Chapter 837: The Yin-Zhe Transformation (112) (Bonus chapter for Alliance Leader Ai Xian Qitian)

"It is not that I do not trust Xiukui or Jiuqiu... Bai Sha Island could serve as a place to leave messages, but I cannot remain here to cultivate in seclusion. It would be better to find another location."

Once this thought crossed his mind, he no longer had any intention of staying on Bai Sha Island. He swept his gaze over the motley group of cultivators below and frowned inwardly: "If I just flick my sleeves and leave, this territory will suffer again in a few years... Regardless of whether it is the immortal sects of the Xilian Sea or the surrounding powers, while they might not dare to come for a time, probing is inevitable."

If he were to remain here and the situation escalated, not to mention the dragon-kin, even the Great Ci Tongcai Temple of the Kong Que Sea nearby—upon hearing that a Zifu-level power had emerged in the adjacent waters—would likely send people to inquire. Those monks were insidiously malicious; there was no telling what kind of trouble might arise then.

He paused slightly and finally spoke:

"I have been traveling through the various seas and happened to pass through this place. I did not expect you all to have gathered on this island and received my protection. Now that I am leaving these seas, our karmic connection has come to an end."

The cultivators below heard his words and finally felt they would not be held accountable; everyone felt a weight lift from their hearts. Yet, hearing he was leaving, they grew fearful. They bowed with tears in their eyes, but Li Ximing only said:

"Monsters are running rampant in the Dong'a Wang Sea. Since I have come, I cannot simply watch as these creatures wreak havoc..."

If Li Ximing were an array master, modifying the Bai Sha Island array would have been most appropriate. Unfortunately, he knew nothing of arrays, and elixirs would only cause them to turn on one another. He could only take a few jade slips from his sleeve.

These were several volumes of cultivation techniques and spells from within the sea, which were far better than the common goods these people possessed. Li Ximing tossed the jade slips onto the table and shook his head: "The miscellaneous techniques you all cultivate are so poor you cannot even fight a few monsters. Pass these around and read them... No monsters will dare to come for the next dozen years or so. Rely on your own cultivation to pass down the Daoist lineage."

"This True Person will first make a trip to the Xilian Sea. When I return, I will offer some guidance to those among you who have the opportunity to reach Foundation Establishment, and then I shall continue my travels through the seas."

The cultivators were both shocked and delighted. They saw the old man move forward two steps and weep:

"We do not know your lordship's name... The people of the Dong'a Wang Sea... are filled with gratitude..."

'Name?'

Li Ximing was too lazy to give this group of people a chance to use his reputation as a tiger skin, and he certainly did not want any trouble that might occur later to be blamed on him. Could he really expect a few outstanding individuals to emerge from this group of loose cultivators who had nothing? Perhaps even a Zifu?

Since he did not expect it, leaving behind a name and forming a karmic connection to a lineage would only be asking for trouble. He turned to leave and said casually:

"There is no need for a name. If you all use less blood energy, that would be the best repayment to me."

He escaped into the Grand Void and left. The group of people still dared not raise their heads. Hearing this one sentence, over ninety percent of the cultivators broke out in a cold sweat and looked toward the leader, the Daoist Wu.

The old Daoist only kowtowed incessantly. Now that the crisis was resolved, his entire body relaxed, and he pondered inwardly: "Fortunately... several of my Wu family's juniors are at the right age, and that kid surnamed Han has also gone to the West to train... In this way, my Wu family gains the most..."

Spiritual energy in the far seas was thin, and the speed of traversing the Grand Void was extremely fast. Li Ximing traveled for only half a day before crossing several oceans and soon arrived at the territory known as the Xilian Sea.

The seabed of the Xilian Sea was extremely high. Looking along the way, the average distance to the sea surface was less than a hundred feet. In shallower areas, there were many islanders wading into the sea to dig for reefs. Their numbers were not small, and most were physically strong—at least they were well-fed. Occasionally, when a few were drowned while digging, their bodies would float up, but the people around them did not show much grief; their expressions were mostly filled with emotion and surprise.

It was not easy for immortal Daoist governance to achieve this. Looking at the expressions and postures of the common people, it seemed they were not living too miserably under the rule of this so-called Quanjing Immortal Sect. Li Ximing felt reassured. Traveling westward, he soon saw an immortal mountain on the sea and several islands.

He did not need to waste much time; the cultivators on the entire island were already in a panic, gathering at the base. Li Ximing frowned inwardly:

"How sharp... This family is not an ordinary lineage, let alone some overseas loose cultivator who achieved the Dao. Just looking at this reaction is enough to rival the lineages within the sea..."

Sure enough, he raised his head slightly. Several streaks of light lit up on the immortal mountain not far away, rushing toward him at high speed. They transformed into two young men in fluttering robes who bowed together and said in unison: "The Zhao clan of Jishan pays respects to the True Person!"

"We do not know... the True Person's immortal carriage has arrived here... do you have any instructions?"

Li Ximing was slightly puzzled, thinking he had found a noble family under the Quanjing Sect, so he said:

"Is the Quanjing Immortal Sect located here?"

The two young men looked at each other with strange expressions. One said respectfully:

"If the True Person is looking for the Quanjing Immortal Sect, then it is undoubtedly our Jishan Zhao clan."

Just as his voice fell, a person emerged from the Grand Void, wearing white feathered robes with a light blue short robe underneath. His appearance was aged, far different from Li Ximing, and his cultivation was only at the early stage of Zifu, not even as good as Li Ximing's.

Seeing him, this old man who had broken through to Zifu in his twilight years was naturally very polite, cupping his hands and smiling:

"So it is True Person Zhaojing who has come. I am Lin Yi of Jishan. Please, enter and let us talk in detail!"

Li Ximing heard him call out his Daoist name and thought for a moment, asking tentatively:

"Fellow Daoist... has very well-informed news."

True Person Lin Yi saw him ask this and immediately smiled: "It was the True Person of Jiuqiu who gave the pointer, and only then did I obtain Fellow Daoist's Daoist name... Hearing that Fellow Daoist was cultivating in the Dong'a Wang Sea, I went there to take a look and happened to encounter the matter of Bai Sha Island, so I knew it was ten to one that it was Fellow Daoist."

Li Ximing heard the name of Jiuqiu, and the caution in his heart lessened slightly. If one were to talk about it, the reputation of Jiuqiu was much more useful than Ziyan or Xiukui. He nodded lightly and replied: "Just landing nearby will suffice."

The old True Person understood. The two traversed the Grand Void and landed in a nearby pavilion. Lin Yi was mostly seeking help, so he appeared very polite, having tea served. A maid brought a crystal-clear tray containing two small purple fruits.

"Zhaojing, please..."

Lin Yi said with a smile. Li Ximing did not have a good impression of him, so he just nodded to acknowledge it and said:

"Fellow Daoist, what is it you seek me for... let us talk about it first."

The True Person then said solemnly: "Fellow Daoist need not call me by my Daoist name. My family does not favor this. You and I can be considered to have a connection. My surname is Yan, given name Dushui. Just call me Dushui."

Li Ximing saw his sincere expression and said:

"I do not know... where this connection lies."

Yan Dushui nodded and said:

"Fellow Daoist is a descendant of the ancient Wei, and I am a descendant of the ancient Yan State. In the early days, there were marriages between us and the Imperial descendants. At that time... the carriages left Yanshan and headed south, grand and magnificent..."

This was beyond Li Ximing's expectations. He looked at him again and asked:

"Ancient Yan State..."

Yan Dushui did not know if he believed it. He raised his eyebrows with melancholy and said in a hoarse voice: "Yan and Wei helped each other until the Wei Guo unified the North. My Yan State then checked the Sixteen Hu outside the pass. Later, both families were broken by the Hu Jie and the Buddhist cultivators. My family fled here with the Yan State's Daoist lineage... Only today do we meet..."

"Counting now, it has been several hundred years since I have seen a Wei descendant... My family misses the past. Even these islands and mountain ranges are named after the place names of our former country... Many clansmen have even changed their surnames to Yan to commemorate the past."

Li Ximing heard this, but in his heart, he had no intention of feeling close; instead, he shook his head silently.

Yan Dushui's words might be true in the first half, but the further it went, the more false it became. It was not as if the Wei Guo had never been restored. There were plenty of Wei Lis who had spread out in the early years, so it was not as if they could not be seen at all...

The descendants of the Yan State were clearly not as close as the Cui clan, and they might not have been willing to submit to the rule of the Wei Guo in the end. Now, looking like this, Li Ximing had become a Zifu, and only after inquiring from Jiuqiu did they come to join in the fun... Clearly, there was not much friendship.

He only cupped his hands and said: "It is often said that my family is the remnant of the Wei Li, but in reality, my family does not know the origin of our ancestors. It just so happened that I achieved the Dao in Mingyang, and the various families made this speculation..."

"I understand!"

Yan Dushui nodded in understanding and replied:

"My family does not show off outside either. When the state was destroyed, we fled with a group of immortal sects. By the time we arrived here, almost all that remained were the royal family. We also borrowed the names of these immortal sects to use, and when we go out, we also call ourselves the Quanjing Immortal Sect..."

The name of the Yan State was clearly not as good as the Wei Guo, having such great karma. This group of people had been muddling through all these years. Li Ximing fell silent, and the old man immediately continued: "I invited an old friend this time, indeed, because I have something to ask..."

He said solemnly:

"My family accidentally discovered a treasure in a certain territory and has been waiting for many years. We need the help of the Mingyang divine ability... I previously asked True Person Yangya of the Cui clan in the West Sea..."

"But his meaning was that whether it is the East Sea or within the sea, he will no longer intervene and wants to settle the karma of his ancestors... My family's matter clearly relates to the ancestors of the Cui clan, so he was unwilling to take action."

Li Ximing had also heard of True Person Yangya. This person was a member of the Cui family, but he had branched off to the West Sea and had almost no connection with the main line. He did not expect it to be separated so clearly. He hesitated slightly and asked: "What treasure is it?"

Yan Dushui's voice lowered, and he said solemnly:

"A strand of Zhe Qi (Zhe-Qi)."

Li Ximing asked suspiciously: "What kind of treasure is this?"

The other party paused first, but then closed the topic and smiled:

"Fellow Daoist only needs to take action and help slightly. After the matter is accomplished, keep it secret for my family, and Jishan will definitely have a generous reward!"

He smiled slightly and replied:

"This thing grows on a piece of 【Soul-Listening Tinghun Sangmu】. After the matter is accomplished, I will take this treasure, and the 【Soul-Listening Tinghun Sangmu】 that this treasure inhabits can be handed over to Fellow Daoist. As for other requirements, we can discuss them later."

Although 【Soul-Listening Tinghun Sangmu】 was only a Foundation Establishment-level spiritual object, it was exceptionally precious because it was rarely produced in the world. Most were found in cave-heaven secret realms, and a small portion could be obtained in the Southern Border.

This thing could be used to make soul lamps of excellent quality, greatly avoiding the influence of Zifu divine abilities to indicate life and death.

One must know that this was a material that only the soul lamps of the three sects' cultivators could use. If one's own family could have a portion, the prediction of good and bad fortune for the direct line would become much more accurate. It was considered a quite important spiritual object.

Li Ximing still remembered that Minghui of the Lotus Temple had asked him to look for this spiritual object. If he had more left over, he did not know if the monk would accept it. It was just that Li Ximing had always had a bad impression of monks and had always been cautious, so he just stroked his beard and said nothing.

After a few breaths, Li Ximing said deliberately: "I still hope Fellow Daoist can explain it clearly to me. If I do not even know what kind of treasure it is, and I do not know if it will be stained with any trouble, how can I agree?"

He did not know what the people of Jiuqiu had said to Yan Dushui, but this old man seemed to trust him quite a bit. He hesitated and nodded before whispering: "Then I will not hide it..."

"The Twelve Qi originated from 'Qing Qi'. Under the Profound Wind, the various Qi were born, but the fruit position of one Qi was seized at the beginning of its birth, falling into the infinite netherworld, becoming a hazy and invisible Dao."

"That was a very ancient matter... This Qi was locked, and its fruit position fell into the netherworld, forming various changes. It became less and less in the world. I heard that at that time, it could still be re-certified, but it was extremely difficult, and no one went to gnaw on this hard bone."

"Only the ancient immortal Dao still had some cultivation. As this Qi became more and more integrated with the netherworld, turning back to feed the netherworld, the Qi in the world became less and less, and the Daoist lineage was soon cut off... It rarely manifested in the world."

"In ancient times, this Qi still had a name, but as the traces of this Qi became fewer and fewer, people called this event the 【Yin-Zhe Transformation】. That name was also covered in history books. By the near-ancient times, it was called 【Zhe Qi】, which has been passed down to this day. Even if one knows about such a thing, one can only call it 'Zhe Qi'."

He was clearly looking forward to the other party participating in this matter, and he spoke in detail, his face filled with emotion, replying: "The current 【Soul-Listening Tinghun Sangmu】, 【Nine-Refined Essence Soul】... are all things of this Qi. One says it is the immortal Dao, and it is the immortal Dao, but if one really wants to calculate it accurately, only traces that are imperceptible remain..."

"And the reason why the current crushing of jade talismans, tokens, etc., to warn is feasible is also because it traces back to the fruit position of this Zhe Qi..."

Li Ximing nodded thoughtfully. Yan Dushui's eyes were deep, and he said softly: "The 【Yin-Zhe Transformation】 also provided a shortcut for a certain World-Honored One to seize another fruit position, and it even involved the secrets of several Daoist lineages. Alas! The matters involved are complex. The closer the era, the less one can speak of it. Please forgive me..."

Yan Dushui quickly closed his mouth. Li Ximing asked softly: "Since that is the case... Fellow Daoist really has some opportunity, even reaching things in the netherworld."

Yan Dushui shook his head heavily and sighed, replying:

"This matter is not so. My ancestors fled here and managed it for several dozen generations. Fortunately, we formed a connection with a figure in the underworld. This thing is a treasure he left behind when he left, but my family has no way to move it... We can only watch and be anxious..."

"Until I achieved Zifu, I visited Jiuqiu several times and asked for advice with a respectful heart. Only then did I get the method of collection, but it requires the Mingyang divine ability 'Heavenly Clarity', the ancient divine ability 'Responding to the Emperor', or the help of the Sheji Daoist lineage... Just manifest the divine ability."

Li Ximing's heart was still calm, and he did not have much doubt about the request of the person in front of him. First, the benefit of this 【Soul-Listening Tinghun Sangmu】 was not that great; it was just rare. For cultivators within the sea, they could go to the Southern Border to search, and the degree of preciousness would even be discounted.

'If it is really to lure me... the reward given is too unappealing. Moreover, it is 【Heavenly Clarity】, which is still far from me...'

From this perspective, it was mostly a matter of lifting a finger, and with Jiuqiu acting as a guarantor on the side, the Yuan Dao True Person 【Three Hou Shu Xuan Fire】 gave it very readily, and he also clarified the aftermath of the Kong Que matter, giving Li Ximing a quite good impression, so he was willing to believe it.

But he still smiled slightly and nodded, saying: "Fellow Daoist thinks too highly of me. Such a high-level life divine ability as 'Heavenly Clarity', I have not only not cultivated it, but I do not even have the technique in my hands. How can I help Fellow Daoist?"

Yan Dushui shook his head repeatedly, a trace of free and easy laughter on his face, replying:

"The Donghuo Cave-Heaven has manifested. The techniques of Mingyang should be everywhere. With Fellow Daoist's talent for achieving divine abilities at such a young age, how can 'Heavenly Clarity' be far away?"

"It does not matter. This old man still has a hundred years of lifespan. I should be able to see that day... If I cannot wait for that day, then we will discuss it separately."

Li Ximing knew where his confidence came from. I am afraid that in this old man's mind, Li Ximing could not possibly not use the wonderful method of continuing the path. As long as there was a Foundation Establishment technique, it was enough. It was impossible not to cultivate the life divine ability when the three divine abilities of 【Participating in the Purple Immortal Cage】 were placed in front of him, so 'Heavenly Clarity' was a matter of time.

He pondered for a moment and replied:

"Since Fellow Daoist has waited for so many years, there is no rush. I still have one or two elixirs that have not been refined. How about I go to Jiuqiu on the way and then come back to find Fellow Daoist?"

The only loophole in the other party's words might be borrowing the name of Jiuqiu. Li Ximing naturally wanted to ask to be at ease. Yan Dushui was not surprised and nodded with a smile, replying: "It does not matter. I will wait for Fellow Daoist here... As for Jiuqiu... Fellow Daoist does not need to make a trip. Senior Lingdu is nearby. Fly slightly to the west, and you will be able to see his true self."

"Oh?"

Li Ximing's heart moved, and the smile on his face deepened. He replied:

"Haha... It turns out the Senior is here. Then I am embarrassed to run back to refine elixirs..."

Almost as soon as Yan Dushui finished speaking, Li Ximing immediately became suspicious: 'I don't think it's necessarily Yan Dushui who wants to take this strand of Zhe Qi. It might be Jiuqiu instead... Is there such a coincidence?'

Yan Dushui smiled:

"There is an excellent secret treasure in the 【Xilian Sea】. Jiuqiu sends people to this sea area to train every year. This year, the Senior brought people here, and it just happened to be the season."

Li Ximing responded with a smile and rose on his light according to his instructions, sighing slightly in his heart: 'Whether it is your Jishan's 【Xilian Sea】 or Jiuqiu's 【Xilian Sea】, the secret treasure of the 【Xilian Sea】 requires his family's people to come and take it. It is indeed a grievance.'

Clearly, although Jishan was not as down and out as the Cui family, surviving for so many years meant there were places where they were constrained by others. It was not certain that they were vassals of Jiuqiu many years ago. If it were not for the Yan Dushui who achieved Zifu in front of him, it might have been even more miserable! As for whether Yan Dushui achieved Zifu in Jishan or Jiuqiu Mountain, that was even harder to say...

'So the scope controlled by the Jiuqiu Daoist lineage... has reached such a far place... Also, the lifespan of the Yuan Dao True Person seems to be inexhaustible. Whether it is Yan Dushui or some other vassal, what kind of waves can they stir up?'

He flew silently all the way and soon saw a pillar of light rushing to the top of the sky. An old man was standing on a flying boat with a smile. Seeing Li Ximing, he raised his eyebrows slightly and smiled:

"Zhaojing? I did not expect to see Fellow Daoist here."

"I pay respects to the Senior!"

Li Ximing actually had a good impression of the old Senior Lingdu. Seeing his appearance, he temporarily suppressed the doubts in his heart, bowed, and replied:

"The junior was entrusted by Jishan and seems to want to take some kind of Qi. It is said that the news came from the Senior. The junior did not dare to neglect, so I came to ask on the way."

Lingdu suddenly realized, invited him onto the boat, and shook his head:

"He begged for this matter for a long time. I thought it would be very beneficial to you, so I revealed a little bit. I just mentioned that you cultivate Mingyang. I did not expect this guy to really have some quick wit. Combining the front and back, I am afraid he found you all at once."

Li Ximing nodded slightly and saw Lingdu sigh: "You have also seen him... I think he has also poured out a lot to you... Perhaps he was a bit eager for quick success, but if this matter is revealed in his mouth, if he cannot take it out, his descendants may not have a chance to survive."

He looked at Li Ximing, seemingly understanding his concerns, and smiled:

"You must know that this thing is indeed impossible to deal with in his hands, and it cannot be publicized. It must be sent to my Jiuqiu... But for Jiuqiu, this thing will not run away if it is placed there. Whether he comes to take it or my Jiuqiu comes to take it in the future, it is the same."

After he finished speaking, Li Ximing immediately understood.

Clearly, Jiuqiu did not know that Jishan had this good thing early on. Once Yan Dushui begged, Jiuqiu understood. Although the thing was precious, it was not an urgent matter for Jiuqiu. Yan Dushui was old. If he took it, he would naturally send it. If he did not take it, when he fell, Jiuqiu would still be able to take it when it had the opportunity.

But for Yan Dushui, offering it himself and being snatched away after falling were two completely different meanings! Li Ximing stroked his beard and nodded. The doubts in his heart were suddenly resolved. He saw Lingdu sigh:

"After all, there is a friendship of many years, and I do not want to see him fall to that point. Setting aside my identity as the Jiuqiu Daoist lineage, in terms of personal friendship, I still hope he can have a turning point... That is why I revealed it. Please forgive me, Zhaojing."

"The junior understands."

Li Ximing's heart suddenly became bright. Lingdu said it so clearly, clearly also valuing his own family. And Li Ximing obtained this news, which was equivalent to directly touching the other party's bottom line. As long as it was not an excessive request, it would not make him offend too many people, and he could even invite this Zifu to take action!

If the help of the Yuan Dao True Person might be to manifest the style of Jiuqiu, the intentional care of the Lingdu in front of him became more and more obvious. Although the Jiuqiu Daoist lineage never mentioned any help and did not like to be too deeply involved, the partiality toward their own family was always between the tangible and the intangible, making Li Ximing both happy and worried.

After all, the help of this level of Daoist lineage was often sought after or guided...

Even so, everything so far had traces of goodwill. He still nodded silently, bowed to the True Person of Jiuqiu, and replied sincerely: "Thank you, Senior!"

Characters appearing in this chapter

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Yan Dushui 【Early Zifu】

Li Ximing 【Early Zifu】 【Zifu Alchemist】

Ling○du 【Mid Zifu】 【Dantai Jiuqiu Daoist Lineage】 ===== CHAPTER 838 =====