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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 3: [Qiu Prefecture Lantern Festival]
Chapter 14 (158): [Tracking]
(14th of Volume 3)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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The Azure Yin Banner stood by the water's edge, towering over twenty meters tall. It swayed in the wind, its shimmering strands of light cascading down.
Dead Spiritual Yin Soldiers in full armor, resembling a thousand-strong army, filled the grassy paths of the Cloud Pavilion.
Some stood with spears in the lake, their reflections shimmering in the distant lamplight, transforming this small world into a chilling Ghost Domain.
Such a powerful High-Grade Spiritual Artifact was extremely rare, yet Li Weiyi had produced it casually. The young talents from Zhi Prefecture and the Martial-Mystic Cultivators secretly watching from within the pavilions were all deeply impressed.
But when the name "Chen Wenwu" was uttered, the entire scene fell silent.
A man's reputation precedes him.
Sometimes, a single name can be worth a thousand gold, or even an entire army.
Unsurprisingly, Chen Wenwu's name carried that weight.
Not only could his combat prowess rival that of older generation experts, but his Nine Springs Pure Immortal Physique made him a figurehead, a representative of the San Chen Palace who could travel the world.
After a moment of stunned silence, a deep voice cut through the air, each word like a nail hammered into wood: "Want a favor on reputation? Your strength isn't enough yet."
A solitary black figure appeared atop the six-story pavilion, a giant axe resting on his shoulder, his face obscured.
From afar, it looked as if he were standing directly above Chen Wenwu, separated only by a layer of glazed tile roof.
"So it's him."
Li Weiyi didn't recognize Yin Jiu, but he recognized the axe on his shoulder.
The Yin Jiu in the Psychic Mural was only thirteen years old, a stark contrast to his current tall and muscular physique.
Even at thirteen, he was already breathtakingly beautiful.
Over a decade later, what vast and mysterious energy must now reside within that body?
An Elder from the Heavenly Pavilion spoke, "We won't interfere with challenges within the lake formation. But if you bring the battle into the Twenty-Eight Halls and damage the structures, you'll be liable for ten times the compensation. If you cause any deaths or injuries within the halls, the Heavenly Pavilion will execute you."
Chen Wenwu's eyelids lifted, his gaze fixed on the roof. His normally handsome and carefree demeanor had darkened, like a storm gathering.
It was clear this wasn't a coincidence.
The other party was deliberately aiding the Jiu Li Tribe.
And the hostility was palpable.
"Boom!"
Chen Wenwu raised his arm, and The Sword of Peace flew from its scabbard, transforming into a beam of white light that pierced through the roof.
The beam was bright and straight, shooting directly into the night sky.
Yin Jiu deflected the incoming Sword of Peace (Zhige Sword) with a swing of his axe, landing on the roof of another building several dozen meters away.
"Chen Wenwu, do you dare to fight outside?"
"I'm afraid the Heavenly Pavilion will make trouble for me if I kill you here."
Chen Wenwu could tell his opponent was formidable, but still at the Five Seas Realm level.
He remained calm and fearless: "Very well! But who kills whom remains uncertain."
He couldn't refuse.
He represented not just himself, but also the honor of the San Chen Palace.
If it had been Cang Li, he could have retreated without anyone calling him Chen Wenwu a coward. But against an unknown challenger, refusing to fight would earn him lasting infamy.
"Swish!"
Chen Wenwu flew out the window, his Spiritual Smoke Concealment Technique utterly exquisite.
As his form shifted, mist filled the void, making it nearly impossible to pinpoint his true location.
Yin Jiu moved like a phantom, leaping across the rooftops of the buildings, quickly disappearing into the darkness.
Trailing behind him, the mist followed closely, its speed not much slower.
"So Miss Ling'er is Young Patriarch Cang Li's sister! My apologies for the earlier disrespect!"
The Zhi Prefecture youths stepped forward again to pay their respects, their gazes even more fervent than before.
"Rumor has it that Young Patriarch Cang Li has been undefeated in Li Prefecture, defeating Dragon Sect Inheritor Long Ting and the Heartless Golden Ape of Heavenly Cliff Ridge in consecutive duels. Now, the talented youths of the Seven Prefectures of the Southern Border all bow before him, and he seems poised to claim the top spot."
"The only one who might challenge Young Patriarch Cang Li for the title in the Southern Territory is, the First Inheritor of the Zuoqiu Clan!"
...
The talented young man from Zhi Prefecture, eager to learn the art of "soft rice hard eating" from Li Weiyi, gazed at him with admiration, longing to pull him aside for a late-night chat.
Qi Wangshu sensed Li Weiyi's extraordinary nature, evident in both his war blade and the Azure Yin Banner, both High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts.
Despite being at the Fourth Stage of the Five Seas Realm, Qi Wangshu possessed no High-Grade Spiritual Artifacts himself.
He stepped forward and said, "This Yin Banner, with its thousand Dead Spirit Soldiers within, is truly remarkable. Its value rivals that of a Hundred-Character Scripture Spiritual Artifact... I seem to have heard of it before. Brother Chi, is this a family heirloom?"
Li Weiyi, his gaze fixed on the damaged sixth-story pavilion nearby, his mind elsewhere, replied casually, "This belongs to the Zuoqiu Clan. I... well, consider it a gift from them."
In the Thirty-Three Li Mountain, Zuoqiu Baiming and Zuoqiu Lanlan had never asked for it back, so Li Weiyi naturally assumed it was a gift.
In truth, he had simply picked it up.
Upon hearing this, Qi Wangshu slapped his forehead in realization: "I remember now! This was the protective treasure of the Zuoqiu Clan's First Inheritor! Brother Chi, your experiences are far more extraordinary than you've let on. You've been hiding your true abilities these past few days!"
"It's not as impressive as you think. It has nothing to do with the Zuoqiu Clan's First Inheritor. In reality, it was a gift from Brother Zuoqiu Baiming," Li Weiyi said.
Though Zuoqiu Baiming's cultivation wasn't yet high, his Innate Talent was extraordinary.
He possessed the Nine Springs Pure Immortal Physique, giving him the potential to reach the heights of Chen Wenwu in the future.
Among the younger generation of the flourishing Zuoqiu Clan, he was considered a sure bet for the top ten, with a chance to break into the top five.
Qi Wangshu's attitude toward Li Weiyi softened considerably, his eyes growing much friendlier.
He clasped his hands in a respectful bow and said with a smile, "For young master Baiming to gift Brother Chi such a High-Grade Spiritual Artifact, you and Young Master Baiming must be as close as brothers. It turns out we're all on the same side. When we reach the Provincial City, I'll introduce you to my elder brother. He's the top talent of the Qi Clan's younger generation and one of the top three figures in Zhi Prefecture."
Li Weiyi sensed movement on the sixth floor of the nearby pavilion, as someone was quickly descending the stairs.
He turned to Qi Wangshu and said, "Alright, when we reach the Provincial City, I'll have Ling'er introduce her brother to you so we can all get to know each other better. But Brother Qi, I have a favor to ask of you right now."
Qi Wangshu was overjoyed. "Brother Chi, please, say what's on your mind."
"I want you and the others help Ling'er keep an eye on that scoundrel Chen Lian. I have something important I need to take care of and must leave. I'm just not sure if Brother Qi is willing to wade into these murky waters," Li Weiyi said.
Qi Wangshu slapped his chest with a resounding thud: "What's the fuss? The Qi Clan has a Immortal Realm Ancestor and the backing of the Zuoqiu Clan. We don't even have the San Chen Palace in our sights. With Qi here, Brother Chi, you needn't worry about this. Go quickly!"
As long as they didn't leave the Cloud Pavilion within the Heavenly Pavilion, they wouldn't be in mortal danger.
Qi Wangshu naturally didn't mind doing Li Weiyi a favor.
After all, this was Zuoqiu Baiming's brother!
"Hurry and interrogate him," Li Weiyi whispered to Li Ling as he approached her.
"What's going on?" Li Ling asked.
"I'm not sure yet. Don't leave the Heavenly Pavilion. Wait for me to return," Li Weiyi replied.
He strode quickly toward the Cloud Pavilion's exit, shedding his ornate outer robe to reveal the Nightwalker's Garment beneath. His body swiftly vanished into invisibility, leaving no trace.
Yin Jiu had deliberately lured Chen Wenwu away.
Otherwise, he could have challenged him directly in the lake!
The other occupants of the sixth-floor pavilion had quickly departed after Chen Wenwu left, and there must have been a reason for their hasty departure.
Li Weiyi waited outside the Cloud Pavilion.
Moments later, three figures emerged hurriedly from a nearby pavilion. All were young Martial-Mystic Cultivators in their twenties, and their faces seemed familiar - he must have seen them at some event in Li Prefecture.
One of the figures stood out with an extraordinary appearance. Nearly two meters tall, his flesh was like cast silver, marking him as a Silver Pure Immortal Physique. He led the group, clad in black iron armor with a stern, angular face.
The Silver Pure Immortal Physique was exceedingly rare, with only a handful in Li Prefecture.
Li Weiyi's mind immediately conjured a name: Chen Xun, the second-ranked young disciple of the San Chen Palace.
This was a figure far more formidable than Chen Lian!
As Chen Xun passed Li Weiyi, the very space seemed to warp, and waves of energy rippled outward.
Li Weiyi breathed a silent sigh of relief.
Fortunately, a pillar stood before him, perfectly shielding him from the spreading energy waves.
Otherwise, Chen Xun would have detected his concealed presence through the anomaly in the air's fluctuations.
Trailing behind the three figures were two enormous Aberrant Humanoid Five Seas Realm experts. Both had cyan skin and grotesque features. They carried a massive black metal chest bound with chains and sealed with talismanic runes.
A ventilation hole was carved into the chest's lid.
All five figures radiated vitality, their eyes gleaming with focused energy, each exuding a distinct aura.
Clearly, they had all cultivated battle intent.
After exiting the Heavenly Pavilion, they swiftly departed in three Exotic Beast Carriages.
The black metal chest was placed on the middle carriage, flanked by high-ranking guards in the front and rear carriages.
Li Weiyi knew how formidable Chen Xun was - one of the top young talents in the entire province. The others with him were no ordinary individuals either.
Therefore, Li Weiyi proceeded with extreme caution, concealing himself among the crowd and trailing them from a distance of thirty meters.
He thought, "Strange... Judging by their behavior, they seem to place great importance on that black metal box. If it's so crucial, wouldn't it be safer to keep it at the Heavenly Pavilion?"
"Ah, I see! It must be Yin Jiu's appearance. They must fear that some hidden secret has been exposed, prompting this hasty relocation."
"Could there possibly be a safer place in Giant Marsh (Juze) City than the Heavenly Pavilion?"
Throughout Li Weiyi's pursuit, someone in the lead carriage constantly monitored the rear and employed battle intent to detect any pursuers, demonstrating extreme vigilance.
Finally, in the last carriage.
Sheng Qingyan, the top young talent of the Sheng Clan, the second most powerful family in the Sui Sect, held a palm-sized mirror and lightly brushed her eyelashes.
"Brother Xun, there's no need to be so tense. Li Ling and Surname Chi are just inexperienced youngsters. How could they possibly be tailing us? Their minds haven't even fully matured yet. Brother Wenwu is being overly cautious, insisting we move immediately to the Jing Yue Zhai (Mirror Moon Retreat)."
Chen Xun, whose entire body was silver and whose pupils were silver as well, stared intently at the pedestrians outside the carriage window.
His nerves remained taut, and he said solemnly, "This matter must not be exposed. It's a good idea to be cautious."
Sheng Qingyan put away her silver mirror, her voluptuous figure accentuated by her prominent chest.
Her jade-like fingers caressed Chen Xun's chest as she spoke in a seductive tone, "I should have been the one to rescue Chen Lian. What if he reveals it to them..."
Chen Xun, known for his calm demeanor and unwavering focus, replied without a trace of emotion, "Li Ling is no longer the little girl who used to follow Cang Li around. Her Golden Talisman Sword, if numerous enough, could force even us to temporarily retreat, given our current cultivation. There's no need to complicate things further because of Chen Lian."
" He should understand the gravity of this situation... Be gentle... You lustful woman, always seeking excitement... What time is it anyway..."
Looking back through the window, Sheng Qingyan was no longer visible.
Spiritual Qi began to permeate the carriage.
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END OF CHAPTER
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