Chapter 515: Cloud Smoke

Zongquan Island in Zhulu Sea.

Clouds drifted over Zongquan Island, and the air was humid with mist. A towering, bronze-colored altar stood tall, intricately carved with patterns of rain, mist, and lightning. The hues of bluestone and bronze-iron shimmered together.

Li Qinghong had cultivated here for over ten years, and traveling was inconvenient. So, she sent Zong Yan to construct another altar on the island, which at least brought some rewards to the islanders.

She slowly rose. Lightning flowed across her jade armor, and around her, various copper and silver statues flickered with lightning, all surging towards her and flowing down from the jade cuffs at her wrists.

Li Qinghong had been in secluded cultivation here for over a decade. Over these ten-plus years, her power grew, and her aura became increasingly refined.

In the foreign seas, where water descends and thunder rises, lightning was naturally abundant. With the altar's blessing, Li Qinghong occasionally ventured out to seek lightning, communing with the thunder pool within her body. These ten-plus years were exceptionally productive, equivalent to over thirty years of cultivation inland, bringing her just one step away from the late Foundation Establishment stage.

Retracting her magic power, she stepped out amidst the thunder. Below the altar stood a young man, in his early twenties, also cultivating lightning magic. He held a spear and stood silently. When he saw Li Qinghong descend amidst the thunder, he bowed and said:

"Junior greets Aunt-Grandma."

"Cheng."

Li Qinghong nodded slightly. This junior was also a child from the Zhong branch, and since he cultivated lightning magic, he had remained by her side, guarding the island in the foreign seas and using the altar to aid his cultivation.

Li Cheng was a man of few words and did not speak much. He cupped his hands and congratulated:

"Congratulations on your great progress in cultivation, Aunt-Grandma."

Having said only that, Li Qinghong nodded slightly, gave him some pointers on his cultivation, and then soared away on the wind, flying out of the island.

'Judging by the time, that spirit lightning should be descending soon.'

Li Qinghong had used this altar to collect spirit lightning many times. Although she couldn't identify the names of the locations or seas, preventing her from acquiring it regularly, she would occasionally venture out to sea and sometimes achieve success.

Li Qinghong flew forth on the wind, treading on thunder, heading north. The thunder-patterned profound bottle tied to her waist shimmered brightly, quite dazzling.

The profound bottle held a full eleven bolts of lightning, yet it remained stable and sturdy. Its surface, adorned with lightning-like crack patterns, shimmered even more, containing translucent lightning, with pale purple lightning flickering within—truly astonishing.

Over these years, she had come to understand the altar more and more.

The twelve surrounding statues each represented an area. It seemed that ancient lightning allegiances were predefined; lightning falling from a certain direction belonged to that particular family.

The dragon-shaped statue in the southeast was the most active and provided the most information. Most of the lightning she had acquired over the years came from the southeastern direction.

She flew in the air for a while, just about to turn southeast, when she suddenly looked back and saw a light rising above Zongquan Island. The jade talisman on her wrist emitted a warm glow.

Li Qinghong always left a jade talisman when she departed Zongquan Island, to guard against any incidents while she was away. However, her magic power didn't last long, and she hadn't specifically learned this technique, so the talisman was only effective for one or two months.

'What is this... good thing I haven't gone far.'

Li Qinghong turned back with the thunder and quickly returned to the island. She saw Li Cheng already waiting at the formation's edge. He bypassed Zong Yan and others, stepped forward, bowed, and transmitted a message using a secret technique:

"Aunt-Grandma, Third Uncle has entered the formation and is severely wounded."

'Xizhi!'

Li Qinghong's heart skipped a beat. Without another word, she immediately rode the wind, entering the great formation. Zong Yan and the others barely had time to open their mouths before she vanished like lightning.

Li Qinghong entered the grotto-mansion and saw Li Xizhi sitting cross-legged, his face as pale as gold leaf. Streams of colorful light flowed over his body, healing his injuries. Li Qinghong quickly activated a formation, shattered a few spirit stones, and retreated from the array.

Li Cheng was waiting at the formation's edge and whispered:

"Aunt-Grandma... Third Uncle concealed his form, used a jade pendant to summon me out, and then seized the opportunity to sneak into the formation. No one else on the island knows, apart from me."

Hearing this, Li Qinghong made a deduction, her expression turning somewhat grim. She whispered:

"Something must have happened. Make sure to keep the news sealed; don't let anyone else know that Zhi'er is here."

Li Cheng nodded and slowly retreated. When he had disappeared from sight, Li Qinghong shook her head slightly and pondered silently.

Mount Qingchi.

The bells on Mount Qingchi rang three times. Cloud-boats, shimmering with colorful light, their huge, vibrant wings flapping, flew back from various directions.

A Violet Palace cultivator had fallen, and cultivators stationed in various regions were recalled. Some cultivators who had not been in the sect for many years also made an appearance, returning from the East Sea, or Southern Xinjiang, and even from the Northern Sea.

"Yuanwu has fallen..."

Li Xuanfeng halted on the wind in the air, circled twice in the white mist, and landed atop the peak. The Ning family members stood respectfully. Li Xuanfeng looked around; the green mountains in every direction were still verdant, unlike the rumored golden expanse.

When the news returned, it was said that enough metal had fallen within the peak to bury several people. Now, after Yuanwu's demise, the metal scattered across the mountain had long since been collected and brought into the sect.

Upon learning of this, Ning Heyuan laughed incessantly and even joked that Yuanwu Peak would not need to acquire metal from the sect for a hundred years, as Yuanwu itself would suffice.

As Li Xuanfeng listened to the Ning family's laughter, he pondered secretly:

'We can act on the lake now, but I wonder how Xizhi is doing.'

He waited for a moment, and soon the Ning family members dispersed into the peak. This was Dongquan Peak, which originally ranked among the thirty-six peaks, but Elemental never managed it, and all the outstanding Ning family members had gone to Southern Xinjiang, so its reputation was not prominent.

When Li Xuanfeng entered the grand hall, he saw Elemental seated at the head, with no one else around; clearly, they dared not linger in his presence. Only Li Xuanfeng, in his golden armor, bowed before him.

"Greetings, True Master."

Elemental's expression was unreadable. He lowered his head, glanced at him, and whispered:

"Yuanwu is completely dead. Come with me to meet the Chi family."

Li Xuanfeng felt a flicker of suspicion but dared not say more. He nodded, rose, and followed Elemental out of the hall. Standing before the hall doors was a tall, middle-aged man: Ning Hejing.

Ning Hejing was the clan elder brother of Ning Heyuan and Ning Hemian, and one of the few Ning family cultivators currently remaining in the sect. He was the Peak Master of Yuanxing Peak and had a very close personal relationship with Chi Zhiyun.

Chi Buzi was Chi Zhiyun's great-great-grandfather, and Chi Zhiyun's lineage was the maternal clan of Ning Hejing's branch. The two had grown up together, and their interests were tightly bound; one could even say they were like brothers.

Cupping his hands, Ning Hejing addressed Elemental:

"True Master, please proceed to the main hall."

Elemental nodded lightly and soared into the air on the wind. Ning Hejing merely nodded subtly to Ning Heyuan and the others beside him, without even a hint of a smile. Maintaining a respectful distance, he led Elemental and a few direct descendants of the Ning family as they flew up on the wind.

Ning Heyuan's expression clouded for a moment before quickly returning to normal. The younger Ning family members behind him also looked displeased, clearly showing much dissatisfaction with Ning Hejing's actions.

Ning Hejing, however, paid no mind to their expressions; he only showed a more pleasant face to Li Xuanfeng. Li Xuanfeng nodded in return, and together they descended on the wind, landing inside the main hall of Qingchi.

Inside the hall, clouds swelled and mist gathered, with pure qi swirling. In the center stood a large golden-yellow bell, which must have been the source of the recent chimes. Beside this golden magical artifact stood a middle-aged man, who appeared to be from the Chi family.

At the very head stood a person with resplendent robes and a sword at his waist, who must have been Chi Zhiyun, the Sect Master of Qingchi. Observing the striking resemblance between the two, the man below the platform must have been Chi Zhiyun's younger brother, Chi Zhiyan.

It was Li Xuanfeng's first time seeing Chi Zhiyun, yet he was not unfamiliar with him. He narrowed his eyes slightly as he watched, his heart stirring.

Ultimately, the renown of his family's Sword Immortal was due to this man. Back then, Chi Zhiyun was still the Young Sect Master, overseeing Li Chijing's departure to Southern Xinjiang. By now, seventy or eighty years had passed.

Chi Zhiyun was now at the late Foundation Establishment stage of cultivation. It was unknown how many secret arts he had mastered. His face was suffused with gentle spiritual energy, and his aura was majestic; he must have consumed many precious elixirs. Standing there, he was awe-inspiring.

"Greetings, Sect Master!"

The gathered cultivators paid their respects, but Chi Zhiyun was only busy bowing to Elemental first, saying respectfully:

"Greetings, True Master Elemental."

Elemental waved his hand, then subtly lowered his head towards the central spirit tablet, considering it a bow to Yuanwu. The Ning family members then bowed one by one. Chi Zhiyun watched with a cold gaze, and once the formalities were complete, he cast a look at Ning Hejing.

Ning Hejing looked at Ning Heyuan and said in a deep voice:

"You may withdraw."

Ning Heyuan's eyelids twitched. He turned to look at the True Master's expression, seeing Elemental's oblivious demeanor, and could only lead his people in a silent retreat.

Although this scene was brief, Li Xuanfeng understood the implications. Once everyone had withdrawn, Elemental finally spoke:

"Where is Senior Suiguan?"

As he spoke that name, Chi Zhiyun's hand on his sword hilt tightened slightly. He smiled faintly and whispered:

"The True Master is like a divine dragon—he appears and disappears unpredictably, traversing the void, traveling between inland and foreign seas. We juniors naturally wouldn't know his whereabouts."

As he spoke, the jade talisman at his waist subtly swayed, causing Li Xuanfeng's pupils to dilate slightly. He silently lowered his head.

This jade talisman was impossibly familiar to him. It was precisely with this talisman that he had slain countless people in the foreign seas, tying dozens of storage bags to it. Now, he saw it hanging at Chi Zhiyun's waist.

'Is it a warning... or a hint?'

Li Xuanfeng was observing Chi Zhiyun, but the young Sect Master of Qingchi was also secretly observing him.

"Li Chijing's nephew."

Chi Zhiyun naturally remembered that young man from back then. Eighty years had passed in a blink of an eye, yet he had never forgotten that one sword stroke. Whenever he practiced with his sword, the image of clear winds and bright moonlight would always appear before his eyes, causing him to pause and ponder, silently reminiscing.

Later, as his cultivation grew higher and his swordsmanship and magical arts became more profound, he was no longer the Chi Zhiyun who had rushed to improve his cultivation. Yet, he always found that initial sword strike to be so astonishing that it made him feel inferior, leading him to rarely use his sword.

"With such an uncle, it's no wonder he has such a nephew!"

As for Li Xuanfeng, his brows and eyes were far sharper than those of the young man from back then, bearing an aura of vicissitude and ruthlessness. The bloody aura emanating from his armor made him almost like a treasured sword, so effective that one would want to keep it.

He had consumed many precious elixirs, which was why he still appeared much younger. Li Xuanfeng already looked like an old man, while Chi Zhiyun maintained his middle-aged appearance. After a brief moment of distraction, Elemental finally spoke:

"Is Suiguan going to take you to the ceremony?"

Chi Zhiyun quickly snapped out of his thoughts, cupped his hands in response, and said respectfully:

"Reporting to True Master, that is correct!"

Elemental nodded, then casually pointed at Li Xuanfeng and said:

"Within my clan, everyone else is useless. Take only this junior with you. If there's an opportunity, you all can have a good exchange."

Ning Hejing, standing nearby, was inexplicably scolded but dared not say much. After all, he was only at the early Foundation Establishment stage of cultivation, and his talent couldn't even compare to his younger brothers. He also knew Li Xuanfeng's reputation, so he quietly accepted it.

Chi Zhiyun was momentarily stunned but quickly reacted, a kindly smile appearing on his face as he nodded and said:

"I will respectfully obey the True Master's command."

Elemental nodded and, taking Li Xuanfeng, drifted away, leaving the three standing in the hall. Ning Hejing stood in a corner. Chi Zhiyan, who had remained silent all this time, finally spoke, his expression somewhat sinister and ruthless, whispering:

"So this is Li Xuanfeng!"

Chi Zhiyan's face bore a strong resemblance to Chi Zhiyun's, but it appeared more effeminate and cunning. He said coldly:

"What schemes and tricks did that Li Chijing use to defeat Big Brother back then... The clan hates the Li family greatly... Many have been quite dissatisfied with him for a long time! Once Elemental dies..."

"Zhiyan!!"

Chi Zhiyun quickly stopped him, scolding:

"How audacious of you!"

Chi Zhiyan could only shut his mouth and remain silent. Chi Zhiyun stepped down, his face grim, and said coldly:

"How many times have I told you! Li Chijing defeated me fair and square with his sword intent. This is nothing to be ashamed of. It is *your* constant obfuscation and prevarication that makes you look like a defeated dog!"

Seeing Chi Zhiyan purse his lips, he coldly reprimanded:

"You...! I conceded defeat openly, and afterward, I did not harm the Li family. That is how one saves face. Your clan, by acting so thoughtlessly and maliciously with the Yuan family, is truly putting me in a difficult position!"

Hearing this, Chi Zhiyan silently closed his mouth, his expression somewhat awkward.

Chi Zhiyun had never truly taken his defeat by Li Chijing to heart. How many in Jiangnan had cultivated sword intent to this day? Defeat was defeat; he never bothered with such petty tricks.

Furthermore, as his position as Sect Master became increasingly awkward, Chi Zhiyun searched tirelessly but found no one capable to use, instead feeling some regret:

"If the Old Ancestor had not harmed Li Chijing back then... how many capable assistants would I have now?! Not only was Li Chijing unparalleled in sharpness, but his intellect was also top-tier. If I could have had his assistance, I wouldn't have been driven to distraction by this bunch of fools!"

"What's more! There's also Li Tongya, Li Xuanfeng, and even that Li Xizhi—all of them capable of defending a region... Why am I left with just these few idiots today..."

Chi Zhiyun sighed incessantly, but suddenly noticed his brother beside him had fallen silent. He turned back to look, saw his dazed expression, and his heart immediately seized with alarm. He asked:

"What have you done now!"

Chi Zhiyan had been distracted by his brother's remark about "harming the Li family." His thoughts exposed by his elder brother, he felt a bit awkward and could only whisper:

"It's nothing..."

Chi Zhiyun looked at him carefully for a moment, then asked coldly:

"Hejing... The Spirit Bell rang six times. Did Li Xizhi return to the sect as commanded?"

Ning Hejing recalled for a moment, then shook his head and said:

"He did not."

Chi Zhiyun's heart sank, and he erupted in furious anger, scolding:

"You scoundrel! Li Xizhi still has his uses for me! By harming him like this, how many capable individuals will be left in the sect!"

"You truly mean to ruin me!"