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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 4: [Shuangsheng Dao Sect (Twin Rice Sect)]
Chapter 7 (262): [The Engagement Banquet]
(7th of Volume 4)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
On the twenty-fifth day of the first lunar month, the Dongshan (East Mountain) Academy in East City, the ancestral residence of the Zuoqiu Clan, was ablaze with light.
As dusk fell and lanterns began to glow, the vast and majestic nine-courtyard ancient mansion, steeped in scholarly atmosphere, was adorned with festive decorations.
Red silk banners hung high, creating an atmosphere of joyous celebration.
In the courtyard, members of the Zuoqiu Clan's direct lineage, along with members of the Jiu Li Tribe summoned by the Hidden Lord to bolster the event, gathered in their finest attire, chatting and laughing merrily.
Tonight, the Hidden Lord's identity was Li Songgu, the Clan Head of the Cangli Tribe.
Despite the simplified arrangements, the banquet was lively and the ceremony elaborate, conducted with utmost formality.
The Zuoqiu Clan, adhering to Confucian principles, placed great importance on etiquette.
Li Songgu had prepared eighty-one chests of betrothal gifts, each bearing the emblem of one of the Nine Great Tribes. This grand display openly declared to the world that this engagement was a union between the Jiu Li Tribe and the Zuoqiu Clan.
"The Snow Sword Tang Court sends two boxes of Millennial Snow Marrow to offer congratulations."
"The Wanyan Clan of Ying Province presents a pair of Gu King Golden Bells."
"The Thundercloud Sect sends a East Sea Coral Treasure Tree."
"Lingxiao Palace presents a copy of the Great Compassion Mantra Sutra Dao Technique!"
Representing the Imperial Court were not only young disciples like Ge Xiantong, but also two Imperial Palace masters over a century old.
Li Weiyi wore a white brocade robe embroidered with a cloud-patterned Qilin on his chest, layered with a matching thin gauze overcoat.
Unlike his usual simple attire, he now exuded an air of noble elegance.
Standing beside him, Yin Ershi Si and Yaoyin, both possessing Pure Immortal Physiques and unparalleled beauty, were reduced to looking like mere handmaidens.
They bustled about, yet showed no resentment. They understood this was merely a show.
"Brother Weiyi, this Great Compassion Mantra Sutra is one I specially selected for you, courtesy of Jiang Ning," Ge Xiantong, a graceful young man with a charming smile, stepped forward with a bow.
A powerful field of energy surrounded him, his eyes deep and unfathomable. He had already achieved the Dao Seed of Breakthrough.
The invisible aura he exuded felt as though he had ascended to a higher plane.
In the Martial-Mystic Path, each realm was a world unto itself - a truth, not an exaggeration.
When facing Qi Xiao, Li Weiyi had felt confident of his chances, believing the gap between their realms wasn't insurmountable.
But facing the current Ge Xiantong, Li Weiyi felt an intense urgency. The words "advance or retreat" were deeply etched into his mind at that moment.
Unaffected by the Dao Seed Realm field surrounding Ge Xiantong, Li Weiyi maintained a calm demeanor.
"Don't cause trouble. Lord Jiang and I have already drawn a clear line. Aren't you afraid my fiancee will come looking for a fight if you keep spreading such nonsense and causing chaos?"
Ge Xiantong, recalling the ancient lamp on Zuoqiu Hongting's brow, quickly suppressed his smile.
"Who dares cause trouble in Qiu Prefecture City? Dao Techniques aren't cheap, and this Great Compassion Mantra Sutra is absolutely priceless. When you have time, come to Lingxiao City with Li Jiao. I'll treat you!"
After seeing off the Imperial Court officials, Tang Wanqiu approached.
Watching Ge Xiantong's retreating figure, she first offered congratulations before lowering her voice: "Brother Weiyi, please don't go to Lingxiao City. No one escapes the Xiaotian Edict unscathed."
Accompanying Tang Wanqiu was a young man of unparalleled beauty, possessing a Pure Immortal Physique.
Li Weiyi couldn't make out his features, only sensing an overwhelming "beauty." A misty haze surrounded him, as if he were standing within his own self-created independent spacetime.
The young master showed no interest in interacting with the younger generation. He walked directly toward the Hidden Lord and Zuoqiu Ling, causing space to warp around him as he moved.
The three men spoke in hushed tones, their conversation inaudible to outsiders.
Li Weiyi sensed an extraordinary aura: "Who is this?"
"My elder sister, Tang Wanzhou," Tang Wanqiu replied.
"Her cultivation is terrifying," Li Weiyi remarked.
Tang Wanqiu flashed a proud, smug smile.
"My sister is only a little over thirty. Her cultivation is simply too high; she missed the cut. If she had participated in the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, the Snow Sword Tang Court would never have lost. Luansheng Linyou and the others wouldn't have stood a chance."
Tang Wanqiu's innate talent ranked only below Luansheng Linyou, Ge Xiantong, and Zuoqiu Hongting. Her unwavering confidence in her sister's abilities suggested that Tang Wanzhou was indeed a formidable figure.
Li Weiyi made a mental note of her name.
"The North Wind doesn't know spring's late arrival, while snow blankets the fourteen prefectures of the Southern Territory. Tang Wanzhou, the youngest peak on the Jiazi Register, hasn't achieved Immortal Realm, yet she can match those who have. She's the first in a thousand years to achieve such a feat - truly awe-inspiring. Little Li, let's join them for a celebratory drink!"
Shi Liuyu, Shi Jiuzhai, Shi Shishi, Bai Shu, and other members of the Earth Wolf King's Army approached together.
"Clang!"
With a crisp gong strike, the engagement ceremony officially began.
Zuoqiu Hongting appeared, not in male attire or a Daoist robe, but for the first time in a stunning female ensemble before the crowd.
She wore a crimson neichang, her long hair styled in a high bun adorned with a golden hairpin inlaid with gemstones. Her slender waist curved gracefully, her floor-sweeping skirt trailing behind her like lotus petals with each step.
Though veiled, her peerless beauty remained subtly visible: eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like autumn waters.
Zuoqiu Hongting and Li Weiyi walked together toward the center of the courtyard under countless gazes.
Gasps of awe erupted!
Few had imagined that Zuoqiu Hongting possessed not only unparalleled cultivation talent but also a beauty that surpassed all others.
"How envious I am," Shi Liuyu said, draining his cup in one gulp, "That Little Li, a mere commoner, has risen step by step to fame, and now he's marrying the peerless noble daughter of the Zuoqiu Clan. It's more painful than if they'd killed me!"
Ge Xiantong sighed, "Zuoqiu Hongting is even more stunning than she was that night. Her beauty remains unmatched. Lord Jiang had no chance at all. No wonder someone else became the Zuoqiu Clan's son-in-law."
....
The murmuring gradually subsided, leaving only the lingering strains of silk and bamboo music.
Li Songgu and Zuoqiu Ling each held a length of red silk. One end of the silk was tied to Li Weiyi's wrist, the other to Zuoqiu Hongting's.
At the officiant's loud command, the two sides exchanged tokens.
Li Weiyi, of course, had prepared no token.
But Li Ling stepped forward, carrying a tray prepared long ago by Li Songgu.
Upon seeing the treasures on the tray, someone gasped, "It's the Windfire Dragon-Phoenix Pendants! Split into the Wind Dragon Pendant and the Fire Phoenix Pendant, both First-Grade Thousand-Character Artifacts. When combined, they become a Third-Grade Thousand-Character Artifact!"
Li Weiyi removed the Fire Phoenix Pendant and presented it to Zuoqiu Hongting with both hands.
Both knew this was merely a formality, and neither took it seriously.
But under the watchful eyes of the crowd, they had to play their parts to the fullest.
Zuoqiu Hongting's eyes were filled with tender affection as she accepted the pendant. With slender jade fingers, she then produced the token prepared by the Zuoqiu Clan: two calligraphy scrolls personally written by the Transcendent of the Confucian Dao lineage within the clan. One scroll she handed to Li Weiyi.
The scrolls contained blessings, each character imbued with potent Mental Power energy.
"Wear this talisman," Zuoqiu Ling transmitted to Li Weiyi's ear, "Even if you encounter an Immortal Realm enemy, it will block a fatal blow."
"The ceremony is complete!" the master of ceremonies announced loudly.
"Boom!"
Flames erupted into the sky, reigniting the festive atmosphere.
Zuoqiu Hongting retreated, but Li Weiyi was held back as guests lined up to offer toasts.
They drank the Zuoqiu Clan's thousand-year-old vintage wine.
After downing dozens of cups, Li Weiyi, who had never touched alcohol before, felt a slight buzz.
Shi Jiuzhai and Shi Shishi rescued him, dragging him to the table of Martial-Mystic Cultivators from the Earth Wolf King's Army.
Still shaken, Li Weiyi clasped his hands in gratitude before turning to Shi Shishi.
"Where's Old Qi? I haven't seen him."
"He's now a Dao Seed Realm overlord of the mortal realm," Shi Shishi replied, "He even invited me to his Dao Seed Banquet a few days ago. It's strange he's not here today, especially since it's your big day."
Bai Shu chuckled: "Maybe he's already gone to Fu Prefecture."
Li Weiyi didn't suspect Yang Qingxi.
After all, with the Qi Clan's influence in Qiu Prefecture City, they could easily send a subordinate to handle such a simple matter as finding someone.
Li Weiyi hadn't expected Qi Xiao to personally visit Fu Prefecture. With his engagement to Zuoqiu Hongting imminent, Qi Xiao was worried that news of the underground discovery might leak and harm him.
Li Weiyi recalled Qi Xiao's manic excitement when he first learned about the underground secrets of Fu Prefecture a few days earlier.
He nodded slowly, "That's entirely possible! He's the type who would risk everything for Immortal Realm. By the way, what's the situation in Fu Prefecture now?"
Shi Liuyu chuckled: "Fu Prefecture is Jiang Clan territory. Why don't you ask Feather Immortal? They know more about what's underground there than anyone else."
L
Because Jiang Ning could control seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors, and Li Weiyi had fought on all sides during the Shangyuan Festival with twin swords, gossips had linked them romantically, spreading countless true and false rumors.
Shi Jiuzhai said, "We've received confirmation. There is indeed an underground entrance. However, the so-called Immortal Palace seems to have been opened tens of thousands of years ago and transformed into a maze-like ancient sect cultivation ancestral temple."
"So far, we've only explored the first ten miles of the entrance, but we've already discovered numerous ancient structures built by cultivators. There are over a hundred passages, including Cave Dwellings, sculptures, stone beasts, Martial training grounds, and altars..."
"Venturing deeper, we encounter terrifying dangers. Countless Five Seas Realm experts have perished, and even Dao Seed Realm elders have fallen."
"Rumor has it that some have found ancient treasures and Dao Technique stone tablets belonging to a Great Sect from tens of thousands of years ago. Others have unearthed Millennial Essence Herbs, some with a five-thousand-year age, a rarity in the world whose value is beyond calculation."
Bai Shu was visibly moved, exclaiming, "Millennial Essence Herb is already incredibly rare. Aside from the medicinal fields of the Ancient Myriad Sects, you can only find it in the Nether Realm of the Dead and other perilous secret realms. Even the Ancient Myriad Sects probably don't have any five-thousand-year-old Essence Herbs, do they?"
Shi Liuyu's interest was piqued, his eyes gleaming with excitement: "Imagine a Great Sect building its headquarters within a Wind Mansion World as vast as a Fu Prefecture. Then, due to some unknown calamity, the entire sect sank underground, buried for tens of thousands of years. Now that it's finally resurfaced, the treasures within must be unimaginable."
Li Weiyi asked, "Do we know which Great Sect it was?"
Shi Jiuzhai said, "It's hard to say. That happened tens of thousands of years ago, and countless rulers have come and gone on this land since then. We can only wait for more exploration reports to arrive and compare them with ancient texts to draw conclusions. It must be related to a Great Sect that produced Ancient Immortals..."
"Boom!"
Outside the Ancestral Residence, lightning erupted, shaking the ground.
More than a dozen gold-lacquered boxes containing congratulatory gifts exploded, releasing a surge of energy - Thunder Law Profound Ice.
The sudden chaos startled the Martial-Mystic Cultivators gathered in the courtyard.
They immediately activated their movement techniques and rushed toward the gate.
"Who dares to cause trouble at the Zuoqiu Ancestral Residence?"
Shi Jiuzhai and Shi Liuyu had just risen to investigate when...
A dangerous force, so chilling it numbed their entire bodies, erupted a few dozen feet to their right.
A black-clad figure, previously invisible, materialized in mid-air, flashed forward, and slashed a sword toward Li Weiyi's head.
Killing intent filled the courtyard, and the figure's aura was terrifyingly powerful.
"Boom!"
Shi Jiuzhai and Shi Liuyu, both powerful enough to be listed in the Jiazi Register, unleashed their Dao Heart Manifestations.
The sound of wolves howling within them pierced through the assassin's Intent suppression as they struck out with their palms.
But it was too slow!
The two men were frozen in mid-air, forced to watch helplessly as the war sword descended toward Li Weiyi's head.
Their souls scattered in terror, their pupils contracting as they realized the assassin's cultivation was terrifying - possibly that of an Immortal.
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END OF CHAPTER
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