Li Yuanjiao nodded approvingly and replied in a deep voice, "I agree. Jing Dragon King seems to fit better than Boundless Ocean . However, everyone knows that this is just another name for this immortal foundation... Jing Dragon King is the ancient name for Boundless Ocean ..."
He then furrowed his brow and voiced his main concern.
"I've also compared it with Grand Uncle's description from back then. After condensing Boundless Ocean , I don't feel the improvements he had described. The recovery speed of my true essence and the qi is only half of what my granduncle's was..."
Li Tongya's impressive suppression power wasn't solely due to the Law of Celestial Moon but also his extraordinary recovery speed of his true essence.
Even the fact that he could take Huashang Fruit, the treasured panacea
without dying, was due to the profound power of Boundless Ocean ...
With his different ability and effect compared to Li Tongya, Li Yuanjiao's excitement waned. After a moment of contemplation, he sighed.
"Perhaps this is Jing Dragon King after all... It is different from the Boundless Ocean ."
"Could it be due to the pill..?" Li Qinghong asked softly, and the three fell into silence.
Seeing Li Yuanjiao emerge from his seclusion, Li Qinghong felt renewed confidence in her plan. She outlined the changes within the family, shared the previous plan with a smile, and then asked, "What do you think, Brother?"
Li Yuanjiao nodded and responded softly, "The plan is feasible, but divine abilities are mysteriously strange... How can we determine if one's action is under the influence of one or if it comes from the heart?"
Li Qinghong hesitated for a moment before answering with uncertainty.
"With the talisman seed we have... we should not be affected..."
"Not necessarily," Li Yuanjiao countered thoughtfully.
"In my opinion, the talisman seed can resist divine ability but only if it's triggered through divine ability itself. If it's triggered by fate, it might be unstoppable. If this weren't the case, why did Granduncle always say that he was led by a divine ability? Why did Uncle Xuanling inexplicably wish to go to Mount Luoxia? It must be related to fate!"
Li Yuanjiao, having broken through to the Foundation Establishment Realm, now saw many things with a new perspective. Mysteries that had eluded him before became clear now in his mind.
Li Qinghong frowned and asked, "If fate controls everything, how can anyone dare to act in this world?"
"I know right... If the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators truly wielded such formidable divine abilities, the Xiao Family wouldn't have been able to exist. My family has suffered twice at their hands, making it hard not to be apprehensive."
Li Qinghong glanced at both men and gritted her teeth.
"Anyone who can't become a Purple Mansion Realm is destined to be an ant in the grand scheme of things!"
Li Xuanxuan sighed, his face growing more despondent with age. Li Yuanjiao, having just achieved Foundation Establishment Realm and freed from long-held frustrations, gently touched the sword at his waist and reassured, "Don't let fear overwhelm you."
Li Qinghong turned to him, and Li Yuanjiao added, "Offer a sacrifice to the mirror to clear your mind. If it confirms our path, then proceed."
Li Xuanxuan, though listening, struggled with his anxiety. His hands trembled, haunted by memories of the market's flames and devil qi.
He sighed heavily.
The catastrophe in the market had drained him physically and mentally. He had been trembling with fear for years, often dreaming of Li Tongya and Li Mutian, waking up with a racing heart from his meditation.
After watching the two juniors perform the ritual and receive guidance from the mirror, Li Xuanxuan sat down wearily and made a decision.
"Qinghong will stay behind. Jiao'er, you'll go alone."
————
Mount Dongli, located in the north of Yue State, was a rare mountain covered predominantly with maple trees. At this time of year, streams of lights interspersed with the mountain's red foliage, creating a picturesque scene.
The mountain was sparsely populated with demonic creatures. A hundred years ago, the Azure Pond Sect surrounded it, and when the Dongli Sect was destroyed, many forbidden formations were left behind. It became a favored spot for the three sects and seven gates to train their disciples, with even peak master-level figures occasionally searching for spirit items.
Prior to the grotto heaven's fall, numerous rogue and devil cultivators had already begun roaming the area. Streams of light were periodically seen entering the mountain to explore the forbidden formations.
The sky above Mount Dongli was clear and cloudless. A figure descended from the great void, clad in light golden armor and holding a large halberd, with a jade seal hanging from his waist.
The Purple Mansion Realm cultivator hovered in the air for a moment before another figure appeared. This person wore a golden robe, and though the robe was loose, it was clear that the figure was a woman. She was veiled, with white gauze obscuring her face.
The Purple Mansion Realm female cultivator called out, "Tiaoxiao."
Yuan Su turned around and glanced at her calmly before saying, "Ah, Master Qiushui. Congratulations on your mastery of the divine ability and breakthrough to the late stage of the Purple Mansion Realm."
The female cultivator remained silent.
The two Purple Mansion Realm cultivators stood quietly, their gazes fixed on the grotto heaven floating in the great void.
Yuan Su spoke softly, "Senior Dongli has been hiding it for so many years, but it still came to light in the end... After all, it is Mount Luoxia. Among the visible Daoist sects, Luoxia is the only leader..."
The Purple Mansion female cultivator listened in silence and succinctly added, "The local Daoist sects."
The two Purple Mansion Realm cultivators conversed casually as the Azure Pond Sect's Dawn Cloudliner broke through the heavy clouds and slowly descended onto Mount Dongli, casting shimmering light all around it.
Li Xizhi stood on the large vessel, watching the cultivators below. He murmured, "Another bloody storm has passed... I wonder how many cultivators have fallen to the devil plague. Given the current state of affairs, how many are left in Yue State?"
Yang Xiao'er, who was standing beside him, smiled and replied, "Brother Zhi, you may not know this, but for the three sects and seven gates, rogue cultivators are plentiful. The Eastern Sea is vast, and as long as the coast's guardians relax even slightly, hundreds of Eastern Sea cultivators, lured by Yue State's wealth, will rush in as rogue cultivators."
Yang Xiao'er glanced at those around them and transmitted with her divine sense, "Once cultivators in Yue State obtain the treasure and leave, without suppression from the three sects and seven gates in the Eastern Sea, it's natural for them to establish their own sects. The Eastern Sea cultivators are used to being impoverished and will be eager to come in. After all, not every place could grow Spirit Paddies..."
Li Xizhi nodded and responded softly, "I've heard that Changxiao Gate was relocated here only in the past two hundred years. The seven gates can be moved or dispersed, but never the three sects."
Yang Xiao'er seemed to suddenly recall something and asked in confusion, "But... Brother Zhi's ancestor... is Li Mutian, right? It is said he followed my ancestor to conquer Mount Yue..."
The alarm in Li Xizhi's heart blared. However, he remained calm and replied nonchalantly, "That's correct."