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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 4: [Shuangsheng Dao Sect (Twin Rice Sect)]
Chapter 160 (415): [Farewell with a Wedding Feast]
(160th of Volume 4)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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At noon, nearly all the Hidden Ones and Hidden Ones Elders gathered at the Transcendent Manor near the Pale Moon Quarter.
Inside the Council Hall, Li Weiyi and Yao Qingxuan sat side by side, rapidly reviewing newly delivered intelligence.
Hidden Two stood nearby, meticulously copying the lists and ledgers provided by the Zuoqiu Clan.
Old Zhuo patrolled the perimeter of the Transcendent Manor, checking for any tails following the Hidden Ones.
He was determined to eliminate all potential threats.
Old Man Ao Shan, who had been watching the sundial outside, hurried into the hall.
"It's a quarter past noon. Only the Twelfth Elder and Junior Elder haven't arrived yet."
The Twelfth Elder was the gatekeeper guarding the Jiu Li Insect Valley.
The Junior Elder was Xing Yuenu, disciple of the Third Palace Master.
Li Weiyi looked up, "The Western Territory battle reports reached the city yesterday, throwing all the government offices in Lingxiao City into chaos. It'll be difficult for the Junior Elder to break free. Let's proceed without them for now. Summon everyone else inside."
Including Old Zhuo, all the Hidden Ones and Hidden Ones Elders entered the hall.
With Li Weiyi and Yao Qingxuan, there were twenty-one people in total.
Li Weiyi, seated at the head of the long table, surveyed the group.
"These past few months have been fraught with extreme danger. We've lost three Hidden Ones Elders and three Hidden Ones, with four more missing. Today, it all ends. Take your people and evacuate Lingxiao City in batches before nightfall, returning to Lizhou."
"Leaving Lingxiao City doesn't guarantee safety."
"Tomorrow, the entire Lingxiao Life Realm will likely erupt into war. The Prefecture States are particularly dangerous; you may choose to detour through the Eastern Territory."
The Hidden Sect experts present, all possessing exceptional intellect, immediately understood what was about to unfold.
Shi Jiuzhai asked, "If everyone leaves, who will remain to carry out the final task?"
The final task, of course, was to ignite the flames of war.
The method for igniting the war was this: Yao Qingxuan would compile the information gathered by the Jiu Li Clan and the Zuoqiu Clan regarding Heretical Sect strongholds, hidden operatives, bribed officials, Imperial Court members who had defected to the Demon Kingdom, concealed Dead Spirits, and the Sui Sect's ties to the Twin Rice Sect.
All this intelligence would be simultaneously delivered to the various prefectural offices of the Imperial Court, forcing the Imperial Court to take action.
Li Weiyi had considered sending the information to only one prefectural office, hoping to maintain secrecy.
But.
First, relying on a single prefectural office would make it impossible to eliminate so many enemies within the shortest possible time.
Second, if only one prefectural office received the information, what if that office had already been compromised by the enemy?
Third, if the other prefectural offices in Lingxiao City remained unaware, they might obstruct the operation, creating internal conflicts that would ultimately derail the entire plan.
Publicly revealing the information was a compromise strategy.
Once the Imperial Court began its city-wide search, attack, and capture operations, the enemy forces within Lingxiao City would have no choice but to act immediately.
Otherwise, by the time the Imperial Court had purged the city, Lingxiao City would no longer be riddled with vulnerabilities.
Any attempt to breach its defenses would become as difficult as ascending to the heavens.
Delivering intelligence to the various government offices might seem like a simple task, but the reality was far more complex.
Yin Yi said, "This final step is the most critical. First, the enemy is scattered throughout the city. We must not leak our plans prematurely, giving them time to react. If we all leave, who can we entrust with delivering the messages while ensuring absolute secrecy?"
Yao Qingxuan replied, "For such a momentous undertaking, a Transcendent must step forward immediately to oversee the situation. Only then will the Imperial Court avoid descending into chaos and the various government offices act swiftly. Since the Junior Elder is absent, who else can deliver the information to the Third Palace Master at once? She is currently in command of Lingxiao City."
A Hidden Ones Elder added, "To defend the Cloud Heaven Immortal Plain, our top priority is safeguarding the Immortal Plain Grand Formation, the City-Protecting Formation, the Great Nine Heavens Cloud Array, and the thirty-six Earth Vein Network beneath the city. This must be done before we send out the intelligence. Divine Hidden One, you plan to act at dawn tomorrow, don't you? That's too hasty. We're not yet prepared."
Li Weiyi said, "We're not prepared, but neither are our enemies. I'll stay behind to finalize the arrangements. Please trust me."
"Why should you stay?" Yao Qingxuan retorted, her gaze unwavering.
Spiritual energy crackled at her fingertips, ready to subdue Li Weiyi and have the other Hidden Ones escort him away.
"I intend to use the Imperial Court's conflict with the Sui Sect to assassinate Yao Qian. Therefore, I'm the one who must remain."
Li Weiyi glanced at her fingers.
"Elder Yao, I am the Divine Hidden One. According to the Hidden Sect's rules, you must obey me. Besides, do you know my trump card? What I can resolve, you cannot!"
Just then, Hidden Two rushed in to report, "A wedding carriage is approaching!"
All eyes in the hall turned to Li Weiyi.
Li Weiyi rose and strode toward the entrance.
"The one who can resolve all your worries has arrived!"
"Whoosh!"
Old Zhuo opened the main gate of Transcendent Manor, creating a two-zhang-wide rift in the formation's shimmering barrier.
The wedding carriage was not extravagant.
Drawn by exotic beasts, the red carriage was adorned with crimson silk ribbons.
The Hidden Ones emerged from the manor and took their positions in the courtyard.
The driver, wearing a conical hat, looked up and saw Li Weiyi standing inside to greet him.
A look of disbelief flashed across his eyes.
It was none other than Tai Shi Bai.
No one else followed behind the carriage.
Tai Shi Bai had been sent by his second uncle, Taishi Qingshi, to escort a female clan member to her engagement ceremony.
He deeply resented this task, believing that with the Three Western Prefectures ravaged by the Monster Race, the nation facing imminent peril, and the world in turmoil, what was the point of an engagement?
Tai Shi Bai leaped down from the carriage, removed his conical hat, and scanned the Martial Dao experts gathered in the courtyard. His gaze finally settled on Li Weiyi.
"Who's getting engaged? You?"
"Not engaged - married," Li Weiyi replied with a smile.
Tai Shi Bai couldn't contain his anger.
"Married? To a woman from the Tai Shi Clan? What about Zuoqiu Hongting? What about Jiang Ning? Li Weiyi, you... Aiya, what exactly are you and my second uncle plotting?"
Li Weiyi realized that the Transcendent Zen Hai Guanwu trusted most was likely the Tai Shi Qingshi.
"Hidden Two, prepare the food and wine immediately. This is my wedding feast, and a farewell banquet for our brothers."
Li Weiyi took a neatly organized intelligence report from Shi Jiuzhai and handed it to Tai Shi Bai.
"This is why your second uncle sent you here! Take this back. Tomorrow's operation hinges entirely on the Tai Shi Clan and the City Defense Garrison."
Tai Shi Bai took the document and began to read it quickly, flipping through the pages faster and faster, his shock growing with each line.
His face turned deathly pale, and his hands began to tremble violently.
"Yang Shenjing of the Sui Sect is the Vice Hall Master of the Heretical Sect's Heavenly Hall?"
Yao Qingxuan and Old Zhuo watched the bridal carriage.
As Immortal Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivators, their Soul Spirits and senses were exceptionally keen, allowing them to detect an unusual aura emanating from within the carriage.
Tai Shi Bai glared at Li Weiyi: "How could so many Heretical Sect members and Dead Spirit masters be hiding within Lingxiao City?"
The Tai Shi Clan actually knew more about the Imperial Court officials who had defected to the Demon Kingdom than either the Jiu Li Clan or the Zuoqiu Clan.
Therefore, Tai Shi Bai's greatest shock stemmed from the presence of the Heretical Sect and Dead Spirits.
Li Weiyi clapped him heavily on the shoulder.
"Tomorrow will be a battle for life and death - one that could very well determine the fate of the Imperial Court and the survival of the Human Race. Lord Tai Shi sent you here to discuss cooperation, finalize our plans, and ensure our forces coordinate effectively."
Tai Shi Bai, being no ordinary man, quickly regained his composure.
Half an hour later, Tai Shi Bai fully understood the situation.
His heart sank like a lead weight, and he wished he had wings to fly back to the Tai Shi Clan immediately.
Tonight would be a sleepless night.
Li Weiyi grabbed Tai Shi Bai, who was eager to leave.
"Since this parting might be our last, shouldn't you at least drink a cup of my wedding wine before you go?"
"Isn't this just a smokescreen?" Tai Shi Bai retorted, "Are you really marrying a woman from the Tai Shi Clan?"
Li Weiyi approached the bridal carriage and asked telepathically, "Zen Hai, have you retrieved the Governor's Robe and Governor's Seal from the Inner Treasury?"
"There were 146 sets in total. I've reserved six for the Jiu Li Hidden Sect."
A slender, jade-like hand lifted the carriage curtain.
The hand was flawlessly perfect, with long, delicate fingers that seemed boneless and soft, like sculpted immortal jade.
This single hand was more captivating than the faces of many women with Pure Immortal Physiques.
Under the gaze of all present, Zen Hai Guanwu emerged from the carriage, clad in crimson robes and veiled.
Li Ling, sharing her body, had used the Disguise Technique.
Though she exuded no discernible aura, the Martial-Mystic Dao experts present felt their Soul Spirits under attack when they met her gaze, involuntarily lowering their heads.
When they finally regained their senses, they gasped, realizing that this Lady of the Divine Hidden One was likely a figure of extraordinary power.
'Is she truly the Lady of the Divine Hidden One?'
No one believed it.
Tai Shi Bai was filled with questions.
He was certain that no woman in the Tai Shi Clan could possess such breathtaking beauty and unparalleled grace.
'Who exactly is she?'
Zem Hai Guanwu retrieved six sets of Governor's Robes and Governor's Seals, handing them to Li Weiyi.
Li Weiyi felt a strange sense of receiving a dowry as he gave one set to Tai Shi Bai.
Tai Shi Bai would undoubtedly remain in Lingxiao City.
Possessing the Governor's Robe would significantly enhance his survival capabilities.
Li Weiyi was willing to watch Tai Shi Bai go to battle, providing him with the finest armor and elite troops.
But for Jiang Ning, Li Weiyi would spare no effort to keep her away from the battlefield.
The former's romance was unconditional support.
The latter's romance was unconditional protection.
In similar situations, the bonds between men and those between men and women always differed.
Li Weiyi gave two more sets to Old Zhuo and Yao Qingxuan.
As Immortal Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivators, they could fully harness the power of the Governor's Robes and Governor's Seals.
Millennia ago, only those who had reached Great Immortal Realm- the Transcendent Realm - were qualified to wield these treasures and fully unleash their power.
Distributing the remaining three sets proved difficult.
'It's not scarcity that breeds discontent, but inequality.'
Filled with doubt, the three released their spiritual energy, activating their Governor's Robes and Governor's Seals.
In the next instant, they were all stunned, their eyes gleaming with astonishment as they fixed their gazes on the red-robed woman standing beside Li Weiyi.
Tai Shi Bai exclaimed, "How is this possible? The Governor's Robe and Governor's Seal have been dormant for a millennium. I haven't cultivated the Dragon Awakening Technique, yet I can activate them? I can wield the robe's spatial power, speed, and dragon soul energy?"
"Even a Transcendent would struggle to kill me with this attire," Old Zhuo, a Great Immortal cultivator, declared, his voice filled with awe as he gazed at Zen Hai Guanwu.
Zen Hai Guanwu approached Yao Qingxuan.
"Give me the Ghost Banner. With the Governor's Robe's spatial power, even the Ancestor of Rice cannot bridge the vast distance and ignite the Death Spirit Fire within you."
Yao Qingxuan retrieved the Ghost Banner and handed it over.
The woman's overwhelming aura made her momentarily suspect the Mist Emperor had returned.
"Alright, let's go! The wine is ready. Let's drink a toast to our reunion in Lizhou. In this battle, everyone must survive," Li Weiyi said, pulling Tai Shi Bai toward the inner hall.
Zen Hai Guanwu followed leisurely behind.
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END OF CHAPTER
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