River Sage Lu had spent several months familiarizing himself, fully absorbing the power of the jade stone. He was long capable of employing the minor illusionary techniques recorded in *The Art of Lunar Respiration* to communicate with the members of The Li Family. <br><br>However, he deliberated that the timing wasn't ripe enough and had never displayed any signs of sentience. Instead, he lay quietly in the ancestral hall like an inanimate object. <br><br>After all, the members of The Li Family weren’t exactly dull. While this mirror might be seen as something of high status, River Sage Lu was undeniably just a greenhorn in the world of cultivation. <br><br>Revealing his sentience now would not only necessitate fabrication of a backstory but also require answering the endless questions of The Li Family, exposing himself to unnecessary flaws. <br><br>Fortunately, his spiritual awareness now easily encompassed the entirety of The Li Family. Most days, he would simply sleep, and upon waking, it felt like watching a TV drama—a rather enjoyable pastime. <br><br>Only occasionally would the auras passing through the air above the Gu Li Path startle River Sage Lu awake, leaving him with a chill in his heart. Sensing those auras—some overwhelming and others light and ethereal—he cautiously retracted his spiritual awareness into a tight bundle. <br><br>Even though The Li Family mistook River Sage Lu as some extraordinary magical apparatus like the Mirror of Truth, he was well aware of his own combat abilities—at best, at the level of *Stage Two: Bright Wheel Embryonic Breathing*, with *Stage Four: Green Origin Wheel Breathing* being the utmost peak. <br><br>Comparing himself to those imposing presences that made him feel as though thorns were pricking his back even while nestled within the mirror, he concluded he could afford to be even more cautious—perhaps laying low for a good hundred or eighty years before making any moves. <br><br>“But why would there be refugees coming down the Gu Li Path…” he muttered in puzzlement to himself. <br><br>——— <br><br>Charles Li, accompanied by a group of villagers carrying torches, pitchforks, hoes, and other tools, stood at the village entrance, confronting a crowd of ragged refugees. <br><br>Only just a few days ago had he finished attending the wedding of Paul Xiang and Grace Tian. Finding some time for cultivation, he was abruptly informed by a tenant of The Li Family, who came running in a hurry, that a group of refugees had appeared at the village gate. <br><br>“Refugees?” <br><br>The last time Charles Li had seen refugees was more than three years ago—a group of Chen-family villagers who had crossed over from Meichi Mountain. With favorable weather these past years and the life-sustaining Meichi River, it seemed unlikely for people in the upper and lower reaches to fall into such desperation. <br><br>“They claim to have come from Gu Li Path,” the tenant reported respectfully, seemingly reassured upon seeing Charles Li. <br><br>“How is that possible…” Charles Li pondered for a few moments before waving his hand and stepping outside, saying: <br><br>“My father has long retired for the night. There’s no need to trouble him. Call Uncle Tian and Uncle Ren; let’s go take a look.” <br><br>By the time Charles Li reached the village entrance, the steward of the prominent Liu family, Willow Forest Peak, was already there waiting, smoking his dry tobacco pipe. Upon seeing Charles Li, he greeted with a smile: <br><br>“Ah, Charles, you’re here.” <br><br>“Uncle,” Charles nodded. Willow Forest Peak was the elder brother of his mother, Willow Forest Cloud. Years ago, when Matthew Lee had slain the influential Yuan Family and redistributed their lands, Willow Forest Peak’s father had immediately taken a liking to the young man. Against all opposition, he arranged for Willow Forest Cloud to marry into The Li Family, thus forming an alliance. <br><br>Charles Li and Willow Forest Peak called out to the refugees three times before a middle-aged man finally stepped forward. Although his face was dirty and his clothes tattered, his demeanor carried a certain air of authority. <br><br>The middle-aged man cupped his hands and looked at the two with a bitter smile, saying: <br><br>“I am but a humble manager of a merchant caravan from Summer-Li Path. The southern Wu Kingdom has conquered Well-Summer Town, plunging the entire Summer-Li Path into chaos and turmoil. We were ambushed during our journey and had to blend in with refugees to escape here. By the nomination of others, I have taken up the role of spokesman and humbly plead for your mercy—please take us in.” <br><br>“This section of Gu Li Path has been in disrepair for years, with wild beasts running rampant. You all managed to make it here like this?” Willow Forest Peak asked suspiciously. <br><br>“Many perished along the way. The elderly and children are all gone,” the middle-aged man replied with a bitter smile. <br><br>While the representatives of the two prominent families were probing for details, Old Man Xu stood among the villagers, holding a grasshopper woven from straw in one hand and a hoe in the other, squinting as he observed the refugees. <br><br>Living near the village entrance, he had been woken early by the commotion. Hearing that Charles Li was coming, Old Man Xu eagerly fetched the grasshopper he had woven a few days ago, intending to gift it to the unborn child of the Ren family. <br><br>But now his attention was drawn to a young man among the refugees. The youth was draped in tattered cloth, with a strip of animal hide wrapped around his waist, and his fiery gaze was fixed intently on Charles Li and Willow Forest Peak. <br><br>“That look… it seems so familiar,” Old Man Xu muttered, stroking his white beard, though he couldn’t recall where he had seen it before. <br><br>“Everyone, listen to me!” <br><br>Willow Forest Peak stepped forward and addressed the refugees loudly. <br><br>“I am the head of The Liu Family here in Li Jing Village. There is plenty of uncultivated land that can be developed. If you agree, The Liu Family will provide grain and tools for this year. The land you cultivate will be considered leased from us, with only thirty percent of the harvest as rent.” <br><br>As a junior, Charles Li stood half a step behind Willow Forest Peak and also pledged: <br><br>“The same goes for The Li Family.” <br><br>Hearing this, the youth in the crowd suddenly turned his head and stared fixedly at Charles Li, his fiery gaze burning for a few seconds before he quickly lowered his head with apparent satisfaction. <br><br>Old Man Xu, however, felt increasingly uneasy. He squeezed his way to the front of the crowd, scrutinizing the refugees, but the young man was nowhere to be found. <br><br>Looking around, he spotted the youth already at the forefront of the refugee group, just a few steps away from where Charles Li and Willow Forest Peak stood. <br><br>The middle-aged spokesman glanced at the youth curiously, thinking to himself: <br><br>“What sharp eyes… A person like this among the refugees? We’ve been living together for three months, and I never noticed him before.” <br><br>“You may drink, eat, marry, and have children here in Li Jing Village. But under no circumstances shall you steal or commit heinous crimes…” <br><br>As Willow Forest Peak was sternly admonishing the crowd, Old Man Xu’s sense of unease reached its peak. He watched in alarm as the young man suddenly darted forward, kneeling before Willow Forest Peak and bursting into tears. <br><br>“My entire family was lost in the chaos of war. I am the only survivor, having traveled thousands of miles to find refuge. I am eternally grateful for your generosity. I would never dare commit such shameful acts here!” <br><br>His heartfelt weeping brought up the refugees' own sorrows, prompting a collective outburst of grief. The scene quickly filled with cries and sobs, leaving even Willow Forest Peak visibly moved. <br><br>Yet Old Man Xu’s eyes were drawn to the young man’s exposed ankle as he knelt. From the tattered pants, a scarred left foot extended, marked with a few black moles near the ankle. <br><br>A surge of familiarity he couldn’t place washed over him, as if something was on the verge of revelation. His face flushed as though drunk, his gaze fixed warily on the youth. <br><br>Charles Li, meanwhile, couldn’t bear it any longer. Compassion in his eyes, he took a step forward to help the young man up. <br><br>Old Man Xu’s mind exploded with the weight of realization. His vision turned blank as he was transported back to that autumn afternoon over twenty years ago. <br><br>He, Old Xu, had still been a tenant for The Yuan Family. The golden rice fields swayed in the autumn breeze. A woman had brought her child to the fields. Bowing humbly, he’d said auspicious words: <br><br>“With a mole like that on his foot, this child is destined for greatness!” <br><br>“Wait!!” <br><br>Old Man Xu straightened his back with all the strength accumulated over twenty years of bending low. Raising his head, his eyes widened as he shouted angrily: <br><br>“Wait!” <br><br>At the same time, another voice echoed the exact same command from a short distance away. <br><br>It was the middle-aged spokesman, now staring at the young man with an expression of astonishment, his voice filled with doubt. <br><br>Before either of them could finish their warnings, the youth suddenly lifted his head. Caught off guard, Charles Li found himself locking eyes with the young man. <br><br>Those savage, piercing eyes gleamed with the ferocity of a wild beast.)
