The Great Void.
Layers of metallic baleful qi flowed within dim interplays of light and shadow. A Real Person clad in a robe of metal, stone, and flying sand stood holding radiant light. After taking a few steps, he came to a halt and looked toward the mortal realm with a beaming smile, while the woman beside him waited at an angle.
"Milord... will a fight break out?"
"It won't come to that."
Real Person Tianhuo shook his head with a smile and answered, "Qing Jifang has nothing to gain from winning, and losing would be all the more humiliating. While friction exists between the two states, it is far from reaching the point where kings and princes clash in arms... From beginning to end, this was merely Tanshan trying to curry favor."
Seeing the woman nod in understanding, he pointed outside the Great Void at the vast spectacle of the two nations facing off and chuckled, "Yet his actions today carry the exact same flavor. As they say, a stingy man... reincarnating into a new life, even if he forgets everything from his past existence, he still cannot shake off his pettiness in the end. He refuses to take the slightest immediate loss, appearing terribly small-minded."
The woman clearly knew he was mocking Qing Tangyin, and she lowered her gaze, saying, "True Qi originally had nothing to do with Changhuai. The one on Changhuai dwells in an isolated corner, cut off from spiritual qi, living high in seclusion—originally walking the same path as Xiaojin. Would that not conflict with the way of entering the mortal world? As the Scripture of Taihua says: *Heavenly stations are not to be forced; affinity is prized above divine abilities*... Ah, even for Wutu to drive away Mingyang took a thousand years!"
Such praise and criticism were not truly proper for her to voice. Tianhuo knew she revered that Perfected Monarch Xiaojin in the north and harbored slight reservations toward Mount Changhuai, so he remarked faintly, "I have heard that among the lineages of Taiyang, Xingbei originally led the way, yet today it is the lord of Changhuai whose cultivation stands highest... Were he not constrained by the station, he could well look toward the Dao Embryo. Who could have foreseen such a thing?"
Having received the reprimand, the woman fell silent. Tianhuo waited for a while, watching the grey mist on the horizon gradually recede, before finally manifesting in the world. Coming to a halt amid the mountains cloaked in drifting white fog, he looked toward the black-robed man and smiled, "Greetings, King of Wei!"
In truth, Li Zhouwei had sensed his presence long before and had only just forced Qing Jifang to retreat. Showing not the slightest surprise, he cupped his hands and said, "Many thanks, Real Person!"
Tianhuo understood that he was referring to the matter of the Zhuang family. He chuckled, shook his head, and clasped his hands behind his back as he followed behind the prince. His bearing was otherworldly as he strode along the clouds in the sky. One immortal, one king, they complemented each other splendidly.
"This is Duanyan!"
This noble scion of the Jinyi Orthodox Lineage gestured toward Zhang Duanyan beside him. The woman immediately bowed slightly and smiled. "Greetings, King of Wei!"
Jinyu had always acted without fanfare; its triumphs and failures all unfolded within grotto-heavens. How many years had it been? Yet this fairy had already achieved the Violet Palace. Li Zhouwei nodded slightly. Tianhuo said with utmost courtesy, "I was originally intending to visit Ting Province anyway, so I simply took this opportunity to come over... I wonder... where might Fellow Daoist Zhaojing be?"
"My granduncle is still in seclusion... I am afraid he cannot receive guests."
After the clash that had just taken place in the west, Li Ximing still had not shown any trace of himself. This seclusion was almost certainly genuine, causing Tianhuo's gaze to shift slightly.
*What poor timing...*
Though he mused inwardly, his mouth did not stop as he sneered, "Qing Jifang is quite a remarkable figure. Back when the matter of the Wenwu Pingqing Goblet occurred, I always thought he and his father were merely acting in concert. But seeing how sheer foolishness is written all over his face today, even I cannot tell whether he is truly stupid or merely playing dumb."
Tianhuo was at odds with Qing Jifang and threw out a barb or two, but Li Zhouwei treated it as mere polite banter while quietly taking measure in his heart:
*Qing Jifang's strength is still not to be underestimated... He possesses an abundance of treasures, and his spells are formidable. Taking a direct strike from the Huayang Royal Battleaxe didn't even make his expression change... To completely suppress him, one would need at least three divine abilities in the mid Violet Palace stage...*
*And if a fight truly breaks out between the two sides, even if I can safely withstand him, the cultivators across the lake will surely suffer...*
While Tianhuo mocked him, Zhang Duanyan smiled faintly and offered a bow, saying, "After all, he was born of a spiritual item and bears the roots of Mingfang Xuanyuan..."
Real Person Tianhuo neither agreed nor disagreed, replying, "Duanyan, that is rather shallow of you. Stingy as Qing Tangyin may be, his attainment and schemes are far from superficial. Back then, he used Mingfang Xuanyuan to sire a son and employed Jueyin to harmonize it, aiming for an equilibrium of yin and yang. Early on, he wanted Qing Jifang to cultivate True Qi... Unfortunately... what kind of standing must one possess to dare attempt the harmonization of yin and yang? Since ancient times, many have harbored the delusion of harmonizing yin and yang in their offspring, yet none of the resulting progeny turned out well... Too much Mingyang brings tyranny and cruelty; too much Jueyin brings ugliness and cowardice. Qing Jifang can already be considered one of the better outcomes!"
His words caused Li Zhouwei to pause slightly, seemingly making some connection, and he fell into silent contemplation. Tianhuo laughed and said, "The moment he was born, Qing Tangyin knew the attempt had failed. Fortunately, the child possessed good talent, so he was shunted into cultivating the Qingyi Xuan Earth Lineage to be driven at the mountain's behest..."
Li Zhouwei nodded and probed, "Now Mount Changhuai and Jinyi serve the same state as well."
Tianhuo's smile gradually faded, giving way to a hint of helplessness. With a soft sigh, he answered, "Matters of immortals are nothing more than cultivating in accord with the times, observing where the Heavenly Mandate lies, and following the shifts of the Metallic Station. It cannot be called serving or not serving; one can only say we move with the tide!"
His words sounded pleasant, but Li Zhouwei knew they were not spoken from the heart—the Jinyi Orthodox Lineage was hardly made of recluses devoted to quiet seclusion. There had been plenty of days when the world had to follow the shifts of Jinyi and adapt to the momentum of Shangqing!
Yet Li Zhouwei still responded, "The Real Person speaks with absolute truth. Today, the shifts of the Metallic Station lie between Shu and Song. Zhao and Yan stand to the north, and they are hardly the sort to stay within their bounds or remain mediocre and idle. I have accepted the Song Emperor's mandate; I wonder how many chances I will have to share laughs and conversation with the Real Person at Mount Xiping."
Though Li Zhouwei's words were veiled, Tianhuo was not the carefree playboy he appeared on the surface and understood them with complete clarity:
*What role does your Jinyu play in the Shu Court?*
Li Zhouwei's golden eyes shone brightly as he awaited his answer.
The lands of Wu and Yue could once be mentioned in the same breath, but now the difference between them was like heaven and earth. To put it bluntly, the current strength of the Great Song was truly feeble. Unless the Emperor himself moved, Mount Changhuai alone was enough to stretch the entire Song State to its limits...
Tianhuo understood clearly in his heart:
*Sima Yuanli is narrow-minded and overly anxious—fit to serve as an assistant, but never as a pillar of support. Ning Wan's heart is frail and her temperament soft, unfit for great duties... Under the Song Court, there are truly no heroes.*
*And beyond the Song Court... Lingu has an inferior seed: endowed with resources meant to reach the heavens, it produced merely a three-foot shoot, inviting ridicule. Chen Yin guards Yuyang, yet his strength cannot match his will. The Sword Sect harbors selfish designs and shuts its doors. Though Ziyan obeys orders, one is sickly and the other young—how could they accomplish anything of note?*
*Li Zhouwei is a treasured weapon of an empire, yet his blade is not yet unsheathed, and he is bound by a killing tribulation. Though Liu Bai is an immortal vanguard of blue jade, his heart harbors discontent, and he guards the South Sea. Yang Ruiyi's depth remains unknown, but without crossing the Canzi threshold, at best he is merely another mid Violet Palace Li Zhouwei...*
*All these people combined amount to no more than Mount Changhuai and the Nine Surnames. If our Jinyu enters the fray, the border defenses of the Song Court will become nothing more than a joke... What is more, there is the North! The North covets Li Zhouwei even more!*
*This is not merely a matter of the Great Song dynasty. Behind the Great Song stands the Netherworld Tribunal, capable of holding the situation in the end. But his Lake Wangyue sits right by the river... It leaves him no choice but to worry!*
Tianhuo calculated everything clearly, yet when it came to answering, he hesitated slightly. After waiting in silence for a good while, he finally said, "The desert is pacified, and the immortal mountains are sealed. Pacification commissions have been established across the former lands of Jinyi, while the cultivators of our Jinyi Orthodox Lineage remain in seclusion, possessing no desire to interfere in the world. Only Real Person Tianque descended to Qize. At the very least... there are still quite a few years during which we can meet!"
Li Zhouwei grasped his meaning immediately and pondered for a moment.
*Perfected Monarch Taiyuan has indeed joined forces with Changhuai, but there are still many days before Jinyu enters the board. For the short term, the two sides won't truly come to blows, but in the end, a clash is inevitable.*
Although Jinyu's goodwill was born of self-interest, it showed plainly on the surface. After pondering for a long time, Li Zhouwei suddenly raised his brows and said, "War between the south and north, east and west, is imminent... The Violet Palaces taking action will be the most seen in a century. Xiuwu is open and honorable, but the northern Buddhists are not necessarily so. If the struggle between north and south escalates to the point of disregarding rules, I fear those who will be slaughtered first are the Foundation Establishment cultivators."
Tianhuo shook his head and answered, "With the Xiuwu Star above, has the King of Wei's miraculous golden pupils observed anything from it?"
"Oh?"
Li Zhouwei paused for a moment and replied, "When I observe this star, I sense only coiling fortunes and shining golden light, but no further impressions."
Tianhuo said solemnly, "This star is extraordinary. It is not born for Song, nor does it perish for Shu; it is the resonance of Tianwu's killing intent. All lands illuminated by True Qi fall under its governance. So long as Shengyang has not been pushed into the Great Void, they are subject to this star's scrutiny and protection. Ordinary people cannot look upon it. As the King of Wei, endowed with destiny, you are naturally unhindered by any taboos.
"Yet when ordinary cultivators look up at this star, they find it dazzling and blinding, a raging fire burning their hearts. The Buddhist cultivators in the north are no different, feeling as though thorns prick their backs under Xiuwu's gaze and its boundless might... Charging and clashing between battle lines is the Way of Xiuwu, and thus remains unaffected. But should any Lianmin wield a butcher's blade on a grand scale or slaughter officials beneath this star's gaze, destiny will surely come to claim retribution.
"If one incurs too much killing intent, the light of Xiuwu will descend and claim one's life. In the end, they must maintain some sense of decency."
This was the first Li Zhouwei had heard of such wonders, and he nodded quietly. Tianhuo sighed, "However, saying so is one thing... If someone truly bullies the weak, slaying hundreds or thousands of mortals, or one or two cultivators, though troublesome, it won't lead to any catastrophic consequence... National war between north and south is one matter, but if someone truly casts all shame aside, how could a self-sensing killing intent possibly stop them..."
His words carried a subtle warning. Li Zhouwei acknowledged it, and Tianhuo shifted the conversation, saying, "Still, you can rest assured regarding your young lords... As legitimate sons of the King of Wei, they are bound to receive Xiuwu's deep attention. So long as they have not achieved divine abilities, their destinies are sheltered within the Xiuwu Star. At most, they must beware of being besieged by Masters; under no circumstances would they be converted by senior cultivators."
Li Zhouwei became thoughtful:
*If that is so... Jianglong and Jiangxia should be safe, and Jiangqian will soon make his attempt on the Violet Palace. However, Jiangchun and Quewan carry talisman seeds within them; they might not truly be governed by this star, and who knows how they appear in the eyes of the outside world...*
Though he possessed a divine marvel, he ultimately lacked a destiny divine ability and could not see as clearly as these people. After remaining silent for a long time, he secretly let out a breath and said politely, "Our lake rarely enjoys peaceful days. If the Real Person finds leisure, you are welcome to visit the lake and sit with us."
Tianhuo raised his brows and gazed at him, saying solemnly, "The grand tides of the world are turbulent, rising here and falling there, yet there is no great conflict in the pursuit of immortality. The King of Wei may well invite a friend or two to discuss border defense. Jinyi is sensitive after all, so I can only come as far as Mount Xiping."
Reaching this point, he stopped abruptly. Halting his steps on the mountain, he smiled and said, "Forgive me for not being able to cross the border to see you off. Seeing the King of Wei's splendid bearing today... I have already returned with an abundant harvest."
Li Zhouwei drew back his gaze and exchanged a few polite words. Waiting until the two stepped into the Great Void and took their leave, the smile on his face slowly faded.
*Rising here and falling there... the matter of border defense...*
Turning back in some haste, he commanded, "Zhouda."
Li Zhouda and the rest had been waiting amid the mountains. Hearing his call, the burly man hurried forward, bowed before him, and said respectfully, "Your Highness!"
Li Zhouwei paced slowly, casting his gaze toward the mountain wrapped in dense white fog, chilly wind, and cold rain, and said in a low voice, "The Shu troops have withdrawn and will not come again for the time being. Mount Xiping's spiritual energy is meager. Have Miaoshui lead a troop to repair the formation at Guyan Temple at the foot of the mountain as before."
"Understood!"
Li Zhouwei raised his brows. "Have Xinghan and the Zhuang clansmen been received?"
"They have already been brought into the mountains..."
Li Zhouda answered, only to hear his elder brother instruct him in a somewhat hurried tone:
"Have... have the two of them stay at Guyan to assist Miaoshui... The Zhuang clan still has its uses. Tell Zhuang Pingye to recruit some itinerant cultivators right at the foot of the mountain and hold their ground firmly."
Li Zhouda sensed the urgency in his words and hurried off. Li Zhouwei frowned and strode down the mountain at ease, where his two sons stood in the mountains without uttering a word.
Li Jianglong and Li Jiangxia were both in the late Foundation Establishment stage. One wore a splendid crown and crimson robes, while the other possessed a majestic, handsome countenance; they stood far apart from each other. Seeing Li Zhouwei descend step by step, Li Jianglong, who was currently managing clan affairs, took a direct step forward and said respectfully, "Father."
With a somber expression, Li Zhouwei said, "Draft two memorials for me. The first is a reply to the Song Emperor to express loyalty. The second is to commend the Zhuang clan for their meritorious service in defending the state and Zhuang Cheng's devotion to the Song... requesting the Song Court to confer a noble title upon the Zhuang clan, stationed in the desert, and assign them to guard the border."
How clever Li Jianglong was; he understood at once. Guyan Temple sat on the border between the two states, making it a hot potato. If the Song Emperor agreed to issue this decree, it would effectively mean deploying a contingent of the Great Song's troops to guard Guyan, quietly easing the burden on the lake. He nodded immediately, then hesitated, "Since the Song Court made our lake a royal house, it was originally intended as a barrier... Securing such an imperial decree... I fear it will not be easy."
Li Zhouwei nodded. "This is Ting Province's first memorial, sound in reason and backed by facts. The Song Court cannot outright refuse, though they may stall... It is simply to test what intentions this Song Emperor harbors toward our lake... If he truly possesses even a shred of goodwill, he cannot avoid deploying this force."
Li Jianglong nodded at once. Li Zhouwei continued, "Once you have attended to this, immediately lead Chen Yang, Qu Bushi, Li Zhoufang, and the other cultivators to Milin. Activate the grand formation, establish communication with the cultivators on the east bank, and instruct them to be ready to withdraw into the mountains at any moment."
Li Jianglong's expression changed at once. Bowing slightly, he hurried down the mountain. Only then did Li Zhouwei turn his gaze toward Li Jiangxia.
Among all the brothers, this young man was the tallest and possessed the most imposing appearance. Having later cultivated body arts and donned armor, he stood there like a mountain, his expression unchanged as he said in a deep voice, "Father!"
Li Zhouwei's gaze rested upon him, his expression solemn, as he said, "In years past, I was unwilling to let the two of you exert yourselves because the struggle between north and south hinges above all on destiny; there was no telling if some covetous figure might bully the young and weak. Now, we are both defending the lake shores and engaged in a war between nations... I entrust the north bank to you. Ding Weizeng and the others will all be under your command!"
Li Jiangxia cupped his hands heavily and departed at once to prepare. Li Zhouwei paced a couple of steps in hesitation.
*When I visited the Heaven of Sun and Moon in Mutual Splendor a few days ago, Granduncle was at a critical juncture. With the aid of numerous treasures, his chances of a breakthrough are considerable... If I forcibly summon him out right now, not only will all previous efforts be wasted, but he might even suffer injury...*
He closed his eyes in contemplation for a moment, then commanded, "Go invite Real Person Sima to the lake for a discussion!"
Chapter 1029