Chapter 871: True and False Mysterious Orders

The original domain name has been compromised; please remember the new one.

Li Ximing paused in mid-air and observed the falling snow and rain. Ning Wan, dressed in white, materialized beside him. With her delicate eyebrows slightly furrowed and a worried expression, she cupped her hands towards Li Ximing and softly said, "Fellow Daoist Zhaojing... His Excellency is forming his immortal foundation. This celestial phenomenon indicates Hong Fire."

Li Ximing now understood Ning Wan's identity. Luoxia Mountain must have influenced the Ancestor Emperor to avoid cultivating Mingyang. If the emperor had cultivated his innate divine ability, Luoxia would likely be powerless to suppress him, despite possessing countless methods. Li Ximing mused inwardly, "In the past, 'Chu Yi' cultivated Lihuo, which was a closer path. Now, cultivating Hong Fire, while still a fire virtue, is not as intimately connected as Lihuo. It's a standard choice, but it ultimately leads astray..."

Two True Lords observed from afar. As Jiangbei's shout reverberated through the air, several figures surged up from below. The leader, a burly man with a fierce expression, brandished a dark hammer and bellowed, "You, Lin! How audacious! We are from the Mianfan Orthodox Lineage. How dare you be so arrogant! If our Hall Master were not in secluded cultivation, you would never have succeeded!"

With the death of Daoist Bai of the Huaihun Hall, no one below knew if the supposed favors from the various Purple Mansion orthodox lineages still held any weight. These individuals were terrified, yet trapped. They dared neither abandon their positions nor reveal the news, keeping everything secret and maintaining a pretense.

Li Ximing and the others, of course, were aware of the truth and watched their performance with detached amusement.

The flames around Lin Feng finally receded, revealing his true appearance. He was clad in faintly colored, pale white armor, holding a long sword. Pale white and light red flames coiled majestically around his body, making him appear awe-inspiring.

Li Ximing paid him no particular heed, listening instead to the voice resonating through the air. "Ridiculous!" it boomed. "A mere gathering of demonic cultivators dares to claim inheritance of the immortal orthodox lineage? Had it not been for Daoist Bai's deceitful schemes, you would never have had such an impudent opportunity!" The voice then let out a cold laugh and challenged, "Why not reveal the Guiming Profound Token, so that we may be truly convinced!"

He spoke with utmost confidence. While those nearby simply perceived his words as a provocation, the two True Lords on the horizon froze simultaneously. They exchanged glances, each seeing a look of helplessness in the other's eyes, realizing, "It seems it really has fallen into His Excellency's hands!"

Jiangbei, the burly man, fell silent. He raised his twin hammers, activated his immortal foundation, and launched a sudden attack!

Though his opponent was a powerful cultivator at the late Foundation Establishment stage, the young man showed no fear. He raised his long sword, aiming directly at the man's face, and coldly declared, "A mere trick!"

Pale red flames surged forth, streaking towards the sky. In just a few breaths, they exchanged several blows. The young man's spirited voice resounded through the air: "If not now, then when?!"

Suddenly, several beams of light emanated from the demonic cultivators below, striking their comrades. Black energy dispersed, replaced by surging white light, plunging the scene into immediate chaos.

“Wukui, Tianfu… you… you all!” cried one. “The Song family! You actually… took advantage of Duxian Dao's preoccupation and sided with this scoundrel!”

Lin Feng stood proudly. True to expectation, a woman descended on the wind beside him, wrapping her arm around his with eyes full of adoration. "You brat," she chuckled, "you really have reached Foundation Establishment!"

This woman was none other than Song Yunbai, who had been missing and injured from Duxian Dao for a long time!

“Hahahahaha!” The young man stood with his sword held horizontally, fierce flames incinerating the opponent's black energy to ashes. His other hand slowly held something flat, emitting waves of intense black and white light.

Astonishingly, in his hand was an intricately patterned, mysterious token, emanating waves of black and white light. Its brilliance dimmed the very flames in the heavens and on earth. Below, a group of cultivators who had gathered at some unknown point were all dumbfounded, crying out in unison, "The Guiming Profound Token!"

This sight instantly caused many demonic cultivators on the field to gasp and instinctively scatter to evade. The burly man before them was even more flustered, shouting, "That's fake!"

Gritting his teeth fiercely, he finally pulled a token from his sleeve. Instantly, a brilliant light burst forth, and black and white colors intertwined once more—it was yet another Guiming Profound Token!

“His Excellency considers me his most trusted confidant and specially entrusted this item to me before his secluded cultivation!” he declared. “Cultivators of the Hall, heed my command: together, surround and kill this person!”

The radiance of the two tokens intertwined in the air. The one in the burly man's hand shone even more brilliantly, dimming the light from the heavens and overshadowing the colors of the token in his opponent's grasp. Lin Feng's token, in contrast, appeared somewhat mottled and damaged, lacking the same grand splendor.

Furthermore, the token in the man's possession likely originated from Daoist Bai, and had been acknowledged by various families, naturally lending it greater credibility. For a time, chaos reigned across the field, putting everyone in a difficult position. The few individuals whom Lin Feng had swayed quickly gathered around him, forming a protective circle.

Li Ximing watched in silence, while Ning Wan sighed softly, murmuring, "His Excellency is truly formidable... he actually obtained it."

Li Ximing posed a question, and Ning Wan softly replied, "The Mianfan orthodox lineage does indeed possess a Profound Token; I've only seen its image in ancient texts. This particular one was commissioned by Sister Tinglan to a friend. Although it perfectly matches the descriptions and incorporates many principles of the Mianfan tradition, it is ultimately not the authentic item." She continued, "Our original thought was that, given His Excellency's extremely high status, even if the item in his hand were fake, under the blessing of fate, it could still yield clues and allow him entry, even if it couldn't fully deceive the Mianfan lineage. We never expected that the original token itself would have fallen from the Great Void long ago, or that someone would have delivered it to His Excellency—it must have landed in his possession back when he was still in the Qi Cultivation stage..."

Li Ximing immediately nodded. After all, the ancient token was not created to be dazzling and naturally lacked the deceptive quality of the one Tinglan had commissioned. Hope instantly rose in his heart as he asked, "So, what about this Mianfan orthodox lineage...?"

With a hint of regret, Ning Wan softly said, "It's difficult to control the situation now. The subsequent changes in the Mianfan lineage are beyond our influence. For now, let's just observe; at least it won't spread to the south."

Ning Wan didn't hold strong opinions about the Mianfan orthodox lineage, but Li Ximing, possessing important fragments of it within his own immortal cave, was naturally reluctant to miss this opportunity. Yet, having learned of the events in the north, he dared not act rashly or reveal his thoughts. He could only nod slightly and quietly state, "That would be for the best."

As they spoke, the battle in Jiangbei intensified. Li Ximing's brow furrowed as he watched the spiritual energy surge in the sky. After a moment, a wave of black mist surprisingly billowed towards the horizon, clearly indicating that someone had fallen.

Soon after, the red light began to recede, withdrawing westward. The Huaihun Hall, in a state of panic, surprisingly paused in place and did not pursue, allowing the group to retreat openly.

Ning Wan gazed into the distance, letting out a long breath before replying, "Fortunately, His Excellency has already reached Foundation Establishment. Unlike Qi Cultivation, where one can simply disperse and re-cultivate their power, he has now cultivated the Hong Fire path. Having received its divine marvels, he has embarked upon the path of corresponding divine abilities and is no longer as terrifying as before." She added, "While he still possesses an unyielding destiny that no one can obstruct, he no longer wields the previous divine power of remotely seizing cultivation fruits or overturning things with a single thought."

This was indeed valuable information. Li Ximing listened intently, pondering, "Could it be that he has already forged the Hong Fire Dao Foundation, thus deviating from the path of Mingyang, which explains this change? Otherwise, with his previous ability to seize souls with a mere glance, who would dare approach him?"

However, compared to this news, Luoxia's stance in the north was far more crucial. Feeling uneasy, Li Ximing whispered, "Given that His Excellency has reached Foundation Establishment, he will likely visit my lake to pick up Fei Qingya. Does fellow Daoist know about this? We should also inform Xiukui."

Despite his deep concern for the Mianfan fragment, Li Ximing understood the grave danger posed by the True Lord's impending arrival in the south. If mishandled, it could ultimately lead his own clan into irreparable ruin.

Therefore, Li Ximing raised his sleeve, cupped his hands, and said, "I might have to make a trip to the Southern Border. How should Autumn Lake be arranged... can I be of assistance..."

Ning Wan nodded, hesitated for a moment, then finally asked, "The South Sea has been unstable lately. If fellow Daoist finds yourself with spare time, I would be grateful if you could go there on my behalf..."

“I recall,” Li Ximing said, nodding repeatedly. “Senior Kuiqi mentioned it just a few days ago—Baoying Maha of the Dakonghai Temple in Shuitang, South Sea. I've kept it in mind...”

A divine light flickered between his brows as he suddenly mentioned, "He has a follower named Lianmin—'Zhuzhen,' I think—who even attacked my elder brother."

Zhuzhen was not a formidable figure. Ning Wan, not wishing to sow discord but fearing Li Ximing might be ambushed, tactfully said, "Zhuzhen was actually afraid of you, which is why he secretly held back. That inadvertently enhanced Xizhi's reputation."

“That's not a good thing,” Li Ximing countered. “There's no reputation to be gained from it. A tall tree catches the wind, and it's even worse when that reputation is built on his Buddhist cultivation. Furthermore, they claim my family are descendants of Wei Li—this karmic connection has been forged, and any future developments are impossible to predict!”

Li Ximing shook his head, smiling faintly. "But it's good that he was afraid. Had anything truly happened, I wouldn't be this composed today."

Though his smile was faint, the underlying killing intent was anything but.

Who was Li Xizhi? Of the four 'Xi' generation, only Li Ximing and Li Xizhi remained. Li Ximing had been carried by his elder brother since childhood, and though separated for many years, their bond, while perhaps not as strong as with Li Xijun who grew up alongside him, was certainly not to be underestimated. The matter with Li Xijun had been an injustice, and when Xiao Chuting personally questioned him back then, Li Ximing's answer meant he had to bury his hatred for Chijiao Island deep in his heart. Now, another grievance had been added. However, if Zhuzhen had killed Li Xizhi, thereby forging a blood feud with both Qingchi and the Li clan, then Baoying would not have the divine power of the former Dakonghai Temple Master to protect him!

Ning Wan nodded and softly advised, "If fellow Daoist goes to the Southern Border, you might consider meeting Fellow Daoists Zhusheng and Xianchan. After all, they maintain connections left by Senior Yuanxiu and also have an unfavorable relationship with Dakonghai Temple."

“Understood,” Li Ximing replied. He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, appearing nonchalant, though he sighed inwardly.

He knew in his heart that from the moment Kuiqi found him and brought him back, subsequent arrangements had already been made. Whether the matters of Qingchi and the South Sea were important was secondary; the crucial point was to send him—a descendant of Wei Li and a True Lord cultivating Mingyang—away.

The various clans were uncertain about the extent of Luoxia's control over the Ancestor Emperor. Perhaps Luoxia utterly disdained the Li clan, or perhaps they cared for no one except Li Zhouwei. It was even possible that if Li Ximing were to directly confront Lin Feng, he might explode into fragments before he could even speak. However, the Li family served at least one clear purpose: it revealed who harbored ambitions regarding the Ancestor Emperor.

It was clear that Luoxia's prestige throughout the entire north, and indeed across all the seas, remained terrifyingly high. Currently, only the Dragon Clan had shown any indication of defiance, and even though Luoxia's relationship with the Dragon Clan had never been particularly good, the latter could only retreat into the East Sea and operate furtively.

Neither Li Ximing, nor the Sun Orthodox Lineage, nor even the Golden Feather Sect, could afford to take such a risk.

Upon reaching this point in his thoughts, Li Ximing's mind became clearer. He mused, "Even without this Northern Buddhist affair, I should return to Jiangnan now. During the time the True Lord is at the lake, whether I'm a guest in Ziyan or in Huyi, I must remain under their constant observation! Although the True Lord is merely going to the lake to pick up a woman, his impression of my family isn't bad to begin with, and after reaching Foundation Establishment, his potential harm to innocent people has significantly lessened... But there's always a chance of something going wrong. What if something *does* happen? If the True Lord becomes displeased and acts at Wangyue Lake, they would immediately restrain me, preventing me from foolishly rushing to his rescue... ultimately causing trouble and hindering both sides' plans. The arrangements made by the Sun Orthodox Lineage these past few days, and the overt and covert benefits they've provided, are likely largely aimed at ensuring I comply with their plans and avoid stirring up trouble—which would not only make everyone look bad but also deplete Jiangnan's combat strength."

From before he attained the Purple Mansion realm until now, Li Ximing had experienced too much, making him far different from his former self. He slightly raised his hand and softly said, "My clan still requires arrangements. I will depart at dawn!"

Ning Wan felt relatively reassured by his decision. She nodded, watching him depart, then turned her gaze towards Jiangbei. "Neither hot nor cold, he effortlessly broke through to Foundation Establishment," she mused. "It seems it will be difficult to gain a share of Mianfan's secret treasury now... Perhaps we should look for some promising talents instead!"

The lake surface shimmered with dazzling light. Immediately visible was the magnificent purple-gold profound pillar, emanating a solemn and majestic radiance. A little further off, the golden-red light beam from the Guanshe Platform illuminated the sky, casting a golden shadow across the lake.

Li Ximing pondered silently as he descended on a beam of light, passing through his family's Zhaoguang Profound Purple Grand Formation. Beneath the tallest profound pillar, a hazy purple light marked the inner section of the grand array.

The inner formation previously contained buildings, but now it was a landscape of ruins. Li Ximing, having been occupied with setting up the array and subsequent tasks, had not stepped inside. He had spent the past few days dealing with spirit embryo matters, and had barely found a moment of respite before rushing to Zongquan Island to meet Li Zhouwei. Only now did he finally have the time to fly into this area.

Passing through this hazy purple light, he saw a pale yellow ground, smooth as glazed glass and covered with numerous shallow purple patterns, evidently transformed by the grand array's magical power. A brief glance revealed a perfectly round area, measuring little more than a mile across.

He mused, "The spiritual energy here is quite good. With the grand array established, the spiritual energy on the island is slowly but steadily increasing, with no end in sight. Within this inner formation, it has already reached the level of Zhijing Mountain... which is sufficient for Purple Mansion cultivation..."

This area was already quite sizable, especially considering the Li family's palace complex had never been particularly grand. The former hall for handling governmental affairs, for instance, was only a little over three hundred feet, so this space was certainly large enough to erect many new buildings.

Currently, the ground was flat and empty, the ruins evidently having been cleared long ago. As far as the eye could see, there was only the yellow, glazed-like ground and the hazy purple ceiling of the array. Several cultivators, all having reached the Qi Cultivation stage, were busy constructing courtyards and halls. Li Ximing's casual glance indeed found Li Jiangqian standing among them with his hands clasped behind his back. Upon seeing Li Ximing, Li Jiangqian's expression shifted from initial joy to a touch of worry as he bowed and greeted, "Greetings, True Lord! The north..."

Li Ximing and the other True Lords, being high in the sky, could perceive news from the north through their divine abilities, but it was clear their family was unaware of the recent battle there. He first scanned with his immortal mirror, ensuring no one else was spying in the Great Void, before speaking sternly, "Jiangqian should have already made arrangements. None of our direct descendants on the North Bank need to go; just let him take them. As for the matter of the 'Rivers and Great Mausoleum Scripture'... I merely mentioned it; if it works out, it works out." He then added, "His Excellency has reached Foundation Establishment and will arrive soon. Dispatch people to prepare immediately!"