Li Xizhi was bewitched by Perfected person Buzi's Divine Skills, collapsed onto the desk with a thud, fell silent, his six senses lost, sinking into deep darkness. Yet as the Talisman Seed within his Sea of Qi Acupoint stirred, Li Xizhi vaguely broke the confinement, and could start to hear some sounds.

Yuan Tuan's voice was gentle and soft:

"Greetings to Perfected Person."

Yuan Tuan raised her brows, forced herself to remain calm and greeted, while the Taoist in blue before her cast her a sidelong glance, sitting cross-legged and picking up a jade teapot.

"Gurgle gurgle..."

The emerald tea poured into the cup, but Perfected person Buzi did not respond, instead pouring tea for himself, softly saying:

"'QingXuan Yue' is after all an ancient method, of rather high grade, yet you wasted so much time… None of us thought you would succeed at Foundation Establishment; it must have been your own fortune. Not bad."

"Ancestor flatters me."

Yuan Tuan replied obediently, as the pavilion was swept by a mild breeze; Taoist and female cultivator sat opposite one another. Perfected person Buzi rolled up his sleeves, sipped his tea, and continued:

"What did you gain?"

Yuan Tuan's heart skipped a beat, but she feigned ignorance, furrowing her brow:

"What does Perfected Person mean by this?"

Perfected person Buzi chuckled, sharp-eyed, his voice turning cold:

"Wasn't it for seeking the Taoist Scripture that you secretly went to Guanyun Peak! But which Taoist Scripture does the Yuan Family desire? 'Midnight Inquiry Raccoon Scripture'? Or 'Qingheng Falling Cloud Scripture'?"

He narrowed his eyes, watching Yuan Tuan's submissive bowed posture, thinking inwardly:

"'QingXuan Yue' preserves clarity of mind and wards off disaster; I wonder how much my Divine Skill can affect her."

After all, Yuan Tuan was at Foundation Establishment, not so easily deceived as Li Xizhi on the side. Perfected person Buzi stared at her, his tone deep:

"Surely it's not 'White-haired Courtyard Bowing Scripture' or 'River Tomb Scripture'! That's not something your little Yuan Family can handle; don't bring calamity upon yourself."

Buzi's warning was full of admonition, causing Yuan Tuan to quickly bow her head in apology, just opening her mouth when Buzi abruptly interrupted:

"But the first two aren't out of reach either!"

He shook his jade cup, speaking warmly:

"Your ancestor Yuan Licheng was mentored by me. If he's able to obtain 'Qingheng Falling Cloud Scripture', after breaking through to Zifu, he may return to the sect, take Qing Sui Peak as main seat, and become a Perfected Person of our Green Pond Sect."

"There's precedent with Tang Yuanwu and Sibo Xiu before, adding a Yuan Licheng does no harm. This is Green Pond Sect's sincerity."

Buzi set down his jade cup, saw Yuan Tuan's pensive look, and smiled:

"Not everyone, like Xiao Chuting, can always maneuver deftly, walking day and night atop the cliff edge. See, even with all his skill, what comfortable days has the Xiao Family had these past years?"

"Thank you for Perfected Person's guidance."

Yuan Tuan responded, and only then did Perfected person Buzi turn his gaze to the unconscious Li Xizhi on the side, speaking softly:

"A member of the Li Family?"

"Indeed."

Upon Yuan Tuan's confirmation, Buzi glanced at him with amusement, smilingly saying: 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"There's another matter: years ago Si Yuanbai claimed he himself obtained Taiyin Moonlight and then gave it to his disciple Li Chijin. We all thought he was foolish—such precious Taiyin Moonlight not kept for himself. Yet restrained by Sibo Xiu, we could not interrogate him."

"But now, thinking back…"

Perfected person Buzi gave Li Xizhi a cold glance, quietly saying:

"Si Yuanbai is honest, not dull; it must be that the Li Family obtained Taiyin Moonlight, and used Si Yuanbai's name to pass it to Li Chijin."

His long fingers hooked; suddenly the unresponsive Li Xizhi sat upright, dazed, eyes dull. Perfected person Buzi softly asked:

"Where did the Li Family acquire Taiyin Moonlight?"

Li Xizhi seemed bewitched by Divine Skills, began stammering his account: the members of the Li family opened the Cave Mansion atop Meichi Peak, obtained Taiyin Moonlight, then Li Chijin brought it back—smooth and logical, which made Buzi nod slightly.

"Indeed, for a small noble family, it's fortunate to gain a single strand of moonlight; how could there be a second?"

Perfected person Buzi was just short of that thread of Taiyin Moonlight for alchemy, so had tried out of convenience; upon hearing this, he sighed with regret, muttered:

"Perhaps I should seek another chance, and look for it again atop Wangyue Lake. Might there yet be some?"

He rose, flicked his sleeves, arranged his shoes and socks beneath the loft's curtain, and left on his own.

Yuan Tuan remained silent beside the desk for a long while before slowly exhaling, then pointed to awaken Li Xizhi, gently calling:

"Xizhi!"

Li Xizhi feigned confusion, but with a Talisman Seed protecting him inside, he'd actually long been awake; that prior statement was intentionally revealed. Hearing Green Pond Sect's promise to the Yuan Family, he silently kept it in mind.

————

Li Family.

Wutu Peak.

Li Yuanjiao let out a long breath, his cultivation level gradually stabilizing; after months of closed door meditation before the New Year, he'd managed to break through to the Seventh Layer of Qi Cultivation. Now, after half a year of quiet training, his cultivation was consolidated.

If he spends a few more years accumulating, with the help of a Talisman Pill, Foundation Establishment will be within reach.

The past two years have been fairly stable, though still Devil Cultivators appear at Mushroom Forest Plain, their numbers not large. To the north of Li Xia County, the Ziyan Sect has begun suffering attacks from Devil Cultivators, confirming the rumors: the group that previously besieged Guanyun Peak feared the Xiao Family's retaliation, dared not linger, and most have headed north.

Many deaths at Mushroom Forest Plain for a time, but as this was the Yuan Family's private garden, how could a few Devil Cultivators rampage unchecked?

Yuan Family's Foundation Establishment Peak ancestor Yuan Licheng came personally, bringing four Foundation Establishment clan cultivators, swept through and killed several local Devil Cultivators, drove out all the rest, and Mushroom Forest Plain gradually stabilized.