Chapter 653: Treasure Bowl

The Literary Arts of Pen and Ink, the Xuanjian Immortal Clan!

Li Ximing's words were caught in his throat for a long time, but Xiao Yuansi kept looking at him. The old man pressed his shoulder, somewhat lost in thought.

Xiao Yuansi understood that once he left this place and Li Ximing went into seclusion, there was a ninety-nine percent chance his next visit to the Li family would be for Li Ximing's funeral. Achieving divine abilities was not overly difficult for the various immortal sects and schools, but for Li Ximing at this moment, it was not a good option.

"Achieve divine abilities, transcend the mundane."

He heard Li Ximing speak with a choked voice and sighed softly in his heart. He had racked his brains to see Li Ximing.

Xiao Yuansi noticed that his ancestor hadn't stopped him from gathering various Mingyang spiritual materials, but he didn't take this as a sign that the True Person was supporting him. Xiao Yuansi completely distrusted him; he feared that by the time he finished refining the elixir, Li Ximing would already be in seclusion—Xiao Chuting was absolutely capable of such a thing.

Therefore, he deliberately completely disrupted the timeline, even refining it early despite his injuries, and brought it all the way here. Xiao Yuansi regarded this meeting as their last. As for Li Ximing breaking through to the Purple Mansion, he actually harbored no such hopes at all.

'Ming'er's temperament is too much like a mortal's!'

Xiao Yuansi looked at him deeply:

"Throughout history, those who achieve divine abilities are either utterly devoted, cunning and cruel, or deeply contemplative and resolute... Ming'er, when startled, panics; when angry, it shows. He wants to pursue the ruthless Great Dao, yet he is swayed by his relatives and friends. When he acts ruthlessly, he can cut ties and let go, but then he regrets and feels pain. When things are calm, he hesitates, only realizing ruthlessness when he is hurting... Among all the Li descendants, he is the most like a mortal."

"Divine abilities emerge from the Sea of Qi, transforming into Ascending Yang, accompanied by infinite illusions and endless demonic obstacles. What will he use to overcome them?"

Xiao Yuansi watched him silently. Li Ximing stood by the table, let out a soft breath, and finally spoke words that were not thanks.

"Master, why did you specifically avoid True Person Xiao with this elixir?"

Xiao Yuansi hadn't expected him to ask such a question. He slowly raised his eyebrows and said softly:

"My True Person... is doing it for your family's good."

"Ximing understands."

Li Ximing stood quietly beside him and whispered:

"True Person Xiao hopes I will leave this elixir for the heir. Ximing can guess that, can see it clearly. Master, rest assured, my family deeply respects and loves the True Person; there has been no misunderstanding."

Xiao Yuansi was not an ambitious person. With the Purple Mansion cultivator Xiao Chuting above him, he merely wished to live out his remaining years refining elixirs peacefully. However, he also had no reason to stop his disciple, only this one elixir to give.

Now, upon hearing his words, he finally showed a look of surprise. After a long moment of contemplation, he said softly:

"What I've given you, you can arrange as you see fit."

He coughed twice and finally got up. Li Ximing respectfully escorted him all the way out. Xiao Yuansi looked back at him three or four times along the way, and a glimmer of hope unexpectedly rose in his heart.

"If he could only rein in his heart and cut his losses... that would be for the best."

Li Ximing, on the other hand, escorted him away, then rode the wind back to Wushan. He did not inform Li Xuanxuan about the elixir, but quietly settled down amidst the white mist covering the mountain.

Li Ximing took out the jade bottle, but did not open it immediately. His spiritual sense penetrated it, silently scrutinizing the Purple Clarity Elixir.

The elixir's Mingyang energy was extremely abundant, and its pure spiritual aura was compelling. Li Ximing didn't detect anything amiss.

"Although my detection methods are a joke in front of Xiao Chuting... and all cultivation lineages originated from the Xiao family, so there's nothing I can clearly discern... but Master specifically mentioned Xiao Chuting..."

Li Ximing wouldn't doubt Xiao Yuansi, nor did Xiao Chuting have any reason to harm him. Master Xiao Yuansi's previous words clearly indicated concern about Xiao Chuting, so it wasn't difficult for Li Ximing to draw this conclusion:

"It's just that Xiao Chuting prefers Zhou Wei to be the one who attempts to break through to the Purple Mansion."

He sat quietly amidst the white mist, his thoughts drifting:

"Xiao Chuting's intentions are indeed good... presumably, Xuan Yue Sect... Kong Tingyun will also spread the word, and everyone's eyes will be on Zhou Wei."

"It's not just Xiao Chuting... all the friendly Purple Mansion cultivators hope that Zhou Wei will be the one to break through to the Purple Mansion... rather than me, a person with no hope."

"As for the other Purple Mansion cultivators... perhaps they are just waiting with bated breath... waiting to see me make a fool of myself."

He chuckled to himself twice, took out the light golden jade slip from his sleeve, formed a hand seal, activated his magic power, and began condensing the next secret art.

"Treasure Rank!"

Kong Tingyun escorted them all the way to the lake, smiling as she saw them off. Li Qinghong thanked her a few times; she was eager to return to her sect, politely declined the Li family's invitation, and bade farewell with a courteous word.

She hesitated repeatedly, and before leaving, she specifically tugged Li Qinghong's sleeve, reminding her:

"What I told you earlier, Qinghong, you must pay close attention to... never be careless!"

This naturally referred to Li Ximing. Li Qinghong could only nod in agreement, and only then did Kong Tingyun smile in relief before riding her spiritual boat into the distance.

Upon returning to the island, Li Chengliao came to greet them, his face beaming with a wide smile. He held his eldest son's hand and examined it closely. Li Zhouwei had also not seen his father for a long time; although he didn't say anything grand, there was a rare look of joy in his eyes.

Chen Yang changed into white robes and went to the lakeshore to pay respects to her father. Li Zhouwei bowed to Li Xijun on the island. Kongheng stood sighing before the tomb. As the others returned to the hall, it suddenly felt empty.

When the White Ape saw Li Zhouwei, it vaguely showed the same benevolent expression from years past. Its demeanor was still very respectful, and it quickly bowed. The group entered the hall together, and Li Chengliao began to recount recent events.

"Senior Yuansi is, after all, a benevolent elder... he specifically came to offer condolences. True Person Xiao has been in the North Sea for several years and hasn't appeared; even the Xiao family can't contact him... yet he specifically chatted with Ximing."

Li Xuanxuan was very grateful to him. He remembered how Xiao Yuansi had repeatedly helped their family, so he added a few words, fearing that the younger generation might harbor resentment because the Xiao family hadn't directly intervened.

Li Qinghong and the others naturally wouldn't do such a thing; they all responded to him in gentle tones. Li Xuanxuan then waved his hand, and both the White Ape and Li Chengliao retreated. The hall doors closed, and the grand formation began to operate.

Still uneasy, Li Qinghong tossed the Chongming Cave-Profound Screen from her sleeve. Its light enveloped the hall, adding another layer of protection. Only then did Li Zhouwei ask:

"These past two years away from home... how has the Talisman Seed progressed?"

Li Xuanxuan gently shook his head and replied:

"Not entirely satisfactory... The Zhouxing generation was tested three times, and only you possessed this immortal affinity. As for the Jiangque generation..."

The old man stroked his beard and said softly:

"It's only been a year or two. Jiangqian is just turning five, making him the eldest among the first batch of the Jiangque generation. Let him try."

Li Zhouwei nodded. Talisman Seeds had become increasingly rare in recent years, and the attached cultivation methods were also more advanced. In most generations, there was often only one such talent. He had met some of his brothers; their talent was slightly higher than the Chengming generation, but not by much.

Previously, the Immortal Mirror remained in the world, allowing spiritual sense to penetrate it and ascertain the number of Talisman Seeds within. Now, the Immortal Mirror hadn't appeared for decades; it couldn't even be seen once, and its use depended entirely on immortal spells, let alone checking for Talisman Seeds...

Li Xuanxuan appeared somewhat worried about this, and said in a low voice:

"It’s good that the treasure is entrusted... but there aren't many people who can receive the talisman. If something were to happen one day, and the lineage were suddenly cut off, and none of the descendants received a talisman, wouldn't we lose contact..."

He pondered for a moment, but ultimately said no more. Li Zhouwei then asked:

"How is Jiangqian?"

At the mention of this, Li Xuanxuan's spirits lifted, and he chuckled softly:

"This child is intelligent, able to deduce from one example, and is deeply favored by your father!"

"Oh?"

Li Zhouwei still remembered the exchange with Dingjiao in the Dragon Palace, and secretly pondered:

"Dingjiao's implication... my Mingyang's eldest and second sons are both somewhat unusual. I've already met Jiang Ao; Jiangqian must also have extraordinary qualities."

Dingjiao might not have been sincere with him, and the things he instructed might not have been his true objective, but the information revealed in their conversation could still be considered.

He then asked:

"Besides this, is there anything else unusual?"

Li Xuanxuan was momentarily stunned, then frowned and said:

"He's a five-year-old child; there's not much more to discern. His eyes are gradually gaining a reddish-golden tint... but that's nothing major."

"Good..."

Li Zhouwei seemed to grasp something, then handed over the basket of pearls. Li Qinghong, in turn, took out several jade slips, laid them out one by one, and said softly:

"Minghuang, these are the Mingyang cultivation methods and spells acquired by the family. Take a look."

Li Zhouwei's brow relaxed. He took the jade slips from the table and read them one by one:

'Second-Rank Cultivation Method: *Clear Heart Illumination Art*, Immortal Foundation: Clear Illuminated Heart'

'Third-Rank Evasion Technique: *Flowing Sun Refraction*'

'Third-Rank Cultivation Method: *Bright Primordial Contemplation Art*, Immortal Foundation: Ever-Bright Path'

'Fourth-Rank Spell: *Upper Luminary Subduing Radiance*'

Li Zhouwei thanked them, put away *Flowing Sun Refraction* and *Upper Luminary Subduing Radiance*, briefly read *Bright Primordial Contemplation Art*, then pushed it back into Li Qinghong's hand, saying in a low voice:

"I've troubled you elders."

"Don't mention it."

Li Qinghong nodded gently, exchanged a glance with Li Xuanxuan, and said softly:

"Minghuang, there's one more thing."

She rose from her seat, walked onto the main platform of the hall, formed a hand seal, and resonated with the array. From within, she retrieved an embroidered pouch, brought it before the two, gently shook it, and from it, a large jade box emerged.

The jade box was as large as a table, its material appearing nothing extraordinary. Guided by magic power, it gently settled onto the ground. Li Zhouwei already had some estimation in his mind, and indeed, Li Qinghong said softly:

"Back then, my uncle shot and killed Murong Wu, acquiring his Profound Iron Treasure Armor. It was an excellent Foundation Establishment-grade armor. He brought it back and had it refined with true flames for nearly three months on Bianyan Mountain, recasting it into a new treasure armor."

"Once this item was forged, Ning Heyuan delivered it to my uncle. He secretly arranged for it to be sent back and it has remained stored in the family home, never opened."

Her slender hands flowed with magic power, and she lightly tapped the jade box nine times. With a clanging sound, the jade box automatically split open from the middle, revealing the treasure within.

Li Zhouwei focused his gaze and saw an expanse of fine golden-white scales, without any mysterious patterns, layered together to present a soft texture. It was actually a suit of soft armor!

He gently lifted it, utterly surprised. Li Qinghong praised:

"I heard that Murong Wu used the Mo Xuan Armor, which was cumbersome and permeated with demonic aura. I thought it would be recast into heavy armor, but I didn't expect that after eighty-one days of refinement with true flames, it would turn out like this."

Li Xuanxuan wore a somewhat nostalgic expression, silently gazing at the soft armor, and said in a hoarse voice:

"The Murong family is from Beidi; naturally, their armors prioritize fierceness and bulk. Three pounds of iron would be hammered into the appearance of nine pounds. Qingchi, no matter what, is still an immortal cultivation lineage, so naturally, they would refine it towards elegance and splendor..."

The old man, having been a shopkeeper for many years, was quite familiar with such items. He examined it closely for a moment and said kindly:

"I fear the original Mo Xuan Armor was simply too cumbersome, so they had no choice but to forge it into soft armor. Otherwise, according to Qingchi Sect's custom, they would have certainly fashioned it into a feather robe!"

Li Zhouwei watched for a moment, filled with delight. He beckoned, and the white armor flew up on its own, neatly draping itself over him. Tall and proud, with the platinum armor gleaming brilliantly and his golden eyes sweeping around, he truly exuded the aura of a direct descendant of an immortal family.

Only then did Li Qinghong say softly:

"This armor is made with Mo Xuan Heavenly Iron as its frame and Radiant White Wolf-Scales as its scales. Forged by true flames and refined by several high-level Qingchi cultivators specialized in artifact refinement, it is called Yuan'e."

Li Zhouwei nodded with composure. Li Xuanxuan was slightly surprised and asked:

"Have you finished refining it?"

It was well known that acquiring a magical artifact required refining it first, imbuing it with one's magic power. This process wasn't very noticeable for Qi Refining artifacts, but Foundation Establishment-grade artifacts already required a considerable amount of time. Ownerless items were the easiest, often taking several days, while items that already had an owner would take even longer. Ancient artifacts like the Chongming Cave-Profound Screen could even take months...

Yet, when Li Zhouwei took the armor into his hands, he seemed to use it with effortless ease. How could Li Xuanxuan not be puzzled? When asked, Li Zhouwei smiled and said:

"I haven't refined it... it's just that Mingyang objects naturally favor me; I can use them even without refinement!"

The Grand Ascension Halberd appeared in his hand, emitting an arc-like bright radiance. Seeing the halberd lightly touch the ground, Li Qinghong smiled and replied:

"You should try it out. Let the White Ape spar with you for a few moves."

Li Zhouwei nodded with a smile, but said:

"I'm afraid that won't be enough."

Li Xuanxuan let out a rare laugh. Li Qinghong also put away the Chongming Cave-Profound Screen, then pushed the hall doors open. Outside, the morning breeze was brisk, and they heard a few creaking sounds as the monk with narrow eyes approached, clogs clattering.

Li Qinghong said softly:

"How is Kongheng?"

Kongheng was called over and looked at Li Zhouwei and the others with slight confusion. Li Xuanxuan's memory of this monk was still from a long time ago, so he smiled and nodded, saying:

"I think he's doing well."

Li Qinghong, however, seemed hesitant.

Kongheng was now vastly different from before. A Dharma Master's lifespan was not short, and ancient Buddhist cultivation was much slower, but although the monk never boasted, his cultivation, honed over so many years, was absolutely not something to be easily dealt with!

"Even if he excels in defense rather than offense, he now has a high chance of victory against cultivators from the Three Sects and Seven Gates."

Fearing that she might discourage Li Zhouwei, she specifically asked Kongheng:

"May I ask, Dharma Master, what is your current strength?"

Kongheng pondered for a moment, then gave a wry smile:

"I'm afraid I cannot block Qinghong's lightning... but for other things, I can give it a try..."

Li Qinghong was confident in her own strength. Her lightning, empowered by several magical artifacts, possessed immense power, comparable to that of Tang Shedou in the past. By this calculation, Kongheng already possessed the strength level of a Qingchi Peak Master.

Before she could ask, she saw the monk smile and say:

"If I am defending, it would be difficult for even a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator to kill me. If I were to actively engage an enemy... then my strength would be considerably weaker, probably at the level of a mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator."

The comparison here was naturally to the direct descendants of the Three Sects and Seven Gates. Li Qinghong immediately understood and thought to herself:

"Slightly weaker than Xizhi... similar to Ximing."

She said softly:

"Dharma Master, why don't you test the heir's strength? Just stop before causing harm."

"Good!"