Shifts

"Corporeal divine ability of Daowei..." Golden light flickered atop Mount Zhijing. Li Zhouwei reined in his divine ability, exhaled a breath, and snapped his eyes open, the golden radiance receding into his pupils. Just as he had anticipated, the cultivation speed granted by Jun Daowei still provided a boost at the level of a Violet Palace divine ability, though unfortunately it was no longer as terrifying as it had been during Foundation Establishment. After all, bringing a divine ability to consummation was a slow, painstaking grind; Li Ximing had cultivated for ten years and consumed a talisman pill before finally bringing Audience at the Heavenly Gate to completion. Five years had passed since the fall of Wanling Heaven. Li Zhouwei had spent about a year healing his injuries, and nearly half of the remaining time had been devoted to advancing Jun Daowei. Even now, there was still quite a long road ahead. 'Fortunately, Granduncle is here, keeping me supplied with Linguang Zhaoyi Pills one after another without pause. My resources are no worse than those of disciples from major lineages. At this rate... even without taking a talisman pill, Jun Daowei will surely reach consummation within three years at most.' He rose to his feet, only to see someone arriving to report from the mountain slopes. A black-robed demon general came up, trembling violently from head to toe, not daring to lift his eyes to look upon him. Kneeling before him, the demon quavered: "Yan Hu... pays respects to the Great King!" Li Zhouwei recognized him as one of the demons running errands for his granduncle in the Southern Border. He gave a slight nod, and Yan Hu hurriedly continued: "Reporting to the Great King, this lowly one was dispatched under the order of the Great Saha King to seek the True Person. Demon King Qingyan has obtained a treasure and wishes to trade it with the True Person. It is inconvenient for him to come to the lake, so he begs the True Person to travel over..." "In Poluoduo?" Li Zhouwei was aware of the matter, knowing it concerned Li Ximing's connections in the Southern Border. When he inquired, Yan Hu nodded vigorously and replied respectfully: "It was originally set for Poluoduo... but in recent years, the power of Shengbai Dao has grown increasingly terrifying. Word has it they have gained another great lord, and their influence has already reached Poluoduo, throwing the region into turmoil... Even the Great Saha King rarely stays in Poluoduo anymore... Both of them are currently in the West Sea... supposedly at Mount Bojun in the West Sea." Li Zhouwei understood their apprehension the moment he heard this. After all, the Great Saha King, Fuxun, harbored an old grudge against Shengbai Dao, and neither side wanted to be dragged into trouble. However, Li Ximing had already gathered the cultivation manuals earlier, summoned Li Jiangchun for a long discussion, and departed the mountain, flying off toward the East Sea—to exchange inheritances with Liu Changdie and visit Li Quewan along the way. 'Furthermore, the Bichen Water in Qunyi has grown scarcer and scarcer. Over five years, we have only obtained two Under-Neck Feathers. Even though Granduncle currently enjoys good relations with True Person Kuangyu, purchasing Bichen Water in large batches time and again makes it awkward to keep asking... Granduncle had mentioned going to the West Sea long ago...' He casually instructed: "The True Person is currently in the East Sea. Go down and wait for now." Yan Hu had just withdrawn, and Li Zhouwei had picked up a jade slip, preparing to return to the Heaven of Sun and Moon in Mutual Splendor, when he slightly tilted his head and looked toward the north. A vast cloud of luminescence was spreading as the heavens shifted, phantom colors surging skyward to dye the northern sky in a sheet of silvery white. Li Zhouwei took a step forward into the Great Void and examined it closely. "It is Chengshui Marsh..." He waited patiently on the mountain for several hours before Chen Yang finally came up with a solemn expression to report. Chen Yang's cultivation had progressed rapidly. He had now accumulated deep foundations in the mid Foundation Establishment realm, carrying a steady, solid bearing. Prostrating before the steps, he said respectfully: "Reporting to the True Person, Lord Zhong Qian of the Chengyun Immortal Sect in Huaijiang Circuit has broken through to become a True Person, titled Chonggong. The various families of Huaijiang Circuit have gone to offer congratulations." Setting down his cup, Li Zhouwei showed no surprise. He nodded and said: "A steady accumulation leading to a breakthrough—he was meant to take a seat among divine ability cultivators." Chen Yang hesitated slightly, kneeling firmly as he shifted forward a little, and said respectfully: "It is just that... according to the current territorial demarcation of lineages, True Person Chonggong is a figure of Huaijiang Circuit and a True Person of the State of Zhao. Although he has past ties with our clan... this congratulatory gift..." "No matter..." Li Zhouwei raised an eyebrow, producing a box from his sleeve. In the center lay a scale as pitch-black as ink. He commanded: "Send someone over with this Cangzhou Hui Scale. Consider it our Li family's congratulatory gift." Chen Yang nodded repeatedly and was about to withdraw when Li Zhouwei suddenly stopped him, looking up to ask: "During my long seclusion, I also heard good news from your side. Has Jinxi achieved Foundation Establishment?" Chen Yang hurriedly bowed again and smiled: "Reporting to the True Person... he is an unpromising lad, hardly worth mentioning! He merely had a stroke of luck and managed to break through to Foundation Establishment. Among those three juniors of mine... Jinbao fell, leaving only him and Jinguang. Now that he has succeeded, we shall see how Jinguang fares next." Li Zhouwei nodded and placed a jade box into his hands, saying softly: "We are all family... A congratulatory gift is due from me as well." ... Magical light flickered, glowing softly in the shadows. The pavilion was exceptionally quiet, with jade slips locked in rows above, shimmering with white luster. A youth walked past, his brows knit tight, his gaze constantly sweeping across the interior of the pavilion. "It isn't here... How can it not be here..." Taking advantage of a break in his cultivation, Li Suining was browsing through this secret pavilion. The clan's cultivation arts for Embryonic Breathing and Qi Refining were generally kept in two locations: one was the Mount Milin Dao Palace, and the other was this Secret Pavilion on the Isle. The former was mostly for guest elders, protectors, and external clansmen visiting to study, while the latter was provided for clan relatives—though in reality, the boundary defining clan relatives was rather vague, as the surrounding families, large and small, were more or less related by blood or marriage. Certain trusted guest elders and protectors could also come here. Setting apart a Dao Palace on Mount Milin was mostly to bestow favor upon the various families of the eastern shore and the wilderness that had pledged allegiance. After all, the clan's cultivation arts for Foundation Establishment and Violet Palace seeds were normally kept under seal. Bestowing favor could not extend to exposing the clan's fundamental arts, which was why this distinction existed. 'The Prince of Wei's Heaven-ordained destiny shines bright, granting our clan multiple Violet Palace arts in its vaults—a foundation rivaling immortal sects. With such confidence, our clan's restrictions on Dao inheritances are the most lenient in the State of Yue...' Yet as his gaze swept across the dazzling array of cultivation methods, walking from the eastern side of the pavilion all the way to the west, his hand raised and lowered repeatedly, his heart filled with shock and doubt: 'How could it not be here!' This was already his third visit, three months having passed since he entered the isle. There was truly no trace of the Jinzhang Shanghu Jue from his past life! It was one thing for the Douheng Xuan art, Jinzhang Shanghu Jue, to be missing, but the Tingxing Chen art, Xingchen Jianshi Jue, was absent as well! A dark cloud instantly gathered over his heart. The Jinzhang Shanghu Jue was of utmost importance; not only did it greatly boost array arts, but more critically, it was of the same origin as the subsequent Xingwei Taicang Divine Scroll... It formed the backbone of his entire plan! Not having the Xingwei Taicang Divine Scroll right away was no issue, as he could comfortably use the Jinzhang Shanghu Jue as a replacement. But without the Jinzhang Shanghu Jue... what was he supposed to cultivate?! It was not as though having a manual in his memory was enough! The reason immortal sects and immortal clans could rule securely lay in two vital pillars: spiritual qi and cultivation arts. Without a faction to harvest the required spiritual qi for him, let alone the Xingwei Taicang Divine Scroll, even having a ninth-rank art in his head would be utterly useless! 'In my past life, I was in seclusion for over a year before qualifying to break through to Qi Refining... Did the clan acquire it during that year?' Lost in thought, he returned to the front of the pavilion, where he saw a middle-aged man tidying jade slips before the entrance. His head hung very low, meticulously wiping them with an oiled cotton cloth. Seeing him come down, the man hurriedly looked up: "Greetings, young master... Which cultivation art are you looking for? This lowly one is surnamed Chi, humbly serving as caretaker of the secret pavilion..." Li Suining glanced at him and asked with a furrowed brow, "Can Senior make the call?" "Naturally not." Caretaker Chi smiled awkwardly and gestured. "I merely run errands. If the young master sets his sights on something, I can go to the facing building to invite Lord White Ape to retrieve it. But seeing the young master's appearance... you are likely here to choose a cultivation art... That depends on the spiritual qi..." Li Suining nodded, thought for a moment, and replied, "That won't be necessary then..." Prompted by those words, his mind suddenly went slightly blank: 'Wait... Harvesting qi easily takes five to ten years. If the clan does not have the Jinzhang Shanghu Jue, what about the spiritual qi? Even if the clan acquires the art within the year, how long would it take to harvest the qi, and how could I possibly make it in time? It clearly existed in my past life!' Suppressing his turmoil, he was just about to leave the pavilion when he felt a gust of chilly wind sweep down into the room. A white-clad youth landed on the wind. The youth was dressed simply, with slender brows and dark eyes. His prominent brow bones and straight nose lent him a steady air, his long hair bound up, and his countenance exceptionally handsome. At his waist hung a sword sheathed in white jade, bestowing upon him a rare touch of nobility. Setting foot in the pavilion, he tilted his head slightly to look over. Caretaker Chi hurriedly stepped forward, bowed, and said respectfully: "Greetings, My Lord..." "No need for formalities!" His voice was clear and cool. Bidding the man rise, his gaze swept past and landed on Li Suining. A flicker of surprise showed in his eyes as he smiled: "Which clan brother might this be?" Li Suining was dazed for a brief moment, then bowed to the ground, keeping his tone steady: "Greetings, Young Uncle... This junior is Suining, of the Yuanwan branch direct line..." "Direct line of the Yuanwan branch?" The white-clad youth before him looked even younger than he did, yet was already of the uncle generation. Taking a step forward, he placed a hand on Li Suining's wrist and quickly helped him up, laughing: "Good... so you are Suining! You actually recognize me?" The voice was clear and gentle, yet it made Li Suining's chest tighten. How could he not recognize him? His uncle, Li Jiangchun, was not old, but after a hundred years, he was the figure who had once again linked the Li clan to the sword immortal lineage! Wielding the Yueque sword art coupled with Shaoyin magic power, he had slain the Shu general Li Nitan on the battlefield, moving the Song Emperor to summon him to the capital to bestow rewards... In three duels, he had infuriated the Second Prince of the Great Song so thoroughly that the prince abandoned the sword forever... His premature death had shaken the court and the land, compelling the Prince of Wei of that era to march his army back, while civil and military officials entered the palace at midnight—one could even say it opened the curtain on the grand conflict between Shu and Song... Standing before him now, so bright, clear, and otherworldly, how could Li Suining not be dazed? Yet possessing a sharp mind and quick reflexes, he replied without hesitation: "Suining only recently met several clan brothers. Figuring that My Lord must be an elder, and considering your age, attire, and magic sword, I guessed your identity..." Li Jiangchun nodded thoughtfully and smiled: "No need to be so formal... you and I are of the same age." Li Suining immediately felt abashed. It was precisely because they were of the same age that Li Jiangchun had drawn the awe of various clans in his past life. When Li Jiangchun was slaying Shu generals in battle, Li Suining had still been worrying about reaching Foundation Establishment! Li Jiangchun took two steps forward, his eyes limpid and bright, yet carrying the distinct sharpness of a sword cultivator in every glance. Following him into the pavilion, he smiled: "I have just come down from Mount Zhijing, and was originally looking for you as well. I heard that this year... our elders obtained a batch of cultivation arts and techniques, including sword arts, which have already been sent down the mountain to be added to the pavilion in sequence. Rejoicing at the news, I came to seek Senior White Ape... thinking to retrieve the sword art before heading west to find you..." "Now what a coincidence, you are here as well." Half of the doubts in Li Suining's heart dissolved, and he nodded inwardly: 'So that is how it is... Whether it be the Jinzhang Shanghu Jue or the Xingchen Jianshi Jue, they were added during this very period. Coming a little too early, it was natural that I couldn't find them.' While he was turning this over in his mind, Li Jiangchun led him up to the second floor of the pavilion. With a gentle pull on the door, he casually engaged the array to lock it, then wiped the smile from his face and said solemnly: "Regarding the array cultivation art you mentioned, there is news. I came from the mountain under the True Person's orders." Knowing that a change had occurred and things were definitely different from the past, Li Suining hurriedly bowed in the pavilion to give thanks. Li Jiangchun set down the jade slip in his hand and chuckled: "There is no need for this... If thanks are to be given, you should thank the True Person." He resumed a serious tone: "The True Person went to the East Sea and has not yet returned. He went to attend to some affairs, and while there, exchange with a senior for an array lineage for you... It is uncertain when he will return, but True Person Minghuang has emerged from seclusion and sent me down the mountain to find you... First, to meet you... and second... to arrange your pills." Li Suining's heart shook, and he quickly bowed again, only to see Li Jiangchun shake his head: "These pills... are for your seclusion, so that you can seize the time to cultivate the fifth layer of Embryonic Breathing to completion. When the time comes, come find me again; I will have another pill here to arrange a cave dwelling for you to bring Embryonic Breathing to consummation." Li Suining's heart stirred. From these few sentences, he had already pieced the situation together. 'First... the True Person went to the East Sea... To trade for an inheritance for me, he must be looking for True Person Yuanbian.' 'In my past life, I only heard that His Eminence went straight to the West Sea and was delayed there. Could it be that because I revealed my talent in arrays early... his trip to the West Sea was postponed!' This brought a flash of joy to his heart. Stirred, he asked: "This junior only thought that by breaking through to the fifth layer of Embryonic Breathing, I could be more composed when meeting the True Person and receiving the array inheritance!" "Precisely so!" Li Jiangchun smiled and replied: "The True Person said he would return in a few months, which is enough time for you to break through." Li Suining pondered inwardly. In his past life, after entering the isle to cultivate, he had spent six months in seclusion in his cave dwelling when the earth suddenly quaked and the mountains shook—only then did he learn that Buddhist cultivators had arrived... The wilderness suffered a sudden assault, plunging into a chaotic Violet Palace battle with horrific casualties; Ding Weizeng and An Xuanxin fell in combat... At that time, the lake was caught completely unprepared. Only Li Zhouwei was able to act, while Li Ximing was far away in the West Sea, unable to return in time! 'Could it be... that the True Person will be able to return in time...' Li Suining had never imagined he could affect Li Ximing's movements! Having reincarnated, he had never expected to make everything perfect; even facing the turmoil in the wilderness, he had only hoped to protect Ding Weizeng... How could he have anticipated influencing a battle at the Violet Palace level! After all, in his past life, the Li family had barely managed to protect themselves in that great battle... Li Ximing's involvement might not necessarily be a good thing. A tremor ran through his heart, filled with mixed joy and dread: 'If the True Person truly returns in time... will the ultimate outcome of this great battle be changed? And if it changes... will it be a blessing or a curse?! If the True Person's participation leads to severe injury or even greater misfortune... won't I become the sinner responsible?!'