Hearing Li Ximing speak thus, Real Person Lingmei nodded as well. He invited him to take tea first, excused himself to fetch the volume from Chenghua Hall, and was gone for a good while before finally returning, holding a Daoist tome in both hands.
The scripture had a deep navy cover and pale yellow pages. Held half-open in his hands, he carried it all the way beneath the tree without setting it down upon the jade table, merely saying, "Please have a look, Zhaojing."
It felt inappropriate to let him hold it like this, but treasured objects often exhibited bizarre phenomena, and placing it on the table might crush the furniture. Li Ximing channeled his divine ability and reached out with both hands to receive it, only for Real Person Lingmei to raise a hand and stop him:
"Zhaojing, the Wanyu Sword Tome is no ordinary artifact. It is best that I handle it."
He smiled and explained, "If one possesses sword intent, the Sword Tome is as light as silk damask; even a mortal farmer could tuck it into his robes and walk away with it. But without attainment in the sword dao, the Sword Tome is as heavy as Mount Taishi. Even a Violet Palace cultivator would find it difficult to budge."
He offered a gentle smile. Li Ximing nodded and directed his gaze onto the Sword Tome. Only a few thin pages lay turned open. Six or seven pages ahead had been pressed shut, revealing several small, glowing characters:
【Baili】
The two characters were pure snow-white. Two lines down, another pair of small characters emerged, equally white:
【Yuxin】
Behind these two characters followed a line of tiny, fly-head script reading: 【Pure Yang Sword of Liyang Yuxin One Qi】. What followed was even more intricate, filled with densely packed symbols intermingled with words and phrases that defied deciphering.
Real Person Lingmei turned the pages with his divine ability until he reached the final few leaves. Only then did ancient characters in pale grayish-blue appear upon the parchment:
【Qingchi】
Li Ximing recognized this as the name of a sword. A few lines beneath, however, the script turned into ordinary black ink, reading:
【Yueque】
Appended to these two characters was a note: 【Mingyue Tinghe Xuanque Autumn Light Sword】. Li Ximing examined it closely, an uneasy feeling welling up within his heart. He asked, "What are the names inscribed behind them? Why are they not as bright as the earlier characters?"
Real Person Lingmei sighed. "When sword intent manifests in the world, it is recorded in the Sword Tome. Those written behind are the names of sword intents. If they shine brightly, it means that sword intent still lingers in the world."
The sword intent sealed and preserved by the Li family had long since been expended, so it had naturally grown dim. Li Ximing bowed in respect. Real Person Lingmei remained silent for a long time, returned the Sword Tome to its place, and consoled him:
"As the saying goes, even after a hundred years, an enmity may still be avenged. Yet there are times when there is nowhere left to seek vengeance, when pent-up fury is gathered in one's fists with no one to strike… that is the true hardship."
Li Ximing knew he was referring to the fact that Chi Wei had long since perished, and the Chi family had deteriorated to the point where only two or three insignificant side-branch scions remained. Now that the Li family had attained the Violet Palace realm, they had nowhere left to direct their vengeance. He merely murmured, "Thank you for your understanding, Senior."
In truth, Li Xuanfeng, Li Xizhi, and several others had played pivotal roles in the Chi family's ruin. Aside from Chi Zhiyun, who remained in secluded cultivation, all the direct descendants bearing the Chi surname had been wiped out, which was already a form of vengeance in itself…
'And Chi Zhiyun is in seclusion in parts unknown. Si Boxiu will most likely never allow him to emerge…'
The thought flashed through Li Ximing's mind and quickly faded. Remembering Cheng Gao, the close friend of his uncle Li Yuanjiao from years past, he asked, "The Fellow Daoist Cheng Gao whom you mentioned earlier shares some friendship with my family. Where is he stationed these days?"
Real Person Lingmei paused briefly in surprise before answering, "He is still in Ganzi on the Great Western Plateau, guarding the Baili Qiang State. It is merely a minor state, but with numerous demonic cultivators currently roaming the Long lands, he cannot easily leave."
The mountain gate of the Wanyu Sword Gate was in Jiangnan, yet its jurisdiction extended all the way to the northwest of the State of Wu, bordering the State of Zhao. Li Ximing had puzzled over this for years. Seizing the opportunity, he probed with a question, to which Real Person Lingmei answered quite candidly:
"This matter can be traced back to the True Sovereign. In the past, when our founding ancestor sought the Dao, he originally planned to establish our sect right here on Yuchuan Sword Peak. Who would have thought that upon consulting the True Sovereign, the request was flatly denied?"
"The True Sovereign said this: 'The world's lineages may change as they please, but two alone must never be altered. First, the Sword Sect must choose its mountain in the lands of Shu; second, the Shamanic Talismans must endure throughout the Southern Border…' Our founder petitioned him repeatedly, but the True Sovereign merely said it was to make things look pleasing to the Immortal Sovereign's eye…"
"Pleasing to the Immortal Sovereign's eye?"
Li Ximing frowned, unable to understand. Yet the intention of an Immortal Sovereign surely carried profound significance. Real Person Lingmei continued:
"Thus, our founder established the sect in the lands of Shu, while in Jiangnan we held only two places: Taijian Crossing and Sword Peak. At our height, we held sway over both Long and Shu. Later, when the founder fell, the sect gradually declined. With the Old Ancestor unable to move freely from Jiangnan, the sect slowly shifted toward Jiangnan where the spiritual opportunity was more abundant… That is why, to this day, we still retain our foundation in Long and Shu."
Only then did Li Ximing come to an understanding, calculating silently in his mind:
'I have heard that before the Wei Li achieved their rise, they originated from the Li clan of the Long lands. When the chance arises, I must make a trip to the Long lands. If the Sword Gate has roots there, I can inquire about it then.'
He chatted casually for a few more moments and soon rose to take his leave. Lingmei did not dare let him return from Yuchuan Sword Peak entirely empty-handed. From his sleeve, he produced a jade box—evidently prepared earlier when he went to retrieve the Sword Tome—and apologized:
"We have truly put Zhaojing through unnecessary trouble. I hear your noble clan possesses a Wanling Flower. Please accept this Horn Wood Golden Tassel; it is of great benefit to spiritual flora… Consider it a return gift from my Sword Gate."
Unable to decline, Li Ximing accepted the jade box, made his way out of Sword Peak, and escaped into the Great Void. Only then did he take out the jade box to inspect it, finding inside a gleaming golden Horn Wood tassel needle.
'It is something from that Real Person Tianjiao. It just reaches the threshold of Violet Palace resources, far superior to ordinary treasures…'
He stowed the jade box away, having finally finished attending to all three parties. Though the Sword Gate had politely seen him off, the matter was now thoroughly settled, and his heart felt considerably lighter.
'Having handled relations with the Three Sects and Seven Gates by the book, next… I can turn my gaze north of the river!'
……
Pingya Islet.
Li Jiangxia emerged from the hall, his mail armor clinking softly. He walked all the way to the outskirts of the islet, stepping upon golden light. A black horse with scales on its underbelly and blood-red eyes stood in the grounds, snorting softly.
This horse was a crossbreed between the famous Zhongsuo breed of the Shanyue region and the black-scaled horses of the Great Desert. An Zheyan had spent over three years capturing them, bred them for several more years, and sent the foal to the lake once it reached maturity. But Li Zhouwei had already achieved Foundation Establishment and naturally had no use for it, bestowing it instead upon his most favored son, Li Jiangxia.
Just as Li Jiangxia mounted the spiritual steed and turned its head, a figure stepped out from the lower left. He seemed to have been waiting for quite some time, calling out past the courtyard guards:
"Third Highness! Third Highness!"
Li Jiangxia lowered his eyes to look, slightly perplexed. His elder brother, Li Jianglong, followed a step behind and soon caught up. Glancing over, he stepped forward with a smile:
"Third Brother, you wouldn't know. This is the concubine-born son of a clan brother from the twenty-sixth branch. He has already branched out from the main lineage, and his given name is simply Hun."
"So it's you!"
Li Jiangxia had spent years away from the clan and had no idea about any Hun or whatever else. He merely urged his horse forward. The two courtyard guards held their ground, their cold iron spears blocking the way. Li Hun, who was older than both young lords, called out:
"Ah, Second Highness is here as well! This nephew pays his respects."
Seeing that he was slight of build and entirely plain in appearance, Li Jiangxia gathered his riding whip and laughed heartily:
"Second Brother, this man looks just like you! He truly is our own kin. Aside from those eyes, he resembles you to a tee!"
Li Jiangxia had always been full of vigorous vitality and spirited enthusiasm, completely different from Li Jianglong. Meanwhile, Li Hun's maternal clan was the Chen family, the same as Li Jianglong's, so it was only natural that they shared some resemblance.
Hearing this, Li Jianglong showed an amused expression and laughed along with him. Li Hun dropped to his knees with a thud and cried out:
"Uncles, you flatter me far too much! How could your nephew possess such good fortune? It is merely that I have reached the proper age and came to the islet seeking some employment. I never expected to run into the Third Highness. Remembering that my father often speaks of you, I grew somewhat overly excited…"
'Still calling him Third Highness, are you!'
Li Jianglong immediately saw through his attempt to climb the clan branches. After all, it was common knowledge that his younger brother was headed to the eastern bank. For Li Hun to gain access to the hall, his father was likely a Qi Refinement cultivator as well. Li Jianglong smiled inwardly:
'So he came to latch onto my younger brother.'
How could Li Jiangxia fail to see it? He burst into hearty laughter, gathered his whip, and pulled the reins:
"Very well, very well! Once I return from the eastern bank and have some free time, feel free to come find me for a good chat."
Without waiting for a response, he spurred his horse and galloped off, leaving Li Hun caught completely off guard. Before he could react, Li Jianglong had already helped him to his feet and asked casually:
"What brings you to the islet, clan brother?"
Li Hun blurted out subconsciously, "They say a guest has arrived on the islet. My father brought him into the hall, and several elders have gone as well, seeking an audience with the clan master. He…"
Only then did he realize he had said too much. Li Jianglong released his grip and cut him off in surprise:
"So it is clan business! I thought you were merely visiting relatives, which was why I asked. You shouldn't have spoken of it… you shouldn't have! You have a loose tongue, young man. From now on, do not wander aimlessly through the hall. If you bump into something you shouldn't… beware lest Qingdu punishes you!"
His words filled Li Hun with dread. Meanwhile, Li Jianglong's fingers had quietly unhooked the pass token from Li Hun's waist, holding it firmly in his palm as his tone grew stern:
"Fortunately, it was I who ran into you, saving you from running around blindly. Come with me to see your father…"
Deprived of his transit token, Li Hun naturally could go nowhere in the palace complex. He could only follow foolishly, his thoughts in utter disarray until sheer terror finally overtook him. In a panic, he stammered:
"Second Highness, my father has important business… it is truly inappropriate to meet!"
"No matter."
Li Jianglong paused before the stone steps. Turning back with a genial smile, his golden eyes pierced forward:
"I will wait for him in the side hall."
Li Hun froze in terror, rooted to the spot for long moments. Li Jianglong affably took him by the hand and led him through the winding corridors all the way to the side hall. By the time they arrived, Li Hun was practically ready to collapse.
Li Jianglong, however, had no interest in him. Observing in secret, he caught sight of a disheveled middle-aged man walking past the courtyard guards. The man appeared to possess late Qi Refinement cultivation, yet his foundation was flimsy and unsubstantial, looking as though it had been artificially piled up with spiritual materials.
'Who could this be…!'
……
Li Ximing traveled through the Great Void for a short while before breaking through the void and descending upon his clan's grand array. Riding the heavenly light, he soared into the grand hall. A journey that once took several days before reaching the Violet Palace realm now took barely half a quarter of an hour; even the sky outside had hardly changed.
Li Zhouwei stood in the hall, over a dozen jade boxes arranged upon the table. He was inscribing characters on the boxes with a vermilion brush. Seeing Li Ximing reveal his form, he cupped his hands in salute and reported:
"Reporting to the Real Person, the return gifts for the Three Sects and Seven Gates are ready."
Excluding the Li family, the State of Yue currently comprised the Three Sects, Seven Gates, and Two Clans. Li Ximing had chosen three to visit in person, but that did not mean the rest could be neglected. Whenever a Violet Palace cultivator had attended the Dharma ceremony, a letter accompanied by gifts had to be dispatched, stating that he was in seclusion consolidating his divine ability and could not visit in person.
Li Ximing had long prepared personal letters for Jinyu, Hengzhu, and Xuanyue, selecting precious spiritual medicines to be sent to each. Li Zhouwei received them and reported the news of Li Chenghuai's breakthrough. Li Ximing was well pleased, nodding in approval:
"Have him come up so I may see him."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than a figure hurried into the hall from outside, reporting deferentially:
"Reporting to the Clan Master and the Real Person, a person has arrived on the islet claiming to be the son of an old acquaintance, requesting an audience with the Clan Master."
'The son of an old acquaintance.'
Li Zhouwei pondered the words briefly, wondering what manner of person this might be. Li Ximing's heavenly light between his brows flickered slightly, and he took a seat to the side, his voice turning cool:
"Show him in!"
The attendant hastily retreated. After waiting for over a dozen breaths, hurried, clumsy footsteps sounded upon the steps before the hall. A man stumbled recklessly into the chamber, looking utterly disheveled. With a loud thud, he dropped to his knees and began kowtowing frantically:
"P-Pay respects to the Clan Master!"
Li Zhouwei scrutinized him carefully. The visitor was a middle-aged man with an unshaven face and late Qi Refinement cultivation. His features still carried a trace of nobility, but his face was filled with panic and dread. His legs trembled incessantly as he did nothing but knock his head against the floor.
Li Zhouwei did not recognize this man, but he saw Li Ximing take a sip of tea and remark casually:
"So it is Young Master Yuan… To what do we owe… the pleasure of this visit?"
These words chilled the kneeling man to the core, as if he were about to perish on the spot; he was rendered entirely unable to speak. Li Ximing merely lowered his gaze to sip his tea, not even bothering to look at him.
After a short while, Li Chenghuai entered from before the hall and stepped aside. Taking a brief look, he found the man increasingly familiar, and his heart jolted:
'Yuan Fuyao!'
This man was indeed the son of an old acquaintance—the son of Yuan Chengdun, Yuan Fuyao.
Back then, when Yuan Tuan disappeared and Yuan Chengdun prepared to go out to sea expecting never to return, he had expended the goodwill between himself and the Li family, pledging his entire life's fortune to secure a betrothal for Yuan Fuyao. Who could have foreseen that Yuan Huyuan and Yuan Hudu, in their bid to curry favor with the Chi family, would break the agreement and urge Yuan Fuyao to take his inheritance, depart, and marry the daughter of the Song family?
The rift between the Li and Yuan families had begun at that very moment, culminating in the present day where Li Xizhi and Yuan Chengzhao had turned against each other…
Li Ximing was well aware of this affair. He also knew that Yuan Fuyao had later lived a carefree and indulgent life surrounded by beautiful wives and concubines, becoming a master of the Song residence. Yet now, he had run straight to their doorstep.
The members of the Li family wore varied expressions, while Yuan Fuyao found it even harder to speak. Life in the Song family had indeed been idyllic at first, filled with beautiful consorts, daily cultivation, and lute playing. Yet a decade had flashed by in the blink of an eye, and the conflict between north and south erupted.
Relying on the clan's favor, Yuan Fuyao had been spared from going to the riverbank and breathed a sigh of relief. Yet who could have predicted that the Song family would suffer immense losses in the fighting, subsequently setting their sights on Yuan Chengdun's legacy? Thus, they borrowed five qian one day and ten qian the next, pressing him relentlessly day in and day out.
With the realm in turmoil, he had no way to escape. Disastrous news followed one after another: the main branch of the Chi family was annihilated, and the Song family fell drastically in fortune, redoubling their aggressive demands. Fortunately, his father's legacy was substantial enough, and by clutching it tightly, he managed to endure for over a decade. But in order to keep a low profile, all thoughts of his former comfortable life had to be abandoned.
Upon hearing that the Li family was flourishing with each passing day, and that Li Xizhi—who had nearly become his brother-in-law—had achieved great success in his cultivation, earning renown across Jiangnan as the 'Heavenly Pavilion Rosy Clouds,' Yuan Fuyao had already felt deep regret, gnawing at his heart like a rat and causing him to toss and turn sleeplessly.
Then, when the resounding voice of Li Ximing's divine ability echoed through the Great Void across Jiangnan, Yuan Fuyao was shaken to the core. He immediately leaped out of a window and fled, daring to bring no one and take nothing. After hiding in the wilderness for several months, he finally caught word that Qingchi forces had arrived at the Song family that very night. Not a single soul had survived; his wives, concubines, and children had all perished.
Yet he was, by nature, a pampered young master. Even his worst treatment in the Song family had been far beyond what an ordinary rogue cultivator could ever dream of. Living in constant hiding and unable to show his face, he felt as though he was no longer living the life of a human being. Terrified that Li Ximing might remember him and tear open the Great Void to seize him, he had finally come to the lake on his own accord.
Trembling for a long time, he recounted his miserable plight before finally croaking out hoarsely:
"This humble one… this humble one regrets it too late! I beg the immortal clan to stay their hand and show mercy…"
Li Zhouwei had already understood the entire situation, looking on with cold detachment:
'He does possess a bit of cunning… but with a temperament like that, he will never amount to anything!'
Chapter 707