Chapter 431: Old Mountain Crossing (Shen Xi Big Shot)

Having made her decision, Li Qinghong was about to sit cross-legged when she saw a faint shimmer outside the grand formation. Two young men, one in a white robe with a handsome face and the other in a golden Taoist robe looking quite dejected, entered on the wind.

"Aunt!"

The two were, of course, the Li Xijun brothers. As they landed, Li Xijun bowed and announced, "Seventh Brother has already broken through to Foundation Establishment! I've brought him to you, Aunt, so you can see him."

Li Qinghong cast a glance at Li Ximing, who had not yet recovered from the sorrow of his father's passing. Noticing his mournful expression, she said gently, "The timing was unfortunate, but your father did not hold it against you. You must try to see past it."

Li Ximing raised his sleeve, nodded, and murmured, "Yes." His eyes and brows appeared much heavier. He quietly added, "Now that I've broken through to Foundation Establishment, the few elixirs at home can also be prioritized. In the coming days, I'll go to the Elixir Pavilion in Wutu Mountain to research this Barrier-Breaking Elixir formula. It will be invaluable for breakthroughs in both Foundation Establishment and Qi Refinement."

Li Qinghong nodded approvingly. Her gaze drifted, catching sight of the blue-gold patterns embroidered on his hanging sleeve. Women were always more attuned to such symbols, and she couldn't help but feel they resembled orchids. After asking about his family and seeing his low spirits, she refrained from suggesting a spar and allowed him to leave and rest.

Once Li Ximing had left, Li Qinghong turned to Li Xijun and asked, "Jun'er, is Ximing still in contact with that Miss Meng?"

Li Xijun lowered his gaze and quietly replied, "No, he is not."

Li Qinghong sighed. Li Xijun, sensing she might press further, quickly changed the subject to the thunder technique. After Li Qinghong finished explaining, he nodded and remarked, "Indeed, most of it is useless. Fortunately, this method still holds some value. If we can retrieve even one spiritual thunder, it won't be a total loss."

"It's more than just that."

Li Qinghong softly explained, "Cultivating on this altar is incredibly comfortable for me; I can draw in thunder and cultivate luck here. It's superior to any other cave dwelling at home, so I don't need to occupy the Qingdu Cave, freeing it up for you."

As they chatted, a Jade Court Guard approached and reported, "My lords, a Mountain Yue cultivator at the Foundation Establishment stage has arrived from Qingdu."

Li Qinghong furrowed her brow slightly, then stepped onto a bolt of thunder and ascended, descending towards the lake. There, indeed, waited a cultivator riding a black cloud. His eyes were blood-red with narrow, vertical pupils, giving him a rather unsettling appearance. Dressed in grey robes, he looked to be middle-aged.

"Oh?"

The Mountain Yue cultivator, who was at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, fixed his gaze on Li Qinghong and asked in a gravelly voice, "Are you from the Li family's Foundation Establishment realm?"

"That's right."

Li Qinghong cupped her hands, recognizing the man as Feral Fang. Still maintaining her polite demeanor, she softly stated, "I am Li Qinghong, and Li Yuanjiao is my elder brother."

"I see."

The middle-aged man nodded. Suddenly, the lake's surface parted, and Li Wushao emerged, flying on the wind, with two shadowy forms swirling beneath his robes. He silently took his place behind Li Qinghong.

From the other end, a golden stream of light also ascended. Li Ximing, clad in his Taoist robe, arrived, riding on a dazzling light. The brilliant magical aura made for an impressive sight. Witnessing such a formidable display, Feral Fang immediately grew wary and put a short distance between them.

"Senior, do you have other matters to discuss? Perhaps we could go down and speak in more detail?"

Li Qinghong spoke politely. However, Feral Fang, being very cautious, was unwilling to enter the formation. He shook his head repeatedly, then, after a moment of gathering his thoughts, asked somewhat awkwardly, "That... that... what Li Yuanjiao said... does it still hold true now?"

Everyone present was momentarily puzzled, unsure what he was referring to, so Feral Fang proceeded to explain.

It turned out that years ago, he, along with Yuan Chengdun and a few others, had killed Fudaimu from the west. All of Fudaimu's territory had then been ceded to Feral Fang, who decided to organize the Mountain Yue people to cultivate spiritual rice.

Li Yuanjiao had proposed that the Li family take over these lands, sharing a portion of the annual harvest with Feral Fang. However, Feral Fang, being extremely greedy, had refused.

Consequently, he had managed the lands himself for many years. To his dismay, the yield he obtained was less than half of what Li Yuanjiao had originally promised, and he had also sacrificed a significant amount of cultivation time. Filled with regret, he had now returned to seek out the Li family.

Upon hearing this, everyone was immediately delighted. There was no reason to refuse. They readily agreed to discuss the details, but Feral Fang was still unwilling to enter the formation. So, they found a small courtyard in town to settle into.

No sooner had they all sat down than Feral Fang began to show signs of anxiety, as if this wasn't his sole purpose for coming. After a few moments of awkward hesitation, he said, "Your esteemed clan is indeed thriving more and more, but regarding the matter I inquired about some years ago... does your clan have any news?"

With Li Yuanjiao not present, Li Qinghong had no idea what the Mountain Yue cultivator was referring to. She could only reply tactfully, "My elder brother might have already attended to that matter for you, Senior. Perhaps you could reiterate it to me..."

Seeing their bewildered expressions, Feral Fang was initially somewhat annoyed. But at Li Qinghong's prompting, he sighed and asked, "Would the Purple Mansion behind your esteemed clan be willing to show me a clear path?"

'He wants to ally himself with our family...'

Li Qinghong suddenly understood. Feral Fang was indeed a formidable force, and she knew something of his background: he had mastered various sorceries on Mount Wu and possessed extensive knowledge. He would be a considerable asset. Her heart stirred with interest.

However, their own family didn't possess a Purple Mansion master, and Feral Fang was no fool; he was the kind who wouldn't act without seeing a tangible benefit, so he wouldn't be easily swayed. Li Qinghong found herself in a dilemma. After a brief consideration, she murmured, "Ah, so that's it! My elder brother also wished to introduce you, but... a True Immortal is not easily met... even we only get an audience when we've performed great meritorious deeds... My brother is currently away on orders, so he likely cannot give you an answer at this moment."

Given that he was a Mountain Yue, Li Qinghong tried to be as direct as possible, while carefully observing his facial expression.

Feral Fang paused, looking troubled. He considered her words, his two narrow vertical pupils fixed on Li Qinghong, then he suddenly grasped the meaning and exclaimed, "I understand!"

'This young woman means... I need to earn some merit before I can be introduced to the Purple Mansion's disciples... So that's it! Indeed, Easterners have these complex customs and intricate ways...'

He immediately relaxed considerably, revealing an awkward smile as he nodded. "If your esteemed clan needs anything at all, you are welcome to ask me!"

Li Qinghong knew he understood. After all, he was an old practitioner who had cultivated for a century; he simply hadn't interacted much with others. His extreme caution indicated he had his own agenda.

Feral Fang, having received the message, appeared much more at ease. He lacked the patience to continue the conversation, so he waved his hand and casually stated, "I am nearing the late Foundation Establishment stage and am preparing to refine my cultivation for a breakthrough. Therefore, I will not stay here to accompany you. Regarding this matter, I will send Zhuxian in a few days to discuss the details with all of you."

With that, he rode the wind away without looking back. Li Qinghong saw him off from their territory, musing, "This old Mountain Yue is indeed growing stronger with each passing cultivation. We can only delay him for now... As for the Purple Mansion, I'll wait for my elder brother to return and discuss how to handle it with him."