Zhijing Mountain.
Li Ximing paused slightly, and reached out to tap the jade box lightly. He looked up at the old man before him and asked sincerely, "Since the bond between our two families runs so deep, may I ask how many arrangements Senior has made? Please reveal a little to Zhaojing."
Of course, Li Ximing did not believe that Changxi had come begging at the last moment, His lifespan is nearly spent. He must have arranged his affairs decades ago and would surely have something to rely on by now... There was certainly no place for me, Li Ximing, in his original plans...
Since Profound Peak Gate now wanted the Li Family’s aid, Li Ximing could not ignore the ties of their forebears. But matters had to be clarified. At these words, Changxi straightened, his expression solemn, and let out a sigh. "For you to understand, my Profound Peak Gate... ever since we migrated from Jiangbei, we have neither been of the Green Pine Dao lineage nor affiliated with any Immortal Mansion. Thus we have long suffered discrimination in Jiangnan. For these past centuries... we have survived on nothing but this old face of mine, and truth be told, there are not many we can truly call upon for aid...
"Now that my lifespan nears its end, those who can lend a hand are even fewer. In the past century, I have only forged two reliable connections. The first... is a Purple Mansion Realm sect east of Chengyun Gate in Jiangbei, called Xuanmiao[1] Temple. It is overseen by Daoist Master Qilao, whose Dao title is Sumian."
Li Ximing recognized the name. In the past decade, when two Purple Mansion Realm cultivators returned from beyond the Northern Sea to Jiangbei, two new sects had emerged. One was the Baiye Capital Immortal Dao, the other was this Xuanmiao Temple.
Seeing that he knew of this temple, Changxi continued, "The second is a mountain in the outer seas, called Jingyi[2] Mountain. Its master is Daoist Master Xuan Yi... my family’s direct descendant has become his disciple.
"As for a few other minor arrangements, they are not worth mentioning, lest I make a fool of myself. It would be better to find a day to introduce Zhaojing in person..."
Changxi and he were not exactly close, so naturally the elder would not lay all his cards bare. It was enough for Li Ximing to know the general picture. Still, he dared not rush into meetings. Who could say what paths Xuanmiao Temple or Jingyi Mountain truly walked? Xuanmiao Temple stood right beside Chengyun Gate, so was there friction between them? If the other Purple Mansion Realm sects were to misunderstand, he might find himself thrown into some faction without even realizing it.
So he replied, "This junior still needs to visit the various families to return their gifts one by one. There is no hurry to meet."
Changxi stroked his beard, "I was careless!"
At this point, Li Ximing hesitated again and again. The Gen Earth spirit artifact in his hand felt warm, and in the end he still asked, "I heard that years ago Senior had a close relationship with Situ Tang. Is this true?"
Though the Li Family’s history was short, its channels of information were sharp. The Kong Family had once been joined in marriage with the Situ Family, a bond nearly like that between the Xiao and Li Families. The Situ Family was none other than the Golden Tang Gate, and now stood as the Li Family’s bitter enemy. How could Li Ximing not pay close attention?
At present, Situ Ku was still imprisoned beneath Mount Qingdu. The next step would be to move against the Golden Tang Gate. If the Kong Family was dragged into this, he would be obliged to shelter them, and then would he not end up caught between both sides, pleasing no one?
Changxi was momentarily caught speechless. After seeing his expression, he lowered his voice and said, "To be frank with you, Zhaojing, my family and the Situ Family truly were friends in the early years. Situ Tang, though arrogant, was forthright and generous with those close to him. He looked down on the sects of Jiangnan and was also excluded from the seven gates. When I went traveling to pay visits, he alone would receive me. At that time we became acquainted, and even arranged a marriage tie.
"But the man was, after all, reckless and unruly. He offended countless Purple Mansion Realm cultivators. After his sudden death, I no longer dared keep close ties with the Golden Tang Gate. Then great turmoil broke out within their sect. Several of his sons were gifted, and two of them even reached the Purple Mansion Realm one after another. Though outwardly friendly, deep down they all looked down on me, so our ties gradually withered away."
He understood well the enmity between the Li Family and Golden Tang Gate, and had no thought of reconciliation. He only sought to distance himself and even offered a quiet warning, "All cultivators know that the shadow of the Golden Feather Sect looms behind Situ Mo. Zhaojing, you must be cautious. The Golden Feather Sect has flourished for three generations, and its strength is now unmatched in Yue State. The number of Purple Mansion Realm cultivators they command is not just a handful... be exceedingly careful."
Changxi had no wish whatsoever for Li Ximing to stir trouble with Golden Tang Gate. His own Profound Peak Gate was already hard-pressed to fend for itself. If the Li Family collapsed, Profound Peak Gate would fare even worse.
"Thank you for the reminder, Elder." Li Ximing answered solemnly. After weighing the matter in his heart for a moment, he pushed the mid-grade Gen Earth spirit artifact, the Mountain-Charging Sea-Pacing Tiger, away and said gravely, "Senior Changxi, the friendship between our two families needs no more words. If Profound Peak Gate is in trouble, my Li Family will certainly aid you. The Mountain-Charging Sea-Pacing Tiger is far too precious to be left so casually in my hands."
Changxi stroked his beard, somewhat surprised, and asked, "What does Zhaojing mean..."
Li Ximing pondered for a moment, then said, "Our two families stand together, watch over one another, and walk the same path. The Mountain-Charging Sea-Pacing Tiger is a mid-grade Purple Mansion Realm spirit artifact. Senior should keep it for now, and see if it can be exchanged for the aid of some stronger force. That would ease the burden later on... there is no need to use it merely to sway me.
"If, when your lifespan truly draws near, there is no other way left, then pass the Mountain-Charging Sea-Pacing Tiger into my hands... that way it will strengthen my foundation and allow me to better withstand pressure from all sides."
Daoist Master Changxi froze for a moment, as if he had never expected Li Ximing to say such a thing. Only after several seconds did he reply in a strained voice, "Back then, Tingyun offered many admonitions and said some unpleasant words. I truly owe you an apology, Zhaojing."
Li Ximing knew he was referring to Kong Tingyun’s reminder to Li Qinghong to leave the Radiant Sky Stone to Li Zhouwei. He shook his head. "It was not that I, Zhaojing, could not see the greater situation. It is precisely because of such reminders that I came to understand Senior Tingyun’s painstaking care. Not to mention the years of assistance, but when my elder brother met misfortune in the Eastern Sea, it was Senior Tingyun who covered for him. I remember all these things."
Back then, when Li Xizhi mistakenly trespassed into the Dragon Clan’s domain in the Eastern Sea, it was Kong Tingyun who had provided a pretext to dissolve Chi Zhiyun’s killing intent. Though she had used Changxi’s name as a shield, it had been Kong Tingyun alone who truly cared for the Li Family from beginning to end.
Daoist Master Changxi now understood that the weight of this decision all came from Kong Tingyun’s regard. He sighed and answered, "Zhaojing... your esteemed family truly conducts itself with..."
Li Ximing could not bear to hear such words, fearing even more that the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators would crown him with lofty titles of the righteous path in order to exploit the Li Family. He quickly cut him off with a smile and said, "It is only because Senior has made such painstaking preparations and secured so many contingencies that my Li Family dares to lend its aid. If the situation were to collapse so badly as to threaten our very foundation with imminent ruin, I would never dare agree."
Changxi nodded silently. If not for his long-standing reputation, how could he have dared to take out a spirit artifact? Had it been any Purple Mansion Realm cultivator from the Eastern Sea, they would surely have smiled and agreed readily. They would have pocketed the artifact, then walked away without a second thought once Changxi was dead.
Changxi’s expression grew increasingly solemn. He flicked his sleeve and a dusky yellow radiance spilled from the cuff, enveloping his side. At this moment, his tone reverted to its earliest form; he no longer flattered him as a fellow daoist, but instead spoke in a hushed voice, "Ximing, my little friend, to speak frankly... my sect still has three Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators at the very peak, all in seclusion."
"Three?" Li Ximing was startled. Changxi’s features had already shifted into a frail, aged visage. His hair was snow-white as he muttered, "The first is my great-grandson, Kong Haiying. I hid him within the sect from childhood to cultivate in secret, long before Tingyun. He obtained a Purple Mansion Realm spirit item, the Wandering Pass Treasure Soil, for his retreat. Though not a perfect match for the Fool’s Mountain Chase, it suits him far better than most. He has been in seclusion for over forty years, far too long, or else he should have emerged before my lifespan ran dry.
"The second is Fu En, our guest cultivator. There were rumors he perished overseas years ago, but in truth he has been cultivating in secret. It has been more than twenty years now. His chances of breaking through are slim, but he makes the attempt nonetheless.
"The third is Tingyun... She has been in seclusion for fifteen or sixteen years. Her innate ability is not high, and she was never meant for more than a quiet life. Though her temperament is good, her grasp of the Dao is shallow, making her the least likely among them. Yet unexpectedly, she encountered a fortuitous chance within a grotto-heaven, and her odds of success are now somewhat higher than Fu En’s."
1. 玄 (xuán) means profound, mysterious, arcane and 妙 (miào) means wondrous, subtle, marvelous ☜
2. 静 (jìng) means quiet, tranquil, still and 怡 (yí) means joyful, pleasant, harmonious, cheerful. ☜