Li Ximing probed his surroundings for a while. Once certain that Tinglan had departed, he activated the Baoxiang Furnace to begin refining pills. With a sweep of the Measureless Water-Fire beneath the base of the furnace, numerous spiritual herbs flew in one after another, melting down in sequence.
For the Tianyi Exuding Essence Pill, one had to refine the spiritual materials eighteen thousand six hundred times with the Measureless Water-Fire. Not only was this flame the fire for refining the pill, but it was also one of the ingredients itself. He drew out another stream of spiritual fire woven of azure and indigo, casting it into the furnace.
This was originally an agonizing, grueling chore. Measureless Water-Fire was not meant for pill refining to begin with; it was like refining pills with Combined Fire—it would never rest until the materials were reduced to cinders. Yet another portion was already inside the furnace, which was practically like dropping burning embers onto a cotton quilt.
Li Ximing estimated that relying purely on his own efforts, he could only refine it once or twice in a shichen, taking two to four years in total, an extraordinary workload. And that was only because he had been accustomed to arduous, primitive alchemy methods since childhood; someone else might have taken even longer.
Yet Li Ximing possessed Gu Wind Fire Summoning, which could refine true essence and gave him mastery over flames. Giving it a try, it indeed proved effortless—he even had the spare attention to keep an eye on the true fire in the other furnace.
Once the spiritual liquid in the furnace had been refined eighteen thousand six hundred times and all the magical flames within had been kneaded and tempered into it, a hazy gray appeared at the bottom of the furnace, seemingly bearing signs of Female Water.
Li Ximing nourished it with the Measureless Water-Fire. Counting the days, less than half a year had passed.
"Alchemy methods like Tianyi Exuding Essence are actually quite suited to me."
On the other side, the River Midst Furnace had already turned a glowing crimson. Plumes of pill fragrance wafted out, a clear sign that the pills were on the verge of forming. Li Ximing hastily freed a hand and released brilliant light.
*Buzz!*
A petite, exquisite heavenly gate leapt out from his palm, complete with dragon banners, phoenix carriages, and intricate carvings. It hung suspended within the cave dwelling, radiating dazzling brilliance in all directions—it was none other than the true form of his divine ability, Audience at the Heavenly Gate!
The moment Audience at the Heavenly Gate emerged, prismatic light from the divine ability surged forth, cascading down like a waterfall. It climbed and condensed along the walls of the entire cave dwelling, sealing off every sound and fragrance from leaking out.
Li Ximing knew full well that this pill was extraordinary, so he naturally treated it with utmost care. Driving his divine ability at full power, he suppressed everything and surveyed the Great Void. Seeing no one spying and that Tinglan had not returned, he finally looked toward the furnace, keeping his other hand pressed upon the Baoxiang Furnace.
After all, while the Three Hou Shuxuan Fire could obediently nourish pills for him, Measureless Water-Fire had no such patience; he could not simply step away and leave the pill refining to itself as he had before.
*Crack!*
Dense cracks had already surfaced across the adjacent River Midst Furnace, spreading up the furnace walls like spiderwebs. Li Ximing pressed down with his divine ability as a layer of Mingyang magical power surged up to stabilize the furnace. Then came a resonant clang.
*Rumble!*
It was as if thunder had struck inside the cave dwelling. Following the crash was a swath of silvery-white radiance. Several points of luster leapt out of the furnace, darting quietly through the light, but how could they evade the divine ability's sweep? Joy surfaced on Li Ximing's face. He retrieved a jade box from his sleeve and commanded:
"Come!"
Instantly, all the silvery white surged over like flowing water, pouring into the soft cushion of the jade box. All the pure fragrance and colors vanished at once, leaving only three longan-sized pills resting inside the box.
These pills were milky white throughout, adorned with silver patterns of the clear moon and laurel, enveloped in gossamer threads of silvery-white brilliance. In the dim cave dwelling, they flickered like three shining stars, waxing and waning in brightness—a sight that delighted anyone who beheld them.
Li Ximing dared not touch them with his bare hands, nor did he dare pinch them with divine ability or magical power. He only used magical wind to lift them up, examining them with meticulous care.
*Breaking bottlenecks, calming the mind, clear cold-moon spiritual qi nourishing the magical body, extending lifespan, and holding the pill in one's mouth grants the protection of a strand of Taiyin Qi...*
Li Ximing had not refined these pills according to a set recipe. Unlike ordinary pills whose effects were known before they were even concocted, these pills had been attained through serendipity, so he could only deduce their general effects from their fragrance and the insights gained while refining them.
*The bottleneck-breaking effect of this pill is only mediocre for Mingyang, but it is nonetheless a Violet Palace-grade spiritual pill. The clear cold-moon spiritual qi nourishing the magical body... is useless for my Mingyang magical body.*
*Extending lifespan, however, is exceedingly rare—it carries a hint of pills forged from destiny. This is the first time in my life I've seen such a pill. As for that remaining strand of protection, its nature is impossible to fathom.*
*In any case, it is better than all the pills I have refined in my entire life. Perhaps once the Tianyi Exuding Essence Pill is finished, it might compare with this pill, but everything else is mere dross by comparison.*
He admired them closely. Just the two effects of bottleneck-breaking and extending lifespan were enough to make him treasure these pills beyond measure. He smiled inwardly:
*If the Xi clan of Chunyi Dao, who cultivate Taiyin, learned that I had such spiritual pills in my hands, wouldn't their eyes pop out of their sockets? Clear cold-moon spiritual qi nourishing the magical body, Taiyin Qi held in the mouth—the Xi clan would probably weep with excitement.*
*With such Taiyin sacred pills in hand, Chunyi Dao... I must find a way to get in touch with them.*
Li Ximing had a virtually inexhaustible supply of Taiyin Moon Splendor; even with high loss rates, refining Taiyin-natured spiritual pills was an easy feat. He promptly closed the jade box, and the cold, pure radiance vanished immediately. The cave dwelling fell dim once more, save for the dancing colors of the Measureless Water-Fire.
He swept his gaze across the cave dwelling with a grave expression, considering prudently:
*Since I refined such a Taiyin sacred medicine, by all rights a heavenly phenomenon should have appeared, altering the spiritual atmosphere here. Although I suppressed and sealed it with my divine ability, the spiritual atmosphere won't just vanish simply because it was contained. Once I dispel the divine ability, laurel blossoms mustn't bloom over the sea here, or I'll have no way to explain myself.*
Even out in the deserted Outer Sea, Li Ximing remained constantly vigilant against watchful eyes. He rummaged through his storage bag and produced a bright white flower.
This flower had been a congratulatory gift upon his breakthrough to the Violet Palace—a Taiyang spiritual item called the Taikui Flower. It was not particularly precious, but rather rare. Li Ximing's glabella flashed brightly as radiant light shone through and purple flames leapt up, swiftly dissolving this Taiyang spiritual item into dispersing rays.
"This way, it shouldn't be conspicuous."
With that, he dispelled his divine ability. Sure enough, looking outside, the moon was bright and the stars were sparse, with no other bizarre phenomena.
He locked the place with his divine ability again and cast a pained glance at the cracked River Midst Furnace, muttering under his breath:
"I won't be able to use this anymore in the future anyway. Its sentimental value far exceeds its practical use now. To repair it would require recasting, which would spoil the sentiment."
He simply put it away. Controlling the flame with one hand, he took out the Precious Scripture of Body Guarding Tiger Pass with the other to read. Three months passed before he finally noticed faint activity outside the cave dwelling. Looking closely, it was indeed Tinglan who had arrived; unwilling to disturb him, she was waiting outside.
Estimating that the time was about right, Li Ximing sent a voice transmission inviting her in. After dozens of breaths, she cautiously used an earth-burrowing technique to appear within the cave dwelling.
"Fellow Daoist Zhaojing?"
Li Ximing nodded with a smile and answered, "The refinement is already complete!"
Tinglan had thought she might be needed to lend a helping hand, so hearing this brought a look of shock to her face. She mused inwardly:
*It seems I underestimated this Real Person Zhaojing... He has only just broken through to the Violet Palace, yet his alchemy attainment already shows signs of eclipsing Old Real Person Sumian. Remarkable indeed. Then again... how could the first Real Person of an immortal clan to govern be an ordinary figure?*
*Sumian belongs to the Tongxuan lineage, and he's an old fellow who is gentle on the outside but cold-blooded within—far from trustworthy. Hengxing is overly calculating; one cannot afford to owe her favors. Tianhuo is too playful; he can drag out one year's work into five. Old Real Person Shen Yuming is well up in years. Li Ximing shielded Xuanyue through thick and thin, proving he honors his promises and possesses an honest, faithful nature. If I wish to refine pills in secret, I will certainly need him in the future.*
*What a pity he walks the Mingyang path... Who knows what he will become down the line. I still have word of that lifebound divine ability in my hands, though I don't know if it's suitable to speak of.*
Thus, having examined it carefully, she smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist is truly a master of alchemy. I have indeed underestimated you all along—my sincerest apologies!"
"You are too polite!"
With a gentle wave of Li Ximing's hand, the Baoxiang Furnace perched upon the fire shrank in size until he held it in his hand like an incense burner. He smiled and said, "After you!"
The two exited the cave dwelling together. Tinglan steered her purple cloud carriage, and the rabbit demon lifted the curtain for him, inviting him into the vehicle.
Slightly surprised, Li Ximing took a seat inside the immortal carriage. The interior was very simple and unadorned. An incense burner in the center held two burning pieces of golden, soft incense. Li Ximing held the Baoxiang Furnace in his hands, perfectly composed.
Tinglan remained silent for a moment to gather her thoughts before speaking:
"A few years ago, I sought out Ye Gui while he was cultivating in the South Sea. I asked him about a certain matter and later verified it with Zhu Gong. It concerns Kong Haiying."
"Back then, the one in secluded cultivation at Mount Xuanyue attempting the breakthrough was unquestionably Kong Haiying."
Li Ximing choked slightly. Back then, he had personally verified that the aura of the one in secluded cultivation within the cave dwelling belonged to Fu En. As he pondered, Tinglan continued:
"I... went to see Kong Guxi. They had mistaken both Fu En's and Kong Haiying's soul lamps. Kong Haiying's seclusion lasted far longer than any of us thought. The subsequent occasions when he appeared before the Kong clan juniors were all Fu En in disguise, and the magical artifact Fu En blood-refined belonged to Kong Haiying."
Li Ximing's expression darkened. Tinglan went on:
"It is no surprise that Fellow Daoist Zhaojing was mistaken, because what they told you was false to begin with. The only one present who had seen Kong Haiying was that old man, Kong Guli, whose memories had been wiped. The other elders had all fallen over time. Senior Changxi miscalculated only with an elder named Kong Yu—luckily, he took his own life on the spot."
Her words were chilling, and a look of shock lingered in her eyes.
"Senior Changxi made arrangements long in advance to scramble their identities, perhaps originally intending to prepare a scapegoat. Perhaps, after all, Kong Haiying had visited Douxuan back then."
Tinglan phrased it ambiguously, but in his silence, Li Ximing grasped what was left unsaid.
Ye Gui had seen Kong Haiying in person; what point was there in a scapegoat? Would Ye Gui not see Kong Haiying with his own eyes? Then there was only one final possibility.
Real Person Changxi had coldly delivered Kong Haiying into Ye Gui's hands—and had even kindly masked him as Fu En for Ye Gui and Li Ximing's sakes.
Although Li Ximing was not as adept at plotting as they were, now that the truth was laid bare before him, he was hardly blind to it:
*After Changxi died, Ye Gui was bound to raise his butcher's blade against the Kong clan. Kong Haiying had to die—not only did he bear a vendetta for the slaughter of his wife and clan, but he also held secrets of the Douxuan lineage. If he lived, whoever harbored the Kong clan would never feel at ease, nor would they be willing to offend Ye Gui.*
*Only when Kong Haiying was dead would Ye Gui be willing to stay his blade and weigh whether continuing to persecute the Kong clan was worth the trouble. Back then, Ye Gui's attitude toward me improved considerably, believing I had made a concession—and this was precisely the reason!*
*Thus, Changxi's choice had been ice-cold from start to finish. Kong Haiying was in seclusion at Mount Xuanyue; if he succeeded before the time bought by Changxi's death ran out, then all would be well. But if he failed, he would become the compensatory offering Changxi delivered into Ye Gui's hands.*
*Scrambling the two's identities had likely been an idle move plotted early on, allowing Xuanyue room to advance or retreat, while also confusing the outside world and lowering their guard against Kong Haiying. Who could have foreseen that Kong Haiying would fail to overcome his inner demons and remain sunken in despair for so long, failing to meet expectations?*
*Later, when that move lost its major utility, it was still used to add weight to my calculations—after all, to my eyes, it was Fu En who had died, while Kong Haiying remained hidden in some corner with great hope of breaking through to the Violet Palace.*
*No wonder that back then, when I saw that cultivator's cultivation was so profound, he did not resemble a guest elder like Fu En—he was Kong Haiying himself all along!*
*In the end, Kong Haiying, whom I thought was somewhere out of reach, had in truth been handed over by my own hands to stretch out his neck for slaughter!*
Li Ximing felt both a chill and profound shock in his heart. For a long time, he could not speak. He let out a long sigh and answered:
"Real Person Changxi... regardless of how great his divine ability was, in his posthumous arrangements—cruel, callous, manipulative, or deceitful—he went to any length to preserve his clan and sect... He can face his ancestors without shame."
Seeing that he had pieced together the entire thread of events, Tinglan murmured softly:
"As for his feelings when reflecting upon Kong Haiying and Kong Yu—whether he shed tears or felt grief and shame—only Senior himself knew in his heart. Did Kong Haiying know while in seclusion? Did he tacitly accept it? As for his failure to overcome his inner demons, could Senior Changxi have played a part in that as well?"
Her words struck a chill through Li Ximing's heart. He said in a low voice:
"Real Person Changxi... though he calculated much against me, he also taught me a great deal. He remains worthy of admiration."
Tinglan's eyes stared quietly ahead as the two autumn-yellow lines at the corners of her eyes lit up. Resting her chin on her hand, she looked out the window and said softly:
"He is indeed admirable. After all, before a Violet Palace cultivator attains their lifebound divine ability, they often retain many attachments to the mortal world. Once the lifebound divine ability is accomplished—especially an Earth Virtue lifebound divine ability—all of it is gradually let go. Be it sect or clan, they are merely tools; be it Daoist lineage or master and disciple, they are merely steps to ascend into immortality."
"The Violet Palace cultivators of certain paths... either pursue immortality single-mindedly or become tyrannical and unrestrained; the only word left to describe them is terrifying. Fellow Daoist Zhaojing, 'Clear Illumination Heart' is by no means a divine ability of good repute."
The woman's voice echoed within the immortal carriage. The incense burner in the center released a faintly cool scent, identical to the fragrance upon her person, making one feel as though transported into an autumn breeze sweeping across rice paddies. Tinglan's mask of glib flatteries suddenly fell away, revealing an inexplicable trace of sorrow:
"Fellow Daoist Zhaojing, you broke through your ignorance in merely a few years, and then immediately shattered boundless illusions; you are truly formidable. That was the karmic hindrance of compromising for preservation, yet to perceive the minds of others is to perceive their demonic obstacles—it is entirely different. Before Emperor Taizu of Wei attained the Dao, Mingyang was not bright and upright either, and traces of Linchan remain to this day. Do you have the confidence to uphold your lifebound divine ability?"
Chapter 827