Li Qingxiao returned to his house, put away the shovel, and carefully cleaned off the residual snow and fresh soil from it. After changing his clothes, he stepped out again.
After walking two li, he came upon a memorial archway inscribed with the words "Peace and Prosperity." The surroundings grew more populated, and soon he encountered a young man a few years older than him—his cousin, Li Qingshu.
The relationship between the two cousins was neither particularly close nor strained, merely lukewarm.
Spotting Li Qingxiao, Li Qingshu approached first and greeted him, "Qingxiao, have you heard about the suspicious outsiders who've arrived recently?"
"No," Li Qingxiao replied with a mix of confusion and surprise. "I've been holed up at home these past few days and haven't stepped out."
Li Qingshu continued, "People from Yujing have also come."
Li Qingxiao let out a soft "Ah," his heart stirring though his expression remained unchanged. "What brings them to Penglai Island? The Grand Elder hasn't returned in years."
Lowering his voice deliberately, Li Qingshu said, "The Grand Elder is far too busy to return, but I heard his grandchildren have come this time—ostensibly to pay respects to their ancestors. But I doubt it's that simple."
Li Qingxiao feigned indifference. "Even if there's more to it, it's the business of the main branch. What does it have to do with penniless, powerless, and unwanted offshoots like us?"
Li Qingshu chuckled dryly. "Technically, we're still relatives."
Li Qingxiao scoffed. "Would they acknowledge that? There must be at least eight thousand Lis on Penglai Island—aren't we all distant relatives? Five hundred years ago, we were one family. But now, is our 'Li' the same as theirs?"
Li Qingshu deflated at the remark. Their impoverished, distant lineage couldn't even compare to the retainers of the main branch, let alone the esteemed young masters and ladies.
Changing the subject, Li Qingshu said, "I've heard the guardians at the Eight Scenes Villa have tightened security. Do you think it's related to those outsiders?"
The Eight Scenes Villa was the ancestral home of the Li family. If the Grand Elder's grandchildren had returned to pay respects, they would undoubtedly stay there.
Li Qingxiao had long harbored designs on the Eight Scenes Villa.
From the moment he could remember, Li Qingxiao knew he was an orphan. While others had parents, he had none—so naturally, he asked, "Where are my parents?"
His tutor told him: His parents had died, but they had died for the Daoist Order. It was an honorable death, so he was a child of the Order. The Order was his family.
Li Qingxiao grew lonely. In the quiet of the night, he often imagined what his parents looked like. He couldn't help but wonder—how exactly had they died?
When he pressed his tutor for answers, the man could only shake his head. He didn't know.
Over time, this became Li Qingxiao's obsession.
After joining the North Star Hall, he risked everything to infiltrate its confidential archives in search of answers.
When his actions were discovered, Li Qingxiao was subjected to three months of disciplinary investigation by the Hall's oversight division. Only his impeccable lineage, his honest confession, and the intervention of a well-placed benefactor spared him severe punishment. The Hall, considering his circumstances and his status as the orphan of martyrs, decided to show leniency—merely expelling him.
Fortunately, his reckless gamble wasn't entirely in vain. In the archives, he had found faint traces of his parents' final days—all pointing to Penglai Island, the ancestral home of the Li clan.
For the past year, Li Qingxiao had wandered Penglai Island like a ghost, methodically eliminating every possibility until only one place remained unexplored: the Eight Scenes Villa.
Feigning disinterest, Li Qingxiao said, "Maybe. Do you know where these outsiders are from?"
Li Qingshu replied, "Hard to say. Some speak with Nanyang accents, others with Fenghuang accents. They all came by sea."
Li Qingxiao feigned mild curiosity. "How odd. Outsiders and the main branch's young masters and ladies arriving on Penglai Island at the same time—can't be a coincidence. Are you suggesting these outsiders are targeting those two, hence the heightened security at the villa?"
Li Qingshu nodded emphatically. "Finally catching on? Exactly."
Playing the contrarian, Li Qingxiao retorted, "And you're so sure? Have these outsiders killed or burned anything? Why would the villa treat them like a dire threat? Maybe those esteemed guests are just putting on airs—too used to the luxuries of Yujing's Taishang District to stomach our rustic backwater."
Provoked, Li Qingshu snapped, "Qingxiao, don't be so dismissive. Though these outsiders haven't resorted to violence, they've been snooping around the villa with ill intent. The Sky Vanguard's guardians have already arrested two for interrogation. My father was even summoned to assist—given his North Star Hall background, he's skilled in such matters. Just wait. Once they extract answers, they'll round up the rest. None will escape. This might even reach the Grand Elder's ears."
In that instant, Li Qingxiao realized—this was his chance.
Attempting to infiltrate the Eight Scenes Villa alone would be suicidal, guaranteeing his capture and ruin.
But now, these outsiders shared his goal and had already stirred enough chaos to divert the guardians' attention.
Muddy the waters to catch the fish.
This was a rare, perhaps singular, opportunity. He couldn't afford to miss it—even if it meant taking risks.
In that moment, Li Qingxiao made his decision. First, he would scout the villa to assess the situation, then plan his next move.
But first, he had to shake off Li Qingshu.
Deliberately needling him, Li Qingxiao asked, "By the way, how's it going with that Lu girl? Is it her parents refusing to budge, or is she using them as an excuse because she's not interested? Better get that straight—don't let her play you for a fool."
Li Qingshu's enthusiasm for conversation evaporated. After a few terse replies, he sulked off.
Li Qingxiao quickened his pace toward town.
The town was called Penglai Town.
Though labeled a town, it was larger than a county seat.
The entire settlement revolved around the Eight Scenes Villa. The closer a Li clansman's ties to the main branch, the nearer they lived to the ancestral home. Those like Li Qingxiao—who bore the Li name but little else—weren't even permitted to reside in town, relegated instead to remote areas where one could vanish without a trace.
As Li Qingxiao passed through the town gates, he spotted the outsiders.
Among them was a towering man with an aloof, formidable air.
Another leaned on a cane, pale as a consumptive, coughing intermittently.
Then there was a young man around Li Qingxiao's age, grinning broadly—though his gaze held no friendliness, only challenge.
Li Qingxiao ignored the provocation. He had more pressing matters.
An elderly man with snow-white hair coughed lightly, and the younger man reluctantly backed down, spitting in disdain. "Boring."
The old man's sharp eyes lingered on Li Qingxiao as they passed each other.
For a moment, Li Qingxiao felt as if needles pricked his back. Suppressing the urge to look back, he strode through the gates without pause.