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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 2: [Jiuli Insect Valley]
Chapter 5 (32): [Opening the Third Spring (Quan)]
(5th of Volume 2)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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After Zhao Zhizhuo left, Li Weiyi sat alone under a ox-horn bone lamp, studying the Evil Camel Bell.
The bell was ancient and weathered, with rough patches of copper rust where faint traces of corroded scriptures could still be seen.
It was an unsettling artifact, capable of influencing the mind, tempting one with sin, and amplifying evil thoughts.
It seemed...
...to even collect evil thoughts.
At that time, Li Weiyi had desperately wanted to toss it into the sea of blood, to let it sink forever. But since it could hold physical objects and contained a mysterious, unfathomable space within it, he decided to keep it.
Li Weiyi planned to buy a large supply of food to take back to the Bronze Warship.
How much could he and Gao Huan possibly carry?
If it truly was a treasure capable of containing heaven and earth, it would make things much easier!
"It should also be a magic artifact," Li Weiyi mused, recalling Old Zhao's words, "It can be activated by using Spiritual. The extent of its activation depends on one's cultivation level, the strength of their Spiritual Power, and how much they can channel into it."
Fearing an accident, Li Weiyi plugged his ears.
Then, he channeled the Spiritual Power from the two acupoints in his feet into the bell, slowly infusing it.
Moments later.
"Whoosh-"
The bell's surface shimmered, and it trembled slightly, suddenly expanding several times in size.
After a moment's hesitation, Li Weiyi put on silver silk gloves before reaching into the bell. He plunged his entire arm inside. The interior was vast, and he couldn't touch the walls or edges.
He didn't find any of the half-real, half-illusory camels either.
There was no way to know what was truly inside.
All he found were several jars of Golden Crow Blood, clearly placed there by Yu Tuonan on the Bronze Warship.
He channeled his Spiritual Power again, but the Evil Camel Bell didn't grow any larger.
At his current cultivation level, this was the limit. Besides, even if the bell had grown large enough, he wouldn't dare enter it lightly.
As for "shaking the Evil Camel Bell," Li Weiyi dared not try it for now, fearing unforeseen dangers.
"Old Zhao said that opening the Four Springs allows Spiritual Power to begin to leak outward, giving one rudimentary control over it. With enough power, one can even manipulate objects from a distance."
For Li Weiyi, who had trained in martial arts since childhood, such a realm was utterly captivating, a goal he yearned for with all his heart.
"Opening the Four Springs grants one a certain status, making them a half-step above the common man. To complete the other half, one must transcend the Yongquan (Surging Spring) Realm,"
Zhao Zhizhuo had once remarked with a sigh.
Li Weiyi put away the Evil Camel Bell.
Lying in bed with his hands behind his head, he found it impossible to sleep.
His thoughts drifted from Cai Yutong, taken by the White Bone Demon, to his Senior Brother on the Bronze Warship, and then to the countless moments of learning martial arts with his Master in the mountains.
"The Martial Arts Path, the Martial Dao Path- only the martial arts remains, no Dao exists."
These were his Master's words!
But now, a magnificent Martial Arts Path lay before him. Whether it was the overflow of spiritual power, telekinesis, or Shi Jiuzhai's ability to exhale clouds and pierce through cliffs, it all seemed so incredibly alluring.
The future Martial Arts Path promised to be breathtaking, with countless divine abilities awaiting him to climb and pursue.
As for being an "Overlord"...
Who would willingly remain forever at the bottom, shrouded in darkness, forever gazing up at the soles of feet trampling on their heads?
Li Weiyi rolled out of bed, grabbed a jar of Golden Crow Blood, and took a large gulp.
Then, he sat cross-legged on the floor, practicing the Jade Void Breathing Technique to refine the opposing forces of hot and cold spiritual power within him.
.....
After a night of cultivation, Li Weiyi, dressed in a dark blue robe embroidered with beast patterns and cinched with a purple sash, sat by the railing on the second-floor platform of the Yaohua Pavilion. He gazed intently at the diverse crowd below, each accompanied by a fearsome beast.
Martial-Mystic Cultivators with formidable cultivation levels strode atop ten-meter-long pythons, causing everyone to cower in fear.
Wild oxen weighing thousands of kilograms pulled carts, while ragged commoners led them by the reins.
Members of powerful families, Martial-Mystic cultivators, rode on the backs of four-armed apes the size of houses, carrying a mysterious ore.
Though the apes possessed immense strength, they were enslaved.
Li Weiyi knew that he and Gao Huan were living in the Yaohua Pavilion, enjoying fine food and the privileges of the elite, only because they had rendered great service to the Cangli Tribe.
This temporary respect and the luxury they enjoyed were paid for by others.
But even the greatest debts of gratitude must eventually be repaid.
True superiority came from personal strength, ensuring one would never be suddenly expelled one morning, left homeless and adrift like a street beggar.
Survival and establishing a firm foothold were the immediate priorities.
Living well and vibrantly could only be achieved through martial cultivation.
The bustling sounds of the city filled his ears: the clamor of traffic, the cries of vendors, the myriad facets of human life.
In fleeting moments, Li Weiyi felt as though everything that had happened on the Bronze Warship, even his nineteen years on Earth, had been nothing more than a dream.
The world as it was now felt like the true reality.
Li Weiyi spread his right palm open.
The center of his palm was burning hot, as if a miniature volcano were erupting within.
Eleven silver vein-like marks radiated from the Acupoint in his palm, forming eleven new Qi-circulation pathways.
If he were to activate the spring in his palm while executing a hand technique like the Heaven-Turning Palm Seal, its power would undoubtedly be far greater than before.
This third spring he had opened that morning brought the total number of silver vein-like marks in his body to thirty-seven.
Li Weiyi was deeply puzzled.
Zhao Zhizhuo had insisted the previous night that opening a spring (Acupoint) was incredibly difficult, requiring even those with superior talent to endure a decade of arduous cultivation just to open the Four Springs - the four Acupoints in their limbs.
Opening Acupoints beyond the Four Springs would be even harder.
But Li Weiyi suspected Zhao Zhizhuo had suffered too many setbacks and hardships in his life, causing him to exaggerate difficulties and lose confidence in facing life's challenges.
When he encountered a Deformed Humanoid who had opened only one spring (Acupoint), he mistook them for someone who had opened three, believing himself to be no match.
Opening springs (Acupoints) was undoubtedly challenging, but certainly not as impossibly difficult as Zhao Zhizhuo described.
Otherwise, how could Li Weiyi have opened one in just a few days?
For him, it might be slightly harder than for others, as everyone's cultivation speed and talent differed. One couldn't measure others by one's own standards.
But how vast could the gap between individuals truly be?
Those who passed the entrance exam for Capital Academy didn't have an extra brain compared to those who only qualified for vocational colleges.
Gao Huan entered Li Weiyi's room, leaned close, and said mysteriously, "Li-ye, do you think the Cang Li Tribe in this world is the same group as the Cang Li Tribe from Earth's mythology?"
"How would I know?" Li Weiyi chuckled.
Gao Huan continued, "I think it's highly likely! Legend says that after the Battle of Zhuolu, the remnants of the Cang Li Tribe fled into the North Sea and went to the Underworld. And didn't we arrive here by setting out from the Arctic Ocean? Along the way, we even found stone pillars and tablets along the Chixian Ancient Road, indicating that people from ancient Huaxia (Ancient China) had traveled this route before."
"If we could infiltrate the Cang Li Tribe's core leadership and trace their ancestral lineage, we might find the answer."
Li Weiyi was accustomed to Gao Huan's eccentric and erratic thinking, so he wasn't surprised: "What are you trying to say?"
Gao Huan replied, "They are the Li people, and we are also Li people. This suggests we might share a common ancestor. I don't know if we'll ever return to Earth, but here, I feel an inexplicable sense of belonging and security. You wouldn't want to go back to that dangerous and uncertain blood sea voyage, would you?"
"You want to stay?" Li Weiyi asked.
Gao Huan nodded: "According to you, we've done the Cangli Tribe a great favor. As long as we behave ourselves and live among them, it shouldn't be too difficult. The only thing we need to consider is how to bring the First Mate and the others over."
Li Weiyi had been contemplating this very issue as well.
....
Zhao Zhizhuo arrived again in a horse-drawn carriage and stopped outside the gates of Yaohua Pavilion.
After picking up Li Weiyi and Gao Huan, he said as he drove, "The Young Clan Leader understands your concerns, Brother Li, but we owe such a great debt of gratitude that we must thank you in person. Rest assured, few will know about this."
The Cangli Tribe's attack was bound to cause a sensation.
If everyone knew that two people had saved Zhao Zhizhuo and brought him to Yaoguan City for help, leading to the enemy's failure, the Earth Wolf King's Army and Shi Jiuzhai would certainly learn of it.
With enough investigation, they would inevitably uncover the identities of these two meddlers.
Regardless of whether events unfolded in this direction, Li Weiyi had to consider this possibility first. That's why he had refused to accompany Zhao Zhizhuo to meet the Cangli Tribe's Young Clan Leader last night - too many eyes and ears.
His current strength was far from sufficient to allow him to operate openly.
Only by becoming a transcendent being, surpassing the (Surging Spring) Realm, could he truly gain a foothold in this brutal world where death could come at any moment.
"Old Zhao, please stop calling me 'Young Benefactor.' If you don't mind, you can call me 'Little Brother,' or 'Brother Xie,'" Li Weiyi said.
"Very well."
Zhao Zhizhuo was naturally pleased to use a more familiar address.
....
Led by Zhao Zhizhuo, Li Weiyi and Gao Huan met the Young Clan Leader of the Cangli Tribe at Zaomei Manor, where the Cang Li tribe was temporarily staying.
"Young Clan Leader, Miss Ling, this is Brother Xie. Yesterday, he killed those two martial master experts of Buddha's Salvation (Fodu) Bandits, saving my life. Afterward, he brought me here to Yaoguan City for help," Zhao Zhizhuo explained.
He added, "Brother Xie's name is Xie Jin. This is Brother Gao, Gao Huan. He has a congenital speech impediment and can only speak his hometown dialect."
Li Weiyi quietly observed Cang Li, his heart filled with admiration.
'This is what true nobility looks like in this world,' he thought, Just by his attire, accessories, and bearing, he exudes an aura of incalculable value. Any woman who sees him would surely fall instantly in love.'
Cang Li was around Li Weiyi's age, strikingly handsome like Gao Huan and Cai Yutong, as if he had undergone a complete transformation. His skin shimmered with an ethereal glow, flawless and unblemished.
Even more remarkable was the invisible aura radiating from him, a testament to his profound cultivation. It instantly set him apart from everyone else present, creating an unbridgeable gulf between them.
Li Weiyi never felt inferior or self-deprecating, but everyone has their own internal yardstick to measure themselves and others.
Cang Li made a conscious effort to appear approachable, expressing his gratitude to Li Weiyi and Gao Huan with warmth, courtesy, and friendliness. Yet a considerable distance remained between them.
Having reached such a lofty position, it was no small feat for him to even attempt this.
He said, "Zhao Zhizhuo has already told me about your situation. The world has been ravaged by war for a decade. Externally, we face Fallen Spirit Fiends and monstrous insect curses, while internally, we contend with banditry and military unrest. The people of each prefecture struggle to survive year after year. Now, it seems Li Prefecture is about to erupt into chaos as well!"
His words didn't seem directed at Li Weiyi, but rather like a lament to himself.
Cang Li clearly wasn't interested in where Li Weiyi and Gao Huan came from.
He asked, "You're a martial arts master, right? How many springs (acupoints) have you opened?"
"Three," Li Weiyi replied.
"Not bad."
At his age, having opened only three springs (acupoints), Cang Li, with his peerless talent, could only muster a lukewarm "not bad" in his assessment.
But the Clan Elder had always warned him: "If you want to be a leader, the first thing you must do is control your tongue. Don't speak impulsively. Treat the wise and virtuous with respect, and recruit talent by speaking kindly. Don't offend people with your words before you even try to win them over."
Li Ling stood behind Cang Li, her bare feet revealing her age - fifteen or sixteen. Nine silver bangles adorned her wrists, and she wore a vibrantly colored robe. Her long hair was braided into numerous long, thin braids, and a faint blue mist shimmered around her.
Gao Huan, standing beside Li Weiyi, had been unable to tear his gaze away from Li Ling since he first saw her.
Transformed Cai Yutong was also ethereal, but Gao Huan had always kept his distance from such aloof and temperamental female doctoral students.
This girl, however, was different. Like a mist-shrouded elf, her delicate, sweet, and mysterious beauty struck every chord in his heart.
As for Liu Ying...
He dared not dwell on her any longer, feeling she would forever remain an insurmountable obstacle in his life.
....
Cang Li had noticed Gao Huan long ago, finding him far more interesting than Li Weiyi.
"Pure Immortal Physique?"
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END OF CHAPTER
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