Chapter 975: Demonic Kin (I)
Crack.
The snows of the Northern Sea never melted, dyeing everything in pale hues. Gale winds swept over the mountaintops, where an old man sat unmoving atop a peak. His white jade fishing rod extended deep into the endless blizzard, its crystal line pulled taut, stretching all the way into the boundless icy sea below.
Xiao Chuting had remained seated for decades without moving a muscle. The snow and wind swept past him, yet not a single flake touched his robes. His hands were steady, as if they had been cast in iron.
Muffled sounds came through the blizzard as a figure descended with the wind, two rows of medicine pouches swaying from his robes. His hair was streaked with white, and his voice was warm and deep.
Xiao Yuansi said, "Greetings, Daoist Master."
"So you've come, Yuansi." Xiao Chuting murmured, his hands unmoving, and asked casually, "Were the pills delivered to the Li Family?"
Xiao Yuansi knew full well that nothing he did or thought could be hidden from this old ancestor. He knelt respectfully and replied, "Yes, Daoist Master. I have already delivered them. Moved by our past bond as master and disciple, I acted before reporting to you. I beg your pardon."
"Very well." Xiao Chuting showed no strong reaction, speaking gently, "You’ve always thought me heartless. But in this matter, your actions were lacking. Sometimes, heartlessness is the only way to save someone. You fail to see that as clearly as Tu Longjian does."
"I..." Xiao Yuansi hesitated to speak further, but Xiao Chuting didn’t give him the chance.
He said softly, "I knew that the Li Family had a Purple Mansion Realm technique long ago. When the Eastern Fire Grotto Heaven collapsed, the sect records of the Dongli Sect spread to the hands of the three sects and seven gates. The secrets were laid bare. This sect traces its legacy to Wei and Li. Though the grotto heaven held little of true value, its details alone could be fatal.