Chapter 46: Offering

"Mana solidified, transforming into Azure Essence." Li Tongya, filled with excitement, waved away the pale white Moonlight Azure Essence from his hand.

While the Azure Essence Wheel wasn't a major challenge, it was still the fourth stage of the Fetal Respiration realm. Li Tongya was quite pleased with how smoothly his mana had solidified over the past six months.

"It's just that this Azure Essence mana seems a bit unusual. Its growth is so significant, appearing close to the Jade Capital Wheel cultivation described in the Azure Essence Nourishing Wheel technique. It seems my family's Lunar Breathing and Wheel Nurturing Scripture is truly extraordinary."

Li Tongya lifted the Qingfeng sword in his hand and carefully wiped it with a white cloth. Most people on the Ancient Li Road used knives and staves. He had to search through four villages to find this precious sword from the Liu family in Jingyang.

This Liu family of Jingyang was precisely Liu Rouxuan's maiden family. As soon as they heard Li Tongya was looking for a sword, they eagerly presented this treasured sword, which they had kept hidden, refusing any payment from him and insisting it was part of Liu Rouxuan's dowry.

"After more than half a year of practice, I've finally reached the entry level. I can now consistently use this Profound Water Sword Aura."

Li Tongya brought two fingers together and slowly glided them over the Qingfeng. The precious sword immediately emitted a faint grey sword aura, adhering to the blade like a cicada's wing, looking incredibly sharp.

Walking out of the courtyard, Li Tongya found a secluded spot in the mountains and quietly began to practice his sword.

"Hah!" After a few passes, Li Tongya lifted the Qingfeng sword in his hand. With a flick of his wrist, he sliced through the large tree in front of him. The banyan tree immediately crashed to the ground, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"Truly sharp." Looking at the smooth tree stump before him, Li Tongya felt as if his previous sword stroke had met almost no resistance, severing the large tree at its waist.

After spiritedly practicing his sword for a while, Li Tongya hung the Qingfeng at his waist. He then performed breathing exercises to restore his mana before heading towards the Lijing Courtyard.

The White Origin Fruits in Lijing Courtyard had matured. They hung plump and pearly white atop the pale yellow saplings, looking incredibly tempting.

Harvesting these White Origin Fruits was much easier than harvesting spirit rice; one only needed to use mana to pluck them and store them in jade boxes. The courtyard had produced fifteen White Origin Fruits in one go, and Li Tongya had to borrow two jade boxes from Wan Tiancang just to hold them all.

"Brother Tiancang, about this tribute..."

"Follow the Ancient Li Road east until you reach Mount Guanyun of the Xiao family in the east. All the families in Lixia County gather there to submit their tributes. Each family also brings surplus or abundant goods for trade, right at the foot of that mountain." Hearing Li Tongya inquire about submitting tribute, Wan Tiancang waved his hand and explained meticulously.

"The market at the foot of the mountain is guaranteed by the Xiao family, so there are generally no incidents of robbery or murder. However, it's strictly cash-and-carry; once you leave the stall, they are not responsible, so it's up to each person's discernment."

"I see." After discussing for the time it takes to brew a cup of tea with Li Xiangping and Li Mutian, Li Tongya took the Pine Peak Fruit and several cultivation techniques from the Wan family. He then packed his family's spirit rice and fruits and quietly headed to the Wan family's residence.

The Wan family's carriage was parked by the Ancient Li Road. To prevent the Ji family from learning of their trip and launching a surprise attack, the Wan family had only sent Wan Yuankai, who was at the Azure Essence Wheel stage, and a single coachman, who were waiting for Li Tongya by the roadside.

After packing everything, Li Tongya loaded the spirit rice and fruits onto the Wan family's carriage, and under the cover of night, they swayed eastward.

***

"Golden Autumn in the Lake: One must find a great lake three thousand li in diameter. When the autumn colors on its shore turn golden, the sky is clear, and the night is bright, one should use the 'Calling Blaze Method' to absorb qi for an entire night, thus gaining a portion of autumn qi. Eighty-one nights yield a wisp of 'Golden Autumn in the Lake,' and ten wisps make a full portion, taking ten years. This is also known as a 'Decade of Lake Autumn Qi'."

Li Chijing flipped through the book in his hands, silently noting the methods described within. He mused to himself, "The 'July Qi Cultivation True Manual' my master gave me is quite detailed. I wonder if it contains any methods for refining 'Lunar Essence Moonlight'."

After searching carefully through the book several times, Li Chijing mumbled to himself, "Lunar Essence Moonlight... Lunar Essence Moonlight... Here it is!"

"Lunar Essence Moonlight: Pure white like frost, flowing like water. It brightens when the moon waxes and dims when the moon wanes."

Li Chijing blankly flipped back a few pages, then opened his mouth and said, "That's it?" He sighed.

Li Chijing had already completed the Spirit Beginning Wheel some time ago, and was only a matter of time accumulation away from reaching the Qi Cultivation stage. So, taking advantage of the waiting period, he started reading some essential qi cultivation techniques early.

"If there's no clue about this Lunar Essence Moonlight, I'll just have to cultivate the Prime Purity Rain Control Art."

Li Chijing looked up and saw that a certain mission on the board outside the Pavilion of Martial Display had conspicuously disappeared. The pavilion's main door opened, and a figure slowly emerged.

Li Chijing had waited three days outside the Pavilion of Martial Display before finally seeing that the mission to collect tribute from Lixia County had been taken. Seeing the person lightly step onto a flying shuttle and about to leave, he quickly called out, "Fellow Daoist!"

The person lowered their head upon hearing him and softly asked, "What is it?"

Only then did Li Chijing notice that the person was a beautiful woman wearing a light cyan long dress. He smiled awkwardly and explained, "Fellow Daoist, have you taken the mission to collect tribute from Lixia County?"

"That's right." The gentle woman looked at Li Chijing, and seeing that he was just a boy of about sixteen, her tone softened. She gently asked, "Do you have family in Lixia County?"

"Indeed, yes! I am Li Chijing from Qinghui Peak. May I know your name, Immortal?"

"Ning Wan of Moon Lake Peak." Ning Wan nodded, gesturing for Li Chijing to continue.

"Immortal, since you are going to Lixia County to collect tribute, I hope you can look after my family. Chijing would be immensely grateful." Li Chijing cupped his hands and respectfully answered in a low voice.

"I come from the Li family of Lijing, right by Moon Gaze Lake."

"We are all fellow disciples, so naturally, I will look after them." Ning Wan lightly nodded her head, then asked with some confusion, "Since you were born by Moon Gaze Lake, which is under the jurisdiction of my Moon Lake Peak, why did you not join my Moon Lake Peak?"

Li Chijing responded with a smile, "My Master, Si Yuanbai, passed through Mount Dali. Chijing was blessed with profound fortune and received Master's favor, so he was brought back to the sect for cultivation."

Ning Wan huffed in displeasure and muttered, "Si Yuanbai should stay put in his Mushroom Forest Plain instead of coming to Moon Gaze Lake to poach people. How unreasonable!"

Li Chijing could only give a wry smile, pretending not to have heard her words.

"Alright." Ning Wan pursed her lips and softly asked, "Do you have anything you'd like me to take for you?"

"Yes, yes." Li Chijing, who was just wondering how to bring it up, was overjoyed at her words. He exclaimed, "Thank you, Immortal!"

After speaking, he handed over a small pouch with both hands. Ning Wan took it and, weighing it, heard the crisp clinking of spirit stones. It seemed to contain four or five spirit stones, which left her a little perplexed. She asked, "You're cultivating within the sect, so you shouldn't be receiving resources from home. Why are you sending things back instead? What's the reason for this?"

Li Chijing quickly shook his head and replied, "My family sent some pills through someone, and everything I need is available on the peak. I don't have immediate use for spirit stones, and using them for cultivation would be too extravagant, so it's better to send them home to help with household expenses."

"I see. It's difficult for you to have such sincerity." Ning Wan's heart softened upon hearing this, and she developed a favorable impression of the boy. She said with a smile, "I will make sure to deliver it."