Chapter 1137: Dharma Gate

Spiritual energy ebbed and flowed, and the crimson light became subdued.

The magnificent purple-golden hall was ablaze with colors. The young man, seated at the head of the hall, watched as the red glow between his palms gradually faded. As the jade talisman at his waist grew warm, he slowly opened his eyes. A flash of light swept through the hall, and all the energies settled.

"With elixirs, cultivation speeds up considerably. Though it can't compare to past times, the Crimson Shattering Arrow technique has become a slow, persistent effort."

Li Zhouwei's cultivation speed was truly astounding; what he called a "slow, persistent effort" would be considered rapid progress for others. Yet, he still felt a touch of regret. He then noticed someone knocking at the door and casually said, "Come in."

The hall doors slowly opened, and Li Jiangzong entered, approaching eagerly. "Greetings, Your Majesty!"

Li Zhouwei waved a hand dismissively and asked, "Did you send our young grand-uncle back?"

Li Jiangzong nodded and replied, "Your Majesty, visiting the ancestors and meeting elders from various branches took over three months. Then, selecting a suitable child for adoption, which concerns the lineage, was done very carefully by the elders, involving thorough scrutiny, taking another two months. Afterwards, the elder insisted on him staying, and our young grand-uncle couldn't refuse, so he stayed for another two months. He left five months ago. Your Majesty has been in seclusion for over a year."

Li Zhouliang and his wife had naturally left much earlier. Li Zhouwei had also taken the opportunity to meet Li Yuanqin. However, time in the Violet Palace passed quickly, and he had been in seclusion for a year since returning. He then asked, "Which child was chosen to return?"

Li Jiangzong answered, "The elder originally suggested he choose from the Suiyu generation, but they were all too old, and he didn't like any of them. So, he had to go down another generation and adopted a pair of infants. It wasn't strictly according to the rules, but since he was willing to return, the elder was extremely pleased and just let him have his way. They are the eldest and second sons of the Qingyuan generation, and he even named them himself: Li Qinggong and Li Qingduo."

"A pair?"

Li Jiangzong said, "Yes, a pair. The elder couldn't bear to see the family's ancestral incense continue to dwindle. He thought that someone needed to keep the incense burning for Lord Xiangping by the lake. Both children kowtowed and acknowledged him as their ancestor; one will stay by the lake, and the other will be sent south."

"That's a good method."

Li Zhouwei praised, feeling a sense of calm. Li Jiangzong, kneeling, respectfully announced, "Forgive me for disturbing Your Majesty, but it's not about this matter... Third Brother has returned with two royal descendants. They have reached the age where they can begin cultivation and have specifically come to meet Your Majesty. The elder also approved, and they are all waiting in the main hall for Your Majesty!"

"Jiangxia?"

Li Zhouwei's expression flickered for a moment, then he said, "It is time to meet them."

Li Jiangzong was overjoyed. Just as he was about to speak, a red light flashed before his eyes. Colors intertwined and blazed, and suddenly, Li Zhouwei was seated on a golden throne. His majestic face was illuminated by the heavenly light from both sides, and his golden eyes shone brilliantly.

A chorus of respectful voices reached his ears: "Greetings, King Wei!"

He bowed down with them, looked around, and found himself already in the Golden Hall between the continents!

*King Wei's divine abilities... are becoming even more extraordinary!*

He silently retreated to the side. The entire Golden Hall instantly fell silent. Li Zhouwei looked out and noticed Li Suining standing beside Li Xuanxuan, showing no sign of anxiety. His gaze then swept past Li Jiangxia and quickly landed on the woman behind him, who looked nervous and apprehensive.

A pair of children were holding her hands.

"Father!"

Li Jiangxia stepped forward, leading his beloved concubine and children ahead.

This Purple-Gold Palace's Holder of Mysteries was clearly unaccustomed to the feeling of being "demoted." His face was pale, and dropping back to the Foundation Establishment cultivation level gave him a dangerous sense that his life was in someone else's hands at any moment. He was breathing slightly heavily.

Li Zhouwei looked at the two children, a smile forming on his face. He raised an eyebrow and said, "Come closer, let me see you."

Madam Zou came from a humble background. Facing the powerful Li clan of Tingzhou, or King Wei who did not kneel before the emperor, her heart was filled with nothing but fear. She knelt down, her face covered in cold sweat, urging her two children forward.

Li Suichu, staring at his grandfather's golden eyes, showed no fear. He quickly crossed the steps, respectfully bowed, and said, "Greetings, Grandfather!"

Li Zhouwei stood up, bent down, and carefully examined the child. He sighed with a smile, "He certainly resembles your father!"

At these words, a complex expression appeared on Li Jiangxia's face. He led his daughter forward, and together they approached. "Father, this is Zhi'er."

Li Zhouwei turned to look at her and playfully teased her a few times. The little girl's face remained pale; she dared not look at him and clutched her sleeve.

Li Suining stood below, watching his third uncle's children with a gentle smile, feeling a touch of sadness.

In the second life, all the Li family members were in the North, thousands of miles away, so Li Suining wasn't clear about the fate of his uncles. But in the first life, it was very clear... Li Suichu had died in battle in the North.

As for Zhi'er, Li Jiangxia's beloved daughter, she married Lin Caiyin of the Lin clan. A year later, news returned that her cultivation had gone awry, and she died from severe, unhealing injuries. Another year passed, and Lin Caiyin was imprisoned for making sarcastic remarks. If not for Lin Chensheng protecting him, his life would also have been forfeit!

*I, a dignified descendant of Wei, with orthodox methods... cultivating abnormally...*

He lowered his eyebrows and remained silent. Then, the potent figure at the head of the hall smiled and said, "What cultivation method do you practice?"

Li Jiangxia bowed and replied, "Suichu cultivates the Li Fire method. He has come to the family to request a proper lineage. As for Zhi'er, I recently acquired a special energy and wish for her to cultivate the Xiaojinwangshangfeng technique, which an old friend bequeathed to me."

"As long as you know what you're doing."

This matter only required Li Zhouwei's approval; he didn't need to worry about it. King Wei chuckled twice and looked at the elder below: "Elder, have you paid respects to the ancestors?"

Li Xuanxuan nodded gravely and sighed.

Li Zhouwei understood Li Xuanxuan's meaning; clearly, he had not received favor. He subtly reached into his sleeve and produced a pair of small, golden, arm-length swords. He gently blew on them, and tiny, delicate specks of light fell, while the swords themselves glowed with a contained brilliance. King Wei smiled and said, "Your Uncle Jiangzong has considerable skill in artifact refining. He once forged this pair of golden swords for my birthday celebration. Today, I will bestow them upon you as a welcoming gift."

Li Jiangxia smiled but remained silent. Madam Zou, however, was overcome with gratitude, as if having narrowly escaped disaster. She pulled her two children, repeatedly expressed thanks, and retreated to the center of the hall. Li Jiangxia did not say another word, simply bowing his head and stating, "I am to be stationed in the North, and I have already missed my departure time. Father, I wish you well; I will set off immediately."

Li Zhouwei nodded, watching the family depart. His hands, previously clasped behind his back, moved to his chest, and he said, "You may all disperse."

"Yes!"

The crowd withdrew together, quickly leaving only Li Xuanxuan and Li Suining, who was supporting him. The elder, seeing Li Zhouwei nod slightly, also began to descend. At the hall's entrance, he seemed to hesitate, turning his face to see Li Suining escort him to the doorway and then stop without a word, at which point he felt reassured and exited.

The great hall instantly fell silent. The formation activated, isolating the inside from the outside. Li Suining bowed before Li Zhouwei and said, "This junior has a matter to report, disturbing Your Majesty's cultivation..."

Indeed... before Li Jiangzong sought an audience, it was Li Suining who had awakened Li Zhouwei!

Now, apart from Li Ximing and Li Xuanxuan, he was the only one who could directly address the King, reach this place, and interrupt Li Zhouwei's cultivation!

The jade pendant in his hand allowed him to contact Li Zhouwei at any time. Shattering it could even instantly summon King Wei to his own immortal cave! However, his conduct was always respectful; he dared not activate the jade talisman within his own cave, choosing instead to bow outside the hall and await an audience.

He knelt on the ground, getting straight to the point, and respectfully stated, "This junior has a cultivation method to present!"

Li Zhouwei smiled, sounding quite expectant. "Oh?"

Li Suining raised his hands and presented a white jade slip held between his palms. Li Zhouwei took it, and as his spiritual sense swept over it, his expression suddenly changed.

It was the "Gathering Pillars and Hiding Mysteries Summoning Method."

This method is based on the mystical power of a spiritual artifact. It emulates the methods of the Storage Metal and Preserving Wood techniques, harmonizing them to draw in unusual energies from heaven and earth, sense transformations, and thereby seize profound opportunities and gather spiritual essences! Because it relies on the artifact's mystique, it is more akin to a simple technique rather than a complex spell.

The so-called "unusual energies of heaven and earth" refer to energies like the inverted qi of moving mountains and overturning seas, leaked qi from earth and fire veins, and accumulated qi from strange and mysterious places... such as the Li Fire earth vein in a certain part of the East Sea, the Baleful Lake beneath Zhenyao Prefecture, or the "Lixi Baleful Qi" when Dayuan Guangyin Mountain receives its "Xuandi soil."

Although the conditions are stringent, through this method, these energies can be restrained and converted into resources. If the restrained spiritual essence is good enough, it can even condense into Violet Palace spiritual resources.

Most importantly—these things include *some Five Virtues phenomena*!

*This is the true purpose of the method, not just for some spiritual resources!*

Li Zhouwei's heart trembled. Four words immediately came to mind: Breakthrough to Violet Palace!

Conceal Jiangqian's Violet Palace phenomenon!

He considered Li Jiangqian's matter extremely important, even more so than his own currently non-essential cultivation. And Li Zhouwei had long thought about concealing this phenomenon!

*Hiding it as a trump card is one reason; the second... is to reduce suspicion!*

From Li Ximing to himself, Li Zhouwei, the time taken for breakthroughs was terrifyingly short. He had destiny blessings, which offered a plausible explanation. Jiangqian could barely be faked. But once Que Wan also made breakthroughs one after another, someone linking them would see that all of them were stuck at the ten-odd-year mark, which would inevitably arouse suspicion!

Li Ximing sending Li Quewan to Peacock Sea... certainly had this consideration in mind.

Methods of concealment were not absent. He had secretly visited the Heaven and Earth of Sun and Moon Confluence, where there were roughly two types. One was a profound spell, not only expensive but also extremely difficult to master, a great waste of both time and resources. The other type, while simpler, had stringent requirements, demanding divine abilities like "Witch, Do Not Investigate Me" or "Fen Shui Xi Gu Hui," which Bright Yang cultivators could not achieve.

He had communicated with Dali Mountain about this matter. However, Qingyu Qian had obtained the Divine Scroll of Heavenly Order Arrangement and immediately went into seclusion, remaining there ever since. Li Zhouwei had even inquired about the methods within it, contemplating seeking help from the Yang clan.

But after much thought, he did not act.

*Firstly, it's not good for people from Qingyi Yuan who favor the Underworld to come to the lake; they are even unwilling to come to the lake. More importantly... if a method is used, someone needs to constantly maintain it. Whether it's the spells in the pavilion or Suining's "Gathering Pillars and Hiding Mysteries Summoning Method," they all require continuous casting by someone...*

*This would also be highly suspicious. At this point, normal Violet Palace cultivators would never use such methods, because there is plenty of time!*

He had no choice but to give up. But now, this "Gathering Pillars and Hiding Mysteries Summoning Method" resolved his urgent problem, yet the shock it delivered was far greater than that!

The "Gathering Pillars and Hiding Mysteries Summoning Method" requires a Preserving Wood spiritual artifact with mystical containment properties... only a large portion of the Five Virtues can be gathered. Among the Fire Virtue elements, the only ones incompatible with Preserving Wood are the "Bing Huo" which causes sickness, and the "Deng Huo" which governs the rectification of wood qi... What does this mean?

*It directly points to the Heaven-Nourishing Urn and Jiangqian. To say it's custom-made wouldn't be an exaggeration!*

The potent figure at the head of the hall remained silent. Li Suining lowered his eyebrows and said nothing, but his heart was pounding.

How did this "Gathering Pillars and Hiding Mysteries Summoning Method" come to be?

It was an ancient technique modified jointly by Li Quewan and True Man Yuanbian! It corresponded precisely to the Heaven-Nourishing Urn. In his previous life, it had fallen into his hands, and he, a half-divine ability practitioner idling in the Grotto-Heaven, had constantly maintained it to hide the breakthrough phenomenon of his young uncle, Li Jiangchun!

However, in the second life, Li Jiangqian's breakthrough was completely exposed, with no concealment whatsoever!

He lowered his head, feeling slightly guilty. Li Zhouwei, as expected, did not ask how he came to possess such a technique. Instead, he examined it closely, his eyes gleaming, and said, "This item of yours can resolve a deep problem in my heart!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Li Suining also became more active, his mind racing with thoughts, and he quickly said, "This junior thought so too! As long as Grand-Uncle can emerge from seclusion unnoticed, with his abilities and wielding the Twin Bright Flame Instruments and the Hundred-Refined Crimson Gold Spear, he will undoubtedly be of great benefit to the North-South situation!"

*This young man even knows about the Twin Bright Flame Instruments...*

Li Zhouwei chuckled, a rare occurrence, and reminded him, "That... Hundred-Refined Crimson Gold Spear... should not be in his possession yet."

"Oh..."

Li Suining was momentarily speechless, giving an awkward smile.

After all, he himself was not a Violet Palace cultivator, and he achieved his Grotto-Heaven much later. He only knew that the Twin Bright Flame Instruments and the Hundred-Refined Crimson Gold Spear, two famous weapons, had been in Li Jiangqian's possession for a long time...

But as he struggled to think of something to alleviate the awkwardness, the man before him turned his golden eyes, staring intently at him. With a raised eyebrow and a smile, a voice came that instantly sent a chill down Li Suining's spine: "You can even accurately predict when he will emerge from seclusion?"

Li Suining hadn't expected his careful thoughts to be seen through so quickly. He opened his mouth but couldn't utter a word.

He had gained insights from the second life. In his grotto-heaven, besides studying the Grotto-Heaven profound strategy proportions, he had written out this cultivation method. Yet, he held onto it, delaying handing it over to Li Zhouwei, and this also had its reasons!

*The matter of phenomena is about ascending to the Yang and the heavens' summons. Once a sign appears, it's too late to prevent it. Therefore, all techniques capable of hiding phenomena must be constantly maintained, and the "Gathering Pillars and Hiding Mysteries Summoning Method" is no exception. Such divine feats are difficult!*

Therefore, Li Suining did not present this technique prematurely, letting Li Zhouwei waste time – others didn't know when Li Jiangqian would emerge from seclusion, but he did!

He was momentarily dumbfounded, but Li Zhouwei, having received precise information, was in high spirits. He revealed the Heaven-Nourishing Urn, engraved with vertical wooden patterns, in his hand. In just a moment, its mystical power surged forth like a waterfall, pouring down, as King Wei chuckled and said, "How much time is left?"

Li Suining had indeed allocated time for Li Zhouwei to familiarize himself with the method. Now, seeing him master it instantly, he secretly praised him in his heart, while outwardly smiling and saying, "Three days!"