Chapter 1395: Please (II)

Jiangbei.

The mountain range was sparse with vegetation. A thin layer of drifting snow covered the slopes facing a stretch of low northern hills. The range itself lay only a few dozen kilometers from the Golden Tang Gate. A mere glance eastward revealed Mount Tangdao and the brilliant Buddhist land rising straight into the clouds. Many monks had already built temples nearby and divided the territory among themselves.

There were no famed peaks here, and the great void showed little fluctuation. Li Ximing silently rode his heavenly light, dimming its radiance as he waited quietly in a corner of the great void.

The appointed time for the lord in Jiangbei had been set for the sixth year and sixth month. Turmoil in the north was no small matter, though it was hard to discern clearly from such a distance. Yet the time was certain. Li Ximing had left seclusion early and lingered anxiously in the void for over a month now.

What troubled him most was the Buddhist land to the east.

The area where Master Baiyin cultivated had originally been quite favorable, neither too close nor too far from several major sects. The only nearby force was the Golden Tang Gate. He himself was already an old man, so when factions contended, he naturally fared worse than people like Xiao Yuan.

But once the Buddhist cultivators seized the Golden Tang Gate and crossed the mountains southward, his position became extremely awkward, since he was almost pressed against their doorstep. As Li Ximing waited in silence, his heart was heavy with concern.

Earlier it had been uncertain, but it’s been more than a month since a Merciful One has clearly arrived in grand fashion. Evidently the Buddhist cultivators value this old man more than expected...

Master Baiyin had little left to walk in the Immortal Dao. He had practiced unsightly methods from the Qi Cultivation Realm to the Foundation Establishment Realm and had nearly relied on luck to achieve Foundation Establishment Realm. Yet the Buddhist cultivators did not value such matters. Age was of no concern, for once one entered the Buddhist land, lifespan was greatly extended. A few years more or less meant little.

Fortunately, the Buddhist side seemed to have arranged matters and sent only one Merciful One. A single one was nothing to fear. I will take the man and leave without entangling myself further.

With two great treasures upon him, his confidence was stronger. After waiting quietly for a moment, he silently recited an incantation and invoked the Immortal Mirror. As his qihai stirred, his heart trembled,

It is indeed Master Baiyin.

Master Baiyin's cave dwelling was shallow and crude, like a small burrow atop the mountain. The old man sat upright in cultivation, with a golden sheathed sword lying beside him.

Li Ximing nearly jumped in alarm. Looking closer, he saw that the gold was merely the scabbard, seemingly fashioned from some cheap golden stone, hardly worthy of housing a dharma sword.

Yet a gray long sword rested quietly within that gaudy casing, radiating a cold moonlit sheen utterly mismatched with its owner's attire...

Falling Laurel.

To speak bluntly, even if Master Baiyin himself were sold along with everything in this cave, it would not equal the value of the sword's materials... Yet this precious secret Supreme Yin long sword had been tossed casually beside the bed as though it were ordinary.

Truly...

Li Ximing saw clearly. This was the very blade that had once appeared in everyone's mind!

"Good!"

His gaze sharpened and settled on the end of the sword. It was not bare but hung with a Qi Cultivation Realm treasure, seemingly woven from golden silkworm threads, gleaming brightly.

The discovery made Li Ximing pause slightly. He withdrew his gaze and swiftly formed a conjecture,

It is undoubtedly the blade. Then there can be no mistake. The fragment should have hung at the end. If the great one had removed it, he would have removed the fragment as well and given it to Master Baiyin.

Then it is highly likely Master Baiyin put the fragment away himself, forged the scabbard, found the original ornament too rustic and unbecoming, and replaced it with golden silkworm thread tied at the sword's end.

Rogue cultivators are frugal. If he stored the fragment away, it is probably in his storage pouch.

He immediately turned his gaze to the great void. Near the mountain, two Merciful Ones and a Purple Mansion Realm Daoist Master in Daoist robes stood motionless as they waited.

"What a lively gathering..."

With the Immortal Mirror, Li Ximing knew their precise positions. Calculating carefully, if he descended from here he would arrive simultaneously with the old nun. His speed was not slow.

Snow continued to fall in tufts as he pondered. A red glow rippled across the horizon and flickered in the distance. The jade pendant in his palm suddenly shattered into fine powder.

"The lord has gone to Luoxia!"

The breakthrough phenomenon appeared and the jade pendant broke at the same moment. It was a message from Ning Wan!

Though he did not know where she was, perhaps even competing for resources herself, she had still remembered to warn him.

Li Ximing's mind cleared. He immediately stepped through the great void. Brilliant heavenly light rose from the mountains, appearing almost simultaneously with the distant phenomenon!

The formation Master Baiyin set atop the mountain was mere child's play. Crossing the great void took but a thought. The heavily sealed stone doors of the cave dwelling were a joke, almost nonexistent before the eyes of a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator. Li Ximing appeared within the cave dwelling.

Sure enough, the cave dwelling was dimly lit, shabby and poor. Only a bean sized flame flickered, and there was a stone bed so simple it could not be simpler.

The old man Master Baiyin, hunched and stooped, sat cross legged on the bed in cultivation, utterly unaware.

Boom!

A brilliant treasure light appeared almost as quickly as Li Ximing. On the other side of the cave, an aged nun with a compassionate face, clad in gray robes and holding a long string of prayer beads, appeared. Her eyes were icy as she stared straight ahead.

"Fellow Daoist, wait!"

Li Ximing reached for the man at the same time as she did, his heart in turmoil.

If a Merciful One clashed with a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator, Master Baiyin would surely not survive. Though the old nun was capable, she ultimately wanted the man. Her first instinct would be to use all her mana to shield Master Baiyin, even at the cost of yielding the dharma sword Falling Laurel.

He gave a faint sigh. In the end he flicked his finger lightly, using heavenly light to evade her divine ability. His hand closed on the hilt and he retrieved Falling Laurel from the bed.

His strength was clearly superior. If only the two of them were present, a spirit artifact would settle the matter and both items would fall into his possession at once. Yet two more lurked behind like siskins, so Li Ximing could only take the sword first.

There was no other reason. Many eyes were on Li Ximing. The Li Family had publicly learned of the sword from a True Monarch and had long searched for its image, finally tracing it to Master Baiyin.

From beginning to end, all factions believed the Li Family's search was all for the sake of this Taiyin dharma sword. For its sake, Li Ximing had even abandoned Wang Xiaoxiao's family. That could barely be explained through the connection between the Law of Celestial Moon and Supreme Yin. But if he ignored the sword and reached instead for the man's storage pouch, not only the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators, Merciful Ones, and Mahas watching from above, even a fool would know something was wrong!

If trouble arose later, it would be endless and others would fight to the bitter end. By taking the sword, there would still be room for negotiation afterward!

He could only feign delight as he put the sword away, watching her divine ability shield Master Baiyin. Even so, surprise flickered in the nun's eyes as she stared coldly at him.

She said, "Oh? The Li Family has even abandoned Wang Xiaoxiao... This Supreme Yin dharma sword must hide something."

Li Ximing did not fear her in the least as he gazed calmly back at her. The item before him was his by right, and killing intent swelled in his heart as he said softly, "You alone cannot take him away. All of you may as well come out."

The remark made up for his earlier move. A trace of wariness appeared on the nun's face. She formed hand seals without speaking. The beads rolled and emitted abundant golden light.

"Just you."

Li Ximing stood unmoving. The blue yellow spirit ruler at his waist rose into the air and slowly turned. Two colored mountain and river patterns spread like rippling water, tearing apart the cave's formation along with its stone doors and walls. The cellar-like dwelling exploded from within like a firecracker, raising a storm of dust and powdered stone over the mountaintop.

Boom!

Layer upon layer of mountain patterns bloomed like a mysterious blue yellow flower atop the snow dusted peak. The Daoist in white golden robes stood upon heavenly light, his voice thunderous and filled with killing intent. "Do you truly think you sit beneath the Lotus Throne?!"