"There's nothing pressing at home. With your Third Brother and me here, you needn't worry."
Li Tongya smiled, fished ten spirit stones from the storage pouch, and added softly:
"We still owe your Senior Brother Xiao Yuansi ten spirit stones. Why don't you take them back to Qingsui Peak while you're passing through, to save the extra handling."
Li Chijing realized with a start:
"I'd forgotten we owed Senior Brother ten spirit stones."
The three chatted as they walked among the scattered stalls, gradually exiting the market. They boarded the large boat back to Moonview Lake and headed for Lijing Mountain.
---
Lu Jiangxian drifted in and out of consciousness, hearing a jumble of clamoring voices. Vast quantities of information and dialogue surfaced in his mind, only to vanish like sand through his fingers.
"Brother Jiangqun, this Taiyin lunar essence is exceedingly precious. The Great Snow Absolute Edge of our sect lacks precisely this ingredient. Your generous gift earns the eternal gratitude of the Qingchi Gate. Should you ever need our aid, the sect will surely give its full support!"
A melodious female voice rang in his ears. Lu Jiangxian glimpsed a hazy face, but could recall nothing.
"The Qingchi Gate? Not the Qingchi Sect?"
Lu Jiangxian murmured, then jolted fully awake, staring blankly at the tea table and furnishings of the small room around him.
The incense beside the stone platform had burned for a long time, releasing white smoke. Li Mutian sat on the stool opposite, dozing. Moonlight fell upon the gray-green body of the mirror, making it appear especially magnificent.
He contemplated for several breaths. Everything in his mind faded like a dream, leaving behind only a single scroll of dharma.
《The Sacrificial Extraction Method》!
This method was of the same lineage as the Profound Pearl Sacrificial Spirit Art — another technique performed through the mirror as medium, using incense, soul, vital blood, and spiritual power as its objects. It harmonized these various qi to extract a single strip of register qi.
The scroll claimed this register qi could: strengthen cultivation, extend the six senses, elevate spiritual roots, improve aptitude, raise quality, and mend deficiencies... its wondrous effects beyond words.
"Yet it cannot repair my mirror body! I suppose I still need to find those things that can mend the mirror."
Lu Jiangxian sighed in regret, then extended his spiritual consciousness to connect with his scattered Talisman Seeds. He immediately discovered that Li Chijing and the others had already left the market and were heading back toward Lijing Mountain.
"A pity. With all this, I never went to investigate that attraction I sensed in the market. It'll have to wait for next time."
His spiritual consciousness stirred, and the gray-green mirror rose once more, slowly absorbing moonlight beneath the gentle glow.
---
The three returned to Lijing Mountain. Li Chijing produced the spirit ink and explained to Li Xiangping and the others:
"When you first practice the Talismanic Art of the Spiritual Nexus, you don't need to use actual talisman paper and spirit ink for daily exercises. If you fail, it would be too heartbreaking."
He took a cup of clean water, dripped a single drop of spirit ink into it, and the water immediately bloomed into a pale wine-red.
He then laid out a strip of cloth on the stone table, weighted it at both ends with paperweights, and soaked the jade-green talisman brush in the water for a moment.
"This will suffice."
He raised the brush and brought it swiftly down upon the cloth. In less time than it took an incense stick to burn, the talisman head and core were completed in one fluid motion. A pale crimson rune bloomed upon the cloth, seamless and whole, emanating a faint red glow.
Li Chijing gently set down the brush, waited several breaths, and the cloth burst into flame — reduced to a wisp of dark ash that clung to the table surface.
"When a talisman is drawn successfully, the cloth cannot bear its power and ignites naturally. If it fails, simply wash the ink from the cloth and begin again."
Li Xiangping's eyes lit up:
"Chijing, this is a wonderful method! It wastes no talisman paper and uses far less spirit ink — greatly reducing the cost."
Li Chijing nodded with a soft laugh:
"Just a little trick my master taught me. The Qingchi Sect has been transmitting knowledge for six hundred years — naturally they have their clever shortcuts."
He looked up at the sky and said with a serious expression:
"I have one more day. Are there any questions about cultivation? Has anyone mastered the Dark Water Sword Scripture?"
Li Tongya grew interested immediately, unfastened the Qingfeng sword from his waist, and smiled:
"I've achieved the sword aura, but I cannot project the sword qi outward yet. Does that count as mastery?"
"Sword aura and sword qi are merely the beginning."
Li Chijing waved dismissively and continued:
"All sword techniques differ, but the general stages are roughly the same: sword aura, sword qi, sword intent, and sword essence — only the difficulty of the specific scripture creates distinctions."
"The Dark Water Sword Scripture is relatively simple among Qi Refining sword techniques. You can produce sword aura with just a short period of practice."
Li Xiangping's expression soured at this, thinking of how many times he had read the sword scripture without producing any result — let alone sword aura. He lowered his head and began studying the Talismanic Art of the Spiritual Nexus with care.
Li Chijing drew the sword from his waist, unsheathing the pure white blade, and smiled:
"Watch."
The words had barely left his lips when a grayish-white sword aura blazed along the blade, pulsing like breath. With a raised eyebrow from Li Chijing, the aura surged outward, transforming into a sword qi roughly three inches wide that streaked through the air, shrieking as it pierced straight through a great banyan tree in the distance.
Li Tongya watched with furrowed brows as Li Chijing personally guided him through the technique. Once Li Tongya went off to practice on his own, Li Chijing clapped his hands together as though suddenly remembering something:
"Back at Qingsui Peak, I comprehended a sword technique. Just a single move. I should record it at home first, in case I die out there someday and the technique is lost forever."
"Don't talk nonsense!"
Li Xiangping scolded quietly, then said earnestly:
"Chijing, you must be careful out there! Your Second Brother and I cannot share your burden — we can only guard the family in your stead. The outside world is dangerous. You must be extra cautious..."
Li Xiangping rambled for a while, and seeing that Li Chijing was listening attentively, he paused for several breaths and said:
"Your brother here is dull by nature. These years I've scraped and scratched my way to the fourth layer of Embryonic Breathing, the Azure Origin Wheel, but I'm finding it harder and harder to advance. Without some spirit pills or spiritual items, I'll likely hit the wall at the Jade Capital Wheel's initial stage at best."
"Your Second Brother has better talent than your Third Brother, but only marginally — nothing compared to yours. Breaking through to Qi Refining is within reach for him. Between the two of us, we can hold the Li family's territory. And with that mirror, our family need not fear having no successors."
He sat down on the ground with a wistful expression:
"When your Second Brother went to Crown Cloud Peak, he learned that the Qingchi Sect's recruitment standards for families under its governance are very strict. One must be able to cultivate to at least the Qi Refining stage, and one in ten or twenty might even reach Foundation Establishment."
"Your Second Brother and I can die. You alone cannot."
Hearing Li Xiangping's words, Li Chijing felt moisture prick his eyes. He said quietly:
"Our family will be well. Third Brother, don't worry. I will also work hard within the sect to secure resources for the family."