Chapter 888: 天地

Li Ximing glanced at the Purple Mansion spiritual resource before him. Although the item was precious, it didn't stir many emotions in him. He simply said softly, "This must be a resource from the Douwei lineage. I've fought against Ye Gui before."

The Zhenren Xuanyi in front of him subtly cast a glance, then nodded, saying, "Indeed! This item is called Shangxiang Silver. Its origins are extremely ancient; the Mifan Orthodoxy acquired it through inheritance from the Wanling Ancestral Sect."

"While other magical artifacts are good, they mean little to me now. Furthermore, you, Daoist friend, possess a lake within the realm, so you certainly aren't lacking. Though he possessed many treasures, none compare to this box of spiritual resources."

Having received the item, Li Ximing was naturally much more at ease, but this didn't mean he would overlook the present benefits. He nodded, "I know the Douwei lineage is now almost extinct, with only the Douxian Dao being renowned both domestically and abroad. Ye Gui, whom I fought, was quite skilled. This item can certainly be considered precious."

"Douwei..." Xuanyi's expression gradually turned sarcastic as he replied, "While the various immortal daos might not always have the upper hand when fighting Buddhist cultivators, very few orthodoxies are truly suppressed. Don't be fooled by Ye Gui's imposing demeanor; his Douwei dao isn't comfortable fighting monks."

"Oh?" The Douwei lineage was nearly extinct, and this was the first Li Ximing had heard of it. Xuanyi, with a touch of adding fuel to the fire, lowered his voice: "After Su Xikong attained enlightenment, temples across the Nine Provinces shed tears, and the Douwei orthodoxy withered, never to flourish again. Several major sects submitted to Mount Douxuan. Later, Emperor Wu of Liang ascended the throne and even claimed to cleanse the realm, destroying mountains and temples, cutting off the Douwei Dao. As for today, if Ye Gui hadn't acquired the Douxuan Daoist scriptures, this dao would still be unseen... In fact, this Profound Qi is also his sore spot."

Li Ximing realized with a start and thanked him. He then saw Xuanyi say earnestly, "These four magical artifacts all belong to Mifan. If you agree, from this box of spiritual resources, I will take three and leave two for you, along with the artifacts... However..."

Xuanyi paused, then sighed, "It's just that I hope Bai Yinzi can visit my Jingyi Mountain."

From beginning to end, his divine power enveloped Bai Yinzi without letting up an inch. The young man appeared nonchalant, but the Black Cloud Silver Sparrow Bottle at his waist flickered, revealing the owner's firm resolve. It became clear that he was determined to have Bai Yinzi.

Bai Yinzi, lying on the ground, kept his head pressed tightly down. He didn't move much or speak many words, but his hands pressed against the earth trembled slightly. At this point, he still didn't understand why a group of monks had snatched him back and forth, or why the other party specifically demanded him by name.

Li Ximing was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Bai Yinzi and my family knew each other. My family once stayed in his temple while gathering spiritual energy in the desert. Although we don't have a deep connection, I still need to ask... how Xuanyi intends to deal with him."

Zhenren Xuanyi chuckled, then slightly lifted his robe to reveal a pair of black-patterned Xuan boots with silver soles. He unfastened the Black Cloud Silver Sparrow Bottle from his waist and stated loudly, "This Pure Corner Merit Bottle was passed down by my master and is a treasure of my orthodoxy. However, this bottle is very heavy; for anyone not blessed with great fortune, holding it is a death omen. My purpose in coming to this realm was originally to find a young disciple who could bear this bottle."

A smile played on his lips as he said, "This person cannot be without cultivation... but if you mention figures like Su Yan or Xiao Yuan, firstly, we couldn't snatch them, and secondly, having them carry a bottle would be a waste of talent. Bai Yinzi, at least, has established his foundation. If I can't find a young disciple, this old man can also be put to use."

Li Ximing didn't fully believe him and reminded him meaningfully, "Bai Yinzi doesn't have much lifespan left."

Xuanyi remained noncommittal. Li Ximing looked down and asked, "What about you?"Only then did Bai Yinzi raise his head, his face covered in sweat, utterly bewildered.

Xuanyi, a cultivator from the East Sea for generations, merely respected the Li family's reputation as an orthodox power. With Li Ximing himself present and willing to speak a few more words, why would Xuanyi genuinely care about Bai Yinzi's opinion? He chuckled playfully, "You old fool don't know a good thing when you see it. This is a grand opportunity! Zhenren Zhaojing said your lifespan isn't long; what joy is there in living just a few more years? Follow me, I'll feed you some spiritual medicines, and before you die, I'll give you a way out. Anything is better than sitting around waiting to die for a few years."

"If you leave here today, you will surely die. How can a Zhenren follow you day after day? Wouldn't that be troublesome for him? Only by following me day after day will you find a path to survival!"

His words were half-truths, spoken to serve his own ends. Bai Yinzi began kowtowing with thuds, exclaiming, "Thank you, Zhenren! This humble one understands!"

Li Ximing silently held his tea. Bai Yinzi's words indeed alleviated much of the awkwardness. Since the old man had made his decision, Li Ximing didn't want to create more trouble. He asked, "Elder Changxi made many arrangements before his death. Does Jingyi Mountain have any knowledge of them?"

Xuanyi waved his hand, drinking his tea, and said, "Nothing major, just protecting Kong Gumo for him. However, Zhu Gong went and took away his entire family, which puts me in a somewhat awkward position. If Kong Gumo ever becomes successful in the future, wouldn't she be the first one he hates?"

He seemed to have a good relationship with Zhenren Zhu Gong, looking somewhat exasperated. He propped up his boots and simply said, "She hasn't had much contact with Buddhist cultivators, letting them swallow her weapons... Sigh, let's not talk about her anymore. Thank you, Zhaojing, for making this possible!"

Before he finished speaking, he saw snowflakes drifting down from the sky. His expression immediately sobered, and he lowered his crossed leg, sighing, "Qiuhu has arrived! It's truly been a long time!"

Li Ximing naturally knew Ning Wan had arrived. Regardless of what Xuanyi might want to avoid, Ning Wan's arrival at the gate was certainly more important than this East Sea cultivator. He immediately rose to greet her.

The fairy, cloaked in wind and snow, landed on the platform. She swept her gaze around, first looking at Li Ximing, and praised, "Zhaojing, you are truly impressive! Although I didn't go to Wang Xiaoxiao's side, Elder Kuiqi did, and I heard that a group of monks went there in vain, but I never imagined you would go for the Grand Yin Dharma Sword!"

Li Ximing was slightly stunned, then immediately understood, a chill running down his spine: "So those bald monks were all waiting for me there! No wonder there were so few people in the west!"

Although he had the Immortal Mirror for protection, the situation in Jiangbei was chaotic at the time, and who knew how many eyes were watching. If he had truly gone to the Wang family, while it might not have resulted in severe injury or death, it was certain he would have gained nothing.

Upon seeing Ning Wan, Xuanyi appeared very dignified, shedding his earlier carefree demeanor and becoming somewhat serious. He said solemnly, "Daoist Ning!"

The two had clearly met before. Ning Wan returned the greeting, replying, "Greetings, Brother Qu."

Xuanyi immediately stood up, appearing somewhat hurried. He replied, "Since Daoist Ning has returned, I presume matters in Jiangbei are nearly concluded. I must depart swiftly to avoid being trapped!"

With that, he put away the Pure Corner Merit Bottle from his waist, divided the items, and hastily said, "That fellow from Xuangmiao Temple, Sumian, he looks like a good person, but he's actually always thinking of joining the Demonic Dao. And he even has some family wealth. He's gotten quite a few of Changxi's good things. Zhaojing, be careful not to be schemed against by that old fellow someday."

Li Ximing secretly shook his head. The old Zhenren Sumian of Xuanmiao Temple had long spoken ill of Jingyi Mountain. And now, Xuanyi, though outwardly carefree, was equally merciless in his words!

"Who can I trust? Probably neither!"

The Zhenren finally left in a flurry, and the tremors in the north subsided. Ning Wan turned back and smiled, "Congratulations, Daoist friend... seeing you unharmed is indeed cause for celebration, especially since Wumu led a group of monks there; it was quite troublesome..."

"As for Nu Yan, he is a fellow disciple of Nu Zimohe, who is now a Maha, so he's quite senior in terms of generation. You also sent him back to the Buddhist lands. Whether it was Nv Xiao or Nu Yan, they were much more powerful than the previous few under Dai Xi who couldn't even use their spells. After one fight, I saw at least three treasures and four spells. The previous few combined couldn't even manage that... It shows that... the Great Desire Dao's foundation is far stronger than the Emptiness Dao's!"

Li Ximing's gaze was troubled. He saw Ning Wan shake her head and sigh, "Indeed... Bai Yinzi's situation was relatively good. On my side, when I went to Xiao Yuan's location, not only did several Golden Lotus disciples appear, but Pijia and Nu Zi also made their moves, and even Dao Master Sheng Bai from the Western Plateau arrived..."

She hesitated, then finally sighed, "Hou Fu and Kui Qi are both in Jiangbei. If there weren't so many Buddhist cultivators, there would certainly have been a major battle."

After a detailed discussion, Ning Wan finally said, "Fei Qingya has been taken away, and the fighting in Jiangbei hasn't stopped yet. Fortunately, most of us have already withdrawn. I came back to find you primarily to ask about your injuries. I'll now go to the riverside to observe the situation; perhaps there's still an opportunity. Would you like to come along?"

Li Ximing was not inclined to agree and used his injuries as an excuse. Ning Wan also had to attend to the aftermath in the north, so she departed, riding the wind northward.

With the light and the Mountain-Driving Xuanmu, the injuries left by Nv Xiao were actually not serious, healing in at most a month or so. He couldn't wait any longer, feigning calmness. He didn't even examine the magical artifacts closely, nor did he look at the Shangxiang Silver he had put into his pocket. He hurried directly to his own Zhaoguang Xuanzi Grand Array.

Within this inner array, palaces had already been constructed, simple yet deep, with several levels. The main pavilion at the highest point was naturally reserved for Li Ximing. With the personnel now withdrawn, there were few people around. Li Ximing called Li Quewan up and instructed, "Lock down the Grand Array and guard it from the outside. If anyone visits, say that I am in seclusion healing my injuries and unable to see anyone. If there's truly an urgent matter, crush the jade pendant."

Li Quewan clearly understood what her Zhenren was doing outside and had been worried for a long time within the prefecture. She comprehended the instruction and quickly withdrew.

As the grand array locked down, Li Ximing entered the pavilion, closed its door tightly, and extinguished all lights. Only the purplish-golden patterns on the inner array's ceiling spiraled.

Li Ximing extended his hand and took out the pristine white spiritual stone from his sleeve. In the dim environment, the stone emitted no special light, appearing dull and ordinary, without any remarkable features. Li Ximing closed his eyes and softly chanted, "Disciple of the Li clan, Ximing, respectfully requests the Dharma Mirror, to patrol the hidden and explore the subtle, to discern the profound mysteries, to illuminate all directions, to control ghosts and investigate spirits...."

"Buzz..." As his incantation ended, layers of bright white patterns permeated the air, revealing traces of the dark void, as if a small opening had been torn, letting through a clear, bright light.

This light fell upon the spiritual stone, diffracting into various colorful hues. It first transformed from pure white to crystal clear. In just an instant, this translucent spiritual stone vanished from sight, leaving behind only darkness.

Silence enveloped the surroundings. Li Ximing subtly let out a breath, feeling a sense of loss, but then a sudden change occurred.

"Buzz!" His expression changed rapidly. A cool sensation spread through his Ascending Yang Palace. He saw a white light rise from beneath the layered, bright Yang divine power, causing the power to recede and revealing a radiant white pellet.The Profound Pearl Talisman Seed!

This white pellet blossomed from within, expanding infinitely as if inflated, filling the entire Ascending Yang from the inside out. Then it leaped forth, encompassing the Ascending Yang Palace.

"Hereby, a disciple of the Li clan, harmonizing spirit and nature, ascending to divine power, throughout their life, perfecting virtue and complete integrity, causing them to ascend to heavenly destiny, inscribed upon the Xuan Lu, attaining their true name... to wander the Five Glooms, traverse the Grand Void, open the Profound Brightness, and continue their Daoist cultivation..."

"Boom!" He felt his body become infinitely small. Suddenly, an ancient bronze mirror spanning the Grand Void appeared before his eyes. The mirror's surface actually reflected a world, with clouds rising and falling, like a realm of immortals.

Immediately, a chill ran down the back of his head, as if he had fallen into an ice cave. The penetrating coldness made his spiritual consciousness hazy. He felt as though he had plunged deep into the infinite Grand Void, his mind and form infinitely elevated, floating aimlessly, unaware of his whereabouts.

Following this, yin and yang colored light surged forth, and the heavens and earth expanded grandly. He beheld a vast expanse of land, covered in white snow, with clouds rising. Palaces of white jade stood in dense rows, and he also saw a gigantic, gleaming golden lake, its waters flowing like gold, rippling amidst the clouds, supported by layers of spiritual light, with twelve long bridges gracefully arching across.

The world spun, everything vanished, and his feet finally touched solid ground. Li Ximing raised his eyebrows to look around. A jade-like floor lit up beneath his feet, and he found himself inside a bright pavilion.This was no longer Moon-Gazing Lake!

'What kind of method is this!' Li Ximing was startled and alarmed. Daring not to think too much, he quickly observed everything before him.

This pavilion was ten zhang long and wide, quite vast for a pavilion. It was built from gray stone and white jade, with no patterns on its upper surfaces, only smooth, translucent white. A stone pillar lamp stood beside him, emitting a gentle light.

The place was meticulously tidy. Tables, chairs, tea tables, and meditation cushions—various items were complete and arranged in several corners, simple and clear. It looked as though no one had been there for a very long time.

At this moment, the entire pavilion was silent, filled with a faint glow. Li Ximing stood by the window, which was wide open, allowing him to see the endless sea of clouds outside and the wondrous sight of the sun and moon shining together in the sky, one on the left, one on the right, suspended high. In the distant sea of clouds, pavilions undulated in layers, appearing and disappearing among the clouds.

As the sea of clouds outside the window swayed, an extremely rich spiritual energy assailed him, causing Li Ximing to involuntarily catch his breath. He watched his surroundings with slight vigilance, daring not to move, his heart pounding: "This is... this is!"

He had just heard clearly about ascending to heavenly destiny, opening the Profound Brightness, and continuing his Daoist cultivation. Besides the immortal artifact preserved by his family for generations, could all of this before him be a prank by some Zhenjun? Combining this with what he had just witnessed, his heart immediately stirred.

'It can move a Divine Power cultivator like me without me even realizing it... Could it be... could it be the world within the Immortal Mirror?'

The Li family's talisman seeds would eventually return to the mirror itself. In ancient times, there were also cases of attaching grotto-heaven secret realms to spiritual artifacts and treasures. As for whether there truly was a world within the Immortal Mirror, Li Ximing only possessed this one treasure, so it was naturally hard to guess.

However, when the talisman seed was activated overseas years ago, he had already vaguely seen such a world. From that moment, Li Ximing had suspicions, and now he was almost certain.

He hesitated for a moment, then slowly stepped forward. In a few strides, he reached the central jade table. It gleamed with a pure radiance, adorned on both sides with patterns of osmanthus and a bright moon. In the center lay a porcelain-white bottle and a strangely textured wooden slip, which appeared purplish-black.

These items appeared to be placed casually. Li Ximing felt suspicious and didn't act rashly. He circled the pavilion and found a token on a meditation cushion.

This token was about the length of a forearm, entirely pure white, adorned with beautiful silver-white Grand Yin patterns. In its center was a simple circular flat surface, inscribed with ancient seal script. Li Ximing glanced at it, and a realization dawned upon him:'Li'