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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 3: [Qiu Prefecture Lantern Festival]
Chapter 88 (232): [Gathering Hidden Cards]
(88th of Volume 3)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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"It's Long Ting, the one who killed Zhu Huan at the Bright Moon Seven Stars Pavilion before the New Year. Would you like to take him?" Li Weiyi asked.
On the city wall, the two figures across from him shook their heads with smiles.
Feng Yin said, "Our mission is to stay with you until dawn."
"Long Ting is bleeding! That proves he's not an Ember Spirit beneath his human skin, but the real person. Don't you realize the implications of this?" Li Weiyi hoped to use this to lure away the Imperial Court's two First-Tier experts.
Feng Yin and Zhen Yuyan indeed fell into deep thought.
With a "swoosh!" Li Weiyi seized the opportunity, stepping onto a wisp of blue smoke and leaping down from the city wall.
He vanished into the dense cluster of buildings within the Inner City.
Given the situation tonight and the challenges he would face tomorrow morning, Li Weiyi had no energy to chase Long Ting. His top priority was survival.
It was already late at night.
The streets were nearly deserted, save for the sounds of battle, thunder, and the roars of Exotic Beasts echoing from all directions.
These sounds seemed to warn every resident of the city of the perilous night, urging them to stay indoors.
Li Weiyi hurried through the darkness, constantly hearing the faint sound of wind whistling past his ears.
Jiang Ning's words had been true: Feng Yin's speed was extraordinary, making him incredibly difficult to shake off.
Even on the most dangerous nights, there were places brightly lit.
Li Weiyi had entered the Underworld Market of Qiu Prefecture City.
This place was a den of vice, teeming with brothels, gambling dens, slave traders, assassin shops, and pawnshops dealing in stolen goods - a truly noxious atmosphere.
Not only Martial-Mystic Cultivators from the Surging Spring Realm and Five Seas Realm could be seen here, but even Dao Seed Realm experts, members of the Demon Clan, and Dead Spirits occasionally appeared.
Those who dared to enter the Underworld Market were all desperate outlaws, completely indifferent to the ongoing clash among the younger generation of Five Seas Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivators tonight.
Instead, they had set up gambling dens to bet on who would become the Hidden Dragon and who would collect the most Immortality Pill Tokens...
Zuoqiu Hongting had once said that the Disguise Technique was an extraordinary secret technique. Cultivated to the point of perfect deception, it was even more valuable than a Immortal Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivator.
Li Weiyi, of course, hadn't reached that level.
However, his current skill in the Disguise Technique was already quite useful.
Facing such a formidable enemy as Ge Xiantong, Li Weiyi's heart was far from the righteous indignation and fearlessness he had displayed when speaking with Jiang Ning.
Instead, he spent the entire journey racking his brains, desperately searching for a plan.
In his eyes, the Disguise Technique was a practical and effective tactic.
He wasn't planning to fight Ge Xiantong directly. He just needed to survive for three days until the Seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors grew to seven inches. By then, he would have the power to protect himself.
If Ge Xiantong couldn't even find him, how could he possibly kill him?
But before that, he had to find a way to shake off Feng Yin and Zhen Yuyan.
Li Weiyi entered a bustling gambling den, shifting his appearance and physique as he moved between betting tables, even changing his clothes.
In the guise of a middle-aged man, he exited the den.
He then went to the brothel next door, taking a bath, burning incense, and changing his scent.
Emerging from the brothel, he transformed again, now clad in luxurious brocade robes, tall and slender. But not long after leaving the Underworld Market, he sensed Zhen Yuyan following him from the shadows, his heart sinking.
'I can't shake her?'
Li Weiyi took the initiative to confront Zhen Yuyan, asking, "May I ask where my flaw lies?"
As a top-tier Imperial Palace expert from Lingxiao Palace, Zhen Yuyan adopted the same haughty, deathly expression Zhuang Yue had once worn.
"It's not that you have a flaw, but that I'm renowned throughout the world for my tracking abilities. Why would you think you could shake me off?"
Li Weiyi retorted, "I only asked a simple question. There's no need to be so hostile. Before dawn, I might still join the Imperial Court and become your superior."
Zhen Yuyan replied coldly, "Many things can change, be concealed, or disguised. But some things remain constant, such as the weight of your body and the unique aura of your Spiritual Qi..."
"You're misleading me!"
Li Weiyi didn't believe it was as mystical as she claimed, suspecting she was either skilled in some secret technique or possessed a unique innate ability.
'Perhaps the Heavenly Eye?'
'Or Er Feng's ability to sense Spiritual Qi?'
As Li Weiyi walked, Feng Yin followed closely behind. The two reached the bank of a wide river.
Li Weiyi considered escaping into the river to wash away all traces, but Feng Yin was already waiting for him there.
Feng Yin called out from afar, "Young Master Li, the Second Palace Master greatly admires you. If you join the Imperial Court, you're sure to rise to great heights. You'll even have a chance to obtain Immortality Pills, Dragon Seeds, and Dragon Bones."
"It seems I can't shake you off. Let me think about it some more."
Knowing their strength, Li Weiyi stopped actively evading them. He focused on healing his injuries as he headed towards South City.
"There are three hours until dawn. Whether I can survive Ge Xiantong's assassination attempt depends entirely on my preparations before dawn. This is my advantage. I'm giving this my all, while Ge Xiantong is treating it like just another mission."
Li Weiyi had been downplaying his true strength as a Inheritor because, without using his most powerful trump cards, he truly couldn't defeat one. Even his victory over Long Ting had been due to Long Ting's need to conceal his identity, forcing him to fight with restraint.
But now, facing the number one expert of the younger generation, he could no longer afford to hold back. Every trump card would have to be deployed.
"Spirit Tablet Master, do you have any powerful talismans you could draw for me?"
Li Weiyi communicated with his three Masters within the Blood Mud Space.
The Calamity Crossing Temple only prohibits Spirit Sense Masters and those in the Dao Seed Realm from taking action.
Li Weiyi could use both the Thunder Law Profound Ice and talismans drawn by older generations.
Talismans that could be stored in the Third Eye Spirit Realm or carried on paper were extremely rare and precious, kept as closely guarded secrets by major factions. But given the Spirit Tablet Master's background, how could she not have mastered some?
"Haha, finally thought of us, did you? I thought you'd keep trying to do everything yourself," Master Guan chuckled.
Li Weiyi replied, "Other Martial-Mystic Cultivators can use Dead Spirits. Asking the three Dead Spirit Masters for help is perfectly within the rules."
The Spirit Tablet Master said, "The Dispel Rune floating in the sky will suppress any talisman beyond the Great Spiritual Master level. And even Great Spiritual Master-level talismans can only reach the power of the Fifth-Stage Five Seas Realm at most. They'd be useless against someone like Ge Xiantong."
Li Weiyi had already prepared for this: "So, the talisman path is a dead end?"
"Not entirely." The Spirit Tablet Master continued, "Talismans won't threaten him, but some can still be used on you. For example, the Divine Speed Talisman!"
"It can increase my speed?" Li Weiyi asked.
Spirit Tablet Master said, "With my current recovery of soul power and Spiritual Power, I could draw two Divine Speed Talismans at the peak Great Spiritual Master level for you. But that's only the peak Great Spiritual Master level. Against Ge Xiantong, I still think you'd be caught. This just increases your chances of escape."
With two more trump cards, Li Weiyi was already satisfied. He asked, "Master Guan, you were laughing so happily just now. Do you have any trump cards to give me?"
"I have no trump cards, but I do have some underhanded tricks."
Master Guan said, "To overcome a stronger opponent when you're at your current cultivation level, poison is the most effective method. For example, the Night Emperor Toad Venom of Night City and the Earth Spirit Ash Mist of Guan Shan - you've seen them both!"
Li Weiyi's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly forced a bitter smile: "Ge Xiantong is the top young master of our generation, not the biggest fool. If poison could take him down, he'd have died countless times already!"
"As far as I know, the Night Emperor Toad Venom needs to break the skin and enter the bloodstream. The Earth Spirit Ash Mist must be inhaled. As long as he's prepared..."
Master Guan said, "Ge Xiantong isn't a corpse. Why wouldn't he breathe? Why couldn't he bleed? Anyway, I'm just suggesting how to implement it. It's up to you to make it work."
Li Weiyi then asked Master Coffin for a trump card.
Master Coffin said, "Facing Ge Xiantong, you must be absolutely vigilant. But we are all too weak, and we must not leave any trace of our involvement. Therefore, we can't help you much. Avoid him if you can. If you can't... well, here's what you should do: before confronting him, pour some of your blood into the blood handprint on the chest of your Corpse Garment Soft Armor."
"But you must understand that using it might lead to some complications later."
"Also, use your head. Many killings can be avoided. Everyone has their own interests and things they fear."
Li Weiyi felt a surge of confidence. His gaze turned toward Taoli (Peach and Plum) Mountain, which was drawing closer. He finally had the mental space to consider the current plight of the Zuoqiu Clan and the Jiu Li Tribe.
Whether the Zuoqiu Clan and the Jiu Li Tribe could hold out tonight or not, fleeing Qiu Prefecture City had never been an option for him.
He headed back to South City.
Li Weiyi moved cautiously, avoiding Imperial Court Martial-Mystic Cultivators as much as possible.
The defensive Formation of the Zuoqiu Clan's headquarters stronghold, South Lake Academy, had been largely destroyed by the clash of various Hundred-Character Scripture Artifacts. The remaining defenses were shrinking.
The ruins were littered with corpses, evidence of a brutal battle.
From the first day of the Lunar New Year to the twelfth, the Thunder Law Profound Ice of various factions had been nearly exhausted.
Now, it was a battle of Spiritual Artifacts.
The Headquarters Stronghold naturally held irreplaceable importance. It allowed for resting and waiting, safe recovery from injuries, and the ability for a small number of Spiritual Masters to hold off a large force of Martial-Mystic Cultivators.
If the Headquarters Stronghold fell, it would be like an army losing its logistics, medical care, shelter, and defensive fortress...
How could they possibly win?
The Zuoqiu Clan, having prepared thoroughly, had established more than just the South Lake Academy as a stronghold.
On New Year's Eve, they had already destroyed one.
Furthermore, several smaller strongholds within the city were exposed during tonight's operation and came under siege.
Li Weiyi, moving along the fringes of the various battlefields, gathered a wealth of information.
"While the three major factions had poured their forces into attacking the Thundercloud Sect and Dragon Sect, the Zuoqiu Clan split their forces into three groups to attack the Headquarters Stronghold in the Far Western Ashlands, the Governor's Manor, and the Snow Sword Tang Court's Headquarters Stronghold. Although they achieved consecutive victories, killing countless enemies, the moment the pillar of light rose, the five major factions joined forces and crushed the Zuoqiu Clan's three Martial-Mystic Cultivator armies from East City."
"Without the protection of the Headquarters Stronghold's Formation, the Zuoqiu Clan's three Martial-Mystic Cultivator armies were forced to engage in desperate battles against enemies several times their number."
"After splitting their forces into three groups, the Zuoqiu Clan's Headquarters Stronghold was left vulnerable and on the verge of destruction."
"Zuoqiu Hong and Zuoqiu Ting were slain by Luansheng Linyou and Ge Xiantong, while Cang Li fell to the Long Dian and Lu Cangsheng."
.....
Rumors, both true and false, spread throughout the city, aimed at shattering the morale of the Zuoqiu Clan's Martial-Mystic Cultivators.
Li Weiyi knew that Zuoqiu Hongting had indeed fallen into a trap. She had genuinely dispatched Martial-Mystic Cultivators to attack the Headquarters Stronghold and Governor's Manor in the Far Western Ashlands.
Anyone else would have been deceived.
Even if she had remained passive, the enemy would have had a second strategy prepared for tonight. Eliminating her was a consensus among the major factions.
Standing on high ground, Li Weiyi watched Martial-Mystic Cultivators fall one after another at various strongholds. Even this Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival felt as brutal and bloody as a battlefield.
Who could guarantee that the world's situation wouldn't escalate like tonight's events?
If that happened, the entire Zuoqiu Clan and the Jiu Li Tribe would be annihilated.
"Zuoqiu Ting, Zuoqiu Ting, you must hold on! I still have scores to settle with you!"
Li Weiyi knew that even if he intervened, he couldn't change the outcome. In such a large-scale conflict, a single Martial-Mystic Cultivator's impact was limited.
He searched South City but couldn't find Cang Li, Yin Jiu, or Li Ling. He heard rumors that they had gone to West City to attack the Headquarters Stronghold of the Far Western Ashlands.
Li Weiyi pondered whether to rush to West City to support them.
Feng Yin appeared, laughing: "Have you given up now? The Zuoqiu Clan and the Jiu Li Tribe are doomed to fall before dawn, Young Master Li. You have only two hours left to decide!"
Li Weiyi cleared his mind, once again facing the sword hanging over his head.
For now, he was like a clay Buddha crossing a river - unable to save himself.
The extra moves he had up his sleeve might be useless against Ge Xiantong.
The Ghost Generals within the Ghost Banner possessed combat power comparable to Dao Seed Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivators, yet a full-power strike from one of them was casually blocked by the injured Luansheng Linyou. Ge Xiantong's combat power was undoubtedly on the same level.
The only truly foolproof solution was to shake off Feng Yin and Zhen Yuyan.
But Li Weiyi had already tried every method he could think of...
"Headache!"
To Feng Yin and Zhen Yuyan's surprise, Li Weiyi revealed his true appearance and headed toward South Lake Academy, where the fighting was most intense.
Zhen Yuyan said, "Is he finally going to intervene?"
"Perhaps he's trying to escape," Feng Yin replied, "Let's follow him."
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END OF CHAPTER
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