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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 3: [Qiu Prefecture Lantern Festival]
Chapter 91 (235): [Ge Xiantong]
(91st of Volume 3)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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Yao Xingyue, the leader of the Yaoli clan, was already waiting outside the city gates to receive them.
He clasped his hands in a respectful bow to Li Weiyi, his gratitude unspoken.
Through Yao Xingyue's eyes, Li Weiyi knew that a powerful expert was rushing toward the city gates. He returned the bow and quickly departed, heading toward the Northern City.
In his heart, he sighed, "The little nun still has a conscience!"
Li Weiyi had observed carefully and realized that Ku-Di didn't care much about Ji-Di's life or death. Her compromise was merely a ploy to use Li Weiyi to release him under the guise of saving him.
...
.....
Northern City.
Last night, the Zuoqiu Sect, with the help of inside collaborators, breached the Prefectural Governor's Office, the Imperial Court's largest stronghold in Qiu Prefecture City.
Now, the Prefectural Governor's Office had become a sanctuary for the Zuoqiu Sect and Jiu Li Clan Martial-Mystic Cultivators.
Cang Li, Li Ling, Li Jiufu, and other Jiu Li Clan Martial-Mystic Cultivators had retreated here.
It wasn't that they didn't want to retreat to South City; they couldn't.
The enemy outnumbered them several times over. Their ability to hold out until dawn relied entirely on the numerous and well-preserved Formations within the Prefectural Governor's Office.
Li Weiyi dared not approach the Prefectural Governor's Office.
Even several miles away, on the streets, he could already see Martial-Mystic Cultivators from the Imperial Court, the Far Western Ashlands, and the Snow Sword Tang Court guarding every intersection.
Ge Xiantong and Luan Sheng Lin You were undoubtedly nearby, making this area extremely dangerous.
In South City, the Dragon Sect and Thundercloud Sect were leading the attacks, systematically destroying the Zuoqiu Sect's established strongholds.
The main forces of the Imperial Court, the Far Western Ashlands, and the Snow Sword Tang Court had all converged in this district, forming an ironclad siege around the Prefectural Governor's Office.
Li Weiyi moved along the fringes of the conflict, gathering information and pondering rescue strategies.
If the Prefectural Governor's Office fell, how many more would be roasted on spits?
How many would be beaten to their knees, stripped of their clothes, their dignity shattered?
The demons of the Far Western Ashlands were known for tortures that left their victims wishing for death but unable to find it.
And real-world warfare would be even more brutal.
In reality, the demons of the Far Western Ashlands were already advancing westward, their sights set on human territory. Even Li Weiyi, a mere junior, could see this inevitable tide.
The defeated lose more than just their lives!
Li Weiyi walked a circuit around the fringes of the three major powers' deployment, his heart heavy with despair. The area teemed with powerful cultivators: formations of Five Seas Realm experts, Great Spiritual Masters laying out formations in every street...
The concentration of top-tier cultivators was staggering. Nearly half of the two hundred Token-Bearing Strong were likely gathered here.
In this situation, not even ten Li Weiyi charging in would leave a trace.
...
Prefectural Governor's Office.
After enduring a night-long attacks from the three Major Powers, everyone was exhausted. Yet they dared not rest, instead pouring all their energy into recovering their Spiritual Qi and Psychic Power.
Cang Li sat atop the towering, city-wall-like governor's office wall. His right arm hung limply, broken during last night's pursuit when he had stayed behind alone to cover their retreat, only to have his bones shattered by Luan Sheng Lin You.
He had narrowly avoided sharing Yin Jiu's fate.
Li Ling's Psychic Power was severely depleted. Nearly all three hundred of her Golden Talisman Swords had been destroyed, and she bore multiple wounds.
The Zuoqiu Sect had suffered heavy casualties. Nine Seventh Sea powerhouses, each a renowned Heavenly Pride throughout the region, had fallen in battle. Their cold corpses lay covered in white cloth on the ground.
Everyone's spirits were low. They knew that surviving until dawn was a stroke of luck.
Facing the encirclement by the three Major Powers, complete annihilation was only a matter of time.
If surrender were an option, some would undoubtedly be tempted.
Zuoqiu Hongting, wearing a wooden carved mask and a blood-soaked green Daoist robe, had fought two opponents simultaneously last night, intercepting Ge Xiantong and Luan Sheng Lin You.
She had also sustained serious injuries.
Yet beneath her mask, her eyes remained sharp and unwavering, showing no trace of despair.
Standing beside Cang Li and Zhu Yibai, Zuoqiu Hongting, tall and upright like a battle flag atop the city wall, met the gaze of Luan Sheng Lin You, seated in the center of the street below.
She asked in a low voice, "Do either of you regret cooperating with me?"
Zhu Yibai lay sprawled on the ground in a starfish pose, not even bothering to lift his eyelids: "Regret what? The Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival is just a rehearsal for the world's situation. If we lose, at least we'll have helped the Zhu Sect chart a wrong path, proving that cooperation with the Zuoqiu Sect is likely a dead end. It's all good, valuable even."
Cang Li said, "Regret or not, the Jiu Li Clan and the Zuoqiu Sect are already in the same boat. The Far Western Ashlands are advancing fiercely, and the Imperial Court can barely fend for itself. Without support from the Calamity Crossing Temple, how can the Southern and Western Territories hold? This isn't a personal battle; it's a matter of the entire world!"
Zuoqiu Hongting smiled: "The fact that you two can see beyond the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival and grasp the broader world situation is precisely the vision an Inheritor should possess. In truth, there's no need for such discouragement. Given the strength of the Five Great Factions, they should have crushed us last night if they had truly cooperated. So why are we still alive?"
Many gazes turned toward her.
Zuoqiu Hongting, full of energy, said, "Because the Five Great Factions can't truly cooperate. Their infighting never stopped last night. If they managed to unleash six or seven tenths of their full power, that's already impressive!"
"Lu Cangsheng and the Long Dian still haven't arrived in Northern City. This means they haven't completely cleared out our bases in South City."
Cang Li shook his head: "That's not right. With the Thundercloud Sect and Dragon Sect's strength, they should have already finished cleaning up South City."
Zuoqiu Hongting said, "So, something must have gone wrong in South City... Huh... Li Weiyi..."
Li Ling and Cang Li immediately stood up and followed Zuoqiu Hongting's gaze toward the distance.
Ten miles away, atop the Inner City's towering walls.
Li Weiyi stood on the highest watchtower, let out three long whistles, then vanished in a flash.
Several experts from the Imperial Court and the Far Western Ashlands' camp immediately charged after him.
Cang Li frowned: "What does he mean by this? Even if he lured away a few top-tier experts, it won't change the overall situation, and he's putting himself in danger."
Zuoqiu Hongting's eyes, hidden behind her mask, gleamed with intrigue: "Li Weiyi isn't reckless. He must have a deeper motive for doing this."
"Even with a deeper motive, facing Ge Xiantong and Luan Sheng Lin You is still a death sentence," Zhu Yibai countered.
Zuoqiu Hongting disagreed.
Suddenly, an idea struck her: "I see! The direction he was standing in just now directly faced the area where the Imperial Court's Martial-Mystic Cultivators are stationed. He might be telling us to break through from that direction!"
Zhu Yibai sat up: "Facing Ge Xiantong and Chen Ziliang? I'd rather fight Tang Wanqiu."
Li Ling added, "I think Sister Hong's analysis makes sense. Li Weiyi wouldn't have just stood there and let out three long howls for no reason. He must be trying to send us a message, hoping we can coordinate our efforts from within and without."
Zuoqiu Hongting suddenly chuckled: "I know how to break this stalemate! Besides the Prefectural Governor's Office, where is the Imperial Court's largest stronghold in the city?"
"Naturally, it's the Attendant Hall in South City," Cang Li replied.
Zuoqiu Hongting said, "To break this deadlock, we must first shatter the current balance of power within the city. The Imperial Court and the Far Western Ashlands are too powerful. Only by crippling one of them and giving the other a chance to eliminate its greatest rival can the Zuoqiu Sect escape this siege."
Zhu Yibai was overjoyed: "You mean we should spare no cost to severely damage the Imperial Court and then seize the Attendant Hall? That would show Luan Sheng Lin You an opportunity to deal with their biggest threat?"
Zuoqiu Lancheng countered, "Isn't that too difficult? We're not even sure if we can break out of this encirclement. Then, we'd have to attack the Attendant Hall with an exhausted army. Every step would be like climbing to the heavens. Even if we succeeded, it would only benefit Luan Sheng Lin You."
"It's incredibly difficult, but it's our only chance to change the tide of this battle. Only by shattering the existing balance of power and forcing Luan Sheng Lin You and the Imperial Court to clash can we find a sliver of hope."
Zuoqiu Hongting declared, "It's decided! For now, we have no choice but to trust Li Weiyi. Since he let out three long howls... everyone, quickly rest and recover. In three quarters of an hour, we'll break out towards the Imperial Court. Our fate hangs on this one battle."
Li Weiyi changed his appearance and clothes, then ordered a bowl of beef noodle soup at a noodle shop by the bridge over a wide river.
He sat facing the shop's entrance, watching boats and barges pass on the river, which stretched over a dozen yards wide.
Beside the bridge, a Confucian scholar in a long robe was recounting the fierce battles of the previous night.
"Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise! In the year of Jiazi, the world will be blessed!"
The old scholar's shout was met with enthusiastic applause from the crowd.
Li Weiyi felt the scholar's voice was familiar.
He channeled his Spiritual Qi into his eyes, trying to see his face clearly.
But before he could, a sudden figure materialized across from him, blocking his view.
A delicate voice called out, "Shopkeeper, please make me a bowl of noodle soup."
The voice belonged to a boy of fifteen or sixteen. His skin was as white as porcelain, his eyebrows were dark and his eyes clear.
He wore a spotless white robe, a jade crown adorned his head, and his elegant demeanor radiated an indescribable nobility, completely out of place in this setting.
But he was very approachable, always smiling politely.
Li Weiyi's noodle soup arrived first.
After holding it for a moment, he hesitated and asked, "Would you like to go first?"
The delicate youth waved his hand dismissively: "There's a proper order for everything. How could I cut in line for your noodles? It's like, even though the Lingxiao Palace's territory rightfully belongs to them, if everyone tried to seize it, chaos would erupt, and the people would suffer. When rules are broken, everyone pays the price."
Li Weiyi countered, "Didn't the Lingxiao Palace seize its territory from the Thundercloud Sect?"
"That's true during the Mist Heavenly Emperor's reign. But a thousand years ago, the Lingxiao Realm was essentially destroyed. It was the Grand Palace Mistress who forged a new Lingxiao Realm for the sake of all living beings. Without her, none of the creatures in the Lingxiao Realm would exist today."
The delicate youth asked, "You seem to know who I am?"
Li Weiyi took a sip of his soup and sighed: "Do all of you from the Imperial Court have noses like dogs and eyes that can see through everything?"
The refined young man said, "Since you escaped, you shouldn't have shown yourself again. Did you know that my real name isn't Immortal Ge (Immortal Child), but Ge Xiantong? But because I was always by the Grand Palace Mistress's side as a child, I looked like a young attendant and was mistakenly called by this name (Immortal Ge)."
Li Weiyi said, "Misinformation is truly harmful! I thought the Transformation Technique was the most extraordinary skill in the world, but I never expected to meet its nemesis. Do you really possess Immortal Eyes?"
Ge Xiantong carefully examined Li Weiyi, studying his gaze: "Strange, truly strange. Didn't Jiang Ning pass on my message? Why aren't you afraid of me at all? Don't you know I'm here to... kill you?"
The word "kill" hung in the air, immediately unleashing an icy killing intent that enveloped the entire shop.
The wind couldn't enter, nor could any sound escape.
The steaming soup noodles in the bowls ceased to release heat, and all movement was suppressed.
"Since you've cornered me here, what good would fear do? You, Ge Xiantong, are no ordinary person. Surely you can spare the time it takes to finish a bowl of noodles?"
Li Weiyi began to eat.
"No rush. I've been up all night, and I'm starving too!"
Ge Xiantong pulled out a pair of chopsticks and quickly stood up, reaching out to catch the bowl of soup noodles the Shopkeeper brought over.
The killing intent had temporarily receded.
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END OF CHAPTER
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