Chapter 49: Big Boat

The spiritual energy at the northern foot of Mount Dali was gradually recovering, and monsters also began to appear more frequently. Just two months after Li Tongya left, a bear demon appeared at Lidao Pass. Fortunately, it was only at the Xuanjing Wheel cultivation level. Li Xiangping, being just a step away from breaking through to the Qingyuan Wheel, organized the village guards. With a few shots of golden light from their bows, they dealt with the monster.

Li Xiangping was incredibly busy, having to organize people to transport the demon to the Wan family for resale to Wan Xiaohua, while also planning the reconstruction of the streets damaged by the monster. For several days, he hadn't been able to return to Lijing Mountain.

His mother, Lady Liu, along with Tian Yun and Lady Ren, were caring for young Xuanfeng and Jing Tian in the main courtyard. Li Xuanxuan, having recently mastered the Xuanjing Wheel, had joyfully gone down the mountain a few days prior with his third uncle to hunt demons, leaving Li Mutian alone in the backyard.

The old man couldn't sit still; he had made a set of furniture himself and placed it outside the room with the stone platform. On most days, he would simply sit by the entrance, watching the chilly spring winds swirl in the courtyard.

Li Mutian was already sixty years old. Old injuries from his youth constantly ached, and like many from farming families who age quickly, his hair and beard were now completely white, and his energy was much less than before. Sitting in the courtyard at this moment, he still worried about his two children who were away from home and pondered the family's affairs.

"Xiangping and Tongya are both reliable and will surely bring prosperity to our Li family," he mused. "But Jing'er is thousands of miles away from home, in an immortal sect whose true nature we don't know, and without anyone to help him. I wonder how he is doing now."

The old man stroked his completely white hair and beard, then turned his head to look at the scrying mirror on the stone platform. He murmured to himself, "We rise or fall together."

***

Guanyun Peak, home to the Xiao family, was shrouded in clouds and mist. Pale white mist completely obscured the small courtyards, and it was said that even spiritual senses couldn't penetrate it. Li Tongya and Wan Yuankai walked for a while, following a Xiao family servant, until they reached a flat area at the mountain's summit.

"Judging by the walking distance, Guanyun Peak isn't much higher than Lijing Mountain," Li Tongya mused to himself. He saw a large courtyard situated at the summit, where about thirty to forty people stood. All were adorned in elaborate embroidery and richly dressed, discussing something quietly in small groups. Everyone was standing, except for one elderly man who sat calmly at the head, reading a book with downcast eyes.

"That old man is Xiao Chuting, the Old Ancestor of the Xiao family, a true Foundation Establishment senior!" Wan Yuankai whispered. Li Tongya quickly averted his gaze from the man, fearing he might accidentally offend him.

"This Senior Xiao is quite legendary," Wan Yuankai continued. "More than a hundred years ago, the Xiao family was considered bottom-tier in the county. When their patriarch, who was at the peak of Qi Condensation, unfortunately died at the hands of a monster while away, Senior Xiao took charge in a crisis, turning the tide. With his exceptional alchemy skills, he single-handedly kept the Xiao family afloat, and soon after, he formed an immortal foundation, elevating the Xiao family to the status of an aristocratic clan."

Wan Yuankai continued to explain softly while observing the people in the courtyard. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. He took a few steps forward and said respectfully, "Brother Lu! It's been too long, how have you been recently?"

The man wore a stone-blue embroidered cloak. With a broad forehead, he should have had an honest appearance, but his face was filled with arrogance. He frowned, looked at Wan Yuankai, and said, "Oh, if it isn't Brother Yuankai."

Wan Yuankai froze and gave a couple of forced laughs. Seeing the grey brocade pouch at the man's waist, he was instantly surprised and thought, "Is the Lu family that wealthy now? To equip him with a storage bag... Could it be that..."

Wan Yuankai's expression suddenly changed, and he blurted out, "Fellow Daoist, have you already broken through to the Qi Condensation stage?"

"That's right, my family still has a portion of Minor Purity Spiritual Energy," the man replied, nodding slightly. He subtly glanced at the people around him; seeing them all looking his way, he couldn't help but raise his chin.

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist," Wan Yuankai said, his face a little pale as he quietly offered his congratulations. "Then your esteemed clan now has two Qi Condensation cultivators."

After chatting a few more sentences with the cultivator surnamed Lu and seeing that the other party seemed uninterested, Wan Yuankai returned with a grim expression.

Li Tongya knew about the Lu family, which was located beyond the Wan family's territory on the road. Wan Yuankai had once mentioned that the Lu family also had a Qi Condensation cultivator, speaking with a tone full of envy.

"How did the Lu family produce another Qi Condensation cultivator?!" Wan Yuankai grumbled to Li Tongya, then gave a bitter laugh. "This Lu Pingyuan once visited our Wan family and offered some resources to help us resist the Ji family. At that time, he was only at the Yujing Wheel cultivation level, but now he's already at Qi Condensation!"

"This Minor Purity Spiritual Energy..." Li Tongya began.

"Sounds impressive!" Wan Yuankai cut him off, "But it's just cultivated using ordinary spiritual energy from the mountains. With diligent absorption for seven or eight years, one can succeed. It's simply common stuff; eight out of ten Qi Condensation cultivators use Minor Purity Spiritual Energy!"

Wan Yuankai's words were filled with disdain, as if he wanted to vent all the grievances he had just suffered, yet inwardly, he was clearly dying of envy.

As the two were chatting in low voices, they saw a brilliant glow slowly rising in the east. The cultivators around them all looked up and began discussing in small groups.

"What a grand display," someone remarked."Is that the Cloud Ship of Rosy Clouds?" another asked.

The rosy glow from the east slowly approached, revealing its true form: a cloud ship wreathed in golden light, with a pair of mist-like wings on either side. It broke through layers of clouds and mist, docking at the mountain summit within moments.

"Greetings to the Immortal Sect's Emissary!" the cultivators on the mountain summit all bowed in salute. Even Xiao Chuting rose to greet her.

From the Cloud Ship of Rosy Clouds, several streaks of azure light floated down, landing on the mountain summit. A woman appeared, dressed in a celadon-jade long dress and a dark blue cloak. However, she wore a veil, making her appearance indistinct. Behind her were several Immortal Sect attendants dressed in plain blue robes.

Xiao Chuting stepped forward and smiled, "Greetings, Emissary."

"Senior, there's no need for such formality!" the immortaless replied. Her voice was clear, melodious, and gentle, instantly conveying a sense of nobility.

"Then this old man won't delay you further," Xiao Chuting said, chuckling softly and waving his hand. "These are the Xiao family's offerings for this year." The Xiao family members below immediately began carrying items to the front courtyard. Sacks of spiritual rice, seemingly thousands of catties, were stacked in the courtyard, and over a dozen crates of various spiritual items were opened for display.

"Five thousand catties of Purple Jade Spiritual Rice are all here," Xiao Chuting stated. "All other spiritual items from the county are provided in full, according to the usual annual quota. Immortaless, you may inspect them thoroughly."

"No need," Ning Wan replied softly, shaking her head. "I trust the Xiao family's reputation."

Xiao Chuting cupped his hands in a salute. The people below immediately began carrying the spiritual items and rice onto the ship, as ordinary storage bags naturally couldn't hold five or six thousand catties of spiritual items, which was why the Cloud Ship of Rosy Clouds had to be dispatched.

The various families below quickly followed suit, handing their offerings of spiritual items to the Immortal Sect attendants and announcing their names one by one.

"The Wu Family of Junnan.""The Lu Family of Tiaoyun."..."The Wan Family of Huaqian.""The Li Family of Lijing."

Wan Yuankai and Li Tongya went up together and handed their offerings to the attendant. The Li family's offering this year consisted of ten White Yuan Fruits and two hundred catties of spiritual rice. Li Tongya looked at the remaining ninety catties of spiritual rice and five White Yuan Fruits and felt a pang of heartache. But then he suddenly heard a clear and melodious voice in his ear: "Are you from the Li Family of Lijing?"