Chapter 18: Three Years

Li Jing Village was in an uproar until late last night. Yet, when the roosters crowed, the villagers were already awake. The early autumn morning air was sweet and the dew drops sparkled, but the village was desolate.

The Liu and Li families provided some dry food. The refugees huddled by the village entrance, eating. The middle-aged leader anxiously watched the more than twenty people around him, thinking to himself:

"Now, our suffering is truly inexpressible. We killed their leader; it's not just that we can't stay, we can't even escape."

A stir went through the refugees. They all looked up at the mountain road, and someone shouted:

"There's someone on the road! Look at that old man!"

They saw an old farmer with graying hair walking along the winding path. His clothes and arms were stained with blood. In his left hand, he laboriously dragged a bloody corpse, while over his right shoulder, a hoe hung with a tattered, disheveled head.

"It's that assassin!"

Those with sharp eyes recognized the clothing of the headless corpse and felt a chill down their spines. The assassin had just escaped last night, only to have his head taken off this morning. No one knew who this old man was, but the Li family's power was truly formidable.

As Old Man Xu approached, people on both sides quickly retreated, clearing a path.

Old Man Xu, however, was pale, and his eyes were vacant as he walked. He didn't even glance at the people around him, simply continuing on his way.

By the time he reached the Li family courtyard at the end of the village, a tenant had already gone to report his arrival. The Li family opened their gate, and Li Mutian, looking weary, led his family to greet him at the entrance.

"Uncle Xu, what is this...?"

"That Yuan family remnant... I killed him. Both the body and head are here. Have Liu Linfeng and Tian Shouhui come to identify them."

Old Man Xu, hunched over and with cold hands and feet, put the corpse down and sat on the ground, panting.

Li Tongya quickly brought tea from the inner room and offered it to Old Man Xu. But the old man's hands and feet trembled so much that he couldn't even take the tea cup; he could only sip it when Li Tongya held it to his lips.

Soon after, Liu Linfeng and Tian Shouhui arrived along with Old Man Xu's eldest son. Old Man Xu then recounted the full story to everyone, and after several confirmations, the person was indeed the Yuan family remnant.

"Uncle Xu, our elder brother's great revenge has been avenged, the Li family is eternally grateful..." Li Tongya, eyes red, was saying something when Old Man Xu laboriously waved his hand and, with tears streaming down his face, spoke:

"You don't need to thank me. I received Hu'er's kindness, so I killed this person for him. I will never use this favor to seek wealth from your Li family. This old man doesn't have many years left to live. If you truly want to thank me, then wait until the child is born and bring him to see me."

After speaking, he struggled to stand up, ignoring the Li family's pleas for him to stay, and leaned on his eldest son as he left.

The Li family's funeral rites lasted several days. White cloths and plain mourning attire hung throughout the courtyard. Li Changhu had been kind and righteous in life, so there were sounds of weeping from every household. Due to the busy affairs, Li Tongya's preparations for his breakthrough were repeatedly postponed. It wasn't until two months after Li Changhu's burial that he stabilized his mind, condensed the Profound Scenery Wheel, and stepped through the gate of cultivation.

Two years later.

The bright morning sun cast its light on a few sparse bushes in the courtyard, filling it with dappled shade. Beneath the trees sat a handsome young man, cross-legged, completely absorbed in his breathing exercises.

Soon after, he exhaled a long, turbid breath, withdrew his cultivation technique, and looked smilingly into the courtyard.

A two-year-old boy, bouncing happily into the backyard, holding a few wild flowers, was laughing joyfully and babbled:

"Uncle... hug..."

Li Chijing smiled, gently reaching out, and scooped the child high into his arms. He rested his head on the child's small head and asked eagerly:

"Xuan'er, were you a good boy today?"

"Want... hug..." The child ignored him, giggling and squirming in Li Chijing's arms.

"Xuan'er! Come out quickly!"

Mrs. Ren, however, dared not enter the backyard and called softly from the courtyard entrance.

Putting the child down on the ground, Li Chijing smiled as he watched him bounce into his mother's arms, then softly said:

"This Zhouxing Wheel is truly difficult to cultivate. After a full year and a half, it's finally about to be completed!"

"Jing'er, you're so ungrateful!"

Li Xiangping, who was behind him, stood up and chuckled softly, scolding him:

"We have just cultivated the second-tier Placenta Breath, the Inheriting Light Wheel. We haven't even touched the edges of the third-tier Zhouxing Wheel, yet you complain that cultivation is too slow and wastes your time!"

Li Chijing chuckled and didn't answer him, simply continuing on his own:

"Tonight, I can begin to condense the Zhouxing Wheel, so you can see what it means for spiritual power to flow continuously and circulate endlessly."

"You child."

Li Xiangping laughed heartily. Seeing Li Mutian walk into the backyard with his hands behind his back, he lowered his head and greeted:

"Father."

Li Mutian had changed considerably over the past two years. His hair had turned white, his wrinkles were deep, and he always wore a stern, unsmiling expression. He looked at least ten years older.

"Xuanxuan is truly a mischievous child!"

Seeing his grandson Li Xuanxuan, Li Mutian finally had some smile on his face. After Li Changhu's death, the old man had always been sleepless and listless, barely eating. The birth of this posthumous child undoubtedly injected new life into the old man, and he regained his vigor.

As soon as Li Xuanxuan was born, Li Mutian got out of bed. He gathered all the Li family members and had Li Xiangping find three verses from the "Reception Methods" to serve as the Li family's generational order from then on.

Li Xiangping carefully deliberated for several days and selected three verses from a book that described the Placenta Breath cultivation method. These three verses were:

"Profound Scenery, deep and clear; Dawn Moon, inheriting brilliance.Circulating through the Crimson Palace, then speaking to the Azure Origin.Jade Capital reflects images, only seeing the spiritual beginning."

The children of Li Tongya, Li Xiangping, and others were named after the words in this 'Profound Scenery' verse: boys would take 'Xuan', girls 'Jing', and so on.

Li Mutian then asked Mrs. Ren. Ren Ping'er pondered overnight and chose the character 'Xuan', which became the name of Li Changhu's posthumous child: Li Xuanxuan.

"Father is spoiling him too much."

Li Tongya smiled and shook his head, placing the wooden slip in his hand onto a shelf, and replied.

"Nonsense!"

Li Mutian feigned anger and blustered, then said seriously:

"I want Ye Sheng to stay by my side and learn more."

"Li Yesheng?"

Li Tongya lowered his head and pondered for a few moments, then said:

"That's also a good method. Li Yesheng is alone and particularly close to our family. We need to cultivate techniques and absorb spiritual energy, so we won't have time to manage worldly affairs. And Li Yesheng is also of Li family blood, making him perfectly suitable."

"I'm just afraid that over time, he might develop selfish motives and engage in corruption..." Li Chijing asked with a frown.

"This old man can still live for another ten years; I can at least keep him in line!"

Li Mutian's tone was firm, and he continued coldly:

"When the grandchildren grow up in ten years, how could it be his turn to harbor improper thoughts!"

"To govern people, one must balance both kindness and authority. Once Li Yesheng gets married and has children, everything will be easy to control," Li Xiangping said calmly.

"Exactly."

Li Chijing took a wooden slip from the shelf, blew off the dust, and chuckled softly:

"Ten years of cultivation, it truly makes one look forward to it."