Li Qinghong picked up the jade slip and found it wasn’t sealed. She could read it the moment she took it. Though she deeply desired it, she still frowned and said, "This is far too valuable."
Kong Tingyun shook her head and softly said, "Sister, take it first. There’s something else I need to talk to you about."
Li Qinghong noticed the seriousness in her expression and had no choice but to set the jade slip down gently. "Please speak, sister."
Kong Tingyun looked at her earnestly, held her hand, and said softly, "Qinghong, does Ximing have the heart to pursue the Purple Mansion Realm?"
Li Qinghong’s heart clenched, and she looked at her with some confusion.
Kong Tingyun hesitated for a second, then spoke seriously, "I know your family has a genius disciple, comparable to Chi Buzi and a revival of the Bright Yang bloodline. Esteemed families have few secrets in Jiangnan. Even Xiao Chuting could only make open moves back then, and was unable to plant hidden ones. All the sects are well aware.
"Wei State has good relations with Green Pine Temple and the Golden Feather Sect, and Emperor Gong of Wei is a wise elder. That’s how the Li Family remained safe in Jiangnan. The Mount Tan Li Family in Wu State doesn’t cultivate the Bright Yang Dao and claims no connection, but their bloodline carries some traces. That alone allows them to stay in Jiangnan, and they have a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator among them. So this path is not impossible.
"Everyone in the Purple Mansion Realm knows the Radiant Sky Stone is reserved for the heir, and that time is still far off. But since I’m a bit closer to your family, I can’t help but notice... does Ximing have his eyes on the Purple Mansion Realm? Is he perhaps coveting that Radiant Sky Stone?"
Her eyes brimmed with worry as she offered heartfelt advice, "Sister, you should know better in this matter. Does Ximing even have a five percent chance to break through? The Radiant Sky Stone doesn’t boost your chances just a little. Without enough secret techniques, it’s not much use even if taken. I’ll be blunt, this isn’t something he should pursue on a whim!"
Li Qinghong’s heart eased. When she saw the sincerity in the round-faced woman’s eyes, she suddenly understood.
No wonder the matter of the Radiant Sky Stone concluded the way it did! The Purple Mansion Realm cultivators had already predicted we’d stake everything on Minghuang!
Everything done to conceal Minghuang growing up wasn’t in vain. The Purple Mansion Realm cultivators only think he has the Bright Yang bloodline, not that he carries a thread of fate!
Li Qinghong didn’t know how confident Li Zhouwei was about breaking into the Purple Mansion Realm. But having witnessed Guo Shentong, Changxiao, and Tu Longjian rise one after another, she believed the odds were high.
After thinking it through, she spoke up, "What role exactly does the Radiant Sky Stone play in the process of forming divine abilities? I hope sister can shed some light."
Kong Tingyun answered softly, "This isn’t easy to explain. The number of secret techniques varies. May I ask how many your family possesses?"
Li Qinghong’s heart skipped a beat, and a thought flashed through her mind like lightning, I’ll just mention however many secret techniques Ximing has cultivated...
She answered, "Only one..."
Kong Tingyun nodded and replied, "That’s perfectly normal. If one can master even a single secret technique, then after consuming the Radiant Sky Stone, it might only raise their chances by five percent."
Li Qinghong nodded regretfully. Seeing this, Kong Tingyun felt like she had listened and gently continued, "These things depend on the individual, but it absolutely can’t be left to Ximing’s whim... Ancient cultivators could resonate with heaven and earth, so breakthroughs were much easier. Treasures like the Radiant Sky Stone were more effective then. Nowadays, the odds are hard to quantify."
Li Qinghong nodded softly and replied, "I’ll remember what you said, Sister."
Kong Tingyun smiled and nodded, but in her heart, Li Qinghong shook her head. Whether the Radiant Sky Stone went to Ximing or Zhouwei, it was no longer within her power or right to decide.
Xijun obtained this treasure. He must have trusted Ximing, and believed Zhouwei would succeed on his own. At most, he thought Zhouwei might be sabotaged early. But whether the Radiant Sky Stone was kept or not made little difference... thought Li Qinghong.
And she, Li Qinghong, would soon head to the Thunder Arts Grotto Heaven. Li Zhouwei would then be the one managing the household. Would he really lay a hand on Li Ximing’s Radiant Sky Stone?
Before Xijun’s death, she thought Li Ximing might willingly hand over the Radiant Sky Stone. But now, seeing the calm in his eyes, she could tell his thoughts were deeply stubborn. It went without saying.
As for the matter of the Thunder Arts Grotto Heaven, she seems completely unaware. It appears Changxi is too fearful to get involved and has said nothing to her. If I bring it up, it’ll only strain our relationship and offend the Purple Mansion Realm cultivators.
Kong Tingyun forced the jade slip into her hand, and only then did Li Qinghong finally have the mind to glance at the technique, "...Gather heavenly light, absorb the radiance, draw it into the Juque acupoint, and refine it into a form. This becomes the Heavenly Radiance, Hidden Light. Suppress it with spiritual sense, release it from the center of the eyebrows; it can capture malevolent spirits, sever spiritual energy, and cut through good and evil..."
She skimmed it briefly but still accepted it with thanks. After a short conversation, Li Qinghong brought up her impending trip to the Eastern Sea, and Kong Tingyun readily agreed. The two of them then left Lake Xian and headed south together.
————
On the other side, Li Zhouwei had just exited the Zhunan Serpent Dragon Palace and was heading toward the Tail Subkingdom. The demon generals on either side carried themselves with far more deference.
The one with bulging cheeks and black armor bowed his head, while the other with a gaping mouth and long whiskers grinned ingratiatingly, "My lord... such righteousness! Our eyes burned with envy seeing a treasure like that, yet you didn’t even take it..."
It was the same two who had brought forth the Purple Mansion Realm spirit artifact, so they naturally knew what an astonishing treasure Li Zhouwei had declined. When they saw that even Dingjiao treated him with respect, they couldn’t resist fawning over him. In some ways, demons were no different than humans.
The journey was long, and Li Zhouwei made idle conversation. Then, the black-faced demon general with bulging cheeks suddenly muttered, "My lord has such composure. Guo Shentong couldn’t even bear to look away when he was in front of the same Purple Mansion Realm spirit artifact..."
At that, Li Zhouwei grew alert. Inwardly, he thought coldly, Guo Shentong?! The same Purple Mansion Realm spirit artifact?
He slowed his pace slightly, gazed into the distance, and smiled as he said, "I’ve heard of him. He’s the master of Crimson Reef Island."
The two demons had been offering dry flattery, but seeing that he’d taken an interest, they finally seized the chance to speak and were overjoyed.
The long-whiskered, wide-mouthed demon said, "My lord! The two of us served the crown prince early on, before he even left the palace and when he was still following the Dragon King of Jin[1] Sea... Guo Shentong once came to the Dragon King’s palace and took a command token with him. It was also a spirit artifact."
A spirit artifact... the Six Ding Merging Fire Token! Guo Shentong may have struck a deal with the dragon kin!
He pondered for a moment. These two demons had rambled for quite a while yet still hadn’t explained why Guo Shentong had received such a reward. It was likely that they had not been qualified to attend court and were simply relaying fragments.
Li Zhouwei softly said, "I wonder how he is now."
The black-armored, thick-jawed demon grunted and replied, "That man birthed a Merging Fire Token. The Bin[2] Crow is short-lived and not too bright. He got better after breaking into the Purple Mansion Realm... but still liked taking dangerous risks. He’s been gone a long time now... likely dead..."
1. 津 (jīn) – literally "ferry crossing" or "port," often referring to a place where water transportation converges. ☜
2. 鵧 (bīn) is a rare character. In historical texts, it has been used in transcriptions of non-Han names or for invented creatures in myth or fantasy. It may imply something exotic, feral, or beastlike. ☜
1. 津 (jīn) – literally "ferry crossing" or "port," often referring to a place where water transportation converges. ☜
2. 鵧 (bīn) is a rare character. In historical texts, it has been used in transcriptions of non-Han names or for invented creatures in myth or fantasy. It may imply something exotic, feral, or beastlike. ☜