Discrepancy

Tu Longjian offered a salute. Real Person Puyu simply sat beside the table in silence, smiling as he peered into his cup. Tu Longjian pondered for a moment before asking in a low voice: "Real Person is well-versed in the arts of Yin and Yang. What is the usual price for performing such an art?" "A few treasures happen to grow on my Penglai, and I need only fetch them. Using this spell for a Foundation Establishment cultivator does not cost much, especially since he is so young and his cultivation is clear and luminous... It is just that this is an absolute secret of my sect, unknown to ordinary immortals." "Setting the price aside for now, I have a doubt, and I would ask Junjian to enlighten me." Real Person Puyu looked toward him, a hint of inquiry appearing in his expression, and smiled. "Performing this art for a Foundation Establishment cultivator is exceedingly rare. After all, death comes when it comes, and I reside on Penglai with unpredictable movements; naturally, there would be no reason to prepare anything in advance... If one could prepare beforehand, why would one need to die?" He stood up, turned back to look at Tu Longjian, and said with deep meaning, "Then this makes no sense. The moment you attained the Violet Palace, you visited my Penglai multiple times and waited at the foot of the mountain for years before finally catching me. Your intention was very obvious. If viewed in this light..." The smile gradually faded from Real Person Puyu's handsome face, and he said quietly, "Did Junjian foresee today's situation the instant you broke through to the Violet Palace? Even with immense upheavals like the struggle between north and south in Daxu interwoven, defying calculation... With divination such as yours, even the Maha would feel inferior. Is it a dharma treasure? Or is it someone else's handiwork?" Tu Longjian smiled bitterly in his heart. How could he possibly have spent years preparing specifically for Li Xijun! All of his maneuvering to curry favor with Real Person Puyu had always been for Guo E within the Six Ding Combined Fire Medallion! Tu Longjian had received Guo E's guidance for many years. Guo E had once acquired treasures alongside Zhang Cuotian and others within the grotto-heaven of Qingsong Temple, and Tu Longjian's own eventual escape had largely relied on the methods Guo E had used to leave the grotto-heaven back then. Bound by such gratitude, he had always wanted to find Guo E a new body. And Real Person Puyu of Penglai was undoubtedly a master of this craft, which was why he had visited time and again. Li Xijun's matter truly was just a sheer coincidence. Tu Longjian thus replied: "If I wished to distance myself from the Li clan, there would be no need to pay such a price... The Li family's affair is merely a coincidence." "In my early years, I was displaced and wandered; my relatives and friends all perished, and their remains were scattered and lost. Hearing that Senior's divine ability governs Yin and Yang, and that you are on good terms with Judge Yang—a formidable figure—I hoped to ask Senior to intervene and inquire with the Underworld as to where the bones of my kin might be..." He did not bring up Guo E's situation, speaking instead of a matter that had weighed on his heart for a long time. He said softly: "Regardless of where their bones drifted, even if my father and kin ended up in someone's belly or turned into dharma implements in someone's hands—as long as I can know, Junjian will reward you handsomely." "So that is how it is." Real Person Puyu narrowed his eyes slightly, gazing at him thoughtfully as he turned the jade cup, and replied, "So it was a coincidence... Junjian truly has a fine character. Longing for departed kin, you end up saving another; such is fate." He finally pressed no further, answering: "Yuansu entrusted his affairs to Li Xuanfeng. There was originally a karmic bond between him and me, but alas, he perished. He can loosely be counted among the Li family. Leave Li Xijun's matter to me. Penglai happens to have grown a piece of Gaoxuan Clear Frost; I shall cut sixty percent of it and shape it into a body for him." Seeing that he was not holding the soul hostage to extort him, Tu Longjian breathed a sigh of relief. He withdrew an object from his sleeve—a medallion interwoven with red and black patterns, none other than the Six Ding Combined Fire Medallion. With a gentle flick, a crimson haze of misty radiance leaped from the medallion and floated in the palm of his hand, half-gold and half-silver. Within the medallion, Guo E wailed in immense anguish, his cries shaking the air. Tu Longjian acted as if he heard nothing at all, saying respectfully: "Yet I cannot use Senior's spiritual material for nothing. This Mujin White Fire was obtained by this junior before achieving a divine ability; I offer it as compensation to Senior." Several centuries ago, heavy snowfall over the North Sea piled up ten thousand li of snowy mountains, giving rise to abundant spiritual materials of cold qi. Gaoxuan Clear Frost was among the finest, but cutting only sixty percent made it less valuable than Mujin White Fire. Real Person Puyu knew this was an added offering for performing the spell, and accepted it with a smile. The two conversed casually for a few words. Tu Longjian saw him out of the cave dwelling, then sat back down by the table, held two fingers before his lips, and spat out a puff of flame. The fire hurriedly took on human form, opening its mouth to wail: "Tu Longjian! You, you, you! You're using my things to curry favors—it's downright outrageous!" Rarely seeing him so enraged, Tu Longjian was thoroughly amused inside, yet he maintained a solemn expression and murmured: "What words are those, Senior? Do you know why I did this?" Guo E looked at him with indignation and replied: "Isn't it just to repay the favor to that good senior of yours?!" "Not so." Tu Longjian straightened his face and replied, "Senior Yuanjiao's kindness must be repaid, but this matter was also considered for your sake." "Think about it, Senior. Puyu is from Penglai, after all, neither purely righteous nor evil. When shaping an immortal body for someone, who knows if he might leave behind some hidden trick? If your soul entered then, wouldn't you suffer a terrible loss?!" Having watched along the whole way, Guo E truly had not thought of this layer, and he was immediately taken aback. Tu Longjian said earnestly: "When he returns with the body he has molded, aren't you also well-versed in this craft, Senior? Even if you cannot compare to this Real Person, with Li Xijun as a precedent, you can inspect it thoroughly and always take some precautions." Guo E was suddenly left speechless. He wanted to nod, but held himself back. After waiting a good while, he muttered listlessly: "Fine, fine, fine..." *** Having left Tujun Gate, Real Person Puyu headed all the way toward the East Sea, shuttling through the Great Void. Pinching hand incantations to cast a spell, the clear light in his hand transformed into the shape of a green sparrow traveling through the Great Void. He calculated privately: 'Li Xijun... I must still take a good look. This time, Tu Longjian invited me in person, and the timing aligned perfectly without any contrivance. Even if someone stands behind him, there is no reason to cast blame.' Tucking his sleeve around the jade box, he felt a slight stir in his heart: 'Li Xijun's soul is also unusual, icy cold like snow, resembling someone bearing a karmic mandate. It is just that those Violet Palace cultivators had shallow attainments and could not see it clearly.' In truth, Real Person Puyu had only noticed when holding the soul in his hand: when pulling it free of the body, it had been somewhat stubborn, as if tethered to something—often a manifestation of the influence of a karmic mandate. Since Li Xijun was out of the ordinary and the spiritual material matched his immortal foundation, remolding a body would not be too difficult. Real Person Puyu then considered the matter of searching for kin that Tu Longjian had mentioned. His Penglai indeed had good ties with the Underworld, and Judge Yang was a frequent guest. Tu Longjian's request was not difficult to fulfill. Real Person Puyu merely pondered: 'Judge Yang's Nine-Gauze Nature-Capturing Cloth is formidable. Who knows whether that true qi ended up in his hands? Inquiring outright would be unseemly as well, so let it be.' A white sea emerged beneath his feet, and a small hill crested above the waters, atop which stood a simple Taoist abbey. Before Real Person Puyu even landed, he called out an order: "Bring me my Gaoxuan Clear Frost!" *** East Sea. Across the sea, the waves surged violently. Hundreds and thousands of sword shadows from Pingdong darted through the waters like fish. Somber clouds covered the sun completely, waves soared skyward, and a hazy mist enveloped the entire expanse of the sea. The great formation that had originally concealed everything had revealed its true form, emanating waves of golden light to fend off the dharma implements hurled by the crowd surrounding it. With a complex expression, the red-robed woman sent forth the petal-shaped ritual vessel in her hand, knocking several dharma implements out of the air. Beside Bi Yuzhuang, the Feng brothers wielded their spells to block most of the dharmic radiance; the few stray strikes that slipped through hit the great formation and merely stirred faint ripples, causing no real harm. Yet Bi Yuzhuang's mind was uneasy. Wang Fu was already in perilous straits, but he was a direct descendant of Changxiao after all, and there was no reason for him to fall within three or five exchanges. He had lasted fifty rounds, activating three talismans in succession; even the life-saving Violet Palace talisman had been forced out by Bi Yuzhuang, only to be neutralized by a talisman she had prepared well in advance. However, a clamor arose outside the formation as cultivators from Qingzhou Market arrived, having tracked them down. Bi Yuzhuang was startled, and was about to wrap up the battle swiftly when the great formation shook violently, nearly shattering. "Not good..." This great formation in Bi Yuzhuang's possession was a treasure named Huangmian, a formation plate of auspicious qi that ranked among the finest even among Foundation Establishment cultivators. Logically speaking, stalling for a while should have been no problem. Yet the moment the cultivators arrived, the formation began to shake ceaselessly. Bi Yuzhuang immediately realized something was wrong. Connecting her spiritual sense to the formation plate and looking closely, she discovered that the crowd was led by eight people, each clutching a gleaming golden awl, with another holding a jade talisman that linked the eight awls together. "Gilded Gang Xuan Wedges!" Bi Yuzhuang possessed extraordinary discernment and recognized the origin of these dharma implements at a glance. They were treasures of the Jinyu Sect, formation-breaking relics renowned alongside the Qingchi Sect's Thunder-Striking Formation-Breaking Wedges! Setting aside the immense, priceless value of portable formation plates like Huangmian and how great the loss would be if destroyed by such implements, Huangmian could never withstand nine strikes before the Gilded Gang Xuan Wedges! It was a matter of barely ten breaths. Once this formation broke, not only would the cultivators swarm inside, but the myriad escape methods filling Wang Fu's storage bag could immediately be put to use. Furthermore, Li Qinghong and the others were aiding in secret; in Bi Yuzhuang's view, even if it meant letting Wang Fu escape, she could not let their presence be exposed. Bi Yuzhuang had no choice but to lead the Feng brothers outside the formation to meet the enemy and shield the great formation against the Gilded Gang Xuan Wedges. She did not believe he could escape his doom because of this, yet the anxiety filling her heart remained hard to dispel—not concerning Wang Fu, but her own Real Person. 'Why are Jinyu's Gilded Gang Xuan Wedges here? And how did the crowd find this place?... Changxiao must have taken action... I fear it will spoil Real Person's plans...' She knew that once she stepped out of the formation, Real Person Hengxing would surely stay behind to watch over things. Though Bi Yuzhuang understood only fragments of her Real Person's schemes, the current situation was clearly far from favorable. While countless thoughts raced through her mind outside the formation, the battle inside was gradually reaching its conclusion. The robes on Wang Fu fluttered wildly, the flesh beneath riddled with wounds, lightning coursing and leaping across his skin. His eyes were bloodshot. Outside the formation, thunderous strikes shook the sky, yet Wang Fu showed not the slightest hint of joy. Before him, Li Qinghong and Chen Xuanyu stood—one treading upon thunder, driving bolts and commanding lightning; the other cradling a jet-black precious sword, expression serene. "Fellow Daoist Li!" Wang Fu gazed heavily at Li Qinghong, his voice hoarse, his expression even carrying a sense of resignation. A large bell hovering around him flew out unsteadily, deflecting part of the sky-filling sword qi. Panting with difficulty, he asked: "I know in my heart that I have become an abandoned pawn. No doubt my private dealings with Minghui were brought before Real Person... He hates Jinlian, and thus wants me dead..." As he spoke these words, a deeper calculation seemed to linger in his eyes, and he muttered: "I only do not understand what offense I committed against your noble clan... that you came to kill me." Li Qinghong exhaled deeply without answering. With one hand, she held her spear angled downward, while six silver-white tokens carved with profound patterns circled around the other. The sword origin in Chen Xuanyu's hands grew even fiercer, his voice low: "Pay him no heed. Beware of treachery." Seeing her make no reply, Wang Fu said with resentment: "Changxiao was unwilling to seek a Violet Palace technique for me, and I do not blame him. But when I seek one myself, why won't he permit it! Shaoyang is the lineage of Daliang; if I did not go north to inquire, what path forward would I have to tread?!" Li Qinghong only felt that his words were rather deliberate. Driving the silver-white lightning to detonate with thunderous roars, sending a torrent of thunderous rain crashing down upon Wang Fu's large bell, she pondered inwardly: 'Formidable as Violet Palace cultivators are, unless they traverse the Great Void to enter the formation, they cannot perceive what occurs within across the barrier. Inside this great formation, Changxiao can neither hear nor see...' She observed quietly, using the lightning to repeatedly search with her spiritual sense. Finally, on his storage bag, she faintly caught sight of a jade stone flickering with magical radiance, and made a silent note of it. Beside her, Chen Xuanyu gave him no room to speak further. Elegant sword light burst from his hands, swarming forward along with the sky-filling sword rain to pound the large bell until it boomed violently. Lightning rained down over him as well; Wang Fu felt as if slashed by countless knives all over his body, forced to drive the bell that had guarded his flanks into the air. He was at his wit's end, with few moves left to make. Chen Xuanyu had anticipated this: a golden ring flew from his sleeve, turning into a swift golden streak that slammed down. With a thunderous "dong," the bell's luster dimmed, its dharmic light entirely dispersing. Just as terror seized Wang Fu's heart, he suddenly felt as though a blazing sun were scorching his face, intense heat billowing. Out of nothingness, a white light manifested midair, giving rise to an imposing, radiant pass. Brilliant light shone upon this pass, gathering amidst the clouds before crashing down with lightning speed. Caught at a helpless moment, Wang Fu had no time to react after all, lamenting despairingly in his heart: 'There is yet another person!' Li Ximing had been hiding within the clouds of Hengzhu Dao all along, positioned as a backup measure to prevent his escape. This blow had been planned for a long time, carrying immense force and weight. With Huangyuan Pass being of superior rank, its solid form struck Wang Fu squarely. The dharmic power within Wang Fu's body had already faltered, and this heavy impact shattered his remaining dharmic power instantly, causing his several dharma implements to fail. Huangyuan Pass crashed heavily onto the sea, unleashing an explosive roar. Rumble! Not daring to be careless, Li Ximing drove it with all his might to pin him down firmly. Li Qinghong dispersed the lightning and descended alongside Chen Xuanyu. Under the radiance, more than half of Wang Fu's body was trapped immobile, any condensed dharmic power constantly ground down and scattered by the wear of Huangyuan Pass, leaving only his head exposed, unable to stir. The Li clan naturally did not dare to kill him with their own hands. Seeing their hesitation, the middle-aged man said softly: "Let me do it." Sword origin flowed across his blade, ending Wang Fu's life with a single thrust. Li Qinghong flicked her spear, scooping up his storage bag. Li Ximing released his dharmic power, drew the corpse over, untied the robes, and retrieved a small silver-white box from the sleeve. "Hm?" Now was not the time to investigate. He suppressed his unease and concealed himself within the clouds alongside the two. In the sky, anomalous portents were gradually surfacing, wild gales rising in all directions as demonic chanting hummed and buzzed.