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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 3: [Qiu Prefecture Lantern Festival]
Chapter 67 (211): [Facing Luan Sheng Lin You]
(67th of Volume 3)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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Cang Li stared at the wide-open garden gate, seeing that the enemy hadn't made any rash moves. He quickly understood the reason and a look of admiration flashed in his eyes.
Then he sighed softly, "It's useless! They are numerous and powerful . Even if they hesitate to act now out of caution, once someone in charge arrives, they can simply organize a long-range attack and flatten this entire courtyard."
Li Weiyi sat on the stone steps inside the gate, holding Cang Li's and Yin Jiu's invitations and examining them closely.
Yin Jiu was ranked in the Top Three.
Inside the invitation was only a single Dragon Bone Ticket.
A Dragon Bone Ticket was a tiny, nail-sized golden bone grain embedded in the jade invitation.
Below the golden bone grain was a simplified map of Qiu Prefecture City.
The Inner City was depicted with the Eight Trigrams, while the Outer City was represented by just a few lines.
The locations of the eighty Dragon Seeds and seventy-nine Dragon Bone Tickets were marked on the map, flashing and shifting.
This was only an approximate location.
Cang Li's invitation contained not only a Dragon Bone Ticket and Dragon Seed Ticket, but also two Immortality Pill Tickets and the location of the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival venue.
He was indeed among the Top Ten Masters.
However, perhaps because the invitation was of such high rank, the map only marked the locations of the other Immortality Pill Tickets.
Li Weiyi asked, "Given the situation outside, can I even escape?"
"Li Jiufu said that there's a box of Thunder Law Profound Ice at the bottom of Diligent Garden Lake. Combined with my restored combat strength, that should be enough to carve you a path to survival. Whether you can escape depends on your own skills..."
Cang Li suddenly asked, "Is Li Ling still alive?"
Li Weiyi nodded.
Cang Li closed his eyes and exhaled contentedly: "Then take care of her! If you truly can't escape, hand over the invitations, humble yourself, and don't be ashamed to kneel and beg for mercy. Your life is the most important thing..."
"Can you bring yourself to kneel?"
Li Weiyi rolled his eyes: "These two invitations are definitely not going to hold up today! But letting them become worthless scraps once we get out of the city would be a terrible waste."
Cang Li pondered with narrowed eyes.
"What do you plan to do?"
"The world of Jianghu isn't about fighting and killing; it's about human relationships and social dynamics. Luansheng Linyou wants the invitations and your lives. Whoever can save your lives gets them," Li Weiyi said.
Cang Li shook his head: "First, no one will dare accept them. Second, no one will arrive in time to save us. Third, you might not even be able to deliver the invitations. You want to pit wolves against tigers, but the wolves in this city are leaderless. Besides us, no one dares confront Luansheng Linyou head-on."
"Actually, there's a fourth reason: without sufficient strength to back you up, even if you send out invitations, you won't have any bargaining power."
Li Weiyi countered, "That's not entirely true. Luansheng Linyou is indeed terrifying. Aside from Ge Xiantong and us, no one dares to confront him head-on. But a severely injured Luansheng Linyou... that's a different story!"
"Consider this: if they truly feared him, Lu Cangsheng, Long Dian, and Zhu Yibai would have retreated long ago. Why would they still be participating in the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival? They're simply waiting for an opportunity, waiting for Luansheng Linyou and Ge Xiantong to be injured, hoping to reap the benefits."
Cang Li fell into deep thought.
Li Weiyi asked, "How much of your Spiritual Qi has recovered?"
"I can handle a brief battle," Cang Li replied, "But my injuries will inevitably worsen to the point where they become incurable. In other words, I only have one final, desperate fight left."
"Then don't fight!"
Li Weiyi pulled out the Ghost Banner and thrust it into Cang Li's hand: "Use this at a critical moment. Didn't you say that without enough strength, no one will negotiate with us? This is our last resort, our only source of power and confidence!"
Li Weiyi had consulted Master Coffin and others. While the Ghost Banner and Black Iron Seal had significant origins, they could be revealed in a life-or-death situation.
The subsequent trouble wasn't too severe.
Cang Li watched Li Weiyi's back as he went to the backyard to retrieve the Thunder Law Profound Ice.
In less than a year, the young man had undergone a complete transformation.
The confidence and determination in his voice, the composure and fearlessness in his eyes, were like those of someone forged through a thousand trials.
Cang Li knew that even in this dire situation, his own heart was filled with despair, never considering the possibility of turning the tide.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
On the street outside Diligent Garden, two heavy thuds echoed as bodies fell to the ground.
Then, Luansheng Linyou's powerful and unique aura approached from afar, appearing outside the garden.
At the gate of Diligent Garden, two corpses lay sprawled on the ground. Both wore black Nightwalker's Garments. One's head was shattered, the other's body caved in, their flesh a bloody mess.
"Thump! Thump..."
Clear, rhythmic tapping continued, like the death knell from hell.
All the Martial-Mystic Cultivators on the street turned to look, clearing a path.
Luansheng Linyou casually tapped the ground with Cang Li's Silver Spear as he advanced step by step.
A blood-soaked hole the size of a wine cup gaped in his chest.
Unfortunately, he wasn't human; his heart wasn't located there.
His long hair shifted between silver and white, his face a chillingly handsome mask of malevolence.
"To pierce my chest with a single shot, East Dragon, West Pig, South Tiger, North Sword - you've earned your place at the top! But why did you flee? I could only use your gun to kill those two Jiu Li Tribe Martial-Mystic Cultivators, who weren't worthy of dying by my hand. Only then did my rage subside."
Luansheng Linyou surveyed the crowd before him, his voice sharp: "What are you all standing around for? Do you think you can scare the enemy to death just by standing here?"
Ming Niansheng was the first to step forward, explaining the situation in the Diligent Garden and relaying Yuwen Tuozhen's analysis.
Luansheng Linyou cast a cold glance at Yuwen Tuozhen: "The enemy opened the gates themselves, yet you dared not enter? I see fear, plain and simple - fear of being dragged down by Cang Li and Li Jiufu's dying counterattack."
"Since you fear the Thunder Law Profound Ice within, use ranged attacks to break the formation. Grind them down inch by inch, let them die under their own Thunder Law Profound Ice."
At these words, Yuwen Tuozhen and the other faction leaders breathed a collective sigh of relief.
They immediately rushed to arrange their forces, organizing Great Spirit Masters, crossbow Martial-Mystic Cultivators, and ranged Spiritual Artifacts.
Bai Shu had fled back into the garden the moment Luansheng Linyou arrived, overwhelmed by his aura and Intent.
Just as she fled back, Li Weiyi grabbed her: "Help me carry out this box of Thunder Law Profound Ice!"
Li Weiyi walked to Yin Shi's corpse, paused for a moment, then stripped off her Nightwalker's Garment and covered the body's face.
His gaze grew even more somber as he donned a white martial robe and stepped out the gate.
He had no idea if he would ever return after crossing this threshold.
But the path of Cultivation was not a tranquil mountain lake; it was a long river surging toward the sea.
Holding two invitation scrolls, he strode down the stone steps before the gate, his voice ringing out with shocking bluntness: "Luansheng Linyou, if you had shown less arrogance and more reason, you wouldn't have killed Cang Li and Li Jiufu, plunging yourself into the abyss of failure."
The Martial-Mystic Cultivators, who had been preparing to attack Diligent Garden, were stunned.
Who dared to be so audacious?
It was as if he was pointing a finger at Luansheng Linyou's nose and calling him a boastful, arrogant fool.
Bai Shu, who had been using Mental Power to move the box of Thunder Law Profound Ice, nearly fainted from shock. She silently regretted ever coming to Diligent Garden with this Barbarian Bandit.
"How dare you!"
The twang of a bowstring echoed through the air.
A Profound Ice Arrow, a Spiritual Artifact, whistled through the air, piercing the air with a piercing shriek as it hurtled toward Li Weiyi.
The arrow had been fired by a Martial-Mystic Cultivator who had reached the Seventh Sea, using a High-Grade Spiritual Artifact bow.
Li Weiyi activated his Spirit Treasure Seizing Hand.
With a single outstretched right hand, dozens of hand shadows materialized, firmly grasping the incoming arrow.
He channeled the arrow's impact into the ground beneath his feet.
"Boom!"
He remained standing in place, but the stone slabs within a two-zhang radius shattered, spiderweb cracks spreading across the surface.
This single display of skill stunned many of the Martial-Mystic Cultivators present.
It wasn't just his immense strength and the profoundness of his technique that impressed them, but also the calm, serene gaze in his eyes - a composure that commanded respect.
Li Weiyi unlocked the talismanic runes on the half-human-tall metal box and opened the lid, releasing a surge of frigid air and purple lightning.
He then placed two invitation scrolls on the Thunder Law Profound Ice.
"Don't you dare cause any trouble," he warned, "The Thunder Law Profound Ice is highly unstable. What's resting on it are two Immortality Pills, a Dragon Seed, and two Dragon Bones. If they were to be destroyed, it would be a terrible loss."
Li Weiyi stood proudly, the tip of his Profound Ice Arrow pressed against the two invitations. He scanned the crowd, his gaze meeting countless eyes. Turning to Bai Shu, he said, "Help me carry my two Senior Brothers' bodies back."
Bai Shu, thrilled to be of service, immediately retreated into the temple with the corpses.
Someone recognized Li Weiyi: "Isn't that Li Weiyi, the one who claims to defeat all opponents of his level in five moves? He's only at the Fourth Stage of the Five Seas Realm. How could he possibly have caught that arrow just now?"
"He didn't catch it - he absorbed it entirely!"
"So Thunder Law Profound Ice really exists. Good thing we didn't rush in earlier. If there's one box, there must be many more."
No one knew whether Thunder Law Profound Ice could destroy the Calamity Crossing Temple's invitations, so they hesitated to act rashly.
Luansheng Linyou's silver eyes shone brilliantly as he scrutinized the man standing in the center of the opposite street, seemingly trying to discern the source of his confidence.
Ming Niansheng, standing beside him, said, "This brat is courting death. I'll go kill him."
"A Martial-Mystic Cultivator at the Fourth Stage of the Five Seas Realm is enough to make you angry?"
Luansheng Linyou waved him off, then raised his voice: "You'd better give me a good reason to spare your life. Otherwise, many demon cultivators would love to taste the flesh of a genius like you, who claims to defeat all opponents of your level in five moves."
Li Weiyi ignored the raucous laughter around them: "The war between the Zuoqiu Clan and the Imperial Court isn't over yet. If the Jiu Li Tribe were to withdraw now, the Zuoqiu Clan would have no choice but to immediately align with the Imperial Court to secure their survival. Guess who they'd target first?"
"As long as the Jiu Li Tribe remains in the fight, the Zuoqiu Clan and the Imperial Court will never truly join forces. With the Jiu Li Tribe's support, the Zuoqiu Clan is too powerful, posing too great a threat. How could the Imperial Court possibly ally with such a formidable opponent?"
Luansheng Linyou pondered for a moment.
"That makes sense, but it's not quite enough."
Li Weiyi continued, "You're injured! Are you sure you want to face a combined attacks from the Zuoqiu Clan and the Imperial Court while severely wounded? Even if you win, your injuries will worsen. And when that happens, you'll have even more enemies to contend with."
Luansheng Linyou retorted, "So, should I just let the tiger return to the mountains?"
Li Weiyi replied, "You know better than anyone how badly Cang Li and Li Jiufu are injured. They won't recover within half a month. Even if they were tigers, they're now just two sick tigers, no longer a significant threat. Killing them now would be foolish, driven solely by a desire for revenge."
A smile flickered across Luansheng Linyou's cold, icy face: "That makes perfect sense! If Cang Li had said those words, I would have left immediately. But Cang Li and Li Jiufu haven't even dared to show their faces, sending a Fourth Stage of the Five Seas Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivator to speak for them. Could it be they're severely injured and unconscious, or completely incapacitated? If so, why should I let them go instead of capturing them as hostages?"
Li Weiyi secretly admired Luansheng Linyou's shrewdness, who had guessed the situation inside with remarkable accuracy.
If Cang Li were to appear now, his injuries would be immediately apparent to the experts present.
Without Luansheng Linyou even needing to give the order, a Aberrant Humanoid figure shot forward, cackling, "How dare a mere nobody come out and negotiate with Young Venerable? Once this humble monk kills you, I'll naturally be able to assess Cang Li and Li Jiufu's condition. Hahaha!"
"Roar!"
A five-zhang-long Golden Tiger battle intent materialized, and Mie-Di appeared before Li Weiyi, extending a golden, radiant tiger claw shadow to strike.
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END OF CHAPTER
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