Chapter 326: Jade Buckle

A group of cultivators paid tribute in Milin County. Colorful mist-light cloud ships, with long tail fins, docked in the sky, casting an orange-red reflection across the landscape.

The Li family.

In a mist-filled dark room, the greenish-gray Mirror slowly floated upwards. It buzzed and trembled incessantly, emitting dazzling white light. Lu Jiangxian's divine sense suppressed the Mirror's vibrations, his heart filled with shock and trepidation.

“This... this!”

Various illusions appeared before his eyes: a rushing, clear stream, then a treasure vault shimmering with magical light and colorful radiance, and then the tender face and fair arms of a young boy. Cloud-piercing peaks with immortals moving through them, caves with gushing spiritual springs and rich spiritual energy, and finally, it settled on a brilliant mist-light cloud ship.

“On the mist-light cloud ship… there’s a fragment of the mirror!”

This was not the first time Lu Jiangxian had experienced such a reaction. The jade stone by the lake and the jade pendant held by the old Daoist had both caused his heart to pound. Now that the Dharma Mirror's power was gradually recovering, this urge grew even stronger.

“Who is it…?”

The Dharma Mirror was already suspended, its twelve ancient characters flashing one by one. If Lu Jiangxian hadn't suppressed it so firmly, it would have long since soared away, drawing the fragment to cross over and merge with it. This palpitation even emanated from the Mirror itself, surging wildly within the enclosed dark room and transforming into various wondrous images.

On the patterned floor, osmanthus trees suddenly emerged, their golden-white flowers hanging down, stamens like gold, and exuding a delightful fragrance. They appeared exceptionally dazzling amidst the misty moonlight. The rustling sounds of movement grew louder. Several agile and adorable toad-rabbits hopped out from the dark corners, scattering osmanthus flowers across the floor. A crystal-clear jade buckle was reflected on the greenish-gray mirror surface.

“Yu Muxian! So it's on Yu Muxian!”

Illusions permeated Lu Jiangxian's vision, yet he recognized the face within the various illusions. It had an ethereal aura but was quite similar to Yu Mugao. Who else could it be but Yu Muxian?

“Boom!”

The sunlight above the Li family's compound slowly dimmed. The world within the Mirror shook, churning violently. This palpitation traced back along the connections between the talisman seeds, causing the seeds outside the Mirror to tremble incessantly and emit bursts of white light.

Li Ximing, closest to the phenomenon in the Lijing Grand Hall, was dutifully reading a book on elixirs. However, his qi sea acupoint was in turmoil, bright and dazzling, causing him excruciating pain. He couldn't help but cry out in agony.

“Ah!”

He immediately curled up, breaking out in a cold sweat. Li Yuanping, at the head of the hall, was reading a confidential letter from the Clan Governance Hall. Startled by his child's pained cry, he leaped from his seat, barefoot, and rushed to the child, asking anxiously:

“Ming'er! Ming'er!”

Li Ximing was Li Yuanping's only son and currently the Li family's treasure, which instantly flustered Li Yuanping. He reached out to wipe the child's forehead, only to find it cold and sticky, picking up a puddle of transparent, viscous liquid.

“This…”

The viscous liquid was bone-chillingly cold. With two drips, it left his hand and transformed into golden-white petals, scattering across the floor, leaving Li Yuanping dumbfounded. The golden-white petals, striking in their appearance, disintegrated upon landing, rising as wisps of Yin energy, bright and pure like moonlight. It was as if thunder had exploded in Li Yuanping's mind.

Dou Yi, standing at the lowest end, was utterly terrified by this sight. Li Yuanping had a limited lifespan, and Lady Dou was ruthless and ungrateful; the entire Dou family's future depended on young master Li Ximing. He immediately rushed up the steps to follow.

“Young Master?!”

As the Li family rose to prominence as an aristocratic family, more and more rogue cultivators came to visit, and various standards were established according to the model of aristocratic families in the Yue Kingdom. The steps leading to the upper platform numbered over twenty, and it took Dou Yi several breaths to ascend them. Dou Yi had climbed over a dozen steps from below the platform before rushing forward, only to see Li Yuanping suddenly turn his head. His grey-black pupils were dilated, his forehead glistening with sweat. All tenderness had vanished from his face, replaced by a grim expression as he barked:

“Get out!!”

Dou Yi had followed him for nearly a decade and had only ever seen such an expression on Li Yuanjiao's face. Li Yuanping had always been much calmer and had never adopted such a posture. Terrified, Dou Yi lost his footing and tumbled down over a dozen steps.

“Thud.”

Dou Yi, having lived luxuriously with Li Yuanping for the past few years, was corpulent. He tumbled all the way down the steps with a thud. He didn't dare to lift his head, grabbing his robe and scuttling out of the hall in terror.

Li Yuanping, at the upper end, trembled slightly, daring not to move. He merely used his wide robe to conceal Li Ximing in his arms, saying in a deep voice:

“Everyone get out!”

Only after the cold, clanging sounds of collision faded and even the clan soldiers on both sides of the steps had retreated, did he hastily pick up the book on elixirs from the table. Li Yuanping's movements were too broad, sweeping ink brushes, inkstones, paper, and inksticks to the floor with clattering sounds. He seemed not to hear, as if possessed, patting the bright, moonlit streams of qi beneath him. Only when those streams of Taiyin moonlight completely disappeared and the entire hall became cold, did a touch of color return to his paper-pale face.

“Father…”

Li Ximing, by his side, rose amidst a scattering of osmanthus flowers. Li Yuanping quickly embraced him, and finding the child unharmed, he murmured:

“The Immortal Mirror… it's the Immortal Mirror…”

Wutu Mountain.

Li Xizhi suddenly looked up, staring at the petals scattered in his hands.

A thousand miles away, in the Guanyun Peak market, Li Xuanxuan, who was bargaining with a customer, suddenly fell silent, vaguely hearing a rustling sound…

Yishan City…

Milin County…

All who had received the Mysterious Pearl Talisman Seed looked up thoughtfully into the distance. Before their eyes, an ethereal face slowly emerged, along with a crystal-clear, smooth jade buckle.

Li Yuanjiao suddenly looked up, the Mysterious Pearl Talisman Seed in his qi sea acupoint vibrating incessantly. A faint white light rose in his eyes, and a strong attraction emanated, fixing his gaze on Yu Muxian's white robe.

“Yu Muxian… the jade buckle…”

Seeing Yu Muxian look up as if sensing something, Li Yuanjiao slowly lowered his head. He had once read in the family annals that Li Tongya, as a mortal, had ventured into the reed marsh at night and forcefully found that jade stone. At the time, he found it incredible. How vast was the reed marsh? Finding a jade stone in it was like searching for a needle in a haystack. How could a mere mortal find it? He had simply attributed it to Li Tongya being favored by fate, unlike ordinary mortals. Now, truly facing the legendary treasure that could be absorbed by the Dharma Mirror, he finally understood its wonder. Even without looking at Yu Muxian, he could feel the jade buckle in his hand.

At the head of the hall, Yu Muxian felt an inexplicable dread. A sudden palpitation struck his heart, but by the time he reacted, it had vanished without a trace, as if it had never occurred. Foundation Establishment cultivators, having achieved the Immortal Foundation, already possessed some mystical abilities, and a sudden impulse was a significant matter. He carefully checked but found nothing, so he could only cast suspicious glances at the people below.

“Milin Yu Family!”

The immortal sect servants behind him began to call out names. Yu Muxian cleared his mind and quietly watched his elder brother bow and retreat, then straightened up. His gaze lingered on Yu Mugao's gaunt cheeks and haggard figure. The strain of thought and calculation was clearly crushing the man; his Qi Condensation Level 5 cultivation had been tormented to this state, revealing the intensity of the internal struggle within the Yu family. Yu Xiaogui was gravely injured and in seclusion. The various branches of the Yu family, already dissatisfied with Yu Mugao's suppression of the clan, immediately erupted, acting independently. If it weren't for the lack of news about Yu Xiaogui's death and Yu Mugao's ruthless methods, the situation would have probably turned upside down long ago.

“Sixteen Autumn Moon Grasses, two thousand catties of Purple Jade Spirit Rice, ninety Clear Pool Primordial Stones, seven Long Sea Pearls…”

Box after box of spiritual items were moved onto the platform. Yu Muxian rubbed the jade buckle in his hand, sighing inwardly:

“If I hadn't picked up this treasure when I was young, gaining enlightenment and severing worldly ties, I might have also been crushed by the struggles of Wangyue Lake, trapped in clan disputes… meeting a miserable end.”

“Lijing Li Family!”

Yu Muxian was lost in thought when a servant behind him called out a name. A young man in black stepped forward, broad-shouldered with slightly raised brow arches. His gaze carried an ambitious air, making him seem like an unsavory character.

“Li Yuanjiao of the Li family, greetings, Envoy!”

Li Yuanjiao responded neither subserviently nor arrogantly, his gaze remaining fixed on Yu Muxian's robe. Yu Muxian nodded slightly and said gently:

“I've long heard of your esteemed name, Sword Immortal.”

After speaking, he lightly cupped his hands and smiled:

“The Azure Ruler Sword worn by Sword Immortal was personally crafted by my master. Yuanwu Peak has always been on good terms with Qingsui Peak, so you are too polite, fellow Daoist.”

At these words, not only did Li Yuanjiao's heart stir, but all the families from the lake region looked sideways, deep in thought. Yu Mugao, moreover, slowly closed his eyes, saying nothing.

“So there's such a connection.”

Yu Muxian was excessively amiable, making Li Yuanjiao unsure of his intentions for a moment. He responded vaguely, and Yu Muxian said nothing more, standing with his hands behind his back.

Once box after box of spiritual items were brought up and all families had reported, and the servants had finished counting, a green-robed cultivator stepped forward and respectfully said beside Yu Muxian:

“Senior Brother, the three aristocratic families, sixteen clans, and forty-one minor households of Wangyue Lake have all been counted. Please review, Senior Brother.”

Yu Muxian took the list from his hand and softly read out a few families that had been marked, noting they were either short on quantity or their spiritual items were of insufficient quality. Immediately, several green-robed disciples stepped forward and unceremoniously seized them.

“Thud.”

People from several families tremblingly knelt down. Yu Muxian chuckled lightly and asked:

“Junior Brother, how should they be dealt with according to the rules?”

The reporting green-robed disciple cast a scornful glance at the families below and replied:

“Depending on the extent of their shortfall, they will be punished accordingly: clan elders beheaded, clan names abolished, and banished to Yishan.”

The people below immediately trembled in fear, begging for mercy repeatedly. Yu Muxian glanced at them and saw that several families were under the jurisdiction of Daoist He from the West Bank. They likely couldn't afford to pay two heavy taxes. He said gently:

“Just confiscate the storage bags of a few individuals to make up the deficit. If these families are still deficient, it would trouble Senior He again and disrupt his arrangements.”

“Yes!”

As soon as he finished speaking, several green-robed cultivators had already snatched the storage bags from these individuals. Ignoring their pleas, they calmly handed them over. Yu Muxian calmly put them into his sleeve and then said:

“Respected aristocratic families, please stay. The rest of you may disperse!”

The minor clans, as if granted a great amnesty, bowed and dispersed like the wind. In an instant, the vast mountaintop was left only with the Qingchi cultivators and the Fei, Li, and Yu families.

Although the Fei family had lost Fei Wangbai, they were still recognized as an aristocratic family by the Qingchi Sect, and thus did not retreat. The person who came was Fei Tongyu, whose cultivation was newly advanced to Qi Condensation, but his aura fluctuated, indicating he had used elixirs.

Yu Muxian flicked his sleeve, took a step forward, and first cupped his hands towards Fei Tongyu. His immortal demeanor was handsome, and he said with regret:

“You must be the young master of the Fei family. I have heard about the matter concerning Senior Wangbai. After all, Senior Fei was a cultivator under our sect's jurisdiction, and the news caused quite a stir within the sect, leading us to send people to investigate.”

He shook his head regretfully and whispered:

“It’s a pity that this person comes and goes without a trace; we haven't found anything.”

“Thank you, Immortal Sect…”

Fei Tongyu feigned emotion, exchanging a few polite but empty words with Yu Muxian. Only then did Yu Muxian say:

“The Fei family has offered tributes for many years, yet our Immortal Sect has not found any news about the culprit. The sect is also considering offering some compensation…”

Fei Tongyu's eyes immediately lit up, realizing that the crucial part was coming. He then saw Yu Muxian smile and say:

“My master has decided that the next disciple's spot will be given to your esteemed family!”

At these words, all three were astonished, pausing for several breaths. On the mountaintop, only the northern wind whistled.

“What?!”

Yu Mugao was utterly shocked, looking as if he couldn't believe his ears. Li Yuanjiao was thoughtful. Fei Tongyu simply cried out, incredulous, and stammered:

“Which peak, if I may ask?!”

“Naturally, it's my Yuanwu Peak!”

Fei Tongyu's astonishment was followed by profound surprise. Fei Wangbai's greatest regret in life was not being able to support a disciple within the Qingchi Sect. Now, even knowing that Yu Muxian was likely ill-intentioned, he couldn't bring himself to refuse.

“My family still needs to send disciples to the sect. How could the Fei family refuse? How can we refuse…?”

Li Yuanjiao silently stared at Yu Mugao's ethereal profile from the side, lost in countless thoughts, choked with unutterable emotions for a moment. He secretly thought:

“This Yu Muxian… is quite a character. With just this one move, he has restored the three-way balance of power on the lake and also alienated the Fei family from mine… Even if the ancestor were still alive, this situation couldn't be changed…”

“However, this jade buckle, which he keeps hidden in his robe, close to his body, must possess many wonders. Getting hold of it will certainly not be easy… I must plan this carefully.”

Yu Muxian discussed some details with Fei Tongyu. Only then did he turn back to greet Yu Mugao and Li Yuanjiao, saying softly:

“Greetings, fellow Daoists!”

Yu Muxian was a Foundation Establishment Immortal Cultivator, so neither of them could accept being called "fellow Daoist" by him. Before they could decline, Yu Muxian continued:

“The various peaks within the sect rotate their areas of jurisdiction every seventy years. Wangyue Lake is now under the governance of my Yuanwu Peak. In previous years, due to delays with peak matters, it was my junior brother who came, and we did not properly arrange things with you all. As a result, there have been many disturbances on the lake in recent years, which is our peak's fault.”

How could Li Yuanjiao dare to let him apologize? He repeatedly said he wouldn't dare. Yu Mugao, however, stared at him in confusion and distress, as if trying to recognize something, seemingly no longer recognizing his own brother. Only then did Yu Muxian continue:

“Therefore, I reported to my master. Yuanwu Peak has reassessed the current situation and redrawn the boundaries, which I have brought for you all.”

He lightly patted his brocade pouch, and three light blue jade seals appeared in his hand. He passed them to the three individuals, his gaze finally carrying a hint of warning as he said coldly:

“Now that the boundaries are set, our peak will not interfere with disputes among the minor clans, but I urge you aristocratic families not to cause any more conflicts among yourselves! This is also my master's intention…”

Li Yuanjiao took the light blue jade seal and lightly brushed it with his hand. The seal slowly lit up with a golden light, revealing several large golden characters:

“Under Qingchi's Governance.”

Immediately, the outlines of the borders appeared, shimmering with silver light, encompassing Lijing, Huaqian, Huazhong, Yuting, and even Wutu Mountain, with Dongshanyue thoughtfully included. The Li family also once possessed such a jade seal, left by Si Yuanbai. However, that seal only marked the four towns of Lijing, far inferior to this one. Now that Yuanwu Peak had acknowledged the legitimacy of the territory occupied by the Li family, giving them face, Li Yuanjiao could only feel a sense of relief and replied:

“We respectfully obey the True Lord's decree!”

Fei Tongyu was even more overjoyed. Among the three aristocratic families on the lake, his family was the weakest. He responded eagerly, greatly relaxed.

Seeing that both Li Yuanjiao and Fei Tongyu had assented, Yu Muxian nodded:

“Thank you, fellow Daoists.”