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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 3: [Qiu Prefecture Lantern Festival]
Chapter 47 (191): [Yin Shi Has Arrived]
(47th of Volume 3)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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"Why bring up something I'd rather forget?"
Li Weiyi's headache intensified.
The news had even reached Zuoqiu Ting.
His reputation was truly ruined.
While other young talents from various prefectures arrived at the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival with glory and prestige, commanding the Four Realms, he had failed before even making a name for himself, trapped like a dragon in shallow waters.
Zuoqiu Ting stopped teasing and spoke seriously. "Yang Qingxi is formidable. The younger generation of the Sui Sect is also packed with experts, not to be underestimated. In just a few centuries, they've transformed the Sui Sect from a small water transport gang into the powerhouse it is today. From top to bottom, they exude a spirit of vigorous progress. Yang Shenjing is arguably one of the most remarkable figures in the Lingxiao Realm in the last thousand years!"
Among the top ten young talents in Li Prefecture, the Sui Sect claimed three spots, while the San Chen Palace had only Chen Wenwu. The disparity in their foundations was clear.
If not for Cang Li emerging in this generation of the Jiu Li Tribe, who could have stood against Yang Qingxi?
The black-clad woman who appeared that night was clearly a top-tier expert secretly cultivated by the Sui Sect.
No wonder Zuoqiu Ting was moved to some degree of admiration.
"And who are you, with this new face?" Li Weiyi stared at the unfamiliar features.
Zuoqiu Ting paused. "Zuoqiu Lancheng, the second Successor of the Zuoqiu Clan... Lanlan's elder brother. You two faced danger together in the Thirty-Three Li, and she's been deeply grateful for your kindness ever since. She's asked me about Sima Qin's whereabouts countless times."
Li Weiyi immediately recalled Lanlan's strange behavior back then: "I won't use the name Sima Qin again. Don't tell her."
"What's wrong with my Lanlan? She possesses a Pure Immortal Physique..."
Zuoqiu Ting began, then stopped himself with a laugh: "Alright, alright, I won't mention it!"
He smiled suspiciously, but knowing Li Weiyi was no ordinary person, he suspected he might not be interested in Lanlan.
He changed the subject: "The Second-Tier rankings were released today!"
"Ten people from each of the Four Realms."
"Yang Qingxi ranked near the top of the Second-Tier in the Southern Territory. Her escape from my grasp only solidified her reputation. Now you understand why every Martial-Mystic Cultivator in the city wants to see you and Shi Shishi die at her hands, while I'm the only one who wants to see the Stream flow on? Who would have thought that one day, I, Zuoqiu Ting, would become a mere supporting character in someone else's rise to fame?"
"She's that strong?" Li Weiyi was moved, a strange pressure building within him.
The Seven Prefectures of the Southern Border each boasted three formidable figures.
Li Prefecture, Qiu Prefecture, and Fu Prefecture were especially renowned for their young talents.
How many spots would the Zuoqiu Clan, the Jiang Clan, Guan Shan, Heavenly Cliff Ridge, and the Jiu Li Tribe take?
The First-Tier of the Southern Territory was relatively easy to choose, as it was dominated by Successor-level cultivators.
The Second-Tier was where the real competition lay. The cultivators' strength was roughly equal, but there were only ten spots available. Even some Nine Springs Pure Immortal Physiques might be squeezed out of the top ten.
Who would accept such a fate?
Zuoqiu Ting said solemnly, "The Sui Sect has likely cultivated two top young talents, one in the open and one in secret. When they work together, their coordination is flawless, multiplying their combat power. They're even slightly stronger than some Successors. Moreover... I suspect one of them is still holding back. If you truly intend to challenge Stream flow, you must be extremely cautious. Don't let her capture you."
Zuoqiu Ting's high praise naturally made Li Weiyi take the warning seriously. After all, the two were now mortal enemies.
Zuoqiu Ting continued, "There's less than half a month until the New Year. Invitations are becoming increasingly scarce. Are you sure you can do this? If you admit defeat now, you only need to give me five pounds of Immortal Soil."
Li Weiyi sat down on the stone bench beside him, a confident smile on his face: "If I wasn't certain, would I bet ten pounds of Immortal Soil and a Dao Lotus against you? I'd be losing out big time!"
"Your cultivation and combat prowess... I'm starting to understand them less and less."
Zuoqiu Ting narrowed his eyes: "Zuoqiu Baiyuan said that the Qian Yanzhen who shared our table that day was actually Cang Jin, one of the Young Venerable's Four Great Experts, in disguise. You claim you can injure it? I think you might be overestimating your opponent. That definitely wasn't Cang Jin."
"Why are you so sure?" Li Weiyi asked, puzzled.
Zuoqiu Ting replied, "Because every Martial-Mystic Cultivator in the city knows that Long Ting is dead, and Cang Jin is hiding under his skin. There can't possibly be two Cang Jins, right?"
"So they found Long Ting?" Li Weiyi asked.
Zuoqiu Ting shook his head: "That's the strange part. Everyone's been searching, but he's vanished without a trace, as if he's evaporated from the world. The Zuoqiu Clan has countless eyes throughout the city, yet we haven't found a single clue."
"Actually, there's another possibility! Long Ting might not be dead, and the skin isn't covering an Ember Spirit at all," Li Weiyi said.
Zuoqiu Ting had considered this possibility as well. He said with a meaningful tone, "That would be quite interesting! Never mind Long Ting. The Zhu Clan and Thundercloud Sect will naturally investigate further. I came to you to learn the 'Bone Transformation and Spirit Exchange Manual'. Only this secret technique can truly contend with those Ember Spirits who love to wear human skin."
"To fight fire with fire?" Li Weiyi asked.
"Brilliant! They can change their appearance and infiltrate human Martial-Mystic Cultivators. I can also shapeshift endlessly and become one of them, turning Qiu Prefecture City into a muddy mess."
Zuoqiu Ting's eyes flickered, and he smiled, "Your Disguise Technique cultivation has reached a considerable level. Why don't you help me?"
"No way! With my current cultivation, participating in your top-tier competition would be suicide."
Li Weiyi had no intention of thrusting himself into the spotlight. Only by remaining hidden in the shadows, navigating the currents of various factions, could he seize the greatest value at the crucial moment.
Right then and there in the courtyard, Li Weiyi began teaching Zuoqiu Ting the 'Bone Transformation and Spirit Exchange Manual'.
He not only recited the incantation but also provided meticulous guidance. This lost secret technique originally belonged to the Zuoqiu Clan. He was merely fulfilling his Spirit Tablet Master's dying wish by returning it to its rightful owner in this manner.
Two hours later, Zuoqiu Ting began practicing in the courtyard while Li Weiyi went upstairs to sleep.
He hadn't rested properly for days and was utterly exhausted.
Now that his Blood Qi cultivation had reached a minor breakthrough and his strength had advanced further, the sense of urgency in his heart had eased slightly.
Of course, he couldn't let his guard down.
Before going to bed, he released the Seven Little Ones, instructing them to hide in various corners of the room.
After digesting the Millennium Cold Ginseng, their bodies had fully reached five inches in length, equivalent to human Martial-Mystic Cultivators at the Successor level, placing them at the Fourth Stage of the Five Seas Realm.
Their combat strength was now comparable to experts in the Fifth-Stage Five Seas Realm.
As for facing a Sixth Sea Martial-Mystic Cultivator...
Those who reached the Sixth Sea could not be weak. Their baseline was incredibly high, and their foundation was exceptionally solid.
This was because the Sixth Sea was located in the "Wind Mansion," the Eighth Spring of the Surging Spring Realm.
Martial-Mystic Cultivators who had achieved Seven Springs Breaking Five Seas could not reach this level.
More precisely, Martial-Mystic Cultivators who achieved Seven Springs Breaking Five Seas would be eliminated at the Fifth-Stage Five Seas Realm. This was their limit, their Land of Dao's End.
"Dao Seed Realm sees no Seven Springs; beneath the Nine Springs, there is no Eternal Life."
This saying was extremely popular in the Martial Dao World!
Therefore, crossing realms became increasingly difficult. Attempting to leap two realms and defeat a Sixth Sea Martial-Mystic Cultivator was nearly impossible unless the Successors had made extraordinary achievements in either physical or mental power cultivation.
Crossing two realms to defeat a Seventh Sea Martial-Mystic Cultivator was as difficult as climbing to the heavens. Those who cultivated in the Seventh Sea were all Nine Springs Supremes, who had once been Heaven's Chosen themselves, capable of crossing realms to defeat opponents.
However, with their numerical advantage, the Seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors now possessed the ability to break through Yang Zhiyong's battle intent defenses. Killing him was no longer a difficult task.
With them guarding him, Li Weiyi felt at ease. He lowered the bed curtains and immediately fell asleep.
He didn't know how long he had slept when he suddenly woke with a start, his fingers forming a palm strike.
Zuoqiu Ting, who had somehow appeared on his bed, grabbed his wrist. Between their fingers, a gentle, Eight Trigrams-like force swirled, silently dissolving his palm strike.
Zuoqiu Ting gestured for silence and whispered, "It's me! Someone has broken into the Diligent Garden..."
Li Weiyi, still shaken, lay flat on the bed, exhaling deeply. His heart was still racing. He glanced at the window beyond the bed curtains. The sky was completely dark. He had slept straight through until nightfall.
His doubts about Little Seven's protective abilities resurfaced.
Turning back to face Zuoqiu Ting, who was now standing close beside him, Li Weiyi's heart pounded again.
Closing his eyes, he complained, "Don't just start randomly using the 'Bone Transformation and Spirit Exchange Manual'! It's terrifying, and honestly, a bit unsettling."
At that moment, Zuoqiu Ting's face was exquisitely delicate, his skin crystal clear, his eyes bright and lively, and his long hair cascading down his shoulders - identical in every way to Yang Qingxi.
Even his physique had changed. His arms and legs were now slender and graceful, as if Yang Qingxi herself were truly sharing the bed with him.
"After using Bone Transformation and Spirit Exchange, you must never maintain the disguise for too long. It can damage your physical body."
Li Weiyi found it difficult to face Zuoqiu Ting in Yang Qingxi's form. Doubting his true appearance, he added, "Why don't you dispel the Disguise Technique and reveal your true face? Since we're trying to be friends, I think it's better to be honest and sincere. Otherwise, I'll always feel like I don't even know who you really are."
"There will be opportunities," Zuoqiu Ting replied, his beautiful Yang Qingxi face smiling warmly as he knelt on the inner side of the bed.
Releasing Li Weiyi's wrist, his eyes fixed on the door outside, his red lips and white teeth gleaming.
"It seems that Divine Hidden One from your Jiu Li Hidden Sect - the one known for her unparalleled beauty. How intriguing. Why would she come alone so late at night? Isn't Diligent Garden supposed to be empty except for you?"
Li Weiyi's expression shifted slightly. He immediately rose to his feet, intending to warn Yin Shi.
"Why are you so nervous? Lie back down!"
Zuoqiu Ting retrieved a Body-Fixing Talisman from his sleeve and swiftly slapped it onto Li Weiyi's chest, pinning him back down. He gently patted the talisman with his palm, a smile never leaving his face.
Li Weiyi was certain that Zuoqiu Ting had known Yin Shi was coming even before he entered the room. That's why he had hidden under the bed, driven by his curiosity.
After all, Zuoqiu Ting had always doubted the authenticity of Yin Shi's claim as a Divine Hidden One, suspecting he might have been deceived by the Jiu Li Hidden Sect and Li Weiyi.
After struggling for a moment, Li Weiyi found his entire body paralyzed. Even his Spiritual Qi was sealed. He could only blink and breathe.
His senses remained intact. He could hear the soft "shush" of footsteps outside, passing through the snow-covered courtyard and ascending the stairs. The footsteps paused at the door, but there was no knock, as if the visitor was still hesitating.
"Swish!"
Zuoqiu Ting reached through the bed curtains and flicked a finger, sending a speck of spiritual light flying.
With a soft hiss, it ignited the bone lamp on the round table by the window.
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END OF CHAPTER
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