The sky-light shone with dazzling brilliance as gardenia blossoms danced in the breeze.
Clad in robes of gold and white, the Real Person sat upright upon the mountain. His hands formed an incantation seal before his sea of qi, guiding streams of Bright Yang sky-light divine abilities as they swarmed inward and sank deep within.
Within his sea of qi, the Heavenly Gate divine ability blazed resplendently, steadily grinding and suppressing a treasure as round as a Golden Core. Prolonged erosion had caused the divine abilities upon this treasure to flicker between bright and dim, continually waning.
After an untold span of time, the sky-light finally cascaded downward. The round, Golden Core-like treasure violently trembled, and the myriad protective radiances surrounding it dispersed. The ambient sky-light instantly surged forward like mad, pouring inside and tinting it the golden hue of Bright Yang!
"It is finally refined!"
Li Ximing's heart stirred, and a surge of joy welled up within him. Sure enough, various streams of information flooded into his mind.
The Chonghuo Dual-Illumination Instrument!
He snapped his eyes open and raised his hand. That Golden Core-like spirit treasure surfaced right upon his palm. It was crimson throughout, wrapped in concentric coils and rings of golden thread that coalesced into five chromatic halos. Lihuo swirled around it, exuding a blistering heat.
'A Lihuo spirit treasure! A Lihuo spirit treasure intimately connected to Xuan sacrifice!'
His thoughts stirred, and the marvelous virtues of the Chonghuo Dual-Illumination Instrument immediately surfaced in his mind. There were five in total!
The first was "Li Depths." This was the stray radiance the artifact had cast within the grotto-heaven, famed for being uneven yet as thick as the Eastern Depths. It could veil illusory colors and enshroud an entire region, possessing the power to bewilder and bind. Its range was immense, far exceeding that of the jade ruler Shichuan at Li Ximing's waist. As long as magic power was sufficient, it could spread continuously to envelop an entire territory.
Although Li Depths had held little sway over Li Zhouwei, that had only been because it was shattered by Sovereign Treads into Danger. An ordinary Real Person trapped within would certainly struggle greatly, finding their hands and feet thoroughly constrained.
The second was "Layered Light," an exceedingly peculiar technique for combat. It traveled at astonishing speed and possessed the power of repulsion and eradication. Once a foe was struck by the light, the force of separating radiance would resonate, relentlessly shoving them away.
Moreover, Layered Light could be augmented in power depending on the type of Lihuo its master placed into it. Though it could hold only a single kind of Lihuo, once integrated, Layered Light would inherit that flame's unique traits and might, offering tremendous versatility.
'For now, I can only insert the Red Pheasant Surge Li Flame, which should lend it greater spirituality and the ability to refine metals. If I come across a Lihuo famous for sheer destructive force in the future, such as Celestial Apricot Li Rain... its might could reach an even higher plane!'
These two marvelous virtues were each comparable to the pinnacle ability of a spirit tool, yet they were merely auxiliary facets of the Chonghuo Dual-Illumination Instrument. Its true might was concentrated in the virtue known as "Profound Snare"!
The five coils of golden wire encircling the instrument were cast from White Sun Pure Pivot Gold, refined for a century within the Golden Crow Radiant Flame until they were incorruptible, unmelting, indissoluble, and imperishable. Once the Profound Snare was unleashed, the five golden wires would plunge from the heavens, each transforming into a ray of light.
These rays could disperse spells and lock weapons, boasting endless wonders. Their only vulnerability lay in Conjoined Water. If one possessed exceptionally profound attainment in Lihuo and cultivated the relevant lineage, they could draw forth even more permutations... When the lineage reached grand completion and one's cultivation was consummate, the moment Profound Snare unfurled, the user's Dharma Body could even swap positions with the five golden wires at will, yielding yet another layer of profundity.
Even for someone like Li Ximing, whose lineage differed somewhat, relying solely on the incorruptible, unmelting, indissoluble, and imperishable nature of the White Sun Pure Pivot Gold made it formidable enough!
As for the remaining two marvelous virtues, one was "Dao Cultivation," which aided in the cultivation of divine abilities under the paths of Lihuo and True Fire, making it a treasure for passing down the Dao. The other was "Mass Radiance."
Once Mass Radiance was invoked, it would stir the spiritual materials within the Chonghuo Dual-Illumination Instrument to rain down brilliance, suppressing heterodox paths and wearing away evil spirits...
What made Li Ximing feel awkward, however, was that this so-called suppression of heterodox paths seemed to affect today's Path of Violet Palace and Golden Core as well... As the master of the spirit treasure, he would be unaffected, but if he fought alongside fellows of the same path, unleashing Mass Radiance would prove rather troublesome.
"Still, these can already be counted as exceptional virtues..."
Reflecting to this point, Li Ximing was secretly astounded.
'No wonder Real Person Yuan Su could run rampant back then relying solely on a single Xinyou Swimming Marsh Seal, feared even by cultivators of the mid Violet Palace stage. Ancient spirit treasures are truly terrifying... He had also united his life and body divine abilities... Who would intentionally provoke him?'
Furthermore, the Xinyou Swimming Marsh Seal was originally an artifact of the ancient winged serpents, rumored to possess the potential of a Dharma treasure. The Chonghuo Dual-Illumination Instrument was presumably a notch inferior to it.
Before his thoughts could settle, he cast his spiritual sense into the Chonghuo Dual-Illumination Instrument, intending to inspect it thoroughly, only to be momentarily stunned.
Crashing into his mind was an ocean of vast, intricate, and deeply profound discourses on the Dao!
Preserved within this object was actually a heritage known as the Southern Li Ingestion Method—an authentic ancient immortal method of qi ingestion!
This was neither the Path of Violet Palace and Golden Core nor Heavenly Fetus Shamanic Talismans. It was the purest, most orthodox heritage of arts and formulas belonging to the immortal path: the Path of Qi Ingestion and Nature Cultivation.
Spanning tens of thousands of words in golden script and profound seals, its profundities were boundless. It expounded upon the Great Dao of Lihuo, communing and uniting with heaven and earth to attain marvelous virtues. Attaining these virtues yielded a Yellow Crown; attaining the body made one a Real Person; attaining the rank elevated one to a Perfect Sovereign Feathered Scholar. Across the entire text, there was not a single mention of Embryonic Breathing, Qi Cultivation, Foundation Establishment, or Violet Palace!
Li Ximing read through it repeatedly, and sudden clarity struck him.
'It truly is the lineage of that young Sword Immortal Wang from back then!'
The young Sword Immortal Wang had stated with utmost clarity that the Yinghua Wang family practiced the Path of Qi Ingestion and Nature Cultivation. In their eyes, today's Path of Violet Palace and Golden Core—which arrogantly claimed to be the immortal path—and the orthodox demonic path of the north walked the exact same road; both were nothing but heretical, heterodox arts...
'To think this is the method of ancient immortal cultivators. No wonder a spirit treasure was required to record it!'
Li Ximing was initially overjoyed, his heart stirring wildly.
'I have heard the threshold for this immortal path is exceedingly high. Yet if a junior from our clan could cultivate it and pair it with this spirit treasure, wouldn't they possess the might of an ancient immortal cultivator?!'
He was eager to put the idea into practice, but as he savored the text further, something felt amiss. His brow furrowed in mounting shock.
'What on earth is all of this...'
Li Ximing was a dignified Violet Palace cultivator who had wielded divine abilities and cultivated for a century, yet after merely reading the preface, he could barely comprehend half of it!
'How is anyone supposed to cultivate this?!'
No matter how modest Li Ximing's cultivation might be, he was still of the Violet Palace! Even though he did not practice Lihuo, Bright Yang and Lihuo were inherently kindred. Reading Li Jiangqian's Tianli Rize Sutra in the past had been smooth and fruitful for him... Yet reading this method proved even more difficult than the Houshu Golden Scripture!
"The Houshu Golden Scripture is similarly difficult, but through the eyes of a Violet Palace cultivator, its difficulty stems mostly from complexity... This Southern Li Ingestion Method, however, is difficult because of its profound obscurity. It is cryptic to a terrifying degree!"
He stood dumbfounded. Never had he imagined that the rumored "exceedingly high threshold" meant this. He could only abandon the notion with a wry smile, filled with doubt.
"How could this be? Perhaps there is an omission somewhere... No matter how difficult a cultivation technique is, it shouldn't reach such an extreme. What kind of genius would be needed to truly walk this path?"
"In that case, it is utterly unsuitable for our clan's descendants to practice... A person capable of reaching Foundation Establishment under the Path of Violet Palace and Golden Core might waste their entire life achieving nothing under this technique... Even someone with the talent for Violet Palace might not succeed in mastering it! Giving it to them would only ruin them."
Li Ximing set the thought aside. Taking a closer look, he noticed something else.
Within the Chonghuo Dual-Illumination Instrument, besides the Southern Li Ingestion Method, words left behind by its former master were also recorded!
The person referred to himself as Real Person Nanzhao, Lu ?, of the Douxuan lineage. Born during the Great Liang dynasty and walking the path of Lihuo, he had been a Great Real Person of perfected divine abilities.
More importantly, he made no mention of Wanling Heaven, instead referring to himself as a cultivator of the Nanhuo Celestial Manor!
'Nanhuo Celestial Manor?'
Li Ximing was no stranger to this name; in fact, most people of the State of Yue knew it. Back then, Qingchi Sect's renowned Yishan City, situated in the south of the State of Yue, had been forged by the Nanhuo Celestial Manor!
'Real Person Nanzhao of the Douxuan lineage... That means the Nanhuo Celestial Manor also belonged to the Douxuan lineage. Later, when the manor vanished... Lu ? took shelter in Wanling Heaven, which also shared the Douxuan heritage. That is entirely reasonable...'
After all, a Great Real Person of Lihuo with perfected divine abilities could claim to be among the foremost in the world. He would never be slighted wherever he went, and even Wanling Heaven would welcome him warmly.
The message was brief, consisting of only a few sentences establishing his background, but the tone soon turned somber:
"My Xuan monitored heaven and inspected earth, and none dared disobey. Yet the state betrayed the Dao, bringing things to this pass. Now I must humble my heart to yield and settle my sentiments in the distant mystery... Still, they proclaim themselves a Superior Sect, ruling the world with Tianwu's majesty, correcting the four quarters, and still acting as a second Thunder Palace—it is nothing more than a feast within a tomb!"
"This year, this venerable one strives for the Li seat. If successful, Southern Fire shall rise again, and a breath of life may endure. If things go awry... no light shall remain..."
"He who claims my instrument shall cultivate when Wanling Heaven falls!"
Li Ximing read it several times and sighed softly.
"Lu ?... was a clear-sighted man after all... It seems Wanling Superior Sect could not let go of its standing as the Thunder Palace and refused to humble itself. Over the years, they continued attempting to clean up the messes around them, seeking to exterminate evil and defend the Dao. In doing so, they offended many and put the various factions on guard."
With a light flick of his hand, the spirit treasure turned into a streak of flowing light, ascending and settling into his sea of qi. Only then did he notice a jade plaque swaying upon the mountain, signaling that there were matters to report.
The one who walked up was Li Jianglong, appearing exceedingly respectful. Beside him was Ding Weizeng, and together they prostrated before the steps like collapsing golden mountains and falling jade pillars.
Li Jianglong said respectfully:
"The matter the Master arranged half a year ago has yet to see progress. We dispatched people to Shahuang State three times, but there was no news of the Real Person. It is said he has not returned for many days..."
Li Ximing held a spiritual jade ring whose most fitting recipient was Real Person Zhusheng of Shahuang State. He had sent inquiries early on, never expecting they would fail to meet the man in person.
"No matter..."
He calculated with his fingers and realized more than half a year had passed. Glancing down at Ding Weizeng, he saw the man had lingered at Foundation Establishment for an unknown number of years; though at completion, he had no further path forward. Li Ximing sighed inwardly and asked:
"Has there been any news lately? How fare things on the lake?"
Li Jianglong answered respectfully:
"Reporting to the Real Person, the riverbanks remain in turmoil. Structures continue to collapse from Zhuosha Mound, which has now been reduced to ruins... There has been no news from the north for days; we do not know what they are waiting for. Only a few monks descend from the wildlands from time to time, and Jiangxia is keeping watch."
Li Ximing focused his attention and inquired:
"How is the Mushroom Forest Plain?"
Having managed the household for so long without a single misstep, this man was thoroughly adept. Understanding what was being asked, he hurriedly replied:
"Qingchi Sect has shown no reaction at all, continuously contracting its forces..."
"Mm..."
Li Ximing pondered for a moment, then looked down at him with a smile and asked:
"How is Suihuan doing these days?"
Among Li Zhouwei's offspring, only Li Jianglong had fathered an eldest son. Because the child was born during the clash between north and south when the cultivators marched to war, he was named Li Suihuan. Since Li Ximing had bestowed the name, he still remembered it. At this mention, Li Jianglong bowed at once:
"We have tested him. He possesses spirit apertures and is currently cultivating Embryonic Breathing. He has a fair share of talent..."
"Good!"
Li Ximing had just obtained the Chongguang Fire Illuminating Scripture, which could be openly practiced and came with its own spiritual qi. He smiled and said:
"Your father obtained an ancient method in the grotto-heaven belonging to the path of Lihuo. It has its own merits compared to your elder brother's method. Since the timing is so fortuitous, let him be directed to cultivate it!"
"I thank the Real Person for your grace!"
Li Jianglong looked pleasantly surprised. Li Ximing joyfully arranged the matter, bestowing both fine cultivation methods obtained from the grotto-heaven. Yet the man knelt down once more, kowtowing as he said:
"This junior's cultivation has reached its juncture, and I had intended to enter seclusion to break through to the mid stage. But after being occupied with affairs for these past few years, I finally have the chance to see the Real Person... I wished to seek your counsel..."
Li Ximing nodded inwardly. Li Jianglong had indeed dedicated much time to the lake over the years; otherwise, Li Ximing would not have bestowed names and techniques upon his line so readily. Hearing this, he smiled and asked:
"Do you have anyone to recommend?"
Li Jianglong replied:
"Fifth Uncle is gentle, generous, handles heavy matters with ease, and is free and untrammeled. This junior cannot compare to him..."
"That boy?"
At the mention of Li Zhouming, Li Ximing shook his head and laughed:
"He has been kept in line by Shouyu in recent years, but could he ever manage anyone else? Don't go putting your Fifth Uncle over the coals."
Frightened by this remark, Li Jianglong broke into a cold sweat and lowered his head, stammering that he would not dare. Fortunately, the Real Person did not seem to mind at all, merely taking a sip of tea as he mused:
"The wildlands are quite important now, so Jiangxia cannot be moved. Little Cui has returned to the island, and Weizeng is not suited for internal governance. We no longer have someone possessing both civil and martial mastery who commands widespread respect..."
"Aside from you brothers, the Jiangque generation has the yin flourishing while the yang declines, with only Jiangzong showing promise. For now, do not burden him with heavy responsibilities; simply let him hold an office and act as an interim. Guide him through the affairs of the Bright Palace. Treat it as a test for him."
"This junior obeys!"
Li Ximing's casual words were enough to trigger drastic shifts in the politics of the lake, perhaps even concerning a transfer of authority between the elder and younger branches of the family. Yet he showed no hesitation, a smile still resting on his face:
"Though his cultivation is not yet high, it is fortunate we have him."
Li Jianglong nodded repeatedly and swiftly withdrew. Li Ximing's smile then faded. With the purple-gold thunder mace already suppressed in his sea of qi, he silently watched the falling gardenia petals.
'The spiritual items of Lihuo and Complete Dan are sufficient, but the one of Conjoined Water has yet to be identified... At this gathering of cultivators, many will surely seek those smiths, so assembling the materials for a spirit armor should be possible... I must also make a trip to Qize. Zhouwei has suppressed several Buddhist treasures over time, and their numbers are growing; I can try inquiring with Lotus Temple.'
'As for now... I have quite a few spirit tools on me, and they require some adjusting. It would be best to trade some for useful ones. Spirit tools value quality over quantity; to think our family would see such days!'
This brought a smile to his face. For Li Ximing alone, he had Shichuan for crowd control and stalling, the Mountain-Driving Sea-Crossing Tiger for travel, and True Fire, Lihuo, and Combined Fire for offensive power. The newly acquired Dushan Spirit-Dotting Talisman was likely also a protective, utility-oriented spirit tool. He truly possessed an overwhelming abundance.
"This array of treasures is worth more than my own life. If I step outside one day... who knows if several Violet Palace cultivators might gang up to hunt me down..."
As he was pondering, a clear, crisp voice echoed across the mountain:
"Is Fellow Daoist on the mountain? Kuangyu has come to visit!"
Li Ximing recognized her voice instantly, knowing she had come to repay the favor of the Flying Xuan Chaotic Stone. He rose to welcome her, saying:
"It is truly an honor..."
"You are too courteous."
Still wearing her light green robes, Real Person Kuangyu smiled as she landed on the mountain, answering:
"On my way back, I rushed to find Fellow Daoist Liaoluo. He had good fortune; after venturing through the grotto-heaven for so long, he suffered few injuries and reaped quite a few benefits."
She then sat down candidly at the stone table upon the mountain, drew a white jade box from her sleeve, placed it upon the table, and said with a smile:
"He babbled that he ran into Real Person Minghuang of your family, who was keeping company with Yangya. Fearing a misunderstanding, he withdrew early... Hearing that you needed Bright Yang materials, he gave me a piece of Jiangsheng Stone, which counts as a spiritual resource..."
Kuangyu paused and arched her brow:
"Just right for forging spirit armor!"
Li Ximing was startled at first, but quickly understood. Back then, he had promised Dingyangzi that he would inquire on his behalf whenever tools were being forged. News of this had presumably spread from some Real Person. He mused inwardly:
'She, Xuanyi, and Liaoluo likely belong to the same circle, perhaps even kindred lineages—distinct from the Great Sun lineage, yet close to it...'
Reassured, he opened the jade box. Inside lay a thin sheet of jade, radiant with brilliant light. Sure enough, a dense wave of Bright Yang qi washed over him. Accepting the gift, he expressed his gratitude:
"Fellow Daoist Kuangyu has resolved a difficult matter for me..."
Kuangyu smiled:
"It is nothing. A matter of mutual benefit needs no endless thanks."
Her open and generous conduct gave Li Ximing a favorable impression. Recalling the spiritual jade ring, he pondered for a moment and asked:
"Does Fellow Daoist happen to know Fellow Daoist Zhusheng of the Jade True path?"
Kuangyu nodded with a trace of curiosity and answered:
"Naturally, I know him..."
She hesitated slightly before explaining:
"To speak plainly, Qingchi's Three Yuans were active in the South Sea in their early years. All three were capable figures and forged many connections. My grandfather, Mount Qusi, and even Mount Jingyi before it split off from the South Sea all had dealings with Real Person Yuan Su."
"Xuanyi and Real Person Qiuhu... met early in their youth and are very familiar with one another. Since I was pursuing further study in Hengzhu, I saw less of them."
"As for Real Person Zhusheng, he is closer to Real Person Yuan Xiu. If Fellow Daoist needs something from him, inviting the newly ascended Real Person Qinghu would be far more effective."
"So that's how it is!"
Li Ximing nodded to himself, sorting through the information, and replied:
"Many thanks for Fellow Daoist's guidance!"
Kuangyu smiled and added:
"The old Real Person of Mount Qusi is still around. He is skilled in artifact forging. If you have needs in the future, I can introduce Fellow Daoist Liaoluo as well..."
Her eyes shone brightly as she slightly lifted her head, revealing the graceful contours of her profile. Though her voice was soft and gentle, a solemn tone was unmistakable:
"The Great Sun has lost its brilliance, but you and I are on the same rope. Tianwan is devoted to the immortal path and harbors few malicious intentions, but there are still Changxiao, Baoqing, Jinghai... It is hard to say what the future holds, but precautions must be taken."
"Maintaining close ties with them is always beneficial."
Li Ximing was momentarily taken aback, then nodded with gravity. He sighed inwardly:
'She knows quite a bit as well... Having followed Hengzhu for so many years, it stands to reason that Hengxing would give her some pointers in the end...'
Meeting Kuangyu's smiling eyes, he poured tea, raised his cup, and said:
"I shall certainly pay a visit!"
***
Beihai.
Murky colors shifted as the void trembled. Gray streaks of light traversed the heavy Great Void. Amidst the somber hues, fleeting sparks of illusory colors emerged, as if countless colossal, terrifying shadows were submerged within, revealing only a single scale or claw.
Wind and rain whipped the sea into waves. A pure, graceful woman stood quietly in the downpour. Beside her, the Dragon King possessed an enormous frame, his expression frigid and silent.
*Rumble!*
Thunder tore through the night sky, bleaching heaven and earth pure white and illuminating a red-haired, gold-clad man nearby. His expression was inscrutable as he murmured faintly:
"Wanling Heaven has fallen."
In his hands rested a mirror. A crescent-like glow—blue above and white below—flickered within the Great Void, shifting between blurriness and clarity. Faintly visible within were countless ruins and fragmented bones littering the ground.
Beside Daoist Nun Xiangchun, the Beihai Dragon King remained calm, his voice raspy:
"It is indeed utterly deserted... Douxuan no longer has any dignity to speak of. They didn't bother concealing it at all... This is also a demonstration—that even the dignified Wanling Superior Sect has been reduced to the point where any stray dog on the roadside can tear off a piece of its flesh!"
On the other side, Dongfang Changmu's expression gradually chilled as he replied:
"It was to be expected. Tianwu's radiance... was never particularly dignified either, let alone the Wanling Sect. The lineages of Douxuan are scattered across the world, each holding their own mountain. To this day, how many have ever stood together?"
Beside them, Xiangchun lowered her head slightly, listening as Dongfang Lieyun asked:
"Who obtained Lin Hengjiang's lineage?"
Dongfang Changmu shook his head with some confusion and answered:
"I did not detect it. Perhaps someone concealed it."
This minor interlude failed to hold their attention. As the thunder across heaven and earth intensified, Dongfang Changmu said in a low voice:
"The machinations of the various factions are nearing their conclusion. The White Qilin happens to be within the territory of the Underworld, entangling all three sides..."
"Having secured the backing of the Underworld, the Yang family is determined to claim the seat of True Qi. The struggle between north and south has also largely cleared away the State of Yue's obstacles. All Yang Jinxin lacks now is an east wind..."
His eyes were filled with gloom and anticipation, trembling with a hint of excitement. On the other side, Dongfang Lieyun's expression also wavered, and he slowly closed his eyes:
"The entire State of Yue is already dry kindling in summer, drenched in layer after layer of oil. It needs only a single spark... to instantly ignite a storm—a storm that will overturn the order of the south."
Dongfang Lieyun raised his brow and abruptly opened his eyes, staring intently at Dongfang Changmu across from him. In that instant, the estrangement between the various branches of the dragon clan seemed to vanish, leaving only surging ambition and an indelible restlessness pressing upon their hearts:
"Success or failure lies a mere step away..."
Dongfang Changmu's gaze was piercing as he replied coldly:
"He is an immortal; He cannot be mistaken."
Chapter 980