Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror-Chapter 154 - 145 First Encounter with An Jingming
Li Tongya had just finished dealing with the people from the Lu Family on Huaqian Mountain, knowing that time was pressing, he didn’t dare to delay and immediately rode the wind up high, hurrying toward the Lu Family’s stronghold at Tiaoyun Mountain to the east.
"The Lu Family’s inheritance should also be more than just these three ways. Back then, when the Ji Family annihilated the Wan Family, even though Wan Xiaohua destroyed the Wan Family’s Formation inheritance in her death, they still obtained a good number of Formation secrets. Later on, the Lu Family breached the Ji Family’s Huazhong Mountain, they surely must have obtained these things as well. But the assault on Huaqian Mountain wasted quite some time; I wonder how things are on the eastern front now."
After riding the wind for the duration of an incense stick’s burning, crossing through layers of dense forests, Li Tongya saw Tiaoyun Mountain about to come into view. Yet, in front of him, he was met by a youth.
This youth was clad in golden armor, holding a jade-hued axe in his hand, and covered with a layer of bright red True Yuan Qi Shield. He bore the Cultivation Level of the Third Layer of Qi Cultivation and lifted his head to reveal a pair of agile eyes, looking no more than fourteen or fifteen years old. He quietly stared at Li Tongya, looking as if he had been waiting for quite some time.
"May I ask..."
"I am An Jingming from the An Family. I have seen Senior Tongya and have been waiting here for a long time."
The youth’s voice was clear and respectful as he called out and assessed Li Tongya with sharp eyes, thinking inwardly:
"So this is Li Tongya, he seems upright and steady. I wonder if the sword in his hand really lives up to the reputation."
Li Tongya scrutinized him closely for a while and seeing his youthful face, felt some astonishment, he thought to himself:
"This must be the brilliant prodigy of the An Family, An Jingming, talked about in the rumors. With such a youthful appearance, but only fourteen or fifteen years old, he already possesses the Cultivation Level of the Third Layer of Qi Cultivation. Truly remarkable!"
You must know that after this past winter, Li Xuanfeng had reached the age of twenty and had only achieved the Third Layer of Qi Cultivation—and that was with the increase in cultivation given by the Talisman inscription.
Moreover, the Li Family’s "Wheel Nurturing Scripture" is far superior to those of other clans. If not for this, Li Xuanfeng would have had to wait another three to five years to achieve Qi Cultivation. A fifteen-year-old with the Third Layer of Qi Cultivation would probably have been beyond even Jing’er at the time."
Li Tongya remained silent for a few moments, but An Jingming had already started speaking with courteous manners:
"Unfortunately, Senior Tongya has come here in vain. My family’s elders have already ceded Tiaoyun Mountain to the Ding Family from the Mushroom Forest Plain. The remnants of the Wan Family are within your noble clan, Huaqian Mountain naturally belongs to the Li Family. The An Family dares not make any claims, but Tiaoyun Mountain has already been promised to the Ding Family."
Li Tongya felt somewhat displeased internally, not picking up on his conversational gambit, and smiled:
"Young Taoist Fellow is truly accomplished at a young age, An Zhiyan isn’t afraid that you rushed out of the mountain and fell prey to the Yu Family."
"Of course I’m afraid! It’s precisely because I fear it that I invited the Ding Family into Wangyue Lake."
An Jingming sighed softly, showing a sense of dejection on his youthful face that didn’t match his age, and spoke respectfully:
"This incident reflects poorly on my An Family. I am willing to offer up the An Family’s share of the Green Crow vein as an apology and ask for Senior Tongya’s understanding."
Li Tongya watched him with a smile, knowing that Tiaoyun Mountain was already out of reach, and silently mused:
"The Vein Searching Technique is still with the An Family. If we don’t have a share, the An Family will withdraw all their people, and then we may have to ask for them later. By that time, it could fall into the hands of others to manipulate. This cunning little rabbit."
Yet he wouldn’t fall for it this time. Li Tongya waved his hand and laughed:
"Our two families live next to each other, and we need not get to this point. The An Family can keep twenty percent of the shares, and we can all make money together."
An Jingming smiled and nodded lightly. From the west, someone came flying at lightning speed, with a pitch-black longbow behind him merged with the night. It was Li Xuanfeng.
Li Xuanfeng had just steadied himself when his gaze directly collided with An Jingming’s. Their eyes clashed in mid-air for a moment, An Jingming quickly smiled and lowered his head, while Li Xuanfeng seemed eager to try himself out, as the arrows in the quiver at his waist began to quiver and clanked together.
"Then we’re agreed. Jingming takes his leave!"
Fearing that Li Xuanfeng and Li Tongya might keep him there, An Jingming quickly excused himself and turned to head north.
"This person is quite young, yet not weak!"
Li Xuanfeng praised, and Li Tongya nodded, speaking warmly:
"This An Jingming is much harder to deal with than An Zhiyan, and is definitely not an easy opponent. Families like the Lu Family with no successors are ultimately in the minority. Both the An and Yu families are showing signs of revival."
Li Xuanfeng nodded slightly and looked down on Yu Mugao, but took An Jingming seriously, and silently followed Li Tongya back to the west, laughing:
"An Jingming is a fine adversary, but Yu Mugao may not be! He’s uninteresting, with a smile too insincere."
Li Tongya turned his head to look at him and said in a serious tone:
"Don’t be careless! Yu Mugao has deep, malicious thoughts, and is not an easy adversary to deal with. It’s better to deal with An Jingming than with Yu Mugao."
After talking for a while, the two landed on Huaqian Mountain. Li Xuanling had just climbed up from the steps, with Green Peak still dripping blood by his waist, forming a pool on the ground. Behind him followed Lu Anyu, who was obsequiously calling out:
"Son-in-law! Son-in-law! There are still a few warehouses over there."
"Father, Brother Feng!"
Li Xuanling did not respond to him but saluted the two men and explained:
"There are several more storages belonging to the Lu Family, still guarded by some loyal servants. Xuanling has taken care of everything, and not to mention the worldly gold and silver, but there are thirty-one Spirit Stones and eight hundred catties of Spirit Rice."
"Not bad."
Li Tongya nodded, and Li Xuanxuan assigned personnel to station in Huaqian Mountain. Then, a few of them returned to Lijing Mountain together.
————
Lu Wanrong had been waiting in the courtyard all night and finally heard the bustling noises outside. She sent a maid to check and saw the maid returning beamingly, whispering:
"Miss, it’s the people from our Lu Family! We’ve managed to save our lives after all."
"Don’t talk nonsense. What Lu Family? There won’t even be a mention of ’Lu’ anymore. If you don’t remember this, you won’t just lose your life but also implicate me."
Lu Wanrong sighed lightly, her worry partially relieved as she said resentfully:
"I only hate that my cousin is as stupid as a pig. The matter could have been settled decently by both families. Given the situation where the Lu Family was bound to be dissolved by the other families, if only he had offered the mountain and left before the Li Family made their move, it would have preserved the dignity of the Li Family and saved the face of the Lu Family without putting the Li Family in a difficult position."
"Now, look what’s happened! Not only has our clan been annihilated and our people perished, but it has also made things awkward for me and the Li Family... It’s truly hateful—outright hateful."
The maid at her side was at a loss for words, but then Lu Wanrong suddenly looked up and whispered softly:
"Husband."
The door squeaked open, and Li Xuanling entered gracefully, dismissing the clan soldiers on either side, and said with a smile:
"The Lu Family no longer exists. Those who wish to stay will submit to my family, and we have also allowed those who do not wish to stay to leave towards the east."
"Congratulations, husband."
Lu Wanrong congratulated softly and then, furrowing her brows, she tentatively queried:
"You really let them go?"
Li Xuanling stroked her head and picked her up, chuckling:
"Not really, but they believe it’s true."
Lu Wanrong paused for a moment, then resignedly said:
"Well then, let it be."
Li Xuanling watched her for a while, but his mind was occupied with other matters, musing to himself:
"Xuanxuan’s eldest son, Yuanxiu, is now five years old as well. With only two Talisman Seeds left in the family, and father intending to adopt another son under Uncle Ji, this further increases the need for Talisman Seeds. How will there be enough for the Yuan generation? Moreover, if the eldest son has no Spirit Aperture, the question arises: should we wait until a Spiritual Aperture Seed is birthed or should the direct eldest son take priority?"
"It’s not a scarcity that we fear, but rather inequality. The matters at hand are complex and thorny. If not handled properly, they could lay the groundwork for strife and conflict among brothers... Deep consideration and cautious action are critical!"
Thus, he lost his mood for celebration, smiled at Lu Wanrong, and said softly:
"There are still matters to attend to in the mountains, I must go up once more. You rest here for now, and I’ll come to see you tomorrow."
Seeing Lu Wanrong nod numbly, Li Xuanling then stepped out the door, but after a few paces, he stopped and turned around, asking in a grave voice:
"I remember you had a clan brother who came to report; he still stays with the Li Family. What about him?"
"Just a mortal."
Knowing to whom Li Xuanling referred, Lu Wanrong quickly responded. Li Xuanling was then reassured and left the courtyard, murmuring to himself:
"One must not underestimate mortals; I should remind Xuanxuan about this."
