All in Readiness

Cultivating one's nature to attain the true Dao was an endless, grueling passage of suns and moons. Radiance surged within the pavilion. Li Ximing rubbed the space between his brows, rose to his feet, and let out a long, heavy breath. A faint dizziness washed over him, but after closing his eyes to rest for a breath or two, he caught his wind and felt far more at ease. On the prayer mat beside him sat a man who looked virtually identical to him. The man’s garments drifted gently amidst the spiritual energy, his facial features even smoother and more handsome than Li Ximing’s own. Devoid of any stray expression, he appeared distinctly sacred. This was none other than the Severed Spirit and Severed Form. By now, the figure was no longer as stiff and lifeless as before. Its flesh appeared warm and supple. The only difference between its face and Li Ximing’s was that this avatar possessed a faint, ruddy flush—a nuance so subtle it was virtually imperceptible to the naked eye. Its attire was slightly different as well. At its waist hung a jade pendant inscribed with three characters: *Li Gufeng.* When refining this entity, Li Ximing had planned ahead. He had established a mountain-guarding post on Mount Zhijing, registered the name Li Gufeng, and specially commissioned family jade pendants and garments for him. The very essence of the Severed Spirit and Severed Form was an external incarnation, meant to conceal the heavenly secrets and induce misjudgment. In the realm of Dao arts, a cultivator’s identity could be discerned through such external trappings. With these clothes draped over the avatar and the identity plaque fastened in place, Li Ximing channeled the Radiance of the Six Directions. This was the wondrous aspect of the Clear Illumination Heart. Once “Li Gufeng” became his subordinate, celestial light naturally shone down, linking their divine abilities and vastly reducing the time and difficulty required to nurture the avatar with his life divine ability! The speed of its tempering had advanced by leaps and bounds. Yet even with this clever shortcut, pouring all his efforts into nurturing the avatar over this period had nearly exhausted his mental spirit. Watching the avatar with its eyes closed, seemingly deep in meditative cultivation, Li Ximing felt a lingering tremor of apprehension in his heart. *It looks too much like me… Under the scrutiny of any divine ability, no one will ever tell us apart…* At this moment, the Severed Spirit and Severed Form was finally complete! Li Ximing had rushed to master the lower adept’s craft, and the entity’s primary wondrous effect was geared precisely toward that end. So long as he severed a fingertip before battle, used an incantation to have “Li Gufeng” swallow it, and linked them through his life divine ability, a resonance of life and death would be established—an act known as the “sealing of life.” Once the sealing of life was enacted, twenty to forty percent of most injuries he suffered in a short span would be transferred onto this Severed Spirit and Severed Form. And against sinister arts that disrupted spiritual sense or cursed the soul—such as Changxiao’s Treasured Flask Art—it could divert up to sixty percent! *In other words… if I suffer a fatal wound on the lake… at worst, this Severed Spirit and Severed Form will be ruined, leaving me with a chance to escape with my life…* *If I could master the Xuanhong art of elevating clear qi, I might even be able to abandon my true body entirely and escape through the Severed Spirit and Severed Form…* Moreover, with every sealing of life, regardless of whether the avatar was ultimately put to use, the bond between the avatar and his true body would deepen. After a hundred or a thousand uses, paired with sufficient cultivation attainment, it could even share his injuries without requiring a prior sealing. The utility of such a wondrous art went far beyond this. Ancient Daoists had used such avatars to perform all manner of deceits against their foes. Though Li Ximing lacked that level of skill, he had grasped a trick or two. *The scroll mentioned that during the sealing of life, one can place a spiritual object in its mouth—so long as its nature does not clash, with jade being the best choice. By expending the spiritual object, the damage sustained by the avatar can be reduced.* This had come as a delightful surprise to Li Ximing! Walking quietly to the cabinet, he retrieved a portion of Taiyin Moon Splendor! The Severed Spirit and Severed Form was bound to be revealed before others sooner or later, so he had not dared to refine it with Taiyin Moon Splendor. But using it as an expendable medium was beyond perfect. His family was short on many things, but this they possessed in abundance! Pressing two fingers before his lips, he guided the pure-white, moon-like treasure from the bottle, condensing it into a finger-sized pellet. Then, closing his eyes slightly, Li Gufeng—who had been sitting peacefully in meditation on the prayer mat—abruptly opened his eyes. The eye sockets were empty, devoid of eyeballs, yet an invisible force seemed to survey the surroundings, eerie and unsettling. Slowly parting his lips to reveal teeth as white as jade, he took the pellet into his mouth. His eyelids immediately drooped shut, returning him to his meditative posture. Only then did Li Ximing open his eyes, thoroughly pleased. “With this, it can be deployed at any moment.” Lifting his hand slightly, the “Li Gufeng” before him gave a light leap, transformed into a palm-sized wooden carving, and fluttered softly into his sleeve. Shaking his sleeve, he pinched his fingers to calculate the time. Six months had already slipped by. The jade pendant representing Yang Ruiyi was flickering between bright and dim; clearly, the grand event was imminent. Transforming his body to descend to the mortal realm, he appeared amidst the mountains. Hearing reports that Sima Yuanli had long been waiting on the isles, he invited him in. Unlike Li Ximing, who possessed a sense of confidence, the man before him appeared anxious and laden with worry. Hurrying to a halt before the desk, he said hastily, “Greetings, Zhaojing!” Li Ximing returned the courtesy, only to notice a graceful beauty following behind him. Dressed in pure white, she held a casket in her arms, surrounded by floating clouds of cold mist that drifted like silver sparrows. It was none other than the Autumn Lake Fairy, Ning Wan. Yang Ruiyi had not assigned Ning Wan to lake defenses. Startled, Li Ximing greeted her. Ning Wan smiled, nodded to him, set the jade casket down, and said softly, “Greetings, Zhaojing… Congratulations on achieving your divine ability. I have brought something for you.” She lifted the lid of the casket to reveal a crimson jade bead. Crystal-clear beneath a thin layer of crystal, it trapped a delicate, arched-back beast that filled the entire interior of the sphere. “This is the Changlong Bead, an extraordinary talisman originally used by cultivators of Great Liang for self-defense. Sealed within is an Unleashed Announcing Bull, and its power is formidable.” Ning Wan resealed the box using her divine ability, adopting a very solemn demeanor as she said, “Old True Person Diyan of Mount Qusi asked me to deliver it… Hearing a junior’s account that a great battle is brewing on the lake while the King of Wei has yet to emerge from seclusion… he specially had me bring this to offer what little help he could.” The woman hesitated slightly, pausing before continuing, “This object is precious—a prized treasure kept at the bottom of the Old True Person’s chest. In a critical moment, it can save a life.” Li Ximing had long heard the man’s name and knew Mount Qusi wished to attach itself to them. Yet this show of goodwill was so substantial that he almost felt unworthy to accept it. With a sigh of emotion, he asked, “Please convey my thanks to the elder… How could I be worthy of such a fine treasure…?” Ning Wan shook her head and replied, “The Old True Person bade me pass a word to you… He said… he thanks Zhaojing for protecting Nanwu amidst bitter vendettas, keeping the Guo clan from being drawn onto the board…” Li Ximing started slightly, frowning. “The matters in the East Sea?” Ning Wan seemed somewhat sensitive to the subject and quietly dropped it. “That I do not know, nor should I.” Li Ximing immediately held his tongue, pondering inwardly. *I see that the Old True Person is making arrangements for his eventual demise, yet he wishes to avoid trouble and has been dragging it out day by day. Right now, I truly do need this object, but afterward, I must sit down with him for an open conversation.* Ning Wan showed no unusual emotion. Having dealt first with Sui Guan and later with the Song Emperor, she seemed long accustomed to surviving in the crevices between great powers. Bowing in farewell, she soon withdrew. Sima Yuanli, full of envy, sighed. “What fortune you have, Ximing!” Li Ximing gave an ambiguous murmur. After praising him, Sima Yuanli turned grave and said, “I have received orders from the Grand General. In three days, the cultivators will launch a campaign against Zhao. Orders have been issued to all, and they have even invited a True Person from Guoling Peak to take the field!” “Guangchan hails from the Damu Dharma Realm and has long eyed the south with hungry ambition. Once the great war erupts, he will certainly not rush to reinforce Zhixuan; instead, he will lead his forces south. You and I need only hold our ground and await him.” Li Ximing nodded thoughtfully, but Sima Yuanli was seized by his own anxieties. *Could this matter be even graver than I thought… If even Li Ximing must seek outside aid like this, what about me? I might very well lose my life in this disaster.* Setting down his cup with utmost solemnity, he studied Li Ximing’s expression and said, “Zhaojing… on this lake, we share both glory and loss. Since you have such a talisman to protect yourself, why not hand over the Darkstone Parasol of Hundred Ridges to me in advance…? Once the battle begins, I will spare no effort to safeguard the lake!” Since Sima Yuanli had put it so bluntly, Li Ximing had little room to demur. After pondering for a long while, he finally nodded slowly with a sigh. “I must rely on you, fellow Daoist!” Reaching into his sleeve, he produced the spiritual artifact and transferred ownership to Sima Yuanli under his expectant gaze. The green-robed man nodded, turning the spiritual umbrella over and over to inspect it. Li Ximing quietly rose, gazing toward the north. *Yang Ruiyi gave me five years, but how did he arrive at that number? This battle will likely be different. Times have changed, and even though he belongs to the Yang clan, I fear he cannot afford to return empty-handed.* …… Baijiang Creek. In just a few short years, this land had become blanketed with temples. Within a resplendent, golden hall bathed in pure light, a sea of monks knelt on the floor. On the seat of honor sat a monk with a fair, clean face and gold lacquer between his brows, poised and solemn as an idol. Yet perched upon the rafters was a youth of otherworldly grace, his eyes shimmering with brilliant divine light as he gazed into the distance. Within his gaze, countless fleeting scenes drifted by like rushing water. After an unknown duration, the monk on the seat of honor finally spoke, his voice melodious and carrying far. “Jiexing, how fares it?” The youth narrowed his eyes slightly, withdrawing his divine ability. Dropping down, he bowed deeply and said, “Cousin, I haven't seen many people coming or going. Only a Shaoyang cultivator passed through the Great Void; he likely won't participate in this grand affair.” The monk addressed as his cousin showed a flicker of emotion. “You remain just as you were in your childhood. I have entered the Buddhist path; I am now Guangchan, no longer Li Jieyi. It is improper to call me your cousin.” Tao Jiexing’s brilliant eyes blinked, and he hastily apologized, “I have been cultivating in the mountains with Master and haven't visited the mortal dust many times. Do not take offense, Cousin…” Guangchan paused, sighed, and let it go. “Formidable indeed. The entirety of your divine ability resides in your eyes—no wonder it is called an eye divine ability. You have only just attained it, yet you already possess such capability. If Old Master Tao were to act in person, I wonder how terrifying he would be.” “The person you saw was likely Guo Nanwu. It is only right that he departs… Aside from that, what else did you see?” Tao Jiexing answered frankly, “Something in the distance seemed to block my view, so I couldn't see clearly. But the people living along the riverbanks seem to live very well—far more comfortably than those in the north. Master said, ‘Deploy troops with just cause; comfort the people and punish the guilty.’ This war ought not to be fought.” The youth had truly cultivated in seclusion among the mountains; his words were forthright, his expression utterly sincere. Guangchan’s expression tightened, and he whispered, “Whether it ought to be fought is not for us to decide. You need only follow me.” Tao Jiexing had no choice but to say, “Understood!” The monk sank into contemplation upon his seat. Although the Li clan lay just across the river, his expression bore little joy, only a heavy, unfathomable depth. Looking toward Tao Jiexing, he asked, “Jiexing… tell me… is there truly anyone in this world who can foreknow the future and divine the profound workings of fate?” Tao Jiexing started, replying, “What is so difficult about that? I dabble in arts of divination myself; there is no harm in casting a calculation.” Guangchan cast him a cool glance. “Divining this river, divining this struggle between north and south.” “Utterly impossible!” Tao Jiexing waved his sleeve, leaving no room for equivocation as he declared firmly, “Cousin, you now follow the Buddhist path and do not cultivate divination, focusing instead on refining artifacts, so you do not understand this art. But this is completely out of the question. Purple Mansions and Mohes are gathered here; forget divination, even the subtle qi fluctuations are in constant turmoil. Not to mention that quite a few Purple Mansions have achieved life divine abilities, and such figures appear entirely blank in divination… To calculate the shifts in this place would be like asking an illiterate child to read Daoist scriptures—even if a result were produced, it could never be trusted.” Guangchan’s brow furrowed deeper as he listened. “Truly? Not even if Duanmu Kui were here?” Without the slightest hesitation, Tao Jiexing answered, “Cousin, you think too much. This has nothing to do with cultivation attainment. Even the cleverest housewife cannot cook without rice; not even Master Xue could calculate it! Much less with the Martial Cultivation Star hanging above, intertwining and shifting numerous fruit positions. To put it bluntly, even the greatest lords would find it difficult to grasp!” Guangchan fell silent, his eyes cast down heavily. *Strange… From Qi Lanyan’s disposition, he clearly knew a great war was imminent. Otherwise, he wouldn't have mobilized forces so frequently, nor would he have had Tao Jiexing sent down… He was able to promise the Old Master a loan of two months, but how could he have known the timing so precisely?* Yang Ruiyi had been stationed by the river for more than just a day or two—over a year, in fact. Pinpointing this exact moment should have been exceedingly difficult. Guangchan remained speechless for a long time, pacing back and forth as dark suspicions took root. *Has Zhixuan Pavilion grown too domineering of late…? The various lords have been preoccupied with Mingyang affairs, but have they ever considered that Zhixuan’s power is now ten times what it was back then? It has become the very pivot of Great Zhao. The mortal realm promised to us—is it truly still ours?* Amidst his trance, a Lianmin tore through the Great Void and descended swiftly, dropping to his knees before him in urgent distress. “Reporting to the Mohe, Yang Ruiyi has crossed the river! With Liu Bai as general and flanked by those two Mingyang disciples… his forces, including Ning Wan and Wenqing, have already besieged Shanji! Zhixuan Pavilion orders… orders you to march straight southeast to block Yang Ruiyi!” *As expected!* Guangchan rose, his eyes flashing. Casting aside all thoughts of Zhixuan, rolling purple flames immediately flared around his body. Brandishing a long spear from thin air, he said coldly, “Move!” In an instant, the Great Void thundered as an immense golden body manifested. Tao Jiexing rushed forward, watching his monastic cousin step into the Great Void, and froze in surprise. “Where is Cousin going…?” Guangchan’s gaze, dark and gloomy, was laced with an eager ferocity. “South to attack Wei!” The youth was left baffled, while the Lianmin beside him looked thoroughly alarmed, whispering, “My Lord… I fear Zhixuan will hold you to account…” “Hold me to account?” A cold sneer forced its way from Guangchan’s throat. Turning his head, he gritted his teeth and snarled, “Do you think Qi Lanyan didn't know I would march south? Do you think he didn't want me to march south? That wretched cur reassigned my subordinates early on and placed me right across the river from them just to make me his scapegoat!” “Whether he issued the order or not, I was going south for his sake anyway. He might as well order me to block Yang Ruiyi—that way, if anything goes awry or whatever tricks Yang Ruiyi pulls lead to disaster, he can pin all the blame squarely on my head!”