Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror-Chapter 82: The Pillar of the Building Collapses

Chapter 82: Chapter 82: The Pillar of the Building Collapses

Lu Jiangxian was quietly brought back to the stone platform, and with his divine sense, he scanned the surroundings of the courtyard. His heart filled with emotions as he watched Li Mutian, who was now slowly entering the yard and leaning against the door frame, taking deep breaths with his eyes closed.

"It has been so long already," he thought.

The day Li Xiangping picked up the Dharma Mirror from the river, Li Mutian was still a clan leader, solemn and with eyes that bore the weight of years yet remained resolute. Now, he was an old man who had aged beyond his seventies and could no longer tread the path of cultivation.

Since his transmigration, Lu Jiangxian always found himself half-dreaming, half-awake in a mirror-like state; nearly twenty years had passed in his perception, which felt approximately like a month. The Li Family had firmly established itself, becoming a new immortal cultivator family.

But Li Mutian was weakening day by day, as if the Li Family’s rapid growth had been fueled by the last breath in his chest—a breath that was now reaching the end of its life.

Under Lu Jiangxian’s divine sense, he could clearly see the fading of Li Mutian’s life force. He wouldn’t last a few more days.

Li Mutian himself seemed at peace, seated by the door. The eternally solemn expression on his face was now tinged with a smile. He looked at the chirping Li Xuanfeng holding a bow and after a slight movement in his throat, the man who hadn’t made any requests for over a decade made his first order.

Li Mutian said,

"Grandpa wants to eat lamb noodle soup."

Li Xuanfeng was momentarily startled upon hearing this, but then Li Mutian spoke again,

"Your great-grandfather really wants to eat lamb noodle soup."

Li Xuanfeng responded quickly, rushing out without looking back. The strange way his great-grandfather spoke cast a huge, worry-shadowed mark in his heart. His words didn’t sound like a command but more like a plea, sending chills down the spine of the usually astute boy.

"Father wishes to eat lamb noodle soup!"

Li Xuanfeng’s words made the Ren Clan matriarch pause, and seeing the tears stream down the child’s face, she quickly called several women from the household. After patting Li Xuanfeng’s shoulder, she whispered a secret instruction,

"Hurry and call your father back."

————

Steaming hot lamb noodle soup sprinkled with chopped green onions lay on the table; the glistening noodles shone with oil spots, and its rich fragrance filled the air. The broken porcelain bowl with a tiny chip on its edge held the soup, and a pair of clean, neat wooden chopsticks lay beside it.

The bowl had been used by Li Mutian for thirty-one years. The chip was knocked out by a young Li Xiangping, who was beaten severely for it, crying loudly and avoiding Li Mutian for days afterward.

Li Mutian slowly shifted himself into position and, trembling, picked up a chopstick of noodles. The sour, spicy, tender noodles mixed with the strong flavor of the lamb broth made his limbs shake, the taste drawing out loud sobs from him as he recalled the bowl of lamb noodle soup his father, Li Genshui, had once cooked for him.

That bowl of noodle soup was far from as tasty as this one. It had too little vinegar and too much spice, and the broth was lacking. But both he and his mother knew that his father was apologizing. Nevertheless, he smashed the bowl and left home, not to return for twenty-eight years.

Li Mutian accused his father of being indecisive and ruining their family, while Li Genshui called his son Li Mutian heartless, claiming he was born of his wife’s affair with a wolf. Pointing a blade at his father, he saw Li Genshui’s lips turn purple with rage and tears streak his face.

Twenty-eight years later, Li Mutian returned home to find his father indeed dead at the hands of the Yuan Family. He coldly presented the heads of the entire Yuan Family before his father’s grave, emotionlessly divided the land, and yet often woke up to find his pillow damp with tears.

The memories surged through Li Mutian’s mind for barely a few breaths, for after just one bite of the noodles, he collapsed rigidly.

Li Mutian felt as if a piece of charcoal had been thrust into his chest, searing his flesh with an agonizing sizzle, and a myriad of knives seemed to tumble through his stomach. Intense pain raged from head to toe.

The charcoal burst from his chest into his mouth, drying out his tongue and throat, his hands and feet suddenly becoming rigid. His body turned so stiff and iron-like that not even the circle of female relatives around him could help him up.

"Grandfather! Grandfather!"

Li Mutian faintly heard Li Xuanling’s sobbing. This child was Li Tongya’s eldest son, and, even at the age of five, he was already remarkably composed, just like Tongya was in his childhood.

He was becoming anxious, straining his tongue in an attempt to make some sound to show he was alright, yet all he managed were a few dog-like howling noises.

"Get him onto the bed! Get him onto the bed!"

The Ren Clan matron cried with tears flowing. She had just lost her own father, Ren Ping’an, a few years ago, and seeing that the old man was about to pass, she knew they could not let him die on the cold hard ground. She hurriedly called several people to help lift him up.

"Where’s mother?"

Tian Yun hurriedly asked, only then learning that Li Mutian’s wife, and everyone’s mother from the Liu Clan, had just gone down the mountain to visit her family a while ago.

Several people clumsily moved the stiff Li Mutian onto the bed and began to fuss over him, while Lu Jiangxian in the back courtyard watched with complex emotions. He quickly used the Mental Tranquility Technique, releasing the Power of Moonlight to sustain the old man’s life. Noticing Li Xiangping and others rushing up the mountain, he withdrew his efforts.

"His time has come."

Lu Jiangxian, sensing that Li Mutian’s life force was gradually fading, saw Li Xiangping and Li Tongya finally enter the courtyard, followed by a tearful Li Xuanfeng.

Li Tongya, with a worried expression, took Li Mutian’s hand, and his Mana from reaching the Fetal Breathing Peak slowly flowed into Li Mutian’s body. Li Mutian shuddered all over, let out a deep breath, and finally opened his eyes.

"Xiangping... Tongya..."

Li Mutian began to speak in a murmur, his eyes wandering over the faces around him. His mouth opened and closed as he whispered something very faintly.

Li Tongya, with tears streaming down, bent down to listen, hearing Li Mutian murmur,

"Chen, Xu, Liu... all of the families have deep roots in the village, call their entire clans back to Lijing Village, promote the village to a town, to guard against them becoming too powerful..."

"Father... you should rest first, talk more when you’re better..."

Li Xiangping said with his voice choked, but Li Mutian shook his head and forced out his words:

"Many of the Li Clan’s youngsters are presumptuous, a clan rule must be established, strict controls are necessary... Designate the four main branches as the major clans, the remaining Lis as minor clans, and the further dispersed ones as branches, and maintain a hierarchy within them... You all must handle this..."

"Xuanxuan can manage the family affairs, but he needs your protection, Xuanfeng is wild and clever, but beware of his indulgence in killing, Xuanling is steady and cool-headed, capable of achieving things... Jingtian... possesses beauty... must be wary of disasters... Yue’s harm is far worse... be extremely careful!"

Li Mutian’s voice grew weaker and weaker, and Li Xiangping, with tears in his eyes, leaned closer to him. He saw the old man suddenly lift his hand and grab his wrist with strength that did not seem to belong to a dying man. A fierce light shone in his eyes as he twisted on the bed, and his voice suddenly rose, speaking through clenched teeth,

"If necessary... all the lands of the four villages can be abandoned... don’t be like the Wan Family... if a single one of the Li family’s children escapes... they can... succeed..."

Li Xiangping’s tears flowed freely as he said firmly,

"Father... I will remember everything!"

Only then did Li Mutian suddenly release his grip, and breath his last. Everyone burst into inconsolable weeping, but the old man’s gaze was still fixed on the bowl of mutton soup on the table beside him.

The broth was hearty, spicy and tangy, accompanied by the warmth of steam still rising from it.