Si Yuanli held up the jade bottle and presented it to Li Zhouwei, inviting the golden-eyed youth to inspect it closely. Inside, a clear, brownish-yellow vapor churned and roiled, as though yearning to break free and disperse.
Li Zhouwei had once obtained the Six Harmonies Precious Vase Treatise within Wanling Heaven, which recorded methods of refining precious vases and detailed the strict requirements for Shangyi spiritual resources. Having read of such things, it was not difficult for him to recognize. He raised his brows and said:
"This is Lingzun Xihua. Though called a spiritual resource, it is actually not entirely pure. It is an essence compounded from Violet Palace-level materials, which must be preserved in a bottle or jar. Capable of clearing the mind and steadying the spirit, it is mostly used in the cultivation of spells. There are two portions here... As for whether one can gather qi from it, that depends on your lineage."
This was clearly not the answer Si Yuanli had hoped for. With a trace of disappointment, he withdrew his gaze, though a hint of suspicion arose in his mind.
*He is actually so familiar with this item... Yet just moments ago he asked me about the Shangyi Dao? Was he testing me?*
With a smile, Si Yuanli remarked, "So Fellow Daoist also possesses an inheritance of the Shangyi lineage... It seems my humble remarks earlier were merely making a fool of myself before an expert."
Li Zhouwei put away the spiritual resource with a flip of his sleeve, scanning the cave dwelling carefully as he replied casually, "Every family has its own lineage. I merely possess a treatise or two that allow me to discern a few details; it can hardly compare to your clan’s comprehensive, foundational heritage."
He was speaking the truth, though whether Si Yuanli believed it was another matter. As they spoke, the crisp crack of another formation shattering echoed out, followed by a torrent of billowing white vapor. Yet there was nothing inside, only crackling arcs of lightning dancing across the space. Left with no choice, Si Yuanli raised his divine ability to dissolve the warding restrictions, offering an awkward explanation:
"The Thunder-Smiting Array-Breaking Wedges shatter formations with too much brute force. Fast as they are, residual restrictions are common, requiring a bit of extra effort to untangle."
It was a troublesome chore. Since Liu Changdie was unwilling to step inland, finding someone else to handle such matters would have been difficult. Fortunately, Si Yuanli had the means to deal with it, saving a great deal of trouble. Li Zhouwei simply took a seat nearby. Moments later, Li Minggong stepped in and reported in a low voice:
"Reporting to Zhenren, the Changxiao mountain gate has been pacified. The various lineages have been collected, unlocked one by one, and brought into the cave dwelling... The assorted spiritual items have already been stored aboard the vessel. Everything is in order!"
The Li clan worked with formidable efficiency, and with Wu Fan acting as a guide, Changxiao Gate’s resources were quickly stripped bare. Li Zhouwei nodded and said:
"Let Perfected Qinghu hear as well."
Li Minggong proceeded to recite, "Within Changxiao Gate, three Violet Palace lineages were preserved, all of the fourth rank: the Earthbound Vast Mountain Scripture, which achieves Wutu and Immortal Flawless; the Resonant Stone Glazed Light Scripture, which achieves True Qi and Sleeping Embracing Stone; and the Cold Snow Solitary Peak Scripture, which achieves Cold Qi and Snow upon Pine.
"There are two fourth-rank spells: first, the Mountain-Sacrificing Stone-Splitting Art, an offensive Wutu technique; second, the Cold Light Projected Scenery Incantation, a Cold Qi spell."
She raised her hand to reveal five golden, lustrous jade slips resting on her palm, continuing in an undertone, "As for the remaining dozen or two, we have yet to uncover the methods to open them and are still conducting interrogations. Judging by our cultivators' observations, none are of Violet Palace caliber; the remaining gains will likely be modest."
Listening to this, Si Yuanli felt quite moved. A fourth-rank spell was already coveted by standard Violet Palace direct lines. Yet to the Li clan, cultivation methods and spells of this tier were hardly rare. Li Zhouwei was visibly disappointed and frowned:
"The Shangyi lineage is nowhere to be found among these peaks after all. Changxiao possessed no shortage of fifth-rank or even sixth-rank spells, but he clearly never bestowed them upon the sect's disciples. No wonder Changxiao Gate enjoyed such resounding fame yet produced so few truly exceptional talents... aside from Wang Fu, whose path forward was severed."
Si Yuanli raised an eyebrow and smiled. "How could it ever match the closeness of your clan? A sect is plagued by tangled in-laws and treacherous guests; the more people involved, the greater the chaos. Even a master with sincere intentions must hold something back to keep the disciples hooked and respectful, let alone someone as venomous and cunning as Changxiao."
"Every system has its flaws; it all comes down to the people," Li Zhouwei said, shaking his head.
Li Minggong waited until their exchange ceased before adding, "Si Xunhui has already led his men into the mountains."
This mountain was being handed over to the Si family, and granting this window of time had been an intentional courtesy to allow the Li clan to scour its resources. Li Zhouwei turned toward Li Minggong at once:
"Bind Chengyan's in-laws, retainers, disciples, and grand-disciples together, and let him dispose of them as he sees fit."
With enemies glaring covetously from the north, the Li clan could not linger here. His words clearly signaled the transfer of control over the mountain. Li Minggong nodded and withdrew, while Si Yuanli smiled faintly. Just then, another shattering sound rang out. A vital juncture seemed to have been breached, and the already precarious inner formation trembled violently, threatening to fracture to pieces at any moment. Si Yuanli hurriedly produced an object from his robes.
It was a palm-sized piece of spiritual wood that glowed with a verdant teal light. As soon as he wedged it into the spiritual formation, the rocking array stabilized instantly. Si Yuanli flicked his finger, and the contents within flowed out like running water, arranging themselves neatly across the tabletop.
Silvers and whites mingled together amidst flickering profound patterns: one scroll, one jade slip, one jade box, two talismans, and four jade bottles.
Only then did Li Zhouwei nod and smile. "My thanks for your trouble, Fellow Daoist!"
"No trouble at all!" Si Yuanli hesitated as if wishing to say something, but ended up shaking his head with a smile. Li Zhouwei paid him no further heed and turned his attention to the scroll.
The scroll was silver-white, its texture and style vastly different from the Linguang Huiyang Divine Scroll of years past; it was clearly an ancient relic. Unrolling it with a gentle shake, six silver characters came into view:
Tome of Subduing Ming Mountain.
A single glance told Li Zhouwei it was a Wutu art—the very source of Chengyan's Dharma-Subduing Overcoming-Light Wutu Radiance. That brilliance had been exceptionally formidable and appeared to be of the fifth rank, truly proving its extraordinary provenance.
*Chengyan did not carry this on his person, so there is no need to split it with Si Yuanli...*
The jade slip naturally could not be unsealed yet, which remained a vexing issue. The two talismans were the Mind-Shifting Form-Dispersing Talismans that Chengyan had used. Of the four pills in the jade bottles, aside from one Southern Palace Profound Tassel Pill worth noting, the other three belonged to Wutu and would be difficult to sell off.
Inside the jade box was a piece of Provident Heart Ice, a spiritual resource of the Cold Qi path. While not exceedingly precious, it was exceedingly rare; it could dispel inner demons and purge fire poison, and casting it into a spring would yield the Foundation Establishment spiritual resource Unfallen Rain Cold Water. It was undoubtedly the most valuable prize among the lot.
He casually stored them away, tallying the inventory in his mind: *As expected, the vaults were largely emptied out, but at least Chengyan wasn't entirely destitute...*
Beside him, Si Yuanli wore a wistful look of loss and shook his head. "Chengyan once wielded a treasure called the Yongjing Xuanhuan... It was nowhere to be seen during our battle, and I held out hope that it might have been kept in the vault. In the end, it was taken by Changxiao after all. There was also a piece of Mind-Cultivating Celestial Instrument Stone, a treasure capable of crafting an external incarnation, which is missing as well..."
Only then did Li Zhouwei realize what the man had been searching for. Chuckling softly, he shook his head, his gaze settling on the verdant wood sustaining the inner formation. With a trace of curiosity, he asked, "What is this...?"
Mount Changxiao had been conceded to Si Yuanli, but Li Zhouwei was not about to be so generous as to throw in the Violet Palace grand array. He would not give him the chance to play tricks, making his inquiry plain. Si Yuanli shook his head and explained:
"The core plate of this Violet Palace grand array is deeply concealed. Without the master's command token, we cannot easily meddle with it. I shattered the inner formation and used this Translocation Mulberry Wood to deceive the core plate; otherwise, the entire array would malfunction."
Li Zhouwei smiled faintly and asked, "It seems this grand array will not be so easy to claim."
A Violet Palace grand array was extraordinarily valuable, surpassing even the array on the lake by a fair margin. Yet the Li clan had no intention of using it themselves. For one, they lacked the energy to undertake such an exhaustive endeavor again. Furthermore... this was Changxiaozi's array. Who would dare use it lightly? Without overhauling it from top to bottom through a complete restructuring, no one could cultivate inside in peace. But after such alterations, who could say how much of its original might would remain?
*If my family ever replaces the grand array over the lake... we would rather construct a new one ourselves, dismantle the old, and rebuild it from scratch. How would that be any different from moving this one...?*
Si Yuanli shared the same reasoning. Although the Shangyi path did not conflict with Upright Wood, he possessed abundant wealth; rather than wasting materials on endless modifications, building one anew would grant him far greater peace of mind and comfort. Hearing Li Zhouwei's words, he caught the hint and replied readily:
"I shall dismantle it for you, Fellow Daoist!"
A Violet Palace grand array demanded immense expense and trouble. Back then, even with Xuanyue's core plate in hand, the Li clan had exhausted an untold amount of spiritual materials. Li Zhouwei nodded, stepping outside alongside him, and said softly:
"Since we are already here, I shall leave people behind to await your instructions. However, the core plate is of great value; once the array is dismantled, I must trouble Fellow Daoist to deliver it to us!"
Since Si Yuanli was to occupy this mountain gate anyway, he did not find it a nuisance and nodded with a smile. Li Zhouwei offered him a rare, cordial look, shifted his gaze, and said, "Now that you have a mountain gate to settle down in, the Si family shall take on a whole new atmosphere."
Si Yuanli formed hand seals, seemingly directing the outer array. Billowing white mist churned, while the sky above remained barren and empty. Paying it no mind, he maintained his technique and asked in a low voice:
"Back on Mount Zhijing, when I broached the matter of a mountain gate with Fellow Daoist Zhaojing, it was merely to lay the groundwork. I intended to wait until the dust settled, bring the Chen clan into the fold, and consult Fellow Daoist Zhaojing once more.
"I had assumed the Li clan would adhere to its tradition of self-preservation upon the lake and refrain from stepping forward to take charge... Never did I imagine Your Highness would be so decisive, crossing Xunlin Plain overnight and slaying Chengyan then and there... The lands of Wu and Yue must be in an absolute uproar."
Claiming Mount Changxiao was certainly a cause for celebration, and Si Yuanli felt genuine joy. Yet his regrets were just as plentiful. To the various Violet Palace cultivators, this development had been far too sudden; the one caught unprepared was not just Chengyan, but Si Yuanli himself.
Changxiao Gate was always destined to be carved up. According to Si Yuanli's original plans, once the broader situation stabilized, his Si family would take the lead, joining forces with the Chen and Li clans to eradicate Changxiao Gate...
That way, it would be Si Yuanli who broke Changxiao. The mountain gate would naturally fall to him, the Violet Palace grand array might be preserved intact, and he could distribute a larger share of the spiritual treasures to the other two families to forge goodwill...
Now, though the outcome was identical, the guiding hand had changed, placing Si Yuanli in an awkward spot. The Li clan had indeed granted him the mountain gate, but a grand array of the Violet Palace would never be gifted to him for free!
Thus, when the Li clan had urgently sought him out earlier, Si Yuanli had been utterly shocked. Who could have foreseen the Li clan suddenly turning so aggressive? Brief shock had been followed by immediate hesitation, for in that instant, he had seen through the crux of the matter!
Yet no matter what subtle calculations crossed his mind, given the impassioned display of unity between the two families on the surface, how could he possibly refuse? Even if he had refused, would Li Zhouwei really have failed to conquer Changxiao? At most, Chengyan might have slipped away! And once Changxiao fell, Si Yuanli would have ended up empty-handed—forget the mountain gate, he would not have gained the slightest shred of profit!
Even if he managed to acquire Mount Changxiao afterward, with Chengyan on the loose, would he dare butcher the orphaned disciples filling the mountains or spare them?
Sometimes, in shifting tides of fortune, the distinction between host and guest hinged entirely on who moved first. That single discrepancy had cost him at least a Violet Palace grand array—an asset that would take an ordinary Violet Palace master decades of toil to assemble. Even with Si Yuanli's exorbitant wealth, he could not help but wince inwardly with heartache.
Yet he was a man of deep calculation. From beginning to end, his demeanor appeared completely natural, and he had only proposed splitting Changxiao's treasures evenly. Still, with regret lingering in his chest, he could not resist probing further.
Li Zhouwei glanced at him impassively and replied with open composure, "The Li clan seeks vengeance, and so do I. The Li clan seeks self-preservation, while I seek the Dao. What he said was not wrong—if not my clan, another would have come. It was merely his misfortune that the one who came was me."
Si Yuanli fell silent in hesitation, seemingly weighing the gravity of Li Zhouwei's pursuit of the Dao and contemplating how the Si family ought to position itself in the days to come. Only after a long while did he look up at him.
*The great tree of the White Qilin has grown to this height today, sturdy enough to lean upon. Though a day will come when it falls, for now, it stands rock-solid.*
That was the Li clan's quandary; Si Yuanli had no cause to fret over it. He merely advanced step by step, gradually lifting his head.
The faint, rhythmic patter of trickling blood drifted to their ears. Si Yuanli rested his hand on his waist, unfastened his teal outer robe, and draped it over his forearm. The golden tassels hung loose, revealing his snow-white undergarment.
"My house ought to stand as a clan."
Perfected Qinghu, Sima Yuanli, exhaled deeply from the depths of his chest, a stark transformation coming over his countenance.
Li Zhouwei gave him a lingering look, then stared pensively at the ground beneath his feet, murmuring softly:
"On my way here, I noticed that the rice in Helin Commandery is already half-ripe. When the earth veins shift, the soil's fertility will fluctuate, and the harvests for several years to come will be hard to guarantee. I cannot meddle directly in the affairs of the commandery, but in the final analysis, the blame rests on me. My family will deliver grain and rice, and I must trouble your noble clan to oversee its distribution."
The golden-eyed youth lowered his brows, the ferocious aura that had lingered between them softening:
"While Changxiao was here, they never starved. As I depart this place, I cannot leave them famine in my wake."
In an instant, the tone was no longer that of the former Qingchi Immortal Sect; it was unmistakably a dialogue between two immortal clans. Sima Yuanli, a man of acute perception, raised an eyebrow.
*A warning... or a reminder?*
Yet his face remained beaming with smiles as he replied solemnly, "We shall attend to this matter... flawlessly!"
The two Zhenren stood bathed in light as Sima Xunhui led a retinue up from the mountainside. Naturally handsome and clad in spiritual armor, he presented a magnificent, imposing figure. Behind him followed Wu Fan, beaming with triumph. Together, they bowed toward Sima Yuanli and Li Zhouwei, speaking reverently:
"Greetings to the two Zhenren... The divine ability has fallen, and the peak masters have answered the call of righteousness, joining hands to eradicate the wicked. All have performed meritorious service. Within and without the mountain gate, all is submissive, harmonious, and clear!"
"Splendid!"
Sima Yuanli stroked his beard, his eyes reddening slightly as he closed them with a faint tremor. The youth below the steps raised his brows and called out resoundingly:
"This junior congratulates Zhenren!"
The golden threshold of the cave dwelling shimmered with radiant splendor, rendered even more dazzling under the illumination of the two men's divine abilities. Down the mountainside, blood trickled steadily from the groves, staining the earth with blots of dark crimson.
Several pale-white Daoist robes embroidered with cloud mist patterns lay discarded in the woods, stripped off by cultivators who had been desperate to shed their allegiance. Twisted into sodden heaps amidst pools of blood, they lay disheveled and ragged, while an overturned jade crown stood nearby, brimming with gory water.
Across the mountain, countless cultivators were already prostrating themselves upon the blood-soaked earth, as Wu Fan's deferential voice rang out across the peaks:
"This subordinate offers congratulations to Zhenren!"
Chapter 1009