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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 4: [Shuangsheng Dao Sect (Twin Rice Sect)]
Chapter 22 (277): [Northern Qiu Plains]
(22nd of Volume 4)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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Li Weiyi and Long Ting had dodged the Spiritual Artifact, but the residual power it released was still too much for their physical bodies to withstand. They were struck by lightning and flames respectively, grunting as they were sent flying.
Long Ting's entire body was charred black.
He clung to the stone wall with one hand, retracting his Crimson Fire Dragon Scales.
He looked down at the water below, contemplating whether to suppress his injuries and seize this opportunity to finish off Li Weiyi once and for all.
But then he was horrified to see seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors approaching from seven different directions.
'These seven Strange Insects have such strong defenses?'
Terrified, Long Ting immediately changed his mind and fled into a crack in the earth, leaving behind a voice that grew fainter with distance: "When I reach the Third Heaven of the Dao Seed of Breakthrough Realm, your death is certain!"
His cultivation was already close to the Third Heaven of the Dao Seed Realm, and he possessed the combat strength to defeat opponents above his level.
Ordinary Inferior Root Dao Seed Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivators at the Third Heaven wouldn't stand a chance against him.
Li Weiyi suppressed his injuries and looked up at the crack in the earth dozens of meters above. He didn't activate his Governor's Official Robe to pursue. Long Ting wasn't alone; many powerful Demon Clan experts had been traveling with him earlier.
He recalled Little Seven and the Purple Heaven Thunder Seal, then stepped onto the waves and flew back to the Jade Boat.
Qin Qian lay on the bow of the ship, her gaze at Li Weiyi completely changed, her heart deeply shaken.
'How could someone of his cultivation have driven Long Ting back?'
The Spiritual Qi energy released by the seven Strange Insects didn't even seem to be from the Dao Seed Realm.
Li Weiyi walked over, his gaze sharp as a blade, staring at her. A fierce internal struggle raged within him. Ultimately, his innate goodness triumphed over reason. He knelt down, his fingers probing her Five Seas, then her Wind Mansion and Ancestral Field, meticulously examining and searching each one.
Qin Qian, terrified by his gaze, dared not move, allowing him to manipulate her as he pleased.
"Plop!"
Li Weiyi grabbed her collar and tossed her into the Blood River, his voice cold: "If you don't want to die, wash yourself clean immediately and change into fresh clothes. Hurry! I'll give you no more than thirty breaths!"
Blood trickled from Li Weiyi's mouth as he clutched his chest. He then retrieved a set of male clothing from his Boundary Pouch and tossed it onto the ship, beginning to meditate and heal.
In the water, Qin Qian had initially been furious, feeling Li Weiyi had shown her no respect. But his unusual behavior forced her to think.
She soon understood the reason.
Long Ting's ability to track them accurately across hundreds of miles strongly suggested he had tampered with her.
Li Weiyi had been probing Qin Qian's Innate Worlds, searching for something.
It was clear now why his gaze had been so terrifying earlier: he had been contemplating whether to abandon her to her fate.
For some reason, Qin Qian's mind was exceptionally clear at that moment.
Understanding everything, Qin Qian gritted her teeth and stripped in the water. She felt deeply wronged. No one from the Thundercloud Sect had ever dared to treat her so roughly, and she had never been a burden. Yet now, it seemed as if everything was her fault.
She glanced surreptitiously at Li Weiyi, standing on the boat.
The man made no attempt to avoid her gaze, his eyes wide open, though he wasn't looking at her but lost in thought.
This was mortifying...
After several dozen breaths, Qin Qian climbed aboard, changed into dry clothes, her long hair still dripping wet. Her entire body remained tense, and her already pale face was flushed crimson.
"Slap!"
Without warning, Li Weiyi struck her forehead with a finger imbued with powerful Spiritual Power.
Qin Qian lost consciousness and collapsed into his arms.
Li Weiyi shrunk the Spiritual jade boat to the size of his palm, then activated the Spatial Power of his Governor's Official Robe, transforming it into a ball of Purple Mist.
Using the power of spatial travel, he descended toward the ground.
Qin Qian slowly regained consciousness, finding herself still on the Jade Boat.
But things had changed.
The Jade Boat was now hurtling through the clouds at breakneck speed.
She glanced at the tall figure standing at the bow, guiding the boat, and wondered why he had knocked her unconscious earlier.
Suddenly, a chill swept through her chest, sleeves, and legs. Cold wind blew into the ill-fitting, oversized robe, forcing her to curl her slender hands and legs.
Then, Qin Qian realized that all her broken bones had been mended. Her emotions were complex, tears welling in her eyes.
Li Weiyi didn't turn around: "Thirteen bones broken, including your arm, collarbone, ribs, tailbone, and finger bones. Long Ting really didn't hold back. That's 130,000 Yongquan Coins, plus the 100,000 from before... Let's call it 500,000!"
Surprisingly, Qin Qian didn't argue. She remained silent.
"Because of you, Long Ting was drawn here, forcing me to fight him to the death. I'm severely injured. Surely that's worth at least 270,000 Yongquan Coins?"
Li Weiyi turned to face her, explaining his reasoning.
He thought she had decent talent and a striking appearance, making it likely she could get 500,000 Yongquan Coins from the Qin Clan and Lu Cangsheng. That would settle his debt with Yin Er!
Qin Qian wiped away her tears and replied calmly, "Whatever you say. Do I have any room to negotiate?"
Li Weiyi noticed her low spirits and couldn't help but reflect on whether he had exploited her too much. He offered comfort: "People only achieve true enlightenment through great ups and downs. The calamity at Long Ting, though it caused you immense pain, was also a rare experience. The real disaster is eternal damnation - death without a chance to return. At least you're still alive, aren't you?"
Qin Qian replied, "Long Ting wanted to kill you and Eldest Brother. I'm the victim here. I should reflect, but not because of this."
Li Weiyi was slightly taken aback, unsure how to respond.
"The Purple Heaven Thunder Seal was once the Thundercloud Sect's most treasured artifact. It's said to now be the war weapon of a Giant from the Jiu Li Tribe. It was only lent to you during the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival and has already been returned," Qin Qian suddenly said.
Li Weiyi frowned: "You don't sound like you're negotiating. You sound like you're courting death."
"If I die, the Thundercloud Sect won't let you off. If Long Ting escapes, he'll surely spread the word about what happened between us. Hmph, you can't threaten me!" Qin Qian continued, "Besides, if you kill me, who will pay you? If you, Li Weiyi, were truly ruthless, you would have already thrown me into the Underground Blood River."
Li Weiyi was amused by her words, especially since she had a point.
Fearing that Li Weiyi might actually kill her to silence her, Qin Qian softened her tone: "Don't worry, I won't repay kindness with ingratitude. I'll pretend I never saw the Purple Heaven Thunder Seal, and I'll find a way to get you the 500,000 Yongquan Coins. I just feel you shouldn't treat me like an idiot or look down on me so much."
"As long as you pay! If Long Ting dares to spread rumors, I won't let him off."
Li Weiyi's expression relaxed, and he smiled: "If Old Lu misunderstands, let me know, and I'll explain. He's a smart man..."
"You'd better not say anything to him," Qin Qian snorted coldly, fell silent, and began to heal her wounds.
After the Jade Boat had flown north for several hundred miles, Li Weiyi's Spiritual Qi was severely depleted.
He returned to the ground, intending to rest for two hours and absorb Heaven and Earth Dharma.
The Northern Qiu Plains stretched endlessly.
It was the crisp autumn season, and as far as the eye could see, yellow and red leaves carpeted the ground, while withered grass stood a foot high, creating a desolate yet magnificent landscape.
Strangely,
On the plains, numerous grave mounds and stone steles appeared, densely packed in an unnatural way. Under the slanting sunlight, they cast long shadows.
The grave mounds had swelled directly from the earth, most only a few feet high.
The stone steles were ancient and fragmented, bearing inscriptions dating back thousands of years.
If Li Weiyi hadn't already heard Zuoqiu Cangwu's explanation, he would have thought he'd stumbled into the Underworld, the realm of dead souls.
The eerie sensation and overwhelming shock of witnessing this firsthand were indescribable. It truly felt like the apocalypse was slowly descending, a terrifying atmosphere hanging in the air.
He released his Spiritual Power to investigate.
Most of the grave mounds contained skeletal remains, in varying states of decay.
"What kind of power could have caused this?"
"Whoosh-"
Li Weiyi pressed his palm against the ground.
Threads of Spiritual Light spread out, but he found no trace of any strange energy beneath the surface.
Qin Qian said, "Don't bother searching! Even an ancient Holy Spirit Master from the Thundercloud Sect couldn't find the cause, let alone you."
Li Weiyi retracted his Spiritual Light threads.
"Where are your people from the Thundercloud Sect? I can take you to a place not far from them."
Qin Qian pondered for a moment before explaining, "After the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival concluded, the young disciples of the Five Seas Realm didn't return to the Eastern Territory. Instead, we all gathered near the entrance to the Underground Immortal Mansion, led by Sect Elders and True Inheritance disciples to investigate and search for treasures."
"We only retreated when the strange energy within the Underground Immortal Mansion erupted."
"Many giants and influential figures from the Thundercloud Sect rushed over to investigate the anomalies in various locations. Some went to Fu Prefecture City to communicate with the Jiang Clan, believing that since the Jiang Clan had controlled Fu Prefecture for many years, they must know something about the situation underground."
"Others went to Qiu Prefecture City to seek an audience with the Confucian Dao Transcendent, believing that the Transcendent's Spiritual Power would surely be able to unravel the mystery of this strange energy."
"On the way to Qiu Prefecture City, we were ambushed by the Demon Clan. In the chaos, I fell into the hands of Long Ting."
"I have no idea where to find the Thundercloud Sect members now... There should still be some True Inheritance disciples near the entrance to the Underground Immortal Mansion."
Li Weiyi asked, "Do you know the location of Qifeng Ancient Prefecture City?"
"I've been there. It's only a hundred miles from the entrance to the Underground Immortal Mansion, but the exact direction..." Qin Qian shook her head.
"Hurry and heal your wounds. The Demon Clan might catch up at any moment."
Li Weiyi had been flying north in a straight line, so the Demon Clan's powerful cultivators were sure to guess he was heading for the Underground Immortal Mansion. Tracking him wouldn't be difficult.
He dared to do this for two reasons. First, he wanted to reveal his location to Shi Jiuzhai and possibly Elder Zhuo, who might be following him. If he remained hidden underground, they wouldn't be able to protect him.
Second, Li Weiyi's Spiritual jade boat was a high-grade treasure from a thousand years ago, belonging to Governor Zhu Qinfeng. It was an escape artifact that could only reach its full speed potential on the surface.
As they entered the Northern Qiu Plains, Martial-Mystic Cultivators on flying beasts occasionally soared through the sky or traveled stealthily along the ground, all heading for the Underground Immortal Mansion.
Li Weiyi stopped a Five Seas Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivator from Shu Prefecture and asked for directions to Qifeng Ancient Prefecture City. He learned it was only eight hundred miles away.
Ignoring his growling stomach, Li Weiyi retrieved the Jade Boat and called for Qin Qian to board. They planned to take turns piloting the boat, aiming to reach Qifeng Ancient Prefecture City before nightfall.
There, they could enjoy hot, steaming noodles and a long, hot bath.
Thinking of this, Li Weiyi grew anxious.
"Don't worry, there's no need to fret! I have a friend over there who can help me kill Long Ting. Your reputation is important, but mine is even more so. What if Zuoqiu Hongting calls off the engagement?"
Li Weiyi released his Spiritual Qi, infusing it into the palm-sized Jade Boat, causing it to expand to five or six meters in length.
The Jade Boat's length was adjustable; the smaller the boat, the less Spiritual Qi it consumed.
Qin Qian boarded the boat, feeling sorry for him.
She asked with concern, "Life must have been difficult for you in the Zuoqiu Clan after your Ancestral Field was ruined, right? I heard you even tried to kill yourself? If Zuoqiu Hongting calls off the engagement, she'll regret it. Your Spiritual Power talent is quite extraordinary."
"Boom!"
A thunderclap echoed from the clear sky in the distance, sounding utterly abrupt.
Li Weiyi looked up to see a vast expanse of black clouds surging toward them: "Are those the Thundercloud Sect's experts?"
Qin Qian's expression changed dramatically as she looked over: "Run! That's Yingji, a demonic beast with lightning Dao Technique. Its cultivation is far more terrifying than Long Ting's - it's one of the Dragon Sect's mountain-guarding Giant Beasts!"
Black clouds rolled in from the south, accompanied by a bone-chilling wind that swept across the land.
A high-pitched, eerie screams echoed from within the clouds.
Then, a bolt of lightning streaked across the void for dozens of miles, striking the ground where the Jade Boat had been.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Thunder rumbled, and dust billowed.
The Jade Boat transformed into a streak of light, soaring into the sky and narrowly dodging the attack.
Li Weiyi poured Spiritual Qi into the Jade Boat without restraint. Inside, countless scriptures materialized, their speed increasing rapidly as they sliced through the sky toward Qifeng Ancient Prefecture City.
Trailing behind them was Yingji, a monstrous bird with two rocky heads and wings spanning over sixty meters, its feathers etched with countless lightning patterns.
In terms of speed alone, it could crush any Dao Seed Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivator of the same cultivation level.
Yet, it found itself struggling to keep up with the Jade Boat ahead.
It was simply too fast!
After only two hundred miles, Li Weiyi's Spiritual Qi in his Five Seas and Wind Mansion was completely depleted. He immediately switched to Qin Qian to take over the driving.
He quickly sat down to meditate, inhaling Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.
At that moment, the flow of Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi began to behave strangely.
To the left, a powerful force emerged, drawing and swallowing the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, causing the Spiritual Qi in the region to grow increasingly thin.
Li Weiyi glanced left.
On the horizon, against the backdrop of the setting sun, a bone bird took flight.
Its entire skeletal frame was crimson, with blood vessels coursing through the grooves of its bones. It possessed a long, bony tail and was shrouded in crimson clouds as it intercepted the Jade Boat.
"It's the Bone Bird King of Yin Mountain, Shang Lie," Qin Qian said, her voice tense.
The two demonic beasts pursuing them were notorious powerhouses in the Lingxiao Realm. Once caught, they would have no chance of fighting back.
Only Li Weiyi, a Divine Hidden One of the Jiu Li Tribe, had the authority to provoke them into personally intervening.
Li Weiyi spoke in a teaching tone: "The more dangerous the situation, the calmer you must remain. You must learn to adapt. Our speed is high; they won't catch us easily. Have the Jade Boat fly low to the ground, using the terrain to evade their ranged attacks."
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END OF CHAPTER
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