Chapter 532: Turmoil

As soon as he finished speaking, the sky outside the central hall suddenly flickered. Several streams of light flew from north to south, leaving long contrails in the sky. To the south, five streaks of crimson light shot up, dyeing half the sky red.

The crimson lights slowly approached, revealing their true form: a cloud ship bathed in golden light, with a pair of cloud-like wings on either side. It cut through layers of mist, and numerous figures stood atop it.

"A crimson-light cloud ship..." Li Xizhi frowned as he looked. The token at his waist began to glow, and the characters on it lit up one by one. His expression grave, he stared intently at the sky.

Figures dispersed on the crimson-light cloud ship, and many glowing entities flew in from the north. Li Xizhi reassured his brothers, then ascended on a cloud, wreathed in mist, moving steadily towards the cloud ship.

A flash of crimson light in his hand, and he activated his token. Immediately, someone on the ship flew closer on the wind. The face seemed somewhat familiar, and upon closer inspection, the person recognized Li Xizhi.

The man was short and stout, with a prosperous look. Approaching Li Xizhi, he opened his mouth to say, "Fellow Daoist..." Then, recognizing Li Xizhi's cultivation level, he immediately changed his tone, a wide smile spreading across his face as he respectfully exclaimed, "Oh, Senior! It's been so many years... Senior has already achieved Foundation Establishment!"

"So it's you!" The person before Li Xizhi was Yu Fuyu from Lingdou Peak. Years ago, when Li Xizhi was only at the Qi Condensation stage and wanted to use general duties as an excuse to visit home, he had exchanged tasks with this very man.

Although Yu Fuyu was a member of the Yu family, he had long since broken ties with them, living a solitary and humble life. He was particularly fearful of Li Xizhi's background, and thus exceptionally deferential: "Senior's cultivation progress is truly astonishing!"

While Li Xizhi's cultivation was indeed swift, it still couldn't compare to his own younger brother's, ranking only as upper-middle within the sect. Ignoring the flattery, he asked, "What's going on here?"

Yu Fuyu quickly replied, "Senior, Xiuyue has sealed off their mountains, retreating deep into them. All the cultivators stationed from northern Xuguo to the East Sea front have pulled out completely, abandoning their posts."

"As a result, a vast number of Buddhist cultivators from northern Yueguo, along with rogue demonic cultivators who have fled there over the years, are now completely unsupervised and have already infiltrated Xuguo!"

He seemed overjoyed, saying, "With Xiuyue sealing off their mountains like this, they've completely discarded all previous unspoken agreements. All nine sea entrances are unguarded and silent, leaving the path from the East Sea to Xuguo wide open. Who knows what chaos has erupted there now."

He looked rather pitiful as he added, "Poor Xuguo... it had just begun to recover and show signs of improvement after decades of turmoil, and now it's about to descend into a sea of blood once more."

Li Xizhi felt a sense of unease, but he gradually began to understand the situation before him. He asked, "So, the sect has intervened?"

"Exactly!" Yu Fuyu affirmed, "Not just our Green Pool Sect, but even the Golden Feather Sect has intervened."

Li Xizhi silently assessed the situation and sighed, "This is a serious matter! Has any Nascent Soul cultivator taken action? Has there been any new Nascent Soul promotion within the sect?"

"I haven't seen any!" Yu Fuyu nodded repeatedly, hastily adding, "However, many seniors who attempted breakthroughs have fallen, many of them long-established veterans, such as Li Encheng of the Jade Water Pill and Mo Chen, the Golden Mysterious Eagle..."

Li Xizhi's heart sank when he heard this. He thought to himself, 'Li Encheng indeed failed... alas... I knew this would happen...' Although thoughts stirred within him, his expression remained unchanged, maintaining a focused listening posture. Thus, the old man before him remained oblivious, continuing to say, "We are merely proceeding to Xuguo as an advance party. The sect has already summoned all peak masters, and each peak has been assigned duties. Perhaps the people coming to invite Senior are already on their way."

Li Xizhi nodded slightly. Seeing that the cloud ship was about to enter Xuguo territory and he was about to leave on the wind, Yu Fuyu grew anxious and exclaimed, "Senior! My Lingdou Peak had... had great ties with Qinghui back in the day! My peak's uncle, and my clan's elder uncle Yu Yuxie... were close friends with Senior Si Yuanbai..." He then added, "I'm not good at combat..."

Li Xizhi paused for a moment, then understood. 'It seems this cloud ship is filled with old cultivators who have been coasting in the sect, waiting to die... They'll be on the front lines in Xuguo this time... probably won't end well for them, no wonder he's so eager.'

Seeing Yu Fuyu look as if he were about to cry, Li Xizhi quietly said, "This matter isn't something I can simply resolve. I'll need to return to the sect first and inquire thoroughly. If I can help Fellow Daoist find a less demanding position, I'll try my best."

After he spoke, Yu Fuyu clearly didn't fully believe him. He only managed to utter two hurried thank-yous before Li Xizhi ascended on a cloud and disappeared, leaving Yu Fuyu standing dumbfounded.

A moment later, a man in white-gold armor emerged from the ship's cabin, holding a long halberd, looking very imposing. His gaze swept around, then he pointed at two individuals and quietly said, "You... and you... come with me!" 'Tang Shendu!' Yu Fuyu's heart turned cold as he saw the finger pointing at him.

Li Xizhi descended on the wind. His brothers were waiting for him in the hall. Seeing his grave expression, they exchanged glances. Li Xizhi quietly relayed the news, and Li Xijun, seated at the head, took out a map to examine.

Xuguo was located between the three nations of Wu, Yue, and Zhao, with a great river flowing through it. It bordered Xiuyue, Golden Feather, Green Pool, and even multiple Buddhist and Daoist sects. The border between Green Pool and Xuguo was precisely Moon-Gazing Lake.

Xiuyue had now curtailed its influence, essentially relinquishing more than half of Xuguo, leaving the isolated Tangjin Gate within it. Northern Yueguo had become virtually a blank slate. The Xuan-Yue Gate, bordering the East Sea, opened onto a wilderness that stretched across all of Xuguo, and all these areas would now become zones of unrest.

This region was vast, almost the size of the Green Pool Sect's sphere of influence, located north of Moon-Gazing Lake and the Xiao family's territory.

Li Xijun scrutinized the map. His expression was not good; his heart was heavy. He quietly said, "This probably doesn't bode well."

The Li family and the Xiao family served as Green Pool's shield, and they would certainly not be spared in the coming turmoil. Moreover, their own family had a long-standing feud with Buddhist cultivators, and with Xiuyue letting go, the Buddhist cultivators could now easily advance south.

The few people present clearly understood these implications and remained silent. Li Xizhi sighed, reminding them, "This matter is not simple. Green Pool will definitely conscript all aristocratic families to contribute and go to Xuguo... and our family won't be an exception."

Li Xizhi appeared deeply worried. He quietly added, "Beyond this, I fear something major is brewing... The three sects and seven gates are stirring, and it's unlikely to remain peaceful..."

The composed man gently shook his head and softly said, "A chaotic era is approaching..." He paused, hesitated for a moment, then quietly added, "There's news that Li Encheng has passed away."

Li Encheng was a connection the Li family had cultivated years ago, believing he would be useful when the time came. However, things were unpredictable, and by the time of his passing, there was never an opportunity to utilize him.

Instead, the Li family had lost quite a bit, even sending him a batch of spiritual items when he attempted his breakthrough. With this news, those items were now a complete waste.

Li Xuanxuan listened carefully and whispered, "It's not a complete loss... at least he gave me a Suiyuan Pill. By any measure, he didn't just freeload off our family."

Li Xizhi was eager to return to the sect to gather information, so he said no more. He cupped his hands to the others and quietly said, "Keep an eye on things at home. Wait for my letter."

Li Qinghong flew on lightning for a while, noticing that the sea level beneath her was falling extremely slowly. Without careful observation, it would be difficult to discern the gradual reduction of the seawater.

"Most likely, the Dragon Clan has intervened. After all, according to the agreement, everything beneath the sea belongs to them. With the sea slowly receding like this, who knows how much will be lost in the next ten to fifteen days."

She then recalled the spiritual phenomenon of the East Sea's water receding and lightning increasing, finding it interesting. She had initially thought it was merely rain, but now the sea truly was receding, and the thunder grew even more intense, rumbling dully in the sky.

Li Qinghong traveled by lightning. The Qunyi Strait now lay before her. Islands that were once tiny, barely large enough for one or two people, had now emerged due to the receding sea, exposing vast expanses of beach.

A thousand li further east, she could vaguely discern the shadow of Shiqi Island in the Qunyi Strait, when a large island appeared before her.

The island was topped with a golden-red formation, radiating a brilliant light. On the ground exposed by the receding tide, numerous fishermen moved back and forth, dragging brown nets and faintly emitting laughter.

Their laughter quickly died down and vanished as her magical light became visible. The mortals all knelt. Before Li Qinghong could say more, a golden-white light swiftly flew towards her.

It was a young woman, about seventeen or eighteen, still appearing quite youthful. She held a small golden hoop in her hand and approached on the wind, looking at Li Qinghong with some wariness. She asked, "Senior... are you here looking for someone or...?"

Seeing her wariness, Li Qinghong could only softly say, "I am Li Qinghong, a cultivator from within the sea. I've come this time to... inquire about some treasures."

"A cultivator from within the sea..." These words caused the young woman's brows to relax slightly. She respectfully replied, "This junior is Cui Wanqing. Greetings, Senior!"

Cui Wanqing paused, a hint of doubt in her voice, and asked, "Senior... which Li family are you from?"

Li Qinghong hesitated for a moment, then replied, "The Moon-Gazing Li family."

Cui Wanqing repeated the four characters to herself, then led Li Qinghong to descend onto the island. After a moment of thought, she murmured, "I've heard there's a great marsh within the sea called Moon-Gazing... is that the marsh?"

Li Qinghong nodded, softly replying, "That's right. The marsh has now withered, leaving only a single lake. My family cultivates by its side."

Cui Wanqing nodded thoughtfully and quietly said, "That makes sense. After all, with no one holding the position of Prefect of Water, it's natural for water-related regions to dry up."

This remark revealed that she came from a lineage. Li Qinghong followed her down and took a seat in the courtyard. Cui Wanqing then went to invite an elder.

After all, this was the East Sea, where everyone needed to be wary of each other. Li Qinghong naturally wouldn't blindly stumble into someone else's formation. The place Cui Wanqing chose was a grand hall specially designed for meeting external guests, located outside the island's main formation.

Before long, an elder ascended to the courtyard. He had a solemn white beard and an upright posture, wearing a light blue robe. Tall and imposing, he spoke in a deep voice, "I am Cui Changfu of Chongzhou Island. Greetings, Fellow Daoist."

The elder appeared very old, with a late Foundation Establishment cultivation. He was solemn and dignified, scrutinizing Li Qinghong for a moment, his gaze lingering on the jade bottle at her waist.

"Li Qinghong of Moon-Gazing Lake." Li Qinghong felt this person would be difficult to deal with. Then she saw the elder sigh and say, "So, a Wei Li has come seeking us."

His tone was peculiar, and for a moment, Li Qinghong didn't know how to respond. She gently shook her head. The elder then said, "Please, let me see your magic bottle."

Li Qinghong hesitated, then took it off, fearing that the man before her would covet the artifact and try to snatch it from her. For a moment, she remained silent.

Cui Changfu paused slightly, understanding her apprehension. He quietly said, "The Cui family of Chongzhou is currently under the protection of the Dragon Clan, considered a mid-sized power. We still value our reputation... I, Cui Changfu, also have some renown in this sea region... I wouldn't make a move for a mere Foundation Establishment artifact." He added, "Moreover... judging by Fellow Daoist's demeanor, your esteemed family in the sea is likely not a small, weak force either..."

Li Qinghong discreetly surveyed the terrain, estimating her distance from the formation. If the person before her suddenly attacked, with her lightning-fast speed, she could certainly escape, regardless of whether she could defeat him. Only then did she feel slightly relieved.

She nodded, exchanged a few polite pleasantries, and gently handed over the artifact. Cui Changfu simply took it, weighed it twice, caused the artifact to dim its light, and then inverted it.

The purple, crack-like patterns slowly receded, and the ancient seal characters 'Li Qianyuan of the Wei Kingdom' became unmistakably clear. Cui Wanqing let out a soft gasp, exclaiming, "Li Qianyuan, the Grand Ancestor of Wei!"

The expressions of both Cui Changfu and Cui Wanqing were complex, but these words struck Li Qinghong like a bolt from the blue. She was stunned for a full breath: "Grand Ancestor of Wei?"

Li Qinghong, of course, knew that her profound bottle was extraordinary and that it had belonged to a Wei Li cultivator from earlier years, but she had never imagined its origin was so significant.

Cui Changfu returned it. The elder looked at it and softly said, "But what kind of figure was the Wei Emperor? He wouldn't have used a Foundation Establishment artifact like this. Whether this item is genuine or fake remains questionable." He continued, "After all, I've never heard of the Wei Emperor having a magic bottle-shaped artifact. It's either something he used in his early years, or an artifact replicated by later generations."

Upon hearing this, Li Qinghong immediately felt a wave of relief, as if a great weight had been lifted from her. 'How many of those True Immortals and Venerables are simple? If his item inexplicably ended up in my hands, he must have been orchestrating a plan... Although this Venerable has been dead for many years, who can truly predict the ways of a Venerable's immortal magic?'

Ironically, the thought that the item might be a fake actually relaxed Li Qinghong somewhat. She nodded slightly and put it back into her sleeve. Cui Changfu, however, was also observing her, carefully studying her features.

Having been established in the East Sea for so many years, Cui Changfu was naturally no simple character. He had long been on guard, secretly thinking, 'After all, anyone with some family lineage... who doesn't know the relationship between my Cui family ancestors and the Wei Li? And the artifact this woman wears is too obvious... I must be wary that she's deliberately impersonating a Wei Li to deceive me!'

However, watching her subtle changes in expression, Cui Changfu became unsure. He decided to wait and asked, "May I ask, Fellow Daoist, what brings you here?"

Li Qinghong nodded, and without further preamble, she stated directly, "I heard that your distinguished family has cultivated the Bright Sun art for generations. My family lacks a Bright Sun treasure... I've come here to inquire about it."

An extra chapter should be available tomorrow or the day after.