Chapter 98: Surround and Kill

Li Tongya swallowed the Jade Bud Pill and immediately felt his spiritual power surge within him, qi gushing from his Qi Sea acupoint. He smoothly broke through to the third level of Qi Cultivation.

Compared to the Fetal Breath Realm, where every step presented obstacles, cultivation in the Qi Cultivation period often proceeded smoothly. Some major sects even advocated dividing Qi Cultivation into early, middle, and late stages. The entire Qi Cultivation period was like a simple accumulation of cultivation, with all barriers coalescing into one severe hurdle: Qi Cultivation to Foundation Establishment.

Li Tongya spent one night breaking through and two more days consolidating his cultivation. Counting the days, he muttered to himself:"I've reached the third level of Qi Cultivation. Jing'er is probably at the peak of Qi Cultivation by now. I wonder how confident he is about Foundation Establishment. Rumor has it that the Southern Wilderness is dangerous; I hope he hasn't been injured."

A wave of doubt surged in his heart, and Li Tongya mused:"It's been many years since he left, yet he hasn't even sent a single letter home..."

Suppressing his unease, Li Tongya left his Meichi Mountain cave dwelling, found Li Xuanxuan, and whispered:"Have the Wuzuo worms spun their silk this year?"

"Yes, Uncle. They spun silk three times, producing a total of six cocoons."

Li Xuanxuan looked as if he hadn't slept all night, busy processing the demonic beasts Li Xuanfeng had hunted. His clothes were still dusty.

"Have someone spin the threads and weave a foot of spirit cloth."

Li Tongya stroked his chin, watched Li Xuanxuan nod and leave, and then mused:"Only this spirit cloth can block spiritual perception. I'll use it to cover myself so people don't remember my appearance. It's a shame the supply is so low; it would be best if I could make a cloak."

Picking up the wooden slip left by Li Chijing from the shelf, Li Tongya had read it countless times, fraying the cowhide string, and each time he marveled at its ingenuity.

Li Tongya had studied "Moon Abode Sword Arc" for over ten years, knowing it by heart. However, it consumed a great deal of energy, so he hadn't used it in actual combat several times.

"Sword talent truly can't be compared..."

Li Tongya gave a bitter smile. Several younger members of the Li family had now read both "Profound Water Sword Manual" and Li Chijing's "Moon Abode Sword Arc." Except for his eldest son, Li Xuanling, who had some talent, Li Xuanfeng and Li Xuanxuan found it incomprehensible.

After a moment of browsing, Li Xuanxuan brought the spirit cloth. Li Tongya took the grayish gauze, swept his spiritual perception over it, confirming it was impenetrable. He nodded, put away the gauze, and left the cave dwelling.

Taking several jade bottles filled with healing pills from his storage bag, Li Tongya then untied the bag and handed it to Li Xuanxuan. Lu Sisui had already descended on the wind, landing distantly at the foot of the mountain. Li Tongya rose into the air and quietly landed beside him, cupping his hands in greeting:"Senior Lu!"

Lu Sisui nodded. Without unnecessary talk, they both rode the wind eastward. Li Tongya followed at a steady pace, observing Lu Sisui's substantial pure qi and much clearer true essence compared to the Shanyue Qi Cultivators. He mused inwardly:"The Lu family also cultivates orthodox methods, so they must be absorbing the Minor Clear Spiritual Qi."

Years ago, when Li Tongya paid tribute with Wan Yuankai, he had heard Wan Yuankai mention that the Lu family's Qi Cultivation used Minor Clear Spiritual Qi. Now he was witnessing it firsthand.

After riding the wind for a while, Huaqian Mountain appeared distantly before them. Lu Sisui suddenly increased his altitude, slapped his left hand on his storage bag, and a talisman appeared in his palm.

"Whoosh—"

Lu Sisui threw the talisman with a backhand, and it flew straight into the sky, exploding into a large crimson flower overhead. Immediately, figures began to dart through the forest.

The people on Huaqian Mountain reacted very quickly. A semi-transparent shield had already emerged, and two figures rose into the air from within the mountain. The one in the lead, holding a long saber, had a solemn expression; it was Ji Dengqi.

"You're actually on Huaqian Mountain?"

Lu Sisui's expression was strange, his jade ruyi scepter had already shot out, and he chuckled:"Well, this works out. No need to ambush you anymore, Brother An, come out!"

As Lu Sisui's words fell, another person flew out from the forest. Li Tongya glanced sideways and saw a man with a stubbly beard and a large bald head. Judging by his aura, true essence flowed within him; he was a mid-Qi Cultivation realm practitioner.

"Lu Sisui!"

Ji Dengqi narrowed his eyes coldly, gazed at the group for two breaths, then struck back the jade ruyi with a saber and abruptly said:"What happened at Tangjin Gate?"

Li Tongya looked at the grim-faced Ji Dengqi, as if seeing himself on the day the Shanyue suddenly attacked and hearing the cold words "bear with it for now." He suddenly understood:"Just as the Shanyue and Qingchi Sect had agreed, the current siege of the abandoned families was likely part of the Qingchi Sect's and Tangjin Gate's promises. That's why Ji Dengqi hadn't received any news..."

Seeing Ji Dengqi engaging with the two, Li Tongya also moved to confront the Ji family's Qi Cultivator as agreed.

This person held a long staff, had a young face, looking no older than twenty-eight or twenty-nine, and wore an expression of nervousness and shock. Li Tongya slightly raised his hand, and a sweeping sword qi forced him to retreat repeatedly.

"This child has good talent, but it's clear he's spent over twenty years solely focused on cultivation. His spellcasting is clumsy."

Li Tongya forced him back with another sword strike, almost making him drop his long staff. On the other side, Ji Dengqi was fending off two opponents, and with a glance from the corner of his eye, he couldn't help but shout:"Friend who wields the sword! My Ji family is a confidant of Tangjin Gate's young master. Don't be deceived by those two. Retreat now, and my Ji family will not pursue this matter with you!"

Li Tongya sneered, sending the man's long staff flying with a sword strike, and then, as if by a sudden impulse, he declared:"My surname is Wan!"

Ji Dengqi was instantly stunned. He parried Lu Sisui's jade ruyi with a saber, using the force to propel himself northward.

"Don't run!"

Lu Sisui immediately joined the man named An to intercept Ji Dengqi. Li Tongya, meanwhile, reached out and caught the long staff. The opposing Ji family Qi Cultivator had already fled south, his true essence clear, indicating he also absorbed Minor Clear Spiritual Qi.

Li Tongya pursued on the wind. His River True Essence surged, making him slightly faster than his opponent. The other man, looking back, threw out several Fetal Breath Realm talismans, which made Li Tongya's heart ache.

"These are my spoils of war!"

Li Tongya split the incoming spells with a single sword strike, having already made a comparison in his mind.

The true essence refined from the clear qi of the river was more robust than that from Minor Clear Spiritual Qi, and his flying speed was also slightly faster. The only minor drawback was a slight slowness in turning and leaping.

After flying for dozens of miles on the wind, Li Tongya shattered the man's protective true essence with a sword strike, then changed his grip and thrust straight, piercing the man's back. The young man cried out in pain and fell crookedly.

Li Tongya slowly followed. He saw the young man in too much pain to form hand seals, falling bloodied with sounds of bones cracking, yet still reaching for his storage bag. Li Tongya, quick as a flash, severed his arm with a sword strike. Watching the man roll in agony, he then backhanded him, ending his life.

Picking up the man's storage bag, Li Tongya placed the long staff he had been carrying in his other hand inside. He then tied the pouch to his waist, finally having a storage bag to use.

Without time to examine his spoils, Li Tongya rode the wind back towards Huaqian Mountain. From a distance, he saw the three still locked in aerial combat, so he directed his sword towards Huaqian Mountain's formation.

Huaqian Mountain's formation was naturally not the old Earthlock Huaqian Formation but a new grand formation built by the Ji family. Though it had the defensive power of a Fetal Breath peak practitioner, one sword strike created a large hole that slowly healed itself.

Li Tongya struck a dozen more times. The formation, also under attack from the Lu family members below, flickered unsteadily, unable to sustain its spiritual power, and then shattered with a roar.

"Charge!"

Below the mountain, sounds of blades and swords erupted. Li Tongya concealed his figure and headed directly towards the courtyard.

Everything was empty and in disarray. Li Tongya's spiritual perception swept through, finding that all the people on the mountain had gone to the foot of it, and several storerooms were empty. Li Tongya pursed his lips, circled in the air, and found the entrance to the cave dwelling.

The formation at the cave entrance was still quite sturdy. It took over a dozen sword qis from Li Tongya to make it flicker. Then, a violent roar echoed.

"Boom!"

Lu Sisui in the sky, his true essence dissipated, covered in scorch marks, fell crookedly into the forest, spitting blood. The bald man quickly retreated, exclaiming in shock:"What kind of talisman was that?!"

Ji Dengqi remained silent, his face ashen. He swung his saber at the bald man, who quickly retreated, shouting:"That Wan fellow! I can't defeat him alone; come quickly to help!"

Li Tongya cursed inwardly. He had no choice but to abandon the cave dwelling, riding the wind to ascend from Huaqian Mountain. Immediately, a sword qi shot towards Ji Dengqi's back.

"Wan family remnant!"

Ji Dengqi's eyes widened. He turned and swung his saber sideways, dispersing the sword qi, then raised his blade and chopped down.

Ji Dengqi's true essence was sharp and surging, and his saber techniques were powerful and heavy. Li Tongya blocked several strikes with his sword light, retreating several steps in the air.

The spells conjured by the bald man clung to Ji Dengqi like festering sores, forcing him to turn and block. But then Li Tongya's sword qi arrived at his back again.

Ji Dengqi struggled to defend himself for the time it takes an incense stick to burn. The screams of the Ji family members below grew fainter. Ji Dengqi gritted his teeth, produced a talisman from his hand, and activated it, shooting it out.

"Oh no?!"

Li Tongya and the bald man quickly retreated. However, the talisman merely floated in the air, sputtering a few sparks. Looking back, Ji Dengqi had already flown a considerable distance away.

"We've been tricked!"

While the bald man was still regretting, Li Tongya had already strode several steps forward and said in a deep voice:"Absolutely cannot let him go! Pursue!"

Ji Dengqi had fought the bald man and Lu Sisui for a long time. Seeing that he could no longer hold out, he had to use his last-resort talisman. But then Li Tongya appeared, and with his true essence almost depleted, he could only flee northward in one breath.

Ji Dengqi had only fled for a few breaths when a jade ruyi scepter crashed towards his head. He had no choice but to stop and raise his saber, forced to halt abruptly.

Lu Sisui was flying crookedly on the wind, his legs stained with blood, seemingly broken from a fall. The old man still had blood at the corner of his mouth, his hair bristling, and he roared:"Don't let him get away!"

After being struck by the jade ruyi, Li Tongya's sword had already caught up to Ji Dengqi. Ji Dengqi furiously moved to block, his eyes bloodshot, knowing there was likely no escape today.

Seeing Ji Dengqi's resolute expression, Li Tongya deliberately slowed down by half a beat. He watched as the bald man moved forward, holding his sword, staring coldly at Ji Dengqi.

Ji Dengqi laughed heartily, unfastened the storage bag from his waist, threw it far away, then turned and raised his saber, chopping at the approaching bald man. Golden light pulsed from the blade, heavy with power, clearly indicating he was using his full strength.

Li Tongya and Lu Sisui exchanged glances, both using their true essence to seize the storage bag. The bald man parried several of Ji Dengqi's saber strikes, his hands numb and legs weak from the shock, retreating with a strange cry.

Ji Dengqi, however, pressed his advantage relentlessly. His long saber slashed upwards, aiming directly for the bald man's chest, as if intending to trade lives. The bald man had to dodge sideways, only to glimpse a cold flash of light emerging from Ji Dengqi's chest.

"Pfft."

Ji Dengqi coughed up blood and looked back, seeing Li Tongya retract his sword, shaking off the blood from the blade. He then softly plummeted to the ground, staining a large area red.

The two landed and cast a few more spells, confirming the man was truly dead. Only then did Lu Sisui, having retrieved the storage bag, fly closer on the wind. His leg wound had been roughly bandaged, and he spoke cheerfully:"Who will come with me to the Ji family's old den, Huazhong Mountain?"

"You two go ahead. I'll search Huaqian Mountain."

Li Tongya sighed, looking rather unenthusiastic. Most of the spirit stones and spiritual items were likely in Ji Dengqi's storage bag. Lu Sisui, despite being further from Ji Dengqi, had managed to "get the moon first from the water pavilion" (meaning to gain an advantage due to proximity), which was a pity.

Huazhong Mountain would only hold the Ji family's inheritance. Lu Sisui had already sworn a Profound Scenery Spirit Oath to share it, so Li Tongya naturally had little interest. He might as well check out that cave dwelling on Huaqian Mountain.

The man named An nodded and departed with Lu Sisui on the wind. Li Tongya then returned to Huaqian Mountain.

Huaqian Mountain was already in disarray, filled with cries and pleas for help. A circle of Lu family members had gathered in front of the cave dwelling. Having seen him fight alongside Lu Sisui earlier, they naturally bowed their heads and called him "Senior."

Li Tongya nodded. He spent the time it takes an incense stick to burn to blast through the cave dwelling's formation, then walked in openly, leaving the circle of Lu family members looking at each other, only able to wait outside the cave entrance.

Upon entering the cave dwelling, Li Tongya was greeted by a clear spring gurgling outwards. His spiritual perception swept across, and he reached into the spring, pulling out several jade stones.

After putting away the jade stones, Li Tongya continued without stopping, blasting open a stone door. Inside, he saw a tea table and stone stools, and on the table were two jade bottles, one large and one small.

The small jade bottle contained Jade Bud Pills, which Li Tongya casually put away. The large jade bottle, however, couldn't be stored in his bag. Li Tongya's spiritual perception probed it, revealing that it contained a strand of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, sharp and dazzling. Li Tongya had no choice but to tie the jade bottle to his waist.

The other stone chambers only contained miscellaneous items, and several letters from the Ji family's younger sister, written with sincere affection, carefully pressed by Ji Dengqi under a wooden slip. Checking the dates, the most recent letter was from five years ago.

"So the young master of Tangjin Gate is named Situ Yi..."

Li Tongya finished reading with a frown, a hint of surprise slowly dawning on his face. He mumbled aloud:"The Qingchi Sect has been making frequent moves in recent years. Our family must be extremely careful. If the Shanyue invade from the east, do not contend with them for victory. That Grand Shaman has waited a hundred years for this one person who can unite the northern foothills to serve as a sacrifice. On no account must he be killed. The wrath of a Purple Mansion realm cultivator is something we cannot bear..."

Li Tongya felt cold sweat break out all over his body, his hair standing on end. He silently put the letter into his storage bag and murmured to himself:"No wonder, no wonder Gani Xi attacked Lijing Mountain from the east, and the invasion of the Tangjin Gate tribes from the north went unpunished. And they told us to 'bear with it for now'... Perhaps that Grand Shaman paid a great price, allowing various Shanyue tribes to invade entirely to cover for Gani Xi alone. How ruthless, what a grand scheme!

To sweep across all tribes, creating the only unified great clan for the Northern Foothills Shanyue in a hundred years, and then to use this 'Son of Destiny' as a sacrifice—how utterly vicious! Once Gani Xi dies, who knows how much more turmoil the northern foothills will face!"

Li Tongya felt the sky above his head darken. He slowly raised his head, squinting at the ceiling of the stone chamber, as if seeing through layers of rock and the clear night sky for thousands of miles, perceiving large hands moving chess pieces.