Li Ximing gathered his magic power and flicked his fingers, lighting the magical lamps on either side. Bright light scattered around as he pushed open the vermilion doors and entered. A wave of spiritual energy rushed straight at him, whipping his robes with a snapping flutter.
Ahead lay darkness, relieved only by the faint gleam of magic power circulating within the formation. The grand hall was squarish, barely a dozen zhang across. As lamps lit up to the left and right, several stone tables and chairs stood casually placed, while array patterns traced across the floor in interwoven red and black.
In the center sat the Meng family's fire vein, forged of bronze and inlaid with eight pieces of red hematite, radiating a dull crimson glow. Li Ximing swept with his spiritual sense; in the far corner hid a spiritual spring of very low quality, gurgling water upward.
*Ding-dong.*
Clear spiritual water flowed once more along the channel in the floor, trickling into the quenching pool with musical splashes. He estimated that no one had visited for decades; the spring had kept venting spiritual energy until the spiritual mechanism grew congested and clogged the springhead.
Having refined pills for many years, Li Ximing was thoroughly familiar with fire veins. He pressed a hand against the bronze pedestal of the fire vein; as expected, it was scorching hot. "This Meng family fire vein is truly exceptional, interspersed with Lihuo. It really is a treasure for forging artifacts. Decades of fiery baleful qi accumulated in the array have nearly melted this pedestal."
The Meng Mansion had seen no visitors for decades. Li Ximing reflected that had he arrived any later, the bronze pedestal would likely have melted, releasing an eruption of Lihuo fiery baleful qi that would have utterly disfigured the entire immortal's cave. Seeing that the Meng Mansion was empty, he mused inwardly, *Strange. Reason dictates they should have returned at least once... yet they never came back at all?*
He formed an incantation gesture with one hand and reached toward his waist with the other. A small bottle, three fingers wide, sprang forth. Cast with a platinum base and traced with intricate dark-silver patterns, it gleamed with shifting radiances.
What the bottle needed was Lihuo. The fiery baleful qi was far too impure, making extraction a troublesome affair, but to Li Ximing it was as simple as could be. Hooking his free hand gently, he activated the Gu Feng Yin Huo talisman qi within his body.
The artifact had long since been placed in Li Ximing's hands. Refined for quite some time, it had been transformed with Purple Mansion magic power, shining with a brilliant luster. Li Ximing formed an incantation gesture with one hand, activating the grand array on the bronze pedestal, and a plume of dark-red fiery baleful qi surged forth.
The fiery baleful qi was mingled with Lihuo, scorching hot and far more vicious than ordinary fire baleful qi. Yet from Li Ximing's bottle burst two or three wisps of rosy light, hazy and mist-like, drifting down from the air like a fallen veil to freeze the fiery baleful qi in place.
The dark-red pillar of fire gathered into his palm, while the bright-red Lihuo separated and fell completely into the bottle. In less than a quarter of an hour, he had drawn all the fire baleful qi out of the array.
He had refined the bottle, and imbued with Purple Mansion magic power, the artifact shone brightly. Its divine wonders were twofold: the first was Rosy Light, which could suppress foes and also assist in flight and warding off evil—touching somewhat upon Purple Mansion powers, with respectable potency. The second divine wonder was rather interesting: termed Unified Qi, it could gather rosy light, blend it with flame, and store it within the bottle for refinement. When deployed in battle, it could be unleashed at will; once refined for long enough, its power would certainly be formidable.
Its function was somewhat similar to Li Xijun's storing of Xuan Thunder, only its might grew greater the longer it was refined. It was a pity that once the rosy light and flames fell inside, they became inextricably blended, emerging as a merged mixture that could never be separated again.
This was indeed a fine place. If he had time in the future, he could visit a few more times to extract Lihuo for refining the artifact.
He made a circuit of the hall. It was pitch-black and desolate. He extinguished several lamps, shut the doors tight, and sighed inwardly with deep emotion: *I was born to strive for Mingguang; failure means death. Seeing that my time draws near, once I return I must steel myself and enter seclusion—thirty percent chance of life, seventy percent of death. I had hoped to see her one last time to make amends for the faults of my youth, but alas, fortune was unkind, and the opportunity is lost.*
He strode briskly out of the cave. Rising above the gleaming white salt reefs, he looked out across the expansive sea and rode the rosy light northward, suddenly feeling a sense of release.
Somehow, once he realized the Meng Mansion was empty, a sudden relief washed over him. His spirits lightened considerably, and his steps grew brisk. Li Ximing had always settled his thoughts quickly and excelled at putting emotions behind him. He immediately turned his mind to dealing with Mingyang.
Settling his mind, he searched southward for a while. In the distance, Li Xijun flew toward him on the wind in a great hurry, draped in frost and snow, looking rather travel-worn. His long sword seemed to have just returned to its scabbard, still carrying a sharp edge of sword qi.
Li Xijun landed, looked at him, and asked, "Where did Elder Brother go? Why are you covered in fire qi?"
"It is nothing," Li Ximing replied. Since his venture had yielded good results, he was in high spirits and continued, "The Lihuo among these Suzhu Reefs is vigorous. I happened to find a fire vein mixed with Lihuo and drew some of it to refine my treasure."
Li Ximing had spoken of the artifact's properties before. The white-robed youth, cradling his sword, teased casually, "It is often said that this artifact tends to overlap with the functions of its master's immortal foundation. Yet perhaps because whoever crafted it was thoroughly versed in the path of the Purple Mansion, they paid special attention to this: the divine wonder of capturing rosy light to blend with flame and refine it into unified qi is truly remarkable! It happens to make up for your deficiencies. It comes as a pleasant surprise, finally offering something to patch the shortcomings. Still, I doubt they designed it specifically with this in mind. Rosy light seizes heavenly radiance and captures flames, which offers quite a few offensive methods—a perfect match. For another Purple Mansion cultivator, it might not be of much use, but fortunately it serves Elder Brother well."
Li Ximing grew tense upon taking in Li Xijun's appearance and asked what had happened. Li Xijun looked slightly awkward and brushed it off with a few vague words. Li Ximing would not let it drop and pressed further, until the young man finally cradled his sword in his arms and confessed helplessly, "I ran into a snake demoness who insisted on inviting me into the sea to be a guest in her palace. I turned her down repeatedly, and she lost face, sending subordinates to pester me. I had to force my way out with my sword."
Li Ximing burst out laughing. It was rare to see his brother looking so embarrassed, and he teased, "Brother Jundi had better come to the Eastern Sea less often. I truly fear that one day as you fly over the Eastern Sea with glistening waters beneath, some dragon maiden will snatch you away to her dragon palace to be her husband!"
Li Xijun gave a helpless answer. Li Ximing rarely saw him wearing such an expression and let out two puzzled grunts. Li Xijun misunderstood his meaning, shaking his head. "Don't worry, I held back and didn't hurt anyone. She seemed to have quite a background, and she didn't dare actually fight either, just joking around."
Li Ximing shook his head and brought the topic back. A wisp of white qi flickered in his pupils, and he immediately noticed something amiss. He asked, "What is this?"
"Your ocular technique truly is growing more and more formidable," Li Xijun said.
***
Suzhu Island.
Li Qinghong landed on a circular elevated platform. Beside her stood a Hengzhu Dao cultivator in red robes with golden shamanic patterns embroidered on his sleeves. After examining her closely, he quickly made his judgment: *This person's robes are ornate and graceful with an ancient flair, her artifact exceptional, seemingly of Xuan Thunder. She is either from a Great Family of the Northern Sea, or a direct descendant of an immortal sect.*
He had received guests here for a long time, specializing in greeting Foundation Establishment cultivators. With sharp eyes, he stepped forward courteously, asking in neither a humble nor overbearing manner, "I am Bi Tiaoyu. Where does Fellow Daoist hail from?"
Li Qinghong slightly lowered her gaze. Entering the array alongside him, she found the place orderly and well-governed. Hengzhu Dao's inspection was rigorous, and Bi Tiaoyu was clearly experienced; she feared she might not be able to disguise herself for long.
*After all, I cultivate thunder, the least suited for concealment, my aura hard to disguise... Fortunately I had the other two enter a step later; they aren't very well known, so they won't be recognized at once.*
She replied in a gentle voice, "This junior comes from inland."
*From Jiangnan; she must be from northern Yue or north of the river.*
"Fellow Daoist has graced us with your presence. If you have an interest in sightseeing, this old Daoist can accompany you on a walk. If you have urgent business, there is no need to squeeze in among the crowds; you may speak with me directly in detail."
"Please."
The Suzhu market possessed a distinct air of antiquity, consisting mostly of multi-story pavilions. A dense network of roads, constructed from red stone, spread across the island, looking remarkably orderly. Li Qinghong possessed discerning vision; taking a careful look, she realized it was likely part of the grand formation.
Although busybodies called Hengzhu Dao an immortal sect, the Bi clan had never acknowledged belonging to the immortal sects, referring to themselves only as the immortal path. Li Qinghong's repeated choice of terms struck just the right chord, bringing joy and a clear understanding to Bi Tiaoyu.
Her phrasing brought a raspy chuckle from Bi Tiaoyu. Without another word, he led her toward the center, bypassing numerous pavilions until they flew into the heart of Suzhu Island, where a massive vermilion palace came into view.
Li Qinghong naturally did not let this prime opportunity slip by, remarking with apparent casualness, "On my way here, I saw people of the immortal path fighting quite fiercely. I wonder what has happened?"
Bi Tiaoyu sighed and said angrily, "What else could it be? The discord between our path and Changxiao Gate has a long history. Many years ago, Changxiaozi fought our path's True Master Hengli over an opportunity, battling until the heavens were in an uproar, and only ceased when various True Masters intervened.
"Later, Jiangnan turned into the Lower Wicked Spirit Trove, and Earth-virtue demonic cultivators flourished. Chengyan struck tremendous luck and succeeded in cultivating Wutu. The anomalous signs of Earth-virtue are inherently indistinct to begin with, so relying on Changxiao's cover, he broke through in secret, killed direct descendants of our family, and was then wounded by True Master Hengxing. New grievances and old hatred have long since become irreconcilable.
"He is cast from the very same mold as his master—neither is any good! They take people's lives at the drop of a hat... and always aim their hidden arrows at the younger generation!
"Just half a year ago, he struck secretly in the Eastern Sea, killing several of our path and slaughtering a spiritual boat. The island master sent a few rogue cultivators to question him, yet he denied it in every conceivable way and drove them out with utter disdain!"
Li Qinghong quietly committed the information that True Master Chengyan cultivated Wutu to memory. Frowning slightly, she sensed that the conflict between the two reefs in the Eastern Sea was unusual, and probed deliberately, "Talisman qi is wondrous beyond compare, by no means as simple as merely elevating cultivation. If studied thoroughly, it is bound to yield great benefits; your family has been renowned in Jiangnan for generations, and this surely plays a part."
Bi Tiaoyu let out a breath and sighed, "Indeed... This old man is nearly two hundred years old, long past my prime... I have no wish to stir up so much contention. Wouldn't it be better for everyone to get along harmoniously? But Yufuzi is young and hot-headed; how could he care for such things?"
"I see. Chongzhou and Suzhu are so close to each other, so ordinary days must not be easy either."
Bi Tiaoyu gave away nothing, leading her through the vermilion palace halls. He passed directly over the first level and landed on the second, where dozens of massive doors separated by formations came into view. Bi Tiaoyu turned around and asked softly, "Fellow Daoist, if you are looking for these kinds of items, what might you need?"
Since she could not completely conceal her identity, it was inconvenient to inquire directly about Purple Mansion spiritual items. Li Qinghong said warmly, "I might select a few spiritual items. Does the immortal path have any rare treasures that could broaden my horizons?"
"Are there any spiritual items at the Mingguang tier? My family owes a favor to a True Master, and I fear he would not look twice at anything lesser."
Bi Tiaoyu was truly taken aback. Having resided here for nearly a century, he had rarely seen anyone come to purchase Purple Mansion spiritual items. Li Qinghong's explanation was clever, so he harbored no suspicion, simply replying politely, "Then that is beyond this old Daoist's authority to decide. Please wait while I send someone to report to the island master, after which I shall return with an answer."
"Very well."
This meant requesting the presence of Island Master Bi Yuzhuang in person, which played right into Li Qinghong's hands. She had heard that Bi Yuzhuang shared an acquaintance with Li Xuanfeng during their time in the Qingsong Temple Grotto-Heaven. Though she did not know how deep that friendship ran, having a connection was better than none at all. Furthermore, when it came to dealing with Changxiao Gate, someone of sufficient stature was needed to confer.
She gave a gentle reply, and the attendant behind Bi Tiaoyu immediately withdrew. As the two descended the steps, the Hengzhu Dao cultivator who had left came riding the wind up the vermilion stairs. He bowed to both of them, took his place behind Bi Tiaoyu, and sent a magical transmission into the old man's ear:
"It has been verified. Nine times out of ten, she is a Li family cultivator from Lake Wangyue, Li Qinghong, who cultivates Xiao Thunder."
Bi Tiaoyu smiled faintly in satisfaction. *Since she is from Jiangnan and so familiar with our Hengzhu Dao, she must indeed be from the Li family of Lake Wangyue.*
Chapter 630