Chapter 753: Little Hui

Dang Jiang readily agreed, then felt his sleeve, finding it empty and his pockets bare. His heart began to pound a little, but he didn't falter in his words, smiling as he said, "Heavenly rules are strict, and I can't just take things at will when I come to this manor. Fortunately, there's nothing ordinary here. Just wait a moment."

He quickly walked to the courtyard entrance and pushed open the door. Two beautiful maidservants stood outside, both clad in ethereal robes. Though their garments seemed to float like clouds, they bore no patterns. One held a white-edged jade pipa, while the other carried a flower basket filled with glistening celestial herbs.

Dang Jiang glanced at them and asked, "What kind of spirit herbs are these?"

The maidservant replied, "Reporting to you, honored sir: Today, the Big Dipper points to the Virtue Dimension, the Yin energy is on the ground, and the Star Controller communicates destiny. The Sun plucks the resplendent Dark Blossom, and the Moon clips the Laurel Golden Branches. The cardinal points are as usual, and the twelve vital energies are taken directly from the celestial phenomena."

"Laurel Golden Branches."

Dang Jiang nodded and said, "May I take a branch?"

The maidservant immediately took a white laurel branch. It had tiny white flowers and a golden cross-section, revealing spiral patterns, and it exuded a chill.

Dang Jiang was actually unsure if she would agree, but seeing her oblige, he immediately felt relieved. He took the branch and turned back, only to see Chi Buzi thoughtfully reciting, "The Sun plucks the resplendent Dark Blossom, and the Moon clips the Laurel Golden Branches..."

Dang Jiang raised his head, looking rather proud. "Great True Master Chi, make sure to keep this safe! A branch of laurel from my celestial realm is extraordinary in the mortal world!"

Chi Buzi sincerely thanked him. He took the spiritual item, put it into his sleeve, nodded slightly, and replied, "Then I shall depart. From now on, I will draw a formation to inquire each year. If you discover the path to my Golden Core, please send a reply."

Dang Jiang was still a little reluctant to part and asked, "How about once every three months? I could make a few more trips... at least I'd have something to do... and then you could update me on affairs in the lower realm."

Chi Buzi was still a little unaccustomed to the term "lower realm." He frowned and said, "Do your work diligently, and don't get into trouble. Otherwise, I'll have no one to claim my credit from..."

Dang Jiang could only nod. Suddenly remembering something, he said rather eagerly, "I just remembered something. There's an immortal official in the heavens, named Li, who reincarnated for cultivation. If you happen to meet him, and he still remembers heavenly matters, please help me ask him when he will return... I can't stand this work for another day!"

Chi Buzi frowned, made a mental note, and asked, "What kind of work is it?"

"Organizing spells and correcting orthodoxies."

Dang Jiang said with a tearful face. Chi Buzi's expression immediately became strange, looking at him with a hint of gnashing teeth and resentment.

Back then, Chi Buzi worked tirelessly in the Pavilion of Heavenly Study, unwilling to leave even for a step. Now, it's the library within an Immortal Lord's Grotto-heaven, a place countless Purple Palaces would break their heads to enter! Seeing Dang Jiang's mournful expression, he could only scold, "Worthless fellow! You don't know a good thing when you have it..."

He fiercely flicked his sleeve, stepped into the pond, and his figure dissolved like water. Dang Jiang stepped out with a bitter face, and just as he pushed open the door, he saw the maidservant step forward and say respectfully, "Reporting to the Immortal Official, that Laurel Golden Branch has already been recorded under your name. If the remaining items are not used, this basket must be submitted to the relevant authorities for record-keeping."

"Ah?" Dang Jiang was slightly stunned, as if struck by thunder. His heart immediately sank, and he was filled with regret. 'Damn it... this thing isn't free?'

He had put on a cheerful front earlier, but now his heart was filled with profound regret. Dang Jiang had only recently ascended to the position of immortal official, and he had painstakingly used his meager merits to bring back a divine warrior. He had no savings left. A chill suddenly ran through him, and he asked, "How is this thing... calculated... and why was it brought here...?"

The maidservant replied, "The output from all realms and manors has always been submitted to the various palaces and halls. This was established by Immortal Official Liu some time ago and is usually kept in the courtyard for immediate use."

"Oh no... Chi, that dog, he's ruined me!" Dang Jiang's face turned pale with heartache, and he immediately asked, "Can this thing... be charged to Chi Buzi's name? He was the one who took it... it has nothing to do with me!"

The maidservant simply lowered her gaze and said, "You, honored sir, sent it out. Heaven and Earth bear witness."

***

**Sea Corner.**

The deep sea was exceedingly dim, with cold, dark currents beneath the reefs. The spiritual energy here was almost nonexistent, leaving Purple Palaces with no path nearby, forcing them to return to the real world to fly.

Deeper into the Sea Corner, the terrain rose. The seawater plunged into endless depths, rising as mist. This place was extremely close to the outer heavens, and the Grand Void was cut off, leaving no more hidden place between heaven and earth.

Inside the dim limestone cave, bright white formation patterns glowed faintly. Chi Buzi's surroundings gradually shifted from bright to dim. He surveyed his surroundings, confirming it was indeed the grotto-heaven he had created using the Heavy Turbid Earth Escape.

He let out a slight breath, weighed his sleeve, extended his hand, and flipped his palm upwards. A snow-white laurel branch lay in his palm. It emanated a faint white halo, and the cross-section of the branch showed golden patterns, clearly indicating a superior-grade item.

The young man's gaze lingered on the laurel branch, and he pondered for a long time. A Taiyin chill was already spreading throughout the cave, so he took out a jade box from his storage bag and placed the branch inside.

"It truly is a treasure of the Taiyin lineage... Spiritual items from that place can be brought out... but... I don't know why I couldn't open my storage bag."

Chi Buzi held the jade box, quietly lowered his gaze to observe, pondered for a while, and gradually settled his mind. "This spiritual item alone, in the current world, is no worse than that demonic creature. Since that's the case... this 'Heavenly Seal Bright Profound Sacrificial Art' is indeed a means to communicate with a Grotto-heaven... Demonic creatures... must it be demonic creatures?"

Chi Buzi's gaze was thoughtful, and he realized, "Every single Purple Palace demonic creature in the East Sea is somehow related to the dragon lineage, so killing them is naturally out of the question... Demonic creatures... spirit beasts also count as demons... Several Mahā in the north like to take in spirit beasts. Not only do demons become 'Compassionate Ones,' but those long-standing Compassionate Ones prefer to align their destinies with their subordinate spirit beasts, which can also be considered Purple Palace fated beings... Aren't there far more of these than demonic creatures?"

The more he thought about it, the brighter his eyes became, and he mused, "Excellent, excellent. Although the Compassionate Ones are difficult to kill, there are far more of them, and they are easier to deal with than Purple Palaces. Behind them is merely a Mahā. I wonder if it can count as a full merit, or even half a merit if not..."

He couldn't think of a more suitable sacrifice than the Compassionate Ones, and he had an epiphany. 'It seems this person also has a strong dislike for Northern Buddhism...'

He paused slightly, then sat cross-legged on the floor in the grotto-heaven. He began to admire the Laurel Golden Branch in the jade box. The spiritual item's grade was even higher than that of Taiyin Moonlight, making it incredibly rare, almost peerless. Merely having it in front of him had already generated Taiyin energy.

The young man quietly gazed at the white flowers hanging on the branch, his eyes reflecting astonishing ambition. His other hand rested on his chin, his voice growing softer, its tone like a respectful recitation of scripture, murmuring softly: "All Yin Dao fruits revere the Grand Yin, while the Sun is the foremost manifestation during the day, all Yang phenomena follow... The Grand Yin's Profound Splendor, falls upon the Bǐngzǐ water... enlightening Lù and Hé, two individuals..."

***

**Hua Su Yuan Ming Sheng Qing Taiyin Manor.**

Under the bright moon lamp stand, snow piled up. Lu Jiangxian sat at the table, the various illusions before him slowly fading.

"Chi Buzi... he really has some tricks up his sleeve." Lu Jiangxian naturally did not currently possess the ability to draw people into the mirror realm and retrieve items. Chi Buzi's use of a formation to connect with the immortal mirror was effectively no different from Jin Lian Mahā or Wu Mu; it was more like being trapped in an illusion.

However, Chi Buzi differed from Jin Lian and Wu Mu in that he was visiting intentionally, not kneeling fearfully below. He could move freely! He could even take and place items. If Chi Buzi wanted to take something from his storage bag, Lu Jiangxian could indeed manifest it... but then what?

'Buzi is cunning. I can't control his storage bag. Even if I were to manifest it, if he gives the item to Dang Jiang and places it here, then touches his storage bag upon returning and finds another one inside, he'll know the secret.'

The immortal mirror currently lacked the ability to take items in or out, which was undoubtedly a critical flaw. Thus, Lu Jiangxian had locked his storage bag early on. But merely Dang Jiang's words still made Chi Buzi suspicious, wondering if this place was an illusion and he couldn't take anything out. This was why he thought of taking an item as a keepsake; once he left this place, a check of his sleeve would reveal whether it was real or fake.

Lu Jiangxian could certainly have arranged for Dang Jiang to use numerous regulations to put him off, preventing him from taking anything. But Chi Buzi was not easily fooled. This time, telling him that his true body had arrived was precisely to dispel the pseudo-illusory doubts from the last time. A Purple Palace like him would deeply suspect if the same trick were used twice.

So he specifically allowed Chi Buzi to 'take' a Taiyin spiritual item back. This item was the only spiritual object Lu Jiangxian could manifest in the current world, effectively patching the loophole.

"But this method can only be used this once. First, I'll essentially get what he has for free, using this extremely precious Taiyin spiritual item to reassure him. However... if there's no response afterward, he shouldn't expect any more Purple Palace demonic creatures!"

Furthermore, achieving these requests was largely thanks to Lu Jiangxian having Dang Jiang at his disposal. Dang Jiang could set aside formalities with Chi Buzi, discussing the pros and cons. If he had conjured someone else to deal with him, Chi Buzi would absolutely not have divulged so much... making it difficult to achieve the current effect.

"This, however, becomes a problem. Chi Buzi is an astute individual. Although he won't ask for cultivation methods again, now that he's focused on the Golden Core path, if I can't deliver sufficiently, it will inevitably cause trouble."

Chi Buzi was a double-edged sword; he was extremely useful. He understood how to gauge intentions, acted cautiously and steadily, and his strength was paramount. In Jiangnan, he was second only to Qiu Shui and Yuan Xiu, and if he died, it would cause much trouble. Lu Jiangxian still needed him quite a bit at the moment.

These were worries for later. Lu Jiangxian raised his eyebrows and looked. On the jade bricks beneath his feet lay a large, blue-and-white feathered bird, fallen to the ground, about the size of a table. Its tail feathers spread out like light-colored gauze, forming a circle on the floor.

This Shaoyin demonic creature was different from all previously sacrificed ones. The Li family's sacrifices were based on incense offerings, using a sacrificial blade to kill the creatures, their souls, vital energy, and immortal foundations flying into the mirror, arriving before Lu Jiangxian as a combined mass.

This demonic creature, however, had been sacrificed individually, without undergoing the incense-refining portion of the sacrificial beast method. Its entire immortal foundation, vital energy, wondrous Dharma body, and even its Ascending Yang Manor in the Grand Void had all been sacrificed whole, without any damage.

Even more wonderfully, a Purple Palace soul resides in the Ascending Yang Manor, enduring even after death and separation from the body. The spirit bird's soul had flown into the mirror and was right there, still conscious. In a sense, this demonic creature was even the first living being to enter the mirror!

Lu Jiangxian looked on eagerly; this was a workforce comparable to Dang Jiang!

He simply lifted its soul, and with a sweep of his spiritual sense, he largely understood.

'This demonic creature was born in the Northern Sea, with an ordinary bloodline. It only entered the path of cultivation by sheer luck after consuming a precious medicine. For the first two hundred years, it ate indiscriminately, nurturing several tribes as its food, gradually gaining sentience in the northern desert.'

'After gaining sentience, she read two books and learned that humanity was flourishing. So, she transformed herself, becoming the protective spirit beast of a tribe. She diligently absorbed pure qi for cultivation, dispelling turbid qi, and took the tribe's name as her own, calling herself Fuyu.'

"By the time this demonic creature emerged from seclusion after breaking through to Foundation Establishment, the Fuyu Kingdom had long been conquered and became the Lou family's territory. She had no choice but to wander, and surprisingly, she acquired many serendipitous encounters."

"This creature had extremely high talent in mystical arts, having researched many spells on her own. She also gained entry to Mount Taishi by currying favor with phoenix-like creatures, thus achieving the Purple Palace realm..."

Lu Jiangxian examined it closely. Most of the spells this demonic creature used in her few skirmishes with Chi Buzi were surprisingly ones she had developed herself. Unfortunately, the cultivation of demon species has always been difficult to compare with that of humans. Although she had high talent in mystical arts, she hadn't studied as many orthodoxies as Chi Buzi, and having just broken through to the Purple Palace, she was naturally no match.

He went through the memories repeatedly, feeling there was too little. Upon closer inspection, he realized this demonic creature had indeed been tampered with; all memories related to phoenix-like creatures had vanished. Even matters related to Golden Core from several centuries ago had been actively forgotten by her. Aside from these complex memories, only some incidentally acquired cultivation methods remained.

It truly seemed to have no significant background, so it was no wonder it fell into Chi Buzi's hands. Lu Jiangxian reviewed it once more, and understanding dawned on him. He frowned and said, "It's good, yes... but if the soul is used here, the Azure Register will be short one Purple Palace soul. Currently, the incense offerings are sufficient, but using this would leave the Azure Register lacking."

He pondered for a moment, and his mind settled slightly. "However, there are still five years until the next sacrifice, and Li Zhouwei is in seclusion, so there's plenty of time. I'll wait and see... After all, this creature's talent in mystical arts is extremely high. Having such an individual in my mirror is truly a great help."

He raised his sleeve, and a bright, shimmering Taiyin glow appeared in his hand. He picked up the jade pot from the table and flicked his finger.

The spirit bird on the ground immediately transformed into a sky full of Shaoyin brilliance and flowed into the pot. In an instant, the pot was filled with a blue-white, star-like, ocean-like divine power. Opening the lid again, he saw a small manor within the vast ocean, which was the spirit bird's Ascending Yang Manor.

On the ground, there was still a faint phantom, the soul of the demonic creature. Lu Jiangxian flicked his sleeve again, and the soul immediately attached itself to the descending radiance, glowing brilliantly.

Within the mirror, where Lu Jiangxian's divine power resided, he tapped a wisp of Shaoyin, condensing it into a woman clad in tea-white ethereal robes. She was petite, yet her aura was pure and otherworldly. Holding a pipa, with a pale white circular mark on her brow, her demeanor was extraordinary.

The woman was slightly stunned at first, seeming unable to comprehend why she was there. As her soul's memories gradually merged, she confusedly raised her eyebrows for a glance. Seeing the person at the head, the confusion and blankness in her eyes were quickly replaced by reverence and trepidation, and she bowed softly, "Shaoyin Wugui Immortal Maiden, Sha Hui, greets the Manor Lord!"