Chapter 827: 解惑

Li Ximing surveyed the area for a moment, confirming that Tinglan had departed. He then activated the Precious Elephant Furnace for alchemy. The boundless water and fire swirled into the furnace bottom, and numerous spiritual herbs flew in one by one, melting successively.

For the Heaven's Essence Extraction Elixir, the spiritual ingredients needed to be refined 18,600 times using the boundless water and fire. This fire was not merely for alchemy; it was also one of the ingredients itself. He drew out another strand of intertwining blue and green spiritual flame and added it to the furnace.

This was an agonizing task. The boundless water and fire were not inherently suitable for alchemy; they were like fires that, once started, would burn spiritual materials relentlessly until nothing remained. Yet, there was a portion of it inside the furnace, akin to embers falling into a cotton quilt.

Li Ximing estimated that relying solely on himself, he could only refine the ingredients once or twice an hour. This would take two to four years, and the sheer volume of work was immense. This was also considering he had been accustomed to arduous yet simple alchemy techniques since childhood; for others, it might take even longer.

However, Li Ximing possessed the Valley Wind Fire, which could refine true essence and was adept at flame control. Upon trying, he found it surprisingly easy, even having spare capacity to observe the true fire in the other furnace.

Once the spiritual liquid in the furnace had been refined 18,600 times and all the magical flames within had been kneaded into it, a hazy grayness appeared at the bottom of the furnace, seemingly indicating the emergence of Yin Water.

Li Ximing then nourished it with the boundless water and fire. Counting the days, he realized it hadn't even been half a year.

"Alchemy techniques like the Heaven's Essence Extraction Elixir are actually quite suitable for me," he mused.

Meanwhile, the River Crucible on the other side had turned bright red, and wisps of elixir fragrance wafted out, indicating the elixir was clearly about to form. Li Ximing quickly freed a hand and released a brilliant light.

"Buzz!"

A small, exquisite Heavenly Gate then sprang from his palm. Adorned with dragon banners and phoenix chariots, and intricate patterns, it floated within the cave dwelling, radiating brilliant light in all directions. It was, in fact, the manifestation of his divine ability, the Gate to Heaven's Audience!

As the Gate to Heaven's Audience emerged, streams of multicolored divine light immediately surged forth, cascading down like a waterfall. It climbed and coalesced along the walls of the entire cave dwelling, isolating all sounds and scents from outside.

Li Ximing knew this elixir was extraordinary and required careful handling. He fully activated his divine ability, suppressing everything around him. After observing that no one was peering into the void and Tinglan had not yet returned, he turned his attention to the furnace, keeping his other hand pressed on the Precious Elephant Furnace.

After all, the Three Marquises' Black Fire could docilely nurture elixirs for him, but the boundless water and fire lacked such patience. He couldn't simply withdraw his attention as he had before and let the elixir refine on its own.

"Crack!"

The River Crucible beside him had already developed dense cracks, spreading upwards like a spiderweb along its walls. Li Ximing pressed down with his divine ability, and a layer of Bright Yang magic power surged up, stabilizing the crucible. Then, he heard a tremendous clang.

"Boom!"

The cave dwelling seemed to be struck by lightning. After the loud bang, a silvery-white radiance filled the air. Several points of light leaped from the crucible, subtly weaving through the glow, but how could they escape the scrutiny of a divine ability? A look of joy spread across Li Ximing's face as he pulled a jade box from his sleeve and directly commanded:

"Come!"

Instantly, all the silvery-white light surged forward like flowing water, pouring into the soft cushion of the jade box. All the delicate fragrance and color vanished simultaneously, leaving only three longan-sized elixirs within the box.

The elixirs were entirely milky white, adorned with silvery patterns of a clear moon and laurel. Wisps of silvery-white radiance shimmered around them, making them appear like three twinkling stars in the dim cave dwelling, flickering on and off, captivating to behold.

Li Ximing dared not touch them with his hands or his divine magic power. He merely used a magical wind to lift them, examining them meticulously.

'Breaks through bottlenecks, calms the spirit, cultivates the physical body with the pure spiritual qi of the cold moon, increases lifespan, and if held in the mouth, can grant a wisp of Lunar Qi protection...'

Li Ximing did not follow a fixed elixir formula for this one. Unlike typical elixirs, whose effects were known before their creation, this one was obtained by chance. He could only infer its general properties based on its fragrance and his experience during its refinement.

'The bottleneck-breaking effect of this elixir is merely average for a Bright Yang practitioner, though it is still a Spirit Elixir of the Violet Palace level. As for cultivating the physical body with the pure spiritual qi of the cold moon... that is useless for my Bright Yang physical body.'

'The lifespan-increasing effect is quite rare, hinting at some fate-altering properties in its formation. This is the first time I've encountered such an elixir in my life. The remaining protective effect, however, is difficult to discern.'

'In any case, it's superior to all the elixirs I've refined throughout most of my life. Perhaps once the Heaven's Essence Extraction Elixir is complete, it might be able to compare to this one; all others are mere trifles by comparison.'

He admired it closely. Just the effects of breaking through bottlenecks and increasing lifespan were enough for him to treasure this elixir immensely. He chuckled to himself:

"If the Xi family, who cultivate the Pure Dao of Lunar, knew I possessed this spiritual elixir, wouldn't their eyes pop out? With its ability to cultivate the physical body with the pure spiritual qi of the cold moon and grant Lunar Qi protection when held in the mouth, I reckon the Xi family would be so excited they'd weep."

"With such a holy medicine of the Lunar lineage in hand, the Pure Dao... I must find a way to contact them."

Li Ximing had an almost inexhaustible supply of Lunar Moonlight. Even with some loss during the process, refining spiritual elixirs of the Lunar lineage was effortless for him. He immediately closed the jade box, and the cool, clear radiance vanished, plunging the cave back into dimness, with only the colors of the boundless water and fire flickering.

He calmly scanned the cave dwelling, cautiously pondering:

'Since I've refined such a holy medicine of the Lunar lineage, logically, there must be a celestial phenomenon that influences the spiritual aura of this place. Although I've used my divine ability to suppress and seal it, a spiritual aura doesn't simply disappear when suppressed. Once I release my divine ability, I'm afraid laurels might bloom in the sea around here, and I'd have no way to explain it.'

Even in the uninhabited outer sea, Li Ximing remained constantly vigilant against being observed. He rummaged through his storage bag and pulled out a bright white flower.

This flower was a gift from his time in the Violet Palace realm, a spiritual item of the Solar lineage called the "Platform Kui Flower." It wasn't particularly valuable, but its rarity was notable. A bright light flashed between Li Ximing's brows, brilliant light shone forth, and purple flames surged. This solar spiritual item immediately transformed into light and dissipated.

"This way, it shouldn't be too noticeable."

He then deactivated his divine ability. Indeed, outside, the moon was bright, and stars were sparse; there were no other unusual phenomena.

He reactivated his divine ability to seal the area, then looked at the cracked River Crucible with a pained heart, muttering a few words:

"This thing won't be needed anymore. Its commemorative value far outweighs its practical use. Rebuilding it would require recasting, which would change its original essence."

He simply put it away, while controlling the flames with one hand and taking out *The Precious Scripture of Body-Suppressing Tiger Pass* to read with the other. Three months passed, and finally, he vaguely heard movement outside the cave dwelling. Upon closer inspection, it was indeed Tinglan, who, not wishing to disturb him, was waiting outside.

Li Ximing estimated the time was right and sent a message for her to enter. After several dozen breaths, she carefully materialized within the cave dwelling using an Earth-Escaping technique.

"Fellow Daoist Zhaojing?"

Li Ximing nodded with a smile and replied:

"The refining is complete!"

Tinglan had initially thought she might be there to lend a hand. Hearing his words, she showed a hint of shock and mused inwardly:

'It seems I've underestimated True Immortal Zhaojing... He has only just broken through to the Violet Palace realm, yet his alchemy cultivation subtly tends to surpass that of Old True Immortal Sumian. This is extraordinary. And besides... as the first True Immortal to be recognized by the Immortal Clan's system, how could he be a simple character?'

'Sumian belongs to the Tongxuan lineage, and he's an old man who appears gentle on the outside but is cold-blooded internally; he's absolutely untrustworthy. Hengxing is calculative; I mustn't owe her any favors. Tianhuo is too playful; he takes five years to do what could be done in one. Old True Immortal Yumeng is advanced in age. Li Ximing's past protection of Xuanyue proves he values promises and is loyal and honest. If I want to refine elixirs in secret, I'll still need him from now on.'

'It's just a pity he's of the Bright Yang... I wonder what he'll become in the future. I also have news about that fate-related divine ability in my possession, but I'm unsure if it's appropriate to mention it.'

She then observed him closely and smiled:

"Fellow Daoist is truly a master of alchemy. I have indeed underestimated you all this time; I truly apologize!"

"Not at all!"

Li Ximing gently waved his hand. The Precious Elephant Furnace, which had been resting on the fire, immediately changed size, becoming small enough for him to hold in his hand like an incense burner. He smiled and said:

"Please!"

The two exited the cave dwelling. Tinglan summoned her purple cloud chariot, and the rabbit demon servant lifted the curtain for Li Ximing, inviting him inside.

Li Ximing sat down in the celestial carriage with a slight surprise. Inside, it was quite simple and unadorned. In the center, an incense burner held two pieces of golden-yellow soft incense. Li Ximing held the Precious Elephant Furnace in his hand, looking perfectly at ease.

Tinglan paused for a moment, organizing her thoughts, then said:

"A few years ago, I sought out Ye Kui. He was cultivating in the South Sea. I asked him about something, and then confirmed it with Zhu Gong. It concerns Kong Haiying."

"That year, the one who underwent secluded cultivation at Xuanyue Mountain Gate to achieve a breakthrough was undoubtedly Kong Haiying."

Li Ximing stiffened slightly. He had confirmed it back then; the aura of the one in secluded cultivation within the cave dwelling was indeed Fu En's. He couldn't help but ponder for a moment as Tinglan continued:

"I... went to see Kong Guxi. They all mistook Fu En's soul lamp for Kong Haiying's. Kong Haiying's seclusion lasted longer than we thought. The few times he appeared to meet the Kong family descendants afterwards were also Fu En in disguise, and the magical artifact Fu En refined with blood was Kong Haiying's."

Li Ximing's expression darkened. Tinglan continued:

"It's not surprising that Fellow Daoist Zhaojing made a mistake, because what they said was incorrect. The only elder who had seen Kong Haiying in person was Kong Guli, whose memory was erased. All the other elders passed away over time, and Senior Chang Xi mistakenly overlooked an elder named Kong Yu, though thankfully he committed suicide on the spot."

Her words were chilling, and her eyes held a hint of shock:

"Senior Chang Xi made arrangements early on to confuse their identities, perhaps originally intending Kong Haiying as a scapegoat. Perhaps, after all, Kong Haiying had indeed visited Douxuan back then."

Tinglan spoke ambiguously, but Li Ximing silently understood the unspoken implications.

Ye Kui himself had seen Kong Haiying, so what was the point of a scapegoat? Wouldn't Ye Kui personally verify Kong Haiying's identity? Then there was only one last possibility.

True Immortal Chang Xi coldly delivered Kong Haiying into Ye Kui's hands, even kindly covering up his identity as Fu En for both Ye Kui and Li Ximing.

Although Li Ximing was not as skilled at calculations as these individuals, with the truth laid bare before him, he was not so dull as to misunderstand:

'After Chang Xi's death, Ye Kui would inevitably wield his butcher's knife against the Kong clan. Kong Haiying had to die. He not only carried the grudge of his wife's murder and the destruction of his family, but was also involved in the secrets of the Douxuan lineage. If he didn't die, those who harbored the Kong family wouldn't feel secure and wouldn't want to offend Ye Kui.'

'Only with Kong Haiying's death would Ye Kui be willing to put down his butcher's knife and consider whether further persecution of the Kong family was worthwhile. Ye Kui's attitude towards me improved significantly at that time, feeling that I had made concessions, and it was precisely for this reason!'

'So Chang Xi's choice was cold from beginning to end. Kong Haiying was in secluded cultivation at Xuanyue Mountain Gate. If he could succeed before the time gained by Chang Xi's death ran out, then all would be well. If not, he would become Chang Xi's apology gift delivered to Ye Kui.'

'The confusion of their identities was likely a casual move from the start, allowing Xuanyue to maneuver with flexibility and mislead outsiders, making them relax their guard against Kong Haiying. Unexpectedly, Kong Haiying failed to overcome his inner demons, having long been lost in despair, thus betraying their hopes.'

'Later, this tactic lost much of its utility, yet it was still used to increase the perceived stakes for Li Ximing—after all, he believed it was Fu En who died, and Kong Haiying was still somewhere, with great hope of breaking through to the Violet Palace realm.'

'No wonder I thought that cultivator's cultivation was profound back then, unlike a mere guest elder like Fu En. It turns out it was Kong Haiying himself!'

'In the end, Kong Haiying, whose whereabouts were unknown, was actually sent by my own hand to his slaughter!'

Li Ximing's heart was filled with both coldness and shock. For a long time, he was speechless. He let out a long sigh and replied:

"True Immortal Chang Xi... regardless of the power of his divine abilities, his actions in his wake, whether cruel, cold, exploitative, or cunning, were utterly ruthless in preserving his clan... He can face his ancestors without shame."

Tinglan saw that he had grasped the entire sequence of events and spoke softly:

"As for contemplating your feelings for Kong Haiying and Kong Yu, whether you shed tears or feel sorrow and guilt, only you, Senior, truly know. Did Kong Haiying himself know when he entered seclusion? Did he tacitly agree? Could Senior Chang Xi have played a part in his failure to overcome his inner demons?"

Li Ximing felt a chill in his heart from her words, and he murmured:

"True Immortal Chang Xi... although he calculated against me quite a bit, he also taught me a great deal. He is ultimately worthy of respect."

Tinglan's eyes were fixed silently ahead, and two autumn-yellow lines at the corners of her eyes lit up. She propped her chin and gazed out the window, speaking softly:

"He is indeed worthy of respect. After all, Violet Palace cultivators, before achieving a fate-related divine ability, often harbor many attachments to the mortal world. But once a fate-related divine ability is achieved, especially one of the Earth Virtue element, they gradually let go of everything. Whether it's a sect or a clan, they are merely tools; whether it's a lineage or a master-disciple relationship, they are merely steps towards ascension."

"Some Violet Palace cultivators... they either single-mindedly pursue immortality or become tyrannical and unrestrained. The only word to describe them is 'terrifying'—Fellow Daoist Zhaojing, 'Illuminating the World' is not a divine ability with a good reputation."

The woman's voice echoed within the celestial carriage. The incense burner in the center released a slightly cool fragrance, identical to the scent on her, evoking the sensation of autumn winds in a rice field. Suddenly, Tinglan's artful and charming facade dropped, revealing an unidentifiable sorrow:

"Fellow Daoist Zhaojing, you broke through your ignorance in mere years and immediately shattered boundless illusions; you are truly formidable. That was the karmic obstacle of compromising to preserve oneself, signifying that seeing one's heart is seeing the demonic obstruction—a stark difference. Before Emperor Wei Taizu attained Dao, Bright Yang was also not glorious, and traces of the 'Qilin Cicada' remain to this day. Do you have confidence in wielding a fate-related divine ability?"