Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror

"This child is quite fortunate..."

If it weren't for the fact that Li Ximing didn't possess the so-called fate, Lu Jiangxian would really think he was the fated child:

'Born into a noble family, supported by the entire clan, a natural talent for alchemy, and fond of secluded cultivation, he would never leave home unless it was an absolute crisis... Isn't this a destiny bestowed upon him? Among the whole clan, only this child has the hope of breaking through to Zifu.'

He returned his gaze to the "Golden Hall Bright Yuan Art" in front of him. With the aid of Metal Nature, he was confident that he could push this spell to a higher level!

'Once this spell is written out, it will be time to study the combination of Metal Nature and Talisman Qi.'

In the world within the Immortal Mirror, time always flew by like water. In the past, it was always lonely and boring, but now there seemed to be not enough time.

...

Qingdu Cave Mansion.

The [Returning Sun Ring] spun in the air, gently falling down, and all the strange phenomena in the cave mansion disappeared. Li Xijun caught it and examined it carefully. It looked no different than before, its quality undiscernible, and its material unknown, feeling very lightweight.

In the Spiritual Sense, the Returning Sun Ring seemed nothing special, just like a Flying Shuttle, the only mystery was its material. If not for having seen Xu Xiao's speed while stepping on it, Li Xijun would never have realized it was a treasure.

At this end, Li Qinghong looked at the Immortal Mirror, which also showed no irregularities. Li Xijun said in a low voice:

"Auntie... it shouldn't be a bad thing."

"Mmm."

Li Qinghong nodded. The aunt and nephew studied it for a while without result. Li Xijun said:

"The altar within Auntie's Thunder Dharma has been completed by the family, but Auntie has been away for a long time and hasn't used it. Now that Auntie has returned, we can try the Sky Thunder."

Li Qinghong practiced an ancient technique, the wonders of her Immortal Foundation could call for thunder from heaven and earth, but with the great changes in the world, it was uncertain whether it would still work. Li Qinghong nodded, put away the [Returning Sun Ring], and flew down the Returning Immortal Mirror.

All affairs seemed to have settled at last. Li Xijun lost the opportunity to reach the Seventh Layer of Qi Cultivation, but he managed to save so much more and did not feel at a loss. Exiting the cave, he flew for a while and landed in Lijing Town.

On the steps of the Central Hall, a group was kneeling, and Li Xijun's gaze swept over them to see several familiar faces from the Liu and Xu Families, heads buried, crying loudly.

Only then did Li Xijun land, and a member of the Liu Family crawled over, crying incessantly, recounting the old affection. Li Xijun helped him up with kind words and did not linger.

With his arrival, the Jade Courtyard Guards on both sides knelt down. He stepped into the Central Hall, where the grand hall was simplistic and majestic, and at the head sat a middle-aged man with a square face and broad forehead. Li Xijun said:

"Elder brother."

This man was the current Family Head, Li Xihong. He had been the head for several years now, holding and reading a letter carefully. His experience as head of the family had made him much more composed. He looked at his younger brother coming forward and said softly:

"It's been a long time since I've seen my younger brother… The Liu and Xu Families have come out in full force, kneeling in front of the hall all night. What do you think, Eighth Brother?"

Li Xijun stepped back, waving his hand:

"Elder brother manages the family, make your decision. I dare not speak too much."

Li Xihong showed a smile, straightening his back, and said softly:

"The Liu Family cannot be punished severely. Kneeling for one night is enough. They're already down on their luck, just let them disperse… As for the Xu Family, I want to divide them into several branches. Xu Xiao is dead, that line is removed from the register, the other branches of the Xu Family have merits in reporting Devil Cultivators, and will be rewarded for their achievements."

"Chen Mufeng personally killed Chen Mufeng of a Hundred Household, claiming that he was killed by Demonic Skill. His wife and children are granted shelter, and Chen Mufeng steps down from the position of Thousand Household, starting from a Courtyards Guard."

Li Xijun listened for a while, and his elder brother said:

"Qiuyang, the Clan Elder... I sent him rewards, but he declined and went back to farming… I can only grant his son favor."

"Clan Elder Qiuyang has made great contributions and labored hard, but after all, among his offspring, none have a Spiritual Aperture Seed. Everything that could be granted has been granted... The way is cut off… It's hard to say what more to give."

Li Xijun smiled and nodded:

"Elder brother is well-versed in these matters. I will not say more. There are also rewards from Mount Chengliao."

After their conversation, Li Xijun bowed and vaguely felt that his elder brother, hidden behind heavy curtains, was utterly exhausted. After pondering for a moment, he dismissed the Jade Courtyard Guards one by one, and said softly:

"Elder brother can appoint more people, you don't have to work so hard. Take care of your health, and don't let your cultivation fall behind."

Li Xihong was stunned, and finally lowered his head:

"I personally promoted Chen Mufeng, but such a thing happened. I cannot shirk the blame..."

Li Xijun wanted to say more, but he saw a servant from the Clan Head Courtyard approaching, who knelt down and said:

"The old family head has summoned the two gentlemen."

"Uncle Yuanping?"

The brothers exchanged a glance, realizing something, their expressions turned grim. Li Xihong said softly:

"I'll head up the mountain right away."

Not daring to delay, they hurried up the mountain and indeed found an atmosphere of solemnity. They quickly entered the courtyard, where people were coming and going incessantly, and as they stepped into the inner courtyard, they saw a man lying on a couch.

Li Yuanping's complexion was pale as he leaned against the head of the bed, while Li Qinghong sat beside him. His wife from the Ren Clan, who had merely a third layer Fetal Breathing cultivation level and was in her forties with some wrinkles on her face, was weeping softly.

The brothers knelt down anxiously. Li Yuanping gave them a glance, his voice weak but still fairly gentle:

"In the past, I and my elder brother knelt before our great ancestor Tongya, his words still ring in my ears, and in the blink of an eye, I can't hold on any longer."

Li Xijun and Li Xihong could only offer low comforting words. Li Xihong, who had studied under him for quite some time and felt a deeper bond, was already in tears. Li Yuanping said:

"Where is Li Ximing?"

Li Xijun braced himself to answer:

"Ming'er is in seclusion, attempting a breakthrough to Foundation Establishment."

"Then leave it be…"

He gazed into the distance, his pallid lips uttering the sentence.

Madam Dou supported him, overwhelmed with sorrow. She was Li Xuanxuan's principal wife, who had also managed the family for some time. Now, at the third layer of Qi Cultivation, she saw her path had come to a standstill, with no way forward.

Madam Dou bore Li Xuanxuan two sons, and one after another, both died before her eyes. Decades ago, she had bid farewell to Li Yuanxiu, and now she had to bid farewell to Li Yuanping, her hair turned completely white, powerless.

Li Yuanping glanced around, having much to say but without the time. He could only whisper:

"Chong'er, from now on, you'll have to rely on yourself."

Li Xihong could no longer contain his tears and kowtowed deeply twice. Li Yuanping waved his hand, cutting off his attempts to speak further, and looked towards Li Xijun:

"Xijun, I must trouble you to take care of Ming'er's messes... From now on, with all the elders gone, the family will be looking to you."

Li Xijun raised his head, meeting Li Yuanping's gaze deeply, understanding that he knew everything. His eyebrows relaxed, and he said softly:

"Xijun has just done what a junior ought to do."

Li Yuanping let out two faint chuckles from his throat, his voice growing weaker:

"Eldest sister, the family matters will be left to you and elder brother to handle."

He gradually slumped down, his throat emitting a faint, almost inaudible sigh of regret:

"Great ancestor, it's not that Yuanping is unfaithful, but that heaven has not granted him enough years..."

In the stillness that followed, the light in his eyes slowly faded. Beside his pillow lay two handwritten books, which Li Qinghong, wiping away tears, picked up. One was "Desert Observations," which organized notes left by Li Jingtian, and the other was "Chronicle of Thirty-Two Years of Family Management."

With mediocre cultivation, he had toiled all his life, unable to produce any profound scriptures or secret techniques. The only thing he had written was a record of his lifespan, which Li Qinghong collected with great care before turning around to leave.

A group knelt at the lower end of the hall; Li Qinghong glanced over them and said in a gentle voice:

"Arrange the affairs properly; I will take them to the ancestral hall."

Li Xihong nodded and replied with a choke in his voice, while Li Xijun was staring blankly at Li Yuanping's hand, as if remembering something, silently stroking the Han Lin, saying nothing.

Li Qinghong then rose with the wind, stepping into the ancestral hall. She read through the two scrolls and stored them in the desk.

The ancestral hall was as quiet as ever, dense rows of ancestral tablets were laid out, with smoke winding through the air. Li Qinghong fell silent for a moment and then whispered softly:

"Great grandfather... both elder brother and I have reached Foundation Establishment, but without you at home, things seem ungrounded, and there's an emptiness in my heart."

Li Yuanping's final words were crystal clear to Li Qinghong. It pained her to hear them. Normally reserved, she rarely prattled on, but now she spoke at length in front of Li Tongya's memorial tablet, then silently left.

She had no time to spare reminiscing, only to bathe, change, burn incense, pray, for it would take a full three months before she could ascend to the altar.