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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 4: [Shuangsheng Dao Sect (Twin Rice Sect)]
Chapter 79 (334): [The Seven-Clawed Heavenly Dragon Dao Heart Manifestation]
(79th of Volume 4)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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Qi Xiao and Tuoba Butuo were both scions of Great Clans native to the Lingxiao Realm.
Having grown up immersed in the world of cultivation, they naturally knew more about the various factions than Li Weiyi did.
Li Weiyi asked curiously, "Is Madam Taishi a Great Power of the Immortal Realm?"
This information was crucial. It would determine whether they could handle a potential conflict and how they should respond.
Even though the Long Clan had been married into the Tai Shi Clan for many years, Li Weiyi remained wary of anyone from Dragon Sect.
Qi Xiao pondered for a moment before replying, "That's hard to say. According to the information held by the Qi Clan and the Zuoqiu Sect, the Tai Shi Clan only has three Great Immortal Powers."
"Tai Shi Qingcang, the General of Southern Yan Pass, and Taishi Qingshi, the Minister of the Imperial Court. The third is a Clan Elder whose records are vague. He broke through to the Immortal Realm using an Immortality Pill from the previous Sixty-Year Cycle."
"Among the three Great Powers, Taishi Qingshi is a Holy Spiritual Master who inherited Duke Tai Shi's Psychic Power cultivation method."
"Long Shexin of the Long Clan should be around seventy years old. She wouldn't have had the opportunity to take the Immortality Pill from the previous Sixty-Year Cycle. Normally, for someone with Inheritor-level talent, breaking through to the Immortal Realm at seventy is no easy feat."
Tuoba Butuo nodded in agreement, "Without the Immortality Pill, that step is incredibly difficult. Even Inheritors only have a high probability of reaching the Immortality Realm. Many fail to cross that threshold their entire lives."
Li Weiyi was surprised, "Legend has it that the Imperial Court's Four Great Clans can rival the Ancient Myriad Sects. How is it that they only have two Immortal Realm cultivators and one Holy Spiritual Master?"
Qi Xiao chuckled, "Brother Weiyi, as the Divine Hidden One of the Jiu Li Hidden Sect and the Divine Son of the Twin Rice Sect, you've witnessed the most mysterious Ancient Clans and the most elite sects in the world. Your perception of the number of top-tier experts is skewed. Breaking through to the Immortal Realm isn't easy. We've been able to advance so quickly because of the Dragon Seed Dao."
Tuoba Butuo added, "Lingxiao Palace receives ten Immortality Pills form the Du'e (Calamity Crossing Temple) every sixty-year cycle. In the past thousand years, the Tai Shi Clan has produced fifteen Immortal Realm cultivators and three Holy Spiritual Masters - that's already quite impressive!"
"But even Great Immortal Powers aren't truly immortal, only longer-lived. The weakest Immortal Realm Great Power can live for only two hundred years. Tai Shi Qingcang has already six or seven wives, and most of his predecessors died of old age."
"The Four Great Clans can rival the Ancient Myriad Sects because of their ties to the Imperial Court."
"Take the Tai Shi Clan as an example. Though they have only three Great Immortal Powers or Immortal Realm Giants, Duke Tai Shi still has three living Holy Spiritual Master disciples who hold high positions in the Imperial Court."
"In the Eastern Territory, the Governors of Liang and Yong Provinces, along with all the officials in the prefectures and counties below them, all follow the Tai Shi Clan's lead."
"Furthermore, Tai Shi Qingcang commands considerable influence within the military."
Li Weiyi inhaled sharply, "Now that's a true behemoth, wielding power over two provinces, the military, and government affairs. His disciples and former officials are scattered across the empire. Compared to him, the Jiu Li Clan falls far short."
Tuoba Butuo chuckled, "Though they appear glorious, their foundation and heritage pale in comparison to the Jiu Li Clan, one of the Ancient Myriad Clans. The Jiu Li Clan, lacking Transcendents in the current era, has retreated to a corner of Li Province, sacrificing territory and interests to survive. They avoid involvement in major imperial affairs, focusing solely on self-preservation."
"The Jiu Li Clan boasts countless Immortal Realm Great Powers and Dao Seed Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivators, all willing to fight to the death for their clan. Few would dare provoke them lightly."
"In contrast, the Tai Shi Clan faces a precarious situation. If Duke Tai Shi were to meet an untimely end, disaster would strike instantly, scattering his followers like monkeys fleeing a falling tree. Those officials who have attached themselves to the clan would immediately switch allegiances to protect themselves, and some might even turn on the clan, kicking them while they're down."
"This is because the Tai Shi Clan has been in power for years, relentlessly pursuing fame and fortune, accumulating too much and offending numerous factions. They stand at the heart of a fierce power struggle. When that day comes, they won't be able to simply retreat."
"While the Imperial Court's major clans seem invincible, they are all deeply aware of their vulnerability. That's why they resort to strategic marriages to strengthen their defenses against risk."
.....
Li Weiyi returned to his private cabin and used Formation Flags to set up a Formation.
Within the Formation, he sat cross-legged in meditation.
"Whoosh!"
He channeled his Psychic Power to activate the two Fish Eyes of the Dao Ancestor's Tai Chi Fish.
As space twisted, chanting and Daoist invocations echoed around him, and his body reappeared in the Sea of Scriptures - a vast ocean of Daoist texts and Buddhist sutras.
The world was on the brink of chaos, and everyone lived in constant uncertainty.
Great Clans faced their own unique crises, while individuals struggled with their own battles and helplessness.
In most cases, there were no sudden saviors to appear out of nowhere, no heroes to turn the tide.
Survival depended on waiting - enduring the long, dark night, waiting for a dawn that might never come.
In such turbulent times, the only path to survival was to become stronger, to cultivate one's power to the utmost.
Therefore, Li Weiyi had to make every moment count.
The Dao Ancestor's Tai Chi Fish was indeed a supreme scripture, but its profound depths made it like a Heavenly Tome to a child.
Li Weiyi had borrowed nearly every Daoist and Buddhist text from the Spirit Valley (Linggu) Hall, starting with the basics and cross-referencing them.
After countless hours of study, he had managed to comprehend only fifty-five scriptures.
Once comprehended, these scriptures would automatically appear on the Dao Seed, as if engraved there.
Adding the original twelve characters, the Dao Seed now bore sixty-seven scriptures.
Yet it remained as inert as a stubborn stone, showing no sign of "tremor."
Fortunately, after Li Weiyi reached the Four-Star Spiritual Master Realm, he tested the time ratio.
By activating the pale cyan Fish Eye, whether entering the Sea of Scriptures or condensing the Time Cocoon, the ratio remained roughly one to five compared to the outside world.
This was slightly higher than the ratio he had as a Three-Star Spiritual Master.
In other words, five days of cultivation in the Sea of Scriptures or the Time Cocoon, only one day passed in the outside world.
This gave Li Weiyi ample time to study the Dao Ancestor's Tai Chi Fish, a Heavenly Tome.
This also revealed that the Four-Star Spiritual Master realm truly was a significant threshold.
Perhaps reaching the Seven-Star Spiritual Master or Holy Spiritual Master Realm would further increase the time ratio, allowing him to catch up to the Immortal Realm Great Powers and Transcendents.
Activating the Dao Ancestor's Tai Chi Fish's Time Power consumed an immense amount of Psychic Power. He could only sustain this for half a month at a time, which is roughly three days in the outside world.
Ten days passed in the Sea of Scriptures.
Li Weiyi's Divine Gate Dao Seed had only gained three more scriptures.
In the Wind Mansion, the Dragon Seed, which hadn't been cultivated much, began to tremble first.
Li Weiyi, worried that the breakthrough would cause too much commotion, immediately rushed out of the Sea of Scriptures and went into the Blood Mud Space.
He then appeared on the Tanggu Sea by boat.
The Dragon Seed pulsed like a fetal heartbeat. Each tremor caused the Wind Mansion to expand by a ring, triggering a vibration throughout his Spiritual Qi.
His Veins, String Meridians, and physical body all felt a sharp pain as they were further strengthened.
This was the process of breaking through a realm, leading to an overall transformation in the Martial-Mystic Cultivator's strength.
Within the Wind Mansion, the scriptures within the Dragon Seed would occasionally surface and sink.
The power of the scriptures altered the nature of the Spiritual Qi within the Wind Mansion.
Gradually, the Spiritual Qi turned crimson and scorching, radiating golden light like the Golden Crow Flame.
Strands of Spiritual Qi twisted together, emitting a low dragon's roar before coalescing into a dragon shape.
The Dragon Seed resembled a dragon's nest, surrounded by ten thousand dragons surging around it.
Li Weiyi's cultivation of the Dragon Seed relied primarily on the "Complete Manual of the Heavenly Dragon Scripture".
The Heavenly Dragon, a legendary Ancient Immortal Giant Beast, was said to possess seven claws.
The Ancient Son of Heaven Flying Dragon had only five claws.
And the Flood Dragon had only four.
In Li Weiyi's Wind Mansion, the Dragon Shadows formed from condensed Spiritual Qi all had seven claws, indicating his cultivation path toward the Heavenly Dragon Dao.
"After the Tremor, reaching the Second Heaven of the Dao Seed Realm will allow me to manifest my Dao Heart Manifestation!"
"Hiss-"
Li Weiyi poured all his energy into circulating the Spiritual Qi of his Wind Mansion through his Meridian Veins.
Spatial fluctuations erupted at the location of his Wind Mansion, as a vast surge of Spiritual Qi and willpower poured forth.
A dragon's roar echoed across the sea.
Within a hundred-foot radius of Li Weiyi, the world transformed into a crimson-gold fire domain.
Seven-Clawed Flame Heavenly Dragons swirled around him, their imposing presence and domineering might filling the air.
"Is this my Dao Heart Manifestation?"
"Do all Martial-Mystic Cultivators on the Dragon Seed Dao have such a flamboyant and extraordinary display? No, Lao Qi and Tuoba's Dao Heart Manifestations didn't seem like this."
Li Weiyi felt his Dao Heart Manifestation was too ostentatious - flames raged, and Heavenly Dragons danced in unison.
Even though his cultivation level was still relatively low, releasing his Dao Heart Manifestation would undoubtedly draw attention, making it difficult to remain inconspicuous.
"Wait, something's not right. I'm only in the Second Heaven of the Dao Seed Realm. Why can my Dao Heart Manifestation already extend a hundred feet? I'm only one step away from reaching Da Li (Great Strength)."
"It seems the Dragon Seed truly is an extraordinary, top-tier Dao Seed."
Li Weiyi set aside his lingering thoughts and focused on carefully sensing his Dao Heart Manifestation.
He fixed his gaze on the Seven-Clawed Flame Heavenly Dragons, attempting to control them solely with his willpower to launch an attack and gauge their effectiveness.
"Boom! Boom..."
Each Seven-Clawed Flame Heavenly Dragon, only a dozen feet long, radiated intense heat, causing the sea surface to erupt in white mist.
They clawed, rammed, and lashed their tails, stirring up waves that crashed against the shore.
Li Weiyi didn't even need to move.
Sitting still, he watched as the dragons soared forth, attacking in all directions.
"I understand now! A hundred feet is merely the maximum distance my Spiritual Qi and willpower can reach."
"In reality, beyond ten feet, the attack power begins to decline, and control weakens. By the time it reaches a hundred feet, the Spiritual Qi disperses like wind, unable to coalesce and inflict significant damage."
"The absolute attack range, in a state of perfect control, is only one-tenth the distance of the Dao Heart Manifestation."
This far exceeded Li Weiyi's expectations.
He recalled Yao Qian, the top-ranked cultivator in the Jiazi Register, who was known as "Thirty Li Snow" even before breaking through to Immortal.
One-tenth of his absolute attack range was still three li.
Within three li, every strike was a full-power attack.
Even beyond three li, he could still kill enemies.
His destructive power was so overwhelming that entering any city would alert the Phoenix Terrace and Attendant Hall, leading to intense surveillance.
How could one escape such a formidable opponent?
Only by retreating thirty li could one hope to survive.
Li Weiyi pondered silently: "Now that I've left the Southern Purity (Nanqing) Palace, I can use the Dao Ancestor's Tai Chi Fish without restraint."
"If I were to abandon the Divine Gate Dao Seed and psychic power cultivation, focusing solely on the Dragon Seed, with my current comprehension speed and the aid of the Time Cocoon, I should be able to reach the Third Heaven of the Dao Seed Realm within a month. Reaching the Fourth Heaven within three months shouldn't be a problem, and I could reach the Fifth Heaven within half a year..."
This thought was quickly dismissed.
If he were to focus solely on the Dragon Seed, he might as well have planted it directly into the Divine Gate in the first place.
While the Twelve-Character Dao Seed was difficult to cultivate, its potential was far greater.
He couldn't easily abandon the difficult path for an easier one.
"The Twin Rice Sect's Dao Scriptures are still too few, and none of them are True Scriptures - they're all copies. If I could study and comprehend some high-level True Scriptures from a Daoist Sect, or receive guidance from a renowned Daoist master, my cultivation speed would definitely improve."
At that moment, Li Weiyi deeply missed his Spirit Tablet Master.
If she were here, he wouldn't have to rely entirely on his own arduous exploration, taking countless detours.
After the "Tremor" subsided, Li Weiyi retracted his Dao Heart Manifestation - the Seven-Clawed Flame Heavenly Dragon Spiritual Qi - and returned it to his Wind Mansion, where it soared and roamed.
He then returned to the Blood Mud Space and swallowed a Xihe Pill to replenish his Psychic Power expenditure in the Spirit Realm.
The Xihe Pill was a concoction he had devised himself, based on the recipe for the Star Spiritual Pill.
Instead of using the expensive Extreme Spiritual Light Dew as the main ingredient, he substituted it with Xihe's dew.
It took many failed attempts before he finally succeeded.
Each Xihe Pill he produced was only one or two tenths as effective at boosting Psychic Power as the Star Spiritual Pill.
Li Weiyi considered them at best Low-Grade Spiritual Pills, perhaps Mid-Grade Spiritual Pills - nowhere near the quality of those refined by Zen Hai Guanwu.
Fortunately, he had made a large batch, so he took one every day, treating them like beans.
Even when using them to restore his Psychic Power, he felt no sting of regret.
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END OF CHAPTER
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