Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror

Qingdu Peak.

Li Yuanjiao was in seclusion, healing and practicing cultivation, yet the "Blood Tungsten Fruit" still had to be delivered to the Wubu Workshop in Libu Prefecture to Li Xizhi. The members of the Li family were unclear about Situ Mo's movements, so they could only send Kongheng to do the task.

With just a slight mention from Li Xijun, Kongheng immediately nodded in agreement, taking great care to place the treasure into his bosom. This man held his promises in high regard, and his agreement bore the air of 'even in death, I shall fulfill this promise.' Li Xijun's eyelids twitched as he asked,

"Mage... they won't be able to track you, right?"

Watching Kongheng nod, Li Xijun realized it was his strict adherence to his Daoist lineage that made him so earnest, and with an expression caught between a laugh and a cry, he saw him off beyond the territory's boundary, sighing,

"The ancient ways were pure and simple, yet now they're cunning and deceitful... they're hardly on the same path anymore."

Thinking this way, Li Xijun ironically laughed at himself,

"When it comes to being cunning, my family does have quite a reputation out there!"

He had intended to ride the wind back to Qingdu Mountain, but then Li Xijun had a change of thought:

"I haven't seen Ximing for quite some time; I fear he's been playing around and neglecting his cultivation. I should go and give him a reminder or two."

So he did a turn in the air and landed on Wutu Mountain. The verdant plants and the buildings among the trees were picturesque. Outside the Pill Pavilion, a woman was waiting, dressed in a white gown and wearing a veil hat, adorned with pearls and jade.

As Li Xijun descended, the woman hurriedly lowered her veil and said softly,

"The An Clan pays respects to the senior."

Li Xijun paused slightly, then quickly understood. This was the daughter of An Zhiyan and the new wife of Li Ximing; she was his sister-in-law. He quickly said with bowed head,

"Sister-in-law, how could you say such things? That's rather distant of you."

The An Clan's daughter nodded, replying softly,

"Since it's the junior uncle who came to visit, I shall take my leave first."

Li Xijun nodded, then stepped into the backyard and into the Cave Mansion, where Li Ximing was sitting upright, swallowing flames from the furnace into his stomach. Seeing Li Xijun, he showed a hint of joy, saying eagerly,

"Come, come, come."

Li Xijun swept the area with his Spiritual Sense and immediately understood, exclaiming in shock,

"You... you've broken through to the Eighth Layer of Qi Cultivation?"

Li Ximing laughed heartily, waving his hands nonchalantly,

"I've been accumulating for a while, and just got a sudden inspiration to make the breakthrough."

Li Ximing spoke lightly and with pride, but Li Xijun understood him well and knew he must have worked hard. He was just holding back for someone to praise him. Going along with his words, Li Xijun lavished compliments upon him, and seeing him laugh heartily, he finally said,

"With one more Talisman Pill, you could break through to the Ninth Layer of Qi Cultivation, and Foundation Establishment is just around the corner."

"Naturally, naturally."

Li Ximing let out a breath of dissatisfaction, promising confidently,

"Once Uncle Yuanjiao ends his seclusion, we can choose an island overseas to establish a foothold! I can surely manage the affairs at home with ease!"

'I knew you were lazy and wouldn't want to go overseas.'

Li Xijun muttered internally and then reminded,

"I saw the An Clan's daughter waiting outside for you. She may have a good temperament, but you shouldn't be too proud; the An family has a gift for cultivation, not to mention An Zhiyan has been working hard these past years. You mustn't let them down."

"Yes... yes…"

Li Ximing agreed repeatedly, explaining,

"I treat her well! I've always been very courteous. I was just busy with alchemy and couldn't receive guests."

Li Xijun nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then asked,

"Meng Zhuoyun... how do you plan to deal with her?"

Li Ximing paused, immediately coloring with an awkwardness and murmured,

"I have advised her many times. If she refuses to let go of her hatred and stay with our family, then after some time, I will send her away. No need to say more..."

Seeing Li Xijun frown, Li Ximing quickly explained,

"I haven't mistreated her! All the resources and alchemy techniques she should receive, I have provided. Later on, we can settle accounts, cutting our ties clean."

Li Xijun clucked his tongue, shaking his head,

"You... you really are heartless... I don't think she's after these things from you now..."

"This…"

Exposed by his brother, Li Ximing felt somewhat shaken and a trifle irritable, stammered,

"How could that be... who she is... sigh... it's nothing more than transactions of the flesh."

Li Xijun glanced at him, quietly reminding,

"Since you want her to leave, watch out. Make sure she doesn't take anything with your family's mark on it, to avoid future troubles."

"That's wise."

Li Ximing responded absently, and Li Xijun, feeling helpless, departed. It was then that Li Ximing straightened up. A few paintings were fluttering in the courtyard; he pulled them over, examined them for a moment, and stored them away.

Exhaling the "Long-Range Prime Fire," Meng Zhuoyun was just a minor turbulence in his heart, quickly pushed to the back of his mind, forgotten cleanly.

...

Libu Prefecture, Wubu Workshop.

In just three months, Li Xizhi had clearly and thoroughly organized the regulations of the workshop market and won over a few shop owners who were Loose Cultivators. After extending conveniences to the shops of Xiao, Yuan, and Yang families, he already had the entire market under his control.

"With Green Pond's support, it was naturally all too easy to achieve... no one dares defy."

If it weren't for the support of Green Pond and three Noble Families behind him, it might've taken more than ten times longer to win the trust and balance the powers. Now, with just a few orders, Li Xizhi found himself able to spare time for cultivation.

Following the unpublished rules at the core of the Sect, he could now take charge of numerous fringe profits. The amount was not large, and, wary of giving others leverage over him, Li Xizhi refrained from taking action.

The delay in visits to the workshop market was for this reason. Wubu Workshop wasn't some major law-enforcing market; disciples from the peaks would feel uneasy after dealing with it. The ones from the Direct Lineage looked down upon it, leaving only Li Xizhi, who cared for his family, to enjoy himself.

"The Spirit Mechanism here is nowhere close to that of Green Pond, but in the end, the advantage lies in its ease and freedom. There's no need to always be on edge."