Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror-Chapter 94 - 93 Return to the Mountain

Atop Lijing Mountain.

Li Xuanxuan stood before a chaotic courtyard, followed by Li Yesheng's eldest son, Li Xiewen.

In recent years, Li Xiewen had been called back by Li Xiangping and had been assisting Li Xuanxuan with the clan's affairs. Now that Li Yesheng had followed Li Xiangping on a campaign to the west, it was naturally his role to take over his father's duties.

Shaking his head, Li Xuanxuan frowned and asked,

"Still no sign of Jingtian and Xuanling?"

"Reporting to the Young Master, people have been sent through all the surrounding forests, but neither of them has been found."

Li Xuanxuan's heart skipped a beat as he looked over the devastated courtyard. He picked up a fallen wooden stool and heavily sat down.

"Xuanxuan, the Shanyue have taken away the youths of suitable age from Lijing Town. Not many were killed, but several hundred villagers were injured during the struggle. However, many more died at Lichuan Entrance, even the Chen Family's eldest legitimate son fell to the Shanyue."

Li Xuanxuan nodded somberly and muttered a few words,

"It's fine, the losses are not big."

The children of suitable age in Lijing Village had their spirit apertures tested long ago. The few discovered over the years to possess spirit apertures were disciples of other surnames, all following Li Xuanxuan, so there had been no significant loss.

"As long as Chen Donghe survives, it doesn't matter who else from the Chen Family dies."

"Go and tell them if they want to retrieve their children and take revenge on the Shanyue, the men should come down the mountain to register. Then, we'll organize another military force."

"Young Master, this..."

Li Xuanxuan shook his head and said gently,

"With the Family Head taking the clan soldiers, we must rebuild a military force to manage the various villages. This is just a pretext, after all. The Shanyue are powerful now; I won't do anything foolish."

Seeing Li Xiewen nod and set off to carry out the command, Li Xuanxuan then hurried into the backyard, pushed open the door of the small room, and came to a sudden halt at the sight of the collapsed desk and the empty stone platform.

"Damn it."

Despair and anger surged in Li Xuanxuan's heart, which after a few breaths turned into a helpless sigh. He looked at the broken wooden chair in the corner that Li Mutian used to sit in year after year, then slumped down on it, staring blankly at the barren stone platform.

But then, the door creaked open—it was Li Tongya, who had returned to Lijing Mountain, his appearance haggard as he entered the small room. He looked down at the items scattered across the floor, remaining silent.

Li Xuanxuan quickly got up and respectfully asked,

"Uncle, have you found any news of the Family Head?"

Li Tongya shook his head and brushed the dust off his clothing with the Cleansing Technique, explaining,

"I went into Shanyue territory for two hours but found no trace before being forced to retreat. However, I saw the Shanyue encamping to the west, guarding four Qi Refiners."

Seeing Li Xuanxuan's look of disappointment, Li Tongya glanced over the empty stone platform, but contrary to being alarmed, he smiled with reassurance and said,

"Don't panic. If I couldn't find them, neither could the Shanyue Qi Refiners. There's no need to worry about Xiangping's safety for the time being."

"Besides, Ling'er is clever; he already took the Dharma Mirror in advance."

As he gently set the desk back up, Li Tongya explained leisurely,

"Ganixi launched a surprise attack on Lijing Mountain. If they had captured Xuanling and Jingtian, they would surely send someone to threaten us, aiming to extort a large sum. Seeing as there's been no movement, it's likely that Xuanling preemptively evacuated before the attack, leaving Ganixi grasping at shadows."

Li Xuanxuan nodded thoughtfully and said,

"So that's how it is! Xuanling must have noticed something amiss, took the Dharma Mirror, and headed down the mountain, only to be swept into the campaign going west."

Li Tongya arranged the various offerings and replied,

"I'll find another opportunity to provide support, while you calm the hearts of our people at home and tally the spiritual fields that were looted. Chen Donghe and Li Qiuyang have both joined the army heading west, so we need to make arrangements for those spiritual fields."

"Yes, Uncle, be careful!"

Li Xuanxuan, somewhat worried, spoke up, only to see Li Tongya laugh and wave his hand as he said:

"These Shanyue are merely a group of country bumpkins, relying on their numbers for strength. They consume all sorts of miscellaneous and wild qi. Having cultivated the Mysterious Water Sword Qi, it will take at least three or five of them to keep me from leaving. There's no need for concern! If it were your Uncle Chi Jing here, even tying up five of them wouldn't be enough to match a single strike from him."

Having said this, he lightly stepped forward, exited the door, and continued westward. Li Xuanxuan let out a sigh of relief, sat back down on the broken wooden chair, and a smile began to curve at the corners of his mouth from the joy of things returning to normal. However, he was suddenly taken aback when he saw eight crooked characters carved on the leg of the chair.

"Suitable for a room, for a home, may you blaze bright and prosper."

In his mind, an image of the old man who had been trapped on the mountain for a lifetime due to a rumor about Foundation Establishment abruptly surfaced. Wiping the corner of his eye, his expression turned resolute as he walked out of the door.

Just as he left the house, Li Xuanxuan bumped into Li Xuanfeng, who had a pitch-black longbow slung on his back. Seeing him in a rush, Li Xuanxuan called out to him:

"Feng'er!"

Li Xuanfeng looked up. After listening to Li Xuanxuan repeating Li Tongya's words, he finally relaxed, though a few traces of worry still lingered on his face as he said in a low voice:

"Father is leading soldiers alone into Shanyue territory; I'm still concerned about him."

"Don't do anything foolish!"

Li Xuanxuan's expression turned alert. Seeing that Li Tongya had just left to rescue Li Xuanling and Li Jingtian, he didn't want Li Xuanfeng to get into trouble as well. He quickly tried to console him:

"The Family Head knows what he is doing; you mustn't even think about going into Shanyue territory to look for him! That would only tie everyone's hands..."

"I know."

Li Xuanfeng waved his hand dismissively and said with frustration:

"It's just that I'm not strong enough. If I had a Qi Refining Level, I wouldn't care about any Shanyue or any Ganixi; they'd all be just an arrow's flight away!"

"No matter what!"

Clasping his teeth in determination, Li Xuanfeng waved his hand and declared angrily:

"I'm going to seclude myself to break through to the Fifth Layer of the Yujing Wheel!"

His words caught Li Xuanxuan off guard, who silently pondered:

"Breakthroughs... Is it something one can achieve as soon as they desire to enter seclusion? Doesn't it require finding the right opportunity..."

Li Xuanxuan had been stuck on the Fourth Layer of the Qingyuan Wheel for over two years now without stumbling upon the opportunity for a breakthrough. With a sigh, he took out a jade bottle from within his robes and said warmly:

"This Serpent Origin Pill was left behind by Senior Xiao when he was doing alchemy for our family. There are three in total; one was used by each of the two elders when they were breaking through to the Yujing level. The last one is with me for my breakthrough; you take it and use it first."

After uttering a sigh, he added ruefully:

"It's a pity that our family has no alchemy heritage, and these three Serpent Jiao fruits we have managed to keep over the years remain unused..."

Li Xuanfeng expressed his thanks and took the jade bottle, saying with a smile:

"Big brother Xuanxuan, there's no need to worry. Our family has embarked on the path of cultivation for just over thirty years. Naturally, we cannot compare with those families that have profound backgrounds."

"Once our family has a few more Qi Cultivators, we'll find a Loose Cultivator with an alchemy heritage, kill them, and take it by force."

Li Xuanxuan shook his head upon hearing this and said with a smile tinged with resignation:

"You're always quick to violence, boy. These heritages cannot be acquired simply by rashly killing someone; we still have to rely on accumulating Spirit Stones to buy them."

Li Xuanfeng curled his lip and said:

"As long as our strength far surpasses the other party, whether to rob or buy, isn't it up to us to decide?"

After finishing his words with a low chuckle, he prepared to make his way to the Cave Mansion on Meichi Mountain to seclude himself for a breakthrough.