Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1204, Chapter 1193: The Cicada's Embrace (1+12) (Bonus Chapter 18113 for "Hidden Dragon in Action")

Hearing his words, Li Jiangqian felt a surge of joy and replied:

"I am very grateful to the seniors of Qu Si for their help in running around and helping my family a lot."

“The Great Master is a member of the King of Wei’s family, so there’s no need for formalities. I’m making this trip because of our family’s friendship and because I’m indebted to the Great Master.”

As Xuan Yi handed over the magical artifact, she nodded approvingly.

Li Jiangqian had heard Li Ximing talk about Di Yan's matter and had been paying attention. Hearing that Li Ximing not only clearly disavowed the matter but also wanted to completely disavow the Qu Si lineage, Li Jiangqian began to have some concerns.

'Perhaps Grand Uncle is mistaken. Jingyi and Qu Si are fundamentally not under the same jurisdiction, nor are they in a superior-subordinate relationship. If there's anything life-threatening in the future, seeking his help won't be of any use… They're only suitable for discussing the division of benefits, not for being allies on the same side.'

He secretly sized it up, but uttered all the nicest words before finally taking the item and listening to Xuan Yi say:

"Although this thing is a contemporary artifact, the two spiritual materials used in its foundation are both of the highest quality and possess a certain mystical power. The most powerful one is the [Return to the Stream] technique. Back then, Guang Chan also focused on refining it according to this mystical method, which allowed him to escape from numerous difficulties and was least afraid of suppression and attrition."

"Although there is a gap between using this wondrous technique, its strength lies in its domineering nature, making it difficult for most supernatural powers to suppress."

"Oh?"

Li Jiangqian's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and he thought to himself:

'Good darling, this is exactly the perfect ingredient I've been looking for! What a pity... what a pity! It's a 'female water' element, and it combines with the element of metal. The interaction of metal and water is detrimental to the element of fire... Sigh...'

Xuan Yi, unaware of his inner thoughts, showed great approval and said:

"This single wondrous technique alone is enough to ensure that this treasure can be passed down through clans, starting at the mid-grade level. And nobles use far more than just this; they also possess the [Long-Leaping Transformation Gold]!"

"This triggered a wondrous phenomenon called [Redundant Transformation], which is the way of transformation of the Metal element. It is infinitely changeable. Once activated, this lotus flower immediately reveals its killing intent. It can dull the light of weapons, causing them to fall like rain, making the enemy unable to hold their weapons and trapping them."

Li Jiangqian slowly frowned, a hint of doubt creeping in, and said:
“I have never heard of such a lineage.”

Xuan Yi laughed with a sigh, and said:
"Not to mention you, even Qu Si has never seen it before. When this thing was miraculously revealed, he asked the Great Master to take it and examine it for three days. He studied it extensively and once told us... This is a rare thing in the world and should not be here."

Li Jiangqian felt a pang of sympathy listening to this, and Xuan Yi continued:

"The remaining minor divine technique is called [Mercury Contest], which can differentiate various lights... Although its power is not obvious, its range is very wide, and it has the ability to divide both the upper and lower yin and yang."

"【Mercury Contest】?"

Since his younger sister had cultivated the art of material properties, Li Jiangqian now thought of the "Complete Elixir" whenever he saw lead and mercury, and couldn't help but sigh:
"It seems like it's more suitable for my little sister. I wonder if it will work out for her!"

"The law of destiny exists in its own way."

Xuan Yi offered him a word of advice, showing a hint of emotion. Seeing his natural reaction, Li Jiangqian guessed that Guo Nanwu was still quite discreet, and immediately changed the subject, saying:

"My cultivation is shallow, yet I did not know that the interaction of metal and water produces mercury, but it lacks the subtleties of lead and mercury, and occupies the position of differentiating various lights..."

His simple words sent a chill down Xuan Yi's spine, filling her with a sense of dread:

"This isn't a matter of low cultivation... This kid... has such high comprehension... Even I, upon receiving this spiritual artifact, didn't have the insight to immediately have such doubts!"

He smiled and said:
"As luck would have it, I asked the Great Master, a scholar of both heaven and man, and he replied: This mercury is not mercury. Ancient cultivators often used lead and mercury to describe yin and yang, saying, 'The essence of the sun is like mercury in the sky, and the lead on the ground is like the moon's brightness.' The so-called struggle over mercury is actually the internal struggle of the ultimate yang radiance."

Li Jiangqian's heart tightened slightly. He leaned forward, concentrating intently, but the person before him hesitated and remained silent for a moment before speaking:

The Great Master stopped speaking at this point, saying: "[If I continue to speak ill of others, I fear I will be punished by Heaven!]"

Li Jiangqian was incredibly astute. Knowing the origins of Changyue Zhibianjin and having heard about the Taiyuan era's events that Wang Ziya had overlooked in the Great Void, an idea instantly formed in his mind. He touched the jade cup, and a thought popped into his head, a cold smile playing on his lips:
"Since Father said that Taiyuan possessed the Qingxuan Dao lineage and seized Taiyu's position, could it be referring to this matter? Considering the timing, it's not impossible. With the radiance of the Supreme Yang, which sun's light did Taiyuan receive?"

He pondered in silence, and Xuan Yi, without disturbing him, smiled and held her cup, then sighed as she looked at the young man in crimson robes and golden eyes before her:
"Mysterious beyond mystery, the union of metal and water, what does it have to do with the sun?"

"If it were so easy to distinguish between you and me, I would have gone to seek gold long ago! This thing has never been named. The names of its several supernatural powers were given by the Great Master. Since the noble family has a 'Complete Core' cultivator, you can just inscribe one of them yourself."

Xuan Yi shook her head, handed over the other two items, and said:
"These two items were forged by the Helian family through years of hard work and saving. Needless to say, only the blade is somewhat worthwhile. Besides arranging this matter, I also have something to discuss with Fellow Daoist Zhaojing..."

Li Jiangqian raised her eyebrows, listening to him say:

"Does Changli still remember Kong Gumo?"

'How could I not remember? The last remaining seed of the Purple Mansion lineage in the Kong family.'

The Kong family has reached its current state, and no matter how much they cut and prune, they've reached a point of no return. However, in Li Jiangqian's view, Kong Gumo is still a potential threat...

As Kong Gu Mo's master, Xuan Yi was clearly conflicted, and said:
"The Kong family is now without any relatives. The only ones we can be considered close to are our two families. I came here today specifically to discuss this matter with you, fellow Daoist... In the first half of my life, I inherited the grudges of my sect and was suppressed by Chunyi Dao. Although I didn't suffer much loss, I also didn't achieve much. I am very ashamed. Apart from my grandson, I don't have any capable disciples. Looking back now, it turns out that only he, who carried the blood feud, has become a useful person and can help my family."

Li Jiangqian understood that the other party was laying their cards on the table; otherwise, they would never have mentioned the phrase "blood feud." He straightened his back and smiled.
"Whose blood is this? What kind of feud is this?"

Xuan Yi sighed:
“The hatred is Xuan Yue’s hatred, worthless as mud, but the blood is Kong’s blood, which he values ​​as much as real gold.”

Li Jiangqian said:

"Is this hatred as high as the sky, or as deep as the abyss?"

Xuan Yi sighed and said:
"Of course, both are comparable, but now it seems that the sky is higher."

Upon hearing this, the young man shook his head:

"Aren't you afraid, senior?"

The white-robed immortal rose, his black boots stepping onto the ground covered in gardenias, and laughed:

“He’s not ungrateful. He’s still young and impulsive, so he’ll grit his teeth and try to overcome the possibility of developing supernatural powers. I won’t suppress him. Once he’s developed supernatural powers and gained more experience and understanding, he’ll naturally swallow his pride and accept it.”

Li Jiangqian was skeptical, but Xuan Yi shrugged and said:
“His Kong family is still in the south! I forced him to marry several women from my clan. Now that she is pregnant, I see that he rarely smiles, so I know he won’t act impulsively in the future. There are many people in this world who have grudges. Look at Chang Xi. When his whole family was wiped out, didn’t he hate that was higher than the sky? He bowed and scraped for a while, comforting himself that he could avenge his great revenge. And look, he’s lived a long life.”

Li Jiangqian nodded and smiled:
"And what about you, fellow Daoist? Do you think we can just casually get involved in such things?"

"Haha."

Xuan Yi clapped her hands and laughed, saying:
"It's too high up in the sky, how can you see ants?"

These were his heartfelt words, but seeing the young man's disbelief, he had no choice but to reveal some of his true feelings:
"Besides, my ancestors have some connections, and we live very close to Tianxia. It's rare to have such a disciple, so I'm not afraid... not afraid!"

"As for nobles... what's wrong with doing a little favor? The King of Wei can bear far more karmic consequences than this. If he can't bear them one day, what's the big deal about something as trivial as a louse bite?"

"In that case, fellow Daoist, what you mean is..."

Li Jiangqian already knew what was going on, and raised his eyebrows to ask. Xuan Yi then awkwardly replied:
"I wanted to push him hard, but I was short of money for the spiritual weapon I had just crafted. I set my sights on a water-infused elixir, but time was running out..."

Li Jiangqian stood up with a smile and said:

"I see."

If Li Ximing were here, he would definitely have agreed, but Li Jiangqian valued the return, and he began to calculate in his mind:

'This isn't a big deal, but looking at it now, there might be a hidden realm or even a higher origin behind Jingyi Mountain, and he cultivates the Earth element! Given his familiarity with the North, he might even be a descendant of the celestial beings…'

'In that case, it might serve as a breakthrough point in my plan... Considering the timeframe, several decades are more than enough. By then, my cultivation will be much higher, and my family will have shown great kindness to the Kong family. Xuan Yi might not be able to pry open Kong Gu Mo's mouth, but he might be able to.'

He smiled and said:

"This is not difficult. If you are missing any spiritual material when exchanging it, just come to my family and ask for that breakthrough pill. I will ask my great-uncle to help me make this happen!"

"Changli is of noble character!"

Xuan Yi had observed that the young man had always been very warm and easy to talk to since entering the mountain, which made her feel a sense of goodwill towards him. After chatting for a few more minutes, she quickly left. Li Jiangqian escorted him to the edge of the lake, then slowly returned, still deep in thought.
'Since he has value, we should maintain this favor. It seems Kong Gumo is still quite close to the Kong family in secret, but he may not know all the details! Once he reaches the Purple Mansion level, he will definitely go back and ask…'

'Then we must instill this kindness into the minds of his family, making sure they remember it constantly. After all, even grudges are forgotten after death, let alone kindness. Kong Guxi is dead, but Kong Xiaxiang cannot die. We must protect him and make him tell Kong Gumo himself.'

'That's killing two birds with one stone.'

His gaze swept across the area, a shrewd glint in his eyes. He then selected some men and waited quietly in the mountains. Before long, Li Sui brought up a broad-faced, burly man wearing a robe. The man knelt down in front of the steps with a thud and slowly moved forward.

"I've seen a real person!"

This was a tiger demon named Yan Hu.

This demon was originally a monster from the southern border, but later escaped to the Sinful Flow Mountain. It had some connection with the Li family, and Li Ximing hoped that it could communicate between the southern border and the lake to collect spiritual resources...

However, as the power on the Great Western Plain grew, the Brahma changed, and the demon king who was related to his own family was driven out of the place and instead occupied by his enemies. Naturally, they lost contact, and the demon stayed at home doing odd jobs.

He prostrated himself on the ground obsequiously, feeling the raging fire, a searing heat, while the voice was cold and deep:

"I'm sending you to the southern border again to gather information about spiritual objects."

Yan Hu was a mere minor demon with little skill; he couldn't be relied upon for fighting. His former arrogance in the Southern Frontier, where he had borrowed the tiger's might, was gone. He had spent these years living a muddled life, never expecting to be summoned by this newly promoted True Person for this very reason. Overjoyed, yet not daring to take advantage of the situation, he begged:
"The little demon went to the southwest, but was already driven out once and almost lost her life... I wonder what she's like now..."

"No need to go into detail."

Hearing what was said above, Yan Hu raised his head somewhat timidly. Li Jiangqian sipped his tea and said calmly:
"Go ahead and try your luck. I've heard there's a place called Black Lacquer Ridge. You came from there. There are many demon kings nearby. Go and listen to what's going on."

Li Jiangqian wouldn't openly send anyone over; he would use his family's grudges as an excuse to find out the movements of the Bifu Mountain Master. Who would dare to say otherwise?

Yan Hu suddenly understood, nodded repeatedly, and then stood up. The real person in front of him casually said:
"There is a new city beyond the mountains, where the Marquis of Qixie is enfeoffed. Although my family has a connection with it and some goodwill, it is difficult to take care of them because of their past crimes... You can go there to visit occasionally, but you are not allowed to have your family members meet with you there. Do you understand?"

Yan Hu was slightly taken aback, and stood up half in a daze, standing there trembling with fear.

'idiot! ’

Li Jiangqian frowned and dismissed him. Just as he was about to give instructions, the silent young man spoke up, saying softly:

“This junior has sent Sun Keqing, a former official of Xuan Yue, to have a good cry—even if this demon has been searched for souls, nothing will be found.”

Upon hearing this, Li Jiangqian immediately turned his head and began to seriously examine his nephew. The two strikingly similar golden eyes and brows stared at each other for a moment, and a hint of amazement flashed in the young man's eyes as he smiled:
"Kong Gumo wanted to break through to the Purple Mansion realm, and my family provided him with the necessary resources."

Li Sui nodded naturally:

"This junior informs Guest Master Sun."

Li Jiangqian nodded, quietly watching his nephew leave. He stood up, strolled around the mountain twice, smacked his lips, and chuckled as he scolded:
"Li Jianglong, Li Jianglong—you are finally of some use. You really have a good son. It's a good thing you knew better than to take him away!"

He had barely finished speaking when he heard a clear laugh behind him:
"That's someone I treasure like my own child!"

Li Quewan stepped out of the void, riding the green wind. A small green cauldron hung from her slender waist, making the colors of the mountain brighter. Li Jiangqian did not turn back, but said regretfully:

"I'm actually inferior to him in this respect!"

The woman laughed and said:

"Heaven have mercy! It seems that Master Changli has taken a great act of kindness, having the leisure to protect the Kong family?"

Li Jiangqian took a sip of tea and sighed:
“I suspect Xuan Yi has a background in the Daoist arts. My friendship with him is also for the sake of my father’s path in the Dao! If you do the math, it’s only a few decades. If something happens in the future, or if he sees some mysterious treasure, we can ask him about it.”

His words were so precise and tactful that Li Quewan was slightly taken aback, her expression becoming somewhat serious. She nodded thoughtfully. Before she could ponder further, Li Jiangqian eagerly picked up the small, delicate water lily from the table and handed it to her, saying:
"This is perfect for you! Shall we name it?"

Li Quewan, having exchanged supernatural powers and carefully sensed them, displayed a variety of expressions on his face. After a long while, he said:
"Wow, that's amazing... It's one of the best magical artifacts in my family!"

She was somewhat moved and said:
“But I think… this is an escape skill, which might be a bit repetitive for me. I was thinking before that each member of the family should learn to be a disciple of the Three Mysteries and have their own set of spiritual objects. Even if this thing is not suitable for my elder brother, it can be given to my great-uncle. Moreover, look at how it dissolves the light of the artifact, it would be very suitable for the Prince of Wei to use.”

Li Jiangqian smiled and said:
"You've cultivated the 'Complete Core,' so your thinking in arranging these things is incredibly swift. I, a mere cultivator of the Li Fire realm, will leave it to you."

Li Quewan was used to her brother's sweet talk. She carefully examined the traces of magic on the lotus, then withdrew her supernatural power and said:
"Since it can subdue objects and has the ability to escape and split light, why not call it the 'Lotus of Subduing Streams and Splitting Light'?"

Li Jiangqian had always been indifferent to this matter; as long as it was usable, it didn't matter if it was called "Female Water Lotus." He had his younger sister, Shentong, copy it down, saying:

"You only had this short break to cultivate, why are you out of seclusion again?"

Li Quewan stretched out her slender hand, and circles of crimson blue light quickly appeared in her palm. Then, a stream of spiritual water carrying the fragrance of water and wood surged out, rotating around her fair wrist with agility and freedom.

She smiled and said:
"Over the past few months, I have successfully refined the [Mysterious Vessel] and the [Mysterious Coffin Crimson Water] has been incorporated into this spiritual treasure!"

Li Quewan demonstrated its wondrous power, and solemnly said:
"Water and fire are substances of refinement. Fire is mostly used for attacking and defeating enemies, while water has the function of defense and nourishment. The Golden Book says: [He is Huize, Kan is Lingze, and Lu is Tianze, these are the three marshes; Fu is Dongyuan, and Pin is Chunyuan, these are the double origin. The virtue and nature of water are transformed in the three marshes and the double origin.]"

These words, though concise, possessed a profound and insightful quality, causing Li Jiangqian's eyes to light up. He realized that his younger sister was taking the opportunity to share, and nodded in remembrance. Li Quewan then said:
“Apart from the names [Huize] and [Tianze] which are not commonly used, the other traditions have continued to this day. [Xuanguo Jiangshui] is Fushui, which should be called [Xuanguo Dongyuan], but it is tainted with the wood virtue of Jianghua born in water, so it is not pure, and is therefore called [Jiangshui]... The downside is that it is more afraid of fire, but impurity also has its advantages. This water has the ability to nurture virtue and promote purity.”

She said:

“I said it would be a bit of a pity to use the [Jiangxi Fenguang Lian] on me. The [Guixi Pinshui], which is a mysterious source, is a rare type of female water that cannot be cured, so it is not called Chunyuan and it does not match my [Xuanguo Jiangshui].

Seeing Li Jiangqian shake his head in regret, she continued:
"However, now that it has been refined into a spiritual treasure, it can be considered that I have refined this spiritual water, and it has also added a surging water and wood energy to my dantian... So when I had some free time, I came out to deal with the matters of the [Divine Command] and the [Spiritual Array]."

"The Purple Mansion Grand Array usually requires the construction of many complex array eyes. It is not valuable now, but it takes a lot of time. This matter should be done sooner rather than later."

Li Jiangqian went out to receive Li Ximing's gifts, which was also for these matters. He put down his cup and said seriously:

“Indeed, the great formation on the lake in my family was built by True Person Tinglan, with the assistance of True Persons Kuiqi and Ningwan… Now, True Person Kuiqi, who has the highest cultivation, has fallen. In my opinion, the matter of this formation is nothing more than finding two groups of people.”

He stretched out his hand and flicked his fingers, saying:
"First, there are the two real people, Ning Wan and Ting Lan, and second, there is Senior Chang Die."

"As for the Purple Mansion Grand Array, it always needs a treasure to create the array plate. It's best if it's not too low-grade. If we don't consider spiritual water, spiritual fire, or spiritual items in the house, or if we need to prepare for the cave heaven or for your future handy weapon, there are only a few things that can be freed up: the [Mysterious Banquet Hongqiong] of 'Shangyi', the [Licheng Shayun] of 'Lihuo', the [Sanyang Suiguang] of 'Shaoyang', the [Qiyue Bailu] of 'Taiyin', plus the [Xuanming Daosha] which will take some time to prepare, for a total of five items."

He knew them all like the back of his hand:
“Array formations can circulate and release Qi. [Xuanyan Hongqiong] is used to gather Qi. It is very suitable for building a large array. [Licheng Shayun] is a bit lacking in quantity, but if they are combined, they can create a place for me to cultivate. [Sanyang Suiguang] and [Xuanming Daosha] are both of high quality, but they are not compatible in terms of Dao lineage.”

As for [Qi Yue Bai Lu]...

Li Jiangqian shook his head and said:

"It's too conspicuous and not suitable for making arrays, which are things that can't be moved or touched. If someone gets greedy one day, they might help destroy my family's array. It's better to keep it on my person for now."

Li Quewan nodded approvingly, then heard his elder brother frown and say:

"Since it is inconvenient for Senior Changdie to come to Jiangnan, it would be better to choose the East China Sea as the location for a three-way meeting. My family is the host and cannot refuse to attend... There is no need to take such a risk, nor is it necessary to make too much of a fuss."

“While you were away these days, I wrote down four items and sent people to the south and east in advance. First, I consulted with the two True Immortals, Ning Wan and Ting Lan. Second, I had True Immortal Yuan Bian of Zhentao Prefecture read them and asked them for their opinions and ideas.”

He smiled and said:

"In my opinion, we should take Yuanbian Zhenren as the main person in charge and the two Taiyang Daotong Zhenren as assistants. Their news should come back in the next few days. We can take a look at it ourselves and then send the Taiyang Daotong's ideas to Yuanbian Zhenren so that the two of them can combine their ideas and choose the best one."

Li Jiangqian's considerations were so meticulous that Li Quewan had nothing more to add. After a moment of contemplation, he nodded and smiled. Before Li Jiangqian could continue speaking, a middle-aged man hurriedly approached, seemingly only noticing Li Jiangqian sitting in his seat. He politely bowed in the mountain air and reported:
"Master, Master Situ has replied!"

This man, with a sword at his waist, appeared calm and composed; he was none other than Gongsun Baifan!

This man was rescued by Li Zhouwei and switched allegiances, but he found it difficult to enter the inner circle of the Li family. Therefore, he was sent out to perform tasks such as delivering messages. He had been in Jianghuai for the past few years. Li Jiangqian casually took the letter from his hand, dismissed him, and then explained:
“My great-uncle previously obtained a copy of the ‘Secret Method of Subduing the Barbarians’ from the Buddhist monk, and sent it over to ask Situ Huo. It seems there is news now.”

The young man read through the supernatural handwriting on the letter, his expression showing keen interest:

"It's actually good news... I heard that Situ Huo was in seclusion, but now I don't know why he's come out of seclusion. He's definitely interested!"

Li Quewan said:

"I reckon he has a lot of good stuff on him."

Li Jiangqian nodded, then asked doubtfully:

"He's willing to exchange it for a piece of Lushui Spiritual Essence [Spring Morning Drizzle], but I've never heard of such a thing before?"

His questioning gaze fell upon him, and without a second thought, Li Quewan immediately answered as if reciting a familiar story:
"This thing is very rare. It is formed by condensation after birth. It is a kind of qi formed by the fine rain at the spring equinox, combined with precious soil to condense and nurture it. It is called 'Spring Suspended Qi'. The amount required is extremely terrifying... It is impossible to cultivate without a great lineage."

A strange look appeared on her face as she said:
"I'm not unfamiliar with this stuff either. I read the Taoist scriptures in my family back then and even saw the Qi-gathering method called 'Spring Suspended Qi,' so I paid special attention to it... I don't know where it came from."