Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1366 Genealogy
Smoke and dust billowed.

The light of the rising energy traveled through the distance, carrying a fiery hue, undulating in the dim sky. On the majestic city, a cultivator in full armor stood with his hands behind his back, gazing into the distance.

"【The Array of Seeking Evil Spirits with Fire】..."

He murmured for a while, while the man on the other side, his body crackling with lightning and fire, his gaze calm, said softly:
"This is not an easy territory to conquer."

The cultivator immediately turned around, raised his eyebrows to look at him, and smiled:
"Master Shangguan has a powerful background... does he possess any special techniques?"

The person covered in lightning and fire was none other than Shangguan Mi!

"Master Qiu, you flatter me..."

Shangguan Mi said softly:

"I am indeed from the Shangguan clan. My ancestors were one of the six clans of Guanzhong. We came to Shu when we were fleeing from disaster. We have been in poverty for a thousand years. How could we have such a profound background?"

Master Qiu shook his head and said:
"Fellow Daoist Shangguan, do not deceive me into believing that I am ignorant. All the surnames in the world that have names and surnames are the same ancestors. Back then, the Yishui Wang family of Jiankan denied it in every way, but if you really want to know, their ancestors were also a branch of the Gu County Wang family. It's just that the main branch of the Wang family is not prominent now, so they dare not take on the karma."

"not to mention…"

He glanced up and down and sighed:

"Fellow Daoist, you have now made further progress, achieving three supernatural powers at such a young age. Your talent must be extraordinary. You were qualified to be one of the six surnames back then, and you dared to openly use the surname Shangguan. You must have had some connection with the Shangguan brothers of Tongxuan Palace, whether close or distant. Otherwise, you would have changed your surname long ago..."

He shook his head self-deprecatingly and said:
"Unlike people like us!"

Shangguan Mi was somewhat amazed by his knowledge and couldn't help but take a few more glances, saying:
"Fellow Daoist, you truly possess remarkable skills!"

Master Qiu laughed and said:
"I'm not afraid of being laughed at by you, fellow Daoist, but when I was young, I also ventured north!"

Shangguan Mi nodded and said:

"There are some rumors... that my Guanlong official also had ancestors who cultivated in Tongxuan Palace, otherwise he would not have come to Shu."

Despite saying this, Shangguan Mi's expression was somewhat complicated.

Their lineage didn't initially have much connection with Tongxuan, but they were deeply involved with Mingyang. Later, they moved to Shu and indirectly joined Qingxuan's sect. To put it bluntly, they left traces of all three sects.

'The problem is, while all three lineages bear traces of their origins, none of them are truly reliable. When they're being courteous, they'll call you a descendant of Shangguan; when they're not, who takes me seriously?'

He remained silent, only agreeing on the time for the battle, before withdrawing. Master Qiu proceeded into the formation, where he finally heard the young man who had been following him speak:
"Indeed...this is a good formation; it held for quite some time..."

Then Master Qiu raised his head, a hint of doubt in his eyes, and gazed into the distance, saying:

"How should we respond to Your Majesty's request?"

The young man said:

"His Majesty only instructed me to convey one message..."

"Let's attack without hesitation."

Hearing this, the man before him finally showed some emotion. He turned back, no longer gazing at the distant gold, but stepped into the formation, walking step by step into the city. He sat down in the small pavilion within the formation, his voice low and somber:
"How sure are you?"

Only then did the young man raise his head, revealing his somewhat heroic face, his eyes filled with resolute emotion, and he said:

"Nine out of ten... Since it is said that the great battle at the two passes is over, and considering the time it takes for news to travel back and forth, we only need to wait six more days... Once six days have passed, Jiang Yan will leave the pass, the north will be in a state of stalemate, and the King of Wei will be unable to extricate himself."

The man frowned and replied:
"Just waiting like this?"

"Yes."

The young man said:

"Not a moment earlier is acceptable. We must wait until something happens in the north. If Li Zhouwei hadn't been caught up in the major battle, he would never have given us enough time!"

The immortal before him hesitated for a moment, then asked:

"Since you invited the Grand Master here in advance, you must have been prepared, but..."

He raised his head, his expression complex, and said:

“By acting in this way, we will inevitably become His Majesty’s men. Who in the court is not afraid of the General? We are fine now, but if he succeeds in his breakthrough, we will probably face difficulties from him.”

The young man showed no concern, only smiled and shook his head, saying:

"My lord! The Qiu family has risen and fallen for so many years!"

The immortal said:

"They migrated from Guanzhong and Longxi a thousand years ago..."

The young man sighed and said:

"Although...it is rumored that my Qiu clan ancestors cultivated beneath the Weak Water, the True Man understands that that was far, far too long ago. The so-called Wu Nine Surnames are all fabrications. The bloodlines of the Three Profound Paths are mostly in the north, and those people have increasingly prestigious titles. You could just randomly pick one and claim that their ancestor was some True Lord or some Immortal...Look at us...we are truly like ordinary mortals..."

He remained silent and said:

“Even these people in Shu now, whether it’s Shangguan or the Li family, are all people with names and surnames. And the Sun family, who are from the same background, have now benefited from Song Yunbai’s good fortune and obtained the status of a Great Master. Now that the emperor is in trouble, how could we possibly have the opportunity to serve him?”

“I understand that you don’t want to offend people, but there are some opportunities that you can’t get even if you want to… It’s all about timing, location, and people… Look at the Li family of Tanshan, how much they wanted to offend Mingyang! And what did they end up with? No mother to love them, no uncle to care for them… They’ll have a lot of hard times ahead of them!”

A flicker of sadness crossed the young man's eyes as he said:
"If we can't serve in the palace now, then we'll be the ones sent out to die... Even a True Immortal can't protect himself, let alone Qiu E!"

The man was momentarily speechless, then slowly nodded, a resolute glint in his eyes, and said:
"In that case, do you have any plans?"

Qiu E said:
"We must invite Master Sun to come!"

He said seriously:

"Without him, we cannot handle this matter. The Sun Dao lineage is already a tiger with its teeth pulled. Lin Chensheng is not a big deal, but the Valley Smoke Desert is not something we can handle!"

'not to mention…'

A sense of melancholy flashed through Qiu E's heart:
'Without him...who would dare to take that 'Ginseng Sun's Glow'?'

He knew in his heart that the [Xiang Huo Seeking Evil Spirit Array] was not as simple as it appeared before him. The person who set up this array back then was also a Heavenly Elementalist, whose methods were extremely insidious!

The Great Master Sun from the previous life arrived late. It was his own master who broke the great formation. That ray of sunlight poured into his heart and lungs amidst the thunderous explosion of the spiritual formation, delaying his cultivation for decades. In the end, he died tragically at the hands of Mingyang!

'This time, I didn't hesitate to expose my background before the emperor, and finally gained dominance in this vast desert. I want this achievement, and as for the grudges… Master Sun will surely bear the consequences for us!'

He was momentarily stunned, listening to Master Qiu say:

"He hates the Chen family to the core and wishes he could get rid of them as soon as possible. How could you and I possibly persuade him?"

Qiu E simply raised her hands, revealing the scroll of imperial edict lying between her palms, and whispered:
"Of course we won't be relied upon!"

……

The cold rain fell in the wind, making the mountains seem exceptionally quiet. Long white ribbons hung up, and their traces could be vaguely seen among the undulating pavilions and winding roads.

The entire lake grieves.

"pity…"

A streak of dark light rapidly approached from the east, slowly drawing near the lake before revealing the face of the man in black. He was quite cheerful, but there was a melancholy in his brows, making him appear worried.

His gaze swept across the sky and earth, and streaks of white came into view. This funeral was exceptionally grand. Since the Li family had dominated the lake, there had never been such a grand event. From afar, it seemed as if the entire lake was covered in snow, and the sound of weeping could be heard in the mountains and forests.

Lin Chensheng felt slightly uneasy.

He was not familiar with Li Xuanxuan, and had hardly ever heard of the name. This fellow Daoist did not have a resounding reputation, unlike Li Xuanfeng, who at least left an impression on him.

'I've only heard that he is the great-grandfather of Master Zhaojing, the one who suppresses the aura of an entire clan…'

Although he knew that Li Quewan's urgent summons was probably not for the old man's passing, Lin Chengsheng still carefully dressed himself and cautiously descended to the mountain on the lake.

Even the mountains and forests, the high platform bathed in sunlight, seemed desolate. The fluttering white flowers, though still vibrant, appeared sorrowful amidst the flowing ribbons.

"Is Fellow Daoist Su Yun here?"

He asked softly, and soon heard a voice from inside:
"So it's Senior Lin. Please come in!"

It was the snake demon who cultivated the waters of the mansion who came to greet him. He had changed into a white robe, and his usually unruly and gloomy face was filled with deep sorrow. His words to him sounded weak and feeble.

"please!"

The woman, dressed in white, stood quietly in the mountains.

Li Quewan had already suppressed her grief and was quietly examining the long scroll in her hand. She had been looking at it for an unknown amount of time, completely absorbed in it. When she was suddenly awakened, she was still somewhat dazed.

After Li Xuanxuan's death, his body was moved to its proper resting place. This should have been the busiest and most important time, but all the powerful members of the Li family were away on campaigns and could not return. Li Quewan, who was on the lake, was also unable to spare the time, so everything was handed over to Li Jiangzong and Li Suihuan at the foot of the mountain.

Li Quewan couldn't help but feel guilty, but this was not the time for guilt. Li Suining was equally grieving, but he found a rare sliver of solace:
'At least for these funeral arrangements… In my previous life, I was fully present by his side. The old man didn't seek fame or recognition; his heart was with him, and that will be the same in every life… Minimal loss is the best comfort I can offer him.'

In a daze, Li Quewan thoughtfully put away the bamboo slip in her hand, her slender fingers tracing its surface to reveal the writing on it:

'【Imperial Edict: Vermilion Sand Mysterious Method】.'

A complex look flashed in her eyes as she said softly:
"What a wondrous and profound technique! It truly resonates with me..."

Li Quewan had once obtained a copy of the "Sand-Based Incantation Technique" from the Owl and Sunflower Temple. She found it quite peculiar and found it to be quite compatible with her own abilities. Being naturally intelligent, she did not need any other references and relied on her own practice.

The [Imperial Vermilion Mystic Method] before us is derived from the [Sand-dotting Incantation Method]!
'It seems like a further explanation of this sand-based incantation, or perhaps it's as if a great cultivator of the 'Complete Elixir' path has thoroughly understood this method, thus creating something new and profound.'

This was strange enough, but what surprised her even more was that this method had too many traces of her fundamental method, as if it was made by a senior who was from the same lineage as her and was also skilled in witchcraft!
Her fundamental method is [Mystic Witchcraft]!
That's a method bestowed by the immortals!

Just one glance from her was enough to send a thunderous shock through her, leaving her with almost no more doubts:

'As expected…as expected…could it be the work of a fellow practitioner of the Xuanwu Daoist arts in the heavens? The depth of its cultivation is far beyond my reach, yet it doesn't quite reach the level of penetrating heaven and earth. Perhaps it was written by a Great True Person…'

The woman had countless guesses in her mind, but Li Suining appeared quite natural.

This is what Li Quewan wrote in his previous life.

Having learned from his previous experiences, he memorized quite a few techniques and skills this time. However, considering the time constraints, he realized that only this one method was fast and convenient, derived from the original method of Li Quewan, and could be mastered in an instant!
He didn't care where Li Quewan's thoughts had strayed; he simply picked up paper and pen and said happily:

"Master Lin...Master Lin has arrived?"

Li Quewan said solemnly:

"He returned from the north and has been stationed in the Sanjiang area ever since. You mentioned it then, so I immediately sent someone to invite him..."

A complex emotion flashed in her eyes.

Li Suining's message to the North was simple, and his words to her were equally concise:
"A great master from Western Shu has come to attack! Master Lin's life is in danger!"

Upon hearing this, her expression changed.

Lin Chengsheng has an extraordinary background; he's a treasure trove of knowledge. If the battle were to reach the point where he were to perish, how could the great formation in the desert possibly survive? She herself would probably only be able to escape with her life by relying on a secret technique!

In the next instant, she had already made up her mind:
'Preventing Lin Chengsheng from coming to our aid? That's impossible... We'll have to find other ways to deal with it...'

The most important treasure mentioned by Li Suining was the "Undamaged Stone" of the Owlwort!
"This item is Owl Queen's most prized possession, a valuable treasure in the 'Complete Elixir' cultivation path, and it also possesses protective abilities. Owl Queen has too many treasures, and she didn't anticipate the great war, so she didn't bring this with her. If we obtain it, it will undoubtedly be of great use!"

Li Quewan then wrote a letter, saying that he suspected there was some unusual activity in the west, and asked him to bring some treasures, especially the Undamaged Stone.

While they were pondering, the immortal had already arrived, standing beneath the jade pillar. He looked at the two of them with some emotion, bowed, and said:

"Condolences!"

Li Quewan sighed and returned the greeting. Lin Chengsheng spoke again, as if to offer some words of comfort, but noticed the woman's solemn expression and stopped him, whispering:

"Master... have you brought everything?!"

Lin Chengsheng looked up, a hint of unease flashing in his eyes, but he still nodded and said softly:
"Done."

Then he patted his sleeves and took out a musical score from his cuff. It was no bigger than the palm of his hand, as thin as paper, and faintly glowed with gold. It felt extremely heavy in his hand.

Lin Chengsheng solemnly said:
"Having heard Su Yun's plea for help, I have brought the [Tiger Yi Witchcraft Manual] from my temple. Whether it's the [Invulnerable Stone] or the [Mysterious Book Purple Talisman]..."

He said softly:

"Except for the immobile [Sky Owl], all the treasures of my Owl Sunflower Sect have been brought here in preparation for the great battle!"

He unfolded the golden scroll, and an extremely rich spiritual energy rippled out. A dazzling array of spiritual light burst forth from the scroll, revealing the spiritual treasures and artifacts stored within. Not only was Li Quewan stunned, but Li Suining, standing to the side, also had a slight change in expression and his gaze froze.

Did you bring everything?