Carrying the half-dead hook snake, Li Yuanjiao flew away from the southern shore of Xuanyue Gate's Salt Lake. He summoned the Mystic Pattern Bottle, and a thick water mist billowed in all directions. The hook snake was still whimpering, babbling non-stop pleas for mercy.
The hook snake was massive in size, beyond what the Mystic Pattern Bottle could conceal, making it quite conspicuous. Barely having carried it to the shore, Li Yuanjiao frowned and had no choice but to alight.
'A wild mountain or desolate temple would be far too noticeable... Moreover, this beast is astoundingly heavy. Not to mention the drain on my magical power, parading it out in the open like this is truly unwise.'
He swiftly changed course and flew northward for a short stretch, intending to head upriver through the Salt Lake, follow the great river through the safest route across the territory of the Xiuyue Sect, and return from Daxu to the northern shore of Lake Wangyue.
'Uncle Ling's travelogue once recorded that the surging waters of the great river are of immense benefit to cultivators practicing Vast Sea. This happens to be a good chance to take a look.'
Li Yuanjiao's Jing Dragon King foundation was akin to a lake flood dragon or serpent; the moment he dove into the waters and made use of the water's buoyancy, the weight of the hook snake in his grip lightened substantially.
He first summoned a few crab monsters, inquiring about the distribution of monster factions at the lake bed and the locations of the various monster kings. Only after mapping out a route did he slowly proceed while dragging the hook snake, pondering what Kong Tingyun had meant earlier:
'To seek aid... Xuanyue Gate would indeed be a good ally. While Real Person Changxi's strength remains uncertain, he seems to have backing. This was originally a good opportunity.'
'It's just a pity our family has no presentable cultivator to offer. Otherwise, if a match could be made, it would be far more comfortable, granting us external support to keep an eye on the Shanyue.'
Li Yuanjiao pondered silently:
'I wonder if that was Real Person Changxi's intent... and whose board he plays upon.'
He kept his thoughts to himself, ignoring the incessant babbling of the monster in his grasp. Seeing how excessively cautious Li Yuanjiao was, the hook snake grew listless and could no longer muster the energy to beg. After remaining silent for a long time, it sighed:
"Every demon says the dry land is full of perils, yet I refused to believe it. In my greed for spiritual treasures, I'm going to be turned into snake soup!"
Li Yuanjiao cast a glance at it and asked, "What kind of immortal foundation do you have?"
The hook snake replied, "The folks at the Monster Palace call it Morning Cold Rain; I don't know what those above call it. This lowly demon cultivates the path of the winged snake, while you, Exalted Immortal, cultivate the flood dragon. I fear my flesh is ill-suited for you to consume... If you wish to eat, I can find a flood snake for you..."
Li Yuanjiao listened quietly as he navigated the riverbed, speaking leisurely, "Fellow Daoist, you think too much. My family is neither a monster cave nor a dragon palace; we possess no secret arts to bind your true spirit. Nor are we a Buddhist temple adept at purifying monstrous nature. How could I trust you? The moment I let go, you would flee far away."
The hook snake understood this perfectly well, curling up dispiritedly.
Li Yuanjiao, however, kept the matter in mind, thinking to himself:
'Though this hook snake seemed to be subdued in just two or three moves, in truth seventy to eighty percent of that relied on external power. Leaving aside the fact that the Qingchi Sword and the Mystic Pattern Bottle are Foundation Establishment magical artifacts, Kong Tingyun's golden mountain and pearl were surely of comparable quality. Added to that was that grand array; only through all of this was the hook snake suppressed.'
He looked at the snake's bare, bifurcated tail. With its hooks severed by Kong Tingyun, it looked quite unsightly.
'I don't know if Senior White Banyan Fox is still beneath that tree... There's no rush to sacrifice this snake demon. I can go and ask first.'
Along the way, Li Yuanjiao watched the riverbed darken and brighten by turns. Several times he even came upon palaces belonging to aquatic beasts—pavilions fashioned from shells and sand of various sizes, white karst caverns, a scene of thriving prosperity.
Two Foundation Establishment monster generals were patrolling their territory and happened to bump into Li Yuanjiao dragging the hook snake along; terrified, neither dared to raise their head, and both hurried away in haste.
Yet Li Yuanjiao did not witness the surging torrents Li Xuanling had described, nor did he gain any sudden cultivation insights. The great river's channel was extraordinarily wide and long, and there ought to be plenty of treasures hidden within.
Continuing onward into the territory of the Xiuyue Sect, Li Yuanjiao breached the water's surface carrying the hook snake. Right before him stood a white-clad cultivator carrying a sword on his back, seemingly deducing something. Even when interrupted by Li Yuanjiao, his expression hardly shifted as he greeted:
"Nian Yi of the Xiuyue Sect greets Senior. Congratulations on capturing a monster general, Senior."
Though the young man was merely a Qi Refinement cultivator, Li Yuanjiao dared not be negligent, replying softly, "I am merely passing through your noble sect's lands; forgive the disturbance, Fellow Daoist."
Nian Yi nodded, pinched a wisp of spiritual qi from between heaven and earth on his own, and with eyes half-open and half-closed, resumed his divinations.
Heading south all the way, Li Yuanjiao found Daxu entirely tranquil, completely different from its chaotic state years ago. There were no traces of demonic cultivators, and cultivators flying along the roads carried themselves openly, appearing utterly unguarded.
The few rogue cultivators he encountered directly were exceedingly courteous, congratulating him on capturing a great demon.
"As expected of the Xiuyue Immortal Sect—it is indeed vastly different."
Crossing all the way through, Li Yuanjiao descended over Lake Wangyue. Several Li family Qi Refinement cultivators rushed to greet him, led by Li Xuanxuan, who looked greatly relieved and said with profound ease:
"Jiao'er has returned safely!"
Having gained much from this trip, Li Yuanjiao laughed heartily and dropped the hook snake onto the shore, reinforcing several restrictions. Li family cultivators swarmed forward at once, some applying seals, some erecting formations, and others measuring the manacles, locks, and spikes to bind the beast.
The group returned to the mountain. When Li Yuanjiao laid out the spoils from this expedition, Li Qinghong and the others were instantly overjoyed.
The Mystic Pattern Bottle and the Xuanyang Li Fire were both fine treasures, and they had additionally secured a Foundation Establishment snake monster. Li Qinghong picked up the Foundation Establishment artifact, the Mystic Pattern Bottle, unable to put it down, feeling only a twinge of regret:
'It's a pity Brother named it first. A dignified Foundation Establishment artifact named like an Embryonic Breathing qi-gathering bottle... Well, it will just have to do...'
After the group passed the two treasures back and forth to examine them several times, an old man came up from below. Looking to be in his nineties and decrepit beyond measure, he bowed to them.
Li Qinghong quickly supported him, and Li Xuanxuan introduced:
"This is the rogue cultivator of the Qian clan, ninety-eight years old now."
Handing the three storage bags to the old man, Li Xuanxuan said:
"According to what was agreed beforehand, please proceed, elder."
Old Man Qian nodded, took up a storage bag, and probed his spiritual sense inside. With a rustling clatter, a shower poured forth, glittering treasures scattering across the floor.
Old Man Qian exhaled in relief, then took the second storage bag and poured out another heap of spiritual items. Seeing no counter-traps, Li Xuanxuan nodded and handed over a spirit stone; a smile broke across the old man's face.
Li Yuanjiao sat upright, narrowing his eyes slightly as he watched Old Man Qian open the storage bags of the demonic cultivator father and daughter, before taking up the third storage bag. This was the possession of that decisive demonic cultivator, lustrous black and looking quite extraordinary.
The instant Old Man Qian's spiritual sense probed inside, a burst of black qi billowed out. Li Yuanjiao had anticipated this and had already formed a hand seal to conjure a spell to counter it, but Old Man Qian only had time to let out a shriek before he burst into a pool of bloody water with a bang.
Li Xuanxuan cast a spell to gather the pool of blood along with the glistening red and white fragments of bone and flesh, sending them out of the cavern, and said warmly:
"Please invite Elder Ding inside."
Li Yuanjiao said softly, "It seems to be a shamanic blood art laid down by a Foundation Establishment cultivator. It can corrode both spiritual sense and the physical body—no wonder an Embryonic Breathing cultivator couldn't withstand it for a single moment."
Beside him, Li Qinghong shook her head faintly and asked, "How much compensation?"
"Three spirit stones, delivered to his direct son, and we will grant his son a post on the mountain."
As the two conversed, another old man stepped up from below, beaming with a genial smile. He bowed openly to the three of them and probed his spiritual sense inside. The exquisite black brocade pouch finally clattered, spilling a pile of items across the ground.
Old Man Ding froze for a moment, then wailed in deep grief:
"Wasn't there supposed to be shamanic magic?!"
With that, Li Xuanxuan handed him a bag of spirit rice, and two clan guards led him down. Watching this, Li Qinghong frowned. Li Xuanxuan said:
"Old Ding's eldest son has already attempted to absorb miscellaneous qi twice and failed both times. He's only waiting for a medicinal pill to make one last gamble."
Li Yuanjiao had already sorted the myriad items, setting aside the demonic cultivation methods and pills, and packing all the Embryonic Breathing and Qi Refinement spiritual materials and artifacts into one storage bag.
Of the remaining fifty-two spirit stones, the lion's share had belonged to that decisive demonic cultivator. Li Yuanjiao waved his hand to deposit them all into the clan treasury. He inspected the rest of the items repeatedly, finding them utterly unremarkable.
"Now that I've reached Foundation Establishment, these things can hardly be of any help to myself!"
Li Yuanjiao shook his head and distributed them all to those below, thinking to himself:
'Now that I have attained Foundation Establishment and possess the Mystic Pattern Bottle to conceal my trace, I needn't fear being discovered by that pig demon. I can finally venture into the outer reaches of Mount Dali to visit Senior White Banyan Fox.'
...
Donghuo Grotto-Heaven.
The highest point within the Donghuo Grotto-Heaven was Lihuo Peak. The formation atop it was still operating, shimmering with dazzling golden light as countless profound runes drifted up and down. Cultivators from various sects and gates gathered in a circle, yet the place remained dead silent.
"Attack!"
Standing at the very center, Chi Zhiyun wore a Daoist robe gleaming with cyan radiance, the longsword in his hand rippling with white light. He issued the command casually, and the disciples of the Three Sects and Seven Gates below complied at once, unleashing their spells and driving their magical artifacts to crash against the grand formation.
The grand array was already severely battered, and there were plenty of Foundation Establishment cultivators present. Before long, it began to teeter. It held on for another half-shichen before releasing a blinding burst of golden light and abruptly dissolving away.
The assembled cultivators cheered and were just about to swarm inside when a figure flew out from the array riding the wind. He wore a crimson hornless-dragon mask, held a spear in hand, and had a towering, imposing build. He laughed heartily:
"Many thanks to all Fellow Daoists for breaking the array on my behalf! I, Chu Yi, gladly accept the Dongli Daoist Canon!"
Though his words sounded polite, the sarcasm dripping from them was unmistakable. As he finished speaking, he activated a talisman in his hand. Below, someone cried out in shock, right on cue:
"A Violet Palace talisman, the Void Origin Escape Talisman!"
Chu Yi laughed boisterously, and using the talisman, he escaped into the Great Void and vanished from sight.
The gathered cultivators erupted in fury, feeling toyed with, yet each of them wondered why the Violet Palace Real Persons did not intervene. In the center, Chi Zhiyun wore an expression of rage on the surface, but once the man had departed, he smiled with quiet mockery.
'Why didn't the Real Persons strike? If Yuansu and Qiushui coveted this Daoist Canon and stepped in to intercept, not only would they offend Mount Luoxia, but could they even stop him? Losing tremendous face and having their pride trampled upon as he walked away would be considered getting off easy... If the True Monarch of Mount Luoxia showed no mercy, beating a Real Person to death on the spot wouldn't even count as an offense...'
He rode the wind upward, sending people into the grounds according to the locations pre-assigned among the Three Sects and Seven Gates. He himself landed on the mountaintop, looking at the empty pavilion, feeling a lingering sigh in his heart:
'The Dongli Sect... Two peak Violet Palace Real Persons, Dongli and Donghuo... and yet in the end, it met the fate of fallen masters, a destroyed sect, and its lineage subsumed into Luoxia...'
Within the Great Void, the two Real Persons, Yuansu and Qiushui, watched him depart in smug triumph, yet neither made a move, merely watching him go in silence. The two remained quiet for a long time, until fewer and fewer people remained in the grotto-heaven.
"Enough."
Feeling the fluctuations in the Great Void fade away, Real Person Yuansu finally breached the Great Void and stepped into the Donghuo Grotto-Heaven. Real Person Qiushui entered alongside him and said gently:
"As expected of a golden nature. In a mere three years, Chu Yi can hardly hold on anymore... From his appearance, I fear his body will explode before long."
Yuansu gave a soft acknowledgment and looked up. The entire grotto-heaven seemed veiled beneath a layer of hazy gray mist, dim hues shifting with scarcely a human silhouette in sight.
The colors within the Donghuo Grotto-Heaven grew increasingly dreary. Having reaped a bountiful harvest, the disciples of the various sects withdrew one by one, leaving only the two immortal sects' Violet Palace experts hovering in midair, gazing down at the gray world beneath them.
"Chu Yi took away the Dongli Daoist Canon."
Real Person Yuansu hovered aloft, his tone indifferent. Beneath his feet, a golden spring surged incessantly; what ought to have sparkled with golden brilliance appeared dim and lusterless in this gloomy world.
"Pitiful, indeed."
Standing quietly to the side, Real Person Qiushui remarked casually. Yuansu chuckled sardonically and murmured:
"How could a True Monarch ever need pity from the likes of you and me? Cui Mu gambled and lost; he misplayed his piece on the chessboard and doomed the Mingyang Dao lineage. Such an end is only what he deserved."
Real Person Qiushui's robes fluttered as she spoke softly:
"Mount Luoxia has defiled and contested Mingyang for five hundred years, and now they have reached the Donghuo Grotto-Heaven. If they defile it for another five hundred years, perhaps what falls next will be the Ancient Wei Huangtian. When that time comes, Mount Luoxia will gain another True Monarch... or even a High Immortal."
"The whole world watches with open eyes; is no one going to do anything about it...?"
Hearing her words, Real Person Yuansu wore an odd expression. Toying with the small golden seal in his hand, he chuckled:
"Only your Jinyu Sect knows how to play the sycophant best. Back then, it was 'Superior Sect Luoxia' this and 'Superior Sect Luoxia' that, yet now you strike a posture of sowing discord. Switching back and forth between two faces is truly sickening."
"Tiaoxiao!"
Real Person Qiushui sighed, feeling slightly embarrassed, and replied:
"Whether immortal or mortal, the appearance of compromising for survival is never endearing... Don't take it too seriously."
Real Person Yuansu shook his head and replied:
"Do you think I don't know that? I only say such words to you."
Real Person Qiushui flicked her delicate hand slightly, causing the golden spring water on the ground to surge toward her grasp with a splash. She murmured softly:
"This matter isn't something you and I need to worry about anyway. Farther north lie Xiuyue and the Lotus Temple; the rest is their affair."
"Once this matter is concluded, Yang will wane and Yin will equalize between heaven and earth, ushering in the harmonious balance of the Profound. It brings us closer to the heavenly timing for Shangyuan's breakthrough, and there will be plenty to keep you and me busy."
Real Person Yuansu stood with his hands behind his back, allowing her to collect the spiritual water, and replied:
"Bu Zi went to the East Sea, Yuanxiu went to the southern border, and Yuanwu's heart is entirely set on his own opportunity. He talked about troubling his Junior Brother, sweet-talking all the while, but how many Violet Palace spiritual artifacts has Yuanwu Peak forged? I don't see him coughing up anything in return."
"Only I, having had my Dao path severed, am fated to toil, running east and west day after day."
Real Person Qiushui smiled slightly and merely responded:
"How could you ever be shortchanged of your share of benefits!"
A look of disgust crossed Yuansu's face as he replied:
"Only here in the Donghuo Grotto-Heaven dare I say such things. Those few in the Qingchi Grotto-Heaven are accustomed to bossing people around. Benefits aside, this business is hardly clean."
Chapter 381