Chapter 368: Advancing to the East Bank

"Written on the evening of the twenty-eighth day of the twelfth lunar month. There is heavy snow on the lake. The one hundred and twenty spirit stones mentioned are enclosed with this letter. All is well at home, save for the fact that Great-Granduncle Tian was killed by a demonic cultivator and perished in the clan's affairs."

"You should wear mourning clothes and abstain from alcohol for three months. Work hard within the sect, and continue your studies in the various paths of immortal prescriptions, profound discourse, and cinnabar. Obtain resources from home if needed."

"Written by Father, Li Li Yuanjiao."

Li Li Xizhi looked at the small pile of spirit stones stacked on the desk before him, speechless. He flipped the letter in his hands over and over, reading it more than a dozen times, holding it blankly.

His father, Li Li Yuanjiao, was not one to speak soft words. Even the words in the letter were stiff, concise, and clear, as if he were too lazy to say another word to him. Li Li Xizhi pursed his lips, reading it over and over again, blinking his eyes to force back a few tears.

Calculating the days, if this letter had not been delayed at the Yuan family's place, his family would have gathered these one hundred and twenty spirit stones in less than a month. Li Li Xizhi dared not dwell on it. He carefully tucked the letter away close to his body, then stepped out of the courtyard and said to Yuan Tuan, who was in the courtyard:

"Master, Li Xizhi can now exchange for that 【Morning Glow Colored Qi】."

"How much are you short?"

Yuan Tuan stood quietly, holding a cyan civet cat in her arms, and raised her brows to ask.

"One hundred and twenty spirit stones; I have already gathered them."

Hearing this from Li Li Xizhi, Yuan Tuan raised a brow slightly and replied:

"Li Li Yuanjiao... he is indeed capable of planning. To be able to scrape together one hundred and twenty stones—your family has only just become a noble clan, so it must not have been easy."

Her usually calm expression turned somewhat mournful, and she said in a low voice:

"If my family had been as harmonious and united sixty years ago, I would not have had to compromise myself so much..."

Taking the spirit stones Li Li Xizhi handed over, Yuan Tuan said no more and rode the wind away. A full hour later, the woman landed back on the peak with a frosty expression, holding a small jade bottle in her hand.

Her aura fluctuated, and a faint cyan light flowed over her body. She had likely had a skirmish with a cultivator from the Qi-Gathering Peak, and the expression on her face remained quite icy:

"These people from the Qi-Gathering Peak are becoming more and more presumptuous. One hundred and twenty spirit stones should have been enough, yet they dared to play those tricks of substituting inferior goods... I am kind to everyone in the sect, so they think I am weak and easy to bully!"

Seeing her icy expression, Li Li Xizhi bowed, offered a few words of thanks first, and replied:

"The Qi-Gathering Peak is one of the direct-line peaks, so naturally, they mistreat us. Master comes from the Xunlin noble clan and already holds a high status. If I had gone myself, I fear I wouldn't even have been able to climb that peak."

Yuan Tuan nodded, stared at him for a moment, as if suddenly remembering something, then smiled softly and asked:

"Li Xizhi, you are seventeen this year, aren't you? It is not good to be too late to marry and have children. Is there a young lady from any peak you have taken a fancy to? Master will go and ask for you."

Yuan Tuan's topic jumped too abruptly, causing Li Li Xizhi to be slightly stunned. As the refusal reached his lips, he thought to himself:

'Father has only me as a son. Mount Qingchi is a den of wolves and a lair of tigers. If something were to happen to me, wouldn't that leave Father without an heir? I fear this is not appropriate...'

He only replied dully:

"I leave it entirely to Master's decision!"

Yuan Tuan nodded slightly, looking as if she had already planned it, and said warmly:

"A Qi-Refining family is hard to match. Your elders have just passed away, and a marriage alliance with a family that doesn't know your roots might harbor ulterior motives. It would be better if I went to the Diyun Peak to ask for a young lady of the Yang family for you..."

This was unexpected; there was no intention in her words to have the Yuan and Li families form a marriage alliance. Li Li Xizhi just lowered his head and agreed. Yuan Tuan continued:

"In those years, the King of Yue and the various noble clans agreed to be marriage allies. Although the legal system has vanished now and transformed into a peak of Mount Qingchi, there are still marriage alliances from time to time, and there are old precedents to follow."

"I trouble you, Master."

Li Li Xizhi replied, and Yuan Tuan smiled:

"In those years, Yang Yang Tianya refined that jade seal, and his troops passed through the Li Xia Road, wiping out several East Shanyue clans on my Xunlin Plain. Thus, my Yuan family has some friendship with Yang Yang Tianya; this matter is easy."

————

The various families on the East Bank were particularly special; dozens of small clans either had incense-burning ties within the sect, were marriage allies with noble clans, or were simply vassals for the Xiao family's mining operations.

The Rui family.

Li Li Qinghong's jade armor shone brightly, emitting a warm, moist light. The long spear in her hand flicked, and dazzling purple lightning struck down the panic-stricken, fleeing second-layer Tai-Xi demonic cultivator before her. The spear struck like a dragon, piercing through him.

Purple thunder erupted, and in an instant, the demonic cultivator was blown into pieces. Li Li Qinghong's long spear flicked nimbly, precisely picking a storage bag out of the flesh and blood.

With a flick of the slender spear tip, the storage bag fell leisurely into her delicate hand. Li Li Qinghong turned her head back; her elder brother, Li Li Yuanjiao, was smiling broadly, while Li Li Xuanxuan stared at the corpse with heartache, nagging:

"The robe this demonic cultivator was wearing was mixed with 【Purple Cloud Brocade】. Li Qinghong, with such a blast, it can no longer be used..."

Li Li Qinghong had no choice but to carry the spear on her back and reply:

"I was wrong, I was wrong."

Li Li Yuanjiao waved his hand, blocking the mouthful of grateful words from the Rui family head, Rui Rui Qiongcuo, and led his men to rush to the next family without stopping.

Outsider cultivators were weak; not only did they have to distribute wealth, but if they were injured or disabled, they had to be subsidized. Thus, Li Li Yuanjiao only brought a few of his own family's cultivators:

Li Li Yuanjiao at the eighth layer of Qi Refining, Li Li Qinghong and Li Li Xuanxuan at the seventh layer of Qi Refining, and that old monkey carrying a jade pestle at the fifth layer of Qi Refining, all sweeping away the demonic cultivators in this area together.

Even though the cultivation of the demonic cultivators in this territory was not very high, Li Li Yuanjiao remained cautious, not daring to separate his own people for fear of being ambushed by demonic cultivators. He preferred to be less efficient and sweep through them family by family.

As everyone slowly deepened their advance, the strength of the demonic cultivators that emerged became higher and higher, accompanied by many local cultivators who had been converted into demonic cultivators. The "Blood Mo Dharma Book" was not very powerful, but it was good at fleeing, so their progress slowed down.

Touching the eight or nine storage bags in his bosom, Li Li Yuanjiao said in a low voice:

"All we've killed along the way are Tai-Xi cultivators! If we follow this pace, I fear the demonic cultivators behind will have already finished looting and ridden the wind away."

He quietly touched his Dharma mirror, scanned this territory roughly, and suddenly blood and fire appeared everywhere before his eyes. He said in a deep voice:

"Southeast! Catch the big fish first!"

The two understood immediately and flew with the monkey for a while. Sure enough, they saw three Qi-Refining cultivators standing in the air, manipulating blood-filled spells. A large array outlined by blood appeared on the ground, connecting the three people in the sky.

Li Li Xuanxuan first looked back; he could still see the smoke and fire on the Kong Guli Road from afar, so they wouldn't miss the call for help from home. Li Li Yuanjiao had already said softly:

"Two at the middle stage of Qi Refining, one at the late stage of Qi Refining."

There was a big difference among demonic cultivators. Those who manipulated white Qi like Qiu Ji were particularly formidable. Seeing that all three of them only carried some blood light, Li Li Yuanjiao made up his mind and nodded to the others.

Li Li Qinghong understood. Her willow brows curved, and her fair hands clasped together, rubbing out a thick purple intent, condensing it between her palms. It was exactly: 【Purple Talisman Origin Light Secret Technique】!

These demonic cultivators were focused on outlining the array and did not expect several people to fly over head-on. They hurriedly held out their magic treasures to defend. Li Li Qinghong waved her slender hand, and the thunder talisman whistled away.

'If it weren't for the distance being too far, the sneak attack effect could have been even better!'

Qi-Refining cultivators had spiritual sense. Unless they had some special concealment magic treasures, a sneak attack was a very difficult thing. Li Li Qinghong only closed the distance, shortening the reaction time of this person, and smashed a thunder talisman onto the face of the person with the weakest aura.

"Boom!"

This middle-stage Qi-Refining demonic cultivator immediately vomited blood and fell backward, the magic treasure in his hand charred black. Li Li Qinghong took advantage of the victory to pursue, her spear technique sticking to his body. The Li family members each took on two enemies.

This demonic cultivator had taken a blow, his body vibrating incessantly. Fortunately, he was experienced and used his magic treasure to unload most of the power, so he was not seriously injured. Immediately, his fierce nature was revealed, and he cursed incessantly.

"What a tough temper!"

Li Li Yuanjiao drew his long sword, drew a bloodstain on his opponent's chest, and turned his gaze, only to find that the three enemies before him not only showed no signs of panic but even sneered without a word, looking confident.

Li Li Yuanjiao felt something was wrong and said in a muffled voice:

"Quick battle, quick decision!"

Thus, the magic power in his body surged, and his sword light turned, actually involving another middle-stage Qi-Refining cultivator. Relying on the thickness of the "River One Qi Technique" he cultivated, he fought two with one.

Li Li Xuanxuan understood immediately and pulled away with the old monkey to join Li Li Qinghong in pincer-attacking the injured demonic cultivator.

This late-stage Qi-Refining black-robed demonic cultivator sneered and scolded:

"Audacious! Do you really think we are those clan cultivators or rogue cultivators!"

The magic treasure in his hand whistled over, and his other hand pinched a blood-light spell, striking at him. It was cold and bone-chilling. The middle-stage Qi-Refining gray-robed demonic cultivator also seized the opportunity to surround and attack.

Li Li Yuanjiao patted his storage bag and summoned a yellow oval-shaped large shield. The six overlapping edges on it emitted magic light, blocking the two magic treasures and reflecting bursts of white light in the blood-light spell.

It was exactly the middle-grade magic treasure 【Six-Stone Cloud Disk】.

With this Qi Refining mid-stage magic treasure fully activated, the spiritual power within Li Li Yuanjiao's dantian surged and ebbed like the tide, forcefully blocking the attacks of these few people.

"So you have a magic treasure to rely on!"

That middle-stage demonic cultivator sneered, clasped his hands, pinched a few dharma spells, and spat out golden, flashing flames from his mouth, slamming fiercely into the Six-Stone Cloud Disk.

The consumption of magic power this time was even more intense. Li Li Yuanjiao had no choice but to put away this magic treasure, retreat, and draw his sword. The Moon-Que sword arc jumped up, forcing the two back, but he was illuminated by the red light for a moment, and his nose felt slightly cold.

Li Li Yuanjiao had suffered a loss on this side, while the demonic cultivator on the other side was even more uncomfortable. His whole body was emitting black smoke, and he was covered in wounds of all sizes. Finally, he panicked and shouted loudly:

"Our reinforcements are arriving! Why don't you retreat quickly!"

The other two demonic cultivators both looked angry and glared at him fiercely, but they couldn't say anything. Demonic cultivators were selfish; the two of them only thought about dragging the Li family members down and never thought about the life or death of the other companion.

And this demonic cultivator's various escape and life-saving techniques had all been broken by Li Li Qinghong. Seeing that his life was about to be lost, how could he think so much? He hoped to force the few back and shouted:

"You are nothing but greedy for my wealth! Killing me is of no benefit. When our people arrive, how can you have your lives? Better to spare my life, and we each take what we need!"

Having said this, he had already picked out the storage bag at his waist. Facing the attacks of the few, while vomiting blood, he barely cast a spell. The storage bag flew away like a meteor, and he himself drifted down to the ground.

Li Li Yuanjiao had taken several spells from the enemy, and there was a faint trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. He said in a deep voice:

"Go!"

The purple lightning in Li Li Qinghong's hand moved, hooking the storage bag into her hand. She eased the magic power in her body, her face turned pale, and she forcibly pinched out a wisp of purple lightning, activating a secret technique.

"Want to leave?"

The black-robed late-stage Qi-Refining demonic cultivator was annoyed and angry. The magic treasure in his hand smashed over like the wind, determined to keep Li Li Yuanjiao behind.

"Fool! Don't chase him!"

He was chasing with all his might when the demonic cultivator who had been robbed of his storage bag shouted, causing the black-robed cultivator to be slightly stunned.

But he saw Li Li Yuanjiao draw his sword and turn back, his spiritual sense suddenly sinking into the Dharma mirror. This demonic cultivator only felt his hair stand on end, his whole body cold. His figure flowed like blood, and he activated a secret technique to retreat fiercely, pulling away several feet in an instant.

Li Li Yuanjiao did not dare to release the Taiyin Profound Light in public, only threatening him. Seeing no movement, he took the opportunity to fly toward the distance. The anger on the demonic cultivator's face had all disappeared, leaving only deep fear.

The middle-stage Qi-Refining gray-robed demonic cultivator on the side wanted to chase again, but Li Li Qinghong's thunder talisman had already arrived. He had no choice but to urge his magic treasure to resist, watching them leave in the explosion and smoke.

This movement secret technique consumed a lot, making the late-stage Qi-Refining demonic cultivator's face pale. He stood stupidly in the air. A person flew up from the ground, swaying. It was the demonic cultivator who had been robbed of his storage bag, sneering coldly:

"The two fellow Daoists should be glad that I saved your lives for you!"

The other middle-stage Qi-Refining gray-robed cultivator was quite dissatisfied and looked at him coldly. The black-robed cultivator who was the leader had the appearance of having survived a disaster and asked softly:

"Fellow Daoist comes from a great sect and is knowledgeable. What insights do you have?"

This cultivator had lost his storage bag but looked indifferent and said luckily:

"I have seen the illustrated records in the sect. That man in black was clearly holding the 【Mount Qingchi Sword】! That is the sword of a Sword Immortal! Who knows what kind of sword Qi is hidden inside?"

"Don't talk about the three of us; even if the Great One came and took this sword Qi, I estimate he would have to recuperate for seven or eight years... Sword intent, sword intent, is that something to joke about?"

The black-robed cultivator let out a long breath, and his fear from before was explained. The gray-robed cultivator was also secretly lucky, but he refused to admit defeat and said coldly:

"Fellow Daoist has such a great background, yet you are still wandering around with us? If you have the ability, build your foundation in your own sect, don't turn into a demonic cultivator and stir up trouble!"

The black-robed cultivator waved his sleeves, interrupting the dispute between the two, and said in a low voice:

"Stop arguing. Quietly wait for the Great One to come over, gather the blood Qi on this Wangyue Lake, leave quickly, and head to the Jin Yu Sect."

This Wangyue Lake was quite strange. Don't even mention this Sword Immortal noble clan; there was a Foundation Establishment hiding on the opposite bank, and it was even rumored that there was a Foundation Establishment surnamed Jiang hidden among these families...

"What a ghostly place!"

I didn't eat dinner because I made up for yesterday, I'm going to eat snacks. ===== CHAPTER 369 =====