Li Ximing rode his light all the way through the Great Void, emerging above the wilderness. Pulling back his sleeve to reveal the back of his hand, he saw a speck of purple radiance lingering upon the skin, giving off a dull, heavy glow.
During the pursuit and running battle just now, they had traded blows several times. Ye Gui had left an injury on him, but it was very light, having almost no effect on his divine ability and dharma body. He estimated an ordinary Violet Palace cultivator would take just under half a month to heal it, and his Audience at the Heavenly Gate was exceptionally adept at tempering and eliminating alien dharmic powers; it looked as though it could grind it away in two or three days.
Even so, he examined it closely, then raised his other hand and lightly sliced across the back of his hand, paring away that piece of flesh. He held it up to inspect it, then put it back with a thoughtful look.
"For an ordinary Violet Palace cultivator, if a certain part of the dharma body suffers too much damage, discarding it and fashioning a new one is an option—it simply comes down to which method takes more time. It's just that I can suppress and grind it away, so directly healing is faster in most cases... Other Violet Palace cultivators likely have their own methods as well."
He then stepped down through the air. Below, many cultivators were coming and going. Not wishing to stir everyone into a frenzy of kneeling and bowing, Li Ximing casually used his divine ability to obscure their vision, strolling straight past them.
Reaching the front of the hall, he happened upon Kong Guxi coming out. Fu Yuezi carried a golden spear and a golden axe on his back, following obediently behind. Among the remaining Xuanyue guest elders, only Sun Bai was willing to take a few steps forward and exchange a few polite words:
"Sect Master, please wait a moment. Let me examine your injuries first."
Sun Bai pinched a hand seal to treat Kong Guxi's wounds. Li Ximing glanced over. Among all the Xuanyue cultivators, the only ones truly presentable were Fu Yuezi and Sun Bai.
Sun Bai possessed the Xiaozhonglin immortal foundation, which excelled at healing and nurturing life; naturally, he had received no less protection throughout the battle than the Li family members. As for Fu Yuezi, his immortal foundation was Tianjin Armor, and he possessed genuine skill himself, ranking on par with someone like Ding Weizeng within the Li family.
Kong Guxi had performed exceptionally well in this great battle, advancing and retreating with measure throughout, and he had sustained heavy injuries. Li Ximing naturally wanted to see him, so he manifested his figure on the spot. Kong Guxi was exchanging polite words with Sun Bai when his eyes caught the gathering celestial radiance. Startled, he dropped to his knees at once:
"Greetings, Real Person!"
Around them, everyone knelt in unison. The Jade Court Guards on both flanks lowered their weapons and prostrated themselves, their gear clattering crisply against the ground. Li Ximing acknowledged:
"Rise."
Seeing him, the unease in Kong Guxi's heart vanished without a trace, replaced by a surge of relief and joy. The tight knot in his brow relaxed. Yet beneath the joy lay trepidation, and his face displayed an attitude of deference and submission.
Li Ximing had only just advanced to the Violet Palace, whereas Ye Gui was in the middle Violet Palace stage. Even though Kong Guxi knew that Violet Palace cultivators could rarely destroy one another, worry had lingered in his mind. Now, seeing Li Ximing looking composed and unruffled brought him even greater joy than holding the wilderness. Yet the unresolved matter of Mount Jingyi could not help but make him apprehensive.
With a sweep of his spiritual sense, Li Ximing saw Kong Guxi's condition clearly: the man's lower body was reduced almost to a bare skeleton, mangled by some sharp, baleful lineage of the Commanderies and Guards.
'Likely Xitianyuan.'
Kong Guxi cultivated Yu Ganshan, so his physical body was nothing out of the ordinary. With a wave of Li Ximing's sleeve, the generative power of Mingyang settled upon Kong Guxi. The man felt his wounds itch as warmth suffused his whole body; flesh and skin regrew, and he stood firmly on the ground once more.
The generative power of Mingyang could restore flesh and skin, though it could not recover cultivation base. Still, it saved Kong Guxi the trouble of taking medicines. The Xuanyue sect master knelt and said reverently:
"Thank you, Real Person!"
Behind him, the wounds on Fu Yuezi's body also closed. However, Fu Yuezi's immortal foundation had tempered a dharma body suited for ferocious combat, which made injuries difficult to knit back together; this wave of power had only mended the superficial flesh, and he would still need to re-refine it upon his return. For now, he quietly bowed his head and knelt alongside Kong Guxi.
'This man is thoroughly loyal.'
Li Ximing had taken note of him earlier. Fu Yuezi fought with true ferocity, and he had truly risked his life to protect the Xuanyue cultivators. Li Ximing paused briefly, and though he held little hope in his heart, he still asked:
"How is Mount Jingyi?"
Kong Guxi had no choice but to recount the news from start to finish. Li Ximing shook his head, thinking to himself:
'Shanji Commandery cannot be held.'
Kong Guxi remained fearful. Even though the blame did not fall on his shoulders, he kept up an apprehensive demeanor. Li Ximing said casually:
"When an opportunity arises, I will pay a visit to Mount Jingyi myself. In the meantime, I must borrow this guest elder of yours who cultivates Wood Virtue for use at the lake."
Sun Bai was quite capable and his immortal foundation was practical. His own family's Funan territory was also a shambles, with everyone wounded. Certain words were inconvenient for Li Zhouwei to voice, so Li Ximing took the initiative to requisition him.
Seeing that Li Ximing did not hold Mount Jingyi against him, Kong Guxi had already breathed a sigh of relief. Upon hearing this request, Kong Guxi pressed his forehead against the ground and said respectfully:
"Real Person jokes. Before the ancestor passed, he instructed that everything be done according to Real Person's orders. To say nothing of Guest Elder Sun, all affairs within Xuanyue are subject to Real Person's will. Junior has no place to dispute, nor any thought of stepping out of line; I merely await the immortal decree."
Li Ximing had long known Kong Guxi was obedient and useful, so he was not surprised. Sweeping his gaze over them, he said:
"Now that the fighting has ceased, all of you should head to Xuanmiao Temple. Do not stand on ceremony with Sumian."
Li Ximing transformed into celestial radiance and departed, leaving the members of the Kong clan looking at one another in dismay. Kong Guxi had heard that cold laugh when Changxi perished and truly had no desire to visit Xuanmiao Temple, but his people's injuries were indeed severe, so he had no choice but to ride the wind along with them.
Inside the hall, Li Zhouwei's eyes lit up as Li Ximing stepped in. Stepping down from the main seat, Li Zhouwei had not even spoken when Li Ximing broke into hearty laughter:
"Quite the impressive display!"
Li Zhouwei knew he was referring to the matter of Guan Kan. He chuckled along first, summoned a subordinate, and ordered:
"Bring Miaoshui up."
Only then did he speak:
"Ye Gui truly could do nothing against Real Person. The old master sent me three letters in succession; now I can finally reply to him."
Li Xuanxuan was back at the lake, yet his mind was still tied to the river. Li Ximing gave an understanding smile. Li Zhouwei had not mentioned this without reason, and he followed up immediately with a sigh:
"A pity... Clan Elder Siwei was captured. I sent people early on to intercept them on the road, but who could have known that once Situ Mo crossed the border, he would retreat straight into his sect gate and stay put? When we sent people to inquire, no one at Tangjin Gate answered..."
"The elder master mentioned him repeatedly in his letters. I do not know how to answer him."
'An Siwei captured...'
Li Ximing felt a headache coming on as well. Though An Siwei lacked strength and had no special lineage or miraculous arts, he was a loyal old retainer of many years. For a century, the An clan had intermarried with the Li clan; strictly speaking, An Siwei's standing was hardly different from that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator surnamed Li.
Understanding what Li Zhouwei meant, Li Ximing said in a low, serious voice:
"As for this matter... we likely need to get the facts straight first. If An Siwei is at Tangjin Gate, or was sent west, there is still a chance if we turn to Jinyu Sect. But if he went to Baiyedu Immortal Dao... it will not be so simple."
Li Zhouwei nodded as well, looking thoughtful, and replied:
"When Junior fought Guan Kan, a white qilin manifestation appeared at the critical juncture. Though it resolved my peril, it also unintentionally killed Guan Kan. I do not know what kind of status he held within Duxian Dao."
Li Ximing hesitated slightly, only to see Li Zhouwei adopt a serious tone:
"Regarding Xuanyue, our family intervened out of sentiment, but from another perspective, to all the surrounding factions... this was merely a banquet for carving up the spoils."
"Duxian Dao pushed south; whether they gained more or less, they profited. Xuanmiao Temple and our Lake Wangyue, who aided Xuanyue, were in some sense also encroaching upon it. No one lost out in this great battle—except Xuanyue, whose centuries of foundation were served up on the table..."
He shook his head, looking slightly unsettled:
"Judging from Guan Gongxiao's demeanor, the battle on the river was a show of fists and a display of strength to determine who got a larger or smaller slice. But now that someone surnamed Guan has died, my only fear is that Guan Kan possessed some prominent bloodline background. If our two sides ignite true fury, that would be troublesome."
Hearing Li Zhouwei say this, Li Ximing nodded slightly. He had also sensed something from Ye Gui's attitude, pondering inwardly:
'Compared to his callousness toward Changxi, Ye Gui seemed to maintain an ambiguous stance from start to finish, avoiding a total rupture with me... In all likelihood... to these Violet Palace cultivators... certain Foundation Establishment figures aren't even worth knitting a brow over.'
After consulting together, Li Zhouwei set the matter aside and changed the subject:
"Moreover, Junior revealed the manifestation. I fear that if it falls into the eyes of those with ulterior motives, it will bode ill."
Li Ximing nodded and sighed:
"I finally understand why these Violet Palace cultivators cultivate capable Foundation Establishment subordinates. If we had one or two more good chess pieces, you wouldn't have had to enter the fray and fight for your life! How are your injuries?"
"Though quite heavy, they are nothing serious."
Li Zhouwei's injuries were not light, but they did not hinder ordinary activity. Li Ximing said:
"Have Sun Bai come. Tomorrow I will make a trip to the East Sea, casually capture a demon, and refine it with our family's precious medicinal herbs. That will heal your injuries quickly. Once you take the talisman pill, go into seclusion and break through to late Foundation Establishment first."
Having arranged these matters, Li Ximing looked around to ensure there was no one in the Great Void, then transmitted his voice through a secret art:
"Regarding receiving the talisman, what does Minghuang think?"
Li Zhouwei had long wanted to ask him. Taking this opportunity, he replied:
"Real Person has broken through to the Violet Palace. Has there been any change in the talisman qi?"
Li Ximing paused slightly, then shook his head:
"None. Just as before, it can wield fire, guide qi, and refine dharmic power. Before breaking through to the Violet Palace, I rarely engaged in combat, so among all the brothers I was the least adept at drawing upon the talisman qi. Moreover, Audience at the Heavenly Gate can draw fire on its own, so for the moment I cannot discern any special power."
Li Zhouwei pondered for a moment, then answered:
"Junior considers it thus... First, our family's Violet Palace great array has yet to be constructed, and setting up an altar to seek the talisman creates immense commotion. At present, many Violet Palace figures are observing our family because of Junior, so it is better to be prudent... If there is truly no other way, we should at least conduct it at the Xuanyue sect gate."
"There is another point..."
Li Zhouwei reflected briefly, then transmitted in a low voice via dharmic power:
"Since Junior is already on the verge of late Foundation Establishment, wouldn't the talisman qi's ability to raise cultivation base go to waste? Wouldn't it be better to wait until Junior... breaks through to the Violet Palace? With our family having two Real Persons in succession, plus the immortal artifact, could we plot a scheme to head to the Southern Border or the Four Seas and bring back a Violet Palace demon beast...?"
"At that time, we could also observe the differences in various miraculous effects... Perhaps this method could even aid in cultivating divine abilities... Catching foes off guard, it could even serve as a trump card."
"A Violet Palace demon beast?!"
Li Ximing truly had never considered such a possibility and was genuinely stunned. Having reached the Violet Palace himself, he understood just how difficult it was to corner and kill a Violet Palace entity. Yet thinking on it deeply, difficult though it was, there was no need to dampen Li Zhouwei's ambition. After all, the Foundation Establishment talisman qi could also enhance cultivation base; there was no need to squander it on late Foundation Establishment when using it to advance a divine ability would be far better...
"Good..."
He nodded repeatedly. The two collected their thoughts, and Qu Bushi, having requested permission, entered from outside the hall, dropping to his knees:
"Greetings, Patriarch. Greetings, Real Person. Daoist Miaoshui has been brought in."
Behind him stood a stone coffin that looked very sturdy. The old man opened the coffin, and indeed, a woman lay inside. Her body was severed into three segments, cut apart at the neck and lower abdomen. Her belly was completely empty, with only a shriveled heart left inside the abdominal cavity.
"Fellow Daoist Miaoshui was hacked into three pieces. Although the dharmic power at the wounds was dissolved in time and she took a Wanling Flower, her life was still hanging by a thread. The Patriarch had Guest Elder Sun piece her back together... and combined with the secret methods of this humble servant's Cangna Palace, her life was barely preserved."
Although the old fellow was sly, useless in combat, and adept only at fleeing, he harbored a shred of compassion. Looking at Miaoshui's state, his brows knit tightly, and he pleaded:
"This humble servant has grown familiar with her over the years because of the water vein affairs. Though Miaoshui knocked about in the East Sea in her youth and her dharmic power is not entirely pure, she is a good child and has always kept to her place..."
Li Ximing glanced at Miaoshui and nodded:
"As long as she isn't dead."
He retrieved a medicinal pill from his sleeve and placed it into Miaoshui's abdomen. Celestial radiance shone down from between his brows, and the generative power of Mingyang manifested at once. Miaoshui's complexion immediately flushed with color. She exhaled sharply and suddenly sat bolt upright, casting a dazed glance around.
After two breaths, she climbed out of the coffin, her bright eyes brimming with tears, and bowed:
"Thank you, Real Person!"
Li Ximing nodded slightly, feeling a touch of surprise. Having hovered at the brink of death, Miaoshui's gaze seemed to have turned clear, and her entire bearing was completely transformed. Tears streamed down her cheeks. Li Ximing said:
"However, you were injured too severely, and your Juque Court has been damaged. You can no longer cultivate the related cultivation methods and spells, and breaking through to the Violet Palace is out of the question. Wait a while, and when an opportunity arises, I will help you heal your Juque."
Miaoshui wept uncontrollably. Having been hacked into three pieces and experiencing herself dying little by little, the torment and shock in her heart were things others could never fathom. She could only kowtow and say:
"Thank you, Real Person, for saving my life. This humble one harbors no hopes for divine abilities, nor do I have such miraculous arts to cultivate. Having obtained a glimmer of life, I feel fortune beyond words. Nothing else matters now; my only wish is to return to the mountain to see my parents and weep in their embrace."
Li Ximing's expression grew somewhat complicated. Li Zhouwei nodded, dismissing the two, and said:
"Weizeng displayed immense prowess in Funan, fighting multiple foes alone and withdrawing with composure. Were it not for him and the Chongming Dongxuan Screen, Funan might have had to yield for a spell. He is quite heavily injured now."
With a sweep of Li Zhouwei's sleeve across the table, three magical artifacts immediately appeared on the desk. All radiated brilliant dharmic light, with smooth edges and intricate runes—they were top-grade items among magical artifacts.
Looking at them, Li Ximing nodded and smiled:
"Duxian Dao spent so many years in the East Sea, then reaped a massive fortune in Jiangbei; they truly are dripping with wealth. With these three magical artifacts... the losses in Funan and the wilderness can practically be discounted!"
Li Ximing was speaking conservatively. Even the life of a rogue Foundation Establishment cultivator in the East Sea might not be worth one of them, and those Xuanyue guest elders who died at the hands of Duxian Dao might genuinely not have been worth as much as these magical artifacts!
Li Zhouwei smiled:
"Precisely because these magical artifacts are formidable, the time required to refine them is not short... Each will take a month or two."
"That is simple."
Li Ximing raised his brows. Gathering divine ability dharmic power in his mouth, he gave a gentle puff. A wave of bright light swept across, and the three magical artifacts were instantly refined by his divine ability, each supported aloft by celestial radiance.
The string of small cold-iron rings Guan Kan had wielded chimed first. Silver in color, there were eighteen rings in total, each no larger than a fist and etched with Kan Water patterns. Li Ximing remarked casually:
"This is the Kanjin Interlinked Rings, a high-grade magical artifact of Kan Water. It is primarily used for binding and ensnaring. While it cannot compare to the Xuan Punishment Token or the Dongxuan Screen, it can rival Minggong's Crimson Flame Cup."
Chapter 734