Chapter 803: Name List

**Chapter 805: The Register**

Hearing this, Li Chenghuai simply put the letter he held into his sleeve and replied, "I understand. When will Daoist Yu Duan return to give your reply?"

Quan Yudan hesitated and said, "My junior brother is still in the North; he should be there for a short while longer. I'll be cultivating by the shore during this time, so you may consider it carefully. When you have news, you can summon me in the wilderness." Li Chenghuai nodded slightly, and Quan Yudan retreated. From the open hall doors, the voice of his eldest son, Li Zhouluo, cheerfully greeting Quan Yudan drifted out. The doors creaked shut again, isolating all noise outside.

Li Chenghuai stood rooted to the spot, his hands hidden in his sleeves, unmoving. His gaze remained fixed until the light and shadows shifted. Li Zhouluo, waiting outside for a long time, finally knocked and entered.

"Father," Li Zhouluo murmured. Li Chenghuai still clutched the letter in his sleeve; his lips moved, but he did not mention it. Instead, he asked, "Are you going to the Southern Sea with Quan Yudan?"

Li Zhouluo wished the days would fly by. The past three to five years had been utterly miserable, filled with constant busy days, and he was thoroughly tired of it. He spoke of it with great joy, nodding, "Exactly! Just waiting for them to return!"

Just by his tone, Li Chenghuai understood that the child yearned to follow Quan Yudan to the Southern Sea to enjoy life, to meet the immortal maidens from various sects. His heart was full of eager anticipation.

This was only human nature. If such good fortune had fallen upon Li Chenghuai when he was young, he too would have been restless and eagerly waiting. He poured himself some tea and replied, "Good. You must prepare well and not waste this opportunity."

Li Zhouluo noticed his father's disquiet and hesitated to speak, likely wanting to ask about the letter's contents. Li Chenghuai, before he could ask, waved him away. His eldest son reluctantly withdrew.

Waiting until he was alone, he finally took out the letter. He placed it face-down gently on the table.

Li Chenghuai, of course, knew the weight of this letter. To be frank, any choice presented in this letter could make the cultivators of Jiangnan weep with joy. Yet, though it was something to be joyful about, he could not crack a smile.

He stood alone in the hall for most of the night. Finally, he heard movement at the front of the hall, and an old man in blue-gray robes pushed the door open and entered. Li Chenghuai bowed softly and said, "Greetings, Elder Sir."

Only then did he hand over the letter. Li Xuanxuan sat down, poured tea, and read it carefully. Li Chenghuai shook his head slightly and said, "What does he owe me? What is there to owe? Can those resentful days of living under others, without parents, be compensated with these things?" Li Xuanxuan was staring at the letter, his gaze deep. Li Chenghuai's expression was rather unburdened as he softly said, "Allow me to tell you. If it were twenty years earlier, I would have thrown this letter back into Quan Yudan's hands and clearly told him that I wouldn't choose either option."

He let out a laugh and sighed, "But it came too late. I, Li Chenghuai, am already a father and a respected elder in the clan. I have too much to consider; how could I bear to discard it? The innocent days of youth have passed. To be blunt, my past resentment can now be called overly sentimental. That's why I accepted the letter."

Li Xuanxuan nodded deeply and replied, "I understand..." The elder filled the tea cup and shook his head, saying, "Our family's four 'Xi' characters each had their duties back then. Not just you; Ximing and Cheng were the same. Cheng was respectful, but I knew in his heart he couldn't feel close to Ximing. This matter... is very difficult. Don't say he doesn't understand you; in truth, you don't understand your father either."

"Back then, there were too many compromises to make." The elder raised his hand, touched his cheek, and felt a small protrusion. He pointed it out to Li Chenghuai and smiled, "Look. Back then, my inner demons were at work, and I sought out Hengzhu. Five Golden Light Pills were embedded under my skin; I can still feel them now. Though the injuries healed, my face isn't quite presentable. Your situation is similar. Back then, the clan endured resentment and made sacrifices, leading to this outcome. Now, you're also feeling unsettled, your heart is uneasy, and it's only right to speak out and ask questions. Your father is a reasonable man. Write a reply, explain yourself clearly, and don't pretend you can't reach him."

Li Chenghuai fell silent for a moment. Li Xuanxuan had already pulled him to the main seat. The elder placed a brush in his hand, ground the ink, and urged, "Come, write."

Li Zhouluo came out of the hall. Quan Yudan, in his red robes, was still admiring the scenery on the isle, while Li Zhouluo, though curious about his grand-uncle's letter, didn't ask about it. After exchanging a few polite words with Quan Yudan, he returned to the main hall.

As soon as he was seated at the main position, Di Liguang came over to light the lamps. Li Zhouluo smiled and asked, "What are the arrangements from now on?"

Li Zhouluo didn't elaborate. Di Liguang was very astute; such people naturally have a keen sense. He could naturally sense that Li Zhouluo's time in power was running out.

He understood what Li Zhouluo was asking and respectfully said, "However the Patriarch arranges... I will arrange accordingly. If I can follow the Patriarch, that would be a blessing cultivated over lifetimes..." Of course, only a few direct descendants knew about Li Zhouluo's impending trip to the Southern Sea. But the Di Liguang before him seemed certain that following Li Zhouluo would bring benefits, appearing very sincere, which made Li Zhouluo nod repeatedly.

He was reading scrolls in the hall when a report came from outside: Cui Jueyin arrived to report.

For so many years that Li Zhouluo had managed the household, Cui Jueyin had consistently handled the matters of the Purple Geng Broad Valley Penetrating Earth Profound Nails. He usually reported every three months, so his sudden arrival must mean there was a situation with the Purple Mansion Grand Formation. He quickly stood up and said, "Please invite Protector Cui in immediately!"

Di Liguang promptly went down to invite him personally. After Cui Jueyin entered the grand hall, he dismissed everyone else. He personally closed the hall doors and guarded outside.

Cui Jueyin hadn't changed much compared to three years ago. This direct descendant of the Cui family humbly bowed as always and reported, "Patriarch, the main bodies of the first twelve of the thirty-two profound needles are more than halfway forged. However, the Purple Smoke Sect has already begun packing. The cultivators on the isle are about to return to their sect, and another group is coming. It is said that this is to prevent too many formation patterns from being exposed."

"Wen Wu is eloquent and can make the dead sound alive; it's hard to tell if it's truly to prevent exposure of the formation patterns or if it's simply a rotation period," Li Zhouluo thought as he listened. Cui Jueyin continued, "He was redeployed overnight and didn't have time to visit the Patriarch, so he asked me to convey his apologies... and also to bring a message... saying that Que Xi is already prepared to break through to Qi Condensation, and the Purple Smoke Sect has all the necessary elixirs ready."

Li Quexi breaking through to Qi Condensation early was not surprising; Li Zhouluo even estimated it was rather late. But whether the other party needed it or not, the family should still send the customary gifts. He nodded, "I'll immediately send someone to the Purple Smoke Sect with a gift of resources for her breakthrough."

Cui Jueyin respectfully replied, "Besides this, there's another urgent matter... A cultivator from the Purple Smoke Sect has been traveling around the area and said he mentored a child from a small family by the lake. Initially, he just found the child cute... but after three to five years, he developed an attachment and was reluctant to leave. This time, he wants to bring the child back to the sect... to take as a disciple, and asked me to first inquire with the Patriarch."

This was a significant matter; Li Zhouluo was suddenly startled. He asked, "Which family? What's the surname?"

Cui Jueyin gave a wry smile and replied, "The Ding family... a small household of the dispersed Ding clan by the lake... an orphan and her widowed mother. The mother has some cultivation, but in my opinion, this matter isn't very honorable." "The Ding family!" Li Zhouluo's suspicion was immediately piqued. He asked, "Although this matter is a bit abrupt, why do you consider it dishonorable?"

Cui Jueyin sighed softly, "That Ding family member died at the hands of Floating Cloud Cave, and Wei knows the name, so the orphan and her widowed mother haven't had a hard life. I saw that Purple Smoke Sect cultivator... he has some... interest in the widow. He once stayed there overnight, and it's said that in the dead of night, the sounds were heard by neighbors. Fortunately, no one recognized them, and the child didn't seem to resist..." "This... he's a dignified Foundation Establishment cultivator, and he didn't even set up a formation? So unconstrained." Li Zhouluo's expression turned slightly odd. A cultivator of the esteemed Purple Smoke Sect absolutely couldn't fail to conceal such a commotion. He could only sigh at the Purple Smoke cultivator's peculiar preferences. Now he understood. After a moment, he said awkwardly, "This matter needs to be reported to Ding Wei... In any case, it could be considered a good thing. What's the situation with that Purple Smoke Sect cultivator? Is he a philanderer? I'm just afraid he might take her for a few years and then heartlessly abandon her, which wouldn't reflect well on us."

Cui Jueyin replied, "The child's name is Ding Mu, and the Purple Smoke Sect cultivator is the master of Xiling Peak, named Cao Chu, with the Daoist title 'Tiger's Son.' I haven't heard of him having a reputation for philandering, but he already has one wife and two concubines within the peak; if brought back, she would also become a concubine."

Li Zhouluo was at a loss, a little embarrassed. He replied, "If both parties are willing, we still need to wait for the Purple Smoke Sect's person in charge to inquire. After all, from my perspective, she would still be at a disadvantage. This matter needs to be handled properly." "Indeed!"

Ding Mu was neither a direct descendant of the Li family nor from a prominent noble lineage; her relation to Ding Wei was very distant, so it wasn't a highly sensitive matter. However, since she was still a Li family member, this matter naturally required communication between the two Purple Mansion forces. Cui Jueyin replied, "Daoist Cao Chu has already reported to his sect; someone should come over to negotiate these matters."

"Good!" Li Zhouluo exhaled slightly in relief and watched Cui Jueyin depart. He pondered to himself, "Ding Mu will certainly be isolated within the sect in the future. Now is the time to offer help. If handled well, her growth within the Purple Smoke Sect could establish a solid network for us in the future. It truly is a situation with only benefits and no drawbacks."

Since Li Jiangqian had emerged from seclusion, Li Zhouluo relaxed. Currently, there were only two matters to handle: publishing the register and conducting the sacrifice.

"Go invite Jiangqian over."

A short while after he gave the order, Li Jiangqian entered from outside the hall. Li Zhouluo greeted him with a smile, saying, "The clan's sacrificial day is approaching. The procedures remain the same as in previous years; a demonic beast still needs to be captured. Will we use a Foundation Establishment demonic beast this year? Such beasts are difficult to find now..."

The Li family's sacrificial demonic beasts were usually decided upon by all Foundation Establishment cultivators. With Li Minggong in seclusion, it should be Li Chenghuai and Li Jiangqian who decide. Li Zhouluo subtly probed, diplomatically saying, "The clan is quite strapped for resources now, and you've just broken through to Foundation Establishment. I think... it would be better to keep everything simple."

After all, Li Minggong of the Li family was in seclusion, and two early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators would generally not venture out simultaneously to search for demonic beasts. It would likely be the higher-cultivated Li Chenghuai sent out. Whether it involved fighting or provoking, with the current unclear situation, it was clearly a dangerous undertaking.

In Li Zhouluo's eyes, the sacrifice was merely a solemn ceremony. At this critical juncture, there was no need to be so high-profile.

Li Jiangqian understood his concerns. He still harbored thoughts of seeking 'qi' and secretly calculated: "If I go to the East Sea or Helin, I wonder if I'll make it in time..." It wasn't that he feared being unable to capture a demonic beast; even without Li Chenghuai's intervention, Li Jiangqian was sure to succeed against those wild demonic beasts. He was just concerned that the family's current situation was different from the past. They used to be a small Foundation Establishment clan, attracting no attention. Now, having achieved Purple Mansion status, and with the True Immortal not on the lake, there were many eyes watching. Any large-scale action might arouse suspicion.

If Li Ximing were here, he could travel through the Void, capture a beast, and place it on the mountain for sacrifice, and naturally no one would know. Even if they did, they would only assume it was for alchemy. But with Li Ximing absent, returning with a massive demonic beast themselves would seem somewhat inappropriate.

He furrowed his brows and could only reply, "What the Patriarch says makes sense. This matter still requires discussion. This junior will first consult the Elder Sir before making a decision."

Li Zhouluo nodded and handed over the register from the desk. These names had already been recorded on gold-edged scrolls. He softly said, "This is the register of patronage. Jiangqian, take a look."

Li Jiangqian, however, smiled, did not touch the scroll, and instead bowed. He replied, "No need. Patriarch, please proceed with the arrangements. I'll take a walk around the isle and see how things are."

**On the Isle.**

The morning sun had just risen over the lake, and the residence was bustling. The two majestic azure tiger stone statues in front of the mansion were draped with red silk. People from the houses on both sides were dressed in red, laughing and saying, "Congratulations... congratulations..." The plaque above the main gate glowed, with the gold-inlaid characters for 'Dongxu' shining brightly. The plump Li Xi stood in front of the mansion, dressed in festive red, and everyone around him called him 'Master.'

The Dongxu Estate was the ancestral home of the Yuanwan lineage, once very spacious. Later, with more descendants, one courtyard was divided into four rooms, and each room into four smaller sections. It was beautiful on the outside but incredibly cramped inside. Every time Li Xi stood before this gate, he would sigh. Now, he no longer sighed; his face was radiant.

Waiting inside was Li Minggong's younger brother, his face beaming, wearing a colorful headscarf. All the arriving guests showed him great respect. As a group of guests entered, a man in short clothes approached, gleefully saying, "Eldest Brother, several of your sons and nephews have gained patronage! Do you want good residences now? I have some excellent locations!"

The middle-aged man with the colorful headscarf was feeling proud, and in a good mood. He was polite to those who came up trying to broker property, simply smiling and saying, "Wait a few days; you'll have plenty to earn!"

He laughed heartily, pulled people inside, and stepped past the main gate. The courtyard inside had been made very narrow and was packed with congratulatory guests. He stood tall and proud, exuding confidence, a stark contrast to his father, Li Xichen, who stood before him with a hunched back and a suspicious gaze darting around. He declared loudly, "This time, through the clan's patronage, our Yuanwan Eastern Residence has had five people receive patronage, encompassing four lineages, everyone..."

He raised his cup and smiled, "The head of the family cherishes the clansmen, and all families are united in warmth. Cheers to the lake! Cheers to the isle! Cheers to the clan!"

***

**Author's Note:**

**Characters appearing in this chapter:**

* Li Xuanxuan: 9th-level Qi Condensation, direct descendant of the Elder Branch.* Li Zhou: 3rd-level Qi Condensation, direct descendant of the Purple Mansion.* Li Zhouluo: 8th-level Qi Condensation, Patriarch.* Li Jiangqian: Great Departure Book, early-stage Foundation Establishment.* Li Chenghuai: Wu Cha Wo, early-stage Foundation Establishment.* Cui Jueyin: Changming Rank, late-stage Foundation Establishment.

Graduation ceremonies these past two days have been quite exhausting, but thankfully, I made it.

May 5th.