Chapter 1174: 候神殊

The East Sea.

Beneath towering mountains, five-colored waters surged. In the sky, clouds rolled. A daoist, riding the light of Shaoyang, flew east, deep into the sea. After an unknown duration of flight, a celestial mountain covered in red maple trees appeared on the horizon, prompting him to pause slightly.

“The Nine Mounds Orthodox Lineage, Mount Lingyi Yueqing.”

This person was none other than Guo Nanwu, a Purple Mansion True Lord of the Shaoyang lineage!

He had been entrusted by the Li clan to travel to Nine Mounds for guidance. However, though young, this True Lord was quite shrewd. Instead of flying directly east, he feigned a visit south to Qu Si, then diverted his path, venturing deep into the South Sea, continuing east along the Cape of Heaven, and finally detouring to Peacock Sea.

Guo Nanwu was genuinely troubled.

‘King Wei indeed commands awe across the north and south, but with his current injuries… who knows how many factions wish him ill? I am but a minor cultivator of a heterodox path; I could easily fall into someone's hands and, if not lose my life, then certainly my daoist future.’

While working for the Li clan offered generous rewards and reliance, it was not without cost. Guo Nanwu, being a cautious individual, had already spent over a month on this secret journey.

Upon arriving at the gates of the orthodox lineage, the young True Lord hesitated once more.

The reason was simple: over the entire Nine Mounds mountain gate, clouds surged, an interplay of black and white. Water, born of heaven, dripped down like dew, shimmering like mercury, dotting the entire sea area. Each spherical drop of mercury-like water, resembling silver pearls, sank into the ocean depths.

From high above, wild flames ascended, perfectly round within the black clouds, compressed into a fiery wheel resembling an alchemical pill. On one side, souls lurked, bodies hunched, clutching placentas; on the other, a divine court stood desolate, devoid of people. Only vast, water-like cinnabar erupted from the gate, cascading onto the land.

Guo Nanwu, having lived a century in vain, had never witnessed such a sight. He stared, transfixed and bewildered, a doubt forming in his mind:

‘From the look of it, either some powerful daoist spell or divine ability has been perfected, or a celestial treasure is emerging, or, to put it more ominously, perhaps a True Lord has fallen… How could they let me in?’

He hesitated for three breaths of time, when a person emerged on the wind. Tall-crowned and clad in white, with handsome features, he stepped on rising flames and smiled:

“My elders calculated long ago that a Shaoyang cultivator would arrive from the south, coinciding with the refinement of a divine ability. They sent me to greet you—I am Fuchi. Please, fellow daoist, follow me into the mountain!”

Guo Nanwu cast a glance, noticing the man's surging aura but a seemingly nascent divine ability, indicating a recent breakthrough, likely within the last five years. Filled with reverence for Nine Mounds, he readily agreed and followed him into the mountain. As they stepped onto the bluestone path, the ground was already covered in cinnabar. Guo Nanwu whispered:

“I have long heard of Nine Mounds' great renown! I wonder if the Great True Lord Tantai… is currently in the mountain?”

Fuchi hitched up his sleeves and chuckled:

“The Patriarch has gone out.”

Guo Nanwu breathed a sigh of relief, yet understood his meaning. He cupped his hands and said:

“So you are a descendant of Tantai. My apologies, my apologies for my disrespect!”

Fuchi's expression was somewhat complex. He said:

“Though I am a descendant of Tantai, my orthodox lineage lies in Taiyang. The inner seas are restless, which is why I chose this place for my breakthrough… Since you come from the west, you must be familiar with Green Pond. True Lord Yuanxiu is precisely my master!”

Guo Nanwu had a sudden realization, feeling a strange mix of emotions. Without much further reply, he adjusted his collar and, as he ascended the mountain with Fuchi, sighed:

“Truly, a celestial mountain beyond the mortal world.”

By now, the cinnabar downpour in the mountains had intensified. True Lord Fuchi held an umbrella, escorting Guo Nanwu forward. Upon reaching the maple forest at the highest point, they saw an elder seated beneath a tree.

The bluestone table shimmered as if alive with light. In its center sat a jade cup, brimming with a blood-red spiritual liquid. Even with cinnabar raining down and the sky dim, the vibrant halo emanating from the cup remained unmistakable.

Fuchi introduced in a low voice:

“This is True Lord Lingdu.”

Guo Nanwu hastily greeted him as 'senior'. The elder remained seated and smiled:

“Have some tea.”

Guo Nanwu pondered for a moment, about to ask a question, but Lingdu waved his hand, signaling him to wait.

‘I wonder which prodigy of Nine Mounds… has just achieved a breakthrough!’

The True Lord had no choice but to remain silent, watching as the various celestial phenomena gradually dissipated, their colors scattering. A single point of brilliant color plunged downwards, drawing clouds and stirring energy, crashing into the mountainside and erupting into a cloud of white mist. Only then did a figure emerge from it.

It was a woman.

This woman had willow-leaf brows and starlike eyes, with a point of light at her brow. Her features were remarkably beautiful, especially her large, bright eyes, which possessed a charming grace that elevated her entire spirit, imbuing her with an extraordinary, reserved elegance.

She wore a cloud-silk gown with no superfluous adornments, her slender hands gracefully tucked at her arms, moving with enchanting grace. The intense colored light on her pale brow gradually faded, transforming into a subtle cinnabar mark.

This change shifted the focus of her face from her brow to her almond-shaped eyes. The colorful mark on her brow no longer dominated, and she appeared like a goddess from a celestial realm stepping into a daoist court, a True Lord who drew essence from the clouds and was unburdened by worldly affairs.

The True Lord stepped among the trees, bowed, and said:

“Greetings to both seniors!”

Her voice was gentle and courteous, causing Guo Nanwu to stare blankly for a moment. He felt her aura was indistinct and hard to identify, yet she seemed familiar:

‘A True Lord of the Quan Dan lineage!’

Lingdu smiled, rose, picked up the blood-red cup, and offered it to her, congratulating her:

“Congratulations, fellow daoist, on achieving the Purple Mansion realm! Please drink this cup!”

The woman blinked her almond eyes, politely took the cup, and said:

“Senior, you are too kind!”

Fuchi, standing by, had a look of emotion in his eyes. Understanding the situation, he said gently:

“This is water from the Mysterious Pond. It can strengthen the foundation, nourish the primordial essence, aid in times of peril, and dispel evil. I also consumed it when I broke through… It is a custom of Nine Mounds, so please don't be shy!”

“Thank you, senior!”

The woman's cinnabar lips lightly touched the cup, which was now empty. As she raised her brows, her noble composure faded, and a familiar appearance emerged. Guo Nanwu finally pieced together the face from his past memories, exclaiming in shock:

“Quelan? It's you! At Nine Mounds!”

This woman was precisely Li Quelan, who had been in seclusion at Nine Mounds, achieving the *Hou Shenshu* divine ability!

Guo Nanwu couldn't help but be shocked. How many years did it take Li Zhouwei to achieve it? How many years did it take Li Jiangqian? And how many years did this person before him take to break through to Purple Mansion?

‘Senior Zhaojing’s achievement was unexpectedly swift. King Wei breaking through divine ability was terrifyingly fast, within ten years. Changli reaching Purple Mansion, no more than fifteen years… Although I don’t know when she came to Nine Mounds… at most, it wouldn’t have been more than twenty years!’

Not to mention ten or fifteen years, even a person breaking through to Purple Mansion in twenty years is rare in the world!

The achievements of King Wei and his son can be attributed to their unique imperial lineage. With the woman before him, the Li clan now had a fourth Purple Mansion True Lord, and this one was a True Lord of Quan Dan, practicing mercury manipulation—a level comparable to the Green Pond Sect in its heyday!

‘King Wei is bound to pass through the Purple Mansion. That young master also holds immense promise. This Li Quelan and True Lord Zhaojing can at least cultivate to the mid-Purple Mansion realm. For ordinary orthodox lineages, a genius like this, seen once in a century and cherished to secure destiny, there are four in Tingzhou alone!’

‘What does this even mean?’

A Purple Mansion True Lord has a lifespan of five hundred years. If these four geniuses appear one after another, with an orderly succession, they could protect an orthodox lineage for over fifteen hundred years. Even for external cultivators, this is enough to foster a great orthodox lineage renowned throughout the world.

And the Li clan, to date, has a history of less than two hundred years—only slightly longer than Guo Nanwu’s cultivation period!

The Shaoyang cultivator, his mind full of complicated thoughts, watched the woman before him. His mouth felt bitter as he softly said:

“The flourishing immortal fortune of Tingzhou is truly unique under heaven.”

Li Quelan had just drunk the Mysterious Pond water, a chill pressing against her lips. She first used her divine ability to draw it into her Qi Sea, taking a breath. Although the words she heard were praise, they caused her heart to stiffen.

The Li clan held too many secrets. They had always presented themselves with a low profile to outsiders, and even with the entire clan's efforts to minimize their impact, the turbulent times meant some things simply couldn't be concealed. She politely said:

“The illumination of Mingyang brings forth many opportunities. Without King Wei, even this junior would not have had the chance to seek the Purple Mansion realm!”

These words attributed all credit to Mingyang, causing Lingdu to stroke his beard and smile. He said:

“Zhaojing and King Wei, father and son, are indeed greatly favored and thus achieved the Dao. But as for you… since you cultivate Quan Dan, there’s no need for modesty.”

These two sentences dispersed Guo Nanwu's emotional turmoil. Although still filled with emotion, he had calmed down and seized the opportunity to sigh:

“It’s just… King Wei’s current situation… is truly not good!”

As soon as these words were uttered, before Lingdu could react, the woman with the cinnabar mark on her brow moved her head, her anxious and worried gaze falling upon his face:

“What has happened to King Wei?”

“He slew Qi Lanyan! Unfortunately… he was afflicted by the Disaster of Wutu…”

“Ah?”

Li Quelan paused, a flicker of shock in her eyes. As she listened to Guo Nanwu's hasty description, Lingdu mused, saying:

“Have you sought out the Pure Unity Orthodox Lineage?”

Guo Nanwu nodded and replied:

“True Lord Zhaojing went to visit earlier, but fearing there wouldn't be enough time, he asked me to come as well.”

Upon hearing this, Lingdu rose and paced a few steps through the mountains. He seemed to be contemplating deeper implications, carefully considering how to speak. After a long pause, he said:

“Our Nine Mounds, following the tradition of Changtang, are well-versed in averting disasters and calamities. We also possess a considerable number of Taiyin objects. If King Wei has a need, he can certainly send someone to retrieve them… To avert disaster is not necessarily to require Taiyin; it's just that the Wutu affliction is without leaks, meaning clever methods like Xuantu or Gengmu are useless. One must tackle it directly.”

Although his words were plain, the intangible courage and confidence he displayed made Guo Nanwu look at him with admiration. Lingdu then turned, smiling, to Li Quelan and said:

“I do have a suggestion… In our lineage, we have an ancient Taiyin spirit artifact. How about Quelan takes it back to try?”

A Taiyin Spirit Treasure!

As these words were spoken, Guo Nanwu's eyes widened in even greater astonishment. Li Quelan was quite surprised, and even True Lord Fuchi showed alarm:

‘In this current age, Taiyin spiritual items are already scarce, let alone a Taiyin Spirit Treasure!’

The Nine Mounds Orthodox Lineage was quite low-key, yet their every action revealed their extraordinary nature. Even so, none of the three had expected Lingdu to casually offer a Taiyin Spirit Treasure!

Li Quelan wore a thoughtful expression, pausing for a moment before cautiously saying:

“Might it be too precious… If senior brings forth such a profound treasure, and I am alone, unaware of its history, I also don't know if it would be safe to return to the inner sea with it…”

Lingdu smiled, and leisurely said:

“Taiyin spirit artifacts have been rare since ancient times. With the fading of yin and yang, and the extinction of spiritual items, they are even less often reforged. Moreover, Taiyin cultivators are few. Occasionally, one or two Taiyin spirit artifacts are discovered, but they cannot find a suitable master. They become showy but impractical, leading others to melt them down, either to enhance other alloys or to invigorate various yin energies…

“In such a cycle, if any Taiyin artifacts remain to this day, they are almost always Spirit Treasures that one couldn't bear to melt down—and not just Taiyin ones… Shangyi, Baomu… Most of the orthodox lineages that have vanished today have only Spirit Treasures remaining.

“Naturally, they are quite precious. If you asked me to produce a Taiyin spirit artifact, I wouldn't be able to retrieve one immediately…”

Li Quelan nodded thoughtfully. Lingdu had already raised his head, extended his hand, and with a gentle flick, a coin-sized circular ring appeared in his palm!

This object was thin and flat, crystal clear, with faint silvery patterns on its surface, depicting what seemed to be intricate floral jade brocade. It appeared utterly unremarkable, yet a gentle moonlight rippled from it.

Guo Nanwu's pupils dilated. He scanned it several times with his spiritual sense, then hesitantly said:

“It's… indecipherable!”

Lingdu first chuckled, then hesitated, regretting:

“This object possesses boundless immortal power and can merge with a daoist body. In the hands of a Taiyin cultivator, it holds four profound wonders! Unfortunately… in the hands of cultivators from other paths, it only exhibits the most basic moonlight-illumination ability. It's like two different treasures. Were it not for this, you could harness its wondrous hidden properties, traverse the great void, and no one would be able to calculate your whereabouts!

“That’s not unusual… It's normal for a spirit artifact to lose three or four tenths of its power if it falls into the hands of someone not of its own lineage. And Taiyin is the foremost hidden repository, so it can be troublesome anyway…”

Guo Nanwu pondered for a moment, glanced at Li Quelan's expression, and feigning a question, specifically cautioned:

“If that's the case, wouldn’t you need to find another Taiyin cultivator to activate this artifact? The risk of exposure and drawing attention here would also be a problem!”

Li Quelan heard these worried words but, surprisingly, did not feel troubled. Instead, her eyes brightened as she looked at Lingdu and said earnestly:

“Senior, perhaps you could let me try first!”

Lingdu was slightly puzzled, yet he confidently handed this priceless treasure to her, even transferring its ownership. The newly ascended Quan Dan True Lord closed her eyes for a moment to sense it, then thoughtfully raised her head, her eyes shimmering with unusual brilliance, and said:

“Perhaps… there’s no need for such trouble!”

In but a single thought, a blend of crimson and silver, metallic as gold or iron, emerged from her delicate hands, interweaving, leaping, and changing endlessly.

‘Transformation of substance, Quan Dan becoming an artifact, profound principles, the Dao nature unmoving!’

It was precisely the *Hou Shenshu* divine ability!

Under the activation of the divine ability, the dim Taiyin artifact gradually brightened, bursting forth with rich colors. The Taiyin Spirit Treasure's ring melted like water, surging up along Li Quelan's fingertips, slowly merging into her daoist body!

Dense moonlight poured down, illuminating her fair face. Under the shocked gazes of the True Lords, the woman's eyes slowly opened, revealing a small, bright moon within the pupil of her left eye.

Hou Shenshu: It harnesses the gestation of Quan Dan, gathers immortal light, nourishes all meridians, refines gold and mercury, and tempers the essence of heaven and earth. This leads to the achievement of a divine ability, which manifests as profound light and allows for the forceful acquisition of the wondrous uses of elixirs and artifacts!

Through the transformation of physical properties, the Hou Shenshu not only enhances the miraculous power of spirit artifacts not of one's own lineage, but also can forcefully command obscure spirit artifacts that have not found a rightful master to obey and be used!