Chapter 258: Northern Changes

Li Tongya watched Shamoli respectfully depart. He held the jade slip and read for a moment before hearing footsteps. Li Xuanxuan hurried into the courtyard and respectfully said, "Uncle, did you send for me?"

"Yes," Li Tongya replied, setting down the jade slip. He asked, "I asked you to inquire about news of Foundation Establishment demon cultivators in the surrounding areas. What have you found out?"

Having resolved the matters with the An family, Li Tongya was now looking to find some Talisman Qi for the Yuanqing generation before entering seclusion to cultivate. A few days prior, he had entered the mountains and consulted the fox, but Mount Dali was the territory of the Demon Caverns. Many early Foundation Establishment demonic beasts were registered there, backed by late or even peak Foundation Establishment demonic beasts. While disciples of the Three Sects and Seven Gates might be able to act with impunity, the Li family was merely an aristocratic family. If they killed a demonic beast, trouble would likely follow overnight. Furthermore, some were descendants of Purple Mansion cultivators, whom even ordinary immortal sect disciples treated with courtesy. Therefore, Li Tongya had no choice but to send Li Xuanxuan to dispatch people to investigate. It had been some time now, so he summoned him to inquire. Mount Dali to the south of Moon-Gazing Lake and Lixia Commandery to the east were out of the question. He could only see if there were opportunities within the North's Tangjin Sect or the West's Jinyu Sect.

After Li Tongya finished asking, Li Xuanxuan cupped his hands and replied, "Your nephew has made some progress. To the east of Moon-Gazing Lake is the territory of the Jinyu Sect. Beyond a small stretch of wilderness and a few minor families, I haven't heard of any demonic beasts there. Going further west would be too far and inconvenient." He paused, then continued, "As for the territory of the Tangjin Sect to the north..."

Li Xuanxuan paused and lowered his voice, saying, "The Tangjin Sect's territory is currently in great chaos. Not only are demonic beasts running rampant, but aristocratic families are annexing each other, causing immense suffering. There should be Foundation Establishment demonic beasts that can be captured. Your nephew has already dispatched more people to investigate further."

"Oh?" Li Tongya asked, his interest piqued by the situation in the Tangjin Sect. "Have you ascertained the reason?"

Li Xuanxuan nodded and replied, "The Tangjin Sect's Purple Mansion ancestor's lifespan ended over ten years ago, severely weakening them. They had to seek refuge with the Green Pond Sect, which brought them a few years of peace. However, for some unknown reason, there's no longer any news of their last Purple Mansion cultivator. Many Foundation Establishment cultivators within the sect have inexplicably disappeared, and they can no longer suppress the families and demonic beasts under their rule. This situation has become particularly severe since Chi Wei's death, and there are even rumors of demonic cultivators appearing."

Li Tongya remained silent, pondering for a moment, then asked, "What has been the reaction of the other sects?"

Li Xuanxuan shook his head and replied, "Our intelligence is not comprehensive enough. We only know that the Green Pond Sect seems to have turned a deaf ear, not even sending a single person. As for the other sects, we don't have much information."

Li Tongya lifted his teacup slightly and said softly, "Given the state of the Tangjin Sect, the other sects likely haven't made any aggressive moves. The Tangjin Sect's Purple Mansion cultivator should not be dead. The Tangjin Sect is located in Xu State. I once heard at Senior Xiao Chuting's Purple Mansion Dharma Assembly that Buddhism has spread throughout Great Xu, and many powerful figures there are embroiled in conflict. The Tangjin Sect might have been caught in the crossfire."

Li Xuanxuan assented, sighing, "With no one from our family inside the sect, our intelligence is limited. We older ones have to wait for the Xiyue generation to try..."

Li Xuanxuan didn't have much aversion to sending disciples to the Green Pond Sect, but Li Tongya always felt uneasy about it. However, since having disciples in Green Pond brought many benefits to the family and was a necessary undertaking, Li Tongya had to accept it. He unhappily changed the subject, looking at Li Xuanxuan and instructing him, "Continue investigating. If necessary, you can write a letter to the Fei family. Fei Wangbai is on the north shore, close to the Tangjin Sect, and his family was once affiliated with them. They might have some information."

"Understood!" Li Xuanxuan acknowledged. Two knocks sounded at the door, and Li Xuanfeng swiftly entered, carrying a golden bow on his back. He clasped his hands and said, "Second Uncle, Liu Changdie has arrived at Huaqian Mountain to set up the formation, costing fifty-eight spirit stones."

Noticing Li Tongya's questioning expression, Li Xuanfeng continued, "I had previously discussed this with Brother Xuan. Liu Changdie's array formation skills are profound, and it would be best if we could bring him into the family. I've also probed him earlier; Liu Changdie wishes to become a guest elder for our family, exchanging his array formation services for an Observation Technique..."

Li Tongya pressed his hand on the table, pondering for a moment. A hesitant expression appeared on his face, but he didn't blame the two juniors for acting on their own initiative. Instead, he gave them an opening, replying, "Liu Changdie carries many secrets... whether they are good or bad, I don't know. However, his array formation cultivation is indeed excellent, and we still need him to set up the grand formation."

Li Xuanfeng paused slightly and replied, "Just letting him have an honorary position shouldn't cause any major issues..."

Li Tongya, being cautious by nature, was naturally unwilling to take this risk. He opened his mouth and revealed a secret, shaking his head. "No problem. As long as he takes the Profound Scenery Spirit Oath not to divulge it, he can certainly borrow our family's Observation Technique. As for the guest elder matter... Xiao Yongling and I once discussed this person, and I heard many things from him. This person seems to possess divinatory abilities, often seizing opportunities ahead of others, and he also seems quite knowledgeable about various fortuitous encounters. He's likely not simple."

"This person holds many secrets. Even Ancestor Chuting has been secretly observing him, though Liu Changdie likely believes he has acted discreetly and gone unnoticed. But back then, he was merely a Pulse Condensing cultivator. How could someone so exceptional, with extraordinary talent in array formation and a history of adventuring, escape the notice of Xiao Chuting, who is profoundly thoughtful and deeply cunning?"

"Liu Changdie is involved in many strange matters and will likely bring trouble. Now is not the time to admit him into our family."

Hearing that this person was so dangerous, even attracting the attention of a Purple Mansion cultivator like Xiao Chuting, both juniors were filled with regret. Li Xuanxuan gasped, and Li Xuanfeng raised an eyebrow. Li Xuanxuan sighed deeply, "Thankfully, Uncle guided us. Your nephew acted on his own initiative and almost caused a disaster!"

"It wouldn't have been a disaster..." Li Tongya waved his hand. Li Xuanfeng, feeling embarrassed, replied, "It's just that I already promised him earlier, and I'm not sure how to refuse him now."

Li Xuanfeng, not having managed the family, was less tactful than Li Xuanxuan and had some acquaintance with Liu Changdie, making him reluctant to refuse directly. Li Tongya smiled, shook his head, and replied, "Just take the Observation Technique to him. Generously and politely tell him he can cultivate it! As for the guest elder position, say that I am in secluded cultivation and cannot give a reply at this time. You can just decide on your own to let him cultivate the technique first. He'll be too grateful to have any complaints, won't he?"

Li Xuanfeng repeatedly assented, and Li Xuanxuan stroked his beard, nodding and chuckling, "Everyone says Uncle is steady and reserved, but they don't see his perceptive mind. Steady yet not slow-witted, strategic yet decisive—that is truly an extraordinary talent."

Li Tongya clicked his tongue, waved his hand, and playfully chided, "Stop flattering me here; it makes me uncomfortable. Go do your work!"

Both brothers laughed heartily and respectfully took their leave.

"The last array node!"

With the lingering traces of the former Earth-Locking Huaqian Array's nodes, the grand formation on Huaqian Mountain was constructed swiftly. Had it not been for Wan Tianchou, the sole survivor of the Wan family, dying in Lixia Commandery, the formation could have been completed even faster. Liu Changdie directed the Pulse Condensing cultivators in carving the array, looking quite pleased with himself. Thinking of the "Spirit Eye Clear Sight Technique" he was about to receive, which would surely elevate his array formation cultivation to another level, he felt a surge of joy. He mused, "This is truly living! In my previous life, I was always hiding, wandering everywhere. I obtained cultivation methods but had already missed the Pulse Condensing stage, having cultivated with miscellaneous qi, full of confusion and ultimately resentment. What kind of life was that?"

Now, relying on the cultivation methods he had memorized from his previous life and his past cultivation experience, he had forcefully elevated his talent by several levels. Although he couldn't obtain any major fortuitous encounters, he had acquired a large amount of cultivation resources by skillfully leveraging his array formation skills for others. Naturally, his progress was rapid, bringing him immense satisfaction.