The Mirror Legacy

Chapter 1627: Lead And Follow (I)

[Heavenly Directorate Sequence Arrangement Divine Scroll]...

Bright light interwove throughout the Realm of Sun and Moon Radiance, while pure qi drifted through the Upper Firmament Pavilion. Li Zhouwei stood within the pavilion, arms folded as he carefully studied this Dao Merit technique. Various thoughts began to turn over in his mind.

The Li Family had seen quite a few items of the [Divine Scroll] category. Whether it was the [Majestic Gui Yin-Seizing Divine Scroll], the [Stellar Enclosure Grand Repository Divine Scroll], or even the [Dao Profound Continuance Divine Scroll] associated with [Stored Metal], which had only ever been mentioned by Liu Changdie, they all belonged to the same general type.

Most of these scrolls contained large numbers of arts, formulas, and specialized techniques. Having read many of them, Li Zhouwei had gradually begun to notice certain similarities. The Heavenly Directorate Sequence Arrangement and Stellar Enclosure Grand Repository Scrolls in particular shared an unmistakably unified structure, as though they had originated from the same source...

Even when he looked back at the [Qilin Radiant Yang Divine Scroll] now, he could vaguely discern similar traits. The realization left him silent for a long while, his heart suddenly pounding.

Something's off... These seem to originate from the same Dao lineage. Even the most distinct among them, the [Qilin Radiant Yang Divine Scroll], shares common elements. At the very least, they must be branches that emerged after an ancient Dao lineage underwent countless transformations through the ages. In the terminology of the great sects, they would belong to the same Dao track... They all carry the unmistakable flavor of having evolved from a common origin.

In the present age, the various mansions had fallen into disorder, and the origins of many things could no longer be traced. Yet in ancient times, such matters had been classified with great rigor. For example, Changhuai and Yue Cultivating both originated from the Supreme Yang Dao lineage. Though neither explicitly bore the name Supreme Yang, they would still be regarded as belonging to the same Dao track if one examined the matter closely.

These [Divine Scrolls] differed considerably from the [Scriptures] the Li Family had previously obtained. They clearly belonged to an entirely different Dao track, with the sole exception of the [Majestic Gui Yin-Seizing Divine Scroll]. Although it was classified as a Divine Scroll, many of the arts recorded within it lacked the clear inheritance relationships seen in the others.

[Heaven-Governing] is clearly part of the Douxuan Dao lineage... Divine Scrolls... Heaven-Governing... sacrificial rites... and divine offices...

Daoist Nun Xiangchun once said that there were Mansion Monarchs, Divine Monarchs, Imperial Monarchs, and True Monarchs in ancient times... They too fell under the designation of the divine. The collapse of incense worship and divine offices today stems from the same roots...

He slightly raised an eyebrow as he continued to ponder, If that's the case... then the Ancient Wei State associated with the [Qilin Radiant Yang Divine Scroll] must also have had deep ties to Douxuan...

Li Zhouwei took a moment to check his immortal merits. They had increased from three hundred and twenty-nine to three hundred and sixty-four. Li Ximing's recent battle alone had earned another thirty-five.

I fought the Merciful Ones within the grotto heaven and severely wounded Helian Wujiang, who cultivated devil techniques, yet I earned only thirty-one merits. Killing Nuxiao earned thirty-five. The gap in strength between those two wasn't even comparable. It seems Buddhist cultivators are worth more... The immortal merits gained from killing them are greater as well...

Even if I can't kill them next time, I should at least destroy their dharma body. Simply defeating and suppressing them in battle yields far too few immortal merits...

He examined it carefully. The [Heavenly Directorate Sequence Arrangement Divine Scroll] reached the sixth grade, contained a complete collection of arts, and possessed a rich inheritance. Exchanging for it would cost one hundred and eighty-nine merits, leaving him with one hundred and seventy-five afterward.

There are already plenty of arts available. Granduncle alone still has over a dozen arts he hasn't mastered, and he's occupied with cultivation. We won't have much use for additional techniques for at least another thirty or forty years... What's left will be more than enough.

When he had exchanged for the [Imperial Divergence Light], he had pinched every merit and deliberated repeatedly. Yet now he acted without the slightest hesitation. After making the exchange, he strode quickly out of the pavilion and happened to see Li Ximing approaching, a pill displayed in his hand.

The pill shimmered with intertwined black and gold hues, its brilliant colors stirring wave after wave of spiritual energy. Unfortunately, the perfectly balanced Yin and Yang within the grotto heaven suppressed those fluctuations, preventing them from rising any further.

Seeing Li Zhouwei, Li Ximing said seriously, "Now that your injuries have fully healed, and with conditions outside still unstable, this is the perfect time to cultivate using the [Southern Palace Profound Stabilizing Pill]. This pill can open a profound palace within the body, allowing you to cultivate gradually. Its medicinal power doesn't dissipate easily, making it ideal for times like these when you may need to interrupt your cultivation and take action at any moment.

"Even after its primary effects are exhausted, it can still be used to replenish divine ability. It's also well suited to be bestowed upon younger generations, allowing them to keep it as a means of protection!"

————

Simin Prefecture.

Simin Prefecture was the foundation of the Azure Pond Sect. It had a flourishing population, with numerous clans. For centuries, the Yue State had seen far more turmoil than peace, yet Simin Prefecture, as the Azure Pond Sect's heartland, had remained stable, seldom touched by unrest. Looking out across the city, one saw endless rows of connected roofs and tiered pavilions rising one after another.

Within the main hall atop the heights, a man dressed in a bright white feathered robe lowered his head in thought. He carefully examined the official robe spread across the table before speaking softly, "For the decorative accents... Let's keep the Five-Colored True Jade Pattern as the primary motif. The entire robe will use the Fourfold Auspicious Cloud Pattern... As for the emblem..."

He frowned slightly. "What does Great Zhao use?"

Several junior officials before him immediately raised their heads and answered in low voices, "They use the Kui Beast[1], with wood-and-stone patterns as the base..."

Li Jiangliang glanced at the smiling woman nearby. Yang Tianyou raised an eyebrow and said, "Use intertwined serpents, water-and-fire motifs, and a great python."

The subordinates on both sides quickly acknowledged the order and respectfully replied, "We shall have it drawn at once and ask the two lords to review it."

Li Jiangliang nodded faintly. The group immediately carried the official robe away as though it were a priceless treasure.

Yang Tianyou then turned toward the window and casually remarked, "Simin truly is prosperous."

Even though the turmoil of recent years had shaken the realm and the great battle outside Simin Prefecture had left devastation in its wake, the prefecture itself could still be considered peaceful. Taking a step forward, Li Jiangliang still found it difficult to believe.

"The Azure Pond Sect really gave up Simin just like that..."

By the time Yang Zhuo led Li Jiangliang and the others to Simin, the Azure Pond Sect itself had already descended into chaos. Only Qin Xian's faction remained fighting outside the prefecture. Qin Xian had already sensed what was coming, yet he had no choice but to ride the wind forward and resist.

Qin Xian came from a humble background. He had always followed whichever way the wind blew, adapting to every change, and had climbed step by step to his current position. Though his Dao lineage was far from exceptional, he had enjoyed no shortage of precious resources over the years. Even an Azure Pond Sect Peak Master might not have been able to defeat him with certainty.

Yet he lasted only a single exchange before Yang Zhuo. Before the [Pacifying Barbarians Nine-Bend Trident] could even descend, six forms of water and fire had already struck him in succession. Qin Xian did not even manage a cry before both body and soul were annihilated. Thus, the only sect master in Azure Pond Sect's history to have risen from a humble background died violently before countless witnesses.

The remaining cultivators descended into chaos. Led by Qin Xian's son, Qin Lianfu, they prepared to flee. However, a direct descendant of the Si Family under Yang Zhuo stepped forward and shouted a few words. No matter how unbelievable it seemed, the Qin Clan lowered their heads and surrendered. Rewards had followed almost immediately afterward.

Thus, Simin Prefecture, which the Azure Pond Sect had cultivated for six hundred years, failed to hold out even for an hour before it was breached. People on both sides welcomed the royal army with open arms. Cultivators led by the Deng Family fell to their knees in tears. The Deng Family Head wept as though his heart were breaking, counting on his fingers as he recited one grievance after another, detailing how the Azure Pond Sect had oppressed the Deng Family for centuries and naming each family member who had supposedly fallen victim to that persecution.

1. The 夔 (Kuí) is a legendary creature associated with thunder, music, and divine authority in ancient Chinese lore. ☜