Chapter 512: Purple Mansion Falls

Azure Pond Sect, Yuanwu Peak.

News of Yuanwu’s imminent demise had gradually spread. The Purple Mansion True Person was constantly moving in and out of the sect, and the disciples, understanding the unspoken truth, dared not mention it. Yuanwu Peak stood tall, shrouded in mist, with volcanic veins spewing forth fire. This immortal peak was Azure Pond’s specialized forge, usually bustling with cultivators coming and going. Now, however, it seemed desolate, as if everyone was avoiding it. After all, the current Yuanwu was the most unreasonable person both inside and outside the sect. Even if he found someone unlucky on the road and killed them with a wave of his sleeve, no one would dare seek justice.

Tang Shendu emerged from his cave dwelling, his armor clanking, looking as if he had a severe headache. He had gained no benefits in the grotto-heaven and had instead suffered severe injuries. Knowing Yuanwu would go mad in the coming years, he had used healing as an excuse to delay, remaining in seclusion on the peak for over ten years. Now, however, it was unavoidable to see Yuanwu. If he continued to avoid him, Yuanwu might one day remember and, breaking through the void, strike Tang Shendu dead with a single palm.

He had barely reached halfway up the mountain when he saw a young man standing at its base. Tang Shendu was startled and quickly said, “Greetings, True Person Yuansu.” Yuansu held a jade pot, seemingly still drinking. He waved his hand dismissively, like shooing flies, and said softly, “I’m only here to watch him die; it has nothing to do with you.” Watching Yuansu’s unrestrained demeanor, Tang Shendu sweated profusely and felt like crying. Yuansu had a harsh temperament and would not miss this excellent opportunity to mock Yuanwu, which only made things difficult for them.

He hurried up the mountain. In front of the great hall stood another person, not in green robes but a brocade gown, with a short beard, sallow complexion, long face, and vacant eyes, also looking extremely terrified. This person was Yu Su, the other influential figure of Yuanwu Peak, a brocade-furred shrew known for his greed. The two exchanged a glance, both with long faces. They saw that the great hall, usually gleaming with golden light, was now dim. Yuanwu, who always presented a radiant appearance, was gone, replaced by a white-haired old man, disheveled, kneeling blankly before the hall.

Tang Shendu’s legs trembled. Hearing the clanking of metal inside the hall, he wished he could pluck out his eyes, lowering his head to his chest, and stammered tremblingly, “Mas… Master…” Yuanwu, from above, looked dazed. He squinted and said in surprise, “Shecheng, Xiuxian, you two are here.” Both men’s expressions instantly changed. They knelt on the ground, silent.

Tang Shendu and the other naturally understood these two names: one was Tang Shecheng, Tang Yuanwu’s son, and the other was Yu Xiuxian, who had once been the Senior Disciple. Tang Yuanwu was ruthless and heartless, but these two were the only ones he cared for. When they were alive, the atmosphere of Yuanwu Peak was completely different from now, and Tang Yuanwu even smiled. Back then, Tang Shendu was just a junior from a collateral branch, like a follower trailing Tang Shecheng. Yu Su, because of his greedy nature, was often hung up and whipped by his elder brother Yu Xiuxian, wailing through the night. Later, Tang Shecheng died after failing to break through to the Purple Mansion, and Yu Xiuxian was killed by Guo E of Scarlet Reef Island. Yuanwu was powerless to prevent either death. From then on, his temperament became increasingly extreme, reaching its current state.

The two simply knelt on the ground, daring not to speak. Tang Yuanwu, disheveled and with vacant eyes, stepped forward and reached out to pull Tang Shendu, asking, “Ah… Cheng’er… why are you wearing armor? How many times has Father told you… wear a Daoist robe… be more elegant… Oh… Daoist robes are good…” Although Tang Shendu hated and feared Tang Yuanwu, his feelings for Tang Shecheng were deep, and he couldn’t help but shed tears. Yu Su was also moved by this. Tang Yuanwu then went to pull Yu Su, asking, “Why are you dressed so lavishly!... Xiuxian finally thought of himself… your younger brother is useless… Oh dear… learn more Daoist techniques… don’t just cultivate…” Yu Su was already tearful, and upon hearing these words, the usually greedy and malicious brocade-furred shrew burst into wails.

This crying only made things worse. It instantly jolted Tang Yuanwu from his tenderness and confusion. Ruthlessness and madness returned to his eyes, and a brilliant light once again rose from his body. He flew into a rage, “You dog, what are you wailing for?! I’m not dead yet!” Yuanwu struck Yu Su’s chest with a palm, making him spit blood all over the ground and roll down from the high platform with a thud. Yu Su’s brocade robe was covered in blood. He scrambled up, kowtowed, and cried mournfully, “Master!” This cry made Yuanwu lower his raised hand. His gaze evasively skipped over Yu Su and landed coldly on Tang Shendu.

Tang Shendu’s lips were pale as he stared intently at Yuanwu, who, in a fury, cursed, “Rebellion! All of you are rebelling!” He kicked Tang Shendu in the chest. A sound of cracking bones echoed, and Tang Shendu fell from the high platform like a broken-winged bird. Yuanwu coughed up golden dust all over the ground and cursed, “You cur!”

Wind and clouds surged in the sky, gradually forming a gigantic spiral. The center was clear of clouds, leaving only a heavy golden light, directed at the slowly floating white-haired old man. Yuanwu, disheveled and with bulging eyes, watched the golden particles and iron dust fall from the sky like a downpour, letting out a sorrowful wail that sounded inhuman. The entire Azure Pond Mountain became pitch black in the golden and iron downpour. Everyone felt like they were on an isolated island, unable to distinguish people or objects around them. True Person Yuansu’s expression gradually became serious. He raised the jade cup in his hand and lightly tapped it towards the sky from afar. “Senior Brother… farewell.”

In July, Tang Yuanwu of Azure Pond underwent disembodiment. Golden rain fell like a waterfall, and iron rained down like sand. His spiritual consciousness dispersed, blurring all sense of distance. When the golden rain finally subsided, people emerged from their homes to see that for a radius of three zhang, Azure Peak had transformed into Golden Peak.

Green Pine Island.

“I will accompany you to that market town and, on the way, see where it is located in the Sea of Barbarian Straits.” After Li Xizhi finished speaking, he paused. Both their expressions changed as they felt the intense fluctuations in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. They quickly rose into the air, one after the other, flying upwards. Green Pine Island, already home to many Foundation Establishment cultivators, now saw the sky gradually filled with various figures, all uniformly turning southward, their expressions complex, mocking, or sneering, whispering and discussing amongst themselves. “Yuanwu has fallen!” Li Xizhi’s expression was somewhat complex. Although this person had never had a good relationship with his family, he was, after all, a Purple Mansion cultivator. He could only sigh softly and bow slightly as a sign of respect.

After watching for a moment, the golden and iron downpour in the distance quickly subsided. Li Xizhi turned around, summoned a disciple from the Azure Pond Sect, and instructed him in front of Han Shizhen, “I have obtained a clue from the Peak Master and will make a trip to the Han family. Inform everyone so they don’t waste their time coming one by one to ask for instructions.” Han Shizhen lowered his head without speaking. After the disciple acknowledged and left, Li Xizhi apologized, “The sect has many rules; please forgive us.” Han Shizhen dared not say much, only repeatedly stated, “I wouldn’t dare… I wouldn’t dare… It’s proper.”

Immediately, they rode the wind together. After two days, they drifted into the market town. Once the market town’s grand array opened, Han family cultivators rushed forward to greet them, directly addressing their patriarch. “Daoist, please see! This is our Tuliao Market.” Han Shizhen ignored them, staying half a step behind Li Xizhi, and introduced with a smile, speaking softly, “Please follow me to the main hall first for a brief rest. I will go inquire about the whereabouts of those rogue cultivators.” Hearing this, Li Xizhi frowned slightly, as if he had detected something. He followed Han Shizhen into the main hall and sat down on the side. Han Shizhen took two steps back, exited the hall, and the smile quickly vanished from his face.

A burly man came up from below, his expression solemn. Han Shizhen whispered, “What did those people say?” The burly man replied, “We soul-searched one person. The others are already unrecognizable.” It turned out that Han Shizhen had only said he released them, but in reality, he had long since dismembered them, flayed them, and soul-searched them. The Demon-Subduing Cudgel had also been taken by the Han family. At the moment, he felt some regret and murmured, “If I had known Li Xizhi was so perceptive, I shouldn’t have been greedy for the Demon-Subduing Cudgel. It’s hard to explain now. I’m afraid those few might say something wrong and cause him to dislike my family. I can only lie and say they ran away…” Yuan Chengdun’s weapon was a Foundation Establishment-grade artifact, and it was a pair of them. Han Shizhen naturally grew greedy. Now, he could only follow along with the lie. After waiting outside for a moment, he re-entered, a smile on his face, and apologized, “Daoist! It was my recklessness. These people, after selling their goods, immediately left in all directions without a moment’s delay… As for the Demon-Subduing Cudgel, it seems we have no fate with it.”

Li Xizhi, holding a teacup from the seat of honor, naturally didn’t believe him. He thought, ‘It seems Yuan Chengdun truly perished. Han Shizhen, you who established yourself in the East Sea, are no benevolent type. You probably heard there was a Foundation Establishment legacy and immediately found an excuse to capture those rogue cultivators! All you want is to swallow that pair of Foundation Establishment artifacts.’ He had no covetous desire for these items and didn’t care. He didn’t expose Han Shizhen, merely waved his hand dismissively and asked, “Do you have any news about that place?” Han Shizhen quickly replied, saying, “Fortunately, my subordinates asked earlier and already know the location.” “Then let’s go,” Li Xizhi stood up, descended, and said softly, “Since that’s the case, I’ll still have to trouble Senior to collect those evil-suppressing stones. My family has some friendship with Senior Yuan Chengdun, so sending them to Mushroom Forest Plain would fulfill our ties.” Han Shizhen, having coveted the Demon-Subduing Cudgel, was feeling uneasy. He said no more, nodding repeatedly, and took Li Xizhi into the air, flying all the way towards the Sea of Barbarian Straits.

Li Xizhi kept pondering along the way, flying far into the Sea of Barbarians. The sea and sky were vast, the Golden Crow hung in the sky, and the sun blazed. The sea barbarians on the scattered islands below looked up. Han Shizhen, accompanied by a burly man, flew directly to a spot amidst the mountains and seas, slowly stopping over the sea. Without observing his surroundings, he immediately cupped his fists and said, “Patriarch, Daoist, this is the place!” Han Shizhen’s expression subtly changed, but Li Xizhi suddenly understood, thinking to himself, ‘So it was soul-searching. Those rogue cultivators must be dead.’ Han Shizhen silently observed Li Xizhi. Seeing his expression was normal, he then invited, “Daoist… please…”

The three flew down separately, each searching for several days. Time passed, and Han Shizhen slowly stopped on the seabed, having found nothing. He stopped again and again, gradually slackening. Li Xizhi’s matter was originally none of his concern. He was only driven by profit and the thought of the secret realm, which made him willing to help. Now, he waited listlessly for a while, then sat down beside a sea reef. Suddenly, a pair of long boots appeared before his eyes. The boots were shimmering blue and silvery, exquisitely crafted with ornate patterns; clearly not ordinary items. Before Han Shizhen could marvel, his surprise quickly turned into horror. ‘This is!’ Thoughts flashed through his mind like lightning. He quickly looked up and met a pair of emerald eyes, which terrified him so much that he immediately pleaded mournfully, “This humble one greets… greets the Great Demon Muhai…” “This one…” He stammered a few words, and then various illusions suddenly appeared before his eyes. The water and sky violently shook, and he plunged into deep darkness.

Li Xizhi naturally found nothing, only discovering a few evil-suppressing stones on the seabed. He collected them one by one and stopped in the deep sea. He thought, ‘Such a secret realm—how could a Foundation Establishment cultivator find it without a specialized method?’ He stopped on a sea reef, his eyes slightly closed, about to cast a spell to summon the Immortal Mirror, when he suddenly felt his scalp tingle, his entire body tremble, and the elixir in his Qi Sea acupoint gently pulsate, making him pause.

Li Xizhi paused for a moment, then opened his eyes again, directly meeting a pair of emerald eyes. A middle-aged man already stood before him, tall and slender-eyed, with fiery red, bushy hair. His robes gleamed with golden light, shimmering like scales, and he was so close—barely a fist’s distance away—that Li Xizhi could feel the chill emanating from him. The emerald pupils stared coldly at Li Xizhi, reflecting his own grayish-black eyes. In his hands, he held two heads, both with hollow eyes staring straight at the sky, their expressions subtly joyous. One had neat hair at the temples, while the other’s hair and beard were wild. “Han Shizhen and his retainer!” Only a few days after parting, these two had died violently. Li Xizhi’s hair stood on end as he watched the multicolored divine light flow from the other’s feet, enveloping him like lightning. “A Purple Mansion… cultivator…” He was unable to move, only able to meet the Purple Mansion cultivator’s cold gaze. He watched as the man narrowed his eyes, and then spoke in a clear voice that didn’t match his appearance, “Who sent you… Si Boxiu or Tang Yuanwu?”

Li Xizhi watched the multicolored divine light swirling around him, turning azure and casting a bluish glow on his face. Thoughts flashed through his mind like lightning, and he replied, “True Person, it was not either of those two.” The Purple Mansion True Person slowly stopped, revealing a strange expression. He blinked slightly, his emerald eyes growing deeper, seemingly observing many things from Li Xizhi. His red hair floated in the water, and he sneered inwardly, ‘What nerve!’ His eyes darkened, their expression unreadable. He seemed to be in a playful mood and smiled, “Was it Sui Guan?” Li Xizhi shook his head and replied respectfully, “This junior came of my own accord. My Master has been missing for over ten years, and the sect showed no reaction. It was my inescapable duty to come search myself, and I did not expect to offend Senior.” The Purple Mansion True Person listened to these words, his eyes sweeping coldly over Li Xizhi. His golden robes shimmered as he replied, “Someone wants you dead.” Seeing the two heads in the Purple Mansion True Person’s hands, how could Li Xizhi not understand? Such a good place as Green Pine Island was left for him to guard, convenient for his entry and exit from the East Sea. Someone in the sect must have been waiting for this very scene! If he died a swift death, Green Spike Peak would surely fall into the Yuan family’s hands! He thought, ‘Those rogue cultivators came and went without incident, so there must have been some restrictive agreement, but it was suppressed by Chi Zhiyun and kept secret, just waiting for me to walk into it!’