Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror-Chapter 136 - 127: Zifu Inference

"The flood dragon, kin to the dragon, commands fish to soar, dives into deep abysses and hides in still pools, riding clouds and driving mist—truly, a most auspicious symbol."

Li Xuanxuan stroked the beard upon his chin, nodded with a gentle smile, and cradled the child as he gazed this way and that. Seeing how wrinkled the infant was, with hair in wisps clinging messily to her brow, he tenderly laid her back upon the small bed.

Now he had three sons and two daughters. Li Yuanxiu, the direct heir, had already turned three. Of the other children, the eldest had reached five years. Mu Yalu was born of a shamanic lineage from the Shanyue clans; thus, it was highly probable the child she bore would be gifted with a Spirit Aperture, and so he cherished her all the more.

"Today, joy befalls us twice over—surely an auspicious portent. Have Xiewen send some goods down the mountain, let everyone confer and celebrate in good cheer."

Li Xuanxuan gave his instructions and lingered a while by Mu Yalu's bedside. Once the woman drifted into sleep, some men came from the mountain summit summoning him as Family Head for affairs aloft. He tucked in the bedding and, hands behind his back, ascended the mountain.

Household matters now multiplied beyond count, yet Li Xuanxuan remained diligent. He often made his way to Li Tongya to study the Talisman Technique and in private, too, toiled by night and day. Since starting Talisman arts at age seven, he had in recent years broken through the fifth layer of Fetal Breathing. At last, he was able to draw talismans by hand, and—armed with all he learned from Li Tongya—found the art came readily to him. These days he was busy beyond compare.

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The celebration down the mountain for the marriage had raged with lively red for several days. The Lu Clan left a few attendants before withdrawing their numbers. The mountain construction proceeded smoothly as scheduled. Of late, with many eyes on the mountain and much movement, Li Tongya fretted over the Dharma Mirror he kept in the rear court. Thus, he moved his cultivation from the Cave Mansion on Meichi Mountain to the rear courtyard.

Li Jingtian sat behind gauzy curtains, head tilted in thought, brush poised in hand. Her long hair was wound up; from time to time, she set characters to cloth before her, murmuring:

"Seventh month, alliance forged with the Lu Clan; the seventeenth son and second daughter wed into the second branch's direct line. The eldest daughter of the main line, of the Mu Clan, did bear a son, called Jiao."

Pausing at this point, Li Jingtian set her brush lightly aside, annotating in a fine script nearby:

"Some say: 'The Eastern Shanyue's Mu Clan's Mu Jiaoman was kin to the late Shanyue lord Ganixi'—this may well be, though I hold it to be idle rumor."

In compiling this family history, Li Jingtian had once asked Ahuaila for news. Ahuaila spoke of the rumor that Mu Jiaoman and Ganixi shared some cousinhood through their clan lines. She had not believed it, silently musing:

"Ganixi was at the very least a hero of his age; Mu Jiaoman falls far too short—hard to imagine any true blood bond. Yet, since Mu Yalu and Mu Jiaoman are siblings—matters touching the direct lineage's blood must, even as rumor, be recorded."

Brushing some ink onto the stone nearby, Li Jingtian recalled she had not yet met the newborn child, and resolved to make a visit down the mountain in a while. Calculating the dates, she realized that her wedding with Chen Donghe was nearly upon her.

Behind the gauze, Li Jingtian busied herself with the clan chronicle. Meanwhile, Li Xuanfeng stood in a courtyard still hung with crimson gauze. Scents of spent firecrackers lingered in the cold morning breeze—a bracing freshness. At the head, Li Tongya held a jade slip in his hand, contemplating its faint patterns for more than ten breaths, and at length spoke softly:

"'Two Hundred Years of Custom in Linghai County'?"

"Exactly so."

Li Xuanfeng nodded, saluted with both hands, while the long arrows at his belt gave crisp sounds in their quiver. The pitch-black longbow at his back—tall as a man—lent him an imposing presence. In a gravity-filled voice, he declared:

"Senior Xiao Yongling once averred this item must reach your hands! I dared not read it along the way, but delivered it directly and unopened."

Li Tongya closed his eyes and read silently for a time, then set the jade slip gently on the table. In warm tones, he said: 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

"Linghai County lies to the south of Li Xia County, one of the five counties governed by the Green Pond Sect. This 'Two Hundred Years of Custom in Linghai County' chiefly introduces several noble families of the region. Of these, the foremost is the Yu Family of Linghai, and within that family is a youth named Yu Yuxie—a rare genius, who cultivated a technique called 'Plate Qi Jade True Technique'—but perished in the Southern Border."

From the confused and tangled records in the jade slip, Li Tongya had extracted what truly mattered. At mention of "perished in the Southern Border," his brow drew faintly together, as if some unwelcome fantasy arose in his mind; he fell silent and handed the jade slip to Li Xuanfeng, gesturing for him to read as well.

Li Xuanfeng at once received it, and after silent concentration for a long moment, quickly scanned the jade slip's contents, a look of contemplation surfacing on his face as he replied:

"This 'Two Hundred Years of Custom in Linghai County' records the major events of nearly two centuries across all Yue Country. I found a few oddities too."

"Among the seven sects and these immortal clans, all have seen transformations in Zifu. For instance, when Ling Yu Sect's Zifu perished, the sect was exterminated within days—that is plausible. But events in the other houses are stranger. For instance, the Chen Family—on Jin Yu Sect lands—had its patriarch break through to Zifu and seize control of eight surrounding towns, declaring independence. Jin Yu Sect not only let them be, but even sent congratulations! Also, the Changxiao Sect—the sect leader, Perfected Changxiao, arrived by sea, saying he wished to establish his own Taoist lineage, and immediately was granted several towns by other sects in tribute..."

Pausing, Li Xuanfeng lifted his head in mild astonishment, murmuring:

"It's as though, as though... all too hasty and careless!"

"Without the Zifu realm, such things are but trifling amusement for those lofty Great Cultivators!"

Li Tongya sighed lightly. Having witnessed decades of turmoil, and seen so many bargains and machinations among Zifu, he had long come to understand something of their minds.

"Sect territories and held lands, disciples and commoners—these have ever been mere gaming pieces in their hands. Zifu Monks' lifespans are long, their eyes long accustomed to the world's cruelty. Only Zifu monks alike are counted worthy in their eyes."

"Moreover—"

Li Tongya pondered silently for a few breaths, then said gravely:

"Save for that campaign against the Immortal Mansion Descendant Li Jiangqun, I have never heard of a Zifu monk falling in battle against another; mostly they die when their lifespan is at its end. It may be that Zifu cannot easily harm their ilk, hence the Chen Family patriarch's episode. After all, were Jin Yu Sect to strike at the Chens, the Chen Family's Zifu could ride the wind and vanish without a trace—the Jin Yu Sect's disciples would scarce dare leave their own mountains from then on!"

Li Xuanfeng listened attentively, nodding repeatedly. Soon he saw Li Tongya murmuring:

"Now that Xiao Chuting has attained Zifu, and Xiao Yongling sends us this 'Two Hundred Years of Custom in Linghai County,' perhaps he means to hint at something..."

Having spoken, he stowed the jade slip and shook his head:

"Be that as it may, our foremost task is to grow strong ourselves. Our own Qi Cultivators are too few; should our territory expand, we may not hold the field."

Li Xuanfeng bowed in deference and answered:

"At present, the highest in the house with Fetal Breathing is none but Brother Xuanxuan. Fetal Breathing at the fifth layer still requires many years of accumulation before reaching Qi Training—it is not easily achieved."

Li Tongya had made only slow progress of late; the previous years had seen such swift advancement that now he dared not depend upon elixirs to further his cultivation. Thus, he still remained at the fifth layer of Qi Training, with little recent progress. Hearing this, he only shook his head and said warmly:

"This too is not a matter to be hurried."

"I have still one more matter to report, Uncle."

Lowering his head, Li Xuanfeng said:

"Here, at the margin of the county, our news often breaks off, reaching us late. Might it not be well to acquire some businesses in the county seat, sending a few of the clan's younger disciples to manage them, broaden their horizons a little—and spare us their idleness at home, which only leads to trouble?"

"Well considered."

Li Tongya nodded at those words, smiling:

"You have thought it through in detail."

Li Xuanfeng scratched his head, laughed heartily, and explained:

"Thus, if the Xiao Family have any slow-moving news, the disciples stationed in the county can bring it home; we won't suffer delays, nor trouble the Xiao Family to make unnecessary journeys."

"Secondly, with Wangyue Lake's market collapsed, our family's talismans and ores need a new avenue for circulation. Talismans aside, the Shanyue do not work with metal or stone, preferring to use spiritual wood in forging. Raw ore is cheap among them but fetches little—only by selling on Guanyun Peak can we profit, and with our clan's disciples as watchmen, we'll be informed when that market opens as well."

Li Tongya found these words most reasonable, and so summoned someone to call for Li Xuanxuan. Li Xuanfeng, thinking he'd have more opportunities to visit the young woman in the county, felt a touch of guilt in his heart. They conversed a few words more; with a bow to Li Tongya, he went to guard the mines.