Chapter 267: Picking Up the Bride (Part 1)

Lijing Mountain.

The side courtyard was swept spotlessly clean. Li Jingtian set up a wooden frame and took advantage of the clear weather to dry some wooden slips. Just as she was carefully arranging them, a little girl of seven or eight years old hurried into the inner courtyard, dressed in a festive red dress with gold patterns, holding a brocade pouch, and smiled:

"Mother! When will Brother Jiao go to pick up the bride!"

Li Jingtian pulled Li Qingxiao into her arms, checked the time, and answered gently:

"The time should be near. You tidy up your clothes, and we will go down the mountain together."

"Oh..."

Li Qingxiao was also eight years old. When she was tested last year and found to possess spiritual apertures, Li Jingtian was overjoyed and hurriedly let her take a cultivation technique to practice. Everyone had come to offer congratulations, and Chen Donghe was also quite satisfied. The couple closed the courtyard to watch Li Qingxiao practice for a period of time, only to discover something wrong.

Logically, Chen Donghe's talent was good, and the Li family were descendants of Foundation Establishment cultivators. With Li Qingxiao possessing spiritual apertures, her talent should not be inferior to Chen Donghe's. But after watching for a while, the couple found that Li Qingxiao's talent was really not good. The Profound Scene Wheel required condensing eighty-one strands of spiritual energy, and it took Li Qingxiao nearly half a month to condense just one strand...

By this calculation, it would take Li Qingxiao more than three years to have a chance to condense the Profound Scene Wheel, which was about the same as the descendants of foreign-surname cultivators at the foot of the mountain. Moreover, Li Qingxiao was practicing the 'Upper Lang Wheel-Nurturing Method' that Li Tongya had brought back from Ling Yanzi, which was specially prepared for their own family's cultivators who had not received talisman seeds. It was already better than what those foreign-surname cultivators practiced; otherwise, it would be even slower.

The couple sat opposite each other and pondered for a long time. Chen Donghe looked at the others of the Yuan-Qing generation and even felt guilty, feeling that the Chen family's bloodline was impure and had delayed Qingxiao.

Seeing Li Qingxiao respond, Li Jingtian could not help but instruct:

"When that Xiao family boy gives the jade ring to your Brother Jiao, you give him the brocade pouch and say some auspicious words. It's just some customs, remember them well to avoid gossip from others."

Li Qingxiao nodded obediently. Li Jingtian picked up the wooden box on the side and explained:

"The journey is long, so I have prepared some pastries for you. Eat some in the carriage so you won't be hungry."

Li Qingxiao held the wooden box in her hand, blinked her eyes, and suddenly asked:

"Mother, I heard that I will also have to marry into the Xiao family like Sister-in-law..."

Li Jingtian paused, her expression complex and unspeakable, and only replied:

"It is still too early. Who can say clearly about things ten years from now."

Li Qingxiao nodded and smiled:

"If I have to go to the Xiao family to find a husband, Mother must pick one who is good to Qingxiao..."

Li Jingtian only pulled her hand, her voice a bit low, and greeted:

"Go down first, lest your brother waits anxiously."

————

The foot of the Li family mountain was also lively, decorated with lanterns and colored banners, much grander than the wedding at the Lu family back then. Red silk hung everywhere, and the sound of suona echoed through the Li family path, which was already filled with joy. The mountain and the foot of the mountain were all filled with festive cheer.

Since conquering Huazhong Mountain and Yuting Mountain more than half a year ago, the Li family's territory had almost doubled. Li Xuansuan planned to establish seven towns under Huazhong Mountain and Yuting Mountain, plus the four towns of Lijing and the three towns of Huaqian, totaling fourteen towns, emerging with a large amount of land for reclamation and laborers. The population of the seven towns, which had gradually become crowded, had a place to go, and the entire Li family appeared vibrant.

Just like the golden age brought by the conquest of Huaqian, the commoners of the Li family once again gained the opportunity to climb upward. The seven towns were surging with activity, and people's hearts were set on progress.

As long as one was not a lazy person who did nothing, working hard would always lead to a piece of land or a bucket of gold. The common people did not want much, only to survive, and this kind of opportunity was already a great luxury.

The stagnation and stagnant water originally brought about by the increasing number of Li family members and various prominent surname disciples had been cast to the nine heavens. The wealth and military merit brought by external invasions allowed more talent to stand out, and several prominent surnames vaguely had a premonition.

"The wind is rising and the clouds are surging; there must be a time for change... Seven towns have produced five prominent surnames, and the north has produced seven more towns. How many people are struggling to get ahead..."

Li Yuanjiao was at the center of the storm, only holding his sleeves and tidying the gold patterns on the cuffs of his red robe. He was in charge of the Clan Justice Court, so he naturally understood the restlessness of the Li family. He straightened his wedding robe and smiled:

"There will be good times ahead."

From the moment Li Tongya broke through to Foundation Establishment and formed a marriage alliance with the Xiao family, the destruction of the An family in the north became an inevitable trend. From the Foundation Establishment ancestor and Qi Refining immortal cultivators down to the great prominent surname clans and the common people, everyone was looking forward to it with anticipation.

Now that all levels were benefiting and the Xiao family was personally marrying off their daughter, everyone was even more supportive and fearful of the Li surname. Li Yuanjiao saw all this, so he was naturally in a great mood. The clan uncles on the side did not know what Li Yuanjiao was laughing at, only thinking he was happy for the wedding, and kept offering congratulations. Only Li Yuanjiao's several concubine-born brothers looked at each other and smiled silently.

Seeing that the time was near, Li Yuanjiao and his group mounted their horses and followed the customs to pick up the Xiao family members. Fortunately, the Xiao and Li families were not too far apart, and Embryonic Breath cultivators had amazing stamina, so it was not too much trouble. If the two families were far apart, they could only go through the motions and send someone to ride the wind to pick up Xiao Guiluan.

Xiao Guiluan had descended the mountain and was waiting in the prefecture. After sitting in the sedan for a while, she finally heard that someone had come to pick up the bride.

The group naturally came to pick up Xiao Guiluan. After standing at the foot of the mountain for a while, the Xiao family's ceremonial team appeared in the distance, festive and cheerful, with red petals all over the ground. Li Yuanjiao waited silently for a while, watching the gorgeous sedan move in front of him. A boy of about ten years old jumped down, also dressed festively, holding a round jade disc in his hands, and said respectfully:

"The phoenix sings loudly, prospering for five generations, the peach blossoms are scorching, a perfect union for a thousand years... The gate is glorious, forever tied in harmony."

When the boy finished saying the auspicious words, Li Yuanjiao thanked him and took the jade disc. A pink and tender girl also emerged from behind, naturally Li Qingxiao.

Li Qingxiao was still a child after all, and after sitting in the carriage for the whole journey, she appeared a bit listless, but the child was sensible, not crying or making a scene. She smiled and stuffed a brocade pouch into Xiao Xian's hand, took him into the carriage, leaving only Xiao Guiluan in the bridal sedan.

Li Yuanjiao dismounted, offered incense and wine, and performed the Xiao family's rituals fully. It took a full hour before he finished. He nodded, turned his horse around, and followed leisurely beside the sedan, heading towards the Li family.

Only then did he have time to glance at the sedan. He did not use his spiritual sense to probe, but carefully looked at the graceful figure cast on the curtain. Li Yuanjiao said softly:

"Fortunate to meet."

The figure paused slightly, picked up the round fan in her hand, and the pale shadow was cast down. A clear voice came from behind the curtain, light and nimble, only replying:

"Waiting for you for a long time."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 268 =====