Chapter 547: Recasting the Magical Artifact

Li Xuanfeng descended onto the peak, seeing everyone looking up at him. Many unfamiliar faces were among them. Ning Heyuan stood at the forefront, his hands clasped behind his back, his expression relaxed, subtly revealing a hint of pride.

He nodded slightly. Ning Heyuan immediately gestured, saying softly:

"Congratulations, brother-in-law..."

He stepped aside, revealing the person behind him, who was none other than Chi Zhiyan, the younger brother of Sect Master Chi Zhiyun. This man had a somewhat sinister appearance; his eyes were narrowed, only opening when he saw Li Xuanfeng. He smiled and said:

"Master, your archery is truly remarkable! To kill Murong Wu in just fifteen minutes—it has certainly opened our eyes!"

Chi Zhiyan was almost the highest-ranking person there. He gestured for Li Xuanfeng to come inside to talk in detail. His tone was quite polite as he asked:

"Which Venerable did Master meet?"

"Venerables Qiushui and Yuanxiu..."

Li Xuanfeng stepped forward in response. He was a head taller than Chi Zhiyan. Chi Zhiyan raised an eyebrow, meeting his gaze. Li Xuanfeng said in a deep voice:

"The Venerable bestowed a medicinal pill and offered much encouragement, but said little else."

Chi Zhiyan seemed to be pondering carefully, his head lowered without speaking. He only asked:

"What kind of immortal pill was it?"

"Gengjin Sanqi Pill..."

Li Xuanfeng uttered these words. His gaze swept over Chi Zhiyan's face, and he noticed Chi Zhiyan's eyes were blank, as if he was contemplating repeatedly, seemingly having never heard the name before.

"Which Venerable gave it...?"

"Venerable Yuanxiu."

Li Xuanfeng replied. Seeing Chi Zhiyan still looking baffled, he thought to himself:

'Chi Zhiyan probably doesn't know...'

He casually answered Chi Zhiyan's questions for a few moments. Once he felt he had shown enough deference, he said:

"Xuanfeng has fought a great battle and is injured... I regret I cannot stay long. Once I have recovered from my injuries and adjusted my qi, I will take the pill."

Chi Zhiyan could only nod and withdraw. Ning Heyuan then bustled in. Li Xuanfeng's injuries had only been suppressed for half an hour, but the journey had taken its toll, and he felt a sharp pain in his internal organs again. His face was somewhat pale.

He took out Murong Wu's armor and threw it to the ground. Instantly, the jade tiles shimmered with spiritual light. He said softly:

"Have this armor reforged. Find a few artifact refiners and have them propose several methods for reforging. I will choose one or two."

Ning Heyuan nodded gently. Li Xuanfeng quickly made his way down, where he saw Li Qinghong waiting in the hall.

As Li Xuanfeng approached, she looked at him with a worried expression and asked:

"How are your injuries, Second Uncle?"

Li Xuanfeng exhaled and waved his hand. Seeing his expression, Li Qinghong quickly recounted how she had previously injured Helian Changguang, then took out two items from her storage pouch.

One was an intricate dark green and black silk fan, adorned with many incantations, roughly divided into five types of totem-like patterns. Its style was exquisite, with a hint of extravagance.

The other was, of course, the brocade robe. It was pure white, with long azure feathers on both shoulders. When worn by the demonic cultivator, its demonic energy obscured its appearance, but now displayed, it seemed somewhat ethereal. Unfortunately, it had been struck by lightning, leaving it a bit dull.

Li Xuanfeng listened carefully, then casually activated the array formation in the hall. Only then did he say in a deep voice:

"Qinghong, this Helian clan is the royal surname of the Tiefo Kingdom north of Zhao. From your description, Helian Changguang is a person of status. For you to fight two opponents and still kill one, it was not easy."

Beneath his brows, his aged eyes remained sharp. With his arms crossed over his chest, though injured, his words were clear and forceful:

"However, provoking this person is not a good thing. I've noted it. For now, you should cultivate more within the pass. Once I've had a chance to patrol the eastern region, find him, and shoot him dead, he won't have time to hate you."

Li Qinghong was stunned upon hearing this. Although she wasn't afraid of the person, she ultimately had family within the pass and couldn't be on guard constantly, which posed some risk. Unwilling to bother Li Xuanfeng further, she could only reply:

"Thank you, Second Uncle... but your matters are more important."

Li Xuanfeng merely shook his head, his voice slightly hoarse:

"To say nothing of you being the foremost cultivator in the family... I am certainly going this time. Killing a demonic cultivator is no big deal."

He said no more, looked carefully, pointed to the two artifacts, and said:

"The Helian family has a deep foundation; the quality of these two artifacts is quite good. I know you'll feel uneasy holding onto them. This time, go ask Ning Heyuan to assign someone to accompany you to the pass to reforge the artifacts."

Li Xuanfeng paused, then specifically instructed:

"Under no circumstances should you reforge them on Bianyan Mountain. There are too many people here, and it's a hotbed of trouble. Murong Wu's armor, I will have it reforged and sent home to the younger generation."

Li Qinghong understood that the younger generation he referred to was Li Zhouwei. She nodded and made a mental note. Li Xuanfeng already showed signs of fatigue; he waved his hand and retreated a couple of steps. Li Qinghong escorted him out of the hall, thinking to herself:

"Second Uncle's prestige grows ever stronger."

She sought out Ning Heyuan, who was now exceptionally enthusiastic. He brought several artifact refiners under his command, specifically leading forward a burly old man in red robes.

Ning Heyuan smiled and said:

"This is Fellow Daoist Chu. He once cultivated in Wangyue Lake Market and is an old acquaintance of my brother-in-law!"

Li Qinghong nodded. She understood Li Xuanfeng's implication about the mountain being crowded and complicated, and she was already restless to leave. Without saying much more to the artifact refiner named Chu, she quickly bid farewell.

Taking the somewhat listless Fei Tongyu with them, the three traveled by wind. Li Qinghong quickly apologized and asked:

"The matter is urgent, so I dare not linger. May I ask for your name, Fellow Daoist?"

"Chu Minglian."

The old man let out a hearty laugh. With his hands clasped behind his back and his chest puffed out, he exuded an imposing aura as he replied:

"Back then, when I was still young, I refined artifacts in Wangyue Lake Market. The Gengjin in Xuanfeng's hands was made by me!"

"Even when the Sword Immortal returned home, he would come to my shop to acquire items!"

This was clearly Chu Minglian's proudest achievement, one he recounted to everyone. After a burst of laughter, Li Qinghong's eyes suddenly brightened, and she asked eagerly:

"Then, Senior, have you ever met my father, Li Xuanling?"

"Li Xuanling...? I've only heard of Li Xuanxuan... never Li Xuanling."

Chu Minglian seemed a bit embarrassed. Li Qinghong quickly added:

"He is the son of Moon-Gap Sword."

"Oh!"

Chu Minglian's expression immediately turned serious. He nodded and said:

"So you are Li Tongya's granddaughter..."

He recalled wistfully:

"Among the three who came back then, only he seemed like a traveling escort. I vaguely remember his broad shoulders. I never imagined he would become such an extraordinary figure."

The two chatted with smiles on their faces, and soon returned inside the pass. From afar, they saw Kong Heng, who was searching around the area, but Li Wushao was nowhere to be seen.

Li Qinghong casually asked, only then learning that there was also a Foundation Establishment female cultivator from Linggu in the pass. Her mount was a white hooked snake. Li Wushao hadn't seen another of her kind for decades, so unable to restrain himself, he went to pay a visit.

This matter was unexpected for Li Qinghong. She chuckled softly, then led Chu Minglian and Kong Heng forward, finally taking out the two artifacts.

Chu Minglian examined them carefully. Kong Heng, who was beside them, spoke first, thoughtfully saying:

"This fan looks like something from the Helian clan. As for the brocade robe... I can't quite say... it has an ancient feel to it."

Chu Minglian was surprised by the monk's keen observation. He paused slightly, then also displayed his profound knowledge, saying softly:

"I've never been to the north, so I can't say much about this fan. As for this brocade robe, however, there's quite a story to it."

He picked up the pure white brocade robe, looked at the azure feathers on both sides, and carefully examined the patterns on the garment. He said softly:

"Nine times out of ten, it's from the Wanling Sect of Ning Kingdom."

'Wanling Sect...'

Li Qinghong had also heard of this Immortal Sect. Her family's Wanling Flowers had been obtained by the Wang family from the Wanling Sect. However, a doubt suddenly arose in her mind:

"This person claimed to be a rogue cultivator... but how could they have such insight? It seems their inherited knowledge is profound..."

Chu Minglian examined it closely, clicking his tongue in admiration, and replied:

"The Wanling Sect has many female disciples. This magical robe truly reflects the delicate sensibilities of women. Moreover, it aligns with their ancient policy of decentralized Daoist temples. The thirty-six feathers on these two sides likely represent the various Daoist temples under their jurisdiction."

Li Qinghong listened attentively, nodding as she said:

"Senior, your insight is remarkable... May I ask about the strength of this sect?"

"They call themselves a 'Superior Sect,' so naturally, they have Golden Core cultivators."

Chu Minglian sighed, perhaps realizing something, and explained:

"My Chu family originally migrated from Jiangbei, so of course, I know..."

"Chu... the Chu family from which county?"

Li Qinghong then realized that Chu Minglian also came from a clan. She had assumed he was from a minor family, which was why she hadn't heard of his name. But now Chu Minglian was also a Foundation Establishment cultivator, which by rights meant he should be from an influential clan...

Chu Minglian's aged eyes narrowed slightly. He shrugged his red robe, looking somewhat despondent, and replied:

"It was originally a small family, but there is no Chu family left now."

His expression was downcast as he replied:

"My grand-nephew... named Chu Yi... the Lihuo Spear from back then."

'Chu Yi!'

Decades had passed since that name, yet it still circulated covertly. Many cultivators who had witnessed the event firsthand still felt lingering apprehension. As a rogue cultivator, he caused widespread chaos, opened the Eastern Fire Grotto-Heaven that had been sealed by the Dongli Sect for many years, and personally created a sensation throughout the entire Yue Kingdom.

The Li family had also reaped many benefits back then. The jade flask on Li Qinghong's waist was very likely an item from the Eastern Fire Grotto-Heaven, with a long history.

"He pretended to be a rogue cultivator back then, but was secretly investigated and exposed by the offended Han family. While he was in secluded cultivation outside, trouble befell his family."

Chu Minglian seemed reluctant to elaborate. Li Qinghong's mind instantly cleared, and she realized:

'So it's *that* Chu! The Eastern Fire Grotto-Heaven caused such a commotion back then... He most likely recovered his memories later and went to Luoxia Mountain, never returning... No wonder he feels disheartened.'

Li Qinghong understood, but she preferred not to dwell on the matter. She sighed, not responding further. Chu Minglian quickly smiled and said:

"There's nothing special about this brocade fan; one can tell at a glance it's the crude workmanship of northern Buddhist and demonic cultivators. I only need to gather some materials and spend a few months to modify and complete it."

"As for this brocade robe..."

Chu Minglian examined it carefully, saying earnestly:

"I see several crude and shoddy patches on it. It seems that after it was lost by the Immortal Sect, it was acquired by generations of demonic cultivators. They added many superfluous details, or patched up damage, resulting in its current appearance."

"I will simply remove these flawed sections and mend them to resemble the original craftsmanship. It will take about half a year, and then it can be used, looking much better than it does now. However, it will require some Foundation Establishment spiritual materials... and I'll need to see what can be used as supplements."

Chu Minglian confidently agreed. Li Qinghong, remembering the many spiritual items Li Xijun had given him, took them out one by one and laid them on the table. Chu Minglian examined them thoroughly, and a plan formed in his mind:

"Qinghong, if you trust me, just leave them with me. I'll take some of these for exchange, then barter for more materials in the mountains. If it's still not enough, I will ask you for more."

Li Qinghong naturally nodded, politely seeing him off. Kong Heng followed alongside, looking somewhat worried, and said softly:

"Fellow Daoist Qinghong, did you kill someone from the Helian clan?"

"Although I didn't directly kill him, it was close enough... On the battlefield, there's no retreat."

Li Qinghong replied casually. Kong Heng followed behind, feeling a slight surge of emotion, and thought to himself:

"Could their fates be intertwined? But the Helian clan's ancestors were also a border tribe of the Wei Kingdom, and they had received kindness..."

As he pondered, he couldn't help but chuckle wryly:

'How many years have passed... I'm overthinking things... Constantly observing the entanglements of fate, I've become too engrossed in it.'

**Qingdu Mountain.**

Li Xijun met with the people from the north, collected Li Chengzou's remains, and then individually examined the other remains. There were two illegitimate children, one from the Chen clan, two from the Xu clan, and one from the Dou clan.

Li Chengzou was indeed someone Li Xijun had watched grow up—taciturn and a rapid cultivator. Now, looking at the cold remains, he could only sigh.

The Ning family provided some compensation, and Li Xijun also gave some on behalf of the clan. He arranged for people to transport the remains one by one. Under the bright moonlight, he secretly pondered:

"This is just the beginning."

He received Li Qinghong's reply: neither she nor Li Xuanfeng were seriously injured. Furthermore, Baixiang Valley, where Li Xizhi was, was one of the few places that had not been attacked. Li Xijun immediately felt a wave of relief.

"Still, Zhi Ge'er's location is far more dangerous... Although it hasn't been attacked yet, they are facing the Tuoba family. If anyone comes to attack, it will be no simple matter."

He pondered for a moment, when he saw Chen Donghe hastily approach, bowing quickly as he said in a deep voice:

"A monk has arrived in Lijing Town!"

Li Xijun's heart immediately thumped. He quickly sat up from his seat. Although he had been mentally prepared, he still felt vigilant and tense. As he exited the hall, he asked:

"What's the situation? Can you tell his background?"

The Li family's grand array only protected a few immortal mountains. Protecting dozens of towns around Wangyue Lake one by one was clearly a foolish dream. These towns only had some precautionary arrays nearby, and the family cultivators patrolled them day and night.

These methods could sense some minor demonic cultivators. However, if a Foundation Establishment level cultivator, whether Buddhist or demonic, infiltrated a town, it would be almost impossible to detect them with these means. They could only rush there once an anomaly occurred.

Li Xijun had long suspected that mages would infiltrate the towns to gather information. He had deployed many people, knowing that any unusual activity would be immediately discovered. He then asked a couple of questions:

"Has he killed anyone? Or used mind-altering spells?"

Chen Donghe shook his head, saying in a deep voice:

"The monk is just sitting in the town's tavern. He directly sought someone out and said he wanted to see the manager of the Li family."

"The people nearby, seeing the monk suddenly appear, were already startled and frightened. They sent someone to notify the mountain. I happened to be patrolling that area, received the news, and hurried up to inform you."