Chapter 378 269: Jia Wood is Yang, the Li Family's Precious Tree

Within the Foundation Establishment Realm, Jiang Yi sat cross-legged. The faint Copper Lamp before him flickered unsteadily, casting his face in alternating light and shadow.

"The Wood Element is one of the more critical aspects of the Five Elements."

He muttered to himself, his gaze piercing through the gray, hazy void to fall upon the mortal world below.

Upon a lonely cliff on Cyan Sheep Mountain, Li Conglong was tucking a mirror fragment into his robes before turning to head down the mountain.

Jiang Yi quietly watched this scene, thinking to himself:

'When Earth is abundant, it requires Wood to be aerated. When Wood is abundant, it requires Metal to be fashioned into pillars. Fire is born from Wood; more Wood means a fiercer flame. Wood is born from Water; too much Water will cause the Wood to drift. Water can nourish Wood, but a flourishing Wood will consume the Water…'

In a flash, his thoughts transported him to a deep, secluded forest.

The young Daoist, clad in a Magical Robe, strode forward. Beneath his feet, the vegetation grew dense, and ancient trees reached for the sky.

Azure Spiritual Qi, like a thin mist, curled and rose through the woods, creating a world utterly different from the crimson inferno that had burned the heavens and boiled the seas moments before.

As Jiang Yi walked, his Dao Wisdom flickered like Spiritual Light. It emerged from between his brows, transforming into a clear, bright wheel that hovered above his head.

All manner of profundities flowed through his mind.

Although Jiang Yi's primary cultivation focused on Fire Element techniques, he was far from ignorant about the methods of the Five Elements, having witnessed the skills of various True Inheritances at the Hongshui Dharma Assembly.

Furthermore, he possessed the Celestial Book, which he could consult for any difficult questions he might have.

'With the help of the Celestial Book and my own supreme Dao Wisdom, writing a Wood Armor Qi Cultivation technique shouldn't be difficult at all.'

Jiang Yi stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze focused. As his Divine Sense swept downward, the faint lamp flickered, revealing the fortunes of Li Zhengde, Li Conglong, Li Conglin, and Li Caiwei.

'But this Li Family... three sons and a daughter. Which of them is worthy?'

He pondered for a moment, his gaze finally settling on Li Conglong.

'Wind follows the dragon, and clouds follow the tiger. This Li Conglong has some fortune, and his destiny is tinged with the "Seven Killings" star. If he gets an opportunity, he could truly become a great talent.'

Jiang Yi performed a divination with his fingers, and in a mere instant, the entire web of Li Conglong's karma appeared in his mind.

He spoke slowly:

"Auspiciously, he will be stern and awe-inspiring, a master of strategy with godlike foresight. He will act without revealing his plans, employ deception in conflict, and always strive for victory. He will be a persuasive debater and rise to prominence in his prime.

Inauspiciously, he will be hot-tempered and narrow-minded, deceitful and arrogant, prone to debauchery and scandal. He will face legal troubles, imprisonment, and military punishment…"

'Whether his fate is auspicious or inauspicious depends entirely on a single thought from me.'

The corner of Jiang Yi's mouth lifted. He used the profound skill, Illuminating the Dark and the Light, and silently took Li Conglong's karma into his hand, caressing and toying with the threads of his fate.

'It's about time Cyan Sheep Mountain produced a Qi Cultivation High Cultivator.'

...

...

The night was heavy, and the atmosphere in the Li Family's ancestral home was solemn.

Li Zhengde sat stiffly in the head seat, clutching a Jade Scroll issued by Wanxiang Hall. The wrinkles on his face were deep, as if he had aged ten years in a single day.

"Iron Horse Pass…"

He muttered to himself, his voice hoarse.

Iron Horse Pass was adjacent to Fallen Cloud Mountain, a strategically vital location frequently harassed by tides of demonic beasts. Thus, many Qi Cultivation Cultivators were dispatched to defend it.

This served two purposes: first, to ensure the territory was not lost, and second, to provide the renowned sects with a continuous supply of Spiritual Materials from the demons.

It was a place where lives were thrown away.

"Conglong, you…"

Li Zhengde raised his head, his eyes slightly red as he looked at his second son standing before him.

Li Conglong, however, remained calm. He cupped his hands and said:

"Father, say no more. The Immortal Master from Wanxiang Hall called me out by name, ordering me to serve at Iron Horse Pass. This is my fate."

"What fate! That Immortal Master is clearly making things difficult for our Li Family!"

Li Zhengde slammed his hand on the table and roared:

"Do you know what kind of place Iron Horse Pass is? Your older brother went, and to this day, we've had no word from him! Isn't one son enough? How many more lives do they expect the Li Family to sacrifice before they're satisfied!"

At this, his voice choked, and he could speak no more.

A pang of sorrow struck Li Conglong's heart, but his expression remained calm.

He had long known this day would come.

The renowned sects controlled the fertile lands of the Southern Domain, and countless clans lived and died by their whims.

Not unless they could one day produce a Qi Cultivation Twelfth Layer High Cultivator who could become a powerful and influential member of Wanxiang Hall.

Otherwise, they were nothing but fish on the chopping block.

"Father, I will be gone for seven years. If I'm lucky enough to survive, I'll surely master a Daoist Skill and break through to the Sixth Layer. When that happens, Wanxiang Hall will allow me to return home."

Li Conglong tried to console him:

"Please put your mind at ease, Father. We still have Conglin and Caiwei at home. The Li Family's line will not be broken."

Hearing this, tears streamed down Li Zhengde's old face. He rose, trembling, and grabbed Li Conglong's hand.

"My second son, your 'Greenwood Qi Nourishing Technique' is only good for seated Breathing; it offers no Protective Measures! Once you're at Iron Horse Pass, how will you fight those demons…?"

Conglong fell silent. After a moment, he changed the subject, taking the mirror fragment from his robes and presenting it with both hands.

"I discovered this in a crevice on the cliff face."

Li Zhengde took the mirror fragment and examined it for a moment, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper.

"This... this seems to be an antique?"

He had lived for more than sixty years, and his experience was far greater than Li Conglong's. As he held the mirror fragment now, he found it warm and smooth to the touch, with a faint, indescribable aura flowing within.

But the aura was too weak for him to identify what it was.

"Father, is there anything special about this item?"

Li Conglong asked.

Li Zhengde pondered for a moment, then shook his head.

"I cannot see through it either. However, two hundred years ago, Cyan Sheep Mountain was the site of a senior Loose Cultivator's Cave Mansion. This might be a fragment of a Magical Artifact they left behind."

As he spoke, he returned the mirror fragment to Li Conglong and instructed:

"Keep it safe. In the future, if an Opportunity arises, perhaps you can find someone to appraise it."

"Yes."

Conglong nodded slowly, exchanged a few more words with his father, and then returned to his room.

...

...

In the room, the lamplight was dim and yellow.

Conglong did not rest. He held the broken mirror, studying it for a long time, but still couldn't figure out its secrets.

He sighed. Just as he was about to put it away, he accidentally cut his finger on its sharp edge.

A drop of crimson blood fell, landing squarely on the mirror's surface.

"TSSS!"

With a soft sound, the drop of blood was absorbed by the mirror's surface and vanished.

Li Conglong was stunned. Before he could react, the surface of the mirror fragment emitted a hazy glow, transforming into a streak of light that shot straight into his forehead!

Li Conglong felt a great tremor in his mind as countless streams of information flooded in. In an instant, his Heart Spirit was pulled into a vast, empty void.

In the void, a colossal, azure-green tree shot up from the ground, its trunk reaching to the heavens. Its lush branches and leaves blotted out the sky.

Beneath the great green tree, flowing golden seal script flickered, forming pages of a profound technique.

"The *Heavenly Nourishment True Preservation Pointing to the Profound Technique*!"

Li Conglong's Heart Spirit trembled as he stared blankly at the golden seal script.

This was a complete Qi Cultivation technique!

It covered everything, from gathering and refining Spiritual Energy, to Opening the Primordial Gate, to cultivating True Qi. It even included several powerful, complementary Daoist Skills…

It was all-encompassing, complete, and flawless!

An unknown amount of time passed before Li Conglong withdrew from the void. He sat dazed in his chair, only coming back to his senses after a long while.

"The *Heavenly Nourishment True Preservation Pointing to the Profound Technique*… My great fortune has arrived!"

He was thrilled. For a small, rural clan like the Li Family, the Cultivation Techniques they could obtain were, at best, third-rate methods that relied on Collecting Miscellaneous Qi.

The only reason he had stumbled his way to the Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer was that his father had emptied the family coffers, offering up all their Spiritual Resources just to beg for a few words of guidance from Wanxiang Hall.

Even then, one had to be incredibly lucky to survive establishing the Inner Mansion and nourishing the Brain God.

"Could it be... a real Magical Treasure!"

Li Conglong was overcome with excitement. He immediately stood up, ready to go and tell his father.

But just as he reached the door, he stopped.

'No… this is too important. If Wanxiang Hall finds out, the Li Family will face certain annihilation!'

He took several deep breaths to force himself to calm down. After a moment of thought, he finally pushed the door open and went out.

...

...

"Father! I have something important to tell you!"

Conglong went to the ancestral hall to find Li Zhengde. He took out sheets of rice paper from his sleeve and handed them to his father one by one.

They were covered in densely packed writing.

Li Zhengde glanced at them, and his expression changed slightly.

"Don't you worry about Conglin's and Caiwei's cultivation. I have my own plans.

I know you care for your brother and sister, and you've specially written down some of your cultivation insights for them…"

As Li Zhengde spoke, he placed the papers into a brazier.

"However, cultivation is a personal journey. Your experiences might not be suitable for Conglin and Caiwei. In fact, it could be dangerous if they were to follow them."

Conglong understood the deeper meaning behind his father's words. He bowed his head and said:

"I was being inconsiderate."

The father and son stood in the ancestral hall, chatting idly for a while before Li Zhengde suddenly said:

"My son, I want to have a private word with you here, before our ancestors. Go and activate the Array so we don't disturb the servants."

Conglong did as instructed. The moment the sound-proofing Array flashed with light, Li Zhengde could no longer hold back his emotions. Tears instantly streamed down his old face as he said in a trembling voice:

"My son... for you to have such an Opportunity... this is a blessing for our Li Family! A true blessing!"

Li Conglong nodded and was about to reply, but he saw a fierce look cross Li Zhengde's face as he spoke in a heavy tone:

"My son, later, you will take a dose of arsenic!"

Li Conglong froze.

"Father…"

Li Zhengde said sternly:

"I am already old; even with a new Qi Cultivation technique, it would be of no use to me. But you are still young! You can successfully cultivate it!

When the Immortal Master from Wanxiang Hall returns tomorrow and sees you bedridden, he won't be able to conscript you for Iron Horse Pass!"

Li Conglong's heart filled with grief. 'Father is planning to walk through the gates of hell in my place!'

"Father, I…"

"Say no more!"

Li Zhengde waved his hand, a look of grim determination in his eyes.

"This is a Wood Armor Technique, one that allows cultivation without consuming the Blood Pill and frees you from Wanxiang Hall's control! From now on, you are the treasured tree of the Li Family. You must be extremely cautious and never let anyone discover a hint of what has happened!"

As Li Conglong listened to his father's words, tears streamed from his eyes.

He fell heavily to his knees and kowtowed three times.

"I... will obey my father's command!"

...

...

「The next day」

The Immortal Master from Wanxiang Hall arrived, riding the wind.

The Immortal Master was dressed in a brocade robe with a Jade Token hanging from his waist, his expression one of lofty arrogance.

He arrived at the Li Family's ancestral home, ready to hurry Li Conglong on his way, only to find him looking deathly pale, weak, and sickly, as if recovering from a grave illness.

"What's going on?"

the Immortal Master asked with a frown.

Li Zhengde took a step forward, his face full of grief.

"Immortal Master, my son accidentally ingested a poisonous herb yesterday. He suffered excruciating pain, and now his body is weak and his qi is feeble. I'm afraid... I'm afraid he cannot go to Iron Horse Pass."

The Immortal Master sized up Li Conglong for a few moments. Seeing that his aura was indeed in disarray and his face was pale, he concluded it wasn't an act.

"Fine."

The Immortal Master waved his hand and said nonchalantly:

"I am not an unreasonable person. Since Li Conglong is unwell, we'll just have to find a replacement."

His gaze fell upon Li Zhengde.

"I hear that Clan Head Li also has the Cultivation of a Qi Cultivation Fifth Layer. Why don't you serve in your son's place? How does that sound?"

Li Zhengde's heart went cold, but his expression remained impassive as he replied respectfully:

"This old one is willing to serve."

The Immortal Master nodded in satisfaction and waved his hand.

"Pack your things and come with me."

Li Conglong watched his father's departing back as he followed the Immortal Master, clenching his jaw so tightly that he didn't make a sound.

'On this day, he did not yet dare to hate!'