Wan Tiancang poured out his grievances amid tears, describing how cruel the Ji clan was, and how perilous the Wan clan's position had become — that the fates of the Wan and Li families would stand or fall together.
His words moved even Li Yesheng, who stood attendant at his side. Li Mutian, however, kept his eyes downcast, untouched. He took a light sip of tea and spoke:
"So the Wan clan's situation has truly grown so dire?"
"It has, exactly!"
Wan Tiancang looked at Li Mutian, gritted his teeth, and understood he was facing one who would not loose his hawk without a rabbit in sight. From his bosom he drew out a roll of beast hide, and said:
"Before I left, my clan elder took special care to warn me that I would be a burden upon your household in food, lodging, and all the rest, and bade me bring a formation scroll as recompense for your noble clan's kindness."
Li Mutian waved a dismissive hand, and Li Tongya stepped forward to take it, listening as Wan Tiancang explained:
"This formation is called the Mist-Dream Array. My grandfather bought it at a market fair a hundred years ago. Set up the refined array flags and it can be laid out. My grandfather loved formations best of all — the mountain formation about our home was his own handiwork."
"This array was bought to verify his own understanding of the formation arts. After he passed away, no one in the clan remained versed in formations."
Wan Tiancang sighed heavily, and with lingering reluctance, offered the beast-hide scroll to Li Tongya with both hands.
Only after seeing Li Tongya give a small nod did Li Mutian smile and say:
"You are too courteous. The Wan and Li families are both under the rule of the Azure Pool — of course we must help one another. Now that the Wan clan is in trouble, how could the Li family seize the advantage of another's hardship? I will accept only one and a half tenths of the harvest!"
There was nothing more Wan Tiancang could say. He let out a low, bitter laugh and answered:
"Thank you, elder!"
Li Mutian answered with a light murmur, and Li Tongya led Wan Tiancang, Li Yesheng, and the others out.
No sooner had they passed the courtyard gate than Wan Tiancang looked at Li Tongya with a trace of hope and asked:
"Might I ask where your noble clan has arranged the spirit fields? I would be grateful if you would take me to see their quality."
"Of course."
Li Tongya nodded, walking along the bluestone path as he said:
"Along the Ancient Li Road my Li family has two villages. One, called Lidaokou, lies in the direction you came from, Brother Tiancang. The other, called Lichuan Pass, stands on the shore of Moonview Lake."
"The spirit fields we have leased out are located at Lichuan Pass. Tongya has already ordered a small compound built there. The plots are still fairly intact, yielding about seventy jin a year."
Wan Tiancang nodded to show he understood, then turned to admire the scenery of Lijing Village along the way:
"The road is well built. Mortals come and go, and yet the way is clean and orderly. That is truly hard to come by."
"Brother Tiancang flatters me."
Li Tongya laughed low, then went on:
"I hear there is a market fair of the immortals in the vicinity. My Li family has only just been founded, so we know little of it."
"You are always wheedling more information out of me, Brother Tongya!"
Wan Tiancang roared with laughter, teasing Li Tongya for a moment, then turned serious:
"I have only reached the Profound Vision Wheel, and have never been to the fair. But my clan elder and my patriarch went once, and told me a fair amount."
"That fair sits on a small islet in the middle of Moonview Lake, opened by a loose cultivator at the peak of Qi Refining. When the moon is full, great ships come and go from the shore, ferrying loose cultivators and immortals of small families like ours out to that islet."
"According to my patriarch, it is best to form the Jade Capital Wheel before traveling to that islet, to guard against mishaps on the way."
Wan Tiancang feared that the Li family might send men to their deaths and then lay the blame on his Wan clan, so he urged them hastily.
"We understand, of course."
Li Tongya nodded, committing this vital intelligence to memory, and chatted idly with Wan Tiancang as they walked.
Before long they arrived at Lichuan Pass. When Chen Erniu heard that Li Tongya had brought a cultivator of another clan to Lichuan Pass, he was frightened and came hurrying over with his men to welcome them, trailing cautiously behind Li Tongya and speaking to Li Yesheng in hushed tones.
Wan Tiancang paced out the size of the fields, tested the spiritual energy and the soil, then nodded to Li Tongya to show he accepted them. Li Tongya smiled and waved a hand:
"You must be weary from your journey, Brother Wan. Tongya still has family matters to attend to, so I shall take my leave first."
With that he gave orders for Li Yesheng and Chen Erniu to settle everything with Wan Tiancang, and turned back toward Lijing Village.
---
The rear mountain of Lijing Village had grown lively since. The village lads had come to call it Lijing Mountain, and amid the dense woods at the summit many small compounds of blue brick had appeared — their grey-tiled roofs dotting the greenery, quite a pleasant sight.
A winding flagstone road stretched from the foot of the mountain to its peak. A village lad kept watch at the foot, and when he saw Li Tongya he called out respectfully:
"We welcome the immortal teacher."
Li Tongya nodded casually and climbed the stone road for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, when a small compound came into view.
The master Han Wenxu was teaching here. The courtyard was filled with children on the threshold of youth, some fifty or sixty of them by rough count, sitting upright under a tree, listening to his lecture.
Not only from Lijing Village and Jingyang Village — even children from distant Lidaokou and Lichuan Pass came to study. Only families with some savings could afford to support a child or two in school, and thus had to send them to Lijing Village.
Catching a glimpse of Li Xuanxuan reading inside, Li Tongya thought to himself:
"In a few months the child will be six or seven and his body fully formed, and then we can test him for spiritual apertures. Three Profound Pearl Talisman Seeds remain in the mirror, so there is no fear that Xuan'er will lack an aperture."
"Counting the days, Tian Yun's confinement should also come within a few months."
Somehow, Liu Rouxuan's face suddenly surfaced in Li Tongya's mind, startling him into shaking his head again and again. He stood frozen for several seconds, then went on up the mountain with a wry smile.
Beyond the schoolhouse lay a staircase of a hundred and twenty-six steps. A red lacquered gate stood upon the landing, and before it sat an old man with hair already half gray.
"Uncle Tian!"
Li Tongya called out a greeting, watching Tian Shoushui hmm to himself with a small hammer in hand, holding a half-finished wooden hobbyhorse.
"So Tongya is back."
Tian Shoushui nodded with a smile, scratched his head in embarrassment, and pointed at the hobbyhorse in his hands.
"Seeing as Yun'er is about to give birth, I thought I'd make a little something for the child to play with."
The old man had suffered many wounds in his youth, and he had aged quickly with the years. He was the same age as Li Mutian, yet looked a decade older.
"Very well. Take your time, then."
For this old man who was like a father to him, Li Tongya had great respect. After greeting him, he entered the compound.
Li Xiangping was slowly waking from his meditation, letting out a breath of turbid air. He looked at Li Tongya and said:
"Second brother has formed the Orbital Wheel?"
"Yes."
Li Tongya quirked a brow, answering with a smile.
"Still a step ahead of me."
Li Xiangping feigned a sulky look, but could not help laughing himself. He stood and stretched.
Li Tongya told him of Wan Tiancang's business, then set the formation scroll on the table and drank from a teacup upon it. Seeing Li Xiangping sitting with bowed brow, lost in thought, Li Tongya asked in turn:
"What is it?"
"Wan Tiancang is far harder to deal with than that Wan Yuankai."
Li Xiangping raised his head and said, his expression calm.
Li Tongya smiled lightly and was about to speak, when Tian Shoushui poked his head in and called:
"Linfeng is here!"
The two exchanged a puzzled glance, then saw Liu Linfeng hurry into the compound. He wiped sweat from his brow, looked at the two, and said:
"There is an immortal teacher at the foot of the mountain. He claims to be a man sent from Qingsui Peak."