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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 2: [Jiuli Insect Valley]
Chapter 45 (72): [The Otherworldly Coffin from Kunlun]
(45th of Volume 2)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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Cang Li then introduced Li Weiyi to everyone, recounting the brutal battle at the Sui River a month ago.
But the conversation quickly shifted to Cang Li's decisive duel with the Dragon Sect heir at the Sui River's peak.
After listening for some time, Li Weiyi finally understood what had happened after he fled that night.
Once completely marginalized, Li Songlin led Li Weiyi away.
He chuckled: "Don't take it to heart! You must understand that any older brother would find it hard to accept his sister's beloved. They'll always try to find fault with you. But the fact that he carries the manual on opening the Nine Springs with him shows he's taken you seriously."
"It's just that Xue Zheng's earlier incident on the street must have been distorted misrepresented, so he's quite upset with you!"
"Young people, especially those with talent as exceptional as his, tend to be arrogant. Their words naturally become sharper."
"But there's one thing I agree with wholeheartedly: You must fight! If you don't break through the Ancestral Field, how can you defeat Xue Zheng?"
"Since Cang Li's sudden emergence, the Jiu Li Tribe has become deeply invested in the younger generation's success. They want this generation to lead the tribe's resurgence, surpassing the Sui Sect, Sanchen Palace, Tianyi Sect, and Guanhai Pavilion."
"Fourth Uncle, rest assured. I'll give everything I have to break through to the Ninth Spring." Li Weiyi remained calm, carefully storing the manual Cang Li had given him.
Li Weiyi hadn't needed Cang Li's help in the first place, since he had three ancient Masters.
But in that situation, how could he refuse Cang Li, the top young cultivator in Li Prefecture?
Li Ling caught up to him: "I'll explain everything to my brother! It's all just rumors. Xue Zheng is nothing to fear. How could you possibly be afraid of him?"
Li Weiyi remained indifferent, unconcerned about their opinions.
The only thing that mattered was the debt of vengeance of being hunted by Xue Zheng, Tang Yan, and the others.
Ahead on the stone bridge, a woman in her early thirties approached. She wore a cloud-patterned robe over a white silk inner garment with wide sleeves embroidered with leaf patterns.
"Mother!"
Li Ling, who had been as lively as a gazelle, instantly transformed into a motionless quail, lowering her head and subtly hiding behind Li Songlin.
"Sister-in-law," Li Songlin greeted with a cupped fist salute.
Li Weiyi, ever mindful of propriety, followed suit, avoiding direct eye contact with the young woman.
Yet even in that fleeting glance, he could tell she possessed a Pure Immortal Physique.
Her face bore few traces of age, and her gaze was sharp and piercing.
Without any preamble or pleasantries, the young woman asked, "What are your plans next?"
It was clear to everyone present that this question was not directed at Li Songlin or Li Ling.
Li Weiyi replied honestly, "For now, I intend to cultivate diligently for a period and strive to break through to the Ninth Spring Ancestral Field."
"Stay at Zaomei Manor for the time being."
...
When Li Weiyi looked up again, Li Ling's mother, Qin Dan, had already left, having only spoken two sentences the entire time.
He said, "Fourth Uncle, I feel like you tricked me. I shouldn't have come to Zaomei Manor."
Li Songlin chuckled: "Feeling the pressure, are you? To be honest, our Li Clan's Matriarch rarely makes an appearance. Not just you, even I feel the pressure."
The Clan Head of the Cangli Tribe's Direct Lineage was Li Songgu, Cang Li and Li Ling's father.
Of course, the Clan Head was not the same as the Clan Chief.
The Clan Head resided in the Clan Hall in Jiu Li City, while the Clan Chief resided in Ancestral Mountain.
"The Otherworldly Coffin is being opened!"
"The Clan Head is opening the Otherworldly Coffin!"
"I heard about this tonight and came specifically to join the excitement."
"What's the occasion?"
"Never mind that. The Cangli Clan Head's coffin-opening skills rank among the top ten in Li Prefecture. Very few elders can match his expertise. Today, we're sure to witness something extraordinary."
.....
Not only the young Cultivators, but also some middle-aged figures who had heard the news rushed toward the backyard.
Li Ling was surprised.m: "What's gotten into Father? It's been quite some time since he personally opened a coffin, hasn't it?"
Li Songlin chuckled: "I suspect your father is trying to show off in front of his future son-in-law, to demonstrate his strength and prevent him from mistakenly believing the rumors that the Matriarch truly calls the shots in the Cang Li Clan."
Li Weiyi wouldn't fall for such a flimsy explanation.
But he was genuinely curious about the Otherworldly Coffin.
It was said that even the most ordinary Otherworldly Coffin was worth tens of millions of copper coins, enough to buy a mansion in Jiu Li City - a treasure only high-level Cultivators could afford.
The Jiu Li Tribe had become the wealthiest clan in the world by salvaging these coffins.
As it happened, he had hidden fifteen Otherworldly Coffins in his Evil Camel Bell, carefully selected by his Master at the Blood Sea Coffin Dock, intending to sell them.
"You two go take a look first," Li Songlin said with a meaningful smile, "The Otherworldly Coffin being opened today is quite extraordinary. It might contain something truly remarkable."
When Li Weiyi and Li Ling arrived in the backyard, it was already packed.
The area where the Otherworldly Coffins were displayed was completely surrounded, with not a single gap to squeeze through.
The two of them didn't squeeze into the crowd. Instead, they found a higher vantage point from which to observe the scene from afar.
The Otherworldly Coffin, surrounded by the throng, was the size of a normal coffin and made of black wood.
As laymen, none of the Cultivators present could discern its extraordinary qualities.
Yet Otherworldly Coffins were all salvaged from the Blood Sea, where they had been submerged for countless years. If it were made of ordinary wood, how could it have remained so well-preserved?
Standing beside the Otherworldly Coffin was Li Songgu, a lean middle-aged man who appeared to be in his forties. He wore a simple blue robe, a square scarf on his head, and long sideburns that reached his shoulders. He exuded a refined and scholarly air. His gaze swept casually across the crowd before he formed a hand seal.
"Whoosh!"
The Spiritual Light Heavenly Eye in his brow opened, unleashing a radiant mist of light that soared into the clouds like an aurora.
A powerful aura enveloped the area within several meters of the Otherworldly Coffin.
"Sprinkle Crimson Bright Cinnabar as a precaution," he commanded in a low voice.
Two elderly assistants then tossed a reddish-brown powder toward the coffin.
The Crimson Bright Cinnabar landed on the mist of light Li Songgu had conjured, then slid down to form a circle about three meters in diameter on the ground.
Li Ling whispered, "This is to prevent a Deceased Spirit from escaping! If one tries to break out, the Crimson Bright Cinnabar will confine it within this circle."
"Boom! Boom! Boom..."
Li Songgu formed a hand seal and tapped the Otherworldly Coffin in various places, especially the bottom, where he tapped twelve times.
Each tap sent ripples of spiritual light radiating outward.
After a moment, he frowned: "Based on my decades of experience opening coffins, this is an Otherworldly Coffin from Kunlun. The wood, possibly Divine Wood, alone has extraordinary medicinal value, comparable to a Millennial Essence Medicine."
"Boom!"
The cultivators in the courtyard were stunned.
The coffin boards themselves were Millennial Essence Medicine?
Even a single ounce of Millennial Essence Medicine could fetch an exorbitant price.
How many pounds did this coffin weigh?
How much was it worth?
Li Weiyi's eyes burned with desire. If he could obtain even a pound of coffin board to feed his seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors, he might be able to raise their combat power to the level of a Five Seas Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivator.
Of course, that depended on whether this Otherworld Coffin truly was comparable to a Millennial Essence Medicine.
Seeing their disbelief, Li Songgu took a Spiritual Artifact-grade dagger from an elderly assistant and slashed across the top of the coffin.
The Spiritual Artifact only managed to leave a shallow scratch.
From the scratch, a faint auspicious glow emanated. Those with keen senses noticed that the surrounding vegetation visibly flourished, becoming even more vibrant.
Exclamations of surprise and envy erupted from the courtyard.
Li Songgu's expression turned solemn, "As the legends say, this Otherworldly Coffin can no longer be opened!"
After making such a grand display and tapping and probing for some time, he refused to open it!
What was the meaning of this?
With remarkable composure, Li Songgu clasped his hands in apology, "It's not that I don't want to open it, but with my current Mental Power, I can't control it. This Divine Wood Coffin from Kunlun was once opened by a Jiu Li ancestor..."
He paused mid-sentence: "Never mind. This matter is too important. It's best if you know as little as possible. Put it away, quickly! Transport it back to our Ancestral Mountain as soon as possible."
Even Li Weiyi, let alone the assembled Cultivators, was on the verge of losing his temper and cursing.
He was deeply intrigued by the Otherworldly Coffin, which was comparable to a Millennial Essence Medicine. But his interest in "Kunlun" was even greater.
After all, it was the most mysterious place in Earth's mythology, the Mountain of the Gods.
Why did the name have to be so coincidental?
After everyone dispersed, Li Weiyi took the initiative to step forward and pay his respects, performing the junior's ritual.
Li Songgu had a pleasant disposition and was exceptionally affable, "So you're Li Weiyi? I've heard Fourth Brother mention you. You're quite good, yes, quite good indeed."
Li Weiyi couldn't bear the lingering gazes of the night any longer and eagerly asked, "May I ask, Clan Head, how did you determine the origin of this Otherworld Coffin?"
Li Songgu was a garrulous man and explained in detail, "Most people believe the most valuable treasures within an Otherworldly Coffin are the secret treasures and Netherworld Artifacts, or the remains of the deceased. But I believe the true treasures lie in the books and ancient texts. You see, though the characters on these texts differ, they can be deciphered using Mental Power."
"The various books and texts within the coffin depict and describe real worlds. The only problem is, no one knows where these worlds are located."
"I truly wish I could venture out in my lifetime to search for the worlds recorded in these Otherworldly Coffins."
"Alas, the Netherworld is vast, the Blood Sea is boundless..."
"Ah, I'm getting carried away. Anyway, the truth is, with enough experience and extensive study, determining the origin of an Otherworldly Coffin isn't difficult."
Li Weiyi asked, "Have the words 'Kunlun' ever appeared in any records from Otherworldly Coffins?"
"Kunlun should be a great world, and there are quite a few Otherworldly Coffins from there. However, this one before us is too extraordinary. The wood is exceptional, and we shouldn't move it lightly," Li Songgu replied.
Li Weiyi pressed further, "Do any of the Otherworldly Coffins from Kunlun contain records mentioning the Queen Mother of the West?"
Li Songgu frowned, carefully recalling before shaking his head.
Li Weiyi pondered the myths and legends associated with Kunlun, then asked, "What about Tianyong (Celestial Mediocrity) City? Or the Xuanpu (Suspended Gourd) Palace?"
Li Songgu shook his head again.
Li Weiyi gave up. It seemed that while this world shared some overlap with Earth's mythology, the details didn't align.
Li Ling rushed over, her voice urgent, "Father, Uncle and Aunt have arrived. They're here to claim the rare medicine Fourth Uncle harvested that's stained with Immortal Haze. They're already arguing. You should go see what's happening."
"They're such troublemakers! What business do they have with Fourth Brother's medicine? This is a family scandal! Weiyi, please stay here for now. We'll talk more about the Otherworldly Coffin later tonight."
Li Songgu sighed and hurried toward the covered corridor.
Li Weiyi glanced at the Otherworldly Coffin being carried away, then watched Li Songgu's retreating figure.
As the implications dawned on him, he recalled the earlier events and thought, "Could the Clan Head be deliberately fishing? This Otherworldly Coffin is no ordinary bait."
Li Weiyi knew he wasn't the target of this scheme. As a nobody, he wasn't important enough for the Clan Head to go to such lengths.
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END OF CHAPTER
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