Chapter 628: A Cautionary Tale (I)
Li Chenghuai, now eleven or twelve years old, stood beside Li Yuexiang, holding her hand. He bowed respectfully. Li Xizhi raised his gaze to look at them—one was his younger sister, whom he had never met before, and the other, his son, whom he had not seen in years.
The faces of the two were both unfamiliar and familiar, carrying a sense of distance. It was evident that neither of them felt very close to him.
Yang Xiao'er, however, was overjoyed. She embraced the bewildered Li Chenghuai and began fussing over him with concern. Li Xizhi, on the other hand, felt a pang of loss and stood there silently. Nearby, Li Xuanxuan watched him intently.
For cultivators, a single seclusion could last several years, often causing them to miss many aspects of life. It was no wonder that so many children of clans became unruly, their personalities warped, spoiled, or unskilled. The Azure Pond Sect's practice of isolating its disciples from worldly ties proved highly effective in severing emotional connections.
Li Xizhi remained quiet, sending his son, younger sister, and Yang Xiao'er away to rest. Only then did he sit down and listen carefully as Li Xuanxuan shared the news from this year. After hearing every detail, he asked about the specifics regarding the events within the grotto heaven. With a surprised expression, he inquired, "Xiao Yongling and Tu Longjian were also involved in killing Yu Muxian? There is no word of this outside."
"Well..." Before Li Xuanxuan could respond, Li Xizhi paused to think.
He quickly pieced things together and nodded, saying, "The Xiao Family offering assistance already indebts them to us. Naturally, this blame will fall upon our family. It is not something beneficial, so of course, the Xiao Family would not publicly admit their involvement."
"That is true." Li Xuanxuan agreed with a nod.
Li Xizhi lifted his head, his expression complex. Though his drooping gaze brimmed with sorrow, the corners of his lips curled upward ever so slightly. A mixture of grief and resignation filled his voice as he said, "Father and I once dreamed of unifying Moongaze Lake, but I never imagined it would come at the cost of his life. Now that Yu Muxian is dead, it is only a matter of time before Moongaze Lake falls into our hands."