Chapter 478 384: Evening Clouds over Yu Mountain

Li Yuanjiao followed them to the Mushroom Forest Plain. Yuan Huyuan brought him down onto the peak, made an apology, and went to the clan to discuss the exchange of elixirs.

Li Yuanjiao sat on the peak for a while, with a direct-line Qi Cultivator of the Yuan Family accompanying him and making conversation. This person was fairly good-looking and adept at talking, but Li Yuanjiao only responded absentmindedly, his mind preoccupied, thinking to himself:

"Hook Snake... Destiny Matching Special Law... the North."

He placed his hand on the desk, tapping lightly, suspicion in his heart. The Yuan clansman beside him saw his distraction and dared not disturb him, gradually falling silent. Li Yuanjiao sorted out his thoughts, his expression not pleasant.

'To survive like this, entangled within Zifu Divine Skills and the threads of fate, everything is suspect... First, I must inquire clearly about the "Liuyan Life-matching Extraordinary Method," then return to investigate the Hook Snake.'

Only when Yuan Huyuan rode the wind back from outside did Li Yuanjiao's face show a smile, and he greeted him eagerly:

"Senior, how did it go?"

Yuan Huyuan flicked his sleeve and laughed:

"Naturally, there's no problem."

Yuan Huyuan and Yuan Tuan were of the same line and wielded great power in the Yuan Family. Though only a Qi Cultivator, he had long managed the household. He now brought over two jade slips, introducing them:

"This is the 'Liuyan Life-matching Extraordinary Method'. Fellow Taoist, please examine it carefully! The other is the requested Cold Qi Harvesting Method—see if there are any overlaps."

Li Yuanjiao took the jade slips; this method was sealed by a secret technique in the middle, only the beginning and end available. After reading, Li Yuanjiao suddenly spoke out:

"Senior! I do have one or two points of confusion."

Yuan Huyuan was just deep in thought when Li Yuanjiao's eyes locked onto him, making him jump. He replied:

"Nephew, please speak."

"If the spell is failed, this 'Liuyan Life-matching Extraordinary Method' only mentions the loss of spiritual objects, not the fate of the demon beast. Since your esteemed clan has tried it many times, perhaps you'd inform this junior."

Yuan Huyuan paused at these words, then gave a bitter smile:

"At best, one suffers injury and shortened lifespan; at worst, one perishes on the spot..."

Li Yuanjiao's smile faded a little as he merely said:

"Senior, your spell... truly exacts a heavy price."

Outwardly, Li Yuanjiao seemed somewhat displeased, but in his heart he was much at ease and thoroughly satisfied.

Just hearing about this spell stirred his heart. It wasn't only for some mere Hook Snake—though its Foundation Establishment battle prowess was tempting and he himself required cold qi—these were secondary.

In his eyes, the greatest use for this spell was still to cover up his family's frequent capture of demon beasts. In pursuit of a similar spell, the Li Family had searched for quite some time.

'After all, our family frequently catches live demon beasts for sacrifice. Once these creatures are brought up the mountain, they vanish without a trace. Once or twice is fine, but if it happens often and someone with intent investigates, it would be nigh impossible to explain away cleanly.'

'With this spell, in the future we can openly catch monsters and bring them back to the mountain; after the sacrifice, just an excuse of spell failure suffices to brush things off…'

What's more, Li Yuanjiao understood clearly—it was only because the Yuan Family had repeatedly failed to find suitable Zifu level spiritual objects that they'd used Foundation Establishment level ones, hence their many failures.

As for his own family, they had a continuous supply of Taiyin Moonlight of unknown grade. Back then, when Yu Muxian came to Wangyue Lake, and the Immortal Mirror manifested, the entire secret chamber was filled with platinum-colored osmanthus and moon-bright orchid grass.

The Li Family couldn't tell what these spiritual objects were, but still collected and stored them. Though ignorant of storage taboos and using too crude a spirit sealing method, causing gradual dissipation over time, much was still preserved within that Zifu-level jade box, yet to fade away completely.

Having found his confidence, Li Yuanjiao then asked:

"Senior, what is the origin of this spell? If it's something with a dubious background or that offends others, this junior dares not use it."

Li Yuanjiao had made up his mind, but Yuan Huyuan, seeing his expression and feeling guilty for having hidden something, quickly made amends, saying:

"This 'Liuyan Life-matching Extraordinary Method' was obtained by my ancestor in the north, at Yan Yang Temple Palace. He inherited the legacy and soared to glory, thus laying the foundation for the Yuan Family. That was already…"

Yuan Huyuan counted with his fingers, then answered:

"I fear it has been sixteen hundred years."

"Sixteen hundred years?!"

Li Yuanjiao mumbled in his heart, incredulous. Yuan Huyuan explained:

"My ancestor had the great fortune to establish a Taoist lineage, but alas, that era was a time of darkness. The Ancient Wei Country perished, a hundred barbarian tribes flooded south, Metal Nature demons prowled the lands—though he became a Perfected Person, he could do little more than protect himself..."

"Later, my family wandered in exile, journeying southward. The Perfected Person was captured and devoured by Metal Nature midway; the clan fled in all directions, with much of the lineage lost. Six hundred years ago, my branch fled to Xu Country—it was down to only two Qi Cultivators."

At this, Yuan Huyuan showed a trace of pride and went on:

"Our ancestor continued south, had many a conflict with the Chi Family's founder, eventually seizing the Mushroom Forest Plain. As Zifu descendants, Foundation Establishment cultivators emerged steadily. After a hundred years, the Qing Chi Sect was founded, and our family merged in. At that time, of the twelve peaks, we held four—a most glorious age."

Li Yuanjiao listened on, as Yuan Huyuan suddenly gave an awkward smile and muttered softly:

"Only, our family failed several times to advance to Zifu, slowly declining ever since..."

Li Yuanjiao could easily see his disappointment. Today's South River was not as it had been centuries ago—cultivators had been scarce, spiritual objects abundant, the Immortal Mansion had just entered seclusion; it was an era of turbulent change.

Back then, the Yuan Family's strength was little different from now. For centuries to have passed and things to remain unchanged naturally brought some bitterness.

Yuan Huyuan sighed:

"At that time, Ziyan was but a humble temple, the Kong Family scrambled about for the post of a minor magistrate, the Wan Yu Sword acted as a mere guest elder under Dongli Sect, the Chen Clan of Junyu rented a cave mansion from us and humbled themselves for thirty spirit stones—four great houses bound together could not compare to a single market of ours... Now... now... alas!"