Chapter 1022: East Li

The sky over Chongzhou was filled with swirling clouds and intertwined colors. The mottled stone gate shook, sifting down tendrils of dust.

"Supernatural power achieved!"

An boundless sea of the Great Void emerged in his spiritual consciousness, and Cui Changfu was almost moved to tears!

"How many years! How many years it has been! My Cui family has lived under the influence of others... Year after year, we've had to live by observing the expressions of passing cultivators with divine abilities, even respectfully welcoming one or two monsters if they passed by..."

"Even within the province, we finally have a master of divine abilities... No longer do we have to constantly invoke Yangya's prestige and endure his scorn!"

The old man closed his eyes and, like every newly advanced Purple Mansion cultivator, curiously sensed the Great Void described in ancient texts. With boundless ecstasy in his heart, he took a step forward, entering the Great Void!

Cui Changfu instantly appeared from the brilliant heavenly light. He gazed at the radiance filling the sky due to his breakthrough, feeling proud and content. As he stopped before the golden steps of the grand hall, he found the area in front empty, as if everyone had been dismissed beforehand.

"Hmm?"

Doubt and unease arose in his heart. He placed his hand on the hall door and gently pushed:

"Creak."

A dull creaking sound immediately echoed through the grand hall. Cui Changfu stepped forward, and there, before his eyes, was his clan brother, Cui Changyan.

When Cui Changfu went into seclusion, he had resigned himself to death, entrusting the clan's affairs to Cui Xianyue and asking the elderly Cui Changyan to assist. Yet, this elder was now seated in a side seat, and a young man was even seated a level higher than him, respectfully standing on the other side.

"That must be Second Brother Jue from back then."

Cui Changfu had a strong impression of Cui Jueyin. It was he who, back then, recognized the child's intelligence and instructed Cui Xianyue to nurture him well. Although decades had passed, he still recognized him at a glance.

At the head seat at the far end of the bright grand hall sat another young man. He appeared relaxed and at ease, his golden-embroidered sleeve hanging down to the armrest, revealing his strong wrist as he steadily held a teacup.

His face was imposing and fierce, appearing sharply lit and shadowed in the heavenly light streaming in from the side of the hall. A pair of golden eyes stared directly from across the distant space, meeting the gaze of the newly advanced True Man!

Cui Changfu's mind suddenly went blank. The other party was clearly sitting casually, yet the reflection in his pupils already showed bright heavenly light and intense divine ability colors, converging into a shimmering golden-white expanse.

"Purple Mansion!"

"A Purple Mansion of the Bright Sun path!"

Cui Changyan, standing nearby, was already weeping old tears. He looked at him across the grand hall but refused to speak first. Cui Jueyin stepped down, moving aside so as not to block the two True Men's sight.

"Clink..."

The porcelain cup was gently placed on the table, and a crisp clinking sound echoed through the grand hall. The young man nodded and said:

"Congratulations, fellow Daoist."

By rights, even if Cui Changfu had been a Foundation Establishment cultivator just a moment before, now that he had broken through to the Purple Mansion realm and was the master of this place, any visiting Purple Mansion cultivator, especially one who had taken the main seat beforehand, should greet him with a smile and yield the seat to the host. But the young man before him did not rise; instead, he calmly invited him in, which was undoubtedly impolite.

Yet Cui Changfu felt no displeasure. Instead, he stared fearfully at the golden eyes as a realization dawned in his mind:

"It's that White Qilin who has come..."

Both by custom and reason, Li Zhouwei was entitled to that seat. Cui Changfu showed no hint of abnormality. He naturally bowed and said in a hoarse voice:

"Cui Changfu of Chongzhou greets Your Highness!"

He took several steps forward to the young man's seat, gathered his robe, and bowed, saying:

"I failed to welcome you from afar; please forgive my transgression, Your Highness!"

"Rise."

The golden-eyed young man gestured for him to sit by his side. Appearing undisturbed, he smiled and said:

"Back then, our True Man visited your clan, met Cui Jueyin, and was quite fond of him, so he took him to carefully cultivate him. I never thought your clan's True Man Yangya would call him back. I came to the sea today for some matters, so I stopped by to see him."

These words struck the old man like a thunderclap. Cui Changfu, at his advanced age, instantly understood the underlying meaning, feeling as if his world was collapsing:

"Cui Yushan! You took the lineage, claimed spiritual artifacts, and brought away talents, yet it wasn't enough. You even used my family as a pawn to pave your way to safety! You... you!"

Whether the Cui family wanted to sever ties or not, how much autonomy did they truly have under the Dragon Clan? Yangya clearly no longer cared about Chongzhou's survival!

His heart was agitated with fury, and he said, gritting his teeth:

"That Yangya... Yangya is solely self-serving, for his Xihai Cui Clan... He resorted to every means to extract things from Chongzhou! Never mind the lineage, or the geniuses, or the spiritual artifacts – we dared not utter a word. When ordinary people asked, I even had to greet them with a smile and say that he was our own True Man. But if others asked him, he would nonchalantly claim not to know where Chongzhou was... And now, he finally interferes!"

Cui Changfu lowered his head, gritted his teeth fiercely, and sighed:

"To be honest, when Your Highness's elder came to the island back then... to inquire about Bright Sun spiritual artifacts, my family couldn't produce a single one!"

Perhaps it was because of the vast difference in status before that whatever Yangya did was taken for granted. But now, as a Purple Mansion master himself, many of Yangya's actions seemed hateful. The anger on Cui Changfu's face was genuine, startling Cui Changyan nearby and leaving him momentarily stunned and at a loss:

"So, this is what brother has always thought... It was he who was enduring humiliation and bearing heavy burdens, while we thought too superficially..."

Cui Changyan then took over the conversation:

"Later, True Man Zhaojing visited Chongzhou again, also inquiring about spiritual artifacts and resources, but my family had absolutely none... This is the situation!"

"These things were first handed over to the Dragon King long ago. Any leftover scraps were also taken by True Man Yangya under the pretext of safekeeping... Nothing was left on the island!"

Li Zhouwei listened to his words, unsurprised. He had seen Yangya in the grotto-heaven and already knew what kind of person he was. He didn't respond directly to Cui Changyan's statement but suddenly asked:

"The restoration of Wei's fortunes clearly demonstrates your clan's loyalty. I wonder what the connection is with Dongli?"

Cui Changfu held his tea and remained silent. Cui Changyan, however, didn't hesitate and said respectfully:

"The Dongli Sect was founded by two Cui clan elders, Dongli and Donghuo. The sect master's given name is Mu... This elder... once cultivated in a celestial mansion, and later became a Grand Tutor in the court. His status and position were so high... unmatched in his era!"

"Hmm?"

Li Zhouwei murmured:

"Cui Mu!"

This name was by no means unfamiliar to the Li family. The earliest "Golden Hall Resplendent Origin Art" they obtained was written by this very cultivator! It was then marked as originating from the Zhaoyuan Immortal Mansion... meaning it was written before this cultivator emerged from seclusion to enter court!

And the "Golden Hall Resplendent Origin Art" was bestowed by the Mirror!

In over a hundred years, this was the first time they had found traces of a Bright Sun technique bestowed by the Mirror! Li Zhouwei instantly became alert, his vigilance rising to its peak, and he frowned slightly as he asked:

"But this doesn't seem right. If the Dongli Sect Master was a figure from the Wei era, how could he have lived through such a long period to become the Dongli Sect Master? Could he be a True Monarch?"

"What level of cultivation did Dongli Cui Mu possess?"

At these words, Cui Changyan looked at the True Man with some difficulty. Cui Changfu, however, spoke up:

"If Your Highness asks that way... it means he held a pseudo-True Monarch position before the state's collapse, and became a True Man after its collapse."

Li Zhouwei slowly raised his head, his pupils dilating. He had already heard descriptions from the Dragon Clan and understood the meaning of the other's words, so he asked:

"Can the Immortal Kingdom's methods sustain a True Monarch?"

Cui Changfu hesitated for a moment, then shook his head and said:

"The Sect Master was a rare genius of my Cui family, seen only once in a century. He was elevated to cultivate in the Mansion. By the time he entered court, he had already achieved the perfected realm of divine abilities."

"At its peak, the Great Wei Celestial Dynasty had two positions of authority. Each emperor had different ones, but their functions were similar. During Emperor Gong of Wei's reign, one was the Grand Scholarly Official of Suppressing Soot, and the other was the Phoenix General of Pacifying Barbarians and Apprehending Demons. With these positions, for internal governance, the Grand Scholarly Official would hold a pseudo-True Monarch position; for external campaigns, the Phoenix General would hold a pseudo-True Monarch position... Both possessed the might of a True Monarch..."

Li Zhouwei listened with a frown as Cui Changfu continued:

"The last Grand Scholarly Official of Great Wei was precisely our Sect Master. It was because he once possessed the might of a True Monarch that he was able to enjoy a long lifespan and relocate to Yue to establish his sect."

"These two positions of authority were highly esteemed, yet they came with numerous cumbersome restrictions. Not only did one have to cultivate to the perfected realm of divine abilities before attempting to ascend to the position, but once on the position, one's path of cultivation was cut off, with no chance of truly becoming a True Monarch, and one's life and fate were bound to the state..."

"When Great Wei collapsed, the Phoenix General perished in the northern desert. Although the Sect Master survived by relying on the Cui family's bloodline oaths and cultivation methods, gaining some unorthodox techniques beyond the perfected divine ability realm, he was already severely wounded and wished for death, unable to freely walk the world. In a fight, he was no match for even a peak Purple Mansion cultivator."

A bitter expression appeared on Cui Changfu's old face:

"We only learned this later. When Dongli was founded, his divine might was boundless, and everyone believed he had risen from destruction and attained a position within the Bright Sun path..."

Li Zhouwei remained noncommittal:

"Who knows how much truth there was to 'everyone believed'? Perhaps the North intentionally indulged them, using three strikes to ensnare all those loyal to Wei Li throughout the land... Thankfully, later came the matter of herding the Bright Sun..."

Cui Changfu then said wistfully:

"Now that Dongli has fallen, everything has already vanished into dust. After all, only grotto-heavens that haven't fallen, and inheritances with exploitable benefits, attract attention..."

Li Zhouwei began to ponder:

"Dongli..."

He asked:

"How did this elder fall?"

Cui Changfu's expression turned solemn as he replied:

"We have no detailed records... But our ancestors from Chongzhou, by combining various ancient Wei texts, have some conjectures: this elder... likely succumbed to severe injuries and ultimately passed away in meditation!"

He sighed:

"Although the Donghuo Grotto-heaven produced many talents, at that time, its relationship with the various Daoist traditions on the sea was tense, reaching a point where they attacked its mountain gate. This elder's prolonged absence allowed the overseas Daoist traditions to become increasingly aggressive... Another Sun Daoist tradition also established itself in Jiangnan, growing its power, leading to distress from both internal and external pressures."

"It was at this moment that True Man Donghuo, who had always guarded the sea, perished near the Suzhu Archipelago. This True Man cultivated the path of Blazing Fire, possessing astonishing divine abilities, and had once reached the perfected realm of divine abilities. The phenomena at the time were world-shaking; the nearby seas boiled, and endless fire-qi descended. To this day, that area still has abundant blazing fire and countless salt reefs."

"Once True Man Donghuo fell, the Dongli Sect's predicament became unbearable. The cultivators stationed in Chongzhou withdrew one after another. Several of our ancestors who had been sent there also perished one after another, and from then on, no more news was heard..."

Li Zhouwei listened for a while, feeling a touch of emotion:

"Your esteemed clan has guarded the East Sea for many years; it truly hasn't been easy!"

Cui Changyan, however, misunderstood and hastily said:

"The Chongzhou lineage originally hailed from Zhaoyuan, but when the national calamity struck, news from Zhaoyuan Immortal Mansion ceased, and Wei Huangtian sealed himself off... Even Wei cultivators within the sea could not be contacted, so we naturally lost touch.

"Later... the rebellious Qi established their state, plunging the North into chaos. It wasn't that we couldn't go back... it was that we dared not go back!"

Li Zhouwei took a sip of tea, a hint of doubt appearing in his eyes, and replied:

"Speak of the period before and after Qi's reign."

Cui Changyan paused slightly, about to speak, but Cui Changfu coughed and replied:

"He is merely at Foundation Establishment, unsuitable to discuss ancient matters. Allow me to speak to Your Highness about this..."

He sighed:

"Emperor Qi, Qiji Tanluo, whose Han name was Shi Chang, was born in the northern desert and served as a general under Wei. He was skilled in horsemanship and archery, valiant and fierce in battle. When my ancestors pacified the northern desert, Lord Shi rendered outstanding service and was enfeoffed as General of Pacifying the North, once garrisoning Hetao."

"At that time, the Helian family was merely a small Xiongnu tribe. It was precisely because he promoted Helian Bo, the ancestor of the Helian family, while garrisoning Hetao, that the later Tiefu royal clan came to be."

Cui Changfu glanced at his expression, hesitated repeatedly, and then continued:

"At that time, one of my ancestors served alongside him in the same camp, and he appeared very docile and humble. Because the commanding general also had the surname Cui, he deliberately sought to curry favor with my ancestor. Whenever a carriage set out, he would hold the whip and serve, sometimes even referring to himself as 'this servant'..."

Li Zhouwei raised an eyebrow and asked with some surprise:

"Which one was that, if I may ask?"

Cui Changfu looked slightly embarrassed, yet also revealed a look of sudden realization and changed circumstances, as he replied:

"He was unknown, and never even advanced beyond divine abilities. Yet the man who once held the whip before him and called himself 'this servant' became an emperor. One can see how unpredictable worldly affairs are!"

Li Zhouwei remained silent, and Cui Changfu quickly continued:

"Therefore, my family still knows something about that time. A young man often frequented his tent; his cultivation wasn't high, merely Foundation Establishment, yet he was refined and elegant, known as Daoist Shanqing."

"Later, when Qi established its imperial rule, he became the Imperial Preceptor of the state, his cultivation reaching the peak of divine abilities. He vanished when Great Qi collapsed and has never reappeared since."

"Daoist Shanqing."

Li Zhouwei pondered for a moment, listening to Cui Changfu say:

"Precisely... This person's methods were extremely terrifying!"

A look of hatred appeared on the old man's face as he replied:

"The former state's oversight of the regions was extremely strict. Not only were powers divided, but Celestial Mansion Immortals were also stationed to supervise the localities. Although Bright Sun lost its radiance overnight and the government troops suffered defeat, the large number of cultivators from the Celestial Mansion stationed throughout the regions quickly took over, suppressing the riots as cultivators, and stability was already being established..."

"But this Daoist Shanqing drove the people like cattle and sheep, broke through three passes, opened up Guanlong, gathered Wei people, and had them buried alive by Emperor Qi. After breaking into the palace, he rounded up all the Li clan members, obscuring the heavens with sorcery, allowing Emperor Qi to calmly humiliate Bright Sun. The imperial descendants either died like cattle or were boiled for food, their mournful cries shaking the heavens."

"Even if he used sorcery to conceal it, Bright Sun is, after all, the Dao revealed to the world. Whenever a great personage died, the sky would inevitably brighten for three breaths, then darken, then brighten again, over and over, an uncountable number of times."

Li Zhouwei listened intently, his cup suspended motionless in mid-air, when he suddenly said:

"What Daoist tradition did this Imperial Preceptor cultivate?"

Cui Changfu whispered:

"Dui Gold!"