Chapter 1593: Sharing The Spoils (II)
Chapter 1593: Sharing The Spoils (II)
Xuanyi immediately grew serious and replied, "Not at all. This is an orthodox Immortal Dao method, though it is rarely seen nowadays. He still possesses a spiritual lifespan and has another one or two hundred years remaining. It cannot truly be called a continuation of his Dao lineage, yet his mystics are no weaker than when he was alive. In ordinary times, he helps me watch over spirit artifacts and refine the baleful radiance within them. One could say we benefit one another..."
The man smiled, though he still seemed somewhat bothered by the comparison and quickly corrected him. "Although the Chunyi Dao Gate dislikes me, and that Sumian fellow would certainly insist I'm not one of them... the Eastern Sea is a complicated place. But this Dao lineage is part of the Immortal Dao, not some monk's path!"
Li Ximing examined him carefully before nodding with a smile. Yet a few doubts arose in his heart. He asked, "If such a miraculous method truly exists, doesn't it amount to extending one's lifespan by another means? Even Purple Mansion Realm cultivators would covet such spiritual lifespan when approaching the end of their lives..."
Xuanyi nodded and said, "That is one of the unique properties of my [Pure Corner Merit Bottle]. Those with lives of greater weight cannot enter it. As for Purple Mansion Realm cultivators, they have already cultivated their Shanyang Mansion. My treasure cannot contain them. Only people like Master Baiyin are suitable for it."
Li Ximing exclaimed, "So that's how it is!"
Li Ximing's first thought had actually been Li Xuanxuan. However, the old man bore talisman seed within him, making matters far more complicated. He sighed inwardly, exchanged a few more words with Xuanyi, and then saw him off.
This Xuanyi... seems quite interested in building a friendship...
As he pondered the matter, only Kuangyu remained standing nearby with her arms folded. She raised her brows and looked at him with a smile, her eyes filled with expectation.
"Fellow Daoist... the Dao lineage I cultivate happens to be [Yue Cultivating]..."
Li Ximing froze for a moment, staring into her blue-purple eyes before finally understanding. He withdrew a jade box from his sleeve and gently opened it. Inside lay a spirit stone the size of a fist, glowing brilliantly and radiating heat.
It was none other than the [Flying Profound Chaos Stone] he had just received.
Li Ximing laughed and replied, "I was wondering why you agreed so readily. I thought you needed my help for something. Turns out you were simply waiting for a chance to browse through the spoils as well..."
"What are you saying..."
Daoist Master Kuangyu smiled and blinked, making her already charming demeanor seem even more endearing as she replied, "It just so happens that I've commissioned someone to refine a spirit artifact for me, and this came up at the perfect time. I certainly won't take it for free!"
She was clearly tempted by the spirit material. After rummaging through her sleeve several times and hesitating repeatedly, she finally said, "Save it for me... I've poured nearly everything I own into that spirit artifact. But Daoist Master Liaoluo of [Mount Qusi] still owes me some spirit materials. Once he comes out of the grotto heaven, he's bound to have made a fortune. I'll collect what he owes me and then trade with you."
Li Ximing smiled and shook his head. Having just agreed to refine pills for her, he was already inclined to cultivate a friendship. He took out the [Flying Profound Chaos Stone] and placed it in her hand.
He replied, "If you're in a hurry, take it first. I have no use for [Yue Cultivating] spirit materials anyway. You can slowly look for a Bright Yang equivalent and repay me later."
"My thanks, Fellow Daoist..." Kuangyu looked somewhat surprised. Accepting the spirit material, she admired it happily for a moment before smiling. "I, Xinyu, will remember this."
Li Ximing had met Kuangyu several times and knew her surname was Yin. Only now did he learn that her given name was Yin Xinyu.
After exchanging a few polite remarks, Kuangyu said with unusual earnestness, "Although I've never heard of this particular spirit material, I do recognize the [Mountain-Supervising Spirit-Pointing Talisman]. My master once possessed one. Its core material is [Brilliantheart Profound Amber], and it originally belonged to the [Capital Guard] lineage of the ancient [Garrison Profound Dao].
"It seems the [Garrison Profound Dao] possessed a method for producing [Brilliantheart Profound Amber]. Cultivators prized it greatly, passing it down from master to disciple while continuously adding to the collection generation after generation. Originally, they were used in sets of three or six to form a complete formation. After that Dao lineage was destroyed, the pieces scattered everywhere. Occasionally a single one still appears, but its usefulness is much diminished by itself."
Li Ximing immediately understood and began pondering, According to her, her master possessed one as well. These treasures are most effective when assembled into a complete set, yet she showed no desire to acquire or trade for this one. Could it be that her master's talisman never ended up in her hands?
Daoist Master Kuangyu did not elaborate further. After offering a few words of thanks, she departed upon the wind.
Only then did Li Ximing put away his smile. Li Quantao had been waiting quietly to the side the entire time. He immediately stepped forward and bowed deeply with tears in his eyes. "Daoist Master, my deepest thanks to you for saving my life!"
Li Ximing shook his head and instructed him to gather his belongings. Then he lifted him with a stream of light and carried him into the air, flying toward the lake as he asked softly, "Did you gain any other benefits?"
Sweat poured from Li Quantao like rain as he replied in a trembling voice, "There truly wasn't anything else! Although the secret realm was still orderly, no one had maintained it for years. Many spirit items and spirit materials had already lost their spiritual qi and fallen in grade... This junior did his best to bring out whatever remained intact. I had intended to go to the lake and pay my respects to you, Daoist Master..."
Li Ximing neither agreed nor disagreed. Still, knowing Li Quantao's temperament, once he had obtained two spirit artifacts, there would hardly have been another Purple Mansion Realm cultivator he trusted more. In all likelihood, he really would have come to the lake to seek him out.
After returning to Zhijing Mountain, he brewed a pot of spirit tea. Watching Li Quantao stand there drenched in sweat, he said in a gentle tone, "I saved your life out of consideration for old ties. Learn from this and be more careful in the future. Once you return to the sect, don't make too much noise about what happened. As for the matters within the secret realm... I'll explain them to Si Yuanli myself. I won't make things difficult for you."
Li Quantao immediately dropped to his knees and began kowtowing. "Yes..."
Li Ximing merely waved him off with a smile. "Go see the old elder and let him know you're safe."
Li Quantao caught the deeper meaning behind those words and felt boundless gratitude. "Yes!"
He truly began to regard this senior as one of his own family. After repeatedly expressing his thanks, he hurried down the mountain. Li Ximing raised his hand and revealed the jade talisman. It was slightly over two centimeters long and about two fingers wide. Profound patterns shimmered across its surface, saturated with a frosty Cold Essence divine ability. It was almost certainly a relic left behind by Daoist Master Guanxue.
Li Ximing did a quick calculation. The grotto heaven should not remain open much longer. He sat down cross-legged and infused the talisman with heavenly light, slowly driving out the divine ability contained within while quietly waiting for Li Zhouwei's return. A trace of unease lingered in his heart.
Whatever treasures he obtained don't matter. As long as he isn't badly injured...
Seated atop the mountain, he cultivated quietly. After an unknown span of time, he finally felt a tremor ripple through the great void. Powerful fluctuations spread outward one after another. He immediately opened his eyes and looked north.
"That was fast!"
The blue-and-white radiance within the great void grew steadily brighter. Li Ximing was just about to rise and fly off in search of Li Zhouwei when he suddenly froze.
A vast torrent of heavenly light had already gathered above the mountain. Brilliant radiance descended from the sky and condensed into the figure of a golden-eyed young man wearing a broad smile!
"Minghuang!"
Li Ximing sprang to his feet at once. Joy surged through him at first, but the moment he took a closer look, concern immediately appeared on his face.
Although the young man was smiling, faint cracks could be seen beneath the golden scale-like patterns on his face. His upper garments had been torn to pieces by divine abilities, leaving his powerful torso completely exposed.
Faint pale fractures also spread across his body. Streams of Supreme Yang True Fire flowed through those cracks, radiating intense heat as they coursed along his muscles. The destructive power they carried was unmistakable, producing a constant crackling sound as they burned.
Yet the intertwining heavenly light and Supreme Yang True Fire only made him appear as though he had stepped out from the heart of the sun itself. His smile seemed brighter than ever.
"Granduncle!"
Li Zhouwei's voice was slightly hoarse. Hearing it made Li Ximing's eyes redden. He could only say, "Good... good..."
Li Zhouwei, however, seemed completely at ease as his own eyes brimmed with joy. The suppressed burden that had lingered within him ever since he felt responsible for dragging down the family and lowering himself before others had finally vanished from those golden eyes.
In its place was unconcealed pride and delight as he laughed openly. "Granduncle, take a look!"
Then he began pulling items out one after another from his waist, storage pouch, and even the torn remains of his sleeves. He started with a massive purple-gold mace crackling with lightning, then a dark-green square cauldron covered in bird motifs, followed by a mysterious spiritual pill treasure radiating the brilliance of Radiant Fire while surrounded by shifting illusions...
Spirit materials, spirit items, spirit artifacts, spirit treasures...
The small jade table quickly ran out of space. The treasures began piling onto the ground instead, producing a cacophony of clinks and chimes. Multicolored radiance flashed in every direction, creating a dazzling spectacle.
Li Ximing was left completely overwhelmed, his head spinning as he stared at the mountain of treasures before mumbling, "Huh?"