Chapter 354: Awakening

The setting sun was like blood, and the surroundings grew dim.

Wangyue Lake was unusually foggy that evening, the mist exceptionally thick and gray, making it impossible to see one's own hand. Crows and sparrows were silent, and not a sound could be heard. Even the insects seemed to fall sluggishly, lying still.

Lijing Town's streets were unusually deserted, bathed in the crimson glow of the setting sun that crept across the ground, square by square, along the brick seams. Even the street vendors had grown weary, heading home early to rest. A city of tens of thousands was as quiet as if it were entirely uninhabited.

Li Yuanping hastened up the mountain, where his father and elder brother were already waiting. The clan soldiers who had been guarding the front of the courtyard were all gone. His elder sister, Li Qinghong, stood in the courtyard with her spear, a complex expression on her face.

Her expression showed a kind of grim satisfaction, yet her hands were tightly crossed over her chest, betraying a hint of unease. It was the first time Li Yuanping had seen his sister like this, and a sense of doubt stirred within him.

“Elder Sister!”

Li Yuanping stepped through the gate and called out. Li Qinghong, standing before him, simply nodded, said nothing more, and closed the courtyard door securely.

“Drip-drop...”

A crisp clicking sound reached his ears as Li Yuanping slowly crossed the courtyard. His elder brother, Li Yuanjiao, stood silently in the backyard, while his father, Li Xuanxuan, squatted on the doorstep, holding a handful of glowing red jade beads without uttering a word.

The sky was growing increasingly gloomy. Li Yuanping, who had not yet awakened his spiritual sense, could barely make out the courtyard. He formed a hand seal, conjuring a wisp of pure white light that flowed from his fingers.

“Elder Brother, what is this...?”

As he spoke, he slowly raised his head, only then noticing another person standing before them. The person's face was as smooth as jade, with sharp, distinct features, and a green robe draped around them, making them resemble a cold statue.

Li Yuanping's gaze slowly shifted, directly meeting a face streaked with two lines of blood tears.

“Drip-drop.”

A rustling clatter sounded on the ground as blood-red beads bumped against his ankle. Li Yuanjiao's hoarse voice whispered in his ear:

“This is True Master Bu Zi of the Azure Pond Sect. He arrived at our house an hour ago and, after searching and finding our family's talismans and elixirs, he ended up like this.”

Li Xuanxuan, his back to the two of them, held a gourd and sipped the spiritual wine within. His face was slightly flushed as he continued Li Yuanjiao's explanation:

“Your brother and I have examined him at length. Bu Zi likely saw that object and was terrified to death by it.”

‘Terrified to death... terrified to death...’

His father's words echoed repeatedly in his ears. Li Yuanping stood rooted to the spot, muttering:

“Are you saying... True Master Azure Pond died suddenly in our home?”

Fear slowly crept across his pale face. He urgently exclaimed:

“Run! We need to at least get the family's younger generation out of here, this is...”

“No.”

Li Yuanjiao shook his head, his expression grim. He had clearly considered this already, and whispered:

“The Azure Pond Sect doesn't know about this yet. His soul lamp within the sect hasn't gone out; otherwise, Azure Pond cultivators would have already broken through the Great Void to get here, and our home would have been razed to the ground!”

If a Purple Mansion stage cultivator of the Azure Pond Sect were to die in Wangyue Lake, how far would the repercussions go?

What's more, this particular Purple Mansion cultivator was a direct descendant of the Chi family, the de facto leader of the Azure Pond Sect... The Azure Pond Sect would not only be in an uproar, but it would likely alert cultivators even beyond the Purple Mansion stage.

Even assuming the Azure Pond Sect has no Golden Core cultivators, and most Purple Mansion cultivators are cunning enough not to appear in person, if they truly learned of Chi Bu Zi's death, the Great Void would surely be teeming with figures. Perhaps dozens of Foundation Establishment cultivators would break through the Great Void to be sent here, and the entire Wangyue Lake would be turned upside down!

Everyone understood the consequences and fell silent.

“Perhaps the True Master isn't dead.”

Li Qinghong suddenly spoke. The others exchanged glances, then retreated together, closing the small back gate securely. They then stood or sat in the front courtyard.

“Elder Brother.”

Now in the front courtyard, Li Yuanping had quickly calmed himself. He spoke in a deep voice:

“Regardless of whether the True Master is dead or not, we must immediately send our direct descendants away, scattering them in all directions. While the Azure Pond Sect hasn't reacted yet, we must preserve our family's legacy...”

“We could go to the State of Wu, seize a small mountain and a small temple. Though we'd lose everything we own, at least our lives would be spared... Or we could go to the Eastern Sea, use our family's strength to claim a small island, and wait for an opportunity...”

Li Qinghong's clear voice suddenly interrupted him:

“If our Li family were to flee en masse, it would be a clear admission of guilt. Purple Mansion cultivators could easily track our whereabouts! What's more...”

A touch of melancholy appeared on her face, and her voice softened as her red lips parted:

“Grandfather killed Fannu Maha. It's only because we are here in Jiangnan Yue State, by Wangyue Lake, that the cultivators of the Wrathful Aspect sect dare not seek revenge. If we leave this place, those Dharma Masters of the Wrathful Aspect lineage will surely swarm us like wolves... Forget compassion; even a single Dharma Master could wipe out our family!”

Li Yuanping then remembered the immense trouble an unknown Purple Mansion cultivator had thrust upon their family, and he felt a sudden suffocating dread. He gritted his teeth and said:

“Then, should we go to the Xiuyue Sect? The three sects have always maintained non-interference. We are under the Azure Pond's jurisdiction; if we went to Xiuyue, how could they tolerate us?”

Li Qinghong gripped her spear and shook her head slightly:

“Under the Xiuyue Sect's rule... there's hardly any room for outsiders. We could only live there as guests. A group of Qi cultivators like us can't be supported by just one or two immortal mountains.”

Li Yuanjiao remained silent for a long moment before finally transmitting his voice with spiritual energy:

“The Immortal Jade Slip holds an extremely high status. I don't know if the person holding it can be divined. If not, then there's a chance to escape.”

His meaning was clear: one of the Li family members should take the Jade Slip and flee. Li Xuanxuan and the others immediately fell silent upon hearing this.

“This is assuming Bu Zi is already dead. If he isn't, and he's suffered such a loss, he would never let us go.”

The incessant dripping sound from the backyard was growing irritating. Li Xuanxuan finally stroked his beard and spoke:

“Jiao'er, take the object and go. Don't worry about the family's affairs.”

Li Yuanjiao rubbed the long sword at his waist. He was about to speak, arranging his thoughts, when Li Xuanxuan continued:

“We will handle the remaining matters. Your cultivation is the highest, and your cultivation method isn't conspicuous. Take the Azure Ruler Sword; you can go anywhere in the world. Find a secluded place to cultivate and break through to the Foundation Establishment stage...”

Li Yuanjiao gritted his teeth, his mind racing with countless thoughts as he pondered the situation. His grip on the long sword tightened.

The courtyard fell into an unnerving silence. The night was bright, and white moonlight drifted down. Li Yuanjiao looked up at his siblings, his expression suddenly freezing.

There had been no sound for a long time. Their father, Li Xuanxuan, stood stroking his beard, his pupils dilated. Li Yuanping's face was drenched in sweat, which ran down his neck.

Li Qinghong stood as still as a statue, the Du Ruo in her hand showing no light, held quietly in her grip. Her slender hand was clutched so tightly that her knuckles turned white, and beads of sweat dotted her delicate nose.

‘Why is it so quiet?!’

“Creak...”

Under the snow-white moonlight, the large back gate slowly creaked open. A pale hand rested against the doorframe, and a green robe hung down, appearing astonishingly white under the moonlight, as if shimmering with its own light.

“Clatter...”

The red jade beads scattered across the backyard floor clattered loudly, then rolled gently onto the stone bricks of the front courtyard.

“Thud.”

It was the sound of footsteps.