Lijing Village was in turmoil until late last night, but come cockcrow, the villagers were all up. The early autumn morning was crisp and dew-laden, yet the village itself was shrouded in desolation.
The Liu and Li families provided some dry food; the refugees huddled and ate at the entrance of the village. The middle-aged man leading them looked anxiously at the more than twenty people around him and thought to himself:
"Now we are truly in a plight that words cannot describe. Having killed their person in charge, it's hopeless to stay, and impossible to leave unscathed."
The refugees stirred, all lifting their heads towards the mountain path, someone shouted:
"There's someone coming down the path, look at that old man!"
They saw an old farmer with grey hair walking up the winding path, his clothes and arm smeared with blood. With great effort, he dragged a bloody corpse with his left hand, while his right shouldered a hoe from which hung a battered head with hair strewn about.
"It's that assassin!"
Those with sharp eyes recognized the clothing of the headless corpse, a chill running down their spines. The man had just escaped in the night, only to be decapitated by morning. Who this old man was, they didn't know, but the Li family certainly had formidable power.
Seeing Old Man Xu approach, people on both sides hurriedly moved aside to clear a path for him.
But Old Man Xu was pale, his eyes lifeless as he stepped forward, not even glancing at the people around him as he went on his way.
By the time he reached the courtyard in front of the Li residence at the end of the village, the tenant farmers had already gone to report, and the members of the Li family, led by Li Mutian, who appeared weary, opened the courtyard gate to meet him.
"Uncle Xu, what is this..."
"That scion of the Yuan family... forced me to kill him. The body is right here. Let Liu Linfeng and Tian Shoushui come to identify it."
Old Man Xu, stooped and with cold limbs, set the body down on the ground and sat breathing heavily.
Li Tongya hurriedly brought him tea from indoors, but the old man's hands trembled so much that he couldn't even hold the cup and could only sip from it with Li Tongya's assistance.
Soon after, Liu Linfeng and Tian Shoushui arrived with Xu's eldest son. Old Man Xu explained the sequence of events in front of everyone, and after several confirmations, it was indeed verified that the man was a remnant of the Yuan family.
"Uncle Xu, my older brother's great vengeance has been avenged, the Li family is immensely grateful..." Li Tongya was about to say something with tears in his eyes when Old Man Xu, with effort, waved his hand and tearfully said:
"No need to thank me. I was shown kindness by Changhu, so I killed this man for him. I would never use this favor to seek wealth from your Li family. The old man doesn't have many years left. If you truly wish to express your gratitude, wait until the child is born, and bring him to see me."
After speaking, he struggled to his feet, and without listening to the Li family's pleas for him to stay, he left, leaning on Xu's eldest son.
The Li family's funeral lasted for several days, the courtyard hung with white banners. Li Changhu had lived a generous and righteous life, so cries could be heard from household to household. Amid the busyness, Li Tongya's preparation for his breakthrough was delayed time and again, until two months after Li Changhu's burial, he finally settled his mind, condensed the Xuanjing Wheel, and stepped into the door of immortal cultivation.
————
Two years later.
The clear morning sunlight cast upon a few sparse trees in the courtyard, creating a fine mosaic of shadows. Under the trees sat a handsome young man, meditating and circulating his breath with complete concentration.
Before long, he exhaled a long breath of turbid air, withdrew his spell, and looked around the courtyard with a smile.
It was a boy about two years old, holding several wildflowers and bouncing towards the backyard, his laughter full of joy, then speaking in childlike tones:
"Uncle... hold..."
Li Chijin smiled, extended his arms to gently lift the boy high, and playfully asked as he touched the boy's head:
"Has Xuan'er been a good boy today?"
"Wanna... hold..." the boy ignored the question, giggling and squirming in Li Chijin's arms.
"Xuan'er! Come out quickly!"
But Ren Clan didn't dare enter the backyard and called softly at the courtyard gate.
Putting the child down to the ground with a smile, watching him leap into his mother's arms, Li Chijin said softly:
"This Zhouxing Wheel is truly difficult to cultivate. After a year and a half, it's finally about to succeed!"
"Jing'er, you're never satisfied!"
Li Xiangping rose to his feet behind him and chided with a low chuckle,
"We've only just cultivated Fetal Breathing to the Second Layer of Chengming Wheel, not even touching the edge of the Third Layer's Zhouxing Wheel, and here you are complaining that cultivation is too slow and wasting your time!"
Li Chijin responded with a heh heh and didn't answer him, continuing on his own,
"Tonight, I shall begin condensing the Zhouxing Wheel, to show you all what is called the endless circulation of mana."
"You child."
Li Xiangping laughed heartily as he saw Li Mutian walking into the backyard with hands clasped behind him and bowed his head to call out,
"Father."
In the past two years, Li Mutian had indeed changed a lot—his hair had whitened, wrinkles deepened, and he always wore a stern face, hardly smiling, looking over a decade older.
"Xuanxuan is truly a mischievous child!"
When he saw his grandson Li Xuanxuan, a smile finally appeared on Li Mutian's face. After Li Changhu's death, the old man had lost his appetite and was perpetually weary; the birth of the posthumous child undoubtedly injected new life into him, and he had since perked up.
Shortly after Li Xuanxuan was born, Li Mutian got up from bed, gathered the members of the Li family, and instructed Li Xiangping to find three spells from the "Guidance Technique" to be used as the order of seniority within the family from then on.
Li Xiangping carefully deliberated for several days and chose three lines describing Fetal Breathing from the book. These three lines were:
"Xuanjing profound and clear, Chengming greets the moon.
Zhouxing wheels around Jiangque, conversing with the green Yuan.
Yujing mirrors the image, only seeing the spirit's beginning."
The sons of Li Tongya, Li Xiangping, and others, would then take their names from these Xuanjing lines—boys from Xuan and girls from Jing, and so on.
Li Mutian also consulted with the Ren Clan. Ren Ping'er pondered over it for a night and chose the character 'Xuan', forming the name for Li Changhu's posthumous child: Li Xuanxuan.
"It seems father has been too indulgent."
Li Tongya said with a smile, shaking his head, as he set the wooden slip back on the shelf and replied.
"Nonsense!"
Feigning annoyance, Li Mutian blew out his beard and glared, before seriously saying,
"I want Yesheng to spend more time learning by my side."
"Li Yesheng?"
Li Tongya pondered for a few moments before replying,
"That could indeed be a good method. Li Yesheng, being alone and particularly close to our family, is more than suitable, as we have to focus on cultivating spells and on taking in spiritual energy, leaving us no time to manage worldly affairs."
"But I fear that as time goes on, this man may develop his own agenda and engage in self-enrichment..." Li Chijin asked with furrowed brows.
"The old man can still live another ten years, at the very least, I can still keep him in check!"
Li Mutian continued forcefully and coldly,
"After ten years, the younger generation will have grown up, and it won't be his turn to have improper thoughts!"
"In managing people, one must employ both kindness and authority. Once Li Yesheng marries and has children, everything will be much easier to control," Li Xiangping interjected lightly.
"Precisely."
Li Chijin took a wooden slip from the shelf, blew off the dust, and said with a soft chuckle,
"Immortal cultivation for ten years—it truly fills one with great anticipation."