Chapter 1644: White Qilin (II)
Chapter 1644: White Qilin (II)
The spiritual energy within the stone chamber was dense. A faint white glow from the lampstand spilled across the couch, illuminating the overturned jade bottle lying empty beside it. The youth slowly exhaled a stream of white breath before abruptly opening his eyes.
Mana, utterly unlike that of his previous life, coursed through every limb and bone. He raised his brows and carefully savored the sensation.
He had attained the [Divine Sequence Arrangement] of the [Great Void Dipper-Turning Art], an unmistakable manifestation of the [Heaven-Governing] Dao lineage. It carried the overbearing authority of Douxuan's creed, 'I Am the Heavenly Order.' Although his Immortal Foundation had yet to be established, making its effects less pronounced, it had already granted him tangible options.
The [Great Void Dipper-Turning Art] condenses a Void Core within the qihai. Under normal circumstances, it must be continuously nourished, then it can supplement my mana in battle... Unfortunately, I haven't reached the Foundation Establishment Realm yet, so it doesn't possess many mystics...
Li Suining gently raised a hand. A pale silver radiance of mana blossomed in his palm before flowing downward with a wave of his hand, drawing twelve formation flags from his sleeve, each purple at its base and adorned with star-like patterns!
The twelve [Long Light Star-Concealing Flags] gathered and scattered through the air, descending amid shifting prismatic light. At times, they transformed into rainclouds that unleashed bolts of lightning. At others, they became iron chains that stretched across the sky and sealed away the surrounding spiritual energy.
The formation flags shifted through thirty-two different formations, each layering over the last before finally returning to his sleeve. After demonstrating the formations he had known best in his previous life, Li Suining's eyes brightened, and he reached a conclusion.
My previous life also followed the [Heaven-Governing] Dao and was naturally attuned to thunder. But compared to the [Profound Dipper Balance], the [Divine Sequence Arrangement] of this life is clearly even more closely aligned with the Profound Thunder Dao!
It's also far more adept at sealing, spatial movement, and drawing upon the great void to produce transformations. It may well conflict somewhat with the [Yue Cultivating] Dao...
As a formation master, his sensitivity to Dao lineages surpassed that of nearly every other profession. Li Suining's Dao conduct in the [Heaven-Governing] Dao was already considerable, and with Daoist Master Yuanbian's [Profound Iteration Calculation Scripture] in his possession, discerning such subtleties was hardly difficult.
All of that was well within his expectations. What truly astonished and delighted Li Suining, however, was something else entirely.
Judging by the quality of its mana, this [Great Void Dipper-Turning Art] is in no way inferior to the [Stellar Enclosure Grand Repository Divine Scroll] from my previous life! It's far superior to the [Golden Chapter Court Tablet Art] I cultivated before converting my mana in that life!
An ordinary Qi Cultivation Realm cultivator would never be able to discern such a difference. But having cultivated through two lifetimes and personally practiced both techniques, he understood it all too well. He lowered his head thoughtfully, delight welling up within him.
"Although the [Great Void Dipper-Turning Art] has no subsequent path, its quality is exceptionally high..."
This was undoubtedly excellent news. He had already given up any thoughts of reaching the Purple Mansion Realm, but the more outstanding he appeared during the Foundation Establishment Realm, the more highly he would be valued. The greater his abilities, the more he could change!
He cheerfully glanced around the cave dwelling, put away the scattered items, and swept open the stone door with a flick of his sleeve. When he stepped outside at an unhurried pace, he was immediately bathed in dazzling sunlight.
He thought to himself, The Great Desire Dao descended from the Wilderness. I wonder whether Daoist Master was injured... How is he doing now? Injuries at the Purple Mansion Realm level are always closely guarded secrets. There's no way to ask, and even if I did, no one would tell me...
Raising his brows, he noticed a white-haired old man seated cross-legged outside the cave dwelling, standing watch. It was none other than Du Dou, whom the family had sent to attend to him.
The moment he saw Li Suining, Du Dou was overjoyed and hurried to his feet to offer congratulations.
Li Suining smiled and stopped him, having little interest in celebration as he eagerly asked about the family's situation. "How long have I been in seclusion?"
Du Dou quickly bowed and replied, "Young master, only six months."
Li Suining's heart stirred.
After all, he was a cultivator with the experience of two lifetimes. Having walked this path before, everything had progressed naturally. Between taking pills, completing six rounds of Embryonic Breathing refinement, and adjusting his qi, he had spent remarkably little time. He immediately let out a sigh of relief.
There's still plenty of time. Perhaps the Emperor of Song has only just reached the Wilderness... The Karmic Fire hasn't yet ignited too much slaughter. But all the signs have already appeared. Great turmoil is on the horizon...
The founding of Great Song and its campaign to pacify the land of Yue had involved far more than a handful of divine ability level battles. It was simply that neither side had suffered especially severe losses, so few had paid much attention. In his previous life, he had been in seclusion throughout and knew little of the details. Now, as he reflected carefully, he began piecing things together.
One campaign was enough to force every faction into submission. Crimson Reef Island and Changxiao Gate had both suffered greatly. On our family's northern front, the Chen Family even breached Changxiao Gate's inland territory. Someone had to offer a pledge of loyalty after all, and the Chen Family's feud with Changxiao Gate had already run deep...
He narrowed his eyes slightly as his thoughts grew heavy, And there's also Daoist Master Hansui. Master Changxiao had positioned him in Zhulu for many years. The inland territories were nothing but a burden in the end, serving only to add fuel to the fire...
Lost in thought, Li Suining made his way down from the upper floors. Before long, he arrived beneath a pavilion. He was just about to head inside when he looked up and realized its owner was absent.
He paused and asked, "Strange... Is the old elder still on the island?"
"I don't know..."
Du Dou's status was too low for him to know such matters, so Li Suining simply instructed him, "Old Du, now that I've successfully broken through, I should report it to the old elder. Go and make some inquiries for me. Find out when he's available so I can pay him a visit!"
Du Dou hurried off at once. Having sent him away, Li Suining made his own way toward the heart of the island. Before long, he arrived at a tranquil, secluded place where lush grass carpeted the ground; a waterfall roared in the distance; and the ringing of swords echoed through the air. As he ventured deeper inside, a razor-sharp aura washed over him.
Afraid of being caught in it, he quickly called out, "Little uncle! Suining's here!"
At once, the sound of clashing swords erupted. Sword qi that had been weaving above the waterfall like streams of moonlight came raining down, converging over the center of the lake like a torrential storm. In an instant, it transformed into a dharma sword shimmering with lunar radiance, which fell neatly into the hands of the white-robed youth.
Clang!
The longsword slid back into its scabbard.
Li Jiangchun raised a brow in mild surprise before smiling at him. "Congratulations, Suining!"
Li Suining stepped back, cupped his hands in salute, and smiled. "Your swordsmanship is truly remarkable, little uncle!"
The man in white descended on the wind and came to a stop before him, shaking his head with a smile as he said, "Come."
The two had just taken their seats at the stone table by the lakeside when Li Jiangchun suddenly looked up.
Watching streak after streak of escaping light flashing across the sky, he frowned. "Strange... Why is there so much movement today..."
Li Suining's senses were exceptionally keen. His eyelids twitched as his heart skipped a beat, an icy chill piercing straight through him. Just as he was about to rise, he suddenly saw a sheet of apricot-crimson flames descend from the sky. Blazing brilliantly, they crashed down onto the lakeshore!
The flames struck the ground, and an intense wave of scorching heat rushed toward them, forcing Li Suining to squeeze his eyes shut. When he looked again, the Radiant Fire had condensed into the form of a young man clad in crimson robes.
The young man was strikingly handsome and tall, his eyes brimming with grim, icy coldness. Those brilliant golden eyes were almost blinding to behold. Simply by standing there, the aura of a peak Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator stilled the entire lake, while the oppressive might of Radiant Fire spread in every direction.
Li Suining froze in stunned disbelief as he thought, Daoist Master Changli?
In the next instant, he realized his mistake. The Li Jiangqian before him was still only at the Foundation Establishment Realm!
Something's happened!
Sure enough, Li Jiangchun immediately grasped the gravity of the situation.
Rising to his feet, he asked, "Big brother?!"
A flicker of unease and uncertainty flashed through Li Jiangqian's eyes.
He swept his gaze over the two of them and said in a low voice, "No time to explain. Follow me into the inner formation immediately!"
Li Jiangchun did not hesitate in the slightest. He immediately took Li Suining with him as they rode the wind. The three of them stepped onto Radiant Fire together and shot away in an instant.
As they sped through the air, the corner of the golden-eyed man’s mouth curled into a faint smile as he said softly, "Today, father led our people south from the lake to avenge our grudge against Changxiao. The Daoist Master remained behind at the lake, and has issued strict orders forbidding all travel on and off the island. Every member of the direct lineage is to enter the formation."
His gaze grew venomous, and his voice overflowed with murderous intent. "Changxiao Gate has been plotting behind the scenes all this time. They forced Daoist Master away, drove him to the brink of death, and forced father to bare his sword in self-defense. Today... we will settle the score for the pursuit and attempted killing on the river."
The overwhelming news exploded in Li Suining's ears like a thunderclap. He lowered his eyes as the vague suspicions in his heart were instantly confirmed, and a chill settled over him.
This is bad... This is really bad... The moment I thought of it, it happened!
Just as I feared, any change involving Purple Mansion Realm forces was bound to cause problems... It's happened ahead of schedule... Daoist Master's escape from the Western Sea has brought about Changxiao Gate's downfall much earlier than before... And not only earlier... This time... it's my family making the first move! It's actually my family taking action!!