Chapter 1447
Inheritance
Chapter 1447 Inheritance
"Evil thoughts..."
Upon hearing this, the Taoist priest's expression turned disappointed, and he sneered:
"No wonder he was half-demon and half-ghost!"
The clay sculpture began to weep, saying:
"It's no wonder Xiao Xie went astray! That monk was born with evil thoughts. It's just that Xiao Xie was born with an improper constitution and had no one to teach him. Hearing the disciples of Wanli Temple say that the outside world was already dominated by the Buddhist sect, he thought he could make a name for himself!"
He earnestly said:
"I wonder which of the Three Mysteries you are, sir. In terms of lineage, I have at most eliminated some monks. In terms of right and wrong, those I have served are nothing more than heretical Buddhist practitioners. In terms of morality, I have never touched a mortal to this day!"
This clay sculpture, resembling some ancient master, even possesses a certain speech quality, weeping as it speaks:
"Your Majesty, please be clear!"
The Taoist priest ignored him and stepped forward. The clay sculpture sensed impending doom, surrounded by murderous intent. A chill ran through it, and it trembled uncontrollably. It tried to contact the golden earth, but found that the entire world had lost its connection with it. It cried out in horror:
"My lord! My lord... I... I have the methods of the Great Dao! My lord... I have heard those monks talk about many things, and I have some knowledge... I am willing to serve you as your servant!"
He had been driven to the brink of despair, and exclaimed in horror:
"Little Xie has another treasure to offer!"
The Taoist priest's expression remained unchanged; he simply gazed at him calmly, then gently blew a breath, and the monster, a creature of mixed demonic and malevolent nature, vanished from the ground, along with the black bloodstains covering the wall and the countless iron needles embedded in it.
"I will retrieve it myself."
The eerie darkness in the entire hall was gone, and it returned to its ancient and spacious appearance. Only then did the Taoist priest turn around and glance at the monk sitting in meditation in front of him.
He raised an eyebrow but said nothing, and walked out of the main hall step by step, crossing the threshold.
A gentle sea breeze blew outside, and the surrounding area was vast and empty, without the sound of any birds or beasts, only the unchanging sound of the waves. The Taoist priest stepped into the air and stopped above the entire golden land.
He straightened the cuffs of his Taoist robe, pointed his five fingers toward the sea, and gently made a grasping motion, as if he had grasped something out of thin air.
"Boom!"
In an instant, the entire ocean trembled, and rolling waves surged on the surface as if boiling. Mountain-like gorges also shook, as if the world had shattered and all around was plunged into darkness!
But this shaking only lasted for a moment before the Taoist priest withdrew his hand and put it into his sleeve. With a flip of his hand, there was something in his palm.
This object is wider at the top and narrower at the bottom, resembling a spindle. The top is made of gold and bronze, perfectly round like a cylinder, and rolls naturally. It is covered with densely packed runes, and a small rope is tied around it, adorned with a bead the size of a fingernail.
It was clearly a scripture-passing cylinder.
The scriptures above are brightly colored, and the first words read:
At that time, the World-Honored One was sitting on Mount Ratnahua and spoke of six dharmas. His three sons attained enlightenment in the morning and in the evening entered the Long Cave, whereupon they instructed the monks to take their seats and each offered virtuous words…
What follows are hundreds of thousands of scriptures, profoundly mysterious, connecting various ancient Buddhist doctrines to new ideas and promoting Buddhist teachings. The text concludes with the following statement:
[Nine disciples were seated and spoke. From the left: Tushan, Yesong, and Mutiantian; from the center: Lianmiao, Guangzhu, and Duolouduo; from the right: Sanjuxiangmo, Juelou, and Tangjing. Now, they formed the central seat of the Broad Earth, wishing to propagate the teachings of Buddhism. Those who heard were Heaven and Earth, Ancient and Modern, Left and Right, and the two attendants before the cave: Yuanshi and Baocai.]
As he finished reading it, the prayer wheel began to spin continuously, attempting to convert him. Countless boundless powers emanated from it, but the Taoist simply raised his hand, grasped at the sky, and produced a string of golden flames, which he pinched between two fingers, coldly sneering:
"Strange and unorthodox methods".
He gently tapped the prayer wheel, and the rapidly spinning wheel came to an abrupt stop. He put the treasure away and looked at the world again. The hazy, gloomy atmosphere that seemed to shroud the world had completely disappeared, and the entire ocean seemed to brighten up.
He then felt a sense of peace and quiet, so he turned around and returned to the main hall.
The monk, who was as strong as a warrior monk, was still meditating with his eyes closed when the Taoist raised his eyebrows, tapped him on the forehead, knocked out a copper bowl, stuffed the golden fire he was holding into it, and threw it in front of him.
"clang!"
The bronze bowl fell to the ground with a clanging sound and a shower of golden sparks.
After doing all this, the Taoist priest patted his sleeves and disappeared into the world. The main hall was still slightly dim, but the face of the meditating monk became brighter and brighter.
……
Moon Lake.
A cool morning breeze drifted in through the palace gates, ruffling the silk on the table. One corner fluttered slightly, which Li Jiangzong smoothed out with one hand before gazing out the window.
"What a beautiful time of year..."
Beside him stood a man dressed in luxurious and noble clothes. He had a mature face and did not show any signs of cultivation; he looked more like a king or nobleman.
It was none other than Marquis Anyang, Li Zhouluo.
This year has been truly extraordinary for Li Jiangzong. With the fall of the Shu Kingdom, the Li family's power has risen to an unbelievable level. Throughout the north and south of the Yangtze River, many criticize the Song and Yang dynasties, yet dare not speak ill of the Wei and Li families.
'In the past, they were known as a prominent family in the country; now, they are renowned throughout the world.'
Li Jiangzong felt extremely fortunate to have witnessed such a pinnacle of success and to have managed so many household affairs. He had only one regret:
"He has no capable descendants..."
Li Zhouluo, standing below, shook his head and said with a wry smile:
"This matter...cannot be rushed."
Li Jiangzong originally had a son, whose talent was not low, but he offended Li Ximing's son, Li Suiqing. This son was rude and is still imprisoned in the mountains. Li Jiangzong no longer thought about him and only hoped to have another son.
But life is often full of surprises. He had won Li Suiqing's heart quite by accident back then, but now, despite his efforts, he has gained nothing. When he met Li Zhouluo, who had returned to his hometown to visit relatives, they were both filled with emotion...
"It is said that the child was left before the foundation was established, and it is indeed true. Now that they want it again, it is really difficult... My uncle is better off, and my brother Jiang Chun is the most promising. As for me back then... let's not talk about it!"
Li Jiangzong sighed, and seeing three people enter, he said:
"Everything down the mountain has been arranged."
The leader was naturally Li Suikuan. Behind him were Nan Tanchen, a disciple of Li Ximing, and Pu Xinya. By sheer coincidence, Li Suining changed course several times, eventually ending up in the secret realm. Li Suikuan almost took over the position that should have been his, and surprisingly became close friends with Pu Xinya.
He bowed respectfully and said:
"Everything is arranged, just waiting for your orders, sir."
Li Zhouluo looked up with slight confusion, only to see Li Suikuan leaving with a smile, while Li Jiangzong raised his hand and said seriously:
"Uncle, please!"
He said:
"King Wei and the True Man are already waiting on the mountain!"
Upon hearing this, Li Zhouluo dared not delay and hurriedly got up to go up the mountain with the junior. When they arrived at Zhijing Mountain, they found that the white flowers on both sides were already flying and the mountain was full of people.
Li Minggong, Li Chengfang, and others were in front, followed by Li Zhouda, Li Zhouming, and others. The Li family members were arranged in order from highest to lowest rank, and there were more than ten younger relatives whose names they did not know behind them. They had all arrived.
And the two real people, one in black and one in white, sitting at the very head of the mountain, are none other than Li Ximing and Li Zhouwei!
Li Zhoulu raised his eyebrows and saw his naturally divine elder brother, now a Grand Master in the late Purple Mansion stage, the King of Wei, Li Zhouwei, who had conquered the Shu region.
He saw those golden eyes and unconsciously stepped forward, bowed before the two of them, and said:
"My lords... I am late..."
Li Ximing was surprisingly in a good mood, and he smiled and said:
"Zhou Luo... get up and see what this is."
He immediately stood up and saw the Heavenly Nurturing Urn in the hands of the True Man. He lowered his eyes slightly and saw that there seemed to be an invisible white mountain inside, with green water surging at the foot of the mountain, as if there were dragons and snakes stirring it.
He glanced at it and felt a sharp pain in his eyes, an extreme terror. He quickly stepped back, and seeing Li Ximing's expression, he said in a trembling voice:
"Gan Lu Fu...?"
Li Ximing nodded with a smile.
Li Zhouluo's first reaction was utter horror. He turned to the side and saw the tears on Li Minggong's face and the glee on Li Zhouda's face. His lips trembled, and he said:
"Lord of Bifu Mountain".
To put it bluntly, apart from the real people in the Li family, the person in the entire Li clan who knows Can Lu Fu the most is Li Zhouluo—he personally stayed by the Song Emperor's side and inquired with the Yang family more than once.
'A powerful demon at the peak of the Purple Mansion realm... was locked up in a small jar...'
Unbeknownst to him, Li Ximing had already conjured a jade-like object, no bigger than a palm, yet resembling a corner of a giant scale, and handed it to him, sighing:
"Since you cannot go inside to see him, take this and pass it around..."
Li Zhouluo took it in his hand, and his hand suddenly felt a shocking weight. He weighed it in his hand for a moment, then, not daring to look at it any longer, he hurriedly handed it to Li Minggong.
Li Minggong was always reserved. He only glanced at it seriously, then passed it over while hiding his tears. Everyone was filled with hatred and fear, but dared not take more. Only the man Li Zhouda seemed to snatch it away, cursing a few extremely offensive words. Li Zhouming, on the other hand, smiled as he accepted it and passed it on, seemingly without any surprise.
When it was passed to those with lower cultivation levels, it took two people to hold it, and no one dared to take more than that. Some people just gathered around to look at it for a moment, then circled back. Only Li Zhoufang struggled to hold it in his arms again and burst into tears.
Since the deaths of his brothers and uncles, the eldest brother of this generation has been greatly disheartened. Later, he lost his eldest grandson and the elder Li Xuanxuan. His hair has turned completely white, and he is still very stubborn. Now, he seems to have breathed a sigh of relief, and he sheds more tears than all the others combined.
Li Ximing let them watch and cry, taking it all in, before softly saying:
“Minggong, take the supplies and go with them to pay respects to our ancestors. This old thing is a peak-level Purple Mansion demon. Although we have a method to contain him, if it comes to the risk of death, you absolutely cannot stay here any longer…”
Everyone agreed and went down in a grand procession. The mountain immediately became quiet, and then they saw a white light flashing to the side. The light of the moon poured out like water, revealing the man carrying a sword.
Fu Xuan seemed deeply moved, still gazing at the mountain path not shrouded in the falling petals, and softly said:
"No wonder people always say that the noble family has excellent family traditions... The whole family can share a common hatred for the enemy and grieve together. It is truly rare in the world."
Li Ximing paused for a moment and said softly:
"If... this demon scale had been shown to me when I was sixteen, and my aunts and uncles had seen it, I imagine the whole mountain would have been filled with weeping."
Fu Xuan said softly:
"That's enough."
Li Ximing said:
“What the Dao Lord says is true, and that’s enough.”
He sighed and said:
"Two hundred years have passed, let's end this feud here."
Li Zhouwei remained silent throughout, only speaking when Li Ximing brought it up:
"What we promised to the Dao Lord, we, the Li family, should also hand over to Chunyi!"
Just that one sentence was enough to leave even a great master like Fu Xuan speechless for a moment. This Pure Dao Master seemed hesitant, his eyes swirling with emotion, and he said softly:
"If we're being honest... my little bit of merit is really not worth a piece of moonlight now. But, now that I've already mastered the Four Divine Powers... is this [Moonlight of Taiyin] on the lake reserved for me to cultivate that final fundamental technique, the 'Jie Lin Chapter'?"
He didn't use the name Li, but instead used "the lake" as a metaphor, which made the mountains seem quiet.
But the King of Wei showed no surprise. He stood up and smiled:
"The [Moonlight Essence] is given to you, senior. How you use it is Chunyi's business. Whether you cultivate your last supernatural power or give it to me as an opportunity, as long as the Dao Lord has thought it through, the Li family will not interfere."
Fu Xuan hesitated for a moment, then slowly nodded and finally said:
"Thank you for your understanding."
Li Ximing listened carefully, and only after their conversation came to an end did he stand up and say:
"please."
Fu Xuan paused slightly, perhaps realizing that something like the Taiyin Moon Essence must be within the Purple Mansion Grand Array, yet it was used to suppress the old dragon and couldn't leave this place at will. He couldn't help but remind her:
"If we make a move here, heavy rain will inevitably fall, and there will probably be floods. Given his cultivation level, even if it's just Wangyue Lake, the water will flood from here all the way to Lizhou, and countless people will be affected. Moreover... this demon is ferocious, so we must be extremely careful."
Li Ximing had intended to personally send him away. The Li family had held a small ceremony every three years and a large ceremony every five years for the past two hundred years, countless times, but this was the first time they had encountered such a powerful demon. It was certain that Li Zhouwei would have to personally intervene. The priest, undeterred by any ominous signs, smiled and said:
"Don't worry, my family has a method that is specifically designed to control certain weather phenomena. With this technique, there will be no harm, but rather benefits!"
Upon hearing this, Fu Xuan seemed to understand something and couldn't help but nod to himself, thinking to himself:
'No wonder they came to the lake… I was overthinking it. Even in my Dao, there's an ancient technique called the "Summoning and Concealing Technique," a method to gather auras. It can even collect some of the aura of a fallen Purple Mansion cultivator. Since they're close to Taiyin, they must have even more powerful and wondrous methods; it's not surprising!'
So they went out together and left with Li Ximing. As soon as they left, the Xuanweng urn began to tremble. The Xuanshan Mountain sealed inside the urn flickered between light and dark, and green water rose up and turned into specks of smoke and mist that rolled and leaped!
"Ginseng and fragrant!"
The man in black simply stood with his back to the black urn, letting the billowing, murky smoke grow thicker and thicker, while one palace gate after another slowly opened, filling the space with intense sunlight.
"Come out and face your death."
The team for the Qidian annual meeting has arrived in Macau. We'd like to inquire about the progress of various copyright matters. If the schedule doesn't work out, we might need to take one or two days. We will do our best to make arrangements and hope for your understanding.