Chapter 1371
The Path of Evolution
Chapter 1371 The Path of Evolution
Chang Yun was filled with doubts behind him, but Li Ximing had long since lost interest in him. He looked up and immediately saw several steps leading to the courtyard, which glowed faintly blue in the night.
Lü An then turned around and said:
"Neither you nor I are from the Yu Clan, nor from the Yanhua Xuandao, so please move aside."
Clearly, this main entrance was reserved for the legitimate heirs, so Li Ximing entered through the side door, with his own plans in mind:
We still need to ask and listen, so we can adapt to different situations…
Night had fallen, and a cultivator was meditating in the side door. He was only at the Foundation Establishment stage, and his face bore a resemblance to Yu Xixin. He rose to greet her, seemingly recognizing her, and respectfully said:
"Yu Heng of the Yu Clan greets all the True Immortals!"
This place, which even those from the outer Purple Mansions longed to visit for enlightenment, was actually guarded by a mere Foundation Establishment cultivator. Li Ximing nodded and stepped inside, only then seeing the dark corridor inside, and the pale blue silk hanging on both sides of the corridor.
Lü Anze laughed and said:
"Fellow Daoist Zhaojing! Pay attention!"
Li Ximing was slightly taken aback.
In an instant, a force of energy quite different from the outside world rushed towards him, causing him to pause. His life force surged continuously, as if reminding him that this place was different from others. His spiritual energy, on the other hand, was extremely stable, gradually approaching a balance of yin and yang.
He paused, then muttered to himself:
'Nothing particularly amazing...'
But Lu An beside him was already smiling at him, and said calmly:
"In previous years... there was a spiritual aura in the south called the [Xuanping Zhongfen], which had a certain flavor of yin and yang balance. In reality, the spiritual energy of the mortal world was shallow and not worth mentioning. Now that you have arrived at this place, you know what great supernatural power is!"
Li Ximing understood the implication of those words and was somewhat amused and exasperated.
'It means...this level of yin-yang balance...is quite remarkable...'
To put it bluntly, compared to the rich spiritual energy and absolute balance of Yin and Yang in our own [Sun and Moon Shining Together in Heaven and Earth], this place is far inferior!
But one must still give someone face. He looked up and exclaimed in surprise:
"rare!"
Lü An stroked his beard with a smile and said:
"The denser the spiritual energy, the more difficult it is to achieve a balance between Yin and Yang. Apart from a few great grotto-heavens, there are probably only a handful of places in the human world where Yin and Yang changes to this extent!"
Li Ximing pondered it carefully and gained some insights:
'There's something different... The yin and yang here seem to be driven by some kind of divine force, which transforms excess yin into yang and excess yang into yin, thus maintaining balance, with rises and falls...'
If Li Ximing were to use his Bright Yang Divine Power here, Yang would be dominant over Yin for almost half an hour before the balance is restored...
The balance of yin and yang in the world, where the sun and moon shine together, is as solid as iron, completely beyond all supernatural powers and changes. No matter how you disturb or change it, the balance remains as solid as iron!
In other words, the yin and yang here are merely regulated by some mysterious force, at least within the realm of supernatural understanding... unlike that other place, which is astonishing.
Lü An then began to praise the place, explaining how many benefits it had brought to various changes. Li Ximing had already heard his wife Su Yun mention it that morning, so he simply nodded politely and smiled, saying:
"I've heard of Donghua and Gonghua, but as for Yanhua... that name is unfamiliar to me."
Lu An paused, glanced at Yu Heng, and the Taoist priest immediately stepped forward and respectfully said:
"Reporting to the True Man, Yanhua is below Qingxuan. His ancestor was named Zhidu, also known as the 'True Lord of Penetrating Illumination and Transcending Cultivation' and the 'Mysterious Lord of Pure Tranquility and Two Elements.' He was the Great Luo of Profound Virtue who founded the Great Dao, and he has gone beyond the heavens..."
Li Ximing was taken aback.
【Ferrying】?!
Of course he knows that name!
[See the Yang Ring]!
'Emperor Mingyang will be executed!'
He knew this person possessed extraordinary abilities and was closely connected to his family, but he never imagined that this was the so-called [Yanhua]!
In that instant, a chill ran through him, and four words suddenly popped into his mind: Li Quewan's words from when he returned from Jin Yi were still ringing in his ears.
Li Ximing said quietly:
"I've heard that [Yanhua Shangqing] is the same as this [Yanhua]!"
After he finished speaking, he secretly observed that the people behind him indeed paused slightly. Lü An did not answer, but Yu Heng, being a junior cultivator with limited experience, nodded and said:
"Yes! On the same track as the True Lord of my Yu Clan back then!"
Li Ximing's heart skipped a beat.
'They really are fellow disciples…'
Kim Il's benevolent gesture in this overall situation finally had a foundation, and Li Ximing gritted his teeth inwardly:
'Emperor Mingyang will be executed! That was the order of Grandmaster Taiyuan, which is why the Golden Dao lineage has always been quite friendly to us, and we can even vaguely see their presence in many of their schemes…'
This discovery is no simple matter; it represents a potential further collaboration with Jin Yi. The words of a True Lord Ancestor, a figure of the highest rank, are far more reliable than any promise or ordinary benefit!
'Could all of this... be related to the origin of that fragment?'
You should know that there is also a fragment of a celestial artifact in Jin Yi's mountain gate!
Now that the former residence of Zhenjun, who is on the same path as Jin and is a fellow disciple of Taiyuan, has been found in fragments, does this mean that there is an inseparable entanglement between the Dao of Evolution, the Immortal of Crossing, and the Immortal Artifacts behind it?
The Li family has been secretly possessing the immortal artifact for two hundred years, and the clues they have found are extremely scarce. These fragments are scattered in the east and west, without any basis. Now that they have finally found a clue, he is both shocked and delighted!
Then, after a slight pause, he asked with suspicion:
"I'm ignorant... I don't know anything about this 'Xuande Daluo'..."
Even though Yu Heng had little experience of the world, he understood that he shouldn't be saying such things. He was speechless for a moment, while Lü An also hesitated. Finally, Chang Yun spoke, saying calmly:
"Although I am a wandering cultivator from the outer realms, I have often heard of the 'Pure and Tranquil Two Elements Mysterious Lord'... As for the Great Luo, that is the Golden Immortal!"
"As you probably know, the title of True Lord does not refer to a specific level of cultivation, but rather to the means of attaining the Dao and the morality for establishing oneself in life... In ancient times, True Lords mostly referred to people who had attained profound understanding, while Divine Lords were usually in the Douxuan realm, and Qingxuan... was mostly Xuanjun."
He said calmly:
"Of course, for those who have attained enlightenment, the Three Mysteries in ancient times were not usually distinguished by lineage, and all were worshipped. There were many who possessed all three at the same time... Li Qianyuan of later generations was extremely arrogant and even gave himself the title of 'Emperor,' so he can be considered to be in the same category."
He paused slightly before saying:
"As for Immortal Lord, Great Luo, and Golden Immortal, the former refers to ancient times, while the latter two refer to the present. These are the realms that come from ancient books. In ancient times, once someone reached this position, even Heaven would not punish them with the Three Calamities."
Li Ximing understood, and his heart sank:
'In other words, this Master Yanhua was once the very spot Tianxia was about to reach... It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that he was the former master of the immortal artifact...'
Lost in thought, Lü An decided not to dwell on it. He walked through the corridor where blue silk floated and entered the main hall, which suddenly became bright and spacious. The hall was filled with the marks of time, and a plaque hung above the eaves.
【Wenhuangju】!
He forced himself not to look at the eaves, constantly warning himself:
'If we don't get it this time, there's always next time. We mustn't reveal even the slightest clue. If anyone notices anything amiss, Mingyang won't need to prove anything anymore; he'll just face the extermination of his entire family!'
So I looked straight ahead and saw the mahogany table. Behind the main seat was a wide white wall, mottled and with the exposed wood and stone faintly visible. A painting hung on the wall.
The painting was very simple, with only blurry ripples on the water and a golden lotus swaying on the water as if it were about to topple over at any moment. The lotus was engulfed in flames, as if a heat was about to rush towards him. All the brilliance was concentrated in the painting before his eyes, which made Li Ximing's gaze fix on it.
'This is... the way of water and fire...'
Yu Heng bowed and said:
"My master was a disciple of Yan Hua, and possessed the wondrous art of harmonizing Yin and Yang, and balancing water and fire. This painting and this residence are the sacred places he left for us, his descendants, to study Yan Hua's Taoist arts..."
"And my family's True Lord is located in the Dui position, known as the 'Dui Palace Killer and Capturer in the Corner True Lord,' with the Daoist name [Tai Hong]!"
As soon as he finished speaking, it was as if he heard the name of his former master. The ordinary ink brush that had always been placed on the table moved slightly, and the peaceful atmosphere in the entire courtyard was instantly shattered!
Li Ximing finally felt an extremely sharp aura rushing towards him. Neither yin nor yang, nor water and fire, could stop it. All the killing intent was hidden in the ink brush on the desk, making him tremble in his heart and feel cold between his brows.
'Such a sharp and powerful aura of metal!'
He was filled with astonishment:
'If Senior Ling Mei were to come here for secluded cultivation, his cultivation would likely increase greatly, and the perfection of his supernatural powers would be within reach!'
Fortunately, the aura of gold came and went quickly, dissipating like the wind. Only then did Li Ximing strode forward, his gaze fixed on the painting, lingering there for a long time, praising it:
"Wonderful..."
This painting is truly full of mysteries. Even though he came with a different purpose, upon seeing its profound meaning of regulating yin and yang and balancing water and fire, he stopped and began to contemplate it with complete focus.
Chang Yun, standing beside him, was in no better shape—he was deeply moved and profoundly understood by the aura of metal exchange, and stood frozen in place, speechless for a moment.
In an instant, only the faint sounds of spiritual activity filled the vast Xuanju. Lu An did not disturb the two, turned around, put his hands behind his back, and prepared to leave through the main entrance of the hall.
But looking at the steps that shimmered with a faint blue hue under the moonlight, Lü An suddenly stopped. The second Lü's gaze was momentarily lost, and he stared at the blue threshold in silence and with complicated emotions.
After an unknown amount of time, he raised his head and looked at the bright moon outside. After a while, he heard Yu Heng inside say:
"Congratulations, Master!"
Lü An stepped inside and found Li Ximing standing in the center, looking somewhat dazed. He smiled and said:
"how?"
"Incredibly profound!"
Li Ximing's praise was genuine. He had gained a great deal from it, and his movement technique, [Flame Step], had been greatly improved, which was definitely an unexpected surprise.
Chang Yun seemed not to have recovered yet, remaining silent. Lü An glanced around and smiled:
"In that case..."
"If Su Yun weren't still in the south, I would definitely have brought her along to take a look!"
Li Ximing realized he was about to go elsewhere, and his heart skipped a beat. His face showed some reluctance, and he shook his head, interrupting him. Several lines of dialogue flashed through his mind, and finally he sighed:
"It's quite a coincidence that the master of Yanhua and the current King of Wei, Mingyang, have a deep entanglement. When I came here, the King of Wei specifically instructed me that since there is no trace of Mingyang in Chuncheng, I wonder if the Yu family has any related items, or any traces left by that True Lord, so that I can broaden my horizons."
Lu An was stunned, his heart trembling:
'Indeed… the current King of Wei is entirely a product of Yan Hua's influence; no wonder he went straight to Wenhuang Residence upon arriving here!'
It's no wonder that Lü An was slow to realize this. These people from Chuncheng certainly knew that Mingyang and Taihong had no connection whatsoever, but Li Ximing and Li Zhouwei, who had come all the way from the south, might not have known that!
Upon hearing this, Yu Hengda was filled with trepidation—he was merely a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and encountering other Purple Mansion cultivators was one thing, but this one was a descendant of the Mingyang Emperor, and his own Grand Master was serving the King of Wei. He was already half-hearted, and now he was greatly alarmed:
'If I don't handle this well, I fear I'll cause the Great Master to lose face in the south!'
"I see…"
Although Li Ximing's gaze was gentle, Yu Heng broke out in a cold sweat. What in his family had anything related to Mingyang? He could only cling to Li Ximing's words. After much deliberation, he murmured:
“There are traces of a True Lord, of course… but as a lowly cultivator, I have little influence and dare not act rashly.”
'Good boy!'
Li Ximing knew that the North was full of hidden talents and powerful figures. He was worried that everyone in the cave was watching his every move. They didn't even dare to point to anything on the beam. Heaven knows how conflicted they were, just waiting for him to say this!
So he smiled and looked at Lü An, who, being quite perceptive, laughed loudly:
"Master Longkang has already given instructions. If you are still not at ease, you can send someone to the West to have Master Yu write a letter back to you!"
"I wouldn't dare!"
He was joking, but it startled Yu Heng, who quickly bowed and apologized, saying:
"The True Lord once left behind a single slip of paper, a case, three scrolls, and four talismans. One case is already here, one slip of paper is in the hands of the Great True Man, one scroll, the [Water and Fire Golden Lotus Diagram], is already here, and the other scroll, the [Demon Slayer Diagram], was borrowed by Zitai when he was down on his luck in the Daoist path and has not yet been returned..."
"There's another scroll, which must be what the real person sought, called the 'Yin-Yang Harmony Diagram,' but alas..."
He said awkwardly:
"They've long since disappeared without a trace."
Hearing this, Li Ximing was secretly excited. He looked at him calmly, with a hint of persuasion. Seeing that he did not answer, the young man had no choice but to continue on his own:
"As for the four talismans, they have little to do with the Daoist tradition. Two have already been used, and of the remaining two, one is in the vast plains where True Man Xu is studying them, and the other is still here..."
'Okay, okay…'
Li Ximing looked regretful and sighed:
"What a pity... what a real pity!"
Then he looked around and said:
"Since you're here, please take a look at this talisman!"
Yu Heng bowed deeply, then, below the main seat, kowtowed three times. Only then, gathering his true energy, and under Li Ximing's regretful gaze, retrieved the jade box from the beam, holding it in his hands, and said:
"Look at the real person! Be careful with your eyes..."
Li Ximing accepted the jade box with both hands as a sign of respect, but seemed somewhat disinterested. Upon opening the jade box, he felt a surge of energy, his eyes stinging and his face feeling as if it were being cut by a knife.
He couldn't even see what was drawn on the talisman, he only felt that the box was full of gold and white. After a long while, he slowly calmed down, and for some reason, he immediately burst into tears.
But under the golden light, that tiny white fragment entered his spiritual consciousness, and all of Li Ximing's trepidation and unease finally coalesced. His heart trembled, and he wished he could roar to the heavens:
'Good baby! It's right here!'
He felt the talisman in the Shengyang Mansion constantly releasing a cooling sensation. Afraid of being discovered even the slightest thing, he moved the jade box further away from himself, covered his eyes, turned to the side, and laughed:
"It's really amazing!"
(End of this chapter)