Chapter 878: Pure Unity

Fenkuai Island.

The Azure Pond Sect's personnel on Fenkuai Island had changed several times. The numerous tall pillars established by Ning and Jing back then had long been melted down, replaced by many replanted trees, while several peaks were transformed into pine forests where a small pavilion stood gracefully.

A black-robed young master stood holding a sword in the pavilion. The sword blade shone with a golden luster, and six streams of golden light swirled around him, leaving long trails of radiance. He raised his eyebrows and exhaled, facing the brilliant setting sun.

"A Foundation Establishment cultivator is indeed different."

This person was Li Zhouluo, who had come to Fenkuai Island. He had already emerged from seclusion, broken through to the Foundation Establishment stage, and achieved the Golden Beast Plume.

Having left Moon-Gazing Lake, he was full of vigor and exuded a vibrant, energetic aura. After waiting for a moment in the pavilion, a green-robed woman strolled along the path, carrying a baby in her arms.

"Yunqing!" Li Zhouluo turned around and nodded at her.

The woman smiled quietly, went to the table, handed the child to him, and took out a jade pot to pour him some tea.

Li Zhouluo took the child from her, thanked her, and turned to look at the baby. The green-robed woman sat quietly by the table, following his gaze.

This green-robed woman was Pang Yunqing. She was also the person Li Xizhi had sought for him several times and eventually found suitable. She hailed from the Pang Clan of Zhuxi Island, a family under the jurisdiction of the Pure One Dao, and currently cultivated in Azure Pond.

In matters of marriage, his father, Li Chenghuai, had not played much of a role. After the True Lord returned to Moon-Gazing Lake, he soon emerged from seclusion, bid farewell, came to the island, took some pills, and then re-entered seclusion. By this time, Li Zhouluo's major affairs—both Foundation Establishment and marriage—had already been settled.

Li Xizhi had looked into many families for Li Zhouluo, both in the North Sea and the South Sea. Many families hoped to connect, and there was no shortage of beautiful women. Some families were in distress, seeking a lifeline; others were merely for peers to meet and appraise each other. Yet, after looking around, Li Zhouluo ultimately chose Pang Yunqing.

There wasn't much noteworthy about this matter. The Pang family of Zhuxi had been under the Pure One Dao for generations, with a stable lineage. Pang Yunqing was a new disciple taken in by Azure Pond after it came under the Ning Clan's control; her master was Lin Wuning, a confidant of the Ning family. She arrived quietly. Li Zhouluo, seeing her gentle nature and the families' suitability, settled the marriage. Later, they moved to Fenkuai Island and were blessed with a rare child, Li Jiangchun, now the eldest grandson of the Ji branch.

Although Li Zhouluo and she had a child, there wasn't much conversation between them. Pang Yunqing was naturally quiet. Aside from caring for their child, she spent every moment cultivating, with even less time for idle chatter.

Although she was quiet, she had her own path of cultivation and harbored no other thoughts. Upon hearing a word or two of affection, she would stammer awkwardly. In the end, they were more like fellow Daoists, merely discussing cultivation.

Now that Li Zhouluo had emerged from seclusion to practice his spells, he took care of Li Jiangchun. This was their usual routine, not just a one or two-time occurrence. Pang Yunqing waited for a moment, offered an apology, lowered her graceful brows, and then departed, clearly hurrying off to re-enter seclusion.

"Perhaps... eight or nine out of ten aristocratic Daoist couples in the world are like this."

Li Zhouluo, now accustomed to this, picked up Li Jiangchun from his arms. He took a stroll around the courtyard. Seeing a black-robed middle-aged man approach from the side, he quickly looked up and said:

"Uncle Wushao... this is..." Years had left few traces on Li Wushao; he still looked as he did before. He bowed and said in a deep voice:

"The Pavilion Master requests your presence!"

Li Zhouluo quickly stood up, looked around, and seeing no one else, he had no choice but to hand the child to Li Wushao and reply:

"I'll go immediately!"

This made Li Wushao jump three feet high in fright. He frantically took the child, standing rooted to the spot, at a loss. The child then started wailing. He immediately felt a headache coming on, but Li Zhouluo had already hurried away.

Li Zhouluo made his way to the peak. A man draped in a feathered robe, with a dignified and graceful demeanor, sat there. Li Zhouluo quickly bowed and said respectfully:

"Greetings, Grandfather."

Li Xizhi raised his eyebrows, smiled, and softly said:

"Come." He invited Li Zhouluo to sit down before speaking:

"I presume you've heard the news from the South Sea last March. Several Purple Mansion cultivators besieged Baoqing Maha. If Shitu hadn't provided assistance and the Abbot of Dakonghai Temple hadn't been watching from the side, he wouldn't even have had a chance to reincarnate."

"In that battle, one Maha and five Renmin perished; only three of the Renmin survived. Although Baoqing escaped, he was severely wounded and can no longer cause trouble. So, the various families divided the South Sea."

"Now, Qiuhu True Lord has stepped in to mediate, meticulously discussing with Zhusheng True Lord of Shahuan. They managed to reclaim Beidan Island. Although the original Ten-Thousand-Mile Stone Weir is gone, it is still a crucial strategic outpost."

Li Xizhi softly said:

"Qiuhu True Lord assigned someone to guard it. On one hand, Tantai Jinyi wrote a memorial recommending Uncle Yuanqin, and on the other, he declined the Sect Master position, citing seclusion for breaking through to the Purple Mansion stage as his reason. Now the position is vacant, and there are many opinions."

"Qiuhu True Lord asked him who should fill the vacancy, and Tantai Jinyi strongly recommended me."

Hearing this, Li Zhouluo looked up and quickly said:

"Grandfather, your strength and reputation are second to none; no one in the sect would object. Such sentiments already exist. Tantai Jin..."

Li Xizhi waved his hand:

"Tantai Jin's words sound good, but it's impossible for me to become the Sect Master. I replied to Qiuhu True Lord, recommending Situ Tongyi to him. The True Lord is understanding and certainly won't force me. However, once Situ Tongyi becomes the Azure Pond Sect Master, people like Qin Xian and Lin Wuning will undoubtedly hold high positions."

"Yunqing is Lin Wuning's disciple. I asked him to transfer people to Xunlin Plains, which isn't far from Moon-Gazing Lake. You two, as husband and wife, can cultivate there and also attend to family matters."

Li Zhouluo quickly bowed in assent and asked:

"As for Father and Grandfather..."

Li Xizhi shook his head:

"Judging by the time, your father will emerge from seclusion soon. With what the Yang family and I left behind, he can cultivate steadily. Sending you out now is also due to changes in the situation... I no longer wish to remain on Fenkuai Island."

"Ah?" Li Zhouluo was momentarily stunned and asked:

"Grandfather, are you..."

Li Xizhi sighed faintly.

His cultivation had been stuck at the late Foundation Establishment stage for a long time, having reached its peak. His attainments in spiritual arts had continuously risen over the years, reaching a certain height, but then gradually slowed down. Without higher blessings, he probably couldn't advance further.

He was unwilling to take the position of Azure Pond Sect Master. Currently, Fenkuai Island offered fewer and fewer benefits, even amounting to free labor for Azure Pond. Li Xizhi, restless from long periods of stillness, looking at his cultivation that hadn't changed for years, finally decided to leave this place.

Li Ximing had also written letters over the years. Although the Sun Dao orthodoxy clearly stated that the path of the Rosy Cloud Dao was rare, with few inheritances even among ancient traditions, which cultivator didn't harbor the aspiration for the Purple Mansion? Especially a cultivator like Li Xizhi, who was just one step away from the Purple Mansion stage?

News of cultivators entering seclusion to break through to the Purple Mansion stage came one after another; naturally, Li Xizhi could no longer idly sit in the mountains.

"Across the world, the Rosy Cloud Dao lineages originate from Luoxia and Zhan Mountain. If I wish to find a path to break through to the Purple Mansion, I'm afraid I must visit Zhan Mountain, which is connected to dragons. Whether it was the ancestor Linguxia or the Daoist of the 'Morning Rosy Cloud Dew Collection Art,' lacking complete cultivation arts, they all forcibly broke through in the vicinity of Zhan Mountain... there must be clues there."

"I have held the position at Fenkuai for three terms now. If it were any other cultivator, they would have already amassed immense wealth. A year ago, I requested to be relieved of my duty guarding Fenkuai and asked to return home for a visit, which Qiuhu True Lord approved."

He sipped his tea and then said:

"I sent a letter home; the True Lord has already entered seclusion for cultivation. So, I will ride the Rosy Cloud Ray to Moon-Gazing Lake to consult with the True Lord, and then leave these waters to travel the Four Seas, searching for the Rosy Cloud Dao lineage."

Li Xizhi still had a lingering concern: he wanted to personally ask Li Ximing about the meaning of that fragment. This was something that could neither be spoken of publicly nor written in letters.

Hearing this, Li Zhouluo could only bow and say:

"I only wish for your safety, honored one."

Li Xizhi waved his hand, stood up with his hands behind his back, looking very unconstrained, and replied:

"Once your and Chenghuai's affairs are settled, my lingering concerns will be resolved. When my father sent me into the sect, his only wish was to protect our clan. I had the intention to leave when the True Lord achieved the Purple Mansion stage, but the family was in turmoil, and a couple of my concerns remained unresolved, so I stayed on the island to lend a helping hand..."

"Now that the clan is gradually stable, it's time for me to go back and take a look."

Pure One Island.

Waves splashed, and reefs stood firm.

Pure One Island was an archipelago. In earlier years, it consisted of only one immortal mountain at sea. Through generations of Pure One Daoists gradually moving mountains, filling seas, and reclaiming land, it slowly expanded. Its current area was already seventy percent that of Red Reef Island.

From afar, the immortal mountains and islands appeared orderly. The pools on the island, like crescent moons, shimmered. Cultivators refined the Grand Yin, soaring on clouds and mist, a truly pleasing sight.

This place was not far from Red Reef Island, which in turn was close to Sword Gate. Relations between the three factions had worsened in recent years. The fighting at Green Pine Temple was particularly brutal; the spiritual artifacts formed from the fallen cultivators had yet to be fully unearthed, which gives a glimpse of the intensity.

The Pure One Dao was a realm of quiet peace, yet a streak of green light arrived swiftly from the north, flying over the island and halting before the immortal mountain, transforming into a man.

The man was clad in green robes, with a youthful face, his sleeves fluttering, and eyes a light cyan. He stood with his hands behind his back. Yet, the cultivators patrolling nearby completely ignored him. Only the formation on the immortal mountain subtly rippled, and a person flew out into the sky.

This person was dressed in white robes, adorned with patterns of waves and crescent moons, and wore a light silver jade belt around their waist. Their appearance was striking, with a prominent nose bridge. Yet, their eyes were filled with wariness. They stopped far away and cautiously scrutinized him.

"I am Chehong. Greetings, Great True Lord... Might you be True Lord Chibuzi?"

The green-robed man before him was indeed Chibuzi. With a relaxed expression, he replied:

"Chehong... The Pure One Immortal Dao has indeed produced many talents in recent decades. In just a few decades, it has gained two True Lords, yourself and your grandfather. I wonder if Senior Yuanshang is present?"

"A friend from the Sun Dao lineage has come to visit, yet cannot even enter the gates."

Upon hearing this, True Lord Chehong recognized him, and his expression became much more distant. However, considering his formidable divine abilities and cultivation, he did not turn hostile but merely said indifferently:

"Great True Lord, please don't jest."

This True Lord Chehong of the Pure One Dao showed no mercy, almost saying: "Does the Demonic Azure Pond Sect even qualify as a Sun Dao lineage?" Chibuzi, however, remained unfazed and casually said:

"Pure One now has four True Lords, their strength rivaling Hengzhu. With True Lord Yuanshang suppressing the area, are you still afraid of a lone individual like me?"

True Lord Chehong's expression was cold as he replied:

"Great True Lord, there's no need to joke with me. If there's nothing else, I won't see you off."

Chibuzi chuckled, then raised his hand, palm upwards. Immediately, a gray-black color emerged, swirling in his palm and converging into a palm-sized sphere.

"Look, what is this?"

This wisp-like gray water sphere was, naturally, an extremely condensed divine ability. True Lord Chehong's own sect possessed this very inheritance; there was no need for further identification—it was indeed the Divine Ability: Chougui Concealment!

True Lord Chehong frowned. He had long known that Chibuzi had broken through to the late Purple Mansion stage. It was impossible for this Great True Lord to have traveled thousands of miles to their sect's gate merely to show off his divine ability. For a moment, he said nothing.

But after observing it closely for a moment, he secretly felt uneasy, which made his heart jump, and a sudden sense of familiarity arose:

"This is our sect's divine ability!"

Chibuzi casually said:

"I cultivate my own arts, yet I can cultivate your sect's divine ability. Shouldn't Senior Yuanshang take a look?"

Upon hearing this, True Lord Chehong did not speak. Instead, his gaze was fixed intently on Chibuzi, who then said:

"Some things cannot be spoken of; one must enter the formation, right?"

Chehong finally wavered, hesitating for a moment.

The formation on Pure One Island was no joke. If Chibuzi were to cause trouble, he wouldn't be able to act freely within the formation. Moreover, with four True Lords nearby, logically and emotionally, Chibuzi's act of entering the formation could be considered a show of sincerity.

"Chehong, let him in."

A voice, carried by divine ability, resonated in his ear. Even though True Lord Chehong was reluctant, he could only step aside and invite him in.

As the two flew into the great formation, they saw snow falling heavily. A circular jade pond, crystal clear, had been built on a platform at the mountain peak. The water inside appeared snow-white, mixed with moonlight, looking like both water and piles of fallen snow. Tables and chairs by the shore were all buried in snow, and a white-robed middle-aged man stood by the pond.

Chibuzi finally adopted a more serious expression and cupped his hands in greeting, saying:

"So it's Daoist Friend Fuxuan. Why is Senior Yuanshang not here?"

"Master hasn't been fond of moving around in recent years, nor does he emerge from seclusion anymore."

This middle-aged man seemed to harbor no strong prejudice like the other Pure One Dao cultivators. He nodded slightly, invited him to sit by the circular pond, and said softly:

"As expected of the Chib family's prized gem. If you hadn't gone against Chi Wei's wishes, the Azure Pond and the Sun Dao lineage wouldn't be as they are today."

Chibuzi neither confirmed nor denied, and smiled:

"I presume Daoist Friend has seen that I've acquired some serendipitous opportunities and coincidentally obtained an ancient cultivation art, cultivating the Chougui Concealment. I suspect this art is precisely your esteemed clan's 'Chougui Water Seeking Art'... this time, I've come to verify that."

He raised an eyebrow and smiled, then replied:

"The 'Chougui Water Seeking Art' was bestowed upon the Xi clan from the Sun Dao lineage. Probably only this family has it. Now this lineage has fallen into the hands of a junior like me. Where this opportunity came from, and which family's lineage it belongs to, I presume I don't need to elaborate!"

True Lord Fuxuan, having let him in, clearly had an early understanding, for the divine ability in his palm could not be faked. However, whether he cultivated it on his own was still uncertain. He merely raised his eyebrows and said:

"Daoist Friend says he cultivated it himself. Why not take a look under the Taiqun Spirit Mirror? That would also allow us to examine the divine ability more clearly."