Chapter 361: Sunset

“I know,” Li Yuanjiao said, waving his hand. He first picked up the storage bag he had seized from the Foundation Establishment demonic cultivator he killed on the road, quickly inventoried its contents, and then said, “There’s an Azure Blade for mid-stage Qi Condensation cultivators in the family treasury; we can take it out and sell it for urgent needs. As for the Six-Stone Cloud Disk, also mid-stage, it’s a rare magic shield produced by Qingchi, so we should keep it.” He weighed the storage bag in his hand twice before putting it away, adding, “After all, he was only a Foundation Establishment cultivator. This storage bag isn’t even as big as a table, and there are only ten spirit stones worth of miscellaneous items in it.”

Even so, this demonic cultivator was already much wealthier than typical Foundation Establishment cultivators. After Li Yuanjiao put the items away, Li Qinghong, who was standing by, spoke up, “Our collateral branch is financially strained. I still have nine spirit stones on me, Brother. Please take them and use them.” Without another word, she thrust a few spirit stones into his hand. Li Yuanjiao silently accepted them, thanked her, and replied, “Consider it a debt your elder brother owes you.”

Li Xizhi was his legitimate son, after all. Taking out ancestral magic artifacts to sell was already the absolute limit. In other families, there would surely have been objections about using public resources for private gain; it wouldn’t be as simple as just saying “take it out and sell it.” Li Qinghong merely shrugged, smiling, “As you wish, Elder Brother.” The two smiled at each other. Li Yuanjiao finished packing his things, then took out several Foundation Establishment magic artifacts that were stored in the treasury. He unfolded a map, glancing at it as he prepared to find a market town.

“With Guanyun Peak market town destroyed, the journey to a market town has become much longer.” Li Yuanjiao studied the map for a while. He had originally planned to go to the Yuan family’s Great Inn Market, but after calculating the travel time, the Guyan Market in the western desert seemed closer. “Then I’ll make a trip to Guyan Market! Communication is often cut off these days, but at least I can go see Uncle Donghe.”

As Li Yuanjiao packed his belongings and departed the mountain, the snow below intensified, floating down like goose feathers until the entire town and mountain were blanketed in white. Li Xijun, after seeing off Li Ximing with a group of elders, returned to the mountain himself.

He walked through the snow with his hands behind his back, his light and striking attire making him appear even more ethereal. Unlike his elder brother, Li Xicheng, who had many family matters to attend to, Li Xijun only held a leisurely position in the main family hall. He usually practiced in seclusion and occasionally descended the mountain to slay demons. After walking just over ten miles, Yuting Mountain appeared before him, its majestic peak covered in white snow and densely planted with green pines. “Snow on the Yuting pines, wards off evil spirits.” Li Xijun had cultivated on Yuting Mountain for many years, and the number of pine trees on the mountain had steadily increased. Yuting Mountain itself was tall, piercing the clouds, and received snow every year. Li Qinghong, who guarded the mountain, wielded thunder to eliminate demons. Thus, many poems had been written about the four towns below Yuting Mountain, and Li Xijun, having glanced through them, recognized a few lines.

He walked a few steps, holding his sword. At the foot of the mountain stood two men who, upon seeing him, bowed respectfully and said softly, “Greetings, Young Master.” These two were the An family brothers, An Siming and An Siwei, both a few years older than Li Xijun, and sent by Li Yuanping to cultivate on Yuting Peak. An Siming carried a sword, and An Siwei a spear; both wore golden rings on their hands. Li Xijun exchanged a few pleasantries, then activated a secret seal to open the great formation, and golden light slowly flickered.

An Siming stepped forward, hesitantly speaking in a soft voice, “Young Master, my sister at home is of marriageable age, possesses spiritual apertures, and is currently at the second layer of Foundation Establishment cultivation. Her appearance is quite beautiful…” He seemed a bit awkward, rambling as he spoke. Li Xijun walked forward, still holding his sword, as the great formation slowly closed behind him. He stepped on the snow-covered path as he walked and said, “Does Guest Elder An wish to form a marriage alliance with my collateral branch?”

Both quickly agreed, speaking flattering words. Li Xijun smiled and said, “My father died young, so our collateral branch is now led by my aunt. If she and the family approve, then a meeting can certainly be arranged.” Seeing his expression, the two could only nod. Li Xijun, looking at the white snow on the pines, sighed, “This matter is not for us to decide.” The An brothers nodded. Li Xijun rubbed his sword scabbard, his thoughts drifting. He secretly mused to himself: ‘The An clan members all have high talent. If there are any variables in Uncle’s breakthrough to Core Formation, in fifty years there will be at least two elder brothers-in-law at the peak of Qi Condensation, and perhaps a maternal grandfather also at the peak of Qi Condensation… or even more.’

Li Xijun squeezed a snowflake, letting it slowly melt in his hand. ‘The An clan doesn’t know that our family has an immortal relic suppressing it. They assume our family would worry that marrying into the main branch might lead to their descendants being controlled, while marrying into our collateral branch might be feared as an attempt to seize power...’ ‘An Zheyuan is a despicable and short-sighted person; he wouldn’t realize it. Li Feiruo is probably having a terrible headache, which is why she came to test my stance.’

*Rustle…* The green pines bent slightly, and the snow on the trees rustled down. Li Xijun’s long, sword-like eyebrows lifted as he smiled, “Time to go up the mountain and cultivate!”

Li Yuanjiao traveled by wind for half a day, crossing the center of the lake until he reached the western shore of Moon-Gazing Lake. All over this area were mountains of various sizes, with dozens of cultivating families. Most were Foundation Establishment families, and only a handful were Qi Condensation families. This was the territory of Daoist He, a rogue Core Formation cultivator. This mid-stage Core Formation rogue cultivator had always been peace-loving, living off the offerings collected from his small plot of land. The other families also did not provoke him.

Crossing the western shore, he saw a towering mountain that filled the sky and earth. This mountain was flat and elongated, its top barren with exposed rocks, and the spiritual energy of the earth veins was thin. This mountain was called West Screen. It separated the great desert from Moon-Gazing Lake and also marked the boundary between the Qingchi Sect and the Jinyu Sect. After crossing West Screen, the climate immediately became hot, dry, and scorching. After flying by wind for several days, yellow sands gradually appeared, and a magnificent pass came into view. It was Guyan Pass, an ancient pass of the Yue Kingdom.

A section of Guyan Pass was occupied by Guyan Temple, under the jurisdiction of the Jinyu Sect. Li Yuanjiao traveled by wind to the pass. With a sweep of his spiritual sense, he saw a scorching bright great formation, poised to activate. If he took even one step forward, the formation would immediately activate. “Li Yuanjiao of the Lijing Li family has come to visit. Temple Master, please open the great formation!” He circulated his spiritual power. After waiting for several breaths, he saw a Daoist priest fly out from within the formation. His cultivation was only at the third layer of Qi Condensation. He wore a half-yellow, half-white robe, which looked incongruous, but his face was full of smiles. “Greetings, fellow Daoist. This humble Daoist is Bai Yinzi of Guyan!”

Li Yuanjiao smiled and nodded. This person adopted a very humble posture, his smile piled on, making him seem very solicitous. He quickly said, “Are you looking for fellow Daoist Donghe? Please, fellow Daoist, come inside with me!” Although Chen Donghe had been there for many years, Li Yuanjiao was naturally suspicious and sharp. How could he possibly agree to go inside with him? His gaze swept across the man’s face. He chuckled, his hand already on his sword hilt, and said softly, “There’s no need to go in. Please ask Uncle Donghe to come out.” Bai Yinzi was slightly stunned. He wiped the sweat from his face, his lips trembled, and he hesitated, saying, “It’s not very convenient! Not very convenient. Fellow Daoist Donghe is injured and should not move freely. Please, fellow Daoist, come inside.”

Li Yuanjiao laughed heartily and replied, “Say no more, say no more!” Bai Yinzi immediately breathed a sigh of relief, and a smile reappeared on his face. Li Yuanjiao seized the opportunity to take a step forward. His expression suddenly changed, his eyebrows raised, and his entire face instantly turned fierce. He sternly shouted, “How dare you!” The Azure Ruler Sword leaped from its sheath, a white light shone forth, emitting a piercing shriek, and a Moon Gap Sword Arc surged forth.

Bai Yinzi felt as if his face were being cut by knives. He cried out, terrified, feeling half his life had already gone. He summoned a yellowish-brown turtle shield magic artifact from his hand and screamed, “Fellow Daoist, it’s a misunderstanding! Have mercy, fellow Daoist!” How could Li Yuanjiao believe him? His thoughts raced like lightning. He mused: ‘I don’t know if Uncle Donghe is still here or not. If he wants to trick me into the formation, there definitely isn’t a Core Formation cultivator present. I’ll seize this chance to capture this person and see if I can exchange him for Uncle Donghe!’ ‘If not, it will at least be revenge for Uncle Donghe.’ In a single thought, the sword arc slammed into the shield. This unknown turtle shield was likely a very important magic artifact of this temple; it appeared to be of high-grade Qi Condensation level. But the Azure Ruler Sword was a Core Formation magic artifact. Just one strike made the turtle shield whimper, and Bai Yinzi’s face turned beet red.

He was scared out of his wits and shrieked, “Fellow Daoist Donghe! Fellow Daoist Donghe! Quickly save me! This humble Daoist is about to be beaten to death by your family!” Li Yuanjiao was slightly stunned upon hearing this. His grip loosened, and he immediately reached forward, saying in a deep voice, “Let go, I won’t kill you!” Bai Yinzi’s face was flushed red. He closed his eyes and indeed stood there brazenly. The magic artifact also lost its luster. Li Yuanjiao placed his sword against his neck and immediately believed him by half, feeling a bit awkward.

“Young Master! Young Master!” A middle-aged man flew out from within the formation. His face was pale, and several medicinal packets were stuck to his body. He approached with a bitter smile, repeatedly saying, “A misunderstanding… a misunderstanding…” Li Yuanjiao could only sullenly sheath his sword, and returned the courtesy to Bai Yinzi, saying with a touch of awkwardness, “My apologies, fellow Daoist…” Bai Yinzi was still shaken with fear. He stammered, “As expected of a sword immortal family… That opening strike scared half the soul out of this humble Daoist.”

Chen Donghe apologized. Bai Yinzi then waved his hand and replied, “It was this humble Daoist who spoke unwisely. I should be the one apologizing. Young Master, you are too kind.” Chen Donghe had been away from home for many years, but still habitually called Li Yuanjiao ‘Young Master,’ and this led Bai Yinzi to follow suit. Li Yuanjiao let it be. As Li Yuanjiao slowly landed, Bai Yinzi took a few deep breaths, and his tongue slowly relaxed. He sighed, “No wonder your esteemed family was able to stand out in that dangerous and unpredictable place of Qingchi Sect, expanding east and west, rising to a noble family… This decisiveness, this humble Daoist truly cannot learn!”

“Under the jurisdiction of my Jinyu Sect, immortal taxes are also heavy, but it’s nowhere near as ruthless as Qingchi, which readily wipes out entire lineages. Even annexations between temples still need to be reported to Jinyu before proceeding, and they don’t go as far as killing everyone…” “If you ask me… those few sects of Qingchi Xuanyue act just like demonic cultivators. Let’s just talk about it here and keep it between us, lest it be considered slandering an immortal sect…” The man chattered on and on. Li Yuanjiao just listened, finally waiting for an opportunity for him to catch his breath, then asked Chen Donghe, concerned, “What happened?”

“Just demonic cultivators!” Chen Donghe, who now had a sixth-layer Qi Condensation cultivation, smiled. His face was pale, and he spoke gently, “A while ago, a group of demonic cultivators traveled north, intending to cross West Screen Mountain. They happened to pass by Guyan Temple. I fought fiercely with the cultivators in the temple, and only then did we manage to save the great formation. I just sustained some injuries and have been bedridden for many days.” “I had to let the Temple Master come out to greet you. I didn’t expect it would cause Young Master to misunderstand…”

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Li Yuanjiao became more calculating and pressed on, asking, “Where did these demonic cultivators go?” “Unable to breach our defenses after a long assault, they have already crossed West Screen and are probably headed towards the western shore.” Li Yuanjiao estimated the time; he probably wouldn’t be able to catch up no matter what. He could only sigh regretfully. After all, this group of demonic cultivators couldn’t even break through this great formation, so it was likely a rare group where most were at the early Qi Condensation stage. If he could gather his family’s cultivators and catch this group of demonic cultivators, he could kill them for their treasures and plug the financial hole. So, he took some pills from his storage bag and handed them to Chen Donghe. Chen Donghe’s supply of pills and resources had long been exhausted in that great battle. He immediately thanked him and accepted them.

Chen Donghe smiled. “This is the Temple Master, Bai Yinzi. He has greatly supported me over the years, both with resources and spiritual veins, and he has a kind and honest heart.” Li Yuanjiao cupped his hands in greeting, acknowledging the introduction. Bai Yinzi, however, waved his hand and smiled, “Fellow Daoist Donghe has also helped me a great deal over the years. He defeated several opponents for me during the temple fairs. I gained benefits; I didn’t just provide food and lodging for nothing.” He spoke frankly. Chen Donghe smiled gently, and Bai Yinzi then praised again, “Fellow Daoist Donghe is of extraordinary magnanimity; even those he defeated admire him greatly! He has gained a great reputation in this vast desert over the years!” The two laughed and conversed for a while. Bai Yinzi then invited them to a feast and drinks. It wasn’t until the middle of the night that Chen Donghe finally took Li Yuanjiao back to the courtyard.

As the courtyard gate closed, the magic formation separating the inside from the outside began to operate. An old woman was sitting in the courtyard, with wrinkles at the corners of her eyes and on her forehead. She was holding an oil lamp and writing something with a brush. Seeing the two enter, she looked up and said softly, “So, Jiaor has arrived.” “Aunt…” Li Yuanjiao was stunned for a full breath before he finally reacted. The Li Jingting before him was already over fifty, completely different from his memories of her from years past. Except for her eyes, which were still soft and gentle, he could no longer see her former appearance. It was rare for mortals in Dali Mountain to live to this age, but Chen Donghe had used spiritual items to nourish Li Jingting. She now looked quite healthy, showing no signs of decline. She smiled and said, “How is the family? And how is Paternal Uncle?”

Strong-willed as he was, Li Yuanjiao couldn’t help but get tears in his eyes upon hearing this. He forced his eyes shut, his fingers pressing on his sword. Even the Azure Ruler Sword hummed and vibrated as he said mournfully, “The Old Ancestor has already departed from this world, ascended as an immortal, and returned to the Great Yin…” Li Jingting’s face turned pale, and two lines of tears fell. Chen Donghe was even more distraught. His expression changed several times, and he stood stiffly in place. “At last… this moment, at last… this moment.” Li Jingting’s face was pale. She had heard some news at home, so it was somewhat easier for her to accept now. But Chen Donghe was completely lost, as if struck by lightning on a clear day. He gasped, “Impossible! How could this be!” All expressions on his face spiraled out of control. Chen Donghe, who had never changed his expression even in the face of life-or-death crises, lost his composure. His vision went dark, and he staggered back several steps, saying in disbelief, “Unless a Purple Mansion cultivator acted, who could kill Paternal Uncle!” For a moment, he spoke without thinking, even calling him ‘Paternal Uncle.’ His face flushed, and he gasped for breath. Li Yuanjiao hurriedly reached out to support him and helped him regulate the spiritual channels within his body. Finally, with a soft sound, Chen Donghe spat out a mouthful of black blood.

He already had internal injuries, but after spitting out this blood, his complexion actually looked much better. He looked up and asked, “Is it the old injury left by Mohe?” “Yes…” Receiving the answer, Chen Donghe wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said in a low voice, “Heaven envies talent… The four sons of Lijing… to think they have vanished so silently!” Li Yuanjiao slightly turned his head. The family had not acknowledged Li Chijing’s death, but Chen Donghe had been a pillar of the family for many years; he must have had his own basis for belief. He had kept it hidden in his heart, but now, in his agitated state, he blurted it out.

Li Jingting comforted him for a while. Chen Donghe also quickly recovered. He lowered his head and said, “Please excuse my display.” Li Yuanjiao could not bring himself to offer words of comfort. He silently helped him regulate his spiritual channels. Chen Donghe then spoke, “Donghe is injured. Please allow your subordinate to recover for a bit. Tomorrow, I will take Young Master to Guyan Market.” Li Yuanjiao nodded repeatedly. The husband and wife helped each other into the inner courtyard. Before long, suppressed sobbing could be heard from behind the doors.

Li Yuanjiao listened in silence, feeling a sense of profound loss, sitting alone and dazed in the courtyard. The tea on the table remained untouched, glowing with a greenish-red hue in the blood-red setting sun. He placed his hands on his knees and cast his gaze towards the red sunset at the edge of the great desert. The desert’s solitary smoke, like coiling dragons, like whales, like wolves, like snakes, swirled on the horizon, slowly heading towards the black and red distance.