Chapter 33: Xiao Yuansi

"Qingchi Sect, Qingsui Peak?"

Li Tongya and Li Xiangping looked at each other in dismay. Li Tongya hesitated for a few breaths before speaking:

"The Immortal Sect envoy must be here regarding Jing'er."

Li Xiangping hurriedly stood up and led the others toward the foot of the mountain. They had barely stepped out of the courtyard gate when they saw a cultivator dressed in moon-white robes, with a string of brocade pouches hanging from his waist.

The cultivator had a handsome face and an ethereal temperament. He stood quietly in front of the courtyard, smiling as he looked at the group.

"Xiao Yuansi of Qingsui Peak, greetings to all fellow Daoists."

Xiao Yuansi bowed slightly, his face full of smiles.

"Li Xiangping of the Li family, paying respects to the Immortal Sect envoy."

Li Xiangping did not dare to be presumptuous and led the group behind him in a hurried bow. Xiao Yuansi stepped slightly to the side to avoid it and said with a smile:

"You are all the family of my junior brother, so there is no need for such grand formalities. I have come here today representing only myself, not as an Immortal Sect envoy."

The group replied in succession, and Li Xiangping said respectfully:

"Please, Immortal Master, come in."

In front of this high-level cultivator from the Qingchi Sect, Li Tongya and the others were no different from mortals, and this address of "Immortal Master" was spoken with genuine sincerity.

Xiao Yuansi stepped into the courtyard, found a place to sit, and said softly:

"I was originally fulfilling an important task for my sect, heading to Li Xia County to capture demons. My junior brother misses his family dearly, so I had him write a letter, which I brought along to Great Lishan."

"We dare not, we dare not! For the Immortal Master to travel thousands of miles to deliver a family letter, the Li family is filled with inexplicable gratitude!"

Li Xiangping replied respectfully. Seeing Xiao Yuansi hand over a greenish-blue bamboo tube as thick as a thumb, he hurriedly took it.

"You all should read it first!"

Xiao Yuansi took the tea offered by a servant, took a light sip, and said with a smile.

Li Xiangping and the others nodded hurriedly. Li Tongya used his thumb to gently wipe away the wax seal on the bamboo tube, tipped it into his palm, revealing a curled, pale white letter, and hurriedly unfolded it to read.

"Jing bows his head. It has been over a year since I left home. I wonder if Father and my brothers are still in good health. Jing'er is doing well in the Immortal Sect. I have now refined the Qingyuan Wheel, the Yujing is in sight, and I have also cultivated sword techniques; my cultivation has advanced greatly..."

"My senior brother, Xiao Yuansi, has reached the seventh level of Qi Refining. He is most skilled in alchemy and is honest, kind, and gentle. If the family has any matters you cannot decide, you may seek his help. If you need anything, do not hesitate to ask him. Upon my return, I will compensate him within the sect..."

"Accompanying this letter is a jade slip. The sword technique recorded within is called the 'Profound Water Sword Art'. The spells I have cultivated were all taught by the sect and cannot be leaked. Only this Qi Refining sword technique was gifted by my senior brother. I have asked my senior brother, and it can be sent to the family. This sword technique is not very difficult; the family can practice it for self-defense."

"I have heard that the Tangjin Gate has been causing many border provocations. The family should remain patient for now. I have already asked my senior brother to greet the garrison cultivator in Li Xia County. If the family has any trouble, you can use the jade seal to call for help..."

"I am very comfortable in the Immortal Sect, so do not worry. Cultivating here is twice as effective with half the effort, much better than Great Lishan. Are there any major events at home? Is Xuanxuan still obedient? Is there... anything unusual at home? Please reply to me."

After reading the letter, Li Xiangping felt a wave of sorrow, his eyes turning slightly red. He bowed to Xiao Yuansi and said:

"I have been rude, making the Immortal Master wait so long."

Xiao Yuansi waved his hand with a smile, placed a jade slip on the rosewood table, and said:

"No need for formalities, it is only human nature. This is what my junior brother asked me to bring along."

Seeing Li Tongya step forward to collect the jade slip, Xiao Yuansi said softly:

"If the family has any difficulties or doubts, feel free to bring them up."

Li Tongya and Li Xiangping looked at each other and said in unison:

"We do have some doubts. Please, Immortal Master, follow us."

The group dismissed those around them and walked up the stone path of the mountain courtyard. Before long, they arrived in front of a large, lush banyan tree. Gently circling around the banyan tree, behind it stood a small tree hanging with five fruits.

"Oh?"

Xiao Yuansi lowered his head to look, pinched a spell with his hands, and his palms suddenly glowed with a pale white light. Only then did he reach out to touch the fruit, and after carefully identifying the leaves for a few breaths, he explained:

"This spiritual root is called the Snake-Dragon Fruit. One plant should have six fruits. Following this spiritual root upward, the higher the fruit, the sooner it matures. When the first fruit matures, only by picking it will the one below continue to mature."

"The characteristics of this spiritual root are such that the maturation of the second fruit and the first is about five years apart. It can also be seen as bearing fruit once every five years, one at a time. Looking at the color of this first one, the previous fruit was picked over four years ago, and this one is also about to mature."

Xiao Yuansi pushed aside the lowest branches and leaves of the Snake-Dragon Fruit, and sure enough, he saw a tiny, tender green fruit—that was the newly grown sixth one.

"I wonder what use this fruit has?"

Li Tongya listened carefully and asked respectfully:

"My Qingchi Sect also has over a dozen of these. It takes several hundred years to bear a golden fruit to nurture new plants. These red Snake-Dragon Fruits are mostly used to refine Snake-Origin Pills, which are used to reward meritorious disciples in the Embryonic Breath and Qi Refining realms within the sect, to increase the speed of nourishing the wheel and refining Qi."

Li Tongya and Li Xiangping looked at each other in dismay. The Li family was currently destitute; where would they find an alchemist! The two of them had cultivated for so long, yet they had never even eaten an elixir.

Seeing the difficult expressions on their faces, Xiao Yuansi smiled lightly:

"If this fruit is eaten raw, it would probably only serve to shorten the time for one person to nourish the wheel and refine Qi."

Seeing the two of them looking like they wanted to say something but hesitated, Xiao Yuansi suddenly realized and said:

"I can refine a batch of elixirs for you with this fruit now. With my current alchemy cultivation, this Snake-Origin Pill will likely yield seven to eight pills. However, according to the rules, I will give you six, and any extra will belong to me."

Li Tongya and the other naturally agreed repeatedly, thanking him with great joy. Xiao Yuansi nodded, patted the brocade pouch at his waist, and a jade box suddenly appeared in his right hand.

Xiao Yuansi pinched a strand of magic power in his hand, tapped the stem of the fruit, and used his magic power to catch it. The Snake-Dragon Fruit then landed gently into the jade box.

"Except for some special herbs and spiritual fruits, most must be stored in jade containers so as not to damage their spiritual nature. Then, use magic power to pick them so as not to damage the fruit."

Xiao Yuansi explained in a soft voice while picking the fruit.

"I will open the furnace to refine the elixir tomorrow!"

He patted his brocade pouch lightly, and the jade box disappeared from his hand, leaving Li Tongya and the other envious.

"Are there any other important matters?"

Xiao Yuansi asked with a smile after putting away the jade box.

"Thank you, Immortal Master!"

Li Xiangping and the other first thanked him, then took a piece of animal skin scroll from their sleeves and offered it to Xiao Yuansi with both hands.

Xiao Yuansi took the animal skin scroll, untied the white rope binding it, and gently unfolded it with his right hand to look.

"Mist Confusion Array?" ===== CHAPTER 34 =====