Chapter 52: Deng Qiuzhi

Li Xiangping had only just broken through to the Azure Essence Wheel yesterday, joining his brother Li Tongya as a practitioner of the fourth stage of Fetal Breath. Having settled his household affairs, he was in the courtyard studying the *Mystic Water Sword Manual* when he heard the sound of footsteps approaching from outside the courtyard.

"Brother?"

Li Tongya entered the courtyard looking travel-worn, his clothes damp from the rain and his shoes caked with mud. He dropped a cloth bag onto the table and immediately gave Li Xiangping a bear hug.

Li Xiangping let out a long sigh of relief and smiled.

"You're finally back. Father hasn't been able to sleep at night worrying about you."

"Hahaha, I've brought quite a few things back with me."

Li Tongya laughed loudly. He first carefully retrieved a silver box from his robes and inspected it. Seeing that the Wuza insects appeared listless, he let out a low sigh. Only then did he unstrap the cyan-colored longbow from his back and place it into Li Xiangping's hands with a smile.

"Does it feel natural in your hand?"

Surprised and delighted, Li Xiangping pulled the bowstring and carefully stroked the bow's body. As he channeled his spiritual power, the string instantly lit up, shimmering with a faint white light. Li Xiangping exclaimed repeatedly

"Is... is this a Dharma Tool?"

Li Tongya chuckled and explained, "I bought it from the market. It cost two and a half spirit stones."

"That's expensive! Where did you get the spirit stones?"

After a few moments of heartache, Li Xiangping turned to his second brother with confusion.

Li Tongya then proceeded to recount the various affairs of Guanyun Peak to Li Xiangping. Listening intently, Li Xiangping nodded repeatedly and remarked, "Jing'er has truly grown up."

Before long, Li Xuanxuan, Li Qiuyang, and others arrived on the mountain upon hearing the news. Li Tongya handed the Wuza insects and the insect manual to Liu Ruxuan, saying solemnly

"This is our family's first time raising Wuza insects. Read this book carefully. Find a few elderly women skilled in silkworm rearing in the village below, secure a courtyard for them, and manage the breeding well. I will go fetch Li Yesheng immediately to have him send spirit rice leaves and stalks to you. These insects are already at death's door from the rough journey."

"Understood."

Having not seen her husband Li Tongya for several months, Liu Ruxuan missed him dearly, but she knew the importance of the task. She carefully took the silver box and headed down the mountain.

"Clan Uncle, this Qingchi Immortal Sect is truly extravagant," Li Qiuyang whispered, sitting on a wooden chair and looking at Li Tongya with great interest.

Li Qiuyang was now eleven or twelve years old. He had been primarily responsible for the spirit rice over the past few years and kept a very low profile in the village. His father, Li Chengfu, was a sensible man who kept his sons disciplined in farming and building their homes, ensuring they never engaged in any bullying or arrogant behavior.

"That envoy rode a Rosy Cloud Ship, filling the sky with crimson light. It was quite a spectacle!" Li Tongya replied with a bright, spirited smile.

————

"What a spectacle indeed!"

Li Chijing placed his left hand on the Qingfeng sword at his waist, suppressing the urge to draw it, and spoke coldly.

"I have been in seclusion for several years, yet I didn't realize Qing穗 (Qinghui) Peak had taken on new disciples," the young man in front of him said calmly, lightly tossing a jade bead in his hand.

He was quite handsome, though the narrow distance between his eyes made him appear somewhat lacking in presence. He wore a fox fur cloak with a storage bag hanging from his waist, looking very distinguished.

As the youth approached step by step, the people following him gradually moved forward to surround Li Chijing, slowly forcing him into a corner on the narrow path.

"Don't panic, junior brother. We are merely testing your mettle."

"You are a Qi Refinement stage cultivator, yet you attempt to corner me, a Lingchu Wheel at the peak of the Fetal Breath stage. Aren't you ashamed?"

Watching them close in, Li Chijing slowly retreated until his back pressed against the cold stone wall. He gripped the Qingfeng tightly, watching the youth's every move.

The youth smiled slightly. The golden bead in his hand erupted with brilliant light and suddenly struck toward Li Chijing.

Frowning, Li Chijing manifested a deep blue spiritual net in front of him. He ducked his body to evade the golden bead and lunged forward two steps to close the distance.

"Your Qinghui Peak truly knows how to do everything, except use a sword," the youth mocked. Seeing Li Chijing rush forward, he couldn't help but praise, "Decisive."

Li Chijing held the scabbard in his left hand and the hilt with his right. He took a direct hit from the youth's Dharma Tool, coughing up a mouthful of blood, but he lunged forward in a single leap, arriving right in front of the youth.

Startled, the youth immediately tried to recall the spiritual bead with his divine sense, only to find that the pale blue net had already ensnared it. Although the bead broke free with a slight movement, it was delayed by several breaths.

Gritting his teeth, Li Chijing finally drew the Qingfeng. A brilliant, moon-white arc of sword light rose from his left hand to the pale white longsword in his right, erupting forth toward the youth's neck.

"How is this possible!"

The youth's hair stood on end. His thoughts raced, and before he could even complete a hand seal, the peace talisman around his neck erupted with light, forming a golden shield that barely blocked the sword light, the impact forcing him back several steps.

"Not good!"

Ignoring the tremors in his Qi sea, the youth hurriedly changed his hand seals to forcibly halt the golden bead that was heading for the back of Li Chijing's head. Only then did he look at the sword-wielding Li Chijing with a complex expression.

A Qi Refinement cultivator can control Dharma Tools to fight from a distance, but one can only find a chance at survival by closing the distance for a single strike. The strike Li Chijing had just delivered was the result of intense meditation while practicing the *Mystic Water Sword Manual*, making its power immense.

"You win!"

The youth had seen the Qinghui Peak disciples on his way and, finding them distasteful, had come with the intent to play a game and intimidate the new disciple. Now, his expression was complicated and thoughtful as he cupped his hands toward Li Chijing.

Pale-faced, Li Chijing sheathed his sword and managed to reply, "Thank you, fellow Daoist, for holding back. This was my first time using this sword in combat, and I could not control my strength."

The youth tapped his silk pouch, took out several bottles of medicinal salve, and placed them before Li Chijing, saying softly, "My subordinates accidentally injured you. I am Deng Qiuzhi of Yuanwu Peak. I shall come to apologize in person in the future."

Seeing Li Chijing's pallor, Deng Qiuzhi quickly sent two men to assist him back to Qinghui Peak, while he himself left hurriedly with his group.

After walking a short distance, Deng Qiuzhi turned around with a grim expression and delivered a sharp slap to the man behind him.

"Accompany me to Qinghui Peak tomorrow to apologize!"

The man lowered his head aggrievedly, thinking to himself, *You're the one who went to provoke them...*

Unexpectedly, Deng Qiuzhi suddenly grabbed the man by the collar, lifting him high, and asked with a complicated look, "He doesn't hold a grudge against me, does he?"

"Young Master! You even gave him medicine, he won't, Young Master..." The man was terrified and pleaded for mercy repeatedly.

After listening to his rambling, Deng Qiuzhi suddenly narrowed his eyes and looked at him coldly, saying word by word

"You don't hold a grudge against me, do you?"

The man was struck with terror. His legs trembled as he said through tears, "I don't..."

"Good."

Deng Qiuzhi set him down casually and muttered to himself pensively, "Li Chijing of Qinghui Peak..."

(End of Chapter)