Chapter 1741: Theory of the Five Virtues (I)
Chapter 1741: Theory of the Five Virtues (I)
The waters of the Peacock Sea shimmered with a multitude of colors; it appeared exceptionally beautiful beneath the heavenly light. Li Ximing flew through the air on a streak of radiance, his expression slightly grave and contemplative.
He had left the lake quickly to deal with the situation at Zhen Tao Residence. Although he did indeed need to visit Nine Mounds, the matter was nowhere near urgent enough to warrant such haste. Yet the moment he arrived at the island and saw what was happening, his scalp tingled with dread, and he did not dare set foot inside. Fortunately, the visit to Nine Mounds gave him a convenient excuse to take Li Quewan away at once.
After listening to Li Quewan's account along the way, Li Ximing could only smile bitterly as he transmitted, "The ways of the world are truly unpredictable... When we invited Senior Liu to the island all those years ago, I did consider the possibility that he might attract something dangerous. I had never imagined it would actually come to pass."
Li Quewan worried that he was blaming Liu Changdie and hurriedly replied, "Lord Liu has treated us with great warmth over the years. It was not as though he intended for this to happen..."
Realizing that she had misunderstood him, Li Ximing shook his head and said, "No one can be blamed for this. If Senior Liu had not guarded the Eastern Sea, Zhen Tao Residence would never have survived until now... Nor would we have received our steady supply of [Under-Neck Feathers] all these years!"
Zhen Tao Residence had indeed played a considerable role over the years. It had collected a truly staggering quantity of [Wall-Sinking Water], storing it pool after pool until the price of [Wall-Sinking Water] in the Eastern Sea soared. If Daoist Master Kuangyu had not also been collecting it under her own name, the Li Family's activities would inevitably have attracted attention.
Now [Wall-Sinking Water] was nearly impossible to obtain. Even so, after accumulating it over many years, Li Ximing had managed to secure [Profound Intermediary Flower Leaves] from the Golden Feather Sect through indirect means on two more occasions. After four exchanges in total, he still had two [Under-Neck Feathers] in reserve, to say nothing of the spirit materials acquired through those trades. Altogether, those spirit materials were worth no less than two or three spirit artifacts.
Still deeply concerned, he said, "It seems to me... that he has his reasons for seeking the dragons. We should simply do our best to satisfy him, let those noble scions fight among themselves, and get him off the island as quickly as possible..."
Li Quewan remained uneasy and replied, "If anything happens, we can only hope the dragons will not take their anger out on our family. Even though we have realized something is amiss, we can only pretend that we have noticed nothing. Caught between the two sides, we will have no way to escape if either one decides to vent their anger on us."
Li Ximing gave her a searching look and replied, "They cannot take their anger out on us. They would not dare provoke Minghuang."
Li Quewan nodded thoughtfully. Li Ximing deliberated for a while, only to find himself unsure whether certain things should be said at all.
The only two within the Li Family who understood their present circumstances best were none other than Li Zhouwei and Li Ximing himself. Li Quewan was strong-willed yet gentle by nature, so she could still be told a little. Li Jiangqian, however, was far too calculating, which made Li Ximing reluctant to discuss the matter with him.
He sighed inwardly, Let Zhouwei decide for himself... I will simply remain silent.
He put the matter aside, though the worries weighing on his heart only multiplied. Now that he had used Nine Mounds as an excuse, he could only hurry there. However, there was no way he could remain at ease after discovering something like this. Gritting his teeth, he finally made up his mind.
I had hoped not to disturb Zhouwei, but this matter already threatens Zhen Tao Residence and may even endanger the very foundation of our family... I fear I must see him after all.
He continued flying across the Peacock Sea with Li Quewan for some time, but instead of heading directly to Nine Mounds, he traveled all the way to the Dong'a King Sea. Diving beneath the waves, he found a secluded place on the seabed. It was the very spot where he had refined the precious pill underground years ago.
He had cleaned the place thoroughly back then, leaving behind no trace of the pills he had refined. Li Ximing casually sealed the area and, after confirming that no one was nearby, instructed Li Quewan to cultivate for a bit. He then rose into the air and drifted toward the Realm of Sun and Moon Radiance.
Before long, gold and white intermingled before his eyes, and the sight of the sun and moon shining together reappeared, accompanied by an exceptionally tranquil spiritual aura. Li Ximing descended from the pavilion into a world suffused with brilliance and saw a man seated upright upon the terrace in the courtyard.
Li Zhouwei had removed his armor and was dressed in a gray Daoist robe. His long hair, unusually left loose, cascaded over his shoulders as he sat cross-legged in silence. He resembled an ancient suanni[1] curled upon the terrace in slumber.
Only then did Li Ximing remember that Li Zhouwei's armor had been left amid the baleful fire of Zhijing Mountain for repairs. Strangely enough, the younger man before him somehow seemed even more unsettling without that imposing black armor.
Li Ximing took a step forward, and those golden eyes immediately opened warily. A pool of cold golden light shone from the depths of the secluded courtyard and fell across Li Ximing's face.
"Minghuang!"
At that soft call, the white qilin upon the terrace seemed to vanish. Li Zhouwei rose to his feet, gathering his long hair with one hand as he asked courteously, "What instructions do you have for me, granduncle?"
Li Ximing sighed and replied, "Some trouble has arisen! You may need to go out and take a look..."
He hurriedly recounted everything that had happened. Li Zhouwei's expression gradually grew grave as he stepped forward.
The first thing he asked was, "When Liu Changdie wrote back, did he mention that Fuxun wished to meet the dragons?"
Li Ximing replied, "He did..."
Li Zhouwei nodded slightly and said, "My recovery is an absolute secret and will be crucial to our coming plans, so I cannot leave seclusion. If word of it reaches the outside world, the war between north and south may very well erupt ahead of time... I cannot leave."
His expression turned inscrutable as he continued, "As for the matter at [Zhen Tao Residence], it will not be difficult to resolve. Since Liu Changdie has already mentioned it, granduncle now has a suitable pretext for this journey. I will write a letter immediately. Take it to Chongzhou and deliver it to Huiyao, then ask the Sea Patroller envoy to visit Zhen Tao Residence. That should settle the matter without requiring our family to become too deeply involved."
He raised a hand slightly, drew a piece of cloth from his sleeve, and conjured a brush between his fingers. Using the mana of his divine ability as ink, he inscribed golden words upon the cloth and said solemnly, "I will say that I am putting my affairs in order, and ask the demon king to look after the younger generation of my Li Family. The White Dragon Succession will not refuse."
Li Ximing nodded in relief. Li Zhouwei dipped his brush into the conjured ink and said softly, "As for Suining, there is no need to worry, granduncle. Simply pretend that you know nothing. I had already intended to meet Qingyu Qian, and I have a rough idea of what is going on. Just send Suining into seclusion for five or six years. By then, I will have made the necessary arrangements. If he is indeed something from outside, it will not be too late to eliminate him then."
Li Ximing now understood that Li Zhouwei was resolved to attain another divine ability without fail. He did not ask what would happen if something went wrong within those five or six years. The worry on his face gradually faded, and he looked him over for a moment before replying, "I will obtain a [Bright Truth Harmonizing Divine Pill] for you."
Li Zhouwei paused, but ultimately nodded. Li Ximing silently put away the handwritten letter as Li Zhouwei reminded him, "The Yin and Yang here are perfectly balanced, so the cloth will bear traces of this place. Since the letter is meant for the dragons, leave it outside for a while before delivering it. There is no hurry."
Li Ximing nodded and quickly departed. When he reached the steps, he hesitated briefly and glanced back. The younger man was already seated upright upon the terrace once more, as still as a divine statue.
1. 狻猊 (suānní) is a mythical lion-like beast and one of the legendary nine sons of the dragon. It is often depicted as a powerful, majestic guardian. ☜