Li Jing Village was in an uproar until late into the night yesterday, but at the crow of the rooster, the villagers were already up. The early autumn morning carried a sweet freshness with glistening dewdrops, yet the village was steeped in desolation. <br><br>The Li and Liu families left some dry rations for the refugees, who huddled at the village entrance, eating in silence. The middle-aged leader among them, looking at his group of over twenty with a heavy heart, thought to himself: <br><br>"Now we are truly in an unspeakable plight. Killing the steward of the family, we cannot stay, yet escaping seems impossible too." <br><br>A commotion arose among the refugees. Heads turned toward the mountain path, and someone shouted: <br><br>"There's someone coming along the road! Look at that old man!" <br><br>They saw an elderly farmer with gray hair walking along the winding path. His clothes and arms were stained with blood. He dragged a bloodied corpse with his left hand while his right held a hoe, from which hung a broken, disheveled head. <br><br>"It's the assassin!" <br><br>Keen-eyed refugees recognized the clothing of the headless corpse. A chill ran down their spines. The assassin who had escaped last night had been beheaded by morning. They couldn't fathom who this old man was, but the power of the Li family was indeed intimidating. <br><br>As Old Man Xu approached, the onlookers quickly stepped aside, leaving a path for him. <br><br>His face pale and eyes hollow, Old Man Xu shuffled forward without a glance at those around him, walking straight toward the Li family's courtyard at the edge of the village. <br><br>By the time he reached the Li family courtyard, a tenant had already reported his arrival. The Li family opened their gate, and Matthew Lee, looking weary, stood with his family to greet him. <br><br>"Uncle Xu, this is..." <br><br>"The Yuan family survivors... I killed them. The corpses are here. Have Willow Ridge and Sam Waters come to identify them." <br><br>Old Man Xu, hunched and shivering, dropped the bodies on the ground and sat down, catching his breath. <br><br>Thomas Li hurriedly brought tea from inside and handed it to Old Man Xu, whose trembling hands couldn't hold the cup. Thomas had to bring it to the old man's lips for him to sip. <br><br>Before long, Willow Ridge, Sam Waters, and Old Man Xu's eldest son arrived together. Old Man Xu recounted the events in detail in front of everyone, and after several confirmations, it was deemed that these were indeed the Yuan family survivors. <br><br>"Uncle Xu, my brother's great vengeance has been avenged. The Li family is eternally grateful..." Thomas Li, eyes red, was about to express more gratitude, but Old Man Xu, struggling, waved him off with tears in his eyes and said: <br><br>"You don't need to thank me. I owed Lake's kindness, so I killed this person for him. I won't leverage this to seek riches from the Li family. I don't have many years left to live. If you truly wish to thank me, when that child is born, bring them to see me." <br><br>With that, he stood up with difficulty, ignoring the Li family's pleas to stay, and left, supported by his eldest son. <br><br>The Li family's mourning went on for days, the courtyard draped in white funeral banners. Charles Li had been kind and righteous in life, so every household grieved for him. The busy affairs delayed Thomas Li's breakthrough preparations multiple times. Finally, two months after Charles Li's burial, he steadied his mind, condensed The Wheel of Mystic Horizon, and stepped through the door to the path of cultivation. <br><br>———— <br><br>Two years later. <br><br>The bright morning sunlight shone on a few sparse saplings in the courtyard, casting delicate, fragmented shadows everywhere. Under one tree sat a handsome young man in meditation, deeply focused on his breathing exercises. <br><br>After a while, he exhaled a long breath of turbid air, closed his Arcane Incantation, and looked around the courtyard, smiling. <br><br>A two-year-old boy holding a few wildflowers came hopping into the backyard, laughing joyously. In his babyish voice, he called out: <br><br>"Uncle... hug..." <br><br>Chi Jing smiled, leaned forward, and gently lifted the child high into the air. Pressing his forehead to the boy’s small head, he asked warmly: <br><br>"Xuan'er, have you been a good and obedient boy today?" <br><br>"Want... hug..." The boy ignored him, giggling and squirming in Chi Jing's hands. <br><br>"Xuan'er! Come out here!" <br><br>Madam Ren dared not enter the backyard and called softly from the courtyard gate. <br><br>Chi Jing gently set the boy on the ground, watching as he bounced into his mother’s arms. With a light tone, he remarked: <br><br>"This Cyclical Wheel is truly difficult to cultivate. A year and a half of effort, and it's finally coming together!" <br><br>"Jing'er, you don't know how lucky you are!" <br><br>Behind him, Paul Xiang stood and teasingly scolded, "We have only managed to cultivate the second-layer Bright Inheritance Wheel, not even touching the edges of the third-layer Cyclical Wheel. Yet you complain about slow progress!" <br><br>Chi Jing chuckled but didn't respond, instead continuing with a grin: <br><br>"Tonight, I’ll begin condensing the Cyclical Wheel. Then, you’ll see what true energy flow and ceaseless circulation looks like." <br><br>"You brat." <br><br>Paul Xiang laughed heartily. Then, noticing Matthew Lee entering the backyard with his hands clasped behind him, Paul lowered his voice and called out, "Father." <br><br>The past two years had significantly aged Matthew Lee. His hair was streaked with white, his face lined with deep wrinkles, and his expression was perpetually stern, making him look over a decade older. <br><br>"Xuan is such a mischievous child!" <br><br>Seeing his grandson, Li Xuan, Matthew Lee finally smiled. After Charles Li's death, he had become listless and sorrowful, but the birth of this posthumous child had brought him new vigor. <br><br>When Li Xuan was born, Matthew Lee had risen from his sickbed to gather the Li family and instructed Paul Xiang to choose three Arcane Incantations from the Guidance Method as the family’s generational order. <br><br>Paul Xiang carefully deliberated for several days before selecting three lines describing the Foetal Breathing Realm from the text: <br><br>"The Abyss of Purity, the Sun and Moon Illuminate. <br>Cyclical Turns Red Gates, Speech Reaches the Blue Primordial. <br>Jade City Mirage, Only the Primordial Spirit Awaits." <br><br>The sons of Thomas Li and others took their names from 'Abyss' and 'Purity,' with boys named 'Abyss' and girls named 'Purity,' and so on. <br><br>Matthew Lee consulted Madam Ren, who pondered for a night before choosing the character "Xuan." Thus, the posthumous son's name became Li Xuan. <br><br>"You're the one spoiling him too much." <br><br>Thomas Li smiled, shook his head, and set down the wooden tablet he had been holding. <br><br>"Nonsense!" <br><br>Matthew Lee feigned anger, puffing his cheeks and glaring before adopting a serious tone: <br><br>"I want Leo Ye to stay by my side and learn." <br><br>"Leo Ye?" <br><br>Thomas Li pondered briefly before speaking: <br><br>"That’s actually a good idea. Leo Ye is alone in the world and closely tied to our family. While we cultivate Arcane Incantations and Spiritual Energy, we have no time for mundane matters of the world. Leo Ye, being of Li family blood, is the perfect choice." <br><br>"I’m only worried that over time, he’ll develop selfish motives and engage in corruption..." Chi Jing frowned as he voiced his concern. <br><br>"I’ll live another ten years at least. I can keep him in line!" <br><br>Matthew Lee's tone turned firm and cold: <br><br>"By then, your generation will be grown, and he won’t dare act out!" <br><br>"Leadership requires both kindness and authority. Once Leo Ye is married with children, everything will be easier to handle." Paul Xiang remarked calmly. <br><br>"Exactly." <br><br>Chi Jing took a wooden tablet from the shelf, blew off the dust, and murmured with a smile: <br><br>"Ten years of cultivation. Truly something to look forward to.")
