Chapter 1194: True Profound Quintessence-Gathering (I)

Xia Shouyu fell to her knees, while the demon general writhed on the ground, his voice hoarse and frantic, "Daoist Master... Daoist Master, spare me..."

Li Ximing found the noise grating. He prevented the sound from going beyond the barrier with a thought and said with a smile, "Little Friend Xia, your judgment is accurate. This one is indeed of Valley Water. Does he have any background or relatives? Best not to stir up too much trouble and attract attention outside."

Xia Shouyu understood his unspoken meaning. The old monster clearly wanted to hide away to heal, and beings of this level often had unknown enemies outside. They were likely great foes from the Orthodox Dao. If trouble broke out, she would fare no better than a bug.

She nodded repeatedly and replied, "Daoist Master! This one is a demon general from the end of the sea, known as Great King Qiu. Our area is far too remote. Even the Dragon Clan that patrols the seas doesn't bother coming here. Only a few Foundation Establishment Realm demonic creatures have visited over the years, and they have some ties with the local lesser demons. It may not cause any real trouble even if they all died..."

Li Ximing did not fully trust the words of a mere Qi Cultivation Realm cultivator and thought,

This lesser demon has some brains. He may not have marched in grandly, but he did bring several close subordinates. If they all die here, it will draw many eyes. Best to keep matters quiet.

Seeing his silence, Xia Shouyu feared he might use her as a pawn again. Hoping he would keep things discreet, she whispered, "This demonic creature is manageable. I have only heard that heading west across the sea leads to Peacock Sea in the outer waters. There, a mighty cultivator with divine abilities resides on Nine Mounds Mountain. His powers are boundless. I have heard he can make the dead speak and raise the living to immortality. That immortal from that mountain came to the end of the sea over sixty years ago to take disciples, so he clearly keeps an eye on the area."

"

Oh?

" Li Ximing noted that this was a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator located at the edge of the end of the sea. He was likely the nearest Purple Mansion Realm cultivator. He asked softly, "What is his surname? What path does he cultivate? What reputation does he have?"

Xia Shouyu kowtowed quickly. "I do not know! I have only heard that a mighty cultivator carrying a gourd often travels between those immortal mountains. Over ten years ago, golden talismans soared to the heavens over the end of the sea, and threads of light fell like rain. The gourd grew as large as a mountain. It must have been a spar with another great power."

Li Ximing had never heard of such a gourd; he was starting to feel a little wary about the region. He motioned for Xia Shouyu to stop speaking, then looked at the marine worm demon on the ground and asked, "You demon, you've run into my hands. Who do you belong to?"

The demon general cried out miserably, "Master! I am from the Zhunan Water Mansion, Daoist Master! I meant no offense. Please, for the sake of the Water Mansion... spare this little demon!"

The demon creature removed the storage pouch from his waist and dumped everything out with a clatter as he cried out. The items were gaudy, pitifully few, and mostly blood essences. They were astoundingly shabby, not even up to the standard of the belongings of a Qi Cultivation Realm core disciple from the Jiangnan sects.

He trembled as he took out a jade vial from the pile and said miserably, "This was something I obtained by accident. I offer it to the Daoist Master!"

"

Haha!

"

Li Ximing glanced at it. It was an ancient dharma pill, though he had no idea whether it was still usable. The offer amused him. He had only wanted to hear the demonic creature's defense and use it a little, but he had no intention of believing such a clumsy lie.

He grabbed the lump of flesh, loosened his spell slightly, allowing it to return to human form, and scolded, "Nonsense! The Zhunan Water Mansion lies far to the south, in the Scarlet Pristine Sea. This place is the eastern end of the Eastern Sea. Flying here from there would take more than half a year, yet you dare spout such lies!"

Li Ximing's own Zongquan Island sat right by the Zhunan Water Mansion. He knew it far better than this demonic creature. The effeminate man broke out in a cold sweat and stammered, "My lord, this little demon once served under Yunxiaozi, a high official of the Water Mansion. Later, I went wandering outside and eventually came to the end of the sea..."

"Enough!" Li Ximing's expression turned half amused and half cold as he said, "Call your subordinates down and tell them you need to study formations. Have them disperse and return to guard your mansion. Leave only two to watch the island. Do not let outsiders know."

No matter how many thoughts spun through the demonic creature's mind, he could do nothing. Even if he wanted to frown or open his mouth before his subordinates, the spell suppressing him did not allow a single unnecessary expression.

He could only quietly send orders to the demons above. With the Immortal Mirror enhancing his senses and his spell watching over everything, Li Ximing saw clearly that he stirred no trouble. The group of demonic creatures did not grow suspicious and left together.

It was only after using the Immortal Mirror to examine the demonic creatures from afar and confirming nothing was amiss that Li Ximing returned to the cave. He took out a pitch-black pill furnace from his storage pouch. It thudded onto the ground, its surface covered in elaborate carvings of waves and fierce beasts, standing on three stout legs.

Furnace In The River.

Now that Li Ximing had advanced to the Purple Mansion Realm, refining a pill didn't truly require a pill furnace. Moreover, the Furnace In The River wasn't even a Foundation Establishment Realm dharma artifact. But since he was refining a life-saving pill, he exercised extra caution.

The demonic creature's face turned ashen, and instantly reverted to his true form. Lifting him up, Li Ximing said casually, "Yunxiaozi? That old Yunxiao has been dead for many years!"

The gap between Jiangnan's Purple Mansion Realm cultivators and the Foundation Establishment Realm demonic creatures at the end of the sea was simply too vast. News the demon general believed earth-shattering was nothing but a joke to him. When he saw the demonic creature's mana churn violently and wisps of gray qi leak out, Li Ximing clicked his tongue,

A proper Valley Water physique, yet instead of nurturing it, he piled up his cultivation with so much blood food.

After thinking for a moment, he discarded the idea of using Huiyuan Spirit Water and instead used Earth Fiend's Cold Spring, adding Clear Night Spirit Flower to neutralize the demonic creature's evil qi. He had many valuable spirit items of the Li Family, so he quickly gathered what he needed.

He lit the furnace. Violet flames surged forth, throwing his shadow wildly against the stone walls. Xia Shouyu grew increasingly uneasy, her eyelids twitching violently. She was unsure how grave a disaster she had helped create,

How long will this old monster refine pills... If he buries himself in this for ten or twenty years and misses the timing... I'll be trapped and die down here.

𝗳𝚛𝚎𝚎𝘄𝕖𝕓𝕟𝕠𝚟𝚎𝕝.𝗰𝕠𝐦

She remained kneeling in the bright furnace light for two days and two nights. Suddenly, the flames began to shrink. Xia Shouyu's heart clenched in alarm as the old monster abruptly slapped the pill furnace and shouted, "Rise!"

A refreshing fragrance spread through the cave. Xia Shouyu had never smelled anything so wondrous. The dense medicinal scent surged into her mind, making her feel weightless, when she heard a muffled sound.

Boom!

The furnace lid flew up. Seven pills shot out one after another, each blue-white in color with bright purple patterns. They obediently landed in Li Ximing's palm, bumping against each other with crystalline, glass-like chimes.

"It's done!"

A sudden joy rushed into Li Ximing's heart. He couldn't help but laugh heartily at the sight of seven pills. With a flick of his finger, all seven rolled neatly into the jade vial.

An unexpected blessing!