93: Chapter 93 Zhang Yuxi

As the old saying goes: "Isolated Yin cannot produce, solitary Yang cannot grow."

The Great Dao of Heaven and Earth has its own orderly principles; blindly sitting in meditation and forcibly constraining human nature will only cause a Cultivator's mental state to become biased and unbalanced, creating cracks in the Dao Heart, ultimately leading to stagnant cultivation and a lifetime of inability to break through shackles.

The true Great Dao of Longevity has never been limited to piling up massive Spiritual Qi or polishing the Physical Body; it lies more in the unity of body and mind, and the mutual aid of Yin and Yang.

The boundless Mortal World and its worldly ups and downs have never been the shackles of immortal Cultivators; by crossing them, understanding them, and merging with them, they can also become supreme aids on the path to proving the Dao.

Li Xuance slowly spoke these aphorisms of Dao rhyme, his originally solemn expression softening slightly, and his tone shedding some of its preaching severity, adding a touch of gentleness:

"I have also selected a woman whose Aptitude is compatible with yours. Take a look first; if you are unhappy or the Opportunity is not right, we shall discuss it further."

Having said this, a warm jade slip was passed through the air to Li Changqing.

Li Changqing raised his hand to receive it, his fingertips touching the cool jade, and his Divine Sense concentrated as he delved into it.

Upon seeing the information and portrait recorded within the jade slip, a flash of surprise couldn't help but cross his eyes.

This woman was none other than the legitimate daughter of the Zhang Family in Linhai County, Zhang Yuxi.

A month ago, a group of vicious Demonic Cultivators suddenly raided Linhai County, and the Zhang Family, a Spirit Beast-taming Family with a Legacy of hundreds of years, was wiped out overnight.

The clan suffered heavy casualties, with only a dozen or so people managing to escape through the Family's secret passage. After a journey of displacement and dodging pursuit, by the time they reached the territory of Anping County, only five survivors remained.

Influenced by the Zhang Family's ancestral heritage since childhood, Zhang Yuxi was a natural genius at taming Spirit Beasts, well-versed in the methods of taming various Spirit Beasts, cultivating Spirit Insects, and domesticating exotic beasts. At the same time, she possessed the cultivation of a High Grade Alchemist, with solid Alchemy skills and a meticulous mind.

She possessed a five-inch Spiritual Root, with a thick and solid Foundation, and her cultivation was stabilized at Qi Refining Stage 10, though she was ten years older than Liu Yuanting.

In the past, she was the proud daughter of heaven whom the Zhang Family had cultivated with all their resources, with a bright future and the focus of everyone's attention.

Yet, in one day, her Family was destroyed, and all her former glory turned into bubbles.

Now, she had no roots, no support, and no one to rely on; her only reliance was her top-tier Spirit Beast-taming Legacy and the fruits of her own hard cultivation.

She brought the surviving clansmen to seek refuge with the Li Family, asking only for a place to settle and find shelter, and hoping even more that the Li Family could lend a hand to exact revenge for the destroyed Zhang Family.

For this, she was willing to offer the core High Grade Tier 2 Spirit Beast-taming secret manual that had been passed down through generations in the Zhang Family and never leaked to outsiders.

Li Changqing's thoughts raced; the Family had already investigated the slaughter of the Zhang Family, and the three Foundation Establishment Demonic Cultivators were nine times out of ten the same black-clothed Demonic Cultivators who had stirred up the Spirit Beast tide in Wangshan Town previously.

Even if Zhang Yuxi had not actively sought help, once the Li Family finished reorganizing and accumulated enough strength, they would never let those three Foundation Establishment Demonic Cultivators go if given the chance.

After carefully reading the information contained in the two jade slips and combining it with the Aptitude, Heart-Nature, and personal circumstances of the two women, Li Changqing had already reached a conclusion in his heart.

He raised his eyes to look at Li Xuance beside him, his expression open and his gaze clear, and spoke solemnly:

"Second Granduncle, your grandson is interested in Miss Zhang Yuxi of the Zhang Family. May I meet her in person first to get to know each other honestly and understand each other's Heart-Nature before finalizing subsequent matters?"

Upon hearing this, a smile of relief immediately bloomed on Li Xuance's aged face.

He knew well that this junior of his Family had a tough Heart-Nature and a stable Dao Heart, and had always been single-mindedly focused on the Dao.

Several times in the past when the Family arranged marriages, they were all politely declined by Li Changqing, who was still in the Qi Refinement Stage and focused on breaking through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, always placing cultivation first.

Now that he was willing to loosen his stance and meet, to consider getting along, it showed that his mental state was becoming increasingly mature and transparent, and it was not in vain that he had painstakingly persuaded him this time.

He nodded slightly and agreed in a deep voice:

"That should be the case. I will immediately send a message to Huaming. Tomorrow, the two of you can meet and chat at the Family's Yunhai Pavilion Teahouse in Wangshan Town."

Pausing for a moment, Li Xuance looked at this junior of the clan who had a boundless future and earnestly advised:

"If you two are compatible and share the same heart, you can set the wedding date. Once this Spirit Beast tide turmoil subsides, I will personally handle the wedding for you both. Remember, the most precious thing about relationships in the Mortal World is sincerity. Do not let the disparity in your current status and situation disturb your original heart or lose your sincerity."

"Your grandson will keep your teachings in mind." Li Changqing cupped his hands in agreement, bowed, and took his leave.

The next morning, the sky was bright, and thin morning mist lingered, drifting over the blue bricks and black tiles of Wangshan Town.

Li Changqing simply tidied his robes; his plain-colored Cultivator's long gown was clean and neat, his posture as straight as a pine, and he walked alone toward the Yunhai Pavilion in the town.

The morning Yunhai Pavilion was quiet and serene, without the noise of daytime guests, and the curling fragrance of tea lingered throughout the building, elegant and refined.

The elegant tea room by the window on the second floor was quiet and clean, with sandalwood incense mixed with the fragrance of clear tea, refreshing the heart and spleen.

Li Changqing stepped into the tea room, his gaze naturally falling toward the window, and at a glance, he saw the woman in the jade slip portrait—Zhang Yuxi.

She wore a simple, elegant plain white long dress, with no pearls or hairpins for decoration, and no makeup. Her black hair hung down to her shoulders like an ink waterfall, her skin was as white as snow, her lips were plain and elegant, and the contours of her eyebrows and eyes were gentle and pretty.

After experiencing the tragedy of her Family's destruction, a lingering, inextricable gloom and sorrow always hovered between her brows, desolate but not decadent.

The most moving thing was her pair of eyes, clear and bright, which had not been worn away by the desperate situation. Hidden in the depths of her eyes was a stubborn resilience to refuse fate and survive against the wind, clean and tenacious.

Hearing the sound of approaching footsteps, Zhang Yuxi suddenly came back to her senses, hurriedly stood up, stood gracefully, and slightly bowed in greeting.

Her posture was upright and polite, her manners were measured, and even though she was in a desperate situation of living under someone else's roof, she still retained the character of a legitimate daughter of a prominent Family, humble but never servile.

"Senior Li."

Her voice was soft, carrying a hint of the restraint of a first meeting.

Li Changqing nodded slightly, his gaze steady and calm, not lingering on her pretty appearance. His mind was sharp as a torch, instantly capturing two subtle anomalies.

On the edge of her wide, plain white sleeves, a faint silver Spirit pattern was faintly visible, the lines delicate and exquisite, definitely not something that belonged to ordinary mundane objects.

In the surrounding air, there also lingered a faint, imperceptible fragrance of grass and trees, warm and pure, which was a unique scent only obtained from years of cultivating Spirit Beasts and Spirit Plants, and being soaked in the Spiritual Qi of vegetation.

"Miss Zhang, no need for formalities, please take a seat."

Li Changqing's voice was calm, and he raised his hand to form a simple sound-isolating Restriction.

A transparent light quietly enveloped the entire tea room, isolating all outside prying and noise, and the atmosphere instantly became quiet and enclosed.

"The calamity that the Zhang Family suffered has already been fully told to me by the elders in the clan. The deceased are gone; please restrain your grief."

Zhang Yuxi sat down as instructed, her slender fingers unconsciously twisting the corner of her clothes, a subtle action that revealed the nervousness and anxiety in her heart.

Her Family destroyed, living under someone else's roof, the road ahead was dim and unknown. Facing the Foundation Establishment Senior of the Li Family with a boundless future, her heart was full of trepidation, yet she still forcibly suppressed her emotions, stabilized her posture and tone, and looked directly at the young Cultivator before her.

"Thank you, Senior Li, for your compassion, and thank you to the Li Family for taking in me and my surviving younger brothers and sisters."