Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1385 Settlement
He looked at Shao Hui, and Dang Jiang also understood, staring at her expectantly. The two of them looked at each other at the same time, which made the fairy feel a little awkward.

'They never said... that communication was forbidden...'

The celestial officials in the heavens have their own mysterious decrees that can be used to communicate, but Dangjiang previously had no celestial status and therefore did not receive this privilege.

'Logically speaking, I shouldn't talk too much with people in the lower realms, but these exchanges can indeed be useful for my future duties.'

She pondered for a moment. Since she saw no benefit in it and didn't want to take the responsibility, she simply lowered her head and drank her tea, ignoring it. Dangjiang immediately understood, took the real person's token to imprint it, and seeing that it was done, he said:

"It's alright... You may go ahead. If it's against the rules, we won't be able to exchange messages even if we want to."

Li Ximing nodded repeatedly, and then a palace maid led the real person away. Only then did Dangjiang turn around with satisfaction, sit down at the table, and hear Shao Hui glance at his expression and laugh:

"You were given the cold shoulder by the people in the Imperial Archives, weren't you?"

"Ah! My lord is truly a prophet."

Dangjiang sighed deeply, and then saw the woman say:
“Although I have never dealt with them, I have heard about how strict they are. You came back looking worried, so I can see that… But there is one thing I need to remind you.”

She said:

"You can't talk about things in the heavens. You all communicate using the Xuanling, and every word and action is monitored by the Siji. Try to only talk about things in the mortal realm, and don't talk too much!"

Dang Jiang felt a chill run down his spine, secretly taking a deep breath. The thought that his future interactions with Li Ximing would be observed by those adults sent shivers down his spine, and he felt a surge of relief.

"Thanks to the adults for reminding me!"

Shao Hui smiled slightly before saying:
"I've heard some of the general outline. Since you're going to offer guidance, tell me my speculation. There's one crucial mistake you can't make, or it could cost you your life..."

Dang Jiang immediately became serious, listening to her say:

"When you go to that wondrous land, you must be bringing people from the lower realms in. Although you possess divine abilities and seemingly unpredictable divine power, you cannot control the lower realms. Inevitably, someone outside will test your supernatural powers. No matter what you do, remember not to divulge even a single word."

She narrowed her eyes slightly and said:
"The [Supreme Blue and White Dharma Seal] can manifest various forms, that's its purpose. It's not for you to act rashly or speak carelessly. The monks in the lower realm are cunning, so don't make a mistake."

Dang Jiang nodded, showing he was beginning to understand. He sat silently at the table, saying nothing. Shao Hui continued:

"Secondly... When you go to that wondrous land, how can you only be authoritative without being kind? You must select and prepare all kinds of powerful treasures and profound doctrines, otherwise how will you command the monks?"

The celestial official had already stood up, nodding repeatedly, pacing back and forth in the hall, clapping his hands and saying:

"I understand!"

He was full of praise and gratitude, and had roughly understood the purpose of his trip. Shao Hui concluded by saying:

"The third point... is about mentoring others... The reason I sent you down here isn't just because of cause and effect, but also because you've traveled the world, are quite knowledgeable about human affairs, and are familiar with the layout of Mingyang and Runpin..."

Dangjiang had already seen the light and laughed:

"I understand! It's not just about sending me to educate the monks, but also to push forward the plans of the various officials!"

Shao Hui smiled and nodded, his eyes sparkling with boundless imagination as he watched Dang Jiang.
"Thank you for your guidance, sir. This matter is not difficult. I may be incompetent in cultivating in the heavens, but I have my own methods for dealing with these fellows!"

……

The sun and moon shine together, heaven and earth.
In a daze, Li Ximing opened his eyes. The light of the sun and moon flickered for a moment before shining back into his eyes. The feeling of being out of his body was finally gone, replaced by a sense of security brought by the return of supernatural powers to his body.

"call……"

He slowly exhaled and raised his head. On the table in front of him, the Xuan Token was placed neatly in the center, with an object on each side: a piece of silk radiating mysterious light and a seemingly ordinary jade pot.

Li Ximing stood up, hesitated for a moment, bowed deeply, held the Xuan Token in his hand, closed his eyes and sensed it. Sure enough, in the bottomless darkness, he found a glimmer of starlight, but that spot was silent, as if it were blocked by something.

'This celestial official probably doesn't know if there are any in the mortal realm...'

He carefully put the mysterious token back first, then picked up the pot to look at the starry sky-like scene inside, and couldn't help but hesitate:

'This is truly a valuable item; it would be a waste for me to use it. Que Wan can also cultivate this Divine Body Split Technique. If I could save a portion of this for her, it would truly be making the most of it.'

However, Li Quewan is currently preoccupied with far too much energy; he doesn't even have time to cultivate supernatural powers, let alone have the mind for it. After a moment of careful consideration, he made up his mind:

"Since it was arranged by the adults, what is given to me is given to me. They told me to take it and use it, so there must be a deeper meaning behind it. I should use some first."

With a flick of his finger, the strange creature appeared cross-legged before him, its lips red and teeth white, remarkably lifelike. Li Ximing caught a drop and felt a strange, refreshing fragrance waft towards him, as if some divine incense had been burned, causing him to nod in approval.

"It's indeed a good thing!"

So he placed the droplet on the other's forehead, and watched it melt into the body. Then he put down the jade pot, stepped into the air, and the dark and gloomy hall reappeared before his eyes.

But in just those few moments, his heart had become noticeably lighter, and the permission to use the Yin energy had filled him with many wonderful thoughts.

He had only just arrived at Zhijing Mountain when he saw a streak of mercury-colored light rushing towards him, transforming into a woman before him with a radiant smile. Li Ximing's eyes lit up, and he said:
"Que Wan!"

He simply stepped forward to support the woman and asked:
"How about it?!"

Li Quewan smiled and said:
"King Wei has captured the Great Master and, with a group of supernatural beings, has ventured deep into the desert. Judging by the time, they should have reached the territory of Master Hongyan. Western Shu offers no resistance whatsoever, and Jin Yi remains secluded. This Master has long harbored the intention to defect to the East, hoping to escape this sea of ​​suffering, so he certainly won't stop him!"

The Ni clan was originally a vassal of the Jianmen, but due to the drastic changes in the situation, they were left in the territory of Western Shu. If Li Zhouwei were to conquer them now, without a doubt, the entire clan would defect to the East!
Li Ximing smiled with satisfaction and said:

"His location is also a strategic pass; if we can easily capture it, it would be a great thing."

Li Quewan's eyes showed surprise, and he smiled:

"I was worried before, but I never expected that the King of Wei would have the ability to easily suppress the Great Master!"

Clearly, the defeat of that old master Sun not only shocked the people of Western Shu, but also exceeded Li Quewan's expectations. Li Ximing, however, shook his head and said disdainfully:

"Compared to the Great Master of the North, Shan Yin is really no first-rate figure, and he has long harbored ulterior motives... which is not surprising. The main thing is... have you been injured?"

Li Quewan shook his head and said seriously:
"No, it's just that I took advantage of the power of the sun and suffered some backlash. My supernatural powers have a bit more solar energy, so I'm not feeling very energetic these days. It doesn't affect anything else."

"it is good!"

Li Ximing then let out a deep breath, and together they sat down in the mountains. Looking at the pristine white of the mountains, he slowly exhaled, and said somewhat wearily:

"Now... I can finally take a break..."

Li Que remained silent.

Li Ximing is right. In recent days, from the great battle in Dalingchuan to the battle in Gujun, and even rushing back from the north to provide reinforcements at the last minute, whether it was watching Xiao Chuting fail to break through and fall, or penetrating deep into the enemy camp to retrieve the fragments he longed for, the Li family has already experienced too many twists and turns...

“Western Shu is different from the North. There are no Buddhist monks watching us like tigers, nor are there the complicated human connections and grotto heavens after the Three Mysteries… King Wei can not only conquer it easily, but also retreat without difficulty… It is truly time for us to recuperate.”

He took out the storage bag and gently placed it on the table. With a flick of his wrist, he retrieved a subtle, unassuming pearl from it and said solemnly:
"This is the [Gathering of Fragrance Pearl], a spiritual treasure obtained from Long Kangyao. It is very powerful. Because it was once connected with Mingyang, it can be used for many miraculous purposes in our hands. I am thinking of sending it to the west and giving it to the King of Wei."

Li Quewan misunderstood his meaning and subconsciously reached out to take it, but Li Ximing waved his hand and said:
“You don’t need to do these errands; I’ll do them myself. There are other things I need to give him.”

The other thing is naturally the "Complete Record of Merit and Virtue" in Li Ximing's possession, which can only be delivered by him personally—of course, even without this treasure, Li Ximing would not let Li Quewan go through the trouble.

'Although seeing those three paintings by Mingyang gave me the opportunity to break through, even if it's the same breakthrough, she should go first...'

So he pushed the storage bag over and took out two items. One was a string of jade beads, bright and clear like pearls of the moon, and the other was a crimson magic sword, which was Hengzhu's treasure.

He said:

"When King Wei conquered the cities, although most of the spoils were distributed to the cultivators below, quite a lot remained. Three spiritual items and nine spiritual resources are all in his storage bag. He only took two precious and rare spiritual artifacts."

"Both are [Xingsheng Fenxu Bracelet], which is a Xiuyue item; both are [Bizai Quhu Sword], which are extremely rare and are located in 'Hengzhu'."

His gaze swept over, and he said meaningfully:

"There are two more magical artifacts in the storage bag. They were just something the Prince of Wei casually took in the cave. They're not particularly powerful. What do you think... how should we divide them?"

Li Quewan nodded and suggested:

"In my opinion, we have many treasures now and should not be stingy. We should distribute the spiritual resources and items among them to our brothers according to the proportion. When the King of Wei was injured and his family was short of supplies, they sent us these things. They sent us spiritual resources, and we will repay them with spiritual items."

"From both a moral and logical standpoint, we should provide for their cultivation. Now that we are financially well-off, and considering the days ahead, with the protection of martial arts practitioners, their time to emerge from seclusion is drawing near. Since we have Mingyang spiritual artifacts and Li Huo items in our treasury, we will prepare these for our three brothers as a congratulatory gift for their breakthrough."

"it is good!"

Li Ximing nodded, and the woman continued:
"On the other hand, there are also Senior Liu, Master Chen, and Master Yuanbian need not be mentioned. Master Chen has come from afar to provide assistance time and time again. He once put himself in danger just to come to the lake. We cannot leave without repaying this kindness and should all be given gifts in return."

With this, most of the harvest was gone. She touched her sleeve, took out a small, dark, luminous treasure with a hint of female fluid, and whispered:

"The troops from the north have also arrived. [Xing Sheng Fen Xu Chuan]... Of course, I'll trouble Grand Uncle to send it to the front line for Master Kuang Hong. I also have a [Female Light Crow Sparrow] here, which I'll leave for Master Cui."

Her almond-shaped eyes held a solemn expression:
"Their safety is of utmost importance. They deserve a reward for their years of hard work on the lake and in the great battle."

So he picked up the crimson sword, looked at the crimson light flashing above it, hesitated for a moment, and said:
“Let’s gather some other spiritual resources and items and combine them with this treasure to give to True Person Chengqian first! After all, we can’t find any spiritual items or artifacts for the entire Dan Sect right now, so we should at least give one of Sude’s as compensation.”

That was undeniable—although Cheng Qian did not participate in the battle, his contribution far surpassed that of others. Although Li Ximing felt a little regretful about this rare treasure of Hengzhu, he still nodded approvingly.

He then sighed and took out a long rope from his sleeve, which was as smooth as silk and decorated with golden patterns depicting mountains and rivers.

"This is the [Mountain Darkening and Mountain Moving Rope], which is considered a fine item among spiritual artifacts. It is a mixture of Earth and Metal elements."

He held the long rope in his hand, it shimmering with light. A complex look crossed his eyes for a moment, and he said softly:
"Back then... I perished because of this treasure, and now... it has been seized by the King of Wei within the grotto, barely providing an explanation. What I'm thinking is... to first have Zhou Da offer sacrifices at his grave, to inform his spirit in heaven..."

Tears welled up in Li Ximing's eyes, while Li Quewan nodded silently, listening to her elders say:
"Once this matter is finished, this thing will still be handed over to you as usual. You can take a look at it, use it yourself, or let someone else take it."

Before the woman could say anything, he took out the Six Lead Powder and pushed it into Li Quewan's arms, causing her eyes to light up and exclaim in surprise:

"Where did this come from?!"

Li Ximing then smiled slightly and casually mentioned it a few times. Li Quewan did not refuse, but instead solemnly and carefully picked up the item and said softly:

"Grand Uncle underestimated the value of this item. In my hands, it is enough to seize the power of creation... It can be used to perform unrestrained profound techniques and create people without bones or flesh... Although it is a consumable, the higher the cultivation level and the deeper the Dao, the more extensive the wonders of this item will be."

Li Ximing, however, was unaware of the significance of these items; his mind was already elsewhere. He nodded to her, handed her the [Listening to Purple Qi], and said:
"I don't care about any mystical arts. You only have one thing to do now—break through to the second level of supernatural powers."

His expression was serious, and he pointed to himself:
“I… will guard the lake for you and handle the trivial matters.”

Li Quewan hesitated, glancing at him several times before finally putting away the Six Lead Powder. She bowed deeply, took a few steps back, and finally, unable to contain herself any longer, turned back and said in a hoarse voice:
"Great-Uncle...please accept my condolences..."

Li Ximing's smile finally froze. He shook his head somewhat subconsciously, leaned on the table, sat down on the stone bench, turned his head, and sighed:

“Go away…go away…I will take care of Father’s funeral arrangements. You…those who are guarding the border, those who are cultivating…you cannot waste your energy on these things.”

Li Quewan shook his head, gently placed the imperial edict on the table, and finally left, leaving the immortal sitting alone in the mountains.

He had received countless benefits, and his divided spirit and altered body were still being nurtured with precious treasures in the cave, yet he seemed unable to muster a smile. He sat blankly on the mountain for a while, as if he had been in another world.

After an unknown amount of time, a report was heard from afar at the foot of the mountain:
"The time is approaching, and the patriarch requests that the ancestor emerge from seclusion to conduct the funeral arrangements..."

Now that they knew that he, the real person, was in the mountains, and that no one would dare to push forward Li Xuanxuan's funeral without Li Ximing's supervision, Li Ximing stood up and let out a faint breath.

The image of the white silk covering the mountain filled his eyes, leaving him disoriented and bewildered. Li Ximing suddenly realized that he had truly become an old master, an ancestor:
'Back then, my grandfather was still alive... there was such an elder, an ancestor, so he could only call me "Master." Now, that ancestor, that elder, has become me, Li Ximing.'

The address was both too familiar and too unfamiliar; a self-deprecating smile crept onto his lips.

'Li Ximing, Li Ximing, you're such an old man...'