Chapter 1629: Mountains Of Desire (I) |
Dawn broke, and brilliant light flooded the land.
The radiance of the sun fell upon the lakeshore. Bright lamps lined both sides of the long road, while broad stone steps carved with sea motifs stretched into the distance. Cultivators came and went, and the road bustled with carriages and swift horses.
Clop, clop, clop…
The sound of hoofbeats drew closer as a young man rode into view. He wore a white robe with crescent moon and lake-ripple patterns embroidered on the cuffs. Though his attire was not especially luxurious, he carried himself with an imposing bearing. A brocade pouch hung from his waist. He reined in his horse as he came up to a grand gate.
The gate possessed seventy-two bright ridges and stood around forty meters tall. Its intricate carvings covered every surface. This was Changxi Gate, the gateway to Milin Prefecture.
Milin Mountain was the most renowned immortal mountain throughout Moongaze Lake. At its foot lay a market town. Though it was modest in size and had grown desolate after years of unrest, Changxi Gate served as the market's entrance, linking north and south, making it a place of great strategic importance.
Li Suining stopped just as a caravan was passing beneath the gate. The moment they spotted him, they also immediately reined in their horses. An elderly man with the distinctive features of a Mount Yue tribesman stepped down from one of the carriages.
The entire caravan moved aside to clear the road as he respectfully greeted him, "My lord!"
The Mount Yue people had never held a high status in Yue State, and the same was true around the lake. Although the old man was a Qi Cultivation Realm cultivator and undoubtedly held considerable standing among the Mount Yue, the moment he saw Li Suining's robes, he dared not remain in his way. Unsure whether the young man bore the Li surname, he did not dare address him as 'young master' and instead respectfully called him 'lord.'
Li Suining simply asked, "Which guest cultivator are you?"
The elderly man, despite his age, remained kneeling with his graying hands pressed against the ground. He smiled deferentially as he replied, "I wouldn't dare… I'm merely a guard serving under the Jade Court. I was born among the Mount Yue people and was fortunate enough to once serve under the Grand Concord of Radiance. Later, I followed the orders of Lady Minggong. My humble name is Du Dou."
Li Suining paused in surprise before replying, "So you served under that lord. You're being far too courteous; please, get up."
Li Suining actually had a favorable impression of the Mount Yue people. Even now, many among them still practiced shamanism and worshipped the [Grand Concord of Radiance], who was none other than the Wei King of the Li Family.
The reason was not difficult to understand. First, while the Wei King was still young and his destiny had yet to fully settle, his White Qilin persona had come to overshadow his true identity. His campaigns against Mount Yue had also left the Mount Yue people with a lasting impression of Bright Yang's splendor. Second, the Mount Yue nobility also exploited that connection to enhance their own standing.
But every matter had two sides. After Tingzhou fell, these Mount Yue people continued their private worship despite repeated prohibitions. In the end, the surrendered tribes could no longer conceal it. The Shu general Ni Zan had eradicated their illicit shrines, and built a mound of enemy skulls from their dead.
"When you head up the mountain, please pass along a message to my eldest granduncle. Tell him Li Suining has finished visiting his relatives and will be waiting in the mountains to return to the lake with him!"
At those words, the old man looked up in mild surprise and studied him carefully. He then nodded respectfully in acknowledgment before turning and departing.
The clan gave me a spirit herb with remarkable effects… I actually broke through to the sixth stage of Embryonic Breathing Realm in just half a month…
Li Suining was already at the peak of the Embryonic Breathing Realm. This pace of cultivation far exceeded his expectations, putting him in an excellent mood.
At this rate, by the time the Yang Family establishes its kingdom, my cultivation should reach the second or third stage of Qi Cultivation Realm. At the very least, I'll be able to fly, contend with ordinary cultivators, and set up some common formations.
After waiting at the foot of the mountain for a while, he soon saw a streak of light speeding toward him. It was Li Zhoufang!
The middle-aged man was stroking his beard with a smile. Behind him followed a young man in coarse hemp robes with his head lowered, while the elderly Mount Yue man trailed at the rear. The three landed before Changxi Gate, then walked the customary nine steps through it before Li Zhoufang chuckled, "Suining, you got here quickly!"
Now that Li Chengzai sees I've made something of myself, he barely manages to put on a smile for me. I couldn't be bothered to humor him… Also, of course I came as quickly as I could! If I'd exchanged a few more words with him, he'd probably have asked to borrow spirit materials from me!
Li Suining sighed inwardly and merely smiled without answering. Li Zhoufang immediately understood and changed the subject, beckoning the young man behind him forward.
Beaming with delight, he said, "Come, let me introduce you. This is the Pu Family's genius, Xinya."
His expression turned serious as he continued, "The Pu Family has inherited a respectable legacy. I spoke with members of the Pu Family in detail, and they all agreed that Xinya is a once-in-several-generations talent. Heaven truly favors Moongaze Lake. This is another blessing for us!"
He then turned back with a smile. "Xinya, this is Suining. He's a formation prodigy our family sees only once in a century. You should seek his guidance whenever you have the chance!"
The young man bowed respectfully and hurriedly said, "Greetings, young master!"
Suppressing a smile, Li Suining nodded. "There's no need to stand on ceremony."
Pu Xinya had been Li Suining's closest friend in his previous life, so he knew him well. His talent for formations was exceptional, but what was even more remarkable was his aptitude for cultivation. At one point, his cultivation speed had nearly caught up to Li Suining's. Only after Li Suining switched to a superior cultivation method did he manage to widen the gap again. At the moment, however, that innate ability had yet to reveal itself.
Having spent many years together in his previous life, Li Suining understood Pu Xinya well. Beneath his pride lay considerable ambition, along with the mindset common among the smaller families around the lake, admiration for the ruling clan coupled with a desire for greater independence.
That ambition was eventually discovered by the old elder, who sent him to Simin Prefecture to manage a shop for two years. After seeing the wider world, he returned a much humbler man. He had come to understand that beyond Moongaze Lake, the Pu Family was little more than an easy morsel for others. Their only path forward was to climb even higher within Moongaze Lake itself.
For now, however, Pu Xinya still carried that youthful pride. Li Suining had no intention of chatting with him, and instead frowned as he asked, "Granduncle, how are things on the Buddhist cultivators' side?"
The moment the topic turned to the Buddhist cultivators, Li Zhoufang's smile vanished, replaced by a grave expression. "Sigh! Who knows what the Great Desire Dao is up to now!
"That Maha passed through the Wilderness and reached Lixia Prefecture some days ago. However, instead of launching a massacre, he never even entered the prefectural city. He simply dispersed the Merciful Ones under his command, sending them into the mountains and countryside to establish temples, preach the scriptures, and spread their teachings among the people. One by one, the common folk have begun to waver. Even though they're still living in the prefecture, most have already secretly changed into the robes of Buddhist cultivators…"
He let out a long sigh. "They also established twelve great mountains outside the prefecture and planted the [Great Benevolent Golden Lotus]. Hundreds of streams of silvery water now flow down from those mountains. Once the common folk leave the prefectural city, they take off their shoes, roll up their trousers, and wade into those waters. The moment they do, they experience every kind of supreme bliss. They forget their parents, and even fail to recognize their own siblings. We sent more than ten of our people there, and five never returned.
"So Jiangzong gave up on dealing with it directly and merely dispatched nearby rogue cultivators to investigate from a distance. It's said that the mountains outside Lixia Prefecture have already become Mountains of Desire. Men and women lie entwined together, naked, indulging in endless pleasure through the night, completely lost in it…
"The families over there, the Wu Family, the Lu Family, and the rest, have truly met with disaster. Fortunately, those territories had been conquered before, and quite a few of their younger generation had been conscripted by the Yang Clan. At least some of their bloodlines survived."
The middle-aged man sighed and said, "Now… I've heard the Great Desire Dao has already passed through here and continued south. I wonder how things are faring over there."