Chapter 1558: Shifts Of Right And Wrong (I) |
Frost gathered, and waves of cold surged forth.
Crack.
The sound of brittle ice shattering echoed through the hollow depths underground. As Li Zhouwei landed, the boundless darkness below was instantly illuminated with bright light.
With two Daoist Masters of the Bright Yang Dao setting foot here, they finally realized just how dense the spiritual energy reverberating through this place was. Despite being constantly suppressed and absorbed by divine abilities, it still faintly stirred into a brewing storm.
More importantly, this spiritual energy seemed to surge forth from the earth veins and water veins below. It could very well erupt violently with the slightest misstep.
Who knows how long it has been suppressed… Without this suppression, spirit veins would likely have surfaced everywhere by now, and the land above would have long turned into a field of drifting snow.
Radiance shone from the two of them, and the dense frost immediately showed signs of melting, disrupting the hard-won balance. Yet the white light divine abilities swirling around them rapidly gathered, freezing all disturbances in place.
Tianwan stood within the cave dwelling, watching the two of them in silence.
Li Ximing disliked her greatly, and even harbored a measure of hatred. Leaving aside the enmity from Crimson Reef Island, the matter of the [Radiant Sky Stone] back then had been an exchange, yet it had cost his own younger brother's life. Although Li Ximing knew they had been the ones to seize the spirit item and held little moral ground, with no strong desire for revenge, it was impossible to suppress his instinctive disgust toward the direct culprit.
Now that Li Zhouwei had stepped forward, he could only stand behind with a cold expression, not even glancing at her, as he listened to the junior before him speak icily, "Senior… coming to our Wilderness without reason is hardly in line with the rules!"
But Tianwan stepped down from the ice and snow at the center and said calmly, "You two… have come for Li Quantao, have you not?"
At these words, Li Zhouwei felt a quiet certainty settle in his heart, his divine ability linking with his granduncle's.
"So it really is about Hongxue Gate!"
The former ruins of Hongxue Gate lay in the Wilderness region. When Li Zhouwei first set eyes on this Grand Daoist Master, he had already suspected as much. Now, upon hearing Li Quantao's name, everything became clear.
Even Li Ximing's perpetually cold expression softened slightly as his thoughts stirred, So it really is Li Quantao… Brother Xizhi's close friend. The old elder has always kept him in mind… so he was here all along…
Amid the flickering white light, someone else suddenly arrived from afar, swiftly revealing himself. He wore a Daoist robe with a dark pattern over a green base, his expression tinged with bitterness.
"Fellow Daoists!"
This person was none other than Daoist Master Xuanyi of Jingyi Mountain!
He had met Li Ximing once before, and their relationship was fairly cordial. Who would have thought they would run into each other here? He was likely stabilizing the surrounding earth veins. Li Ximing was slightly taken aback, thinking to himself, Chunyi Dao's faction is powerful, and he is not on good terms with them. Seeking help from Crimson Reef Island is only natural…
Li Ximing relaxed his expression slightly and nodded to him. The icy beauty before them said softly, "Ning Wan of the Azure Pond Sect is overwhelmed. Li Quantao ended up in Chengshui Marsh and fell into my hands. I have been searching for the traces of Hongxue Gate for many years and found this place long ago. She has already fallen one step behind, and even lost Li Quantao. Thus, Xuanyi and I have come to open this hidden treasure.
"Since you two have found this place, if you are willing, we need not interfere with one another. Once I finish my business, I will hand Li Quantao over to your esteemed family. I only want the Hongxue Dao lineage."
She smiled faintly, and even the cold snow beneath the earth began to drift upward. "After all, this is the territory of its rightful owner. Once it is done, I can let your esteemed family choose one spirit material."
Li Ximing said nothing, while Li Zhouwei slowly began to stroll about the area, taking in the frost-laden surroundings before speaking calmly, "Senior Zhang[1] must have sent quite a number of letters to the Azure Pond Sect."
Tianwan's smile gradually faded as she fixed her gaze on the golden-eyed man even as the heavy voice of the White Qilin echoed through the underground.
"Since Li Quantao fell into your hands long ago, and you are capable of opening this place yourself, why insist on cooperating with Senior Ning Wan?"
He turned his head, those illusion-piercing golden eyes boring straight into hers. "This place lies within the Wilderness. Opening the secret realm might not cause much disturbance and would not draw too many Daoist Masters, but it would never escape the notice of the Wilderness's master. At the time, the one stationed here was Ning Wan… You knew it could not be concealed, so you chose to cooperate with her."
Tianwan did not answer, so Li Zhouwei continued, "Then… there must be more than just one or two coveting the Hongxue Dao lineage. The stakes are so critical that you cannot deter the lesser opportunists, and there are even figures who would give you great trouble if they chose to intervene… That is why you must keep it hidden."
Li Zhouwei finished calmly, "There is no need to mislead me. Our two sides have no friendship to speak of, and it is not merely a matter of my family being the master of the Wilderness. The moment my family speaks, your objective will inevitably fail."
A trace of coldness finally appeared on Tianwan's face as she replied flatly, "The Azure Pond Sect is riddled with holes. Not a single piece of information can be kept hidden."
Her words carried a biting cold. "Must we truly become mortal enemies? It seems the two of you do not care about Li Quantao's life either."
The relationship between the two sides had never been good. Tianwan possessed enough strength to suppress them, and the matter before them was of utmost importance, so she spoke once more.
"White Qilin, can you still not see the road ahead? Changxiao waits for his chance, fearing only you… I do not wish to offend your esteemed family, but if you insist on ruining my plans, will Zhaojing still go to the Eastern Sea in the future? And a hundred years from now, what path will the Li Family walk?"
The atmosphere between the two sides sank toward freezing. Xuanyi felt deeply awkward. He had come at another's invitation to assist, not to offend the Li Family, and for a moment he had the urge to vanish and slip away.
"You two are free to try… Crimson Reef Island is nothing but a burden to me, but if the Li Family falls into turmoil, who knows how many of your family members will die because of you?!"
As soon as her words fell, the young man before her broke into a smile. His features seemed to twist and sink inward slightly, while dense white-golden scales emerged around his neck. He smiled faintly, revealing fine, sharp white teeth.
His voice was hoarse yet resonant, like the low growl of a beast. "To die for me… is that not only natural?"
His pupils had already transformed into perfect rings of gold and white as he smiled and said, "Crimson Reef is a burden? Then what of Moongaze? If you dare to take everything for yourself before me, I will make you regret it."
At these words, silence fell in all directions. Xuanyi's expression froze as he stared at Li Zhouwei in disbelief, It really is the White Qilin!
Though Tianwan had been rebuked so bluntly, no anger showed on her face. She only frowned faintly as irritation rose within her. However, knowing the man before her could neither be killed nor dealt with easily, she could only sigh inwardly, As expected of the White Qilin… He cannot be judged as a human, only as one who walks alone with his own will.
She truly felt a measure of apprehension. Li Zhouwei's status was special, and his progress in achieving divine abilities would certainly be swift. Though he was destined to die in the end, there would still be moments when his brilliance shone with splitting radiance. People like him always followed through on their words.
As for Tianwan, she had defected from Golden Feather Sect and had no strong backing. With a long lifespan ahead, she still aimed for the position of True Monarch, and could not afford even the slightest mistake. Was Changxiao not already in hiding?
Never mind him, even Li Ximing was inwardly startled. Xuanyi hurried forward to play the mediator, and said in a low voice, "With Wanlin Heaven nearby, suffering injuries from conflict at a time like this… would truly be inappropriate…"
Tianwan narrowed her eyes and said softly, "Since Ning Wan has gone into hiding, the one guarding the Wilderness can only be your esteemed family. If your family helps conceal the disturbance for me, it will be far better than letting those from the north discover this. Otherwise, none of us will gain anything!
"As for the Hongxue Dao lineage, we can divide it between us…"
She showed a trace of restraint, though her gaze remained calm as she replied, "I will take the cultivation methods and spell arts… As for the rest, there are also things I must obtain!"
Li Ximing hesitated as if to speak, but she continued faintly, "It is not just a Dao lineage technique that I lack. If you insist on pressing me too far, it would be better to open this up and let the northern Dao lineages come… Exchanging a portion of the Hongxue Dao lineage for my allegiance would surely be a worthwhile deal.
"I must have this, even if it means becoming entangled in the conflicts between north and south!"
She spoke with absolute finality. Li Zhouwei let out a cold laugh and flicked his sleeve as he turned to leave, leaving behind chilling words. "No matter how the two of you divide it, my family will take a portion for itself!"
As the one playing the hard role left, the atmosphere eased considerably. Unwilling to speak further with Tianwan, Li Ximing turned to Xuanyi and said calmly, "If you agree, we will guard above and conceal any fluctuations in spiritual energy."
Xuanyi, ever the mediator, quickly responded, "Alright… alright… Then we will trouble your esteemed family! There is still time… we can discuss the rest later!"
Tianwan looked at his face, her eyes gleaming as if she understood the source of his hostility, and said softly, "The matter back then was indeed a scheme involving Tulong Jian, but did your esteemed family not also leverage favors for gain? Sacrificing a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator in exchange for a portion of the Radiant Sky Stone… In truth, it was merely a transaction of interests. Yet you place all the blame on me alone? That Radiant Sky Stone also made you, Li Ximing. Why cling so stubbornly to right and wrong!"
Had she not mentioned it, it would have been fine. Li Ximing had already stepped away, only to stop and turn back at her words.
"If not for divine ability interference, when Guo Hongyao struck and injured others, and you intervened to block it, how would any of this have followed? Was it not your failed scheming, Tianwan, that cost you the Radiant Sky Stone? How dare you speak of it as my achievement?!"
Leaving that chilling remark, he shattered the great void and departed. As he left, he faintly noticed Tianwan frowning, her expression thoughtful, as if she had gleaned something from his words.
1. Referring to Tianwan. She has the surname Zhang but Tianwan is her Dao title. Her given name is not yet revealed. ☜
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