Pingya Island.
Sunlight poured into the grand hall, where Li Zhouwei sat in the main seat holding a jade slip. The light brushed over each lacquered red pillar before spilling across the wide expanse of the hall.
After returning from the lake, Li Qinghong retreated into seclusion as she awaited the arrival of Xi Zikang. Li Chengliao also entered closed-door cultivation to polish his realm in preparation for the Foundation Establishment Realm. And so, authority returned once more to Li Zhouwei’s hands.
Li Zhouwei didn’t mind the trouble. Advancing too rapidly in secluded cultivation would only arouse suspicion. Instead, he decided to focus on refining his spell arts and tempering his current cultivation while still keeping an eye on household affairs.
His hand rested on the desk. Radiance flowed across the pale golden jade slip as several small characters appeared, Heavenly Radiance, Hidden Light.
Since Xi Zikang had yet to enter a grotto heaven, the other escape spell Flowing Sun Refraction was temporarily inaccessible. Over the past year, other than sending people into the mountains to contact White Banyan Fox, Li Zhouwei had focused on this technique and made some progress.
His spiritual sense sank into his body. A speck of Radiant Light, no bigger than a bean, flickered gently within the hazy Juque acupoint[1], continuously absorbing his inner mana. Yet there was no obvious sign of anything profound.
Even so, Li Zhouwei slowly straightened, eyes downcast as he gazed at the jade slip, rubbing it lightly while pondering in silence.
It was simply because this was the first time the Li Family had seen or had even heard of a spell art being cultivated within the Juque acupoint. What’s more, this Heavenly Radiance, Hidden Light was said to be compressed there, then rise to the center of the brows, and be released to strike the enemy. It was utterly unheard of.
It's commonly said that the Foundation Establishment Realm takes place in the qi sea, with the Shenyang Mansion[2] signifying the awakening of divine ability. But what even is the Juque acupoint? And besides, if one never forms a Purple Mansion Dao, only the qi sea among the three apertures is visible. The Juque acupoint seems entirely redundant in the Purple Mansion Golden Core Dao... thought Li Zhouwei.
He could tell that the spell art’s circulation path was completely different from what he’d seen. All he could deduce was that it must be incredibly ancient, and perhaps even predate the Purple Mansion Golden Core Dao. With that, he began to form a few expectations, If casting this spell is so complex, it likely can’t be released in an instant. It requires absolute calm and focus... Truly, it bears the style of the ancient times.
Just as he was thinking this, someone stepped briskly into the hall. Clad in armor, Chen Yang half-knelt at the front, his voice low and firm, "Reporting, my lord! The unrest at Eastern Mount Yue has been settled. Li Jiman has come to pay respects and is now waiting outside the hall."
A full year had passed since the events at the lake. All had remained peaceful, except for the unrest in Eastern Mount Yue, where Li Jiman’s son had failed in an attempt to poison him and then fled the city, stirring up significant chaos.
Li Zhouwei had sent Chen Yang over, who descended from the sky and took the prince’s head. After that, Li Jiman slunk over in shame. Now the Mount Yue man knelt before the hall doors, cold sweat streaming down his aged face. In truth, Eastern Mount Yue was now no different from the easterners; they were well-dressed and refined. Yet Li Jiman’s hair crown had tilted askew, and its tip was scraping the floor.
Li Zhouwei glanced over, and the old man cried out in distress, "Your humble servant greets... the Grand Concord of Radiance!"
That was how the Mount Yue people had always addressed him, and Li Zhouwei paid it no mind. He continued reading the jade slip, waiting for the man to plead his case.
Li Jiman’s current position was deeply awkward. He had been placed on the throne by Li Yuanping and thus belonged to the first lineage. Yet power had shifted into the hands of the second lineage. Though Li Xicheng and Li Chengliao bore no sectarian bias, that origin remained an indelible mark on him.
He had always kept a low profile. Who would’ve thought that his rebellious son, crown prince for forty years, could no longer hold back? The prince had first urged him to attempt the Foundation Establishment Realm, and then, failing that, conspired with outsiders to poison him...
Now kneeling beneath the hall, he could not voice his grievances. He rambled on for some time, until Li Zhouwei responded casually, "Eastern Mount Yue isn’t large. Keep a better eye on it. If it proves too much for you, the island will send someone to take over."
Li Jiman could only slam his head into the ground. Chen Yang escorted him away, then returned to the hall and spoke quietly, "Your Highness, that crown prince was so reckless. Might there be some injustice here? Could it have been Dili Youjie..."
Eastern and Northern Mount Yue had long been at odds. It wasn’t surprising that Chen Yang suspected as much. Li Zhouwei set the jade slip aside and answered, "Even if there’s injustice, it still shows Li Jiman’s incompetence. He’s old and can’t even control his own son... Dili Youjie, after all, has been with me through life and death. He wouldn’t do something so foolish at a time like this."
He rose from the desk and said quietly, "It’s common for the various houses and factions within the family to engage in open and hidden strife. Li Jiman and Dili Youjie refused to pick a side, so naturally, someone would want to switch out the Mount Yue king. But once the game of removing and installing starts, next time they won’t just be settling scores with Li Jiman. There's no need to dwell on such matters."
He walked casually to the front of the hall and pulled a letter from his sleeve. It was an entire page packed with dense handwriting. It detailed a series of recent developments in the Azure Pond Sect.
The Azure Pond Sect had seen earth-shaking changes over the past year. Chi Xuxiao had fully empowered the Chi Fubo faction, whose influence now reigned supreme within the sect. Si Yuanli had secluded himself, and the Si Family faction had collapsed, with barely anyone left in any position of power.
Even the deeply rooted Lingu Family had lost several posts in the Southern Sea. Li Xizhi had been missing for a year. Ning Hejing was making sweeping moves in the Eastern Sea, and there were even rumors that Li Xizhi had been eliminated by the Chi Family.
The letter concluded by stating that the Azure Pond Sect’s emissaries had already arrived at Moongaze Lake bearing rewards. Li Zhouwei couldn’t help but chuckle and shake his head. He thought, The Azure Pond Sect really has been chaotic. The reward for the North-South struggle was delayed five whole years... and they only brought it up now.
All the other families had received their rewards years ago, yet only the Li and Lingu Families had been told, "The merit is too great and must be discussed further." That 'discussion' had dragged on for five years.
He calculated the date’; it should be today. After a short wait, An Siwei stepped forward and respectfully reported, "Your Highness, envoys from the Azure Pond Sect have arrived!"
"Let’s go greet them," replied Li Zhouwei. He stepped out, with the other two following behind as they headed toward the outer court.
The Azure Pond Sect hadn’t sent their Heavenly Glow Dawn Cloudliner, but a spirit boat instead. Two men stood at the bow, both wearing amiable expressions. When they saw Li Zhouwei approach, they descended from the boat and gave a formal bow.
The leader radiated boldness in his blue and white robe. His gaze was warm, and his tone polite as he said, "I am Li Quantao. Greetings to the family head!"
Chi Fubo was clearly no petty fool. Since this reward was meant to show favor, there would be no underhanded tricks. In fact, the one overseeing it was none other than Li Encheng’s son, Li Quantao!
Li Zhouwei had heard of his name and knew the man before him was of good standing. He replied softly, "Please, Emissary—this way."
Li Quantao seemed to be doing well these days. He looked more mature, carried himself with poise, and the people behind him treated him with great respect.
Chi Fubo only had a few truly capable people under him, so he reinstated many once-overlooked talents within the sect. Since Li Quantao’s faction had offended Chi Wei, Chi Fubo paid it no mind and swiftly promoted him. Now, Li Quantao held no small status.
1. The Juque acupoint, located on the midline of the abdomen, below the xiphoid process and above the umbilicus, is a major point in traditional Chinese medicine. It is associated with the heart and diaphragm meridians and is used in treatments involving the digestive and circulatory systems. ☜
2. Between eyebrows. ☜