Subscribe to the MTL WORLD (@mtlworld1) YouTube Channel.
***********************************
Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 2: [Jiuli Insect Valley]
Chapter 65 (92): [The Shock of a Letter]
(65th of Volume 2)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
***********************************
"Good!"
"Brother Tianshu, come with us!"
Shi Shishi grabbed Li Weiyi and moved swiftly.
Li Weiyi only felt the wind whistling in his ears, his body rising and falling.
In just a few breaths, he and Shi Jiuzhai had crossed a three-mile-long stretch of city blocks and arrived at a bustling dock on the Shui River.
The speed and cultivation Shi Shishi displayed were truly remarkable for his age.
The three of them boarded a swift ship pulled by a Strange Beast resembling a water python.
With sails fully unfurled, they raced downstream at top speed.
Inside the cabin, Shi Shishi used a low-grade spiritual artifact rope to bind Li Weiyi. He chuckled, "Brother Tianshu, I didn't expect you to be so powerful. As a mortal, you possess the combat strength of a Hundred Silver Veins Pure Immortal Physique. The Heavenly King will definitely like you. If you honestly reveal all your secrets, I guarantee the position of Eleventh Brother will be yours."
Li Weiyi leaned against the cabin wall, his voice cold: "You, the Earthwolf King's Army has no honor. You promised rewards but never fulfilled them."
Shi Shishi scratched his head, looking troubled.
"There's nothing we can do! With Yao Qian around, who can touch Yang Qingxi? I'm really curious about the reward you mentioned. Let's postpone it. Once you break through to the Five Seas Realm, we'll put our heads together and figure something out."
"Where are we going now?" Li Weiyi asked.
Shi Shishi replied, "Back to Shuzhou, of course. The secrets you're carrying are enough to alarm a Heavenly King. Who wouldn't want to transform into a Pure Immortal Physique? I want it too!"
Li Weiyi asked, "What about the Jiu Li Hidden Sect?"
"Will you honestly help us gather information? You never speak the truth... Well, with Li Qing around, we won't miss you much anyway," Shi Shishi said.
Li Weiyi replied, "Li Qing has already been killed!"
"..."
Shi Shishi was stunned.
Shi Jiuzhai stood at the stern of the ship, his sharp eyes fixed on the receding Jiu Li City.
The sun dipped below the horizon, and the sky quickly darkened. Only the light veil formation barrier outside Jiu Li City remained radiant, like aurora borealis stretching across the horizon, dyeing the Shui River in a rainbow of colors.
Shi Shishi emerged from the cabin.
"Li Qing is dead! It must be true. He has the strength to do it."
Shi Jiuzhai stood with his hands clasped behind his back, silent for a long moment before saying, "If we let him go, the Jiu Li Hidden Sect won't trust him anymore and will kill him outright. Joining the Earthwolf King's Army is his only chance of survival."
Shi Shishi, knowing these words were meant for Li Weiyi in the cabin, grew worried: "Why hasn't Sixth Brother caught up yet? Could Yao Qian have killed him?"
"Impossible," Shi Jiuzhai chuckled, "The Sui Sect still needs the Earthwolf King's Army to help them attack the Jiu Li Clan. Liu Se is very strong. He might not be able to defeat Yao Qian, but he should have no problem holding him off or escaping."
Inside the cabin, Li Weiyi silently weighed the day's gains and losses.
The biggest problem remained the Six Desires Talisman, and he realized he had underestimated the abilities of the world's top experts.
Beings like Shi Liuyu and Yao Qian had transcended the realm of humanity.
Trying to measure them by human standards was bound to lead to errors.
Suddenly, Shi Jiuzhai's startled shout pierced the air: "Watch out! We're under attack!"
The fast ship lurched violently, followed by the sounds of palm strikes clashing, spiritual Qi colliding, and waves churning.
"Boom! Boom..."
Four pebbles pierced through the hull, striking Li Weiyi's four sealed Spring Acupoints.
Spiritual power immediately resumed flowing.
Simultaneously, the spiritual artifact ropes binding his body were severed by a single strike from the flying Yellow Dragon Sword.
The Yellow Dragon Sword had previously been taken by Shi Shishi.
Clearly, a master seized the sword from him and hurled it here with pinpoint accuracy.
Li Weiyi was overjoyed, realizing that Yin Ershi Si had finally brought reinforcements from the Hidden Sect. He shed the layers of ropes, grabbed the Yellow Dragon Sword, and burst out of the cabin.
Spiritual Qi surged through the darkness.
Shadows clashed violently, but it was impossible to distinguish who was fighting whom.
Li Weiyi knew his own limitations. He decisively channeled spiritual Qi into his legs, leaping across the waves and fleeing.
Moments later, he vanished into the dense forest along the shore.
Behind him, Shi Jiuzhai's frantic roar echoed: "That brat got away!"
Half an hour after Li Weiyi escaped, the sounds of battle had long faded. The frantic running aggravated his severe injuries, and a mouthful of blood erupted from his mouth.
His vision blurred, and the world spun around him.
As he regained some composure and prepared to continue his flight, he saw two black figures - one tall, one short - standing beneath a tree about ten yards ahead.
The shorter, slender black figure hurried forward and forced a cold pill into his mouth.
Her lips, no longer icy as usual, whispered softly, "Heal your wounds first!"
The pill dissolved instantly upon entering his stomach.
The grievous injuries to his internal organs were immediately treated, and the pain subsided.
The tall, imposing black figure wearing a metal mask approached slowly, his crimson cloak swaying in the wind.
His deep voice rumbled, "Have you revealed all the Hidden Sect's secrets to Shi Liuyu?"
The aura radiating from him was oppressive, each word striking Li Weiyi's soul.
Li Weiyi met his gaze briefly, then laughed fearlessly: "Yin Jun's cultivation is unfathomable. How could you not know whether I betrayed the Jiu Li Hidden Sect by revealing secrets to Shi Liuyu?"
"How could I possibly know?" Yin Jun countered.
Li Weiyi replied, "The so-called trial was never about destroying the Changlin Gang. It was about testing what choices I would make when facing Shi Liuyu, whether I would betray the Jiu Li Hidden Sect."
Li Weiyi had only realized this in the ship's cabin moments ago.
Li Weiyi had no knowledge of the abilities of the world's top experts, but how could Yin Jun not know?
How could the Hidden Lord not know that Shi Liuyu could use the Six Desires Talisman to sense his general location?
Realizing this, Yin Jun's purpose in deliberately sending him to Jiu Li City for the trial became clear.
Li Weiyi didn't know whether Hidden Lord had been near the Changlin Gang at the time or was using the Death Spirit Fire in his forehead to perceive the situation.
Regardless, Lord Yin (Yin Jun or Hidden Lord) had certainly overheard every word of his conversation with Shi Liuyu.
Yin Jun stared at him with surprise.
To be in such a dangerous situation, fleeing in a panic, yet still maintain such clear thinking - he was indeed cut out to be a Hidden One.
Yin Ershi Si said, "To become a Hidden One, everyone must undergo a death trial. This so-called death trial tests whether you can keep a secret when facing the threat of death. This is absolutely crucial; failure would endanger the entire Hidden Sect."
"So you knew all along what the real trial was?" Li Weiyi asked.
Yin Ershi Si replied, "I only knew that the true trial wasn't about destroying the Changlin Gang."
Li Weiyi turned his gaze back to the Hidden Lord: "Did I pass the trial?"
"Of course!" the Hidden Lord said, "No matter how you did it, as long as you didn't leak any secrets, you've passed. Let's go back to the Hidden Sect first."
Li Weiyi stood rooted to the spot, "Aren't you interested in the secrets I'm carrying?"
"As long as your actions pass the Hidden Sect's screening, your secrets will remain yours alone. When you truly find a sense of belonging in the Hidden Sect, you'll share them with me without my asking," the Hidden Lord replied.
Li Weiyi said, "Since I'm already a member of the Hidden Sect, there are two things I must do. Will the Hidden Sect lend me a hand?"
"Tell me about them first," the Hidden Lord said.
Li Weiyi replied, "First, I want to see the people I rescued from the Changlin Gang properly settled. I want to see this through to the end, to give them a proper home. Otherwise, I'll never find peace of mind."
"You don't need to ask. Yin Ershi Si has already made arrangements. Members of the Jiu Li Clan will take them in," the Hidden Lord said.
Li Weiyi looked at Yin Ershi Si in surprise.
Yin Ershi Si lifted her chin slightly, her gaze unwavering, showing no trace of the earlier evasiveness she had displayed when Li Weiyi questioned her.
Li Weiyi thought for a moment before speaking again, "I have several companions studying at the Jiu Li Dao Academy and the Cangli Tribe Academy. The Sui Sect has already targeted them. Could I bring them to the Hidden Sect?"
"Impossible!" Hidden Lord replied.
Li Weiyi said, "They're highly talented."
"Even if they are one in ten thousand Pure Immortal Physique, we could still find many such individuals in the world. But the more people we take in, the greater the risk of a Li Qing or two infiltrating our ranks. The Hidden Sect only focuses its resources on a single person each year. We aim to cultivate a Cang Li, a Yao Qian - a top-tier powerhouse who can dominate an entire generation, not a group of Five Seas Realm cultivators."
Hidden Lord paused before continuing, "For now, they're safe at the Jiu Li Dao Academy and the Cangli Clan Manor."
"After the assassination attempt in Burial Immortal Town and the confrontation between the Cangli and Dragon Sect Inheritors on the Sui River, the Jiu Li Clan and the Sui Sect have effectively revealed their hands, but they haven't yet reached the point of open hostility."
Li Weiyi couldn't understand, "If their cards are already on the table, why doesn't the Jiu Li Clan strike first?"
Hidden Lord said, "The fact that you're asking this question shows you still have a long way to go before becoming a Hidden One."
Yin Ershi Si said, "The Sui Sect and the various Jiuli factions are intertwined through marriage. This morning, the Jiu Li Clan secretly sent out word that they would be mobilizing their troops. By noon, the Sui Sect's upper echelon will know every detail of the Jiu Li Clan's movements and deployments, and may even strike first."
"The reverse is also true. That's why the Sui Sect has allied with external forces."
Li Weiyi understood. In this world, nothing is ever black and white, friend or foe.
Instead, enemies have friends, and friends have enemies.
Li Weiyi asked curiously, "What role will the Hidden Sect play in this inevitable war?"
"Since the rotten flesh has grown inside the body, now is the time to scrape it away and heal the bone. Without enduring the pain, how can new life be born? Let them kill each other. Let them kill until the lines between friend and foe are clear."
The Hidden Lord thought for a moment and said, "The only relatively safe place in Li Province is the Jiu Li Divine Temple. When the situation becomes unstable, I'll arrange for your companions to be sent there."
This was his final compromise!
"Thank you, Hidden Lord," Li Weiyi said.
The Hidden Lord replied, "You've done two things for others. I thought at least one would be for the Six Desires Talisman."
"Can the Hidden Lord defeat Shi Liuyu?" Li Weiyi asked urgently.
"You shouldn't ask such a foolish question."
The Hidden Lord replied, "Among the Ten Great Dharma Kings of the Earthwolf King's Army, only the Eldest Master is truly formidable in wisdom, while Eighth Master Shi excels in calculation. As for Shi Liuyu... even you managed to survive his clutches. Keeping him alive might prove useful in the future."
Li Weiyi breathed a sigh of relief. He then retrieved a letter wrapped in oiled paper from his chest and handed it over.
"What is this?"
The Hidden Lord took the letter and asked.
"All my secrets are contained within this letter."
Li Weiyi had always felt that delivering Master Coffin's letter sooner would be safer.
Who knew if the Hidden Lord truly didn't care about his secrets?
Beside them, Yin Ershi Si's eyes lit up.
She knew Li Weiyi was hiding many treasures. This guy definitely had a mysterious background, but what exactly was this secret?
The Hidden Lord opened the letter, immediately sensing its extraordinary nature. His casual expression turned serious.
The aura emanating from the letter was unlike anything he had ever encountered.
The more he read, the more his scalp tingled. His entire body went numb, his pupils dilated wildly, and the hand holding the letter began to tremble.
To Yin Ershi Si, the Hidden Lord had always been a godlike figure. She couldn't imagine anything, not even the sky collapsing and the earth splitting apart, that could ever make him lose his composure like this.
What kind of letter could possibly have such a profound effect?
What terrifying secret did Li Weiyi conceal?
After reading the letter, the Hidden Lord stared intently at Li Weiyi for a long moment.
Finally, he couldn't confirm its authenticity.
The contents were too shocking, capable of shaking the entire world.
"Let's go. We're returning to the Hidden Sect to see the Yin Zu (Hidden Ancestor)!"
Yin Jun (Hidden Lord) enveloped Li Weiyi and Yin Ershi Si in spiritual Qi and used his fastest speed to rush toward Jiu Li City.
As for the Six Desires Talisman on Li Weiyi, with the Hidden Lord present, how could Shi Liuyu possibly sense it? Once they reached the underground, the connection would naturally be severed.
Yin Ershi Si was dying of curiosity. Why had this even alarmed Yin Zu (Hidden Ancestor)?
The Hidden Ancestor had always been a legend. Even Hidden Ones didn't know if it truly existed or was still alive. According to legend, the Hidden Ancestor had lived for over a thousand years.
.....
Back at the Hidden Sect, the Hidden Lord led Li Weiyi deeper into the Jiu Li Insect Valley.
His emotions had calmed, and he asked, "You should have shown me this letter sooner. With it, you wouldn't have needed to participate in the trials at all to become a Hidden One."
"I wanted to test my own strength," Li Weiyi replied.
The Hidden Lord didn't know what to say.
The boy truly possessed the strength to do so. Opening the Eighth Spring was comparable to having a Hundred Silver Veins Pure Immortal Physique, a feat that defied all comprehension.
But when he considered that Li Weiyi was the Chief's successor, everything suddenly made sense.
All his secrets, including the mysterious origins of him and his companions, seemed to be explained!
Now, all that remained was for the Hidden Ancestor to personally verify the letter's authenticity.
After all, only the Hidden Ancestor had truly seen the Chief.
_______________________
END OF CHAPTER
Subscribe to the MTL WORLD (@mtlworld1) YouTube Channel.
***********************************