A Daoist Master dressed in white-golden robes sat leisurely within a radiant pavilion, carefully reading the scroll in his hands. A small Radiant Fire bird, no larger than a fist, perched obediently on his shoulder. They had clearly been waiting for quite some time.

Li Zhouwei stepped forward, bowed, and smiled. "Granduncle!"

Li Ximing smiled. With a flick of his hand, he produced a jade bottle from his sleeve and replied, "Six [Qilin Radiance Illumination Pills]. Together with what you already have, it should last you for over a decade!"

In the hands of someone as skilled in alchemy as Li Ximing, it was only natural that the [Qilin Radiant Yang Scripture] and the [Profound Intermediary Flower Leaf] would produce such an abundance of pills.

Li Zhouwei accepted them with thanks, calculating as he asked, "Granduncle, you obtained six [Under-Neck Feathers] back then. Three were entrusted to Reverent Yang Mountain, two were exchanged with Chen Yin, and one has already been traded for the [Profound Intermediary Flower Leaf]. Are there any left in your possession?"

Li Ximing smiled as he replied, "As expected, this cave dwelling truly is a money tree. Later on, it gradually condensed three more, and together with the one that took a full year to form before Senior Liu Changdie arrived, that made four additions to our reserves. After exchanging for another [Profound Intermediary Flower Leaf], we still have three remaining."

However, as he spoke of this, a trace of concern appeared in his voice. "However, we do need to use them sparingly. There were originally more than just three, but after making large purchases of [Wall-Sinking Water], we have twice run into shortages. It has taken over half a year each time to gather enough, wasting quite a bit of time. It will likely only grow more difficult from here...

"For this matter, I specifically sent people to check several markets in the Eastern Sea. In the end, they went to New Rain Scattered Reefs."

Li Zhouwei raised his head in interest. Li Ximing smiled and continued, "They even met that Daoist Master Kuangyu, and only then were able to gather enough [Wall-Sinking Water] for the next half year. She is quite an interesting figure, having attained her Dao through a Fate Divine Ability. In this wave of conflict, she managed to withdraw unscathed and now holds a domain of her own."

Li Zhouwei nodded slightly, pondering as he said, "Senior Liu... intends to cultivate at the Zhen Tao Residence?"

Li Ximing hesitated before replying, "Cultivation is out of the question. His path has already come to an end. His mind is set solely on studying formations. The grand formation at the Zhen Tao Residence is profound beyond measure, and is more than enough for him to research. I would guess he will remain nearby for these years."

Li Zhouwei nodded. "In that case, I have two matters I would like to discuss with you, granduncle. The matter of [Wall-Sinking Water] is extremely important. We cannot continue scraping by day to day. [Mansion Water] originates from the Western Sea. I ask that you make a trip there and establish a proper trading channel, so we do not have to keep searching blindly in places where [Mansion Water] is scarce."

Inspired by his words, Li Ximing fell into thought before replying, "It just so happens we have obtained a batch of [Qilin Radiance Illumination Pills]. We can find Yangya in the Western Sea. As for other cultivators, I cannot say, but I myself am a Bright Yang cultivator. How could I not know how effective these pills are? He will certainly be tempted beyond measure. Though he is unwilling to deal with our family directly, we now have Fellow Daoist Changdie to act on our behalf."

Li Zhouwei's eyes lit up as he replied, "Excellent... [Wall-Sinking Water] alone may not be enough, but he has been in the Purple Mansion Realm for many years. He must possess Bright Yang treasures. If we can exchange spirit pills for them, it would be nearly a costless deal for our family."

Although Yangya harbored deep reservations toward their family, neither of the Daoist Masters cared much for that. Securing valuable resources was what mattered.

Exchanging a glance, Li Ximing smiled. "Leave it to me!"

Li Zhouwei shifted the topic. "Second, although the Zhen Tao Residence lies in a barren region, its profundity has become increasingly apparent. Its value is immeasurable. It could even serve as the foundation for the rise of our family, as well as an excellent fallback."

Li Ximing's expression gradually turned serious. After hearing Li Zhouwei explain the matters concerning the Yang Family in detail, he was startled. "Wu State has only just begun to fall into chaos, and now the Yang Family has acted again. This is likely a sign of great upheaval to come."

Li Zhouwei nodded and replied, "I have been considering this as well in recent days. Our family must prepare a retreat in advance. Zongquan Island was where I achieved my breakthrough, and it has now taken on a Bright Yang manifestation, drawing considerable attention. It may still prove useful in the future. As for Zhen Tao Residence, it is another crucial location, yet there is still no one capable of holding it down... I intend to send Quewan there."

Li Ximing pondered, "Quewan?"

Li Zhouwei kept going, "The Zhen Tao Residence is already guarded by a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator, and you frequently come and go from there as well. Located in the remote Qunyi, it is naturally safer than the mainland, let alone this turbulent riverside.

"Since it serves as a retreat, we can send Quewan there. On one hand, she can manage it properly, and on the other, cultivate in peace as she prepares for the Purple Mansion Realm."

It was clear Li Zhouwei had considered this for quite some time as he continued softly, "I will have Dili Youjie follow her. He has been the king of Mount Yue for decades. In the Eastern Sea, background is not as important, and people are easier to deal with. He can also handle trivial matters for her in daily life."

Li Ximing hesitated for a moment before agreeing, "That works..."

Li Zhouwei then took out the golden slip of [Imperial Divergence Light] from his sleeve and handed it over, saying, "I have already completed the initial stage of this technique. All my insights and annotations are recorded within the slip for you to study."

"Good..." Li Ximing accepted it with clear delight.

Though Li Zhouwei had only used nine months to refine [Imperial Divergence Light], it was in fact an extremely complex technique. Even though they had acquired it nine months ago, the two had privately arranged their timing. Li Ximing had not begun cultivating it, and instead focused on refining his Immortal Foundation. By waiting until Li Zhouwei completed it and then taking the golden slip, he could avoid many unnecessary detours.

Although Li Ximing had been tempering his Immortal Foundation, he had not wasted a single fragment of time over the years. With no need to worry about the Li Family, he had grown entirely at ease. In recent years, he had focused on cultivation, occasionally discussing the Dao with other Daoist Masters to deepen his Dao conduct. His life had become remarkably comfortable!

As for resources and spirit items, he had also obtained Radiant Fire, a rare and fascinating treasure. He had also been secretly studying the [Great Radiant White Light][1], and by now, he could already condense four [Great Radiant Crimson Lights][2]!

"Roughly one per year... even if it becomes more difficult later on, in at most seven or eight more years, I can gather ten. When that happens, the power of the technique will reach a whole new level!"

Now, as he received the golden slip, Li Ximing seemed to carry a trace of carefree ease, smiling as he said, "Perfect timing. I will gather some [Wall-Sinking Water] from the lake, then return to bring her over!"

1. Previously known as Great Li White Radiance. ☜

2. Previously known as Great Li Crimson Radiance. ☜