“Drip, drop.”
The chilly rain had fallen throughout the night. The lamp upon the desk cast a dim glow. Holding a brush, a handsome young man wore a slightly uneasy expression, his golden eyes appearing all the brighter in the murky lamplight.
“The cultivators around Simin Commandery are gathering... Even without anyone descending from the mountain, they can field at least ten Foundation Establishment cultivators... This is far too risky...”
Lifting his brows, he looked toward the man beside him and said:
“Clerk Chen, I think we should hold back regarding Liyuan Circuit. It is currently the spring plowing season, and the lands around Liyuan Circuit are the most crucial fertile plains in all of Lixia Commandery. If fighting breaks out there, this year's farming will be ruined... No one will have peace for the entire year.”
“Oh?”
The man beside him had a dark complexion. Hearing this, he furrowed his brows and said in dilemma:
“Lord Li has indeed considered this layer... But... the opportunity brooks no delay. In my view, we should just go ahead and fight—if it comes to it, we can just send people to distribute grain.”
“That is easier said than done.”
Li Jiangliang laid down his brush and rubbed between his eyebrows, saying:
“Who will distribute it, and to whom? It is the common folk toiling in the fields who suffer. How could local landlords and gentry show any mercy? Since the Xiao family left, Lixia Commandery has yet to see a local force with enough weight take shape. Yet over these years, the population has grown considerably. Once chaos erupts, it will be hard to control, and we have few hands of our own... How can we squander them here?”
He spoke solemnly:
“His Lordship stated that we must foster peace and rest for the people under our rule. I understand that the opportunity cannot be delayed, but this must also be given serious weight.”
Clerk Chen let out a heavy sigh and replied:
“You'll have to take this matter up with His Lordship yourself. I have only just received orders to assist Master Ruan in drafting the regulations for Fengwu Palace... Besides, enfiefing clans is the urgent priority. If no prominent clan governs Liyuan Circuit, who knows what passing rogue cultivator might plunder the area? Even with food, the common folk would have no life left to enjoy it.”
Li Jiangliang saw right through his evasiveness and inwardly frowned:
‘Though Chen Wenyao cares somewhat about the people's livelihood, he is unwilling to offend anyone—a compromiser through and through.’
Aloud, he said:
“Then I will ask Si Yuanlan to make a trip and inquire about orders. As for having prominent clans govern... that is not troublesome either. If we truly take the State of Yue, we need only appoint cultivators of clean origins and outstanding character to establish clans.”
“For now, the Wilderness to the north serves as a buffer, so it won't be an issue in the short term. Once this battle is won and we gather our forces, we can temporarily keep these territories under control.”
Chen Wenyao nodded, then suddenly turned to him with a smile and asked:
“I hear your esteemed clan has a joyous occasion?”
“Ah!”
Li Jiangliang smiled and replied:
“Indeed. It is an elder sister's wedding. Unfortunately, I am tied up with duties and cannot return.”
Chen Wenyao evidently knew who Si Xunhui was. He finally set down his brush and said with some unease:
“Yet I cannot help but wonder... Qingchi is an immortal sect after all. Even if they acquiesced to our actions in the Xunlin Plain, surely they wouldn't turn a completely blind eye and permit everyone to run wild beside them...”
Li Jiangliang, however, was quite confident and laughed, shaking his head:
“Clerk Chen worries too much. The figures above will weather the storm. You and I need only attend to the affairs of Foundation Establishment—what is there to fret about?”
Chen Wenyao hesitated for a moment before answering:
“I merely have doubts. His Lordship spoke of eradicating demons and defending the Dao, but which family is demonic? Which family is of the Dao? Qingchi has numerous scions of noble clans... It will not be easy to handle...”
Li Jiangliang pondered for a moment:
“Which family is demonic... that is not something to be discussed lightly. The Chi family has already fallen. If that day truly comes, we shall handle it according to His Lordship's orders. Naturally, we will not exterminate everyone down to the last root...”
Shifting his gaze slightly, he hinted:
“Among the talents brought before His Lordship on previous occasions, how many had clean family names? Yet His Lordship voiced no criticism—that alone speaks volumes of his intentions...”
Chen Wenyao let out an emotional sigh. Seeing Li Jiangliang raise his brows, the young man added casually:
“His Lordship did not come to establish a Thunder Palace. His banner is 'Preserving Truth and Upholding Martial,' not 'Quelling Demons and Pacifying Evil.' Otherwise, heads would have rolled all along our march... How many Foundation Establishment cultivators have actually perished so far? Your clan may rest assured.”
Having his underlying concern laid bare, Chen Wenyao shook his head with some embarrassment. Just then, hurried footsteps echoed outside the hall, and a man strode inside. He bore a commanding and heroic bearing, holding an order medallion in hand as he laughed:
“Talking late into the night—what fine leisure the two of you have!”
“Master Ruan!”
Li Jiangliang stood up to welcome him, only to see the man turn solemn:
“His Lordship has decreed that our forces need not advance toward Liyuan Circuit. Await further orders!”
Chen Wenyao bowed to receive the order first before rising, looking at Li Jiangliang with genuine envy as he smiled:
“Lord Li's judgment proves spot-on after all!”
……
The North Sea.
The North Sea was blanketed in ice and snow, dotted with icebergs and frozen isles. As far as the eye could see, there was only deep blue and blinding white. Though the North Sea was smaller in expanse, its terrain was no less intricate than that of the Western or Eastern Seas. Despite being clad in frost, it harbored regions of Thunder, Kanshui, and Yuzhen, forming spectacular wonders.
Journeying all the way west, the ice and snow gave way to melting warmth, a dwelling of ores, flames, and the dawn light of the Great Sun known as Feather Shedding.
Li Ximing had heard of this name before. The Feather Shedding Ground was the abode of luan birds and the site of the Tongxin Li tree. Endowed with all Five Fires and precious Great Sun spiritual items, it was the birthplace of most renowned avian species under heaven.
The Feather Shedding Ground itself was vast. In fact, a major reason why the North Sea was relatively small was that the Feather Shedding Ground and Cangzhou occupied much of it. Many cultivators dwelled there, but unfortunately, the Vast Sea Desert Wind blew relentlessly year-round. The land could not support ordinary human life, unable to sustain mortals like Cangzhou could, which was why fewer large factions had taken root there.
Crossing the Hetian Sea to reach the North Sea, Li Ximing could faintly glimpse the crimson glow to the west. A sense of yearning arose in his heart, but pressed by other duties, he could only alter his course and head northeast. Flying across the thick snow and ice, he finally laid eyes on Cangzhou.
Here, the rivers flowed a murky grayish-black, flanked by precipitous peaks teeming with strange insects and exotic beasts. Leeches, venomous worms, and poisonous serpents were countless in the mountains. A single glance was enough for him to understand:
“Legend has it that Kanshui runs rampant in Cangzhou, and it is indeed so! Though it isn't as completely inhospitable to life as the Feather Shedding Ground, anyone lacking deep experience and cultivation would find it nearly impossible to travel outdoors... The people here... cannot live easy lives either.”
Having verified his bearings, he soon located Mount Baier in Kanbei Commandery.
The mountain was not particularly tall, shrouded in grayish-black, and atop it stood palaces built in ink-black and deep blue. Beside it, the relocated Mount Xianyou stood in contrast—one tall, one low, one east, one west—echoing each other in a unique panorama.
With a single glance, Li Ximing was suddenly reminded of Mount Xianyou from years past:
‘When I cultivated on that mountain back then, I saw its layout—also paired left and right, with an auxiliary peak standing opposite. Today, that mountain remains behind in Lixia Commandery, seeming to be called Mount Feiyi...’
Li Ximing felt a swirl of complex emotions. Unlike his brothers, he had lived with the Xiao family for a long period in his youth... and harbored an unspeakable sentiment toward it:
‘Back then, I was still young, lonely and without companions... with only two or three servants. On ordinary days, once my lessons were done, I would secretly slip on a straw raincoat and bamboo hat, heading out onto the river amidst light drizzle to wander. I even bought a boat from a boatman to pleasure-cruise, warming wine over a small silver stove... Such days... were never to be found on the lake.’
‘Nor have they ever returned across these hundred years of cultivation.’
The Xiao family had been a relaxed clan, unlike the Li family, where everything was scrutinized. While Mount Yuting and Qingdu served as vigilant swords of restraint, they also ensured that Lake Wangyue lacked the carefree peace of a tranquil age—in a clan nursing bitter grievances, constantly plotting vengeance day and night, even pleasure was a sin. There could be no such peace.
He rode the wind downward. Sure enough, several Xiao clan youths were sweeping the stone steps under the bleak, drizzling rain. Li Ximing called out:
“Are you members of the Xiao clan? The Wangyue Li clan has come to pay a visit!”
At the sight of him, every single one of them dropped to their knees. One of them hastily begged pardon and rushed up the mountain. Soon, an escape light surged up from the heights and hurried down before him, resolving into an old man:
The old man's hair and beard were completely white, his features honest and warm. Leaning upon a wooden staff hung with scattered medicine pouches, he wore only a thin gray robe.
His gaze was gentle, though his eyes were faintly reddened as he said:
“Greetings, Real Person!”
Li Ximing quickly stepped in to support him, freeing a hand to hold him with affectionate warmth, replying:
“Master, there is no need for this!”
This man was none other than his master, Xiao Yuansi.
Xiao Yuansi had aged early and rapidly. A knot weighed on his heart, leaving him unable to find peace over the years. Though he suffered no material hardships, he remained trapped in past sorrows, unable to let them go. He had no accomplished children and took no disciples within the sect, having only Li Ximing as his sole apprentice. Seeing him now brought great joy, and a smile soon surfaced on his face:
“Times are truly different now. You look like a proper Real Person.”
Li Ximing shook his head with slight embarrassment and followed the old man up the mountain, exchanging words of concern. Then, Xiao Yuansi raised his brows and said:
“I have been away from the mainland for many years, yet I still hear the news. If possible, my Junior Sister's Yuan family... I must ask the Real Person to look out for them...”
Knowing that he always worried over old acquaintances, Li Ximing comforted him:
“Although the Yuan clan ran into some trouble, their bloodline endures... While not as prominent as in past days, that may not be a bad thing...”
Xiao Yuansi nodded in silence and said:
“The Real Person speaks true... I originally intended to seek you out as well. Over these years, one matter has weighed on my mind again and again... Now that... Real Person Qinghu has achieved his realm, there is finally a lead. I was hoping... to inquire about news of your Grandmaster.”
With this mention, Li Ximing understood. His Grandmaster was Si Yuanbai, who by seniority would be Si Yuanli's elder brother, and was also the master of his own family's ancestor. In reason and sentiment alike, he ought to ask, so he took note of it in his heart.
Within a few exchanges, Xiao Yuansi had guided him into Mount Baier, then quietly withdrew.
High above was another lake, pitch-black like ink, amid snow-dusted slopes. A fishing rod carved entirely of jasper was propped on the shore; though the mountain wind blew fiercely, the fishing line hung motionless as if forged from refined iron.
“Zhaojing has arrived!”
Li Ximing sat down at the jade table, only to see an elder materialize beside it.
Compared to Xiao Yuansi's weariness, Xiao Chuting was virtually unchanged from years ago, appearing even more leisurely due to the advancement of his cultivation. Resting a hand on the table, he held a black-bound tome.
“Greetings, Senior! Congratulations, Senior!”
Li Ximing cupped his hands in greeting, offering his congratulations. He produced the jade box containing the Huashui Kui Stone, placed it quietly upon the table, and said with a smile:
“Turmoil shook the mainland in recent days, leaving every family fearing for their lives day and night. Junior was unable to come congratulate you in good time; I hope Senior forgives me...”
“No matter... you have only spent your wealth needlessly.”
Xiao Chuting smiled gently, glancing lightly over the jade box on the table. He poured tea to the brim, his gaze resting on the drifting white snow reflected in the dark lake:
“The White Qilin is known across the world now.”
Li Ximing nodded silently, a complicated look in his eyes. For a moment he did not know where to begin, so he followed the elder's gaze toward Mount Baier and praised:
“What a fine Kanshui treasure land.”
Xiao Chuting took a sip of tea and replied:
“The mountain gates of ancient cultivators... were named quite casually. Once, a Great Real Person fell here, briefly turning this place into a mountain of Sun Lihuo. As ages passed, the cultivators practicing here consumed the Lihuo, and Kanshui surged throughout Cangzhou until it could no longer be suppressed, finally returning to Kanshui.”
The swirling snow was mirrored in his eyes:
“No matter how grand a Violet Palace may be, it cannot surpass a True Monarch. Cangzhou is a province of Kanshui; altering it for a time cannot alter it forever. It will naturally return to the original master's divine ability—such is the general trend.”
Li Ximing composed his expression as he listened to Xiao Chuting quietly ask:
“What were... Kuiqi's dying words?”
Li Ximing fell silent for a brief moment before answering:
“The Great Sun's brilliance shines no more.”
The elder lifted his brows:
“He understood in his heart as well.”
“When the True Monarch ascended to the Profound Position, the Great Sun lost its talisman of protection, making decline inevitable. Perhaps they once harbored illusions about certain figures... but later—those illusions shattered time and again. The fall of every Real Person of the Great Sun lineage is not merely a death; it represents the silence of an exalted figure.”
“Hopeless though it was, he refused to abandon the proud spirit of the Great Sun. He had to try.”
A gloom settled over Li Ximing's heart. He asked in a low voice:
“Why... must it be this way? Because of 'True Qi'?”
No surprise surfaced in Xiao Chuting's eyes. Setting down his cup, he answered:
“I have no qualms now; I might as well speak with you of this matter right here.”
He slowly sat up straighter, his expression serene as he began:
“Zhaojing...”
“All cultivators under heaven seek their own positions, but the general trend—that is the true force that determines which position may be attained and which will be reclaimed.”
“The path of 'True Qi' holds mysterious, profound might; it upholds the martial and cultivates the real. Once this position is attained, it brings the benefit of seeking truth and the merit of Dao fulfillment across all quarters... Do you know what that means? Why was the fall of Anhuai Heaven so swift, so hasty, so impatient?!”
“The exalted figures wishing to unite with truth, cultivate the Dao, and pave the way for their juniors are by no means few. And those three strands of golden nature—high and mighty lineages have prepared masters for them time and again long ago.”
“And the dragons... they seek truth as well, waiting for this Dao to return to its place. They have waited only for this day!”
Li Ximing slowly lifted his gaze. Those scattered words and fragments finally linked together piece by piece in his mind, while that weathered, cold voice continued to ring in his ears:
“Now that the True Monarch's golden nature has been obtained, he naturally seeks to replicate the imperial achievements of True Monarch Tianwu of old. Great turmoil must follow... which suits the appetite of several other exalted figures even better...”
“Yet who will yield a place in Jiangnan? Who else can be made to slice off their own flesh? Having rested on others' plates for hundreds of years, now that the plate must be washed clean to serve new dishes, who can object?”
“Whether uniting with the Dao to seek truth, stirring discord and chaos, or plotting maneuvers to alter the order... these great figures stand silently above, all waiting for the master of 'True Qi' to assume his seat!”
“Whom this master of 'True Qi' leans toward has already become a secondary matter!”
An enigmatic glimmer rose in his eyes as he murmured:
“You must understand... every surging undercurrent between heaven and earth, be it the struggles of lineages or the rise and fall of celestial dynasties, ultimately hinges upon a golden seat. Rise and fall exist for nothing other than exalted positions. Heaven and earth exert force together... heaven and earth exert force together! How could decline not follow?”
Li Ximing slowly closed his eyes and exhaled, struggling to compose himself. Only after a long while did he ask:
“Yet... yet the Great Sun lineage... did they truly not understand...?”
Xiao Chuting turned his gaze back. Those eyes were as unruffled as the dark lake before them, even carrying a touch of chill. The old man said softly:
“They had things they were bound to yield from the start; without shedding some blood, there would be no peace. Furthermore—the Great Sun lineage naturally had those who understood... What happened with the Murong family back then...”
“Did they not understand far too early?!”
Chapter 983