Chapter 726 520 Dealing with the Beginning and the End_2

He bit his teeth, speaking in a low voice,

"Although I don't know exactly what entanglements my brother had with the Taoist... Should the Noble Families have any requests, my Han Family would also do our utmost to cooperate and search for traces of the Taoist!"

As Han Shihai was trying hard to ingratiate himself, Li Qinghong was not the type to kick someone when they were down. All she wanted was for the Han Family to keep the secret. She truly had little thought of exploiting the situation for profit, so she simply replied,

"Taoist fellow, after all, our families have a good relationship, and we've been doing business for many years. To be clear and fair, the responsibility for this matter mostly doesn't lie with your family."

She nodded slightly,

"As long as people from Green Pond come, your family only needs to insist that my son just asked for some news and then left, parting ways with the two from your family. My side has its own connections within the sect, and we certainly won't allow your family to offend Green Pond."

Han Shihai was taken aback, silently realizing something,

"Right... The Noble Families of the Li family at sea, they're said to value righteousness and justice... No wonder they let off my family so easily... Good, good, these people value morality, reputation, and their own feathers. I need to pay them a few more compliments."

Thinking this in his heart, he immediately put on a grateful expression, his eyes almost brimming with tears, his face transforming into one of sorrow, and he said in a low voice,

"Fairy! Thank you, Fairy! I can never repay this great kindness and great virtue, for such clear distinction between right and wrong, truly an exemplar within the seas..."

He wracked his brain for whatever words of praise he could find, and Li Qinghong, who had stayed overseas for so long, knew full well what these overseas families were like. She just responded with non-committal hums, instructing,

"There is just one thing, I have come here secretly, and since entering the island, I have only seen that subordinate of yours once. This conversation must be kept secret, not to be known by a third person. Pretend as if I've never been here."

Han Shihai immediately understood, a fierce expression emerging on his face, showing the true nature of an overseas cultivator. He replied respectfully,

"Rest assured, Fairy, there won't be a third person who knows."

Li Qinghong could see clearly that the fate of that shopkeeper was probably worrying. But as it was someone else's family affairs and a matter related to the life and death of the Han Family, she slightly bowed and expressed a bit of urgency,

"I am in a hurry to find my clan nephew, I really can't delay any longer here!"

This excuse made Han Shihai even more convinced, as he just nodded repeatedly. After thinking it over and feeling that it wasn't quite secure, he saw that Li Qinghong had not yet left and was smilingly looking at him. Han Shihai then realized,

"Something is missing!"

He pondered for a moment, then, feeling the Yuan Family's enchanted twin clubs burning hot in his hands, hurriedly took them out from his storage bag and lied,

"This object belonged to Yuan Chengdun's magic artifact. It fell into the hands of a loose cultivator, later obtained by my family, and had yet to be presented to the Taoist. I will entrust it to the Fairy first!"

Li Qinghong glanced at it once and saw the twin clubs gleaming with a clear light, exhibiting a green-gold color with intricate patterns, a rare paired Foundation Establishment magical instruments. She replied,

"These were the belongings of Elder Yuan, and he had some dealings with my family. I will hand these items to his eldest son and will not keep them for myself."

Han Shihai stared blankly at her, watching her say her farewells and walk away into the distance, vanishing outside the formation. He stood still for quite a few breaths before saying,

"Righteousness is indeed the most luxurious of things."

He felt a little moved, with his hand resting on his treasured sword, he walked up to the threshold. The shopkeeper was peeking out, waiting nervously. Upon seeing Han Shihai, he quickly retracted his head, acting submissive and waiting by his side.

If it were not for the fact that his brother had died, Han Shihai might have actually rewarded him under normal circumstances; but now he said with a smile,

"Come."

As the shopkeeper took a step forward, Han Shihai's hand raised and the sword fell, decapitating him with a single blow. Before the blood could even begin to spurt, it was collected into a small pot at his waist. He then swiftly flayed the skin and crumbled the bones, and in a matter of breaths, the entire person had disappeared without a trace.

Han Shihai shook the jade pot, listening to the sounds inside, quietly calculating,

"I need to find a pretext to cover up the news of my brother's death... To prevent the neighboring families from getting any ideas."

...

Qingdu Mountain.

All the items from the secret chamber of Qingdu Peak had been moved out and filled the hall. Li Ximing was distracted, toying with the "Geng Metal Token."

This token was fluid in design, a silvery grey throughout. If sunlight were to shine upon it, it would regain its silvery-white and purple hues, but the contents within had already been completely emptied, leaving only its durability.

Li Xijun was tallying the treasures, stealing a glance at him, and said warmly,

"Keep this 'Geng Metal Token' for now. Find an opportunity to send it to the Southern Border. Our granduncle practices the Geng Metal Path; the token is better off in his hands."

"Understood."

Li Ximing responded, muttering:

"Converge Fire, Merge Water, Align Metal… If this pattern holds, there should be five, but of what use, I wonder? Merge Water… perhaps it's in the hands of the Dragon Kind,"

Li Xijun smiled and simply said:

"This Align Metal I have never heard of; it's possibly a tradition of the Northern Daoist Lineage..."

He only mentioned this briefly, his gaze swiftly returning to the items before him. The Yu Family had repeatedly faced risks in recent years, and their foundations had been nearly depleted, with only a few precious medicines truly catching his eye.

Li Xijun, less knowledgeable in this area than Li Ximing, waited for him to pick up a jade box. Lifting the lid, inside was a purple fruit, the size of a fist, covered in dense holes, slowly emitting wisps of smoke.

Li Ximing inspected carefully and answered:

"Purple Pity Bodhi."

He observed seriously, himself seeing this object for the first time, and whispered:

"Certainly not an item of my Immortal Sect."

"Hmm?"

Li Xijun furrowed his brows. Li Ximing had received teachings from Xiao Yuansi and was quite knowledgeable. He softly continued:

"It is said that when the World-Honored One traveled through various nations, whenever he encountered places where the people suffered, he would rest and meditate. There, different species would fall and give rise to 'Purple Pity Bodhi,' which is highly sought after by Buddhist Practitioners."

"Indeed."

Li Xijun nodded, speaking softly:

"Kongheng has been with our family for several decades, toiling away in the East Sea, modest and compliant, never having received any reward. Let's bestow this as a reward."

Li Ximing naturally had no objections and picked up two jade boxes to inspect. Among the remaining two precious medicines, one was light and clear, no bigger than an eyeball, pure white and translucent, seeming like it could float away at any moment, the injury-healing 'Cloud Gauze Radish.'

The other was a flame ascending, bright and hazy, long and narrow in form, radiating heat that hit one's face, another rare precious medicine, 'Great Flame Long Fruit,' a seldom-seen Fire Attribute medicine. The two could only see so much from their position and could not discern which specific fire it represented, only that the flames shone brightly and did not look like Converge Fire.

The two quickly stowed the items, and Li Xijun called Li Chengliao over, entrusting all remaining matters to him with instructions:

"Elder Bai Rong is waiting in town for me; it is not proper to have him wait longer. I shall go now."

Li Ximing also nodded, headed down to enter secluded cultivation, while Li Xijun took to the winds, noting the south bank and east bank both flying his family's banners. The vast Wangyue Lake was now nearly half in his control.

He silently surveyed the surroundings, recalling his past conversation with Li Yuanjiao about unifying Wangyue, relocating the clan to the islands. It all didn't seem so distant anymore.

"Strive harder."

He drifted away on the snowy wind, just entering Lijing Town, descended nearby to see a crowd gathering, clan members all looking up toward a certain side hall of the main hall.

Li Xijun was briefly startled to see Bai Rong sitting on the edge of the roof, one leg dangling, the other resting on the tiles swinging leisurely, holding a bowl of purple fruits, smiling as he watched the crowd below.

As he tossed the fruits into his mouth, he carelessly threw some down, causing the crowd to eagerly stretch out their hands to catch them.

"Truly a fox's nature."

Li Xijun smiled, and the crowd below immediately felt panic, bowing down before him. Li Xijun descended, took a closer look, saw they were all commoners, and waved for them to disperse, then ascended on the wind.

Bai Rong guiltily stowed away the bowl of fruits in his hands and hurriedly changed the subject, asking:

"How did it go?"

Li Xijun bowed respectfully, replying with a smile:

"Reporting to elder, everything went smoothly, of course."

"Oh, oh, oh."

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

"The family has now moved to this mountain. Next time elder wishes to visit, you can come directly to Qingdu Mountain."

Bai Rong acknowledged, saying humbly:

"No wonder I searched that mountain round… could not find Li Tongya's grave, turns out it has been relocated… Let's go to pay respects to an old friend!"