Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror

Chapter 319 - 292: Devouring Fate

Yuanwu Peak, as one of the top five peaks of the Green Pond Sect, stands twice as tall as the adjacent Qing Sui Peak. Towering from above, it overlooks the ranks of immortal peaks. Clouds and mist coil around its cliffs, and because it is the foremost peak for artifact refining, fiery veins gush forth; cultivators come and go at all hours, bustling with lively activity.

Within one of Yuanwu Peak’s hidden cave mansions, the Spiritual Energy is dense and lush, Spiritual Spring spurts forth. The black stone is particularly eye-catching amid the pure white Spiritual Mist. A crystalline jade table gleams, upon which rests a pot of wine and two Jade Cups.

The man on the left wears white robes, a jade crown upon his head. His features are handsome and refined, immortal in bearing; between his brows lingers a transcendent aura. He holds a Jade Cup in hand, his posture graceful as an immortal, smiling gently as he says:

"Foundation Establishment truly is different; from now on, I can live and breathe at will, gain three hundred years of life, and have acquired some Divine Skills!"

The man on the right is of average appearance; hearing this, he nods with comfortable ease, pauses, and says:

"Muxian, you have endured these twenty years of flesh peeling and bone shedding—at last, you’ve survived it."

"A mere trifling hardship."

Yu Muxian does not care, waves his hand, his expression resolute, and smiles faintly, saying:

"Senior Brother Tang, I only wish to master Divine Skills and achieve the Metal Nature; a thousand sufferings I would gladly bear. Though the Golden Melting Cave is painful, it leads directly to the great Dao of Zifu—I would not trade it for anything."

Senior Brother Tang nods in admiration, his tone warm:

"Now that you’ve achieved Foundation Establishment, will you be sending word home? I notice you haven’t contacted the Yu Family for quite a while."

"There’s no need!"

Yu Muxian’s expression turns cold, immortal aura frosty, his voice deep:

"Chi Zhiyan deliberately told Yu Mugao certain things, startling Mugao into unease. It’s been years since my brother wrote to me; he’s always cunning, and likely saw through my stories and no longer trusts me."

"Yu Yufeng is dead, the Yu Family has lost power upon the lake. Never mind providing Foundation Establishment level Precious Medicine—even daily supplies grow scarce. The Yu Family is now useless; so long as they don’t hold me back, it’s enough."

Senior Brother Tang shows no surprise, just furrows his brow and says:

"Why not lift the Yu Family up, have them scour the lake for treasures for you?"

"That cannot be."

Yu Muxian shakes his head, replying:

"Xiao Chuting is a master schemer, his Immortal Foundation is terribly bizarre. I do not wish to cross him. Supporting the Yu Family will bring more trouble than profit. This is what a wise man would not do."

Senior Brother Tang suddenly understands, sips some Spiritual Tea, and asks:

"Junior Brother is indeed prudent. However you wish to act, just tell me—your Senior Brother may lack Cultivation Level, but I do have some connections."

Yu Muxian ponders a few heartbeats, then replies:

"The powers on the lake must remain unchanged; this is the fruit of many sides compromising. The predestined fate Furious Moha seeks is drawing near—all eyes of the Zifu are fixed on us. We must not act rashly."

"Once Li Tongya has crossed the river, and the Zifu’s major matters have been settled, I will steady the situation on the lake—ensure no upheaval."

Senior Brother Tang falls silent for a breath, then says:

"You mean, at this moment, we must lie low..."

"Indeed."

Yu Muxian nods slowly, his voice soft:

"Though the South River now seems clear, beneath the surface dark currents surge. To the north is Maha Reincarnation; to the south is Witchcraft refining Talismans. Foundation Establishment, for all its dignity, is but a minor chess piece on this stormy board. We can only bow our heads, quietly waiting."

Senior Brother Tang sighs deeply, sips his tea, and shakes his head, saying:

"It’s only a pity Yu Yufeng cultivated the ’Jade Court General’ and clashed with that Sword Immortal. If he hadn’t died, he might still be of use."

"He brought about his own death!"

Yu Muxian’s face finally shows a change, a faint indignation as he says:

"Shangyuan Perfected Person required Jade True Six-Nine Merge with Void Nature. As soon as I joined the sect and heard this, I immediately warned him—yet he still courted luck, secretly performing Blood Sacrifice within the Yu Family! In the end, he was exposed. If I hadn’t cleared myself quickly, I would have been implicated!"

"After all, it is the matter of blocking another’s path to the Dao."

Senior Brother Tang lets out a long sigh.

————

Li Yuanjiao and the others quietly knelt before the stone gate of the Cave Mansion, waiting for a while, until a man walked out—his face solemn as still water, shoulders broad, a sword on his back, appearing about sixty years old. He strode from the Cave Mansion, and the younger generation of the Li Family all bowed respectfully, saying:

"Greetings, Ancestor!"

"Mm."

Li Tongya responded, holding two small letters in his hand. Glancing at Li Yuanjiao below, he spoke warmly:

"Not bad, you’ve reached the Fourth Layer of Qi Cultivation."

Li Yuanjiao’s talent was already good; at the time of Talisman bestowment, a reserve of Cultivation had gathered inside him, increasing constantly. While Li Qinghong was secluded in breakthrough to the Third Layer, he advanced naturally to the Fourth Layer. Now he bowed his head slightly and said respectfully:

"It’s all thanks to Talisman Qi."

Li Tongya sat at the jade table in the Cave Mansion, produced the two small letters from his sleeve—one of which had been written by Li Yuanjiao, describing the affair of Yu Muxian. The matter was known to both, so he put it aside and picked up the other, which came from Guanyun Peak:

"Respectful uncle, uncle Lingen has gone north for three months and not yet returned; the Jade Talisman shines clear and unharmed."

"Uncle Xuanling... missing?!"

Li Tongya nodded slowly, as if not surprised at all, only fixed his eyes upon Li Yuanjiao, and asked in a low voice:

"Yes. What do you think?"

Li Yuanjiao paused slightly, pondered in his heart, bit his lip, and said in a low voice:

"Third Uncle is missing, his fate unknown. I ought not to speak, but to be honest... I suspect deception!"

"Oh?"

Li Tongya nodded, as though the missing person was not his own kin, and said steadily:

"Why?"

Li Yuanjiao cupped his hands and answered:

"Uncle Xuanling is always prudent—a months-long absence without any news is unlike him... If tidings are long in coming, yet the Jade Talisman remains undimmed and unbroken, he must’ve been trapped on purpose. It is a drunken man’s intent, with the wine not at heart; most likely to lure the tiger from the mountain, or draw the snake from its hole. If not against you, Ancestor, then surely directed at Lijing Mountain."

Li Tongya nodded approvingly, saying warmly:

"If I continue staying atop this mountain, never going north, in a few months someone would appear bearing Xuanling’s handwritten plea for help, forcing me to go."

Li Yuanjiao said bitterly:

"And if Ancestor still refuses to go?"

"Then they’ll send back his severed head."

Li Tongya shook his head, a smile on his lips:

"These great ones have coveted my fate for years. I’ve crossed blades with them many times. This is the last play: if I obey, only my son and I will die; if I refuse and defy them for life’s sake, the toll will be much higher."

"So it was the mighty ones of Zifu Maha..."

Li Yuanjiao muttered ambiguously, a touch of reluctance in his voice:

"I just don’t understand why they must harm you, Ancestor."

"At first, I didn’t understand either—I thought some Zifu sought my Immortal Foundation."

Li Tongya laughed softly, his gaze locking with Li Yuanjiao’s, and gravely said:

"It was only when Murong Xianan came, and Minghui intervened to stop me, hinting at the truth, and after much inquiry did I realize..."

"The one seeking my life is not Zifu... but Maha."

Li Yuanjiao’s brows knit tight, pain surfacing in his heart. He stroked the Jiao Carved Pillar at his waist, and said in a low tone:

"But... but Maha does not need Immortal Foundations. What use is harming you, Ancestor?"

Li Tongya unfastened the Green Ruler Sword, unwound its layers of wrappings, flicked his finger; the longsword sprang out an inch, blue-white and crystalline. Sword Radiance gleamed, lighting up his brows and eyes, and his steady demeanor changed instantly—now snake-jiao peril flickered upon his face.

Li Tongya gazed tenderly at this Foundation Establishment Peak Immortal Sword, and gently said:

"Immortal Cultivators eat Qi; Buddhist Practitioners eat life. Maha covets the fate I carry as a whale-jiao of the deep seas."