Splash!

The midday sunlight spilled across the polished desk, where rows of wooden slips were laid out in neat order. The old man sat in the courtyard, raised his head to look over, and smiled. "What brought the Daoist Master here to my humble place?"

At the side, Li Zhouwei sipped his tea, his expression somewhat heavy. Only here, in Li Xuanxuan's courtyard, did he show a trace of worry. He asked, "Old elder, have you heard the new piece at Dawn Guest Pavilion?"

Li Xuanxuan was advanced in years. Whether facing Li Ximing or Li Zhouwei, he always liked to address them as Daoist Master. It was less a matter of closeness or distance and more like a way to steady his heart.

He shook his head and replied, "Ever since Ming'er[1] entered seclusion, I have not gone to hear [Lament For Passing Waters]. I fear it would stir old concerns and set my thoughts wandering again. But I hear this time it is quite different. The lyrics have been changed, and there is some fresh meaning in it."

Though the old man's spirits were not what they once were, his status remained, and what he knew was certainly no small amount. On this point alone, he sighed and said, "I heard the Daoist Master went to Dawn Guest Pavilion. I take it there were guests there..."

Li Zhouwei set down his cup, lowered his gaze and said, "I met people from the north. They did not care much about me. They merely took the chance to size me up, listened to a single piece, and left.

"Thinking on it, that is only natural. I am an unexpected bonus. It makes no difference whether they concern themselves with me or not. If I can be of help, all the better. In any case, it brings no harm. It is only that my name has been entered into the Underworld's judiciary registry, which makes it inconvenient to take me away. It would be better to let matters follow their course."

Li Xuanxuan lifted his cup, a shadow dimming his expression. "It is the other side that is harder to give an answer to."

Li Zhouwei understood; the old man was referring to the Dragon Clan. Though the qilin and dragons had old ties, and the Dragon Clan, with their long lifespans, had bestowed certain favors upon him, as his strength continued to rise, once the day came when he could truly challenge Fruition Attainment, the estrangement and suspicion between him and the Dragon Clan would likely only deepen...

Qingyu Qian said as much as well. The Dragon Clan never truly intended to support Li Qianyuan. For these past several thousand years, they have been wholly devoted to pursuing the Dao of the True Dragon, merely hoping to delay his fall and further drain Luoxia's energies.

If they truly meant to help him break free, they would have to suppress me, keep my cultivation from growing too quickly, and create opportunities for Li Qianyuan to come into contact with me. Whether the Dragon Clan dares not or simply does not wish to, the way they keep helping me now clearly means they have other arrangements.

I myself am the result of Fruition Attainment wavering, and also an open piece Luoxia placed onto the board. Luoxia holds the absolute initiative. The other side is too skillful, and even the Dragon Clan is caught in a bind.

As for that white-robed man with four ears... he is almost certainly a fox.

Multiple ears were itself an outward mark of the fox tribe Dao lineage of Mount Dali. Combined with where he stood and the reaction of the other person, the answer was not hard to guess.

First, the Dragon Clan, or perhaps Dongfang Lieyun, may not have spoken falsely, but their position is clear. The fox tribe's words were somewhat more neutral... Luoxia's meaning, at least on the surface, is that this Bright Yang Fruition Attainment is not something Li Qianyuan alone may occupy...

More than that, Luoxia clearly means that if they had not been restraining him, Li Qianyuan's reincarnated self might well have intended to kill me to attain the Dao. Not only would that accord with the path of Bright Yang, it would also be his most likely way to break the deadlock.

A thoughtful look gradually appeared on his face. If that is so... when I was forced off the lake and driven to enter seclusion in the Eastern Sea, was that the work of a single party? The timing of the True Monarch's reincarnation happened to fall exactly during my days in the Eastern Sea... They must have made sure the reincarnated one could not meet me... It seems it was arranged long ago.

Yet the attitude of that Grand Daoist Master of Mount Luoxia was truly intriguing, prompting Li Zhouwei to speculate inwardly, He said not a word, and once the opera ended, that was all... it seemed more like his own doing. Passing south through this place, he saw that Luoxia and I plainly shared aligned interests. Though too disdainful to direct me himself, he has a certain temperament and cannot abide others spreading idle talk, so he used the actor's mouth to make his stance known.

Yet however disdainful Luoxia might be, whether interfering in the situation out of principle or the demands of the Dao, Luoxia had the standing to do so. Li Zhouwei, however, had neither the right to declare a position nor even the right to choose.

The Dragon Clan appears opposed on the surface, and may even be willing in the end to provide Metallic Essence to me, but the Underworld's judiciary in the south has yet to show its hand. And how do the various True Monarchs in the world view this? In Luoxia's telling, the Underworld's judiciary seems only interested in gathering Metallic Essence, but who can say whether they are not placing pieces everywhere and drawing in the net?

He had seen the other party depart and understood that Mount Luoxia sat secure, scarcely concerned, while the Dragon Clan and the Underworld's judiciary each had their own designs. Even the Buddhist powers in the north and the forces at sea had their own calculations. It was not merely his personal fate that drifted uncertainly here.

I fear that when all reaches its end, only a result acceptable to the great majority of powers will leave the Li Family any future to speak of...

He sank deep into thought, holding his cup in silence. Li Xuanxuan understood what weighed on him and only after a long while said, "The Four Xi’s were once the pillars of our Li Family, and Ximing is foremost among them, harmonizing with the common world while veiling his brilliance, a man of true measure. You are the qilin of our family in this century. He entrusted the great authority of the family to you. Whatever you decide is the will of the entire family."

Ever since Li Ximing handed over the [Brilliant Yang King's Axe], Li Zhouwei had reached a certain understanding. At this moment, light shone in his eyes as he said softly, "I have received the trust of the elders, and only fears my thinking may not be thorough enough. I fear the strife between north and south still carries a killing tribulation that may come straight for our family. I ask only to temper my divine abilities, deepen my cultivation, and continue until my divine abilities reach perfection."

————

Hall of Passing Guilt.

True Fire blazed fiercely, its radiance shifting in transformation. Golden flames illuminated the dark furnace walls, deepening the hues of purple above and black below. The strange crows and owls carved upon the walls brightened one by one, spewing black light as profound mysteries gradually emerged.

The five legs of the [Profound Owl Crossing Scene Furnace] trembled faintly, releasing light together. The divine ability mana gradually drew back, condensing into tiny streams of flowing radiance that was as warm and lustrous as jade. The hand shaping the divine ability swiftly formed a seal, drawing in the flames.

The sound of running water stirred and echoed. Sheets of ash-black light shot from the mouth of the furnace, bound by divine ability, then dropped one by one into his palm, transforming into round spirit pills marked with rugged mountain-and-water patterns.

"The pill is complete!"

Li Ximing slowly exhaled, looking thoroughly satisfied.

With alchemy, those too difficult were troublesome to refine and drained both mind and spirit, while those too simple were dull and without interest. The [Serpent Water Suspension Powder] was of moderate difficulty, and the [Profound Owl Crossing Scene Furnace] was exceptionally easy to use. Was this not pure pleasure to refine? Opening the jade box, he saw two full rows of pills resting inside.

"Seventeen pills!"

The [Profound Owl Crossing Scene Furnace] truly lived up to its name as a Purple Mansion Realm spirit furnace. The [Merging Owl] Dao aligned with [Pit Water], and this single batch had produced eight pills. Without question, this was the most Purple Mansion Realm pills he had ever drawn from one furnace. If not for his own Dao lineage being mismatched, he might even have reached an unprecedented ten!

Still, the number of pills also depended on the pill formula. For instance, the [True Profound Heart-Cleansing Pill] was an emergency medicine, and a normal batch only yielded three to five pills, with the greater skill lying in enhancing medicinal potency. The [Serpent Water Suspension Powder] likewise benefited from its formula.

As the saying goes, powders disperse and transform to treat chronic ailments, producing five or six pills for regular use. Formulas classified as [Powder] naturally yield a few more pills, but even so, the difference is usually no more than one or two. Eight pills is an extraordinary result!

The two batches together made sixteen pills, and with the one left over from before, that made seventeen in total. Delivering fifteen to Master Dingyang was more than enough. As he picked up the medicine box beside him, he saw the pitch-black [Cangzhou Serpent Scale] lying within, glinting with the sheen of fine scales.

1. This is referring to Li Zhouming. ☜