Chapter 345: Harvest (Part 1)

"Xuan!"

Li Qiuyang flew low to the ground, carried by the wind. Beside him, Li Xuanxuan's face was ashen. He dragged a scorched monkey, occasionally pulling a talisman from his sleeve and throwing it behind him.

"Boom!"

Just as the talisman emitted a burst of light, a bloody hammer-shadow struck, shattering the spell into a shower of light. The man wielding the great hammer burst into laughter: "Still a rich boy, full of treasures!"

The two specifically sought out areas filled with baleful fire to escape, but Li Xuanxuan's luck was consistently poor. They still encountered a demonic cultivator, likely at the mid-stage of Qi Condensation, wielding a great hammer and appearing quite strong. Li Xuanxuan and the monkey were already in terrible condition, and Li Qiuyang was a mixed-energy cultivator. They were no match for this person, so they immediately fled for their lives.

"Fortunately, this guy's cultivation method is broad and sweeping, not as swift as the previous demonic cultivator, so we can drag this out a bit longer." Li Xuanxuan touched the jade pendant in his sleeve, a plan forming in his mind. Though his spiritual power was insufficient to maintain high speed, he had managed to hold on until now by constantly dodging and maneuvering with the 'Turbulent River Flowing Steps' technique. The demonic cultivator behind them rode on swirling black clouds, wielding his great hammer. Like a cat toying with mice, he followed the two, occasionally accelerating forward and swinging his blood-red hammer, forcing Li Xuanxuan to use talismans to repel him. This demonic cultivator was clearly experienced in combat. Much more cautious than the dual-bladed cultivator Li Xuanxuan had faced earlier, he continuously depleted their spiritual power, forcing him to expend talisman after talisman.

"Xuan, this isn't working. Why don't I cover our retreat?" Li Qiuyang gritted his teeth, murmuring as he looked at Li Xuanxuan's terribly pale face.

"It's fine." Though Li Xuanxuan's spiritual power was depleted, he clutched the jade pendant inside his robe tightly. The relentless pursuit had filled him with anger, and he sneered inwardly: "According to this jade pendant's guidance, my Qinghong is only a li away. Let me show you... You really think my Li family is easy to bully!" Seeing that despite his poor complexion, Li Xuanxuan's tone was confident, Li Qiuyang could only follow silently.

Qi Condensation cultivators were naturally swift, and the group was fleeing with all their might. After only a few breaths, they saw a woman flying towards them from afar. The woman appeared to be about sixteen years old, clad in bright white jade armor, gleaming with azure light. Her almond-shaped eyes were filled with anger, tinged with faint purple, and she held a spear pointed diagonally towards the ground. Her face was bright and radiant, full of heroic spirit. The ribbons on her jade armor swayed in the wind. Her hair was simply tied up with an ordinary jade hairpin, and her dark tresses cascaded down, gently fluttering in the breeze.

"Miss Qinghong!" Li Qiuyang, seeing a glimmer of hope, immediately showed an expression of wild joy. He finally understood the source of Li Xuanxuan's confidence. The two stumbled to her side, breathing a sigh of relief.

The demonic cultivator's face darkened. Intimidated by Li Qinghong's imposing presence, he quickly slowed down. Upon closer inspection, he saw that she was only at the mid-stage of Qi Condensation. He immediately burst out laughing and cursed: "Damn it, these immortal cultivators are prettier than the last! Such shallow cultivation, yet such a grand display. Anyone would think she's some immortal mansion general!" The demonic cultivator noticed that Li Qinghong's magical artifacts were extraordinary, but he was not afraid in the slightest. After all, he had killed many people and understood that the clan cultivators and rogue cultivators in Jiangnan practiced shoddy techniques, some of which lacked even a hint of proper spiritual energy, making them nothing to worry about. His own cultivation, derived from demonic arts personally passed down by several demon lords, was equivalent to a fourth-grade immortal technique in Jiangnan. He sneered and shouted: "Little female cultivator, you..."

Before he could finish speaking, Li Qinghong had already drawn her spear and charged forward. Her jade armor jingled, and a bright purple spear-shadow, like a graceful dragon, appeared in her hand. It reached him in an instant, thrusting directly at his face. The demonic cultivator had to swallow his provocative words and raised his great hammer to block. He then saw the spear, flowing with bright purple lightning, transform into a coiling dragon that slammed heavily into the blood-red great hammer with a resounding crash, igniting a dazzling bolt of purple electricity.

"Boom!"

The demonic cultivator felt a powerful obliterating force of thunder surge through the great hammer. The magical artifact in his hand let out a series of wails, and a flash of lightning erupted between his palms, emitting several wisps of black smoke. His face instantly turned pale. Li Qinghong knew well that it was unwise to linger here; a swift conclusion was best. The moment she met him, she drew her Durian Spear. Taking advantage of his underestimation, she immediately unleashed the Fei family's ultimate technique, 'Roaming Dragon's Returning Shadow'. For some unknown reason, the Talismanic Qi of the 'Vulnerable Sparrow of the Vast Sky' within Li Qinghong became exceptionally active upon seeing this person. Streaks of dark red light flowed from her elbow onto the spear, adding several points of power out of nowhere. The dragon-like lightning shadow surged forward, creating a sudden, shocking thunderclap from flat ground, causing the man to suffer a significant loss.

"A lightning cultivator!" The demonic cultivator grunted, his arms falling limply. He felt his cultivation instantly diminished, and he couldn't even hold onto his magical artifact, which clattered to the ground. His face filled with terror, he cried out: "When did such a lineage appear in Jiangnan?!" He abandoned his magical artifact on the spot, conjured a blood-red whirlwind, and hastily burrowed into the alley. "Leaving all those treasures lying around, only a fool would fight her! Whether I could even win in one go is debatable, and half my cultivation would be gone!" This demonic cultivator was skilled at escaping to save his life. In the blink of an eye, the blood-red wind had reached the end of the alley, leaving only the clattering sound of his magical great hammer on the ground.

Li Qinghong watched him retreat with a smile, unhurried. Her delicate eyebrows raised, her fair, slender hand twirled, holding the spear inverted behind her back. Her other soft hand floated in the air, forming a talisman, illuminating intricate purple patterns.

"Sizzle... sizzle..."

The lightning talisman before her gradually took shape, radiating a dazzling purple light. The 'Purple Thunder Secret Origin Art' that Li Qinghong cultivated was ancient and profoundly mysterious, containing one or two secret techniques, and this was one of them. Li Qinghong chuckled softly, flicked her finger, and the lightning talisman shot after him like a meteor. Without waiting to see the result, she picked up the great hammer from the ground, turned back unhurriedly, and said softly: "Uncles, please leave quickly!"

Li Xuanxuan and Li Qiuyang were already astonished by her single-spear defeat of the enemy. They could only nod repeatedly. The three of them had only flown a dozen feet using the wind when they heard a massive explosion from within the market.

"Boom!!"

Purple lightning erupted, black smoke billowed, interspersed with several screams and curses. Several streaks of red light flew up on demonic smoke, causing Li Xuanxuan and the others to quickly duck their heads. Even the monkey looked terrified and secretly put more distance between itself and her. Hearing such a loud commotion, Li Qinghong silently calculated the situation. After ensuring the safety of her two uncles, she looked closely and only then realized her younger brother Li Yuanyun was missing. Her heart sank with sorrow, and she whispered: "Uncle, where's Yun?" Li Xuanxuan and Li Qiuyang exchanged glances, both unsure how to speak. Only sighs remained. Li Qinghong understood immediately and, no longer pressing the matter, flew on in silence.

On the Ancient Li Road.

Li Yuanjiao waited for a while with his group, driving away a few rogue cultivators who tried to scavenge. Only then did he see Li Qinghong flying towards them with the others. He quickly flew up to meet them, and seeing Li Xuanxuan's appearance, he said blankly: "Father?!"

Li Xuanxuan raised his head. His left leg hung limply, he was emaciated, and his face was withered. He stared with his half-gray, half-white eyes for a moment before giving a wry smile: "Jiao'er!"

Although Li Yuanjiao had some minor disagreements with his father, he still cared for him deeply. He quickly supported him and said gruffly: "How... how did you end up like this?!"

"Hah!" Li Xuanxuan, however, was filled with relief, even ecstasy at having survived. He couldn't help but boast a little, sighing: "Nothing I've done in my entire life makes as much sense as what I did in this last hour!" Li Xuanxuan had always considered himself mediocre and incompetent. Thinking of his repeated brushes with death, he couldn't help but feel a surge of pride, tears welling up in his eyes. He thought to himself: "It must be the protection of my Second Uncle's spirit in heaven! It must be his accumulated virtue..." It was only now that Li Xuanxuan deeply understood why Li Tongya had given him the 'Turbulent River Flowing Steps' and the accompanying 'Blood Escape Art' so early, instructing his direct descendants to practice them diligently... Had it not been for these two secret techniques, he would have died a violent death long ago, in some unknown place. Thinking of this, tears intermittently fell from his eyes, which had been scorched gray-white by the fire.

Everyone sighed with regret. For a moment, no one thought of Li Yuanyun. Only Li Qinghong silently shed tears, clutching her spear. Li Yuanjiao felt pain in his heart. He handed his father over to Xiao Guiluan, who was skilled in healing, then stepped forward to offer some comfort before they all returned home together.

On Lijing Peak.

Li Yuanjiao and the others returned to the peak. He sent Tian Youdao to Xianyou Peak and An Zheyuan back to Guanyun Peak to observe the situation from afar and gather information. He then personally helped Li Xuanxuan into a cave dwelling for healing, while the remaining cultivators returned to their respective peaks. Li Yuanping hurried up to see Li Xuanxuan and personally tended to him for a while. Li Qinghong summoned Li Xicheng and Li Xijun, the brothers, and told them about Li Yuanyun, saying they would wait for the market disaster to subside before trying to find his remains. The two brothers were naturally grief-stricken at the loss of their father. Li Qinghong, having experienced multiple partings of life and death, understood the ways of such matters. She did not allow them to dwell on it, instead quizzing them on their studies and assigning them heavy and detailed tasks before hurrying down the mountain.

Guanyun Peak Market had suffered greatly, with the Xiao family incurring the largest losses. While Li Xuanxuan was healing in a deep sleep, Li Yuanjiao and Li Qiuyang estimated that the Xiao family had likely lost dozens of Embryonic Breath cultivators and over ten Qi Condensation cultivators. The dozen or so Qi Condensation cultivators were not a major concern; most were non-Xiao family members or guest cultivators, with few true Xiao family cultivators among them. However, the loss of dozens of Embryonic Breath cultivators was more significant, as many of them were true direct descendants of the Xiao family sent down for experience. It was unknown how many managed to escape. As for Chen Taojing, the Foundation Establishment cultivator, he fought one against four. Though he possessed the Vast Ocean artifact, it was easy to defend but hard to escape, so he likely did not survive.

Next were the various families in Lixia Commandery and the rogue cultivators in the market. Most of the Lixia Commandery families were vassals of the Xiao family and also suffered losses in this disaster. After all, the Xiao family was powerful, and Lixia Commandery was vast. The Xiao family controlled two-fifths of it, and most of the remaining areas were under their direct or indirect control through smaller families. Even many families on the eastern shore of Moonlake, bordering Lixia Commandery, were largely controlled by them and frequently traded in the market, losing many members in this conflict. "As for rogue cultivators, after this battle, who knows how many inheritances will be severed..."

Li Yuanjiao sighed inwardly, but then a doubt arose: "The Xiao family is an important ally of the Azure Pool Sect, and demonic calamities have always been called the 'dogs' of the Azure Pool Sect. Yet, the Xiao family was caught completely unprepared and bitten severely by these demonic cultivators..." He rubbed the sword at his waist and murmured: "Either the Azure Pool Sect and the Xiao family have fallen out, or these demonic cultivators, the 'dogs,' have broken free... or... one of the Three Sects and Seven Gates interfered, influencing the overall situation." Recalling Yuan Tuan's hint when he visited the Li family, Li Yuanjiao dismissed these speculations about the situation, understanding in his heart: "If these demonic cultivators spread throughout Lixia Commandery, then Moonlake will be in trouble." He felt a bit anxious, secretly wondering if he should take another pill to break through to the seventh stage of Qi Condensation. Just then, the stone door before him rumbled open, and Li Xuanxuan hurriedly walked out.

Li Xuanxuan had changed into a clean Daoist robe. His burn scars had healed considerably, though his eyes still held a grayish-white hue, and his face remained withered, lacking its former solemn dignity. "Where's the monkey?!" Li Xuanxuan's first words upon waking were, surprisingly, to ask about the docile spirit beast they had brought back. This made Li Yuanjiao both laugh and cry. He turned to a nearby clan soldier and said: "Go bring the spirit beast up." So, eagerly, he looked at Li Xuanxuan. Having managed the family for many years, Li Xuanxuan immediately understood. With a cheerful demeanor, he took off the storage bag from his waist and laughed: "Come see the spoils!" The family had been struggling financially for years, so Li Yuanjiao and Li Yuanping had been keenly eyeing Li Xuanxuan's gains from the market disaster. They nodded repeatedly.

"Clatter..."

Li Xuanxuan swiped his storage bag, and a cascade of gleaming treasures spilled out. Most were taken from the dual-bladed cultivator's storage bag, with the remainder being a few Daoist robes and several pills. The magical artifacts were all at the Qi Condensation level. Aside from four low-grade inferior items, the first mid-grade artifact was present. This was what clan cultivators and rogue cultivators called a mid-stage Qi Condensation artifact, named "Six-Stone Cloud Plate," a large, earth-yellow, oval shield. It was a renowned master's creation, quite sturdy. As for how they knew its name and that it was from a famous craftsman, it was because the shield's rim had a line of small characters carved into it: "Six-Stone Cloud Plate, Mid-grade, Forged by Yu Muxian of Yuanwu Peak."

"This!" The two were speechless. It was their first time realizing that within the sect, mid-stage Qi Condensation artifacts were called "mid-grade." Li Yuanjiao picked up the Six-Stone Cloud Plate and mimed with it, finding it light and easy to handle. He said: "It's the work of an old acquaintance. This Yu Muxian really has some skill."

"After all, it's the long-lost Golden Dissipation Cavern." Li Xuanxuan, accustomed to hearing gossip in the market, had heard of it. He put away the Six-Stone Cloud Plate and took out a pair of dual blades. These dual blades were also mid-grade, flat and thin. Without the demonic cultivator's spiritual power enchantment, they appeared a faint blue. The two examined them for a while; there was no signature on them, so they were likely not from the Three Sects and Seven Gates. Li Yuanjiao swung them. A faint blue blade-qi, thinner yet much sharper than sword-qi, emerged from the blades. Without specialized techniques, an ordinary person would likely be unable to wield them.

"Let's call them the Azure Blades." The Li family currently had a limited number of Qi Condensation artifacts, and originally none of mid-grade. These Azure Blades were a pair of artifacts, inherently much more valuable. Naturally, they had to be properly recorded. Li Yuanjiao put them away again, thinking they might be useful later. After all, the form of each artifact determined the length and range of Qi and "gang" (protective energy), each having unique characteristics. Having more inheritances for different weapons would be very beneficial to the family. "And Qinghong has the magical great hammer; I wonder what grade it is."

After sorting through these magical artifacts, Li Xuanxuan set the pills aside and picked up a jade slip from the table, clicking his tongue in amazement: "This demonic cultivator is quite strange. He just brazenly carried his inheritance around. Perhaps he had no fixed dwelling and nowhere else to store it..." Li Yuanjiao sneered, offering a different opinion: "If not for that, how could demonic cultivators grow so rapidly in Jiangnan? They've probably copied countless versions and spread them wantonly. It's not surprising to find several copies in a storage bag!" Li Xuanxuan immediately felt that made sense. He had also witnessed the strangeness of demonic cultivators: their tenacious vitality, their numerous fallback plans, and their lack of fear regarding body destruction or damage to their cultivation path. Many rogue cultivators, unable to resist the temptation, naturally converted to demonic cultivation.

He picked up the jade slip and probed it with his spiritual sense. Several large characters appeared in his mind: "'Blood Demon Scripture. Anonymous Annotation. Part One'" Li Xuanxuan dared not delve deeper, only observing the title. A sudden doubt arose in his heart, and he murmured: "'Blood Demon Scripture'... Why does that name sound so familiar?"