As the Great Void churned with turbulence, Li Ximing journeyed back, leisurely gathering Qi and cultivating along the way. Soon, he arrived at Mount Huyi. The entire mountain was draped in plain white—partly bleached by a heavy frost, and partly because true masters had fallen; white mourning gauze hung everywhere amid heartfelt grief throughout the region. Though the mourning period had passed, the cloths had not yet been taken down.
"It truly is tragic..."
Xiukui Abbey had lost two Violet Palaces: one was a grand true master of four divine abilities who had stepped past Shenzi and become a sword immortal; the other was a true master of the Lin family in the prime of his life, endowed with three divine abilities and regarded as someone of Dao Lord caliber... To make matters worse, it had all happened in a single day! The drop from heaven to earth was enough to wrench anyone's heart.
Even now when Li Ximing arrived, the atmosphere across the mountains remained listless and dejected. Only upon word of his arrival did Lin Ya—the current talent of Xiukui Abbey and a junior of Master Houfu's line—hurry down from the mountain to greet him, bowing respectfully:
"Apologies for keeping the True Master waiting."
Li Ximing gave an emotional nod, casually sweeping his gaze over the mountains, and asked with a light smile, "Back when the Fei family relocated to the commandery, did anyone plead on their behalf?"
At the mention of this, Lin Ya offered a salute and replied, "Reporting to the True Master, they have all been consigned to the temples. Because of that Fei Qingyi, they were implicated, and our devotees look down on them. A few days ago, a female cultivator came from across the sea, claiming to be from the Fei family—Fei Qingyi of Qingchi. She constantly asked around for connections and even knelt before the mountain gate of our Xiukui Abbey, claiming that her clan brother was foolish and ignorant, that their clansmen were innocent, and begging our lineage to deal with them leniently."
"Oh?"
Li Ximing was not surprised. Regardless of whether the woman was sincere or not, the Fei family was suffering a great calamity; whether out of sentiment or duty, she had to make an appeal. If she had sat idly by without doing anything, even those employing her in Qingchi would have grown wary of her cold-bloodedness.
Yet she had always handled matters with clarity. Knowing that pleading at the lake would be inappropriate and cause offense, she had come to plead at Xiukui Abbey instead.
Li Ximing acknowledged with a sound, and Lin Ya continued, "At that time, our lineage had just lost its True Masters. Everyone was grief-stricken and furious, harboring no good feelings toward traitors. We made her kneel on the mountain for three days before Fei Qingya came down and brought her into her cave dwelling."
When he spoke of Fei Qingya, his tone was quite flat, devoid of any warmth one might expect when discussing a sect prodigy; rather, it was noticeably cold. Evidently, with her temperament, she was not very well-liked within Xiukui Abbey either.
Lin Ya even frowned slightly and murmured, "Later, when she emerged from the cave dwelling again, Fei Qingya had a look of great admiration on her face, and in her speech she was already addressing her as Sister."
"Clever indeed!"
Li Ximing shook his head with a chuckle. He had not considered this angle at first, but mulling it over now, it was indeed a shrewd move:
*Fei Qingyi was born beneath the shadow of her ancestor being slaughtered in battle, and raised on the thin ice of Qingchi Yuanwu. Year after year she rolled through the mud, yet managed to perch on a lofty branch—and an enemy's branch at that. Her schemes and methods are naturally beyond anything that naive Fei Qingya could match... With a few deftly spun words, wrapping her around her finger would be child's play!*
*Her visit this time was never just about pleading for mercy. First, she had to fulfill familial obligations; second... how could she pass up a chance to latch onto such a high branch?*
The lower ranks of the Fei family held little regard for Fei Qingyi. Having lived among them for years, Fei Qingya had obviously known of this clan sister who had climbed the heights and turned her back on her kin—why else would she have let her kneel before the mountain gate for three days? Yet while this elder sister was more sensible than Fei Qingfei, she was ultimately naive; a few words were all it took for her to start calling the woman Sister.
This was Xiukui Abbey's trouble. Seeing Lin Ya's expression, Li Ximing could tell the young man felt it deeply, but Li Ximing had no interest in dwelling on it. He asked after Master Houfu's schedule, to which Lin Ya replied:
"Reporting to the True Master, Senior Cheng Gao of the Sword Sect failed to attain his divine ability and fell yesterday... My family once had marriage ties with him, so the True Master traveled to the Sword Sect and returned only this morning. He is currently at the summit of Mount Huyi."
Li Ximing froze for a moment, then let out a soft sigh.
This Senior Cheng Gao was not old. He had once shared a friendship with his uncle Li Yuanjiao and had been a leading figure of the Sword Sect's previous generation. His hopes of breaking through to the Violet Palace had actually been quite substantial. Yet many met their downfall before the hurdle of a divine ability; such things were often impossible to predict.
"What a pity! How fares the Sword Sect?"
He gave a brief acknowledgement, and the two walked together to the mountain summit. Lin Ya hesitated, looking as if he wanted to speak, before replying:
"Word has it that the Sword Sect is in complete disarray right now."
Li Ximing felt a jolt of vigilance. Just then, he saw Master Houfu emerging from the courtyard to welcome him, and Lin Ya promptly took his leave without another word.
Houfu looked grim, though he remained polite to Li Ximing. After exchanging a couple of pleasantries, Houfu set down his cup with a somber air before Li Ximing could even bring anything up, and said heavily:
"I assume Zhaojing has heard... Cheng Gao has fallen."
Li Ximing frowned. "Failed to form his divine ability?"
Houfu's tone turned somewhat cold as he replied, "Only half of it."
"The cultivation method he practiced was peculiar; breaking through on the Xitian Plateau offered better odds, so he secluded himself in a secret cave dwelling nearby."
"Three months ago, the struggle between Shengbai Dao and Dakangzhao Temple drew to a close. Practically the entire Great Xiyuan fell into the hands of Shengbai Dao, leaving only Luosuo, where Dakangzhao Temple resides. Those heretics clashed from Luosuo all the way into the lands of Shu, collapsing nine whole mountain ranges along the way."
Li Ximing clearly observed Houfu's eyes turn sinister and harsh. This new-generation Dao Lord of Xiukui Abbey was evidently less aloof and reserved than his predecessor, bearing a sharper edge of ruthless venom, though his voice remained even:
"Several Lianmins of Dakangzhao Temple and that converted monster fell right there. The earth shook and the mountains trembled, throwing the earth veins, spiritual veins, and spiritual atmosphere into upheaval all at once... Especially the earth veins—several nearby formations failed simultaneously. Cheng Gao happened to be cultivating in that very spot; his divine ability failed to cross the threshold, and he perished, his Dao extinguished."
Hearing this, Li Ximing understood. A chill secretly ran down his spine, and he probed cautiously, "I fear it was no accident..."
Houfu sneered coldly. Li Ximing knitted his brows and continued, "I remember... the Ni family's Violet Palace and the Sword Sect's True Master were guarding Shu... Why didn't they step in to protect him?"
Houfu shook his head. "They had tried long before... With Shengbai Dao and Dakangzhao Temple clashing on such a grand scale, they had to be wary of a feint. Master Hongyan of the Ni family was guarding Long; moreover, a secret seclusion spot was hardly appropriate for him to visit. And if Master Cheng went to stabilize the earth veins... no one is blind. It would only draw suspicion by trying to hide it."
Li Ximing fell silent, seeing the logic. After all, two parties were locked in a fight; if an outsider rushed in to stabilize the earth veins, wouldn't that be a dead giveaway? He replied:
"A troublesome dilemma indeed. If you don't go, you can only sit by and watch; if you do go, you expose your secret outright. Neither of those factions is good news... An overt scheme."
Houfu rubbed the space between his brows and nodded silently. "Cheng Gao was no ordinary cultivator... He was the only Cheng family member today who intermarried with the outside world, and also Senior Ling Mei's disciple. Compared to Master Jiuwen's ambiguous stance, he was the only directing figure in the Cheng family—an esteemed direct descendant who explicitly supported engaging with the mortal realm and not abandoning the lands of Shu."
Li Ximing frowned, musing inwardly:
*The Sword Sect must possess plenty of trump cards, but from the Cheng family's perspective, entering the mortal world was not necessarily a good choice. With Senior Tianjiao on the mountain, if they simply abandoned Shu, who could do anything to the Sword Sect? On the contrary, the tighter they held on, the more vulnerabilities they exposed...*
Houfu before him didn't dwell on it. In truth, the Sword Sect's troubles went far beyond this. Secluded along with Cheng Gao was another prodigy of the Sword Sect, Gu Pang. Gu Pang had entered seclusion earlier and was most likely already in the state of meditative oblivion, less affected by such disturbances—yet who knew if another crisis might strike? Such matters could not be shared with an outsider like Li Ximing. Houfu could only fret in secret, murmuring somberly:
"There is something even more troublesome... Dakangzhao Temple has suffered total defeat, and the north shows no intention of sending reinforcements. The entire Great Xiyuan has been unified by Shengbai Dao, and even Dazhao Palace has fallen back into Shengbai Dao's hands."
"I heard from Master Hongyan that Shengbai Dao is rebuilding Esoteric Buddhism: worshipping sacred mountains and sacred lakes, raising windhorse black banners and five-colored prayer flags, and reestablishing the Kingdom of Zhangzhung."
Houfu's expression grew complex. "The Kingdom of Zhangzhung was that entity's domain. What this signifies now is all too obvious."
Evidently, "that entity" in his words was Xi Yan, one-third of Shaoyang.
When figures at the True Monarch level left no trace, one could naturally address them however one wished. But now that he had in all likelihood manifested in the world, who would dare call him a devil lord? Even Houfu, hailing from a Taiyang lineage, could only refer to him as "that entity." Presumably, those across the world who knew the inside story were already respectfully calling him True Monarch.
*Shengbai Dao is rising like wildfire, and Fuxun must be uneasy deep down. That pill has become all the more urgent...*
As the thought flashed through Li Ximing's mind, Houfu murmured quietly, "'Xi Yan' is His Dao title; that entity's honorific name is 'True Monarch Xiyong Zhongsheng Baiyan,' also known in Daoist imagery as 'West Shaoyang' and 'Right Shaoyang.' If Zhaojing comes across any news or items related to Him in the future, do be careful."
This warning set Li Ximing's heart thumping. Having expressed his thanks, he finally found an opening and spoke softly:
"I came here today on another matter as well..."
"Oh?"
Houfu took a sip of tea, inquiring with slight surprise. Li Ximing smiled and said:
"A few days ago, I was entrusted by a friend to refine an exceptionally wondrous spiritual pill. The difficulty is beyond anything I have encountered in my life, and I still feel some trepidation. Years ago, when refining pills for Fellow Daoist Tinglan, I had the privilege of seeing your lineage's treasure."
"The Xiuxuan Dujing Furnace?"
Realization dawned on Houfu. He chuckled and asked solemnly:
"Do you intend to refine the pill here on Mount Huyi?"
Li Ximing had in fact considered this long beforehand. By his original judgment, Fuxun would never have allowed him to take two extraordinarily precious spiritual ingredients away into an immortal Dao lineage; rather, he would have had to borrow this Violet Palace spiritual artifact and take it over. But now, with Liu Changdie present, the mutual trust had grown immensely, so bringing the ingredients here would be no issue. Thus, he smiled and answered:
"Precisely."
"So that's how it is!"
Houfu had shared the same concern. As long as the artifact never left the mountain gate, there was hardly anything to worry about; letting him use it was an easy way to earn a favor. He smiled and said:
"That poses no difficulty whatsoever. The Xiuxuan Dujing Furnace rests right inside Kuidu Palace. Whenever Zhaojing needs to use it, just come to the mountain gate, give us a heads-up, and you may head right in!"
He spoke with complete ease. Li Ximing's mind was put at rest, knowing the other was being generous. He smiled and said:
"My sincere thanks, Senior! By standard courtesy, a pill should be offered to Senior upon success, but this pill is special and will yield only a single one from the furnace. Let this favor be noted, then—whatever pills you need refined in the future, do not hesitate to ask me!"
Following the incident at Mount Tangdao, relations between Hengzhu and the other Taiyang lineages had softened somewhat. Yet Hengzhu Dao's Violet Palace had never shown himself to this day, and how Hengxing viewed matters remained a source of trouble. Houfu had naturally heard of Li Ximing's superb alchemy skills; his heart stirred, and he agreed with a smile.
Li Ximing had already held a favorable impression of him, and seeing him agree so cleanly and decisively, Li Ximing paused briefly before offering a reminder:
"Senior Kuiqi brought Fei Qingya back—how is she faring now? Back then, I saw that she possessed a gentle nature and listened to advice; she truly deserves careful nurturing."
Houfu offered a helpless smile and replied:
"My thanks to Zhaojing!"
Li Ximing caught his meaning and smiled downward. Houfu had little leisure to spare at present, so Li Ximing soon took his leave of Mount Huyi and stepped into the Great Void. As he departed on the wind, he cast a brief backward glance.
Though snow still dusted the mountain summit, it no longer bore the look of the Foundation Establishment disciples tending the fields from years past. The tea plants sprawling across the ground were left untrimmed, having grown wild into tangled, unruly thickets.
*With the fall of two True Masters, Xiukui Abbey has truly assumed a low profile...*
Riding his light all the way back, it was not long before he stepped out onto Mount Zhijing.
The weather was growing cold, yet Mount Zhijing remained as warm as spring. The gardenias across the mountain never withered, and the desks and tables were spotless, clearly having just been swept. Li Ximing landed silently and immediately dispatched someone to seek out Li Zhouwei.
Meanwhile, wasting not a single moment, he drew a jade slip from his sleeve.
*Dali Baixi Light!*
A rank-six spell was the highest means accessible to the Violet Palace realm! Despite Li Ximing having reached the Violet Palace years ago and the Li family possessing two Violet Palaces, if he had relied purely on his own collections, the only handy spell he possessed would be the rank-four *Shangyao Subduing Light*.
Now, reading with a touch of nervous anticipation, he pondered for a long time before gradually coming to understand its underlying principles.
The first step in cultivating this spell was to deduce and calculate according to the incantations and essential nodes within the technique, locating nine profound apertures above and below the Qi Sea. One had to constantly nourish them, identifying the casting aperture, "Lixi," among these nine profound apertures, and place the Lihuo within it.
These so-called profound apertures were not physical acupoints, but virtual aperture positions mapped out through esoteric numerology. This step placed exceedingly high demands on one's Dao attainment. Forget Violet Palace spiritual fires—an ordinary cultivator would take years of cultivation just to complete this very first step, let alone nourishing these profound apertures afterward so that they gradually took shape into nine true acupoints.
Naturally, for a Violet Palace cultivator beginning the technique, there was no need for prolonged nourishment. *Dali Baixi Light* noted only a few words: "Divine abilities simplify the calculation; once calculated, they open on their own."
*With a divine ability, what is there to fear? Just carve one open in the Dharma body yourself.*
For Li Ximing, it was even easier. He didn't even need to calculate; pinching the Red Pheasant Chongli Flame, he swirled it through his Qi Sea, asked the apricot sparrow which spot felt comfortable, shifted it back and forth two or three times to match the essential nodes described in the manual, and found it.
With a mere thought, he immediately delineated the nine profound apertures across his Qi Sea and placed the Red Pheasant Chongli Flame into Lixi. He felt a slight tremor in his Qi Sea as divine abilities howled into motion, pouring into the other eight apertures and converging before shining out from Lixi, transforming into a mote of iridescent crimson light.
This light was a mote of Chixi Light, signifying that he had formally begun cultivating this spell. As his mastery and Dao attainment of the spell progressed, it would grow increasingly dense: ten motes could coalesce into a strand of Jinxi Light, marking minor success; ten strands could then transform into a beam of Baixi Light, marking major success!
Regardless of the hue, it could be summoned from the Qi Sea during combat to harm foes. Combined with Lihuo, it could manifest various types of Dali Xiguang, wielding all manner of wonders; the higher one's Lihuo Dao attainment and fire-controlling arts, the more formidable this light would become!
It did not even require major success—once it reached a certain level, Dali Xiguang could aid him in refining Dharmic power, suppress and steady his Qi Sea, surge forth from the Qi Sea to circulate through his limbs and bones, and interfere with foreign divine abilities or Dharmic power invading his Dharma body, preserving his very life!
Chapter 928