Chapter 1179: Su Yun

Li Quewan heard his tone, understood it was important, took out a jade slip, and read it carefully with closed eyes. In just a moment, her expression grew more solemn, her eyes gleamed with a strange light, and she asked, "Is this the Runyang Method?"

"Precisely the same set of techniques, which can be called the Chuyin Method!"

Li Zhouwei, after listening for a while, finally spoke, bringing up the "Six Elucidations" he had heard from Li Suining and explaining them clearly to the two. Li Ximing then proposed his idea of using the Chuyin Method to acquire spiritual resources, which left Li Quewan momentarily speechless.

After a moment's thought, the woman's eyes brightened. She said, "This elder's method is extraordinarily imaginative. Even as a Full-Pill cultivator, I hadn't considered this approach, but upon careful calculation, it shows great potential!"

Without further words, she raised her hand, took the jade box Li Ximing offered, extracted a bright portion of Lunar Essence, secured it in her palm, and produced a small cauldron.

This cauldron was not as large as an alchemy furnace, only palm-sized, yet exquisitely crafted. Li Quewan had commissioned its creation using family materials when she was establishing her foundation, and it possessed unique virtues.

She first drew spiritual energy from the grotto-heaven and channeled it into the cauldron, causing its mysterious patterns to glow. Brilliant magical power covered it as she extracted one or two portions of cool, yin-aligned Foundation Establishment spiritual materials. She then adjusted fire and water, observed yin and yang, and after a while, bright moonlight shone forth from the cauldron.

Li Ximing was dazzled by the countless complex seals being formed, and he mused inwardly: "Such a peculiar method truly needs to be handled by someone with specialized divine abilities. If I were to research this myself, I might spend a year or two without even getting started, and there's probably only a one or two in ten chance I'd manage to produce even one portion! It wasn't that Li Ximing was slow; even Dao Ming, a venerable Full-Pill cultivator, took considerable time to refine Xuan'ge Jiangshui from the Qingxuan Coffin for the Li family using a spiritual artifact. The items weren't delivered to the Li family until the third year! Of course, for other cultivators, transforming unneeded spiritual materials into usable ones, even if it took ten years, wouldn't be a loss—it would be a highly sought-after achievement. However, the Li family was aiming for a continuous, flowing transformation process, so they naturally couldn't afford to wait."

Li Ximing watched with anticipation. The gentle moonlight in Li Quewan's small cauldron gradually faded, completely sealed within the vessel. After observing it carefully and confirming everything was correct, the woman handed the cauldron over.

Li Ximing looked at her, somewhat incredulous: "How long was that... just a dozen breaths? It shouldn't be this fast..."

Li Quewan, with a mix of joy and concern on her face, said, "There's good news, but also some trouble..."

She parted her red lips and explained, "Transforming this material involves two processes. The first is the harmonization I just performed. A typical Full-Pill cultivator would need three or four months to carefully manage this, but with the grotto-heaven's energy removing the initial leveling, the harmonization technique of Xuanwu Daoism can indeed be completed in just a dozen breaths. The second step is nurturing. This method is extremely advanced, and as it's my first time using it, I'm not yet proficient. This cauldron probably has a maximum of seven chances out of ten to succeed... What's more troublesome is that this cauldron... needs to be nurtured by divine ability for one year."

She spoke of trouble, but the former point sounded like good news to Li Ximing. Only the latter made him frown, and he shook his head, saying, "That is indeed troublesome... One year to exchange for spiritual resources wouldn't be a loss, but this is your valuable time. How can it be wasted on this matter?"

His heart, full of expectation, turned sour and bitter with emptiness. He merely sighed, "I thought too optimistically!"

These words, however, made Li Quewan pause, and a smile appeared on her face. She said, "True Lord, you've misunderstood—this isn't like the Feather Transformation Pool for nurturing neck-feathers, where there's only one pool... While this cauldron is precious to a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it's not a big deal for our family!"

Li Ximing, rather than being annoyed, was pleased by her smile, as if a sudden realization had dawned on him. Just as he expected, Li Quewan raised an eyebrow and modestly stated, "This item is fundamentally spiritual energy, and harmonization doesn't take much time. The Hou Shenshu is skilled in the way of material gestation. We could nurture not just one or two dozen at once, but certainly five or six. If a shamanic array is inscribed beforehand, eight or nine would be no problem at all."

Li Ximing's face instantly lit up with joy. "I was fixated on the Feather Transformation Pool and didn't think of this!"

Li Quewan nodded in agreement. "Right now, it's only eight or nine cauldrons. But once I achieve a few more divine abilities, if I truly dedicate a year, nurturing twenty or thirty cauldrons would be entirely feasible! Even at worst, refining a few cauldrons without impacting my cultivation would still be an excellent method—just like this current cauldron, I can nurture it while cultivating, and it won't slow me down significantly!"

Li Ximing was already delighted just hearing about eight or nine cauldrons; the prospect of twenty or thirty was almost unbelievable! Beyond his joy, he felt more shock, shaking his head and sighing, "The Full-Pill path may not excel in combat, but this way of material transformation... it's practically superior to all cultivators with divine abilities!"

Li Zhouwei, watching the elder and the youth rejoice, also smiled and interjected, "We still need to wait a while to see the true efficacy of this Xuanqing Moon Essence before we can definitively say this path is fully viable."

Li Ximing nodded in agreement, though deep down he already felt the matter was almost certain, and Li Zhouwei was merely being cautious. He carefully lifted the cauldron, handing it back to the woman, and said earnestly, "Beyond having someone craft more of these small cauldrons, it would be best to get you a suitable spiritual artifact cauldron, so you can hold it in your hand daily and practice the path of material transformation. I also have another important treasure here that I wish to entrust to you for transformation; I fear inferior conditions might cause damage!"

What he referred to was the Ultimate Twilight Sinking Yuan. After all, mere spiritual resources were not enough; it was best to extract some Taiyin spiritual materials. Hearing this, Li Zhouwei smiled and said, "Uncle-Grandmaster, your words are mistaken. With the Hou Shenshu, the treasure cauldron doesn't necessarily need to be a Full-Pill grade one. What you seek far away is right before your eyes."

Li Ximing paused, then slapped his forehead. He immediately reached into his sleeve, and a jade-green small cauldron, resembling emerald, appeared in his palm—it was precisely the Biting Qingyuan Profound Cauldron! This spiritual artifact was quite unique. Dao Ming had assessed it as a treasure of wood accumulation with the efficacy of a Full-Pill item, expressing clear excitement for it. It was eventually sent back along with the Xuan'ge Jiangshui, both now in Li Ximing's possession!

As expected, when this treasure landed in Li Quewan's sight, her eyes immediately sparkled. Li Ximing didn't beat around the bush; he directly transferred the authority, allowing Li Quewan to take possession.

As she took it, the silver-mercury light in Li Quewan's palm immediately flared, infusing each of the cauldron's patterns. A vibrant, inclusive, and profound energy surged forth. Li Quewan praised, "What a fine Profound Cauldron!"

With the blessing of Hou Shenshu, this item would certainly suffice for Li Quewan until she reached the Purple Mansion realm. Li Ximing, having unexpectedly resolved a large expense, couldn't help but smile.

However, at that moment, the jade talisman at Li Ximing's waist flashed, causing his expression to change slightly. He instantly vanished from the grotto-heaven. A moment later, under Li Quewan's slightly worried gaze, the True Lord reappeared.

His expression was somewhat helpless as he said, "My subordinates reported that two Underworld envoys are already waiting on Zhijing Mountain, seeking Quewan to register her name!"

"They arrived quickly," Li Quewan remarked with approval. Despite his helplessness, Li Ximing still had a trace of a smile. He said, "The Underworld envoys also play favorites. I heard that when they went to those other sects, they'd brazenly march into their grand arrays without showing much courtesy. Yet, they show some respect to our family."

"They dare not incur karma," Li Zhouwei replied. "When I broke through overseas, it was only after returning to the lake that an Underworld envoy came looking for me. It seems this is their standard procedure. It indicates that while the Underworld's reach is long, only individuals within the domestic lands are registered. Your spiritual treasure, though good, cannot compare to the Qingyi Yuanyi, and thus cannot conceal you from the netherworld's methods. Moreover, Jiuqiu should also be on their radar."

At this point, Li Zhouwei looked more pensive. "It's just... the matter of Jiang Qian also eluded the Underworld. Although they intervened later and became aware, several months have passed, and no Underworld envoy has come for him yet. This is something we should specifically inquire about."

Li Ximing nodded repeatedly, but Li Quewan was thinking of something else. After a moment of hesitation, she said, "Since there's a matter of registration, I should have a title."

Hearing this, the True Lord beside her turned his face and smiled, "Your brother chose a good name, using 'Chang' and attaching 'Li', with excellent implications. Do you like it?"

Li Zhouwei, however, shook his head decisively, interrupting, "I mentioned earlier that since our family has generational names, there's no need to order titles by Dao. You should choose your own; there's no need to imitate him."

Li Quewan also said, "Full-Pill cultivators also pay great attention to imagery. I mentioned earlier that the character 'Chang' is too intense when associated with the Yin-Yang Handle, lest it incinerate me."

Upon hearing their words, Li Ximing felt a lingering fear and no longer hesitated. Li Quewan then smiled and said, "I cultivate the 'Hou Shu Jin Shu'. The author of this book possessed vast divine abilities but left no name; the outline is incomplete, suggesting it was privately bestowed upon a beloved person. At the end of the book, there is a song that goes:'Alas, those who seek gold in the human realm,A thousand wonders, ten thousand marvels, all unique,Reversing the directions is fitting.Mercury requires the essence of the sun,Lead gathers the brightness of the moon,Kan and Li, Kan and Li!Water and fire do not contend, nor invade each other.Within bones and coffins lies true life,Divine essence lies within the pure heart,My dear, a hair's breadth amiss, and you are not a monarch!'"

Her gaze became somewhat complex. She explained, "'Divine essence lies within the pure heart' is the general principle of the Hou Shenshu, which involves the harmony of yin and yang, completing yin to await yang. Why not take a part of it and call it 'Suyu'?"

"Suyu..." Li Ximing pondered, nodding. Li Zhouwei, however, smiled and murmured, "A hair's breadth amiss, and you are not a monarch. Good..."

He raised an eyebrow, shook his head, and said, "Your Daoist title is well chosen. Go now."

Watching the two depart together, Li Zhouwei exhaled deeply, the suppressed look on his brow significantly lessened. He stood up and ascended the pavilion.

The spiritual energy was rich and pure, the sun and moon shone together, and ethereal white mist obscured the view outside the window eaves. The small stone platform, similar in texture to bronze, reappeared before him. A purplish-black wooden slip was embedded in it, covered with brilliant golden script.

He reached out and lightly touched it, and a line of numbers appeared:'776 Immortal Merits!'

The number of Immortal Merits in the Shanghuan Pavilion had increased by nearly six hundred, reaching an unprecedented peak! In this great battle, the Li family gained the most. Accounting for the wounded and fallen, they should have gained two or three kills in total. Based on past experience, this alone would account for eighty to ninety Immortal Merits. Within Maha, even though Nuzi was slain by Ling Mei first, Li Zhouwei still killed Bashan and severely wounded Zhelu, earning at least one hundred Immortal Merits.

'Even deducting these, there are still over four hundred Immortal Merits... attributed to Qi Lanyan and Helian Wujiang...'

But Li Zhouwei felt something was amiss. Qi Lanyan and Helian Wujiang were much harder to account for. In Li Zhouwei's view, although Qi Lanyan's divine abilities were superior, the Immortal Merits gained from her wouldn't be significantly more than from Helian Wujiang.

'The requirements for gaining Immortal Merits are sacrificing demons, eliminating devils, and suppressing heretical paths... Qi Lanyan is, by all accounts, an orthodox cultivator, from a distinguished background, radiating pure light, with no demonic aura...''An ordinary Purple Mansion cultivator yields only fifty to sixty. Guang Chan, back then, as the master of a treasured land, far surpassed the mid-Purple Mansion stage, yielding over two hundred. Helian Wujiang certainly wouldn't reach that number; even one hundred fifty would be considered high...''There must be another source... Sacrificing demons, eliminating devils, suppressing heretical paths...'

His heart stirred slightly: 'Sacrificing demons... the Qinglu of sacrifice! This Purple Mansion talisman energy should also increase Immortal Merits!' This was a significant and easily verifiable piece of good news. With Li Quewan's impending acceptance of the talisman, whether it would happen or not would be known by checking the pavilion then!

He silently noted this, then glanced at the golden script on the purplish-black bamboo slip, feeling satisfied: 'With these seven hundred Immortal Merits, we will be at ease for a long time!'

Li Quewan's Hou Shenshu technique had solved a major problem for the Li clan. Li Ximing was overjoyed, and Li Zhouwei also became more attentive, with even more thoughts: 'Although Quewan's divine ability improvement is not like Jiang Qian's continuous increase in vital perception, and may not lead to significant combat power, it will bring comprehensive improvements to the family.'

'The Full-Pill path is renowned for its scarcity and difficulty among top orthodox traditions. It is fundamentally based on the application of profound mysteries, and the disparity between higher and lower levels of profound mystery far exceeds other traditions. Among all orthodox paths in the world, there is no other divine ability that can bring such a qualitative leap to an immortal sect or an immortal family...'

'Her divine ability tradition can be ranked quite high. What our family lacks least is inheritance! If we are to find one for her, it must be the very best!'

The Prince of Wei immediately reached out and lightly tapped the wooden slip. The bright characters began to flow rapidly, displaying line after line, densely packed.

Among the Full-Pill cultivation methods, apart from the "Hou Shu Jin Shu," the most supreme tradition was a practice called "Mercury-Lead Fusion & Life Restoration Chapter"! Most of the ancient methods in Shanghuan Pavilion did not have their grades marked. Li Zhouwei, unfamiliar with Full-Pill cultivation, could tell this was a top-tier Full-Pill tradition purely by its price—a whopping 291 Immortal Merits, far more expensive than Li Zhouwei's own Myriad Chariots Imperial Light Scripture!

But Li Zhouwei paid no mind to the cost; he even felt regret: 'It's a pity there's only this one book that's a step more expensive...' There were quite a few Full-Pill traditions in Shanghuan Pavilion, including "Water-Fire Engagement Method" and "Profound Mercury Seeking Lead Method"... but they were all around one hundred Immortal Merits. Apart from "Mercury-Lead Fusion & Life Restoration Chapter," the most expensive, "Sublime Azure Gold Method," was only a little over one hundred ninety!

'Even more regrettable... there isn't another book ending with "Golden Book"...'

'According to Jiuqiu, there are at least fourteen Golden Books. It's impossible for the Full-Pill path to have only one; there must be two or more. There must still be inheritances in the world, and the most suspicious candidate... is the Golden Feather Sect...'

True Lord Qiushui had been in secluded cultivation for a long time, rumored to practice the so-called "Mercury Transformation and Nature Preservation" method. Now, hearing Li Quewan's Hou Shenshu's divine corpse method, how could Li Zhouwei not be suspicious?

'After receiving the talisman, the speed of divine ability improvement will be faster. The "Mercury-Lead Fusion & Life Restoration Chapter" will only be useful for a while; sooner or later, we will have to negotiate with the Golden Feather Sect...'