Guo Nanwu bowed, then tore through the Great Void alongside Sima Yuanli and departed. Still somewhat astonished, Li Ximing invited Kuangyu to take a seat at the table. Pouring tea, he asked, “Fellow Daoist, what was that about…?”
Kuangyu shook her head with a faint smile and replied, “With the Sima family’s Real Person present just now, there were some things I couldn't speak freely about… After all, he is closely tied to Dantai and shares no real friendship with us, so some wariness is only prudent.”
She raised her hand to accept the tea and took a sip with a smile, showing no concern at all over how close Li Ximing’s relationship with the Sima family might be. Calmly, she said, “Now that he calls himself Sima, he must also bear the karma of the Sima family… Senior Yuanxiu has already paved a wide network of connections for him across the Southeastern Sea. If the State of Yue wishes to exert its influence over the two seas, both he and Real Person Zhusheng cannot be circumvented. When that time comes… there will still be many dealings to have with them!
“At that point, one will be called Real Person Sima, and the other Governor-General Liu.”
Hearing the name of Real Person Zhusheng, Li Ximing was not surprised in the least. He let out a soft sigh, and only then did Kuangyu continue:
“It wasn’t easy to speak of it earlier, but these matters should still be made clear to you. It is true that the Guo family fled overseas toward the end of Liang. Yet the troubled times at Liang’s end spanned more than three hundred years, during which the Central Plains saw one hundred and twenty-seven states. The Guo clan was actually a regional feudal lord whose state bore the name of Yong.”
“A feudal lord?”
Li Ximing paused slightly, his expression growing somewhat complicated. “I heard long ago that when the barbarians breached the passes a thousand years ago in the north, there was an era where numerous states stood side by side. I never imagined it lasted for three whole centuries…”
Kuangyu lowered her voice. “A centipede dies but never falls down flat; Great Liang was a colossal behemoth after all. Its control over the north was lost after the Emperor of Liang drowned and the regional military commissioners fell into rebellion. Yet its authority lingered on. Every military commissioner brandished him as an imperial seal, dragging out the dying empire’s breath. That era is what we call the ‘Fall of Liang and Rise of Zhao.’ First came military rebellion, stripping the Emperor of Liang of his majesty; then came the Jie barbarian chaos, bringing Great Liang to total ruin. Only afterward did Zhao rise… And it all began when the Emperor of Liang drowned.”
A strange look flickered across Li Ximing’s face. He had already heard of the Emperor of Liang drowning from Kongheng. He merely asked, “Great Liang modeled itself after Great Wei, and no matter what, the Emperor of Liang was an exalted cultivator… To drown? Does that point toward… Water Virtue?”
A trace of fear crept into Kuangyu’s expression as she replied, “That is beyond what the likes of us may know… No radiance of Water Virtue was seen; instead, a comet flickered in the sky as ‘Xiuyue’ took its throne, and Great Liang’s Directorate of Astronomy collapsed. That was also the exact hour the curtain rose on the chaotic era of late Liang. It was precisely then that the speed of Great Void traversal underwent a qualitative leap, and formation plates became widespread across the world…”
“‘Xiuyue’ taking its throne…”
Li Ximing lowered his gaze and sipped his tea to conceal his astonishment. Calculating rapidly on his fingers, if reckoned by this timeline, that Perfected Monarch had already held his exalted throne for more than a thousand years.
Kuangyu clearly dared not discuss Perfected Monarch Taiyue. Forcing a smile, she answered, “That King of Yong was named Guo Wusi, and he was slain by the Qi clan’s ancestor, Qi Wang… Retreating from the lands within the seas marked the Guo family’s complete withdrawal from the stage of those troubled times. You need not worry about his ties to the north, Fellow Daoist… There is no need to make things difficult for him over these matters. He harbors no thought of vengeance—he wouldn't dare touch it even if he could!”
*Perfected Monarch Taiyue… is deeply tied to the fall of Great Liang… She even dares hint at Perfected Monarch Taiyue, yet skirts entirely around the drowning and dares not mention that Water Virtue… It is very likely one of the three houses.*
Li Ximing nodded silently in contemplation. Raising his brows, he asked, “I still have one doubt… Since that Real Person recognized what is extraordinary about the Changyue Zhibianjin, would you be willing to share a detail or two?”
Kuangyu sighed. “This matter isn’t really any grand secret. Nanwu did ask when he achieved the Violet Palace, but he dislikes the Sima family and so was unwilling to speak of it earlier… That was already him being tactful, since he didn't want to take up the Guo family's former karma while also having favors to ask of them.”
The woman took a sip of tea and continued, “Since this item carries the connotation of radiant light and is also a metal of upholding change, it naturally cannot be separated from Lord Taiyu of old!”
Li Ximing fell silent for a moment before asking, “To tell you the truth, I have some understanding of the Sun lineage. This matter… is quite strange… There is only a single ‘Dui Gold’ Dao Fruit… I have never heard of distinguishing between the Old Year and the Present Day… And even if it is distinguished, what use does it serve?”
Kuangyu appeared somewhat anxious. After weighing her thoughts repeatedly, she finally replied, “Let me put it this way, Fellow Daoist… The One upon the Gold Mountain of the Great Desert can be called an evergreen tree of Metal Virtue, a peak difficult to surpass. From antiquity to the present, there have certainly been figures more formidable than Him, and He has met them all. Yet a figure who reshaped heaven and earth as He did can hardly ever be found again…
“Perhaps His attainment of monarchhood cannot match the ancient beings of empty realization, yet it is enough to eclipse over sixty percent of the Perfected Monarchs. Even the Dao Fruit changed its name on His account… Naturally, there is a distinction between the Present Day and the Old Year!”
Her mouth was full of praise, yet the more she praised, the more unsettled Li Ximing felt.
*No matter how much one praises that One, the upheaval of Dui Gold can never be erased. How is this praise? Every single sentence is pointing an accusing finger!*
Listening, Li Ximing felt drumbeats in his heart. He replied, “I have also heard of His abilities…”
Kuangyu shook her head in near-suffocation, clearly not believing from his expression that he had truly heard much. She simply answered, “This Changyue Zhibianjin belongs to the Old Year’s metal. The best way to handle it is to condense and polish it into a small mirror to illuminate light and baleful qi—these were the old Real Person’s own words. He has spent his entire life crafting artifacts, so his counsel is well worth heeding.
“As for other uses…” Kuangyu paused, a peculiar look in her eyes. “Giving it to Jinyu or giving it to the Sword Sect are both fine… but doing so will severely offend one of the sides.”
Li Ximing pressed down on the jade box in silence, musing wordlessly for a long time before asking, “May I ask the name of that Dao Fruit?”
Kuangyu fell silent at first, then soon answered, “Back when I studied the Dao at Hengzhu, there was a book titled *Five Lectures on Dui Gold*. It was an ancient text containing some errors, which recorded the path of ‘Dui Gold’ as the Path of ‘Shenbai Duijin Shangyou,’ claiming it to be the proper sovereign seat of Shen-You Metal.”
“The sovereign seat.”
Li Ximing was momentarily lost in thought. He murmured, “The proper sovereign seat of Shen-You Metal… Asking me to uphold gold… what is being upheld is the Dui Gold of this sovereign seat…”
“Fellow Daoist Zhaojing?”
Kuangyu raised her brows. Li Ximing shook his head slightly and smiled. “It just reminded me of a treasure belonging to the Sima family.”
Kuangyu nodded and smiled. “Aside from Nanwu’s business, I happen to have some good news for you, Fellow Daoist. The Cold Cloud Heart Iron you entrusted me to look for some years ago finally has news. Real Person Xuanyi happened upon it by chance, and I have procured it for you.”
From her sleeve, she produced a silver iron box and set it upon the table. Inside, a layer of frost had condensed, giving off thick plumes of white vapor. Amidst the mist lay a palm-sized piece of cold iron, glowing with a soft white luster.
Li Ximing’s eyes lit up. “Is there something you seek in return, Fellow Daoist?”
The woman looked at him with some hesitation, straightened her posture, and nodded. “I happened to hear from Fellow Daoist Xuanyi that you have a portion of Shangxiang Silver. My path happens to need it, so I wished to exchange with you… but this matter… feels somewhat inappropriate…”
“Shangxiang Silver has been exhausted for a long time, whereas cold-qi spiritual resources are fairly common. I would be taking advantage of you, Fellow Daoist.”
Li Ximing smiled and said, “You have also taken great care with Queyi’s cultivation methods, and your care over these years has not gone unnoticed. There is no need to stand on ceremony!”
Li Queyi had been cultivating on her island all along, and the superior method she practiced now was thanks to Kuangyu’s efforts. Although Kuangyu had never brought it up, Li Ximing kept it firmly in mind and had no intention of remaining indebted to her for nothing. He retrieved the treasure, placed it in her hands, and said solemnly, “If anything, I feel this is still not enough.”
“I am fond of that child, but it was never done to exchange for a favor from your clan.”
Kuangyu smiled and shook her head, though Li Ximing took her words with a grain of salt. He exchanged pleasantries and walked her out of the mountain. Handing the Cold Cloud Heart Iron back into her care, he chuckled and said, “Then please have Nanwu make the trip to deliver this to Dingyangzi. While he is there, please ask on my behalf… how the progress on my family’s suit of armor is coming along.”
“Very well!”
Kuangyu bowed and replied, “When good news arrives for your noble clan, we will certainly come to offer our congratulations!”
Li Ximing knew she was referring to the conferral of kingship. Shaking his head with a sigh, he made his way back into the mountain, musing inwardly:
*I shall temper my Immortal Foundation for another year, then test ‘All Under Heaven Bright.’*
***
Hetian Sea, Yinzhou.
Yinzhou was vast, with undulating mountain ranges steeped in chilling, dense blood-qi. White bones littered the vales, and monsters ran rampant everywhere. Isolated from the mortal world, divine abilities and radiant Buddhist emanations frequently shuttled through the Great Void, making landfall upon the continent.
The sea lapping against the island’s shores shimmered with shades of blue and white. Amidst blooming lotus flowers in the Great Void, a golden-robed monk revealed his form, the top of his shaved head reflecting the shimmering sea light with undulating brilliance.
His expression was placid as still water and his bearing was extraordinary. With a shake of his body, he transformed into a dark-haired, long-bearded Daoist and descended into the mountains. Instantly, a blue-scaled beast bounded up the mountain, planted its long spear into the ground, and asked, “Has Great Being Minghui arrived?”
Minghui Mohe looked calm and said impassively, “I come at the invitation of Pingyanzi. Lead the way, Demon General.”
The blue-scaled beast guided him forward, urging, “Hurry, Great Being, do not keep the Great King waiting.”
Anywhere else, had Minghui Mohe encountered such a beast, he would have subdued it as a mount; how could he have permitted it to speak to him in such a manner? Yet this time was different. Not only did he show no anger, but he even hastened his stride.
*That devil Pingyan is truly something! Failing to notify me in time… Does he not know it takes time for me to rush here from within the seas?*
At the mountaintop stood a pavilion where two figures sat: an elder and a youth. The elder had a sallow complexion, drooping brows, and a drifting white beard; he stroked his beard as he spoke. Meanwhile, the youth wore a flowing robe with sleeves embroidered in gold thread, nodding as he listened.
The moment Minghui stepped onto the peak and laid eyes on the youth, his own eyes felt a piercing heat. Looking intently, he saw blazing light and flame burning around the man—a sign of a karmic mandate reaching its zenith. Faint white markings drifted across scales emerging at his neck. Minghui’s heart seized with a chill.
*It’s this lord.*
“Minghui of Lotus Temple greets both Fellow Daoists!”
Li Zhouwei raised his brows at the words and saw a Daoist. A shift in his golden eyes instantly saw through the man’s true form. He heard Pingyanzi chuckle, “Please!”
The monk took his seat, gathered his sleeves, and offered his congratulations: “Fellow Daoist has achieved the Violet Palace… I have heard of it even in the north, and offer my congratulations to Wangyue!”
Li Zhouwei truly held little favor for Buddhist cultivators. Had Lotus Temple not maintained close ties with immortal cultivators, and were Minghui not the only channel capable of handling the items in his hands, he would hardly have sat down to speak with a Buddhist at all. He simply replied, “You are too polite.”
Traveling across Yinzhou, Li Zhouwei had felt profoundly baffled inside.
What outsiders described as an immortal mountain and immortal continent was in reality overrun with fiends and paved with white bones. Rice flesh was piled high for feasts, and crimson blood gathered into pools. The mortal and spiritual resources of the entire Hetian Sea were channeled unceasingly into the continent, allowing the creatures in the mountains to gorge themselves to their hearts' content. Grinning savagely and laughing uproariously, they would depart the continent once sated to patrol the seas under orders, lingering reluctantly as they looked back.
These scenes, though concealed within the forests and tucked inside palaces, were laid bare before his eyes.
*Be it Huiyao, those few monsters, or even the grand figures of the dragon lineage, they all likely sit in their midst, eating flesh and drinking blood without a doubt.*
The dragon lineage’s dominion over the seas was no mere title. Even the Cui clan had to obediently surrender spiritual materials; only because of their higher status were they spared from sending their own kin to be consumed by beasts. Toward the common cultivators of the Eastern Sea, however, the dragons showed no such courtesy!
*Accumulated over years and months… the white bones of Yinzhou could be piled into mountains and pave the sea into reefs.*
Fiends and monsters came and went throughout this entire Daoist sect, its disciples riding demonic gales. Though the Pingyan before him bore the air of a transcendent immortal, casting a discerning eye upon him revealed nothing but a skeleton draped in a skin sack—he had already cultivated a bloodless, fleshless dharmic skeleton. One lift of his garments would reveal churning demonic qi and hazy bloodlight beneath!
Even the Daoist before him was no Daoist at all, but a plump monk radiating the bright light of Benevolent Joy. Yet the Path of Benevolent Joy was no righteous pursuit either. To call Pingyan’s mountain and the dragons’ continent a demon’s den was not the slightest exaggeration!
*This is the true nature of the Chi lineage.*
His expression remained composed and aloof. Minghui showed no embarrassment, smiling as he sat upright to the side. Only then did Pingyan speak, his voice deep and resonant like that of an attained master of the Dao:
“I have kept the Great King waiting long!”
Yet what reflected in Li Zhouwei’s golden eyes was merely a bare skull opening and closing its jaws. Without wasting words, Li Zhouwei produced a clattering heap of golden artifacts from his sleeve—rings, cassocks, cups, and lotus pedestals—piling them upon the ground as they gave off a dazzling glow.
Astonished, Minghui rose to his feet, scanning the items one by one. Pingyan, however, shifted his gaze toward Li Zhouwei.
“The Great King’s arrival from afar was truly beyond our expectations… My humble mountains are crude; I fear we have neglected the Great King.”
“It is no matter.”
Li Zhouwei shook his head. Pingyan’s gaze flickered slightly. Sensing the surging sun-pure Yang qi striking him, his demonic arts felt a touch of discomfort, and a dense, pitch-black hue surfaced in his pupils.
“Great King… I have heard… you hold a treasure named ‘Qianyang,’ gifted by the White Dragon Crown Prince. Is this true?”
“Oh?”
Li Zhouwei raised his brows, his gaze suddenly turning razor-sharp as he asked, “Indeed… What business do you have with it, Fellow Daoist Pingyan?”
“Heh.”
Pingyan raised his brows and let out a laugh, his sallow face looking stiff. He whispered, “A few days ago, at a grand banquet in the sea, a fiend raised this matter to denounce the Crown Prince, causing the Beihai Dragon King to fly into a tremendous rage. Though I was not seated at the banquet, I received several instructions… An exalted lord of the Black Dragon Lineage… also wishes to meet the Great King!”
Li Zhouwei’s gaze bore into Pingyan’s face with scrutiny, trying to determine which Dragon King the man truly served. Yet before he could answer, he caught the faint sound of soft footsteps.
Instead of tensing, Li Zhouwei’s body relaxed further. Leaning casually against the table, he said nonchalantly, “Be my guest.”
Before his words even finished drifting through the air, a cold wind abruptly whipped through the pavilion, and a black-robed man appeared outside.
The man was tall and burly, his features sharp as if hewn by blades and axes, ferocious and imposing. His expression was both savage and cold. Two strands of black hair hung across his smooth forehead, swaying gently in the wind. At his waist hung a long saber, its scabbard wrought of white bone and adorned with gems, roiling with profound demonic qi.
The man bared his teeth in a cold smile. Bristling mane hairs emerged from his neck, unleashing billowing monstrous qi into the air to form a swirling black gale of baleful wind around his body.
“Black Dragon Lineage, Guangfou.”
Li Zhouwei raised his gaze to meet his. Those dragon eyes were brimming with churning demonic qi and murderous intent, prompting an alert, cold sneer in his heart almost instantaneously:
*Very good… you truly intend to kill me.*
Pingyan had already stepped away from his seat, bowing with utmost deference. Minghui stood terrified, caught between two fires with sweat beading on his brow. Only the golden-eyed youth stood quietly in the pavilion, speaking coldly:
“Minghuang, Li Zhouwei.”
Chapter 1020