Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror-Chapter 46 Tribute

"Mana solidifies, transforming into Qingyuan."

Li Tongya’s heart surged with excitement as he waved away the pale white Moonlight Qingyuan in his hand.

Although the Qingyuan Wheel wasn’t considered a major hurdle, it was still the fourth wheel in the Fetal Breathing Realm. The smooth consolidation of his mana over the past half-year had left him quite satisfied.

"However, this Qingyuan mana seems a bit unusual. The mana has grown so significantly that it looks similar to the cultivation level of the Yujing Wheel described in the ’Qingyuan Cultivation Method’. It appears that our ’Taiyin Breathing and Wheel Nourishing Scripture’ is truly extraordinary."

Li Tongya picked up the Green Peak sword in his hand and began to carefully wipe it with white cloth. On the roads of ancient Li, most people wielded knives and sticks; it had taken him visits to four villages to find this treasured sword from the Liu Family in Jingyang.

This Jingyang Liu Family was none other than the maiden family of Liu Rouxuan. When they heard that Li Tongya was in search of a sword, they eagerly presented this treasured family sword and refused any payment, insisting it was part of Liu Rouxuan’s dowry.

"After practicing for more than half a year, I’ve finally made some headway and can now stably produce the Mysterious Water Sword Radiance."

Li Tongya brought his two fingers together and slowly dragged them across Green Peak. Instantly, the treasured sword emitted a pale grey Sword Radiance, thin as a cicada’s wing and attached to the sword edge – it looked exceedingly sharp.

Stepping out of the courtyard, Li Tongya found a secluded spot among the mountains and quietly began to practice his swordsmanship.

"Ha!"

After several back-and-forth movements, Li Tongya lifted Green Peak in his hand and with a flick of his wrist, he sliced past a large tree in front of him. The big banyan tree immediately toppled over with a loud crash, kicking up a cloud of dust.

"It truly is sharp."

Looking at the smooth stump before him, Li Tongya felt that his recent strike barely encountered any resistance as it cleaved the large tree in half.

Excitedly practicing with his sword for a while, Li Tongya hung Green Peak back on his waist. After recovering his mana through breathing and cultivation exercises, he headed to his small courtyard in Lijing.

The Baiyuan fruits in Lijing’s small courtyard had ripened, hanging on top of the pale yellow saplings, round and white, looking very enticing.

Harvesting Baiyuan fruits was much easier than harvesting Spirit Rice. They could be picked with mana and then stored in a Jade Box. Fifteen Baiyuan fruits had sprouted in the courtyard all at once, and Li Tongya had borrowed two Jade Boxes from Wan Tiancang just to fit them all.

"Brother Tiancang, I wonder about this tribute..."

"Along the ancient Li road heading east, keep going until you reach the Guanyun Peak of the Xiao Family in Li Xia County. The families of the county all gather there to present their tributes, and each brings their own abundant or surplus goods for trading at the market at the foot of the mountain."

When Li Tongya inquired about the tributes, Wan Tiancang waved his hand and carefully explained:

"The market at the foot of the mountain is guaranteed by the Xiao Family, and generally, there will be no incidents of robbing or killing for treasure. It’s strictly a cash-and-carry basis; once you leave the booth, the vendor takes no responsibility. It all depends on your own discernment."

"I see."

After discussing with Li Xiangping and Li Mutian for the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Li Tongya took the Song Yue Fruit sent by the Wan Family and several spells and cultivation techniques, gathered the Spirit Rice and Spirit Fruits from his home, and surreptitiously set out for the Wan Family.

The Wan Family’s carriage was parked by the side of the ancient Li road. To prevent the Ji Family from learning the news and launching a surprise attack, the Wan Family only sent Yuankai, who was at the Qingyuan Wheel level, and a carriage driver to wait for Li Tongya on the roadside.

After packing up his belongings, Li Tongya loaded the Spirit Rice and Spirit Fruits onto the Wan Family’s carriage and, under the cover of night, began his shaky journey eastward.

————

"Lake Center’s Golden Autumn requires finding a vast lake spanning three thousand miles. When golden autumn colors coat the shores and the sky is clear and the night is brightly lit, one must use the Huo Chuo technique to absorb qi overnight. Then one acquires a portion of Autumn Qi. After eighty-one nights, one obtains a wisp of Lake Center’s Golden Autumn; ten wisps make one portion, which takes ten years, also called a decade of Lake Autumn Qi."

Li Chijin flipped through the pages of the book in his hand, silently noting the methods described and thought to himself: 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

"The ’Qi Cultivation True Technique of July’ that master gave me is indeed detailed. I wonder if it contains a method for refining Taiyin Moonlight."

After carefully flipping through the book several times, Li Chijin murmured:

"Taiyin Moonlight... Taiyin Moonlight... here it is!"

"Taiyin Moonlight, white as frost and flowing like water, bright when the moon is full, dim when it wanes."

Li Chijin flipped through a few more pages, opened his mouth in a daze, and said:

"Is this it?"

"Sigh..."

Li Chijin had recently attained the Lingchu Wheel and was only a little time away from reaching the Qi Cultivation Stage. Thus, taking advantage of the waiting time, he started reading into the essentials of Qi Cultivation early.

"If there’s no clue about Taiyin Moonlight, I’ll have no choice but to cultivate the ’Primordial Clearing Rain Controlling Technique’."

Li Chijin looked up to see a task on the board outside Buwu Pavilion vanishing. As the pavilion’s doors opened, a silhouette slowly emerged.

Li Chijin waited outside Buwu Pavilion for three days before he saw that the mission to collect tributes from Li Xia County had been accepted, and as that person lightly stepped onto a flying shuttle and was about to leave, he hurriedly said,

"Taoist Fellow!"

Upon hearing this, the person lowered their head and spoke softly,

"What is it?"

It was then Li Chijin noticed that the other party was a woman with a beautiful face, wearing a light blue long dress, and he smiled awkwardly, explaining,

"Taoist Fellow, did you accept the mission to collect tributes in Li Xia County?"

"Indeed."

The gentle woman looked at Li Chijin and, seeing him as nothing more than a sixteen-year-old boy, her tone softened and she spoke softly,

"Do you have family in Li Xia County?"

"Exactly, exactly! I am Li Chijin of Qing Sui Peak, may I ask for the Fairy’s name?"

"Ning Wan of Moon Lake Peak."

Ning Wan nodded, signaling Li Chijin to continue.

"Fairy, since you’re going to Li Xia County to collect tributes, I hope you could take care of my family a little, Chijin would be extremely grateful."

Li Chijin clasped his hands together and replied respectfully in a low voice.

"I was born into the Li Family of Lijing, right beside Wangyue Lake."

"We are all fellow sect brothers and sisters, it’s only natural to look after one another a bit."

Ning Wan nodded lightly with her head and asked with some curiosity,

"If you were born by Wangyue Lake, within the territory of my Moon Lake Peak, why didn’t you join my Moon Lake Peak?"

Li Chijin responded with a smile,

"The cultivator Si Yuanbai passed by Da Li Mountain, and Chijin, with deep fortune, was favored by him and was thus brought back to the sect for cultivation."

Ning Wan let out a dissatisfied hum and spoke softly,

"Si Yuanbai should have stayed in his own Mushroom Forest Plain, instead of coming to our Wangyue Lake to poach people, how unreasonable."

Li Chijin could only give a bitter smile and pretend he didn’t hear that remark.

"Alright."

Ning Wan pursed her lips and spoke softly,

"Do you have anything you want me to bring for you?"

"Yes, yes."

Li Chijin was worried about how to bring it up, but upon hearing this, he rejoiced and said,

"Thank you, Fairy!"

After speaking, he handed over a small pouch with both hands; Ning Wan took it and weighed it, and the crisp sound of spirit stones clinking could be heard. There seemed to be four or five spirit stones. Somewhat puzzled, she asked,

"You are on the mountain cultivating without collecting provisions from home, yet you’re sending things back. What is this principle?"

Li Chijin quickly shook his head and replied,

"The family sent some elixirs through someone, and everything was available on the peak, so the spirit stones were not needed right away. Using them for cultivation would have been too luxurious; better to send them home to help with family expenses."

"I see, it’s tough on you, and your sincerity is commendable,"

Ning Wan, feeling a softness in her heart upon hearing his words, began to feel a hint of fondness for the boy and said with a smile,

"I will certainly deliver it."