Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror-Chapter 140 - 131 The Secretary

Darkness enveloped the night, with a misty rain scattering across the mountain path. In her side courtyard, Li Jingtian's lamp was still lit, as she bent over her desk penning down notes. The fabric stacked by her hand recorded the information she had gathered from the village elders during the day. She paused briefly, calculating the time.

"According to the elders of the Chen Family, when Taiye was thirty, my great-grandfather left home, and it was twenty-eight years later when he returned, only to find that Taiye had already passed away... If we count it this way, my great-grandfather, in just twenty-eight years, went from being an ordinary person to achieving Foundation Establishment... Indeed, an extraordinary talent. Even my Uncle Ji took thirty years within the sect—my great-grandfather, being a Loose Cultivator, had managed to progress so quickly."

Li Jingtian took note of the times on paper, her brows furrowed as she felt something was amiss, muttering to herself:

"If this is the case, why did my father once say that he only began cultivating at the age of fourteen? By this calculation, wouldn't it mean he became Xuanjing in just a few months... Something must be wrong with my memory."

As she faced the baffling fabric with no solution, Li Jingtian always felt the history of several decades ago was shrouded in secrecy before her. Although it had not been long since those events occurred, most details were wiped clean. Her great-grandfather Li Mutian had not left the mountain for decades even before his death, leaving her at a loss as to where to start her writing.

"How very strange..."

Li Jingtian lowered her head slightly but heard a gentle knock at the door. In haste, she covered the fabric in front of her with an upside-down wooden box before softly asking:

"Who is it?!"

"It's me."

Li Tongya flicked his sleeves, stepping into the courtyard. The murky night rain didn't touch him one bit; he stood in front of the house with his hands behind his back, clean and dry, with a trace of sorrow in his eyes.

"Ah, Second Uncle, please come in!"

Li Jingtian was startled for a moment and quickly rose to welcome him. Li Tongya waved his hand, and a gentle force pushed her back, as he sat beside the desk. He picked up the Wooden Slip that was set aside and read it, then nodded and said:

"You've done well."

Li Jingtian listened with respectful attention, and she saw Li Tongya speak in a low voice:

"I've come to you this time for an important matter."

"Matters of the clan's history often involve sensitive secrets. I intend to divide it into two volumes—the 'Inner History' to be hidden within the ancestral hall, unseen by ordinary disciples, and the 'Clan History,' as per usual record keeping."

"I say, you come and write it down."

Li Jingtian obediently nodded her head, took up the pen, and saw Li Tongya quietly narrate as one spoke and the other wrote.

As time flowed unceasingly, Li Jingtian's expression shifted complicatedly, her heart deeply shaken. Although she hardly understood many of the specialized terms and introductory jargon, the conspiracies of several Zifu Monks hinted at within left her trembling with shock until Li Tongya said:

"...Jing Qin diligently cultivated non-stop and eventually established his Taoist Foundation, his abilities were exceptional. Condensing his Sword Intent into 'Moon Que,' he defeated Chi Jiuyun, aweing all sects, and even the Zifu scholars of the Green Pond acknowledged him as, 'accomplished.' Consequently, he was sent to the Southern Border to face the great Demon Jiao, to refine a pill, which he and the Demon Jiao consumed together."

Li Tongya, based on his own deductions, had roughly restored the course of events, which nearly matched the actual truth, but he saw Li Jingtian's pen falter. She lifted her head blankly, her expression one of both shock and fear, murmuring:

"Refine a pill?! Uncle Ji... this... this!"

With his mouth closed, Li Tongya watched her as she wiped away tears and composed her emotions before speaking softly after a long while:

"This is how it happened. See how you can write the Clan History according to the Inner History, making sure to cover any inconsistencies, not revealing details from the Inner History, like the initiation and guidance, and adjusting the speed of cultivation to seem more reasonable."

"Carefully write, check meticulously, don't leave any loopholes, and Jing'er's matter must be written as a deep venture into the Southern Border, avoiding any suspicion from others."

"Yes!"

Li Jingtian responded with a pained voice, sadness filling her heart. Li Tongya then stood up and instructed:

"First, write a copy and send it over to me. These days, you better not go out and about. There's no need to discuss Jing'er's matter with anyone else."

Having said this, he left the courtyard, riding the wind away. Li Jingtian respectfully bowed and waited for a while in the courtyard, now only filled with the whistling of the wind. She then looked up at the clouds in the sky, wiped the corners of her eyes, and headed back inside.

————

Lu Sisi returned to Huaqian Mountain, only to find the foot of the mountain ablaze with red fire and festivity. The feasting had spread to the head of the village, and bursts of celebratory music reached his ears. His descendants and nephews were lined up in long queues, indulging in food and drink at the banquet tables.

With his days numbered and busy seeking a lifeline for the Lu Family, his descendants still sang and drank merrily. This scene made Lu Sisi's chest tighten with a sudden breathlessness. At the foot of the mountain, he saw Lu Yuanlu, a Qi Cultivator of his family, holding a beauty in each hand, clad in dazzling golden clothes, beaming with satisfaction, and even stepping on a blood-stained man at his feet, holding up his cup and singing loudly.

Lu Sisi descended amidst the crowd and the music instantly faltered. Everyone looked up at him, then, dispirited, lowered their heads. Lu Yuanlu glanced at him and, with a kick, pushed away the servant under his feet and loudly said,

"The old ancestor's return is quite timely. Why not join us for a few drinks?"

Seeing his disrespectful demeanor, Lu Sisi was not angered but chose to remain silent, his heart filling with bleakness as he thought mournfully,

"This child has always been rash and arrogant. I don't have many years left, and the family will need to rely on him in the future. If I offend him now, he might harbor resentment in his heart. After I pass away, I fear he will settle the score with malice. Now, I must appease him."

With this in mind, he forced a laugh; his old face squeezed out a smile, and he said in a soft voice,

"Drinking is good, drinking is wonderful!"

Seeing him like this, Lu Yuanlu laughed heartily, and the festive music joyously resumed. Lu Sisi slumped into his seat, looking at the laughing and cheerful crowd, feeling an empty ache in his heart as he bitterly thought,

"Go ahead, sing, drink. How many more good days do you have? I only regret that in my youth, I was too engrossed in cultivation and didn't discipline you properly. I always thought that my Foundation Establishment was imminent and that I couldn't waste time, yet it turned out I raised you all to be such fools!"

Lu Sisi waved away someone who was approaching with a cup of wine and, lifting his gaze to the sky, murmured,

"Who is this?"

The music floated on the air as three streaks of light flew across the sky and stopped above Huaqian Mountain; everyone gazed up in stunned silence, and then a thunderous, chilling voice resounded.

"Lu Sisi, come out and answer!"

Lu Sisi jolted alert, soared on the wind upwards, and looked towards the three figures in the sky. He saw a young man in brocade clothes in the center with his eyes closed, not speaking, flanked by a tall and a stout figure, both glaring at him.

"So it's Young Master Yu gracing us with his presence! I have been remiss in not welcoming you from afar!"

"You are Lu Sisi!"

Lu Sisi felt a shock in his heart and hastily put on a smile, bowing and inviting the three to land on the mountain. The Yu young master looked at him disdainfully and said leisurely,

"The Yu Family has recently joined the Green Pond Sect. In the past, we have not met our neighbors. Now that the Yu Family's disciples have entered the Mountain Gate of Yuanwu Peak in the Green Pond Sect and have established a foundation, my father wishes to meet everyone. Would you be so kind as to oblige us?"

"I... I... Alas, I have always admired the elegance of a Foundation Establishment Noble Family. If the Yu Family has any commands, Sisi... I."

Lu Sisi, terrified, hurriedly ingratiated himself, only to be interrupted by the Yu young master's dismissive wave and impatient shake of his head, who then whispered,

"From now on, my Yu Family calls the shots over Wangyue Lake! I have visited all the families around the lake, and they all recognize the Yu Family as their head. Does the Lu Family have any thoughts on this?"

"Dare not! Dare not! The Lu Family also recognizes the Yu Family as head, with no second thoughts."

Lu Sisi, keeping a smile, fawned over them excessively, and this elicited a slight relaxation in the Yu young master's face, who showed a hint of satisfaction, while the two behind him also stopped glaring and quietly sneered.

"Good!"

The Yu young master laughed and then said coldly, changing his tone,

"Since the Lu Family is so sensible, the Tribute is naturally indispensable. I know the Lu Family has some clout on Moon Lake Peak, so you will not be troubled. Whatever the Lu Family pays in Tribute to the Green Pond Sect every five years, simply send the same to the Yu Family."

Pausing for a moment, the Yu young master lowered his head, squinted at Lu Sisi's pale face, and added with a smile,

"That won't be a problem, will it?"