Chapter 1812: Primordial Heart (II)

As Li Zhouwei sank into thought, Qingyu Qian watched him. The demon king turned the jade cup before him with a trace of unease, then said, "Li... Suining's case is different as well. Wanlin Heaven has now fallen into Banished Essence, shifting the [Heaven-Governing] Order. Its favor descended directly upon the lake. The lord I serve has some attainment in the Heaven-Governing Dao and witnessed certain phenomena. That is how they came to know of it."

"I understand now!" Li Zhouwei rose and cupped his hands in a salute. "Thank you, senior!"

Qingyu Qian shook his head with a rueful smile. "I would not presume to call myself your senior. I simply owed you, the great king, an explanation!"

His expression turned serious as he said, "Once we knew you intended to follow the Bright Yang Dao, those on the mountain began considering what to do. When you brought an invitation from the dragons, we understood that you favored an alliance with them. Dongfang You had just died, so we sent White Banyan to you under the pretext of making you an acquaintance. Our true aim was to join you in pursuing Bright Yang!"

Qingyu Qian's expression grew grave. "It was the Dragon Monarch's birthday at the time. The birthday of Dragon Monarch Beijia was about more than borrowing his inherent rank. It was his birthday, the birthday of the other eight Dragon Monarchs, and the anniversary of the Great Sage's fall. With the seas in turmoil, an opportunity arose.

"The dragons cannot be trusted to keep their word. Though they agreed, we could not be sure what arrangements they would make... Still, they produced the Dry Yang Bangles. At least that showed where they stood."

Just as I thought...

Now that Li Zhouwei understood Qingyu Qian's position, he trusted him a little more and began forming a plan.

Chi Buzi has been possessed without anyone noticing. If the one inhabiting him wants to work with my family, he will surely do so under the guise of an alliance with the foxes. He has tested us several times at Chunyi Dao Gate and has already gone against the dragons' position. I ought to give him a hand.

He raised his brows and asked, "Demon King, do you know... Chi Buzi?"

Qingyu Qian fell silent, then immediately straightened, giving Li Zhouwei his full attention. "How could I not..."

Li Zhouwei looked at him intently. "I believe he means to place himself under the lord you serve."

Qingyu Qian paused in surprise. With little time to consider the matter, he seemed to commit the remark to memory. He nodded solemnly. "I understand!"

Li Zhouwei sensed something in that response and quietly lowered his gaze. Qingyu Qian rose and asked softly, "Suining cultivates... [Divine Sequence Arrangement]?"

Li Zhouwei nodded. A flicker of regret crossed Qingyu Qian's face as he murmured, "If only this had happened two hundred years earlier... Two hundred years earlier, there would have been far more room to maneuver!"

His expression turned bitter as he continued, "Us foxes know of this Dao. It comes from the [Heavenly Directorate Sequence Arrangement Divine Scroll], a treasure of Wanlin Heaven. After all this time, it has finally emerged. It must have fallen into your hands back then. That is good... At least it will not go to waste."

Li Zhouwei's expression did not change, but the answer stirred his interest. He asked, "Was it written by the cultivators of Wanlin Heaven, or passed down from ancient cultivators?"

Qingyu Qian smiled. "Naturally, the cultivators of Wanlin Heaven could not have written such an exceedingly sophisticated cultivation art like this. It derives from the [Heavenly Directorate Sequence Arrangement Scripture] of the ancient Douxuan Court of the Supreme Enclosure. This scripture was probably written during the Wei era!"

Li Zhouwei had seized the chance to ask because he knew the scroll had come from the Upper Firmament Pavilion, not Wanlin Heaven. Establishing where it originated and when it was written would help him narrow down when the Immortal Mirror had been damaged.

His question had not yielded the answer he needed, but he showed no disappointment. "What can you tell me about the art, senior?"

Qingyu Qian replied, "This Dao comes from the Supreme Enclosure Court's art for ascending to immortality through a cave dwelling. What survives today is not the original, but a cultivation art later generations derived after studying that immortal art..."

The demon king smiled faintly, and the white mist around him began to flow. He said, "I take it you brought him here today to trade for a method of constructing within the great void!"

The method he meant was one for constructing a grotto heaven or secret realm!

The fox demon was smiling, though his eyes betrayed more complicated feelings. "In exchange for the [Heavenly Directorate Sequence Arrangement Divine Scroll]; it would fill a gap in our mountain's Dao lineage!"

Li Zhouwei nodded slightly. He had looked into the matter before. Li Ximing had even visited the Upper Firmament Pavilion to investigate. The immortal merits required for a method of constructing a grotto heaven or secret realm were astonishing!

The most expensive, the [Master Liangzhi's Secret Essentials of Heaven and Earth], cost a full 1,716,800 immortal merits! Even slaughtering every one of Great Zhao's Seven Dharma Forms seventy or eighty times over might not earn enough to exchange for it!

Even the cheapest, the [Empty Chamber Refinement in the Void], cost more than 1,100 immortal merits, over five times the price of the [Heavenly Directorate Sequence Arrangement Divine Scroll]. He would have to fight his way through all the Buddhist demons north of the river to earn that much.

Li Zhouwei knew how valuable such a method was. Qingyu Qian's offer caught him by surprise, and he paused before answering, "That is far too valuable!"

Qingyu Qian shook his head and sighed. "On the contrary... I fear you may find the method I have beneath you! I had no wish to embarrass myself by offering it, but the lord I serve passed it down personally, and it has much to do with [Heaven-Governing]. That is why I brought it up..."

His gaze darkened as he sighed inwardly, Whether this counts as a trade... or a return, even I cannot say!

Li Zhouwei lowered his eyes, considering another advantage.

This is an excellent opportunity. There were only so many methods for constructing within the great void in ancient times, and those great figures can clearly tell which Dao lineage each belongs to. They are unlike the countless later cultivation arts of the Purple Mansion and Golden Core Dao...

The grotto heaven will also have to be suspended in the void. At times, it will need to open, close, and connect with the present world. Placing it under the foxes' name would provide another layer of security...

So Li Zhouwei dispensed with further courtesies and said, "My family needs precisely such a method. Please convey our thanks to the lord you serve for this generous gift!"

Qingyu Qian chuckled and rose to his feet, smiling. "I will have someone bring it over!"

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