Chapter 676: Leaving

Kong Heng glided back down to Qingdu Mountain on the wind. The sky had already completely darkened. Li Xuanxuan was waiting in the main hall, still shaken and not yet recovered from the terrifying vision they had just witnessed.

Once they had landed steadily, Li Xuanxuan hurried to greet them. Seeing that both were safe and sound, his face lit up with joy. However, as he looked from one to the other, noting Li Ximing's look of wistfulness and Kong Heng's complex expression, Li Xuanxuan's joy faded.

"What is this about...?"

"Elder," Kong Heng clasped his hands together and bowed respectfully to Li Xuanxuan, saying gently, "This humble monk is about to depart, to travel through various commanderies... leaving Jiangnan entirely for other places."

"What?!" Li Xuanxuan was stunned for a moment, then urgently said, "Is there anything we've done to displease Kong Heng...? We've been together for decades..." The old man, thinking along these lines, continued, "That Fuxia monk was talking nonsense; he was most likely targeting my family! Kong Heng, please don't take it to heart..."

As Li Xuanxuan spoke, Kong Heng simply clasped his hands and bowed again, saying gently, "Elder, you possess a blessed countenance. Though your earlier years were challenging, there are few obstacles ahead. It would be best to worry less!"

Li Xuanxuan couldn't respond, only nodding. Kong Heng then quietly said, "Regarding Zhou Wei's matter, I had already given it much thought. I initially considered the difficulty of acquiring a Jueyin spiritual item, which would be troublesome to purchase from overseas. Fortunately, I heard your esteemed family also obtained a Jueyin artifact, which can be used for the ritual."

He took out a manuscript from his sleeve and handed it to Li Ximing. The tiny characters on the paper were clear and distinct, evidently written stroke by stroke by the monk himself.

Kong Heng said, "Using the method described in this book, you can protect your wife and also suppress the spiritual essence, preventing the fetus from being affected by the Mingyang."

Li Ximing was quite moved and acknowledged, putting the manuscript away. Kong Heng then said apologetically, "However, since I will not be personally performing the ritual, it will be difficult to gauge the precise strength needed. If the Jueyin is too strong, it could also cause trouble. Therefore, I ask all of you to exercise great control and caution during the process."

"Understood!" Li Ximing agreed. The monk then bade farewell to Li Xuanxuan and walked out, descending the stone steps until they reached halfway down the mountain. There, a male deer lay inertly by the roadside, silently watching the two of them.

Kong Heng paused and sighed, "He shouldn't have done this to you."

After saying this, the monk took out the Miraculous White Jade Demon-Subduing Staff from his sleeve. Under the moonlight, this precious artifact had transformed into a short rod, forearm-length and finger-thick, gleaming brightly. Its intricate patterns were faintly visible.

Kong Heng sighed, "It seems I must make a trip to the North; these items should be returned to the Northern Demon-Subduing Temple! The Miraculous White Jade Demon-Subduing Staff and the Profound Casket Tiger-Striped Kasaya are precious, and the sariras should certainly be returned to their pagodas."

Li Ximing had already guessed that Kong Heng would say this, and a bitter feeling rose in his heart. *'That old bald donkey is still cunning. He used calculated deception and endless torment, even risking lives, to force Kong Heng to travel north. Kong Heng, as an ancient cultivator, carries significant weight. His life might be safe on the journey ahead, but his spiritual lineage might not be...'*

This precious artifact was truly formidable. Merely taking it out revealed layers upon layers of five-colored divine light spreading across it. Li Ximing observed it closely, making a mental estimation. *'This item is definitely not at the Foundation Establishment level; it's at least comparable to a Purple Mansion spiritual artifact. To have three such items, they truly spared no effort.'*

Kong Heng held the artifact and lightly tapped the deer's head. "Your sin does not warrant this; you deserve liberation."

The deer whimpered, then thrashed on the spot. Its fur fell away like leaves caught in a whirlwind, scattering across the ground, and a pool of bloody red substance erupted. From within it, a man rolled over.

His face was covered in deer blood, and his expression was dazed. He bowed and replied, "Thank you, Master."

Kong Heng draped a piece of clothing over him and softly said, "The dead cannot be brought back to life. Please restrain your grief and accept what has happened."

The man, with downcast eyes, looked bewildered and whispered, "This humble man has been suffering since childhood, always tormented by hunger and cold. I grew up with nothing. My poor wife traveled a thousand *li* to marry me, and we shared everything. Now that she has died unjustly, this humble man has no reason to live anymore..."

Kong Heng cast a low glance at him. His mind-reading ability was at work, and sensing the man's suicidal intent, he turned his head away. *'If I had agreed to Manifestation Emperor Di Cha Zi's terms then, and tied up the karmic threads, not only would he have become a Deer-bodied Arhat as destined, but his wife might also have ascended to the Buddhist Pure Land.'*

Fortunately, this man was from Jiangnan, not a citizen of Zhao. If he had some knowledge of Buddhist teachings, he might resent Kong Heng. But now, having been harmed by a monk and then saved by one, his eyes held only confusion. Kong Heng gently sighed and said softly, "Why not accompany me to the North and inquire at the Northern Demon-Subduing Temple?"

The man paused, a hint of resentment appearing on his face, then nodded. His black hair cascaded down, falling out entirely. He put on the monastic robe that had been draped over him and silently followed behind Kong Heng.

Li Ximing nodded in understanding and accompanied them to the lakeside. The night was deep, and the shore was quiet and deserted, with only the rustling sound of their footsteps on the bank.

"Ximing, you can stop here." Kong Heng clasped his hands, inviting him to return. Li Ximing stopped, watched him quietly, and suddenly realized, "With Kong Heng gone, I am the only one left from my generation."

He then softly said, "In the future, if Master passes by Moon-Gazing Lake and stops to rest, I would be delighted to host you. However, it's possible that Ximing might have failed and perished, and things will have changed; this place might no longer belong to the Li family."

A smile suddenly appeared on Li Ximing's face. The young man's usually slightly uneasy demeanor changed, and he said composedly, "Should that time come, Master, please do not perform rituals for my salvation. Let me die completely. Ximing would have no face to meet his ancestors, his father, his elder brothers, or his predecessors."

Kong Heng clasped his hands in a prayer, then sighed without speaking, and bade farewell. Li Ximing watched the two figures gradually recede in the moonlight, disappearing into the northern woods, before riding the wind back to the mountain.

The cultivation on the Precious Rank was painstakingly slow for Li Ximing. This time's emergence from seclusion hadn't caused any disturbance, as Li Ximing hadn't made much progress, having only thoroughly studied perhaps one or two tenths of it. "It might not be finished in ten years." He descended back onto the peak, his mind heavy with thoughts.

The East Sea.

On the back of the Azure Water Scaled Beast, palaces stood in profusion, yet one open area remained. Beside it stood a tall, azure platform with three jade-green tables. Ding Jiao was seated prominently at the head.

Below, two aquatic beasts were locked in a fight. One was a thick-scaled, long-tusked water elephant with snow-white scales and sharp tusks. The other was a long-tailed, single-horned *hui* snake, its single horn on its brow gleaming brightly. The light was a pale blue, casting a hazy glow over the area. The thick-scaled, long-tusked water elephant writhed repeatedly, blood gushing like springs from its eyes, flowing down its scales, and forming rolling pearls on the ground.

"Minghuang!" Ding Jiao's majestic and clear voice drew Li Zhouwei's gaze back. The Dragon Prince leaned against a seat of jadeite and coral, the armrests adorned with two pristine white hooked serpent heads, bright as jade. "How is this Profound Light?"

Li Zhouwei put down the jade cup in his hand and nodded. "Although this Perpetual Flux Harmonizing Water Profound Light is of the fourth rank, it excels in transformations but lacks in lethality. Its various changes are enough to dazzle an enemy, but it cannot inflict fatal damage. In a one-on-one combat, it would still fear an opponent skilled in defense."

His words made Ding Jiao nod. Below, the two exotic beasts fought to the death. The Dragon Prince's pale blue eyes watched indifferently, sipping his wine casually, as if his mind were elsewhere.

Li Zhouwei had been in the palace for quite some time. The Azure Water Scaled Beast had traveled all the way, cruising around the Vermilion Lu Sea for a week. Ding Jiao, tired of songs and dances, ordered aquatic beasts to fight on the platform. Li Zhouwei had listened to the little demon's introduction. These two aquatic beasts were a Treasure Scale Ferry Beast and a Jade-necked Flood Dragon respectively... neither was an ordinary demon. Any one of them, if released, could dominate an entire body of water. As for his own Black-scaled Whip Snake, it didn't even get a chance to appear in the East Sea. At least back then, only the White-scaled Hooked Serpent from Lingulan Ying and the Perfected Core Water Ape from Heshuihai had such an opportunity.

"But before the Dragon Clan, they are merely playthings."

Li Zhouwei watched for a moment as the Perpetual Flux Harmonizing Water Profound Light gradually weakened, and the Treasure Scale Ferry Beast began to counterattack. It was rare for Li Zhouwei to witness such a brutal demon fight, and while his face showed interest, he mused inwardly, *'I wonder how things are at the lake. Why have they kept me here for so long...'*.

Originally, after affairs in the South Sea were concluded, he could have left much earlier. However, Ding Jiao and Bai Rong had kept him cruising the seas. Yet, throughout the journey, nothing noteworthy happened; they simply wanted him to return later.

Although Li Zhouwei was worried, there was nothing he could do, so he settled down. As he pondered, he noticed a demon rushing up the palace corridor nearby. It wore silver armor, had a golden face and silver teeth, and carried two short halberds on its back, clearly no ordinary being. The demon walked all the way to Ding Jiao's elevated seat and seemed to transmit something via a secret technique. Eastern Ding Jiao's hand, holding the jade cup, froze in mid-air, though his expression remained unchanged.

Shortly after, the demon general bowed and departed. Eastern Ding Jiao's demeanor returned to normal. Opposite him, Bai Rong was clearly also tired; after listening for a while, he finally stood up and said with a smile, "Our discussion has been delightful this time, but I cannot be away from my peak for too long, so I shall no longer trouble Your Highness..."

Ding Jiao rose, exchanged a few polite words, and escorted them out of the hall, accompanying them through the corridor. The two demon generals were still fighting to the death, their blood splashing and transforming into pearls in mid-air, rolling to Ding Jiao's feet, yet no one spared them a glance.

After escorting them away, Ding Jiao returned to the platform alone, and the smile on his face vanished. The news brought by the white-armored demon general clearly wasn't good. However, Ding Jiao's self-control was deep; he had conversed and laughed naturally in front of his guests. But the moment they left, his expression instantly darkened.

The Dragon Prince's white horn glowed faintly as he silently watched, leaning against the azure railing and looking down at the two supreme demon generals fighting beneath him. Although the esteemed guests had departed, Ding Jiao did not speak, so the two demons dared not show any slack. They fought until their scales shattered and their horns splintered, leaving the ground covered in dripping blood and scattered pearls.

Ding Jiao still remained silent, his pale blue eyes narrowed. An oppressive, suffocating atmosphere filled the hall. Any discerning person could tell that the White Dragon Prince was in an exceedingly foul mood. The guards on either side began to tremble, daring not to look up.

He paused for a quarter of an hour. Finally, the demon general with the bulging cheeks and black armor could no longer endure it. He knelt down fearfully and said respectfully, "Your Highness, the Dragon Lord's birthday has just passed. It might not be appropriate for noble species to die in a duel..."

The demon general with bulging cheeks and black armor was named Ran Wu. He had followed Ding Jiao for many years and was no ordinary being. Now, with Ding Jiao in a rage, he was the only one in the hall who dared to speak.

Ding Jiao did not respond. With a grim face, he turned and walked into the hall, and the palace doors boomed shut behind him. The demon general looked as if he had been granted a great pardon, his face terrified. He dared not make a sound, frantically waving his hand. The two demons below immediately stopped fighting, bowed several times towards the great hall, and then scrambled away.

Outside the hall, there was jubilation, but inside, it was empty, silent, gloomy, and dimly lit.

Ding Jiao walked straight to the high seat, then abruptly flung his sleeve, clattering over jade pots and cups, which scattered across the floor with a series of crisp sounds. Ding Jiao's face suddenly elongated, revealing stark white, sharp fangs. Snow-white dragon whiskers sprouted from his neck, and the color in his eyes intensified. The tables in the hall clattered and trembled incessantly.

"Sunset, Glow, Mountain!" He gnashed his teeth, his voice like thunder, yet it was trapped within the great hall, reverberating and making everything vibrate.

The two emerged from the sea. The Azure Water Scaled Beast had already stopped in the shallow waters. Bai Rong's departure was clearly not without reason. He took out his two-wheeled chariot, flopped onto it with an "aiya," and sighed, "Oh, I'm so exhausted!"

Bai Rong's composure and elegance were instantly cast to the winds, and he reverted to his relaxed, slouching self. His two feet dangled outside the chariot, and he refused even to operate the artifact, only groaning and sighing. After staying underwater for so long, Li Zhouwei once again smelled the fresh scent of the sea breeze, and his heart felt much more at ease. With Bai Rong now idle, Li Zhouwei had no choice but to operate the artifact, traveling west on their way back.

Bai Rong sprawled for a while, only slowly recovering by the time they reached the edge of Salty Lake. He chuckled, telling Li Zhouwei to drive carefully and slowly. "Life for the Dragon Clan is just so boring. We can't wander around human territories... No matter how much the demons in the sea stir things up, it's not as interesting as what humans do... Those gladiatorial spectacles... humans grew tired of them back in the Zhou Dynasty! I was utterly bored."

Li Zhouwei responded, offered a couple of compliments about Ding Jiao, and then quietly asked, "Throughout this journey, many things must have happened at my family's lake. Does senior have any news?"

Li Zhouwei was concerned about his family and had been rushing back, but Bai Rong had persuaded him to slow down, presumably implying that the issues at the lake were not major. Now he seized the chance to ask the fox. Bai Rong paused, then chuckled, "Oh, it was nothing much. A wrathful and compassionate entity seized the opportunity to infiltrate, aiming to drive your family's monk away. If you had still been at the lake, the various cultivators would have been delighted to probe your background."

The fox did not conceal anything from him. As he raised his eyes to the distant sea view, he spoke in a calm tone, "You should know that Mingyang is not merely about Buddhist cultivators overrunning immortal mansion dynasties. There is also a Buddhist cultivator of Mingyang, the Victorious Name All-Encompassing King of Light! If that monk had truly embraced the Path of Wrathful Manifestation, with the karmic destiny already present and you at the lake, there's an eighty to ninety percent chance they would have emulated past events, pulling you, this white qilin, into their Pure Land... to become the Victorious Name All-Encompassing King of Light, taken to the North!"

"Oh?" The image of Kong Heng flashed through Li Zhouwei's mind. Bai Rong shook his head and chuckled, "It's just that even Mahākāla couldn't persuade him, and compassion is even more difficult. I told you long ago that these were minor troubles. Firstly, there was no need to meddle blindly, and secondly, it was as a precaution."

Li Zhouwei thanked him in a low voice and said thoughtfully, "So Buddhist cultivators can also cultivate Mingyang..."

"Mingyang is fundamentally a heavenly fruit position, distinguishing no difference between immortals, Buddhists, demons, or devils!" Bai Rong shifted his body to lie more comfortably and casually said, "The Victorious Name All-Encompassing King of Light is inherently a method of Buddhist cultivation. After Sukṣma acquired the Splendor Qi, the Buddhist Pure Land became filled with divine radiance, and Buddhist cultivators gained precious artifacts to use. If they could obtain Mingyang... wouldn't that be wonderful?"