Entrustment

When Tinglan and Sumian finished speaking, Li Ximing fell silent for a brief moment. Neither of them cared whether the person holed up in the mountain was Fu En or Kong Haiying; in short, once executed according to their arrangements, Xuanyue's fate was already crystal clear. 'Tinglan sees things clearly. Ziyan Gate happens to be in a weakened state, and seizing Xuanyue's territory would merely overextend their borders. Bringing in a friendly Violet Palace is instead the best possible move, which is precisely what Tinglan has been scheming toward all along...' Tinglan wore an artful, charming smile. Ziyan Gate had merely stepped in to mediate, yet with empty hands and a few words, she had walked away with Xuanyue's mountain gate without spending a thing—and Li Ximing even had to thank her for it. Li Ximing understood this in his heart as well. When this Real Person of Ziyan Gate came in person to persuade him, it appeared on the surface to be just a suggestion, but did he, Li Ximing, truly have much room to refuse? As a Real Person of the Qingsong Sun lineage, Tinglan had taken the initiative to mediate this affair. Though she appeared cordial and mild, she had given considerable face. Sumian, meanwhile, had spent the entire conversation chiming in or nodding in agreement, flattering her to the high heavens, his stance blindingly obvious. Setting aside the Li family's interests, Ziyan Gate was acting to support the interests of Real Person Zhu Gong. If Li Ximing voiced any objection, not only would he brush off her face and stand in Ziyan Gate's way, but Xuanmiao Temple—which only wanted to smooth things over—would also be displeased, and Ye Gui would be laughing out loud! "There are not many spiritual items left in Xuanyue Gate anyway. Even how much my family takes and how much Ye Gui takes remains ambiguous. Furthermore, Kong Haiying is not inside the mountain. In this game, Ye Gui is the one getting the short end of the stick, and he likely agreed only under pressure..." After all, when Tinglan had mentioned Duxian Dao earlier, she had simply tossed out the phrase, "I've already given him enough face!" Clearly, she did not think much of Duxian Dao. "My family holds the reputation of an orthodox Jiangnan clan, with the Xiao family watching from the side, and we have Qingchi as a path of retreat, so Tinglan gives us some face. Put Ye Gui in our place... even with his higher cultivation, he probably had very little say in the matter." Since Ziyan Gate wanted Xuanyue's mountain gate and also needed to give Ye Gui an answer, Fu En could not be saved. Li Ximing could only say: "That can be easily settled. It is just... where does the Sword Sect to the east stand on this?" Xuanyue bordered the Sword Sect, after all. Although the Sword Sect had long since seized the land around Salt Lake—and Sumian had even rushed over to apologize—the Sword Sect's position on this matter still had to be confirmed. Li Ximing's question came as no surprise, and Tinglan replied: "No matter. Real Person Lingmei has already stated that they will no longer intervene in Xuanyue's affairs." Li Ximing was left with nothing more to say. Savoring his tea, he said: "Moving a Violet Palace great array is troublesome. I will have to trouble the Real Person with that." Tinglan knew he had agreed, yet she still lowered her head in thought. The removal of the array Li Ximing spoke of required Tinglan to act from within the Great Void to retrieve it. However, outsiders would not know the exact details of this game dividing Xuanyue, so it might appear as if Tinglan had seized Xuanyue's great array in the chaos. Li Ximing possessed not the slightest attainment in array arts, so this request was reasonable enough. Tinglan mused inwardly: 'Very well... Those in the Great Void are all spectators. Thinking it through from beginning to end, they will understand.' She nodded, and the matter was thus settled. Li Ximing took out the secret incantation for Xuanyue's array plate and handed it over along with the jade pendant. Tinglan said: "In that case, Zhaojing, make your preparations first. Within these next few months, developments will become clear. Once this matter concludes, I will go to the lake to set up the array anew." With Sumian present, it was inappropriate to mention the matter of pill concoction, so she did not utter a single word about it, speaking only of deploying the array. The old Real Person listened with a smile and spoke up: "Now that this matter has been resolved, I can enter seclusion in peace. I had quite a few affairs that were delayed because of Xuanyue." The spring rain continued to patter down. The three drank tea and conversed with immense ease. Sumian lifted his chin and remarked: "A good friend of mine cultivates in the State of Yan and heard of some interesting news. It is said that the various Di tribes in the northern desert have grown increasingly fierce in recent years. Several major tribes have already merged, fielding a hundred thousand bowstrings, and they even have a Violet Palace among them." Tinglan showed little surprise, merely saying: "The Emperor of Zhao has lost his propriety and cannot even leave his own palace, let alone wield much control over his northern homeland. With a century having passed, upheavals arising are no surprise." "A good friend of mine had been struggling to collect a strand of qi, which requires the clash of national fortune. Hearing this news a few months ago, he was overjoyed and hurried over at once. I hear that many ancient ruins have also been uncovered, and there is suspicion of someone bearing destiny." Li Ximing silently sipped his tea. 'It's always you people with good friends everywhere... I have only just become a Real Person and haven't even stepped out of Jiangnan many times.' The two were unaware of his thoughts. Sumian had not brought up this topic without reason; he immediately followed up: "Since there is someone bearing destiny, has Fellow Daoist gone to take a look? Could it be the reincarnation of a Sacred Ground Real Person?" These words naturally referred to Zipei and seemed to hold a probing intent. Real Person Tinglan, however, answered quite briskly with a smile: "Why would someone run off to such a place without rhyme or reason just to become another person's chess piece? Senior worries too much! What is more, our Ziyan Gate still has a senior at the pinnacle of the Violet Palace. Though his movements are unpredictable, he has also gone to take a look. If it were truly so, he would have brought him back long ago." Her tone was fluid and natural, without the slightest hesitation in her words, as if that missing peak Violet Palace cultivator of Ziyan Gate were truly just as Ziyan claimed—unpredictable in his travels, yet returning occasionally to the sect for seclusion. Tinglan spoke as if she had just seen him herself. Real Person Sumian nodded repeatedly. Tinglan continued: "After all, the old senior is advanced in years and is busy seeing to his own affairs. Hustling here and there, he is hardly ever seen... In the end, these matters still fall upon us juniors..." Real Person Sumian hurriedly said: "I once cultivated in the East Sea and met Senior near the barbarian islands. We exchanged a few words, and I received his guidance, benefiting immensely and feeling indescribably grateful. If one day fortune allows you to encounter Senior returning to the sect, please call me over to pay my respects, Tinglan." Real Person Tinglan's expression did not waver as she simply nodded in agreement. Before long, she and Li Ximing took their leave together. Sumian escorted them all the way out of Xuanmiao Temple, leaving behind only the continuous spring rain in the courtyard. After half an incense stick of time, Sumian tore through the Great Void and returned. With a pensive look, he sat down upon a prayer mat and muttered to himself: "If Senior Wen truly returned to the sect often, having heard the news of my founding a sect, Senior Wen would certainly have made things clear. It would be impossible for Tinglan not to know about what happened among the barbarians... That means Tinglan has not seen him for at least sixteen or seventeen years. "Whether he has fallen or gone missing... as long as he is not around, using the Qi Stone Demon Embryo will be that much more reassuring." ... Having left the domain of Xuanmiao and stepped into the Great Void, Li Ximing traversed the void alongside Tinglan, who had clearly lingered a step behind on purpose. The woman smiled and said: "As for the pills later... I will have to trouble you." Li Ximing waved his hand and replied: "The Real Person should not speak like that. In the midst of your myriad duties, you still found the time to resolve my family's troubles. Zhaojing is deeply grateful." Pleasant words cost nothing and required no spirit stones, so Li Ximing flattered her with a few polite phrases. Tinglan then asked: "However, since this array uses Xuanyue's, helping to alter it slightly will suffice, but I should offer some return to Zhaojing." The matter of pill concoction had already been agreed upon: as long as more than three pills were successfully formed, the remainder would belong to Li Ximing. Li Ximing was actually quite confident he could exceed three pills, and gaining the services of a Violet Palace array master on top made it a profit no matter how one looked at it. Even so, he sighed and said: "Yet I hardly dare accept Fellow Daoist's gifts beforehand. If the pills fail to form, it would be a total loss of face... and I would be too ashamed to face Fellow Daoist." Tinglan was clearly averse to such a possibility. Fortunately, she did not believe Li Ximing could completely squander a portion of origin water for nothing. Forcing a smile, she replied: "Fellow Daoist had still better tell me in advance. While I am away during this period, I can look for it; otherwise, time will be wasted, and Fellow Daoist will be left waiting in vain." Li Ximing could see that Tinglan was the kind of cultivator who preferred to have every plan neatly and methodically arranged, so he could only say: "It is difficult for me to decide right away, but I am still lacking a fine, suitable Mingyang magical artifact to serve as a spiritual embryo—preferably an ancient magical artifact. Does Fellow Daoist have any leads?" "Oh?" Tinglan pondered briefly and nodded: "That is no trouble. I will pick out a few magical artifacts from Ziyan Gate's collection and bring them for Zhaojing to choose from. As for an ancient magical artifact... I will need to make some discreet inquiries." This request was exceedingly minor, but Li Ximing had his own plans. He was not merely asking Tinglan before him to search; he also planned to write a letter to Qingchi, ask the Sword Sect, and even intended to have Cui Jueyin write a letter back home. The reason he was making things so complicated was not just to have enough magical artifacts to choose from. Having met so many Violet Palace cultivators, Li Ximing had long since harbored wariness in his heart: 'I need a Mingyang magical artifact to refine into a spiritual embryo, and an ancient magical artifact of the Mingyang path would be best... Yet this object will become my Violet Palace spiritual weapon in the future. How could I easily let others know its form and effects? Not even its Foundation Establishment stage can be revealed. I must release enough smoke to confound them, preventing anyone from easily discovering which artifact I used to form the spiritual embryo.' Mulling this over, he asked again: "The Hundred Mountains Spirit Concealing Array is certainly fine, but when Fellow Daoist relocates and reconstructs it... could you modify it as much as possible into a different spirit array? The power can be similar, or even slightly weaker, as long as it appears distinct." After all, the Hundred Mountains Spirit Concealing Array was Xuanyue Gate's property. If it were brought out and placed completely unchanged upon Pingya Islet, who among those coming and going would fail to recognize it? Furthermore, with so many Xuanyue disciples around, what would they think upon seeing their grand array erected on the islet? A tarnished reputation was one concern, but the greater danger lay elsewhere. Without a doubt, Xuanyue's heritage would scatter in all directions in the future. The Li family held a copy, while Ye Gui, Zhu Gong, Sumian, and even Tinglan possessed varying degrees of understanding of it. If there were core records concerning the array's flaws or inner workings left among them, would that not endanger his own clan? Li Ximing had no desire to become a second Fei family. "Oh?" If Li Ximing's earlier condition was negligible, this second request was rather troublesome. Tinglan hesitated: "A Violet Palace great array... every single array node is meticulously studied and laid down bit by bit. If a single point is altered, many parts of the entire array must be adjusted accordingly. Modifying it further to suit the terrain would demand an immense amount of effort..." Li Ximing smiled: "Concocting this pill will take five or six years anyway. Fellow Daoist can take that time to modify the array. I do not ask for a total overhaul, only that on the surface it appears completely different, with changes made to a few key nodes..." Changing the subject, he sighed: "After all, Xuanyue's heritage has leaked outward. When the Real Person's friend arrives, I may even have to eagerly send Xuanyue's cultivators back... Those people are all thoroughly familiar with the Hundred Mountains Spirit Concealing Array. My family does not want to leave behind future troubles!" When he brought Zhu Gong into the matter, Tinglan paused. She indeed felt that Li Ximing had given ample face from start to finish, leaving everything to her arrangements, so she said: "Very well... Leave it to me. Over these coming years, I will make time to modify it." With their agreement made, the two parted ways. Li Ximing tore open the Great Void and flew for a while, arriving over his family's territory. He revealed his form atop Mount Zhijing. There was no rain over the lake; Mount Zhijing remained radiant and bright, petals drifting across the ground. As was his routine, he first drew the Mystic Pattern Bottle from the earthly fiend to refine it. The fire fiend within the bottle had accumulated to a certain degree, making refinement increasingly difficult, but once Valley Wind Fire Induction stirred, it was refined with ease. By now, the fire fiend in this bottle was no longer something Foundation Establishment cultivators could touch. Only a Violet Palace cultivator commanding a divine ability could continue refining it further. Li Ximing estimated that after another decade of refinement, not even cultivators without a Fire Virtue divine ability could refine it. However, with Valley Wind Fire Induction, both his refinement speed and ease were extraordinary, making it an effortless task. Li Ximing lifted his sleeve to inspect it. Strands of crimson patterns resembling leaping flames had begun manifesting on the bottle. Yet despite all this refining, its might was still at the Foundation Establishment level and could not contend with a Violet Palace cultivator. "Although the Mystic Pattern Bottle's material is extraordinary and shows no sign of reaching its limit, what increases is merely power, not arcane subtlety... The gap between Foundation Establishment and the Violet Palace is simply too vast. Sometimes it is not a matter of whether it can wound, but whether it can hit... The moment a magical artifact is pulled out, the opponent flees into the Great Void, so how could one even fight?" However, with the Mystic Pattern Bottle held in his own hands, Li Ximing had nothing to fear. He only hoped that every time he picked it up, it would still feel bottomless and unyielding to complete refinement. Dropping the small bottle back into the earthly fire fiendqi, he revealed his figure atop the mountain peak. All around, white blossoms blanketed the ground, while the tables and chairs stood unoccupied. Gardenia petals dared not fall where Li Ximing usually sat, forming only a circle around his seat. The tea placed upon the stone table remained unfinished. Raising his brows, he saw a Jade Court Guard waiting before the steps, clad in white armor. Stationed permanently on Mount Zhijing, the man was surnamed Dou and, strictly speaking, was a distant maternal cousin; his father, Dou Yi, had been a confidant of Li Ximing's father back in the day. The Dou clan had languished in recent years, and Li Zhouwei had assigned him here out of sentimental goodwill to help them. Li Ximing simply asked: "What is it?" Having served for a year, Guard Dou had long prepared himself mentally for Li Ximing's ghostly comings and goings, yet he was still startled. He hurriedly bowed and replied: "Reporting to the Real Person, the Eldest Young Master came by earlier, saying he had an important matter to report." "Send word for him to come!" Li Ximing sat down, took out the pill recipe for the Tianyi Essence Spitting Pill, and perused it carefully. Li Jiangqian soon ascended, carrying a letter in both hands as he said respectfully: "Reporting to the Real Person, a letter from Qingchi." Li Ximing nodded and took it. During his recent travels, Li Jiangqian had come to report almost every time, and they had grown much more familiar. The youth respectfully reported the family affairs one by one. Li Jiangqian's manner of managing the family differed noticeably from Li Zhouwei's. Li Zhouwei kept family matters thoroughly organized and rarely disturbed him, whereas this youth came up the mountain more frequently, recounting clan affairs and developments accurately, concisely, and swiftly. Listening casually, Li Ximing could always maintain a general grasp of family affairs, and would often be specifically invited by him to participate in various matters. After all, Li Zhouwei was already the White Qilin of the Li family, one of the few people in the entire clan who could confer with Li Ximing on equal terms, without needing to prove himself. Li Jiangqian, as a junior, wished instead to familiarize himself before Real Person Li Ximing and thereby bolster his own authority. Li Ximing saw this clearly and allowed him up the mountain every time.