Chapter 915: Lost Position, Doubtful

His frank words fell chillingly on the mountain, making everything around them fall silent.

Li Zhouwei stared intently at him, his voice gradually lowering as he said softly, "Elder, that's incredibly significant news."

His voice echoed through the mountains. Ye Hui lowered his head to sip his tea, while Li Ximing silently clutched his cup, taking over the conversation. "Now that the reactions from all sides are clear," he said, "it's natural to see the North's true intentions. If the Solar Dao had known earlier, they wouldn't have suffered such a devastating defeat..."

After he finished speaking, Li Zhouwei stared fixedly at the True Lord before him. Ye Hui's lips parted slightly, and he gave two silent, sarcastic laughs before replying, "Known early? Among the southern cultivators, some knew, some didn't, some held out hope, and some secretly suspected. But ultimately, they went to Tangdao. I won't say much else. Do you mean to say no one in the South knew? That's impossible!"

A smile, warm as sunlight, suddenly appeared on his face as he reminded them, "Fellow Daoists, Hengzhu is an exalted position in this world!"

Ye Hui was truly audacious. This chillingly blunt statement he dared to make, few probably dared to hear. It almost explicitly pointed out that a True Lord behind the Hengzhu Dao had stood by idly from beginning to end, secretly manipulating the situation.

The Six Sons of Chongming studied at Qingsong Monastery and inherited the Solar Dao. Six True Lords from one lineage, they established their dao under the rule of the closely related Moonlit Yuan Mansion. Three of them are still in power and have left traces of their activities in the world. Taixu and Taiyu had fallen, leaving True Lord Taizhu as the least conspicuous.

Over the years, the Li family had gathered a considerable amount of information and had interacted with the Solar Dao for many years. They had some understanding of almost every True Lord, yet True Lord Taizhu alone had remained completely silent from beginning to end, seemingly never having taken action.

But as soon as these words were uttered, Li Ximing's heart trembled slightly, and Hengxing's words resurfaced in his mind: Lin Jianqi had willingly died for this, but how many in the world could be like Lin Jianqi?

If the Hengzhu Dao had possibly anticipated this early on, then did Kuiqi know? What exactly was the True Lord of Great Xiukui Monastery blocking in front of Tangdao Mountain for?

Li Ximing sighed inwardly. Ye Hui paused almost in sync, then sighed softly, "If Changxiao truly dared to act, it wouldn't just be friction with the Hengzhu family; he would be facing the entire Solar Dao of Jiangnan. Although his cultivation is very high, and the South can't do anything to him for now, there will still be no shortage of minor conflicts."

"Baijiangxi will definitely be lost," he continued. "I specially came to meet with fellow Daoist. Without saying more, we will certainly be in touch later, hoping that our two families can set aside past grievances and help each other."

"Of course!"

Li Ximing's expression was solemn, but he still wanted to clarify the previous statement to avoid any misunderstanding. He immediately replied, "Whether a fruit position is manifest or not is not for one fellow Daoist to decide. While the Hengzhu Dao is indeed powerful, the spiritual objects of Hengzhu are scarce between heaven and earth, so it's hard to say. This is not something to be asked lightly."

Ye Hui glanced at the gardenia flower that had fallen in front of him and replied, "Naturally, I just said it for now. After all, the power of a True Lord is immense; how could a minor cultivator's words clearly explain it? It's just that hearing your words reminded me of something I read when I obtained my Dao lineage."

"It states: 'A manifest position is never truly lost; a seemingly lost position should not be doubted. Lower cultivators are diligent and frugal; their proof lies in the surplus.'"

"If a Golden Fruit Position is manifest across heaven and earth, flourishing throughout the world, then there must be an exalted one in that position. If a Fruit Position is obscured and unmanifest, its spiritual energy cut off, one cannot then suspect that the great one has fallen. Because if they wish, this Fruit Position will become obscured and unmanifest, and its spiritual energy will be cut off."

"Lower cultivators can only know which True Lord wishes for people to know of their presence, and then cultivate diligently themselves. But for us, without the accumulated Dao lineage transmission over years, the oral teachings passed from master to disciple, detailed records, and divided cultivation paths for different branches, how can we compare the power of various Fruit Positions over hundreds or thousands of years? How can we know which Fruit Position is truly manifest across heaven and earth, flourishing throughout the world?"

Ye Hui grunted, then a playful expression emerged on his face. He burst into sarcastic laughter. Still laughing, he stood up and stepped into the Great Void, departing, leaving only his chilling words echoing on the mountain: "This means... those of us who aren't even considered lower cultivators shouldn't even bother trying to prove our positions!"

He transformed into flowing purple light, bid farewell, and dispersed, leaving Li Ximing and Li Zhouwei sitting solemnly at the table. For a moment, they had nothing to say, their expressions grave.

Only after a long while did Li Zhouwei sip his tea. "It seems Ye Hui," he mused, "has the ambition to become a True Lord, and also a deep dissatisfaction with his Dao lineage background..."

Unlike Li Ximing and Li Zhouwei, the Li family was known as an imperial lineage, and the Mingyang Dao was widely known. Li Zhouwei and Li Ximing clearly knew who held the fruit position above them and what their circumstances were. Even if they didn't know how the future situation would change, they at least had a foundation.

Ye Hui's Dao lineage, however, came from a Grotto-heaven of the Douxuan Dao. Although his own cultivation methods were exquisite and powerful, and his spiritual artifacts were good, he lacked a background. He was unaware of the struggles concerning the Imperial Guard above him. Even though he had opportunities that most Purple Mansions would envy, he was equally bewildered and uneasy about proving his position.

At this moment, Li Zhouwei also gradually understood his motives. "If he didn't have ambition," he mused, "why would he be stirring up trouble in this Jiangbei territory? While the Duxian Dao's mountain gate undoubtedly had much effort poured into it and was valuable, the risks are now growing ever larger. Couldn't he have simply led the Duxian Dao away from the eye of this storm?"

"It's simply that he still harbors aspirations for advancement," Li Zhouwei continued. "He seized control of Jiangbei early, hoping to establish his own foothold in the struggle between the North and South, whether contacting the South or the North, to acquire more information on the overall situation and the path of cultivation..."

After listening for a while, Li Ximing naturally understood early on. "Judging by his manner of speaking," he said, "he has already cultivated many connections in the North... He had plans early on!"

"This is understandable," Li Ximing said. "To put it bluntly, few Foundation Establishment cultivators don't dream of reaching Purple Mansion, and few Purple Mansions don't aspire to the Fruit Position. The path to immortality surpasses ambrosia; it's more tempting than anything."

Li Ximing sighed, causing Li Zhouwei to lower his gaze slightly.

Without needing to say more, the two tacitly stepped into the Great Void together, drifting over the lake surface. They materialized within the inner formation on the lake. The main hall was slightly dim, with a pagoda standing in its center.

"You've been to the place..."

Li Ximing asked in a low voice, with a hint of uncertainty, glancing at him twice. He hesitated, "Azure Talisman..."

"That's right!"

Li Zhouwei finally showed a hint of a smile. He replied, "I have received it, and gained the Talisman of Manifesting Sun and Moon!"

He briefly explained his talismanic energy. Li Ximing stroked his beard, nodding repeatedly in admiration. He laughed several times and shook his head, "It seems I won't have to risk my life like this in the future!"

When this topic came up, Li Zhouwei immediately became serious and bowed respectfully. "Elder, you've worked tirelessly these past few years!"

Li Ximing wouldn't dwell on such words. He waved his hand, smiling, and interrupted him, immediately asking about what concerned him most: "Your cultivation level..."

Li Zhouwei smiled slightly and replied, "The talisman transformed into azure mist, elevating my cultivation. The Heaven's Gate in Shengyang was instantly perfected!"

Li Ximing stared at him blankly, his expression peculiar, a mix of surprise and awkwardness. "So... are our cultivation levels the same now?"

"Not quite."

Li Zhouwei shook his head. The True Lord in the golden-white Daoist robe immediately realized, clapped his hands in vexation, and said, "Right... My injuries are still severe, so how could my cultivation level be considered the same as yours?"

Li Zhouwei felt slightly awkward, hesitated for a breath, and replied, "Not referring to my physical body... It's that I, your junior, received the Azure Talisman and enhanced a divine ability. The remaining portion, however, has not been used up; it has reformed into pure cultivation, sealed within Shengyang. As long as I cultivate the next divine ability, with a thought, I can still draw it out and use it..."

"Oh!"

Li Ximing turned and sat down. He pondered for a moment, then chuckled, "It is the Azure Talisman, after all!"

But he immediately turned back, surprised. "Since it can elevate your cultivation," he exclaimed, "wouldn't it instantly complete the six cycles and boost you immediately?! Have you cultivated the 'World's Radiance'? Have you considered it thoroughly?"

Li Ximing had heard Tinglan explain that 'World's Radiance' was best used when the last divine ability was perfected. He himself had no specific ideas. But Li Zhouwei was different. When he asked this, he saw the man before him shake his head and smile. "Naturally, I remember the instruction..."

Li Zhouwei affirmed, then said solemnly, "I have cultivated 'Monarch's Perilous Tread', but I haven't used the azure mist within the Shengyang Palace. I need to discuss this matter with Elder."

"Firstly, relying on the talismanic energy for rapid advancement, my Heaven's Gate is already complete. However, refining divine abilities is not easily discernible; individual divine ability attainments vary and are a personal matter, making it hard to set a standard, so it's not a big deal. But if I continue to use it, there's no telling if a second divine ability will rapidly condense! That would be completely different from before; once I engage in combat, it would be fully exposed."

His expression was solemn. "Although I have some destiny, there's no way I could achieve a second divine ability in a few days; that would be terrifying. If others saw it, they would probably suspect I'm the reincarnation of Emperor Wei! Moreover, all parties are already paying attention to me. If something so far beyond their expectations were to happen, it would surely invite disaster!"

Li Ximing nodded deeply, seeing Li Zhouwei continue, "Therefore, in my humble opinion, it's best to take this time to cultivate on my own. Once the second divine ability is forged, then use the talismanic energy to quickly bring it to perfection. That is the wisest way to protect myself and fully utilize the benefits of this Azure Talisman."

"Good..."

Li Ximing stroked his beard and replied, "It's best you arrange it yourself."

After he said this, his tone gradually became complex as he asked, "Since you mentioned the arrangements of various parties, and our family is becoming increasingly involved in the matter of Emperor Wei, what are your thoughts?"

Li Zhouwei seemed to have considered this long ago. Hearing this, his gaze slightly darkened, and he said softly, "Regarding the struggles at the highest levels, neither I nor our family are qualified to inquire. Whether we end up following the Dragon Clan's arrangements, cultivating through reincarnation, or being forced into a corner and compelled to break through, there's no fixed outcome yet. In my view, there is only one immediate priority: enhancing our strength and accumulating power."

Li Ximing silently nodded in response. After pondering for a long time, he took out a dark ink-colored jade from his sleeve and said, "You're still using a regular artifact; it's truly not fitting. The Guanxie Terrace has long been built. Take this spiritual essence and use it so you can have a weapon sooner."

Li Zhouwei had naturally thought about this. He mused, "My artifact was damaged in the previous fight with Helian Wumeng. I've wanted to repair it for a long time, but the art of artifact refining on the lake has always been lacking, with insufficient top-tier talent. I can only slowly nurture it myself. Although the Jiangzong within the clan has studied it for many years and made some progress, they still can't forge anything at the spiritual embryo level. We still need to find someone."

"This isn't difficult," Li Ximing said. "Ning Wan is still missing, and borrowing Chu Ming for refining is inconvenient. But Ziyan and Xiukui are both easy to borrow from now."

Li Ximing chuckled. Only then did he remember something and quickly took out a small jade bottle, inside which contained wisps of greenish-white energy. He showed it to Li Zhouwei, reminding him, "Look at this thing; it's also from the Heaven and Earth."

There were five bottles of this substance in total. In the Heaven and Earth, there were actually a few more bottles remaining, but Li Zhouwei had been focused on his cultivation and hadn't looked closely. Now, upon taking a closer look, he speculated, "I think it's some kind of spiritual energy... related to the Great Yin. If you truly want to ask about this, I'm afraid only the Chunyi Dao in the world would know."

Li Ximing shook his head with a slight headache and replied, "I know this. In fact, I've even refined Great Elixirs of the Great Yin Dao! These are excellent things for the Chunyi Dao. But whether inquiring about spiritual energy or speaking of spiritual elixirs, the Great Yin is scarce. Once these things become precious, how could they fall into our hands for no reason? It would only arouse suspicion."

Li Zhouwei nodded. "I see... didn't we also get news of a grotto-heaven in the Heaven and Earth?" he said. "This matter cannot be rushed. Once Elder recovers from his injuries and the situation in the North stabilizes, he should make a trip outside. It would be best to find an excuse and get the matter done."

Li Ximing understood his meaning.

This was a sensitive period. Li Zhouwei was not suitable to go out, nor could he inexplicably go overseas and precisely locate this grotto-heaven in some strait. Li Ximing could only quietly depart and retrieve the items.

"Alright!"

Li Ximing secretly nodded. He pulled out an alchemical furnace from his sleeve, which was golden yellow and ivory white—the Precious Elephant Furnace. He immediately chuckled, "I still need the Dingyangzi Huisui Xuandao Powder, and then I can refine this elixir!"

Originally, the spiritual energy was much denser within the Heaven and Earth of Sun and Moon's Brilliance, making it a better place for refining elixirs. Unfortunately, the Huisui Xuandao Powder was an elixir of the Kanshui Xuanye, and its nature did not align with the balanced meaning. He immediately took out the main ingredient for the Huisui Xuandao Powder.

This item had been given to him by Dingyangzi. Opening the jade box revealed a palm-sized scale, black and blue in color—the main ingredient, Cangzhou Hui Scale, shimmering with faint light. The other auxiliary ingredients were also ready, so he could start refining the elixir as soon as the furnace was lit.

Just by looking at it, the quality of this spiritual material was excellent, making Li Ximing ponder inwardly: Dingyangzi wants six pills per batch, which I can certainly achieve. But the extra pills are also Kanshui elixirs, which are truly superfluous for my family. Their use is singular, and their Dao lineage specificity is too strong. Unless there's a specific use, their value isn't high.

Having toiled for many years, he greatly valued Purple Mansion spiritual materials. Now, examining it closely, this single scale was not only of excellent quality but also seemed to have been recently removed!

Scales are different from other items. Even if Dingyangzi doesn't have a stable source, it at least strongly suggests that the other party has more than just this one. Li Ximing's mind raced, and an idea sparked within him: If this matter can be accomplished this time, why not maintain a long-term relationship with him? If there are many of these elixirs, and I refine them a few times, gathering the surplus pills to make up six, wouldn't that be equivalent to obtaining one Cangzhou Hui Scale? Then it wouldn't be superfluous anymore; it would be a proper spiritual material that I could exchange with other cultivators!

With this thought, he became enthusiastic. Without a moment's hesitation, he immediately began refining on the spot. For a time, flames shot to the sky, and true fire blazed, causing the light in the main hall to shift.

Li Zhouwei, on the other hand, excused himself from the hall and departed, his expression slightly solemn. He thought, "I should also visit the Demon Cave..."