Chapter 573 434: Chi and Dragon (Part 2)

This rain is crystal clear, obviously a pale jade-green, but as it pours down in torrents, it shrouds the heavens and earth in a haze of grey mist.

The youth in brocade clothes raised a mana shield against it, sighing:

"This is the anomaly that arises when a Lu Shui Foundation Establishment Cultivator falls… So this is the East Sea… Foundation Establishment Cultivators dying so casually in some sea region."

Li Xuanfeng, meanwhile, pondered in his heart the momentum and appearance of that dragon child he had just spotted, and mused:

"Truly different from the rest; the East Sea Dragon Kind must wield myriad spells yet unshown. If it comes to a true clash, I fear it will be hard to slay… Unless there's a domain broad enough upon the sea, perhaps it could be worn down unto death."

Of course, he had no intention of provoking the Dragon Kind; he was merely evaluating the strengths of both sides, his mind clear on the matter.

Ning Dingbo behind him stepped closer and said in a low voice:

"Boss, that dragon child wasn't here by chance; it must have come to see which members of the Green Pond Sect have come to guard Fenkui Island."

Li Xuanfeng nodded slightly. His purpose here wasn't just as escort—he was to remain on the island for a year or so to handle affairs. Given the complexity of Fenkui Island's situation, it was only natural that the Dragon Kind would come for a look.

Fenkui Island, being the largest marketplace at sea as well as a foremost Immortal Island, was rife with treasures. Yet, owing to its peculiar geography, it was almost impossible to lay formations upon it; thus, unrest was stirred near constantly.

For reasons unknown, Zifu rarely appeared in these parts of Fenkui Island, and the various sects would never send Zifu here to hold the fort; for the most part, it was Foundation Establishment Cultivators stationed here.

Having accepted the task, Li Xuanfeng now beheld the majestic island ahead. The Ning brothers introduced the history of Fenkui Island to all, then steered their vessel down into the sea.

They were still about ten li from the island, when a vast barrier of light surfaced from the seafloor. Li Xuanfeng produced a Jade Token and passed through into it.

Sure enough, he saw brilliance gleaming below; houses of all sizes were dotted throughout. As the brothers came to a halt with their Jade Boat, a cultivator rode the wind up to greet them.

This man was garbed in azure, storage bag and Dharma Sword at his waist emanating dharma light. From top to toe he wore spiritual gauze, with spiritual cloth for garments; even the jade stones for ornament were all of the highest grade—decadence taken to the extreme. He merely glanced at Li Xuanfeng and nodded:

"Heyuan greets his brother-in-law."

This was his wife's younger brother, Ning Heyuan, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator at early-stage. He held sway over this marketplace. It was Li Xuanfeng's first meeting with him, and he nodded lightly in return.

Ning Heyuan, of the Ning Family's direct lineage, had nonetheless been fostered in the Chi Family from a young age, only returning when grown; thus, within the Ning Family his allegiance leaned toward the Chi Family's faction.

But with Chi Wei's death and the Yuansu Perfected Person having withdrawn to Yi Shan City, a whole segment of the Ning Family's focus had shifted south. Even Zhiyun, now a Sect Master, dared not command that venerable; Yuan Su was answerable to neither order nor summons in the Southern Border.

The rift between Ning and Chi had widened; thus, Ning Heyuan's status became ever more precarious. Li Xuanfeng had seen him once more than a decade ago—at that time, he was quite showy and proud. After over ten years of seclusion in the depths of the sea, he seemed now far more despondent.

He brought his retinue of Guest Elders to pay respects, had subordinates assign the disciples their duties, then swiftly drew Li Xuanfeng aside and said:

"Brother-in-law… this is the first time Heyuan has worked with you. If anything is overlooked, please do instruct me."

His attitude was somewhat unexpected to Li Xuanfeng, who offered a gentle cupped-fist salute. Then, led by Ning Heyuan, he entered the cave mansion to first meet the young disciples, after which, taking his leave, Li Xuanfeng penned a letter to Ning's elder brother, entrusting it to be delivered to the Li Family.

...

Great Jue Court.

The Great Jue Court was an ancient city, vast and magnificent; in its most glorious days it held a population of a hundred thousand. Fudai Mu had occupied it for decades, leaving less than ten thousand. Having recaptured it, Fei Luoya nurtured it for years, and the population rose to thirty or forty thousand.

The old stone bricks of the city were mottled with the marks of time. The Li Family's clan soldiers hurried through the alleyways; inside, the Shanyue commoners hid within their houses, yet peered out in hopeful anticipation.

Just as the Eastern Shanyue envied the Easterners, here too the people of Great Jue Court envied the plenty of Eastern Shanyue. They'd long heard of the Li Family's reputation and now, learning the Li Family had come to take charge, one and all grew expectant.

Above the city, clan cultivators and Jade Courtyard Guards flitted through the sky. Li Xihong rode the wind, her brother Li Xijun by her side. The two pored over a map, whispering careful deliberations.

"Neither the Liu nor Xu Families should be permitted into the new lands… as for a few of the hopeful surnamed families, those must all be strictly limited as well. Best to promote talent from humble origins; send them west to the lake's edge to establish settlements…"

Fei Luoya, acting the hands-off shopkeeper, had left the territory to the Li Family, while going off into seclusion. Li Family emissaries had made two circuits of inspection. The lands there were divided roughly into two main parts.

One was the grand Shanyue city—Great Jue Court, expansive and rare as a relic. The other was a swath of fertile plain, containing little in the way of mountains.

The Li Family's main focus remained this majestic Great Jue Court, ancient as it was, held in status only second to Witch Mountain among Shanyue. Yuanjiao had visited once, but busy as he was dividing up the spoils of war, had paid scant attention.

Now, as the younger duo made their rounds, they beheld everywhere an air of a bygone nobility and simplicity. Within the palace, murals abounded. Many had suffered the ravages of war, yet it was plain to see most depicted scenes of heaven sundering, earth collapsing—vistas of darkness and despair.

Li Xijun stepped inside, studying them intently. The most recent murals showed the rise of the Li Family: to the east, seas of blossoms, prosperity surging like boiling oil.

As they continued on, the style turned despairing: lands swarming with locusts, drought on all sides, invasion by foreign foes, the king breathing his last… After a few moments, Li Xijun paused and said, glancing back:

"That ought to be the legendary Ganixi."

They continued, passing through one ornate hall after another, everywhere filled with images of the world turned upside down, drought and oppression. Then, a new series emerged: scenes of the people thriving, lives abundant.

The rest had long since faded into blurs. Searching for a time, they finally discovered a fresh mural.

On it, a black-clad figure with obscured features clasped something resembling a book in one hand, a staff in the other; below, crowds of people knelt in reverence, to one side, the image of the sun falling from the sky.

"That must be Duanmu Kui…"

Both were well read in the clan's histories, having studied countless records; Li Xijun said:

"Duanmu Kui dominated an entire age—he even dared to assault the mountain gate of Green Pond Sect… In the end, he, too, failed to attain Golden Core… That Immortal Book vanished without a trace; no clue to its fate has surfaced to this day."

"As for the sun…"

Li Xijun paused, sighing:

"Perhaps it refers to Weili."

His feelings about Weili were rather complicated. Many Zifu and Foundation Establishment Cultivators took the Li Family as Weili's direct line; even Li Xuanfeng had sent news back, and Li Xijun himself had investigated, drawing some conclusions.

'Yuansu Perfected Person believed our clan descended from Weili, and indeed used spells to test this… If a Zifu's Divine Skills are sound, then nine times out of ten, our blood truly is Weili, which is why we're so entangled with those monks.'

'But as to whether we are the main line… that's hard to say…'

One knows one's own household best. The successive Foundation Establishment Cultivators of the Li Family had dazzled all, but Li Xijun knew well that it was not due to noble blood.

The Li Clan's rapid rise owed firstly to the Talisman Seed instilled in every member of the direct line, speeding their cultivation; then, with the elevation gained from talismans, and, atop that, a Talisman Pill apiece—they each thus rose above the rest.

Piecing these clues together, he soon reached a conclusion:

'Our branch must be collateral to Weili's; only with the aid of an Immortal Artifact do we resemble the main line, and thus draw forth so much karmic entanglement.'

As he pondered, gazing upon the solemn, ancient halls, his steps slowed. Turning, he said:

"Elder sister, let me return for now—leave this to you."

Li Xihong did not understand, but nodded. Li Xijun rode the wind away, mind clouded with thought, back to Qingdu Mountain. He strode swiftly into the ancestral hall, unlocked the formation, stepped into the secret chamber.

The sacrificial altar, forged of cold iron, emitted a faint, mysterious glow. Laurel patterns adorned it, painting a scene of mystic solitude. Li Xijun knelt, intoning solemnly:

"Li Clan son Xijun humbly beseeches the Dharma Mirror: inspect the hidden, reveal the mysteries, flood eight directions with clarity, ensnare spirits, seek truth in the arcane…"

Li Xijun found Great Jue Court plain and unremarkable; all those Foundation Establishment Cultivators had searched time and again, yet found nothing extraordinary. He pondered:

"If I employ the Immortal Mirror to probe, surely there will be something different."