Chapter 334: Wang Xun

Wang Xun had just entered the Li family's territory when Lu Jiangxian, who was deep in his studies, was immediately startled awake.

Lu Jiangxian had set several alert triggers for his patrolling spiritual consciousness: a direct descendant of the Li family facing imminent death, the emergence of Zifu aura, a Li family member breaking through to Foundation Establishment, and so on. Meanwhile, he was employing sorcery to repeatedly probe the memory fragments of Jinlian Mohe from long ago, trying to discover the origin of "The Golden Palace Radiant Primordial Art" or clues for its Zifu chapter.

Wang Xun's soaring sword qi was so dazzling, like a massive ball of light to Lu Jiangxian's spiritual consciousness, that it instantly roused him. He looked at the young man with a hint of bewilderment.

"Not the Zifu Golden Core Path?!"

Lu Jiangxian's spiritual consciousness circled the person for a moment, sensing that his destiny was empty and left no trace, likely indicating protection by a master with profound methods, unwilling to engage with worldly affairs. Focusing his spiritual vision again, a resplendent golden sword scabbard appeared on Wang Xun's tall and sturdy back. Its intricate patterns were mostly cloud motifs, totaling 128 of them. Inside the scabbard were sixteen sword slots, ten of which were already filled with swords. Each was concealed, their forms indistinct.

"Divine ability... or destiny?"

The sword scabbard on Wang Xun's back was imperceptible to mortal eyes, yet it was remarkably mystical. While clearly a divine ability, it was imbued with the essence of destiny. Lu Jiangxian, now quite accomplished in his cultivation, observed it carefully for a while and came to a realization.

"This Northern path of immortal cultivation... it's the simultaneous cultivation of essence and life. It involves cultivating qi to seek spiritual nature, and nurturing life force through divine abilities... Difficult, truly difficult!"

Lu Jiangxian glanced at the sword scabbard twice, cautiously refraining from extending his spiritual consciousness to probe it. After all, this was a descendant of a Golden Core cultivator, and there might be hidden dangers. After taking a very close look at the young man before him, Lu Jiangxian had a strong premonition: this was the most orthodox and original method of cultivation in this world, a grand path that cultivates mind and nature, seeks truth and immortality, and leads directly to becoming an immortal!

"But if one cultivates this way, the difficulty is simply too immense... Would even one in a thousand individuals with spiritual apertures manage to begin? I doubt it. If the current Li family were to practice this art, probably not a single person could get started, and even managing to spark a spell would be impressive..."

Lu Jiangxian stared at the sword scabbard, countless profound thoughts surfacing in his mind. He couldn't help but marvel and exclaim:

"Simultaneous cultivation of essence and life, indeed!"

Compared to this immortal art, the Zifu Golden Core Path was entirely different. It first involved nurturing the wheel and absorbing qi. Upon reaching the ninth level of Qi Refinement, one would then abandon that to build an immortal foundation and practice divine abilities. After mastering divine abilities, one would then seek spiritual nature, and could even consume a similar immortal foundation to boost cultivation... If the immortal path cultivated by Wang Xun was like a dignified climb up a mountain peak, the Zifu Golden Core Path was simply choosing the easiest routes, smashing and plundering along the way, without needing to prove the Dao or seek enlightenment of the heart. Each step forward brought a new level of power.

"No wonder the Zifu Golden Core Path is so prevalent; it has, after all, significantly lowered the barrier to cultivation..."

Lu Jiangxian watched him for a while, gradually forming some conjectures about the immortal-demonic conflict from years ago. He couldn't help but let out a soft sigh. Seeing Li Yuanping lose his composure for the first time in years, Lu Jiangxian smiled faintly. He could sense that the young man harbored no ill will, and in fact, wished to minimize contact with the Li family to avoid worldly entanglements, let alone cause harm.

"It might even be a good thing!"

In the side courtyard down the mountain.

"Precisely, my True Monarch is Xiao Jin, the foremost among the remaining Three Golden Ones within the seas... uh."

Wang Xun nodded, vaguely sensing something amiss, perhaps that he had spoken too much. He explained: "Fellow Daoist Yuanping, I, Xun, am new to Jiangnan and unfamiliar with Southern customs. I have come seeking a favor, not to impose my power. If I have caused any offense, please forgive me..."

"I wouldn't dare! I wouldn't dare!" Li Yuanping was still in disbelief, wishing Wang Xun would speak more. Seeing his earnest demeanor, he quickly replied, secretly calculating in his mind as he inquired: "Although my family has some reputation in this area, we are small and insignificant. May I ask what matter has brought a senior like yourself to our humble abode?"

"This matter is a long story." Wang Xun responded, a smile appearing on the young man's face. He replied: "My Wang clan cultivates not the Zifu Golden Core Path of Jiangnan, but the ancient method of qi absorption and nature cultivation. This path has been lost in Jiangnan for a long time. If I were to explain it in detail to the family head, it would likely take three days and three nights."

"According to the understanding of Jiangnan cultivators, I need to cultivate divine abilities to nourish the Azure Firmament. This requires gathering 128 streams of sword qi and 16 streams of sword intent, thereby forming my own unique school and cultivating this divine ability." He picked up the jade cup and smiled, staring at Li Yuanping with eager anticipation. He replied: "My clan has over a hundred cultivators who have mastered sword qi, and I have already gathered these sword qi streams. However, sword intent is rare; my Wang clan only possesses two. I must go out myself to find the remaining ones to complete my Dao."

"So I asked my father, and the elder calculated with his fingers, saying there are still four Sword Immortals and two spiritual swords in Jiangnan from which I can draw."

Hearing this, Li Yuanping generally understood why Wang Xun had come. He then saw Wang Xun take a sip of tea and say somewhat shyly: "When I reached the lake, I secretly performed a divination myself. Your esteemed clan possesses a spiritual sword residing on Lijing Mountain, called Qingchi."

Setting down the jade cup, Wang Xun solemnly rose, shook his sleeve, stepped back, and respectfully said: "I humbly request the family head to allow me to examine the sword, to aid me in my cultivation path. I, Xun, will be eternally grateful!"

Wang Xun merely clasped his hands lightly and bowed his head slightly, without bending at the waist. Though his words were respectful, his demeanor appeared somewhat arrogant. Li Yuanping, assuming he was of immortal clan origin, didn't find it unusual. Unexpectedly, Wang Xun's expression showed a hint of awkwardness, and he immediately added: "I, Xun, carry a fated destiny and must not bow before others, lest I harm the family head. Please do not take offense!"

Li Yuanping, hearing this explanation for the first time, immediately brightened and made a mental note. He said, "I wouldn't dare," and replied: "The Qingchi Sword is our family's treasured artifact, serving as both a magical weapon and a sacrificial implement. This matter is quite significant. I, Yuanping, must report it to the clan and seek the elders' decision. Please bear with me."

"Good, good, that is as it should be!" Wang Xun quickly nodded twice in agreement. Li Yuanping walked out and whispered a few words to Li Wen outside the door, explaining the details and sending him up the mountain to report.

Watching the honest man depart, Li Yuanping returned to the hall, his mind becoming active: "This person is very knowledgeable; every sentence contains information that is typically a secret transmission of ordinary sects. I might as well seize this rare opportunity to learn more. This is a True Monarch's family legacy, priceless."

Before he could speak, Wang Xun himself eagerly said: "Your esteemed clan practices sword arts, bears the surname Li, and resides by Wangyue Lake. Could you be the clan of True Master Donghua from the former Yuehua Yuanfu?"

Li Yuanping found the name unfamiliar and merely replied: "No, my family traces its lineage to Old Ancestor Mutian, merely a Foundation Establishment immortal cultivator. Our ancestry is untraceable, and I have never heard of that True Master's name."

Wang Xun nodded and smiled: "The True Master's secular surname was Li, and his given name was Jiangqun. His sword Dao was profound, known even in my Yinghua Commandery. He was also a high-level cultivator in Wangyue Marsh back then."

"So, you are descendants of an immortal manor." Speaking of this, several direct descendants of the Li family had privately suspected this too, but firstly, there was no verifiable proof, and secondly, Li Jiangqun had too much karma associated with him. The Li family was merely a minor aristocratic family, they sought to avoid it, let alone get involved.

At that moment, he simply changed the subject, probing the stance of this qi absorption and nature cultivation path, and smiled: "I heard that the North has become a domain of the Hu羯 Buddhist cultivators. I didn't expect to find fellow practitioners of our kind."

"Well..." Wang Xun paused, then explained: "Although the Hu羯's southward movement solidified the Buddhist cultivation's dominance, many grotto-heavens and blessed lands in the North remain in self-imposed seclusion. Some small square nations even remain outside Buddhist control... Moreover..." He gave an awkward smile and replied: "My Qi Absorption and Nature Cultivation Path fought a great war against your Zifu Golden Core Path a thousand years ago. Although circumstances have forced us to cooperate more in recent centuries, we are truly not fellow practitioners..."

"I see! My apologies." Li Yuanping chuckled, a sudden realization dawning on him. Although quite curious about this so-called Qi Absorption and Nature Cultivation Path, he dared not pry into another's lineage. After all, the young man before him was merely naive, not foolish; a bit of conversation was enough.

Seeing Li Yuanping apologize, Wang Xun felt slightly guilty and quickly added: "The Dao has no good or evil, only in human action. I, Xun, am not one to judge good and evil based on lineage. A year ago, I went to the Xiuyue Sect to ask for a sword from Senior Shangyuan, and we had a very pleasant conversation..."

"True Master Shangyuan." Li Yuanping, hearing a name he had only heard in legends, replied: "That True Master is a Sword Immortal second only to Golden Core cultivators. I presume his sword intent is unparalleled."

"Indeed powerful." Wang Xun sighed, a solemn expression appearing on his face for the first time. He replied: "His sword is truly astonishing. On one side, it is ethereal and transcendent, dispelling demons and cutting down evil; on the other, it is like vast white snow, icy and biting. Even my clan's True Monarch has never seen someone possess two such distinct sword intents at once."

On this side, Li Wen received his orders and silently rose into the wind. In the courtyard on the mountain, silence reigned. Li Yuanjiao, dressed in black, stood motionless in the courtyard, his face grim. Xiao Guiluan quietly held his hand, saying nothing, her face also showing worry. She had now also broken through to Qi Refinement, her cultivation art vibrant, warming wounds and detoxifying.

"Brother." Li Qinghong also had a solemn expression, holding her long spear silently. After a long moment, she said: "That may be true, but leaving Younger Brother Ping alone down the mountain makes me incredibly uneasy."

"There's nothing we can do..." Li Yuanjiao gritted his teeth and lowered his gaze, saying: "After all... there's no room for personal affections anymore. I swore before Uncle Grandfather's spirit tablet that nothing must happen to either of us."

"Give me that spear!" Li Qinghong gave a muffled reply. Li Yuanjiao was slightly startled, but still took out a jade box from his storage pouch and said in a low voice: "I had already thought about this when I came, and brought it along. Uncle Grandfather said this spear is fierce and overbearing, untamable, and might harm one's vitality and shorten lifespan. He never used it himself after acquiring it back then, saying it couldn't be given to you unless you reached the peak of Qi Refinement."

"But if things truly go awry, having this spear in your hands might increase your chances of escape..." He handed over the jade box. Li Qinghong quickly took it, just as the courtyard gate creaked open. Several external Qi Refinement cultivators and guest elders of the family hastily arrived, responding in unison as they entered the courtyard.

After greeting them, Li Qinghong gently opened the jade box to reveal a long spear lying inside. The spear was entirely silver-white. Its head was seven inches long, the tip was square-edged and flat like buckwheat, and the shaft was six feet long. It was intricately patterned with flowing spiritual light, but being monochrome, it was hard to distinguish without close inspection.

The moment it was opened, the spear, as if unleashing years of accumulated wrath, burst forth with a series of shimmering white electric arcs and leapt from the box. Li Qinghong captured it with one hand.

"Hah!" A delicate purple glow flowed in her almond-shaped eyes. Li Qinghong let out a low grunt, her expression one of pleasant surprise. With a flick of her hand, the spear gradually became docile, emitting streaks of purple lightning, and settled obediently in her fair, reddish palm.

"The spear's name?" The spear was unmarked throughout; its creator had not left a name on the shaft. Therefore, its name could only be known once it recognized a master. Li Yuanjiao had been curious about this for a long time, and now seeing Li Qinghong subdue the spear, he immediately pressed her with questions.

Li Qinghong's jade-like fingers spread open, then clasped and twisted. The spear, like a flash of white light, flipped, transforming from horizontal to vertical in the blink of an eye. It then straightened with a whoosh, its flat, long tip angled towards the ground, humming loudly.

"Duruo!" Li Qinghong's voice was clear and bright, her eyes like shining stars. Dressed in jade armor and long boots, her already heroic and spirited attire, combined with this spear, took on a breathtaking quality, instantly captivating everyone's gaze. Most of the family's Qi Refinement cultivators were present. Tian Youdao and An Zheyuan, being the oldest, remained composed. Tian Zhongqing and Xu Gongming were momentarily lost in thought, then quickly averted their gazes. And Madam Dou, in her red dress, cast an envious glance at her niece.

"Good!" Li Yuanjiao couldn't help but exclaim in praise, a hint of pride appearing on his face. He didn't have time to ponder why the spear had such a name, thinking to himself: "Qinghong, from head to toe, likely has equipment no less impressive than that of a sect disciple. This spear of our family will surely become renowned far and wide sooner or later!"

The Duruo Spear was considered quite good among Foundation Establishment artifacts. The Li family hadn't seen many Foundation Establishment artifacts, but the Qingchi Sword and this spear were clearly superior to the Yu family's Jade Smog Mountain.

Li Yuanjiao adjusted his mood slightly, then coughed twice, causing Tian Zhongqing and Xu Gongming, who kept glancing at Li Qinghong, to feel a little embarrassed. He then said in a deep voice: "We have an outer path cultivator of the Foundation Establishment level who has arrived and is waiting down the mountain. Unfortunately, Old Ancestor has already left to seek opportunities for breaking through to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, far away in the North..."

The group's doubts were instantly resolved. Tian Youdao stroked his long beard and said in a hoarse voice: "My fear is that this person might be a demonic cultivator... If he goes mad, there might be a river of blood!" Tian Zhongqing and Xu Gongming exchanged glances, suddenly enlightened. Only then did they understand why they had been summoned up the mountain. If that person truly was a demonic cultivator, perhaps only the Sun-Rite Profound Light Array could offer some resistance...

"Thank you, master of the house, for your protection!" An Zheyuan offered a compliment, his expression somewhat grim. After all, his wife and children were still down the mountain. Li Feiruo had borne him a son and a daughter, both with spiritual apertures, which was quite rare.

Li Yuanjiao shook his head slightly and replied: "The Clan Elders' Hall has already taken all direct descendants and their wives and daughters. They are now at the foot of the mountain."

At these words, everyone immediately relaxed. Li Yuanping had already prepared a comprehensive plan, handling matters thoughtfully, which greatly eased Li Yuanjiao's burden. After all, these people might be needed to guard the formation later, and without worries, they could commit fully. When Liu Changdie originally established the Sun-Rite Profound Light Grand Array, he left eight high platforms that could relay and augment the array. Now, with exactly eight people, fully activating the Sun-Rite Profound Light Grand Array would make it not so easy for a Foundation Establishment cultivator to breach.

Li Wen was still down the mountain... As Li Yuanjiao was thinking, a person arrived, riding the wind into the courtyard. His figure was massive, holding a large golden gourd in each hand, looking very fierce. It was Li Wen.

The moment Li Wen's front foot landed, his back foot followed in a bow, and he respectfully said: "Family Head!..." After relaying Li Yuanping's instructions and briefly explaining the situation, Li Yuanjiao nodded gently and waved his hand, saying: "First, go to your respective array points and guard them."

All the guest elders and non-clan members nodded and dispersed. Li Qinghong pointed to an array point for Li Wen to go to, then turned back and said: "Brother! Can we trust him?"

"He is somewhat trustworthy, yes." Li Qinghong reminded him: "I'm just worried that Younger Brother Ping might have been enchanted by a spell." Li Yuanjiao's heart stirred; he had an idea. He replied: "We'll know once we see for ourselves!"

He then turned and re-entered the courtyard. Soon after, he brought out a small greenish-grey jade tablet. Li Qinghong immediately understood. Li Yuanjiao closed his eyes, concentrated his mind, and looked towards the mountain. By the small table in the side courtyard sat a young man in white, wearing a Daoist crown. His face was ordinary, and his aura was calm. Before the magical mirror, he appeared quite transparent, even exuding an ethereal immortal quality, clearly not a malicious person. At this moment, Wang Xun was holding a jade cup, sipping tea. A peach wood sword rested on his lap, and his Daoist robe sleeves were embroidered with golden patterns. On his back was a sword scabbard, shimmering with golden light, appearing somewhat ethereal.

"A sword scabbard?"