Purple-gold light circulated, and clouds and mist billowed. Within the terrace pavilion, a gentle breeze stirred. A man clad in robes of golden flame stood in the pavilion, both hands resting upon the railing. His magnificent robes fluttered slightly in the wind as he gazed at the purple-gold pillar amidst the drifting mist, looking thoroughly composed.
*The scenery on the islet is decent... but this formation is quite ordinary. It was established following the style of the Taiyang lineage—while it has a few novel touches, on the whole it is far too rigid...*
The true master's gaze wandered across the islet, a peculiar look gradually creeping into his eyes:
*Yet for a lake as modest as Lake Wangyue, it surprisingly has so many low-tier cultivators... It is indeed rich in resources. Still, unlike the imperial Wei-Li, whose immortal magistrates integrated into the mortal populace, they are instead deployed across various immortal mountains. Though low-tier cultivators produce some yields and don't require too much material subsidy... what is the point of maintaining them?*
*Even if the Buddhist cultivators push southward and human lives must be sacrificed to hold them back, only Foundation Establishment lives truly count as lives. Embryonic Breathing and Qi Nourishment... are utterly futile.*
The true master waited for a while. The young man behind him kept his head lowered quietly. Seeing someone manifest at one end of the terrace, the true master turned around with a smile. But when he took a look and realized it was Li Zhouwei, a flicker of secret disappointment arose in his heart. For a fleeting moment he was silent before offering a greeting:
"Fellow Daoist Minghuang, your great fame precedes you!"
"Greetings, Senior Tianhuo."
Li Zhouwei replied, taking the opportunity to observe this true master of the Jinyu Sect. He saw that the man was exceedingly handsome and possessed an elegant bearing, yet his manner was casual and rather cynical, completely matching the rumors.
*Rumor has it that this Real Person Tianhuo was born to a great figure of the Jinyu Sect late in life, and was thus doted upon beyond measure. He has a playful nature, is willing to drop his airs... and in his youth even had the reputation of a playboy...*
The youth following behind him had achieved Foundation Establishment through the Jing Dragon King. He seemed exceptionally well-behaved and had to be Su Yan. Duxian Dao claimed his demonic arts were formidable and his nature wild and unruly, yet at this moment, not a trace of rebelliousness could be seen; he appeared just like a docile junior.
Since Tianhuo had achieved the Violet Palace, those old rumors naturally fell apart on their own. Yet his temperament was just as restless and fond of stirring things up as the tales suggested. Seeing Li Zhouwei arrive before him, he smiled and said:
"Years ago when I came here, I met Chen Taoping in the market. He sought nothing more than a cultivation method to achieve a breakthrough, and even asked whether Jinyu wanted Lake Wangyue. In his hands, this islet was utterly wretched, so I declined. Little did I expect that looking upon it today, purple-gold light enshrouds the islet, clouds coil where the qilin rests—truly a heaven-bestowed blessed land. It speaks volumes of your noble clan's foundation."
"It is merely ordinary, far inferior to Jinyu!"
Li Zhouwei replied casually and invited him to take a seat. Tianhuo entered with a smile, his eyes inconspicuously sweeping across the spiritual tool at Li Zhouwei's waist. Catching sight of the Huayang Royal Battleaxe, he subtly shifted his gaze away, his smile never faltering.
Tea was brewed, and Tianhuo smiled:
"I have just arrived from the sect. This trip was originally to seek out the true master, as Zhaojing and I had some arrangements and agreements back then... But on the way here, I heard a piece of news."
"I would be glad to hear the details."
Li Zhouwei responded, and Tianhuo continued:
"Word has it that the north has newly established the Huaijiang Circuit. Zhixuan Pavilion was ordered to elevate a lineage to serve as the Orthodox Zhixuan Way of Huaijiang Circuit. Fellow Daoist Ye Gui possesses the highest cultivation, so he traveled overnight to the capital... There is still no word from him!"
Tianhuo's smile gave no hint of his true feelings:
"His Duwei path clashes with Buddhist cultivators, and given his current position, it is no wonder he rushed to see Wei Xuanyin. Wei Xuanyin also needs manpower north of the river, so it is only natural that they hit it off right away."
Ye Gui had come to speak with them long ago; the man had placed himself at the center of the storm purely in pursuit of the Dao and held no steadfast stance to speak of. Li Zhouwei was not surprised and merely asked:
"Since Senior has received news from the north, do you know how King Bolie fares?"
Real Person Tianhuo lowered his head to sip his tea and answered:
"There is no news of him, though listening to the arrangements from the capital, they seem inclined to recall him. As for whether they will send another member of the Gao family south, that is very hard to say."
Currently, two figures oversaw the northern bank of the river: one was the Buddhist monk Fachang of the Damu Dharma Realm, and the other was King Bolie. Of these two, one was at odds with Kongwu, while the other had no desire whatsoever to stir up trouble. Naturally, both sides kept the peace, which in truth was also a reflection of the northern upper echelons having no wish to cross the river.
But once King Bolie departed, peaceful days along the riverbank might well be over.
Seeing Li Zhouwei pause, Tianhuo chuckled and said:
"However, I have a piece of good news to share with you, Fellow Daoist."
He retrieved a jade box from his sleeve and placed it on the table, speaking solemnly:
"The *River Grand Mausoleum Classic* has been unlocked. My visit this time is precisely to deliver our response to your noble clan!"
Back then, Tianhuo had taken Su Yan into the sect and borrowed this item precisely to use the youth to unlock the lineage. Now that he had finally succeeded, Tianhuo gently lifted the jade box, opened the lid, retrieved a pure white jade slip from within, and said with a smile:
"Please!"
"As expected of the descendant of the Jinyu True Monarch and the custodian of an esteemed immortal inheritance, to have unlocked this object... My family must thank you, Real Person!"
Though Li Zhouwei's words were polite, he did not take it immediately. Instead, he examined it closely and smiled:
"Back then, Real Person said you were borrowing the jade slip and would return it once it was unlocked. Yet from what I see today, this slip... appears to be an inscribed copy. I wonder what has become of the original *River Grand Mausoleum Classic*?"
For the *River Grand Mausoleum Classic* to have ended up in the Li family's hands was originally because the Jinyu Sect had used their forebear Li Tongya as a proxy for Su Yan, going so far as to take his spiritual tool and leave behind Duruo—a far more recognizable item that drew the enmity of the Miao family.
Back then, Li Tongya was merely a minor cultivator who could hardly demand fairness, and since it had not led to a catastrophe, the Li family no longer held a grudge. But since Jinyu had miscalculated, the item belonged to the Li clan. Given that it was clearly extraordinary, how could Li Zhouwei allow someone to take it without a clear explanation?
Sure enough, at this question, Tianhuo felt a momentary embarrassment and replied:
"The moment that jade slip was unlocked, it instantly transformed into a mote of Kanshui light and settled into Su Yan's Shengyang Mansion. Su Yan is now an inner disciple of our Jinyu Sect and knows alchemy; we cannot forcibly dismantle his Shengyang..."
He gave a slight nod, and Su Yan immediately stepped forward to bow. Golden light flickered faintly in Li Zhouwei's eyes, and indeed, within the youth's Shengyang Mansion, he saw a mote of Kanshui light—resembling the locus of some inheritance, yet also like an insignia of identity.
*The River Grand Mausoleum Classic indeed held the inheritance of that Chen immortal sect from back then... perhaps even the position of Sect Master.*
This was hardly unexpected. Otherwise, Chen Taoping would not have spent his entire life searching for it, nor would the Jinyu Sect have coveted it for over four hundred years. Both men understood this tacitly; there was no need to speak it aloud.
Had the Li family practiced Kanshui, they would have felt immense heartache at this moment. Fortunately, ever since realizing that Xiao Chuting intended to attain Dao in Kanshui, direct descendants of the Li family rarely practiced Kanshui anymore.
In fact, not only the Li family: ordinary Kanshui methods were everywhere, yet profound and marvelous lineages were exceedingly rare. Cangzhou lay far away in the North Sea, and upon this path stood the formidable Xiao Chuting. Discerning individuals south of the river were unwilling to pursue it. Even so, that did not mean Li Zhouwei could not use this as leverage. He merely smiled and said:
"It seems Real Person truly brings good news."
His demeanor allowed Tianhuo to breathe a slight sigh of relief. Tianhuo smiled:
"Many thanks for your understanding, Real Person! I have indeed come to make amends."
Tianhuo continued:
"Though that mote of Kanshui light settled, there is nothing extraordinary about it. I consulted the elders in the sect, and they said it is related to the Daning Palace... Sigh, what ancient era was that from? If Anhuai Heaven had not yet appeared, our two families could have used this to collaborate well. But now Anhuai Heaven has already manifested and Daning Palace fell into ruin long ago—what use could it possibly be!"
Li Zhouwei pondered slightly and asked:
"I have heard that the spiritual resource for the Linguang Zhaoyi Pill is produced by a spiritual flower, reputed to bloom and wither year after year on its own, with falling petals becoming armored insects... It was obtained from Donghuo back then, and my family is quite interested in trading for it."
A treasure reputed to bloom and wither year after year on its own had to produce at least one portion of spiritual resources each year; its value was far beyond ordinary items. Li Zhouwei had set the opening bar high by speaking only of trading for it. At this question, Tianhuo shook his head with a laugh:
"Although our Jinyu acquired that item, it resides outside Clan Sister Qiushui's cave dwelling and belongs to her. Taking some spiritual resources from it in ordinary times is one thing, but she has now transformed into mercury to preserve her nature and cannot be disturbed. Even if she could be, it would be difficult for me to broach the matter with her. However, I have already retrieved the Light-Illuminating Qilin Refinement Method for the Linguang Zhaoyi Pill long ago, and today I shall present it to you, Fellow Daoist."
Li Zhouwei had anticipated he might offer this technique. Furrowing his brows slightly, he said:
"Please speak, Senior."
Tianhuo said solemnly:
"This technique has a long history and deep roots. It was originally consumed within the court and official residences of Emperor Wei, reinforced by numerous secret arts, and could not be unlocked by several lineages. It was only because my Jinyu's ancestors possessed a portion of the inheritance that we could unlock it.
"Yet with the collapse of the State of Wei, Mingyang underwent several shifts, rendering this technique largely unusable. The copy here was modified by a true master of the Cui Clan, allowing it to be used once more!"
"So it is one of a kind."
Li Zhouwei murmured softly:
"Yet without that spiritual resource, even if my family obtains the pill art, we cannot put it to use."
Tianhuo laughed:
"That is why I am telling you, Fellow Daoist—the produced spiritual resources have always been kept in Jinyu. You need only send someone to trade for them."
With that, he reached out, retrieved a golden scroll from the jade box, and said solemnly:
"Since we took an ancient art from your noble clan, we now return an ancient art to your noble clan. This very object is the original copy of the Light-Illuminating Qilin Refinement Method from the Donghuo Grotto-Heaven, named the *Linguang Huiyang Pill Scroll*!"
The four corners of this golden scroll were inscribed with patterns. Upon touching it, the texture was fine and soft, like woven gold. Given how thoughtful Tianhuo was and how fitting the pretext was, Li Zhouwei could hardly refuse. He could only express his gratitude, accept it, place it back into the jade box, and say:
"Thank you, Senior."
Tianhuo smiled and answered:
"I shall disturb you no further... An esteemed guest will soon arrive at our mountain gate to discuss several important matters, and I should return to welcome them. Lingering too long at your place would not be appropriate after all."
Li Zhouwei's expression remained unchanged. He tilted his head slightly, his left hand gently closing the jade box's lid and leaving it on the table as he asked:
"It seems the affairs north of the river are troublesome."
Tianhuo's smile did not waver as he answered:
"I suspect it goes beyond that."
Li Zhouwei's expression did not change.
*What kind of esteemed guest requires multiple Violet Palaces of Jinyu to welcome them? And requires Tianhuo, who is away, to rush back on time?*
Li Zhouwei's breakthrough had come without warning, leaving the lakeside tranquil for the moment, and the north seemed not to have reacted. Yet this visit by Real Person Tianhuo to the lake had subtly revealed a tip of the iceberg.
*Not only north of the river, but also south of the river.*
He escorted Tianhuo all the way out of the lake. The smile on the Jinyu true master's face finally faded into silence, and only just before departing did he abruptly speak:
"Minghuang, having broken through in the East Sea, you were actually willing to return... I presume you have no plans to leave now."
Li Zhouwei gazed at him quietly and smiled:
"I merely returned in time to save the lake's children from Helian Wumeng's hands."
Tianhuo gave him a deep, penetrating look, and finally dispersed like smoke, vanishing from sight.
***
Poluoduo.
When Li Ximing arrived riding the wind, the Kingdom of Xipo still presented a dazzling, peaceful, and harmonious appearance. Yet no sooner had he flown into the pavilion than the demon king leaped up to welcome him, saying in delight:
"Fellow Daoist arrived so quickly! However, Fellow Daoist Qingyan has not yet returned!"
Even though Liu Changdie had vouched for him, Li Ximing had already taken the Lihuo flame after all, which inevitably caused some anxiety. Now that Fuxun greeted him beaming with joy, Li Ximing did not waste words; he explained his arrangements, asked to collect the spiritual materials, and asked:
"When will this Fellow Daoist return?"
"I have already inquired... He is in the vicinity of Fenkuai... Recently he has been searching for a spiritual item on the island. He is better suited... being close to human cultivators and possessing some renown, so he can assist you from the side. My identity is peculiar, so it is inconvenient for me to enter Mount Huyi..."
Fuxun appeared somewhat embarrassed and immediately glanced at Liu Changdie, evidently hoping Liu could accompany them to Mount Huyi. But Liu Changdie was quite relaxed and merely chuckled:
"Then let us set out! Troubles have been mounting lately, and as it happens, I need to make a trip to Fenkuai anyway. That vermilion bird has been stirring restlessly again. Since we made a promise to Huoyang, it is not suitable for Fellow Daoist Fuxun to leave the Kingdom of Xipo. You and I shall go together and make good time; we can wait for Fellow Daoist Qingyan at Fenkuai!"
Fuxun had no choice but to bring out the two spiritual materials and gave him a jade talisman for contact. The spiritual materials were stored in two gleaming golden caskets, and he also took out a storage bag—evidently containing the supplementary herbs—and handed them all over to Li Ximing with a look of palpable loss.
Li Ximing chuckled and reached out to take them, but his arm instantly tensed with force, and he voiced slight surprise:
"Oh?"
Of these two golden caskets, one was light as nothing, while the other was as heavy as a mountain peak, compelling him to channel his divine ability magical power and exert force with all five fingers before he could lift the two golden caskets with seeming ease and tuck them into his sleeve.
"I entrust this to you, Fellow Daoist!"
The two bade farewell to the demon king and together rode the wind away from the Kingdom of Xipo, shuttling through the Great Void. Liu Changdie's mood had long since settled, and he inquired about Li Ximing's offspring, seeming somewhat curious.
Li Ximing found an opening and smiled:
"Earlier, I heard Senior say that profound wonders can nourish spiritual resources... I wonder if the path of Fushui conflicts with yours, Fellow Daoist?"
Liu Changdie nodded and answered:
"Prior to Qiku Baohe, Kujin is gold of containment and accumulation. Aside from clashing with a few water and fire virtues, it harmonizes well with the rest. As for the various waters, with the exception of Pinhelü, all other waters benefit immensely from Kujin.
"After Qiku Baohe, many of those distinct characteristics become muted. While the clashes are not as fierce as before, the harmonies and benefits are no longer as intimate... yet it retains its own profound wonders all the same."
Li Ximing calculated that Fushui would also benefit, and his mind was set at ease. Liu Changdie chuckled, however:
"Do you have some treasure you wish to show me?"
Li Ximing smiled without answering, and Liu Changdie understood that without a protective formation here, it was inconvenient to say more. The two traveled back together, and Li Ximing parted ways with him at Linhai. Galloping straight to Mount Huyi, Li Ximing landed and inquired; Master Houfu was indeed away, but had left word that should Li Ximing arrive, he could proceed directly to Kuidu Palace to refine pills.
This Kuidu Palace stood behind the grand hall at the mountaintop. It was not built especially grand, being merely a three-story small pavilion. A Xiukui disciple guided him here, where a five-legged spiritual furnace sat squarely in the center of the hall.
Beneath it flickered flecks of purple magical light, perhaps nourishing a spiritual tool. The Xiukui disciple bowed, withdrew, and barred the palace doors for him. Li Ximing then turned his hand lightly, retrieving a jade box from his storage bag.
Inside the box, three pitch-black scales were faintly shimmering, billowing with dense Kanshui Qi—these were none other than the Cangzhou Viper Scales!
*I will first fire up the furnace and refine pills, taking care of Dingyangzi's fifteen pills. It can serve to warm up the furnace and court good fortune before waiting for the person to arrive to refine this great pill!*
Chapter 930