Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1256 Return
Si Min.

The morning sun shone brightly, casting a golden glow over the imperial palace. The court assembly had just ended, and officials of all ranks, dressed in crimson and purple robes, descended the steps in twos and threes, appearing tiny on the vast palace stairs.

After passing through the vast hall, each person entered the corridor and saw a middle-aged man of medium build, dressed in gorgeous clothes, who looked to be of high rank and power, but his brows were tightly furrowed, making him look worried.

He walked alone for a while, when he saw a man catching up behind him. The man was handsome and imposing, with striking golden eyes that shone brightly. When he reached him, the man turned to the side and smiled.
"Greetings, Marquis of Anyang!"

Li Zhouluo seemed to wake from a dream and laughed:

"So this is Suichu!"

This handsome young man was none other than Li Jiangxia's eldest son, Li Suichu!
He and his sister were born of the same mother and both stayed in the capital with their father. They were granted official positions upon reaching adulthood and had just returned from a trip, looking radiant. He said:

"My official rank is low, so I've been standing in the outer hall. I was just waiting here for my uncle to come out!"

Li Zhouluo still liked the brother and sister very much. Zou Shi was good at raising children; these two, though not practicing cultivation at home, were both exceptionally sensible. He shook his head and smiled:
"To my residence?"

"Yes!"

Li Suichu clearly had something to say. He walked out of the hall with him and got into Li Suichu's luxurious carriage. The elder leaned back in his seat, looked around, and sighed.

Seeing Li Sui looking at him, Li Zhoulu sighed:
"The lakeside household is extremely strict, and I've long been used to it. I rarely use my own carriage, but I always feel uncomfortable sitting in it."

Li Suichu smiled broadly and said:

“I had long heard of the lake’s reputation, and I always felt proud whenever I heard about it.”

Li Zhouluo understood that his greatest idol was his elder brother, his grandfather, whom he had only met once. After all, his unparalleled achievements and astonishing supernatural powers were worthy of respect. He said leisurely:

"Several elders in my family were extremely frugal in their early years, and the younger generations dared not be extravagant or surpass them, so they followed suit and became frugal. Over the generations, this habit has gradually developed..."

Li Zhouluo has lived in the capital for decades, and his behavior is quite different from what it used to be. But when he occasionally reminisces, he is still filled with emotion.

Li Sui harbored a mysterious and longing fantasy about his ancestral homeland far to the north. Whenever he heard these words, he couldn't help but ponder them and was about to ask again when he found that the carriage had already stopped and the people from Li Zhouluo's residence had come up to lift the curtain.

'Right next to the Imperial Palace... There are very few people in the entire capital who receive this kind of treatment...'

Li Sui couldn't help but sigh inwardly. He followed the elder down the courtyard and into the back room. There, he saw pine and cypress trees planted on both sides and the sound of water tinkling. A pond had been built, with clear and transparent water. A man in white sat by the pond, carefully observing the magic.

"uncle!"

Li Sui called out eagerly, and saw the young man in front of him raise his head, a hint of a smile in his eyes:
"So they've arrived!"

This person is none other than Li Jiangchun!
The sword immortal had just withdrawn his magic, yet his aura remained radiant, perfectly balanced, pure as snow, yet subtly intertwined with the essence of water and fire. This greatly surprised Li Suichu, who exclaimed:

"Congratulations, Uncle, on achieving the completion of your cultivation!"

This was clearly something that had been going on for more than just a day or two. Li Zhoulu chuckled and shook his head, while Li Jiangchun suppressed his aura and smiled:

"What's so great about being at the peak of Foundation Establishment!"

Compared to the vast majority of cultivators in Jiangnan, his cultivation speed was naturally astonishing, but Li Jiangchun understood in his heart:
"My family members possess talismanic pills and talismanic energy, so their cultivation is already much faster than others. I need to cultivate this supreme technique and nurture my second sword essence; compared to my two older siblings, my speed is already not fast!"

Li Sui, understanding his general meaning, shook his head and sighed:

"Indeed, my family possesses the bloodline of the esteemed Wei Emperor, the Golden Core lineage. The four divine beings on the lake all reached the Purple Mansion stage in less than a century..."

Li Jiangchun smiled without saying a word:
'The Purple Mansion is only the first step. After it's formed, with the assistance of multiple talismanic energies, my family's cultivation speed will be even faster...'

Li Sui quickly stopped talking and said:
"I have come here today because I have something to ask my elders."

He said seriously:

"The elders have been staying in the capital for many years and know that Lin and my father met once and there was some intention to get married."

Li Zhoulu nodded, somewhat strangely, and said:
“Of course I know that. Caiyin is your childhood friend, and she and your sister are childhood sweethearts. We’ve all seen it. This matter… is a match made in heaven… there’s nothing more to say.”

Li Suichu nodded quickly and said:
"But the problem is... it was a verbal agreement between Father and Senior Lin back then, so if you really want to know, there's actually no basis for the betrothal..."

A hint of worry appeared in his eyes, and he sighed:

“Father is currently in seclusion and we don’t know when he will emerge. My younger sister is over twenty years old and Caiyin wants to propose marriage, but he doesn’t know where to start. The longer this matter drags on, the more anxious I, as her elder brother, can become.”

Li Zhoulu suddenly realized and laughed:

"I understand!"

Li Sui nodded and clasped his hands in a fist salute, saying:
"We need to ask our elders to intervene!"

Li Jiangchun had been listening attentively the whole time, and only now did he carefully consider his words:

"Has your father informed the lake about this matter?"

These words made Li Sui pause slightly, and he pondered:
"I can't guess whether my father mentioned it or not."

Li Jiangchun's heart stirred.

The Great Owl Temple is a well-known orthodox sect. In its early years, it provided much assistance to the Li family. All three of its masters died for their beliefs, and even the Song Emperor held them in high esteem. According to his own judgment, if the Lin family were willing to befriend the Li family, the lakeside would certainly agree.

This was also her father's idea, but Li Jiangchun was unwilling to agree to it so easily:
'But regardless, the order should originate from the lake.'

He said softly:

“No matter what, it is still a marriage between members of my family. Although Brother Jiang Xia is in seclusion, my elder brother has already achieved the Purple Mansion realm. In terms of weight and status, it is sufficient.”

'Changli Zhenren…'

Li Sui nodded thoughtfully, a hint of surprise in his eyes, and said:

"Would it be too much trouble for you...?"

Li Zhoulu also chimed in:
“The Owl Sunflower Sect is also a major sect. Now that there are four Purple Mansions on the lake, sending one of them to handle this matter is considered to be a great respect.”

He smiled:

"Wasn't the Chen family's marriage arrangement handled by him? Your sister's influence is no less than hers!"

As the elder brother, Li Sui naturally hoped that his younger sister's wedding would be grand and dignified. Just considering the dowry alone, since his father was in seclusion, he naturally needed the help of the lake dwellers. Having resolved both matters at once, he was overjoyed, bowed, and said:
"Then please ask the elders to contact the family. I'll go and tell my sister the good news right away... and also let the Lin family be prepared!"

Li Zhoulu nodded, watching him leave, and sighed:

"In the blink of an eye... they've all grown up! Even their engagements are now out in the open."

Li Jiangchun smiled without saying a word, so Li Zhouluo had no choice but to change the subject. The worry in his eyes returned, and he said:

"That second prince has asked for the sword four times now, and the emperor doesn't stop him, just letting him do as he pleases..."

The only one who could trouble Li Zhouluo was that Second Prince Yang Jiong!

This prince is good at everything else, but he is only fond of swordsmanship. Every time he loses to Li Jiangchun, he solemnly leaves to go into seclusion and meditate. Sometimes it takes a year, sometimes three years. Once he has gained some insight, he immediately comes out of seclusion and goes through all sorts of difficulties just to ask for another sword strike!
Li Zhouluo completely failed to understand this behavior.

'At the same age, the First Prince is already capable of being appointed to govern local areas, and the Third Prince's cultivation is progressing rapidly, displaying astonishing potential... while Yang Jiong is still just practicing with spears and swords!'

Wielding swords and spears is one thing, Li Zhouluo has never wanted to get involved in these things, but this prince can never speak properly, he always has to provoke, stir up trouble, and provoke Li Jiangchun's temper so that he'll suffer a bit before he'll be satisfied...

As a result, rumors of discord between the Second Prince Yang Jiong and Lady Li spread far and wide—what is Lady Li's current status!
'My Li family has always held immense power in the court. Leaving aside the old guard, even Chi Xuan, the newly promoted Sima Xun, and Chen Wenyao... one is Que Yi's husband, the other is Jiang Liang's subordinate, and the old master Chen is constantly trying to curry favor with the Li family...'

Anyone with a sound mind knows they should befriend the Li family!

In contrast, his rival, the eldest prince, had always been very polite to the Li family. Although he couldn't freely befriend them, he seized every opportunity to have a warm conversation with Li Zhouluo, appearing extremely friendly.

As a result, even though everyone pretended to be uninvolved, almost no major forces were willing to invest in Yang Jiong anymore. The situation escalated, and now Li Zhouluo was truly helpless...

He paced around the mansion several times, shaking his head in disbelief.
"Could it really be as the rumors say... that he has no intention of vying for the throne, and thus demeans himself?"

In fact, after so many years of disputes, Li Jiangchun had become quite familiar with this Second Prince, and surprisingly, there was no worry in his eyes. He simply said:

"At least he has a heart eager to learn about swordsmanship."

He lowered his head. The water in the pool before him was clear and transparent, with the sword light shimmering at the bottom, and a faint blue hue could be seen:
"Whatever his purpose, his swordsmanship has improved considerably over the years... Although he uses many fancy tricks, his heart is more sincere than that one's."

Li Zhoulu gave a wry smile and said:
“I didn’t want to get involved, but the way he’s making things so complicated makes it seem like we’re involved.”

Li Jiangchun was about to answer when he vaguely felt a warmth in his sleeve. His expression changed slightly, and he stood up. Before he could take a step, he saw people rushing up and bowing in front of the hall, saying:
"Master! People are coming from the lake!"

Li Zhouluo's expression also changed.

You should know that for so many years, he has always been the one writing letters to Wangyue Lake, and there are always people specifically responsible for delivering the letters. There is absolutely no way that anyone from Wangyue Lake would come to his [Anyang Prefecture] to request an audience in the open as a member of the Li family!

This sudden turn of events startled him.
'What important matter could it be that requires such formal notification?'

Thinking of his elder brother, who had been seriously injured for many years and had not yet shown up, his heart sank to the bottom. He glanced at his son in a panic, but Li Jiangchun silently shook his head.

'impossible…'

'Could it be...?'

Watching his eldest son rush out in one breath, Li Zhouluo's eyes stung with tears:
'Sir?'

He followed closely behind and saw an old man standing in the mansion. He had a full head of white hair, a tall stature, and his eyes were full of energy. He could also vaguely see a gentle and kind aura. His cultivation level was only at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage. Several cultivators followed behind him.

Li Jiangchun glanced at their attire, felt slightly relieved, and said:
"Senior White Ape!"

This person was none other than the white ape in human form. This old ape had been rescued from the fire vein by Li Xuanxuan and had diligently served on the lake for a hundred years. When the Li family was still a clan by the lake, he was a lowly demon serving as a spirit plant grower. Now, he was a highly regarded senior official, yet his attitude had never changed; he bowed gently and humbly:
"This old servant greets the young master."

Li Jiangchun quickly helped him up, and listened as the old demon said in a deep voice:
"The immortal has emerged from seclusion and has summoned me several times... I hope that you, young master, will set off to return to the lake to visit your family."

Li Jiangchun gave him a deep look and said in a low voice:
"Must I resign from my post and return home?"

The old demon lowered his head and replied:
"The Master said... there's no need for further trouble. Set off immediately. After you meet the Master, you will need to come back."

……

Jungle County.

The plains are vast, and cultivators come and go. In the center of this plain, several peaks are piled up and connected to form a mountain. The spiritual energy is strong, but the earth veins are not thick. It can be used for clans to prosper, but it is not enough for supernatural powers to establish a sect.

It was on this very immortal mountain that spiritual energy surged and flowed, intertwining and coalescing into a tangible ocean, causing cultivators to raise their heads, exchange glances, and look on with considerable awe.

In that instant, the abundant spiritual energy that had been supplying the entire mountain range was drained away. Countless cultivators awoke from their meditation, only to discover that the spiritual energy was flowing into the depths of the mountains in a mysterious way…

"Boom..."

Inside the cave within the mountain, the man in the brocade robe slowly opened his eyes, his pupils reflecting the gold and stones swirling around his body. He slowly raised his sleeve, utterly awestruck.

In his palm, a dazzling golden light was shimmering and breathing:
'Supernatural powers 'Heavenly Perfection'!'

Liu Changdie had perfected his first divine power for thirty years without making any progress, but in less than five years, he suddenly rose to master the second Qi Jin divine power...

'Five years…just five years! An ordinary cultivator wouldn't even have completed their Foundation Establishment, yet I've already attained this divine power…this is the [Qi Ku Bao Suo]!'

This is an absolutely impossible speed. Even Liu Changdie himself speculated that even the King of Wei, who gathered the destiny of Mingyang and the grand plan to kill the emperor, probably couldn't achieve a divine power every five years!
'Unless a true lord is reincarnated!'

But it didn't stop there. The moment the "Heavenly Perfection" was achieved, the "Treasury Silver" in his rising sun shone brightly, echoing and closely connected with the "Heavenly Perfection". It seemed to have received some kind of nourishment, becoming even more dazzling, and even in turn nourishing the "Heavenly Perfection".

The price was equally heavy.

Liu Changdie could clearly sense that his Shengyang Palace had now solidified to the extreme. If the Shengyang Palace was once a clear and flowing stream of water that could come and go freely, now the two supernatural powers had locked it in place, turning his Shengyang Palace into a solid object of metal, which could no longer contain any external objects.

He, Liu Changdie, couldn't even actively nurture his newly refined "Tian Qi Man" divine power, let alone elevate his immortal foundation within the Sheng Yang Palace!
'My great path ends here!'

The news about a certain Bilibili UP's adaptation of the Xuanjian Immortal Clan into an animation is the UP's personal imagination and is not true. Please do not believe or spread rumors.