Xuanjian Xianzu

Chapter 1477 Sinking the Ship (1+12) (Bonus Chapter 46113 for Hidden Dragon)

The lake shimmered.

The bell and drum rang six times, their buzzing echoing among the many pavilions. The cultivators in the sky chose their places to land. The high platforms in the east were already full, leaving no place to stand, so they had to land in the alley.

The corridor was quiet. Li Jiangzong hurried out, descended nine steps, and saw the old man approaching. He asked:
"What news from the east?"

Qu Bushi hurriedly bowed and said happily:
"That's wonderful news! The second young master has also succeeded! He has already entered the palace to meet the emperor, and I heard that the emperor personally bestowed upon him a sash and enfeoffed him in Luoyang..."

Li Jiangzong chuckled twice, turned around, flicked his sleeves, and nodded, saying:

"As expected... Good... We can't delay our gifts either, have them sent to the capital."

Perhaps Li Zhouwei's conquest of Shu has boosted his prestige, and the two princes followed suit. Li Jiangxia came earlier; before March, he was already favored by the Song Emperor, receiving a constant stream of rewards and being enfeoffed in Luoyang.

Although Li Jianglong was somewhat inferior, he was still greatly honored. His true qi possessed the aura of an immortal. The breakthrough of the two brothers was due to the Song Emperor's merit. They were both enfeoffed in Luoyang, and the two brothers were thus brought together.

Li Jiangzong, however, had other plans in mind:
'The Yang family is truly cunning. The Song Dynasty doesn't have many things to defend in the north right now, and Luoyang is the gateway to the Jianghuai region. Asking those two princes to guard it is just putting the responsibility on my Li family's shoulders...'

To put it bluntly, the Li family's power is no weaker than that of the Song Dynasty. The common people have long referred to them as the Wei Kingdom, and now some even go so far as to directly identify the cultivators on the lake as Wei people. This is not like the etiquette of kings and nobles, but more like the distinction between two countries.

Sitting in this position, Li Jiangzong felt quite at ease. Even the dignified Purple Mansion had to treat him with respect. To put it bluntly, Li Jiangzong had no regrets in his life except for never having entered the Purple Mansion and never having had a sensible child.

So he turned around and went into the hall. There stood a man beside him, dressed in a silver robe and a thunder-patterned garment, with an extremely imposing presence. Li Jiangzong was half surprised and half admiring, and said:
"Suining, you've really accomplished something! Your calculations are spot on; it truly reflects His Highness's achievements!"

Li Suining smiled and shook his head, saying:

"What kind of divination is this? It's just a trivial skill."

Since Li Suining stepped in to assist him, Li Jiangzong has had much more free time. He is even more amazed by Li Suining's current abilities, feeling both surprised and envious. If he is already like this, one can only imagine how many astonished people are looking at him on the lake!

'The King of Wei actually possesses such power, capable of commanding the gods of the Purple Palace…'

Although Li Wushao had served as an example in the past, he was still an old demon who had been in the Foundation Establishment stage for many years and had survived by the skin of his teeth. Li Suining, on the other hand, was someone these people had watched grow up. He suddenly became a Purple Mansion level existence. How could they not be surprised and covetous?
Li Suining also saw it clearly, and smiled without saying a word, but Li Jiangzong said nervously:
"Since you possess the ability of divination, I have no choice but to ask you a question..."

"Uncle, you flatter me!"

Li Suining, with a serious expression, said:
"Uncle, please speak, but calculations are unpredictable and may not be perfect."

"I see!"

Li Jiangzong nodded repeatedly and said in a low voice:

"As you know, I've always had few children. I had a rebellious son back then, a man with audacity beyond measure and insatiable greed. He's still imprisoned on the mountain, and I don't want him to come out. I've tried so hard all these years, but I've only had one daughter..."

Li Suining immediately understood his meaning. He pretended to calculate with his fingers, but in reality, he already knew exactly what he meant. He hesitated for a moment.

Li Jiangzong had another son named Li Suiyao. It was many years ago, but he remembered it clearly. This uncle had a son late in life and doted on him.

'But...it was far too late, because by the time my younger brother was born, either the family had already declined, or the entire clan had been wiped out.'

He whispered:

"My uncle has two sons; it's just not the right time yet."

Li Jiangzong was overjoyed and nodded repeatedly, then asked without hesitation:

"But...but it has a spiritual aperture..."

Li Suining remained silent.

Of course there are.

In his previous life, when Yao Guanyi arrived at the lake, the little boy was just six years old. He had his spiritual aperture detected, and his uncle had just finished his wedding banquet and hurriedly came to take this great master away…

This caused him a wave of sorrow, and he lowered his head without answering. Li Jiangzong understood and quickly apologized. Li Suining then smiled and said:

“It’s not that I’m being stingy, but divination involves cause and effect. If I say it exists, it might not exist in the end. I’m afraid it might harm you.”

These words made it seem as if the younger brother had already been born, which greatly pleased Li Jiangzong, who nodded repeatedly and said:
"Yes... that's something I shouldn't have said."

So he patted his chest, breathed a sigh of relief, and said:
"With your words, I can finally rest easy!"

Before Li Suining could say anything more, his hand gesture shifted slightly, and he quickly stood up, saying:
"A real person has come to visit!"

He was naturally in charge of these matters. Without further ado, he had already arrived in front of the Xuan Hall. There he saw a woman in purple gracefully approaching. She was beautiful and delicate, with a touch of autumn yellow at the corner of each eye, which was quite charming. Behind her was a Foundation Establishment woman with lowered eyes.

Li Suining dared not look at him for long, bowed deeply, and said:
"Greetings, Senior Tinglan!"

Tinglan smiled and said:
"Fellow Daoist is the newly added Divine Lord, congratulations! King Wei is truly remarkable, to be able to find such a rare and wondrous thing. We are extremely envious."

Li Suining quickly shook his head and said respectfully:

"It's just luck... Senior came looking for Master Zhaojing, but unfortunately... Master Zhaojing has been away for two years and has not yet returned..."

"I know."

Tinglan slightly curved the corners of her mouth and said:
“He was practicing in the water town. Xuan Yi visited him a few days ago and brought my message with her. That’s how she met him.”

Li Suining felt somewhat relieved. He knew that the other party often took care of him, and he was somewhat grateful to Tinglan. He was afraid of neglecting her. Tinglan said:

"I can't travel overseas freely these days. Firstly, I want to see you, and secondly... I also have something to mention to you."

She said seriously:

“My Wenqing has finally repaired his physical body over the years and his cultivation has made some progress, but he has no time to teach his disciples. He has a promising disciple named Wen. I don’t want her to follow our old path. I want to use your name to meet Master Yu and become his disciple. Everything has been arranged. I’ve also asked Ximing about this matter. I’m waiting for your arrangements.”

Tinglan turned to the side and said:
"Wonderful news, come... to greet senior."

The woman bowed softly, and Tinglan revealed a jade token in her hand. Li Suining examined it and confirmed it was indeed Li Ximing's doing. He understood:
'This is to secure a future for the clan…'

He then said:
“This is not difficult. We’ll let her stay on the lake for a while, and then we’ll send someone to take her there.”

Tinglan smiled and nodded, then changed the subject, saying simply:
“I have a child in my sect who has been supported by the lake for many years. He also trained in the Jianghuai region. He has returned successfully these past years, and I see that his cultivation is nearing its end. He has the desire to break through and is cultivating the ‘Mingyang’ technique. His cultivation is increasing day by day. He has come to ask the lake for a secret method…”

Li Suining asked in surprise:

"Mingyang? Dingmu?"

"Exactly!"

Li Suining knew him; he was a relative of Ding Weizeng, who had been taken away by that Daoist Cao and followed him to cultivate the Mingyang Dao. He never expected him to have reached this point. Li Suining had never heard of him in his previous life, so he asked:

"How confident are you if you see it in person?"

Tinglan could only sigh and shake her head.

Li Suining then understood and whispered:
"Even so, he made many contributions to guarding the river for my family back then. Master Zhaojing will not shortchange him on this secret method, or even the elixirs that followed."

"Alright! I'll have him come to the lake to beg!"

Tinglan gave him a thumbs-up, looked at him deeply, and smiled:

"When Wenqing went to Jingyi Mountain, he also heard that in recent years, His Highness and Xuanyi have been in frequent contact and have become increasingly close. A few days ago, Xuanyi even went to the north to visit him and brought back a spiritual resource. He also mentioned that he has already mastered three supernatural powers. It's quite interesting!"

Li Suining felt a slight tremor in his heart, coughed as if his throat was slightly uncomfortable, but simply smiled and said:

"rare!"

Tinglan smiled and quickly turned into purple mist and disappeared. The main hall was tightly closed, and Li Suining's smile quickly faded. He paced back and forth in the main hall for a while before slowly exhaling.

The deadly burning sensation still seemed to throb around his neck, and Li Suining's expression flickered between light and shadow:

'Xuan Yi…and Pang Yi…both of them are close to Master Changli, and there's also that Linxiang Pavilion…'

Li Suining understood that this was ultimately unavoidable. Li Jiangqian had never been a content person, let alone placing him in such a high position to guard the north for the King of Wei—he truly held immense power.

Tinglan's words were like a boulder thrown into a pond, quickly stirring up the unease and doubt he had suppressed. Li Suining stood there, his expression uncertain.

'With his abilities, let alone staying in that position for three to five years, even in just three to five days, he could gather an immense amount of information…'

The gloom in his heart grew stronger, but in a daze, a pure energy surged into the sky and earth, making him suddenly realize it. When he came back to his senses, a surge of joy had swept away his emotions.

'The Immortal Su Yun!'

Li Suining rose into the air and saw a woman slowly emerging from the void. She was draped in colorful light and walked on the light of lead and mercury. Her eyes were exceptionally beautiful. She looked around and then fixed her gaze on him.

Suining!

Her soft, gentle voice, tinged with surprise, drifted out, like a spring breeze caressing Li Suining's heart. He looked up and exclaimed joyfully:

"The real person has emerged from seclusion!"

He was overjoyed, as if he had suddenly realized something, and quickly touched his sleeve, took out the green cauldron, and said:

"This was given to me by Master Chengqian; it's meant to be handed over to a real person!"

Li Quewan's eyes seemed to show more surprise than anything else, but she didn't rush to ask for details. Instead, she raised her hand, revealing the mercury light in her palm, and smiled:

"It's done. The supernatural power 'Controlling Food' is extremely useful. I actually mastered it a while ago, but I'm still in seclusion to consolidate the power and carefully experience its wonders, which is why I'm a little slower."

This ray of mercury light was extremely agile, constantly tumbling and rolling in her slender hands. Li Quewan pinched it between two fingers before taking the azure cauldron from his palm, and said with some interest:

"look!"

With a gentle tap, she had already sent the mercury-colored liquid into the [Bi Ting Qing Yuan Xuan Ding]. A short while later, she lightly flipped her empty hand and revealed another cauldron.

The two cauldrons were almost identical, except that the latter had a slightly silvery sheen. Li Suining knew of her supernatural abilities, but not wanting to spoil her enjoyment, he quickly said, both surprised and delighted:

"What incredible wonders this is!"

Li Quewan smiled and said:
"The 'Crafting of Treasures' has the wonder of transformation. As long as you have a treasure, this wonder can create another one, and the wonder can be maintained at 60-70%! Just like this Azure Cauldron, if I want, I can refine two spiritual objects at the same time!"

"This supernatural power requires the possession of this treasure to transform, and it can't actually transform instantly. However, I have the 'Hou Shen Shu' to resonate with and assist me. My cultivation is also high, and I can transform most spiritual artifacts in the blink of an eye. Spiritual treasures are a bit more difficult, requiring hand seals and spells, and I can only borrow about 60% of their power. But as long as I'm determined, it's ultimately not difficult..."

Li Suining smiled and asked:
"It seems to be an excellent supernatural power that adds the finishing touch."

"That's not all."

Li Quewan rode the wind down and laughed:

"This supernatural power can also use spiritual resources to create spiritual artifacts, such as the [Gathering of Spiritual Energy Pearl]. Although it is my uncle's treasure, as long as it is given to me for a few months, I can create a replica of it. Even if the original is taken back, I will still have this replica of the [Gathering of Spiritual Energy Pearl], which can last for quite a while... It's a pity that there is only one available at the moment."

She paused, then smiled and said:
"Fighting has its own wonders. It allows one to discern the flaws and oversights of an opponent's spiritual weapon, revealing the transformations of the metal element. It can also further enhance the speed of cultivating supernatural powers, nurture spiritual weapons, and repair one's physical body... All of these are extremely useful and wonderful, too many to list in a short time!"

Li Suining was deeply moved. Compared to the single-function "Hou Shen Shu", the supernatural power "Zhi Yang Yi" could be said to have completed a large part of the wonders of the Complete Elixir, making Li Quewan increasingly resemble the omnipotent appearance of a Complete Elixir cultivator.

In his previous life, after Li Quewan mastered the next supernatural power "Yiqianhua", he was able to create an additional treasure using the "Zhiyi" technique. This treasure was a replica of the "Juxin Pearl". He carried it with him and it could interfere with the supernatural powers of others during battles, making it extremely useful!

He was momentarily lost in thought, but Li Quewan laughed and said:
"Judging from your appearance, the secret realm is complete!"

Li Suining laughed and said:
"Indeed! The elders bestowed upon us the name 'Mei Chi Gong'!"

Then, guided by divine intervention, the two stepped into the void. In an instant, a brand new world appeared before the woman's eyes.

Then she saw a vast pool, its waters undulating, with pavilions of varying heights and arranged in a pleasing, staggered pattern resting on its surface, and the faint outlines of human figures rising and falling. Li Quewan's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but exclaim in surprise:
"What a wonderful place!"

She merely scanned it with her spiritual sense and exclaimed with delight:
"This is probably the size of an island in the lake!"

"Yes! The True Man retrieved that spiritual treasure from Zhentao Prefecture from the East Sea and placed it on Xuantao, nurturing this place into a blessed land of water virtue. In recent years, pavilions have been built here, and many of the family's disciples are now in seclusion here!"

Li Suining smiled and nodded, then led her through the palace, introducing everything one by one, saying:
"The secret realm has been divided into three halls and seventeen buildings. The cave dwellings are used for disciples to break through, cultivate, and even refine pills and weapons. They are all located on the outer perimeter. There are several large pavilions that serve as hubs for internal and external communication and monitoring of the lake. They have also retained their old name, called [Qingdu Pavilion]. Many elders have already moved in."

“The three halls inside are isolated and are for the cultivation of true people. They are also where I usually live. Some of the key seeds of the Purple Mansion in my family should also cultivate in this hall.”

Li Quewan, having been in charge of affairs before, heard clearly and nodded slightly. Although his home was still located in the same place as the sun and moon shining together, having such a secret place was quite convenient. He praised it and then listened to Li Suining talk about the events of the past few years.

She nodded repeatedly as she listened, but after hearing about Chu Yitian's situation, she couldn't help but shake her head and say:

"That makes sense. Sometimes, the more noble and grand a family is, the less likely it is to produce someone who can overthrow a region. I was criticized a lot when I was young, but now that I think about it, if it weren't for that, I wouldn't have been so determined to prove myself."

"In my opinion, we don't even need the real person to go. We can just ask a friend to secretly take him there. Now that the King of Wei is personally escorting him, who would dare to compete with me in the grotto? Anyone who dares to compete with him would probably risk the lives of their entire sect!"

She, however, expressed her own regret, saying:
"We're still spoiling him too much. Whether it's the old master or the King of Wei, it's not necessarily a good thing to treat him solely based on our past affections!"

Upon hearing this, Li Suining suddenly regretted his words, thinking to himself:
'Yes! In his previous life, the King of Wei didn't have such power, nor did he have the opportunity to escort him. People were only wary of him; now, I don't know how they could be afraid... Besides, without the burden of his clansmen who went with him on the lake, he couldn't face those helpless deaths time and time again, so how could he suffer any more hardship...'

Then, after a moment's thought, he sighed again:
'But I absolutely cannot just stand by and watch the people on the lake go to their deaths just to train him!'

For a moment, Li Suining was unsure whether it was good or bad, and a sense of absurdity arose in his heart:
"What a cruel twist of fate! If he hadn't been born into such a noble family..."

Li Quewan shook his head and said:

“Back then, we were poor, and my family often secretly regretted that if he hadn’t been born into our family, he would surely have soared to great heights. But now, your words are quite accurate! Although my family is now wealthy, we are not wealthy enough to completely let him do as he pleases. Poverty and wealth are not the limiting factors; it’s just that the right person… was not born in the right time!”

Upon hearing this, Li Suining was startled and shocked, while Li Quewan said softly:
"The right person lives in the right circumstances, which is the destiny that favors him, and only then can he become a figure like King Wei. Just as the True Man Zhaojing said: 'A shallow destiny does not lead to supernatural powers.' The same applies if he is placed in a higher position."

Li Suining was stunned for a moment, feeling a tightness in his chest. He remained silent for a long time before finally replying:
"This junior has learned a great deal!"

After he remained silent for a while, Li Quewan sensed his mood and stopped talking about it, changing the subject and frowning as she said:

"Now that you've achieved something, you're considered a figure at the Purple Mansion level, with a bright future ahead of you. Why have you been forcing a smile all this time, looking so troubled?"

Li Quewan was perceptive, and this question rekindled Li Suining's unease. He stood there for a moment, seemingly lost in thought, and murmured:

"All the princes have reached the Purple Mansion stage, and the eldest prince has also broken through to the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion..."

Li Quewan said happily:
"Okay!"

But after just those two words, Li Quewan sensed something was amiss. The phrase "Your Highness" sounded particularly jarring; this junior rarely addressed people that way. She frowned, looking at him, and asked:

"What's wrong with my brother?"

Li Suining paused, as scenes from that year flashed before his eyes, finally making him unable to sit still. He said with some complicated emotions:

"Aunt, what kind of person is Master Changli?"

Upon hearing this, Li Quewan seemed to understand something. Instead of hastily questioning him, she pondered for a moment and softly said:
"He was a very bad person, but he was well disciplined at home."

"I've received news that he's made many friends in the north..."

Li Suining was silent for a moment, then said:
"I understand that this is a time for us to work together, but I fear that the road ahead may be difficult and that someone may collude with the enemy to sabotage our cause. The more they know, the more uneasy I become!"

Li Suining's unease was genuine. In almost every prediction, Li Jiangqian managed to avoid the final calamity. The future was uncertain, but at least he would die after the entire Li family... The only time was when he was tricked into serving in the north, and Li Jiangqian was able to rush back to kill him to vent his anger!

Seeing his expression, Li Quewan seemed to have guessed a great deal, or perhaps some things had long been in her heart, causing her expression to dim slightly for a moment. She said:

“Suining, he’s a smart man. He wouldn’t do anything that would truly cause my family significant losses and benefit himself. That’s the bottom line. If that day ever comes and he tries to salvage his life by sabotaging the ship, there’s only one possibility…”

"This ship had to be sunk."

Li Suining remained silent, staring at those soft, beautiful eyes fixed on him:

"is not it?"

Li Suining nodded with difficulty, and Li Quewan smiled:
"He's shrewd and resourceful. When you give him a task, he'll plan it out much better than others. If you trust him, he'll bring you many benefits. But if you don't trust him and keep things from him, he'll figure it out on his own. And if he does eventually, he'll doubt your motives, and the consequences will be far too numerous..."

Li Suining moved his lips, but Li Quewan gently shook his head and said:

“I know you can see some things in the future and know more than the rest of us. If the situation changes in the future, my brother will definitely seek a way out. There’s no need for any deduction.”

“I know, the King of Wei knows, and Grand Uncle knows, but none of us have mentioned this matter. Think about it, if one day the situation really slides into an irreversible abyss, is it only by having him perish with you and me that we can be considered to have lived up to the expectations of the Li family?”

Li Suining's sharp eyebrows immediately rose. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but the words he wanted to say eventually fell back into his stomach. In the end, he could only let out a sigh.

Li Quewan gazed at him silently until he could no longer utter a word, before she spoke:

"A proud and ambitious man like him wouldn't be trapped in a wrecked boat, risking his life for others. If leaving us can save his life then..."

The woman was very serene, her eyes filled with a clarity that seemed to have long been understood. When asked about her brother's future, she simply smiled and said:

"Then we might as well grant his wish; that way, we'll feel more at ease."

When Li Suining suddenly saw her gaze, for some reason, he recalled the pulsating Heavenly Nurturing Jar from his memory, and a bitter pain immediately surged into his heart, causing him to slowly close his eyes and remain silent.