Just as the two finished settling matters, the silver doors swayed, and a green figure descended from within.

It was a middle-aged man who seemed about thirty-five or thirty-six, with a broad face, large eyes, thick brows and a heavy beard. His eyebrows looked as though they had been carved by a blade, deep and bluntly heavy, while his whole face was hard and taut. The clenched muscles of his jaw were faintly visible beneath the beard.

An axe the size of a door panel was strapped to his back. His eyes were like drawn blades, carrying a fierce and stubborn air. His back was enormously broad, as though a giant bear had pushed aside the curtain and entered, making the whole pavilion feel suddenly cramped.

"Fellow Daoist Qingyan!" The moment Liu Changdie saw him, his expression turned serious at once as he said, "You have come at just the right time!"

With a single glance, Li Ximing saw the imposing force of this man's divine abilities. The [Azure Manifestation] Dao was not an ordinary path to begin with. Back then, Yuan Chengdun of the Yuan Family had been a formidable figure renowned across Jiangnan, and the last true heaven-favored talent of the Yuan Family worthy of praise!

This man before him not only had an extraordinary background as a noble descendant, but also cultivated the Azure Manifestation Dao and achieved divine ability. Whether in battle or in the subtleties of those abilities, he was first-rate. Naturally, he was not someone to offend lightly.

Li Ximing rose and said, "My respects, Fellow Daoist... I am Zhaojing of Moongaze Lake."

"I have kept you both waiting!" His voice was like a great bell, deep and resonant. His eyes stayed on Li Ximing for a moment as he replied, "It has been a long time, Wei descendant."

Li Ximing cupped his hands and replied, "Rumors have spread through the four realms. I must have given Fellow Daoist something to laugh at."

The man sat by the table, taking up most of one side by himself and casting a heavy shadow over the desk as he said in a deep voice, "Years ago, while seeking the [Supreme Concealed Origin], I passed through Dashi[1] northward and went on to Dayuan[2]. When I passed the Western Sea, I also met a Fellow Daoist whose Dao title was Yangya, of the Cui Family, though not as orthodox as you."

Li Ximing had heard of Daoist Master Yangya. He was a Daoist Master from the Cui Family, though he had moved to the Western Sea and no longer had much contact with the main lineage.

Liu Changdie poured tea and laughed. "I have heard of him too... a handsome man, quite well known in the Western Sea, with a few amusing stories to his name..."

At those words, Qingyan laughed twice, pinching the tiny teacup in his huge hands. Liu Changdie immediately turned to Li Ximing and said with a grin, "He had simply been living his own life, built himself a palace, and arranged a number of descendants. But the surrounding tribal folk knew no better. After seeing him act a few times, they prostrated themselves in worship and started calling him the Supreme Yang God."

Li Ximing was left speechless. Liu Changdie said teasingly, "That was a deadly serious matter! It frightened him so badly he broke out of seclusion overnight. Yet the tribal folk below understood nothing, and no matter how he taught them, they could not be made to understand.

“In the end he had no choice but to take in several princes from those tribal kingdoms, bring them into the palace to cultivate, then send them back to enlighten their people. What a storm it caused! I hear it became such a commotion that even cultivators of the Supreme Yang Dao lineage went to question him."

Li Ximing fell silent, intrigued, and asked, "Who was it?"

Liu Changdie had not been in the Purple Mansion Realm for long, and much of this gossip he had only heard secondhand, so he could only glance at Qingyan. The man set down his cup somewhat stiffly and stroked his beard. "It was Yuanwu."

"So it was him!"

Both Liu Changdie and Li Ximing looked enlightened. Liu Changdie laughed even more as he said, "Yuanwu has a foul temper too. No wonder he idled off on such a trip. He was even worse in his youth, but by then he was already old, so he should have been much easier to deal with."

Li Ximing nodded inwardly. After a few more exchanges, Liu Changdie asked, "We are entrusting Fellow Daoist Zhaojing to refine Fellow Daoist Fuxun's [Aspiration Ascension Profound Pill], and we ask Fellow Daoist Qingyan to lend a hand as well."

"He spoke with me about it long ago." But then the man frowned. At once, a stern and untouchable authority rose across his fierce, stubborn face. His great palm pressed onto the table as he said in a heavy voice, "I have said it before. I find this method too extreme, too violent. It runs contrary to the way of nurturing fortune through Soft Advance[3].

“How can it be used so lightly?! We noble descendants are not to be compared with common demons and ghosts, yet this is the conduct of demons and ghosts! He cultivates [Auspicious Essence], not Bright..."

He likely meant to say [Bright Yang], but mindful of Li Ximing beside him, he did not finish the words. His eyes lowered slightly as he said quietly, "If he takes this pill and it succeeds, that is neither good nor bad. He will still need decades to nourish the fortune-nature of Soft Advance. But if it fails, I fear he will suffer bitterly."

Though the man looked fierce and rugged, it was plain he truly regarded Fuxun as a close friend. Listening from the side, Li Ximing pondered, The Dragon Clan has always stood apart from ordinary demonic creatures, regarding itself as a race unto itself. Most noble descendants likely think the same. Their ancestors were beings of Fruition Attainment and not to be compared with common demonic creatures, just like the White Qilin or the luan birds.

But why mention [Bright Yang]...

Liu Changdie listened in silence before saying softly, "Perhaps Fellow Daoist does not return often to Poluoduo. The Xiangxiong Kingdom has now been established upon the Great Western Plains, and the [Right Eastern Pole Star] of West Lesser Yang shines bright... he has no choice but to take another step forward!"

His expression grew complicated as he said quietly, "Besides, with divine ability upon him, even worldly affairs must partly be considered along his line of thought. And for a pill like the [Aspiration Ascension Profound Pill] to be refined by Zhaojing, who cultivates [Bright Yang], is that not heaven's will unfolding in harmony? The first moment Senior Fuxun laid eyes on Zhaojing... he was already rejoicing in his own divine ability."

Qingyan's expression flickered with complicated emotions for a moment, and he said, "I understand."

Qingyan said no more after that; he only nodded slowly and departed together with Li Ximing. Liu Changdie escorted them to the Shallow Sea, handed the item over to Qingyan, and parted from the two.

When they reached the vast Huyi Mountain, the Demon King showed not the slightest doubt. If anything, he seemed even more admiring and full of praise. He stayed in high spirits all the way until they arrived outside the [Hall of Passing Guilt], where they saw Houfu approaching through the snow.

Li Ximing introduced the two. Houfu's eyes practically lit up, and he even hurried down in excitement, saying courteously, "So it is a surviving lineage of Qingyi Disiang! I have been remiss."

Qingyan rarely showed a smile, but he did now as he replied, "Huyi's treasured land is a fine immortal gate. The Supreme Yang Dao lineage lives up to its reputation."

The two were quite warm with each other, and Houfu in particular seemed full of feeling. But knowing the two had important matters at hand, he did not intrude further. Seeing this, Li Ximing calculated inwardly, Not bad... the [Merging Owl] cultivated by Xiukui Dao Gate is also one of the Three Shamanics Dao and Two Zhus, much tied to the Dao of shamans and zhus. A noble descendant of the Azure Manifestation Dao would likely count as a welcomed guest as well...

So they entered from the hall and stood before the [Profound Owl Crossing Scene Furnace]. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Qingyan looked around, then took out a silver basin from his sleeve, about the size of a large bowl. It gleamed bright as silver, as though holding a basin of clear water. It radiated a soft light like the moon as he said softly, "Fellow Daoist Zhaojing, I cultivate divine abilities of [Azure Manifestation]. Blessing arts must be kept at one's side. This is [Eastern Fate Flowing Water]. Eighty-one forbidden texts have been recited over it, and divine abilities have blessed it a thousand times. Keep it in hand.

"When the alchemy begins, draw this water into the Juque acupoint and suffuse it with spiritual sense. This water will disperse together with the pill refinement, while I aid from the side with [Almighty Crag]!"

The process was not complicated. As for keeping a precaution in reserve, Li Ximing had a strand of True Fire suppressing his Juque Court. If needed, the flames from his qihai could pour down as well. Even Purple Mansion Realm spirit water could be burned away, so he did not fear the demonic creature before him attempting mischief.

1. Dashi (大食) is a historical Chinese term, often referring broadly to the Arab-Islamic world, especially the Abbasid Caliphate in medieval texts. ☜

2. Dayuan (大宛) is a historical Central Asian kingdom, often identified with the Ferghana Valley, famed in Chinese records for its "heavenly horses". ☜

3. Also known as Auspicious Essence. ☜