Chapter 1090: Reverse Calculation

Li Ximing slowly emerged from his meditative state. The golden-eyed youth was already seated, one hand raised, the other resting on his wrist, gently turning the Qunyang bracelet. Seeing Li Ximing finally awaken, he released his hand, and the gold-patterned ink robe fell, completely covering his wrist.

Li Ximing felt as if waking from a dream, a slight chill at the back of his head, yet a sense of profound clarity. He exclaimed, "I understand now... So that's the key! So that's it! So that's it!"

"I acquired Cui E's Radiant Kylin Refining Method and once possessed six Bright Sun Pill Arts. I studied each one... only the 'Setting Sun Broken Armor Pill,' which focuses on evasion, always felt obscure. It turns out the solution was here..."

His eyes bright with myriad thoughts, he mumbled to himself, pacing urgently twice in the hall before declaring, "And the Divided Spirit and Separate Body... if a Yin entity is placed upon it, it could significantly reduce the risks faced when reincarnating and reforming one's body!"

Li Zhouwei listened, then chuckled, "Divided Spirit and Separate Body? When you arrived, Uncle-Grandmaster, I noticed a double image, as if your life force wasn't complete. So you were using an external object to preserve your life!"

Li Ximing gave a wry smile. "Your eyes are sharp. Before I returned to the lake, I was severely beaten by Helian Wumeng. His divine powers have advanced, and he consumed some unknown treasure, an iron pill, that even the Blazing Fire couldn't burn him."

Naturally, he took out a small figure carved from mulberry wood from his sleeve and handed it to Li Zhouwei, allowing the youth to examine it closely.

"Quite interesting," Li Zhouwei remarked after a moment of inspection. He couldn't help but warn, "Uncle-Grandmaster, you must be very careful not to let the Blazing Fire burn this. Such a life-damaging item, when placed on wood, could inflict amplified harm. It would be truly fatal."

He then added, "Uncle-Grandmaster, you meditated for nine days. Aunt Minggong came once, but her divine power was blocked, and she was kept outside the hall."

Only then did Li Ximing understand. He swept his sleeve and sighed, "I know what it's about... It's nothing more than Yang Ruiyi coming to find me again—he's desperate to use you!"

"Oh?" Li Zhouwei inquired with interest. Li Ximing replied, "While you've been in secluded cultivation these past few years, the actions of the North have grown increasingly urgent. The unrest in Jiangbei back then greatly humiliated Dayang Mountain and made Xishu green with envy..."

"As time passed, not only did the forces of Zhixuan Pavilion commit all their troops, but Dayang Mountain's stakes on the table also grew heavier... More troubling, Qingji Fang, even after taking Xiaoshi, still refused to back down. He redirected personnel to Daxiyuan, forcing Zhixuan to withdraw from Longdi one by one, threatening Tangdao Mountain!"

Li Ximing's brows furrowed, clearly under immense pressure. "There's also a critically fatal point: the current Great Desire Dao's top expert, Tianlang Zhi, possesses terrifying power, far surpassing Guangchan."

"That fiend was cornered by True Monarch Shangyuan wielding a sword, not only having his Dharmic body severed but almost losing his life. He was forced to swear an oath under the mediation of a powerful figure from the North, vowing not to go south. However, now that the Great Song has penetrated deep into Jiangbei, crossed the mountains, and even approached the Central Plains, the exact terms of that oath are unknown, and it's highly probable he can now act."

"As a result, Situ Huo dares not leave the mountains and can only defend them day after day. The situation has deteriorated to the point where the people from the North have bypassed the mountains, advanced to the river, and reached the other side of the wilderness. Although Baijiang hasn't been lost, Jiangxia has been severely wounded."

The eastern part of Jiangbei, including areas known as Shuize, had never been recovered. It was not surprising for a retreat to easily lead to the riverbank. Li Zhouwei listened, then asked suspiciously, "Since the northern front is so strained, how can you afford to return, Uncle-Grandmaster?"

Li Ximing sighed, "Originally, I couldn't... Furthermore, the South specifically requested mediators. Jiangxia and Chengqian were both transferred to the North. Jianglong and Yang Ruizao were also temporarily assigned to Chixuan to help guard the riverbanks. Almost eighty percent of the Great Song's entire military force is now concentrated on both sides of the river."

"The territory I'm defending isn't considered the frontline, yet Helian Wumeng and others have breached the mountains several times. My Divided Spirit and Separate Body is well-suited to endure his techniques, which is why I appeared mostly unharmed... though my Dharmic body suffered some damage..."

"My return... was naturally at General Yang's personal summons, to ask you to emerge from seclusion!"

Although Li Zhouwei was still considered a "second-tier divine power" in everyone's eyes, his current level of armament made him no less formidable than a typical mid-stage Purple Mansion cultivator. As a crucial target for the forces across the river, he was naturally extremely valuable.

Li Zhouwei pondered for a long time, then asked, "What about Situ Huo... what kind of person is he?"

Li Ximing hesitated for a breath before replying, "Yang Ruiyi values him highly. He promoted several individuals from the remnants Situ Huo brought back. That old scoundrel is a treacherous and despicable fellow, so Yang Ruiyi chose the right person to guard Tangdao. However... Ning Wan is having a tough time, so Yang Ruiyi had no choice but to send her to Tongmo to guard the west."

Hearing Li Ximing call him treacherous and despicable, Li Zhouwei was somewhat surprised. "Uncle-Grandmaster, you actually have such a high opinion of him. Since he's a clever man, he surely won't make things difficult for you now..."

Li Ximing nodded. Li Zhouwei then withdrew his hand and said, "I still need to make a trip to Dali Mountain. Uncle-Grandmaster, you can use my emergence from seclusion to handle Yang Ruiyi. We don't need to guard against him for now; after all, from the last mountain-seizing battle, it's clear he's deeply strategic and fond of unconventional tactics. If we want to eliminate some monks, we'll definitely have to go through him."

"As for the two children... Que Wan's spiritual item..."

Hearing him mention Li Quewan and the other, Li Ximing smiled, looking quite pleased. He replied, "Quewan's secret technique has long been fully cultivated! I've already exchanged a grand pill with Chunyidao for other complete elixir spiritual items, and she's gone into secluded cultivation! It's been..."

He calculated with his fingers, then replied, "It's been about two years already!"

"That speed... it's almost catching up to me!" Li Zhouwei said, his face showing surprise, then he withdrew, looking quite satisfied. Li Ximing watched as his junior quietly concealed his presence and departed, secretly chuckling three times to himself, "There's a good show to watch!"

Wilderness, Jiangjun Commandery.

The vast river shimmered with ripples. Before long, a streak of light, vibrant and dazzling, streaked from the north.

This person, clad in black, had a somewhat honest appearance. He rode fire and rain, traversing through clouds, before stopping in front of the grand hall. He walked inside, bowed respectfully, and announced, "Your subordinate greets the Great General."

Yang Ruiyi, who had been standing with his hands behind his back at the head of the hall, immediately stepped forward and asked, "How did it go?"

The man replied, "I've scouted all the way north. Helian Wujiang has reached Helian Wumeng's camp, and Lou Fangjing has also left Qi Land. As for... Qi Lanyan, I don't know where he's gone..."

"Beyond a certain point in the mountains, there were vast arrays of banners. Sometimes demonic flames surged, sometimes the light of Shaoyang manifested, and there were also coalescing water clouds, continuously rolling. The rumors of the Tuoba family moving south should be true!"

He hesitated for a moment before continuing, "There were unusual commotions in the Great Void there. Fearing detection, I dared not approach too closely, but from afar, I could see a series of profound light and shadows. Your subordinate suspects... your subordinate suspects it might be some kind of treasure."

Hearing this, Yang Ruiyi's expression immediately darkened, but he still nodded to him and said politely, "You've worked hard, kinsman!"

This person was none other than Yang Ruizao, Li Xizhi's maternal uncle!

Yang Ruizao bowed, shook his head, and only wondered, "I see... the Tuoba family has some unusual methods."

Yang Ruiyi was silent for a moment, then spoke softly, "Back then, Tuoba Changming surrendered to Wei, was granted the surname Yuan, and formally named Yuan Changming. He obtained one of the Twelve Profound Edicts. The Wei Emperor assigned him a lineage, that of Demon Lord Lu She of the Azure Profound Path. However, the lineage of the Azure Profound Path has always been astonishingly difficult to obtain. Yuan Changming only managed to grasp a superficial understanding before his death, and did not pass it down. Only that obscure 'Profound She Great Venerable Book' remained, which the Tuoba family always claimed was lost with the fall of Liang."

"This lord was one of the Four Ancestors of Demonic Cultivation, the master of one of the Four Demonic Legacies... You must understand, among the Four Ancestors, Demon Lord Chang Su taught Demon Lord Shaoyang, and Demon Lord Lu She enlightened the fiend Ting Shi. Both of these figures mastered the manipulation of souls and the Great Void to an extreme degree."

"This means that the Tuoba family possesses the lineage of two of the Four Demonic Ancestors. Only then could they become the legitimate representatives of the demonic path and ensure that Shengletian remains unshaken, lingering on until today."

His expression grew grim. "Back then, my father's combined efforts to obscure fate and scheme against Tuoba Chongyuan were not to nip him in the bud, but for another calculation: to use the Dragon Kin as a blade to observe the Tuoba family's methods. As it turned out, by precisely timing Tuoba Lan's arrival, he truly just rolled up his sleeves and collected that fragmented soul."

Yang Ruizao, who had also experienced that turmoil and even lent a talisman to protect Li Xizhi, immediately recalled it. Yang Ruiyi continued, "At that time, everyone grew suspicious. It was likely that after the fall of Liang, they didn't dare cultivate the Shaoyang Demon Lord's lineage, so they secretly took out the 'Profound She Great Venerable Book' that they had secretly preserved and studied it. Otherwise, it would never have reached the point where an outsider like Tuoba Lan could collect fragmented souls."

"The scene you witnessed in the Great Void now should be the power unleashed by the Profound She Demonic Legacy. Unconcealed, it surely means Zhixuan has compromised, using them to restrain the Supreme Exiled Qi!"

Yang Ruizao was somewhat incredulous and asked, "Demon Lord Lu She... even if he was one of the Four Demons, he fell many years ago. How can he run rampant before the Supreme Exiled Qi?"

Evidently, Yang Ruizao was accustomed to the omnipotence of the Underworld. For him to now accept that a legacy left by a Demon Lord who died years ago could counterbalance the Supreme Exiled Qi... how could he not be shocked? *What kind of person is our lord! What are the Demonic Ancestors? They would still bow before Him!*

Yang Ruiyi turned, hands clasped behind his back, and said gravely, "You are quite shallow about this! Demon Lord Lu She was a personal disciple of the Master of Azure Profound! Do you know what kind of figure that is? Even the Great Sage True Dragon, who constantly yearns and proclaims himself a part of Azure Profound, would have to cleverly flatter and call this Demon Lord 'Senior Brother'!"

Yang Ruizao had never cultivated in the Underworld and knew very little about its affairs; he was momentarily stunned. Yang Ruiyi had clearly been under immense pressure lately, and at this moment, there was a hint of catharsis in his voice as he whispered, "It's not just Demon Lord Lu She; Wuguan goes without saying. The remaining two Demonic Ancestors could also freely come and go in the face of Exiled Qi—they were ancient Demon Venerables! In an era where Immortal Lords stood side by side, to dare call oneself a 'Demon Lord,' one had to at least be beyond the control of heaven and earth, immune to karmic retribution. How many people dared to claim that title back then?"

Yang Ruizao wiped away cold sweat, repeatedly agreeing. Yang Ruiyi, stopping himself from saying more, gave him a few glances, then turned and asked, "Is there still no news from Tingzhou?"

He had expected to hear more perfunctory words from Li Ximing, but unexpectedly, there was a stir outside. A person stepped forward, bowed, and reported, "Reporting, General! True Man Zhaojing has arrived in the courtyard! This subordinate dared not disturb your military affairs!"

"Quickly, invite him up!" Yang Ruiyi's eyes flickered with hope. He gestured for his kinsman, who cultivated in Jiangnan, to withdraw, then settled impatiently into the main seat. As expected, Li Ximing quickly entered.

Yang Ruiyi smiled, "Brother Ximing!"

Li Ximing, however, looked haggard, his eyes melancholic, with an air of profound loss. He gazed deeply at Yang Ruiyi and replied, "Great General..."

How could Yang Ruiyi not see his appearance? His heart sank, and he grew quite anxious. *I sent him that Hornwood Spiritual Resource; it should have been enough for his injuries... How could this be? Is Li Zhouwei's injury more severe than I thought, causing him such distress? ...Or is Li Ximing still playing games with me, even after I risked so much to protect Tingzhou?*

So he asked, his expression grave, "Brother Ximing, what is this..."

Li Ximing glanced around, sighed, and remained silent. Yang Ruiyi immediately waved his sleeve, sealing all the doors and windows of the grand hall. Spiritual light, imbued with dense Exiled Qi, instantly activated, isolating the Great Void as well.

Yet, as soon as the doors closed, Li Ximing no longer hunched or sighed. His once weary eyes now gleamed with light, his expression transforming instantly. He faced Yang Ruiyi with a serious demeanor, bowed, and said, "Congratulations, my lord!"

Yang Ruiyi genuinely paused for a moment, joy surging in his heart. Before he could fully process it, he found himself seeing the man before him in a new light, his expression peculiar. *I still underestimated him. He is a child of the Li family after all... Even someone with proper features and an honest, dependable demeanor can change so suddenly!*

Far from being angry, he even wore a somewhat amused, joyful expression as he asked, "Ximing, what are you doing?"

Li Ximing chuckled, "I heard the General mention a True Man named Tao on the other side... whose eyes are exceptionally sharp. Since I've left the front line and am moving around the lake and wilderness daily, how could he not know?"

How could Yang Ruiyi not understand? Li Ximing was helping him scheme against the people from the North!

In recent days, the Northern cultivators had gathered in increasing numbers, gradually forming a siege around Tangdao Mountain. Situ Huo sent him a letter every three days, and the pressure on him was immense. Already delighted by the good news, seeing Li Ximing's actions made him want to clap his hands in applause!

The man immediately rose, laughing, "Good!"

After praising him, he immediately fell into thought, then said gravely, "Then we cannot wait... Since King Wei's injuries have fully healed, we shall immediately launch a surprise attack to lift the siege on Tangdao Mountain!"

Li Ximing, however, smiled at him and gently shook his head.

Yang Ruiyi froze for a moment, looked at Li Ximing, and then held up three fingers, saying, "It's good news!"

The black-clad man stared blankly for a second, then immediately understood, his heart trembling with shock. "What?!" *What... what speed is this?! Is this merely fate manifesting in him? Could he be the reincarnation of Li Xunquan?!*

However, the intense shock flashed through his mind for only an instant. Yang Ruiyi immediately realized this was an excellent opportunity, and he felt utterly refreshed. He quickly paced two steps on the high platform, his mood entirely transformed, his eyes burning bright as he replied, "Good... good... I understand."