Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror-Chapter 71 Qing Chi Demon Sect

The veteran Daoist’s spiritual sense and reaction speed, which were acquired through Qi cultivation, saved his life. It was just a subconscious sidestep, and the Taiyin Profound Light only vaporized his left shoulder and entire left arm, leaving the old Daoist with an upper body encrusted in frost and a face turning purple from the cold.

"Cough cough."

Spitting out a mouthful of dark red blood, it froze into frost midair and fell onto the soft earth with a clatter.

"Good, very good."

His aged face twisted into a stiff smile as his remaining right hand conjured a pale white shield, fending off all of Li Xiangping’s incoming attacks.

Another such effort made him cough up more blood clotted with ice, feeling the chilling breath piercing his bones and traveling through his body. The old Daoist hurriedly formed a hand seal to protect his heart meridian, preserving his own life.

Watching as his barrage of attacks failed to even shake the old Daoist’s shield, and knowing that Li Chijin had given him talismans primarily for self-preservation and escape, Li Xiangping gritted his teeth, decided to forsake the old Daoist, slapped a talisman onto his leg, and rode the wind to continue fleeing northward.

He couldn’t head west towards the Li Family, whilst going east meant diving into the very midst of the ten Qi Cultivators encircling the Wan Family—a sure trap. Southward lay the uneven terrain of Da Li Mountain, where climbing would surely be slower than flying, so his only option was to keep moving north.

————

Ji Dengqi watched coldly as Wan Xiaohua, cut in half at the waist yet still propping up his upper body, struggled on the ground. His long blade pinned the man’s lower half on the other side as he spoke indifferently:

"Your Wan Family should have been prepared for this from the moment you attacked Huazhong Mountain."

The vitality of someone at the peak of Fetal Breathing kept Wan Xiaohua from dying immediately. The excruciating pain widened his eyes, and his throat emitted a hoarse screaming, as he bloodily uttered a few words:

"Why... ah... why...?"

Ji Dengqi’s vision slowly brought forth the image of the proud young man in fine clothes from years gone by. He bent down quietly, whispering softly:

"What do you think we are? We’re nothing but pigs and dogs raised by these two families, mere weights thrown into their scales of bargain. They don’t even care about your stance; your yearly tributes are nothing but their manner of waiting for us to fatten up. We are the pigs and the cattle, meant to be fattened up for trade and slaughter."

Ji Dengqi looked at Wan Xiaohua’s body, which was slowly growing cold, then continued speaking softly with a mocking smile:

"The ally you so longed for, Green Pond Sect, is presently marching its troops into Tang Jin Sect territory, engaging in the same vile acts."

"The pigs and cattle have grown clever, hence the need to kill them in turn."

Gently closing Wan Xiaohua’s eyes, Ji Dengqi let out a raspy laugh from deep within his throat, then lifted his head coldly, his gaze set upon the golden-robed man striding confidently through the sky.

————

"Senior Xiao!"

Li Tongya bowed respectfully, greeting the old ancestor of the Xiao Family and Foundation Establishment Cultivator Xiao Chuting, who was squinting while sipping his tea and said softly:

"Young friend Tongya, why not stay a few more days with our Xiao Family."

Li Tongya was taken aback, a cloud of suspicion rising in his heart. He bowed, remained silent for a moment, and then spoke with reverence:

"May I ask...?"

Xiao Chuting waved his hand, cutting off Li Tongya’s words, and said in a low voice:

"The Wan Family has not shown up this year, probably because Tang Jin Sect has moved south as agreed. Judging the hour, they must have reached the Mushroom Forest Plain by now. Your Li Family is isolated in the mountains, and with the bloody turbulence on the Plain, it’s better to wait a few days until Tang Jin Sect withdraws before you return."

Xiao Chuting’s words revealed a lot of information. Li Tongya was startled for a moment, then quickly pieced things together in his mind and thanked him with a bow:

"Thank you, Senior Xiao!"

Xiao Chuting nodded slightly, then closed his eyes and fell into contemplation. Li Tongya understood the cue and excused himself.

As Li Tongya left the courtyard, a young man in brocade clothes emerged from behind the spiritual silk screen—it was Wan Yuankai, the same Xiao Yongling whom Li Tongya had encountered years ago in the tavern. He sat down respectfully and voiced his doubts,

"Grandfather, is the Li Family really worthy of our family forging such ties?"

Xiao Chuting silently sipped his tea, looking at his most prized direct lineage descendent, and said in a low voice,

"Li Chijin broke through and cultivated the ’Moon Lake Autumn Reflection Technique’, and it has caused quite a stir within the sect."

Xiao Yongling’s eyes widened in shock as he exclaimed,

"The ’Moon Lake Autumn Reflection Technique’? Where did he get the Taiyin Moonlight?!"

"Don’t worry about how he obtained it."

Xiao Chuting waved his hand dismissively and said softly,

"Maintain a good relationship with the Li Family but don’t be overly diligent; it wouldn’t look good."

Seeing Xiao Yongling deep in thought, Xiao Chuting changed his tone and said coldly,

"Do you know why the Three Sects and Seven Doors have always refrained from stopping the killings and annexations among the families under their jurisdiction, and even encourage feuds between families across boundaries?"

After pondering for a moment, Xiao Yongling replied,

"The Green Pond Sect does not need tributes of mere spirit stones; they need to catalyze large noble families like ours that can organize masses of mortals and cultivators, to nurture spiritual objects that can assist Foundation Establishment and even Zifu monks..."

"Then why can’t the Green Pond Sect spare those Qi Cultivators and Foundation Establishment cultivators themselves? Why rely on our family to do so, only to share the gains with us? Look at the countless spiritual objects and magic artifacts that our Xiao Family has stockpiled in Li Xia County for hundreds of years; is the Green Pond Sect not aware of that?"

Xiao Chuting took a sip of tea and asked slowly.

Xiao Yongling paused abruptly, as if he grasped something but dared not say it aloud.

"Let me tell you, our noble families are nothing but medicinal herbs that the Green Pond Sect has planted in the ground."

Xiao Chuting let out a cold laugh and continued sternly,

"They spend hundreds of years cultivating a big noble family only to devour it, flesh and bones, and then promote a few dozen smaller families to fight and annex each other, nurturing the next crop of noble families."

Xiao Yongling lowered his head, shivering as he spoke softly,

"This is hardly the conduct of an Immortal Sect..."

"The struggle between immortals and demons has been over for thousands of years; who still plays by those old rules? Which one of the Three Sects and Seven Doors isn’t glossing over their mountain gate, standing atop flesh and bones?"

Xiao Chuting laughed haughtily and asked again,

"Do you think the moonlit glass tree atop Green Pond Peak was grown naturally? It was planted in the flesh and blood of Li Jiangqun and watered with his blood. Which corner of your Green Pond Sect isn’t drenched in blood?"

"Green Pond Immortal Sect, Green Pond Immortal Sect, such a pleasant name!"

Xiao Chuting snickered as he stood up and asked Xiao Yongling,

"Do you know what the Green Pond Immortal Sect was called five or six hundred years ago before it joined the ranks of the Three Sects?"

"I do not."

Seeing Xiao Yongling shake his head, Xiao Chuting leaned in close to his ear and whispered coldly,

"Qing Chi Demon Sect."

"Qing Chi Demon Sect?!"