Chapter 1777: Reassignment (I)

The night was dark and gloomy, with black waves surging below. A streak of silver light shot through the sky, then stopped midway and rested for a moment.

Once it halted, the silver light revealed itself as a middle-aged man dressed in an elegant and luxurious fur robe. Three points of silver light adorned the center of his eyebrows as his fingers formed an art seal, his gaze casually sweeping the surroundings.

Liu Changdie had been living much more comfortably once the Xu Water Demon King sent by the dragons had explained many of their plans to him. Although he still did not dare venture inland, he could at least rely on the dragons' protection to move around in the Eastern Sea, giving him a measure of freedom.

Yet this was not what troubled Liu Changdie. His concern lay with Fuxun. After Li Ximing's warning, Liu Changdie no longer dared visit Fuxun casually. In truth, this was the first time he had come to see him.

Fuxun had already been properly settled, and with no one around to constrain him, he was living quite comfortably. The demonic creatures under his command were also gradually making names for themselves in the sea. However, Fuxun's injuries had begun to take a strange turn.

The wounds appeared healed on the surface, but the insidious damage had seeped deep into his marrow, clinging to his bones like a festering sore that simply would not go away. Fuxun suffered terribly from it and kept urging Liu Changdie to find a cultivator of the Lesser Yang Dao to help treat his injuries, leaving Liu Changdie with nothing to say.

In my current situation, I can't even leave the Eastern Sea. Where am I supposed to find him a cultivator of the Lesser Yang Dao? And I don't dare trouble Ximing over this either...

He could only set the matter aside for the time being. As he drifted toward the island, lost in thought, a large island soon came into view in the distance.

This island was truly peculiar. From afar, it appeared broad and flat, with no towering peaks in sight. Instead, low hills rolled across the land, while the terrain sank progressively lower toward the center. Everything lay shrouded beneath a pale gray spiritual mist.

It was none other than the world-renowned [Shiqi].

Yet Liu Changdie did not continue toward it. Instead, he changed direction and descended toward the immortal mountain below.

Liu Changdie actually knew several Purple Mansion Realm cultivators in the Eastern Sea. He had once wandered around Shiqi and formed some ties with the Dao lineage there. After attaining the Purple Mansion Realm, he had returned and renewed those connections.

He had come again now partly for a private matter, and partly because of something the Xu Water Demon King had said to him back then, Qunyi is under the gaze of the Profound Maiden. It would hardly do for them to stand by and watch someone favored by Heaven-Governing like me perish...

Those were the Xu Water Demon King's own words!

Liu Changdie's Dao conduct might not rank highly among Purple Mansion Realm cultivators, but his breadth of knowledge was undoubtedly first-rate. How could he possibly not know of [Heaven-Governing]?

[Heaven-Governing] encompasses Douxuan. It makes alchemical offerings to Heaven and Earth, derives and transforms divine abilities, calculates the profound order, and keeps watch over all directions...

Liu Changdie naturally understood that being named as one favored by Heaven-Governing had to be connected to his rebirth. The fact that he was still alive today was only because of the regard shown to Lady Valley Water. Thus, he could hardly neglect the chance to establish some ties here.

He descended on the clouds and soon landed upon a profound mountain at the edge of the island. After having the disciples announce his arrival, a haze of gray immediately swept out and took the form of a man.

The man appeared thin and frail, standing lightly upon the clouds. His face was pale as paper, yet his lips were a vivid, almost dripping red, while his pitch-black eyes stared fixedly at Liu Changdie.

He greeted, “Fellow Daoist Liu!"

Liu Changdie replied, "Senior Zang Tiaozi, it has been a long time!"

The Daoist Master gave a slight nod and led him inside, asking with some concern about how he had been faring lately. Yet Liu Changdie could see nothing particularly unusual in the man's attitude toward him.

Once they had taken their seats at the table, Zang Tiaozi asked expressionlessly, "Has Fellow Daoist Liu come to discuss some important matter?"

Liu Changdie knew that the 'Zang Tiaozi' before him was merely a shell cast down by a Valley Water divine ability. The fact that it could walk and converse was already extraordinary, so naturally it would not go out of its way to display expressions. Liu Changdie simply began asking about recent developments in the Eastern Sea.

This is not something I can ask about directly. I'll sound him out first, then inquire about Valley Water.

Liu Changdie had merely meant to start a conversation, but his question seemed to touch upon something Zang Tiaozi had been worrying about. The latter shook his head and said, "It seems fellow Daoist has heard about it as well... Quite a few demonic creatures have perished deep within the Scarlet Pristine Sea. A great demonic beast king of the Mansion Water Dao who had lived in seclusion for many years suddenly appeared.

“After who knows how many clashes, he shattered several demonic residences. The divine abilities of those Purple Mansion Realm demonic creatures were far inferior to his, so they had no choice but to avoid him for the time being and scatter to the other seas...

"Ordinarily, this would merely be an unusual incident. The problem is that the depths of the Scarlet Pristine Sea are no ordinary place. The corpse of the Eighth Young Master is suppressed there, making the area extremely sensitive. Thus, this affair has become such a major commotion and drawn attention from all sides."

The name Scarlet Pristine Sea did not merely refer to the color of its waters. [Scarlet Pristine] was actually a homophone for [Slaying Pristine][1], referring to the death of the Eighth Young Master. Liu Changdie naturally knew this, but the place was far enough away that it should not have concerned this Daoist Master so deeply. When he pressed for details, Zang Tiaozi finally showed a trace of distress.

"I refined a Pristine Water treasure there, but now I can no longer retrieve it. I do not even know which faction has taken it. Someone else has profited from all my work for nothing."

Liu Changdie never left the Eastern Sea and would not even approach its outer reaches, so naturally he had little interest in the matter. He smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist is an expert in the Valley Water Dao and inherited your teachings from Lady Valley Water. To think you have also studied Pristine Water?"

Zang Tiaozi's gaze shifted slightly before he smiled. "Valley Water is naturally compatible with the various waters, so there is no difficulty in that."

Liu Changdie sensed the other man's reluctance. Each time he asked about Valley Water, Zang Tiaozi merely smiled and brushed the question aside. With no other choice, Liu Changdie changed the subject. "I sent someone here some time ago. Has there been any news of the [Genkwa-Piercing Profound Light][2]?"

The Daoist Master before him shook his head repeatedly. "The [Gathering Wood] Dao is no longer prominent in this age, so that item is extremely difficult to find. Of all the things you asked about... there is news of only one. It is a spirit item of the [Whole Pill] Dao."

Liu Changdie's face immediately brightened with delight. "Is that really true?!"

The reason Liu Changdie had approached the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators of Shiqi Island was precisely because this place was ancient and possessed many spirit items. Moreover, Valley Water ranked among the very best Daos for healing injuries, so Zang Tiaozi frequently earned favors from others and was therefore the person most likely to possess such things!

When Liu Changdie had sent someone here, he had not only asked about the spirit items he himself lacked and Dao lineages of the [Stored Metal] Dao, but had also thought ahead and inquired about spirit items of the [Whole Pill] Dao. Naturally, it had been for Li Quewan's sake.

Li Ximing had already asked him about obtaining a spirit item for Li Quewan. Liu Changdie had none in his own possession, but he could not help lamenting on Li Ximing's behalf, This is the [Sixfold Ceremonial Colors], something that ranks among the top three Whole Pill spirit items. I fear there may be only this single portion in the entirety of Wanlin Heaven!

Naturally, he was delighted at the thought, The spirit items I asked about are simply too rare. I've searched for them myself for so many years without finding any, so it's only natural that they don't have them here either. But getting news of a [Whole Pill] spirit item is still something worth celebrating!

Zang Tiaozi smiled at his delight and said, "Why would I lie about this... The Golden Feather Sect has gathered up many Whole Pill spirit items, so they can no longer be found in ordinary places. Only in the Western Sea is there still a Dao lineage that also cultivates the [Whole Pill] Dao.

"They once had a Grand Daoist Master of the [Whole Pill] Dao, but he died rather abruptly a few years ago. Since then, the disciples of that lineage have fallen into increasingly difficult circumstances. They specifically sought me out this time, offering the item in exchange for healing through Valley Water."

1. Zhulü (朱渌, "Scarlet Pristine") and Zhulü (诛渌, "Slaying Pristine") are pronounced identically in Chinese. 朱 means "vermilion/scarlet," while 诛 means "to slay." The sea's name is therefore a wordplay commemorating the Eighth Young Master's death. ☜

2. Genkwa refers to Daphne genkwa, also called lilac daphne, a small East Asian flowering shrub. ☜