Chapter 928: Qiku Lock Embrace (1+1/2)

The original domain name has been compromised; please remember the new one.

Li Ximing was overjoyed by these words, secretly feeling fortunate. On his face, he maintained a subtle smile and nodded, sighing inwardly, “This is exactly a Li Fire! Nothing could be more convenient.”

Though he possessed the Runyang Method, which allowed him to convert most spirit flames, he had used this method several times during his Foundation Establishment stage to convert his family’s perpetual elemental fire. The cost was immense back then, causing him considerable heartache.

By the Purple Mansion level, the cost of conversion would surely be astronomical. If Purple Mansion-level spiritual resources were required to assist the conversion, it would involve even greater trouble, making it less appealing. Moreover, the number of spirit flames in the world is finite. Using the Runyang Method too often would inevitably draw unwanted attention. Now that Huoyang was cultivating Li Fire, obtaining a Li Fire directly was indeed a double blessing!

He fixed his gaze intently on the Crimson Pheasant Soaring Flame, unable to tear his eyes away. Spirit flames are treasures coveted by all. The person and the demon beside him immediately cast envious glances at it.

The elixir had not yet been refined, so this Li Fire should have been kept by Fuxun. However, due to Liu Changdie’s presence, Fuxun did not immediately step forward to take the Li Fire. Instead, he hesitated, showing no movement, clearly giving face and intending to hand the spirit flame directly over.

Huoyang glanced at the two beside her, holding the Crimson Pheasant Soaring Flame in her hand, and spoke slowly, “The Crimson Pheasant Soaring Flame is not renowned for its power among Li Fires; it cannot compare to first-rate Li Fires like the Scorching Blaze Separation Flame or the Heavenly Apricot Rain. However, it can suppress other Li Fires like the Intercalary Li Flame and the Xuanmeng Karma Fire. Purely in terms of power, it is considered mid-tier.”

“But the wondrous thing about this fire is its ability to break through malevolent qi and disrupt balanced spiritual energies. It welcomes all, merging and refining various chaotic Li Fire malevolence and earth malevolence, burning them all to ashes.”

“And what it is most famous for is the Crimson Pheasant Soaring Flame’s spirituality.”

When it came to understanding True Fires and Li Fires, none of the three present could naturally compare to Huoyang. They all listened attentively as the woman continued, “Among all Li Fires, the Crimson Pheasant is the most spiritual. This refers to the Crimson Pheasant Soaring Flame, which can be commanded, used for inquiry, sent to carry out tasks, or to kill enemies. This inherent spirituality is natural, neither increasing nor decreasing, making it extremely potent.”

“Even the most powerful wondrous techniques, if they extinguish its spirituality, it will slowly recover. But everything has pros and cons; ‘neither increasing nor decreasing’ is not an empty phrase. This spirituality cannot be further augmented, not even by a single iota. Even if it encounters some fortunate opportunity and its spirituality grows, it will slowly wane. From ancient times to the present, many have cultivated to become spirit cultivators using spirit flames, but never the Crimson Pheasant… this is precisely why.”

Li Ximing pondered this, nodding with considerable interest. Liu Changdie, standing nearby, seemed to gain some insight. Huoyang, having finished describing its benefits, seemed slightly embarrassed, and continued, “The Crimson Pheasant Soaring Flame is a type of Li Fire, and it possesses the common characteristic of Li Fire: it is neither for elixirs nor for artifacts. Although fellow Daoist has already mastered Purple Mansion divine abilities and possesses astonishing alchemy skills, it’s not impossible to refine elixirs with the Crimson Pheasant Soaring Flame… but there’s ultimately no benefit.”

It was precisely because of this that she appeared somewhat awkward. After all, in everyone’s eyes, a master alchemist seeking a fire would naturally prefer one that aids alchemy. Now, presenting a pure Li Fire seemed a bit like a white elephant.

However, Li Ximing needed Li Fire anyway, so he listened carefully. Huoyang then said, “As for performing spells… aside from matters of state, it fears no earth elements; water and fire contradict each other; and it can burn and refine metal and stone. These are all matters of Daoist lineage and need not be discussed further.”

The apricot-colored phoenix hovered on Huoyang’s fingertip, its gaze sweeping around before settling on Li Ximing, not moving away again. Li Ximing suspected his Valley Wind Fire-Guiding technique was secretly at work. Unwilling to show further abnormality, he simply said, delighted, “Thank you so much for your generosity, fellow Daoist!”

As he finished speaking, the apricot phoenix fluttered lightly and landed in his palm. It was only warm to the touch, and he could even feel the bird’s feathers, soft and slightly quivering.

*It’s finally mine! The Great Li White Radiance has been gathering dust for so many years; now I can finally cultivate it!*

Without a second thought, Li Ximing’s mind stirred: *Valley Wind Fire-Guiding!*

Huoyang had already erased her imprint on the Crimson Pheasant Soaring Flame, so it offered no real resistance. In an instant, it was refined by Li Ximing, truly becoming his spirit flame! He flipped his hand, and the Crimson Pheasant Soaring Flame immediately disappeared, only to emerge within his Dharma Body, piercing through the blazing purple flames and settling into his Juque space.

This Juque space was originally the domain of the Three-Watch Xuanyi Fire. When two Purple Mansion-level spirit flames met, there was initially a hint of rivalry, but not a single spark flew. The wondrous Talisman Qi immediately began to operate, and the Three-Watch Xuanyi Fire instantly quieted down, obediently yielding half its territory to the Crimson Pheasant Soaring Flame.

Thus, half of the Juque space was apricot-red, and the other half was crimson with a hint of gold, clearly separated, each holding its own domain.

The other three Purple Mansion cultivators did not detect any of these fluctuations. They didn’t even believe he had refined it, only assuming he had stored it using some unique method. Huoyang smiled, striking while the iron was hot, and immediately turned to Fuxun, saying, “As for Zhuluo’s future matters, I’ll leave them to you, senior!”

Li Ximing had already obtained his spirit flame. If not for Liu Changdie’s reassuring presence, Fuxun would have feared he might turn and flee. At this moment, he had no mind for lengthy conversations. He simply nodded silently, indicating his acceptance, and said no more.

Huoyang sensed his distraction and didn’t linger. She escorted them out of the grand formation. Before they departed, she finally looked at Li Ximing, speaking with a touch of expectation, “I heard that True Man Li has an envoy coming to Boluo Duo. If there’s an opportunity, you can leave a message in my Zhuluo Kingdom. Afterwards, if I acquire excellent spiritual resources, I hope True Man Li will honor me with your presence… to refine some elixirs for me.”

“Certainly… certainly…”

While other elixirs might be uncertain, refining Li Fire elixirs was more than sufficient for Li Ximing. As it was something he would personally benefit from, he naturally wouldn’t refuse. He patted his chest in assurance, and then the group set off back to Xipo Kingdom.

In the Great Void.

Upon their arrival, Liu Changdie immediately offered his congratulations to Li Ximing, who was also filled with joy now that he had his spirit flame. He was even a little distracted, wanting to test the power and wonder of this Li Fire and also wishing to cultivate the Great Li White Radiance.

However, he still remembered Fuxun’s matter and did not become overly pleased. He shook his head and said in a deep voice, “There’s no hurry yet. It’s only worth celebrating once Fellow Daoist Fuxun’s elixir is refined!”

At these words, Fuxun’s smile became noticeably more genuine. He led them back, and Li Ximing said, “I still need to borrow a Purple Mansion Spirit Furnace, which means I’ll have to return to Jiangnan… Senior Liu Changdie…”

“Just call me fellow Daoist!”

When the topic of returning to Jiangnan came up, Liu Changdie’s expression clearly changed. He remained silent for several breaths before replying, “I’m not afraid for Ximing to know… As a rogue cultivator, my ability to achieve Purple Mansion naturally came from a fortunate encounter. Back then, as a reckless youth, I didn’t know the gravity of things. I stumbled all the way from Jiangnan, thinking it was smooth sailing, but in reality, there were dangers everywhere. I walked beside a hellfire pond, pitifully unaware and fearless, detecting nothing at all!”

After he finished speaking, both the person and the demon fell silent. The nature of his fortunate encounter was self-evident. It was impossible for a rogue cultivator to achieve Purple Mansion without some grand opportunity. People like Yehui and Changxiao, for instance, only achieved Purple Mansion after gaining opportunities within a grotto-heaven!

Liu Changdie clasped his hands behind his back and said quietly, “Later, I witnessed some things and left Jiangnan for the South Sea, finally achieving my divine ability. Looking back now, I realize the dangers along the way… In fact, I thought I had done everything perfectly, but which of the high-ranking divine abilities wouldn’t have known about my anomaly? Along the way, whether it was the Purple Mansion cultivators from various families quietly observing, the Sun Daoist lineage, or even some seniors on the lake… they all noticed!”

“These Purple Mansion cultivators allowed me to proceed undisturbed… because the karma associated with me was simply too great, and they dared not interfere…”

His expression was melancholic as he said softly, “Now that I know the truth, I dare even less to return. What kind of place is the Inland Sea? Divine abilities roam everywhere, True Monarchs manifest, and the spiritual aura has changed thrice in a century. The north and south are like a chessboard… It’s the center of changes in the world. The more unusual one is, the less one dares to enter it!”

His words were not without reason, causing Li Ximing to fall into sudden silence: *Whose family isn’t like that? If my family weren’t of the Mingyang bloodline, what reason would we have to rise so quickly on the lake? We would have long ago been overturned by the divine abilities of the north and south. But precisely because of the Mingyang bloodline, it dispels the suspicions of all divine abilities, yet it also shackles my family within this single square on the chessboard, unable to move!*

He suddenly thought of Yehui. Li Ximing paused briefly and asked, “While the north and south are indeed the center of the world’s storms, they are also where the world’s opportunities lie. Fellow Daoist has already achieved divine ability, is granted five hundred years of life, and holds a great opportunity. So young, do you not have ambitions to ascend to a higher position?”

Liu Changdie remained silent for a long time, then said wistfully, “Ximing sees my divine ability, but can you recognize my Daoist lineage?”

Speaking of which, this had long been Li Ximing’s question. Daoist lineages that one had encountered were often hard to conceal; a slight move would invariably be detected by others. Yet, Liu Changdie’s aura had not leaked from beginning to end, and his divine ability was not displayed, making it impossible to discern what kind of divine ability it was!

Seeing Li Ximing shake his head, Liu Changdie raised his hand and revealed his palm. A small, round silver light was dancing in his hand, constantly shifting and leaping between square and circular forms, emitting a mysterious aura.

Li Ximing observed it carefully and asked in doubt, “Unheard of, unseen… it seems to be related to Gold Virtue…”

“Exactly!”

Liu Changdie’s expression was complex as he said softly, “The cultivation method I practice is the ‘Divine Scroll of Dao Xuan Continuity,’ obtained from the grotto-heaven of a fallen high-level cultivator. It is as high as the sixth grade and comes with spiritual energy called Profound Lock Dao Gold Qi, which is born from Profound Dao Ku Gold exposed to sunlight. Not to mention today, it’s something that was lost even in the Middle Ages!”

“At the time, how could I have seen anything so extraordinary? I eagerly took up the cultivation method, considering it a great treasure. After cultivating this path, its power was even more internal, showing no outward marvels. Ordinary people who saw me would only think I had a good immortal foundation…”

“I was young then and didn’t recognize the path I was on, only knowing its high grade and value. I dared not reveal it publicly, so I used a different immortal foundation name as an excuse, bought several related magical artifacts at great expense, and from then on, always used artifacts to cast spells, pretending to be on a different path…”

“I was cautious for many years, until I broke through to Purple Mansion…”

He said somberly, “Ximing, do you know about the ‘Two Golds’ beyond the ‘Three Golds’?”

Li Ximing’s heart jolted.

It was common knowledge that “the world has three Golds: Geng, Dui, and Xiao,” but the Li family knew little about the other two Golds, though not entirely nothing. Li Zhouwei had mentioned this when he visited Li Qinghong at the Thunder Pool years ago.

Li Qinghong’s identity was special, and she could not meet Li family members casually now, but Li Zhouwei had later relayed to him: *The Six Xin Qi Gold that True Man Wang took away back then was one of the Two Golds. These two paths have been cut off for many years, difficult to cultivate and impossible to verify. For a thousand years, the Purple Mansion cultivators of these two paths could be counted on one’s fingers; they were all prodigies who mistakenly entered this dead end, and all died in the early Purple Mansion stage!*

Li Ximing said in a daze, “Fellow Daoist cultivates Qi Gold?!”

The words “Qi Gold” from Li Ximing clearly surprised Liu Changdie, who paused slightly, shook his head, and sighed, “Ximing has good insight; it seems you know quite a bit… Although what I cultivate isn’t Qi Gold, it is also one of the Two Golds – it’s Ku Gold.”

“Ku Gold…”

Li Ximing was filled with an unspeakable feeling. Fuxun, beside him, sighed silently, clearly having known this for a long time, and turned away without a word. The scene fell silent for a moment. Li Ximing asked, “Could the ancestral inheritance you received back then… be only this one divine ability?”

Liu Changdie nodded, saying somberly, “Precisely, and it’s far more than that… In today’s world, even the Foundation Establishment methods for Qi and Ku Gold are harder to find than the Purple Mansion cultivation methods of ordinary Daoist lineages!”

Li Ximing frowned tightly and asked, “How could it be so bad…”

Liu Changdie sighed deeply, “Because when the Purple Mansion Golden Core path first emerged, Qi and Ku Gold were already uncultivable! Why would any Daoist lineage bother researching a path that fundamentally cannot be cultivated? Only a few stubborn ones occasionally tried to modify it. How could everything be preserved through the passage of time?”

At this point, he could no longer maintain his composure. He gritted his teeth and said, “Now that I think about it, how could remnants from before the Middle Ages have such simple arrays? How could a minor cultivator like me have obtained it? This was a scheme! I don’t know whose scheme! What a grand scheme!”

Li Ximing was stunned for a moment, then understood everything in his heart. *He gained some opportunity, perhaps even linked to some formidable existence like Spirit Rock Ancestor back then, so he couldn’t be calculated, and direct harm was not only inappropriate but might also have consequences… So they fabricated a ‘former ancestor’s remains,’ left some treasures extremely precious for Body-Nourishing Qi Refinement, dropped a Ku Gold cultivation method, and then tested him with an open hand!*

Indeed, even a good-natured person like Liu Changdie couldn’t help but speak coldly now, saying, “This cultivation method’s path is broken. Not to mention direct disciples, even ordinary Purple Mansion cultivators wouldn’t know… They might even think it’s very precious. How could a mere cultivator in the Body-Nourishing Qi Refinement stage refuse it!”

“Fearing I wouldn’t fall for it, they even produced such a high-grade cultivation method. And precisely, the Profound Lock Dao Gold Qi is something that can continuously be generated when Profound Dao Ku Gold is exposed to sunlight. For those who have it, it’s inexhaustible; for those who don’t, it’s as precious as heaven…”

He stopped abruptly at this point.

Both of them were very young Purple Mansion cultivators. Even someone as un-ambitious as Li Ximing harbored thoughts of reaching the Divine Realm. How could they accept having only one divine ability in this life? The hatred in their hearts was inexpressible. Only Fuxun, unable to bear it, sighed, “There’s always a way out. If people for a thousand years couldn’t cultivate it, perhaps the key lies with you… Don’t be pessimistic…”

As they spoke, they had already returned to Xipo Kingdom and sat in the previous pavilion. Night had fallen, and the five-colored lights around them shone brightly. He poured wine for Liu Changdie, who drank it in one gulp and said in a low voice, “You don’t understand. The failures of a thousand years of prodigies aren’t without reason… I cultivate the ‘Divine Scroll of Dao Xuan Continuity’ and occasionally gained some opportunities. Now that I possess a Purple Mansion divine ability and can sense Qi and Ku Gold, I understand some things.”

“The two paths of Qi and Ku already had occupants in high positions. Two True Monarchs left early, going beyond the heavens. But not everyone possesses the magnanimity of someone like Tianwu, who invites future generations to ascend. These two wished to preserve their fruit positions so that if something changed beyond the heavens, by some slim chance, they could reincarnate and return. So, the two True Monarchs together activated a wondrous technique, linking their fruit positions…”

He whispered, “There are three Gold Virtues: Geng, Xiao, and Dui. Of the remaining two, Qi Gold is the accumulating gold, and Ku Gold is the accumulated gold. The two True Monarchs merged their fruit positions, making them mutually dependent as Dao fruits. They actually stored the Ku Gold fruit position within their Qi Gold fruit position like an object!”

“And there it is! The accumulated gold saw accumulation, and the accumulating gold achieved accumulation, locking and connecting, forming the ‘Qi-Ku Embrace Lock.’ Who can prove it? Who can prove it? It’s as hard as ascending to heaven!”

“Frankly speaking, after the Qi-Ku Embrace Lock, it’s far more ingenious than a mere ‘severed path.’ Even conversion is impossible. A person seeking to prove this Dao must not only prove their position but also, with their own power, separate the mutually embracing locked Dao fruits that even True Monarchs couldn’t separate for thousands of years.”

He smiled somewhat mockingly, “How difficult is that? I don’t even need to say.”

Liu Changdie, indeed possessing a great opportunity, and considering both the person and the demon as his closest companions, had now, in one breath, revealed these secrets. Both Li Ximing and Fuxun were momentarily too shocked to speak.

It wasn’t until Liu Changdie had drunk several cups, emptying the pot, that Fuxun sighed, “I heard others say there are three Golds in the world, and it has always been so, but I never imagined the crux was here!”

Liu Changdie released that pent-up emotion and slowly recovered, smiling somewhat self-deprecatingly, “I no longer wish to return to Jiangnan… However, my Ku Gold divine ability still possesses many wonders. I can often help Ximing. What I cultivated is Tangliang Silver. Putting other things aside, activating array secret treasures or nurturing gold essence resources… these are not big problems.”

“I have no family. Counting the days, even if I did… they would have long passed away. I’ve roamed this world for a century, alone, and my Dao path is cut off. I only have a lot of trouble, so it’s not good for me to be commanded by you, but if there’s anything wondrous you need me to do, just come find me.”

Li Ximing merely offered quiet comfort, sighing silently for him in his heart, knowing that Liu Changdie would absolutely not return to Jiangnan. The thought of asking him to look at the Zhaoguang Xuanzi Spirit Array was also dispelled. He simply said aloud, “Please wait a moment, both of you. I’ll make a trip back to Jiangnan.”

Fuxun was naturally full of anticipation. He escorted Li Ximing out of Xipo Kingdom, then rode the wind back, seeing Liu Changdie still drinking in the pavilion. He couldn’t help but sigh, “It’s rare to see you willing to say so much!”

Liu Changdie only shook his head silently. Now that Li Ximing was gone, he could finally let his emotions show. His eyes were filled with loss and unease: “In this life, I’ve achieved divine ability and am granted five hundred years… but I cannot return home, and my relatives and friends are all gone. If Ximing hadn’t achieved Purple Mansion, I would surely have to stay in this remote corner of the world, dealing with demons until I grew old and died…”

He only spoke half of what was on his mind. What he was thinking about was the hundred years of rich and fulfilling life in his previous incarnation, with both sons and daughters. After a long pause, he said, “This divine ability… it truly is precious!”

Fuxun poured him more wine, and instead of sorrow, he laughed, “Isn’t it? For a divine ability, I could dig out my father’s heart from his corpse to refine elixirs, and not just refine elixirs, but eat the rest completely too. What more needs to be said about anything else?”

“That you can think this way today might well be because your Dao path is severed. If not for that, where would you find a comparison? Dao paths, divine abilities, fruit positions… these are precious things, so precious that nothing else can compare!”

The Great Void.

A brilliant light condensed to the size of a person, streaking through the Great Void like a meteor, leaving a barely perceptible tail flame. Within this bright light, a fist-sized apricot phoenix soared.

Li Ximing emerged from Xipo Kingdom, and while traversing the Great Void, he extended his hand and summoned the Crimson Pheasant Soaring Flame. Watching the fist-sized bird perch on his palm, his mind stirred, and as his spiritual consciousness connected, a faint sense of excitement was conveyed.

“Indeed, it is full of spirituality…”

He observed it for a moment and quickly gained an understanding. *If I use the Crimson Pheasant Soaring Flame to cast spells, producing fire techniques, I won’t need to divide my attention or labor mentally. It possesses basic intelligence, though not yet full spiritual consciousness… I can’t let it read cultivation methods and practice on its own.*

“As for burning away malevolent qi, that’s certainly useful. If I had the Crimson Pheasant Soaring Flame during my earlier fight with Helian Wujiang, I wouldn’t have needed to take a Scale-Light Illumination Elixir for my injuries; a quick cleanse with the Crimson Pheasant Soaring Flame would suffice.”

Li Ximing, with his Valley Wind Fire-Guiding technique’s powerful control over flames, quickly made his calculations. *It’s highly spiritual, so I should choose some Li Fire spells that can be used for a long time. Once cast, I’ll hand over the remaining control to the Crimson Pheasant Soaring Flame, allowing me to immediately begin casting other spells.*

He flipped his hand, and the crimson phoenix, transformed from the Crimson Pheasant Soaring Flame, instantly vanished. Then, he brought two fingers together and held them before him. Two wisps of spirit flame immediately emerged from his fingertips.

These were precisely the Crimson Pheasant Soaring Flame and the Three-Watch Xuanyi Fire!

Although spirit flames are rare in the world, they are usually extremely domineering. It’s not uncommon for someone to possess two, but fire virtues are not always fully compatible. To unleash a qualitative leap in power during a battle of spells is extremely demanding on one’s cultivation level.

However, True Fire and Li Fire inherently share a deep affinity. As he gradually activated his Valley Wind Fire-Guiding, these two points of flame rotated and intertwined, responding to each other, making Li Ximing’s eyes light up. He immediately closed his eyes, savoring the sensation.

After a long while, he mused, *True Fire and Li Fire are indeed benevolent to each other, complementing one another. Otherwise, how could that True Fire grand demon have proposed that phrase… there seems to be an extremely important secret here.*

Li Ximing’s cultivation in True Fire and Li Fire could not be said to be completely ignorant, but it was certainly shallow.

Using one flame to fight an enemy merely varies in its wondrous properties and the amount of magic power. But when True Fire and Li Fire are used together, the increased variations will influence each other. To achieve maximum power against different divine abilities, different opponents, and different weaknesses, the varying strengths and proportions between the two fires will also differ. One could say it requires not only adaptability but also extremely stringent demands on one’s cultivation level.

But Li Ximing possessed Valley Wind Fire-Guiding, giving him control over flames that was both exquisitely subtle and incredibly fast. He didn’t need a high cultivation level to judge; he only needed a little time to test it out piece by piece… Now, looking at the two spirit flames on his fingertips, he pondered, “If that’s the case… I don’t need to delve into all this. As long as during a fight, the enemy’s Dharma Body is stained with both types of flames, or if they use a single artifact or divine ability to resist both flames simultaneously, I can then achieve immense destructive power through the continuous, exquisite control of both flames via Valley Wind Fire-Guiding!”

The original domain name has been compromised; please remember the new one.