Chapter 1061: Nine Hills Way

After listening for a while, Li Ximing’s heart was filled with doubt.

‘Since the six jade boxes of the Chongming Six Sons are all within the Grotto-Heaven, how could this item be found outside? Besides, the timeline doesn’t match up at all. When the Lake Isle shattered, how far had the Green Pine Temple’s Grotto-Heaven progressed? How could anything have possibly ended up outside?’

He looked up at Ling Du and pondered his question. “What became of these numerous jade boxes, and what did they contain? Furthermore, I recall many treasures under the meditation mats in Chongming Hall were said to possess miraculous powers. What happened to those?”

“The Azure Pool’s box was lost, the Purple Mist one is here, and the rest are with various Daoist orthodoxies. As for their contents… the truly valuable ones are empty, and those that have anything are merely small keepsakes commemorating the ancestors.”

“The truly valuable item was a treasure in the main hall called the Speechless Bell.”

Ling Du raised an eyebrow, a look of yearning on his face. “I heard this item can be large or small; when large, it’s like a mountain, a supreme Dharma Treasure; when small, it’s like a cup or a bell, appearing to be just a Spirit Artifact or Dharma Artifact. Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator can use it! If it conceals its power and transforms into a mundane object, even a True Monarch can easily overlook it…”

“Within it are inscribed various profound Daoist methods, capable of communicating with heaven and earth, and interacting with the transformation of things… It ultimately fell into the hands of the esteemed leader of the Golden One orthodoxy. That leader went to great lengths to acquire this item specifically for True Monarch Qiushui’s breakthrough!”

Seeing Li Ximing in deep thought, Ling Du seemed unsurprised and merely chuckled. “As for what you’re thinking, all the Purple Palace cultivators back then considered it. They believed that items used by those esteemed figures might possess great wonders, which is why so many Purple Palace cultivators vied for them… Otherwise, mere Foundation Establishment level items, or even mundane objects, would never attract so many Purple Palace cultivators.”

“However… they were greatly disappointed later. For those True Monarchs still alive, their belongings from back then were naturally reclaimed by their orthodoxies. The few minor trinkets that did circulate were of little use; only one or two were refined into Spirit Embryos.”

He poured himself some tea and sighed. “True Monarchs would not leave anything miraculous in the mundane world. Most prefer to conceal their aura and obscure their cultivation attainment. If such items fell into the hands of minor cultivators, wouldn’t it be openly flaunting their names and inviting attention and exploitation from other True Monarchs? It would also constantly reveal the state of their own cultivation attainment. This is not a good thing.”

Li Ximing nodded subtly. He deeply understood this point: those who had formed a Golden Elixir and achieved true fruit never left a trace, and their tracks were always erased. After much thought, a sudden idea struck him.

“Was Green Pine Temple opened only once? I vaguely remember Guo Shentong and Chang Xiao also emerging from a Grotto-Heaven back then…”

Chang Xiao had long been a source of unease for the Li clan. Li Ximing, seeing that the elder before him was well-informed and affable, seized the opportunity to ask a two-pronged question. Ling Du took a sip of tea and smiled.

“Guo Shentong, Yan Jianxiao… and even Li Mei from the Sword Gate, all emerged from the same Grotto-Heaven of the Dou Xuan orthodoxy… Back then, while cultivating in the market city of the East Sea, I heard a thing or two. This Grotto-Heaven is called Chu Yi Grotto-Heaven, and the one who gained the most from it was actually not Chang Xiao.”

His expression grew solemn. “The first to enter were the Miao family, Situ Tang, and another formidable character named Qu Tan, who is the grand-ancestor of the current True Monarch Xuan Yi of Jingyi Mountain. Those three were the very first to go inside!”

“Within Chu Yi Grotto-Heaven lies a Dou Xuan Mountain, with three layers. Who knows how many treasures are intermingled within; it’s predominantly of Earth elemental affinity, and the highest layer of the mountain even holds a Spiritual Treasure…”

Li Ximing listened for a long time, then suddenly recalled the Listen Wind White Stone Mountain from years ago, and a realization dawned on him.

‘So I had heard of this Grotto-Heaven long ago… When Zhu Gong mentioned Listen Wind White Stone Mountain back then, he said it contained treasures from beneath the first layer of Dou Xuan Mountain, which Senior Ling Mei obtained… It was indeed of Earth elemental affinity, that’s right… Could the Ningsu Merit Bottle in True Monarch Xuan Yi’s hands also have come from there?’

But Ling Du did not stop for long; instead, he continued in a hushed tone, “And there is a spring in this mountain, connected to pure Qi from above. Cultivating within it allows one to seek answers about divine abilities! Even if one cannot cultivate peacefully, simply drinking its water is extremely beneficial.”

This made Yan Dushui’s eyes light up, while Li Ximing raised an eyebrow, looking surprised and doubtful. Ling Du nodded gravely. “I asked the Grand True Monarch; it is indeed a legacy of Wu Guan. Several of those individuals back then drank its water, especially Qu Tan. Although his strength was formidable, his innate talent was not great; he had the least hope among the Purple Palace cultivators there, but he transcended and achieved the Dao by relying on this spring…”

The elder’s tone shifted. “Chu Yi Grotto-Heaven has opened more than once, and the same goes for Green Pine Temple. There are many talents in the world, and another group secretly entered back then, including Zhang Cuotian and Guo E…”

Upon hearing this, Li Ximing’s mind suddenly cleared.

‘It truly is Zhang Cuotian! That fake identity of Chen Taoping, the market city owner! This item must have come from within the Grotto-Heaven… Then, where are the other things from inside?’

He fell into silent contemplation, but Yan Dushui, having lived overseas for a long time, knew nothing about Green Pine Temple. His mind was entirely on Chu Yi Grotto-Heaven, and he asked with some hope, “Is there still a chance to enter that Grotto-Heaven? My own juniors… I only ask for a drink from that spring!”

Ling Du gave him a somewhat wistful glance and replied, “It’s difficult to wait for… Furthermore, not everyone can reach that place… Even if they can, they need to have capable juniors.”

He spoke politely, but Yan Dushui understood that with his remaining lifespan, he likely wouldn’t live to see it, nor did he possess the ability to secure such an opportunity for his descendants. He sighed silently, bowed, and quietly exited.

Li Ximing watched for a long time. Seeing only two people remaining in the mountain, he soon felt it was time to depart. However, just before leaving, he suddenly remembered something.

‘True Monarch Yuan Dao has a close relationship with Peacock, and he helped me back then precisely to absorb that karmic fire… Now, I obtained this Crimson Blaze of Baleful Fire from a Buddhist cultivator; isn’t this the perfect opportunity to ask him about it?’

So, after a pleasant chat, he took out the precious pearl from his sleeve. For a moment, golden light blazed, and iridescent colors shimmered. Ling Du raised an eyebrow and looked at it. Li Ximing smiled. “Is Jiu Qiu interested in this item?”

Ling Du took it with both hands and examined it closely. After more than ten breaths, he seemed to ponder, saying, “Crimson Blaze of Baleful Fire… which fellow wasted it again? Lacking Peacock’s inherent power and status, yet having Peacock’s ambition, truly pathetic.”

Ling Du was indeed from a major orthodoxy; although his identification was slower than Li Ximing’s, it was still remarkably astute. Li Ximing chuckled. “I exchanged this from a Buddhist cultivator in the north; I thought I’d try my luck with the Immortal Path.”

Ling Du stroked his beard silently for a long time, appearing quite troubled. “This item is not without value, but the spiritual resources required to dissolve it… that would be a huge expense, not to mention the immense effort required.”

Just then, a warm breeze blew through the mountain, and a very tall young man materialized beside the table. He wore a dignified black robe with a silk sash tied at his waist, his eyes smiling.

‘True Monarch Yuan Dao!’

Li Ximing immediately rose from his seat, bowing with a hint of trepidation. He respectfully said, “This junior greets the Grand True Monarch!”

When Li Ximing first came here, he was fresh out of cultivation, understanding the other party’s formidable divine abilities but completely unaware of how terrifying their power truly was. Now, having witnessed so many heroes and powerful cultivators from north and south, he finally understood the true value of perfected divine abilities in the person before him.

‘This is a perfection of divine abilities!’

‘This True Monarch Yuan Dao is the cultivator with the highest divine abilities I have ever seen in my life! Perhaps even the master of Zhixuan Xie is three points weaker than him!’

Furthermore, having now cultivated World’s Illumination, his perception of all things was far deeper. The person standing before him subtly influenced the qi mechanism of the entire mountain range. The reddish-hued Fire Virtue seemed like a robe draped over this young man, making Li Ximing secretly feel awe.

‘He has achieved completeness of both spirit and life… there is hope for him to achieve the Dao…’

He was even more respectful than before, but True Monarch Yuan Dao seemed to have changed little. He smiled slightly, gestured for Li Ximing to sit, and praised him. “Your progress in divine abilities is quite fast!”

Li Ximing repeatedly said it was undeserved praise, but True Monarch Yuan Dao said no more. He took the precious pearl, holding it with three fingers as white as jade, and said lightly, “It’s from the Murong family of the Path of Compassion… No wonder you found it troublesome.”

His eyes, quite handsome, turned to Li Ximing as if implying something, and he chuckled, “And it’s a lamp fire, outside of Li, Zhen, and Mu. It truly is difficult to handle.”

Li Ximing understood perfectly and felt a moment of shame, not knowing how to reply. He suddenly realized that his little secret, hidden for many years, was likely known to this Grand True Monarch long ago.

‘The Leap Sun Method was originally obtained from Senior Tu Long. Since Senior Tu Long has close ties with Jiu Qiu, this method was probably known to the Grand True Monarch long ago, which is not surprising… He probably knew it the first time I came.’

However, this method was precious, and he didn’t fully understand why it was being discussed, so he continued to feign ignorance and nod. He hurriedly said, “I came here this time to ask the Jiu Qiu orthodoxy to help me dissolve the Buddhist cultivators’ methods within it. I will personally provide equivalent resources for the spiritual materials… Once this Blazing Fire is refined… I hope to exchange it for a Li Fire from the Immortal Path…”

His gaze held much hope. “I am from a minor sect; it would take me years to gather the spiritual resources needed for dissolution, not to mention the meticulous extraction, which would take an unknown amount of time. The Jiu Qiu Immortal Sect is a major orthodoxy… proficient in this field…”

Yuan Dao listened for a moment, then picked up a cup and said softly, “Alright… However, I cannot guarantee the quality of this Li Fire.”

Li Ximing paused slightly, realizing that the other party was not actually eager to obtain this flame, but rather doing him a favor. He repeatedly assented. Yuan Dao then flipped his hand, put away the pearl, and said calmly, “Just wait by the lake. This is not a task for a single day. When it’s done, True Monarch Ling Du will contact you.”

Li Ximing secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Counting the days, he had already delayed quite a bit. Since True Monarch Yuan Dao had no intention of saying more, he called Li Quewan up, gave her careful instructions, and discreetly took his leave.

Li Quewan was not surprised; she had already guessed when she came to Jiu Qiu that this was a sanctuary her True Monarch had found for her. She bowed to Yuan Dao and Ling Du in gratitude and quietly withdrew.

For a moment, only True Monarch Yuan Dao and True Monarch Ling Du remained in the mountain. The Jiu Qiu master, with his perfected divine abilities, now showed a few more traces of approval. He said, “This young girl’s cultivation is rare. I see she also possesses shamanic arts. Even Qiushui back then was nothing more than this… Excellent.”

His words were indeed directed at Li Quewan, who had just left. Ling Du showed a hint of surprise, as if he rarely heard True Monarch Yuan Dao give such high praise. He replied, “I think it’s a pity… there’s already a Qiushui before her…”

True Monarch Yuan Dao smiled slightly and shook his head. “You should say… fortunately, there’s already a Qiushui. She is not old, and she only now seeks divine abilities. Otherwise, with the Golden One orthodoxy’s determination to secure the Full Elixir, she would surely have been sacrificed. The Grand True Monarch Miaoqi of the West Sea back then… was neither destined for nor desired to achieve the Dao, yet she lost her life merely because she stepped into the Purple Palace realm…”

“I think among the Li clan, besides Li Zhouwei, who was blessed by Ming Yang, only her talent is truly commendable. Senior Xuan’an allowing her to cultivate the Full Elixir means he calculated that it was already too late to interfere with Qiushui, and he could even leverage Qiushui’s influence to align with the Azure One lineage under Golden One.”

Ling Du gradually showed a thoughtful expression, then understood. “So she is still a young girl.”

True Monarch Yuan Dao smiled without speaking, took a sip of tea, and then said, “He likely already knows about Tu Long’s matter. He knows what’s good for him and doesn’t ask, but he has probably guessed eighty or ninety percent.”

Ling Du lowered his gaze. “With the Grand True Monarch helping him like this… how could he not guess?”

True Monarch Yuan Dao rose, clasped his hands behind his back, and replied, “My master entrusted Jiu Qiu to me. Sometimes I worry I do too little, sometimes too much. Since it’s a fox lineage’s arrangement and a legacy of Yuan Mansion, it’s a very close relationship. If not for the current world situation, I should have warmly welcomed several of his family’s disciples and helped them organize their orthodoxy…”

His profound eyes gazed into the distance. “Now, there’s also Tu Long’s favor, so naturally, I must help. I shouldn’t have given him hints, but the Ming Yang bloodline is suspicious. If there’s no reason, in the end, even if you help him, he won’t accept it. However, we must absolutely not mention Tu Long’s name. We are simply repaying his favor along the way, to prevent him from getting too deeply involved in the Ming Yang situation…”

Ling Du appeared both worried and wistful. He immediately stood up from beside the table and stood next to Yuan Dao, saying in a low voice, “But… but once the Ming Yang matter is settled, and Donghua Heaven falls, Senior Xuan’an’s situation will be difficult to handle… This Li Quewan… does the Grand True Monarch intend to extend a helping hand… and protect her?”

Yuan Dao gently tapped the table. “If I succeed, and Senior Xuan’an reaches an agreement with the esteemed leader of the Golden One orthodoxy, protecting her should not be a problem.”

Ling Du exhaled deeply and replied, “I think… no matter what, Jun Jian will find it very hard to stand by idly. Furthermore… there’s still someone else on the mountain.”

Ling Du’s "no matter what" actually referred to the situation if Yuan Dao failed, but it was inauspicious to say it directly, and powerful cultivators often avoided such words, hence his subtle phrasing. Yuan Dao, however, understood very clearly.

This always composed and powerful cultivator seemed to show a hint of worry. He said faintly, “No one in this world is without fault. Everyone is born with certain failings. Tu Long has a righteous nature; wishing for me to be fair to everyone is by no means a good thing. It was fine when his cultivation was low, but now he is also a prominent figure in this realm. Yet he still holds onto a pure heart. I fear he will ruin his own Great Dao.”

Ling Du remained silent for a long time, then replied, “Whether it’s ruin or fulfillment, it’s hard to say.”