Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror

Chapter 412 352: Buzi Arrives (Part 2)

Chen Mufeng perked up his ears, waiting for these very words; instantly overjoyed, he bowed fervently, reciting a string of oaths, but Lu Yuanjiao simply waved his hand and said quietly:

"As for cultivation techniques, elixirs, and spiritual energy—go to Yuanping and fetch them. There's no need to report back!"

The Li Family was certainly generous in supporting cultivators of foreign surnames; even Lu Yuanjiao himself merely practiced the "River Qi Decision." Techniques of superior grade brought markedly greater strength, so Chen Mufeng hastily thanked him, departing in a rush.

Lu Yuanjiao watched the youth leave, then turned to Li Xuanxuan at his side, saying softly:

"How does this one compare to Uncle Donghe?"

Li Xuanxuan held a talisman from Green Pond, tracing the brushwork carefully, then replied:

"He is less steady than Donghe, lacks resilience, is inevitably arrogant—unlike the children of our family."

The direct lineage of the Li Family, conscious of bearing great treasures and ever aware of the Upper Sect's ruthless methods, educated their descendants in the perpetual crisis that one moment's carelessness could bring utter annihilation. Thus, Ximing and Xijun were always reserved in mind, utterly different from the exuberant young Chen Mufeng.

Along with strict clan laws, the entire atmosphere of the clan was somber. Even Lu Yuanjiao feared excessive restraint; he smiled and replied softly:

"So long as he suffices. Every clan needs one or two with zeal."

As the two conversed, Xiao Guiluan already rode the wind back, her face full of doubt. Alighting, she bowed toward Li Xuanxuan, saying respectfully:

"Father."

Li Xuanxuan waved to her in acknowledgment, fixed his gaze on her, and urgently asked:

"What is Xiao Guitu's explanation?"

Xiao Guiluan hesitated a moment, then relayed her brother's words. Lu Yuanjiao and Li Xuanxuan listened, dumbfounded, exchanging incredulous glances.

"Our Zifu?!"

Lu Yuanjiao froze for several breaths, furrowing his brow and lifting his head, speaking in a low voice:

"How could our clan possess a Zifu? If the Li Family truly had a Zifu, how would we still be in these straits!"

Li Xuanxuan stowed away the talisman in his hand, his thoughts vague and directionless, while Xiao Guiluan herself was at a loss. Seeing that Lu Yuanjiao's expression was genuine, she hesitantly said:

"Perhaps it is a blessing! Yet I can't help feeling deeply unsettled, without knowing why."

Lu Yuanjiao simply turned the cup in his hand silently, muttering in a low voice:

"No wonder Xiao Guitu became so courteous afterwards."

"What shall we do now?"

Xiao Guiluan asked, but Lu Yuanjiao was unexpectedly calm; the image of the Immortal Mirror flashed through his mind as he spoke:

"Just assume nothing has happened. Do as you always would."

He had his own silent guesses: the Immortal Mirror in their family held exceedingly high status and excelled in concealment—perhaps Xiao Chuting had miscalculated and misunderstood their origins.

Nor could he send anyone to the Xiao Family to explain; whether Xiao Guitu believed it or not was immaterial—should word spread, it would surely spell disaster.

"If Xiao Chuting returns safely in time... all is well. If not..."

Lu Yuanjiao spoke thus, though in his heart he was sure Xiao Chuting was not the reckless sort to get trapped; further, with 'The Elder of the Stream' being so mysterious, likely only he set traps for others.

So he shook his head and continued:

"Xiao Chuting would never court danger; it's all a calculated exchange, no need to worry about the Xiao Family—let's prepare to face the devil cultivators first."

Seeing Lu Yuanjiao brush off the matter, Xiao Guiluan could only nod. Suddenly, a clarity flashed through her mind, and she found events oddly bizarre, exclaiming softly:

"Disaster!"

The other two looked up, to find Xiao Guiluan pale-faced, muttering to herself:

"No wonder I've felt so uneasy! Brother... has been caught by Divine Skills... it's Buzi! Now I understand! I understand! Buzi insisted on meeting; no wonder he needed a Zifu to come in person—it forced my brother to accept."

"Brother is but at Qi Cultivation level, while Buzi already stands mid-stage Zifu. A mere touch of Divine Skills confuses and shakes his mind, driving him to seek help—most likely to probe the Xiao Family's contingencies!"

Just the lightest contact had thrown Xiao Guiluan herself into disorder and panic; it showed how deeply Xiao Guitu had been affected. Had it been someone with weaker resolve, they'd have broken down sobbing, knelt, and betrayed a string of secrets by now.

"What?!"

Lu Yuanjiao only paused for an instant before reacting swiftly, turning pale with shock and exclaiming:

"What grade is the Xiao Family's formation?! Do they have means of sealing off inside and out? If every word you siblings spoke was overheard by Buzi, won't his next step be to come for our clan?!"

Buzi was no ordinary Zifu—if he learned the Li Family had a Zifu, he'd surely visit in person. Yet they had none; worse, there was a hidden treasure atop the mountain. Should a Zifu see it, it would mean destruction for the entire clan.

'If Buzi were to see this treasure that absorbs and emits Taiyin Moonlight, what would he care for the Green Pond Sect, or for Da Li Mountain? He'd slaughter us all, seize the artifact, and vanish without a trace!'

"Impossible!"

Xiao Guiluan, now free from Buzi's Divine Skill, was much clearer-headed and decisively said:

"Our Xiao Family's great hall was personally refined by the ancestor! It has a gap with the Great Void—even Buzi must humble himself, come to the mountain top, and enter the hall in person; eavesdropping from outside is impossible."

"Once the Great Void is sealed off, even if the soul lamp of a departed member dies within, it won't extinguish right away—let alone leave any means for secret listening!"

Lu Yuanjiao glanced at her, still feeling his hackles rise, murmuring:

"Let us hope..."

...

Ripples shifted over Wangyue Lake; a green-robed cultivator descended, alighting upon a small island amid the lake.

"Wangyue Marsh."

He gazed silently at the verdant waters, calculating the days; it had been over a century since he last visited this place.

According to the notes of the Green Pond Sect, this land's spirit mechanism was once the finest in Yue Country, a treasure for Immortal Mansions. White mists drifted, the marsh spanned ten thousand miles. Five centuries ago, it fell into ruin. Later came the siege of Li Jiangqun, and again the area's spirit mechanism was crippled—now all but devoid of spiritual energy.

Perfected Buzi gazed afar. His grandfather and uncles fell in that great battle; now, though he was hundreds of years old, the water still seemed tinged with red amid the blue.

"Jiangqun died, the bright moon rose from the east, its light like frost, snow fell upon the county in a flurry, on the lake ten thousand gleams—red and blue entwined..."

Countless Zifu died in that struggle—some, returning home, never faded the sword intent that haunted them, but simply awaited death. The lake's phenomena were more spectacular than anything before or since.

Li Jiangqun had no time to transform into a spiritual object; the Three Sects divided up his flesh and carried it off as a priceless treasure. Next came the reckoning with Ling Yu Sect, and the extermination of those Immortal Clans.

He snapped from his reverie, shook his head, withdrew his gaze, and extended spiritual sense—scanning the lakebed again and again.

"I'll search three times—if I find nothing, I'll leave."

The waters beneath Wangyue Lake churned, perilous terrain rife with monsters—some Foundation Establishment beasts among them, usually rampant. But seeing a Zifu Perfected Person, they all hastened to shrink away, kneeling in the mud, quivering.

Buzi spared them no attention, meticulously searching three times, finding nothing. Unable to resist temptation, he searched twice more, then could only shake his head and sigh heavily:

"It is not to be! Where is so rare a thing to be found?"

Indeed, the sects had already abandoned the hope of finding Taiyin Moonlight at Wangyue Lake; seeking relics in the East Sea instead seemed more viable. Yet, having heard Li Xizhi's report, Buzi could not resist coming for a look himself.

"The supporting Zifu for the Xiao Family has not been forced out... perhaps it was due to Xiao Xianyou's favor. Best to let Xiao Chuting go free first, lest I ruin matters."

Buzi glanced at Da Li Mountain, flicked his sleeve, and vanished into the Great Void.

Watching Buzi disappear into the Great Void, Lu Jiangxian finally let out a long sigh of relief:

"Fortunate, fortunate... he wasn't after me."

Perfected Buzi had only passed by the Ding Family, entered Wangyue Lake, which startled Lu Jiangxian. Seeing the fellow's imposing aura, he'd truly thought he was exposed.

He had been calculating whether he could escape from Buzi—a mid-stage Zifu who had condensed three Divine Skills—only to find Buzi was merely searching for Taiyin Moonlight in passing.

"From now on, the Li family must never let Taiyin Moonlight be exposed again… Should another appear, the lake will be swarming with Zifus every day… The Three Sects will fight over Wangyue Lake's ownership."

He was brooding when a fluctuation rippled in the Great Void; Buzi, robed in green, stepped out once more, startling Lu Jiangxian.

'This man! What trick is he scheming now?'

Buzi, his expression faintly smiling, quietly landed on the lake, turning his gaze toward the glittering Great Formation atop Lijing Mountain.

'Isn't there the Li Family as well? That Li Xizhi is but a yellow-mouthed child—he might not know the clan's secrets. If there is so valuable a treasure as Taiyin Moonlight in that cave mansion… there may be even more hidden treasures!'