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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 3: [Qiu Prefecture Lantern Festival]
Chapter 34 (178): [The First Rank List, Ten from the Southern Region]
(34th of Volume 3)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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The next morning, news spread like wildfire, igniting the passions of young Martial-Mystic Cultivators throughout Qiu Prefecture City.
They surged like a tide toward Taoli (Peach and Plum) Mountain at the city's center.
Yin Shi San hurried through Diligent Garden, arriving at Li Weiyi's Small Pavilion. Seeing Yin Ershi Si meditating in the courtyard, he was momentarily surprised, then understood.
"What's wrong?" Li Weiyi asked.
Yin Shi San replied, "The First Rank list has been announced!"
"What do you mean?"
Yin Shi San explained, "Calamity Crossing Temple has posted the names of the first batch of Martial-Mystic Cultivators to receive invitations on the stone cliff at the foot of Taoli (Peach and Plum) Mountain - ten from each of the four territories: East, South, West, and North. The entire city is buzzing with discussion. People are calling these forty individuals the First Rank List of Martial-Mystic Cultivators under Heaven."
Li Weiyi pondered for a moment.
"Calamity Crossing Temple is doing this on purpose. Releasing the invitation list in batches is meant to stir up emotions and provoke those who haven't yet received invitations."
Yin Shi San laughed heartily.
"You guessed it again! I went to Taoli (Peach and Plum) Mountain to check. Those who didn't receive invitations are indeed acting like they've been stung. Some have even challenged those who did!"
"This isn't just an invitation, it's a matter of face," Li Weiyi said, "Who wouldn't want to be ranked among the First-Rank List? There's bound to be plenty who aren't satisfied."
Yin Shi San added, "What's even more interesting is that one of the Martial-Mystic Cultivators who made it into the First-Rank List announced on the spot that the Heavenly Pavilion would be hosting a celebratory banquet tonight."
"The purpose of the banquet is probably more than just celebration," Li Weiyi said.
"It's likely to be a strategic move to forge alliances and gather as many allies as possible in preparation for the upcoming Dragon-Tiger competition after the year-end. It's also a way to build influence, create momentum, and gather more Martial-Mystic Cultivators under their banner, accumulating greater strength."
Yin Shi San nodded, his face etched with worry: "South City has already become known as the 'Hell Arena,' with the most intense competition among the four cities."
"Oh?"
Li Weiyi, who was keen to participate in the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, naturally grew curious.
"Who are the Martial-Mystic Cultivators in South City's First-Rak List?"
Yin Shi San replied, "The leader of South City's First-Rank is Cang Li, which wasn't much of a surprise."
"The rest are, in order: Yu Zi, Zuoqiu Ting, Jiang Ning, Qi Jin, the Heartless Golden Ape, Zuoqiu Lancheng, Kudi, Zuoqiu Qingyin, and Li Shentong."
"Although the First-Rank List consists of ten Martial-Mystic Cultivators without a strict ranking, anyone can see that the Calamity Crossing Temple hung the plaques in order of strength."
Li Weiyi frowned slightly: "Yu Zi and Qi Jin, disciples of the Young Venerable, were assigned to South City. Why was Jiang Ning also assigned there?"
Yin Shi San chuckled: "The Jiang Clan is based in Fu Prefecture, which is one of the Seven Prefectures of the Southern Border. However, because Fu Prefecture is a core prefecture under the imperial court, it's often overlooked."
Li Weiyi said, "Three members of the Zuoqiu Clan ranked in the First-Rank List. That's quite a feat. No wonder Zuoqiu Ting dared to challenge the Young Venerable."
"Zuoqiu Lancheng and Zuoqiu Qingyin are the Second and Third Successors. All three Successors possess the Hundred Silver Meridians - that's the Zuoqiu Clan's true strength," Yin Shi San continued, "Although Cang Li and Yu Zi ranked ahead of Zuoqiu Ting, they never fought to a decisive victory. Their true strength remains uncertain."
"If not for the emergence of the Young Venerable's group, the Zuoqiu Clan would undoubtedly have seized control, showcasing their deep-rooted power and true capabilities."
Li Weiyi asked, "Where was Luan Sheng Lin You assigned?"
Yin Shi San shook his head: "His name isn't among the forty in the First-Rank List."
"Could he have already reached the Dao Seed Realm and been excluded?" Li Weiyi speculated.
Yin Shi San replied, "That's likely what every young Martial-Mystic Cultivator hopes for, but it's probably not that simple."
Li Weiyi smiled wryly: "You're right. South City truly is a hellscape. Only one of the Four Truths of Coffin Mountain made into the list. Heavenly Cliff Ridge is teeming with Demon Clan experts, yet only the Heartless Golden Ape managed to get on. Yang Qingxi and Chen Wenwu, despite their great fame in Li Prefecture, are currently off the list. Who is Li Shentong?"
"That's a question every young Martial-Mystic Cultivator in the Seven Prefectures of the Southern Border is probably asking right now," Yin Shi San replied, "Li Shentong appeared out of nowhere. I'd never heard of him before. Judging by his surname, he's likely from Li City in Zhi Prefecture. Most likely, he's a hidden expert secretly cultivated by his clan. After all, Li City produced a truly remarkable figure who is now brimming with ambition, and even the Zuoqiu Clan is struggling to contain them."
Li Weiyi said, "Failing to make the First-Rank List might be acceptable for these Heaven's Chosen from the Southern Territory, considering the list is dominated by those with the Hundred Meridians Pure Silver Immortal Physique. But if they don't even make the Second-Rank List, that would be truly embarrassing."
'Heroes and beauties, a tapestry of splendor.
Hundred Silver Meridians, leading the way.'
Li Weiyi was somewhat interested in the bustling excitement outside, but he had no intention of leaving Diligent Garden for now.
Qiu Prefecture City was currently overflowing with young experts, and venturing out would only lead to humiliation.
For the next two days, Li Weiyi remained in the Small Pavilion, nourishing his lung lobe.
Late on the third night, after completing the nourishment, he consumed two Crimson Haze Herbs and successfully broke through to his third Qi Sea.
By the morning of the fourth day, his Qi Sea had fully expanded, and all his String Meridians were constructed.
"My third Qi Sea is only about 380 cubic meters. Still can't compare to others' Main Seas."
"My Spiritual Qi's grade has improved, but I'm still far from Fourth-Level Qi. I need to continue refining it."
Li Weiyi took out two pill bottles.
One contained hundreds of Qi Ascension Pills refined by Zen Hai Guanwu. This was more than enough for the Third Realm of the Five Seas Realm.
The other bottle held over a hundred Qi Enhancement Pills brought back by Yin Shi San.
He took out a Qi Ascension Pill and swallowed it.
The pill exploded in his stomach like a cloud, enveloping his entire body in a mist of Spiritual Qi.
An hour later, it was fully absorbed.
"At the Third Realm of the Five Seas Realm, the absorption rate is indeed faster. It only takes an hour to refine a single pill."
"There are only twenty days left until New Year's Eve. Even if I refine pills for twelve hours a day without sleep, I still won't be able to fully cultivate my third Qi Sea."
Li Weiyi wasn't worried about the strength of his lung lobe anymore. With the nourishment of Immortal Soil, he could directly advance to the Fourth Sea once his Qi Sea cultivation was complete.
Once the Main Sea is opened, everything would change.
According to the established pattern, the Fourth Sea of a Martial-Mystic Cultivator was ten times larger than the combined volume of the first three seas - amounting to several thousand cubic meters!
"Yin Shi San said there was a shortcut to the Fourth Sea. My current Third Sea should be comparable to the Main Sea of those Seven Springs Martial-Mystic Cultivators. What could this shortcut possibly be?"
Li Weiyi pushed open the door, inhaled the cold air, and glanced at the "Snow Maiden" meditating on the coffin lid.
He sighed inwardly: everyone was working so hard for Cultivation; their efforts were truly beyond measure.
Yin Shi San had already left, returning to the imperial court's ranks.
Now, Li Weiyi was in charge of the Diligent Garden.
He entrusted the mundane tasks of daily life to Yin Ershi Wu.
Yin Ershi Wu, clad in black leather armor, strode through the snowstorm and stood outside the courtyard gate to report, "Divine Hidden One, Yin Shi has sent someone to request an audience. He wishes to speak with you privately."
Li Weiyi, who had been pondering how to contact his superiors and find the shortcut, was delighted. He hurried downstairs and stepped out of the courtyard, asking, "Where is he?"
"At the back gate."
Yin Ershi Wu followed closely behind Li Weiyi.
After a moment's hesitation, he mustered his courage and asked, "May I inquire, Divine Hidden One, what price did Yin Ershi Si paid to gain the right to meditate on the Silver Giant's corpse? I may not be able to offer what she did, but I could search for a Pure Immortal Physique woman..."
Li Weiyi cut him off: "Stop guessing, alright? What do you take me for? If she heard you say that, she'd beat you to death. If you want to observe and comprehend, go yourself. I'm not stopping you."
Yin Ershi Wu froze, then immediately knelt on one knee and bowed deeply: "Thank you, Divine Hidden One."
The back gate of Diligent Garden was located in a deep alleyway about ten feet wide.
A simple, unassuming carriage stood in the snow.
Yin Shi's maid leaned against the carriage.
Hearing movement behind the gate, she immediately straightened up and stepped forward to greet them, bowing respectfully.
"Young Master Chi, my master says a distinguished guest awaits you at the Heavenly Pavilion."
Li Weiyi recognized this maid from Giant Marsh City. She was likely one of Yin Shi's most trusted confidantes.
"Distinguished guest... what time?"
Li Weiyi immediately thought of Zuoqiu Ting.
If it were someone from the Hidden Sect, they could have met directly at Diligent Garden.
Why go to the Heavenly Pavilion?
"The distinguished guest is on a tight schedule. We must depart immediately. I will drive the carriage and take you there!"
The maid's slender, delicate fingers brushed against the carriage door, her subtle fragrance lingering in the air as she opened it for him.
Inside, a long, rectangular wooden box lay on the floor, covered in talismanic runes. Li Weiyi wondered what it contained.
After he sat down, she cracked her whip and drove the carriage out of the alley.
"What's in this box?" Li Weiyi asked curiously.
The maid replied, "Some Spiritual Artifacts and clothing to conceal one's identity."
Li Weiyi said, "I wish to meet your master. I have a very important matter to discuss."
"What is it? You can tell me directly. I will relay it to my master. I am her most trusted confidante," the maid said.
Li Weiyi asked, "Could you inquire of a Fourth Stage of the Five Seas Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivator about shortcuts to cultivating the Main Sea?"
A flicker of disappointment crossed the maid's eyes, but she smiled and said, "I can answer that question myself. Accumulating Spiritual Qi is an extremely time-consuming process, and cultivating the Main Sea is even more so. Even with the aid of Dao Domains and Medicinal Pills, it often takes years, even decades, of diligent effort."
"Therefore, every major power spares no expense in cultivating geniuses with the potential to reach the Immortal Realm, helping them shorten their cultivation time in the Five Seas Realm so they can attempt the Dao Seed Realm crossing with younger bodies. For example, they might bestow a Dao Lotus or a Dao Fruit."
"A single Dao Lotus can increase Spiritual Qi by ten thousand units."
"A single Dao Fruit can increase Qi by tens of thousands of units."
Li Weiyi quickly asked, "What are Dao Lotuses and Dao Fruits?"
"They are the foundation of Dao Seed Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivators!"
The maidservant chuckled: "Now do you understand the value of this shortcut? It can only be obtained when a Dao Seed Realm Senior of the clan passes away or when a Dao Seed Realm enemy is slain. Only the most exceptionally talented individual in the clan is worthy of using it."
"Boom!"
A sound of talismanic runes shattering and a wooden chest being opened echoed from within the carriage.
A flicker of panic flashed across the maidservant's eyes, but she quickly regained her composure. With a faint smile, she murmured to herself, "So quickly exposed... I suppose Bone Transformation and Spirit Exchange is still necessary after all?"
Li Weiyi stroked his chin, gazing down at the unconscious maidservant curled up in the chest, who looked identical to the woman outside.
"Your disguise is already quite convincing, far better than your transformation into Long Ting. That effeminate air... it still makes me shudder just thinking about it. Can't you stop disguising yourself as a woman? You have no idea how devastating that can be. As the First Inheritor of the Zuoqiu Clan, aren't you worried about damaging your reputation if this gets out?"
The maidservant driving the carriage laughed, her voice like silver bells: "Don't sound so disgusted. If I had mastered the 'Bone Transformation and Spirit Exchange Manual', I guarantee I could have fooled everyone today and extracted even more useful information."
"No, no, no! Change your voice back first!"
Li Weiyi frowned, rubbed his temples, and stepped out of the carriage. He snatched the whip from the maid's hand and bumped her with his arm.
"Hurry up and change back! I'll drive. This getup... Heavens, I can't even imagine it. My head hurts. I left a set of my clothes inside. Go change into them quickly."
"Change right here on the street?"
The maid, Zuoqiu Ting, looked stunned, as if Li Weiyi were joking.
Li Weiyi said, "The curtains are drawn. No one will see you."
Zuoqiu Ting shook his head: "No way! Just bear with it. Opportunities to see me transform into a woman don't come around often."
Li Weiyi had no choice. Zuoqiu Ting's cultivation and status were simply too high.
Even though Li Weiyi found him utterly repulsive, he had to swallow his disgust for now.
As he breathed, he accidentally caught a whiff of Zuoqiu Ting's fragrance. It was ultimately too much to bear.
"How about we go back to Diligent Garden? Since you've already found me, it would be quieter there to practice, and we wouldn't have to worry about being disturbed."
Li Weiyi naturally couldn't believe that Zuoqiu Ting was truly a woman.
After all, Zuoqiu Ting was a renowned master whose gender was common knowledge. No one would ever mistake Cang Li for a woman either.
"I learn quickly, no need to rush. Today, we're going to the Heavenly Pavilion for a free banquet. There'll be plenty of excitement to watch," Zuoqiu Ting said, sitting beside him with his back against the carriage door, arms crossed over his chest, and legs and skirt dangling outside.
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END OF CHAPTER
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