Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror

"That's natural; nothing is certain."

Li Xijun replied as if it were a matter of course, and then Bi Chengjuan nodded in apology, saying:

"Over the years, there have often been those whose spellcasting yielded no success, and in their frustration, they blame the fellow sect members who cast the spells. Even worse, some would start blaming our Hengzhu Taoism... I've been in this Taoist practice for many years, and honestly, I'm tired of being scolded, so I've had to be extra cautious."

Seeing him like this, Li Xijun felt a bit more favorably towards him and thought to himself:

"This Hengzhu Taoism is indeed quite different from Green Pond, and even better than the various sects further north... indeed rare."

Having clarified his responsibility, Bi Chengjuan became more enthusiastic, smiling as he asked:

"Is this Taoist fellow's first visit to our Hengzhu Taoism?"

"Indeed."

Li Xijun affirmed with a response, and Bi Chengjuan explained:

"Our Hengzhu Taoism has a long history, and through the generations, we've always been called [Hengzhu Taoism]. Later, some well-meaning people ranked us among a few sects and denominations, and that is when we started being referred to as [Hengzhu Taoism Sect], and it spread far and wide... and became hard to change."

His expression was somewhat helpless:

"Thus, Taoist fellows from the north call us a Taoism sect... but it's not actually so... Our Hengzhu Taoism cannot be compared to the Golden Feather of Green Pond, despite both following the Zifu Golden Core Path, our Hengzhu Taoism is actually the way of ancient Technique Cultivators."

Li Xijun listened intently as Bi Chengjuan continued:

"To be precise, our cultivation technique is more similar to the one from [Great Owl Sunflower View] in the east, which was also a branch established by [Moonlight Immortal Mansion] many years ago; one was [Hengzhu Taoism] and the other was [Xiukui Taoism]."

He chuckled lightly:

"So, [Great Owl Sunflower View] also has this dilemma, often being referred to as [Xiukui Taoism Sect]. Those Taoist practitioners are a lot more fierce; if you call them by the wrong name, they truly will strike you."

Li Xijun nodded thoughtfully, noting the care with which Bi Chengjuan chose his words, and observing the demeanor of the commoners under the governance of Hengzhu, he praised:

"Your sect truly retains an ancient charm."

"Let's not talk about it..."

Bi Chengjuan's tone suddenly became much more subdued, and then he asked:

"Could the Taoist fellow possibly wait a few days? I need to return and set up the formation, and prepare the elixir."

"Alright."

Li Xijun clasped his hands in agreement and asked:

"May I know how many Spirit Stones it will cost?"

Though Bi Chengjuan was polite, he did not relax his price, replying:

"It will require only fifty Spirit Stones."

Li Xijun inwardly winced at the cost, but nodded in acceptance, taking out twenty-five as a deposit from his Storage Bag before departing on the winds.

Once he was outside of Hengzhu territory, Li Xijun began to worry about how to explain the situation to Li Xuanxuan. Although his uncle had long held a position of authority and seemed somewhat discouraged these days, his demeanor could still, when necessary, be very stern.

Settling down in the Helin Mountain Range, Li Xijun took out his Jade Pendant and sensed around, finding no trace due to the great distance. Riding the wind, he circled about and finally found the two of them.

Li Xuanxuan was standing by a small hill, silently casting a spell, while Kongheng stood alongside as his protector. Li Xijun landed beside them and used a secret technique from the [Cold Snow Collection] to calculate, then joyfully said:

"Indeed, there is a hidden stream of cold water in this water vein!"

So, the two chanted and guided the energies for a while, causing a slight tremor on the ground. It cracked open to the size of a baby's mouth, and a blue luminescence shot out. Li Xijun quickly took out a Jade Bottle to collect it.

"[Tianyi Cold Water], it can nourish the cold qi of the True Yuan."

This Heaven and Earth Spiritual Water was not rare, located at the convergence of Earth Veins, and not at all comparable to [Heavenly Pure Essence], yet for Li Xijun, it was a treasure: it could refine True Yuan on one hand, and also aid in cultivating the Tujun Kuiguang technique. He immediately stored it, feeling much better.

Li Xuanxuan also showed a rare smile, saying:

"I suppose I'm still lucky; it didn't take long to find... Only a day has passed; you and I can still search for more to keep at home..."

Li Xijun apologized and slowly bowed, speaking softly:

"The younger generation has heard that Hengzhu Taoism possesses a Demon-Exorcising Method... Why not go and look first? It would not be late to continue the search afterwards."

Li Xuanxuan glared and exclaimed:

"There's no need to go! What's the big deal? I simply need to take two elixirs, and then I can go back to drawing Talismans as usual. There will be no delay!"

Li Xijun, steeling himself, spoke gravely:

"The junior took advantage of the opportunity and made an arrangement in Hengdong County, having already paid the fee... I humbly ask that uncle move with us."

"You!"

Li Xuanxuan immediately realized what was happening, stunned for a moment, then said:

"Well, well! You and Ming'er colluded to plot against me!"

Li Xijun simply bowed his head in response:

"It was just a moment of impulse from this junior... If uncle doesn't go, I'm afraid it will all go to waste."

Li Xuanxuan, where couldn't he hear it, held it in for a long time before finally spitting out:

"Not to be taken as a precedent!"

He glanced at Li Xijun and suddenly opened up, starting to nag about his father Li Yuanyun, then dragging the conversation to his grandfather Li Xuanling, and finally talking about how frugal Li Tongya had been when alive, how he dared not spend a single Spirit Stone.

Li Xijun led him and listened in silence, and after a long while, he said:

"If the great-ancestor were still alive, he would definitely not want to see uncle torturing himself like this."

Li Xuanxuan immediately shut his mouth and flew in silence, and after a long while, he said:

"Back then I was utterly unaware... If I could replace Ling brother at Zhenhui Temple..."

Turning his head, his old face that's difficult to look at was shiny with tears:

"I, Li Xuanxuan! Will not say another word!"

The old man covered his face:

"I owe him too much... I owe him too much... If Ling brother were still alive, he would have already achieved Foundation Establishment, not like me... of so little use!"

"And then your father died in front of me, yet I abandoned him to save myself! How could I be worthy of you, how could I be worthy of him... It would be better to die!"

Li Xijun was moved, consoling him at the side, only comforting him by saying:

"The family has already started to improve now..."

Kongheng, who was on the side, originally thought Li Xuanxuan was just a stubborn old man with outdated views... Never did he imagine that such a story existed, and in the end, it was he who had not cultivated enough..."

The three of them arrived at the territory of Hengzhu Toaism on their flying mounts. Bi Chengjuan quickly came to meet them, his gaze sweeping across the three, he cautiously stared at Kongheng for a moment, his tone somewhat cold as he asked:

"May I ask which sect's Mage this is?"

Kongheng, confused, replied:

"I was originally a Northern Buddhist Practitioner, now honored to be a Guest Elder of the Li Family."

"The Li Family's Guest Elder?"

Bi Chengjuan's expression turned unsightly at once, though he did not immediately lose his temper, instead coldly saying:

"I see, Wangyue Lake is near the Great River... It's not surprising for the Li Family to take in a few monks."

Li Xijun sensed the awkward atmosphere and hastily said:

"This is Mage Kongheng of Liaohe Temple, who practiced in the far North, following the ancient Buddhist methods, strictly adhering to the precepts... Please understand, Taoist Fellow..."

Bi Chengjuan suddenly saw the light, apologized at once, and his expression became more relaxed, he sighed:

"It was I who was impulsive! I truly apologize!"

His face took on a mournful expression as he explained:

"Years ago, when Murong Xia went south, killing people everywhere, my eldest sister fell victim to him! Our family ancestor pursued him all the way, and it actually alarmed Green Pond Sect to come down and mediate, and in the end, nothing came of it!"

Bi Chengjuan let out a long sigh, his teeth clenched with resentment as he said:

"Three of our Zifu had mobilized two, yet we couldn't avoid such humiliation!"

Mage Kongheng murmured to himself:

"The Murong Family... it seems is a tragic sympathy."

"What tragic sympathy nonsense!"

Bi Chengjuan seemed to have been insulted, flying into a rage, he said hatefully:

"That... that Murong Xia not only killed my eldest sister! He even... he even made her spirit appear, serving to comfort our family ancestor... There actually are such things in the world! Ah!"

Li Xijun listened, feeling stifled, and also secretly alarmed by the power of the Murong Family:

'Having suffered such humiliation... the Hengzhu Toaism's Zifu actually endured it...'

Bi Chengjuan sighed heavily, apologizing for the emotional outburst, and took out five shining elixirs from his chest, saying in a low voice:

"Please make some preparations, Taoist Fellows..."

He took out a Jade Knife while speaking with a lack of interest:

"These are body-fusing elixirs, corresponding to the five acupoints of one's willpower, and are part of the ancient path of Technique Cultivator. Please cut open the flesh and stuff these elixirs in, then use a Secret Technique to seal the flesh."

Seeing the astonished faces of the others, he explained:

"These elixirs are engraved with tiny formations. Once we enter our Taoism's 'Ningqing Xuanzhuan Grand Array' in a while, the array will naturally draw upon them, causing them to dissolve altogether, assisting in the eradication of heart demons."