Chapter 907: The Situation Gradually Stabilizes

Shao Yun said softly, "There is nothing to hope for; it is merely a matter of rewarding based on merit and granting a path to survival."

"This lower cultivator understands!"

Chi Buzi responded submissively. Seeing Dang Jiang beside him raise his head, he asked cautiously, "I see the mansion... has become much colder. I wonder why..."

Shao Yun's vermilion lips parted slightly, and she let out a faint sigh, answering:

"The celestial phenomena have changed; the Earth element is bright. A major event has occurred in the lower realm. We have been ordered to investigate the celestial phenomena to prevent True Lords or even higher-level beings from intervening. Many fellow Daoists are no longer in the mansion."

Once these words were spoken, Chi Buzi's lowered eyes closed slightly, his heart filled with dread:

*'Earth element... Luoxia... It seems the North-South conflict has True Lords personally suppressing it... I wonder which one from Luoxia it is...'*

Chi Buzi was overseas, but he had heard plenty of news from the mainland. He possessed many channels to obtain information, and a chill slowly rose in his heart:

*'I knew early on that the North-South conflict was a bottomless pit. Everyone who got involved met a bad end, but I never expected True Lords to arrive in person... No wonder!'*

*'Even if Lou Xing used his life to invite Xue Yang to stay put in Qin Ling, drawing all the Daoists and cultivators to shift their focus to observe the Dharma, just to peek at the true strength of Luoxia's Xue Yang... in the face of such a grand trend, it was nothing more than a splash. I never thought this North-South conflict would become so grave!'*

His heart turned cold: *'Who is this Luoxia True Lord waiting for... The Grand Invoker? The one in the heavens? Lady Pin Shui... or perhaps one of the two remaining from Shaoyang?'*

As these thoughts flashed through his mind, he heard Shao Yun above him say softly:

"However, there is no need to be nervous. We have examined it carefully, and in the end, no conflict arose. Otherwise, things would not be as they are now."

Chi Buzi hurriedly took up the conversation, saying respectfully, "Exactly! Back then, during the struggle for the Dao of Yu Zhen in the North Sea, the celestial phenomena were chaotic, and no one in the world could see clearly. Only a few of us with higher cultivation and achieved Life Talismans had some intuition, which gradually spread. Now, several great cultivators are discussing it, calling it the 【Great Change of Combining Truth】, all waiting for that one result..."

Although he said this to probe, it was not wrong. The outcome of the great war would determine the future path of the Yu Zhen Dao. Although more and more people were practicing Yu Zhen, all the families were waiting for a clear result before deciding whether to send their true direct descendants onto this path. There were even Yu Zhen lineages like those of Zhu Sheng that likely tested white jade with Luoshui and metal-stone daily, fearing bad news.

Lu Jiangxian had no ability to look beyond the heavens; he didn't even bother to look at Luoxia, where the Earth-element Golden Core was located, let alone study the outcome of True Lords fighting. Naturally, there was no relevant news from the heavens. When he asked, Shao Yun only shook her head and smiled: "Unless it is a matter of the jade shattering, even if there is a result, it will not be visible within a few years."

These words were naturally watertight, causing Chi Buzi to lower his head. He had actually hoped to learn the heavens' stance from Shao Yun's words... Now, having returned empty-handed, he immediately fell silent.

This had long been a source of confusion for him. Although there was no doubt that the Taiyin and Taiyang were in the heavens, given the current appearance of this place, it did not resemble a Yuan Mansion at all. That person Chi Buzi mentioned, Du Qing—who was clearly a person of great importance—had actually referred to it as "the True Lord who cultivates the Lushui."

"Yet the Mansion Lord established a mansion here; the origins of this place must be even older than the Yuan Mansion, and the Mansion Lord might be nothing more than one of the members in the heavens!"

One must know that this place is governed by various mansions. The one before his eyes, who cultivates the Shaoyin, is merely a celestial maiden of the Shaoyin Mansion in the mouth of the Dangjiang.

"This also has a mansion, which means there might be at least one more True Lord of the Shaoyin rank in the heavens!"

The Shaoyin path has been hidden for many years. According to Chi Buzi's memory, other than the path that exists in the Western Ji where the mountain gate of the 【Guanhua Heaven Tower Path】 is located, it is rarely heard of elsewhere...

Chi Buzi had no time to think further; he hurriedly bowed and paid his respects:

"Time is pressing, and I must not delay the affairs of the heavens... However, caution is paramount in all things. I wish to first entrust these items to the Dangjiang Celestial Official, and I will retrieve them once I am within the array!"

His considerations were not without reason. After all, they were going to Penglai, and who knew what strange methods might exist within that cave-heaven? It was naturally best to avoid danger if possible. Although Shao Yu did not know of Penglai, she could understand to some extent and nodded lightly.

"Very well!"

"Many thanks..."

Before he had finished speaking, Shao Yu had already waved her hand for him to leave. As soon as Chi Buzi stood up, Dangjiang immediately wanted to follow, but he was called back by Shao Yu and left in the courtyard.

Although Dangjiang did not say it aloud, now that Chi Buzi's matter was resolved, his mood was clearly good. He smiled and leaned in, saying: "My lord..."

Shao Yu shook her head silently and asked: "Chi Buzi's return this time means there will be no end to the waiting in the future. However, since he has performed a meritorious service, you will also benefit from it. I have already reported to the True Lord Celestial General that you are proficient in the affairs of the upper sacrifices and have a deep understanding of the lower realms..."

Dangjiang was instantly energized and nodded repeatedly. A few days ago, the True Lord had also mentioned rewards, and he exclaimed:

"It is all thanks to your guidance, my lord! This humble one is eternally grateful..."

Shao Yu smiled and said:

"If you put it that way, wouldn't you first have to return that basket of laurel golden branches to me!"

Dangjiang was only saying it for the sake of it. At the thought of that matter, his heart bled, and he stammered with a mournful face: "This... how is this to be calculated... to this day, this subordinate has only two or three hundred points of merit in hand..."

Shao Yu shook her head with a smile and replied: "I am not teasing you anymore. You are to be promoted to a Celestial Official in charge of sacrifices and sent to another realm... The edict of appointment has not yet arrived, but as long as you wait a while, there should be some good days ahead."

Dangjiang was overjoyed. He nodded and kowtowed in satisfaction, immediately asking about the details with curiosity and surprise. He was a chatterbox, which soon made the woman feel annoyed, so she quickly found an excuse to dismiss him.

Lu Jiangxian stood in the hall from beginning to end, watching quietly.

The arrangement for Dangjiang was not just a response to his repeated complaints; it also concerned his own planning.

"Li Ximing once killed a Eyed Lianmin named Hua Kong when he seized Tangdao Mountain. Although his body fell into Li Ximing's hands and returned to the Shitu, he was killed by the Talisman Seed. This bit of true spirit was naturally recorded on the Name-Ascending Stone."

That is to say, as long as Lu Jiangxian's mind moved, he could immediately call Hua Kong to fly into the mirror! Not only this person, but in fact, Li Ximing had also killed one at Caishan. It was just that it happened right in the palm of the True Lord, and since the other party was staring with wide eyes, and this Eyed Lianmin was truly incompetent, Lu Jiangxian did not make a move.

Giving Dangjiang a position was also in preparation for this matter.

"In the future, the North and South will have direct contact, and the hearts of the Shixiu are not united. It is just right to fish in troubled waters and cultivate a few of my own people, so as to reduce the pressure on the Li family..."

"As for the Eyed Lianmin matter, naturally, the more I secretly record, the better. However, it is impossible to just kill them one by one at will. At the moment, it is not a major issue, but the personnel chosen to be summoned into the mirror should be of high quality rather than quantity. Even if they are not Mohe, it is best if they are Eyed Lianmin of the Minghui or Wumu level, who hold high positions and great power!"

Wangyue Lake.

Purple-gold mysterious pillars stood in the middle of the island, surrounded by clouds and mist, with mysterious patterns. Cultivators shuttled through, and the atmosphere was solemn. The inner array at the center was hazy with purple light, and the pale yellow floor tiles reflected the dancing firelight.

The True Person in white-gold Daoist robes brought his hands together, a look of joy appearing on his face. He slapped the alchemy furnace heavily, and a dark gray radiance surged up, circling the furnace. The elephant head opened wide, spraying out a stream of gray-black Qi.

The smoke and mist dissipated, and in the cave dwelling, stream water dripped with the sound of winding. Li Ximing placed the jade box down, and seven elixirs fell one by one, resting quietly on the delicate white soft cushion.

"Hoo..."

Seeing these seven elixirs, Li Ximing breathed a sigh of relief, feeling somewhat fortunate.

He had actually known long ago that "Kan Water" and "Mingyang" were not very compatible, and he had been warned several times. However, only when he started refining the elixir could he feel the incompatibility between the two.

"Fortunately, my skills are superb, and I used True Fire instead of Mingyang Purple Flame, which allowed me to still control the situation..."

His previous estimate was eight to nine pills. Being able to maintain an output of seven despite the clash of paths was more than enough to meet the other party's requirement of six.

Looking into the box, each pill had the texture of mountains and rivers, and a light, spiritual aura rushed to his face, with the faint sound of water. He closed the lid to prevent the elixirs from being affected by the spiritual atmosphere.

The 【Huisui Shu Xuan Dao Powder】 clears the heart and eyes and increases Daoist industry. In Li Ximing's view, wasting a Zifu-level 【Cangzhou Hui Scale】 for this bit of efficacy was truly not worth it. However, the other party's path must have other wonderful uses, so he only ordered Li Minggong to come up and let her take people to Qize.

Thus, he shuttled up and landed on Zhijing Mountain. The purple flame fire vein at the foot of the mountain clanged, and with a sweep of his spiritual sense, Li Zhouwei's 【Dasheng】 was floating in the purple flames, shining brightly, and the cultivators of the Ziyan Sect were repairing it on the side.

"Where has Minghuang gone?"

He asked casually, and immediately saw Ding Weijian land on the mountain, saying respectfully:

"Reporting to the True Person, True Person Minghuang has already entered Dali Mountain."

Li Ximing's heart became clearer. He responded and asked:

"How is the river bank?"

Seeing Ding Weijian say respectfully:

"The opposite bank has been occupied by the 【Dayuan Guangyin Temple】. Within three nights, countless Lishou have come down from the north, covering the entire Baijiang Creek, while simultaneously spreading their teachings and establishing countless temples."

Li Ximing shook his head: "They are accustomed to disgusting people."

With these hundreds of thousands of Shixiu people migrating here, the entire Baijiang Creek is considered settled. Even if it is taken back one day, unless there is a great slaughter, it will be impossible to eradicate the Shifa without fifty or a hundred years.

"It's just that they keep tossing and turning, insisting on pulling this skin of the 【Dayuan Guangyin Temple】. I don't know which path they belong to, or if they are coveting some path..."

The opposite bank has not made any moves yet, and for now, it seems there is no intention to move south, which is a good thing. He pondered slightly, and Ding Weijian said: "There is one more thing to report. A monster has come from the Southern Frontier... It was escorted by people from Qingchi, calling itself Yanhu."

"So it is him."

Yanhu was sent out by his own sect. Li Ximing beckoned and replied: "Let him come up."

Thus, he saw a man with a wide face and black hair coming up from below, wearing a black robe. Seeing Li Ximing, he exclaimed: "This subordinate greets you, my lord. It has been a long time, and this subordinate has missed you dearly..."

Li Ximing could not be bothered to talk to him much and only hoped to hear some good news. He waved his hand and instructed:

"What have you gained?"

Yanhu hurriedly bowed and said respectfully:

"Reporting to you, my lord, fortunately, using your name and borrowing your divine powers, this subordinate passed through the great mountains of the Piaoren Kingdom. I searched among the monster kingdoms under the Great Xiyuan, west of the Piaoren Kingdom. After much inquiry, I found a Monster King in the Xipo Kingdom, who hopes to gain some benefits from you, True Person."

"That Monster King cultivates 'Rui Qi' and calls himself the Great Saopo King. He has two Zifu spiritual resources in his hands, one portion of Zifu spiritual water, but he needs elixirs... He wants to ask you, True Person, to refine them for him."

Li Ximing frowned. Hearing this, the other party clearly did not trust a small Qi Refining cultivator and did not even say much about the names of the spiritual resources, so he was somewhat disappointed. Yanhu looked at his expression and whispered:

"He said that this elixir is very difficult to refine, producing only one pill per furnace. It was only after hearing that you, True Person, are a 'Mingyang' cultivator and that this elixir is helpful to you, that he gladly came to ask."

Li Ximing knew nothing about the news from that place and had never seen the elixir book, so it was hard to know whether it was easy or not. He frowned and said:

"Only this one?"

After saying this, Yanhu whispered: "In the territory east of the Piaoren Kingdom, there is an old Monster King, the Master of Bifuo Mountain, who is extremely powerful and named Can Lu Fu. He is also good at refining elixirs and has been making friends widely in recent years. Many monsters in the Southern Frontier have gone to seek him... so he is not very thirsty for alchemy."

Hearing this name, Li Ximing threw the cup in his hand aside as if it were bad luck. His gaze was cold, but he said nothing.

"But after passing the Piaoren Kingdom, it is under the Great Xiyuan. The 【Shengbai Hall】 of the Great Xiyuan has a Zifu protector, a demonic cultivator who is one of the Five Brights. He is very good at refining elixirs and his actions are considered fair. Most of the Monster Kings there have gone to seek him, except for the Great Saopo King who is at odds with him... that is why..."

Li Ximing could only shake his head. He was still injured, so how could he travel thousands of miles to the depths of the Southern Frontier? Moreover, he did not know how deep the grudge with 【Shengbai Hall】 was, or if it had anything to do with the elixir... He did not want to offend people for no reason, so he replied: "You reply that I have important matters and it is inconvenient for me to move. If he insists on refining... either he comes over, or wait a few years. You skip this Monster King and continue to ask deeper."

"Yes!"

Yanhu answered respectfully and continued:

"As for the spiritual fire you instructed, my lord, I have also asked for news. There are two clear places. One is the master of the Piaoren Kingdom, who is an immortal cultivator, and the other is a Monster King on the edge of the South Sea. Both treasure the spiritual fire very much... and have never had any intention of exchanging it."

Li Ximing shook his head and asked:

"What is their cultivation?"

This sentence startled Yanhu, who hurriedly knelt on the ground and exclaimed:

"This humble one does not know... This humble one does not know!"

His mind turned, and he immediately added:

"Also... I also heard that the lord of Nanshun Luoshe and the lord of Dakuohai Temple both have spiritual fire! In the past, a great monster of Fire Virtue fell near the Piaoren Kingdom after failing to break through, and several spiritual fires escaped. Someone must have secretly kept one!"

The one from Nanshun Luoshe must be Jiao Zhongzi, and the one from Dakuohai Temple must be in the hands of that old Mohe, which is also hard to get. Li Ximing nodded, feeling that he had a count in his heart, and whispered: "Keep exploring!"

The monster hurried down. Li Ximing could not help but have a headache: "After all, not everyone is as generous as the Taiyang path. One says they can give it, another says they can give it, but they all treasure it in their hands... It seems that I have to make a trip there."

He immediately set the itinerary:

"First go to Qunyi, open that unknown cave dwelling, see what good harvest there is, and then turn to the Piaoren Kingdom area to see about the spiritual fire."

When he took the next step and returned to the array, he closed his eyes silently, flew into the world where the sun and moon shone together, felt the extremely rich spiritual energy rushing to his face, and took out an elixir from his sleeve. It was snow-white all over, with Qilin patterns drawn on it.

"The situation is changing, it seems I cannot save it. Take this 【Lin Guang Zhao Yi Pill】 which is good at healing the Dharma body, repair the bit of injury on my body, and hurry out!"

Characters appearing in this chapter

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Chi Buzi 【Lu Buzi】

Dang○jiang 【Jinlian Soul Split】

Li Ximing 【Early Zifu】