Joining Forces

Lin'an Commandery. The domain of Great Xiukui Abbey leaned against mountains and overlooked the sea. It was a land of undulating hills, almost completely cut off from the outside world. Abbeys crowned every peak and shrines dotted the lowlands. Even though the cultivators living in these sanctuaries could not even leave Lin'an Commandery, this Daoist lineage still adhered to the ancient ways, letting a hundred flowers bloom and each temple govern its own affairs. Under the pitch-black night sky, a streak of clear light drifted from the north toward the central mountain range. Dense, gloomy forests stretched beneath it—the very mountain gate of Great Xiukui Abbey. Though the light seemed leisurely, it traveled with immense speed, coalescing before the mountain gate into a man cloaked in white-gold robes. His demeanor was calm and composed. Beside him stood a refined, courteous scholar who waited with respectful deference. Casting his gaze forward, Li Ximing saw a stone stele erected before the mountain gate. Carved upon it were two black characters written with wild, flaring strokes: [Huyi] The inscription bore no signature and even appeared somewhat dim and lackluster. Beneath the stele waited a young man robed in black. The moment he caught sight of Li Ximing, he bowed deeply and said with utmost reverence, "Could you be Real Person Zhaojing of Wangyue? My master ordered me to keep watch before the mountain gate and await Your Immortal Grace." Li Ximing gave a slight nod. Cui Jueyin took a step forward and smiled. "Lead the way!" The youth guided them inward, and only then did the grand inscription at the center of the mountain gate come into view: [Taihang Stilling the Sea] Pedestals and pillar stones of an archway still remained on either side, but the vertical plaques that ought to have hung to the left and right were nowhere to be seen. All that remained were two stone plinths of extraordinary quality, from which hung a pair of eerily radiant golden lanterns. Taking this in, Li Ximing mused inwardly. He had visited Mount Jiuqiu before, where the gate was inscribed with [Taiqiu Nine Paths]. Now, seeing [Taihang Stilling the Sea], he understood the pattern in his heart: 'Perhaps it is just like the Tongxuan lineage. The Tongxuan sects love to prefix everything with the character Xuan. The lineages of Taiyang and Taiyin are of one family, so claiming the character [Tai] is only natural and reasonable. 'Yet Qingchi Sect... I've never heard of them having any such mountain gate... How strange.' As for where the vertical plaques on either flank had gone, asking would only invite awkwardness. Li Ximing simply feigned ignorance and continued inside. Ancient, rustic stone flagstones paved the path, rich with antique charm, while Daoist banners fluttered in the breeze. Snow gradually began to fall. Upon reaching the highest terrace, he was astonished to see several Foundation Establishment cultivators chopping firewood, sweeping snow, and tending the soil. For a lineage of such stature, the mountain peak was never spacious enough. Most sects would go to any length to carve out another patch of land for their disciples' secluded cultivation. Here, however, a few tea trees were planted—wholly devoid of spiritual energy, completely ordinary, mortal plants. Upon seeing Li Ximing, the Foundation Establishment cultivators paused to salute him, but then turned right back to resume their farm chores. A bundle of firewood had scattered across the ground, and two Foundation Establishment cultivators dressed in servant garb hurried over to gather it up. Cui Jueyin had followed with lowered eyes the entire way. Seeing this, he hurried ahead to clear a path. After just a few paces, they entered a pavilion, where a black-robed Real Person was brewing tea amidst the falling snow. He smiled and said, "Zhaojing arrives at the perfect moment!" Li Ximing had always known Xiukui to be lofty and aloof, but he had never imagined they were aloof to this degree. Cui Jueyin brushed the snow from a stone seat for him. Li Ximing accepted a cup of tea, sat down, and replied with a smile, "You must be Senior Kuiqi. I have long heard your grand name and hope to receive your guidance." Kuiqi waved a hand and replied, "You have come to reinforce us, Zhaojing. It is our Xiukui that must express our gratitude to you; how could I speak of offering guidance?" Seeing Li Ximing nod, the Real Person finally brushed the snow from his robe and said with a faint smile, "Years ago, when the Donghuo Grotto-Heaven fell, our abbey also reaped some harvest. From within, we obtained a precious pill of the Mingyang attribute. Our sect does not cultivate that path, so in a few days, I shall have it delivered to you, Zhaojing, as a token of my appreciation." Benefits had always been the most persuasive argument. Since Kuiqi offered an elixir right off the bat, Li Ximing did not refuse and smiled. "My sincere thanks to Senior!" When the conversation turned to the fall of the Donghuo Grotto-Heaven, the one who felt the sharpest pang in his heart was undoubtedly Cui Jueyin. His ancestors' grotto-heaven had been carved up and divided, yet the Cui clan had not even been permitted to utter a single word of protest. The desolation in his chest could well be imagined. Right now, he could only lower his brows, bow his head, and remain silent. Li Ximing discerned what was happening and waved a hand, dismissing him to wait outside. "Indeed," Kuiqi said, his tone growing solemn. "That pill was examined back then by Real Person Yuandao himself. A Mingyang Violet Palace spirit elixir. Taking a single one into the belly can nourish the dharma body and suppress curse wounds. If used during cultivation and convalescence, it can likely advance your divine ability by a considerable margin... It is truly remarkable; only a few ancient elixirs could surpass it." Clearly, by bringing up such a pill, Kuiqi meant that if Li Ximing suffered any injuries in the upcoming clash, this elixir would nurse him back to health and prevent his cultivation from being hindered. 'A considerable margin...' Had Li Ximing heard this years earlier, he would have been overjoyed beyond measure. But having grown accustomed to fine treasures overseas, and having recently consumed a pill to bolster his cultivation, it was not suitable for him to take another so soon. He felt a trace of disappointment: 'Still, it is quite good. The remaining two spirit elixirs I have were not meant for raising cultivation in the first place. Having this to substitute will spare me from wasting heavenly gifts. As for treating injuries... I have my own methods.' He sighed in his heart. Though he wore a smile, there was no great display of emotion on his face. Seeing his nonchalant reaction, Kuiqi felt a flicker of surprise: 'It seems Li Ximing's attainment in the alchemical Dao is by no means shallow... He is certainly not some half-baked dabbler among ordinary Violet Palace cultivators. A mere spirit pill is not enough to stir him.' Whether it moved Li Ximing was one thing, but with Great Xiukui Abbey's magnanimity, offering such a pill was the bare minimum when requesting someone's aid in battle. He stroked his beard and said, "Violet Palace divine abilities are difficult to cultivate... Zhaojing... take a look at this." With that, he drew a golden box from his sleeve and opened it casually. Inside lay a disk-shaped treasure, golden-yellow overall, inscribed with eight-directional runes. Around the outer rim of the face ran a ring of delicate white incantations that pulsed and shone like steady breathing. The center gleamed with brilliant, dazzling light, as if a sun had been caught and tucked into the box. 'A Mingyang spirit artifact!' This was something Li Ximing could not remain indifferent to. His eyes instantly burned with greed, and he cursed inwardly: 'What an astonishing Great Xiukui Abbey! I couldn't find a single trace of such a spirit artifact anywhere, yet he keeps it in his sleeve like a common cabbage... Those whose ancestors were wealthy and grand... are truly on another level.' Though his desire flared, spirit artifacts were exceedingly precious. The Real Person would never give it away for free. Li Ximing stared at it with ravenous hunger, but only gasped aloud, "What a magnificent treasure!" Kuiqi lifted his head slightly and smiled. "This is the Chongyang Star-Governing Treasure Plate, a spirit artifact registered in our Xiukui treasury. It is a top-grade artifact suited for both offense and defense. In this major clash against the Buddhist cultivators, take it with you first, Zhaojing." Li Ximing could scarcely tear his eyes away. He heard Kuiqi continue with a smile: "Look at its face. That is the Chongyang Star-Governing Diagram, capable of unleashing the lethal radiance of Mingyang. It is led by the Shangyao Star. When held upright, its might is limitless. If you rotate it downward so that the Shangyao Star sits below and the Yangji Star is on top, holding the disk inverted will disrupt the stars, shake perils, and grant the power to escape dire straits." Kuiqi could not help but sigh with sentiment as he added, "Back then, the ones who crafted this disk were Su Jun and Chen Xuanli. It served as a symbol of the State of Ning's allegiance to the Wei dynasty's calendar, and for a time was the ancestral heirloom of the Jiangbei Su clan. Later, when the Su clan perished, this treasure passed from hand to hand until it fell into our Xiukui Abbey." Li Ximing nodded quietly. Kuiqi smiled nonchalantly and dropped a hint: "I have heard that this spirit artifact was modeled after the imagery of 'Crimson Severing Arrowhead' and 'Lord Treads the Peril'. Not only are its divine abilities formidable, but its assistance to your personal cultivation will also be immense. Once the fight with the north begins, you may experience it for yourself, Zhaojing." He chuckled and said, "'Lihuo' meets with grim portents, neither waning nor waxing; holding the fire in rightful station, it forms neither elixir nor vessel. Although Donghuo was powerful, its paths of alchemy and tool refinement were ultimately inferior to others. Setting spirit treasures aside, the spirit artifacts that fell from the grotto-heaven back then were actually not as fine as this piece from our sect." Li Ximing held the spirit artifact disk in his hands, admiring it so fondly that he could hardly bear to set it down. Flipping it over, he found the reverse side smooth as a mirror, reflecting the heavy snow fluttering across the sky. 'If I could study and comprehend it even a little...' Li Ximing still had a long journey ahead before reaching 'Lord Treads the Peril' and 'Crimson Severing Arrowhead', but how could he not drool over a Mingyang spirit artifact? Yet since the other party had made it clear this item was recorded in their treasury registry, it was not appropriate to ask for it outright. He smiled and said, "Truly extraordinary! Hearing Senior Kuiqi's single remark is worth ten years of reading the Daoist Canon." This was by no means empty flattery; that single description of 'Lihuo' revealed the other's profound depth of knowledge. Li Ximing imbued the spirit artifact with his divine ability and muttered to himself: 'Once we fight and I see the spirit artifact's might, I'll test his intentions. If the price is too high for my family to bear, I could also try asking for one of the spirit artifacts from Donghuo Grotto-Heaven. Having any spirit artifact in hand is far better than having none.' Just as he was pondering this, an elderly man walked out from the snow. Clad in grey robes with a sword strapped to his back, he possessed a gentle expression and ordinary features. Landing upon the terrace, he cupped his hands and said: "Fellow Daoist Kuiqi!" The man's demeanor was even somewhat plain and honest. Had it not been for his mastery of divine abilities and the imposing aura he naturally exuded, no one would have taken him for an extraordinary figure. After bowing to Kuiqi, he turned to Li Ximing and said: "Real Person Zhaojing! We finally meet!" This man was none other than the Real Person of the Yuyang Chen clan—one of the three immortal families of the State of Yue—known by the Daoist moniker Real Person Yushui: Chen Yin! This Real Person was even older than Xiao Chuting, had achieved two divine abilities, and was renowned for his swordsmanship. Li Ximing rose to his feet at once and saluted respectfully. "Greetings, Senior!" When Chen Yin achieved the Violet Palace, the Li family had probably been nothing more than a clan of petty landlords. This address of "Senior" was well deserved. Chen Yin shifted sideways and offered a meaningful smile. "We ought to have met much earlier!" Li Ximing sighed with emotion and nodded. "Indeed... Back then, when I attained the Violet Palace, Chen Xuanyu of your noble clan also lent me a hand. I remember that matter well. Our two families were on the same side all along..." Li Ximing had obtained his Mingfang Sky Stone from Wang Fu. At that time, Chen Yin had dispatched Chen Xuanyu to assist him. Although it had only been a contest of interests rather than genuine goodwill toward the Li family, the Chen clan was now on poor terms with Changxiao Gate, making them an undoubted potential ally for the Li family. Hearing this, Chen Yin sighed. "Xuanyu is a rare talent in our clan. He is currently in secluded cultivation and has yet to break through. Who knows how many years it will take before he sees success!" Kuiqi waited with a smile as the two reminisced, then drew back his gaze and stood up. Chen Yin said in a low voice, "I have already made inquiries. Real Person Zhusheng of the Southern Border is not at his residence, but Fellow Daoist Luo was very enthusiastic and has already departed for Jiangbei." Kuiqi was slightly surprised and replied, "It is indeed inconvenient for Real Person Zhusheng, likely on account of the clan on Beidan. But that fellow surnamed Luo actually dares to come? So be it, so be it. If he has the courage, all the better. When these demonic cultivators arrive, they merely trim their sails to the wind; they cannot be relied upon for much." From the way he referred to him, it was obvious that person did not follow an orthodox path, lumped into the same contemptible category as Zhugong in Kuiqi's eyes. The Li clan traced their ancestry back to the emperors of the immortal dynasty and were now a renowned righteous clan whose generations had fallen fighting Buddhist cultivators. Only because of this did Kuiqi treat them with warmth. How could a demonic cultivator of dubious origins possibly enter his esteem? Precisely for this reason, even though that person had come to reinforce them, he did not dare approach the mountain gate of Great Xiukui Abbey, choosing instead to wait early in Jiangbei. Clearly, he harbored no small amount of fear and vigilance. After hearing this, Chen Yin shook his head. "He simply wishes to curry favor with Real Person Qiuhu and urgently needs the Si family's lineage. A man with nothing to lose fears nothing; when the time comes, he will just burrow into the south, and Kongwu Path will have no way to reach him." Kuiqi nodded, indicating he understood. Li Ximing could not help but ask, "What of Senior Houfu...?" Kuiqi shook his head. "When True Monarchs clash, the mortal realm suffers. The Shu region is suffering severe drought, and the demonic cultivators of the Western Plateau are pressing eastward once again. This matter was not originally our responsibility to manage, but those demonic cultivators are descendants of Shaoyang. Our lineage of Great Yang was allocated the Shaoyang branch, and by rule, we take turns guarding the Western Plateau. It has fallen to Xiukui's turn, and since our abbey has strength to spare, Houfu had to go. He cannot easily be moved." He was clearly pressed for time. Having said this much, he turned solemn. "Time is of the essence, so I shall not say more. For this venture, I have asked Fellow Daoist Ling Mei to hold the line for us. Several Real Persons in Jiangbei will also assess the situation and come to our aid. Now that we carry my Xiukui's spirit artifact, we must slay a few Lianmin to consecrate our flags!" His expression grew chillingly cold, his voice dropping low. "Back when the Buddhist cultivators invaded the Xu region, a major battle was fought. Xiuyue beat them until they wailed for their fathers and mothers, and laid a trap to eliminate Jingzhan, who had been the most aggressive in pushing southward. Only then did they restrain themselves for several decades. In the clash between north and south, several Mohe suffered losses, yet no blood was spilled, and now they dare push their luck and tread upon our noses. "If we do not beat the brains out of these Buddhist dogs, they will come to ride over the heads of all the southern Daoist lineages!" With a darkened countenance, he stepped into the Great Void, and the other two followed closely behind. Li Ximing glanced silently at Real Person Yushui, Chen Yin. The old man's eyelids drooped slightly, and he seemed to let out an almost imperceptible sigh. *** Jiangbei. Dense clouds gathered thick and low, and torrential rain poured down without pause. The storm grew ever more terrifying. The Baijiang Creek region was still somewhat manageable, but downstream, the Baiye and Baihai creeks had breached their dikes and shifted their courses several times. Countless commoners had perished. Only because the Great River flowed eastward and the Salt Lake was linked to the East Sea did the water level remain relatively stable, keeping Jiangnan unaffected. As the Violet Palace cultivators traveled north, the territory around Baiye Creek was strewn with floating corpses. Seeing this, Kuiqi's face darkened, and his mood seemed to foul even further. After staring for a long while, he spat out: "What a sin! How densely populated Jiangbei used to be back then! Now, across these impoverished lands, not a single household remains. Aside from a few prominent clans, there are practically no commoners to speak of!" Naturally, the other two dared not interject. Upon reaching the territory of Mount Xiaoshi, they kept their figures concealed. Kuiqi drew out several ink-colored jade talismans, pinched his fingers to divine the situation, and then signaled with his eyes. Chen Yin crushed a jade talisman, clearly summoning the Real Person who had come to assist them. While using his divine abilities to deduce and quietly observe, Kuiqi exhaled a breath and turned his head, whispering: "In a moment, we will surely encounter Daixi first. Leave him to Senior Yushui; a sword cultivator will always deal with him more cleanly. As for those Lianmin, leave them to Zhaojing. One was eliminated by Zhugong, so there should be four left. "There is no need to count on that fellow surnamed Luo. [Zhelu] will certainly send someone out, but unless he acts in person, none of them are anything to fear!" He added with solemn gravity, "We need only be wary of the [Three Retributions World-Entering Lotus]. That treasure is no longer what it once was. After so many years of sacrificial refining, even I could fall victim if caught off guard. In everything, hold back one or two tenths of your strength!"