Subscribe to the MTL WORLD (@mtlworld1) YouTube Channel.
***********************************
Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 2: [Jiuli Insect Valley]
Chapter 26 (53): [The Inheritor and the Hidden Ones]
(26th of Volume 2)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
***********************************
"You probably don't know this," Gao Huan said, his voice brimming with excitement, "But Jiu Li City is divided into the City Domain and the Dao Domain. The Dao Domain lies within the Heaven-Law Earth Spring, where the energy of Heaven, Earth, and Law is countless times more concentrated than it is here. Besides the Jiu Li Dao Academy, there are also the Sui Sect, the Tianyi Sect, the Guanhai Pavilion, and the Chen Clan's Sanchen Palace."
"I, Gao Huan, possess a Pure Immortal Physique. I've only been cultivating for a little over ten days, yet I've already opened my First Spring."
Gao Huan continued to regale Lao Liu, Lao Guan, and Qin Ke with tales, his enthusiasm soaring.
He lowered his voice conspiratorially: "I won't lie to you - those Five Seas Realm elders at the Jiu Li Dao Academy are all vying to take me as their disciple. And one after another, they've been introducing their most beautiful granddaughters and nieces, trying to arrange marriages with me. Some have even suggested I could take multiple wives - they don't practice monogamy here. Tell me, isn't it annoying?"
"Extremely," the others chorused.
...
After lunch, Li Ling and Gao Huan left.
Before departing, Li Ling mentioned Yu Hui to Qin Ke and the other two, saying she would be entering the Jiu Li Dao Academy for a period of cultivation. She instructed Li Weiyi to seek her out there if he needed anything.
Cai Yutong stayed behind.
She seemed uninterested in people, but upon discovering the room filled with Giant Spiders, she became intensely intrested.
In the dimly lit chamber...
Li Weiyi recounted Li Songlin's words in full to Senior Coffin and Senior Spirit Tablet, seeking their counsel.
After all, their understanding of cultivation and the Jiu Li Clan far surpassed his own.
The Remnant Corpse in the Stone Coffin pondered for a moment before saying, "In the past, entering the Jiu Li Dao Academy would have been an excellent path. But from what your companion said, there are now so many sects and factions within the Dao Domain. This indicates the Jiu Li Clan's decline has been severe."
"You must understand, the Dao Domain of Jiu Li City is at the very heart of the Jiu Li Clan's core area. It used to be solely occupied by the Jiu Li Dao Academy. Yet now, even this core area has been carved up into several major pieces."
Li Weiyi sensed a profound sense of loss and anger emanating from Senior Coffin.
"The Clan Chiefs of the Jiu Li Clan in recent generations have been utter scoundrels!" Senior Spirit Tablet roared.
Senior Coffin said, "Wei Yi, your constitution and cultivation speed are extraordinary. You have too many secrets. Entering the Jiu Li Dao Academy without the backing of a sufficiently powerful force would make you too conspicuous, inevitably drawing disaster."
"Such backing must be based on blood ties. Take Cang Li, for example. He likely has the entire Jiu Li Clan behind him, not just the Cangli Tribe."
"He's clearly being groomed as the next generation's top inheritor, destined to represent the Jiu Li Clan throughout the world and shoulder the responsibility of revitalizing the clan."
"Someone like him is untouchable. Anyone who dares harm him must carefully consider the consequences. Killing him would incur the wrath of the entire Jiu Li Clan."
"Do you think the Jiu Li Clan would unite in vengeance for you if someone killed you? Even if it were just the Cangli Tribe, how far would they go to support you? Would they risk their entire tribe to stand by you?"
"Setting aside everything else, if word got out that you opened five springs in just one month, that alone would be enough to make someone in the Five Seas Realm kill you!"
Li Weiyi's emotions were complex: "It seems entering the Jiu Li Dao Academy would indeed do me more harm than good."
"I have another path for you. It's riskier, but it might be a better choice in your situation."
Senior Coffin continued, "In the Lingxiao Realm, the most powerful factions cultivate each generation's successors - sometimes one, sometimes several. Without exception, these successors possess Pure Immortal Physiques, have opened the Nine Springs, and boast unparalleled talent and appearance."
"They travel the world, observing the myriad aspects of mortal life and witnessing the dangers of various professions. While honing their skills, they also serve as living advertisements for their sects and clans, attracting countless talents to follow and join. Naturally, the sects and clans flourish in turn."
"Therefore, these successors typically become sect masters or clan leaders in the future."
Li Weiyi chuckled, "The allure of an idol certainly can inspire fanaticism."
Senior Coffin replied, "But a truly super-powerful faction that aims to endure for thousands or even tens of thousands of years can't rely solely on its public image. While cultivating a facade is essential, nurturing its core is even more crucial."
"The successors represent the facade, while the core is known as the Hidden Ones."
"Hidden Ones receive even better resources than successors, but the competition for this position is far more brutal."
"You can probably guess that I had ties to the Jiu Li Clan in my past life. I admit there's a degree of personal bias in guiding you down this path."
"But the path of the Hidden Ones offers you access to the Jiu Li Clan's cultivation resources and their protection, with minimal constraints. I suggest you give it serious consideration."
Li Weiyi asked, "What do you mean by 'brutal,' Senior?"
"The competition is very brutal," Senior Coffin replied, "Each year, the Nine Great Tribes send one or several youths to the Jiu Li Hidden Sect (Yinmen). But only one survives each year. Whether that survivor becomes a Hidden One is uncertain; they're more likely to become a servant of hidden ones."
"A Hidden One is chosen only once every decade."
Li Weiyi chuckled: "Senior... aren't you setting me up?"
Senior Coffin said, "Hear me out. Since I've prepared this path for you, I've also devised a foolproof plan. Before entering the Jiu Li Hidden Sect (Yinmen), you must first break through the Ninth Spring. With your current combat strength at the Ninth Spring stage, you won't even need to compete to conquer the Hidden Sect's... well, let's call them 'humans' for now. After that, consuming the Hidden Sect's Five Seas Pill will propel you directly into the Five Seas Realm."
"Besides Breaking the Nine Springs to become a Hidden One, there's a second method, but it carries some risk. You'd have to visit the Tomb of the Azure King. Currently, we have ample time, and your cultivation speed is sufficient, so there's no need to take that risk."
At this moment, Senior Spirit Tablet spoke: "The situation is more complex than we anticipated. It seems the Jiu Li Clan is facing problems both internally and externally. I believe you should join the Hidden Sect as soon as possible. The cultivation environment there is even better than in the Dao Domain, which will accelerate your progress. On the path of cultivation, what's life without risks?"
Li Weiyi interjected, "Wait a moment... To become a Hidden One of the Jiu Li Clan, wouldn't it require not only strength but also their absolute trust?"
"Don't worry about that. Since Senior Guan (Senior Coffin) arranged this path for you, he'll naturally handle that aspect," Senior Spirit Tablet (Senior Long Wei) replied.
"That's right. Focus on your cultivation for now. Senior Spirit Tablet and I will discuss which method to choose."
Senior Coffin suddenly remembered something and added, "The current group of us is too weak. We need to cultivate enough powerful guardians. What do you think of Zhao Zhizhuo?"
Li Weiyi chuckled: "We're on the same page! But the consequences of revealing a top-tier spiritual artifact are something I can't afford to deal with right now."
"Aren't you being overly cautious? Even if Zhao Zhizhuo recovers his cultivation, no one would suspect a Spring Surge Realm cultivator like you."
Senior Coffin said, "Here's what we'll do. Leave him to me. I'll help him recover his cultivation while also pretending to be a powerful cultivator to intimidate him slightly. Of course, it depends on whether you're willing to spend the money..."
This was going to cost a fortune!
Li Weiyi's face twisted in pain: "I just made two fortunes! How much is this going to cost?"
Besides the Changlin Gang's 100,000 Silver Coins, Li Ling had also brought the Cangli Tribe's payment for the house today.
"Think about how much it costs those sects to cultivate a Five Seas Realm cultivator," Senior Coffin said with a rare chuckle, "That might make you feel a little better."
Li Weiyi stepped out of the room and looked at the large family gathered before him. His sense of security was severely lacking. He decided to prioritize Zhao Zhizhuo's cultivation recovery plan. Only with a true Five Seas Realm expert guarding them would he feel truly safe, whether he was venturing into the Tomb of the Azure King or entering seclusion to break through to the Sixth Spring.
.....
The next day, Li Weiyi and Zhao Zhizhuo drove a newly purchased carriage toward the city gates.
Zhao Zhizhuo still bore many scars, but they were no longer serious and he could move freely.
Upon entering the city, magnificent grand, imposing buildings came into view. Luxurious carriages filled the streets, and fearsome exotic beasts and disciples of various sects in uniform attire were a common sight.
"Let's go to the West Market," Li Weiyi said.
Zhao Zhizhuo was a skilled driver, pulling on the reins, cracking his whip, and turning the carriage west.
Li Weiyi asked, "I heard that to reshape a broken Spring, you need to buy Spring Liquid. It must be quite expensive, right?"
Zhao Zhizhuo knew Spring Liquid well.
"Spring Liquid is the essence condensed from the Spring Eyes of Dao Seed Realm experts. They wouldn't sell it unless they are utterly destitute. In the market, a single drop of Spring Liquid costs a thousand silver coins."
Li Weiyi clutched his chest and asked again, "How many drops do you need to reshape a broken Spring?"
"I used three drops to reshape my First Spring and five drops for my Second Spring," Zhao Zhizhuo replied.
Li Weiyi asked, "Old Zhao, how many Springs did you open back then?"
"Eight Springs."
Zhao Zhizhuo's face lit up with pride as he recalled the past. He continued, "You should know that for a Martial-Mystic Cultivator to break through to the Eighth Spring is considered a true hero, even more difficult than reaching the Five Seas Realm. Let me put it this way: out of twenty Seven Springs Martial-Mystic Cultivators, perhaps only one will break through to the Eighth Spring. But out of ten Seven Springs Martial-Mystic Cultivators, one will likely reach the Five Seas Realm. Of course, these numbers aren't exact, just an example."
"Old Zhao, do you trust me?" Li Weiyi asked.
Zhao Zhizhuo wasn't a fool. He immediately grew tense.
"Brother Li, are you thinking of buying me Spring Liquid? There's no need to waste your money. I've already wasted countless silver coins on it in the past, to no avail. I've tried every method imaginable, and after years of effort, I've only managed to reconstruct my Second Spring. My heart has long since found peace."
"You've resigned yourself to fate?"
"You're content with this?"
"But I heard you once opened all five Qi Seas in the Five Seas Realm, and your cultivation was quite advanced."
Li Weiyi said, "If you trust me, don't ask any questions. We'll buy the Spring Liquid, and I'll take you to meet a senior who can help you."
Zhao Zhizhuo knew Li Weiyi's character well enough to know he wouldn't speak without reason. His entire mood ignited instantly, his heart surging with tidal waves of emotion. He stared fixedly at Li Weiyi, his hands trembling uncontrollably.
"Drive the carriage, drive the carriage, watch the road... Sit back down... Can't you be a little more composed?" Li Weiyi said.
Zhao Zhizhuo was far from composed. He was on the verge of tears, his voice trembling with urgency as he asked, "Which senior is it? Only a handful of spiritual artifacts in the entire Lingxiao Realm can help reshape a broken Spring - there are less than ten, I think. Li Province doesn't seem to have any..."
"I told you not to ask. If you ask again, we're turning back right now. That senior hates talkative people the most," Li Weiyi said.
"I won't ask..."
"I won't ask anymore."
After saying this, Zhao Zhizhuo added, "Is that senior really is in Jiu Li City..."
"Alright, alright, I won't ask..."
"I'll drive the carriage, I'll drive it carefully..."
_______________________
END OF CHAPTER
Subscribe to the MTL WORLD (@mtlworld1) YouTube Channel.
***********************************