Chapter 750 532: Turmoil (Part 2)

This region covers an immense area, nearly matching the sphere of influence of the Green Pond Sect, lying just north of Wangyue Lake and the Xiao Family.

Li Xijun glanced carefully, his face dark and unsightly; a heavy gloom pressed upon his heart as he spoke in a low voice:

"I'm afraid this bodes no good."

The Li Family and Xiao Family now serve as a barrier for Green Pond; in the chaos to come, there is no way they can escape unscathed. What's more, their clan has always had deep-seated enmity with the Buddhist Practitioners. Now that Xiuyue has withdrawn, the Buddhist Practitioners may head south without hindrance.

All present seemed to think of this as well, falling silent. Li Xizhi sighed and reminded softly:

"This is no simple affair. Green Pond will surely conscript every Noble Family to send forces together to Xu Country... Our clan cannot be excluded."

Li Xizhi looked deeply troubled, and added in a low voice:

"Beyond this, I fear something even greater is at play... The Three Sects and Seven Doors are restless; it will hardly remain peaceful..."

The dignified man shook his head gently, and said in a warm tone:

"An age of chaos approaches..."

He paused, hesitated a moment, then spoke softly:

"There is news—Li Encheng has attained nirvana."

Li Encheng was once a connection the Li Family cultivated in those years, thinking one day he could be useful. Who could have predicted the turns of fate; now that he has departed, even at the end, he played no part for them.

Instead, the Li Family lost not a few possessions on his behalf. Before his breakthrough, they had even gifted him a batch of Spiritual Objects, and now that this news arrives, it seems all has gone to waste.

Li Xuanxuan listened intently, and murmured:

"Still, it isn't entirely in vain... at least, he bestowed upon me a Sui Origin Pill. No matter how you look at it, our family didn't feed him for nothing."

Li Xizhi was busy returning to the sect to gather information, so he spoke little more. With hands clasped to the crowd, he said in a quiet voice:

"Be alert at home. Wait for my letter."

...

Li Qinghong was riding Thunderbolt for some time when she noticed the seawater below her had slowed to a near halt in its descent. Without close observation, one would hardly have noticed the gradual retreat of the tide.

"Most likely, the Dragon Kind have intervened. After all, by agreement, all beneath the sea belongs to the Dragons. As the seawater recedes ever so slowly, in a matter of ten days or half a month, who knows how many things will be lost."

Again, she recalled the Spiritual Aura of [Water Descends, Thunder Rises] in the East Sea, finding it quite interesting. She had assumed it merely signified a decrease in water, but now the sea truly had ebbed, thunder rumbling all the louder overhead.

Riding Thunderbolt forth, Li Qinghong soon saw the Qunyi Strait emerge before her. Islands that could barely hold one or two people in the past now surfaced in full, revealed by the receding tide and the exposure of broad tidal flats.

Flying another thousand li east, the distant silhouette of the "World Navel" island in Qunyi Strait could be seen— a great island emerging into view.

This island was capped by a golden-red array, blazing with radiance. On the newly exposed ground below, a number of fishermen moved to and fro, dragging brown nets and faint laughter drifting up indistinctly.

That laughter was soon stilled by her revelation of Dharma Light— vanishing in an instant as these mortals all dropped to their knees. Before Li Qinghong could speak, a streak of golden-white light flashed quickly her way.

It was a maiden, about seventeen or eighteen, still possessed of youthful naiveté. Holding a golden circle in her hands, she rode the wind over, watching Li Qinghong warily as she asked:

"Senior... have you come searching for someone, or...?"

Noting her caution, Li Qinghong had no choice but to reply softly:

"I am Li Qinghong, a cultivator from within the seas. I've come to inquire about some treasure."

"A cultivator from within the seas..."

This eased the maiden's brow slightly; she replied with a respectful tone:

"Junior Cui Wanqing, greetings to Senior!"

Cui Wanqing paused, some doubts in her eyes, as she asked:

"May I ask, Senior, to which Li Clan do you belong?"

Li Qinghong hesitated just a moment before replying:

"The Li Clan of Wangyue."

Cui Wanqing silently repeated these four words, leading her down onto the island, thinking for a moment and murmuring:

"I've heard tell that within the sea there lies a great marsh, called Wangyue... Could it be that one?"

Li Qinghong nodded and answered softly:

"Indeed. Now that marsh has withered, leaving only a single lake behind. My clan cultivates on its shores."

Cui Wanqing seemed thoughtful, nodding quietly as she said:

"So it is. After all, there is no one to manage Mansion Water for that area— it's normal for the marshes to dry up."

With these words, it was clear she was of some heritage. Following her, Li Qinghong descended and took a seat in the courtyard, while Cui Wanqing went to summon her elders.

This was, after all, the East Sea, where all must be on guard against one another. Naturally, Li Qinghong would not charge heedlessly into another's formation. The place Cui Wanqing chose was a grand hall built outside the array, specifically for receiving guests to the island.

Before long, an elder entered the courtyard: solemn, white-bearded, upright in bearing, garbed in a pale blue robe and tall of stature. His voice was deep as he said:

"I am Cui Changfu of Chongzhou Island. Greetings, Taoist Fellow."

This elder clearly possessed great age, his cultivation at the Foundation Establishment Late Stage: awe-inspiring and stern. His eyes measured Li Qinghong for a moment, finally resting upon the Jade Bottle at her waist.

"Li Qinghong of Wangyue Lake."

Li Qinghong sensed this man would be hard to deal with, and at that, the old man sighed:

"So, someone from Weili has come."

His tone was most peculiar, leaving Li Qinghong momentarily at a loss for how to respond. She merely shook her head. The old man said:

"Let me see your Magical Vial."

Li Qinghong hesitated, removing it with care. She feared this person might covet her magic artifact, intending to seize it by force, and so said nothing, remaining silent for the moment.

Cui Changfu paused, understanding her misgivings, and spoke gently:

"The Cui Clan of Chongzhou is now under the protection of the Dragon Kind; ours is neither a great nor a small force, but we do have our reputation. I, Cui Changfu, am not unknown in these seas... I would not act over a Foundation Establishment Magical Instrument."

"Furthermore... judging by your manner, your noble house can hardly be considered a weakling among the sea clans, am I right?"

Li Qinghong quietly surveyed the terrain, estimating her distance from the array. If this elder turned hostile, with her speed upon Thunderbolt, whether she could win or not, escape would pose no trouble— and at that, she felt somewhat reassured.

She nodded, said a few polite words of formality, and handed over the magic artifact with a light touch. Cui Changfu weighed it for a moment, dimmed the light of the instrument, and turned it over for inspection.

Purple, fissure-like lines slowly faded; the ancient seal script for 'Li Qianyuan of the Wei Country Li Clan' was clearly etched there. Cui Wanqing uttered a low exclamation:

"Great Ancestor Li Qianyuan of Wei!"

Both elder and girl's faces were complex, but to Li Qinghong, those words sounded like thunder striking the earth. She was stunned for a full breath:

"Great Ancestor of Wei?"

Of course, Li Qinghong knew her Jade Vial was not ordinary, that it once belonged to a Wei Li cultivator in years past— but she never imagined its origin was so lofty.

Cui Changfu handed it back, the elder gazing upon it before speaking softly:

"But the Wei Emperor— what manner of person is he? Would he truly use a Foundation Establishment magic instrument like this? There's reason for doubt as to its authenticity."

"After all, I've never heard that the Wei Emperor possessed a Magical Vial. Perhaps it was an early possession of his, or perhaps a replica made by later generations."

At his words, Li Qinghong felt a great weight lift from her—

'How many of those Perfected Persons and Lords are simple? That such an artifact should inexplicably land in my hands must be some greater design at work... Though that Perfected Lord fell years ago, who can say what remains of an Immortal Law practitioner?'

Paradoxically, believing it a counterfeit let her relax. She nodded slightly, stowed it back in her sleeve, while Cui Changfu studied her carefully, keenly watching her eyes and expression.

Cui Changfu, having stood his ground by the East Sea for so many years, was naturally no fool. He was already wary, musing secretly:

"So long as one has any family legacy, who doesn't know the Cui Clan's ancestral ties with Weili? This maiden's artifact is far too blatantly obvious... Must be wary she's not deliberately posing as Weili to trick us!"

Yet watching the subtle changes in her expression, Cui Changfu found himself less certain, finally deciding to wait and probe further, asking:

"May I ask, Taoist Fellow, your purpose in coming here?"

Li Qinghong nodded, skipping further pleasantries, and replied bluntly:

"I have heard that for generations, this noble house cultivates the art of Mingyang. My clan lacks a vital treasure of the Mingyang. I've come to your home to inquire after it."