The Mirror Legacy

Chapter 1614: Bound For The Sea (II)

That single sentence was enough to silence Li Zhouwei.

Li Ximing quietly activated his divine ability and said, "I combed through the pavilion. There is a fifth-grade scripture called the [Heavenly Sparrow Light-Bestowal Scripture]. It contains only a single secret technique, and costs ninety-seven immortal merits. After exchanging for the [Imperial Divergence Light] back then, there were still two hundred and ninety-eight merits remaining. And after you emerged from the grotto heaven, another thirty-one merits were added..."

Li Zhouwei pondered for a long while before finally replying, "It's difficult... far too difficult. The family doesn't possess a True Fire Purple Mansion Realm spirit item. Even if we did... with only a single secret technique... wouldn't that be pushing aunt straight into a pit of fire?"

The golden-eyed youth set down his teacup and asked, "What does aunt herself think?"

Li Ximing sighed. "To be honest, there's also Ding Weizeng. The two of them are among the very few in the clan who possess even the faintest hope. The others have none at all. Yet neither of them has ever brought it up..."

As they spoke, Li Minggong had already arrived at the mountainside. Though she was no longer young, she had entered the Foundation Establishment Realm early and had never suffered any major injuries. As a result, she still appeared to only be in her thirties. Her black hair was simply tied back as she bowed to Li Ximing.

Li Ximing asked plainly and directly, "Do you have aspirations toward obtaining a divine ability, Minggong? I happen to have news of a True Fire Purple Mansion Realm cultivation method, one that shares the same affinity as your Immortal Foundation."

Li Minggong froze for a moment. A trace of panic appeared on her face as she bowed more deeply. "I have never harbored ambitions of reaching the Purple Mansion Realm..."

Li Ximing nodded as Li Minggong continued, "If the family ever requires it, I will certainly give it a try, but my lord need not concern yourself with finding a Dao lineage for me.

"Among the children of Chengming back then, I was never particularly outstanding. I merely had the good fortune to return alive from the north. Whether it was Brother Chengliao or Younger Brother Chenghui, both were far more exceptional than I was.

“They never even considered pursuing the Purple Mansion Realm, much less someone like me... If I can preserve this one life and help teach the descendants of my brothers, that will count as protecting their descendants on their behalf..."

Li Ximing sighed inwardly and let the subject drop. After giving her instructions regarding Lacquer Marsh, he regained his composure, forced a smile, and said to Li Zhouwei, "I'll go take a look now... and have the cultivation methods added to the island's collection!"

He transformed into a streak of light and departed. Li Zhouwei remained seated at the table, deep in thought for a long time. He made no move to summon his eldest grandson.

Instead, he suddenly instructed, "Bring Jiangnian to see me."

The courtyard guards immediately carried out the order. Before long, a man dressed in white ascended from the mountainside.

Brilliant radiance flowed across the man's face, making his features appear handsome and well-proportioned. Yet his demeanor was timid and shrinking.

He bowed before Li Zhouwei, and respectfully said, "Father..."

Li Zhouwei saw through the illusion art covering his face with a single glance. An unattractive visage shied away from his eyes. Li Jiangnian’s eyes had been unnaturally widened through external means, and obvious signs of alteration marked his cheeks. Clearly, his appearance had been modified through [Jade True] techniques, yet because the craftsmanship was lacking, the result looked distorted rather than improved.

He remarked, "You've reached the Foundation Establishment Realm."

Li Jiangnan replied, "My lord... it was merely good fortune."

Li Zhouwei looked at him quietly. There was neither harshness nor disgust in his eyes. Reaching out, he patted his shoulder and instructed, "From today onward, go to Qunyi."

Li Jiangnian rose to his feet. He did not ask a single question, merely nodding like a lamb long accustomed to accepting whatever came his way. Li Zhouwei also stood.

His voice softened considerably as he said, "Learn more arts that can keep you alive. Cultivate diligently. Stay farther away from the lake. There's no need to live beneath the radiance of your brothers... That, too, is a good path."

Li Jiangnian only continued nodding. When Li Zhouwei finally waved him away, he hurriedly called out, "Thank you, father."

He quickly took his leave.

Li Zhouwei watched his departing figure, and slowly lowered his head, his gaze calm. Back then, all I wanted was for fate to take a different turn, for there to be the slightest chance of change. Yet granduncle could not bear it in the end and bestowed the character 'Huan.' Now the child is grown... There is nothing left to change...

Not merely the divine ability of two lifetimes... not merely the Bright Yang of two lifetimes... How could such a thing be allowed?!

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Purple mist drifted through the air over a platform of black jade.

A round porcelain dish rested quietly before the platform. Golden sand flowed across its surface like water, carrying a tiny Daoist temple upon it.

A carefree-looking man reclined beside the dish, casually examining it. "Martial uncle, how many lots did you draw?"

Daoist Master Tiangui strode in excitedly from outside the cave, stopping amidst the purple haze. "Good fortune! I got two of them!"

"Oh?" Daoist Master Tianhuo rose in visible surprise, and raised an eyebrow. "I only heard about one. Where did the second come from?"

Daoist Master Tiangui was clearly in excellent spirits. He said, "One came from someone within our own territory. The other was from the Ni Family. I received word in advance, and brought it back to the mountain. It turned out to be a treasure that had been drawn out by the attraction and flown forth on its own. Fortunately, I arrived in time, and the Ni Family didn't dare offend us. That's how I managed to secure it!"

Tianhuo offered his congratulations, "Congratulations, martial uncle!"

He then noticed Tiangui's smile fade as his expression turned serious. Tiangui asked, "How is that lord doing?"

Tianhuo's expression immediately turned grave as well. "I've sent subordinates to Linhai Prefecture. The man himself hasn't appeared for quite some time. My guess is that he's already attempting to break through to the Purple Mansion Realm!"

The other Daoist Master let out a long sigh and sat down beside him. Tiangui said, "He really isn't giving anyone a moment to breathe... Wanlin Heaven only descended a few years ago. Most of the families are still digesting their gains and recovering from their injuries, yet he's already preparing to set the next great tide in motion..."

"It is always best to act swiftly." Tianhuo replied quietly before asking, "How did Mount Changhuai respond?"

A trace of cold resentment still lingered in Tiangui's voice, though it was no longer intense. "What else could they say? Naturally, they're fussing over Qing Tangyin's affairs. Back then, they made an enormous spectacle of merging the [Martial Inquiry Purification Vessel] into the great formation and spreading it throughout the entirety of Wu State... Plotting in secret all the while, and then standing by as the nine clans of nine surnames continued to expand, wasn't all of it for the sake of this very day?

"Once the [Martial Inquiry Purification Vessel] shattered, it threw Wu State into complete turmoil. He returned through reincarnation and set out to build an imperial enterprise. The nine surnames have been isolated from the world for far too long and still have no idea what's coming. In the end, many people will die. The karmic burden of slaughter he accumulates may well surpass even Yang Zhuo's."

Tianhuo chuckled and shook his head. "Keeping a little distance from one another is a kind of unspoken understanding."

Tiangui sighed and said with a nod, "No matter how much I asked, they refused to say much. In the end, they only promised a few positions. But what choice did they have? Unless they wanted the two sects to go to war, there was no way he could restore the old territories of Wu State without the approval of our Golden Feather Sect..."

His tone suddenly shifted. "Yun'er... How many divine abilities does he have now?"

Tianhuo answered casually, "Three divine abilities already! If those bastards in the north hadn't plotted against him, he would have succeeded even earlier! Looking at it now, the timing has become even tighter. Still, there's no point placing too much hope on it. In the end, everything depends on father. There's one more thing I have to ask. Has the dynastic name been decided?"

"Of course. That was decided long ago." Tiangui raised an eyebrow slightly. A solemn look entered his eyes as he replied, "Shu."