Li Minggong’s words made Miaoshui look up in astonishment. She had scarcely met Li Minggong a few times, and had even fought and injured her once. Of all people, she never expected Li Minggong to plead on her behalf.
Li Minggong, however, had no such thoughts. Hidden Cloud Cave was backed by the Baiye Capital Immortal Dao. Although the Li Family had Li Zhouwei and Li Chenghui, their manpower was stretched thin. Even if they wanted to make a move, they would never wish to face a united Hidden Cloud Cave resisting to the last.
Even if this must be reckoned with, it should be after the fact, never at this moment! Miaoshui shows some womanly compassion. She is considered clean enough within Hidden Cloud Cave. If she is slain, everyone there would know that none could survive under my family's hand, thought Li Minggong.
Now, Li Zhouwei finally had an excuse to relent. However, he was still thinking of striking Hidden Cloud Cave before they could react and catching them unprepared. Naturally, he could not risk killing Miaoshui and alarming Daoist Wenhu.
Thus he said in a deep voice, "Since my aunt vouches for you, I will spare your life for now. Put away your dharma artifact."
Miaoshui hesitated for a moment before recalling the water sword in midair. Li Minggong's blazing fire dissipated a moment later.
She hurried over to Li Zhouwei and clasped her hands with a trace of embarrassment. "I greet my lord."
Li Zhouwei nodded. The two devil cultivators were still held in Qu Buzhi's grasp. Judging by their cultivation of the Blood Dharma Manual, they were the sort who had murdered to refine resentment and baleful qi. They had stumbled into Foundation Establishment Realm by sheer chance. The demonic qi above their heads nearly pierced the sky.
The Wen Yi and Wen Shan brothers, who managed the fire veins in the mountains, were at least orthodox cultivators of the Eastern Sea's Devil Dao. By contrast, these two men had shallow foundations and were useless. Their sins were far too heavy.
Li Zhouwei hardly spared them a glance and simply ordered, "Tie them up and hold them in the mountains. We will decide later."
Miaoshui watched with sorrow in her heart, silently thinking, Who knows how I will be dealt with when the time comes... I can only take one step at a time. If that Baiye Capital Immortal Dao cultivator is truly at the mid-stage of the Purple Mansion Realm, and Daoist Master Zhaojing cannot overcome him, then I will have no way to survive.
Her heart turned cold when she heard Li Zhouwei say casually, "You must also see that Hidden Cloud Cave is backed by Baiye Capital Immortal Dao. But having the support of the Purple Mansion Realm is one matter, and being a Purple Mansion Realm force in itself is another. For you to defect from a puppet like Hidden Cloud Cave to my family is hardly worth even Ye Hui's[1] attention.
"But if you feign surrender, that would be leaping from the umbrella of the Purple Mansion Realm to that of a mere Foundation Establishment Realm power. Whatever the outcome, my family would be justified in killing you, and no one would protect you. Take care to weigh your actions, and do not bring ruin upon yourself."
These words left Miaoshui shaken, her heart trembling. She knew nothing of the struggles between the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators. If she truly joined the Li Family in the future, she would rejoice rather than worry about retribution.
After hearing this, she dared not harbor resentment and quickly declared, "I am blessed by your grace and will never harbor divided loyalties!"
Li Zhouwei cared little for what she thought. He still considered her to be deeply suspicious. He asked, "How are the defensive formations of Hidden Cloud Cave arranged?"
Miaoshui's mindset shifted swiftly, and she hurriedly replied, "Hidden Cloud Cave holds eleven peaks and twelve Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators. Seven are guest cultivators recruited from overseas. They are hardly worth concern; they are weak and primarily rely on devil techniques. Of the remaining five, excluding myself, Wenhu is the strongest. The other three each have their own backing... Two of the more capable ones might perhaps resist someone on the level of the Azure Pond Peak's master."
This matched closely with the Li Family's investigations. Hidden Cloud Cave was little more than a puppet, with many of its guest cultivators recruited from overseas by Baiye Capital Immortal Dao. In truth, its strength was not much greater than the Li Family's.
Li Zhouwei calculated silently, Wenhu will naturally be mine. The other two can be handled by Uncle Chenghui, Aunt Minggong, and Miaoshui. But Qu Buzhi cannot handle more than a few devil cultivators. Even with the white ape and An Siwei, they will not be able to deal with the rest... let alone the formations.
If Miaoshui truly surrendered wholeheartedly, their top-tier combat strength would not be inferior to the enemy's. Still, Wenhu would not expect them to strike so suddenly. Careful planning against an unprepared foe might not end up in a simple one-to-one battle. So long as they seized the moment, they could certainly slaughter those devil cultivators.
Does that Baiye Capital Immortal Dao figure possess a Life Divine Ability... and how have our Daoist Master and Daoist Master Changxi arranged matters...
Seeing Li Zhouwei lost in thought, Miaoshui quickly said, "Only the main mountain holds a Foundation Establishment Realm formation. The rest are of Qi Cultivation Realm and not worth worrying about. Wenhu himself is nowhere to be found..."
Li Zhouwei simply drew his halberd, sealed Mang Huazi's cultivation, and dragged him away. He summoned two lesser demons and instructed them, "No matter who comes, say only that Mang Huazi is in seclusion and will see no one."
The two lesser demons, having witnessed everything, were already terrified out of their wits. Crying out 'grandfather' in fright, they quickly agreed.
Li Zhouwei glanced into the distance and said, "Head straight for Floating Cloud Cave and drop these people off. Then continue north to join An Siwei and the others stationed at Hidden Cloud Cave."
———
Zhijing Mountain.
Blossoms of the gardenia tree fell like rain under the bright light of the heavens as Li Ximing revealed himself. Before the desk sat an old man with hair as white as snow, brows tightly furrowed. Daoist Master Changxi was clearly burdened with troubles.
The changes in Jiangnan's spiritual aura could not have escaped the old Daoist Master's notice. Being one who cultivated the divine ability of the Earth Virtue, he understood better than anyone its benefits and harms. Since three of his juniors were still in seclusion, encountering such matters left his spirit weary.
Worse still, Kong Tingyun and the other two were in the midst of breaking through to the Purple Mansion Realm. This was no ordinary seclusion and could not be moved. Otherwise, they could have been relocated from Jiangnan to another place.
When Li Ximing appeared, the worries in Changxi's brows quickly eased, and he greeted him with a smile, "My arrival was unexpected, Zhaojing. Please do not take offense!"
Li Ximing had been observing the situation in the great void over Jiangbei. When his divine sense stationed at Zhijing Mountain was stirred, he had torn through the void to return and find that it was indeed Changxi.
Li Ximing lifted a jade pot, poured tea for him, and sat opposite him with a smile, "You have come at just the right time, elder. I had been thinking of meeting you as well."
" Oh? "
Changxi raised his brows and looked up. He treated Li Ximing with the utmost courtesy, adopting a posture of attentive respect, when Li Ximing said, "Does senior have any method for the ailment of a damaged dantian?"
"What are you saying!" Changxi chuckled and shook his head, "Do you still remember Daoist Master Qilao of Xuanmiao Temple? His cultivation is precisely in Treasure Earth, a path of tremendous nourishing power. Though not on par with Valley Water or Horn Wood, it is more than sufficient to heal this injury."
1. The Daoist Master of Baiye Capital Immortal Dao ☜