Chapter 789: Kong Que Past Events

"Tinglan is still looking for me..." Li Ximing did not think Tinglan had much concern. Nine times out of ten, she was in a hurry to use the pill and worried that he would be in seclusion for a dozen years...

"After all, I have already read the 【Heavenly One Spitting Essence Pill】, and the Xuan Yue Sect has been dealt with. She took away the Zifu array. With the things in her hands, it is hard to find someone else to refine them..."

He sat down with the two and asked: "I promised Fellow Daoist Tinglan that we had important matters to discuss. I went away for several years and delayed things, so she came looking for me."

Li Ximing helped Tinglan cover up the matter of pill refining and casually brushed it off. Houfu just nodded and poured tea. Lingdu was quite enthusiastic. The old man laughed:

"Zhaojing's alchemy is profound. Perhaps she is looking for you to refine pills. In any case, it is a good thing... Previously, I thought Zhaojing was seriously injured and in seclusion, so I just kept an eye out. Now that I see Zhaojing is safe and sound, I don't know how to reply to her."

Lingdu did not want to interfere in the affairs of Purple Smoke either. He wanted a definite answer from Li Ximing. Li Ximing understood his thoughts and replied:

"There is no need to trouble the senior to reply back and forth. If I escape and return to Jiangnan, I will naturally seek her out."

Tinglan was of the Solar Daoist lineage, and the Great Xiukui Temple was not bad either; it was a former subordinate of the Immortal Mansion. Jiuqiu Xianshan was overseas. None of the families had any intention of currying favor with her, purely looking at personal friendship. Clearly, there was no one with a particularly good relationship with Tinglan, so it passed just like that.

Li Ximing took the opportunity to say:

"I have been healing my injuries in the East Sea for several years and have no news from Jiangnan. I don't know how things are now..."

Houfu did not like to talk much, fearing that explaining back and forth would lower his status, so he sipped tea and remained silent. Seeing this, Lingdu replied: "Zhu Palace entered Shanjie Prefecture and set up another mountain gate, called the 【Bath Ticket Sect】, which is also a Tongxuan Daoist lineage. Your clan's Li Zhouwei fled to the sea. I heard he lost one who cultivated thunder."

Li Ximing's eyes lowered, and the teacup in his hand was set down. He wiped his hands unconsciously on his robes and replied: "Oh... sigh..."

His high spirits, originally due to his healed injuries, suddenly plummeted, and his heart felt empty: "Cheng has not left any bloodline yet... it was all because my planning was insufficient... He should have been the one to majestically suppress the clan's fortune, but because of my lack of thought, he was carelessly harmed to death."

There were only a few pillars of the family, and only a few without selfishness. Li Ximing knew them all by heart. He felt sour and uncomfortable. That he did not lose his composure was already good. For a moment, he really could not speak.

Lingdu was a person who had been through it all. He could see at a glance that the junior he valued had been carelessly harmed to death. He shook his head slightly and said:

"Whether it is clan inheritance or bloodline, they are all the same. Out of ten juniors, six are mediocre, three are wastrels, and the one who stands out has to drag the other nine along. That is fine... but the more outstanding they are... the more one drags them to dangerous places to train..."

"We elders and masters all hope that the outstanding one can turn the tide in times of crisis. If they truly fall like this, it can be considered dying for a worthy cause. But there are more who are not as one wishes. Dying suddenly or accidentally is what makes one's chest feel stifled, with strength but nowhere to use it... bitter and angry!"

He stomped his feet and replied:

"When I was young, I had a junior with excellent talent and a honest temperament. If he were still alive, he could have impacted Zifu. He just went to a market in the surrounding sea as usual, and without paying attention, he died on a woman's belly. He didn't even get to use his talismans or protective treasures."

"Later, when I investigated, I couldn't blame the child for not being smart. That woman was just a loose cultivator, not bewitched by any supernatural powers, purely out of love turning to hate, hating him for being a philanderer... It shows that even for elders like us who have cultivated supernatural powers, when one encounters the exhaustion of fortune... there is no saving them."

When he said this, Li Ximing said in a low voice:

"Senior is right. My family also has a philanderer. It may not be a bad thing. I often look at whether they are smart or not; it's just that his talent is not high, and it will be even harder in the future."

Among the three, only Houfu was young and had no offspring. The Great Xiukui Temple was not his concern, so he should have had no worries. But talking about this, his brows were also locked in a frown, and he replied:

"True Person Cao manages his own juniors, but he doesn't know that my sect's Daoist lineage also has worries and anxieties. The inheritance in hand cannot be balanced. Not only do those below hate their fellow disciples, but they also hate you. There are more than fifty factions in the thirty-six peaks, all busy promoting their own relatives. It's more than just a mess... I have cultivated for so many years, and the disciples below have already split into six factions."

The two comforted him with a word. Li Ximing tactfully collected his emotions. Houfu glanced at Lingdu, and the old man of the Jiuqiu Daoist lineage opened his mouth and laughed: "Since Zhaojing is here, it can be considered a stroke of fate. Zhaojing fought with Senior Chang Xiao... how is your Dharma body now? Have you seen the Silver Bottle?"

The relationship between Lingdu and Li Ximing was not very close. Mentioning the Dharma body was actually a taboo. If it were a Zifu with a violent temper, changing his face on the spot would be possible. It was just that the other side had great power, and Li Ximing also had a peaceful temper, so he only frowned and said:

"There is still some damage, and I have seen the Silver Bottle. It is very formidable."

Lingdu said in a deep voice: "The Douxuan Daoist lineage is very formidable. Since the Silver Bottle has been hit, Zhaojing should not return to Jiangnan in the short term... You will be detected by Senior Chang Xiao."

Li Ximing's heart shook, and his pupils dilated slightly.

"Why did I not notice it at all!"

Li Ximing had actually suspected earlier that Senior Chang Xiao's supernatural powers had left a mark, but clearly he had not discovered a trace... He had even asked the Immortal Mirror to probe! "Impossible... there must be something tricky... how could it dodge the Immortal Mirror's probe? This sinister thing might have guessed I had the ability to probe and deliberately didn't leave one... true and false..."

Lingdu glanced at him and replied:

"We few do not have eye supernatural powers and cannot see clearly, but our Jiuqiu Daoist lineage has a 【Fangyin Pool】 that can cleanse the Dharma body..."

He paused slightly, and his meaning gradually became clear: "However, there is one matter I would like to discuss."

Li Ximing raised his head slightly and heard Lingdu say softly: "Zifu Spirit Fire... I wonder if Zhaojing is interested?"

Li Ximing's heart lit up slightly, but there was no expression on his face. He only said:

"Oh? I wonder which path it is?"

The highest grade of the Li family's techniques was undoubtedly the sixth-grade 【Great Li White Xi Light】. This set of techniques had harsh conditions and required Zifu Li Fire to be performed and cultivated. Li Ximing had coveted it for a long time. When he asked, Lingdu was stumped and said in a low voice:

"I don't know which path it is... in any case, it is not Mare Fire or Gong Fire."

Li Ximing had just escaped from danger and was very hesitant. He asked:

"Why don't you explain it in detail."

Lingdu nodded and said: "Zhaojing must have heard that the 【Great Bestowal Copper Color Temple】 has had an incident, and there is restlessness everywhere. Before our Great True Person went, he guessed that it should be that the Eyed Lianmin of the temple has fallen."

Li Ximing had doubts about this. This Great True Person of Jiuqiu Xianshan was a dignified Zifu late-stage cultivator, with strength equivalent to Mohe. He didn't need to give the 【Great Bestowal Copper Color Temple】 a good face, but it sounded like he was summoned. He said:

"【Great Bestowal Copper Color Temple】 is quite majestic."

Lingdu immediately heard it and replied: "The Kong Que ancestor of the 【Great Bestowal Copper Color Temple】 had ties with our Daoist lineage back then, and the previous Great Bestowal Temple Master also had the grace of pointing out the way to the Mountain Master. He has the sentiment of having to take care of the peacocks..."

"No wonder!"

The Kong Que Sea was clearly suppressed by Jiuqiu Xianshan, yet it was full of peacocks soaring. It was very difficult for the Immortal and Buddhist paths to have a good relationship. Li Ximing was still suspicious. Lingdu then said: "So the Eyed Lianmin fell, and for the sake of reason and emotion, one must go there. The 【Great Bestowal Copper Color Temple】 has a total of four Compassions. One fell, one has to go to the Buddhist Land to report, and another has to entertain the Great True Person. Only one can spare a hand."

"And the thing mentioned earlier is in the Kong Que Sea. It is an inheritance left by the Tantai ancestors, which has a deep relationship with the peacocks. It has been discovered for many years, but I was afraid that if I made a move, it would inevitably be divided by the peacocks. The Great True Person, out of consideration for friendship, could not support us, so we have been slow to act. Now is the perfect time."

Li Ximing roughly sorted it out, rubbed the teacup for a while, and did not agree, but laughed:

"Since it is a treasure of the Tantai family, why do you need me?"

Lingdu paused slightly and replied:

"First, this array is difficult to solve, and second... that Eyed Lianmin might sense it and come. We are taking the object below, and we need Zhaojing to block him slightly."

Li Ximing understood now. Jiuqiu Xianshan was probably unwilling to tear its face with the 【Great Bestowal Copper Color Temple】. There must be an unrelated person to stand at the front. The price was the Zifu Spirit Fire in the inheritance...

"It's possible... before I came, they intended to let Houfu be this villain, and were discussing it... but I suddenly popped up. These two thought that after the Wei-Li, what else is there to fear offending in the Buddhist path... and used a spirit fire to push me out..."

Whether this thing was left by the Tantai ancestors, Li Ximing really didn't dare to believe, but at least the two were as familiar with this inheritance as if it were their own, so they dared to say so. Li Ximing was hesitating when he saw Houfu suddenly speak: "Zhaojing, once that Eyed Lianmin comes, Senior Lingdu cannot deal with him. No matter which one of us stands out, this Eyed Lianmin will fight for it without giving up. In the end, the battle will expose our identities. It is better to stand out together. Two Zifu will scare him, enough to make him wary and retreat. No need to make a move, reducing the risk of exposure by ninety percent."

Houfu, after all, had the Great Xiukui Temple behind him, and his words carried some weight. This was much more comfortable. Even if something happened, Houfu would cover it. Li Ximing was slightly moved and specifically asked: "【Great Bestowal Copper Color Temple】 is behind the 【Compassionate Aspect】 or the 【Emptiness Aspect】..."

"It is the 【Compassionate Aspect】."

Li Ximing breathed a sigh of relief.

His great-uncle Li Xuanfeng had killed eighteen Buddhist cultivators of the 【Emptiness Aspect】 by the river and destroyed the great fate of this path. As long as this thing had half a relationship with the 【Emptiness Aspect】, Li Ximing would absolutely not touch it. Now he pondered and nodded: "I can give it a try."

"Good!"

Lingdu nodded and laughed: "Please, Zhaojing, cultivate in the mountain for a while. Once we have sorted out this matter, we will invite you over when it is about to manifest, and then invite Zhaojing to see the Great True Person and go to cleanse it."

Li Ximing finally decided to cleanse it to get rid of his doubts. The three poured tea, signaled to each other, and settled the matter.

Moon-Watching Lake.

The bright moon on the lake was at its peak, and the moonlight rolled in the sparkling lake surface. White magic light flew up from the shore from time to time, heading toward the continent. First, it flew to the central hall of the continent, stayed for a while, and then shuttled to the rear hall.

At the head of the main hall was still a man in black, holding a pen. Three years of time flowed by. Li Zhouluo's face had not changed much, but his actions in handling requests were much more agile, and his expression was no longer as if facing a great enemy as before.

He soon put down the pen and looked at the sky; it was not yet midnight.

Since the announcement of the three-year assessment proposed by Li Xuanxuan, Li Zhouluo's workload had visibly decreased.

The prefectures and peaks that used to report every trivial matter now had brains; they were so clever that they would even write down the solutions. Clan members who had been like dead pigs and walked everywhere for favors came back to life, running around diligently in the continent every day. The clan members in power at the borders of the continent suddenly became selfless and incorruptible, while the main branch members who went to the borders for leisure suddenly became full of wisdom, insightful at a glance, and righteously indignant as they exposed a group of corrupt officials, resulting in the downfall of a member of the Dou family.

"Truly diligent..."

Li Zhouluo suddenly realized that he didn't need to exert much effort. Even rectifying several outsiders had a group of clansmen indignantly denouncing them. These things were naturally all good, except that the various cultivators of Qingdu were slightly cold. Although they were still respectful, there was no intimacy.

He understood that his handling of Li Chengpan three years ago was indeed not good enough. The status and power of the Qingdu cultivators were based on the people in power suppressing the main branch. His obvious bias had already become a muddled account. Later, he took the initiative to set up the shelter matter, so it was naturally difficult to get these people to like him.

"However... none of it matters anymore..."

Li Zhouluo firmly remembered Li Xuanxuan's words. Do what you are capable of. He was just here to earn enough favor and then step down, so his heart felt much more comfortable.

He pondered for a while. A man in plain clothes was waiting on the side. Li Zhouluo saw him and laughed: "Uncle Chengpan, how are things in the west?"

This person was Li Chengpan from back then. That blood-letter incident almost forced him to be imprisoned in Qingdu. Later, it was gradually cleared up. Although only Li Hun was convicted, Li Zhouluo could no longer use him, so he let him be a deputy in the hall.

Li Chengpan bowed: "Everything is in order. This year's harvest from the mineral vein has been handed over to the clan."

Li Zhouluo sighed slightly. Calculating the time, there were not many days left until the shelter assessment.

"The old senior said, shelter them early, let them be happy for a while, so that Jiangqian doesn't come out and play the bad guy, it would be too obvious..."

The current spiritual atmosphere was 【Dwelling Heart Rushing Mystery】, which was beneficial to the Fire Virtue. The time for Li Jiangqian to be in seclusion would definitely not be long, so this matter naturally could not be dragged out.

He was pondering when he saw a breeze blow through the courtyard, slowly revealing a figure. It was a middle-aged man in black robes like feathers, with a two-foot-long black jade tied to his waist. His brow ridges were slightly high, and there was a smile in his eyes.

"Father!"

Li Zhouluo was startled awake, walked down the steps quickly, and said happily: "You have actually come out of seclusion!"

A few years passed, and Li Chenghuai's cultivation became more and more stable. Pure and thick gray brilliance flowed on his hair. His appearance was not outstanding, and "Don't investigate me" hid his Immortal Foundation even more, making him look inconspicuous. He nodded slightly and replied: "The sacrifice is near, and the family needs someone to preside over the overall situation. I guessed that Jiangqian would also be coming out of seclusion, so I came out... I walked around the continent, and the family is bustling and the atmosphere is very good... You did well."

Li Zhouluo understood why all this was, felt slightly ashamed, and said in a low voice:

"Father... misunderstood..."

Characters appearing in this chapter

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Li Ximing 【Zifu Early Stage】 【Zifu Alchemist】

Ling○du 【Zifu Middle Stage】 【Tantai Jiuqiu Daoist Lineage】

Hou○fu 【Zifu Early Stage】 【Great Xiukui Temple】

Li Zhouluo 【Qi Refining 8th Layer】 【Clan Master】

Li Chengpan 【Qi Refining 2nd Layer】 【Main Branch】

Li Chenghuai "Don't investigate me" ===== CHAPTER 790 =====