Chapter 748: Entrustment

After Tinglan and her companion finished speaking, Li Ximing fell silent for a moment. Neither of them cared whether Fu En or Kong Haiying was in the mountains; what was clear was that Xuanyue would proceed according to their collective arrangements.

Tinglan understood clearly. The Purple Smoke Sect was at a weak point; merely expanding their territory by taking Xuanyue would only stretch their borders thin. The best strategy was to draw in someone close to the Purple Palace – precisely what Tinglan had long intended to achieve.

Tinglan smiled charmingly. The Purple Smoke Sect had merely intervened as a mediator, and with a few empty words, had effortlessly acquired the Xuanyue Sect's stronghold. Li Ximing, in fact, owed her thanks.

Li Ximing understood this clearly. With a True Immortal from the Purple Smoke Sect personally making the "suggestion," how much room did Li Ximing really have to refuse?

As a True Immortal of the Green Pine Sun Dao lineage, Tinglan had taken the initiative to mediate this matter. While it appeared amicable, the prestige she commanded was considerable. Su Mian, throughout, either echoed her words or nodded in agreement, flattering her profusely, making his alignment incredibly obvious.

Regardless of the Li family's interests, the Purple Smoke Sect was keen to support True Immortal Zhu Gong. If Li Ximing raised any objections, he would not only disregard Tinglan's prestige but also obstruct the Purple Smoke Sect's ambitions. The Xuanyue Temple, seeking to resolve the conflict peacefully, would also be displeased, and Ye Hui would undoubtedly be laughing aloud!

"There aren't many spiritual treasures left in the Xuanyue Sect. Even how much my family takes and how much Ye Hui takes is ambiguous. Kong Haiying isn't even in the mountains. In this whole situation, Ye Hui is the one suffering the most loss and likely only agreed under duress..."

It's worth noting that when Tinglan mentioned the Metropolitan Immortal Dao earlier, she merely dismissively stated, "That's already giving him enough respect!" It was clear she didn't hold the Metropolitan Immortal Dao in high regard.

"My family holds the title of a prominent righteous family in Jiangnan, and with the Xiao family observing from the sidelines, we still have a fallback to Qingchi. Tinglan extended some courtesy. If it were Ye Hui instead... even with higher cultivation, he probably wouldn't have much to say."

Since the Purple Smoke Sect desired the Xuanyue stronghold and also needed to provide an explanation to Ye Hui, Fu En could not be protected. Li Ximing could only say:

"This is easily managed, but what about the Sword Sect to the east? How will they respond?"

After all, Xuanyue bordered the Sword Sect. Although the Sword Sect had already taken the territory of Xianhu, and Su Mian had even pursued them to apologize, the Sword Sect's stance on this matter was still required. Li Ximing's question was not unexpected. Tinglan replied:

"No worries, True Immortal Ling Mei has already stated that they will no longer interfere in the affairs of Xuanyue."

Li Ximing was left speechless. He took a sip of his tea and then said:

"Relocating a Purple Palace grand formation is troublesome; I'll have to rely on you, True Immortal."

Tinglan knew then that he had agreed, but she still lowered her head in thought.

Li Ximing's request to "take away the grand formation" meant for Tinglan to personally retrieve it from the Void. However, outsiders were unaware of the intricate details of this "Xuanyue chess game," so it would appear as though Tinglan had seized the Xuanyue grand formation amid the chaos.

Li Ximing had no cultivation in array formations whatsoever, so his request was reasonable. Tinglan mused to herself:

"Fine... Those in the Grand Void are merely spectators; upon reflection, they'll understand."

She nodded, and the matter was settled. Li Ximing then took out the secret incantation for the Xuanyue formation disc, handing it over along with the jade pendant. Tinglan said:

"In that case, Zhaojing, please make the arrangements. Within the next few months, the signs of this matter will become apparent. Once it's concluded, I will go to the lake and rearrange the grand formation."

Since it was inappropriate to discuss pill refinement in front of Su Mian, Tinglan said not a word about it, only mentioning array arrangements. The old True Immortal beside them listened with a smile and then spoke:

"Now that this matter has been resolved, I can finally enter seclusion. I had numerous affairs to attend to, all of which were delayed because of the Xuanyue situation."

The spring rain continued to patter. The three of them chatted over tea, thoroughly enjoying themselves. Su Mian raised his chin and said:

"I have a friend cultivating in the Yan Kingdom who mentioned some interesting news. Apparently, the various Di tribes in the Northern Desert have become increasingly formidable in recent years, merging into several large tribes. They now command a force of a hundred thousand archers, and even Purple Palace cultivators have emerged among them."

Tinglan showed little surprise, merely stating:

"Emperor Zhao has lost propriety and cannot even leave his own palace. He has little control over his northern homeland, so it's no surprise that after a century, unrest has emerged."

"I have a friend who struggles with cultivating their True Qi, requiring the turmoil of national destiny to progress. Upon hearing this news a few months ago, they were overjoyed and immediately went there. I've heard that many ancient ruins have also been revealed, suggesting the presence of fated individuals."

Li Ximing silently sipped his tea.

"It's always you two with friends... I've only just achieved True Immortal status and have barely left Jiangnan."

Unaware of his thoughts, Su Mian had not brought up the topic without reason and immediately continued:

"Since there are individuals bearing great destiny, have you, fellow Daoist, gone to investigate? Could one of them be a reincarnated True Immortal from a Holy Land?"

His words were clearly referring to Zi Pei, and seemed to carry a probing intent. True Immortal Tinglan, however, was very direct, smiling as she said, "How could one possibly just run off to such a place to be someone's pawn? Senior, you worry too much! Besides, my Purple Smoke Sect has an elder at the peak of the Purple Palace realm. Although his whereabouts are uncertain, he also went to take a look. If it were the case, he would have brought them back long ago."

Her tone was fluid and natural, with no hint of hesitation. It was as if the missing Purple Palace peak cultivator from the Purple Smoke Sect truly was, as the sect insisted, of uncertain whereabouts, yet occasionally returned for seclusion.

Tinglan's words made it sound as though she had just seen him herself. True Immortal Su Mian nodded repeatedly as Tinglan continued:

"After all, the elder is quite old and busy arranging his own affairs; he's rarely seen anymore... Ultimately, these matters will fall to us, the younger generation..."

True Immortal Su Mian quickly said:

"I once cultivated in the East Sea and encountered the elder near Qunyi. We conversed briefly, and I received his guidance, benefiting immensely and feeling inexplicably grateful. If, by chance, you encounter the elder returning to the sect one day, please, Tinglan, summon me to pay my respects."

True Immortal Tinglan's expression remained unchanged; she simply nodded in agreement. Soon after, she and Li Ximing took their leave. Su Mian escorted them all the way out of Xuanyue Temple, leaving only the continuous spring rain in the courtyard.

After about half an incense stick's worth of time, Su Mian broke through the Grand Void and returned. A thoughtful expression on his face, he sat down on his meditation cushion and murmured:

"If Senior Kan truly returned to the sect regularly, as soon as he heard the news of my sect's establishment, he would certainly have clarified matters. Tinglan couldn't possibly be unaware of the Qunyi situation... This indicates that Tinglan hasn't seen him for at least sixteen or seventeen years."

"Whether he has fallen or is simply missing... as long as he isn't here, I can use the Qi Stone Demonic Embryo with more confidence."

Li Ximing emerged from Xuanyue's territory and stepped into the Grand Void. Tinglan also traversed alongside him, clearly having intentionally lingered. The woman smiled and said:

"Regarding the subsequent pills... I'll still have to trouble you."

Li Ximing waved his hand and replied:

"Please don't say that, True Immortal. Tinglan, amidst your busy schedule, you still found time to resolve my family's affairs. Zhaojing is especially grateful."

Pleasant words cost no spirit stones, so Li Ximing offered her a few complimentary remarks. Tinglan then asked:

"Since this formation originated from Xuanyue, I'll simply help modify it, but I should offer some compensation to Zhaojing in return."

The pill refinement matter had already been discussed: if more than three pills were successfully refined, the remainder would belong to Li Ximing. Li Ximing, in fact, was quite confident he could exceed three, and could even invite a Purple Palace formation master, so there was no loss for him. Yet, he still sighed:

"I wouldn't dare accept anything from you beforehand, fellow Daoist. If the pills aren't successfully refined, I would truly lose face... I wouldn't be able to face you then."

Tinglan was clearly somewhat averse to this possibility. Fortunately, she didn't believe Li Ximing could completely waste such a valuable portion of Primordial Water. She forced a smile and replied:

"Fellow Daoist, you'll need to confirm with me beforehand so I can look for it while I'm away during this period. Otherwise, time will be delayed, and you'll have waited in vain."

Li Ximing could tell that Tinglan was a cultivator who preferred her arrangements and plans to be orderly and proper. He thus replied:

"It's difficult for me to decide right away, but I still need a top-grade, suitable Bright Yang artifact to serve as a spiritual embryo. An ancient artifact would be best. Do you have any arrangements for this, fellow Daoist?"

"Oh?"

Tinglan pondered for a moment, then nodded and said:

"That's not a problem at all. I'll select a few artifacts from the Purple Smoke Sect's collection and bring them for Zhaojing to choose from. As for ancient artifacts... I'll need to inquire more carefully about those."

This request was remarkably small, but Li Ximing had his own intentions. He wasn't just asking Tinglan to look; he also planned to write to Qingchi, inquire with the Sword Sect, and even intended to have Cui Jueyin write a letter back home.

The reason for making the matter so complex wasn't merely to have enough artifacts to choose from. After meeting so many Purple Palace cultivators, Li Ximing had already grown secretly wary:

"I need a Bright Yang artifact to refine a spiritual embryo, and an ancient Bright Yang artifact would be ideal... This object will become my Purple Palace spiritual artifact in the future, so how can I easily let others know its form and function? Not even during the Foundation Establishment stage. I should create enough confusion and obfuscation so that no one can easily discern which specific artifact I used to form the spiritual embryo."

He pondered, then asked again:

"While the Hundred Mountains Hidden Spirit Array is certainly excellent, when you relocate and rebuild it, fellow Daoist... could you try to reconstruct it as a different spirit array? Its power can be similar, or even slightly weaker, as long as it's as different as possible."

After all, the Hundred Mountains Hidden Spirit Array belonged to the Xuanyue Sect. If it were completely extracted and re-established on Pingya Continent, who among those coming and going wouldn't recognize it clearly? Furthermore, what would so many former Xuanyue Sect members think, seeing their grand formation on the continent?

A bad reputation was one concern, but the greater issue was the danger. It was obvious that the Xuanyue Dao lineage would inevitably be scattered in the future. The Li family held one copy of its teachings, and Ye Hui, Zhu Gong, Su Mian, and even Tinglan all possessed some degree of mastery over its techniques. What if there were core records about the formation among them? Wouldn't that put his own family in harm's way? Li Ximing certainly didn't want to become another Fei family.

"Oh?"

If Li Ximing's previous conditions had been minor, this latter request presented more of a challenge. Tinglan hesitated and said:

"A Purple Palace grand formation... every single point in it is meticulously researched and laid out bit by bit. If even a small alteration is made, many parts of the entire formation would need corresponding changes. And to combine that with adapting it to a new terrain would require an immense amount of effort..."

Li Ximing chuckled:

"This pill will take five or six years to refine, so you'll have ample time to work on the formation, fellow Daoist. I'm not asking for it to be entirely new, but at least make it look distinctly different on the surface, with changes in a few key areas..."

He then shifted his tone and sighed:

"After all, the Xuanyue Dao lineage has been disseminated. When your fellow Daoists, True Immortal, come later, I might have to eagerly send back Xuanyue cultivators who are very familiar with the Hundred Mountains Hidden Spirit Array. My family doesn't want to leave any future troubles!"

When he mentioned Zhu Gong, Tinglan paused. She indeed felt that Li Ximing had given her ample respect throughout, allowing her to make all the arrangements. So, she said:

"Very well... I'll take care of it then. I'll make time over these years to modify it."

With the matter settled, the two parted ways. Li Ximing broke through the Grand Void and flew for a while until he reached his own territory, manifesting on Zhijing Mountain. There was no rain over the lake; Zhijing Mountain remained bright and beautiful, covered in fallen blossoms.

As was his custom, he first retrieved the Profound-Pattern Bottle from the Earth Fiend to refine it. The fire fiend within the bottle had accumulated to a significant degree, making its refinement increasingly difficult. However, with a simple activation of his Valley Wind Fire-Guiding technique, he effortlessly refined it.

To this day, the fire fiend within this bottle is beyond the reach of Foundation Establishment cultivators; at least Purple Palace cultivators capable of wielding divine abilities are required to continue its refinement. Li Ximing estimated that after another ten years of refinement, even cultivators without fire-virtue divine abilities wouldn't be able to handle it. However, with his Valley Wind Fire-Guiding technique, both the speed and difficulty of refinement were exceptional, making it an easy task for him.

Li Ximing lifted his sleeve to observe: wisps of crimson patterns, resembling rising flames, were beginning to materialize on the bottle. Yet, despite repeated refinement, its power was still at the Foundation Establishment level, insufficient to contend with a Purple Palace cultivator.

"Although the Profound-Pattern Bottle's material is astounding, it shows no signs of being refined to its utmost limit. What's increasing is merely its power, not its profoundness or versatility. The gap between Foundation Establishment and Purple Palace is too vast; sometimes, it's not about whether you can inflict damage, but whether you can even land a hit. If I draw out an artifact, and they simply escape into the Grand Void, what's the point of fighting?"

Nevertheless, with the Profound-Pattern Bottle in his hands, Li Ximing felt no fear. He merely hoped that each time he picked it up, it would still feel as though there was endless potential for refinement. He then tossed the small bottle back into the Earth Fire Fiend Qi and reappeared on the mountaintop.

White blossoms carpeted the ground all around him, and the tables and chairs were empty. The gardenia petals dared not fall where Li Ximing habitually sat, only forming a circle around his spot. The tea on the stone table remained unfinished.

He raised an eyebrow, noticing a Jade Imperial Guard waiting at the foot of the steps. Dressed in white armor, this guard, surnamed Dou, was a permanent fixture on Zhijing Mountain and, strictly speaking, a distant cousin. His father, Dou Yi, had been a trusted confidant of Li Ximing's own father.

The Dou clan had been languishing in recent years. Li Zhouwei had assigned him here out of a desire to help a friend in need. Li Ximing simply asked:

"What is it?"

Dou, the guard, had been on duty for a year and had already built up some mental resilience regarding Li Ximing's elusive appearances, yet he was still startled. He quickly bowed down and replied:

"Reporting, True Immortal, the eldest young master came by earlier, stating he had an urgent matter to report."

"Send him in!"

Li Ximing sat down and took out the pill recipe for the Heavenly Essence Expelling Pill to read it carefully. Li Jiangqian soon ascended the steps, holding a letter in his hand, and respectfully said:

"Reporting, True Immortal, a letter from Qingchi."

Li Ximing nodded and took the letter. Having traveled several times recently, Li Jiangqian had come to report almost every time, becoming much more familiar with the routine. He respectfully recounted the family's affairs one by one.

Li Jiangqian's management of the family was clearly different from Li Zhouwei's. Li Zhouwei would manage household affairs meticulously but rarely disturbed Li Ximing. This younger man, however, spent more time on the mountain, concisely and quickly detailing the family's matters and progress. Li Ximing would listen casually, always gaining a general understanding of household affairs, and would often specifically invite him to participate in many decisions.

After all, Li Zhouwei was already the "White Qilin" of the Li family, one of the few individuals within the entire clan capable of consulting with Li Ximing, so little needed to be said about him. Li Jiangqian, as a junior, was more eager to make a name for himself in front of True Immortal Li Ximing, thereby strengthening his influence. Li Ximing understood this well and permitted him to ascend the mountain every time.