Chapter 811: Within Mifan

Cui Jueyin acknowledged. Li Jiangqian shook his head and said, "The workforce from Ziyan has relocated to the East Sea, and the production speed is worsening day by day. However, since the True Man has not returned, it's fine to delay. The clan is stable now, so these are not major issues. Protector Cui, you are often on the East Coast; do you know anything about the situation with Jiangxia?"

Li Jiangqian pointed to several letters on the desk. Judging by their form and specifications, they were most likely sent by Li Jiangxia. He frowned and said, "For several months now, the families on the East Coast and the affiliated territories in the wilderness have suddenly gone silent. The number of disciples coming to the Dense Forest has sharply decreased. It's supposed to be the triennial mountain entry, yet hardly anyone has shown up... This is no simple matter."

There are 118 families on the East Coast, and their affiliated territories extend into the wilderness. Over the years, Li Jiangxia has slowly encroached on these lands. Although he was once defeated by Duxian, his foundation remained unshaken. Despite being called the East Coast, this region can no longer be simply defined as such. If the entire wilderness were divided into five parts, the two westernmost parts would be under the Li family's remote control.

These areas are crucial sources of spiritual materials. Now, with the need to forge the Purple Gen Great Valley Earth-Piercing Xuan Nails, they have become even more critical, demanding his full attention.

Cui Jueyin nodded and replied, "I have received the news... and the cause has been clarified..."

"In recent years, the Muquan Sect in Shanji County to the east has gradually established itself. Its cultivators are widely recruiting disciples. This group of demonic cultivators appears to be imitating the Chenyun Sect, with Ziyan's backing, and intends to convert to the righteous path..."

"They are severely lacking low-level cultivators, so their standards have been lowered. They primarily seek cultivators of clean origins, preferably from Jiangnan. In Shanji, Xuanmiao Temple blocks the north, and the Sun Orthodox Sect occupies both sides, leaving mostly wilderness cultivators... The wilderness is full of rogue cultivators, who are uneven in quality and have disorganized traditions. Even if the Muquan Sect lowers its standards further, few can meet them."

"Conversely, just past the wilderness lies the East Coast. Coincidentally, over these years, the families on the East Coast have been training disciples according to seasonal schedules, preparing them for recruitment into the Dense Forest. They focused on consolidating their cultivation and laying a strong foundation, not rushing into advanced practice. As a result, when the Muquan Sect widely opened its gates, they all went east to try their luck."

Beyond the East Coast are the affiliated territories. Therefore, the various families there primarily offer tribute through mining and cultivation. Unlike the various Mansions on the lake, which are clear internal forces, they don't require constant negotiation like Dingmu. Li Jiangqian listened, showing no urgency, and nodded:

"Indeed. My family has numerous guest cultivators, but also many rules, so there's not much enjoyment. Future development is far inferior to the Muquan Sect. How could it compare to being a comfortable disciple of a Purple Mansion Sect?"

Cui Jueyin bowed and replied, "The Patriarch is right... However, the Xuanmu Orthodox Sect is just using them to fill numbers. If they join as outer disciples, their cultivation time will be insufficient, and their resources inadequate, so it might not be a pleasant experience..."

"None of that matters... Everyone has their own ambitions, and we don't truly lack this batch or two of people."

Li Jiangqian raised his eyes, his gaze fixed gloomily on the scroll on the table, and replied, "What I fear is that if they all join the Xuanmu Orthodox Sect, one by one—this one today, that one tomorrow—and all one hundred-plus families are taken away, enriching the east, what will become of the west?"

Cui Jueyin hesitated, then nodded and softly said, "Third Young Master has been cultivating and accumulating for many years. Perhaps it would be better to integrate the East Coast-Wilderness region and establish a Mansion Peak... I'm just afraid that doing so would make these hundred-plus families feel insecure, and it wouldn't be an easy operation."

The young man in the crimson robe shook his head and replied, "Mansion Peaks cannot be easily expanded, nor can we simply swallow up over a hundred families at once. This concerns my family's reputation. These East Coast families also serve as a way for the families on the continent's edge to step on lower-level cultivators, a method of unifying by being superior..."

"Furthermore, these families are remnants from the time of the Hundred-Year Jiang-Yu family. The Yu family's decline means they cannot be disturbed, but why didn't the Jiang family act back then? Why didn't the Xiao family? The rule that Qingchi cannot cross states and merge counties isn't arbitrary; it originates from the even older Moon Essence Yuan Mansion. Under the Yuan Mansion's rule, only sects could cross states and merge counties, and even the Ziyan Sect only adheres to its designated territory."

"Secondly, it's to avoid direct borders with other Purple Mansion powers... My family has the Dense Forest managing various families, and the Xiao family has Yu Mountain... it's all the same."

Li Jiangqian pondered for a moment, looked at the territory, and asked, "The wilderness also borders the Xiao family, currently near Yu Mountain. I imagine many people are going there to cultivate. The Lixia Xiao family has shown no reaction... This makes things difficult."

He looked up and asked, "Do all the families have people in the Dense Forest? Immediately withdraw their positions. Anyone who went to the Muquan Sect but failed to gain entry, the Dense Forest should not accept them either. I'll send someone to the east to inquire. That Dai Jinquan from the Xuanmu Orthodox Sect seems reasonable; let's ask him first."

Li Jiangqian waved Cui Jueyin away. Finally, a person came up from below the dais. Di Liguang had gone to the South Sea with Li Zhouluo, and now it was a member of the Dou family who came forward, bowing and saying: "Reporting to the Patriarch, Guest Cultivator Miaoshui has returned."

Li Jiangqian showed great concern, immediately raising an eyebrow and asking, "Alone? Or with Guest Cultivator Wang?"

The person replied, "Three people returned together, and they are all in the side courtyard. It is said they are not lightly injured."

Li Jiangqian immediately frowned and went down. Just then, three people approached. Miaoshui's breathing was steady, though his clothes were somewhat dishevelled. He bowed first. Wang Quwan followed behind, sword at his side, his face pale.

The remaining person was a stranger, his face covered in cold sweat, his clothes stained with blood. His body was suffused with golden *gang* energy, and his limbs were purple with cold, as he stiffly performed a bow.

Li Jiangqian laughed heartily, descended from the platform, took Wang Quwan's hand, and smiled, "Quwan is truly a genius! You've returned safely, as expected!"

He then turned back to the unfamiliar face and asked doubtfully, "And this is..."

Li Jiangqian inquired closely. Wang Quwan clasped his fist and replied, "This is Daoist Shou Ding from Jingyi Mountain. He fought alongside me against enemies in the underground palace and was eventually injured. He accompanied me out of that dangerous place. Considering that the journey back to the East Sea is long and passes through the territory of the Pure Unity Sect, fearing ambush, I invited him to rest by the lake."

'Jingyi Mountain!' Upon hearing this, Li Jiangqian immediately scrutinized Daoist Shou Ding. He appeared no older than a youth, with narrow eyes and an unremarkable appearance. Perhaps due to a backlash from some spell, his hair and beard seemed withered, and he was injured by a golden *gang* type of spell, rendering him unable to speak.

Regarding the Xuan Yue affair years ago, Chang Xi gave Yuezhou Island to Jingyi Mountain. They should have been considered allies of the Xuan Yue lineage, but from start to finish, not a single person from Jingyi Mountain came, nor did they provide any resources, leaving the Kong family to struggle in Jiangnan. To put it bluntly, Sumian at least spoke up, but True Man Xuanyi didn't even open his mouth; one could say he didn't even lift a finger.

The direct lineage of Xuan Yue harbored deep resentment over this matter. Although Xuanmiao Temple suffered no losses, Sumian was equally displeased with Xuanyi. Their own family suffered considerably, and their household had nothing good to say about Jingyi Mountain.

Coincidentally, Jingyi Mountain had no connections in Jiangnan and then encountered Wang Quwan. Now, they had found their way to the Li family. Li Jiangqian, being deeply sagacious, smiled genially and politely said: "So, you are guests from Jingyi Immortal Mountain. This is only right. Please enter the immortal cave for cultivation... If you require any resources, simply ask."

Daoist Shou Ding's face was purple, his lips trembling. He managed a strained response, then coughed up blood, unable to utter polite formalities. Li Jiangqian had Wang Quwan sit inside the hall and instructed Miaoshui to lead the others away. Only then did he return to his seat, a plan forming in his mind: 'I wonder if this fellow can keep a secret. Since he's from Jingyi Mountain, it would be best to subtly probe for information... to find out what kind of relationship Chang Xi and Xuanyi truly have.'

He now smiled and said, "Congratulations... What was it like inside the underground palace?"

As he spoke, his gaze lingered meaningfully on Wang Quwan.

Judging by Wang Quwan's recent demeanor, he must have communicated extensively with Daoist Shou Ding in the underground palace. As a disciple of Jingyi, Daoist Shou Ding likely understood the secrets of the Mifa Orthodox path.

The question then was: had Wang Quwan already managed to obtain information?

Upon his inquiry, Wang Quwan quickly bowed, took a large box from his sleeve, and opened it before him. Inside were a red pearl chain and an earthen-yellow long shield—precisely the Red Hunyu Treasure and the Hundred-Stone Spirit Shield that had been lent out.

He said, "Reporting to the Patriarch, there's another mystery within this underground palace. Upon reaching the deepest part, one enters an earth vein, then another earth vein, and then discovers a pool of coalesced water, containing a universe within..."

"Upon entering that pool, there is a palace inscribed with 'Great Profound All-Encompassing.' The long plaques on both sides have been stolen. Once past this palace, water, fire, and lightning immediately descended. We flew and traversed through them... for a long time."

"Initially, the power of this water, fire, and lightning was not great, but the water was coalesced water, and the fire was merging fire, burning more fiercely. Furthermore, lightning struck, shattering spells. Fortunately, I had two magical artifacts bestowed by the family—especially the Red Hunyu Treasure for protection, and my Floating Cloud Body could enhance me—which allowed me to pass through."

Li Jiangqian immediately felt something was amiss: 'Could it be a grotto-heaven? But where is there a grotto-heaven where Foundation Establishment cultivators fly for a year or more and remain trapped in the same spot? That makes no sense!'

Wang Quwan continued, "After passing through the water, fire, and lightning, we saw a stone bridge. According to Daoist Shou Ding, who was with me, this bridge was made from a Wutu spiritual material. There was a large formation across the entire bridge, suppressing spiritual perception. I explored until halfway, where I saw a stone tablet inscribed with the three characters 'Yan Jin Ke'. A box of water descended from above. After I received it, there was no way forward, so I had no choice but to retreat."

"When I returned and met Shou Ding, he said that 'Yan Jin Ke' needed to be broken using Golden Virtue magical techniques, which I had not learned. So I turned back. However, the exit path had changed. A crowd of people inside seemed to be fighting over something. I found a place to hide. After a year or so, when a group of people moved away, I secretly escaped."

"As soon as we emerged from the coalesced water pool, a group of demonic cultivators ambushed us from the side. Fortunately, our magical artifacts were powerful... It was tough for Daoist Shou Ding... That group of demonic cultivators, seeing his high cultivation, thought all the treasures were on the leader, so they continuously attacked him... forcing him to use all the talismans his master had given him."

Li Jiangqian listened in silence, then asked, "How did this Shou Ding from Jingyi Mountain come to be here?"

Wang Quwan replied succinctly, "He was severely injured but knew the way out. Shou Ding led me out, and I protected him on the way."

Li Jiangqian felt a touch of curiosity: 'Xuanyi understands Mifa so well? It seems Jingyi Mountain could be a useful ally in obtaining that treasure sword...'

After saying this, he bowed slightly, took a box from his storage bag, and opened it in front of Li Jiangqian, revealing clear, translucent spiritual water inside. He reported: "I didn't recognize this spiritual item, but fortunately, I brought it back for the family."

Li Jiangqian immediately frowned and replied, "This is your fortune. What nonsense are you talking about?"

He then took a look, immediately recognized it, and said, "This is Clear Essence Spiritual Water. It can be used to cultivate eye techniques. Keep it well; it's a perfect portion and will be of great use!"

Before Wang Quwan could reply, Li Jiangqian waved his hand and stated, "Everything obtained from the Daoist Canon's treasury is yours."

Wang Quwan hesitated for a moment, then finally put it away for now. He bowed lightly and said in a deep voice, "Reporting to the Patriarch... I did notice something. I engaged in combat with many cultivators inside the underground palace. As I delved deeper into the earth veins, the cultivators I encountered became increasingly powerful, yet their immortal foundations became more monotonous, seemingly limited to just a few types. I privately asked Daoist Shou Ding, and he said that those entering the underground palace, if their orthodox paths are similar, gather in one place..."

Li Jiangqian neither confirmed nor denied, unsure if it was the truth or a fabrication. He stroked the jade cup in his hand, seemingly having made a decision, and finally said, "Indeed..."

Wang Quwan showed a look of doubt upon hearing this. Li Jiangqian shook his head and said, "This matter concerns the Purple Mansion. I have some conjectures... which Quwan might be interested in hearing."

Wang Quwan immediately bowed, evidently having harbored doubts for a long time. Li Jiangqian spoke solemnly, "If my guess is correct, this underground palace was built by the Chenyun Sect, and the demonic cultivators outside the pool are also from the Chenyun Sect. Their family discovered a certain orthodox lineage underground, and it requires specific immortal foundations to enter... So they've been distributing tokens to people with this type of immortal foundation, allowing them to enter the immortal cave on their behalf, then killing them when they least expect it..."

His expression darkened as he continued, "When the Floating Cloud Cave was destroyed years ago, the cultivation methods and resources were sent by the other two caves. The cultivation method you practice was provided by the Brahma Cloud Cave, supported by the Chenyun Sect... It seems they originally intended to send it to our family's disciples, luring them into the coalesced water pool to kill them. That place likely wouldn't even count as a divine ability. Fortunately, Quwan was cautious and did not contend with them for treasures... And the True Man bestowed a pill upon you, allowing you to establish your foundation, thus enabling your complete retreat."

Wang Quwan paused very slightly. Li Jiangqian shook his head and smiled, "However, the True Man's foresight is beyond our comprehension. Perhaps he had long seen through the Chenyun Sect's trickery and held you in high regard, specially bestowing the pill, allowing you to break through in battle. This is why they gained nothing... This minor trick of the Chenyun Sect, conversely, became your fortune..."

Li Jiangqian altered the order of his statement and casually mentioned Li Ximing, speaking openly and covering up the oversight of not having warned him earlier. Wang Quwan gradually showed a look of shock, pondered the events, and then exhaled a long breath.

Li Xuanxuan truly gave him the magical artifacts to genuinely preserve his life. Li Jiangqian and Li Zhouluo, both before and after, did not interfere with his gains and clearly showed their stance. Wang Quwan bowed and softly said, "I only regret that my cultivation is shallow. I couldn't vigorously contend and ended up wasting the opportunity given by the True Man..."

"That's nothing." Li Jiangqian smiled faintly and replied, "According to your account, that place is definitely not something a few Foundation Establishment cultivators could explore in one go. You should first go to Sun Bai for healing. I will write a letter to inquire with the Lord of the Jiutian Pavilion; we are bound to gain something."