Chapter 1342: Joining Forces (I)

Lin'an Prefecture.

The territory of the Great Xiukui Temple lay against the mountains and beside the sea. It was covered in rolling hills and was almost completely cut off from the outside world. The mountains were covered with temples and shrines. Even though the cultivators within these temples could not even leave Lin'an Prefecture, this Dao lineage still followed ancient conventions, allowing a hundred schools to flourish, each governing itself.

A wisp of Radiant Light drifted south toward the central mountain range in the pitch black night. It floated above dense forests, until it came across the mountain gate of the Great Xiukui Temple. The Radiant Light seemed slow yet was actually swift. It quickly condensed before the mountain gate, transforming into a man in white golden robes with a calm expression. A refined scholar stood respectfully at his side.

Li Ximing glanced at the stele standing before the mountain gate, upon which two black words were written in a fierce, unrestrained style,

Tiger Barbarians

There was no signature beneath the characters, and they even seemed somewhat dim. Beneath the stele waited a young man in black robes. Upon seeing him, the youth bowed and said respectfully, "Are you Daoist Master Zhaojing of Moongaze? My Daoist Master instructed me to wait at the mountain gate to welcome your immortal carriage."

Li Ximing gave a slight nod. Cui Jueyin stepped forward and said with a smile, "Please!"

The young man led them further inside. Only then did they see the large words at the center of the mountain gate.

Taihang Calm Sea.

The base pillars of the mountain gate still remained on either side of the mountain gate. The vertical plaques that should have hung on either side were nowhere to be found, leaving only two pedestals of extraordinary material, from which hung two dim golden lamps.

Li Ximing took one look and began to ponder inwardly.

He had been to Nine Mounds before, where the mountain gate bore the words “Nine Daos of Supreme Mound.” Now that he saw this “Taihang Calm Sea,” he understood the implication,

Perhaps it is similar to the Tongxuan Dao lineage. That Dao lineage likes to prefix everything with the character Xuan[1]. The Supreme Yang and Supreme Yin are of the same family, so taking the character Tai[2] is also reasonable.

But as for the Azure Pond Sect... I have never heard of such a mountain gate. That is rather strange.

Asking about where the plaques on either side had gone would have been awkward, so he could only pretend not to notice. They continued inward as ancient stone bricks lined both sides. Dao banners fluttered; snow gradually appeared; and upon reaching the highest point, they unexpectedly saw several Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators chopping firewood, sweeping snow, and tending the fields.

At the summit of a Dao lineage of this level, space was usually never sufficient. They would often wish to carve out more land for disciples to enter secluded cultivation. Yet there were several tea trees planted here instead, with no spiritual qi to speak of. They were all mortal plants.

Upon seeing Li Ximing, the group of Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators stopped to pay their respects, then immediately turned back to their farm work, scattering firewood all over the ground. Two Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators dressed as menial workers hurried over to gather it up.

Cui Jueyin had kept his head lowered as he followed Li Ximing. But when he saw this, he quickly went ahead to clear the way. After only a few steps, they arrived at the hall, where a black robed Daoist Master was brewing tea in the snow and said with a smile, "Zhaojing, you arrived at just the right time!"

Li Ximing had always known that the Xiukui Dao Gate was aloof, but he had not known they were aloof to this extent. Cui Jueyin brushed the snow off the seat for him.

Li Ximing accepted the tea, sat down, and said with a smile, "You must be Senior Kuiqi. I have long heard of your great name and hope for your guidance."

Kuiqi waved his hand and replied, "Zhaojing coming to lend support is something our Xiukui Dao Gate should thank you for. How could I speak of giving guidance?"

Seeing Li Ximing nod, the Daoist Master finally brushed the snow from his robe and said with a smile, "In earlier years, when the Eastern Fire Grotto Heaven fell, our family also gained something from it. We obtained a treasure pill from within, something of Bright Yang. Our family does not practice this Dao. In a few days, we will send it over to Zhaojing as a small token of thanks."

Benefit had always been the most persuasive. Kuiqi offered a pill the moment he arrived, and Li Ximing did not refuse, smiling as he spoke, "Many thanks, senior!"

When the two spoke of the fall of the Eastern Fire Grotto Heaven, the one who felt the deepest pain was undoubtedly Cui Jueyin. His ancestral grotto heaven had been carved up amongst others, and the Cui Family had not even been given the chance to ask a single question. The desolation in his heart was easy to imagine. For now, he could only keep his head lowered, silent.

Li Ximing saw his turmoil and gestured for him to withdraw first.

"

Sigh.

" Kuiqi exhaled deeply, and said seriously, "This pill was examined back then by Daoist Master Yuandao. It is a Bright Yang Purple Mansion Realm spirit pill. Once a single pill enters the body, it can nourish the dharma body and suppress curse injuries. If one cultivates and recuperates properly, it should be able to enhance quite a few divine abilities. It is truly remarkable. Only a few ancient pills could surpass it."

Clearly, by presenting such a pill, Kuiqi implied that any injuries suffered by Li Ximing in the coming great battle could be restored by this single pill. It was an assurance that the matter would not delay his cultivation.

Quite a bit...

If Li Ximing had heard this years ago, he would surely have been overjoyed. But having grown accustomed to fine things overseas, and having just taken a pill to increase his cultivation, it was not suitable to take another now, leaving him somewhat disappointed as he thought,

It is still decent. The remaining two spirit pills were not meant to increase cultivation anyway. Having this as a substitute saves wasting them. As for healing injuries, I have my own methods.

He sighed inwardly. Though he smiled, there was little emotion behind it. Kuiqi felt a stir in his heart as he took in his guest’s expression,

It seems Li Ximing's alchemical attainment is not shallow. He is certainly not some half baked Purple Mansion Realm cultivator if spirit pills of this sort cannot move him.

Whether it could move Li Ximing was one matter. With the bearing of the Great Xiukui Temple, since they had invited someone to engage in a battle of techniques, this pill was the bare minimum.

Kuiqi stroked his beard and said, "Purple Mansion Realm divine abilities are difficult to cultivate. Zhaojing... take a look at this."

He slipped a golden box from his sleeve and casually opened it. Inside lay a disk shaped treasure, entirely golden in hue, engraved with runes of the eight directions. A circle of pale, intricate curse patterns ran along the edge of its front, pulsing with a breathing rhythm. Its center blazed with a brilliant golden radiance, as though a sun had fallen into the box.

A Bright Yang spirit artifact!

This was something Li Ximing could not remain unmoved by. His eyes immediately burned with desire, and he cursed inwardly,

What a Great Xiukui Temple. I cannot even find a trace of such a spirit artifact, yet he keeps it in his sleeve like a common cabbage. A lineage that was once wealthy... is truly different.

Desire aside, a spirit artifact was incomparably precious. This Daoist Master could not possibly take it out just to give it away for nothing. Though Li Ximing was exceedingly tempted, he only exclaimed aloud, "A fine treasure!"

Kuiqi raised his head slightly and replied with a smile, "This is the Surging Yang Star Command Treasure Disk, a spirit artifact. It is one of the registered treasures in our Xiukui collection, an excellent spirit artifact that combines offense and defense. For this coming great battle with the Buddhist cultivators, Zhaojing may take it first."

Li Ximing could hardly tear his eyes away as he listened to Kuiqi continue, "The front is the Surging Yang Star Command Diagram. It can release Bright Yang killing light, with the Heavenly Radiant Star as its lead. When held upright, its might is boundless. If it is rotated downward, with the Heavenly Radiant Star below and the Yang Apex Star above, and held inverted, it can cause the stars to fall into disorder, granting the ability to break free from danger and escape peril."

He could not help but sigh as he replied, "This disk was crafted by Su Jun and Chen Xuanli. It represented the Ning State acknowledging Wei orthodoxy and using the Wei calendar. It was once the heirloom treasure of the Su Family of Jiangbei. Later, when the Su Family was destroyed, this item eventually made its way into the hands of our Xiukui Temple."

Li Ximing nodded inwardly. Kuiqi smiled as though nothing were amiss and hinted, "I have heard that this spirit artifact draws upon the imagery of Severed Crimson Arrowhead and Sovereign In Peril. Not only are its divine abilities formidable, it is also of great help in cultivation. When the fighting begins in the north, Zhaojing can experience it for yourself."

He smiled. "The Radiant Fire convergence is fierce, neither exhausted nor overflowing. Holding fire in its orthodox position, neither pill nor artifact. Though Eastern Fire is powerful, it ultimately does not match others in the Daos of pills and artifacts. Setting spirit treasures aside, the spirit artifacts that fell from the grotto heaven back then were in truth inferior to this one."

1. The character Xuan(玄) can mean profound. ☜

2. The raw for 'Supreme Mound' is 'Tai Qiu'(太邱) which has the character Tai(太). ☜