Portents

Lake Wangyue. As the days slipped by, the situation in Jiangbei grew increasingly tense. Though the surface of the lake remained calm, the clan's upper echelon was swept up in busy, anxious preparations. More and more people hurried in and out of the main hall. In particular, Qu Bushi, who had suddenly been entrusted with great responsibility, was on his feet from morning till night without a moment's rest. Li Jiangqian sent his attendants off with instructions and waited inside the main hall for a long while. At last, Wang Quwan entered from outside. A blue-and-gold treasured sword hung from his waist. Solid and composed, with a posture like an upright pine or cypress, he inspired admiration at first glance. Li Jiangqian glanced at him and asked with cordial warmth: "How are your injuries? Have you had Guest Official Sun take a look?" Wang Quwan cupped his hands and replied: "Reporting to the Clan Head, I have been convalescing precisely according to Guest Official Sun's instructions. In the past few days, I had him examine me again before finally leaving my cave dwelling." The wounds he had suffered in Jiangbei were not severe, and after this period of recuperation, he had virtually made a full recovery. Li Jiangqian nodded and inquired: "Is there any news from Daoist Shouding of Mount Jingyi?" At the mention of this matter, Wang Quwan felt terribly embarrassed. That Daoist Shouding had returned alongside him, yet fearing an ambush along the way, he had not dared return to Mount Jingyi. Instead, he burrowed into one of the Li family's cave dwellings, went into seclusion in a single breath, and stubbornly refused to leave, never once showing his face. The Li family certainly did not lack for a single cave dwelling, but Wang Quwan knew what was appropriate. The relationship between the two lineages was not particularly close, and living under another's roof meant he ought to tread carefully at every turn. As the one who had brought Shouding back, seeing his guest linger shamelessly made him feel both anxious and mortified. He replied: "This subordinate inquired several times and also borrowed his seal to write letters to Mount Jingyi. At first, there were still some replies discussing who should be dispatched to fetch him. Who would have thought that a few months ago, all contact was suddenly cut off? Letter after letter has vanished without an echo... "To trouble the lake so, this subordinate is deeply uneasy. I am willing to pay the rent for his cave dwelling on his behalf..." Li Jiangqian nodded with keen interest. He naturally understood why Mount Jingyi had suddenly gone silent over the past few months. He thought to himself: *How could they possibly dare write back?* As a power based in the Eastern Sea, the Xuanyi Dao lineage certainly did not have intelligence as well-informed as the Li family regarding Jiangbei. At most, they only knew that a True Monarch was soon to arrive. Now, an insignia belonging to the Mifan Dao lineage had cropped up, and Shouding happened to practice that very lineage. With such an obvious, nontrivial connection staring them in the face, they had long been terrified out of their wits! *If Shouding were to strut openly out of Jiangbei right now, it is entirely possible that not even the people of Chunyi Dao would dare ambush him. And if he reached the foot of Mount Jingyi, Xuanyi would not dare open the mountain gates for him.* *After all, Luoxia still maintains a shred of propriety toward domestic forces within the realm, dispatching someone to read out a decree. But those overseas are demonic cultivators, and Mount Jingyi's entire sect cultivates the virtues of Earth... If the True Monarch's reincarnation were to slap Xuanyi across the face, Xuanyi would have to lean forward and offer the other cheek, terrified the monarch might not have had his fill of amusement.* At this moment, Li Jiangqian felt that his clan's upright and righteous reputation still carried some weight; at the very least, great powers cared about their dignity and placed stock in pedigree and background. Noticing Wang Quwan's slight unease, Li Jiangqian smiled and said: "Guardian Wang, why the excessive modesty? We are all family here. Guest Official Sun was once a capable right-hand man beneath Real Person Changxi of the Xuanyue Dao lineage; his medical skills are formidable." He paused briefly and steered the conversation toward the Xuanyue Dao lineage, speaking leisurely as he recounted the story of the One-Incense-Stick Clan. Wang Quwan listened, dumbfounded, nearly suspecting Li Jiangqian was making sport of him. Yet he saw Li Jiangqian continue: "The Lihuo Spear of back then, who later became Real Person Chu, was an identical case." Speaking of Xuanyue, that had been an exalted Violet Palace sect. Though it was now in decline, its descendants remained honored guests of the Real Persons. To Wang Quwan, that was far too distant. But when Chu Yi, the Lihuo Spear, had journeyed north through Jiangbei in those years, the Wang family certainly kept records of it. Understanding dawned in Wang Quwan's mind, and he replied: "So that was how it was... Real Person Chu was also the reincarnation of a True Monarch... No wonder he could break through to the Violet Palace in the midst of battle..." Hearing these words, Li Jiangqian could only shake his head with a touch of helplessness, answering: "'In the midst of battle' and 'breaking through to the Violet Palace' are two concepts that cannot be linked. No matter how brilliant the prodigy, it is impossible—it was merely a True Monarch amusing himself. The reason I summoned you today is that a True Monarch is about to reincarnate into Jiangbei." He paused, then added: "It was conveyed by an immortal decree from the north." Dealing with Wang Quwan was an exceedingly thorny dilemma. Ding Weizeng's Ding family had suffered persecution and was not populous; they had already migrated to the lake. Among the remaining local Jiangbei cultivators, the one with the highest prestige was Wang Quwan. The direct bloodline of the Jiangbei Wang clan numbered in the tens of thousands, scattered across various regions of Jiangbei, and quite a few Jiangbei sects harbored members of their clan. Attempting to protect the entire Jiangbei Wang clan was simply unrealistic. What was even more fatal was that the mortal scions of the Jiangbei Wang clan were either local squires or gentry, serving as pillars of local stability. In ordinary times, they were the common folk spoken of by the immortal sects. But once a True Monarch reincarnated, the very first stepping stones to be crushed were precisely this group. Tracing upward from these mortals would quickly lead to cultivators. Wang Quwan's clan members were distributed across the east and north; following the vines to reach the melon, the trail might very well lead straight to Wang Quwan! A True Monarch's reincarnation paid no heed to reason. After kicking aside the landlords associated with the Wang clan, he might slaughter his way all the way to the riverside, causing the Li family profound embarrassment. Li Jiangqian still hoped to preserve Wang Quwan. It was not because of the resources the Li family had spent to win him over and groom him over the years, but solely because of that fragment inside the secret vault. Yet the extent to which he could protect him was strictly bounded. Li Jiangqian could never endanger his own clan's survival for the sake of this single man. Weighing his words as he observed the other man's stunned expression, he said softly: "Those in my family who know of this matter do not exceed the fingers on one hand. The reason I inform you of this is that the Jiangbei Wang clan is too deeply entangled. If arrangements are not made early, you will inevitably suffer calamity." Sweat broke out on Wang Quwan's brow at once. Li Jiangqian continued: "As matters stand, preserving yourself and relocating your clan is the best choice... Once the True Monarch departs, it will not be too late to return to Jiangbei." Deep down, Li Jiangqian genuinely hoped Wang Quwan would choose this course. Wang Quwan was unlike many of the family's other guest officials and guardians. The Wang clan possessed immense sway in Jiangbei, backed by a sprawling lineage. It was inconvenient for the Li family to cross the river and intervene, while Wang Quwan harbored no genuine desire to commit himself fully to the lake, thus never truly becoming a core confidant of the Li family... If they could use an event like this to weaken Wang Quwan's ties to the Wang clan and draw Wang Quyu and the others to the lake, the situation would become entirely different. Yet Wang Quwan pondered the matter repeatedly before murmuring in a low voice: "The Jiangbei Wang clan ties tens of thousands of lives together. Quwan cannot simply stand by and watch. Moreover, if a True Monarch is to reincarnate, there is also the possibility that he may be born a scion bearing the surname Wang. Abandoning them today to enter the lake would leave hidden dangers for the future. "In this subordinate's humble opinion, ties of blood cannot be cleanly severed even if one wishes to. It is impossible to relocate every last child of the Wang clan to the lake. Yet if even a single stray makes a mistake, in the eyes of the True Monarch, it will be the fault of the entire clan, and disaster will fall upon us all." Whether blood ties could be cleanly severed depended on the person, but given Wang Quwan's character, doing so would be harder than taking his life. Hearing his reply, Li Jiangqian also felt misgivings, sighing inwardly: *This man... truly has a blessed karmic destiny...* Evidently, since Wang Quwan insisted on sharing life and death with the Jiangbei Wang clan, it entailed immense risk. Right now, Li Jiangqian could neither tie him down by force nor bind him, leaving room only to cultivate goodwill. *So this is the work of karmic mandate. Wang Quwan's destiny was probably intertwined with the True Monarch's reincarnation from the very beginning. Now, as the day draws nearer, it forces my hand to let him go to Jiangbei to play the role he was meant to play. Marvelous... truly marvelous beyond words.* Li Jiangqian could only say: "Since your mind is made up, I shall demote you to Jiangbei. No matter what occurs in Funan, you need not concern yourself with it; simply make your way straight to your Wang clan. Say nothing of what should not be spoken, or utter ruin will follow. More than one Real Person is watching from the Great Void." Wang Quwan bowed slightly and said respectfully: "This subordinate shall set out immediately to garrison Jiangbei for six years. Once the time is up, I shall return to the lake to report." Li Jiangqian gave a heavy shake of his head and watched him depart. Below, he heard Qu Bushi approach to report. The old man said in a low voice: "Reporting to the Clan Head, a letter has arrived from the north. They have already set out for Funan." Li Jiangqian reined in his thoughts, nodded silently, and instructed: "White Ape..." He had only spoken half a phrase when he looked up thoughtfully. Outside the hall, a radiant, shimmering firelight descended. Stepping through the void came a woman. The female cultivator wore a long crimson dress. Her features were striking, bright, and enchanting. Riding a blazing true fire, she carried a hexagonal lantern in her hand, within which a plume of feather-like flame flickered softly. She wore a faint smile. Li Jiangqian hurriedly rose to his feet and greeted: "Greetings, Great-Aunt. Congratulations to my Lady on emerging from seclusion and advancing further in your cultivation!" Li Minggong returned the smile. Behind her followed a tall, white-haired old man clad in stone armor—none other than White Ape. A double blessing had arrived. Li Jiangqian let out a quiet breath. Li Minggong waved her hand to dismiss Qu Bushi and said seriously: "It should not have taken this long to heal my injuries. But my cultivation was refined, and encountering this Juxin Chongxuan, which flourishes the fire virtue and aids in breaking through in seclusion, I felt an epiphany and broke through to the mid Foundation Establishment stage. Thanks to some luck, my foundation was initially unsteady, so I spent extra time consolidating my cultivation." "So that was how it was!" Li Jiangqian offered a few words of congratulations. Li Minggong said with utter solemnity: "Now is not the time for congratulations. Upon emerging from seclusion, I first paid my respects to the Elder Sire. Hearing him describe the current trouble, I immediately came looking for you. How have you arranged the manpower for the riverbank?" Li Jiangqian quickly organized his thoughts and answered at once: "Guardian Ding harbors quite a bit of resentment toward Duxian, so I left him on the northern bank... Guardian Cui is garrisoning the eastern bank, while the rest shall cross the river with me to spar with Duxian... The Embryonic Breathing cultivators at home need not go, but the Qi Refinement cultivators may follow along to spar; it can serve as a form of tempering for them. "Both sides have been instructed that for now, this is merely a probing confrontation. Under no circumstances should anyone deliver a fatal blow, lest blood be drawn and ignite a far greater catastrophe..." The matter of the True Monarch naturally could not be spoken of casually, so this excuse was reasonably sound. Li Minggong nodded and pondered: "It is best that Ding Weizeng not participate. The Ding family was persecuted by Wenhu back then, with seven or eight out of ten dead, and was uprooted entirely. Though the clan has migrated here, who knows if there are still blood descendants left in Jiangbei; it is unsuitable for him to get involved. "Miaoshui and Qu Bushi are rogue cultivators..." As Li Minggong was pondering, Li Jiangqian suddenly reminded her: "On the eastern bank, there are also two demonic cultivators whose cultivation has been sealed... surnamed Wen, who migrated here from the Eastern Sea. They have been tending the furnaces on the mountain for many years now. Those two originate from the Eastern Sea, so they are harmless... If Great-Aunt has misgivings, I can dispose of them." Li Minggong shook her head, the hexagonal lantern in her hand swaying slightly as she replied: "There is no need for that... Who could have foreseen that after so much has transpired, we would end up joining forces with Duxian Dao? If their sect truly has a rift with Changxiao, so be it. I only fear that Real Person is cunning, deliberately saying such things to seize upon our current moment of weakness and hatch some other conspiracy." A thoughtful expression appeared on Li Jiangqian's face, but the woman in court robes said: "Worrying excessively now serves no purpose. You and I shall proceed to the river together." *** Qingchi Peak was shrouded in white mist and swirling clouds. This place was the central hub of the Qingchi Sect's Tianyuan Unified Spirit Array. It ought to have been a realm where the spiritual energy remained unchanged day after day, yet now a touch of chill had crept into the air. A flurry of frost and white snow swept across the scene, coming to rest before the cave dwelling before coalescing into a woman in white robes. Her features were breathtakingly beautiful, and the scent of pine drifted outward. Taking a step forward, she announced clearly: "Junior Ning Wan seeks an audience with Senior Si!" Ning Wan was a Qingchi cultivator. Her breakthrough had not been ostentatiously proclaimed to the world, nor had she yet assembled the cultivators to offer congratulations. Instead, she had traveled straight to this main peak to pay respects to Yuanxiu. After she waited a short while, an aged voice drifted forth: "Wan'er has emerged from seclusion. Please, come inside." Ning Wan's form dispersed into white snow, reappearing over the grand pool of clear, jade-green water that shimmered like a gem. The six ornate jade seats carved from green nephrite appeared all the more pure and bright amid the cold snow. Beside them sat a decrepit old man whose face was covered in a dense, layered thicket of wrinkles, as hideous as old tree bark. His eyes seemed somewhat vacant. Ning Wan did not sit beside him, but instead took a seat at the third spot from the end. One of them did not occupy the primary seat, while the other sat spaced apart on the same side, creating an awkward distance. It seemed as though each of these six jade seats had its own master. Unlike other Violet Palace cultivators who often concealed their aged appearance, Yuanxiu made no attempt to hide his. He said in a raspy voice: "My warmest congratulations. "Earlier, I mentioned to Senior Brother that you had entered seclusion too early, and that it was a pity you would not be able to use the spirit pills Yuanli and Xuanfeng obtained in Anhuai Heaven. Yet he paid me no heed. He must have known your success was already assured." The relationship between the senior-junior brothers Yuanxiu and Yuansu was complicated. In their early years, they had been close, but later had parted ways. Ning Wan found it difficult to say much, only replying: "The Real Person still had a spirit pill obtained in his earlier years... so he had me ingest it. It was also due to my good fortune that I succeeded." Yuanxiu let out a snorting laugh and replied: "When Chi Wei asked him, he kept a cold face and claimed he had obtained nothing. It truly was a lie. If Yuansu had not held a spirit treasure in his hands and Chi Wei had not been on the brink of death, who knows what measures he might have taken." The dense spiritual energy mingled with dharmic light, illuminating the entire cave dwelling with dazzling radiance and reflecting Ning Wan's breathtaking grace. She said gently: "Was not Can Lufu's false core also left unaddressed? When he was on the brink of death, everyone yielded to him, and in death, he returned to dust and earth, with no one caring any longer." Her words were far from pleasant to the ear, carrying the suspicion of an underlying barb. A gurgling laugh emerged from Yuanxiu's throat. The five fingers of his exposed left hand snapped taut, the digits splitting apart little by little from within until more than a dozen fingers covered his palm. Like the gnarled roots of an old tree, they anchored firmly to the jade seat. He laughed: "Quite so! Quite so!" His eyes reflected the deep, quiet Lukui Pool. The smile on his face grew wider and wider as he suddenly remarked: "Perhaps you will not believe it, but the Xinyou Swimming Marsh Seal is not in my hands."