Chapter 432: Departure

Beiluo Ya walked away, hands behind his back, carried by the wind, leaving behind a lighthearted figure. Li Qinghong had fobbed him off. Li Ximing and a few other Foundation Establishment cultivators came to put on a show, then scratched their heads and dispersed.

Li Qinghong collected herself; only the Hooked Serpent remained. She glanced at Li Wushao, whose face looked even worse than before, his tail-hook injury still unhealed. She asked:

"Friend, is your injury serious?"

Li Wushao's tail-hook had been grazed by the grey-red flames, and it was still throbbing faintly. The pain was peculiar; it wasn't just physical but also recurred intermittently in his spiritual consciousness. Li Wushao was tormented, his face gaunt.

Li Qinghong saw his state and expressed concern. Li Wushao waved his hand and replied:

"Thank you for your concern, Elder… This fire seems to be a 'Merging Fire,' which unites mind and body, merges nature and spirit. It burns the body, harms one's nature, consumes life, and erases consciousness. Only quiet recuperation will help."

Pale-faced, he politely declined the medicinal pill Li Qinghong offered.

"For this kind of divine fire, ordinary elixirs are useless. When I was in the East Sea, many dragon-kin tried to devour me; they cultivate 'Converging Water,' a path similar to 'Merging Fire.' Even a slight touch causes slow deterioration… I'm used to it and have some experience dealing with it, so there's no need to worry."

Li Wushao, his face grim, had no choice but to go down and heal, leaving Li Qinghong to descend alone, riding the lightning.

"'Converging Water'… 'Merging Fire'… 'Grand Yin'… 'Grand Yang'… they truly correspond one-to-one."

Li Qinghong nodded thoughtfully. Many dao fruits within the Metal element corresponded to each other, with clear patterns. She didn't know what kind of lightning attribute her Profound Thunder Pool possessed, which sparked a hint of curiosity:

"Profound Thunder? Or the borrowed Sky Thunder…"

Shaking these thoughts from her mind, Li Qinghong continued her secluded cultivation.

Half a month passed, and Beiluo Ya's subordinate, Zhu Xian, had still not arrived. Instead, several figures finally flew in from the horizon, dressed in various garments, travel-worn. Leading them was Li Xuanxuan, stroking his beard, approaching from afar on the wind.

"Uncle!"

Li Xijun rode the wind to meet him, and Li Xuanxuan nodded slightly. Chen Donghe, An Zheyan, and others behind him bowed. Li Xuanxuan seemed to be in a good mood, and said in a hoarse voice:

"This old man's trip to the Great Xiukui Temple truly broadened my horizons. The seventy-two traditions under that temple, with their various ancient magical and shamanic arts, are entirely different from current techniques."

He took out a few talismans from his storage bag; they looked greyish, with white markings drawing several runes on them. Li Xuanxuan said with satisfaction:

"These are all ancient techniques, like condensing talisman water for pain relief and healing illnesses… They can be taught to Fetal Breath cultivators and are excellent for treating common folk."

As he spoke, he waved his hand dismissively, and the others dispersed. Li Xijun led him down, and the old man finally set foot on the ground, still talking about the uses of the talismans in his hand, a warm smile on his face.

Li Xijun watched as those aged eyes swept over, seeing the mountains covered in white mourning clothes. The momentary joy on the old man's face vanished, replaced by horror, and he fell silent.

Without a word, he followed Li Xijun to the graves, sat down on the ground, and mumbled:

"Yes, it's about time… to have lasted so many years…"

His aged eyes stared left and right. To his right was the tombstone of his eldest son, Li Yuanxiu; to his left, that of his youngest son, Li Yuanping. One new, one old, both tall. When Li Xuanxuan sat down, the tombstones still towered over him.

Li Xijun quietly retreated, all the way to the end of the mountain path, and then looked back. The old man hunched between the two tombstones, his legs resting in a patch of weeds. He unconsciously held the talisman in his hand, his eyes vacant, staring blankly at the sky, appearing very small.

Li Xijun couldn't bear to watch any longer. He bowed his head and left. Chen Donghe led a man up, dressed in an earthy yellow daoist robe, with a rattan whip tied around his waist. Chen Donghe quietly said:

"This is Elder Zhu Xian."

Li Xijun quickly composed himself. Although the previous scene was still etched in his memory, he had no time for sorrow. He forced a smile and softly said:

"Greetings, Elder."

Zhu Xian was Beiluo Ya's subordinate, a Foundation Establishment early-stage cultivator.

His cultivation lineage was too poor. Although he had condensed an immortal foundation, he was even inferior to Li Wushao before he had his tail-hook. He had cultivated the Clear Origin Wind, formed from minor clear spiritual qi, which was very ordinary.

Although his cultivation was much higher than Li Xijun's, he dared not put on airs in front of him, only saying softly:

"My elder brother sent me to hand over the territory."

The territory under Beiluo Ya and his associate was considerable. Even after accounting for some barren, peripheral areas, the actual size was considerably larger than Dongshan Yue. Li Xijun watched as he took out a map. Zhu Xian said:

"Over the past decade or so, this territory of mine has accumulated over fifty thousand people…"

Li Xijun was stunned. For the same amount of land, his own Dongshan Yue had hundreds of thousands of people. Such a small population meant no significant harvest, which was natural.

He immediately looked at the map, made a quick estimate, and softly said:

"Elder, for this territory, I plan to establish thirty towns. Observing the spiritual and telluric veins of the area, I will set up one or two immortal mountains and one prefecture to govern three hundred thousand people."

"There are two major plains here; large towns can be built around them… Villages can first be established along the two rivers, and people can be relocated there."

Li Xijun spoke for a while about the plans. Zhu Xian could only nod meekly, unable to tell good from bad, and not understanding many things. He just had to nod, biting his lip.

By the time Li Xijun had arranged all the details, it was hardly a negotiation. Zhu Xian had only one question:

"How much profit can there be?"

Li Xijun estimated:

"After seven or eight years, there will be an annual profit of twenty to thirty spirit stones, and our family will take forty percent."

Zhu Xian calculated, realizing Beiluo Ya's requirements were met. He immediately relaxed and waved his hand, saying:

"Then let's do it this way!"

Li Xijun then invited Li Xicheng to discuss the matter in detail. Zhu Xian, unable to sit still any longer, left on the wind to report back. Li Xijun asked:

"Brother, how much savings does our family have now?"

Li Xicheng replied:

"Currently, we have over sixty spirit stones in annual income. After deducting tributes, we can save less than a hundred stones every five years. Adding the forty stones from the Han family's sale of Wanling Flowers by Han Shizhen, we can accumulate one hundred thirty stones every five years."

"There haven't been major expenses in the past decade. After deducting the dozens of stones spent, we have about two hundred stones left."

"Two hundred stones are enough to set up two Qi Cultivation formations… Moreover, since we're building for Beiluo Ya, we might even be able to squeeze some additional resources from him."

Li Xijun felt confident. He nodded and softly said:

"The expansion still needs your arrangements, elder brother. We can move Dongshan Yue westward, transferring the original dozen or so eastern towns under Lijing Prefecture. You have your judgment; just handle it as you see fit."

"Rest assured."

Li Xicheng calmly replied, unhurried and composed, radiating a certain presence. Yet, his gaze lingered on the white garments, still tinged with sorrow.

Li Xuanfeng packed up, stepped onto his flying shuttle, and, accompanied by two Ning family cultivators, set off with his golden bow, gracefully flying all the way to Qingchi Sect. The two Ning family members were used to following him and spent the journey introducing him to the aristocratic families of several prefectures.

These two brothers were from a collateral branch of the Ning family and had followed Li Xuanfeng for over a decade, holding him in high regard. Li Xuanfeng listened indifferently, not lingering. He simply flew on, landing within Qingchi Mountain, and instructed the two:

"You two, go gather everyone who is assigned to go to the East Sea."

He waited silently. According to Qingchi Sect's operating style, those sent to guard the East Sea were mostly cultivators of limited talent. Besides the Chi and Ning families, the Element, Yuanwu, and Yuanxiu Peaks would all be assigned to the Southern Wilderness or the East Sea…

He waited for a while, not intending to enter the mountain. He simply sat in the pavilion, gazing at the ethereal Qingchi Mountain veiled in mist. After a moment, he heard a commotion, and the two Ning family members led a group of cultivators forward.

This group of men and women, clad in green daoist robes, were mostly Qi Cultivation stage cultivators, their faces showing the fresh naivety of newcomers. Following behind the two Ning family members, they spoke in unison:

"Greetings, Daoist!"

Within Qingchi Sect, Foundation Establishment cultivators holding a Peak Master position were called Peak Masters. If they didn't hold such a position, they were called Daoists—after all, in Qingchi Sect, Foundation Establishment cultivators weren't qualified to be called Ancestors.

Li Xuanfeng felt a little strange. Back then, his family had been utterly respectful to Qingchi disciples, daring not to disobey. When he went to the Xiao family's Guanyun Peak, even a mere immortal sect servant dared to boss around the head of a small clan. The young cultivator who once served with a bow was now an elder to Qingchi disciples. He chuckled and nodded slightly.

But in the eyes of these Fetal Breath and Qi Cultivation cultivators, Li Xuanfeng, in his dark gold and golden armor, with elegant lines, donned in armor and robe, his eyebrows like an eagle's, a pair of dark pupils emitting golden streams of light, paired with the ferocious longbow hanging on his golden robe behind him—how could he be anything but magnificent!

Just by standing there, he exuded the aura of a veteran general who had guarded the frontier for many years. His voice was slightly hoarse, and he looked around imperiously. Staring at the golden bow for too long made one's eyes ache.

"I heard this elder possesses natural divine strength, capable of fighting tigers and wolves… He's the direct descendant of a sword dao aristocratic family… yet he abandoned swordsmanship, relying instead on a golden bow… slaughtering the Southern Wilderness demons until they vanished."

The young men and women whispered among themselves, full of envy. Even as disciples of an immortal sect, achieving Foundation Establishment was not guaranteed for them. Competition within the sect was fierce, and they were often sent out to guard various places. To become someone like Li Xuanfeng was truly remarkable.

Li Xuanfeng glanced around; everyone was present. Only then did he tap the black-faced golden beast belt at his waist and take out a jade boat.

This spirit shuttle was initially thumb-sized. It quickly grew, with emerald light surging, transforming into a large boat over ten zhang long, gently swaying in the air.

"Evergreen Flowing Cloud Ship"

This ship was not Li Xuanfeng's; it was lent by Ning Wan. She had asked Li Xuanfeng and heard he had no means of transport, and taking a dozen people across countries might be difficult for him. She was cultivating a divine ability and in secluded cultivation for a breakthrough during those days, so she didn't need it. Thus, she lent him this means of transport.

The Qingchi disciples were accustomed to spirit ships and weren't particularly surprised. They boarded one by one; it was quite spacious. The two Ning brothers took it upon themselves to pilot the ship. Li Xuanfeng stood at the front of the ship, looking down at the cloud-shrouded peaks.

"It's a pity that with so many people, I can't delay now. I must complete the current task before I can go home and visit… Otherwise, from here to Xianhu, I could have stopped by home on the way."

He watched the clouds swirling, rising and falling, light and shadow alternating. Soon, they crossed Quanyu Mountain and arrived at Libu Prefecture. The elder Ning brother in front said:

"General, that's Wubu Market ahead!"

Li Xuanfeng naturally understood his meaning. His grandnephew, Li Xizhi, was supposed to be guarding this town. However, since Li Xuanfeng was transporting a group of disciples, stopping casually might cause misunderstandings, so he could only say:

"Keep flying, no need to stop."

"Understood."

The two responded, continuing to propel the spirit ship, while Li Xuanfeng slowly regulated his breathing.

He cultivated the "Golden Radiance Righteous Edge Art," a third-grade cultivation method obtained from the Ji family back then. It was a cultivation method practiced by the collateral branches of the Situ family, much inferior to those cultivated by the direct lineages of immortal sects. Although after Foundation Establishment, Ning Hemian found him a fourth-grade cultivation method within the sect, also related to engraved gold, called "Golden Stone High Heaven Art," which could be cultivated to the peak of Foundation Establishment, significantly increasing his cultivation speed. However, his immortal foundation had already been forged, making him slightly inferior to cultivators who genuinely established their foundation with the "Golden Stone High Heaven Art."

Li Xuanfeng wasn't particularly bothered. His immortal foundation had already been refined to its limit; a little more or less wouldn't significantly impact anything.

The "Engraved Gold" was cultivated through the Bore Gold Sect's cultivation method. Its qi could break formations, split mountains, and destroy enemy magical artifacts. It excelled at piercing through defenses with focused attacks. The more enemies killed, the more it was tempered by vital energy, making it even more formidable.

And Li Xuanfeng had killed countless enemies in the Southern Wilderness over the decades! He had also suffered many injuries in his early years. With his spirit armor, he became even more powerful. The number of Foundation Establishment cultivators of various kinds who had died by his hand had long reached double digits.

Within his Qi Sea acupoint, there was already a chaotic golden-red light. It had been tempered to its limit two years prior. Four or five tenths of his overflowing confidence came from this Qi Sea.

'Elemental True Master promoting me probably also recognized this point…'

Through the events of these past years, Li Xuanfeng vaguely understood. Elemental True Master Ning Tiaoxiao needed a Foundation Establishment cultivator strong enough to crush lesser cultivators and handle matters he found inconvenient to address directly.

This Foundation Establishment cultivator not only needed to be powerful and loyal but also hopeless in terms of further breakthroughs, with weaknesses that Elemental True Master could exploit… and even be willing to sacrifice themselves at crucial moments.

Elemental True Master was indeed a seasoned strategist, having taken things to the extreme. He saw through Li Xuanfeng's character, not only giving him a clan daughter as wife but also arranging for Ning family members to be close to him, either as his subordinates or colleagues… These Ning family members themselves didn't realize it, and soon treated him with genuine sincerity.

"After all, he's an old man who has cultivated for several hundred years… His methods are clever… He doesn't need divine abilities or spells; he can still control people just the same."

Li Xuanfeng, clad in the dark gold armor his wife had acquired for him, stood quietly, gazing intently at the setting sun before him.

"Boss, we're out of the prefecture city!"

The elder Ning brother's forehead was slightly sweaty. He turned back, smiled, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. The younger brother was a bit more shy, looking at him with reverence.

"Understood."

Li Xuanfeng replied. The two Ning brothers supported the ship for him, calling him "General" and "Boss," showing great loyalty. Li Xuanfeng was not easily deceived. The Ning brothers had followed him for decades, and early on, he had suspected them of being sent to monitor him. However, after several instances where the two brothers risked their lives to save him, he now considered them his own.

Now, as long as Li Xuanfeng couldn't bring himself to abandon his wife and subordinates, Elemental True Master's objective had long been achieved. Li Xuanfeng looked around: family, wife, gratitude. There was no other path for him than to serve Elemental True Master.