Qijin

The effect of the Sovereign's Imperial Mandate secret method was to enhance awe-inspiring authority and command others. Though its efficacy was limited, commanding and directing mortals or low-level cultivators posed no problem... As for the other two secret methods, while he had made progress, neither was complete, showing no noticeable effects and proving of little practical use. Yet secret methods were never Daoist arts meant to bolster martial combat in the first place; he estimated that even if all nine were mastered to perfection, their aid in battle would still pale beside a single Jiazi Soul-Refining Halberd Art. After brief contemplation, Li Zhouwei suppressed his doubts, resolved to ask Li Qinghong about it again, and settled his mind to enter secluded cultivation. Cultivating Yangyuan was not difficult. Time slipped by in a flash. A faint tremor came from outside the cave dwelling, and he slowly opened his eyes. From outside came Yuanzi's respectful voice: "Reporting to My Lord, the Yingshou clan has personally reported that the magical artifact has been reforged. They respectfully invite My Lord to inspect it." The stone doors of the cave dwelling rumbled open. Li Zhouwei turned into a ray of light, rising and manifesting beside her. Yuanzi bowed to lead the way. The old Daoist followed deferentially as before, accompanied by a youth wearing a silver crown and feather robe. He appeared to be a cultivator of the Xi family of Beihai, not daring to speak out of turn, trailing submissively with lowered eyes. Li Zhouwei deliberately slowed his pace, but the youth hesitated to speak. Only when Li Zhouwei stepped onto the ritual platform did the young man seize the opportunity, saying: "Xi Nanqing of Xiaoyun Abbey pays respects to My Lord." Li Zhouwei gave a noncommittal hum. As he stepped into the carriage, he glanced back at him through the gap and lifted a corner of the curtain slightly, replying: "The Xi family of Beihai has cultivated thunder for generations; all are of the righteous path. We should interact more often." Xi Nanqing murmured an acknowledgment, having nothing more to say. The carriage swayed as it rode the lightning upward, ascending through layers of mist and clouds. Li Zhouwei looked down; the throng of Daoists on the mountain dispersed in an orderly fashion, while the old Daoist carried out the prayer mats, table pads, and similar furnishings from the cave dwelling to distribute among several middle-aged cultivators nearby—all likely elderly and without heirs. Withdrawing his gaze, he saw the purple-white radiance of the Thunder Pool emerging through the clouds. Thick black mist roiled, as if boundless lightning brewed within, exuding a perilous, oppressive aura. Retracing his previous path across the thunderous liquid, he entered and ascended the silvery-white pavilion. Li Qinghong sat in her original seat, her long hair now draped loosely over her shoulders. On the low table rested an additional blue-gold gourd. The woman's pale purple eyes fixed on him, and she smiled: "Minghuang, take a look at this artifact." Li Zhouwei took his seat and lightly weighed the gourd in his hand; it felt substantially heavier. Li Qinghong said: "It aligns closely with earlier projections. This artifact converted Lu into He, patched with the Qijin of Tangbu Xinjin. It is heavier by fourteen jin and seven liang, and it gained the ability to imbue attacks with He Water to corrode an enemy's magical power—far more formidable than before. The Yingshou clan came here to construct formations; whether in artifact-crafting techniques or Dao cultivation, they are first-rate. This was no casual touch-up or polish; even if its former owner stood before it, they wouldn't recognize it. "He Water is the destination of a hundred surging rivers, and with the addition of Tangbu Xinjin—Qijin being the metal of gathering and preservation—it can now accommodate spiritual water, holding and nurturing it within the gourd to delay the dissipation of spiritual energy. Talisman waters produced by certain Immortal Foundations can be stored within it." "Thank you, My Lady!" Li Zhouwei nodded repeatedly as he listened, accepted it, and stowed it into his sleeve. After expressing his gratitude, he said: "Qijin is indeed peculiar. I have rarely seen it in the inland. If it is a metal of storage and containment, I wager several artifacts at home capable of storing spiritual items were also tempered with it." Li Qinghong smiled faintly and replied: "Though I do not cultivate Metal Virtue, I have read some secret archives in recent days. Your guess is nine parts out of ten correct. Qijin is scarce nowadays, which is why ancient artifacts could often preserve spiritual items, whereas modern artifacts mostly cannot. "Speaking of this... the matter of the Three Metals troubled our family for a long time. Even when Water Virtue was not fully attained, it was still referred to as the Five Waters. Why is Metal referred to as the Three Metals? Brother Jiao and I studied it in private several times to no avail. I asked about it... "It turns out there are occupants on both of those fruit positions, and both reside beyond the heavens in conditions difficult to describe. What the dragons meant was... those two paths are merely exceedingly difficult to cultivate and impossible to attain, leading to today's awkward, limbo state. "Although spiritual materials of these two paths are occasionally seen inland and overseas, Foundation Establishment cultivators practicing them are pitifully few. Violet Palace-grade spiritual materials no longer appear in the world; they can only be passed down from antiquity or extracted from ancient artifacts... As for Violet Palace cultivators of these two paths... I hear there have been fewer than ten over the past millennium. All were peerless prodigies who mistakenly strayed down these dead ends, ultimately languishing and dying in early-stage Violet Palace. Only one remains in the world today." Li Zhouwei felt a flicker of doubt and replied: "I have heard that between various methods, there are ways to transform and refine—such as dissolving Lu to form He Water, or borrowing Geng through Dui. Could these two forms of Metal Virtue be obtained through similar means?" Li Qinghong shook her head: "That remains unknown." Li Zhouwei fell into thought, remembering the matter of the Jiang family. He mused inwardly: *No wonder... No wonder the Wang family's Real Person went so far as to destroy an ancient spiritual tool just to obtain Liuxin Qijin... Its empty shell remains at home. It turns out Qijin is no longer born in this world... The Wang family possesses Xiaojin in this era; if a transformation method existed, which kind could they not produce? Why travel thousands of li just to ruin an ancient spiritual tool? If even the Wang family could not do it, then it likely cannot be converted at all.* His thoughts cleared, feeling he had gained much insight, and he nodded: "No wonder it is said that when Three Metals manifest in the world, Metal Virtue is fully realized. Seen from this perspective, it truly is complete." Over a cup of tea, Li Zhouwei asked: "There is one more matter I must consult My Lady about... Do you know anything about secret methods? Are there precedents of someone reaching late-stage Foundation Establishment and already possessing notable attainment in a secret method?" Li Zhouwei knew that asking Li Qinghong was essentially asking the dragons. Fortunately, he carried a karmic mandate, which the dragons knew as well, giving him the boldness to inquire. To his surprise, Li Qinghong was taken aback and shook her head, replying: "I have never cultivated a secret method myself, so naturally I know nothing of such matters." Li Zhouwei could only drop the subject. After chatting a while longer in the Thunder Pool, he finally rose to bid farewell, saying: "I owe much to My Lady this time. On my way back, I will bypass the Reef Sea, exchange for the artifact at Tai'e Island, and then follow the currents down to the Zhulu Sea to trade for cultivation resources before returning to the vicinity of Zongquan Island for secluded cultivation." Li Qinghong nodded and saw him out of the pavilion, saying softly: "The Old Master is advanced in years; please urge him to take care of his health. Bound to this pool, I cannot tear myself away, though I miss him dearly as well... I have cultivated a thunder body; if a torrential storm brings forth lightning flickering across the surface of Lake Wangyue, take it as me visiting Eldest Uncle." "Junior will certainly pass on your words." Walking all the way to the edge of the Thunder Pool, her vermilion lips parted slightly. She hesitated, seemingly wishing to impart some words of advice, yet constrained by her station, she swallowed them back in the end. Seeing this, Li Zhouwei bowed deeply. Making neither promises nor oaths, he raised his light and departed westward. ... Lake Wangyue. The morning glow rose as usual. A crimson-clad young man stood high upon a pavilion, gazing across the entire lake and isles. Behind him stood a bowed young man in black robes, looking only a few years older than him, a sword at his waist, demeanor exceedingly deferential. The crimson-clad youth slowly withdrew his gaze and let his eyes fall on the brief letter in his hand. His brow furrowed slightly, revealing a touch of chilling disdain, and he murmured: "Kong Guli is dead..." The young man behind him looked calm. He bowed and replied: "Subordinate also received the news... Muquan Gate is staging quite a grand affair. I fear we will still need to send someone over." It had only been a few years since the Kong family submitted to Muquan Gate when the turmoil in the East Sea erupted. As one of the two surviving elders of the Kong family, Kong Guli had been entrusted with heavy responsibilities in the East Sea and was sent by Muquan Gate to reinforce Ziyan, only to be ambushed along the way by Chunyi Dao and perish midway. When the news reached home, Kong Guxi wailed bitterly. Yet before he could shed many tears, Master Zhugong personally went to Chunyi Dao to cause trouble for Real Person Guanghou. After stirring up trouble for several days, he returned and promoted Kong Xiaxiang to a high-ranking protector, bestowing several direct-line marriage pacts as compensation. Kong Guli's funeral was conducted with immense fanfare and treated with the highest honors. The old man's descendants were nearly wiped out, so they found the youngest youth of Kong lineage, whom Master Zhugong personally accepted as a disciple, inviting various families to offer condolences and observe the ceremony. These grand maneuvers had unfolded over several days, and Li Jiangqian had followed them closely. Folding the letter in his hand, he shook his head: "Chen Yang, our condolence delegation must be grand. Muquan Gate wants to tighten its ties with the Kong family to an inseparable degree, so our Li family must avoid suspicion all the more. You will need to personally lead the party." He instructed: "You must also be mindful... do not engage in idle talk with the Kong family members. Kong Guxi will not seek you out. As our family is now of the Violet Palace tier, neither will they commit any shameful act to sever ties—they will only give you the cold shoulder." "Subordinate understands!" Going to Muquan Gate was truly no easy task. Li Jiangqian remained wary that the Xuanmu lineage might drive a wedge between the Li and Kong families, forcing the Kongs to cling desperately to Muquan Gate's coattails. If someone with a rigid temperament like Ding Weizeng went, sparks might fly. Cui Jueyin's status was peculiar, while Chen Yang had always been thorough in his work and shrewd in thought—entrusting the mission to him was most fitting. Chen Yang took his leave upon receiving the order. Li Jiangqian remained standing on the high terrace. After waiting a short while, he saw Cui Jueyin ascend from below, bow, and present a jade slip with both hands, saying respectfully: "Reporting to the Family Head, regarding the Dao Academy established in Milin earlier, many mortal kinsmen have entered to study. An examination was held over the past few days, and results are now in. "Even among mortals reading Daoist scriptures, there are differing talents for study. Some, though unable to cultivate, can thoroughly grasp Daoist teachings; others are diligent and manage to master a thing or two; still others received guidance from cultivators arranged by their households and achieved some measure of success..." Li Jiangqian frowned: "With guidance from cultivators, why would they need to come to Milin to study the Dao?" Cui Jueyin answered with slight awkwardness: "The family originally established the Milin Dao Academy for impoverished kinsmen, but in the few months since its founding, most clansmen have sent their children to study... For one, the cultivators at home have little leisure to instruct them; for another... they cannot teach very much anyway." Li Jiangqian paused in surprise and shook his head: "I gave them too much credit." When it came down to Daoist methods, ordinary rogue cultivators knew only a spell or two. Unless the family's guest retainers knew talisman crafting, spiritual farming, alchemy, or artifact refinement, even at Qi Refinement they had little profound attainment to speak of. Only upon reaching Foundation Establishment and forging an Immortal Foundation did one naturally gain clarity in observing heaven and earth. Although the Li family was an immortal clan rich in Daoist texts, even direct-line members had to reach Qi Refinement before possessing any real attainment. Among the few Qi Refinement cultivators at home, only the brothers Li Zhoufang and Li Zhouyang had some free time; no matter how deeply those two cared for the clan's youth, they could hardly cast aside their own cultivation to teach mortals. Therefore, that so many sought learning at Milin Dao Academy was both unexpected and reasonable. Li Jiangqian smiled and shook his head, saying: "It is an unexpected boon after all; it can also dissolve some of the estrangement that had begun forming between the various courtyards... Group these children into batches... pair those from different branches who are unfamiliar with each other, separate those from the same courtyard, and let them get well acquainted..." Never missing an opportunity, he made slight adjustments. Cui Jueyin noted them down carefully and continued: "A few indeed possess quite a good understanding of Daoist methods, often making astonishing remarks. Yet unable to cultivate, any amount of talent is wasted." Li Jiangqian raised his brows, musing inwardly: *Talisman seeds possess the capacity to awaken spirit apertures... Perhaps these children could seek one... Unfortunately, by the time such talent reveals itself, who knows how long it will take—far past age six, and their inability to cultivate has long been laid bare... It is of little use... Forget it. If someone truly possessed extraordinary aptitude like Que Wan, the talisman seed would naturally respond...* He waved his hand to dismiss Cui Jueyin. Suddenly, he noticed clear qi floating up into the zenith—delicate strands sweeping away the clouds to reveal the azure sky, soft and gentle. After flickering for only a brief moment, it swiftly waned. Li Jiangqian pondered, observing carefully: "Such a celestial sign is something I have never seen before." Before long, someone arrived to report, bowing before him and speaking respectfully: "Reporting to My Lord, Old Master Tian Zhongqing of the Tian clan failed his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment; his body has perished and his Dao has dissipated." Li Jiangqian was struck with realization and shook his head: "So it was a failure in attempting Foundation Establishment through Clear Qi... On the entire lake, this old gentleman was the sole cultivator attempting Foundation Establishment with Clear Qi... In the impoverished years of the lake, he practiced the Clear Qi lineage. He was too advanced in age; although he later switched cultivation methods, it was ultimately too late." For a moment, a look of genuine lamentation appeared on his face: "To think he held out for so long. Though Juxin Chongxuan benefits the immortal path and secluded cultivation, and clarifies the twelve qis, granting him many advantages, he was still a step short in the end... If he had cultivated a third- or fourth-grade method early on and had more resources, allowing him to be ten or twenty years younger, he would still have had a chance. "In the early days, though our family lacked geniuses, several managers of other surnames were quite capable. What a pity..." The Jade Court Guard member bowed and swiftly withdrew. Li Jiangqian pondered on the platform for a while. Soon after, someone from Qingdu arrived and reported: "Old Master Tian left behind final words requesting his mortal remains be buried beside the Meichi River at Lijing Manor. It is heard that Elder Chen wept upon receiving the news, and Master Li Wen and Old Master An have both set out." Old Man Tian Zhongqing's grandaunt had been the wife of Duke Xiangping; he himself had to address Li Xuanfeng as first cousin-uncle. His status was prominent, and he was a meritorious elder from the clan's rise. Li Jiangqian sighed deeply and answered: "Send condolences and gifts to the Tian family. I recall the old master's line of sons ended without heirs, and the one currently managing the Tian family is called... Tian Ling, is it? He is also at Qi Refinement now. Though a nephew by generation, he served him like a father. Bestow the rewards upon him." He then waved his hand to dismiss the attendant, stepped down from the high terrace, and said: "I will go in person."