Chapter 304: Return (Part 1)

Wutuo Peak was shrouded in clouds and mist. Sunlight shuttled through the pale white clouds. The black-robed youth breathed slowly, and the spiritual energy and spiritual power surged into his lips and teeth like clouds and mist, scrambling for the lead, quite miraculous.

"Hoo..."

Sitting on a large cyan rock to the side was a woman, handsome in appearance, wearing jade armor, with a spear resting across her knees. Her jade-like hands held a pale jade slip, reading it with some distraction. On the corners of the jade slip were finely carved small characters.

"Folding Feather Spear"

The woman gestured silently in her hands. The youth beside her let out a long breath, spitting out white clouds. His eyes opened, and the morning glow in the sky was rising slowly. His face was full of worry:

Li Li Qinghong, who was on the cyan rock, put down the jade slip, picked up the long spear on her knees, jumped off the rock, and said in a muffled voice:

"Why not let me go out and find him!"

"No!"

Li Li Yuanjiao shook his head, hurriedly stood up to stop her, and said solemnly:

"When the Old Ancestor left, he specifically instructed me to take good care of you. So I called you to Wutuo Mountain to watch over you personally, just to prevent you from going out alone to find..."

Li Li Qinghong flipped her hand and put away the jade slip, shaking her head with some depression, and replied:

"If it's like this, who can calm their heart? I've read this spear technique the Old Ancestor got from the Xiao family over and over, and I can't help but worry about him. You cultivate and look at the sky from time to time, and you haven't made any progress either."

Li Li Yuanjiao shook his head, took out a warm jade from his bosom. The warm jade was dim and lusterless, with faint cracks appearing. Li Li Qinghong leaned over to look, opened her mouth, but couldn't say a word.

After the Li family became a noble family, Li Li Tongya specifically hired someone to craft this item. He had originally wanted to use soul wood or soul lamps to show fortune and misfortune, but was scared off by the cost, so he could only choose the cheapest Fate Jade.

This Fate Jade only needed to be dripped with blood and nourished for a period of time to show the life and death of the cultivator who dripped the blood. The cost was already high, and it required at least Qi Refining cultivation, so only a few Qi Refining cultivators of the 'Brother Xuan' generation and Li Li Tongya had them crafted.

This item should have been in the ancestral hall, but Li Li Xuanling and Li Li Xuanxuan took theirs to the marketplace. Li Li Xuanfeng's Fate Jade had lost its effect because it hadn't been nourished for too long. Only Li Li Tongya's remained in the family. Li Li Yuanjiao specifically took it out and looked at it from time to time.

Now seeing this Fate Jade dim and lusterless, the siblings looked at each other, both seeing worry in each other's eyes. Li Li Qinghong sighed long, her willow eyebrows curved, and she said gently:

"In the past, with Father and Grandfather at the top, my heart was always steady. Now that you and I have to support the family, one look ahead is a dark path, the Upper Sect is treacherous, and we must be vigilant day and night, making people secretly terrified."

"Indeed!"

Li Li Yuanjiao was the one among the children who felt it most deeply. When Li Li Tongya personally entrusted the Li family to him, he only felt it was incomparably heavy, pressing him until he couldn't breathe. Now, after thinking for a breath, he whispered:

"The effect of the 'Qi-Swallowing Spirit Talisman' is excellent. I am already at the fourth level of Qi Refining now, and I hope to reach Foundation Establishment within twenty years..."

Li Li Qinghong had just broken through to the third level of Qi Refining. Hearing this, she was quite envious and replied:

"As expected of a Foundation Establishment level talisman; it is truly not bad. In the past, your cultivation speed wasn't as fast as mine, but now you've surpassed me!"

As the two were chatting, someone came up from below. His eyebrows and eyes were somewhat similar to Chen Donghe's, looking about twenty years old, but he already had the cultivation of the fourth level of Tai Xi. It was Chen Chen Mufeng, the disciple of Li Ye Qiuyang, who had now been transferred back from the marketplace to work by Li Li Yuanjiao's side.

"Young Master, Young Lady."

Chen Chen Mufeng bowed respectfully and said:

"Young Master Brother Yuanping invites you; he says there is news!"

"What?!"

The siblings were overjoyed. They looked at each other and, without caring to say more, rode the wind together to Mount Lijing Town.

Wutuo Peak was not far from Mount Lijing Town. Li Li Yuanjiao's 【Qi-Swallowing】 had the effect of stirring clouds and mist, and Li Li Qinghong's 【Long Sky Endangered Sparrow】 also had the effect of enhancing flight speed. Flying, they were faster than ordinary Qi Refining cultivators. The two landed in the courtyard one after another. Li Brother Yuanping had already been waiting for a long time and hurriedly greeted them:

"Brother! Sister Hong! I have already obtained news of the Old Ancestor!"

Li Brother Yuanping didn't wait for the two to ask, and hurriedly told the news he had obtained. Li Li Yuanjiao was overjoyed first and asked repeatedly:

"Good! Good!"

After thinking for a breath, he was suddenly suspicious and said:

"Can this news be trusted?"

"It's about seventy percent..."

Li Brother Yuanping also knew that there were many doubts in it, and replied:

"The Old Ancestor felt it was nine deaths and one life before he left. It was hard enough to save his life, let alone... who would have thought this news would be so shocking... It doesn't look like something a Foundation Establishment cultivator could do. If it were a Early Zifu cultivator, it would be a bit more believable..."

"Sword-slaying Jinlian Mohe reincarnation..."

Li Li Yuanjiao laughed bitterly and replied:

"Think about it, and you'll know it's impossible. How much difference is there between a Jinlian Mohe and Foundation Establishment? Furthermore, the Jinlian Mohe plays with Fate. If he dies, it's probably intentional... probably in a hurry to reincarnate into the next life!"

Li Li Yuanjiao made a small joke to find joy in sorrow. Li Li Qinghong worshipped this Grandfather of hers to the extreme, but she believed this news eighty percent. A smile couldn't help but hook at the corner of her mouth, and she said softly:

"It should be that the Jinlian Mohe suffered a loss. Since the matter has ended and the warm jade hasn't shattered, we can just wait quietly for the Old Ancestor to return."

"That is the logic..."

Li Brother Yuanping nodded. Looking at the warm jade Li Li Yuanjiao held out, he also slowly set his heart at ease. The few talked in low voices for a while. Li Li Qinghong opened her mouth and said:

Although she said so, there was no joy on Li Li Qinghong's face. Her willow eyebrows were lightly furrowed. The two Li Yuan brothers also looked at each other. Li Brother Yuanping nodded and said:

"The Old Ancestor hasn't returned yet, and it's hard to avoid some trouble under the fame... We can only bite the bullet and accept these gifts, and adapt to circumstances!"

"This is a small matter."

Li Li Yuanjiao stroked the dragon-coiled jade at his waist and replied:

"I am more afraid of one thing... The Old Ancestor beheaded the Jinlian Mohe reincarnation. I don't know how many Buddhist cultivators he will offend!"

As soon as these words were spoken, all three turned pale, clearly having thought of this long ago. Li Brother Yuanping sighed and said in a muffled voice:

"Before long, I fear the Old Ancestor's prestige will ring through the entire Jiangnan and Jiangbei. There are so many sword cultivators, loose cultivators, and small Buddhist temples along the river. There will be plenty of troublesome matters!"

Li Li Yuanjiao looked at his younger brother and sister, stabilized the situation first, and said:

"Fortunately, the Old Ancestor is fine. Let's wait a while."

The few were chatting when a person fell from the sky. He wore grey robes, his face was square, and his eyebrows were solemn, but he was full of grief. There were wet marks on his sleeves, and he was covered in dust.

"Father!"

"Family Head!"

This person was Li Li Xuanxuan, who was stationed in the marketplace. Now that he had landed, the three juniors bowed hurriedly. Li Li Xuanxuan waved his hand, took out a few jade fragments from his sleeve, and mourned:

"Li Xuanling, has passed away!"

Li Li Xuanxuan's words exploded like thunder in the ears of the three. Li Brother Yuanping and Li Li Yuanjiao both turned pale. Li Li Qinghong raised her head blankly, her face turning pale as if she had lost all blood. She stared at the broken jade in Li Li Xuanxuan's hand and muttered:

"Passed away?!"

Her expression lost all blood, and she sat down softly, covering her face and saying nothing.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 305 =====