The sword immortal transformed into a streak of light and departed, leaving everyone standing amidst the mountains, listening as Kuiqi's voice fell somber:
"Respectfully seeing off Master!"
The crowd bowed together and said respectfully, "Respectfully seeing off the Great Real Person!"
*Qingsong Sun...*
Li Ximing sighed internally. Although he did not know the Sun dao lineage inside and out, the gap in strength was plainly displayed for all to see. With Louxing's departure this time, who else could possess the majestic prowess of such a sword immortal?
The group took their seats once more. Real Person Houfu appeared somewhat melancholic, holding his cup to himself as he retrieved spirit tea leaves from his storage bag, tempering water to brew the tea. Real Person Kuiqi said in a deep voice:
"Today, we struck at thirteen Lianmin, killing six of them. It can well be called a great victory. It has not only extinguished the ferocious flames of the Buddhist cultivators and snapped the hand reaching out from the Path of Great Desire, but also secured our position on Mount Tangdao so that our strength can be focused in one place."
Hearing this, Tinglan said softly:
"The aspect of Void was already frail to begin with. Back then, that Dharmakaya crossed over its clinging to self all in one go, refusing to retain even a speck of true spirit, and has remained without a sound to this day. Because of that, the two Mohe of the Jushe Temple Sect fell at the same time, and they nearly failed to even protect their Buddha-land!"
"If not for the Mohe of the Damu Dharma Realm stepping in, Void would be no different from Wrath right now. It is a pity that the other aspects competed to prop it up, mingling in their own influence and pushing it north of the river."
"What a pity."
As Li Ximing listened to their conversation, Ning Wan spoke up to remind them:
"Origin magnetism is surging on Mount Tangdao. An array ought to be erected. First, it can rein in the mountain's origin magnetism, and second, it will defend against the Buddhist cultivators. With this mountain sealing the southward pass—flanked by Jinyu to the west and Chengyun to the east—the rear will be secure."
Ning Wan was Qingchi's array prodigy, Tinglan had her own heritage, and Kuiqi, who was in charge, was also well-versed in array dao. A consensus on this matter had naturally been reached early on. Kuiqi nodded and said:
"Reasonable words. We do not need much—a temporary main array branching out into ten or twenty sub-arrays, and the entire mountain will be shielded tight. There is only one issue."
He raised his brows and adopted a solemn expression, looking somewhat vexed as he replied:
"For this mountain, there is no need to specially construct a complex formation; otherwise, tossing and turning through all the trouble would take three to five years to complete. We need only establish a few array nodes and deploy them using the Zifu array disc stored in my Xiukui."
"With the strength of three people, it will be fully sufficient. However, according to Mount Tangdao's spirit vein, nothing but Origin Lightning is suitable. Other lineages would be manageable, but the Three Lightnings as One Path inherit from the Northern Palace above and belong to Douxuan; we are utterly ignorant of it."
"Nowadays, where is there even a decent Origin Lightning lineage..."
Tinglan replied:
"Since it is a Douxuan lineage, we ought to ask in the North Sea. Though the lightning dao is obscure, there are still the Xie clan and the Beihuan Sect... Furthermore... could we inquire at Mount Changhuai or Hezhen Dao?"
Mount Changhuai of Wu went without saying, while Hezhen Dao was the sect established at Qingyu Cliff by Xiuyue Sect disciple Nian Yi, who had inherited True Lord Shangyuan's lineage. Kuiqi showed a troubled expression upon hearing this and cautioned:
"In my view... asking is fine, but do not set your hopes too high. It is better to prepare to use my Xiukui's Wutao Sea-Piercing Spirit Array. Borrowing from them this time will not be easy."
The other two fell silent. Soon, Tinglan shook her head and mentioned:
"Then there is Muquan Gate. Zhu Gong was severely wounded and vanished, and things beneath her have broken into chaotic infighting. I sent disciples with orders to put a stop to their fighting, but right now it remains a tangled, disorderly mess."
Mentioning Zhu Gong, Kuiqi sighed with a touch of helplessness:
"She turned on her heel and left, clearly distrusting me. Try using some wondrous divine ability to reach out and summon her back. Whether it is Zhaojing's alchemy or our doctrinal scriptures, either is far better than her thrashing about aimlessly in the East Sea on her own."
With matters settled among them, Tinglan bowed and said:
"Qiuhu and I will head into the mountains first to survey the veins and terrain, and also guard against anyone harboring ill intent making secret moves."
"Very well."
Kuiqi permitted the two to depart.
The wind and snow atop the mountain grew heavier. Having waited all this time, Li Ximing finally found an opportunity to speak. He sighed:
"Lately I have been beleaguered by numerous matters... I originally wished to inquire..."
Kuiqi naturally knew what matter he was asking about and waved his hand:
"If you speak of the spirit embryo, I considered it long ago. I also saw your Pavilion Viewing Divine Ability Refined in Fire—at a glance, it is of the Tongxuan path. In the way of artifact refinement, it often seeks spiritual substances and the nourishment of other cultivators' magic power to quickly forge an artifact."
"When our Sun lineage refines artifacts, we generally have no use for arts of this kind, nor do we care for sacrifices. Instead, we focus on internal refinement and nourishment via divine abilities. The spirit embryos of the High Shaman dao are also typically forged using one's own divine ability."
*Changxi's lineage truly is of Tongxuan...*
Li Ximing merely bowed and said:
"It was my lack of consideration..."
Kuiqi shook his head, however, and replied:
"No harm done. I know this spirit embryo of yours is being refined for the Dilutian Mulberry Forest of the Southern Obedient Raja, though I know not which of his juniors is to use it... I recall that within Qize, there is also a Real Person practicing High Shaman arts who could refine it for you."
Real Person Kuiqi's words could truly be said to come from the heart. Li Ximing was overjoyed and was about to offer his thanks when he saw the Real Person smile faintly and reply:
"Do not thank me just yet. In connection with this, I have a matter to discuss with you."
"The Buddhist cultivators in the north have not given up their ambitions. That Real Person in Qize possesses rare methods, but he is unwilling to meddle and reluctant to lend aid. When he comes to the lake, he can take the opportunity to see Mount Wu. If the talk goes well, we might test the waters and ask him; convincing him would be ideal."
"After all, this is not the concern of a single family."
Li Ximing nodded in sudden realization, thinking to himself:
*He must think that since my clan occupied Mount Wu early on, we might have obtained some fine shamanic artifacts or inheritances inside that could move this Real Person.*
He agreed to everything on the spot, sighing:
"It is just that when my family occupied Mount Wu, it was already a pile of ruins, swept clean by the various Zifu seniors. I fear there is little worth seeing."
After exchanging pleasantries for a while, Kuiqi raised his tea to see his guest off. Only after Li Ximing vanished into light and departed did Real Person Houfu speak:
"The Li clan is a great enemy of the Buddhist cultivators. At this juncture, they fear the monks advancing south even more than we do."
Kuiqi nodded and said:
"Who could say otherwise? We drew him in early on—whether with Shichuan or the great array, we have accommodated him and granted him favors to share the pressure from the Buddhist cultivators. It was not easy to find a Zifu who shares our stance whole-heartedly; he cannot be allowed to fall casually. As for the matter of Li Zhouwei... we shall adapt as circumstances unfold."
He cast the matter aside. Seeing that Li Ximing was gone, certain grievances could finally be voiced. A hint of hatred and coldness surfaced on his face as he whispered:
"In the end, that grotto-heaven did not descend either. In past years, whenever the Exalted One moved, even the Donghuo Grotto-heaven could not withstand it. And now? Mifan was not even opened!"
Kuiqi's voice grew harsh, turning icy:
"Did we ever dare covet Wanling Heaven? What kind of place was his Mifan? A secret realm! A secret realm tethered to the *Seventy-Two Grottoes Profound Book*! Even the mountain was bestowed by Wei, and the master of Mifan among the seventy-two grottoes was surnamed Li back then! Yet they claim the book has left no trace? They claim the secret realm cannot be opened?! This is simply taking deception too far!"
Chill light flickered in his eyes as he raged furiously:
"So they sent the token over early, deliberately cracked the portal, and stabilized the grotto-heaven with one hand while tossing down three or five swords and a dozen magical implements like alms, then immediately ushered everyone away! The Treasure Rhyme Gourd is nowhere to be found, the Sui Gengchen remains inside the Exalted One's qi sea, and clues to the Star-Gazing Bronze Sparrow have completely vanished! After searching all around, not a single Mihua Spirit Medicine was found! Fine, fine, fine—their intention to disgust our Sun lineage is all too obvious!"
Houfu had clearly been bottling up his anger all along as well. At the mention of this, his expression darkened, and he said coldly:
"Indeed! Anhuai Heaven possessed metal nature, so causing such a commotion there was understandable. But they began meddling as early as Donghuo! The *Chanhua Chongyuan Intercalary Method* vanished without a trace, and the Solar Glazed Pagoda was plucked away early on, leaving behind only a ceremonial implement. If Senior Yuanxiu had not possessed profound cultivation, we would not even have gotten the *Huai River Chart*!"
"Going back further, they claimed Guo E killed members of the Tang clan—could he really have been the killer?! It was all for the sake of the Sun-Gazing Ring... In the past, when there were several Great Real Persons, they did not go too far. Now they act without the slightest restraint!"
Having said their piece, their long-suppressed fury subsided; after all, they still had to face reality. Kuiqi remained silent, while Houfu turned his head to sip tea:
*Even if it is so, what can we do...*
Looking at the empty courtyard, Houfu said softly:
"Martial Uncle, this courtyard is truly quiet now."
Xiukui Abbey had a tradition of hard labor, guided by the tenets of embracing nature and empathizing with the common people. For any cultivator, this was the sole compulsory toil they had to perform; every few years, they had to perform hard labor, an act meant to showcase the sect's ideals of seclusion and remaining untainted by the mortal world.
When his Martial Uncle Kuiqi took charge of the sect, he altered the location and placed heavy emphasis on the regulations, assembling the Foundation Establishment cultivators who were due for labor every few years to pick tea and farm fields right at the mountain peak in grand fashion.
Others did not know, but Houfu understood this martial uncle's intention: it was simply to let the Great Real Person see clearly how the subordinates below were ground down by this rule on ordinary days, all in hopes of having it abolished.
Now that the sword immortal had swept them away with a flick of his sleeve and departed himself, it undoubtedly provided an opportunity to change the ancestral rules. Kuiqi replied:
"It should have been changed long ago. It merely squanders cultivation time for nothing. You and I both came through that way. Farming is just farming. Those who can realize truths from tilling the soil would realize them even without tilling; as for those who cannot, having them till every inch of Mount Huyi would still be useless."
Houfu sipped his tea and finally dared to speak, asking probingly:
"Though the Great Real Person was not particularly fond of Martial Uncle's intent, he could still sympathize with it. Only, I have not returned these days, so as for the Lingu clan's side..."
Kuiqi did not speak, remaining silent for a long time before finally saying:
"It is inconvenient to speak of. Go inquire in the North Sea."
...
Jiangbei.
Li Ximing crossed over from the riverbank, heading north all the way. Past Baiye Creek, he saw the Baijiang Creek region orderly and well-arranged, its boundaries clearly demarcated. Li Jiangxia was riding heavenly light to reveal himself, flying over to welcome him.
At his side was Guan Gongxiao, dressed in Taoist robes, trailing a step behind and following courteously. On the other side, Ding Weizeng held his weapon; he clearly did not get along with Duxian Dao, his expression stiff, softening only upon seeing Li Ximing.
"Reporting to the Real Person: the three territories of Mifan have been cleared, the various rogue cultivators dispersed, and several families have bowed their heads. Only the Wang clan members have gathered north of Fanyun, backed by Chengyun, so we sent no one there."
"Mm."
Given the Li clan's present strength, with Li Jiangxia leading the forces, it would be strange if they could not instantly pacify Bai River. Judging by the scene before him, Duxian had likely not dared claim a single plot of land, yielding everything.
Li Ximing descended naturally, listening as Li Jiangxia continued:
"When the various Real Persons and Buddhist cultivators clashed, many people were taken away, leaving several local forces thoroughly terrified. As for the remnants of the Locust Soul Palace, they are virtually unseen now, save for a few clinging to life under Xiao Yuan's banner, who have all gathered in the mountains."
"Fearing there might be close friends of Xiao Yuan among them, this junior did not act too harshly. For now, I only dispatched several people to communicate and question them; we should be able to ascertain the truth within two or three days."
Li Ximing listened casually and asked:
"How is Wang Quwan?"
Li Jiangxia lowered his eyes and said hastily:
"He and Wang Xiaoxiao were taken to Chengyun Gate and have not yet returned, which is why he did not come. Wang Quyu sent a letter; he was clearly caught in a dilemma, yet it was still filled with pleasantries."
He presented the letter with both hands. Li Ximing glanced at it without taking it to read; after all, their clansman had already joined another sect's mountain gate, so Li Ximing naturally would not make a fuss. He merely replied:
"Reply to him that there is no need to write again in the future."
"Understood."
The man immediately put the letter away. Beside him, Guan Gongxiao said respectfully:
"Reporting to the Real Person... the cultivators of Duxian are all gathered here, awaiting Your Excellency's orders."
Guan Gongxiao's emotions were undeniably complex, even leaving him somewhat at a loss, but Li Ximing paid it no mind, saying softly:
"We have already pacified Mount Tangdao, but the Buddhist cultivators will not let the matter rest easily. It must be defended for some time."
"If that mountain falls, we will inevitably have to retreat to the riverbank. The other families have Zifu protection, so how they will fare remains uncertain, but with your Real Person absent, Duxian will undoubtedly be overturned."
Guan Gongxiao broke into a cold sweat and bowed:
"How would Duxian dare not exert itself to the death!"
Li Ximing waved his hand to dismiss him. As the sect master of Duxian Dao rode the wind down, Li Jiangxia whispered:
"Reporting to the Real Person: we also found a few... magical implements in the territory, though they have already fallen into the hands of rogue and clan cultivators... These people did not flee; they are all in the mountains, and the moment our men arrived, they immediately came to pay homage. As for cultivation methods, there are quite a few; most are still being traced for their origins, and there is only one method in hand worth looking at."
"Clever enough."
Li Ximing acknowledged. Li Jiangxia said:
"This junior's thought is... not to pursue those one or two magical implements, so as to display our clan's fairness."
Li Ximing was unsure whether this matter had been reported to Li Jianglong on the islet for handling; knowing Li Jiangxia's character, he had likely sought his ruling specifically before sending a reply to the islet. Seeing through this, Li Ximing signaled him to handle it as he saw fit, asking specifically:
"Where are Li Quantao's people? What of those cultivators from the Mifan remnants who were released into Jiangbei?"
Li Jiangxia replied respectfully:
"Li Quantao and his son were urgently recalled to Qingchi... There is no news. Fei Tonglu and Fei Tongcai are nowhere to be found, perhaps carried off along the way by someone. As for the few who returned to Jiangbei and threw themselves into the net... most were killed by the clan cultivators of the territory. We have found two of them so far, and both have been brought here."
His expression turned somewhat peculiar as he cautioned:
"It is said that these two... are no longer as they once were."
Li Ximing raised his eyebrows, only to see the old man Qu Bushi escorting a man and a woman up. Their attire differed from that of Jiangbei cultivators; the man's eyes were wide with fury, and the woman's face was filled with resentment.
*At a single glance, it is obvious they are under a True Lord's influence. They must have encountered the True Lord very early on. No wonder no one dared handle them.*
After all the turmoil in the north, Li Ximing had gained considerable experience. The reason True Lords were said to be even more terrifying to those in the Breath Refining and Qi Refining stages was precisely this wondrous ability to warp minds. By the time one reached Foundation Establishment or Zifu, while True Lords remained terrifying, they would not usurp one's mind without reason. Now, the moment the gagging restrictions on the two were released, the man immediately burst into foul curses, barking:
"Master Lin is the reincarnation of the True Lord of the Mifan lineage! What audacity you have! The various families of this territory have all been sheltered by the Mifan lineage and enjoy its protection! Yet you dared cross the river... Shameless! Utterly shameless!"
Not a single person paid him any heed. Li Jiangxia presented a jade slip with both hands. Li Ximing swept it with his spiritual awareness and saw three characters:
*Song of the Feathered Guest*.
This was indeed the *Song of the Feathered Guest* belonging to the Mifan lineage. Back then, they had obtained half of it from Wenhu; now, this volume was intact from beginning to end, without the slightest omission.
*The Exalted One's legacy is abundant indeed.*
This protective art, *Song of the Feathered Guest*, was at least of the fifth rank, undeniably a significant harvest. Such were the benefits of occupying this territory; some fragmentary treasures could not be carried off by outsiders after all, though there would be no more than this.
Only that man was still cursing, maintaining an air of unyielding loyalty.
Li Ximing swept a brief glance over him; the fellow's talent was truly not bad, already at the ninth level of Qi Refining, merely a step away from Foundation Establishment. Before Li Ximing could make any response, the man shouted:
"And you, Li Zhaojing—unworthy to be an exalted Real Person—"
He did not know Li Ximing's real name and merely shouted at his Daoist title. The moment those words rang out, everyone around them changed countenance drastically. Li Jiangxia was furious, and Qu Bushi was so terrified his soul nearly scattered. Yet before the word "Person" could leave the man's mouth, his entire body turned brilliant white; like a ragged scrap of cloth, he detonated into a burst of heavenly light.
*Bang!*
The man was annihilated into ash on the spot. The woman turned pale, and before she could even open her mouth, she dissipated from head to toe into smoke and clouds, joining the man as an ill-fated pair. Overwhelmed with dread, the crowd fell to their knees to beg forgiveness.
Li Ximing did not care much. Putting away the *Song of the Feathered Guest*, he reflected that when the various Real Persons had swept through like locusts, every decent treasure had been looted. For these two to have been left until now, their value was obvious. They harbored intense hatred toward his clan and were doomed to die; dying at his hands was arguably a swift release.
"Thoroughly investigate the cultivation methods scattered in this place. I am heading north."
Waving his hand to dismiss them, Li Ximing stepped onto light and strode forward, flying through the sky until he reached Mount Tangdao.
Heavy snow blanketed the mountain. More than half of the shattered walls and ruined fortifications had already been knocked down, laying bare the bald hillsides where many cultivators were ascending and descending.
However, looking across the mountain, green-robed Foundation Establishment cultivators were few; the vast majority were purple-robed disciples of Ziyan Gate, many of whom he had seen during his past visit to Ziyan Gate.
*Qingchi Sect suffered heavy blows back then; evidently, it is still far from recovered.*
Yet as he swept a casual glance, a hint of surprise crossed his face. Stepping down through the void, he materialized beside a red-robed woman.
"Minggong has exited seclusion."
This woman was none other than Li Minggong. She now possessed late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, dressed solely in a red skirt with fire beneath her feet, seemingly casting spells to regulate flames. Seeing Li Ximing, she bowed hastily and said respectfully:
"Greetings, Real Person!"
Li Ximing raised an eyebrow. Seeing that her cultivation was solid and profound arts naturally manifested—she had clearly gained considerable benefits—he said:
"Good... That spirit elixir was not wasted after all."
Li Minggong bowed hurriedly:
"I had just exited seclusion when I encountered two Real Persons passing over the lake, instructing our clan's Foundation Establishment cultivators to lead men over. But the forces were in Jiangbei, and as this junior had the highest cultivation, I rode the fire ahead with several people."
Li Ximing nodded, offered a word of praise, and departed as light. Ahead, he saw Tinglan steering the Purple Jade Spirit Pavilion suspended in midair. That figure—whether her true body or not—stepped on purple qi, with the Shangxiang Pot tied at her waist, looking unadorned and unassuming.
Li Ximing had not sought her out without reason. The pressure from the northern Buddhist cultivators was growing ever greater, making him secretly anxious, and he was already contemplating the *World Illumination* in her hands.
Whether he could pass Purple Contemplation remained unknown, but his remaining two divine abilities would definitely be a body divine ability and a destiny divine ability; it was merely a question of which came first.
*If a day comes when Jiangbei cannot be held and the Buddhist cultivators march south, survival will be paramount above all else! If my own life is hard to preserve, the lives of those children at home will be even harder to keep!*
After all, his own close-quarters combat prowess was no longer weak. Once he had the destiny divine ability in hand, his own life-preserving ability as well as that of his clan's younger generation would undoubtedly leap to another level. With the northern monks eyeing them like tigers stalking prey, Li Ximing had no choice but to prepare for the worst.
As for Tinglan's suggestion that he should cultivate his destiny divine ability only after finishing his second divine ability, Li Ximing's roundabout probing suggested that she was likely taking matters of the mind and temperament into account; with a talisman seed in him, he naturally had an extra layer of protection.
Seeing Li Ximing, Tinglan smiled:
"Zhaojing's cultivation... has truly advanced by leaps and bounds..."
Li Ximing demurred with a smile and asked:
"I have not seen Fellow Daoist in a long while. How are your injuries?"
"There are still some days to endure."
Tinglan appeared somewhat despondent, saying softly:
"I had originally nurtured an immortal foundation in my qi sea, but after this ordeal, I must cultivate it anew. That, in truth, is secondary; our Purple Qi path's dharma physique is difficult to nurture, and suffering damage severely harms one's vitality."
"If there is any place where elixirs are needed, do not hesitate to ask me."
Li Ximing offered comfort and some kind words, appearing somewhat troubled. Sensing something amiss, Tinglan asked:
"What is the matter?"
He said with worry:
"I originally intended to refine another divine ability, but after hearing Fellow Daoist's words, I grew apprehensive. After all, a major battle with the Buddhist cultivators in the north will come sooner or later. There is only a single wisp of qi left for that body divine ability; if I suffer injury then and must cultivate this divine ability from scratch once more, it would be troublesome."
Li Ximing's concern was well-reasoned, prompting Tinglan to nod. He continued:
"Only then did I recall your esteemed sect's *World Illumination*. I wonder how it takes in qi? If it is more convenient than mine, that would be ideal."
Tinglan's expression turned somewhat complex, and she merely said softly:
"It is naturally far more convenient. My Ziyan has reserves of this path's Clear Illumination Origin Qi, and gathering it is not difficult. Barely anyone in the sect cultivates it, so... I could give it to Fellow Daoist."
Li Ximing hurriedly waved his hands and replied:
"One should not receive rewards without merits. Since it is a Zifu method, there is no reason to receive it for nothing, let alone a destiny divine ability that bridges a dao lineage."
Seeing her hesitate, Li Ximing asked softly:
"I have only one doubt. Earlier, when I asked Fellow Daoist, you advised me to finish cultivating this body divine ability before practicing it. What was the reason for that?"
Hearing this, Tinglan replied:
"It is not an absolute restriction. It is merely that this destiny divine ability is somewhat sinister. I hoped you would refine more divine abilities and grow older, so that you could handle profound arts with effortless ease before cultivating it; that would be for the best."
"Secondly... when I met the Great Real Person years ago, I asked specifically about this matter. The Great Real Person possessed profound attainment and resolved my doubts... saying that *World Illumination* ought to stand at the end of the various Mingyang arts, as the final divine ability to stand at the pinnacle of Mingyang and seek the fruit position... Cultivating it at any other step would not benefit the Golden Core as greatly as perfecting *World Illumination* at the end."
Hearing this, Li Ximing felt a surge of joy. How could he harbor such lofty ambitions? So long as there were no obstacles to cultivation that would affect his next divine ability, what did he have to fear from this?
*In any case, there is no way I will leave World Illumination for last. Those three abilities are set in stone; it will only serve to remind Zhouwei. As for whether to make the charge... and how to handle the matter of Emperor Wei, that will be entirely up to him...*
He laughed heartily and shook his head:
"How could I have such lofty ambitions? In this vast Jiangnan, scarcely anyone reaches for the Golden Core. I seek only to preserve my life and protect my family!"
Chapter 895