Li Wei had been taken aback by the decisiveness and tact of Mei Yu and Jia Lin, who had turned circumstances far from stellar into fully functional depots. The duo had exceeded every expectation placed upon them, this was a feat they could wear as armor and pride alike.

Yet, one task remained before the day's end. He had to inspect the most crucial of all undertakings, the main settlement under Ning Xue's command. This would be the foundation of the Liu clan's rebirth, the symbolic heart where faith, livelihood, and spirit would converge and prosper.

It would also serve as the keystone around which the other settlements revolved. If this mountain failed to hold, then all they had built would crumble into mist. The young master began his ascent toward the chosen site, his sandals pressing into the uneven soil that slithered upward in winding trails.

The mist thickened with each step, draping the mountain in gossamer veils. Here, the air carried a mineral tang like a taste of stone, iron, and a ancient breath almost as if the mountain itself exhaled around him.

"The bones of the world lie beneath this place," he murmured, glancing toward the faint shimmer of leyline light that pulsed deep within the rock. "Let us hope they do not wake with wrath." The trail opened onto a high plateau, and there, the sight struck him silent for a time.

The main settlement was not yet finished, but what stood already whispered of vision and discipline. The architecture defied the valley's gloomy conditions instead of just being a compound made up merely by shelters, the Liu had raised a complex that blended artistry with utility.

Rows of terraced foundations carved into the cliff face gleamed faintly where veins of quartz caught the sunlight. Each terrace was linked by sloping bridges of pale wood and reinforced with ribs of dark steel, forming a lattice that curved along the mountain's natural shape.

It was not the crude encampment of invaders but a tranquil insertion into the land itself. At the plateau's center stood the Hall of Roots, it was a vast structure of pale timber, crowned with slanted roofs tiled in dark green slate. Its beams were etched with cloud motifs, and a single crimson banner hung from its apex, bearing the Liu sigil.

Under the sunlight, the Liu crest bore a rising flame encircled by three crescents. The symbol flickered faintly with spirit light, responding to the mountain's qi. Li Wei's lips curved faintly. "She's made the heart beat before the body was even complete."

As he descended toward the plateau, the sound of labor filled the air. Rhythmic strikes of chisels, the thrum of ropes, and the low chants of cultivators stabilizing foundations through controlled bursts of qi. It was a metropolitan on the rise, soon the building would be inhabitable to the populace.

He could see workers suspending themselves from high scaffolds, carving sigils into the supporting pillars while others reinforced the bridges below with sealing talismans. The entire settlement thrummed like an instrument being tuned for the heavens.

At the hall's entrance stood Ning Xue, her pale robe flecked with dust, her dark hair tied loosely with a strip of crimson cloth. She was speaking with a cluster of architects, her hand tracing the air as she gestured toward unseen geometries.

When she noticed Li Wei approaching, she dismissed her attendants with a graceful wave. "Master Li," she said, bowing deeply, "your shadow blesses this mountain sooner than I expected."

Li Wei chuckled softly. "If I waited any longer, I'd risk being accused of idleness. I came to see if your mountain had grown fangs or wings overnight." Ning Xue's lips tilted in a faint smile. "Neither, but it has learned to breathe."

She led him forward through the newly laid paths. The main courtyard stretched like a fan opening toward the eastern light. Stone lanterns lined its perimeter, each carved with a depiction of one of the Liu ancestors.

Spirit flames flickered within them, giving the illusion that the dead themselves were keeping vigil. Beyond the courtyard, Li Wei saw the residential tiers. Each row of dwellings curved subtly inward, built into the mountain's belly to shield against the harsh winds.

The walls were layered from an alloy of ebony timber and enchanted terracotta clay, they were light enough for insulation yet possessed a sturdy enough foundation to withstand qi resonance storms. From above, windows of polished mica allowed the inner glow of lanterns to spill outward like veins of gold.

Every detail spoke of clarity, strength concealed within grace. "The mountain's qi was unstable when we arrived," Ning Xue explained as they walked. "So I instructed the masons to hollow the entire first layer inward rather than dig outward. It calmed the currents. A notable artificer once said, that forcing harmony is the surest path to ruin."

Li Wei inclined his head. "You remembered the lessons of those that came before you. A wise builder listens before commanding." They paused at the edge of a cliff side promenade, where several smaller structures were rising. "And those?" he asked.

"They are private cultivation chambers," she replied. "Their formation circles align with the three smaller leylines branching beneath the peak. Each chamber is designed for a single cultivator's meditation. I… hoped that by offering solitude, the clan might find unity."

Li Wei gave a slight hum of approval. "Unity through silence. That's philosophy hidden in stone." Below them, a group of apprentices carried long slabs of obsidian toward a circular foundation. In its center, a wide pool was being carved.

The pool's edges were being inscribed with runes that shimmered faintly like morning dew." That is the Reflecting Basin," Ning Xue said before he could ask. "When completed, it will mirror both the sky above and the leyline below."

She moved forward slowly, "The elders say that the reflection could as the bridge between thought and will. I thought it would fitting to erect this structure near our heartland." Li Wei's expression softened, his pride tempered by restraint. "You are not only building a fortress but an actual sanctuary. The heavens favor such diligence."

The two walked in silence for a time. The wind sang low through the timber rafters, and far off, the clang of metal faded into the rhythm of the mountain's own pulse. Li Wei paused before the Hall of Roots and placed his palm upon one of its pillars.

The wood was warm and alive, "You used phoenix pine?" Ning Xue nodded. "Only a small amount. Mei Yu's carpenters found a grove near the leyline's mouth. It thrives in spiritual conduction, absorbing excess qi instead of repelling it."

"Risky," Li Wei murmured, "but brilliantly done. Too much of that wood, and this whole mountain might decide to fall apart." She laughed softly. "Then we would finally be free from our troubles."

Their mirth faded when the air suddenly shuddered. A faint vibration passed beneath their feet, disturbingly pulsing. Workers paused mid-motion, glancing toward one another uneasily. The Reflecting Basin's half-finished runes flared with erratic light before dimming again.

Ning Xue's composure did not falter. "The leyline?"

Li Wei's eyes narrowed. "No. Something below it,likely a discord between layers of the realm itself." He extended two fingers, drawing upon a thread of his own qi. The air shimmered faintly, revealing a lattice of invisible fractures spreading across the mountain's foundation like cracks in glass.

"The domain shifts again," he murmured. "It appears to be usurping our parity." Ning Xue frowned. "Then all this…"

"…may stand or fall by dawn," Li Wei finished grimly. Yet instead of panic, a calm resolve entered his gaze. "But no empire, nor spirit realm, was built without defiance. Continue your work. Tonight, I will stabilize the leyline myself."

She hesitated. "Alone?"

"The mountain will fall if too many hands interfere. One mistake, and it will swallow us all. If I fall, the Liu must stand upon the ashes and remember why they climbed."

Her lips parted to protest, but he raised a hand. "Faith, Ning Xue. A master's role is to walk the storm so his disciples may walk the sunrise."Ning Xue bowed deeply, her voice steady despite the tremor in the air. "Then may the heavens record your name among the steadfast, Master."

He turned toward the mountain's heart, where the faint glow of the leyline throbbed like a living pulse within the stone. As he walked, the mists closed around him, swallowing his figure. Sparks of pale gold flickered briefly in the fog like a signature of his qi weaving itself into the mountain's depths.

Above the settlement, thunder muttered in the clouds — not a storm's fury, but something older, patient, watching. Back at the Hall, Ning Xue raised her head toward the sound. "He carries the clan upon his shoulders," she whispered. "Even mountains must envy such strength."

One of the young cultivators nearby asked timidly, "Do you think the mountain will relent to him?" She smiled faintly. "If it does not, it will learn humility soon enough. Even stone must yield to the patient flame."

And far below, deep within the leyline's core, Li Wei pressed his palm against the trembling rock. His qi spread like fire through ice, seeping into the fractures, mending, binding. In the pulse of the earth, he heard it. 'Come…' a whisper, the same voice as the river spirit before

Li Wei's lips curved into a thin, knowing smile. "Be there soon."

The leyline's glow steadied, as dawn crept once more across the mist-veiled peaks.

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