Immortal Sect

Immortal Sect "Li Jing Village: two hundred and twenty-nine households. Li Chuankou: one hundred and one households. Jingyang Village: two hundred and ninety-seven households. Li Daokou: one hundred and fifty-eight households. A total of seven hundred and eighty-five households, four thousand two hundred and eighty people."

Li Tongya and the others sat upright in the main courtyard of the Li Clan. At the very bottom, Li Yesheng stood in the yard, reading aloud the charcoal-written words on the silk.

"Four thousand two hundred and eighty people. With three able-bodied adults per household, we should be able to gather one or two with Spirit Apertures, no matter what."

Leaning against the wooden table, Li Xiangping spoke in a low voice.

"The Ye Family's Clan Elders came to visit Ye Sheng last night... They hoped to restore their ancestral surname." Li Yesheng glanced at those seated above him and gave a bitter smile.

"Ancestral surname?"

Li Tongya raised his head and asked in confusion.

Seeing the baffled looks on Li Tongya and the other's faces, Li Mutian coughed lightly and explained,

"The Ye Family was originally a Sub-Branch of our Li Clan. Later, they committed an offense, and their entire branch was expelled from the Li Clan and made to change their surname to Ye."

"Originally, neither family spoke of this matter. Now that they see our Li Clan has gained an immortal opportunity, the Ye Family naturally came running to cling to us, hoping to change back to their ancestral surname."

Li Yesheng nodded upon hearing this. He had only learned of this old secret last night after listening to that Clan Elder's tearful lamentations. The Ye Family's Clan Elder had wept and sobbed bitterly; if he had not come seeking to cling to them only after the Li Clan gained its immortal opportunity, Li Yesheng truly might have believed the man still held the main family in his heart.

"If any branch of the Ye Family produces someone with a Spirit Aperture, permit that branch to return to the Li surname and become a Sub-Branch of our Li Clan."

After hearing Li Mutian's explanation, Li Xiangping immediately gave Li Yesheng his answer and told him to relay it to that Clan Elder. Then he turned to Li Mutian and asked, "Father, as for the people in charge of these villages..."

"Chen Erniu is shrewd and capable, and he fled here from Li Chuankou, so send him to Li Chuankou. Jingyang Village has the largest population and is the most prosperous; we need to send someone trustworthy. Have your Uncle Ren keep watch over it."

Li Mutian took a light sip of tea and continued, "Li Daokou lies close to Gu Li Road, with many refugees fleeing calamity. Its situation is the most complicated. Xu Wenshan is a crafty one; have him take that whole band of refugee brothers with him."

"Father has considered everything thoroughly."

Li Xiangping nodded, holding the scroll of methods for cultivating spirit plants in his hands as he read.

"The most urgent matter is still to use the Spirit Seeking Art in this scroll to inspect the earth veins of the villages, find those Spirit Fields, and plant the spirit rice and White Essence Fruit as soon as possible."

Li Chijing stood atop the Flying Shuttle, gazing down at the vast earth below. Houses like ants and majestic cities alike vanished into the distance. The sorrow of leaving home was cast behind him at once, and his heart surged with excitement.

"A true man should ride the wind and embrace the moon, sword in hand beneath heaven!"

After flying for a little over two hours, a towering range of mountains emerged before Li Chijing's eyes. Pavilions and lofty halls stretched endlessly through the mountains, presenting the air of an immortal abode.

Flocks of immortal cranes and white birds darted among the mountains. Si Yuanbai before him no longer sat with his eyes closed, regulating his breath. He waved a hand and tossed out a token, then waited quietly.

"So it is Martial Uncle Yuanbai returning."

A white crane slowly descended before Li Chijing. Clutching the token in its beak, it asked curiously,

"Who is this boy?"

It was Li Chijing's first time seeing an immortal beast that could speak. He was so nervous he could not say a word. Si Yuanbai smiled. "A new disciple accepted by our Green Spike Peak."

"Congratulations, Martial Uncle."

The immortal crane offered its congratulations. As it finished speaking, it gently flapped its wings, and a transparent curtain of light slowly opened a gap before the two of them.

Only then did Li Chijing notice the nearly invisible great dome between heaven and earth, firmly enveloping the Green Pool Sect's mountain gate and separating the spiritual energy within from without.

The moment he entered the Green Pool Sect's mountain gate, Li Chijing felt a wave of comfort wash over his entire body.

"What dense spiritual energy."

Seeing the astonishment on Li Chijing's face, Si Yuanbai chuckled. "This is the Green Pool Sect's Heaven Origin One Path Spirit Array. Its mysteries are boundless. It seals off inside and outside, allowing the Green Pool Sect alone to enjoy the spirit vein of Azure Pool Mountain. With the array's power, so long as a Foundation Establishment immortal cultivator is stationed here, even Purple Mansion cultivators would find it difficult to break through."

"Truly marvelous."

Li Chijing echoed him, yet secretly thought, I wonder if this array can be learned. I could set one up on my family's Back Mountain too.

Seeing Li Chijing lost in thought, Si Yuanbai merely assumed he was awestruck and continued,

"The hundred arts of cultivation—arrays, alchemy, magical artifacts, talismans, beast taming, vein surveying, and so on—contain inexhaustible mysteries. It is best to choose one and cultivate it."

"Master, which of the hundred arts of cultivation do you practice?"

Li Chijing asked curiously.

"Green Spike Peak has always been famed for its sword arts among Green Pool's Thirty-Six Peaks..."

Si Yuanbai proudly lifted his head as he answered.

"Oh, so that's how it is." Li Chijing nodded in sudden realization, looking toward the treasured sword at Si Yuanbai's waist.

"So... your master practices the art of talismans."

Looking at the blank-faced Li Chijing, Si Yuanbai continued somewhat awkwardly, "Your Grandmaster died early. Your master has yet to truly get started on the path of the Sword Immortal, but Green Spike Peak needed support in every way to make ends meet, so I had no choice but to first learn some talismans. Who could have known that the more I studied talismans, the more adept I became..."

"Oh, oh."

Li Chijing nodded repeatedly, indicating that he understood.

"I'll first take you to meet a few of your Senior Brothers."

Si Yuanbai led Li Chijing winding among the peaks until they found the lowly Green Spike Peak. They had just landed atop the summit when a man and a woman approached them.

"You rank seventh under your master. This is your Third Senior Brother, Xiao Yuansi, at Qi Refining Stage 7. That is your Fourth Senior Sister, Yuan Tuan, at Qi Refining Stage 3."

Li Chijing respectfully bowed to the man and woman. Xiao Yuansi had thick brows and large eyes, with an easy, graceful bearing. He handed over a Jade Slip and said,

"This is a sword art I happened to obtain while traveling outside. I shall give it to Junior Brother now as a meeting gift."

Yuan Tuan smiled faintly as well and presented a jade pendant, saying,

"This jade pendant can calm the mind and steady one's thoughts, helping one enter Entering Samadhi. It is a useful tool for the Fetal Breath Realm, and I shall give it to Junior Brother as well."

Li Chijing naturally thanked them one by one, then asked curiously, "Are the other Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters in seclusion?"

Si Yuanbai gave a soft laugh and answered, "Your Senior Brother possessed outstanding talent. Last year, he achieved Qi Refining Great Perfection, then entered seclusion to break through to Foundation Establishment. He failed and died, his Dao vanishing with him."

Si Yuanbai's answer clearly caught Li Chijing by surprise. He let out a low "Ah," his expression complicated as he looked at Si Yuanbai.

"As for your other Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, some died at the hands of demons, some died fighting over treasures, some died to bottlenecks and inner demons. All are buried within this peak. Come with me to pay them respects."

Seeing Li Chijing's mournful expression, Si Yuanbai gave a cold laugh and said,

"The path of cultivation is a path of great contention! You must contend, and you must contend for victory, contend to win! If you cannot win, then you die. What is there to regret?"

"You, Li Chijing, must contend; if you cannot win, then you die. Your Li Clan must contend; if you cannot win, then your clan is extinguished. My Green Spike Peak must contend as well; if it cannot win, then its Dao ends. The world has always been a place where the strong devour the weak—what is there to hide?"