novelraw Chapter 330 - 303: Return (Part 1)
Chapter 330 - 303: Return (Part 1)
Clouds shrouded Wutu Peak, with sunlight darting through the pale white mist. The young man in black exhaled slowly, his spirit mechanism and spiritual energy rushing into his mouth like the surrounding fog, eager and mysterious.
"Hoo..."
Sitting on a large bluestone beside him was a woman of stunning beauty, clad in jade armor, with a spear lying across her lap. Her delicate jade-like hands held a light-colored jade slip, from which she read intently, its corners finely etched with a few small characters.
"Feather Breaker Spear"
The woman silently mimed the movements with her hands while the young man let out a breath, exhaling a white mist. His eyes snapped open to the slowly rising morning glow, his expression full of worry:
"The ancestor has been gone for several days now, and we haven’t heard a single piece of news."
Li Qinghong placed the jade slip down and picked up the spear on her lap, leapt off the bluestone, and said in a muffled voice:
"Why not let me go look for him?"
"No!"
Li Yuanjiao shook his head emphatically, quickly standing up to stop her, and spoke seriously:
"When the ancestor left, he specifically instructed me to take good care of you. That’s why I brought you to Wutu Mountain to watch over you personally, to prevent you from going out alone to search..."
Li Qinghong flipped her hand to stash away the jade slip, slightly frustrated, she shook her head and responded:
"How could anyone stay calm at a time like this? I’ve read the spear technique from the Xiao Family time and time again, unable to help but worry about him. Your cultivation also lacks progress, as you frequently glance at the sky."
Li Yuanjiao shook his head, pulling out a warm jade from his chest, its surface dull and faintly cracked. Li Qinghong came closer to look, opened her mouth but no words came out.
After the Li Family rose to the ranks of the noble families, Li Tongya had this Life Jade specially made. He had initially wanted something like a soul wood or a soul lamp that could indicate fortune and life or death, but recoiled at the cost and settled for this cheapest Life Jade.
Once inscribed with blood and nurtured over time, the Life Jade could reveal the life and death of the cultivator who did so. It was already expensive, requiring at least a qi cultivator’s blood, which is why only a few of the "Xuan" generation qi cultivators and Li Tongya had one made.
Normally, these Life Jades should reside in the ancestral hall, but Li Xuanling and Li Xuanxuan had taken theirs to the market. Li Xuanfeng’s Life Jade had lost its function due to lack of nurturing. The only one left at home was Li Tongya’s, which Li Yuanjiao had taken out to check from time to time.
Seeing the Life Jade now dull and lusterless, the siblings exchanged a glance, both seeing the concern in each other’s eyes. Li Qinghong exhaled deeply, her willow brows curved as she spoke softly:
"The past feels secure with father and grandfather shielding us overhead. Now, it’s up to us to support the family, and it’s nothing but darkness ahead, the Upper Sect’s dangers, the worry for Qian by day and Li by night, filling one with quiet fear."
"Indeed!"
Li Yuanjiao felt this most deeply among his siblings. When Li Tongya entrusted the family to him, the weight of the jade box felt immense, crushing his breath. Pondering for a moment, he said in a low voice:
"The Spirit Devouring Talisman’s effect is excellent. I am now at the fourth layer of Qi Cultivation. Perhaps there is hope for Foundation Establishment within twenty years..."
Li Qinghong had just broken through to the third layer of Qi Cultivation and couldn’t help feeling envious upon hearing this:
"That’s the power of a Foundation Establishment level Talisman Qi. It’s really remarkable. You used to cultivate slower than me, but now you have surpassed me!"
As the two conversed, a person approached from below, with features resembling Chen Donghe and around twenty years old, but already at the fourth layer of Qi Cultivation Level. It was Chen Mufeng, Li Qiuyang’s disciple, who had been summoned back from the market to serve by Li Yuanjiao’s side.
"Young master, Miss."
Chen Mufeng greeted them respectfully and said:
"Master Yuanping has sent for you, saying there’s news!"
"What!"
The siblings were immediately overjoyed. They glanced at each other and without further ado, both hastened on the wind towards Lijing Town.
Wutu Mountain was not far from Lijing Town. Li Yuanjiao’s "Cultivating Qi Devouring Spirit" could manipulate clouds and mist, and Li Qinghong’s "Long Sky Risky Sparrow" could enhance flight speed. They flew faster than typical qi cultivators, one leading and the other following, they landed in the yard where Li Yuanping had been waiting for a long time and promptly greeted them:
"Brother! Sister Qinghong! I’ve received news about the ancestor!"
Li Yuanping didn’t wait for the two to ask questions and quickly described the news he had received. Li Yuanjiao was initially overjoyed and repeatedly exclaimed:
"Good! Good!"
After pondering secretly for a moment, he soon expressed doubt:
"Could this news be trustworthy?"
"There is about a seventy percent chance..."
Li Yuanping also knew there were many doubtful points and answered:
"Before the old ancestor left, he felt it was a matter of life and death, with slim chances of survival. Who would have thought that such astonishing news would be passed around... I wouldn’t have expected it had it not been for Foundation Establishment, but if it were a Zifu, it might be somewhat credible..."
"Sword slashing Maha Reincarnation..."
Li Yuanjiao chuckled bitterly and replied:
"Just thinking about it, one would know it’s impossible. How much does Maha differ from Foundation Establishment? Moreover, Maha meddles with fate; if he were to die, it would have been intentional... He’s probably just in a rush to be reborn!"
Li Yuanjiao joked amidst his suffering, and Li Qinghong, who profoundly admired her great uncle, actually believed the news by eighty percent. The corners of her mouth couldn’t help but raise in a smile as she whispered:
"It must have been Maha who suffered a loss. Since the matter has already been settled, and the Warm Jade hasn’t shattered, we should just quietly wait for the old ancestor to return."
"That’s the idea..."
Li Yuanping nodded his head, looking at the Warm Jade revealed by Li Yuanjiao and also slowly calming down. After the three of them discussed in low voices for a while, Li Qinghong spoke up:
"Now that the old ancestor has gained renown, it’s probably only a matter of days before the news spreads far and wide. We’ll have to promote once more the so-called ’Sword Immortal Family.’ The families around South River will want to come and congratulate us, bringing small gifts..."
Though she spoke in this way, Li Qinghong’s face didn’t show joy but was instead slightly furrowed. Li Yuanjiao and his brothers also exchanged glances before Li Yuanping nodded and said:
"The old ancestor has not yet returned, and with such fame comes inevitable trouble... We can only accept these congratulatory gifts for now and adapt as necessary!"
"That’s a minor concern."
Li Yuanjiao then caressed the Jiao Carved Pillar at his waist, adorned with scales, and said:
"I’m more worried about one thing... The old ancestor has slain Maha’s reincarnated form, and I don’t know how many Buddhist Practitioners we have offended!"
As soon as these words were spoken, both of them nodded, their faces showing alarm, as they too had already considered this. Li Yuanping sighed and said in a low voice:
"It won’t take long before the old ancestor’s fame resonates throughout both South and North River. Along the river, there are countless Sword Cultivators, Loose Cultivators, Buddhist small temples—plenty of troublesome matters!"
Li Yuanjiao looked at his younger sister and brother, steadying their stance first, and said aloud:
"Fortunately, the old ancestor is unharmed; let’s just wait for now."
While they were speaking, suddenly a person descended from the sky, wearing a grey robe with a proper countenance, solemn and stern in eyes and brows but filled with an overwhelming sorrow. His sleeves showed spots of dampness, and his clothes bore the dust of travel.
"Father!"
"Family Head!"
This person was Li Xuanxuan, who had been in charge of the marketplace. Now, as he descended upon the wind, the three younger family members hurriedly knelt down, but Li Xuanxuan gestured for them to stop and took out several pieces of shattered jade from his sleeve, sadly saying:
"Xuanling... has passed away!"
Li Xuanxuan’s words exploded in the ears of the three like a thunderclap. Both Li Yuanping and Li Yuanjiao turned pale while Li Qinghong, stunned, raised her head, her face turning pale as she stared at a piece of shattered jade in Li Xuanxuan’s hand and murmured:
"Passed away?!"
Her complexion suddenly turned as pale as if drained of blood. Li Xuanling was her birth father, and upon hearing this news, it was impossible for her not to be heartbroken. She just sat down softly, covered her face, and said nothing.