Chapter 415: Dawn Colored Qi (I)

In the Azure Pond Sect...

A brisk breeze swept along the quiet path as a cultivator, covered from head to toe, sped along the road. The white glow beneath his feet was a clear sign that the Divine Movement Spell was activated.

Finally back...

Li Xizhi looked weary with a furrowed brow as he navigated the path at the base of Qingsui Peak, his black robe tattered and dusty.

This assignment lasted two whole months! There are countless matters to address below the mountain... without my prior experience at home, this would have been quite the challenge.

Not every disciple of the Azure Pond Sect could focus solely on cultivation; worldly distractions often interrupted their practices.

The nature of these distractions varied—some trivial, others troublesome—and their assignment typically depended on the influence of their immortal peak within the sect.

Qingsui Peak had been in decline for years.

Under Si Yuanbai's protection, Li Chejing could cultivate in peace most of the time. Si Yuanbai's profound skills in the way of talisman and his backing in the sect shielded his disciples from menial tasks.

But now, since Yuan Tuan lacked significant influence or backing in the sect, Li Xizhi often got the shorter end of the stick. His responsibilities often required him to leave the mountain and work his fingers to the bone.

Moreover, with the arrival of more sword cultivators to the other peaks, Li Xizhi dared not reveal himself and could only lament his plight inwardly.

These swordsmen were primarily qi cultivators who liked to challenge him to duels, promising to suppress their cultivation to make it a fair fight. They had trained with the sword for a few more decades than Li Xizhi.

Putting aside their profound mastery of the sword, with the viciousness gleaming in their eyes alone, Li Xizhi knew that he was no match for them.

Fearing he might embarrass himself and Qingsui Peak, Li Xizhi always made his journeys up and down the mountain as inconspicuous as possible, wrapped tightly in his cloak to maintain a low profile and avoid trouble.

When he finally reached the platform on the summit, he took a deep breath and looked up.

The bamboo forest before him swayed in the wind, leaves fluttering down and surrounding a green deer that was as tall as a human.

Atop it sat a Daoist woman with a lovely face, who was watching him silently.

"Master!" Li Xizhi greeted her respectfully.

Yuan Tuan nodded but said nothing about his unusual attire, seemingly unsurprised.

"I've brought you the cultivation technique," she said softly.

She extended a slender arm, presenting a pale yellow jade slip. Li Xizhi accepted it eagerly, and a quick scan with his spiritual sense revealed its contents—

Dawn Dew Gathering Technique

.

Instant relief washed over him as Yuan Tuan continued, "This is also a Grade Four technique. While it may not rival the teachings exclusive to the immortal peaks of direct lineage, it is on par with the sect's standard cultivation technique. It's challenging to master, which deters many from practicing it... The content is only available up to the Foundation Establishment Realm."

Li Xizhi listened in silence, not questioning why his master had not chosen the superior Clear Essence Rain Control Technique.

Yuan Tuan moved her lips slightly but her whispers seemed to echo directly in his ears.

"Most of this cultivation technique's Dao Partners are lost... Only several incomplete legacies remain in Wu State, so there's no cause for concern."

Li Xizhi could not fathom the trouble Yuan Tuan had gone through to secure this cultivation technique. Moved, he began to express his gratitude.

"Master's kindness is..."

However, Yuan Tuan cut him off abruptly with a gentle voice.

"It is what I should do."

She locked eyes with him as she continued, "This cultivation technique requires you to gather Dawn Colored Qi, but it's a rather troublesome process as it requires one to ascend to the clouds and descend into deep valleys. The sect would never hand over the qi gathering technique to your family so they could help you collect it either... The only option is to purchase the spiritual qi from the sect—and at a steep price."

Li Xizhi looked up, his voice tense with unease.

"About the price..."

"A hundred and twenty Spirit Stones."

Yuan Tuan's voice was cold, tinged with a hint of vexation.

The amount shocked Li Xizhi, causing him to bow his head as a tumultuous conflict waged within him.

Yuan Tuan added, "Should your family coffers fall short, I will provide the remainder."

"Thank you, master!"

Li Xizhi kneeled and bowed deeply in respect. When he rose, Yuan Tuan had already vanished.

He wandered to his small courtyard in a daze, wordlessly lighting a lamp and spreading out a sheet of letter paper, yet he just stared at it for a long time and wrote nothing.

Under the flickering yellow lamplight that cast a golden-red glow over his face, Li Xizhi pursed his lips.

A single drop of ink fell from his brush.

Setting the brush aside, he replaced the spoiled paper with a fresh sheet, but his anxiety persisted and he began zoning out once more.

————

Li Ximing bid farewell to his family and relatives at the Li Residence and set out to return to the Xiao Residence.

Although he had yet to achieve Qi Cultivation Realm, the dharma artifact on his wrist—the

Azure Manifestation

—had transformed into a barking deer with vibrant green markings, playfully bounding along behind him.

Concerned for his safety in a region now teeming with devil cultivators, the Li Family refused to let Li Ximing return to the Xiao Residence alone.

Although the deer was a lot faster than Embryonic Breathing Realm cultivators, the journey would still take several days and was fraught with danger.

Without needing any suggestion from the clan, Li Yuanjiao decided to personally escort Li Ximing on the wind.

Winter had arrived early this year, bringing flurries of snow.

After Li Yuanjiao departed with Li Ximing, Li Yuanping assigned tasks to the other men. Just as they were also about to disperse, a streak of white light appeared in the distance, rapidly descending upon the grand formation.

"Yuan Huyuan from the Yuan Family has come to pay his respects! Please open the mountain gate!"

His voice, amplified by mana, echoed as Li Yuanping watched from within the mountain, momentarily startled.

Yuan Huyuan...? Why is he here?

Yuan Huyuan, a peak qi cultivator from the Yuan Family's direct lineage, held an esteemed position despite little hope of achieving Foundation Establishment Realm. He stood outside patiently, clad in dharma clothes.

With Li Yuanjiao away, Li Qinghong took charge. She rode the wind and exited the grand formation, clasping her hands together and greeting the man in a clear voice.

"Li Qinghong of the Li Family greets Senior..."

Clad in jade armor and carrying a spear on her back, her appearance was striking. Although Yuan Huyuan was nearly a century old, his eyes shone brightly with recognition.

He stroked his beard and smiled.

"Ah, so you're the thunder cultivator of your esteemed clan... I've heard much about you."

He politely reached out with his spiritual sense and quickly retracted it. A look of surprise appeared on his face.

"To think you've reached the sixth heavenly layer of the Qi Cultivation Realm already! And at such a young age—barely thirty! That's..."

Li Qinghong, uninterested in prolonging the discussion about her accomplishments, which she assumed he mentioned out of courtesy, offered a polite smile.

"What brings you here, Senior...?" she asked politely.

"Ah."

Regaining his composure, Yuan Huyuan retrieved a sealed letter from his sleeve, despite the lingering look of disbelief on his face.

"My family received a few letters, one of them was from Xizhi, so I came to deliver it," he explained.

Given Yuan Huyuan's stature, Li Qinghong surmised that there must be a significant reason for his personal visit. He must have something important that could not be discussed outside the formation. She accepted the letter and swiftly stowed it in her sleeve pocket.

"Please come in and have a seat, Senior," she invited with a smile.

"Sure!"

Yuan Huyuan accepted the offer immediately, and the two flew into the formation together. Below them, Li Yuanping had already tidied the hall. By the time they stepped inside, even the spirit tea had been prepared readily.

Yuan Huyuan exchanged a few pleasantries with Li Qinghong before smoothly transitioning to the main topic.

"How is Senior Tongya these days?" he asked softly.