Chapter 358: Carved Gold Stone

“Very well.”

Li Qinghong had been in seclusion for a long time, and it was time to stretch her muscles. Li Yuanjiao smiled, nodded, and stepped aside.

A smile immediately appeared on her face. She drew her spear forward, performing a beautiful spear flourish as purple light rippled. Li Qinghong, having often fought in the lake, did not unleash lightning directly. Instead, she manipulated the water to approach the catfish demon.

Lightning magic was different from sword qi. Sword qi, described as "the sharp essence emanating from the metal element," had little conflict with water-element beings, and the energy loss when breaking through lake water was negligible. However, lightning magic was of the "thunder element, also fire, an agitated qi of yin and yang where abundant yang creates thunder." If released in water, its effectiveness would naturally be unsatisfactory.

While lightning magic was less effective in water than on land, it didn't mean Li Qinghong couldn't deal with this small demon. She activated her *Turbulent River Flow Steps* technique, and with a thrust of her long spear, accurately struck the demon's abdomen. The *Du Ruo* technique was harmful to the user, so it was naturally not used against a small Qi Cultivation mid-stage demon. Therefore, the magical artifact she held was a low-grade Qi Cultivation small spear.

"Bang!"

Li Yuanjiao felt a slight tingling on his face. A bright white light flashed and disappeared, followed by a dull explosion and swarms of bubbles of various sizes, stirring the water into turbidity. The catfish demon bounced in place, shuddered violently, and even the spell it had been concentrating in its mouth dissipated. It stumbled backward, its long whiskers stiff and straight, letting out a piercing shriek.

"Aooo..."

Li Qinghong, having gained the upper hand, showed no mercy. Her spear work was erratic, causing fish and shrimp in the formation's water to float belly-up to the surface. The catfish demon, whose cultivation was inferior to Li Qinghong's, twisted and turned, frantically fleeing belly-up.

"It is lightning magic, after all," Li Yuanjiao exclaimed. "This lineage is rare in Jiangnan. If not for its life-shortening and body-damaging effects, it would truly be our family's foremost offensive technique."

If the Li family hadn't recently acquired the *Golden Hall Radiant Primordial Art*, there wouldn't have been any cultivation technique that could surpass the *Purple Thunder Secret Primordial Art*. Although the *Golden Hall Radiant Primordial Art* was a fourth-rank technique, it was vast and righteous, shining like the sun. In terms of pure offense, it might not be as potent as lightning magic, which harmed both enemy and user.

As he pondered this, Li Yuanjiao recalled something else: 'Xi Cheng has made significant progress in recent years. A few days ago, on her twenty-sixth birthday, she just broke through to the fifth layer of Fetal Breath. But Uncle Donghe hasn't returned from the western desert yet...'

Although Chen Donghe would return in another year or two, theoretically in time for Li Xicheng to reach Qi Cultivation, Ximing, who was studying alchemy at the Xiao family, and Xijun, on Meichi Peak, had even greater talent and were already close to catching up to Li Xicheng.

'Ximing and Xijun, those two boys, reached the fourth layer of Fetal Breath at fourteen or fifteen. It looks like they'll break through to Qi Cultivation within the next five to seven years. If we give the Golden Yang Radiant Primordial to Xicheng, at least one of Ximing or Xijun won't be able to wait for this qi.'

He pondered for a moment. With demonic calamities rampant everywhere, and news from the west intermittent, it was a big question whether they could even collect another portion of Golden Yang Radiant Primordial in the next seven years.

'I should go back and discuss it with Xicheng.'

He came back to his senses. Li Qinghong had already returned, dragging the large catfish. The fish's body was a patchy black and white, stiff and rigid, its cultivation sealed. Foamy saliva still dripped from its large, flattened mouth. The demon was scorched black by the lightning and spewed out fragments of various fish, ducks, crabs, and snakes, along with some clothing and driftwood. It must have preyed on common folk who made their living by fishing on the lake.

"Hmm," Li Yuanjiao glanced, then formed a hand seal. The large azure-blue formation that separated inside from outside dissipated, and the formation disk on the ground slowly floated up, circling, and landed in his hand.

"This Murky Water Talisman Flow Formation is quite useful. Its concealment is excellent, and as long as the formation disk is protected, it can trap enemies."

Putting away the formation disk, Li Yuanjiao replied, "It's a handy water-element formation, but unfortunately, it's only for rent. Buying it would cost over a hundred spirit stones."

Li Qinghong, graceful in her posture, her lips slightly curved, responded casually. With her magical power, she held the catfish, which was the size of a small hut. The two flew side-by-side on the wind, heading up the mountain together.

Li Yuanping had already prepared the ritual implements. Dressed in a daoist robe, he was waiting for them. Behind him stood an old monkey, also in a daoist robe and wooden clogs, bowing respectfully. On the other side was Li Ximing, who seemed to have just returned and was preparing to participate in the family's ancestral worship.

Li Yuanping saw his elder brother and sister descending with the demon. He praised them, then took a wooden box from his sleeve and delightedly said, "Brother! The Wanling flowers have bloomed!"

He opened the wooden box in his palm. Inside, three slightly reddish spirit flowers lay quietly. They were soft and delicate, about the size of a palm, with slender stamens, five petals, red on top and white on the bottom. As soon as the wooden box was opened, Li Yuanping and the others chuckled, their lips curving upwards. He explained, "This flower primarily brings joy. Anyone who sees it will smile. It's very gentle, so whether they are mortals or cultivators, as long as they haven't formed an Immortal Foundation, they will genuinely break into a smile."

Li Yuanjiao admired them for a moment, then instructed, "First, put two into separate containers and have Ximing deliver them to Ancestor Yuansi. Tell him it's a small token of gratitude from Ximing for bothering him for so long."

Li Yuanjiao gave the instructions and also rewarded the old monkey with some cultivation resources. The old monkey accepted everything without hesitation, nodding as he took them. Only then did Li Ximing step forward from behind.

"Thank you, Uncle!"

Li Ximing was gentle and respectful. He had cultivated at the Xiao family for two years, where Xiao Yuansi had taught him everything he knew. He had also read many medical scriptures, learning to gather and identify herbs, acquiring some of Xiao Yuansi's scholarly elegance. He had grown much taller, and his features had matured. He resembled Li Yuanping quite a bit. Though not as delicate as when he was a child, and not handsome, just ordinary-looking, his temperament added a warm and honest appearance.

The spiritual energy on Xianyou Mountain was rich, and his cultivation had not fallen behind; he was nearly on par with Li Xijun, who focused solely on cultivation. Li Yuanjiao noticed a faint trace of worry between his brows and asked, "Is something troubling you? Speak freely."

Li Ximing paused slightly, pointed to several herb pouches at his waist, and replied, "Master Xiao bestowed upon me a set of herb pouches he used in the past, for storing spiritual items. Ximing feels unworthy of such a gift, and the family will likely remember this, incurring a greater debt of gratitude."

Li Yuanjiao nodded silently. The family had recently given Li Qingxiao seventy spirit stones, making their finances tight again. He could only say, "The family currently has no extra resources, only a few magical artifacts in stock. Does Senior Yuansi have any descendants, and what is their cultivation level?"

Li Ximing looked ashamed and replied, "Ancestor Yuansi's children had low cultivation and died in battles. He has a descendant named Xiao Guixiang, but this person was born into a wealthy family and lacks nothing in terms of magical artifacts or elixirs."

"Sigh!" Li Yuanjiao gritted his teeth, secretly making a mental note of the matter. 'Don't drag this out too long. If there isn't another opportunity, we should just send over a copy of our family's alchemy inheritance.'

Waving his hand, Li Yuanjiao said, "Since you've returned, prepare for the ancestral worship!"

***

Yishan City.

Yishan City was built around Lingqiu Mountain. This mountain was also a famous and imposing one, covered in flames in ancient times and rich in a golden spirit ore. Later, the immortal sect Nanhuo Tianfu excavated it three feet deep, significantly shallowing the earth's veins, and the flames disappeared.

The highest cave dwelling on the mountain was shrouded in clouds and mist, with azure qi swirling. True Lord Yuansu stood with his hands behind his back, idly playing with a pale golden jade seal in his hand, quietly staring at the majestic city below.

'Bu Zi doesn't know what kind of madness he's in... running all over Wu-Yue every day, just refusing to return to the sect. Thankfully, the demonic calamity is progressing relatively smoothly...'

True Lord Yuansu was a cultivator from the same era as Chi Wei. Unfortunately, he cultivated a technique that severed connections with peers, leaving him as merely a True Lord at the early Purple Palace stage year after year. If not for this divine ability being a fated one, Yuansu wouldn't even have his current status. With his path cut off and unable to tolerate Sibei Xiu and others, he sought out a leisurely and comfortable position for himself, exiled to the Southern Frontier.

"Hmm?" Yuansu's hand movements paused. Feeling the surging golden aura from below the mountain, he murmured, "Someone is forming a Foundation... it's a Piercing Gold Stone." He quickly calculated with his fingers. The one from Tangjin Gate, though inactive for a long time, was still present, and his divine ability was, in his impression, incomplete. "Situ Huo is also a Piercing Gold Stone... but that kid doesn't understand alchemy and has never nurtured this foundation, so he's probably out of luck."

Yuansu chuckled with schadenfreude, picked up a jade token from the table, and muttered, "Li Xuanfeng... why is it a Li family member again?" The image of a certain young man's eyes and brows suddenly flashed in his mind. The jade token spun in his hand as True Lord Yuansu murmured, "I do owe the Li family... But who knows what this fellow thinks? Perhaps Xiao Chuting got to him first, and not only does he resent the Chi family, but he's come to resent me too."

True Lord Yuansu slowly raised his other free hand and lightly grasped in the void. Strands of colored light appeared, and his innate divine ability activated, spanning the sky and connecting to Li Xuanfeng. Yuansu then held the divine ability, calculating carefully.

'It's mainly respect and awe... It seems Xiao Chuting didn't dare to make this move... or perhaps the Li family only resents Chi Wei.'

Back then, no outsiders knew who had taken Li Chijing. When Yuansu was forced to do it, he carefully concealed his appearance. Now, he was secretly smug: 'When it comes to cautious handling of affairs, only Xiao Chuting can compare to me.'

Since the Li family held no animosity towards him, True Lord Yuansu decided to make his move. With a gentle flick, the jade token flew away like a meteor, landing in front of a cave dwelling below the mountain.

"Blast it," True Lord Yuansu tied the jade seal back to his waist, cursed nonchalantly, sat back on the green stone, and whispered, "Chi Wei is dead, so Yishan City is mine now, no matter what you Chi family members think!"

***

Inside the brightly lit cave dwelling, a middle-aged man sat cross-legged beside a spiritual spring, slowly exhaling. His features were sharp, clearly those of someone prone to strife, but a lingering sadness between his brows diluted his fierce aura, making him appear much more subdued. Behind him, a longbow gleamed golden, and his entire demeanor was astonishing. This was Li Xuanfeng.

"Over fifty years of arduous cultivation, finally achieving Foundation Establishment!" He let out a long breath and slowly opened his eyes. Golden malevolent qi swirled in his pupils, brightening for a moment before gradually fading, returning to their original color.

Just as Li Xuanfeng broke through to Foundation Establishment, several rays of colored light suddenly appeared behind his head. True Lord Yuansu's name surfaced in his mind, and the Mysterious Pearl Rune Seed within him violently pulsed, radiating waves of white light. Li Xuanfeng's eyes, momentarily dazed, cleared again. This memory then abruptly vanished. Li Xuanfeng was completely unaware that two forces had briefly clashed in his mind. He only thought to himself: 'An Immortal Foundation of Piercing Gold Stone!'

This Immortal Foundation was cultivated using the Tangjin Gate's technique. Its qi could break formations, cleave mountains, and destroy enemy artifacts. It excelled at pinpoint attacks to break overall defenses, and the more enemies killed, the more it was tempered by vital energy, becoming even more formidable. Furthermore, once this Immortal Foundation was formed, one could detect metal-element items in earth veins, consume gold and jade for healing, command malevolent qi, become as indestructible as metal and stone, and sharp qi would accompany every wave of the hand, making formations and talismans difficult to harm them.

"It's indeed a good method for combat and breaking formations."

Li Xuanfeng slowly rose. The Golden Geng Longbow behind him pulsed with excitement, leaping into his hand. He touched the bowstring, and then saw golden pearls scattered everywhere. The cave walls were covered in brown and golden rock formations, appearing to be various types of metal and stone spiritual items.

"It's a Foundation Establishment phenomenon..." Within the cave, malevolent qi and true qi surged non-stop. Only the robust grand formation of the Azure Pond Sect's cave dwelling could withstand it; otherwise, countless large holes would have been eroded by now.

He waved his hand, dispelling the surging true qi and malevolent qi within the cave. Pushing open the door, he stepped out. Outside the cave, the night sky was clear, and the stars and moon shone brightly. The two Daoist boys at the door exchanged glances, seemingly completely surprised that Li Xuanfeng, a mere clan cultivator, had achieved Foundation Establishment just like that. They quickly bowed down respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Ancestor! Congratulations, Ancestor, on forging your Immortal Foundation and stepping further onto the path of longevity!"

Li Xuanfeng nodded and stepped out. As he took one step, he suddenly looked up. A glowing light was descending from the night sky. The luminous light was brilliant, enveloped in a white glow, trailing a three-foot-long colored tail. It slowly descended before him. Li Xuanfeng paused slightly, then saw the white light vanish, transforming into a rhombus-shaped jade token that landed in front of him.

Before he could speak, another person appeared beside him. He was tall, dressed in the azure robes of an Azure Pond Sect disciple, wearing jade boots. Magical light shimmered all over his body; not a single item on him was ordinary. This Azure Pond Sect disciple slowly bowed, then knelt down as if a golden mountain had toppled a jade pillar, respectfully saying, "He Jing reverently obeys the True Lord's decree!" He bowed again and stood up, an awkward smile on his face, and said hoarsely, "Fellow Daoist, please accept the order!"

'It's True Lord Yuansu...' Li Xuanfeng, seeing the man's reaction, knew it was an order from a Purple Palace True Lord. He only thought to himself: 'It came quickly!'

Li Xuanfeng nodded slightly, took the jade token, and smiled, "Where does the esteemed sect wish to send this humble one?"

"Fellow Daoist, you jest. I am Ning Hejing, Peak Master of Yuanxing Peak, stationed in Yishan City." The tall young man's smile was stiff. Li Xuanfeng took a careful look before realizing, thinking: 'So it's him!' This was precisely Senior Brother Ning, who had led a group of Yuanwu Peak disciples back then. He was tall and quite prominent, the one who had kicked over Deng Yuzhi and allowed Li Xuanfeng to shoot arrows at the fleeing cultivator.

"True Lord Yuansu personally issued the order, appointing Fellow Daoist as a general. This is entrusting you with a heavy responsibility!" Ning Hejing quickly composed his shock, a smile appearing on his face. He chuckled cheerfully and replied, "This means you've entered Yishan City's cultivation registry. You'll receive immortal stipends and can accumulate merits to request spiritual items from the sect." He added, "From now on, you and I are colleagues."

Ning Hejing's eyelids twitched. He still found it hard to believe. His gaze swept over Li Xuanfeng's face, feeling that this person had no background, no talent; the only thing worth mentioning was his archery. 'Why would True Lord Yuansu personally promote a clan cultivator to Foundation Establishment? There are dozens of Foundation Establishment cultivators within the city and sect, yet he specifically chose to promote a clan cultivator... Is it admiration... or does he have other motives?'

Li Xuanfeng's eyebrows immediately raised at his words, a hint of joy in his expression. He replied, "Many thanks, True Lord." He didn't think too much about it. Ever since he came to Yishan City, he had adopted a do-or-die mindset, simply hoping to improve his cultivation and live a few more years. Now, in these last few years before his inevitable demise, he could still earn something for his family. A new thought sparked in him, and he smiled, "How can I be called a colleague? If the Peak Master has any requests, please just order this humble one."

Ning Hejing looked at Li Xuanfeng and was momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected someone with such sharp archery skills to speak with such humility. He felt a slight easing in his heart and said gently, "Fellow Daoist, you are too modest. Since True Lord Yuansu personally promoted you, there's no need to be polite with Hejing. If you have any requests, you can certainly bring them to me."

Although Li Xuanfeng wasn't particularly cunning, he was still over fifty years old. His own family had no real connection to True Lord Yuansu; this was likely a whim of Yuansu's. So why would he say more to Ning Hejing? He merely said tactfully, "There's no need to trouble the Peak Master. Xuanfeng merely wishes to inquire about my duties."

"Nothing much, just to help reinforce formations. The Southern Frontier is in chaos everywhere now; they have no mind to play schemes with us." Ning Hejing chuckled, then eagerly leaned closer and said gently, "Fellow Daoist Xuanfeng, why don't you come with me to meet your colleagues!"