Chapter 1122: Scheming

Faint water light shimmered on the collapsed stone wall. The huge, mottled serpent body on the mural coiled and twisted, and the Grand True Man's shadow danced faintly over the ruins.

Sui Guan's smile grew wider.

Meanwhile, the entire demonic palace, hidden within the reflection, began to tremble. Surging light of Lushui streamed out from every crack in the stone, climbing up the collapsed stone pillars like countless green serpents! These green serpents intertwined, wings breaking through their backs, spreading and flying with rustling sounds. The reflection of the entire sea trembled and rose, colors overlapping, as if about to break through the water's surface at any moment and drag the two individuals down. Even more menacing was the lingering music echoing in the reflection, a gurgling, drumming sound that brought tears to the eyes, with interwoven responses.

Yet, the two individuals on the surface of the sea remained completely unaware.

A flicker of doubt crossed Sui Guan's eyes. With his hands clasped behind his back, he remained silent as all the anomalies vanished instantly, the water light settling back onto the broken walls and ruins.

‘A hallucination...?’

With his ability to perceive this place through the Hollow Spring Sound, and the divine power he borrowed, it was impossible for someone to ignore it simply by choosing not to react. Even if Li Ximing was a Grand True Man, as long as he could see and hear, he would surely be affected.

‘No reaction at all...’

‘Was I overthinking... or did he truly sense my gaze just now?’

This was not the time for this place to be exposed. If it had been Li Zhouwei, with his fated destiny or sharp eyes, Sui Guan might have understood. But Li Ximing... that was interesting.

‘That's also not right. Although the Prosperous Rain Palace is now dilapidated, for someone to detect my gaze while I'm hidden under the Ugly-Gui Treasury... that's no easy feat.’

The man's purplish-blue eyes moved, and he remained silent for a long time.

‘This fellow has also cultivated his Destiny Divine Ability now, "Heaven's Clarity"... could that grant such perception?’

He pondered for a moment, a hint of murderous intent curving his lips into a smile: "Du Qing has hidden me here for some time now... Instead of Chi Buzi, Li Ximing has appeared... Li Ximing... this is a probe from Moon-Gazing Lake."

"According to Du's plan... if it wasn't Chi Buzi... I wouldn't need to bother. But Li Ximing... he might be in cahoots with that fellow... Regardless of whether he saw me or not, since he's here, it's safer to eliminate him and give them a warning."

His purplish-blue eyes roamed freely as he strolled, moving deceptively fast, following closely behind the two figures on the water's surface, his gaze fixed on the man like a phantom.

However, though Lesser Guangyu Mountain was vast, it couldn't withstand two True Men advancing rapidly. Sui Guan had already stopped at the edge of the reflection, his face turning cold as he hesitantly stepped out half a foot. The moment he took that half-step, water light poured down, infinite colors surged, and the entire world trembled violently, as if mountains were collapsing and the earth cracking, the demonic palace disintegrating, seemingly warning him with cold indifference. The Grand True Man's brows grew even colder. He watched as the two divine abilities vanished into the horizon, silently retracted his foot, and his expression returned to calm:

‘Du... so I can't kill him after all...’

Sui Guan squinted, watching for a long time before turning his head. He descended through the air, reappearing beside the throne, remaining silent for a long time. It wasn't until the sky outside grew completely dark that he quietly sat on the throne and spoke indifferently:

"Do you think it would alert them? What, Lord Lushui, is Chi Buzi himself more dangerous than the schemes of the Underworld or the Yuanfu?"

As his words fell, the faint, enchanting light of Lushui began to meander through the ruins, illuminating countless treasures and golden artifacts buried beneath the ground. Sui Guan stared coldly, murmuring after a long silence:

"The True Dragon is imminent, and the Dragon Kind's laxity regarding the Lushui position will only happen this once. Du Qing, oh Du Qing... you disdain the schemes of all the various factions, yet you strictly guard against that mere low-level cultivator, Chi... Is this truly not... sacrificing the essential for the trivial?"

However, the world within the reflection was utterly silent. The Lushui radiance ascended, casting a pale blue-white glow over the realm, and the only response he received was the cold sound of flowing water and the shifting clarity and turbidity lurking above the sky.

The moonlight was bright and clear. Pine forests swayed gently in the mountains, and a cool breeze blew. Li Ximing landed on someone else's mountain gate, and seeing the Purple Mansion grand array close, he finally felt a sense of surviving a disaster, subtly activating his immortal artifact.

‘That ghostly thing... didn't follow.’

He watched Sui Guan float beneath his feet, instantly severing the divine connection, and then knew nothing of what followed. But that didn't mean he felt nothing in his heart... Heaven knew how many thoughts had flashed through Li Ximing's mind during that short journey—why was Sui Guan here? Was it the True Monarch's arrangement? If he had been caught... who knew what the consequences would be!

‘The Dragon Prince's palace back then... also Lushui Golden Core... how many secrets...’

What perhaps chilled him even more was Sui Guan's reaction.

‘How could he be so perceptive...’

Li Ximing had used the Immortal Mirror to probe. Essentially, it was the immortal artifact that saw Sui Guan, not Li Ximing himself! It was impossible for Sui Guan to make any substantial judgment based solely on the movement of Li Ximing's gaze.

‘He probably saw me passing by and deliberately tried to test me...’

Even the Green Pond's own people felt uneasy when encountering the demonic Sui Guan. Li Ximing now deeply understood this, still feeling a headache, and secretly cursed:

‘Going back now, I'll definitely avoid Lesser Guangyu Mountain!’

He forced himself to calm down and looked around, finding himself inside a Daoist temple. There seemed to be no cultivators around, and the mountains were quiet with few people visible. Instead, an old True Man came out to greet him. This man wore simple, plain clothes with heavy golden patterns on his cuffs, appearing exceptionally bright in the night. A faint halo of colorful light shimmered behind his head, making him look kind-faced and remarkably distinguished. However, he was extremely old, his face etched with the marks of time, and he seemed to be injured. He hurriedly said:

"Dao Mian of the Mercury Platform, greetings to Your Highness!"

Li Ximing glanced, and understanding dawned in his heart. The person before him was a cultivator of the Complete Core in the early Purple Mansion stage, who should already possess two divine abilities.

‘This is the Mercury Platform?’

Li Ximing was indeed somewhat surprised. He glanced at the barren mountain beneath his feet, realizing that the other party's sect might have been plundered, which was why they were stranded here. He sighed:

"Senior, you flatter me!"

Then he smiled:

"My own family also has a junior who cultivates the Complete Core and is on the verge of a breakthrough. Perhaps we'll have more opportunities to communicate in the future!"

Liu Changdie had specially arranged for him to connect with the Mercury Platform, not just for spiritual resources and items. The Complete Core path values lineage, orthodoxy, and spiritual items highly, and this was long in preparation for his own junior, Que Wan. Dao Mian, hearing his words, nodded with surprise and replied:

"Excellent... truly excellent..."

The Mercury Platform was currently at its most desolate period. They had already exhausted generations of accumulated resources, yet still barely clung to existence... How could he not be surprised to hear these words? Even the weariness on his face seemed to lessen. True Man Baoxiang led him inside and seemed about to prepare tea. However, having been startled by Lesser Guangyu Mountain, Li Ximing was now keen to resolve matters quickly. He asked:

"My purpose for coming, I trust senior already knows... Regarding this Sunken Wall Water..."

Dao Mian clasped his hands and said earnestly: "This matter in the West Sea... it's really not difficult to manage with the methods from my lineage. There are multiple places where it can be produced. Although most of them are lost now, inviting a few fellow Daoists to communicate a bit would make it manageable..."

Li Ximing sighed inwardly and said: "Ideally... one pool per year... approximately... one hundred portions."

"One... pool... per year?!" Although Dao Mian knew that a Purple Mansion cultivator's request would naturally be substantial, one pool wasn't that much... but one pool *per year* was alarming! He revealed a thoughtful expression and probed: "That would be somewhat troublesome. May I ask, fellow Daoist... what would you offer in exchange?"

Li Ximing said solemnly: "The two places are far apart. I will dispatch a True Man to travel back and forth. Each time they arrive here, they will provide your esteemed lineage with equivalent spiritual resources. Compensation for your efforts, material changes... whether it's for alchemy or Purple Mansion spiritual resources, you may name your price."

Dao Mian didn't seem particularly covetous of spiritual resources. He sighed: "The West Sea is not like the East Sea. I will figure out a way to gather this spiritual water. I hope fellow Daoist can grant me some time. As for compensation... it concerns the injuries on my body..."

"I was wounded and burned by someone, and I haven't recovered to this day. I've consulted various parties, but none have found a cure. They say it's not about healing, but about replenishment; it requires a pill."

Li Ximing began to understand. Dao Mian then smiled: "I cultivate the Complete Core and understand transformations myself. I've prepared a concoction of spiritual ingredients to consume, but it's not as potent as a refined pill. Please take a look." He took out a piece of silk from his sleeve, covered densely with golden characters. Li Ximing read it repeatedly:

"Oh?"

Li Ximing's current alchemy cultivation was extremely high. Upon seeing these profound words about the Complete Core, his heart was enlightened, and various inspirations burst forth, greatly moving him. He sighed:

"Fellow Daoist... how impressive!"

Dao Mian was not surprised. He merely said: "You flatter me... Complete Core cultivators, understanding material transformations, possess some ability. There have been many formidable alchemists throughout history, but not all could write pill formulas that later generations could also refine. Half of the circulating pill formulas were written by Complete Core cultivators. I merely have a basic understanding of alchemy, incomparable to yours, fellow Daoist."

This formula used Yin Water spiritual resources, combined with Lushui transformations, then immersed and nurtured by Prefecture Water spiritual water, finally refined into a single medicine. The concoction was extremely complex and ingenious. If correct, it could probably harmonize three water virtues, producing effects far beyond the spiritual resources themselves. While the core concept wasn't difficult, meticulously figuring out the proportions would likely lead to continuous failures without any results, which explained why he hadn't tried it. Li Ximing, however, recalled the Heavenly Heart Unified Pill Method. This secret technique now proved greatly useful... With the aid of this refining method, the difficulty of this formula was immediately reduced significantly. He felt a certain delight akin to a hunter spotting prey, so he said crisply:

"I will refine it for you, fellow Daoist, and you will provide the spiritual resources... As for the Sunken Wall Water... I'll need six pools!"

He naturally wouldn't calculate by year; after all, the longer it went on, the harder it would be to collect, and it might not even be fully gathered in two or three years. Dao Mian covertly made his calculations and nodded:

"Thank you, fellow Daoist!"

Having settled the matter, Li Ximing was straightforward: "And where is Lesser Guang Empty Mountain?"

True Man Baoxiang immediately said: "It's still to the west, but it's not a famous place. It's where the abbot of the De'ai Temple shamelessly tried to attach himself to the reputation of Lesser Guangyu Mountain..."

Li Ximing asked, puzzled: "I heard it's a temple... is it related to Buddhist cultivators?"

Baoxiang, not noticing his unusual expression, laughed and said: "Not much of a relation. The reason it's called De'ai Temple is because its abbot, Shetai, was once suppressed for many years by a Mahā of the Void Dao, and managed to escape during a period of turmoil. From then on, he harbored resentment... so he established this De'ai Temple, enslaving monks, taking nuns as concubines, and having a peculiar taste."

This made Li Ximing's expression turn a bit strange; he started to speak but then stopped, seeing that Baoxiang seemed to be discussing a mundane matter as he casually said: "He enjoys eating human hearts. He often dispatches the temple nuns to entice people into dual cultivation, instructing them to do their utmost and engage in three acts of intimacy. Once the person's 'Dharma blood' is hot, he immediately extracts their heart, immerses it in ice water, then thinly slices it. With chopsticks, one can draw out the juice. It's fresh, fragrant, crisp, and extremely delicious. Fortunately, he doesn't often go on rampages or drink blood, and he maintains a good reputation, often being called a benevolent person."

Li Ximing listened, shaking his head, and replied: "What a benevolent person."

Perhaps discerning the meaning in his words, Baoxiang glanced at the True Man beside him and could only say: "The West Sea is barren. Those who stand high, what they eat and wear, inevitably involve some blood. While the Shetai doesn't concern himself with the common folk, De'ai Temple actually sheds less blood..."

Baoxiang was, after all, young. Dao Mian, hearing this, immediately chimed in to support him, saying: "Each region has its own rules. When the Yuanfu was still active, even worldly rule was nominally considered an act of demonic cultivation. It's truly difficult to distinguish anymore."

Li Ximing hadn't expected his casual remark to prompt such explanations from the two. He smiled and said: "Zhaojing doesn't have the ability to rectify morals everywhere... May I ask, how powerful is that Abbot Shetai, and how many friends does he have?"

Only then did a hint of hatred surface in Dao Mian's eyes. He said: "This demon has extensive connections. He is a friend of Chi Xi, a Purple Mansion Mid-stage cultivator from the Western Prefecture's Dongyuan Sect. This is the most troublesome part; it could draw out several Purple Mansion cultivators. Even if we choose a time when they are out, Chi Xi consistently presides over the sect, and he must be dealt with."

"There's also an old demon in the early Purple Mansion stage in Fangya Prefecture. Besides that, Daoist Xie Hu, a Purple Mansion Mid-stage cultivator from Tanping Desert, owes him a favor... and perhaps even more..."

Listening to all these names, Li Ximing felt a headache coming on. After all, Baoxiang had kept quiet, allowing Dao Mian, who bore a grudge, to speak, clearly indicating his unwillingness to get involved:

‘If all these people were to gather... whether it would succeed is hard to say, but it would certainly cause a cataclysm, drawing attention from all directions...’

He remained silent, but Dao Mian spoke, his voice low: "If fellow Daoist has made up your mind, although Dao Mian is injured and unable to act, I know an old enemy of Chi Xi from the Western Prefecture's Dongyuan Sect, named Yin Jin, who can hold him off."

Li Ximing nodded slightly, a thought stirring in his mind. He then asked for information about another Purple Mansion Mid-stage cultivator, saying: "What kind of person is this Daoist Xie Hu?"

Dao Mian sighed: "He is one of the few righteous figures. Although he cultivates shamanic arts, he possesses an uplifting and noble spirit, and he avoids blood rituals. While he dislikes this Shetai, he values loyalty and promises above all else... Even my own friends usually can't persuade him or make him budge."

His face showed concern. He wasn't deliberately inciting Li Ximing because of his own enmity; instead, he warned: "He is the most formidable figure in the West Sea in recent years, and his cultivation has progressed rapidly. If fellow Daoist insists on killing someone in his presence, you will surely offend him deeply... that might not bode well for the future..."

Li Ximing listened to all of this and had already formed a plan. He then smiled and said:

"That's easy! I have a method that will prevent him from interfering."