Chapter 1551: True Essence (II) |
Zhijing Mountain.
Boom!
Rolling thunder echoed through the clouds, spreading from the dark masses above the mountain peak and quickly carrying across the churning lake below. Yet the cultivators passing to and fro were long accustomed to it, hurrying past the mountain without even lifting their heads.
But within the mountains, surging purple flames had spread everywhere. A pristine white bottle hovered in the air, tilted as though pouring out its contents. Fragments of bright light cascaded downward from its mouth, mixed with baleful fire energy.
Across from it, eighteen bronze boxes floated in the air, their hues deep and heavy. They rose and rotated in turn, releasing streams of spiritual lightning that ascended before descending one after another, all converging between two fingers.
Bright radiance intertwined with thunder and fire, erupting alongside baleful flames. A divine ability then gathered it all and poured it onto the heavy Juque platform.
Within the platform stood a grand hall, five spans wide and three deep, supported by eight inner pillars. It was magnificent beyond compare, with interwoven gold and crimson, brilliance reflecting upon brilliance. The thunder, fire, and bright light all flowed into the hall, forming a rotating vortex of lightning and flame that swept across the surrounding world.
After an unknown length of time, the Juque Court trembled. The great hall standing high above shone with dazzling brilliance, releasing waves of mystical energy. The man opened his golden eyes and exhaled a stream of fiery baleful energy.
"The [Imperial Divergence Light] is complete!"
Of the eighteen boxes, nine still shimmered with lightning, clearly not yet exhausted.
Li Zhouwei calculated with his fingers. Only nine months had passed.
Though the [Imperial Divergence Light] is complex, it is not difficult for me. Especially with an endless supply of light, thunder, and baleful fire…
He had drawn out eighteen streams of spirit lightning, yet the technique had not required much of it. Even accounting for the extra used to accelerate its progress, only nine streams had ultimately been consumed.
As Li Zhouwei exhaled the baleful fire, the space between his brows glowed faintly. A fleeting point of bright light flashed and sank deep within, and countless mysteries surged through his mind.
Though it also originated from the Juque acupoint and emerged from the space between his brows, unlike the Heavenly Radiance, Hidden Light's [Chamber Filling Divine Radiance], the [Imperial Divergence Light] was described as 'branching rays scatter and flow'. Once activated, it could release countless extremely fast streams of light and electricity from the brow.
"At least it makes up for some of its clumsiness…"
His mood improved considerably. He had the bronze boxes taken away, and Li Quewan soon came in to report.
Li Zhouwei's gaze shone sharply as he looked her over from head to toe and said with a nod, "Your cultivation is solid, and your spiritual sense is well condensed. Your current realm is stable. You can take the pill and break through to the later stage."
With the support of Talisman Pills, each stage of cultivation for the Li Family was effectively reduced by a minor realm. It was less noticeable at the Embryonic Breathing Realm and the Qi Cultivation Realm, but at the Foundation Establishment Realm and the Purple Mansion Realm, the effects were immediate. Li Quewan understood that he was referring to the Talisman Pill and nodded in acknowledgment.
"I have come to report… In recent years, many outsiders entered seclusion to attempt the Foundation Establishment Realm, but most failed and perished… However, there was finally good news a few days ago. An Xuanxin and An Xuantong of the An Family have both successfully broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm."
Li Zhouwei was already aware of this. At this point in time, most who entered seclusion were older cultivators with poor innate ability and inferior techniques, so their chances were naturally low. The younger generation, on the other hand, had a much higher success rate.
Still, it was undoubtedly good news, and he nodded. "The An Family's bloodline is indeed extraordinary."
Yet Li Quewan said gently, "Aside from him, there is also a man of Mount Yue. He had long possessed the qualifications to attempt the Foundation Establishment Realm. He sought a compatible technique from the family and spent considerable time converting all his mana. After a long seclusion, he managed to succeed a year ago. His name is Dili Youjie. He has always wished to come pay his respects to you, but did not dare to disturb you…"
Li Zhouwei showed a trace of surprise as he replied, "I know of him… His innate ability is lacking, and only his diligence stands out. Still, his luck is good… To think he actually broke through to the Foundation Establishment Realm!
"He is an old member of the family. Let him come."
Li Quewan nodded and withdrew. Before Dili Youjie could arrive, a young man in crimson robes who had been waiting for some time hurried up the mountain.
He bowed before Li Zhouwei and said respectfully, "I have been to the Mushroom Forest Plain and have returned to report!"
Li Zhouwei immediately raised his brows and listened intently as the young man recounted everything that had happened.
"Crystal brine, white cranes, entwined serpents, water and fire…"
Bright light flickered across Zhijing Mountain, as white blossoms drifted like waves. As he listened, Li Zhouwei's expression grew solemn. "[True Essence]…"
"Father, it is indeed [True Essence]!" Suspicion filled Li Jiangqian's voice as he said quietly, "This man has prominent brow bones, short brows, and sharp eyes. His bearing is extraordinary. He carries the aura of one destined for Dao attainment, yet harbors ambitions to dominate a region through martial force. The Yang Family's intentions are plain to see."
Li Zhouwei lowered his gaze, considering carefully before speaking, "He is no ordinary figure. He may be the demonic entity that escaped and has now taken human form!"
True Monarch Tianwu, who held the position of [True Essence], had once left behind three sets of armor within the grotto heaven to guard Anhuai Heaven. After Anhuai Heaven fell, those three armors transformed into three strands of Metallic Essence.
Of these three strands, two were obtained by Mount Changhuai and Purple Smoke Gate respectively. The remaining one fled into the great void, transforming into a demonic entity in an instant and harming a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator from the Southern Sea, who belonged to the Jingyi Dao lineage, a fellow disciple of Daoist Xuanyi.
However, once Metallic Essence transforms into a demonic entity, it can only be governed by the Underworld's judiciary. The Yang Family had also always had ambiguous ties with the Underworld's judiciary. Now that a figure of True Essence had emerged, it was likely the transformation of the [True Essence] obtained by the Underworld's judiciary!
Li Jiangqian nodded silently as Li Zhouwei said softly, "Pacifying Yue State… What great capability, and what precise timing."
What kind of state was Yue now? The three sects and seven gates had collapsed one after another. Hengzhu Dao Gate, Purple Smoke Gate, and Xiukui Dao Gate had all withdrawn from the world. Changxiao had gone into hiding, and the Azure Pond Sect no longer even had a presiding Daoist Master…
Now that Yang Zhuo had emerged, who could possibly restrain him?
Li Zhouwei tapped a golden slip lightly against the table as he sorted through the threads of the situation in his mind. Everything became clearer, and he said calmly, "Yang Zhuo's movements did not begin yesterday. Ning Wan must have noticed long ago. No wonder she abandoned Azure Pond Sect entirely and went into seclusion once Suiguan left. She simply could not afford to provoke him!"
Li Jiangqian's gaze darkened as he said in a low voice, "In my view, this plan has been in motion for far longer than a day or two… With our Wei's Li bloodline in Jiangnan, the Yang Family would have been the first to know. The matter of Yang Tianya back then was a foreshadowing, subtly revealing their intentions… all so that today our family would willingly allow people to pass through and not interfere with the Yang Family's grand design!"
"Mmm…" Li Zhouwei glanced at him before replying, "As for your claim that he and I are of the same kind… that is not accurate."
"I have merely received a passing favor from Fruition Attainment, but he may well be uniquely favored by a portion of Tianwu's Metallic Essence. It may even reside within him or within his Shenyang, making him no different from a demonic entity. With the Underworld's judiciary backing him, there are likely few in the world who can rival him."
"But…" Li Jiangqian's gaze darkened further as he asked quietly, "If that is the case, how should our family position itself?"