It was the first time Li Zhouwei had heard the name of a Purple Mansion Realm pill. As he pondered, Li Ximing shook his head and said, "This medicine can save a life for Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators, but it's merely a wound-healing pill for the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators. It's an ordinary commodity among them. If it were anything too precious, they would never have offered it to our household."
An ordinary alchemist would need three to five months to refine a batch of healing pills made with treasured panaceas. But Li Ximing now wielded a divine ability, and many ordinary pills no longer required a pill furnace at all. Refining them took only three to five days.
He continued, "With my current abilities, I can refine any pill below the Purple Mansion Realm through divine ability alone. The True Profound Heart-Cleansing Pill isn't too difficult, I'll have someone deliver it to you in a few days."
No matter what, the True Profound Heart-Cleansing Pill was a pill capable of healing Purple Mansion Realm cultivators. Purple Smoke Gate's gift was far from light.
Li Ximing sighed. "Waiting for a demonic creature to reach Foundation Establishment Realm takes far too long, and they're not something you can capture whenever you please. No wonder the Dao lineages in Jiangnan are so fond of human pills."
As the two continued their discussion, Li Chenghui returned from outside the hall, entering with a trace of urgency. His expression looked slightly awkward, and it was only when he came close that he said quietly, "Family head, Daoist Master... people from the Sword Gate have arrived. They say they're here to reclaim something from Profound Peak Gate."
"Sword Gate? Wanyu?" That was a name he had never expected to hear. Li Zhouwei was genuinely taken aback and asked, "Who came? And what exactly are they asking for?"
Li Chenghui shook his head and continued, "I've already arranged for them to be led to the side hall, and I've summoned Kong Guxi and the others as well."
"Bring them here." Li Ximing spoke, and Li Chenghui immediately withdrew.
Li Zhouwei rose from the main seat and moved to the side. The Sword Gate envoys soon entered the hall, led by the sword cultivator Cheng Jinzhu. A long sword was strapped to his back, his gaze sharp and piercing.
He first saluted Li Ximing, then cupped his hands and said, "Greetings, Daoist Master. My family's Daoist Master has spoken of you often since our parting at Sword Peak and asked me to convey his regards first."
"No need for formalities." Li Ximing had a good impression of Ling Mei after a brief conversation with him. The man was not one of those rigid traditionalists Sword Gate was known for and suited his taste well.
Cheng Jinzhu wasted no time on pleasantries. After inquiring briefly about their injuries, he spoke directly, "I have come here for one matter... Senior Changxi once borrowed the territory known as Wind-Listening White Stone Mountain from our sect, promising that it would be returned upon his death, along with the southern shore of Lake Xian and the nine eastern towns of Shanji Prefecture. Now, it is time for its return."
At those words, the hall fell utterly silent.
Although Wanyu Sword Gate was renowned as a righteous sect, Cheng Jinzhu's words left even Li Zhouwei and Li Ximing speechless. A brief silence settled over the hall.
The reason was simple; there had been no prior word of such a matter, not even the slightest hint from Changxi or Kong Guxi. It was only the Wanyu Sword Gate's reputation that kept them hesitant. Had it been anyone else, they would have assumed it was an opportunistic attempt to strike while the iron was hot and kick them while they were down.
After a clear pause, Li Ximing finally spoke, "Bring Kong Guxi here."
After several seconds, the middle-aged man hurried into the hall, saluted Li Ximing and the others, and then noticed Cheng Jinzhu. Kong Guxi's face betrayed no sign of turmoil, though his manner carried a hint of flattery as he said, "Greetings, Daoist Cheng!"
By now, Cheng Jinzhu's face showed some confusion. He cast a probing glance at Kong Guxi and said, "Greetings, gate master..."
Li Zhouwei watched with growing suspicion and said with a faint smile, "Gate Master Kong, it seems this is an old matter concerning Profound Peak Gate. The Cheng Family is here to reclaim what was theirs."
"Ah?"
Kong Guxi was utterly confused. One glance around the hall had led him to assume the Li Family was simply planning to hand Shanji Prefecture over to Wanyu, and he had only come to hear the outcome. But the sudden turn of events left his heart uneasy.
Cheng Jinzhu had no choice but to repeat himself, and Kong Guxi's pupils widened as he listened.
Cheng Jinzhu added, "Wind-Listening White Stone Mountain is a spirit artifact our Dao had acquired from Douxuan. It is no ordinary thing. The sect now wishes to make use of it, so I was sent to inquire."
A spirit artifact! Kong Guxi's heart sank into despair, and he cursed inwardly, Fine, fine! Everyone wants to trample us while we're down, but you, Wanyu, are a lofty and exalted Green Pine Supreme Yang Dao lineage. Why must you throw stones at us too? If you want territory, take it! Where would my sect even find a spirit artifact to give you?!
But the situation was stronger than he was. Even at Profound Peak Gate's height, the Kong Family had never dared show defiance to Wanyu. Sweat streamed down his face as he cast a pleading look at Li Zhouwei.
Cheng Jinzhu was not slow to notice something was amiss and asked, "Does gate master truly not know of this matter?"
What does it matter if I know or not? If a Daoist Master says it exists, then it exists...
Seeing the Li Family remain silent, Kong Guxi could only stammer, "Perhaps... perhaps there was such a matter... and this territory was indeed meant to be ceded to the Sword Gate..."
Cheng Jinzhu's expression shifted, and he spoke again, "Gate Master Kong, where is the spirit artifact?"
The topic had reached a point where Li Ximing had no choice but to speak, "Matters involving spirit artifacts are no small affair. The agreed-upon territory can be handed over to the Sword Gate first. As for Wind-Listening White Stone Mountain, I have yet to see it. Let us put that aside for now. Profound Peak Gate can cede a few more towns as payment to continue leasing the spirit artifact. If it is truly urgent for your gate to reclaim it, I will consult carefully with Senior Ling Mei."
Regardless of Wanyu's intentions or whether this matter was true or not, having someone take over part of Shanji Prefecture was ultimately beneficial. Li Ximing decided to settle that point first. Cheng Jinzhu had no standing to negotiate directly with him, but fortunately, his own Daoist Master had already prepared instructions.
He replied solemnly, "Since Daoist Master has spoken, this matter will be handled under the arrangements of Moongaze Lake. Our Sword Gate understands that Profound Peak Gate is at a critical juncture. Wind-Listening White Stone Mountain may well be vital to your gate. Our lineage is not one to kick others while they're down, and our Daoist Master made it clear long ago that if it concerns Profound Peak Gate's survival, retrieving it is not an absolute necessity."
Li Zhouwei, however, recalled something and asked, "Your gate may dispatch people to take over Shanji Prefecture, but Lake Xian is currently in the hands of Xuanmiao Temple. To cede the southern shore, you'll need to consult with Daoist Master Sumian."
Cheng Jinzhu shook his head calmly and smiled. "Family head, Our Daoist Master sent a letter there just yesterday. Xuanmiao has already handed it over. Daoist Master Sumian even came to Sword Peak personally to offer an apology, but as our Daoist Master was not at the peak, he asked Daoist Master Qi[1] to return first."
At those words, the true stature of Wanyu Sword Gate was laid bare. Yet both Kong Guxi and Cheng Jinzhu seemed to take it as a matter of course. Li Ximing’s eyes narrowed as clarity dawned in his heart, Is it because Ling Mei's strength is so formidable and his sword arts so extraordinary or is it that the status of the Green Pine Dao Lineage is even more exalted than we imagined?
In Yue State, the Dao lineages of the so-called three sects, and the ten or seven gates rise and fall with time. Yet the six Dao lineages of Chongming Hall have remained unbroken to this day. Could that truly be mere coincidence?
1. Referring to Sumian. ☜