyard immediately filled with a humming sound from the bowstring.

After this empty shot, Li Xuanfeng waited a few breaths, then caught the wild goose that fell from the sky. He handed it to Jiang Yunü, smiling:

"Try this wild goose! We don't have a formal betrothal agreement yet, so let this goose serve as a temporary substitute. We can make it up later when there's an opportunity."

Having displayed this masterful technique, Li Xuanfeng slung his longbow over his back and soared into the sky on the wind. Jiang Yunü remained standing in the courtyard, clutching the corner of her clothes, as if lost in a dream. She squeezed the stunned wild goose and slowly walked into the house.

Li Xuanfeng flew on the clouds for a while before landing at the foot of Guanyun Peak. There he saw Xiao Ruyu, wearing a straw hat and holding a broom, sweeping the stone steps. The seventeen-year-old youth had a handsome appearance, and despite his humble attire, he managed to carry himself with the air of a young master.

"Brother Ruyu!" Li Xuanfeng cupped his hands, a little surprised, and inquired: "What are you doing here?"

"Oh." Xiao Ruyu shook his head, looking a bit embarrassed, and stammered: "Brother Xuanfeng, you might not know this, but the rules of my Xiao family are quite peculiar. Whenever it's time to pay homage, I, as the young family head, must sweep below Guanyun Peak. If I encounter talented disciples from other families, I'm expected to ask for guidance or engage in a friendly match, and other families are usually willing to oblige."

Li Xuanfeng understood instantly and smiled, thinking to himself: "This Xiao family has some tricks up its sleeve. Now he knows the strengths and weaknesses of every family, and they have to endure it. How could they possibly avoid coming to Guanyun Peak to pay homage? The Xiao family is powerful; who could refuse once they arrive?"

Glancing at Xiao Ruyu, Li Xuanfeng chuckled: "Brother Ruyu, are you perhaps interested in testing my mettle?"

"Oh no, not at all! Just a friendly sparring match." Xiao Ruyu quickly shook his head, hesitating: "It's just that... Brother Li uses archery, and close-quarters combat would be too unfair. How about I retreat about a mile, and then we can spar?"

"No need!" Li Xuanfeng laughed heartily. He hadn't fought at full strength since advancing to the Qi Condensation stage, and he was eager for a fight. He held his tall greatbow horizontally, gripped the bow, and drew the string. Without needing an arrow, a sharp beam of golden energy erupted from the string, aimed directly at Xiao Ruyu.

Xiao Ruyu lightly raised the broom in his hand, and a pale protective true essence enveloped his body. Yet, his brow still throbbed faintly, and a sense of danger lingered in his heart. Greatly startled, he realized he had underestimated Li Xuanfeng and thought to himself: "Damn it! This person's mastery of the bowstring technique is far beyond that of an ordinary Qi Condensation cultivator. This path is known for being silent until it strikes with astonishing power. I shouldn't have waited for him to draw his bow; I should have closed in earlier. I was too arrogant!"

While he was pondering, he had already taken several steps. Li Xuanfeng released the string, and golden energy burst forth. He then took two steps back, and another beam of energy condensed.

Xiao Ruyu's true essence enveloped his broom, and he dared not be distracted for a moment, knowing that if the energy hit him, it would create a hole. He met and shattered the first golden energy beam, then turned to shatter the next, and the subsequent beams. Although he was getting closer to Li Xuanfeng, he felt as if a biting wind was blowing against his face, and his movements became increasingly sluggish.

"What's happening?" Xiao Ruyu was greatly alarmed. His spiritual sense enveloped him, and he then discovered that the shattered energy, like a persistent disease, had transformed into several golden streams that flowed over his protective true essence, continuously eroding it.

Xiao Ruyu had cultivated his family's movement technique, which was originally much faster than Li Xuanfeng's, but he was slowing down step by step. Seeing Li Xuanfeng rapidly widening the distance using the recoil force, Xiao Ruyu had no choice but to form hand seals and cast several spells to counter, attempting to interfere with Li Xuanfeng.

To his surprise, Li Xuanfeng swept his dark longbow, shattering the spells, then stopped and waved his hand, saying: "Brother Xiao, your cultivation is profound. Let's stop, let's stop!"

Xiao Ruyu gave him a deep look, dispelled his true essence, cupped his hands, and smiled: "Brother Xuanfeng, please proceed."

Li Xuanfeng nodded in farewell, thinking to himself: "If this were a fight to the death, he would surely die if I maintained a distance of five li or more. At one li, the outcome would be hard to predict, and if we met head-on, I might not be able to defeat him."

Although Li Xuanfeng had the upper hand just now, repeatedly drawing his bow had exhausted both his qi and spirit. Continuing the fight would likely put him at a disadvantage, so he quickly called a halt.

As Xiao Ruyu watched Li Xuanfeng ascend the mountain, he too was secretly astonished, knowing that Li Xuanfeng was not easy to deal with. While he was still contemplating, a young man approached from below. Xiao Ruyu spoke: "And you are?"

"Lu Yuanlu of the Lu family! What are you?! How dare you block my path!"

Xiao Ruyu stared blankly at the arrogant man before him, his expression turning somewhat strange.

Upon reaching the mountain top, Li Xuanfeng saw a small courtyard. He didn't recognize anyone there, so he simply sat in a corner and watched. When he saw a man with a bruised and swollen face walk up, he became very curious and wondered: "What kind of grudge does this person have with Xiao Ruyu to be beaten so badly?"

After a while, a cloud-skiff, glowing with iridescent light, crossed the sea of clouds and slowly descended onto the mountaintop. From it stepped a middle-aged man in a Daoist robe. His cultivation was also at the peak of Qi Condensation, and he wore a jade crown, giving him a distinguished bearing.

The middle-aged man first bowed to Xiao Chuting, then closed his eyes to meditate. Below, the immortal sect's attendants began calling names one by one. Li Xuanfeng waited for a while until it was the Li Family of Lijing's turn. He stepped forward to deliver the tribute, and at that moment, the jade-crowned middle-aged man's ear twitched. He opened his eyes, nodded to Li Xuanfeng quite politely, and said:

"I have long admired the esteemed name of the Li Family of Lijing. Indeed, their reputation is well-deserved; a fifteen-year-old Qi Condensation cultivator is rare even within the sect!"

Li Xuanfeng paused slightly, unsure when his family's name had become known within the sect. He cupped his hands and replied: "Senior, you flatter me. This junior merely had good fortune. It is surprising that our small family, from a remote borderland, could have its name reach your ears!"

The middle-aged man shook his head, interrupting the naming ceremony, and began chatting with him, smiling: "Your esteemed clan's Elder, the Green穗 Sword Immortal Li Chijing, recently broke through to the Foundation Establishment stage in Yishan City. With a single Moon Gap Sword Intent, he defeated Chi Jiuyun, the Fire Phoenix Sword, showcasing sword dao cultivation unmatched among all peaks. When this news reached us, who in the entire sect does not know the great name of the Li Family of Lijing!"

At these words, everyone present was astonished. Li Xuanfeng's expression lit up with joy. He was young, and Li Chijing had already returned to the sect before his birth, so he had no memory of his elder uncle's appearance. Nevertheless, he was exceptionally surprised and felt honored, repeatedly expressing his thanks.

Xiao Chuting, standing nearby, slightly opened his eyes. He knew the true significance of this Sword Immortal far better than the others present, and he thought to himself: "Green穗 Sword Immortal... Li Chijing truly comprehended sword intent. What an extraordinary genius! I heard Yuan Si mention his exceptional talent before, but to think it was this profound!"

Then, changing his thoughts, he sighed softly, musing: "Unfortunately, he fell into the hands of the Qingchi Demonic Sect, and with such a wondrous Dao foundation, how could he possibly come to a good end? Sooner or later, he will merely become fodder for that old demon. What a pity..."

The middle-aged man, however, grew more excited as he spoke, repeatedly saying: "We are also practitioners of the sword, and we had hoped to visit the elder in the Southern Border to seek some guidance. But we learned that Elder Li had been sent deep into the Southern Border to search for medicine for the sect and would not return for several decades. So we had to return disappointed!"

The middle-aged man sighed with considerable regret, looking at Li Xuanfeng quite affectionately, and repeatedly said: "Before leaving the sect, I specifically checked the register, and the Li family was still listed as a minor clan of the Fetal Respiration stage! It's clear those who handle these matters are not diligent. Since you also possess Qi Condensation cultivation, why don't we change it right here?"

Li Xuanfeng repeatedly agreed. The middle-aged man took out a brush and ink, astonishingly taking on the task of an attendant. With a stroke, he changed the Li family's entry in the jade register from a minor clan to a major one. He then sighed with regret: "If only there wasn't a sect rule that only direct disciples who achieve Foundation Establishment can be listed as noble families, it would have been much easier to correct this all at once!"

Li Xuanfeng received the new spirit seed and stipend requirements. After chatting with the middle-aged man for a few more moments, he quickly stepped back. The naming ceremony, which had been abruptly interrupted, then resumed. He stood proudly at the very front, basking in the astonished and envious gazes from all around. In his heart, the image of his elder uncle grew immeasurably grand, as if he had already beheld a graceful sword immortal.

"Once I reach Foundation Establishment, I must have a proper match with my elder uncle. We'll see whose bowstring is faster, or whose sword is swifter!"

(End of Chapter)