Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror-Chapter 234 - 217: The Shortcut to Success

Li Qinghong walked alone on the mountaintop for a while, her white fur deerskin boots crunching on the perennial snow, making a crisp crackling sound. She tucked her stray hair behind her ears and walked gently with her hands clasped behind her back.

"Uncle Grandfather... I wonder how he's doing."

Li Qinghong pursed her lips and thought to herself:

"It's only been three years, Uncle Grandfather must still be refining his cultivation level. Foundation Establishment is a life or death hurdle, it's not so easy to accomplish."

"Qinghong Sister!"

Fei Tongxiao hurried up to Li Qinghong from behind, wearing a smile about to speak, but he had not anticipated that Hanyun Peak's Great Formation would slowly activate, relaying a deep and powerful voice that echoed at the summit.

"Loose Cultivator Ye Clan has come to visit, please open the Mountain Gate!"

The words made the corners of Li Qinghong's mouth curl up, her almond eyes slightly widen, and she formed a surprised and pleased smile, whispering:

"It's Uncle Grandfather!"

Fei Tongxiao, standing behind her, felt a shiver travel through his body, a vacant feeling in his heart, and he forced a smile, stepping forward to congratulate her:

"Congratulations, Sister!"

————

Li Tongya rode the wind and arrived in front of Hanyun Peak, where Fei Wangbai, with a beaming smile, came to welcome him. Dressed in a silver-white brocade robe, he looked even more handsome amidst the falling snow, cupping his hands in salute, he said:

"Congratulations, Taoist Fellow, on breaking through and establishing your Immortal Foundation, transcending the mundane world!"

"Senior, you flatter me!"

Li Tongya appeared much more modest, a simple attire of gray clothes with white cloud patterns on the sleeves, carrying a longsword, showing no signs of pride over his breakthrough in Foundation Establishment, he replied with equal courtesy:

"I've come to bother you again today, thank you for your trouble, Senior."

The two laughed as they settled down in the elegant loft nestled between the mountains, and sat down on the white jade platform of the top floor. Fei Wangbai then gathered his sleeves amidst the drifting snowflakes and congratulated:

"Congratulations, Brother Tongya!"

Li Tongya joined him in sitting down, accepting the offered tea, and after a light sip, he laughed and said:

"I was in secluded cultivation for three years, only to realize the extent of Senior's prowess afterward, catching the Yu Family by surprise, causing them no end of trouble."

"Eh."

Fei Wangbai laughed heartily and shook his head:

"It was merely an arrangement I made in advance years ago. The Yu Family naturally did not anticipate this and they've had to swallow the loss."

"That year, Yu Yufeng made his breakthrough to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment. My father, as the head of the family, already sensed something was amiss, and so he went to the secret forests and mountains, picking a few places where Earth Veins intersect. He spent years secretly burying talismanic points there, each formation hiding nine Talismans."

"After my father returned, he found me and said, 'The bigger the Yu Family grows, the more useful this Talismanic Formation I leave behind might be, as it can shake the Earth Veins of various mountains in the forest. It may come in handy one day.' Not long after, he made his breakthrough in Foundation Establishment, but died a spiritual death. It was beyond expectation that the Yu Family would investigate the Earth Veins and then establish a market right there."

"I see!"

Li Tongya nodded and said with a smile:

"Senior truly had a long-term strategy."

Fei Wangbai sighed and shook his head, then continued:

"As for the Loose Cultivator on the East Bank, he's an acquaintance of mine, an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, who stayed in this area for a while, just to scare Yu Mugao a bit."

After setting down his teacup, Fei Tongxiao let out a soft chuckle, expressing some doubt:

"It took me five years to barely break through. As far as I know, Yu Xiaogui also took more than five years. But Brother Tongya, you managed to break through in just three years, which was really beyond expectation. Indeed, you stand out as extraordinarily brilliant."

Li Tongya became slightly somber and respectfully saluted:

"It was mostly thanks to that Sui Origin Pill. Senior's praises are too generous, Tongya does not dare to accept them."

"Eh!"

Fei Wangbai had never even seen a Sui Origin Pill, so naturally he was inclined to believe what he heard, and he quickly shook his head laughing:

"You, you're always too modest, and you still call me Senior. Just address me as Wangbai according to the rules, saying senior all the time makes me feel old."

Li Tongya couldn't help but chuckle and shake his head, finding it impossible to dissuade the other, he could only agree, and spoke seriously:

"Brother Wangbai didn't expect this, and that Yu Xiaogui must have not seen it coming either. This is a great opportunity to suppress the Yu Family!"

Fei Wangbai also became slightly excited, placing the white jade-like teacup in his hand on the table, and said in a low voice:

"He Daoyou from the West Bank has been wary of the Yu Family for a long time. Calling on my friend as well, a total of four at the Foundation Establishment will be enough to give the Yu Family a significant loss! Not to mention the additional help that Brother Tongya can find!"

Li Tongya nodded, with tendrils of snowflakes floating past him, and asked:

"Is this He Daoyou... the Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivator, Taoist He, from West Bank?"

The families of West Bank, mainly composed of minor clans with Fetal Breathing, were scattered like stars across the land. Yet among them was a Loose Cultivator at Foundation Establishment, known as Taoist He, who had no children and had only built a small temple in the mountains. There he took in six or seven disciples, collecting tributes from the various families. Taoist He had close friends within Green Pond Sect to rely on and harbored no great ambition, thus contenting himself with guarding the families of West Bank.

"Indeed."

Fei Wangbai responded, continuing with a smile:

"This Taoist He has a long-standing grudge with the reclusive elder of the Yu Family, Yu Yufeng, who's said to have stolen a chance from him. Taoist He has held a grudge and made things difficult for the Yu Family members several times. Later on, when Yu Muxian became a disciple of Green Pond Sect, mediators came down from the sect to resolve the matter."

Li Tongya suddenly realized and nodded without speaking. Fei Wangbai then put forth a finger and said in a low voice:

"However, we cannot neglect this Yu Muxian. After all, he is a disciple of the Upper Sect. It's uncertain whether he is taken seriously within the sect. I must trouble Brother Tongya to inquire with the Sword Immortal Sir so we may adjust our actions according to the situation."

"I understand."

Li Tongya nodded, unaffected, and tapping on the white jade table, replied:

"My fourth brother has also trained within the peak. In truth, Qi Cultivation disciples of the Immortal Sect don't hold much power; they're just there to preserve the lineage of their families. As long as Yu Muxian has not reached Foundation Establishment, and since we do not intend to annihilate the Yu Family, there should be no major problem."

Being cautious by nature, Li Tongya pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said:

"Regardless, I will ask someone to inquire about the situation first."

Fei Wangbai nodded in satisfaction and put forth another finger, saying quietly:

"Is it the elder we kill... or the younger one?"

Li Tongya raised an eyebrow slightly, stroked his chin, and laughed:

"Please wait a moment, Brother Wangbai. If there's a chance, we might even take down the old patriarch."

Fei Wangbai pondered for a moment, nodding. After they exchanged a few words, the snowstorm throughout the mountains started to intensify, forming a scene where the sky seemed obscured. But it merely slipped away on either side of them. Fei Wangbai, smiling brightly, said:

"I haven't made a move in many years, yet now I feel an itch to spar. Brother Tongya, how about a friendly match with me?"

Li Tongya lifted an eyebrow, smiling, and replied in a lowered tone:

"Alright."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than both men had leaped into action. Fei Wangbai's silver-white brocade robe fluttered amidst the falling snow, and he said with a grin:

"Since we are sparring, Wangbai shall announce his Immortal Foundation first."

Fei Wangbai's two snow-white ribbon trails fluttered in the air, and his jade-like honorable appearance became evident as he spoke:

"This is the 'Silken Path'!"

Having said this, his silver-white robe unfurled in the air, clasping on a crescent-patterned cloak behind him. Brandishing his spear, a fierce vigor charged towards Li Tongya's face.

"'Vast Sea.'

As soon as Li Tongya spoke, the waterfall and spring water at the foot of the mountain burst into sound, and the lucid river water began to surge with life, swirling and diving up towards the space above where Li Tongya stood.

"Ding ding ding ding..."

Even before the qi-blade-wrapped spear of Fei Wangbai could approach, the water had already transformed into dozens of water swords and came raging forth. They attacked in turns like falcons swooping onto his spear.

Fei Wangbai let out a soft chuckle, brought his spear around to lift his cloak, and spun in mid-air, causing all the water swords to miss. He diverted them behind his cloak as Li Tongya watched with a slight raise of an eyebrow, hand resting on the hilt of the Dharma Sword at his waist. Seeing Fei Wangbai charging straight at him, he boldly drew his sword in one fluid motion.

A pale arc of light leaped from his Dharma Sword, and Fei Wangbai, aware of Li Tongya's fearsome reputation with a particular Sword Technique, brought his spear around to guard. He took the blow head-on, shaking him back a step and waving his cloak to dissipate the force.

Then the torrent of sword strikes rained down upon Fei Wangbai like a downpour. He stood his ground, defending each one firmly with his spear dancing like a shower of pear blossoms, and occasionally an odd spear thrust would emerge from under his robe or behind his cloak. This forced Li Tongya to break his sword sequence to defend, affording him time to catch his breath.

Onlookers had now popped their heads out from below the mountain peak. The two fighters separated immediately after contact, and as the snowstorm grew fiercer around the mountain, the disciples of the Fei Clan below could only sense the presence of Foundation Establishment cultivators. They couldn't make out any figures through the high winds and heavy snow.