Li Xuanfeng acknowledged the command and slowly backed away. Only when he had reached the cave entrance did he lift his head. For a fleeting moment, the mist-shrouded jade platform no longer seemed to hold Yuan Su, but instead, a vast pool of crystal-clear water.
A melancholic flute melody drifted past his ears, ethereal and mournful. Only after stepping out of the cave did Li Xuanfeng finally regain his composure, sighing inwardly, “Yuan Su does not have much time left.”
————
Green Pine Island.
Green Pine Island was not particularly large, but in recent years, it had been nourished by spiritual energy. The geomantic lines had grown stronger, causing the entire mountain to rise several times in height. Even the underwater mountain range gradually surfaced. Apart from the territories that had already been divided among various sects, some overseas forces of the Foundation Establishment Realm had begun establishing outposts there.
Yet ten years passed in the blink of an eye and the spiritual energy of Green Pine Island dwindled year by year. After all, it was never truly a blessed land, merely a former resting place of an ancient grotto heaven. Now, it was gradually returning to its original state.
As one of the most renowned forces in the mainland, the Azure Pond Sect occupied an entire peak of its own. The mountain was covered in green pines and the northern winds howled relentlessly.
Li Xizhi sat quietly in the mountains, while beside a jade table stood Li Yuexiang. She wore a flowing robe, gripping her sword as faint sparks of flame flickered around her. Blessed by the island’s spiritual energy, she had progressed swiftly over the years and had now broken through to the fifth stage of the Qi Cultivation Realm.
Li Xizhi, as composed as ever, had reached the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment Realm. His spells had become even more refined. As he meditated quietly on his spells, shimmering rainbow lights appeared around him and radiated an aura of mystery. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚
After a brief wait, someone approached and reported, “Daoist, Han Shizhen has come to visit.”
“Let him up,” said Li Xizhi.
Hearing that Han Shizhen had arrived, Li Yuexiang quickly found an excuse to leave. Li Xizhi put away his jade slip and saw a middle-aged man step forward, wearing a broad smile as he greeted, “Greetings, Daoist!”
This man was the head of the Han Family from Dongliu. His cultivation was decent and as a heir in his younger years, he had personally visited the Li Family and established ties with them. Through this connection, he had partnered with the Li Family in the trade of Wanglin Blossom.
The Han Family was relatively close to this place. Han Shizhen had a sociable nature, willing to be both generous and humble when needed. This allowed him to establish connections easily. When he heard that the Li Family had stationed a Daoist Master here, he immediately became interested. Over the years, he visited over a dozen times, bearing gifts and making efforts to build rapport. Until finally, he was granted an audience on the mountain.
Since they already had some prior ties, Li Xizhi let him be. After years of persistence, Han Shizhen had indeed managed to build a closer relationship.
Han Shizhen, with an eager smile, exchanged some pleasantries before getting to the point. He said, “I have come with important news for the Daoist.”
Seeing Li Xizhi turn his gaze towards him, he put on a solemn expression and said in a serious tone, “Daoist, I have uncovered some clues. Yuan Chengdun may already be dead!”
“What?”
Li Xizhi merely frowned, but then Han Shizhen hurriedly pulled a piece of bluish stone from his sleeve and handed it over, speaking in a grave tone, “A few days ago, a group of rogue cultivators from the Qunyi Strait brought back a number of spirit item and sold them in our family’s market. My men kept reporting that these spirit items were unlike anything they had seen before.
“I went to inspect them myself and consulted several ancient texts. That’s when I identified this as Demon Suppressing Stone, a material long extinct overseas but still found in the mainland. When I pressed the rogue cultivators for details, they claimed that these stones suddenly appeared in midair and dropped into the sea.
“I had heard that Yuan Chengdun practiced Sprawling Azure Mountain, a cultivation method that, upon death, transforms the body into this very type of spirit item. Suspicious, I investigated further and found a considerable amount of these stones at the seabed.”
Li Xizhi, well-versed in such matters, immediately understood what he was implying. He murmured, “You mean… he perished inside a secret realm, transformed into spirit items as his body returned to nature, then the items were all expelled from the realm and landed in the sea?”
“Daoist, your insight is sharp!” Han Shizhen immediately flattered him. Li Xizhi had received much favor from his master and was particularly concerned about Yuan Tuan. Over the years, he had searched all over the Eastern Sea for clues. Knowing this, Han Shizhen did not hesitate to report any findings to him.
Now that he had finally obtained a clue regarding Yuan Tuan, Li Xizhi’s heart stirred, and he asked, “Did you find the two Demon Subduing Copper Rods?”
Han Shizhen shook his head. Li Xizhi pondered for a brief moment before deducing and said, “If Yuan Chengdun truly perished in this event, then the Demon Subduing Copper Rods must have already been taken. Those rogue cultivators likely have them. But such treasures are far too valuable, they must be hiding them carefully and would never admit it to you.”
Han Shizhen was briefly stunned but quickly realized the truth. He said regretfully, “I was careless! Once I had my suspicions, I rushed to inform you and didn’t dare delay. I should have captured them immediately.”
Li Xizhi, long aware that Eastern Sea cultivators operated with little regard for morality, was unsurprised. He said in a low voice, “I will accompany you to that market. While we’re there, I will take a look at exactly where in the Qunyi Strait this occurred.”