Chapter 647: Pushing the Waves

After the few of them chatted for a while, a muffled sound echoed in the air. A woman stepped into the hall, and everyone present stood up. Shen Yanqing hurried forward and said in a soft voice:

"It has been many years since I last saw you, Senior!" Shen Yanqing already knew about the matter of the grotto-heaven, so there was no warm smile on her face at this moment. Li Qinghong, however, wore a smile and nodded, saying:

"It has indeed been some years."

The group welcomed her to a seat, and Shen Yanqing said softly:

"I should have come to see you much earlier, Senior, but I was delayed by various matters. After all, Jiangbei is in chaos, and my family could not remain aloof. Now that the situation has stabilized, I have come to see you."

She took a jade box from her sleeve, placed it gently on the table, and said:

"I have brought the sacrificial method for the Sky Thunder that I mentioned to you back then, Senior. My family's thunder techniques originate from the 【Beigong Profound Thunder Dharma Path】, which was one of the twelve paths during the Zhou Dynasty."

Li Qinghong listened carefully and asked, "The 【Strategy Thunder Po-Cloud Dharma Path】 is likely not included, is it?"

Her own 【Strategy Thunder Po-Cloud Dharma Path】 was no longer a secret, and since this lineage was passed down from the Yanyang Temple Palace, it surely could not be a lineage from the Zhou Dynasty. When Li Qinghong asked this, she indeed saw Shen Yanqing nod and say, "It is not among them. The 【Strategy Thunder Po-Cloud Dharma Path】 was established in later generations. These twelve thunder palaces were originally a lineage that monitored the right and wrong, good and evil of the world. Now, they have all been annihilated... Even the lineages cannot be clearly traced, and only a few dharma paths remain."

Beside them, Wei Danying sighed softly and replied:

"If the twelve thunder palaces still existed, how could the world have come to this?"

After she finished this sigh, Li Qinghong did not express any stance, but Shen Yanqing's expression became rather strange. She hesitated for a moment and replied:

"The lineage within my sect holds the thunder palaces in high esteem... actually... according to the information my family has explored, that may not necessarily be the case."

Seeing the doubt in their eyes, Shen Yanqing only whispered, "According to the descriptions in the remaining classics, the thunder palaces acted tyrannically. Thunder chariots patrolled the territories, and wherever the envoys passed, thunder would shake, killing and injuring thousands..."

She paused and continued:

"Moreover, the thunder palaces controlled human tribulations, patrolling everywhere to find people to strike with lightning. Cultivators would be cultivating perfectly well, but as they neared a breakthrough, a thunder palace would suddenly arrive. Profound thunder would descend; the agony was one thing, but those with great sins would even lose their lives... The world suffered from this for a long time..."

"Later, when the person in the Beigong went beyond the heavens, the world was in an uproar. From high-level Zifu cultivators down to the common people, none were willing to be oppressed by the thunder palaces. Nine of the twelve palaces were destroyed... The cultivators stormed into the palaces, took out the thunder techniques, and burned them all together. The lineage soon vanished without a trace."

Li Qinghong listened in silence. The narrative Wei Danying had heard within the sect was completely different, and she looked even more shocked. Shen Yanqing sighed:

"This cultivation method of mine was secretly kept by a loose cultivator from that time. He recorded in it that when the thunder palaces collapsed, there was no one in the world who did not rejoice. They called the twelve thunder palaces the 'Twelve Thunder Disciplines' that bound the common people and cultivators of the world, saying that from then on, one could think what one wanted, imagine what one wanted, write what one wanted, and speak what one wanted."

After she finished saying this, no one in the hall spoke. The Li family members had not understood what the thunder palaces were before, so they were still fine, but the concepts in Wei Danying's heart had long been deeply rooted. At this moment, she found it indescribable and whispered, "How could it be like this... I only heard that the thunder palaces patrolled the world and that no one dared to cultivate the demonic path... How did it reach the point of binding the world!"

Shen Yanqing had not come to discuss the good and evil of the thunder palaces with everyone, and she did not intend to explain it in detail to her; she only wanted Li Qinghong to have an understanding of the thunder palaces. She comforted her softly:

"Just listen to it as a rumor."

She turned to Li Qinghong and smiled, "Please take a look, Senior."

Li Qinghong took the jade box and took out the jade slip inside. It indeed recorded a sacrificial method for the Sky Thunder, which was quite different from her own family's. Li Qinghong then pushed the 【Profound Purple Thunder Secret Technique】 over as well.

The thunder technique obtained from the Qingsong Temple grotto-heaven was naturally not the lineage of any dharma path; the 【Sky Cloud Asking Thunder Technique】 only had the cultivation method, and this was all Li Qinghong could offer. Shen Yanqing accepted it and said softly, "I hope to discuss the secrets of the cultivation method with you in detail, Senior."

Li Zhouwei immediately understood and invited the few of them to go to the side hall together. For a moment, the main hall was empty. Shen Yanqing whispered, "Senior, I heard that several thunder-cultivating families in the North Sea, the Miao family in the South Sea, and those two Daoists in the East Sea... are all preparing to set off for the East Sea. Do you have any arrangements, Senior?"

"I already know, and I will be going there in a few days."

Li Qinghong said sternly:

"The dragon kin are spreading cultivation methods, and one of their own has waited for a hundred years; they value this matter extremely highly. Naturally, I will not go."

When Shen Yanqing heard this, she sighed inwardly and replied:

"Senior... the dragon kin are casting a wide net. Many who cultivated the Strategy Thunder Po-Cloud Dharma Path have also died young. They have always had no movements, so at first, none of the families could guess... It was only when the grotto-heaven began to show traces that there were gradually some guesses."

"It is just that now that things have reached this point, you are already an outstanding figure in this path, Senior, so you have to go."

Seeing that Li Qinghong was calm and composed, she said:

"My family's True Person said... there will be another round of fighting within the grotto-heaven. Do not hold back, Senior..."

Li Qinghong was surprised and replied:

"I naturally know this. Between life and death, how could I hold back?"

Shen Yanqing said:

"Including that Xi Zikang from the North Sea."

Li Qinghong raised her eyebrows. Her family truly had no secrets in front of these Zifu cultivators. Shen Yanqing whispered, "His cultivation of thunder techniques is extremely high, ranking among the top few among those entering the grotto-heaven. If you can deal with this person, you can solve a big problem."

Li Qinghong had only just developed some friendship with Xi Zikang. Although she was straightforward, how could she not understand the meaning of the Shen family, or rather, the Purple Smoke Sect? She was silent for a moment and then said:

"In any case, we have to enter the dragon's belly, so why bother? I am not a pedantic person, and I have done things like killing people to seize treasures... but that is an enemy after all... At the very least, I see that this young man Xi Zikang has upright character and treats me with enthusiasm, so I cannot bring myself to do it."

Shen Yanqing was also silent and gritted her teeth, saying, "What if life and death are unknown after entering the dragon's belly?"

Li Qinghong slowly turned her head, tucked her hair behind her ear, became even more silent, and said softly, "So this is asking me to choose one."

Shen Yanqing only said she dared not. A soft smile appeared on Li Qinghong's face, and she shook her head, saying, "Then I cannot bring myself to do it; it is my fate to die in this tribulation."

Shen Yanqing pursed her lips and replied:

"I understand, Senior..."

She paused and quickly changed the subject:

"My master has already reincarnated. If there is any news in the territory of the Lake or your noble family, please inform us. There will definitely be a generous reward!"

Li Qinghong had long known she would say these things and nodded in agreement. Shen Yanqing then took her leave and went to the side hall to find her companions. Only then did Li Qinghong lean back in her chair, slightly lost in thought.

When she heard Shen Yanqing's words, she initially felt that the Purple Smoke Sect meant for her to surround and kill Xi Zikang before entering the grotto-heaven, but upon careful thought, it was probably not before entering the grotto-heaven.

"After all, many Strategy Thunder Po-Cloud Dharma Paths have been circulated. If everyone is afraid of being harmed in the grotto-heaven and goes to harm others first, how could the dragon kin sit idly by? If it were possible, Zifu immortal clans like the Miao family would have already taken action."

"It is a reminder that if I join forces with Xi Zikang... even if I don't take the opportunity to sneak attack him, I must be on guard. I am afraid that in the end, we will still have to fight..."

She sat quietly for a while. Li Zhouwei had already entered from outside the hall. He did not rush to ask about Shen Yanqing's words but said in a deep voice, "The time for Jiangque's generation to receive the talisman seeds for the first time is also near. Since you have come out of seclusion, Senior, why don't we take a look together."

"Good."

Li Qinghong had not spoken much recently and responded concisely.

Qingchi Sect.

The main hall of Qingchi Peak had gorgeous green bricks and was filled with white mist. The young man leaned against the side of the immortal seat. The green clothes on his body were dotted with golden patterns, shining with dazzling brilliance, and the sword at his waist was suffused with magic power.

His appearance was not outstanding, but his spirit was full of vitality. The woman beside the table was dressed in colorful skirts, and her beautiful eyes were fixed on him.

"Sect Master..."

This person was none other than the young Sect Master of Qingchi, Chi Xuxiao. He lowered his eyes to look at the documents on the table. When the woman spoke to ask, he said softly, "The recommendation I sent to my uncle... has he responded?"

Mentioning Chi Fupo, a trace of resentment flashed in the woman's eyes, and she only whispered:

"He does not allow it."

As the Sect Master of a sect, it was one thing that Chi Xuxiao could not appoint or remove personnel, but even recommending a talent was pushed back by Chi Fupo, which was undoubtedly a bit humiliating. However, he smiled slightly and replied:

"Good... It seems I was inconsiderate. You take that jade slip back, and I will see what my uncle said again, ponder it carefully, and then ask him for advice."

The woman sighed and replied, "Yes, yes, yes..."

Chi Xuxiao looked at her carefully. The young Sect Master's eyes were full of smiles, and he asked:

"What is the matter with you again?"

"He is not asking for any important position! Just a few small positions... Chi Fupo actually does not allow it! By what right! Who is the Sect Master after all..."

She muttered for a while, and Chi Xuxiao shook his head and said:

"After all, I am too young, and I cannot think clearly about many things. How can I blame my elder? I understand that Ning Hejing has suffered abroad, but you cannot speak out of personal feelings."

The woman immediately shut her mouth, secretly calling out in her heart, "Does he really not understand or is he pretending not to understand..."

Just as the two finished speaking, someone immediately came to report that Chi Fupo had come to see him. Chi Xuxiao immediately stood up to welcome him, went all the way to the front of the hall, and said respectfully, "Uncle is here!"

Chi Fupo walked in slowly.

Over the years, Chi Fupo had held great power, gradually shedding that childishness, and his expression had become calmer. Chi Xuxiao welcomed him all the way to the side, personally arranged the mat for him, and said respectfully:

"I haven't seen you for many days, Uncle!"

This set of actions gave Chi Fupo plenty of face. Chi Fupo could not keep a straight face and only smiled, "The planning of the previous days has come to fruition. The people I planted in Fuchen Peak said... Li Quantao is becoming more and more uneasy, and his actions of going out frequently have increased... It should be that the news from the Li family has arrived."

Chi Xuxiao nodded and replied:

"Uncle is wise... There is no news at all from the Si family. Either the Li family cannot contact the Si family... or they have contacted them privately but to no avail..."

"Si Yuanli cannot abandon the Li family."

Chi Fupo was very certain and said quietly:

"Don't look at this person as cunning and forbearing; in fact, he just occupies a great trend. His previous methods show that there is a lot of womanly benevolence in his heart... After all, he is a sword cultivator, so he cannot do everything possible."

"If it weren't for this, Li Xuanfeng and others would never have been able to persuade him back then. Doing is doing, not doing is not doing; how could he listen to others' words to carry out such a major event... It is even more impossible for him not to have the Li family in his heart."

Chi Xuxiao had a bit more joy and only said:

"Could it be... that True Person Si is really in seclusion, and he did it privately?"

"I'm afraid it makes no difference whether he is in seclusion or not... but he is wary of our True Person."

Chi Fupo let out a deep breath, looked at him thoughtfully for a few times, and waved his hand to take his leave. Chi Xuxiao sent him all the way out of the hall. Chi Fupo smiled and said goodbye, but his expression became even heavier.

He walked with his hands behind his back, his head aching: "It just so happens that he is so intelligent... so polite... I really can't bear it..."

Chi Xuxiao's actions exceeded everyone's expectations in the sect. This young Sect Master not only took the initiative to stand up for Chi Fupo and tried his best to mediate the contradictions between Chi and Ning, but he was also a wise master who was understanding, generous, and magnanimous. Over the past few years, his reputation in the sect had become higher and higher.

Chi Fupo saw it in his eyes and felt awkward in himself. The appearance of Chi Buzi in the East Sea also made him both happy and worried. Chi Buzi was a Zifu of his own family if it sounded good, but an elder of the Bo lineage if it sounded bad...

His heart was extremely gloomy. He walked all the way back to his hall with a smiling face, just in time to meet the black-clad young man coming up.

"Yuanqin."

The idea of establishing Chi Xuxiao as Sect Master had gradually deviated from the original intention and vaguely showed signs of being a bad idea. But Chi Fupo was a sensible person. Facing Li Yuanqin who proposed this plan, he did not have any bad expression and said kindly, "Did those few make things difficult for you?"

Chi Fupo could see clearly, but the Chi family members were not all sensible. The higher Chi Xuxiao's reputation became, the more cold looks Li Yuanqin received from the Chi family members, both openly and secretly. But he only said calmly, "Brother Fupo, it has been investigated."

Chi Fupo nodded in understanding. The two sat down at the table. Li Yuanqin whispered, "Ning Hejing has indeed colluded with the Buddhist cultivators. It is a Dharma Master Kongwu... He wants to plot against Li Xizhi and Si Yuanli... The light evil in the abyss has become more and more intense these days. I am afraid that Li Xizhi is difficult to hide. As soon as he comes out of the abyss, Ning Hejing's people are already waiting."

"There is too little news. Although I can't see it, he probably has some means to pin it on us. True Person Zhihu is still in the East Sea. I guess it mostly falls on him."

Chi Fupo was slightly silent and whispered, "You mean..."

"He is plotting left and right, just to provoke us to fall out with the Si family, so as to sit back and reap the benefits. Isn't that just human life? Even if you can't guess how he does it, Li Xizhi or Si Yuanli and True Person Zhihu must die."

Chi Fupo fell silent, his heart growing colder:

"Just Ning Hejing alone cannot stir up such a big storm! I'm afraid some Zifu cultivators can't bear to see the two True Persons Chi and Si remain aloof, so they are silently pushing from behind, wanting to worsen the relationship between the two True Persons."

Li Yuanqin just stared at him and whispered, "Yuanqin thinks so too, but it is precisely because of the cover of the Zifu cultivators that even if Si Boxiu is not in seclusion, it is highly likely that he cannot calculate this matter!"

Chi Fupo narrowed his eyes and asked:

"How do you plan to deal with it?"

"Li Xizhi is not easy to kill, and Si Yuanli is highly likely to be detected. They will most likely kill True Person Zhihu first..."

Chi Fupo was calm: "Oh? Then I will call him back first?"

Li Yuanqin shook his head and said quietly:

"In my opinion, it is better to let True Person Zhihu die. We will wait quietly on the side. As soon as True Person Zhihu dies, we will immediately take action to capture Li Xizhi and lock him back in the sect!"

His tone was cold, and he replied:

"As long as we pin everything down, the True Person will definitely not be able to say anything! Use this to force Si Yuanli to give up those positions that have not been handed over, and let him out of the sect!"

Chi Fupo heard that he wanted to kill his own uncle and actually showed a bit of a smile, asking:

"What if he refuses?"

Li Yuanqin said respectfully:

"Then the Li family can only rely on us to protect Li Xizhi's life. Wouldn't the remaining Ning family members be within our grasp?"

"Good, good, good."

Chi Fupo's smile grew deeper and deeper. He stared straight at him and asked:

"Since this matter can even be hidden from Si Boxiu who is in seclusion... there must be a Zifu cultivator taking action..."

"How did you know?!" ===== CHAPTER 648 =====