Chapter 603: Da Ning Palace Falls (Part 1)

Literary Arts, Mystic Mirror Immortal Clan!

Daning Palace.

The sky above Daning Palace was heavy and dim, and a pervasive gloom hung all around. The once clear and beautiful lake had dried up, the earth was cracked, and occasional wisps of cloud that drifted across the sky quickly vanished. The central cliff had collapsed, filling more than half of the dried-up lake. Countless palaces and pavilions lay in ruins, strewn across the ground, a scene of desolation.

Something had gone wrong in Anhuai Heaven. A group of Purple Mansion cultivators had fallen in and begun to battle, even engaging in combat within Daning Palace itself. The tremors were immense; in less than fifteen minutes, the area was reduced to ruins. Had there not been continuous efforts to maintain it from before and after, it might well have been completely pulverized. Now, with all the Purple Mansion Mahas having entered, the sky-piercing column of light, somehow manipulated by one of the Purple Mansion cultivators, shattered upon their entry. Daning Palace became disregarded refuse, no longer visited by anyone, left in deep, gloomy darkness.

Silence reigned all around. Li Xuanfeng stepped down from the palace ruins, the ground littered with broken stones. He pressed one hand on a stone step, pulled out the several-foot-wide stair, and casually tossed it aside, where it landed with a heavy thud. Li Xuanfeng had been trapped here for some time, but he hadn't been idle. There might be many spiritual artifacts among the collapsed palace ruins that could be useful.

He carefully examined the ruins and retrieved a bright silver lamp. Wiping away the dust, he saw large characters written on its base: Gao Ping Xi Clan.

The lamp was only a Qi Condensation level item. Li Xuanfeng observed it; its craftsmanship was exquisite and elegant. He then heard Si Yuanli's voice nearby: "When the Wei Kingdom fell, cultivators migrated south, reaching the river's edge. At that time, most of the land south of the great river belonged to the Chu Kingdom. The King of Chu ordered the cultivators to halt north of the river, forbidding them from moving further south."

"The Sima, Su, Xi, Xiao, and other clans all met north of the river, holding secret talks for several days. Led by the Li and Jiang clans from both sides of the Jia River, they established the Great Ning Kingdom, upholding the Wei orthodox lineage, with the Immortal Sect as the supreme sect of Wanling."

The ridge of the collapsed great hall jutted high into the air. Si Yuanli sat cross-legged atop it, one hand propping his chin, appearing quite relaxed: "In those days, sectarian divides were not significant, and all cultivators strove their best for the nation. The Ning Kingdom made the King of Chu quite wary, and he consistently harbored hostility towards the clans who had later crossed over..."

Li Xuanfeng listened for a while. The characters 'Gao Ping Xi Clan' on the lamp base in his hand seemed to glow. He softly said: "I've heard that the founding patriarch of the Pure One Dao sect was from the Xi clan..."

"Precisely, the Gao Ping Xi Clan," Si Yuanli replied. "That individual, having only overheard half of the Daoist lineage outside the Chongming Hall, cherished what was missing even more. I hear they considered themselves a true heir of the Green Pine Temple lineage their entire lives, and the Pure One Dao sect is the same, obsessively preoccupied with it daily."

Li Xuanfeng nodded slightly. Si Yuanli paused for a moment, then softly said: "You guessed correctly, fellow Daoist. My Si clan's original surname is Sima, a prominent northern clan. By the Zhou Dynasty, there were already Purple Mansion cultivators among us. When Wei fell, we journeyed south, finally settling in Jiangnan."

"So that's the origin of your lineage..." Li Xuanfeng responded. Si Yuanli sighed softly: "Looking at the northern and southern clans that have passed down their lineages to this day, whose ancestors weren't kings, marquises, or generals? It's fine not to mention it, but when brought up, one can only sigh and say... that the descendants are unworthy."

Li Xuanfeng remained silent for a moment. At least his own clan was the Wei Li clan recognized by Yuan Su. He then saw Si Yuanli pause for a moment before softly saying: "My ancestor once guarded the riverbanks for the Wei Kingdom, which is how this scroll, the Huaijiang Map, came to be. It was painted by True Monarch Cui Yan, a Supreme Illumination True Monarch of that time... It is a top-tier Purple Mansion ancient spiritual artifact."

Li Xuanfeng was slightly startled. He softly asked: "An ancient spiritual artifact... It looks like an ancient spiritual artifact meant for defense and suppression. How does it compare to the Xinyou Luzhe Seal?"

"Well..." Si Yuanli considered for a moment, then shook his head and replied: "It can't compare. Moreover, different spiritual artifacts perform differently in different hands. In any case, both these spiritual artifacts possess formidable power."

Li Xuanfeng suddenly recalled the Stop War and Depart Cloud artifacts in Yu Muxian's hands back then. Seeing that Si Yuanli was in high spirits for talking, he casually asked: "How do they compare to Stop War and Depart Cloud?"

"Hahahahaha!" Si Yuanli let out a hearty laugh, his eyebrows disdainfully raised as he replied: "Fellow Daoist, you must be joking! Stop War and Depart Cloud are imitations made by Yuanwu. Stop War imitates the Imperfect artifact from the Xiuyue Sect, and Depart Cloud imitates the Celestial Owl from the Xiukui Temple. They are somewhat inferior even to ordinary spiritual artifacts. How could you compare those two items to ancient spiritual artifacts?"

He hesitated for two breaths above the ruins, seemingly searching for a suitable analogy. From his storage bag, he produced an ordinary magic sword and pointed at it, saying: "This item also came from Yuanwu Peak. It's supposedly at the Foundation Establishment level, but it's clear at a glance that it was painstakingly polished day and night by many Qi Condensation cultivators, piece by piece. It only barely touches the Foundation Establishment level; it has the appearance and quality, but absolutely no profound efficacy."

The item in his hand was one that true disciples of the Immortal Sect wouldn't use. Li Xuanfeng took a careful look and, confirming Si Yuanli's words, nodded. Si Yuanli chuckled: "Comparing this item to the Bishui Pill from Fuchen Peak is roughly the same difference as between those two imitations and ancient spiritual artifacts!"

Li Xuanfeng's mind raced through the conversation, keenly catching one particular sentence: "Stop War imitates the Imperfect artifact from the Xiuyue Sect..." Back then, when Yu Muxian wielded Stop War, Tang Shedou's sarcastic remarks made Xiao Yongling's expression change. Li Xuanfeng remembered that phrase vividly; it was something about the Xiao clan ancestor, Xiao Xianyou, once hailed as a Golden Core prodigy, who was killed by a magic artifact resembling Stop War!

"Tang Yuanwu didn't have that kind of strength back then... and Stop War hadn't even been refined yet. So, that means it was that spiritual artifact, Imperfect...""Xiao Xianyou was killed by the Xiuyue Sect! Shangyuan? Or who?"

Li Xuanfeng's curiosity wasn't baseless. Xiao Chuting's actions were unfathomable, and his stance impossible to deduce. If he could obtain information about Xiao Xianyou, he might be able to infer Xiao Chuting's general position, providing a basis for his own future assessment of situations.

"The talent and resources of these direct descendants already surpass ordinary people by a hundredfold. Most of their dispositions aren't too bad... but they monopolize these situations and connections... leaving common people bewildered... and easily manipulated..."

Li Xuanfeng's thoughts ran deep. Si Yuanli also seemed to be stirred by the mention of the Huaijiang Map. A period of silence fell between them. The sky above had turned a pale blue, with faint, bright light filtering through, shining directly overhead as if they were at the bottom of a lake.

"Having lost True Person Qiushui's divine abilities, and then being ravaged by the Purple Mansion cultivators, Daning Palace finally couldn't hold on!" Si Yuanli let out a breath and chuckled: "Just wait a little longer, and we can leave this accursed place!"

Boom!

Purple lightning coalesced in the air, its aura terrifying. Li Qinghong's spiritual power had transformed into bright purple lightning, and every plume on her feathered robe glowed brightly. She had fought her way here, regardless of cost or depletion, several times relieving besieged ferry crossings. Willing to suffer injuries to save time, she immediately activated the 'Sky-Perching Perilous Sparrow' within her. At this moment, spiritual power surged within her, a thunder pool stirring up bursts of lightning storms. Her eyes glowed with a purple haze, her silver-white spear pointed directly, light flashing as silver-white lightning erupted from the Six Orders in her palm, crashing down with a thunderous roar.

Beside Li Ximing were four Northern cultivators: three were Blood Qi-infused Purple Mansion Golden Core cultivators, and the remaining one was an orthodox demonic cultivator of a different sect but similar cultivation method. As the silver-white lightning exploded, they immediately began to wail miserably. The three Blood Qi-infused Purple Mansion Golden Core cultivators fared better, being merely shaken and unable to move. But the remaining orthodox demonic cultivator seemed to have fallen alive into boiling oil; his robes erupted, his skin beneath erupted with boils of all sizes, blood vessels burst, and dense black smoke billowed out. His eyes burst from their sockets like two rotten fruits, exploding with a pop in mid-air. The blood vaporized completely, and his body melted like wax, revealing the stark white bones of his elbows.

"Profound Thunder!" Li Ximing watched in shock. Although this person had been the most constrained in his earlier confrontation with Li Ximing, often sweating profusely and being restricted by his bright light, ultimately, thunder was best at slaying demons, and among thunder techniques, Profound Thunder was paramount. Naturally, it was incomparable.

Having encountered many demonic cultivators on her way, Li Qinghong's almond eyes flickered with understanding. This person's entire body was likely forged through demonic cultivation; usually indestructible, against Profound Thunder he was like tofu, easily shattered in two blows. She approached on thunder, her purple spear shadow piercing into the demonic smoke. Capitalizing on the moment the silver-white lightning still reverberated in the air, purple light, accompanied by the sparrow's shadow, flew in. It did not strike the melting demonic cultivator's body but instead targeted another person in the air, knocking them down.

Li Qinghong had rescued several ferry crossings and long understood the minds of these people. She was not in a hurry to kill the severely injured demonic cultivator; instead, she let him go, knowing he would attract many cultivators to chase him, thereby easing the pressure on the great formation. While she pondered this, the cultivator cried out in distress. His spiritual power was still vibrating, yet he had to reluctantly activate his magical artifact to defend himself, his heart trembling: "This Southern Demonic Dao... actually has a thunder cultivation lineage? Why are they serving the Demonic Sect?"

He formed hand seals and cast a spell, seeing a round shield flying towards him in the air, buzzing and vibrating. Although it emitted a light, its quality was quite ordinary. Just as it reached him, the purple-white spear arrived: "Clang!" Purple lightning burst against the round shield. The artifact was struck violently, nearly flying backward, glowing hot and bright, emitting a plume of black smoke. Li Qinghong's spear, however, did not stop, striking again.

Just then, a bright radiance cascaded down, and the familiar suppressing force returned. The magnificent, opulent Huangyuan Pass, emitting waves of bright light, rose again in the sky. Battling a cultivator with such formidable prestige and surging lightning was already a nerve-wracking affair, allowing not a moment's distraction. This Northern cultivator, suppressed in such a way, was merely half a beat slow, and a bolt of lightning had already erupted, expanding in his pupils.

"Pfft!" Li Qinghong, a veteran of countless battles with extensive combat experience, struck with a flash of her spear. The cultivator's magic robe, like a thick layer of hide, ripped apart with a tearing sound, and the spear had already pierced through his chest, bringing forth a spray of blood. By this moment, the magical artifacts of the other demonic cultivators arrived one after another, but they were all suppressed by the Huangyuan Pass. The man, pierced through the chest by the spear, turned instantly pale, spitting blood while suppressing the lightning within him as he retreated.

Li Qinghong, meanwhile, withdrew her spear, activating the 'Sky-Perching Perilous Sparrow' within her. Purple lightning crackled beneath her long boots as she stepped through the air, her spear pointed diagonally, her gaze like lightning, and she coldly shouted: "Scram!" Silver-white lightning rippled out with her words, pushing the several people back a few steps. Li Ximing timely eased the suppressing power of the Huangyuan Pass slightly, and three magical artifacts hastily flew out. The three cultivators, as if granted a great pardon, promptly retreated. As for the demonic cultivator whose body had melted earlier, how could he dare to linger? He had long since transformed into a cloud of black smoke and fled several miles away, now desperately fleeing, pursued by several other demonic lights, continuously escaping towards the northern depths.

Li Qinghong withdrew her spear and stepped forward. A muffled thunder sounded, and purple lightning had already landed beside Li Xizhi. Looking back at her, the surrounding cultivators felt a sudden terror and all retreated. Li Xizhi had contended with five people for so long, fully demonstrating his refined cultivation in magical arts. Taking the opportunity to regulate his breathing and recover, he saw Li Qinghong return alone, his expression slightly somber. Li Qinghong's purple thunder protected him from behind. The Mysterious Punishment Token hovered, the Duhuo Spear gleamed silver-white, and the Azure Sparrow Feather shimmered brightly. Lightning was inherently terrifying, but her many years of late Foundation Establishment cultivation, enhanced by the 'Sky-Perching Perilous Sparrow,' made her even more dazzling, causing everyone's expressions to change.

"A lightning cultivator..." The female cultivator, practicing the Wood Virtue lineage, trembled slightly, somewhat incredulous. Five people had besieged them for a long time, gaining nothing, still somewhat reluctant to leave until the Mysterious Punishment Token in Li Qinghong's hand emitted light, at which point they scattered in disarray.

Li Qinghong exhaled slightly, looking further into the distance. Streaks of escaping light were still rapidly converging, and more and more radiance flowed. Li Xizhi approached her side and softly said: "Aunt, I'm afraid we won't be able to hold them off much longer."

The situation became increasingly clear. Even if the Foundation Establishment cultivators in the sky had concerns and weren't fighting with full power, with most even fighting among themselves, the number of Fetal Breath and Qi Condensation cultivators surging up from below was growing. Moreover, those currently arriving were mostly unaligned Northern rogue cultivators. The truly capable ones were still observing, appearing eager to make a move. "The formations of the Green Pond Sect here are hardly any good. Even if these Foundation Establishment cultivators don't make a move, just one spell from each of the southbound demonic cultivators... would tear these great formations apart."

Once the great formations below were broken, and the cultivators swarmed down, there would be no meaning in defending this spot anymore. Li Qinghong nodded silently and softly said: "I've received some news. I'll try my best to hold on a little longer... perhaps there will be a turning point." After saying this, she turned and looked north. The purple light in her almond eyes dimmed, but the bright purple lightning on her robes still flickered, deterring the demonic masses in the air.

However, a cloud of black smoke gradually emerged from the demonic mist, slowly approaching. It didn't appear sinisterly demonic; instead, it carried a unique, mysterious aura. Li Ximing frowned slightly. His immortal foundation broke through the air, transforming into a gigantic bright pass in the sky. Its intense radiance shone forth, revealing a man in black. He was dressed in decisive and capable attire, his complexion slightly pale. He stood with his hands behind his back, his eyebrows sharp, his two gray eyes watching silently. He slowly approached, stepping on two clouds of black mist, holding a white talisman in his hand, stopping unhurriedly before them.

"Fellow Daoist, we meet again."