Atop the peak of Qingsui Peak stood a small pavilion wreathed in mist, its windows carved from cloud and moon. The gentle morning sunlight poured over the pavilion, gilding it in gold.
Sitting on a greenstone before the pavilion, Li Chijing slowly exhaled a breath of clear air. He opened his eyes and gazed out at the boundless sea of clouds before him. His handsome brows lifted, and he thought to himself:
"The Azure Origin Wheel is finally complete!"
"Our clan's art has a tremendous origin. What it has forged is no ordinary Azure Origin mana but Moonlodge Azure Origin. Not only is the mana dense, it surpasses the mana of ordinary arts by far."
He rose, straightened the blue robe on his body, stepped into the pavilion, took down a sword that glittered coldly from the wall, and with a turn of his wrist traced a flourish of sword-light.
"The Xuanming Water Sword Art my senior brother gave me counts as an introduction, I suppose. Although a third-grade art requires at least the Qi Refining stage to wield, the art itself is not difficult — it is most easy to learn."
"Father's health — I wonder how he fares. Have my elder brothers completed the Orbital Wheel? I have heard the Tang Gold Gate in the west has been stirring of late. The two clans share a border of several thousand li. I wonder if our Li family has been touched by it."
Troubled by these thoughts, Li Chijing lost all desire to practice his sword. He slumped across the desk and flipped through a jade slip listlessly, his mind already wandering a thousand li away to the Li family.
"Junior brother!"
A bright, laughing call came from outside. A man with bushy brows and big eyes walked in from beyond the pavilion — his senior brother, Xiao Yuansi. He grinned at Li Chijing behind the desk and said:
"Junior brother, guess what good news I've brought!"
"Senior brother, you must be teasing me."
Li Chijing gave a wry smile, shook his head, put away the jade slip in his hand, and arranged an expression of attentive listening.
"Master is sending me to Lixia Prefecture on an errand!"
Xiao Yuansi raised an eyebrow, then went on to ask:
"Will you have any letters to send home?"
"Yes, yes, thank you, Senior brother! Senior brother, you are too kind!"
Li Chijing was immediately overjoyed. He thanked him repeatedly, fetched paper, ink, and a brush, and at once began to write.
Xiao Yuansi smiled faintly and said softly:
"Take your time. Give them to me tonight."
— — —
Just before dawn, Li Xiangping slowly emerged from his meditation, and thought:
"The qi sea is already full. In another half year of cultivation, I can try to coalesce the Orbital Wheel."
Counting the time, he, Li Xiangping, had been stuck at the Orbital Wheel for nearly four years. His pace of cultivation was maddeningly slow. By now, Jing'er had probably already begun to charge toward the Azure Origin Wheel.
Stepping out of the room, Tian Yun was sunning herself at the door. She moved to rise when she saw Li Xiangping approach.
"Ah, wait, wait."
Li Xiangping waved his hands quickly, took her arm to support her, and said gently:
"You are carrying a child now. Be careful — do not harm the baby's qi!"
Tian Yun smiled gently, looked into Li Xiangping's eyes, and said in a soft voice:
"Ever since I became pregnant, my body has not been at ease."
She gave a little yawn, then said with a touch of worry:
"I hear that boy Qiuyang's cultivation is improving by leaps and bounds. I often think — if our child is not born with that spiritual aperture, then a century from now the branch will be strong while the trunk is weak. That is no blessing for the Li family."
Li Xiangping was struck dumb for a moment. He fondly patted her head, then laughed aloud:
"Do not worry. Our child will have the spiritual aperture as well. I shall handle the affairs of the house. You need not trouble yourself."
"As for Li Qiuyang, at most he has just achieved the Profound Vision Wheel a little earlier. There is no need to pay it too much mind."
Seeing the confident look on her husband Li Xiangping's face, Tian Yun gently leaned into his arms and murmured:
"So long as you have it in hand, that is well."
The two were still wrapped in their tenderness when Liu Linfeng came rushing headlong into the front yard. Catching sight of the scene, he skidded to a halt. For a moment, red-faced, he did not know whether to advance or retreat.
Tian Yun gave a small smile, and with Lady Ren's support withdrew. Li Xiangping looked at Liu Linfeng in some surprise and asked with a smile:
"Uncle, what has you in such a rush?"
"One of my Liu clan boys went out the mouth of the Li Road, walked several dozen li along the Ancient Li Road, and by chance ran into a farmer who was out hunting. The man was very wary — he took one look at our people and ran. My boy did not dare to pursue, but he marked the place and came back to report."
Liu Linfeng panted and hurriedly spoke to Li Xiangping.
Li Xiangping frowned. Just as he was about to speak, another figure rushed in through the gate. The two looked, and saw it was Li Yesheng.
Li Yesheng was also flushed and panting, clearly having run from the head of the village to its tail without a moment's rest. Without even drawing a breath, he said:
"Patriarch! News from Lichuan Kou — an immortal has come, calling himself a cultivator of the Wan clan under the Azure Pool administration, and requests an audience."
"Oh no! Most likely he followed that boy of ours here!"
Liu Linfeng slapped his thigh and, full of regret, gave himself a sharp slap across the face.
Li Xiangping rubbed his brow, exhaled a long breath, and said in a low voice:
"Don't panic. Whoever comes is also of the Azure Pool administration. He will not strike outright."
He looked up at the people gathered around him and called:
"Where is second brother?"
"The immortal master went up the mountain early this morning. He has not come down yet."
"Uncle, go up the mountain. Tell second brother the whole story, and have him stay on the back mountain and not come down. Yesheng, you come with me to Lichuan Kou."
Liu Linfeng assented and hurried up the mountain.
Li Xiangping, with Li Yesheng and a few village men of Lijing Village behind him, made his way along the country path toward Lichuan Kou.
At the mouth of the Li Road, they ran into one of Xu Wenshan's fellows. Li Yesheng walked and asked the man as they went:
"What did that fellow say?"
"That immortal master has been very quiet. He sat in the main hall, said not a few words, and just sat with his eyes closed regulating his breath."
The man answered with great composure.
Even as he spoke, Li Xiangping and the others had arrived before the door. He straightened his clothes, stepped forward, and looked at the person sitting in the chief seat.
The boy looked quite young, only in his teens. His features were fair and delicate. He wore a moon-white long robe, and now opened his eyes to look at Li Xiangping.
"Li Xiangping, of the Azure Pool administration."
Li Xiangping had not yet formed the Jade Capital Wheel, and his spiritual perception had not yet awakened. Unable to gauge the boy's cultivation, he cupped his hands in a modest bow.
To his surprise, the boy, hearing this, seemed to relax. He rose at once and said very politely:
"Wan Yuankai of the Wan clan, of the Azure Pool administration, greets the patriarch of the Li family."
"Please, please, I am merely a humble cultivator of the Li family. The patriarch is my father."
Li Xiangping waved his hands repeatedly. Seeing how modest the man was, the great stone in his heart dropped, and a smile appeared on his face.
"A few days ago, my father heard that the one on Qingsui Peak had dispatched men to garrison west of the Ancient Li Road. He was overjoyed, and sent me, a junior cultivator, westward to make inquiries, hoping to make the acquaintance of you, my friends. I happened upon one of your villagers, and so came unannounced. Please forgive the intrusion."
Wan Yuankai was visibly excited. He apologized politely and gave a slight smile:
"My father has sent me with a congratulatory gift."