Chapter 485: Jiao Ge

Li Qinghong had been cultivating on the island for a while. With the East Sea's rain descending and thunder rising, her cultivation progress was remarkably effective; one day of practice here was equivalent to three days in the mainland. She became so engrossed in her rapid increase in strength that she completely lost track of time.

It wasn't until the large formation of her cave dwelling began to hum that she slowly awoke from her meditation. She exhaled a puff of purple lightning and glanced around, surprised to find that a rare visitor had arrived, abruptly alerted by the dwelling's defensive array.

"How peculiar," she murmured.

Stepping out of her cave, she saw Zong Yan standing by the array, seemingly having activated it. He bowed and reported, "Reporting, Milady, a cultivator from an immortal sect has arrived from the north. He's wearing a feathered robe and claims to be Li Xizhi of the Li family."

Zong Yan had never met Li Xizhi, so he didn't recognize him and described his appearance. Hearing this, Li Qinghong immediately stood up and asked, "Since it's Zhir'er, why haven't you invited him in?"

Zong Yan quickly bowed and replied, "I've already invited him, but the young master wouldn't trust me. He insisted on seeing Milady before entering the array."

He paused, but Li Qinghong paid it no mind. She nodded, grabbed her spear, and ascended on the wind. Outside the array, she saw a young man in a feathered robe, riding a multicolored light, standing among the clouds. The six-colored light shimmered and floated, a beautiful sight.

"Aunt Qinghong!"

Aunt and nephew met, exchanging a few warm greetings to shed the unfamiliarity of years apart. They descended together on the wind. Li Xizhi looked thoughtfully at Kong Heng, who was standing nearby, and asked, "This must be Master Kong Heng?"

"Indeed... He's a guest elder in our family... He gave you a spirit fruit in the market once."

Li Qinghong introduced them. Kong Heng bowed his head in response, but Li Xizhi remained somewhat skeptical. He observed Kong Heng closely for a while, seeing no unnatural glow on him, nor a colorful halo behind his head. He politely asked, "Which lineage does the master belong to?"

Kong Heng replied, "Liaohe Temple in Yan Kingdom... The Liaohe lineage..."

Li Xizhi, however, was not convinced. He smiled faintly, clasping his hands behind his back, and asked, "Among the Seven Paths, Yan Kingdom is the territory of the Great Compassion Pure Land and the Sarvastivada temples. May I ask which branch the master belongs to?"

Kong Heng was surprised and replied, "Sir, you have keen insight. However, our Liaohe was established before the Seven Paths diverged, so we do not belong to any of them."

"Ah, so you're an ancient cultivator." Li Xizhi exhaled, appearing much more relaxed, and said, "My apologies... My apologies..."

He seemed disinclined to speak further, merely glancing around. Li Qinghong smiled and said, "Your timing is perfect. I've acquired a Foundation Establishment demonic beast. You can accompany me back home."

Li Xizhi, of course, understood his aunt's meaning. He calculated the time on his fingers and replied, "I made a trip to Qingsong Island. Although I've arranged everything there, I can't be away for too long. If we're to go home, we should leave immediately."

Li Qinghong, being a straightforward person, put away her long spear. In two steps, she reached the pond in the center of the island and pulled out half of an old man, bound tightly with iron chains, looking dazed and foolish.

"Let's go!"

As they left the large array, Li Xizhi hesitated for a moment, then said, "Since the family is using this person, they must have some trust in him. I won't say much, but as long as we can confirm he's an ancient cultivator, he can be entrusted."

Li Qinghong nodded, recalling their earlier conversation, and asked, "What are these Seven Paths of Buddhist cultivators in the north?"

Li Xizhi shook his head and explained, "It's quite complex. The Buddhist sects are vastly different, with some branches having significant divergences, even comparable to the differences between the Violet Mansion Dao and the Witch Talisman Dao."

"Aside from the Wrathful World Purifiers, our family has also witnessed the Great Compassion Pure Land of the Murong family, and there's also the Sarvastivada Temple that believes all things are illusory save for a single true essence, and the Great Adoration Dharma Realm that considers the present world as the Buddha land... The conflicts between these seven paths are very fierce."

At this point, his expression showed some confusion as he continued, "For these Buddhist cultivators... it seems that suppressing each other is more important than conquering the south."

He shared some information he had gathered from his sect, then spoke of Qingsong Island, sighing, "Many 'Deep Abyss Great Winds' have fallen on Qingsong Island. Perhaps they leaked from a grotto-heaven. When I went there, everyone was arguing, busy dividing these spiritual treasures."

The two conversed about recent events. Li Xizhi gained more understanding about family matters, and Li Qinghong also benefited greatly. Soon, they rode the wind to Yue Kingdom. The rain in northern Yue continued to patter down.

Li Xizhi looked deeply, then whispered, "The sect's explanation is that this rain is caused by the influence of overseas waters descending and thunder rising. Perhaps there's some truth to it."

Li Qinghong, however, had personally witnessed the True Monarch of the Xiuyue Sect taking action, having long since blocked the celestial phenomena overseas. Her mind was clear, but it was inconvenient to tell her nephew. She mused, 'What a good excuse!'

Qingdu Peak.

Li Chengliao had been busy with clan affairs for the past few months, barely getting a glimpse of his precious qilin child. The incessant rain and its pervasive dampness and toxicity were causing immense frustration.

Years of waterlogging had leached the soil, turning black earth into yellow, and yellow earth into white. Large tracts of forest were rotting away, and many cliffs had transformed into small, lifeless, black and toxic lakes.

Furthermore, wooden beams had collapsed, causing widespread ruin. Commoners who traveled frequently suffered from rotting limbs. While the Li family had managed to maintain some semblance of order through years of drainage efforts, the outside world was in chaos. Daily, one could see skeletons floating down the river.

Li Chengliao had surveyed the area for a long time. The Mushroom Forest Plain had become the Mushroom Forest Marsh, with heavy casualties.

The Qingchi Sect had not sent anyone. Perhaps this flood was no different from previous droughts or wars — merely a matter of people dying, only to be replenished in a few decades. The priority, it seemed, was to pressure Xiuyue.

"With Xiuyue remaining passive, the Yuan family will continue to suffer such misfortune..."

He ascended on the wind, patrolling the town, when he saw several figures flying from the horizon.

The surrounding Jade Court Guards quickly gathered. Li Chengliao focused his gaze, recognizing what appeared to be the Xiao family's attire. Since these individuals were approaching him directly, Li Chengliao observed them silently, ready to adapt.

The leader was a woman in white, seemingly around thirty-six or thirty-seven years old, with a cultivation base in the mid-stage of Qi Condensation. She carried herself with considerable poise, and her face was familiar.

Behind her followed a young man in black, with a serious expression. Though not yet thirty, he already possessed a cultivation base in the early stage of Qi Condensation. Li Chengliao recognized him as Xiao Muyun, the young master of the Yu Mountain lineage of the Xiao family; he had paid his respects when Li Yuanping passed away.

The group stopped ahead, and the woman alone took a step closer, asking, "I am Li Qingxiao of Yu Mountain... May I ask which family member is currently managing the household?"

Li Chengliao stared for a moment, then replied, "Greetings, Great Aunt."

This person was indeed Li Qingxiao, the daughter of Li Jingjian and Chen Donghe. Li Chengliao had seen her return once in his childhood, but it had been too long to remember clearly. Now, as the spokesperson for the Xiao family's Yu Mountain lineage, her every action exuded a certain gravitas.

Li Chengliao led her into the mountain, but Li Qingxiao landed on Qingdu Mountain with a slight sense of disorientation. She looked around and said hoarsely, "Many years have passed; the family has completely changed."

Li Qingxiao had barely taken a few steps on the stone path when she heard thunder. A streak of purple lightning descended from the sky, and a woman in jade armor and white boots, forming hand seals, landed. Her long spear angled towards the ground, and her almond-shaped eyes were wide with shock. She cried out, "Little Sister!"

Li Qingxiao quickly looked up, the jade beads in her hair jingling. Their somewhat similar eyes met. Li Qingxiao's expression was subtly complex as she gently said, "Decades have passed, but you haven't changed at all, Elder Sister."

Li Qinghong lowered her gaze, silent. The Li Qingxiao before her was entirely different from the one in her memories, now resembling the former Lady Dou, with an air of high authority.

She quickly descended and took her younger sister's hand. Li Qingxiao looked at the purple lightning, her eyes filled with envy, and simply said, "Congratulations, Elder Sister, on achieving your wish and forming an immortal foundation."

Li Xizhi, who was holding the demonic creature, subtly signaled to Li Chengliao. The rest of the group quickly withdrew, leaving the two sisters to walk alone in the mountains. Li Qinghong was slightly taller, and Li Qingxiao looked up at her. Both were momentarily speechless, falling into a quiet silence.

They didn't say much, yet they could feel that the atmosphere of their childhood spent in the mountains was gone. Each had walked further down their own path, and it seemed even topics of conversation had grown scarce.

Li Qingxiao finally spoke, "I was in secluded cultivation some time ago, so I missed the news..."

She paused softly, then said sadly, "Both brothers have departed, one after the other. Now, only we sisters remain."

These words struck a chord in Li Qinghong's heart. She and her sister had imagined many futures together since childhood, whether grand or ordinary. Li Qinghong had always believed she would die pursuing the Dao, and never once considered that only the two sisters would be left.

She was about to speak when the array outside lit up again, and a hoarse voice called out, "Liu Changdie... has come to visit!"

Li Qinghong sighed softly. Seeing someone go out to greet the visitor, she didn't move herself. Instead, she counted on her fingers, concluding that all of Li Yuanjiao's remaining relatives and friends must have arrived. She gently said, "I'll take you to see your brother. It's time for a proper farewell..."

The two women headed towards the graveyard. Outside the array, Liu Changdie was personally greeted by Li Xuanxuan. Liu Changdie appeared distraught, standing blankly in the rain, his face etched with disbelief.

Li Xuanxuan called out to him several times. He noticed that Liu Changdie had reached the Foundation Establishment stage, which was truly rare, but saw no reaction. After a few moments, Li Xuanxuan said, "Senior, please don't deceive me. Is Yuanjiao truly feigning death?"

"What are you saying..."

Li Xuanxuan's expression was too genuine to be feigned. A tempest raged in Liu Changdie's heart. He instantly choked up, two streams of hot tears flowing down his face, and murmured in sorrow and bewilderment, "How is this possible!"

More words were trapped inside him, words he dared not utter:

'How could this be! So much has changed since my rebirth... There were no Buddhist monks surrounding the mountain, Li Qinghong didn't commit suicide, Senior Tongya even cleaved the Mahayana with his sword, Li Xuanfeng established his might in the Southern Wilderness, and Li Xuanxuan didn't descend into madness and confinement... In the end... in the end, I harmed Brother Jiao instead!'

'How could this happen!'

He stumbled forward aimlessly, unable to hear what Li Xuanxuan was saying beside him, his mind swirling with chaotic thoughts:

'Is this better or worse... Yes! The Li family is more prosperous, but Brother Jiao went into the grotto-heaven and lost his life! I... I disrupted everything... I harmed him!'

Liu Changdie's heart was choked with anguish. In this life, he had been busy chasing spiritual treasures and power, with each step forward bringing more trepidation. He gradually realized that this world was vastly different from what he had imagined, filled with countless conspiracies and stratagems behind the scenes.

And despite all his efforts, he had lost his closest friend from his previous life, and even caused his death. Liu Changdie felt dizzy and knelt before the tombstone, weeping softly.

Clearly, the Li family members beside him did not understand the depth of his sorrow. They looked at him with some incredulity. Liu Changdie cried so emotionally that even Li Xuanxuan began to have doubts.

"Could it be that Jiao'er truly had such a deep friendship with this person during his lifetime?"

Liu Changdie wept bitterly, almost in a state of panic. In his previous life, he had been foolish and ignorant, always consulting this old friend, who unfailingly arranged his affairs perfectly. These kindnesses he had yet to repay.

In this life, armed with foreknowledge, he had not sought a single piece of advice, nor even exchanged many words, and Li Yuanjiao had departed so suddenly. As time passed, his advantages dwindled, and as he witnessed more, he understood just how ignorant he had been in his previous life, which filled him with even greater dread.

He cried for a long time, until Li Xuanxuan couldn't bear it anymore and came to console him. Only then did Liu Changdie stand up and sorrowfully cried, "Brother Jiao!"

Yuan Fuyao had been staying at the Li family for several months. He sent his people to inquire around, but they all returned tight-lipped.

His men first approached the Jade Court Guards. They secretly stopped one on the street, using a pretext to pull him into a secluded spot, attempting to slip something into his hand.

To their surprise, the Jade Court Guard, somewhat suspiciously, entered the alley. The moment he felt the object being slipped to him, he jumped high as if he had touched a red-hot charcoal, scattering all the spirit stones clattering onto the ground.

"I haven't offended Young Master Fuyao! Why are you trying to harm me?"

The two Yuan family members were stumbled and chased out of the courtyard by him. They felt terribly unlucky, having run into a blockhead, so they went to find two clan soldiers instead.

Logically, mere clan soldiers wouldn't know anything about betrothal gifts. They simply wanted to have eyes and ears within the Li family. To their astonishment, the two rough men turned red-faced and nearly came to blows.

The two Yuan family members returned disheveled. Yuan Fuyao, on his end, tried to bribe his own attendants, only to be met with polite but firm refusals, leaving him sitting in a daze.

"The Li family... enforces such severe punishments! Both soldiers and civilians are terrified!"

His face immediately showed regret as he addressed his attendants, "If bribery fails, they'll surely take this matter to the Li family to claim credit, humiliating me."

His attendants exchanged glances, muttering to themselves:

'The Ancestor repeatedly warned you to act humbly when we left, and now look!'

Yuan Fuyao, however, was on pins and needles. Looking at the bewildered expressions on their faces, he gritted his teeth and said, "What do you two understand! My father only told me to obey orders, but I'm not completely ignorant. Something might happen to the family! I just need to find out about the dowry arrangements so I have something to rely on in the future, whether to retreat or to move forward, I'll have a path."

"If I truly become a part of the Li family, first, I won't be free, and second, I'll have no leverage. Who would even give me a second glance! If something happens to the family again, I'm afraid I'll become a discarded pawn of the Li family!"

Upon hearing this, the two attendants immediately found his words reasonable. They lowered their stance significantly and began to ponder. Yuan Fuyao said with some unease, "Father kept such a big matter from me and didn't tell me about the betrothal gift arrangements. He just went to the East Sea like that. What exactly is his plan..."

The attendant on his right didn't know how to console him, so he simply said, "Perhaps the Ancestor has his reasons for arranging things this way."