Chapter 819: 雷池

Li Zhouwei shook his head upon hearing this and replied, "I've met your brother, Gongsun Baifan. Although humble in origin, he possesses an excellent heart. Among the countless rogue cultivators north of the river, he stands at the pinnacle. Setting aside the unspoken destiny that guides him, he's not much inferior to Wang Quwan."

He glanced at Zhou Baiyun and continued, "Though he is formidable, given your position in the East Sea, you must be careful. Do not misunderstand his earnest goodwill!"

The Li clan, once hostile to the Duxian Dao, had recently eased their stance. Zhou Baiyun's words were too frank and certainly not favorable to the Duxian Dao. If overheard by the wrong people, talk of 'two birds not nesting on one branch' would be tantamount to putting a knife to his brother's throat.

Fortunately, Li Zhouwei was present. He rather admired Gongsun Baifan, and the friction between their two families had lessened. If it had been anyone else, they would have certainly sown discord between Gongsun Baifan and the Duxian Dao, perhaps even shouting a few taunts during a battle. Even a composed man like Gongsun Baifan would likely have turned pale with fright.

Zhou Baiyun, perhaps understanding or not, nodded repeatedly and respectfully said, "This is also because I perceive your extraordinary divine prowess, sir. I feared that speaking too highly of my brother's relationship with the Duxian Dao might displease you, so I chose to tell you the truth."

Li Zhouwei, not particularly benevolent, stopped the conversation there. He nodded slightly, exited the pavilion, and sighed inwardly, "For rogue cultivators across generations, producing a genius like Gongsun Baifan is already remarkable. How could there be another brother of the same caliber? The family of Wang Quwan... how incredibly rare."

As he left the pavilion, Yuan Hu'e hurried over, smiling, "Sir... I just had someone appraise the magical artifact. Why are you leaving so soon? We haven't even had a proper chance to entertain you..."

Li Zhouwei knew he wished him to leave quickly, so he didn't elaborate, merely waved his hand and said, "Island Master, there's no need to see me off!"

He then transformed into a ray of light and streaked away into the distance. Only then did Yuan Hu'e straighten his bent back. With a solemn expression, he returned to the pavilion, followed by a restless Zhou Baiyun.

The elder closed the door tightly and said coldly, "Why didn't you tell me about this sooner when such a thing happened?! You only sent someone to talk about a big business deal... The magical artifact he presented is not something an ordinary person would possess! His background is unclear! Now look what's happened!"

Zhou Baiyun grew even more embarrassed and remained silent. Yuan Hu'e's face was grim as he replied, "If it weren't for your brother, how would you have this lucrative position now?! You nearly got me killed! You don't need to do this anymore!"

Yuan Hu'e gave him a cold look and walked out without another word. Upon reaching his own cave dwelling outside the pavilion, he felt no anger, only contemplation: 'Mushroom Forest Plain cannot be saved. It's a place of trouble, and our ancestors passed down a perilous inheritance that has led to the deaths of several generations of elders. The children who followed have been weaker with each passing generation. If we stay here any longer, what future does the Yuan clan have?''Yuan Chengzhao is also selfish. The Yuan family's future simply cannot compare to his cultivation path. Now that things have come to this, he doesn't even dare to speak up. We can't rely on him. We must bring out a few children and rebuild a mountain in this area, escape that cursed place, rectify our family's conduct, and prevent our lineage from dying out...'

Bright sunlight appeared in the sky, as the morning glow ascended. The sea glittered with golden light, and large and small ice floes drifted on the surface, like countless shattered golden shards.

The Dragon King of Reef Sea cultivated cold qi and was sealed in this place. The Reef Sea was also constantly chilly, with icebergs floating everywhere. Li Zhouwei read the jade slip obtained from Ta'e Island, which recorded that the Reef Sea had been quite prosperous in recent years, with numerous spiritual mines and treasures emerging, leading to an increase in cultivators.

Midway through his flight, he scanned his surroundings and saw no demonic creatures. Instead, he observed several flashes of gray-red flames and clashing thunder, as two groups of cultivators fought fiercely on an ice mountain.

Li Zhouwei took a brief look. On one side, fierce flames burned, making magical artifacts crackle, while on the other, thunder roared, shattering the ice mountain into pieces. He examined their attire and immediately recognized them: "One side is Red Reef Island, the other is Thunderclap Island. This is a fight between foolish birds and vicious dogs; both sides are equally despicable, neither is good."

The leader of Red Reef Island was a young woman in blue robes, contrasting sharply with the red robes of those around her. The leader of Thunderclap Island held two copper bowls, producing rumbling thunder – an old acquaintance named Miao Ye.

This person was a direct descendant of the Miao family and had inquired about the whereabouts of the Du Ruo Spear at the lake.

He then looked at the ice mountain again and saw a cluster of ice-blue white flowers, about the size of a fist, blooming at its peak. Their branches were emerald green, and their roots grew in the ice. Beside them, a black tortoise, as tall as a person and as large as a table, was crouched, trembling inside its shell.

Li Zhouwei, after a quick recognition, understood: 'So it's a Jade Rabbit Ice Flower... a rare precious herb, said to only bloom beneath the Cold Snow Pine. I didn't expect to find it here.''Strange... Even if this flower doesn't grow beneath a pine, it certainly shouldn't grow on an iceberg. It seems more like it's responding to someone's breakthrough in divine abilities... It must be the Dragon King of Reef Sea...'

Aside from the peculiar spiritual item, Miao Ye's status was not low; it was highly unlikely he would travel thousands of miles to contend for a Jade Rabbit Ice Flower. Clearly, both groups had other intentions for being in Reef Sea, and this precious herb was merely an incidental point of contention.

The enmity between the Li family and Thunderclap Island, while not as great as with Red Reef Island, was still considerable. He glanced at the two groups of battling cultivators, secretly noted their location, transformed into light, and took a detour, pondering: 'When I return from Liehai, I should also find a place for secluded cultivation. Without leaving the Hetian Sea, I could conveniently stop in Reef Sea and see what these two families are up to.'

He had already flown most of the way, and his light transformation made him incredibly fast, but then he noticed large, urgent snowflakes falling from the sky, covering his entire vision in a vast white expanse. Beneath his feet, white and blue colors intertwined.

Li Zhouwei felt the scent of pine in his nostrils. On the small rocky islets beneath him, countless pine trees burst from the stone, growing taller and taller amidst the falling snow, only to be quickly buried by the countless snowflakes.

He flew for a hundred *li* before the heavy snow around him slowly diminished. He continued flying until he reached the outer sea, where no more snowflakes fell onto the surface. Li Zhouwei grew suspicious again: "I haven't heard of such a grand display even from achieving divine abilities, nor does it resemble the fall of Foundation Establishment cultivators. It looks more like a demonic creature in Reef Sea has broken through to the Purple Mansion realm... Perhaps it's one of the Dragon King's subordinates."

He flew steadily for a while, following the map's guidance for half a day. Gradually, he saw a small patch of dark reefs appear by the sea, and in the distance, scattered island silhouettes emerged.

Li Zhouwei landed on the reef. As he looked around, he felt a slight tremor beneath his feet. A carriage shimmering with purple light appeared on the sea surface, and a wave swept forth, carrying specks of purple lightning.

A white-clad female attendant emerged, with a refined face and deep purple eyes. She led the carriage and courteously said, "Our master invites you. Would you please come with me, Young Master?"

Li Zhouwei's eye technique subtly flickered, detecting that the other party was a Purple-Feathered Sparrow. He understood that the master of Liehai was inviting him. He nodded slightly and replied, "Thank you, messenger."

"Not at all!" The female attendant, slightly apprehensive, led him onto the carriage. This carriage was only of a size used by ordinary people, completely unlike the house-sized or small-mountain-sized vehicles of the dragon lineage he had seen before, appearing delicate and exquisite.

Li Zhouwei lifted the curtain and entered the carriage. In the center was a small brazier, and behind it, only a soft seat. It was so minimalist that it didn't resemble the style of the dragon lineage.

He was extremely familiar with the interior decorations of the carriage. With practiced ease, he lit the brazier and waited for a moment, a mix of anticipation and melancholy in his heart. The carriage had already ascended into the air, and he heard the female attendant say, "Please wait a moment, Young Master. Our master is above Liehai's Profound Empyrean Thunder Pool; we will arrive shortly!"

Li Zhouwei acknowledged. He saw the misty clouds outside the window gradually turn gray. The carriage beneath him suddenly vibrated as if it had landed somewhere, then sped off.

The lightning on both sides grew denser, and the dark clouds deepened in color. Plunging deep into the dark clouds, they finally came to an abrupt halt, revealing a completely different scene.

Before him lay a vast, circular pool of purple-white lightning fluid, stretching endlessly as far as the eye could see. Purple lightning continuously fell from above, striking the pool. Although immensely powerful, the lightning fluid below seemed to be cast from refined iron, merely rippling slightly.

The edge of the pool, about three *zhang* wide, was a deep greenish-blue, appearing like burnished copper or iron, covered with dense lightning patterns. A group of white-clad female attendants waited silently by the pool's edge.

Li Zhouwei stepped down. The white-clad female attendant handed the carriage over to others who had come to receive it, then made a slight gesture and respectfully said, "Young Master, please follow me."

Li Zhouwei walked forward, the pool bank beneath his feet vibrating slightly with the falling heavenly lightning. After walking for a while, the female attendant smiled and said, "This place was formed by swallowed thunder. The metal at the pool's edge is the remains of a grotto-heaven, and the lightning fluid, poured out from the grotto-heaven, is called Listening Roar Thunder Water. It is as solid as profound iron, neither diminishing nor dispersing, neither moving nor making a sound, yet it is still lightning.""Above the Thunder Pool, thirty-six profound thunders and twelve empyrean thunders circulate. Once you enter this place, not only can you not fly, but you absolutely must not take out any metal artifacts, Young Master. If you do take out a magical artifact, do not point it towards the profound heavens, or forty-eight bolts of lightning will fall, taking your life."

Li Zhouwei nodded in understanding. Fortunately, the Yuan'e armor he wore was soft and had no sharp edges. He simply followed the female attendant forward. Everything behind them gradually became obscured by a dark cloud sea. He then saw a gap at the edge of the pool where the purple-white lightning fluid did not spill out, standing instead like a solid.

The female attendant stepped into the Thunder Pool, and with a clang, she walked directly on the lightning fluid. Li Zhouwei followed her, and indeed, it was as hard as iron.

In the center of the Thunder Pool was a small, silver-white palace, not large in size. Li Zhouwei raised an eyebrow to look, and saw someone leaning against the pavilion above.

The woman was draped in purple-white feathers, with a high nose bridge, willow eyebrows, and almond-shaped eyes. Her long hair was coiled at the back, held by a silver-white hairpin, while the remaining dark hair cascaded like a waterfall through the pavilion window.

Purple energy permeated her eyes, and her purple-white feathered robes trembled as if breathing. Behind her, a shimmering purple-white disc faintly glowed. Simply by sitting there, she appeared dazzling to spiritual perception, like a terrifying, highly condensed lightning storm suppressed within her body, yet outwardly serene and gentle.

Li Zhouwei exhaled deeply, then bowed down with the solemnity of a collapsing mountain and a falling jade pillar, stating firmly, "Li Zhouwei of Wangyue, greets Your Excellency."

The woman chuckled softly, "Minghuang has arrived."

The woman in the Thunder Pool was precisely Li Qinghong!

Hearing the woman's reply, Li Zhouwei slowly exhaled in relief. The woman descended from the pavilion and helped him up. Li Zhouwei's voice was slightly hoarse as he replied, "The Old Master... is still worried about you, thinking there must be great peril in the grotto-heaven, growing more anxious with time. To know that your thunder has manifested, and you command an entire sea... I will return and inform the Old Master; it will surely make him weep with joy."

Although he had guessed before coming that it was related to Li Qinghong, Li Zhouwei dared not have too many expectations. Even seeing Li Qinghong in person, he still doubted if it was truly her soul. With that question uttered, only relief remained in Li Zhouwei's heart.

Li Qinghong heard his words, and a touch of worry appeared on her face. She whispered, "Some things are not suitable to be written down, lest they bring misfortune... It's even less advisable to extend my reach to the land. Back when Dingjiao saw the fox, it still had to go through you in the East Sea; I couldn't send letters directly... And I am more unique, involving many matters of the Dragon Monarchs devouring thunder. It's not good to expose them, nor is it suitable for me to leave this sea..."

Li Zhouwei bowed and said, "Now that I know your news, I can only be grateful! Only now do I realize that the True Person could escape danger... Thanks to your intervention. I only fear it might have caused you some inconvenience and derailed your plans..."

Since Li Qinghong had expressed these concerns, it was likely that her current position was very close to that of the dragon lineage. Knowing that Li Qinghong was safe and had even saved Li Ximing was a win-win situation. Li Zhouwei absolutely did not want to burden her, repeatedly calling her "Your Excellency" to demonstrate his respectful attitude to the dragon lineage.

However, what filled his heart more was gratitude and joy: "Our family, having just reached the Purple Mansion realm, understands nothing. The True Person is not one who enjoys managing affairs and was repeatedly schemed against, nearly perishing in the East Sea... It was only thanks to your rescue..."

Li Qinghong gently shook her head and smiled, "Ximing achieving the Purple Mansion is far more impressive than me. He has not disappointed expectations... Both I and the Old Master back home should thank him... We have all come through with blood and tears... With him, these blood and tears will not have been shed in vain.""If he hadn't managed to hold on firmly during that Heart Tribulation, there would be no room for maneuver today... Besides... you always underestimate him."

Li Qinghong smiled gently and invited him into the pavilion, to sit in the chamber within the Profound Empyrean Thunder Pool. Her light purple, almond-shaped eyes blinked slightly as she replied, "The Art of Summoning Thunder and Mooring Clouds – that is, many cultivators from the Thundercloud Temple grotto-heaven have perished: Thunderclap Island in the South Sea, the Xi family in the North Sea, the Dao of the Western Heavens Plateau... those from Jiangnan and Jiangbei, Zhao, Yan, Wu, and Yue... each one is a lineage spread by the dragon clan over a thousand years... My cultivation method originates from Lingyanzi. Back then, it was chosen by the dragon clan to be brought in, originally promised to the Purple Mist Sect. But he gave it to my family beforehand, and this karmic connection has since fallen upon me... This cultivation method, falling into my family's hands, involved Changxiao and Ziyan, and now it has manifested again through Changxiao and Ziyan..."

The white-clad female attendant who had led him in earlier brought a jade pot. Li Qinghong gracefully waved her slender hand, stopping her. Her eyes, always full of heroic spirit, now held a hint of gentleness as she replied, "It's hard to say anymore. All things considered, perhaps I was destined to devour thunder from birth."