Chapter 379: Li Fire Spear

Li Li Qinghong had just arrived before the courtyard when she saw a female cultivator standing quietly, holding a little girl by the hand, with misty spirit silk wrapped around her wrists. Seeing Li Li Qinghong land in the courtyard, she smiled:

"Li Qinghong is here!"

The female cultivator before her was none other than Xiao Xiao Guiluan. Though she was now over forty, she still looked to be in her twenties. The Xiao family was, after all, an immortal clan, and she possessed a cultivation base at the third layer of Qi Refining.

"Greetings, sister-in-law."

Li Li Qinghong nodded lightly, a smile appearing on her face unconsciously. The Yuan and Qing generations shared a deep bond, and Xiao Xiao Guiluan was tactful and capable; the relationship between the sisters-in-law had always been harmonious. She said softly:

"Is Li Yuexiang diligent in her studies?"

This girl was Li Li Yuanjiao's youngest daughter, Li Li Yuexiang. At the moment, she only called out "Auntie" and hugged Li Li Qinghong affectionately. Xiao Xiao Guiluan looked at Li Li Qinghong with a beaming smile and said:

"Li Qinghong is also at the eighth layer of Qi Refining now. You must be forty-two or forty-three, right?"

"That is correct."

Li Li Qinghong replied, and Xiao Xiao Guiluan praised:

"To have hope of Foundation Establishment by fifty—you can be counted as a genius."

The later layers of Qi Refining required much time to polish, and even at the fastest, it would take five years to break through. Xiao Xiao Guiluan did not know about the Spirit-Recording Pill and estimated Li Li Qinghong would reach Foundation Establishment by fifty, while Li Li Qinghong herself estimated it would be at forty-five.

The two women chatted for a while, and Li Li Qinghong frowned:

"I don't know why my elder brother... closed off for seclusion without a word. It doesn't seem like his style."

Xiao Xiao Guiluan shook her head and said:

"In the Xiao family's records, there are three hundred and seventy-six people who broke through from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment. Among them, one hundred and seventy suddenly began their breakthrough without a sound. Once the spiritual opportunity arrives, unless one has the secret techniques of an immortal sect to suppress it and wait for another time, it is better to break through on the spot."

Li Li Qinghong frowned slightly. Seeing her confusion, Xiao Xiao Guiluan explained:

"The elders of the clan were also puzzled. After many years of inquiries, they only know that within the three sects, there are rumors that it might be related to the activity of the Metal attribute... In the same lineage, often within a few years, several people will forge the same immortal foundation, and then in the following years, several people might all fail..."

Li Li Qinghong nodded lightly. She was sharp, and her eyes suddenly lit up. She said thoughtfully:

"If one could master the activity of the Metal attribute, one could greatly increase the probability of the disciples breaking through. If one cultivated the Metal attribute, wouldn't that mean..."

'... one could control this lineage at will? Deciding who breaks through and who doesn't...'

She suddenly shut her mouth and looked at Xiao Xiao Guiluan's face. Xiao Xiao Guiluan's expression also changed slightly. The two looked at each other in silence. Li Li Qinghong thought to herself:

'No wonder the Kong family, a grand and prestigious clan of the Zhao Kingdom, was tortured by a reincarnated lord until their family was broken and their people dead... Just catching a glimpse of the Metal attribute is enough to make one fear...'

The two stood in the courtyard for a while. The spring water on the ground flowed quietly, making a tinkling sound. Xiao Xiao Guiluan said gently:

"There shouldn't be such a thing... In the sects of the first three hundred years in the ancient books, there was no lineage where one could just establish a foundation whenever they wanted."

The two were merely making casual guesses. Looking at the rippling water in the cave dwelling, they suddenly heard a loud explosion in their ears:

"Boom!"

The sky outside the courtyard suddenly brightened. The clouds in the sky were golden and brilliant, shimmering with light. Several rays of magic light passed through the air. Li Li Qinghong suddenly raised her head, rode the wind, and ascended into the sky.

Golden light swirled in the air. The sunset in the distance was fiery red, and the radiance in the east was particularly intense, shining brightly for several breaths before slowly dimming.

More and more magic lights appeared in the sky, all cultivators of various sizes riding the wind, black, white, gold, and red, all flying toward the east.

She waited for a while riding the wind. A cultivator at the early stage of Qi Refining flew over not far away. Li Li Qinghong held her spear and went up to intercept him.

This cultivator was rushing on his way and was inexplicably intercepted. His expression was annoyed, but seeing that the person in front of him was a female cultivator at the eighth layer of Qi Refining with a heroic spirit, his attitude immediately improved, and he called out:

"What is your instruction, Fairy?"

Li Li Qinghong asked:

"May I ask, fellow Daoist, what happened in the east?"

The cultivator looked at her, not wanting to waste time, and said quickly and urgently:

"The senior must have been in seclusion for a long time. This scene is a cave heaven falling. It should be the 【East Fire Cave Heaven】 that has been widely rumored recently. If the senior intends to go, I hope you can take this small cultivator along."

"【East Fire Cave Heaven】?"

Li Li Xuanxuan had heard the news from Kong Yu and had warned the clan disciples countless times. When Li Li Qinghong heard it was Yufu Prefecture, she shook her head slightly and casually made up an excuse:

"How could there be such a good thing! It must have been completely contracted by the three sects and seven gates. The restrictions and mechanisms in the cave heaven are all there. For people like us to go over, we would just be stepping stones to scout the path."

The rogue cultivator shook his head and replied:

"Senior is joking. How could we possibly enter the cave heaven? It's just that when it fell, the spiritual energy scattered. The East Departure Mountain will certainly have many spiritual items, spiritual water, and spiritual fire. Just drinking some soup on the periphery and collecting some spiritual items is enough, and there won't be any major trouble."

Li Li Qinghong frowned and let him go. Xiao Xiao Guiluan also caught up riding the wind, looked at the direction, and explained:

Li Li Qinghong asked back:

"Which Foundation Establishment cultivator is this 【Li Fire Spear】? I have never heard of him."

For someone like Li Li Qinghong who loved spear techniques so much, if there was someone who was good at using a spear and had a reputation among Foundation Establishment cultivators, how could she not keep it in mind? She became suspicious out of thin air.

Xiao Xiao Guiluan explained:

"Li Qinghong, you don't know. This person only became famous in recent years. When he was young, he obtained the inheritance of the 【East Departure Sect】 and reached Foundation Establishment at the age of thirty-one. He is a top-tier genius."

"Chu Yi was originally a rogue cultivator in Yufu Prefecture. Later, his inheritance was exposed and he was framed by the Han family, a prestigious clan in Yufu Prefecture. Within a few short years, he broke through and killed two Foundation Establishment ancestors in Jiangnan in succession. All of Jiangnan heard his great name and he obtained the title of 【Li Fire Spear】."

She paused and continued:

After hearing this news, Li Li Qinghong's heart was already clear. She thought to herself:

'What genius... he must be a figure at the level of a True Lord...'

Just as Li Li Qinghong was pondering, an old man flew up from below riding the wind. His face was full of wrinkles, his hair was gray, and his face was full of tension. He called out:

"Hong'er, you cannot go! Hong'er, you cannot go!"

Li Li Qinghong hurriedly rode the wind to meet him, smiled brightly, and replied:

"Uncle is overthinking! How could Li Qinghong be the kind of person who is blinded by greed."

Xiao Xiao Guiluan also respectfully welcomed him and said gently:

"Father!"

Li Li Xuanxuan sighed low and replied:

"You are naturally not an impulsive person, but divine abilities have no eyes. I am only afraid that you will become like Yu Yu Yufeng, being lured over."

His face was full of worry, and he replied:

"I was terrified just hearing that Chu Yi is the 【Li Fire Spear】. Even though the family has received so much news, I never dared to wake you up..."

The three landed and sat down in the small courtyard. Xiao Xiao Guiluan took Li Li Yuexiang and went down. Li Li Xuanxuan said:

"You have also heard Xiao Guiluan say that this 【Li Fire Spear】 Chu Yi is nine times out of ten the True Lord that the Mount Qingchi Sect is waiting for. As for the Han family, it is just a replica of the Kong family."

"Except for the three sects, seven gates, and a few immortal clans, most of the other large and small clans do not know about it. Now I don't know what it has become involved in..."

Li Li Qinghong stared at the magic light in the sky for a while, shook her head with great doubt, and said:

"With disciples of the three sects and seven gates going, these rays of light are blessed with escape techniques... Where did so many clans with escape techniques come from?"

Li Li Xuanxuan paused, and also observed carefully. Sure enough, as Li Li Qinghong said, he doubted:

"That Kong Yu does not seem to be lying."

Li Li Qinghong thought for a while and said:

"Kong Yu said that disciples of the three sects and seven gates are not allowed to enter for three years. Now three years have already passed."

Li Li Xuanxuan breathed a sigh of relief, heard the implication of Li Li Qinghong's words, and replied:

"You mean... this 【Li Fire Spear】 Chu Yi was most dangerous before he reached Foundation Establishment... Once Chu Yi reaches Foundation Establishment and opens the 【East Fire Cave Heaven】, it will be much better..."

Li Li Qinghong nodded and said softly:

"I have also pondered the matter of Kong Yu. To say that this reincarnation matter is a plaything for a Golden Core True Lord to seek amusement... I don't quite believe it."

"Just looking at these True Persons in Jiangnan, which one is not deep in thought and brilliant in means? A Golden Core True Lord is still above the Early Zifu. Would he personally descend to the mortal world just to do this amusement? Is the reincarnated body not weak?"

The more Li Li Xuanxuan heard, the more he nodded. Li Li Qinghong continued:

"This person is only describing it from the perspective of a Qi Refining cultivator. If one looks at it from the perspective of the Early Zifu or even the Golden Core, it must be different..."

"It is not that there are no Early Zifu immortal clans, but which ones have become a sect? Why did the Kong family collapse overnight, and True Person Senior Changxi was immediately able to establish the Xuanyue Gate and occupy a place in the Zhao Kingdom?"

Li Li Xuanxuan felt a chill run down his back and muttered:

"Could it be Senior Changxi... this... this..."

Li Li Qinghong said softly:

"In the eyes of the Kong family, this matter is a disgrace... who is to say it isn't True Person Senior Changxi's foundation for currying favor with that person!"

Cold sweat broke out on Li Li Xuanxuan, and he sighed:

"Continue..."

Li Li Qinghong responded with an "En" and said in a gentle voice:

"This junior believes that the high-profile rise of the so-called 【Xuanyang Xuanyang Lihuo Spear】 Chu Yi is, on the surface, a True Lord reincarnated and playing in the mortal world, but in secret, it must be the True Lord pushing something. As for the 【East Fire Cave Heaven】, it should be the reward promised to the three sects..."

"As for the seven gates, they only have the right to know..."

Li Li Xuanxuan felt enlightened and sighed:

"As for the loose cultivators, they can't even see the surface; they only think that the genius Chu Yi has soared into the sky... If Kong Yu hadn't told us, our family would also have been kept in the dark..."

The two sorted out the matter, and Li Li Qinghong pursed her lips and said:

"As for why Kong Yu told Uncle... a few of the implications likely involve showing goodwill to our family."

"The Kong clan of the Profound Heaven Gate indeed harbors some goodwill toward our family; that is an obvious fact."

Li Li Xuanxuan hesitated for a moment and said in a low voice:

"It's just... in this game, does my Li family... have any opportunity to profit from it?"

……

Green Pool Sect, Green Spike Peak.

The bamboo forest on Green Spike Peak swayed slowly. Li Li Xizhi stood among them, the true energy on his body presenting a faint purple-red glow, reflecting the bamboo forest in a sea of rosy light.

The "Morning Glow Dew-Gathering Art" he cultivated was a fourth-grade cultivation method, containing six techniques and three secret arts, from the accompanying movement technique 【Morning Glow Imperial Travel】 to

the technique 【Golden Fall in the Clouds】, including movement techniques, escape techniques, and spell techniques... all were complete.

Although Li Li Xizhi had only broken through to Qi Refining two years ago, one hand was enough to defeat three or four loose cultivators at the early stage of Qi Refining.

"This is the foundation of the three sects..."

He took out the small letter from home and looked at it again, laughing to himself:

"The family is well-off this year; they even moved the mountain and called it 【Green Du Peak】. It must not have been named by Father... I don't know when I can go back and take a look..."

Just as he was thinking, a soft call came from the forest:

"Senior Brother!"

Li Li Xizhi looked back and saw a woman dressed in dark-patterned robes approaching. She looked no more than seventeen or eighteen, with a rather delicate face and a face full of enthusiastic smiles, staring at his brows. Li Li Xizhi cupped his hands and replied:

"Junior Sister Yang..."

This woman was exactly the one Yuan Tuan had asked for on behalf of Li Li Xizhi from the Yang family. The Peak Master of Emperor Cloud Peak, Yang Yang Tianya, was in seclusion and could not meet, so after much shilly-shallying, they sent her over.

Li Li Xizhi's tone seemed distant, but the young girl did not show any abnormality, remaining enthusiastic and smiling:

"Senior Brother is often in seclusion; it is rare for Xiao'er to see you."

Li Li Xizhi nodded slightly, and Yang Yang Xiaoer stepped forward and said:

"Recently, there have been storms rising outside the sect. I wonder if Senior Brother has heard of the 【East Fire Cave Heaven】?"

"【East Fire Cave Heaven】?"

Li Li Xizhi raised his brows and said in surprise:

"I have indeed heard some things. I heard there is a Foundation Establishment cultivator, 【Xuanyang Xuanyang Lihuo Spear】 Chu Yi? Is this person real?"

Yang Yang Xiaoer nodded gently and replied:

"Chu Yi, as a loose cultivator, was able to turn Yufu upside down. He is truly an amazing genius! My father said this person is quite strange and should not be provoked; he must have destiny on his side."

Li Li Xizhi nodded, thinking secretly about writing a letter to remind his family. Yang Yang Xiaoer added:

"When the immortal sects of the Wei Kingdom fled south, one branch established the East Departure Sect, and the 【East Fire Cave Heaven】 was also famous. Now it has finally manifested, and the cultivators of Wu and Yue have all been alarmed."

"The three sects and seven gates have already taken action to lock the Cave Heaven, waiting to break the formation and enter... Only that Chu Yi has already entered in advance relying on secret arts..."

Li Li Xizhi sat quietly on the bluestone, listening to Yang Yang Xiaoer chattering about the news she had heard. After a long while, Yang Yang Xiaoer said:

"I wonder how many spots our Green Spike Peak has?"

Li Li Xizhi estimated for a while and replied:

"It must be the two of us."

"Good..."

Yang Yang Xiaoer nodded, a look of determination appearing on her face, looking straight at him.

Yang Yang Xiaoer's features were not particularly beautiful, but she had tried her best to dress up, barely having a delicate charm. She raised her brows and looked at him nervously, saying in a hoarse voice:

"Senior Brother is from a sword immortal family, handsome and talented. Xiao'er thought she was not a good match, although I had fantasized about it... I didn't want to waste time in vain."

Li Li Xizhi was caught off guard by these words. Yang Yang Xiaoer said quietly:

"Xiao'er has been on the peak for two years... Senior Brother has never looked at me directly... Xiao'er's talent is not high, and I don't have a charming face. If Senior Brother has intentions, we will support each other for the rest of our lives. If you have no intentions, Xiao'er will go and ask Father for a divorce."

Li Li Xizhi had not expected that she, who always appeared enthusiastic, would say such things. He stared at her blankly for a breath, then said in a deep voice:

"Li Xizhi is not that kind of person. Since we have drunk the nuptial wine, we are husband and wife for this life, and I have no second thoughts. The past two years were just to stabilize my cultivation..."

He said with a shy smile and replied:

"Secondly, I was also afraid that you would think... I was too frivolous."

Yang Yang Xiaoer had been waiting for him to follow the slope down, but she didn't expect to hear such an answer. She was stunned for a moment, and seeing his serious face, she stepped forward and gave him a quick kiss on the face.

Immediately, she excitedly took out a white feather dharma robe full of dark patterns from her storage bag and said:

"This is a feather robe I begged from my clan. It can save your life at a critical moment. Please, Senior Brother..."

"How can I be so embarrassed..."

Li Li Xizhi's face turned slightly red. Before he could recover, he gasped, looking at the feather robe as white as snow, and said in a low voice:

"This is a mid-grade Qi Refining feather robe?!"

Feather robes and armor were rare. The entire Li family only had one Foundation Establishment-level jade armor, which had long been sent to Li Li Qinghong as a treasure...

Now that such a precious dharma robe was in his hands, Li Li Xizhi only felt that he was holding two large piles of spirit stones:

'Are two hundred spirit stones enough? Three hundred?'

Yang Yang Xiaoer just stuffed the feather robe into his hands and smiled:

"This is the dowry my father gave me..."

"You..."

Li Li Xizhi stared at the joy in her brows and eyes, his chest feeling slightly tight.

'She treats me with such sincerity with the innocence and enthusiasm of a young girl...'