Tanyun

Li Qinghong flew across the Salt Lake and out into the sea. Once she crossed the boundary line drawn by the True Monarch all those years ago, dense black clouds immediately gathered overhead, obscuring the purple hue within the sea from view. The golden mountain in Kong Tingyun's hand shimmered as she traveled across the water's surface while streaks of light flashed across the sky one after another. When the two stopped at Fenkuai Island, disciples of the Xuanyue Gate came out immediately to welcome them. Fenkuai Island was the center of the Near Sea. Originally, it had been a stronghold of the Yuehua Prime Abode. After that immortal manor secluded itself from the world, the various immortal sects and gates of Jiangnan seized control of the area. Early arrivals such as the Hengzhu and Qingchi sects secured prime locations, while a less powerful latecomer like the Xuanyue Gate naturally had to settle on the fringes. Li Xizhi oversaw Qingchi's forces here, so Kong Tingyun deliberately paused their journey to let the aunt and nephew meet, hoping to take the opportunity to foster greater familiarity with Li Xizhi. Yet when she dispatched someone to make inquiries and heard the response, her expression changed slightly. "Ning Hejing is already the one guarding this place?" Kong Tingyun felt an uneasy foreboding. Not knowing much about the inner workings of Qingchi, she turned and explained the situation to Li Qinghong in detail. Li Qinghong, however, showed no surprise. "Ever since word of Chi Buzi arrived and Si Yuanli entered secluded cultivation, this was only a matter of time." Weeding out Si Yuanli's faction was inevitable. Hearing that Li Xizhi had descended into the abyss ahead of time, Li Qinghong knew he had a plan. The Xuanyue Gate disciple hesitated for a moment before whispering: "It is just that the timing was rather awkward. Peak Master Changtian departed for the subterranean abyss without handing over many of the sect dossiers, and the official seal is nowhere to be found. Lord Ning has been sitting atop the peak for several days now, dispatching several letters back to the sect in succession." "Pfft." A woman as sharp as Kong Tingyun saw through it in an instant. Chuckling, she mused to herself: *Needless to say, every reef marketplace Qingchi controls throughout the Eastern Sea now belongs to either the Yang family, the Si family, or Li Xizhi's people. Ning Hejing... hmph...* Listening to this, Li Qinghong's thoughts drifted toward Chi Buzi, the Chi family's Violet Palace cultivator. She had met this 'treasure tree of the Chi family.' Hearing his words back then, though she had not fully understood them at the time, she had gleaned one thing... Chi Buzi harbored considerable resentment toward Lushui, and his ambition was even greater... *He probably truly intends to wash his hands of Qingchi!* Kong Tingyun glanced at her, then turned back to ask: "Did Ning Hejing bring anyone with him?" The disciple answered respectfully: "Most of the Ning family members remain within the sect. He brought along several guest elders... all reassigned from Yishan City... There is even a Shanyue tribesman among them..." "A Shanyue?" Li Qinghong was somewhat surprised and raised her brows. "Is his background known? Do you know his name?" The disciple hurriedly retrieved a jade slip from his sleeve. After hesitating with slight embarrassment, he said in a low voice: "This person hails from Lake Wangyue and once cultivated on the lake. It is said... it is said his territory was seized, and he was captured by Lord Xuanfeng and taken all the way to Yishan City..." "He is sharp and resourceful... and pledged allegiance to the Ning family... It is said his name is Feiluoya..." The disciple spoke euphemistically in front of her, but Kong Tingyun understood immediately. The one that had unified Lake Wangyue was the Li clan—who else could have seized this Shanyue man's territory? She cast her eyes down and remarked: "So there was an old grudge... No wonder he threw in his lot under Ning Hejing! Qinghong..." As her inquiring gaze turned over, Li Qinghong was secretly stunned. *Who? Feiluoya?!* How could Li Qinghong not know him? That fellow was an old Shanyue veteran who possessed genuine skill. Li Qinghong had met him multiple times, and every time, the old Shanyue man had eagerly begged for connections... Later, when Li Xuanfeng returned, he brought him south to serve under the Ning family. She had not expected that after all those twists and turns, he would end up here. *Grudge?* Li Qinghong fell silent. Feiluoya had no real grudge against the Li family, nor did he owe them any great debt of gratitude. This so-called grudge was likely just a ploy by the old man to curry favor and seek power. As for what that old Shanyue man truly thought in his heart, it was difficult to guess. *Still, this old man possesses a cunning mind and practical ability. Ning Hejing will likely rely heavily on him.* Naturally, she would not pull the rug out from under Feiluoya for no reason, so she merely sighed: "That is indeed true!" Kong Tingyun appeared deep in thought. Enlightened by this piece of information, Li Qinghong pieced together the arrangements made by both the Si and Chi factions, feeling even more composed. The Xuanyue Gate disciple then spoke up again: "There is one more matter to report to the Sect Master." "Speak," Kong Tingyun instructed. The disciple lowered his voice: "News arrived a few days ago stating that the sixteenth young master of Tangjin Gate has emerged from seclusion. Having mastered several profound arts, he requested that the gate master abdicate... and assumed the position himself... The entire Tangjin Gate has fallen under his control." Kong Tingyun shook her head and said softly: "An old tradition, really... Every few years, Tangjin Gate undergoes a coup with murder and usurpation... Back during the incident at Lixia, Qingchi was at its height, and the faction favoring Qingchi held power. Now that Qingchi is on the decline, they naturally lean toward Jinyu Sect." She pondered for a moment and said: "I recall that long ago, Jinyu Sect supported Situ Nu in killing his brother to take the throne. Later, Qingchi backed the restoration of the eldest branch. The sixteenth young master taking the seat now should be a descendant of Situ Nu..." "The Sect Master is perceptive!" The disciple replied respectfully, "This man was an orphan of that era named Situ Mo, born to a maidservant..." "Situ Mo?" Kong Tingyun was genuinely startled. Turning to look at Li Qinghong, she saw a complex expression on her face as well. Kong Tingyun sighed softly and shook her head: "To think it is him... When I clashed with him years ago, I sensed he was extraordinary, but I never expected him to possess such an origin!" Li Qinghong sighed inwardly. She was indeed familiar with Situ Mo. His mother was a woman of the Ji family who had harbored bitter hatred and once ambushed the juniors of her clan. Her family had set an ambush alongside Xuanyue back then, but had failed to keep him there. Li Qinghong merely murmured, "This man is cautious to the extreme, with a sharp, agile mind... He will not be easy to deal with." "Indeed." Kong Tingyun also found it a headache. When she first went out to guard the sea, she had pitted her wits against him and understood him well. Though he was a great adversary, she had to acknowledge his capabilities: "I schemed against him several times, yet he evaded every one... In terms of prudence and cunning, he ranks among the very best of anyone I have ever encountered." Li Qinghong kept even more matters hidden in her heart: *Second Uncle brought his bow to the Eastern Sea twice, yet this fellow stayed holed up like a turtle, resolutely refusing to leave the island. Once he sent Moutuo, and once he sent Situ Chen, both of whom warded off the fatal tribulations in his stead, allowing him to endure until now.* After reviewing the reports, Kong Tingyun rode the wind out of the island with Li Qinghong once more. This time, they were able to board a spiritual boat belonging to the Xuanyue Gate, which was both swift and steady. As the two sat comfortably in the cabin, Kong Tingyun said gently: "Little Sister, you need not worry. Tangjin Gate's Situ family has managed to survive to this day entirely because their Violet Palace cultivator lingers in the South Sea, showing his head from time to time while never daring to return to Jiangnan... Situ Mo will not dare to make any reckless moves." Li Qinghong nodded. She had some understanding of the Tangjin Gate's Violet Palace cultivator remaining abroad year-round, but she was not as knowledgeable as Xuanyue, which had once intermarried with Tangjin Gate. She whispered: "I wonder which forces have made things difficult for Tangjin Gate?" "It ultimately traces back to Situ Tang," Kong Tingyun said softly. "Tangjin Gate was founded by Situ Tang... That man possessed extraordinary talent, to the point that some suspected he bore a karmic mandate... Yet his temperament was exceedingly overbearing." "At that time, True Person Yuansu was stationed at sea, venturing out to harvest Qi. Situ Tang barged into Yuansu's manor, slaughtered the three-eyed Tiaoshan beast, gouged out its eye, and swaggered off. Master Qiushui was also wounded by him back then..." "He also made an enemy of the Shen family's Master Yuming and snatched Master Yuanxiu's treasures... Left with no choice, he fled to the south, where he ended up fighting with Hengzhu... In short, he never spared a thought for the consequences. With enemies all across the realm, he left Tangjin Gate in such an awkward predicament..." Listening to this, Li Qinghong gradually found peace of mind. Kong Tingyun smiled and shook her head: "It was not until he ventured out to sea and offended a Dragon King, nearly perishing, that he became far more subdued upon his return. Unfortunately, his lifespan had been drastically reduced, and to the day he died, he never had the chance to assault the Golden Core stage." As the two conversed in detail, the spiritual boat sped onward, heading straight toward the south. The waves surged. After traveling for most of the day, they flew past a cluster of islands spouting black fire. The entire spiritual boat shuddered violently. Kong Tingyun looked up, furrowed her brows slightly, lifted the curtain, and stepped outside. Li Qinghong also looked out and saw raging flames below. The reef marketplace on the sea's surface was in ruins, where several clans appeared to be locked in slaughter. Sulfur fires erupted, spewing thick billows of smoke. Moments ago, stray spells had struck the spiritual boat. Kong Tingyun revealed herself, and the aura of a late Foundation Establishment cultivator coupled with the radiant glow of her Dharma robes instantly frightened a crowd of cultivators out of their wits, sending them tumbling to their knees. "Spare us, My Lady! Spare our lives!" "What place is this?! Have you all grown tired of living?!" At Kong Tingyun's shout, the faces of those who had combined their spells turned deathly pale. Terrified to the extreme, they stammered out cries for mercy. In the distance, a Foundation Establishment cultivator immediately rode the wind toward them. Recognizing her at a glance, the cultivator hurriedly bowed his head and said with immense humility: "G-Greetings, Fairy of the Immortal Gate... Allow me to apologize for this offense!" Reaching out, he seized those individuals and prepared to strike them dead with a single palm. Kong Tingyun raised a hand to stop him, pausing to question them thoroughly for a while, yet uncovered nothing out of the ordinary. Kong Tingyun observed with a frown for a moment. Confirming that these people had merely struck them by accident, she let out a gentle sigh. Li Qinghong, however, found the island familiar. Lowering her gaze in silence, she turned and reentered the cabin. A few breaths later, Kong Tingyun stepped inside, sat across from her, and said softly: "This is Dongliu Island. It used to belong to a fairly prominent clan... but their ancestor failed his breakthrough and perished, his Dao dispersed... Several seniors of their family died as well... leaving them unable to control such vast territory." "It is truly a pity... The True Person of my sect once remarked that their ancestor had a decent chance of breakthrough, but he happened to encounter the phenomenon of water receding and thunder rising... which blasted him to death..." She poured tea for Li Qinghong and murmured: "Just now, several surrounding clans were besieging this place... The Han family had deep roots after all, so taking them down is no easy feat. It seems they have been fighting for half a year to a year already." Li Qinghong listened in silence, staring at her teacup. She took a sip of tea and asked: "How far is this place from Zongquan?" Kong Tingyun made a brief estimation and said softly: "It should take another three or four days." "Very well." Li Qinghong nodded without saying more. Sipping her tea quietly, she had already formed a plan in her mind. *** Chijiao Island. Chijiao Island was the largest island in the Near Sea after Fenkuai Island, yet it differed in many ways. While Fenkuai Island was a single complete expanse of land, Chijiao resembled five or six large islands pieced together. Furthermore, the island was divided into East Reef and West Reef. This was not merely an administrative split, but a geographic division. The entire reef archipelago was divided into two major sections, separated down the middle by a sea abyss extending for over a thousand li. With no wind across that expanse of sea, ordinary Qi Refinement cultivators could not even fly across. Scattered reefs dotted the billowing waves. A woman in white stood upon a reef, her features veiled by a haze of cold mist, her arms crossed over her chest. Tianwan had been waiting here for several days. She had not been idling. Chi Buzi's probing had forced Master Tanyun into the open for her. Yet Tianwan felt no triumph; instead, she grew increasingly wary. "Tu Longjian..." Ever since the Six Ding Combined Fire Medallion was lost and she began suspecting that the Tanyun Rat on West Reef had secretly broken through to the Violet Palace, Tianwan had paid close attention to Tu Longjian. Chi Buzi's disruption had confirmed for her that Master Tanyun was indeed already in the Violet Palace, filling her with dread and suspicion. *The loss of the Six Ding Combined Fire Medallion was no accident. It was Tanyun's doing!* Thus, doubt surged in her heart once more: *Is Tu Longjian truly someone who feigns benevolence and righteousness?* The True Person reviewed the matter in her mind and slowly shook her head. *The shadow of West Reef has always lingered behind Tu Longjian... He surely wanted to protect Li Xijun, yet the importance of the Six Ding Combined Fire Medallion was enough to make him cross his own bottom line... willing to forfeit even his reputation.* Reflecting on the circumstances of the item's disappearance, she nodded slightly and murmured: "The Six Ding Combined Fire Medallion is not simple... It is not merely an ancient spirit artifact. There is something inside it—perhaps a hidden vault, a cultivation manual... traces of an ancient grotto-heaven... or even—a Metal Nature!" "Husband..." Tianwan crossed her arms over her chest, as if holding a dialogue across space with Guo Shentong, who had been missing for many years. Her voice fell low: "The Six Ding Combined Fire Medallion was given to you by dragonkind... What sort of covenant did you forge with them, and what kind of secret did you hide within this spirit artifact... Tu Longjian... what a name!" After she stood quietly for a moment, a gust of sandalwood-scented wind swept in from the distance, landing before her and resolving into a man clad in sandalwood-colored robes. With arched brows and rather small eyes, he hunched his back and peered at her intently. Tianwan lowered her gaze. "Tanyun..." "This old servant greets the Mistress!" The Tanyun Rat chuckled, though his eyes held little reverence. True Person Tianwan said softly: "Your True Spirit is in his hands. Why not tell me... how is my husband doing these days?" "Ah..." Master Tanyun shook his head and said playfully, "We lost contact long ago! Forgive me, Mistress... There are countless grotto-heavens and secret realms under heaven... What use is a mere wisp of True Spirit?" True Person Tianwan looked at him with a heavy gaze. Master Tanyun smiled and said: "Why doesn't the Mistress ask Jinyu Sect? The immortal sect is vastly powerful... With their far-reaching schemes, they surely know something!" True Person Tianwan remained silent for a moment, then replied: "You need not hide it anymore. You were the one who leaked the Six Ding Combined Fire Medallion to Tu Longjian... and Xu Xiao was certainly bound to die..." "Why not keep the spirit artifact in your own hands... Why insist on handing it to someone bearing a karmic mandate? Could it be that my husband is trapped within a grotto-heaven... requiring him to enter with the medallion to rescue him?!" As True Person Tianwan spoke softly, she observed the other's expression closely, continuing: "Or perhaps..." Her words were abruptly cut off by the monster. Tanyun's tone turned chillingly cold as he replied: "You used their lives to probe me and the Master—Guo Hongyao, Guo Hongkang, Guo Hong'er... How many direct descendants have died one after another... Tianwan! They were your own children after all!"