The middle-aged manager’s mind went blank. He lifted his head in confusion, only to be greeted by the sight of two plainly dressed men in fur coats, sharing drinks in the humble tavern. To his astonishment, his usually arrogant and overbearing clan brother stood by respectfully.
“You’ve got a sharp eye, fellow Daoist!” Wan Yuankai exclaimed with a warm smile, then asked, “Why don’t you join us for a few drinks?”
“That would be delightful!” the lavishly dressed youth responded, seating himself casually on a rickety wooden stool. The chair creaked under his weight, as if threatening to collapse, causing the middle-aged manager to tense up.
“Greetings, fellow Daoists. I’m Xiao Yongling from the Xiao Family of Xia Prefecture, under the governance of Azure Pond,” the youth introduced himself with a polite smile, gratefully accepting a wine bowl from Li Tongya before asking, “And you are?”
“Wan Yuankai from the Wan Family of Mount Huaqian, under the governance of Azure Pond.”
“Li Tongya from the Li Family of Lijing Village, under the governance of Azure Pond.”
Seeing Xiao Yongling’s friendliness, the two men politely returned his greeting and introduced themselves.
Xiao Yongling’s expression remained unchanged when Wan Yuankai introduced himself because he had heard of the Wan Family on Mount Huqian. However, he seemed genuinely surprised when he heard about the Li Family from Lijing Village.
“Is it the same Li Family from the Lijing Village located by Moongaze Lake?” he asked.
Wan Yuankai, feeling somewhat awkward, internally mused, It’s understandable that the powerful Xiao family would overlook my Wan Family, but it’s quite intriguing that the Li Family, who have only recently embarked on their immortal journey, have already caught the attention of the Xiao Family!
Xiao Yongling chuckled lightly and then explained politely, “Xiao Yuansi of Qingsui Peak is my uncle. Since both our families are on Qingsui Peak, it’s only natural we’ve heard of each other.”
“Oh, so that’s how it is!” Wan Yuankai said, his heart skipping a beat as he recalled the Li Family had a member in the Azure Pond Sect. Mixed feelings arose, but then he turned to Xiao Yongling and praised, “It’s quite remarkable that you have reached the Jade Capital stage at such a young age, fellow Daoist.”
Xiao Yongling awkwardly fumbled over his words in response, “I’m merely at the Profound Scenery stage. My status as a direct descendant of the Xiao Family has granted me access to treasures that can discern other’s cultivation, so I identified both of yours not due to the spiritual sense of the Jade Capital Chakra.”
“My apologies for assuming!” Wan Yuankai cupped his fist and replied, feeling slightly embarrassed.
Xiao Yongling dismissed the apology with a wave and shifted the conversation. “Both of you are on your way to submit the tributes, I presume?”
“Indeed.” Li Tongya and Wan Yuankai exchanged glances, both feeling a sense of amusement at Xiao Yongling’s chatty demeanor as they prepared to listen to what he had to share.
“The entire area from Moongaze Lake to Lixia County falls under the governance of the Moon Lake Peak. Currently, only four disciples remain in Moon Lake Peak. Do you know who’s been assigned as the envoy to collect the tributes?”
“It’s Ning Wan, the Fairy of Autumn Lake!” Xiao Yongling announced triumphantly.
Noticing the confusion on the two men’s faces, he elaborated, “Ning Wan refined Pine Forest Wind into Qi and excels in formation arts. At only twenty-four, she’s already reached the eighth layer of the Qi Cultivation Realm. She’s rumored to be extraordinarily beautiful and usually keeps to herself. It’s rare for her to take on such tasks unless the other disciples on the peak are occupied.”
Xiao Yongling went on and on with the explanations, but suddenly paused then looked at Wan Yuankai suspiciously, asking, “Speaking of formation arts, does your Wan Family have a legacy in this area? The Wan Family of Huaqian rings a bell for me.”
“Yes.” Wan Yuankai, who had been waiting for an opportunity to share, lit up at the chance and proudly explained, “My Wan Family once had a renowned formation master, Wan Huaqian, over two hundred years ago. In fact, Mount Huaqian was named in his honor.”
“I see…” Xiao Yongling nodded, then added, “I recall reading about Wan Huaqian in our family’s cultivation history. There’s speculation that he inherited skills from a fallen cultivator after a great battle.”
Li Tongya, keen to keep the conversation on topic and not drift back to Ning Wan’s allure, quickly asked, “Could you tell us more about this great battle?”
Xiao Yongling nodded and pondered for a moment before sharing, “There isn’t much detailed information about that battle in our clan records. It’s said that someone under the banner of an upper sect known as Moonlight Origin Mansion attempted to force all three sects and ten gates into submission. This incited the ire of the three sects, leading to a fierce conflict. The upstart met his end at Moongaze Lake.”
“What audacity,” Wan Yuankai remarked, visibly impressed by the boldness of such an individual.
“That battle was catastrophic. It altered the course of rivers and disrupted the earth veins. The three sects lost fifteen cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm and numerous in the Qi Cultivation Realm. Two exalted cultivators in the Purple Mansion Realm also perished. By the end of it, only seven of the ten gates remained,” Xiao Yongling explained.
Li Tongya sighed, envisioning the dramatic scene from three centuries ago.
Wan Yuankai sighed and said, “Those in the Purple Mansion Realm have a lifespan of five centuries. It must have taken immense effort and dedication to reach that realm. Why do they choose to fight in deadly battles rather than enjoy their hard-earned long lives?”
“Hahahaha, us minor cultivators will never be able to fathom the lives of such exalted beings. We can only hope to reach the Qi Cultivation Realm in our lifetime.” Xiao Yongling laughed and took a sip of the Snowflake Wine. He picked up a pair of chopsticks and glanced over the side dishes before awkwardly setting down them again.
Looks like wine is the only decent thing served in this place, he thought to himself.
Li Tongya, aware of his family’s limited knowledge, seized the opportunity to acquire more knowledge.
“Brother Xiao, could you enlighten us on what Pine Forest Wind is?” he asked, following up on Xiao Yongling’s previous remarks.
“To advance from the Embryonic Breathing to the Qi Cultivation Realm, one must breathe in a mouthful of Spiritual Qi of Heaven and Earth. Pine Forest Wind is an example of it, gathered on snowy days in pine forests with a unique method. One can collect a wisp over six months and five years to gather enough atop a snowy peak. If one waits for annual snowfall, the process could extend over a decade,” Xiao Yongling explained with a smile.
After a few more conversations, Xiao Yongling waved and said with a smile, “It’s getting late. I shouldn’t keep you two from heading to Cloud Crowned Peak any longer. Let’s part ways here. If you ever find yourselves in Lixia Prefecture in the future, do make sure to visit. We’ll share more stories over wine!”
“Certainly!” Li Tongya and Wan Kai responded warmly.
With a friendly smile, Xiao Yongling bid his farewell to the two men and led his entourage out of the tavern, heading east.
After taking a few steps, Xiao Yongling appeared lost in thought. The middle-aged manager bowed slightly and followed behind him, not daring to interrupt.
While the manager was silently observing Xiao Yongling from behind, he overheard a whisper behind him.
“Isn’t that master known for his arrogance? Why was he so humble and courteous today to those two? That’s quite a shock.”
Taking a step backward, the middle-aged manager slapped the speaker on the back of his head hard and hissed beside his ear, “You think we mortals are seen as equals by the master? No one would waste polite words on a mere dog!”