Chapter 1671: Mountain's Might (I)

Shanqing... Shanqing...

A subtle change came over Li Zhouwei's expression. Looking at the old man before him, who had lowered his gaze and fallen silent, he asked, "Did he truly disappear without a trace? A figure like him had already reached the stage of perfected divine abilities. How could he simply vanish all of a sudden? If he had attempted to attain a position, the world would have undergone changes, and everyone in the world would have known."

There was a probing note in his words. Cui Changfu remained seated in a daze for several moments before leaving his seat to seal the hall. He then returned to the steps, looking somewhat uncertain as he replied, "My lord, you're correct. The ancient texts state that when one attempts but fails to attain Dui Metal: [Autumn and winter shall come early, armies shall be redeployed, merchants shall gather like clouds, and all under heaven shall rejoice.]

“But if one succeeds in attaining it, who could record the truth? Those who openly proclaim their attainment to the world and allow all under heaven to write of it must possess the sincere heart of a venerable. There are not many such figures..."

Clearly, although the ancient texts contained no record of anyone attaining the Dao, Cui Changfu's words implied that Daoist Shanqing had already achieved his goal and quietly withdrawn from the world!

"[Dui Metal]!"

Li Zhouwei fell silent for a moment.

[Dui Metal] was not an obscure Dao lineage. The renowned Golden Feather Sect, an immortal sect that held dominion over an entire region of Yue State, was an orthodox sect of the [Dui Metal] lineage, known as the [Golden One Dao Lineage]. Ever since the True Monarch of Golden Feather Sect had manifested in the world, he had been regarded as the master of the [Dui Metal] Fruition Position.

If that unfathomable National Preceptor attained the Dao back then, and no intercalation took place, there is an overwhelming chance that he became a figure of Dui Metal!

He keenly grasped the old man's implication, True Monarch Taiyuan of Golden Feather Sect... is likewise an enemy of Bright Yang and cannot be trusted. If Li Qianyuan were to be resurrected, he would probably be the first to step forward and stop it!

It was difficult to say how accurate this information was. For now, at least, it remained only the Cui Family's side of the story. Li Zhouwei sensed that the other party still held many secrets he did not quite dare reveal.

His expression grew solemn as, for the first time, he asked openly and without reservation, "I have one question. Does Wei's Li... truly belong to Douxuan Dao lineage?"

Although countless pieces of evidence already supported this conclusion in his mind, he still needed to ask the question aloud and receive a clear, unequivocal answer.

The old man gazed at him for a long while before replying, "The relationship between Wei's Li and Douxuan is the same as that between Great Ning and Douxuan. If you insist upon a definite answer... Then yes, it is!"

Li Zhouwei looked at him and suddenly asked, "I would like to hear... what ancient information you have concerning Dui Metal."

Cui Changfu hurriedly shook his head. Although he clearly knew what Li Zhouwei wished to hear, he answered evasively, "I would not dare speak of Dui Metal. I have merely heard a few stories concerning Metal Virtue... Have you heard of the [Dao of Thunder Steering and Cloud Dwelling]?"

How could Li Zhouwei not know of it? When it came to familiarity with [Dao of Thunder Steering and Cloud Dwelling], there were only a scarce few people in the mainland who could compare with his family. One of his own elders had transformed into a spirit because of this very Dao and, to this day, remained unable to take even a single step beyond the Lie Sea!

He quietly nodded, and Cui Changfu continued in a somber voice, "Profound Thunder was based in the Northern Sea and was commonly known as [Northern Palace Divine Thunder], but few people know anything of its presence in the other three seas... In truth, the Thunder Palace once established Thunder Dao lineages throughout all four seas to keep devil cultivators in check.

"However, after the destruction of the Thunder Palace, the Profound Thunder lineage suffered a devastating blow to its foundations. Most of these Dao lineages subsequently came under other branches of the Douxuan Dao lineage. Among them, the Eastern Sea lineage was second only to that of the Northern Sea. The foremost disciple of [Yanyang Temple] entered the sea to guard it and restore order, establishing what became [Dao of Thunder Steering and Cloud Dwelling].

“Meanwhile, the [Motongji Palace] of the Milin Dao lineage manifested in the world, entered the Southern Sea, and unified the Thunder Dao lineages there while retaining the name [Motongji Palace]... Only the Thunder Dao of the Western Sea had always been exceedingly weak. When the Northern Sea collapsed, it was destroyed that very day and vanished without a trace."

Cui Changfu hesitated, as though uncertain whether to continue, before saying, "However, behind [Dao of Thunder Steering and Cloud Dwelling] stood another great figure, the last Venerable to ascend to a Thunder Position. His venerable title was [Venerable of the Tranquil Realm Who Hears the Roar of Heavenly Thunder]. Entrusted with guarding the Eastern Sea, he kept a low profile and survived into the era when the various Supreme Yang lineages began contending for positions...

"It was only through his protection that the last surviving branch of the Profound Thunder Dao lineage was preserved."

Li Zhouwei listened closely. Cui Changfu then changed the subject and lowered his voice. "Yet when Great Liang fell and the realm descended into chaos, the Fuqi Family rose abruptly in the north, and Xiuyue attained the Dao... After Liang fell and Zhao arose, bringing peace to the realm, this great figure suddenly vanished without a trace. Thundercloud Temple, where [Dao of Thunder Steering and Cloud Dwelling] was based, along with the Thundercloud Divine Island of that era, sank beneath the sea and disappeared.

"That same year, [Motongji Palace] ascended in broad daylight, and eighteen islands rose from the waters of the Southern Sea. With that, the last afterglow of the age of the Thunder Dao faded away."

Cui Changfu raised his eyes and glanced at Li Zhouwei. He said, "It was from that point onward that Dui Metal began eradicating the remnants of Thunder."

Li Zhouwer murmured, "So... It was from that point onward that the remnants of Lightning fell under Metal..."

The matter became clear in Li Zhouwei's mind.

This was most likely the work of that Dui Metal True Monarch... It was he who orchestrated the rise and fall of the Qi emperor, and was also he who eradicated the remnants of thunder.

Back when Zhang Duanyan came to the Li Family to proclaim the immortal decree, he had explicitly referred to Luoxia as the upper sect, clearly establishing the relationship between Luoxia and Golden Feather as superior and subordinate. Moreover, since True Monarch Zhang was a figure of Tongxuan, the matter now became quite clear.

The reason Daoist Shanqing could drive the common people like cattle and sheep was most likely because the Dao of Sheji, which stood opposed to the Thunder Palace, was supporting him from behind. Whether they were allies or merely engaged in a transaction is still a question. Perhaps he borrowed the power of Sheji during that great upheaval, and eliminating the remnants of thunder became his repayment...

But if that was the case, why was there no trace of the Dao of Sheji?

He pondered for a long while before asking, "Did [Motongji Palace] leave any successors? Ascending in broad daylight sounds more like a sign that when one person attains the Dao, even his chickens and dogs ascend with him. It does not sound like a tragic end."

Seeing Li Zhouwei's questions delve ever deeper, Cui Changfu gradually grew anxious. Fortunately, this region was under the rule of the dragons, who had never been on good terms with either the Thunder Palace or Luoxia, so there was little harm in discussing these matters. Yet he did not dare refuse to answer. Gritting his teeth, he finally spoke.

"The master of [Motongji Palace]... possessed extraordinary mystics. He was once the foremost Dao Scion of the Southern Reach Dao lineage. At the time, the Four Mis[1] of the Southern Reach had already fallen into decline, and he was hailed as an immortal genius destined to restore the Southern Reach...

"Yet after this Dao lineage reached the Southern Sea, it formally broke away from the Milin lineage. It no longer revered Douxuan as its source and instead attained the Dao through Daos such as [Boundless Essence], [Supreme Shaman], and [Kui's Body]... Blending immortal and Buddhist teachings, it styled itself the Motong Dao lineage."

Li Zhouwei frowned as he asked, "Another fusion of immortal and Buddhist teachings?"

This was hardly the first instance of such a fusion. Legend held that the master of [Yanyang Temple] had perished precisely because he sought to unite immortal and Buddhist teachings. The [Dao of Thunder Steering and Cloud Dwelling] was also known as Thundercloud Temple, and now [Motongji Palace] had likewise blended the two. With the same pattern appearing time and again, there was likely more behind it than any simple explanation could account for.

Cui Changfu's expression dimmed somewhat as he replied, "This matter... is difficult to explain. Its origins reach back to even more ancient times, and no one knows the reason behind it. But of the three Douxuan Dao lineages known throughout the world, at least two have never been clearly distinct from Buddhist cultivators. Only the Thunder Dao of the Northern Palace maintained a clearer boundary."

Cui Changfu looked deeply disheartened. "To us later generations, none of this seems like a good thing. We could perhaps overlook [Brilliant Essence] being attained by Suxikong, but [Kui's Body] originally belonged to the Douxuan Dao lineage as well. Yet after being passed from hand to hand over the years, it ultimately ended up in the possession of Buddhist cultivators..."

He paused briefly, then seemed to realize something and asked, "Your highness, have you heard of [Kui's Body]? There are few Dao lineages left in the world today that still know of it..."

Li Zhouwei naturally knew of this Dao lineage of the Zhao emperor. He nodded for Cui Changfu to continue, and Cui Changfu immediately apologized for his presumption before continuing to explain, "In fact, [Motongji Palace] did leave behind a legacy. More than half of the great Dao lineages in the Southern Sea inherited something from them, including [Southern Shun Raksha] and [Great Konghai Temple]... This is why the Dao lineages of the Southern Sea developed into a tradition of their own."

These were all familiar names. Li Zhouwei felt somewhat reassured as he listened to Cui Changfu continue through gritted teeth. "There were certain things I would not have dared say in the past, but there is no harm in speaking of them now. Forgive me for what I am about to say, but my family has a history of its own. My lord... Your highness, do you know of the Miao Family of [Thunder Island]? Their family had an ancestor named Miao Dushan, who was rumored to be a genius capable of uniting the Thunder Dao with the Devil Dao."

Li Zhouwei paused, and Cui Changfu sneered. "From what I have heard through private channels, Miao Dushan was no extraordinary figure. There may be many geniuses in the world, but no one could possibly be so gifted as that! How could someone so young have united the Thunder Dao with the utterly incompatible Devil Dao? If he truly possessed such profound Dao conduct, he would have taken a Golden Position long ago, and we would all be addressing him as 'My Lord.' How could he have repeatedly met with setbacks throughout the mainland?!

"Rumors have circulated among several of our families that he obtained some secret technique and drew inspiration from it, eventually deriving this path for himself. He certainly possessed some talent, but nowhere near enough to overturn all common sense."

Li Zhouwei narrowed his eyes and said, "You mean, he obtained a profound Dao lineage from [Motongji Palace] but did not dare reveal it to outsiders, and so used it as the foundation to create Thunder Island's cultivation arts?"

Cui Changfu remained silent in contemplation, which amounted to tacit confirmation.

There was nothing particularly troubling about discussing [Motongji Palace] or the disgraceful secrets of [Thunder Island] separately. Yet once the two were connected, the implications became anything but ordinary.

If Miao Dushan had truly obtained an ancient inheritance and drawn inspiration from it to derive a path of devil cultivation through the Thunder Dao, and if that ancient inheritance had been passed down by [Motongji Palace]... then what did that imply?

An inheritance was never passed down without purpose. The Dao Scion of [Motongji Palace] had clearly originated from Douxuan, yet he had severed all ties with Douxuan before ascending in broad daylight and becoming a True Monarch... This was likely connected to the path of Thunder Dao devil cultivation, with the two corroborating each other!

Li Zhouwei's heart tightened as he thought, That former Dao Scion... Even if he did not join Tongxuan outright, he must at least have betrayed the Thunder Palace and pursued attainment by any means necessary. Only then could he have carved out a path utterly opposed to the resplendent might of heaven... From that point onward, a path of Thunder Dao devil cultivation came into existence. The Miao Family and Miao Dushan merely cultivated along a path that had already been laid out for them!

Cui Changfu kept his eyes lowered and remained silent, but Li Zhouwei understood perfectly well what he was trying to convey.

This figure was suspected of being aligned with Tongxuan. That means... Luoxia's true sphere of influence very likely extended from the mainland all the way into the Southern Sea, giving it yet another power on the level of a Golden Core Realm cultivator...

How formidable Tongxuan's influence must be... No wonder the dragons, despite their overbearing ways, could never exercise the same open and undisputed control over the Southern Sea that they held over the Eastern Sea. In some parts of the Southern Sea, their authority exists in name alone...

Thus, the dragons, who treat noble descendants like servants and wield divine ability cultivators as their claws and fangs, can do no more than remain confined to the Eastern Sea!

This was the source of the Cui Family's fear...

Li Zhouwei remained silent for a long while until Cui Changfu said softly, "As for what happened afterward, my family knows far less. After all, our Purple Mansion Realm cultivators fell one after another, and we no longer had the standing to learn of matters at a higher level."

Li Zhouwei nodded, took a sip of tea, and said, "The Cui Family has endured many hardships over the years. I did not come this time to ask for spirit items or provisions. First, I wished to inquire about these historical connections. Second, I wish to trade for your esteemed family's cultivation arts."

Cui Changfu had clearly expected this. He nodded and replied, "Our clan's inheritances came from Wei's Li and the Dongli Sect. They were originally taken from the imperial palace and the military, so returning them to their rightful owner can hardly be called surrendering something of our own. We would not dare ask for anything in exchange."

Li Zhouwei swept his golden gaze over him and replied, "I will not treat you unfairly. Accept what I offer without concern."

"Furthermore." A faint smile appeared on his face, and his golden eyes seemed to shine with radiant light. The air about him suddenly shifted from fierce and intimidating to imposing and majestic. "Your family refuses to accept even a single coin because you fear following in your predecessors' footsteps."

No matter how respectful Cui Changfu was, such concerns were ultimately unavoidable. The moment Li Zhouwei brought them into the open, Cui Changfu found himself at a loss for words. He tried to speak, but though his mouth opened, no answer came.

1. Referring to Mifan, Mifann, Miyan and Milin. ☜

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