Chapter 530: Remaining Wealth

Chapter 530: Spare Merit

Li Qinghong’s pupils dilated slightly, the purple hue in her bright eyes fading considerably. She had already stowed away her [Du Ruo], let out a soft breath, clasped her slender hands, and spoke in a low voice:

“Qinghong greets the elder.”

Li Qinghong had etched the scene of that day firmly in her mind. Chi Buzu seemed to have a problem with his soul, and she did not know if he still remembered what had happened then, so she held back her words and only addressed him as an elder.

If Chi Buzu had lost his memory, it would be as if they had never met; if he was that Water Mansion Immortal Official, her greeting would still be correct.

The Chi Buzu before her wore his hair loose, did not speak, sat down on a stone bench nearby, and fixed his pale cyan pupils on her.

He had attained the Purple Mansion realm for many years, and the Lushui Path was one of rising and falling purity and turbidity. His appearance was naturally fine, his demeanor clear and unworldly, yet his eyes held a hint of demonic malice and strangeness. He parted his lips slightly and spoke in a low voice:

“Li Qinghong, you recognize me.”

Though he was smiling, his words were icy cold, like the snow and ice of the deepest winter, falling in flurries upon Li Qinghong. She lowered her eyebrows, parted her lips, and replied:

“The elder jesting… Qinghong has cultivated for decades and has never set eyes on a Purple Mansion cultivator; how could I be so fortunate as to behold a true immortal’s presence…”

Chi Buzu was clearly sitting in the secondary seat, and he had not used any divine arts, yet the aura emanating from him was so overwhelming that it weighed heavily on the chest of Li Qinghong, who stood waiting by the side.

“Thud, thud, thud…”

The clear spring in the cave grew loud, and its crystal-clear waters gradually turned a murky gray. Chi Buzu raised his eyebrows and smiled:

“Li Qinghong, I see it clearly—you are afraid of me, or rather, afraid because of your guilt. You may have means to resist divine arts, but I see it clearly.”

Chi Buzu looked at her quietly:

“Most likely, I used a soul-searching art that time, which linked to that one’s metal nature, hence I ended up in this predicament. This time, however, I will not be careless.”

The golden sash around his waist glowed with magical light. Chi Buzu stood up, took two steps on the platform, and spoke in a low voice:

“I suspected it was your clan, so I did not dare to look back at Moon-Watching Lake. But after investigating, I found there was also Zongquan Island overseas, so I waited here.”

Chi Buzu tucked his hands behind his back, facing away from the light source in the cave. There were two faint lines on his pale hands. He spoke in a soft voice:

“Now Lushui has gone to the outer heavens and has no energy to pay attention here, so I have come, Li Qinghong.”

He slowly turned around, and from his pale cyan pupils, a terrifying wisp of turbid qi drifted out, converging into a cloud of smoke that curled upward along the corners of his eyes:

“Which noble one are you serving? Yingze? The Village Immortal? Or the one in charge of the Water Mansion?”

Li Qinghong did not answer him. She only felt the suffocating sensation in her inner mansion growing stronger. She pondered Chi Buzu’s words word by word and immediately drew a conclusion:

“‘I suspected it was your clan’ and ‘you are afraid of me’—Chi Buzu’s memory is definitely incomplete. Otherwise, he would not need to speculate at all; if he remembered what happened that day, there would be no need for all this guessing!”

“Most likely, he has forgotten what happened on the lake. Whether he has forgotten or not, at the very least, he dares not remember!”

Chi Buzu seemed not to care at all, yet his pale cyan pupils seemed to be observing her expression. He said:

“Li Qinghong, that one left a trick in my soul—you should know that.”

He let out a soft laugh, bared his sharp white teeth, curled his fingers in a gesture, and whispered:

“I did not dare to think about it at all. I took that foolish immortal official on a tour of the East Sea, showed him everything one by one, and shattered his entire set of tricks. Then his resolve wavered, and he lost his support.”

“When one’s resolve wavers, one makes wrong decisions. It was only after I devoured that foolish immortal official and absorbed all his cultivation that I dared to think about it. The noble one underestimated me, as did Chi Wei, Yuan Xiu, and Lushui.”

His tone was steady:

“Buzu is not the kind of fool that is easily suppressed. The means that can subdue other Purple Mansion cultivators cannot subdue me.”

“I have devoured the immortal official, and it was a great tonic. It allowed me to cultivate my fourth divine art, which is called [Chou Gui Concealment]. It lets me conceal all kinds of arts within my body, enabling me to do many things.”

He walked all the way to the primary seat, then sat down slowly, facing the light in the cave, and spoke in a soft voice:

“The noble one dares not kill me, which means you have not yet reached the Golden Elixir realm. If the noble one wishes to reclaim your position, Lushui must be eliminated.”

Chi Buzu smiled faintly and spoke in a soft voice:

“No matter how Lushui’s position is handled, Buzu does not crave anything else—only a Golden Elixir position, whether it is a spare position or an intercalary position, I only crave a Golden Elixir position.”

“The noble one will need this…”

His expression was sincere, and he spoke in a gentle voice:

“If the noble one wishes to reclaim your position or even an immortal position in this world, you need a capable assistant. Trust me, in such a turbid world, whether you take the righteous path or the evil path, someone like Buzu is a sharp sword. Immortal officials will only cause more and more trouble.”

Chi Buzu did not wait for Li Qinghong’s answer and spoke in a soft voice:

“I, a mere Purple Mansion cultivator, cannot see whether Lushui will return seriously wounded or whether Shangyuan will be destroyed and flee back to his position. But the noble one has your own certainty. If you have orders, you can use fate to stir this humble one—I, Buzu, can perceive it.”

He sounded both like he was making a promise and like he was conducting some kind of test as he spoke in a low voice:

“It is just that if this humble one dies, Lushui will definitely notice it, and I fear that will ruin the noble one’s affairs.”

Li Qinghong understood that the other party was not speaking to her. She only stood in silence. Chi Buzu rose from the primary seat, descended the steps, and walked all the way to Li Qinghong’s front, smiling:

“Buzu takes his leave.”

His figure was like a turbid wind, vanishing in an instant as he escaped into the Great Void through a crack in the stone.

Li Qinghong still stood in the courtyard, not knowing if the noble one Chi Buzu had spoken of was watching. She stood quietly for two breaths, then sat cross-legged and silently mulled over Chi Buzu’s words.

The Qunyi Strait.

Chi Buzu traveled through the Great Void, going deep into the sea for a full ten thousand li before stopping on an uninhabited islet.

His hands, hidden in his sleeves, still trembled uncontrollably. His breathing was rapid, and his former composure had long been cast to the winds. He still felt his vision darkening.

“Dammit… that was a True Monarch or even an immortal…”

Chi Buzu panted, calming his mood a little. The fact that he had not yet burst into a pool of pale green water meant that his words had gained at least a certain degree of approval from this True Monarch.

“Striking a deal with a tiger… it was the only way I had…”

Chi Buzu’s expression gradually turned grim:

“Lushui cannot not know that one must prove their way through purity and turbidity to succeed in this path now. Yet he tricked Chi Rui and Chi Wei into going in circles! He passed down that Five Elements Gold-Seeking Method—obviously, he does not want the two of them to succeed in their breakthroughs!”

“That’s right. Mu Hai has said it many times—he has already exhausted all his efforts to suppress the dragon nature in his position. How could he tolerate others attaining a spare or intercalary position? He is desperate to prevent others from taking over!”

Chi Buzu’s gaze was hidden in deep gloom, like a venomous snake, as he muttered secretly:

“If I want to break through to the Golden Elixir realm, staying under Lushui’s door will only lead to death sooner or later! Being thrown into his Lushui Sunflower Pool… if I do not break through to the Golden Elixir realm in this life, what is the point? I might as well die!”

He, a barefoot man, feared not those with shoes. He did not care at all about being killed by the True Monarch behind the Li clan or being discovered by Lushui—if he could not break through to the Golden Elixir realm, he would die sooner or later anyway.

“If I die, so be it—I will just give it a try!”

Chi Buzu’s thoughts raced as he muttered secretly:

“It is just that that one is most likely also of the water virtue. I will play both sides and find out clearly. If that one runs into trouble, with Lushui’s support, I still have a chance to attain the Golden Elixir realm after the matter is done……”

……

Green Du Mountain.

Li Xijun rode the wind back from the shores of the lake and landed on the mountain. He had seen the strange omens in the north and east. It was not just his Li clan—all of Jiangnan was in a state of panic, with everyone fearing for their own safety.

Li Ximing had already secluded himself for cultivation, but Li Xijun had to keep an eye on these developments. His clan’s manpower in Milin County was gradually being reinforced, and several families had been transferred over to prepare for the establishment of several mansion peaks.

After all, Milin County was quite vast, even broader than the Li clan’s original territory, so there was more than enough space to establish several peaks.

He had just entered the hall when he saw a young man standing inside—elegant and noble, clad in white robes, with a distinguished demeanor. Li Xijun’s eyes lit up and he smiled:

“Zhi Ge!”

The one arriving could be none other than Li Xizhi; having spent a night on Forging Mountain, he had ultimately been unable to set his worries aside, so he’d ridden the wind back alone, leaving Yang Xiao’er in the safety of Forging Mountain.

He nodded at his younger brother and spoke in a soft voice:

“The True Lord of Upper Yuan has successfully broken through his cultivation in the Northern Sea—you must have heard the news.”

Seeing Li Xijun nod, he gave a rough account of the situation across the Four Seas, and just then Li Chengliao rode the wind over; his eyes lit up at the sight of Li Xizhi, he bowed in greeting and cupped his fists to say:

“The several clan branches in the dense forest have all been settled; they are now surveying the earth veins, planning to carve out a few mountains to establish new clan peaks.”

Li Xijun responded in a low voice, and outside, a light drizzle began to patter down; Li Chengliao looked somewhat distracted, casting a faint glance at the rain.

Li Xijun’s heart also sank a little; with the frequent anomalous signs these days, he wondered if they would affect Li Xifeng, who was in seclusion to break through his cultivation. He had barely let the thought linger when someone appeared from below.

This bright and generous woman was Li Minggong, the eldest sister of the Chengm ing generation; her cultivation was not high, having only reached the early stage of Qi Refining to this day. Her face was marked with sorrow as she cupped her fists to say:

“Uncle Eight… Uncle First’s life jade… it’s shattered.”

Li Xijun froze where he stood, finally understanding the origin of the rain; upon hearing the bad news about his father, Li Chengliao’s eyes gradually reddened as he stood rooted to the spot.

Li Xifeng was Li Xijun’s blood brother; their father had passed away early, and Li Xijun held deep affection for him. Even though he had had a premonition, he still froze in place, while Li Xizhi, unaware that his eldest brother was in seclusion to break through, wore a faint look of grief and said in a low voice:

“What happened!”

The group quickly rode the wind up, plunging like lightning into the underground water mansion of Green Cypress Mountain; only then did they notice the faint dampness in the cave, and when they flew to the stone door of the seclusion chamber, they saw water droplets covering the stone walls.

At the sight, Li Xizhi immediately understood; he lowered his brows and waited. After hesitating for a moment, Li Xijun finally asked Li Chengliao to open the door, while instructing Li Minggong:

“My eldest brother has many offspring—go fetch them here.”

Li Minggong nodded; with a sword hanging at her waist, her demeanor was elegant as she replied:

“I have already sent someone to fetch them; they will arrive shortly, and the several clan elders from the Clan Head’s Courtyard are also on their way.”

Back then, Li Ximing had abandoned his post and quit; Li Xifeng had then received the instruction to take over the position of Young Clan Head, later becoming the Clan Head, before the position finally fell to Li Chengliao. His death was a major event, and the clan elders’ presence was indispensable.

Both in terms of affection and etiquette, Li Chengliao was the one to enter and tidy up the spiritual husk, while the matters here naturally fell to Li Xijun to handle. He quickly stabilized his emotions, watching as several young men and women entered the water mansion one after another, all looking quite restrained.

They were Li Chengliao’s younger siblings; some had low talent, others were mortal. The Li Clan’s system in this regard was quite cruel—these children had not only never been to Green Cypress Mountain before, but their every move was also watched because of their status, leaving them all silent.

Li Xijun carefully asked for their names; noticing their even shabby attire, he had not yet had time to ask more when the clan elders, led by Li Xuanxuan, all arrived. Most were white-haired elders, and Li Xuanxuan’s beard trembled as he looked deeply regretful.

The several members of the Clan Head’s Courtyard stood by the side, following the current Clan Head Li Zhouwei; the heir stood with his brows lowered, his fingers turning pale as he tightly clutched the jade slip in his hand.

After observing everyone’s every move closely, Li Xijun finally spoke in a soft voice:

“In accordance with the old rules, the items in my eldest brother’s storage pouch and cave are to be given to Chengliao, while the remaining spiritual assets and treasures are to be distributed among his children. We are all here to witness this—you may begin the announcement.”

Having said this, he waited for Li Zhouwei to handle the distribution, but to his surprise, the young man cupped his fists and replied:

“Grandfather’s residence, two meditation cushions, and one incense burner amount to three spirit stones in total, which is not enough for distribution; they have been converted into three hundred catties of spiritual rice, fifty catties per person.”

At these words, Li Xuanxuan was the first to freeze; the clan elders looked at each other with varied expressions, and Li Xizhi exchanged a glance with Li Xuanxuan, both understanding each other’s thought:

“Chengliao and Zhouwei are not the type to covet such wealth… why are they acting so greedily…”

After a moment of silence, a man stepped forward; he was Li Xifeng’s second son, now married with a beard, and he spoke respectfully:

“Esteemed elders, my grandfather left no mortal possessions behind; my father grew up in hardship and disliked luxury, so he gave all the items he obtained in his lifetime to poor cultivators inside and outside the clan. He usually cultivated in Green Cypress Mountain, and his residence had not a single spiritual item.”

His words left everyone silent; Li Xijun nodded gently, and Li Zhouwei beside him said:

“Esteemed elders, my grandfather governed the clan for seventeen years and died with no surplus wealth.”

Li Xizhi fell silent, suddenly recalling the Breath Nurturing Jade Pendant his eldest brother Li Xifeng had bought for him with his savings when he left home at twelve to join the sect.

Back then, Li Xifeng had forced the pendant into his hand; Li Xizhi’s mother’s clan was the Xiao Clan, and his father had been the Clan Head at the time, so he was used to a life of luxury—holding the pendant felt like holding a piece of hot coal.

This pendant was not even as good as the standard pendant for Qingchi Sect disciples, yet he had worn it on his wrist for years without even noticing it.

Now, the tactile sensation of the pendant against his skin became distinct, turning unusually cold; upon hearing the words “died with no surplus wealth,” Li Xizhi’s heart felt heavy.

Having spent years with his elder brother, Li Xijun felt the grief more deeply, his heart growing dim:

“My eldest brother always thought he had unjustly taken Ximing’s position, so he has always walked on thin ice. None of the young masters ever received the treatment of a master… he was even harsh on himself.”

As he was lost in thought, the clan elders whispered among themselves; Li Xizhi turned his head and spoke gently to Li Xijun:

“Eldest brother was not one for words, only for hard work. When Ximing exits his seclusion, we must tell him this… the burden he abandoned when he quit his post at eighteen, our elder brother took care of it all for him.”

There was originally more description of Li Xifeng—roughly two or three chapters worth to shape his character—but it was cut during a previous pace acceleration. Now, I will do my best to shape his character, hoping to leave an impression on everyone.

(End of Chapter)