As to what the actual truth was, Li Chengxuan had no way of knowing.
However, judging from his spoken hints and his move to connect with the Qingyun Sect of the New Method, Xue Yang was most likely not a loyal subject of that great figure. Instead, he was a rebel who maintained that the great figure had imprisoned rather than protected them.
That such a rebel could actually represent Qixia Mountain out in the world held deep implications worth pondering.
Now that Li Chengxuan was openly befriending Xue Yang, he had likely become a rebel himself in the eyes of many.
Pity the cultivators of Mount Taixuan; without even knowing the honorable name of that great figure, they had been dragged into such strife.
When all was said and done, Mount Taixuan was still far too weak. It needed to seek shelter under Qixia Mountain to weather the storms and accumulate strength. Only when it grew powerful would it have the right to speak of anything else.
Having sorted through his thoughts, Li Chengxuan felt the pressure on his shoulders ease considerably.
Aside from the chaotic, leaderless situation in the Deng Kingdom that had yet to be resolved, he had no other troubles. Under his leadership, the outlook for Mount Taixuan's development was not merely good, but utterly fantastic!
Feeling thoroughly relieved and cheerful, Li Chengxuan entered secluded cultivation.
...
Three days later.
Earth, Taixuan Villa.
Liu Zhijian was still fishing.
Beside him was another angler, who happened to be Li Jiabao.
Li Chengxuan strolled over to them.
Mindful of his duty as a disciple, Liu Zhijian bowed respectfully. "Master."
Li Jiabao looked gloomy. Seeing Li Chengxuan, he forced a smile and nodded in greeting.
This season was not suitable for fishing.
Li Chengxuan glanced at his catch—only two or three finger-long little fish—and praised him, "Not bad, Zhijian. You didn't come back empty-handed this time."
Hearing this, Liu Zhijian gave an embarrassed smile, opening his mouth as if to speak but hesitating.
Li Jiabao could not help but laugh. "Those few tiny fish were all caught by me."
Li Chengxuan also chuckled and comforted him, "Man-made ponds like this are neither deep reservoirs nor Clear Water; it is normal that they do not resonate with 【Kan Water】. A hundred li further south, there is a large river. You might as well try your luck there in your spare time."
Liu Zhijian nodded in agreement, his complexion brightening considerably. He then asked with concern, "Master, how is that wretched disciple of mine? She hasn't caused any more trouble, has she?"
"Jiang Xiaoyu..." Since Hua Chunning left, Li Chengxuan had been in secluded cultivation and had little contact with those down the mountain, but he had made a special point to check on her before coming here. "Not long after you left, I sent Hua Chunning to Qixia Mountain to gather qi. Having lost her backing, she has grown much more well-behaved, and her studies have improved greatly."
Hearing this, Liu Zhijian nodded, secretly breathing a sigh of relief.
After recuperating at Taixuan Villa for a few days, Liu Zhijian felt he had gained quite a lot.
At the very least, he had finally realized that Mount Taixuan—with Master, Junior Sister Hua, and his wretched disciple—was the true home he yearned for day and night.
After briefly chatting about Hua Chunning going to Qixia Mountain to gather qi, Li Chengxuan glanced at Li Jiabao, who was unusually quiet today, and asked, "Elder Brother, how do you have the leisure to come fishing?"
Li Jiabao smiled bitterly and sighed, "With nothing to do and nowhere to go, I came here to learn fishing from Master Liu."
Among those affected by the storm around Taixuan Villa, aside from Duanmu Ren, Li Jiabao had suffered the worst.
Duanmu Ren had at least been able to maneuver around and make a safe landing in the end.
As a puppet on the front stage, Li Jiabao had no room to struggle at all. He could only watch helplessly as the promising situation crumbled into a complete mess in the blink of an eye.
In the end, he was not only forced to return the subsidies, but also pressured into taking on a considerable amount of debt.
The amount of debt was far too overwhelming for Li Jiabao, whose greatest achievement in life was running a small supermarket, and it was patently impossible for him to pay it off in this lifetime.
A few days ago, he had even gotten a divorce, completely giving up and accepting the mockery as a deadbeat, even finding the leisure to come learn fishing from Liu Zhijian.
Upon hearing this, Li Chengxuan's expression remained calm as usual, nor did he press for details. He merely looked around and said, "Once Chunning ingests qi, enters the Dao, and stabilizes her realm, we can tidy this place up. By then, it will no longer be open for business and will serve solely as a place for our sect's disciples to clear their minds and rest in quiet."
Liu Zhijian nodded at his words, already pondering how to dig channels and bring in running water.
Master's reminder was spot-on; 【Kan Water】 was rushing, flowing water.
The water here, however, was mostly stagnant water, which clashed with his own 【Kan Water】 atmosphere, which was why he couldn't catch any fish.
"Huh?!" Li Jiabao was somewhat astonished to hear this.
Although he had been hit hard by Li Chengxuan's actions, ending up divorced and saddled with massive debt, Li Jiabao held little resentment.
According to local customs, as the elder brother and head of the family, Li Jiabao felt it was his duty to shield his younger brother from the elements.
Furthermore, since Li Chengxuan had been missing for so long, Li Jiabao felt a sense of guilt toward him.
Even though he knew Li Chengxuan was shrouded in mystery and associated with people far beyond his comprehension, Li Jiabao could not help but offer a warning: "I heard that the county is already planning to reclaim this entire property and hand it over to a media company from the province to operate."
Li Chengxuan merely smiled upon hearing this, unconcerned, and comforted him, "Don't worry, I will handle it properly."
As they were speaking, Duanmu Ren arrived.
Duanmu Ren was acting furtively, bundled up tightly, even wearing a hat and sunglasses.
At first, Li Jiabao did not even recognize him, and when he saw the blue-black tattoos on Duanmu Ren's arms, he was even more shocked.
Duanmu Ren knew Li Jiabao's identity and was not overly surprised. He greeted them in a soft voice, "Sect Master, Senior Brother Liu."
Li Jiabao could not help but glance at him, understanding that they must have important matters to discuss, so he took the initiative to say, "I'll head back to the county seat to buy some food and beer, and I should be back around noon."
Once Li Jiabao had left, Li Chengxuan spoke, "Are you ready?"
"Please have a look, Sect Master." Duanmu Ren rolled up his sleeves and pant legs, revealing dense, blue-black tattoos—he had clearly endured a great deal of suffering.
Li Chengxuan wasted no words and placed his hand on Duanmu Ren's shoulder. "For your first time, it's best to close your eyes."
Duanmu Ren was extremely obedient; closing his eyes, he felt a sudden bout of dizzying disorientation, even more thrilling than a roller coaster.
Who knew how much time had passed?
Duanmu Ren opened his eyes.
Even though he had asked Liu Zhijian about many things beforehand and was mentally prepared, seeing it with his own eyes still left him utterly astounded and speechless for a long time.
Traversing worlds to cultivate immortality had actually become reality!
Li Chengxuan had no time to comfort Duanmu Ren, as he vaguely felt the favor of the Heavenly Dao once again.
For some reason, the consciousness of the Heavenly Dao did not manifest this time.
However, this actually put Li Chengxuan much more at ease.
After all, Nanya Province was going through eventful times right now, so it was better to keep a low profile.
Although that great figure had fallen, what if there were other great figures watching from the side?
If the consciousness of the Heavenly Dao manifested frequently, someone might trace the clues back to Mount Taixuan.
When that happened, his only slim chance of survival would likely be fleeing to Earth with the help of the 【Two-World Bead】.
Li Chengxuan sensed it carefully and realized that this instance of heavenly favor had not raised his realm or Dao cultivation, nor was it atmosphere or destiny, but rather something even more mysterious and indescribable.
It was rules, authority, or something else beyond description.
Li Chengxuan had a flash of insight.
Although he did not know what it truly was, in the unseen dark, Li Chengxuan intuitively knew its purpose.
To elevate the ceiling of his Dao path!
Li Chengxuan had already found an Immortal Foundation of 【Inherit Extinct Teachings】 and could cultivate by accumulating 【Merit】.
However, the path of cultivation after 【Foundation Establishment】 remained completely shrouded in mist.
Now, with the aid of heavenly favor, he had finally caught a faint glimmer of light.
Watching Li Chengxuan's expression shift, Duanmu Ren could not help but ask softly, "Sect Master, how should I cultivate?!"
Li Chengxuan snapped back to his senses, an idea already long prepared in his mind. "I have prepared two paths for you to choose from..."
Rate on N.U.
