The Mirror Legacy

Chapter 1779: Diyan (I)

The Southern Sea was vast and turbulent. Beyond the Ten Thousand Mile Stone Pond, which was enclosed by countless islands, and through the strait between Songzhou and Danjungwulo, lay a sea some four hundred kilometers across.

Mountain peaks rose throughout these waters. Guo Nanwu's clan was established on one of the small islands lying very close to Danjungwulo near the northern reaches. His family had few members, so they had recruited many rogue cultivators. Their grand formation was still being expanded, making the place quite bustling.

Li Ximing did not find him there. Beyond the island, the mountains pressed ever closer together the farther one went, until the waters were squeezed into riverlike channels. Even the broader stretches were only small lakes a little over five kilometers wide, linked together in an unbroken chain. This region was called the [Southern Lake Sea], though it resembled a continent more than a sea.

Mount Qusi stood within the Southern Lake Sea.

Li Ximing had asked about the region before coming. In the past, there had been considerably more seawater here, and the water level had not been nearly as low as it was now, making the area much like the Reef Sea to the north. Later, the sea level dropped twice, causing it to resemble an island more and more. As a result, many cultivators who traveled through the region now called it the [Southern Lake Island].

This was Li Ximing's first time in this area, and also the first time he had crossed the long, narrow [Danjungwulo]. He looked around with some curiosity and found the mountains lush and verdant, with many immortal cultivators dwelling among them. Most of the structures were immortal palaces and halls, and the figures flying between them were predominantly beautiful women. In the Southern Sea, where Buddhist and devil cultivators were numerous, this truly counted as a secluded paradise.

At the very center, Mount Qusi twisted and coiled in a rugged, imposing shape, its slopes covered with jagged rocks and encircled by white clouds. Immortal pavilions stood everywhere, and every Daoist entering or leaving wore dark purple robes, their dress and adornments entirely in the northern style.

Mount Qusi follows the Great Dao in maintaining the balance of Yin and Yang, harmonizing water and fire, and conducting oneself with uprightness. Most under its banner cultivate arts concerning Virile Fire and Valley Water, Yin and Yang... It truly has the atmosphere of an immortal sanctuary.

He stopped among the mountains and politely announced himself. A gust of white wind swept out of the mountain at once and took shape before him, transforming into a man in a long robe with refined features and a smile in his eyes. "Senior, you've actually found your way here!"

"So it's you, Nanwu..."

Li Ximing nodded to Guo Nanwu, only to notice that another person had emerged alongside him. This man was far more handsome, dressed in a Daoist robe of green patterned with dark designs, with a vermilion mark between his brows and the Black Cloud Silver Sparrow Bottle hanging at his waist.

He looked elegant and dashing as he smiled. "Long time no see!"

It was none other than Daoist Master Xuanyi.

Both men belonged to the Qusi lineage, so there was nothing strange about finding them here together.

After Li Ximing exchanged greetings, Guo Nanwu smiled and said, "Senior, come inside with me!"

Guo Nanwu had done a great deal of legwork for the Li Family over the years, and Li Ximing had never treated him unfairly. He had never made things difficult over a single portion of the pills he was supposed to refine for him. Compared with Xuanyi's courteous politeness, Guo Nanwu was noticeably warmer and more grateful. He immediately led Li Ximing inside and descended into the splendid palace complex.

Black and white stones covered the jade table in intricate formations, while wisps of white steam curled from cups of clear tea. The game had clearly reached a critical stage. Two beautiful young women came forward and carried the board away.

Xuanyi turned and instructed, "Nanwu, hurry and call Sister Xinyu back!"

Guo Nanwu immediately understood and withdrew with a smile. Li Ximing, however, gleaned quite a bit from those words and sat down with Xuanyi, deep in thought.

These families are even closer than I thought... Guo Nanwu almost seems like a junior disciple of the sect... Although Xuanyi belongs to the Jingyi Dao lineage, he clearly carries considerable influence here...

The two sat facing each other. Xuanyi looked somewhat melancholy as he poured the tea and said, "Kuangyu is currently in Tongmo Prefecture, Yuzhou. It will take her some time to return, so please wait a while, fellow Daoist."

Li Ximing asked in puzzlement, "Tongmo?"

Xuanyi sighed and said, "Fellow Daoist, you may not know this... A few days ago, torrential rain poured down across Yuzhou, with surging waterlight causing a tremendous disturbance. The commotion spread across several regions and grew so severe that a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator had to intervene to suppress the celestial phenomenon. Later, word came that someone from the Chen Family had failed in his attempt to attain the Purple Mansion Realm and perished. His name was... Chen Xuanyu."

Li Ximing's heart jolted. He closed his eyes as if recalling something, then asked, "Chen Xuanyu?"

The swordsman had once joined forces with him to kill Wang Fu. Although they had met only once, Chen Xuanyu had left an excellent impression on him. He was unquestionably the foremost figure of his generation in the Chen Family, and perhaps its most outstanding junior in nearly a century. His position within the Chen Family was no different from Li Zhouwei's former position within the Li Family. Everyone regarded him as the one destined to shoulder the family's future.

Daoist Master Yushui, Chen Yin, had mentioned him before. Though he had not offered much praise aloud, it was clear that he valued Chen Xuanyu immensely. For him to perish so abruptly was an almost devastating blow.

Li Ximing frowned and asked, "He had been in seclusion for a long time. By all rights, he should already have passed the most dangerous stage. How could it happen at this point..."

Xuanyi's expression dimmed slightly as he shook his head. "It seems you entered seclusion immediately after the great battle... While you were resisting Guangchan on the lake, the Western Shu was not idle. An army marched out from the three prefectures of Huayan and attacked Yuzhou...

"The army was led by Daoist Master Shensou of the Sun Family of Miaozhou, the foremost of the Nine Surnames of Wu State. He was assisted by Daoist Master Shangguan Mi of the Shangguan Family. Daoist Master Shensou had long been at odds with the Chen Family, and there was deep resentment between them. Taking advantage of his arrival at the head of a great army, he used [Indivisible Water-Fire] to shake the great void around Tongmo..."

By this point, Li Ximing had already pieced together most of what had happened. Chen Xuanyu had thought highly of his younger brother, Li Xijun, and had once invited him over as a guest. No one had expected Li Xijun to die so suddenly, and Chen Xuanyu had even come to offer his condolences in genuine grief. From then on, Li Ximing had held the swordsman in high regard.

A deeper sense of regret rose in his heart as Xuanyi continued, "[Indivisible Water-Fire] is also a supreme treasure of True Essence, and its influence on the great void is even greater than that of [Boundless Water-Fire]... Old Daoist Master Chen was so alarmed that he did not hesitate to damage his vital qi to force Shensou back.

However, after Daoist Master Shensou withdrew, no unusual phenomenon appeared, so he thought they had weathered the crisis and was even secretly relieved. Who could have known that a year later... that junior ultimately could not hold on."

"And he still managed to hold on for another full year..." Li Ximing fell silent. Only after a long while did he say, "His fate simply failed him, just like Senior Cheng Gao."

Xuanyi said nothing more. As usual, he removed the jade bottle from his waist and tossed it lightly, causing Master Baiyin to materialize on the spot. Baiyin took up the teapot and served tea to the two of them. Li Ximing knew Xuanyi was partly doing this to demonstrate that nothing untoward had happened, so he asked Baiyin a few questions.

Master Baiyin smiled and replied, "I keep busy inside the bottle on the Daoist Master's behalf these days, mostly gathering and absorbing qi, divining fate and fortune, and tempering dharma light. My life is in no danger, which is already more than I could ask for."

Li Ximing responded casually, then went straight to the point. "Is the old Daoist Master here on the mountain? I came specifically to pay him a visit and express my gratitude."

Xuanyi did not seem surprised. "My lord cultivates on the mountain year-round and never goes out. He remains secluded within his profound chamber, and even we rarely get to see him... Kuangyu will have to go and invite him.

"After all, Xinyu is his blood descendant, and some matters concern their own clan. I have already followed my master away from the Southern Lake Sea and established a Dao lineage of my own, so it would be inappropriate for me to disturb him without good reason."

Seeing Li Ximing nod and sip his tea, Xuanyi smiled openly and added, "Besides, the old Daoist Master is extremely imposing. I... don't quite dare disturb him."

At that, Li Ximing suspected that Old Daoist Master Diyan's condition might not be very good. He responded calmly, but before he could say anything more, Xuanyi, who seemed to have hesitated over the question for a long time, asked, "Zhaojing... After Tingyun attained the Dao, did she ever come looking for you?"

Li Ximing paused slightly, sensing something beneath the question, and sighed. "Of course not... From what I can tell, she no longer has much freedom to act as she wishes!"

Daoist Master Xuanyi looked anxious and said, "My disciple... Kong Gumo... She never once asked about him. After emerging from seclusion, she even heard that Gumo had remained completely uninvolved throughout the upheaval at Profound Peak Gate, and had turned away every person sent to seek his aid. She flew into a rage, struck his name from the clan genealogy, and declared that no descendant of the Kong Family was ever to have dealings with him again!"

Back when Daoist Master Changxi perished, he had laid out several contingencies for those he left behind. One of them was to have Kong Gumo enter Jingyi Mountain as a disciple. Daoist Master Xuanyi had coveted Yuezhou Island and was also at odds with Yehui, so he had deliberately taken Kong Gumo in.

Now this has become troublesome!

Li Ximing pondered for a moment before asking, "How did Kong Gumo respond?"

Daoist Master Xuanyi shook his head. "He merely laughed, tossed the letter aside, and went back to cultivating."

Li Ximing exchanged a glance with him, raised his brows, and said, "There is still a bond of friendship between us. Whatever ultimately happens to the Kong Family, it should not be allowed to implicate your disciple. I hope that for the sake of your bond as master and disciple, as well as your ties with the Kong Family, you will do what you can to protect him."

Li Ximing naturally knew that Kong Tingyun was not the sort to make such a dramatic display out of anger. Cutting ties and removing Kong Gumo from the clan genealogy were merely ways to place the junior beyond the reach of whatever might happen. Li Ximing still remembered Kong Tingyun's old friendship with his family's elders, so he spoke up on Gumo's behalf.

Daoist Master Xuanyi understood his position and no longer tried to conceal his concerns. He let out a deep sigh and replied, "How could I fail to see through it... Back then, when Senior Kong came to me, he had only one request. Whether the mainland was drowned in blood and piled high with corpses, or the Kong Family emerged completely unscathed, I was to pay it no heed and force Kong Gumo to sever all contact with them. He even tried to tempt me with benefits, saying that if I kept Gumo safe, the boy might one day be able to contest the Kong Family's inheritance and make things difficult for Yehui... But Gumo has cultivated on my mountain for many years. It would be impossible for me to feel nothing for him."

Worry gathered between his brows as he continued, "I had originally intended to protect him while keeping him cut off from the Kong Family. But after I went into seclusion for only a few years, I came out to find that he had been cultivating [Converging Water] and had already reached the late Foundation Establishment Realm!"

Understanding suddenly dawned on Li Ximing, and he immediately grew wary. After a brief moment, he said, "You mean..."

Daoist Master Xuanyi paused, then said with some difficulty, "From what I know of his aptitude, he is the most gifted member of his generation in the Kong Family, and his temperament is exceptionally resolute. He has some hope of attaining the Purple Mansion Realm, but his chances are not great. Nor do I possess any Converging Water spirit items to give him... What worries me is Kong Tingyun's side of things... She may not want Gumo to attempt seeking a divine ability at all...

"Even if he truly attempts to seek that divine ability, what will Kong Tingyun think of me if his breakthrough fails in the future? I would never be able to clear my name. How could she know whether I had secretly interfered?"

Li Ximing held his breath for a moment, finally understanding Xuanyi's concern. Daoist Master Xuanyi hesitated for a while before saying quietly, "I was hoping you might meet with him on my behalf..."

In the end, he lowered his head and silently sipped his tea, weighed down by his thoughts. Chen Xuanyu, meanwhile, had reminded Li Ximing of Li Xijun. The two exchanged a few words about the Dao, but the atmosphere gradually grew subdued.

Fortunately, time passed quickly as they discussed the Dao. Before long, a gray-white cloud descended hurriedly among the mountains. A woman rode the wind down before the palace hall and rushed inside.

The worry that had clouded her face eased into a smile, and blue-purple light flickered in her eyes as she exclaimed, "Ximing, you're here!"

Li Ximing quickly rose to his feet and smiled. "You've mentioned it several times already... If I still didn't come... I was afraid you might start blaming me."

Kuangyu smiled as soon as she saw him and clasped her hands together. "So it turns out I'm the petty one."

Kuangyu had always been lively by nature, and her teasing words immediately left Li Ximing unsure whether to laugh or cry. Xuanyi stood with his hands behind his back, glanced at the two of them, then smiled and shook his head before walking out through the side.

Guo Nanwu had only just stepped over the threshold when Xuanyi, without explanation, slung an arm around his shoulders and steered him right back out, leaving only a laughing remark behind. "You two take your time catching up! I'll go check on the grand formation with Nanwu!"

Once the two had left, Kuangyu naturally led Li Ximing farther inside. The smile faded from her face, and the worry she had worn before entering resurfaced as she said quietly, "I just returned from the Chen Family... I assume you've already heard what happened. But I also saw Sister Tinglan... She..."

Li Ximing asked in confusion, "Tinglan?"

Kuangyu pressed her lips together and said, "Daoist Master Chen Yin was devastated with grief. I heard that the moment the celestial phenomenon appeared, he coughed up blood. Sister Tinglan and I happened to be nearby at the time, so we went together, but Old Daoist Master Chen... declined to see her, saying that his injuries had not yet healed."

That made Li Ximing fall silent. A thought suddenly occurred to him, Tinglan is stationed at the Mushroom Forest Plain...