"Green Pond Sect's Qing Sui Peak?"
Li Tongya and Li Xiangping exchanged glances. After hesitating for a few moments, Li Tongya said,
"It must be related to Jing'er, the envoy from the Immortal Sect."
Li Xiangping quickly got up, leading everyone down the mountain. Just as they stepped out of the courtyard, they saw a cultivator wearing a moon-white robe, adorned with a string of embroidered pouches at his waist.
The cultivator had a handsome face and an ethereal air about him, standing quietly in front of the courtyard, smiling at them.
"Xiao Yuansi of Qing Sui Peak greets all the Taoist fellows."
Xiao Yuansi greeted them with a gentle bow, smiling warmly.
"Li Xiangping of the Li Family greets the envoy from Green Pond Sect."
Li Xiangping did not dare to presume equality, bowing hurriedly along with the others behind him. Xiao Yuansi slightly sidestepped to avoid the gesture, smiling as he spoke,
"All of you are my junior brother's family; there's no need for such grand formalities. I've come as an individual, not as an envoy from the Immortal Sect."
They all voiced their assent, with Li Xiangping respectfully saying,
"Immortal Master, please enter."
In front of such a high-ranking cultivator from Green Pond Sect, Li Tongya and the others felt no different than ordinary mortals. The title "Immortal Master" was uttered with genuine conviction and feeling.
Xiao Yuansi stepped into the courtyard, found a place to sit, and said softly,
"Yuansi was tasked with important sect duties, sent to Li Xia County to subdue demons. My junior brother yearned for his family so much that I had him write a letter, which I have brought to Da Li Mountain."
"Lately, chasing that demon back and forth caused many hours of delay. I slayed the creature yesterday and came here uninvited. I hope you all won't take offense."
"Not at all, not at all. The Immortal Master has come a great distance to deliver a family letter; the Li Family is deeply grateful!"
Li Xiangping replied respectfully, seeing Xiao Yuansi hand over a thick, green bamboo tube. He hurriedly received it.
"You may read it first!"
Xiao Yuansi took the tea offered by a servant, sipped it lightly, and said with a smile.
Li Xiangping and the others nodded eagerly as Li Tongya gently removed the wax seal from the bamboo tube with his thumb, tipping it into his palm to reveal a curled-up, pale white letter. He hastily unrolled it to read.
"Jing'er bows deeply. Having been away from home for more than a year, I don't know if my brothers and father are still in good health. Jing'er is doing well in the Immortal Sect, having now mastered the Qing Yuan Wheel, with Yujing in sight, and also improved my swordsmanship, making great progress in my cultivation level..."
"Senior Brother Xiao Yuansi has reached the Seventh Layer of Qi Cultivation, is most skilled in pill concoction, and is honest and gentle. If there's anything at home that you're unsure about, you may seek his help. If there's anything you need, just ask him, and I shall repay him when I return to the sect..."
"Enclosed with the letter is a jade slip containing a sword technique called the 'Mysterious Water Sword Technique.' I have learned some spells, all of which are transmitted within the sect and must not be disclosed. However, this Qi Cultivation sword technique was given by my senior brother. I asked him, and it can be sent home. This swordsmanship is not very difficult; perhaps the family can practice it for self-defense?"
"I've heard of conflicts with the Tang Jin Sect; for now, our family should be forbearing. I've asked my senior brother to give notice to the cultivators guarding Li Xia County. If there's trouble at home, use the Jade Seal to call for help..."
"I'm quite comfortable in the Immortal Sect; don't worry about me. Cultivation here yields twice the result with half the effort, much better than on Da Li Mountain. Are there any major issues at home? Is Xuanxuan still obedient? Is there anything unusual at home? Please write back to me."
After reading the letter, Li Xiangping's heart was filled with a mix of emotions, his eyes turning slightly red. He bowed to Xiao Yuansi and said,
"We've been rude, making the Immortal Master wait for so long."
Xiao Yuansi waved his hand with a smile and placed a jade slip on the mahogany table, saying,
"No need for such courtesy. It's only natural. This is something my junior brother asked me to bring along."
Seeing Li Tongya step forward to take the jade slip, Xiao Yuansi softly said:
"If there is any difficulty or doubt within the family, feel free to ask."
Li Tongya exchanged a glance with Li Xiangping, and together they said:
"There are indeed some doubts, Immortal Master, please follow us."
The group waved off their attendants and walked up along the stone-paved path in the mountain courtyard. Before long, they arrived in front of a lush banyan tree. They gently skirted around the banyan tree, and behind it, stood a small tree with five fruit hanging from it.
"Oh?"
Xiao Yuansi looked down, pinched a spell with his hands, which immediately glowed with a jade-like luminescence, and then reached out to touch the fruit. He closely examined the leaves for a few moments before explaining:
"This spirit root is called the Serpent Jiao Fruit. There should be six fruits on one plant. Moving up along the spirit root, the higher fruits mature earlier. When the first fruit matures, it must be picked for the next one below to continue ripening."
"This is the characteristic of the spirit root. The second fruit matures about five years after the first, which can be seen as bearing one fruit every five years. Judging by the color of this top fruit, it has been over four years since the last one was picked, and this one is about to mature as well."
Xiao Yuansi brushed aside the bottom leaves of the Serpent Jiao fruit and, sure enough, saw a tiny, tender green fruit below - the newly grown sixth one.
"What is the use of this fruit?"
Li Tongya listened intently and asked respectfully:
"This fruit, we have about a dozen plants in the Green Pond Sect. It takes hundreds of years for a golden fruit to grow, nurturing a new plant, while these red Serpent Jiao fruits are mostly used to concoct Serpent Origin Pills, bestowed upon deserving disciples in the Fetal Breathing Realm and Qi Cultivating Realm of the sect, to speed up their cultivation."
Li Tongya and Li Xiangping looked at each other, faces full of mutual recognition. With the Li Family currently impoverished, where would they find an alchemist? The two had been cultivating for so long and had never even had an elixir.
Seeing the difficulty on their faces, Xiao Yuansi chuckled and said:
"If this fruit is eaten raw, it would probably only shorten the time needed for one person's Qi cultivation."
He glanced at them hesitating as if they wanted to speak, then Xiao Yuansi understood and said:
"Now, I can concoct a batch of elixirs for you with this fruit. With my current mastery in the Alchemy Dao, approximately seven to eight Serpent Jiao Pills can be made. However, according to the rules, I will give you six, and any extras will be mine."
Naturally, Li Tongya and the other repeatedly agreed, joyfully expressing their thanks. Xiao Yuansi nodded, patted the brocade bag at his waist, and a jade box appeared in his right hand.
Xiao Yuansi gathered mana in his hands, touched the stem of the fruit with it, and caught the Serpent Jiao fruit in the jade box with his mana.
"Apart from some special herbs and spirit fruits, most must be stored in jade, so as not to harm their spiritual nature. They should also be picked with mana to avoid damaging the fruit," Xiao Yuansi explained softly as he picked the fruit.
"The pill concoction will begin tomorrow!"
With a light tap on the brocade bag, the jade box disappeared from his hand, leaving Li Tongya and the other full of envy.
"Is there anything else you need?"
After storing the jade box, Xiao Yuansi smiled and asked.
"Thank you, Immortal Master!"
Li Xiangping and the other first thanked him, then took out a beastskin scroll from their sleeves and presented it with both hands to Xiao Yuansi.
Xiao Yuansi took the beastskin scroll, untied the white string binding it, and gently spread it out with his right hand to look.
"Maze Barrier Formation?"