Dragging It Out

Dragging It Out

Li Tongya looked at Wan Tiancang before him, awkward beyond measure. If the family had a few Qi Refining or Foundation Establishment talismans, he could at least truly consider trading them to Wan Tiancang for the Array Dao Inheritance. But the white gleam that had saved Wan Xiaohua had not been a talisman at all—it had been an attack unleashed by the Law Mirror when it encountered an enemy. This left Li Tongya with nowhere to begin.

"Brother Wan, it is not that Tongya is unwilling to trade. It truly cannot be done..."

Li Tongya opened his mouth and uttered words that even he did not believe, sighing inwardly.

Naturally, Wan Tiancang refused to believe him. He frowned and painstakingly tried to persuade him, laying out the stakes, while secretly wondering, This is plainly a matter that would leave both families overjoyed. Why is Li Tongya being so vague, looking as though he is not particularly interested?

Seeing Li Tongya's troubled expression, Wan Tiancang suddenly came to a realization and declared with complete certainty:

"Brother Tongya, rest assured! Other than the Earth Lock Huaqian Array on our Huaqian Mountain, which concerns the safety of our family's inheritance and cannot be disclosed, none of the remaining ten Dao Embryo arrays and three Qi Refining Stage arrays will be missing or altered. They will absolutely be delivered to your clan whole and intact!"

Since the man had already said this much, Li Tongya was greatly tempted. He could only employ the tactic of delay for now, nodding as he said, "Tongya must discuss it with his father and younger brother before giving Brother Tiancang an answer."

"Of course, of course!"

Wan Tiancang hurriedly nodded. He felt that the matter was nine parts settled out of ten, and he let out a relieved breath before speaking again:

"A matter of such importance naturally requires your honored father's approval. Then I shall await good news from Brother Tongya!"

The two spoke a few more words, and Wan Tiancang then took his leave.

At the summit of Li Jing Mountain.

"That Wan Tiancang certainly has a silver tongue."

Lu Jiangxian's spiritual sense had seen every move between the two with perfect clarity, and countless thoughts turned over in his mind.

"That Great Yin Mystic Light had power equal to a single strike formed from the full cultivation of a cultivator at the peak of the Jade Capital Wheel. It seems that even a cultivator newly entered into the Qi Refining Stage would suffer badly if struck head-on. No wonder Wan Tiancang came asking for it."

Lu Jiangxian was exceedingly satisfied with the Li Clan. The entire family had entered the Immortal Dao through his Mystic Pearl Talisman Seeds. Each person's Mystic Pearl Talisman Seed condensed all of their cultivation; their rise and fall could be decided with a single thought from Lu Jiangxian. It gave him a great sense of security.

Whenever a powerful aura flew over Great Li Mountain, Lu Jiangxian obediently disguised himself as an ordinary mirror and hid in these deep mountains and old forests. He simply did not wish to become an object in another's hands. Who knew what methods those Purple Mansion Golden Cores possessed? They might not necessarily be unable to deal with an existence like him, a spirit of an artifact.

Though he, Lu Jiangxian, might recover more quickly in the hands of those immortal cultivators, how could that compare with lying low and steadily developing in these mountains day after day? Every Mystic Pearl Talisman Seed he planted was like one of his tentacles, relaying information and seeking treasures for him. Every breakthrough by every person added to his mana and spiritual sense.

"How could being a dog be as comfortable as being the master!"

Lu Jiangxian muttered to himself. Looking at the Li Clan thriving under the protection of the talisman seeds he had nurtured, he felt deeply satisfied.

But from another angle, if he were a member of the Li Clan, with all his cultivation held in the grasp of an artifact with thoughts of its own, Lu Jiangxian himself would never endure it. He would surely rack his brains to seize control. Though the Li Clan members were clever and capable, they were also suspicious and ambitious. Thus, Lu Jiangxian had never displayed intelligence, instead acting as though he operated entirely on instinct.

As for the Wan Family's Array Dao Inheritance, Lu Jiangxian was also immensely tempted. If he used his Mirror Body spirit as the medium to set up arrays, what sort of effect would that have? But how could he let the Li Clan obtain this inheritance...

"Array Dao Inheritance?"

Li Xiangping frowned, looked at Li Tongya, and shook his head as he said:

"Our family has no talismans to give him."

"But this Array Dao Inheritance is truly tempting. Your elder brother is coveting it terribly as well."

Li Xiangping was tempted too. He slapped his thigh, hurriedly rose to his feet, and pulled Li Tongya toward the backyard.

"Let's go ask Father."

Li Mutian was sweeping the floor in a small room in the backyard. The old man had no particular hobbies; he neither smoked nor gambled.

When he had nothing to do, he would tease his grandson a little, chat with Tian Shoushui, and wander back and forth through this little room that housed the Mirror Fragment, as though afraid that if he let his guard down, the Mirror Fragment would fly out through the skylight.

Li Xuanxuan was cultivating in the side room. With the aid of the moonlight power upon the mirror's surface, the child had already condensed seventy strands of moonlight power. He was only one step slower than Li Chijing had been back then, filling Ren Shi and several elders with delight.

After hearing Li Xiangping's words, Li Mutian set down his broom and looked toward the Mirror Fragment atop the Stone Platform. He said gravely, "This matter will not be easy to handle."

Seeing the regret on his two sons' faces, Li Mutian narrowed his eyes and continued:

"A few days ago, that monster was slain by the Mirror Fragment's white gleam. What do you two make of it?"

Li Tongya and Li Xiangping froze for a moment, then frowned as they sank into thought.

"Such a spirit artifact may naturally be fated to slay evil and exterminate demons. Perhaps that monster came too close and was thus killed by the Mirror Fragment."

After pondering for several breaths, Li Tongya voiced what he had in mind.

"That does make sense."

Li Mutian nodded and said softly:

"If we are to help Wan Tiancang, we can tell him that this talisman must be used by someone from our family, then use the Law Mirror from afar to launch a sneak attack on Ji Dengqi. But Ji Dengqi is neither evil nor a demon—how could we draw an attack from this mirror?"

Li Xiangping was silent for a long while before suddenly speaking:

"The path of immortal cultivation begins with the Profound Scene. Alchemy, artifact refinement, talisman drawing, array setting—even Storage Bags can only be used after the Jade Capital Wheel gives rise to spiritual sense. Perhaps once we cultivate the Jade Capital Wheel, we will be able to uncover some of the Law Mirror's mysteries and borrow some of the Mirror Fragment's strength to kill enemies."

"Indeed."

Li Tongya nodded, calculated the time, and said:

"The Wan Family's Spirit Rice has only just ripened for one harvest. It will take at least two or three years before the next harvest, and Ji Dengqi will invade across the border then. We have plenty of time."

Li Mutian sat on a stone stool, picked up the teapot, and filled the bowls of tea before him. Leisurely, he said:

"Delay them for now. Once our Li Clan produces someone at the Jade Capital Wheel and our strength is nearly equal to the Wan Family's, we can resolve these matters. Before that, let Ji Dengqi keep the Wan Family in check for us."

"Yes."

Li Xiangping took a light sip of clear tea and asked Li Tongya:

"How is Second Brother's progress?"

"I have already touched the edge of the Azure Origin Wheel. After several months of breathing cultivation, once I find a day when life rises and brightness dispels darkness, I can attempt a breakthrough."

Li Tongya smiled faintly. Looking at the moonlight like water and the pale moonlight power flowing across the mirror's surface, he explained:

"This Azure Origin Wheel is far easier than the Bearing Light Wheel."

Li Xiangping smiled and shook his head, then said seriously, "In a few months, it will be time for the envoys of the Immortal Sect to come collect tribute. We should also seek the Wan Family's guidance on many matters."