Jiangbei, Mount Tangdao.
The rain and snow of early spring pattered down, drifting over the golden-hued mountain peaks and trickling down the eaves. A man clad in a plain kasaya sat inside a pavilion, one hand propped on the low table, gazing out into the rain.
Before long, a youth emerged from the falling rain and snow.
He wore a tall crown of white gauze and a Taoist robe embroidered with dark cloud patterns over a white ground edged in gold. Two purple silk ribbons hung from his waist. Though he possessed ruby lips, white teeth, and a boyish visage, he carried himself with an open-hearted and magnanimous air. Arriving before the hall, he laughed directly:
"Greetings, Abbot Fachang!"
It turned out the monk in the pavilion was none other than Mohe Fachang, dispatched by the Damu Dharma Realm to garrison Jiangbei!
Upon seeing him, Fachang immediately rose to greet him with a smile:
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Qi! What swift Great Void traversal you have—that was no short journey!"
Gathering up his inner robe to reveal his tightly bound white leggings, Fachang hurried down the stone steps. Standing beside the guest and sweeping a welcoming sleeve, he ushered him forward. But the youth merely smiled and said:
"Merely a minor traversal technique, nothing more."
Once the youth stepped inside and completed the courtesies, he took a seat without the slightest hesitation. Mohe Fachang was rather deferential toward him, sitting beside him to brew tea, and said with a pleased look:
"In the blink of an eye, several years have passed since we last met. How has Real Person Qi's cultivation on the mountain been progressing?"
The Real Person appeared to come from no humble background, appearing completely at ease with the monk's deference. He replied:
"I have reaped some gains... Though I should congratulate your Damu Dharma Realm. Your senior brother welcomed the revered position back to the mountain, which subtly aligned with your lineage. Now that his cultivation has advanced further, I reckon even I would be no match for him!"
At the mention of this matter, Mohe Fachang looked somewhat embarrassed. Though it was supposed to be a joyous occasion, it left him tongue-tied. He murmured in a low voice:
"His cultivation has indeed advanced... Yet in my view... it may not necessarily be a good thing. No matter what, it was Emperor Wei. Bearing such karma is like a toddler swinging a massive sledgehammer. If one day he can no longer hold onto it and it slips from his grip... he might very well end up destroying himself as well!"
The youth gave a slight scoff, but a touch of solemn silence crept into his eyes. Clearly, he agreed with the monk to some degree. Yet the matter was of such immense import that he could not say much. Sighing, he remarked:
"A genius like you encountering stumbling blocks in your cultivation today did not happen without reason... Some things are not meant to be spoken of casually!"
Both knew such topics could not be discussed at length and quickly moved past it. The youth said:
"I just took a glance earlier and saw purple rain and falling feathers. Has an ascent taken place in the south?"
Mohe Fachang hastily replied:
"Indeed. Yet curiously, there was no baleful qi, so it was not a Gen Soil relocation art, but the mountain-god ascent technique of Duwei... According to my subordinates... the mountain is Mount Xianyou, the sect grounds of Xiao Chuting."
"I know!"
The youth shifted his leg, the dark-cloud patterns on his robe gleaming with spiritual radiance, a look of novelty on his face:
"He went to the North Sea, perfectly catching the tide of Kanshui. Real Person Ji'an couldn't stay any longer either and had long given him Mount Baier. But Mount Baier is too small; it serves well for immortal seclusion, but cannot sustain a thriving clan. Naturally, he needed another mountain!"
Speaking of this, Mohe Fachang immediately knit his brows in confusion and asked:
"Jiangnan to the North Sea is such an immense distance! I fear only a Great Real Person of the Gen Soil path could haul it across. Xiao Chuting was right not to rely on Gen Soil; he had to use Duwei's art of ascent."
"What I don't understand is... as a practitioner of Kanshui..."
Before the monk could finish his sentence, he saw his companion waving a hand and shaking his head. Downing his tea, the youth chuckled:
"Bai Ziyu came to Zhixuan Pavilion, and I met with him. He also cultivates Duwei... The Duxian Dao next door to you is his domain. I took the trouble to ask him..."
"This Xiao Chuting has a junior named Xiao Yongling, who cultivates the Mount Dongyu of Duwei—the very mountain of ascent in the imagery of that Daoist art. The Xiao family went all out to support his charge into the Violet Mansion with schemes already in mind."
"Mount Xianyou is a massive mountain, after all. Even just the main peak is quite a sizable mountain in Jiangnan. Over such a great distance, though he had borrowed a spiritual artifact in advance, it was still insufficient. Naturally, he needed an extra push. As I see it, he laid out the formations on the mountain long ago, merely waiting for this favorable east wind!"
Hearing just this sentence, Mohe Fachang understood everything. His previous suspicions were confirmed, and he nodded:
"I see... Had Xiao Yongling succeeded, the manifestation of East Feather's ascent from advancing to the Violet Mansion and forging a divine ability would have combined with his own power to hoist the mountain... And if he failed, the phenomenon of a failed breakthrough and his body returning to heaven and earth could serve the exact same purpose."
"Precisely that logic, and precisely his calculation."
The youthful Real Person Qi laughed heartily and replied:
"A brilliant method indeed! He had prepared far in advance. Who would have thought that this Xiao Yongling had such a profound foundation, fighting battle after battle and stubbornly holding on with a single breath... I expect according to his original design, the mountain should have been raised during the great battle!"
"In the end, it was dragged out until now, entangling him somewhat further. But the dust has finally settled, and his scheme has succeeded."
Mohe Fachang shook his head and said:
"Laying his plans early is only natural. Xiao Chuting blossomed late in life. Though fortunate opportunities and secret arts came together to advance his divine ability with astonishing speed, how much lifespan could he have left? The Xiao family has no outstanding heirs either; even if they did, keeping them in Jiangnan would be inconvenient."
Real Person Qi chuckled, brushing the topic aside, and spoke softly:
"On the other hand, this Real Person Ye Gui, Bai Ziyu, is truly a remarkable fellow. He possesses strategy and breadth of mind. My lord spoke with him for a while and was genuinely impressed! Who would have thought? First there was Changxiao, and now him. These days, rogue cultivators often produce such talents..."
He soon turned his head back and smiled:
"How are things in Jiangbei?"
Mohe Fachang pressed his palms together. His plain, patternless attire formed a striking contrast with the Real Person opposite him. A trace of helplessness flickered in his eyes as he murmured:
"Things have settled down without major conflict. Only, that White Qilin by the riverside—I have yet to see him. The prestige of Bright King Shengming Jin still lingers. By rights... Bright King Shengming Jin merely obtained divine marvels when a scion of Emperor Wei's direct bloodline entered the Buddhist path, and was still inferior to him."
Real Person Qi's expression remained placid as he murmured:
"Bright King Shengming Jin..."
A faint trace of disdain was veiled in his expression. But since it was an ancestor of the Buddhist lineage after all, he could hardly speak ill of him, and simply lowered his head to sip his tea without offering any comment.
Mohe Fachang was not blind to this. Silently bowing his head, he steered the conversation away:
"Only, the State of Yan continues to apply pressure, urging us to stir up trouble... They have even sent people over."
Real Person Qi shook his head with a smile and said:
"Murong Yan and Shilou Yingge."
This news seemed slightly different from what the monk had heard, causing his eyes to widen slightly:
"King Bolie has only just departed, so why has another member of the Gao family arrived? That Helian Wujiang is, at the end of the day, merely King Tiefu. Now with two royal houses here... could it be that King Chen and King Dai will be summoned next?"
"It is a joyous occasion, not anyone mediating... The Gao family has produced a genius named Gao Fangjing, who has already attained the Violet Mansion. Only because of this did they have the capacity to spare someone to descend here once more."
Hearing this, the monk could only nod, though no joy showed on his face. Real Person Qi seemed to understand his misgivings and said with a smile:
"Over all these years... crossing the Jiang between north and south is hardly unprecedented. What is there to fear? Southern cultivators have stirred up trouble for so many years and repeatedly crossed the river, yet I've never seen anyone terrified."
"Could it be that only the Southern Taiyang lineage is permitted to cross the Jiang, while the northern paths are forbidden from heading south? The crux of the matter does not lie in who crosses the Jiang; you are looking at it wrong, monk!"
Leaning slightly to the side, he smiled:
"If they truly wished to bar the north from crossing the Jiang, how could things have ever reached this point? So long as matters are not carried too far, competing in spells or even fighting a few major battles poses no issue at all."
Though he spoke thus, the various factions in the north clearly harbored misgivings in their hearts. Mohe Fachang's expression wavered slightly, turning somewhat subdued, as if he were taking in the words, or perhaps had merely sought a commitment from him all along. He said in a deep, muffled tone:
"This humble monk understands... Thanks to Fellow Daoist coming down from the north to dispel my doubts... otherwise, with my dull-witted aptitude, who knows how long it would have taken me to grasp it."
"Dull-witted?"
Real Person Qi found this rather amusing and merely said:
"I think you simply wish to avoid creating killing karma... Sometimes I truly wonder whether Beigu and Yeren are the ones hailing from the Liao River... or if you are?"
Mohe Fachang bowed his head slightly and answered:
"I dare not compare myself to the eminent cultivators of the Northern Path of the World-Honored One. But having taken up this duty, I knew this journey would inevitably incur countless acts of killing karma!"
He hailed from the Damu Dharma Realm, which enjoyed one of the finest reputations among the northern Buddhist orders. They believed that the present world is itself the Buddha-land, with no need to seek it in past or future lives. Whether cultivators or devotees, all actively participated in transforming the present world to bring it closer to the Buddha-land depicted in the scriptures.
It was precisely due to this doctrine that the Damu Dharma Realm drew immense criticism from many fellow sects, and no few people considered them desecrators of the scriptures. Sitting in this position today, Mohe Fachang naturally bore tremendous pressure.
Yet had it not been for this, how could Qi Lanyan, who hailed from the Guanxie school, ever have been willing to address him as "Fellow Daoist"? Now, Qi Lanyan merely smiled and said:
"Since you know it will incur killing karma, why bother taking this path and needlessly fostering mental obstacles within yourself?"
Mohe Fachang let out a faint sigh and replied:
"This region must have a Buddhist cultivator step forward to preside over it. If it were someone from another sect, who knows how cruel their methods would be! When the time came, they would only use their heterodox ways to swallow all these common folk into their bellies and refine them into their divine abilities... Only by coming here myself can I bring a measure of peace to this place."
"Had I not come, that would be the true cause for regret in my heart."
...
"Mount Xianyou has departed Jiangnan."
Amid hurried murmurs, several cultivators touched down on the mountain. Li Jiangqian led two people all the way to the mountain summit and entered the grand hall alone, reporting:
"Father... someone from the Xiao family has arrived."
The man seated above opened his eyes.
A mere few shichen had elapsed since Mount Xianyou took flight and ascended, yet the entire lake region was already in an uproar. After all, the mountain was by no means small, and the spectacle had been grand and tumultuous. No one knew where it would touch down, but it was certain to be beyond Jiangnan, inevitably fueling speculation.
From the moment Li Zhouwei learned of this, he knew the Xiao family would send someone. At present, he merely said:
"Let him come up."
Waiting only a brief moment, he saw a man ascend from below the hall. He was tall and slender, with a reasonably dashing appearance. The Xiao family had sealed their mountain for many years, remaining safe and aloof through numerous upheavals, to the point that their direct lineage was barely recognizable now. He bowed politely in the hall and spoke respectfully:
"Junior Xiao Congyu pays respects to Real Person Minghuang!"
Li Zhouwei nodded:
"No need for formalities."
Xiao Congyu straightened up and said respectfully:
"The flight and ascent of our mountain gate was of paramount importance, which was why our Real Person never revealed it beforehand... Even the many clan brothers and clan elders on the mountain knew nothing of it; only the Real Person and the Clan Head were aware... Now that the mountain has been uprooted, our Real Person cannot tear himself away. I have come this time to bid farewell."
"Our Xiao family has relocated to Cangzhou in the North Sea..."
The phenomena in the sky had not yet dissipated, yet the envoy had already reached the front of the mountain, clearly having set off at the very first moment. Looking at the man kneeling in the hall, Li Zhouwei secretly felt a touch of regret.
Xiao Chuting was a man devoted to self-preservation. In earlier years, the spiritual atmosphere of Jiangnan required his involvement, compelling him to remain. Later, having gained breathing room between the two sects, he immediately sealed his mountain gate and gradually relinquished the surrounding interests. His scheme to extricate himself from Jiangnan had surely been brewing for more than just a year or two.
His departure today came as no surprise, and was perhaps even somewhat overdue. Li Zhouwei merely said:
"Our two families have enjoyed good relations for years, and my granduncle has long admired the Real Person immensely, frequently expressing a wish to pay his respects. He has mentioned it to me several times, but the Real Person's whereabouts were elusive, making a meeting impossible until now."
Regarding his own affairs, Li Zhouwei never sought to entangle others; he only hoped that these allies of the Li family might protect the Li clan in the future. Thus, he said nothing more of himself, bringing up Li Ximing in every sentence.
"Should my granduncle travel to Cangzhou in the North Sea to pay a visit one day... I hope the Real Person will receive him."
Xiao Congyu hastily bowed down and said with utmost reverence:
"Our Real Person mentioned as much... He is also quite concerned for Real Person Zhaojing. From now on, our family's mountain gate will be located on Mount Baier in Kanbei Prefecture of Cangzhou in the North Sea. Should the Real Person have any request, he is welcome to visit at any time."
Li Zhouwei nodded and waved his hand, replying:
"I must garrison the lake, so it will most likely be Real Person Zhaojing who travels there. When an immortal clan relocates to a new home, he will certainly go to offer his congratulations and present gifts."
The Xiao envoy did not linger. Seeing Li Zhouwei wave, he soon took his leave. Li Jiangqian saw the guest off to the side, then said in a low voice:
"Father... The Xiao clan closed their doors for many years and prepared long in advance. They formed no new marriage alliances... As for the direct kin and blood relatives in the prefecture, those who could be taken were taken, and those who could leave have left..."
Lowering his gaze, he said:
"In my view, the Xiao clan's departure changes nothing regarding the grand situation... That Real Person would never get entangled with any side after all. Even if he remained here, whatever turmoil arose in the north... it would not implicate or offend him."
"Leaving now is actually out of fear that when the time comes, he will be unable to decline demands and end up incurring Taiyang's resentment..."
The man in crimson robes narrowed his eyes slightly:
"Leaving early right now, while the favor of having just lent a hand still lingers... is inherently a good opportunity."
Li Zhouwei indicated his understanding and said softly:
"It is precisely because his departure has no bearing on the grand situation that he is able to leave."
The golden-eyed man rose from the main seat, descended the steps, and paced all the way to the front of the hall. His expression was composed, his golden eyes glittering, exceptionally dazzling against the gloomy sky.
Looking out from here, one could see the roiling smoke of spells billowing across the Jiang. Clouds of radiant mist mingled with multicolored light were rising from the north, and figures were emerging from the clouds one after another in dense numbers.
Those golden pupils reflected the scene in the sky. Be it the cloudy mists or spell-smoke, none could obstruct his vision, laying bare the dark silhouettes and golden bodies within the clouds one by one.
"Regardless of all that... notify the Taiyang lineage. People have arrived on the Jiang."
Chapter 936