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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 3: [Qiu Prefecture Lantern Festival]
Chapter 11 (155): [The Second Realm of the Five Seas Realm]
(11th of Volume 3)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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"The person she actually wants to recruit is you," Yin Shi San said.
"That shows she has good judgment and a keen eye for talent," Li Weiyi replied, changing the subject, "But she's just a Phoenix Terrace Envoy, not the Second Palace Master of Phoenix Terrace. It's already generous of us to let one of the Jiu Li Hidden Sect's Hidden Ones serve her. She's not yet qualified to employ a Divine Hidden One."
After laughing, Yin Shi San said seriously, "Ahead lies territory under imperial control. Once you pass Huju City, you'll essentially be entering the Central Plains. The Juze (Great Marsh) Plains stretch for ten thousand miles ahead, the largest fertile granary in the world, connecting the northern half of Zhi Prefecture with Qiu and Fu Prefectures."
"By the way, while the northern half of Zhi Prefecture is nominally under imperial control, it's long since fallen into the Zuoqiu Clan's grasp. That's the real reason Jiang Ning dares not enter the city as a Phoenix Terrace Envoy."
"Then why does she dare go to Qiu Prefecture?" Li Weiyi asked.
Yin Shi San replied, "It's different! If a Phoenix Terrace Envoy dies in Qiu Prefecture, the Zuoqiu Clan would be held directly responsible. But if a Phoenix Terrace Envoy dies in Huju City, the Zuoqiu Clan can easily claim it was the Night City Barbarian Raiders or the Li Clan rebels who did it."
"The enemies pursuing Jiang Ning must be incredibly powerful. Are you sure you want to take this risk, Senior Brother Shi San?" Li Weiyi asked.
Yin Shi San chuckled: "This is the only way Jiang Ning might let me into her inner circle. The Jiang Clan's branch in the Lingxiao Realm is a colossal entity, capable of rivaling the Four Great Ancient Myriad Sects with the backing of the imperial court. The power behind them is truly extraordinary."
"That's good you have a plan! As the future Divine Hidden One, I'll give you three Crimson Haze Herbs." Li Weiyi produced the rare medicine and handed it over.
"What future Divine Hidden One? You're already a Divine Hidden One!"
Yin Shi San, as if receiving a priceless treasure, didn't bother with formalities. He quickly pocketed the three Crimson Haze Herbs, beaming with delight: "I've been stuck at the Fourth Stage of the Five Seas Realm for two years. With these, I can break through to the Fifth-Stage Five Seas Realm soon. My chances of survival will improve dramatically! Divine Hidden One, farewell!"
Yin Shi San then pursued Jiang Ning and Zhuang Yue, embarking on his own path of competition.
Li Weiyi watched the fifty Fire Ravens flying toward Huju City and sighed deeply.
Ultimately, he chose not to enter the city with Wu Zhaonan. Instead, he and Li Ling swiftly vanished into the night, disappearing into the Great Marsh (Juze) Plains.
He didn't want to draw attention to himself.
If the outside world learned he was involved with Jiang Ning, he'd be branded as an imperial agent, which would cause him immense trouble.
Although few people had heard of Li Weiyi so far, the commotion he caused in Li Prefecture during his Surging Spring Realm days was negligible.
But his journey to Qiu Prefecture was driven by his desire to obtain the Immortality Pill.
How could he possibly seize the pill without first making a name for himself throughout the world?
...
Yuwen Tuozhen, the Young City Lord of Night City, stood tall and imposing atop a black Night Kirin Giant Beast, gazing at Huju City thirty miles away.
The sun had just risen on the horizon.
The Giant Beast soared through the sky, Yuwen Tuozhen's head beneath a thick layer of clouds, his entire form bathed in the radiant glow of dawn.
His handsome features, barely past twenty, bore the crescent moon mark of the Night Clan's royal bloodline on his brow. His long purple hair and the heavy Yin energy radiating from him, coupled with his hawk-like, icy gaze, sent a shiver down Yuwen Chao's spine, who stood beside him.
Yuwen Chao's right arm was nearly crippled, but he had escaped underwater, saving his life.
As a Fifth-Stage Five Seas Realm cultivator, his vitality was already incredibly strong.
Three Five Seas Realm Aberrant Humanoids from Night City, skilled in tracking, examined the shoreline before mounting Fire Ravens and soaring into the sky to report to Yuwen Tuozhen.
Among them, an elderly Canine Aberrant at the Fourth Stage of the Five Seas Realm said, "That group didn't enter Huju City. They landed here and split into two groups."
Yuwen Chao said, "Young City Lord, allow me to pursue the other group. This subordinate will redeem himself. The Fire Crow Cavalry suffered devastating losses last night!"
Yuwen Tuozhen turned to Dao-Di and Mie-Di, who were perched on a golden eagle.
"Once they pass Huju City, they'll enter Zuoqiu Clan territory. It'll be difficult to track them then! Jiang Ning must still be suffering from the Night Emperor Toad Venom."
" What a missed opportunity to capture her. To have missed seeing the beauty of one of the Three Immortals is truly regrettable."
Dao-Di, clad in a blue Buddhist robe, his face as white and smooth as jade, said gently, "As long as she hasn't entered Qiu Prefecture City, there's still a chance."
Mie-Di replied, "Her arrival in Qiu Prefecture City will undoubtedly disrupt the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival. The Zuoqiu Clan won't welcome her. If we don't make too much of a fuss, they'll likely turn a blind eye."
Yuwen Tuozhen chuckled: "You Guan Shan people certainly have a lot of guts."
Mie-Di laughed maniacally: "Capturing and destroying the Feather Immortal will make us the talk of the town among all the Heavenly Prides of the righteous army. At the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, this humble monk seeks fame."
Dao-Di added, "The Dragon Sect Inheritor has already gone to Huju City, where the Sui Branch Hall, one of the six major branch halls of the Sui Sect, is located. The Sui Sect's young generation of experts have gathered there after leaving Li Prefecture. With their help, our chances of hunting down Jiang Ning will greatly increase."
"Then mobilize the forces of the San Chen Palace as well. I'll handle this."
Yuwen Tuozhen finally turned his gaze to Yuwen Chao: "I'll give you one more chance. Lead a team and go after the other group. I'm very interested in those seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors you mentioned."
"Thank you for your trust, Young Lord! This subordinate will not fail your command and will bring back the seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors to present to you."
Yuwen Chao breathed a long sigh of relief.
The pressure Yuwen Tuozhen exerted on him was even greater than that of a Dao Seed Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivator, because he knew all too well what a capricious and ruthless figure the Night City Young Lord was.
....
In the Blood Mud Space, Li Weiyi sat cross-legged, surrounded by rippling spatial fluctuations.
Bright, ethereal Spiritual Qi surged through his pores with each breath.
With every breath, the grade of his Spiritual Qi improved significantly.
This process continued for 671 cycles before the Spiritual Qi finally settled, its grade no longer increasing.
"Finally, I've broken through and officially entered the Fifth Sea Realm, Second Realm."
"My second Qi Sea: sixty-three squares."
Over the past few days, Li Weiyi had been recuperating his lung lobe while also strengthening it. On the third day after parting with Jiang Ning, he consumed two Crimson Haze Herbs, finally breaking through to his second Qi Sea.
During the breakthrough, his Spiritual Qi underwent repeated refinement, transforming into Third-Level Qi.
"I wonder what form the battle intent cultivated through the Heaven-Turning Palm Seal will take once it materializes."
Standing up, Li Weiyi stepped into a specific footwork, clasped his hands into palms, and assumed the starting stance of the Heaven-Turning Palm Seal.
"Whoosh-"
The battle intent materialized around him, as if something invisible was swirling around him, stirring up wisps of wind. It was intangible, invisible, requiring integration with his spirit and Spiritual Qi to become fully manifest.
Normally, a Martial-Mystic Cultivator's battle intent would take the form of their own figure, a mystical manifestation of their spiritual Battle Techniques.
Only a few Martial-Mystic Cultivators, those who inherited battle intent from their ancestors or cultivated special Law scriptures and Martial-Mystic Techniques, would possess unique battle intent.
The battle intent of a Third Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivator in the Five Seas Realm typically stood about ten feet tall.
Fourth Stage Martial-Mystic Cultivators' battle intent reached approximately twenty feet.
Fifth-Stage Five Seas Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivators' battle intent stood around thirty feet tall.
Of course, a Fifth-Stage master who cultivated their Wind Mansion into a Sixth Sea would see their battle intent grow by another ten feet.
In Li Weiyi's eyes, battle intent resembled the ancient Huaxia (Chinese) myth of "Law Manifesting the World," where the higher one's cultivation, the larger their form.
Li Weiyi repeatedly practiced his palm technique, gradually merging his essence, qi, and spirit with his battle intent.
"Boom!"
Within the Blood Mud Space, a powerful vortex of wind energy erupted from Li Weiyi's body, spreading outward in all directions.
An awe-inspiring aura was born.
At the vortex's center, surrounded by radiant light, a majestic figure in a Daoist robe appeared.
The figure was ethereal and otherworldly, yet exuded an overwhelming presence.
His white beard, like a brilliant, dazzling waterfall, flowed down his chin.
The battle intent stood ten feet tall, its form somewhat indistinct, making it impossible to discern the Daoist figure's features.
One hand held a seal, the other a bell, resembling a deity enshrined in a temple, capable of compelling mortals to prostrate themselves in worship.
"Could this be the Founding Ancestor of the Chan Sect?"
Li Weiyi's heart trembled, and a flood of thoughts surged through his mind.
Could there truly be a lost mythological history on Earth?
Or perhaps, this mythological history didn't originate on Earth but merely spread to it.
Just as the Fusang Divine Tree and Yingzhou weren't located on Earth, perhaps this was the same.
"His battle intent is too ethereal, and his Spiritual Qi isn't dense enough. He's only slightly stronger than Martial-Mystic Cultivators at his level or one realm above."
"His second Qi Sea is sixty-three cubic meters in size. If he cultivates diligently, it will take at least half a year to fill it. However, if he goes to a Prefectural Giant City and uses a Heavenly Law Earth Spring, he can speed up the process considerably."
Li Weiyi's gaze fell on Zen Hai Guanwu, seated on the Spiritual jade boat. Perhaps refining Qi Ascension Pills was the fastest way to improve his cultivation.
The path to the Third Realm of the Five Seas Realm seemed distant. Li Weiyi mentally calculated, concluding that his only options for immediate improvement were Golden Spring Bone Tempering and cultivating the Seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors.
If he could refine his bones to the Minor Golden Bone stage using the Golden Spring, his physical strength alone would rival that of an average Fifth-Stage Five Seas Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivator.
Combined with his Spiritual Qi cultivation and Spiritual Artifacts, his combat power would be formidable.
More importantly, with the Minor Golden Bone, his physical defense would increase dramatically. Even if he couldn't defeat a powerful opponent, survival would be guaranteed.
In the month since leaving Burial Immortal Town, Li Weiyi had consumed a large quantity of Golden Spring.
Of his 206 bones, 137 had achieved the gilded-surface state.
He inquired about the Seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors' conditions.
They reported that while killing enemies on the ship had helped vent their inner fire, it still burned within them, making it impossible to consume Xihe for now.
Li Weiyi gave each of them a two-hundred-year-old Precious Herb, all "earned" in Burial Immortal Town.
There was no help for it. These seven little ones were invaluable in large-scale battles, but they were always flirting with Jiang Ning, which made Li Weiyi feel threatened. Now that he was flush with wealth, he naturally treated them generously.
If he could quickly feed them to a level where their combat strength matched the Fifth-Stage Five Seas Realm, he could strut through Qiu Prefecture City as an Insect Tamer.
"With my current wealth, selling off some of my resources shouldn't be a problem to buy Millennial Essence Herbs. Ideally, it should be ice-attributed. That way, it can both accelerate Little Seven's growth and neutralize Xihe's fiery nature."
Li Weiyi made up his mind. He glanced at Zen Hai Guanwu, who was meditating and cultivating.
'Forget this "trial romance,"' he thought, 'She probably doesn't even care. She's just a cultivation fanatic.'
No matter how much she wanted to return to the Yang Realm, the Ancient Heavenly Emperor's aloof and indifferent heart was her true nature.
How could a person ever truly defy their own heart?
"Whoosh!"
Ripples of energy spread outward in concentric circles.
Li Weiyi left the Blood Mud Space and returned to the carriage.
This was a luxurious Exotic Beast Carriage, its cabin over ten feet long and wide. Li Weiyi had purchased it at great expense and joined a group of Zhi Prefecture talents also heading to Qiu Prefecture City for the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, forming a lavish carriage convoy that traveled along the wide, smooth official road.
After passing Huju City, the atmosphere of the world changed. The chaos and disorder vanished, replaced by prosperity and flourishing.
They no longer encountered righteous armies or Barbarian Bandits. It seemed everyone knew they had entered the Zuoqiu Clan's territory and were giving them due respect.
In the center of the carriage stood a sandalwood table. The floor and seats were covered with white fox fur, and the walls were lavishly decorated.
Li Weiyi folded up the Ghost Banner he had used to isolate the carriage from the outside world and turned her gaze to Li Ling, who had been guarding the carriage the entire time.
"Have we entered Qiu Prefecture yet?"
"Qi Wangshu said we can reach Giant Marsh (Juze) City before nightfall," Li Ling said, "Once we cross Bing Juze, we'll officially enter Qiu Prefecture."
Qi Wangshu enjoyed high prestige among the talented young people in the caravan. He was known for his generosity and served as a absolute leader.
According to him, his Qi Clan was a strong power in Zhi Prefecture, and his clan's patriarch held a prominent position within the Zuoqiu Clan.
Once they reached Qiu Prefecture City, he would take care of all the arrangements.
The setting sun cast long shadows as dusk approached.
Eight magnificent Exotic Beast Carriages finally arrived at Bing Juze's Lake, renowned throughout the Lingxiao Realm.
The vast Lake stretched for over 1,600 miles from north to south and 2,000 miles from east to west, forming an inland freshwater sea.
Legend had it that it was formed when a Spiritual qi acupoint from the Martial-Mystic Ancestor's body fell to earth, transforming into this mystical body of water.
Qiu Prefecture City was built on the northern shore of Bing Juze, still a long journey from Giant Marsh (Juze) City, where they had arrived today.
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END OF CHAPTER
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