#1101 - Heterogeneous
Li Ximing shook the golden scroll in his hand, and the lines of colorful characters shone brightly.
This scroll was extremely mysterious, an ancient artifact that even a highly skilled 'Kujin' cultivator like Liu Changdie had spent a great deal of effort on. Holding it, one could feel its soft texture, somewhat similar in form to the [Luminous Radiance Divine Scroll of the Qilin].
The [Separation of Spirit and Alternate Body Marvelous Scroll] is mainly used for preserving life, cultivating the Dao, avoiding tribulations, and escaping disasters. To practice this marvelous technique, the first thing to cultivate is this [Separation of Spirit and Alternate Body].
The [Separation of Spirit and Alternate Body] is formed from various treasures. Depending on the cultivator's divine abilities, the types of treasures required also vary, adapting to circumstances and greatly testing the cultivator's Dao practice, generally divided into three categories.
'Superior scholars refine gold to cultivate the Dao, completely forgetting themselves; mediocre scholars nurture spirits in Dharma corpses, avoiding misfortune and warding off evil; inferior scholars coat mud and sculpt statues, preserving only a limb or a body!'
The best method involves using ancient spiritual objects to cultivate a body for Dao practice. A lesser method involves creating a body to act on behalf of oneself in the mortal realm, used to avoid tribulations. Both of these methods possess boundless mystical power, not only capable of reincarnation but also serving as an external avatar.
The author of the scroll looked down upon using this technique to resist some disasters involving weapons.
Without a doubt, Li Ximing was aiming to resist disasters involving weapons.
'The requirements of this technique are too high, or rather, the resources in the hands of ancient cultivators were too abundant! I don't have such good materials… The only usable item is [Soul-Listening Mulberry Wood]. This thing is rare today, but in the eyes of ancient cultivators, it's not considered anything good…'
The scroll refers to it as Obscured Mulberry, a type of 'Changing Wood'. Now, it is 'Banished Qi'. After Li Ximing's comparison, it is the [Soul-Listening Mulberry Wood] in his possession—but only just reached the entry level.
Li Ximing didn't feel any regret; on the contrary, he was filled with joy. The reason being, even if he was considered an inferior scholar in the eyes of ancient cultivators, the threshold was still a Life Divine Ability. Without [All Under Heaven Made Clear], he wouldn't even be able to become this inferior scholar. The so-called inferior scholar's method is a top-notch treasure today! Back then, even the Purple Mansion Golden Core Dao was a lower-class, unorthodox path!
Moreover, he now had some knowledge and could understand the meaning of the mediocre scholar's so-called avoidance of evil and evasion of disaster. This body could not escape the eyes of other Purple Mansions. It was probably used to walk the mortal realm while the main body sat in the void, watching from the sidelines. On one hand, it would reduce involvement in worldly affairs, and on the other hand, it could provide some avoidance of the karmic consequences of one's actions, allowing for a bit more composure when the Thunder Palace came to judge.
Now that the Thunder Palace had fallen, this mediocre scholar's method was useless to Li Ximing. He only had one thought in his mind:
'Preserve only a limb or a body!'
He didn't have much else on hand, but he had plenty of [Soul-Listening Mulberry Wood]. When he returned from the sea that day, he immediately took out a head-sized piece to cultivate the [Separation of Spirit and Alternate Body].
For most of the past two years, Li Ximing had spent his time on this [Separation of Spirit and Alternate Body]. This object required various spiritual objects and elixirs to nourish it. Li Ximing had saved quite a few elixirs from his years of alchemy, so he took out a few pills to improve his cultivation and placed this alternate body in this world where the sun and moon shone together to cultivate.
Li Zhouwei's reminder from back then was still vivid in his mind, so he placed the alchemy furnace here, using the elixir fire to taint the [Separation of Spirit and Alternate Body], lest it reveal any abnormalities.
'After two years, this object has just reached the entry threshold, so I can try it…'
The more he looked at it, the more satisfied he became. He immediately touched his sleeve and took out a box. Inside, there was a thumb-sized white petal, covered with a hazy gray light.
It was the [Hundred Hearts Combined Soul]!
He gently sliced the chest of the 'Li Ximing' in front of him, revealing the dark, beating heart inside. Then, he placed the [Hundred Hearts Combined Soul] in his palm, gently blew on it, and turned it into a gust of white wind that swept into it.
The [Separation of Spirit and Alternate Body] required many things. Even the simplest method had taken a lot of effort from Li Ximing. Now that this [Hundred Hearts Combined Soul] was placed into the body, it could finally be used!
He pinched a hand seal, forced out Dharma blood from his fingertips, and pointed out the [Light of Six Harmonies], touching the forehead of the 'Li Ximing' sitting on the ground. Then, all the colorful illusions converged, and the object turned into a palm-sized, exquisite sculpture, falling into his palm. He hooked his spiritual sense into it and felt joy.
'With the entry of the Hundred Hearts Combined Soul, it has already shown results. When activated, it transforms into a clay figure, covering the Dharma body, providing a certain degree of substitution… However, it fears fire and metal, especially Bing Fire and Geng Metal… Bing Fire's damage to nature and life is not to be trifled with. Moreover, since I used [Soul-Listening Mulberry Wood], once it encounters Bing Fire, it will not only have no defensive effect, but it may even burn this alternate body.'
'I've heard that Guangchan uses the Pagoda of Heavenly Light and the Spear of Separation Fire, which should be able to resist it. At the moment, I still need to connect and nourish it with my Life Divine Ability… If the connection is in place, it can have even better effects.'
How much ability this object has depends entirely on the owner's nourishment and Dao practice. If it is used to resist injuries, it depends on the connection with the main body, requiring the participation of the Life Divine Ability. However, Li Ximing had already made arrangements in his heart:
'[All Under Heaven Made Clear] has a special effect, which can save me a lot of effort.'
So he transformed and descended to the mortal realm, stepping through the void to the great hall on the lake. The plaque shone with golden light, with three large characters written on it:
[Crimson Light Hall].
As the sons of Mingyang sought their own paths, Li Jiangzong emerged from seclusion. The name and reality of the head of the Wangyue Lake family fell into Li Jiangzong's hands. He showed that he was second only to Mingyang, and lived in a side hall, which was this [Crimson Light Hall].
"What's wrong?"
Instantly, the expressions of everyone in the arena changed together. They knelt down in different directions at the same time and called out:
"Greetings, True Person!"
Li Ximing lowered his eyebrows. Li Jiangzong's head, which was tightly pressed against the ground, raised, and he now had a beard, making him look very stable:
"Reporting to True Person… Jiangzong's teaching is not effective… He was scolding the younger generation, never thinking he would disturb the immortal carriage…"
"So it's Suiqing."
Li Ximing smiled, and Li Zhoufang, who was kneeling below, was already sweating profusely. He ventured to move forward two steps and said respectfully:
"Dare not delay matters of divine power. This junior will now escort this child to Qingdu!"
Li Jiangzong's heart sank, and he secretly thought it was not good—don't look at Li Ximing's daily seclusion, how could this True Person not know Li Suiqing! Sure enough, Li Ximing's smile faded a bit, and he turned his gaze to Li Zhouda. This man knelt in front of the stage and immediately opened his mouth to say:
“Your subordinate patrolled the West Bank and received a report from Yu Ting that Sui Qing Gongzi's family servant, Yan Kuai, has a nephew who is in close contact with Tian Pan, the supervisor of the Bai Niyu minefield on the West Bank. He secretly dispatches cultivators from various peaks to purchase with gold, and then hands it over to him, monopolizing the production share…”
“Now that the world is in turmoil and resources are scarce, cultivators on the West Bank must buy Bai Niyu from Yan Kuai at a high price, from which he profits…”
Li Ximing casually said:
“What does the law say?”
Li Zhouda bowed and said:
“Gongzi Sui Qing, private dealings with the supervisor, manipulating prices, should have his gains confiscated, receive three hundred thunder whip strikes, and be confined in the mountains for ten years. Tian Pan should be dismissed and questioned, and Yan Kuai and his accomplices should be killed.”
But the youth on the ground gritted his teeth and said:
“I have the ability to buy, and the means to sell, why do you say I'm manipulating prices!”
A trace of panic flashed in Li Jiangzong's eyes, his face was gloomy, and he gritted his teeth, turning his head to scold in a low voice:
“What ability do you have? You're relying on the clan's ability!”
Li Suiqing's cultivation is not good, and three hundred thunder whip strikes are fatal. Obviously, Li Jiangzong is verbally shouting to beat and kill his own child, but privately he can't bear it, otherwise he wouldn't have brought him to this hall to question.
Li Suiqing sneered, the young man's face didn't have the slightest fear, the corner of his mouth cracked, and he said:
“That you can stand here today, isn't that also not your own ability?”
This sound was like a thunderclap, offending countless people. Li Jiangzong didn't have the slightest anger of being offended, but was startled into a cold sweat, and his heart collapsed:
'You… you… you good-for-nothing, you still dare not admit defeat, you still refuse to admit defeat!'
Then he heard two laughs from the head seat—the smile on this Real Person's face had completely disappeared, with a bit more coldness, he glanced at the young man with interest, and smiled:
“Go to Qingdu to receive your punishment.”
As if it were an illusion, as this faint sentence fell, the person in the main seat suddenly became distant, floating ethereally on the horizon, and it seemed as if everyone below had fallen into an abyss, moving further and further away from him.
In an instant, Li Suiqing's expression completely changed. The unyieldingness in his gray-black eyebrows melted like spring breeze thawing, and the fierce, self-righteous viciousness vanished in an instant. He was like a docile lamb, kneeling on the ground somewhat blankly and at a loss.
'Yes…'
He carefully moved his knees twice, stood up, and said respectfully:
“This junior was ignorant and disturbed the Great One.”
Then he bent his waist, facing the main seat, and retreated step by step, respectfully kowtowing three times in front of the hall, before politely looking at the guard on the side, and said in a gentle voice in the other party's ghostly gaze:
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“Please escort me over.”
In this instant, the hall was silent, Li Jiangzong's face paled visibly, the fear and pain in his heart rushed to his mind, making his nose hot and his brow cold, and he knelt on the ground like a wooden chicken, blankly looking at his father.
Li Zhoufang's forehead was pressed tightly to the ground, sobbing silently.
Li Jiangzong woke up as if from a dream, and with a thud, he suddenly knelt beside the main seat, moving his knees forward, his lips pale, his eyes red, and he sobbed in a trembling voice:
“Real Person… please, Real Person, spare him… no matter how unruly he is, he is still this junior's own son… this junior is willing to imprison him for a lifetime… Real Person… this junior begs you… Real Person! This junior is willing to die in his place!”
What Li Jiangzong was worried about was of course not some three hundred thunder whip strikes. With Li Jiangzong's power, or Li Suiqing's status as a direct descendant of the Bo lineage, unless the order was to execute him, no one would dare to beat him to death! At most, he would be crippled, but if Li Ximing's glance didn't have room for maneuver, it had already essentially killed Li Suiqing!
Hearing his words, the [Six Harmonies Light] constantly jumping on the fingertips of the white-gold-clad Real Person faintly sensed something, constantly warning of something, seeming to be ready to jump up and devour someone at any time, causing him to slowly raise his head, moving his gaze over his juniors, and finally meeting Li Jiangzong's eyes.
The person in power of the Li family's mortal affairs was covered in crystal cold sweat, but he didn't dare to avoid his gaze—fortunately, the terrible thing didn't happen, Zhao Jing Real Person lowered his eyebrows, making it impossible to see the color in his eyes, and shook his head:
“You misunderstand, it will resolve itself in three days.”
Li Jiangzong took a step back, kowtowing and sobbing somewhat at a loss:
“Jiangzong thanks the Real Person! Jiangzong… Jiangzong has offended… Jiangzong is willing to accept the punishment!”
His words echoed in the hall, causing Li Zhouda to belatedly close his mouth and kneel on the ground, not knowing how to speak.
Li Ximing didn't have much of a smile. Facing this junior's plea for forgiveness, he even felt a little uninterested. He closed his eyes and said faintly:
“Bring up what I told you to bring. All of you, withdraw.”
Li Jiangzong bent over and got up, turned and took a step, picked up a plate of clothes from a separate table, and respectfully offered it beside the Real Person's table, before hurriedly retreating, closing the two doors of the hall tightly from the outside.
The hall instantly fell silent, with only the Dharma lamps flickering slightly, illuminating the changes in light and shadow on Li Ximing's profile. The Real Person didn't move the jade plate, but silently sat in place, quietly gazing at the tightly closed door.
After an unknown amount of time, he gradually moved his gaze, looking somewhat hesitantly at the invisible Six Harmonies Light jumping on his fingertips.
‘The world is clear…’
… …
Outside the hall.
The guards on the left and right had long dispersed. Li Jiangzong tightly pressed against the hall door, confirming that the hall's formation had begun to operate, took a step back, and kowtowed three times heavily.
Li Zhoufang silently stood behind his eldest son, his eyes tightly closed, not knowing how to speak, hurriedly reaching out to pull his hand, and discovering that Li Jiangzong's hand was extremely cold, clenched pale.
The sky had already darkened. The father and son didn't say a word, supporting each other as they walked down the hall in Li Zhouda's lost gaze, walking for a while in the dim corridor, and hurriedly entering the side hall.
Li Jiangzong's steps were stiff.
He discovered that only one Dharma lamp was lit in the side hall, standing upright in the center of the hall. The light wasn't strong, but it dispelled all darkness, revealing everything above, below, left, and right, even the patterns on the inner wall of the open teapot were clearly visible, making his eyes ache.
His father, Li Zhoufang, hurriedly closed the hall door, closed his eyes, and shed tears, regretting:
“It's all my fault… I shouldn't have brought him here!”
Li Jiangzong seemed to no longer hear what he was saying, still looking dull-eyed, standing in place for several breaths before grabbing his father's hand and instantly clenching it, to the point of making Li Zhoufang ache.
The eldest son hesitated for a long time, and asked in a low voice:
“Father, you know me best, you know me best, you observe me… you observe me…”
His pupils dilated, his voice trembling:
“Do I still resemble Li Jiangzong?”
“Is the child still Li Jiangzong?”
Main characters in this chapter
—
Li Ximing [Early Purple Mansion]
Li Jiangzong 『Zhi Li Xing』 [Early Foundation Establishment]
