Chapter 721: The Secret of Suiyuan

Li Ximing emerged from the Void on Zhijing Mountain. He landed and sent someone to invite Li Zhouwei. He sat at a table while Cui Jueyin, not daring to sit, stood respectfully by his side.

He inquired about matters overseas from Cui Jueyin. After a few exchanges, as Cui Jueyin respectfully answered, he noticed someone ascending the mountain from below.

This person was tall and robust, agile yet not excessively bulky. At first glance, he seemed formidable and unremarkable, except for his golden eyes, which inspired awe.

Cui Jueyin, however, saw only the golden eyes, and his mind became muddled for the first time...

"An imperial descendant? The Wangyue Li clan possesses a legitimate bloodline!"

His Cui clan might err on other matters, but recognizing the Wei-Li bloodline was an absolute certainty. The man before him might not compare to the former Crown Prince Li Xunquan, but he was on par with Li Xuan, who restored the kingdom. Overwhelmed, Cui Jueyin bowed first and said respectfully, "Greetings, Your Highness!"

Li Zhouwei, seemingly in good spirits, did not recognize the man before him. He slightly raised his chin, acknowledged him, and looked on with curiosity. Li Ximing smiled and said, "Minghuang, this is a direct descendant of the Cui clan."

Li Zhouwei immediately understood and nodded, saying, "So it is the Cui clan. No need for such formality."

Cui Jueyin respectfully stepped aside. Another man, robust and burly with broad shoulders and a thick waist, holding two golden hammers, ascended behind Li Zhouwei. Li Zhouwei showed a hint of joy, saying, "Reporting, True Person, Li Wen has successfully broken through and achieved Foundation Establishment!"

The man before them was Li Wen, who had been in seclusion in the Spirit Jade mine in the Helin Mountain Range. Li Ximing raised an eyebrow upon hearing this and chuckled, "What splendid fortune!"

Indeed, how could it not be? Li Wen could be said to have enjoyed perfect timing, geographical advantage, and harmonious human relations among the Li clan members for his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment. Li Ximing had long observed that this fellow's chances of Foundation Establishment were far less than those of the fallen Li Chengliao. Yet, he succeeded.

Li Ximing looked on with emotion and remarked, "You practice the Path of Jade Truth. Your talent is almost on par with An Zheyin. Originally, you were not destined for Foundation Establishment. However, during your Qi Condensation, a True Monarch achieved enlightenment, leading to a surge of jade treasures throughout the world, which gave you a slim chance."

"So you went into seclusion for the breakthrough. During this time, our clan faced the North-South conflict, and the Suanyuan Pills, which were previously unobtainable, became abundant. We also acquired the Spirit Jade mine in the Helin Mountain Range. Both locations were blessed with spiritual energy, a treatment even direct descendants of Qingchi would barely receive."

"You cultivated in seclusion for seven years, so Foundation Establishment must have been incredibly difficult. Yet, with the fall of the one from Changhuai Mountain, the spiritual atmosphere became imbued with profound essence, benefiting both ancient and immortal paths, making seclusion cultivation more effective. Since the Path of Jade Truth is an ancient path, you truly took full advantage of the situation!"

Li Wen, a simple-minded man, merely knelt and nodded. Li Ximing let out a hearty laugh and replied, "With your Foundation Establishment, how could there possibly be any reason for failure?"

Li Zhouwei nodded with a smile, while Li Wen said in a deep voice, "Li Wen merely relied on luck. I must also congratulate the True Person, for the Purple Mansion on the lake surpasses a hundred Li Wens."

Li Wen was an old acquaintance; Li Ximing had seen him guarding Li Yuanping since childhood. He still remembered how bitterly the old man cried when his father died. Feeling delighted, he repeatedly uttered words of praise.

Cui Jueyin, observing carefully, noted that while the rough man before him might not last fifty exchanges in his hands, he seemed close to Li Ximing. Keeping this in mind, he then heard Li Ximing say, "Jueyin, what cultivation method do you practice? Have you studied any scriptures or practiced any magic arts?"

Cui Jueyin hastily replied, "I practice the Longbright Steps, using a fifth-grade cultivation method, the clan's Records of Bright Yang. I have read most of them. As for magic arts, 'Radiant Light,' 'Pupil Arts,' and 'Movement Techniques' are all compulsory family studies. Among my peers on the island, I ranked among the top three."

"In a fight, demonic cultivators and rogue cultivators are no match. As long as the cultivation paths are not inherently conflicting, I can hold my own against mid-stage and late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. Under similar cultivation levels, I can even contend with noble-born demonic beasts from the sea..."

Li Ximing nodded in satisfaction and instructed Li Wen, "Take this young master of the Cui clan down and arrange accommodation for him in the continent."

Cui Jueyin acknowledged and stood up, still unable to resist observing Li Zhouwei. Li Ximing smiled and said, "Once everything is settled, you can have a detailed discussion with my Minghuang."

The two quickly descended. Only then did Li Ximing compose himself and say, "This trip indeed yielded considerable gains."

He recounted the gains from his journey, took out the *Precious Scripture of the Body Guarding Tiger Pass*, showed it to Li Zhouwei, and finally said, "Cui Jueyin is not one to boast. Since he claims he can hold his own, his strength must be nearly equal to ours. He practices many magic arts and has profound cultivation. Within our clan, perhaps only you and Chenghui can surpass him. If Wei Zeng were to fight him, he would be at a disadvantage for at least a hundred exchanges, and beyond that, he would be in danger."

Cui Xianye evidently did not treat him superficially. Although it wasn't the full support seen during the times of Li Xunquan and Li Xuan, he still dispatched one of his most outstanding disciples. Li Zhouwei nodded and said, "The Cui and Li clans together formed Wei. Of the four True Monarchs of Wei-Li, the Cui clan accounted for two. The Cui clan has been loyal and righteous for generations, beyond reproach. Although they too are now defunct, with only a single branch remaining, it is still a direct descendant."

The Cui clan of Chongzhou was a truly traceable branch of the Cui clan, unlike the Li clan whose situation was publicly denied and yet still much better. Li Zhouwei took a letter from his sleeve and handed it to Li Ximing. It was precisely about the three Mi-Fan sects that Li Chenghui had instructed.

Li Ximing read it carefully, feeling somewhat moved. "Since the three Mi-Fan sects have legacies, might they also have...?"

He was, of course, referring to the fragment of the Dharma Mirror. His own clan had obtained it from a Mi-Fan cultivator. Though he did not voice it, Li Zhouwei already understood and replied, "Matters of the Purple Mansion cannot be based solely on one family's unilateral statements. This matter might not be as simple as it appears. Our clan currently has many other concerns, and obtaining such a spirit artifact is not a task for a year or two. Let us wait and see how things unfold."

"As for Wenhu, he possesses the Mi-Yun Dao tradition, so we cannot hastily kill him. Let him recuperate under house arrest for a while, and we can slowly gather information. If this matter proves true, our clan won't be without a single card to play."

"You may proceed boldly."

Li Ximing naturally trusted Li Zhouwei's way of doing things. He took out *The Contemplation of Divine Fire Refining* given by Chang Xi and asked Li Zhouwei to first plan the construction of the high platform. He then said, "How is the Jade Pavilion for the Dust of the Court coming along?"

The *Scripture of the White-Haired Knocking on the Court* on the lake was also a Purple Mansion cultivation method. However, the Dust of the Court required a massive Jade Pavilion. The Li clan's mining operations in the Helin Mountain Range were precisely for this purpose. He now saw Li Zhouwei reply, "It was collected several years ago, and mining in the Helin Mountain Range has ceased. However, our clan has been too busy and preoccupied in recent years to focus on building this Jade Pavilion. Most of the jade stones, piled up like mountains after extraction, are still in the Helin Mountain Range and have not been transported back."

"Moreover, this Jade Pavilion... it's truly a massive undertaking that would exhaust both people and resources!"

Upon Li Zhouwei's query, Li Ximing understood. When it came to moving mountains and transporting stones, who could compare to the Xuanyue clan next door? It was simply a matter of him nodding his head. He then said, "This is easy to handle. Write a letter to Kong Guxi and ask him to send some Earth Virtue Foundation Establishment cultivators to help our clan transport the materials back. Then, using the Immortal Foundation, construct the Jade Pavilion. We should try to resolve this matter within these three years."

"Furthermore, ask Kong Guxi to provide a letter from Chang Xi, so we can relocate our clan's Foundation Establishment spiritual foundation to the continent."

...After these matters were settled, Li Ximing prepared for secluded cultivation. Before departing, he gave his final instructions, then took a small purple fire cauldron from his sleeve and said, "This is Yu Yuwei's magical artifact, a relic. Send someone to return it."

Even if the cauldron didn't bear the Tuoba clan's mark, the Li clan wouldn't covet his belongings. The Yu clan was fractured, and Yu Yuwei himself hadn't returned home. Sending it to Li Quantao for him to decide wouldn't be giving it away cheaply to outsiders.

Li Ximing finished dealing with miscellaneous affairs and instructed, "Our clan is currently experiencing an unprecedented golden age. You oversee Bright Yang. An Siwei and Li Wen are with Jade Truth. Chenghu is with Sky Thunder. Minggong is with True Fire. Chenghuai is with High Sorcerer. Bai Yuan is with True Qi. Additionally, there's Qu Bushi with Earth Virtue, Miaoshui with Confluence Water, and Cui Jueyin, also of Bright Yang, and Ding Weizeng with Balanced Blessing."

"Excluding the few sealed in the dungeon, and not counting Jiang Huzi, whose death is imminent, our clan now has eleven Foundation Establishment cultivators. We have already caught up to the Yuan clan of old, not to mention with me overseeing. At such a time, we must be even more cautious."

Li Ximing calculated that with eleven Foundation Establishment cultivators, they were still short of the twelve mentioned in *The Contemplation of Divine Fire Refining*. Moreover, not everyone was free; each was too busy to spare hands, and manpower was still insufficient. He could only ask, "Who else in the clan has a chance at Foundation Establishment?"

Li Zhouwei was very familiar with this and replied, "If Chen Mufeng, An Siming, and others from back then were still alive, they could attempt Foundation Establishment now. Two members of the Tian clan died during secluded breakthrough attempts, as did Madam Dou, and even more fell within the Jade Pavilion Guard during breakthroughs."

"Only Chen Yang is almost ready."

"Chen Yang?"

Li Ximing finally recalled this person and replied, "He cultivates Kan Water. That's a pity, but he could substitute for others, freeing up some space. As for the Fei clan, there was a Fei Qingyi who served by my elder brother's side, and she could also be used."

Speaking of breakthroughs to Foundation Establishment, Li Ximing suddenly fell silent for a moment before speaking. "Are there any Suanyuan Pills left from those granted by Qingchi back then? Bring them for me to see."

"There are, of course..."

Li Zhouwei sent someone to retrieve them. Shortly after, Chen Yang arrived. Li Ximing glanced at him, took the pills, and immediately sent him away.

"In total, seven were obtained from Qingchi: for Father, Aunt, Uncle, Siwei, and Li Wen. Two still remain."

The Heavenly Light surged from Li Ximing's brow. He scanned each pill, then finally closed his eyes and gritted his teeth, saying, "Good!"

Now the Li clan also possessed the Suanyuan Pill formula, allowing them to refine it themselves. Unlike before, when they had to seek it everywhere and still didn't fully understand it, Li Ximing merely read the formula and then examined the pills, immediately discerning the crux of the matter.

The fundamental principles of the Suanyuan Pill were actually quite similar to the continuation methods of the Purple Mansion and the use of Purple Mansion spiritual artifacts to aid in cultivating divine abilities. Li Ximing had some understanding of both. Although his Daoist arts weren't exceptional, his alchemy was profound, and now he could analyze them with ease and clarity:

"For a Suanyuan Pill, no matter how many precious auxiliary ingredients are used, the core lies in one main ingredient. Anciently, Lanhu Spirit Grass was used, a frightfully valuable item. Nowadays, it's tailored to the individual. For those cultivating the Kan Water lineage, it's best to use Kan Water as the medicine. Refining it with a divine ability would be even better, yielding more than just the usual ten or fifteen percent effectiveness, making it a true Suanyuan Pill."

His own ancestor, Li Tongya, had consumed such a precious pill, meticulously refined by a Purple Mansion cultivator, which allowed him to break through to Foundation Establishment with ease. Li Ximing sighed inwardly and said, "For this main ingredient, the best choice is a fellow cultivator, next best is a demonic beast, and after that, precious medicinal herbs. Three ingredients are ideal, but at least one is necessary."

"Now that I think about it, the many Foundation Establishment cultivators among the direct descendants of the Purple Mansion are not without reason. They merely collectively guard the secret of the Suanyuan Pill and do not publicize it. The Suanyuan Pills that are released are only ten to fifteen percent effective. When guest elders or peak masters consume them, it's considered 'inner sect treatment.' Those who are secretly obedient are given better ones, while those who are rebellious or threatening are given poorer ones, or even ones with main ingredients that conflict with their cultivation path, harming them. How much effect they truly have then is unknown!"

Li Zhouwei immediately looked up, as if understanding. The expression in his eyes rapidly shifted from calm to astonished, furious, and venomous, as he asked, "The ones Qingchi gave to our clan!"

"Naturally, they were the worst! Not just the worst!" Li Ximing finally tore through the deception. "Those main ingredients—I examined them—they were all Jueyin and Xiqin main ingredients! Why did Chengliao fail to break through?! A Bright Yang Dao foundation taking Jueyin or Xidi Suanyuan? Unthinkable!"

Li Zhouwei closed his eyes, finally understanding why his father, Li Chengliao, had failed so quickly after only a few years of secluded cultivation, even dying without significant phenomena, despite also taking a Suanyuan Pill. He understood why his aunt Li Minggong and An Siwei had safely passed through with no major incidents, while his most talented father, Li Chengliao, had failed.

Li Ximing let out a breath, and the light in his eyes gradually brightened. "I still remember. Back then, Lord Xuanfeng exchanged for a Suanyuan Pill from Qingchi for Second Uncle Li Yuanjiao. He discovered it was an 'human pill' (referring to the human-related main ingredient, possibly incompatible) and didn't use it, giving it instead to Yuan Huyu. It actually helped Yuan Huyu successfully establish a 'Scholar Virtue Foundation' in one go... Now that I think about it, it was an Earth Virtue Suanyuan Pill, 'Earth Annihilating Kan Water.' What an 'Earth Annihilating Kan Water' indeed!"

After pondering for a while, Li Ximing spoke, "The Chi clan is destroyed, Chi Fupo and Ning Hejing are also dead, their bodies gone. Otherwise, I would have personally torn apart these despicable wretches!"

Li Ximing said this aloud, but in his heart, he understood that Si Boxiu must have known about these matters, and perhaps even Si Yuanli was fully aware!

They kept it to themselves, unwilling to speak.

"After all, given the circumstances at the time, weakening our clan was something the Si family would be happy to see. There was no need to warn us."

Seeing Li Zhouwei lower his head in silence, Li Ximing didn't know how to respond to him, only sighing, "Among the three carts of spiritual materials sent by the Xiao clan, there are two Kan Water precious medicines. Bring them to me for alchemy! Once this pill is refined, I will enter seclusion to cultivate a divine ability. A formidable enemy is approaching."

After he finished speaking, Li Zhouwei had already recovered and nodded, retreating as he said, "Leave the clan to me, True Person. Rest assured."

Spring turned to autumn on the lake, and time quietly slipped away. More than a year passed, which for a Purple Mansion cultivator was merely the span of a single seclusion. Although Li Ximing had achieved a divine ability, he was truly unskilled in magic arts. So, he took up the simplest one, "High Radiance Subduing Light," to begin refining.

Fortunately, having cultivated a divine ability greatly accelerated his magic art practice. Li Ximing had previously read about "High Radiance Subduing Light," so he made some progress. Midway, he made a trip to Xuanyue Temple.

Su Mian was equally enthusiastic toward him, but when asked about the Mi-Fan Sect, she only spoke of old events and couldn't provide any concrete details upon closer scrutiny. Li Ximing considered this repeatedly and realized he would probably have to ask True Person Chang behind Fanyun Cave.

However, he had not yet departed. While passing through the Xuanyue territory, he already observed slight ripples in the Void, with the spiritual energy of Gen Earth surging. Looking closely at the earth veins on the ground, he saw that an additional mountain had appeared in the Xuanyue territory.

"Who has failed a breakthrough and fallen now!"

Upon this occurrence, Chang Xi would undoubtedly be even more saddened. However, it was within the expectations of the various Purple Mansion cultivators and Li Ximing. The 'Earth Damage Suppressing Demon' inherent in this profound spiritual change was no trifling matter. Chang Xi's own remaining lifespan had drastically shortened, let alone that of a few Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"Let's return to the mountain first. Chang Xi might come looking for me."