Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1288 Transformation
"Wangyue Lake...is a good place."

Dark clouds drifted across the sky, shrouding the lake island in night. In the distance, buildings shone brightly. An old man dressed as a fisherman stood on the shore, gazing silently for a long time before saying:

"The changes were so drastic that I no longer recognized them."

Xiao Yuansi, following behind, lowered his head and couldn't help but look at the snow-capped peaks to the north. A magnificent gatehouse stood on the north bank of Wangyue Lake. He also saw a streak of light streak across the sky. The alchemist said:
"This is the Zhouwu Gate. There are six gates in the Li family territory, all guarded by direct descendants. This gate faces north. Upon seeing the junior's figure, you should go and report to the Master."

Xiao Chuting nodded slightly and waited quietly. After a short while, a beam of bright sunlight pierced through the water and manifested on the lake's surface, revealing the figure in the white-gold Daoist robe. He bowed and said:
"Greetings, senior!"

He bowed and turned to Xiao Yuansi beside him, saying eagerly:
"I've met Master!"

The person who came was naturally Li Ximing.

Xiao Yuansi's feelings for Li Ximing were obvious, but upon seeing him, the sorrow in her heart lessened considerably, and a gentle smile appeared in her eyes as she said:

"As your supernatural powers advance, I, Xiao, am honored!"

Xiao Yuansi was always polite and courteous, even as a master, he never acted arrogantly in front of Zifu. Li Ximing bowed deeply and said nothing more, saying:

"King Wei is already waiting for Master Xiao in the palace."

Xiao Chuting took a step forward, without any apparent supernatural response, yet he traversed water without leaving a trace and locked the ground in place, drifting lightly southward. He quickly arrived before the Purple-Gold Mystic Pillar, where Li Ximing led him inside. He heard the old master laugh and say:
"Lake Island... Wangyue Lake Market, I came here before. I told them that this place has the foundation of a clan, and it would be a waste to turn it into a market. Sure enough."

Li Ximing said:

"Thanks to the extraordinary abilities of our predecessors and the support of the Yu family, my family was able to obtain this place."

"Yu Yufeng..."

Xiao Chuting raised his eyebrows, as if those were things from a long time ago, and said softly:

“Even if it weren’t for me, Xiao Chuting, there would be someone else. Once this person has cultivated to the Jade True Foundation Establishment stage, none of them can be allowed to live. Before the Shangyuan True Monarch attains enlightenment, they should all perish.”

Li Ximing vaguely remembered what happened back then, but now it was somewhat blurry. He said:
"It is widely rumored that these minor cultivators on the lake are afraid that they will become nourishment for the True Lord."

Xiao Chuting shook his head and smiled:

"Yes and no, the key is actually the [Qingyi Yuanxinyi]. Under the cover of such a supreme treasure, even a True Monarch cannot fathom it. Back then, Yu Yufeng's path of cultivation was destroyed early on, but he was also a persistent person. He gritted his teeth and insisted on continuing to cultivate. So, seeing that his cultivation level had increased, he couldn't explain it to his superiors, so he simply disposed of him first."

Li Ximing said:

"There's also a member of the Fei family."

"It was all just something I did casually."

Not bad.

Whether it was resolving a major concern for the Li family or bringing unexpected disasters to the Yu and Fei families, the ever-changing winds and towering waves on the lake, in the end, were caused by nothing more than a casual act by the perpetrator.

In a few words, they arrived at the main hall. The pale golden doors slowly opened, and a young man sat at the head of the hall, dressed in black with golden eyes, quietly reading a Taoist book. It was as if an invisible sunset was hanging behind him, causing the light of the entire hall to surge onto him.

This was the first time Xiao Chuting had seen this white unicorn, and he couldn't help but take a few more glances at it.

Li Zhouwei was also observing him.

Xiao Chuting's aura was extremely concealed, making him appear like an ordinary old man, wearing a straw raincoat and bamboo hat, seemingly inconspicuous. However, under his golden eyes, this old master's frail and aged body exuded an extremely dangerous aura.

A dense, pitch-black aura of Kan Water supernatural power was gathering within his body, seemingly about to burst forth at any moment, yet there was also a vague sense of imperfection...

'Perfected supernatural powers? It seems so, yet it doesn't…'

The King of Wei frowned secretly:

'So fast…'

In his opinion, Xiao Chuting's talent should not be considered good, otherwise he would not have reached the Purple Mansion stage at nearly three hundred years old. But now, at two hundred years old, his speed of surpassing the Five Divine Powers is definitely worthy of being called a genius!

"Greetings, King Wei."

Although Xiao Chuting was the first to promote the Li family's supernatural powers, and could be addressed as a senior by Li Tongya, and was a perfected Grand Master, he did not act arrogantly when he met the white Qilin, but was polite and calm.

"Senior Xiao."

Li Zhouwei smiled slightly:
"I've admired you for a long time."

Li Ximing saw this and simply helped Xiao Yuansi up, saying:
"Master...please!"

The doors of the main hall immediately closed, the great formation was activated, and for a moment only two people remained in the empty hall—a Great Master with perfected Kan Water Divine Power and the King of Wei who awed the north and south.

The white unicorn descended the golden steps and said softly:
"The Xiao family has been separated from Jiangnan for many years. It is rare to see an elder visit us today, but you have already achieved the pinnacle of supernatural powers!"

Xiao Chuting's eyes held a hint of admiration as he said:

“King Wei is half right. The Xiao family still has bloodlines in Jiangnan. The Wu family in Lixia is actually a descendant of my elder brother Xiao Chuwu. They stayed in Jiangnan in case the Song court needs them.”

Li Zhouwei's expression changed, and he couldn't help but nod:
"Impressive, completely without a trace."

Xiao Chuting shook his head and laughed, saying:

"This wasn't my plan... it just happened to be used, as for achieving perfect supernatural powers..."

He suddenly smiled without saying a word, his eyes full of profound meaning. The King of Wei's gaze gradually hardened as he said:

"The position of 'Kan Shui'?"

Upon hearing this, the old man wearing a straw raincoat gradually smiled and said leisurely:
"King Wei has a good eye."

He stepped forward, and the boundless, oppressive light of the "Kanshui" that had been weighing on him finally rippled outwards, plunging the entire hall into darkness. The surging water leaped up and transformed into an incredibly precipitous waterfall that cascaded down.

Five streams converge!

In that instant, he no longer resembled an old man from the common folk. The endless, dark water spirit cast a shadow over his face, and iridescent colors, like snakes and dragons, surrounded his face. His pupils were pitch black, captivating the soul.

His words were soft and eerie:

"Indeed, I desire the position of Kan Fruit. The 'Vast Ocean' that Xi Ming sent me, in fact, I have not cultivated to perfection. Is it so or not?"

Xiao Chuting laughed loudly:
"The King of Wei must also know about the incident at Kan River."

“In ancient times, there was a change of the abyss, which took away a supernatural power of the Fu River and put it into the Kan River, which became the ‘vast sea’ of the Kan River. This supernatural power is said to belong to the Fu River and was originally called ‘Guangjun Lake’.”

"It can also be called 'Life-Nourishing Dragon' - it is two sides of the same coin."

The old man's smile faded, and as he spoke, the surrounding magical atmosphere changed continuously, transforming into mountains and rivers, as if jet-black dragons were swimming within them. He said:

"Since the upheaval, the rivers have become stagnant and the lakes have dried up. This 'life-sustaining dragon' was forced to leave the water and escape into the river, becoming the 'Jing Dragon King.' Meanwhile, 'Guangjun Lake,' nourished by the river, became the 'vast sea'..."

"The result of all this is that Kan water is in harmony, and Fu water is like a female, which also gives the supernatural power of 'Kan water' a completely different characteristic."

The old man smiled and said:

"Your Majesty, you may not know this, but I have long ago attained the Four Supernatural Powers. The 'Kan Water' has a tendency to be unsuitable for intercalary months, and it also makes its immortal Kan not possess the Three Supernatural Powers, but the Four Supernatural Powers—because the 'Kan Water' possesses the Six Supernatural Powers!"

Li Zhouwei's eyes gradually brightened. After pondering for a long time, he praised:
"I see!"

The old man said quietly:

"This hurdle has blocked me for a long time. Strictly speaking, I should have cultivated six supernatural powers to be considered to have perfected my supernatural powers, but the last one... I can no longer complete it."

King Wei said:
"But it's too late?"

Xiao Chuting's words were tinged with melancholy:
"I do not have much time left, but I still had a chance to fight back earlier, and that is only half the reason."

"The reason for the remaining half lies in the dragon genus."

His tone finally softened:
"When the rivers and lakes meet, they form the 'vast sea.' The Kan water has taken over the vastness, and it was the dragon's power that brought about this, which led to the sign of the water merging. I consulted the master, and this 'Kan water' has the fruit of Yi, which can be verified by the unprecedented Six Supernatural Powers. Neither the Daoist tradition nor the method of seeking gold can obtain it, and there is no precedent for it. Some people have tried, but they have all failed."

"Actually, there is only one way to prove this."

Xiao Chuting said calmly:
"Find a way to return the vast ocean."

"Once the Fushui River has been verified, at the moment I attain enlightenment and the 'Kanshui' fruition is felt, I can simultaneously draw upon the vast ocean to stop the 'Kanshui' River from overflowing. Then I can use the ancient method of seeking gold to seek the Dao normally, thereby becoming the True Lord of Kanshui!"

He said regretfully:

"But the waterway in the prefecture was already incomplete, and the dragon clan guarded it very closely, so it had long been vacant!"

Li Zhouwei remained silent, while Xiao Chuting said calmly:
"Or, first prove the convergence of water, then find an opportunity to take advantage of the general trend and carry out the transformation from the position of convergence of water to obtain the Kan water."

Li Zhouwei's eyes flickered slightly:
"Transformation?"

Xiao Chuting's expression was solemn:
“The correct nature is to ascend, which is called fruit; partial benefit is called surplus; intermittent arrangement is called intercalary; these are matters of supernatural power.”

“When the throne is changed, it is called ‘transfer’; when it is used to assist the successor, it is called ‘shift’; when it is used to usurp the throne, it is called ‘change’; this is the matter of honoring and cultivating virtue.”

"The so-called transformation and change means that the water element, having gained power and influence, seizes the Kan position!"

Li Zhouwei's pupils dilated as he stared intently at him.

Xiao Chuting spoke calmly, but what he said was anything but ordinary, and definitely not something a rogue cultivator of the Purple Mansion could hear. Even some direct descendants of the Golden Core might not understand it so clearly!

There must be a powerful figure behind him! And perhaps not just any ordinary one!

Xiao Chuting didn't hold back, and said quietly:

"Throughout history, countless geniuses have achieved the status of immortals, and many have attained the highest level of cultivation through transformation. Some are as noble as the sun, some have performed divine transformations, some are as mysterious as gathering wood, some have taken on immortal positions through killing, and some have even achieved the Dao in ways that the ancients could not have imagined. No matter how many ancient books are searched, they cannot be described."

“To write a commentary on Zhiyue is called ‘Yan’, and to write a line of characters for Jin is called ‘Jie’… These are all people who have never existed in tens of thousands of years.”

His shock was submerged in the gold of his pupils. He quietly memorized everything the other person said, and Xiao Chuting smiled:

"In short, if supernatural powers cannot traverse a path, then only the Golden Elixir can. The Intercalary Water is simply impossible, and since the Dragon has occupied the Harmony position, it controls the Kan position!"

Upon hearing this, Li Zhouwei understood everything.

'No wonder the Dragon Clan ignored him! No wonder Jin Yi said he couldn't succeed!'

'He's attempting to achieve the Golden Elixir using his Purple Mansion body; how could he possibly succeed!'

Li Zhouwei glanced at him quietly:
"Since attaining the highest level of enlightenment in the Kan Shui realm is so difficult, why does the senior have no desire for any other position?"

Xiao Chuting looked at him with a smile:

"That's right. Logically speaking, I am not fully capable of all things. Seeking the rest is my only way out. Before I arrived in Cangzhou, I held this thought in my heart."

"Does Your Majesty still remember when I said that if the Kan position receives the vast sea, then there will be a sign of water converging?"

Li Zhouwei immediately understood:
"Si Boxiu died in the intercalary month, Dongfang You perished—He Shui Yan Yu!"

Xiao Chuting's smile slowly turned cold:
"After being reminded, I realized that Kan and Yi seem to be in harmony, and the correct position corresponds with the closing position. It neither allows anyone to be a leap year nor likes anyone to be a surplus. The only way is to smash one's head against the fruit position. This is the method by which the Dragon and certain people have been able to keep the Kan position unclaimed and live in peace!"

After he said this, the smile in his eyes gradually turned into sarcasm.

Li Zhouwei finally understood where Jin Yi's confidence came from. His gaze sharpened, and he quietly said:
"If that's the case, what benefit would it bring to the dragon clan if the Kan River were to be adrift and without a master?"

His words were extremely sharp, grasping the crux of the matter in an instant, even directly pointing to the relationship between Xiao Chuting and the dragon, causing the old man to ponder for a long time before finally saying:

"What the dragon needs is the virtue of water, at the very least the virtue of water."

"Of the five waters, the Lu River has been destroyed by the True Dragon. Even though it has been obtained by that one, he is still restless and uneasy. The Fu River has dried up and ceased to exist. Even the only surviving Yin River is hidden and silent. It is only because of its hidden nature that it is not targeted. The He River is the most abundant in the world. This domineering position that loves to gather has an insatiable desire. It is their masterpiece to give the He River the positive nature of the Kan River. They will never allow others to touch it!"

"I am merely a Purple Mansion and do not understand what their ultimate condition for seeking the True Dragon is. However, all knowledgeable people in the world know that, at least before the so-called True Dragon attains enlightenment, they absolutely cannot allow the absolute advantage of He Shui in the Water Virtue to be destroyed."

His eyes were bright, and his words were always precious:

"This is the opportunity for the He Shui Dragon Lord, a peak Golden Core cultivator, to attain enlightenment!"

"Moreover, they want more than just the virtue of water!"

Li Zhouwei nodded slowly, the faces of the group of Chi descendants in his mind becoming clearer and clearer, and quietly said:

"In that case, it is as difficult as ascending to heaven for you to attain enlightenment, senior."

Xiao Chuting smiled but did not answer, yet seemed to have some idea:
'But for Xiao Chuting, no matter how difficult the remaining ranks are, could they be more difficult than the ranks that require the merit of transformation? It seems the True Lord behind him has certain methods and confidence! Has he already written down the method for seeking gold? Or... is there some special secret technique...?'

A name had already crossed his mind.

[The Secret Method of Seeking Transformation for a Hidden Dragon]!
A long silence fell over the main hall. After an unknown amount of time, Li Zhouwei said softly:
"Senior's [Secret Technique for Seeking Transformation by Hidden Dragon] was delivered to the lake by Elder Chen, and I have received it. Chen... was this Senior's doing? Will he lend Senior a hand in Badger County?"

The old man sneered:
"Chen Yin..."

He remained calm and composed.
"This person has obtained my secret method, but he cannot possibly offend Jin Yu, or even the Dragon Clan and those unknown True Lords. No matter how much I reward him or how much I provide, at most he will just pretend to be stupid and stay in Yuyang, waiting for me to finish my Dao attainment."

Li Zhouwei raised his eyebrows and said:

"It seems that you have other plans, senior."

Xiao Chuting said calmly:
"That's right. The fact that he doesn't oppose me is only one reason. Secondly... I gave him the [Hidden Dragon Seeking Transformation Secret Method] to help him try to break through, but it was just to observe how much connection still remained between the 'Fu Water' and the 'Vast Sea'."

The old man turned his head, looking very regretful:
"His failure to break through shows that the 'Vast Ocean' has now gone far ahead of the 'Fu River,' no wonder Chen Xuanli failed."

Li Zhouwei then understood:
He's using Chen Yin as a test subject!

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival everyone!