Chapter 896: Rectification

After he finished speaking, a cold wind swept across his face. Ning Wan arrived, riding on the snow, landing nearby. Seeing Li Ximing, she showed a hint of surprise and nodded in greeting.

Tinglan glanced at her again, then collected herself and said softly:

"Since Zhaojing has made her decision, I won't say much. I will clarify it for you right here."

"Our Purple Mist Sect was once known as the Purple Mist Temple, a small temple in this region with its own lineage, barely affiliated as a minor temple under the Wanling Upper Sect. During the Yuanfu era, Jiangnan remained largely peaceful, and our temple's cultivators often descended the mountain to travel."

"Later, when Ancestor Taixu returned after completing her studies, her divine power was revealed to the world, thereby establishing the Purple Mist Sect's Solar orthodoxy. The 'Illumination of All Under Heaven' technique our family acquired was not a legacy of the sun; its origin is ancient. The cultivation method itself is called 'Illumination of All Under Heaven,' not 'Clear Enlightenment of the Heart,' and was originally left behind by an ancient cultivator of the Li family while fleeing south."

Li Ximing listened carefully as she continued:

"The required spiritual energy must be gathered daily from the first bright ray of dawn. When collecting this energy, various spiritual ingredients are used in refining, allowing it to be generated. Unlike the common techniques used in Jiangnan, it employs the 'All-White Method,' which is suitable for all four seasons, and the collection time is not lengthy."

"Our sect has three copies ready, and even if we were to add a few more, it wouldn't take long. As for what our Purple Mist Sect desires..."

Tinglan sighed softly and replied:

"The current situation is quite delicate, difficult to speak about. Although our Purple Mist Sect possesses this cultivation method, it is connected to a rebellion from years ago. No one practices it anymore; it has become a taboo. It would be better to exchange it for another Purple Mansion cultivation method; that would also be a viable path."

Li Ximing nodded to himself. As allies who needed to confront the northern issues together, there was naturally no need for excessive complications. This was undoubtedly the most suitable approach.

So he hesitated slightly. What his own family could offer Tinglan in exchange was actually not much. Even as allies, the "Bright Splendor Primordial Scripture" should not be traded. The overt Purple Mansion cultivation methods available were only the "White-Haired Court-Knocking Scripture," the "Body Guarding Tiger Pass Treasure Scripture," the "Heavenly Bristle Gleaming Gold Scripture," and the "Profound Light Mountain-Driving Scripture."

'The "Body Guarding Tiger Pass Treasure Scripture" belongs to the Cui family. Qingchi Xiukui had already shared the Bronze Gate techniques, so Purple Mist likely wouldn't be lacking in similar ones...'

Indeed, he heard Tinglan say softly:

"The 'White-Haired Court-Knocking Scripture' belongs to the Yu Zhen lineage. I heard it fell into the lake after the Jiang family's demise. The Yu family, at the time, went to Yuanwu Peak. I've heard seniors casually mention this matter; in fact, back then, it was said that its vitality had long since vanished, leaving only lamentation."

"Now, the Yu Zhen lineage is truly shining. I've heard that your esteemed family can already cultivate this path... and has even figured out the method for gathering vital energy..."

Li Ximing smiled:

"This is not difficult. It's just that there isn't much 'Red Dust of the Courtyard' available. Although my family has used many auxiliary methods, the most recent batch will still take over two years. If fellow Taoist gives me a copy of 'Clear Enlightenment Qi,' then in two years, when the 'Red Dust of the Courtyard' is ready, I will send it to Purple Mist."

Tinglan naturally knew that 'Red Dust of the Courtyard' was rare, in fact, much more valuable than 'Clear Enlightenment Qi.' Otherwise, Li Queyi, who cultivates in Purple Mist, would have long since practiced the "White-Haired Court-Knocking Scripture"—who wouldn't with a complete Purple Mansion lineage? She simply nodded, settling the matter.

Ning Wan listened quietly from beginning to end. As a Qingchi cultivator, she naturally knew that Qingchi's shadow was behind the Jiang family's downfall. Although Qingchi disciples could not practice this cultivation method, a copy was surely secretly stored in their Daoist texts; it was simply not good to spoil others' affairs.

Once the transaction was concluded, Tinglan departed, riding the wind to retrieve it. Li Ximing had already read the "White-Haired Court-Knocking Scripture," so he didn't need to gather spiritual energy; a quick mental review was sufficient. Seizing this opportunity, he quickly voiced the doubts in his heart:

"I noticed Tinglan was very secretive... This rebellion must have been a major event."

Speaking of this, Ning Wan seemed a little regretful and simply replied:

"Don't blame her. This matter is truly complicated, difficult to speak about... I at least know some vague details and can clarify them for you."

"This 'Illumination of All Under Heaven' was passed down by Purple Qi Peak. At that time, Purple Qi Peak was flourishing and had an ancient lineage. One disciple became a True Person, with the Daoist title Tingqian."

"When this Tingqian achieved True Person status, his master, True Person Yuanjing, was in seclusion, guarding the sect. True Persons Zipei and Zimu were away on personal matters—one had gone to the Eastern Sea, and the other had vanished without a trace. For a time, Tingqian was unexpectedly put in charge."

Ning Wan found it somewhat difficult to speak, so she said in a low voice:

"At that time, Purple Qi Peak subtly held the potential to be the foremost peak. This True Person Tingqian was not only powerful himself, but he also had a disciple who was extremely talented. However, after he attained divine power, he became reckless, acting perversely. He coerced her and several other disciples into dual cultivation with him... Yet, no one in the Purple Mist Sect dared to utter a sound."

At this point, her voice was almost inaudible. She turned her head, sighed, and replied:

"When True Person Yuanjing emerged from seclusion, he was initially joyful upon hearing that a True Person had emerged, but was immediately so shocked he couldn't speak. He summoned people for questioning, and they naturally claimed it was consensual, weeping uncontrollably. But with the existence of Life Divine Power, who could truly know? They even brought out Xiukui's spiritual artifact, but unexpectedly, this Life Divine Power proved somewhat perverse, leading to further entanglement and revealing even more scandals."

After these scandals came to light, subsequent events were no longer accessible to outsiders. It was only heard that Tingqian was executed, and the woman, in anger, committed suicide. True Person Yuanjing was utterly devastated and later perished in the west. There has been no further mention of this matter since.

Li Ximing listened, feeling somewhat shocked, his brows tightly furrowed.

Apart from Chi Wei, who was muddled in his later years, the Solar orthodoxy's moral standards were undoubtedly somewhat higher than those overseas. While it's hard to say about those below, they at least needed to save face, and the earlier the era, the stricter the rules. But this matter truly wasn't suitable for much discussion...

'True Person Chengyan of Changxiao Sect did even more outrageous things, yet only became the subject of a few jokes. A Purple Mansion True Person, if truly desiring dual cultivation, wouldn't need to be so aggressive. It's likely that the matter was understated, and this female cultivator was an important direct descendant of the Kan and Wen families.'

'This rebellion in the Purple Mist Sect likely caused a break in its lineage, directly affecting two Purple Mansion cultivators and one potential Purple Mansion candidate. Otherwise, the Grand True Person wouldn't have needed to go to Qidi to take Tinglan, an outsider who started cultivating halfway, as a disciple...'

The two remained silent, out of a sense of taboo. After a long while, they saw Tinglan arrive, riding purple qi. She handed a jade slip and a jade bottle from her sleeve to Li Ximing, looking much calmer.

"Please."

Li Ximing accepted it calmly. With a sweep of his spiritual sense, he saw the characters inside:

The "Lord's Discernment of the Enlightened Heart Scripture."

This cultivation method was indeed Fourth Grade, on the same level as the "White-Haired Court-Knocking Scripture." Li Ximing put it away first, thanked her briefly, and then the two True Persons began discussing matters in the mountains. Ning Wan said:

"The Path of Emptiness has retreated, but they will surely return. The Path of Great Desire was badly hit and might not be able to send strong cultivators for a while. However, the families behind the Path of Emptiness have tested our resolve and will not give up; they will eventually return."

"But with their retreat, the north is completely empty. Temples are deserted; neither monks nor dharma masters have remained. There are only common people slowly moving northward across the land. These people are difficult to deal with."

"We definitely cannot send people out to occupy these lands; if we do, we would only needlessly disperse our strength. If we ignore them, there are many demonic cultivators in the north, and who knows how many people would die... If we were to bring them to Jiangbei..."

Ning Wan looked worried and replied:

"These people all revere Buddhism and are not afraid of suicide. It would likely be inviting trouble, leading to increased bloodshed."

Li Ximing understood her unease, especially since Baijiangxi was sparsely populated, so he asked:

"Fellow Taoist, can your Life Divine Power save them...?"

Both women shook their heads simultaneously. Ning Wan replied:

"This has nothing to do with divine power. They genuinely believe in suffering in this life for happiness in the next, and that falling into the demonic path leads to hell. They are not under any mystical influence."

Upon hearing this, Li Ximing knew it was indeed the most troublesome situation. Comparing Immortals and Buddhists, at least in terms of 'public sentiment,' the former were greatly inferior. He sighed inwardly and simply replied:

"Then we can only send one or two dozen people to the Lotus Temple territory. Otherwise, it wouldn't look good if hundreds or thousands of people were slaughtered at the foot of the mountain."

"That's also a way."

This was undoubtedly somewhat absurd. After repelling the northern forces, they still had to send the people back there. Even if it was to the Lotus Temple, which followed the path of benevolence and joy, it was still a deeply uncomfortable matter. Tinglan's expression was not good either, but given the situation, she could only lower her head and say:

"After all, the Lotus Temple has not made any outrageous moves so far, and Jinlian's attitude is particularly ambiguous. At this time, we should stabilize this lineage and preferably not let them interfere."

The woman then took out a jade talisman from her sleeve, handed it to him, and reminded him:

"It's uncertain how the situation in the north will change. If there is an urgent matter, I will use this talisman to notify you. At that time, please come north quickly to assist in quelling the incident."

Li Ximing's divine powers and spiritual artifacts might not be able to contend with Mahakala, but when it comes to suppressing the Path of Compassion, he is undoubtedly the best, with rich experience. The Solar orthodoxy clearly couldn't do without him. And Li Ximing naturally wished for more preparation time, so he quickly cupped his hands in greeting:

"I happen to have one or two spells about to be perfected. Since the two fellow Taoists are guarding this mountain, I will return to cultivate in seclusion!"

After all, it was the Solar orthodoxy's home ground, so Li Ximing found it inappropriate to say more. His objective achieved, and having agreed to the matter, he flew away on a beam of light, landing on the lake.

Currently, the Li family's forces were all at Baijiangxi and Tangdao Mountain, so the lake, however, seemed empty. He rode a beam of light into the main hall, where he saw Li Jianglong listening to a report from a white-robed man.

This white-robed man, with his handsome appearance and elegant demeanor, was naturally Fei Qingyi of the Fei family.

'And this Fei family needs to be sent to Xiukui in time. Fei Qingyi himself can be kept for a while; Tangdao Mountain is short on people after all.'

Seeing Li Ximing materialize from light, Fei Qingyi immediately knelt down. Li Jianglong also left his seat to bow, addressing the True Person:

"Greetings, Lord!"

Without needing further indication from Li Ximing, he respectfully said:

"Currently, the family's second batch of cultivators, led by Guest Elder Fei, is preparing to depart to reinforce Jiangbei. Once the handover is complete, Jiangxia will then lead people to Tangdao Mountain to resist the northern forces."

Li Ximing waved his hand, dismissing Fei Qingyi. He then looked at the young man beside him. Li Jianglong immediately stood up and introduced him:

"This is Jiang Zong, a clan younger brother. He is now a talent from the eldest branch and has always followed Lord Minggong. Currently, he is in charge of Qingdu on the isle and is the most outstanding among the brothers of the eldest branch."

"Hmm."

Li Ximing had heard of him. Seeing his respectful and rather calm expression, he nodded inwardly. Although he wasn't exceptionally outstanding, at present, they couldn't expect too much; having talent and being obedient was good enough.

He didn't expect Li Zhouming to achieve much. Now, the family had two branches, and it was already fortunate for the eldest branch to produce a Li Jiangzong. So he smiled:

"You've truly had much to worry about."

"This is my duty as a junior!"

Li Jianglong immediately bowed deeply, tears streaming down his face, and said respectfully:

"Just a few months ago, my family had news of a new offspring, and I was overjoyed. I couldn't settle on a name for a long time. Now that I have met the True Person, I hope you will bestow a name, to let the child be touched by your divine power!"

'Good.'

He seized the opportunity. He saw Li Ximing smile and shake his head, but it was, after all, good news. He pondered for a moment and replied:

"...This name should properly be chosen by your father. But since you've asked me, I shall grant your wish. Now, with a major war imminent and much turmoil, and everyone heading north, it would be good to choose an auspicious name. So, I will suggest one that should suffice."

"Li Suihuan."

Li Jianglong immediately prostrated himself, tears streaming down his face, and said respectfully:

"Thank you, True Person!"

Li Ximing glanced, seeing Li Jiangzong, who stood behind Li Jianglong, look thoughtful, and nodded inwardly:

"Even if he doesn't possess Longxia's keen insight, he can at least perceive what's happening."

It should be noted that among Li Zhouwei's sons, only Li Jiangqian used the '辶' radical in his name. The others, such as Longxia and Liangnian, did not follow the traditional naming scheme, and there was even an unspoken agreement in the clan rules to disregard this. So, for Li Jianglong to have a son, choosing a name was a big issue!

Li Jianglong seized this opportunity, insisting that he, the True Person, bestow the name, and knelt before him in one breath. This was precisely because he dared not act on his own and was merely seeking a name.

Facing the other's subtle intentions, his emotions were quite complex. He simply waved his sleeve and said:

"The family is difficult to manage now. Perhaps you'll also have to go north; be careful."

To be a bit cruel, in the current struggle with the north, everyone except Li Jiangqian and Li Quewan could be sacrificed. Even if Li Ximing wanted to keep those two by his side on the isle, he worried that if they didn't engage in combat year-round or struggle between life and death at least once or twice, they wouldn't become truly capable.

"Attaining Purple Mansion isn't merely about high talent... Without my master, without Brother Jun, without so many years of grievances and setbacks in my family, how could I have passed that threshold?"

"Jiangqian is somewhat better, but Quewan is too sheltered. She's been protected too well for so many years; letting her only cultivate is also not appropriate."

He was silent for a long time, then transformed into a stream of light and drifted away. Arriving at the isle, he found Li Quewan still cultivating and practicing techniques. Her cultivation was only a step away from Mid-Foundation Establishment and was very solid. Li Ximing asked her to stand and said softly:

"You should also go into seclusion first. There's no need to refine your cultivation further for now; for the upcoming matters, you will need to face the enemy."

Li Quewan's expression became solemn upon hearing this, and she immediately withdrew.

Thus, the inner formation on the isle was empty, without a single sound. Li Ximing felt hesitant:

'I also can't rest assured about their trials; I'll always need to look after them. Never mind, never mind... I'll take it one step at a time.'

The Li family used to have several Foundation Establishment cultivators discussing important matters. Li Ximing was even a junior then, not needing to lead any situation, just occasionally filling in gaps. Now, with his divine power and being the only True Person, those below had many thoughts but dared not speak, and no one dared to offer him guidance...

"Even Grandfather speaks to me with quiet caution... how can I expect anything from others...?"

He then proceeded directly into the main hall, where he saw the Xiyao Glazed Pagoda. It had transformed into its true form, standing in the hall, and he could faintly discern the swirling elements of water, fire, wind, and thunder within.

He transformed into a beam of heavenly light and flew into the pagoda. He used his divine power to lock the entrance and went directly to the Beigong Lei Pavilion on the topmost floor. He wrapped a jade talisman with his divine power and suspended it within the thunder, so that it would break open immediately if there was any movement. Only then did he close his eyes tightly, raise his spiritual consciousness, and connect with the talisman seed within the Ascension Sun Mansion.

Tinglan would indeed use a jade talisman to notify him, but his family was now vast and influential. If a guest arrived or some trouble arose, and Li Quewan was in seclusion, and no one from the family could be found at the pagoda, that would inevitably be troublesome. This was why he needed to set up the jade talisman.

'If only I had a Transference Token, it wouldn't be this troublesome... Fortunately, I've acquired the Life Divine Power.'

In an instant, the scenery before him suddenly changed. He had arrived in a different world, and extremely rich spiritual energy surged towards him. He simply sat down amidst a radiant and pure brilliance. Only then did he take out "The Path of Flaming Dance."

'Having practiced this movement technique these past years, I've gained some insights. If I make a bit more progress, I will have mastered "The Path of Flaming Dance."'

'Let Tangdao Mountain be handled by the Solar orthodoxy. If Tinglan's side doesn't seek me out, I can continue studying the Bright Heaven Surging Waves and the Celestial Sun Escape of the Lie Mansion. One more spell means fewer injuries later!'