Li Chijing eased his sword back into its sheath. The greenish-white moonlight essence, like living flowing water, circled and patrolled around him, casting patches of moonglow across the ground.
Behind him, Xiao Yuansi waved his hand and dispersed the battered jade-element dharma shield that had nearly been on the verge of dissolving, then laughed softly.
"Junior Brother's sword aura is exceptionally keen. The Moonlight Autumn essence you have refined with the Moon Lake Mirroring Autumn Art is truly remarkable."
But Li Chijing was frowning, muttering darkly: "I heard the Tang Gold Gate has struck into the Xunlin Plain."
Xiao Yuansi sighed, his expression souring as he tried to console him. "The elders at home have told me the Li family is in no great danger. Do not worry yourself, Junior Brother."
Li Chijing lowered his head, tightening his grip on the sword, yet still spoke gloomily. "Elder Sister has told me of the household's affairs, but... why do I hear that not a single person was stationed at Xunlin Plain?"
Xiao Yuansi was struck silent for a moment, then dropped his brows and said quietly: "The Tang Gold Gate struck while our Qingchi Sect was changing watch. The guards on duty walked right into the trap..."
Xiao Yuansi spoke a few vague words, and seeing Li Chijing nod thoughtfully, hurriedly changed the subject. "These past few years the monsters to the south have grown restless. The Sect intends to draw up hands and send them south to fight them off. I looked at the roster, and besides our master, the Azure Ear Peak still has to send two more people."
Li Chijing tilted his head and asked: "What is Master's intention?"
Xiao Yuansi bent down, smiling. "Why, you and I go together, of course. Yuan Tuihuan is no fighter, so she will remain on the peak."
He clapped Li Chijing on the shoulder, still laughing. "You practice the sword. How can you make a name without charging through a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood? As for me... I have some skill at alchemy, and I suspect the Sect intends to send me as your logistics support."
Li Chijing's eyes lit up in sudden understanding, and he felt a surge of eagerness. "That is not a bad arrangement. It is only that I do not know how long such a campaign will keep us from home."
Xiao Yuansi nodded. "Quite right. Find the time to write home and tell your family. The Sect does not expect us to work for nothing either — asking for a few favors on the household's behalf is perfectly acceptable."
At this, Li Chijing perked up, asking enthusiastically: "Can the Sect bestow a cultivation art?"
"A cultivation art?" Xiao Yuansi frowned, lowering his voice. "You have already perfected the Moon Lake Mirroring Autumn Art. Why go seeking—"
Sudden comprehension dawned, and Xiao Yuansi spoke softly: "Is it that you wish to seek an art for the family?"
Seeing Li Chijing nod, Xiao Yuansi bowed his head in thought for a few breaths before speaking. "Cultivation techniques have always been a secret treasured by each clan. It will hardly be easy to ask for one."
"I was calculating the days," Li Chijing said dully, setting his blue sword on the table. "The brothers at home have nearly reached the peak of Embryonic Breathing, yet they have no decent Qi Refining art. I thought I might petition for one."
"Cultivation arts are precious beyond measure. Few will sell their own family's method at the market-fair, and fewer still carry one on their persons. When a clan is destroyed to the last, they would rather burn everything in a final blaze of mutual destruction than let it fall into enemy hands. Finding a suitable art to pass down is truly no easy task."
"Then how about this," Xiao Yuansi said, growing serious. "My Xiao clan will furnish the art, and in return you ask the Sect on my behalf for a Suiyuan Pill as payment."
"The Suiyuan Pill?!" Li Chijing blinked, then spoke with some urgency. "Elder Brother, are you about to break through to Foundation Establishment?!"
"It is merely for an uncle of my clan," Xiao Yuansi shook his head. "The pill improves one's chances of forming a foundation by half a percent. Its materials are not particularly scarce — it is only that the recipe is held tightly by the Sect, so the pills are given out only as rewards, making them hard to come by. In exchange, I offer you a third-grade cultivation art..."
"Elder Brother is quite sly." Li Chijing chuckled lowly. "Though the Suiyuan Pill is a Qi Refining stage pill, it has value but no market — precious indeed. A mere third-grade art does not buy it from me!"
Watching Xiao Yuansi's helpless expression, Li Chijing laughed aloud before speaking. "I will take my pick of two third-grade arts from the Xiao clan, plus one Qi-Gathering Art."
Xiao Yuansi could not help but laugh in exasperation. "One third-grade, one second-grade, plus the Qi-Gathering Art."
Li Chijing nodded, smiling. "Then do not palm off some low-grade market-fair stock on me, Elder Brother. I want a proper orthodox art — none of your ancient secret methods."
Xiao Yuansi laughed at his manner as well, and described the various arts one by one. Li Chijing listened carefully, then frowned. "Elder Brother, do you happen to have a Qi Refining art that draws on the Golden Autumn in the Lake? Lijing Mountain sits right beside Moonview Lake. It would be best to make use of that golden autumn of the lake."
Xiao Yuansi shook his head. "Things are never so convenient. The only one I have seen actually swallow the Golden Autumn in the Lake is you, with your perfected Moon Lake Mirroring Autumn Art."
Li Chijing thought for a dozen-odd breaths, then smiled. "Then let it be the third-grade River Qi Gathering Art and the second-grade Clear Spirit Method. Our household's territory is threaded with reed rivers and watercourses, so gathering the clear river qi will be convenient."
---
At the Meichi Mountain cave estate, Li Xiangping had been in seclusion for several days, finally adjusting his qi to its peak. He let out a long breath, aware that the spiritual power within him had grown more refined and condensed. The cultivation that had stagnated for years had at last shown signs of movement, drawing him a step closer to breaking through to the fifth layer of Embryonic Breathing, the Jade Capital Wheel. A flicker of joy rose within him.
Leaving the stone chamber, he found Li Tongya quietly inscribing talismans in the main hall of the estate. Seeing Li Xiangping, Li Tongya smiled and said softly: "Out of seclusion."
The three stone chambers of the Meichi Mountain estate had been renovated. One was stocked with spirit rice and spiritual treasures, while two were given over to cultivation. Li Xuanxuan was currently in seclusion within one of them.
Li Xiangping sat by the stone table, listening as Li Tongya recounted the news and the affairs of the household from his journey, his brow furrowed in thought.
"The schemes of the Tang Gold Gate and the Qingchi Sect are none of our concern," he said at last. "But the Ji clan has already blockaded our family in the mountains, and that cannot go unguarded."
"True enough, though the Tang Gold Gate has since retreated, Ji clan strength still far exceeds ours..."
Li Tongya nodded, speaking heavily. "Huagan Mountain and the entire territory of the Wan family lie in ruins. While passing through the Lu family's eastern lands, I heard they had lost a Qi Refining cultivator to the Ji clan. A feud now stands between the two houses, and they will never let it rest."
"That is to our benefit." Li Xiangping took a sip of tea, speaking low. "The Lu family has held Ji Dengqi pinned in the east, and beneath Huagan Mountain is nothing but rubble. The Ji clan will not be able to spare a hand to push westward for a decade or two. By then, Second Brother should have entered Qi Refining as well."
"Right." Li Tongya set down his brush and said quietly: "The next time we go to Crown Cloud Peak, if we sell off the old Daoist's goods, it should be enough to assemble one portion of Small Clear Qi."
Li Xiangping narrowed his eyes, growing serious. "Xuan'er still lacks decisiveness. Perhaps he has never seen blood. Once he breaks through to the Azure Origin Wheel, send him to manage the clan soldiers and kill a few monsters to season him."
"He is only fourteen or fifteen."
Li Xiangping shook his head, but Li Tongya gave a soft smile, jesting: "That is no sure thing! Some at fourteen or fifteen have already killed a man with their own hands, chopped him up and fed him to the wolves, then come home and calmly eaten a big bowl of noodles."