Chapter 734 524: The One Within Jade (Part 2)

"If that were truly the case, how could it all have fallen to not a single word left behind? To have declined to generations of mortals..."

He dared not think further, so many thoughts flashed through his mind in but a breath or two, yet he could not admit them, merely saying:

"It is nothing more than rumor and hearsay; if the family truly were descendants of Wei Country, how could we have declined to such straits."

Kong Tingyun misunderstood his words, exchanging a glance with Xiao Yongling, both gleaning certain truths:

"Though many years have passed, indeed, not a few old enemies remain. The Weili name may be illustrious, but it brings no small amount of trouble."

Though she said so, Kong Tingyun could not help but feel envy; as long as the Li Family possessed sufficient strength, Weili too preserved heritage dating back to ancient times. It was never merely a name—it ran in their blood.

Her Kong Family had birthed but one Changxi Perfected Person; before that, merely loose cultivators from Yue Country. In those days, even Changxi Perfected Person had been but a minor county magistrate in Yue Country, subject to the Yuan Family's whims...

Xiao Yongling took note of their shifting expressions, hazarding a guess, and gently consoled:

"The rise and fall of families is commonplace, and often arrives unannounced. Dwell not on it... In those days, all saw the Yuan Family as invincible; who could have foreseen today? And who would have thought a mere village would birth the Li Family, with four generations and seven Foundation Establishments? Even Zifu could not have foreseen it all!"

Li Xuanfeng nodded slightly. Kong Tingyun responded with a bright smile, privately amused:

"Did not your old streamside elder divine it early on? Made everyone marvel in disbelief."

The three soon quieted, lapsing into silent meditation.

The Foundation Establishment Cultivators cultivated through shifting light and shadow; in less than half a month, Li Xuanfeng waited and waited, not seeing even a trace of Yuan Su, while the three days he had mentioned stretched ever longer.

After twenty-three days had passed, various colored lights finally began to emerge, interspersed with the pitch-black shade of The Great Void. An old man descended from the sky, a fishing rod slung over his shoulder, beside him stood another—middle-aged, notably solemn, with a thumb-sized Jade Stone glowing faintly at his chest.

"Greetings to the two Perfected Persons!"

Li Xuanfeng had met Xiao Chuting before; back then he was a mere Qi Cultivator, and Xiao Chuting, likely feigning a Zifu's grandeur, received tribute atop the peak—hardly different in bearing from now, though more ethereal in presence.

The other man's identity was but a guess—most likely Changxi Perfected Person—and he appeared rather unlike what had been imagined. Xiao Yongling and his companion bid farewell, ascending to the cloud peak.

Li Xuanfeng saluted them; Xiao Chuting and Changxi both displayed moderate warmth. To Li Xuanfeng, Xiao Chuting seemed unchanged, but Xiao Chuting regarded him wholly differently—a youth once naïve now forged into a cold, hardened veteran.

Xiao Chuting nodded, his voice aged:

"Xuanfeng, wait a moment."

The four swiftly vanished. Li Xuanfeng gazed back; snow fluttered atop the mountain, leaving only Xie Zhanchang sitting cross-legged, hands forming seals as he cultivated atop the peak. In the shadows, another figure sat in the snow.

Li Xuanfeng inspected closely; the man's countenance dour, garbed in robes of gold and black—a familiar face.

"A Tang Jin Sect disciple..."

This was indeed a man of Tang Jin Sect. Li Xuanfeng might not recognize the man, but the robes were unmistakable—he had slain the Tang Jin Sect Young Master before, carving him a thousand times, and could not possibly err.

Witnessing this scene, he immediately understood:

"Situ Family's Zifu hid so long, yet Yuan Su finally caught him..."

He sat cross-legged for another three days, until Yuan Su emerged from the void, face slightly pale, stamping in midair—one hand behind his back, the other holding a severed arm.

Yuan Su's aura undulated, loud as murmuring springs; his brow tightly furrowed, expression tinged with malice. The summit was nearly deserted; he took Li Xuanfeng unto the cloud peak, heading ever northward.

Yuan Su stayed silent for several breaths, finally speaking in a shadowed voice:

"Let the old bastard hide wherever he pleases, but how dare he come to Northern Sea! Left only an arm behind... as a lesson."

Li Xuanfeng heard this and largely understood why Situ Family's Zifu had vanished these years—it was out of fear that Yuan Su, approaching the end of his lifespan, might drag him down:

"Seems Yuan Su's strength is as formidable as expected; the Situ Family can only flee for their lives."

The arm was sealed by mana, yet still twitched and trembled faintly; Yuan Su picked it up, lowering his voice:

"Situ Huo, listen well—if you have any skill, stay in South Sea. Pu Yu and Yu Ming are both searching for you; you'd best not be careless and return."

With that, he snapped a finger from the arm and tossed it into the sea, letting it seek out Situ Huo; finally stowing the limb away, the sky was now sprinkled with stars.

He spoke no more, but led Li Xuanfeng ever higher—the northern wind now fierce enough to fell an ordinary Foundation Establishment; the mountains, streaked in black and white, loomed solemnly.

At last they reached the highest icy plain, at its heart a small lake—Zifu cultivators arrayed quietly upon cloud peak, atop an icy platform in the lake sat a solitary figure, eyes shut, a wooden sword at his waist.

Li Xuanfeng stood on the clouds, feeling the biting wind blocked by cloud qi from without; after several breaths, the whisper and clink of subtle collisions reached his ears.

Yuan Su's cloud qi prevented his spiritual sense from probing outward, so only his eyes could discern; flecks of white mixed amid the snowfall below, making clear, shattering sounds upon the ground.

Yuan Su beside him was now much steadier, reaching out to gather a handful of snowflakes, shaking them gently—revealing tiny bright fragments of Shattered Jade.

"It begins."

Li Xuanfeng understood, and soon saw Shangyuan atop the platform open his eyes, surveying the surroundings, his gaze sweeping over each one before speaking:

"I am Shangyuan. Today, breaking through to the Golden Core; by the agreement of immortal cultivators from the four kingdoms and seas, I invite all to observe—see clearly, each may gain some benefit."

His words were measured; the crowd nodded in return, quite unlike the dread in Duanmu Kui's day, or the mocking of Chi Wei—even those Zifu who disliked his character now managed polite nods.

Shangyuan's face was still veiled in white mist; the wooden sword at his waist swayed; his gaze turned to the distance, where two translucent figures slowly emerged. Shangyuan smiled faintly, pressed his hands together, and spoke:

"Taoist Fellows, please wait a moment."

The two figures seemed to have waited long already, not daring neglect—one with a sharp voice, spoke:

"Taoist Fellow, you are gracious! Upon your success, may you guide us further!"

Shangyuan laughed, ascending slowly—no sign of Divine Skills, only a gentle touch upon the sword at his waist.

In that instant, every Spirit Sword and Immortal Edge present trembled, breaking loose from their masters' restraint; they chimed and howled, as if about to leap forth—an awe-inspiring sight.

High above, all eyes were fixed on his motion; almost in unison, nearly all Zifu stepped back, bracing themselves—only Yuan Su and a scant few remained unmoved.

Li Xuanfeng glanced up to see Yuan Su's face split with mocking laughter, as if Shangyuan's actions suited him perfectly—arms folded, standing firm.

Elsewhere, Shangyuan Perfected Person's face beneath the mist showed traces of jest; as his hand slackened, the crowd stood embarrassed in midair, shamed before their juniors, yet none dared speak up—at most, their expression soured, though most dared not show it.

Shangyuan ignored them, breathing out a thread of white vapor.

The vapor surged upward, transforming into various marvelous forms: at times a white-robed man, at times a cliff of azure jade, at times like silken cascades, and soon a white Jade Disk rose to the sky.

In an instant, billowing white vapor spread wide; atop the cloud peak, myriad visions appeared. Beneath the great Jade Disk, music resounded—white-robed men wielding spears and swords, beasts running across the crescent moon, waterfalls of flowing silk unfurled and poured down into the lake.

Among the myriad omens, beneath Shangyuan Perfected Person's feet grew stairs of flawless white jade; bearing the Immortal Edge, he strode forward with serene composure.

Each step, surging white vapor burst forth; the wooden sword at his waist gleamed ever brighter, the sheen turning to white jade—Shangyuan Perfected Person spoke softly:

"'Jade-Born.'

At these words, a suit of radiant, elegant, snow-white Feather Clothing enveloped him; each sleeve trailed long streams of white vapor like silk. Shangyuan, usually dressed plainly, now with this pure Feather Clothing upon him, appeared veritably as an immortal among men.

Li Xuanfeng found it familiar; he had read the White-haired Courtyard Bowing Scripture, and this attire matched its descriptions, only far more wondrous—he thought to himself:

"This should be the 'Jade Court General,' perhaps an even better Immortal Book, or an ancient name for this Immortal Foundation..."