On the northern slopes of Greater Li Mountain, the spiritual energy was slowly returning, and with it grew the number of monstrous creatures. No more than two months had Li Tongya been gone when a bear demon appeared at Lidaokou — one of only the Profound Vision Wheel, thank fortune, and Li Xiangping, who was but a hair's breadth from breaking through the Azure Origin Wheel, mustered the village men and sent a few shafts of golden light at the beast, and so it was dealt with.
He had to organize men to drag the carcass to the Wan family for sale to Wan Xiaohua, and likewise to plan the rebuilding of the streets the demon had damaged; Li Xiangping was so busy he could scarcely find a moment's rest, and had not returned to Lijing Mountain in several days.
His mother, Lady Liu, together with Tian Yun and Lady Ren, watched over little Xuanfeng and Jingtian in the main courtyard. Li Xuanxuan, having cultivated the Profound Vision Wheel, had gone down the mountain a few days before in high spirits to hunt demons with his third uncle, leaving Li Mutian alone again in the back courtyard.
The old man could not bear to be idle, and made himself a set of furniture, which he set out before the house where the stone platform stood. On ordinary days he would sit at the door, watching the biting spring winds swirl about the yard.
Li Mutian was nearing seventy. The wounds he had taken in his youth ached and throbbed at all hours. Men of farming stock age early and fast, and now his hair and beard were white as snow, and his vigour was not what it had been. He sat now in the courtyard, still fretting over the two sons who had left home, and turning over the family's affairs in his mind.
"Xiangping and Tongya are both lads I need not worry over — they can bring prosperity to the Li family. But Chijing is a thousand miles from home, and among those immortal sects I know not how deep the waters run, nor has he any kin to aid him. I wonder how he fares now."
The old man stroked his white beard and hair, and turned his head to look at the bronze mirror on the stone platform, speaking to himself:
"One's glory is the glory of all; one's ruin, the ruin of all."
---
At the Xiao family's Crown Cloud Peak, clouds and mist wreathed the summit, and the pale white fog wrapped every little courtyard so tightly that even spiritual perception could not penetrate it, they said. Li Tongya and Wan Yuankai followed the Xiao family servants ahead for a while, and at last came to a level clearing at the top of the peak.
"Judging by the length of the climb, Crown Cloud Peak is not much higher than Lijing Mountain."
Li Tongya thought to himself, and saw that upon the summit stood a great compound, and in that compound stood a crowd of people — some thirty or forty in number, all richly dressed in embroidered silks, standing in twos and threes and murmuring among themselves. All were standing, save only one old man, who sat at ease in the place of honour with his head bent over a book.
"That old man is the Xiao family's ancestor, Xiao Chuting — a genuine Foundation Establishment elder!"
Li Tongya heard Wan Yuankai's low whisper, and quickly looked away from the man, fearful of giving offence.
"This Senior Xiao is a man of no small legend. A hundred-odd years ago, the Xiao family was barely holding its own at the tail of the prefecture's houses. The family head, who was at the peak of Qi Refining, went out and died at the hands of a demon. Xiao Chuting took up the charge in the hour of peril, turned back the tide of collapse, and with his peerless skill in alchemy somehow held the Xiao family together. Not long after, he established an immortal foundation and raised the Xiao family to the rank of a great house."
Wan Yuankai cast his eyes over the crowd in the courtyard, explaining in a low voice, when his eyes lit up suddenly. He stepped forward and said respectfully:
"Brother Lu! It has been a long while — how have you fared?"
The man wore a cloak of stone-blue silk, with a broad forehead that should have given him a look of honest simplicity, but his face was set in an expression of haughty pride. He frowned at Wan Yuankai and said:
"Ah, so it is Brother Yuankai."
Wan Yuankai faltered, and gave a weak laugh. Noticing the grey silk pouch at the man's waist, he was struck by a sudden astonishment and thought to himself:
"The Lu family is so wealthy now? They can afford a storage pouch for him — could it be..."
Wan Yuankai's face changed, and he cried out involuntarily:
"Has my friend already broken through to Qi Refining?"
"Indeed. There was still a portion of Small Clear Qi in the house."
The man nodded slightly, and cast a light glance around at the bystanders. Seeing that all eyes had turned to him, he lifted his chin a little.
"Congratulations, my friend."
Wan Yuankai's face was somewhat pale, and he offered his felicitations in a low voice:
"So your noble house now has two Qi Refining cultivators."
After a few more exchanges with the Lu cultivator, who showed him scant courtesy, Wan Yuankai returned with a sour expression.
Li Tongya knew of the Lu family. Past the Wan family's lands on the road, one came to the Lu domain. Wan Yuankai had once mentioned that the Lu family also had a Qi Refining cultivator, and his tone had been full of envy.
"And now the Lu family has produced another Qi Refining cultivator!"
Wan Yuankai grumbled at Li Tongya's side, and said with a bitter smile:
"This Lu Pingyuan once visited my family, and offered some resources to help us resist the Ji clan. At the time he was merely at the Jade Capital Wheel — and now he is already at Qi Refining!"
"This Small Clear Qi..."
"Fancy words! It is nothing but the ordinary breath of the mountain air, refined by daily meditation. Seven or eight years of diligent practice and it is done — a common, vulgar thing. Eight out of ten Qi Refining cultivators use the Small Clear Qi!"
Wan Yuankai's words were full of scorn, as if he would vent all the grievance he had just suffered, though in his heart he was plainly dying of envy.
The two were speaking in low voices when a splendid, shining radiance began to rise slowly from the east. The cultivators around them lifted their heads, and a murmur of discussion arose.
"What a grand display."
"Is that the Cloud Ship of Shining Light?"
The eastern glow drew near, and revealed its true form — a cloud ship borne on golden light, with a pair of wings like mist on either side, cleaving through layer after layer of cloud. In a few breaths it came to rest at the summit.
"We greet the sect's honored envoy!"
The cultivators on the summit bowed in salute, and even Xiao Chuting rose to receive her.
From the Cloud Ship of Shining Light drifted several streams of azure light, which fell upon the summit and revealed a woman in a robe of jade-green, draped in a cloak of dark blue. A veil hid her face, and her features were but dimly seen through the gauze. Behind her followed several sect servants in plain blue robes.
Xiao Chuting stepped forward and said with a smile:
"I greet the honored envoy."
"The elder need not stand on ceremony!"
The immortal's voice was clear and bright, soft and melodious, and carried with it an air of noble grace.
"Then I shall not delay you. Here are the Xiao family's tributes for this year."
Xiao Chuting gave a low laugh, and waved his hand. The Xiao servants below hurried to carry things into the front courtyard — sacks of spirit rice, piled one upon another, no less than several thousand catties, and a dozen chests of various spiritual treasures, all opened for display.
"Five thousand catties of Purple Jade Spirit Rice are all here. The various spiritual treasures from the prefecture have been supplied according to the annual quota. The immortal may examine them at her leisure."
"There is no need. I trust the Xiao family's reputation."
Ning Wan shook her head, and spoke softly.
Xiao Chuting clasped his hands, and the men below at once began to carry the spiritual treasures and spirit rice up to the ship. An ordinary storage pouch could not hold five or six thousand catties of spiritual goods, and so the Cloud Ship of Shining Light had been sent.
The various houses below hastened to follow, each handing over its tribute to the sect servants and announcing its name in turn.
"The Wu family of South Prefecture."
"The Lu family of Tiaoyun."
...
"The Wan family of Huagan Mountain."
"The Li family of Lijing."
Wan Yuankai and Li Tongya went up together and gave their tribute to the servant. For the Li family this year it was ten White Origin Fruits and two hundred catties of spirit rice. Li Tongya looked at the remaining ninety catties of spirit rice and five White Origin Fruits, and felt a sharp pang of grief — when suddenly he heard a clear, melodious voice at his ear:
"Are you the man of the Li family of Lijing?"