Chapter 178: Elders Emerge from Seclusion

“Xiuer!”

The person who arrived was smiling smugly; who else could it be but Li Xuanxuan? Having now broken through to the Qi Refining stage and becoming the Li family’s fourth Qi Refining cultivator, with a lifespan of two hundred years, able to ride the winds and soar through the heavens, he was naturally in high spirits, and even looked several years younger.

“Father has come out of seclusion!”

Li Yuanxiu, delighted, walked down to meet his father, Li Xuanxuan, who flicked his sleeves and declared proudly:“Your father consumed the Cave Spring Clear Qi, cultivated the Cave Spring True Essence, and now possesses a long life force, skilled in regulating qi and drawing talismans. I am now a Qi Refining cultivator! Not just me, your grand-uncle has also emerged from seclusion, breaking through to the ninth level of Qi Refining with the help of a Talisman Pill.”“That’s excellent!”

Li Yuanxiu nodded repeatedly. He saw Li Xuanxuan turn his palm, revealing a wisp of dark blue True Essence, which indeed carried a clear, vibrant energy. Li Yuanxiu looked on with envy, then bowed respectfully and said in a serious tone:“Since Father has returned, the family’s affairs should naturally revert to your management.”He then took a step back, adjusted his robes, and bowed, signifying the handover of authority back to Li Xuanxuan.

It was better not to mention it, but upon hearing this, Li Xuanxuan was greatly embarrassed. He had managed the family for over a decade, and he believed he had done a decent job. Before entering seclusion, he had wondered if Li Yuanxiu could handle the situation. Who would have thought that upon emerging, he would hear Li Xuanling praising Li Yuanxiu incessantly? A quick look around showed that the family was much more orderly than before his seclusion. Several elders shook their heads and sighed when they saw him, leaving him both amused and mortified.

“Xiuer, you’re flattering me too much!”Li Xuanxuan shook his head and said seriously:“Now that I have achieved Qi Refining, I naturally need to seclude myself for intensive cultivation, and put more effort into the art of talismans to add to the family’s foundation. There’s no reason for a Qi Refining cultivator to cling to power… Perhaps a hundred years from now, when the Li family prospers greatly, and Foundation Establishment and Purple Palace cultivators become patriarchs, with Qi Refining cultivators emerging in large numbers, then it would be appropriate for a Qi Refining cultivator to manage the household. For now, you should continue managing it! Moreover, Xuanling has already told me about your accomplishments in managing the family these past few years. Hearing it filled me with such pride that I immediately came down the mountain to see you!”

Li Yuanxiu chuckled. He was merely being polite; he knew deep down that Li Xuanxuan would never take the authority back. He said softly:“While Father was in seclusion, there was unrest among the Shanyue people. The royal heir, Shamaoli, fled eastward and is now in seclusion, attempting to break through to Qi Refining…”He then recounted the arrangements made against the Shanyue over the past few years. Li Xuanxuan had already heard it from Li Xuanling, but he listened to Li Yuanxiu’s full account before saying:“Shamaoli consumed impure qi, which is much easier to absorb than pure spiritual energy. Now that a year has passed, he will likely emerge from seclusion soon.”

The father and son sat in the place of honor. After dismissing the family guards and servants, Li Yuanxiu meticulously explained his strategies for addressing various domestic issues. Li Xuanxuan nodded repeatedly, praising him effusively, then chuckled and whispered:“Xuanling said you were a cut above us, but it seems he was merely trying to save my face. You’re far more than just a cut above!”

This praise greatly embarrassed Li Yuanxiu, who repeatedly demurred. The father and son chatted happily until dusk, shared their evening meal, and only then did Li Xuanxuan return to the mountain.

Li Tongya walked out of his cave dwelling, his True Essence shining brightly. His cultivation at the ninth level of Qi Refining was already among the top tiers above Moon Lake; besides a few Foundation Establishment cultivators, no one else could rival him. Yet, he was not particularly joyful, even feeling a little worried.

“My cultivation speed is, after all, merely average. Even with that precious Talisman Pill, it still took me a full three years to break through. With my sixtieth birthday approaching, it’s clearly too late!”Feeling somewhat irritated, Li Tongya slowly exhaled. He glanced at Li Xuanxuan’s empty stone chamber and finally felt a sense of relief, musing:“Fortunately, Xuan’er successfully broke through to Qi Refining, adding another Qi Refining cultivator to the family. And his cultivation method is better suited for drawing talismans than mine, which also builds a legacy for the family…”

Li Tongya’s talisman art originated from the “Spirit Talisman Method” brought back by Li Chijing, which contained methods for making twelve Qi Condensing stage talismans and three Qi Refining stage talismans. However, these were not considered profound, being merely common techniques. Li Tongya genuinely lacked talent in this area; over a decade, he only mastered the Qi Condensing stage talismans. He had never succeeded once with a Qi Refining stage talisman to date, so he simply abandoned this path and focused on cultivating sword techniques. Li Xuanxuan, however, was much more gifted than him, and his cultivation method was also suitable for drawing talismans, so the family’s talisman art was entrusted to him.

Reflecting on his own lack of talent in talisman art, and how he had nonetheless spent over a decade forcing himself to generate income for the family through it, Li Tongya was suddenly struck by a realization. Drawing parallels, he understood that his current cultivation mindset was quite undesirable.

“I was so fixated on rushing to break through to Foundation Establishment before I turned sixty, but being so engrossed, I overlooked that such an impatient and overly ambitious mindset is a major taboo in cultivation! Fortunately, I have accumulated a deep foundation from decades of cultivation, allowing me to maintain stability, and I also had the Talisman Pill’s assistance. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be surprising to be stuck at the eighth level of Qi Refining for over a decade… I was almost going to ruin a major undertaking!”

Greatly relieved, Li Tongya cast aside his obsession with breaking through to Foundation Establishment before sixty, and secretly comforted himself:“Accumulating cultivation step by step, even if I pass sixty, will do no harm. I have experienced so much in my cultivation journey; if I don’t achieve Foundation Establishment, then so be it. I, a farmer’s son, now soar between heaven and earth, wielding my sword freely. Does this world owe me anything more?”

Li Tongya let out a long, turbid breath. On his cultivation path, he relied solely on personal effort, without a master or formal guidance. That he could recover from a misguided path in time was purely due to his carefulness, caution, and repeated contemplation.

After a period of adjusting his breath in the great hall of his cave dwelling, Li Tongya saw his only son, Li Xuanling, approach. Li Xuanling was now a vigorous young man. He said respectfully:“Congratulations, Father, on emerging from seclusion!”“Hm.”

Li Tongya nodded, his gaze lightly sweeping over his son, and he smiled:“You’ve also broken through to the sixth level of Qi Condensing. With a few more years of accumulation, you’ll be able to break through to Qi Refining.”“Yes.”

Li Xuanling sat properly beside his father. After pondering his words for a moment, he said softly:“Father, Qinghong likes spear techniques, but there’s no spear master in our family. Your son was thinking of finding a good teacher for her…”“Spear techniques…”

Li Tongya’s brow subtly lifted at the mention. He suddenly recalled the Foundation Establishment-grade spear with flashing lightning in his storage bag. His heart stirred. After a few moments of thought, he remembered Fei Wangbai, the richly dressed man from the Yu family’s banquet, who was also known for his spear techniques. He then replied:“I’ve heard that someone from the Fei family on the North Shore is skilled in spear techniques and is considered a top expert on the lake. The Fei family head once invited me to visit his home. Perhaps we can use this opportunity to discuss the matter and forge a good relationship between our two families.”

“That would be excellent!”Li Xuanling was immediately overjoyed. Fei Wangbai of the Fei family was a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Although he had only recently broken through in the past few years, he was a genuine Foundation Establishment immortal cultivator. If Qinghong could receive his guidance, even if the Fei family didn’t impart their secret techniques, it would still be far better than any Qi Refining cultivator’s teaching.

In a secret chamber in Lijing Town.Shamaoli formed hand seals, holding a small jade bottle. Wisps of pale purple gas flowed in and out of his nostrils, pulsating rhythmically with his breathing. After precisely eighty-one cycles of ebb and flow, they slowly faded and disappeared.

Shamaoli suddenly opened his eyes, a faint trace of purple lightning flickering within them, though somewhat impure and a half-beat slow. A look of ecstasy spread across his face. He clenched his hands, and a lightning-flashing magical power surged within his palms.

“Purple Lightning Secret Origin Art! Secret Lightning True Essence… it is truly incredibly powerful. A single strike of this lightning could gravely injure an ordinary Qi Condensing cultivator. No wonder everyone envies the path of lightning; it’s truly remarkable.”Shamaoli paused, feeling the magical power within him, then clicked his tongue and said with a hint of regret:“However, for some reason, the magical power within my body is somewhat inferior to what is described for ordinary cultivators in the texts. It seems I’m only good at quick decisive battles and cannot sustain prolonged fights.”

Leaping up, Shamaoli pushed open the stone door with one hand. He looked out into the courtyard, where sunlight gently streamed in, warm and comforting, much like the kingship and life that awaited him.