Brilliant radiance shone pure and white. Passing beneath the five-storied terrace of the side building revealed a circular platform one hundred and seventy chi wide, its covered corridors spanning like floating bridges. Beyond seven great halls and twelve facing pavilions, Jiangguang Palace finally came into view.
Jiangguang Palace sat in the north of the province, positioned just below the main hall. Having been constructed not long ago, it was initially erected by Li Jiangzong to signify his deference by occupying a subordinate position. Later, when the Li clan was enfeoffed as Wei, Li Jianglong likewise dared not occupy the chief seat and moved here as well, causing this place to gradually become the center of power for Lake Wangyue and Tingzhou.
At present, Jiangguang Palace was not yet as illustrious as it would later become, but its foundation was already taking shape. Li Suining, being the eldest, followed closely behind Li Minggong. Only upon arriving before the pavilion did they see an elderly man in a long gown coming forward to greet them with a face full of smiles:
"Greetings, Milady!"
"Elder Qu is too polite!"
Li Minggong replied with a smile, showing great respect. The old man sighed:
"Seeing yet another batch of children arrive... it feels as though Jiangzong and the others were little just yesterday. I wonder how many more times this old man will live to see this..."
Qu Bushi...
Li Suining recognized him at a single glance and swiftly lowered his head.
The old man had surrendered from Jiangbei. Throughout his entire life, he had served successive family heads. His cultivation strength was utterly meager, but he excelled at managing spirit fields and never had to fight outside... Later, when chaos erupted across the lake, he had been fortunate enough to be away and survived. After enduring hardships on the road and asking around for news, he had stubbornly made his way all the way to the Southern Border.
Yet his strength had been far too meager, and he possessed neither tricks nor backing. When he reached Heiqi Ridge, he happened across King Heisun patrolling the mountain. Though he invoked the Li clan's name, it proved useless on that day. Captured in three swift strokes, he fell into King Heisun's magical artifact, Kanshui Gorge, dissolving into yellow earth and bloody water amidst roaring laughter.
Li Zhouming had long lamented this as a bitter regret, and Li Suining had ground his teeth in hatred over his own helplessness. Now seeing the old man standing before the palace, his hands tucked into his sleeves with a smile, Li Suining also raised his head, bowed with a smile, and greeted:
"Greetings, Senior Qu!"
Qu Bushi glanced at him with some surprise, nodded repeatedly, and raised his brows:
"Go on in, all of you..."
The children, both older and younger, filed inside in single file, but Li Minggong was detained by Qu Bushi. The old man said solemnly:
"Jiangzong has been looking for you! The Second Young Master has emerged from seclusion—just in time!"
"Oh?"
Li Minggong's eyes lit up, and she stepped inside.
Li Suining had already reached the front of the hall. Gathering his robes, he knelt in obeisance, catching sight of the two figures in the hall amid the shifting movement.
One was dressed predominantly in white, the collar cut from orange-yellow silk, and the bands on both sleeves embroidered with patterns of true fire swimming sparrows. His eyes were bright, and though his upper lip was not yet bearded, he bore a grave, solemn demeanor.
It was none other than the clan's steward—Li Jiangzong, the only man of the Jiangque generation who was not of the direct Mingyang line yet possessed exceptional capability.
This clan uncle had earned the appraisal from the King of Wei: "Magnanimous and reverent, fully capable of carrying on the lineage." For many years, he held the post of Qingdu clan rector, always keeping internal affairs across the lake in impeccable order. During the Li clan's decline, he navigated among numerous factions, calling in favors and coordinating with Li Zhouluo to preserve their bloodline...
Li Suining lowered his eyes slightly, yet could not resist glancing toward the man on the other side.
That man was bathed in shimmering radiance, possessing profound cultivation. A golden-red glow lingered around him. Clad in crimson robes, he sat in the chief seat with a furrowed brow, holding a scroll in hand and looking from afar.
Beneath his brows were unmistakably a pair of golden pupils!
'The Second Young Master...'
A heat rose in Li Suining's heart.
At the height of the Li clan's prosperity, they were hailed as "four Violet Palaces in a single family, three Bearers aiding the court." This Second Young Master was one of those Three Bearers: the Fengzhen Light Cloud Emissary—Li Jianglong, Mystic Keeper of the Zijin Palace, Controller of the Fengwu Palace, Prefect of Jiangjun Commandery, endowed with a fief of 3,500 households!
The current Li Jianglong did not wear the purple-glowing, gold-patterned robes, nor did he bear the Fengzhen sash, being merely a mid Foundation Establishment cultivator. Yet when those eyes opened, golden and brilliantly shining, they already struck fear into men's hearts!
'Song brought forth three heirs, yet still fell short of Wei... The brilliance of that era... was truly too dazzling...'
Bitterness welled in Li Suining's chest, and he cast his gaze downward in dejection. Yang Zhuo, the Emperor of Song, was an eminent figure whose ascension to True Monarch was an absolute certainty; yet among all his sons, only three proved capable. At that time, court and commoners sang their praises, but that was still one fewer than the King of Wei's four sons like dragons...
'Thinking back now... the lords must have been driven by unavoidable circumstances. It was only that we juniors below could not see clearly. Bathed in that brilliance, we took pride in it, never knowing that calamity loomed...'
He bowed before the steps with natural familiarity, appearing composed and poised compared to the other children. Li Jiangzong raised an eyebrow, and sure enough, the golden pupils turned their gaze over.
"This is..."
Li Jiangzong flipped through the register in his hand, checked the boy's standing, and answered:
"From the Eastern Residence... of Lady Minggong's line. There is also the eldest direct descendant, Suikuan, who seems to possess greater talent—after all these years, that branch has finally flourished once more."
Hearing just that single sentence, Li Jianglong knew that Li Jiangzong was showing leniency. Li Minggong had never married and had no children, so it was improper to describe them as her line; strictly speaking, they were descendants of Li Xixuan.
'What a pity that the old man led the way back then, leaving the Eastern Residence torn apart by his elder brother's scheming, rendering their origins somewhat tainted. This Li Suining is somewhat better... but Li Suikuan is presumably a descendant of Li Chengzai, born of the direct branch... which makes things even more awkward.'
To protect the two boys from the shadows of their predecessors, Li Jiangzong intentionally avoided mentioning Li Xixuan. Li Jianglong understood this perfectly. Lowering his head to take a sip of tea, he swept a glance over and gave a quiet nod.
Below, Li Suining remained motionless, waiting in silence. Once everyone had gathered, light suddenly rippled through the hall. Auspicious colors converged into absolute tranquility. Everyone to the left and right was shaken, bowing together in reverence:
"Greetings, True Person!"
Li Suining raised his head slightly and saw a platinum figure appear on the chief seat. He lowered his head like lightning, bowing before the steps and refusing to rise.
Standing before the dais, the True Person wore a faint smile and spoke leisurely:
"Rise. No need for ceremony!"
All the cultivators rose at once, the atmosphere solemn. With divine abilities inhabiting his body, even if the True Person did not speak, an invisible majesty permeated the hall. Li Ximing took his seat in the chief position, swept his gaze across them, and nodded:
"Not bad. The talent of these children carries some weight..."
Ever since the Chengming generation suffered disastrous losses by the river, the Li clan's offspring had failed to flourish, with fewer geniuses emerging. Both the Zhouxing and Jiangque generations appeared withered. If not for Li Zhouwei, and Li Quewan brought from the lakeshore, there would have been only Li Jiangzong... Their personalities were vastly different and hard to evaluate; his talent was comparable to Li Cheng's, yet in terms of experience or serendipity, his current self lagged far behind.
Yet looking out now, three or four possessed talents well worth nurturing, and some even had remarkable gifts that brought immense joy. How could Li Ximing not be delighted? Sweeping his gaze, his eyes first halted on the face of a youth below. Noting the golden eyes, he smiled and pointed:
"You must be Suihuan, yes?"
The youth possessed handsome eyes and refined brows, his golden eyes bright and piercing, exuding an extraordinary air of nobility. Stepping forward, he said respectfully:
"Suihuan greets the True Person!"
The youth was indeed Li Suihuan, the son of Li Jianglong—Li Jianglong had specially emerged from seclusion to come here largely on his son's account.
Li Ximing had personally bestowed the name. Counting the days, the boy was now thirteen years old, the eldest son of the Mingyang bloodline, fourth in the Suiyu generation, and the fastest in cultivation. He had already reached Qi Refinement, practicing the Chongguang Fire Brightness Scripture.
With Li Ximing and Li Zhouwei attaining the Violet Palace one after another, the cultivation resources for the Li clan's children had steadily improved. Beginning cultivation at age six, with superior techniques and ample resources, Li Suihuan had advanced through the six wheels of Embryonic Breathing at the rate of one wheel per year. Had the Chongguang Fire Brightness Scripture not been exceptionally difficult, he would have made his breakthrough even earlier.
Standing before the assembled youngsters, he stood out remarkably, drawing the attention of all the cultivators present. Li Ximing chuckled at the sight:
"You have your father's demeanor... With such talent and bearing, not even the direct descendants of the immortal sects can compare!"
Though young, Li Suihuan was far from timid. Facing the gazes of all the cultivators and the scrutiny of the True Person, he lifted his chin, his eyes shining brightly as he answered:
"Back then, no direct descendant of an immortal sect dared face the edge of Grandfather's halberd. We scions of the White Qilin ought to illuminate a thousand li and elevate the rising sun, making Wangyue radiant and bright, far surpassing divine abilities spanning merely two generations."
Everyone exchanged startled glances. Li Minggong smiled, Li Jianglong's eyelids twitched as he frowned slightly, while Li Ximing raised his brows with a laugh, replying only:
"Fine ambition."
"Come!"
Reaching into his sleeve, he produced a jade box, placed it into Li Suihuan's hands, and smiled:
"This is a Lihuo magical artifact of our clan, called Liguang Huaxi. I had it forged in my spare time to verify my divine abilities and techniques. Now that I have finished with it, I bestow it upon you... as encouragement."
For a moment, only his words of gratitude and the surrounding murmurs of praise filled the air. Li Suining stood quietly below to the side, not lifting his head. Hearing Li Ximing's praise, he felt no jealousy or envy, only a profound mix of emotions.
'Fourth Brother...'
Li Suihuan was not merely boasting; this was far from empty bravado. Even later, when the Eldest Young Master broke through to the Violet Palace, people still recalled his words about divine abilities not stopping at two generations. This fourth brother's own cultivation speed was astonishingly rapid. When the immortal decree reached the lake, his immortal foundation was perfected and his secret arts mastered, placing him merely a step away from the Violet Palace.
Only... who could have foreseen that the sun-like, flourishing Li clan would meet such an end?
He raised his eyes slightly, not daring to look directly at Li Ximing. Hearing the gratification in his voice, perhaps due to his own inner predisposition, he sensed that Li Ximing was not as overjoyed as might have been imagined.
Li Ximing soon turned his head, looking down with raised brows. Pointing at Li Suikuan beside him, he smiled:
"And you are..."
"Junior Suikuan... of the Yuanwan branch!"
The boy immediately dropped to his knees, answering with utmost deference. Li Ximing nodded thoughtfully and remarked:
"Rare indeed!"
In his past life, Li Suining had been naive, but now he understood clearly. The reason Li Ximing singled out Li Suikuan was that he appeared the most outstanding among the children—which, naturally, was all thanks to that foolish granduncle and great-granduncle of theirs, Li Chengzai.
That old man did not understand cultivation, yet he was willing to scheme. Trading favors with several guest elders, he obtained spirit resources and gave them to Li Suikuan early on. With Li Suikuan's meager Embryonic Breathing cultivation, squandering such treasures was like feeding peonies to an ox. How could a True Person fail to see through it? On the surface, Li Suikuan seemed far more talented than Li Suining, but Li Suining knew that the two brothers were essentially evenly matched.
Sure enough, the True Person's gaze swept over him and swiftly landed on Li Suining.
Even having lived two lives, his awe toward the Violet Palace and reverence for his family's True Person had not diminished in the slightest. Li Suining's heart leaped into his throat. Li Ximing's gaze lingered over him for a moment before Li Minggong's gentle voice sounded from the side:
"This is Suining. His father was Jiangwu, who once cultivated the Mount Xiaoshi lineage and was gravely wounded by Combined Fire during the wilderness turmoil, passing away shortly after. His grandfather was Li Zhouhuan, who died of old age around the lake—the second son of my second brother, Li Chengdu."
The reason Li Minggong treated Li Suining somewhat better lay right here. Li Ximing examined him intently and smiled:
"Already at the fourth layer of Embryonic Breathing?"
Suppressing his excitement, Li Suining replied respectfully:
"Reporting to the True Person, it has been half a year."
"Good..."
Li Ximing glanced at Li Jiangzong and said:
"Go receive a share of resources and two pills from the clan. You may begin Qi Refinement... Do you have any lineages you have practiced or arts you excel at?"
Li Suining took a step back, dropped to the ground, and bowed deferentially:
"Reporting to the True Person, I have studied arrays somewhat... and hope to pursue the Array Dao!"
Having lived two lives, Li Suining naturally knew what the clan lacked most right now!
He also knew how to showcase his talent—in his previous life, nearly everyone of the Suiyu generation had read books on arrays, and a full three brothers had been assigned to cultivate array methods!
'Our clan's alchemy is renowned far and wide, and our artifact refinement has risen rapidly under Uncle Jiangzong's lead. Only the Array Dao is lacking! This has long been a sore spot for the lords!'
"Oh?"
Yet no sooner had his words landed than the True Person before him opened his eyes slightly, light glinting within them as he looked over quietly:
"Living outside the island, the Eastern Residence seems to have amassed quite a reserve to dabble in the Array Dao."
There was little joy in Li Ximing's heart. He watched coldly, casting a glance at Li Jiangzong, causing the young man's expression to shift slightly as he frowned.
Li Ximing naturally knew that the clan lacked array masters; he had even discussed it with Li Jiangzong just days ago. He had never expected to hear such an answer from Li Suining—he had been asking about martial skills with blades, spears, and staves!
A youth from the Eastern Residence, a declining branch living in hardship by the lake, could only reach the fourth layer of Embryonic Breathing through round-the-clock cultivation. Where would he find the leisure to study the various auxiliary arts? Especially the Array Dao, which required expensive array flags just to get started! Yet he had accurately named the very talent the clan was most lacking and preparing to groom... Claiming to have studied it, how could it not arouse suspicion? He was well aware of how opportunistically people below could scheme!
Though he uttered no harsh words, those fleeting, suspicious thoughts instantly caused the light in the hall to turn chill and solemn. The atmosphere froze. Li Minggong's expression changed, her eyes filled with worry.
With Violet Palace divine abilities in his body, a single mood or thought could influence the weather of a region. Ordinary children faced with such a scene would likely have burst into tears and confessed everything on the spot. Li Suining, however, remained impassive:
"Reporting to the True Person, when my grandfather passed away, I came to the lake once alone and met Protector Ren, who came to visit... My father had served under him, so they shared some acquaintance... Hearing that I possessed spirit apertures, he retrieved the methods left behind by my father for me to take back and read. Among my father's effects was a copy of the Comprehensive Guide to the Array Dao.
"I read it with utter fascination, never letting the book leave my hands... and it has been nearly ten years now."
How could an ordinary child lie before him? Seeing him completely unfazed, Li Ximing had already believed him in his heart. His expression softened slightly, and he said calmly:
"Oh? Without array flags, it must have been hard on you."
Li Ximing's words were accurate. In his previous life, Li Suining had possessed remarkable perseverance; if not ten years, he had read it for six or seven. But without array flags in hand, how could beginning the craft be so easy?
Though that experience proved greatly beneficial to his future array cultivation, even on the day he stood before the great hall back then, he had only reached a hazy state of gradual comprehension. In the end, he had failed to decipher anything meaningful, dared not mention a word of it, and had only humbly replied that he would submit to whatever was arranged.
Now, however, his gaze was calm and unwavering. Bowing once more, he rose and said respectfully:
"Reporting to the True Person, using other objects as substitutes works just as well."
Characters Appearing in This Chapter
—
Li Ximing [Early Violet Palace] [Violet Palace Alchemist]
Li Minggong "Pheasant Separation Motion" [Late Foundation Establishment] [Direct Line of the Elder Branch]
Li Jiangzong [Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement] [Direct Line of the Elder Branch]
Li Jianglong "Audience at the Heavenly Gate" [Mid Foundation Establishment]
Qu Bushi "Cangna Palace" [Mid Foundation Establishment]
Chapter 986