Subscribe to the MTL WORLD (@mtlworld1) YouTube Channel.
***********************************
Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 2: [Jiuli Insect Valley]
Chapter 27 (54): [The Top 100 Martial-Mystic Cultivators]
(27th of Volume 2)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
***********************************
The West Market of Jiu Li City was a hub of unparalleled prosperity. Not only did major powers from Li Province establish their headquarters there, but the signboards lining the streets often displayed the names of strong Ancient Myriad Clans and Sects from the other six provinces of the Southern Territory.
The Cangli Tribe, for instance, is also an Ancient Myriad Clan.
An Ancient clan could directly influence a million people.
Of course, not all of the Jiu Li Tribes had earned the title of Ancient Myriad Clan.
In truth, the Jiu Li Tribes had long since declined. However, because they had rarely involved themselves in worldly affairs for a century, their true strength remained unknown. This allowed them to barely maintain the dignity of the Lingxiao Realm's sole Ancient Myriad Clan, like the other Ancient Myriad Clan such as Zuoqiu and Longmen (Dragon Sect), they are revered by cultivators across the realm.
Li Province in the Southern Territory, bordering the Blood Sea and the Netherrealm, had always held an air of mystery.
Fourteen years ago, when the first signs of unrest began to surface across the realm, forces from other provinces poured into Li Province to seek refuge to avoid Calamity, leading to numerous conflicts between Martial-Mystic Cultivators.
During the intense clashes that unfolded over the next six months, not a single member of the Jiu Li Clan's younger generation remained capable.
The First Chiefs of all Jiu Li Tribes were defeated, and even the Clan Chiefs of the various Jiuli factions were humiliated in a series of duels in the Mangshan Mountain Range.
Yang Shenjing, the Sui Sect's top expert, defeated six of them in succession. The remaining three Clan Chiefs were defeated by the three Supreme Elders of the Ancient Chen Clan, a powerful clan with millions of members.
The Jiu Li Clan's three generations - the old, the middle-aged, and the young - had grown increasingly decadent, losing all dignity. But that was only the beginning.
More importantly, the battle at Mangshan Mountain had exposed the Jiu Li clan's inherent weakness, shattering the Ancient Myriad Clan title their ancestors had fought so hard to earn.
Several portions of the Jiu Li Clan's core area, the Jiuli City Dao Domain, were seized to establish the Sui Sect, the Sanchen (Three Chen) Palace, the Tianyi (Heavenly Unity) Sect, and the Guanhai (Coffin Sea) Pavilion.
The most powerful among them, the Sui Sect, had been mere lackeys a thousand years ago, tasked with transporting Otherworld Coffins for the Jiu Li Clan.
Zhao Zhizhuo's Spring and Five Seas were crippled fourteen years ago during a fierce conflict by Yao Qian, the current Chief of the Sui Sect.
In the carriage, Zhao Zhizhuo recounted the events of that year to Li Weiyi, sighing deeply. His heart felt crushed by a mountain.
"In truth, if the various Jiuli factions had been united, their combined strength would have surpassed the Sui Sect's. Outsiders wouldn't have found it so easy to crush us. The Sui Sect only managed to subdue the middle-aged and old generations of the Jiu Li Clan thanks to Yang Shenjing and Yao Qian."
"A thousand years ago, the supreme spiritual artifact symbolizing the Jiu Li leadership went missing. Afterward, no matter who became Chief, the various factions refused to submit, engaging in constant infighting. Over time, the Jiu Li Clan lost its Leader, each faction governing itself. We have maintained a semblance of dignity for a thousand years speaks to our deep foundation, our ability to withstand defeat."
Li Weiyi, deeply fascinated by that turbulent era, asked, "Could someone truly subdue an entire generation in Li Province with their own power?"
Zhao Zhizhuo nodded, a flood of unpleasant memories surfacing in his mind, especially the figure that had cast a shadow over his heart.
"Now you understand why the Young Clan Leader's influence is so immense, don't you? Because the elders of the various Jiuli factions see hope in him. If the younger generation of the Jiu Li Clan had been strong enough back then, even if the older and middle generations had failed, the outside world would at least have praised the Ancient Myriad Clans for their promising future, saying it was merely the previous two generations that hadn't been strong enough."
Neither of them had the mood or inclination to linger in the West Market. After spending a fortune on Spring Liquid, they left the bustling market district and walked along Shenlong (Divine Dragon) Street, a dozen-feet-wide thoroughfare that bisected Jiu Li City from north to south.
Li Weiyi planned to find an inn befitting a reclusive senior cultivator, then have Senior Coffin, who was residing within the Evil Camel Bell, help Zhao Zhizhuo reshape his Springs.
He approached this matter with utmost caution, even going masked when purchasing the Spring Liquid.
"It feels like we're being followed!"
Li Weiyi had been vigilant against being tracked. Sensing something amiss, he glanced back.
The carriage following them was pulled by a five-meter-tall Silver-Horned Elk. Its wheels and body were either gilded or cast entirely of gold, exuding an air of extreme wealth and splendor.
The carriage curtains were made of white, sheer gauze, through which one could faintly make out the upright figure seated inside.
Li Weiyi had just instructed Zhao Zhizhuo to pull over when the Silver-Horned Elk carriage behind them clattered to a halt. The elk was exceptionally tall and majestic, making their own carriage horses look like mere donkeys by comparison.
The aura emanating from the elk caused their "horse" to grow restless, trembling and prostrating themselves on the ground in fear.
The golden carriage, carrying a faint fragrance, stopped beside Li Weiyi.
The figure behind the white gauze peered at him through the fabric, a mocking smile playing on his lips: "On the ship that day, I completely misjudged you. I thought you were just a lowly servant from the Cangli Tribe. Who knew you were actually a Martial-Mystic Law expert who is strong enough to kill two Seven Springs Martial-Mystic Cultivators from the Changlin Gang?"
It was Yang Yun.
Yang Qingxi's younger brother, the Sui Sect prodigy who had opened his Eighth Spring at the age of seventeen.
Li Weiyi recognized his voice and replied calmly, "I misjudged you too! On the ship that day, I thought Young Master Yang was an innocent young man. Judging by your current demeanor, that doesn't seem to be the case!"
Yang Yun was annoyed by Li Weiyi's complete lack of fear despite their disparity in status and cultivation.
"I hear you possess more than one spiritual artifact, something I don't even have. On the ship, I gave you a Yongquan Coin. How about you give me a spiritual artifact today?"
Li Weiyi said, "I'm used to being poor, so I can't be as generous as Young Master Yang. Since you're trying to impress Fourth Miss Li, why don't you just buy one yourself?"
Yang Yun's voice carried a hint of disappointment: "One shouldn't be too greedy. You must understand the principle of 'spending to avoid disaster.' You just made a fortune of 100,000 Silver Coins from the Changlin Gang, yet you're unwilling to part with a spiritual artifact. It seems today is destined to be marked by bloodshed..."
"Hahaha... Let's go..."
"Clatter! Clatter!"
The Silver-Horned Elk Carriage, pulled by the elk, moved forward without hesitation.
Li Weiyi watched the golden carriage gleaming in the sunlight, a sense of unease creeping into his heart.
Yang Yun wouldn't have come here just to say those words; there had to be more to it.
"Old Zhao," Li Weiyi asked, "would the Yang Clan dare to kill someone openly in the city?"
Zhao Zhizhuo looked concerned: "It's hard to say. Since the Lingxiao Palace's recent setbacks in the war over the past two years, the various righteous armies have been steadily gaining ground. In Li Province, the aristocratic clans and sects have grown increasingly dismissive of the Prefectural Governor's Office and the City Defense Camp. Of course, the First Commander just met with you yesterday. Given the Yang Clan's ties to the Cangli Tribe, Young Master Yang shouldn't go too far. Otherwise, it would be a direct slap in the First Commander's face!"
The Lingxiao Palace, the supreme authority of the Lingxiao Realm's twenty-eight provinces, held absolute power. Each province's governor was personally appointed by Yu Yaozi.
At least, that was how it had been until now.
"Watch out!"
Li Weiyi's ears twitched, his expression changing drastically. He grabbed Zhao Zhizhuo's left shoulder, and the two of them rolled violently into the center of Shenlong Street.
Almost simultaneously, from the rooftop on their right, a nearly four-meter-tall Giant Ape Aberrant, its back covered in silver fur, leaped down wielding a two-meter-long iron rod as thick as a bowl. The rod slammed into the spot where Li Weiyi and Zhao Zhizhuo had been sitting just moments before, shattering it completely.
"Boom!"
The carriage's axle snapped, and the sturdy horses, startled by the impact, bolted away.
The carriage body behind them was reduced to splinters.
The iron rod was incredibly heavy, embedding itself deep into the shattered stone pavement.
Li Weiyi realized that if he had reacted even a fraction of a second later, he and Zhao Zhizhuo would have been crushed into a bloody pulp.
Li Weiyi had only wanted to help his fellow Earthlings establish a peaceful life in this unfamiliar world and focus on cultivating the Martial Arts. He had never sought out trouble, nor did he desire conflict.
But that moment had been too close - a near brush with death.
He drew the Yellow Dragon Sword from his back and glanced at the Silver Horned Elk Carriage, now a hundred paces away. The carriage had turned, facing Li Weiyi head-on, its occupants clearly preparing to watch the spectacle.
"Roar!"
The Giant Ape Aberrant, its first strike missing, immediately raised its iron rod. With a single stride, it closed the distance and swung the rod down like a falling mountain.
Li Weiyi had never faced such a terrifying opponent.
The iron rod, though seemingly clumsy, moved with incredible agility in the Aberrant's hands.
This second strike was a masterpiece of brute force and skill, the wind it generated threatening to blow him away.
Against previous opponents, Li Weiyi, even if outmatched in strength, would have found a way to evade. But this descending rod gave him the inescapable feeling of being trapped.
He didn't know where to attack, nor where to retreat.
"His combat skills are far superior to mine. His mastery of the techniques approaches the Dao."
The thought flashed through Li Weiyi's mind, then vanished, leaving him with no distractions.
He swung his sword, clashing head-on with the iron rod.
It felt like a mountain crushing him.
Overwhelming force surged from the Yellow Dragon Sword into his body.
"Boom!"
Li Weiyi was driven back dozens of paces, his knuckles cracked, his fingers struggling to hold onto the hilt.
"Old Zhao, you go first!"
Li Weiyi knew he couldn't match the Giant Ape Aberrant's strength. He immediately mobilized his Five Springs, channeling a surge of spiritual power into his sixty Veins, which then flowed into his right arm.
The pain in his knuckles and fingers vanished, replaced by a surging, inexhaustible power.
His fighting spirit ignited.
Just before the Giant Ape Aberrant attacked again, a layer of radiance bloomed on the Yellow Dragon Sword's surface.
"Taiyi Opens the Sea!"
Without the slightest hesitation, Li Weiyi swung his sword.
The sword qi tore through the air, leaving a permanent sword mark that seemed capable of cleaving the ocean itself.
At least, that's what Li Weiyi believed in that moment.
He had never reached such a peak mental state before!
The terrifying force surged through him again, sending Li Weiyi stumbling back three steps.
Yet the power of that single strike stunned everyone watching. It had cleaved the Giant Ape Aberrant's iron rod, nearly as thick as a bowl, in two.
The lingering sword qi left a foot-long bloody gash across its chest, successfully paralyzing the creature, forcing it to retreat and not dare to advance another step.
In the distance, within the Silver Horned Elk Carriage...
"Is this his spiritual weapon?"
"What a beautiful sword, such a sharp weapon! I wish it were mine."
Yang Yun, dressed in a cloud brocade robe, sat on a seat lined with white fox fur. He was sharpening a three-inch-long knife with a foot-long green whetstone. The blade had been polished to a mirror-like sheen, reflecting his face.
But the small knife he had always treasured now seemed increasingly ordinary the more he looked at it.
"I don't even like it as much anymore!"
The Tiger-like Aberrant driving the carriage said, "Young Master, we're almost at the City Defense Camp."
"Then let's go! It's just a Seven Springs Martial-Mystic Cultivator, but he wields a spiritual artifact. That's a significant combat boost. We've already helped probe the situation, so the assassins from the Five Burials Temple should have a good idea of what they're up against."
Yang Yun returned the small knife to its hidden sheath in his boot and asked, "Do you think we've shown the Cangli Tribe enough respect?"
The Tiger-like Aberrant replied, "The Silverback Ape Yao Zheng Sheng, who made the move, was hired through Seven Springs Hall. The actual killing was done by the Five Burials Temple. We have nothing to do with it! Young Master, you're overthinking this!"
"Who's stronger, you or Yao Zheng Sheng?" Yang Yun asked.
The Tiger-like Aberrant replied, "In Seven Springs Hall, I'm ranked seventy-second, and he's eighty-second. We're both among the top hundred Martial-Mystic Cultivators in Li Province - pretty much evenly matched!"
"Your application for a second Five Seas Pill has already been submitted. This time, don't disappoint my sister again!" Yang Yun said.
The Tiger-like Aberrant's eyes lit up with joy.
After his first attempt to break through with the Five Seas Realm had failed, he had resigned himself to his fate. Who would have thought he'd get a second chance?
"Lu Shen will dedicate his life to serving the Young Mistress and Young Master."
_______________________
END OF CHAPTER
Subscribe to the MTL WORLD (@mtlworld1) YouTube Channel.
***********************************