Chapter 924: Bolie King

The river roared, and a swirling storm gathered on its banks. Northern monks, like countless black dots, covered the somber temple.

A youth, clad in crimson armor, arrived wreathed in fire. He paused briefly outside the main formation before quickly reaching Han Yun Peak. The plum blossoms appeared somewhat withered in the gloomy wind and rain, while a tall, imposing Real Person stood gravely in front of the courtyard.

"Father."

Li Jiangqian bowed respectfully, his golden eyes filled with solemnity. As his words faded, another pair of golden eyes turned from the shadows. Li Jiangqian met his gaze for a moment before both looked away. Then, his father spoke:

"How goes it?"

Li Jiangqian completed his bow and replied:

"Father, Jiangxia has already organized his people and gathered with those from Mu Quan and Ziyan. They are now encamped in the wilderness. Real Person Tinglan has arrived in person."

"Good."

Li Zhouwei nodded.

With the current standoff on both sides of the river, mages and monks frequently venture south to conduct various forms of harassment. Li Jianglong guards the north bank, Li Jiangxia is in the wilderness, and Li Jiangqian is on the lake, each fulfilling their duties.

However, after saying this, Li Jiangqian paused slightly before hesitantly adding:

"We've received news from Fourth Brother. He's in Simin County... and is currently on his way back."

Li Zhouwei seemingly had five sons, three of whom had successfully achieved Foundation Establishment and held important positions. The fourth son, Li Jiangliang, was also an exceptional talent, gifted and personally taught by Cui Jueyin from a young age. He was now at a point where he could break through to Foundation Establishment, yet he often preferred to travel afar and rarely stayed home.

Li Zhouwei had only recently returned after years of seclusion, having successfully advanced to the Real Person stage, which prompted his son's return to the lake. Li Zhouwei had never much interfered with his children's choices, letting them be, and usually paid little mind. But seeing Li Jiangqian's unusual expression, he prompted:

"Speak."

Li Jiangqian lifted his robe, knelt before him, and whispered:

"I heard Fourth Brother brought back a woman from his travels, surnamed Yang... It is our fault for not discovering this sooner; we didn't know until he wrote a letter himself. Please forgive us, Father!"

Li Zhouwei finally frowned slightly and turned his head:

"Which Yang?"

Li Jiangqian lowered his head and said:

"Father, she is of imperial lineage."

Li Zhouwei squinted slightly and said softly:

"Then I can't blame you."

The Yang clan was not only of imperial lineage but also one of the few families clearly linked with the Underworld. Yang Tianya's existence was still unknown to outsiders! While it was possible it was a matter of mutual affection, Li Zhouwei found it hard to believe it was an accidental romance. He composed himself and nodded, saying:

"Imperial lineage is fine; it's certainly a suitable match."

However, Li Jianglong, standing nearby, lowered his gaze, and Li Jiangqian bowed in silence, both clearly feeling some unease.

Li Chenghuai's departure from home to cultivate, while indeed under his father's protection and pursuing a longer path of cultivation, could, from another perspective, be seen as a weakening of the Li family's influence over the Yang family. Yang Xiao'er was exceptionally kind to Li Xizhi, but Li Xizhi had never intended for the Yang clan's influence to touch Wangyue Lake. Many arrangements were often designed to kill multiple birds with one stone.

Allowing Li Chenghuai to leave the lake, while driven by his pursuit of the Dao, might also have involved such considerations. Li Zhouluo was now semi-operating under Qingchi's command, and only after the birth of Li Jiangchun did he relax considerably, with the intention of having the child serve at the lake.

This "act first, report later" situation naturally made many Li family elders sensitive. However, the Underworld's status was too noble—it was even a primary reason why the North didn't cross the river. The Li and Yang families had always been close, making it even harder to say much. Li Zhouwei softly commented:

"After all, the North is aggressive, and the Yang family's intentions are good. Such a marriage alliance would only deepen the kinship between our two families."

At this, both Li Jiangqian and the other person smiled and assented. Li Zhouwei put away the jade slip in his hand and pondered inwardly:

'The Bright Heaven Wave and the Array Manor Celestial Sun Escape are both techniques highly compatible with the Heaven-Seeking Gate. They both have a somewhat opportunistic flavor, implying limited future development, but at least their cultivation speed isn't slow, and I've now gained entry into both.'

Cultivating these two techniques felt natural, perhaps because he had practiced many secret methods in the past, leading to a deeper understanding of Mingyang. He quietly put them away:

'Empty contemplation consumes too much time. Now that I've grasped the basics, combat will naturally help me comprehend them further. That will be enough.'

As he pondered, Li Quewan approached, carrying a jade casket. He bowed nearby and presented it with both hands, saying respectfully:

"Reporting to Real Person, the three types of spiritual qi have been collected."

Li Zhouwei was slightly surprised and raised an eyebrow:

"That was quick."

For his subsequent magical cultivation, Li Zhouwei also initially focused on movement techniques. While the Flame-Treading Walk from Lihuo was indeed powerful, it wasn't his first choice.

After all, he was different from Li Ximing. Li Ximing, having received the Valley Wind Fire Incantation, possessed an extremely strong control over various types of flames—a skill few cultivators in the world could match. Cultivating the Flame-Treading Walk was naturally much easier for him. Li Zhouwei, on the other hand, received the Bright Sun and Moon Incantation. His future focus was to improve his cultivation in the Mingyang path. The more Mingyang techniques he practiced, the greater the benefits he would gain from cultivation advancement. If he chose a Lihuo movement technique, it would be difficult to reap these benefits.

Thus, he carefully searched for a long time within the Upper Huan Pavilion of the Heaven of Sun and Moon's Radiance, looking for Mingyang movement techniques, but most left him unsatisfied. However, this search led him to discover the fifth-grade Pure Qi technique, the "Xuanhong Art"!

This art elevated pure qi: when uninjured and unimpaired, it resided in the Grand Void; when injured, it would heal with pure qi; and upon death, one could even use ascending yang to escape with the aid of pure qi. This immediately filled Li Zhouwei with great joy.

He wasn't interested in its miraculous life-saving abilities, but rather in its method of healing with pure qi!

His dharma body was exceptional, but once injured, healing was much more difficult. Although the Bright Sun and Moon Incantation allowed his vital cultivation to reside within a single abode, enabling his dharma body to avoid many fatal injuries, getting injured was still very troublesome—certainly not like Li Ximing, who could heal by taking a single pill and recuperating for less than half a year...

The "Xuanhong Art," which elevates pure qi, was a rare and wonderful healing method that did not conflict with other Dao traditions! Therefore, he decisively postponed his search for movement techniques and instead acquired and began cultivating the "Xuanhong Art."

Pure Qi techniques usually had no stringent requirements, and this art was no exception. It included several qi-gathering incantations, utilizing three types: Lesser Pure Spiritual Qi, Lesser Qianpure Qi, and Profound Xu Pure Qi. It only required one portion of each, precisely the three spiritual energies presented by Li Quewan!

None of these three pure qis were difficult to collect, but only Lesser Pure Spiritual Qi was widely known; the others were unheard of. To collect them from scratch would normally take years. Hearing Li Zhouwei's question, Li Quewan quickly explained:

"The other two are largely similar to Lesser Pure Spiritual Qi, originating from the same source, and the qi-gathering methods are available. I used the material transformation of an immortal foundation and spent a few extra portions of Lesser Pure Spiritual Qi to acquire them quickly."

Not having to wait longer was certainly good. Li Zhouwei nodded in satisfaction and was about to say more when he suddenly looked up with a hint of vigilance. Sensing something, his form immediately dissipated into light.

The several people beside him exchanged glances and looked up at the sky together:

"Someone has crossed the river!"

Li Zhouwei stepped out, instantly appearing in the Grand Void. Rolling bright light, accompanied by white mist, immediately emanated from him, transforming into the shape of a Qilin-like beast that circled around him. With no weapon in hand, he stood with his hands behind his back, his voice like thunder:

"Which fellow Daoist comes to visit!"

Then, from the Grand Void, flames erupted—true fire blazed, like a waterfall or a river, spreading through the Grand Void to form a domain of fire, from which a middle-aged man emerged.

The man appeared middle-aged, dressed in elaborate attire: a snow-white upper garment, a bright red robe hem, and a black greatcloak draped over his shoulders. He was powerfully built, with a prominent nose, a handsome beard, and thick eyebrows, strikingly beautiful and imposing.

True fire surged within his majestic eyes. His distant gaze made the Grand Void hot, as if immersed in flames.

The blazing true fire reflected in the Grand Void. The golden-eyed man's voice was low, carrying a hint of doubt:

"So it's Prince Bolie!"

This man was indeed a Gāo family prince, a cultivator of the Purple Manor mid-stage with three True Fire divine abilities: Prince Bolie, Gāo Fu, who was now traveling south, attempting to persuade various families to surrender!

His reputation was immense, his power formidable; he was a renowned northern prince. Long ago, he earned acclaim for slaying demons at Ying Lake and bringing great order to Qí. During the past conflicts between North and South, when there was a disparity in strength, he was invited to guard the borders. Even Real Person Qiushui and Real Person Yuanxiu showed him great deference... Li Zhouwei knew it was him just by seeing the true fire and his handsome beard and thick eyebrows!

'Prince Bolie has crossed the river...'

The Gāo family's role in this event wasn't bad, but his crossing the river was still cause for suspicion... Li Zhouwei could only nod slightly and say loudly:

"Prince Bolie, I was unaware of your esteemed arrival and regret not coming out to meet you."

Yet, the prince, wreathed in true fire, remained motionless within the flames, like a statue or a divine idol. His eyes, blazing with true fire, continued to gaze at Li Zhouwei silently, almost with a hint of bewilderment.

A full second passed before the prince, renowned for his heroic bearing and handsome beard, finally parted his lips. His expression was extremely complex, and his voice, though strong and magnetic, had a slight hoarseness:

"This humble prince... has seen... seen... Young Master."

He didn't use "Real Person," didn't ask for his Daoist title, nor did he use titles like "Master of the Lake" or "Master of the Li Clan." Instead, he hesitated several times before using the term "Young Master."

Li Zhouwei was slightly surprised and unsure how to respond.

Li Zhouwei was not unaware of the Gāo family's origins. Their original surname was Lóu, granted by the Wei Emperor, from whom they prospered. In their early years, the Gāo family consistently honored the orthodox Wei dynasty, and their territory, Qí, was directly north of the Níng kingdom, existing in mutual support.

Even during the chaotic late Liang dynasty, before King Yan Murong Dechang's demise, the Gāo family consistently upheld the banner of revering Wei. It was precisely for this reason that the Gāo family today was often ridiculed by the various clans who had entered the pass, and there were even internal calls for them to revert to their original surname, Lóu.

When Li Xuanfeng was in the Great Ning Palace, some even openly called the Gāo family "Lóu's dogs and horses." Yet, Li Zhouwei had not expected Prince Bolie to still hold such a degree of goodwill towards him. He could only reply:

"May I ask, Your Majesty, the purpose of your visit?"

Most Hu people had deep-set eyes. Gāo Fu's true fire eyes, when they looked over, appeared exceedingly profound. He had calmed considerably and said softly:

"This visit is not for public affairs, but a personal matter I wish to inquire about."

"Please speak."

Li Zhouwei grew slightly wary, but then saw him sigh and say:

"I have an aunt, surnamed Gāo, named Xijiang. She took good care of me when I was young. However, she wished to travel the world, often roaming various places. Some years ago, she was north of the river, and later came to Jiangnan. Now that her lifespan has ended, I have come to retrieve her, either to let her return to her roots, or to take her clothes and bones back to be buried in Yingqiu."

"Unfortunately, after Jiangnan, we lost track of her whereabouts, and she used a Daoist title while traveling. Therefore, I specifically came to the lake, hoping you could help me find her."

Li Zhouwei found this strange and looked up, saying:

"I see. May I know your elder's Daoist title, and I will help Your Majesty search for her."

Gāo Fu's true-fire-reflected eyes met his, and his voice was calm:

"Her Daoist title is... Jiang Huzi."

At these words, Li Zhouwei froze for a moment, simply staring back at him, his expression changing repeatedly.

The name Jiang Huzi might be unfamiliar to Li Ximing, but Li Zhouwei instantly recalled who she was. Back when the Mífàn Sect confronted Wangyue Lake with continuous aggressions, until Li Ximing broke through to Purple Manor, some old, weak, and disabled cultivators from Floating Cloud Cave were captured, and Jiang Huzi was among them!

At the time, Li Ximing found it somewhat peculiar that she hailed from Zhao, but seeing her pure qi, he allowed her to cultivate in the wilderness near the lake...

But meeting Gāo Fu's meaningful gaze, Li Zhouwei instantly understood:

'The Gāo family still has loyalists to the Wei state. This old cultivator came south to observe the Wei-Li bloodline... perhaps she simply dared not side with the lake, so she did the opposite, residing and cultivating in Floating Cloud Cave to observe the changes...'

Still, Li Zhouwei remained puzzled. Feigning surprise, he asked:

"So, Senior Jiang Huzi is an elder of the Gāo family? She remained silent for so many years, my family truly apologizes... It's just that I've been in seclusion for several years, breaking through, and have only just returned, so I am unaware of the situation of the scattered cultivators in the wilderness. I will inquire for Prince Bolie right away!"

Gāo Fu's eyes held a smile as he nodded gently. His voice was low and, through his divine ability, quietly floated into Li Zhouwei's ear, a profound whisper:

"At her age, the elderly often embrace death, how could they dare otherwise?"

His meaning was very clear, perhaps even too clear, conveyed only through their divine abilities. Li Zhouwei was rendered speechless and shook his head, saying:

"Please wait, Your Majesty."

He silently turned his head, instructing someone to fetch her, while various thoughts flashed through his mind:

'Has Jiang Huzi been in the wilderness all these years? Do the various families know? Probably not...'

'Did Gāo Fu make this trip personally just to pick up an elder? When he appeared in the Grand Void by the lake, did Tinglan detect him?'

But no matter what he pondered, the man before him had dispelled his protective divine abilities, appearing much more approachable, yet his eyes still watched him with gravity.

Li Zhouwei replayed his words and suddenly felt a chill.

'Jiang Huzi joining Floating Cloud Cave should have been her own will, but whose doing was it that she was left to fall into the Real Person's hands that day? Jiang Huzi's qi and blood were weak, and she was frail with age and illness. If she had been killed by my family's people then, how would Gāo Fu have dealt with it? Would he still have come here so amicably?'

His golden eyes flickered slightly, and his heart sank incrementally:

'This Prince Bolie before me... perhaps he has already realized that someone wishes for discord between the Gāo and Li families, and he is merely helpless... And my family? At such a sensitive time, if the Gāo family comes asking for ancestral remains, the Solar Daoist lineage likely wouldn't be pleased...'

Characters appearing in this chapter:Li Zhouwei: Early Purple Manor stageGāo Fu: Mid Purple Manor stageLi Jiangqian: Mid Foundation Establishment stage (Great Departure Scroll)Li Quewan: Mid Foundation Establishment stage (Waiting for Divine Specialty)