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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 5: [Seeking Immortality in the Eastern Sea]
Volume 5 (Pinyin): [Dong Hai xun xian]
Chapter 19 (456): [Giant Sea Beast]
(19th of Volume 5)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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The White Jade Giant Ship was a monolithic structure, thirty zhang long, unearthed by An Xianjing from a Secret Realm. Its value rivaled that of a Myriad-Inscriptions Artifact, making it a priceless spiritual artifact.
Ku-Di appeared to be seventeen or eighteen years old, with average height and features.
She lacked the striking beauty of Jiang Ning and Zuoqiu Hongting, yet her appearance felt more authentic, as if she represented the common masses.
The Amitabha Sutra was inscribed across her white Buddhist robes, fluttering in the sea breeze.
Li Weiyi grasped Yu'er's wrist, channeling his Spiritual Qi to ride the wind across the waves.
They landed gracefully on the ship's deck.
His earlier anxiety had subsided.
It wasn't fear of An Xianjing's actions, but concern that Yu'er's true identity might be exposed.
Hiding Yu'er now would only draw more attention.
"Master Ku-Di, long time no see. You haven't changed a bit."
Li Weiyi, still dusty from his journey across the White Desert, greeted her with a warm smile, feigning casual ease as he pressed his palms together in a respectful bow.
Yu'er mimicked his gesture, also bowing with her hands clasped.
Ku-Di was taken aback by the politeness of the Jiu Li Divine Hidden One, whose name now resonated throughout the world.
For a moment, she felt flustered, as if her own composure as a Buddhist nun was lacking in serenity and peace.
"Come in," An Xianjing's cold, ethereal voice echoed from within the cabin.
The vast White Jade Giant Ship seemed to hold only An Xianjing and Ku-Di, with no other figures in sight.
"Please watch over my disciple. She's still young. Direct all your grievances toward me alone," Li Weiyi said, smoothly handing Yu'er to Ku-Di to prevent her from coming into close contact with An Xianjing.
Ku-Di couldn't fathom how her Master would deal with this traitor. But even she wouldn't stoop to taking issue with a little girl, let alone her Master.
Li Weiyi's smile faded as he pushed open the door and strode into the spacious cabin hall.
He passed through a screen and saw An Xianjing standing by the window.
The ship's window was a horizontal pane three meters wide, offering a panoramic view of the sea and the salty breeze.
Ten steps away, the cabin door automatically closed.
"You show neither reverence nor fear. Who authorized you to step behind the screen?"
An Xianjing glanced sideways at Li Weiyi, her tone icy.
Li Weiyi stood beside the screen, studying An Xianjing's face, his posture straight.
"Hall Master An treats Wei Yi like a son or nephew. Why should I fear you? I hold only respect for you, not fear."
An Xianjing's appearance changed daily, her features reflecting her inner state.
When she was in good spirits, her face radiated beauty and serenity.
When she was troubled, her complexion betrayed her mood.
Today, An Xianjing looked about the same age as Ku-Di, her skin as flawless as a Pure Immortal Physique, her features delicate and radiant. Her hair shimmered with a lustrous sheen, and her crimson lips appeared particularly vivid, suggesting her mood wasn't entirely dark.
Yet behind those eyes that had witnessed the world's vicissitudes lay a deep-seated sorrow.
"Do you think your words will spare you today?" An Xianjing's lips curved into a cold smile, her eyes flashing with icy frost.
Li Weiyi remained unfazed, his aura of authority even stronger than An Xianjing's, despite her being half a head shorter.
"If Hall Master An intended to kill me, she wouldn't have allowed me to board this ship. Are the four children safe?"
"Are you reminding me that you helped me cultivate Golden Rice? I've already repaid that debt!" An Xianjing glanced out the window.
The White Jade Giant Ship had set sail, gliding toward the deep sea.
Li Weiyi asked, "Has Hall Master An achieved a Breakthrough to Transcendence Realm?"
"I've already repaid that debt too!" An Xianjing replied.
"Hall Master An misunderstands... but no matter."
After careful consideration, Li Weiyi said, "Wei Yi is well aware that his actions in Lingxiao City must have brought punishment upon Hall Master An from the Divine Sect. Wei Yi believes he acted with a clear conscience and would do the same again a thousand times over. The only person Wei Yi owes an apology to is Hall Master An, for betraying her trust and kindness."
An Xianjing fell into a long silence, her thoughts unreadable.
The White Jade Giant Ship sailed at tremendous speed, the coastline already out of sight.
After a long pause, An Xianjing emerged from her inner world, shot Li Weiyi a cold glance, and settled into a chair beside the screen.
She picked up the Buddhist Beads from the table and began twirling them.
"At least you have some conscience left, knowing you've caused me so much trouble."
Her tone lacked any trace of condescension, sounding nothing like the voice of a Great Immortal Realm Expert.
Li Weiyi sensed that her anger had largely dissipated. He knew An Xianjing didn't truly hate him or Yao Qingxuan; she simply harbored the resentment any woman would feel after being betrayed, a resentment she couldn't resolve.
Li Weiyi genuinely felt remorse.
Regardless of the Twin Rice Sect's flaws, An Xianjing had shown him and Yao Qingxuan genuine affection. She had treated him even better than her own disciple, Qiongji Daozi.
Li Weiyi's arrogance vanished as he hurried forward, eagerly massaging her shoulders and back.
"The Rice People have their choices, and as a human, I must make my own. Neither my Master nor I can accept the collapse of Lingxiao City or the Corpse-Sowing Rice sweeping across the land. But our friendship with Hall Master An is another matter entirely."
An Xianjing frowned slightly at the young man's touch, but her initial aversion gradually gave way to a strange, novel sensation.
Had anyone else been so glib and ingratiating, she would have struck them dead with a single palm strike.
Yet Li Weiyi possessed an undeniable sincerity. She believed that even if he achieved great cultivation in the future, he would remember their current bond rather than betray her trust.
To step forward in such a precarious situation, unafraid of death or the collapse of the heavens - such a man of unwavering resolve could not possibly be flattering and serving her out of fear of being killed.
She was convinced that Li Weiyi truly held only respect for her, not fear.
"Don't let this war between the Human Race and the Rice People fool you," An Xianjing said meaningfully, "Though countless lives have been lost on both sides, the situation has changed. We may even need to cooperate in the future."
Li Weiyi asked, "Because the Book of Radiant Stars can dispel the darkness of the Nether Realm of the Dead?"
An Xianjing nodded slightly: "When the Lingxiao Realm consisted of only twenty-eight prefectures, everyone fought tooth and nail for limited resources. But if it expands to thirty-seven, fifty-nine, or even restores its former three hundred prefectures, we can finally set aside our hatred and conflicts and forge peace."
Li Weiyi pressed, "Why didn't the Twin Rice Sect pursue this earlier?"
"Because Lord Lan fell. Because the Mist Celestial returned. Because the Rice Palace now shares in these benefits. Everything has changed!" An Xianjing declared.
Li Weiyi persisted, "Is the Mist Celestial still alive?"
An Xianjing shook her head slightly: "I don't know. She fled west, vanishing into the Far Western Ashlands. But I suspect she's still alive. Otherwise, the Western Monster Race would have already marched east and crushed the Lingxiao Realm."
"You must understand that after Lord Lan, the Western Monster Race suffered the greatest losses in the Battle of Lingxiao City. They will not let this go."
Li Weiyi nodded inwardly, his initial worry easing slightly, "On my journey from Yu Prefecture, I saw Twin Rice Sect members cultivating rice paddies on the decaying land, working tirelessly. Isn't this rushing things a bit?"
The concern in An Xianjing's eyes deepened, "Given your current cultivation level, investigating this matter would be pointless. I summoned you here for something far more critical."
"What is the true nature of your relationship with that Jiang Clan woman?"
Li Weiyi's hands froze: "Why are you bringing this up, Hall Master An?"
"Didn't Yang Qingxi tell you?" An Xianjing asked.
Li Weiyi desperately wanted to be honest, but he ultimately replied, "No."
"If she hadn't told you, your reaction wouldn't be so calm," An Xianjing continued, "Everyone has their own way of surviving. Yang Qingxi's lies in knowing who to deceive and who to trust."
"Is she doing well?" Li Weiyi asked.
"Which one are you referring to?" An Xianjing replied.
"Since Hall Master An praised Yang Qingxi for having her own way of surviving, it's clear she's returned to the Divine Sect and is thriving. I'm asking about Jiang Ning."
"Not very well," An Xianjing said.
"What do you mean 'not very well'?" Li Weiyi pressed.
"She, the Rice Palace, and the Jiang Clan are involved in activities that deeply concern me. If the affection you and she deliberately displayed in Lingxiao City were genuine, it might prove useful in the future. But for now, your cultivation and strength are far from sufficient."
"Wei Yi, your talent is extraordinary - unlike anything I've ever seen in another young person. You must grow stronger, attain Transcendence Realm, and even become the Martial-Mystic Dao Heavenly Emperor."
Li Weiyi couldn't understand what An Xianjing was saying, but he knew she wouldn't reveal the truth.
"I want to see her."
"You will see her," An Xianjing said, "But even if you do, it won't make any difference."
...
The third day...
The White Jade Giant Ship sailed through the deep sea.
The seawater was pitch-black, with waves surging several meters high, evoking a sense of overwhelming dread.
Even Dao Seed Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivators felt insignificant and vulnerable in such waters.
The sheer power of nature pressed down, making it difficult to breathe.
Li Weiyi stood on the deck, practicing the Twelve Dispersed Hands of the Chan Sect.
The Formation Light Veil protecting the ship blocked the raging hurricane outside.
Since learning about Jiang Ning's situation from An Xianjing three days ago, his mood had been heavy with gloom.
Yu'er had interacted with An Xianjing, but the latter hadn't noticed anything amiss, nor had she deliberately probed Yu'er's innate talents.
An Xianjing was too consumed by her own inner turmoil.
"Aooo!"
Terrifying roars echoed from the depths of the sea, one after another.
The entire ocean trembled.
Li Weiyi stopped practicing, his expression tense, and gathered with Yu'er and Ku-Di.
Even the sound alone made it clear they were facing no ordinary Demon Beast. The dangers of the East Sea were no mere legend.
Beneath the waves, a colossal black shadow, many times larger than the White Jade Giant Ship, surged past at incredible speed.
"Splash!"
Several miles away, a corner of a massive, mountain-like body emerged, covered in black scales.
The water it churned rose like a torrential downpour, drenching the ship.
An Xianjing swiftly moved to the ship's deck, her body radiating concentric circles of Buddhist light. Dense scriptures erupted from her, enveloping the churning sea below.
"Begone!"
She hurled her prayer beads, striking a vast stretch of the ocean and creating a bowl-shaped depression that turned the pitch-black water golden.
A bloodcurdling roar echoed from the depths.
The colossal, unknown Demon Beast fled at breakneck speed.
Half a day later, they had distanced themselves from the bottomless ancient sea.
The sky cleared, and the sea lay as smooth as a blue mirror, reflecting flocks of seabirds.
An Xianjing approached the ship's railing, standing beside Li Weiyi: "Three hundred li west of here lies Moon Dragon Island. I'll take you this far!"
On the day Li Weiyi boarded the ship, An Xianjing had asked him about his destination.
Li Weiyi, surprised, had replied, "Hall Master An, you couldn't possibly be going out of your way to escort me, could you?"
"What are you dreaming about? It just happens to be along my route. This grand excavation of the Ancient Immortal Dragon Remains has its own gathering places for young people like you. Those of us at a higher cultivation level have our own circles for discussion and meetings. Different realms of cultivation lead to different worlds, and our interests diverge completely."
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END OF CHAPTER
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