Lu Jiangxian had read the memories of several eminent Buddhist figures and possessed dozens of Buddhist cultivation methods. He did not cultivate them himself; his everyday cultivation experience came from the Li clan members after they condensed their pellets, entirely unrelated to the Buddhist path.
Consequently, not only was Lu Jiangxian's understanding of karmic mandate limited to the Five Eyes, but the clever trick he had once used—shaping human forms out of magical power to cultivate—was useless against karmic mandate. Magical power could be circulated out of nothing, but how could a karmic mandate fall upon a mere mass of magical power?
Holding this karmic mandate, Lu Jiangxian refrained from absorbing it into the mirror for the time being. He drew out Dangjiang's soul. Dangjiang remained in a daze, having been sealed ever since emerging from Chi Buzi's body.
"When the time is right, this fellow can be brought out for use. Keep this karmic mandate in reserve for now."
Suddenly stirred, he looked up to see the [Minghua Huangyang Yucheng Nature] in the sky faintly glowing. A scene slowly manifested, revealing an island in the sea, covered in palaces and pavilions, with cultivators coming and going.
On the island, the stone doors of a cave dwelling slowly slid shut. Within, a youth sat cross-legged, bathed in radiant light that illuminated the chamber with crystalline clarity.
Li Zhouwei had entered secluded cultivation to break through to Foundation Establishment.
In the Great Void, Lu Jiangxian had seen the fiend that the [Heavenly Martial True Qi Divine Fiend Nature] had transformed into. Even without such transformation, an ordinary Violet Palace would find it exceedingly difficult to suppress the metal nature. The metal nature upon Li Zhouwei had been personally linked by Lu Jiangxian through supreme immortal methods, leaving little ill effect. Yet Lu Jiangxian had also observed Li Zhouwei's eldest son, Li Jiang'ao, with his own eyes. Without Lu Jiangxian constantly tending and suppressing it, Li Jiang'ao's current condition was already considered mild…
"The Bright Yang nature brings many offspring, but the elder is fierce and the second malevolent; the deepest influence will fall upon the eldest and second sons. If I judge correctly, the court politics of the Wei and Li will be quite bloody. The struggle between the eldest di son and the second di son is no simple dispute, let alone when both are born with divine anomalies."
"Once more sons are born, it won't be so troublesome; it only affects temperament. With more wives, concubines, and offspring, cultivation speed can increase by several times."
Li Jiang'ao's status was remarkable. In Lu Jiangxian's calculations, the child might even have transformed into a red-eyed white cicada, a golden-pupiled white unicorn, or some similar monstrosity, which was why Lu Jiangxian had watched him intently when he was born.
"Fortunately, whether influenced by Li Zhouwei or because his karmic mandate was molded by me after all, Li Jiang'ao is merely inhuman."
Lu Jiangxian observed for several months before slowly shifting his gaze, musing inwardly.
As his horizons broadened, Lu Jiangxian cared little about the Buddhist One Form or the various immortal sects of Wu and Yue. His sole concern was the Dao Embryo level powers: Mount Luoxia in the Inland and the Underworld. Every move required years of deliberation, making him even less willing to act rashly.
***
Atop Mount Qingdu, Li Qinghong produced a jade box from her storage bag, placing it in Chi Fupo's hands, and said gently, "Within this box is a life-extending spirit elixir concocted by Ximing. Take good care of your health, Fellow Daoist. Yuanqin is still in Qingchi in secluded cultivation seeking a breakthrough; he has a great future ahead."
Chi Fupo had progressed considerably, but grief and distress overwhelmed him: "My master was a close friend of your noble family's forebear, and our two clans have been allied for generations. How did it come to this? My lord fell guarding the riverbank, but that kindness should not be used to annex my family!"
Chi Fupo moved to kneel, but purple lightning lifted him up. Li Qinghong said softly, "What do you mean by this, Fellow Daoist? Please rise quickly."
Chi Fupo raised his head, a look of reminiscence surfacing on his face, and answered, "Back then, Uncle Ping asked me about the lake's affairs. I replied: the Li family upon the lake, the peaks of Lake Zhou Prefecture. Now seventy years have passed, and the Great Lake has finally fallen into your family's hands."
Li Qinghong turned to the side and instructed, "Xijun, have someone escort them back to the north shore."
Li Xijun softly complied, "Yes."
Fei Tongyu was already prepared, supporting Chi Fupo down. Only when Li Xijun and Li Qinghong landed atop Mount Qingdu did the gazes of the various clans turn away, each departing.
In the small hall atop the mountain peak, its master appeared anxious and uneasy, standing with spear in hand, brow shrouded in gloom.
Li Qinghong and Li Xijun discussed the matter as they entered the hall.
"That move was truly clever; after all, even in refusal, polite words must be said."
"He deliberately chose this moment under all eyes so that everyone could see clearly: oh? The Fei family belongs to the Li family! Then that precious daughter naturally has nothing to do with the Tang clan."
"The Chenshui Mausoleum turmoil hasn't been settled yet. Si Yuanli will surely purge the Tang faction to win hearts. Whether the Fei family of Mount Yuanwu is included is merely a matter of a single word."
Li Xijun replied, "There is no benefit without cost. The north shore belongs to our family now. The south shore has many spiritual items, the east shore has many spirit fields, and the north shore has many spirit mines. Now that this missing link is filled, the shortage of magical artifacts for our family can finally be resolved."
Accepting it with such great fanfare might make others feel the Li family was overbearing and ambitious. Though Li Xijun had declined on the surface, given the Li family's current strength and influence, whether the Fei clan was annexed was merely a nod away.
With Qingchi currently in internal turmoil, it was indeed a fine opportunity to annex the Great Lake. Chi Fupo was of course acting of his own accord, but the disparity in strength between Li and Fei was already terrifyingly vast; the various clans and the Si and Chi families wouldn't see it that way.
"Since he took a stance publicly, he will send direct descendants over before long. Just have Xijun make the arrangements."
"He already has quite deep accumulations; taking advantage of this merit, we can grant him a precious medicine and send him to Qingchi to seek a chance to break through to late Foundation Establishment."
Li Xijun crossed his arms and tilted his head slightly. Li Ximing walked into the hall. He had a magnificent bearing; stepping into the great hall amidst the falling snow, he brought a sudden sense of brightness. Hearing their words, he remarked casually:
"In recent years, our Li family has grown increasingly powerful. The Fei family holding out on the north shore was merely pinning their hopes on that woman, but that woman has been in seclusion for years without word, and Li Xuanfeng slaughtered all the Buddhist cultivators. The Fei family finally could hold out no longer."
Li Ximing's face was heavy as he said in a low voice, "The Fei family is truly at the end of its rope."
Li Xijun understood that he always had his calculations. Listening carefully, he nodded.
"Now only Daoist He on the west bank remains."
"Daoist He is, after all, an anomaly."
"Speaking of which, it's quite interesting. This Daoist He has mid Foundation Establishment strength and is rumored to have backing within Qingchi Sect. On the lake, he doesn't need to pay tribute to Mount Xingfeng. In the Li family's century by the lake, this man has never once appeared."
"Years ago, I heard he was a close friend of someone in the sect, which was why no one on the lake dared cross him, while he kept to his own affairs… Foundation Establishment grants only three hundred years of lifespan, and over a hundred years have passed! He has been renowned for a long time; frankly, he doesn't have much lifespan left."
Li Xijun pondered and replied, "Aside from Real Person Yuanxiu, who else could be considered backing? Anyone who was his close friend was likely among the batch of old Foundation Establishment cultivators who attempted Zifu, and has probably already perished!"
The young man replied, "Why not wait a few months until the family is settled? Aunt and I will pay him a visit together. In the meantime, we can write a letter to ask Brother."
Seeing Li Qinghong look over, Li Xijun immediately added in a low voice…
The lack of any trace of the two immortal-mansion-level powers around Lake Wangyue made people even warier.
"Speaking of that, affairs in the sect are complicated, and Brother has no confidant by his side. I was thinking of having Senior Wushao go assist him."
Li Wushao had recognized Li Yuanjiao as master; with Li Yuanjiao having fallen, Li Wushao should indeed follow Li Xizhi. Li Qinghong nodded, "En."
"As for Zifu, Li Ximing has practiced secret arts and should have more than a ten percent chance; if he can use a Bright Yang spiritual item, the certainty will be even greater."
***
Within Qingchi Sect, the immortal formation was dim, the peaks tightly closed, and only on Mount Yuanxing were people bustling about. This peak was almost entirely made of gold and iron, with thousands of iron pillars erected, connected by iron chains, fierce and terrifying.
Ning Hejing sat in the upper seat, already chilled to the bone. Below stood an array of cultivators, mostly elderly, their aged voices overlapping in continuous commotion throughout the hall.
"Real Person Buzi's soul lamp is lit!"
Yet Chi Zhiyun's departing order required him to control the Xiaguang Cloud Boats, lock down the peaks, and summon all members of the Chi clan back to Mount Xingfeng. It felt like making a mountain out of a molehill, yet Ning Hejing feared punishment from Chi Zhiyun upon exiting seclusion, so he followed through.
Ning Hejing had received news very early. Chi Zhiyun couldn't rest easy regarding Chi Zhiyan; not that he thought his younger brother would squander all their forces down to nothing, but he feared deceit from subordinates, so he had planted spies in many places.
When Li Xuanfeng defeated the Shixiu and there was no news from the north, flying specialists secretly returned from the riverbank, burning talismans and expending all their magical power to race forward. Collapsing in the market town completely drained, a second person immediately took over, flying day and night. Thus Ning Hejing received word on the second day.
"How is that possible!"
"Slaughtered fourteen Shixiu? What a joke!" a gray-haired old man shouted—Chi Buhua, elder brother of the Chi clan's Zhong branch, his face full of doubt and disbelief.
Ning Hejing's attention had been entirely on Li Xuanfeng, his mind filled with that terrifying battle record, while also sensing the disadvantage at Mount Bianyan. At first he didn't think much of it; Chi Zhiyan held Qingchi talismans and could even traverse the Great Void. What could mere demonic cultivators do to him? At most, some men would die.
But when the second message arrived, reporting no word from Mount Bianyan and that Chi Zhiyan was dead, Ning Hejing's initial relief turned to alarm. By the morning of the third day, the soul lamps on Mount Xingfeng went out like candles snuffed by the wind; a sea of purple was extinguished, leaving only scattered remnants. Even Chi Zhiyan's soul lamp had gone out. Ning Hejing was stunned for half an incense stick.
He turned to look at the green lamps on the other side; those were extinguished completely, with only a few cultivators guarding the sect surviving.
Several leaders of the Chi clan's Bo branch had perished at Mount Bianyan. The Bo branch members in this hall had no standing to speak, while the rest were of the Zhong branch. Long harboring resentment, they now felt a sense of schadenfreude and stood by coldly.
Seeing the majority looking on with cold detachment, Ning Hejing felt a surge of fury rush to his head, though his expression remained unchanged.
Ning Hejing knew these pampered old playboys were no good, but had they possessed any competence they wouldn't be without any office at their age. Still, he hadn't expected them to be foolish to this degree.
Irritated to the extreme, yet not daring to berate this crowd of Chi clan members, he suppressed his temper and said in a low voice, "My lords, Si Yuanli must already be on his way back! Do you have any thoughts?"
'Li Xuanfeng's move has already harmed Chi Zhiyan. Returning so urgently, what good intentions could he harbor! You all share the Chi surname; you rise and fall together. How can you look on with cold detachment!'
Ning Hejing looked around. Only two men stood before the hall in silence, looking somewhat anxious. He recognized the man in front as Chi Jiang'ao, the eldest di son of the Chi clan's Zhong branch, a formidable figure.
Chi Jiang'ao, ambitious and far from simple, answered in a low voice, "Uncle Hejing is right… but what can be done now? He returns riding a great victory, while our family's men are virtually wiped out. What more can we say!"
"Uncle Hejing! Our family was schemed against by the Si family! That Anhuai Heaven was clearly aimed at our Chi family!"
"Si Yuanli is an ambitious wolf. With the Sect Master in seclusion seeking a breakthrough and the main seat vacant, he will certainly not let this chance pass. If a Si family member takes the helm while the main branch is severely weakened, our Chi and Ning families will surely be pushed aside!"
Ning Hejing, terrified, slowly raised his head, shadow veiling his face, and rasped, "But Real Person Yuanxiu is closest to our Chi family!"
"If Real Person had no designs, and the Bo branch were wiped out, all the clans harbor grievances—if Real Person Yuanxiu has intentions, how could Qingchi still be surnamed Chi!"
"Who can fathom the heart of a Real Person?"
Silence fell upon the hall. Chi Jiang'ao held high prestige in the Zhong branch, and all gave him face.
Ning Hejing sighed, "Do you think I don't know this? Si Yuanli is almost here. How can I shut him out of the formation? If he enters the sect, with Real Person Buzi missing and Real Person Yuanxiu absent, the whole of Mount Xingfeng will be under his command!"
Ning Hejing was stationed on Mount Yuanxing; Si Yuanbai had been under his watch back then. Si Yuanli had requested an audience several times, but Ning Hejing took him for an ordinary figure, and Qingchi had issued a ban, so he had left him out in the cold… If Si Yuanli took charge of sect affairs, Mount Yuanxing would surely be given to his Si family. Between public grudges and private enmity, how could Ning Hejing come to any good end!
The two exchanged words, their brows furrowing simultaneously in dread. Ning Hejing said, "There are countless strange places in the world… how do we know it isn't some land where karmic mandates are thrown into chaos?"
The two conferred, a rising sense of terror seizing them over Si Yuanli's rapid return. Chi Jiang'ao immediately turned, gathered several elders, cleared the crowd from the hall, leaving only their inner circle, and scrutinized the matter repeatedly, horrified.
Chapter 619