Chapter 1360: Meeting (I)

Zongquan Island.

The waters of the Scarlet Pristine Sea shimmered with interwoven hues of blue and red, looking especially beautiful beneath the deep azure sky. Two fishing boats drifted quietly upon the waves, their pale yellow sails raised as they headed toward waters where seagulls gathered in flight.

Radiant Light gathered in the vault of the heavens, and a man clad in a white golden daoist robe descended along the light before the grand formation. The island's residents lifted their heads, watching with curiosity.

Zongquan Island had remained peaceful for many years, its people living and working in contentment. Relying on their ties to Huiyao, the fishermen even dared to sail nearby and fish freely, so they were not particularly fearful of cultivators. Li Ximing glanced over the scene and went straight into the main hall.

An elderly man in white robes, his face covered in wrinkles and his beard and hair sparse, lay slumped over a desk with his head hanging low, seemingly exhausted to the extreme. Only when heavenly light appeared before the hall did he jerk awake.

He leaped up, threw himself to the ground, trembling like chaff, and bowed. "Greetings to the one with divine ability. Greetings, Daoist Master."

This was Zong Yan, who governed the area, a Son of Diyang at the Qi Cultivation Realm. Now advanced in age, he had grown up on Zongquan Island and had experienced life without any protection. He held great reverence for high cultivators, let alone a Daoist Master, and immediately knelt on the ground.

Li Ximing merely took out the main family's command token from his sleeve, tossed it into his hand, and instructed, "Go and invite the heir."

Zong Yan hurriedly turned around, picked up a jade talisman from the desk and crushed it in one motion before kneeling back down. Li Ximing asked, "How is Zongquan faring these days?"

Zong Yan replied immediately, "Thanks to the main family's blessing, two promising seedlings for cultivation have emerged. They were sent to the lake to continue their training. We can only see whether one of them might be willing to return in a couple of years."

Although Zongquan Island was much better off than before, it was still a desolate place compared to Moongaze Lake. Unless the lake sent direct lineage members to garrison it, no cultivator was willing to come here. In recent years, the few individuals with high innate ability were all sent to the Jade Court by the lake, and to this day they never spoke of returning.

Those few were ashamed to mention Zongquan, and since the Li Family had not publicly announced Zongquan Island, they simply continued cultivating at the lake. Li Ximing shook his head and replied, "Do not worry. They will all return."

In truth, Zongquan Island was indeed safer than Moongaze Lake for Li Zhouwei. If a breakthrough were made here, Zongquan Island would inevitably undergo an earth-shaking transformation, and its spirit vein would be utterly incomparable to the past. That was why Li Ximing spoke those words.

Who would have thought that Zong Yan would misunderstand, hurriedly kowtowing in alarm as he said, "Those words... Those words were not meant as reproach. Those children are all very good to the family."

Li Ximing was momentarily stunned, then smiled and shook his head, not bringing up Li Zhouwei at all. He chatted casually, listening as Zong Yan rambled on about how Li Yuanjiao had rescued Zongquan in those years past. At last, Radiant Light descended from the heavens and landed before the hall.

The Radiant Light dispersed, transforming into a golden-eyed youth clad in gold-and-white scale armor, with a profound patterned jade bottle tied at his waist. When he walked into the hall, his eyes lit up as he saluted. "Minghuang greets the Daoist Master. Congratulations to the Daoist Master on the advancement of your divine ability..."

Li Ximing let out a breath of relief as he strode up to him. He shook his head and smiled as he said, "Look at you... Why be so polite... Come, come..."

Zong Yan tactfully let himself out and closed the door, allowing the formation to seal the space. Li Ximing knew that Li Zhouwei must have scanned the area with the Immortal Mirror before approaching Zongquan, so he spoke freely and sighed, "Do not keep calling me Daoist Master. You fought your way out from the lake and even killed Situ Mo, removing that great menace. As for me, I was in a sorry state the entire time. If Changxiao had not been intercepted midway, I would already have turned into a patch of heavenly light and scattered across the outer-sea.

"It was a misfortune that turned into a blessing. After some turmoil outside, my injuries were healed. My cultivation did not fall too much, and I even obtained a Purple Mansion Realm True Fire and formed ties with Nine Mounds..."

Li Zhouwei repeatedly said he would not dare. Even for him, seeing Li Ximing safe and sound, and seemingly having gained many benefits, finally put him at ease.

He presented a jade box with both hands and replied, "The Daoist Master is the one who preserved the family. This junior merely survived by fortune under your protection. I did not perform any rites or offerings, yet I presumptuously used the family's important treasure, the spirit sword. I ask for punishment..."

Li Ximing knew that Qingche Sword lay inside. He gently accepted it and replied, "Nonsense!"

Li Zhouwei had not finished speaking. Only after Li Ximing accepted Qingche did he continue, "As for Changxiao being intercepted midway, it was Lady Qinghong who took action..."

Li Ximing never expected to hear Li Qinghong's name. His heart skipped a beat and filled with both shock and joy as he replied, "Aunt? Aunt Qinghong has already reached the Purple Mansion Realm? No wonder that day saw unending torrential rain and ceaseless thunder. Changxiao was so ruthless and formidable, yet she escaped unscathed. Is she of the Dragon Clan?"

Li Zhouwei nodded and said softly, "Exactly so. In the Thunder Dao Grotto Heaven, she fought through duels, slaughtered all peers of thunder arts across the world, ascended to the summit, and after devouring thunder became a thunder body of the Dragon Clan. She and Dongfang Heyun are both Purple Mansion Realm spirit cultivators.

"Unfortunately, she cannot move lightly. She has now claimed a sea beyond the Reef Sea, calling it the Lie Sea, and guards the Thunder Pool there. When the Daoist Master fought Changxiao along the way and passed through the outer-sea, she intervened to help."

Li Ximing did not know how to respond. He closed his eyes, slightly choked up, and said softly, "We can finally give an account to the old elder!"

The news of Li Qinghong was undoubtedly the greatest piece of good news since he had reached the Purple Mansion Realm. Li Zhouwei also smiled, giving Li Ximing some time to process it, before lowering his voice. "Thinking back now, Dongfang Heyun formed ties with our family very early on. It is hard to say whether he already knew such a matter would arise in the future and sought to build good relations with his peers. After all, he shares longevity with the Dragon Monarch. Do not be fooled by how most of the Dragon Clan can command him. He carries many secrets."

Li Ximing was startled and asked, "If that is the case, then the matter of devouring thunder involving the Dragon Clan, and all the arrangements behind it, means my aunt is already deeply involved and cannot stay out of it. No wonder she cannot contact the family. If our family were implicated in this... it would be a matter of family annihilation."

Li Zhouwei's voice grew lower as he continued, "As for the great figure in Jiangbei... it is the Founding Emperor."

"The Founding Emperor?!"

"Li Qianyuan!"

Li Zhouwei's expression was heavy as he recounted everything Dongfang Lieyun had said, from beginning to end. Li Ximing listened in utter shock, stunned for a long while before finally realizing the truth.

He looked into the distance as he said, "No wonder... No wonder that despite all the troubles in Jiangnan, Tinglan still told me not to return. No wonder the Great Xiukui Temple told me not to interfere! It has nothing to do with any Supreme Yang dominance at all. It is simply that my family's identity is troublesome."

One matter after another surfaced in his mind, and a grave expression emerged on his face. "Does the Founding Emperor truly have no consciousness? The Bright Yang Dao places great emphasis on hierarchy and exalted bloodlines. Even without awareness, a dignified Golden Core Realm cultivator should not be completely oblivious to the bloodline of their own descendants.

"Chen Yang... Chen Yang also carries Li blood... His lineage is even quite close. When he went to the riverbank, the True Monarch recognized him as a promising piece at a glance. Could it have been for this reason as well? A natural sense of affinity..."

Li Zhouwei frowned and replied, "If that is the case, then with all families watching, it may well become supporting evidence for those with ulterior motives."

Li Ximing's thoughts grew increasingly tangled and complex, and he said quietly, "Our family must avoid suspicion. No wonder everyone I meet warns me not to get involved. At present, who knows how many Daoist Masters and even True Monarchs are keeping an eye on us?"