Chapter 1242: Refining A Pill Through Fate (I)

Li Ximing nodded in acknowledgment. The three Purple Mansion Realm cultivators then began discussing profound Dao principles. Lingdu started the topic by bringing up Majestic Earth's flawlessness and its countering principles. Houfu responded with tales of his family's Daoist Masters crossing hands with Majestic Earth cultivators, comparing them one by one and suggesting that a certain divine ability of the Orthodox Wood was best suited to subdue Majestic Earth. Their conversation was delightfully animated.

Li Ximing, of course, had little to add. The only ones he was familiar with were Changxi of Stable Earth and Sumian of Treasure Earth. He had merely heard that someone named Chengyan cultivated Majestic Earth but had never met him. So he just listened quietly, occasionally throwing in some idle words to keep the conversation flowing.

Taking advantage of a pause in their exchange, Li Ximing turned to Lingdu and asked, "Senior... do you happen to know the Heavenly Glow Dao lineage?"

Houfu's expression grew faintly amused, his gaze turning deep, while Lingdu frowned and said, "Zhaojing, do you mean Mount Luoxia, where the majestic light gathers the rosy glow?"

Li Ximing had been asking on behalf of his elder brother, but he hadn't expected the first reply to bring up Mount Luoxia. It was his first time hearing Mount Luoxia being described like that, and he paused briefly before hastily replying, "No... I mean the Heavenly Glow Purple Mansion Dao lineage..."

Lingdu blinked, visibly relieved, and smiled helplessly. He said, "The world's Heavenly Glow comes from two places, Mount Luoxia and Xia Mountain. They seem like separate sites, but both belong to the same person. If you mean the Heavenly Glow Purple Mansion Dao lineage... that's someone's private domain. Most Dao lineages have nothing of the sort."

Li Ximing replied flatteringly, "I know such things can't be asked elsewhere, and most Dao lineages indeed lack them. But your ancient and inscrutable lineage surely surpasses all others... so I thought to ask."

Houfu sighed, his gaze meaningful as he replied, "Zhaojing, you've assumed too much... we have nothing related to Heavenly Glow."

His words were deliberately obscure. Li Ximing looked up in surprise, but neither of them seemed inclined to elaborate. As he spoke, someone else approached from the forest.

Tantai Muming waited until Houfu finished speaking before bowing respectfully to the three and reporting, "I've brought Fellow Daoist Xia to acknowledge her lineage and read Senior Brother Yu's biography. She has changed her attire and now waits quietly in the forest."

"Good." Lingdu replied with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Zhaojing likely has something more to say. Let her come up."

Li Ximing then realized it was probably not appropriate for him to linger. He thought to himself,

I have indeed stayed long enough. I've already received their favor, and the Nine Mounds Dao lineage has treated me kindly. It would be discourteous to remain any longer; it's better to leave early.

Before long, Xia Shouyu ascended the path. She wore white on top, a gray skirt below, and seashell ornaments that jingled faintly. She was dressed in the manner of an Eastern Sea cultivator. Li Ximing beckoned her closer, drew one red and one gold scroll from his sleeve, and said, "Take these two scrolls back with you. The red one concerns your marriage arrangement, and the gold one is my personal letter. Deliver both to Elder Xuanxuan in the lake."

𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Xia Shouyu's thoughts were unreadable, but she bowed respectfully and said, "Daoist Master, thank you for granting this marriage! I will be sure to deliver them to the elder personally!"

Only then did Li Ximing turn toward Houfu and give a respectful bow as he said, "My thanks for troubling you, senior!"

Houfu nodded slightly. Li Ximing gestured for Xia Shouyu to stand behind him, and Houfu replied, "Zhaojing, there's no need to be so formal, just call me Houfu. The Pure Victory Dao and the Great Peace Radiant Temple have been clashing in recent years, shaking the Great Western Plains. The Sword Gate has asked my Great Xiukui Temple for aid, and I must head west to the Great Western Plains anyway. It will be along my path, there's no trouble at all."

Li Ximing nodded, but Lingdu looked surprised, eyes widening as he asked, "The Pure Victory Dao? One of the three from Splitreed Island? Remarkable, truly remarkable!"

Li Ximing knew a fair number of ancient matters, and Splitreed Island was no secret. In the old days, the Immortal Yingze had divided the Lesser Yang Devil Monarch into three; one of whom, Devil Monarch Xiyan, had once resided in the Great Western Plains.

Though he didn't know why Lingdu would bring up Devil Monarch Xiyan at the mention of the Pure Victory Dao, Li Ximing could tell this was no small matter. He lowered his voice and asked, "Senior, are you saying... Lesser Yang..."

Houfu merely shook his head. Even though Li Ximing spoke carefully, the elder raised a finger to his lips, his expression grave, and replied, "Not necessarily. The Pure Victory Dao's rise began over a decade ago when its leader achieved the Diverse Mansion. Then, just a year ago, one of the Five Bright Ones refined a divine ability. With two Purple Mansion Realm cultivators emerging in succession, the balance of power has reversed, and the Merciful Ones of the Great Peace Radiant Temple can no longer withstand them...

"There's been no trace of that person, but since they belong to the Lesser Yang Dao lineage, it may very well be that great one's doing."

Lingdu's expression darkened. He too raised a finger, this time pointing at the heavens, and said, "Do not forget, there is another Lesser Yang in the Outer Heavens. If he was injured, it could have stirred the other two to act strangely as well."

The three exchanged glances in silence. Those two could speak freely, but Li Ximing dared not even listen. One was of the Supreme Yang Dao lineage and a Supreme Yin Immortal's kin, while the other belonged to the Nine Mounds Dao lineage, a great power of the outer-sea. Li Ximing was but a lone wanderer with no patron. Feeling a chill run down his back at their silence, he waved his hand and said, "I won't impose further. My thanks to Nine Mounds Immortal Mountain for the spiritual flames, your kindness will be remembered."

After exchanging a few polite words, Lingdu offered only brief farewells and escorted him down the mountain. The old man was clearly distracted; all three had their own thoughts, making the parting feel somewhat perfunctory. Only Houfu added a final remark, "By escorting Xia Shouyu back to the lake, others will assume I met with you, Zhaojing. I care little for Yehui or Changxiao's suspicions, but if Tinglan herself asks, it would be awkward for me to lie."

Clearly, since both belonged to the Supreme Yang Dao lineage, the Purple Smoke Gate and Xiukui Temple still shared some rapport, and Houfu found it difficult to deceive her directly.

Li Ximing thought for a moment. He still needed to forge a grand formation and could not afford to alienate this Daoist Master, yet revealing his whereabouts too precisely might cause trouble, especially if Changxiao sought to exploit it. After some deliberation, he drew a jade pendant from his sleeve and handed it to Houfu, saying, "I am currently traveling near the Dong'a King Sea. If Fellow Daoist Tinglan wishes to find me, tell her to go to the border between the Dong'a King Sea and the Peacock Sea. Crush this charm there, and I will come to meet her."

Houfu nodded in understanding and accepted it. Li Ximing bade farewell to the two, soaring swiftly across the sea until he reached the nearby Dong'a King Sea. The chaos there had somewhat subsided; several demon generals had divided the territory, and small factions were beginning to form, leaving the waters relatively calm.

He carefully examined his Dharma body to ensure no trace of Lesser Yang radiance remained, then muttered, "What a shock, suddenly talking about something so terrifying... mention one, and three more come up, but before you know it, seven or eight are dragged in."

Li Ximing scanned the surroundings, then dove into the sea and settled on the ocean floor. He activated the Mountain-Charging Sea-Pacing Tiger technique, moving through the earth beneath a layer of pure Stable Earth radiance. Riding the Stable Tiger flying shuttle, he tunneled deep underground and found a fire vein to reside within.

He carved out a cave using the Mountain-Charging Sea-Pacing Tiger, guided the fire vein's flow into it, and placed his pill furnace atop. Only then did Li Ximing sit down.

Before he could act, a sudden chill swept through his Shenyang Mansion, as though a blast of icy force struck him squarely on the head. Sparks burst in his mind, his vision blurred, and cold surged up his face until tears welled from his eyes.

"This..."

It's over!

It felt as though a giant hand had suddenly seized his spiritual sense and hurled it straight into the boundless Outer Heavens.

Suddenly, he beheld blazing suns and countless stars. Rows of white-jade immortal palaces stretched endlessly as clouds circled the moon, golden crows shone beside soaring phoenixes and luans. Twelve bridges arched across golden lakes; palatial halls lay in sweeping rows; and radiant birds of celestial plumage filled the skies.

The scene swept past too quickly for Li Ximing to see clearly before he plunged once more into darkness. It felt as though he had fallen into a deep underground palace. Dim lights flickered ahead, and a stone bridge stretched across the void. A man in gray clothes, blood staining his robes, stood upon it. Upon closer look, the composed, steady features of a middle-aged face became clear.

It was Wang Quwan.

There was only that single bridge, suspended alone in an endless void, in the dim gloom. Wang Quwan looked upward, gripping a blue-gold sword in his hand. Countless threads of silken white radiance descended from above, as if connected to some profound Dao Collection.

Li Ximing's vision was drawn rapidly toward that white radiance. Treasures, Daoist manuals, and dharma artifacts flashed before his eyes in a dazzling kaleidoscope of color, until his sight came to rest at the deepest point, upon a single spirit sword hanging in mid-air.

The sword was simple and elegant; its surface was pale gray in color without a single pattern. Unlike the ornate forging styles of the present age, its guard was almost as wide as the blade, giving the entire weapon the shape of a single straight line.

What truly caught Li Ximing's attention was the sword's only ornament. It was a bright white spirit stone set at the end of its hilt. The familiar aura emanating from that spirit stone stirred the talisman seeds within his Shenyang Mansion, making Li Ximing tremble. It was not the first time he had felt this; years ago, when Yu Muxian had arrived by boat across the lake, the young Li Ximing had fainted under the influence of a similar fragment. The sensation was identical.

A bolt of lightning seemed to explode in Li Ximing's heart, and a single phrase flashed across his mind,

A fragment of the Immortal Mirror!

The white brilliance receded swiftly, followed by the fading of darkness itself. Li Ximing felt the world spin before he slowly opened his eyes. He saw dim stone walls and a dark pill furnace standing before him. The crackle of the fire vein reached his ears, and it was clear that he had returned to the underground cave.

He first bowed deeply, then stood up. His face alternated between pale and bluish hues, and a wisp of cold breath escaped his lips. Forcing down his discomfort, he reached into his storage pouch and took out a jade box.

"

Cough!

"

The moment Li Ximing opened his mouth, several pale vines burst wildly out, climbing across his chin. Their tendrils hung down like spider plants, blooming in mid-air with clusters of pure white flowers.

Fragrance filled the cave, mingled with a sharp, penetrating chill. He reached out, seized the spirit item whole, and placed it into the jade box without even glancing at it, then hurried to inspect his body.

No trace of a Supreme Yin divine ability's impact, only a lingering chill... So it was the Immortal Mirror! I thought I'd provoked some True Monarch to anger and was about to be crushed to death by their Fruition Attainment...

Relieved, the cold within his chest melted away, leaving him both stunned and elated.

Wang Quwan... that was Wang Quwan! That place must be the Mifan Dao Collection, and there's an Immortal Mirror fragment inside it!

This place is tens of thousands of kilometers from Jiangbei, yet I was able to glimpse the scenery of Mifan... incredible... And that immortal palace, like a celestial pavilion, could it be in the Outer Heavens?

He surmised that his mind must have first connected to some point in the Outer Heavens, then, through the link between the Outer Heavens and the Immortal Mirror, drawn closer to Jiangbei and saw the Mifan inheritance before traversing into the Mifan Dao Collection itself to perceive where the fragment lay...

Such divine and unfathomable power...

Suppressing his astonishment, Li Ximing soon realized that the opportunity had already passed.

The Mifan Dao lineage must open only at intervals. This time, several Daos like Chengyun Gate must have gathered their legacies and opened it for the first time. Though I missed it now, there will be another chance if I wait a while...

If that's the case, it's far too late to cultivate my own Mifan disciple. That treasure sword can't be left within for ten or twenty years; I can only put everything behind supporting Wang Quwan.