Chapter 53: Eyebrow Ruler Mountain Formation

Li Chijing woke up to dim, flickering lights. He was lying on a soft bed while his senior sister, Yuan Tuan, gently applied ointment to his back. The wound felt cool and comfortable, and the pain had significantly lessened.

"Mm..."

He tried to lift his head, observing the room's decor, which was filled with medicine jars and alchemy books. Realizing he was in his senior brother Xiao Yuansi's pavilion, he asked, his voice a little hoarse:

"Where's Senior Brother?"

"He went to Yuanwu Peak."

Yuan Tuan replied softly, her beautiful hair cascading down like a waterfall, its dark tips gently brushing his neck.

"You're only at the Fetal Breath stage; you can't handle those healing elixirs. I healed your injuries with a spell, and with this medicine, you'll be fine by tomorrow."

Li Chijing, still concerned about Xiao Yuansi, asked somewhat urgently:

"Did Senior Brother go to Yuanwu Peak alone?"

"No, Master went too."

Yuan Tuan smiled and explained:

"Even if Deng Qiuzhi is from an aristocratic family, he can't bully our Green Sprout Peak like this."

"That person has a problem," Li Chijing mumbled, lowering his head.

"The Deng family members are all temperamental and unpredictable; you don't need to pay attention to him," Yuan Tuan said softly as she put away the ointment. "The Deng family's cultivation technique was originally incomplete, missing a vital qi. It's called 'Night Moon Chill Qi.' Generations of Deng ancestors tirelessly modified and cultivated it, and over the last hundred years, it has finally become trainable. However, it leaves a lingering effect that impacts the mind, making those who master it somewhat unpredictable and prone to acting on whims."

Li Chijing paused, then asked:

"What grade is this technique, that the Deng family insisted on cultivating it?"

"Fifth-grade."

Yuan Tuan replied nonchalantly, and seeing Li Chijing's shocked expression, she smiled:

"I was quite surprised when I first heard that. Aside from the sect's secret transmissions, even our Green Pond Sect's most renowned 'Clear Spring Rain Control Art' is only fourth-grade. It's unusual for a subordinate family to possess a cultivation method of a higher grade."

After putting the ointment away on the shelf, Yuan Tuan continued:

"I heard their technique originated from the Moon Essence Imperial Mansion, a superior sect. Hundreds of years ago, the Moon Essence Immortal Mansion often bestowed this 'Night Moon Chill Qi.' Our Green Pond Sect also has a similar fifth-grade technique called 'Moon Lake Reflecting Autumn Art,' which also became incomplete because the Immortal Mansion withdrew from the world, and no one has been able to master it since."

"I know," Li Chijing nodded, replying. "Senior Brother told me that the missing qi in this technique is called 'Grand Yin Moon Essence.' I've only heard of someone on Moon Lake Peak obtaining it by chance."

"It's in Moon-Gazing Lake," Yuan Tuan replied softly, a look of envy on her face. "Over the past few centuries, the five streams of Grand Yin Moon Essence obtained by the Three Sects and Seven Gates all came from Moon-Gazing Lake, whether from the remains of ancient practitioners, incomplete cave formations, or inherited mystic realms..."

Li Chijing, however, stared blankly at the pillow in front of him. A sudden thought struck him, and a hidden guess was almost out, but he swallowed it back.

"Senior Sister, I want to go home for a visit."

"Hmm?"

"My brothers mentioned in their letters that Father's health has been deteriorating over the past few years. Your junior brother... wants to see him a few more times."

Yuan Tuan lowered her head in surprise, pondered for a few moments, then replied:

"In a few months, I'll be going to Mushroom Forest Plains to collect tributes. Dali Mountain is west of Mushroom Forest Plains, so it would be convenient for you to go there and back."

"Okay, thank you, Senior Sister~"

Li Chijing thanked her with a smile, then lay down, silently pondering something.

***

After cultivating all night, Li Xuanxuan cast a spiritual rain spell early in the morning and left his courtyard. As he walked along the flagstone path, villagers carrying hoes greeted him with smiles, all calling him "Young Immortal Master."

It had been over ten years since the Li family acquired the mirror. A new generation of laborers had grown up in the villages, and people had gradually become accustomed to the Li family's rule. Villagers feared Li Xiangping, respected Li Tongya, and felt a kinship with Li Xuanxuan, whom they had watched grow up. Few young people remembered Li Mutian, who resided on the mountain. Apart from a few stewards who occasionally went up to report and held deep reverence for him, only the elderly, gathered under eaves discussing old tales, would recall the old soldier.

Li Xuanxuan walked for a while, then pushed open a gate and entered a courtyard. Inside, he saw a large, half-human-height lacquered wooden platform, resembling a big bed, placed in the center. Scattered on top were some straw and withered rice leaves, and several small nests had been created using specially planed wood shavings and loose soil, making it look quite interesting.

"Auntie," he greeted. He smiled, cupped his hands to Liu Rouxuan, who was standing by the platform observing carefully, and asked:

"Why are neither of my uncles on the mountain?"

"Your second uncle acquired the Clear Spirit Powder and also took the family's Snake Essence Pill. He's in secluded cultivation, trying to break through to the fifth layer of Fetal Breath, the Jade Capital Wheel. He should be emerging soon." Liu Rouxuan chuckled softly, put down the few spiritual rice leaves she held, patted Li Xuanxuan's head, and explained: "The spiritual fields in several villages are all in use, so your uncle decided to go explore the neighboring Meichi Mountain to see if he could find more spiritual fields."

"I see!" Li Xuanxuan nodded, about to speak, when he heard a gentle knock at the courtyard gate, and a voice called from outside:

"Is clan brother in the courtyard? The young clan leader has some instructions."

Li Xuanxuan quickly opened the gate, seeing Li Qiuyang and Li Yesheng outside, and said repeatedly:

"What happened?"

"Let's talk as we go," Li Qiuyang said. He took Li Xuanxuan's hand, apologized to Liu Rouxuan, and followed Li Yesheng, hurrying up the mountain.

"The young clan leader found something unusual on Meichi Mountain, so he called Uncle Yesheng to fetch us. We heard there's a formation on that mountain."

"A formation?!" Li Xuanxuan instantly froze, asking in surprise. "Meichi Mountain has always been desolate. This formation must be hundreds of years old, right?"

"Exactly!" Li Qiuyang nodded, replying in a low voice. "Hopefully, it's an immortal's dwelling, so our family can gain something from it."

Li Xuanxuan was only eight or nine years old, so keeping up with the two young men was a bit challenging. Frowning, he cast a divine speed spell, slapping his leg with a white light from his palm, allowing him to easily match their pace. He then continued:

"But we must be careful of any traps! Our teacher said there's no such thing as a free lunch."

The two walked for a while, climbing the mountain for roughly an hour, before they saw Li Xiangping sitting on a large bluestone, regulating his breath. Seeing the three arrive, he smiled:

"Watch this."

With that, he stood up, took the grey-blue longbow from his back, placed one foot on the bluestone, drew an arrow from his quiver, strung it, and squinted as he aimed at a small slope nearby.

"Whoosh!"

A white streak of light immediately shot forth, intending to land on the slope in an instant. However, ripples appeared in the air, and the arrow seemed to strike something, falling to the ground with a clang.

"What a fast arrow," Li Qiuyang praised first, then looked at the slope, pondering.

"This bow is a magical artifact; I call it the 'Azure Crow Bow'," Li Xiangping chuckled, then said seriously: "There should be an illusion formation beneath this slope, and perhaps also a spiritual formation specifically for defense."