Chapter 1010: Soldiers Have Arrived

Li Suining's heart sank, yet he also worried about Li Jiangqian's keen, cold, and profound mind, so he dared not show too much emotion, only a mix of surprise and delight. The white-robed swordsman beside him, however, lost his cheerful expression and murmured, "Why have I not heard... that Brother was even roused from seclusion?"

Li Jiangqian drew his sleeves together and nodded slightly. "Such a major event naturally warrants it."

Li Jiangchun immediately understood, turning to gesture Li Suining forward and introducing him: "Brother, this is Suining, a rare talent in array formations in our family. The True Person himself met him and exchanged cultivation methods and orthodoxies for him."

The crimson-robed man's expression softened slightly into a smile. "I've been in seclusion for a long time, and I didn't expect such a genius to emerge in our family. Today, I've finally met him."

Joy still flickered in Li Suining's eyes as he respectfully acknowledged and paid his respects. He then tentatively voiced a concern: "It's just that the wildlands were ablaze with karmic fire a few days ago, and there was a Purple Mansion battle over the lake. I wonder if it will affect the grand plan?"

Li Jiangqian waved his hand. "It's nothing. A few regrettable losses; they merely threw away their lives futilely under the True Person's hand."

Upon hearing this, Li Suining immediately nodded in admiration, hoping Li Jiangqian would elaborate but offering no further comment.

Then, Li Jiangqian narrowed his eyes and said, "The matter is urgent. The cultivators on the lake were mobilized and cleared out. I was summoned by the True Person merely to guard the lake... As for it being sudden... not entirely. Father just returned from Simin."

This remark was subtle, and Li Jiangchun naturally understood it. However, Li Suining, despite his unusual circumstances, also comprehended it perfectly.

'The Wei King... went to Simin, after all.'

A Purple Mansion cultivator's whereabouts were secret, and at that time, he was merely at the Fetal Breath stage, so not knowing was normal. He pondered it carefully when a golden light rose into the sky.

This golden light was as vast as a palace, yet slender and magnificent, covered in pavilions filled with dense ranks of white-robed soldiers. It was a pale golden longboat—the Quhe Great Boat!

This magic boat was the Li family's earliest flying vessel, forged by the He Jiumen of the West Bank. At that time, the family's forging techniques were not mature, and this great boat could not change size freely. However, fortune and misfortune are intertwined; without the need for transformation, subsequent modifications simply made it larger and larger. Normally, it lay submerged at the bottom of the lake, known to few.

Now, it soared forth, like a towering palace in the sky, cleaving through the air with rolling turbulence. Countless streaks of light attached themselves to it, uncountable in number, clustering around the great boat as it flew high into the sky. The array formation activated, concealing it from view, and it headed eastward.

'The Yuting Guard has set out...'

Li Suining's pupils reflected the countless, star-like streaks of light, and a hint of pride involuntarily showed in his gaze.

'The Yuting Guard... the precursor to the twenty-one divisions of Tingzhou and the Zhaoguang Wei King's army. This is their first move. Let Wuyue hear the reputation of our Yuting Guard!'

Li Suining could confidently state that with the decline of the Zhao kingdom's court, those willing to spend a century building a single guard, willing to systematically support a hundred years of orthodox military forces, were absolutely few and far between. Even the families in the northern desert who frequently engaged in warfare still suffered from tribal indiscipline. In terms of strict command and obedience, they were absolutely inferior to his family's Yuting Guard!

This was a surprise attack, carried out by the elite of the Yuting Guard. When the Wei King established his state, and these elites formed a full army, only the armies of the Northern Dai and Bolie kings could compare. After a decade or more of battle, even the northern royal armies would likely give way.

'Now, with Guest Elder Ding still alive, and with Dianyang Tiger and Xuanbin Lei as vanguard generals, and Third Uncle commanding the army formations... Hmph, even Yan Kingdom will have a headache.'

He watched the boat disappear into the horizon. Two smaller, silver-white boats then rose from the lakeside, following closely behind, though not as vast. These two were acquired later from Zhuosha Tomb; they could change size and were of high quality, but couldn't carry as many people, serving primarily as auxiliary vessels.

Ultimately, the flashing lights were too numerous to watch them all, so he withdrew his gaze and descended with Li Jiangqian into the inner formation, where the grand hall beneath a purple-gold barrier became visible.

Here, purple light shimmered, and colors were vibrant. The ground beneath their feet was a thick, brownish-gold. In his previous life, Li Suining had cultivated here often, and a sense of familiarity welled up in his heart.

'The architecture is largely the same... Most of it should already be built by this time...'

The three stood in the highest hall, where they noticed a man pacing anxiously at the front. His attire was simple, and his appearance was rather robust. Seeing Li Jiangqian approach, he took a letter from his sleeve.

He glanced around; everyone present was permitted within the inner formation. He bowed and directly stated, "Your subordinate has brought a letter from Qunyi!"

Li Jiangqian took the letter from his hand, listening as An Siwei somewhat uneasily reported: "It's from True Person Yuanbian... I heard that Shengbai Dao interfered in the matters of Boruoduo, pursuing them all the way from the West Sea to Suopo Kingdom, injuring the Great Suopo King Fuxun, and almost killing Demon King Qingyan..."

"Fortunately, the demon kings of Boruoduo, fearing for themselves, caused an uproar. Most of them attacked together, forcing the Shengbai cultivators to retreat... But... the matter was sudden. Demon King Qingyan endured for several months, and his injuries worsened. Demon King Fuxun wishes to invite True Person Yuanbian there!"

Li Jiangqian's expression subtly changed as he took the letter and scrutinized it, then crumpled it in his palm, raising an eyebrow with a cold sneer. "What a convenient timing!"

This was clearly not good news. The Li family could disregard Qunjiao Lulai Island primarily because True Person Yuanbian was stationed there year-round. Although Lulai Island might not necessarily suffer if True Person Yuanbian left, its safety would undoubtedly be greatly diminished.

Li Jiangqian asked with a solemn expression, "What did True Person Yuanbian instruct, and how long ago was this?"

An Siwei seemed somewhat embarrassed and respectfully replied, "This letter was written in real-time. It was first received by the patrolling cultivators, then reported to the True Person. I saw it halfway and immediately rushed home. At that time, we hadn't found the True Person's whereabouts, so we didn't hear True Person Yuanbian's intentions... Qunyi is truly too far. Although the True Person usually doesn't leave for too long, the second letter should still be on its way..."

Li Jiangqian paced a couple of steps, pondering. 'Boruoduo... Shengbai Dao... This letter must have arrived before our family's move... How should this calculation be interpreted...?'

He raised his eyebrows and asked, "What did the True Person say?"

An Siwei hurriedly replied, "I reported it. The True Person... said Qunyi... 'no rush.'"

Li Jiangqian paced with his hands behind his back, understanding how resolute the two Purple Mansion cultivators' intentions were. There was a Purple Mansion grand array beneath Qunyi Island. As soon as True Person Yuanbian left, Li Quewan would surely lead everyone to take refuge in the array beforehand. Once the grand array was sealed, as long as the people were safe, other losses were not of great concern.

He waved his hand, dismissing An Siwei. Several more cultivators entered the array to report, and low whispers echoed through the hall. Li Suining, waiting to the side, now had a clear understanding.

'Shengbai Dao interfered in Boruoduo and pursued them all the way from the West Sea... If the True Person was in the West Sea, he would now be embroiled in this matter!'

'In such a major battle, there's an eighty to ninety percent chance the True Person was injured in my previous life, which is why he didn't emerge for a long time after returning to the lake... remaining within the lake to heal... The two True Persons, therefore, could not easily move!'

The Song Emperor, Yang Zhu, was heading north. The Da Yu Dao's forces had not yet retreated, and the north was not only eyeing them covetously, but he also heard that a Taiximoci was currently guarding the wildlands. This old adversary had always been their family's enemy... How could he watch idly?

Once they were tied up with the Longxiao Gate's Purple Mansion and grand array for too long, there might be unrest on the lake. If, as in his previous life, the True Person suffered severe injuries, or even didn't return in time, any move by the Da Yu Dao would surely cause the situation to rapidly deteriorate.

'Precisely because of this... even with the right opportunity in my previous life, the Wei King could only keep his troops stationary on the lake... Now, the True Person is unharmed and can deter Taixi. Furthermore, with the master of the karmic fire unseen and the Da Yu Dao's strength not yet fully unleashed, they can cooperate with the array formations to defend against most of the Da Yu Dao's combat power.'

After all, the Da Yu Dao's strength was ultimately a notch below Cibei. Moreover, Mahakal cannot move south. Compared to the fierce momentum of Cibei's actions, the Da Yu Dao's current activities were merely minor skirmishes.

He inwardly processed everything, steadily calming himself, and realized that the turn of events was not bad: 'Longxiao Gate is now a burden. That Grand True Person will definitely not appear. If we can annex the best among these Seven Gates, the foundation establishment and Qi refining resources gained would also be an enormous wealth...'

Li Suining stood to the side, gazing at Li Jiangqian's tall back on the main seat. His heart settled bit by bit, finally feeling secure enough to take a step back, and even a glimmer of hope arose within him.

Helin County.

The Helin Mountain Range was a famous range. Although not rich in spiritual energy, it excelled in its vastness and depth, with towering, layered peaks. Situated beside a sprawling plain, it faced the Quanwu Mountain Range to the east, contributing most of Yue Kingdom's low-grade spiritual resources.

Between these two mountain ranges lay a vast plain, bordering Xunlin to the north and Tongmo to the west, an endless fertile land with two counties: Helin and Cangwu.

Helin County was located at the foot of the Helin Mountain Range. It had a long history, backed by this mountain forest with very few monsters, and situated in the heartland, it suffered little disturbance. The county's market was exceptionally large, placed near the mountain gate.

At this moment, the market was brightly lit. A tall, magnificent platform, covered in array patterns, was set in the center. The highest pavilion was beautiful, with loud music playing, and decadent sounds wafting everywhere. Musicians and courtesans moved among the banquets, offering smiles and pouring wine.

On the main seat of the high platform sat a Daoist priest, fair-skinned with two dark mustaches, exuding a clever air. He sat with his legs crossed, swaying his head, completely at ease. His fair hand gently swayed to the music, yet not a single drop of wine spilled.

After a while, fawning laughter erupted, and an old man, holding a cup, came forward, kneeling at his seat and holding the wine above his head. He respectfully said, "Lord Zhuang! Your humble servant owes his survival to your grace... Please, allow me to offer you a cup!"

Lord Zhuang, sitting above, showed little emotion. He glanced at the old man out of the corner of his eye and leisurely remarked, "Back then... Situ Mo came to the Helin Mountain Range and left you, this old thing, here as a means of communication, to betray the Situ family's overseas interests for his own gain... Unexpectedly... you ended up keeping your wretched life."

The old man hurriedly bowed, lamenting, "Indeed... indeed... it's just a pity about the lake..."

These words caused Lord Zhuang's expression to change slightly. He lashed out with a kick, striking the old man's chin hard, sending him flying through the air. The old man flipped over, landed with a thud, and coughed up blood.

'Damn it, you might not care about your life, but I certainly do!'

He knew exactly what the other party meant, and indeed, he had saved the old man precisely because of that.

Longxiao Gate was originally founded as a righteous sect. Its Longxiaozi orthodoxy was pure, based on True Qi, Purple Qi, and Cold Qi, supplemented by Lesser Yin and Lesser Yang, with very strong roots. The Grand True Person's direct lineage even possessed a secret technique, the Douxuan Righteous Dao, which was extremely powerful and never passed outside.

Yet, this righteous sect's atmosphere had grown increasingly strange over the past decade or so. Grand True Person Longxiaozi, the founding ancestor of Longxiao Gate, had been missing for years, and True Person Chengyan had been in charge.

However, True Person Chengyan's affairs were widely known, even to outsiders, let alone their own Longxiao Gate members... In the years Longxiaozi was missing, the True Person's wife gradually extended her influence, and Chengyan's excessive doting meant the sect had fundamentally lost its original purity.

And the sect master was Baibinz. This old cultivator had once participated in the encirclement of Bailin! When Bailin achieved Purple Mansion, he was half jealous, half fearful, constantly promoting enemies of the Li clan. Master Zhuang could return from overseas and manage such a large market precisely because he was also a participant in that event!

In contrast to Baibinz, Master Zhuang gradually calmed down after the initial fear of those first few months. He made inquiries and learned that the Purple Mansion's mortal ties had been severed. Since he wasn't killed on the day of the breakthrough, and with a formidable Grand True Person backing him, he would mostly be safe unless he personally committed an offense and fell into their hands.

So he coolly waited in the market, anticipating a day when chaos would erupt between the lake and the Buddhist cultivators. He gathered underlings who were at odds with the Li clan—remnants of the Song family, old Situ cultivators—and constantly sent them to the sect.

'The sect is full of their enemies; that's better than me being their only enemy! When the Grand True Person decides to act, there will always be more accomplices!'

With Chengyan in seclusion, and with the daily efforts of a few individuals, it was a wonder the Longxiao Gate's atmosphere wasn't worse. Although they cultivated the magnificent Righteous Dao, they had long lost the enlightened, inclusive, master-apprentice teaching style of a century ago!

But why would Master Zhuang truly care about Longxiao Gate? The person who truly cared was already burned and killed by the White Qilin on Xian Lake that day, like a white crane falling to the ground, leaving no complete corpse!

He was smiling faintly when he suddenly sensed something and abruptly lowered his head. He found that the silver array patterns beneath the main seat began to faintly glow. He raised an eyebrow, crossed his legs on the table, and leaned lazily against the tall main seat, indifferently saying, "Which merchant caravan is flying so high again! Fine them heavily!"

"Oh!"

A white-robed cultivator from the other side quickly came forward, his face flushed. He was clearly quite drunk, his movements somewhat erratic. He channeled his magic power, affecting the grand array, holding a pot of wine, and apologizing: "My apologies... my apologies! At this hour, it must be the batch of cypress heart fruit I'm responsible for... I'll activate the grand array myself for inspection, disturbing you all... Just enjoy the view... I'll pay for this drink... no, three drinks!"

While blushing and smiling apologetically, he pressed his hand onto the array disk. As his magic power circulated, the magnificent, purple-blue eaves above them gradually faded. Streaks of profound energy coalesced among the eaves, cleanly dissolving all obstructions and revealing the sky outside the grand hall.

Everyone in the pavilion looked up to admire the night view. Master Zhuang's disdainful expression was still frozen on his face, but his pupils, looking towards the sky, instantly widened, reflecting the colossal golden boat spanning the night sky, the layers of massive ship towers, and streaks of light spread across the heavens.

This terrifying scene was frozen in the night sky. Countless eyes looked down from above, some cold, some disdainful, as if they had been waiting for a long time.

The banquet instantly fell silent, so quiet that a pin drop could be heard. Everyone's mind was blank, yet a harsh laugh broke the silence: "Wrong... wrong... I apologize... isn't apologizing enough...?"

The advancing cultivator, still drunk, didn't even lift his head, drinking by himself and muttering. Finally overcome by the alcohol, he softly collapsed backward onto the ground, the copper pot in his hand clanging as it hit the floor, spilling wine everywhere.

The dazed people continued to stare at the sky.

Streaks of immortal light surrounded and enveloped them, some clad in feather robes, others wearing scale armor, each gleaming with different colors, like heavenly soldiers. They stood at varying distances, respectfully waiting beside the tiered platform on the colossal immortal boat. All eyes were fixed on the platform, frozen on the face of the young man casually leaning against the dark purple-gold railing.

A pair of cold golden eyes.

Golden eyes with white-gold circular pupils.