Chapter 688: Families' Congratulations

Pen and Ink Literature, Xuanjian Immortal Clan!

Si Boxiu stood still in the clouds, having finished his words. Li Ximing immediately cupped his hands in return and said softly, "My family has cultivated for a hundred years under the High Sect's protection. Your esteemed clan has provided much assistance; your kindness remains. My elder brother still holds a position within the sect. I ask for your continued care and guidance in the future!"

Si Boxiu's gaze remained complex, but his expression softened considerably. Li Ximing's breakthrough to the Purple Mansion realm was a done deal, so what could he say? He merely sighed and said gently, "During the turmoil of the Chi clan years ago, there was much mistreatment. This old man apologizes for it!"

Li Ximing neither confirmed nor denied, his tone respectful, "Senior, please don't say that... I am unworthy!"

As their conversation concluded, a fiery red Li-light rune pierced through the void, materializing in the sky. Its light vibrated, condensing into streaks of shimmering brilliance, and a man with thick eyebrows appeared. The man wore a robe with wide lapels and narrow sleeves, its edges embroidered with Li-light runes, adorned with numerous fiery red small talismans. He had a cheerful demeanor, thick eyebrows, and large eyes. He cupped his hands slightly and declared loudly, "I am Heng Li of the Hengzhu Immortal Path. On behalf of my Path, I congratulate fellow Daoist. May you be blessed with the five methods, achieve the Golden Lotus with ease, attain the Purple Mansion without hindrance, and find success in all endeavors."

This man was True Lord Heng Li of the Hengzhu Path, one of Jiangnan's foremost artifact refiners. His personal attendance showed the sincerity of the Hengzhu Path. Li Ximing, having long heard of his reputation, was not careless and returned the greeting, "I have long heard of your esteemed name, and it is indeed well-deserved."

Heng Li chuckled softly and nodded, "The Nine-Colored Profound Mercury that you entrusted to my Hengzhu Path has been carefully preserved. Now that you have achieved the Purple Mansion, I have dispatched someone to deliver it; it is already en route."

Li Ximing understood that the Nine-Colored Profound Mercury he mentioned was the Purple Mansion spiritual treasure obtained from Wang Fu. He calmly acknowledged it. To the west, a golden light materialized, revealing a broad-shouldered, robust man whose eyes coldly glared at Heng Li before turning to Li Ximing. "I am Tian Que from the Golden Feather Immortal Sect. On behalf of my sect, I congratulate True Lord Zhaojing. May your divine abilities be perfected through myriad trials, your true Dharma remain unshaken, your light illuminate the cosmos, and may you achieve true enlightenment!"

These two True Lords were both skilled in combat, and ironically, quite at odds with each other. Li Ximing quickly changed the subject, speaking softly, "Your Immortal Sect has been good friends with my ancestors. Your esteemed presence brings great honor to our humble dwelling."

After True Lord Tian Que nodded, a tall, slender man appeared standing in the clouds, dressed in a shaman's robe, his eyes placid. He casually cupped his hands, "Hou Fu of the Great Xiukui Temple, congratulates True Lord!" Although the Great Xiukui Temple was considered part of the righteous path, its lineage was rather unconventional. They usually did not engage in frequent interactions. Hou Fu's presence was a gesture of respect for the Li family's upright conduct. Li Ximing acknowledged him, and Hou Fu then transformed into black smoke and vanished on the spot.

From the other side, a middle-aged man with a sword on his back immediately bowed as well, his tone relatively mild as he said quietly, "I am Cheng Jiuwen, extending congratulations on behalf of the Sword Gate. If fellow Daoist has the opportunity, you are welcome to visit our Sword Gate." The Sword Gate and Xiukui were famously aloof. The middle-aged man from the Sword Gate seemed rather disdainful of the current situation. As soon as Li Ximing responded, he returned the bow and flew into the void, departing.

After the middle-aged man from the Sword Gate left, a robed man appeared. He had a kind and gentle face with willow-leaf eyes, and he smiled, "I am Chang Xiao, extending congratulations to True Lord Zhaojing!" Li Ximing raised an eyebrow to look at him. There was not a trace of hostility on the man's face; he looked on with a gentle, smiling expression. Li Ximing naturally couldn't trust him. Not only was this person notoriously difficult to deal with, but the Brightfang Heaven Stone, which had aided his breakthrough, had been obtained from the Changxiao Gate. He was wary, knowing the complex history and how the Changxiao Gate had previously manipulated events to their advantage, even if his own family had benefited.

He was wary internally, but outwardly remained polite, responding amicably. Chang Xiao's voice was deep as he said, "True Lord Zimu of the Purple Smoke Sect is in secluded cultivation. The other True Lord, who is your peer, is out searching for the reincarnated body of Zipei, and thus cannot come to see you. Please do not take offense." His tone made it sound as if he had a very close relationship with the Purple Smoke Sect, which surprised Li Ximing inwardly. He politely returned the greeting. The remaining few in the void did not appear, nor did Xiao Chuting. The True Lords each offered their respects and disappeared.

Si Boxiu stayed until the very end, his eyes consistently fixed on the Celestial Gate in the sky. With his hands clasped behind his back, he seemed to gradually clear his thoughts. He gave Li Ximing a slight smile and finally departed.

The celestial light behind Li Ximing retracted back into his glabella. The colorful clouds in the sky dimmed, and the shimmering Celestial Gate in the clouds gradually vanished. He descended onto the lake, where millions of eyes looked up at him.

"Greetings, True Lord!"

Li Cheng was the first to approach. The young man was so excited and overjoyed that his eyes were a little red. He respectfully bowed before Li Ximing. An Siwei and the others all lowered their heads, not daring to look at him, while the few followers holding Zai Xingzi waited nearby.

Li Ximing first stopped Li Cheng. He brought two fingers together, placed them an inch from his lips, his pale golden eyes shimmering, and blew softly. "Hoo...!" Instantly, brilliant light fell like rain. The endlessly burning purple flames on Mount Wu were finally suppressed, twisting like living things, one by one burrowing into the mountain through its spiritual veins. The Earth Fiend Spring itself was filled with purple flames, emitting faint purple fiendish qi, occasionally spewing out a mouthful or two of purple fire, clearly indicating new changes.

Li Ximing suppressed the flames on Mount Wu, then smiled, "I broke through to the Purple Mansion, but I wasn't sure of the situation and didn't want others to know. I was afraid that if I told you, my words might be overheard by others' divine abilities. So, I first went to see True Lord Chuting, and only just now hurried back." He added, "While it wasn't exactly 'luring the snake out of its hole,' I did manage to catch one or two."

Li Cheng respectfully affirmed. The excitement in the young man's heart was still hard to calm; even at this moment, he felt a sense of dizziness. A wave of giddiness washed over him: *My family now has a Purple Mansion cultivator? My family is now a Purple Mansion Immortal Clan?!*

Everyone looked at him with uncontrollable excitement. Li Ximing's gaze lingered on the few individuals from Xiaoshishan's Three Mifan Sects. These people were already pale with fright, having fainted several times. They dared not meet his gaze, fearing he might kill them with a mere look. The jade box was still floating in the air. Li Ximing sneered, "Cheng, retrieve the congratulatory gift from the Three Mifan Sects for me to see."

Li Cheng immediately understood. He gently opened the jade box, inside which lay a round, white, eye-like spiritual item, emanating waves of cold energy. Li Cheng's voice was not loud, but it was powerful and cold, "The Misty Cloud Cave of the Three Mifan Sects presents the Jueyin spiritual item, the Shunyin Pearl."

At this, the few people collapsed again, lifted by the Foundation Establishment cultivator's spiritual power. All eyes on the lake, like swords, fixed upon their faces. The meaning was clear: a Mingyang cultivator had broken through to the Purple Mansion, refined divine abilities, and become a True Lord. To dare to use a Jueyin spiritual item as a congratulatory gift was an unmistakable insult. Zai Xingzi's death was not unjustified!

An Siwei's anger had not dissipated; he secretly applauded. Li Ximing smiled softly and said quietly, "Cheng, return the items to them and let them go." He turned his face towards the few individuals, scaring these Qi Refining cultivators so much that their eyes lowered, their souls scattered. They only vaguely felt the celestial light from Li Ximing's glabella shining upon them, as if they were standing in a scorching sun, sweating profusely. "Within three days, Misty Cloud Cave—or the Three Mifan Sects—must give True Lord Zhaojing an explanation."

An Siwei released the few individuals. These Qi Refining cultivators had never imagined they would survive. Crying and wailing, they began kowtowing. Chen Yang glared at them, and they then shakily rode their spiritual winds, flying towards their sect.

"The True Lord is truly magnanimous; they got off easy!" Li Cheng coldly watched the three figures disappear.

Li Cheng was right; Li Ximing's action was already extremely generous. One must remember he was a True Lord of the Purple Mansion. To be so offended by a Foundation Establishment cultivator, even if Zai Xingzi was from one of Yue Nation's Three Immortal Sects, he wouldn't have kept his life unless he was a true direct descendant. Even then, a True Lord would have to come forward to apologize. Even if Li Ximing were to tear through the void at that moment, appear over the Three Mifan Sects, and unleash scorching celestial light and endless purple flames, illuminating Misty Cloud Cave until the mountains collapsed, the earth cracked, and it was burned into a barren wasteland, it would be perfectly reasonable! At most, someone might remark that he didn't value life.

However, Li Ximing was unfamiliar with the Three Mifan Sects and did not act rashly. He had just broken through to the Purple Mansion, and his divine abilities were not yet fully familiar to him. Fearing a trap, and deeming it unwise to act too ferociously, he let the few individuals go, allowing Misty Cloud Cave to offer its own apology.

As he descended, Li Cheng immediately responded in a low voice, "True Lord, the Three Mifan Sects are backed by the Tangjin Gate... which is a bit tricky." Li Ximing understood his nephew's meaning. The Tangjin Gate was currently like a clay Buddha crossing a river, struggling to save itself. Internal strife had been incessant for a hundred years, and the surrounding sects were not to be trifled with. Since the demise of the Sitou clan's cultivator at the mid-Purple Mansion stage, the sole Purple Mansion cultivator, Sitou Huo, had been forced to roam the South Sea daily, not daring to return inland. It was rumored that he had been severely wounded by Elementals some years ago, and it was unknown if he had recovered. "Sitou Huo's reluctance to return inland was what allowed the Tangjin Gate to survive, causing the sect to barely cling to existence in Jiangbei. It was only in recent years, with Sitou Mo's powerful rise to power and the great resurgence of spiritual energy in Jiangbei, that it slowly began to recover..." Li Cheng added, "The spiritual energy in Jiangbei was filled with the lives of cultivators from both North and South back then..."

As Li Cheng was speaking, a light red streak of escape light flashed from the north, speeding rapidly, its flames surging. It appeared over the lake, transforming into a bright and graceful woman.

"Minggong!"

The newcomer was indeed Li Minggong. She wore a red dress, held a sword in her hand, and her face showed a mix of joy and disbelief, overwhelmed. She stopped her spiritual wind before the two and hastily bowed, saying respectfully, "This junior... greets True Lord!" As the woman spoke, her eyes were already moist. She choked back a sob before continuing, "Congratulations, Seventh Uncle, on refining your divine abilities. This junior respectfully bows... This junior... has already passed through the trial of life and death, and cultivated the immortal foundation of Pheasant Departed Practice!" She then explained, "Pheasant Departed Practice commands the Pheasant Departed True Fire, internally refining the five viscera, externally refining all metals. It holds the Pheasant Departed within its mouth, spewing fiendish qi and flames, transforming its body into a bird, riding flames and treading fire..."

The family's Fourth-Grade "Pheasant Fire Enduring Practice" had always been a rather good True Fire lineage. Li Minggong being the first to forge a True Fire foundation was somewhat unexpected, and Li Ximing was quite pleased, saying genially, "Good!" Among all the Foundation Establishment cultivators, Li Minggong was actually the closest relative to Li Ximing; she was Li Xuanxuan's great-granddaughter. Li Ximing, smiling, helped her up and nodded, "True Fire is excellent for artifact refining. You should definitely study these things more. He Jiumen's lifespan is limited, and there's no one yet to guard Jiumen Mountain, our family's peak for artifact refining."

He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Where are Cheng Liao and Cheng Huai?"

Li Minggong cupped her hands in a bow and answered softly, "Reporting to True Lord, my elder brother... failed his breakthrough some years ago..."

"Oh..." Li Ximing paused, a look of considerable regret on his face. Li Minggong and Li Chengliao had similar talents, but Li Chengliao had the best temperament. He had thought Li Chengliao would successfully break through, but unexpectedly, he entered secluded cultivation first and then perished. Reflecting on it now, managing the family had taken too much of his time. He always had to look after his various siblings, spending too little effort on his own cultivation. Though his cultivation was good, it couldn't compare to the rigorous, daily honing of his other siblings.

Li Ximing was silent for a moment. This matter had passed five or six years ago, and his family members had largely recovered. He merely sighed inwardly, not wishing to bring up sad topics, and only asked, "How is Cheng Huai?" Li Chenghuai was the most talented among his generation (Chen Ming). Logically, breaking through to Foundation Establishment shouldn't have been an issue, but cultivation often depended on serendipity and, sometimes, even luck, making it difficult to predict.

Li Minggong stood beside him and said respectfully, "Still in breakthrough."

Within a few words, Li Ximing and the others had landed on the island. Over a hundred thousand people looked up at the brilliant light. Li Ximing calculated with his fingers and frowned, saying, "It's late."

Li Cheng, standing nearby, respectfully said, "According to Twenty-ninth Brother's cultivation speed, he should have entered secluded cultivation much earlier. However, Clan Uncle Xizhi spent a great deal within the sect to find him a Fourth-Grade qi-compatible cultivation technique, the 'Subtle Hidden Profound Method.' It is said to be quite miraculous, and he entered seclusion to transform his cultivation and use this technique to break through to Foundation Establishment. That's why it was delayed by five or six years."

Li Ximing then smiled broadly and nodded, "Good! A Fourth-Grade cultivation technique is indeed different." He listened to Li Cheng's narration as they descended towards the center of the island. The sun was bright, and colorful clouds filled the sky.

Li Xuanxuan, his face streaming with tears, came forward with a smile. The old man's lips trembled, and his hands, shaking, reached out to welcome him. After looking at him for a long time, he finally uttered two words: "Ming'er!"

Li Ximing's heart had been filled with boundless exhilaration, but upon hearing those two words, an unspeakable wave of sorrow welled up. He closed his eyes for several breaths before choking out, "Grandfather! Ming'er has lived up to your trust!" Amidst his endless imaginings of being devoured by tiger beasts, traversing mountains of blades and seas of fire, having his chest pierced and intestines torn, and enduring inexpressible bitterness, Li Ximing had never uttered a sound, yet he was almost brought to tears by those two words.

He just turned his head and said softly, "Cheng, in three months, the Three Sects, Seven Gates, and various clans will send representatives. Go quickly and make preparations." Li Cheng and the other immediately understood. They took two steps back and casually closed the hall doors. The main hall instantly became empty, leaving only the grandfather and grandson.

Li Xuanxuan's clouded old eyes were filled with tears. He stood there dazedly, repeatedly looking at the brilliant celestial light emanating from Li Ximing's glabella. After a full fifteen minutes, he closed his eyes and squeezed out two streaks of tears. The old man smiled, "Even if this old man were to die now, it would be enough to face my second uncle, my uncle... Ximing, you've brought honor! Yuanping and Yuanjiao, if they know in the afterlife, must be overjoyed..."