The moonlight was pure and luminous, pouring down upon steps cast in bronze. Eighteen hundred long tiers appeared solemn and chilly amid the clouds. Below the expansive celestial terrace with gates erected on eight sides, people stood in twos and threes, conversing in hushed, earnest tones.
A Zhenren clad in inky-blue robes strolled along the steps. His face was round, his eyes brimming with vigor, though his expression remained inscrutable. When he reached the very summit, he ran head-on into another figure.
The newcomer was a monk with fair skin and an imposing bearing, gold lacquer dotted between his brows. Stepping down the stairs, he blocked the path square in front of him, pressed his palms together, and smiled.
"Fellow Daoist Bai! Long time no see."
The youth in inky-blue robes was none other than Zhenren Ye Gui, Bai Ziyu. He cast a placid glance over the monk and replied:
"Ah, it is Fellow Daoist Guangchan."
Ye Gui had never been someone easy to cross. Seeing the man planted firmly in his way, he gave a chuckle:
"How comes a practitioner of the Buddhist path into Zhixuan Pavilion? It seems that even if one sits upon the prayer mats in the Dharma Realm, it is still not as comfortable as standing on the floor tiles of our immortal pavilion—comfortable enough to have you walking over day after day."
His words dripped with mockery and veiled barbs, striking straight at a sore spot.
Zhixuan Pavilion was the seat from which Great Zhao commanded immortal cultivators, preceded in Great Liang by Qiuzi Pavilion. Though the Shaoyang Demon Lord had fallen, the lineage of the Zitai Xuanxie Sect survived. That Shaoyang Demon Lord had despised Buddhist cultivators; whenever a Buddhist arrived at Qiuzi Pavilion, regardless of cultivation depth, they were made to stand, whereas immortal cultivators, high or low, were at least granted a cushion to sit on.
Zhixuan Pavilion still preserved this rule. Even though Guangchan was a Mohe, he still had to stand when seeing Wei Xuanyin...
Mohe Guangchan's expression darkened at once. But Ye Gui was not about to let him off, remarking offhandedly:
"In my view, Queliyu reaped great rewards, and since Fellow Daoist is nominally his equal in renown, you could bear it no longer, could you?"
Guangchan shot him a cold glare and replied:
"How pure and tranquil is my Dao lineage? How could it ever be compared to such an evil being? The Qilin is luminous, and the Peacock..."
Ye Gui cut him off directly with a laugh:
"Peacock? The Peacock's ancestor was Piwu, a Great Sage as well. If you were Li Zhouwei... I could only nod at such words. But just what are you?!"
These words stripped away the final pretense of civility between them. The emotional ripple on Guangchan's face smoothed over rapidly, and he murmured coldly:
"Fellow Daoist's tongue lacks peace. You had best take care."
Seeing that he was truly incensed, Ye Gui did not provoke him further, only sneering in silence.
After all, Guangchan was the most prominent and rapidly advancing Mohe in the Damu Dharma Realm over the past century. Ye Gui's path of Duwei was ill-suited for fighting a Mohe, and he would genuinely be no match in a fight. This brought a quiet sigh to Ye Gui's heart:
'The Dao lineage of Duwei is indeed open and uncrowded, yet it is checked and countered in far too many ways... Alas, a person of humble origins like me, having obtained this heritage, had no choice but to walk the path that no one else was willing to tread.'
In the span of that single thought, Guangchan had already swept his sleeves and departed. Ye Gui scoffed, climbed the stairs with brisk strides, and passed beneath the shimmering white plaque reading "Zhixuan Pavilion." What met his eyes was a massive, bright-silver cauldron in the courtyard.
To the side of the grand hall stood a man draped in a feather-like silver robe. His eyes were narrow and long, and his fair five fingers rested against the rim of the cauldron, lightly stirring the luminous water within. Seeing Ye Gui come up, he turned his head with a smile:
"Ziyu has arrived."
Ye Gui hastily bowed with a smile and stood to the side. Wei Xuanyin chuckled and shook his head:
"Bickering with the Buddhists again. I told you long ago that your Duwei has ties to Huaqi. Should some great calamity arise down the line, you could still turn to the Buddhists' side... You are cutting off your own retreat."
Regardless of the northern factions' intrigues, Wei Xuanyin treated Ye Gui quite well. Bai Ziyu merely shook his head:
"I have no desire to deliver others, and he had best not try to deliver me."
Whether this was feigned or genuine, he had the backbone to utter it, and a glint of appreciation rose in Wei Xuanyin's eyes. Ye Gui quickly changed the subject and said solemnly:
"Changxiao Gate has been exterminated, Chengyan has perished, and Li Zhouwei wounded Shilou Yingge within the grotto-heaven. That fellow Shilou Yingge wouldn't even stay to slack off anymore; he fled all the way back to the Qi lands in one breath... Now that Li Zhouwei's spirit treasures are growing in number, ordinary triple divine abilities can no longer suppress him... Though we have four mid-stage Violet Palace cultivators stationed permanently, we fear the Buddhist side has grown vacant with the departure of Queliyu. Under Lord Qi's orders, I have come to request Your Excellency's arrangements."
"Queliyu."
Hearing the name, Wei Xuanyin's expression turned slightly intricate, and he replied:
"They still underestimated the one standing behind him. A descendant of a Great Sage after all; though he cannot compare to Riju and Yuezhu, he can certainly stand shoulder to shoulder with Weiming and Weixi. As for the likes of Dongfang Tianye, they are fit only to serve as his stepping stones."
As for Li Zhouwei's affairs, Wei Xuanyin had evidently learned of them even earlier than Ye Gui. Yet a sigh of marvel still surfaced on his face, and he shook his head:
"Li Zhouwei is extraordinary after all, so it is hardly surprising. As for possessing more and more spirit treasures, that is even less of a surprise. With destiny gracing him, once he broke through, the spiritual objects in the Li clan's hands were bound to multiply."
Though Wei Xuanyin cultivated Jueyin, he was far more serene and detached than Zong Chang. Bearing no malice in his tone, he asked softly:
"Was the slaughter extensive?"
Ye Gui shook his head. On this point, he had a clear grasp, and replied:
"The Li clan's governance is strict. Casualties were very few, confined only to Changxiao Gate."
Wei Xuanyin nodded:
"Mingyang emphasizes 'I am the sovereign and father,' possessing its own rationale for ruling as such. It demands that subordinates offer utmost loyalty and selflessness, severing private gain and personal ambition. With the sovereign-father's authority supreme, loyalty and filial piety reign without self-interest... In bygone years, when the likes of Gongsun Yang and Qu Yi were cultivating in the mountains, they were similarly dragged out by Emperor Wei to render loyalty and filial piety. It is the very same principle.
"And this so-called selflessness ultimately fulfills the sovereign-father's most tyrannical private desires... Still... at least the common folk are useful to the sovereign-father's campaigns and governance, so their lot is somewhat better."
Bai Ziyu nodded repeatedly as he listened, yet that final remark made his brows knit secretly. Originating from the East Sea, he struggled to fathom what Wei Xuanyin meant by it:
'What use could they be? He presides over Zhixuan Pavilion—can words subtly approving of Mingyang like this truly be uttered so casually?'
Keeping to worldly prudence to protect himself, he held his tongue. Wei Xuanyin broke off abruptly, musing:
"As for Chengyan...
"The influence of Emperor Wei suppressing the realm cannot be erased. Bright King Shengming Jin is his blood descendant, yet the Golden Nature he obtained was not Emperor Wei's; at best, he is merely a sham White Qilin. Even so, once his divine ability was formed, he could pummel the Helian clan until they cried out that he was a monster. When clashing with Mingyang, if one can overpower it, it is easy to handle; but once suppressed by Mingyang, save for a few rare lineages, turning the tables becomes exceedingly difficult. Chengyan did not die unjustly...
"Even if he had escaped, he would only have met his death upon reaching the East Sea. No wonder Changxiao wouldn't save him."
Ye Gui's brows furrowed in secret, and he asked:
"What is the reason for this?"
Wei Xuanyin smiled:
"The high-level figures all know what happened in the grotto-heaven back then. Pingyan of Yinzhou—the Yinzhou Violet Palace cultivator who ran errands for the dragonkind—was once promised that if he could get his hands on that portion of True Qi, the dragons would grant him a tremendous opportunity.
"Though Pingyan knew the hopes were slim, he made careful preparations. He had not anticipated his fortune would indeed run so deep, allowing him to stumble upon that True Qi—only for Chengyan to ruin it. That is a grievance greater than murdering his parents!"
Ye Gui quietly acknowledged this and inquired:
"Then what about Changxiaozi...?"
Wei Xuanyin stirred the ripples, watching flakes of white talismans float up from the water's surface, and said indifferently:
"With such a splendid opportunity presented before him by the Yang clan, where Shangyi was practically a match made in heaven, he actually refused to cooperate. If he truly harbored ambitions toward a spiritual position, he would have joined forces with the Yang clan long ago, which would have helped them maintain a balance of power at court...
"In leaning toward us, he clearly has no intention of seeking a spiritual position. He had long harbored designs of taking up a position as the adversary of True Qi and entering the Zhao court to achieve his Dao, intending to slaughter Lulai before departing, sweeping the area clean and destroying the Li clan's foundation in the East Sea..."
"Oh?" Ye Gui frowned and asked, "Did he make a move?"
Wei Xuanyin smiled and answered:
"He waited in Qunyi for a time, where thunder and rain poured every single day. As I see it, Dongfang Heyun kept dragging him along for tea, stubbornly stalling him until Changxiao Gate was wiped out... The dragons have poked their noses into other people's business again."
"They really didn't mind shamelessness!"
Seeing Changxiao suffer a setback, Ye Gui gloated and remarked:
"With Li Qinghong attaining her Dao in thunder, the dragonkind naturally has some pretext to speak."
"Not so," Wei Xuanyin shook his head and said. "That is not how this is tallied. Li Qinghong's situation can be considered an accident; I suspect someone shielded her, yet she holds little say. Do you think the dragonkind harbors much goodwill? Everyone in the realm originally believed they would kill Li Zhouwei first. Though they have spared his life for now, it is merely hypocritical pretense. The premise is that so long as the mountain does not protect him, the dragonkind will not strike first.
"The dragons of the East Sea refrain from harming him because they know that pushing him into northern hands will inevitably lead someone to test the mountain... They simply sit quietly in the East Sea, watching how much maneuvering room remains in the north, and how much control the mountain still exercises over the entire north."
His expression remained calm as he continued:
"This is a rehearsal to see how many harbor secret motives—and should a battle truly break out in the heavens one day, just how many variables will arise in the north without the mountain's mighty beings to suppress it.
"As for Qunyi... its preservation rests upon Liu Changdie."
Wei Xuanyin smiled with keen interest, his gaze still lingering on the script coalescing within the cauldron:
"It seems to me that fellow has finally figured it out. Previously, no one troubled him because these critical Douxuan grotto-heavens still required hands, still needed a wild card. Now that the broader situation is settled and no one favors unpredictable variables, his life has grown uncomfortable.
"Only overseas does he retain some room to maneuver. For one, several positions demanded by the dragonkind relate to Douxuan, so keeping him safe is decidedly beneficial. For another... the dragons are currently in a passive stance; keeping a variable in hand might just turn passive into active when the time comes."
Wei Xuanyin turned serious:
"Do not underestimate Changxiao. He also factored in the variable of Liu Changdie—whether through clandestine plotting or having reached an accord with Sheng Bai, his timing was pinpoint accurate. When trouble arose in the West Sea back then, had Liu Changdie moved, Qunyi would have been indefensible as well."
Ye Gui came to a sudden realization. Lowering his gaze in thought, he steered the conversation back and said:
"Yet if that is so, the layout in Jiangbei..."
Wei Xuanyin waved a hand gently, scattering all the profound talismanic characters across the water's surface, and said casually:
"Gongsun Bei is in Jiangbei with a spirit treasure upon his person, so you have nothing to fear. As for the Buddhists, I shall put in a word..."
Seeing that he was unconcerned, Ye Gui seized the opportunity to voice his own thoughts, probing:
"I have also seen that White Qilin. He didn't appear particularly monstrous or evil."
Wei Xuanyin turned his head, his expression growing solemn, and said in a low voice:
"Do you know of Jun Daowei? To restrict a Mingyang evil, one must take into account Mingyang divine abilities; there is no error in this.
"As divine abilities grow and Mingyang attains its proper place, he cannot be measured by common logic. When facing him, one must bind him, constrain him, and thwart him at every turn before he even makes a move. If he is allowed a breath of respite to charge forth, Mingyang treads danger—and unless I enter the fray personally, no restriction will hold. There will only be another Chengyan."
He murmured faintly:
"I shall certainly give them a warning. If the Buddhists make light of it, they shall bear the consequences themselves."
……
Lake Wangyue.
The sky was luminous, the lake shimmering. Pale-white streaks of escape light crisscrossed the horizon as cultivators rode the wind in orderly procession. Purple-gold profound pillars pierced sky and earth alike, presenting an imposing immortal spectacle.
Li Suining stood quietly within an elevated pavilion, raising his brows as he looked out:
'The King of Wei has returned...'
In the sky, sea-like billows of clouds parted as the colossal golden vessel loomed like a great beast swimming through deep cloud-seas, stretching its form beneath the sun's glare. Aboard the ship, jade-armored warriors stood in disciplined array, amid divine vaults and crimson towers, layer upon layer, chamber upon chamber, radiating magnificent brilliance.
He gazed at the massive golden vessel, while the old man beside him stood wordlessly to one side, his eyes turned toward the heavens brimming with reverence. Li Suining exhaled a heavy breath and said, somewhat incredulously:
"Old Du... did Zhenren Chengyan truly perish at Changxiao?"
Du Dou hastened to bow and said respectfully:
"This humble one only heard it from the lords above, and knows not whether it is true or false. I only heard news carrying back... The accompanying cultivators said that in Helin Commandery... the sky rained earth and stone, piling up tens of feet deep along the roads, blacker than pitch! Fiendish qi also bubbled up from the ground, soaking the soil so thoroughly that it couldn't even be pinched together... Anyone stepping onto it would sink right in, and crawling out, they would fall terribly ill...
"We few old men wagged our tongues and mulled it over... Surely the death of a Zhenren ought to be just like that."
Li Suining's cultivation was by no means low. Listening to this, he nodded, already eight or nine parts convinced in his heart:
'He was truly slain!'
In his past life, when the Chen family struck, Changxiao Gate had similarly fallen, but Chengyan had either received a warning or possessed some means to flee into obscurity. Whether he went to the East Sea or followed Changxiao, no further word had ever been heard of him.
This jarring contrast between past life and present stirred deep reflections within him, prompting a sigh:
"The clans of Helin ought to have a record written: 'In late spring, the fifth month, the Heavenly Gate shone bright, pressing upon the nine heavens. Soon mountains collapsed and the earth split; earth and stone rained down, and fiendish vapors rose from the ground. Stepping outdoors to gaze upon it, soil had piled tens of feet deep along the roads, dark and sleek like congealed fat... and thus it was known that Chengyan had been slain.'"
Du Dou understood only half of it, but that hardly mattered. Tucking his hands into his sleeves, he said obsequiously:
"The young master speaks with utmost wisdom."
Even as he offered his flattery, a clear, placid voice drifted lazily from within the pavilion:
"The young master certainly has fine leisure and taste."
Li Suining quickly turned his head, only to see a man standing in the pavilion. Clad in black robes, his brows were broad and long, his eyes slightly narrowed to reveal grey-black pupils, glowing piercingly with an air of sinister malice.
Fixing his gaze intently on Li Suining's eyes, those grey-black pupils held a hint of sizing up and scrutiny. With a faint smile, he said in a low voice:
"This one is Chen Yang, undeservedly handling affairs before the Zhenren. Having been in secluded cultivation for a while... the young master likely does not recognize me..."
Li Suining's gaze held an unusual glint, lingering for a long time upon that pair of grey-black eyes before slowly sweeping over the man's form. He replied:
"So it is Guest Elder Chen. Your great name has long resounded in my ears... We are both of Qingdu blood; Senior need not stand on ceremony!"
'The Emperor's Scripture of Ten Thousand Chariots Slaying Light.'
Li Ximing glanced over it and praised:
"It is indeed more suitable. Although both belong to the Scarlet Severing Arrowhead and their grades cannot be distinguished, the inheritance between Wei and Li is distinct. The Emperor's Scripture of Ten Thousand Chariots Slaying Light is clearly more orthodox than the Scarlet Tiao Guard General Dharma Scripture!"
Li Zhouwei nodded and replied:
...
Chapter 1010