Chapter 1636: Yuanbai (II)

A puzzled look crossed Li Ximing's face. "The great clans..."

Chen Yin immediately understood and explained, "The Yue King disappeared too suddenly. Yue State had yet to fully pacify the land, and there were scarcely any members of the royal house left. At the time, numerous great clans remained, most of them powerful enough to carve out territories and govern themselves.

“The Yue royal family lacked the strength to control them, so they ruled alongside the clans instead. Little by little, they surrendered their authority, though they still retained a measure of prestige.

"Later, successive inheritances of the Supreme Yang Dao lineage established sects. As the Origin Mansion withdrew from the world, the old prohibitions were gradually lifted. The last remnants of dignity enjoyed by the imperial descendants of the Yue State vanished as well.

“Their domains became kingdoms in name only, while the former great clans transformed into sects and gates, such as Hongxue, Wuzhu, and Lichi. Even those that never became sects or gates themselves mostly secured prominent positions within the major sects, and their family names remained illustrious.

"It's just that... powers like Wuzhu have long since been buried by the dust of history, leaving no trace behind."

A look of wistfulness crossed his face as he said, "Yue State endured thanks to the protection of its ancestors, but its rise and fall... ultimately rested in the hands of its descendants."

Chen Yin’s words were courteous, but inwardly he thought otherwise, Had they not borrowed the prestige of the Underworld's judiciary, they would probably have followed the Wu State into ruin long ago... There was no way they could have dragged things out for so many years and ended up in this awkward half-alive state...

Though he never voiced those thoughts aloud, the implication was obvious enough. Li Ximing pondered in silence for a long while. Before he could ask another question, Chen Yin said with a grave expression, "Don't think Yue State is the only one in such a predicament. Wu State can't escape it either. It is just as mired in turmoil. I've heard that the light of True Essence is also a major figure, and the great families of Wu State have been suffering miserably under his attacks."

Li Ximing took a sip of tea as the elderly man narrowed his eyes and continued, "My family borders Wu State, so our information is a bit more timely. Given the current state of the world, what Purple Mansion Realm cultivator can't sense that something is amiss? Even the unluckiest among them would understand after suffering a few setbacks. Peace will soon return to Wu State!"

He lowered his voice. "Back in Anhuai Heaven, there were three portions of True Essence. One was obtained by Changhuai, while another fell into Zipei's hands. If the final portion transformed into a demonic entity, then the one in the Yang Family's possession could only be that last portion."

The old man's meaning was unmistakable. Gritting his teeth, he said, "There was a reason Qing Tangyin began cultivating True Essence so early. He devoted himself entirely to Tianwu's Dao lineage, studying Tianwu's [Martial Inquiry Purification Vessel] while refining the [Profound Whip of True Devotion], and then even learning the [Martial Seal of Sovereign Authority]... None of them came out quite right. One was incomplete, while the next was equally unsatisfactory. I thought he was simply fumbling about at random. It turns out he was only rehearsing all along!"

Li Ximing keenly caught the shift in his emotions, and vaguely realized that the Chen Family's relationship with Changhuai was less than harmonious.

Still, Chen Yin merely shook his head. "Two of the three paths have already emerged. The turmoil here is likely far from over. If your esteemed family learns anything, I hope you will be sure to inform us..."

At least in his eyes, no matter how great the karmic entanglements surrounding the Li Family, so long as Li Zhouwei did not die prematurely, Moongaze Lake was destined for a glorious era. No matter how devastating the fall might be once that glory faded, the Li Family would remain safe until that day arrived.

Unaware of the full story, he sighed with such sentiments. But in Li Ximing's mind, the truth had only become clearer.

Where was the final portion?

His aunt had already made it clear long ago. It was in the hands of the dragons, being prepared for the dragon's pursuit of truth. However, whether the Dragon Monarchs would even allow it to reincarnate was uncertain. Even if it did, it would only return as a True Essence dragon of the sea!

Li Ximing remained silent. After serving tea to bid his guest farewell, he escorted the Daoist Master all the way out.

When he returned, he saw Li Zhouwei appear among the mountains with a grave expression. "A letter has arrived from Jiangliang."

"Hm?"

A trace of confusion appeared on Li Ximing's face, accompanied by a vague sense of foreboding. Li Zhouwei glanced at the courtyard guards nearby before the two of them sat down in the mountainside pavilion. He then took out a letter.

Li Ximing watched him place it on the table. He glanced at it once, and the expression on his face instantly froze.

Yang... Tianya...

Meeting Li Zhouwei's solemn gaze, he immediately knew something was wrong and said quietly, "Go invite the old elder."

The name Yang Tianya was hardly famous in Jiangnan. He had only enjoyed some renown a century ago, and few among the younger generation even recognized him now. But the Li Family could never forget him.

Back then, after our family received the talisman seeds, we claimed that our elders all possessed innate ability to conceal the truth, and pretended that Ancestor Li Mutian was a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator...

That lie had temporarily protected the Li Family, but a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator having so many children inevitably aroused suspicion. It was not until Li Zhouwei was born and the title Bright Yang Wei's Li became associated with the Li Family that this inconsistency was finally patched over.

Yet Yang Tianya had once been Li Mutian's direct superior. He had even deliberately acknowledged the existence of Li Mutian as a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, even though the entire story was pure fabrication!

"The descendants of an old acquaintance..."

Those four simple words carried a force that could not be underestimated. Whether they were meant as mockery or a threat was impossible to tell, and they made Li Ximing furrow his brow.

Only after the old elder had taken a seat in the mountain pavilion and finished reading the brief letter did Li Zhouwei say softly, "Yang Tianya definitely knows something is amiss... Those four words were deliberate. We have to make this trip to Simin Prefecture!"

Li Xuanxuan read the letter over twice. His lips had turned slightly pale.

Li Ximing frowned. "Now that he has reached the Purple Mansion Realm, he undoubtedly possesses perfect recall. If Ancestor Mutian never caught his attention back then, we still have room to maneuver. But if he took a good look at him long ago, this matter will be much harder to resolve.

"No matter what, the fact remains that Ancestor Mutian had four sons, and at least three of them possessed spiritual orifices. That cannot be erased. Even if he really had been a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, there would still be an inherent flaw in the story..."

His expression grew even more serious. "The four elders of the four lineages are all close in age, born only a short time apart... Under normal circumstances, an ordinary Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator could never have children like that. Only someone who was both a Bright Yang descendant of Wei and a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator could possibly do so."

He pondered for a few breaths before continuing, "Remember this... Even with perfect recall, he cannot possibly remember the names of tens of thousands of people. He would never be able to match Ancestor Mutian to one ordinary mortal among countless others. As long as he never actually met Ancestor Mutian, we can simply claim he was a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator from somewhere else and that we attached our fabricated lineage to his name..."

Li Xuanxuan fell silent for a moment before finally speaking, "Yang Tianya definitely met him. Not only did he meet him, he could even... call him by name."

Li Ximing's heart tightened. The two Purple Mansion Realm cultivators turned to look at Li Xuanxuan as the old man said quietly, "When I was young... I was fortunate enough to meet the ancestor. He once told me about the conscription along Guli Road. Back then, he had held a modest official post."

The old man's face turned pale, filled with a fear that had come only in hindsight. "He told me, 'General Yang maintained strict discipline, yet he ate and lived alongside us as though we were family. He personally instructed us in the battle techniques of the Yue army.'"

Li Xuanxuan's pupils dilated, and his voice trembled slightly. "Now we know that Yang Tianya was using an army formation of ten thousand men to refine his weapon... If that's the case! If that's the case! Then why would a dignified Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, an imperial descendant of the Yue State, choose to eat and live alongside ordinary mortals as though they were family...

"He did it deliberately. He was the first to notice our family, the first to notice the Wei's Li bloodline we carried. Earlier than anyone... earlier than anyone..."

Li Xuanxuan's words were laden with meaning, sending a chill down Li Ximing's spine. Setting his teacup down, Li Ximing lowered his gaze and said, "So... he had met Ancestor Mutian long ago. He may even have deliberately let Ancestor Mutian return... to Moongaze Lake."

Li Zhouwei's expression darkened as he picked up the conversation. "And that was why he vouched for our family for no apparent reason... From that moment onward, the Underworld's judiciary had already set its plans in motion. It wasn't Peak Master Yuan Tuan who sought us out. It was Imperial Cloud Peak that made the first move. At the very least, Imperial Cloud Peak may have deliberately arranged for her to come to our doorstep...

"The exposure of our family's Wei's Li bloodline... was something the Yang Family had anticipated all along."

Li Ximing opened his mouth as if to speak but stopped himself. Meanwhile, Li Zhouwei's expression grew darker with every passing moment. "If the union of the Wei's Li bloodline and the Yang Family's bloodline was orchestrated by the Underworld's judiciary, then I have another question. Such a union could only be carried out without leaving traces if the Li Family first entered the Azure Pond Sect. If that's true, was Si Yuanbai of Qingsui Peak really just passing through this place by coincidence back then?"

Those words left Li Ximing breaking into a cold sweat, while Li Zhouwei merely narrowed his eyes and continued, "If the family's elders entering the sect was the original objective, then the Sword Immortal displaying such extraordinary innate ability and obtaining Supreme Yin Moonlight was probably beyond their expectations. At that point, they had no choice but to abandon the plan..."

Li Ximing quietly asked, "But what about Si Yuanbai?"

Li Zhouwei's voice turned icy as he replied, "He vanished from the Azure Pond Sect without warning, leaving behind only the words that he had gone west. He has been missing for over a hundred years without the slightest trace. No one has been able to find him... Even Si Yuanli has forgotten him completely. Could there be a reason for that?"

Li Ximing's expression barely changed as he sat there quietly, but inside, his thoughts had already been thrown into utter turmoil, a wave of icy dread washing over him.

Si Yuanbai.

The name was far from unfamiliar to him. Si Yuanbai could even be considered his grandmaster. His disappearance had always weighed on Xiao Yuansi's heart, something he should have remembered constantly. Yet as these thoughts surfaced, a sudden doubt arose in Li Ximing's mind.

If master truly kept thinking about Si Yuanbai... Then even if Daoist Master Xiao said nothing, when I reached the Purple Mansion Realm and personally met him by the lakeside, speaking with him for so long, he should have asked me about him... But he didn't.

When had Xiao Yuansi remembered Si Yuanbai?

In Cangzhou.

Xiao Yuansi's exact words had been, "For years now, one matter has kept resurfacing in my mind."

It was only after reaching Cangzhou... While he was in Jiangnan, he simply would not remember Si Yuanbai. Even if the thought crossed his mind, he would let it pass without giving it any further thought. Only after leaving Jiangnan and arriving in Cangzhou of the Northern Sea... only after reaching Cangzhou in the Northern Sea did he begin to ponder it. Only then did he remember to ask after my grandmaster's whereabouts.

Suddenly, Xiao Chuting's aged face appeared before his eyes, and that weathered voice echoed in his ears once more. "Be cautious in both friendship and patronage"

Can this really be investigated?

An absolute silence fell over Zhijing Mountain. Countless white blossoms drifted upon the wind as Li Zhouwei's voice grew quieter and heavier. "If that's the case, if they noticed Wei's Li bloodline so early, then wouldn't it be perfectly reasonable for them to send one or two Underworld envoys? Or perhaps not even Underworld envoys. Just one or two cultivators to keep watch would have been more than enough."

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