The Mirror Legacy-Chapter 1231: Register (I)

Li Chenghuai listened and put the letter away into his sleeve before replying, "I understand. When will you return with a reply, Daoist Friend Quan Yuduan?"

Quan Yuduan hesitated and said, "My junior brother is still in the north and should take a little while longer. I will be cultivating by the shore in the meantime. Young master may take his time to consider. Once there is news, just summon me to the Wilderness."

Li Chenghuai gave a slight nod and Quan Yuduan withdrew down the hall. As the doors of the hall opened, the cheerful voice of his eldest son, Li Zhouluo, greeting Quan Yuduan floated in. Then, the doors shut again with a creak, sealing off all noise from outside.

Li Chenghuai remained in place, his sleeve hiding the letter. He did not move, his gaze fixed and motionless, until the shifting of light and shadow marked the passage of time. Outside, Li Zhouluo, having waited for a long time, finally knocked and entered.

Li Zhouluo called softly, "Father..."

Li Chenghuai still held the letter within his sleeve. His lips moved slightly, but he made no mention of it and instead asked, "You intend to go to the Southern Sea together with Quan Yuduan?"

Li Zhouluo wished time could hurry by. The past three to five years had been unbearably tedious and filled with endless busyness. He was long weary of it. At the mention of this matter, joy filled his face as he nodded and said, "Yes, just waiting for their return!"

Li Chenghuai could tell from his tone that his son was eager to follow Quan Yuduan to the Southern Sea. He was already dreaming of leisure and meeting the fairies of the various sects. His heart was brimming with expectation. It was only human nature. If such good fortune had fallen upon Li Chenghuai himself in his youth, he too would have been restless and impatient.

Pouring a cup of tea, he replied, "Good. You must prepare well and not waste this opportunity."

Li Zhouluo sensed his father's unease and wanted to ask about the letter, but Li Chenghuai waved him away before he could. The eldest son could only leave reluctantly. When the hall was empty again, Li Chenghuai finally took out the letter, its back facing upward, and gently placed it on the table.

He knew full well the weight of that letter. Frankly speaking, either choice within would make the cultivators of Jiangnan weep with joy. It should have been a matter for celebration, yet not a trace of a smile could reach his face.

He stood alone in the hall for most of the night before hearing movement outside. An old man in blue-gray robes pushed open the door.

Li Chenghuai bowed low and said softly, "Greetings, old elder."

He then handed over the letter. Li Xuanxuan sat down, poured tea, and began reading it carefully. Li Chenghuai shook his head slightly and said, "What does he owe me? What is there to owe? Those days of humiliation, of living under another's roof, orphaned and helpless; are such things to be compensated with this?"

Li Xuanxuan kept his eyes on the letter, his gaze deep and unreadable. Li Chenghuai, his expression calm, spoke softly, "To tell you the truth, had this letter come twenty years earlier, I would have thrown it straight back into Quan Yuduan's hands and told him plainly that I want neither choice."

He let out a brief laugh and sighed, "But it came too late. I am already a father, and already an elder of the family. There is too much to consider, so how could I simply discard it? The youthful days of sharp teeth and hot blood are gone. To put it bluntly, what once felt like righteous resentment now seems petty. That is why I accepted the letter."

Li Xuanxuan nodded gravely. "I understand."

The elder refilled the teacups and shook his head. "In our family, the four Xi’s each had their duties. Not just you, Ximing and Chengzhi were the same. Chengzhi was always respectful, yet I knew in his heart he could never truly be close to Ximing. Such matters are difficult. Don't say your father never understood you; in truth, you never understood him either. There was far too much swallowing of pride and forced compromise in those days..."

The elder raised a hand to his cheek, feeling along his skin until he found a small bump. He pointed it out to Li Chenghuai and said with a wry smile, "Look here, when my inner demons flared, I went all the way to Hengzhu Dao Gate for help. They implanted five Golden Light Pills beneath my skin. The wounds healed, but my face has never looked the same since.

"Your situation is much the same. Back then, the family endured its grievances in silence, bending and compromising until we ended up like this. Now that you've reached rough ground and your heart feels unbalanced, it's only natural you'd want to speak and question. Your father is a reasonable man. Write him back. Say what must be said. There's no need to pretend not to feel it."

Li Chenghuai fell silent for a while. Then Li Xuanxuan took his arm and led him to the main seat, placed a brush in his hand, and started to grind the ink. "Go on, write."

————

When Li Zhouluo left the hall, Quan Yuduan, robed in crimson, was still admiring the view on the island. Though Li Zhouluo was curious about his grandfather's letter, he did not ask. After exchanging a few polite words with Quan Yuduan, he returned to the main hall.

Once seated at the main seat, Dili Guang came forward to light the lamps. Li Zhouluo smiled and asked, "How shall things be arranged from here on?"

Li Zhouluo said no more, but Dili Guang was sharp. People like him had a natural sense for such things and he could tell that Li Zhouluo's time in authority was coming to an end.

He understood what Li Zhouluo was really asking and replied respectfully, "I will follow however the family head arranges things. To remain in your service is a blessing I've earned through past lives."

Only a few direct descendants knew that Li Zhouluo was leaving for the Southern Sea, but Dili Guang had likely guessed that following him would bring great benefit. His sincerity made Li Zhouluo nod again and again.

While he was reading through the scrolls in the hall, a messenger arrived, announcing that Cui Jueyin had come to make a report.

Having managed the household for years, Li Zhouluo knew that Cui Jueyin had always handled the affairs of the Purple Stable Valley's Penetrating Mountain Profound Pin with precision, submitting reports every three months without fail. His sudden appearance could only mean something had happened with the Purple Mansion Realm formation. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Li Zhouluo immediately rose and said, "Hurry, invite Dharma Protector Cui in at once!"

Dili Guang hurried down personally to invite him in. Once Cui Jueyin entered the main hall, he dismissed the attendants, shut the doors himself, and stood guard outside.

Cui Jueyin looked much the same as he had three years ago. The direct descendant of the Cui Family remained as courteous as ever, bowing respectfully as he reported, "Family head, of the thirty-two Profound Pins, the main bodies of the first twelve have been more than half completed. However, Purple Smoke Gate has already begun packing up. The cultivators stationed on the island are about to return to their gate, with another group soon to replace them. According to what I heard, it is to prevent the formation patterns from being exposed for too long."

When Wu was known for his glib tongue and could turn the dead into the living with words, so it was hard to tell whether they truly feared exposure or if it was merely time for rotation. Li Zhouluo listened silently as Cui Jueyin continued, "He departed overnight and did not have time to pay respects to you, family head, but asked me to convey his apologies. He also sent a message: Li Quexi is ready to break through the Qi Cultivation Realm. Purple Smoke Gate has prepared all the necessary pills."

It was not surprising that Li Quexi would reach the Qi Cultivation Realm early; if anything, Li Zhouluo thought it somewhat late. Still, regardless of whether she needed it, the family ought to send their support. He nodded and said, "I'll send someone to the Purple Smoke Gate at once to deliver a portion of resources for her breakthrough."

Cui Jueyin bowed and replied respectfully, "Besides that, there is another important matter. A cultivator from the Purple Smoke Gate has been traveling nearby. He said he once gave guidance to a child from a small household by the lake, initially out of fondness for the child. But after three to five years, he developed affection and now wishes to bring the child back to the sect as a disciple. He asked me to consult you first, family head."