Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1284 Settlement (1+12) (Bonus Chapter 28113 for "Hidden Dragon")

"Greetings, King Wei!"

Although Yang Ruiyi was already a Grand Master, he treated Li Zhouwei with even greater solemnity. He descended the path, approached him, clasped his hands in greeting, showing both intimacy and courtesy, and smiled:
"Our plans in Tingzhou have only lasted a few days, yet the King of Wei has already conquered Luoyang, beheaded Gongsun at Boye, and caused the fall of Luoyang to be like a rain of stars, with endless purple flames and boundless smoke and sand..."

He paused, then exclaimed in admiration:
"Xiangdi was easy to conquer, but it was surrounded by enemies on all sides. If trouble comes, the invaders may not be able to take all of its territory. When Kui and Zhao attacked Ru, the Yu clan could not conquer it. When King Liang pacified Xiang, he besieged Liangchuan for a long time. When Shi Qi attacked Luo, he defeated Hanguan three times. None of these were as good as King Wei."

Yang Ruiyi smiled, showing great admiration.

Just as Yang Ruiyi said, Luoyang was not difficult to conquer, but the difficulty was how to take over this precious fertile land in one go. He originally thought that either Boye or Liangchuan would be lost, but he did not expect that they would fall into the trap!
'This will surely add another achievement to my resume.'

Faced with his praise, Li Zhouwei smiled and shook his head, casually saying:

"Kui and Zhao were reckless, and their detached forces were defeated. King Liang replaced the emperor, and the Xia people were ashamed to be subjugated. Shi Qi entered Xiangyang, still fearing the old emperor. It was all due to the changing situation. Now, Luoyang is a disorganized mess. If we send a few clay chickens and earthen dogs to help, it will naturally fall."

He was slightly too polite, which made Yu Xi and Yang Xuancai, who had just arrived, feel a little embarrassed:
'Like chickens and dogs... at least they weren't cursing us!'

A disorganized mess sounds better than a bunch of clay chickens and dogs, but on second thought, the role these Purple Mansions played in this great war was no better than that of clay chickens and dogs—they were all just trying to save themselves and rushing to serve.

Yang Ruiyi laughed heartily, simply gesturing for him to proceed, and said:

"Let's go to Xiangxiang to discuss this in detail."

After all, Yinling was still Tao's territory, and the Yang family's attitude was still respectful. They were now preparing to establish their capital in Xiangxiang, so the group headed west and soon saw the sky full of purple flames. An old man and a young man were already waiting for them in the void.

Jia Zan, having saved his junior, showed no sign of dejection even after the secret realm fell. His face was full of smiles, though he dared not speak much. Li Jiangqian stood in front, bowed, and listened to Yang Ruiyi's praise:
"Congratulations, Changli!"

Li Jiangqian returned the greeting and thanked them, but because his father was presiding, he remained calm and discreetly led everyone into the main hall. They all took their seats, leaving the main seat empty. The Prince of Wei and the Grand General sat on either side of them, and the others took their seats according to their cultivation level, listening to Li Zhouwei speak:

"Now that the General has come from the west, how should the battle lines in the east be arranged?"

Yang Ruiyi appeared quite at ease and smiled:

"The easternmost part is difficult to attack, with Xiuyue, the Gao family, and Lianhua Temple... We've occupied Duanchen, and we can extend all the way to Changhe. As long as Changhe remains stable, and we have Xiuyue on our flank, we don't need to worry about Baijiang..."

"As for the central region... we traveled eastward and occupied a lot of Lotus Temple's territory. We settled in Huaijun and demarcated the land with them. Further west, we went to Bushan, downstream of the Ru River, and invited people from the Sword Sect to stay there."

His words were subtle, but I guess he must have invited that sword immortal, otherwise how could he have escaped so naturally?

'As long as Ling Mei takes action, there's nothing to worry about in the entire east.'

The strength of a sword immortal is beyond question, let alone a Grand Master of Four Divine Powers and a Golden Sword Immortal!
Yang Ruiyi was still worried that he might feel uneasy, so she said seriously:
"His Majesty has moved the capital to Jingchuan."

These seven simple words instantly changed Xuan Wei's expression, who had been silent to the side. He suddenly raised his eyebrows, his pupils filled with shock!
As the embodiment of the will of the Song Dynasty and even the Yang family, Yang Ruiyi arrived in his carriage. His gaze was fixed on Li Zhouwei from beginning to end, and he did not give these surrendered officials a single extra glance. Xuan Wei had remained calm, but now he stood still and could not move forward.

The Song Dynasty moved its capital!

He stood in the main hall with a sigh, and then Yu Xi came to his senses!
The old man was taken aback for a moment, then a look of wild joy flashed in his eyes.

'Move the capital to Jingchuan? Since the capital is adjacent to the Jianghuai region, the benefits of going to the Three Rivers region are countless!'

Li Zhouwei simply nodded, took out a gold scroll from his sleeve, held it quietly in his hand, and said:
"I wish to invite the Grand General to join me in presenting a memorial and receiving the imperial decree, requesting Emperor Zhenyang's order to deal with the Xiang region."

Upon hearing this, all eyes turned to him, and Yang Ruiyi nodded:
"King Wei, please speak."

Li Zhouwei stood up and said softly:
"First, relocate people from Luoyang to populate the Huai River region."

These eight words were calm yet powerful. Even though the cultivators had anticipated this, they couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

The land of Luoyang is rich. Not to mention these great families, the population of this place alone exceeds ten million. It is only because there are so many powerful families and the Song Dynasty has such extensive influence that it can be moved so easily!

'After a thousand years of cultivating the land in Luoyang, we must eventually leave our hometown...'

Of course, for these millions of people, the overall benefits outweigh the drawbacks—there will definitely be a major war in Luoyang in the future, not just a small-scale, gentle skirmish like today. Once there are a few unexpected situations beyond the Purple Mansion's plans, millions will surely be killed!
'It would be better to relocate them completely. The war in the Huai River region has just ended, and there's no one for thousands of miles; it's like having boundless fertile land.'

Yang Ruiyi nodded with a smile, while Li Zhouwei looked around and said:

"Secondly, with Xiangtu surrendering and all the Luo regions submitting, I will submit a memorial to Zhenyang, granting each of the Luo regions a fiefdom in Huaijian, and selecting their most talented individuals to enter the Purple Gold Palace!"

This was not a major problem. Yang Ruiyi finally turned around and smiled at Zhu Zifu:
"The land of Luoyang is not only vast, but also home to millions of people. If the powerful families of Luoyang were to acquire it through martial arts, they could obtain at least four Purple Gold rank members!"

This number surprised Li Zhouwei. He had originally thought there would only be three: one for the Tao family, one for the Yu family, and one for the Jia family or another. After a slight pause, he continued:
"Third, the Jia and Yu families have rendered meritorious service. I hereby request that the two families be granted fiefs, or perhaps a kingdom be established in the Huai River region, to complete the Xuantao and Taixu construction."

Upon hearing this, the void fell silent. Yu Xi immediately raised his head, his gaze filled with shock, as the words of the King of Wei flashed through his mind:
'Such a place may not be impossible to find again!'

It wasn't just a little appeasement or a venting of resentment; it wasn't just a casual remark or a few words of thanks; it was something that came instantly!
The Yu family has suffered for a thousand years, suffering only because the secret realm is not their own. Yu Xi has pondered for a hundred years, only regretting that he cannot control it. Now, he is like a handful of yellow earth smashed to pieces, but a decree has been submitted, requesting that a secret realm be truly established for his family!
Even though this secret realm no longer possesses many of the spiritual resources of the past, once acquired, it will be a legitimate and officially designated secret realm for martial arts cultivation. There is no need to fear that people will enter at will. More importantly, this realm was bestowed by the Song court, and it is possible that it will be connected to the true qi after the Song emperor attained enlightenment, becoming the foundation for a peaceful life!
The implications of this are completely different! In Yu Xi's view, it is very likely to allow the Yu clan to ascend to the grotto heaven, and even connect with the Yang clan, which will rise to prominence in the underworld in the future.

Yu Xi had lived for four hundred years, and at this moment he was equally shocked and surprised. He stood there speechlessly, his mind filled with countless thoughts.

If he was like this, what about Jia Zan?

This old master had never imagined that the secret realm would be related to his family. He had secretly thought that even if there was compensation, it would be for the Wei family. Upon hearing this, he was shocked and his cheeks flushed.

'Is this true...? This...'

Although Jia Zan surrendered faster than anyone else, he had been running around and ruined the secret place of the Wei family, who were like one family. In fact, he was secretly repressed. His desperate request for supernatural powers from the younger generation of the Wei family was also a sign of his guilt.
In that instant, his feelings changed completely:
'Good thing it dropped!'

'My decisiveness and foresight, Jia Zan, deserve to be recorded in history and passed down for a thousand years!'

Then, all eyes turned to the other side, and Yang Ruiyi fell silent for a moment, his expression slightly strange.

Li Zhouwei looked at him with a smile, without any worry.

What kind of auspicious atmosphere led to the founding of the Great Song Dynasty?

【Conquering Pingqingwu】—also known as 【Guanghong Xuanxu】!
This spiritual energy, in harmony with Yin and Yang, and the stars and constellations, allows the grotto to rise, making it the most suitable place to elevate secret realms. Unlike the North, where it is difficult to find affiliations, the South can elevate secret realms with a little effort.

The Yu family had a secret realm that had fallen, which brought down many spiritual objects that had been used to establish the secret realm. Both families were extremely wealthy, and there was spiritual energy in the south to help them. As long as they replenished their resources and spiritual objects and spent their supernatural powers and energy, rebuilding a secret realm would actually be much simpler than starting from scratch. The only things they lacked were the method of creating the Great Void and the years of calculations by cultivators who were skilled in this art.

Even these two things are not too difficult for the Li family, let alone the Yang family? The resources that Yang Ruiyi can mobilize are by no means scarce!
Li Zhouwei also had his own reasons for the Song Dynasty and the Yang family being willing to make such efforts!

'The matter of spiritual energy is a product of the grand scheme of things. Spiritual energy shapes cultivators, and cultivators, in turn, foster spiritual energy; the two reinforce each other. The [Vast and Suspended Void] makes elevating secret realms easier, and in turn, cultivators elevating secret realms nourishes the [Vast and Suspended Void]!'

The duration of a spiritual aura is often related to major events. The [Supreme Evil Spirit Treasury] was destroyed by the spiritual energy transformed from the breakthrough and fall of the Great Master Zi Pei of the Purple Smoke Sect. And the [Vast Void] is definitely closely related to the Song Emperor!

'From this, we can see that the pursuit of martial arts and immortality lies in seeking wealth and the Dao, in cultivating martial arts under the illumination of stars, in exorcising demons and monsters, and also in creating the Great Void!'

The establishment of a secret realm in Jiangnan and the rise of prominent families naturally contributed to the grandeur of this Song emperor!

'Moreover, these aristocratic families now owe their rise to power solely to the Song Emperor's favor!'

Li Zhouwei had actually planned this all along, and he secretly knew that the Song court must also have related plans, but looking at the various aristocratic families of the Song Dynasty, it was really an awkward situation.

'The Lin Gu clan's advancement is largely due to luck, the Sima family's abilities are uneven, the Owl Maiden's injuries haven't healed, the Qingchi sect's structure is empty, the Chen clan, though powerful, has too shallow a foundation and won't be rewarded without merit, as for the new elites of Huai Jian, Chang Yun's behavior is unpredictable, Ye Hui has no lineage or descendants, and the Situ clan is even more treacherous, now completely nowhere to be found, they must be plotting something…'

Only Ziyan, Jianmen, and the Li family are qualified to elevate the secret realm!

Under his smiling gaze, the General Yang smiled knowingly, shook his head, and said with a mixture of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of deep emotion) and admiration:
"I will certainly submit a memorial together with the King of Wei!"

In an instant, the cultivators stepped forward, some with joy and others with envy, and all expressed their gratitude. Li Zhouwei remained silent, while Yang Ruiyi smiled and waved his hand, his gaze sweeping over the cultivators, becoming more and more satisfied with each look.

'Luoxia's fighting strength has been preserved to the greatest extent possible, and there is now a possibility of holding out. Furthermore, with the secret realm closed, the various monks no longer harbor greed, which greatly benefits them.'

Unlike Li Zhouwei, who came here with a clear purpose, it was only now that this general truly had the intention to defend this place, feeling self-satisfied with the victory in the Great War.

After the commotion subsided, the King of Wei said:

"Whom does the General intend to appoint to defend Xiangyang?"

Luoyang was formerly known as Boye, and along with the area to its east, it belonged to Xiangdi. Yang Ruiyi, with his deep-rooted knowledge of the area, was accustomed to using the term Xiangdi and was more familiar with it, so he simply said:
"When the King of Wei returns with his troops, which officials will he take with him?"

Although Luoyang was conquered by Li Zhouwei, it would ultimately be handed over to the Song Dynasty. The two handed it over tacitly. Li Zhouwei glanced around and said:
"My old wounds have not yet healed. I rushed out of the pass and killed Gongsun in battle, but this aggravated some of my chronic illnesses. I am afraid that I should not delay any longer. Please transfer the True Man Chengqian to assist in guarding the desert. Changli and Suyun should return to the lake with my troops to rest and recuperate before guarding Luoxia again."

Li Jiangqian and Li Quewan were definitely going to be taken away, which didn't surprise Yang Ruiyi. The Li family's geographical location was a natural barrier for the Song Dynasty. Western Shu might cause trouble, so it was a good opportunity to return and guard against the west. He simply smiled and said:

“I think… perhaps we should invite Master Zhaojing to come over.”

Li Zhouwei shook his head and said:

"Uncle's elixir is almost finished, and he cannot set off for a while... After a year or two of testing, the general may not need him anymore."

Yang Ruiyi stroked his beard and could only say:

"Since that's the case... I find this Fellow Daoist Liu's supernatural abilities quite extraordinary, I should borrow them from the King of Wei..."

Li Zhouwei then said:
"He is not good at fighting, please take good care of him, General Yang."

"That is certainly the case!"

Yang Ruiyi agreed, and the atmosphere in the hall was excellent, as was Li Zhouwei's mood.

'This harvest...is the best in many years!'

After all, he had broken through the secret realms of several Purple Mansion families. It's likely that no matter where he fights in the north in the future, the gains he can achieve will be difficult to match this time. Li Zhouwei stood up and walked briskly to the front of the hall, slightly turning to the side and smiling:

"General, relocating the people of Luoyang is not something that can be accomplished overnight. If we lose the city, the lives of the people will be lost, and this will be our sin!"

Although he was smiling, his intense authority caused a moment of silence in the hall. Yang Ruiyi solemnly stood up and said:
"The Yang family will surely ensure the safety of Luoyang."

The several Luoxia True Immortals exchanged glances, clearly much more relaxed. Li Zhouwei, however, smiled and stepped into the Great Void, his eyes shining brightly amidst a chorus of respectful farewells.

'In this way, Luoyang will be secure for several years.'

From easily capturing Liangchuan to pacifying the various Luoyang states, from destroying the secret realm to relocating them to Baidi, and now to using the righteous cause of relocating people to force the Song Dynasty to exert its utmost efforts, Li Zhouwei has spared no effort and meticulously planned every step in order to ensure that the Yang family could defend Luoyang while he was in seclusion...

"The supplies are in hand; we've done everything we could. All we can do now is observe the situation."

He stepped into the light of the heavens, traversing the void step by step, while the young man in crimson robes behind him remained deep in thought, his eyes showing a hint of enlightenment.

'Impressive… In this way, all the surrendered generals have been rewarded, ensuring they didn't surrender for nothing. It was my lack of skill that led me to this [Guang Hong Xuan Xu]…'

Just like his conversation with Li Ximing, Li Jiangqian believed that his father could find a way to "preserve both virtue and reputation" and win people's hearts while pacifying Luoxia. He quietly followed behind, secretly learning from the lessons.

Only after crossing the great lake did he cease his supernatural powers and laugh:

“Father, Grand Uncle’s alchemy skills are astonishing. The General sent him there, probably with the intention of using him. I can’t help but sigh… With such high alchemy skills, he only accepted a nominal disciple, Nan Tan Chen, and he only learned half of it. It’s such a pity.”

Li Zhouwei smiled and said:
"what do you mean?"

Li Jiangqian chuckled and said:
“I have heard that there is a genius in alchemy in Boye named Qiao Yue. He is a cultivator of the ‘Peony Fire’ type, and he is both virtuous and talented. Master Cui admires him very much and wants to introduce him to Grand Uncle—after all, he is a seed of the Purple Mansion and can truly pass on his mantle!”

Li Que seemed lost in thought, her beautiful eyes darting around, while Li Zhouwei chuckled and said:

"You can arrange it."

Li Jiangqian smiled inwardly and said:
"Then I'll have to test him a bit."

He pondered:

'The Yu family benefited the most; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them benevolent, so there's no need to worry about them anymore. As for the Jia and Wei families, they've all gotten a huge advantage, and their mouths are shut. If the Wei family rises in the future, harmony will naturally be fine. But if they don't, looking back at today's situation—Wei's decline and Jia's rise—who knows if it wasn't the Jia family selling out their family for personal gain? Naturally, the resentment will be transferred to their own internal factions.'

'Only the Boye Qiao Clan remains. Their grotto-heaven was destroyed by us, but because they lack a Purple Mansion, they didn't gain much benefit... They migrated south alone and helpless. Let them suffer a bit first, then give them the title of master and disciple, and they'll have no choice but to rely on us. We can then arrange some marriages, and even keep their spiritual artifacts safe for them. If they leave the Purple Mansion, we can return everything to them...'

The Li family is no longer what it used to be. They don't lack any Purple Mansion Spiritual Artifacts. These things are valued for their quality, not quantity. Ordinary items are messy to use, and it's better to use a Spiritual Treasure decisively. They don't covet what the Li family has.

Li Jiangqian secretly calculated, and soon arrived at the mountain peak. He saw colorful clouds drifting in the sky, the sun shining brightly, its flames rolling. The old man in red hurriedly came out to greet him, gazing at Li Zhouwei in amazement, and respectfully said:
"Greetings, King Wei!"

……

Zhao Ting.

The crows cried mournfully, and as usual, the Zhao Palace was filled with a chilly atmosphere. The colors in the main hall were dim, and the seven rooms of the Shixiu Xuan Pavilion were silent in the darkness, appearing gloomy and without light.

'The Gongsun Stele...it's the Gongsun Stele...'

'Gongsun Bei was killed by him!'

Whispers filled the air, some soft, some loud, seemingly endless and anxious. The emperor at the head of the table watched coldly, then heard the sound of a crystal curtain swaying beside him, revealing a woman sitting upright on it.

Zong Chang.

This "Jueyin" True Person had been in the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion realm for many years. Because he had failed to break through a few days ago, his face was slightly pale, and his eyes were lowered, his gaze sweeping the steps as if he were not paying attention.

She was always sharp-tongued and sarcastic. When Gongsun Bei went there, she gave him a light but cold jab. Now that news of his death had arrived, she showed no smile, only remained silent for a long time before finally pursing her lips.

"waste."

There was a hint of complexity in Zong Chang's eyes.

In fact, Gongsun Bei understood, and she understood as well. As the sun grew stronger day by day, their lives were like being boiled in a cauldron. As the steam dissipated, they would first be burned to the point of vomiting blood, and soon they would die.

Faced with the ever-approaching crisis of death, Gongsun Bei ultimately chose to test her strength. She had considered the possibility of a crushing defeat, or even death from severe injuries, but she never imagined that Gongsun Bei would perish on the spot between the two Sixth Mahakala.

"So fast!"

Perhaps it will be her turn to be in Zongchang soon.

If she really wanted to be picky, Zong Chang at least had a way to seek release, which could have been considered a fallback. But now she was even more lazy—was it really a fallback? Guang Chan from Jindi was already dead. Who knew which would die faster, the one who sought release or the one who held the demon?
By cultivating the demonic path, at least for now, she could maintain her autonomy. Even if it meant sitting and waiting for death, or drinking poison to quench her thirst, Zong Chang waited patiently, watching the monk enter from outside the hall with a face as cold as ice.

Riverhead.

The monk's face was still sour, but his expression had subtly changed, revealing a complex mix of emotions within him:
'Good...that was decisive and ruthless. They've taken down every single secret realm, cleaned up...cutting off my last path of control!'

Upon reaching the head of the procession, they finally saw the lotus throne of Shanle Road appear, with figures moving their lips and tongues, conversing to the left and right:
"Alas! The secret realm is gone! Everything's been looted, and even the population is being evacuated every day. What's the point of Luoyang now? Forget it... forget it..."

"You want to die? No way!"

The group nodded in deep agreement.

“Ming Meng”.

He was deep in thought while he was out there, but several Mahas whispered among themselves behind his back, constantly undermining him. Jiang Toushou was furious at the sight of this, as if a fire was burning inside him.

Now that Ming Meng was in the right, he was unceremoniously sneering:
"Lord Jiang suffered a crushing defeat at Zanmen, so there's no need to take your anger out on me! My eldest brother has been in seclusion for a long time, yet he was summoned out by your unfounded order and still obeyed your command to go to Ruzhou... Instead of receiving an apology from Lord Jiang, you're the one who should be scolding us."

He said coldly:

"I await an explanation from Lord Jiang for me, for my master, and for Lotus Temple!"

For some reason, he seemed to be back at the Zanmen Gate, standing at the location of the Gongsun Stele. Looking at this vast, chaotic scene, the resentment in his heart vanished like flowing water, leaving only an empty sense of unease.

'This is inhuman work!'

He cultivated the Dao at Jiangtou with astonishing speed, climbing to this position in less than three hundred years, which is considered extremely fast among Buddhist cultivators. He went out with great vigor to restrain the Seven Phases, but now he is truly powerless, silently taking his seat, and surprisingly does not rebuke Ming Meng.

After a long while, the Maha Path appeared on the other side, in the position of the Compassion Path.

"Lord Jiang, news has come from the east that the Immortal Qi has disappeared. Zanmen must be on guard, ready to go out and meet him at any time..."

'Where has the primordial energy disappeared?'

Upon hearing this, the monks exchanged bewildered glances, their hearts pounding with shock.

Yang Ruiyi has arrived in Luoyang!

Upon hearing this, Jiang Toushou felt an even greater emptiness in his heart. Yang Ruiyi was now a Great True Person, possessing a myriad of earth-shattering treasures of primordial energy. Back then, Guangchan's precious teeth were isolated by the Guzhou Cauldron...

Now that Luoyang has been emptied and Yang Ruiyi has arrived with the Exiled Qi, from this moment on, there's no need to expect Zanmen to send anyone to support Jiang Fuwang of Mianchi!

He knew he was completely powerless, so he could only sit quietly in his seat, remaining silent until the noise below subsided slightly. Only then did he hear Jiang Toushou say softly:
"Fellow Daoists, I, Jiang, descended the mountain to take command. I am not among the Seven Phases, and I have no territory or foundation to speak of. I have no conflict with that White Qilin. I only did my best to protect the interests of my Buddhist sect..."

"From the Three Rivers to Huaibei, and then from Huaibei back to Guanzhong, we are now unable to leave Zanmen. You all know how much effort you have put in."

He was extremely disappointed, stood up, and sneered:

"I believe the White Qilin's momentum is unstoppable. From now on... everyone should mind their own business and see who suffers first!"

His words resonated deeply, causing the only compassionate Daoist Maha, who was truly attentive, to frown slightly. However, he glanced at Ming Meng on the lotus throne and shrugged, saying with equal sneer:
"Oh, now you know how to call it White Qilin!"