Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1253 Disaster Relief
"The emperor, embodying the principles of Heaven and Earth, establishes ranks and selects officials based on merit and virtue, bestowing titles upon wise and virtuous individuals. Thus, the hierarchy is established, and the world enjoys lasting peace."

'This is the Eternal Light Step.'

The dazzling scenery slowly faded from his eyes. The figure who was dressed in golden robes and held the imperial edict had vanished like the wind. The five-colored glow that floated in the sky had also become an illusion. The man slowly stood up, his eyes clear.

Cui Jueyin had never actually considered his path to the Purple Mansion. Even when he went to Wangyue Lake years ago, he thought he was a sacrificed pawn of his family. He simply worked diligently and conscientiously, fulfilling his duties. Later, as the situation became clearer, he only realized his mistake when he went into seclusion.

'I really want to prove my supernatural powers…'

Thus, boundless fantasies were filled with blood and tears, and all kinds of scenes came from fear. Just like when Cui Jueyin served on the lake back then—he could be a lowly envoy, and he could also be the master of the dense forest. These fantasies made the fear in his heart clearer, but instead made him gradually fearless.

'I know the truth of right and wrong, gratitude and resentment; I will advance without retreat, and I will not regret even if it means sacrificing my life!'

Cui Jueyin's usually gentle expression finally turned cold and resolute. As he stepped out of the secret room, this direct descendant of the Cui family acted without hesitation, calmly gazing at the sky.

Above the white clouds, the sky and sunlight intertwine, like a series of pure white, snow-white celestial staircases leading upwards along the horizon. Hidden in the clouds is a mountain range that appears and disappears, like some kind of sacred symbol hanging in the sky.

This is the extraordinary phenomenon that led to Cui Jueyin's attainment of enlightenment.

"What a magnificent celestial scene!"

He glanced around quietly, then stepped down into the light and landed on the mountaintop. In the main hall, besides the two elders he was familiar with, there was also a fierce-looking demon.

'Mid-term Zifu...'

Upon seeing him, Lu Xu's expression softened considerably. He didn't say much, but simply clasped his hands together and said calmly:
"I am Lu Xu of Xushui. Congratulations, fellow Daoist!"

Upon hearing the words "fellow Daoist," Cui Changfu secretly clicked his tongue in surprise, but the young man stepped down in the light, showing no particular surprise, and politely returned the greeting:

"This junior is unworthy of such an honor... yet I have kept the Demon King waiting!"

In Lu Xu's heart, only this person on the entire Chongzhou Island could be his equal. He nodded kindly and stepped inside. Huiyao, seeing this, seized the opportunity and flattered him:
"Congratulations, Master! Congratulations! You can now report the good news to the King of Wei!"

He rose rapidly through the ranks thanks to his relationship with the Li family, eventually securing a desirable position as a sea patrolman. While overseeing the Cui family, he also managed a significant area of ​​the sea. Naturally, he was very kind to Cui Jueyin, who in turn nodded and smiled.

"Thank you so much for patrolling the customs house all these years..."

Lu Xu glanced at it casually and said:

"I came to the island for two reasons: first, to congratulate you on your success, and second... to discuss important matters."

As he sat down, he rolled up his sleeve and placed a jade box on the table. Cui Jueyin, as usual, was polite, but the demon king casually said:

"This is a gift from His Highness Dingjiao, there's no need to refuse it."

Cui Jueyin had no choice but to silently put it away. The demon king sat down in the hall and actually made Cui Changfu sit beside him, acting as if Cui Jueyin was the host. The young man understood the other party's meaning and politely said:
"If it concerns Chongzhou, we should consult Master Cui; if it concerns the King of Wei, we should ask the Demon King for details."

Upon hearing this, Cui Changfu sighed deeply, understanding the child's meaning. He remained silent, while Lu Xu held the jade cup in his hand, his expression calm, but his tone was somewhat unusual:

"Why do fellow Taoists say this?"

Cui Jueyin lowered her brows:
"Jueyin is a cultivator from Wangyue Lake, and his grudges have not extended to Chongzhou."

When it came to the mission he had come for, Lu Xu's expression clearly changed; the politeness disappeared, and he said indifferently:
“I was ordered to come to Chongzhou to find Fellow Daoist Cui, not the cultivators of Wangyue Lake.”

Cui Jueyin smiled and said:

"In that case, please discuss this further with me, and I will return to my homeland to report."

Lu Xu's expression gradually darkened, and he said:
“Fellow Daoist Cui ignored my advice and insisted on leaving. Without our protection, we can only wait for King Wei to avenge you and Chongzhou.”

This demon king was still a demon after all, only managing to learn a fraction of the superficial politeness of humans. Before Cui Jueyin could speak, Cui Changfu could no longer sit still. The last glimmer of hope in his heart finally dissipated. The old man stepped forward and said with a kind smile:

"Jueyin is a subject of the King of Wei, and so is Chongzhou. The King of Wei's affairs are Chongzhou's affairs... There's no need to divide them into two separate entities!"

Now that Cui Changfu had stepped forward, Cui Jueyin remained silent, listening attentively. Lu Xu's expression, however, softened considerably, and he calmly said:
"My Dragon Clan has protected the Cui family for so many years. Even if we don't owe them a debt of gratitude, we at least have a friendship with them... Fellow Daoist is also from my East Sea. If there are any exchanges between the Dragon Clan and Mingyang in the future, they should be entrusted to you. Please remember this, so as to avoid any misunderstandings later."

He said quietly:
"Secondly, my master intends to build a palace for the King of Wei, which requires the Cui family's assistance. Please lead three hundred craftsmen to the sea to learn their craft in the Dragon Palace."

"three hundred!"

Cui Changfu was stunned, unable to believe his eyes. Cui Jueyin also stood frozen by the table. How could the three hundred craftsmen mentioned by the demon king be ordinary people? They must be cultivators with cultivation, even those at the embryonic stage wouldn't be worth their attention…

Cui Jueyin had worked on the lake and seen the world. Although Chongzhou's land area had expanded and its population had increased due to the floods and thunder, it was still different from the situation in other parts of China where rice could grow wildly on its own. The entire Chongzhou population was only a mere 800,000...

However, spiritual resources are scarce overseas, and the Cui family doesn't even have enough for themselves, let alone share with their guest elders. The number of Nascent Soul cultivators is nowhere near the thousands that can be found on the lake; they only have a little over two hundred in total, and no more than fifty Qi Refining cultivators...

'Even if you emptied Chongzhou, it still wouldn't satisfy their appetite!'

The demon king before them completely ignored their silence. Or rather, the dragons of the East Sea never needed to consider whether their subordinates could carry out their orders. He spoke calmly:
“These three hundred people will cultivate in my Jiao Palace, waiting for King Wei to master his supernatural powers. Once he has almost finished learning, I will come to your Chongzhou again and mobilize eighty thousand strong men to go to the outer sea to build.”

After the second sentence was uttered, the hall fell completely silent.

Compared to the demands of the previous three hundred craftsmen, the requirements for eighty thousand able-bodied men seemed simple. However, Cui Changfu had no intention of underestimating their ambitions, and his heart was filled with icy coldness:
'Today they demand 80,000, emptying half the able-bodied men's pockets. Next time they'll come demanding another 80,000. What's so strange about people dying while being driven by dragons?'

'No wonder they said they wanted to find Cui Jueyin from Chongzhou; the entire Cui clan of Chongzhou has been taken care of!'

Cui Changfu fell into silent despair, while Cui Jueyin remained expressionless, lowering his brows and saying:

"I have not received word from the King of Wei regarding this matter, so please forgive me for not being able to agree."

Lu Xu revealed a cold smile and said:

"That's natural. I originally intended to use you to inform the King of Wei. Otherwise, why would I need to negotiate with you when I have 80,000 men from the Cui clan? As for those 300 men..."

He said quietly:
"The Dragon King has given a death order, and I'm here to take people away. Whether you agree or not, you don't need to tell me."

His tone was chilling, sharp as a dagger, causing even Huiyao beside him to change his expression drastically. Only then did he hear the mountains beneath his feet rumbling, and a huge figure emerging from the distant sea. The colossal beast carrying the bronze palace rose from the sea like a small mountain, casting a huge shadow.

Exclamations erupted across the island. The great formation, threatened, activated spontaneously, and seawater cascaded down the grooves on the giant beast's body, creating thunderous splashes on the formation. Lu Xu calmly said:

“If the nobles select some people themselves, at least they can maintain some dignity.”

Cui Changfu felt a chill run through him, but forced a smile, blocking Cui Jueyin from standing beside him as he said:

"I understand... I'll go arrange it right away..."

He knew, of course, that the dragon's orders could not be refused. Lu Xu's actions were even giving him face—it was better for the Cui family to choose for themselves than for others to seize them at will. At least one or two seeds of cultivation could be preserved.

But Cui Jueyin, standing to the side, remained silent for a brief moment, his expression unchanged, listening attentively, and said:

"In that case, I will report it to you one by one. Now that the Cui family has arrived at the Dragon Palace, I ask that the Demon King take good care of them."

Lu Xu's tone softened somewhat, and he said quietly:

"Fellow Daoist, there's no need to worry. The Dragon King also wishes to see you. Come with me to the Dragon Palace, and I'll show you how these three hundred people are being arranged, so you won't think that I, the Dragon King, intend to harm your family!"

In Xu Shui's eyes, he, a dignified demon king of the dragon clan, was already giving the person in front of him a lot of face by having to speak so humbly when conscripting some people!
"Oh?"

Cui Jueyin simply smiled and quietly said:
"Please stop!"

After saying this, he stepped out. The morning sun had already set, and the entire Chongzhou was shrouded in a blood-red sunset. Everywhere there were the escape lights of cultivators, and the faint sound of crying could be heard, making it seem extremely chaotic.

Amidst this turmoil, Cui Changfu arrived bathed in the morning light, his face slightly pale, yet still bearing a smile, and said:
"The people have all been prepared...and have been sent to the Dragon Prince's carriage...but there are still some who are still children. If they do anything wrong, we hope the Dragon King can be lenient."

Lu Xu didn't even lift his eyelids:
"Ah."

Cui Jueyin took a breath, took out the congratulatory gift the other party had given her, and stuffed it into Cui Changfu's arms without saying a word. Without waiting for the old man to speak, she slowly pushed it away and sighed.

He simply stood there, his path to enlightenment at the Purple Mansion stretching to the horizon, the jade-like steps still arrayed above, like some kind of ethereal decoration floating in the clouds. Behind him came Lu Xu's calm voice:

"Once you have met the Dragon King, I will personally escort you back."

……

The sun and moon shine together over heaven and earth.

A rich spiritual energy resonated, and the heavy light of the moon enveloped the surroundings. The young man sat cross-legged on the stone platform, and the extremely precious moon spirit treasure cast circles of light onto the Wu Guang.

That three-colored mysterious branch had been worn away by the color of the moon countless times. Although it bloomed like a new life each time, it was like water without a source, gradually dimming, and finally slowly turning into fluorescent light and dissipating under yet another erasure.

There was no earth-shattering spectacle, nor any final counterattack; it dissipated like a gentle breeze.

'The calamity of Qingya Wutu (a type of earth element in Feng Shui)... has finally been resolved!'

After more than three years of focused concentration, even without using his supernatural powers, Li Quewan's face was covered in cold sweat, and there was even a hint of relief in his eyes:
'This magical artifact displayed its full power, taking less time than I anticipated!'

She swept the light of the moon back and forth several times before slowly withdrawing it, letting out a long breath, and parting her red lips slightly.

"King Wei..."

The young man before her sat cross-legged, his black robes flowing, seemingly unremarkable. Yet, as if startled by her words, his eyelids twitched and he slowly opened them.

A pair of deep, melancholy golden eyes.

As he opened his eyes, the various hidden lights of the moon that had enveloped him were also dispelled, and the Chongyang Star suddenly lit up between his brows. Fine golden scale patterns also appeared one by one on his face and arms. From extreme stillness to extreme movement, a dense pressure and the sweeping light of the blood desert burst out of his body in an instant, forming a huge setting sun on the desert behind him!
"Finally...it's gone!"

His voice sounded somewhat hoarse, but it couldn't conceal the surging emotions within it. The King of Wei stepped down, slowly stretching his body, as if he were relearning his full-fledged supernatural powers, his eyes bright yet dangerous.

'Twelve years!'

The calamity of Qingya Wutu was indeed well-deserved, even worse than before. Li Zhouwei had the protection of a grotto-heaven, so he did not need to fear the calamity becoming more and more terrifying. He also had the blessing of Taiyin spiritual pills and medicines. It took more than twelve years of trouble in total!
If other cultivators were to be directly struck by this calamity, what could they do besides make arrangements for their own deaths?
"It's been twelve years... a full twelve years!"

'Twelve years! That's enough time for me to cultivate a supernatural power...'

Since he began cultivating, Li Zhouwei had never suffered such a loss, nor had he ever encountered such a time-consuming trouble—twelve years! How many years had it taken him, Li Zhouwei, to break through to the Purple Mansion realm?

Even though a large part of the time was not wasted, he was afflicted by a calamity, his spiritual consciousness was clouded, and the gloomy aura was tangled, which was not conducive to his aura. If it weren't for the fact that he was cultivating the "Red Arrowhead", Li Zhouwei would have had a hard time making any progress even if he could cultivate!
At this moment, like a dragon breaking a golden lock, or a unicorn walking through the imperial garden, the aura of disaster was finally released, and the perilous atmosphere returned, making his aura heavy and dangerous. Even without any apparent purpose, it still made Li Quewan, who was standing to the side, feel a chill.

'The current King of Wei... is not much weaker than the Great Master...'

Li Zhouwei simply breathed quietly, savoring the hard-won ease. The supernatural power within his body surged continuously, and white, scale-like patterns crawled up his cheeks, making crackling sounds.

"Crash..."

Li Quewan stood there in a daze, and the sound of waves seemed to reach his ears. This King of Wei had returned to his peak and his power had greatly increased. He had his supernatural powers and magic power running at their peak, and his blood and qi were surging, making a sound like a tidal wave. He closed his eyes for a long time and finally exhaled a breath of white air.

The entire courtyard was illuminated for a moment, filled with his hearty laughter:

"It's done!"

After years of nurturing the Qi in the center of the Qi Sea, the Immortal Foundation, which was already just one step away from completion, was stimulated by this, shining brightly and displaying countless colors. The 'Emperor's View of the Origin' Immortal Foundation has been perfected!