Chapter 1293: The Meeting Of Two Sects (II)

Tinglan inclined her head slightly and said, "First, the spirit pill that Fellow Daoist Ximing promised me has been refined. Purple Smoke Gate is not a Dao lineage that breaks its word. Most matters in the outer-sea have also been settled. Once the personnel there are redirected, we will construct formations for your esteemed family."

Li Jiangqian did not know what treasure pill the two Daoist Masters had refined, but it must have been extremely important for formations to be offered in return. He cupped his hands and said, "Many thanks, Daoist Master."

Tinglan seemed to be in a very good mood. She smiled faintly and continued, "There is one more matter. It concerns Jiangbei. Daoist Master Qiushui of the Golden Feather Sect was originally to seek guidance from Senior Yuanxiu, but the senior declined on the grounds that a breakthrough was imminent. Soon after, he sought the Dao with his life and ascended, leaving the world.

"We are all of the Green Pine Supreme Yang Dao. To avoid stirring excessive turmoil in Jiangnan, and to also respectfully see the True Monarch off to the north, the affairs of Jiangbei must be observed more carefully."

Li Jiangqian could only nod respectfully and salute as he said, "Many thanks, Daoist Master."

Tinglan's meaning was clear. The Jiangnan region did not wish to be drawn into the matter. A group of Supreme Yang Dao lineage cultivators had pushed Tinglan forward to handle the affairs of Jiangbei, and her choosing the Li Family as her foothold implied that the Li Family was tacitly considered part of this arrangement.

It is hard to say whether this is good or bad,

thought Li Jiangqian.

He understood that much. These Supreme Yang Dao lineage cultivators all carried themselves with lofty airs. For centuries, they had not moved from Jiangnan, and their status was as firm as Mount Tai. They also looked down upon the Eastern Sea and rogue cultivators. It was only because the Li Family bore the name of Bright Yang and had grown along an Orthodox Dao once acknowledged by the original court that those cultivators chose to show a few extra smiles. As for truly accepting the Li Family, Li Jiangqian did not believe it in the slightest.

In that case, this matter is likely some measure of Tinglan's personal goodwill.

The various Dao lineages of Jiangnan hoped that the True Monarch would not affect the Supreme Yang Dao lineage. But such boundaries were flexible and did not have to follow the great river as a dividing line. Tinglan's choice of Moongaze Lake subtly carried the intention of protecting her own side.

He waited for a few breaths, yet Tinglan did not raise the matter of Jiangbei. A trace of doubt arose in his heart, and he wondered whether he should broach the topic himself, when suddenly the sound of snow came from outside.

Whoosh...

A woman in white stepped out from the great void beyond the hall. She wore a white dress, with a slender white sash tied at her waist, making it seem as though it could be encircled with one hand. Her features were gentle and soft, yet her gaze was clear and cold. She only took a single step before the hall, but the entire great hall seemed to chill by several degrees.

It was Autumn Lake Fairy, Ning Wan!

Only then did Li Jiangqian understand,

So they were waiting for this Daoist Master all along. The Azure Pond Sect has no choice but to step in and handle it...

He quickly sealed away all other thoughts. He saluted the Daoist Master outside the hall, then stood in place with his head lowered respectfully.

Tinglan rose to greet her, appearing very courteous, though there was a trace of surprise between her brows as she asked, "Which blind fool managed to anger little sister like this..."

Tinglan and Ning Wan were actually not that far apart in age, perhaps only twenty years or so older. Since both belonged to the Supreme Yang Dao lineage, calling her little sister was natural.

Ning Wan replied, "Senior, you are too courteous. Just call me Wan'er. There is nothing really worth being angry about. After cultivating Clear Hearing, seeing the people within the sect simply made me feel uncomfortable..."

Tinglan immediately understood and shook her head as she consoled her, "Indeed. Clear Hearing is, after all, a Fate Divine Ability and can hear the voices of people's hearts. It inevitably brings more trouble."

Ning Wan nodded gently toward Li Jiangqian. With a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator present, it was clearly inappropriate to engage him in conversation, so she merely took a seat slightly to the side and said quietly, "When my own senior was still alive, there were many moments when his temperament seemed strange. At the time, I could not understand it. Now that I have also cultivated a Fate Divine Ability, I finally realize that he was already extremely kind tempered. Sometimes, a single stray thought from others is truly disappointing.

"It is not that I wish to pry into people's hearts. When these mortals come before me, Clear Hearing does not immediately activate. But the moment they give rise to malicious thoughts, the divine ability immediately hears them clearly and warns me. This is simply the divine ability protecting its master, just like when another person's spell reaches one's front and automatically operates to shield the self...

"But those words truly were... When I left the Azure Pond Sect, I nearly gave rise to killing intent."

Her expression was not pleasant. Her originally gentle face was filled with frost; she had clearly heard many things within the sect. It frightened Li Jiangqian into keeping his eyes lowered, as he focused on his breathing and heart rate.

Tinglan replied with a slightly complicated expression, "The Azure Pond Sect was already sorted through once by Senior Yuanxiu, which can be considered relatively good. If it were in a place like the Eastern Sea, where the atmosphere is improper, it would be even more unbearable. That senior was also a Clear Hearing cultivator."

Ning Wan did not wish to further discuss her divine ability. She did not reply to that point and instead said, "Senior Yuanxiu... did the Daoist Master go to observe the rite?"

"Of course I went. I came from the east and almost failed to make it in time." Tinglan let out a long sigh and replied, "Daoist Master Zimu of our Purple Smoke Dao lineage also went to observe the rite. I happened to meet him there. He watched for a long time, then merely shook his head and spoke a single sentence."

How could Ning Wan possibly let such a rare chance to hear something profound slip by. Her eyes almost glimmered as she immediately asked, "What did the Grand Daoist Master mean?"

Tinglan inclined her head and replied, "When the old falcon sinks its body, what branch can it rely on? A constructed mountain is easy to shake, but Orthodox Wood is hard to move."

Ning Wan mulled over those words again and again, yet could only grasp the surface meaning that Orthodox Wood is hard to move. She glanced at Tinglan and replied, "The Grand Daoist Master's cultivation has already reached the level of heaven and man. As expected of one who cultivates the Heavenly Cultivation Purple Qi nature, his grasp of abstruse discourse is far beyond ours."

She paused slightly and said softly, "I met Daoist Master Chi."

At this point, there was only one Daoist Master Chi Ning Wan would speak of: the missing Grand Daoist Master Chi Buzi. Tinglan fell silent for a moment, then replied, "A seeker of the Dao with an innately detached nature. What a pity."

Ning Wan had her own suspicions and did not press her on why it was a pity. Tinglan smiled and nodded, seeming to hold a faint trace of purple light in her hand as she said, "Meeting here at the Li Family today is in line with both your intent and mine. As for the matters of Jiangbei..."

She finally turned her gaze toward Li Jiangqian and asked in a gentle tone, "How much information does the Li Family have?"

Li Jiangqian dared not let his thoughts stray in the slightest. With his mind focused solely on Jiangbei, he replied respectfully, "Daoist Masters, Jiangbei is currently in turmoil everywhere. Most sects and gates have withdrawn their forces and tightly closed their mountain gates. Among them, Xuanmiao Temple stands out the most. They already control a few prefectures, and now have sealed its formations and recalled its disciples from all regions, seemingly intending to seal the mountain entirely.

"The northern sects and gates have retreated further north, while the southern sects and gates have pulled back. Nearly sixty percent of the central territory across Jiangbei has been left vacant. There are even many regions where devil cultivators and demon cultivators have already risen, bringing calamity to entire areas!"