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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 5: [Seeking Immortality in the Eastern Sea]
Volume 5 (Pinyin): [Dong Hai xun xian]
Chapter 48 (485): [Eldest Sister-in-Law, the Purple-Robed Woman]
(48th of Volume 5)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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Li Weiyi flew to the edge of the fissure and gazed upward into the endless darkness, as loose stones continuously rolled down. The sound of wind being cut through reached his ears, and he realized Wu Hongling had caught up.
A pair of magnificent, colorful feathered wings, each ten feet long, sprouted from her back.
These weren't formed from Spiritual Light or Spiritual Qi, but had grown naturally from her body, granting her incredible speed.
Without engaging in combat, the two seized the moment and soared upward.
"Boom!"
Seawater cascaded down with tremendous force.
Li Weiyi immediately summoned his Peachwood Staff. Roots erupted from the staff like tendrils, anchoring themselves into the cliff walls of the fissure. He struggled to climb upward against the relentless torrent, his movements both urgent and arduous.
The rock layers here were exceptionally hard. If they failed to escape before the fissure closed, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Wu Hongling enveloped herself in her colorful feathered wings and activated the Water Escape Technique.
She merged seamlessly with the cascading seawater, becoming one with the current as she surged upward with astonishing speed.
"Her mastery of Dao Techniques is truly extraordinary," Li Weiyi marveled.
Having cultivated for far too short a time, Li Weiyi couldn't hope to match their decades of training.
Resigned to his limitations, he focused on steadily climbing upward with the aid of his Peachwood Staff.
Soon, Li Weiyi, clinging to the cliff face amidst the raging currents, spotted Wu Hongling hanging above him, sword in hand.
She was no longer as swift as when she had cast her Dao Techniques earlier. Her ascent was labored, her face deathly pale.
She had to channel all her Spiritual Qi to form a protective barrier around her body, deflecting the relentless torrents crashing down from above, just to maintain her grip and climb upward.
But focusing all her Spiritual Qi only exacerbated her internal injuries.
Seeing Li Weiyi closing in, Wu Hongling's heart sank. She immediately activated the transcendent power within her brow. If he tried to take advantage of her weakened state, she would drag them both to their doom.
Li Weiyi, wanting to avoid complications, quickly climbed past her.
Wu Hongling followed closely behind, immediately finding her ascent much easier.
"You being like this makes me feel very insecure," Li Weiyi said.
"Attacking you now would gain me nothing," Wu Hongling replied, "Li Weiyi, let's cooperate. Neither of us can escape alone. If we could have fought it together, we wouldn't have fallen down here in the first place."
"Cooperation is possible," Li Weiyi said, "but only if I can plant the Death Spirit Fire within you."
"Impossible!" Wu Hongling exclaimed, "If I go out, you'll ignite the Death Spirit Fire, leaving me with no burial. Your only concern is my revenge. I swear on my honor: all grudges are forgiven, and I'll never reveal that you are Liu Fengshu."
Li Weiyi didn't believe her for a moment.
He slid down beside her and drew a Six Desires Talisman in his palm.
"What's that?" Wu Hongling asked.
"A rune," Li Weiyi replied, "Let me implant it, and we'll cooperate wholeheartedly."
Wu Hongling grew wary: "What kind of rune?"
The Six Desires Heart Demon was the Ancient Heavenly Emperor of the Lingxiao Realm.
The Six Desires Talisman wasn't widely known outside this region.
"Don't worry, it won't kill you!" Li Weiyi struck her neck with his palm, and the rune sank into her flesh.
A transcendent power pulsed from Wu Hongling's brow, but she neither retaliated nor evaded.
She realized the fissure was closing rapidly, leaving her no time to waste.
'Just a spell from a Spiritual Master,' she thought, 'The Rice Palace has sages of unparalleled power who can neutralize it.
What could a provincial Spiritual Master possibly know of the vast abilities of the world's true masters?
Perhaps this could lull him into complacency, leading to his demise.
Li Weiyi took the lead, clearing the path ahead, while Wu Hongling retreated behind him to recuperate.
Once she had regained her Qi, she activated her Escape Technique, seizing Li Weiyi's wrist and propelling them upward in a massive leap.
They repeated this cycle tirelessly.
After an indeterminate amount of climbing, the fissure had narrowed to an impossibly tight space.
Li Weiyi activated the Governor's Robe, finally triggering a reaction. His body was enveloped in a swirling orb of Purple Mist, allowing him to transcend space.
In the next instant, he emerged above the sea's surface.
Outside, the night sky blazed with countless stars, their reflections shimmering across the ocean's surface.
The night breeze brushed against Li Weiyi's face, filling him with exhilaration.
Remembering the potential threat lurking below, he immediately focused his Psychic Power to scan the seabed, searching for any sign of Wu Hongling's escape.
The seawater obstructed his psychic probe, limiting his perception to the surface layer.
Unlike in the air, where his Psychic Power could extend for dozens of miles, the water's density severely restricted its range.
Li Weiyi closed his eyes, sensing the location of the Six Desires Talisman.
"She actually escaped..."
"Splash!"
Ten miles away, Wu Hongling burst from the water, activating her Body Technique to flee at breakneck speed.
"Li Weiyi, we'll meet again!"
Li Weiyi activated his Governor's Robe, executing consecutive spatial jumps to swiftly catch up with her.
He stepped onto the white mist Dragon Soul released from the robe.
"Immortal Maiden, please don't leave! You've been afflicted by my Six Desires Talisman. I'm deeply concerned for your safety."
"It's fine! This is far enough. If you pursue further, I'll have to activate the power in my brow," Wu Hongling replied, her colorful phoenix wings unfurling as she soared into the sky.
Li Weiyi drew his two-meter-long Thousand-Inscriptions Spirit Bow, nocked an arrow, and locked onto her.
"You'd be wise to inquire about the Six Desires Talisman. It's no ordinary charm - it's notoriously difficult to dispel. Even seeking help from your sect elders would severely damage your reputation, disqualifying you from becoming a True Disciple. True Disciples must remain utterly untainted."
The Six Desires Talisman, planted by a Great Spiritual Master, can only be neutralized by Transcendents.
Given Li Weiyi's current Psychic Power, even ordinary Holy Spiritual King might struggle to dispel the talisman within her. Whether Rice Palace had sent a Holy Spiritual King of that caliber to the East Sea remained uncertain.
Moreover, considering Wu Hongling's exceptional talent, why would she venture to the East Sea at such a critical juncture in her pursuit of the Immortal Realm unless she harbored delusions of becoming a True Disciple?
She must be pinning her hopes on the opportunities hidden within the Ancient Immortal Dragon Remains.
"Thwack!"
An arrow shot forth.
The seawater beneath Li Weiyi's feet rippled in concentric circles from the impact.
Wu Hongling deployed her Mirror-Shaped Spiritual Artifact to defend, but the force of the strike injured her again, blood streaming from her nose and mouth, leaving her in a wretched state.
Li Weiyi pursued relentlessly, maintaining a safe distance and periodically firing arrows to wear her down.
Across the sea, the sound of a zither drifted on the wind.
"Clang!"
A piercing pluck of the strings transformed into a semi-transparent sonic blade, slicing through Li Weiyi's Seven-Clawed Heavenly Dragon fire arrow and shattering it into flames.
The zither music emanated from a nine-meter-long Azure Boat.
A veiled woman in purple robes sat gracefully within the vessel, her fingers dancing across the strings of the ancient zither resting on her lap. Her white hair cascaded around her shoulders, a crimson hairpin painted between her brows, her fingertips moving with lightning speed.
An extraordinary aura emanated from her, calming the sea within several kilometers of the Azure Boat into a mirror-like stillness that perfectly reflected the starry sky above.
The slender Azure Boat, adorned with copper lanterns hanging from its canopy, seemed to float among the stars.
"Clang!"
Wu Hongling retracted her colorful feathered wings and stumbled onto the Azure Boat, her long hair disheveled and her Daoist Robe stained with blood, nearly collapsing.
"You're severely injured?" The Purple-Robed Woman bore an uncanny resemblance to Wu Hongling, yet her eyes were deep and serene, radiating an air of profound wisdom and composure that would remain unshaken even in the face of death.
"Lend me your strength," Wu Hongling pleaded, "I need to unleash the Transcendents' power from the Spirit Realm to kill him - tear him to shreds, flay him alive!"
Wu Hongling was furious with Li Weiyi. First, he ambushed and gravely wounded her, then stole Hong Ling (Red Silk) and planted an unknown curse upon it. After that, he relentlessly shot arrow after arrow at her.
She could only passively endure the attack, unable to retaliate.
The humiliation felt like being stripped naked, violated, and having the act immortalized in a drawing.
Li Weiyi pursued her with his bow until he was three li from the Azure Boat. Noticing the sea's waves had vanished, leaving the surface eerily smooth, he immediately halted.
He fixed his gaze on the small boat illuminated by copper lanterns, sensing the increasingly murderous notes of the zither.
Wu Hongling stood at the bow, a trail of blood at the corner of her mouth, deliberately taunting him.
"Brother Weiyi, why are you afraid to come closer? You're so powerful - could you be scared?"
Li Weiyi's gaze fell on the purple-robed woman. Recognizing her identity, he laughed loudly.
"Stop playing around! With Eldest Sister-in-Law here, neither of us can truly let loose. Farewell!"
"Since you managed to wound Hongling, your strength must be extraordinary. Why rush off so quickly? Allow me to play you a tune - 'Stay, My Lord.' As the sunset paints the sky, I urge you to stay."
The purple-robed woman plucked a string, and the sea began to churn.
Crimson sunset clouds materialized out of thin air. Then, a massive, blood-red sun rose from the water before Li Weiyi, its scorching light and heat radiating like a mountain.
Amidst the melodious strains of the zither, the three-li radius transformed, shifting from the depths of night to the twilight of dusk.
This was the work of a pre-arranged Formation, its power formidable.
Li Weiyi had sensed the Formation's fluctuations upon entering the sea area, prompting him to halt immediately and retreat decisively.
"Boom!"
The setting sun descended, its weight causing the sea to sink.
Li Weiyi dared not underestimate the threat.
He activated the Purple Heaven Thunder Seal, unleashing the Myriad-Inscriptions Artifact's power to shatter the descending sun. Dozens of violet thunder dragons surged forth in reverse, stirring up colossal waves that raced toward the Azure Boat three li away.
A flicker of surprise crossed the Purple-Robed Woman's eyes as her ten fingers pressed down on the zither strings.
Instantly, ten layers of Defensive Formation Light Veils rose around the Azure Boat, blocking the incoming thunder and lightning.
"Hong Ling's defeat was no accident," the Purple-Robed Woman remarked, "I never imagined there could be such a young powerhouse beneath the Lingxiao Realm and Immortal Realm."
"Your zither music is indeed melodious, Eldest Sister-in-Law," Li Weiyi replied, retreating as he spoke, "But for one so young and vibrant, your Spiritual Qi carries an unsettling aura of decay."
Behind him, Zuoqiu Hongting, disguised as Li Weiyi and wielding the Myriad Manifestations Staff-Spear, descended gracefully from the night sky onto the sea surface.
"Move quickly! Sheng Wulian and Zhenxin are also in this area."
Li Weiyi and Zuoqiu Hongting activated their Governor's Robes, teleporting away through space.
They fled the sea, arriving at an uninhabited island three hundred miles away.
Before Li Weiyi could ask why she was in the area, Zuoqiu Hongting asked, "Who were you calling 'Eldest Sister-in-Law' earlier?"
"Just a joke!" Li Weiyi replied, "I don't even know their real names."
"The white-haired, purple-robed woman and the crimson-feathered, red-silk dancer," Zuoqiu Hongting explained, "are Heaven's Chosen Daughters cultivated by Divine Mountain of the Rice Palace using Ancient Immortal Phoenix Blood. They are the two strongest individuals below the True Disciple level. Their Martial-Mystic Dao cultivation is evenly matched, but the purple-robed woman's Psychic Power, scholarly aptitude, and Formation mastery are exceptional, giving her a slight edge in overall strength."
Li Weiyi asked curiously, "Why are you all gathered here?"
"Your disappearance, along with Wu Hongling and Qiongji Daozi, has alarmed the Rice Palace, the Jiu Li Clan, and the Zuoqiu Sect. Many Martial-Mystic Cultivators are searching for you. What exactly happened?" Zuoqiu Hongting pressed.
"It's a long story," Li Weiyi replied, "I need to speak with the higher-ups."
"Wait a while longer," Zuoqiu Hongting said.
Soon after, Tang Zhan, Zhu Qishier Chongtian, and other top experts below the Immortal Realm of Lingxiao Realm, who had been searching and battling in the surrounding sea, gradually returned to the uninhabited island.
....
On the Azure Boat, the Purple-Robed Woman asked, slightly surprised, "Liu Fengshu is the Jiu Li Divine Hidden One?"
"Absolutely true," Wu Hongling replied.
The Purple-Robed Woman said, "Even if you told this to others, I doubt anyone would believe you. First, Li Weiyi would never antagonize the Jiu Li Clan over the Huang Xu for Ku-Di. Second, he would never risk his life to board a Twin Rice Sect warship for her sake. Third, Li Weiyi has been fighting us these past few days."
"But even if the world doesn't believe you, I do."
"How could you have been defeated so utterly? According to my information, his cultivation hasn't even reached the peak of the Dao Seed Realm. Moreover, with his Ancestral Field shattered, he can only cultivate the Wind Mansion, which severely diminishes his combat prowess at the same realm."
Wu Hongling, wanting to change the subject, asked, "Sister, have you heard of the Six Desires Talisman?"
The Purple-Robed Woman's expression turned grave. Her eyes seemed to possess the ability to see through all worldly illusions as she reached out with two fingers to touch Wu Hongling's neck.
Instantly, a rune-like mark surfaced.
Her face paled: "This must never reach the ears of those above. I'll find a solution myself. Otherwise, we'll both lose everything forever..."
The Purple-Robed Woman paused, sensing something.
Across the sea, a distant voice carried on the wind: "What are you trying to conceal?"
The Purple-Robed Woman and Wu Hongling exchanged a glance before kneeling on one knee in unison.
"Greetings, True Disciple Sheng."
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END OF CHAPTER
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