Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1246 Jin Kan
His words were very straightforward, even a bit too direct. This man seemed to be prepared for all sorts of possible outcomes. He wasn't usually a decisive person, but at this moment he didn't seem to hesitate at all.

Li Quewan felt a pang of sadness. She raised her eyebrows, about to speak, but Li Jiangqian said sternly:
"This [Mysterious Treasury Request Letter]... Senior, you have been refining it for a long time, have you gained any insights?"

Liu Changdie paused, pressed his cup without moving, and said softly:

"This thing has many uses, and it has a mysterious and unfathomable quality. The more you study it, the less you can see its end. I'm afraid it's something earth-shattering. Even if Your Highness hadn't asked me, I would have had some doubts and would have asked you about it."

He picked up his cup and said seriously:

"I wonder... what is the origin of this object?"

Li Quewan showed slight worry, while Li Jiangqian said softly:
"Senior must have guessed as well... This was sent to my family by the Dragon Clan back then as an apology."

'apologize.'

With just these two words, nothing more needed to be said; Liu Changdie understood much, yet his heart remained remarkably calm.

'Not bad, an apology, a little face-saving, but it seems it's not just that; they can also continue to exploit me.'

He had spent half his life searching for no spiritual resources, yet he obtained a spiritual treasure on the lake in an instant. He already harbored suspicions, so he showed no surprise. After a moment's thought, he sneered:
"It turns out they were waiting for me here all along. I think... if I hadn't come up to the lake, they might not have brought the things over. They used you to get these things to me."

Having lived two lives and ventured out into the world, Liu Changdie certainly possessed this discernment. Li Jiangqian added:
"According to Jin Yu, these people originally didn't want to bother with this, but this [Mysterious Treasury Request Letter] seems to be of extraordinary significance. Now that it's in the hands of a senior, they have no choice but to get involved!"

Liu Changdie's eyes cleared, and he calmed down instead.
"They only want to see chaos; if that's the case, how can we govern?"

Li Quewan pushed the jade slip forward. Liu Changdie picked it up, read it briefly, and then fell silent. After a long while, he whispered:

"With Qi Ku locked in place, and everything perfectly balanced, I can't cultivate any more supernatural abilities. Tian Ku has no capacity, and Zeng Qi has no capacity to store. Is there... a chance for me to cultivate one more supernatural ability first?"

His pupils were slightly dimmed.

“Just building one more treasury is enough… If I were to lock both treasuries together again, my path to enlightenment would still be cut off. At least I would still be a Great True Person in this life!”

"Jin Yu means that the seniors' lives are in imminent danger, and they are teaching us how to save our lives... Otherwise, we may face death."

Li Quewan repeated Jin Yu's words, and the middle-aged man also pondered for a moment, then quietly said:

"So, in this way, I've severed my path to enlightenment, yet I should thank them for their kindness!"

Upon hearing this, neither of them said anything more, assuming he was just speaking impulsively. Liu Changdie glanced at the two of them, but his expression was surprisingly calm, and he smiled:
“I understand that they are afraid of the King of Wei, and they knew this day would come. In the end, they still managed to save their lives thanks to the King of Wei, so why should they complain? I also agreed to Huo’s matter that day.”

Clearly, Jin Yu was wary of Li Quewan's "Complete Elixir" supernatural power, and this senior was well aware of this. He even understood that the Li family had to maintain a facade of intimacy with Jin Yi, and could only laugh at himself:
"This is not necessarily a bad thing. I thought I would only have one supernatural power in my life, but I never expected that I would have two supernatural powers. There are few cultivators with both Ku Jin and Qi Jin, and there are far fewer cultivators with both Ku Jin and Qi Jin than even Grand Masters. I am considered one of the best!"

Li Quewan pursed her lips, while Li Jiangqian stood up, a thoughtful look on his face, and said:

"The senior also came from the mainland and understands the thoughts of these people. Giving things to others may seem like a great benefit, but it is often not for the person, but for the thing or some benefit—everyone is waiting for a change in the situation."

"Senior, please listen to 70% of what Jin Yi has to say. But the [Mysterious Treasury Request Letter] is in our hands. Whether it's related to opening the cave heaven or the spiritual treasure, is there anything mysterious about it that we can refer to?"

Liu Changdie gradually became thoughtful and said:
"It can't be the opening of a hidden world!"

He shook his head resolutely and said to Li Jiangqian:

"The two locks of Qi Ku are more like sealing off a grotto-heaven than I could possibly be. My cultivation has already reached the pinnacle of spiritual power, so how could it possibly be related to a grotto-heaven? Although I haven't fully studied the [Mysterious Treasury Request Letter], I have a vague feeling—it's probably related to supernatural powers!"

“Supernatural powers…”

With a flick of his wrist, he revealed the thin gold piece and handed it to Li Quewan. Li Quewan, of course, knew what he meant. She pinched it between two fingers, took control of the magical treasure, and her supernatural powers were immediately activated!
"Hou Shen Shu".

Li Jiangqian watched as his younger sister closed her eyes to sense the world for a full incense stick's time before he hesitantly opened them and said:

"really…"

Even though Liu Changdie was somewhat prepared, he couldn't help but admire her supernatural abilities. He nodded casually, put the magical treasure away, and tidied up the things on the table, saying with a smile:

"I have had many fortunate opportunities, and I have already perfected my first supernatural power! I should hurry up and complete it as well."

He seemed quite interested, and said:

"【Qi Ku Bao Suo】As the most profound Dao lock in the world, if I cultivate the second supernatural power in this way, the speed at which I will master the second supernatural power will be immeasurable!"

The Taoist then vanished in a flash of light. Li Quewan remained seated in silence. Li Jiangqian sensed that she had something left unsaid, and after a moment, seeing his cousin hesitate, he said:

“Indeed special… Supernatural powers are related to cultivation, and I have never seen such a spiritual treasure before… Rather than a spiritual treasure… it is more like a key to the divine. As Senior Liu’s supernatural powers improve, it will probably have very peculiar power.”

But her mind wasn't on that; she said in a deep voice:

"I want to see the King of Wei."

Li Jiangqian realized something serious was happening and frowned, saying:
"Over there with [the Divine Decree]..."

Li Quewan hadn't returned to the world of Sun and Moon for a long time. The [Mysterious Jade Pill] required her constant nurturing, and Li Wushao within it, strictly speaking, was still a person. Having flown into the world with it, leaving behind unknown traces, she cautiously refrained from taking it with her. She solemnly stated:

"This final step has been accommodated. I will use the [Bi Ting Qing Yuan Xuan Ding] to retain a portion of its supernatural power to nurture it. It will be fine for me to come back soon."

Li Jiangqian nodded and waited for her in the same spot. Before long, he saw the woman take out the Azure Cauldron, cast a spell, and head towards the lake island. She stopped in the inner formation and then appeared in the world where the sun and moon shone together!
Li Quewan went down to the pavilion without saying a word. He descended into the courtyard and saw the young man in black robes sitting there.

The King of Wei held a wisp of pale golden light in his hand, quietly cultivating. His aura was extremely vigorous, even more terrifying than during the great battle years ago!
His injuries had healed, but the calamity remained unresolved, which no longer hindered his cultivation. He was simply waiting for that wisp of spiritual energy and for Li Quewan to return and assist him with the Taiyin Spiritual Treasure. He had not been idle for the past two years, sitting here constantly sensing the magic technique [Southern Emperor's Profound Technique].

This technique can be used to lock down enemies when retreating and to inflict damage when advancing. It has already achieved great success in the previous great battle. With his extraordinary physique, he can cultivate it with supernatural power and progress by leaps and bounds without needing too much resources.

Upon seeing Li Quewan appear, he opened his eyes and said:

"how?"

Li Quewan's expression was solemn as he said:
"The Golden Feather Sect has fragments."

Upon hearing this, Li Jiangqian, who had also entered, froze in place. Li Zhouwei suddenly stood up, his expression changed drastically, and took a step forward, illuminating the entire courtyard.

"At the mountain gate?!"

Unlike the previous owners of the fragments, Taiyuan, the True Lord, clearly knew that this item was of great use. Li Jiangqian was in the desert and Li Jiangchun was in the Song court, both under the watchful eyes of others. Even a moment's hesitation would leave a trace. Therefore, Lu Jiangxian smoothed out all the anomalies and did not even transmit the vision. Li Zhouwei and Li Jiangqian naturally did not know!
Li Quewan said in a deep voice:

"It's very likely that the [Venerable Azure Palace] is located within the grotto-heaven or within a magical treasure!"

Silence fell over the world. Li Zhouwei paced back and forth, the joy in his eyes slowly fading. Li Quewan began to recount her experiences in Jinyu, causing Li Jiangqian to frown several times. Only then did the woman speak:

"They lured me with the [Emperor's Fiend White Peony], but it reminded me of something. Tian Huo once said that this spiritual root was planted in the place where True Person Qiu Shui was in seclusion... In other words, True Person Qiu Shui is very likely in seclusion at that great lake—this is how I came to this conclusion, based on the results of Cha You!"

Li Jiangqian frowned:
"I'm afraid it's because, apart from you, no one else in the grotto-heaven or magical treasure has sensed it... In that case, this item... can probably only be considered after Father attains enlightenment!"

Li Jiangqian's consideration was sound, even optimistic, but the Li family had only encountered a few fragments of the Immortal Mirror in many years, so Li Quewan couldn't help but feel a little lost. Seeing the Prince of Wei before him, she pondered and said:
"It's not surprising. In my opinion, whether we can see it clearly or not, these adults must have quite a few fragments. In the past, whenever we saw a fragment, my family was always able to get our hands on it. It was just luck. There's no reason why we can always get our way—knowing where they are is better than not knowing."

The two younger men responded in unison, and Li Zhouwei said:

"As for the Xiao family's affairs... what are your thoughts?"

This was no trivial question. Li Jiangqian immediately raised his head and answered without hesitation:

“Master Xiao has someone backing him—otherwise, Jin Yi wouldn’t have needed to pass on any message. With their abilities, even a Grand Master could be killed so easily! The person behind him is at least a True Lord!”

He was very arbitrary, saying:
"In our view, we should just pass on the message and at most remain neutral. We will never turn against each other because of spiritual roots. This is very clear. Jin Yi has a plan and is wary of Father, but the person behind Master Xiao may not be so."

He hit the nail on the head with one sentence, leaving Li Quewan with nothing to say except to add:

"The Xiao family has been kind to the Li family and has a mentor-disciple relationship with Grand Uncle. Jin Yi is fickle and should not be trusted."

Despite the combined efforts of kindness and coercion within the Golden Feather Mountain Sect to win over Li Quewan, she remained deeply wary. Seeing that the two shared the same opinion, Li Zhouwei seemed much more at ease and then said:

"Jin Yu also understands that our bottom line is neutrality, and that white peony is not much of a temptation."

His gaze was calm as he said:
"All I need to do is know that they have such a thing in their sect. Once I pass the Ginseng Purple Realm, I can go there to exchange it. They will have no choice but to give it to me. This favor... is something they will have to do sooner or later."

"As for Senior Liu..."

Li Zhouwei frowned, and Li Jiangqian whispered:

"Qiku Baosuo is something we can't touch! We can only ask him to make do."

Although Li Quewan didn't speak, he clearly shared the same sentiment. Li Zhouwei said:

"It's settled then."

Li Jiangqian felt reassured, took out the black jade box in his hand, and reported:
"Father, the spiritual energy is complete!"

"it is good!"

This happened earlier than expected. A hint of joy flashed in Li Zhouwei's eyes as he took the item. Li Quewan also cupped her hands in greeting and said:

"I have some free time now. If I entrust the spiritual treasure to Master Chengqian, it can help my elders avert disaster!"

The [Mysterious Edict Pill] has a very peculiar characteristic: it can only be freely transferred between cultivators who have mastered the [Complete Pill]; otherwise, it must be refined again. If this task is to be entrusted to someone else, the only place that can do it is Chengqian in the East Sea!

Li Zhouwei shook his head and smiled:

"Not urgent."

He weighed the black jade box in his hand and said softly:
"Let me first subdue this Qi and refine my Immortal Foundation. Once it is completed, I can nourish it with a wisp of Qi. Even if I turn to seclusion to heal my injuries, it will continuously nourish my Immortal Foundation and promote my cultivation—only then will I have made full use of this time."

"In this way, even if it takes five or six years to resolve this disaster, by the time things are done, my immortal foundation will be nearly complete, and I can immediately try to promote my divine abilities for the first time!"

Li Zhouwei's arrangements were extremely perfect. Even someone as skilled and talented as him had to make multiple preparations when facing Shen Zi:
"The chances of success in one go are too slim. We still have the [Mingzhen Heshen Pill] that my uncle brought back; there's no need to rush to use it. Let it help boost our Yang energy first, and we can use it a second or even third time!"

After saying this, he said seriously:
"Que Wan, Chengqian's divine power is ultimately lacking in substance, and there is a greater risk of it being stolen. Wushao Guest Elder has already been affected by the turmoil and is not stable. You should take over the matter of the [Imperial Edict] for now and make sure it is settled smoothly. At the same time, study some spells and come back later. The timing is just right for both sides."

Li Quewan solemnly agreed and withdrew from the grotto, leaving Li Jiangqian and the others before him.

After pondering for a long time, the True Immortal of Li Huo said softly:

“Father…I now know a junior named Li Suining.”

His deep voice echoed through the heavens and earth. The man in black slowly turned his head, causing Li Jiangqian to feel a faint chill. He quickly lowered his head and said:

“I saw that the old man was protecting him and did not make any contact with him rashly. However, I don’t know how to handle this situation, so I came to ask my father.”

Li Zhouwei showed no surprise whatsoever, but simply gazed at him quietly:
"Tell me, what should we do?"

Li Jiangqian bowed and said:
"After seeing his technique, I realized that creating a secret realm is not something that can be done in a short time. Although my family does not really need a secret realm, as the number of True Immortals in my family gradually increases, my family members will need a reason to disappear after entering the inner formation... No matter how valuable it is, I am determined to obtain it."

He lowered his head, his golden eyes full of laughter, and said:
"I will definitely take good care of him so that my father can go into seclusion in peace!"

A smile also appeared on Li Zhouwei's lips. He took two steps with his hands behind his back and said:
"Alright, let's go back!"

He paused, looking somewhat reluctant, and said:

"You did a good job with what happened in the desert this time."

The second son paused for a moment, then chuckled, stepping on the flames and disappearing in a streak of light. The smile on the man in the black robe deepened as he returned to the stone platform where he usually rested and sat down cross-legged.
'This child, he won't bow until he sees a true immortal, more ostentatious than Jiang Long, more suspicious than Jiang Xia, and can't gain even a shred of Jiang Liang's sincerity... Yet, strangely enough, when he stands on that lake, he brings a sense of peace.'