Chapter 311: Tianyi Chun Yuan (Part 1)

The old cultivator, a fifth-level Qi Condensation practitioner of miscellaneous qi, had his cultivation sealed by An Zheyuan. His head and face were covered in blood, and his dishevelled beard and hair hung limply. He straightened up at the foot of the steps and knelt weakly.

Dou Yi, who was standing nearby, helped him upright and asked:

"You unaffiliated cultivator! Young Master Li is before you!"

The old cultivator remained silent, merely kneeling blankly. Dou Yi raised his voice and called out again, causing Li Yuanping to frown. However, Li Yuanping did not step down from his position at the head of the table. Instead, he called out:

"Xu Gongming!"

Xu Gongming immediately stepped forward and took hold of the old cultivator. He held his collar with one hand and supported his back with the other, regulating his true essence. He then cast two calming spells, and only then did the unaffiliated cultivator regain his senses as if waking from a dream.

"Ah! Cough, cough..."

The old man spat out two mouthfuls of blood. His gaze swept over the faces of the Li family members, then he covered his face and sobbed. Dou Yi opened his mouth to shout at him, but Li Yuanping waved him off, allowing the old man to continue sobbing.

Li Yuanping tapped the letter on the desk, remaining silent. The guest elders and other non-family members stood around, watching the unaffiliated cultivator. After a long while, the old cultivator finally stopped crying and said mournfully:

"This unaffiliated cultivator, Bi Huaxuan, greets Young Master."

"Bi Huaxuan..."

Li Yuanping nodded, put down the vermilion brush he held, and said gently:

"You are too polite, old man. I, Yuanping, keep in mind all the cultivators who frequently travel through our Li family territory. Your name, Elder Bi, seems familiar to me. You have also been making a living on this Ancient Li Road for many years."

"That is correct..."

Bi Huaxuan nodded mournfully and replied:

"This old man... I have been a merchant on this road for six years."

Ever since the destruction of the Yu family market, there have been fewer trading places on Moon-Gazing Lake. Guan Yun Peak is far away in Li Xia Commandery, and it still takes significant effort for Soul Nurturing cultivators to reach it. As a result, the Ancient Li Road saw an increase in unaffiliated cultivator-merchants who earned meager profits. Bi Huaxuan was one of them.

Li Yuanping saw that he responded promptly and seemed much more coherent. Only then did he ask:

"When you all travel on the road, my Li family has always welcomed and seen off guests. I wonder where Yuanping has been remiss, that caused several of you to fight fiercely within our family's territory..."

Li Yuanping's tone was gentle and originally held no threat. However, Bi Huaxuan had travelled among various families for many years and was accustomed to the domineering ways of aristocratic family scions and immortal sect disciples. For a moment, his legs trembled.

He had fought fiercely with others over a treasure in the Li family's territory, so he was already feeling guilty. Upon hearing these words, the sorrow in his heart had not yet faded and was replaced by a surge of fear.

There were many small temples and shrines in the mountains, and unaffiliated cultivators like them were always at the bottom rung. Furthermore, the Li family was an aristocratic family with a Foundation Establishment cultivator, unlike smaller clans. Bi Huaxuan immediately prostrated himself and said tragically:

"Young Master, you wrong us! We were attacked by someone..."

So, disregarding the people around him, he immediately began rambling about the whole sequence of events:

Bi Huaxuan came from humble origins. He originally worked in the Moon-Gazing Lake market and had only with great difficulty achieved the miscellaneous qi cultivation. He had gathered dozens of mortals and brought a few Soul Nurturing cultivators out to venture. Yesterday, he was cultivating with his merchant caravan on the road, but unexpectedly, one of his disciples went out to relieve himself and disappeared.

Bi Huaxuan had drifted his entire life and felt his cultivation path was already cut short. He regarded these disciples as treasures and was deeply distressed. Thinking that there were no major demons in the Li family's territory, he immediately took a few people out to search.

After calling out for most of the day, he found a karst cave with fragments of his disciple's clothing outside. Bi Huaxuan used a spell to investigate below and saw sparkling water, a vast expanse.

Bi Huaxuan looked up. There was an underground river flowing ceaselessly. On its surface, a fist-sized white object, neither water nor solid, was bouncing continuously. It was crystal clear, warm, rolling back and forth, and quite peculiar...

"Wait!"

Everyone was listening intently, staring at the old man. Even An Zheyuan couldn't help but glance sideways. Li Yuanping keenly sensed something was amiss and abruptly interrupted him, saying to those around him:

"Invite Brother Jiao over!"

The attendant quickly went down. Dou Yi, who was nearby, caught Li Yuanping's eye and quickly spoke up:

"Everyone, please attend to your own duties."

An Zheyuan and the others nodded and withdrew in an orderly fashion. Bi Huaxuan nervously looked around, and seeing Li Yuanping staring directly at him, he continued his story.

Bi Huaxuan was experienced in the ways of the world. He was greatly moved, knowing he had encountered an extraordinary treasure. How could he still think of his disciple? He had long since forgotten about the person, only thinking about how to monopolize it.

So he quickly sent away the few disciples who were with him. After observing it carefully for a while, he felt his saliva turn like jade liquid and his cultivation surge. He understood that a great opportunity had arrived.

"This humble one has traveled far and wide and gained some knowledge. This object should be called Tianyi Chunyuan. It is a legendary Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Water! It can... it can..."

Bi Huaxuan stammered, his eyes filled with greedy fire. Li Yuanping tightly gripped the armrest, his expression subtly excited, and took over the conversation:

"Tianyi Chunyuan... This item can enhance spiritual perception, heal foundational injuries, and remove impurities from true essence. It has miraculous effects for cultivators from Foundation Establishment down to Soul Nurturing!"

Tianyi Chunyuan is a rare Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Water, best at healing, and highly effective in various talismans and elixirs. Li Yuanping had learned about this item when he inquired about healing methods from Li Tongya.

Li Tongya cultivated a Water-attribute Immortal Foundation, so Tianyi Chunyuan was perfectly suited for him. If they obtained this treasure and he used it to heal for a few years, he might even advance further in cultivation. How could Li Yuanping not be excited?

At that moment, Bi Huaxuan was overwhelmed with excitement. His lifelong regret was not having a proper Qi Gathering Art, leading him to hastily practice Qi Condensation. Now that he saw Tianyi Chunyuan, the impulse in his heart was like an uncontrollable towering wave.

Tianyi Chunyuan could purify his miscellaneous qi and transform it into pure qi. Even if his cultivation method wasn't comparable to orthodox ones, there was now a possibility for him to reach Foundation Establishment. He quickly cast a spell to seal it and carefully put away the spiritual water. However, screams came from outside the cave, and a man in black rushed in.

"The newcomer's true essence was pure and vast. My fellow cultivators from the caravan and I fought him for more than a dozen rounds, but we were no match for him. He killed everyone until I was the only one left. I had no choice but to throw away my storage bag. But who knew he still wouldn't let me go..."

Bi Huaxuan wailed and cried out:

"If your esteemed family's guest elder hadn't arrived in time... this old man wouldn't have even kept his life...!"

Hearing this, Li Yuanping was greatly disappointed. His excitement turned to dejection. He slumped back into his seat at the table, wanting to curse but unable to utter a word. Then he saw Bi Huaxuan wailing:

"All that this old man has accumulated in his life has been ruined by that one person. I am now left all alone! I beg Young Master to avenge this old man. This Heavenly and Earthly Spiritual Water will then belong to your esteemed family!"

"Avenge him?"

Li Yuanping scoffed and replied:

"If that person hides in the vast forest, who can find him? My family is an aristocratic family, not an Immortal Clan of the Purple Mansion!"

Bi Huaxuan, however, stopped crying. He pulled back his sleeve, revealing a jade bracelet. Its patterns were intricate and mysterious, shining brightly. Bi Huaxuan said in a muffled voice:

"This old man once bought two jade bracelets at a bargain in the market. I originally intended to give them to my wife. One is already on her hand, but the other was still in my storage bag and was taken by that person."

"These two jade bracelets can sense each other as long as they are not too far apart. That person is only at the early stage of Qi Condensation and fought with us for a long time. He definitely couldn't have flown too far. Most likely, he is recovering his magical power somewhere in the mountains. If we leave now, we might be able to catch him immediately!"

Li Yuanping instantly brightened. A smile appeared on his face. He was about to step down to take the jade bracelet, but suddenly stopped. He returned to his seat at the head of the table and mused:

"Let's wait for my elder brother to arrive first."