Subscribe to the MTL WORLD (@mtlworld1) YouTube Channel.
***********************************
Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 2: [Jiuli Insect Valley]
Chapter 94 (122): [Jiang Ning and Zuoqiu Ting]
(94th of Volume 2)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
***********************************
Li Weiyi was surprised.
After their previous encounter on the ship, he had always thought Zhuang Yue was arrogant and disdainful.
Only now did he realize that she was simply straightforward, incapable of the hypocrisy and hidden daggers of the world.
People like her saw the world in stark black and white, with clear lines between love and hate, leaving no room for gray areas.
Fortunately, she was in Phoenix Terrace.
In the chaotic world of mortals, she would never have survived this long.
He put away the Insect Tube.
After fleeing a distance, Li Weiyi shouted back, "Don't just keep fighting blindly! If you can't win, run together!"
"Stubborn as ever!" he muttered, fleeing while opening the Insect Tube.
Inside, a dazzling Rosy Mist of multicolored hues swirled.
Seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors were feasting on the leaves of an Immortal Haze-tainted Herb.
When they noticed the Insect Tube had been opened, their seven pairs of eyes turned to Li Weiyi outside. After a brief flurry of chirps, they went back to eating.
Li Weiyi's face darkened instantly.
"All you care about is food? Your master returns, and you show no excitement at all! No wonder you were so easily lured away."
But Jiang Ning and Zhuang Yue were truly extravagant.
For a treasure like the Immortal Haze-tainted Herb, Li Weiyi had sold it for a hundred million Copper Coins, and Yin Ershi-Wu had bought it without hesitation.
He could imagine that if he had taken it outside Li Province, he could have gotten an even higher price.
Someone would definitely have bought it.
Yet they were using them to feed insects.
Fortunately, the seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors had already reached two inches in length.
"That's strange. Why didn't Zhuang Yue release them to fight Shi Shishi together? Could it be... she doesn't realize their combat power has reached the Five Seas Realm, and thinks they wouldn't be helpful?"
Li Weiyi found this possibility highly plausible.
At any level, a coordinated attack is effective.
If the six Buddha's Salvation Bandits had worked together more closely, they could have given Li Weiyi a serious challenge.
The seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors were far superior to those six bandits.
Most of the Buddha's Salvation Bandits were Seven Springs Breaking Five Seas cultivators.
But these seven Emperor-Monarch Grade rare insects could match the combat power of a Hundred Silver Veins Successor Seed at the same realm.
While they might lag behind Successor Seeds in combat techniques, spiritual artifacts, and intelligence, their incredible defense and speed more than compensated.
A sharp whistling sound cut through the air behind him.
Li Weiyi's expression shifted slightly. He immediately turned to look back.
Zhuang Yue, riding a stream of spiritual Qi, moved like a white streak, rapidly closing the distance between them.
In the distance, Shi Shishi was using a leaping technique that propelled him forward like a cannonball, covering dozens of yards with each bound.
His body was like a coiled spring.
"What do you mean by that?" Li Weiyi asked nervously.
Zhuang Yue had chased him to within thirty meters, her injuries severe and her breathing ragged. Gritting her silver teeth, she retorted, "Didn't you tell me that if I couldn't defeat them, we'd escape together?"
"I didn't tell you to run toward me!" Li Weiyi said, exasperated.
Zhuang Yue was even more frustrated: "You didn't make it clear! I thought you meant for me to follow you, so we could escape together."
In Zhuang Yue's eyes, "Sima Qin" was a heroic figure, filled with responsibility and unafraid of sacrifice. She had interpreted his words as "We die together, or we escape together."
"Whoosh!"
Shi Shishi, like a giant, plump bird, swooped over their heads and landed heavily in front of them, sending up a cloud of dust.
Li Weiyi slid forward two meters before finally coming to a stop.
Zhuang Yue stopped a short distance behind him, realizing they had little chance of escaping today. She released a cloud of spiritual Qi, preparing for battle.
Shi Shishi chuckled: "Brother Sima, are you also from the Jiu Li Hidden Sect?"
"I don't understand what you're talking about. But Shishi Dharma King, you should be careful. Sima Qin's cultivation may not be as strong as yours, but I have another identity."
Li Weiyi opened the Insect Tube, and a Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperor fluttered out.
"Insect Tamer!"
"Hiss!"
The two-inch-long body of the Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperor rapidly grew, its wings and membranous wings expanding to three feet long, transforming into a giant moth radiating five-colored, glass-like light.
Its six sharp claws, forged like metal, were hooked like spears.
This Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperor was the eldest of the seven, skilled in bluffing.
In the Tomb of the Azure King, when Li Weiyi first encountered it, it had appeared in this massive form, emitting the aura of an Immortal Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivator. Even his three Masters had nearly been fooled.
Li Weiyi had already communicated with it using Psychic Power earlier. There was no need to release Immortal Realm-level aura; that would be too artificial and arouse suspicion.
The fifth stage of the Five Seas Realm would sufficient.
The three-foot-long body, shimmering with metallic and glass-like textures, slowly crawled toward Shi Shishi, emitting a loud "Chirp chirp" that echoed across the wilderness.
Shi Shishi's expression instantly changed.
He quickly retreated to create distance.
Zhuang Yue, sensing the terrifying aura of the Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperor, exclaimed in shock, "This is its true power?"
"Naturally."
Li Weiyi stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his expression confident and self-satisfied.
Zhuang Yue held her breath and asked, "What about the other six insects in the tube?"
"Why would I need all seven rare insects to deal with a severely injured child?" Li Weiyi replied casually.
The other six insects were mere pretenders, incapable of releasing the aura of a true powerhouse.
"Rare insects? And there are six more?"
Shi Shishi instinctively sensed something amiss, but the giant moth insect approaching him exuded a thick, immensely dangerous aura.
He was considering whether to retreat when he saw a sky full of white feathers surging toward him from afar.
A graceful, Immortal-like figure spread her wings and descended, causing his expression to shift again.
"Brother Sima, with your incredible Insect Tamer skills, you'd be a perfect addition to our Earthwolf King's Army. Farewell for now."
Shi Shishi jumped, burrowed into the earth, and vanished.
Li Weiyi breathed a sigh of relief and quickly retracted the Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperor into his Insect Tube. He walked to where Shi Shishi had disappeared, finding the ground solid, not hollowed out.
"That earth-burrowing technique is truly remarkable," he remarked.
Zhuang Yue scoffed: "They're just a bunch of earth rats. Otherwise, they would have been wiped out long ago by the imperial army."
White spiritual Qi feathers drifted down, and Jiang Ning landed gracefully, her white light wings dissolving as she approached the two women.
Her figure was tall and slender, draped in emerald robes and cloud-like garments.
Her full, alluring breasts were framed by flowing celestial colors, radiating the unique, flawless beauty of a Pure Immortal Physique.
Every inch of her skin gleamed like jade.
Even among other Pure Immortal Physiques, there was a vast difference in aura and beauty.
Even with her face veiled, Jiang Ning would stand out like a crane among chickens, a true Goddess or Immortal descended to the mortal realm.
"Young lady, he was Shi Shishi, Shinaer's adopted son," Zhuang Yue reported, bowing.
Jiang Ning nodded slightly, her immortal eyes like emerald waves turning to Li Weiyi, their depths capable of piercing through all the mysteries of the world, "Did he save you?"
Zhuang Yue affirmed, stepping forward to express her gratitude to Li Weiyi.
Li Weiyi was surprised.
Phoenix Terrace Martial-Mystic Cultivators, who claimed to be celestial beings, were actually bowing their proud heads to thank a mere Mortal Martial-Mystic Cultivator like him.
It was a rare sight indeed.
But their gratitude was only verbal, lacking any tangible expression, which didn't quite meet Li Weiyi's expectations.
"No need to thank me. I mainly wanted to retrieve these seven little ones," Li Weiyi said, eager to avoid further entanglement as he prepared to leave.
Suddenly, the Insect Tube on his back burst open.
The seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors flew towards Jiang Ning. Some landed on her shoulders, others perched on her hair, while others circled her playfully, even nuzzling her affectionately.
A rare, tender smile graced Jiang Ning's eyes. She retrieved an Immortal Haze-tainted Herb from her fragrant sleeve and fed it to them.
"You..."
Li Weiyi struggled to maintain his composure, refraining from immediately summoning the Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors back.
Zhuang Yue, her expression curious, seized the opportunity to transmit the earlier Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperor's behavior to Jiang Ning through spiritual Qi.
Jiang Ning was secretly astonished.
It seemed these seven little ones were even more extraordinary than she had anticipated.
Upon returning to Lingxiao City, she would need to thoroughly research ancient texts and the List of Extraordinary Insects.
Her pride would never allow her to resort to murder to seize the insects, but her desire to subjugate Sima Qin for her own purposes intensified.
She softened her tone, making it more approachable: "I've been a voracious reader since childhood, and I consider myself well-versed in knowledge. Yet I know very little about these seven. What kind of rare insects are they?"
"Five-Colored Spiritual Moths."
Li Weiyi revealed the name his Spirit Tablet Master had long ago chosen for a Commander-Grade Strange Insect: the Five-Colored Spirit Moth.
Jiang Ning said, "The Five-Colored Spirit Moth ranks fifth on the List of Extraordinary Insects. When fully grown, seven of them working together can hold their own against a Immortal Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivator. More importantly, they possess a degree of control over underground insect swarms. Sima Qin, with your talent, you would undoubtedly receive special attention if you went to Lingxiao City to cultivate. Do you have any interest in serving the imperial court?"
In Jiang Ning's presence, Li Weiyi truly felt the unparalleled charm and aura of a Pure Immortal Physique, a quality that seemed utterly beyond the reach of mortals. It made him feel she shouldn't be burdened by worldly affairs but should instead transcend the mundane world to cultivate the Dao and seek immortality.
For someone like her to converse with a low-level cultivator like him in a non-commanding tone already showed she was making a genuine effort.
Li Weiyi smiled: "Thank you for your appreciation, but I'm unfamiliar with court protocols and dislike being constrained. I'm afraid I can only play the ungrateful fool this time. However, I can assure you I will never join the Rebel Army or become an enemy of the imperial court."
Staying away from the court was crucial.
Stabilizing Jiang Ning, preventing her from seeing him as a threat and killing him in the cradle, was equally important.
It wasn't surprising that she was rejected; Jiang Ning understood. But Sima Qin's combat prowess at the same cultivation level was truly extraordinary, rivaling even the young Ancient Heavenly Emperor. Moreover, he controlled seven Five-Colored Spirit Moths.
Recalling his display of intelligence and resilience within the Five Seas Realm Boundary, she realized that if he survived, he would undoubtedly rise rapidly within a decade, becoming a shining new star in the Southern Territory.
She decided to try again: "You're not really Sima Qin, are you? Your Transformation Technique has many flaws."
"An Envoy's eyes are truly sharp. I'm impressed!"
Li Weiyi gave an awkward smile, quickly realizing something. The image of Zuoqiu Ting flashed through his mind.
Suddenly, everything became clear.
'So that's it.'
Zuoqiu Ting must have also used the Transformation Technique, which was why his face was identical to the Dragon Sect Inheritor's, yet the disharmony was so striking.
Using the Transformation Technique to change one's appearance into another person's is incredibly difficult, requiring immense cultivation, observational skills, and mastery of disguise.
Li Weiyi was still far from achieving such proficiency.
Even with Zuoqiu Ting's cultivation, he could only manage a crude imitation.
Jiang Ning continued, "You're not from the Ashen Region as everyone suspects. You're truly a member of the Jiu Li Hidden Sect!"
At the Five Seas Realm Boundary, Li Weiyi risked his life to protect the young Martial-Mystic Cultivators of the Jiu Li Clan.
In her eyes, only members of the Jiu Li Clan possessed such responsibility and dedication. How could anyone from the Ashen Region possibly make such a sacrifice?
If not for the Jiu Li Clan's public Cultivators, the only other possibility was the Hidden Sect.
The Phoenix Terrace, which monitored the world, naturally had records of the Jiu Li Hidden Sect.
Thus, Jiang Ning knew it was real.
Li Weiyi suspected Jiang Ning was trying to trick him and vehemently denied it.
Jiang Ning remained convinced she was right: "It doesn't matter if you won't admit it! What I value is your talent, potential, and character. Yes, the Grand Palace Mistress did make mistakes back then, and the Little Xiaotian Edict caused you great harm. I understand your resentment towards the court."
"But there's much more to the story than meets the eye. I believe the Grand Palace Mistress, who once governed with diligence, loved her people like her own children, and possessed a pure and radiant heart, will return. Darkness and obsession are only temporary. She has the capacity to correct her mistakes."
"Hahaha!"
A familiar, hearty laugh echoed through the air.
Zuoqiu Ting and Li Ling strolled up a small hill nearby, appearing before the three below.
The giant dragonfly materialized alongside them.
Zuoqiu Ting gracefully fanned himself with a folding fan, his demeanor elegant and carefree. He raised his voice, laughing, "Jiang Ning, you have quite the nerve to criticize the Grand Palace Mistress! How many heads do you think you have to lose?"
Jiang Ning observed Zuoqiu Ting for a moment, recognized him, and spoke in a melodious voice like heavenly music: "If you've done wrong, admit it. What's there to be afraid of? But my respect and admiration for the Grand Palace Mistress will never waver. She merely lost herself for a moment, trapped in an inner vortex, and committed a grave error."
"But don't forget who, a thousand years ago, carved a clear sky for the world during the deadly calamity of the Nether Realm's arrival?"
"Back then, the Three Hundred Prefectures of Lingxiao were in constant retreat, suffering millions of casualties daily. All armies and Martial-Mystic Cultivators were powerless to resist. Wherever the soul clouds of the Dead Spirits surged, an entire prefecture would be plunged into darkness and deathly silence."
"At the world's most critical and desperate hour, it was the Grand Palace Mistress alone, with a single sword, who stood at the forefront, repelling the Dead Spirit armies dozens of times."
"She traversed ninety thousand miles in a single day, carving a circle through the endless soul clouds of the Dead Spirits and the night sky of the Nether Realm. That's how the Twenty-Eight Provinces of Lingxiao exist today."
"But everyone has forgotten all of this. They've forgotten that for a thousand years, it was under the Grand Palace Mistress's leadership that the Lingxiao Realm was revived."
"They've forgotten that it was her presence that deterred the Four Directions of the Nether Realm and the Dead Spirit Fiends."
"They've forgotten that without the Grand Palace Mistress, the Lingxiao Realm as it exists today would never have existed."
"Without the Grand Palace Mistress, your Zuoqiu Sect would have perished a thousand years ago! Do you admit it?"
Zuoqiu Ting's expression turned solemn as he nodded and sighed: "I naturally acknowledge the Grand Palace Mistress's achievements. But a thousand years of merit was undone in just three years by the Xiaotian Edict. In those three years, how many lives were lost? How much blood, tears, and humiliation were shed? I've always believed that the world's greatest person, if left unrestrained, would become the world's greatest disaster."
Jiang Ning countered, "What about the decade of war that followed? More people died in that period than in those three years. When a hero rises up in rebellion, it plunges the world into a decade of suffering."
"How many of those so-called heroes were truly selfless? How many were genuinely fighting for the good of the world? I see more who were driven by their own ambitions and self-interest, much like the crisis brewing in Li Province right now."
Zuoqiu Ting replied, "If the Grand Palace Mistress refuses to admit her mistakes, someone must correct them."
Jiang Ning suggested, "We should give her some time."
"Three years is more than enough! I think the world has been incredibly patient," Zuoqiu Ting retorted.
Jiang Ning asked, "Is the Zuoqiu Sect finally entering this world's chess game?"
Zuoqiu Ting stared into her eyes for a long moment before chuckling: "I won't tell you! But for now, the Zuoqiu Sect has been more than fair to the Grand Palace Mistress and the Lingxiao Palace."
With Jiang Ning's confirmation, Li Weiyi was certain that Zuoqiu Ting was indeed the true inheritor of the Zuoqiu Sect. His anxiety eased slightly.
However, the two were arguing fiercely, their words sharp and cutting, as if they were about to come to blows.
A clash between Inheritor-level figures was truly terrifying.
Li Weiyi, fearing collateral damage, forcibly recalled the seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors and quickly retreated to Li Ling's side.
He asked, "Weren't you supposed to be at Thirty-Three Li Mountain?"
Li Ling, intrigued by the heated debate between the two figures in the distance, smiled and replied, "We came back to find you."
"Again?" Li Weiyi was taken aback.
Li Ling explained, "We just received news that a Immortal Realm elder has discovered a special method to send Martial-Mystic Cultivators at the first and second stages of the Five Seas Realm into Thirty-Three Li Mountain. Young Master Zuoqiu believes your expertise is still needed."
"With the Zuoqiu Sect's influence, finding a Pure Immortal Physique expert at the second stage of the Five Seas Realm shouldn't be difficult. Why keep targeting a Mortal Martial-Mystic Cultivator like me, who's only just entered the Five Seas Realm?" Li Weiyi countered.
Zuoqiu Ting, hearing this, called out from afar, "Entering the second stage of the Five Seas Realm is extremely challenging. The Zuoqiu Sect can only send one person in. While you're only at the first stage, your combat prowess in the second stage is exceptional, making you naturally the prime target of this young master's efforts."
Li Weiyi no longer outright refused.
Leveraging the Zuoqiu Sect's power to enter Thirty-Three Li Mountain would undoubtedly be safer than going alone.
Jiang Ning had no intention of fighting Zuoqiu Ting. As she departed, she glanced at Li Weiyi and said, "If you change your mind, you can find me anytime. The imperial court remains the most powerful force in the world."
Zhuang Yue clasped her hands in farewell and followed Jiang Ning until they disappeared over the horizon.
"Clack!"
Zuoqiu Ting snapped his folding fan shut, clicking his tongue in regret.
"Jiang Ning is a Luantai Envoy, a disciple of a Palace Master-level figure, and a Hundred Silver Veins Inheritor-level expert. Her future is limitless."
"Moreover, I hear she's one of the Three Immortals of the Immortal Forest's younger generation, known as the Feather Immortal. Beneath her veil must be a beauty that surpasses all mortal realms. Brother Sima, how could you possibly refuse her?"
"Do you know how many heroes and elites across the land would gladly follow her, yet she wouldn't even spare them a glance?"
Li Weiyi chuckled: "Brother Zuoqiu seems quite interested in Jiang Ning."
Zuoqiu Ting fanned himself lightly, gazing in the direction Jiang Ning had gone: "Who wouldn't be captivated by such a graceful Immortal maiden? Alas, she's a thorny rose, and not just anyone can become her companion. Thinking of this, I can't help but feel sorry for Brother Sima."
Li Weiyi's smile faded, and he spoke seriously: "While Jiang Ning may be proud and aloof, making her difficult to approach, she's still fundamentally upright and honorable."
"Upright and honorable? You call it that when she spared your life but seized the rare insect?"
"How naive!"
"As a member of the imperial court, a chaotic stew of factions, she wouldn't have become a Luantai Envoy, let alone survive, without extraordinary means. It would have been as impossible as climbing to the heavens."
Zuoqiu Ting leaped onto the back of the Giant Dragonfly, laughing: "Let's go. I, Zuoqiu Ting, am not known for being entirely upright, but I can guarantee that if you help me this time, the rewards will be substantial."
The Giant Dragonfly, carrying the three of them, soared dozens of yards into the air and headed toward Thirty-Three Li Mountain.
Li Weiyi told Li Ling about the dire situation facing the Spring Surge Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivators and asked, "What's the situation on your front in the Five Seas Realm?"
Li Ling replied, "With the help of a group of mysterious Martial-Mystic Cultivators, my brother and the others have broken through the Five Seas Realm Boundary. The path from the Five Seas Realm Boundary to Yaoguan City should be cleared soon."
Zuoqiu Ting exuded the confidence typical of a scion of a prominent sect: "Li Province is the Southern Territory's rear base and the Zuoqiu Sect's backyard. Rest assured, the Zuoqiu Sect won't allow Li Province to fall into chaos. We will definitely intervene."
Li Weiyi scoffed: "If the Zuoqiu Sect truly wanted to help the Jiu Li Clan, they would have intervened fourteen years ago! What you need is a Li Province embroiled in internal strife but not on the verge of total collapse - not a strong and stable Jiu Li Clan. I suspect that even if you do intervene, it will only be after the Jiu Li Clan has been severely weakened. And if the Jiu Li Clan fails to weather this turmoil and collapses entirely, you might even switch your support to the Sui Sect or the San Chen Palace."
Zuoqiu Ting stood at the front, supporting a Spiritual Qi cloud that enveloped the three of them.
A strange light flashed in his eyes as he sighed, "Li Ling, you should hurry up and have your father make him a Li Family son-in-law. If Jiang Ning steals him away, the Jiu Li Clan will suffer a huge loss!"
Li Ling retorted sourly, "He can't be stolen. Some people are more interested in Yaoyin. Becoming a son-in-law of the Yao Li Tribe might be more appealing."
Li Weiyi could only force a wry smile.
Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming sense of oppression, as if his heart and lungs had been suddenly squeezed, making it difficult to breathe.
He looked up.
A terrifying black demon shadow with crimson giant wings, a dragon's head, and a snake's tail soared through the Immortal Haze clouds of the sky, casting an enormous shadow on the ground. The area covered by the shadow could accommodate several small hills.
Zuoqiu Ting remained calm: "It's just a Immortal Realm Demon Cultivator passing by. It's normal. The opportunities in this Immortal Realm space of Burial Immortal Town are too great; many old monsters have been drawn here."
"I heard the Four Extremes Ape King has arrived too!" Li Weiyi said with some concern.
Zuoqiu Ting reassured him, "Don't worry. It's just a Sixth-Generation Grandson you killed. My Zuoqiu Sect's Founding Ancestor is also here to keep it in check."
Half a day later, they reached the edge of the grassland.
On the horizon, Thirty-Three Li Mountain was already in sight, shrouded in clouds and mist, majestic and magnificent.
A look of surprise flashed in Li Weiyi's eyes.
_______________________
END OF CHAPTER
Subscribe to the MTL WORLD (@mtlworld1) YouTube Channel.
***********************************