Chapter 428: Ming Hua Huang Yang Yu Jiao Xing

The dazzling golden light, with its myriad splendors, dispersed in the air. Lu Jiangxian clasped it in his hand, feeling a gentle warmth. Beside him, numerous illusions appeared, with various colors flowing, a truly beautiful sight.

These illusions sometimes depicted the intimate union of men and women or the frolicking of birds, and at other times, brilliant light filled the air with solitary wisps of smoke drifting. There were even scenes of emperors receiving obeisance, being crowned, and ascending their thrones. Finally, all the illusions transformed into a pure, clear orb of light.

A realization immediately dawned on him: this complete Golden Essence was called the "Minghua Huangyang Yujiaoxing." It governed growth, union, male dominance with female assistance, heavenly light, bright fire—indeed, all things related to Mingyang.

"The Jianyáng Ring is quite peculiar. Xu Xiao most likely extracted it from the Liuding Binghuo Token. As for how it ended up in that specific token, I'll probably only know once I get my hands on that Purple Mansion spiritual artifact!"

Lu Jiangxian's mind was already set on the Liuding Binghuo Token. The Golden Essence in his hand continuously pulsed, transmitting many insights. This Golden Essence could enlighten demonic creatures, influence destiny, and connect with others. It possessed all sorts of divine wonders, but its effects were always profoundly significant.

"So, this is what Golden Essence looks like... And just a small wisp of it is already so miraculous!"

With this wisp of Mingyang Golden Essence in his hand, Lu Jiangxian moved past his initial surprise and began to ponder how best to use it.

"First, I absolutely cannot bestow it upon anyone."

Lu Jiangxian first ruled out the idea of bestowing it upon the Li family. Apart from whether anyone in the family could even control it, he feared this wisp of Golden Essence would cause significant trouble the moment it touched the ground!

If his guess was correct, should this Golden Essence fall into the mortal world, it would immediately cause people to indulge in extreme desires, give birth without cause, and make all things flourish unnaturally. Ultimately, it would transform into some demonic entity, causing widespread slaughter and attracting Purple Mansion cultivators to battle each other.

"After all, Golden Essence is a rare treasure for Purple Mansion cultivators. What's more, the Mingyang Fruit position seems to be something held by Luoxia Mountain..."

After seeing the Liuding Binghuo Token and then the Mingyang Golden Essence, Lu Jiangxian gained many insights. The creation of Purple Mansion spiritual treasures was very likely related to Golden Essence. That Liuding Binghuo Token, for instance, might have been forged with "binghuo" (combined fire) during its creation, akin to a demonic entity, which would explain its effects.

"If that's the case, then the Jianyáng Ring contains Mingyang Essence, and the Liuding Binghuo Token contains Binghuo Essence. So this Dharma Mirror... it should logically contain an essence too..."

Lu Jiangxian made a deduction and immediately recalled the scene of the Dharma Mirror continuously gushing out Taiyin moonlight. He speculated:

"It seems to be Taiyin Essence without a doubt. Judging by its appearance... could it be that the entire Taiyin Fruit position is contained within the Dharma Mirror? Perhaps there's even more than one Taiyin essence, which would explain why the Taiyin moonlight gushes out like water without end."

Thinking about it this way, in the past century, Lu Jiangxian had visited many places and read numerous ancient texts from various families. Yet, he seemed to have never encountered a Purple Mansion cultivator from the Taiyin lineage. Although he had managed to find a few Taiyin and Shaoyin cultivation methods, their grades were extremely low; not a single one could lead to the Purple Mansion realm.

He had never even heard of a Golden Core cultivator from the Taiyin lineage. The only exception was an immortal named Yingze, who might have been related to the Taiyin and Taiyang lineages, but that was thousands of years ago.

"Leaving other things aside, at least this 'Golden Palace Radiant Origin Art' can be refined several more times!"

Lu Jiangxian took a closer look. The Mingyang Golden Essence, held in his grasp, glowed warmly. He hesitated, saying:

"With this Golden Essence in hand, I finally have some influence over the outside world. However, I must still be careful not to be too obvious, lest I attract the attention of Purple Mansion cultivators."

After pondering for a while, he realized that using this Mingyang Golden Essence had both advantages and disadvantages. It could even directly transform into a gush of divine light to harm enemies, but that would be a great waste of a heavenly treasure and should not be used lightly.

As for the Li family cultivating this path, at least in Yue State, there were no fellow practitioners. With the Wei-Li bloodline to conceal it, it wouldn't easily arouse suspicion. The only concern was the north:

'Each of the Mahā in the north already has an irreconcilable blood feud with the Wei-Li family. Now that Luoxia Mountain is interested in the Mingyang Golden Essence, the north is off-limits!'

'Fortunately, unless reincarnated, the Mahā generally do not come south. Luoxia, furthermore, disregards mortal affairs and wouldn't travel thousands of miles just to cause harm. Along the way to the East Sea, I've also seen many Mingyang orthodoxies, so the issue shouldn't be too significant.'

Withdrawing his thoughts from the Golden Essence, Lu Jiangxian then turned his attention to organizing his gains from the East Sea.

Lu Jiangxian had accompanied the Li family on a trip to the East Sea, spending most of his time drifting on the water with few opportunities to disembark. He had rarely encountered a significant location like the ruins of Qing Song Temple, but abundant traces of Purple Mansion cultivators there made Lu Jiangxian hesitant to boldly investigate.

Nevertheless, he had collected many cultivation methods, filling in numerous gaps regarding the path of Golden Essence. Putting everything together, he indeed discovered some new information.

"Along the way, many local cultivation techniques inevitably contained ancient records, which also documented information about Golden Essence Fruit positions."

These records frequently mentioned Yin-Yang Fruit positions. Some sources claimed three Yin and four Yang, others five Yin and four Yang, opinions varied widely. However, one thing was certain: Yin and Yang Fruit positions were not equal.

Similarly, many Fruit positions hung isolated, appearing particularly suspicious, such as the Wulu, Yuzhen, and Bingxiu positions. These Golden Essences seemed to have emerged independently, with very few associated cultivation methods; often, if one was found, a second could not be.

He kept this doubt to himself. As he silently pondered, a feedback suddenly broke through the void, following a connection in the Great Void. A realization dawned on Lu Jiangxian.

"Li Ximing has broken through to Foundation Establishment."

Li Ximing was cultivating on Qingdu Mountain at the time. The Mingyang Essence had brushed past him. He cultivated the "Golden Palace Radiant Origin Art," which belonged to the Mingyang lineage. It was akin to a peak Purple Mansion cultivator, using all their divine abilities to draw the Golden Essence into the world to ensure his breakthrough. It was as if the "meal" had been spoon-fed to him; if he couldn't break through now, he might as well just bash his head against a rock.

"This child is quite lucky..."

If Li Ximing didn't lack any so-called destiny, Lu Jiangxian would truly believe he was the Son of Destiny:

'Born into an aristocratic family, supported by the entire clan, with a natural talent for alchemy, and a preference for secluded cultivation—never leaving unless there's an extreme crisis... How is this not destiny's blessing? Among the entire clan, only this child holds the hope of breaking through to the Purple Mansion realm.'

He redirected his gaze to the "Golden Palace Radiant Origin Art" before him. With the assistance of the Golden Essence, he was confident he could push this cultivation method to a higher level!

'Once this cultivation method is complete, I can research the combination of Golden Essence and talismanic energy.'

Time in the mirror world always flowed like water. It used to be lonely and boring, but now, time was surprisingly insufficient.

Qingdu Cave Abode.

The Jianyáng Ring spun once in the air before gently floating down. All the anomalies throughout the cave abode vanished. Li Xijun took it, examining it carefully. It was exactly as before, with no discernible quality or material, and felt incredibly light in his hand.

To his spiritual perception, the Jianyáng Ring seemed ordinary, like nothing more than a simple shuttle. Only its material remained indiscernible. Had he not witnessed Xu Xiao's speed while riding it, Li Xijun would never have recognized it as a treasure.

Meanwhile, Li Qinghong looked at the Immortal Mirror, which also appeared unchanged. Li Xijun whispered:

"Aunt... it shouldn't be a bad thing."

"Yes."

Li Qinghong nodded. The aunt and nephew studied it for a while but found no answers. Li Xijun then said:

"Aunt, the altar for your lightning cultivation method has already been completed at home. However, since you've been away for so long, you haven't had a chance to use it. Now that you've returned, you can try out that Heaven-Reaching Thunder."

Li Qinghong cultivated an ancient method, and the marvel of her immortal foundation allowed her to summon lightning from heaven and earth. However, with the great changes in the world, she wasn't sure if it would still work. Li Qinghong nodded, put away the Jianyáng Ring, and flew down to return to the Immortal Mirror.

Everything had finally settled. Li Xijun had missed the opportunity for Qi Refining Level Seven, but since he had saved so much, he didn't feel it was a loss. He then left, flew for a while, and landed in Lijing Town.

A crowd knelt on the stone steps of the central hall. Li Xijun's gaze swept over them, spotting several familiar faces. They were all from the Liu and Xu families, their heads bowed, with cries rising all around.

As Li Xijun landed, a member of the Liu family crawled over on his knees, weeping incessantly and recounting past friendships. Li Xijun gently helped him up but did not linger.

Upon his arrival, the Jade Court Guards on both sides knelt down. He then stepped into the central hall, a simple yet grand space. At the head sat a middle-aged man with a square face and broad forehead. Li Xijun said:

"Elder Brother."

This man was none other than the current family head, Li Xicheng, who had been in charge for several years. He was carefully reading a letter, years of managing the family having made him much more composed. He looked at his approaching younger brother and said softly:

"It's been a long time, little brother... The Liu and Xu families have brought their entire clans out and have been kneeling before the hall all night. What do you think, eighth brother?"

Li Xijun took a step back and waved his hand, saying:

"Elder brother, since you manage the family, you should decide. Your humble younger brother dares not say more."

Li Xicheng smiled, his back straightened, and he said softly:

"The Liu family cannot be heavily punished. Kneeling all night is punishment enough. They are already so destitute there's nothing left to punish them for; let them disperse on their own. As for the Xu family, I intend to divide them into several branches. Xu Xiao is dead, so his lineage will be delisted. The other branches of the Xu family performed meritorious service by reporting demonic cultivators, so they shall be rewarded for their contributions."

"Centurion Chen has been personally killed by Chen Mufeng. Publicly, it will be said he was killed by demonic arts, and his wife and children will receive protection. Chen Mufeng, on the other hand, will be stripped of his position as chiliarch and start over as a court guard."

Li Xijun listened for a while. His elder brother then said:

"Elder Qiuyang... I sent him rewards, but he declined them. He went back to farming... so we can only provide for his son."

"Elder Qiuyang has served diligently and made great contributions. However, none of his descendants possess spiritual aptitude. All positions that could be granted have already been filled... his path is cut off... It's difficult to say what more we can give him."

Li Xijun smiled and nodded:

"Elder brother is already well-versed in these matters, so your younger brother will not say more. As for Chengliao, the mountain also has rewards."

The two conversed for a while. Li Xijun cupped his hands, vaguely sensing the weariness of his elder brother behind the heavy curtains. After pondering for a few moments, he motioned for the Jade Court Guards to withdraw one by one and said softly:

"Elder brother, you can appoint more people; there's no need to overwork yourself. You still need to take care of your health and not let your cultivation fall behind."

Li Xicheng was stunned for a moment, then finally lowered his head:

"Chen Mufeng was someone I personally promoted, yet such a thing happened. I cannot escape responsibility..."

Li Xijun was about to say something more, but then saw a person from the clan's main courtyard approach and bow, saying:

"The Old Family Head requests an audience with both sirs."

"Uncle Yuanping?"

The two brothers exchanged glances, realizing something, and their expressions were not good. Li Xicheng said softly:

"I will go up the mountain now."

The two dared not delay and hurried up the mountain. Indeed, they found a solemn atmosphere. They hastily stepped into the courtyard, where many people were moving in and out. Upon entering the inner courtyard, they saw someone lying on a couch.

Li Yuanping's face was pale, and he was leaning against the edge of the bed. Li Qinghong sat on one side. His wife, Madam Ren, was only at the third level of Embryonic Breathing cultivation, in her forties, with a few wrinkles on her face, weeping softly.

The two bowed in trepidation. Li Yuanping glanced at them, his voice weak yet still gentle:

"In the past, my elder brother and I knelt before Old Ancestor Tongya's couch. His words still echo in my ears. In a blink of an eye, I can no longer hold on."

Li Xijun and his brother could only offer soft words of comfort. Li Xicheng, who had studied under him for a long time and had a deeper bond, was already shedding tears. Li Yuanping said:

"Where is Li Ximing?"

Li Xijun braced himself and replied:

"Ming is in seclusion, breaking through to Foundation Establishment."

"Then let it be..."

He stared into the distance, his pale lips parting to utter a sentence.

Madam Dou held him, overcome with grief. She was Li Xuanxuan's main wife and had managed the household for a period. Now at Qi Refining Level Three, her cultivation had gradually stagnated, with no further path to advance.

Madam Dou had borne two sons for Li Xuanxuan, one after the other, both of whom had died before her eyes. Decades ago, she had seen off Li Yuanxiu; now she had to see off Li Yuanping, her hair completely white and feeling utterly powerless.

Li Yuanping glanced left and right. He had many things to say, but there was no time. He could only whisper:

"Cheng'er, from now on, you must rely on yourself."

How could Li Xicheng hold back? Tears streamed down his face as he loudly kowtowed twice. Li Yuanping waved his hand, interrupting his unspoken words, and looked at Li Xijun:

"Xijun, I'll have to trouble you to deal with Ming's mess... From now on, with the elders gone, the family will depend on you."

Li Xijun looked up and met Li Yuanping's gaze deeply, understanding that he knew everything. His sword-like eyebrows relaxed, and he said softly:

"Xijun has merely done what a junior should."

Li Yuanping let out two faint chuckles from his throat, his voice gradually weakening:

"Elder sister, family matters will be left to you and elder brother from now on."

He slowly slumped, a faint, almost inaudible sigh of regret escaping his throat:

"Old Ancestor, it's not that Ping is faithless; Heaven simply did not grant me more years..."

In the midst of silence, the light in his eyes gradually dimmed. On the pillow beside him lay two handwritten books. Li Qinghong picked them up, wiping away her tears. One was "Tales of the Great Desert," a compilation of notes left by Li Jingtián. The other was "Thirty-Two Years of Family Management Records."

His cultivation was ordinary, and he had toiled his entire life. He couldn't write any profound scriptures or secret techniques; the only things he had written were merely what he had witnessed in his life. Li Qinghong carefully put them away, then stood up and turned around.

A crowd knelt below. Li Qinghong glanced over them and said softly:

"Arrange everything properly, and I will send him to the ancestral hall."

Li Xicheng nodded, choking back a sob. Li Xijun, meanwhile, stared blankly at Li Yuanping's hand, seemingly recalling something, one hand unconsciously stroking the cold surface, remaining silent.

Li Qinghong then rose on the wind and stepped into the ancestral hall. She first read the two scrolls, then placed them on a table.

The ancestral hall was as quiet as ever. Countless densely packed memorial tablets were arranged above, with incense smoke drifting. Li Qinghong was silent for a moment, then said softly:

"Grandfather... my elder brother and I have both reached Foundation Establishment. But without you in the family, we always feel adrift and empty inside."

Li Qinghong had heard Li Yuanping's dying words clearly and felt saddened by them. She was usually a woman of few words, but it was rare for her to chatter on to Li Tongya's memorial tablet for a while. She then quietly left.

She had no extra time for contemplation. She simply bathed, changed her clothes, burned incense, and chanted incantations. It would take a full three months before she could ascend that altar.