Li Qinghong returned to the mountains on his own, leaving Ning Heyuan awkwardly standing in place for a while, unsure of what to do next. Ashamed to challenge any other families, he listlessly settled by the lakeside, only to see someone striding over the lake’s surface towards him.

The woman, also dressed in green, had delicate features and appeared to be in her early twenties. Her cultivation level was at the Foundation Establishment Middle Stage. Her expression was as cold as frost as she frowned at Ning Heyuan and said in a chilly voice:

"Had enough?"

Ning Heyuan immediately looked sheepish, taking a step back and stammering:

"Auntie..."

Ning Wan glanced at him, her aura fluctuating erratically, evidently having just sparred with someone. After calming her breath, she responded:

"I merely went to the Fei Clan to gather some intelligence and told you to wait by the lake, but look at you... You’ve gone and provoked the Li Family’s mountain gate!"

"Auntie!"

Ning Heyuan attempted a placating smile, and explained:

"I was just curious about the great fame of the Sword Immortal, you see! I wanted to see what was so special about their swordsmanship. Besides, I claimed to be a Loose Cultivator; it shouldn’t have been a big deal, right?"

"Loose Cultivator?!"

When Ning Wan heard the term "Sword Immortal," a trace of guilt flickered in her eyes, but was soon replaced by mirth at Ning Heyuan’s words. Her elegant brows relaxed as she scolded:

"Fool! Which Loose Cultivator would have a full set of Magic Artifacts? And whose surname is Ning and is capable of casting the spell ’Dharma Light of Qian’? Have you had enough fun with those lackeys within the sect, to truly believe that everyone outside is an idiot?"

Unconcerned, Ning Heyuan waved his hand and replied:

"Who cares? Within the Upper Sect, my word is law, who dares to question it?"

"You’ve truly become exactly like Chi Zhiyan!"

Ning Wan froze for a moment, then cursed in frustration, while Ning Heyuan kept his head down, remaining silent.

"Alas!"

Ning Wan used to cultivate at Moon Lake Peak and had dealt with Li Chijin a few times. She had developed an affection for the child and never expected things would come to this point. She sighed softly, her voice tinged with sorrow:

"The Li Family... It seems Li Chijin had an elder brother named Li Tongya who was also adept at swordsmanship... Our Green Pond Sect truly wronged them. Chi Wei’s words are absolute, yet how could I, a mere woman, persuade him..."

"One would think that by now they’d know of Li Chijin’s fall, yet Chi Zhiyun is so meticulous in his actions that the members of the Li family likely only know of the death, not the truth behind it."

"Qing Sui Sword Immortal."

Ning Heyuan paused, perhaps moved by Li Chijin’s exceptional Sword Dao, and he sighed regretfully before responding:

"In a few decades, when all of Li Chijin’s kin are dead, we could send some tributes to show our condolences and perhaps take a child into our sect. That should settle the matter. We can’t let a dead person hold up the living."

He laughed lightly, his luxurious clothes shimmering with Dharma Light, and said:

"Hasn’t this being our way for centuries? For an ancestor, a few generations back that no one knows, wouldn’t the dazzling allure of Magic Artifacts and Spiritual Objects be tempting?"

"You..."

Ning Wan shook her head, her expression full of concern as she softly spoke:

"You, Chi Zhiyan, and the Chi brothers, along with the older generation of the Ning Family, all underestimate... Our Green Pond Sect has ruled for five hundred years and has never faced any serious rebellion because of your arrogance and complacency."

Ning Heyuan laughed heartily and replied:

"Our Green Pond Sect has the inheritance of five Zifu lineages, Thirty-Six Peaks, and five hundred years of accumulated rule, intimidation, division, and enticement. We recruit the world’s finest talents, monopolize a hundred methods of cultivation, and not only will we dominate these five hundred years, but we will continue to do so for another thousand!"

Ning Wan merely scoffed and said:

"Moonlight Origin Mansion once dominated the South River region for twelve hundred years, where are they now?"

————

Autumn was thick in the air, and with each passing day, more letters piled upon the desk. Li Yuanping was busily managing his family’s affairs while also preparing the marriage between Li Qingxiao and a member of the Xiao Family from Yu Mountain, leading to many sleepless nights.

His slender frame was somewhat overwhelmed by the white robe he wore, and his already pale complexion became a few shades paler with worry, as his dark gray eyes silently fixed on the letters before him.

Dou Yi, seated below, watched him several times, conflicted for a while before he finally stepped forward and said,

"Young master... The lady has come to urge you three times already. Perhaps you should rest a bit..."

Li Yuanping shook his head absentmindedly and, with a flick of his pen, responded,

"As a Fetal Breathing Cultivator, it’s no great harm to go without sleep for a few days. Please ease my mother’s worries."

Seeing his persuasion was in vain, Dou Yi clenched his teeth secretly, knelt down, and said,

"The lady means... she can take on some of the household matters. She only wishes for the young master to take care of his health and to advance in Qi Cultivation soon..."

Li Yuanping furrowed his brows and answered,

"I know my own Root Bone well, there’s no need to talk about cultivating Qi or not. Don’t bring it up again!"

Li Yuanping knew that Madam Dou had good intentions and wasn’t harboring ulterior motives, but he could not set a bad precedent. After setting down his pen, he spoke up,

"The Fei Clan has closed their mountain gate for two months now... is there still no news?"

"None at all."

Dou Yi responded with a nod, observing Li Yuanping’s expression, he added,

"The Fei Clan has sealed all five of their Immortal Mountains, and on Hanyun Peak, the Cloud Gathering Southern Sky Formation is activated daily, with white light circulating without cessation."

"The situation with the clan members in the Fei Clan’s secular domain is chaotic, barely maintaining control. We’ve already had three groups of people come to inquire if our family has any news from the main house..."

Li Yuanping nodded. The Fei Clan’s Mountain Protection Array, Cloud Gathering Southern Sky Formation, had a long history and had rescued the Fei Clan from danger on several occasions. It was one of the top Formations on the lake, its activation was also costly, deploying it at full strength for a month was no small feat.

"Our forefather has gone into closed-door cultivation as well..."

Li Yuanping muttered to himself, recalling that Ning Heyuan had suddenly appeared on the lake half a month ago, he thought to himself,

"This Ning Heyuan is unquestionably from the Green Pond Sect... With such a high-grade Spell, he must be from the Ning Family’s direct lineage. Could it be that the closure of the Fei Clan’s mountain is also due to the meddling of a Cultivator from the Green Pond Sect?"

Staring at the words "Dharma Light of Qian Yuan" under his pen, Li Yuanping fell silent, only to see someone approach from below, fist in palm, and say,

"Young master! A group of Loose Cultivators has started fighting on our family’s lands!"

"Loose Cultivators?!"

Li Yuanping cast his pen aside, knowing that ordinary Fetal Breathing Cultivators would not report such incidents to him, and quickly inquired,

"What is their Cultivation Level? How many people are involved?"

"Both Fetal Breathing Cultivators and Lesser Qi Cultivators are involved... their specific levels are unknown, but there are about six or seven people, fighting to the death in the forest, startling An Gonfeng into action to check the situation on the wind!"

Li Yuanping descended from the upper seat and paced a few steps in the courtyard, speaking softly,

"With several Lesser Qi Loose Cultivators, and An Zhiyan at the Seventh Layer of Qi Cultivation, there shouldn’t be any issues."

As soon as he spoke, there came a clattering noise from outside the courtyard. A bald man entered, draped in gray fur, looking robust and powerful, his hand gripping a frail old man who seemed on the verge of death.

"Young master."

An Zhiyan nodded in greeting and threw the Loose Cultivator at his feet, causing a thud as the man landed on the steps, groaning continuously. An Zhiyan then bowed with fist in palm and said,

"This is the one!"