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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 2: [Jiuli Insect Valley]
Chapter 113 (141): [Encountering Zen Hai Guanwu Again]
(113th of Volume 2)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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Cang Li's arrival was far swifter than Li Weiyi had anticipated.
Zhao Zhizhuo was equally baffled.
Cang Li had clearly been absent from the camp. He hurried forward: "Young Clan Leader, this matter is entirely Zhao Zhizhuo's doing. It has nothing to do with anyone else. I will bear all the punishment..."
"I know it was you!"
Cang Li's voice echoed through the valley.
His gaze fixed on Zhao Zhizhuo, instantly piercing through his restored cultivation.
A thoughtful look flickered in his eyes: "Old Zhao, you're one of the elders of our tribe. You've fought for the Cangli Tribe's honor, shed blood and tears for it. How could you lose your moral compass on such a fundamental issue of character and integrity?"
Zhao Zhizhuo didn't understand why Li Weiyi had captured Qi Shanshan, but he knew Li Weiyi's character and conduct well. He was about to retort when Li Weiyi spoke first: "Cang Li, do you truly not know who she is? If she weren't an extreme threat in terms of cultivation, intellect, and methods, would I have resorted to such a drastic measure?"
The fundamental reason Li Weiyi dared not confront the Zen Hai Guanwu within the military camp was that Qi Shanshan, as its host, possessed countless ways to kill him there, even without shedding a drop of blood.
If the secret of Zen Hai Guanwu's return from the fog were to explode within the military camp, it would be a mutually destructive outcome.
Even if Zhao Zhizhuo were sent to capture her, Li Weiyi believed the odds of his return were slim.
Zhao Zhizhuo understood the danger. He didn't know Qi Shanshan's trump card, but he knew that Li Weiyi had risked everything and spent a fortune to help him recover his cultivation.
How could the task be simple?
Simple matters didn't require such elaborate measures, nor would they fall to him.
Cang Li said, "I know who she is. I also know where you're from. She told me everything that happened on the Bronze Ship. Li Weiyi, only by treating others sincerely will you receive sincerity in return. On the ship, she saved your life more than once, didn't she? She's your savior. Yet your methods... aren't they rather dishonorable?"
This didn't sound like something Zen Hai Guanwu would do!
Li Weiyi turned to Qi Shanshan, his mind filled with doubt.
If Cang Li already knew the secrets of the Bronze Ship, the name "Zen Hai Guanwu" seemed less taboo.
He asked, "Did she also tell you about the secret of Zen Hai Guanwu's Dead Spirit parasitizing her body?"
Cang Li clearly didn't know about this, his brow furrowing slightly: "Which Zen Hai Guanwu?"
"In the Lingxiao Realm, is there anyone else who dares to use that name?" Li Weiyi asked.
Qi Shanshan stepped between them, her voice laced with annoyance: "It's all a misunderstanding! Wei Yi, I can tell you clearly that I don't know if the White Bone Demon is still hiding somewhere in my body. If she were, wouldn't Cang Li know? She probably left long ago!"
Li Weiyi had to capture Qi Shanshan precisely to determine whether Zen Hai Guanwu possessed the ability to leave her body and expose herself to the world.
If she wasn't still inside Qi Shanshan, he would have a clear target, and many of his doubts would be resolved.
Cang Li, naturally, held immense fear for the legendary Ancient Heavenly Emperor.
"I can assure you that any Dead Spirit daring to parasitize Shanshan's body will be utterly annihilated."
"I don't believe you can detect Zen Hai Guanwu's methods. Nor do I believe that someone who has fallen in love can bring themselves to act ruthlessly," Li Weiyi countered.
Based on Zen Hai Guanwu's words on the Bronze Ship, Li Weiyi knew that once she fully recovered her cultivation, his death would be imminent.
Blood and soul would be utterly devoured by her.
The only chance of survival was to eliminate her before she struck.
This was a life-or-death race against time.
Even though Zen Hai Guanwu wasn't yet at her peak strength, the aura of dread and impending doom emanating from the Ancient Heavenly Emperor surpassed anything any visible enemy could muster.
She might not act, but once she did, Li Weiyi knew his fledgling skills wouldn't be enough to escape alive.
Qi Shanshan returned to Cang Li's side.
"It was all a misunderstanding caused by that White Bone Demon. Li Weiyi is just a second-year college student - what harm could he possibly intend? Let it go!"
"This matter is none of your concern!"
Cang Li's gaze remained fixed on Li Weiyi.
His arm trembled, and his silver spear erupted with tangible spiritual Qi energy, transforming into a colossal wave that filled the entire canyon and surged toward Li Weiyi.
Sand and stones flew, and even the roots of trees were torn from the ground.
"Those who make mistakes must pay the price."
"Splash!"
Li Weiyi's vision blurred as he lost his footing, as if adrift in a vast ocean where monstrous waves threatened to tear him to shreds.
Zhao Zhizhuo rushed forward immediately, but Cang Li casually waved his sleeve from a distance, sending him flying. His body slammed into the rock wall with a loud thump.
"Clang!"
Li Weiyi retreated three steps to steady himself, then without hesitation drew the Yellow Dragon Sword, gripping it tightly.
Spiritual Qi from the Five Seas Realm surged into the blade.
The Yellow Dragon Sword underwent a dramatic transformation. Dense scales sprouted across its bronze surface, and a dragon's roar echoed through the mountains.
"Taiyi Opens the Sea!"
His eyes sharp, he adopted a bow stance, his feet sinking into the earth as he slashed downward with the sword.
"Roar!"
A brilliant Dragon Shadow erupted with the sword qi, cleaving the overwhelming wave of spiritual Qi in two.
The dragon's head materialized, its roar deafening as it charged toward Cang Li.
Cang Li let out a surprised eh? A spherical wall of spiritual Qi shot from his body, shattering the dragon's head.
He had only intended to deliver a light punishment to serve as a warning, using only a fraction of his spiritual power. Yet his attack had been broken and turned against him, catching him completely off guard.
According to Qi Shanshan, Li Weiyi had only been cultivating for a little over half a year.
How could this be possible?
Seven miles away...
Chen Qianchi, a Dao Seed Realm expert from the Chen Clan, sensed an unusual fluctuation of spiritual Qi. Hearing the subsequent dragon's roar, he immediately stopped and formed a hand seal.
In the dense forest behind him, the Ironclad Army of the San Chen Palace, clad in iron-cloth battle armor, all concealed their auras and slowly lowered themselves, awaiting further instructions.
"It's Cang Li's spiritual Qi fluctuation! Everyone, activate the runes on your iron-cloth battle armor. Use the mist-form march to sneak closer and investigate," Chen Qianchi ordered.
This army was the Shadow Battalion of the Ironclad Army, having bypassed the Mangshan Mountain Range through the Nether Realm of the Dead. They were preparing to ambush in the dense forest outside Yaoguan City, ready to launch a surprise attack at a crucial moment.
As countless runes in the forest lit up, their power resonated in a mysterious harmony.
All the soldiers vanished eerily into the woods, transforming into a shallow mist that made no sound and emitted no aura. The mist slowly spread toward the valley.
Li Weiyi hadn't expected the Yellow Dragon Sword to unleash such explosive power after reaching the Five Seas Realm. Its attack strength even surpassed that of the Evil Camel Bell and the Black Iron Seal.
"Cang Li, if you remain so arrogant and refuse to believe me, you risk leading the Li Family to utter ruin. Even if the Zen Hai Guanwu doesn't possess her, they'll undoubtedly find some trace of it on her. You'd be wise to inform your father or mother about this."
Li Weiyi offered this final piece of advice, preparing to leave. If he were to die at the hands of the Zen Hai Guanwu in the future, he could only accept his fate. After all, he had been outmatched today.
"Old Zhao, let's go!"
"Thud-thud!"
Heavy hoofbeats and the thick aura of a Strange Beast echoed from the valley leading to Yaoguan City.
Accompanied by the melodious tinkling of wind chimes, a massive Strange Beast crashed through the trees, revealing itself to the onlookers.
It was Cang Li's mount - a Zouwu Beast resembling a white tiger!
Its eyes shone with bright light, and its size was as imposing as a moving house. Each step it took caused the ground to tremble slightly.
"You should have trusted him! He's never been reckless. If I hadn't put so much pressure on him, why would he have resorted to such a desperate gamble?"
Li Ling stood atop the Zouwu Strange Beast's head, her legs long and straight, her feet planted in the shape of the character (King). She wore blood-red robes beneath armor, with a white bone wind chime hanging at her waist. Her long hair, radiating Dao radiance and immortal glow, floated in the air, exuding the aura of an Ancient Heavenly Emperor who considered himself the sole ruler of the world.
The Zouwu Beast, known for its ferocious nature and noble bloodline, was now so suppressed that it dared not even roar.
The gem on her brow flickered, her gaze both aggressively disdainful and deeply unfathomable.
She possessed Li Ling's appearance.
But everyone knew this was definitely not Li Ling.
"Could it truly be the Zen Hai Guanwu?"
Zhao Zhizhuo struggled free from the cliff face, his eyes wide with shock.
Earlier, Li Weiyi had mentioned the Zen Hai Guanwu repeatedly. Not only did Cang Li disbelieve it, but even Zhao Zhizhuo, who trusted Li Weiyi the most, had doubted him, thinking Li Weiyi had made a mistake this time.
But now...
He was almost overwhelmed by the aura radiating from "Li Ling, " nearly driven to his knees in worship before finally believing.
"So it was true all along." Li Weiyi stared intently at the approaching "Li Ling." This thought had been lingering in his mind for a long time, and now it finally clicked into place. All the strange occurrences of the past now had a logical explanation.
But for "Li Ling" to appear so openly, making no attempt to hide her identity, clearly meant she was supremely confident.
This was a disaster!
Cang Li never imagined a Dead Spirit would actually possess his family member.
He didn't care who this Dead Spirit was - Zen Hai Guanwu or the Ancient Heavenly Emperor - both were guilty of a capital crime.
Cang Li's eyes blazed with intense killing intent. He raised his silver spear high, and a low, resonant tiger roar echoed from within him...
The Ancient Heavenly Emperor's aura surged from Li Ling's body, pinning Cang Li down and preventing him from unleashing the White Tiger Battle Technique. He staggered backward repeatedly. Zen Hai Guanwu seemed to want to crush his will with her gaze alone.
Cang Li stood at the eye of the storm, gritting his teeth and using his silver spear to brace himself, barely managing to avoid kneeling.
He knew she was just a Dead Spirit, her true cultivation likely not very strong. If he could break through the Heavenly Emperor's oppressive aura within her remnant soul, he could fight her.
Even defeat her.
Li Weiyi watched Cang Li, unable to even strike back under the crushing pressure of Zen Hai Guanwu's Ancient Heavenly Emperor aura, and his heart sank.
He bitterly regretted being too late to act against Qi Shanshan. If he had moved earlier, he could have locked onto Zen Hai Guanwu's true form long ago. Why had he allowed this utterly invincible female demon to grow so powerful?
"Da-da!"
The Zouwu Strange Beast strode before them.
Li Ling's gaze fell on Li Weiyi. Continuing their earlier conversation, she spoke in a faint, ethereal tone: "But there's been a significant misunderstanding between us. Our mutual distrust has led to this situation. Li Weiyi, if I wanted to kill you, I've had countless opportunities. Do you admit it?"
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END OF CHAPTER
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