Just as Li Shuidao had expected, the news that he had broken through to the mid-stage of the Spirit Channeling Realm soon sent shockwaves through the entire Li Family.
"Li Haoshan's son has already broken through to the mid-stage of the Spirit Channeling Realm after just over a year of cultivation. What astonishing talent!"
"That's nothing unusual. As long as there are enough Spiritual Objects, breaking through to the mid-stage of the Spirit Channeling Realm in a little over a year isn't rare in the annals of my Li Family."
"Exactly! The Li Family's records even mention a genius who advanced to the mid-stage of the Spirit Channeling Realm just seven months after obtaining a Spirit Companion."
"Who could have guessed Li Shuidao would be so talented? It's a real shame he was sent to a sect."
"A shame? Do you know how many Spiritual Objects it takes to break through to the mid-stage of the Spirit Channeling Realm in such a short time? The Li Family doesn't have that kind of wealth these days. If Li Shuidao hadn't been sent to the Five Poisons Sect, his talent would truly have gone to waste."
The family ancestral hall.
The clan chief, Li Haimo, personally accompanied Li Shuidao to offer incense to their ancestors.
He lit the incense and prayed to the forebears.
"Shuidao, rise," Li Haimo said.
"Thank you, Clan Chief." Li Shuidao faced the clan chief with humility and respect.
"Shuidao, would you tell this old man how you won your master's favor, obtained so many Spiritual Objects to nourish your Spirit Companion, and advanced your cultivation so quickly?" Li Haimo asked amiably.
"This..."
Seeing Li Shuidao hesitate, Li Haimo continued, "Child, tell me, and I can pass these secrets on to the younger generation. That way, our Li Family can produce outstanding people generation after generation and flourish for a long time."
Li Shuidao cupped his hands and said, "You give me too much credit, Clan Chief. There aren't really any secrets. If you want your master and mistress to like you, you just have to make yourself useful."
"Oh? And how did you make yourself useful?"
"Clan Chief, I serve two roles in my master's cave abode: Spirit Plant Master and spirit beast tamer. Over the past year or so, I've cultivated diligently and earned my master and mistress's esteem. They bestowed many Spiritual Objects upon me. They were especially generous during the six months after Li Shuilang left, granting me one reward after another and helping me improve my strength. By the time I returned to the sect, I had successfully broken through to the mid-stage of the Spirit Channeling Realm."
Li Haimo's eyes grew thoughtful as he pressed on. "How many kinds of Spirit Plants have you learned to cultivate? And do you have any special experience taming spirit beasts?"
Li Shuidao's expression turned solemn, and he replied proudly, "I've mastered twenty-nine kinds of Spirit Plants. Every one of them thrives in my hands. As for taming spirit beasts, I can't do that. Mistress taught me how to ride cranes, and since I can ride a White Feather Crane, I suppose I can just about call myself a spirit beast tamer."
Li Haimo's brows lifted slightly. He murmured, "You do have some ability. No wonder..." Then he gave Li Shuidao a stern look. "But the path of cultivation is long and arduous, and you must work even harder. Don't grow complacent over a brief achievement. Only through continued effort will you establish yourself in the sect."
Li Shuidao replied with firm resolve, "Yes, Clan Chief. I'll remember your words. I won't slack off, and I'll keep striving to improve my cultivation and bring honor to the family."
Li Haimo nodded and smiled with satisfaction. "Good! Since you've reached the mid-stage of the Spirit Channeling Realm, you may choose a Daoist Book from our clan's Library Pavilion. This is a letter in my own hand. Give it to your Ninth Granduncle, and he'll take you upstairs."
As he spoke, Li Haimo took a letter from his sleeve.
"Thank you, Clan Chief!"
Li Shuidao accepted the clan chief's letter, his face alight with joy. One of the two major goals he had set for himself was nearly within reach.
Like the ancestral hall, the Li Family's Library Pavilion was a building that housed the family's heritage. It stood due south of the ancestral hall.
The "Li Clan Scripture Tower" was a three-story stone pagoda, its outer walls built of gray-green bricks and stone. It had a rather antique elegance.
A skylight opened at the top of the tower, and just then sunlight streamed in, illuminating the Library Pavilion.
The first floor of the Library Pavilion held all sorts of miscellaneous books, none of them particularly valuable. Of course, many of these books touched on immortal cultivation and the pursuit of the Dao, but most were written as travelogues or fanciful tales.
Members of the Li Family could come and go freely on the first floor and read whatever they liked. The second floor, however, was filled with cultivation manuals and secret techniques. A letter in the clan chief's hand was required to go upstairs and read them.
The third floor held the Li Family's exclusive manuals from the Five Poisons Sect, far more precious than the Azure Sea Sect techniques and common Five Poisons Sect manuals on the second floor.
After all, no matter how powerful the Azure Sea Sect techniques were, these days they could only serve as a reference.
The Library Pavilion was quiet, its shelves filled with a dazzling array of books.
As soon as Li Shuidao entered, he saw a white-haired old man.
The old man was his Ninth Granduncle, who also guarded the Library Pavilion.
The Ninth Granduncle looked Li Shuidao over, his eyes brightening. He smiled and said, "You rascal, where have you been lately? How come you haven't come to read?"
Li Shuidao looked up at the Ninth Granduncle's face, a warm smile appearing at once. "Ninth Granduncle, it's been a long time. I rarely came to read after I went to the Cultivation Hall. Now I finally have the time and opportunity to come back."
"You've already been to the Cultivation Hall? How time flies." The Ninth Granduncle sighed.
He had a vivid impression of Li Shuidao. After all, the boy had started reading miscellaneous books in the Library Pavilion at the age of six and kept at it until he was twelve.
For six whole years, Li Shuidao had visited the Library Pavilion whenever he had free time. It would have been hard not to remember him.
"Ninth Granduncle, I've already left the Cultivation Hall and have been cultivating at the Five Poisons Sect for over a year. I only got the chance to come back and read because of the happy occasion of my marriage and the birth of my child," Li Shuidao explained again.
"What!? You've already been at the Five Poisons Sect for over a year?" The Ninth Granduncle looked utterly astonished once more.
He had been a little boy right under the old man's nose. How had he suddenly become a cultivator?
Li Shuidao took a letter from his robes and respectfully handed it to the old man. "This is the clan chief's letter. He said that if I gave it to you, I could go up to the second floor."
The Ninth Granduncle stared blankly for a long moment before accepting the letter.
He unfolded it and saw that it was indeed written by Li Haimo.
After reading for a while, he gave a faint, self-mocking smile and murmured, "So your name is Li Shuidao. Have even the children of the Shui generation become cultivators now?"
In the family, everyone was arranged to marry and have children at fifteen or sixteen. How could things not move quickly?
Forget the Shui generation—even people of the Yi generation have entered a sect to begin cultivating.
However, the Ninth Granduncle clearly kept to himself here in the Library Pavilion, and Li Shuidao didn't want to say more.
For the family, this was a necessary measure to survive and carry on its bloodline.
After all, behind every bizarre custom lay a perfectly sound reason.
The Ninth Granduncle sighed, feeling that time truly flew.
In the blink of an eye, a child grew up. Then, in another blink, that child's child had grown up too.
"Not bad. To reach the mid-stage of the Spirit Channeling Realm in a mere year shows you have exceptional talent. You may read anything in the second-floor collection, but I must remind you of one thing," the Ninth Granduncle said solemnly.
"Please enlighten me, Ninth Granduncle." Li Shuidao respectfully cupped his hands.
"Read widely, master deeply!" the Ninth Granduncle said gravely.
"You may read whatever Daoist Books you like and broaden your knowledge, but remember: the path of cultivation values mastery. Don't try to bite off more than you can chew!"
"Thank you for the reminder, Ninth Granduncle."
"I won't go over the Library Pavilion's rules. You're a regular here, so go upstairs and read," the Ninth Granduncle said, waving his hand.
"Thank you, Ninth Granduncle." Li Shuidao bowed again and climbed the stone stairs to the second floor.
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