Chapter 520: Handling the Beginning and the End

The Han family's East Sulfur Island is renowned for its abundant spirit sulfur and spirit minerals. Their earliest ancestor was merely a rogue cultivator who sold spirit sulfur. Through generations of accumulation and currying favor with various powers, they gradually ascended to their current prestigious position.

Li Qinghong arrived by wind. East Sulfur Island appeared peaceful and calm. She pondered for a moment: "I wonder what the Han family's attitude will be. It's best not to reveal myself just yet."

She cast an invisibility spell and descended, guided by her spiritual power. She arrived in the market town, which was quite populous, with cultivators bustling through its streets. She found an establishment owned by the Han family.

As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, she walked directly through the large courtyard to the main hall at the back. A manager, a Qi Condensation cultivator dressed like a Han family confidant, was busy with an abacus.

Purple light flowed over her body as she slowly materialized from head to toe. She simply said, "Tell your master to come see me."

Her sudden appearance in the courtyard, coupled with the lightning flickering in her eyes and the aura she released, startled the man. Observing her attire—her smooth jade armor and the unusual purple mystical flask at her waist—he realized she was no ordinary individual.

"Greetings, Immortaless! Greetings!" the man stammered, "The patriarch is out. I'll go fetch an elder right away!" He repeatedly excused himself and hurried away. Not long after, he returned with a middle-aged man wearing a red robe, who had an anxious expression. He was only at the early Foundation Establishment stage. The man stepped forward and whispered:

"I am Han Shihai," he said. "This is not the place to talk. Please, Immortaless, come inside with me."

Li Qinghong nodded. Once they were inside the courtyard, and tea had been served, Han Shihai tried to appear calm, but he nervously rotated the jade cup in his hand as he softly asked:

"Immortaless... are you from Azure Pond... or Moon-Gazing Lake?"

Having trained in the East Sea for many years, Li Qinghong frequently traveled to various places to collect lightning. Whenever she settled down, she would visit nearby powers, and thus had a good understanding of the Han family.

She knew in her heart that Han Shizhen and his attendant had died. The Han family had instantly lost two Foundation Establishment cultivators—a late Foundation Establishment patriarch and a loyal servant in the middle Foundation Establishment stage. This was akin to losing two arms; the severe blow was enough to shake their very foundation.

With Han Shizhen's death, the Han family surely knew internally. However, because the family was well-managed, it appeared calm on the surface, though deep down, they were likely fraught with anxiety.

Li Qinghong sighed inwardly and said softly, "I am Li Qinghong of the Li family, and I have come specifically concerning matters related to my nephew."

She paused for a moment, her expression slowly turning serious, and asked, "My nephew, Xizhi, is missing. I went to Azure Pine Island and only heard that he had gone to your noble family's location. I wonder..."

The middle-aged man's face instantly turned pale. He muttered, "Li Xizhi is missing! Indeed!"

Li Xizhi was an Azure Pond disciple and a direct descendant of the Li family. Han Shizhi, still reeling from the pain of his brother's death, was even more terrified. He could only ask, "How could this be? Could he have run into an evil demon?"

He knew this matter was no trivial affair. The Li family had ties to an Immortal Core expert within the Azure Pond Sect! If Li Xizhi were to die, Azure Pond would not let it go lightly. His face grew even paler as another name came to mind: "Golden Geng-String Li Xuanfeng!"

This person's reputation had been growing significantly in recent years. The Han family had personally witnessed him slaying a demon—a demon in the middle Foundation Establishment stage that, after being struck by a few arrows near East Sulfur Island, plunged headfirst into the sea!

"If something happened to Li Xizhi," Han Shihai thought, "that ruthless person would never let it go! I've heard he's unreasonable; he might even come to the island and kill!"

Han Shihai's face became even paler. Their old ancestor had gone into seclusion decades ago to attempt a breakthrough to the Immortal Core stage, but there had been no news since—implying he was likely on the verge of failure or death. Now, with two more Foundation Establishment cultivators dead, and having drawn the suspicion of the Li family and Azure Pond...

Li Qinghong saw his lips turn white, realizing he had already connected many dots. She reined in much of what she had intended to say, thinking to herself: "The Han family does have some ties with my own. Although Han Shizhen came for personal gain, he ultimately died while assisting Xizhi. In a way, my family is somewhat at fault. It wouldn't be right to intimidate him further."

Her expression immediately turned solemn. She didn't take a single sip of the tea, but gently placed the cup on the jade table. Then she asked, "Is Han Shizhen dead?"

Han Shihai's body trembled. Unsure how she had learned, he could only lament, "That's right... but... I truly don't know where my brother took the senior! I only heard it was to search for Yuan Tuan..."

As an East Sea cultivator, he was long accustomed to death and injury. He had no thoughts of seeking revenge for his brother, only wishing to quickly resolve this matter. He whispered, "Immortaless, do you have any related information? This truly has nothing to do with my family!"

Li Qinghong paused, then said softly, "I also know some things... it was indeed to find Yuan Tuan. Since it was for personal reasons, I won't press the matter further. Finding the person is paramount. Do you have a general direction? I'll go look."

Han Shihai felt as if he had been granted a great pardon. He quickly replied, "I heard it was in the direction of the Sea of Barbarians!"

"Alright, I'll go look for it now." Li Qinghong nodded, seemingly ready to depart by thunder. Suddenly, she remembered something and said, as if casually:

"Azure Pond will most likely send people to inquire, and they won't let it go as easily as I have. Cultivator friend, you'd best pray for your own good fortune!"

Han Shihai had just let out a sigh of relief, but then tensed up again. Li Qinghong's words had struck a raw nerve. He quickly called out, "Immortaless, please wait!"

Seeing Li Qinghong turn around, he quickly adopted a mournful expression, his face changing rapidly. He pleaded in a low voice, "Our family rarely produces Foundation Establishment cultivators, yet my brother needlessly lost his life by taking people into the East Sea. But Azure Pond is fierce, and as the Immortaless said, they won't let this go lightly... Please... Immortaless, show us a way."

He gritted his teeth and whispered, "Although I don't know the exact nature of my brother's entanglement with that cultivator... if your noble family has any requests, my Han family will do its utmost to cooperate and help search for the cultivator's whereabouts!"

Han Shihai was doing his best to show goodwill. Li Qinghong, not one to kick someone when they're down, and primarily concerned with the Han family maintaining secrecy, had no real intention of taking advantage of their misfortune. She simply replied, "Fellow cultivator, our two families have a long-standing relationship and have done business for many years. To speak plainly and fairly, the responsibility for this matter mostly does not lie with your noble family."

She nodded slightly: "When people from Azure Pond come to inquire, your noble family simply needs to insist that Xizhi only asked for information and then departed, parting ways with your two family members. My family has its own connections within the sect, and we will absolutely not allow your noble family to incur Azure Pond's wrath."

Han Shihai was stunned by what he heard, then secretly realized: "That's right... the Li family, a renowned clan in the sea region, is said to value righteousness and integrity. No wonder they let my family off so easily... Thank goodness! These types of people value morality, a good reputation, and cherish their feathers. I still need to flatter them a bit more."

As he thought this, he immediately put on a grateful expression, his eyes almost welling up with tears, and his face shifted to one of sorrow. He said in a low voice, "Immortaless! Thank you, Immortaless! Your great kindness and virtue are beyond our family's ability to repay. Such a clear distinction between right and wrong truly makes you a model in this sea region..."

He painstakingly racked his brains for words of praise. Li Qinghong, having spent so long in the overseas region, knew exactly what these overseas families were like. She simply hummed in acknowledgement and instructed:

"Just one thing: I came here quietly. I only saw your subordinate once, both before and after entering the island. This conversation must be kept absolutely secret; let no third person know. Act as if I've never been here."

Han Shihai instantly understood, and a ruthless expression appeared on his face, revealing the true nature of overseas cultivators. He said respectfully, "Immortaless, rest assured. No third person will know."

Li Qinghong clearly understood that the manager's fate was likely grim. However, as it was the Han family's internal affair and involved their very survival, she merely cupped her hands slightly, showing a hint of anxiety. "I must hurry to find my nephew," she said. "I truly cannot delay here any longer!"

This excuse made Han Shihai believe her even more, and he nodded repeatedly. He thought it over and over, feeling it wasn't quite safe. Yet, seeing Li Qinghong still present and smiling at him, Han Shihai instantly understood: "Something is still missing!"

He pondered for just a moment. The Yuan family's pair of Demon Subduing Twin Staffs felt like a hot potato in his hand. He quickly retrieved them from his storage bag and fabricated a lie: "These are Senior Yuan Chengdun's magical artifacts. They fell into the hands of a rogue cultivator and were later acquired by my family. We hadn't had a chance to present them to the cultivator, so please accept them, Immortaless!"

Li Qinghong glanced at them, seeing the twin staffs gleaming brightly with an azure-gold hue and intricate patterns. They were a rare pair of Foundation Establishment artifacts. She replied, "These are Senior Yuan's relics. He had some ties with my family, and I will ensure these are delivered to his eldest son. I will not keep them for myself."

Han Shihai stared blankly at her, watching as she bid farewell, concealed her figure, and vanished beyond the formation. He paused for several breaths before finally saying, "Integrity... it truly is the most luxurious thing."

He was somewhat moved, his hand resting on his treasured sword, as he walked to the threshold. The manager, who had been cautiously peeking, quickly drew back his head upon seeing him, lowering his gaze submissively and waiting by his side.

If it weren't for his brother's recent death, Han Shihai might have genuinely rewarded the man in a moment of relief. But now, he simply smiled and said, "Come."

The manager stepped forward. With a swift movement, Han Shihai raised his sword and brought it down, cleanly severing the man's head. Before the blood could even gush forth, it was absorbed into a small flask at Han Shihai's waist. In mere moments, the man was completely gone, his flesh and bones utterly pulverized.

Han Shihai shook the jade flask, listening to the sounds within, and secretly calculated: "I still need to find an excuse to conceal the news of my brother's death... to prevent the surrounding families from getting any ideas."

Dense Forest Peak.

The items from the secret chamber of Dense Forest Peak had been moved out one by one and were now filling the hall. Li Ximing was distracted, toying with the Six Geng-aligned Golden Token in his hand.

The token was smooth throughout, a solid silver-gray. If illuminated by sunlight, it would revert to silver-white and purple. However, its contents had been completely removed, leaving only its sturdy physical form.

Li Xijun was counting the treasures. He glanced at Li Ximing and said gently, "Keep this Six Geng-aligned Golden Token for now. Find an opportunity to send it to the Southern Border. Uncle Grandmaster cultivates the Geng-Metal Dao; this item would be better in his hands."

"Indeed," Li Ximing responded, muttering, "Aligned Fire, Combined Water, Aligned Metal... If this pattern holds, there should be five such tokens. I wonder what their purpose is. Combined Water... perhaps it's in the hands of the dragon kin."

Li Xijun smiled and simply said, "I've actually never heard of this 'Aligned Metal' before. Perhaps it belongs to a northern lineage..."

He merely mentioned it briefly, his gaze quickly returning to the items before him. The Yu family had faced repeated risks in recent years, and their reserves had been almost entirely depleted. Only a few of the precious herbs were truly impressive to the Li family.

Li Xijun was not as discerning as Li Ximing in this regard, so he waited for him to pick up a jade box. Upon opening it, they saw a fist-sized purple fruit covered in tiny pores, from which a misty vapor slowly drifted outwards.

Li Ximing examined it carefully and replied, "Purple Lotus Bodhi." He observed it intently, as it was his first time seeing such an item. He then said softly, "It's not something from our immortal lineage."

"Hmm?" Li Xijun frowned. Li Ximing, having received teachings from Xiao Yuansi, understood quite well. He said softly, "I've heard that when the World Honored One traveled through various states, whenever he stopped in places where the common people suffered, a unique seed would fall and produce the Purple Lotus Bodhi, which is highly sought after by Buddhist cultivators."

"That's right," Li Xijun nodded, and said softly, "Kong Heng has also been with our family for decades, working diligently and faithfully in the East Sea without complaint. We've never properly rewarded him, so let's give him this item as a reward."

Li Ximing naturally had no objection. He took out two more jade boxes to examine. Of the two remaining precious herbs, one was light and pristine, about the size of an eyeball, pure white and translucent, seemingly capable of floating away at any moment; it was the healing Cloud Vine.

The other herb had flames rising from it, bright and hazy, its entire form elongated, emanating a strong heat. This was the rare Grand Flame Long Fruit, a seldom-seen fire-attribute precious herb. They could only observe its overall fiery glow, unable to discern the specific type of flame, but its clear luminescence suggested it wasn't the 'Aligned Fire' they discussed earlier.

The two quickly put the items away. Li Xijun then called Li Chengliao and assigned all remaining matters to him, instructing, "Senior Bai Rong is still waiting for me in town. It's not right to make him wait long, so I'll go over now."

Li Ximing also nodded and went to cultivate in seclusion. Li Xijun ascended with the wind, observing that the south and east shores were now flying their family's banners. Nearly half of the vast Moon-Gazing Lake was now under their control.

He silently looked around, recalling his conversation with Li Yuanjiao from years past. Unifying Moon-Gazing Lake and relocating the clan to the continent no longer seemed so distant.

"More effort is needed." He drifted through the air, carried by wind and snow. As he entered Lijing Town and landed nearby, he saw crowds of people. A multitude of clan members were gathered below the main hall, each looking up towards a specific side hall.

Li Xijun was slightly startled to see Bai Rong sitting on the eaves, one leg cocked and the other dangling loosely over the tiles. He held a bowl of purple fruits and smiled as he looked down.

As he put the fruits into his mouth, he lightly tossed some down, prompting the crowd to eagerly reach out and grab them.

"A fox's nature, indeed," Li Xijun chuckled. The numerous clan members below were instantly terrified and prostrated themselves. Li Xijun descended and, upon closer inspection, saw that they were all mortals. He waved his hand to dismiss them, then ascended with the wind.

Bai Rong sheepishly put away the bowl of fruits he was holding and hastily changed the subject, asking, "How was it?"

Li Xijun bowed respectfully and smiled, "Reporting to Senior, it was naturally smooth sailing."

"Oh, oh, oh," Bai Rong nodded. Li Xijun led him all the way to Azure Reed Mountain, explaining, "Our family has now moved to this mountain. Next time, Senior, you can come directly to Azure Reed Mountain for a visit."

Bai Rong responded with a sound and said, lowering his brows, "No wonder I searched all over that mountain and couldn't find Li Tongya's tomb. So it was moved here... Let's go pay our respects to the deceased first!"

**Note from the Author:**Thanks to the Alliance Leaders!"Tigers crouching, dragons coiled, today surpasses the past."Two Alliance Leaders from the great 'Market Trend Walk Rain.'Silver Alliance Leader from the great 'Shen Xi.'I will gradually catch up with updates after the holidays and provide bonus chapters for everyone.(End of Chapter)