Chapter 1217: Glazed Pagoda Of Unrestrained Boundary (I)

Quan Yuduan immediately stepped forward after Si Xunhui and said softly, "Our master sent us this time for two reasons. First, there is a sect mission, and he instructed me to escort the young junior here. Second... there is also an extremely important matter to convey."

Li Zhouluo immediately understood, raised his chin slightly, and Dili Guang led the guards away. The hall soon grew empty, and Quan Yuduan said quietly, "Our master governs the Southern Sea. He overturned the two-hundred-year-old blood and resentment system of the Chi and Lingu Families, and in doing so eradicated all devil cultivators across the Stone Pond Island region under his rule. With the five peaks' disciples as his vanguard, he reorganized the islands into prosperous territories for minor sects and factions under his domain...

"Then, he established his foothold upon those islands. Several demonic sects, large and small, attempted raids in succession, but whenever they struck, the upper ranks were almost entirely slaughtered by master alone. Since then, the entire Stone Pond Island region has known peace. Its marketplaces have prospered greatly, and cultivators of the Southern Sea would rather travel for days and nights to reach Stone Pond Market.

"Now, trade across the northern and southern seas flows toward Stone Pond Island, which has naturally offended Thunder Island. Fortunately, Daoist Master Yuan Xiu's prestige is at its peak, so our master remains unharmed, but he warned the family to stay vigilant in case of retaliation."

Li Xuanxuan silently nodded, his heart sinking. Li Zhouwei had spoken to him before about the Southern Sea; most devil cultivators there were raised by Thunder Island. This was likely more than just a struggle over market profits. The old man pondered,

Daoist Master Yuan Xiu must have intentionally sent Zhi'er to the chaotic Southern Sea and ordered him to manage the markets. Once the Si Family finishes devouring the profits, Zhi'er will have no choice but to be bound even tighter to him...

While the old man was lost in thought, Quan Yuduan drew a small, multicolored glazed pagoda from his sleeve. It was no larger than a finger and exquisitely made. Holding it in his palm, he said quietly, "This dharma artifact was specially entrusted to me by my master to bring back. It is called the Glazed Pagoda Of Unrestrained Boundary. It once belonged to an ancient sect of the Southern Sea and reappeared in the world a few years ago. Master went through great effort to reclaim it."

Li Wushao picked it up and handed it to Li Xuanxuan. Though it seemed no larger than a thumb, the old man felt it sink heavily into his palm, nearly making him drop it. He glanced toward Quan Yuduan and heard him say, "Young master, this Glazed Pagoda Of Unrestrained Boundary is a most peculiar dharma artifact, and is designed to temper disciples. It has twenty-four levels, with a doorway at every six levels. When opened, each emits water, fire, wind, or lightning. They rise from bottom to top as follows, the Supreme Blazing Fire, the Wounding Crops Wind, the Autumn Death Water, and the Northern Palace Thunder.

"The remaining twenty levels without doorways each have considerable capacity. They can store spirit items, seal them within, and when connected to a spirit vein, the tower can nourish those items. It is a highly practical tool."

This was clearly a dharma artifact meant to guard a mountain gate, something akin to a sect's foundation treasure. If it were a true spirit artifact, even great Dao lineages like the Azure Pond Sect or the Golden Feather Sect would treat it as an heirloom capable of anchoring their sect's fortune.

Quan Yuduan shook his crimson robe slightly and explained, "Master examined it carefully. It should be a pagoda originally forged in ancient Dao lineages to train disciples to evade the Three Disasters and Nine Tribulations. This particular one is a later imitation, but even that later lineage is already an ancient past to us...

"Nowadays, no one needs to avoid those tribulations anymore, so the usefulness of this ancient artifact has greatly diminished. Still, it remains a rare treasure, one that combines punishment and tempering in one."

His eyes were full of admiration as he praised, "The Supreme Blazing Fire refines true origin, its door containing three tempered and harmonized merging fires. The Wounding Crops Wind dispels stray thoughts, its door filled with six spirit winds imbued with clarity. The Autumn Death Water washes away vanity, its door holding twelve spirit waters formed from the three Daos of Pristine, Converging, and Pit..."

It truly was a wondrous dharma artifact. Li Zhouluo recognized it at once as an ancient dharma artifact. Only cultivators of antiquity could afford such extravagance. The spirit items sealed within alone would equal more than half the wealth of an established Foundation Establishment Realm family.

But Quan Yuduan stopped abruptly, and Li Zhouluo could not help but ask, "Isn't there still the Northern Palace Thunder at the top level?"

Quan Yuduan hesitated for a moment before nodding, "The Northern Palace Thunder... yes, it can also kill... or be used in battle. There are twenty-four kinds of lightning within that door. Unlike the others, all twenty-four are Profound Thunders, each corresponding to one of the four divine abilities of Profound Thunder... It is quite convenient for killing, one strike to the body and the victim is reduced to ash."

"This..."

Li Zhouluo exchanged a glance with Li Xuanxuan, and the old man said with a nod, "So the topmost gate is meant for defense and combat. Remarkable indeed."

Si Xunhui chuckled softly. This elder was, after all, his master's grandfather, and he showed due respect as he cupped his hands, "According to the Daoist Master, the creator of this dharma artifact greatly despised the Thunder Palace. The first three gates were painful yet left a thread of life and even brought certain benefits, but the final gate above is entirely filled with Profound Thunder, bringing no benefit at all and ceasing only when it has struck the victim dead. Daoist Master said the twenty-fourfold pattern was of the highest grade, and joked that whoever forged it must have been struck miserably when trying to break through to the Purple Mansion Realm..."

"

Oh... ha-ha...

"

Since it was a jest from a Purple Mansion Realm Daoist Master, both men forced a few laughs even though it was not funny. Li Xuanxuan chuckled twice, then admired the thumb-sized pagoda in his hand, thinking to himself,

This would be the perfect artifact to suppress Qingdu. In the past, punishing disciples merely meant docking merit or sending them to the outer regions. Killing them outright would be excessive, and we lacked anything that truly inspired fear. Many problems could be solved with this dharma artifact.

The Li Family's Milin Mountain already possessed an ancient artifact called the Cuoxiang, a censer that harmonized the earth veins and stored spiritual qi. It had maintained the flow of qi within Milin for over a decade.

Quan Yuduan smiled. "Don't be anxious, elder. I still have more to deliver."

He took out a storage pouch from his sleeve and said, "Inside are four treasured panaceas: Azure Reverence Flower, Meridian Vine, Profound-Patterned Yellow Viper Fruit, and Elusive Grass, along with three Foundation Establishment Realm spirit items and more than one hundred and fifty Spirit Stones to aid the household."

Li Zhouluo carefully took the heavy pouch and stored it away. Then Quan Yuduan drew out a letter from his sleeve and said solemnly, "This... was entrusted to me by my master. He instructed me to deliver it personally to Chenghuai and bring back a reply. I wonder..."

Li Xuanxuan frowned slightly and hesitated, "Chenghuai is currently in seclusion. Since it is this important... I will send someone to inquire."