The matter between Li Yuanhu and Senior Sister Sun finally broke through that paper window.
Speaking of this Senior Sister Sun, she wasn't some noble lady but the daughter of a blacksmith from West Market of Flat Peach Town, named Sun Zhi.
Her father was an honest craftsman whose greatest wish in life was for his daughter to live peacefully.
Yet Sun Zhi took after her mother, who had once been a martial escort - born with a chivalrous heart that couldn't bear to see others bullied.
She had trained at the martial arts school since childhood. Though not top-tier in talent, she worked harder than anyone and occasionally sparred with Li Yuanhu.
Li Yuanhu's affection for her had a storybook quality.
That day, when local ruffians bullied an old man while bystanders watched helplessly,
Sun Zhi happened to pass by. Without a word, she grabbed a shoulder pole and charged in, delivering such crisp blows that the bullies fled weeping.
Li Yuanhu witnessed this scene.
Under the sunset glow, the girl with her shoulder pole, agile figure and bright eyes left him momentarily enchanted.From then on, Li Yuanhu often "coincidentally" met Sun Zhi -
sometimes bringing freshly baked pastries, sometimes "passing by" her training spot to awkwardly offer pointers.
Young love is pure and passionate.
Sun Zhi knew of Li Yuanhu's feelings but feared his interest might be fleeting, and with the Li family's prominence, she didn't immediately respond.
When she heard Li Yuanhu had rejected the Zhou family for her, though she said nothing, her heart felt honey-sweet, and she shyly yet directly accepted the Li family's marriage proposal.
The entire Li family naturally welcomed this match.
Li Pingfu and Jiang Ling'er praised their future daughter-in-law endlessly -
from a respectable family, strong-willed, not materialistic, clear-headed - a fine girl indeed.
On the wedding day, the Li mansion was again filled with honored guests.
The Suns being common folk, the old blacksmith grew so nervous he didn't know where to put his hands, repeatedly telling Li Rongzhou they were "marrying above their station."
Li Rongzhou laughed heartily, patting his shoulder: "What nonsense! For Yuanhu to marry such a fine girl as Zhi'er is his good fortune - our entire Li family's good fortune!"
The wedding was lively yet warm, without excessive ceremony but full of sincerity everywhere.
In his bright red wedding robes, Li Yuanhu gazed at the phoenix-crowned, rainbow-gowned Sun Zhi beside him, his heart bursting with joy at life's pinnacle.
........
Time flows swiftly as a shuttle.
Li Pingcan spent his days planting trees, traveling between Spirit Mountain's cave abode and Peach Blossom Village's old residence, sometimes comprehending elements at the Dragon Palace's Five Elements Hall, sometimes teaching his children - a fulfilling, tranquil life.
That terrifying tree-planting quota, with son Li Mengjin acting as "proxy," finally achieved another milestone.
[You've planted 100,000 saplings. Druid level successfully upgraded to LV10!]
[You've acquired new skill: Detect Magic (1st Circle)]
"Finally level 10!"
Li Pingcan exhaled deeply, eyes full of emotion.
From zero to ten - this path had taken him over thirty years.
The hardships were beyond words.
"Level eleven requires 120,000 trees..."
Seeing that astronomical experience requirement, Li Pingcan's mouth twitched involuntarily.
"Never mind - cross that bridge when we come to it."
He turned his attention to the new skill.
[Detect Magic (1st Circle): During the spell's duration, you can sense supernatural forces. Upon detection, you may use an action to see faint auras around visible creatures/objects, discerning their properties and information.]
"Isn't this 'Appraisal'?"
His heart stirred as he immediately activated the spell.
Instantly, the world before him transformed completely.
The cave's Spirit Gathering Formation became visible as multicolored array patterns rather than invisible energy flows.
The dozing Green Jiao was wreathed in blue mana and golden dragon qi.
His own dantian's energy surged like tides while his physical vitality blazed like a brilliant sun.
"Truly practical."
Li Pingcan was delighted.
With this, no formation restriction or magical implement disguise could hide.
Whether treasure-hunting or fighting, it gave him overwhelming advantage.
"First examine that Yin-Yang Mirror."
He immediately thought of the ancient mirror obtained from Zhao Wuyou that remained unusable.
When [Detect Magic] revealed it, beyond the bloodline restriction at its core hid two extremely faint divine consciousness imprints.
One clearly belonged to Su Huanuan's master from Seven Stars Sect playing the waiting game, the other...
Li Pingcan frowned - the mirror was more complicated than imagined, triple-layered with "bait"!
But now that the problem was identified, solving it was merely a matter of time.
Peaceful days always pass swiftly.
The good times didn't last.
Alarming news came from Li Ping'an at the prefecture - war approaches!
Grain and salt prices skyrocket, public resentment grows.
Once-tranquil Yunshui County now seethes with undercurrents of panic.
Robberies become frequent as this fear spreads to Peach Blossom Village.
Villagers grow anxious.
Their greatest worry is the Li family.
Seeing the Lis as Yunshui's leading household with wealth and manpower, they fear they'll abandon the land for safer regions like other wealthy families.
"Will the Lis leave?"
"Who knows? With their assets, I'd leave too! Staying means death if immortals attack!"
"But if they go, what becomes of us? Without their protection, ruffians will devour us!"
"Exactly! Now outsiders respect Peach Blossom villagers. Without the Lis, we'll be bullied again!"
The village buzzes with fearful speculation.
Some bold villagers even approach the Li mansion to probe their intentions.
"Neighbors, I know your concerns," says Zhou Yu, the Li steward.
"By our masters' orders, I offer reassurance today."
"The Li family isn't leaving."
"Not only staying," his voice rises, "but those in need may receive half-kilogram of grain daily per person to weather this crisis."
"Long live the Lis!"
"Living bodhisattvas!"
Many weep with joy, kowtowing toward the mansion.
That rustic gratitude transforms into intangible mental energy merging into the Li family's destiny and the hidden Emerald Dream.
Zhou Yu watches contentedly.
With storms approaching, the masters choose to share this land's fate - he'd backed the right family.
"Elder Brother, Father."
In a candlelit secret chamber, Li Pingcan breaks the silence.
"Something major is coming."
Li Pingfu and Li Rongzhou tense upon hearing this.
Li Pingcan relays the letter's contents: "The Great Yu Dynasty is going to war with western neighbor Great Qian Dynasty."
"War?"
Li Yuanhu's brows knot. "Why suddenly?"
"For a newly discovered 'Heaven-grade Spirit Vein,'" explains Li Pingcan.
"Located precisely on their border, it produces rare 'Solar Essence Gold' for high-grade magical implements."
"Great Yu and Great Qian had long-standing friction. This vein merely lit the powder keg."
Perhaps even previous beast tides were part of their shadow conflict.
Li Pingfu's face darkens, knowing war's brutality -
not martial artists' honorable duels but flesh-grinding slaughter.
"Second Brother's letter adds," Li Pingcan's tone grows heavier,
"the prefecture issued conscription - all military examination graduates without official posts must immediately enlist as vanguard commanders at the border! Plus forced conscription of a million civilians..."
Before he finishes, Li Pingfu and Li Rongzhou turn ashen.
Military examination graduates...
That means...
"Yuanhu!"
Li Pingfu's fists clench audibly; Li Rongzhou looks grim.
Military orders are unbreakable as mountains.
"Did Ping'an mention any flexibility?" asks Li Rongzhou hopefully.
"Surely the Mu family has connections at the prefecture?"
Li Pingcan slowly shakes his head gravely:
"This is a top-level royal military decree bypassing all prefectures, issued directly by the Ministry of War. Even the Mus wouldn't risk interference now. Second Brother tried subtle inquiries but was sternly warned by Minister Chen against jeopardizing his future."
"So no room for negotiation?" Li Pingfu's voice carries despair.
The chamber falls deathly silent.
............
Returning to his courtyard late at night,
Li Pingfu finds candles still burning as Jiang Ling'er sits mending his worn robe.
Hearing him, she looks up smiling: "Husband, you're back."
But seeing his expression, her smile freezes.
"What's wrong?"
Setting aside needlework, she hurries over worriedly.
Li Pingfu meets her concerned gaze but can't find words,
fearing his composure might shatter if he speaks.
Her anxiety growing at his silence, she takes his hand gently:
"Whatever it is, we'll face it together as husband and wife."
Li Pingfu can no longer restrain himself, embracing her tightly.
"Ling'er," his voice hoarse, "Yuanhu... Yuanhu is being conscripted for the border war."
Jiang Ling'er stiffens as if thunderstruck.
"What? Our son to war?"
Her teacup shatters on the floor.
"No! I forbid it!"
She stands abruptly, gripping his arm until her knuckles whiten.
"Pingfu! How can you send him there? It's a battlefield! People die! He just married!"
Her shrill, tearful voice lacks its usual gentleness.
"Ling'er, listen—"
"No! I won't listen!"
She shakes her head violently, tears streaming.
"I care not for dynasties or orders! He's my son! My ten-month-pregnancy son! I won't watch him march to death!"
Collapsing against him, she sobs violently.
"Pingfu, beg Father, beg your brothers - they must have solutions! Can't our family protect one child now?"
Holding his trembling wife, Li Pingfu feels heart-rending pain.
Doesn't he wish the same?
But against imperial might, all resistance seems futile.
He can only rasp comfort:
"Ling'er, he'll be commanding, not frontlines - good survival chances."
Jiang Ling'er cries herself unconscious in his arms.
Carrying her to bed, this stalwart man's eyes redden at her tear-streaked face.
Stepping outside, he gazes at the lonely moon and clenches his fists.
This night brings no sleep.
............
The Li mansion's atmosphere grows suffocatingly heavy.
Candles burn brightly in Li Pingcan's study.
Since they can't avoid it, they must confront it head-on.
Emotions must yield to cold rationality in finding his nephew's path to survival.
He unfurls an enormous map marked meticulously with the border terrain between Great Yu and Great Qian -
obtained at great cost by Li Ping'an from prefecture archives.
"Great Qian values martial prowess - their elite Crimson Flame Cavalry wears full armor for unstoppable charges.
Great Yu excels in infantry formations and archery..."
As for why immortals don't lead the charge - they're too precious for any dynasty to expend first, using "cannon fodder" instead.
Li Pingcan's eyes dart across the map, calculating possibilities.
"We must get him into a relatively safe unit."
He thinks of treasures accumulated in his storage pouch -
the Army Specter armor-modified heart-protecting mirror, talismans seized from cultivators...
"Equipment must be maximized!"
"Every life-saving item included!"
Taking blank bamboo scrolls, he writes rapidly:
"[Five Elements Body Conditioning Technique] advanced methods, [Battlefield Survival Guide], [Thirty-Six Stratagems: Escape Chapter]..."
"Give a man fish versus teaching fishing. Beyond gear, he must grow stronger and wiser."
Special training to make Li Yuanhu a tactical, survival-savvy "Old Six" who can turn tables when needed.
Dawn approaches as he finishes.
Rubbing tired eyes, Li Pingcan shows no fatigue.
"War?"
His lips curve coldly.
"Just immortals playing resource-allocation games, leaving commoners only shells without candy coating."
"But even salted fish may flip - until the end, who knows the winner!"