Chapter 615: Return

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The sky was dim and the autumn dew on the lake had not yet dispersed. Li Qinghong exited the grand hall, and Li Xijun, wearing his sword, stepped forward and spoke softly:

“Though the lake is enveloped in autumn dew, and all families can clearly see the situation, we should still send out obituaries in all directions. Notify the Ning family in Qingchi, then the cultivators in Yishan, the Five Commanderies, and along the riverbanks. Our Lord single-handedly protected Jiangnan; this great favor is freshly bestowed and should be solidified quickly.”

Li Qinghong nodded, instructing him to proceed. Li Xizhi took a small step forward, taking over the conversation:

“Leave the news for Qingchi to me. I will depart in three days, first to observe all proper etiquette…”

He paused, his tone shifted, and he spoke softly:

“And also wait for Si Yuanli.”

The others showed no signs of doubt; Li Qinghong nodded as if it were a matter of course. Si Yuanli, on his victorious return, would certainly stop at Wangyue Lake; he wouldn't leave without making his presence sufficiently known.

At this moment, the woman spoke softly:

“Yuanqin is a hostage in Yishan, and it was originally hopeless to meet him. Now that Qingchi is in sudden chaos, we should seize this opportunity to urgently recall him. If we hesitate, it might be difficult to see him again.”

Although the Chi family was severely weakened, with almost all of their main lineage gone, there might still be ambitious individuals from the collateral branches. It was common knowledge that Li Yuanqin was close to the Chi family, and Li Qinghong feared that the situation might change and cause trouble.

“I will send someone to rush there overnight.”

Li Xijun answered softly. As the array hummed, an exceedingly tall old man descended from within it, his back slightly bowed, and his voice deep:

“My Lords, Li Wushao, Li Minggong, and others have returned from the north and are waiting outside the array.”

“Please, quickly invite them in!”

A chill ran through Li Xijun's heart, and he spoke quickly. He then saw several figures descend from the array; all bowed before the hall, led by Li Minggong.

“Greetings, honored elders…”

Her face was pale, though her clothes were still tidy; she was already the one with the most intact aura among them. She bowed before the steps. Behind her, apart from a grim-faced Li Wushao, there was only an old man and a strong man, both at the ninth level of Qi Condensation.

The old man had a face full of white whiskers, his head completely bald and clean; he had lost an eye and knelt dazedly on the ground. The strong man, however, had an intact body, but his face was deathly pale like golden paper, and he stood like a swaying iron tower, as if he could collapse at any moment.

Li Qinghong lowered her gaze slightly and said softly:

“The chaos at Chengshuiling, which led to the breaching of Yanshan Pass, is a major change in the overall situation. It is not your fault. Please, tell us what happened first.”

Li Minggong, originally a bright and generous woman from the collateral lineage who always loved to smile, now spoke in a choked, low tone:

“My Lords, after you left for Chengshuiling, in less than half a day, the demonic cultivators arrived. A demonic general, riding on purple qi and holding Yu Su's head, cast several talismans and breached the pass in less than fifteen minutes.”

“All cultivators scattered in defeat, fleeing southward. Fearing they weren't escaping fast enough, they crashed into the arrays at the rear, and nearly half of them abandoned their positions and fled. Halfway, I met Guest Elder An. We gathered our forces along the way, all under his command, and went to join Auntie.”

The “Auntie” she referred to was naturally Li Yuexiang. A look of regret appeared on Li Minggong's face, and she choked back tears for several breaths before finally speaking:

“At that time, there was complete chaos. The sky was grey and dim, and it was unclear which high-level cultivators were in the sky. Morale was scattered, and everyone was just rushing to the rear. Soon, we saw Auntie; she was wielding her sword and controlling fire, fighting a demonic cultivator…”

At this point in her narration, she burst into tears. Behind her, An Zheyin, who looked like a corpse, shuffled forward on his knees and took over in a low, husky, and unpleasant voice:

“I was intent on rescue, so I led the cultivators to assist. When Yuexiang saw us, her expression changed immediately, and she reprimanded me… She said…”

“Guest Elder An, are you trying to harm me?!”

Hearing this, the woman at the head slowly closed her eyes. Li Xizhi lowered his head, and Li Xijun gripped his sword hilt until his knuckles were white. An Zheyin's head thumped to the ground, and he continued:

“Then a Buddhist cultivator descended from the sky. He performed a divination with his fingers, and his face showed delight. He looked around and said: ‘We almost let a delicious dish get away.’”

Li Xijun dared not look at Li Xizhi, standing isolated. An Zheyin cried again:

“This old man then remembered that Buddhist cultivators enjoyed consuming noble individuals; the situation was already ruined. That bald monk killed Li Cheng with a single palm strike, took out his heart to examine it, then smiled disdainfully. All cultivators were terrified…”

“My son, Siming, stepped out with his sword. He died suddenly after five exchanges. That bald monk then killed several more people and was about to attack me when Li Wen threw his hammer to stop him…”

Li Minggong had by now composed herself and took over the narration, speaking softly:

“Auntie then took my hand and said urgently: ‘I am about to die; I cannot bring harm to everyone.’ She then handed over her spiritual essence, cast a talisman, looked at Guest Elder An, and instructed him: ‘Escort them back to the clan. Do not waste my life.’”

“We galloped out for several miles. Auntie then cast a Foundation Establishment talisman for protection and headed north, enveloped in pheasant fire. She must have self-immolated.”

Though many should have escaped at that time, only the two highest-cultivated individuals managed to. An Zheyin only kept knocking his head, and said in a low voice:

“I am incompetent. Please execute me to atone for my sins.”

An Zheyin knelt on the ground like a corpse. Li Yuexiang, An Siming, Li Cheng, and others had almost all died because of him; how could this not drive the old man to near madness? In his heart, he coldly mumbled:

“In the past, I was reckless and caused the death of my eldest son. Now, I am foolish again and caused the death of my second son, and also harmed the main family and various cultivators… No one is more useless in this world than me. It would be better to die early to avoid harming anyone further!”

Li Qinghong quietly looked at the old man before her. He had pledged his loyalty since Li Tongya's time, remained fiercely loyal, and served through four generations. His two sons had been exceptionally dedicated, and An Siwei was still guarding down the mountain… How could she say more? A profound silence fell over the hall.

Behind them, Li Wen finally spoke. The simple-minded man, who had dropped his golden hammer, said in a low voice:

“The situation at the time was critical. If I, Li Wen, had been leading, I would also have tried to rescue them. Guest Elder An merely happened to be there at that moment… I hope that you will punish me along with him.”

Li Minggong also requested punishment along with them. Only Li Wushao stood behind them with a sour face, nobody knew what he was thinking.

At that time, the entire Jiangbei region was in chaos, and they had just witnessed their own people fighting demonic cultivators. It would have been truly difficult for anyone, even quick-witted individuals, to react appropriately in such a short time. All the leaders above them fell silent.

Li Qinghong waited for a moment, finally waiting for Li Xizhi to speak. The young man said softly:

“Are there any relics left behind?”

Li Wushao finally stepped forward and, with both palms supporting them, presented a broken sword and a small box. Li Xizhi gently took them, glanced briefly inside the box, then immediately shifted his gaze to the sword.

The wooden talisman at the sword's hilt swayed gently. Li Xizhi examined the inscription, put the sword away, handed the small box to Li Qinghong, and then spoke:

“Let's be lenient with the punishment.”

Chengshui Marsh.

All the dimness over Jiangbei had slowly faded. Bright light shone down, reflecting on the surface of Chengshui Marsh. The merged waters had become much clearer, and faint remnants could be seen at the bottom.

The air vibrated slightly, and the dark void appeared. An old man in green robes, holding a talisman, manifested his figure, standing in mid-air. His complexion was slightly flushed, and he began to cough:

“Cough… cough…”

His cough made ripples spread across the water's surface and sparks of golden light shimmered. Immediately behind him, another person appeared, also dressed in green robes, but with the appearance of a youth, stepping out cheerfully.

“Uncle, are you feeling better?”

The old man's face was stern, his voice slightly low, and he replied:

“Changhuai Mountain is, after all, the foremost sect in the State of Wu. It is not easy to deal with…”

This person was naturally the True Monarch Yuanxiu, Si Boxiu. He glanced at Chi Buzi before him and frowned:

“As for you, why didn't you try to make a move? With those three golden essences, if you had truly intended to try, you might not have failed to seize them.”

As he recalled, a look of regret still appeared on his face. He sighed:

“Those were the golden essences left by True Monarch Tianwu Zhenqi Shensha… This cultivation position is vacant, and these golden essences are extremely beautiful things… Even if True Monarch Tianwu had some hidden agenda, he was open and honest. At worst, he would ascend to a residual position…”

“Hahahaha…”

Unexpectedly, Chi Buzi laughed twice, shrugging his shoulders while looking north. He replied:

“Uncle, you know I am most suspicious. Things like this look terrifying, and I, Buzi, am not a good person. If I truly attempted to attain True Qi, it’s hard to say whether I would succeed; I'm afraid the Lord’s backup plan would send me to my grave first.”

Si Boxiu chuckled upon hearing this, shook his head and sighed, and replied:

“You're overthinking it. If the True Monarch were not dead, the three golden essences in Anhuai Heaven wouldn't be like this. A vacant position is just that—vacant. The Lord has no need for it, nor would he fake his death while leaving the position vacant.”

The old man paused and replied:

“At most, it would be unresponsive like the Taiyin and Taiyang. It’s impossible for the True Monarch to exist while the position is vacant.”

Chi Buzi curled his lips, his divine ability activated as he quickly calculated with his fingers. He shook his head and said:

“I won't say much more. I still need to pursue divine abilities; I don't have time to waste here.”

True Monarch Yuanxiu narrowed his eyes slightly and asked doubtfully:

“Aren’t you going back to the sect to check? Zhiyunn is in seclusion for a breakthrough; I'm afraid no one will be in charge of the overall situation.”

“Never mind!”

Chi Buzi had little interest. He shook his head and said:

“Don't we still have you, Uncle? At worst, there’s Lord Suiguan. What is there to worry about?”

Chi Buzi had no intention of dealing with the Qingchi Sect for Lushui. Ever since Chi Wei's death, Chi Buzi had gradually realized the problem with the method of seeking gold. Every moment spent in Qingchi felt like torment, so how could he be willing to return?

Si Boxiu frowned, his voice low, and replied:

“Lord Suiguan, you know as well as I do: the Chi family’s population was never prosperous, and now there isn't a single Purple Mansion cultivator. How can they maintain order?! Zhiyunn is in seclusion, and if you don't go back, the Chi family might not be able to hold on.”

“Heh heh!”

Chi Buzi heard these words, and sneered inwardly, thinking to himself:

‘I haven't returned for years; this fellow must be overjoyed! He's coveted the Moonlight Glazed Tree for a long time and finally got what he wanted! He couldn’t wait for me to die outside!’

Chi Buzi was originally an extremely cunning and sly person; how could he not know Si Boxiu's true intentions? He knew Si Boxiu was using well-intentioned words to probe him, so he simply smiled and said:

“I am born into this world alone, existing to cultivate destiny. My parents gave birth to me without any intention of binding me; I nourished my parents, but without any intention of repayment. Both elders died long ago, and I have long since changed bodies multiple times. There is no talk of bloodlines. Chi Buzi is just a name; what does the Chi family have to do with me?”

“Immortals should abandon worldly burdens, thinking of family, then sect, then all living beings, and finally heaven and earth. But heaven and earth are natural principles; what do they have to do with me? True Monarch, True Monarch, only the ‘self’ is true. I exist to cultivate destiny. If I succeed in cultivation, I succeed. If not, I die.”

Si Boxiu looked deeply at him, seemingly slowly understanding why this person had been able to cultivate with such divine speed all along, breaking through several barriers consecutively. He only shook his head inwardly:

‘He has no morality, no parents, no clan, no living beings in his heart. Only the word "immortal" exists.’

Chi Buzi, however, had no mind for beating around the bush with him. He was busy seeking Purple Mansion demonic beasts. He stated his intentions clearly in one breath, then passed into the void and disappeared.

Si Boxiu remained, pondering carefully. He mused inwardly:

“The three golden essences were originally not enough to divide. Zipai caught Zhelu off guard, forcing out the golden essences. In the end, the Buddhist cultivators didn't get a single one. How satisfying!”

“It's just that this was also Kan Xuyu's last move… Upon returning, she will attain Purple Qi. How difficult that will be! Once she achieves it, this North-South struggle will finally conclude.”

Si Boxiu gathered his sleeves where he stood, stepped into the void, and with a turn of his body, also vanished.

Bianyan Mountain.

Bianyan Mountain was empty, its vegetation in disarray. Even the hundred spirit cables, which had been driven into the mountain as array foundations, had been dug out completely. Si Yuanli stood on the mountaintop, gazing silently.

He wore his ceremonial robes, with a sword at his waist, his demeanor exceptionally refined, but there was much worry between his brows. Behind him stood his clan nephew, Si Tongyi, considered his most trusted confidant, waiting respectfully.

Most of the Chi family's direct lineage, even their peak masters and guest elders, had all died here. The unusual phenomena were completely covered up, as if nothing had happened, leaving only a scene of disarray.

Before these confidants, he naturally didn't need to feign anything, also sparing himself any pretense of 'regret' or 'long sighs.' He stood silently in the night sky, pondering quietly.

The other few people who had come with him had already been sent by Si Yuanli to “search for traces of Chi Zhiyan,” but the middle-aged man in white robes knew very well in his heart:

“The Mahayana Purple Mansions of Jiangbei scattered together, and the grand scheme of the North-South struggle also vanished. Everything could slowly be calculated. The soul lamps on Qingchi Peak must have been extinguished in large numbers, as if swept by a fierce wind. It definitely couldn't be kept secret.”

Any action Si Yuanli took in this limited time would affect the entire trajectory of Qingchi. The faces of every family patriarch and Qingchi Peak master flashed one by one in his mind. Alone, he deeply exhaled into the sweeping cold wind.

He thought long and hard, then suddenly remembered something and quickly turned to Si Tongyi. His tone was extremely serious as he flipped his hand and took out a white jade token, speaking solemnly and urgently:

“Take my seal. Immediately return to the sect overnight and secretly order Li Yuanqin to go to Wangyue Lake to see his father one last time. This must absolutely not be publicized.”

“I'm afraid there isn't enough time…”

Si Tongyi was thoughtful and indeed saw Si Yuanli shake his head and say:

“Whether there's enough time or not is not important. It's just to give him an excuse to return to the Li family for a visit, so they can all communicate, and also to see what he's truly made of.”

Si Tongyi immediately rose on the wind and swiftly headed south. Only then did Si Yuanli feel relieved. He reconsidered carefully, thinking if there was any other oversight.

A moment later, divine light flowed before him. Si Yuanli thoughtfully raised his head, and the familiar aged figure finally appeared before his eyes. He was instantly overjoyed, and his heart immediately settled. He said respectfully:

“Old Ancestor!”

True Monarch Yuanxiu's gaze swept over the chaotic Bianyan Mountain. His eyelids twitched, but he didn't say much. He merely flicked his sleeves, and everything before Si Yuanli instantly darkened; he was already traveling within the void.

“True Monarch… The Huaijiang Diagram guarded the riverbanks… Li Xuanfeng used the ‘Invite the Monarch to Wield Gold’ talisman and died fighting… We followed orders and used all the secret preparations you left behind…”

Si Yuanli quickly recounted everything, but saw Si Boxiu expressionless, quietly looking at him. The old man's face showed no sign of appreciation; his hands were clasped behind his back, and he remained silent for a moment.

The original domain name has been compromised. Please remember the new domain name.