Chapter 1369
Divine Scroll
Chapter 1369 Divine Scroll
Li Xi knew who the person in front of him was. He felt a surge of heat throughout his body, and countless thoughts raced through his mind, threatening to shatter his consciousness.
"not good!"
He sensed something was wrong, but at this critical moment, the talisman seed that had always resided in the rising sun, using various cooling sensations to resolve calamities, not only did not respond, but even became brighter as if it had intensified, with all sorts of profound mysteries of the bright sun gushing out from it, completely obscuring his spiritual consciousness.
A hazy, drowsy feeling kept swirling in his mind, as if it had turned into a raging fire, crashing and thrashing about, making his throat feel bitter and sweet, as if he were about to vomit blood!
At this critical moment, a secret technique suddenly lit up in his spiritual consciousness, startling him awake. Li Ximing could no longer care about anything else. With a flick of his sleeve, he found a parchment-like object in his hand!
For a moment it glittered with gold:
[Secret Method of Subduing the Barbarians]!
Back then, Li obtained this "Secret Method of Subduing the Yi" from the monk Mingmeng. It is also called "Scroll of Successful Deeds" and was the supreme secret bestowed upon the dignified King of Subduing the Yi by the Wei Emperor!
Li Ximing and the others could see that it was an extremely sophisticated technique, but they were hampered by the lack of the visualization method, so they could only leave it as a mere decoration... But now, upon suddenly seeing this image of Emperor Mingyang, they were enlightened in an instant. The object spontaneously responded, and countless golden characters emerged from it, condensing into infinitely small golden dots, cascading into it like a waterfall.
In an instant, these countless thoughts and burning desires seemed to find their place, causing his supernatural powers to flicker between light and shadow. Li Ximing sat between the two, lost in thought, like a bridge of communication, his heart filled with mixed emotions.
After an unknown amount of time, he suddenly opened his eyes, exhaled a breath of stale air, and sat there blankly for a long while, as if in a dream. The scroll of "Secret Method of Subduing the Barbarians" in his hand had disappeared.
"I see!"
He sat quietly for a long time before opening his palm.
Then one could see that a golden dot had appeared in that fair palm, as if it had been painted with gold lacquer, captivating the soul. Upon closer inspection, it seemed as if one could see all the scenes within the pavilion.
'The Secret Method of Subduing the Barbarians'...Visualization complete!'
Li Ximing let out a long breath, his heart pounding...
"I see!"
The "Complete Success and Fulfilled Deeds" scroll is not a fragment at all. Items bestowed by the Wei Emperor are either completely destroyed or lack supernatural powers, and would never be incomplete. The reason this scroll does not contain any visualization diagrams is precisely because of the decree of Mingyang that unless one had a face-to-face meeting with Mingyang, it would be difficult to obtain a complete scroll!
Stimulated by the painting, it finally revealed its true wonder. Like a dot of gold lacquer on his palm, Li Ximing treasured it and held it in his hands. With a clasp of his hands, the dot of gold lacquer was transferred to his other hand.
"It's still that same scroll... only it's far more wondrous than anything else..."
Li Ximing glanced at it briefly and saw countless profound and mysterious Taoist texts in golden seal script. He was overjoyed.
'Zhou Wei still lacks some skills; this item is most suitable!'
After this experience, Li Ximing seemed to have swallowed a magic pill, his whole body radiating heat. Looking at the various lights of the sky again, he seemed to have a completely different understanding.
He quickly bowed again, expressed his gratitude, and upon looking at it again, the painting seemed like an ordinary ancient scroll, without any amazing illusions.
So he lowered his head and looked at the table, and saw that the bronze plate was empty, the candle holders were covered in dust, and the incense burners were empty, dark and without luster.
'The Mingyang Railway track... has been vacant for many years...'
Li Qianyuan was also a True Lord of the Three Yangs Dao, a figure who suppressed his entire era. When Wei was destroyed like a landslide, he was left to remain in a cold pavilion, without any incense offerings.
Li Ximing sighed slightly:
'Indeed, it's said that He [slays all those who have transcended worldly concerns and abolishes three thousand two hundred sects]. Although "sects" is a general term referring to sects, mostly minor lineages, given His temperament, how could He possibly tolerate these powerful families from the capital regions…'
'Now that the Mingyang lineage has been extinguished… I'm afraid the noble families within still hate Him, so naturally there are no more offerings.'
He sighed softly, feeling somewhat conflicted, as he had just received a favor from someone. He reached into his sleeve and took out several kinds of spiritual fruits and items, placing them neatly on a copper plate.
He didn't necessarily believe that Li Zhouwei's Mingyang lineage was of Wei-Li blood, but it was ultimately someone else's lineage. He took out three incense sticks from his sleeve, lit them, and bowed. He felt a sense of familiarity with them and couldn't help but silently recite:
'Since he was the emperor of the ancient Wei dynasty, separated by thousands of generations, few can offer sacrifices like me. For the sake of this incense offering, I hope you will protect my family so that we can achieve the Golden Core stage. Even if Zhaojing is struck by water, fire, or thunder, we will not be afraid...'
But as soon as he said that, the light above seemed to freeze. Li Ximing felt a little guilty and quickly stood up, raising his eyebrows.
The portrait above had changed; the emperor in white robes and golden armor could no longer be seen clearly, only the flowing white-gold light emanating from the painting.
The emperor had his back to him, his figure had shrunk, and he seemed to be getting further and further away from the scene.
'This painting is truly full of spirit!'
Li Ximing quickly bowed again, stood up, and secretly looked up. He discovered that Di Mingyang had turned into a tiny dot, like an immortal disappearing into the snow.
He got up sullenly and turned to look at Chen Mingyang.
'Shangyao Zhenjun' had already turned away and was no longer looking at him.
Li Ximing wisely turned his head and raised his eyebrows to look at the original painting. The [Immortal Mingyang] remained unchanged—calm as still water, without the slightest reaction.
'I've heard that there's another one in Zhaoyuan Immortal Mansion... I wonder if it's this one...'
But unbeknownst to them, the light in the pavilion slowly dimmed, everything rapidly receded into darkness, and Li Ximing then heard a soft, distant voice laughing:
"Fellow Daoist Zhaojing! How is it?"
In a daze, he had already arrived in front of the pavilion. Lu An's polite smiling face appeared in his mind's eye, his gaze wandering aimlessly.
Li Ximing took a deep breath and sighed:
"This is truly a mysterious pavilion; it even contains a map of Emperor Mingyang!"
His words came from the bottom of his heart, yet they caused Lu An's words to freeze for a moment—Long Kangyao had chosen Lu An to come and invited Zunxian for a reason. He had long been prepared that the pavilion would be empty, so that if Li Ximing got nothing, Zunxian could use his relationship with Ning Li to make some arrangements.
Upon hearing the name Di Mingyang, this direct descendant of the Lü clan was filled with doubt and unease, and was secretly shaken.
'Li Ximing… is even closer than Li Jieyi, fine, but how come Emperor Mingyang personally appeared!'
Back then, Li Jieyi of the Purple Terrace and Black Pavilion had visited this county. This one was the upright Wei Li, who did not even side with Ning Li, and only met with Chen Mingyang!
'It's probably due to the blessing of the White Qilin!'
After much thought, this was the only explanation. But regardless, it was a good thing, Lü An said with a smile.
"It really does have benefits... I wonder what the situation will be like."
Li Ximing walked forward with him and casually mentioned it. Zunxian wasn't surprised. He turned to look at Chang Yun, his gaze slightly probing, and smiled:
"Now that Master Chang Yun has arrived... would you like to come into the pavilion for an audience?"
Li Ximing knew Chang Yun was up to something, and turned around, ready to deal with this person, when Chang Yun calmly looked up and smiled:
"A mere rogue cultivator shouldn't embarrass himself! After all, the Great Dao of the world has three mysteries, and it's impossible to say there's not a trace of it... If I were to actually meet some kind of patriarch, would I acknowledge or not acknowledge the ancestors I originally worshipped? How embarrassing... How embarrassing!"
His words were sharp. Zunxian's smile froze, and he secretly glanced at Lü An. The two looked at each other, realizing that it was difficult to persuade him or give him a proper answer. They could only nod with smiles and let it go for the time being.
Li Ximing paused slightly, vaguely sensing the fluctuations of supernatural power. In an instant, a young man approached from afar, stopping swiftly in front of the pavilion. He bowed first, his gaze calm, and said:
"Senior Zhaojing!"
The person before him appeared quite at ease, with large eyes and long eyebrows, a swirling aura of yin energy emanating from him, and a look of helplessness in his eyes. Li Ximing recognized him instantly, and with a cupped hand, said:
"Fellow Daoist Pang."
Amazing!
Pang Yi was undoubtedly the greatest contributor to this great calamity that shook Gu County. Whether from the Mingyang side or the Buzaotian side, the Pang family gained a lot of goodwill and should have been riding high.
Pang Yi, however, felt no pride, and even felt uneasy. He had been very careful in the county these past few days.
When he colluded with Li Jiangqian, Pang Yi had already mentioned that since he was staying in the county, it was impossible for him to leave with Mingyang. He had offended the Fu family, and Gu You did not give him a friendly look either. The only person he could rely on was Long Kangyao!
He was being extremely cautious and hadn't intended to see Li Ximing, but Long Kangyao had ordered him to come. He was being polite, which Li Ximing could naturally discern. He listened as Pang Yi said:
"The Great Master invites you!"
He nodded indifferently, without answering him.
Lu An, however, noticed this and his expression was quite different.
"It's said... Fu He sent someone to sow discord among the Li family, and Pang Yi was the first to be targeted... No wonder Li Ximing has been so polite and never arrogant, except towards him."
He accompanied him all the way, and when they arrived at a palace, he stopped Chang Yun. Li Ximing followed Pang Yi inside and felt a wave of heat hit him. He saw exotic flowers and plants everywhere, bustling about.
The red-clad figure stood silently in the courtyard.
Pang Yi said nothing more, simply leading the group to his presence before turning to leave. Li Ximing waited a while, then said softly:
"Greetings, Senior Long Kang!"
After that sound ended, the red-clad figure turned around, revealing handsome features. His eyes, which seemed to burn with raging flames, swept over him and lingered on his face.
"So it was Master Zhaojing."
This direct descendant of Bu Zaotian stepped forward and said calmly:
"The Great Dao of Profound Mystery, the Shaoyang Dao Gui, the Purple Platform, the Dry Dao Lineage, the Dry True Lord's Lineage, the Dry Heavenly Dao, the Dragon-Controlling Delicacies."
"I have met the descendants of Emperor Mingyang."
At this moment, Long Kangyao finally abandoned his cold and ruthless demeanor of the past, and spoke solemnly, every word respectful. Li Ximing listened to his words, lowered his head, and said:
"I've long heard of Buzao's formidable reputation!"
It seemed that Li Ximing's attitude relieved Long Kangyao. His expression gradually softened, and he sat down with him. They saw flames gathering on the side, from which a woman emerged. She was extremely beautiful, dressed in white and red robes, and served tea to the two of them. Her steps were graceful, and a delicate fragrance wafted through the air.
Li Ximing sensed with his spiritual awareness that the woman was also a spirit sent by imperial deity, extremely rare in this day and age. He couldn't help but nod, listening to Long Kangyao's slow and gentle words:
"On behalf of Gu You... I thank the King of Wei."
The great master raised his cup, his expression solemn, neither arrogant nor embarrassed, only filled with sincere gratitude. He drank it all in one gulp, calming the slightly uneasy Li Ximing, and said quietly:
"As I have said, this matter... is my fault."
He actually laughed and said calmly:
“The matter of Mingyang has nothing to do with me. Because of some social interactions, I suddenly went out, which ruined the King of Wei’s important plans. If Gu Youru is killed, I will only avenge him and will not hold a grudge.”
“But if the King of Wei lets him return, I can’t repay kindness with enmity.”
Long Kangyao remained calm, as if he were speaking of something completely unrelated to himself. Seeing that he was easy to talk to, Li Ximing remembered Li Zhouwei's warning and thought to himself:
Just praise him highly!
So, seizing the opportunity, he said with a complicated expression:
"Great Master, you may not know this! I am one of the elders in the family. I have witnessed King Wei expand his territory from south to north, and no one has ever been a match for him. People like Qi Lanyan and Guang Chan relied on treasures or precious lands, yet they all perished!"
He sighed:
"Only the Great Master could block him from the east; his supernatural powers were astounding, making him a truly extraordinary person. Yet, the group around him..."
He looked as if he wanted to say something but hesitated, then touched his sleeve, took out a small and exquisite purple qi gourd, and said:
"I've come today... also for the life of another true person!"
Li Ximing stepped aside, cupped his hands, and the spiritual treasure, now free from suppression, began to shimmer with iridescent light. A surge of azure light poured out like a waterfall, yet it carefully and rapidly condensed, manifesting a person on the spot!
The man was old and frail, his robes somewhat disheveled. He stood there with a hint of fear in his eyes, his old eyes scanning left and right as if afraid he would be smashed to pieces at any moment.
Wen Daoping!
The old man was locked in that urn, crying out to heaven and earth in vain. For a while, this spiritual treasure was used to suppress Gu You. After finally getting out, no one dared to say much to him. He was then stuffed into Yu Xixin's hands and placed in the Purple Qi Mystic Gourd for her to guard personally. Now that he has finally gotten out, the first thing he sees is Long Kangyao!
Upon meeting the Great Master, Wen Daoping was both surprised and delighted, almost to the point of tears, and understood everything in an instant.
'So it was the Grand Master Long Kang who got involved! That makes sense; they dared to capture Gu You, how could they possibly be so arrogant now!'
Glancing again at Li Ximing, who stood respectfully to the side, Wen Daoping knew exactly what had happened. A cool, refreshing sensation surged to his head, and the resentment that had been building up in his heart for days was instantly released. He lowered his brows and said resentfully:
"Great Master! Mingyang is tyrannical and unrestrained... He acts recklessly... I, Wen Daoping, am also a descendant of the True Lord, yet I have been so humiliated by him... He has allowed my Jiaoshan Mountain, where I spread the Dao, to be plundered at will. Today, we must not let this go!"
"I swear I will report this to the Guangyuan!"
His beard trembled, revealing an unusual rage, but the great master before him didn't even glance at him, sitting quietly, setting down his cup, and uttering two cold words:
"Shut up."
(End of this chapter)