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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 2: [Jiuli Insect Valley]
Chapter 58 (85): [Trouble Brewing]
(58th of Volume 2)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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After breaking through to the Eighth Spring, Yaoyin moved to the Silver Beach River Valley.
There, it was easier to cultivate Silver Veins.
As a Pure Immortal Physique, who wouldn't strive for Hundred Silver Veins and the innate talent of an Inheritor?
Li Weiyi, already possessing Hundred Silver Veins, saw no need to move and remained at the Blood Forest Cliff.
Living alone, undisturbed, allowed for more focused cultivation.
He used the Spatial Power of the Buddha's Relic to devour light and nurture fire, cultivating without restraint, free from the fear of his secret being exposed.
At the same time, he practiced the Azure King's Refining (Tempering) Method, absorbing light particles from the natural world and refining them into his ninety-six Silver Veins, aiming to forge Golden Meridian Vein.
No matter how elusive the Tenth Spring might be, he had to try.
Yet after more than twenty days, not a single one of his ninety-six Veins showed any change.
That day, Li Weiyi sat cross-legged in the forest, his fingers forming a seal as he channeled spiritual Qi from his Fengfu Acupoint into his Veins. His entire right arm instantly became scorching hot.
"Whoosh!"
Countless blood-red fallen leaves swirled around him, driven by the spiritual Qi radiating from his arm.
He thrust a finger forward!
A beam of bright, powerful spiritual Qi shot forth from his fingertip.
"Boom!"
Five meters away, the cliff wall was shattered by the Spiritual energy beams, sending rocks tumbling down.
Li Weiyi stood up and walked over to examine the cliff.
He found a depression the size of a wine cup and three inches deep, as if struck by a spear.
The cliff walls of Jiu Li Insect Valley were mostly composed of metallic mineral rock, incredibly hard.
To achieve such an effect from five meters away demonstrated the remarkable concentration of spiritual Qi in that single finger strike.
"Finally, I've cultivated the Cihang Enlightenment finger technique to Heavenly Dao and Law Harmony Realm. It's now a lethal surprise attack. How could any enemy anticipate such a move from a Spring Surge Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivator?"
"With seven Heavenly Dao and Law Harmony Realm martial techniques at my disposal, how far behind Yang Shenjing am I now?"
Li Weiyi left the Blood Forest Cliff, intending to test the Five Seas Pillar.
Over the past twenty days, he had not only gorged himself on medicinal cuisine daily but also devoured a hundred pounds of five-hundred-year-old Cistanche with the seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors. His physical strength had naturally increased dramatically.
Though merely a mortal, his skin radiated a lustrous, textured glow, and his entire being exuded a vigorous, spirited aura - a captivating blend of extraordinary charm and martial prowess.
The nascent aura of a Martial-Mystic powerhouse had begun to take shape.
As he approached the eternally flowing Blood River, Li Weiyi noticed a breathtakingly beautiful figure meditating below the cliff face bearing the ancient inscriptions "Jiu Li Insect Valley."
The light from the luminous plants along the riverbanks illuminated her.
The grass beneath her seemed like a soft, shimmering carpet.
She wore a pale yellow robe, her raven hair tied up with a jade hairpin, and her face was even more radiant and white than the jade itself, giving her an ethereal, otherworldly air.
Unfortunately, she was still too young, only fifteen years old, and her figure was still slender, with only a slight curve to her chest.
Li Weiyi knew better than to judge her by appearances. Though she seemed as harmless as a crane or a gazelle, she was actually a ruthless competitor. After moving to the Silver Beach River Valley, she had eliminated all the Eighth Spring Martial-Mystic Cultivators within days.
He still vividly remembered the sudden strike she unleashed against Li Qing.
During the first trial, she hadn't attacked him, likely because she was worried about disturbing the spider swarm.
Li Weiyi pondered this, then strolled over.
"What's this?"
"No more opponents?"
"Are you preparing to comprehend the Battle Technique Intent of the Jiu Li God and become a Divine Hidden One directly?"
Yaoyin's eyelashes fluttered, revealing a pair of breathtakingly beautiful eyes that sent shivers down Li Weiyi's spine. She raised her slender, swan-like neck and gazed at the four ancient characters carved into the cliff face, brimming with Daoist essence.
Her red lips parted slightly as she spoke, her voice soft as a celestial melody: "Among this batch of competitors, besides you, who else is a match for me? But breaking through to the Nine Springs within a year is too difficult. Without breaking through, I'm no match for you. So my only chance lies here."
Li Weiyi tried to comfort her: "Don't be so pessimistic. What if I die during the trials? Besides, you could always assassinate me. Poison, schemes... using honorable methods to kill someone is the most exhausting."
Yaoyin's bright, gemstone-like azure eyes turned to him, her voice as gentle as a heavenly chime: "Are all men this two-faced? Don't think I don't know. Yin Ershi Si told me everything. I understand everything. I'm just a little young, not an idiot."
Li Weiyi was slightly stunned: "What nonsense has she been spouting now?"
Yaoyin lowered her gaze to the clusters of vibrant wildflowers blooming in the grass, a hint of emotion welling up in her eyes.
She murmured softly, "She said you'll risk everything to defeat the three people on the Psychic (Telekinetic) Stone Wall and compete for the Divine Hidden One title. Only then will I have a chance to live."
"No, I'm competing for the Divine Hidden One..."
Li Weiyi feared that further explanation would only deepen the misunderstanding.
After a moment's thought, he changed his approach.
"Anyone who's come this far would want to skip the ranks and become a Divine Hidden One, right? So, I'm competing for the Hidden One position for myself, not for anyone else. Don't let Yin Ershi Si mislead you. She's always had a prejudice against me, maybe out of jealousy, who knows!"
Yaoyin murmured softly, "What's the point of their existence? To keep risking their lives for a position they're destined never to obtain? Didn't you say that?"
"Yes..."
Li Weiyi couldn't deny it.
"Didn't you just say you were only doing this for yourself? Isn't that a contradiction?"
Yaoyin's logic was clear. She fixed Li Weiyi with a determined, spirited gaze, like a rare orchid blooming in the Hurricane Gorge.
"I know the chances of comprehending the Jiu Li God's Battle Technique Intent are incredibly slim, as slim as my own life expectancy. But you're fighting so hard. How can I just sit back and take it for granted? Let's work together and challenge this cruel fate. If even one of us succeeds... we'll have won!"
Li Weiyi couldn't meet her gaze.
And he dared not reach out to grasp the slender, jade-like hand she extended, carved as if from crystal ice fairy jade.
"You keep meditating. I'm going to find Yin Ershi Si and settle this."
Li Weiyi turned and fled as if escaping a nightmare, taking deep breaths.
Misinformation, rumors, and loose tongues - they were all to blame. He couldn't be either too good or too bad; he just wanted to be an ordinary person with a little bit of human warmth.
How had he gotten into this mess?
Arriving at the Hidden Sect's Mountain Gate, Li Weiyi bowed to the elderly gatekeeper.
"Elder, please announce my arrival. I wish to see Yin Ershi Si."
A bright aura of spiritual Qi surged within the Elder's chest, then erupted from his mouth, his voice amplified by the Qi as he shouted into the Mountain Gate: "Xiao Ershi Si! Someone wants to see you!"
His voice was so loud it could probably be heard dozens of miles away, echoing through the Insect Valley for a long time.
Li Weiyi hadn't expected the gatekeeper's announcement method to be so straightforward. Didn't he worry about disturbing the other Hidden Ones?
He walked over to the Five Seas Pillar.
Li Weiyi began warming up, practicing his fists and palms, trying to get himself pumped up.
"Whoosh!"
Yin Ershi Si arrived with incredible speed, riding on a wave of spiritual Qi. In moments, she transformed into a gust of wind, landing beside the gatekeeper. Her gaze immediately locked onto Li Weiyi in the distance.
Is he really going to try to catch up to a Five Seas Realm body with his Spring Surge Realm physique?
"Rise!" He roared.
Li Weiyi stood in a horse stance, his hands gripping the Five Seas Pillar, one above the other. With a sudden burst of force, he strained upwards.
His legs sank lower, while his arms slowly rose. The muscles and bones within his body emitted faint creaking sounds.
Gradually, the Five Seas Pillar lifted off the ground.
It rose a full foot.
After holding it steady for a moment, Li Weiyi released his grip. With a thunderous crash, the 5,500-pound iron pillar slammed back to the ground, shaking the earth.
The gatekeeper, who had already risen to his feet and craned his neck to watch, now exchanged astonished glances with Yin Ershi Si. They couldn't believe the surge in Li Weiyi's physical strength in less than a month.
If he trained for another year or two, wouldn't he be able to lift the Five Seas Pillar with ease?
Li Weiyi couldn't hide the joy in his eyes as he turned and asked, "Am I now qualified to temper my Golden Vein Meridians?"
"Of course! You've already read the Azure King's Refining (Tempering) Method. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask me. You must temper at least one Golden Vein Meridian. Even just one will make all the difference."
The gatekeeper was inwardly thrilled.
After a Sixty-Year Cycle, a true Hidden One seedling had finally emerged. In the eyes of the Hidden Sect, a Hidden One had to be stronger than an Inheritor to truly serve as the core and final defense of the Jiu Li Clan.
While Yin Jiu was already impressive, he still fell slightly short compared to Cang Li.
This young man had the potential to become a counterpart to Cang Li, forming the two pillars of the Jiu Li Clan a century from now.
The only flaw was that he wasn't a true Li People...
I need to find a way to keep him tethered to us.
"Yin Ershi Si, come with me. I need to speak with you privately," Li Weiyi said, his tone unfriendly.
Yin Ershi Si frowned slightly, her eyes clouded with confusion. She had never seen a trial taker act so arrogant in front of a Hidden One.
The gatekeeper, thinking he had grasped the situation, urged, "Hurry along now. You young people wouldn't want us old fogeys eavesdropping on your secrets."
After leaving the Mountain Gate and walking some distance away, Li Weiyi cut straight to the point.
"You're a Hidden One, at the Five Seas Realm. You have freedom of speech. I'll say this once: stop talking nonsense in front of Yaoyin. You're already causing problems!"
Yaoyin had revealed her name to Li Weiyi herself.
Yin Ershi Si was bewildered and indignant.
"When did I ever talk nonsense?"
Li Weiyi replied, "This time, the fault lies mostly with me, so I won't hold you accountable. But what exactly did you tell her after the Spider Cave trial?"
"I didn't say anything," Yin Ershi Si replied.
Li Weiyi stared into her eyes, confirming she wasn't lying. Confusion clouded his mind.
"That's strange. At the time, she was clearly agitated, as if I had designs on her."
Yin Ershi Si suddenly realized something: "After the first trial ended, when we returned from the Spider Cave, I escorted her back to her Cave dwelling. When she woke up, she asked me, 'Why didn't you kill me in the Spider Cave? Instead, you even gave me precious medicine.'"
"At the time, I just blurted out, 'Maybe it's because you're pretty enough.'"
"Is there a problem with that?"
"A little... but not a major one." Li Weiyi carefully considered the situation.
Yin Ershi Si didn't seem to have any reason to deliberately mislead him, so he decided not to dwell on it.
"Let's leave this matter at that. By the way, have you decided about the business in the Spider Cave?"
Yin Ershi Si glanced quickly left and right, then whispered, "You're already under close surveillance. Once you leave the River Valley, it'll be difficult to evade the two Elders, especially Stewing Delicacies. His Psychic (Telekinesis) Power is exceptionally strong. I suggest... we wait a little longer!"
Hee finally relented!
Li Weiyi had always assumed Yin Ershi Si was utterly principled and impossible to sway, even to the point of planning to act alone. But it turned out her principles weren't quite so rigid.
After only three attempts at persuasion, she finally gave in, though she remained hesitant, uncertain, and cautious.
Noticing Li Weiyi's strange gaze, Yin Ershi Si straightened her posture and said coldly, "This is the only time. Never again."
"Then let's go to the trial grounds first. Time is short, and it will take several days to reach Jiu Li City," Li Weiyi replied.
After spending an hour packing their belongings, Yin Ershi Si led Li Weiyi into the Hidden Sect. They followed a stone path carved into the cliff face, climbing step by step.
Within the Hidden Sect, the power of Law grew even more potent, and the mist swirled like vast, ethereal veils.
Various martial arts techniques were etched into the stone walls.
"So the way out is through the Hidden Sect itself, not the Underground River. The Underground River route must have been a decoy to prevent being followed when receiving trial candidates. The Hidden Sect is so cautious and secretive, it's no wonder even Clan Chiefs within the sect don't know the full details of its inner workings," Li Weiyi thought, secretly admiring their meticulousness.
After climbing thousands of steps, they finally reached the top of the cliff.
Before them lay a vast stone platform, surrounded by sheer cliffs - as if the peak of a stone mountain had been sheared off.
The area above was completely shrouded in mist, obscuring the top.
Yin Ershi Si waved her hand lightly, and a surge of powerful spiritual Qi erupted from her palm, flowing into the ground.
"Whoosh!"
Formation glyphs lit up on the ground, connecting to form a circular array diagram four meters in diameter.
Li Weiyi stepped into the diagram, his expression puzzled: "Can we really leave the Jiu Li Insect Valley using this?"
Yin Ershi Si smiled without answering.
Within the diagram, hundreds of formation glyphs spun rapidly, their light growing brighter and coalescing into a white cloud of spiritual energy.
A strong sense of weightlessness washed over them.
Li Weiyi realized that the diagram was carrying them upward, enveloped in the spiritual energy cloud, as if they were soaring straight into the sky.
'Is this a flying formation?'
After ascending countless meters using the Spiritual Energy Cloud Flying Formation, the diagram shuddered slightly and came to a halt in midair.
"Let's go, we're here!"
Yin Ershi Si was the first to step out of the formation diagram and onto a stone bridge.
Li Weiyi already had a suspicion, but he still asked, "Where are we?"
"Jiu Li City," Yin Ershi Si replied.
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END OF CHAPTER
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