Offering

"Mana solidified, transforming into Azure Origin."

With a wave of his hand, Li Tongya dispersed the pale Moonlight Azure Origin in his palm, his heart brimming with excitement.

The Azure Origin Wheel could not exactly be called a bottleneck, but it was still the fourth wheel of the Fetal Breath Realm. Having smoothly solidified his mana over the past half year left him quite satisfied.

"Yet this Azure Origin mana seems somewhat extraordinary. Its increase is so great that it looks close to the Jade Capital Wheel cultivation described in the Azure Origin Nurturing Wheel Method. It seems our Great Yin Breathing Nurturing Wheel Scripture truly is far from ordinary."

Li Tongya lifted the Azure Edge in his hand and carefully wiped it with a white cloth. Most people along Gu Li Road used sabers or staffs; he had searched through four villages before finally finding this treasured sword at the Jingyang Liu Family.

The Jingyang Liu Family was Liu Rouxuan's maternal home. The moment they heard that Li Tongya was seeking a sword, they eagerly presented him with this sword they had kept at the bottom of their chest, refusing his money no matter what and insisting it was part of Liu Rouxuan's dowry.

"After practicing for over half a year, I've finally crossed the threshold. I can now reliably use this Profound Water Sword Radiance."

Li Tongya pressed two fingers together and slowly traced them along the Azure Edge. The treasured sword immediately spat out a pale gray sword radiance, thin as a cicada's wing and clinging to the blade's edge, looking incomparably sharp.

Leaving the courtyard, Li Tongya found a secluded spot in the mountains and quietly began practicing his sword.

"Ha!"

After several exchanges of moves, Li Tongya raised the Azure Edge in his hand and flicked his wrist, sweeping it across the great tree before him. That Banyan Tree crashed to the ground at once, sending dust flying everywhere.

"Truly sharp."

Looking at the smooth stump before him, Li Tongya felt that his previous strike had met almost no resistance at all before cutting the great tree cleanly in two.

After practicing his sword with great enthusiasm for a while, Li Tongya hung the Azure Edge at his waist, cultivated through breathing to restore his mana, then headed for the Li Jing Small Courtyard.

The White Essence Fruit in the Li Jing Small Courtyard had ripened. White, plump, and round, they hung atop pale yellow seedlings, looking utterly tempting.

Harvesting the White Essence Fruit was much easier than harvesting spirit rice. One only needed to use mana to pluck them, then store them in jade boxes. Fifteen White Essence Fruits had grown in the courtyard at once, and Li Tongya had to borrow two jade boxes from Wan Tiancang before they could all fit.

"Brother Tiancang, regarding this tribute..."

"Follow Gu Li Road eastward until you reach Crown Cloud Peak of the eastern Xiao Family. The families of Li Xia County all submit their tribute there together. Every family also brings goods that they either produce in abundance or have in surplus for trade, all at the foot of that mountain."

Hearing Li Tongya ask about submitting tribute, Wan Tiancang waved a hand and carefully explained, "The market below that mountain is guaranteed by the Xiao Family. Generally, there will be no murders for treasure there. But payment and goods must be exchanged on the spot; once you leave the stall, no responsibility is taken. It all depends on each person's eye."

"I see."

After discussing matters with Li Xiangping and Li Mutian for the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Li Tongya took the Pine Yue Fruit sent by the Wan Family along with several arts and cultivation methods. After packing up the spirit rice and Spirit Fruit from home, he quietly headed to the Wan Family.

The Wan Family's carriage was parked beside Gu Li Road. To prevent the Ji Family from learning the news and launching a sneak attack, the Wan Family had only sent Wan Yuankai of the Azure Origin Wheel and a coachman. They were waiting for Li Tongya beside Gu Li Road.

Once everything had been packed, Li Tongya loaded the spirit rice and Spirit Fruit onto the Wan Family's carriage. Under cover of night, they swayed and rattled their way eastward.

"Lake Golden Autumn requires one to find a great lake three thousand li in diameter. When the autumn colors on the shore turn golden, the sky is bright and the air clear, and the night shines brilliantly, use the Bingzi Huzhuo Method to draw in qi for one night, and one will obtain a portion of autumn qi. Eighty-one nights yield a wisp of Lake Golden Autumn; ten wisps make one portion. It takes ten years, and is also called a decade of lake autumn qi."

Li Chijing flipped through the book in his hands, silently memorizing the method recorded within. He mused to himself, This July Qi Refining True Art Master gave me is quite detailed. I wonder whether it contains a method for refining Grand Yin Moonlight.

After carefully searching through the book several times, Li Chijing muttered, "Grand Yin Moonlight... Grand Yin Moonlight... here it is!"

"Grand Yin Moonlight, white as frost, flowing like water. When the moon is full, it is bright; when the moon wanes, it is dark."

Li Chijing blankly flipped several more pages, opened his mouth, and said:

"That's it?"

"Ah..."

Li Chijing had cultivated the Spirit Beginning Wheel some time ago. He was only lacking the accumulation of time before reaching the Qi Refining stage, so while waiting for others, he had begun reading up on Qi Refining methods early.

"If there's no clue about this Grand Yin Moonlight, I can only cultivate the Primal Pure Rain Control Art."

Li Chijing looked up and saw that one of the tasks outside the Martial Proclamation Pavilion had abruptly disappeared. As the pavilion doors opened, a figure slowly emerged.

Li Chijing had waited outside the Martial Proclamation Pavilion for three days before seeing someone take the task of collecting tribute from Li Xia County. Seeing that person lightly step onto a Flying Shuttle and prepare to leave, he hurriedly called out, "Fellow cultivator!"

The person lowered her head at his words and softly asked:

"What is it?"

Only then did Li Chijing notice that the other party was a beautiful woman dressed in a light green long skirt. He smiled awkwardly and explained, "Fellow cultivator, did you take the task of collecting tribute in Li Xia County?"

"That's right."

The gentle woman looked Li Chijing over. Seeing that he was only a boy of around sixteen, she immediately softened her tone and gently asked:

"Do you have family in Li Xia County?"

"Yes, yes! I am Li Chijing of Green Spike Peak. May I know Immortal Fairy's name?"

"Ning Wan of Moon Lake Peak."

Ning Wan nodded, signaling for Li Chijing to continue.

"Immortal Fairy is going to Li Xia County to collect tribute. I hope you can look after Chi Jing's family a little. Chi Jing would be endlessly grateful."

Li Chijing cupped his hands and answered in a low, respectful voice.

"I am from the Li Jing Li Family, right beside Moon Gazing Lake."

"We are all fellow disciples. Naturally, I can look after them a little."

Ning Wan lightly nodded, then asked with some puzzlement, "Since you were born by Moon Gazing Lake, within the jurisdiction of my Moon Lake Peak, why did you not join Moon Lake Peak?"

Li Chijing replied with a smile, "Honored Master Si Yuanbai happened to pass by Great Li Mountain. Chi Jing was blessed with deep fortune and gained Honored Master's favor, so he brought me back into the sect to cultivate."

Ning Wan gave a displeased snort and said in a low voice, "Instead of staying properly in his Mushroom Forest Plains, Si Yuanbai came to Moon Gazing Lake to poach people. What nonsense."

Li Chijing could only give two bitter laughs and pretend he had not heard her.

"Very well."

Ning Wan pursed her lips and softly asked:

"Is there anything you want me to bring?"

"Yes, yes."

Li Chijing had been worrying over how to broach the subject. Hearing this, he was overjoyed and said, "Many thanks, Immortal Fairy!"

With that, he offered up a small pouch with both hands. Ning Wan accepted it and weighed it. The crisp clinking of spirit stones came from within; there seemed to be four or five of them. Somewhat puzzled, she asked:

"The sect does not take your family's resources for your cultivation, yet you are sending things back home instead. What sort of reasoning is that?"

Li Chijing hurriedly shook his head and replied:

"My family had someone send me medicinal pills. Everything is provided on the peak, and I have no immediate use for spirit stones. Using them for cultivation would be far too extravagant, so it would be better to send them home to help support the household."

"I see. It is rare to see such sincerity from you."

Ning Wan's heart could not help softening at his words, and she gained a measure of fondness for the boy. Smiling, she said:

"I will definitely deliver them."