Chapter 33: Xiao Yuansi

"Qingchi Sect, Qinghui Peak?"

Li Tongya and Li Xiangping immediately exchanged glances. Li Tongya hesitated for a few moments, then said, "The envoy from the Immortal Sect must be here because of Jing'er."

Li Xiangping promptly rose and led everyone down the mountain. No sooner had they stepped out of the courtyard gate than they saw a cultivator dressed in a moon-white robe, with a string of brocade pouches tied at his waist. The cultivator had a handsome face and an otherworldly demeanor. He stood quietly in front of the courtyard, smiling as he watched them.

"Xiao Yuansi of Qinghui Peak greets fellow daoists." Xiao Yuansi cupped his hands slightly, a smile on his face.

"Li Xiangping of the Li family pays respects to the Qingchi Sect envoy." Li Xiangping did not dare to presume, and immediately led those behind him in a bow. Xiao Yuansi subtly stepped aside to avoid the full genuflection and said with a smile, "You are all my junior brother's family; there is no need for such formality. Yuansi is here today merely as an individual, not as an envoy of the Immortal Sect."

The others repeatedly assented. Li Xiangping respectfully invited, "Immortal Master, please come in." In the presence of this high-level cultivator from the Qingchi Sect, Li Tongya and the others felt no different from mortals, and their address of "Immortal Master" was heartfelt.

Xiao Yuansi stepped into the courtyard, found a place to sit, and said softly, "Yuansi was originally sent by the sect for an important matter, to apprehend a demon in Lixia County. My junior brother, however, missed his family greatly, so I had him write a letter to bring along to Dali Mountain. Recently, I've been pursuing that demonic creature, which delayed me for many hours. I only defeated it yesterday, so I came uninvited. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, not at all! Immortal Master, you've come from so far just to deliver a family letter; the Li family is incredibly grateful!" Li Xiangping replied respectfully. Seeing Xiao Yuansi extend a thumb-thick, greenish-blue bamboo tube, he quickly took it.

"You all can read it first!" Xiao Yuansi took the tea offered by a servant, took a small sip, and said with a smile.

Li Xiangping and the others nodded quickly. Li Tongya gently scraped off the wax seal from the bamboo tube with his thumb, then tilted it into his palm, revealing a coiled, pale-white letter, which he promptly unrolled to read.

"Jing bows. It has been over a year since I left home. I hope my brother and father are still in good health. Jing is doing well in the Immortal Sect and has now refined the Azure Essence Wheel, with the Jade Capital in sight. I've also cultivated sword techniques, and my cultivation has advanced greatly... My senior brother, Xiao Yuansi, has reached the seventh layer of Qi Condensation and is highly skilled in alchemy. He is honest and gentle. If there's anything you are unsure about at home, you can ask him for help. If you need anything, feel free to speak to him; your son will compensate him within the sect upon my return... Enclosed with this letter is a jade slip. The sword art recorded on it is called the Profound Water Sword Art. Your son has cultivated some other spells, all of which are sect teachings and cannot be spread outside. Only this Qi Condensation sword art was given by my senior brother. I asked my senior brother, and he said it could be sent home. This sword art is not difficult, so the family can practice it for self-defense. I've heard that the Tangjin Gate has provoked many border disputes. For now, the family should endure. I have already asked my senior brother to speak with the garrison cultivators in Lixia County. If anything happens at home, you can use the jade seal to request help... I am very comfortable in the Immortal Sect; you don't need to worry. Cultivation here yields twice the results with half the effort, much better than Dali Mountain. Are there any major events at home? Is Xuanxuan still obedient? Is there... anything unusual at home? Please reply to me."

After reading the letter, Li Xiangping felt a pang of sadness and his eyes reddened slightly. He cupped his hands towards Xiao Yuansi and said, "That was rude of us. We made Immortal Master wait."

Xiao Yuansi smiled and waved his hand, placing a jade slip on the redwood table. He said, "No need for formalities, it's only natural. This is something my junior brother asked me to bring along."

Seeing Li Tongya step forward to collect the jade slip, Xiao Yuansi softly said, "Do you have any difficulties or questions at home? Feel free to bring them up."

Li Tongya and Li Xiangping exchanged a glance, then both spoke at once, "Yes, we do have some questions. Immortal Master, please follow us."

The group dismissed their attendants and walked up the flagstone path of the mountain courtyard. Before long, they reached a large, flourishing banyan tree. Gently circling it, they found a small tree behind it, bearing five fruits.

"Oh?" Xiao Yuansi lowered his gaze and, with a flick of a magic incantation in his hand, his hands glowed with a jade-like white light. Only then did he reach out to touch the fruit and carefully examine the leaves for a few moments before explaining, "This spiritual root is called the Serpent Dragon Fruit. A single plant should bear six fruits. The higher the fruit on the spiritual root, the earlier it ripens. When the first fruit ripens, only by plucking it will the one below it continue to mature. This spiritual root has such a characteristic. The second fruit ripens about five years after the first, so it can be considered to bear one fruit every five years. Judging by the ripeness of this first fruit, the previous one was picked over four years ago, and this one is also about to mature."

Xiao Yuansi parted the lowest branches and leaves of the Serpent Dragon Fruit tree and indeed saw a tiny, tender green fruit, which was the newly grown sixth one.

"May I ask what this fruit is used for?" Li Tongya listened carefully and asked respectfully.

"Our Qingchi Sect also has over a dozen of these fruit trees. Every few hundred years, they produce a golden-yellow fruit to propagate new plants. However, these red Serpent Dragon Fruits are mostly used to refine Serpent Essence Pills, which are awarded to meritorious disciples in the Foundation Establishment and Qi Condensation realms within the sect, to accelerate their qi refinement and the nurturing of their spiritual wheel."

Li Tongya and Li Xiangping immediately exchanged glances. The Li family was utterly destitute now; where would they find an alchemist? Despite cultivating for so long, neither of them had ever even consumed a medicinal pill.

Seeing their troubled expressions, Xiao Yuansi chuckled lightly, "If this fruit is eaten raw, it would probably only shorten the time for one person to cultivate their spiritual wheel and refine qi."

Noticing their hesitant expressions, Xiao Yuansi realized something and said, "As for this fruit, I can refine a batch of pills for you first. With my current alchemy cultivation, I can probably produce seven to eight Serpent Dragon Pills. However, according to the rules, I will give you six, and the extra ones will be mine."

Li Tongya and the others naturally agreed repeatedly, expressing their great joy and thanks. Xiao Yuansi nodded, patted a brocade pouch at his waist, and instantly a jade box appeared in his right hand.

Xiao Yuansi gathered a wisp of spiritual power in his hand, tapped the stem of the fruit, and then, using spiritual power to support it, allowed the Serpent Dragon Fruit to gently fall into the jade box.

"Except for some special spiritual herbs and fruits, most require storage in jade containers to preserve their spiritual essence. And when picking them, using spiritual power ensures the fruit isn't harmed." Xiao Yuansi explained softly as he picked the fruit.

"I will start refining the pills tomorrow!" He lightly patted the brocade pouch, and the jade box vanished from his hand, leaving Li Tongya and the other two filled with envy.

"Is there anything else important?" Xiao Yuansi asked with a smile, after putting away the jade box.

"Thank you, Immortal Master!" Li Xiangping and the other first thanked him, then took out a scroll of beast hide from their sleeves and presented it to Xiao Yuansi with both hands.

Xiao Yuansi took the beast hide scroll, untied the white string binding it, and with a gentle flick of his right hand, unrolled it to read. "Mystifying Array?"