Chapter 598 450: Yuan Su's Indication

Li Xuanfeng flew for most of the day, then borrowed the power of the water veins to travel for quite some time. Soon, Fenkui Island appeared before him. He broke through the sea and landed in the marketplace.

"Hm?"

Li Xuanfeng looked around, only to find the marketplace completely empty. Not a soul was present; traces of scuffles and spell battles were everywhere, the place in utter disarray. Occasionally, a few Green Pond disciples came into view, all silent and withdrawn.

He frowned but said nothing, rising on the wind immediately, flying toward the great hall.

The grand hall in this marketplace was resplendent with gold and jade; above, manifold Dharma Lights and Great Formations flowed. Li Xuanfeng walked a few steps, discovering that the usual guards had been withdrawn, perplexity rising in his heart:

"Ning Heyuan is nowhere to be seen either… What is going on here?"

He stepped into the hall, only to see upon the white jade throne an azure-robed man sitting. His cheeks were slightly rounded, eyebrows long; his eyes appeared calm, yet carried an undeniable authority,

He reclined habitually against the chair's back, five jade-like fingers pinching a small, pale-golden Jade Seal, while his other hand rested on the armrest, tapping it lightly.

Meanwhile, Ning Heyuan, robed in brocade, was kneeling below, forehead pressed trembling to the floor, legs tightly together and silent, kneeling like a stone statue.

Li Xuanfeng stepped forward, the Dharma Light of his Black Gold Armor flowing brilliantly. He shook out his robes and knelt, bowing his head and speaking softly:

"Xuanfeng pays respects to the Perfected Person!"

The one before him was none other than Yuansu Perfected Person Ning Tiaoxiao!

As Li Xuanfeng bowed, he stole a glance at Ning Heyuan, only to see his eyes shut tightly. Who knows what Yuansu had said to him—he was sweating profusely, dripping wet upon the jade floor.

The Yuansu Perfected Person's face showed faint amusement. He glanced at Li Xuanfeng and said:

"The 'Black-Eyed Tiger' came into my possession long ago. It's simply too sharp and heavy, ordinary people wearing it drain their mana terribly; so it's been kept in the clan, never used... Yet on you, it seems just right."

Li Xuanfeng cupped his hands in gratitude, but before he could exchange pleasantries, Yuansu continued unbidden:

"These Ning Family youngsters—none of them are suitable… You're here to take charge; guide these juniors as well, save them from causing more trouble..."

Li Xuanfeng only replied that he dared not, but Yuansu Perfected Person laughed, nodded, and said:

"You handled this matter well."

Hearing this, Li Xuanfeng understood that the matter was now concluded satisfactorily. All his prior deductions had not been in error, and he breathed a silent sigh of relief.

Yuansu Perfected Person glanced at Ning Heyuan, then turned to Li Xuanfeng, praising:

"To notice the unusual, to understand the threads of fate, to discern these Children of Destiny, to both seize affinity yet not over-involve oneself as a pawn—this is the wise path of self-preservation."

Li Xuanfeng understood that Yuansu was using the pretext of praising him to instruct Ning Heyuan, so he kept silent. At his side, Ning Heyuan finally muttered softly:

"This junior accepts the lesson…"

Yuansu rose from the Jade Throne, hands behind his back, eyeing him coldly:

"If not for my timely arrival, you would have utterly shamed the Ning Family! Opportunities of the world are meant for those fated—what kind of person is truly fated!"

Ning Heyuan dared not breathe loudly. Li Xuanfeng pondered, while Yuansu glanced at Ning Heyuan and said with hands clasped behind him:

"Leave. Reflect well!"

Ning Heyuan nodded, expressed thanks a few times, and departed with heavy steps. Yuansu exhaled, turned to Li Xuanfeng, and said:

"This child is still young. Though years of tempering have yielded some progress, he lacks long-term vision. Ning Wan is focused on cultivation and cannot spare the time. Matters here will require you to watch after."

Li Xuanfeng faintly understood what mishap Ning Heyuan had committed. He had received many favors from these people, so he spoke in a low tone:

"Perfected Person, pray calm your anger. Fate, after all, is mysterious… It is not entirely Heyuan's fault…"

Seeing him intercede, Yuansu grunted coldly, but his brow eased somewhat as he said gently:

"Your physical strength is innate, a divinely gifted Dharma Body, and your Spirit Aperture is extraordinary. An excellent archer—good."

"Back when I visited the North to meet some guests, I saw a Buddhist Practitioner, born with even greater divine strength than you... Later, he became Maha's Vajra, most capable indeed."

Yuansu mentioned this in passing; Li Xuanfeng listened quietly. The azure-robed Perfected Person contemplated for a time, then suddenly said:

"Yuanwu will not miss Qing Song Temple. Yu Muxian will certainly go."

Li Xuanfeng paused slightly, bowed his head and replied:

"Many thanks, Perfected Person."

Ning Tiaoxiao fixed his gaze on him, speaking softly:

"Within Qing Song Temple, any Divine Skills cannot be used. Should something truly befall you there, I too would be powerless. Although Yuanwu possesses cultivation, he cannot best me in a spell battle—but I cannot trouble him over this."

Li Xuanfeng bowed and answered:

"Xuanfeng understands."

Yuansu nodded gently, his tone warm:

"I understand your heart is tied to your family… Should this task be accomplished, it will resolve the past—focus your heart and cultivate well."

Li Xuanfeng bowed. Upon rising, the azure-robed Perfected Person had already traversed into The Great Void, the suffocating trace of his presence vanishing as well. Li Xuanfeng straightened, deep in thought.

'Yuansu clearly understands the grudge between my family and the Yu Family. He wishes me to kill Yu Muxian, letting my family take over Wangyue Lake… So the Li Family's debts can be settled…'

The meaning could not be more obvious: on the surface, he said that within the Cave Heaven, should anything happen to him, Yuansu could do nothing; in truth, he was hinting that if something happened to Yu Muxian, Yuanwu would have no room for revenge.

Moreover, although Yuansu is only at early Zifu stage, his strength surpasses Yuanwu, who is middle-stage Zifu—enough to have Li Xuanfeng's back. If it really came to a fight, even Yuanwu Perfected Person is no match for Ning Tiaoxiao.

"Yuansu… truly formidable…"

He had only vaguely heard that Yuansu's Jade Seal was an ancient spiritual instrument, supremely powerful, yet did not know he would so belittle Yuanwu Perfected Person. No wonder the other Perfected Persons rarely left their mountains and dutifully stayed in the sect, while Yuansu could roam as he pleased in the Southern Border…

This monster-slaying mission was layered with tests: inferring Yuansu's intentions, dealing with Children of Destiny, then displaying enough strength to slay monsters without letting them escape. It was truly Yuansu evaluating his abilities from every angle.

Turning these thoughts over in his heart, he slowly walked out of the hall. Ning Heyuan stood outside, his face both frightened and awed, shaking his head with a bitter smile:

"Thank you, brother-in-law."

The hall doors had never been shut; their voices had carried clearly. Ning Heyuan, leaving earlier, had heard some words. Li Xuanfeng was not surprised, and simply asked:

"What happened?"

Ning Heyuan was deeply vexed, replying dejectedly:

"I don't know how greed arose, but I wanted to snatch a treasure from a Child of Destiny. I managed to get it, but that person looked at me with hatred, and now he's got a grudge against me."

"I see…"

Indeed, that mostly matched Li Xuanfeng's guesses. He nodded lightly. Ning Heyuan continued:

"I'd only just gotten hold of the treasure when the Perfected Person came from The Great Void, turned that person into a mist of blood—then I realized, but it was already too late! Sigh, who knows how much longer I'll be stuck in this accursed place!"