Chapter 790: Endless

The old domain has been compromised. Please remember the new domain.

Li Zhouluo remained silent, watching Sect Leader Kong slump to the ground. Di Liguang, seeing this, quickly shut the hall doors, plunging the room into darkness before the internal lights flared up. Kong Guxi mumbled:

"Patriarch... Patriarch... True Master... True Master, he...! I... oh!"

Given the gravity of the matter, Li Zhouluo did not rush him. After a moment, seeing that Kong Guxi had finally collected himself, he smoothed his hair, which had rapidly whitened over the past few years, and bowed, saying:

"With the Old Ancestor's demise and Xuanyue's decline, for years, one faction offered no help while another stood by idly. It was thanks to the Immortal Clan's assistance that a few younger generations of our family managed to survive. This kindness... I remember it in my heart, and the entire Kong clan remembers it in their hearts..."

"Now, with the clouds parting and the moon shining, and the Tongxuan Orthodoxy coming to our rescue, we have escaped a sea of suffering and can return to our mountain gate. However, our lineage ends here. From now on, there will only be the Kong clan, not Xuanyue."

"Senior Kong Tingyun is still outside... Senior, please rest assured..."

Li Zhouluo offered a few words of comfort. Kong Guxi listened respectfully and replied:

"Since the Xuanyue lineage ends here, there will be no more talks of hidden scriptures. I have brought my 'Xuanganganshan Scripture.' Please, Wangyue... accept it!"

He took out a jade slip, glowing yellowish-green, from his sleeve. Then, he knelt with a thud, his hands holding out a section of the slip. Li Zhouluo quickly tried to help him up, but his cultivation was far inferior to the other's, making it impossible to lift him.

Kong Guxi choked out:

"Since we are going to the Muquan Sect, the 'Xuanganganshan Scripture' must be returned to the Xuanmu orthodoxy, back to the sect. In the future, my descendants will have shallow fortune and may not be able to continue cultivating the Grand Dao of Xuanguang Moving Mountains... Please, Wangyue, keep a copy as well!"

He suddenly raised his head, his eyes wide. His already thin face appeared even more aged under that gaze. He stared intently at Li Zhouluo, tugging tightly at his sleeve, and groaned incoherently:

"It's better to stay with your esteemed clan... better to stay with your esteemed clan. This is an excellent cultivation method, with ancient origins. After fifty... after a hundred years, you can take a look, can't you...?"

His words were disjointed. The phrase 'you can take a look' seemed to imply letting the Li family examine it, but his bulging eyes, as if about to pop from their sockets, and his pleading gaze conveyed a deeper meaning. Li Zhouluo instantly understood as if struck by lightning:

'It's certain that the "Xuanganganshan Scripture" must be returned to the Xuanmu orthodoxy, and they will surely have means to sever its transmission. Whether the Kong family members can borrow and cultivate it in the future... remains unknown.'

'This is about leaving the "Xuanganganshan Scripture" at Wangyue Lake, waiting for fifty or a hundred years to pass, for the Muquan Sect to lower its guard. Then, those of the Kong surname might have a chance to examine it, ensuring their path isn't severed and they're not left without any chance of resurgence!'

He placed his hand on the old man's hand, speaking both comfortingly and with a double meaning:

"True Master, if you keep it in mind, why only a hundred years?"

The words had their effect. Kong Guxi pushed the jade slip over and murmured:

"The 'Xuanganganshan Scripture' is here... just a minor Purple Mansion orthodoxy. My gratitude is endless, a small token of my appreciation..."

His face was ashen, and he knelt firmly, looking as if he had barely escaped some great danger. He quickly took his leave. The "Xuanganganshan Scripture" felt heavy in Li Zhouluo's sleeve as he hastily returned to his main seat.

He used his spiritual sense to examine it, confirming the jade slip indeed contained the "Xuanganganshan Scripture." Not only that, but it also included "Refining from the Fire of Watchtower Pavilions" and a volume called "Wonderful Earth and Precious Mountains Are Moved Everywhere," which detailed techniques for moving mountains.

Li Zhouluo quietly placed the jade slip on the table. Kong Guxi's eyes still lingered in his mind. The Xuanyue Sect Leader had come out for a round, and compared to his situation, Li Zhouluo no longer felt his own predicament was so troublesome. He ordered:

"Please ask Protector Cui to make a trip... personally escort the Xuanyue people back to their mountain gate. Ensure all courtesies are observed, so as not to cause misunderstandings."

Di Liguang immediately departed. A woman in white, carrying a sword, entered from outside the hall and waited below. Li Zhouluo dismissed the Jade Court Guards before lowering his voice:

"Xinghan..."

Li Xinghan had not been able to attend the meeting in Qingdu Hall, but as the eldest sister of the current Elder Branch, she knew a great deal and her expression was not good. She stepped forward, cupped her hands, and said:

"Those elders are always prone to abusing their positions for personal gain, making things difficult for you, brother."

Li Zhouluo gave a dry chuckle and replied:

"I'm currently thinking about Xingxian's matter. Zhou Fang and the others still feel it's not enough. They don't just want compensation; they want patronage..."

He elaborated at length on the issue, how to provide care for these individuals without creating problems, noting that each detail needed careful consideration. Li Xinghan sighed inwardly as she listened.

Putting herself in his shoes, given Li Zhouluo's family background and status, he lacked neither resources nor a few artifacts. It was truly because there was no one else suitable for the Patriarch's position that he had to step forward...

Li Xinghan also understood clearly that Li Zhouluo, representing the Ji Branch, was the sole heir of his lineage, and his maternal clan was weak. With Li Chenghuai in secluded cultivation, it could even be said that the Ji Branch consisted only of Li Zhouluo himself. Without the natural support of elders and core strength from the Bo and Zhong Branches when they were in power, his position was inherently weaker by a third.

Seeing Li Zhouluo in such a difficult position now, she could only listen silently. After Li Zhouluo finished speaking in one breath, he paused and said:

"How is Fifth Brother doing now?"

At the mention of Li Zhouming, Li Xinghan smiled slightly and replied:

"I just came back from him. Didn't I give him that White Falcon Gold? He came down from Qingdu without even changing his clothes, rushing back to burn hairpins. I wonder which singing girl he's trying to please now..."

The two had clearly changed their opinion of Li Zhouming. Normally, such remarks would carry a hint of helpless reproach, but now they were tinged with more amusement. Li Zhouluo shook his head and said:

"Elder Chen is meticulous; he'll surely make a note of him again. I only just realized how open-minded he is. Everyone else in the clan acts as if they've lost their parents when they get a mark against their name in Qingdu, but he, despite being marked and disciplined, commits the same offense next time."

Both chuckled. Li Xinghan replied:

"I'm about to set off again to practice my sword in the mountains, but before I go, I'll make sure to see Uncle Cheng and have a good talk with him."

Li Zhouluo nodded repeatedly. Uncle Cheng was Li Xinghan's paternal uncle, so her words carried great weight. He quickly said:

"Thank you very much, sister!"

Li Xinghan, holding her sword, departed briskly. Li Zhouluo, meanwhile, became busy in the hall. Only a quarter of an hour later, Chen Yang unexpectedly entered. The man bowed respectfully and said:

"Patriarch, what wonderful news! Wang Quwan has successfully broken through and cultivated the Floating Cloud Body!"

Li Zhouluo's eyes lit up. He strode out of the main hall and looked up, indeed seeing floating clouds obscuring the sun in the north. He then asked:

"Excellent! It's no wonder the True Master gave him a Suiyuan Pill; he certainly didn't disappoint. Where is he now?"

Chen Yang replied:

"Judging by the recent celestial phenomena, he has broken through. He's very likely on his way to pay respects! His seclusion spot isn't far from here, and the floating clouds have been rising for quite some time; I reckon he'll be here any moment."

"Good!"

Wang Quwan was different from others. On one hand, he was a representative of the Jiangbei clan; the Wang clan had, as a whole, helped the Li family defend Jiangbei back then. On the other hand, he had been personally promoted by Li Ximing, which carried extraordinary significance.

Furthermore, Wang Quwan's swordsmanship cultivation was considerable, and he had long been renowned. That Floating Cloud Body wasn't a simple lineage either; it represented an immortal foundation of body-based divine abilities and was highly compatible with artifact crafting. This person's future was undoubtedly bright.

Li Zhouluo quickly returned to his main seat, pulled out a jade slip from nearby, examined it carefully, and said:

"I heard he's also a sword cultivator; he should be rewarded with a spiritual sword. Protector Chen, what artifact does he currently use?"

Chen Yang replied:

"I heard it's an ordinary, low-grade Qi Condensation artifact."

Li Zhouluo nodded immediately and said:

"Foundation Establishment artifacts cannot be lightly bestowed. A top-grade Qi Condensation spiritual sword, however, holds both value and significance... I see there's still a top-grade Qi Condensation spiritual sword in the treasury, obtained from the North-South conflict. Bring it up quickly for me to see."

Wang Quwan would certainly come to pay his respects immediately. Di Liguang, understanding the urgency, promptly left. Chen Yang then said:

"Patriarch, I'll go outside the province to greet him!"

Li Zhouluo watched him leave, silently sighing with emotion. After a moment, he saw a man step forward to pay his respects. This man was ordinary in appearance, yet he strode on clouds, bore a sword on his back, and had firm eyes and steady steps. He bowed and said:

"Wang Quwan of Jiangbei, respectfully greets the Patriarch!"

Though unassuming in appearance, this man was quite renowned. Li Zhouluo smiled as he helped him up and asked:

"Congratulations, Quwan! It's truly not easy for Jiangbei to produce a sword cultivator like you."

Di Liguang approached at the opportune moment, holding a jade box. Li Zhouluo took it with one hand and opened it, revealing a long sword lying inside. Its blade shimmered with golden-blue hues, intermingling brilliantly and brimming with pure energy; one glance was enough to tell it was of the highest quality.

Li Zhouluo smiled:

"This sword is three feet, one inch, and two fen long, weighing fifty-two jin and one liang. It is forged with Jinghai Cold Iron as its base and gold essence from the bottom of the Great River, its color resembling the waters of Jinghai, adorned with the pattern of a Qinghe Golden Beast, and named..."

This sword had been seized. Although its materials were discernible, no name was engraved on its blade. Li Zhouluo paused briefly before giving it a meaningful name.

"Jingxiqing!"

Wang Quwan was a sword cultivator, and no sword cultivator disliked spiritual swords. Jingxiqing, as a top-grade Qi Condensation artifact, was even better in quality than Li Xinghan's previous Beiyu sword. Although Wang Quwan was now the head of the Jiangbei clan, his position was achieved solely through his own efforts and the Wang surname, without a prominent background. He immediately bowed deeply and said:

"Patriarch! This is too precious!"

Li Zhouluo shook his head and said:

"Your family contributed greatly to defending Jiangbei; this is a deserved reward and will represent the standing of your Jiangbei Wang clan in Baijiang Creek from now on. How can we talk about its value? If we speak of value, this sword is not even as valuable as that Suiyuan Pill."

With Li Zhouluo saying this, Wang Quwan could only accept the jade box with both hands. The affection in his gaze towards the spiritual sword was impossible to hide. He cradled it carefully and thanked Li Zhouluo repeatedly.

Li Zhouluo knew this person's reputation; he was absolutely trustworthy and capable. As soon as Wang Quwan emerged from seclusion and received a spiritual sword personally bestowed by Li Zhouluo, it held extraordinary significance and virtually resolved Li Zhouluo's immediate crisis. He was in no rush to assign him duties, merely smiling as he inquired about matters in Jiangbei.

After inquiring for a while, Li Zhouluo learned that Wang Quwan's elder brother, a Wang clan alchemist, had gone missing years ago while on an outing, with no news since. His younger brother, Wang Quyu, was managing the family affairs. Li Zhouluo had heard of this person; he was also a talented individual, though his aptitude might not match Wang Quwan's, his methods were highly effective.

He looked at Wang Quwan's expression and asked:

"Now... how is your swordsmanship cultivation? Sword Qi has already formed, so Sword Core isn't far, is it?"

This was naturally a compliment, as forming a Sword Core was extremely difficult. Wang Quwan indeed shook his head and replied:

"The Sword Core is still a distant prospect; I encountered a bottleneck long ago. I'm just borrowing and studying the swordsmanship scriptures around the lake, correlating them with Jiangbei's swordsmanship, to see if I can forge my own path."

According to protocol, Wang Quwan still needed to pay respects to Li Xuanxuan, Ding Weizeng, and others. Li Zhouluo allowed him to go, feeling much uplifted. He then had the small windows on both sides of the main hall opened, making the hall bright and spacious. The morning sun streamed into the hall, illuminating the tabletop brilliantly.

The morning light climbed onto the jade stand, flowed onto the glistening, scaled coiling dragon pillars beside the table, reflected onto the main seat, passed over Li Zhouluo, and illuminated the walls with faint, shimmering scale patterns.

Kong Guxi exited the hall, disheartened, and returned to his continent. His elder brother, Kong Guli, was waiting below, appearing absent-minded. Upon seeing Kong Guxi's distraught appearance, the elder already anticipated the news and covered his face in silence.

Kong Guxi said nothing more. After a few steps, he saw Fuyuezi approach him, who respectfully said:

"Sect Master."

Hearing this, a myriad of emotions swirled in Kong Guxi's heart. Just as he was about to speak, he noticed a mass of floating clouds rising in the northern sky, white and hazy, ascending all the way to the heavens, obscuring the sun.

"Who else has established their foundation?"

He shivered, forgetting to close the courtyard gate. He merely watched Kong Guli and Fuyuezi pack their things... though there was actually nothing to pack. They were merely waiting for the Li family members to accompany them. To avoid appearing resigned, the old man busied himself with aimless tasks.

After a quarter of an hour, they suddenly heard urgent footsteps and hoofbeats from the street corner, followed immediately by a fierce crackling of firecrackers. Several people shouted in the alley:

"Great joy! Great joy! Master Wang Quwan of the Jiangbei Wang clan has forged an immortal foundation! Great joy... great joy! Everyone come and partake in the good fortune, receive rewards and commendations... Come, come, come..."

And so, with one shout of auspiciousness and another of congratulation, the two Xuanyue disciples guarding the gate also received immortal rewards, joined in the congratulations, and began to smile. For them, joining the Muquan Sect and ending their wandering, dependent lives was naturally a good thing. They didn't think much beyond that, and at present, they were filled with joy. Laughter echoed through the courtyard and beyond, shaking the heavens.

After the laughter continued for a long time, a clear voice finally rang out:

"Everyone, disperse now. Honored guests are resting inside; such noise is inappropriate."

This was Cui Jueyin's voice. He always spoke gently, and knowing that Kong Guxi inside was suffering, he felt some pity and spoke to disperse the crowd. Finally, everyone dispersed.

The sounds of joy and laughter dissipated in all directions, eventually fading. Cui Jueyin slightly raised his eyebrows, hearing a deep, suppressed weeping from within the courtyard, faintly discernible as choked sobs:

"Sect Master... Sect Master!"

"Fuyuezi... you should go join the Li family... you should go join the Li family! Anyway... anyway, in the end, following me to the east will only lead to hardship..."

"Sect Master! What are you saying..."

"Brother... rising and falling, the way of the world. Outside, drums and gongs, inside, despair nearing its end. A minor lineage of twenty years is just rising, while a three-hundred-year-old immortal clan is on its last legs, its destiny fulfilled! Its time is up... go to the east!"

The old domain has been compromised. Please remember the new domain.