Chapter 1018: Rainbow Clouds

‘Myriad Chariots Slaying Light Emperor Scripture.’

Li Ximing glanced at it and commended, "This is more appropriate. While both are 'Crimson Broken Arrows' and their exact grade isn't obvious, the Wei-Li lineage is distinct. The 'Myriad Chariots Slaying Light Emperor Scripture' is clearly more orthodox than the 'Scarlet Far Guard General's Law Scripture'!"

Li Zhouwei nodded and responded, "Furthermore, immortal merits are limited. The 'Myriad Chariots Slaying Light Emperor Scripture' requires 220, while the 'Scarlet Far Guard General's Law Scripture' only needs 181. That's a considerable difference."

"However..." "After acquiring the 'Heavenly Marshal's Arrangement Divine Scroll' back then, I had 175 left. By destroying sects and clans, and slaying Chengyan, I gained another 57... bringing the total to 232."

Li Ximing mused for a moment, then replied with a touch of emotion, "Not much is left, indeed."

A faint smile appeared on Li Zhouwei's face. "It's good that it can be used," he said. "The real worry is having an ocean of cultivation techniques and secret manuals but no way to utilize them. As for immortal merits, we'll accumulate them sooner or later."

He raised his hand and pulled three sticks of incense from his sleeve, but then paused. "Although I possess a divine body, etiquette cannot be neglected," he replied. "I should first offer incense and purify myself before performing the 'Heavenly Listening' ritual."

Li Ximing understood, then responded thoughtfully, "Very well!"

The two descended from the pavilion. Only then did Li Zhouwei lower his hand and ask, serious in tone, "How far has Lord Yang advanced?"

Li Ximing, who had been by the lake, was clearly keeping track of the situation. He murmured, "He's already past Lixia!"

They both sat down by the stone table, and the moon-white lanterns on either side immediately illuminated. Li Ximing began, "The Great Desire Sect rampaged southward, expending considerable effort. Their golden lotuses appeared extraordinary, and they recruited many locals into their fold. Yet, they easily collapsed and moved north, leaving behind a number of devoted but few followers, who were quickly subdued."

"But I heard something..." He replied with a hint of melancholy, "I heard that the mountains were covered in 'dolls,' soaking in silver liquid, inherently corrupted. That Lord Yang, however, showed no desire to kill, instead sealing these 'lotuses' one by one and sending them down the mountain to be fostered. This doesn't seem like a positive development."

Li Zhouwei mused silently before replying, "That's the Yang family's concern. Now that Changxiao has been razed, Sima Yuanli is onboard, and the internal seas are temporarily secure. This True Qi has also reached the wilderness. At this moment, at least, the North won't dare to initiate a large-scale war, making our home unusually safe... I need to make a trip to the East Sea."

"Oh?" Li Ximing began to speak, then stopped, listening as the young man continued, "Everything must be handled with the utmost caution. Although we have acquired the 'Myriad Chariots Slaying Light Emperor Scripture,' there needs to be a proper justification. I'll meet with the surviving members of the Cui clan to ask some detailed questions and retrieve those few Mingyang cultivation techniques belonging to the Cui family."

Li Ximing nodded heavily, a hint of worry in his expression. Li Zhouwei, meanwhile, smoothed his sleeves, appearing nonchalant:

"Uncle, please rest assured. I won't cause them trouble, nor will I take anything without compensation. They won't be at a disadvantage regarding any necessary reparations."

He lifted his gaze, his golden eyes slightly dim. "I've also met Yangya. He's not a very generous or broad-minded person, so it's hard to say what he might do privately. I'll also take the opportunity to support Jueyin. If he dares to mistreat Jueyin, I won't let him get away with it."

This statement made Li Ximing nod repeatedly in agreement. "Jueyin has been diligent for so many years," he replied. "This is no longer merely an affair concerning the Cui or Li families."

"Furthermore..." Li Zhouwei pondered briefly. "Ideally, I should try to meet with the Dragon, but it won't matter if I can't... In that case, I'll go to Yinzhou and resolve the matter of the Buddhist cultivation artifacts I possess."

Li Ximing thought for a moment before responding, "If that's the case, then these miscellaneous items I have can also be dealt with. I've been considering this for a while."

He took out the Dushan Dianling Talisman from his hand and stated gravely, "I already have more than enough spiritual artifacts. Even a single spiritual treasure is more than I can fully utilize. The 'Biting Green Profound Cauldron' and the 'Shichuan' are sufficient for my needs. Take this and see if you can exchange it for some advantages; that would be ideal. If not, Kuang Yu will be visiting the lake soon, and I can entrust it to him."

Li Zhouwei raised an eyebrow; this was the second time he had heard Kuang Yu's name. "Uncle," he remarked with interest, "it seems you've been quite close with this Venerable Master lately!"

Li Ximing didn't dwell on it, shaking his head instead. "It's simply a matter of mutual need! When the sun dims, people quickly gather to seek warmth. My Daoist lineage and alchemy, in the end, are both useful."

Li Zhouwei raised an eyebrow, a hint of a smile gracing his lips. "How is your 'World Brightening,' Uncle?"

Li Ximing gave a somewhat awkward smile, then replied regretfully, "The first attempt wasn't successful... I have three to five more years of work... I can try again."

Li Zhouwei seemed slightly resigned, yet spoke with great solemnity. "I'm not criticizing you, Uncle. The difficulty of mastering divine abilities is well-known. If I didn't have a fortunate destiny or two, I would also face constant obstacles with these abilities. However, time is short. We don't know when the new dynasty will be established or how much upheaval there will be. We cannot afford any further delays."

"Currently, our family's resources are abundant. With less 'Wall-Sinking Water' from the barbarians, we can set aside matters concerning elixirs for a while and focus on advancing our spells and cultivating divine abilities."

He then stated gravely, "If it doesn't succeed this time, I will have to seek out Sima Yuanli. No matter what, I must acquire that 'Bright Truth Conjoined Spirit Pill' from him."

Li Zhouwei's bluntness seemed to ease Li Ximing's discomfort. He nodded repeatedly and promised, "There are no elixirs that urgently need refining anyway. You can go; don't worry about the family... There is just one matter I need to trouble you with."

Li Zhouwei looked at him questioningly. Li Ximing then retrieved two items from his sleeve.

One item was a crystalline jade bottle, emitting a faint white mist, with intricate, mystical patterns hovering upon its surface. It was indeed the 'Bright Truth Conjoined Spirit Pill'!

The other item was even more extraordinary: a short knife with an ivory blade and a jade handle, intricately carved with mysterious patterns resembling demonic illustrations, emanating a purple glow.

Li Ximing smiled. "While you were away, Dingyangzi came to see me. This 'Li Blade' spiritual embryo of the High Shaman has been refined."

"What incredible speed... Dingyangzi truly is skilled!" Li Zhouwei nodded in surprise, then voiced his suspicion. "He takes a considerable amount of spiritual resources from our family each year to refine this item, and to do it so quickly... perhaps it's a fast-track method of profound comprehension..."

His golden eyes swept over the Li Blade. Li Zhouwei's words abruptly ceased, and he frowned, muttering, "What a treasure."

Li Ximing looked at him, perplexed, as Li Zhouwei meticulously examined the ivory blade. "This... could this be... a spiritual item from a 'treasure land'?" he wondered aloud.

Nearly everyone who saw the Li Blade would praise it, but Li Ximing had never paid it much mind, as it was merely a spiritual embryo. He only heard Li Zhouwei look up and say, "I've heard that the sign of a 'treasure land' is the 'Qi Elephant.' Its resting place forms rolling hills known as 'Baohu Hill.' Within a hundred-li radius, if there's no rain between the hills during a marriage, then pregnancy cannot proceed, and women labor with swollen bellies, unable to give birth for days... In ancient times, it was considered a great demon."

He lowered his gaze and continued, "This must be a variant of the 'Qi Elephant,' like the ivory of a peacock-like beast. It's just peculiar... why would such a valuable treasure be used as a mere spiritual embryo?"

Hearing of such an unsettling creature, Li Ximing felt a slight unease. He replied, "Ultimately, it's a secret of another lineage, so let's not delve into it. If you have time, just hand it over to Jiaozhong Zi."

Only then did Li Zhouwei rise, agreeing to the task. He then mounted his 'Bright Light' and departed to change and purify himself.

Meanwhile, Li Ximing remained standing silently in the pavilion, quiet for a considerable time. Finally, he sighed deeply and sat down cross-legged where he stood.

After an indeterminate amount of time, the golden-eyed youth stood silently at the foot of the stairs. He passed through the long corridor, where white mists drifted, and ascended step by step to the highest chamber of the Shanghuan Pavilion.

The black wooden slips remained nestled in the stone platform's groove. His hand passed lightly over them, and a faint silver, illusory shimmer rippled like water.

The silver characters that materialized, however, were not 'Myriad Chariots Slaying Light Emperor Scripture,' but six different characters.

'Rainbow Cloud Soaring Body Technique.'

However, these large silver characters flickered for only an instant before dispersing. A cascade of spells and Daoist lineages then descended, appearing one by one in a magnificent display:

'Light Mist Falling Cloud Art, Seven-Color Cloud Seal, Light Wing Escape Method, Grand Cloud Marvelous Art...'

This dense array of radiant Daoist methods passed before his eyes, yet he felt no lingering desire. Instead, his gaze slowly dropped.

He remained silent. Suddenly, the face of his uncle, Li Ximing, appeared in his mind's eye — his uncle must have realized this even before him, yet had remained perfectly composed, acting as if nothing was amiss.

'They are all mere spells; there is no true Daoist lineage.'

'Not a single one.'

Hetian Sea.

Hanjian Mountain.

Colorful clouds drifted ethereally through the mountains, brilliant with shimmering light. At the summit, ceremonial radiance intertwined, and colorful mists raced in, pausing briefly on the peak before rising once more, gleaming, and continuing straight ahead.

At the foot of the mountain, various demons roamed. A Daoist nun in a simple robe was striding through the wind when she saw a black light dart through the air, landing on the sea. It refused to touch the mountain, and after gazing at her from a distance, it transformed into a middle-aged man.

As the man revealed his form, the nun looked up, took a closer look, and murmured, "So, the Venerable Master has arrived!"

The middle-aged man seemed slightly embarrassed. He lowered his gaze to look at her and replied, "I'm heading to Peacock Sea, and as I was passing through Hetian, I thought I'd come and see you, my sister."

"You're too kind, Venerable Master," the nun replied casually, her expression showing little warmth. "Now that we've met, do you have any specific instructions?"

The middle-aged man's expression was complex. He replied, "Xiao'er, I understand the bitterness in your heart, but we are family, after all. I haven't seen you in decades... Why must you be like this?"

This nun was none other than Yang Xiao'er! And the man standing opposite her was indeed Yang Ruiyi, the Venerable Master of the Yang family whom Li Zhouwei had met in Simin County!

Upon hearing Yang Ruiyi's words, Yang Xiao'er's icy expression finally softened slightly. Without a word, she watched as Yang Ruiyi produced a small, miniature pavilion from his sleeve.

This pavilion had nine corners, with a table and four chairs. When he gently tossed it, a deep black aura immediately enveloped them, drawing them inside to stand facing each other.

Yang Ruiyi sighed deeply, then turned sideways, standing with his hands clasped behind his back. "Believe it or not," he began, "your situation... I never imagined it would turn out this way... When Father arranged this back then, he never considered it would eventually become a crucial part of Mingyang's greater plan..."

Yang Xiao'er remained silent. Yang Ruiyi frowned, his voice gaining a slight urgency as he murmured, "The fox clan is hardly worth mentioning. Not just for us, but even for Judge Tang, it's not a major issue. How could it have caused such extensive trouble? I..."

His words were interrupted by the nun before him. Yang Xiao'er stated flatly, "It seems Li Jiangliang's affair wasn't particularly troublesome either."

Yang Ruiyi faltered slightly. "Please, hear me out..." he replied.

He raised an eyebrow. "Jiangliang's matter was dictated by the established North-South dynamic. We needed the White Kirin, and the Li family also required a token of trust with us. That's why this entire affair came about... This was a higher-level decision and cannot be conflated with Father's personal arrangements..."

His expression grew more wistful. "Father had only a few children. You were born with poor aptitude and no spiritual apertures. He went to great lengths to obtain the 'Taiqing Spiritual Palace Treasure Qi' solely to help you open your apertures... But its capabilities are limited; it couldn't grant divine abilities... Father only wished for your well-being..."

Yang Ruiyi's gaze dimmed for a moment. "Later, when the Ning-Li bloodline surfaced, Father was presiding. He already had ties with the Ning-Li, and seeing Li Xizhi as a suitable match, he told you to go to the mountains to see if a marriage destiny awaited you... You unexpectedly fell in love at first sight... Father was quite satisfied then, calling it a fated connection between our two families..."

"After all... it was the Ning-Li family. What harm could come from protecting one or two of them?"

Yang Xiao'er was visibly affected but remained silent, listening as her brother sighed, "At that time, Mingyang was not even a consideration!"

With that sigh, he suddenly looked up. "You must understand, the White Kirin only descended after Chenghuai was born. If I had known this earlier, I would never... I would never have let him bear the surname Li!"

Yang Xiao'er said calmly, "You speak well, brother. Whether it's me or my child, the higher-ups don't care. It is precisely their indifference that has led to all these troubles."

She took a step forward, a hint of sorrow gracing her unadorned face. "I am no fool, and you needn't cover for Father... Father... for now, I'll call him Father..."

"Valuing my husband was due to a decent relationship with the Ning-Li family. He merely wanted to use my Yang family's bloodline to protect one or two branches of the Ning-Li. But there were deeper concerns at play... What were they? The two grotto-heavens, Anhuai and Wanling, weren't they?"

Yang Ruiyi lowered his head, listening as his sister spoke softly, "Father ultimately made these moves out of personal sentiment, merely wishing to preserve a sliver of the bloodline for unforeseen circumstances. He had no desire for my husband to achieve greatness or stand out, which might draw unwanted attention and severe criticism from higher authorities, eventually leaving him unprotected. What he truly hoped for was for my husband to remain mediocre, or to perish during a breakthrough, as long as the bloodline was passed down."

"But how could those of the Ning-Li bloodline be simple people? A Sword Immortal just emerged, and that Sword Immortal is even my husband's elder by clan law... The two grotto-heavens, Anhuai and Wanling, are bound to open sooner or later. As descendants of Ning-Li, who knows what opportunities might arise?"

"So, without a word, you guided him down a dead-end path, hoping he would only go so far. Even these two grotto-heavens were specifically arranged to keep him away, ensuring he wouldn't have the slightest chance to encounter them... How truly cautious you were..."

She smiled softly, her face showing a sorrow mingled with pride. "But my husband is no ordinary man. Even walking down that dead-end path of 'Rainbow Mist,' now Father sees his cultivation advancing day by day, and he must be starting to feel fear once more..."

Yang Xiao'er raised her eyebrows, looking directly at the Venerable Master. "Brother, am I correct?"