When Li Ximing stepped into the hall, dark light rippled across the space. The man seated at the head laid down his brush, strode down the steps, raised his brows, and smiled. "Brother Ximing, you have come!"
His greeting was spoken with warm familiarity. Only then did Li Ximing recall that they were technically kin. At that moment, the man was clearly greeting him not as the Grand General, but as a brother-in-law.
The Grand General's features were ordinary, and welcoming his guest with such a smile made him seem like a brother-in-law from an ordinary household meeting a close relative by marriage, affable and approachable.
Yet though the other man showed closeness, Li Ximing could not afford to appear overly familiar. Cupping his hands, he smiled. "The Grand General is too polite..."
Yang Ruiyi smiled, inviting him to sit at one side. He brought out a pure white jade pot, poured tea, and said, "I arrived some days ago, but business has kept me thoroughly occupied, and you were in seclusion refining pills, so we could not meet. I invited you here today to discuss affairs in the north."
"Please speak, General!"
Li Ximing answered, while Yang Ruiyi appeared somewhat hesitant, choosing his words carefully before asking, "This northern expedition was originally launched under the banner of vengeance. Yet after all these years of turmoil between the north and south, the surviving masters blanch at the mere mention of Buddhist cultivators. Their morale is low.
"The King of Wei is valiant and skilled in warfare; he alone was suited to shoulder this great duty and inspire the generals. Yet now he remains in secluded cultivation. The cultivators have grown even more doubtful, uneasy, and hesitant. That was precisely why I summoned Protector-General Liu here."
Li Ximing had no intention of letting him disturb Li Zhouwei. Hearing this, his eyes reddened slightly as he began speaking of how heavily the Li clan had suffered in the previous great war. Yang Ruiyi listened carefully, his expression placid, and said, "I understand the Li clan's sacrifices. My invitation to you today is solely to defend Tingzhou."
Li Ximing was slightly taken aback. Looking troubled, Yang Ruiyi explained, "His Majesty entrusted the northern front to me, and I see the situation clearly. Qi Lanyan and the others have not committed their full strength, and Guangchan of the Damu Dharma Realm has followed close behind. Mount Dayuan Guangyin almost certainly harbors people from Mount Dayang as well."
He lowered his voice. "The State of Zhao possesses immense national strength; I am well aware of this. To put it bluntly, the Great Song cannot even compare to the Shu lands today. Even if Jinyu merely heeds imperial summons without accepting imperial commands, Changhuai alone can match all of the Great Song.
"This northern expedition, to put it plainly, is meant only to shield Wei and divert pressure..."
Fixing his gaze on Li Ximing, he said solemnly, "The intentions of Guangchan, Qi Lanyan, and Gongsun Bei are plain as day to everyone. For now, they are merely divided among themselves and uncertain of my true strength, making it difficult for them to reach an agreement. But once the three of them decide to strike south, I imagine you know where they will make landfall, Ximing."
Li Ximing gave a light sigh and replied, "Tingzhou."
"Precisely!"
Yang Ruiyi's expression darkened slightly. "A great battle is inevitable. If I feign an offensive posture and mass troops along this shore, I may not be able to choose the main battlefield, but I can at least tie down their main force... Yet if the imperial court remains idle and merely dispatches a few men to guard the river, the decisive battle will inevitably erupt in the Tingzhou region.
"His Majesty's original decision was to rest and recuperate at the start of our dynastic reign, screen candidates for Holding Mystery, and choose one of the three to garrison the north. It was I who petitioned relentlessly to commit to this northern expedition."
He looked exceedingly earnest. Li Ximing paused briefly, then sighed. "My thanks to you, General! I had no idea of the deep consideration you had given... to protect my clan..."
Yang Ruiyi waved his hand, signaling him to dispense with empty courtesies. "I have laid all this out plainly for you today because I need you to reveal some of your bottom line and discuss Tingzhou's defenses—not to claim a favor from you!"
With Yang Ruiyi speaking so frankly, Li Ximing believed at least half of it. Putting on a grave expression, he replied, "Zhaojing will tell you everything he knows!"
Yang Ruiyi rose, turned back toward him, and lowered his eyes. "If worst comes to worst, can the King of Wei take the field?"
A complicated look crossed Li Ximing's face, and he sighed. "To speak candidly, I believe he will not!"
Had Li Ximing delivered a flat denial, Yang Ruiyi might not have believed him. But this honest answer prompted him to scrutinize Li Ximing closely. Pacing two steps, his gaze turned solemn. "How much longer does he need?"
Li Ximing remained silent for a long time, weighing the matter with difficulty before answering, "Perhaps... six or seven years..."
Given Li Zhouwei's cultivation speed, his immortal foundation should be complete by now, and he would be raising his divine ability. A timeline of six to seven years was neither slow nor fast, perhaps even conservative. Yet Yang Ruiyi frowned. "We cannot wait that long. Five years at most—he must exit seclusion by then! Otherwise, even I will not be able to hold them back!"
Li Ximing felt a chill of dread. Realizing his tone had been too harsh, Yang Ruiyi sighed. "I know Brother Ximing is in a difficult position as well."
His expression turned somber again, and he asked, "Relying on the great formation over the lake, how long do you estimate you can hold out against Guangchan?"
Li Ximing asked in a low voice, "Just how capable is this Guangchan?"
Yang Ruiyi paced two steps and murmured, "He can be compared to Zhelu, a first-rate Mohe among the Buddhist cultivators. Counting the years, he should be in his fifth incarnation by now, and he is highly regarded by the Dharma Manifestation. An ordinary cultivator who has merely crossed into the mid-stage cannot contend with him."
Li Ximing's heart chilled instantly. An ordinary mid-stage Purple Mansion roughly corresponded to three or four incarnations. Only by crossing into Canzi, achieving a monumental breakthrough, could one steadily suppress a six-incarnation Mohe. Once a Mohe reached eight incarnations, they were comparable to one whose divine abilities had reached perfection.
Li Ximing harbored no arrogance and simply shook his head. "Relying on the great formation, I can hold off an ordinary mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator... But right now, the spirit treasure in my possession is being used to protect my junior's cultivation. Facing Guangchan, I fall far short."
With hands clasped behind his back, Yang Ruiyi asked, "Could the masters of the Qusi lineage lend a hand?"
Li Ximing knew he was referring to Kuangyu, Guo Nanwu, and their peers, so he shook his head repeatedly. Yang Ruiyi finally let out a sigh. "I dispatched Tinglan to support you on the Xunlin Plain, which should have been enough, but Qing Jifang still covets it in secret... How about this: I will have Sima Yuanli accompany you on the lake..."
Li Ximing's eyes brightened, but Yang Ruiyi looked at him with a stern expression. "If everything proceeds normally, Guangchan will not remain over the lake for more than four hours. The moment we strike into Mount Dayuan Guangyin, he is bound to return. All I need is for Zhaojing to hold out against him for four hours."
Li Ximing's expression gradually steadied as he heard Yang Ruiyi lower his voice. "I have only one requirement... Once Guangchan withdraws, Zhaojing must cross the river alongside the two masters and take the lands of Baijiang Stream."
Hearing his demand, a hint of worry surfaced on Li Ximing's face. After a long pause, he said, "If Guangchan leaves me severely wounded and on the verge of death, forgive me, but I cannot charge ahead at the risk of my life!"
Yang Ruiyi stared at him in silence. After who knew how long, he finally uttered, "This concerns your clan's future breathing room, and it concerns our subsequent cooperation. There is only this single chance for a surprise attack. Weigh the matter carefully for yourself, Zhaojing."
Li Ximing merely cupped his hands in salute, signaling that he understood. Yet deep down, hesitation and doubt lingered in his mind.
*This General Yang seems to favor my Li clan in every matter... Yet even Yang Zhuo treats our family with cool indifference. Where does this benevolence come from? Is attacking the north truly an opportunity for a surprise attack...*
With a heavy heart, he soon took his leave. Yang Ruiyi sat alone in the hall for a long time. After an unknown while, a faint glimmer of dark light emerged from the Great Void and drifted down onto the desk.
The object was a black jade slip, its surface bearing a line of small, pale-golden characters radiating a fierce metallic aura:
*Fellow Daoist Yang, I have reached the Salt Lake.*
Yang Ruiyi stared quietly at the jade slip for a moment, then took up his brush and wrote:
*Be patient; do not act rashly.*
***
When Li Ximing stepped out of the great hall, he found Sima Yuanli still waiting outside, as expected. He offered a salute and sighed, "I will be relying heavily on Qinghu's support in the days ahead!"
He then relayed Yang Ruiyi's arrangement. Hearing the news, Sima Yuanli was startled, feeling somewhat bewildered.
*He actually... assigned me there as well! Yang Ruiyi's blatant favoritism toward the Li clan is far greater than even that of the Song Emperor...*
A smile appeared on his face, and he hurriedly replied, "We are merely joining our efforts; it is only right!"
Li Ximing gritted his teeth, his mind fixed on the Mingzhen Spirit-Combining Pill. In a hushed voice, he asked, "Could I ask Fellow Daoist for a Mingzhen Spirit-Combining Pill? I noticed that you have long been interested in the Darkstone Parasol of Hundred Ridges..."
Sima Yuanli's eyes lit up, and he stroked his beard in contemplation.
The Darkstone Parasol of Hundred Ridges in Li Ximing's hands was only a lower-middle grade spirit artifact, but its great advantage lay in its affinity with Wutu, capable of warding off numerous wondrous arts. That had been why Li Zhouwei retained it. When Sima Yuanli yielded it back then, he had not been entirely reluctant to part with it, yet he still held high regard for its qualities.
*If Li Ximing is offering the Darkstone Parasol of Hundred Ridges, he clearly will not trade it for just a single Mingzhen Spirit-Combining Pill. Still, a spirit artifact is a spirit artifact; only the Li clan today can casually produce such things...*
Yet for Li Ximing to bring out the Darkstone Parasol of Hundred Ridges was an act of sheer helplessness. The other man had shown little interest in the few other items in his possession. Though he had plenty of Soul-Listening Mulberry Wood, he had an important use for it and could not part with any.
Li Zhouwei had seized a massive haul of spiritual resources from the grotto-heaven, but with Li Jiangqian and Li Quewan attempting to break through to the Purple Mansion, the consumption from recent cultivation, and the exhaustion of the Under-Neck Feathers at Zhentao Mansion, Li Ximing's pockets were no longer overflowing. Weighing his options, he could not bear to give up his truly precious spiritual materials, and in the end, he settled on the Darkstone Parasol of Hundred Ridges, which had already been awaiting a buyer.
After all, the family had ample spirit artifacts for their own use, and Wutu was incompatible with their younger generation. Li Zhouwei's matters took precedence, so despite the pang of regret, Li Ximing chose to part with it.
Sima Yuanli, however, was quite pleased. He pondered for a moment, made a welcoming gesture, and asked, "What would you like to exchange it for?"
The value of the Darkstone Parasol of Hundred Ridges was limited, and Li Ximing did not expect to squeeze anything on the level of Complete Dan spiritual materials from him. After some thought, he said, "At least three Mingzhen Spirit-Combining Pills, plus an additional portion of spiritual resources."
At these words, Sima Yuanli frowned and replied, "As for the Mingzhen Spirit-Combining Pills... I truly do not have many on hand. If that is the case, I am willing to supplement more spiritual resources, and provide one Mingzhen Spirit-Combining Pill first for your use, Zhaojing. How does that sound?"
Li Ximing's heart sank, and suspicion arose within him.
*Well played, Sima Yuanli. You're hoarding the goods to drive up the price! Seeing that my family has an urgent need for this pill, you prize its scarcity and want to wait for an opportunity to extract even greater benefits.*
With that, he pulled back his hands, signaling that the deal was off. Sima Yuanli immediately stepped forward with an apologetic smile, catching his arm. "Given the relationship between our two families, there is no need for such distance! I also have a portion of Cold Pool Gold on hand, which I can add to the offer for you, Zhaojing!"
Li Ximing shook his head and smiled. "I have no use for Cold Pool Gold. But I heard that Fellow Daoist possesses a portion of Gengmu Hundred-Heart Soul-Blending. I need it to nourish my spiritual fire."
Sima Yuanli looked thoughtful, finally realizing that the other man had brought out the Darkstone Parasol of Hundred Ridges not merely for the pill, but to obtain this specific item. As for how he had learned of it, Sima Yuanli already had a good guess. He asked tentatively, "Is this information from Senior Dingyangzi?"
Li Ximing smiled without answering. Sima Yuanli pondered for a long time, carefully assessing whether he was being outmaneuvered, before finally saying, "That item is indeed of little use to me. Yielding it to Fellow Daoist is no issue."
Li Ximing knew that while this man was always polite on the surface, he was stingy to the core. A broad smile spread across his face as he said cheerfully, "With the close bond between our two families, this is naturally wonderful. However, with the great battle looming, I must make use of these items first. Fellow Daoist might as well give me one pill beforehand so I can experience its wonders. Once Guangchan is repelled, I will hand the Darkstone Parasol of Hundred Ridges over to you."
His expression turned solemn. "After all, the Grand General mentioned that we must cooperate closely in this matter, which is only right..."
*So that's why he was willing to part with a spirit artifact—he had this waiting for me all along!*
Sima Yuanli felt a toothache coming on, clearly reluctant. Yet faced with the greater cause and unwilling to offend Li Zhouwei, he feigned generosity and produced the items magnanimously, stuffing them into Li Ximing's hands with a laugh. "Why be so polite, Fellow Daoist! Take them all first; consider the Darkstone Parasol of Hundred Ridges lent to you on my behalf!"
Sima Yuanli accompanied him all the way back. Li Ximing rattled off some polite words of thanks, tucked away his smile along with the items in his sleeve, let out a deep breath, and quietly descended into the great formation.
Once he reached a secluded, deserted spot, he immediately attuned himself to the Heaven of Sun and Moon in Mutual Splendor, ascending to that grotto-heaven where spiritual energy was dense and yin and yang hung in perfect balance. He made his way cautiously to the courtyard, only to find the gates to Li Zhouwei's original residence firmly shut, barring any view of the interior.
With no one to consult regarding Yang Ruiyi's words, Li Ximing hesitated repeatedly before gently setting the jade bottle down outside the courtyard gates, musing to himself:
*I wonder if Zhouwei has begun raising his divine ability. I will leave this pill before his hall; if he succeeds, so much the better, and if not, seeing this pill, he may still find use for it...*
*Still, five years is simply too short...*
After much deliberation, he retrieved a jade box from his robes, inside of which lay the Qi of Condescending and Charioting Light from the *Imperial Scripture of Ten Thousand Chariots' Executing Light*. Taking up paper and brush, he wrote out an explanation of the circumstances.
*Though I know nothing of his current progress, preparing a bit more can never be wrong. Just in case...*
Having arranged everything, Li Ximing departed from the courtyard. Passing Shanghuan Pavilion, he arrived before the black-and-white celestial pavilion that led into the deeper grotto-heaven. Its doors, etched with gleaming, wondrous patterns, were left slightly ajar, allowing a faint glimpse of the scene inside.
A figure was seated cross-legged within!
Li Ximing showed not the slightest surprise. Instead, a surge of anticipation rose in his heart. Hastening into the pavilion, he pushed open the doors to reveal a man in a white-and-gold Daoist robe seated upon the central prayer mat.
The man possessed upright features and an extraordinary bearing, with a brilliant dot of heavenly light shining between his brows. Beside him rested an alchemy furnace, its blazing true fire leaping within, billowing plumes of heat and smoke that scented him with the aroma of alchemical fire.
It was another Li Ximing!
Although this 'Li Ximing' remained motionless, currents of divine ability faintly surged from between his lips and teeth. His complexion was slightly rosier than that of the real Li Ximing, and his features seemed somewhat stiff and wooden; upon closer inspection, the differences were noticeable.
Li Ximing walked up to his double, finally revealing the golden scroll from his sleeve—the *Wondrous Scroll of Severed Spirit and Severed Form*. Holding it between both hands, he gently unfurled it, delight showing in his eyes.
"As expected of the Soul-Listening Mulberry Wood—what astonishing progress!"
Chapter 1056