Que Liyu was brimming with ambition, but Nuzi Mohe grew anxious.
“My lord, you must be careful…”
Nuzi Mohe had originally been a Lianmin under Que Liyu’s command. Years ago, relying on Que Liyu and the forces behind him, he had not only received exceptional assistance, but ordinary cultivators had not dared to cross him either. His standing was far higher than that of ordinary Lianmin, and having enjoyed so many blessings, he was unwilling to lose them easily. Seeing this scene now, he said worriedly,
“Accomplishing this matter is important, of course, but after all, it is not something agreed upon openly. It relies entirely on a shared, unspoken understanding without any explicit covenant. If that esteemed lord truly harbors intent to kill, I fear it will not be easy to deal with.”
“Even if you manage to escape… it would still cost you a century of your Dharma body…”
Que Liyu’s southward march appeared awe-inspiring, yet Nuzi understood in his heart that this was a monumental undertaking where danger and benefit coexisted. It might even be a scheme concocted by several of the Aspects conspiring together to sever another of the Peacocks’ arms… For so many years, the Peacock clan’s exalted lord had given no response, and the various peacocks had repeatedly hit dead ends, making them long since vigilant.
Even if Yang Zhuo had at most just broken through to the Violet Palace, in essence he possessed the Tianwu golden nature. Back then, the three suits of armor had inflicted grievous losses on the north, leaving lingering dread to this day, so it was unavoidable to feel fearful. It was no wonder Nuzi was worried, but Que Liyu merely shook his head and laughed.
He withdrew a small porcelain bowl from his sleeve, only half the size of a palm, and held it serenely in his hand. Clear water sloshed within, rippling with gentle waves.
“This is…”
Nuzi Mohe took just one glance, and the expression on his face froze. He blinked in disbelief.
The spiritual essence within the bowl was so brilliant it seemed ready to condense into solid form, even causing the Great Void to faintly tremble. It was none other than Violet Palace spiritual water—a full six streams of Violet Palace-grade Female Water!
“Tianyi, Zanya, Qingye, Baimu, Guixi, Muyi.”
These six streams of Female Water complemented one another, and they seemed mixed with another substance of exceptionally dense spiritual essence, nurturing a powerful vitality. The concentrated Female Water nearly spilled out from the small bowl, threatening to turn into billowing gray wind.
“This—!”
Even though Nuzi Mohe held some status in the north, his pockets were still penniless. Not to mention spiritual water and spiritual fire, even his sole Violet Palace spiritual item was kept hidden away as his bottom-of-the-chest treasure. Where had he ever seen so much spiritual water? For a moment, he stared in a daze.
Yet the monk smiled and said,
“You are mistaken. This is not a question of whether he harbors intent to kill. The so-called ‘rectify nature and curb licentiousness’ is not just empty words. Once I reach the border of the commandery, I must die—die so thoroughly that spirit and form are obliterated, never to be reborn for all eternity.”
Nuzi was struck dumb, staring at him blankly. But the monk narrowed his eyes slightly and laughed,
“It is precisely because of this that this task must be done by my Dayu Dao, and by none other than me. The Peacock clan gained the symbol of following desire, and my Dayu Dao possesses the Great Good Golden Lotus…”
“Do you think I do not know? Barely anyone in the north harbors good intentions. One after another, they urged me to make a journey south to claim the status of a demon, but in truth, they all hoped I would go down and die—even our Dayu Liangli has never not been wary of me!”
Nuzi did not know why he brought this up, only feeling his scalp tingle with numbness. Yet the monk before him laughed and continued,
“Yet I have long been waiting for this day! They think I am risking my own person, but that is not so. The Great Good Golden Lotus planted at Quanwu has been blessed by the Exalted Lord. My true body sits upon the Great Good Golden Lotus in the Buddhist Land, and I have descended the mountain only with the Minor Peacock Karma and my karmic root, walking step by step, all the way to the border of the commandery.”
“This karmic root shall take the counterpart guest seat to the rectifying of nature and curbing of licentiousness! It shall be the demon subjugated and purged, achieving a great karma unseen in a thousand years!”
Nuzi was horrified. He turned slightly, his color draining as he gasped,
“Karmic root? My lord wishes to sever your Peacock karmic root?! This… this…”
Nuzi lowered his head in shock. Que Liyu, however, sat cross-legged atop the mountain peak, drinking the spiritual water from the bowl sip by sip. The Great Good Golden Lotus cast its radiance over him, sending out waves of brilliant light. He said faintly,
“Back then, when my family’s Zhichan returned to the Buddhist path and received enlightenment from the Exalted Lord, He diverged onto Combined Fire. Yet He was, after all, the offspring of the Piwu. The Piwu was once the Master of All Fires, possessing boundless divine might, and there remained a trace of karma.”
“Though He cultivated for many years, He could not advance further. Only when He sought counsel from Dazhi Zen did He realize that the Piwu karmic root still remained within His body. Without purging this karmic root, He would forever be trapped by Combined Fire, unable to advance.”
“The Exalted Lord is purging the karmic root in the sea. Today, as the foremost person of the Peacocks, I shall also purge mine to achieve the Dao.”
He raised his head. His features aged at an astonishing speed as dense wrinkles crawled across his face, freezing him into an empty husk. From his chest and abdomen, fire leaped out—magnificent and vast, like tens of thousands of tiny serpents darting through the air. In an instant, it enveloped the entire mountain range, condensing before him before descending to the earth and transforming into a monk.
This monk was radiant with high spirits, an eerie smile on his lips, standing serenely in the air. Behind him, Que Liyu’s chest cavity was ripped wide open, exposing withered, pale viscera; his flesh and skin crumbled to dust, reducing him to a lifeless skeleton.
Nuzi felt his scalp prickle with dread. Still unable to process Que Liyu’s blazing ambition, his mind went completely blank.
*To take the counterpart seat to True Qi with his karmic root…*
True Qi rectifying nature and curbing licentiousness was something known throughout the world. That exalted lord naturally needed an arch-demon. But once this demon entered the game, it stood in direct opposition to the exalted lord. Even as a demon, its status and karmic mandate would be that of an immeasurable heavenly demon!
Such immense karma was enough to drive any Buddhist cultivator mad with desire!
The Dayu Dao had caught wind of it and marched south precisely to play this demon, shielding Que Liyu through an encounter before True Qi to fulfill the role of the monster. Yet this matter was not without peril—even if the Great Good Golden Lotus, capable of gathering true spirits, had already been planted before the gates of Simin, there was no guarantee the Underworld Court did not possess Banished Qi!
The path of Banished Qi governed benightedness and end. If that exalted lord held some supreme treasure of Banished Qi and shone it gently upon him, it could still send him to his death!
Even if he succeeded, took the opposing seat of Tianwu’s demon-slaying to become the purged monster, and managed to escape—though it would grant splendid status and karmic mandate… it was also an exceedingly perilous position. Who knew if at some point, when the exalted lord fell one step short of completion, this demon might be pushed forward to finish the unfulfilled work and become fuel for someone else’s dao achievement?
*One must remember that the entire world is pushing this matter forward, and several exalted lords cannot wait any longer. The Seven Aspects may seem glorious, but how much sway do they truly have up on high? Once such a situation arises, no matter how grand Que Liyu’s karmic mandate is, he will still have to be sacrificed!*
Que Liyu was right. The Dayu Dao could march south with composure indeed because they had the Great Good Golden Lotus to allow a confident attempt. Yet the other Aspects that had yielded—who among them was not watching with cold eyes… merely waiting to kick him into a well in the future!
Even the Mohe Liangli of the Dayu Dao who supported Que Liyu, as it now appeared, was likewise wary of his formidable strength and the backing of the Peacocks, wishing nothing more than for him to die in the south.
Yet Que Liyu’s move was so brilliant and daring that ordinary people would never dare imagine it: he actually dared to let the Tianwu golden nature purge his karmic root for him, while bestowing status and karmic mandate upon him!
This way, having reaped both status and karmic mandate, this immense karma carried hardly any evil consequences—the demon was merely Que Liyu’s karmic root, purged completely. The more awe-inspiring your rectifying of nature and curbing of licentiousness was, would it not mean that my true body was all the more radiant?
*To think he planned this all along!*
And matters had developed to this stage: the Great Good Golden Lotus was already planted on the mountain, every condition was met, and the entire world was facilitating this… Reflecting on it carefully, Nuzi was momentarily dazed, finally understanding why Que Liyu had spoken of Guangchan with covert mockery.
*He is right. This is a great karma unseen in a thousand years, and this scheme can succeed… Not only can it succeed, but neither Guangchan nor Beigu could ever hold a candle to him! It will surely pave an incomparably bright path for him to remain in the highest seats…*
If Yuan Huzhong’s conversion to Buddhism and attainment of Mohe would allow him to sit and speak at the Mount Dayang Dharma Assembly, then once Que Liyu succeeded, it was highly likely that a few centuries later, he would be the grand figure sitting on the dais expounding the Dharma!
*Could such a monumental event happen without an exalted lord pushing it from behind? If not for an exalted lord’s cue, where could he have obtained six streams of Female Water right under the Liangli’s nose!*
At that instant, a chill struck Nuzi’s heart, and his mind cleared in a flash.
*Did that exalted lord truly make no response? The secret treasury of the Peacock Sea was plundered, and several peacocks died one after another—could that have been without reason? It had to be a clandestine test by some exalted lord…*
*The Exalted Lord made no response all along precisely to allow the Peacocks to be slowly ensnared in schemes, waiting for Que Liyu to enter the game in person to accomplish today’s feat!*
His heart grew utterly chilled, and he silently lowered his head.
*With planning spanning so long, the Exalted Lord must have received word beforehand… Who gave him the warning? Who wished to further fracture the Seven Aspects? Was it Heaven above, or the Earth below…*
Yet the eerie, wicked monk before him had already shaken his sleeves. Without sparing him a single glance, he strode forward. Within two or three paces, he turned into a tiny yellow dot at the foot of the mountain, fading into the distance.
He walked across the earth, seemingly taking ordinary steps, yet shrinking the ground with every pace, traveling south at an astonishing speed. Wherever he passed, music swelled loudly; whether the ground was muddy or barren, lotus blossoms bloomed one after another, beasts prostrated in reverence, and pools shimmered with radiant colors, like an Earthly Buddhist Land.
……
Simin Commandery.
Dense gray flames rose across the horizon, accompanied by loud music that drifted lightly into the commandery. Inside the grand hall, however, all was profoundly quiet, save for the faint flicker of festive lanterns.
The seat of honor at the head remained empty, but the two rows flanking it were filled with the young talents of various clans. Seated in order of precedence, they either sipped tea with lowered heads or kept silent, the only sound being the clinking of porcelain cups.
Most of them were not nervous, waiting leisurely. Only Li Jiangliang kept his brow furrowed, staring intently at the map on his desk. Attendants below stepped forward from time to time to deliver messages, allowing him to trace the black route of the Buddhist cultivator.
*Once he passes Quanwu… tens of thousands, or even more, will be swept up in this…*
Li Jiangliang lifted his tea, appearing somewhat restless. He raised his eyes and swept a glance across the room.
Commissioned to establish rites, he had not set foot in this hall for quite some time. The people standing in this great hall had changed considerably, though as expected, all were descendants of immortal clans and Violet Palace houses.
As he was pondering, a commotion arose outside. A middle-aged man in coarse hemp robes entered the hall. His hair and beard were flecked with gray, his countenance dignified, with a gourd tied to his waist. The moment he stepped inside, several people went forward to offer congratulations:
“Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Lingu! Congratulations!”
“Attaining a divine ability is truly a marvel that shakes all around…”
Li Jiangliang knew who he was: Lingu Lie of the Lingu family. He had originally been an unappreciated clan elder who wandered the world, but now he was the family head.
The Lingu family’s talents could certainly be described as withered. Back then, they had numerous Foundation Establishment cultivators who, whenever there was even the slightest opportunity, immediately went into seclusion in Linhai Commandery. Those capable geniuses had all perished, so Lingu Lie—an elder who had broken through to Foundation Establishment only near the age of one hundred—had been summoned back to the clan and forced to shoulder this heavy burden.
The moment Lingu Lanying succeeded, he instantly became a sought-after figure. While a crowd flocked forward to flatter him, Lingu Lie found a moment to look toward Li Jiangliang and bowed from a distance.
Li Jiangliang smiled in acknowledgment. Lingu Lie immediately squeezed through the crowd and said with a smile,
“Greetings, Lord Li!”
“Senior is too polite!”
Li Jiangliang had no choice but to set aside his work and respond warmly. Lingu Lie remarked with emotion,
“I share a modest connection with your noble clan. Years ago, our clan’s Zhenren fought shoulder to shoulder with your clan as well, being bona fide peers of Master Zhaojing. It was very amicable, and she even asked me about paying a visit!”
Li Jiangliang smiled and said,
“With the Buddhist cultivator marching south, a great battle is on the verge of erupting. The congratulatory gifts from each clan will likely be somewhat delayed… Since you and I are both here in the hall, let me offer my congratulations in advance!”
Just as the man was about to reminisce about past events, he stiffened slightly. Li Jiangliang’s smile also faded as he sensed something.
*Bang… bang, bang…*
The water in the teacups on the tables began boiling without cause, rattling the lids with a loud hum. Overlapping waves of water and fire surged all around, and the faint rustle of scales could be heard. Li Jiangliang reacted with lightning speed, rising in alarm and rushing out of the hall in two strides.
He saw white cranes wheeling in the sky, layer upon layer of water and fire gleaming like stars across the horizon, summoning streaks of descending immortal light. Li Jiangliang turned around and looked at the cultivators who were still at a loss inside the hall.
“Come down and pay your respects to the lord.”
The crowd hurried out of the hall and, led by Li Jiangliang, bowed together. Feathery garments and splendid robes spread across the ground, shimmering in reflection with the radiance of water and fire in the sky.
*Rumble!*
Water and fire of ethereal blue and indigo intertwined in the sky with shades of black, scarlet, yellow, and azure. Countless white cranes descended from the heavens, neutralizing the endless karmic fire that poured down and illuminating the commandery in dazzling light.
Li Jiangliang raised his head slightly, only to discover a pair of black boots standing before him.
Stunned, he lifted his gaze bit by bit, letting his eyes sweep across the man’s black robe adorned with resplendent patterns, before finally resting upon his face.
It was an utterly ordinary, unremarkable face.
Yet it was precisely this ordinary face that rendered one’s mind blank, making it impossible to recall a single distinct feature. The aura about his person was completely devoid of ripples, as though he were a mere mortal.
Li Jiangliang could tell that this man’s attire was similar to that of his wife, Yang Tianyou. Lowering his eyes slightly, he noticed that the people around showed no surprise at the man’s presence, as if completely oblivious. Only then did he rise and say,
“Greetings, Senior.”
The man before him gave a slight nod and smiled. “You are the son of Mingyang.”
Li Jiangliang bowed. “My father was Master Minghuang.”
The man nodded with satisfaction and said softly,
“Please deliver a word to the lake on my behalf… Tell them… Yang Ruiyi of the Simin Yang clan invites the Zhenren of the lake to Simin to discuss matters of great import.”
Li Jiangliang hesitated for a moment, but the Yang man smiled, looking deeply at him before adding,
“Master Guanxuan, Yang Tianya, is also in Simin. He has waited for your noble clan for a long time, and wishes to reminisce about old times with the descendant of his old acquaintance.”
After Li Zhouwei spoke, everyone fell into silence for a moment. Li Ximing rose somewhat anxiously and hesitated for a time, ultimately keeping silent about Xiao Yuansi. Li Xuanxuan lowered his eyes:
“At the very least… no consequences have shown themselves as of yet…”
“Regardless of how things unfold, we must know where we stand in our hearts. As for our ancestor’s affairs…”
Chapter 998