Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1247 Waiting for God
Amidst the swirling winds and clouds in the mountains and forests, a green cauldron stands high above, its interior shrouded in mist and interwoven with silver and red, as if elixirs were being refined within it, faintly emitting patches of colorful light.

Beside the azure cauldron, on a small stone platform, sat a woman sitting cross-legged. One hand rested on her knee, holding a silver light that subtly intertwined with the azure cauldron, radiating circles of color. Her other hand held a jade slip, reading it carefully. After an unknown amount of time, she opened her eyes, silver light shimmering in her palm.

'The weather forecast is perfect.'

She waited for the right moment, did some quick calculations, and received an auspicious omen. Only then did she stand up and gently tap the green cauldron three times.

The red and silver mist inside the cauldron boiled for a moment, but then there was no further reaction. She had no choice but to raise her hand again, tap the rim of the cauldron, and laugh:

"After three thousand days of mixing sand and mercury, and refining the Fu water into the Void Cavern, with heaven and earth both outside the Azure Furnace, how can one hide and sleep? — Li Wushao! The wondrous achievement is complete!"

Although the words were spoken softly, they stirred up bursts of thunderous purple light within the cauldron's misty, cotton-like air. The Xuan Dan below leaped up, transforming into a deep, dark black in mid-air, before landing before the cauldron, revealing a man.

This person was not tall, with sinister eyes. Even though he was showing some joy at the moment, he still seemed aggressive. He was wearing a robe that looked like scales, and the shadows under his feet were constantly moving, as if snakes and dragons were swimming around him. Most importantly, the colorful light that swirled around him was faintly connected to the void, and it contained extraordinary mystery!

It is no longer of this mortal world!

This demon has been refining itself in the pool like a pill for many years, but it is not without its senses of the outside world. It sensed many ups and downs, including Li Quewan's injury and his rush back to the lake to rescue her. Now, standing in the mountains, it is as if it has been reborn!

Li Wushao bowed deeply, prostrated himself on the ground, and respectfully said:
"Wu Shao thanks the True Man!"

Li Quewan's face lit up with joy. She quickly helped him up, glanced at him briefly, and said:
"Some trouble arose along the way, with the invasion from Western Shu almost ruining everything. But seeing that you are safe and sound, I am relieved!"

The old demon's eyes were filled with genuine excitement, brimming with uncontrollable joy and overwhelming disbelief, as if he were still in a dream. He simply bowed and said:

"Wu Shao was originally just a common creature from the East Sea, barely surviving in the dragon's mouth, wandering aimlessly until she fell to the land of Salt Lake... Her former master, disregarding her lowly status and weakness due to her old demon blood, kindly took her to the lake, offering her treasures in exchange for her life. Young Master Zhi personally led me into the Azure Pool, and with the help of various spiritual resources, her lowly blood was able to shine..."

"Now, you are elevating my supernatural powers through the way of divine command, and I will never forget your kindness!"

Li Wushao truly understood the value of his hooked snake... To put it bluntly, the resources the Li family invested in him were no less than those invested in cultivating a noble offspring, yet the results were consistently disappointing...

The Li siblings had instructed him to follow this path of divine command, and Li Wushao had long been prepared to sacrifice himself to the Dao. Even when problems arose halfway through, he never expected that Li Quewan would spend time and resources to repair his shaken foundation—it would be better to find another demon to refine!
'This divine deity, though seemingly subject to human control, actually possesses considerable advantages, even allowing for some independent cultivation. Furthermore, because it's an external manifestation of the divine body, it can also leverage the long lifespan of demonic creatures to attach itself to this spiritual treasure…'

Demons have no secret techniques for cultivating their inner palace, so how difficult is it for them to acquire supernatural powers? As long as they spread the word, there will be plenty of demons with higher bloodlines than them vying to become the divine deity!
After a hundred years of cultivation, he regretted for the first time that he had only learned some words of criticism and insult, so much so that when he was truly grateful, it sounded like awkward flattery, which made him mutter to himself.

'I should have learned a few more things from Old Man Qu!'

Li Quewan smiled but remained silent. A fire suddenly appeared in the mountains, and the man in the crimson robe stepped down, his eyes filled with joy, and laughed:

"You're too kind, senior!"

Li Jiangqian's golden eyes held a smile as she carefully examined him. She found them mysterious and elusive, appearing and disappearing intermittently, indeed possessing the aura of water virtue, yet lacking the bright and clear light of ordinary supernatural powers. She said:
"What kind of wondrous wonder is it?"

Li Quewan smiled and said:
"Because it's a divine artifact borrowed from an unorthodox sect, it has no supernatural powers to speak of. However, his foundation in the Dao of the Water Realm has already combined with various spiritual resources and nourishments, and under the guidance of supreme divine mysteries, it has ascended into a spiritual treasure... The spiritual essence we used to enhance his immortal foundation is also of exceptional quality..."

She paused slightly at this point, and said:
“Using the Divine Command Technique might only yield 50-60% of the divine level, but our spiritual essence is so incredibly profound that even 50-60% is astonishing. Right now, aside from lacking specific supernatural abilities, his other abilities are already close to 90% of those of an ordinary water-based cultivator with a single supernatural power!”

Upon hearing this, Li Jiangqian's expression changed drastically, and even Li Wushao himself was stunned. Li Quewan made it sound simple, but this matter was definitely not easy to accomplish—although the upper limit of the [Blessing God] was extremely high, the amount of resources required was enormous. According to the wonders of the [Blessing God] method, even if Li Ximing's treasured [Mysterious Lake One Qi Cave Essence] were poured in, it might not have such a good effect!

'As expected of the [Taiyin Spirit Essence]!'

Li Jiangqian quickly paced back and forth a couple of steps, silently considering the impact of this matter, and nodded, saying:

"That's only right!"

Li Wushao then seemed to wake from a dream, stood up, and bowed with a smile, saying:
“What you say is true, Miss, but there are also benefits to being blessed by the gods… I, Sheng Yang, have already merged with the spiritual treasure. Although I cannot stray too far from it, even if my Dharma body is destroyed on the spot, as long as the spiritual treasure is not lost, I can still slowly recover it by spending resources afterward!”

This was not unexpected for Li Jiangqian. Most methods that involve sacrificing one's true spirit and life have this advantage, which is also an important reason why Li Wushao was full of expectations for entering the Spirit Treasure Consecration Ceremony - otherwise, so many cultivators and demons would not be willing to surrender!
Li Wushao did not stop, his smile growing wider as he said:
"And the most important benefit is that the wonders of this magical treasure also work on me!"

These words made Li Quewan stand up abruptly, his expression quite strange, and he said:
"But I have never read anything about the mysteries of the methods and spiritual treasures given by the underworld!"

Li Wushao's smile still appeared sinister, he only said

"I have only just sensed it myself. The more expensive the cost of the divine command and the higher the level of the caster, the greater the possibility of sharing it with the spiritual treasure! Just like me, I can enjoy the wonders of [Material Evolution] and [Mysterious Clothing]."

The demon said:

"【物衍】 is helpful for the transformation of material properties, but it is not very helpful to subordinates. 【服玄】, however, is of great use!"

Li Quewan had already understood in that instant, and nodded, saying:

"You can share the [Mysterious Vessel] and have the help of the [Mysterious Coffin Crimson Water]. Even if your physical body is destroyed and you retreat into your spiritual treasure, and no one is there to find resources for you to recover, you can still rely on the [Mysterious Vessel] to slowly heal your wounds. Even if it doesn't come to that, and you are simply injured, you can heal yourself while using your supernatural powers, just like I did back then... All the wonders of this spiritual treasure are actually interconnected!"

"Exactly."

Li Wushao was undoubtedly extremely satisfied with the current situation, his eyes shining:

"Besides, since both my yang energy and my life are contained within the spiritual treasure, it can only be considered one of the magical treasures in essence. Various supernatural powers and spells such as intimidation, bewitching, confusion, and even curses cannot be used on me."

"The only weakness... is still this magical artifact."

He finally suppressed his joy and sighed:
"If this magical treasure is suppressed and taken away, I will lose my life too!"

Li Jiangqian nodded repeatedly, his mind filled with many thoughts. He paced quickly up the mountain for a couple of steps and asked:
How far can you walk?

Only then did Li Wushao show a bitter expression:

"The distance is the same as it was back then. If Miss is on the lake, I can only reach the desert at most... Moreover, it requires that the void cannot block it. Once the void is shielded, I will also dissipate."

Upon hearing this point of contention, Li Jiangqian found it more reasonable and then added:
"Able to cultivate independently?"

Li Quewan nodded and said:
“He doesn’t have much room for cultivation right now. At most, he can only reach one or two more levels of divine power. If I want him to advance further, I need to find another imperial edict pill, the so-called ‘Tasting the Five Mysterious Edicts.’ Once all five are gathered, his cultivation limit… should be able to surpass the Perfection of Divine Power.”

A hint of helplessness flashed in her eyes as she said:
"Of course, not to mention the difficulties involved, a deity with cultivation but no supernatural powers, even if his cultivation and magical power are more perfect than those of supernatural powers, can at most fight against those with three supernatural powers."

Li Jiangqian said:

"It seems we still need to work on our magic."

What he said is true. The greatest advantage of the divine command lies in its subjective initiative. Li Wushao has his own thoughts and cultivation. Each time he perfects a spell, it is almost equivalent to adding a minor divine mystery to the spiritual treasure.

'In other words… the best candidates for this divine command are actually demons with low natural talent but high spiritual cultivation, those highly intelligent beings described by those prestigious sects…'

In this respect, Li Wushao was fairly competent, considering that he had managed to cultivate to the Foundation Establishment stage despite his low bloodline, showing he did possess some talent. So, he took something from his sleeve, handed it to the old demon, and said:

"This method is called 'Water Regulation and Transformation,' which is the art of 'Kan Water.' The Kan Palace is full of entanglements, and this item takes advantage of the changes in water and rivers. If you take it and practice it, you will surely make progress!"

This item is also a fifth-grade technique, originating from the Shanghuan Pavilion. It's something you couldn't find anywhere else, enough to tempt even a Purple Mansion cultivator. Li Wushao bowed in gratitude, and Li Quewan sighed:
"It's finally done... Now we have another person in the family. Let's go and pay our respects to the old man!"

Li Wushao bowed and withdrew, then vanished as drifting clouds. Only then did the young man in the crimson robe turn around and say:

“I just examined him carefully. He has no Yin energy. He must have used it all up during the lifting process. Even if he did, it wouldn’t be of much use to us now.”

Li Quewan nodded silently and said:
"Since this taboo can be relaxed a bit, there's no need to delay the matter of Ye Hui!"

She then flipped her slender hand, revealing a small, gleaming cauldron in her palm—Li Wushao's matter didn't require her full attention to prepare; Li Quewan naturally wouldn't waste time, having already prepared a portion of [Taiyin Moon Essence], concealed it with a Taiyin spiritual treasure, and transformed it into the [Yin Run Yi Qi] needed by Ye Hui!
Now, more than a year has passed, and Li Quewan has naturally taken care of the matter and delivered it to his elder brother, Li Jiangqian. Li Jiangqian accepted it and said solemnly:
"Leave this matter to me. With Li Wushao looking after you, I can feel more at ease if you go into seclusion on the lake... but..."

He changed the subject, saying with concern:
"We already had two more True Immortals, and now we've added the even closer Li Wushao. They haven't asked about it yet, but as the number of people increases, a quick calculation of their spiritual energy reveals something's wrong. The matter of the secret realm is becoming more urgent every day. These days, whenever I return to the lake, I stay in the dense forest and cultivate for a little while, for fear that I'll drain the spiritual energy of the people below, which would damage their spiritual veins."

"It's just that my family has only just set up the formation, and we're short on spiritual materials. We can wait a bit, but we should start looking into the relevant spiritual materials as soon as possible."

He reminded his younger sister, Li Quewan, but she was not surprised and nodded in reply:
"I have also read the method of creating the Void Realm for the fox species. It is difficult to directly determine the number and types of spiritual creatures by adapting to local conditions. I need to calm down and calculate for three to five years before I can start refining them. I also need to keep calculating based on the changes and slowly add things to them. It can easily take one or two decades..."

There was hesitation in her eyes as she said:

"Even if my family goes all out, it will still take at least thirty years. During these thirty years, not only will I be unable to spare any time, but we also cannot afford any accidents. Xuan Tao is extremely vulnerable before he is fully developed. If any problem occurs, all our previous efforts will be in vain!"

"Even you take this long..."

Li Jiangqian was taken aback, a hint of sadness flashing in his eyes, and said:
"That's understandable. The spiritual atmosphere has changed for so many years, and I haven't heard of anyone who has established a secret realm. Firstly, everyone is willing but unable to do so, and secondly... it's really difficult."

His judgment was swift, and he said calmly:

"Since that's the case, let's postpone this matter for now, whether it's changing our method or finding other help... If only there were a way to seize another's secret realm..."

Li Quewan hadn't thought of that. He watched his brother leave on fire, made a note of the matter, and took out the jade slip again—it was the [Sleeve Residence Evolution Ultimate Technique].

She spent the last three hundred days refining treasures in the mountains without expending too much energy. She was still studying the technique all the time. After all, she had already grasped the general outline in her mind. Now, she picked up her interrupted thoughts and began to nurture the wonders in her sleeve.

In her spiritual perception, she sensed something hanging from her sleeve. She stretched out her slender hand, opened it forward, and made a grabbing motion towards the gardenias scattered on the ground. The empty sleeve suddenly opened, and in an instant, a few white petals were indeed gone.

The woman's eyes lit up with joy. She clenched her fair fingers slightly, then quickly pulled them back and flung them forward with force. Gardenias, like white dragons, burst forth, tumbling down the stone steps and disappearing into the mountains.

'Great! The [Sleeve Residence] was completed so quickly!'

Her eyes clearly showed joy—although the current [Sleeve Residence] was no different from a storage bag, it at least meant that she had mastered the basics of this notoriously difficult technique.

What surprised her even more was the time it took to complete the repair:

The book says it takes at least 366 days, but I completed it in just 300 days…

As a 'Full Core' cultivator, her feelings were extremely clear. This was a perfect example of 'Hou Shenshu's' strengths. Firstly, the 'Sleeve Residence' subtly embodied the meaning of nurturing. Secondly, the very act of nurturing the 'Sleeve Residence' itself aligned with 'Hou Shenshu's' vision, which explained its rapid progress!
This instantly sparked even more associations in her mind:

"The 'Hou Shen Shu' prioritizes longevity and immortality, and also possesses the virtue of nurturing... It can even be used in this way, meaning that spells that cultivate certain mediums can receive extra enhancements in the hands of my supernatural powers..."

[Hou Shu Jin Shu] was, after all, a Daoist treatise prepared by that True Lord for his beloved. It contained a vast amount of Daoist explanations, but very little description of supernatural powers. Perhaps, for those ancient cultivators, it was more important to leave out a few transformations than to explain supernatural powers. This woman had never thought that her supernatural powers could be sought internally. Now, her mind suddenly opened up, and she was completely enlightened. Her eyes showed a strange light:

'So...Isn't my second immortal foundation and second supernatural power also Hou Shenshu? Hou Shenshu prioritizes longevity and the path of immortality above all else; so that's what he prioritizes... 'Hou Shenshu' and the [Purple Mansion Golden Elixir Path] are inherently very compatible!'

'Too…'

Her eyes gradually brightened:
'The Purple Mansion Golden Elixir Path…wasn't it precisely in the hands of the 'Complete Elixir' True Lord Su De that it was revitalized and led the great tide of the world?! No wonder…no wonder Jin Yi made True Man Qiu Shui cultivate the Purple Mansion Golden Elixir Path…'

The so-called "Complete Elixir" refers to cultivating the Purple Palace and building the Golden Elixir!