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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 2: [Jiuli Insect Valley]
Chapter 69 (96): [Strange Developments in the Spider Cave]
(69th of Volume 2)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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Yin Shi San said, "In recent months, many rare herbs and medicines tainted with Immortal Haze have appeared near Burial Immortal Town. Some can help open the Fengfu Acupoint, Ancestral Field, or even the Qi Sea, while others aid in Pure Immortal Physique Transformation. Elder, this is an unprecedented opportunity!"
"Because of this opportunity, the Jiu Li Clan, Sui Sect, San Chen Palace, Tianyi Sect, and Coffin Sea (Guan Hai) Pavilion have all produced multiple Nine Springs Supremes recently. Some mortals and aberrant humanoids who had broken through the Five Seas Realm have also seized this chance to transform into Pure Immortal Physiques, becoming leading figures among the younger generation."
"The Sui Sect and San Chen Palace are particularly ambitious, even using the Immortal Haze-tainted Elixir to cultivate Successor Seeds, each vying to become a Ancient Myriad Sect."
The gatekeeper elder had long known about the Immortal Haze-tainted Elixir. Xue Zheng, for instance, had used it to transform into a Pure Immortal Physique. If he had then broken through the Nine Springs Ancestral Field, wouldn't he have become a Successor Seed? Unfortunately, Li Weiyi had killed him, enraging the Xue Clan.
Old Man of Medicinal Cuisine said, "They're just false seeds! True Successor Seeds must possess over a hundred Veins. That can't be achieved simply by taking rare medicines."
"But a Pure Immortal Physique Transformation would fundamentally enhance combat strength at the same cultivation level and future potential," the gatekeeper said, his expression solemn as he pondered the matter deeply.
Yin Shi San continued, "After the Immortal Haze Space within Burial Immortal Town expanded, Immortal Haze-tainted Elixirs reportedly began appearing frequently. That's why I felt it was imperative to return and meet with the Hidden Lord. Personally, the Hidden Ones of the Hidden Sect are all Nine Springs Supremes. If we could obtain these elixirs and transform a few into Pure Immortal Physiques, it would be nothing but beneficial."
"Publicly, Burial Immortal Town is located in Li Province. Shouldn't the Jiu Li Clan have the final say over its resources?"
"These resources are far from inconsequential. They are crucial to the clan's prosperity and will profoundly impact the landscape of Li Province for the next century."
"I've heard that some areas of the Immortal Haze Space are accessible only to Martial-Mystic Cultivators below the Dao Seed stage, while others are restricted to those in the Spring Surge Realm. Still other places can only be entered by Pure Immortal Physiques."
"For the Mangshan Grand Festival in nine days, the Divine Temple and Dao Academy have jointly decided to change the traditional competition format. Instead, they will enter the Immortal Haze Space of Burial Immortal Town to seek opportunities, using this to determine rankings and standings."
Seeing Yin Shi San's anxiety, the gatekeeper remained calm: "The higher your cultivation, the more difficult it becomes to undergo a Pure Immortal PhysiqueTransformation. A Martial-Mystic Cultivator in the Spring Surge Realm might achieve it by consuming a single Rare Medicine. But for someone in the first stage of the Five Seas Realm, it might take three or four. And for the second stage of the Five Seas Realm, it will be even harder... There are no shortcuts that are easy to take."
Yin Shi San breathed a silent sigh of relief. So the Hidden Sect had been monitoring the situation in Burial Immortal Town all along.
That was good - at least they hadn't underestimated or ignored it.
....
On the plaza, Li Weiyi had meditated to restore himself to peak condition and now stood up.
He pressed his palm against the Psychic Stone Wall, challenging the third person - Lingxiao First Commander.
"Whoosh!"
The Spirit Light, spiritual Qi, and scriptures flowing within the Psychic Stone Wall shone much brighter than before.
The mural figure of Zuoqiu Ling, Lingxiao First Commander, was tall and imposing, clad in tiger-beast armor.
Standing nearly two meters tall, he lacked any sense of savagery, exuding instead a sharp, domineering aura and an air of aloof pride.
His weapon was the Nine Nether Halberd, a weapon that had shaken the Southern Territory.
Resembling a rake, it had nine prongs and a shaft nearly as long as his body.
Legend had it that the Nine Nether Halberd was forged from a special immortal material that could continuously enhance its power and grade.
The Zuoqiu Ling depicted on the Psychic Power mural appeared to be a formidable figure, yet he was only thirteen years old, far from reaching his peak state of "eight-foot frame, seated like a divine mountain, lying like a slumbering dragon, moving faster than the sun and moon."
Even someone as powerful as Yao Qian could only be called the Lizhou First Commander in the Southern Territory because he had such an insurmountable mountain looming over him.
The number one ranked warrior in the Jiazi Book: Zuoqiu Ling, wielder of the Nine Nether Halberd.
Everyone present held their breath as Zuoqiu Ling appeared, partly out of respect for his undefeated record.
"Let's begin!"
Li Weiyi sensed that Zuoqiu Ling was even stronger than Yang Shenjing. Standing there casually, Zuoqiu Ling showed no weakness, like a towering mountain that could only be moved by brute force, leaving no room for clever tactics.
Therefore, Li Weiyi held nothing back, channeling all the spiritual Qi within his Fengfu Acupoint.
"Whoosh!"
A sword strike cleaved the air, trailing a ten-foot-long golden sword qi.
Faced with Li Weiyi's full-power attack, even Zuoqiu Ling couldn't meet it with his usual strength. He immediately activated his Ancestral Field spiritual Qi to counter.
He swung his halberd, its nine prongs leaving nine bright trails of light in the air.
"Boom!"
The clash sent both warriors staggering backward.
Just when everyone was holding their breath in anticipation of a fierce battle between the two, Li Weiyi suddenly conceded.
"As expected of the Lingxiao First Commander. Even my full-power strike could only match you. If this sword couldn't defeat you, there's no need to draw the next one!"
"There's always a mountain higher than the last, and a hero greater than the last. I underestimated the heroes of the world!" Li Weiyi sighed, then turned and walked away.
He resolved to break through to the Ninth Spring Ancestral Field as soon as possible.
To defeat the world's number one cultivator while still at a lower cultivation level was nothing but a pipe dream.
Yin Shi San frowned, his eyebrows furrowing like two upright blades.
"After just one exchange, where they seemed evenly matched, why did he concede so quickly? If he had defeated Zuoqiu Ling, he would have become a Divine Hidden One. Didn't he want to become one?"
The gatekeeper struggled to digest his shock, too lazy to explain to Yin Shi San.
"Come, let's go see the Hidden Lord. Since Burial Immortal Town has undergone another major upheaval, and even the Mangshan Grand Festival is being held there, the Hidden Sect must take action."
Yin Shi San was overjoyed and followed.
"Why don't we send that kid? He's only in the Spring Surge Realm, but I think he could take on a whole crowd by himself."
"What 'kid'? Haven't you realized he's destined to become a Divine Hidden One? Watch your tongue, boy," the gatekeeper said.
Yaoyin hurried after Li Weiyi, who was returning to his Cave Dwelling to cultivate.
The air around her was filled with a fragrant breeze as she spoke softly, "I've come to your Cave Dwelling many times over the past two months, but you've been in closed-door cultivation. I have so much I want to tell you."
Li Weiyi replied, "Speak now. I'm short on time."
Yaoyin could sense his coldness, which stung her heart, though she understood.
After all, her feelings had always been one-sided.
She recited the words she had rehearsed countless times: "First, I want to apologize. It was truly a misunderstanding before! Yin Ershi Si has explained everything to me. Thank you so much. I know I owe you a great debt of gratitude."
Li Weiyi's mind was preoccupied with breaking through to the Ninth Spring. He barely listened, simply murmuring, "It's nothing."
Yaoyin had to jog to keep up with his pace.
"And second... I... I actually wanted to ask why you kept holding my leg on the ship to the Hidden Sect? And why did you save me in the Flying-Winged White Spider Cave?"
"Huh?"
Li Weiyi finally turned his attention to her, forcing a sheepish smile.
"The first time on the ship was an accident. Consider the second time an apology for that accident!"
"Then your intervention to stop Li Qing from killing me... wasn't an accident, was it?"
Yaoyin asked timidly, yet her gaze remained fixed on him.
Li Weiyi stared at her for a long moment, until Yaoyin began to fidget under his scrutiny.
Then, he suddenly blurted out, "Baseball bat. Do you know what that is?"
"..."
Yaoyin had no idea what he was talking about.
Li Weiyi continued, "Like a Sword Cultivator's sword, once it's been used, it inevitably develops some kind of attachment."
"Attachment?"
Yaoyin's eyes darted around, growing brighter with understanding, but then her cheeks flushed crimson.
"Never mind. I can't explain it clearly right now. Pretend I said nothing. My mind isn't here at the moment."
Li Weiyi entered the Cave Dwelling, closed the stone door, and activated the Formation.
Yin Ershi Si followed the two all the way to the Cave Dwelling's entrance, where she saw Yaoyin locked outside. A strange surge of anger welled up within her.
"Has he gone mad from his cultivation?"
"It seems like it," Yaoyin replied with a smile, "But in this state, he seems to speak his true feelings without realizing it."
As Li Weiyi entered the Cave Dwelling, the seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors immediately swarmed him.
Lately, Li Weiyi had been so focused on closed-door cultivation that he'd neglected them.
The seven were starving and crying out, finding the medicinal cuisine insufficient to fill their bellies. Their bodies seemed to be suffering.
Li Weiyi caught each Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperor one by one and measured their body length.
They were still just shy of two inches long.
Their bodies weren't growing anymore!
Entering the Blood Mud Space, Li Weiyi consulted his Spirit Tablet Master.
"The seven of them are on the verge of a breakthrough. They need a powerful medicinal elixir to transform into beings comparable to Five Seas Realm Martial Cultivators," the voice from the Spirit Tablet said.
Yaoyin and Yin Ershi Si had just left, taking only a few steps, when the stone door behind them suddenly opened.
Li Weiyi emerged, saw the two women turn back, and said mysteriously, "Time is of the essence. We must act immediately."
Yin Ershi Si instantly understood what he meant and nodded lightly: "I'll arrange a boat to depart from the Silver Beach River Valley. It's less likely to be discovered from there."
"Where are you going?" Yaoyin asked, her face alight with curiosity and her eyes sparkling with anticipation, "Can I come with you?"
"No, this journey is too dangerous," Yin Ershi Si replied firmly.
"She's right," Li Weiyi said, returning to his Cave Dwelling. He strapped on his insect tube and took up his Yellow Dragon Sword.
This was Yaoyin's first time entering Li Weiyi's Cave Dwelling. Her eyes gleamed with sharp intelligence as she tentatively asked, "Are you going to the underground river cave where the Flying Winged White Spiders gather?"
"How did you guess?" Li Weiyi asked.
"When you came to the Hidden Sect, you only participated in that one trial," she replied, "Where else could you possibly go? And wouldn't there still be precious medicine there?"
Li Weiyi fell silent for a moment.
Yaoyin pleaded, "Please let me come. I can help in some small way. I don't want the precious medicine. I just want to gain experience facing danger."
Li Weiyi couldn't find a reason to refuse.
....
Yin Ershi Si sat in a small boat on the edge of the Silver Beach River Valley, watching a man and a woman approaching in the distance.
Her expression turned cold.
"She's only providing assistance and won't take any precious medicine. We agreed on this beforehand," Li Weiyi said, leaping into the air and landing lightly on the boat.
Seeing Yaoyin follow closely behind, Yin Ershi Si knew it was pointless to argue further. She muttered something under her breath, then released her spiritual Qi, propelling the boat toward the Spider Cave.
To return as quickly as possible and avoid detection by the Hidden Sect, the three of them charged directly into the cave.
Yin Ershi Si and Li Weiyi led the way at the bow.
With each swing of his Yellow Dragon Sword, Li Weiyi effortlessly sliced through vast swathes of spiderwebs. Yin Ershi Si followed with a series of palm strikes, unleashing hurricane-like gusts of spiritual Qi that swept away the Flying Winged White Spiders in droves.
Yaoyin stood in the middle of the boat, clearing up any stragglers.
Seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors guarded the stern, battling the pursuing swarm of spiders. They understood the purpose of this mission perfectly and fought with exceptional zeal, their insect eyes gleaming with excitement.
After just over an hour, Li Weiyi once again saw the purple glow emanating from deep within the cave on the right side of the Blood River Passage, and caught the strong scent of medicinal herbs.
The Purple Cistanche was about fifty or sixty yards from the riverbank. In the small central area, the Medicinal Qi was so dense that it had condensed into a hazy purple mist.
The seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors, drawn by the scent, became ecstatic and fluttered their wings in a mad rush to reach the source.
But the scene that followed chilled the three people on the boat to the bone.
As the seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors entered the purple mist, they didn't land on the Cistanche. Instead, they vanished into thin air. A strange rustling sound echoed from deep within the cave, and the purple mist expanded several times in size.
Li Weiyi's expression changed instantly. Ignoring Yaoyin's protests, he immediately disembarked.
"Yaoyin, stay and watch the boat!"
"Yin Ershi Si, follow me ten yards behind. Be careful of the Spider King with four blood-red wings."
Li Weiyi tied a rope made of spider silk around his waist, handing the other end to Yin Ershi Si. "If anything goes wrong, pull me back immediately."
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END OF CHAPTER
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