Li Qinghong picked up the jade slip and discovered that it was unrestricted; anyone who took hold of it could read it directly. Though she desired it immensely, she still furrowed her brows and said:
"This is far too precious."
Kong Tingyun shook her head repeatedly, saying in a soft voice:
"Little Sister, accept it first. I have something important to discuss with you."
Noticing her solemn demeanor, Li Qinghong had no choice but to set the jade slip down first and said gently:
"Please speak, Elder Sister."
Kong Tingyun looked at her earnestly, took her hand, and asked in a low voice:
"Qinghong! Does Ximing have his heart set on the Violet Palace?"
Li Qinghong's heart tightened. She looked at Kong Tingyun with a hint of perplexity.
Kong Tingyun hesitated for a breath, then said gravely:
"I know your esteemed clan possesses a prodigious scion comparable to Chi Buzi—one in whom the Mingyang bloodline has resurfaced, an exceedingly noble existence. The prominent clans of Jiangnan can keep few secrets; back then, even Xiao Chuting could only play open moves and dared not lay hidden pieces. The various sects and gates are all well aware of it.
"The State of Wei maintains good relations with Qingsong Abbey and the Jinyu Sect, and Emperor Gong of Wei is a wise and discerning elder, which is why your Li clan remains safe and sound in Jiangnan. The Tanshan Li clan of the State of Wu does not cultivate Mingyang and claims to share no ties, yet they still partake in the bloodline to some degree. Precisely because of this, they have always been permitted to remain in Jiangnan, and their clan even boasts a Violet Palace cultivator. It proves that this path is by no means forbidden.
"All the Violet Palace masters know that the Mingfang Sky Stone is reserved for the young lord, and that time is still far off. But seeing as I am close to your family, why does it seem to me... that Ximing has his heart set on the Violet Palace, and is coveting that Mingfang Sky Stone?"
Her eyes were filled with worry as she sincerely advised:
"Little Sister, you ought to be able to see reason in this. Does Ximing even have half a tenth of a chance of breaking through? The Mingfang Sky Stone doesn't simply add several tenths of a chance outright. If he hasn't mastered many secret arts, consuming it won't do much good either... If I may speak bluntly, you cannot indulge his whims!"
Li Qinghong felt her heart relax. Looking into the sincere eyes of the round-faced woman, realization dawned on her at once.
*No wonder the matter of the Mingfang Sky Stone resolved the way it did! The various Violet Palace masters calculated that our clan would stake everything on Minghuang!*
*All the efforts to shield Minghuang from his youth weren't in vain after all. The Violet Palace masters only believe he possesses the Mingyang bloodline, not that he bears a karmic mandate!*
Li Qinghong did not know how certain Li Zhouwei's breakthrough to the Violet Palace would be when the time came, but having watched Guo Shentong, Changxiao, and Tu Longjian make their way, she knew the chances were exceedingly great. After pondering for a while, she spoke:
"In the process of condensing a divine ability, what role does the Mingfang Sky Stone actually play? I hope Elder Sister can explain it a little."
Kong Tingyun said softly:
"It is difficult to put simply, as it depends on whether one has more or fewer secret arts. May I ask how many secret arts your esteemed clan possesses?"
Li Qinghong felt her breath hitch slightly, thoughts flashing through her mind like lightning:
*I'll just say however many Ximing has cultivated...*
Thus she replied:
"Only one..."
Kong Tingyun nodded and replied:
"That is quite normal. If one has only mastered a single secret art, consuming the Mingfang Sky Stone might only add half a tenth of a chance."
Li Qinghong nodded with an expression of regret. Seeing that she seemed to have taken it to heart, Kong Tingyun said in a low voice:
"Such things also depend on the individual, but you truly cannot indulge Ximing... Ancient cultivators could commune with Heaven and Earth, making breakthroughs far easier, and items like the Mingfang Sky Stone had a much greater effect. In this day and age, there are no certain odds to speak of."
Li Qinghong nodded gently and replied:
"I have taken Elder Sister's words to heart."
Kong Tingyun smiled and nodded, but in Li Qinghong's heart, she shook her head.
Whether to give the Mingfang Sky Stone to Ximing or reserve it for Zhouwei was something she had long lacked the ability and standing to decide.
*This item was traded for by Xijun. He must have trusted Ximing and felt certain that Zhouwei could achieve it on his own. That child believed that at worst Zhouwei might be harmed prematurely by enemies, in which case keeping the Mingfang Sky Stone would hardly make a difference...*
And she, Li Qinghong, likely did not have much time left before she had to head to the Thunder Dharma Grotto-Heaven. The one in charge of family affairs was Li Zhouwei; would he ever contest Li Ximing's claim to the Mingfang Sky Stone?
Before Xijun's death, Li Qinghong had thought it possible that Li Ximing might give up the Mingfang Sky Stone, but now she found Li Ximing's gaze profoundly still, his resolve stubbornly unshakeable beyond words.
*As for the matter of the Thunder Dharma Grotto-Heaven, she seems entirely in the dark. It appears Changxi is terrified of meddling in it and hasn't breathed a word to her. If I bring it up, it would only strain our relations and offend a Violet Palace master.*
Kong Tingyun then pressed the jade slip firmly into her hand. Only now did Li Qinghong have the peace of mind to examine the spell:
"...Restrain the celestial light, gather the brilliant radiance, draw it into the Juque, and refine it into a substance known as the Subduing Light of Ascendant Radiance. Subdued with spiritual sense and projected from between the brows, it can quell evil spirits, sever spiritual numen, and cut through good and evil..."
After skimming through it briefly, she expressed her thanks and accepted it. The two exchanged a few more words, and Li Qinghong mentioned traveling to the Eastern Sea. Kong Tingyun readily agreed, and the two departed the Salt Lake, heading south.
***
Meanwhile, Li Zhouwei departed Zhunan Flood Dragon Palace and headed toward the State of Weixia. The postures of the monster generals flanking him were noticeably humbler. The one with flared gills and black armor kept his head lowered, while the one with a wide mouth and long whiskers grinned fawningly, saying with an ingratiating smile:
"My Lord... My Lord is truly a paragon of virtue. Such a treasure... Our eyes burned and our hearts raced just looking upon it, yet My Lord declined it outright..."
The ancient Violet Palace spiritual artifact had been brought forward by the two of them, so naturally they knew what an astounding treasure Li Zhouwei had turned down. Furthermore, seeing that Dingjiao treated him with great favor—and since monsterkind was no more immune to snobbery than mortals—they took turns singing his praises.
With a long road ahead, Li Zhouwei chatted with them casually. Presently, the black-faced monster general with flared gills and black armor mumbled:
"My Lord's bearing is truly magnificent. Faced with an ancient Violet Palace spiritual artifact just the same, that Guo Shentong couldn't even tear his eyes away..."
Hearing this, Li Zhouwei grew instantly vigilant, thinking coldly to himself:
*Guo Shentong?!*
*An ancient Violet Palace spiritual artifact just the same?*
He paused briefly to gaze at the distant scenery, slowing his pace as he said with a smile:
"I have heard of him; he is the master of Chijiao Island."
The two monsters had been flattering him rather dryly. Seeing that he had taken an interest, they were overjoyed to have finally struck upon a real topic. The wide-mouthed, long-whiskered monster said:
"My Lord! The two of us followed the Crown Prince in our early years, back when the Prince had not yet established his own manor and was serving alongside the Jinhai Dragon King... That Guo Shentong came by back then. He went to the Dragon King's palace and took away a medallion, which was also an ancient spiritual artifact."
*An ancient spiritual artifact... the Six Ding Combined Fire Medallion! Guo Shentong might have had some agreement with the dragonkind!*
He pondered for a moment. The two monsters rambled on for a while without being able to explain why Guo Shentong had received such a reward; presumably, they had lacked the standing to enter the main hall back then and only knew these disjointed details. Li Zhouwei said softly:
"I wonder how he fares these days."
The creature with flared gills and black armor grunted and replied:
"That fellow was born with a Combined Fire destiny. Piyu ravens have short lifespans and dull wits to begin with. Breaking through to the Violet Palace improved things a bit... yet he still loved playing with danger. With no news for so long... he's likely dead..."
Li Zhouwei could tell that this monster didn't know much either. Continuing on their way out, they arrived at the State of Weixia, only to find it completely transformed from when they had arrived. Lights flickered dimly, and the seabed sand was strewn with white clams large and small. Several clam spirits that had taken human form, dressed in pale pink garments, were opening clams in search of pearls.
Before them came a woman in pink, carrying a basket in her hands filled with large pearls, round and lustrous, gleaming with white radiance. The wide-mouthed, long-whiskered monster took it and said in a low voice:
"This is a token of goodwill from the State of Weixia. We pray My Lord will take it back..."
Only then did he carry it over, glancing apprehensively at Li Zhouwei. The clam spirit dropped to her knees with a thud, prostrating herself fully on the ground as she cried in grief:
"This humble monster swears upon her life that earlier I truly was conceiving a pearl and could not move... I beg My Lord to look into the truth..."
The monster generals on either side seemed acquainted with her and hurried to speak good words on her behalf. Li Zhouwei had no interest in discerning whether the sea creature's earlier refusal to see him had been genuine or feigned; he merely waved his hand:
"No matter."
He walked forward, and the two monsters escorted him into the palace mounted on the beast's back. Huiyao had been waiting before the hall all along, his expression dazed. When he saw them approach and observed the two monsters' attitudes, he understood most of what had transpired. Submissively lowering his brow, he said:
"My Lord has returned!"
Waiting until Li Zhouwei entered the hall, Huiyao quietly tugged at the monsters' robes and whispered:
"The matter of the sixty thousand fangs..."
"Dropped!"
The two monsters brushed him off and turned to leave. Huiyao entered the hall as if relieved of a heavy burden, only to meet Li Zhouwei's piercing gaze. Standing in the center of the hall, the youth asked:
"What matter?"
Huiyao's demeanor grew even humbler as he respectfully replied:
"The Dragon Prince's eighth consort requested a dharma robe... made from Long Sea-Viper Fangs... an estimated sixty thousand of them, originally requisitioned from my tribe. Thanks to Your Highness, the lives of thirty thousand of my children have been spared..."
Li Zhouwei was familiar with the customs of the Eastern Sea, yet only after journeying through it did he truly realize that Foundation Establishment monster beasts like Huiyao and the King of Weixia were so lowly and wretched. He said softly:
"Has it always been thus for you?"
"Always thus."
Huiyao stood there, asking in confusion:
"It has been this way for thousands of years; could it be otherwise? Even before taking human form, it was so. Every year, my Hui tribe must also absorb the essence of tens of thousands of spiritual crabs... It is the natural law of Heaven and Earth."
Li Zhouwei did not answer him. Watching him withdraw, he stared quietly at the wine in his cup.
*Dingjiao does not consider me human... What about Lushui, then? Is the True Sovereign human? True Sovereigns are like dragons, Foundation Establishment cultivators are like sea vipers, and mortals are like crabs. The land above and the sea floor below are no different.*
He quietly stared into the wine, deep in thought. The utmost extravagance, joyous singing, and laughter of Dingjiao's flood dragon palace had not eased Li Zhouwei's heart; instead, the attitudes of the State of Weixia and Huiyao lingered and turned over in his mind.
Li Zhouwei had been mature from a young age and had seen all manner of men. Now that he had seen monsters, he found there was little difference—they all loved to devour human flesh. He could not help but question:
*People often say the Heavenly Dao is broken and that the world has fallen into this state, but who knows whether the world became this way or was always like this? If the Heavenly Dao is broken... is it better for all beings to be free, or is it better for something above to govern them?*
*Blood food, blood food... Those who do not consume humans lose thirty percent of their strength by their own doing. Can they truly triumph over those who devour humans?*
Born extraordinary, his thoughts swirled, yet he reflected:
*Right or wrong matters not; my elders have devoted their hearts to me, so how could I ever fail them?*
Li Zhouwei lifted his moral boundaries to examine them for a breath, then casually tucked them back away. Outside the hall, the seawater surged and then settled; they had arrived at the Hui tribe's territory. A cluster of shadows swam up, and that fellow Huiyao lowered his voice, shooing away the juniors who came forward to show affection:
"Shoo, shoo... back, all of you..."
***
Ziyan Blessed Land.
In the sky, purple qi converged ceaselessly. Over peaks great and small, violet mists drifted to and fro like gossamer threads, swirling and rising around pavilions and towers of exquisite splendor.
Above the boundless purple mist perched a small pavilion. A green-clad woman stood to one side, while a violet-robed female cultivator reclined against the stone steps. The hem of her skirt, billowing like purple qi, draped down from the high cliff, dissipating halfway into wisps of violet smoke.
Her brows were slightly flat, her face habitually cool and calm, yet her eyes were uncharacteristically lost in thought as she gazed into the distance. The purple qi of the entire blessed land surged with her breath, yet Kan Xuyu spoke not a word.
Beside her, Shen Yanqing stood with a mournful expression. Purple qi rose all around Kan Xuyu. She raised her fingers to calculate, thinking to herself:
*The items have been delivered to the dragonkind as well. Dongfang Changmu is a man of his word and will not break his promise. That bastard Yuansu has already promoted Li Xuanfeng, making it improper for me to intervene further; using the dragons' avenue can be considered doing my part.*
She said softly:
"Yanqing, once I pass away, return home... Your father is in seclusion, and the Shen family needs someone to take charge."
Shen Yanqing gave a soft affirmation. The small pavilion was shielded by formations, so there was no fear of being overheard by the Violet Palace masters in the sky. She murmured:
"Master, should you reincarnate into this world and have any needs, you need only send a letter to my Shen family... Yanqing will always be waiting..."
"No need."
Kan Xuyu gave a self-deprecating chuckle and gently shook her head, her voice barely audible.
Silently comparing the faces of the Li family with the countenance etched into her heart, she found no resemblance. Her mind drifted, and she silently spat:
*They must be descendants of his clan brothers... Hmph, he wouldn't have fathered some bastard behind my back, would he...*
Her eyes brightened for a brief moment, her expression shifting instantly from cold detachment to a pursed-lip smile of delight, but the radiance vanished just as swiftly. Kan Xuyu looked into the distant sky.
A sizable crowd had gathered to observe the ceremony. Though all believed that she, Zipei, would rely on that golden nature to reincarnate rather than attain any breakthrough, she was nonetheless one of the few who had received favor from Li Jiangqun, and the Violet Palace masters harbored considerable anticipation.
The purple qi upon Kan Xuyu surged skyward, drawing together the purplish-red hues spanning the firmament. The clouds turned pure violet, cascading entirely into her being. A dot of purple light surfaced between her brows. Bringing two fingers together against her lips, she exhaled a breath of purple qi.
This purple qi was completely distinct from the violet filling the sky—far more ethereal, laced with specks of pale white. Though only a slender wisp, it came to a slow halt before her, condensing into the shape of an elixir pill.
Instantly, the chanting of Daoist scriptures resounded throughout Heaven and Earth, and the scent of burning incense drifted in all directions. The ridges of the entire Ziyan Blessed Land rustled in the wind; deer raised their heads, and the birds fell silent.
The *Heavenly Cultivation Purple Qi Immortal Origin Nature*!
Purple qi surged across the entire mountain range. Densely packed scriptures materialized upon every drifting leaf. Incense sticks standing in censers throughout the mountains extinguished themselves, quivering like living creatures as ashes crept back up the incense stalks, restoring themselves bit by bit to their unburnt state.
The woman in the sky was like an immortal maiden riding the mist, yet sparkling tears rolled down her cheeks. In her heart, Kan Xuyu was overjoyed.
*Brother Jiangqun, four hundred years... I have finally endured it all!*
The Purple Qi, condensed into an ultimate brilliance, shot toward the firmament. Every wisp of purple qi she had once dispersed across the skies with her divine ability rushed back, bearing the chanting of scriptures from across the State of Yue, plunging into the purple qi before her.
Yet Kan Xuyu stopped and let out a gentle sigh.
While the assembled cultivators marveled at Zipei's profound cultivation, two silhouettes in the sky exchanged a glance, both wearing expressions of astonishment, their voices shrill:
"She... Fortunately, we brought the Nine-Gauze Nature-Capturing Cloth!"
Chapter 650