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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 3: [Qiu Prefecture Lantern Festival]
Chapter 94 (238): [Those who break the rules will have no descendants left!]
(94th of Volume 3)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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Taoli (Peach and Plum) Mountain.
Third Heaven, beneath the Ancient Peach Tree.
Zuoqiu Ling stood tall and imposing, his expression grave as he surveyed North City: "The Blood Handprint Demon Armor is a Ninth-Grade Hundred-Character Artifact. While rare in the Lingxiao Realm, it has appeared among some Demonic Path and Devilish Path masters. It's not a major issue."
"But what about that Thunder Law Seal just now? That thing's origins are far from simple."
At that moment, the morning sun melted the morning mist into golden rays, bathing the entire city in light.
Yet the Hidden Lord still shivered, unable to shake off the lingering shock of the recent events: "Wasn't it all for your Zuoqiu Clan? If he hadn't been determined to rescue the group of young talents trapped in the Governor's Manor, he could have escaped long ago. Why would he have provoked Ge Xiantong and exposed such a powerful artifact?"
Zuoqiu Ling sighed: "Old Li, calm down. I know you've been worried sick. Rest assured, after the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, the Zuoqiu Clan will do everything in its power to protect him. He's a good child, and I'll remember his loyalty. But aren't we supposed to be discussing the origins of that seal? I suspect you're just as clueless as I am."
The Hidden Lord understood the consequences of the young man wielding such a powerful artifact.
But as the Leader's disciple, having such a trump card was hardly surprising.
He asked, "What clues have you found?"
Zuoqiu Ling said, "I have a suspicion, but I can't confirm it. I need to consult our Ancestor. I suspect it's one of the Four Seals of the Thundercloud Sect - the Purple Heaven Thunder Seal."
"Legend says each of the Four Seals is a Myriad-Character Artifact, lost during the battle between the Thundercloud Sect's Founding Ancestor and the Mist Heavenly Emperor. For thousands of years since, the Thundercloud Sect has only recovered the Crimson and Azure Seals."
The Hidden Lord shared the same suspicion.
He believed the Purple Heaven Thunder Seal had likely remained in the Leader's possession until later passed to Li Weiyi.
But he said aloud, "It's just a resemblance! Besides, what's a Myriad-Character Artifact to us, one of the Ten Thousand Ancient Clans? Each tribe of the Jiu Li Tribe has such a treasure. It's perfectly reasonable for the Jiu Li Hidden Sect to temporarily lend a Myriad-Character Artifact to the Divine Hidden Ones, isn't it?"
"Are you planning to expose the Divine Hidden One's identity as a member of the Jiu Li Tribe?" Zuoqiu Ling asked.
Compared to being the Leader's disciple, what did the Divine Hidden One's identity matter?
"In any case, if the Thundercloud Sect's Immortal Realm Giants come knocking, the Zuoqiu Clan will handle it."
The Hidden Lord rose to leave.
"Handling it is no problem... Old Li, I'm also worried about the current situation. I fear Hong Ting and Lan Cheng might suffer the same fate as Qingyin. But rules are rules. Don't get involved." Zuoqiu Ling warned sternly.
"I know! Tell the Thundercloud Sect that the seal is my Battle Treasure. They can come directly to me - Immortal against Immortal, the younger generation against the younger generation. If they break the rules, don't blame the Jiu Li Hidden Sect for pouring all its resources into wiping out the Thundercloud Sect's younger generation for sixty years."
"Tell all the factions: Those who break the rules will have no descendants left."
Here, "descendants" refers to one's offspring.
In the Hidden Lord's view, Li Weiyi's battle with Ge Xiantong would surely leave him severely wounded, unable to continue competing in the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival. He would have to leave the city immediately.
But leaving the city was equally dangerous.
At this Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, the Jiu Li Tribe's younger generation had displayed the profound heritage and demeanor befitting one of the Ancient Myriad Clans, washing away the shame of the past decade. News of this back in Li Prefecture would undoubtedly shock many.
However...
Their displayed strength was almost too overwhelming. Several Inheritors had emerged, overshadowing the brilliance of the Ancient Myriad Sects.
Though the Hidden Lord appeared calm, he was under immense pressure. He prepared to immediately activate the Hidden Ancestor Token, summoning several Ancient Hidden Ones from seclusion to protect him. He couldn't rely solely on the Zuoqiu Clan; he needed to stand firm on his own.
"Fortunately, his Spiritual Qi grade is low, and his battle intent is a full ten feet higher than other Martial-Mystic Cultivators at his level, concealing his true cultivation. His current performance is stunning, but not yet enough to raise too many suspicions," the Hidden Lord thought.
...
In the Fifth Heaven, an Immortal Realm Giant from the Dragon Sect, an Aberrant Humanoid over six meters tall with four dragon-like features, caused the sea of clouds to churn with each breath.
He declared, "To possess such combat prowess at the Fifth-Stage Five Seas Realm and escape Ge Xiantong's grasp... this youth is likely to be designated a True Dragon by the Calamity Crossing Temple."
"He merely relied on a pair of heavy artifacts, one for offense and one for defense. His true combat strength still falls short of a Inheritor's. He's strong, yes, but he hasn't established an absolute gap between himself and the three Young Emperors. He's still far from being designated a True Dragon."
An Immortal Realm Giant from the Demon Clan chuckled: "You've all overlooked the most crucial point: his surname is Li, not Li, Zuoqiu, or any other. Whether he can truly mature remains a great unknown."
"He's rushing too fast!"
A white-faced, beardless Imperial Court Immortal Realm Giant examined Li Weiyi's records, "He's overly confident in his extraordinary talent, recklessly squandering his foundation. His cultivation level rises too quickly, too abruptly - it won't last. Such prodigies appear every few centuries, but most meet tragic ends. Either they succumb to cultivation deviation and perish prematurely, or they gradually fade into mediocrity in the Dao Seed Realm."
The older generation of powerhouses, while naturally valuing Heaven's Chosen of the Young Celestial Emperor-level, also saw several fatal flaws in Li Weiyi.
His lack of lineage and transcendent ancestry posed a significant variable in his path to growth.
Who would risk everything to protect him?
.....
....
Luansheng Linyou, wearing a silver mask and with his hands clasped behind his back, stood atop the city tower where Li Weiyi had previously stood.
He gazed at the Governor's Manor, then turned his gaze toward the retreating Imperial Court Martial-Mystic Cultivators in the distance.
Zuoqiu Hong, Cang Li, Zhu Yibai, and Li Jiufu, like four sharp blades, led their forces in a coordinated assault from four different directions, cutting through the enemy ranks.
The Zuoqiu Clan's formation resembled four surging torrents, their ranks tightly organized.
In contrast, the Imperial Court's forces were like scattered sand, collapsing at the first impact.
Chen Ziliang, the top Martial-Mystic Cultivator of Qilin Terrace, failed to mount an effective defense and was routed by Zuoqiu Hong.
Luansheng Linyou mused inwardly: "If we were facing these four in the Far Western Ashlands, how would we respond?
Qi Jin returned to report in detail.
A smile flickered in Luansheng Linyou's bright, sinister eyes, and he immediately understood: "So that's what the three long howls meant! I wondered why it wasn't two or four."
"Attacking together in three quarters of an hour... That's a tactic we can learn."
Qi Jin said, "That boy is too troublesome. Even Ge Xiantong couldn't deal with him. Compared to Zuoqiu Hong, Cang Li, and Zhu Yibai, I think eliminating him during the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival is even more imperative."
"Your ability to think like that shows you're a step ahead of Yu Zi in both vision and skill," Luansheng Linyou said, "I'll Leave this matter to you. Make sure you kill him before he recovers from his injuries. With the Divine Moon Mirror in your possession, you can easily break through his Blood Handprint Demon Armor."
.....
"Don't push too hard. Let the Zuoqiu Clan kill more of the Imperial Court's Martial-Mystic Cultivators."
Tang Wanqiu, seated in a silver-white Hundred-Character Scripture war chariot, issued this order to the Snow Sword Tang Court's Martial-Mystic Cultivators.
Demon King's Heir Yin Suwen, flitting across the rooftops, retracted his wings and landed lightly inside the chariot.
After listening to his report, Tang Wanqiu's eyes widened, and she remained stunned for a long time: "No wonder... no wonder the Imperial Court's defenses collapsed so quickly. Ge Xiantong was lured away! How could Chen Ziliang possibly stand against Zuoqiu Hong?"
"Wait, is Li Weiyi some kind of three-headed, six-armed monster? How dare he?"
Tang Wanqiu considered herself undefeated in the Seven Northern Prefectures, yet even with her formidable strength, she wouldn't dare face Ge Xiantong alone.
Yin Suwen replied, "He doesn't have three heads and six arms, but he has countless underhanded tricks and wields two powerful artifacts. Furthermore, we've confirmed that Li Weiyi's seven Strange Insects are all Emperor Grade. During his fight with Ge Xiantong, one of them released the aura of a Immortal Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivator, likely an Emperor Grade Strange Insect's bloodline, creating a false impression."
Tang Wanqiu slammed her knee, exclaiming, "Young Celestial Emperor-level talent, plus seven Emperor Grade Strange Insects... If the Zuoqiu Clan marries Zuoqiu Hong to him, tying him firmly to their chariot, they'd have two emperors in one clan and would surely gain the support of the Calamity Crossing Temple. Is this really destiny's will?"
Seeing Tang Wanqiu, usually so composed, curse, Yin Suwen couldn't help but chuckle: "Young Master, there's no need to be so disheartened. I doubt those two will even live to see the Shangyuan Festival. Right now, everyone already considers the Zuoqiu Clan their primary enemy!"
Tang Wanqiu's heart was troubled: "I have a feeling that brat Li won't die so easily! Every so often, his cultivation and combat strength surge dramatically. To be honest, I'm terrified right now. I'm actually considering befriending him rather than making an enemy of him. Even Ge Xiantong and Luansheng Linyou don't inspire such a feeling in me."
Yin Suwen suggested, "Perhaps it's because the Snow Sword Tang Court is destined to be enemies with the Imperial Court and the Far Western Ashlands, but has no conflicting interests with the Jiu Li Tribe, far to the south."
Tang Wanqiu nodded lightly: "Alliance with distant powers, attack those nearby! The Jiu Li Tribe, as the sole Ancient Myriad Clan in Lingxiao, is shrouded in mystery and boasts an extraordinary heritage. Just by observing the strength and spirit displayed by their younger generation, one can tell that their apparent decline is merely a survival strategy in these chaotic times. Unseen in the shadows must lie a deep abyss. It seems we should indeed seize the opportunity of the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival to forge a strong alliance with the Jiu Li Tribe."
...
South City, Servant Hall Bureau.
Jiang Ning and Feng Yin stood atop the vermilion tower, gazing at the swirling mass of Spiritual Qi clouds rolling south.
News of the earth-shattering battle between Li Weiyi and Ge Xiantong had already reached the bureau, causing a wave of shock and uproar.
Zhuang Yue hurried up the tower, her expression a mixture of joy and concern, and reported the latest developments from the north.
Feng Yin gasped, only those who truly understood the Imperial Court's power could comprehend Ge Xiantong's terrifying might.
He then asked in bewilderment, "He had already escaped. Why would he deliberately confront Lord Ge?"
Jiang Ning, clad in her Governor's Official Robe with cloud-like sleeves draped behind her, her eyes as cold as frost, replied, "He deliberately sought out Ge Xiantong to create an opportunity for Zuoqiu Hongting and the others to escape. He's practically courting death."
Feng Yin voiced his concern, "Prefect Jiang, forgive my bluntness, but you must never underestimate Li Weiyi as a reckless fool. That would be a grave mistake! He is exceptionally intelligent, wielding both time and place to his advantage. Among the younger generation, he is undoubtedly one of the Imperial Court's most formidable opponents."
Jiang Ning didn't want to dwell on the matter.
"Activate all formations! Sound the battle drums and summon all Martial-Mystic Cultivators in South City. Prepare for battle."
"Against whom?" Feng Yin asked, bewildered, as he saw no enemy in sight.
Jiang Ning replied, "Since Zuoqiu Hongting broke through from the Imperial Court's direction, she must be aiming to crush the court to break her predicament. It's her only chance for survival. She seeks to fight strength against strength, to find life in the face of death. But she has met me. Her demise will surely come outside the Attendant Hall."
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END OF CHAPTER
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