Now that the matter was settled, Li Jiangxia reported to Li Zhouwei, received the command tally, and went down in high spirits to muster the troops and horses for the eastern bank.
Li Zhouwei raised his hand and asked, "Long'er, Xuanyue has come requesting a marriage alliance. A daughter will likely have to be sent, and one among the brothers must be chosen as well. Excluding the youngest, Jiangnian, take a look—which brother would be appropriate?"
Only then did Li Jianglong bow and change his form of address, speaking respectfully: "In reply to Father, your child believes that a marriage alliance with Xuanyue is merely to forge a bond of friendship. The future remains unpredictable, so we should choose one of the younger brothers and delay the wedding. If anything arises later, there will still be room to maneuver without undue embarrassment."
"As for giving away a daughter in marriage, that still depends on the betrothal gifts Xuanyue offers."
Li Zhouwei merely said, "To set Xuanyue's heart at ease, this is naturally not something to be evaded. It cannot be taken lightly; doing so would show insufficient sincerity."
Li Jianglong bowed again and said respectfully, "Your child is willing to go to Xuanyue to cultivate as a member of the main lineage to reassure them. As for the marriage alliance, I earnestly hope it is settled upon one of my younger brothers. In my foolish thoughts, I fear it may brew calamity!"
Li Jianglong's consideration was not without reason. Once Changxi died, Xuanyue's fate would be hard to predict. If the worst happened and Xuanyue fell, and it was adult main-lineage scions like Jianglong or Jiangxia who married Xuanyue's direct descendants, wedding and bearing children would only taint their offspring with grudges and enmity.
On the other hand, Jiangliang was still a child. It would take at least ten years before he could wed. In ten years, Changxi would have long perished, and the situation surrounding Xuanyue would be clear, avoiding getting too deeply entangled.
That he wished to go cultivate at Xuanyue, however, surprised Li Zhouwei slightly. He raised his head, looked at his third son, and said in a heavy voice, "After the eastern bank is settled, I originally planned to entrust Mount Milin to you to pacify the one hundred and eighteen families, and send your younger brother to the eastern bank. Yet you want to go to Xuanyue. Have you thought this through?"
All of his children had talent for governance. As descendants of Mingyang blood, they favored authority and power, forming distinct factions—a stark contrast to the deferential modesty of earlier generations. Even the child Li Jiangliang harbored no small ambition; how could Li Zhouwei not know this?
In today's burgeoning era, distancing oneself from the center of power offered a hundred disadvantages and scarcely a single benefit. Li Jianglong's request was truly unexpected. Li Zhouwei asked once more, and seeing him bow, heard him say, "Your child has considered this thoroughly. This journey will bring great benefits to our Lake Wangyue. I hope Father will grant this."
"Very well."
Li Zhouwei gave him no room to play games and nodded immediately, instructing, "Go down and pick two study companions. I will explain the matter to the Real Person myself. Once at Xuanyue, you must be humble, prudent, and cautious in your actions. Do not tarnish our family's reputation."
"Father may rest assured!"
Li Jianglong gave thanks and withdrew. Dressed in a long cloud-satin dress, Li Quewan had been listening by the side the entire time, her favorable impression of Li Jianglong growing slightly. Unexpectedly, Li Zhouwei asked, "Wan'er, regarding the eastern bank, who do you think should be sent to manage it?"
"This junior does not dare speak out of turn... lest I breach proper propriety."
Li Quewan barely replied before Li Zhouwei told her, "Speak without worry." She had no choice but to bow and say, "To report to the Patriarch: the esteemed elders must guard the northern bank and should not be moved lightly. Now that Uncle-Grandfather Chenghuai has taken over Qingdu, Uncle Zhouluo is freed up. However, his cultivation is of paramount importance, and I do not know if this would delay him."
"Uncle Zhouming also achieved Qi Refinement a few days ago, and there is Aunt Xinghan as well. Both could contribute their strength."
One had to admit that after the heavy blows of the conflict between north and south, the Cheng, Ming, Zhou, and Xing generations were truly withered. Chenghuai, Minggong, and Chengliao each had their assignments. In the Zhou and Xing generation, aside from Li Zhouluo, whose cultivation was quite decent, the next was Li Xinghan of the eldest branch—one who cultivated in silence, secluded in practice day after day and rarely seen by anyone.
As for Li Zhouming, who had been specifically mentioned, he was the Real Person's direct grandson. His aptitude was truly unremarkable; already in his thirties, he had only broken through with the aid of a Three Completes Realm-Breaking Pill, falling short even of the brothers Li Zhoufang and Li Zhouyang.
Li Zhouwei sighed inwardly. The aptitude of the Zhou and Xing generation was sufficient to match ordinary clans, yet there were no exceptionally outstanding figures among them. What was more, during their upbringing, the conflict between north and south was raging. The Li family had been in turmoil, leaving them neglected in experiential training, not to mention that a good number had lost their parents, receiving back only a storage bag or two.
The collateral clans of other surnames were just as miserable, having yet to recover their vitality. The An clan was slightly better off for having produced a Foundation Establishment cultivator. The Chen clan was held up by Chen Yang, while Chen Donghe was still at Mount Yuting. As for the other prominent Lijing families that had risen from humble origins, though their vermilion doors and courtyards appeared prosperous, they could hardly conceal the creeping twilight and the dearth of talent.
"Uncle Chenghuai has already taken over Qingdu, so it is inappropriate for Zhouluo to enter Milin again... Let the Old Master watch over it first, and have Zhouming and Xinghan accompany him to learn the ropes."
Having issued his orders, he finally set down his brush and murmured softly, "In a few days, I must head north of the river. I will have Qian'er temporarily oversee the clan's affairs; you lend him a hand. With Uncle Chenghuai around, there will not be much trouble."
Li Quewan nodded respectfully in assent. Li Zhouwei retrieved the Mountain Ghost Talisman from his sleeve and placed it in her hand, saying, "This is a Mountain Ghost Talisman, possessing Foundation Establishment power. Study it for now, and it can also serve to protect you."
***
The Sword Sect.
The Wanyu Sword Sect was located in Jingchuan Commandery, a region filled with rolling hills and flourishing vegetation. Its mountain gate, Yuchuan Sword Peak, pierced straight into the sky like a longsword. It stood less than two hundred li from the Sword Sect's Taijian Crossing on the East Sea, commanding an unobstructed, panoramic view of the vast sea.
Planted upon the sword-sharp main summit of Yuchuan Sword Peak was a Mystic Horn Treasure Tassel Pine. Unlike ordinary towering pines, it spread gracefully like a canopy, its needles clustering like ears of grain in an emerald-green hue. It was a Violet Palace spirit pine of the Jiaomu Dao, famed throughout Jiangnan.
The Sword Sect was quiet and austere. Though pavilions and towers dotted the peak, few figures were seen. Only one person came out to receive Li Ximing—Cheng Jinzhu, who had come to offer congratulations that day. Carrying his sword on his back, he led Li Ximing up the mountain. It so happened that a southeasterly wind arose, sweeping through the pines in shimmering brilliance.
The heavenly light between Li Ximing's brows stirred slightly. He sensed that this wind was out of the ordinary, governing the flourishing growth of Wood and subtly aligning with the Jiaomu Dao. He raised his brows and praised, "What a fine Jiaomu spring breeze."
The Heavenly Light divine ability between his brows had the power to discern abnormalities; with just a glance, he had detected its nature. Cheng Jinzhu hastened to say, "The Real Person has vast divine abilities! This wind indeed belongs to the Jiaomu Dao and is known as the Treasure Tassel Spring Breeze. Whenever a southeasterly wind rises and passes through the branches of our sect's old ancestor, it immediately transforms into this wind, possessing the power to nurture life and sustain the populace."
"Starting from the southeast, this wind heads northwest all the way to Salt Lake, where it merges with the daytime sea breeze. From there, it turns westward, joining with the river waters to nourish Jiangnan."
"Oh."
Hearing this, Li Ximing sighed inwardly: *No matter what demonic or blood calamities Qingchi suffered, its population could always recover swiftly. Surely this Violet Palace spirit tree deserves part of the credit!*
Just as he was thinking this, a figure materialized beneath the tree. It was a middle-aged man dressed in Daoist robes, his hair and beard half-gray. He cradled a sword in his arms, his expression carrying a smile mixed with a hint of surprise. He spoke, "I am Lingmei. Greetings, Zhaojing."
"Greetings, Senior!"
Li Ximing bowed in return. Cultivators of the Sword Sect were mostly formidable in combat, and few were willing to offend them, so he was naturally courteous. Real Person Lingmei stepped forward and introduced, "This is Senior Tianjiao."
Only then did Li Ximing realize that he was referring to the Mystic Horn Treasure Tassel Pine before them. He quickly bowed again and said respectfully, "Junior pays respects to Senior."
Li Ximing had three spirit trees of his own. Two had not awakened wisdom: the Serpent Dragon Fruit Tree and the Wanling Flower Tree. The third was the spirit persimmon tree brought back from Mount Quanwu, which, though far inferior in origin to the first two, had innocently developed sapience.
When Li Ximing spoke, the Mystic Horn Treasure Tassel Pine showed no response at all. Lingmei quickly said, "The old senior often slumbers and has made no sound for nearly fifty years. Please do not take offense."
Li Ximing nodded and followed him forward. Real Person Lingmei lifted his sleeves and smiled, "This senior has quite the background. Back then, True Sovereign Taiyu cultivated on this mountain, his Metal Qi soaring into the heavens, rendering hundreds of li of land barren of vegetation. He had no choice but to plant this old senior to conceal the Metal Qi. Later, when our founding patriarch, Cheng Liuxing—the 'Wanyu Sword'—entered the True Sovereign's tutelage, he even had to address this senior as Martial Uncle..."
"Planted by the True Sovereign himself?!"
Li Ximing was inwardly astonished. What kind of existence was True Sovereign Taiyu? The strength of this old tree was definitely peerless among the Violet Palace. As long as this old tree stood, who would dare attack the Sword Sect?
Lingmei was visibly proud as he added, "Our Sword Sect's longswords span the sky, sharp Metal Qi bearing down, yet the common people of Jingchuan Commandery have never been harmed, all thanks to the old senior!"
As he spoke, he ushered Li Ximing to sit beneath the tree. The table was covered with pine needles like jade tassels. Lingmei swept them aside with a wave of his sleeve, poured tea, and laughed, "I truly never expected Zhaojing's arrival!"
Li Ximing merely smiled, speaking with utmost courtesy: "My clan's ancestors were famed as sword immortals, their names inscribed within the Wanyu Sword Tome of Chenghua Hall. Now that Zhaojing has attained the Violet Palace, I naturally had to pay a visit! Not to mention that my family has practiced the sword for generations, sharing kinship in lineage and the fellowship of the righteous path with the Sword Sect. How could I not come?"
"Well said."
Lingmei nodded, looking pleasantly surprised. His face was somewhat square, his features honest and sturdy, yet his gaze was filled with approval. He nodded, "Our founding patriarch once declared that anyone in the realm whose name is recorded in the Sword Tome is an honored guest of our sect. In matters of life and death, they may seek aid from us."
"Though many years have passed and the patriarch has departed this world, our sect still counts the world's sword immortals as friends. Alas... by the time we learned of it, your noble clan's ancestor had already been murdered!"
A look of bitter indignation surfaced on his face. Li Ximing sighed and shook his head, "After all... the affairs of the world are unpredictable..."
Lingmei did not dwell on the past either, shifting the conversation as he said softly, "Speaking of which, fate has brought us together. Zhaojing and I share the same family surname."
"Oh?"
Li Ximing was slightly startled, asking in doubt, "The Real Person does not bear the surname Cheng?"
Lingmei chuckled and nodded, "My original name is Li Mei."
He paused slightly, stroked his beard upon seeing Li Ximing's expression, and said, "In the path of cultivation, when one person attains the Dao, their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven, conferring blessings onto subsequent generations. The descendants of cultivators possess extraordinary aptitude that mortals cannot match, which is why various sects and clans bestow favor upon bloodline succession."
"Yet the sword path is different. A farmer's son might be able to draw a sword of a thousand jin, while a Violet Palace household may not necessarily produce anyone who can wield a three-foot blade. Our Sword Sect holds sword cultivation above all else; it is commonplace to see a Qi Refinement peak master or an Embryonic Breathing guest elder."
Li Ximing understood. Lingmei continued, "Our sect upholds the righteous path. The main lineage includes all sorts of surnames. The Cheng clan is merely the line of our founding patriarch, which is why they command everyone's respect, frequently represent the direct line when venturing outside, and firmly occupy the sect master's seat."
"What a true righteous path!"
Li Ximing could not help praising in disbelief. Yet Lingmei sighed ruefully, "Not necessarily... It has its drawbacks, and we must swallow our own bitter pills. The various sects see through it clearly as well... Let me explain it to Zhaojing."
"Our sect respects those with superior sword cultivation and moral virtue. Yet cultivators are already few; how rare is it to find someone possessing both while also having exceptional cultivation talent? Not one appears in a century!"
"Consequently, those with extraordinary innate talent often cannot obtain resources, while those of mediocre talent consume thousands of spirit items just to advance a single step. To earn resources, one must first practice the sword and descend the mountain to aid the common folk to demonstrate moral virtue. Yet, apart from exceptional geniuses, the sword path grows deeper the older one gets. In the end, they miss the prime years for breakthrough, throwing the entire Sword Sect into disarray and chaos—leading even to situations where an Embryonic Breathing elder sat enjoying main-lineage resources for a century, only to perish upon breaking through to Qi Refinement..."
"This..."
Li Ximing frowned as he listened. Lingmei sighed and answered, "I came from that era. Later, after breaking through to the Violet Palace and taking charge of the Sword Sect, I vigorously promoted the Cheng clan in the name of the patriarch's grace to turn the situation around. I enacted many reforms within the sect, defying countless voices of dissuasion, which allowed Cheng Mianfu, Cheng Gao, Gu Pang, and several others to rise to prominence..."
"Even so, to this day, most of our Sword Sect's core disciples still have deficient cultivation, knowing nothing but sword techniques... or possessing nothing but a facade of moral virtue. As for the greater messes left behind—countless bad debts from squandering resources—they can no longer even be reckoned!"
Hearing this, Li Ximing finally understood why the Wanyu Sword Sect—a grand sword immortal lineage and inheritor of a Golden Core—could not even overcome Chijiao Island and Chunyi Dao, and had been dragged into a helpless stalemate in the East Sea. His heart grew heavier, and he said, "The righteous path is hard to tread. Fortunately, the Real Person arose."
"It is too early to say."
Lingmei shook his head, "I have not yet altered the fundamental method of selecting by moral virtue, yet grumblings against me already stir in secret within the sect. If I dare touch that, I fear they would all go worship at Chenghua Hall and before the old senior, beseeching the Sword Tome to execute me as a heretic. How posterity will judge me remains uncertain."
Real Person Lingmei was entirely different from Si Boxiu and Xiao Chuting. Perhaps because the Li clan governed itself somewhat along the righteous path and was a sword immortal family, his attitude was far more sincere. Cultivating the sword path and moral virtue himself, his tone was calm and steady: "In short, Zhaojing's visit today has truly been of help to me. At least many stubborn elders in the sect look favorably upon the Li clan... In particular, the Yueque Sword gave his life to slay the Wrath Manifestation, an act already inscribed in Chenghua Hall that earned great virtuous renown. For this, I express my gratitude to Zhaojing!"
Having said this, an eminent mid-Violet Palace cultivator actually rose from his seat to offer thanks, startling Li Ximing into standing up and stepping aside to avoid the full brunt of the bow. He watched as Real Person Lingmei said humbly, "However, our sect established a rule long ago: we may not take part in sect disputes, clan conflicts, or the schemes of the Violet Palace. Back then, we only went to Qingsong Temple to retrieve our patriarch's heirloom, having a righteous cause. Otherwise, our sect would never have intervened... If Zhaojing has other plans, I fear I will have to disappoint you!"
Which cultivator who attained the Violet Palace was not an astute figure? Though Real Person Lingmei spoke with sincerity and ease, how could they not understand the social courtesies between Violet Palace peers? With a single sentence, he had laid the matter bare. Li Ximing's arrival might not have truly helped him, but he needed a pretext that would not offend Li Ximing.
Now, though the thanks had been paid grandly, the boundaries had also been drawn with righteous firmness. What could Li Ximing say? He had come to the Sword Sect in the first place to avoid having to choose between Jinyu and Hengzhu, and had never expected the Sword Sect to form close ties with his clan. He simply said respectfully, "Senior misunderstands. This junior truly came on this journey solely to pay homage to my family ancestor's sword intent, with no other motive. I only ask to behold the true face of the Wanyu Sword Tome."
Chapter 706