Chapter 351

Li Xizhi was bewitched by True Person Buzi's divine ability and flipped onto the table with a thud, losing all movement. He lost all six senses and fell into deep darkness, but the talisman seed in his Qi sea moved, and Li Xizhi vaguely broke the restraint and could hear some sounds.

Yuan Tuan's voice was soft and gentle:

"This junior greets the True Person."

Yuan Tuan was raising her eyebrows, forcing herself to be calm as she called out. The green-robed Daoist in front of her looked at her sideways, sat cross-legged, and picked up the jade teapot.

"Gurgle, gurgle..."

The emerald green tea poured into the cup. True Person Buzi did not respond, added tea for himself, and said softly:

"'Qingxuanyue' is, after all, an ancient method, and its grade is quite high, and you have wasted so much time... We never thought you could succeed in Foundation Establishment. Thinking about it, you must have your own opportunities. Not bad."

"The Old Ancestor praises me too much."

Yuan Tuan answered submissively. A breeze blew in the pavilion. The Daoist and the female cultivator sat opposite each other. True Person Buzi rolled up his sleeves, tasted the tea, and continued:

"What was the harvest?"

Yuan Tuan's heart skipped a beat. She pretended to be puzzled, frowned, and said:

"What does the True Person mean by this?"

True Person Buzi laughed, his gaze sharp, and his voice became cold:

"You secretly went to Guanyun Peak just to seek the Dao scriptures! I just don't know which Dao scripture the Yuan family wants? The 'Shangxiao Wenhao Scripture'? Or the 'Qingheng Luoyun Scripture'?"

He narrowed his eyes, looking at Yuan Tuan's submissive, head-lowered appearance, and thought to himself:

"'Qingxuanyue' clarifies the mind and guards the nature, prays for blessings and eliminates disasters. I don't know how much my divine ability can influence her."

Yuan Tuan was, after all, Foundation Establishment, not as easy to fool as Li Xizhi beside her. True Person Buzi stared at her and said in a low voice:

"It couldn't possibly be the 'Baishou Kouting Scripture' and the 'Jianghe Daling Scripture'! This is not something your tiny Yuan family can play with. Do not ruin yourself."

True Person Buzi's words were full of warning, causing Yuan Tuan to hurriedly lower her head to confess her sins. She opened her mouth to speak, but was abruptly interrupted by Buzi:

"But the former two are not impossible!"

He shook the jade cup and said warmly:

"Your family's Old Ancestor Yuan Licheng was brought up by my own hand. If he has the ability to find the 'Qingheng Luoyun Scripture', after breaking through to Purple Mansion, he can re-enter the sect, take Qingsui Peak as his main seat, and become a True Person of my Qingchi Sect."

"With the examples of Tang Yuanwu and Si Boxiu before us, adding a Yuan Licheng doesn't matter. This is the sincerity of my Qingchi Sect."

Buzi put down the jade cup and, seeing Yuan Tuan's thoughtful appearance, smiled:

"Many thanks for the True Person's guidance."

Yuan Tuan responded. Only then did True Person Buzi cast his gaze on Li Xizhi, who had lost consciousness beside him, and said in a low voice:

"The Li family, right."

"Exactly."

Hearing Yuan Tuan's affirmative answer, Buzi looked at Li Xizhi with interest and said smilingly:

"There is one more thing: back then, Senior Si Yuanbai said he obtained the Taiyin Moon Radiance himself and stuffed it to his disciple Li Chijing. We all thought he was being stupid, not using the good Taiyin Moon Radiance himself, and because of Si Boxiu, we couldn't go and interrogate him."

"Thinking about it carefully now."

True Person Buzi stared coldly at Li Xizhi and said softly:

"Senior Si Yuanbai is honest, not stupid. It should be that the Li family obtained the Taiyin Moon Radiance and gave it to Li Chijing through Senior Si Yuanbai's mouth."

His slender fingers hooked, and Li Xizhi, who had been slumped on the table, suddenly straightened up, dizzy and listless. True Person Buzi said softly:

"Where did the Li family obtain the Taiyin Moon Radiance?"

Li Xizhi looked as if he had been bewitched by his divine ability, stumbling through the story—from the Li family opening the cave on Meichi Peak and obtaining the Taiyin Moon Radiance, to Li Chijing bringing it back. The logic was sound, and True Person Buzi nodded slightly as he listened.

"That's true. For a tiny noble family, obtaining one ray of Moon Radiance is already lucky. How could they have a second?"

True Person Buzi was just lacking this ray of Taiyin Moon Radiance to refine pills, and he had just tried it on a whim. Hearing this, he sighed with regret and muttered:

"Perhaps I should find an opportunity to go to Wangyue Lake and search again. Perhaps there might be one?"

Thus, he stood up, flicked his sleeves, adjusted his shoes and socks under the pavilion curtain, and left on his own.

Yuan Tuan was silent beside the table for a long time before slowly exhaling. She pointed a finger to wake Li Xizhi and said warmly:

"Xizhi!"

Li Xizhi pretended to be confused, but he had the protection of the talisman seed in his body and had long since woken up. That explanation was also intentionally given. Hearing the promise the Qingchi Sect made to the Yuan family, he silently recorded it in his heart.

————

Li family.

Wutuo Peak.

Li Yuanjiao exhaled a long breath, his cultivation base gradually calming down. He had been in seclusion for several months the previous year and successfully broke through to the seventh level of Qi Refining. Now, after silently cultivating for half a year, his cultivation was stable.

As long as he spent a few more years accumulating, breaking through to the eighth level of Qi Refining, with the help of the Lu Pill, Foundation Establishment would be right before his eyes.

These two years had been fairly stable, but there were still demonic cultivators appearing on the Xunlin Plain, though not in large numbers. The Ziyan Sect north of Li Xia County began to be impacted by demonic cultivators. It seemed the rumors were not false. The group of demonic cultivators who had previously besieged Guanyun Peak feared the Xiao family's retaliation and dared not stay long, most of them turning north instead.

The Xunlin Plain had also seen many deaths for a time, but this place was originally the Yuan family's backyard. How could they tolerate a few demonic cultivators running wild?

The Yuan family's Old Ancestor, Yuan Licheng, who was at the peak of Foundation Establishment, personally took action, leading four Foundation Establishment clan cultivators to sweep and kill several demonic cultivators within their borders, driving the remaining ones out. The Xunlin Plain slowly stabilized.

The Li, Yu, and Fei families' Wangyue Lake huddled behind Li Xia County and the Xunlin Plain. With the Xiao and Yuan families blocking for them, they had suffered no losses and even gained many benefits.

Firstly, loose cultivators feared the demonic cultivators and retreated to Wangyue Lake, or fell into Great Lishan to open up their own traditions, or lived as guests in the scattered families on Wangyue Lake. Some loose cultivators had fled all the way here, fearing the wandering life, and obediently became guests of the Li family.

Secondly, the Guanyun market had been destroyed and the four borders devastated. Many loose cultivators had lost their routes for raw materials and goods, and with demonic cultivators running wild, it was not suitable to move around, so they could only find a large clan nearby to sell cheaply.

Li Yuanjiao had been in seclusion for more than half a year, and there had been many changes in the family. Li Yuanping had made a special trip to Wutuo Mountain to sort out the family's affairs one by one:

"In the East Shanyue area, there are a total of sixty-five Taixi cultivators, including guests, Shanyue, and clan cultivators. They take care of spirit objects. After deducting stipends, the annual production of spirit rice is 1,400 catties, combined with other spirit objects, it's worth about 20 spirit stones."

"In our own Lijing, Huaqian, Huazhong, and Yuting peaks, there are over seventy Taixi cultivators. After deducting stipends, the annual production is 1,600 catties, combined with other spirit objects, it's worth 25 spirit stones!"

Li Yuanping looked full of joy and said smilingly:

"Our family's annual profit is now 45 spirit stones. In five years, that's 225 spirit stones. We can finally afford the offerings for the Qingchi Sect!"

Li Yuanping had racked his brains for the family's balance of payments, and now that they had finally broken even, Li Yuanping's face was quite ruddy.

After all, the Li family now had a large family and a big business, and the expenses needed to maintain it were truly an astronomical figure. This wave of refugees from the road had finally eased the situation, and Li Yuanjiao also had joy on his face, then he heard Li Yuanping continue:

"There are ten Shanyue miscellaneous Qi cultivators with no combat power. Most of them do some transport and errands in the clan. There are five clan and foreign-surname miscellaneous Qi cultivators, all of whom have been placed in positions."

"As for Qi Refining, there is one more guest, also surnamed Li, called Li Qilang, at the second level of Qi Refining. He originally ran errands on the Xunlin Plain. Hearing that a Li family had appeared on Wangyue Lake, he ran over to seek refuge on his way."

There were few righteous cultivators among the loose cultivators, so being able to recruit one was not bad. Li Yuanjiao didn't care and put down the sword in his hand. Li Yuanping said:

"I have already sent people to the Yuan family to purchase the spirit spring matter. Although it will cost some money, we can plant the 【Wanling Flower】 first. We cannot wait any longer."

"Not bad."

Li Yuanjiao praised, and Li Yuanping waved his hand, bringing up an old monkey.

The old monkey was now wearing Daoist robes, wearing shoes and socks on its feet, and tied a storage bag around its waist. Its eyes were bright, its temperament was plain, and there was an inexplicable feeling of an enlightened high cultivator in its walk.

This old monkey's snow-white hair was disheveled, and it was dressed neatly. It had already learned to write, but could not speak. It just bowed respectfully and handed over two jade slips.

One was "Travels of the White Monkey," an autobiography of the monkey demon's life. Li Yuanjiao read it roughly.

It turned out that this monkey demon was born in Qingkong Mountain in the Wu Kingdom. It was originally a monkey demon in the mountain. It didn't know how many years it had cultivated. It broke through to Xuanjing and slowly gained wisdom, only to be caught by people to pound medicine.

Later, the 【Qingkong Temple】 that caught it was destroyed. It drifted to the border of the Wu Kingdom, 【Tujun Sect】, and was still arranged by people to pound medicine. After more than ten years, 【Tujun Sect】 was destroyed, and it finally fell into the hands of the Yu family.

The Yu family lacked manpower and saw that it was proficient in this way, so it still let it pound medicine.

"Truly proficient in this way..."

What followed was the destruction of the market. Li Yuanjiao only scanned it roughly and then switched to the other jade slip.

This one was "Sayings of the Medicine Pounder," recording the medicinal properties and conflicts of more than a thousand kinds of spirit herbs, which made Li Yuanjiao marvel. At the end, two pill formulas from unknown sources were attached:

【Yuya Pill】 and 【Mingxin Pill】

Both were the most commonly used pills for Qi Refining cultivators. His family's pill books already had records of them, so their value was not high. The records of medicinal properties in the front made Li Yuanjiao beam with joy. Looking at Li Yuanping, his eyes were also full of smiles.

As for the monkey demon's own cultivation technique, it relied entirely on breathing before Taixi. After Taixi, it was the demon cultivation technique bestowed by the Yu family, but it had been cast with some spell and could not be recited.

Li Yuanjiao comforted the old monkey with good words and stuffed two bottles of pills into its arms. The old monkey was not polite, stuffed the pills into its pocket, nodded heavily, and bowed.

"Head of the Family!"

The brothers were just talking about intimate things when Shamoli silently came up, his expression a bit strange. He leaned into Li Yuanjiao's ear and whispered:

"Head of the Family! A... pig demon has come down the peak, dressed neatly, saying it is a demon soldier from the Dazhu Cave, here to visit..."

"Demon soldier? Here to visit?"

Li Yuanjiao was stunned. Although he had never heard of the reputation of this Dazhu Cave, he immediately thought of the Foundation Establishment pig demon at the northern foot of Great Lishan and asked softly:

"What is its cultivation?"

"Peak of Qi Refining."

Shamoli whispered in response. Li Yuanjiao frowned and said:

"Go and invite it up."

Shamoli nodded and went down. Li Yuanping, who was beside him, pondered and said:

"It should be that the pig demon has something to discuss, but our family's Old Ancestor's reputation is too great, and it dare not come in person, so it sent a small pig demon to pass the message."

"Not bad."

Li Yuanjiao held the sword hilt, having some guesses, and said in a deep voice:

"I have heard some news. It should be that our family has risen, our territory has gradually grown larger, and these demon creatures cannot get blood food and are often killed by cultivators entering the mountain, so they are resentful."

The two were just chatting in low voices when a white pig about six feet tall walked up quickly. It stood on two legs, with a fat head and big ears, looking quite funny. If it weren't for the bone fork in its hand, one wouldn't even be able to see the ferocity of a demon creature.

"Pig Er from the Great Lishan Demon Cave greets the Great King of the Li family."

The pig bowed honestly, but its eyes were sizing up the old monkey on the side. It only felt that the monkey's cultivation technique had never been seen before, and it was suspicious in its heart, but it called out respectfully in its mouth.

"Is it the messenger of that pig demon in the mountain?"

Demon creatures had always been bullies who feared the tough. Moreover, this pig demon looked like it had eaten many people, and its whole body was dark. Li Yuanjiao naturally had no good expression and called out unceremoniously, staring at the pig demon.

"Exactly, exactly."

Although this pig demon had high cultivation, it was scared to death of Li Yuanjiao in its heart. It moved its big head, and not knowing how to be tactful, it hurriedly said:

"Your cave occupies all the blood food under this mountain! My family cannot get a share. The Great King hasn't had a good meal for more than ten years..."

It turned out that although the Great Lishan Demon Cave never restricted demon creatures from going out of the mountain to eat people, it only included demon generals and those who had left their names in the cave. Some small demons and ordinary wild beasts were generally not managed.

Although this pig demon had left its name in the cave and was not allowed to go out of the mountain to eat people, it could drive some small demons to go out and catch some people, occasionally eating one or two meals. The Great King was far away, and the Great Lishan Demon Cave would not manage it too broadly.

After all, how many demon creatures entered and exited Great Lishan? Which demon creature didn't eat two people when passing through the mortal world? But the Li family had risen, and the pig demon's blood food was becoming less and less, so it was naturally dissatisfied.

Li Yuanjiao saw that this pig demon was cowardly and fearful, and glared fiercely. The pig demon was immediately scared and recited like beans pouring out of a bamboo tube:

"Your cave was originally the master of this place, occupying all the blood food under this mountain. It is reasonable not to allow my family's disciples to come and take advantage, but your cave has repeatedly slaughtered my Great King's soldiers recently. Isn't that too unreasonable!"

When the pig demon said this, Li Yuanjiao and Li Yuanping looked at each other and immediately understood:

"So it was loose cultivators entering the mountain to kill demons, killing indiscriminately without distinguishing between right and wrong, hurting this pig demon's subordinates..."

This small pig demon was still kneeling on the ground, fearful and cowardly, and said in a low voice:

"My Great King... hopes to get some blood food as compensation. It only needs a hundred strong men."

Li Yuanjiao heard this and frowned:

"Loose cultivators have always entered the mountain. These loose cultivators came for profit. They killed demons and ran away. How can it be counted on our family? Your Great King is just looking for an excuse to extort our family!"

After speaking, he sneered, and with a clang, he pulled out his sword. The scales on the 【Jiaopan Ying】 in his hand flickered, and he scolded:

"Do you really think my family is easy to bully!"

Before the words fell, a moon-white Moon Palace sword arc lit up in his hand, and he slashed down. The pig demon was at the peak of Qi Refining and reacted very quickly. Its big head shrank, and a thick black mist surged, covering itself.

"Clang!"

The Li family's set of sword techniques was the fiercest at the start. The pig demon suffered a small loss in its haste. The moon-white sword Qi forcibly broke through the black mist and passed through the pig demon's cheek like a light, cutting a piece of flesh from the pig demon's greasy face.

"Ah!"

Pig Er screamed, retreated several steps while covering its face, and hurriedly said:

"A misunderstanding! The Great King's misunderstanding!"

Li Yuanjiao wanted to keep it here to sacrifice to the Dharma Mirror, but this pig demon had a background after all. At the moment, he didn't draw his sword again, picked up the small cloth on the table to wipe the 【Jiaopan Ying】 as if nothing had happened, and said fiercely:

"Tell your Great King, if it has the ability, send someone to test it again. Don't try to use its pig head to test the sharpness of my family's Old Ancestor's precious sword!"

"Yes, yes, yes."

This pig head kowtowed endlessly. Li Yuanjiao said in a deep voice:

"See the guest out!"

Li Yuanping hurriedly dragged the pig demon down and said nicely:

"See Brother Pig down."

After Shamoli took people down and the old monkey also retired, Li Yuanjiao put away his sword and said softly:

"This pig demon is suspicious and came to test our family. At this time, there can be no hesitation."

"Demon creatures have always been bullies who fear the tough."

Li Yuanping echoed and said in a low voice:

"Anyway, this pig demon is restricted by the demon cave and can never go down the mountain. Even if it makes things difficult for our family, it will only send a few Qi Refining demon creatures to our family's hands. That is exactly what we want."

(End of chapter)