Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1329: Distant Mountains
It's getting dark.

Above Juancheng, light rippled, and a bright beam of light sped from the north, quickly stopping before the great formation. It tentatively transmitted a message using its supernatural powers and then waited before the formation.

Ye Hui was making a huge, ruthless calculation in his mind.

'This Sima Yuanli has always been adept at navigating social situations. His storage bag is crammed full of treasures, yet he never takes out a single one. He's learned to protect himself wisely. Today, when I probed him with words, he seemed quite resolute…'

Ye Hui's assassination attempt on Sima Yuanli before his departure was not without reason. Although the Sima family had fallen on hard times, they were once loyal officials of the Zhenwu clan. If the Yang family and the Song emperor wanted to achieve anything, they should not have allowed this man to perish.

'Since he took the lead and dared to follow the King of Wei northward, he must have the support of the Song Emperor and Lady Yang…'

Bai Ziyu didn't distrust the King of Wei's abilities. He might be able to attack but not defend. Once they retreated, without the protection of the exiled Qi, things would be difficult to resolve. If the Yang family supported him, Ye Hui could also unleash his full power.

'Judging by the days, the elixir will be ready soon. After this battle is over, I'll gather some merit to take back, so I can go into seclusion and cultivate, eventually surpassing the Ginseng Purple Realm.'

He waited a while, and then a person emerged from the front of the formation, riding on supernatural powers. He seemed to be in a hurry, and as soon as he saw Ye Hui, his mouth broke into a smile, and he said:
"Bai Ziyu!"

Ye Hui cupped his hands in greeting and laughed:
"So it's Fellow Daoist Sanyi."

These two men knew each other before, and their relationship was one of both rivalry and friendship. Ye Hui had finally caught him in his moment of weakness, so how could he not make a few sarcastic remarks? He took two steps forward and said, his words laced with veiled barbs:

"Oh, Fellow Daoist Qiao has also surrendered!"

Upon seeing the direction he was coming from, Qiao Wenliu immediately understood. He laughed loudly and then cursed:

"It's all thanks to you, Bai, for holding off the reinforcements from Dongchang in the north that I was able to abandon the darkness and embrace the light. It's clear that on the path of surrendering to the Song Dynasty, Fellow Daoist Bai is worthy to be my master!"

Ye Hui cupped his hands and said:

"I wouldn't dare! I learned from Master Chang Yun back then. You and I... let's just be fellow disciples!"

They smiled at each other and went into the city together. Ye Hui looked them up and down and said:

"Fellow Daoist's injuries are not serious."

Upon hearing him mention his injuries, Qiao Wenliu felt a pang of sympathy and said:
"As Fellow Daoist Bai knows, King Wei is now a Great True Person... Although my Lesser Yin Divine Power is powerful, how can it make up for the gap between the Ginseng and Purple Realms? My injuries are actually quite severe. I just quickly stepped down, entertained King Wei, and went to have sex with my beautiful wives and concubines... If you hadn't suddenly interrupted me, I would have been even better off."

Ye Hui raised an eyebrow:

"The wounds of Mingyang... do you have anyone you can use?"

Qiao Wenliu raised his head and smiled:

"With my long-term vision, how could I not have foreseen this day? When I first heard about this important event years ago, I specifically sought out the Jueyin Technique and had one of my beautiful wives practice it. Now it's finally coming in handy."

Ye Hui, however, was quite familiar with him. This man was unrestrained in his behavior and often greedy, which was the source of much of his notoriety. In his younger days, he enjoyed fighting with others to cultivate his art of healing through intercourse, while simultaneously accumulating concubines, aiming to gather all five virtues and twelve energies. He already had thirty-one concubines back then, and presumably even more now. Without asking further, he said:
Where is the King of Wei?

Qiao Wenliu said:

"They went north, probably to see the Yun and Pu passes. Only the Crown Prince is left here. He should be in the side hall right now."

The two arrived at the main hall and took their seats together. Ye Hui then whispered:

"I know a little about the mountains and rivers here, but I don't know about the people in the north. Whether this place is suitable for fighting, and how long it will take... I'm afraid I need your guidance, fellow Daoist."

Clearly, Bai Ziyu was eager to return to seclusion, unwilling to engage in prolonged battles in the Central Plains. Therefore, he was particularly concerned about Li Zhouwei's next move. Qiao Wenliu obviously understood this as well, and gritted his teeth, saying:
"Are you going to succeed?"

Ye Hui stroked his beard and remained silent.

Qiao Wenliu then understood and sneered:
“I’ve been stuck in the Purple Ginseng Cave for eighty-one years, which is long enough. Master Gu devised a prescription for me, but it requires [Shao Jing Xuan Yi]. I don’t have your good luck, which allows you to easily obtain spiritual objects.”

Ye Hui's eyes flickered slightly, as if he had made a connection to something. Qiao Sanyi didn't say much, pondered for a moment, and then said:

"I think... it will be difficult to continue eastward."

With a swipe of his hand, mountains and rivers appeared, with Dangyin in the south to the west, Juancheng in the east, Guangping in the west, and Dongchang in the east, forming a four-cornered formation.

Further north of Guangping lies Wei Commandery.

He said calmly:
"Although the land below the Taihang Mountains is vast, there is still a hundred li of Zhao territory north of Guangping, Weijun, and Dongchang, but there are no natural defenses. In the end, it is nothing more than these five places. Now that we have lost the initiative, we have returned from Juancheng and can establish a foothold. They will surely abandon Weijun and Dongchang in order to get Yan to intervene."

“If they release it, we must take it. Otherwise, if the Yan state gets it, Dangyin will be undefended by mountains and rivers, and our rear will be in danger. How will we have time to continue eastward? Meanwhile, Gujun is also well-defended. To continue eastward, it will not be easy to conquer.”

Qiao Wenliu sighed:
"No matter how powerful the King of Wei is, he is still just one person. How many supernatural powers does Gujun have? How many Mahayana monks does Yan have?"

Ye Hui squinted and said:
"I know I have to take them, it's just a matter of how many."

Qiao Wenliu said in a low voice:

"I think we should not take Wei County in the west, but take Guangping instead, and we can take Dongchang in the east."

“Guangping has a sacred mountain and is a strategic pass. Wei County’s geomantic veins have long been destroyed. The difficulty of defending Guangping is worlds apart from that of defending Wei County. The He family of Wei County has been flirting with the Yan state for many years. Why not leave such a good sacred mountain undefended and go after a burden?”

His expression became more sincere as he said:
"But I am a newly surrendered person, and the He family is related to the Qiao family, so there are some things I can't say too much. Although the King of Wei is magnanimous, there may be others who have other ideas. Please convey these words to Fellow Daoist Bai, just say that it is your concern and you must not mention me."

Ye Hui seemed to be seeing this kind of thinking in him for the first time, and his expression showed a hint of surprise. He smiled and said:

"Rare indeed! You, Qiao Sanyi... actually have some sincerity!"

A smile immediately appeared on Qiao Wenliu's face. He shook his head meaningfully and said:

"Don't look down on the Qiao family's current prosperity. Before I rose to prominence, the Qiao family was poor and destitute in this city. The respectability we have today is all thanks to me."

"From the perspectives of sentiment, reason, situation, and benefit, do I need to explain where the opportunities lie for us half-baked powerful clans and enlightened rogue cultivators?"

……

The winds of change are blowing.

From the east, Juancheng is surrounded by rolling hills and meandering rivers that flow swiftly past the border of the prefecture and disappear into the vast darkness of the east.

The water originating from Dangyin has already flowed south. This stream originates from a great river, and its blue color is particularly special. It exudes a strong aura of water. Although it is only a tributary, its spiritual energy is extremely rich, making it a crucial place for cultivation in Juan and Yun cities.

It is the Ji River.

The mountains and forests were immersed in the inky darkness of night, with leaves rustling in the wind. On the bare, blue stone slope, one could vaguely see a person standing quietly.

He wore only a simple black robe, the originally bright gold patterns of which had faded in the night. Only his eyes remained bright in the darkness. This King of Wei, famous throughout the north and south, and the newly promoted Mingyang Grand Master, stood alone on this unknown hill like an ordinary person.

This hill is where the Ji River flows through, and it is also the easternmost part of Juancheng. Standing on this hill, the great city to the east seems very close.

'Yuncheng.'

This city, located to the east and west of Juancheng respectively, seemed like siblings from the same mother, but it was far more magnificent, leaving the King of Wei deeply pondering its significance.

Qiao Wenliu said... "This place originally didn't have so many majestic cities. It was here that the True Lord of Treasure Land established his sect, and later the state was also located here. He possessed great supernatural powers, hence the majestic mountains arose. Where there are mountains, there are defensive formations..."

Li Zhouwei stared at it for a long time, having already made up his mind.

'I'm afraid... Wei Commandery will be difficult to obtain. As long as the real person in Gu Commandery doesn't act recklessly, he will definitely drag Bei Shi into the mess...'

Actually, this wasn't too unexpected. He had already anticipated his current situation. His main purpose in coming east was still the Ji River—whatever the Dragon Clan's plans were, he preferred to know them as soon as possible…

"Now, the Compassionate Path will surely take action soon. Continuing eastward, Yuncheng is garrisoned by a Grand Master, making a swift victory impossible. Guangping and Dangyin will inevitably fall into the hands of the Yan Kingdom."

'Tang Jiyu, Zhou Feng, Qiao Wenliu…'

Is that enough?

In fact, gaining Qiao Wenliu was already a great achievement, but he was ultimately unwilling to give up easily.

'not enough. '

He understood that he could only advance and not retreat now. If he could not gather enough support, once the pressure from Yan State and Gu County shifted to him, he might not even be able to hold onto the four counties that he was about to gain!

His gaze was fixed on the horizon, his thoughts growing increasingly complex. Finally, he closed his eyes, seemingly to rest.

[Investigate the Ghost!]
In an instant, his spiritual sense soared to a height of ten thousand feet, looking down upon all living beings. The mysterious array that shrouded the distant city became transparent in an instant, revealing all the scenes inside.

Inside the high hall, various supernatural beings stood, some holding jade plates, some sitting cross-legged, and some holding scrolls. The brilliance of their various supernatural powers intertwined, making the hall seem cramped.

'Qiao Sanyi...If the Song people attack, we should capture this man first...'

'Li Zhouwei is a veteran of countless battles...why would he attack head-on? He'll probably take a different route. We need to be extra careful on the north side...'

'Be careful? It's not us who should be careful. The north seems quiet, but no matter where it attacks, once it sets out, how can the Compassionate Path stand idly by?'

Amid the controversy, the young man sitting at the head of the table remained silent, looking at the old man beside him.

The old man also sat cross-legged, concentrating intently and remaining silent. However, the various mystical powers and powerful magic emanating from his body gathered together, disturbing the spiritual energy within the void and making it completely silent!
A cacophony of voices, flowing like water, appeared before his eyes, but Li Zhouwei paid no heed to their speculations, merely glancing at them with a clear understanding.

'Indeed, there are Grandmasters...and two mid-stage Purple Mansion Realm cultivators...and perhaps others are on their way...'

This force is indeed top-tier in the world, but if arranged properly, Li Zhouwei's troops are equally confident of victory.

'Unfortunately, there are concerns about the future…'

He scanned the area for a while but ultimately found nothing of value. Just as he was about to return, a strange feeling suddenly welled up inside him.

"Ok?"

A faint chill ran up his brow. He felt the touch of the cold wind on his body. The rising sun trembled slightly, and all his supernatural powers shone brightly, yet there was a faint sense of fluctuation.

The luminous talisman seed, which had been lying in its own rising energy for many years, actually moved slightly!
This movement stirred his entire aura, and Li Zhouwei immediately felt a chill. His vision slowly but firmly shifted, looking towards the east of Yuncheng!

In that instant, he felt an extremely mysterious spiritual energy rush into his eyes, and his vision suddenly expanded, like a straight line from west to east, once again traversing thousands of miles, passing through numerous obstacles, and one after another, the majestic mountains and cities fell into the small town protected by the mountains.

'This is…'

The city was ancient and rustic, with blue bricks and black tiles. The glittering supernatural powers were like stars, adorning the place. Li Zhouwei's vision suddenly broadened. Unlike the usual [Cha You] which was as clear as the naked eye, his gaze covered almost every corner of the small city. All kinds of information rushed into his mind like a flood.

'The center of the world, Gu County, Taishu Kuangyi…'

'Human Emperor, Dao Chun, Chuncheng…'

At this moment, even the vastness of the various secret realms and grotto-heavens that shimmered here became clear in his eyes. Although it was difficult to enter them, the various colors above caught his eye!

But that strange attraction ignored everything else, dragging him faster and faster, like a soaring swallow, swiftly skimming across the bluestone ground, until it arrived in front of a small courtyard.

This small courtyard was painted with blue lacquer and even covered with the mottled marks of time, giving it a rustic and natural look. A plaque hung above the narrow eaves, with calligraphy that was both elegant and unrestrained.

【Wenhuangju】!
This brief pause felt like an illusion. His gaze had already passed through the hall and landed before the main seat. In front of the mahogany table and chairs was a desk with a sheet of white Xuan paper spread out, and a blue brush with cinnabar dots placed to the side. The owner seemed to have vanished without a trace.

His gaze swept over these seemingly simple yet incredibly valuable items without lingering, as if Li Zhouwei himself were standing there, slowly raising his head, his eyes fixed on the eaves.

On the dark gray wooden beam lay a blue box.

The blue box was filled with strange white porcelain shards of all sizes, filled with transparent liquid, and covered with talismans and inscribed with beautiful scriptures. However, his gaze was fixed on the inconspicuous white stone, and fell on a small porcelain shard in the corner.

The porcelain shard was triangular in shape, as thin as a cicada's wing, yet it made his eyes sting with coldness and stirred waves of emotion within him.

In that instant, the pure white light of the porcelain shard shimmered in the hearts of everyone who received the talisman. From south to north, everyone felt it. Li Zhouwei, on the other hand, seemed to float up from the deepest abyss, with heaven and earth upside down, returning to his original body from the farthest place!

The sky was pitch black, the mountain wind howled, and two golden lights shone in the darkness. His eyes were calm as water, but a strong killing intent and an unwavering determination had risen in his heart.

'Gulu County... fragments...'

Fragments of a Celestial Artifact!