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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 3: [Qiu Prefecture Lantern Festival]
Chapter 111 (255): [The Calamity Crossing Temple]
(111th of Volume 3)
(END OF VOLUME 3)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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"Back then, the Thundercloud Sect's arrogance and brutality plunged the world into chaos, much like the situation today. Every member of the sect claimed to be a god."
"After years of war, when the entire world was exhausted and the factions had been weakened, the situation gradually clarified. That's when the Calamity Crossing Temple approached me."
"They wouldn't directly intervene. Instead, they promised to provide me with ten Immortality Pills annually, along with rare resources for cultivating Transcendent beings and life-extending Essence Medicine."
"News of this offer spread like wildfire, drawing talented individuals from across the land. Even old men on the brink of death flocked to my banner."
"Before this, I was already the largest righteous army in this realm. With their resources, my forces grew rapidly, sweeping across the land and shortening the period of turmoil, thus reducing casualties."
"After the Lingxiao Palace was established, as a return for their support, the resources of the Lingxiao Realm were prioritized for them. In turn, they continued to send ten Immortality Pills to the Lingxiao Palace every sixty years to solidify its rule."
"It's like when I slew the Flying Dragon. The Dragon Bone, Dragon Seed, and Dragon Palace were taken by them."
Li Weiyi could detect the dissatisfaction in Zen Hai Guanwu's tone: "They invested a massive amount of resources, and after succeeding, they demanded a return. I find that perfectly reasonable. Investment always carries risk. If you had been defeated, their resources would have been lost entirely. It's fair!"
Spirit Tablet Master said, "The Mist Heavenly Emperor is trying to tell you that the Calamity Crossing Temple isn't a compassionate savior. They merely use the guise of salvation to pursue their own self-interests."
"A true savior would have stepped forward at the very beginning of the chaos, not waited until the world was already in ruins before seeking out so-called Hidden Dragons."
Li Weiyi, clear-minded and insightful, chuckled: "A partnership built on mutual benefit may be fragile, but I find it far less reliable if the Calamity Crossing Temple were to speak only of ideals, the Dao, and unconditional support."
"You're right! Relationships based on mutual benefit are often more stable."
Zen Hai Guanwu continued, "But the Calamity Crossing Temple's biggest problem is that they never put all their eggs in one basket. While supporting me back then, they also split their resources to support the Thundercloud Sect, believing they had a chance to quell the chaos."
"Precisely. Back then, I defeated the Thundercloud Sect but couldn't completely eradicate them. I had to compromise with another faction within the Calamity Crossing Temple."
"The Thundercloud Sect's existence, to some extent, served as a check on Lingxiao Palace."
Li Weiyi said, "That's a rather underhanded move! But in the power struggles of major powers, such tactics are commonplace. I'm curious - with your cultivation later reaching the level where you could even slay Flying Dragons, couldn't you still break free from the Calamity Crossing Temple?"
Zen Hai Guanwu snorted lightly, lifting her snow-white chin: "In its peak era, the Lingxiao Realm spanned three hundred provinces, teeming with experts. Back then, the Calamity Crossing Temple wouldn't have dared to dictate terms to me. The Thundercloud Sect's annual tribute far surpassed that of the Ancient Myriad Sects, all to avoid my reckoning. But millennia have passed, and several generations have come and gone. Naturally, I no longer had reason to unleash a massacre."
"The reason I've explained the true nature of the Calamity Crossing Temple is to make you understand: you can't rely on them. To deal with Qilin Zhuang, you must rely on the people of Lingxiao alone."
"For you, this could be a tribulation - you must proceed with extreme caution."
"A tribulation?" Li Weiyi's expression turned grave.
Zen Hai Guanwu said, "You have a full-gold Meridian Veins and have unlocked the secret of the Tenth Spring. This must not be revealed to the Calamity Crossing Temple. The existence of the Dao Ancestor Tai Chi Fish is even more dangerous to expose."
Master Guan immediately agreed.
"Absolutely! Even with a foundation as strong as Luansheng Linyou, Ge Xiantong, or Zuoqiu Hongting, it wouldn't be enough to tempt some old geezers whose lifespans are nearing their end to take extreme risks. But a full-gold Meridian Veins and the Ten Springs Divine Aperture... if that were confirmed... it's hard to say what might happen."
Master Coffin said, "I've met Zhuang Shiyan. His character seems decent."
Master Guan scoffed: "The Calamity Crossing Temple isn't run by Zhuang Shiyan alone. There's a lot more going on beneath the surface!"
Li Weiyi finally understood what Zen Hai Guanwu and Master Guan were so worried about. He broke out in a cold sweat: "Should I try to escape while things are chaotic?"
Zen Hai Guanwu said, "Right now, there's nowhere safer than Taoli (Peach and Plum) Mountain. Don't worry too much. You have the Zuoqiu Clan and the Jiu Li Tribe backing you. If you refuse to go to the Calamity Crossing Temple, how could Zhuang Shiyan possibly force you? As an Immortal Master, he wouldn't dare act so shamelessly."
"Exactly. Staying here is the safest option right now because no one can pull any underhanded tricks," Master Guan added.
Li Weiyi asked, "Will they invite me to cultivate at the Calamity Crossing Temple?"
Master Guan said, "It would be strange if they didn't invite you, given your talent. But you can't go. If you do, you'll be utterly helpless."
"Now that you're the Jiu Li Tribe Leader's disciple, they'll protect you with all their might. The Zuoqiu Clan needs their support and will protect you too," Spirit Tablet Master added.
Li Weiyi was terrified by their words: "Very well... I'll use this opportunity to enter seclusion and refine my Spiritual Qi. I'll strive to achieve complete mastery as soon as possible. Master Guan, how long do you think I'll need?"
"Three months for the Fourth Sea, at least six months for the Fifth Sea. By then, you'll be ready to cultivate the Sixth Sea Wind Mansion and Fifth-Level Qi!"
"Nine months."
Li Weiyi was deeply troubled. Refining Spiritual Qi took far too long. Luansheng Linyou had already broken through to the Dao Seed Realm.
If his Dao Seed truly was a "Dragon Seed," his cultivation speed in the Dao Seed Realm would be lightning-fast.
Li Weiyi didn't want to still be refining Spiritual Qi in the Seventh Sea while others had already broken through to Immortal Realm.
"Is there any way to speed up the refinement process?" Li Weiyi asked.
Master Guan frowned: "See? You're impatient again. We agreed to settle down after the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival."
"Yes, there is. You can harness the power of the Fusang Divine Tree."
Zen Hai Guanwu gazed at the distant Blood Mist.
As the Blood Mist dispersed, Tanggu Sea and the Fusang Divine Tree appeared on the other side of the spatial barrier. The sea was covered with Xihe.
She said, "But you must truly cross that spatial barrier and journey to Tanggu Sea, to get closer to the Fusang Divine Tree. Your Qi refinement speed should double."
Currently, Li Weiyi was only in the first stage of Great Spiritual Master cultivation, the Earthfire Realm. He could only open a bowl-sized hole in the spatial barrier, not large enough for a person to pass through.
To open a larger passage, cross the spatial barrier, and reach Tanggu Sea, he would need to focus on cultivating his Spiritual Power and strive to reach the Heavenly Fire Realm, and even the Calamity Fire Realm, as quickly as possible.
Master Coffin said, "That is indeed a path! But... Mist Heavenly Emperor, why are you in such a hurry?"
Zen Hai Guanwu's gaze was heavy: "I have reached the level of an Emperor. I know exactly how close Qilin Zhuang is to breaking through. The situation is critical. Once he crosses that threshold, will Taoli (Peach and Plum) Mountain still be safe?"
After a long silence, she said, "Perhaps only one person in the entire Lingxiao Realm can deal with Qilin Zhuang."
Li Weiyi's eyes widened: "Yu Yaozi?"
Zen Hai Guanwu said, "Among my three disciples, she ranks first in Innate Talent, temperament, and wisdom. I have always been most confident in her. I'm truly curious about what she has been through, what insurmountable obstacle she faces. I intend to visit Lingxiao City to see her in person."
Li Weiyi was shocked.
The world now viewed Yu Yaozi as a terrifying monster, more fearsome than even the Demon Clan.
He quickly cautioned, "A thousand years have passed. Your disciple must have changed drastically, her mind likely fractured. It's too dangerous for you to go there so recklessly!"
Zen Hai Guanwu replied, "I'll consider this further... You must cultivate faster. Reach the Dao Seed Realm as soon as possible. By then, your Disguise Technique should be perfected, enough to deceive even the heavens. At that point, you can go anywhere."
Li Weiyi asked, "If Qilin Zhuang is so powerful, why doesn't the Calamity Crossing Temple directly support him?"
"Investing in Qilin Zhuang might yield easier success, but it could also lead to complete ruin. The risk is no less than investing in the Zuoqiu Clan," Master Coffin answered.
Li Weiyi asked, "Is this related to Flying Phoenix and the Ancestor of the Flying Dragon?"
"These are higher-level games. There's no need for you to ponder them."
Zen Hai Guanwu, intimately familiar with the Calamity Crossing Temple, said, "It's easy to guess. The Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival is essentially a power struggle between two factions within the Calamity Crossing Temple. Some favor Qilin Zhuang, while others support the School of Diplomacy's disciple from the Zuoqiu Clan. Both are top-tier experts with the potential to unify the world."
"Since neither faction could convince the other, they organized this Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival to assess the next generation of these two major powers."
After gaining a general understanding of the Calamity Crossing Temple, Li Weiyi withdrew from the Blood Mud Space to heal his injuries, refine his Spiritual Qi, and cultivate his Spiritual Power.
He also prepared to use the Divine Cauldron Wood over the next period to perfect his physical cultivation.
Seven days later, his injuries were fully healed.
Li Weiyi was quite concerned about the situation outside, especially regarding Hidden Lord and the others. He wondered whether they had managed to secure the Immortality Pill, Dragon Seed, and Dragon Bone.
Thus, he decided to temporarily break his seclusion.
"Brother Zuoqiu?"
In a densely built-up area of the Third Heaven, Li Weiyi spotted "Luansheng Linyou," whose aura belonged to Zuoqiu Ting.
Zuoqiu Ting fanned himself with a folding fan, his injuries completely healed. His silver hair fluttered in the breeze, and his handsome features were almost unreal. He laughed heartily.
"Li Weiyi, you've got incredible patience, staying in closed-door cultivation while the entire city is in turmoil. How are your injuries?"
Seeing him still able to laugh, Li Weiyi knew the battle situation must be favorable.
"I'm completely recovered."
Li Weiyi strode over, intending to punch Zuoqiu Ting in the chest to express their cherished brotherhood. Ultimately, he spared him, instead throwing an arm around his shoulders.
"Where did you run off to during the final battle of the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival? You deserted us! Do you know how hard your sister and I fought?"
Zuoqiu Ting squirmed uncomfortably, gently deflecting Li Weiyi's arm with his folding fan, trying to appear casual.
He sighed, "Ah, I was too badly injured and had to withdraw early! My sister speaks highly of you, saying you're worth befriending."
"Worth befriending? Then why are you pushing my arm away? We're brothers - we've even slept in the same bed."
Li Weiyi pulled him closer, whispering in his ear, "To be honest, your sister is stunning - like a celestial maiden descended to earth, rivaling even the Feather Immortal. If your Zuoqiu Clan were to propose a marriage alliance with me, I might just agree!"
"How about you put in a good word for me?"
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END OF CHAPTER
(END OF VOLUME 3)
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