Chapter 521: Handling Aftermath

Chapter 521: Tying Up Loose Ends

The Han Clan’s East Sulfur Island was famed for its bountiful spirit sulfur and spirit brimstone; their earliest ancestor had merely been a rogue cultivator peddling spirit sulfur, and through generations of accumulation and currying favor with various powers, they had slowly climbed to their current standing.

Li Qinghong arrived riding a gust of wind. East Sulfur Island lay in unbroken tranquility, as if all was calm and uneventful. She mused silently for a moment:

“I know not what stance the Han Clan takes. Better refrain from revealing my presence for now.”

She cast a concealment spell, channeled her spiritual power to descend, and arrived in the market district. The population was fairly large, with cultivators weaving through the bustling throng. She sought out an establishment owned by the Han Clan itself.

As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, she directly passed through the compound and reached the hall at the back. A shopkeeper was tallying on an abacus—he was at the Qi Refining stage, and his attire marked him as a trusted confidant of the Han Clan.

Violet light coursed over her form, and she slowly materialized from head to toe, asking only:

“Tell your master to come see me.”

She had suddenly revealed herself in the courtyard, her eyes swirling with thunderous might as she unleashed her aura. The man was first startled; glancing at her attire—her polished jade armor, the unusual violet profound vase at her waist—he realized she was no ordinary figure.

“Greetings, Immortal Lady! Greetings, Immortal Lady! Our clan leader has gone out. I will fetch an elder at once!”

He hastily bowed his farewells and scurried off. Before long, he returned with a middle-aged man clad in a red robe, his expression anxious. He was merely at the early Foundation Establishment stage, and he stepped forward to murmur softly:

“I am Han Shihai. This is no place for conversation. Pray, follow me inside, Immortal Lady.”

Li Qinghong nodded. When they entered the courtyard and tea was served, Han Shihai forced himself to stay calm, yet he kept twisting the jade teacup in his hand as he asked in a low voice:

“Immortal Lady… are you from the Green Pond Sect… or the Moon-Watching Lake?”

Li Qinghong had trained in the East Sea for many years, often traveling to various places to gather thunder energy. Sometimes she would take shelter there and pay visits to nearby powers, so she actually knew the Han Clan quite well.

She was aware that Han Shizhen and his attendant were already dead; the Han Clan had lost two Foundation Establishment cultivators in one go—their clan leader, at the late Foundation Establishment stage, and a loyal servant at the middle Foundation Establishment stage, who had had both arms severed and suffered grievous wounds, a blow severe enough to shake the clan’s foundations.

The Han Clan’s inner circle must have known of Han Shizhen’s death, but thanks to their proper governance, all seemed calm on the surface, though they were no doubt in a state of secret panic.

Li Qinghong sighed silently and said in a soft voice:

“I am Li Qinghong of the Li Clan. I have come regarding a matter concerning my nephew.”

She paused for a breath, her expression gradually turning solemn as she asked:

“My clan’s Xizhi has gone missing. I went to Green Pine Island and only heard that he had gone to your clan’s domain. I wonder…”

The middle-aged man’s face instantly turned as white as a sheet. He murmured:

“Li Xizhi is missing! Just as I feared!”

Li Xizhi was a disciple of the Green Pond Sect and a direct descendant of the Li Clan. Han Shihai had not yet recovered from the grief of his elder brother’s death, and his heart grew even more terrified as he asked:

“How could this happen! Did he run afoul of some demon or evil creature?”

He knew full well this matter was no trivial one; the Li Clan had forged ties with a Nascent Soul cultivator within the Green Pond Sect! If Li Xizhi were to die, the Green Pond Sect would not let it slide lightly. His face paled further, and he thought of another person:

“Li Xuanfeng of the Golden Geng Aura Strings!”

This man’s reputation had grown steadily in recent years. The Han Clan had witnessed him slay a demon firsthand—a middle Foundation Establishment demon that had taken a few arrows near East Sulfur Island and promptly plummeted into the sea!

“If something has happened to Li Xizhi, how could that villain let us off easily! I’ve heard he is unreasonable; I fear he will storm the island!”

Han Shihai’s face grew paler still. Their clan’s ancestor had secluded himself decades ago to attempt a breakthrough to the Nascent Soul stage, and there had been no news of him since—he was likely on the verge of perishing. With two more Foundation Establishment cultivators dead and the Li Clan and Green Pond Sect suspecting them…

Li Qinghong saw his lips turn white, as if he had already conjured up a host of dire scenarios. She reined in much of the rhetoric she had prepared and thought to herself:

“The Han Clan does share a bond with my clan. Though Han Shizhen came for profit, he ultimately met his end while doing a favor for Xizhi… In fact, my clan owes them an apology. I ought not to terrify him too much.”

She straightened her expression, took no sip of the tea in her hand, and set it gently on the jade table as she asked:

“Is Han Shizhen dead?”

Han Shihai’s body jolted. He did not know how she had learned of it, and could only lament:

“He is… but… I know not where my elder brother took that senior! I heard it was to look into Yuan Tuan’s matter…”

As an East Sea cultivator, he was accustomed to life and death, and he had no thoughts of avenging his elder brother. He only wished to settle this matter quickly, and said in a low voice:

“Does the Immortal Lady have any relevant news… this really has nothing to do with my clan!”

Li Qinghong paused and said in a low voice:

“I know a few details… it was to find Yuan Tuan. Since it was a private matter… I will not cling to it. The priority is to find the person. Do you have a general direction I can pursue?”

Han Shihai felt as if he had been granted a reprieve and replied:

“I heard it was toward the Sea of Barbarian Tribes!”

“Very well. I will go search there at once.”

Li Qinghong nodded, seemingly ready to ride a thunderbolt away, when she suddenly remembered something and said as if in passing:

“The Green Pond Sect will most likely send someone to inquire, and they will not be as lenient as I am. You must fend for yourself.”

Han Shihai had just relaxed his breath when he tensed up again. Li Qinghong’s words had struck at his sore spot, and he hurried to say:

“Wait, Immortal Lady!”

When he saw her turn around, he quickly put on a look of grief—his expression shifting with remarkable speed—and lamented in a low voice:

“My clan has scarce few Foundation Establishment cultivators, yet my elder brother took someone into the East Sea and lost his life for no reason. But the Green Pond Sect is fierce, as you said—they will not let us off lightly… I beg you… show me a way out.”

He clenched his teeth and said in a low voice:

“I know not the exact entanglement between my elder brother and that senior… but if your clan has any demands, my Han Clan will do our utmost to comply and search for that senior’s whereabouts on your behalf!”

Han Shihai was doing his best to curry favor. Li Qinghong was not one to kick someone when they were down; she only wished the Han Clan would keep the matter secret, and had little intention of taking advantage of their plight. She replied:

“Fellow cultivator, our two clans do share a bond and have done business for many years. To speak plainly and fairly, the blame for this matter lies mostly not with your clan.”

She nodded slightly:

“When the Green Pond Sect’s people come, you need only insist that Xizhi asked for some information and then left, parting ways with your two clansmen. My clan has connections within the sect, and we will ensure your clan does not incur the Green Pond Sect’s wrath.”

Han Shihai listened, dumbfounded, and realized silently to himself:

“Right… the Li Clan is a maritime clan known for upholding morality and justice… no wonder they let my clan off so easily… Good, good. People like this value virtue, a good reputation, and their honor. I must flatter them a little more.”

As he thought this, he immediately put on a look of gratitude, his eyes nearly brimming with tears, and his expression shifted back to grief as he said in a low voice:

“Immortal Lady! Thank you, Immortal Lady! We have no way to repay your great kindness. Your sense of right and wrong makes you a paragon of the maritime clans…”

He rambled on, wracking his brain for more words of praise. Li Qinghong had spent so long overseas that she knew full well what these maritime clans were like; she merely hummed in response and instructed:

“There is but one thing. I came here in secret, and before and after entering the island, I only met your subordinate once. This conversation must be kept secret—no third person must know. It must be as if I never came here.”

Han Shihai understood at once. A fierce glint flashed across his face, revealing the true nature of a maritime cultivator, and he said respectfully:

“Rest assured, Immortal Lady. No third person will know.”

Li Qinghong saw this clearly. She guessed the shopkeeper’s fate would be grim, but it was the Han Clan’s own affair, and it concerned their survival. She bowed slightly, her expression taking on a tinge of urgency:

“I must hurry to search for my clan nephew. I truly cannot linger here any longer!”

Han Shihai believed this excuse all the more and nodded repeatedly. He thought it over and felt it was still not safe, but then he saw Li Qinghong had not yet left, looking at him with a faint smile. Han Shihai immediately understood:

“I am missing something!”

He thought for just a breath. The Yuan Clan’s Demon-Suppressing Twin Staves had felt like a hot potato in his hands, so he quickly took them out of his storage pouch and lied:

“This is Yuan Chengdun’s magical weapon. It fell into the hands of a rogue cultivator and later came into my clan’s possession. Before we could present it to that senior, we will hand it over to you first, Immortal Lady.”

Li Qinghong glanced at them. The twin staves glowed with a pure radiance, bearing a cyan-gold hue and intricate patterns—they were rare paired Foundation Establishment magical weapons. She replied:

"This is Senior Yuan’s legacy. He and my family shared a certain bond, so I will deliver this to his eldest son and not keep it for myself."

Han Shihai stared at her dumbfounded, watching as she took her leave and departed, her figure fading away until she vanished beyond the formation. He paused for several heartbeats before speaking:

"Morality is truly the most lavish of things."

He felt a faint stirring within. Hand resting on his sword, he walked all the way to the threshold. The shopkeeper, who had been craning his neck to wait nearby, quickly withdrew his head at the sight of him, bowing his head obediently as he waited by the side.

If his elder brother had not died, Han Shihai would have truly rewarded the man when he relaxed. But now, he spoke with a smile:

"Come."

The shopkeeper took a step forward. Han Shihai raised his sword and struck, severing the man’s head in one blow. Before the blood could even gush forth, it was sucked into the small pot at his waist. Then, the flesh and bones crumbled, and in the span of a few heartbeats, the man had vanished entirely.

Han Shihai shook the jade pot, listening to the sound inside as he silently plotted:

"I still need to find a pretense to hide the news of my elder brother’s death… to keep the neighboring clans from harboring malicious intentions."

……

Dense Wood Peak.

All the items from the secret chamber of Dense Wood Peak had been moved out one by one, filling the hall to the brim. Li Ximing was distracted, twisting the [Six Xin Unified Gold Token] in his hand.

The token had a smooth, silvery-gray surface. When bathed in sunlight, it would revert to a silvery-white and purple hue. However, all the contents within had been emptied, leaving only its sturdy shell.

Li Xijun was tallying the treasures. He glanced at Li Ximing briefly and spoke in a gentle tone:

"Keep this [Six Xin Unified Gold Token] for now. Find a chance to send it to the Southern Border. Our granduncle practices the Geng Gold Path; this item will be better in his hands."

"Understood."

Li Ximing replied, muttering:

"Unified Fire, Merged Water, Unified Gold… If we extrapolate from this, there should be five such tokens. I do not know their purpose. Merged Water… perhaps it is in the hands of the dragon clan."

Li Xijun smiled and said:

"I have never heard of this Unified Gold before. Perhaps it belongs to a Taoist tradition of the North…"

He only mentioned this in passing before his gaze quickly returned to the items before him. The Yu clan had faced repeated crises in recent years, and their accumulated reserves had been nearly exhausted. The only things his own clan truly deemed valuable were a few celestial herbs.

Li Xijun was not as knowledgeable as Li Ximing in this regard. He waited until Li Ximing took a jade box, lifted the lid, and saw a purple fruit inside—about the size of a fist, covered in dense holes, and slowly emitting wispy smoke.

Li Ximing examined it carefully and replied:

"[Purple Compassion Bodhi]"

He observed it meticulously. It was his first time seeing such a thing, so he spoke softly:

"But it is not a treasure of our immortal clan."

"Hmm?"

Li Xijun frowned. Li Ximing, who had been taught by Xiao Yuansi and was quite knowledgeable, spoke softly:

"I have heard that when the World-Honored One traveled across the kingdoms, he would stop to rest wherever the people suffered. It was then that a strange species would take root and bear the [Purple Compassion Bodhi], which is highly sought after by Buddhist cultivators."

"That is correct."

Li Xijun nodded and spoke in a low voice:

"Kongheng has served our clan for decades. He has worked diligently and obediently in the East Sea, and we have never rewarded him with anything. Let us give this to him as a reward."

Li Ximing had no objections, of course. He took two more jade boxes to look at. Of the remaining two celestial herbs, one was light and pure—about the size of an eyeball, white and translucent, as if it might drift away at any moment. It was the [Gorge Cloud Vine], a healing herb.

The other one was wreathed in flames, bright yet hazy, long and slender, and emitting a searing heat. It was the [Great Flame Long Fruit], a rare fire-attributed celestial herb. The two could only see this one aspect of it and could not tell which branch of fire it belonged to. They only knew that its flame was clear and bright, not like Unified Fire.

The two quickly put the herbs away. Li Xijun called Li Chengliao over, entrusted all the remaining matters to him, and instructed:

"Senior Bai Rong is still waiting for me in the town. I should not keep him waiting any longer, so I will go there now."

Li Ximing also nodded and went to seclude himself for cultivation. Li Xijun summoned a gust of wind and took flight. He saw that the southern and eastern banks were all flying his clan’s banners, and nearly half of the vast Moon-Watching Lake was already under his clan’s control.

He glanced around silently, recalling the conversation he had with Li Yuanjiao years ago. Unifying Moon-Watching Lake and relocating the clan to the island no longer seemed so distant a goal.

"Work harder."

He rode the swirling wind and snow into Lijing Town, landing nearby. There, he saw a crowd of people—his clansmen gathered below the hall, each craning their necks to look up at a certain side hall.

Li Xijun was slightly startled when he saw Bai Rong sitting on the eaves, one leg crossed over the other, the other dangling loosely over the tiles. He held a bowl of purple fruits in his hand and looked down at the crowd with a smile.

As he popped the fruits into his mouth, he also tossed them lightly down to the crowd, making them stare eagerly and reach out to grab them.

"Truly the nature of a fox."

Li Xijun smiled. The clansmen below immediately felt terrified and knelt down in worship. Li Xijun descended, and upon seeing that they were all mortals, he waved his hand to dismiss them before taking flight again.

Bai Rong, feeling a little guilty, put away the bowl of fruits in his hand and hastily changed the subject, asking:

"How did it go?"

Li Xijun bowed and smiled:

"Reporting to Senior, it went smoothly, of course."

"Oh, oh, oh."

Bai Rong nodded. Li Xijun led him all the way to Green Cypress Mountain and explained:

"Our clan has now moved to this mountain. The next time you come, Senior, you can visit us directly here at Green Cypress Mountain."

Bai Rong responded and bowed his head, saying:

"No wonder I searched that mountain all over… and couldn’t find Li Tongya’s grave. It turns out it was moved here… Let’s go pay our respects to the deceased first!"

Grateful to the Alliance Leader!

The terrain, once a fortress of tigers and dragons, is now more magnificent than ever.

Two Alliance Leader titles from the esteemed Hangqing Buyu!

The Silver Alliance Leader title from the esteemed Shen Xi!

I will take my time to adjust once I have a holiday and give everyone extra updates.

(End of This Chapter)