Chapter 1852: Shi'er (II)

Li Ximing walked up to the persimmon tree. The spirit root's trunk was now as thick as a bucket, its branches lush with emerald leaves. Pale green fruit swayed, hidden among the boughs. At Li Ximing's approach, it began trembling, its leaves rustling like falling rain.

Meanwhile, Li Ximing's active Fate Divine Ability sensed the spirit root's spiritual consciousness. With a single thought, he could extinguish its intelligence and reduce it to an ordinary plant.

The Daoist Master raised the treasure and smiled. "You have shared a bond with our Li Family for many years. Today, it shall bear fruit!"

Fierce winds surged and countless dark clouds gathered overhead. The ground trembled faintly. Held fast by the Bright Yang divine ability, the spirit root rose into the air, every fine root drawn intact from the earth.

Terrified out of its wits, the spirit root began pleading faintly for mercy. The old ape nearby stepped forward in alarm, his aged eyes filled with concern.

The Daoist Master tossed the spirit treasure into the air. Its fist-sized mouth immediately widened, exerting a powerful pull. Fertile soil seemed to appear within, nestled amid clouds and mist, shimmering with profound light!

[Luminous Harmony]!

The enormous spirit root vanished in an instant. The profound urn spun, its iridescent radiance growing more brilliant. The vertical golden markings on its surface shone brightly, making it look increasingly like an urn of wood.

Amid the brilliant green light, several tender shoots as fine as thread emerged from the urn's mouth. They curled around it, blossoming with tiny yellow flowers and swaying joyfully. A fresh fragrance immediately spread through the air.

As Li Ximing caught the spirit treasure, Sima Yuanli exclaimed, "What remarkable spiritual awareness!"

Li Ximing turned the urn's mouth, projecting an expanse of fertile soil. The persimmon tree stood swaying within the colored light. Though its branches and leaves appeared unchanged, its aura had become unfathomable, utterly different from before.

Sima Yuanli saw this clearly and marveled, "This spirit root's nature and life have become one with the spirit treasure. It has undergone a profound change. The ingenuity of ancient cultivators is truly astonishing!"

As the spirit treasure's master, Li Ximing perceived the changes more clearly. The persimmon tree lent its nature and life, while the [Heavenly Nurturing Urn] supplied its inherent rank. United, they provided the tree with tremendous nourishment, while the urn gained abundant spiritual awareness and some ability to engage enemies on its own.

They complement one another well. Unfortunately, if this spirit persimmon tree ever leaves the [Heavenly Nurturing Urn], it would probably perish. Moreover, considerable divine ability power will be needed to nurture the spirit treasure afterward. Still, Purple Mansion Realm spirit roots are hard to find. This spirit persimmon tree is already good enough.

Still not satisfied, Li Ximing curled a finger. Colored light twisted into a pair of shears and clipped a branch from the persimmon tree. He then took a finger-sized piece of dark wood from his sleeve, turned, and said with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Qinghu, lend me some Valley Water."

Sima Yuanli understood at once and summoned his gourd. With a thought, [Azure Blaze Pure Essence], famed for curing ailments, restoring life, and reconstructing bodies, surged forth and poured down.

Li Ximing gathered his sleeve and issued a command, "Today I impart a true art, granting you another body."

Light appeared at his fingertip, and the Light of the Six Directions suddenly blazed forth.

This light governs the Six Directions, balances heaven and earth, harmonizes with divine spirits, and questions the cosmos!

Most importantly, it harmonized with divine spirits!

Clear light shone brilliantly. The [Soul-Tuning Mulberry Wood] dissolved within the Valley Water, and a young Daoist child materialized out of thin air.

She had graceful features, crimson lips, and a jade-like face. Clad in a feathered robe with her hair bound up, she had sleeves that stirred with the breeze and cheeks adorned in five colors. Her eyes sparkled as she glanced around in slight confusion.

Then she hastily knelt and said in a clear voice, "Greetings, master!"

Li Ximing withdrew his hand with a satisfied smile. Sima Yuanli stared for some time before finally exclaiming, "Zhaojing... What a remarkable divine ability!"

Li Ximing swept his sleeve, plucking the profound urn from the air as though gathering the moon's reflection from water.

He handed it to the young Daoist child and smiled. "Merely an unorthodox trick!"

One had to admire Li Ximing's ingenuity. [Radiance Under Heaven] was exceptionally compatible with [Divided Spirit and Variant Body], which explained how he had mastered the latter so quickly. When directed outward, [Radiance Under Heaven] fulfilled the 'harmonizing' aspect of 'harmonizing with divine spirits' even more closely. And so, through experimentation, he had actually succeeded.

He looked her up and down and said, "Since you were born from an urn... and are a persimmon tree..."

For some reason, these words made Li Xuanxuan raise his head and regard him skeptically. Li Ximing hesitated before continuing, "Wengshi[1] does not sound very pleasant. You... shall be called Shi'er.[2]"

Li Xuanxuan briefly closed his eyes, holding back a comment as he thought, Wengshi... So this child really did name the [Zhaoguang Profound Purple Spirit Formation]. Shi'er sounds much better, at least...

Li Ximing gave it little thought as the Daoist child answered brightly, "Shi'er understands, master!"

Li Ximing asked a few casual questions, then turned away. Shi'er immediately lowered her head and pulled a face at the white ape standing by her. Startled, the old ape shook his head repeatedly, yet tears faintly glimmered in his eyes.

The old ape had tended the courtyard's flowers and trees for a century. He had come to cherish them like a parent. How could he fail to rejoice at seeing her cultivation bear fruit?

Li Ximing now had a fair understanding of her condition.

Her mind is that of a twelve- or thirteen-year-old... Her memories remain, though... At least she recognizes everyone.

This was already an excellent result. He had not used any particularly fine materials for Shi'er's body, which would be as fragile as paper in a Purple Mansion Realm battle. He could simply draw her back into the spirit treasure, however, and for other matters, this form was much more convenient.

She cannot match Xuanyi's Master Baiyin in battle, but she has advantages of her own. Her body is sustained by my divine ability and has no limit to its lifespan. After a few generations, who knows what she might become.

He turned and smiled at Sima Yuanli. Daoist Master Qinghu seemed distracted and had remained silent throughout. Only upon meeting his gaze did he come to his senses and say, "I have found the [Severed Branch Spirit Molt] you requested, Zhaojing."

He took a jade box from his sleeve and gently opened it. Inside lay five or six short wings joined together, resembling fallen blossoms.

Li Ximing brightened at once. "Excellent, excellent!"

This was an ingredient for the [Setting Sun Armor-Sundering Pill]. Li Ximing had long struggled to understand its recipe, only grasping it after Li Zhouwei offered guidance.

Now that Sima Yuanli had found the spirit item, he said happily, "As agreed, once the pills are complete, four will be yours, Qinghu!"

Sima Yuanli smiled and nodded, though his thoughts were elsewhere. He did not actually need the pills. He merely wished to repay years of alchemical favors and strengthen their friendship.

Before he could say more, Li Ximing smiled and continued, "There is something I must trouble you with, Fellow Daoist Qinghu."

Sima Yuanli smiled back as Li Ximing said, "Since you have seen the [Heavenly Nurturing Urn], I shall speak plainly. It possesses a power called [Grand Sacrifice], which can imprison beings and strip away their abilities."

Sima Yuanli raised his brows, looking puzzled. The smile of the Daoist Master in gold-and-white robes turned cold as he said calmly, "If we could imprison a being that possesses divine abilities, strip away its mystics, and use them to provide ample nourishment... would that not be convenient?"

Sima Yuanli froze as a deep chill settled in his heart. It took him a while to recover, as though he were seeing the Daoist Master before him for the first time. At last, he said, "That would be rather difficult!"

Li Ximing regarded him with a smile and said unhurriedly, "I, Li Ximing, would certainly not capture people and use them in refinement. But there are demonic creatures whose crimes defy counting....An opportunity will surely arise. Failing that, the spirit beasts and mounts of certain Buddhist lands would serve just as well!"

Only then did Sima Yuanli lower his head slightly in thought. Li Ximing stood with his hands behind his back, smiling out over the shimmering lake. He had invited Sima Yuanli for more than the use of [Azure Blaze Pure Essence]. He wanted to say these words in his presence, laying the groundwork for an explanation of his future actions. Of course, [Grand Sacrifice] was not Li Ximing's true objective either.

Even without [Grand Sacrifice], there would still be grudges to settle and spirit items to obtain. Li Ximing's earlier journey to the southern border had been intended to lay the groundwork for this very matter. It was merely a question of how convincing an excuse he could provide.

The matter of the green talisman must be settled before Jiangqian emerges from seclusion!

1. It means Urn Persimmon. ☜

2. 柿儿 (Shì'er) means "Little Persimmon." 柿 (shì) means "persimmon," while 儿 (er) adds an affectionate touch. ☜

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