Li Xijun and Li Xuanxuan rode the wind south with Kongheng, traveling along the Xunlin Plain. With Li Xuanxuan flying behind them, Li Xijun recalled something, drew Kongheng aside, and said in a low voice:
"Master, since you cultivate using lightning pools as your opportunity... why did you not mention it sooner?"
"Earlier, I had heard how perilous Jiangnan was, so I truly did not dare... The grade of my cultivation method is very high... Your noble clan suspected I harbored ill intent, while I, too, was afraid your noble clan might murder me for my wealth..."
Kongheng rubbed his smooth, pale head, opened his narrow eyes, and said softly:
"Ai, let me explain it plainly to Fellow Daoist... The method I cultivate requires heaven and earth to bring forth the Nine Lightnings. Yet in this world, the divine station of this path hangs vacant; lightning arts remain hidden and are already hard to find. Only when a lightning cultivator breaks through and condenses an immortal foundation will one of the Nine Lightnings inevitably be born.
"Before passing away, the senior monk of my temple performed divinations for a long time. Only then could he deduce that lightning was bound to arise in Jiangnan within these past hundred years, which was why he sent me here. He also calculated that there should be a tribulation in this, one that could temper my mind..."
He lowered his eyes and said gently:
"Fellow Daoist Yuanjiao suspects me constantly... In truth, to put it plainly, my Liaohe Temple is down and out—even worse off than your noble clan. After the abbot attained parinirvana, I became like a stray dog with nowhere left to go."
Li Xijun nodded gently, his vigilance piqued, and asked:
"How long has it been since your temple's senior passed away?"
"It has already been... over forty years!"
Kongheng replied. Li Xijun calculated inwardly. That coincided precisely with the time when Lingyanzi of the Ziyan Gate fled to his clan seeking refuge, was saved by their forebears, and left behind the *Purple Lightning Secret Origin Method*.
'Over forty years... Several lightning cultivators have emerged in Jiangnan recently. If there is some Purple Palace scheme behind this, it must have been laid together over forty years ago...'
Li Xijun had never met Lingyanzi, but he had read the clan history and knew that Li Tongya had taken charge of him. He thought to himself:
'Lingyanzi... could not have fooled the Old Ancestor. That means Lingyanzi himself was unaware and had unwittingly become someone else's pawn. Ziyan Gate... Could it be a Perfected Being of Ziyan Gate?'
He then asked:
"Does Master know of the Leiyun Temple?"
Kongheng shook his head slightly, indicating he did not know. Li Xijun pondered for a moment, thinking:
'It seems I must find an opportunity to visit Ziyan Gate and question this Lingyanzi.'
Li Xijun guessed from the worst possible angle, thinking:
'It would be best if it was precisely because Lingyanzi and the others brought this item out of Leiyun Temple that the abbot of Liaohe deduced it and dispatched Kongheng from the mountains...'
While Li Xijun was deliberating, the group had already traversed Changxiao Gate's Helin Commandery. They rested briefly and took shelter in the mountains at the edge of Helin Commandery.
Li Xijun focused his sight, snowy qi swirling, examined the terrain, and said softly:
"It should be here. What we just crossed was Mount Quanwu. Ahead is the Helin Mountain Range, where the earth veins converge. Several confluences of water veins described in the *Hanxue Ji* are all located here."
This journey was half-real and half-pretense. On the surface, Li Xijun was still gathering cold water. Li Xuanxuan still wore grey robes, following behind with a taut face. Kongheng, on the other hand, was quite interested, gazing at the beautiful scenery of mountains and rivers before him, murmuring:
"Jiangnan's water veins are abundant after all."
Li Xijun nodded gently, turned to Li Xuanxuan, and said respectfully:
"Granduncle has also read the *Hanxue Ji* on the way. The Helin Mountain Range is vast; if the two of us split up to search, we might find it sooner."
Li Xuanxuan merely nodded. Li Xijun turned to Kongheng and said in a low voice:
"Although the spiritual energy of the Helin Mountain Range is not strong and there are no renowned spiritual objects or monsters, rogue demonic cultivators might inevitably drift about. I must ask Master to remain here and hold the fort for the two of us."
"Very well!"
Seeing that Li Xijun handled matters thoroughly and methodically, Li Xuanxuan nodded and chose a direction to depart. Li Xijun watched him leave, then turned to Kongheng:
"I trouble Master to watch over my elder. I shall head to Hengdong Commandery."
Kongheng understood and nodded, offering a few words of caution. Li Xijun continued riding the wind north, passing between two great mountains in the Helin Mountain Range, and followed the road to Hengdong Commandery of the Hengzhu Dao Gate.
Having just flown out of Helin, he saw a plain before him. Everywhere he looked stood pavilions and towers of various sizes, with roofs linked and eaves touching. Hengdong Commandery was a large commandery boasting a population of over a million. Developed by Hengzhu Dao Gate for many years, it was one of the wealthiest commanderies in the State of Yue.
After flying for a while, looking around at the open, fertile fields, Li Xijun wondered:
'Hengzhu Dao Gate... does not establish immortal mountains?'
Just as he was thinking this, a person flew over ahead, treading upon a wisp of cloud. He wore white robes embroidered with gold-and-red cloud patterns, with thin lips, large eyes, and slender brow bones—looking unlike a native of Jiangnan.
"I am Bi Chengjuan of Hengzhu Dao. Greetings, Fellow Daoist... May I ask which sect or faction you are visiting from?"
Bi Chengjuan had deep-set eyes and a high nose; his expressions were hard to read. His gaze swept over Li Xijun from top to bottom, already deducing that he did not belong to any of the Three Sects and Seven Gates, yet his words remained polite and tactful.
"This humble cultivator comes from Lake Wangyue... Li Xijun of the Mount Qingdu Li family."
Li Xijun replied gently. Bi Chengjuan looked slightly surprised, nodded, and answered:
"So you are of the Li clan... No wonder I saw pure qi swirling in your eyes, standing out from the crowd. I was wondering which lineage from the State of Wu you might be from."
Li Xijun offered a few modest words, and Bi Chengjuan asked courteously:
"May I ask what brings Fellow Daoist from ten thousand li away?"
Li Xijun replied:
"I have heard that Hengzhu Immortal Dao possesses the Ningqing Demon-Cleansing Art, which can dispel inner demons and resolve mental knots. One of my elders has been weighed down by inner demons, so I have come specifically to seek treatment."
Bi Chengjuan had clearly seen this many times and was not surprised. He said:
"We are all fellow Daoists, so providing healing is naturally fine... There is only one point that must be made clear to Fellow Daoist first."
He paused and said very cautiously:
"Our immortal dao's Ningqing Demon-Cleansing Art is not some high-grade immortal technique; it is merely Fifth Grade. There are inner demons that it cannot handle. If Fellow Daoist wishes to seek treatment, you must be prepared!"
"Naturally. Nothing in this world is guaranteed."
Li Xijun agreed as a matter of course. Only then did Bi Chengjuan nod and apologize:
"Over the years, people have frequently had the art fail on them, only to fly into a rage and blame my fellow sect members who cast it. Some even went so far as to blame my Hengzhu Dao... In our years of practice, we have truly been scolded into fear and cannot help but take extra precautions."
Seeing him like this, Li Xijun felt a bit more favorable toward him, thinking inwardly:
'This Hengzhu Dao Gate is quite different from Qingchi, and somewhat better than the sects in northern Yue... Truly rare.'
Having clearly delineated the responsibility, Bi Chengjuan's tone warmed considerably, and he smiled:
"Is this Fellow Daoist's first time visiting my Hengzhu Dao?"
"Indeed."
Li Xijun replied. Bi Chengjuan explained:
"My Hengzhu Dao has an ancient heritage. For generations, we were called 'Hengzhu Dao.' Later, meddlesome people ranked several sects and gates, and someone began calling our path 'Hengzhu Dao Gate.' Gradually it spread wider and wider... and could hardly be changed."
He looked somewhat resigned:
"Thus, fellow Daoists from the north all call us a Dao gate... but in truth, that is not so... My Hengzhu Dao cannot be compared to Qingchi or Jinyu. Though both follow the Purple Palace and Golden Core paths, my Hengzhu Dao follows the ways of the ancient art cultivators."
Li Xijun listened carefully as Bi Chengjuan continued:
"To truly trace it back, our dao's cultivation method is closer to the Daxiukui Daoist Temple in the east. Many years ago, both were branch abodes established by the Yuehua Immortal Abode: one was 'Hengzhu Dao,' and the other was 'Xiukui Dao.'"
He gave a soft laugh:
"Hence, the Daxiukui Daoist Temple shares this annoyance, often being called 'Xiukui Dao Gate.' That group of Daoists is far fiercer—if you call them by the wrong name, they will truly strike you."
Li Xijun nodded thoughtfully. Bi Chengjuan's choice of words was quite refined. Looking at the appearance of the common folk under Hengzhu's governance, he praised:
"Your noble dao possesses much of the ancient style."
"Let us not speak of that..."
Bi Chengjuan's tone became much more subdued. Turning the subject, he asked:
"Could Fellow Daoist wait a few days? I must return to lay out the array and prepare the pills."
"Very well."
Li Xijun cupped his hands and asked:
"May I know how many spirit stones it will require?"
Bi Chengjuan was courteous, yet he did not waver on price, answering:
"Only fifty spirit stones."
Li Xijun felt an inward pang of ache, but nodded in agreement. He retrieved twenty-five spirit stones from his storage bag as a deposit, and then rode the wind away.
Once outside Hengzhu territory, Li Xijun fretted inwardly, not knowing how to explain this to Li Xuanxuan. This granduncle of his had spent a long time in authority. Although his spirit had been somewhat crushed lately, when he pulled a stern face, he was still very formidable.
Landing in the Helin Mountain Range, Li Xijun took out a jade pendant to sense for them, but the distance was too great and they were out of range. So he flew a circle on the wind and finally found the two of them.
He saw Li Xuanxuan standing beside a small hill, silently casting a spell, while Kongheng stood beside him guarding. Li Xijun landed nearby, used the secret method from the *Hanxue Ji* to calculate, and said joyfully:
"Indeed, there is a stream of cold water hidden in the water veins below!"
Together, the two made hand seals to guide it. The ground trembled slightly, cracking open a fissure the size of an infant's mouth, and a beam of shimmering blue water light flew out. Li Xijun quickly took out a jade bottle and drew it inside.
"Mulin Cold Water, capable of nourishing the cold qi of true essence."
This natural spiritual water was not particularly rare. Located at a confluence of earth veins, it could not compare to Tianyi Pure Element, but to Li Xijun, it was a treasured find. It could refine his true essence and aid his cultivation of Tujun Sunflower Light. After putting it away, his mood improved considerably.
Li Xuanxuan also smiled—a rare sight—and said:
"The old man has had decent luck, finding it so quickly... Only one day has passed. You and I can search for some more to keep in reserve at home..."
Li Xijun offered an apology, bowed slowly, and said softly:
"Junior heard that Hengzhu Dao possesses an art for dispelling inner demons... Why not go take a look first? It will not be too late to search for more when we return."
Li Xuanxuan glared at him and cried out:
"I'm not going! What is the big deal anyway? I just need to take a couple of pills. I'll draw talismans when I should, and won't slow anything down!"
Hardening his resolve, Li Xijun said in a deep voice:
"Junior took the opportunity to arrange it in Hengdong Commandery and has already paid the fee... Granduncle, please take this trip."
"You!"
Li Xuanxuan realized immediately. Stunned for two breaths, he said:
"Fine! You and Ming'er conspired to scheme against me!"
Li Xijun merely kept his head lowered and replied:
"It was merely junior acting on impulse... If Granduncle does not go, it will only go to waste."
How could Li Xuanxuan fail to understand? After choking back his words for a long moment, he finally spat out:
"Never again!"
He glanced at Li Xijun, and the floodgates of conversation opened. He began chattering about Li Xijun's father, Li Yuanyun, then meandered to his grandfather, Li Xuanling, and finally to how frugal Li Tongya had been during his life, how he had not dared to spend even a single spirit stone.
Li Xijun guided him while listening silently, and only after a long time said:
"If Great-Grandfather were alive today, he surely would not wish to see Granduncle torment himself like this."
Li Xuanxuan abruptly fell silent, flying ahead with his head down. After a long while, he finally said:
"Back then, I was completely unaware... If only I could have gone to Zhenhui Daoist Temple in Ling-di's place..."
He turned his head away, his aged, haggard face glistening with tears:
"I, Li Xuanxuan! Would never have uttered half a word of complaint!"
The old man covered his face:
"I owe him too much... I owe him too much... If Ling-di were alive today, he would already be at Foundation Establishment, unlike me... completely useless!
"And then your father died right before my eyes, yet I abandoned him and fled alone! How can I face you, how can I face him... I might as well just die!"
Li Xijun was deeply moved. Comforting him from the side, he could only console:
"Things have improved for the clan now..."
Beside them, Kongheng was kind-hearted by nature. Hearing this, he was filled with emotion and thought to himself:
'I only took Li Xuanxuan for a pedantic, stubborn old man... I never imagined there was such a story behind it. In the end, my own cultivation remains insufficient...'
Riding the wind, the three arrived at Hengzhu Dao's territory. Bi Chengjuan quickly came out to greet them. His gaze swept over the three of them, fixed guardedly upon Kongheng, and asked in a somewhat chilly tone:
"May I ask which temple Master hails from?"
Kongheng was bewildered and replied:
"This humble monk originally cultivates the Buddhist path in the north, and now humbly serves as a guest elder of the Li family."
"A guest elder of the Li family?"
Bi Chengjuan's expression instantly darkened. Fortunately, he did not immediately turn hostile, only saying coldly:
"Indeed. Lake Wangyue borders the great river... It is no surprise the Li family would take in a few monks."
Noticing the wrong atmosphere, Li Xijun hastily said:
"This is Master Kongheng of Liaohe Temple. He originally cultivated in the northern deserts, following the ancient Buddhist methods and strictly observing the precepts... Fellow Daoist, please forgive any offense..."
Bi Chengjuan had a sudden realization. He apologized, his expression softening, and sighed:
"I was too impulsive! My sincere apologies!"
With a sorrowful expression, he explained:
"Years ago, that Murong Xia traveled south, devouring humans everywhere, and actually harmed my elder sister! My clan's ancestor fought his way over, which forced the Qingchi Sect to step in and mediate, only for the matter to be dropped without resolution!"
Bi Chengjuan let out a long sigh, gnashing his teeth as he said:
"Out of the three Purple Palaces of my clan, two were mobilized, yet we still could not avoid suffering such humiliation!"
Master Kongheng murmured:
"The Murong clan... It seems to be the Aspect of Compassion."
"What dogshit Aspect of Compassion!"
Bi Chengjuan felt insulted, flying into a rage and saying with hatred:
"That... That Murong Xia harming my elder sister was bad enough! But he even... he even made her soul manifest and subserviently console my clan's ancestor... How could such a thing exist in this world! Ah!"
Hearing this, Li Xijun felt a suffocating indignation in his chest, and was secretly astounded by the power of the Murong clan:
'To suffer such humiliation... yet the Purple Palaces of Hengzhu Dao had to swallow it...'
Bi Chengjuan sighed dejectedly, apologized for losing his composure, retrieved five golden-glowing pills from his robes, and said in a low voice:
"Fellow Daoist, please make some preparations..."
Saying this, he took out a jade knife and said somewhat listlessly:
"These are Body-Embedded Pills, corresponding respectively to the five acupoints of mental will. This follows the path of ancient art cultivators. Fellow Daoist, please slice open the flesh, insert these pills, and then use a secret method to seal the flesh."
Looking at their surprised faces, he explained:
"Tiny arrays are carved into these pills. In a moment, once you enter our dao's Ningqing Profound Revolving Grand Array, guided by the grand array, they will naturally dissolve completely, aiding in dispelling the inner demon."
Chapter 406