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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 5: [Seeking Immortality in the Eastern Sea]
Volume 5 (Pinyin): [Dong Hai xun xian]
Chapter 57 (494): [The Four Great Experts of the Zongsheng Academy]
(57th of Volume 5)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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Before Qilin Zhuang's return, the Zhu Clan had single-handedly seized three prefectures from the Quanrong and Que Clan, backed by the King of the Western Sea and the Western Monster Race. This feat demonstrated the formidable power of this ancient sect, which had dominated the Western Territory for millennia.
Despite suffering repeated heavy losses and being on the front lines of the Demon Clan's invasion of the Lingxiao Realm, the Zhu Clan remained resilient, like battle-hardened veterans who never faltered.
Li Weiyi and Zuoqiu Hongting traveled together to the Red Jade Ancient Warship, where the Zhu Clan's Martial-Mystic Cultivators were stationed.
Li Weiyi wore the purple Governor's Official Robe, while Zuoqiu Hongting donned a green Daoist robe. Though their attire represented the secular world and the realm beyond, they exuded a harmonious aura, like a divine couple blessed by the heavens.
The three Clan Chiefs of the Jiu Li Tribe and three Dao Seed Realm Ninth Heaven Elders from the Zuoqiu Clan boarded the warship and immediately joined the elders from the Zhu Clan, Snow Sword Tang Court, Thundercloud Sect, and the Imperial Court.
Although Li Weiyi and Zuoqiu Hongting possessed superior cultivation and combat prowess, the older generation retained responsibility for strategic coordination, battle formation deployment, and defensive measures.
The warship, forged from red jade-like material, lay anchored seven miles from Phoenix Stone Reef.
Below, waves rose half a zhang high.
On the ship, Li Weiyi and Zuoqiu Hongting walked along the deckside passage.
Li Weiyi observed the dark red islet reefs in the distance, gauging the depth of the surrounding sea and sensing the fluctuations of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi in the air.
He had cultivated a habit of assessing his environment upon arrival, striving to transform natural conditions into opportune timing and favorable terrain.
Zuoqiu Hongting introduced him to the strengths and backgrounds of the Martial-Mystic Cultivator representatives from each province, one by one.
Suddenly, Li Weiyi asked, "Why haven't I seen Zuoqiu Cangwu, the Clan Head of the Zuoqiu Clan?"
"Didn't Uncle Li tell you?" Zuoqiu Hongting replied.
"Tell me what?" Li Weiyi shook his head slightly.
Zuoqiu Hongting explained, "After the chaos in the Lingxiao Realm subsided, Qi Xiao reported Zuoqiu Cangwu's plot to harm you to me and Uncle Ling. Uncle Ling was thunderously furious and felt too ashamed to face you and Uncle Li, overwhelmed with guilt."
"When confronted, Zuoqiu Cangwu naturally denied everything. Instead, he wept over the tragic death of his daughter, claiming it was all a conspiracy by the Twin Rice Sect - a cunning scheme to sow discord."
Li Weiyi, imagining Zuoqiu Ling's helplessness in this situation, understood his predicament.
"Zuoqiu Cangwu's reasoning is sound and his arguments compelling. With no witnesses to contradict him, there's no way to investigate further. Qi Xiao has no evidence; it's entirely possible he was deceived by a Twin Rice Sect expert!"
"Normally, that would be true," Zuoqiu Hongting said, "But Qi Xiao has wagered his life, demanding the Ancestor be summoned to search both their souls."
Li Weiyi was moved.
"Old Qi is like a dead pig unafraid of boiling water," he sighed, "Having already had his soul searched, he has no hope of achieving Transcendence. But Zuoqiu Cangwu - with his unparalleled Innate Talent and esteemed status - if his soul can be searched today without evidence, enemy forces will use the same method to frame every promising Heavenly Pride in the Zuoqiu Clan. What will the Zuoqiu Clan do then?"
"Zuoqiu Cangwu made the same argument," Zuoqiu Hongting replied.
Seeing the hint of a smile in her eyes, Li Weiyi immediately realized she and Zuoqiu Ling must have devised a plan to break this deadlock.
"I still prefer you as Zuoqiu Ting - bold, unrestrained, and the good brother I shared a bed with. You're so reserved now, I barely recognize you."
Zuoqiu Hongting finally revealed the truth: "That day, after you, Zuoqiu Qingying, Zuo Sheng, and Zuo Shi left Qiu Prefecture City, Zuoqiu Cangwu secretly sent men to follow you. It's easily verifiable."
"Don't worry," she added, "Uncle Ling, with his hatred for evil, has already crippled Zuoqiu Cangwu's cultivation and handed him over to Uncle Li. His Innate Talent won't save him from justice."
This matter concerned the cooperative relationship between the Jiu Li Hidden Sect and the Zuoqiu Clan.
Without a satisfactory explanation from the Zuoqiu Clan, they would never pass the Hidden Lord's scrutiny.
Li Weiyi mused, "Old Li probably didn't want to burden me with the decision to kill him, so he took matters into his own hands."
Regardless of the reason, as the Zuoqiu Clan's son-in-law, Li Weiyi's killing of their Clan Head would inevitably draw criticism from the clan's ignorant members.
By taking action himself, the Hidden Lord would bear the burden of being the villain.
Zhu Yibai, clad in his Thousand-Inscriptions Crimson Armor, hurried over, scolding, "Brother Weiyi, everyone's been searching for you, yet you're here romancing Zuoqiu Hongting! Do you two even understand the importance of prioritizing the greater good? How many days have you been together? Aren't you tired of each other yet? Put aside your personal affairs for now and come with me."
Li Weiyi and Zuoqiu Hongting exchanged a knowing smile, offering no explanation as they followed him toward the assembly hall.
Outside the hall stood three hundred Blade-Axe Battalion soldiers in perfect formation.
Clad in black armor, they carried swords and axes, their sharp gazes and imposing presence creating an aura of unshakeable strength, like an impenetrable wall of bronze and iron.
Noticing Li Weiyi's captivated gaze, Zhu Yibai chuckled proudly: "These are elite warriors drawn from the army, each a veteran of countless battles. When they form their Battle Formation, they can split mountains and carve valleys."
"If Sheng Wulian dares to storm our Zhu Clan's Red Jade Ancient Warship as he did at the Commander's Banquet, he'll never leave alive."
The Zhu Clan had to prepare for such a contingency.
Huoxin's humiliating death at the banquet had cost them immense face, and they were certain he would seek revenge.
A mocking voice carried on the wind: "The Zhu Clan certainly has a big mouth! Bringing your entire army to the East Sea? Can such a tiny Phoenix Stone Reef even accommodate your entire clan?"
"Swish! Swish..."
Representatives from the Calamity Crossing Temple descended onto the Red Jade Ancient Warship like streaks of light.
The Calamity Crossing Temple and the Lingxiao Realm had recently formed the Human Alliance, so it was natural for their top experts to convene for discussions.
Led by Fu Wenyan and four Heaven's Chosen from the Zongsheng Academy, several other Daoist-robed figures also arrived.
Each of them radiated Spiritual Qi, their Pure Immortal Physiques dominating the scene.
Their eyes gleamed with a condescending arrogance, a reflection of the superiority complex cultivated by many Calamity Crossing Temple disciples from the Living Realm, who styled themselves as Immortal Masters and basked in the adulation and flattery of countless factions.
Humans can conceal their malice and wickedness, but it's far harder to hide contempt and self-importance.
The former know their actions are wrong and can therefore suppress them. The latter genuinely believe in their own superiority, naturally revealing their arrogance.
The owner of the earlier mocking voice was Ye Cang, one of the Four Great Experts of the Zongsheng Academy and the top-ranked chief disciple of the Ninth Heaven of the Dao Seed Realm.
With shoulders four feet wide and long, powerful arms, Ye Cang wore Confucian robes, yet lacked the refined elegance of a Confucian Dao Martial-Mystic Cultivator. His physical body exuded raw power, and a sword wrapped in black cloth hung across his back.
Accompanying Ye Cang was Ye Baiyue, an ordinary chief disciple of the Ninth Heaven.
Veiled and possessing a lithe figure, she was wreathed in swirling strands of white mist.
Her voice was cold as she declared, "The flag representing Phoenix Stone Reef was only captured by Zhu Qishi'er Chongtian with the assistance of the Jade Sword Immortal of Chang Lake."
"It was the Calamity Crossing Temple's proposal that granted the Lingxiao Realm the right to send representatives to compete for the flags."
"Therefore, the allocation of Martial-Mystic Cultivator slots for Phoenix Stone Reef should be determined by the Calamity Crossing Temple's young powerhouses, not by your Lingxiao Realm's unilateral decisions."
The seven great experts' competition for the nine flags had predetermined the ownership of the nine islet reefs.
Sheng Wulian and Si Wuya claimed the three most central and largest reefs.
Bai Yeqing and Prince Mingjiao also secured three reefs.
Changyu Jian and Zhu Qishi'er Chongtian each took one reef.
Phoenix Stone Reef, among the nine, was considered peripheral and relatively small, capable of accommodating only three to five hundred Martial-Mystic Cultivators. Yet the Zhu Clan had brought far more than that, highlighting the scarcity of available slots.
The nine islet reefs were scattered across a three-hundred-mile stretch of ocean.
Nine Dragon-Locking Pillars anchored the constantly shifting subterranean space, securing the Ancient Immortal Dragon Remains at the seabed between the islands.
Phoenix Stone Reef lay fifty miles from the nearest of the other eight reefs, beyond visual range.
Zhu Yibai, displeased by the Ye Clan's attitude, coldly remarked, "Ye Cang, Ye Baiyue, your hostile and contemptuous tone - could it stem from the death of that old woman of the Ye Clan in the Cloud Heaven (Yuntian) Immortal Plain?"
"Insolence!"
Ye Cang and Ye Baiyue's eyes flashed with icy fury. Their battle intent erupted simultaneously, sharp as swords and spears, pressing down on Zhu Yibai's Soul Spirit and consciousness.
Madam Ye's death had been a devastating blow to the Ye Clan.
Zhu Yibai's public mention of it was like a slap in their faces.
Given their arrogant pride, how could they not be enraged?
"Whoosh!"
Li Weiyi shifted, stepping in front of Zhu Yibai.
Spiritual Qi erupted from his Wind Mansion, dispelling the battle intent of the two attackers.
Ye Cang and Ye Baiyue narrowed their eyes, recognizing the man before them. Fu Wenyan had long promised them rewards for helping eliminate this person. They had even secretly divided Li Weiyi's treasures among themselves, but they had yet to find an opportunity to strike.
Li Weiyi said, "With your cultivation levels, such an attack would severely damage Brother Zhu's Soul Spirit. As guests, aren't you being a bit too harsh?"
"Clatter!"
Behind Zhu Yibai, three hundred Martial-Mystic Cultivators from the Blade-Axe Battalion raised their battleaxes in unison.
Murderous intent coalesced into blood-red clouds.
Fu Wenyan, ever the schemer, quickly stepped forward to mediate: "We're allies here! What's going on? Brother Ye, Sister Yue, quickly withdraw your battle intent. Yibai is my Junior Brother - he's just straightforward and didn't mean to provoke you by mentioning the Undead."
"Who provoked whom first? I suspect Senior Brother Fu has been pulling strings behind the scenes to make them so arrogant," Zhu Yibai retorted coldly.
He continued in a low voice, "Though a large number of Zhu Clan Martial-Mystic Cultivators have come to the East Sea, not all will disembark on the island. Today's meeting is to allocate the landing quotas in advance, preventing any unpleasantness later."
Fu Wenyan forced a bitter smile, glancing back at the four members of the Zongsheng Academy and the Martial-Mystic Cultivators from the Calamity Crossing Temple with an air of helplessness.
It was as if Zhu Yibai were being unreasonable, and he was the one suffering a great injustice.
Representatives from Zhu Qishi'er Chongtian and the various states of the Lingxiao Realm emerged from the hall.
Among them, the Imperial Court Martial-Mystic Cultivators harbored intense hostility toward Fu Wenyan and the Ye Clan. They still vividly remembered the brutal battle of Lingxiao City.
Zhu Qishi'er Chongtian, his white hair and beard flowing, raised a hand to signal the Blade-Axe Battalion to lower their battleaxes and stand before Fu Wenyan and the other Calamity Crossing Temple Martial-Mystic Cultivators.
His eyes were icy as he spoke, "You need to understand one thing: it is the Calamity Crossing Temple that needs the Human Clan of the Lingxiao Realm, not the other way around."
"That flag on Phoenix Stone Reef was taken by my own fists, not gifted by you."
"You may observe today's proceedings, but do you think you have the right to interfere? Fu Wenyan, I heard you arrived here ten days early, following the Calamity Crossing Temple's Transcendent, and absorbed a considerable amount of Six-Clawed Immortal Dragon Qi. Have you broken through to the Ninth Heaven yet?"
Fu Wenyan maintained his composure, but everyone could see he was struggling to restrain himself.
"Since you haven't yet reached the Ninth Heaven, you should keep a low profile. The Lingxiao people still remember the slaughter Madam Ye committed on the Cloud Heaven (Yuntian) Immortal Plain. We're merely refraining from pursuing the matter for now," Zhu Qishi'er Chongtian declared.
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END OF CHAPTER
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