Chapter 377: Jiao Knows Lakes and Seas

"Can my family profit from this?" Li Xuanxuan asked. His heart was a mix of apprehension and eager hope, fearing the manipulations of the Zifu yet coveting the potential gains. He murmured, "Dongli Sect was once a renowned Immortal Sect. Not to mention what's inside the grotto-heaven, even the spirit water, spirit fire, and spiritual energy outside are all rare treasures."

"Could we send a few guest cultivators or those not of our direct lineage to compete with the rogue cultivators around the grotto-heaven? If we could seize even one or two of these items, it would greatly benefit our family's future development!"

Li Qinghong listened until he finished speaking, her delicate eyebrows subtly arching. Softly, she replied, "It's hard to say. If we truly get our family involved, sending external cultivators or guest cultivators is no different from sending direct descendants..."

Li Qinghong continued, "Moreover, if these external or guest cultivators obtain any heavenly spirit water or fire, they're unlikely to hand it over honestly. Them escaping to live freely in the world would be considered a good outcome..."

Li Xuanxuan was immediately speechless. Li Qinghong then said, "Naturally, our family cannot risk ourselves. Although Chu Yi has entered the grotto-heaven, who can guarantee he'll just drink his fill of soup and leave from the periphery? He might lose his composure as soon as he arrives at Mount Dongli..."

"Rogue cultivators have nothing to lose; they're just taking a gamble. Our family is different."

Li Qinghong pondered for a moment, then spoke softly, "Our family cannot risk entering Mount Dongli, but there are many who are willing to. A bear hunts deer, a sparrow steals food. Even if a hawk cannot rush in recklessly, can it not profit from the sparrow?"

Li Qinghong took a map from her storage pouch and pointed to Mount Dongli: "Mount Dongli is located on the border of Yu Fu Commandery. To its west, south, and north are large commanderies teeming with aristocratic families and clans. Pursuing or escaping there would not end well."

"If rogue cultivators obtain treasures and leave the mountain, they certainly won't head west, south, or north. The best direction is east, fleeing directly towards the loosely governed territory of Ziyan Sect."

"Ziyan Sect is inherently weak, and at this moment, they are busy dividing treasures within the grotto-heaven. Their territory is empty, and they are short-handed..."

Li Qinghong, with about seventy to eighty percent certainty, stated, "If I were a rogue cultivator who acquired a treasure, I would definitely flee east. After leaving Ziyan territory, I would proceed along the edge of Shanji Commandery, enter the Great River estuary, and then disappear on the East Sea, establishing a new lineage..."

Li Xuanxuan stroked his beard, silent for a moment, then whispered, "Qinghong, are you suggesting an ambush in Ziyan Sect's territory?"

"No," Li Qinghong replied, her brows alight with excitement, a smile playing on her lips. "At the Great River estuary! Ziyan Sect is too close to Mount Dongli; it's far too dangerous. I can travel the Great River with the Immortal Mirror, which can peer a thousand miles. What Foundation Establishment cultivator could catch me? What Qi Condensation cultivator could defeat me?"

"Currently, the Zifu's attention is all on Mount Dongli. The estuary is winding and under the jurisdiction of Xiuyue Sect. If we wait there, it's a profit if we succeed, and no loss if we don't. It's only a matter of ten-odd days..."

Li Xuanxuan thought it was a good idea, but he was old and frail, timid at heart. The little courage he once possessed had long been eroded by the catastrophe in the market. His lips moved twice, but he remained silent.

Li Qinghong glanced at his face and immediately understood, so she merely pursed her lips and said nothing more.

*Uncle Xuanxuan is already so old and has repeatedly faced life-or-death situations; he's surely exhausted... He probably has no intention of being proactive,* Li Qinghong thought. She remained silent for a moment, then Li Xuanxuan indeed spoke: "Jiao'er is in seclusion, and his fate is unknown. If anything were to happen to you, our family would lose its pillar! Furthermore... it might be inappropriate to use the family's treasured artifact for a long journey."

"Understood... I accept your guidance," Li Qinghong replied with a touch of disappointment in her smile. "But there's no rush either... I hear the grotto-heaven hasn't even opened yet, and who knows how many people are waiting..."

Li Qinghong bowed slightly, preparing to withdraw, when she saw the ground brighten and the flowing water, which had been murmuring, quiet down. The biting wind from the north swept in, clearing the dark clouds from above the courtyard.

"Boom!" A dull thud echoed from the clear sky. The sky suddenly darkened, and the clear water in the courtyard seemed to leap from the ground, burrowing into the cracks in the earth and stones, disappearing from sight.

"Brother! Brother has broken through!" Li Qinghong was stunned for a moment. Then, the stone door of the cultivation chamber burst open with a crash, and a gust of biting wind blew out, stirring up a cloud of greenish-gray water mist. Li Xuanxuan also stood up excitedly, taking a few steps forward.

Indeed, from the hazy water mist, a young man in black emerged, a sword on his back and a smile on his face. He stepped out, his expression brimming with joy.

"Vast Sea, achieved!" Li Yuanjiao's voice was unusually joyous and uninhibited, finally releasing years of suppressed emotion. A sense of having fulfilled his responsibilities filled his heart. Looking at his father and sister in the courtyard, he laughed, "I have forged my Immortal Foundation and become a cultivator at the early Foundation Establishment stage!"

Seeing his appearance, Li Xuanxuan burst into hearty laughter. Taking a step forward, he joyfully exclaimed, "My Jiao'er has naturally achieved Foundation Establishment with absolute certainty! Now that our family has added such strength, many things we previously dared not attempt can be set in motion."

Li Yuanjiao gently shook his head, a look of lingering relief on his face. Recalling the various difficulties he encountered during his years of secluded cultivation, cold sweat faintly appeared on his back. He replied, "Father speaks lightly, but it was far from easy. I barely survived... If not for good fortune and my youth, I might not have overcome this life-and-death tribulation."

Since several of their family's elders had achieved Foundation Establishment with ease, Li Xuanxuan had assumed Li Yuanjiao's breakthrough would also be a natural progression. He never expected him to appear as if he had just survived a catastrophe. Stunned, he replied, "How can that be... If even you found it so difficult, how many others in our family could achieve Foundation Establishment?!"

"There were never many to begin with, Father. Don't think of Foundation Establishment as too simple... Just look at how many people from the Fei and Yu families died trying to achieve it..." Li Yuanjiao shook his head. Li Qinghong, who was standing nearby, seemed unperturbed. She surveyed her brother and smiled, "How do you feel, Brother? How much different is it from Grandfather back then?"

Li Yuanjiao's smile faded, and he said earnestly, "That's precisely what puzzles me..."

After saying this, he slowly extended his hand. His black robe fluttered gently in the wind, and as his Immortal Foundation circulated, the roaring sound of a waterfall instantly filled the ears of the three of them.

"Whoosh!" Greenish-gray spring water suddenly surged from the floor tiles and cracks in the stone, swirling around their feet. It then climbed up Li Yuanjiao's robes, instantly transforming into a menacing flood dragon, its layers of scales clearly visible, coiling beside him.

Li Yuanjiao softly explained, "I have achieved my Immortal Foundation, but I don't have the ability to condense talisman water. Instead, I've gained another profound ability, which should be called 'Flood Dragon Knows Lakes and Seas'..."

His expression was peculiar as he continued, "This profound ability allows me to understand the speech of aquatic beasts, befriend underwater fiends, command clouds and rain, and manipulate water veins..."

Li Qinghong was momentarily stunned. A word inexplicably arose in her mind, and she murmured, "Jing Dragon King?!"

Li Yuanjiao nodded approvingly and said in a deep voice, "I also feel this path is closer to the Jing Dragon King, rather than Vast Sea... But everyone knows these are just different names for the same Immortal Foundation! Jing Dragon King is an ancient name for Vast Sea..."

"Moreover!" Li Yuanjiao slowly furrowed his brow, revealing his most pressing concern: "I compared it to what Grand-uncle described back then. After condensing Vast Sea, I haven't experienced the same level of improvement he spoke of. My true essence recovery rate and qi sea capacity are barely half of Grand-uncle's..."

Li Tongya's ability to exert such suppressive power among cultivators of the same rank wasn't solely due to his *Moon Pavilion Sword Canon*; it was also significantly linked to his astonishing true essence recovery speed. Even his eventual ability to consume the precious medicine, the Splendorous Chalice Fruit, and resist exploding was reliant on the profound reservoir of Vast Sea...

Now that these two crucial abilities were far inferior to Li Tongya's, Li Yuanjiao's excitement sharply diminished. He pondered for a moment, then sighed, "Perhaps this truly is Jing Dragon King! It must be different from Vast Sea after all!"

"Could it be that medicine?" Li Qinghong asked quietly. All three immediately fell silent.

Seeing Li Yuanjiao emerge from seclusion, Li Qinghong's plans suddenly gained confidence. She described the changes within the family, then smilingly explained her previous calculations, asking, "What do you think, Brother?"

Li Yuanjiao nodded and said softly, "This matter is feasible, but the divine ability is peculiar. How can we be sure if it's due to a subtle influence or if it originated from one's true heart?"

Li Qinghong hesitated, "According to the family's talisman seed... it shouldn't be affected..."

"Not necessarily..." Li Yuanjiao, by nature suspicious, had clearly given it much thought. He whispered, "In my view, this talisman seed can resist divine abilities, but it requires a direct blessing from the ability to activate. If it's subtly triggered by destiny, with the mundane world in turmoil, it's impossible to guard against."

"Otherwise, why would Grand-uncle always say he was guided by divine abilities multiple times? And why would Uncle Xuanling inexplicably want to go to Mount Luoxia? It must be related to destiny!"

Having broken through to Foundation Establishment, Li Yuanjiao had comprehended many profound mysteries, and his perspective was vastly different. Things he hadn't understood before now became clear. Li Qinghong listened, her brows deeply furrowed, and asked, "If that's the case, and everyone is led by destiny, how many things would people dare to do in this world?!"

"Indeed... The Zifu shouldn't possess such immense divine abilities, or else the Xiao family wouldn't have emerged. It's just that our family has been tormented by the Zifu twice now, so it's natural to feel fear."

Li Qinghong glanced at both of them, then gritted her teeth and declared, "Without achieving Zifu, one is ultimately just an ant!"

Li Xuanxuan sighed, his aged face appearing even more disheartened. Li Yuanjiao, however, lightly touched the sword at his waist. Having just broken through to Foundation Establishment, the melancholy he had suppressed for years had finally dissipated. He replied, "There's no need to be overly fearful and abandon the effort."

Li Qinghong quickly looked at him. Li Yuanjiao replied, "We can consult the Dharma Mirror to clarify our minds. If there are no issues, then we can go."

Li Xuanxuan listened for a while, still unable to let go of his worries. His hands trembled violently, and scenes of the flames and demonic energy in the market repeatedly flashed through his mind. He sighed incessantly.

The great catastrophe in the market years ago had left him physically and mentally exhausted. These past few years, he had lived in constant trepidation, often dreaming of Li Tongya and Li Mutian. He would frequently awaken during cultivation, his heart pounding.

Watching the two juniors consult the Dharma Mirror and confirm there were no issues, Li Xuanxuan sat blankly in his seat. Wearily, he said, "Qinghong, you stay. Let Jiao'er go alone."

Mount Dongli.

Mount Dongli was a rare large mountain in the northern part of Yue Kingdom. Most of its trees were maples, and at this time of year, the entire mountain was ablaze with red, occasionally dotted by fleeting streaks of light, making for a beautiful sight.

There were not many demonic beasts on Mount Dongli to begin with. Qingchi Sect had encircled the mountain a century ago, entering it regularly. When Dongli Sect fell, it left behind numerous formidable barrier arrays, making it a good training ground for the disciples of the Three Sects and Seven Gates. Even peak lords would occasionally enter to search for spiritual objects.

At this moment, streaks of light pulsed all around the large mountain. Even though the grotto-heaven had not yet descended, a large number of rogue cultivators and demonic cultivators were already circulating. From time to time, a streak of light would plunge into the mountain, beginning to explore within the formidable barrier arrays.

Above Mount Dongli, the sky was cloudless and quite clear. A person stepped out from the void, wearing light golden armor. They held a great halberd in their hand and had a jade seal at their waist.

This Zifu cultivator stood in the air for a moment. Then, another person broke through the sky, dressed in golden robes. Although her robes were loose, it was clear she was a woman. She wore a veiled hat, with white gauze falling down, obscuring her face.

"Tiao Xiao." The female Zifu cultivator called out. Yuan Su turned his head, his gaze briefly sweeping over her before he replied, "So it's True Person Qiushui. Congratulations on cultivating another divine ability and breaking through to the late Zifu stage."

The female cultivator remained silent. The two Zifu cultivators stood quietly, both silently gazing at the grotto-heaven bobbing in the void. Yuan Su murmured, "Senior Dongli painstakingly hid this for so many years, but it was pulled out in the end. After all, it's Mount Luoxia. Among the Daoist sects visible in the world today, only Luoxia holds sway..."

The female Zifu cultivator listened silently until he finished, then added four short, powerful words: "Daoist sects within the seas."

The two Zifu cultivators chatted desultorily. Meanwhile, the Qingchi Sect's Cloud Ship of Rosy Clouds had pierced through the thick layers of clouds and was slowly descending upon Mount Dongli, illuminating the surroundings with a shimmering rosy glow.

Li Xizhi stood on the large boat, looking down at the cultivators below. He murmured, "Another bloody storm. Who knows how many cultivators died in the demonic calamity? In this state, I wonder how many cultivators will be left in Yue Kingdom..."

"Brother Zhi, you don't know," Yang Xiao'er said, smiling at Li Xizhi, who was still staring down. "For the Three Sects and Seven Gates, there's never a shortage of rogue cultivators. How vast is the East Sea? As long as the cultivators guarding the coast relax a little, hundreds and thousands of East Sea cultivators, coveting the wealth of Yue Kingdom, will eagerly rush in to become rogue cultivators."

Yang Xiao'er glanced at the people around them and transmitted via divine sense: "Cultivators from Yue Kingdom, once they obtain treasures, want to leave. In the East Sea, without the suppression of the Three Sects and Seven Gates, establishing a sect is a natural progression. East Sea cultivators are accustomed to poverty and want to come in. After all, not every place allows you to plant a handful of spiritual rice and have something grow..."

Li Xizhi nodded after listening, and softly said, "I heard that Changxiao Gate only relocated here within the last two centuries. The Seven Gates can vary in number; they can move or disperse, but only the Three Sects consistently maintain suppression."

Yang Xiao'er seemed to suddenly remember something and asked, puzzled, "Just... Brother Zhi, wasn't your ancestor named Li Mutian? It's said he followed my ancestor in campaigns against the mountain Yue..."

An alarm immediately went off in Li Xizhi's mind. He adopted a casual demeanor and nonchalantly replied, "That's right."