Chapter 320: Long Whale Moonset (End of Volume)

Fei Tongyu was prostrating, deep in thought, his mind racing with a myriad of possibilities. He had secretly braced himself for a bloody confrontation, yet to his surprise, Li Tongya, who was seated above him, spoke gently:

“Brother Wangbai and I have known each other for many years; it’s truly a pity. You two brothers must protect your clan well. Should any minor clan try to exploit your youth and shallow cultivation to turn things upside down, you can always send someone to the South Bank to find me.”

These words, spoken with the authority of an elder, seemed almost directed at Fei Wangjiang, who stood nearby. There was no mention of reward or submission, only heartfelt concern, which left both brothers stunned.

Li Tongya, however, stood up directly and said gently:

“With matters here concluded, I will not linger.”

“This…”

Fei Tongyu listened in disbelief, pausing for a full breath. As he watched Li Tongya ascend into the air, he dropped to his knees with a thud and cried out:

“Farewell, Old Ancestor! Thank you, Old Ancestor! The Fei family will remember your noble clan’s kindness…”

The white-robed young man, holding only his sword, gradually vanished into the distance. Fei Tongyu, still kneeling, muttered for a while, then looked with a sense of relief at his approaching younger brother and sighed:

“I judged a gentleman by my own petty standards!”

“Li Tongya…”

Fei Tongxiao, filled with emotion, echoed:

“Remembering past kindness and not taking advantage of others’ misfortune—our family now owes a great debt of gratitude!”

Fei Tongyu stood up, dusted off his knees, and a spark of hope returned to his face. For the first time in months, he smiled, whispering:

“Li Qinghong also uses spear techniques. He never learned our secret manual when he was with us back then. In a few days, I will send him our family’s ‘Soaring Dragon’s Receding Shadow.’ It can be considered a small repayment of their kindness…”

“Indeed.”

Fei Tongxiao’s eyes showed a hint of something unusual. He nodded and replied:

“It’s just a pity that our family is struggling so much now; we can only repay this kindness slowly!”

Fei Wangjiang stood silently to the side, like a sturdy pine, not uttering a word. Fei Tongxiao turned to him and asked politely:

“Uncle, does the family still have any ‘Cold Pine Snow Qi’ in reserve?”

“There is still one portion.”

Fei Wangjiang gave him a deep look and replied gently. Fei Tongyu, sensing something amiss, inquired:

“What are you doing? The ‘White Jade Six Wheels’ cultivated from the Embryonic Breath chapter of the ‘Long Brocade Heart-Questioning Art’ is unique; you can’t just switch to other cultivation methods for Qi practice!”

Fei Tongxiao slowly shook his head, his gaze firm, and said gravely:

“I will disperse my cultivation and re-cultivate!”

Li Tongya rode the wind back to Lijing Mountain. The night was deep, and the town below was dotted with lights. His gaze swept across the scene of human activity before he turned and headed towards his cave dwelling.

The stone door of the cave dwelling was ajar. Below the steps, a young man in black robes sat cross-legged, waiting silently. Li Tongya let out a soft cough, instantly startling him awake. Li Yuanjiao quickly opened his eyes, momentarily stunned.

The white-robed young man before him had a handsome face, sharp features, and eyes like bright stars. He stared intently at Li Yuanjiao, who, startled by his appearance, gazed back blankly for several breaths before hesitantly asking:

“You are… Old Ancestor?”

Li Tongya chuckled softly and nodded:

“I have already been to the North Bank and rescued the Fei family. Yu Xiaogui’s path of cultivation has been severed by me, and his life is at risk. With this deterrent, you need not worry anymore.”

“Old Ancestor! You… you’re better?!”

Li Yuanjiao was overjoyed by the news and looked eagerly at Li Tongya, who, however, gently shook his head and continued:

“After this battle, the lake has returned to peace. Fei Tongyu and his brother are far inferior to Fei Wangbai, and having received such great kindness, their hearts will be inclined towards our family…”

“Although Yu Mugao is sinister and suspicious, his talent is mediocre. His prestige is now severely damaged, and his actions are excessively harsh. Without Yu Xiaogui to suppress him, he will have plenty of headaches.”

His black hair fanned out in the air, appearing particularly unrestrained:

“The Yu family has no successors. With you and Qinghong both here and with good prospects for Foundation Establishment, our family will become the overlords of the lake within sixty years.”

Li Yuanjiao felt a vague sense of foreboding, seeing Li Tongya suddenly speak so much. Li Tongya gently waved his hand, pulled him down to sit on the steps, and said gently:

“Although Fei Wangbai is dead, the Fei family still has nine Qi Refinement cultivators, far more than our family. Their ‘Cloud Enshrouding Southern Sky Array’ is also powerful. I fear that after my death, it will be difficult to suppress them, possibly forcing them towards the Yu family. So, I have left them with a favor, which can serve as an alliance.”

“The situation on the lake cannot be determined by temporary strengths or weaknesses; it is the result of multi-party strategic maneuvering. If we are to make a large-scale push northward, we must follow the prevailing trends, otherwise, not only will things go wrong, but we will also offend others.”

Li Yuanjiao understood these matters, having discussed them in detail with Li Tongya before. He immediately nodded and replied:

“Jiaolong understands!”

Li Tongya paused, then continued:

“On the North Bank is the Fei family, on the East Bank is the Yu family, and on the West Bank, there is also a Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator named He. He is at the middle stage of Foundation Establishment and, though he has always focused on seeking the Dao and stays out of worldly affairs, you must still be careful and pay attention.”

“Understood!”

Seeing Li Yuanjiao nod in affirmation, Li Tongya, holding his Azure Edge sword, slowly walked up the steps and said gently:

“For this seclusion, I must keep the door of my cave dwelling tightly shut. Do not disturb it for five years.”

As his words fell, the cave dwelling’s formation activated automatically, and the moss-covered stone door slowly closed.

“Creak—”

Li Yuanjiao looked up, watching him enter the cave dwelling. As the stone door closed by itself with a grinding sound, Li Tongya’s gentle voice floated down:

“Never forget the family's vengeance and clan’s hatred.”

Li Yuanjiao flung his sleeve, abruptly knelt, and bowed his head to the ground three times. Only when the stone door closed with a resounding thud did Li Yuanjiao slowly straighten up, his expression solemn, his eyes slightly red, and said gravely:

“Jiaolong, dares not forget…”

Behind the door, Li Tongya paused slightly, listening to Li Yuanjiao’s heartfelt reply. He then looked at the neat and clean cave dwelling, took his seat at the head, ground the ink, picked up his brush, and wrote several lines on the stone table. Only then did he return to his mat and sit cross-legged.

“The fox’s efforts were in vain after all. That sword strike was too resolute; it has already shattered my Immortal Foundation and severed my life force.”

Li Tongya looked up towards the north, a smile gracing his handsome face, as if for a moment the past sixty years had left no trace on him. He said gently:

“When I lived, I governed the clan, eliminated external threats, and pacified Shanyue. For over seventy years, I did my utmost. Now that I die, my robes are neat, and my mind is at peace. My life has been one of great comfort, and I have no further aspirations.”

He propped his chin with his hand and exhaled softly. His black hair cascaded down, and his star-like eyes slowly dimmed. The Azure Ruler Sword in his embrace let out a soft hum, while spiritual energy surged and mournful whimpers echoed within the cave dwelling.

After a full three breaths, a brilliant white pill appeared before him. It drifted through the cave dwelling for a breath, then vanished into the void.

His face remained handsome, preserving the appearance he had at sixteen. His white robes were perfectly smooth, without a single wrinkle. He closed his eyes and smiled, as if simply lost in thought.

“Rumble!”

Faintly, a booming sound of clashing rivers echoed from the void. Dewdrops seeped from the cave dwelling’s floor, creating a tinkling sound like spring water, and the mournful wail of the north wind grew louder, yet it was sealed tightly within the dwelling.

“Whoosh…”

The summit of Lijing Mountain was stirred by the aura of the Vast Sea. The clear, cloudless sky instantly became overcast with dark clouds, incessant thunder rumbled, and a gentle patter of rain fell upon the land.

“It’s raining.”

The fine autumn rain enveloped the entire Lijing Town. Farmers, working up a sweat, looked up, vendors unfurled their cart umbrellas, and carriages from grand households slowly rolled onto the streets.

The bluestone slabs in the alleys below the mountain became slippery from the rain. Yellow dogs barked softly, children laughed playfully, and a new bride clutched copper coins in her hand, pondering whether to buy a yard of cloth for clothing.

He peacefully passed away in the cave dwelling, his Immortal Foundation shattered, his life extinguished. Yet, the people remained completely unaware, merely feeling the chill in the air and the comfortable, fine drizzle.

What a rare autumn rain.