Shanji Commandery.
Quiet lanterns dotted the scene. Kong Tingyun stood forlorn atop the mountain peak, her expression lost in confusion.
Her knuckles turned white as her hands gripped the pavilion's balustrade tightly. Across the mountain, jubilation still reigned, and voices offering congratulations rang out from every direction.
"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Kong!"
Qi Lanyan descended out of thin air, adding his own congratulations before lamenting with a touch of regret, "It is merely a pity that this demonic cultivator had some precautions in place. Though he could not move the great array in short order, he dismantled and carried off the Violet Palace spiritual item within it, leaving behind an empty shell... And to think I went out of my way to bring the Array-Severing Seat Blade. It truly was using an ox-cleaver to kill a chicken."
Kong Tingyun forced a smile. Lingering dread and horror still flickered in her eyes, leaving her at a momentary loss for words.
Qi Lanyan, however, smiled faintly and said, "It seems I was right after all. The Taiyang lineage did not just want your mountain gate—they even planned to cross the river and take your life... Had I not noticed in time, who knows how many slaughters would have been added to Jiangbei by now."
Kong Tingyun's heart was tangled with conflicting emotions. In her mind's eye, the helpless, despairing gaze of the purple-robed woman still lingered. She answered, "My sincerest thanks to you, My Lord! If not for you, the Taiyang lineage would have brushed me off with a perfunctory excuse and a meager token of compensation."
Qi Lanyan smiled but did not speak.
Only after a long while did he heave a slow sigh and murmur, "A pity! Ling Mei's nerve was truly excessive...
"Now that this matter has passed, Tinglan will not dare show her face for at least thirty years, and Ziyan Blessed Land has withdrawn from the world behind closed doors. As for Houfu... that man was insidious enough to break through to another divine ability, but it did him little good. He lost his Dharma body, and though he used his tricks to escape with a sliver of Shengyang, that was enough—he is practically dead! Great Xiukui Abbey locking down its grand array is inevitable. You have no more obstacles left around you!
"As for the Sword Sect... stuck in their old ways, with the Cheng clan looking out only for themselves. Thanks to Beihuan's warning, they severed ties early under the guise of seclusion. You hold the moral high ground, and Ling Mei's intervention this time was already their limit. They have nothing to say, so there is no need to worry."
Kong Tingyun felt only terror in her heart listening to this. She smiled superficially in response and said softly, "After all, the Sword Sect lent us Wind-Listening White Stone Mountain. They showed grace to this junior..."
"That is true as well..."
Qi Lanyan propped both elbows on the railing, leaning back leisurely with a smile. "Also, regarding those mountains that Ye Gui took from here before, arrangements have already been made to shift them back. As for harmonizing the ley lines and managing the handover, people from your sect will have to see to it. Oh..."
He pointed casually at the sky, chuckled, and shook his head. "As luck would have it, your clan members can return to the mountain as well."
Kong Tingyun raised her brows and looked toward the sky. The night was thick, and across the heavens rode a golden carriage, like a brilliant star illuminating everything around it.
Somewhat weary, she said, "Thank you, My Lord."
...
Across the distant night sky, a shimmering golden curtain swayed. An old man sat dazed inside the carriage like a statue, perched upright with his legs stretched stiff and taut.
All clamor was shut out by the curtain. The carriage gifted by the Master of Chengyun Gate was truly forged from Celestial Star Red Gold; Kong Guxi felt scalding heat coursing all over his body.
His consciousness was somewhat hazy, his mind a blank. He had thought it would be a long journey where he could ponder what to say, yet before he could even savor how exalted a Master's carriage was, a gentle tremor ran beneath his feet, and someone called out:
"We respectfully welcome the Sect Master back to the mountain!"
Kong Guxi drew back the curtain.
The sky was overcast, and a faint white glow covered the mountains like a thin curtain, casting bright hues. Five golden swords hung in the heavens, projecting five golden blades like colossal pillars towering among the peaks.
'It is Lord Qi's Array-Severing Seat Blade.'
The treasure's golden luminescence filtered softly through the treetops. The mountainside was densely packed with kneeling figures, bowing along the roadsides—a sea of heads, all clad in Xuanyue attire.
Someone came to help him down. Kong Guxi raised his eyes and saw it was Kong Xiaxiang.
Within a single day, Xiaxiang's expression had changed completely. His eyes brimmed with the thrill of vengeance fulfilled. His formerly stooped back was straight, and his frame seemed to have grown broader, appearing remarkably imposing.
"My Lord!"
Kong Guxi nodded as his feet touched the ground, listening to the deafening din of gongs and drums. Faint, furious crackles of firecrackers echoed from the foot of the mountain. The golden radiance suspended in the sky was blindingly brilliant, illuminating the mountain until not a shadow remained. Every face was starkly distinct, overflowing with obsequiousness and flattery.
Ahead sat a resplendent golden throne tied to layers of chains that stretched down to a wretched group of men and women bound firmly in shackles, all kneeling upon the road, none daring to lift their heads.
Kong Xiaxiang's lips trembled violently. The corners of his mouth stretched into a twisted grin, exposing teeth clenched so hard they shuddered as a chilling laugh bubbled from his throat.
Gritting his teeth, he cackled, "These are the beasts we rounded up... over the years, they harmed our family, trampled upon us, trimmed their sails to the wind, kicked us while we were down... along with the beasts who oppressed us in the Muquan demonic sect! We invite the Sect Master to take his seat and let them haul you up!"
"And this one leading them..."
Kong Xiaxiang grabbed a chain and dragged a figure out of the crowd like a dead dog, leaving a streak of blood along the ground. The person's facial features had been sliced away and his cultivation crippled; he groveled on the earth, groaning.
Kong Xiaxiang's eyes bulged wide as he sneered, "This is our Retainer Wu... after turning to the demonic sect, he did quite a few 'good deeds'!"
Back when this Retainer Wu had been under the Li clan, he had often engaged in flattering sycophancy, though he had still been somewhat restrained. But the Li clan had not wanted him, and once he came to Muquan Gate, he had immediately joined a faction and turned to persecuting the Kong family. Now, bloody tears streamed from his face, his tongue cut out, leaving him capable only of muffled whimpers.
Expressionless, Kong Guxi took a golden box from his sleeve. Opening it, he gently unfolded the object within to reveal a Daoist robe.
The robe was ordinary, fluttering softly in the wind just as it had decades ago when suspended from the treetop. Kong Guxi draped the garment over the golden throne and stood beside it, paying respects as a junior.
At Kong Xiaxiang's command, the human livestock in front began hauling. Their cultivations had been crippled: those who loved casting cold glares had their eyes gouged out; those who loved putting on haughty airs had their features sliced away. Bleeding incessantly, they left a long trail of blood along the road.
*Crunch...*
The mountain was deathly silent; no one dared look up. There was only the dull sound of dragging, agonized whimpers, and the trickling of blood.
Kong Guxi walked alongside them all the way to the summit. The soles of his shoes and the hems of his robes were thoroughly soaked in blood. How dark and gloom-laden the sky had been decades ago when he descended this mountain weeping in desolation was matched by how blindingly bright it was today. The light stung his eyes until tears streamed down.
Yet his countenance grew increasingly tranquil. He turned back, looking down from on high upon the countless trembling Shanji clansmen who had come to pay homage, the Muquan disciples who had committed no great wrongs and were allowed to surrender, and the Xuanmiao Abbey disciples who were too terrified to lift their heads.
His lips quivered, his voice raspy:
"Laugh. Every single one of you, laugh."
In an instant, the mountains and forests—previously silent enough to hear a falling needle—erupted into clamor. Terrified and bewildered, people began to laugh. The sound resembled nothing so much as the rasping caws of crows echoing ceaselessly through the woods, stirring up the robe draped over the golden throne until it fluttered up and drifted lightly into Kong Guxi's hands.
This invisible omen seemed to bestow upon him a sacred calling. Feeling himself grow grand and tall, Kong Guxi held the robe quietly, solemn and grave.
"Hahaha..."
"Hahahahaha!"
Laughter covered the wilderness. Kong Guxi turned his head slowly, his gaze like a sharp blade sweeping meticulously across every single face, until it fell upon an inconspicuous corner. It was as if his eyes were scorched; his pupils dilated bit by bit.
Amid those hundreds and thousands of laughing faces, only one face was sallow and calm, like withered and haggard weeds, refusing to laugh.
It was Kong Qiuyan.
Her hand held a blindfolded child, who seemed to be shivering where he stood.
Amid the innumerable, earth-shaking bursts of laughter, Kong Guxi's blade-like gaze shattered into pieces. The old man slowly lowered his head. The hand gripping his ancestor's robe tightened, beginning with chokes and sobs, until soon he sank to his knees in the pool of blood, wailing in grief.
...
The realm of Sun and Moon Shining Together.
Layers of golden light shimmered, with a single bright point suspended in the air. Sky-light seeped into the simply adorned pavilion as the middle-aged man in Daoist robes slowly exhaled, illuminating the empty chamber with radiant white light.
Li Ximing opened his eyes. Sweeping his spiritual sense, light flickered within his sea of qi, where Mingyang qi swirled like a vortex around that sleek, rounded Immortal Foundation resembling a medicinal pellet.
The Immortal Foundation Clear Illumination Heart had been achieved.
Gleaming white motes of light hovered above the Immortal Foundation, communing with the spiritual mechanism and pouring down mist-like white qi.
He calmed his mind and reflected in secret:
'If I let the talisman qi nourish it on its own, it will take about six years for the Immortal Foundation to reach completion... That is not slow by any means...'
Li Ximing's cultivation speed was already far from slow, and Gu Wind Fire Summoning aided in circulating qi, providing considerable help.
'If I take elixirs and cultivate in secluded meditation, I should be able to shave off another two to three years...'
Calculating carefully, he realized that with the help of spirit elixirs, this period of nurturing had taken over a year.
'Condensing Clear Illumination Heart is no easy feat. Had I used it for Foundation Establishment, it might have caused quite a headache, but for a Violet Palace cultivator, it only took an extra month or two. Everything went smoothly.'
With a shift of thought, he materialized within the lightning-flickering pagoda. Standing up and stepping outside, he saw the palace halls dim with faint lamplight. Li Ximing swept a glance over them and suddenly paused.
"Eh?"
Stepping into the air, he appeared in the small courtyard of the inner array. There, a small stone hung tied beneath the rafters. A white-clad boy stood in the courtyard holding a wooden sword, striking the stone with rhythmic, dull thuds.
Li Ximing had made no effort to conceal his presence. The moment he appeared, the boy raised his brows and swiftly, neatly sheathed his sword, both surprised and delighted.
"Greetings, Master!"
Li Ximing looked him up and down. Those eyes were instantly familiar. He smiled and said, "Jiangchun?"
"It is this junior!"
Li Ximing helped the child up. Naturally understanding what this meant, he smiled warmly. "You truly look just like your great-grandfather. How old are you... and what cultivation method are you practicing?"
Li Jiangchun hastily welcomed him into the courtyard. With bright eyes, he served tea and said respectfully, "This junior's spirit aperture manifested late. I am eight years old now, and will be nine after the fifth month. I practice the Wugui Yin-Seeking Divine Scroll, and I just broke through to the third level of Embryonic Breathing!"
"The Wugui Yin-Seeking Divine Scroll!"
Comprehension dawned upon Li Ximing. He laughed heartily, gesturing for the boy to sit, and said with great delight, "Good! Very good... I have read the Wugui Yin-Seeking Divine Scroll as well. Though it is an ancient art and lacks a formal rank, the one who penned it recorded things in exhaustive detail and possessed astonishing attainment. Even when compared to your brother's Tianli Rize Sutra, it is by no means inferior. Do not fail to live up to it.
"Furthermore, the contents of the Wugui Yin-Seeking Divine Scroll are extraordinarily comprehensive. All kinds of techniques and arts from low to high, as well as the crucial junctures of every cultivation stage, are thoroughly explained. It is as if a Violet Palace cultivator personally annotated it—only then could it truly be called a 'Scroll.' It is no ordinary thing!"
Li Jiangchun nodded with a smile. Li Ximing counted on his fingers, a look of surprise crossing his face, and nodded. "Manifesting late... meaning at seven. In a little over a year... to achieve such cultivation speed is truly remarkable!"
"A clever shortcut was used."
The courtyard gate creaked open. Li Zhouwei strode inside, approaching with a smile, and conveyed via spiritual sense:
'I studied the Wugui Yin-Seeking Divine Scroll myself and consulted our elders to compare. All Yin Statuses originate from Taiyin, and Shaoyin techniques should be harmonized under the Taiyin Breath Exhalation Wheel Cultivation Scripture. They blend seamlessly, and Jiangchun is practicing the Taiyin Breath Exhalation Wheel Cultivation Scripture.'
"Oh?"
Li Ximing nodded silently and replied, "With the aid of Taiyin Moon Splendor, it is no wonder his cultivation progresses at such a blistering pace..."
"Granduncle speaks the truth."
Li Zhouwei smiled, then grew solemn. "Precisely because of this, I had him stay inside the inner array until he reaches Qi Cultivation before going out... Even though possessing a talisman seed protects him from probing, our family currently stands in the eye of the storm. Cultivating too quickly will inevitably invite prying eyes."
Li Ximing chuckled heartily. He took the boy's hand and felt the calluses on his palm, knowing he worked hard day in and day out. Smiling without a word, satisfaction was written all over his face. He simply said, "I once obtained a portion of Black Lake One Qi Origin Cave, renowned for greatly benefiting Shaoyin. I shall set it aside for you!"
Li Zhouwei chuckled softly. Li Ximing turned his head eagerly and asked in a low voice, "The Wugui Yin-Seeking Divine Scroll requires Shaoxu Yin Qi. How are the preparations coming along, Minghuang?"
Li Zhouwei nodded. "They were arranged long ago. To harvest this qi, one must wait for a moonless night when the turbid qi sinks, take spiritual items of the Fushui and Taiyin lineages, place them in jade vessels, and leave them undisturbed in the Great Void for a full night before harvesting.
"With a Violet Palace cultivator in the family, collecting this qi is far simpler. Spending one day each month cultivating in the Great Void allows one to easily bring back the materials for them to harvest qi... By my calculations, it can be gathered within a year or two."
Li Jiangchun listened quietly, bowing repeatedly in gratitude. Li Ximing smiled. "Practicing the sword is a good thing... I was clumsy from childhood. When I was your age, I couldn't even sheath my sword so neatly. It shows how diligently you practice."
Noticing that significant changes had likely occurred in the outside world and that Li Zhouwei appeared to have something on his mind, Li Ximing concluded with that compliment. They stepped outside together, strolling through the purple-lit inner array, and he asked in a low voice:
"How did things turn out?"
"Sui Guan made his move... An earth-shattering event—a million corpses, white bones blanketing the wilderness. Granduncle was in secluded meditation condensing your Immortal Foundation, so I dared not disturb you."
Li Zhouwei recounted the events in Jiangbei in a somber voice, leaving Li Ximing in silence.
"Jiangnan has yet to recover from that great catastrophe. Though everything looks unchanged on the surface, beneath it the undercurrents are surging—it is entirely different now!
"Ever since the matter in Jiangbei concluded, both Ziyan Blessed Land and Great Xiukui Abbey have locked down, announcing their seclusion from the world. Our family sent people over, but they couldn't even meet anyone... Although neither side mentioned news of their Masters, judging by how things stand... the situations of both Masters are far from optimistic, and their survival remains unknown!"
Li Ximing was chilled to the bone. Although hearing of Sui Guan earlier had already left him uneasy, hearing this news now still shook him to the core:
"Things have actually reached such a point!"
Chapter 953