Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror-Chapter 63 Sacrificial Method
Li Tongya saw Li Chijin off, then noticed Li Mutian coming out of the back courtyard with his hands behind his back, his face stern and voice slightly hoarse as he said:
"Go take a look at the Mirror."
Two years ago, Tian Shoushui died, leaving behind a whole set of wooden toys prepared for his grandson, Li Xuanfeng, ranging from wooden horses and carts to wooden bows. Li Xuanfeng was only able to pick up the smallest pine doll when Tian Shoushui fell while moving lumber in the snow, and did not survive, dying that very night.
Tian Shoushui was buried by Li Mutian himself, who, along with Ren Ping’an, talked by the grave for an entire night. Perhaps it was the cold wind and heavy dew of that night that gradually made Li Mutian’s voice husky.
Of the three brash young men who went off to the army, Tian Shoushui was bold and daring, Li Mutian was thoughtful and decisive, Ren Ping’an was silent and reserved. Now, the bold and daring one left with a body full of injuries and passed away early, the thoughtful and decisive one’s children and grandchildren filled his hall, but his mind was slowly failing, and the silent and reserved one was still looking after Jingyang Village for the Li Family, never shorting a penny of the annual taxes.
Under such a blow, Li Mutian aged considerably in recent months. Fortunately, having been nourished by the spells and tonics of Li Chijin, his complexion no longer looked so withered, and his white hair regained some lustre. But his demeanor was still tired, and his erect posture could not hide the slight sluggishness in his speech and movements.
Seeing the elderly man enter the front courtyard, Li Tongya quickly went forward to support Li Mutian, who shook him off with a grunt, and muttered in a low voice:
"Your father told you to go to the back courtyard and check on that Mirror!"
Li Tongya gave an embarrassed smile, and went towards the back courtyard, while Li Mutian, leaning against the wall, slowly walked over to the threshold of the Inner Sect, sat down against the door frame, stretched out his withered hand to pinch his numb thigh, and said through gritted teeth:
"Damn it, I’m going to need a walking stick too."
The back courtyard.
Li Tongya gazed at the Dharma Mirror floating in the moonlight, and seeing characters flitting across it like passing shadows, he quickly extended his Spiritual Sense and slowly immersed it into the mirror.
With a motion of his Divine Sense, Lu Jiangxian wrote out a spell that he carefully revised the night before based on the demands for a Sacrificer in the "Sacrificial Extraction Original Method," gave it a name, and cast it into the Spiritual Sense.
Suddenly, a vast amount of information flowed along the Spiritual Sense. Li Tongya closed his eyes tightly, and slowly a scroll of the spell emerged in his mind.
"Sacrificial Method"
This technique requires the slaying of a demonic beast as a Sacrifice, slaughtered within the clan’s incense offering. Offering incense, soul, essential blood, and Spiritual Power to the Dharma Mirror, one can obtain a Talisman Qi, which is said to fortify Cultivation Level, enhance the six senses, improve Root Bone, Change Aptitude, elevate status, and fill any deficiencies...
With substantial content, it took Li Tongya the duration of an incense stick to receive the "Sacrificial Method," before he opened his eyes with a look of shock. He took up a carving knife and a blank Wooden Slip, and began to record diligently. He wrote until dawn before hurrying out the door to look for Li Xiangping.
————
Li Xiangping was practicing breath meditation in his Cave Mansion on Meichi Mountain. Having just entered the fourth layer of the Fetal Breathing, the Yujing Wheel, his practice speed had significantly slowed down. At this rate, it might take six or seven years to attempt to break through to the Yujing Wheel, not to mention that a failed attempt would mean another six or seven years of waiting.
Yesterday, the Wan Family sent Wan Yuankai to discuss a plan to ambush Ji Dengqi. This young man had already broken through to the fifth layer of Fetal Breathing and achieved the Yujing Wheel.
"From this, it seems that the Wan Family now has two Cultivators at the Yujing Wheel. Not to mention that five years ago, the Family Head of the Wan Family, Wan Xiaohua, was already at the Yujing Wheel, and by now, he must have already broken through to the Lingchu Wheel and reached the Fetal Breathing Peak."
Li Xiangping narrowed his eyes, pondering:
"Over the years, my Li Family’s strength has grown considerably, but the Wan Family has not been standing still either. The urgency of requesting help grows day by day; it’s likely that the Ji Family’s strength has also improved."
"All three families are currently laying low: the Ji Family trying to assimilate the conquered land, the Wan Family silently accumulating power while seeking support from others, and my Li Family is slowly growing to its proper size. Once Ji Family digests the new territories and the Wan Family bares its fangs, my Li Family will also have the strength to enter the fray. A battle among the three families is inevitable, and we must prepare early."
As Li Xiangping was contemplating the situation, he saw his second brother Li Tongya coming to his Cave Mansion, holding a Wooden Slip, and smilingly said:
"Third brother, take a look at this."
Li Xiangping, puzzled, took the Wooden Slip, unraveled the White Cloth tied around it, and whispered:
"’Sacrificial Method’?"
After reading for a while, the look of astonishment on Li Xiangping’s face grew deeper, and he asked back:
"The writing style is quite similar to that ’Guidance Technique,’ and it also uses the Dharma Mirror as a medium. Could it be a spell bestowed by the Dharma Mirror?"
Li Tongya nodded with a smile, stood up, and took down the transcribed "Moon Que Sword Arc" from the shelf to examine it closely.
After a while, Li Xiangping said in a deep voice,
"This spell claims, ’For the incense offered by a thousand people, Qi Refinement creatures can be exchanged for a Grey Talisman, and for the incense of ten thousand, Foundation Establishment creatures for a White Talisman.’ It’s rather difficult, isn’t it?"
Li Tongya’s smile faltered slightly, and he replied somewhat awkwardly,
"Although it’s very tempting, the simplest of our family’s sacrificial methods is hard to achieve right now."
Li Xiangping chuckled, put away the Wooden Slip in his hand, and waved dismissively,
"There’s no rush. It’s not like we can come across Qi Refinement creatures just like that. I have another matter I wish to discuss with you."
As he thought about it, Li Xiangping looked at Li Xuanxuan, who was sitting on the stone bench reading the sword techniques, and said in a deep voice,
"I want to train a dedicated force of clan soldiers among the four villages, one person from every five households, to solely study martial arts and combat tactics, in preparation for any unexpected situations."
Li Tongya nodded thoughtfully and replied seriously,
"Is it that the Wan Family has come asking for help again? Has the situation become so dire?"
"It’s not just that."
Li Xiangping shook his head and answered,
"I am also worried about the Shanyue to the west. The Spirit Mechanisms at the northern foothills of Da Li Mountain are becoming active again, and it’s unpredictable whether those Shanyue from the west will reach out here. Although we haven’t seen any Shanyue in the mountains these past years, it’s always good to be prepared and precautionary."
"You’re right."
Li Tongya nodded and said sternly,
"If the day comes that the Shanyue cross over, it will be too late to organize the village men then. The Shanyue not only have shamans but also the Shanyue masses with shorn hair and tattooed bodies; I fear they won’t be easy to deal with."
Li Xiangping stood up to straighten his clothes and smiled,
"Xuanxuan is too young to command respect. Qiuyang, although old enough and respected, is not from the main branch of the family. I wouldn’t feel at ease entrusting this task to anyone else; it must be you personally overseeing it, second brother."
"Rest assured, I’ll take care of it."
Li Tongya also smiled, and as the two left the Cave Mansion and made their way back to Lijing Mountain, they saw Liu Rouxuan was already waiting at the courtyard gate. As soon as she saw them, she came forward to meet them. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦
"Young Clan Leader."
Liu Rouxuan bowed slightly, a joyful expression on her face, and she approached Li Tongya, smiling brightly,
"Husband, I am with child."
Li Tongya was immediately overwhelmed with joy and laughed heartily, lifting her in his arms with excitement and exclaimed,
"Really?"
"Would I benefit from lying to you?"
Her cheeks flushed, Liu Rouxuan spoke softly.
Li Xiangping on the side also broke into a smile and said softly,
"Congratulations, second brother."
