Chapter 874: Treasure Elephant (1+2/2)

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Southern Border.

Qingchi Sect was attacked by Dakonghai Temple years ago, losing the Wanli Stone Embankment and along with it, Beidan Island. They have now retreated to coastal Hezhou, merely dozens of miles from Beidan.

This area is part of the Southern Border, facing Beidan to the south and backed by Hengzhu and Qingchi. However, due to their temporary retreat, their defensive capabilities are not extensive and are, in fact, quite weak.

After all, Hezhou is not a crucial pass. Beyond Hezhou, the northern Yishan City is the primary fortress defending the Southern Border. Dakonghai Temple gaining control of Hezhou would not only be useless but might also provoke Hengzhu into action.

Both sides understood well that Qingchi didn't necessarily need to pay attention to this area. However, the western part of the Stone Embankment closely follows the Southern Border's coastline, extending deep inland. This narrow strip includes the nation of Shahuan, known as the "South of Lingnan."

The local True Person Zhusheng is an ally of Qingchi and a close friend of the Si family. Once the Stone Embankment was lost, Shahuan became fully exposed to the influence of Dakonghai Temple. The Sun Dao Lineage was concerned that the Southern Border needed protection, fearing that if one falls, the other will follow.

Li Ximing arrived from the north on his celestial light, followed by Yan Hu, clad in a black robe and holding a spear. Upon landing nearby, he quickly recognized the cultivator guarding Hezhou: a Shanyue cultivator named Feiluo Ya.

Upon seeing the True Person, the old Shanyue immediately approached and bowed, saying:“Feiluo Ya greets the True Person! Congratulations on the unification of the Lake, and congratulations to the Immortal Clan!”

This old fellow was indeed Feiluo Ya, a disciple of Wushan from back then, who had managed to live until today, seemingly in a good position and status.

After Duanmu Kui's death, his disciples scattered, seeking refuge elsewhere. Some joined Qingchi at the time, but Feiluo Ya remained uncommitted, instead befriending the Li family. Sure enough, how could the Chi family respect these Wushan cultivators? After acquiring their cultivation methods and spells, they used them all up as cannon fodder...

Feiluo Ya soon realized that the Lake was no place for him to stay long. He traveled extensively, eventually finding refuge in Yishan City. Later, when Chi Ning governed Qingchi, Feiluo Ya, relying on his keen instincts, thrived and earned significant merits.

This Shanyue cultivator had now made a name for himself, with several Qingchi disciples respectfully following him. Li Ximing nodded, amused, and saw the old Shanyue weeping as he said:“To see the True Person now is like witnessing the bright sun in the high heavens. I recall my past association with Senior Tongya, who was like a towering mountain; I am filled with profound emotion and sorrowful longing…”

Li Ximing had read the clan history and had seen this fellow in his younger years. Back then, he was not a polite character at all; his ancestors had to feign compliance with him. Now, having experienced the mortal world, he spoke eloquently, clearly trying to leverage a powerful name. Li Ximing simply waved his hand and said:“It's good that you are here. I am here to guard the Southern Border on behalf of True Person Qiuhu and am about to visit the nation of Shahuan. Please lead the way.”

Li Ximing hadn't made this trip to the Southern Border for nothing! Since he was here, he naturally had to arrange Yan Hu's affairs and inquire about Dakonghai Temple… Most importantly, he sought the Bright Sun Spirit Artifact in the possession of King Nanshun Luoza of Songzhou!

This was information obtained through the connections of the Sun Dao Lineage. Having come all the way to the Southern Border, Songzhou was just beyond the Stone Embankment. Visiting the king and inquiring about the spirit artifact would truly make the journey worthwhile.

Feiluo Ya quickly stepped onto the celestial light. Li Ximing traversed the void, traveling southward. He observed dense forests, sparse fields, and narrow mountain ranges, a landscape quite different from Yue. Li Ximing glanced around and asked:“What kind of people reside here? They look like barbarians.”

Feiluo Ya sighed a little and said:“This Shahuan is also a barbarian land, historically known as Jiaozhi people. They are probably less orthodox than us Shanyue… It's just that a True Person cultivates here, so it has become somewhat respectable.”

Li Ximing nodded subtly, finally asking about the topic he most cared about:“Is this True Person Zhusheng… a cultivator from Shahuan?”

This was not a simple question. Although the north and south were now fragmented and the Heavenly Dynasty no longer existed, the dividing line between Han and barbarians was still very clear. Even if a Shanyue cultivator achieved Foundation Establishment, they would still be considered inferior everywhere. If this True Person Zhusheng was from Shahuan, it would likely be difficult to interact with them, both culturally and customarily.

Fortunately, Feiluo Ya shook his head repeatedly and whispered:“This True Person's surname is Liu, and their family is very famous. Back when the State of Chu unified Jiangnan, they proclaimed themselves the Southern Dynasty, confronting the North. They ordered an expedition to conquer Jiaozhi, advancing all the way to the southern nation of Zhan, establishing the Annan Military Governorate, with seven commanderies and fifty-six cities. The military governor at that time was also surnamed Liu, with the revered name Yi…”

“This military governor was a True Person who had achieved divine abilities and fell when Chu perished. True Person Zhusheng is his descendant, with their ancestral home in Xunlinyuan.”

Li Ximing immediately nodded, secretly sighing:‘He's from a famous family! His strength must be considerable, and he also has a Snow Ridge Pine Listening Ferret… He shouldn't be underestimated.’

‘However… surnamed Liu, a military governor of Chu. The imperial surname of Chu was indeed Liu. Strictly speaking, his status is probably not low at all, perhaps similar to my family's situation…’

In the later period of Chu, state governance was chaotic, and right and wrong were inverted to an extremely terrifying degree. The imperial throne fluctuated greatly, until finally Xiao Wu usurped it, leading to the overthrow of the entire imperial clan, a fate even more tragic than that of Wei Li… Karma proved swift, and the State of Wu eventually lost its eastern territories, shrinking back to the Shu region.

Passing over the Shahuan populace below, they soon saw an immortal mountain. A cultivator in an ornate crown and wide sash rose on the wind, greeting them respectfully from ahead, saying:“I greet True Person Zhaojing. My True Person has been awaiting your arrival for a long time. Please rest your immortal chariot for a moment.”

Li Ximing then descended on his light.

Compared to Jiuchou and Xiukui, True Person Zhusheng's immortal mountain was a step lower, appearing quite ordinary, and even lacking the vastness of Wangyue Lake. Descending from the mountainside, one could see a pavilion with flames soaring, seemingly indicating artifact refining.

A cultivator dressed as a Daoist was lazily lying beneath the pavilion. He appeared very young and exceptionally handsome, with scattered meditation mats around him. Upon seeing Li Ximing, the True Person stood up and smiled, saying:“Greetings, Fellow Daoist Zhaojing!”

Li Ximing's gaze swept over the small table, which held several wine pots and a long sword lying flat, appearing quite ordinary.

‘Two divine abilities at the early Purple Mansion stage… quite a carefree character.’

This True Person Zhusheng cultivated the Dao of Yuzhen, making him a direct beneficiary of True Monarch Shangyuan's enlightenment. He possessed an ethereal and transcendent appearance, and though his clothes were disheveled, he seemed natural and uninhibited.

“Please!”

The two sat down at the table. True Person Zhusheng poured wine and smiled, saying:“For your trip south, Fellow Daoist, I must thank you. After all, it's a thousand-mile aid.”

Li Ximing replied politely:“It's just that your two fellow Daoists possess such profound transformation techniques, capable of deceiving even a Mahasattva face-to-face… It truly broadened my horizons.”

“Oh.”

The True Person's voice was clear. He turned his head and smiled, saying:“Go invite True Person Xianchan, King of East Ridge.”

After giving his instructions, he turned back and said seriously:“After all, this is a characteristic of Yuzhen, known as the Yuzhen Sixty-Nine Void Confluence. The path of illusory and real transformation, among the three Witches, is the most genuine, longest-lasting, and closest to the immortal Dao. Although the True Monarch achieved enlightenment through jade, emulating ancient immortals, making Yuzhen more inclined towards the immortal Dao, the transformations have also become more real.”

He took a sip of wine and said:“Xianchan also cultivates cold qi, and Ning Wan has just broken through; no one has seen her yet, which makes it easy to conceal.”

“Fellow Daoist, this time you seek me…”

Combining this with his previous experiences, Li Ximing guessed that Ning Wan had also made arrangements for his arrival. However, Buddhist cultivators and his sect had always been at odds, and he was happy to act within his power. He smiled and said:“It's about Dakonghai Temple, isn't it!”

Zhusheng laughed heartily and said very casually:“Zhaojing is a clear-sighted person. This Dakonghai Temple… the main issue is the powerful abbot behind it, a Mahasattva of the sixth generation, posing a great threat. Now that Baoqing has been established, the Stone Embankment has fallen into other hands…”

He picked up the sword from the table, placed it beside him, and whispered:“I don't like being coerced; I always prefer to take the initiative.”

As Zhusheng finished speaking, wind and snow howled in the air. A youth in white robes descended, stepping on snow. With a round face and long eyes, he sat down before the table, full of enthusiasm:“Now, everyone is here!”

This must be True Person Xianchan, a demonic creature whose true form was a Snow Ridge Pine Listening Ferret. Li Ximing slightly cupped his hands, and True Person Zhusheng said sternly:“Mahasattvas are skilled at divination. Although my divine abilities provide concealment, to be safe, we must act decisively and without delay. Since Zhaojing has arrived, I will speak plainly.”

“This move by Dakonghai Temple has satisfied few, from the Sun Dao Lineage to the various families of the South Sea, all because they fear the abbot of Dakonghai Temple.”

“Fellow Daoist Miao of Thunder Listening Island has spoken with me, and King Nanshun Luoza of Songzhou has also sought me out. The arrow is on the string; we have been waiting for your timely assistance, Fellow Daoist.”

Li Ximing had come on behalf of Ning Wan and was obligated to contribute. However, deep down, he did not wish to get too deeply involved, nor did he want to be injured. After a brief thought, he softly asked:“What are your arrangements, Fellow Daoist…?”

True Person Zhusheng exchanged a glance with the demonic creature beside him and said:“There are many Compassion cultivators, so it's uncertain if the Stone Embankment can be fully recovered this time; it might have to be divided among various families. However, severely injuring Baoqing is imperative. He believes that Fellow Daoist Miao and Qingchi are at odds and cannot cooperate, and that King Nanshun Luoza, like the Dakonghai Temple abbot, cannot easily move or act. But he doesn't know that Nanshun Luoza already has a second Purple Mansion cultivator, nor does he expect that it is you, Fellow Daoist, who has come!”

“You do not need to take direct action, Fellow Daoist. You only need to go east of Lüfang and guard the sea, deterring a white elephant. As for other matters, whether they succeed or fail, you won't need to intervene. Once the jade talisman we give you shatters, you may depart.”

Li Ximing stroked his beard and nodded, understanding in his heart:‘These Purple Mansion cultivators have made good arrangements… It seems Kuiqi had already planned everything out. Being such a proud person, he also harbored resentment over the Stone Embankment incident. He had been making secret arrangements for a long time, and inviting me was deliberate, though my absence from Wangyue Lake is a more critical matter.’

With the Immortal Mirror on him, he feared ambushes the least and had no need to worry about any risks on the road. In fact, he was already tempted:‘Although acting on behalf of Ning Wan currently offers no commendable reward, it would be quite satisfying to discomfit the Buddhist cultivators. Moreover… Nanshun Luoza possesses a spirit artifact, making contact after the event even more logical.’

He nodded, a smile on his face, and said:“This is my due contribution… However, this time I came… I also wish to meet King Nanshun Luoza and try to exchange for the spirit artifact.”

Unexpectedly, Zhusheng nodded with a smile and replied:“Qiuhu mentioned it earlier. King Nanshun Luoza awaits your visit, Fellow Daoist… Perhaps after our great battle, we will all need to recuperate, so you may proceed to Nanshun Luoza directly!”

At this, Li Ximing nodded in satisfaction. Their interests aligned, and there was no need for further pretense. He took the jade slip and talisman from the other's hand, and just as he was about to depart on his light, the True Person said:“Please wait, Fellow Daoist!”

He took a small box from his sleeve, extracted a wisp of Li Ximing's divine ability, performed hand seals to cast a spell, and collected the spiritual essence, then said:“This is a minor marvel from a High Witch lineage spirit artifact. It can conceal your cultivation, though it's not very effective in the current era. However, it can still fool a foolish demon with only magical techniques. As long as you don't unleash your divine abilities, it will last for three days.”

Li Ximing understood and nodded, then departed on the wind, leaving one person and one demon on the mountain. The True Person, with a sword on his back, asked:“It seems Zhaojing has something to rely on, so Changxiao dare not touch him.”

The Snow Ridge Pine Listening Ferret shook its head and replied:“It's hard to say. The Li clan is getting closer to the Sun Dao Lineage. It's possible he's already made arrangements with Hengzhu, and a group of True Persons are lying in ambush in the void, just waiting for Changxiao to arrive!”

“That makes sense.”

The sword cultivator rose on a cloud, saying:“That demonic creature likely won't act. Even if a fight breaks out, Zhaojing's Gate of Heavenly Audience is more than enough to hold him back. Let the various families make their move!”

The Void.

Li Ximing left Shahuan and flew from the void to Beidan. He saw resplendent colorful lights protecting the area, a traditional sight among Buddhist cultivators—a sky full of brilliant, multicolored radiance, its power unknown.

Dakonghai Temple's mountain gate likely had array formations, but given the level of Buddhist array mastery, Beidan clearly couldn't have established such formations so quickly. It must have been the light from their Pure Land providing support.

He frowned secretly:‘That's quite formidable. Buddhist cultivators excel at using compassion as an array, and drawing it down provides good protection. It's not as troublesome as forging a Purple Mansion Grand Array; the difficulty lies in the array dissipating when the people disperse…’

However, this was not something he needed to consider. He took a detour, flying all the way to Lüfang. Following the jade slip, he stopped at the edge of Sihai. Through the void, he indeed saw a small island where demonic creatures landed and took off, and occasionally, monks could be seen coming and going.

The island only had a Foundation Establishment-level grand array. The demonic elephant was nowhere to be seen, nor was there any sign of a Purple Mansion array's brilliance in the void. Clearly, this demonic creature was as poor as a church mouse.

He then activated the Immortal Mirror to probe for hidden dangers. After confirming there was no ambush in the void, he relaxed. He swept his gaze across the area below and then drifted down, emerging from the void onto the island. Immediately, there was a commotion. Li Ximing showed no politeness; with a thought, he activated the Mountain-Driving Sea-Rushing Tiger. The sky instantly turned hazy yellow, with colorful clouds floating and then being dispersed by transformed malevolent qi.

At this, a host of demonic creatures trembled in fear. The sea surged with waves, and a thunderous roar echoed. White waves exploded on the surface of the sea as a muscular man in white armor stepped out from the water, his expression full of doubt. He was first startled upon seeing Li Ximing, then frowned and said:“Which Fellow Daoist stands before me!”

Li Ximing held the Mountain-Driving Sea-Rushing Tiger, its white pearl round and glowing brightly. He swept his gaze over the opponent, laughed heartily, and replied:“Merely a rogue cultivator from overseas, who happened to arrive here and wished to meet a fellow Daoist.”

“A rogue cultivator?”

The demonic creature immediately grew suspicious. He scrutinized Li Ximing from head to toe and indeed couldn't discern his cultivation level. Since Li Ximing was a True Person, he still maintained a good demeanor, waving his sleeve as he said:“Then please come in!”

This demon king was as poor as a church mouse. Although he was also at the Purple Mansion level, seeing Li Ximing toying with a spirit artifact, his imposing aura clearly diminished a bit. He led Li Ximing onto the island and probed:“Fellow Daoist… do you cultivate Earth virtue?”

Li Ximing did not reveal his true abilities. Since he was using the Mountain-Driving Sea-Rushing Tiger, he naturally appeared to cultivate Earth virtue. While subtly signaling to the west with a jade talisman, he casually said:“Fellow Daoist, cultivating Earth virtue is probably not common when you are in the East Sea.”

The white elephant's brows furrowed in thought. He led Li Ximing up the peak, put away the scriptures on the table, poured him tea, and whispered:“May I ask…”

Li Ximing didn't wait for him to finish asking. He merely glanced at him, maintaining his posture, and preemptively said:“Whose subordinate are you, Fellow Daoist?”

The white elephant was, after all, a Purple Mansion demon king; how could he be intimidated? His expression darkened, and he squinted, saying:“This demon king cultivates in the sea and is a friend of the Dakonghai Temple abbot… My title is Tuodu… And who are you, Fellow Daoist?”

Since the topic was Earth virtue, Li Ximing casually said:“Does Fellow Daoist recognize the Xuxiang Dao Lineage?”

Demon King Tuodu looked at him intently and whispered:“Senior Sumian?”

Li Ximing had not expected his few words to lead to Xuanyao Temple. However, since he had no grievances with Xuanyao Temple, and revealing his true identity during a fight would unnecessarily offend Sumian, he simply laughed heartily and shook his head, saying:“No.”

He grew suspicious in his heart:‘Sumian is widely connected and quite famous, unlike me, a True Person who just reached the Purple Mansion stage. Even if this demonic creature hasn't met him personally, he wouldn't mistake me for him…’

Upon hearing his words, the white elephant's eyes immediately glinted with suspicion. Just then, a faint colorful light floated up into the sky. Demon King Tuodu was slightly startled and immediately prepared to stand up. However, the person before him reacted even faster, standing with his hands behind his back, looking on coldly.

“Wait, Fellow Daoist!”

At this moment, Demon King Tuodu finally realized the truth. Li Ximing, showing no compromise, said coldly:“I do not wish to harm anyone. If you do not move, you and I will remain at peace… But if you insist on attacking, feel free to try, Demon King!”

The colorful light from the west was brilliant. Demon King Tuodu's face contorted with shock and fury. He hesitated for a moment, then his mouth instantly tore open to his ears, two teeth rapidly elongated, and his body swelled rapidly. He said hatefully:“You actually intend to harm my friend Baoqing! How dare you!”

This roar, like thunder, rolled through the clouds, causing the monks and demonic creatures below to look up in unison, their expressions a mix of terror and shared animosity.

“Boom!”

The sea surged, and a colossal white-skinned treasure elephant, as massive as a mountain, rose into the sky. Its forehead was draped with a golden blanket, and its two white tusks were like jade mountain peaks, pristine and gleaming. Its enormous mouth was filled with a bloody hue, emitting deafening roars.

Wild winds swept around, yet Li Ximing remained seated beside the table, the tea in his cup undisturbed. He shook his head and sighed:“How unwise you are, Fellow Daoist!”

As he spoke, a pair of elephant hooves, vast enough to obscure the sky, descended from above. Their immense shadow quickly enveloped the entire mountain peak, and these two hooves actually stomped down directly!

Facing the mountain-sized elephant hooves, Li Ximing showed an odd expression. He neither unleashed his divine abilities nor used the Mountain-Driving Profound Curtain. Instead, he simply took a light step forward.

In an instant, he vanished into the void.

The elephant hooves, however, relentlessly slammed onto the mountain peak. Violent thick smoke and terrifying explosions instantly engulfed the entire island. Demonic creatures and monks rained down, severed limbs flying everywhere.

Li Ximing stood quietly in the void, his gaze filled with shock, unsure what to say:‘I haven't even acted yet… he's already smashed his own home…’

Tuodu still seemed unsatisfied. He furiously stomped several more times, remaining uncontrollable in his rage. Rolling flames of fury shot towards the sky as he roared:“Where do you think you can escape!”

After destroying his own home, the demon king reverted to his human form, lifted a massive stone pillar, and stepped into the void, leaving behind a land of wailing.

‘Oh no!’

Li Ximing's heart skipped a beat:‘He's going to rescue them in the west!’

At this point, Li Ximing no longer held back. He activated his Bright Sun divine ability, intending to intercept, but saw the demonic creature plunge relentlessly towards the seabed in one breath.

How could Li Ximing not understand? The light in his hand dimmed, and his gaze was peculiar:‘This demonic creature truly doesn't want to fight…’

Most who achieve the Purple Mansion stage are cunning, so Li Ximing dared not be careless. He followed closely, striking out with beams of celestial light from between his eyebrows, forcing the demonic creature to constantly evade and accelerate.

After about the time it takes an incense stick to burn, they had reached the deep-sea void, the territory of the Dragon Clan. Li Ximing grew wary, but the demonic creature simply stopped, turned around, and said:“Fellow Daoist!”

Li Ximing hadn't come for a life-or-death battle. He smiled and said:“Fellow Daoist Tuodu has truly broadened my horizons.”

Demon King Tuodu waved his hands repeatedly. The ferocity on his face had already vanished, revealing the simple honesty characteristic of elephants. He sighed:“Thank you for your understanding, Fellow Daoist…”

He waved a hand, leading Li Ximing to step into the material world. He arranged a table and chairs on a sea reef, showing a refreshed expression, and smiled:“So you cultivate Bright Yang. Are you Fellow Daoist Zhaojing? You certainly have a good spirit artifact; I couldn't discern it at all!”

“My apologies! My apologies!”

Li Ximing wanted to speak but hesitated, then saw Tuodu wave his hand and say:“Baoqing deserves what he gets; let him suffer his misfortune… Even the abbot allowed it, so let him face the consequences! By being able to hold back a Purple Mansion-level combatant, I have done my utmost for Dakonghai Temple!”

He seemed completely different from before, presenting another simple, honest face. Li Ximing was noncommittal, not believing him in the slightest—what good could come from a sea demon king? He merely didn't want a mutually destructive outcome and was playing along.

After all, the other party mistakenly believed he possessed at least two spirit artifacts and was likely still worried that the Sun Dao Lineage backed him. Otherwise, how could a Purple Mansion demon king, a local potentate, be so pleasant?

The other party sighed repeatedly, and Li Ximing was happy to take it easy. He sat down nearby and casually said:“It seems Fellow Daoist has no intention of helping Baoqing… Dakonghai Temple only has two Mahasattvas internally, yet there are so many complexities?”

“Hahaha!”

Demon King Tuodu smiled, appearing very amiable, and replied:“The Buddhist Pure Land of Dakonghai Temple is not like that of Northern Buddhism! There are many intricacies within it. Neither you nor I are the main force in this battle; we are merely making an appearance. Why should we hinder each other's cultivation?”

Li Ximing watched him silently. Under the probe of the Immortal Mirror, a deep, ominous aura lingered at the bottom of the reef. Clearly, there was another Purple Mansion-level helper beneath.

‘This Tuodu is truly cunning. That earlier stomp was probably also an excuse to kill the monks on the island under the guise of a great battle… He appears to be an easily angered treasure elephant, but this viciousness is quite unusual.’

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