Chapter 852: Revenge Result

Autumn colors still lingered over Moonlight Lake, painting the mountains in a tapestry of red and yellow. The sky was bright and clear, with streaks of crimson twilight hanging on the horizon, staining it a fiery red in the brilliant sunset.

The clouds undulated as a point of azure-gold light pierced through them. Having absorbed the radiance of the rotating sun and moon, and the brilliance of heaven and earth, it finally descended through the mountains and forests, landing on the large island in the lake.

The dust-laden cave dwelling slowly shifted, shedding layers of fallen ash. A wisp of red light escaped from it, flickering and dissipating, before coalescing into a woman in a long cloud-silk dress before the grand formation. A talisman engraved with a purplish-black mountain spirit was tied at her waist, making a faint rustling sound as she took a light step.

She took a step forward, extended her hand, and caught the point of azure-gold light from the sky. With a gentle flick, the color vanished, transforming into specks of silver light.

"What a perfect opportunity to finally master the Dispersed White Fallen Feathers!"

So she conjured the wind and headed towards the main hall. After traveling for a short while, she saw a gaunt old man with a head full of white hair prostrating himself before the hall. She smiled and asked:

"Elder Qu... what brings you here?"

Qu Bushi, who had been lost in thought about how to submit his report, was startled. He looked up with a mix of surprise and doubt. Upon suddenly seeing her, he was first taken aback, then quickly said:

"Young Mistress... you've emerged from seclusion?!"

Li Quewan was the most talented woman of the Jiangque generation. Moreover, Li Qinghong had personally brought her back to the island that year, making her status extremely venerable, at least to Qu Bushi. The old man quickly bowed and sighed:

"Now the Patriarch has someone to assist him... it's still about the matters in Jiangbei..."

No sooner had he spoken than footsteps were heard from within the hall. A youth in crimson robes quickly descended from the platform and arrived at the door. His eyes lit up, revealing a mix of joy and concern, and he smiled:

"Sister has emerged from seclusion! Why was there no celestial phenomenon?"

Li Quewan cupped her hands and said softly:

"The transformation of things; a single streak of evening glow is enough. It's not a Dao tradition that needs to be overtly displayed before others."

"Let's go inside and talk."

Li Jiangqian first raised his hand to close the hall door. He led her inside, then leaned out and turned to ask Qu Bushi in a low voice:

"What is it?"

Qu Bushi quickly said:

"The Banging Gold Sect has been defeated. Those few from the Situ family are all seriously injured. Sect Master Situ Biao had his eyes removed, his five internal organs discarded, and was made into... Daoist Bai's magical artifact... The Banging Gold Sect has retreated into the mountains, the Pagoda Soul Hall has returned home victorious, and Protector Black Rat has been able to return to the White Treasury. Something is bound to happen."

"I understand."

Li Jiangqian dismissed him. Only then did a smile appear on his face as he entered the hall and asked:

"Congratulations, sister! How marvelous is it?"

Li Quewan practiced the Hou Shu Golden Scroll, and her immortal foundation was Hou Shenshu. The cultivation methods of the Complete Elixir tradition were scarce, and few had ever heard of this name, let alone dared to speak of it openly or inquire about it.

Then Li Quewan replied:

"Hou Shenshu involves taking the path of the Complete Elixir's gestation: harvesting immortal light, refining gold and mercury, evading death and prolonging life, commanding birds and taming beasts, and using secret methods to seek immortality by forging the essences of heaven and earth to attain longevity."

She seemed a little hesitant and shook her head, saying:

"Fundamentally, this is a Dao tradition of cultivating in seclusion to ensure the longevity of one's life."

Li Jiangqian listened for a moment, then nodded and said:

"Of the Complete Elixir path, I've only heard of the Secret White Mercury, which is not bad in combat. Hou Shenshu, however, leans towards escape and refining mercury elixirs... which is also suitable."

He smiled faintly and replied:

"With elder brothers and uncles in the family, you will always be taken care of. Having such a path... is of much greater benefit to the family than what we can provide. Unlike my immortal foundation, which, while marvelously supportive, only allows me to consume wood-based spiritual herbs to advance my cultivation and cannot be used by the clan."

"Elder Brother, you speak incorrectly."

Li Quewan smiled:

"Combat is indispensable. As the saying goes, one cultivates arts to protect the Dao. True Person Zhaojing was renowned for his elixir cultivation during his Foundation Establishment, and his cultivation was also top-tier, making him the head of the Four Dawns. I've never heard of him losing in a fight to anyone."

"Even True Person Yehui, with his three divine abilities, couldn't harm him. Ultimately, a Grand True Person had to intervene to force him overseas... If he had only known how to refine elixirs, he likely wouldn't have reached his current level."

Li Jiangqian wanted to speak but stopped, only nodding. Li Quewan continued:

"The Hou Shenshu path's enhancement to material transformations is self-evident; it's probably stronger than the Secret White Mercury. It can blend the energies of Yin and Yang, aiding in numerous transformations among the Five Virtues, mainly focusing on the virtues of Water, Fire, and Metal."

"The second point lies in transformation: this path can alter one's physical appearance, disguise magical artifacts, formations, and even conceal Dao traditions. If one breaks through to divine abilities, the capacity for transformation becomes immense, no longer confined merely to the human body."

Li Jiangqian nodded silently, lost in thought. Li Quewan said with a hint of concern:

"The Complete Elixir fears only three things. First, coalescent water: once it descends, it can disperse mercury into sand. Second, merging fire: this fire is even more malicious, burning mercury, melting lead, and destroying spirits. The last is primordial thunder, which is the current primordial magnetic path..."

Li Jiangqian listened with some regret and replied:

"What a pity. The coalescent water path is currently thriving, so it's not easy to avoid. Merging fire is also not an obscure Dao tradition. However, primordial thunder has been dormant for a long time, rumored to exist only in the State of Wu, so there's no need to worry too much."

Li Quewan also nodded and said:

"And there's the Dispersed White Fallen Feathers, a never-before-heard-of escape technique. I often couldn't master it earlier, but now, with the consolidation of Hou Shenshu and the celestial phenomena subtly aligning with the principles of transformation, I can consider the escape technique mastered."

The cultivation of the Complete Elixir path had always been peculiar; it was unexpected that the celestial phenomena accompanying a breakthrough could also aid cultivation. Li Jiangqian offered congratulations and asked:

"May I see it? I've also never heard of an escape technique from the Complete Elixir path."

"It's not very suitable."

Li Quewan shook her head and explained:

"This escape technique is similar to an ordinary cultivator's Blood Escape. Escaping with it severely damages one's qi and blood cultivation, so it's not suitable for a casual demonstration."

Li Jiangqian nodded in understanding. After a moment, Li Xuanxuan was seen pushing open a side door and entering, dressed in ink-blue clothes, an old smile on his face, and a small box tucked in his arms.

"Wan'er!"

Among Li Xuanxuan's many children, few had amounted to much besides Li Ximing. If Li Zhouming was a treasure in his palm, then Li Quewan was truly the apple of his eye. As she stood before him, both juniors bowed together. The old man placed the box on the table, helped each of them up with a hand, and chuckled:

"Congratulations, Quewan. Look at this..."

Li Quewan then took the box. It was about the size of a pillow, cushioned with a layer of golden cotton, and nestled within was a single silver-grey mercury drop, about the size of a fingernail.

Li Quewan's gaze immediately fixed on it as she listened to the old man say:

"In the northern bend of the river, there's a Tie Fu Kingdom, the territory of the demonic cultivator Helian family. During the North-South conflict, one of their members, Helian Changguang, emerged. He was shot dead by Xuanfeng in Daling Palace, and carried this treasure on him... We don't know if it's a spiritual item or a magical artifact, but it's this mercury drop."

"This is an item of the Complete Elixir tradition, and we couldn't identify it. The Helian family also has a Purple Mansion cultivator, so we never took it out and kept it until today."

"Later, when Ximing broke through to the Purple Mansion, I remembered this item. I took it to him to examine, and he said it was a magical artifact, not a spiritual item, and could only be deciphered by a Complete Elixir spell."

Li Quewan first conjured a silvery light and dropped it onto the mercury bead. After a brief calculation, she picked it up, pondered for a moment, and said with delight:

"It is undoubtedly a Complete Elixir artifact, ancient in origin. To call it an artifact is true, but it also resembles a legacy... truly possessing an ancient style."

She closed her palm around the mercury bead, and as her magical power flowed into it, a silver light instantly appeared, and it was absorbed into her Qi Sea.

"The refinement was so fast!"

Li Quewan closed her eyes to experience it for a breath, then said softly:

"This artifact is a treasure for internal cultivation, stored within the Dantian. It can assist in casting spells, clarify spiritual consciousness, invigorate the spirit, and, when necessary, can also serve as a medium for Complete Elixir transformations."

"It contains an attached cultivation method called the 'Dew-Collecting Blood-Silver Marvelous Art', an ancient demonic art for forming elixirs by consuming vital essence and supplementing it with lead and mercury techniques..."

The status of this cultivation method was clearly awkward. Li Quewan sighed:

"In terms of self-preservation alone, this art is only slightly inferior to my Dispersed White Fallen Feathers. Unfortunately, it's a demonic art; although some of its techniques can be used, the entire Dao tradition is naturally of no benefit to my family."

"As for the artifact itself, it can be taken out to confront enemies or used to save lives... For our family, the artifact itself is more valuable."

Upon hearing this, Li Xuanxuan only sighed:

"As long as it's useful. Although the Helian family is in decline now, with powerful enemies coveting them, they still have Purple Mansion cultivators. It's best if they don't recognize it."

Li Quewan nodded slightly. Since the item resided in her Dantian rather than being worn at her waist, it wouldn't be easily recognized. Furthermore, it was unknown whether the item belonged to the Helian family or if Helian Changguang had obtained it himself. So she put it away for now and inquired about the matters in Jiangbei.

Li Jiangqian explained briefly, frowning:

"Regarding the murder of Second Uncle, the Immortal Dao sent Gongsun Baifan to clarify. Guan Gongxiao was very nervous about this matter and wrote several letters of defense; it doesn't seem like the Immortal Dao's doing."

"My earlier thought was... it was best for you to remain in seclusion to avoid getting involved in this matter. Now that you've emerged, and I've confirmed that the talisman seed is indeed effective, I'll tell you about it."

His expression was gloomy as he replied:

"Second Uncle was killed several months ago, and True Person Tinglan has not appeared since. I suspect things in Jiangbei are gradually going wrong. You are skilled in witchcraft, so I'd like to ask you to offer your insights."

Li Quewan had been in seclusion for days and was unfamiliar with this Second Uncle. She merely sighed faintly, then immediately looked up and asked:

"Were any remains left behind?"

Li Jiangqian shook his head gravely. Li Quewan now found the situation difficult and asked:

"Are there any descendants? We can try using their essence blood... This method isn't very accurate and carries the risk of misjudgment."

At the mention of this, Li Xuanxuan immediately stroked his beard and said:

"I'll go get it."

The old man exited through a side passage. Only then did Li Jiangqian whisper:

"Wan'er, do what you can, but don't harm yourself."

Li Jiangqian was clearly afraid that this matter, involving a Purple Mansion cultivator, might affect Li Quewan. Li Xuanxuan valued family affection, so Li Jiangqian wouldn't say such things in front of him. But in the eyes of the Li family patriarch, Li Quewan, the Purple Mansion seed, was the most important. As for others, be they mortals or cultivators, their deaths were merely a matter of the extent of loss.

Then Li Quewan softly replied:

"It's fine. My witchcraft is profound, and I have the talisman seed within me. Unless I directly divine a Purple Mansion cultivator face-to-face, it's not a big deal."

The two waited for a moment. Li Xuanxuan returned with a small bottle of essence blood. Li Quewan took out three ivory tokens from her sleeve, placed each upright in a different direction, then placed the essence blood among them. After pondering for three breaths, she drew out one token and repeated the process nine times.

She tidied up, and the magical radiance on her body slowly dimmed. Her face was slightly pale, and she said solemnly:

"One-nine revenge, consumed by eastern fire, hence no remains."

Hearing this, Li Jiangqian let out a cold laugh. Li Quewan, however, said tactfully:

"Second Uncle... or his direct relatives, were likely consumed by a fire-virtue Dao tradition from the East. And 'nine times nine' indicates that this matter is widely known. 'Nine times the same' indicates that no Purple Mansion divine abilities were involved; it is a calamity of revenge, a blood feud of life and death..."

This almost explicitly pointed to Scarlet Reef Island. Li Jiangqian pressed a hand on the main seat, his thoughts gradually clearing. He rubbed it twice and murmured:

"'Widely known,' indeed, 'widely known'."

"It must be Guo Hongjian... Scarlet Reef Island did it, and it's widely known... They were probably deliberately allowed through when passing through Xianhu and Muquan Gate."

Li Jiangqian's thoughts were clear as he sneered:

"Our family has a great, life-or-death feud with Scarlet Reef Island. If I were Guan Gongxiao, no matter how close I was to Scarlet Reef, I would never reveal the unspoken understanding between our two families. The news he received in the East Sea must have been that our two families were in conflict."

"So this scoundrel couldn't wait. He inquired within the sea, found that our two families were merely in a standoff on the river with no significant casualties, and became very anxious. He secretly harmed our family's people, wanting the two families to erupt into a full-scale battle, so that the Guan family would fully side with Scarlet Reef."

"He certainly has a good plan."

Li Quewan collected the three tokens and said sternly:

"If Second Uncle's lineage has never been harmed by merging fire in the past, then this result points to Second Uncle, and it is undoubtedly Scarlet Reef Island."

Li Jiangqian whispered:

"As for you saying no Purple Mansion divine abilities were involved, that's correct. After all, this area is very sensitive, yet it's possible that several Purple Mansion cultivators tacitly allowed this to happen. They couldn't possibly be unaware of the unspoken understanding between our two families. Either they think it's better for our two families to truly fight, or... there's some other probing intention."

Li Jiangqian exhaled, then quickly walked down, pushed open the hall door, and said gravely:

"Go invite Ziyan..."

Before his words had even fallen, a swift true fire descended from the sky. Li Minggong was seen rapidly landing before the hall, riding the true fire, his tone urgent and grave:

"No need."

"Qian Lizhi of the Purple Mist Sect has already arrived at the lake and has specifically asked to see the Li family patriarch!"

Li Jiangqian's heart immediately sank. He glanced at the people around him and replied:

"Please invite her in."

No sooner had he given the order than, a few breaths later, a woman of exquisite beauty, dressed in a white immortal robe, arrived before the hall. At her waist was a white glazed jade bottle. She was none other than Qian Lizhi, the Heavenly Prodigy of the Purple Mist Sect of this generation, also known as the Glazed Treasure Vase.

This Qian Lizhi not only served as acting sect master but was also the master of Li Quexi, a direct descendant of the Li family!

Yet now, her expression was stern, her gaze carrying a hint of anxiety. Her eyes immediately locked onto Li Jiangqian, and she said in a low voice:

"Patriarch, may I have a word with you privately?"

As soon as she said this, Li Jiangqian felt even worse. He waved away the people around them. As soon as the hall door closed, Qian Lizhi unexpectedly stepped forward and said anxiously:

"Patriarch, do you have a way to contact True Person Zhaojing?!"

Li Jiangqian hesitated slightly. The other party clearly realized her words were startling and such a direct question was impolite. The anxious look on her face slightly eased, and she said in a low voice:

"Patriarch, please forgive my rashness. Our sect's True Person went missing north of Jiangbei and has not returned. The blessed land has already sent people to various Sun Dao traditions for help, and True Persons Zhugong and Kuiqi have gone to Jiangbei for search and rescue... We hope... that your esteemed True Person can temporarily prioritize the larger situation and oversee Jiangbei."

'Something truly has happened in Jiangbei!'

Qian Lizhi had adopted an extremely humble posture. She was currently second only to one person and above ten thousand in the blessed land, a dignified Sun Dao tradition cultivator. For her to personally come here and inquire with such humility and compromise showed how dire the situation was.

But Li Jiangqian listened to her words in a daze. A shiver of dread suddenly rose in his heart. He took two steps down from the main seat and asked:

"This... they... the True Monarch matter, this is Luoxia's order!"

Qian Lizhi lowered her head and remained silent, as if she hadn't heard his words. Li Jiangqian immediately composed his expression, and his previous doubts were instantly explained, like a thunderclap:

'Scarlet Reef Island... was the Scarlet Reef Island matter a test to see if our True Person had returned, or to see if True Person Zimu had gone missing?!'

He then asked:

"What are True Person Qiuhu's instructions?!"

Compared to the news from Qian Lizhi, Li Jiangqian was clearly more interested in information regarding the Purple Mansion cultivators. At this question, Qian Lizhi bowed her head slightly and sighed:

"We haven't received any news from the True Person."

This single sentence implied much more. Ning Wan in the Azure Pool Sect did not have a confidante like Qian Lizhi. It was possible that Sect Master Tantai Jin was still in the dark!

Once Tinglan and Ning Wan left Xianhu, it meant that matters on both sides of the river would fall into darkness. The True Monarch's matter at Luoxia Mountain naturally wouldn't be delayed in the slightest. But without divine abilities overseeing the situation, there was no guarantee that the forces along the river wouldn't get dragged in! And with Ning Wan gone, Li Quantao on Xianhu was like a small boat in a storm, at the mercy of the waves.

Li Jiangqian could only say:

"What about the Wanyu Sword Sect? And Hengzhu Dao!"

A hint of helplessness flashed across Qian Lizhi's delicate face as she shook her head and said:

"The Wanyu Sword Sect... Lord Lingmei had long instructed that the Sword Sect never interferes in matters concerning Jiangbei. As for Hengzhu Dao... it's best not to mention them!"

At the mention of Hengzhu, her expression became complex, a mix of disappointment and anxiety. Clearly, she had suffered an awkward setback in this matter; even now, mentioning it still left her feeling resentful.

Li Jiangqian fell silent for a moment. Seeing Qian Lizhi's expression slowly transform from anxiety to doubt, and realizing he couldn't delay any longer, he indeed heard the woman speak with a hint of sorrowful pleading:

"Regarding the Jiangbei matter, our sect's True Person had long ago given orders to fully protect your esteemed clan and prevent immortal carriages from crossing the river. Now that the True Person is missing, this matter is peculiar. We are not asking your esteemed True Person to go for rescue; we are merely asking him to return soon to take charge of the overall situation!"

"This is not just a matter for my sect. After crossing the river, it's also Moonlight Lake. Now we cannot contact the two True Persons, and with Purple Mansion cultivators absent, many arrangements in Jiangbei become empty words. How can this be allowed!"

Li Jiangqian's reaction was extremely quick. He wasn't thrown off by her rapid-fire questions. He sighed inwardly, and great doubts arose in his mind:

'The Azure Pine Sun Dao tradition... how many Purple Mansion cultivators are there in Jiangnan? Even if Hengzhu doesn't act, can't they send someone to preside over Jiangbei? Do they *have* to invite our True Person back?'

The Sun Dao tradition was so dominant; any True Person could control the situation along the riverbanks. Yet this person had come to invite Li Ximing; something felt off no matter how he looked at it. He gazed at the other party gravely and said sternly:

"Senior Han... can't the esteemed elders of the various Sun Dao traditions oversee the overall situation? Is it merely a disappearance that requires all of them to go together? Please answer this junior honestly: Is True Person Tinglan... truly missing?"

Qian Lizhi was slightly startled, actually stumped by his single question. She re-examined the man before her. The woman gritted her teeth and replied:

"This matter... I really shouldn't say much. But since fellow Daoist has asked, I must answer."

"In my blessed land... the soul lamps are dim. There must have been a great battle in the north. True Persons Zhugong and Kuiqi might be forced to act, and their final state is unknown, making it difficult for them to return and guard this place. True Person Houfu is stretched thin in Longdi... If your esteemed clan's True Person doesn't return, there will be no one to hold down the fort."

For something like this to happen at such a critical juncture, it was impossible that Luoxia Mountain didn't know. Li Jiangqian's expression was grim as he asked:

"Which power dares to be so audacious? A True Person of the Sun Dao tradition, actually... ambushed by others outside..."

Qian Lizhi's expression became even more complex, and her voice grew softer as she replied:

"I suspect it's a calamity left over from the Qiwang Xuantian Hearing back then... Back then, Azure Pool and Purple Mist collaborated in a scheme, and your esteemed clan's elder also participated... Now that two Grand True Persons have successively fallen, the northern side has had ideas!"

Hearing this, Li Jiangqian slowly exhaled. The woman before him continued:

"Furthermore, with no Purple Mansion cultivators overhead, are your esteemed clan truly at ease regarding the Fei family's matters?"

Li Jiangqian remained silent.

As a dignified immortal clan, it was impossible for them not to have a way to warn Li Ximing. He absolutely couldn't just brush off the well-informed Purple Mist Sect member. He could only say sternly:

"This junior means no offense, but I am young. This matter is not for me to handle; it still requires consultation with the esteemed elders!"

Qian Lizhi choked, took a step back, and gritted her teeth, saying:

"Please make a decision quickly!"

Li Jiangqian had just taken a step when both simultaneously looked up, vaguely hearing distant tremors. Both were Foundation Establishment cultivators; how could they not perceive such subtle sounds? They exchanged glances and quickly exited the hall.

Indeed, the lake was already experiencing a torrential downpour. Within the sky-obscuring rain clouds stood several cultivators. Li Quewan and the others were gazing north with worried expressions.

They then saw a golden light from the northern sky soaring straight into the heavens. Vague plumes of smoke and dust drifted upwards. Dark clouds vaguely gathered, rain flickered, and an ominous gloom was startling.

'The direction of Pagoda Soul Hall, a Foundation Establishment cultivator has fallen... perhaps more than one...'

"Where is Qu Bushi!"

He turned his head grimly, only to find Qian Lizhi beside him staring blankly north. Her fists were clenched, and her entire body trembled as if in fear, yet also excitement. Her beautiful eyes were fixed on the north, her lips silently mouthing words.

Seeing this scene, Li Jiangqian felt a chill run through him. He had long suspected that this