Baoqing

The sky full of Buddhist cultivators stood awe-inspiring and imposing, their expressions frozen like statues. Brilliant light radiated from within the clouds, where the colossal golden-bodied image had a serene countenance—devoid of mercy and devoid of joy—simply bearing down silently in the air. The cultivators around him all showed looks of dread and fear. The entire island of Beidan was illuminated brilliantly on all sides. Li Wushao frowned and backed away, clearly disliking the magnificent radiance in the sky; his face looked thoroughly foul, and he was most likely cursing in his heart. Everyone turned their eyes toward Li Xizhi. Li Xizhi showed no panic. He crushed a jade talisman with a casual flick of his fingers, made a brief assessment, and rose upon rosy mist. Channeling his dharmic power, he spoke in a clear voice: "Dakonghai Temple pays a sudden visit to our Qingchi's Shitang. May I ask the reason for this call? I am the Lord of the Jiutian Pavilion, Li Xizhi." Among the Masters in the sky, no one answered. The Lianmin remained motionless. Only a nun emerged leading a contingent, clad in loose black monastic robes. Pressing her palms together, she chanted: "My lord, master of the ten-thousand-li temple of the vast and clear Konghai, responding to the karmic affinity of the Great Wonder, attaining the profound Dao of the Five Aggregates, and dispersing the wondrous scriptures of the Three Vehicles, specially dispatches the Ara Dharma Protector, Lianmin Venerable Rank Superior Great Cultivator Zhu Zhen, to come and guard Beidan." As soon as these words were uttered, an uproar broke out among the Qingchi cultivators. The history of Buddhist cultivation was far shorter than that of immortal cultivation, so when they reeled off their titles, they were naturally long-winded and bloated. Immortal cultivation had enjoyed a golden age in antiquity, which continued to this day and was set in stone: the Violet Palace was granted merely the single title of Master, and in some regions, Foundation Establishment did not even merit the appellation of Daoist. This Buddhist cultivator, Zhu Zhen, was titled both "Venerable Rank" and "Great Cultivator," sounding extraordinarily exalted, but in truth he was merely a Lianmin. Those grand masters and great masters among the Buddhist cultivators were actually only cultivators of the Foundation Establishment level. What shocked everyone was her final sentence—coming to guard Beidan! What did this mean? No matter what, the Qingchi Sect was an heir to the Sun Dao lineage. Although the South Sea had many high cultivators of Buddhism and Daoism, and Dakonghai Temple had a Mohe backing it, there was absolutely no reason for them to barge onto someone else's territory with such an attitude of taking whatever they pleased! This was going to war with Qingchi... Li Xizhi raised his head, his eyes very calm. In a deep voice, he asked: "May I know what promise Dakonghai Temple received, and from which Master's immortal edict you obtained permission to come straight to seize Shitang?" "Beidan has not received any immortal edict from a Master. If Dakonghai Temple seeks to take advantage of the fall of our sect's Great Master to seize Shitang, forgive this junior for being unable to comply." The nun in the sky responded with a cold look, replying: "Lord Zhu Zhen is right here. What place do people like you have to speak? Even if you, Tiange Xia, have quite a reputation, do you expect a Great Cultivator to explain himself to you?" Seeing her unreasonable badgering—not only refusing to listen to his words, but also spouting nonsense—Li Xizhi frowned slightly. He knew the visitors boded ill. After all, Qingchi was weak right now, and certainly could not spare a Violet Palace master to intervene at this moment... Just then, his wife, Yang Xiao'er, descended beside him on clouds and mist. She said softly: "Are all the figures of Dakonghai Temple so utterly unreasonable? I am Yang Xiao'er of the Yang clan of the State of Yue..." The nun was about to speak again, but the Lianmin in the sky, who had been like a sculpture, finally spoke. His voice was deep and resonant like thunder: "So it is an imperial scion." His eyes were very majestic as he said coldly: "Our Dakonghai Temple once clashed with Fellow Daoist Si, Fellow Daoist Tang, and Fellow Daoist Ning. Beidan was also a treasured land where I discussed the profound mysteries with the two Daoists... Shitang was furthermore the place where my master attained the Dao. There was a great battle back then, and the three Masters said that as long as they remained, Shitang would belong to Qingchi." Pausing slightly, he said in a softer voice: "My master respected the Qingchi lineage and thus promised to withdraw from Shitang. Now that your Dao's karmic affinity with Shitang has run out, we have come to take it." Li Xizhi's expression darkened slightly. The Lianmin's meaning was crystal clear. In his telling, Shitang had been seized from Dakonghai Temple by Qingchi's Three Sovereigns, and now that the Three Sovereigns were gone, they were coming to take it back. The sect records of Qingchi were not something Li Xizhi had clearance to read, but within the sect, he had never heard any claim that Shitang had been stolen. Had this matter truly prompted three Violet Palace masters to intervene, it would have been impossible for no trace of it to exist within the sect. Even if the one before him was not spouting utter nonsense, he was at least concealing many facts. Yet whatever the facts were, it did not matter. They had already surrounded the island, clearly leaving no room for negotiation and intending to catch them unprepared. Could Li Xizhi really argue this matter with a Lianmin? The visitors came with hostile intent, so he did not bother with pleasantries either. He asked calmly: "What is the Lianmin's intent?" Directly addressing him as "Lianmin" was a Jiangnan convention, which was clearly not popular in the South Sea and even carried the overt flavor of northern Buddhist traditions. The Lianmin frowned, and Sanskrit chants rumbled from his mouth: "Our Dakonghai Temple does not wish to create excessive slaughter. For the sake of Master Zhaojing and the State of Yue, take your family and disciples and leave. Yield Beidan." Li Xizhi fell silent. Yield? Or not yield? The array on Beidan Island could be considered formidable, but resisting a Lianmin was clearly a fool's dream. Li Xizhi had no desire to die loyally for Qingchi, not to mention that Dantai Jin and the Ning clan also hoped he would preserve his life. He weighed the matter repeatedly in his heart, merely trying to assess whether the other party would actually strike to kill him. 'It would not take long for Master Ning to rush here from Jiangbei. The trouble is that notifying her will take a long time. I crushed the jade talisman to inform Dantai Jin first, but Dantai Jin might not have the courage to ring the bronze bell immediately to summon the Master back.' He quickly raised his head and said in a calm voice: "We must receive a Master's immortal edict before we can withdraw. May I trouble the Lianmin to wait a moment? As soon as the Master's immortal edict arrives, I can give the Lianmin an answer." If Zhu Zhen actually waited here, it would truly be a laughingstock. These words were clearly a refusal. The golden light across the Lianmin's body flickered slowly, evident of rising anger. Moreover, Li Xizhi had been in the South Sea for so many years; it was impossible that he did not know the South Sea customs. Refusing to address him as Great Cultivator and calling him "Lianmin" with every breath was merely adding fuel to the fire. The high cultivator said coldly: "Refusing a toast only to drink a forfeit!" As soon as he said this, the group of Masters around him roared in unison. Instantly, the sky resounded like thunder, shaking the firmament. Li Xizhi cast a glance around, his hands forming hand seals. Dense, brilliant light had already descended from the sky as the Masters pressed toward the array. Li Xizhi remained where he stood as an array of rosy mist avatars leaped forth, and a brilliant band of iridescent light rose: "Chao Yinhong!" This spell, which in those years could not even break Tuoba Chongyuan's dharma body, was now completely different. The dazzling iridescent light transformed into enormous beams the size of houses, flying and scattering across the air, brushing past the faces of the Masters one after another. As this spell soared into the heavens, the nun attending beside the Lianmin was startled. Steering her cloud downward, she cursed: "What a vicious villain! How dare you remain so arrogant!" Even Zhu Zhen frowned slightly, musing to himself: 'He is indeed exceptionally skilled in magical arts... his title was not given in vain... Fortunately, he cultivated rosy clouds; unless he joins Luoxia, there is no Dao path to speak of... Yet for the immortal Dao Masters, he is truly a sharp sword.' He did not seem as domineering, unreasonable, and furious as he appeared on the surface, but was instead sizing things up with a scrutinizing gaze. Seeing his manner, Li Xizhi felt much steadier in his heart. He ordered: "Cultivators of the island, join me in defense!" The cultivators immediately descended toward the platform. The array on Beidan Island had been constructed by array formation masters during Chi Wei's era, when Qingchi was at its height, bolstered by five Violet Palace Masters. Thus, the materials used for the array were exceptionally solid. With more than a dozen Foundation Establishment cultivators channeling their arts together, the grand array suddenly flared with brilliance. However, there were even more Masters in the sky, and their strength surpassed Foundation Establishment, instantly shaking the grand array. Li Xizhi stepped on empty air and formed seals with both palms, invoking a spell: 'Screen of cinnabar clouds, born of brightness and sovereign ease; embrace of layered mountains, merging with the Ninefold Nether to pierce the truth... Radiant hues of rosy mist, come forth from whence they rise...' A sheet of six-colored light flew out from his palms, gliding like swallows beyond the array, turning into a rainbow mist that reinforced the grand array and spread all around. Li Xizhi's immortal foundation, 'Changxia Mist,' was adept in escape techniques, gathering rainbows, and casting spells. By its nature, it could gather rainbow mist to disorient foes and bolster a mountain or territory. Yet he had rarely used it over the years. Now that it emerged, the momentum of the Masters outside the array immediately weakened. The mist's ability to confound was exceptionally potent, and Li Xizhi's magical arts were formidable, instantly throwing the cultivators outside the array into disarray. Above, Zhu Zhen lifted his eyelids, looking somewhat displeased. The nun beside him immediately said respectfully: "Does the Great Cultivator wish to..." Before she could finish, Zhu Zhen shot her a cold glance. Clearly, the Dakonghai Temple side was beginning to lose face, yet the Lianmin seemed preoccupied with something else, his gaze wandering across the island. He observed Yang Xiao'er closely, seemingly verifying something. Seeing her calm confidence and total lack of fear, he frowned secretly. But naturally, he could not allow Li Xizhi to hold the position. The Lianmin had to take action after all, and he merely blew a gentle breath at whim. "Whoosh!" With this single breath, a gale raged over the island. No matter how formidable that rainbow mist was, beneath the Lianmin's breath, it immediately dispersed completely, revealing once more the white-robed man suspended within the array. Li Xizhi's expression grew solemn. Seeing the group of Masters surrounding them again, he finally placed his hand on the hilt of the longsword slung across his back. His fair, slender fingers rested on the gem embedded in the sword, yet he hesitated with apprehension. Beside him, Yang Xiao'er looked slightly angry as well. Seeing her husband's hesitation, she took a step forward and said gently: "Husband, do not worry..." The tacit understanding between the two needed no elaboration. Yang Xiao'er understood that he did not know the background of the situation and worried that injuring these Masters would give them a pretext and cause the Lianmin to pursue them relentlessly. Li Xizhi likewise understood that his wife had confidence. Li Xizhi trusted his wife completely. Surviving near-death encounters several times over the years had also owed much to this capable spouse of his. He nodded slightly, and his wrist flicked. "Clang!" The longsword gleaming with multicolored radiance was drawn slightly, revealing a pure white blade with a sharp, smooth, elegantly contoured edge. Above, the absentminded Zhu Zhen's eyes suddenly brightened. Jerking his head around as if startled by a jolt, he roared like rolling heavenly thunder: "Audacious!" At the same time, a brilliant warm-white stream of light leaped up from within the array, shifting into yellow and white hues, yet the instant it took shape, each divided into three points of flowing light, interweaving and drifting with extraordinary agility. 'Threefold Moonstream!' Only then did the many Masters surrounding the array retreat in unison, a terrifying sense of danger surging in their hearts. "Clang!" A gigantic golden palm traversed the Great Void and arrived abruptly, materializing across the air before the Masters. Dharmic power surged from this golden palm, forcibly shielding the flock of Masters behind it. Zhu Zhen was a Lianmin after all; traversing the Great Void afforded him immense advantages. The six bright warm-white streams of light were caught all at once. The closest one had nearly reached the neck of a Master, causing his dharma body to shiver in cold dread, faintly bleeding red. The flock of Masters felt chills down their backs, exchanging glances. 'He almost killed someone...' It was only because Zhu Zhen had reacted swiftly. If Dakonghai Temple had mobilized a grand force with a Lianmin leading them, only to have several Masters slain before him, their face would have been utterly disgraced! In a mere instant, the golden palm barely caught this sword origin, emitting fine, dense, piercing screeches of metal grinding against metal. Yet as if rain had cleared to reveal the sun, a rainbow suddenly emerged, interweaving various hues, and streams of iridescent light seemed to fall from the sky. Li Xizhi had already sheathed his sword. 'Autumn Moon Listens in Harmony!' It was none other than the third form of the Yueque Sword Scripture! Li Xizhi had attained sword origin more than twenty years later than his younger brother, thereby crossing the threshold to cultivate this sword technique, and only mastered this sword with the aid of the Five Colors Deep Vast Sword Art. Yet his talent and genius were by no means inferior to Li Xijun's. The sword radiance produced by combining the Five Colors Deep Vast Sword Art with Threefold Moonstream comprised six beams, and performing Autumn Moon Listens in Harmony on this foundation gave it even greater power! In the next instant, an intense, piercing, earth-shaking scraping sound erupted from within the palm. The noise was so shrill and crisp that the Masters frowned in agony, while the monks below bled directly from their ears. As if it had suddenly squeezed an iron nail, the giant golden palm flung its hand open in pain. Then, as if driven by mortified fury or reflex, it abruptly raised its hand and struck the grand array of Beidan with a single palm! "Boom!" The dozen or so Foundation Establishment cultivators within the array coughed up blood simultaneously and flew backward like arrows loosed from bowstrings. The grand array of Beidan erupted in a resounding blast, billowing thick golden smoke, resembling a glass cover struck by a hammer, covered in a web of fine cracks in an instant. "Bang!" A violent roar echoed from the grand hall at the heights of Beidan, and dense white smoke billowed out. Clearly, the formation plate had been shattered to pieces and could hold no longer. The field fell into dead silence. "Crack..." The grand array of Beidan made cracking, shattering sounds. Whether it was the monks over the sea or the cultivators on the island, not a single person had recovered from their daze. They were not shocked because Zhu Zhen had broken the array with one palm—on the contrary, it would have been baffling if Zhu Zhen could not break a Foundation Establishment grand array in one strike... What left them dazed was Zhu Zhen's reaction of pain. 'This is a Great Cultivator of Dakonghai Temple...' Cultivators who fought a Lianmin with a Foundation Establishment body numbered only one in Jiangnan over several centuries—Duanmu Kui. Li Xizhi had merely caused Zhu Zhen to feel pain; had the array not blocked that strike, he would have been smashed into dust right then and there. Naturally, he could not compare to Duanmu Kui, who held an immortal scripture and could even beat a certain southbound Lianmin bloody, forcing him to retreat... Yet that was under the premise of holding an immortal scripture! What kind of man was Duanmu Kui? A figure who once dominated an era and almost single-handedly reversed the reputation of the Pagoda Ghost immortal foundation! Dominating an era was not something just anyone was worthy of; even without holding an immortal scripture, how many people in Jiangnan could stand against him? The scene silenced the entire Shitang; no one dared raise their heads to look at the Lianmin at this moment. Even Yang Xiao'er was startled, not expecting her husband's sword strike to be so formidable. Her fingers tightened around a talisman: 'Let him not fly into a rage from humiliation...' Lianmin Zhu Zhen slowly raised his head, examining his palm. The golden palm was completely smooth, devoid of anything, of course. No matter how hurriedly he had acted, it was impossible for Li Xizhi to pierce his dharma body, leaving not even a mark. Yet he had indeed felt pain. 'It must be a sword art capable of wounding the Shengyang Mansion... What fine swordsmanship...' Zhu Zhen had guessed correctly. When Autumn Moon Listens in Harmony was slashed out, Threefold Moonstream followed closely, three merging into one, striking simultaneously to eradicate the three mansions of Shengyang, Qihai, and Juque. That was why it required sword origin to execute. If he obtained sword intent capable of slashing into the Great Void, this sword technique would be even more terrifying. 'A pity the gap between him and me is far too vast; it was merely a startle.' Zhu Zhen's thoughts flashed in a fraction of a second. His gaze turned toward the white-robed swordsman on the island, anger igniting on his face as his voice grew cold: "Good... good... Everyone says that once your sword is drawn, heaven and earth are shaken. You are truly worthy of being a descendant of sword immortals." As his voice sank lower, Yang Xiao'er's grip on the talisman in her sleeve tightened. Li Xizhi had already whispered instructions for the cultivators to retreat, while he unhurriedly cupped his hands and said: "This junior merely took advantage of a trick. Thank you, Senior, for the guidance." In the next instant, a gust of black wind flew from Yang Xiao'er's sleeve, but Zhu Zhen's massive golden body vanished from the sky at the same moment. The Masters gave chase after the Qingchi cultivators, the array still crackling as it shattered, and ant-like monks rapidly clambered onto Beidan Island. "Boom." The giant golden palm gripped the black wind out of thin air. Exerting force with its five fingers, it yanked backward violently. Li Xizhi and Yang Xiao'er, caught within the black wind, both coughed up blood. Yet Li Xizhi saw that Yang Xiao'er was completely fearless. Steering the wind calmly, she whispered: "Master Ning has intervened." Calculating the time, it would have been impossible for Ning Wan to arrive here from the north in time. Li Xizhi could not tell whether "Master Ning has arrived" or "Master Ning has been here all along." Zhu Zhen's behavior was equally bizarre: 'Was he momentarily unable to capture us, or was he unwilling to?' He could only slowly lower his head, casting all thoughts from his mind. Just as Yang Xiao'er's voice fell, falling cold snow drifted down from the sky. A white-clad woman tore open the Great Void and emerged. Unlike Zhu Zhen's hesitant, hypocritical coldness, this fairy's chill was laden with rage: "Dakonghai Temple puts on quite the airs." The cultivators on the field breathed a sigh of relief at once. Li Xizhi and his wife relaxed as well. Zhu Zhen secretly sighed in relief, while his dharma body blazed with golden light on the surface as he answered: "Master Ning arrives right on time. Regarding the matter of Beidan, our Mohe was just wishing to discuss it in detail with the Master." He stood where he was as the golden light behind him shot straight into the sky. A frail figure slowly materialized—a monk dressed in gray robes and holding a Buddhist staff. The corners of the monk's eyes slanted sharply upward, his single hand held before him, his chin pointed, exuding quite a sinister air. Unlike the towering dharma bodies of the northern Seven Dao that rose directly into the clouds, he looked like an ordinary monk. Yet when his Buddhist staff struck the ground with a crisp ring, all wind and snow ceased. Ning Wan looked at him quietly and said softly: "With the Three Sovereigns fallen, a thing like you crawls out to stir up trouble..." An exaggerated joy appeared on the monk's face. He grinned, exposing straight, snow-white teeth: "No matter how imperious they once were, now they are all dead, while I have become a Mohe! My road to longevity has only just begun. Such is the distinction between Immortals and Shakyas. So what if you were allowed to revel in your pride for a few years? What use is it?" "Beidan belongs to our temple, so naturally we will take it back. Fellow Daoist Ning, our temple gives your Sun Dao lineage some face by harming no one. Go back to where you came from!" Ning Wan smiled slightly, like spring breeze thawing ice, her tone gentle and soft: "Even if Senior lives another four hundred years, it cannot erase 'Yuanwu Treads upon Your Face' and 'A Single Talisman Suffices.' In past years, for the sake of friendship between our two houses, they were not mentioned. Now that the world hears that Baoqing has achieved Mohe, those tales ought to be recounted." These words were spoken plainly, yet struck like thunder. Mohe Baoqing had prattled on, only to have Ning Wan's single sentence leave his fists clenched tight. Precious light lit up in his eyes, and holding back his rage, he sneered: "Bitch, you had best look after yourself!" ... Lake Wangyue. Above the great hall, light flowed. A man in black robes and crimson garments stood before the corridor, gazing at the heavy rain over the lake. His hand resting on the stone balustrade tapped lightly, appearing quite leisurely. After a while, a white-haired old man arrived from the other end of the corridor. The old man was thin and small, his face lined with wrinkles, looking like an exceptionally shrewd character. Bowing before him, he said respectfully: "Reporting to the Family Head, the Locust Soul Hall in Jiangbei... has already acquired the land of Midong, expanding by a thousand li. Many prominent families in Midong have placed themselves under his banner. Now his power is growing ever greater, truly formidable." Li Jiangqian nodded with keen interest and asked: "How did he obtain it? Did Duxian hand Midong over to him? Guan Gongxiao couldn't think of any better plan?" Qu Bushi hurriedly replied: "Reporting to the Family Head, trouble broke out in Midong, and several families defected to the Locust Soul Hall... Daoist Bai originally refused to accept them... But these families brought information revealing that the Baijiang Stream was formerly territory of the Mifan lineage. Master Guan went along with the current and gave Midong away... Daoist Bai didn't touch those families either, seemingly intending to put them to important use once the storm passes." Li Jiangqian nodded and replied: "That makes passable sense. Daoist Bai is no fool, merely overly greedy. If something were to cause too great an offense, he would be unwilling to do it. But for minor grudges, once his greed flares up, he doesn't care much." Qu Bushi nodded hurriedly and said: "Precisely because he gained this information, it is rumored... that in recent days, Daoist Bai also intends to reclaim Fanyun and unify the Baijiang Stream." "This Locust Soul Hall truly leaks worse than a sieve..." Li Jiangqian sneered and replied: "People are all like this. After one or two successes, they think everyone is the same. Our family and Duxian Dao stepped back to avoid conflict, so he gradually lost his fear of Violet Palace factions, thinking they are nothing special. Seeing Chengyun and Lotus Temple fighting tooth and nail, unable even to control the turmoil on their own turf, he started hatching ideas." "Chengyun Gate is also happy to let them clash. Now that the Mifan lineage has gathered, the significance of Fanyun's existence is gone. They hurriedly rid themselves cleanly of their vassals on this land—killing two birds with one stone. Meanwhile, they are troubled by the Buddhists and cannot extricate themselves... so they fear nothing." Reviewing the situation, he mused to himself: 'Chengyun Gate is truly formidable. Throughout their plotting, they kept their hands completely clean, detaching themselves from everything from start to finish. After all, when encountering such a matter, even the architect of the scheme would normally feel a twinge of apprehension.' Not knowing what he was thinking, Qu Bushi dared not speak further. Then he saw Li Jiangqian suddenly look thoughtful and ask: "Guan Gongxiao... seems to have a younger sister named Guan Lingdie, right? I heard she is exceptionally beautiful... Hmm... a Saintess of the Demonic Path... Is she still in Jiangbei these days?"