Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1220 Three Together
The sky and earth were bright, snow was falling, and the palace was filled with a mystical aura. A man in white stood in the center, pacing silently, his expression thoughtful.

'This soup-filled rib... he's quite a character.'

Although Tang Xie and Yuan Shang were chatting enthusiastically in the sky, looking quite satisfied, Lu Jiangxian, who was watching from the side, was really sweating bullets.

'No wonder…no wonder the Lingbao lineage has been preserved to this day…not only did they bravely cut off their own arm to save the grotto-heaven from the True Lord, but they also survived the turbulent times when the world was in turmoil…'

Yuan Shang had no guidance from above and no lineage from below, so he was still confused. But Tang Xie had real skills! He could grasp the key to the problem with just a few words... More than 90% of his judgments were correct and even very close to the truth. His insight and vision were extraordinary!
"Firstly, the methods he saw as transcending rank and ignoring the laws of immortals in the 'heaven' were too terrifying and too certain for him to completely believe. Secondly, Yuan Shang is riddled with flaws, so there's nothing to worry about. If it were anyone else, let alone Dang Jiang or Shao Hui, even if I controlled Zhengao to personally take the stage, they would most likely be secretly chilled by his questions."

After all, Lu Jiangxian's initial purpose was to test the original lineage of Taiyin... He did not expect Tang Xie to be so insightful and clear in his purpose, and to get through the Taiyang lineage in one go. This made Lu Jiangxian secretly startled several times, fearing that if he stayed any longer, he would find some flaws.

Now that things are finally stable, a sense of relief welled up in his heart:

'That immortal with the mustache wasn't mistaken!'

Similarly, Tang Xi's words also gave him a lot of insight. He paced back and forth in the hall a few times, nodding to himself:

"Therefore, there's a reason why so many ancient texts mention Zhang Yuanyu. His influence on the overall situation was originally thought to be even higher... Could it be... almost approaching that of a dragon...?"

If Tang Xie's tone, suggesting that Taiyuan was only one step away from the Dao Embryo, was true, then the true dragon that He Shui Long Jun longed for was also merely a sign of the Dao Embryo...

'Perhaps there are still differences in skill... but judging from this, the gap between Golden Core cultivators is far greater than imagined, and the gap between a Dao Embryo and a Golden Core cultivator... is probably not easy to compare.'

This was not good news. Lu Jiangxian had to re-compare the differences between the Underworld, Luoxia, and even the other forces. He pondered for a moment with some worry, looking at the world covered in snow.

His thoughts differed somewhat from Yukichi's:

'If…Li Zhouwei succeeds…and a Bright Yang Golden Core cultivator is born, he can't be without someone behind him. Taiyuan doesn't actually have a fundamental conflict with achieving the Bright Yang Dao…Whether Taiyuan can provide assistance depends on what it can gain from it.'

"Transformation of the world... that requires the ability to achieve it, and that's not enough... even the plans of the Fallen Cloud Underworld are not clear enough, let alone the path of Taiyuan..."

He sighed softly, his gaze returning to the table, where golden characters were engraved on a piece of white jade-like paper:

'Self-respect and supreme nobility are the only paths to enlightenment; the gods and immortals of Tushita Heaven grant their authority…'

This mnemonic undoubtedly resolved the last lingering doubt in his mind:
"From the earliest [Dayan Celestial Administration], to the later [Heavenly Thunder], to the [Divine Incense], and finally the [Bright Sun Imperial Authority], the actions of the Douxuan Dao have one very clear purpose: to govern the heavens!"

"The Divine Court governs the world, thus it controls the heavens. When the divine way fails, it uses the Thunder Palace. When the Thunder Palace falls, it uses imperial power. Even if imperial power collapses and it retreats to a corner of the Yangtze River, it still has the desire to govern the world with divine power!"

"The Dao of Douxuan and the ancient Heavenly Dao are highly intertwined! When the sky collapses and the earth caves in, the Heavenly Dao is destroyed, and at the same time, Douxuan is destroyed. Or rather, they are essentially the same thing!"

Even at this point, he began to have doubts:

Does the so-called Heavenly Dao truly exist? Could it be that its secretive nature actually refers to the various cultivators of the Mystic Realm, or even the "Three Lords and Five Immortals" standing behind them?

He pondered for a long time, his gaze fixed intently on the golden characters on the jade slip:

'Furthermore, everything leaves traces and has standards for judgment... Even the current Underworld, although it has parted ways with Douxuan of yesteryear, still retains some influence over the world's martial arts practitioners! And matters of martial arts cultivation involve royal and imperial power, so naturally they are placed in the hands of the Underworld…'

"For example... in the current matter of Li Zhouwei and Mingyang, the initiative should naturally fall into the hands of Qingxuan, who controls Yin and Yang, and Douxuan, who holds royal and imperial power... Each family has its own rules, and everyone follows their own path."

……

The sun and moon shone together, and the crimson flames inside the alchemy furnace rolled and danced. The immortal beside the furnace had a slightly pale face, but he was completely focused and dared not be distracted for even a moment. After an unknown amount of time, he finally sensed a tiny bit of light jumping out from the depths of the flames.

'The moonlight was distinct…'

Li Ximing finally showed a slight smile, but even this slight distraction immediately made his supernatural powers weak. He gritted his teeth and focused all his attention on gathering his divine power. After an unknown amount of time, the light before his eyes gradually stabilized.

If just moments ago there were only a few specks of color in the fire, now it was as if a small hole had been made in the window frame, illuminating a clear and steady moonlight. Only then did Li Ximing relax, carefully setting the fire back down and keeping it warm by the stove.

"call…"

The man let out a long sigh, leaned against the table and chair, and wiped the cold sweat from his face.

Refining this pill required an effort no less than fighting a fierce battle. Although it wouldn't cause any injuries, it was a long and drawn-out process. Now that it had stopped, he felt listless and weak, and his two supernatural powers were on the verge of collapse, clearly indicating that his vital energy had been damaged.

'His supernatural powers and demeanor are like someone recovering from a serious illness; he's almost as weak as he was when Changxiao forced him to flee east to the outer sea...'

This was only possible with the help of the [Eastern Life Bottle] several times, and the pills taken along the way; otherwise, it wouldn't have lasted until today. On the other hand, although this alchemy furnace has already crossed the most difficult step, there is still a long road of gentle nurturing and slow simmering ahead.

Fortunately, I have mastered the [Divided Spirit Body] and have the [Three-Tiered Guardian Fire] to assist me. Now I can finally focus on my own affairs; otherwise, if I had to nurture myself for another three to five years, I would have been half-dead.

He breathed a sigh of relief, slowly opened his eyes, and moved his gaze.

But they found that there was already another person on the futon in the jade pavilion. He was tall and strong, with a brooding temperament. He had the four stars of Chongyang on his forehead and was leaning against the bright moon lamp stand. He was holding a jade slip in his hands and studying it carefully.

Seeing that Li Ximing finally made a move, the man also raised his eyebrows, revealing a pair of gray-white, cracked eyes with a smile. It was Li Zhouwei!

Li Ximing immediately showed delight, stood up and stepped forward, saying:
"What a coincidence!"

He examined the junior closely and found that his injuries seemed to have disappeared, his back appeared even more solid, and a dense aura of divine power flowed around him, emanating a terrifying pressure. Li Zhouwei smiled and said:

"Thanks to Uncle's miraculous pill!"

Li Ximing hurriedly said:
"Is it all fixed?"

Li Zhouwei waved his hand and said:

"The troubles of the Earthly Calamity are constantly present. With protection, and with my uncle's pill being so powerful, I've been focusing on healing these past few years. As planned, I've left only my eyes untreated for cultivation... As for the rest, aside from a slight deficiency in my 'Visiting the Heavenly Gate' supernatural power..."

"The rest is all done!"

After all, that pill was made with a precious elixir, so this speed was not surprising. Li Ximing was quite satisfied, nodding repeatedly and sighing:

"It's a pity that my Taiyin Elixir is still a long way off..."

"That's a bad word."

Li Zhouwei nodded and said:
"Although the 'Crimson Arrowhead' is extremely difficult, having gone through this ordeal, I've overcome the most difficult hurdle. Now that I'm afflicted with this calamity and have sustained injuries, it's the perfect time for me to cultivate. I can take my time with the pills."

Li Ximing understood his meaning, and, slightly agitated, asked:

How long will it take to polish it to perfection?

The young man smiled slightly and said:
"Three to four years."

Li Ximing was both surprised and enlightened. After calculating with his fingers, he said:
"Indeed, it has been more than ten years since you forged the 'Crimson Arrowhead'. You had already completed the next immortal foundation of your two previous divine abilities by now. Now, if you calculate it, it will take you fifteen or sixteen years to fully master this divine ability. This shows how difficult the 'Crimson Arrowhead' is!"

"First, it is difficult to obtain the 'Red Arrowhead'; second, it is difficult to find elixirs and places for cultivation. In fact, there are not many truly effective times for cultivation."

Li Zhouwei replied, then changed the subject, saying:

"I've timed this all out specifically to discuss this matter with my uncle..."

Li Ximing's eyes lit up:
"You mean... 'Emperor Guan Yuan'?!"

"good."

Li Zhouwei nodded:
"After all, gathering qi takes time, and three or four years is the most suitable time."

The King of Wei straightened his expression slightly and said:

“The Purple Ginseng is a threshold to immortality. Although I haven’t reached that point yet, I can already vaguely feel the stagnation in the Rising Sun Palace. Countless geniuses throughout history have crashed and bled at this hurdle. Getting stuck for fifty or sixty years is something to be celebrated. Even I have to be prepared to fail several times when facing this threshold. We don’t know the difficulty of gathering Qi at the ‘Emperor’s View’, so we can’t take it lightly.”

Without a word, Li Ximing immediately stood up and followed him to the Shanghuan Pavilion, while Li Zhouwei said solemnly:

“I have examined all the supernatural abilities here. There are many ‘Eternal Brightness Steps’, but only two ‘Imperial View of the Origin’ books. I recently bathed and burned incense to exchange for one of them, and I await your bestowal.”

The "Eternal Rank" was naturally out of the question. Even their own [Mingyuan Temple Scripture] from the Cui family was itself an "Eternal Rank," so there was no need to exchange it. Li Zhouwei only glanced at it, and seeing the golden name already lit up, he showed it with delight:
"These two books... one is concise and clear, called 'The Book of the Northern Emperor Wei,' which is the book I chose. The other is more exquisite and ingenious, called 'The Magnificent Scripture of Mingshan.'"

Li Zhouwei had clearly considered this, and with a soft sigh, said:
“These two are a bit troublesome… Back then, the names of ‘Red Arrowhead’ were very distinct, with different levels of skill, so it was quite obvious. But these two books not only don’t show any clues, but the prices of the techniques are also similar, around 270.”

Li Zhouwei paused here and said:

“I’m looking at it by name. The ‘Book of the Northern Emperor Wei’ is older. The ‘Red Arrow’ was also called the ‘Book of the Ten Thousand Chariots’ Punishing Emperor Guang’ back then. It is also a ‘book’.”

Li Ximing only said:
"Your cultivation technique cannot be neglected. The immortal cultivation techniques at home are so abundant. I think you should just choose the most expensive ones... Besides, the ginseng is quite difficult. Since you are both in the same realm, you can replace both books and refer to each other to seek the Dao."

Li Zhouwei's eyes showed a hint of agreement as he said:
"Let's try it first and then talk about it."

He then picked up the jade book filled with golden characters, slowly closed his eyes, and the vast text poured down like flowing water. In an instant, Li Zhouwei opened his eyes, his expression slightly strange.

Seeing Li Zhouwei's expression, Li Ximing became more suspicious. The Prince of Wei didn't keep him in suspense and said:
"It's not difficult... This energy is called 'Riding Emperor's Killing.' The method of gathering this energy is very complicated. It requires the sun to shine down and illuminate the emperor's palace and burial site, and then use bright and spiritual objects to build up the area... This process takes three to five years."

As he spoke, he transcribed the Qi Gathering Method and delivered it to his elder. After Li Ximing read it, his brow furrowed slightly.
"For an emperor's palace and burial place, does one necessarily have to be an emperor...? It's not that hard to find one..."

Li Zhouwei nodded and said calmly:

"It's not difficult, but it's a bit flamboyant."

After all, the nearest place is the Song Emperor's temporary palace. Given the current relationship between the two families, it would be very simple to gather energy there; just send a few Foundation Establishment cultivators over.

'But it's not like they can't see that he's absorbing Qi... In the eyes of those adults, wouldn't it be blatantly obvious that he's trying to cultivate the 'Emperor's Vision'?'

Li Ximing's expression darkened as he pondered silently, but Li Zhouwei had already turned around and said softly:

"Let's send someone to Cheng Yun to take a look first... then hand it over to Jiang Qian... he'll handle it."

Li Ximing was taken aback at first, then seemed to understand, and thought to himself:

"Indeed, Chengyun was once called Shuiling, the tomb of the Ningguo emperor... I wonder if it's still of any use now..."

He nodded, keeping the matter to himself. After leaving the immortal pavilion, he recounted the events of the past few days, then briefly mentioned the formation and addressed Li Zhouwei:

"Be careful of Western Shu."

"Jiang Qian has already made the arrangements."

Clearly, with Li Jiangqian around, Li Ximing's burden was greatly reduced; at least he didn't have to think about these things while refining pills. He smiled and said:

“But I heard something from a junior about seeking gold, and I was thinking of telling you about it. You mentioned ginseng again... which gave me an idea.”

Li Zhouwei turned his head slightly in surprise, and Li Ximing then explained the intercalation method of "three similarities and two differences" and "four similarities and four differences" mentioned by the Zhang family. Li Zhouwei pondered for a moment, then placed his hand on the bronze platform and said with a burning gaze:
"Does Uncle mean... ginseng?"

"Exactly!"

Li Ximing nodded repeatedly in approval of his keen insight, saying:

"Before the Zhang family mentioned it, I would never have imagined that the [Three Similarities and Two Distinctions] could be cultivated, but since he brought it up, these Three Similarities... aren't they just like ginseng?"

"Three similarities...not bad."

It must be said that Li Ximing's idea was very well-founded, causing Li Zhouwei to stop what he was doing. The light in his eyes became even more intense, and he said softly:

"Impressive... 'Can' means 'mixed,' perhaps it's meant to remind later cultivators to consider the path ahead... Wonderful... People say that 'a single word of the Dao is worth a thousand pieces of gold,' these famous writings left by our predecessors must have a reason, truly wonderful!"

This discovery gave him a vague grasp of something, but he was ultimately just a little short. However, his profound understanding led him to a conclusion, and after a long pause, he nodded:
"There might be some connection between the [Three Similarities and Two Distinctions] and the [Purple Immortal Threshold]. It's highly likely that the difficulty of the [Purple Immortal Threshold] is due to the factors that allow the [Three Similarities and Two Distinctions] to be cultivated, and it might even... point to the same thing!"

This discovery greatly delighted both of them, sparking their imaginations. However, Li Ximing harbored a subtle worry and replied:
"In that case...it is indeed time to choose the path to wealth."

Li Zhouwei stroked the bronze platform, fully understanding what his elder was saying, and simply shook his head slowly:
"impossible."

Li Ximing nodded slightly, then composed himself and said:
“I have Jiang move in here and explained the arrangements one by one. You can focus on your cultivation now.”