Li Zhouwei held his teacup, deliberating in silence for a moment. Li Quewan had already ascended the mountain; having evidently brought the visitor to wait at its foot, she saw the somber mood and hurriedly moved to withdraw.
Yet Li Zhouwei set down his cup, gesturing for her to come listen as he answered, "Every sect shares the same view. Fairy Qiuhu's actions serve as a demonstration. When the dignified Underworld sends someone down to reincarnate, even if that figure is not quite as extraordinary as the Great Ancestor, how far behind could he possibly be...
"Those throwing their weight alongside it, and those standing on the opposing side seeking to stop it, must certainly be at the level of the dragonkind and Luoxia. At the very least, they would be figures on par with Shengbai and North Shaoyang. The few Purple Palace cultivators of Jiangnan, or the one or two Great Sun lineages that have lost the protection of a True Monarch, have no choice but to offend neither side and watch how the wind blows."
Li Jiangqian nodded, understanding that the Shengbai his father spoke of referred to Xi Yan, while North Shaoyang meant Lady Beiyao. It was only because both were eminent figures manifest in the world that their names could not be bandied about lightly. He ventured, "My meaning was also that at present... even though we know he is born with divine wonders, our clan has no need to send anyone to back him or curry favor in advance... We must be on guard against the clash between these two paramount factions, lest some stray shockwave from their fight tear our family apart..."
Li Zhouwei took a sip of tea and said, "The clan certainly must not get involved... When your younger brother said he would ask nothing of the family, it was likely a subtle warning: what Yang Zhuo is undertaking is of momentous consequence, and we must never meddle."
His expression grew solemn as his eyes rested on the two most outstanding juniors of the family. In a low voice, he said, "What you must do is achieve a divine ability as early as possible... Even though a divine ability makes one no chess player in the grand tides of this world.
"Yet once you have attained a divine ability, you can at least count for something in the eyes of lineages that soar so high above. Aside from those bound by special status who cannot leave, any Purple Palace cultivator who grits their teeth and is willing to abandon their worldly foundations within the realm will always find a domain overseas where they can hold sway and never have to bow their head."
Li Quewan had only caught this brief fragment of conversation, but knowing it concerned Yang Zhuo, she bowed slightly and replied alongside Li Jiangqian, "We understand."
Li Zhouwei said quietly, "Special though I may be in some regards, I am merely an overt piece in the game between north and south. When their confrontations and gambits fall upon me, there will be no escaping them. In their eyes, our clan's affairs are a convenient handle to manipulate me. If one day their designs are accomplished and I perish for whatever reason, the family's survival will fall to Granduncle and the two of you."
His gaze swept over them, passing the nodding and silent Li Jiangqian, before resting with deep meaning upon Li Quewan. Only then did he add, "Whether we end up reduced to Chongzhou or drifting overseas, so long as a Purple Palace remains, some of our bloodline can be preserved. But if we do not even have a Purple Palace left, we will not even possess the qualifications to earn pity!"
A wave of sorrow washed over Li Quewan's heart. She nodded in silence, her thoughts turning ever deeper:
'Nowadays, the family's secrets are gradually being moved into the realm of the Sun and Moon in Mutual Splendor, which is safe enough, to be sure... Yet... the immortal treasure has long since vanished into the Great Void. Should disaster strike our family and the lineage be severed, I fear all connection to it would be lost forever!
'Ensuring an unbroken line of Purple Palace cultivators is the paramount priority.'
As she pondered in silence, Li Zhouwei turned and asked, "Has any word come from the blessed land?"
Li Quewan shook her head. Having clearly inquired into the matter beforehand, she answered, "The blessed land is sealed off and enveloped by its great array, so no letters have come through... There is word from the East Sea, however."
Li Zhouwei frowned. "The Xinyu Reefs? Queyi?"
With Ziyan Gate entering secluded sealing, their overseas interests were naturally difficult to maintain. The Xinyu Reefs, which had enjoyed quite some fame in years past, were still operating, though few cultivators remained on the islands.
Li Quewan nodded. When Li Queyi was mentioned, a faint smile appeared on her face, and she answered, "When Ziyan closed its gates, it left figures belonging to the lineages of Cao Chu and Wei Danying at the Xinyu Reefs, effectively leaving them in the joint custody of these few families. Sometime later, a True Person arrived, claiming to be an unaffiliated cultivator named Kuangyu."
"So it was Master Kuangyu!"
Li Zhouwei looked pensive, though upon closer thought, it seemed quite fitting. Since Ziyan Gate could no longer maintain control overseas, Kuangyu, as a True Person close to the Great Sun lineage who had lent a hand in several major battles, naturally received her due reward.
Li Quewan replied softly, "Only, everyone suspects... that Master Zhugong might also be in hiding there.
"Still, ever since Ziyan's main line withdrew, Younger Sister Queyi has become someone they hold in great esteem. Each of them treats her with respect, and even Master Kuangyu asked for her name. She has sent several letters home, expressing much emotion."
Changing the subject, she continued, "Unfortunately, when Ziyan sealed itself... Quexi was in seclusion within the blessed land seeking a breakthrough. She is probably locked inside the blessed land now and cannot come out."
"Mhm."
Li Zhouwei was not surprised. Whatever favors and measures Ziyan had left to watch over and protect the Xinyu Reefs, they would never mistreat the Li clan's direct descendant. Clear on this, he asked, "And what of the Zhuang family in the Great Desert?"
Though the True Person asked about the Zhuang family, Li Quewan understood whom he was truly inquiring after, and respectfully replied, "The great war brushed past them, but with Jinyu's might, none have dared act recklessly... However, it is said that Zhuang Pingye has been traveling abroad for several years consecutively and is seldom in the desert. During several disturbances, it was Aunt Xinghan who took action, and she has already gained considerable renown."
Li Zhouwei nodded and dismissed the two. Only then did he see a middle-aged man ascending the mountain.
Though this man bore the appearance of middle age, his features were shrewd and capable, radiating an alert cunning. His black hair looked somewhat damp, tied in locks on either side. Hitching up his robe, he approached with trembling trepidation, not daring to lift his head, and prostrated himself with tears streaming down his face: "This old subject pays homage to... Dahe Mingfang!"
"Rise."
Li Zhouwei was momentarily taken aback. A trace of wistfulness showed in his eyes as he looked over the man. The vigorous youth of yesteryear had now become a Foundation Establishment immortal cultivator, yet that same shrewd look was still discernible. He smiled and said, "It has not been easy for you, either."
Only then did Di Liyoujie raise his head, though he still dared not look at his face, keeping his gaze fixed upon Li Zhouwei's boots as he said in a quavering voice, "This old subject... is blessed to see My Lord once more..."
Li Zhouwei asked, "Do you cultivate Gengjin?"
"Reporting to My Lord! Blessed by the teachings bestowed across the lake... I do cultivate Gengjin!"
Di Liyoujie's rise from a lowborn slave outside the Great Jue Court to the throne of Northern Shanyue was entirely owed to Li Zhouwei... Later, as he gradually stepped onto the path of cultivation, most cultivators around the lake looked down upon the Shanyue. Di Liyoujie's so-called royal title meant nothing at all; it was only through his shrewd scheming, borrowing Li Zhouwei's name, that he managed to gain others' respect.
He also understood in his heart that it was precisely because he had walked a stretch of road behind Li Zhouwei that his cultivation in the latter half of his life had seen repeated success, securing such fine mantras and resources...
Whenever Di Liyoujie awoke from a dream in the dead of night, he could not help but ponder: had he not set up camp outside the Great Jue Court that day, he would still be that wretched creature with laughable cultivation. Even now, having become a Foundation Establishment immortal cultivator, his fear ran even deeper, dreading that all of this was but an illusion.
Li Zhouwei, however, cast a glance over him and mused inwardly:
'Gengjin... His strength can only be described as middling at best... yet his loyalty is commendable.'
With a plan quietly forming in his mind, he reached into his sleeve and produced a Gengjin magical artifact—a small golden sword no larger than a palm. He instructed, "This is merely a Gengjin dharma sword, meant for casting spells rather than head-on collisions. Take good care of it. Since Quewan brought you here, you shall follow her from now on. Run errands and deliver messages for her on ordinary days; you should be dependable enough for that."
"Yes!"
The Shanyue man withdrew in fear and trembling, cradling the sword against his chest with tears and snot streaming down his face.
Li Zhouwei took a light step forward. Where his foot landed was already inside the lightning-swept pagoda. Closing his eyes slightly, rays of sun and moon intertwined beside him, and he appeared within the grotto-heaven.
The True Person in white and gold robes sat leisurely inside the radiantly gleaming pavilion, carefully reading a book roll in his hand. A fist-sized Lihuo bird perched obediently on his shoulder; he had clearly been waiting for a long time. Li Zhouwei bowed and greeted him with a smile, "Granduncle!"
Li Ximing smiled without a word, turning his palm to retrieve a jade vial from his sleeve before replying, "Six Linguang Zhaoyi Pills! Added to what you already hold, this will be enough to last you over a dozen years!"
When the Linguang Huiyang Divine Scroll and the Xuanjie Flower Leaves fell into the hands of someone with Li Ximing's supreme mastery of alchemy, the resulting quantity of pills was naturally a cause for rejoicing. Li Zhouwei thanked him, received the vial, and began tallying in his mind as he asked, "Back then, Granduncle obtained six Feathers Under the Neck. Mount Baiyang was entrusted with three, Chen Yin traded for two, and one was exchanged for Xuanjie Flower Leaves. Do you have any remaining in hand?"
Li Ximing answered with a smile, "Our initial prediction proved correct; this cave dwelling truly is a cash cow. Later on, three more feathers gradually condensed, which, together with the one that took a year to form before Senior Liu Changdie arrived, made four replenishments in my hands. Now that another has been traded for Xuanjie Flower Leaves, three remain in stock."
Yet as he spoke of this, a hint of worry surfaced, and he added, "Still, we must indeed use them sparingly. Originally there were more than three, but having purchased Bichen Water in large batches in succession, we were stretched thin twice in a row, taking over half a year to gather enough each time and wasting considerable time. I reckon it will only become more difficult going forward...
"On account of this, I deliberately sent people to check several market towns in the East Sea, and in the end they went to Xinyu."
Hearing this, Li Zhouwei looked up with great interest. Li Ximing chuckled, "They even met that Master Kuangyu... Only then did they manage to gather enough Bichen Water for the next half year. She is quite a remarkable figure herself—having attained the Dao through a destiny divine ability, she emerged unscathed from this wave of strife and even secured a domain of her own."
Li Zhouwei nodded slightly and pondered, "Senior Liu... does he intend to cultivate in Zhentao Mansion?"
Li Ximing hesitated. "One can hardly call it cultivation. His Dao path has been severed; his mind is set on nothing more than studying arrays. Zhentao Mansion's great array is profound and unfathomable, quite enough for him to delve into, so I reckon he will remain in the vicinity during these years."
Li Zhouwei nodded. "If that is the case, I have two matters to discuss with Granduncle.
"The matter of the Bichen Water is of utmost importance; we cannot simply scrape together enough day by day. Fushui originates in the West Sea, so I would ask Granduncle to make a journey there to establish a regular trade route, sparing us the trouble of stumbling about blindly in places where Fushui does not flourish."
Inspired by him, Li Ximing grew thoughtful and answered, "As it happens, we have newly obtained a batch of Linguang Zhaoyi Pills. In the West Sea resides Yangya. Whatever might be said of other cultivators, I am a Mingyang cultivator myself, so how could I not know how miraculous these pills are? He must be coveting them desperately. Although he is reluctant to deal with our family, we now have Daoist Changdie, who can step forward on our behalf!"
Li Zhouwei's eyes lit up, and he replied, "Brilliant... Bichen Water would hardly be worth it on its own, but having attained the Purple Palace for so many years, that fellow must possess other Mingyang treasures. If we can trade spirit pills for them, it would practically be pure profit for our family."
Though Yangya harbored deep grievances toward their family, what did the two True Persons care? Snatching good treasures was what truly mattered. Exchanging a glance, Li Ximing smiled, "Leave it to me!"
Changing the subject, Li Zhouwei said, "Second, although Zhentao Mansion is situated in a barren land, we know ever more clearly that its wonders are worth a thousand pieces of gold. It can even serve as the very foundation for a clan's rise, as well as an exceptional retreat."
Li Ximing's expression gradually grew solemn. Listening as Li Zhouwei laid out the situation concerning the Yuan family in detail, he said in alarm, "The State of Wu has only just descended into chaos, and now the Yang clan makes another move. I fear this is an omen of great upheaval."
Li Zhouwei nodded and replied, "I have also been considering this recently. Our clan's route of retreat must be prepared early. Zongquan Island was where I made my breakthrough; it has now taken on a Mingyang aura and draws considerable attention, though it may still be of use in the future. Zhentao Mansion is another crucial location, yet thus far it lacks a figure capable of holding down the fort... Junior... wishes to send Quewan there."
"Quewan?"
Li Ximing deliberated as Li Zhouwei continued, "Zhentao Mansion already has a Purple Palace guarding it, and Granduncle frequents it as well. Located in the remote lands of Qunyi, it is inherently safer than the realm within, not to mention this turbulent riverside.
"Since it is to serve as our retreat, we might as well send Quewan over. For one, she can manage it well; for another, she can cultivate there in peace and prepare for the Purple Palace."
Li Zhouwei had evidently harbored this thought for more than a day. He said softly, "I will have Di Liyoujie follow her. The man has served as King of the Shanyue for several decades. In the East Sea, background is not scrutinized, making dealings easier, and he can handle trivial matters for her on ordinary days."
"Very well..."
Li Ximing hesitated for a moment before agreeing to the plan. Li Zhouwei then took the golden slip of the Diqi Light from his sleeve and placed it in his hand, saying, "I have achieved initial mastery of this spell. My insights and commentaries are all recorded within the slip for Granduncle to examine."
"Splendid..."
Li Ximing received it with considerable joy.
Though it had taken Li Zhouwei merely nine months to master the Diqi Light, it was unquestionably an extraordinarily complex spell. Even though it had been exchanged for nine months ago, the two had arranged their schedules privately; Li Ximing had not practiced it, spending his time instead refining his immortal foundation. Waiting precisely until Li Zhouwei mastered it and taking the golden slip before embarking on cultivation would save him from many detours.
And while Li Ximing had been refining his immortal foundation, he had never wasted the odd bits of spare time over the years. With the Li clan requiring none of his worry, he felt entirely carefree. In recent years, he had been able to cultivate in peace, occasionally debating the arcane and discussing the Dao with several True Persons to advance his cultivation—how comfortable that was!
Furthermore, having acquired Lihuo among his resources and spiritual items, he prized it as a novel treasure, secretly researching the Dali Baixi Light until he could now condense four rays of Dali Chixi Light!
'Roughly one each year... Even if it grows more difficult later on, in at most seven or eight years, once I gather ten, the power of the spell will rise to another level!'
Taking the golden slip in hand, Li Ximing now carried an air of untrammeled leisure, and he said with a beaming smile, "As it happens, once the Bichen Water on the lake is gathered, I will return immediately to take her along!"
Chapter 961