Chapter 1115: This Life's Affairs Are Settled

The snow whispered. The lake by the shore had frozen solid, and heavy snow filled the sky, making the world exceptionally gloomy. There were no figures on the path. Li Suining, clad in a thick cloak, stood silently in the snow.

"Crunch." The sound of breaking ice and snow was deep yet crisp. He took a few uneven steps, sinking deep into the snow, then stopped, gazing at the swirling snow.

'Tiansu... Is this how it's used?'

Being reborn into his second life filled Li Suining with ecstatic joy, almost to the point of madness. Countless ideas clicked into place for him at this moment, and even looking back at the past few years, he still gained new understanding.

'The matter of Guangchan was certainly not solely my effort,' he thought. 'The changes between this current world and the first one were not caused by me alone. At Xuanmiao Temple... by Qi Lanyan's side, there was someone else!'

This resolved many mysteries in his mind:

'The sudden, inexplicable appearance of the Gongsun Stele on the lake was not without reason,' he mused. 'It wasn't my influence, but his... Fankang...'

As far as he knew, Fankang was a disciple of Zhixuan Xie, and all of Qi Lanyan's current actions stemmed from him. This had once made Li Suining feel out of his depth, until the State of Zhao lost Jiangnan, forcing Qi Lanyan to flee, suffering defeat after defeat. Ultimately, Fankang perished at the hands of his own people.

But soon, another layer of confusion crept into his mind:

'But now it's the third life.'

'Do all Tiansu children possess such abilities, or am I the only one?'

Li Suining had never left Wangyue Lake, nor had he ever had the chance to meet others who were also 'Tiansu children'. Ordinary people, even if they knew of their rebirth and future memories, would not spontaneously wonder how many times they had been reborn, or what changes they had undergone.

He remained silent.

'Since there have been two times, will there be a third? When I arrived, there were five years left until the Yang clan's ascension. That was ten years after I had entered meditation in the Xiuwu period, making a total of fifteen years.'

'Is it time? Or a specific action? When will the next time be...'

His gaze drifted. Since his rebirth, Li Suining's gaze had always been firm and calm, but now, standing amidst the swirling snow, a hint of confusion entered his eyes.

'These fifteen years... was what I did right or wrong?'

He had originally thought everything could be turned around, and the various events of his second rebirth had confirmed his influence. He had saved almost everyone who could be saved around Wangyue Lake, and the danger from the Changhe Rebellion, sparked by the Murong clan's compassionate path moving south, had also been minimized.

On the Netherworld's side, his uncle had not died, and the matter of King Wei entering the court had not occurred. The relationship between Song and Wei had grown even closer. Even Situ Huo's rebellion had been nipped in the bud, forcing the old man to reluctantly remain in Duxian.

Moreover, the thoughts of the Dragon Kin had been unified. The Dragon King had finally abandoned his idea, and King Wei's tomb, originally planned for construction in the East Sea, had become a mere bluff. Furthermore, Guang Fou, the Dragon King of Danhai, had personally visited the island and presented King Wei with the Wei Clan's Gold-Seeking Method, which had been lost in the Dragon Palace!

Even the most crucial Gold-Seeking Method was obtained! Several of their own True Masters had poured their heart and soul into it, accomplishing almost everything possible. And their King Wei's achievements and reputation were several times greater than in the first life!

But someone had made a move on Mount Luoxia.

As a result, the entire scheme collapsed like an avalanche. Li Suining, who had expected to witness King Wei's attainment of gold, perished even earlier than Li Zhouwei. In fact, almost the entire Li family died when Li Zhouwei was achieving enlightenment!

Li Jiangchun died in battle in Jianghuai, and Li Quewan, who hastily left seclusion, had to face Yao Guanyi, who had perfected his divine abilities. As for the forces in the State of Zhao, there was no need to mention them; King Wei's sons surely could not even meet. It was unknown how many of the remaining troops surrendered to the Buddhist faction and how many to Zhao.

'Luoxia and the Netherworld definitely have individuals at the Dao Fetus stage, in other words, immortals.'

The absolute disparity in strength between the two sides made him feel as if he had fallen into a cold abyss, chilling him to the bone. Li Suining realized that he wasn't there to simply alter things, but to defeat them; it wasn't enough to just blindly increase his own strength.

He gazed intently at the lake surface, a hint of regret showing in his eyes.

'Wei Xuanyin.'

In the first life, Wei Xuanyin, the Grand Imperial Advisor of Great Zhao, died while pursuing the Dao. It was said he was just one step away from the Golden Position, shaking the entire world at the time.

But in the second life, King Wei had preemptively defeated the Zhao army, invaded Qi territory, vied for supremacy in the Central Plains, and then entered Guanlong. His cultivation speed had doubled, and his aura had reached its peak. Li Suining was overjoyed at the time and immediately plotted to ambush and kill Wei Xuanyin, proposing:

'Your Majesty should kill Xuanlou to reclaim the imperial might of old and seek the Golden Position.'

Yang Zhuo gave this matter immense support and emphasized it several times. However, when seated in the secret realm, King Wei showed clear displeasure and had once mentioned:

'Xuanlou intends to uphold the balance of Yin and Yang; his Great Dao is awe-inspiring. Eliminating him would be pointless.'

But Li Suining, first, hoped for King Wei's path to enlightenment to be smoother, and believed eliminating this person would also fulfill Emperor Song's wish. Second, he felt that Wei Xuanyin's death while seeking the Dao, with his surging Yin energy, would affect Li Zhouwei. If he could be eliminated, even just to accumulate great prestige, it would be beneficial.

At this moment, he was blinded by the favorable situation. After all, in Li Suining's view, with his full promotion in the second life, the relationship between the Yang and Li clans was exceptionally good. And with Emperor Song and King Wei as friends, this emperor was destined to become revered. Being a person who valued promises, and with a Golden Core cultivator's protection, their family's retreat path was essentially stable.

With a retreat path secured, his next natural thought was that it would be best if Li Zhouwei could attain the Dao.

He deliberated for three days, finally made up his mind, and said:

'If Xuanlou is not killed, the Northern lands cannot be pacified. Your Majesty has already mastered all five methods. Removing this person will be a favor to Emperor Song and a blessing for our clan.'

At the same time, the situation in the Northern lands intensified, and the state of affairs was pushed to the peak of great chaos. Under the influence of various factors, the Great True Master Xuanlou perished in the Imperial Capital of Great Zhao.

But as of today, a bitter realization struck him:

'Wei Xuanyin did not represent Great Zhao, nor Zhixuan Xie, nor even the Guanhuatianlou Dao!'

'He seemed to have no close connection with Luoxia, yet he represented the ideology or plan of a certain faction on Mount Luoxia... His demise brutally tore away their prestige...'

'This was not a good thing... In fact, it was a warning, a warning that worldly affairs had spiraled out of control and were harming the overall interests! Luoxia had 'looked over'!'

'The sudden change in the entire situation in the previous life began with his demise... Once Yao Guanyi took over the worldly affairs below the mountain, as he had said... things could no longer be salvaged!'

Even thinking of it now, his eyes still held a hint of gloom.

'Qi Lanyan, having been saved by Xuanlou, should have understood then that Wei Xuanyin had actually been controlling the situation to prevent it from escalating. King Wei's words about Xuanlou upholding the balance of Yin and Yang meant precisely this; Wei Xuanyin was the person least willing to see Yin and Yang destroy each other...'

'Looking at the final outcome of the second life... Yang Zhuo was also uncomfortable. The emperors' alliance, after all the turmoil, resulted in the Netherworld gaining the most, with the light of Xiuwu several times stronger than in the first life. In contrast, some individuals from Luoxia lost both face and people.'

He closed his eyes for a moment in thought, then secretly shook his head.

"But Yang Zhuo's situation was not good," he murmured, "and the Yang family must also have had a difficult time. In fact, the ones who truly benefited were still Luoxia and the Netherworld; only the smaller factions below suffered losses..."

Having stood for only a brief moment, the snow had already covered his boots. Li Suining remained oblivious, silently contemplating:

'The Netherworld is indifferent, but Yang Zhuo is not bad. The Dragon Kin are fickle, but Guang Fou is usable. Luoxia is powerful... but fortunately, the immortal King Wei must defeat is not just any immortal—it's the one who controls Yao Guanyi.'

'Only by making Him miscalculate can the situation be broken.'

He stood in the snow for a long time, sorting things out:

'In any case, I absolutely must not leave Wangyue Lake easily, nor should I even go north. Staying on the South Shore is best... Once the True Masters break through, the secret realm is established, and our lives are entrusted, things will be much more stable...'

Zhixuan Xie.

This year's cold snow lasted exceptionally long. Beneath the Immortal Platform, snow covered everything, falling and freezing, solidifying on the steps. Yet, a dark figure could be seen moving on the steps.

It was a monk in black robes.

The monk's attire was plain, even a bit thin. White cloth was tied around his calves, creating a stark contrast with his black cloth shoes. Fachang Mahā stood beside him, supporting him, with a look of shame on his face.

"Thank you, Little Martial-Uncle Grandmaster, for making this trip..."

The black-robed monk shook his head, unconcerned, even seeming rather spirited. As he ascended the steps, halfway up, he saw a man in white robes casually descending.

This person had loose black hair and gentle eyes. Amidst the white snow, he appeared ethereal and immortal. It was precisely Wei Xuanyin of Great Zhao.

He smiled:

"I apologize for not coming out to meet you sooner! I am Xuanlou, a disciple of Guanhuatian."

The black-robed monk returned a smile and said:

"Thank you for your trouble, Honored One! I am Kongshu of the Dharma Realm."

This black-robed monk was none other than Kongshu, the disciple with the highest cultivation and broadest divine abilities in the Dharma Realm!

Fachang watched, and besides his surprise, a hint of joy, and even some excitement, emerged within him.

Zhixuan Xie belonged to the Guanxie lineage. Tracing its lineage back through the Guanhuatian Dao tradition, it was related by blood and old ties, its origins dating back to the personal disciples of Master Tongxuan, making it a very distinguished lineage. Thus, the attitude of its cultivators towards Buddhist practitioners was truly poor.

Even Buddhist practitioners like Guangchan, who had some distant ties by blood or association, could not get a seat here, let alone have the hosts personally come out to welcome them!

Wei Xuanyin had always been humble, so his welcome did not seem out of place. But with the guest being a Buddhist monk, the implications were profound:

'At the very least... Zhixuan Xie acknowledges the status of this Little Martial-Uncle Grandmaster and recognizes his cultivation... No wonder after much back and forth, they finally had to send Little Martial-Uncle Grandmaster to make this trip.'

Thinking of this, Fachang couldn't help but feel a greater certainty about their mission. He silently accompanied Kongshu, listening as the black-robed monk sighed:

"Senior, you are too formal."

Wei Xuanyin replied:

"Liaohe Temple is the orthodox lineage of Buddhism, and furthermore, it is where Zichan Tianga attained the Dao. It is only right that you receive such a welcome."

As soon as these words were spoken, Fachang's heart sank. The joy he had felt was completely drained away, and a bitter feeling rose within him:

'So that's how it is... This is the status he recognizes!'

These words landed in Kongshu's ears, making him silent for a moment. For the first time, a fleeting look of confusion crossed his brow. He clasped his hands together and replied:

"Liaohe Temple is a thing of the past, Senior Xuanlou, there's no need to worry about it."

Wei Xuanyin did not answer him, leading the two to a high place. He stopped before a plaque, whereupon Monk Kongshu clasped his hands together and said:

"There's no need to go inside; it will save Senior Xuanlou any trouble."

Wei Xuanyin hesitated for a moment. As snow fell continuously from the sky, he lowered the hand he had placed on the temple door and replied:

"Very well."

The three then began to casually stroll across the wide, snow-covered platform. The black-robed monk seemed to recall something, appearing very silent. After a long while, he said:

"Dayang Mountain and our realm have had some disputes, and there are differences in opinion regarding the South. This matter cannot be resolved by our realm alone; we still need Senior Xuanlou to help us consider it."

Hearing this, Wei Xuanyin shook his head and said:

"Great Virtue, you are here for Guangchan. It seems... Dayang Mountain cannot swallow this hidden loss; they want to use this as an excuse to make me act and help you reclaim Mount Dayuan Guangyin."

Kongshu did not deny it. He clasped his hands together and said:

"It is regrettable. After tidying up the Dharma lineage and gathering the Dharma corpses, further disputes arose within the Dharma Realm, leading to repeated delays until today."

A hint of coldness entered Wei Xuanyin's eyes, and he chuckled:

"Monks, who supposedly do not get involved in worldly affairs, actually have times when they pass the buck to each other."

This remark was undeniably sarcastic. Yet Kongshu shook his head and said:

"As for not getting involved in worldly affairs, the disciples' cultivation is insufficient, so they cannot do it. Their Dao cultivation is lacking, and without the mindset of using the sea of suffering as a boat, they naturally dare not respond."

"Oh?"

Wei Xuanyin was first taken aback, then frowned as he looked at him. Seeing that Kongshu's expression was entirely candid, his eyes bright and clear, without any insincerity, he realized he had misunderstood and secretly nodded.

'Indeed, he is more capable than Fachang!'

Before the black-robed monk could speak, Fachang sighed and said:

"Daoist Qi oversaw the situation, leading to our Dao Mahā's tragic death. Although there was no intention to harm him, the karma is still there. This cannot simply be dismissed. Within the Dharma Realm... there are many voices questioning Sir Wei..."

Wei Xuanyin was slightly taken aback and asked:

"Me?"

His cultivation was exceptionally high, and he was an extremely intelligent individual. He understood the implication of that single word, suddenly burst into laughter, and said:

"Oh? Do you think I'm harming Mingyang? Using it for my cultivation?"

"Ridiculous!"

Kongshu shook his head and waved his hand, cutting off Fachang's words, and said:

"Senior Xuanlou, Guangchan's downfall was due to his own karma; no one else is to blame... Kongshu merely has one question."

Wei Xuanyin raised his head, listening as the black-robed monk said:

"Sir Wei, what are you waiting for?"

The monk clasped his hands together, looking directly at Wei Xuanyin:

"Since Zhixuan has been entrusted to Sir Wei's hands, the mountain's intentions must be clear. Yet Sir Wei seems reluctant to become Mingyang's enemy. If Sir Wei were willing to act, the current situation would not be as it is."

Wei Xuanyin listened to his words, a smile appearing on his face, and replied:

"I hear the Realm Lord has many Golden Lands, and there are vacancies. Why has Kongshu hesitated to advance, choosing instead to continually listen to scriptures, preach the Dao, and ponder Zen? If Kongshu were willing to advance, I fear he would already be a great figure."

The monk was not surprised and finally smiled. His expression seemed a little regretful as he said:

"Sir Wei, today Mingyang rises, waiting to fall; it is not a good time. Why not temporarily avoid the Yin position, fulfill the greater good, seize fate, and seek it again in the next life—is that not a common tactic of your noble Dao?"

Wei Xuanyin scoffed and said:

"If I follow corruption in this life, how can I escape it in the next? Each of you expects me to become corrupted and prove the world through an evil path. Even the Zhao Emperor colluded to scheme against me, specifically granting me a princely title. I understand; you calculated that I would fall, be killed, and fail to achieve what I sought."

"But my life is mine to command," he continued. "If I succeed, who can scheme against me? If I fail..."

He lowered his gaze to the snow, brushed the white from his sleeve, and said faintly:

"The Great Dao of this life, I shall prove in this life!"