Daoist Master Yuan Su's cave dwelling was modest, constructed from ordinary rock and devoid of lavish decorations, save for the coiling bronze statue of a beast that was neither a wolf nor tiger at its entrance.
Ning Wan led the way as they entered the cave dwelling together. Inside, Daoist Master Yuan Su sat elevated, absentmindedly staring at a small, light golden seal in his hand.
This was Li Xuanfeng's first meeting with a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator. Daoist Master Yuan Su had a round face and lacked any imposing presence, appearing to be a man in his early twenties. He sat with a hand resting on his knee, looking rather relaxed.
The air was thick with white mist that was swirling endlessly with exceptionally rich spiritual qi. In fact, it was potent enough that one could likely grasp a handful and refine it into Minor Pure Spiritual Qi . The chill Li Xuanfeng felt around his ankles suggested that the source of the mist was likely a type of spirit water.
Yuan Su wore light leather armor with a halberd lying beside him, both shimmering in light golden hues.
He looked up.
"Li Xuanfeng greets the Daoist Master!"
"Junior greets the Daoist Master!"
Daoist Master Yuan Su merely grunted in acknowledgment.
The green walls were inscribed with lines of text, obscured by the thick spiritual qi that had condensed into mist. Although Li Xuanfeng could not read them, he could tell that they had been frequently altered due to the varying depth of the characters.
Yuan Su did not keep them waiting for long. After a brief pause, he said, "Wan'er, the light in the void has faded. The person in question must have reincarnated, possibly somewhere between Yufu Prefecture and Lin'an Prefecture. Have someone keep an eye on those regions and prevent any conflicts from erupting."
"Junior understands," Ning Wan replied with a slight nod.
Yuan Su continued with his instructions, "Make the necessary arrangements for those returning from the north from purging evil to protect the Dao. Ensure the Metallic Essence he is connected to remains intact and just see him back safely."
Li Xuanfeng remained silent, absorbing the information from their conversation. Yuan Su then turned his gaze to him, asking gently, "Did Li Mutian ever establish an immortal foundation? Of what nature was it?"
Despite the sudden shift in topic, Li Xuanfeng was not caught off guard. Throughout his journey here, he had pondered this question often and replied calmly, "My grandfather was a mortal man; claims about him being a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator were merely baseless rumors. During times of vulnerability, our family let this rumor spread to leverage some advantage."
Yuan Su nodded and asked, "It's quite extraordinary that three of the four sons of a mortal man possess spiritual orifices... Do you know why?"
With the most important question finally voiced, Li Xuanfeng, well aware of the Purple Mansion Realm cultivator's methods, nodded and chose his words carefully.
"Truth be told, our family has often pondered about our ancestral lineage as well. We've even heard rumors of an heir to the immortal mansion bearing the surname Li and wonder if there might be a connection between us."
This direction of this conversation was nearly taboo to speak of, causing Ning Wan to cast a worried glance his way. Yet, Li Xuanfeng maintained his composure, speaking calmly as though he was discussing something as trivial as the weather.
"Oh?"
Daoist Master Yuan Su chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement as he responded, "You speak of Donghua Li Jiangqun? Such audacity!"
Waving his hand, he continued, "Most Li and Cui families trace their origins back to Wei State. The most probable lineage would be from the Li Family of Wei State, followed by the Li Family from Mount Tan of Wu State. The Li Family was distinguished back in the days, leaving behind many lineages."
"As for Daoist Master Donghua..." Li Xuanfeng's voice trailed off.
Daoist Yuan Su's gaze lingered on Li Xuanfeng's gray eyes for a moment before he smiled and replied, "Daoist Master Donghua was a capable cultivator who hailed from Ning State. Were your family truly connected, your circumstances would be markedly different."
Pausing, he beckoned gently, "Come forward."
As Li Xuanfeng moved closer to the man, Yuan Su placed a hand on his shoulder, and with the other, he performed a hand seal to cast a spell. A colorful light appeared in his hand as a sharp pain pricked Li Xuanfeng's fingertip, drawing blood.
The blood swirled within the radiant light, transforming into a golden gleam. Yuan Su murmured, "Hmm, Li of Wei indeed... Though the Dao lineage has long since been severed..."
As a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator, it was a surprise that he would spend so much effort to find an answer to this question. Yuan Su dispersed the spell with a flick of his wrist and confirmed, "Your family is descendants of the Li of Wei..."
He paused, his expression clouded with contemplation. Moments later, clarity seemed to dawn on him, his face brightening with a triumphant smile as if he had just solved a puzzle that troubled him for a long time.
"I've always wondered why those bald donkeys had persistently antagonized your Li Family... Now it all makes sense! After the Jie people conquered Wei State and took control of the north, they destroyed the Zhaoyuan Immortal Mansion. That definitely explains the blood feud! Surely, you must be the descendant of the main Li Family from Wei State!"
Yuan Su, who was centuries old, had experienced most of life's pleasures and was no longer easily impressed.
However, the revelation of such an elaborate scheme has left him visibly pleased, and he exclaimed with a broad smile, "That's a clever ploy! Even those monks might never unravel why fate has conspired with you! The Wrathful Maha only knew he had to kill the whale, but did not know the origin of it."
"Were it not for my seemingly trivial intervention, who would have realized this? Employing the Bright Yang Metallic Essence to weave a plot over a millennium—this is truly the work of a great cultivator! Such is the art of a Golden Core Realm cultivator!"
Li Xuanfeng, though only partially comprehending, felt relieved to have averted a crisis. Yuan Su, caught up in his enthusiasm, paced excitedly. He suddenly paused, reflecting with a hint of regret, "It's no wonder Xiao Chuting plays chess the way he does... If that old thing didn't redo his cultivation, he would have been a truly formidable junior!"
Ning Wan, equally taken aback by Yuan Su's rare display of emotion, recognized snippets of the larger narrative.
Is he talking about the Wrathful Maha's incident?
A partial understanding often carried the most profound impact. Chills ran down Ning Wan's spine as fear gripped her.
So, these are the capabilities of a Golden Core Realm cultivator... Even if besieged and killed, he still managed to devise a contingency plan to kill the Ninth Maha Reincarnate a millennium later!
She was chilled to the core, feeling utterly powerless against the Pristine Water Origin Talisman True Monarch above her.
Who else could possibly thwart the schemes of the three True Monarchs of Yue State then?
Li Xuanfeng remained silent, absorbing the revelations, piecing together fragments of the truth. However, the Daoist Master seemed like he had no desire to say more as he had affirmed Li Xuanfeng to be the descendant of the Li Family from Wei State.
He patted Li Xuanfeng's shoulder and suggested with a grin, "Li Xuanfeng, since you are unmarried, why don't you consider taking a bride from my Ning family?"
Li Xuanfeng was taken aback by the suggestion but before he could respond, Daoist Master Yuan Su added with a teasing smirk, "Don't even think about Wan'er. She has the potential to reach the Purple Mansion Realm, but your path is fraught with challenges."
"Hemian would be a good match. Act swiftly and waste no time," Yuan Su said.
Recognizing the finality in Yuan Su's tone, Li Xuanfeng knew refusal was not an option.