Chapter 695: Purple Mansion Dharma Assembly (Part 2)

Xiao Yuansi hesitated slightly. This old man was not one to show off. He raised his brows and looked at Li Ximing's face, which, though not drastically changed, now appeared entirely different.

"Ming'er..."

The face before him had well-defined features, slightly long brows, and light golden eyes that gazed at him, smiling subtly.

"Zhaojing True Lord Li Ximing."

The perpetual gloom, a bitter, gnawing depression that always weighed on his brow, had vanished completely, replaced by a spark of celestial light flickering between his eyebrows.

The flickering, slightly uneasy gaze was also gone. Li Ximing's eyes now held a gentle smile, free from the despondency and the resolute determination to face a pointless death. With these two elements gone from his face, his entire countenance came alive. He was no longer merely the Li family's desperate, last-ditch effort, but Zhaojing True Lord Li Ximing himself.

Tears welled up subtly in Xiao Yuansi's eyes. Amidst the gazes of many, he sighed, "Zhaojing True Lord's fortune is profound; this old man has benefited from it."

Li Ximing smiled and helped him up. Chang Xi, standing by, spoke in a gentle, warm tone, feeling a pang of envy. Li Ximing then respectfully said, "Master, please."

Everyone knew about the elixir Xiao Yuansi had. He had returned from Beihai disheartened after being reprimanded by Xiao Chuting. The three sects and seven clans also knew that Li Ximing had been in seclusion for over a decade, making Xiao Yuansi a laughingstock or a topic of gossip among the direct descendants of the immortal sects and clans during that time. Li Ximing had heard bits and pieces of this. His personal welcome was meant to show everyone and vindicate his master!

This was one reason. The second was that Xiao Chuting had also come to Wangyue Lake and was already on the island. This True Lord Chuting never personally got involved in matters, so he had Xiao Yuansi come from the mountains. Li Ximing naturally seized the opportunity he was given to clarify to all the clans that the relationship between the Xiao and Li families remained as strong as ever.

Though this matter was small, it greatly benefited the Li family. Li Ximing simply escorted Xiao Yuansi into the mountains, settled him in the courtyard, and then returned to the island. There, An Siwei reported that Xiao Chuting had left his congratulatory gift and departed alone.

Li Ximing nodded in acknowledgment, while Chang Xi quietly lowered his gaze beside him.

"Xiao Chuting is avoiding me..."

Although Li Ximing had only recently advanced to the Purple Manor realm and was not as shrewd as some veteran Purple Manor cultivators, he could still discern this much. A sense of apprehension settled in his heart: "Chang Xi... this is truly a mess!"

However, given his family's excellent relationship with Xuanyue and Chang Xi's presence to offer congratulations, while Xiao Chuting could choose not to meet, Li Ximing could not avoid him. He sat down with Chang Xi in the garden, which was filled with gardenias. Chang Xi laughed, "What a wonderful bright and sunny place! I wonder what Zhaojing will name it?"

Li Ximing poured him tea and politely replied, "I've named this place Zhijing Mountain. From now on, it will be my junior's place of quiet cultivation!"

"Excellent!" Chang Xi praised. He took something from his sleeve and placed it on the table. It was a round white pearl embedded in a jade box, radiating a subtle colorful glow like fine hairs, revealing a clear, brilliant radiance. A faint, extremely domineering pattern of a tiger looking back was engraved on it.

True Lord Chang Xi's face alternately appeared young and old, with an hour marking the transition. Currently, he looked middle-aged, wearing a jade pendant on his chest and a joyful expression.

"Fellow Daoist Zhaojing, our two families have supported each other for a hundred years, and my Tingyun and Yuanjiao are close friends. Now that your divine ability is complete, I am overjoyed and have specially prepared this humble gift!"

His tone was noticeably amiable. He no longer called Li Ximing "little friend." For someone hundreds of years old to humble himself and address someone less than a hundred years old as "fellow Daoist," subtly bringing up their past friendship, was the epitome of politeness.

"His lifespan... truly isn't much..."

Li Ximing took a quick look and realized that the item was at least of the Purple Manor level, likely a Purple Manor spirit artifact. However, it seemed to have been forged relatively recently, probably less than a hundred years ago, making it far inferior to the Xinyou Luzhe Seal or Qiwang Xuantian Listen, yet it was still something Li family's many magical artifacts couldn't hope to match.

"Too valuable!"

Li Ximing was not unaware of the significance of a Purple Manor Dharma Assembly. But these Purple Manor cultivators were stingy. Spiritual items for Foundation Establishment cultivators were given freely, but for Purple Manor cultivators, one shouldn't even dream of them. A Purple Manor Dharma Assembly was primarily about showing face and goodwill by attending! As for congratulatory gifts? Purple Manor spirit artifacts or spiritual items were out of the question. At most, they might offer a Grade Four spell. More often, they gave ancient treasures, or obscure but prestigious ancient secret manuals...

Chang Xi offering a Purple Manor spirit artifact clearly meant that he wanted to incur a favor, to secure a future path for Xuanyue!

Li Ximing merely took a glance, and Chang Xi indeed smiled, "This artifact is called the Mountain-Moving Sea-Crossing Tiger. It's a mid-grade Earth-element spirit artifact of the Gen trigram. It wasn't refined by my own divine ability but obtained elsewhere. It's not comparable to those spiritual treasures, but it's quite handy."

Li Ximing pondered, then asked, "Refined by divine ability?"

Chang Xi chuckled softly, and his aged voice explained, "Spirit artifacts are broadly divided into three types. The first involves incorporating an excellent spirit embryo of a magical artifact into one's divine ability, refining it with the divine ability for a hundred years, after which it becomes a spirit artifact. These are very convenient."

Li Ximing's eyes lit up instantly. "So it's that simple! Then why are spirit artifacts so rare in Jiangnan?"

Chang Xi stroked his beard. "Firstly, spirit embryos are difficult to refine. Secondly, such spirit artifacts, being refined by divine ability, must maintain uniformity with their master's divine ability, requiring constant nurturing and considerable mental effort. They also revert to their original form soon after being separated from the divine ability. It sounds easy, but it's very difficult to pass down."

Li Ximing immediately recalled the Nine Gates Observation spirit embryo that True Lord Tianjue had refined at Daoist He's place on the west bank of Wangyue Lake. That spirit embryo alone took a hundred years, so it was indeed not an easy task. He nodded, and Chang Xi continued, "The second type, which is more common, like the Mountain-Moving Sea-Crossing Tiger, is crafted by Purple Manor-level artifact refiners. Their quality varies greatly, from low, even inferior to a spirit embryo, to high, even comparable to a spiritual treasure."

"They are also divided into high, mid, and low grades for differentiation. A mid-grade artifact is similar to one refined by divine ability, but it's a treasure that can be passed down through generations and isn't restricted by a specific elemental affinity."

"As for what is called a spiritual treasure..." Chang Xi spoke of this, a hint of self-mockery in his expression as he shook his head, "They are actually ancient spirit artifacts from before the great change in the world, like the Xinyou Luzhe Seal. In the past, they were simply called spirit artifacts, but now they are called spiritual treasures... superior to all other spirit artifacts. It's quite ironic!"

Upon hearing this, Li Ximing understood much more, and his estimation of the Xinyou Luzhe Seal rose another level. He secretly mused, "No wonder Element can use a single divine ability to overpower everyone. First, he is formidable himself... and second, the Xinyou Luzhe Seal is extraordinary..."

Chang Xi glanced at him, then hesitated repeatedly. Seemingly to foster more goodwill, he opened his mouth and said with a smile, "This old man once heard something. A long time ago, there was another method of artifact refining... It's no longer viable, but it's an interesting anecdote, worth discussing."

"Please tell me, Elder!" Li Ximing was eager to hear more. Chang Xi stroked his beard and began to recount, "It is said that a thousand years ago, the immortal foundation had a method of refining artifacts by gathering the thoughts of the populace, which was exceptionally effective. Ancient cultivators lived in peace and prosperity, connecting with the common people through their divine abilities to draw forth the collective thoughts of sentient beings, using this to temper artifacts and make them sentient. This was called the 'Refining Radiance Method' (炼华法)."

"Many of the ancient spirit artifacts we have obtained show traces of this. Even extremely high-grade magical treasures once possessed this capability."

Li Ximing's heart thundered, and almost in the next instant, a thought surfaced irresistibly in his mind:

"Talisman energy!"

"Isn't this my family's Immortal Mirror!"

"Extremely high-grade magical treasures!"

His mind went blank for a moment, then a flurry of complex thoughts flashed through: "No wonder I couldn't see through the Rune Seed even after achieving divine ability... No wonder it allows mortals to cultivate, no wonder there are so many miraculous forms of talisman energy—it truly is an immortal artifact!"

"Furthermore... how magnificent is the Grand Yin Mystic Light? Now that I've broken through to Purple Manor, its power is even more unfathomable. Perhaps even a child holding it could harm a Purple Manor cultivator... How could such a principle exist in this world! Only a true treasure could possess such might!"

The next moment, he forcefully cast these thoughts out of his mind, maintaining a clear head. Without pausing, he asked, "Then why isn't it possible now? Has it been lost?"

Chang Xi was exceptionally shrewd and immediately sensed his emotional fluctuation. No matter how he thought, he couldn't imagine the Li family possessing such an item; he merely thought Li Ximing was amazed by it. The old man sighed, "It's no longer possible, but it's not lost. In my early years, I was very interested in this and searched extensively, poring over many ancient texts, only then did I find some information..."

A look of bewilderment crossed the old man's face as he frowned, "It's said... that this method was taken... Some say stolen, some say seized, others say proven. In any case, it's always linked to one name."

"A name..." Li Ximing hesitated, almost afraid to hear, fearing that the old man would utter some earth-shattering name in the next second. Yet, Chang Xi had already spoken:

"Susikong."

"Susikong..." The name sounded very familiar. Li Ximing immediately recalled that when Yu Mu Jian returned from the north, fighting two opponents alone, he had mentioned this revered name. Many of the spellcasters Li Xuanfeng had killed also muttered, "Acarya taught me that by invoking Susikong Dharma and Shakya Reason Art... Susikong is the World-Honored One!"

Chang Xi nodded, praising, "Precisely... The loss of this dharma method is likely related to Him. After His enlightenment, the power of such artifacts diminished by eight or nine tenths. In the following hundred years, it worsened year by year, constantly falling, gradually losing its associated power."

"After more than four hundred years, most of the spirit artifacts created by the Refining Radiance Method, as recorded, had entirely lost their power. Only a few, close to the level of true treasures and significantly linked to 'fruit positions,' could barely maintain their function, but they were also far inferior to before, and later generations could no longer use this method!"

Both fell silent. Li Ximing immediately recalled the situation in the north, forming many conjectures in his mind. From Chang Xi's appearance, he likely had his own conclusions, but would not voice them.

The topic momentarily concluded. The old True Lord smiled and pushed the jade box over. Li Ximing looked down at the shimmering artifact, hesitating for a moment: "Accept? Or not accept...?"

The mountain courtyard was wreathed in mist. Li Ximing had not yet taken his seat at the head of the table, but numerous jade cushions and tables were already arranged throughout the courtyard, and people were steadily arriving.

Li Jiangqian sat at the head of the left side of the courtyard, lightly raising a jade cup. Beside him was a cultivator in flowing green robes, with an ethereal demeanor and composed expression. He was a Foundation Establishment cultivator, none other than Si Tongyi, the Peak Master of Qingchi Peak.

Si Tongyi was roughly the same age as Li Zhouwei. As Li Ximing had achieved Purple Manor overnight, Si Tongyi dared not address Li Ximing as "fellow Daoist." However, he was unhesitating in humbling himself and immediately struck up a conversation with Li Jiangqian, taking a seat beside him. He now quietly introduced the cultivators below, speaking amiably, "That's Cheng Jinzhu of the Sword Sect, a good friend of your family's Changtian Peak Master... and a famous sword cultivator of the Sword Sect..."

Li Jiangqian looked in the direction indicated and indeed saw a man with a sword on his back seated at the table, his expression calm. The area around him was empty, clearly indicating that others were reluctant to sit beside him.

"Thank you for the reminder, Uncle." Li Jiangqian responded with a warm smile. Si Tongyi didn't dare to dwell on Cheng Jinzhu, introducing the others one by one in order. Li Jiangqian surveyed his surroundings, his thoughts lingering on the True Lords seated in the clouds.

On the cloud seat to the west sat a broad-shouldered man with thick brows, clad in a fire-patterned Daoist robe. His breath was like an invisible flame, subtly distorting the surrounding spiritual energy. This was True Lord Tianjue of the Jinyu Sect.

True Lord Tianyuan of the Jinyu Sect had little lifespan remaining, True Lord Tianhuo was in seclusion, and True Lord Qiushui had appeared in the world. However, with the fall of Zipei, True Lord Qiushui was already one of the top Purple Manor cultivators in Yue Kingdom, her status too high. Thus, True Lord Tianjue, who usually guarded Wu Kingdom, had come instead.

The representative from Qingchi Sect was naturally True Lord Yuanxiu, an old man who always wore a stern expression. Li Jiangqian did not look at him, instead secretly counting in his mind: "Three sects... Jinyu and Qingchi have both arrived. Xiuyue has not..."

Both sects had their own calculations, and their presence was a show of respect. It was normal for Xiuyue Sect, with its gates sealed, not to come. Li Jiangqian paid more attention to the seven clans.

"No news from Xueji Gate... This sect hasn't engaged with the world for centuries."

"The Sword Sect, Chen Clan, and Xiukui did not send Purple Manor cultivators, only direct descendants. This is merely standard."

Wanyu Sword Sect and Grand Xiukui Temple had no particular stance, so their presence was also normal. Moreover, Cheng Jinzhu's status was not low. The other clans showed various degrees of engagement:

"Xuanyue's attendance is the most grand. Next is the Xiao family, with Xiao Chuting personally attending... I heard that True Lord only showed himself briefly and then left, with only a handful of people seeing him."

"The Purple Smoke Gate and Tujun Gate's Purple Manor cultivators are not within their sects, so they sent direct descendants. Their seats are still empty, as their Purple Manor cultivators are still en route."

He raised his gaze. The True Lord seated at the head of the southern section had a cheerful countenance. Beside him, a woman in red, Bi Yuzhuang, wore golden bracelets on her wrists and smiled frequently.

"Hengzhu sent True Lord Hengli and Bi Yuzhuang... also showing great respect."

After surveying the scene, Li Jiangqian chatted and laughed with Si Tongyi, but his mind was clear.

Among the seven clans, Changxiao Gate had not yet arrived! Not only had neither Changxiaozi nor Chengyan come, but even the direct descendants of Changxiao only offered a greeting and left, not even taking their seats...

Aside from the three sects and seven clans, few cultivators from Jiangbei had come, with only the Shen family showing up. Not a single major immortal sect or clan from Wu Kingdom had come.

"Hengzhu and Changxiao are at odds... and my family has also had quite a few unpleasant incidents with Changxiao Gate..."

Li Jiangqian lowered his gaze, realizing that the situation was not entirely clear.

"Behind us are merely the Xiao family and Xuanyue... Xiao Chuting of the Xiao family is always on the move and won't act arbitrarily... but once Chang Xi falls, the entire Xuanyue territory will become a burden!"

"If things go awry then, wouldn't we have to lean towards Hengzhu? Hengzhu is indeed a righteous path, but Hengxing and the others are quite calculating..."

He couldn't quite grasp the relationships between the Purple Manor cultivators. He could only raise his eyebrows and glance towards the head seat. His father, Li Zhouwei, was sitting in the first main seat, and beside him was Kong Guxi of the Kong family from Xuanyue! The two were chatting merrily, making Li Jiangqian's hand hover over his cup.

"Xuanyue... that's a hot potato... absolutely mustn't take it on..."