Li Ximing weighed the Miaohui Whisker in his hand. Real Person Luo let out a dry chuckle and replied:
"At present... I truly don't have any Mingyang spiritual items..."
It was difficult for this demonic cultivator to put on airs. In the Wu State, he was a demonic king whose word was law, but out here, he was surrounded either by figures renowned in alchemy or artifact crafting like Li Ximing and Dingyangzi, or by immortal cultivators of the Taiyang lineage wielding multiple treasures. What did he possess that anyone would look up to? He could only laugh and say:
"I traded with Fellow Daoist Ning Wan for a cultivation method, so I have nothing decent left on hand... Fortunately... fortunately, I have several Mingyang spells..."
Li Ximing was uninterested. Spells were the last thing his family lacked. What was more, the other party was a demonic cultivator from the Southern Border; what good Mingyang heritage could he possibly produce? Asking casually, they proved to be quite ordinary, at most on par with Radiant Heavenly Surge.
He declined with a smile. Real Person Luo did not dare offer any of his own demonic cultivation methods, so after pondering for a long while, he gritted his teeth and took out a white pearl gleaming with Heshui radiance—likewise a Purple Palace resource—seeking to trade for it.
Li Ximing had no desire to take just any spiritual resource, so he shook his head and replied:
"That will not do, Fellow Daoist. Fortunately, I have no pressing need for it right now, so there is no rush. My family intends to forge a suit of armor, so I shall leave this item in the custody of Fellow Daoist Dingyangzi. Should you need it one day, or happen to acquire suitable spiritual resources, you may come find Fellow Daoist Dingyangzi—or, failing that, you can seek me out at the lake!"
With that, he looked toward Dingyangzi. The old man's expression was calm, and he answered:
"That works as well... The world is unsettled these days... Running back and forth is ever more inconvenient, so I shall hold it in safekeeping."
Li Ximing assumed the "unsettled world" referred to the conflict between North and South. Exchanging pleasantries, he quietly left the arrangement in place, took his leave of Dingyangzi with a few parting words, and calculated that Liu Changdie was likely still in Poluoduo. He then rose upon the wind and headed north.
Once Li Ximing had departed, the coldness on Dingyangzi's face softened, and his manner toward Real Person Luo grew somewhat more polite. Frowning, he said:
"How many times must I tell you... That item was entrusted by Nanshun Raja, meaning it belongs to Dilutian Mulberry Forest! In southern witchcraft today, he is arguably foremost. Yet you insisted on asking, refusing to give up until you heard it for yourself."
Real Person Luo chuckled slyly and replied:
"Dilutian Mulberry Forest... great reputation as it has, isn't he just someone who betrayed friends for glory? I only asked, that's all. If he didn't harbor the intention of turning to the Buddhist lands, why would he stir up so much trouble..."
"What nonsense are you spouting?"
Dingyangzi frowned, but Real Person Luo said:
"If there's any lie in what I say, you can chop off my head!"
This crude remark made Dingyangzi frown. He replied:
"Regardless, it is none of our concern. That friend of yours on the sea... that precious elephant, didn't it obtain a metal-and-stone resource? You may very well go ask, so this item doesn't sit idle in my hands indefinitely."
Real Person Luo laughed twice and shook his head:
"You certainly are anxious. Having one more suit of scale armor won't stir up any great waves... It's nothing more than easing a bit of pressure for the Taiyang lineage your master holds so dear..."
"Have you ever considered it? Wei Xuanyin is already a Jueyin Grand Real Person. In Emperor Zhao's palace, there is also Zong Chang of Jueyin, and General Gongsun Bei of Xiqi. Can you really hope for the Li clan to share the burden for the Taiyang lineage? Murong Yan alone is enough of a headache for them."
Yet Dingyangzi's expression remained calm. Without denying it, he said in a heavy voice:
"It is better for the White Qilin to stand out and draw more eyes. Chaos is spreading everywhere, and the Taiyang lineage truly needs to stay out of the fray and bide its time..."
***
Baihai Creek.
The domain of Xuanmiao Abbey was now cloaked in gloom, appearing utterly lifeless. Ever since Ancestral Founder Sumian had departed with his painstakingly cultivated Qi Qiuxin, the hearts of the people here had instantly fractured, and the former days of laughter, ease, and leisure were nowhere to be found.
Two streaks of flowing light arrived one after the other, resolving into a man clad in black robes patterned with dark clouds over white cloth edged in gold, and a woman dressed in pale yellow robes. Qi Lanyan wore a smile on his face:
"This is Xuanmiao Abbey... Across the river lies Shanji!"
Kong Tingyun swept her gaze over Jiangnan in the night. In just a few days, she had gained an understanding of what had transpired during all those years she had been in secluded cultivation. Glancing toward the west, she could hardly restrain her emotions:
'Real Person Zhaojing, Li Ximing—he truly succeeded!'
Strictly speaking, Kong Tingyun had been the only one to go in person and warn Li Qinghong that the Mingfang Heavenly Stone must under no circumstances be used on Li Ximing. Though Kong Tingyun considered her intentions entirely good, seeing this outcome, her heart could not help but sink:
'As it turns out, Li Ximing did end up using the Mingfang Heavenly Stone after all. How else could he have advanced at such speed? A well-meaning reminder has now become the enmity of hindering someone's Dao... How could anyone explain that away? Li Ximing must hold a grudge against me!'
Her heart was full of mixed feelings, compounded by the trepidation of soon meeting her clansmen. Beside her, Qi Lanyan, who cultivated a destiny divine ability, possessed exceptionally keen perception. As his eyes turned toward her, Kong Tingyun hurriedly spoke, letting out a faint sigh of nostalgia:
"Senior Xiao Chuting has actually left Jiangnan..."
"Xiao Chuting..."
Hearing that name, Qi Lanyan folded his hands with a trace of a smile and replied:
"He made his fortune by plotting against Duanmu Kui, earning no small amount of regard thereafter. Now that he has relocated to the North Sea, it is only natural—how could he continue throwing his weight around in Jiangnan?"
Kong Tingyun fell silent. The two flew southward together and soon arrived before Shanji Commandery. The commandery was steeped in gloom and in total disarray, no longer bearing any resemblance to its former days. Coming before the mountain gate, they saw a crystal-clear ward formation. Inside, chunks were missing from the eastern peaks, while whole mountains had been leveled to the west. Green banners and red drapes hung all around, in styles completely foreign to her own sect.
Kong Tingyun cast her eyes down. Qi Lanyan stepped up before the formation, and sure enough, a purple-robed woman came treading upon the wind. She stopped before them, wearing a polite smile as she said:
"Greetings to both Fellow Daoists... and congratulations to Fellow Daoist Kong!"
Kong Tingyun did not recognize her well, but recognized the robes of Ziyan Gate on her person, and returned the greeting with reasonable courtesy. Qi Lanyan, on the other hand, wore an amiable expression and simply stated:
"Tingyun is a disciple of our Tongxuan lineage and achieved the Dao in Jiangbei. She has come here to receive her kin."
Hearing him repeatedly call her a disciple of Tongxuan, Tinglan felt deeply uncomfortable inside, yet maintained a smile:
"Zhugong is currently in seclusion, but fortunately, arrangements were made earlier."
Tortured inside, she merely ordered her people forward. A guest elder rose upon the wind, leading four people behind him. Foremost was an old man with deeply sunken eye sockets, clad in new, lavish clothing, nervously clasping his hands before his chest.
He appeared to have taken some fine spiritual elixir, for the skin over his entire body showed a healthy flush, yet his eyes were still wide and round, sunken into their sockets with an indelible panic. His posture was unmistakably hunched, making him look exceptionally diminutive. His neck jutted forward, and trembling with dread, he tilted his head sideways to steal glances upward, his hands shaking incessantly.
Kong Tingyun stared at him blankly:
"Guxi?"
The old man seemed to be dreaming, his pale lips unable to form words.
When Kong Tingyun left the sect, Kong Guxi had been just a young man, a well-known playboy within the sect. Even today, he was by no means old, yet the crushing pressure of these past years had broken him completely, reducing him to this helpless, wretched state that made him unrecognizable to her face to face.
Behind Kong Guxi stood two middle-aged figures. A woman held the hand of a half-grown boy. Sallow-faced and wooden, she was Kong Qiuyan, once youthful, radiant, and gentle.
The man was emaciated to bone and sinew, his eyes brimming with tears. This was Kong Xiaxiang, once renowned for his rash bravery. In his hands, he cradled a neatly folded suit of golden armor, atop which rested a majestic mask with hollow, pitch-black eyeholes.
The ravages of time were nothing compared to the psychological and physical torment etched into the three of them. In barely a dozen years, their demeanor had changed beyond recognition. Clustered together as if huddling for warmth across the clouds, they gazed toward her in panic and disbelief.
Kong Tingyun's expression gradually shifted. Tears quickly welled in her gentle eyes, and her voice turned hoarse:
"Only the three of you remain."
She looked toward Kong Qiuyan, who now resembled a weathered middle-aged woman, and asked quietly:
"What is the child's surname?"
Compared to the two beside her, Kong Qiuyan showed little despair, only profound exhaustion and confusion:
"Reporting to the Real Person, his surname is Dai."
Qi Lanyan stood beside them without a word, his calm gaze resting on Tinglan, who kept her eyes downcast. His eyes were like cold iron stone, radiating silent yet cutting sarcasm:
'Look at the fine work you have done!'
'It is your Taiyang lineage, you, Tinglan, who wrought this evil! You resent my Guanxie school for intervening and carrying out orders to disrupt the realm's situation—do you now see why? Look at your Taiyang lineage inviting demonic cultivators into Jiangnan! As if you are any better!'
Tinglan wore a blank face, but her heart was in utter disarray. She did not know how to speak: Should she say that Changxi's Xuanyue was hardly virtuous to begin with? Should she say that Zhugong had already shown mercy? Or should she say that had Zhugong not been invited into Jiangnan, this place would have fallen to Duxian Dao, whose methods would surely have been far more cruel? But in the end, those were all counterfactuals. Whatever the case... words failed her. She could only manage:
"Duxian was aggressive and overbearing... Zhugong hastily took in your sect's remnants. Hailing from the East Sea, she acts brashly, so her handling was inevitably somewhat rough."
Kin reunited, choking with emotion as they gazed at each other. Kong Tingyun was speechless for a long time before she finally asked:
"How many disciples of Xuanyue remain?"
Kong Xiaxiang was just about to speak when Kong Guxi beat him to it, his voice raspy:
"The sect collapsed, but fortunately, we received the protection of Real Person Zhaojing. This junior disbanded the disciples on his own accord to eke out a living under the Muquan Immortal Sect. To this day, Xuanyue is no more."
The coldness in Kong Tingyun's eyes did not abate, yet she still bowed politely to Tinglan, answering:
"Senior Zhugong's protection over the years is etched in my heart. Once I have questioned my clansmen thoroughly, and Senior emerges from seclusion, I shall certainly pay a visit in person."
Tinglan felt only bitterness in her mouth and let out a sigh. Qi Lanyan gave her no further opening; turning away alongside Kong Tingyun, they rode the wind into the distance, leaving Tinglan standing alone beneath the moonlight.
'The affairs of this world are truly unpredictable!'
Once outside Shanji, the polite smile on Kong Tingyun's face finally vanished. She looked quietly at Kong Guxi beside her, who was frozen as if trapped in a dream, afraid to move lest he wake, and said with a slight choke:
"After the Ancestral Founder fell, did we truly receive anyone's protection?"
Kong Guxi's feet dared not step firmly. Two turbid tears rolled from the corners of his eyes, and upon that weathered face, a hint of grief that could finally breathe surfaced. Amid the sobs of the two behind him, he gritted his teeth, choking through tears:
"After the Real Person fell, wolves and jackals prowled on all sides, wishing they could tear us apart and devour us that very day. Our kin from Jingyi were nowhere to be seen; fellow Daoists of Xuanmiao cheered across the mountains, and those Xuanyue had befriended in the past offered nothing but cold stares! The only one with true pity and goodwill in his heart, who was willing to extend his protection, was Real Person Zhaojing alone!"
"His kindness... even across nine generations, our Kong clan could never repay it!"
***
The northern bank.
Mountain winds howled, and white snow danced in the air. For no apparent reason, snow began to fall over the mountains again, clustering in thick white mounds atop the pavilion in a bustling flurry of pure white.
Yet at the foot of the mountain, along the riverbanks, legions of cultivators clashed furiously with monks. Battle cries shook the heavens like a bloody tableau painted against the white snow, staining the rocks on both banks crimson and black.
After barely half a year of peace in the north, vast swarms of monks crossed the river once more. Like fearless locusts, they threw themselves against the great formations erected by the lake cultivators. The fighting escalated ceaselessly; within three days, there had already been successive battles between Foundation Establishment cultivators and Buddhist masters.
Li Zhouwei had uncharacteristically donned white robes, standing quietly inside the pavilion. Li Ximing had just stepped out of the Great Void, holding a teapot as he brewed tea. Just as he was about to speak, someone flew through the heavy snow and dropped to his knees amid the white drifts.
Li Ximing stopped mid-sentence. He cast a glance: kneeling in the snow was a restrained man in a long robe, his forehead pressed to the ground, his expression complicated.
"Jueyin? What happened?"
This man was none other than Cui Jueyin!
Li Ximing frowned slightly and bade him rise, but the man dared not get up, remaining prostrate on the ground, his voice low:
"Subordinate... has come to plead guilty!"
Li Zhouwei glanced over in some surprise, noting his dejected and uneasy tone:
"Some time ago, when the Real Person inspected Jiangbei, the East Sea had already sent letters to this junior, hoping that once my Foundation Establishment cultivation had stabilized and there was hope for Purple Palace, I might return to the East Sea to have a look..."
"Who could have foreseen that the head of my house would be murdered while away, and Grandfather's seclusion has yielded no movement for so long? With unrest in the province, Real Person Yangya returned to the ancestral lands. After inquiring about recent events, he delivered the Changming Tier Purple Palace cultivation method, conveying the same intention—he hopes... subordinate will return to the East Sea for secluded cultivation, temper my cultivation, and prepare to break through to Purple Palace."
"This matter has already been delayed for far too long. Now that the Real Person has spoken... I fear... it can no longer be avoided."
Li Ximing froze, then shook his head and gritted his teeth:
"What a man, this Yangya!"
Li Zhouwei understood in his heart:
'With the situation growing more volatile and the Cui family's forefather having ever less hope of breaking through, Chongzhou still lacks a Purple Palace. Yangya does not want Cui Jueyin, a seedling for Purple Palace, dragged into the turmoil of the northern-southern conflict! Even less does he want the Cui clan entangled in my affairs.'
Cui Jueyin spoke mildly, but from Yangya's conduct alone, it was clear he favored severing ties between the Cui and Li clans. Having made a special trip back and suddenly discovered the situation, he had likely cursed half of Chongzhou up and down, then fetched the Purple Palace cultivation method, determined to force Cui Jueyin's return.
At his words, Cui Jueyin panicked immediately, choking out:
"Please, My Lord, do not blame him! The Real Person has his own considerations! He meant nothing else! If a rift were to form because of this junior... I could never atone, even in death!"
"I had originally planned to wait until the Real Person returned to beg your pardon, but there was no sign of you for so long. Yet the command from the province bears Real Person Yangya's authority... it cannot be delayed. Happening to cross paths today..."
Cui Jueyin had been at the lake for many years and had long become one of their own; Li Ximing trusted him even more than an ordinary direct descendant. Yet now he was forced to depart, weeping bitterly. Li Zhouwei watched in silence. After a long while, Li Ximing said:
"Since it is an order from your clan's Real Person, it is not our place to force you to stay. But you have performed great service and hold high prestige—how could you leave empty-handed?"
Cui Jueyin was about to speak, but Li Ximing shook his head. Taking out several jade slips from his sleeve, he placed them in a jade box and said softly:
"Take these spells and use them. As for elixirs and resources, regardless of Chongzhou's arrangements, the lake will have them prepared for you as well! You will not lack for anything!"
Cui Jueyin said in terror:
"I dare not accept the Real Person's resources!"
Li Ximing sneered coldly:
"Dare not accept... If sent to Chongzhou, Yangya wouldn't dare take them either. Just keep them in your storage bag. If Yangya asks, just tell him our ties are severed, and these are compensation given to you!"
Li Ximing felt not only heartache, but also a helpless anger. His voice softened considerably:
"It was originally agreed that juniors of both families would be exchanged. But the two in my family who cultivate Mingyang have sensitive identities, so it was improper for them to go. You have been on the islet for so many years that we have long regarded you as one of our own. Looking at Yangya's attitude now, it is just as well they didn't go... I only hope you achieve your divine ability soon and do not let down all your years of cultivation."
Cui Jueyin kowtowed repeatedly before gathering his robes and stepping down. Watching him leave, Li Zhouwei turned his head aside, guilt welling in his chest. Li Ximing, however, calmly drank several cups, showing neither joy nor anger.
Then someone came to report:
"Guest Elder Wushao has returned, stating he has an urgent matter to report!"
The snow falling between heaven and earth grew increasingly heavy. A black-robed man approached with a somber expression, the shadows beneath his feet coiling like serpents' tails. It was Li Wushao, who had rushed back from Qingchi.
Quan Yuduan and his fellow disciples had intentionally leaked information, making no effort to avoid him and spilling everything they had heard within the sect—intel obtained by the Si family through connections and background. The beast dared not delay for a single moment, nor did he dare show anything amiss, quickly making his way back to the lake at top speed.
Although Li Wushao was merely a beast, the father and son he had followed were figures of immense reverence at the lake. His status was by no means low. At this moment, with a simple report at the lake, he was immediately granted unhindered audience with the two Real Persons of highest cultivation.
Kneeling on the ground, his voice low and sinister, he recounted everything in detail.
"...According to what they said... it must surely be Real Person Sui Guan..."
'Sui Guan!'
Li Ximing had not paid much attention to him initially, quietly observing whether the Foundation Establishment cultivators fighting by the lake required rescue. But hearing this, his gloomy mood vanished instantly, replaced by a profound sense of foreboding. Stunned for a moment, he murmured:
"How could it be him!"
The two exchanged glances, each seeing the unease in the other's eyes. Years ago, when Li Qinghong passed through Xuanyue, Kong Tingyun had revealed a secret to her:
'If the True Sovereign travels beyond the heavens, Sui Guan must reside in Qingchi's Lüyu Heaven, daring not enter the mortal realm, much less Jiangnan.'
'Which means... the True Sovereigns fighting beyond the heavens finished long ago! That one has most likely returned to Lüyu Heaven!'
Beside them, Li Jiangqian and Li Quewan had just arrived. The crimson-robed man wore a dark expression, his tone dripping with coldness:
"Rumor has it that this person is a Grand Real Person, not only standing at the pinnacle of the Purple Palace realm, but possessing an extraordinary origin... Real Person Qiuhu... is no longer in control of her own fate!"
'No wonder there has been no sign of Ning Wan for months... The various Taiyang lineages probably still think she is recovering from her wounds!'
Li Quewan pondered for a moment, then said in a low voice:
"If Real Person Sui Guan has returned... he is, after all, a figure of the Taiyang lineage... Now that North and South are locked in confrontation, and the Kong family matter remains unclear, his stance is all the more vital."
Li Zhouwei remained noncommittal. Waiting until Li Wushao finished speaking, he said:
"You have worked hard... in such perilous circumstances... to rush all the way back."
Li Wushao shook his head with a grave face. Li Zhouwei's eyes flickered with doubt as he said:
"Years ago, there were already speculations that this Real Person Sui Guan was similar to Dongfang Heyun. Even if he is not the manifestation of a divine ability or the avatar of a magical treasure, he is at least the physical manifestation of a portion of Lushui. No one knows how many ages have passed since he achieved the divine ability... Among those of divine ability, he is in a class of his own. He certainly possesses the power to halt the conflict between North and South. But pinning our hopes on him is far less realistic than considering Chi Buzi."
"As it stands now, we have likely lost Ning Wan's assistance, and even Qingchi Sect may not be willing to stand with the Taiyang lineage."
The crowd fell silent. Li Ximing said:
"I only wonder whether the other factions know of this."
A trace of fatigue flitted across Li Zhouwei's brow. Discussing Lushui and Sui Guan was exceedingly dangerous; juniors should not be involved. Exchanging a glance with his grand-uncle, he dismissed Li Jiangqian and Li Quewan first before saying:
"I had heard long ago about Qingchi withdrawing personnel and trimming disciples. I originally thought Real Person Qiuhu was shifting manpower to prepare for Si Yuanli's breakthrough. Now it seems it must have been Sui Guan's intention..."
Unable to fathom Sui Guan's intentions, the two lapsed into silence. But Li Wushao, being meticulous, said in a low voice:
"Subordinate searched all through the sect without result, but while passing through the market, I obtained a portrait depicting Real Person Sui Guan left behind by the Chi family back then... I have brought it with me."
'Obtained in the market?'
This could not be more glaringly obvious; whoever left it was almost certainly the same group that secretly leaked the news of Sui Guan's return. Li Ximing sighed inwardly and nodded:
"After all, there is no ward formation here. Let us examine it back on the islet."
Yet Li Zhouwei stopped him, saying thoughtfully:
"Let us view it right here."
The beast rose to his feet immediately. Pulling back his sleeves, he produced a scroll from within and held it at eye level. Only then did he untie the silk ribbon, unrolling the portrait.
The figure in the painting stood quietly, tall and slender, with narrow, elongated eyes. Only he was drawn on the white paper, but his pupils were left unpainted, appearing completely blank.
Divine abilities and mighty figures were mostly peculiar. Back then, on the Chongming Dongxuan Screen, several True Sovereigns had no facial features depicted at all, and immortals were represented merely by a golden ring. For a Purple Palace to be painted without pupils was likewise quite ordinary.
Yet the painter had been extraordinarily cautious. Even the figure's form was merely sketched, without even applying color, saving a dab of green at the hem of the robe to indicate it was cyan—presumably cyan robes accented with golden tassels, the customary attire of a Qingchi Sect Purple Palace cultivator.
Nor did anyone dare write the two characters "Sui Guan"; the sides were left completely bare, not a single word recorded.
'The artistry is certainly masterful. Even across the painting, an aura of sinister strangeness bleeds through.'
Li Wushao was not tall, and holding it up like this with outstretched arms made him look somewhat stiff. Fortunately, an obliging, fair hand soon reached out, gently taking the scroll from his grasp, turning it around, and studying it closely.
The man gazed down at the painting in his hands, the corners of his lips curving upward. In that instant, the heavy snowfall filling the sky seemed to halt, frozen in midair to form a backdrop behind him.
Li Wushao still stood respectfully in place as though unaware of anything amiss, his grayish-black pupils reflecting the other party's bizarre, cyan-purple eyes and smiling countenance.
And through the heavy snow came a soft chuckle:
"Si Yuanli was far too careless. How could I ever be so fierce?"
Chapter 944