"May I ask…"

Li Xuanxuan was unsure for a moment whether to address the other as Taoist Fellow or Senior, realizing only that the monkey's throat seemed rather damaged, able to make out only some syllables, so he spoke gently:

"I wonder what your name is, Taoist Fellow?"

The old monkey shook his head, pointed at Li Xuanxuan, then at his own forehead. Li Xuanxuan pondered for a moment and asked:

"Would Taoist Fellow be willing to dwell in our Li Family?"

The old monkey nodded repeatedly. Li Xuanxuan was overjoyed—this monkey had the strength of the Fourth Layer of Qi Cultivation and most likely knew the properties of medicines and spirit plants, truly a great help. Thus, he tentatively said:

"From now on, Taoist Fellow can join our family, become one with the Li Clan."

The white monkey nodded, opened his mouth, and spat out a jade-green pestle. Li Yuanjiao watched as Li Xuanxuan accepted it, equally elated, exclaiming:

"The Wanling Flower on Huaqian Mountain hasn't sprouted for so long—perhaps let him take a look."

Li Xuanxuan understood, lowered his head to explain things to the old monkey, and ordered the clan soldiers to take him over. Only then did he turn back and, smiling at Li Yuanjiao, say:

"Don't be fooled by the shine of these magic artifacts—I think none matches that old monkey. Tomorrow, let him learn to write, record his cultivation techniques and experiences; our family gains another legacy!"

"Father's karma is truly excellent."

Li Yuanjiao had the same thought in mind, happily praising, as he picked up the emerald-green jadeite pestle and mortar. Though both were inferior-grade magic artifacts, a matched pair was rare and quite precious. He muttered:

"Let's call them Jadeite Pestle and Jadeite Mortar."

Li Xuanxuan's mouth twitched; for the first time, he realized his child was particularly poor at naming, so he shook his head and said:

"Xizhi's name was thought up by Guiluan, wasn't it?"

"That's right."

Li Yuanjiao didn't know why his father asked, finding it puzzling, while Li Xuanxuan just smiled and shook his head repeatedly.

Li Xuanxuan recuperated for several days in the cave mansion. Li Yuanjiao, who had to wait for news from Guanyun Peak, simply did not return to Wutu Peak. He stayed on Lijing Mountain, taking the opportunity to discuss family matters with Li Xuanxuan. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Li Xuanxuan started his story from the death of his father Li Changhu, talking for a full two days. Then a clan soldier arrived with news: Tian Youdao and An Zhiyan had returned.

Tian Youdao broke through to Qi Cultivation only at sixty and now looked every bit an old man, dressed in a gray robe. He had been sent to investigate Guanyun Peak. Solemnly cupping his hands, he reported:

"Chen Taojing fought four at once, held out for half a day, and died of exhaustion. Before dying, he cried: 'The Da Ling lineage is severed!' His voice shook heaven and earth, echoing without end."

Li Xuanxuan and Li Yuanjiao exchanged glances, sharing a chill as if their own lips had perished. Tian Youdao continued with measured words:

"As soon as he died, blue water misted over Guanyun Peak, falling like rain and fog. Devilish smoke surged forth, carrying a host of devils southward."

"Southward?"

At once, both relaxed. As long as the devils didn't scatter across Lixia County and wreak havoc everywhere, it could be counted as good fortune. In a low voice, Li Yuanjiao said:

"South likely means Mushroom Forest Plain and the surrounding lands."

With this, the actions of these devil cultivators seemed all the more suspicious: gathered from Mushroom Forest Plain and nearby, they overran the Xiao Family's market and immediately dispersed homeward, making it obvious they meant to trouble the Xiao Family.

Tian Youdao finished his report and withdrew at once. An Zhiyan, urgent in his steps, came forward; his manner always hearty, even after these upheavals, he spoke in a brisk, boisterous tone:

"Reporting, Family Head! The Xiao Family's great formation on Xianyou Peak was up six full days, sealing everything off while we waited anxiously."

"Only when the formation was lifted did any of the Xiao Family come to receive us. We met Young Master Guitu, who said that though the Xiao Family was attacked, there was little real harm—just two Foundation Establishment losses. The Perfected Person has already returned—no need to worry."

"The Perfected Person has returned."

Li Yuanjiao waved for him to step down. He couldn't guess how much truth or lies were in Xiao Guitu's words, but as the Xiao Family was their own support, they could only accept whatever was said.

"For now, we can only wait…"

Only then did An Zhiyan withdraw. Meanwhile, the old monkey hurried over, gesturing at Li Xuanxuan until the matter became clear.

"It's that the spiritual spring on Huaqian Mountain is too weak, unable to supply enough spirit mechanism."

Li Yuanjiao was suddenly enlightened; no wonder Wang Xun said the Wanling Flower was delicate—even Huaqian Mountain's spiritual spring couldn't satisfy the spirit root. He thought it over carefully, then suddenly said:

"Among the families on the East Bank—aren't there spiritual springs at the Rui Family and Pu Family near us?"

Deploying forces to the East Bank was always Li Yuanping's plan. First, to ease internal strife; second, to collect tribute; third, these families use mortals for medicines—capturing them is a righteous act.

"In this way, we must seize those families."

They sent messengers to inform Li Yuanping. Since the devil cultivators hadn't come west, Li Yuanjiao needn't hurry to take that elixir, instead quietly cultivating, hoping to break through to the Seventh Layer of Qi Cultivation before year's end.

With the market destroyed, Li Xuanxuan could no longer go. He simply used this brush with life and death as insight, closing up to cultivate. Li Qiuyang, long absent from family reunions, finally returned home as well.

———

New Year's Eve, heavy snow.

Snow was rare these past two years, and this fall made it all the more precious, as if to mourn those lost in the recent calamity, making it fall all the heavier.

The land between heaven and earth was a vast sheet of white. Li Yuanping stood atop a tall watchtower, looking down at the dispirited troops below, their hands and feet shivering in the biting winter cold.

He brushed snow off his body. Beside him, Li Ximing was already nine, at the Second Layer of Fetal Breathing, wrapped in fur, standing in the snow with his father.

Li Yuanping's face remained pale, yet since two years ago it had grown more gaunt, his hair now laced with white. He had it dyed black on purpose, which oddly made him look younger.

With the devils coming and going, who knew how many lives had been lost along the way. The Li Family spent several months seeking news: some said the devils wandered toward Ziyan Sect's lands; others claimed they roamed Mushroom Forest Plain.

"If anyone's got a headache, it should be the Yuan Family."

In these days, Li Yuanping had resolved Shanyue's affairs, then seized the moment, seeing that the devils hadn't come toward Wangyue Lake, to settle matters at home.

This, naturally, was the long-contemplated campaign against the East Bank: subduing the neighboring chaotic families, imposing order.

"Family Head, it is time."

A young voice roused him. Li Xihong stood before him, armored, spear in hand—now far maturer for his years of training, at least no longer muddled in word or deed.

"Mm."

Li Yuanping looked down again. The troops below, having stood a while in the snow, were limp and discouraged; the others had long since departed—the last group alone tarried here.

Li Xihong finally got the order. He hurried down from the high platform, mounted his horse—a heavy despot, with higher cultivation than his own—that stood quietly in the snow.

"Go!"

Cold snowflakes scattered as he rode off, leading these young master soldiers as they threaded the white forested mountains. Doubt lingered in his heart:

"The East Bank families are weak…a single Qi Cultivator, a handful of Fetal Breathing's out, and order could be settled in a snap. Why bother fielding clan disciples as troops and officers…isn't it redundant?"

This time, the Li Family deployed over five thousand men in five divisions. The other four used clan soldiers; perhaps for want of numbers, his group was bulked out by pressed clan disciples, led by Li Xihong himself.

Keeping a steady, unhurried pace through the woods, Li Xihong couldn't grasp the clan's intent. Snow whispered down as he mulled other things:

"The Family Head says it's to reform clan conduct, hence using clan disciples as soldiers. Yet they were never drilled before—suddenly pressed into a snowy night's march, what real use could they be?"

Li Xihong's doubts grew. This conscription seemed altogether abrupt, more like rounding people up. Most of these disciples had a shameful history…

Suddenly, realization dawned; he looked back at the straggling troop, already a dozen paces behind, and silently swallowed a mouthful of saliva.

"Perhaps…these people were never really meant to be used at all…"