Chapter 898: Strategic Planning

The Taoist sect in the Northern Sea refused to lend it, and Li Ximing, not wanting to press the issue or make things awkward, didn't bring it up again or ask about Kuiqi's whereabouts. After mentioning Dingyangzi, he went up the mountain with everyone.

"Dingyangzi, whom Senior Kuiqi invited, came to the lake. We've already settled things, and he gave me a pill recipe for the Huishui Xuandao Powder, asking me to refine it."

The great hall on Tangdao Mountain had already been repaired. Tinglan, who seemed to have fully recovered from his injuries, led everyone into the hall. As he listened to Li Ximing speak of Dingyangzi, Hou Fu shook his head and said:

"He's a bit rough around the edges with his words. If he has offended you, please forgive him, Zhaojing."

Li Ximing understood the situation. He saw Tinglan observing his expression, seemingly worried that Dingyangzi might have had a conflict with him. Tinglan only said:

"Although that fellow has ties to the Sun Taoist sect, he's not exactly good-tempered himself. He's been disappointed in Changhuai for a long time, so it's inevitable he's a bit stiff. But when Senior Kuiqi wrote to ask, he immediately agreed, which shows that deep down, he's still on our side. Just forgive his bad temper."

Both of them spoke quite gravely, but Li Ximing had spent some time with Dingyangzi and found that the other party still had a certain flexibility about him, without any truly severe glares or nasty words. So he said:

"Dingyangzi is a straightforward person; he's efficient and decisive, clearing things up in no time."

Upon entering the great hall, they saw a jade table set at the main seat, with other seats arranged on both sides. There was no music, dancing, or fine wine; it was just an ordinary hall. The man in the main seat looked quite relaxed as he nodded to the group.

"Senior Kuiqi!"

Kan Ziyu's breakthrough was undoubtedly a tonic; even Kuiqi's expression looked much better. As everyone took their seats, Kuiqi took the initiative to bring up the matter, congratulating:

"Congratulations, fellow Taoist."

Tinglan returned the greeting with a smile. Li Ximing watched him turn and calmly said:

"I originally went to the Northern Sea. The Xie family's Yuci Qun Guang Ling array disc was borrowed by the Tuoba family thirty years ago. Now, this item cannot be retrieved."

These words made everyone fall silent. The Tuoba family wasn't particularly close with the Buddhist cultivators, but being in the same northern region, they had considerable interactions. However, the Sun Taoist sect and the Tuoba family could not see eye to eye at all, so there was naturally no reason for them to lend the item over.

Seeing Kuiqi pause, Li Ximing continued:

"After returning from the Northern Sea, I then went to Peacock Sea. This time it was a formal visit, so it was a bit more grand. Now that I'm back, I've finally received this good news about Ziyu."

Li Ximing had been to Peacock Sea, so he naturally knew that the person being visited was the Yuandao Grand True Immortal from the Jiuqiu Taoist sect, who had close ties to the Sun Taoist sect. He then said to Tinglan:

"These past few days, various Lians and Dharma Masters have already arrived outside the mountain. Although no Mahas are seen, there are many minor figures, and no shortage of those stepping forward to provoke."

"The Foundation Establishment cultivators below are fighting every day, and casualties are inevitable. Fortunately, for now, they are within an acceptable range, and no major losses have occurred among the direct descendants of each family. The opposing Lians have made three moves in total, always with three or four Lians forming an array, retreating as soon as they probed. They are scouting the personnel within our array."

"But judging by the Golden Bodies, at least Daixi and Nuzi have been driven here like dogs and horses. No other Taoist sects are seen, but traces of the Buddhist lands within their bellies are. I'm afraid it's the Ci'bei Taoist sect."

The Ci'bei Taoist sect, as the overlord of Yan Kingdom and the most active of the Northern Buddhist sects, appearing here was clearly not good news, causing Li Ximing to frown. However, the others showed no surprise, even seeming to take it for granted.

*The last North-South conflict was also spearheaded by the Ci'bei Taoist sect...*

Tinglan looked at Li Ximing with a serious expression and said:

"There's no reason to wait day after day for others to come knocking. Since Zhaojing has come out of seclusion and the senior has returned, we should also lead a group of people and test their mettle."

The two-year deadline was approaching, and everyone tacitly understood, so no one mentioned the Sword Immortal Lou Xing.

Although time was passing, the deterrent effect of the Sword Immortal was far from exhausted. However, as soon as True Immortal Lou Xing ascended to Luoxia and perished, the North must have known this very clearly, rendering the so-called deterrent nonexistent. Therefore, it would be best to test the opponent's true strength beforehand.

Ziyan now had Kan Ziyu, which added another trump card. However, the Buddhist cultivators in the North were not blind and were even better at divination than most immortal cultivators. They currently knew this, and it was possible that once things started, before Tangdao Mountain even moved, the North would have already arrived.

*In fact, it would have been best if Lou Xing had merely clung to a breath, acting as a skeleton in the tomb, without revealing his death. But the old man had lived his life to the fullest; fulfilling his wish by killing Mahā before his death was already a great effort. How could he be bothered for the sake of the Sun Taoist sect...?*

Kuiqi's expression gradually grew solemn:

"We made preparations for this long ago..."

But he had only spoken half of the sentence when a white-robed cultivator, traveling from outside the array, arrived. With a sword on his back and dressed as a Taoist priest, he was extremely handsome and possessed a magnificent aura. It was none other than True Immortal Zhusheng, the Jade True Sword Cultivator from Southern Xinjiang!

He entered the array, bowed to the others, and smiled:

"Greetings, fellow Taoists!"

Li Ximing returned the bow, nodded silently, understood inwardly, and thought:

*So that's how it is. The Sun Taoist sect had already discussed it beforehand, waiting for the right moment to act. It's just that Kuiqi is a proud person; he would never let others act in vain. He wanted to advance the matter of the spirit embryo, specifically inviting Dingyangzi to have him set aside the spirit artifacts in his furnace, and only then agree to my request.*

*Originally, there should have been another three to five days until Ning Wan returned from the south and all the helpers had gathered, then I would have been formally invited to the mountain. But due to Kan Ziyu's sudden breakthrough, everyone met, and they naturally took the opportunity to invite me over. That's why I haven't seen Ning Wan.*

He felt a chill in his heart:

*They even invited True Immortal Zhusheng, who is far away in Southern Xinjiang. If they just set aside their pride, wouldn't the closer Chunyi Taoist sect come? Chen from the Yuyang Chen family is even easier to summon. Nanshun Luozha is hard to say... But if Ning Wan puts aside her sect's principles, how could True Immortal Luo not come?*

*Kuiqi is a resolute person. He firmly seized Tangdao Mountain and then exerted all his might. He would never sheathe his blade until the Buddhist cultivators were severely hurt!*

But then the True Immortal cultivating Jade True asked:

"I wonder, where is True Immortal Zhugong now?"

Upon this question, Tinglan replied with some embarrassment:

"It's hard to say. I've asked several times but found no trace of her. She has probably gone into seclusion."

This matter was actually not surprising. Li Ximing secretly pondered that it was unlikely True Immortal Zhugong didn't know about the situation in Jiangnan. She probably seized this opportunity to get away. In any case, her sect was near Ziyan, with the Duxian Taoist sect bearing the brunt, so it would be most sensible for her to harden her heart and not return.

*Even if she came, it would be difficult to say so... If the Chunyi Taoist sect were present, Zhugong, being from the East Sea, couldn't be completely cleared of suspicion. It would be fine if her strength was intact, but if she had injuries, how could she dare to make it known...?*

Li Ximing now understood Ning Wan's intention in going to the South Sea. He watched Kuiqi stand up with his hands behind his back and say:

"Tangdao Mountain, straddling two regions, is north of Luoxia Plain and backed by the fertile land of Baijiang Stream. It is truly a vital passage between north and south, connecting to Xiaoshi in the west and Chengyun in the east. We have a geographical advantage, blessed by a great array and a commanding view. The Buddhist cultivators' forces are scattered in the North, making them difficult to concentrate. Just the northward mountain range, divided into three branches, is enough to cause them difficulty."

"Currently, Lotus Temple is not interfering. The Buddhist cultivators' nearest sect gate is at Qinling Mountain, which is far from here. So they have established temples in the Xiaoshi area, Luoxia area, and Caishan area, corresponding to the west, north, and east directions, respectively."

Kuiqi said with a solemn expression:

"The three locations need to be guarded. The Caishan area connects to Chengyun, so I'll rely on Zhaojing to go there. Xiaoshi Mountain will be handed over to Tinglan. We will break through from the true North and engage in battle first."

Kuiqi's plan didn't involve much elaborate calculation. After all, distance was basically no obstacle for those at the Purple Mansion level. If not for a Purple Mansion cultivator holding them back, it wouldn't take long at all to traverse the Great Void.

Li Ximing, possessing the Yetian Gate, and Tinglan, wielding the Purple Throne Muling Pavilion, were simply the most suitable experts for this task. The two would go one to the west and one to the east, holding back the Buddhist cultivators, while Kuiqi and the others would push deep to destroy the considerable Northern Buddhist forces.

He pondered it over in his mind and then replied:

"If fellow Taoist has any instructions, just use a jade talisman to summon me. I acquired some Buddhist artifacts a while ago, so perhaps I can make a trip to Chengyun."

Kuiqi smiled:

"Of course, I was just about to say so! We should greet the Chengyun side. Given Caishan's position, if the situation turns unfavorable, we'll have to ask them to provide support for you."

"As for the Luminous Glass Kasaya in your hand, it's no ordinary item. Lotus Temple mentioned it; they sent someone to ask me about it, and their people are also in the Chengyun Gate area. Naturally, you can exchange it for some good things."

Back then, this kasaya was used by Nu Yan to capture Bai Yinzi, and it endured a great battle without any damage. Li Ximing knew then that this item was excellent, so he had long harbored thoughts of exchanging it. He didn't expect Lotus Temple to seek him out first.

Li Ximing should have gone to Chengyun Gate long ago, both for the matters concerning Wang Quwan and Wang Xiaoxiao, and to sell the kasaya he had obtained. So he smiled and bade farewell to the two. Just as he was about to depart by light, he saw Kuiqi stop him and quietly say:

"Five days later, Ziyan Sect plans to celebrate True Immortal Wenqing's breakthrough and successful mastery of divine abilities. They will hold a grand banquet in the Ziyan Blessed Land, inviting all cultivators from Jiangnan, with all True Immortals attending. I also ask Zhaojing to leave a wisp of your divine ability for us to use."

*No wonder Zhusheng came first!*

Li Ximing paused for a moment, immediately reacted, smiled slightly, and praised:

"Good!"

So he joined two fingers and pointed out a dazzling ray of heavenly light. Kuiqi gathered it with his sleeve, cupped his hands, and said:

"The divine ability will transform; just a waxy effigy, endowed with a trace of spirit, will sit amidst the clouds. Please excuse the offense!"

With the joint transformation by the direct True Immortal of the Grand Xiukui Temple and Zhusheng of the Jade True Taoist sect, not to mention monks trying to divine from a hundred thousand li away, even if they saw it face to face, they would foolishly turn and run.

"No problem!"

Li Ximing departed by light. Zhusheng merely cupped his hands and replied:

"I do not like the Yuan Magnetic force. I will wait outside the mountain first."

Thus, only the three direct descendants of the Sun Taoist sect remained in the great hall. Kuiqi let out a breath, rubbed his brow, and said:

"What did Xuanniao Temple say?"

Tinglan replied:

"Sumin adamantly refused to get involved. According to those on the mountain, he took the ancestral portrait from the sect gate and then departed without saying another word."

Hou Fu made a quick calculation with his fingers and comforted:

"That should be enough. We won't need him."

"Now, we must fight a battle to the north!"

Kuiqi frowned deeply and said:

"Northern Buddhism and the Immortal Path cannot be compared. If they have a position, they rise; if not, they stay put. They don't need much daily cultivation, so they can very well wear us down here, stirring up trouble every three days and harassing every five. How can we afford such attrition?"

"We need to learn divine abilities, cultivate spells, nourish spiritual pills, and refine spiritual artifacts, and perhaps even look after our juniors. Where do we find such time in our daily lives? If we accompany them, causing trouble back and forth in this mountain range, will we still be cultivating?"

"What's more, the North can come and go as they please, but we might not be able to gather so many people every time. Today someone is in seclusion, tomorrow someone is refining artifacts; they cannot easily be moved. The number of people we gather depends on luck, and we owe favors for it!"

"Just as Ziyu broke through, the Ci'bei Taoist sect, skilled at divination, will undoubtedly speculate. Everyone has left behind marvelous transformations, leaving their auras in the blessed land, blending together. Even Puyun and Qiushui wouldn't be able to discern it if they didn't come in person. It will certainly be enough to confuse them somewhat."

He closed his eyes tightly and sighed deeply:

"If we are to fight, we must fight a fierce battle. Once people disperse and leave for their own matters, we will only be able to defend this mountain..."

Having said this, Kuiqi flicked his sleeves and stood up, while Hou Fu said:

"We just have to deal with it well. At worst, we lose Jiangbei."

Li Ximing traveled by light, traversing the Great Void for a while. He soon saw the so-called Caishan, which was merely a small, low mountain covered with densely packed temples, as if they could flatten the mountain at any moment, radiating with shining treasures.

In the sky, several rays of colorful light faintly descended. Perhaps several Lians were receiving Buddhist soil and practicing spells. Li Ximing glanced a few times and saw at least three present. As for Mahas, that was hard to say.

"Five days is but a blink of an eye. It would be best to exchange some information to gain an advantage in the upcoming situation!"

Li Ximing was not at all afraid that Lotus Temple would not speak. After all, Buddhist cultivators were the most fragmented, and the faction led by the Great Curtain Dharma Realm was even more radical; some even openly called the Ci'bei Taoist sect "demons." Although Lotus Temple wasn't anything good, letting them gain some benefits while also harming the Ci'bei Taoist sect was simply a great opportunity that couldn't be found even with a lantern!

As expected, Li Ximing feigned a visit to Chengyun and did not go towards Caishan. Before he even landed on Chenshui Lake, he saw a monk riding a golden light speeding past. The monk, upon seeing him, was both surprised and delighted, and called out:

"Fellow Taoist! Fellow Taoist!"

Li Ximing glanced over. This monk wore a white kasaya adorned with lotus patterns in gold and pink. With red lips and white teeth, he looked like a handsome youth. It was none other than Minghui Lian, whom he had met in the Chengyun territory years ago.

Now, with constant friction between North and South, it was certainly excellent if Lotus Temple did not intervene. Li Ximing didn't show much expression on his face; he simply cupped his hands and said:

"Reverend, what splendid demeanor and fine kasaya."

"Not at all... not at all!"

He looked overjoyed and merely said:

"I've been wandering here for a while. I wanted to go south, but was afraid of causing displeasure. Haha, the good kasaya is in your hands, fellow Taoist!"

No matter what, Lotus Temple was one of the Seven Phases of Northern Buddhism. Li Ximing didn't say much more to him and said softly:

"The Luminous Glass Kasaya is indeed in my possession. I hear Lotus Temple needs it?"

"Exactly! Exactly!"

Minghui reached out to lead the way, and the two quietly descended. Li Ximing concealed his divine abilities. The monk then transformed himself into a Taoist priest with black hair and a long beard, walking with him on Chenshui Lake, and said with a laugh:

"What a true coincidence. I've coveted this Luminous Glass Kasaya for a long time, but then Nu Yan borrowed it to capture someone. I never expected it to show no divine power and end up in your hands, fellow Taoist..."

Li Ximing, standing by, saw his casual transformation was done with effortless skill and found it quite profound, secretly growing wary.

*I've fought quite a few Lians. Even if they knew some spells, it was usually one or two. None had such effortless mastery. He's also skilled in divination, which I witnessed back then... This Minghui is likely a top-tier figure of the Shanle Taoist sect, a Lian personally appointed and taught by Jinlian.*

Showing no change in expression, he said:

"Then fellow Taoist must offer a good price!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Minghui repeatedly waved his hand and gestured forward, seeming somewhat hesitant. His eyes kept looking towards the distant Chengyun mountain gate, clearly indicating something else.

After all, the two parties had no friendship and no basis of trust. Without a True Immortal to mediate, it would naturally be very difficult to reach an agreement on this matter. Li Ximing then said:

"This is not the time to discuss such matters openly. I invite fellow Taoist to accompany me to Chengyun mountain gate. You and I can meet True Immortal Changyun, and then everything will be easier to discuss."

"Yes, yes, yes."

Minghui hastily went forward with him, all the way to Chengyun mountain gate. They soon arrived at the mountain gate, Yebai Mountain, where they encountered a Chengyun disciple on the lake.

This disciple exuded a clear aura, had a proper countenance, a sword at his waist, and an imposing demeanor—truly the appearance of an orthodox immortal sect disciple. He recognized Minghui at first glance and bowed, saying:

"Please, esteemed sirs, proceed to the pavilion. I will go invite our True Immortal!"

**Characters in this chapter:*** Li Ximing: Early Purple Mansion stage, Purple Mansion Alchemist* Tinglan: Early Purple Mansion stage, Purple Mansion Array Master* Zhusheng: Early Purple Mansion stage* Hou Fu: Early Purple Mansion stage* Kuiqi: Mid-Purple Mansion stage* Minghui: Lian (Reverend)