Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1301 Kanlu
Li Jiangqian nodded with a smile, secretly observing his supernatural abilities, and asked:

"Wow, so fast...it hasn't even been twenty years yet."

The duration of ignorance varies. Some say it can be resolved by relying on the wisdom of the Dao, while others say it is related to fate. However, it is not always effective. Often, only direct disciples of the Golden Elixir lineage have one or two methods. When it comes to others, even those with supernatural powers, they end up in ignorance until death. All we can say is that life is impermanent.

Throughout history, ignorance and enlightenment have shaped countless paths, while granting countless opportunities for good fortune. Li Jiangliang's actions over the past twenty years have truly placed him among the most egregious examples.

But upon hearing his elder brother's words, he could only manage a bitter smile and said:

"Brother, please don't make fun of me. The light of martial arts has the effect of reducing ignorance. Before I broke through, an elder took me on a spiritual journey through the void, so I didn't gain much benefit. I struggled for a long time, but it still took twenty years. If I were at home, I would really be out of the running!"

Compared to his elder brothers and sisters, Jiang Liang can only be considered dull-witted and lacking in good fortune.

Li Jiangqian was perfectly clear in his heart—whatever other people's methods of reducing ignorance or traveling in the void were like the various spiritual medicines they took during their seclusion to break through. Whether they were a little more or a little less, how could they compare to his own?
The talisman spun around, and the entire realm of ignorance vanished without a trace!

Fortunately, the exact timing of Li Jiangqian's breakthrough was quite unclear to outsiders. He deliberately paid attention and chuckled:
"You and I are only about equal, there's no need to be modest. When it comes to the greatest fortune, Grand Uncle is naturally number one."

He turned his gaze, and said with considerable interest:

"You've become the Spirit Fire?"

The two techniques were identical, and Li Jiangliang understood what he was talking about. He immediately flipped his hand and revealed a handful of dim flames.

The fire was yellowish-white, quite deep and rich, reflecting a bright silver amber color, somewhat similar to Li Jiangqian's "Southern Bright Heart Fire," but it seemed to have a touch of white mixed in, making it less vibrant.

Li Jiangqian was slightly surprised and said:
"Not bad..."

Although Li Jiangliang's spiritual fire was not comparable to his current one, it was slightly stronger than the one he had condensed when he first achieved enlightenment!
Li Jiangliang nodded quickly and smiled:

"This fire is born from the response to life. My life has been enhanced by martial arts training, so it naturally has more power!"

This was naturally far inferior to Li Jiangqian's, but it was still a decent starting point. Li Jiangqian then understood and nodded thoughtfully. Li Ximing stepped forward, exchanged a few pleasantries, and as usual, took out some pills for him, saying:

"I usually have some surplus from refining pills. These are all your brothers and sisters, so you must not refuse them."

Li Jiangliang had no choice but to accept it, and Li Jiangqian finally asked:
"Did Jiang Liang bring any orders with him this time...?"

Li Jiangliang, of course, would first visit the lake after his breakthrough, but the timing was so close to the appointment made by Li Zhouwei and Xiao Chuting years ago that Li Jiangqian couldn't help but have some suspicions. He simply asked, and sure enough, Li Jiangliang nodded slightly and said:

"There is something important I need to discuss with my father and elder brothers."

He paused, then said in a low voice:

"Does anyone on the lake know of Master Xiao's whereabouts?"

Seeing Li Ximing shake his head, the young man silently said:
"He traveled south, met with various old families, and visited the Chen family. He also heard that he had met with the officials in the imperial palace and that things had been arranged. Three months ago, he set off from Jiangnan and headed north, and no one knows where he went."

Li Jiangqian's gaze gradually turned serious as he asked:

"What are your thoughts within the Imperial Palace?"

Li Jiangliang pondered for a moment and said:

"The Great General has long desired the Xi Clan, but for many years he has only regretted not having the opportunity to subdue them. Now that the [Dalingchuan] has come into being, the Great General intends to use the opportunity within it to... obtain Chunyi's obedience."

"At least nominally."

The young man was not surprised:

'Yang Ruiyi's efforts in Luoyang must have had a reason; it turns out it was for Chunyi…'

He whispered:

"Could there be a conflict with Master Xiao?"

In fact, this one sentence already revealed the attitude of the lake. Li Jiangliang sighed inwardly, but said outwardly:

"What they want is 'Fushui' (府水), which doesn't seem like there will be any major conflicts, but what about Master Xiao... do Father and Brother really intend to get involved?"

His gaze was enigmatic as he said:

"It's said he's not going to succeed; we hope his family will handle this matter carefully..."

Li Jiangqian understood that he must have heard something to be so certain; the phrase "it is said" was definitely not as simple as it sounded. The young man sighed and shook his head, saying:

“Jiang Liang, Master Xiao’s kindness to my family is as heavy as a mountain. Without Master Xiao… there would be no Li family today!”

Li Jiangqian had a very accurate grasp of his younger brother's character. Li Jiangliang knew a lot, and he might not listen to Li Jiangliang's analysis of the pros and cons, but the four words "a debt of gratitude as heavy as a mountain" were enough to subdue him.

Li Jiangliang could only cup his hands in greeting and reply:

"I understand. Father has only recently mastered the third supernatural power and has already suffered such a serious injury. He should not be injured again. I will do my best."

He composed himself and said softly:
"I also brought orders for all of you to proceed to Luoyang, station yourselves in Liangchuan, and prepare to enter Badger County."

Li Jiangqian squinted and said:

"now?"

"Right now!"

Li Jiangliang's expression was solemn as he said:
"There's already movement in Western Shu, and people from the Great Mu Dharma Realm are heading south. The General's intention is... at this critical juncture, to ensure that the foundation of Luoyang remains unshaken, it would be best if the King of Wei personally guarded it!"

Li Ximing's heart skipped a beat.

Although Li Zhouwei didn't explicitly say he wanted to ascend to the Purple Realm, having obtained the [Mingzhen Heshen Pill] from Li Ximing, he naturally had some understanding of what the Prince of Wei was doing. Before he could answer, Li Jiangqian naturally frowned and said:
"To be honest, the family is currently considering building a grand structure, and your cousin has been preparing for this for a long time. We can't act rashly... As for Father..."

Li Jiangqian remained expressionless and said in a low voice:
“He recovered from his injuries a few years ago and went out to visit Xuan Tao. He only returned to seclusion a year ago to cultivate important techniques. I was in seclusion at the time, so we didn’t meet.”

He whispered:

"I estimate that he probably plans to ambush Bei Xiu and Bei Shi before the opening of [Da Ling Chuan].

The envoy before him, Fengzhen Guangyun, possessed a keen grasp of the situation and nodded in deep agreement, whispering:
"If Father has any plans, he can send a message to the General. He is currently guarding Luoyang and is very vigilant. He also hopes to eliminate one or two powerful enemies to deter other cultivators."

If Li Zhouwei hadn't gone into seclusion, this would naturally be the best choice now—ambushing one or two Northern cultivators would be in the interests of many. But the situation is different now. Li Jiangqian not only doesn't gamble in the underworld but also supports Xiao Chuting, even deceiving his younger brother along with him.

Li Jiangliang, without suspicion, nodded deeply and said...
"In that case, I will go to Luoyang to report first and await good news from the lake."

Li Jiangqian's eyes held a smile, but he had already made his plans in his mind:

'We currently know nothing about Badger County, which is detrimental to our subsequent actions. Besides, we should use this as an excuse to go there... firstly, to assess the strength of the various factions, and secondly, with [Cha You] present, we might gain some unexpected insights.'

'After some time, if no news comes from the lake, Yang Ruiyi will surely come to inquire. I will take this opportunity to pretend to return to the lake to discuss things, and leave the information I have obtained with my father…'

His smile grew even brighter:
"I'll pack up here and then go see the General."

……

The vast marshland was shrouded in darkness, and the dense forests were towering and lush.

The distant clouds undulated and drifted across the sky. A small shadow appeared over the southern wilderness. It was pitch black at first, but it kept moving northward and soon a hint of blue could be seen.

An old man wearing a straw raincoat walked slowly, seemingly with uneven steps, making his way through the deep swamp. Yet, though slow, he moved swiftly, quickly traversing the desolate wilderness and over countless ruins before stepping into this deep swamp.

Xiao Chuting gazed at her silently for a moment.

When Xiao Chuting was young, he was trapped in Jiangnan and came to Jianghuai very few times. He only had two memorable visits. One was when Shangyuan Zhenjun entered Xu with his sword when he was in the Purple Mansion, which made Xiao Chuting realize what a sword immortal was. The other was because of Li Tongya.

This Li family cultivator left a deep impression on him, but his feelings were actually quite complicated.

Because of the inheritance within his clan, Xiao Chuting knew about the existence of the [Dalingchuan] a long time ago, and he also knew the secrets of the [Jianghe Dalingjing]. He and Chen Taoping were quite close friends.

Otherwise, the other party wouldn't have entrusted his own younger brother, Chen Taojing, to him!
As for the [Jianghe Dalingjing], Xiao Chuting had seen it when he visited Wangyue Lake before it was breached. In fact, many of Chen Taoping's spells were taught to him by Xiao Chuting. After the destruction of the Lingyu Sect, most of its contents were obtained by Xiao Xianyou. Without exaggeration, Xiao Chuting knew more about the Lingyu legacy and the [Dalingchuan] than the descendants of the Chen family!
At the Xiao family's banquet of supernatural powers, Li Tongya came to the Xiao family. Xiao Chuting, through a secret method of sensing, actually knew that the [River and River Great Mausoleum Scripture] was on this cultivator surnamed Li! He even guessed the Golden Dao lineage's plans for him, but he didn't want to easily alert him!

"Back then, several capable individuals went into seclusion. Jin Yi, having fallen into the hands of that good-for-nothing Tian Yuan, was overconfident in having me under his control, and wasn't afraid that I would discover his schemes... He even thought I wouldn't be able to see through them at all..."

There was a sneer in his eyes.

'The current Su Yan is nothing but a counterfeit, and even that is out of place.'

If it weren't for the adults' repeated moves, Li Tongya would be in Su Yan's position today, truly becoming Xiao Chuting's opponent—and Xiao Chuting would never have let him come to this.

'If he hadn't come from Wangyue Lake, if it weren't for the adults around, perhaps... I would have been the one to strike first. Between the Xiao and Li families, there would surely be bloodshed and feuds.'

Xiao Chuting witnessed Li Xuanling's involvement in the scheme firsthand, and he was actually relieved. He was relieved that the grand scheme of the cultivators over the past few decades had shielded Jin Yi's calculations. As long as Li Tongya and his son perished at Zhenhui Temple, he wouldn't even have to consider how to deal with that sword immortal afterwards. In order to prevent Jin Yi from interfering and the situation from changing, it wasn't enough for Si Boxiu, who hadn't yet passed the Ginseng Purple stage, to go. Xiao Chuting, who was skilled in the power of destiny, personally oversaw the matter of Li Xuanling!
The slight ripple on the river instantly turned his doubts about Taiyin Yuehua into answers. With Li Tongya dead, Xiao Chuting's attitude changed in an instant.

'It's not that I'm cold-blooded and heartless; in matters of the Dao, even clans and immortal sects disregard their own interests, so why should I concern myself with the rights and wrongs of others?'

He gazed wistfully into the distance, step by step, until another patch of blue appeared in the water's reflection, emerging from the shadows and stopping beside him. Then, he heard the young man's laughter.

"Senior Xiao! It's been a long time."

The young man's voice was clear, yet carried a hint of natural coldness; even with a smile in it, it was still captivating.
“I recognized you immediately, Senior. This [Azure Perilous Raincoat] belonged to Senior Yuanxiu back then. I never imagined that after so many years, it wouldn't have been replaced, but instead would have taken on a completely different aura…”

Xiao Chuting stood with his hands behind his back, without turning around, and said softly:

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for so long."

Only then did they see the emerald light slowly dissipate, revealing the young man with handsome features and a refined, otherworldly air. A string of black beads hung on his white wrist, and his eyes, clear and bright like a pool of water, held a hint of malevolent light.

Chi Buzi.

The Qingchi Sect's missing master, who had been missing for many years, was in excellent spirits at this moment, his eyes smiling, and said:

"It is the old master who knows that I am here and is willing to do me the honor of making a trip."

“You dare not return to Jiangnan. Zhuoshaling is formed from the Lushui River. You wish you could flee to a place 108,000 miles away. Only this place, called Shuize, is suitable. It is close to the north, and it is convenient for you to come and go.”

Xiao Chuting looked at him with admiration, scrutinized him carefully, and said softly:
"I thought that after a century apart, with your supernatural powers fully developed, you must have changed..."

Back then, Xiao Chuting endured for many years and announced to all families that Chi Buzhi had come to offer his congratulations. Two hundred years had passed since they last met, yet Chi Buzhi still had those cold and ruthless eyes, and was still that hypocritical and fickle person, as evil as iron, without the slightest change. The old man even felt a sense of disorientation.

He couldn't help but laugh:

"You're still the same, single-mindedly devoted to immortality, regarding human morality and worldly karma as dirt. The Chi family has come to this end, and you haven't been moved in the slightest. Those old people who hugged you, those young people who called you uncle, and those teenagers who took you as their role model—all of them have been disappointed. Chi Buzhi... you're far more ruthless than Chi Wei. No wonder you've come this far!"

"They died a worthy death, I don't care."

Chi Buzhi completely ignored his words, even too lazy to listen, and smiled with his hands behind his back:

“But that’s Dalingchuan! A place where the virtue of water flourished in ancient times. The old master knew I would definitely come back and would definitely look for you... I also know that the old master needs me and there is a great opportunity for cooperation.”

The blue-eyed youth showed no sign of contemplation, but smiled quite naturally:

"Even setting aside this opportunity, Senior is going to prove the Kan Water, which is the proper position of Water. Even if I am thousands of miles away, I will rush back to see how Xiao Chuting proves the Dao!"

Xiao Chuting chuckled.

The two walked north for a while, the water beneath their feet growing increasingly dark. Chi Buzhi's smile remained unchanged as he asked:

"Did the real person come from the lake?"

Xiao Chuting gazed at him intently for a moment, then said calmly and in a hoarse voice:

"good."

One was the shrewd and calculating Master Kan Shui, who roamed the Jiangnan region and was known for his profound and unfathomable thoughts; the other was the unconventional and ruthless Master Lu Shui, the number one genius of the Chi family in three hundred years. They both stopped at the moment the words were spoken.

The two great cultivators who stood at the pinnacle of supernatural powers in this world fell silent, as if the ceaseless flow of time had condensed into this instant. The only change was the corner of the eerie youth's mouth slowly curving upwards, and the smile in his pupils.