Chapter 891: Tianhuo (1+1/2)

Li Ximing didn't believe in achieving True Lordship or forging Golden Cores. If anyone had a chance at such cultivation, it was Li Zhouwei or Li Quewan. For himself, even reaching the Purple Palace realm would require immense luck. He simply bowed and said, "I dare not hope for a Golden Core. I only wish that I, your junior, can achieve something, so as not to bring shame upon our lineage."

Zhen Gao paused slightly at his words, a hint of emotion in his eyes. He turned away and remained silent for a moment. After a short delay, a palace maid approached from a distance, carrying a jade box.

He sighed and said, "There are still many good things in the High Heaven Pavilion. He also left items, stored in the heavens. Take them all back for your use; consider it an acceptance of this destiny."

As the items were presented, Li Ximing bowed repeatedly, expressing endless gratitude, but remained kneeling. He then asked, "I have merely received the legacy of my predecessors. May I ask if this immortal official is True Lord Dong Hua?"

The Li clan had received the Immortal Mirror early, leading to this conjecture. Now that he finally asked, his heart pounded with trepidation. He secretly observed out of the corner of his eye and noticed that as he brought up the name, Dang Jiang, who was also kneeling on the ground, was already in tears, sobbing uncontrollably. This filled Li Ximing with secret alarm.

'It must be him… Immortal Official Dang Jiang has worked tirelessly day and night for True Lord Dong Hua. True Lord Dong Hua even noted his pavilion's name on the incense burner. Now that his name is mentioned, Dang Jiang's emotions are uncontrollable, tears streaming down his face. True Lord Dong Hua's connection in heaven must be profound! This is why… this immortal general, who clearly holds a high position, came to greet me personally!'

Dang Jiang's tearful display moved even Zhen Gao, who sighed inwardly, thinking, 'How can I say it's not him? I can't point anyone else out to you. Am I supposed to say it's your ancestor, Old Man Mutian…'

So Zhen Gao composed his face into a solemn expression and sighed deeply, "Cherish it well!"

With that, he gently waved his sleeve, and Li Ximing, in a flash of light, dissipated from view. Zhen Gao then turned around, looking a little troubled. Dang Jiang was already a weeping mess on the ground. He reached out and cried, "I haven't seen you, my lord, in so long! I miss you dearly. I remember your teachings; my hands have not stopped writing cultivation methods for a single day!"

He said this, but in his mind, he was chanting, 'True Lord Dong Hua, Li Jiangqun… True Lord Dong Hua, Li Jiangqun… It really is you… Still no news, still condemned to toil like an ox and horse. What misery for me!'

Zhen Gao heard his thoughts buzzing in his head, feeling a touch of helplessness, but his demeanor remained imposing. He merely consoled, "I know you've been working hard. You've always managed Immortal Official Li's affairs. It's a good thing that someone from the lower realm occasionally visits; it means the immortal mansion's restrictions are gradually lifting… And Immortal Official Li's position has remained vacant. This Zhao Jing won't be able to ascend for many days, and he might not even have the opportunity in the future. He has some duties like monster slaying and managing heterodox paths in the lower realm, which could be very beneficial to you!"

Dang Jiang looked up, overjoyed, though tears still streamed down his face as he choked out, "This lowly one is not greedy, nor am I complaining. I am just grateful that my lord always remembers me, and I dare not forget! I will surely be diligent and responsible…"

To his credit, Dang Jiang was indeed diligent in his work. While he couldn't write Purple Palace-level scriptures like Lu Jiangxian, he certainly produced no less Foundation Establishment and Qi Condensation techniques than Shao Hui, who specialized in Lesser Yin. Zhen Gao now soothed him, "This place is also rather austere. If you need anything… you can certainly ask Shao Hui."

No sooner had Lu Jiangxian finished speaking than he heard Dang Jiang's mind humming with uncontainable joy: 'Are there… immortal cows in heaven? I'm craving milk so badly…'

This one thought instantly caused Zhen Gao to vanish into a gust of wind, feeling utterly helpless. 'I should have known he was like this… He's brought Jin Lian's bad habits to heaven! And he's still thinking about boiling that milk to drink!'

High Heaven Pavilion.

The four tall lamp pillars shone brightly. The True Lord in white-gold daoist robes slowly opened his eyes.

Li Ximing felt a dizzying sensation, as if the heavens were swirling. He was now inside the High Heaven Pavilion, all the celestial visions dissolving like a dream. His soul returned to his Ascending Yang, leaving only the light of the sun and moon within the pavilion.

The three incense sticks in the censer had just burned out, their ashes draped in the censer. A jade box lay perfectly centered before him.

'It feels like a dream… It truly was True Lord Dong Hua, Li Jiangqun.''But even if he was a Sword Immortal, even if he alone could suppress any Purple Palace expert in Jiangnan, and was friendly with all the young cultivators of the Solar Orthodoxy, he was still besieged and killed at Moon-Gazing Lake… My family is incomparable to his, so I should be even more cautious.'

He rose and picked up the jade box to examine it. It was unadorned, pure white like snow, feeling as if it might melt in his hand at any moment.

Gently opening it, a surge of cold air rushed out, instantly chilling the pavilion. He focused his gaze and saw a scroll and a small bead, the size of a fingernail, inside the jade box.

The scroll contained a painting of a white sparrow, wings spread as if about to soar, vibrantly lifelike. Beside it were six large characters: *The Wugui Lesser Yin Divine Scroll*.

Li Ximing examined it closely. The bottom of the painting was densely covered with cultivation methods and spells. Using his spiritual sense to probe it, he found that *The Wugui Lesser Yin Divine Scroll* was a Purple Palace cultivation method of the Lesser Yin lineage. It condensed the divine ability "Scented Stillness" and included a complete set of spells, movement techniques, and escape techniques.

Although *The Wugui Lesser Yin Divine Scroll* was written by Shao Hui, Shao Hui was once an overseas demon king, so some of his spell habits were inevitably noticeable. Lu Jiangxian had revised it upon receiving it, and now it exuded an ancient charm, appearing to be a nascent form from the early days of Purple Palace and Golden Core Dao cultivation.

Li Ximing nodded with satisfaction, then placed the painting back into the box. He then looked at the token in his hand; it glowed silver. He secretly resolved: "This place will be my family's treasure trove from now on. Talisman Elixirs, clan history, magic artifacts, and incredible cultivation methods will all be safely hidden here."

He put the scroll back and took out the fingernail-sized bead. Upon sensing it, a scene gradually emerged in his spiritual consciousness.

He saw familiar green-red ocean waves, a narrow strait, and rolling mountains. Li Ximing examined it closely, finding it somewhat familiar: "It seems to be somewhere in the Qunyi Strait… near Qunyi Lukai Island…"

As his vision slowly descended, a deep blue glow appeared, vaguely revealing a hidden cave dwelling within the earth veins. The entrance was tightly shut, showing no signs of life.

'A Purple Palace grand formation… It seems to be someone's cave dwelling.'

Li Ximing secretly memorized the location and stored the bead back in the jade box before heading to the next floor.

'There are still Purple Palace cultivation methods and spells here!'

He retrieved the wooden slips again and inserted them into the stone platform, beginning his observation.

He didn't browse casually but carefully searched around. Soon, among a collection of Purple Palace cultivation methods, he found Tian Xiaoming's Purple Palace method. The lowest-level one was *The Scripture of Great Longevity and Pervasive Creation*, its name appearing dim.

'According to the token's description, as long as a clan member offers sacrifices, new cultivation methods will certainly be bestowed. If one wants to obtain a specific method, they must first pray beside the incense burner in the High Heaven Pavilion, offering a talisman to ascend to heaven, and await a response from the heavens. But with heaven sealed off, who knows how long a response will take, or who will respond… Moreover, this method is too expensive. The Purple Smoke sect has Tian Xiaoming's orthodoxy, so it's more sensible to get it from them, without all this trouble. It's better to slay demons and monsters, accumulate immortal merits, and exchange for something else.'

With his recent experience in heaven, Li Ximing understood that most of the glowing spells displayed here had been exchanged for by that Immortal Official Li. Of the fifth-grade spells, excluding *Water Transformation Mausoleum* of Kan Water, which he was not proficient in, the remaining three were *Mysterious Grand Art* of Clear Qi, *True One Severing Barbarian Light* of True Qi, and *Nine Weir Azure Goat Mountain* of Azure Profound.

Among these three, Azure Profound preferred Earth virtue, and its position among various techniques was always ambiguous. However, Clear Qi and True Qi were the least picky, making them suitable for use.

Li Ximing generally understood that *Mysterious Grand Art* of Clear Qi was a spell that normally used the dharmic body to uplift Clear Qi, harboring it in the Great Void to nurture change. It required the dharmic body to be preferably leak-free and unharmed. "Leak-free" meant at least Purple Palace, and "unharmed" meant no injuries.

During the daily cultivation of *Mysterious Grand Art*, if the dharmic body was damaged, the Clear Qi harbored in the Great Void would detect the deficiency and pour out. *Mysterious Grand Art* utilized this principle to repair the dharmic body and counter enemies in emergencies.

However, the more important use of this spell was not limited to this. It seemed that the majority of the text was merely to lay the foundation for containing Clear Qi. Once this spell reached completion, if the body suddenly perished, with Clear Qi remaining, the Ascending Yang might fall into this Clear Qi and escape within the Great Void.

'Clear Qi techniques are truly profoundly mysterious…'

At the Purple Palace level, while not as wanton as Compassion or Maha, the destruction of the dharmic body was not the end; only the shattering of the Ascending Yang counted as true demise. However, Purple Palace cultivators had no "Earth Release" (釋土) to instantly escape thousands of miles. Once the dharmic body shattered, it was simple for others to seize the Ascending Yang, unless one possessed peculiar spiritual artifacts or spells; very few could escape with just their Ascending Yang.

*Mysterious Grand Art* looked difficult. Li Ximing glanced at it and then turned to *True One Severing Barbarian Light*. This True Qi spell was a rare one that cultivated the Dao within a weapon, making it equally challenging to practice. Li Ximing decided to note them both down for now.

He had been practicing *Foot-Treading Flame Movement* for some time, and after nearly two years, he had only just scratched the surface. Naturally, he wouldn't aim too high. He immediately descended from the upper floor, opened the lowest stone platform, and went directly to select fourth-grade Bright Yang spells.

This time, there were many more usable spells, and their difficulty was greatly reduced. Li Ximing was not lacking in offensive techniques at the moment. He carefully examined them and took out two books.

'A fourth-grade Bright Yang escape technique, *Array Palace Celestial Sun Escape*, and a fourth-grade binding spell, *Bright Celestial Wave*…'

As an immortal cultivator, immortal spells were already more diverse than those of Buddhist or demonic cultivators. Now, with free reign to choose, movement techniques, spells, escape techniques—each had its own strengths, and more was generally better. However, too much could lead to poor mastery. Li Ximing first chose these two:

'Firstly, these two are not difficult. Secondly, they are among the few closely related to the "Invoking Heaven Gate," allowing for faster cultivation.''Although this also has drawbacks—they might not complement other divine abilities when cultivated, and will likely be replaced by them—who knows if I can even cultivate to that point? Speed alone is enough; the priority is to rapidly increase my strength.'

He collected them with satisfaction and went to his residence in the pavilion, where he placed the jade box into a chest.

Li Ximing had sustained a minor injury to his shoulder during his fight with Nv Xiao and others. It wasn't visible now, but it would still take a few months to heal. He wasn't in the mood to wait. Taking advantage of the abundant spiritual energy here, he took a Mysterious Heart Pill from his sleeve, parted the flesh on his shoulder with two fingers, inserted the pill to dissolve, and let it heal on its own.

But no sooner had he dressed his wound and before he could start cultivating, he heard a crisp sound: "Clink!"

Li Ximing quickly looked down and saw that the jade talisman at his waist was subtly vibrating, fine cracks appearing on its surface: "News from the lake!"

He quickly closed the jade box, grabbed a white-and-green spiritual qi jade bottle from a cabinet, then turned to the window. Without even glancing at the wondrous scenery outside, he secretly communicated with the token.

"Whoosh…"

His form instantly dissolved into a stream of celestial light, leaving the silver-white token hovering in place before gently settling onto the table.

Lake Continent Inner Formation.

Li Ximing waited briefly. Everything before him had already transformed into a purple-yellow light screen, and his figure materialized in the dimly lit main hall. Long curtains on either side swayed in the breeze, casting faint shadows.

His spiritual sense swept out, and he saw Li Quewan waiting for him outside the inner formation's main hall, appearing unhurried. He breathed a sigh of relief.

'It seems nothing bad happened. Most likely, a Purple Palace expert has just arrived.'

The current timing was awkward. The North was still engaged in fierce fighting. If Li Ximing hadn't possessed a treasure, he would also be looking for opportunities to exploit, rather than returning early to hide.

Everything before him was no different from when he left, but his mindset was completely changed. Relieved and in high spirits, he invited the girl in.

Li Quewan arrived at the hall's entrance, bowed respectfully, and said, "Reporting to True Lord, True Lord Tian Huo of the Golden Feather Immortal Sect has come to visit and is currently by the lake… He is accompanied by a cultivator from north of the river… I informed him that you, True Lord, were healing, and he said… he was not in a hurry…"

"Tian Huo?"

Upon hearing it was someone from the Golden Feather Sect, Li Ximing felt a mix of emotions. However, when someone of that rank came to visit, it was natural not to keep them waiting. The Golden Feather Sect had been monitoring Bai Yinzi, so they would surely know about his injuries, whether they were severe or not.

"I will go greet him."

Li Ximing thought for a moment. As he walked out, he suddenly seemed to remember something and instructed, "There is a Exquisite Glazed Pagoda in our home that can accommodate people. Move it from Mount Qingdu here and have someone repair this hall, then place it inside the hall!"

Li Quewan didn't have time to ask further questions, only nodded in agreement. She then exited the hall, passed through the formation, and arrived at the lake, where she indeed saw a True Lord in golden robes.

This True Lord's robes were embroidered with golden flames, and his cuffs with golden stone and sand, making his attire exceptionally luxurious. He was seven feet tall, with refined eyebrows and handsome eyes, a graceful appearance. At his waist hung a small, gleaming silver sword-shaped accessory, and his feet trod upon the water as he gazed intently into the distance.

Beside him stood a young man in blue robes, respectfully and cautiously, drenched in sweat. From his appearance, it seemed he was Su Yan, the one who had caused such an uproar in the Immortal Dao, forcing Guan Gongxiao to repeatedly seek aid.

Upon seeing Li Ximing approach, the True Lord in golden robes turned around, his eyes shining brightly. He smiled and said, "Greetings, Zhao Jing! I am Tian Huo of the Golden Feather Sect."

Li Ximing returned the bow and softly said, "Let us speak on the mountain."

If the Azure Pool sect had historically been a greedy jackal, constantly seeking to exploit everything from the Li clan, the Golden Feather sect was undoubtedly a smiling tiger, feigning friendship while largely remaining indifferent. Although rumors suggested they had a good relationship with the Li family, it was mostly neglect.

'If it were just that, it wouldn't be so bad.'

However, the incident with Situ Mo of the Forged Gold Gate years ago had needlessly harmed Li Cheng of the Chengming generation, which was a source of great pain for Li Ximing. In that matter, more than one Purple Palace expert had plotted against the Li family, and fearing retaliation from young Purple Palace cultivators like himself, they took the opportunity to fan the flames and land cheap blows. The Golden Feather Sect's indifference was merely allowing the Situ family to be used as a blade…

'As for whether they offered support… who knows.'

Li Ximing naturally couldn't lay all the blame on the Golden Feather Sect. Indeed, it was impossible to calculate how many Purple Palace experts had been involved then, and the more he guessed, the more dangerous it became. He could only sigh inwardly: 'It has always been this way… How can one make it clear? As long as Zhouwei is safe.'

Facing such a past, Li Ximing welcomed him up the mountain. True Lord Tian Huo seemed largely unaffected, merely smiling as he said, "Zhao Jing must have gained a great deal this time. I heard the Buddhist cultivators returned empty-handed. As for me, I came midway, and Wang Xiaoxiao was taken in by the Chengyun Sect."

This outcome was much as Li Ximing had guessed. If he were to take Bai Yinzi, Wang Xiaoxiao would surely be taken by someone else rather than being left to wait for him. It had indeed fallen into Chengyun's hands…

Tian Huo took his seat and waved for Su Yan to wait outside. Then he smiled and said, "I just had a confrontation with one of the Five Luminaries of the Victorious White Path. Afterward, I saw people from the Helian family and learned that they've been very close with the Empty Void Path recently… They insisted on contending for that Medicine Bodhisattva Chen Mi, almost getting into a fight with Lotus Temple."

Li Ximing thought to himself that none of these factions were good, and it would be best if they fought each other. He began to ponder: 'The kasaya that enveloped Bai Yinzi is still in my possession. Something specifically used to protect Bai Yinzi shouldn't be too bad, but I can't use Buddhist items… I still need to find a way to sell it.'

Tian Huo was unaware of his thoughts. After a brief pause, his eyes turned to Li Ximing, and he smiled, "The Helian family once had a glorious past, but they've been struggling for many years. Now they have a chance to breathe. Like the Empty Void Path, they are both resented by the Gao family and White Horse Temple. Whether it's the situation or their existing ties, they have no choice but to align with the Empty Void Path. Who would have thought that the Empty Void Path's two trips to the North of the River, stirring up the North-South conflict, were simply due to their own dire circumstances? It's not a good ship to be on."

"Now they're relying on Dense Veil to catch their breath, so they dragged people along to ambush Purple Smoke. Just look… how little they've gained!"

'What kind of talk is this! "How little they've gained"?'

His words, at this point, carried a hint of insinuation. Li Ximing was momentarily startled and a little surprised. He subtly probed, "I cannot say for certain. Perhaps the Helian family also has reasons to side with the Empty Void Path. I heard their territory is in the Hetao region, directly facing the Northern Barbarians and monsters, so things are unsettled on both sides."

"Indeed…" Tian Huo lowered his gaze slightly. Li Ximing's heart pounded as he listened to him say, "I hear fellow Daoist has recently become close with the Solar Orthodoxy… that is rare. After all, Zhao Jing comes from an imperial lineage and acts with integrity, which is why he has this fortunate connection. Although our sects are separated by a mountain, if there's anything we can help with, frequent interaction would be best…"

Li Ximing hastily replied, "I dare not trouble the Immortal Sect without cause."

"But I have something to ask of you!" Tian Huo laughed. "Now that things are mostly settled, I'm taking Su Yan back, and I suddenly remembered *The River and Mausoleum Scripture*. I came here specifically to borrow it."

He added with a touch of regret, "*The River and Mausoleum Scripture* never met its true destiny and has remained unused for years. Duan Yan came once, also hoping to activate it, but he didn't find a suitable candidate. This time, with Su Yan, I made this trip."

Li Ximing, seeing that he had brought Su Yan, had already understood his intention. As he secretly sent instructions, he smiled and said, "This is good. *The River and Mausoleum Scripture* is just sitting in my family's treasury. If the Immortal Sect has a use for it, you are most welcome to take it! When an opportunity arises, I will send a copy to the lake as a token of gratitude."

Tian Huo immediately stood up, his voice slightly grave. "What kind of talk is that! The gratitude owed, my Golden Feather Sect will absolutely not shirk! There is no reason to take something from the lake for free. This matter should be me owing you a favor."

Li Ximing met his smiling gaze, feeling a subtle unease. On the other hand, he sighed, "It's just a cultivation method…"

"Ah… The Situ family was also just a cultivation method, yet it still required all the Solar cultivators to make a trip…"

He waved his hand, surprisingly bringing up the Situ family. Li Ximing hesitated for a moment, then finally asked, "The Forged Gold Gate… was truly tragic. Even though my family was always their enemy, I couldn't bear to see such humiliation inflicted upon immortal descendants. There were still a few collateral branches left then, and they were sent to my family."

As this topic came up, Tian Huo's smile remained undiminished. He avoided Li Ximing's gaze and deftly sidestepped his words, replying, "Oh… the Empty Void Path is building a temple on that Forged Blade Mountain, I hear it's called Great Primordial Light Hermitage. Quite grand!"

He chuckled and shook his head as he spoke, his hand resting motionless on the teacup. Finally, he saw Ding Weizeng rushing in from outside the mountain, holding a jade box.

He presented the jade box on the table, opened the lid, and removed the golden cloth covering it. *The River and Mausoleum Scripture* lay in the center.

"Good…" Li Ximing handed it to Tian Huo. The True Lord took it with a smile and said solemnly, "Your clan's great righteousness, I shall bear it in mind. In recent years, Sister Qiushui has been in seclusion, practicing the great art of Spirit-Splitting and Mercury Preservation, so she has no time to manage the sect. The sect… is managed by me and Tian Que. Just send your letters to Golden Feather."

He spoke for a couple of sentences, then flicked his sleeve and stood up. As if suddenly remembering something, he asked, "Your clan's麒麟儿 (Qilin Child)… must also be in seclusion now!"

Li Ximing met his gaze briefly, not answering for a moment. But the young man understood and laughed, transforming into a ray of colorful light that vanished into the Great Void.

Ding Weizeng remained with his head bowed, but Li Ximing's expression solidified. He remained silent for a long time, one hand still pressed against the table, motionless.

The shrewd man, clumsy as he was, began to clear the table, carefully putting away the jade box, tea, and cloth. He was about to pick up True Lord Tian Huo's jade cup when he saw Li Ximing shake his head.

"True Lord…"

The True Lord waved him off, softly saying, "You may leave."

Ding Weizeng quickly bowed and retreated. Li Ximing gently stepped forward, gazing into his own eyes reflected in the tea inside the cup.

'A Purple Palace cultivator's emotions manifest externally as divine abilities. When Elder Chang Xi died, his last writings were incredibly heavy, unliftable by non-cultivators. When he spoke of the Forged Gold Gate incident, he was filled with furious rage, grinding his teeth, yet dared not speak out, suppressing his emotions and divine abilities to this extent…'

This cup, infused with Tian Huo's anger, weighed over a thousand jin. If Li Ximing hadn't been there, the jade table would have long since toppled and shattered.