Across Lake Wangyue, not a cloud was in sight for ten thousand li. Ripples shimmered over the water, where a deep navy pavilion stood upon the lake surface. A long causeway linked it to Lake Central Islet, and several stone lotus lanterns flickered with luminescent luster.
The pavilion had eight corners, painted with eight kinds of talismans and relief-embellished in cinnabar. It faced Mount Xiping directly to the west, bearing a jade plaque inscribed with bold characters:
Zhuya Pavilion.
A woman in a long dress of pale red cloud-satin sat within the pavilion, a silver-white pendant necklace at her neck and an ancient book in her hands. She was none other than Li Shuwan.
Zhuya Pavilion was Li Shuwan's place for cultivating spells. Following the path of Quandan, her mastery of techniques did not depend on how abundant spiritual energy was, but rather on observing the subtle transformations of matter. For this reason, Li Zhouwei had searched the entire lake for the spot most attuned to perceiving such transformations, constructing Zhuya Pavilion for her.
In truth, the lake had little connection with Quandan. The spot where Zhuya Pavilion stood was where an array had once been laid down and Shenbai was invoked to unravel the Grand Severing Array on the islet, so it could barely pass as a place attuned to transformative change.
Mount Wu had originally been the ideal location, as it had once been the cultivation grounds of Duanmu Kui, the Great Shaman. Unfortunately, Li Ximing had achieved his divine ability there, transforming the entire mountain into a precious land of Mingyang, and thus it was no longer the same.
"The clan still intends to rename Mount Wu, though I wonder what name they will choose."
Attaining the Violet Palace was an occasion for immense joy, yet a shadow of worry lingered on Li Shuwan's brow. The clan's affairs were all proceeding securely, but she had unresolved matters of her own.
Her father, Li Baotuo, had moved to the islet and lived happily, passing his days walking hounds and fighting birds. Her elder brothers, however, ran a ferry business on the islet, ferrying passengers between the two shores.
Her brothers possessed solid skills, and with her reputation behind them, business naturally boomed. But this encroached upon another clan family's business; in a fit of rage, the rival family filed a complaint with the Clan Rectory, accusing her brothers of leveraging influence for private gain. That very night, her brothers were summoned to Mount Qingdu.
Li Shuwan was well-versed in clan affairs and knew her brothers were in no immediate danger, but her father Li Baotuo was so frantic that blisters had broken out around his mouth, and he had already come to plead with her multiple times.
She was fortunate that Li Ximing's breakthrough to the Violet Palace coincided with this, so the clan's attention was focused elsewhere, and Clan Uncle Li Zhouluo in Qingdu had not rushed to pass judgment. Otherwise, there was no telling how chaotic things might have become!
She let out a soft sigh, set down the ancient tome, and calculated the time.
*Three months have flown by in a blink. The sects will soon arrive at Lake Wangyue; I must go to receive them.*
Li Shuwan and Li Jiangqian were the paragons of the Li family's new generation. With Li Ximing's attainment of the Violet Palace and the Li clan's ascent to a Violet Palace immortal lineage, their status had transformed instantaneously. While not quite as dramatic as heaven and earth, it had jumped several tiers.
Resting her hand on the book, Li Shuwan felt both pride and trepidation.
*In the eyes of the various sects, Brother Qian and I are probably seen in the same light as Chi Fupo and Si Tongyi were back then... We must be there to receive the guests.*
Such was the way of the world. Clan affairs large and small had likely reached the ears of every sect long ago. Li Shuwan reckoned that in the eyes of other families, Clan Head Li Zhouwei was already being compared to the likes of Tuoba Chongyuan.
"Fame invites trouble..."
Rising from the pavilion, she took flight into the clouds, where she happened upon Li Minggong standing in the air upon a fiery cloud, dressed in a red Dharma robe. Li Minggong cultivated the Dao of True Fire, and the Zhili Lineage bore traits akin to a fire luan; draped in the crimson robe, she appeared all the more dignified, standing gracefully aloft.
Li Shuwan bowed respectfully.
"Greetings, Elder Aunt!"
Li Minggong had spent years guarding the northern shore and the riverbank, so she and Li Shuwan had rarely met. Yet as the eldest sister of the Bo branch, she was Shuwan's closest Foundation Establishment elder, and being a rare female Foundation Establishment cultivator made Li Shuwan feel naturally close to her.
Li Minggong was generous and poised, having earned praise from Li Xijun early in life, and possessed a captivating, bright presence. After Li Shuwan greeted her warmly, Li Minggong stood gracefully and replied in a lighthearted tone, "You're here, Wan'er. Just stay behind me. Over on the other side, Jiangqian is accompanying Li Cheng to receive guests."
"Grand-Aunt, you look so beautiful."
Li Shuwan giggled, covering her mouth. Li Minggong took it in stride, casting her an amused glance. "I'm getting on in years; I can't compete with your youthful bloom."
As they chatted, Li Zhouluo arrived riding golden qi, leading a group of guests.
Clad in fine robes of green over white, golden qi swirling around him, he was at the sixth level of Qi Cultivation and served as head of the Ji branch. His status in the Li family was already quite prominent. For him to personally lead the way, the guests behind him were undoubtedly of extraordinary standing.
Li Minggong looked at him with approval, while Li Shuwan felt her heart tighten at the sight of her uncle.
*Uncle Zhouluo oversees Qingdu affairs for the clan; my brothers' case will inevitably pass through his hands...*
Unaware of her inner turmoil, Li Minggong stepped forward with a smile. "Welcome, honored guests of Xuanyue Immortal Sect! I am Li Minggong..."
"Congratulations, congratulations!"
The man before them was clad in Xuanyue gold robes, clearly a figure of sect master rank. Fair-skinned and clean-shaven, he exchanged pleasantries and congratulations before offering his formal introduction: "I am Kong Guxi of Xuanyue. Greetings, fellow Daoist!"
While Kong Guxi was courteous and polite, the old man beside him was brimming with glee, his beard bristling high as he tugged at his sleeves with a hearty chuckle. "I am old Kong Yu! Fellow Daoist, do you know me? Li Xuanxuan is a good friend of mine—we go back decades! Where might my old pal be right now?"
Old Kong Yu was fond of lively gatherings and sentimental by nature, beaming with joy and looking so thrilled that one might think he was the one who had ascended to the Violet Palace. Li Minggong chuckled and replied, "I have heard of your esteemed name, Senior; my elders have spoken of you many times. He is already awaiting you on the mountain. Please, come inside!"
This gave Kong Yu ample face, and the little old man lifted his chin in immense satisfaction. Kong Guxi echoed a few polite words with a smile, adding, "Having traveled all this way, we have prepared a few modest gifts. Please accept them, Fellow Daoist Minggong!"
These could be considered Xuanyue's congratulatory gifts to the Li clan, mostly precious herbs, magical instruments, and the like. Any exchanges between Real Person Changxi and Li Ximing at the Violet Palace level would be handled separately.
The cultivators flanking Kong Guxi hurriedly presented the jade boxes. Li Shuwan expressed her thanks repeatedly and accepted them with deference. Li Zhouluo then invited the Xuanyue cultivators into Mount Milin, leaving Li Minggong and Li Shuwan waiting in the clouds.
Gazing at the departing backs of the Xuanyue retinue, Li Minggong mused in private:
*Word has it that Real Person Changxi of Xuanyue has little lifespan left, though whether that is true remains to be seen. Xuanyue Gate's arrival this time... perhaps has ulterior considerations.*
When Li Ximing broke through to the Violet Palace, Real Person Changxi had been the first to offer congratulations; while geographical proximity aided him, his heartfelt sincerity had been plain to see.
Catching Li Shuwan's distracted expression, Li Minggong understood what weighed on the young woman's mind. Though the affair involving Li Baotuo's sons was a minor matter, it concerned Li Shuwan directly, so Li Minggong had learned of it long ago.
In truth, the matter was trivial; it all came down to how Li Shuwan chose to handle it. Li Minggong said earnestly, "Shuwan, do not fret. The clan will handle it fairly."
Li Shuwan snapped back to reality and hurriedly thanked her, only to hear Li Minggong chuckle, "Jiangqian doesn't know yet, or someone would be in for an unfortunate time."
***
Mount Milin.
Mount Milin was not particularly tall, but its range was grand and undulating, rich in spiritual energy everywhere. Back when the Yu family collapsed into chaos, its palaces and pavilions had been shattered and battered into ruins.
Those palaces and terraces were no ordinary architecture; crafted by cultivators, they could not simply be pulled from earth and stone on a whim. They required inscribing formation patterns and integrating spiritual materials and artifacts—no simple undertaking.
When the Li clan later took over, major crises followed in succession alongside the North-South conflict, leaving them without the resources to restore the pavilions and halls. They had only repaired the yards for orchards, fields, and herbs to harvest resources and cultivate.
Only when the North-South conflict drew to a close and the Li family enjoyed a decade of respite did they possess the surplus strength and time to rebuild Mount Milin bit by bit. Over the past three months, with the whole clan celebrating Li Ximing's ascent, the mountain's aura had been utterly transformed.
Pavilions and halls rose in tiers across Mount Milin, towering into the clouds. Cyan stone steps stretched in every direction amid drifting spiritual qi. Five spiritual springs gushed from the heights, trickling down channels etched beside the steps, meandering into courtyards, and flowing all the way to the foot of the mountain.
Lamps flanked the pathways, each painted with Mingyang and Lihuo runes, while flood dragons and sea patterns were engraved upon the stairs. Cultivators came and went, landing and taking flight among the courtyards.
Not only was Mount Milin thoroughly refurbished, but across all sixteen prefectures, two peaks, and one mountain surrounding the lake, everything had been renewed. Six grand gate-towers had been erected along the lake's shores, each modeled after Huangyuan Pass.
Built from white bricks with intricately carved corner pavilions and seventy-two distinct roof ridges, these gate-towers stood twelve zhang tall. Positioned according to terrain and orientation, they bore slight variations and were named Sixiang, Xuanye, Tingyuan, Changxi, Chengqing, and Zhouwu.
Among them, the Sixiang Gate, situated in Lijing Prefecture on the southern shore, was the most magnificent, standing a head taller than the other five. Changxi Gate stood at the foot of Mount Milin, tied into the grand array; all cultivators arriving or departing were required to pass through it. Li Zhouluo led Kong Yu and the others down before Changxi Gate, where the Li Zhoufang brothers stood on guard before the entrance.
The two brothers were older than Li Zhouwei and already had grandchildren. Lacking exceptional talent, they had begun Qi Cultivation late and looked rather weathered, with nothing particularly remarkable about them. Kong Guxi cast a brief glance and murmured in praise:
"What a fine Changxi Gate..."
The six gate-towers around the lake had all been personally designed by Li Ximing and empowered with his divine ability. Their patterns not only carried the aura of Mingyang but also harbored profound mysteries that made it hard for onlookers to look away.
Though neither of the guests practiced the Dao of Mingyang, they could discern the marvel within. Stepping past Changxi Gate, they saw a man clad in white-gold armor standing inside, broad-shouldered and sharp of brow, his golden eyes radiating authority.
While Kong Yu was still hesitating, Kong Guxi was already marveling in his heart:
*The White Qilin of the Li clan... Li Zhouwei!*
Back when Li Ximing was in secluded cultivation, the Li clan had relied solely on Li Zhouwei and Li Cheng to hold down the fort while every faction watched like hawks. Having just taken over Xuanyue Gate from Kong Tingyun, Kong Guxi knew this better than anyone...
When fiendish cultivators rampaged across the northern shore of Lake Wangyue and the three Mifan sects established themselves overnight north of the river, the Fei family cried out for rescue. Li Zhouwei had left the White Ape to guard the northern shore, then barred the river together with Li Cheng, using the ancient Cloud-Gathering Tiannan Array to slay the fiend.
From start to finish it had taken barely half a night; before the men from the three Mifan sects could even reach halfway, Li Zhouwei had already slain the fiend and dispatched the severed head straight to Qingchi.
Everyone knew the fiend was nine times out of ten a puppet of the three Mifan sects, but with the head delivered to Qingchi, the three Mifan sects could only swallow the loss.
Thus began the struggle for the northern shore. Over the following decade, spanning covert harassment to open disputes over spirit fields, Li Zhouwei hoisted the banner of resistance. Backed fully by Li Xizhi—who even returned in person several times—Li Zhouwei held firm. Though the three Mifan sects possessed several times their number of Foundation Establishment cultivators, they managed only to chip away at profits around the lake and never shook the clan's foundations.
As Li Zhouwei's cultivation and techniques deepened and Li Cheng grew proficient with the Six Thunder Xuan Punishment Tokens, Floating Cloud Cave could do nothing against the Li clan unless their cave master acted. In the end, even when Cave Master Fudou took action in person, Li Zhouwei managed to slip away.
The Li clan then used the Cloud-Gathering Tiannan Array to hold the northern shore, consolidating their forces at the cost of yielding harvests north of the river, which spared Li Zhouwei from having to garrison the front at all times.
Though Li Ximing's breakthrough had now brought about Floating Cloud Cave's collapse on its own, in Kong Guxi's eyes, Li Zhouwei's repeated feats of turning the tide had already rendered Floating Cloud Cave incapable of posing a real threat to the Li clan.
Now, standing before Li Zhouwei, Kong Guxi noticed only the peculiar hue of his eyes and an imposing, formidable aura that marked him as no easy foe, with nothing else overtly amiss.
Kong Guxi respectfully cupped his hands.
"Greetings, Clan Head!"
The golden-eyed youth nodded to him. "Ah, the Sect Master of Xuanyue! Zhouwei greets the Sect Master."
Kong Guxi's cultivation was not particularly high, and the Earth-virtue arts of his sect were not suited for battle; he was likely no match for Li Zhouwei in combat, so he hurriedly responded with great courtesy.
Beside Li Zhouwei stood another man with greying hair and beard, a gentle countenance, and a ruddy complexion. Two strings of medicine pouches swayed at his waist, and the deep cultivation visible on his features indicated he practiced Wood-virtue arts.
Kong Guxi had never met this man before, but seeing his attire in the style of the Xiao clan, he recognized him instantly—this had to be Xiao Yuansi!
Kong Guxi came to a realization:
*In the Li family today, only Xiao Yuansi is worthy of Li Zhouwei coming down in person to welcome him! That elixir he gave... back then, everyone mocked him as a fool, but now everyone will praise him for his brilliant foresight!*
Xiao Yuansi had learned of the news three months ago, so stunned at the time that he had been dazed for quite a while. Even now, his heart remained brimming with joy and gratification. The old man looked as if he had swallowed a miracle elixir; his complexion had brightened considerably, and his eyes shone bright.
Kong Yu looked on with utmost envy, sighing with emotion:
*To have a Violet Palace disciple, and to have rendered pivotal assistance when that disciple broke through... this senior won't have a single worry for the rest of his days...*
Figures grew more numerous beneath Changxi Gate. Cultivators from the various houses came forward to greet the White Qilin of the Li clan. Though Li Zhouwei possessed formidable strength, his tone was courteous, replying to each in turn with rarely a trace of aloofness.
Just as Kong Guxi prepared to ascend the mountain, a brilliant ray of celestial light descended from the heavens, settling upon the steps to reveal a man in gold-and-white Daoist robes.
The man had regular features without anything extraordinary, save for pale gold eyes and a brilliant point of celestial light gleaming between his brows.
Needless to say, this man was none other than Li Ximing.
Kong Guxi did not dare stare and quickly shifted his gaze. Behind Li Ximing stood a plain-looking, middle-aged man wearing jade at his chest and clad in brown robes patterned with mountain crests. Kong Guxi's pupils constricted, and he dropped to his knees with a thud, crying out:
"Greetings, Ancestor! Greetings, Real Person!"
At Kong Guxi's cry, the Xuanyue Gate cultivators were taken aback for an instant, then hastily followed suit, dropping down in droves. In an instant, every cultivator from Xuanyue Gate was prostrating and kowtowing.
Kong Yu and the others were now considered senior figures of Xuanyue; how could they fail to recognize that the figure beside Li Ximing was their own Patriarch, Real Person Changxi? Though a few others had never seen Changxi in person, their founder's portrait had always hung within the sect, and they soon understood.
With Xuanyue Gate kneeling en masse, the other cultivators froze for a moment before most prostrated as well. Direct descendants and representatives of other Violet Palace masters also bowed deeply with hands clasped, chorusing respectfully:
"Greetings, Real Person Zhaojing!"
Xiao Yuansi lifted his head and met Li Ximing's gaze. A warm smile spread across the old man's face. Amid the chorus of respectful salutations from the crowd, Li Ximing bowed slightly and said in a gentle voice:
"Greetings, Master!"
Chapter 695