Li Zhouluo remained silent as he watched Sect Master Kong slump onto the ground. Seeing this, Di Liguang pulled the hall doors shut. The chamber dimmed for a moment before the lamps flared back to life. Kong Guxi muttered under his breath:
"Patriarch... Patriarch... the Real Person... the Real Person! I... sigh!"
Given the enormity of what had transpired, Li Zhouluo did not press him. He stood waiting for a brief while until Kong Guxi finally regained some clarity. The old man smoothed down his hair—which had turned stark white over the past few years—and bowed:
"Our ancestor has perished, and Xuanyue has collapsed. For years, not one soul lent a helping hand, and every side stood by with folded arms. Thanks solely to your immortal clan's aid, a few younger generations of our clan managed to survive. This kindness... this old man remembers it in his heart, and the entire Kong clan remembers it in their hearts...
"Now the clouds have parted to reveal the moon, and the Tongxuan lineage has come to our rescue. We are finally freed from this sea of suffering and able to return to our mountain gate. Yet our lineage ends here. From this day forward, there is only the Kong clan—there is no Xuanyue."
"Senior Kong Tingyun is still out there... Senior, rest assured..."
Li Zhouluo offered a few comforting words. Kong Guxi listened respectfully and replied:
"Since the Xuanyue lineage ends here, there is no longer any talk of sect archives. I have brought the *Xuanguang Ganshan Classic* of 'Yu Ganshan' with me. I beg Lake Wangyue... to accept it!"
From his sleeve, he produced a jade slip tinged with jade-yellow. He fell to his knees with a thud and held it out with both hands, clasping either end. Li Zhouluo hurried forward to help him up, but his cultivation was far below the other man's, so he could not budge him.
Kong Guxi choked with emotion:
"Since we are going to the Muquan Gate, the *Xuanguang Ganshan Classic* must be surrendered back to the Xuanmu lineage and returned to the sect. In the future, our descendants will be meager in fortune and brief in destiny; they may not be able to continue cultivating the Xuanguang Mountain-Shifting Grand Dao... I beg Wangyue to keep a copy as well!"
He snapped his head up, his eyes widening dramatically. His already gaunt cheeks appeared doubly aged under that intense gaze. Staring deeply at Li Zhouluo, he gripped his sleeve tightly and groaned indistinctly:
"It is good to leave it with your noble clan... good to leave it with your noble clan. This is a fine method with ancient origins. After fifty years... a hundred years have passed, one might take a look at it, might they not...?"
These words were disjointed and rambling. 'One might take a look at it' sounded as if he were telling the Li family to look through it, but his bulging eyes—looking as if they might pop from their sockets—and that pleading gaze achieved their purpose. A sudden jolt of realization struck Li Zhouluo like lightning:
'Surrendering the *Xuanguang Ganshan Classic* back to the Xuanmu lineage is inevitable, and they will certainly have means to cut off its transmission. Whether members of the Kong clan will ever be permitted to borrow and cultivate it in the future... is entirely unknown...'
'He is leaving the *Xuanguang Ganshan Classic* at Lake Wangyue so that fifty or a hundred years from now, when the Muquan Gate lowers its guard, someone surnamed Kong might have a chance to come and study it. That way, their path to Dao won't be severed, leaving them with no hope of ever rising again!'
He placed his hand over the back of the old man's hand and spoke in a tone that was both soothing and layered with double meaning:
"The Real Person will keep it in mind for far more than a mere hundred years."
These words had their effect. Kong Guxi thrust the jade slip into his hands and murmured:
"The *Xuanguang Ganshan Classic* is here... It is merely a Violet Palace lineage. My gratitude is endless; please accept this as a meager token of my sentiment..."
His face was an ashen white. He knelt there in terror, looking as though he had just survived some immense danger, and soon took his leave. The *Xuanguang Ganshan Classic* rested heavily in Li Zhouluo's sleeve, prompting him to hurry back to the seat of honor.
He checked it with his spiritual sense; the contents within the jade slip were indeed the *Xuanguang Ganshan Classic*. Not only that, but it also contained *Pavilions and Terraces Refined in Fire* and a volume titled *Wondrous Earth and Precious Mountains Shifted Everywhere*, which detailed arts of hauling and shifting mountains.
Li Zhouluo placed the jade slip quietly upon the desk. Kong Guxi's eyes still lingered in his mind. The Xuanyue Sect Master had only made a brief appearance, but compared to him, Li Zhouluo no longer felt his own situation was so troublesome. He instructed:
"Please ask Protector Cui to make a trip... and personally escort the members of Xuanyue back to their mountain gate. Ensure every courtesy is observed so that others do not misunderstand."
Di Liguang withdrew immediately. Outside the hall, a woman in white with a sword on her back was waiting below the steps. Li Zhouluo dismissed the surrounding Jade Court Guards before speaking softly:
"Xinghan..."
Li Xinghan had not been able to reach the Qingdu hall in time to attend, but as the eldest sister of the eldest branch, she knew a great deal. Her expression was grim as she stepped forward, cupping her hands:
"Those elders are all accustomed to using public matters for private gain. They have made things difficult for you, Brother."
Li Zhouluo gave a dry chuckle and answered:
"Right now, I am thinking about Xingsai's matter. Zhoufang and the others still feel it is not enough. What they want is not merely a pension—what they want is hereditary privilege..."
He explained the matter at length. How to extend care to these people without fostering entitlement and disaster was something that had to be weighed step by step. Li Xinghan sighed inwardly as she listened.
Putting herself in his shoes, given Li Zhouluo's family background and status, he lacked neither resources nor Dharma tools. He had stepped up to the position of patriarch only because there was truly no one else available...
Li Xinghan was also well aware that Li Zhouluo, representing the fourth branch, was the sole heir of his line, and his maternal clan was weak. With Li Chenghuai entering seclusion, one could even say the fourth branch consisted of Li Zhouluo alone. He lacked the natural support of elders and core pillars that the first and second branches enjoyed when governing, leaving him at an inherent disadvantage.
Seeing Li Zhouluo in such a dilemma, she could only listen in silence. Li Zhouluo finished speaking in a single breath, then paused and asked:
"How is Fifth Brother doing right now?"
At the mention of Li Zhouming, a faint smile appeared on Li Xinghan's face. She answered:
"I just came back from his place. Didn't you give him that white falcon gold? He didn't even change out of his robes after coming down from Mount Qingdu; he rushed right back to smelt a hairpin, who knows which songstress he's trying to flatter this time..."
Both of their opinions of Li Zhouming had visibly softened. In the past, such words would carry a hint of helpless reproach, but now they brought amused smiles. Li Zhouluo shook his head:
"Clan Elder Chen is meticulous; he'll end up recording him in the ledger again. Only now do I realize that Zhouming is truly untroubled by it all. Whenever anyone else in the clan gets an infraction recorded at Qingdu, they look as if they've lost their own parents, but he's the only one who gets recorded and beaten, only to do the exact same thing next time."
Both of them chuckled. Li Xinghan replied:
"I must set out again soon to practice my sword in the mountains, but before leaving, it is a good time to meet Uncle Chengkun and give him some earnest advice."
Li Zhouluo nodded repeatedly. Chengkun was Li Xinghan's own uncle, so her words carried tremendous weight. He said over and over:
"Thank you, Sister!"
Cradling her sword in her arms, Li Xinghan took her leave briskly. Li Zhouluo busied himself in the hall. After merely half a quarter of an hour, Chen Yang entered abruptly. The man bowed and spoke respectfully:
"Patriarch, joyous news! Wang Quwan has succeeded in his breakthrough and forged the Floating Cloud Body!"
Li Zhouluo's eyes lit up. He strode out of the great hall and looked up. Sure enough, toward the north, floating clouds blotted out the sun. He asked:
"Wonderful! The Real Person's Suiyuan Pill was not wasted on him; he truly did not disappoint. Where is he now?"
Chen Yang answered:
"Judging by the celestial phenomenon, he has only just broken through, and ten to one, he is on his way here to pay his respects! His seclusion chamber is not far from here, and the floating clouds have been rising into the sky for some time now. I reckon he will arrive momentarily."
"Good!"
Wang Quwan was unlike the others. On one hand, he was a representative of the Jiangbei clans—the Wang clan had once mobilized their entire family to help the Li clan defend Jiangbei. On the other hand, he had been personally promoted by Li Ximing, which carried extraordinary significance.
Furthermore, Wang Quwan's mastery in the sword path was considerable and well-renowned. That Floating Cloud Body was no ordinary lineage either; it was an immortal foundation representing a bodily divine ability, and it synergized remarkably well with artifact crafting. His future was undeniably bright.
Li Zhouluo hurried back to the seat of honor, pulled out a jade slip from the side, examined it carefully, and said:
"I hear he is also a sword cultivator, so it is only fitting to bestow a Dharma sword upon him. Protector Chen, what Dharma tool does he currently wield?"
Chen Yang replied:
"I hear it is an ordinary tool of low-grade Qi Refinement."
Li Zhouluo nodded immediately and said:
"A Foundation Establishment Dharma tool cannot be granted lightly, but a peak Qi Refinement Dharma sword holds both value and significance... Let me see... in the vault, there is still a peak Qi Refinement Dharma sword obtained from the North-South conflict. Fetch it quickly for a look."
Wang Quwan would certainly come to pay his respects at the first opportunity. Knowing time was short, Di Liguang withdrew at once. Chen Yang said:
"Patriarch, I shall go outside the islet to welcome him!"
Li Zhouluo watched him leave, sighing with emotion inwardly. After waiting a short while, he saw a man step forward to pay his respects. He was plain-featured, treading upon cloud-qi with a sword on his back. His eyes were resolute and his steps steady as he bowed:
"Wang Quwan of Jiangbei pays respects to the Patriarch!"
Though unremarkable in appearance, this man possessed considerable renown. Li Zhouluo helped him up with a smile and said:
"Congratulations, Quwan! For Jiangbei to produce a sword cultivator like you is no small feat."
Di Liguang stepped up at the appropriate moment holding a jade box. Li Zhouluo took it with one hand and opened it to reveal a long sword lying within. Its blade gleamed in gold and blue, the two shades complementing each other with abundant pure qi. One look was enough to know it was of supreme quality.
Li Zhouluo smiled:
"This sword measures three feet, one inch, and two tenths in length, weighing fifty-two jin and one liang. It is forged from Jinghai cold iron as its base and cast with golden essence from the riverbed of the great river. Its hue resembles the waters of Jinghai, patterned with the golden beast of the clear river, and is named..."
This sword had been acquired as spoils of war. Though the materials were recognizable, there was no name engraved on the blade. Li Zhouluo paused slightly before bestowing a meaningful name:
"Jingxiqing!"
Wang Quwan was a sword cultivator, and no sword cultivator could resist a fine Dharma sword. As a peak Qi Refinement weapon, Jingxiqing was even superior in quality to Li Xinghan's former Beiyu. Although Wang Quwan was now the head of the Jiangbei clans, he had achieved this solely through his own hands and his surname Wang; his background was by no means prominent. He immediately bowed:
"Patriarch! This is far too valuable!"
Li Zhouluo shook his head:
"In defending Jiangbei, your family rendered great service. This is a well-deserved reward, and henceforth it will also represent your Jiangbei Wang clan's standing at Baijiang Stream. Why speak of value? If we speak of value, this sword cannot compare to that Suiyuan Pill."
Since Li Zhouluo put it that way, Wang Quwan could only accept the jade box with both hands. The delight in his eyes as he looked at the Dharma sword could not be concealed. He cradled it like a treasure and offered his thanks repeatedly.
Li Zhouluo was well aware of this man's reputation; he was definitely reliable and capable. The moment he emerged from seclusion, he had received a Dharma sword bestowed personally by Li Zhouluo, carrying immense significance and resolving Li Zhouluo's pressing worries. He did not rush to put the man to work, simply asking with a smile about matters in Jiangbei.
After inquiring for a time, Li Zhouluo learned that Wang Quwan's elder brother—the alchemist of the Wang clan—had gone missing during a journey years ago without any word since. The household was now managed by his younger brother, Wang Quyu. Li Zhouluo had heard of this person; he was also a capable man who, though not as talented as Wang Quwan, possessed formidable methods.
He looked at Wang Quwan's complexion and asked:
"How is your progress... in the sword path? Now that your sword qi is established, sword origin cannot be far off, can it?"
This was naturally polite praise. Sword origin was exceedingly difficult to attain. As expected, Wang Quwan shook his head and replied:
"Sword origin remains distant, and I encountered a bottleneck long ago. I am merely borrowing the sword path classics around the lake to compare with the sword path of Jiangbei, hoping to carve out a path of my own."
According to protocol, Wang Quwan still needed to pay respects to Li Xuanxuan, Ding Weizeng, and others. Li Zhouluo let him go, his mood soaring. He then had the small windows on both sides of the hall opened. The chamber brightened, and morning sunlight fell inside, bathing the tabletop in luminous brilliance.
The morning light crept up the jade racks and washed over the glittering scales of the Jiaopanying sword resting beside the table. It reflected onto the seat of honor and past Li Zhouluo, casting faint, shifting scale patterns upon the wall.
……
Departing from the hall, Kong Guxi returned to the islet in a daze. His elder brother, Kong Guli, was waiting below, seemingly absentminded. Catching sight of Kong Guxi's demeanor, the old man had already anticipated the outcome, covering his face in silence.
Kong Guxi did not utter a single word. After a few paces, he saw Fu Yuezi step forward and greet him respectfully:
"Sect Master."
Hearing that title, a hundred mixed emotions surged in Kong Guxi's heart. Just as he was about to speak, he noticed a plume of floating clouds surging into the northern sky—white and hazy, stretching all the way to the heavens and blotting out the sun.
"Someone else has achieved Foundation Establishment."
Shrinking into himself, he forgot even to close the courtyard gate. He simply watched Kong Guli and Fu Yuezi packing their belongings... In truth, there was nothing to pack; they were merely waiting for the Li clan to accompany them. To avoid looking like they were waiting passively for death, the old men simply kept themselves busy with pointless chores.
After half a quarter of an hour, the hurried sound of footsteps and horse hooves echoed through the streets and alleys, followed immediately by the crackle of firecrackers. Several people shouted through the alleyways:
"Joyous news! Great joy! Lord Wang Quwan of the Jiangbei Wang clan has forged his immortal foundation! Great joy... great joy! Come share in the blessing and receive rewards and bounties... Come, come, come..."
Thus, amid one call of good fortune and another of congratulations, the two Xuanyue disciples guarding the front gate also received their share of rewards. Joining in the celebration, they smiled as well. To them, joining the Muquan Gate and ending their displaced, dependent existence was naturally a good thing. They did not think as deeply about it and were full of high spirits, their courtyard resounding with deafening laughter.
After the laughter carried on for some time, a clear, resonant voice finally rang out:
"Disperse, all of you. An esteemed guest is resting inside; such clamor is improper."
It was Cui Jueyin's voice. He had always spoken gently, and knowing that Kong Guxi was suffering inside, he felt some pity and spoke up to drive the crowd away. The people finally dispersed.
The sounds of joy and laughter scattered in all directions, gradually subsiding. Cui Jueyin raised his brows slightly as he caught the sound of deep, stifled weeping within the courtyard, along with faint, choked words:
"Sect Master... Sect Master!"
"Fu Yuezi... go surrender to the Li family... go surrender to the Li family! In any case... in the end, following me to the east will only bring suffering..."
"Sect Master! What words are these..."
"Brother... rises and falls, ebbs and flows, such is the way of the world. Outside, drums and gongs are struck; inside, grief and despair border on ruin. A twenty-year-old lesser branch is just rising, while a three-hundred-year-old immortal clan approaches the grave. Our fortune has run dry! Our destiny has reached its end... Submit to the east!"
Chapter 790