Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror

Chapter 303 - 277: Immortal and Demon (Part 2) (Double-Length)

"Taoist Fellow, please leave for now. In future, do not consume men on my family’s lands. If there is a next time, I fear you will not escape so easily."

"Many thanks, Family Head."

Murong Xia cupped his hands, strode from the courtyard, summoned the wind and departed. Tian Youdao and the others glanced at the siblings’ faces and, wisely, withdrew. Li Qinghong tucked a strand of hair, seated herself to the side, and smiled:

"This old man again speaks of my family’s lord discussing the Dharma with the Maha Dharma Appearance, and claims only those within are true Immortal Cultivators. Clearly, he’s truly frightened."

Li Yuanjiao still gripped the Jiao Carved Pillar and replied:

"Who wouldn’t be afraid? The millet stalk beats the wolf, and both sides fear—he dreads our Sword Immortal’s reputation, but we’ve never crossed swords with devil cultivators ourselves, our hearts are as uneasy as drums. That old man appears at most to be at the seventh or eighth layer of Qi Cultivation, yet he’s refined such a sinister thing—he’s certainly at Foundation Establishment level. Never before has such a powerful cultivator come to our territory."

The two exchanged a glance, neither mentioning the more than one hundred unjustly slain. Li Yuanjiao sighed softly and replied:

"Act to your measure of skill—as long as we can drive him away, it’s the best result. These days, the devil cultivators in South River grow ever more numerous; from now on, peaceful days will be few."

Li Qinghong nodded slightly and asked:

"The magic disasters all across Yue Country... Could Sister-in-law perhaps gather news from the Xiao Family?"

Li Yuanjiao shook his head and answered:

"No word yet. Instead... we have news from the Yuan Family."

Li Qinghong raised an eyebrow, and saw Li Yuanjiao speak with concern:

"Qing Sui Peak’s Yuan Tuan has already entered isolation, preparing to break through to Foundation Establishment. According to the Yuan Family, Yuan Tuan has great confidence this will succeed—within four or five years. If the breakthrough comes, Qing Sui Peak’s inheritance will be hers—which means she’ll certainly take in disciples and teach. Our Li Family seeks to cultivate influence within the sect; we must not miss this chance!"

Li Qinghong’s thoughts stirred, instantly discerning Li Yuanjiao’s intent. Her fine brows drew together as she replied:

"Brother means... Xizhi."

Sending one to Qing Sui Peak requires at least seven years of age; ten to twelve is best. Li Yuanping is yet unmarried; Li Yuanyun, though with two children, the younger is only one—too young, the elder is eight, but lacks a Spirit Aperture; neither suits the need.

Among the current Xiyue generation of Li Family, only Li Yuanjiao’s own son Li Xizhi is four or five. Four or five years hence, he’ll fit Qing Sui Peak’s requirements. Seeing Li Qinghong pondering, Li Yuanjiao nodded and replied:

"If the talent is apt, we’ll have no choice but to send Xizhi."

Li Qinghong pursed her lips and replied:

"Will Sister-in-law consent?"

Li Yuanjiao sipped his tea, recalling Li Tongya personally handing him the shimmering-scaled Jiao Carved Pillar—silent.

————

As Li Yuanjiao and Li Qinghong conferred atop Lijing Peak, lights likewise blazed in the mountain’s lower courtyard. There, several desks were arrayed, with small plates of delicacies and mountain fare set out, sauces poured at the side. At the lower seat sat a youth, appearing seventeen or eighteen, at third layer Fetal Breathing cultivation, lounged askew.

"Come, come!"

The upper seat youth, face slightly pale and lips devoid of color, smiled at his counterpart and chuckled lightly:

"Brother Xiao Xian, are you settling in?"

"Settling in! Settling in!"

Xiao Xian hurried to reply. For years he had often come to the Li Family and was familiar with Li Yuanping; perhaps it was that Li Yuanping bore a dominance from Lady Dou. Despite several years’ difference, Xiao Xian always remained somewhat constrained before Li Yuanping, not daring to act freely.

Li Yuanping smiled. His features had more of Lady Dou’s dignified strength and a sense of broad bearing. He moved the tea on the desk, found a topic to discuss, and asked:

"Why do the nobles need to use Green Crow Mine so suddenly?"

Xiao Xian cupped his hands and answered:

"With magic disasters rampant, the price of magic artifacts rises daily. My family happens to possess a fire vein and an artifact refining tradition—so Father seeks to profit in this chase."

"I see!"

Li Yuanping nodded slightly, shot Xiao Xian a glance, and brought up two topics concerning Li Qingxiao. Xiao Xian listened attentively; as back-and-forth loosened the conversation, Li Yuanping said:

"Brother Xiao Xian, about the great Northern Xu affairs... what do you know?"

Xiao Xian was already slightly tipsy. Seeing Li Yuanping sober, he quietly admired him and replied:

"Brother asked me to inquire last year; by now, I’ve learned a bit."

He paused, then continued:

"In the past century, Xu Country’s Immortal Path has steadily declined; heresy arises everywhere, monsters roam the land. Four years ago, the Three Sects and Seven Doors joined with the South River Zifu cultivators, advancing north together and driving the heretics back north."

"The campaign was led by Jin Yu Sect and Xiuyue Sect, and the Sword Immortal Shangyuan Perfected Person of pinnacle Zifu headed the ranks—he slew two Compassion dharma forms and three demon lords; only then was Xu Country swept clean."

At this point, Xiao Xian grew puzzled, paused, and spoke:

"As to Brother’s request for information on these Zifu Taoist Foundations... that’s rather hard. I gathered what news I could in every direction, and only learned of a few."

"Green Pond Sect’s Perfected Person cultivates ’As Heavy as Turbidity’; Xuan Yue Sect practices ’Foolish Rushing Mountain’; Tang Jin Sect rarely has Perfected Persons appear, but they cultivate ’Gold Carving Stone’; lastly, Ziyan Sect’s Perfected Person cultivates ’Winding East Mountain.’"

Xiao Xian took a sip of wine, clarifying:

"These Perfected Persons, before attaining Zifu, trained down the mountain, leaving many traces behind. I searched my family’s archives for ages to piece together their Immortal Foundations one by one."

"Thank you, Brother!"

Li Yuanping acknowledged softly, memorizing the news. Xiao Xian did not ask why Li Yuanping sought such information, but wisely kept silent.

"Brother, your capacity is vast. I am not so strong..."

The two exchanged several cups—yet as it was Spiritual Wine, Xiao Xian, with his limited cultivation, was now slightly dizzy, and bitterly asked to take his leave.

Li Yuanping had obtained what he desired, and did not bid him stay. Watching the Xiao Family retainers help him out, he moved his cup aside—though inside remained always the clear tea; having matched drinks with Xiao Xian so long, he was naturally not drunk.

Li Yuanping cleared the desk, spread out brush and ink, recorded everything carefully, folded it with care, and passed it to the trusted subordinate at the lower seat, speaking gently:

"For Elder Brother."

Li Yuanping and Li Yuanxiu both came from Lady Dou’s womb; under her influence, the Li Family’s ancestral roots of sly cruelty had faded, replaced by a straightforward dominance.

Dou Yi took the letter, and Li Yuanping glanced at him; in Dou Yi’s mind appeared the three-inch Jade Armor tinted with Phoenicia Flower, when Li Yuanping laughed and asked:

"Did Mother’s slap reach your household’s Master?"

Dou Yi nodded hurriedly and stammered:

"Master, it did! It did! Master personally knelt in the courtyard. I relayed it word for word, every ounce of force accounted for—the red mark still rests on one cheek..."

"Hahaha."

Li Yuanping laughed thrice, shook his head without reserve, and said with candor:

"All you people fear power but know not virtue. My elder brother, for Mother’s sake, has forgiven repeatedly—yet your master shows no restraint. Now, he’s lost face and wounded friendship; he has only himself to blame!"

Dou Yi did not dare utter a word, simply replied meekly, and when Li Yuanping fixed his gaze upon the little letter in his hand, he fled; only then did Li Yuanping turn back to the desk, murmuring:

"It’s only that I do not know to which Dao this Cave Spring Che Qi’s Immortal Foundation, ’Cave Spring Sound,’ belongs..."

He went over the wooden slip twice more before frowning:

"Three Sects and Seven Doors exert such strict control—if our family is to have a future, we must obtain information within the sect. There is no time to delay!"

Li Yuanping watched the crooked candle flame and recalled how, as a child, he and Elder Brother Li Yuanjiao held night after night of secret talks by the bedside—of that shimmering, scale-laden Jiao Carved Pillar, personally handed down by Li Tongya. His complexion paled further, as he murmured:

"The Xiao Family is, after all, an out-clan. That Xiao Chuting is shrewd and calculating—I cannot guess what he plots, and he is not one easily dealt with. Still, my family must rely on them; for now, we can only move forward step by step..."