Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1214 Zhi Shaoyang

His mind was quick; he immediately stood up and sighed:

“My father often thought of the old clans of the Wei Dynasty. He once traveled to the East Sea to protect the Cui family and used his own status to help that old master Cui achieve his goal. His only regret was that the six families were scattered... He never thought that the family that was far away was now right before his eyes!”

The young man's expression turned serious, and he replied:
"Given our past ties, how can we stand by and watch you, my fellow Daoist, be all alone and helpless in the Song court? From now on, please feel free to come to the lake."

Chengqian, filled with worry, bowed deeply and whispered:
"I dare not disturb Your Majesty's presence, but I have been entrusted with this task by my ancestors and I dare not disobey it. I am located in the Jiangnan region and I can see the bright sunshine of the sun. I dare not ignore it."

If Chengqian had a choice, he would never have gotten caught up in the power struggle in Jiangnan. But from his Lian family background to his master Xianyao's achievements, there were signs of impending doom. The Song court's attitude was clear, so how could he dare to disobey!

The young man in the crimson robe saw right through him, pulled him to sit down, and his piercing golden gaze was quite intimidating, exuding a certain imposing aura, as he said:

"The King of Wei cultivates the Bright Sun, which is the way to become a human king and an emperor. Since you are from one of the six surnames, I'm afraid there's no reason for you to just catch a glimpse of the Bright Sun's radiance and stop after a superficial acquaintance. Have you thought this through, fellow Daoist?"

Cheng Qian's gaze suddenly turned serious, and her expression gradually darkened. She realized that the person in front of her was no kind person and did not want her attitude to be ambiguous. Instead, she insisted on a clear stance!
He paused only slightly before saying:

"Chengqian still belongs to the Song dynasty and has not returned after crossing the Lingfeng Pass, so we dare not make any moves."

Li Jiangqian seemed to have anticipated his words, a smile appearing in her eyes, and replied:

"I am not forcing you, fellow Daoist, but simply making this clear... In the grand scheme of things, everyone is a pawn, each with their own position, whether black or white, to make calculations and maneuvers. If the roles of the pieces are not clearly defined, someone will eventually come to test their worth."

He said quietly:
"If we wait until then to clarify things, it will not only look bad, but it might also cause trouble."

Cheng Qian nodded silently, his expression stern. The prince finally sat down, his expression completely changing; his face softened like a spring breeze thawing, revealing a smile.

"Now that I know Chengqian is one of my own, besides business, I also have some personal matters to ask my fellow Taoist."

Chengqian raised her eyebrows and saw him say:

"I wonder which supernatural power you have cultivated?"

Now that Chengqian has shown his willingness to be close to the Li family, he naturally wouldn't shy away from discussing supernatural powers, and said solemnly:
"Lian's supernatural power is called 'Golden Book Preface,' which is a path that combines other paths and cultivates the lineage of shamanism. It can transform resources and often has the miraculous effect of changing according to the situation."

"Preface to the Golden Book..."

The supernatural abilities of cultivators are often unknown to others, especially the various mysteries found here, which are usually highly taboo in cultivation. For Cheng Qian to speak to this extent shows considerable sincerity. Li Jiangqian pondered this inwardly.

'He doesn't seem like 'Hou Shenshu'... He should also be a type of 'Complete Elixir.' In that case, he probably doesn't have Que Wan's abilities, which makes things easier.'

Then, with a flick of his sleeve, he revealed a jet-black whip, coiled up like a living thing, slowly twisting and turning. The prince said solemnly:
"When the King of Wei killed the enemy, he obtained this whip and handed it to me. Fellow Daoist, please take a look."

"Sha Qi?"

Cheng Qian was still hesitating about whether this step was the right one when he unexpectedly took out a magical artifact with a flick of his wrist, which really startled him. He quickly took a step back, looking quite shocked.

The old master of his lineage, the one who cured urinary retention, was a rogue cultivator. The "Capital Guard" was notoriously short of spiritual objects, leaving him penniless. Most of his life's savings were on this mountain, leaving behind only a spiritual artifact and a spiritual embryo. Since the True Immortal Xianyao cultivated "Earth," the spiritual embryo naturally couldn't be preserved. His master's spiritual artifact was given to Bai Ziyu as payment while cultivating supernatural powers, and the True Immortal Xianyao's own spiritual embryo, the Chengqian used for cultivating the "Complete Elixir," also couldn't be preserved…

After all this twists and turns, Chengqian had nothing left but the Subduing Sword, the culmination of Xianyao Zhenren's life's work, and the Hundred-Eave Black Stone Umbrella, which he had acquired from Qinghu Zhenren in his later years—both of which were of the "Earth" element!
As a method of change, the "Complete Elixir" is not necessarily in conflict with the "Earth" element, but it is inevitably somewhat powerless in the face of the powerful "Earth". Even the "Hou Shen Shu" dares not use the sun and moon as its authority, let alone Cheng Qian, who does not yet have the supernatural power to forcibly seize things. In his own private experience, he only felt that these kinds of spiritual artifacts were extremely heavy, consuming magic power like flowing water, and were not obedient enough.

Helian Wujiang was, after all, the Iron King. The Li family looked down on the [Dao Sha Han Tie Tie Whip], but it was no less valuable than the [Bai Meng Xuan Shi Umbrella], and it was even more compatible with the [Quan Dan], making it extremely precious to Cheng Qian.

"Complete elixir is rare these days. Jin Yu was one such example, and the Li family will likely follow suit. For a rogue cultivator like myself, who cannot strive for perfection, this is truly a good choice."

Chengqian was slightly tempted, but on the other hand, she did have a desire to get closer to the Li family. She put her hands together and said:
"Your Highness means..."

Li Jiangqian said:

"Chengqian is also considered one of my own. I was overseeing the construction of a large array, and we were short of spiritual materials and resources. So, I'm going out here to look for some."

The array plate's main spiritual item is [San Yang Sui Guang], supplemented by Jin De and Xi Qi. It was given to Jiu Qiu. Li Shi originally had Xi Qi's [Dai Ye Ping], but unfortunately, melting it would take too long. Otherwise, smashing this somewhat useless spiritual artifact would have been a perfect substitute for this purpose.

As for the seven spiritual resources of the grand formation, Li Jiangqian was about to hand them over to Chengqian Zhenren, who had just inherited a batch of spiritual objects and resources. He specifically inquired about the 'Shaoyang' items, and Chengqian replied:
"There are fewer 'Shaoyang' ones. My master originally had one, but it was later exchanged by a senior. However, among the names mentioned by you, there is one called 'Guangyi Baijin' (光异白金), and I have two of them. There is also 'Xiyuan Baofeng' (晞元宝枫), which is in the possession of an old friend of my master."

These three items are clearly no match for the [Dao Sha Cold Iron Whip], Cheng Qian said solemnly:
"As for the other four, I'll think of some ways..."

Li Jiangqian's voice was slightly lower:
"The sooner the better! It will be useful in two or three years at the shortest, or five or six years at the longest."

Cheng Qian's expression changed slightly, and he nodded slightly, saying:

"I see…"

Unexpectedly, Li Jiangqian placed the [Dao Sha Cold Iron Whip] into his hand without hesitation. Cheng Qian dared not accept it and immediately declined. Li Jiangqian then solemnly said:
“My father is entrusted with the mandate of heaven and earth, which makes him the object of much jealousy. All the Buddhists want to get rid of him as soon as possible, but he has been defeated in battle and has not been able to disturb the king’s authority. So they came to plot against my sons and subjects, which made my brothers fearful and uneasy, and they fled to Song. Now that you know the current situation, once you go to sea, you may be plotted against.”

Cheng Qian's expression subtly changed, and he didn't answer for a moment. The eldest son of the King of Wei, standing before him, spoke with a hint of warning:

"You are collecting spiritual resources for my family. First, you must keep it a secret, as this will protect your life. Second, you must be cautious in everything you do. If possible, go through the Song Kingdom. If there are any risks involved, do not take any chances!"

As he took the talisman from his hand, he said:

"If anything happens to you, feel free to ask my family for help. If you really fall into someone else's hands, having an extra magical artifact will give you a better chance of survival."

This was indeed Li Jiangqian's honest opinion. He thought that his earliest Purple Mansion subjects would be the Yin family, and he also thought about Cui Jueyin achieving success ahead of time, and even Guo Nanwu.

'But now it seems that this Master Chengqian might have been even earlier.'

Unlike Guo Nanwu, Ke Chengqian has no Qu Si behind him. This is both a good thing and a bad thing, as it forces him to rely on the Li family wholeheartedly, greatly increasing his credibility. If he makes a careless move, he could become a breakthrough point.

A living Purple Mansion True Person, or even a True Person at the 'Complete Core' stage, is far more valuable than any spiritual artifact or spiritual object. It would be extremely difficult for Li Jiangqian to cultivate one himself. He had no sympathy for Li Jiangqian. His judgment of value alone made him know that he absolutely could not afford to lose this True Person!

"Although he's still in charge of Guoling Peak, his elders just died fighting for the Song Dynasty. Even if the Underworld is ruthless and merciless, and even if it's for their own benefit, it's not good for him to get into trouble at this time. Otherwise, I wouldn't have sent him to run errands."

But anything can happen. If this Master Xianyao has some personal grudge against Chengqian, and something happens to him at this time, we really won't have the right to say a word.

Cheng Qian looked somewhat dazed at the solemn look in Li Jiangqian's eyes, nodded slowly, casually took the item, and replied:
"Thank you, Your Highness."

Li Jiangqian nodded slightly, said nothing more, and hurriedly left the mountain, heading straight for Chengyun Gate, leaving Chengqian standing quietly in the mountain, watching him go.

This young master, who possessed considerable talent, paced back and forth in silence for a long time. After an unknown period of time, he slowly made his way to the inner hall. The vibrations of the coffin grew more intense, causing slight fluctuations in his expression.

Master's words of offering the jade still seemed to echo in his ears, layer upon layer. Cheng Qian felt a complex and inexplicable emotion, so he knelt down and bowed deeply.

'There's only one path I've walked to the end... I only hope that this one person has a chance of success.'

……

Amidst the interplay of wind and rain, thunder rumbled and rain poured down like a waterfall across the sea. The faint sound of vibrations could be heard, and flashes of lightning penetrated deep into the seabed, passing through various glass and coral chambers, until finally, a palace could be seen beneath the pitch-black sea where one could not see one's hand in front of one's face.

The gray-haired man stood in the sea, his eyes shooting out a misty red light. Thousands of waves rolled beneath his feet, as if they were his subjects. A general knelt on the crystal-clear jade steps, his eyes lowered, his hands trembling slightly as he pressed them to the ground.

"Been eaten?"

The gray-haired man slowly turned his head, his red eyes flashing with an almost ethereal light, exuding a suffocating aura of power. He let out a faint laugh.

“He was eaten at Danping Reef… I looked at him and realized that he was meant to be enjoyed by Dongfang Siyun.”

"Come on... tell me, how am I supposed to explain this to Bai Lin!"

These words filled Lu Xu, who was kneeling on the ground, with boundless fear. His father, the Dragon King of the Sea, was already enraged. If he was not careful, he would surely die in the dragon's mouth!
He lowered his head and whispered:
"Reporting to your Excellency, I accompanied you to see the Eighth Prince... I couldn't keep an eye on him, but I had already left Ying Hebai, whom Bai Lin had mentioned before, to patrol the sea there... But he..."

As that sharp, sword-like gaze descended, Lu Xu said in a trembling voice:
“He was taken away by Pingyan of Yinzhou, supposedly to meet the Li family at Wangyue Lake… The adults have mentioned that the Li family can be transferred at will.”

Dongfang Lieyun's gaze lingered on his severed head like a ghost, utterly malevolent, yet still cold and unchanging, his voice terrifying:
"How did Dongfang Siyun find out?"

"Your Majesty!"

A chill ran through Lu Xu's heart. He kowtowed repeatedly, his voice urgent:

"Ying Hebai is not here, and his people are allowed to come and go freely. It must be... that he was spotted on his way to find me, my lord! The Dragon King of the Sea has already mastered four supernatural powers, 'Evil Seeking' and 'Serving the Eastern Lord,' and can sense him..."

But his words were cut short as those massive hands gripped his neck, lifting him high into the air. A palpable sense of impending death filled the air, and Lu Xu let out a whimper. The Dragon King was sinister and terrifying.
"Hidden within the female realm, how can he possibly seek help! The Mysterious Maiden resides in the navel of the world, and Danping is one of the female islands. Even if Dongfang Sihai possesses extraordinary abilities, he can only remain completely in the dark—who is it! Who is it!"

The Dragon King's voice eventually transformed into a deafening roar. His massive hand clenched rapidly, crackling and popping. The renowned Water Demon King dared not struggle at all, only whimpering and begging for mercy.

“Gulp…”

The Dragon King swallowed hard, then finally raised his other hand, grabbed the demon king's arm, and suddenly exerted force.

"Tear it!"

The intense glow of the Lingshui River rippled outwards, and the dark blue demon blood, like winding little snakes, nimbly flowed down the Dragon King's arm. He forcefully tore off the arm of the Xushui Demon King, put it in his mouth, and with just a light chew, it rolled down his throat and into his stomach. A hint of greed flashed in Dongfang Lieyun's eyes, and in the end, he let go and casually threw him on the ground.

"Your Majesty! Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Lu Xu, too preoccupied to heal his wounds, his face filled with relief. His pale face kowtowed several times, and he said in a trembling voice:
"Your Majesty... he went out on his own... Your Majesty... that auspicious beast ran outside..."

The Dragon King sat in the thick darkness, his eyes bloodshot, staring coldly at him, still not answering. Lu Xu used all the wit he had ever possessed, racking his brains in a daze. In this suffocating silence, he finally found an excuse, kowtowed, and tremblingly organized his thoughts, finally saying:

"My lord...that...Li family's island...Madam Xiangchun and a rogue cultivator also went there...Madam...Madam is Yinshui...perhaps...it was she who sensed that Yin Island..."

These words caused the Dragon King's gaze to deepen, and a hoarse laugh escaped his throat:
"You mean... Zhongli Chun?"

Lu Xu dared not utter those three words, only kneeling on the ground and kowtowing. Dongfang Lieyun, however, had already stood up, his heavy footsteps echoing in the hall.

“You do have some quick wit. That’s right. Zhongli Chun went there a long time ago. She has been stationed at Beiming Palace for over a hundred years. Beiyao is Bei Shaoyang. This auspicious beast was originally driven away by Shengbaidao. Zhenjun has many plans. It’s not surprising that she came to take a look for Bei Shaoyang. I know about this.”

He turned his head, his tone indifferent:
"Perhaps Dongfang Siyun had been thinking about that sliver of opportunity to ask the question, and had been watching Xiang Chun for a long time. Just as he saw her coming to the sea to confirm, he followed the clues and stumbled upon this auspicious beast."

At this point, a cold glint appeared on Dongfang Lieyun's face:
"He was gluttonous and lustful, and relying on the favor of Xiyang Dragon Lord, he was used to acting arrogantly and domineeringly. Back then, I beat him to the punch in Xiangchun's matter and sealed him in Beihai. He has been jealous ever since, so it is not surprising that he ate it on a whim."

Seeing that he had escaped with his life, Lu Xu finally showed a hint of relief at surviving a disaster. He lowered his head and said in a low voice:
"However... we still need to give an explanation to the King of Wei."

Mentioning this matter, Dongfang Lieyun's eyes surged with anger once again, and he said calmly:

"He's smart to be sensible. If he had eaten Liu Changdie too, I would have made a scene right before the Dragon King's throne and made him suffer!"