Li Chijing circled the cave dwelling, tracing his finger along the faint golden formation patterns at the center with some uncertainty:
"Master only taught me a few talismanic arts, and I primarily practiced sword techniques in the sect. I don't know much about formations. This pattern doesn't resemble Yue's mainstream styles — it seems focused on gathering and nurturing spiritual qi."
"As for this spiritual eye gushing from the ground, it should be naturally formed. Someone later overlaid a formation to maintain its shape. With the spiritual eye's blessing, the qi in this dwelling is forty to fifty percent denser than outside."
Li Chijing carefully copied down the formation diagram, inspected all the furnishings in the cave, found no hidden passages or secret chambers, then walked to the stone table and looked at the white cloth upon it.
"Chiwei bows his head: that person has arrived at Moonview Lake. The sect has dispatched forces to intercept. I request that fellow Daoist act swiftly... should you encounter that person unexpectedly, please fly toward our Qingchi Sect's direction and notify us immediately."
Li Chijing read it for a while, considered for several breaths, and spoke with a complicated expression:
"It seems this person was one of those invited to hunt down the Palace heir centuries ago. He must have sensed the danger of what lay ahead, so he packed up everything in the dwelling clean..."
"That great battle happened right at the foot of Greater Li Mountain. After I joined the sect, I searched through records extensively, but the truth is deeply buried. The sect's records contain only a few sparse lines."
Li Xiangping grew fascinated and asked eagerly:
"What does the Qingchi Sect say?"
Li Chijing frowned and said gravely:
"Autumn, seventh month. Rogue cultivator Li Jiangqun obtains the orthodox method of the Moon Essence Primordial Palace, arrogantly declares the Palace destroyed. The Three Sects and Seven Gates are ordered to hunt him down at Moonview Lake."
At these words, before Li Tongya and the others could react, Lu Jiangxian — secretly observing through spiritual perception from Lijing Mountain — felt as though struck by lightning. He stood dazed, the lunar essence on the mirror flickering wildly, his mind wiped blank.
"Li Jiangqun..."
The name pierced his ears like piercing shrieks. In an instant his six senses went empty, and white light flooded his vision.
"This name sounds terribly familiar!"
Through the haze he saw flashes of sword light, dharma seals, talisman arts, and flying arrows — the radiance of spirit tools and dharma weapons shuttle back and forth before his eyes. The onslaught shattered him with a scream, and he lost consciousness instantly.
The dharma mirror floating in the air wobbled and slowly drifted down onto the stone platform.
Meichi Mountain, cave dwelling.
Li Xiangping frowned in deep puzzlement.
"If this Li Jiangqun obtained the orthodox method of the Palace, why would he declare the Palace destroyed? If he is the legitimate heir, whose orders were carried out to hunt him down at Moonview Lake?"
Li Chijing shook his head:
"There are deep waters behind this, likely thefilth of the Three Sects and Seven Gates. I fear that probing further would bring calamity upon our entire family!"
"Let's drop this."
Li Chijing changed the subject and asked gently:
"Does the family have any records of the Hundred Arts of cultivation?"
"None."
Li Tongya shook his head and explained:
"These transmissions cannot be found anywhere. Only the Wan family is willing to trade a set of formation records, but they require our dharma mirror's service."
Li Chijing considered for several breaths, then drew a jade slip from his storage pouch and said:
"The talismanic art passed down in the sect is called the Six Ren Talismanic Art. I have sworn the Profound Vision Spirit Oath and cannot reveal it, so it cannot be used by the family. Fortunately, when my master taught me talisman arts, he gave me a rogue cultivator's transmission as reference material. I can leave it for the family to study."
Li Tongya and Li Xiangping were overjoyed and accepted the jade slip from Li Chijing.
"This transmission is called the Talismanic Art of the Spiritual Nexus. It contains the methods for crafting twelve Embryonic Breathing stage dharma talismans and three Qi Refining stage talismans. Nothing too advanced — all common techniques."
Li Chijing smiled, then drew a stack of talisman papers from his storage pouch and explained:
"Drawing talismans requires three spiritual essentials: talisman paper, talisman brushes, and spirit ink. None can be omitted. Talisman paper is usually made from spiritual plants — the family should try to find seeds to grow their own, so you won't need to buy blank talisman papers at the market."
"Talisman brushes are a type of dharma tool. I don't have spares either. The family will need to look for them at the market."
"As for the spirit ink."
Li Chijing patted the brocade pouch at his waist and produced a small jade box:
"I still have some. I'll leave it for the family to use. When it runs out, you'll likely need to seek out the markets. If you truly cannot afford it, cinnabar mixed with spirit blood can also serve."
Li Xiangping took the jade box and said with a bitter smile:
"Drawing talismans costs so much. I'm afraid the family currently doesn't have the funds."
Li Chijing waved dismissively and pointed at the white jade bottle:
"This earthly fire miasma is actually quite rare in the State of Yue. Our family has no use for it right now. Selling it should easily cover all these items, with plenty left over."
Li Xiangping nodded after hearing this:
"I heard there's a market-fair at Moonview Lake. That would be convenient."
"The earthly fire miasma is valuable. If family members go to sell it, they'll attract unwanted attention. Tomorrow is the full moon — I should go myself, in my capacity as a Qingchi Sect disciple, to purchase everything we need."
The three discussed and finalized the details. Seeing that Li Chijing's time was pressing, they set off immediately for Moonview Lake.
---
Li Tongya and Li Xiangping applied the Spirit-Walking Art to their legs and moved with a burst of wind, while Li Chijing was more graceful — lightly stepping on the breeze, moving even faster than the other two. Li Tongya and Li Xiangping watched with envy.
After a while, the shimmering expanse of Moonview Lake appeared before them. Li Xiangping had not visited in over ten years.
"Back then when I came with Second Brother to retrieve the jade from the lake, we were still fifteen or sixteen. Now we've established families and even have children of our own."
Li Xiangping sighed, gazing at the stars scattered across the night sky. A dreamlike feeling washed over him — looking back, the past ten years felt as though lived atop clouds.
As though at any moment he might open his eyes and find himself back at that moonlit night, waiting anxiously in the reeds by the lake for Li Tongya's return.
"Time flies so quickly!"
Li Tongya murmured in agreement.
The three searched along the lakeshore for a while. Li Chijing and Li Tongya used their spiritual senses repeatedly until they finally found a stretch of shore where faint dharma fluctuations rippled beneath the surface — matching the description in the Lixia Secret Codex.
Following the method for entering the market recorded in Si Yuanbai's Lixia Secret Codex, they picked up a small stone by the shore, affixed a Golden Light Art to it, and hurled it toward the center of the lake.
The stone flew a short distance before plummeting down. The concealed formation in the air, triggered by the spiritual power, blazed with lines of silver light before rapidly fading.
"This formation has been triggered. A large boat should arrive to collect us before long."
Li Tongya and the others waited quietly on the shore as time ticked by and grew late. A hint of anxiety stirred in their hearts.
"If we miss this chance, dealing with the earthly fire miasma will become much more troublesome."