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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 4: [Shuangsheng Dao Sect (Twin Rice Sect)]
Chapter 161 (416): [New Recruits on the Battlefield]
(161st of Volume 4)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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At eight quarters past dusk, the city gates closed.
The sky was a hazy yellow, the sun sinking in the west.
Crimson clouds filled the sky, ablaze with vibrant hues.
The Hidden Ones had all departed, leaving the vast Transcendent Manor to fall silent in the twilight.
Li Ling was among the last to leave the city, following Old Zhuo and the others.
Day and night shifted, yin and yang separated.
Li Weiyi retrieved Zen Hai Guanwu from the Blood Mud Space.
The two walked along the quiet courtyard path to the meticulously prepared wedding chamber, where red candles, red silk, and curtains created a strange, dreamlike atmosphere.
That afternoon, Li Weiyi had been copying intelligence information, preparing dozens of copies.
Zen Hai Guanwu, meanwhile, had been in the Blood Mud Space, helping him refine the Star Spiritual Pill and studying the three-foot-tall Buddhist shrine he had brought from the Underground Immortal Mansion.
Inside the shrine lay an iron box.
The box was incredibly heavy; even with Tang Wanzhou's cultivation, she couldn't lift or open it.
"The iron box was sealed during the Ancient Bhagavata Sect era with 376 secret Buddhist Scriptures. I've deciphered them all," Zen Hai Guanwu said, spreading her palm.
Immediately, dense Buddhist Scriptures condensed and flew toward Li Weiyi's Spirit Realm between his eyebrows.
Li Weiyi asked, "What's inside?"
"A page from a True Sutra of the Buddhist Sect. It should be immensely helpful for your cultivation. But we don't have much time left tonight. Shall we continue discussing cultivation?" Zen Hai Guanwu said.
Li Weiyi stared at her breathtakingly beautiful jade-like face for a long moment.
"Have you truly convinced yourself?"
During their first candid conversation, when Zen Hai Guanwu chose the second Yang Marriage option, she had said, "You're actually quite decent. I can convince myself to accept you."
Zen Hai Guanwu gazed at the fading sunset on the horizon.
"In my eyes, you're no longer just decent. In a century, your fame on the Yingzhou continent will likely surpass even mine. It's just a pity that we've known each other for too short a time, and the current circumstances are beyond our control."
"I'm afraid I'll wrong you," Li Weiyi said.
Zen Hai Guanwu replied, "You're perfect in every way, except when it comes to matters of the heart. You're always hesitant and indecisive. We've already performed the heaven-and-earth ceremony, and we're no longer strangers. Tonight, on our wedding night, our fates are intertwined. This isn't the end we've been striving for; it's the beginning of everything. Yet you, Wei Yi, have mistaken the beginning for the end."
Night had fallen completely.
Li Weiyi drained the last of the wine from the flask, took a deep breath, and with a flick of his finger, extinguished the red candle across the room.
Then, he lifted Zen Hai Guanwu into his arms and carried her toward the red-draped bed, just like any newlywed couple.
In that moment, he felt like a new recruit stepping onto the battlefield for the first time, his heart filled with uncertainty and trepidation.
Was his spear sharp enough?
Would the taste of killing truly be as exhilarating and thrilling as the veterans claimed, or would it leave him burdened with guilt and psychological weight?
On the first battlefield, everything was unknown.
He only knew that the enemy was formidable, and this would be the most crucial challenge of his life.
Newlyweds, wedding night, bridal chamber candle...
This was destined to be a sleepless night!
[T/N: Dear Readers, control your imagination! Don't picture these scenes too vividly!]
.....
A transcendent manor, located just ten miles from the Six Thoughts Zen Temple.
As night fell, exotic beast carriages arrived one after another, entering the manor.
Zen Master Six Thoughts, appearing to be around thirty years old with an Eight-Star Precept Seal atop his head, sat opposite An Xianjing, discussing Buddhist Law.
Lanterns were lit, piercing the darkness.
Though Zen Master Six Thoughts was known as "Venerable Lingxiao," one of the Five Great Venerables of the Twin Rice Sect's Heaven Valley (Tianxia) Hall, he was not originally from the Lingxiao Realm.
He had arrived over twenty years ago, accompanying the Crown Prince of the Demon Kingdom.
He served as the Crown Prince's representative in the Lingxiao Realm.
He remained behind to study the power of the Six Thoughts Heart Demon, a condition the Crown Prince had set for helping Yu Yaozi in slaying the Holy Infant.
Zen Master Six Thoughts not only studied the various spells and incantations related to the Six Thoughts Heart Demon but also always considered himself a Buddhist cultivator.
He was deeply interested in the Buddhist scriptures unearthed from the Underground Immortal Mansion by the Twin Rice Sect, leading to close cooperation between the two.
The Twin Rice Sect sought the Demon Kingdom's support and thus appointed Zen Master Six Thoughts as Venerable Lingxiao.
Each side benefited from the arrangement.
Footsteps echoed as Sect Leader Yang Shenjing of the Sui Sect arrived first.
He appeared to be in his fifties, with a handsome face, temples dusted with frost, and a composure as steady as a mountain.
His eyes never betrayed any emotion, radiating an aura of inscrutability and the unknown.
An Xianjing stopped discussing Buddhist teachings with Zen Master Six Thoughts and looked out of the pavilion.
"Sect Leader Yang's presence here suggests you already know about our plans. How did you learn of them?"
"The Main Hall and Hall Master An have always held prejudice and wariness toward this old one, a consequence of racial bias. However, the Hall Master of the Heaven Valley (Tianxia) Hall has consistently trusted the Sui Sect and me," Yang Shenjing replied, stopping ten paces from the pavilion, standing as firm as a pine tree beneath the starry sky.
The identity of the Heaven Valley (Tianxia) Hall Master remained a mystery, even to An Xianjing, who suspected it might be a Transcendent from the Human Race.
Yang Shenjing and the Sui Sect were crucial to breaking through Lingxiao City.
Their value outweighed any reservations, so An Xianjing said no more.
The Twelve Elders of the Jiu Li Hidden Sect were brought forward, escorted by two Dao Seed Realm experts from the Sui Sect.
The Twelve Elders were limp and lifeless, their bones shattered in numerous places.
In the darkness, someone asked, "Who is this?"
Yang Shenjing said, "For some time now, an unknown force has been secretly investigating the Sui Sect's various strongholds. But this group is powerful, highly vigilant, and exceptionally skilled at concealment. We've been unable to capture them. After returning to the city, I personally intervened and finally apprehended one."
Zen Master Six Thoughts said, "We noticed this long ago and have captured several of them. But these people are incredibly stubborn. Not one has spoken."
Yang Shenjing nodded: "He has Death Spirit Fire within him, making it impossible to extract his soul spirit memories. Only the Crown Prince can hope to obtain useful information."
"Is that so? If it's this difficult to get them to talk, I'll give it a try."
The Transcendents of the Sacred Dark Family stood dozens of yards away, shrouded in endless darkness.
A clawed hand reached out across the distance.
"Hiss!"
Strands of black thread spread out, burrowing into the Twelfth Elder's body, seeking to corrupt his consciousness and soul spirit.
The Twelfth Elder let out a piercing scream.
As the darkness corroded and shattered the seals within him, he deliberately ignited the Death Spirit Fire, and his body instantly crackled and burst into flames.
Everyone present watched coldly.
Zen Master Six Thoughts was unfazed by this sight, as he knew that even if he had used his Mind Spirit Curse Technique, the result would have been the same.
Moments later, the Twelfth Elder's body was reduced to ashes.
Zen Master Six Thoughts, his face serene and his voice gentle, said, "His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has gone to Qilin Terrace. Tonight's gathering will be presided over by this humble monk."
The sound of carriage wheels and hearty laughter echoed from afar.
"This Third Palace Master of Lingxiao Palace actually agreed to let His Royal Highness the Crown Prince enter Qilin Terrace? How interesting!"
Another faction arrived in an exotic beast carriage.
At the reins was a refined and handsome young man with a Pure Immortal Physique.
He wore a Confucian scholar's cap, his bright eyes radiating intelligence and charm.
Despite being at the Dao Seed Realm, he showed no sign of nervousness in the presence of so many top-tier experts. His eyes scanned the crowd with a calm and observant gaze.
This composure alone marked him as a standout among the younger generation.
This was Fu Wenyan, the Young Celestial Emperor of Calamity Crossing Temple.
The carriage behind him was covered in intricate calligraphy.
Each character was difficult to decipher, yet possessed an undeniable aesthetic beauty.
Fu Wenyan, relaxed and carefree, turned his gaze toward the Sacred Dark Family's transcendent enclave, where he spotted Xie Chucai.
Xie Chucai had nearly doubled in height, his bones now visible beneath his skin. A pair of bone wings sprouted from his back, and his eyes burned blood red.
Fu Wenyan sighed, knowing this was the price for making a mistake before a major event: punishment, becoming neither man nor ghost, perhaps even with a completely clouded mind.
Dozens of meters away on the corridor, Luan Sheng Lin You, with silver hair cascading like a waterfall, called out from afar, "In the Lingxiao Realm, with the Crown Prince's status and cultivation, he can go anywhere he wishes. No one can refuse; they can only welcome him."
Fu Wenyan's gaze turned to Luan Sheng Lin You.
He had long heard of this peerless prodigy of the Demon Race, and his eyes held a scrutinizing gaze.
In the Lingxiao Realm, only a handful of individuals had caught his attention.
A Dao Seed Realm Young Celestial Emperor could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Immortal Realm Great Powers in any faction.
If their backing was strong enough, their status could even rival that of a Great Immortal.
Leading Luan Sheng Lin You was the Crimson Phoenix, one of the Five Phoenixes of the Demon Clan.
In human form, the Crimson Phoenix was a man over two meters tall, his entire body covered in fiery feather-like markings.
He laughed unrestrainedly, "That's true! If the Crown Prince desires something, even the Third Palace Master would likely have to wash herself clean and kneel in silent anticipation. But the Crown Prince has exceptionally high standards; only Yu Yaozi can truly catch his eye."
Zen Master Six Thoughts said, "This is the third game between the Crown Prince and the Third Palace Master! If the Third Palace Master can use the Qilin Terrace's formation to hold off the Crown Prince for three days, he will immediately leave the Lingxiao Realm."
Fu Wenyan scoffed, "The Crown Prince only wants to stall her for three days. Did the Third Palace Master really believe him? Is the Lingxiao Realm's transcendence really that naive?"
Yang Shenjing replied, "It's not naivety, it's helplessness. The weak can only cling to fantasies - fantasies of being spared by the strong. Without such fantasies, only despair remains. Only those outside the game can see that the strong are merely playing games, seeking greater satisfaction from their manipulation."
Crimson Phoenix chuckled: "I'm more curious about what the Third Palace Master will lose if the Crown Prince breaks the Qilin Terrace's formation and reaches the summit within three days. Haha!"
Li Longshu, a Transcendent from the Li Clan, appeared on the palace roof.
"There's no need to wait three days. With our current strength, we could storm the Lingxiao Palace right now and crush any formation in our path."
Fu Wenyan seized the opportunity.
"Excellent! Senior Li, why don't you attack the Phoenix Pavilion? Help us test Yu Yaozi's sword to see if it can still cleave through Transcendents."
The mention of "Yu Yaozi" caused everyone present to stiffen.
After centuries, even millennia of cultivation, who would willingly risk their life in such a gamble?
Li Longshu glanced at Fu Wenyan, his gaze lingering on the carriage behind him before returning to the palace roof.
An Xianjing said, "If Yu Yaozi could have intervened, she would have done so long ago. Why would she stand idly by while the kingdom her Master, Mist Celestial, had built fell into such disarray?"
Yang Shenjing replied, "The formation on the Cloud Heaven Immortal Plain poses the greatest threat."
Luan Sheng Lin You had been listening quietly, observing that these powerful cultivators all seemed to carry a certain arrogance, much like he had before the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival.
"The weak are pessimistic, while the strong are arrogant."
This human weakness was something no one could overcome.
As they mocked the Third Palace Master, they were themselves sliding toward another extreme.
Luan Sheng Lin You said, "Several interesting events occurred in the city today, and I'd like to share them with you, Seniors. Around noon, Ge Xiantong, after getting drunk at the Heavenly Pavilion, revealed a secret from a thousand years ago. He claimed that during Mist Celestial's reign, a Mist Shadow Army was formed as Lingxiao Palace's ultimate trump card, under the command of Yu Yaozi."
"He wept and called for the Mist Shadow Army to gather at the West City Gate tomorrow and march to the Western Territory battlefield."
Fu Wenyan asked, "What do you, Seniors of the Lingxiao Realm, have to say about this?"
"I've never heard any legends about the Mist Shadow Army, but it's not unusual for a hidden sect to exist within any of the Ancient Myriad Sects. Lingxiao Palace having a secret army hidden in the shadows wouldn't be surprising," An Xianjing replied.
Li Longshu said, "Whether it's true or not, I'll go to the West City Gate tomorrow to see for myself."
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END OF CHAPTER
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