Chapter 107: Killing Cang Li, Plotting the End of the Era

The Jiu Li clan army stood below, on the gangplank, and on the deck of the Medicine Banner ship. All were deformed humans, clad in heavy armored spiritual artifacts, each wielding a single halberd. Their spirits were vibrant and their morale high, marking them as elite soldiers ready to form a battle array and confront grand cultivators at any moment.

Yao Xingyue, the Chief of Yaoli Armament, had already boarded the ship and was negotiating with Yao Yin.

Li Songlin deliberately stayed below the ship to monitor the massive warship. Seeing Li Weiyi disembark safely, he stepped forward and immediately saw through his disguise, saying, "Your disguise technique is still quite crude."

Li Weiyi was greatly startled. Had he been seen through already?

He wasn't afraid of being recognized by Li Songlin; rather, he feared the crowded and observant dock. Exposing his identity was secondary; revealing the true nature of the Hidden Gate would have unpredictable consequences.

Li Songlin, still appearing relaxed and casual, introduced himself: "I am Li Songlin, Chief of the Cangli Armament. How should I address you, young brother?"

Realizing that Li Songlin had only discerned the use of a disguise technique, Li Weiyi secretly sighed in relief. He cupped his hands and replied, "Sima Tan."

"May I see your blade?" Li Songlin asked.

Li Weiyi handed over the Horse-Chopping Blade, which still bore traces of blood.

Li Songlin held the hilt and examined the blade, saying, "This is a standard battle saber of the West Sea Slaves from the Western Domain State, a military spiritual artifact known as the Slave-Horse Cleaver. One hundred thousand West Sea Slaves, a thousand years of iron-blooded warriors. As long as the West Sea Slaves are not destroyed, Lingxiao City will not fall. Ten years ago, in the Battle of Cangyuan, the West Sea Slaves suffered a crushing defeat, with thirty thousand casualties, and the seven Western States subsequently fell into chaos."

"What do you think of the Yaoli Army trained by the Yaoli Tribe?"

Li Weiyi looked at the army before him, uniformly clad in standard armor and wielding halberds. Comparing them to the eunuch army he had encountered before, he chuckled, "How dare a junior like me comment on the Yaoli Army?"

"Just speak your mind," Li Songlin said.

Li Weiyi replied, "It's an army composed entirely of deformed human martial cultivators, each possessing immense strength, and all with cultivation levels of Six Springs or higher. Their spirits are vibrant, their eyes sharp, and their aura unified. Both their halberds and armor are spiritual artifacts, showing the Yaoli Tribe's generosity. However... I always feel they lack a certain killing intent, likely because they haven't experienced true battlefield combat."

Li Weiyi secretly guessed these were the personal guards of the Yaoli Armament Chief. He said, "If they were deployed to Burial Immortal Town, why would the Jiu Li clan fear the hunting of their young elites?"

"Armies are not allowed into Burial Immortal Town; this was agreed upon by all parties long ago."

Li Songlin returned the Slave-Horse Cleaver to Li Weiyi and asked, "Do you have a Five Seas Pill?"

Li Weiyi shook his head.

Li Songlin took out a pill bottle and handed it to him. "The Fiery Ape of the Dharma Path caused the Jiu Li clan to lose all face. Your strike, no matter its purpose, at least allowed the younger generation of the Jiu Li clan to straighten their backs again. This is what you deserve."

Li Weiyi, not one to decline, took the pill bottle. As he passed Li Songlin, he whispered, "Fourth Uncle, there's nothing to worry about concerning the Great Mangshan Sacrifice. Below the Five Seas realm, if I claim to be second, no one in the world dares to claim first."

Li Weiyi did not alter his voice when he said this.

Li Songlin's face froze, his eyes blank for a moment before he abruptly turned to look at Li Weiyi, who was already ascending the gangplank. He had been quite apprehensive about how to approach a junior, but now his heart swelled with delight.

He tried hard to control himself, not letting his expression become too exaggerated lest some hidden observers notice something amiss.

But he couldn't help it.

Driven by concern, he shouted, "If the Five Seas Pills aren't enough, just tell me!"

Li Weiyi didn't turn to respond. Just as he boarded the ship, he encountered Yao Xingyue, who was preparing to disembark. The two exchanged glances as they passed each other.

The Chief of Yaoli Armament was burly, with thick eyebrows, deep red eyes, and a prominent nose. He exuded an aura of inherent authority, intimidating without needing to show anger, which was quite imposing.

After disembarking, Yao Xingyue met with Li Songlin and couldn't help but glance back at the ship. "That young man truly has an impressive resolve. When I was disembarking just now, he actually dared to scrutinize me. Am I, a chief who has inspired awe in Lizhou for decades, completely without an aura?"

Li Songlin chuckled, "Feeling a disconnect? Do you think young juniors should always be respectful and cautious in your presence? What great things could a junior like that achieve?"

"I just find that young man a bit too strange. I really want to break his disguise technique and see his true face. He must have a Pure Immortal Body!" Yao Xingyue said.

Li Songlin, not planning to reveal the secret to anyone, cautiously warned, "You'd best not act recklessly. We still need to rely on them for the Great Mangshan Sacrifice. Only with him there can I rest assured."

Thinking of Li Weiyi and Yao Yin's close proximity, Li Songlin suddenly felt uneasy. She was Yao Qingxuan's daughter, still young and undeveloped. In a few years, she might well become another stunning beauty of Lizhou.

What about Li Ling then?

The Yaoli Army did not withdraw; they were responsible for protecting Li Weiyi and his two companions.

Li Weiyi entered the main hall of the ship and was surprised to find that Hidden Twenty-Five's injuries had mostly healed. Upon asking, he learned that the Chief of Yaoli Armament had personally assisted in the healing. Such treatment would make any Flowing Spring realm cultivator envious.

"So he's the Chief of Yaoli Armament," Li Weiyi said. "No wonder his aura is so powerful, like a divine mountain passing by; I almost showed my fear."

Yao Yin said, "He is also my father and Hidden Twenty-Four's father."

Li Weiyi was astonished. "Hidden Twenty-Four isn't biologically related either?"

"Of course he is," Yao Yin replied.

Li Weiyi said, "If a Chief's daughter is biologically related, how could she be sent for Hidden Gate trials?"

"First," Yao Yin said, "before entering the Hidden Gate, no one knew the trials were so brutal that only one could survive."

Hidden Twenty-Five added, "Second, not everyone qualifies for the Hidden Gate trials. As far as I know, half of the hidden individuals are from the direct lineage of the Nine Tribes. Entering the Hidden Gate represents a heavy responsibility rather than a privilege."

"In my opinion," he continued, "not many of the Nine Tribe Chiefs truly view the Hidden Gate as the ultimate protective force for the clan. During the Jiu Li clan's most difficult and humiliating periods, the Hidden Gate always chose to remain silent. The Nine Tribe Chiefs select youths for the Hidden Gate each year more because they believe they are preserving a spark for the Jiu Li clan, hiding it in the shadows."

"Of course, entering the Hidden Gate means severing ties with the past. Contact with clan members is forbidden unless under special circumstances. Even then, absolutely no information related to the Hidden Gate can be revealed. The Death Trial stage is specifically designed to filter out those who cannot keep secrets."

Li Weiyi looked at Yao Yin. "The Chief of Yaoli Armament came for tomorrow's Great Mangshan Sacrifice, didn't he?"

Yao Yin nodded slightly. "I agreed, as this is fundamentally our mission. But I made a request for him to prepare at least fifty Spring-Breaking Needles, twenty Light-Flame Pills, and ten Blood Crystals for us."

"You are truly greedy! But, to be fair, you asked for too few Blood Crystals."

Li Weiyi chuckled, in high spirits. He took out a wooden box containing a rare immortal-mist herb. "This rare herb is rich in immortal mist, but lacks spatial energy, so it should help martial cultivators transform into Pure Immortal Bodies. Hidden Twenty-Five, you can get alien coffins, so you must be quite wealthy, right? Do you want to buy this?"

An alien coffin cost at least tens of thousands of silver, which was not cheap.

Yao Yin asked, "Aren't you transforming into a Pure Immortal Body yourself?"

Hidden Twenty-Five quickly snatched the wooden box. "He's already such a monster; how could a Pure Immortal Body compare to him? He must have a legendary special physique. I need this rare herb more."

"One million silver coins," Li Weiyi said.

Hidden Twenty-Five nearly dropped the wooden box. How could he have that much money?

Wasn't this outright robbery?

"As far as I know," Li Weiyi said, preparing to take it back, "since the great change in Burial Immortal Town, fewer than a hundred rare herbs capable of helping martial cultivators transform into Pure Immortal Bodies have emerged. How precious are they! If you don't want it, plenty of others do. Hidden Twenty-Four ordered three from me, all at this price."

Hidden Twenty-Five quickly tucked the wooden box into his embrace. "I'll buy it! How about I pay thirty percent upfront and owe seventy percent? This is all the money I have; I've emptied everything."

Li Weiyi sighed. "Alright, alright, you all always like to buy on credit. It won't take thirty years to pay it off, will it?"

"It won't take that long," Hidden Twenty-Five said with confidence. "Once I break through to the Five Seas realm, I can earn a lot in a year."

Li Weiyi said, "If it weren't for this trip to Burial Immortal Town, and my desire to cultivate properly while training you all to handle tasks, I wouldn't sell it. Let's be clear: all rare herbs collected must first be given to me. I am the leader of this expedition, and the rare herbs are to be brought back to the Hidden Gate."

Hidden Twenty-Five grumbled inwardly, thinking, "You casually strike with a single blade and earn a million silver coins; even grand cultivators of the Dao Seed realm are no match for you. And bringing them back to the Hidden Gate? Didn't you say Hidden Twenty-Four already reserved three?"

He then remembered that if Li Weiyi hadn't intervened earlier, he would have died at the hands of the Fiery Ape of the Dharma Path, which helped balance his mood.

"Someone from the Extreme West Ashlands?"

Upon hearing this news, Yang Qingxi's willow-like eyebrows furrowed slightly, and for a moment, she didn't know how to decide.

The messenger was Yang Yun, who had broken through to the Nine Springs realm with the help of the Dyeing Mist rare herb. He said, "Sister, this person is extremely powerful; he struck down the Fiery Ape of the Dharma Path with a single blade. The Chief discerned that he used a disguise technique, and he's likely a Pure Immortal Body with all hundred meridians transformed into silver. He advised us to act cautiously tomorrow."

Yang Qingxi murmured to herself, "Since the Chief personally confirmed it, he must indeed be an extraordinary Flowing Spring realm cultivator."

Deep within the courtyard filled with begonias, Long Ting, the successor of the Dragon Gate, sat by the pond. Dragon scales shimmered with colorful light around him as he spoke in a calm yet firm tone: "If someone is this powerful in the Flowing Spring realm, they absolutely cannot be allowed to live. We must directly dispatch Five Seas realm cultivators to kill him in Burial Immortal Town."

Yang Yun, who could see the shimmering dragon scales ascending above the building, said, "The Sixth Generation Grandson said he wants to try."

Deep in the courtyard, a four-armed golden ape standing under a purple thousand-year-old tree solemnly said, "Tell him to be cautious and not to act impulsively. Even if he wants to try, a Five Seas realm cultivator must be on standby."

Chen Wenwu, the foremost among the younger generation of the Three Chen Palace, stood atop the building, his figure outstanding and refined. "He's merely a Flowing Spring realm cultivator. Each family should send one Five Seas realm cultivator to kill him like an ant. There's no need to waste time on him. Our target this time is to encircle and eliminate Cangli."

Yang Qingxi returned to the depths of the courtyard, looking at the more than ten figures gathered there. Her voice was clear, beautiful, and elegant: "To be precise, our targets are all the young Five Seas and Flowing Spring realm cultivators of the Jiu Li clan. This battle is to break their generational succession and force out the so-called Jiu Li Hidden Gate. Or rather, to compel the Jiu Li clan to make the first move and see what hidden resources they truly possess."

Besides the top young talents from Dragon Gate, Tianya Ridge, Sui Sect, and Three Chen Palace, Five Seas realm powerhouses from over a dozen other top forces—including Tianyi Sect, Coffin Sea Pavilion, Liyang City, Coffin Mountain, and Earth Wolf Royal Army—were also secretly deliberating here.

In the face of immense interests, everyone wanted a share of the spoils.

Long Ting sat gracefully, handsome and elegant, and chuckled, "Cangli is destined to die. But as for that Phoenix Platform Angel, do any of you have the courage to take care of her as well? Killing her would truly shake the world."

At his words, some were eager to try, while others were filled with trepidation.