Chapter 617: Internal Defection

He entered the mountain with a solemn expression, discovering that all the families around the lake had sent representatives. Besides various small, unknown families, only the Fei family's contingent was impressive.

However, the Fei family was exceptionally humble, appearing to have fallen on hard times over the years. Si Yuanli sighed inwardly at their state but didn't dwell on them, instead hearing a chorus of voices bowing respectfully: "Greetings, Envoy!"

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Li Xijun stepped forward, holding a talisman. He placed it flat on a jade plate, ensuring it was visible to all. Li Qinghong then took it, saying softly, "Please hold this golden talisman here and return it to the elder."

Si Yuanli sighed as he accepted it, secretly examining it meticulously. He circulated his spiritual energy twice, confirming the talisman was authentic, and then, without pause, said apologetically, "Brother Xuanfeng's courageous act in protecting Jiangnan for my Green Pool Sect is an unprecedented great contribution. Your esteemed clan also suffered significant losses in this conflict, and I have witnessed it all..."

His words were ambiguous. Li Qinghong shook her head and replied, "Second Uncle said before his demise that Master Yuanxiu rescued him from Maha, preventing the Tang rebels from showing him mercy. This not only saved his life but also secured our family's safety. The debt of gratitude is profound; fulfilling our duty was simply what we had to do."

The two had had minimal prior interaction, with Li Qinghong only having mentioned this once during a persuasion attempt. Now, as they each parried words, she feared Si Yuanli might continue speaking of their "courageous act," so she took a small step forward and whispered, "Please."

Si Yuanli nodded, stepping onto a cloud and entering the formation. His gaze swept over Mount Qingdu, and he smiled, remarking, "The Immortal Peak is serene and isolated in the lake; it's an excellent place for cultivation."

While Mount Qingdu was considered a respectable peak on Moon-Gazing Lake, it seemed rather humble in the presence of an immortal descendant of the Purple Palace like Si Yuanli. He managed to offer a few strained compliments before descending into the White Gauze Hall.

While everyone waited outside the hall, he went inside to pay his respects to Li Xuanfeng. He emerged with a deeply mournful expression. A trusted confidant from the Si family stepped forward to assist him. The middle-aged man sighed, "The sect has suffered immense damage, and Xuanfeng is dead. The Sect Master is in seclusion, and we don't know when he will emerge. You and I held off the demons at the riverbank, but we never imagined that Chi Ziyan and the others would be missing. Now, returning with our people, I'm at a loss for what to do."

Si Yuanli was genuinely pressed for time, allowing for no delays. He spoke immediately after completing the respects. All the Lis lowered their heads in silence, appearing not to have heard. Only Li Xizhi spoke softly, "Sir, you worry too much. Your accomplishments are evident to me and all the peak masters. With Master Yuanxiu stabilizing the sect, this humble one would not dare to cause trouble. Now that we are returning, there will only be rewards for our merits..."

He exhaled and stated gravely, "As for the Immortal matters of the High Sect, they should not be disclosed to the aristocratic families. Please allow the Lis to withdraw."

Li Xizhi's words caused Si Yuanli to pause, and he sighed, "You all stood with me to defend the riverbank; there's a bond of comradeship between us... there's no need for such formality..."

Li Xizhi naturally declined, cupping his hands and saying, "During a period of unrest within the sect, Sir, you have returned with a great victory. While your reputation is well-known, it is not appropriate to show undue favoritism. We must adhere to regulations."

What a jest! The Li family's Foundation Establishment strength was now among the most prominent aristocratic families, and their contributions were substantial. How could they possibly pledge their entire family's allegiance to Si Yuanli's command in one go? While the Li clan and Si Yuanli did share a natural alignment, he had been on the lakeside for less than fifteen minutes and had offered no tangible benefits. Li Xizhi had already extended sufficient friendliness without overstepping boundaries.

Si Yuanli was merely making a gesture; he hadn't actually expected families to pledge allegiance just by him asking. He then left the main hall with Li Xizhi, saying gently, "Xizhi, your cultivation progresses remarkably fast. I've long heard of your reputation from when you managed the market and guarded Qingsong Island. It's just a pity... alas... Qinghui Peak... has been complaining on your behalf for a long time!"

Si Yuanli's initial remark landed, and Li Xizhi replied, cupping his hands, "Thank you, Sir... However, Qinghui Peak was originally the Yuan clan's domain. The sect's arrangements have their own logic, and the Sect Master's compensation with Changtian Peak can be considered complete."

"Oh?" Si Yuanli's tone paused. He exchanged glances with Li Xizhi, observing the composed young man's calm demeanor. He then softly said, "After all, the Yuan clan is an ancient aristocratic family with a long heritage, and they had many dealings with my family in earlier years. In the end, it's all about benefit. Since there's no need for conflict, there's no need to be enemies."

His words were pointed, causing a subtle shift in Si Yuanli's thoughts. Twirling his beard, he mused, "It seems the Li family and the Yuan family haven't fallen out to that extent yet... What he says is quite true... What obligations do the Yuan clan have to the Chi family? While there are no prominent figures among them, the Mushroom Forest Plain is ultimately larger than a single commandery. If we could bring them and the Li family under our influence, wouldn't that be far better than making them enemies?"

His eyes immediately lit up, and his gaze towards Li Xizhi now held a significant amount of admiration. He thought to himself, "After all, they are an aristocratic family that rose in this harsh land, barely a century old, with strict family discipline, naturally producing many talents... Excellent... excellent... A single Li Xizhi can save me a great deal of trouble!"

Just as he was about to offer praise, a streak of light rapidly approached from afar. Only when it drew near could he discern it was his junior, Si Tongyi. The Li family opened the formation, and Si Tongyi landed beside them, taking a step closer to whisper via a secret sound transmission.

Si Yuanli's expression subtly changed upon seeing Si Tongyi arrive alone. The words that then reached his ears caused his face to darken further: "Li Yuanqin is not in Yishan City... Chi Fupo is also missing. All the forces of Ninghe Jingyuan Xingfeng have been mobilized. I, your humble nephew, originally intended to pilot a cloud ship here, but he seized control of the Rosy Cloud Ship... Had it not been for Yuanxing Peak's lack of manpower, due to not having been deployed for many years, I would scarcely have been able to leave the Green Pool Sect... I fear I cannot delay my return any longer!"

"Ninghe Jing..." The Chi family comprises six branches. Chi Ziyan and Chi Ziyun, brothers, originate from Chi Wei's main lineage; they are Purple Palace immortal descendants and have always been candidates for Sect Master. Chi Fupo and others close to Li Yuanqin belong to the secondary lineage, whose strength is respectable. Only these two lineages have ancestors who achieved the Purple Palace realm; the other four are not formidable. As the main lineage is now almost entirely eradicated in the north, Si Yuanli's expression steadily darkened as he listened. Li Xizhi, sensing this, whispered, "Sir, since you have paid your respects, it would be unwise to delay further. Perhaps I should accompany you back to the sect to report."

"Very well." Si Yuanli exhaled deeply, not even taking the time to bid farewell to Li Qinghong and the others. He stated gravely, "Xuanfeng has passed, and his immense contributions warrant great reward. I will discuss this thoroughly upon my return to the sect."

The group boarded the cloud ship, propelled by spiritual energy, and sped away, leaving several trails of white cloud vapor in the sky. Under the gaze of all present, they departed southward, with the peak masters following behind, vanishing into the distance.

Si Yuanli departed in haste, having stayed for less than fifteen minutes. Li Xijun watched the grand procession of cultivators disappear, his fingers resting on his sword hilt, falling into a slight silence.

Li Qinghong stood before him, listening as the young man spoke in a clear, cold voice: "Aunt, the people we sent to invite Uncle Yuanqin are likely to return empty-handed."

Simply by observing Si Yuanli's abrupt departure, he understood that something had almost certainly happened at the Green Pool Sect. No matter how swiftly the Li family's people traveled to Green Pool, they couldn't possibly outpace the Si family, so their efforts would undoubtedly be in vain.

"Green Pool's reaction isn't slow." Li Qinghong calculated the time. Although the demonic smoke north of the river was gradually dissipating, their jade talismans, linked to the lives of their family and various guest elders, had yet to shatter. Green Pool's soul lamps might be far more advanced, but they shouldn't register a death much faster.

From the riverbank to Mount Qingdu, a Qi Condensation cultivator would take over ten days of intermittent flying. An ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator would require three days of continuous travel, sustained by elixirs. Even Li Qinghong, known for the Li family's fastest escape technique, would need a full day... The news brought back by the Si family was at least a day old, meaning Green Pool had already acted the day after Li Xuanfeng eliminated the Buddhist cultivators, or perhaps even earlier. In this age, with no direct communication, such speed was truly astonishing.

"Chi Ziyun might have made arrangements." Li Xijun first speculated, then shook his head: "No matter what arrangements he made, he couldn't have predicted the situation would deteriorate to this degree... The last Purple Palace war was four hundred years ago at Moon-Gazing Lake."

The aunt and nephew returned to the peak. Li Ximing, holding a letter, had a relaxed expression. He placed the letter on the table and said, "Aunt, the Fei family has arrived with their entire clan and is respectfully waiting at the shore to request an audience."

"Hmm?" Li Ximing's words caused Li Qinghong to raise an eyebrow slightly. He shook his Daoist robe, met Li Xijun's inquiring gaze, and nodded, saying, "Nine times out of ten."

The three flew out together and indeed saw a dense crowd standing on the lakeshore. Upon seeing the trio descend from the sky, both men and women bowed their heads, and a great many knelt down with a rustling sound.

Li Qinghong landed nearby and saw an old man at the very front, his face covered in grotesque, purplish-red scars. His left hand was missing three fingers. Upon seeing the three, he bowed deeply and said respectfully, "Fei Tongyu of the Fei family greets the three sirs!"

Li Qinghong naturally recognized him. She had learned spear techniques at the Fei family when she was young, and at that time, Fei Tongyu had been a man of elegant bearing. Later, when she visited him after reaching the Foundation Establishment realm, he already appeared quite aged. Now, his appearance was disturbingly grotesque, truly shocking. Li Qinghong was startled and swiftly realized the source of his wounds: "Though he is indecisive, he is wholeheartedly devoted to his clan. He would never hide behind his juniors; he must have gone north himself."

Fei Tongyu, however, bowed low, raising his scarred hands high. On a jade plate, a green seal and a storage bag lay.

He said respectfully, "The Hanyun Fei clan of the North Shore humbly implores your grace and respectfully requests to be integrated into the main family."

As soon as Fei Tongyu knelt, everyone behind him spoke up in unison, "We humbly request to be integrated into the main family!"

The shore then thundered like a drum, causing waves to ripple across the lake. All the families looked up. In the sky, three figures hovered: lightning flashed in the center, brilliant light shone on the left, and frost and snow drifted on the right. Someone whispered, "Truly the bearing of an aristocratic family." Another added, "The Li clan's Foundation Establishment cultivators have already surpassed the former Jiang clan. The lake should now be surnamed Li."

Inside the Mirror World."Of the three golden essences, Changhuai Mountain claimed one, Zipeng claimed one, and one managed to escape."

While the present world remained tranquil, a fierce battle raged within Anhuai Heaven, which Lu Jiangxian observed clearly from the sidelines.

Changhuai Mountain dispatched four Purple Palace cultivators, the strongest force, and naturally claimed one. Three Buddhist cultivators, Mahas, were embroiled in a fierce battle. One, Zhelu, managed to seize a golden essence and exited Anhuai Heaven, only to be immediately apprehended by Zipeng, who had been waiting.

The golden essence was hidden, and Zhelu could have easily escaped. However, Anhuai Heaven's grand formation specifically targeted Buddhist cultivators, making entry troublesome and exit even more so. Zhelu found himself caught between a rock and a hard place, besieged by two other Mahas, and was forced to relinquish the item.

The competition for the final golden essence was particularly fierce among the pursuing Purple Palace cultivators. By a stroke of fate, the essence circled around and unexpectedly landed in the hands of Master Chengyan, a nascent Purple Palace cultivator from Changxiao Gate.

After so many years since breaking through to the Purple Palace realm, he had made no progress, spending his days in seclusion, having cultivated only a single divine ability. How could he dare to hold onto such a hot potato? There was no joy in his heart, only terror...

Although his clan's Master Changxiao was formidable, he was not present in Anhuai Heaven at that moment. Master Chengyan, not being from a prominent immortal lineage, saw a crowd of Purple Palace cultivators surrounding him. Gritting his teeth, he sent the golden essence out of Anhuai Heaven, partly to rid himself of the hot potato and partly hoping Changxiao might be waiting outside.

His action immediately drew curses from the Purple Palace cultivators, forcing them to rush outside Anhuai Heaven to seize it. With the exception of Master Hengli of Hengzhu Dao, who turned to pursue Chengyan, the rest swarmed outwards. Someone even cursed, "It's over now!"

His calculation proved correct; Changxiao was indeed waiting outside Anhuai Heaven. Overjoyed at the sight, he was about to unleash a divine ability when a black alms bowl unexpectedly flew out, impeding him.

The golden essence was incredibly swift, and Changxiao immediately lost his chance to seize it.

However, once this True Qi golden essence exited Anhuai Heaven, it immediately transformed. Initially, the Purple Palace cultivators pursued and battled for it. A few breaths later, the essence expanded within the void, transforming into a gleaming golden stone.

Half of the Purple Palace cultivators turned and fled. The remaining half, either confident in their greater strength or clinging to a sliver of hope, still refused to give up.

Another dozen breaths passed, and the golden essence transformed into a stone bird. It turned and inhaled, and a nascent Purple Palace master, whose divine abilities were already scattered from battle, was caught completely off guard and devoured whole in a single gulp.

Consequently, the Purple Palace cultivators scattered in disarray, with curses aimed at Master Chengyan rising and falling. The stone bird, having acquired a taste for flesh, instead let out a loud laugh and turned to pursue and devour others. Fortunately, this malevolent entity, after smacking its lips with lingering desire, soon vanished.

Lu Jiangxian finished watching the spectacle and thoughtfully returned to the Mirror. He took out the "Minghua Huangyang Royal Intercourse" to examine it, musing, "If this thing were to descend, it would likely become an extremely terrifying entity... Master Chengyan of Changxiao Gate might not dare to leave his home for a hundred years."

Standing amidst the clouds, he suddenly looked up thoughtfully. The layered cloud haze in the sky parted, and a shimmering streak of light approached from the distance, landing before him.

This talisman seed faintly shimmered with golden light. He held it in his hand; the spiritual energy within was extremely faint, likely only at the Qi Condensation level.

"Xuanfeng..." Li Xuanfeng's cultivation was almost entirely depleted, leaving virtually nothing. Yet, in stark contrast, the talisman seed held an astonishingly dense accumulation of fate, wholly bound within it, making it quite alluring.

When Li Xuanfeng consumed the human elixir, the talisman seed should have drained his internal cultivation and detached, but Lu Jiangxian forcibly suppressed it. It was never truly his. During the battle at the riverbank, when Li Xuanfeng drew upon spiritual energy, it was again Lu Jiangxian who acted to suppress the talisman seed, thus allowing him to successfully complete his task.

Upon Li Xuanfeng's death, his fate should have dispersed with him. However, talisman seeds are inherently unreasonable: they refuse to give anything up, but they take everything without question. The fate was completely absorbed and brought back into the Mirror.

Lu Jiangxian quietly observed the talisman seed, sighing inwardly, "He had already resolved to die!"

Li Xuanfeng had already harbored a death wish the moment he took the human elixir; he was merely seeking a suitable opportunity. He simply wished to eliminate more villains before his death: "Eighteen Dharma Masters to accompany him in death; it could be said his heroic ambition was fulfilled."

He held this talisman seed, abundant with fate, but for a moment, he hesitated to integrate it into his main body.

There was no other reason: the current Magical Mirror was already stalled at this stage. Unless a Purple Palace breakthrough occurred, providing a divine ability feedback, any further action would merely increase the mystic light's power by a negligible amount.

"It would be too wasteful."