The Fei Lineage

The Fei Lineage moved swiftly. In less than an hour, they had assembled their people, horses, and carriages, left Greenbriar Mountain, and headed straight for the roiling thunderclouds north of Filth Mountain.

Leading the party was Fei Cai's sixth son, Fei Yangxie.

The young man had fine brows and clear, bright eyes. Though only seventeen or eighteen, he carried himself with considerable composure.

Sharing his carriage was Liu Xian, the patriarch of the Liu Lineage, one of the six garrison lineages under the Fei Household.

Most of the old man's hair and beard had turned white, and deep furrows crisscrossed his face, but his eyes remained clear.

He was an old retainer who had grown up alongside Fei Cai, and his words carried considerable weight within the Fei Lineage. Fei Cai had specifically sent him along this time for fear that his sixth son's youthful impetuousness might lead him to misspeak. If that happened, someone would be there to keep him in check.

The carriage wheels rumbled. Fei Yangxie lifted the curtain and glanced at the thunderclouds still lingering on the distant horizon. Then he abruptly lowered it and turned to Liu Xian. "Venerable sir, is that Thunder Cultivator truly so formidable? I've read the Ning Household's books since childhood, and whenever they mention the ancient 'Li Thunder,' every word is steeped in awe. But these are no longer ancient times. It's only a Thunder Arts technique. Does it really warrant such solemn attention from Father?"

Liu Xian stroked his beard and shook his head. "There are things you do not know, young master. In ancient times, when 'Li Thunder' manifested, the sun and moon dimmed, yin and yang clashed, and thunder ruled all beneath heaven. Li Thunder subdued evil and upheld righteousness; Jade Thunder enforced judgment. All paths gave way, and ten thousand arts bowed their heads. In those days, never mind demons—even immortal cultivators with established masters and distinguished origins dared not act recklessly beneath the thunder's light. Although 'Li Thunder' has not appeared in the world for many years, the fame of the three thunders remains known to all. Every lineage today agrees on one thing: anyone who cultivates 'Li Thunder' must possess great compassion and righteousness, and be sternly impartial. That is the rule by which the Thunder Arts choose their wielder. It cannot be falsified. A man may put on the sanctimonious airs of a sage, but 'Li Thunder' will never follow the wrong master. If his heart were crooked, it would have struck him dead long ago."

He paused and looked at Fei Yangxie, speaking with earnest gravity. "Therefore, anyone capable of cultivating 'Li Thunder' deserves to be treated with respect on that merit alone."

Fei Yangxie nodded thoughtfully, thinking to himself, If that is true, this senior's help might give us a chance to resolve the threat from Filth Mountain. At least we wouldn't have to send over so much blood food every year...

Suddenly recalling something else, he said quietly, "I've heard that an eminent monk of Ancient Buddhism has also come to the Southern Border. He neither eats people nor consumes their qi, cultivating himself and his own nature instead. He's entirely different from those Buddhist Cultivators in the north and west. If we could find him, perhaps he could offer another way out."

Liu Xian glanced at him but did not take up the subject. He merely sighed inwardly.

A monk of Ancient Buddhism—how could one be so easy to find?

Following the direction of the thunderclouds, the party traveled straight to the foot of a barren mountain.

The mountain was bare, with sparse vegetation and exposed rocks. The recent thunderstorm had blasted blackened scars across it, and the pungent smell of scorching still lingered in the air.

Undispersed thunderclouds still hung low over the summit. Here and there, a few lingering streaks of lightning could be seen drifting silently through them.

Fei Yangxie straightened his clothes and headwear, then ascended the mountain on foot with only Liu Xian accompanying him. He knew full well that experts of this stature most disliked being spied upon. Bringing too many people might instead give rise to a misunderstanding.

The two walked single file over the scorched rubble until they were a little over a hundred feet from the cave entrance, where they stopped.

Fei Yangxie drew a deep breath, adjusted his robes, and bowed deeply toward the dark entrance, declaring in a clear voice, "Fei Yangxie of the Fei Lineage on Greenbriar Mountain pays his respects to you, Senior. I honor your progress in cultivation, with Inner Vision within reach and divine abilities in sight. This junior has come expressly to pay his respects and present congratulatory gifts in celebration of your great advance in Dao Attainment!"

Li Fuchan was regulating his breathing inside the cave dwelling, stabilizing his cultivation realm, when he heard a respectful voice outside announcing its identity as a member of the Fei Lineage of Greenbriar Mountain and offering congratulatory gifts.

His brows lifted almost imperceptibly, and a trace of puzzlement appeared in his eyes.

He had heard of the Fei Lineage while operating in the area and had even taken the initiative to investigate them.

It was merely a minor lineage. Since its patriarch Fei Yiming had passed away in seated meditation twenty years ago, it had produced no further Outer Scenery cultivators. In the Southern Border, where monsters ran rampant and the strong devoured the weak, a minor lineage without even an Outer Scenery cultivator had managed to survive at the foot of Filth Mountain until now. That spoke of some ability.

But that was not what had truly made Li Fuchan remember the Fei Lineage. Rather, he had happened to discover that the methods they cultivated belonged to the "Wandering Gold" Dao Lineage.

When Gu Liuru had spoken of Yangshe Xu and "Wandering Gold" that day, his words had been utterly certain. After returning, Li Fuchan had consulted that ancient miscellany and carefully read through the various wondrous properties of "Wandering Gold."

If the Fei Lineage truly inherited the methods of that path, their legacy was not to be underestimated.

The Fei Lineage is only a minor lineage without an Outer Scenery cultivator, yet they dare approach me of their own accord?

His thoughts turned, and wariness rose unbidden. Could they have noticed the commotion of my breakthrough and decided to try something before my realm stabilizes? Or is someone using the Fei Lineage's name to lay an ambush here?

He quietly extended his spiritual perception beyond the cave and carefully scanned Fei Yangxie and Liu Xian. One was a young master of seventeen or eighteen with thoroughly ordinary cultivation. The other was an old servant with white hair and beard who had attained a measure of proficiency, but was still only in the Aperture Opening realm. Neither showed anything suspicious.

Li Fuchan withdrew his spiritual perception. His eyes flickered as he suddenly recalled Filth Mountain near the Fei Lineage's territory.

Filth Mountain was a monster mountain presided over by an Outer Scenery Monster. It had occupied the place for many years, its roots sunk deep.

The monster on that mountain had most likely already obtained a "nature root" and was nothing like an ordinary unaffiliated monster. Living at the foot of Filth Mountain, with monsters as neighbors for generations, the Fei Lineage could not possibly be free of its control.

Now that they had witnessed his "Li Thunder," which specifically countered Evil Spirits, it was hardly strange for them to entertain a few ideas.

They want to use my hand to deal with that Monster on Filth Mountain?

An amused smile touched Li Fuchan's lips. They've certainly worked their abacus well. Still, I happen to need a Dao Lineage I can switch to. If I could get my hands on the Fei Lineage's "Wandering Gold" method...

Thoughts turned over in his mind, but his expression remained unchanged. He simply sat cross-legged in the cave, leaving the two men outside to wait.

Outside the cave, Fei Yangxie finished speaking and bowed, then stood respectfully with his hands lowered, not daring even to breathe loudly.

But after an entire incense stick's worth of time, the pitch-black entrance remained silent, without the slightest sign of a response. The mountain wind howled past, stirring the loose strands of hair over his forehead, while cold sweat seeped down his back in layer after layer.

He stole a sideways glance at Liu Xian, sending him an uneasy look. Liu Xian's expression was grave. He shook his head slightly, signaling that Fei Yangxie must not breach etiquette.

Fei Yangxie grew increasingly anxious as thoughts churned incessantly through his mind. Could this senior be unwilling to see us? Or... did he scan me with his spiritual perception just now and discover that I once consumed Blood Qi?

At that thought, his face paled further. Thunder Cultivators hated evil as a mortal enemy and were least willing to tolerate such things. If this senior truly flew into a Thunderbolt of rage over it, he and Liu Xian might well meet their ends on this barren mountain.

Just as he was wavering over whether to hastily apologize and leave, a voice finally drifted from the depths of the cave, its tone calm and betraying neither pleasure nor anger:

"Thank you, young master. I appreciate the gesture."