Beihai

The Ziyan Blessed Land. An ethereal purple qi had lingered among the mountain ranges for centuries without dissipating, as if this piece of heaven and earth had always been violet. Scattered mountain peaks poked through the sea of purple clouds in orderly rows, exuding an airy, transcendent aura. A streak of light drifted up between the peaks, and a woman dressed in white with a purple skirt arrived riding the wind. She had a round face, bright eyes, and delicate, small ears. Though her attire was not particularly luxurious, it was neat and proper, making her quite endearing. From halfway up the mountain, someone called out: "Junior Sister Queyi!" Looking toward the voice, a man was hurriedly ascending on the wind. Stopping before her, he smiled and said, "You returned so early today!" The woman was none other than Li Queyi, who cultivated at Ziyan Gate and had now attained the third layer of Qi Refining. Seeing the man, she hurriedly bowed in greeting. "Greetings, Senior Brother Huang! I was supposed to be practicing swordsmanship at this hour, but I received word from the sect out of the blue, assigning me to the East Sea... so I returned early." Over the past half-year, disaster had struck Ziyan Gate's East Sea station: mountains collapsed, tsunamis surged, islands shattered, and the earth veins and fire veins had all shifted out of alignment. Ziyan Gate was in frantic disarray, even relocating the majority of their personnel from Lake Wangyue, and the disciples left within the sect had dwindled. The Second Senior Brother was well aware of this, so he asked with furrowed brows: "Why would they dispatch you? How long have you even been cultivating? What sort of reasoning is this... Surely this won't be easy to explain? Does Master know about this?" He clearly understood Li Queyi's background. If a cultivator in the early stages of Qi Refining were dispatched abroad and met with an untimely mishap, there would be no way to explain it to the Li family. Li Queyi smiled and said: "Naturally, they won't send me into combat. It's because I cultivate Yuzhen arts, and the formations on the island also belong to the Yuzhen lineage, so I'm just going to help with logistical matters." "That makes more sense..." Though Senior Brother Huang conceded with his lips, worry still lingered on his face. He descended alongside her, heading up toward the peak. The location of Ziqi Peak was not actually bad. Situated on the right flank amidst the surrounding mountains, had it been aligned slightly more toward the center, it would have faced Muzuo Peak directly on the other side. With the morning dawn just breaking, everything was bathed in a golden glow. Senior Brother Huang hesitated again and again before finally speaking: "Last time... regarding what I mentioned to Junior Sister, that [Baizi Root] needed for the [Baode Pill]... has there been any progress? There aren't many alchemists in the sect, so it's a huge hassle... one has to reserve a spot well in advance." He gave an awkward smile and added: "It's not... it's not that I want to pressure Junior Sister. Think of it as a loan... Senior Brother is truly tight on funds. Once I gather enough resources, I will definitely repay you tenfold in the future..." A trace of exhaustion showed on Li Queyi's face, though she still forced a smile and said: "I have already written home to ask... If there is any word, they will surely send it over... You can rest assured, Senior Brother..." Ziyan Gate's treatment of its disciples was by no means poor, but not every disciple in the sect had a strong background. Lingyanzi was especially isolated; the few disciples he took in were either commoners or hailed from small Qi Refining clans. The old man was truly inept at social maneuvering and managing affairs, yet had an overly soft heart, preferring to take in disciples of humble origins—back when he had bestowed the sect admission token upon the Li family, the Li clan had indeed been merely a Qi Refining clan as well. And this Second Senior Brother wanted to make an attempt at Foundation Establishment. The sect had already granted him a portion of resources, and Lingyanzi had given some as well, but naturally, the more resources one had, the better. Thus, he frequently asked Li Queyi for help. Li Queyi was utterly exhausted by this. Everyone on the peak addressed her with great warmth, eager to flatter and elevate her above all others, but in reality, their eyes were fixed on the valuables in her pockets. If it were truly her own possessions, that would be one thing, but all of it had to be requested from her clan. Time and again, how could she bear to keep asking? Lingyanzi knew nothing of managing matters. While her senior brothers were not truly evil people, anyone would become ruthless and desperate for the sake of their Foundation Establishment path. In secret, they cast aside their pride to plead with her again and again. Every time Li Queyi took up her brush to write home, she felt an unbearable grievance in her heart: *I don't expect my senior brothers to be like Wen Wu of Muzuo Peak, who arranges every matter smoothly and meticulously, carefully selects techniques, and maintains good relations across the alchemy and artifact-refining peaks on one's behalf... But there is no need to hound me like this again and again... This is...* *When I first arrived, I knew this place could not compare to other peaks. I thought as long as I got along with everyone and cultivated diligently, all would be fine. But who knew that an impoverished peak was impoverished for a reason... How could one not suffer like this?* Lingyanzi treated her well, yet he had also privately asked the Li family for resources twice. Li Jiangqian had seen right through it and mentioned it subtly in his letters, letting Li Queyi know it was considered an expense to curry favor with Lingyanzi. The old man had so many disciples to support that he had to split every single spirit stone in two to make it stretch; she could see that clearly as well. A few days earlier, Wen Wu had brought Li Quexi to visit her to foster sisterly affection. She did not know what manner of pills Muzuo Peak had provided for her clansister Li Quexi, but her cultivation speed was terrifyingly swift... And hearing that her clansister even sent surplus spiritual items back home only made Li Queyi feel more despondent. This trip to the East Sea was ostensibly arranged by the sect, but in truth, Li Queyi had secretly pleaded with a senior sister from the Xiao family cultivating in Ziyan to arrange it behind the scenes, merely seeking an excuse to escape! Yet Li Queyi could understand her senior brothers' desperation to risk everything for a Foundation Establishment breakthrough, so she could only murmur softly: "I don't expect Senior Brother to repay me multiple times over in the future. As long as my clan has some surplus strength, I am willing to help out my fellow disciples... I have already written home. If my family obtains it, they will send it to Master. I am about to leave for the seas, so Senior Brother can simply collect it from Master directly." She gave a slight bow, made an excuse, and excused herself, returning to her own quarters. She felt an icy chill across the entire peak, feeling lost and bewildered. *How did it come to this... Poverty is one thing, but instead of helping one another with genuine affection, my fellow disciples scramble to covet my possessions... Meanwhile, on the affluent Muzuo Peak, everyone is generous and honorable, dedicating themselves entirely to clearing away obstacles for my clansister...* ... Beihai. Beihai was a body of water in the Hetian Sea expanse. It was not vast; excluding the rocky shoals and small islets scattered across its surface, the remaining sea area was less than two Fenkuai Islands in size. Yet it was exceptionally affluent, teeming with spiritual materials everywhere, truly the finest essence of the Hetian Sea. The dragonkin maintained a tradition of sea governance. In ancient times, dragon sons were rotated as officials among the various seas, but nowadays, it resembled feudal enfeoffment more closely, with each Dragon King holding a fixed domain. However, these fiefdoms had always lain outside the Hetian Sea, scattered across the Zhulu Sea between the Qunyi Strait and Shiqi. The core of the Hetian Sea itself was like the Dragon Sovereign's directly administered imperial territory, never meant to be parceled out for sea governance. Yet there were exceptions to every rule. Over the past millennium, three Dragon Kings had received extraordinary favor and were enfeoffed right here in Hetian. Beihai was the smallest among them, yet it lay closest to the heartland—its shores bordered Yinzhou, where the dragons dwelled. Situated practically against the imperial capital, the honor and favor enjoyed by this Dragon King of Beihai was evident. In the center of the sea, the waters were calm and the wind was tranquil. Several small boats drifted across the surface. Crouched at the prow of the foremost vessel was a figure whose eyes glowed green, staring straight ahead. After watching for a time, he turned toward the cabin and said in a low voice: "Young Master, up ahead lies Changliu Gorge." The young man inside was leaning back against the boat, a pair of golden pupils glowing vividly in the dim cabin. Hearing the report, he simply replied: "Slow the boat. Head west along the sea surface and look for settlements. There is no need to head straight into the gorge." The green-eyed man scrambled to his feet, leaped to the front of the boat, pulled a pair of clammy, dark-green hands from beneath his robe, and steered the boat forward at a gentle pace. This young man was, of course, Li Zhouwei. Back then, Li Zhouwei had launched a surprise attack to kill Situ Mo, seized his magical apparatus, and was pursued into the Wanyu territory, where he had slain Yunanzi in full view of the Changxiao Gate cultivators before landing within the Sword Sect's territory. The Sword Sect had dispatched a direct-line disciple named Cheng Xuhua to receive him and invite him to rest in the commandery. Yet there was no decree from a Violet Palace, no heavyweight figure made an appearance, nor was Li Zhouwei invited into the mountain sect itself. He understood immediately that the Sword Sect was extremely unwilling to get involved and was merely preserving polite formalities. Though Cheng Xuhua had been thoroughly stunned and treated him with great courtesy, the courtyard in the commandery had not even offered a cup of tea. Thus, Li Zhouwei hastily tidied up, activated a golden talisman, and escaped into the East Sea. It was common knowledge that Changxiao Gate and Hengzhu Dao were at odds, making Hengzhu an even worse destination to flee to. Furthermore, Changxiao's Qingzhou Reefs lay exceedingly close to the Xiuzhu Reefs; Li Zhouwei feared being secretly intercepted midway, and his clan had never committed to taking Hengzhu Dao's side either. Therefore, he did the opposite of what was expected, traveling all the way toward the Hetian Sea. Pushing forward day and night, he arrived at Beihai. Selecting a quiet spot, he paid homage from afar to Li Cheng, entered seclusion to nurse his wounds, and refined his cultivation. Having made progress, he had only emerged from seclusion in recent days. He was originally at the late Foundation Establishment stage, having just broken through before fighting his way out against numerous Changxiao cultivators under the suppression of a spiritual apparatus, which had heavily shaken his cultivation foundation. Taking a pill to stabilize his cultivation, he reckoned that after steadying it for a year or a year and a half, his cultivation would reach perfection, and he could begin practicing secret arts. Only now did he finally have the leisure to sit down properly, sighing softly in his heart. *I had thought that after Wang Fu died, Changxiao harbored immense malice toward the Child of Destiny and would scheme against my clan, but that they would still play by the rules and make it a protracted contest. I never imagined that old bastard would be decisive and venomous to this degree.* Regarding the Li family's maneuvering at the Violet Palace level, aside from Li Ximing, he understood it better than anyone. This matter seemed to have been sparked by Xuanyue, but in truth, Changxiao had premeditated it all along. The family had simply failed to anticipate that Changxiao's resolve had reached such an extreme. Setting up a Violet Palace formation over the lake was not the work of a day or two, and Li Ximing would inevitably have had to reveal his whereabouts in the East Sea sooner or later. Even without Xuanyue, Changxiao would have used other means... Now, calming his thoughts, he sorted out the threads: "Changxiao's plotting did not begin the moment the Real Person broke through. I fear that from the very start, Ye Gui and Changxiao planned to boil the frog in warm water, killing me while keeping up appearances. But when the Real Person suddenly broke through, Ye Gui immediately wanted to extricate himself, forcing Changxiao to alter their plans and corner the Real Person first to slay him..." At present, with no news of Changxiao or Li Ximing, Li Zhouwei had no intention of leaving Beihai... This location had been meticulously chosen by him as well. The Dragon King of Beihai was a son of Dongfang You. Not only was he showered with favor and immensely powerful, but crucially, this Dragon King of Beihai was also the master of the White Dragon Branch and the father of Dingjiao, the [Clear-Sea Pure-Pond Jade-Bearing White Wyrm]! Back then, Li Zhouwei had accepted Dingjiao's request and facilitated the matter between the fox and the dragon. The White Dragon Branch's actions were certainly not without purpose; leaving aside sentiment and face, he still carried things that the White Dragon Branch sought to gain... There was nowhere safer than here. *Had I gone south, whether Hengzhu would use me in their contest to provoke Changxiao Gate is hard to say, and I would have fallen into someone else's grasp. Changxiao's methods are insidious, and Hengzhu's protection is far less reliable than dragon might.* *Hengzhu is on bad terms with both Jinyu and Qingchi, split by factional divides. The Real Person also mentioned this when visiting Real Person Yuanxiu, advising against going there rashly. On the contrary, now that I have entered Beihai, the dragonkin likely knew immediately, and perhaps there might even be a chance to meet.* Thus, having subjugated a few monsters along the way to serve as his hands and feet, Li Zhouwei silently took stock: "I killed Situ Mo and seized his magical apparatus... That fellow had quite a substantial fortune. A pity that Yunanzi's possessions were not safe to take... for fear of being divined... Otherwise, adding that old man's belongings would have been a truly massive windfall." Yet Situ Mo had been ordered about by various Violet Palaces, so whether his possessions were clean was equally uncertain. Keeping them inside a storage bag was fine, but taking them out might be another story. Furthermore, his own immortal foundation possessed an exceedingly formidable ability to suppress and seize magical apparatuses, allowing him to snatch several magical apparatuses from Changxiao Gate. Naturally, these items were unsuitable for personal use. Li Zhouwei had inspected them with the Immortal Mirror and found that a gourd magical apparatus of Fushui had remnant tracking formations carved onto its inner wall. It was truly a hot potato that he dared not take out. He planned to take advantage of his stay in Beihai to sort through everything and trade it all away. He summoned one of the monsters inside. The monsters of Beihai were more learned than those of the Southern Border, and also craftier. Yet once they had tasted human flesh, their dispositions were all similar: yielding to force rather than kindness, fearing might while scorning virtue. Making the monster kneel on the floor, he asked: "What kind of place is Changliu Gorge? Is there a market for trading spiritual goods?" The monster seemed to be some species of fish, its body clammy and dripping with water. It hurriedly replied: "Replying to Great King, at Changliu Gorge there is a Mount Changliu, and at the foot of the mountain lies a market. On the mountain resides a Violet Palace Real Person, said to be called Real Person Xiangchun. She has an exceptionally kind disposition, treating monsters and immortals alike without discrimination, and is also a close friend of the Beihai Dragon King... It is a rare privilege for us monsters in Beihai to have a market where we can trade..." "To think such a place exists..." Clarity dawned in Li Zhouwei's mind. He nodded and said: "No wonder you few possess some worldly knowledge and took pains early on to temper yourselves into semi-human forms. So you had a market where you could learn." These few Qi Refining monsters were naturally incapable of taking full human form; they had merely cultivated some arts meant for monster minions, making themselves half-human, half-beast. Monsters of higher bloodlines were too proud to cultivate such arts. Li Zhouwei simply said: "Then let us head toward the market." The monsters rowed the boat onward, while Li Zhouwei weighed the matter in his mind: *Real Person Xiangchun... Her mountain gate is in Beihai, on the border of Yinzhou, and she is acquainted with the Dragon King. Her standing and allegiance need no elaboration. I also heard the Real Person mention her before—no wonder she has a reputation for being an all-around good person; Mount Changliu is located right here. Perhaps... I can gather some information.* Sitting cross-legged on the boat, he closed his eyes and cultivated. After a while, he suddenly heard a commotion outside. His spiritual sense swept out at once. Several monsters clad in green robes stood before the boat, and from the prow came the timid, trembling voice of the toad monster: "Esteemed Lords... Esteemed Lords, please wait! Inside the boat is also a Great King. I cannot afford to neglect either side, and if this one is angered, you all might... might not be able to bear it either. Please exercise caution!" The green-robed monster had two long ribbons tied around his neck, a high nose, and bulging eyes. Though he had a distinctly domineering visage, his tone was not arrogant at all. Bowing with hands clasped, he said: "Fellow Daoist misunderstands... Please announce our arrival. We have come under orders to request an audience with the Great King." The toad monster was a coward by nature; to stand forward and utter those few words had already taken every ounce of courage he could muster. Without daring to question further, he hurriedly came trembling to report. The green-robed monster followed behind. Li Zhouwei understood what was happening and lifted the curtain of the boat cabin. His golden pupils swept across, instantly causing the monster opposite him to shudder slightly. Li Zhouwei asked casually: "Who is your master?" The green-robed monster hastily bowed and said respectfully: "Reporting to Great King, my master is the [Canghai Ningyuan Fenshui Dragon King], enfeoffed here in Beihai. He is currently resting on Mount Changliu and wishes to invite Great King over."