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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 3: [Qiu Prefecture Lantern Festival]
Chapter 35 (179): [Bright Moon Seven Stars Pavilion]
(35th of Volume 3)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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At Li Weiyi's insistence, Zuoqiu Ting didn't change out of the female attire but altered his appearance instead.
Their destination was the Heavenly Pavilion, the most bustling and prosperous place in Qiu Prefecture City, a hub of fame and fortune.
Going there disguised as Yin Shi's maid would undoubtedly attract unnecessary trouble.
However, after Zuoqiu Ting's transformation, Li Weiyi's symptoms not only didn't improve but worsened, giving him an even sharper headache.
Zuoqiu Ting now bore an uncanny resemblance to Li Weiyi. Turning to him with a serious expression, he said, "From now on, we're siblings. You're Li Weiyi, and I'm Li Weier, twin Ren Dao siblings."
"In your territory, of course, you call the shots," Li Weiyi replied, utterly defeated. He had never felt such aversion to the word "sibling" before.
Zuoqiu Ting smiled, perfectly mimicking a woman's demeanor.
"Qin Li really is your Divine Hidden One? Her cultivation is decent, but she lacks the Hundred Meridians. If that's the level of Divine Hidden One in the Jiu Li Hidden Sect, it's truly disappointing."
Li Weiyi was shocked. Yin Shi would never have revealed the number of Meridian Veins in her body to Zuoqiu Ting. That left only two possibilities: either Yin Shi had fallen into Zuoqiu Ting's hands and been forcibly examined, or Zuoqiu Ting was deliberately bluffing to provoke him.
Li Weiyi remained expressionless, saying calmly, "She's a Divine Hidden One, aloof and distant like a deity in the Ninth Heaven. How could a mere Hidden One like me know how many Meridian Veins she possesses?"
Zuoqiu Ting chuckled: "With your talent and cultivation speed, how could you possibly be a mere Hidden One? If the Jiu Li Hidden Sect doesn't treat you well, you're welcome to join our Zuoqiu Sect."
Li Weiyi shook his head with a smile.
"Traitors never fare well."
Zuoqiu Ting fixed his gaze on Li Weiyi's eyes: "Seeing you this time, it's clear your cultivation has advanced significantly. Even I can't match your cultivation speed. Add to that your identity as an Insect Master... Could it be that the true Divine Hidden One of the Jiu Li Hidden Sect this sixty-year cycle hasn't yet matured? Is it you?"
'A dragon does not dwell with snakes.'
How could Zuoqiu Ting truly be as approachable as he seemed, casually calling any low-level Martial-Mystic Cultivator his brother?
His discerning eye allowed him to see through people, naturally recognizing Li Weiyi's intelligence and potential.
He didn't believe the elders of the Jiu Li Hidden Sect were blind to this.
At Thirty-Three Li Mountain, Zuoqiu Baiming, a Nine Springs Pure Immortal Physique at the Second Stage of the Five Seas Realm, had lost a leg. Yet Li Weiyi, at the First Stage of the Five Seas Realm, had emerged unscathed, killing all his enemies.
How could Zuoqiu Ting not be impressed?
Li Weiyi's heart surged with waves of shock.
No wonder Zuoqiu Ting was the Zuoqiu Sect's top Inheritor. He appeared approachable, open, and cheerful, but in reality, he possessed not only peerless cultivation but also extraordinary intelligence and a keen mind.
In just a short time, Zuoqiu Ting had already begun to unravel the secrets of the Jiu Li Hidden Sect's younger generation.
If he could quickly investigate his allies, how much more effort would he expend on his enemies?
And how much did the Jiu Li Hidden Sect truly know about the Zuoqiu Hidden Sect?
In an alliance, if one party couldn't reciprocate, always remaining subordinate, they would never gain equal footing. The relationship would gradually shift from partnership to master-servant.
Yin Jiu and Yin Shi were naturally no slouches in terms of intelligence and Martial-Mystic Cultivation, but Zuoqiu Ting held the advantage of being on home turf. In this subtle contest, they had already fallen behind.
Li Weiyi's mind raced, and he chuckled: "That's right, it's me! When I become a Divine Hidden One, I'll have Immortal Qin Li perform a solo dance just for me. Her peerless sword dance will surely be a treasure of the mortal realm."
Zuoqiu Ting slapped his hand and roared with laughter: "You're too bold! A Divine Hidden One dancing for you? Aren't you afraid I'll report you to her?"
"We're siblings from the same womb..."
As soon as Li Weiyi spoke, he glanced at Zuoqiu Ting's face, which was now inches from his own.
A headache immediately flared, and he silently cursed, 'Good heavens, I can't think straight. Today is destined to be a torment of this face and this captivating figure.'
"Isn't it too early to go to the banquet? It's not even noon yet," Li Weiyi said.
Zuoqiu Ting replied, "My dear brother, this is a free feast! If we don't go early, we won't get a seat."
The carriage had barely exited the inner city gates when the sound of waves reached their ears.
Qiu Prefecture City lies south of the Bing Juze, making the outer city of South City extremely narrow. It lacks outer city walls and gates, with a straight, dozens-of-yards-wide avenue leading directly to the sea, perfect for riding horses at full gallop.
The Heavenly Pavilion wasn't built within the inner city but on the sea itself.
This made the several-mile-wide outer city area of South City exceptionally prosperous.
Crimson towers and jade terraces connected in a continuous line, towering walls lined the streets, and the roads were smooth and wide.
The closer they got to the sea, the more bustling the scene became.
Exotic Beast Carriages of all kinds, adorned with extravagant decorations, clogged the roads. The young talents inside were all Five Seas Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivators, either accompanied by beautiful maids and concubines or escorted by large retinues of armored guards, each displaying impressive status.
Li Weiyi woke up Yin Shi's maid, had her drive the carriage back, and instructed her, "Tell Immortal Qin Li I urgently need a Dao Lotus and hope she can request one from above. Also, Diligent Garden has been exposed!"
The awakened maid, wearing Zuoqiu Ting's outer robe, looked at Li Weiyi standing beside "Li Weier" and immediately understood what had happened.
After she drove away, Zuoqiu Ting asked, "What realm are you really in? Why do you need a Dao Lotus now?"
Li Weiyi replied with a smug expression, "Fourth Stage of the Five Seas Realm, of course."
Zuoqiu Ting paused slightly, then shook her head: "Impossible. Just a few months ago in Burial Immortal Town, you were only in the Spring Surge Realm... This can't be true. I can't comprehend such rapid cultivation!"
Li Weiyi chuckled without answering, and walked toward the Heavenly Pavilion: "I overheard some Martial-Mystic Cultivators in another carriage talking earlier. Today's Five Seas Banquet is being hosted by the Dragon Sect of the Eastern Territory. They've reportedly booked the entire Bright Moon Seven Stars Pavilion, inviting all young Five Seas Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivators and Great Spiritual Masters from across the city. Long Ting is truly audacious! How much must that cost?"
Zuoqiu Ting shook her head, realizing she'd forgotten her folding fan. She put her hand down and said calmly, "The Dragon Sect is one of the Ancient Myriad Sects. This amount of money is insignificant to them. It serves multiple purposes: boosting their Rebel Army's morale, showcasing their strength, recruiting talented individuals from across the land, and gathering chips for the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival."
"You should know that the Crossing Calamity Temple only sent out two hundred invitations, but the combined number of Immortality Pills, Dragon Seeds, and Dragon Bones available certainly won't reach two hundred. And in this world, good things are never distributed equally."
"To win a reward, it depends on how many top-tier experts you've gathered under your banner. Since everyone is at the Five Seas Realm, the strategy of overwhelming numbers will be effective."
Li Weiyi's heart stirred: "Do you know the rules for the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival's competition?"
Zuoqiu Ting shook his head: "I don't. Everyone's just guessing right now. But since it's about finding the Hidden Dragon, how could it not involve the ability to recruit and command troops?"
"Why are you so interested in the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival and so eager to break through your cultivation?"
"Are you planning to participate?"
"Anyone who doesn't want a Immortality Pill must be a complete fool," Li Weiyi replied frankly and seriously.
Zuoqiu Ting's expression turned grave: "You absolutely must abandon that idea. I can already smell blood and carnage in the air at this lantern festival. It will be incredibly dangerous. If you don't participate, no one will bother to kill you, even if you stay in the city."
"But if you do..."
"Why am I even bothering to tell you this?"
"Even if you cultivate at lightning speed, you won't get an invitation before New Year's Eve."
"Hahaha!"
Famous Martial-Mystic Cultivators from various provinces gathered in small groups of three or five, using spiritual energy transmission to confer in secret.
The two of them pushed through the crowd and stood at the base of the Heavenly Pavilion.
The Heavenly Pavilion in Qiu Prefecture City was built on the sea, a colossal seven-story tower carved from white jade. Its upturned eaves resembled dragons in flight, exuding an awe-inspiring grandeur.
Though only seven stories high, it was as vast as a mountain - literally as massive as a mountain. Each floor was incredibly tall, making it impossible to imagine the vastness of each level within. It was truly an architectural marvel.
Legend had it that the tower contained as many as seven thousand formation glyphs.
Once fully activated, these glyphs would form a spherical protective barrier, resembling a radiant moon over the sea at night, or a celestial palace in the moon itself.
For this reason, the tower was also known as the Bright Moon Seven Stars Pavilion, one of the most renowned sights in Qiu Prefecture City, famous throughout the world.
From the sandy beach, jade steps and three ascending plazas led directly to the base of the tower.
Though it was still morning, a steady stream of Martial-Mystic Cultivators had already arrived, climbing the steps to reach the pavilion.
"How about a wager?" Li Weiyi said suddenly, gazing at the distant Bright Moon Seven Stars Pavilion, his spirits soaring, "If I get an invitation to the Crossing Calamity Temple before New Year's Eve, you owe me a Dao Lotus."
Zuoqiu Ting replied, "Fine. If you fail, you owe me ten pounds of Immortal Soil."
"Where would I get ten pounds of Immortal Soil?" Li Weiyi countered.
Zuoqiu Ting said, "You don't have any? Then let's not gamble!"
"I'll gamble!" Li Weiyi insisted.
Zuoqiu Ting was surprised: "You really have ten pounds of Immortal Soil? I calculated based on five thousand pounds of Spiritual Soil, and I thought you only had five pounds. How about you give me five pounds first? I'll trade you Qi Accumulation Pills and Millennium Essence Pills at market price, no need for the thirty percent markup."
"You seem desperate for Immortal Soil... Are you trying to reshape your flesh and organs to enhance your strength? Has your physical body reached the Dao Body level yet?" Li Weiyi asked.
Zuoqiu Ting chuckled: "One must never reveal their true strength. If an enemy learns all your secrets, it's extremely dangerous. Isn't that why the Hidden Sects exist?"
"Brother Chi? Haha, it really is you! It's been almost a month since we parted ways in Giant Marsh City, hasn't it?"
Qi Wangshu's voice rang out as he approached with two elegantly dressed young Martial-Mystic Cultivators.
The two men stopped talking.
Li Weiyi quickly clasped his hands in greeting, smiling.
"What a coincidence, Brother Qi! Are you here to enjoy this free banquet as well?"
After exchanging pleasantries, Qi Wangshu introduced his companions to Li Weiyi: "This is Qian Yanzhen, the most handsome young man in Zhi Prefecture. He possesses a Pure Immortal Physique at the Third Stage of the Five Seas Realm."
Qian Yanzhen was indeed exceptionally handsome and refined. Dressed in a long sapphire robe with his hair neatly bound by a jade hairpin, he exuded the aura of a reclusive sage.
However, his presence lacked a certain strength of character.
"This one is no simple matter! He is Zuoqiu Baiyuan, a direct descendant of the Zuoqiu Sect, and a Martial-Mystic Cultivator at the Fourth Stage of the Five Seas Realm."
Zuoqiu Baiyuan was not a Pure Immortal Physique, but a Mortal. He had a long, slender face with thick eyebrows and a tall, imposing physique.
Two Five Seas Realm sword attendants followed him, radiating the pride and confidence of a scion from a prominent clan.
Both men merely nodded curtly, their expressions arrogant and even slightly impatient. Their gazes kept drifting towards the distant Bright Moon Seven Stars Pavilion.
Qi Wangshu introduced Li Weiyi to them: "This is Chi Yongsheng, the second-most powerful warrior of the Chili Tribe of the Nine Li Clan. He shares an exceptionally close relationship with Cang Li's sister."
Only after Qi Wangshu finished speaking did Qian Yanzhen and Zuoqiu Baiyuan finally give Li Weiyi a proper look.
Qi Wangshu turned to Zuoqiu Ting and asked, "And this one..."
"My sister. You may simply call her Second Miss," Li Weiyi replied.
"Let's go inside and talk," Zuoqiu Baiyuan said, stepping onto the jade steps and ascending first.
Qian Yanzhen followed closely behind.
The two sword attendants remained outside.
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END OF CHAPTER
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