*Tinglan is still looking for me...*
Li Ximing did not believe for a moment that Tinglan was showing him much genuine concern. Nine times out of ten, she was simply desperate for pills and worried he might remain in seclusion for a decade or two...
*After all, I have already read the formula for the Tianyi Tucui Pill, and Xuanyue Gate has been dealt with. She took away the Violet Palace formation and now holds the materials in hand, yet she is too embarrassed to ask anyone else, nor would it be easy to find another who could refine them...*
He immediately sat down alongside the other two and said, "I promised Fellow Daoist Tinglan to discuss an important matter with her, but after being away for several years, things were delayed, so she came looking for me."
Li Ximing covered for Tinglan regarding the alchemy and glossed over the matter with casual words. Master Houfu merely nodded as he brewed the tea, while Lingdu was quite warm and enthusiastic. The old man smiled and said, "Zhaojing, your skill in the Dao of Alchemy is profound. Who can say if she isn't seeking you out to refine pills? In any case, it is a good thing... Earlier, thinking you were severely injured and in seclusion, I simply made sure to search for you with care, but now that we see you safe and sound, I wonder how I should reply to her."
Lingdu had no desire to meddle in Ziyan's affairs either; with a single sentence, he was asking Li Ximing for a definite word. Li Ximing understood his intentions and replied, "There is no need to trouble Senior to send word back and forth. Once I am free to return to Jiangnan, I will naturally seek her out."
Tinglan belonged to the Taiyang lineage. Xiukui Abbey was no lesser, having once been a subordinate of the Immortal Abode, while Mount Jiuqiu lay across the overseas waters. None of these lineages felt any need to curry favor with her; it all came down to personal friendship, and clearly none of them were particularly close to Tinglan, so the matter was simply dropped.
Li Ximing took the opportunity to say, "Healing my injuries in the East Sea for the past few years, I have had no news from Jiangnan. I wonder how things stand at present..."
Master Houfu was not fond of talking much, perhaps fearing that endless explanations would lower his standing, so he sipped his tea in silence. Seeing this, Lingdu answered, "Zhu Gong entered Shanji Commandery and established another sect gate called the Mujuan Gate, which also belongs to the Tongxuan lineage. Li Zhouwei of your noble clan fled into the sea, and I hear that one of yours who cultivated thunder perished."
Li Ximing lowered his gaze. He set down the teacup in his hand and rubbed his hands unconsciously against his robes, murmuring, "Oh... alas..."
His spirits, previously lifted by the recovery from his injuries, instantly plummeted, leaving a hollow emptiness in his heart:
*Cheng... did not even leave any bloodline behind... It was all because my planning fell short... He should have commanded awe and anchored the clan's fortune, yet through my lack of foresight, he was killed so carelessly.*
The pillars of the family were so few, and those entirely free of selfish ambition fewer still. Li Ximing knew every one of them in his heart. A wave of bitter sorrow washed over him, and it was only through great restraint that he kept his composure; for the moment, words failed him entirely.
Lingdu was an experienced elder who could tell at a glance that a junior he held in high regard had been carelessly killed. Shaking his head slightly, he remarked, "Be it clan inheritance or bloodline descent, it is always the same story. Out of ten juniors, six are mediocre, three are dissolute playboys, and the one exceptional talent has to drag the other nine along. That alone would be fine... yet the more outstanding they are, the more we thrust them into perilous places to temper them..."
"We masters and elders all hope that the one outstanding junior will turn the tide in times of peril. If they truly fall that way, it could at least be said they died a worthy death. But far more often, things go awry. Sudden, sloppy deaths and unexpected ends are what truly suffocate the chest—leaving you with immense strength and nowhere to apply it... filled with both grief and fury!"
He stamped his foot and added, "When I was young, there was a junior of mine who possessed exceptional talent and an honest temperament. Had he lived, he would have had a shot at the Violet Palace. Yet on an ordinary trip to a market in the surrounding seas, through a moment of carelessness, he died on a woman's belly, without even managing to use his talismans or protective treasures."
"When we investigated later, we couldn't even blame the lad for lacking wits. That woman was merely a rogue cultivator, not bewitched by any divine ability—it was purely love turning to hatred, resenting his fickle heart... It just goes to show that even for elders like us who cultivate divine abilities, when a junior's fortune runs dry... we cannot save them in time."
At his words, Li Ximing murmured softly, "Senior speaks truly. Among my clan's younger generation, there is also a romantic one. It is not necessarily a bad thing—it usually comes down to whether he is clever or not. It's just that his talent is modest, making the path ahead even harder."
Among the three, Master Houfu was the only one who was young and childless, and Xiukui Abbey had plenty of others to worry about its affairs, so he ought to have been carefree. Yet at the mention of this, his brows furrowed tightly as he replied, "Master Cao only manages his own clan's juniors, but little does he know that those of us in sectarian lineages have our own worries and anxieties. If you fail to balance the distribution of inheritances, those below will not only resent their fellow disciples, but will end up resenting you as well. Across thirty-six peaks there are more than fifty factions, all busy promoting their own kin—it is far worse than a tangled mess... In all my years of cultivation, the disciples beneath me have already split into six factions."
With their comforting words, Li Ximing tactfully composed his emotions. Master Houfu glanced at Lingdu, and the old man of Mount Jiuqiu's lineage spoke up with a smile, "Since Zhaojing is here, consider it an encounter ordained by fate. Zhaojing, in your battle with Changxiao... how is your dharma body now? Did you ever encounter the Silver Vase?"
Lingdu was not particularly close to Li Ximing, and inquiring about someone's dharma body was actually somewhat taboo. A short-tempered Violet Palace cultivator might have darkened their face on the spot. But Lingdu hailed from a mighty power, and Li Ximing possessed an even temper, so he merely frowned and said, "There is still slight damage, and I did encounter the Silver Vase. It is formidable indeed."
Lingdu said in a heavy voice, "The Douxuan lineage is exceedingly formidable. Once struck by the Silver Vase, it is ill-advised for Zhaojing to return to Jiangnan anytime soon... Changxiao will detect you."
Li Ximing felt a jolt in his heart, his pupils dilating slightly.
*Why did I not sense it at all?!*
Li Ximing had actually suspected earlier that Changxiao's divine ability left some sort of mark, yet he had found not the slightest trace of one... After all, he had even beseeched the Immortal Mirror to investigate!
*Impossible... there must be something else at play... How could anything escape the Immortal Mirror's inspection? That sinister bastard might have guessed I had some means of detection and deliberately held back... playing false and true...*
Lingdu glanced at him and said, "None of us possess ocular divine abilities, so we cannot see it clearly. However, our Mount Jiuqiu lineage possesses a Fangyin Pool, which can cleanse and refine the dharma body..."
He paused slightly, his intent becoming clearer: "However, there is a matter I would like to discuss with you."
Li Ximing raised his head slightly and saw Lingdu say in a soft voice, "A Violet Palace spiritual fire... I wonder if Zhaojing has any interest?"
Li Ximing's heart brightened slightly, though his face betrayed nothing as he merely asked, "Oh? Which one might it be?"
The pinnacle of the Li clan's techniques was undoubtedly the sixth-rank Dali Baixi Light. This spell had stringent requirements, demanding a Violet Palace Lihuo to cultivate and cast, which Li Ximing had coveted for a long time. Yet when he asked, Lingdu was momentarily stumped and replied in a low voice, "I do not know which specific one... In any case, it is neither Mu Fire nor Hong Fire."
Having only just escaped danger, Li Ximing was exceedingly hesitant and asked, "Why don't you explain in detail?"
Lingdu nodded and said, "Zhaojing has likely heard that something occurred at the Great Grant Bronze-Colored Temple, causing unrest all around. Before our Grand Master departed, he surmised that a Lianmin within the temple must have fallen."
Li Ximing was indeed puzzled by this. Mount Jiuqiu's Grand Master was an eminent late Violet Palace cultivator matching a Mahasattva in strength, with no need to show deference to the Great Grant Bronze-Colored Temple; yet it sounded as if he had been summoned there. He said, "The Great Grant Bronze-Colored Temple puts on quite an imposing front."
Lingdu immediately caught his meaning and replied, "Back then, the Peacock Ancestor of the Great Grant Bronze-Colored Temple had ties with our lineage, and the previous abbot of the Great Grant Temple also showed our Mountain Master the favor of guidance. He owes an obligation of goodwill to look after the peacocks..."
"No wonder!"
Mount Jiuqiu clearly held dominion over the Peacock Sea, yet peacocks soared everywhere. Daoists and Buddhists rarely enjoyed cordial relations, so Li Ximing had been harboring doubts. Lingdu then continued, "Thus, with a Lianmin fallen, propriety and sentiment dictated that he pay a visit. The Great Grant Bronze-Colored Temple has four Lianmin in total: one has fallen, one must travel to the Buddhist lands to report, and one must attend to the Grand Master. That leaves only one who can spare their hands.
"And the thing mentioned earlier lies within the Peacock Sea. It is an inheritance left behind by an ancestor of the Tantai clan, closely tied to the peacocks. We discovered it many years ago, but we feared that making a commotion would inevitably lead to the peacocks demanding a share. Constrained by sentiment, the Grand Master could not possibly support us, so we delayed taking action. Now is the perfect opportunity."
Li Ximing pieced the situation together. Stroking his teacup for a moment, he did not agree immediately, but smiled and said, "Since it is a treasure of the Tantai family, why would you have any need for me?"
Lingdu paused slightly and replied, "First, the formation is difficult to unravel. Second... that Lianmin might sense the disturbance and come. While we retrieve the items below, we need Zhaojing to hold him off for a moment."
Now Li Ximing understood. Mount Jiuqiu likely did not want to tear down all pretense of cordiality with the Great Grant Bronze-Colored Temple, so they needed an unrelated outsider to take the heat. The price was the Violet Palace spiritual fire from the inheritance...
*More than likely... before I arrived, they planned on having Master Houfu play the villain and were just discussing it... But when I suddenly popped up, the two of them figured that as a descendant of the Wei-Li lineage, why would I fear offending some Buddhist cultivators? So they pushed me forward with the promise of a spiritual fire...*
As for whether this truly was left behind by an ancestor of the Tantai clan, Li Ximing dared not take their word for it. Still, the two spoke of it as familiarly as if it were their own property. Just as Li Ximing hesitated, Master Houfu spoke up: "Zhaojing, once that Lianmin arrives, Senior Lingdu cannot face him openly. Whether you or I step forward alone, that Lianmin will refuse to give up and will contest it, and fighting him will expose our identities. It would be far better if we step forward together. Two Violet Palace cultivators will be enough to intimidate him into retreating warily. Without even needing to trade blows, we reduce the risk of exposure by ninety percent."
Master Houfu had Xiukui Abbey behind him after all, so his words carried weight. This made Li Ximing feel much more reassured; even if something went wrong, Master Houfu would share the burden. Li Ximing felt a stir of interest and specifically asked, "Does the Great Grant Bronze-Colored Temple stand behind the Mercy Form or the Emptiness Form...?"
"It is the Mercy Form."
Li Ximing breathed a sigh of relief.
His granduncle Li Xuanfeng had slaughtered eighteen Buddhist cultivators of the Emptiness Form by the river, destroying a great karmic destiny of that path. If this matter had the slightest connection to the Emptiness Form, Li Ximing would not touch it with a ten-foot pole. Considering it now, he nodded and said, "It is worth a try."
"Splendid!"
Lingdu nodded with a smile. "Then I trouble Zhaojing to cultivate on our mountain for a time. We shall make all the arrangements, and when the site is about to manifest, we will invite you over. Afterward, we shall arrange for Zhaojing to meet the Grand Master and proceed to the cleansing."
In the end, Li Ximing still decided to undergo the cleansing to dispel his doubts. The three poured fresh tea, nodded to one another, and settled the matter.
***
Lake Wangyue.
The bright moon hung high over the lake, its light rolling across the shimmering water. Along the shores, streaks of white magical light took flight from time to time, streaking toward the islets. They flew first to the central hall of the islet, lingered briefly, and then shuttled off toward the rear hall.
At the head of the great hall sat the man clad in black robes as before, pen in hand. Three years had flowed by, and Li Zhouluo's face had not changed much, though his movements in reviewing memorials were far more agile, and his expression no longer bore the look of facing a mortal foe as it once had.
He soon set his pen down and glanced at the sky. It was barely midnight.
Ever since the three-year evaluation proposed by Li Xuanxuan was announced, Li Zhouluo's workload had visibly dwindled.
Certain estates and peaks that previously submitted memorials for every petty trifle had suddenly grown brains, clever enough to append the proposed solutions right alongside them. Clansmen from several branches who used to lie around like dead pigs while peddling favors had come to life, bustling diligently across the islets each day. The clansmen governing along the shores had suddenly become selfless, upright, and dedicated to public duty, while main-branch members touring the shores had abruptly grown exceedingly sharp-witted and discerning, indignantly exposing a swath of corrupt officials—which resulted in a member of the Dou family being brought down.
*Attentive indeed...*
Li Zhouluo suddenly realized he barely needed to exert any effort. Even when rectifying a few foreign surnames, an impassioned crowd of clansmen rushed forward to denounce them. All of this was fine and well, with only the cultivators of Qingdu remaining somewhat aloof. Though still respectful, their demeanor lacked any genuine warmth.
He understood that his handling of Li Chengpan's affair three years ago had indeed been flawed. The status and authority of the Qingdu cultivators rested on the premise that those in power would keep the main branch in check. His favoritism had been far too blatant, resulting in a muddled account; later, he had taken the initiative to institute the hereditary protection system, so it was only natural that those people found him hard to like.
*Still... none of that matters now...*
Li Zhouluo firmly kept Li Xuanxuan's words in mind: do only as much as one's ability permits. He had merely stepped up to gather enough goodwill before stepping down. Thinking of this brought ease to his heart.
After pondering for a while, he noticed a man dressed in plain clothes waiting to the side. Catching sight of him, Li Zhouluo smiled and said, "Uncle Chengpan, how are things on the western side?"
This man was none other than the Li Chengpan of back then. That blood-letter incident had nearly seen him imprisoned on Qingdu. As the truth gradually came to light, though only Li Hun was ultimately convicted, Li Zhouluo could no longer employ Chengpan in his former role, keeping him instead as an assistant in the hall.
Li Chengpan bowed and said, "Everything is in order. This year's yield from the mineral veins has already been delivered to the clan."
Li Zhouluo sighed softly. Counting the days, not much time remained before the evaluation for hereditary protection.
*The old master said to grant the hereditary protections early and let them rejoice for a time, lest Jiangqian come out and immediately play the villain, making it far too obvious...*
The present spiritual atmosphere was Juxin Chongxuan, favorable to the Virtue of Fire, so Li Jiangqian's seclusion would certainly not last too long. This matter naturally could not be delayed.
As he was musing, a gentle breeze seemed to sweep through the courtyard, and a figure slowly materialized. It was a middle-aged man draped in feather-like black robes, a two-foot slip of dark jade hanging from his waist. His brow ridges were slightly pronounced, and a faint smile touched his eyes.
"Father!"
Li Zhouluo started awake from his thoughts and hurried down the steps, exclaiming in delight, "You have actually emerged from seclusion!"
A few years had passed, and Li Chenghuai's cultivation had grown ever more solid, a rich and mellow gray radiance swirling through his hair. His features were unremarkable to begin with, and the Do Not Investigate Me immortal foundation further concealed his presence, making him seem all the more unobtrusive. Nodding gently, he replied, "The ancestral sacrifice draws near, and the family needs someone to oversee the overall situation. I reckoned Jiangqian would be emerging from seclusion soon as well, so I stepped out... I took a stroll around the islets. The household is bustling and lively, and the atmosphere is quite good... You have done well."
Li Zhouluo, knowing full well the real reason behind all this, felt slightly embarrassed and said in a low voice, "Father... you misunderstand..."
Chapter 801