Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1293 Yingzhen
This ancient item from Wei Li was truly different from those of today. Unlike the storage bags commonly used nowadays, it resembled an accessory, lying sparkling in the palm of one's hand, which caught Li Jiangqian's eye.

However, when he used his spiritual sense to probe inside, he found that the supernatural powers inside were locked very tightly, which made him, who was always cautious, hesitate.

'If it were a modern storage bag, one could tear it open with supernatural powers, connect it to the void, and retrieve anything. But this is an ancient artifact; who knows if any methods were left behind…'

Li Quewan extinguished the fire, leaped over, and smiled:

"Rare indeed, it's actually a [Guardian of the Floating Flame]."

Li Jiangqian wasn't particularly interested in the peony; he only looked at its shape before nodding in satisfaction and sighing:
"I won't let my great-uncle go empty-handed."

Then she saw her brother extend his hand and hand her the item. The woman took it, turned it over to examine it closely, and quickly said:
"The matter of storage is rumored to be related to 'Xiaojin'. That lord attained enlightenment in ancient times and lived a carefree life away from the world, without any ups and downs. Storage devices have existed throughout history... This is the item created by 'Xiaojin'."

Her "Complete Elixir" technique wasn't good at combat, but she could always connect with various Daoist traditions, and she was also close to Jin De. After a moment's thought, she continued:

"Actually, it's not difficult to open."

She smiled and said:
"As the saying goes, 'Qi Jin holds and stores, while Xiao Jin contains and contains.' They look similar, but the differences are significant. Qi Jin is similar to He Shui, both being domineering. Once swallowed, it is unwilling to be released. In ancient times, it was used to make magical artifacts for collecting weapons. Xiao Jin, on the other hand, can both collect and release, remaining unmoved by favor or disgrace, and avoiding karmic consequences. That's why it's used for storage..."

"Once the master is gone, it will be much easier to activate."

Then she made a hand seal, touched several points on the stone ring, then pinched some metal, dipped it in green water, and applied it to several acupoints, chanting:

"The vault must be locked up, the treasure is not gold, since we are already in the mortal world, why live in seclusion?"

As the iridescent light of "Hou Shen Shu" flowed, protrusions appeared on the stone ring, seemingly responding and trying to fall into "Hou Shen Shu". After only the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, all the objects poured out!

"Great!"

Li Jiangqian praised him, while Li Quewan spread his sleeves and collected all the miscellaneous items that came in, leaving only the Purple Mansion level items that remained unmoved.

Surprisingly, the most numerous items were scrolls and jade slips of all sizes!

Li Jiangqian picked one up casually and felt its soft texture. The scroll was like gold woven with dense patterns, and it seemed strangely familiar. In just an instant, he realized that he had seen something similar before.
'Grand Uncle's [Radiant Qilin Refining Technique]!'

The scroll before me was at least 70% similar to the [Radiant Qilin Refining Method]. It was even a little warm in my hand. Without any defenses, with just a gentle shake, the golden characters inside were all revealed.

【Xuan Yang Li Shu Jing】!
The young man glanced at it and was surprised to find that it was a Mingyang Zifu cultivation technique, and the supernatural power it produced was called "Gu Shuyu".

'I've never heard of this before…'

He was instantly intrigued, observed carefully, and pondered for a long time before drawing a conclusion:
"So it's the 'Crimson Arrowhead'... It must have been made by the Zhaoyuan Immortal Mansion, a lower-level divine power specifically issued to Mingyang cultivators..."

Although Li Jiangqian cultivated the Li Fire, he had carefully studied several of Mingyang's supernatural abilities:

"The so-called 'Gu Shuyu' is less murderous and scheming than 'Chi Duan Zu'. It appears bright and obedient. The extreme power of killing traitors from afar and betraying the king has become a subordinate position of being ordered to suppress traitors. It only takes the characteristics of riding the shadows to cross the road and acting like the wind. It only gets the form but not the spirit."

Although this item is no longer of much use, it is still an excellent choice whether to give it to his two elders for reference or to his subordinates for cultivation. He immediately put it away and turned around, only to find that his younger sister was holding a red scroll and staring at it longingly.

"This is…"

"Can't open..."

Li Jiangqian was Li Zhouwei's biological son, so opening the first two scrolls was naturally a piece of cake for him. Li Quewan, however, was turned away and felt a little embarrassed. Li Jiangqian's golden eyes flickered slightly, and he chuckled as he took the scroll. He found that this scroll was quite special, as it was entirely crimson and decorated with patterns of leaping flames.

With a slight tremor, he heard the densely packed scroll in his hand unfurl with a whoosh:
【The Mysterious Father Heavenly Peony Scripture】!
A look of surprise appeared in his eyes:
"It's actually the Way of the Fire Ox! It seems quite advanced, it's the 'Father of the High Mound'..."

He casually handed it to his sister, and the two siblings divided the work and sorted it out one by one, only then realizing that the Taoist knowledge on this person was truly astonishing.

'Mingyang Divine Power, 'Visiting the Heavenly Gate,' 'Eternal Brightness Steps,' 'Illuminating the Heart,' 'Looking at the Imperial Carriage'...'

'Mingyang is one thing, but there are also the 'Gaoling Father' and 'Shouyue' of the Muhuo constellation.'

In addition, there are quite a few refining methods and elixir formulas, and there is even a secret method called the "Second Manifestation of the True Manifestation Method".

This method was not recorded on a scroll, but on a square piece of brocade, which was placed in a vermilion box and preserved with extreme care.

Li Jiangqian read it over. The main idea of ​​this method was to use the wondrous power of Mingyang to verify the true fire, thereby generating the technique. It seemed like a trick. The young man pondered for a moment and said:

"This person may have escaped from somewhere. These things should be the Daoist scriptures from another region. He took them with him before he left, but unfortunately his injuries were too severe, and he never handed them over before he died."

Li Quewan, however, was very interested in this "Second Manifestation of the True Manifestation Method." She tried to perform the method by making hand seals, but after a while, she could only produce a flame the size of a thumb, which made her look strange and full of doubt.

She said strangely:

"Perhaps my cultivation is too shallow to understand the subtlety of this method, or perhaps this method is incompatible with the world today. Even with my supernatural powers, I can only sense a tiny spark. Judging from this, let alone supernatural combat, it would be too weak even for a Qi Refining cultivator to use."

Her words piqued Li Jiang's interest. He read the silk scroll, then stretched out his hand and tried twice before finally seeing a spark between his fingers.

Li Jiangqian frowned and said:
"Indeed peculiar."

He wondered:
"This technique is obscure and has extremely poor effects. It looks familiar to me. Perhaps it is the ancient immortal's method of cultivating one's inner energy and nourishing oneself with the essence of the universe. Our Purple Gold lineage is unable to use it."

The two studied it for a while but couldn't unravel its mystery, so they had to put it away for the time being.

It seems that most of the other items this person possessed were used up when he was seriously injured. Only two portions of Geng metal spiritual resources [Autumn Dew] and one portion of water spiritual item [Nine Sons Combined Feathers] were truly useless and survived.

【Autumn Dew】is located in the Geng Metal element, which Li Quewan can use. This 【Nine-Child Feather Combination】is a fine item, about the size of a palm, with an extremely rich water element; it's definitely not an ordinary thing. Li Jiangqian handed it all to her, saying:

"Creating a secret realm is important. This item will surely be favored by the Liao Luo Zhenren of Qu Si. You should take it first; it will surely be useful."

Beyond the cultivation techniques, there were also secret methods, mental cultivation manuals, and even travelogues and anecdotes. These, having been passed down for a long time, were actually quite valuable. Li Quewan treasured them all and collected them. Only then did Kuang Hong ride the wind forward and whisper:

"The earth's veins have been stirred. I will take charge of this area and work to regulate the fire veins."

The Li family possesses the "Summoning Method of Concealing the Mysterious Beams," which can actually collect spiritual energy. If they had prepared the "Heavenly Nurturing Jar," they might have been able to collect some spiritual resources. However, the Li family's purpose was certainly not these few spiritual resources. Que Wan even took out a box and instructed:
"There should have been a cultivator specializing in the Mu Fire to nourish the earth veins, but there is no such cultivator in the family. King Wei obtained three parts of Mu Fire spiritual resources from the secret realm. You can prepare these for now. If there are any unstable areas in the earth veins, you can add one or two parts to make them abundant and uniform!"

At most, this spiritual essence can be refined into a dozen or so pills, but if it is properly nurtured in one place, it can support more than just one Purple Mansion. Kuang Hong also understood the key to this and nodded in a deep voice.

Li Jiangqian smiled and said:
"You followed your father north, so you should naturally be rewarded. He was in seclusion before his injuries healed, and he had already ordered us to exchange for spiritual resources to match your Dao. I cannot overstep my bounds, so I have only done my best to collect them and will give them to you when he comes out of seclusion."

Both Li Zhouwei and Li Jiangqian remembered this matter. However, with the establishment of the Li family's secret realm Xuantao imminent, supporting Xuantao was naturally the top priority. There was also the Dalingchuan matter to attend to later, so they decided to wait until both matters were settled together and then use the surplus to make a reward.

Kuang Hong was utterly ashamed upon hearing this, and bowed, saying:
"Your Highness's praise of my merits is truly undeserved. In the matter of Luoyang, if it weren't for Prince Wei, many of us would have been injured or killed. Prince Wei, all alone, fought so fiercely that the entire Luoyang region trembled with fear. We, following behind, were merely waiting in different places. Since we couldn't see where the merits were, how could we have the face to receive any rewards..."

He sighed softly, then collected the spiritual funds and rode the wind down. Li Jiangqian's smile widened as he said:
"Master Yin's sincerity is truly rare."

Just as Li Quewan was about to speak, he suddenly noticed the flames roaring in the south, their color reaching the sky, and he could faintly hear laughter. He immediately turned around, both surprised and delighted, and laughed:

"The fire oyster has landed, and Grand Uncle has been saved!"

As if in response to her words, clouds drifted across the southern sky, accompanied by the cry of a phoenix, and streaks of golden light shot straight into the heavens. The two immortals quickly moved over and saw the old man, Ji'an, with a flushed face and a beaming smile, clutching his chest and sighing, almost in tears, saying:
"Fellow Daoist Li! Fellow Daoist Li... this time it has finally succeeded!"

"It's done!"

Li Ximing, riding on the light of the heavens, held a jade box in his hand and laughed:
"congratulations!"

Ji An's trembling hands took it, gently opened it, and glanced at it briefly. Inside, a crimson pill with golden patterns sat upright. Feeling the surging spiritual energy of the celestial fire emanating from it, he said in a hoarse voice:
"Yes...yes...it's finally done!"

The Li family had no feelings about it. Ji An had been restless and anxious on Wangyue Lake for the past few years. He was worried every moment. If there was a war, he was afraid that someone would attack the lake and destroy his elixir. He was also afraid that he would have to rely on the Li family and would have to take action, which would eventually lead to his death.

Now that the clouds have parted and the moon is shining, and the journey to the heavens is about to begin, how could one not be excited? The old man could only sigh:
“I am deeply sorry to have troubled you, fellow Daoist… These past years have been filled with many complicated matters, and I feel very guilty for keeping you waiting on the lake all this time.”

Li Ximing smiled and shook his head. The old man, seeing the weather in the sky, looked nervous and said:

"Now that the elixir is ready, I must send the [Dangmu Muhuo] over immediately. If I am even a moment late, I will be disrespecting the sect."

The [Dangmu Muhuo] was borrowed from Jin Yi. The upper sect mentioned by Ji An was naturally the Jin Yu Sect. This rogue cultivator was very respectful and did not dare to be negligent for even a moment. He took the spiritual fire from the reluctant Li Ximing and carefully put it away.

He hesitated for a moment, looked at Li Jiangqian, his eyes filled with melancholy and sadness, and said softly:

“I remember Your Highness said that you would also discuss the Dao of Li Huo with me… But now the situation has changed and my lifespan is getting shorter, so I’m afraid I can’t keep my promise.”

"If we meet again, I will surely be endowed with the Four Supernatural Powers and will wholeheartedly impart them to you. If you leave without a sound and disappear without a trace for a hundred years, then I, Wu, have broken my promise and sacrificed myself for the cause. There is no need to worry about it."

Upon hearing this, Li Jiangqian paused slightly, then his face showed a rare sincerity as he said:

"Your senior possesses extraordinary abilities; you are sure to succeed."

Ji An laughed heartily and said:

"I know my own situation. I've heard that the Purple Dew of the Fire Realm isn't considered difficult among the Five Virtues, yet it has still stumped me for over a hundred years, which shows how low my Daoist wisdom is..."

After he finished laughing, he bowed to the three of them.

Li Ximing sighed inwardly, his expression complex. He watched as the man bowed and took his leave, disappearing into the void. Li Ximing silently shook his head and said:

“I think even if he succeeds, he won’t have time to cultivate the fifth supernatural power. He’s not aiming for longevity, but just to fulfill his own wish. He’s a high-level cultivator who seeks the Dao.”

The two remained silent. Whether it was Xiao Chuting or Ji An, the Li family was increasingly in contact with more and more high-ranking cultivators, and their resolve to seek the Dao seemed to grow stronger with each passing year. The atmosphere in the mountains became inexplicably heavy. Li Ximing sensed this and immediately smiled, feigning regret, and joked:

"What a pity... Jin Yi has learned his lesson and is now afraid of me. He insists that Ji An take the flame away after finishing the pill refining, only mentioning pill refining. This [Dangmu Muhu Fire] is truly the best spiritual fire I have ever seen."

Li Quewan and Li Jiangqian looked at each other and smiled. The woman stretched out her slender hand and said with a smile:

"It's not a pity!"

When Li Ximing saw the flame in her palm, he was both surprised and delighted. He gently took it, and the flame that Li Quewan had just captured was instantly refined!

'【Guardian of Ryumu Fire】?'

Li Ximing was both surprised and regretful, and said:
"What a treasure! It's just a pity I'm not good at weapon crafting!"

This [Guardian of the Glazed Mu Fire] is quite famous in the art of weapon crafting. It was more common in ancient times, and was the most frequently used fire by cultivators of the Purple Mansion. Although it doesn't have any special mystical properties, it is highly sought after by Purple Mansion cultivators because of its stable and gentle flame, which allows for long-term crafting.

It is precisely because the flame is stable and gentle that this fire is equally good for alchemy, only it is not as spiritual as the [Three-Holding Mysterious Fire].

But Li Ximing sensed it carefully and realized that the fire before him seemed unusual. He immediately looked up and met Li Quewan's smiling gaze, and sure enough, the woman said:
"This was originally a male fire, which was absorbed into that senior's divine power. It was nurtured in the rolling male fire divine power for a full thousand years, receiving great nourishment and becoming much more vigorous than ordinary fire!"

"I'm afraid it will be hard to find another [Guardian Flame] like this in the world!"

She smiled and said:
"Now, not only has its power increased, but I think its alchemy is also a notch above the [Three-Holding Guardian Profound Fire], and its weapon crafting has also improved a great deal."

Li Ximing nodded repeatedly, praising:

"It was also a matter of chance."

Li Quewan smiled and reminded him:

"However... this has been nurtured for a thousand years. The fire is too strong and can be easily damaged. This fire must be carefully protected and should not be harmed by supernatural powers. If it is not of any use in daily life, it is best to keep it inside the body or in a container to preserve the true nature of this masculine fire!"