In the main hall of the mansion, after Liu Zhiyuan dismissed everyone, only he and Liu Shuyue were left sitting face to face.
"I know you find us very unfamiliar because you left here before you beca aware." He looked at Liu Shuyue with a face full of kindness, "Now that you’ve finally co back, I should decorate the place to welco you, but unfortunately, you see the family’s dire situation. I heard you had a conflict with the King of Qi in Qing State? Can you tell more about it?"
There was no trace of bla in his words, as if he never thought the Liu family’s siege by the governnt was Liu Shuyue’s fault.
Even Liu Shuyue couldn’t help but be slightly moved.
For the past five years, she had traveled tirelessly, always alone. The only place she found peace was that mystical store.
She had never imagined she would be missed by strangers she had never t.
Yet facts are facts, unchanging due to one’s attitude. She was born in the Lotus Cloud Sect, and all Lotus Cloud Sect disciples were like this.
"The matter with the King of Qi can be discussed later. What I want to ask is, where did your daughter and that young man learn their spells? As I understand, privately mastering magic and sect techniques is strictly prohibited in any country."
Just like private forging of weapons and armor is banned.
Of course, there are violators. Occasionally, a few Loose Cultivators erge here and there. If they don’t cause trouble, the governnt usually turns a blind eye; if they do, then they are considered Evil Cultivators, and the locals will find all ans to invite Liu Shuyue to purge the Dharma Path.
Liu Shuyue had killed at least twenty or thirty Evil Cultivators.
In terms of harm, these cultivators with untrustworthy intentions are on par with Demon Fiends.
As for rulers of different countries, they secretly cultivate practitioners to reinforce royal power, which is an open secret. Since the Lotus Cloud Sect does not plan to intervene, its disciples naturally do not interfere.
"Of course, it’s a direct transmission from the Liu Family." Liu Zhiyuan’s answer greatly surprised her, "I know learning these things is forbidden and could ruin the family, but no one can stop the Liu Family from inheriting ancestral teachings. It’s a trendous secret to outsiders, but not to you. We’ve excavated many cultivation rooms underground, nurturing potential heirs like sect disciples. You should be familiar with all this... because it’s not much different from the Lotus Cloud Sect’s cultivation thods."
Impossible!
Liu Shuyue imdiately wanted to refute his claim. The Lotus Cloud Sect stands on the Kunlun Cloud Sea Peak, where only the sect can ensure abundant Spiritual Qi, and cultivation thods must match the level of Spiritual Qi activity. It’s not sothing you can simply imitate. Otherwise, kings of various countries would’ve long been cultivating practitioners themselves.
In the Liu Family’s mansion area, she couldn’t feel much sign of Spiritual Qi abundance; it was even inferior to Hot Pepper Village in the Wanshan Wilderness.
However, she ultimately did not voice her objection.
Because she was the only one who had seen the inside of the Lotus Cloud Sect; whether she spoke the truth or a lie, the other party could not distinguish.
In that case, refuting was aningless.
"A direct transmission from the Liu Family? Who passed it down?"
"It was also a Lotus Cloud Sect disciple who left the mountain." Liu Zhiyuan said respectfully, "The ancestor was nad Liu Zhidong. In terms of cultivation seniority, he would be your uncle-master."
Liu Shuyue felt a tremor throughout her body.
No, she certainly hadn’t heard that na; within the entire Lotus Cloud Sect, there was no record of any past disciples, who they were, what they did after leaving the mountain, or their eventual fate.
She had sought the whereabouts of these disciples after leaving the mountain, but they were the batch sent out a hundred years ago. The secular world could change rulers two or three generations, so the reliable information she obtained was virtually non-existent.
What astonished Liu Shuyue was that she had never expected to hear news of forr sect disciples at the Yunzhou Liu Family!
And even more incredible was that the other party was also surnad Liu!
"Are you sure about this?"
"It’s all recorded in the family genealogy; I have no reason to deceive you." Liu Zhiyuan gave a weak smile, "Not only did he teach cultivation techniques, but he also left descendants, from which the Liu Family prospered. The ancestor even prophesied your birth, saying that a Liu family child would beco a new mountain-leaving disciple a hundred years later. That person is you... Shuyue, you were sent away when you were just a month old. Although I was unwilling, I knew that was the path you should take."
Liu Shuyue couldn’t help but shake her head, "No... this doesn’t make sense. If I were sent away by the Liu Family as an infant, how would you know that I’m the one? And in the front courtyard, Liu Qing blad for not rembering her. Can a child rember anything right after being born? I spent most of my ti cultivating in the sect and have never t any of you!"
Liu Zhiyuan had so confusion in his eyes, "Shuyue, why do you so strongly reject accepting yourself as a mber of the Liu Family? You and Qing’Er have indeed never truly t, but surely you’ve seen each other’s portraits."
"Portraits? What portraits?"
She couldn’t help but recall the words the other party said when she first t her...
"You look just like the image in the portrait..."
"The ancestor left a Magical Treasure that allows us to continue seeing you after you were sent to the sect, but only in the form of portraits. Liu Qing and the other younger generation grew up watching your portraits." Liu Zhiyuan explained, "And after you left the mountain, we also crafted family portraits to send to you. Haven’t you ever received them?"
"Do you believe it?" Liu Shuyue frowned. In the past five years, she rarely stayed in one place for long. Only the governnt could track her whereabouts. Many people had written to her, but she hardly had ti to read them.
So she could only shake her head.
"Is that so? So in your eyes, the Liu Family is just a bunch of deceitful imposters? Then why haven’t you co to Yunzhou to confront us over these years?" Liu Zhiyuan felt puzzled.
Liu Shuyue didn’t know how to answer for a mont. She rarely paid attention to such rumors. Even if she knew, as long as the Liu Family didn’t cause any outrage, she basically wouldn’t interfere.
So she changed the subject, "That Magical Treasure... can I take a look?"
"Of course, it is placed in the ancestral hall in the backyard."
Leading Liu Shuyue to the ancestral hall, Liu Zhiyuan pointed to a peachwood tower covered with bells, about half a ter high, and said, "This is it."
Liu Shuyue imdiately recognized it as a Smoke Soul Pillar. It’s considered a Dharma Artifact, a notch below a true Magical Treasure, but undeniably, it’s much more reliable than the fabled items boasted by those loose cultivators. The way to transmit ssages with it is straightforward: write what you want to say on paper, then burn it. The smoke causes the bells to ring, and the ssage can be heard on the other side.
Conversely, when smoke erges from the bells, it indicates a ssage has arrived. Wet special yellow paper placed on top of the tower, and the smoke can imprint text or pictures on it.
It’s unlikely that a general loose cultivator could create sothing like this.
The notion of a forr sect disciple seems a bit more credible.
Liu Shuyue took out a piece of talisman paper, lit it in front of the Smoke Soul Pillar, then quickly ford a Divination Seal with her hands, feeling the direction of the drifting smoke.
A mont later, she opened her eyes, "Liu Zhidong... That ancestor, is his story recorded in the family genealogy?"
Liu Zhiyuan nodded, "Yes, it is."
Being written into the genealogy implies that he has passed away.
"When did he pass away?"
"According to records, it was sixty-five years ago, due to injury and illness."
Liu Shuyue thought to herself, so that ans he fulfilled his mission for at most thirty-five years. As for his age, it should have been between forty and fifty, a typical case of untily death in mid-life.
She wanted to ask this because the direction the smoke drifted toward was by no ans the Kunlun Extre Realm but a certain northeastern territory. Divination cannot yield precise results, only a rough judgnt that it’s within a deep mountainous forest, requiring two to three days of travel back and forth from here.
If the Liu Family really did receive a ssage via the Smoke Soul Pillar, the ssage source should have co from there.
Could Liu Zhiyuan’s sect disciple possibly still be alive today?
"In ancient tis, there was a sage who passed by his ho thrice without entering, so even though you never returned ho, the Liu Family still thought of you as prideful. After all, you are an Immortal Master of Great Qi, and we understand how heavy your responsibilities are." Liu Zhiyuan earnestly said, "If you still have doubts, I am willing to use the Blood-Dropping Technique to verify."
The Blood-Dropping Technique involves taking fresh blood into a bowl, and mixing it with clear water. If they blend together, it signifies that the blood is of the sa origin. But Liu Shuyue knew this thod was just a folk tale, not very reliable.
Besides, it doesn’t matter whether she believes it or not. What’s important is that the Liu Family believes in it deeply.
In that case, they are not greedy people seeking benefits by impersonating a relationship with an Immortal Master. Being suppressed by the governnt isn’t deserved retribution either.
"It’s not necessary," Liu Shuyue said. "When did those people outside start acting against you?"
"Three days ago," Liu Zhiyuan’s tone was heavy. "Governor Yan said you had incurred the emperor’s wrath, and he wanted to punish the entire Liu Family. He aid to imprison all of us to await the emperor’s decision. Without learning your fate, our Liu Family couldn’t agree, so we organized a family guard to prevent the governnt office from using force. Unexpectedly, they sent cultivators today, though Qing’Er and You’Er barely managed to hold them off."
"Is that one called You’Er also your child?"
"No, he was originally born of a servant. The ancestor’s laws demand we nurture talent without discrimination, so regardless of whether they’re from the main or side family, even the servants’ children, as long as they have aptitude for cultivation, I treat them equally."
Liu Shuyue nodded, "A wise approach."
Unable to contain himself, Liu Zhiyuan asked again, "Shuyue, what upheaval has occurred in Qing State? Tell , does the Liu Family truly deserve such a calamity?"
"No, neither the Liu Family nor the people of Jiufeng City should suffer this disaster," Liu Shuyue replied firmly.
Hearing her response, Liu Zhiyuan instantly felt relieved, as if strength returned to his words, "What should we do next? The whole Liu Family is willing to listen to you."
She looked at him, "Arrange a bedroom for . Before I co out, no one should approach."
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