Li Yuanjiao had been cultivating on Wutu Mountain for quite some time, paying little attention to family affairs, single-mindedly focused on his practice. His "Cultivating Qi Devouring Spirit" technique had increased the speed of his breathing by several times, resulting in notable improvements in just over half a year.

Xiao Guiluan had already returned to her maternal home. She was at a critical juncture in her cultivation, and the subsequent spells required her to go back to the Xiao Family to take the Xuanjing Spirit Oath and learn the full extent of the cultivation techniques, including those for Qi cultivation.

To one side, Li Xizhi, who was now eight years old, grew slowly and was still not as tall as Li Yuanjiao’s waist. He held a wooden slip in his hand as he read, his appearance could be considered delicate, but his brows still carried the tenderness of youth.

"Dad..."

Li Xizhi clutched the wooden slip in his hand, his little eyes earnestly watching his father, his expression somewhat puzzled. He lifted his head to ask,

"Why must I read the ’Record of Rising Immortals in the Counties’... Xihong brother has started practicing the spear already... Why am I the only one who has to read these strange books every day?"

Li Yuanjiao touched Li Xizhi’s head and opened his mouth to speak, hesitating slightly before saying,

"This book was borrowed by your mother, it records the relationships between the Green Pond Thirty-Six Peaks and the various noble families... You need to memorize these relationships well, so that in the future, you can navigate the sect as smoothly as a fish in water, pledge loyalty to the right faction, and avoid offending someone unknowingly."

Li Xizhi turned the wooden slip over and over in his hands, displaying a somewhat annoyed demeanor. He suddenly looked up and asked,

"Father... are you really going to send me to the Green Pond Sect?"

Li Yuanjiao inwardly sighed, looking at the wronged look on his child’s face. In the end, he spoke,

"Xizhi, be good... The traditions of the Green Pond Sect are exquisite, the Spiritual Energy is abundant, much better than living above the lake. Your talent is very good, and in the future, you will need to cultivate Qi and build your Immortal Foundation in the sect. The family will be relying on you..."

Li Yuanjiao was not the type to cajole children. After rambling on for a while, Li Xizhi’s eyes brimmed with tears. He nodded forcefully while the tears streamed down uncontrollably.

Li Yuanjiao felt both ashamed and helpless, not knowing what to do. At that moment, a clan soldier came up, saying respectfully,

"Young Master, please return home for a while, Young Master Yuanping has an important matter to discuss!"

Li Yuanjiao, as if grasping at a lifeline, reached out to wipe the tears from Li Xizhi’s face, soothingly saying,

"Wait for me on the peak, Dad will be back soon."

Having said that, he rode the wind and soared away, leaving Li Xizhi behind, bent on flipping through that wooden slip. He read it from beginning to end with meticulous attention, and after a while, he threw the wooden slip aside in a fit of pique and went to bed.

————

Lijing Town.

Li Yuanjiao, riding on the wind, landed in the courtyard. Li Yuanping was carefully examining a jade bracelet, looking closely at the fine patterns on it. Upon seeing Li Yuanjiao enter, clad in black clothes, he quickly came down to greet him.

"Brother, there’s news about the Heavenly Pure Essence!"

"What?!"

Li Yuanjiao was initially overjoyed, eagerly inquiring for details. After listening to Li Yuanping’s account, the joyful look on his face faded, his brows furrowed tightly. He took the bracelet and closed his eyes to sense it.

His Spiritual Sense flowed along the patterns and into the jade ring, and Li Yuanjiao felt a sudden epiphany arise, faintly sensing a faraway direction.

A few breaths later, Li Yuanjiao finally opened his eyes, his uncertainty even stronger. He said,

"This person is still not far, on a mountain peak nearby..."

Li Yuanping, yet to awaken his Spiritual Sense and therefore unable to use the jade bracelet, was startled by Li Yuanjiao’s words and whispered in reply,

"That’s odd... To possess such precious Heaven and Earth Spiritual Water and still dare to linger close by."

"According to that old Loose Cultivator, the stranger was engulfed in Dharma Light, practiced Orthodox Law, and even though he was at the second level of Qi Cultivation, he managed to fight against many, slaying all the attackers... He must be a disciple from an Immortal Sect!"

Li Yuanping pondered carefully, his expression becoming uneasy as he replied,

"Not knowing the background or identity, if someone so boldly acts, it’s likely they have strong backing and connections and may be difficult to deal with."

Li Yuanjiao neither affirmed nor denied, just silently holding the jade bracelet and scrutinizing it carefully.

"Has someone been sent to that cave?"

Li Yuanjiao asked a question, to which Li Yuanping nodded and replied,

"I’ve already called Uncle to make a trip. Calculating the time, he should be returning soon."

During their conversation, Chen Donghe had already briskly entered, dressed neatly, with the Green Peak swaying at his waist. He stood still and bowed,

"I have been to that cave. It was torn apart by a spell battle, with scratch marks and broken stalactites everywhere. There’s nothing to make out anymore."

"Trouble for Uncle."

With another bow, Chen Donghe stepped back, and Li Yuanping then looked towards his elder brother and said,

"I initially wanted to investigate. The ’Heavenly Pure Essence’ is naturally formed, so this cave must be extraordinary..."

Li Yuanjiao took two steps up to the chief seat, staring at the jade bracelet as if in a trance, rubbing the patterns on it, and suddenly said,

"Too coincidental."

Li Yuanping glanced at his brother and also began to ponder deeply; Li Yuanjiao continued,

"The ancestor often said: ’Household affairs should be handled with caution...’ I’ve always kept it in mind; this matter is filled with coincidences, the person arrived abruptly and left abruptly, and after snatching the spiritual water, they fled far away..."

"Brother..."

Li Yuanjiao gestured to interrupt Li Yuanping’s words, his hands forming spells, layers of True Yuan enveloping the jade bracelet like deep blue lake water, wrapping it tightly, before storing it into the Storage Bag and explaining,

"I heard from Guiluan that there are many secret techniques that can attach to a Magic Artifact, influencing one’s mind, stirring desires. This matter is too fishy; better to be cautious."

"Yes."

Li Yuanping replied thoughtfully,

"The ’Heavenly Pure Essence’ is too tempting... I was impulsive for a moment too... Now that my brother mentions it, it indeed seems too suspicious."

Li Yuanjiao nodded and replied,

"To say that our family has governed this boundary for many years and has never discovered this Spiritual Object could perhaps be justified, but this jade bracelet also appeared too conveniently, so convenient that it makes it hard to believe."

The two brothers, having gone through the affair of Li Tongya becoming the sacrifice for the Maha Reincarnation, had long seen through the ways of the world and their mindset was completely different from years before. Li Yuanjiao scoffed and said,

"So-called opportunities, opportunities, nine out of ten are bait, making you ecstatically devour them, while the hook behind is sharp and fierce..."

"Now that the ancestor is seriously injured, if it were another kind of spiritual water, there might be some credibility, but it is precisely ’Heavenly Pure Essence’."

The brothers exchanged a look, and Li Yuanping sighed,

"It’s just that this thing is too tempting...I don’t know exactly what to make of it. If it truly is an opportunity, missing it would be too painful."

"No harm."

Li Yuanjiao smiled, his expression somewhat mysterious, transmitting with mana,

"Do you remember that within our family, there is an Immortal Object that can observe from afar, colorless and formless, unobstructed by mountains, undisturbed by water."

"Amazing!"

Li Yuanping had only considered the Dharma Mirror an initial inheritance and a treasure for critical moments, forgetting about its ability to observe from afar. He clapped his hands on the spot, smiling radiantly and said,

"Let us go up the mountain and ask for it at once!"