Chapter 222: Autumn Sun Reflection

“Xiao Chuting of the Li family of Lixia has attained the Violet Palace today! In accordance with tradition, the Xiao family will withdraw from the Green Pond Sect and declare itself a Violet Palace Immortal Clan. Three months from now, a ceremony and sacrifices will be held, and all fellow cultivators are welcome to attend!”

“The Xiao family of Lixia…”

Divine abilities rippled through the air, spreading from Lixia Commandery to Moon-Gazing Lake, Mushroom Forest Plain, Green Pond Peak, and even Linhai Commandery. Mortals looked up in confusion at the sky, while cultivators exchanged glances, then ascended to question each other:

“Xiao Chuting?”

“How dare you publicly utter the True Person’s name? Are you not afraid of death?!”

“It’s that Pill Dao patriarch of the Xiao family… another Violet Palace Immortal Clan has emerged…”

Cultivators from all directions ascended, bowing respectfully to Xiao Chuting. As Xiao Chuting remained standing in the air, a man in green robes appeared in the distance, also radiating the colorful light of divine abilities. He cupped his hands and said:

“Congratulations, fellow cultivator, on your breakthrough to the Violet Palace. I am Ning Tiaoxiao of the Green Pond Sect, conveying congratulations on behalf of my sect. We offer the five western towns of Lixia as a congratulatory gift. We wish you great success in your divine abilities and the eventual formation of your Golden Core.”

Xiao Chuting smiled softly and replied:

“My family has served the sect diligently for over three hundred years, and our goodwill is well-established. In the future, I hope the Immortal Sect will continue to look favorably upon us.”

Ning Tiaoxiao’s expression brightened slightly upon hearing this, and he chuckled:

“Fellow cultivator, you are very reasonable! The Xiao family is sure to prosper greatly in the future!”

Then, he continued with a serious expression:

“Si Yuanbai was indeed harmed by a villain; he has now been released from the pagoda, and the sect has compensated him for his losses. Our subordinates acted foolishly, and I fear it has damaged the relationship between our two families.”

Xiao Chuting nodded with a smile. Numerous figures appeared around him, all radiating the colorful light of divine abilities, and they all declared:

“The Bingtang Gate congratulates fellow cultivator!”

“The Changxiao Gate congratulates fellow cultivator!”

A group of Violet Palace cultivators came forward with smiles, showing no trace of having once treated a Foundation Establishment Peak cultivator like Xiao Chuting as mere consumables. Their divine abilities shimmered with colorful light, making them appear otherworldly and graceful. There was even a three-eared fox demon, grinning as it lay on a cloud, watching him.

“Xiao Chuting of the Li family of Lixia has attained the Violet Palace today!...”

Li Tongya stood on the peak of Lijing Mountain, slowly raising his head with a look of pleasant surprise. He murmured:

“Chi Wei actually died so quickly.”

The young man beside him, holding a golden longbow, looked up and said softly:

“It’s good that he’s dead.”

Li Tongya tightened his grip on his sword and whispered:

“This matter is important. Three months from now, I will personally visit the Xiao family. For now, send Donghe to convey our congratulations.”

Li Xuanfeng acknowledged, slung his bow behind him, and descended on the wind. Soon after, Li Xuanxuan and Li Xuanling hurried up, both with joyful expressions. Li Xuanxuan smiled and said:

“Chi Wei is finally dead. The Green Pond Sect is now in a frenzy, and its influence over the various commanderies has diminished.”

“Precisely!” Li Xuanling nodded, his eyes bright, and replied:

“Now the Xiao family occupies most of Lixia Commandery, making Moon-Gazing Lake an isolated exclave, connected only by a few major roads to Mushroom Forest Plain. Moon-Gazing Lake is also adjacent to the Bingtang Gate and Mount Dali, and across the great desert lies the Golden Feather Sect. The Green Pond Sect will undoubtedly experience a period of weakness in the future. Moon-Gazing Lake will become a ‘chicken rib’ for the Green Pond Sect—something tasteless to eat but regrettable to discard—and difficult to control.”

Li Tongya nodded slightly and murmured:

“In a few months, I will go to the Xiao family for the ceremony. I’ll ask Xiao Yuansi about these matters again then.”

“Understood.”

The two cupped their hands. Li Xuanxuan frowned, saying with some concern:

“It’s just that with the True Person attaining the Violet Palace, if we attend the ceremony, we cannot go empty-handed. Spirit items of the Qi Refining stage are far too meager. And we have no inventory of Foundation Establishment level spirit medicines. I don’t know what we should do.”

Li Tongya pondered for a few moments, then replied:

“We must send a Foundation Establishment level congratulatory gift. The Xiao family is close with ours, and we also have a favor to ask of them, so we absolutely cannot be perfunctory. As for Foundation Establishment level spirit medicines, you needn't worry. I’ll make a trip to Mount Dali later to ask the fox. If there’s no news, I’ll go to the Shanyue territory.”

He looked up again and asked:

“How many spirit stones does the family still have?”

Li Xuanxuan, knowing Li Tongya’s plan, respectfully said:

“The spirit items offered by the Shanyue have an annual surplus. After supplying the family’s cultivators, we now have over one hundred pieces. Additionally, there are many spirit items plundered from the Shanyue back then. If we take them from the vault for calculation, it would be just shy of two hundred pieces.”

“Mm, send them up first.” Li Tongya nodded, saying gently:

“If we’re buying more common spirit medicines, that should be enough. Then we can rest easy.”

He waved his hand, and the two withdrew. Soon after, a clansman came up, head bowed, his gaze filled with reverence for Li Tongya. He respectfully said:

“Old Ancestor, Li Qiuyang requests an audience.”

“Qiuyang.” Li Tongya raised an eyebrow, understanding Li Qiuyang’s purpose. He whispered:

“Let him come up.”

A moment later, a figure appeared on the flagstone path. He wore a green robe, his temples were slightly gray, his face had faint wrinkles, and he was full of shame. He bowed deeply and said:

“Congratulations, Clan Uncle, on your breakthrough to Foundation Establishment!”

“Hm.” Li Tongya responded, seeing that Li Qiuyang’s cultivation was still stuck at the peak of Fetal Breath, with his vitality waning and his aura dispirited. He said gently:

“I recall you went into seclusion to break through to Qi Refining several years ago. It seems it didn’t succeed.”

“Qiuyang is deeply ashamed!” Li Qiuyang sighed guiltily and lowered his head, saying:

“Qiuyang took the family’s ‘Cave Spring Clear Spirit Art’ and Cave Spring Clear Qi, and cultivated in seclusion for a long time. However, I couldn’t absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and instead, I lost some lifespan… wasted the family’s spirit pills… I…”

Watching Li Qiuyang bow deeply, wiping away tears, Li Tongya sighed softly and murmured:

“Both Fetal Breath and Qi Refining are stages of mortal flesh. As one approaches sixty, vitality declines, and cultivation becomes increasingly difficult. Only upon reaching Foundation Establishment does one gain some marvels and fewer restrictions from the decline of life force. You are already over fifty, so there wasn’t much hope to begin with. Don’t feel too guilty.”

He patted Li Qiuyang’s shoulder and said gently:

“Your only option now is to consume miscellaneous qi and advance to Qi Refining first. If you delay any longer, you might not even be able to cultivate miscellaneous qi!”

Refining miscellaneous qi is much simpler than refining normal spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Back then, Shamo Li took only a year to break through after consuming miscellaneous qi. People like Li Xuanfeng and Li Xuanling typically took three years at the shortest and five years at the longest, which illustrates the point.

“This junior understands, thank you, Clan Uncle!” Li Qiuyang nodded silently. Li Tongya instructed:

“You are an elder in the family, and also a precedent for older Qi Refining cultivators. You haven’t broken through even after consuming spirit pills and the family’s secret inherited medicines, which shows how difficult it is. With your lesson, Fetal Breath Peak cultivators over fifty will know to cultivate miscellaneous qi in the future. They won’t need to struggle fruitlessly, suffering injuries and lifespan loss.”

The secret inherited medicines naturally refer to Talisman Pills. Over the years, Lu Jiangxian had converted several Qi Refining Talisman Qi into Talisman Pills, resulting in a substantial inventory of Talisman Pills for the Li family. They dared not carelessly sell them. Talisman Pills had the effect of breaking through minor cultivation stages. When Li Qiuyang attempted his breakthrough, he naturally received one after swearing the Profound Vista Spirit Oath, saving him several years of effort.

Li Tongya’s words immediately brightened Li Qiuyang’s expression. Feeling that providing experience for future generations made even a slight loss of lifespan worthwhile, Li Qiuyang cupped his hands towards Li Tongya and lamented softly:

“Forgive this junior for speaking candidly, Clan Uncle, but when I was young, I had an encounter with a spirit fruit. At first, Qiuyang cultivated rapidly, feeling that I was blessed with deep fortune. I never imagined it would instead hinder my future cultivation path. The rapid shift between fortune and misfortune is truly ineffable. If future generations can learn from my example and perhaps avoid detours, then it will be worth it.”

“Indeed.” Li Tongya gently offered a few words of comfort. He took out a jade bottle, performed hand seals to cast a spell. Instantly, droplets of crystal-clear talisman water appeared from the void, which he poured into the jade bottle, sealed with a spell, and handed to Li Qiuyang.