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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 3: [Qiu Prefecture Lantern Festival]
Chapter 85 (229): [Hurry and Leave, I'll Deal with Jiang Ning]
(85th of Volume 3)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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"I told you! I'm not even at the Inheritor-level. Ku-Di, who ranked eighth in the Southern Territory's First-Class, is stronger than me!"
Li Weiyi shouted this as his Yellow Dragon Sword flashed out like lightning.
Though it was a thrust, it formed three concentric circles of sword light, composed of countless overlapping afterimages. The sword's sharp, ear-piercing clang forced Ku-Di back, nearly sending her tumbling into the river.
Ku-Di, who appeared to be only seventeen or eighteen years old, frowned, unsure what Li Weiyi meant by his sudden outburst.
As a Seventh Sea Martial-Mystic Cultivator, it was only natural that she was stronger than a Fifth Stage of the Five Seas Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivator like him.
In fact, she should have been the one surprised.
He had withstood her staff strike without injury and even managed to counterattack.
"Truly cunning! He deliberately claimed to be weaker than me to lull me into a false sense of security," Ku-Di thought warily.
After forcing Ku-Di back, Li Weiyi transformed into a wisp of blue smoke, unleashing his fastest movement technique, "Trace of Snow," and charged toward Qi Xiao and Shi Shishi, who were locked in battle with Dao-Di on the left side of the river.
In the corner of his eye, he saw Ji-Di also rushing in that direction.
"What a strange fellow," Ku-Di thought, "His speed is even faster than mine. It seems the Li Weiyi, Master encountered in Jiu Li City a year ago, the one whose karmic ties were impossible to discern, is this Li Weiyi."
Li Weiyi arrived near the battlefield of Dao-Di, Qi Xiao, and Shi Shishi a step ahead of Ku-Di and Ji-Di.
He channeled his Spiritual Qi into his arm, then into the Yellow Dragon Sword.
His gaze and Battle Technique Intent locked onto Dao-Di. The sword emitted a long, drawn-out hum and a thunderous dragon's roar as he unleashed a sweeping horizontal slash with the force of a storm.
The sword qi, stretching over ten meters, crossed the void and landed on Dao-Di.
Only by eliminating the Ji-Di first could they hope to stand a chance.
"Swoosh!"
The sword qi cut through everything like a hot knife through butter.
Dao-Di's protective Spiritual Qi and Battle Technique Intent shattered instantly. His heart froze with terror as he sensed death closing in, his body turning cold.
A powerful surge of survival instinct erupted within him.
Dao-Di chose to withstand Qi Xiao's blade with the spiritual artifact monk's robe he wore.
Ignoring the internal injuries, he activated his movement technique and fled toward the opposite bank of the river.
Li Weiyi's sword followed like a shadow, sword chasing after the fleeing Qi.
His speed was far superior.
"Clang!"
As Dao-Di fled, he heard the sharp clang of a sword right behind him. He spun around and struck out with a palm strike.
Before the force of his palm could erupt...
The Yellow Dragon Sword pierced through his forehead.
"Pfft!"
The next strike severed his head, which was stuffed into a bag.
Blood dripped from the sword's tip.
Li Weiyi's gaze was cold and sharp as he fixed it on the approaching Three Truths.
"Dao-Di is dead. Are you sure you still want to fight?"
It was too sudden!
No one had expected Dao-Di, a veteran of countless battles who had survived countless dangers, to be killed by Li Weiyi in just two sword strikes.
Ten steps away, Ji-Di's eyes blazed with golden flames. He clenched his fists, rage boiling within him. "It was my fault. I shouldn't have split our forces into four groups to encircle them. I didn't anticipate that there would be three enemies, including an Inheritor-level figure!"
"I'm not an Inheritor! Dao-Di died because the three of us cornered him. He was already severely wounded from Qi Xiao's earlier strike." Li Weiyi felt that everyone was trying to inflate his reputation.
Mie-Di, clad in a tiger-skin kasaya spiritual artifact, bared his sharp teeth: "We must avenge Dao-Di. At least one of them must die... Let's target Shi Shishi. He's the weakest."
"..." Shi Shishi said.
Li Weiyi didn't want to fight. He felt that if they continued, they would definitely attract even more powerful experts.
He said, "Let's call it a truce here! If you want revenge, we may be no match for you, but you'll have to sacrifice at least one more Ji-Di."
Mie Di turned to Ku-Di and Ji-Di. "East City is now under our control. He's afraid of being tied down here and attracting even more formidable opponents."
Ku-Di and Ji-Di nodded lightly, finding his analysis reasonable.
"This is bad!"
Qi Xiao stared at the map inside the Invitation Card in his hand. His face drained of color, and his voice trembled: "An Immortality Pill Ticket has arrived nearby... We're in serious trouble..."
"What?"
Li Weiyi and Shi Shishi both felt their scalps prickle with alarm. They tensed up and scanned their surroundings.
Only the top ten experts were authorized to hold Immortality Pill Tickets.
Yu Zi ranked near the bottom of the top ten, having obtained only one Immortality Pill Ticket from the Calamity Crossing Temple.
Twenty Immortality Pill Tickets:
The top three each held three tickets.
The fourth through seventh ranked experts each held two tickets.
The eighth through tenth ranked experts each held one ticket.
The number of Immortality Pill Tickets divided the top ten masters into three tiers.
The wind howled tonight, shaking the trees and rustling the grass along the riverbank incessantly.
Mie-Di sneered: "Now you're afraid? Isn't it a bit too late?"
"Clatter, clatter!"
A Hundred-Character Scripture Artifact Carriage, pulled by three Azure Flame Soul Steeds, slowly advanced from the long street behind Li Weiyi and his companions toward the riverbank, blocking their retreat.
The smile on Mie Di's face gradually faded.
He realized the newcomer wasn't the one from the Far Western Ashlands.
Tonight, the Imperial Court, the Far Western Ashlands, and the Snow Sword Tang Court had indeed joined forces to attack the Eastern Territory. But anyone naive enough to consider the other two factions allies was gravely mistaken.
From within the carriage, Jiang Ning's voice, as melodious as a celestial song, echoed clearly: "Who killed Dao-Di?"
Hearing her voice, Mie Di's smile vanished entirely, replaced by a near-desperate expression.
He remembered that in the Nether Realm of the Dead, when Jiang Ning had been pursuing Long Ting, Yuwen Tuozhen, Mie Di, and Dao-Di had ambushed her, injuring her and poisoning her with Night Emperor Toad Poison. They had then pursued her all the way from the Nether Realm of the Dead to Qiu Prefecture.
This was a grudge of no small measure!
Shi Shishi and Qi Xiao exchanged glances, too terrified to breathe.
Li Weiyi, lost in thought, raised his voice: "Well, you could say he died by this Li's sword."
"Where's Yuwen Tuozhen?" Jiang Ning asked again.
Li Weiyi glanced at Qi Xiao.
Qi Xiao wore a mournful expression, regretting his hasty sword strike.
He lacked Li Weiyi's courage to admit his actions.
He had never met Jiang Ning and didn't know who was in the carriage.
However, anyone holding an Immortality Pill Ticket was clearly someone he couldn't afford to offend - someone who could likely kill him in a few moves.
Shi Shishi recognized Jiang Ning's voice.
But in Burial Immortal Town, he had ambushed Jiang Ning and pursued Zhuang Yue, so he was terrified.
The carriage stopped ten yards away.
A voice from within the carriage spoke again: "Yuwen Tuozhen, Dao-Di, and Mie Di are all enemies I must kill myself. You've killed two of them. Now, who should I kill?"
Li Weiyi pointed forward: "Mie Di is still alive!"
"You..."
Mie Di glared at Li Weiyi, leaped onto the back of a five-yard-long Golden Tiger phantom, and fled backward.
"Roar! Roar..."
The carriage curtain lifted.
Five misty Dragon Souls emerged, coiling through the air before coalescing into a colossal dragon with a solid dragon head, claws, and scales.
The dragon swallowed the Golden Tiger phantom and Mie Di whole.
Mie Di's screams were piercing and utterly desperate.
Ku-Di charged toward the giant dragon, ready to strike. But before he could act, Mie Di plummeted from mid-air with a resounding thud. His body was a bloody mess, like a pile of rotten meat, and he had already stopped breathing.
"Roar!"
The giant dragon dissolved back into five wispy Dragon Souls, which surged into Jiang Ning's Governor's Robe.
No one knew when she had arrived, but Jiang Ning now stood beside the carriage, dressed as a man.
The Governor's Robe perfectly accentuated her figure, her willow-thin waist and ample chest creating a captivating contrast.
Though she exuded a heroic and handsome aura, she also possessed the ethereal charm of an Immortal, drawing the eye and beckoning closer.
Simply standing there, she transformed the surroundings into a pure and ethereal paradise, making it irresistible to approach and explore her.
However, when Mie Di's bloody corpse crashed to the ground, the remaining few present felt their legs grow weak, their only thought to flee.
"A Seventh Sea Martial Cultivator killed in a single blow... Can we even escape?" Shi Shishi wiped the cold sweat from his brow, already preparing to use his final trump card.
Qi Xiao said, "Her comprehension is too high. She must have mastered the Awakened Dragon Technique and, with the power of the Dragon Souls within the Governor's Robe, she is now comparable to a Dao Seed Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivator. She's the second most powerful figure in the Imperial Court. Next, she'll come for us. Brother Weiyi, quickly come up with an escape plan! It'll be too late if we don't run now!"
...
The usually serene Buddhist heart of Ku-Di ignited with fury: "Jiang Ning, tonight we are allies! You are being far too reckless!"
"I've already shown mercy by letting him live until today. Ku-Di, you are no match for me. If you don't leave now, I'll deal with you too," Jiang Ning said coldly.
Li Weiyi saw through Jiang Ning's breathtaking beauty: beneath her stunning exterior lay an iron will that tolerated no compromise. Whether it was killing Sheng Qingyan or Mie Di, she would never yield to circumstances.
Alliances and loyalties meant nothing to her.
If you became her enemy, she would kill you on sight.
"Brother Weiyi, are you frozen in fear? I'm talking to you! How do we break out... Damn, she's looking this way..." Shi Shishi's expression changed. He immediately tried to escape by burrowing underground.
With Ku-Di and Ji-Di retreating, Jiang Ning turned her icy gaze toward the remaining three.
"Shishi Dharma King," she said coldly, "I haven't forgotten the grudges from Burial Immortal Town. Qi Xiao, your Zuoqiu Sect is currently attacking the Prefectural Governor's Mansion, isn't it? Li Weiyi, you dare to steal my enemy, you young Emperor? Then you shall pay with your life."
Li Weiyi thought Jiang Ning was being unreasonable.
Clearly unwilling to acknowledge their friendship openly, he sneered, "If you want to kill me, just say so. Why bother with such a ridiculous excuse? You two go first. I'll hold her off."
"We'll leave together, or die together."
Qi Xiao gripped his blade tightly, crouching low, ready to fight to the death.
"I still have one desperate trump card! If the three of us work together, we can definitely hold our own against her, no matter how strong she is," Shi Shishi said.
Li Weiyi shouted, "Nonsense! Get out of here now! You'll only distract me if you stay."
Qi Xiao saw Li Weiyi was serious and tears welled in his eyes: "Brother Weiyi, true friendship shines through adversity... Today, Qi Xiao finally understands what it truly means to be loyal and righteous..."
"Brother Weiyi, you saved her maid before. Maybe you can negotiate... If you can't win, you must escape..." Shi Shishi urged.
"Hurry up and go! He's an Inheritor-level expert. Without us holding him back, he'll have a better chance of escaping. We'll find reinforcements... Quick..."
Qi Xiao pulled Shi Shishi away, using the Dao of Escape to vanish from sight.
The Patrolling Immortal Envoy from the Calamity Crossing Temple appeared by the river, ready to record the upcoming battle.
She believed Li Weiyi should have no trouble escaping from Jiang Ning.
But after waiting for a long time without seeing them clash, she finally closed her book.
Jiang Ning walked toward him.
When she was within ten feet, she sharpened her gaze and transmitted her thoughts through spiritual energy: "Old-generation powerhouses must be watching this place right now. They can't hear spiritual energy transmissions within ten feet. I'm here on behalf of the Second Palace Master to recruit you. Control your expression."
Li Weiyi sneered: "You want me to join the Imperial Court? Do you really think you've got me cornered tonight? That I can't escape?"
Jiang Ning transmitted back: "The Second Palace Master asked Yang Qingxi about you. Yang Qingxi spoke very highly of you. She might genuinely admire you, or she might be using you as a pawn. I don't want to be a hypocrite, but you should be wary of her."
"I know you're rebellious and fiercely independent. I've tried to recruit you several times before, and it's always been futile. So I won't even try this time!"
"But as a friend, I have to tell you this."
"The Second Palace Master has made two preparations. Your only chance to defect to the Imperial Court is tonight. When dawn breaks tomorrow, Ge Xiantong will personally come to kill you."
Li Weiyi did his best to conceal his shock, not letting it show on his face. He was stunned by the Second Palace Master's ruthlessness and moved that Jiang Ning had risked so much to warn him.
Jiang Ning said, "You have no chance against Ge Xiantong! I spent the entire afternoon racking my brain, and I've come up with only one way for you to survive."
"What way?" Li Weiyi asked.
"I'll kill you myself!"
Jiang Ning continued, "Later, find a way to provoke me. I'll chase you. Escape directly through the east gate, over the outer city walls, and leave the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival battlefield."
"You're trying to persuade me to withdraw again! Do you know, every time a peerless beauty like you tries to make me retreat, it only fuels my fighting spirit even more," Li Weiyi said, voicing his true thoughts.
"Stop flirting and listen to me. This is no time for jokes."
Jiang Ning added, "If you can't bear to part with the Dragon Bone and Dragon Seed, I promise you that after the Lantern Festival, I'll do everything I can to get you a share of each."
"Both Dragon Seeds and Dragon Bones are finite resources. How could anyone secretly divert them without being noticed?"
Li Weiyi controlled his gaze and continued, "As a friend, you've done more than enough. I'm deeply grateful. My Master once said that in Martial-Mystic Dao cultivation, anything can be lacking - even a poor environment or starting point doesn't matter. But one thing must endure: unwavering fighting spirit. Once a person loses their fighting spirit and sharpness, they will never reach the pinnacle of the Martial Dao."
"Today, you mentioned Ge Xiantong's name, and I chose to flee rather than fight."
"From now on, anyone can scare me off using any method they choose."
"Ge Xiantong won't waste much energy or time on me. The price he's willing to pay won't be too high. Jiang Ning, enemies who can be escaped aren't truly terrifying. There's always a way to deal with them. I still have a night, don't I?"
Jiang Ning asked, "Are you planning to hide? Or will you flee back to South City and use Zuoqiu Hongting's influence to stand against Ge Xiantong?"
"Who is Zuoqiu Hongting?" Li Weiyi asked, genuinely puzzled.
Jiang Ning was even more confused: "You still don't know who Zuoqiu Hongting is? Aren't you supposed to be on very good terms with her?"
Li Weiyi was even more bewildered.
Jiang Ning realized he was genuinely clueless and sneered, "Zuoqiu Ting is Zuoqiu Hongting, also known as Zuoqiu Hong. She didn't even reveal her true identity to you. How can you expect her to protect you?"
When Jiang Ning mentioned Ge Xiantong, Li Weiyi was only briefly stunned before his fighting spirit and battle intent surged.
But when he learned that Zuoqiu Ting was actually Zuoqiu Hong... no, Zuoqiu Hongting, he was truly shocked, nearly losing control of his expression.
This was a deception that had spanned from Burial Immortal Town all the way to Qiu Prefecture City.
Jiang Ning continued, "When we were children, there was no Xiaotian Edict, and the world was at peace. Prefectural Prefecture and Qiu Prefecture were neighboring regions, and the Jiang Clan and the Zuoqiu Sect had an excellent relationship. She and I were childhood playmates, and I was one of the few who knew her true gender! Later, she likely entered the Zuoqiu Hidden Sect."
"Good, good, what a game!"
Li Weiyi was already plotting his revenge, determined to have a heart-to-heart talk with Brother Zuoqiu.
Jiang Ning secretly worried for him: "You know, a challenge is only worth taking if you have a chance to win. If you have no chance at all, it's just suicide. Do you really think you stand a chance against Ge Xiantong?"
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END OF CHAPTER
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