Chapter 334: Choice (II)

Chapter 334: Choice (II)

Li Yuanping waited respectfully inside the cave, his heart pounding with apprehension until the fox finally emerged, looking dejected.

Rushing forward, Li Yuanping's eyes burned with anxiety.

"Senior! How is my family's ancestor?" he blurted out.

"Our family's ancestor..?"

The fox glanced at him, then straightened up suddenly. Its eyes darted around before it spoke, its voice heavy with sadness.

"There isn't much time left for him..."

"What?!"

Li Yuanping was dismayed. Li Tongya had clearly spoken of several more years... How could time be running out for him when only less than a year had passed?

The fox seized the moment to continue, "I have a way that could save your ancestor."

Upon hearing this, Li Yuanping's eyes widened with hope.

"Please tell me, Senior!"

"We'll need fresh human hearts, spleens, stomachs... totaling six thousand for each. Bring them here, and I will teach you the method to gather blood qi. In less than three years, we may heal Li Tongya's injuries."

Li Yuanping stood there in shock as he listened to the fox. Thoughts raced through his mind as he tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword until his knuckles turned white. His lips trembled for a few moments before he finally let out a sigh.

"Senior, my family forbids the practice of blood sacrifice..." he said softly, his face turning pale.

The fox was crestfallen and fell silent. Together, they descended the mountain in silence. As they reached the foot of the mountain, the fox deliberately paused and said with a slight smile, "I'm always on Mount White Banyan. Feel free to come visit if you need anything."

Li Yuanping nodded lightly. The White Banyan Fox clicked its tongue twice, then vanished into the wind.

Li Yuanping's bottom lip nearly bled as he bit down on it, watching as the fox disappeared. Finally, after a long moment, he released his grip on his sword and left the mountain.

His mind was in turmoil. Not only Li Tongya's injuries but even his own frail health and damaged root bone could also be remedied by these methods...

"Yuanping, send a hundred jin of Spirit Rice to the Elder White Banyan Fox every year."

————

Meanwhile at the Yu Residence...

"So you're saying that... Li Tongya has either perished alongside that Maha or suffered grave injuries?" Yu Xiaogui asked in a hushed tone, narrowing his eyes at Yu Mugao who was dressed in white.

Yu Mugao shook his head, gazing at the folding fan in his hand. Absent-mindedly, he traced his finger along its cool, smooth guard.

He replied casually, "It was just my speculation. Who knows, maybe Li Tongya sustained irreversible damage during the process of slaying the Maha?"

Yu Mugao's face, once marked by a red palm print, had regained its usual pale complexion. Despite his middle-aged appearance, he spoke with a deliberate calmness.

"I heard that no one had seen him ever since he slayed the Maha, so I dispatched someone to investigate the Li Family's store in Cloud Crowned Peak's marketplace..."

"Store?" Yu Xiaogui frowned, pausing briefly before Yu Mugao chuckled and added, "Reports indicated a shortage of healing and invigorating spirit item supplies."

"Oh? You're quite thorough!" Yu Xiaogui praised as he raised an eyebrow and delight filled his eyes.

Observing Yu Mugao leisurely sipping his tea, Yu Xiaogui continued thoughtfully, "Your attention to detail is impressive. Back in the day, the only one capable of managing every aspect of the household without a leak, and even capable of betrayal, was Li Yuanxiu. Even Fei Wangbai had his vulnerabilities."

Yu Mugao's expression hardened slightly and muttered, "If not for our family's constraints and internal strife, Fei Wangbai wouldn't have managed to hold us back for so long... allowing the Li Family to flourish for naught."

Yu Xiaogui seemed uneasy, reminded of the lingering troubles from his tenure as family head. Each mention of these matters by his eldest son left him silent, prompting a quick change of subject.

"These are mere speculations on healing spirit items... Li Tongya's absence may simply be due to secluded cultivation."

"Agreed," Yu Mugao nodded gently, prompting Yu Xiaogui to inquire further, "What are your intentions?"

A faint smile played on Yu Mugao's lips, years of setbacks having sharpened rather than dulled his resolve.

"Test the waters."

The father and son exchanged glances as a servant hastily entered the room.

A fleeting look of surprise crossed the servant's face upon seeing Yu Xiaogui. He quickly bowed his head and respectfully cupped his fist to Yu Mugao, reporting, "Family Head... The Fei Family has sealed their mountain!"

"What?!"