Chapter 822: Qi Jin

The imperial decree's secret technique could increase one's authority and allow them to command others. While not immensely powerful, it was sufficient for issuing orders to mortals or low-level cultivators. The remaining two secret techniques, despite some progress, were not yet fully cultivated and showed no discernible effects, making them largely useless.

However, secret techniques were not primarily intended to enhance combat prowess. He estimated that even if all nine techniques were perfected, their contribution to a fight would be less significant than a single 'Jiazi Po Lian Ji Bing Shu' (a combat art).

Li Zhouwei pondered for a moment, suppressing his internal questions. He decided to seek Li Qinghong for clarification and then entered seclusion to focus on his cultivation.

Cultivating the Yangyuan energy proved straightforward, and time flew by. A faint tremor from outside his cave dwelling roused him. He slowly opened his eyes as Yuan Zi's respectful voice reached him:

"Reporting to esteemed master, the Yingshou clan has personally informed us that the magical artifact has been successfully refined. We respectfully invite you to inspect it."

The cave dwelling's gate swung open with a rumble. Li Zhouwei's form transformed into light, appearing beside Yuan Zi, who bowed and led the way. The old Taoist continued to follow respectfully, accompanied by a young man in a silver crown and feather robe. The youth, apparently a cultivator from the North Sea Xi family, remained silent, eyes downcast, and walked submissively behind.

Li Zhouwei deliberately slowed his pace, but the young man remained silent. It was only when Li Zhouwei ascended the magic platform that the youth seized his chance, speaking:

"Xi Nanqing of Xiaoyun Temple greets esteemed master."

Li Zhouwei hummed in acknowledgement. As he turned to enter his carriage, he spared a glance for the youth, then lifted a corner of the curtain slightly and replied:

"The North Sea Xi family, who have cultivated lightning for generations, are all righteous practitioners. We should interact more frequently."

Xi Nanqing offered a brief response, having nothing more to add. The carriage swayed as it rose with the thunder, piercing through layers of cloud and mist. Li Zhouwei cast a low glance below, observing the Taoists on the mountain disperse in an orderly manner. The old Taoist began to retrieve futons, table mats, and similar items from the cave dwelling, distributing them among the surrounding middle-aged cultivators, who appeared to be elderly and childless.

He withdrew his gaze. The Thunder Pool's purple-white radiance emerged through the clouds, shrouded in thick black mist, as if countless bolts of lightning were brewing within, emitting a dangerous and oppressive aura.

Following the familiar path, he stepped into the thunderous liquid and ascended to the silver-white pavilion. Li Qinghong remained in her usual seat, her long hair now flowing loose. A blue-golden gourd rested on the table beside her. The woman's pale purple eyes fixed on him, and she smiled, saying:

"Minghuang, take a look at this artifact."

Li Zhouwei took his seat and gently hefted the gourd; it felt considerably heavier. Li Qinghong explained:

"It's almost exactly as we predicted. This artifact has transformed from 'Lu' to 'He,' supplemented with 'Qi Jin Tang Bu Xin Jin,' making it fourteen jin and seven liang heavier. It has also gained the ability to attach 'He Shui' and corrode an enemy's magic power, making it even more formidable than before. The Yingshou clan, who came to construct the arrays, are first-rate in both their artifact refining techniques and their cultivation. This wasn't just a casual repair; even its original owner wouldn't recognize it now."

"'He Shui' is the convergence point of all rivers, and with the addition of 'Tang Bu Xin Jin,' which is a metal for collection and nourishment, it can now hold and nurture spiritual water within the gourd. This will slow the dissipation of spiritual energy, allowing talisman water created by Immortal Foundations to be stored inside."

"Thank you, esteemed master!"

Li Zhouwei nodded repeatedly as he listened, then took the gourd and placed it into his sleeve. After a few words of thanks, he said:

"'Qi Jin' is quite peculiar; I've only encountered it a few times in the sea. If it's truly a metal for containment, I suspect some of our family's artifacts designed to store spiritual items have also been adjusted with it."

Li Qinghong smiled faintly and replied:

"Although I don't cultivate the Metal Virtue, I've recently read through some secret archives, and your guess is very likely correct. 'Qi Jin' is extremely rare now, which explains why ancient artifacts often preserved spiritual items, whereas most modern ones cannot."

"Speaking of this... the matter of the Three Metals has puzzled my family for a long time. Even the Water Virtue, when not fully actualized, is still referred to as the Five Waters. So why is Metal only Three Metals? Jiaolong brother and I have discussed this privately many times without any breakthrough. I finally inquired about it..."

"It turns out there are practitioners who have attained these two Dao positions, both residing beyond this realm, their states difficult to describe. The Dragon Clan's explanation is that these two paths are simply too difficult to cultivate and cannot yet be fully realized, leaving them in an awkward, suspended state."

"Although spiritual items related to these two paths are occasionally found both within and beyond the seas, Foundation Establishment cultivators are exceedingly rare. Furthermore, Purple Mansion-level spiritual items no longer appear in the world; they can only be inherited from ancient relics or extracted from ancient artifacts. As for Purple Mansion cultivators on these two paths, it's said there have been fewer than ten in the past millennium. All were prodigious talents who unfortunately strayed onto these erroneous paths, eventually wasting away and dying in the early Purple Mansion stage. Only one remains in this current era."

Li Zhouwei's mind was filled with doubt. He asked, "I've heard there are ways to transfer and refine elements among various techniques, such as 'Lu Jie He Shui' and the 'Dui Jie Geng' method. Can these two Metal Virtues be acquired through similar means?"

Li Qinghong shook her head, saying:

"That is unknown."

Li Zhouwei fell into thought, recalling the incident with the Jiang family. He mused, 'No wonder... no wonder the True Person of the Wang family utterly destroyed an ancient spiritual artifact just to acquire the 'Liu Xin Qi Jin.' That empty shell is still in our family home. So, it turns out 'Qi Jin' is no longer naturally produced. The Wang family are paramount in their mastery of 'Xiaojin' in this era; if a conversion method existed, what couldn't they accomplish? Why would they need to travel thousands of miles to destroy an ancient spiritual artifact? Since even the Wang family couldn't do it, it's likely conversion is impossible.'

His mind cleared, and he felt he had gained significant insight. He nodded:

"No wonder it's said that when the Three Metals manifest, the Metal Virtue is fully realized. Seen from this perspective, it truly is complete."

After a brief tea break, Li Zhouwei inquired:

"There's one more thing I'd like to ask, esteemed master... Do you know anything about secret techniques? Are there any examples of cultivators who have reached the late Foundation Establishment stage and whose secret techniques have already developed some significant power?"

Li Zhouwei knew that inquiring of Li Qinghong was akin to inquiring of the Dragon Clan. Fortunately, he carried a destiny that the Dragon Clan was aware of, emboldening him to ask. To his surprise, Li Qinghong paused, then shook her head and replied:

"I have never even cultivated a secret technique, so naturally, I wouldn't know anything about it."

Li Zhouwei had no choice but to drop the matter. After chatting for a while longer in the Thunder Pool, he finally rose to take his leave, saying:

"I am much indebted to you this time, esteemed master. Upon my return, I will detour through the Reef Sea to exchange for magical artifacts at Ta'e Island, then proceed down the coast to Zhulu Sea to acquire resources, and finally return to the Zongquan Island area for secluded cultivation."

Li Qinghong nodded, then escorted him out of the pavilion, speaking softly:

"The old master is getting on in years; please ask him to take good care of his health. I am confined to this pool and cannot leave, and I miss him dearly... I have already cultivated the Thunder Body. If a thunderstorm gives birth to lightning over Wangyue Lake, flickering across its surface, please consider it me coming to visit my elder uncle."

"Your junior will certainly convey your message."

She walked with him to the very edge of the Thunder Pool. Her crimson lips parted slightly, and she hesitated, appearing to have something to say but ultimately swallowing the words, perhaps out of consideration for her status.

Li Zhouwei noted her hesitation, bowed deeply, and offered no promises or vows. He then mounted a beam of light and headed west.

Wangyue Lake.

The morning sun rose as usual. The young man in crimson robes stood atop the pavilion, gazing out over the entire lake-island region. Behind him stood a black-robed youth, bowed respectfully. He seemed only a few years older, wore a sword at his waist, and appeared deeply reverent.

The crimson-robed youth slowly withdrew his gaze, letting his eyes settle on the small letter in his hand. His brow furrowed slightly, revealing a hint of cold disdain, and he murmured:

"Kong Guli is dead..."

The youth behind him maintained a calm expression. He bowed and replied:

"I also received the news... The Muquan Gate is handling it quite elaborately; we'll probably need to send representatives."

The Kong family had only pledged allegiance to the Muquan Gate a few years prior when they were caught in the East Sea's turmoil. Kong Guli, one of the Kong family's last two surviving elders, had been given an important mission in the East Sea: to reinforce Ziyan on behalf of the Muquan Gate. Unexpectedly, he was ambushed by the Chunyi Dao sect mid-journey and perished.

When the news reached him, Kong Guxi wailed loudly. However, before he could fully express his grief, True Person Zhugong personally went to the Chunyi Dao sect to confront True Person Guanghou, causing a disturbance for several days. Upon his return, he promoted Kong Xiuxiang to a highly influential protectorate and bestowed several marriage contracts to direct lineages as compensation.

Kong Guli's funeral was also held with great pomp and ceremony, accorded the highest possible honors. As most of the elder's direct descendants had perished, the youngest boy in the Kong family bloodline was found. True Person Zhugong personally accepted him as a disciple and invited various families to offer their condolences and attend the ceremony.

This grand affair lasted for several days, and Li Jiangqian had been closely monitoring it. He now folded the letter in his hand, shook his head, and said:

"Chen Yang, the delegation for condolences must be substantial. The Muquan Gate needs to strengthen its ties with the Kong family to an inseparable degree. Our Li family must be even more scrupulous to avoid any suspicion, so I need you to personally lead a team there."

He instructed:

"Also, be mindful... do not engage in idle chatter with the Kong family members. Kong Guxi will not seek you out, and now that our family is at the Purple Mansion level, we won't do anything scandalous to sever our relations. At most, you will only receive a cold reception."

"Understood, my lord!"

Going to the Muquan Gate was certainly not an easy assignment. Li Jiangqian was secretly wary of the Xuanmu Dao lineage attempting to drive a wedge between the Li and Kong families, thereby forcing the Kong family to cling even tighter to the Muquan Gate. If someone with a strong temper like Ding Weizeng were sent, it could easily lead to unpleasantness. Cui Jueyin's status was also unusual. Chen Yang, however, consistently handled affairs meticulously and possessed deep insight, making him the most suitable choice.

Chen Yang retreated after receiving his orders. Li Jiangqian remained standing on the high platform. After a moment, he saw Cui Jueyin ascend from below, bow, and respectfully present a jade slip with both hands, saying:

"Reporting to the Patriarch, many mortal clan members have already enrolled for study at the Daoist academy recently established in the dense forest. They were all individually assessed a few days ago, and we now have the results."

"Even when mortals read Daoist scriptures, there are varying levels of aptitude for study. Some, though unable to cultivate, can thoroughly comprehend Daoist principles, while others, with diligent effort, can barely grasp a thing or two. And then there are those who, having received guidance from cultivators within their families, have made some slight achievements..."

Li Jiangqian frowned and asked:

"If they have cultivators guiding them, why would they still need to come to the dense forest to study Dao?"

Cui Jueyin looked slightly embarrassed and replied:

"The family established the Dense Forest Daoist Academy primarily for the impoverished children of the clan. However, within a few months of its establishment, most clan members came to study. Firstly, our family's cultivators don't have much spare time to provide guidance, and secondly... they can't offer much guidance anyway."

Li Jiangqian paused, slightly taken aback, then shook his head and said:

"I overestimated them."

If one were to truly assess Daoist techniques, ordinary rogue cultivators only knew one or two basic spells. Family retainers, unless skilled in drawing talismans, cultivating spiritual plants, or refining pills and artifacts, possessed little real Daoist accomplishment even at the Qi Cultivation stage. It was only upon reaching Foundation Establishment, with the forging of the Immortal Foundation, that one gained true clarity in observing the heavens and earth.

Although the Li family was an immortal clan with abundant Daoist scriptures, even direct descendants only gained some Daoist accomplishment after reaching the Qi Cultivation stage. Among the few Qi Cultivators in the family, only the brothers Li Zhoufang and Li Zhouyang had any spare time. Yet, even with their deep affection for the clan's younger members, they could not abandon their own cultivation to instruct mortals.

Thus, the large number of students seeking to study at the Dense Forest Daoist Academy was both unexpected and, in hindsight, entirely reasonable. Li Jiangqian shook his head with a smile and replied:

"This is an unexpectedly good development. The growing estrangement between those few courtyards can also be somewhat alleviated... Divide these children into groups... pair those from different lineages and those unfamiliar with each other, separating those from the same courtyard, so they can get to know each other well..."

Li Jiangqian, ever adept at seizing opportunities, made a slight adjustment to the plan. Cui Jueyin carefully noted it down and continued:

"Indeed, there are a few individuals who possess a profound understanding of Daoist principles, often uttering surprising insights. However, if they cannot cultivate, their talent is of no use."

Li Jiangqian raised an eyebrow and mused:

'Talisman seeds possess the ability to open spiritual apertures... Perhaps these children could seek them out... But it's unknown when they might reveal their talents. They are much older than six and have long since revealed their inability to cultivate... It's not of much use... Never mind, if their talent is truly extraordinary, like Que Wan, the talisman seeds will respond naturally.'

He waved Cui Jueyin away. Suddenly, he noticed a wisp of clear qi rising to the zenith. In thin strands, it swept away the clouds, revealing the blue sky. It was light and soft, flickering for only a moment before quickly fading away.

Li Jiangqian pondered for a moment, watching very carefully:

"I've never seen such a celestial phenomenon before."

Soon after, a person arrived to report, bowing before him and respectfully stating:

"Reporting to esteemed master, Elder Tian Zhongqing of the Tian family failed his attempt to break through to Foundation Establishment and has passed away."

Li Jiangqian suddenly understood, shaking his head as he spoke:

"So, it was the clear qi failing to break through to Foundation Establishment... He was the only elder in this entire lake region who cultivated clear qi for Foundation Establishment. Back when the lake region was impoverished, he followed the Clear Qi Dao lineage. He was too old, and although he later changed his cultivation method, it was ultimately too late."

For a moment, a hint of regret appeared on his face:

"To think he endured for so long. Although his ambition was to ascend to the Mysterious Immortal Path, and he cultivated in seclusion, clarifying the twelve qi for significant personal benefit, he ultimately fell short. If only he had cultivated a third or fourth-grade method earlier, with more resources, he could have been ten or twenty years younger, and still had a chance."

"Though our family didn't produce any geniuses early on, several of our external managers were quite capable. What a pity..."

The Jade Palace Guard member bowed and quickly withdrew. Li Jiangqian pondered for a while on the platform. Immediately after, a person from Qingdu arrived, reporting the news and saying:

"Elder Tian left a dying wish that his spiritual cocoon be buried by the Meiriver in Lijing Prefecture. It is said that Elder Chen shed tears upon hearing the news. Now, esteemed master Li Wen and Elder An have both departed to attend to it."

Elder Tian Zhongqing's grandaunt was the wife of Lord Xiangping, making him a maternal cousin to Li Xuanfeng. His status was prominent, and he was a meritorious official who had risen through the ranks. Li Jiangqian sighed deeply and replied:

"Offer some condolences to the Tian family. I recall the elder had no direct heirs in his son's generation. The one currently managing the Tian family is named... Tian Ling, I believe. He is also at the Qi Cultivation stage. Though he's a nephew, he served the elder like a father. Bestow it upon him."

He immediately waved his hand, dismissing the person. He then stepped down from the high platform and said:

"I will go personally."