Chapter 1370
Name and Reality
Chapter 1370 Name and Reality
Wen Daoping was startled by the sound, his mind went blank for a moment, and he was stunned. The breath that had just gone down from his heart was cool and comfortable, but now he stepped on the stilts, and it rushed to his brain like thunder, making his face turn pale.
Wen Daoping was a senior figure with extensive connections. As a descendant of the True Lord, he relied on his seniority and acted arrogantly. Long Kangyao usually gave him a respectful look, but never spoke to him in such a tone!
What's more, Li Ximing was watching coldly from the sidelines!
His wrinkled face trembled, his lips shook, and he gritted his teeth. Seeing his expression, Long Kangyao sneered and said:
"What? Master Wen?"
Wen Daoping, with his neck stiff, said:
“Since the Great Master has already followed Mingyang, there is no need for me to say more.”
Long Kangyao sneered. The Great Master put down his cup and said:
"Old man, I'm giving you a salute. You're a descendant of the Wen family. If I'm not polite, you'll truly disgrace the Wen family. There are only three [Undying Spring Sprouts] in total, and you consumed one and a half of them, cultivating three shameless supernatural powers!"
He cursed:
"You come to the mortal world to hold grand ceremonies, blowing your conch shell indiscriminately, and even report it to Guangyuan? You have the nerve to go back! You dare to go back! Xu Jiaoyan is about to emerge from his cave to find you!"
Wen Daoping felt as if he had been doused with cold water; his face turned from blue to white in an instant. This old man, who would never bow his head before the bright sun, was silenced by Long Kangyao's rebuke and slumped down listlessly.
Long Kangyao then said calmly:
"Just get down."
Li Ximing chuckled inwardly, but his face remained expressionless with regret. Watching Wen Daoping fall, he muttered to himself:
'【Undying Spring Sprouts】, that sounds familiar. I've heard it's a top-tier spiritual item made of Horned Wood. It seems this old master most likely used it to break through to the Purple Mansion realm, but then hesitated and broke off half of it to cultivate…'
Long Kangyao, however, was not particularly pleased—he had actually shown the old master considerable respect; otherwise, given his current pent-up anger, why would he have simply kept quiet?
His expression had softened considerably, so Li Ximing took out the small flag, the Daoist book resembling flowing water, and the dark blue storage bag, placed them on the table, and sighed:
"Return it to its rightful owner!"
Looking at these things, Long Kangyao's expression shifted, and he slowly nodded. Li Ximing finally spoke, sighing:
"My family comes from the south, and many of us have rendered meritorious service. When we pacified Luoyang, we had some connection with Chuncheng. Later, due to changes in the overall situation of the world, we were able to lead the radiance of true qi northward..."
Long Kangyao was somewhat relieved and nodded slightly as he listened to his words. Li Ximing continued:
"We weren't mortal enemies... much less to the point of someone's death. Master Yu has already told me that the war so far has involved only two families..."
He sighed:
"I've heard... there's a man named Fu among the Grand Master's men, sowing discord and falsely claiming that Grand Master Gu is dead. I heard a bit of that, but I won't show off in front of the Grand Master..."
He gritted his teeth and said:
"As for the King of Wei... I've also heard that a member of the Pang family was showing off in front of the Great Master, and even colluding with Ye Tuji to plot against him... but later, for some reason, internal strife broke out among them..."
Long Kangyao shook his head, the slight doubt in his eyes fading. He considered his words carefully and tentatively asked:
"Master Zhaojing has misunderstood. If it weren't for Pang's reminder, a terrible mistake would have already been made!"
Li Ximing also shook his head and replied:
"That's not right. Even without the Pang family, the Great Master wouldn't hesitate to go out and meet them. It was originally the Fu family who wanted to stir up trouble. Whether the Pang family was there or not, Master Gu wouldn't have perished. Now it's just that... right and wrong are revealed to the hearts of the people!"
Long Kangyao stopped what he was doing.
Pang's sudden betrayal reversed the entire situation. Although Long Kangyao was arrogant, he considered himself to have some ability to judge character.
'It couldn't have been without reason. Pang Yi is ruthless and heartless. Perhaps he was schemed against by Fu He, but there's absolutely no way he would stand on my side for some grand cause... The Li family is nine times out of ten behind it all.'
This was one of his concerns, but Li Ximing in front of him was extremely frank.
Right and wrong, black and white, are revealed in the hearts of the people…
With Li Zhouwei willing to come to Chuncheng, Gu You's life is no longer in danger. Whether the Pang family colluded with Mingyang or not is simply a matter of whether or not the Fu family's true colors can be forced out... What's the point of investigating the rest?
Long Kangyao let out a soft breath. This Grand Master rarely yielded, and said in a low voice:
"In that case, what does the King of Wei desire?"
Li Ximing was overjoyed, raised his head, and said seriously:
"All I ask for is that Chuncheng remains unharmed!"
Upon hearing this, Long Kangyao remained silent for a long time, then gently shook his head, stood up, turned his head, and said calmly:
"This is my duty, not something Mingyang seeks. If you try to fob me off with words like those from Master Zhaojing, you are underestimating me!"
Li Ximing shook his head. He looked up seriously, gently flipped his hand from his sleeve, revealing a series of crystal-clear, multicolored talismans hidden in his palm, and said softly:
"The signals required for the Purple Mansion Spirit Array at all the passes of Yincheng, Erguan, Raoshan, and the four border passes of Gujun are all here!"
Upon hearing this, Long Kangyao froze, turned around abruptly, and saw colorful talismans reflected in his pupils, which seemed to be burning with flames. His expression changed drastically!
Li Ximing's meaning is... This King of Wei didn't take a single penny of the vast land he had painstakingly acquired, which he had fought so hard to conquer and risk his life on the edge of a knife!
He said incredulously:
"Such an extraordinary achievement, yet the King of Wei is willing to relinquish it without hesitation!"
Li Ximing sighed softly and said:
"It's not necessarily a good deed!"
Long Kangyao fell silent for a moment, then let out a soft breath. The pent-up frustration that had been weighing on his chest for so long finally dissipated, and a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes. His hands clenched tightly in an instant.
Long Kangyao didn't know what Li Zhouwei was planning, but if he could recover all the lands, Chuncheng would at least be saved!
He spoke a second time, asking sincerely:
What are the King of Wei's demands?
Li Ximing stood up, bowed, and said solemnly:
"I hope that the local authorities will not hold the powerful beings who have followed us south against us, nor will they implicate their families. As for the True Immortals who have served Mingyang in this battle, I beg the Great Immortal not to punish them, but only to severely punish the true culprits!"
Long Kangyao would never intentionally punish these people; this statement was at most a cover for the border guards still stationed in the east, and he couldn't be bothered to elaborate further. He said:
"anything else?"
Li Ximing laughed heartily and said:
"If there is anything... then please allow this humble cultivator from the south to wander around the county, bring back a few powerful treasures, trace the origins of my bloodline, and appease the various supernatural beings under my command!"
"That's it?"
"Exactly!"
Li Ximing knew that the second step was the key, and he couldn't help but feel uneasy. Long Kangyao's gaze became complicated for a moment. He didn't speak for a long time, and his expression changed again and again. No one knew what he was thinking. In the end, he seemed to be in a daze.
He said in a low voice:
"Master Zhaojing... I have a question... I wonder if you could answer it?"
Li Ximing's heart skipped a beat, but he said solemnly:
"Great Master, please speak!"
Long Kangyao said quietly:
"King Wei...how would you rate my Longkang cuisine?"
Li Ximing was slightly taken aback, raised his head, and was about to say more, but was stopped by a wave of his hand. The Grand Master's expression was clear after deep thought, and his face was extremely calm:
“Zhaojing, there’s no need for pleasantries or provocation… I want to hear the truth—about Long Kangyao and Bu Zaotian.”
Seeing the question in the other person's eyes, Li Ximing straightened his posture, hesitated for a moment, and said:
"King Wei said... The immortals are extremely noble, but now we value fame over substance, so we have no choice but to do it."
He spoke tactfully enough, without mentioning the orthodox tradition or naming names. Long Kangyao had already closed his eyes, exhaled softly, and actually laughed.
"Longkangyao will preserve its reputation today, and will certainly not let King Wei suffer any real loss tomorrow!"
Then, with a flick of his sleeve, he laughed and said:
"Pang Yi!"
Immediately, the young man hurriedly entered from outside the hall, bowed before him, and the Grand Master, with a beaming smile and piercing eyes, gazed at him with fiery crimson pupils:
"Take Master Zhaojing on a proper tour, and I... will go and pick out some treasures for the Prince of Wei!"
"Thank you very much, Great Master!"
Li Ximing's heart pounded, and excitement slowly crept in. Pang Yi suddenly agreed and hurriedly led him out, passing through layers of deep red corridors. The young man's heart was already trembling.
'Personally...choosing treasures for the King of Wei?'
Who was Pang Yi? He immediately saw through the Grand Master's goodwill towards the King of Wei, and his overwhelming joy was almost uncontrollable; he was incredibly excited.
'The matter is settled! There will be no more fighting between the two sides, and it will be only natural for them to return to Mingyang's command!'
He slightly raised his head, a surge of pride welling up within him:
'Regarding the great achievements of Chuncheng, I, Pang Yi, am the foremost among them; who can compare?'
But the joy of successfully retiring didn't cloud his judgment. Pang Yi had been waiting far too long for this opportunity where no one else could interrupt. He turned his head openly and said softly:
"This junior has a question, a question I must ask the master..."
He narrowed his eyes slightly:
"Who is it that, under the command of Mingyang, is slandering my Pang family!"
His probing was perfectly timed, taking advantage of the moment when the negotiations between the two sides were over, Li Ximing was in a good mood, and the Pang family was no longer important, to test what Li Ximing knew!
But this Master Zhaojing remembered it clearly:
'This kid is really meticulous; even at this point, he's still fixing the details…'
He then gave a cold laugh and said:
"Young Master Pang, you're asking far too many questions! Just wait, there will be a time when you'll be dealt with properly!"
Pang Yi was stunned. His first reaction was that he had been used by the Li family! But he quickly realized that it must be this Zhaojing Zhenren who was cooperating with him in his act. He was both amused and exasperated. He could only pretend to grit his teeth and send it out. Once outside the hall, he flicked his sleeve and handed it to Lü An.
Lu An then withdrew his gaze meaningfully, shook his head with a click of his tongue, and chuckled. But upon hearing Pang Yi relay Long Kangyao's words, his smile vanished instantly, and his heart trembled.
'This...is it going to be peace talks?!'
'How could it be so fast?!'
His adopted son, who had committed a border offense, was still guarding the area at Chefu. At this point in time, no one in the Purple Mansion was allowed to enter or leave that area... All the supernatural beings in the city guessed that a great battle was about to take place, so why did they give up so easily!
Li Zhouwei, who had not released Gu Zhenren, was confident of victory. Now, even if he released him, he would have a great chance to fight a big battle and return with the momentum. How could he give up so easily?
He still found it hard to believe, and was filled with confusion and hesitation, but he nodded calmly. Chang Yun, standing beside him, looked rather thoughtful. They left the hall together, and only then did Lü An smile and say:
"Our Gu County has many immortal abodes... none of which were left behind by the True Lord. From the Three Yin to the Twelve Qi, all kinds of Daoist lineages can be traced back to the Dao Ancestor..."
He paused here, then said:
"However, Emperor Wei... has never been to this place, so the Bright Sun location is hard to find... Only King Jing of Wei had cultivated, but during the Qi dynasty, the Qi emperor sent people to eliminate him..."
"What a pity..."
Li Ximing wasn't thinking about any place in Mingyang... Otherwise, according to common sense, he would have had to go around in circles, hoping that what this person said was true. He was excited, but his face showed a thoughtful expression, and he said with a regretful tone:
"I know nothing about the North, nor do I know of any immortal abodes there. I've only heard Master Yu mention that his ancestor left a residence here called 'Wenhuang,' which possesses the power to transform Yin and Yang and to control the interaction of water and fire. It's said that cultivators of the Yin and Yang paths, those who control water and fire, all like to go there to study and comprehend it..."
He shook his head and smiled:
"I'm not afraid of being laughed at by you, fellow Daoist. Not only have I cultivated the Bright Yang, but I also have a hobby of alchemy. When I have free time, I also play with the flames to help the pills form. When I heard what Master Yu said, my heart immediately warmed up!"
Upon hearing this, Lü An immediately understood and said seriously:
"What are you saying, Master Zhaojing! I've always heard that you are the number one alchemist in Jiangnan, with excellent pill-making skills and masterful fire control, manipulating several spiritual flames with ease. You are far too modest!"
Li Ximing was quite famous. He had only heard rumors about the fire control technique, but Lu An had naturally heard of his reputation in alchemy. He smiled and led the way.
What was said unintentionally was taken to heart by the listener. Chang Yun, who had been sitting with his hands behind his back and looked like a carefree person, was now deep in thought. His gaze couldn't help but linger on Li Ximing's back, and his eyes were filled with a strange light.
'【Wenhuang Residence】?!'
Among all the famous figures in the world, who doesn't know the friendship between the former owner of [Wenhuang Residence] and our True Lord!
'Lu An and the others have been away from the True Lord's tutelage for far too long; they might not have thought of it immediately. But Li Ximing came from the south, and his first words were about going to Wenhuang Residence… He must know something!'
His interest was piqued, and his indifference vanished. He followed closely behind the two, and in just a few breaths, they swiftly crossed the stone path and stopped in front of a small, secluded dwelling.
Then you see a green and clear area, with black tiles and blue stones. It looks like a small temple built by an ordinary Taoist priest. But as you get closer, you can see several old pine trees planted in front of the temple, making a rustling sound in the evening breeze.
Chang Yun first raised his head, bowed very politely in front of the former residence, and recited the Taoist name. He finally couldn't help but start to ponder.
"【Wenhuang Residence】...is merely a small dwelling. Although my family has refrained from traveling south in recent years, deliberately avoiding Chuncheng...in principle, once a person dies, it's as if a lamp has gone out; there's absolutely no way any valuable treasures here could have survived to this day!"
(End of this chapter)