Family Cultivation: I Become a Mirror-Chapter 85 Evading Death and Extending Life

Li Tongya drags the river crocodile all the way back to Lijing Village, where naturally the village hands stepped forward to take over. The Li Family had been preparing for the ceremony months in advance, with many ritual implements already in place, and the preparatory process was nearly complete, just waiting for a few key members of the direct lineage to give the command.

"The tribute from the capital, awaiting the sacrificial ceremony."

All the major and minor members of the Li Family had arrived. The major members stood on the ceremonial platform, the minor members stood below the platform, and the collateral branches knelt around it.

On the first tier of the platform stood Li Xiangping, the current Family Head, with Li Tongya a step behind him, and considering Li Chijin, who was far away in the Southern Border, these were the second-generation stewards of the Li Family.

On the tier below stood Li Xuanxuan, the clan leader, followed by Li Xuanfeng and Li Xuanling.

The first dozens of steps were intricate and lengthy, and it wasn’t until Li Xiangping inserted the incense into the holder and performed the "Sacrificial Method" spell to connect with the Dharma Mirror that Lu Jiangxian slowly began to wake.

"Here, the Li of Lijing presents with piety the clear libations and abundant viands, cold food, and sacrificial beasts. The incense has never ceased year after year, located in the northern veins of Li Mountain. With spring sowing and autumn harvesting, we drive out pests, see wheat droop in summer, slay demons to stop snows, remove harm to even out fields, and throughout Three Epochs’ six festivals, we’ve shown nothing but reverence. At the time of sacrifice, on feast days, our worship is unending... With smoke we pray, with blood we offer our service, to beseech the gods for blessings."

Having spoken, Li Xiangping took several steps forward and plunged the sacrificial knife directly into the brain of the crocodile at the center of the platform. This monster, already at death’s door, with its limbs and meridians locked by the River True Essence, died instantly.

Under the guidance of Lu Jiangxian’s Divine Sense, streams of Essence Qi began to gather from the body of the crocodile, along with its dispersing soul, converging and spurting out through the wound made by the sacrificial knife, like a beacon of Vital Energy.

In a world imperceptible to the onlookers, trails of pale golden mist flowed out from each person at the ceremony, flocking like swallows to their nests into that beacon, tinging the smoke with a faint golden hue.

The smoke rose for a few moments, then dispersed into countless grey specks, invisible to the naked eye, flowing away toward Lijing Mountain.

Lu Jiangxian, having gathered various Qi, was about to condense a Grey Talisman per the ritual, but suddenly felt a strong pull from afar, seeking to establish a connection with him across thousands of mountains and rivers.

The image of the old Daoist’s jade pendant flashed through his mind, and Lu Jiangxian, terrified, quickly retracted his aura, severed the connection, and even pulled his Divine Sense back into the mirror.

The presence slowly descended, lingered around for a while, and finally, reluctantly, retreated.

————

Jin Yu Sect.

The Jin Yu Sect was one of the Three Sects of Yue Country, ranking alongside the Green Pond Sect and the Xiuyue Sect. Most of its disciples were skilled in handling magic artifacts. The main peak of the sect was called Jin Yu Peak, where a brilliant Talisman hung, rumored to contain the essence of six Taiyang Day Essences, specifically to suppress demons and evil spirits.

At the summit of Jin Yu Peak was a Cave Mansion, where Zifu Monks often retreated for cultivation, and from which strands of splendid Ziyan smoke often drifted out, hence the disciples referred to it as the Ziyan Cave.

At this moment, however, the Ziyan Cave was in chaos. Three Zifu Monks, each exuding an air of being versed in the ways of the Dao, were holding dark iron chains, firmly restraining a fragment inside the cave the size of a quail’s egg, which shimmered with crystal clarity. The floor was littered with collapsed furnaces and broken pieces of magical artifacts, all glowing faintly.

"Why did this mirror fragment suddenly act up?!"

After the translucent fragment crashed a few times within the array, one Zifu Monk said grimly,

"I’m afraid we won’t be able to gather enough Xuanming Qi this time."

"Could it be that the Immortal Mirror has appeared?!"

Another Zifu Monk muttered to himself,

"How is that possible? The monks of our Three Sects and Seven Doors have been patrolling the entire Yue Country with magical artifacts and have found no trace. Could it have fallen outside of Yue Country?"

"What about the Green Pond Sect?"

As soon as the monk asked this question, he heard the first Zifu Monk curse,

"The entire sect is busily looking for Spiritual Medicine to extend Chi Wei’s life. They don’t have the time to care about these matters!"

"Forget it, forget it."

The inquiring monk shook his head, his expression somewhat dejected.

"Although Chi Wei is a vile person, he was indeed a genius unmatched in his era..."

"Pah!"

The irritable Zifu Monk spat fiercely and exclaimed,

"I just wish he would hurry up and die, die a splendid death! Despicable!"

Another person chuckled and jeered,

"Junior brother, is our Jin Yu Sect really all that pure? There’s no need to be so harsh on him."

The hot-headed cultivator fell silent, and after a long while, he let out a slow sigh.

————

"Enhance cultivation level, strengthen the six senses, improve root bone, change aptitude, promote quality, fill in what’s missing... What splendid Talisman Qi."

The Grey Talisman soared from the mirror and, with a beckon of Lu Jiangxian’s divine sense, landed on Li Xiangping. The talisman circled around him before flying towards his Shengyang Mansion.

Words suddenly flashed before Lu Jiangxian’s eyes.

The top line was written in a deep red hue, exuding a fierce and formidable air.

"Strength to pierce through mountains."

In the middle was a pale grey stroke, twisting like a long serpent.

"To prolong life and vitality."

At the bottom was a light blue stroke, appearing clean and decisive.

"Evading death and extending life."

Lu Jiangxian instantly understood; these were the abilities of the Grey Talisman for him to choose to bestow. After pondering for a moment and considering that Li Xiangping was the Clan Leader of the Li Family, he chose "Evading Death and Extending Life."

This Talisman Qi could only be granted according to the innate gifts of those touched by the Mysterious Pearl Talisman Seed; ordinary people could only hope to increase their cultivation level and improve their root bone.

Down below, Li Xiangping’s body shook, his aura rising continuously. His cultivation level, which had only reached the fifth layer of Fetal Breathing the year before, now climbed another level, reaching the peak of Fetal Breathing. A pale blue character suddenly appeared in his mind.

"Evading death and extending life."

Before he could react, Li Tongya had already looked over with concern, waved his hand to indicate the end of the sacrifice, and Li Xiangping closed his eyes in contemplation.

Once everyone had dispersed, Li Xiangping came back to his senses and said to Li Tongya in a low voice,

"Let’s talk on the mountain."

The two hurried up the mountain, and with a sweep of Li Tongya’s spiritual sense, he immediately noticed that Li Xiangping’s cultivation level had reached the peak of Fetal Breathing. He asked in a low voice,

"Was it that Talisman Qi?"

Li Xiangping nodded and relayed everything he had witnessed to Li Tongya, both of them feeling a burst of joy. However, they were interrupted by clan soldiers reporting that more Shanyue were fleeing eastward.

In the past few years, as Ganixi expanded eastward, many tribes had been defeated, and the number of Shanyue fleeing east had increased—with dozens to hundreds of them at a time. Li Xiangping had no choice but to station clan soldiers west of Lichuan Entrance, where he would normally be present to prevent the Shanyue from attacking the village.

"What’s the situation?"

Li Xiangping asked, only to hear the clan soldier respond,

"They say it’s hundreds of people, currently assaulting our military array."

Over the years, the population under the Li Family’s control had reached over 15,000, including 2,000 Shanyue who had fled there. The number of clan soldiers had also reached a thousand, a considerable force.

"Let’s go, to Lichuan Entrance."

Li Xiangping nodded, exchanged a look with Li Tongya, and hurried down the mountain.