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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 2: [Jiuli Insect Valley]
Chapter 77 (104): [The Confucian Elder]
(77th of Volume 2)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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The elder, with his long beard and flowing robes, chuckled, "I thought Yaoguan City's bustling crowds would guarantee some sales, but these Martial-Mystic Cultivators are too restless. All they care about is gathering herbs, cultivating, and fighting - they have no appreciation for the finer things in life or any spiritual depth."
"This world values martial prowess over culture, disregards etiquette and law, neglects moral cultivation, and abandons benevolence and righteousness. With the collapse of ritual and music, the disruption of yin and yang, how can the world avoid chaos?"
Li Weiyi's eyes lit up, sensing the Confucian ideals in the elder's words - ideals remarkably similar to those on Earth. He cautiously asked, "Senior, what are your thoughts on the six virtues: Wisdom, Trustworthiness, Sincerity, Benevolence, Righteousness, and Loyalty?"
The elder sized Li Weiyi up and down, then beamed with delight: "I never expected a young man like you to have such knowledge of Confucian Studies! You're a far different from those crude barbarians. Ah, but carrying a Saber - a weapon of the battlefield - truly spoils the scene!"
Li Weiyi was thrilled beyond measure. How could Confucian Studies exist in this world?
'Could it have been transmitted from Earth?'
'It must be!'
Changing his tone, Li Weiyi asked, "May I ask, Senior, where can one study Confucianism?"
"You're interested in Confucian Studies?"
The old man, as if he had found a kindred spirit, beamed with delight.
"Lizhou is a wild and uncivilized land of witchcraft and sorcery, its people are crude and unrefined. How could anyone learn Confucian Studies there? If you wish to study Confucianism, you must go to the Ten Provinces of the Central Plains. In Qiu Province, the Zuoqiu Clan prints and distributes the Zuo Zhuan annually, offering it freely for study. Alas, the Zuo Zhuan is a vast and complex work, and few have the patience to read it in its entirety, let alone devote their lives to its study."
Cultivators from different regions divided the Twenty-Eight Provinces of Lingxiao in various ways.
Qiu Province is both one of the Seven Southern Provinces (based on geography) and one of the Ten Provinces of the Central Plains (based on the Central Plains cultivators' sense of superiority).
"The Zuo Zhuan? The Zuo Shi Chunqiu (Zuo's Springs and Autumn Annals)?"
Li Weiyi exclaimed, though he remained skeptical that the old man's Zuo Zhuan was the same classic work attributed to Zuo Qiuming on Earth.
The old man's eyes clouded with confusion.
Li Weiyi chuckled awkwardly and dropped the subject. He moved on to a calligraphy and painting stall, where one particular scroll caught his eye.
"Zen Sea Dragon-Slaying Scroll," he murmured.
The painting depicted a red-robed Fairy Maiden standing above a sea of clouds, brandishing her sword to slay a colossal dragon.
The dragon, as massive as a mountain range, its scales jade-green, stretched half into the heavens and half into the cloud sea, its blood cascading like a waterfall suspended between sky and earth.
The red-robed Fairy Maiden dominated the foreground of the painting, occupying only a small area, yet her features were meticulously detailed, her cloud-like hair adorned with exquisite hairpins, rendering her vividly lifelike.
She was nearly identical to the figure depicted on the tombstone of the bronze warship.
Who else could it be but Zen Hai Guanwu?
"How much for this painting?" Li Weiyi asked.
Finally making a sale, the old man beamed.
"Not much, not much - eight silver coins."
"Considering your skill, that's quite reasonable."
A thought struck Li Weiyi: "Do you have any portraits of Xia Jin?"
The old man nearly jumped out of his skin, almost clamping a hand over Li Weiyi's mouth: "Don't speak such blasphemy! Who would dare paint the Demon King and sell it? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
"Never mind, then!"
Li Weiyi had only asked on a whim, intending to buy it as a gift for Master Guan.
"How about some calligraphy? My brushwork is unparalleled."
The old man led Li Weiyi to the calligraphy scrolls hanging on display, stroking his long beard with pride as he gazed at them, finding them increasingly beautiful.
"Rumble!"
Two house-sized Pill Antelope beasts pulled a grand carriage down the street. Martial-Mystic Cultivators gasped and scrambled aside, clearing a wide path.
"It's the Sixth-Generation Great-Grandson of the Demon King! They say he's the strongest Surging Spring Realm cultivator on Heavenly Cliff Ridge - even the Dharma Dao Fire Ape ranks second."
"He carries the Demon King's bloodline, of course he's powerful! Look, he even has four arms."
...
Above the palanquin, a yellow canopy woven from cloud silk swayed in the wind, radiating dazzling clouds of spiritual energy.
A black ape with four arms sat on the palanquin, each arm embracing a stunningly beautiful human woman. His hands roamed freely over their bodies. These women had been offered to him by the Sui Sect and the San Chen Palace.
The four Nine Springs Supreme Beings - Yang Yun of the Sui Sect, Huo Zhanbai of the San Chen Palace, Su Yunqing of the Tianyi Sect, and Lu Dingsheng of the Coffin Sea Pavilion - represented their respective sects as they followed the palanquin of the Sixth-Generation Great-Grandson of the Demon King, their obsequious demeanor unmistakable.
Li Weiyi watched the approaching palanquin.
'How did the Sui Sect manage to curry favor with the Sixth-Generation Great-Grandson of the Demon King? How did they persuade the Lawful Fire Ape to work for them?'
His mind flashed back to the children imprisoned in the Changlin Gang's dungeon, rumored to be destined as delicacies for certain demons.
A surge of anger began to simmer within him.
The calligraphy stall was knocked over by the Pill Antelope pulling the palanquin. Over a dozen scrolls were trampled into the mud, and the old man wailed in despair.
Seeing the man's pitiful state and genuine grief, Li Weiyi resolved to demand compensation from the demon cultivators.
But the old man grabbed his arm.
"Young man, don't be rash! That's the Sixth-Generation Great-Grandson of the Demon King. We can't afford to offend him," the old man warned, his grip tightening on Li Weiyi's wrist.
Li Weiyi had no choice but to relent. If his momentary anger led to the old man's death, it would be a self-defeating act.
Yaoyin said coldly, "In this world, demon cultivators strut freely through Human Clan territories, and many Human Clan factions even line the streets to welcome them, offering tributes and flattery as if they are serving their sovereign. They'll regret this sooner or later. How similar is this to the Jiuli Clan of the past?"
The old man sighed, "If anyone is to blame, blame the Lingxiao Palace for losing the support of the people and Yu Yaozi's for her foolishness. She issued the Xiaotian Edict which stirred up the resentment and plunged the world into chaos. Otherwise, how could the demon race dare to act so brazenly?"
"Dynasties rise and fall, and the positions of rulers and ministers are never fixed."
"Alas, in these times, there seems to be no one capable of rising to prominence. The true ruler of the world remains hidden in the depths, and the long night shows no sign of dawn."
Li Weiyi recalled the Hidden Lord mentioning that the Phoenix Terrace Envoy had already arrived in Lizhou.
How could this old Confucian scholar dare to publicly denounce Lingxiao Palace and Yu Yaozi?
Was he cowardly or courageous?
After paying for the painting, Li Weiyi, Yaoyin, and Yin Ershi Wu quickly left the city.
Just as they exited the city gates, Yaoyin lightly tapped her fair forehead.
"Oh, look at my memory! I need to buy some cultivation resources too. Why don't you two return to the ship first?"
Li Weiyi glanced at Yin Ershi Wu: "Follow her."
.....
Back on the ship, Li Weiyi arranged all twenty-nine jade boxes containing the Spring-Breaking Needles on the deck.
Suppressing his excitement, he sat cross-legged and began circulating the Jade Void Breathing Technique to calm his mind and body.
His consciousness gradually settled into a state of serene focus, all his senses converging on the Navel Divine Gate.
When he reached his peak condition, he opened the first jade box, retrieved a Spring-Breaking Needle, and swiftly thrust it into the Navel Divine Gate with lightning speed.
"This hurts so much?"
The searing pain nearly forced a scream from Li Weiyi, but he managed to endure it.
As strands of icy energy from the needle entered his body, the pain intensified rather than dissipating.
Gritting his teeth, Li Weiyi channeled spiritual power surging from his nine Springs, circulating it through his one hundred and eight Meridian Veins.
His awareness remained fixed on the Navel Divine Gate (Shenque).
Within just fifteen minutes, the Spring-Breaking Needle, condensed from medicinal liquid, completely dissolved.
Li Weiyi immediately used the second needle.
When opening his fifth Spring, he was able to withstand three Spring-Breaking Needles consecutively. With his current cultivation level and physical resilience, he could naturally endure even more.
Not all eighth-Spring Martial-Mystic Cultivators who attempted to break through to the Nine Springs Ancestral Field had forged their Meridian Veins into silver.
Therefore, Li Weiyi believed that achieving the tenth Spring didn't necessarily require first forging all Meridian Veins into gold.
"It's exhausted again."
"Third needle!"
.....
"My physical body is truly terrifyingly strong now!"
"Fourth needle!"
....
By the time Yaoyin returned to the ship, it was already afternoon.
"Greetings, young lady," two maids immediately approached, bowing respectfully.
Yaoyin, with a brocade pouch slung across her waist and in high spirits, asked eagerly, "Where's Si Ma Qin?"
"Young Master Si Ma has been in his cabin all day, he hasn't left."
Ignoring them, Yaoyin strode briskly toward Li Weiyi's cabin, her skirt billowing with each step. She tapped lightly on the door several times and waited a long while before it creaked open.
"What... what's wrong with you?" Yaoyin was startled by his condition.
Li Weiyi's face was drenched in sweat, his hair and pants soaked through. He had just thrown on his outer robe, his legs trembling weakly, and his face drained of color.
"It's nothing..." he said weakly, "What do you need?"
In a single day, he had used twelve Spring-Breaking Needles, despite the Coffin Master and Spirit Tablet Master's futile attempts to dissuade him.
Master Guan claimed he had already set a bizarre, unprecedented record, one that would likely never be broken.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Yaoyin asked, her eyes filled with concern as she handed him the Brocade Pouch.
"I bought all the Radiant Flame Pills from the Tianyi Merchant Guild and the Coffin Sea Merchant Guild - seven in total. I've already asked both guilds to send more from Jiu Li City. I also contacted the Jiu Li Divine Temple; they should be sending a batch soon too."
Li Weiyi opened the pouch and stared at the bottles inside. His previously exhausted expression immediately sharpened.
"Are you stupid? Buying from the Tianyi and Coffin Sea Merchant Guilds? They'll bleed you dry! Once I become a Divine Hidden One, I can just use the Hidden Sect's resources or ask the Hidden Lord to get them from the Divine Temple!"
Yaoyin murmured softly, "But... you look like you need them right now!"
Li Weiyi met her bright, stunningly beautiful cyan eyes, his heart a tangle of emotions.
His tone softened: "Where did you get all this money?"
"I mortgaged a few shops," Yaoyin replied, her face clearing like the sky after a storm, smiling brightly as if it were nothing.
Li Weiyi said, "Your mother left you a substantial inheritance because she feared you wouldn't have a foothold in the Yaoli Tribe after her death, that you'd be bullied. Stop doing such foolish things - it's a waste of your resources."
"But I've already signed agreements with the two major merchant guilds, exchanging the shops for future deliveries of Radiant Flame Pills," Yaoyin said, her red lips curving into a pure and beautiful smile, "You saved my life, after all. Consider it repaying my debt. Don't act like you're holding a hot potato."
"You're still young. I'm worried the Yaoli Tribe will accuse me of taking advantage of a young girl."
Li Weiyi noted her sincerity with a wry smile before asking, "Where's Yin Ershi Wu?"
"He went to challenge the Dharma Dao Fire Ape!" Yaoyin replied.
Li Weiyi's expression instantly tightened.
"Where did he get an Otherworldly Coffin?"
One needed an Otherworldly Coffin to even qualify for the challenge.
"He's a Nine Springs Supreme Being. You underestimate him. Obtaining an Otherworldly Coffin would be child's play for someone like him."
Yaoyin wasn't particularly worried. Having witnessed Yin Ershi Wu's challenge against Yin Jiu, she knew his strength was formidable. Even if he couldn't defeat the Dharma Dao Fire Ape, she was confident he could concede and preserve his life.
Li Weiyi also knew that Yin Ershi Wu possessed ninety-one Meridian Veins and was nearly fully silver, making his strength far surpass that of ordinary Nine Springs Supreme Beings.
....
The two massive banners on the arena were indeed deeply humiliating.
Any Nine Springs Supreme Being of the Jiuli Clan who saw them would have their bloodlust ignited.
"Boom!"
A thunderous clash of battle erupted near the shore, not far from the Yao Qi Ship, shaking the ground violently.
A wild, arrogant laughter echoed across the docks: "Haha! The Jiuli Clan still has Nine Springs Supreme Beings? Your strength isn't bad. Where do you think you're running? Let's fight ten more rounds! Hold out, and I'll spare your life!"
Blood streamed from Yin Ershi Wu's nose and mouth as he fled with his blade, a bowl-sized crimson claw mark seared into his back.
Most of his clothes were soaked in blood, leaving a trail of bloody footprints with each step.
He never imagined that even after conceding defeat and leaving the arena, the Dharma Dao Fire Ape would disregard all rules and relentlessly pursue him
Clearly, the demons of Heavenly Cliff Ridge held no regard for anyone.
In Lizhou, they acted with impunity, killing at will and making their own rules.
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END OF CHAPTER
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