Li Ximing nodded in agreement. The three Violet Palace masters began discussing the mysteries of the Dao on the spot. Lingdu started the conversation, raising the topic of how Wu Earth was leakless and which Dao could subdue it. Master Houfu cited tales of various masters from his abbey clashing with Wu Earth cultivators, comparing them one by one and suspecting that a certain spell divine ability among the Zhengmu divine abilities was best suited to subjugate Wu Earth. They conversed with great relish.
Li Ximing naturally had little to contribute. The only Earth cultivator he had interacted with much was Real Person Changxi of Gen Earth, followed by Sumian of Bao Earth. As for Wu Earth, he had only heard that a certain Chengyan cultivated it, but had never even met him. Thus, he simply listened attentively, chiming in now and then with pleasantries to play the supporting role.
Taking advantage of a pause between the two, Li Ximing asked Lingdu, "Senior... do you know of the Xiaguang lineage?"
Master Houfu's expression turned playful, his gaze deepening at once, while Lingdu frowned and said, "Does Zhaojing mean... Mount Luoxia, where Wuguang gathers rosy clouds?"
Li Ximing was actually inquiring on behalf of his elder brother and had taken this chance to ask, not expecting the very first sentence to bring up Mount Luoxia. Hearing this name for the first time, he was taken aback for a moment before hurriedly saying, "No... I mean a Xiaguang Violet Palace lineage..."
Lingdu was startled at first, then visibly breathed a sigh of relief. He gave a helpless smile. "Under the heavens, Xiaguang comes firstly from Luoxia and secondly from Xiashan. Though they appear to be two places, they are merely monopolized by that single individual. If you speak of a Xiaguang Violet Palace lineage... that too is someone's private possession. The vast majority of lineages do not possess such a thing..."
Li Ximing flattered, "Junior also knows that it cannot be asked of elsewhere, and the vast majority of lineages naturally do not have it. Yet an ancient and unfathomably profound lineage like Senior's naturally far surpasses the rest... which is why I thought to ask."
Master Houfu sighed, his gaze pregnant with meaning as he replied, "Zhaojing takes it for granted... There is nothing related to Xiaguang."
He spoke obscurely. Li Ximing looked up in surprise, but neither showed any intention of elaborating. Just then, footsteps sounded from the woods. Dantai Muming strode up, waiting until Houfu finished speaking and all three turned their gazes toward him before respectfully reporting, "I have taken Daoist Xia to acknowledge her ancestral line and had her read through Senior Brother Yu's life story. She has now changed into new garments and is waiting quietly in the woods."
"Good," Lingdu replied with a smile. "Daoist Friend Zhaojing must have further instructions for her. Have her come up."
Li Ximing understood that it was no longer appropriate to linger, thinking to himself:
*Indeed, I have stayed for quite a while and received benefits. The Jiuqiu lineage has treated my family very well, so overstaying my welcome would be impolite. It is best to depart early.*
Soon, Xia Shouyu came up. She wore white robes with a grey skirt below, adorned with seashells that clinked and jingled softly—the attire of an East Sea cultivator. Li Ximing beckoned her forward and took out two scrolls from his sleeve, one red and one gold, saying, "Take these two scrolls back with you. The red scroll settles your marriage, and the gold scroll is my handwritten letter. Deliver them both into the hands of Elder Xuanxuan on the lake."
No one could tell what Xia Shouyu was thinking, but outwardly she bowed and expressed her gratitude respectfully, "Junior thanks Real Person for bestowing this marriage! I will certainly deliver them into the elder's hands!"
Only then did Li Ximing turn to Master Houfu and bow politely. "I trouble Senior with this!"
Master Houfu nodded slightly. Li Ximing signaled Xia Shouyu to stand behind him, and heard Houfu reply, "Zhaojing is too polite. You may simply call me Houfu... In recent years, the Shengbai Path has been clashing with Dakangzhao Temple, leaving Great Xiyuan turbulent and shaken. The Sword Sect sought aid from our Xiukui Abbey, and since I must travel west to Great Xiyuan anyway, passing by along the way is no trouble."
Li Ximing nodded. Lingdu, however, appeared quite astonished. His eyes widened at once as he asked, "The Shengbai Path? One of the three from Fenkuai Island? This is no small matter! No small matter at all..."
Li Ximing knew plenty of ancient affairs; moreover, Fenkuai Island was hardly any great secret. Back then, Yingze had divided the Shaoyang Demon Lord into three, one of whom was the archfiend Xi Yan in Great Xiyuan...
Although Li Ximing did not know how Lingdu had jumped from hearing about the Shengbai Path to Demon Lord Xi Yan, that did not stop him from realizing the gravity of the situation. He asked in a low voice, "Does Senior mean... Shaoyang..."
Master Houfu merely shook his head. Even though Li Ximing had spoken with such caution, Houfu still placed a finger to his lips, his expression exceedingly grave as he replied, "That may not necessarily be the case. It is that the Shengbai Path has risen. First, more than ten years ago... the Master of the Shengbai Path attained a heterodox palace. Then, a year ago, one of the Five Mings refined a divine ability. With two consecutive attainments of the Violet Palace, the tides turned, and the several Lianmins of Dakangzhao Temple could no longer bear the pressure...
"Although there are no traces of that being, as a Shaoyang lineage, it could well be the handiwork of that noble personage."
Lingdu's expression turned grim. He raised a finger as well, pointing toward the sky this time, and replied, "Do not forget, there is also a Shaoyang beyond the heavens... If he was injured, causing anomalies in the other two, that is also a possibility."
The three looked at one another in silence. The other two dared to speak of such things, but Li Ximing dared not listen any further. After all, one was of the Taiyang lineage and Taiyin immortal kin, while the other belonged to the Jiuqiu lineage, an overseas hegemon... Li Ximing was just an upstart without an umbrella above him. Seeing them fall silent, he felt a chill run down his spine. Waving his hand, he said, "Then I shall disturb you no longer. My deepest thanks to the immortal mountain of Mount Jiuqiu for this spiritual fire. I will remember this kindness in my heart..."
He spoke a flurry of polite courtesies, and Lingdu only urged him to stay with a few customary words before seeing him out of the mountain. The old man was clearly somewhat absentminded. With all three harboring their own thoughts, the send-off was rather perfunctory. Only Master Houfu added a brief mention:
"Escorting Xia Shouyu back to the lake on this trip will inevitably make others think I have seen Zhaojing. I fear neither Yehui nor Changxiao... but if Tinglan comes to ask, I cannot easily brush her off."
Clearly, both being of the Taiyang lineage, Ziyan and Xiukui shared a measure of sentiment, making it awkward for Master Houfu to deceive her to her face.
Li Ximing considered briefly. After all, he still needed to forge the grand array, and it truly would not do to leave that master hanging. Yet exposing his whereabouts was also troublesome, and he ought not to provide an overly precise location lest Changxiao exploit it. After weighing the matter repeatedly, he took a jade pendant from his sleeve, handed it to Master Houfu, and said, "I will be traveling nearby in the Dong'e King Sea. If Daoist Friend Tinglan wishes to seek me out, tell her to come to the border between Dong'e King Sea and the Peacock Sea and crush this talisman. I will go to find her myself."
Master Houfu understood and accepted it. Li Ximing took his leave of the two and sped across the sea, flying into the neighboring Dong'e King Sea. The turmoil here had somewhat subsided; several demon generals had divided the territory, small factions had sprung up, and the sea territory appeared relatively tranquil.
He carefully inspected his dharma body to ensure there was no lingering Shaoyang radiance, muttering to himself, "Caught completely unprepared... bringing up such terrifying things all of a sudden. Mention one and you have to name three, and from there you drag out seven or eight more..."
Li Ximing looked around to investigate, then dived into the sea and descended onto the seabed. He then activated the Mountain-Driving Sea-Crossing Tiger. Enveloped in pure Gen Earth radiance, he traveled through the earth, piloting the Gen Tiger like a flying shuttle deep underground until he found a fire vein to settle down.
Using the Mountain-Driving Sea-Crossing Tiger, he hollowed out a cave, drew the fire vein into it, placed his pill furnace atop it, and finally sat down.
Before he could make any move, he suddenly felt a chill in his Shengyang Mansion, as if an icy force had struck down upon his head. It sent sparks exploding in his mind, blurring his vision, and the sudden rush of cold air struck his face, bringing tears to his eyes:
"This..."
*It's over!*
As if a colossal hand had seized his spiritual sense, he was abruptly pulled into the boundless heights beyond the heavens.
Suddenly, he saw a bright sun coursing through the stars, white jade celestial palaces lined up in endless rows, clouds coiling around the moon, the divine radiance of the Golden Crow gathering like soaring luan birds and perching phoenixes. Twelve bridges across a golden lake lay majestically spanning the waters, while hundreds of palaces and myriad chambers spread out like birds spreading their wings and pheasants taking flight...
The scenery flashed past in a blur. Before Li Ximing could get a clear look, he plummeted once more into darkness, as if plunged into a deep subterranean palace. Flecks of light flickered before his eyes, and a stone bridge traversed the void. A man clad in grey robes, his body streaked with blood, stood upon the bridge. Upon closer look, Li Ximing recognized a steady, composed middle-aged face:
Wang Quwan.
In the murky gloom, there seemed to be only this single stone bridge hanging solitary in the void. Wang Quwan was looking upward, gripping a blue-gold sword tightly in his hand. From above hung silky wisps of white radiance, seemingly linked to some profound Dao treasury.
Li Ximing's vision rushed forward into that white radiance. Countless wondrous treasures, Daoist scriptures, and magical artifacts flashed past like a revolving lantern, dazzling and multicolored, before finally coming to a halt at the deepest recess—upon a spirit sword suspended in midair.
This spirit sword was plain and unadorned, pale grey all over without a single pattern, differing sharply from the luxurious and intricate forging styles of the modern era. The handguard at the hilt was nearly the same width as the blade, giving the entire sword the straight silhouette of the character "一".
What truly caught Li Ximing's attention was the spirit sword's sole ornamentation—a bright white spirit stone set at the pommel.
The familiar aura emanating from this spirit stone made the talisman seed in his Shengyang Mansion stir with agitation, almost making Li Ximing tremble. This sensation was not his first; years ago, when Yu Muxian had arrived by boat on the lake, the young Li Ximing had been shaken by the fragment and fainted, feeling precisely this way.
In Li Ximing's mind, a realization burst like a bolt of lightning, flashing with three words:
*Immortal mirror fragment!*
The white radiance receded swiftly, and the ensuing gloom dissipated just as rapidly. Li Ximing felt a bout of dizziness. Slowly opening his eyes, what met his gaze were dim stone walls. The dark-hued pill furnace stood before him, and the crackling sounds from the fire vein reached his ears. He was clearly back in the underground cave.
He first performed a deep bow in reverence, then rose to his feet. His face was a shifting mix of blue and pale. Exhaling a wisp of cold air from his lips, he endured the discomfort and retrieved a jade box from his storage bag.
"Cough!"
The moment Li Ximing opened his mouth, several pale vines grew frantically out from within, instantly latching onto his chin. Several tendrils drooped downward, hanging like spider plants and blooming with pure white blossoms in midair.
A fragrant aroma filled the cavern abode, accompanied by a wave of cold.
He reached out, plucked the spiritual plant out whole, and placed it into the jade box. Without pausing to examine it closely, he hastily inspected his body.
*I haven't suffered any impact from a Taiyin divine ability... only a slight chill... So it was the immortal mirror... I thought that by talking carelessly of True Monarchs, I had provoked the wrath of some mighty being who happened to be nearby, nearly having my life snuffed out by an influx of status...*
Relieved, the chill in Li Ximing's heart faded, replaced by equal parts shock and ecstasy.
*Wang Quwan... that was Wang Quwan! That place must be the Mifan Dao Treasury. To think there is an immortal mirror fragment within the Mifan Dao Treasury!*
*This place is separated from Jiangbei by more than ten thousand li, yet I was able to glimpse the sights of Mifan... Incredible... And where was that place of celestial palaces and pavilions... Could it be beyond the heavens...*
He estimated that it had likely connected first to somewhere beyond the heavens, then followed the link between the beyond-the-heavens realm and the immortal mirror to draw close to Jiangbei, observing the Mifan inheritance before penetrating into the Mifan Dao Treasury to perceive where the fragment lay...
*Truly a miraculous marvel...*
Suppressing the shock in his heart, Li Ximing soon realized that he had missed the current opportunity.
*There must be an interval between the openings of the Mifan lineage. This time, it was likely that Chengyun Gate and several other sects gathered the full inheritance and opened the Mifan lineage for the first time... Though I missed it this time, as long as I wait a while, there will be another chance...*
*If that is the case, it is far too late for our family to nurture a Mifan successor ourselves. We can never allow that precious sword to sit in there for ten or twenty years... The only way is to support Wang Quwan with all our might...*
He sat quietly where he was, his gaze solemn and heavy.
*Wang Quwan... Wang Quwan... Is it the decree of destiny, or the workings of fate?*
Li Ximing slowly reined in his gaze. Li Jiangqian at home had also received the talisman and must have sensed this as well. With him holding down the fort at home, arrangements would certainly be made, so Li Ximing had no need to rush back.
Only then did he cast his eyes upon the jade box. The sprig of moon orchid within remained full of vibrant life, eight small blossoms opened upon it, radiating a pale white halo.
*What a fine Violet Palace cultivation resource.*
Li Ximing's discerning eye was long past what it used to be. With celestial light harbored between his brows, he could distinguish many grades of materials. Though he could not identify precisely what treasure this Taiyin spiritual item was, he could still tell it was a Violet Palace-level resource, similar to the Horn Wood Golden Spike.
*It's the perfect time to fire up the furnace and refine pills. There is another primary medicinal ingredient... right on my person.*
Calming his mind slightly, he began feeling over his body, pressing accurately onto the position of his dantian. He measured with his index finger and thumb, then pried them apart.
*Rip!*
The flesh of his lower abdomen was parted, revealing the dantian qi sea within. Golden brilliance shone forth, illuminating the entire cavern abode.
Li Ximing hurriedly rolled up his sleeve and reached into his belly with his other hand. After feeling around for a while, he gradually drew something out.
It was a glistening white sphere, smooth and round, bearing a crystal-like luster. It had been about the size of a grain of rice, but the moment it left his abdomen, it instantly expanded to the size of a fist, releasing an intoxicatingly refreshing fragrance.
Li Ximing nearly lost his grip. Channeling his divine abilities throughout his body, he applied the suppressive force of Audience at the Heavenly Gate, finally restraining the sphere from expanding any further.
"Phew!"
This object was precisely the spiritual qi refined by Valley Wind Drawing Fire beside the Fangyin Pool... Had it been a Foundation Establishment cultivator, keeping it hidden in the qi sea would mean neither exhausting it nor being able to mobilize it. Even for a Violet Palace cultivator, guiding it out through ordinary circulation of qi would take quite a long time.
Fortunately, Li Ximing was quick-witted; digging it out of his qi sea by hand was the fastest way. Now, releasing and smoothing the hand over the wound, it healed completely clean at once, without leaving a trace of a scar.
*It's just that without the enhancement of Valley Wind Drawing Fire, my divine ability's suppression is far weaker.*
Gazing at the round bead in his hand, Li Ximing immediately analyzed it with the eye of his trade:
*Pure clear qi, the divine ability magic power of the Shaoyin path, having remained in my qi sea for a time and taken on a touch of Mingyang... If I use this to make a pill... it should yield a cauldron of spiritual pills capable of broadening divine abilities and possessing wondrous efficacy.*
*After all, this qi pellet requires constant suppression by my divine abilities. The moment I let go, it would likely burst forth and transform into a mountain of spiritual qi. If I do not refine it, holding it in my hand indefinitely is no solution either.*
His expression suddenly turned odd.
*Not that there isn't a way to carry it... I could always cut open my belly again, stuff it back into my qi sea, and let Valley Wind Drawing Fire manage it...*
This was naturally in jest. Although Valley Wind Drawing Fire could suppress this thing effortlessly, it had already grown to the size of a fist, and forcing it back into his qi sea was out of the question.
Although the Sanhou Shuxuan Huo had not yet been refined, with Valley Wind Drawing Fire present, Li Ximing reckoned he had nothing to fear holding it in one hand. He brought out the vermilion bowl with a single hand and flicked his finger.
*Whoosh!*
The Sanhou Shuxuan Huo erupted once more, its bright red brilliance illuminating the entire cave dwelling. Li Ximing took a gentle inhalation.
*Whoosh!*
The entire expanse of flame scrambled out of the bowl and surged in through his breath. In merely an instant, the bright red light vanished from the cave, leaving only an empty vermilion glazed bowl gripped in his palm.
The moment the Sanhou Shuxuan Huo entered his body, it sought to dart away, but Valley Wind Drawing Fire instantly blazed with radiant light. Like a ravenous beast, it reined in the Sanhou Shuxuan Huo with immense traction. The flame flickered slightly, already brought thoroughly under Li Ximing's control.
With ease, he guided the flame downward to settle in his Juque Court. Not only did the Mingyang purple flame have no conflict with the true fire, it actively yielded space to flank and guard this true fire at its center.
Only then did Li Ximing open his eyes. His pupils first turned bright red, which vanished in a flash, then welled with pale gold before slowly reverting to their ordinary color.
"Excellent!"
Looking again at the two items in his hands—the Fangyin Qi Pellet and the moon orchid—Li Ximing felt exceedingly pleased, pondering methods of refinement.
*I have no corresponding pill formula. If I refine these two things separately, I can only improvise the balance myself, and what results probably won't be exceptionally precious... It would be best to refine them together. Clear qi, Shaoyin, Taiyin, Mingyang—there are no conflicts between them. They can form a grand pill!*
*Yet pill refinement requires a strict hierarchy of ruler, minister, assistant, and courier. This moon orchid is a primary medicine, and the Fangyin Qi Pellet is also a primary medicine—both on par with one another. If one is made the ruler herb, the other becomes an overbearing minister. Their properties differ, so the pill cannot succeed; even if forced, it would merely squander their medicinal properties in vain.*
The Xiao family's alchemy was traditional Jiangnan pill technique, and Li Ximing had long broken free of Xiao Yuansi's alchemical Dao. The refinement methods worth mentioning in Li Ximing's repertoire were only a few: Xuanque Jingxin and Tianyi Cuiyuan had different formulas but similar refinement methods; the only remaining one was Tianxin Yiyi, obtained at the Cape, which was an entire alchemical system in itself, standing in a league of its own.
*Tianxin Yiyi has very high requirements for Dao attainment, which is no obstacle for me. But refining pills using destiny as the principal medicine... hisss...*
Li Ximing was considered a master in the art of alchemy, possessing insight far clearer than that of the vast majority of Violet Palace cultivators in Jiangnan. Ever since obtaining the Tianxin Yiyi Pill Method, his alchemical vision and technique had risen to another level.
Jiangnan refined pills by property—matching the magical nature and properties of spiritual ingredients to form pills, testing the alchemist's magic power, cultivation, and divine abilities. The Tianxin Yiyi Pill Method refined pills by destiny—matching the fate and destiny of spiritual ingredients to form pills, testing the alchemist's Dao attainment, destiny, and status.
*Spiritual items likewise possess both property and destiny. The moon orchid's spiritual status is frighteningly high, whereas the Fangyin Qi Pellet is fundamentally magic power, possessing property but no destiny. Though it took a turn through my body, it is surely far beneath the moon orchid!*
*If refined using Tianxin Yiyi, the moon orchid acts as the ruler medicine, while the Fangyin Qi Pellet is an indisputable minister and assistant. Shaoyin serving as an assistant to Taiyin is an exquisite match! Furthermore, the moon orchid grew from my mouth, and the qi pellet was born in my belly; they were originally one body, their destinies intertwined by celestial design. Who else could accomplish this pill if not me?*
Li Ximing felt a sudden surge of clarity. Delving through on his own, he vaguely caught sight of a glimpse into an even higher realm of alchemy!
In high spirits, he struck the furnace with a palm. The bright red Sanhou Shuxuan Huo erupted, spiraling around the two sides of the furnace and plunging toward the bottom, converging into a crimson profound flame.
Focused as never before, he specifically took out a piece of Baicui Spirit Wood that he had received as a gift upon breaking through to the Violet Palace and kept for a long time, tossing it first into the true fire.
Then, the storage bag at his waist swayed gently. Long and short boxes, large and small jade bottles, were drawn out one after another by his divine ability and magic power: Huiyuan Spirit Water, Wuxi Sand, Yuanyang Spirit Essence... various spiritual materials flowed forth, leaping into the furnace one after another.
At the bottom of the furnace, a viscous layer of bright purple pill liquid gradually gathered. When the Fangyin Qi Pellet plunged in, it immediately threatened to turn into a torrential storm of spiritual qi and blast out of the furnace. The celestial light between Li Ximing's brows flared, and his white divine ability bore down, binding all the spiritual qi within the furnace.
As the final moon orchid dropped in, Li Ximing instantly sealed the furnace lid, pressed both hands against its sides, covered it with his Mingyang divine ability, and closed his eyes to pour out his full strength.
*This pill already exhausts everything I have learned in my lifetime; it shall surely be the pinnacle of my alchemy in the first half of my life!*
...
The South Sea.
The Shitang Sea had the least land among the oceans of the South Sea, known as the Ten-Thousand-Li Shitang. Backed against the Southern Border, it bordered the Song Continent to the east and met Lüfang to the south. Aside from Qingchi's Beidan Continent, it had only scattered islets strewn like chess pieces across the water. Bordering several large continents, and having enjoyed upright peace and order in recent years, commerce was flourishing even more.
Beidan possessed scenic beauty, with Mount Xiangshan standing tall in its center at over six hundred zhang. Atop the peak stood a courtyard where cultivators bustled in and out in lively activity. Passing through this courtyard, there was a pavilion in the rear garden, where a man in white stood.
He had an elegant, dignified appearance, a rather long face, and brows set close to his eyes, exuding a generous and handsome grace. In his hands, he held a sword level; it was bright white throughout, yet interwoven with rainbow radiance.
Surging sword qi was brewing along the spine of the blade. He frowned slightly, his eyes shut tight and his face pale. After several breaths, as the sword light flickered erratically on the blade and seemed on the verge of erupting, he suddenly snapped his eyes open.
"Cough."
He coughed twice. Petals of osmanthus flowers rolled down from his robes, scattering upon the ground into a circle of golden light.
Just now, he had clearly lost his concentration, yet the sword light upon his blade had merely wavered without bursting out, showing how deep his mastery over spells and swordsmanship truly was.
This person was none other than the Master of Jiutian Pavilion, a direct descendant of the Wangyue Immortal Clan, and the current ruler of Shitang's Beidan—"Tiangexia" Li Xizhi!
Li Xizhi calmed himself slightly, and the brilliance upon the sword stabilized at once. With a flick of his other sleeve, all the osmanthus flowers on the ground were swept into his sleeve. A jade box leaped from his waist, sealed them inside in an instant, and tucked itself into his storage bag, leaving no trace behind.
He raised his brows, uncertain and astonished light flickering in his eyes:
*An immortal mirror fragment... which disciple of our family has touched upon such a fortune...*
Chapter 809