Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1230 The End of the Provocation (1+12) (Bonus Chapter 20113 for Hidden Dragon)

With the major matter resolved, a heavy weight was lifted from the hearts of the Li family. Li Jiangqian's smile became more genuine. After turning around a few times with his hands behind his back, having gained control of the formation, he turned and smiled:

"The commotion just now was astonishing, and it was witnessed both in the north and south. It's possible that it was a test. We ask Fellow Daoist Chengqian to keep an eye on things for us."

Cheng Qian naturally agreed and left his aura in the array plate. Strangely enough, Liu Changdie's array was not only different from the common Jiangnan style, but the aura recorded in the array plate was also divided into nine layers, corresponding to the size of the power, which was quite useful.

After the three of them stepped into the void and landed on the lake, Liu Changdie's expression became somewhat complicated. He pondered for a long time before sitting down and saying:
"This formation... is going very smoothly."

Liu Changdie's doubts had been brewing for some time. The array foundation built on this desert was incredibly precise, and the earth veins had been resolved in just seven days. When they arrived at the palace, they spoke simply, but logically speaking, the difficulty of this grand array was beyond the reach of ordinary cultivators…

'Perhaps Li Jiangqian was too impatient, even letting Ning Wan interfere with the formation's foundation...'

If that were all, it would be fine. However, the process of connecting the various array platforms and creating the grand array was much faster than he had imagined. This was no simple matter! Most of the key points were close to the energy he had left behind. Once or twice was fine, but when the grand array was finally completed, although he appeared to be unharmed, his expression was one of utter disbelief!

'This isn't a matter of whether it's possible or not; it involves many unique designs within my lineage, which are simply not to be revealed to outsiders… How could Ning Wan possibly know!'

This involves the secrets of the Daoist tradition, and I was filled with doubts. I was hesitant to speak out of respect for Chengqian, but I could not hold back any longer. I bowed and immediately said:
"Was this formation built under the supervision of Master Ning?"

Although Li Jiangqian knew absolutely nothing about formations, Liu Changdie's words immediately made him raise an eyebrow and say:
"Naturally, it wasn't done by anyone else; the two younger members of my family were in charge of repairing the formation."

"Junior?"

Liu Changdie's expression showed a hint of shock, while Li Jiangqian took two steps with his hands behind his back and smiled:
Is this good... or bad?

Liu Changdie sighed and said:
"Absolutely amazing! It's as if I personally guided you!"

A strange light gradually appeared in Li Jiangqian's eyes, and his expression instantly became filled with doubt. Fortunately, Li Ximing, who was standing beside him, smiled and replied:
“I understand… Uncle, do you remember… the lineage I sought from the East Sea years ago?”

"Taoism?"

Liu Changdie suddenly understood, stroked his beard and nodded, saying:

"【Xuan Die Yan Suan Jing】? That's right... I see."

A hint of joy appeared on his face:
"I almost forgot, there's a junior on this lake who has inherited my mantle. I remember... his name is Suining, isn't it?"

Li Jiangqian nodded with a smile and said:
"Now that the grand formation has been completed, it's a good opportunity to meet you."

"it is good!"

Liu Changdie was quite straightforward, but Li Ximing, standing to the side, frowned as he held his cup, feeling slightly uneasy. However, having inherited the mantle, he felt obligated to show his face, so he kept quiet.

A moment later, a young man emerged from the mountains. He had long eyebrows and handsome eyes, and a gloomy demeanor, but his respectful smile softened his coldness. He knelt down and bowed respectfully, saying:
"I've met three real people!"

Li Ximing smiled, gesturing for him to come up, and pointed:

"This is the Transformation Real Person!"

The young man, quite naturally, stepped forward and bowed again, saying:
"I have received your teachings and studied diligently day and night, never daring to be negligent. I have benefited greatly from your teachings and am deeply grateful. I look up to you as if you were a towering mountain. Today I finally meet you, please accept my bow!"

This is not just polite talk. Liu Changdie's book, "Xuandie Yansuanjing," teaches real skills. Li Suining and his successors had already mastered it, yet they could always glean something new from it.

'But... this master never concern himself with matters within the seas, so why has he returned to the lake in this life!'

Liu Changdie looked at him carefully, and for some reason, a sense of familiarity arose within him. He hesitated for a moment, then nodded with a touch of emotion, praising:

"The future life is terrible!"

He uttered only these four words, saying nothing more, and Li Suining bowed again, replying:

"I haven't even obtained a fraction of the true master!"

Li Ximing nodded with a smile and said:
"This was originally a bond between master and disciple, but they were separated by the East Sea in the past and could not be fulfilled. Now that they have finally met, why not continue it and have him become a disciple in name only, so that he will not have received the Daoist lineage in vain."

These words, when they reached the ears of this real person, caused his expression to become complicated:
'disciple…'

These words of apprenticeship were very similar to those Liu Changdie had heard in his previous life, and they also came from Li Ximing's mouth.

'But... it's not the real Li Ximing, it's the Seventh Young Master Li Ximing.'

In his two lifetimes, Liu Changdie had only one truly considerate disciple: Li Chenghui, the eldest son of Li Ximing in his previous life. This child was extremely filial and intelligent, but ultimately he was harmed by Liu Changdie's reckless behavior, and the Li family lost this pillar of the array cultivation. When Li Ximing came to demand the inheritance of the Dao, he gave him the true teachings without hesitation, which was also a way of making amends.

Although he had moved on, how could Liu Changdie not feel pain upon seeing this scene? He shook his head speechlessly and said:

"Since you have received the Dao lineage, there is no need to remember your name... My life has been full of ups and downs, with no immortal sect or peak to inherit from, so I can't distinguish between inside and outside the sect. Fortunately, I haven't encountered any major troubles. It's lucky that I was able to take you as my disciple..."

Li Ximing nodded thoughtfully, vaguely understanding why Liu Changdie had appeared on the lake. Li Suining, however, was both surprised and horrified, joyful and worried, unable to calculate what he had changed again—but as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he truly had no say at this moment, and could not utter a single word of his thoughts. He could only kneel down and respectfully say:

"Disciple has met Master!"

In that brief moment of lowering his gaze, he vaguely caught a glimpse of gold beside him. From the moment he entered the hall, this prince had not uttered a word, his golden eyes fixed intently on him, filled with a thoughtful expression.

"it is good…"

Liu Changdie's eyes crinkled with a smile. He nodded silently, then took out some incense from his sleeve and said:

"Since you have inherited my lineage, you should also acknowledge your ancestor!"

Upon hearing this, Li Jiangqian's gaze finally shifted, moving away from the young man as he listened to the middle-aged man's serious expression:
"My array formations are derived from the East Sea, from the ancient cultivator Zhou Rao of the Liang Dynasty. Although the diagrams have been lost, the lineage has declined, and various traces are no longer visible, one must still remember the lineage and not forget one's ancestors."

The Li family has inherited a deep understanding of many ancient and modern traditions. While others might not understand the significance of this statement, Li Jiangqian already harbored doubts:
'I'm afraid this senior... doesn't even have much understanding of his own lineage.'

So they performed all sorts of rituals and offered incense. Li Ximing had been waiting for this long, and finally had his chance. He whispered:

"Uncle, you've always stayed away from the conflicts within the country, so why have you come here today? Is it because you're worried that my family's formation will cause you to miss the appointed time?"

Mentioning this matter, Liu Changdie's smile faded, and he quietly said:

"Actually, it's nothing. That dragon-related lord explained it clearly, and I actually let go of my fears. But then I remembered something."

"The path of 'Kujin' may not be proven, but it is not necessarily impossible to walk. Even if it is a futile effort, even if it is mixed with other lineages, I will still take it. With a few supernatural powers, I can give the adults a good thrashing."

He smiled and said:
“At first, I only felt that my own family was in trouble and was afraid that it would affect you. Now I understand that you are also doing your best to fight back.”

These words not only silenced the two masters present, but also deeply moved Li Suining, who had been keeping his head down.

'This Transformation Master... actually knows just as much as anyone else!'

Liu Changdie didn't dwell on the topic, but instead brought up the old man Li Xuanxuan, whom he must have missed for a long time. Li Ximing nodded and went with him to the island. The mountain suddenly became empty, leaving only Li Jiangqian alone.

The young man in the crimson robe stood up and paced around the mountain a few times, finding it quite interesting.

'I'd heard that this child was highly regarded by my great-uncle and father, but I thought he was just a temporary apprentice and didn't pay much attention... Now it seems he's quite interesting, no less so than my good nephew!'

His gaze was intense, a smile on his face. He stood there for more than ten breaths until his younger sister descended in a beam of light. Only then did he raise his head, about to speak, when he saw Li Quewan's solemn expression and whispered:
"The Dragon Clan has arrived! I stopped them at the foot of the mountain and led them into the dense forest. Seeing that the two elders had left, I came to see you!"

"A dragon?!"

Li Jiangqian's expression hardened, and he narrowed his eyes, saying:
"It's about Fuxun... Luckily you stopped it."

"possible."

Li Quewan's expression was equally solemn as he said:
“We have already asked them about Fu Xun’s death. They cannot remain silent forever; they must give us an answer.”

Li Jiangqian closed his eyes and said:
“Leave it to me… Go to the island and remind Grand Uncle not to let Liu Changdie come to Zhijing Mountain. He harbors a lot of resentment. If they meet, it will be bad for either side to have a fight, not to mention that there may be some misunderstandings that are hard to resolve.”

The woman nodded solemnly and disappeared immediately. A moment later, a figure came up from the mountain. Although he looked like a Taoist priest, his body was covered in demonic flames. It was Ping Yan.

When he first arrived, he wasn't exactly imposing, but at least he was neither servile nor arrogant, and he could have a decent conversation with Li Ximing. But now, without his accompanying attendants, he looked like a wilted eggplant. Standing on the steps, seeing that it wasn't Li Ximing, his heart sank, and he whispered:

"Ping Yan has come to deliver a message... Fellow Daoist, who are you...?"

Li Jiangqian didn't look at him, poured herself some tea, drank it, and said calmly:
"Li Jiangqian".

'really! ’

Ping Yan's mouth was full of bitterness as he said:

"So it's the eldest young master!"

He knew this trip was going to be anything but pleasant, and being stopped at the foot of the mountain was even more ominous. Now that he was inside, the usually agreeable Li Ximing refused to see him, and what's more, the one who came was the son of the White Qilin! Ping Yan felt as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
'Lu Xu...you've ruined my life!'

But since things had come to this, he could only bite the bullet and force a smile:
"I don't know... Fellow Daoist Zhaojing..."

Upon hearing this, Li Jiangqian knew that his family had indeed seized the initiative, and there was likely discord within the Dragon Clan. He raised his chin and coldly said:

“A senior could no longer stay in the East Sea. His close friend had passed away, so he came to the lake to escape. My great-uncle was receiving his friend and could not greet him.”

'That fellow surnamed Liu really has come to Jiangnan to complain!'

Although Ping Yan is a cultivator, he is within the order of the dragon realm and is no different from a demon. Li Zhouwei's noble blood is comparable to that of the Dragon King. Don't underestimate Li Jiangqian, who is only a cultivator at the early stage of the Purple Mansion realm. He is at least a dragon prince. According to the order of the demon realm, Ping Yan is not even qualified to stand and speak in front of this prince!

Realizing he'd touched a raw nerve, the devil wished he could slap himself, and awkwardly said:
"I see... What a coincidence."

Li Jiangqian glanced at him and said indifferently:
"I wonder what instructions the master of the East Sea has for me."

Ping Yan sighed and replied:
“Your Highness is too kind! Lu Xu neglected his duties, and the Dragon King was furious. He was thrown into prison and has not been released since. Although I, Xiao Xiu, did not neglect my duties, I was punished for taking Ying He Bai out without thinking about the bigger picture. Now, I have come to pay my respects to Your Highness with my sins.”

Lu Xu was a highly renowned general of Beihai, and the Beihai Dragon King's sincerity was indeed considerable. Li Jiangqian's heart stirred, but his face remained unchanged, and he sneered:
"Don't beat around the bush with me, I only want to ask you—which dragon king used that demon?"

These words, spoken with a distinctly dragon-like tone, caused Ping Yan to break out in a cold sweat. He bowed respectfully and said in a humble voice:

"Your Highness, it was the Dragon King of the Sea. This lord... Your Highness understands that so many monsters in the sea are nothing more than food for you lords... He has been cultivating in seclusion for many years, unaware of the changes in the world. He passed by that place and, on a whim, ate some... This... This..."

Ping Yan dared not offend either side, so he only spoke in a conciliatory manner. Unexpectedly, Li Jiangqian laughed twice and asked in return:

"Don't know? Just pretend you don't know! Don't know which lineage they belong to?"

Pingyan bowed and said:

"He is the descendant of [Daozhen Heshui Tanchi], and is located in the [Chilongtiao] position."

Upon hearing this title, Li Jiangqian realized this was an excellent opportunity to understand the internal power dynamics of the Dragon Clan, and sneered:
"May I ask what this Daozhen Heshui Tanchi's surname and given name is?"

Flat-faced and lowered eyebrows:

“His name is Tianye, and he is the seventh young master.”

'So it was the seven dragons that died at the hands of Emperor Liang…'

This made Li Jiangqian's expression even more impatient; he seemed to be barely suppressing his anger, and said:

"What are the identities of the Black and White Divine Lineages?"

Pingyan, unsure of his intentions, whispered:

"The White Dragon is a descendant of the Dao Ju He Shui Ri Chi, whose honorable name is Ri Ju; the Black Dragon is a descendant of the Dao Zhu He Shui Yue Chi, whose honorable name is Yue Zhu..."

'It turns out he's not a descendant of Beijia. Judging from his words, the Dragon Clan holds the Black and White Ancestors in high esteem. As for Dongfang Tianye, he doesn't address him as "Master," but simply as "Tianye," suggesting their relationship might be extremely strained...'

Li Jiangqian did not hesitate for long, and with a look of extreme anger and laughter, he cursed:

"Although I have long resided within the seas, I know that the East Sea is a territory divided between the Black and White Dragons. The Crimson Dragon has been without its support for many years; how dare it come here to flaunt its power! And you still dare to cover it up!"

Pingyan felt a headache coming on and quickly said:

"Your Highness...I'm innocent, Your Highness!"

Seeing that he couldn't avoid it without taking a stand, he could only grit his teeth and say:

"...This Lord Sihai cultivates the 'Lesser Yang' style, and his name has been reported to the Dragon Lord Xiyang!"

'No wonder!'

Given the extent of the Sea Dragon King's favor, how could anyone who dared to provoke him be an ordinary person? Li Jiangqian immediately understood, finding it quite intriguing:

'The demonic entity within Fu Xun's body is most likely a product of the [Sheng Bai Dao] sect; in that case, everything makes sense.'

He looked very displeased and said coldly:
"The Dragon King has gone to great lengths."

Seeing that he had finally relented, Pingyan quickly took out a box from his sleeve and said respectfully:

"Lu Xu has been punished, but the master broke his promise, so he made a special trip to the Dragon Palace to carefully select... a treasure for the nobleman... as compensation."

"Oh?"

Li Jiangqian's heart stirred, and he watched as the demon in front of him opened the jade box. Inside, it shimmered with light and contained a square gold piece.

This piece of paper was about a palm's length and no more than two fingers' width, as thin as silk, with barely visible patterns. It floated and sank in the water, which was quite unusual. Li Jiangqian was greatly surprised. The demon immediately put on a fawning smile and said:
"The adults don't have many of these 'treasury gold' items left. Most of what they have now is probably in the hands of that Jin De in the north. After searching high and low, only this item is usable: the 'Mysterious Treasury Request Letter'..."

'This is to compensate Senior Liu!'

He frowned dramatically and said:

"Oh? That's it?"

Ping Yan, who was standing in front of him, froze for a moment, then whispered:
"Your Highness, this item is far more precious than any demonic creature at the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion realm!"

Li Jiangqian smiled and said:
“I understand. With the Dragon King’s temperament, he will certainly not treat us badly. But Senior Liu is just an elder friend of my family. Now he no longer dares to go to the East Sea. Who will guard my Zhentao Prefecture? Will that Dragon King of the Sea come one day and devour someone else?”

Li Shi still couldn't figure out Liu Changdie's intentions, but in his opinion, it was highly likely that this elder was already considering making a move and was not very willing to stay in the East China Sea. Given such a great opportunity, he naturally wanted to take the chance to secure the guarantee from the Dragon Clan.

This is a sure-fire deal. Even if the Dragon Clan breaks its promise, with this guarantee, even if Zhentao Prefecture suffers a calamity one day, as long as they still have a say, the Dragon Clan will definitely provide compensation as they have today.

"this…"

Ping Yan pondered for a moment, then said in a low voice:

"This is not a decision that a lowly person like me can make; I'm afraid I'll have to go back and ask him."

"But it doesn't hurt to ask."

Li Jiangqian answered calmly, and the demon stood there awkwardly, listening to him quietly say:
"Since Lu Xu has been imprisoned, I will entrust the matter that my father entrusted to him to you, fellow Daoist."

Ping Yan readily agreed, not wanting to stay a moment longer, and hurriedly took his leave, leaving behind only the gardenias fluttering in the air. The young man stood up, glanced at the jade box on the table, and was slightly disappointed:
'That's understandable...'

He paced around in the mountains for a while, then suddenly seemed to notice something, raised his head, and looked to the northwest.

In the distant sky, a terrifying storm is brewing, with endless white clouds forming and gathering in the sky. One can vaguely see autumn dew pouring down like a torrential rain, shaking heaven and earth!
That's... Longdi!

Even though he was on the lake, he could still hear a faint, piercing buzzing sound.

Someone has fallen!

His expression froze for a moment:
'At this point in time, given this situation, which side could possibly fall? Nine times out of ten, it's Western Shu!'

He was both happy and worried.

'Qingji can't hold on any longer!'

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Jiangqian stepped into the void and arrived on the desert in no time. The newly erected Xuan Platform shone brightly, and all around were cultivators looking up at it. Cheng Qian was equally surprised and uncertain as he stood in the void.

"Your Highness!"

Li Jiangqian nodded hastily, standing anxiously in the void for a while. Liu Changdie rushed over, steadied himself in the void, and looked at the two of them with slight worry.

"how?"

Li Jiangqian politely shook his head, and Liu Changdie realized that the situation in Longdi wouldn't reach here immediately. He straightened his sleeves and whispered:

"Seventh Young Master has already rushed back to appease Dan Huo so that he can come out to aid the desert at any time without damaging the pills. We can just remind him with the jade talisman."

The young man nodded, and the three of them sat down on the platform. They waited for most of the day before a dazzling golden light came through and stopped in front of the formation!

Without the slightest hesitation, Li Jiangqian raised his hand, traversed the vast void, and caught Ding Weizeng, who was rushing towards him, on the Xuan Platform. He said in a deep voice:
"how?!"

Ding Weizeng felt a sudden blur of light and darkness before he found himself in the brightly lit hall. Three True Immortals were staring intently at him. Fortunately, the man was resolute and courageous, and he quickly grasped the situation, knelt down, and said in a deep voice:
"Reporting to all the True Immortals, according to Jin Yu, Western Shu was attacked by Xiangxiong and Da Zhao in an attempt to retreat back to Shu. They were repeatedly defeated by the Master of Zhixuan Pavilion and retreated all the way. When they reached the Tao River, they were intercepted by a True Immortal!"

"This man is named Jiang Yan. He brought two aristocratic masters with him and secretly left from Mount Xiao. They bypassed Master Sun's nose and went around to the Tao River, where they suddenly appeared!"

He appeared very excited and said in a deep voice:
"Master Qing was caught off guard and intercepted. This man fought against many, using a single divine power to suppress the void, resulting in a great defeat for the Shu people! Master Wang Long in the palace was killed on the spot by Jiang Yan! Many divine powers were attacked from both sides and were mostly injured..."

"I've heard...I've heard that even Master Lian Qing is somewhat injured..."

Upon hearing this, Li Jiangqian's eyes gleamed with intense light, and he smiled, replying:
"Excellent! This man is truly remarkable! Qingji Fang was completely ignorant of the situation, yet he managed to inflict a crushing defeat! It's truly a stroke of luck!"

Li Jiangqian had considered the two sides being at odds, the possibility of drawing a line and seeking peace, and even the possibility that the Great Zhao would have difficulty reclaiming the lost lands. However, ever since the Xiangxiong Wuming were blocked from the south by that so-called Wu Gong Da Zhenren and his men, the only possible scenario of a major defeat in the entire battle had been blocked. Even when Li Quewan asked him about it, he could only shake his head in disappointment.

He never imagined that Qingji could conjure up something out of nothing and inflict a crushing defeat on Taoshui!
Liu Changdie, standing to the side, nodded repeatedly, his eyes shining brightly, and asked:
"Is Western Shu really going to suffer a major blow now?"

Upon hearing this news, Li Jiangqian felt as if he had drunk fine wine. His joy was almost equal to the fact that the great formation had been set up on time. He shook his head repeatedly and laughed:
"Senior, you may not know this, but this is not a serious blow to them yet. However, we must be wary of Xiangxiong and Da Zhao. We already have few men available from the lakeside. Now that everyone is injured, morale will inevitably be low, and no one will dare to go all out!"

"He attacks while we defend; with the balance of power shifting, how much prestige can he possibly maintain!"

He sneered:

"His only chance of winning is to take advantage of this unexpected and sudden defeat, rush to the lake, and launch a surprise attack before a large formation is even completed. If this formation is completed a month or two later, he might actually turn misfortune into good fortune..."

"But now... let's see how much strength he still has left!"