Chapter 135: Hidden Two, Hidden Thirteen

At the camp below the mountain, a large river surged past, its waters swift and turbulent.

Zuoqiu Ting closed his folding fan and sat still as a statue inside the tent. This was the second time he had heard Zuoqiu Baiming and Zuoqiu Lanlan recount their experiences in the mountains, listening carefully to every detail.

The two elder figures, both nearly a hundred years old, stood to his left and right, their eyes occasionally glinting with a fierce light.

In the Southern Territory, someone actually dared to oppose the Zuoqiu family and acted viciously, aiming to annihilate them completely.

From this small incident, it was clear that this was not a simple struggle for immortal soil. It indicated that the disciples from Tianya Ridge, Coffin Mountain, Sui Sect, and Three Chen Palaces had no reverence whatsoever for their family, the premier power in the Southern Territory, who effectively held sway there.

Without reverence, acts of rebellion would become increasingly common in the future, much like what was happening with Lingxiao Palace now.

The white-bearded elder, standing to Zuoqiu Ting’s left rear, sneered, “Tianya Ridge and Coffin Mountain are somewhat understandable; after all, the Four Extremes Ape King and that living forbidden entity are truly extraordinary, and their disciples naturally have strong backing. But what are Sui Sect and Three Chen Palaces, young master? There must be an explanation for this matter, otherwise they might think the Southern Territory has a new master.”

Zuoqiu Baiming touched his broken leg, which still throbbed with excruciating pain, and said bitterly, “Sui Sect is too arrogant! Even a junior from the Xue family doesn't show the Zuoqiu family any respect. We’ve been too lenient these past years; they’ve started treating the Zuoqiu family like the Jiuli Tribe, thinking that a myriad of families are just clay figures.”

Zuoqiu Lanlan, her eyes red-rimmed, said, “Brother Che was directly devoured by Diran. Coffin Mountain’s ruthlessness surpasses even Sui Sect’s.”

Zuoqiu Baiming said, “Many forces in the Southern Territory have united. We must not be careless anymore. If we don’t break them apart, they’ll target us next once they’ve taken Lizhou.”

Zuoqiu Ting’s expression remained calm, his thoughts drifting to the Thirty-Three Li Mountain. “According to your account, you were with Sima Tan when you were knocked unconscious?”

Zuoqiu Lanlan’s pretty face, which had been contorted with pain and resentment, instantly flushed crimson, and she dared not meet his gaze.

“That’s right.”

Zuoqiu Baiming immediately added, “It must have been an ambush by people from Sui Sect and Tianya Ridge. I only regret that my spirit-skin was shattered; otherwise, even with a broken leg, I certainly wouldn’t have been ambushed like this.”

Zuoqiu Ting said, “But you were safely brought down the mountain, and none of the immortal soil or rare herbs on you were lost.”

Zuoqiu Lanlan said, “Sima Tan must have saved us. His... his combat power is probably no less than Senior Brother Baiming’s, and he keeps seven exotic insects. Those from Sui Sect and Tianya Ridge who provoked him were seeking death. Given time, he will certainly achieve a renowned reputation among the young martial artists of the Southern Territory.”

Zuoqiu Ting looked at Zuoqiu Lanlan with surprise, sensing that the two were hiding something. He smiled and said, “Is he that strong? Sister Lanlan rarely praises a young man to such an extent.”

Zuoqiu Lanlan did not stint on her praise: “His cultivation and combat power are secondary. What’s more, this person possesses immense personal charisma, and his mind and character are rarely seen in this world. Otherwise, how could the two of us have survived coming down the mountain, Senior Brother Baiming, right?”

Zuoqiu Baiming didn’t know what had happened after he fainted, and he wasn't even sure if he had been knocked out by those seven exotic insects.

Who knew if something improper had occurred between them on the mountain? He said, “Young master, the immortal mist and clouds have dispersed, but Sima Tan has not come down the mountain. I suspect he has left from another direction, and the large quantities of radiant exotic herbs and golden springs he seized from the martial cultivators of Three Chen Palaces and Coffin Mountain must have been pocketed by him.”

Zuoqiu Baiming did not know that Sui Sect and Tianya Ridge had also been ambushed and utterly defeated.

Zuoqiu Lanlan said, “Perhaps Sima Tan encountered danger.”

Zuoqiu Baiming sneered, “If he sent us down the mountain, why wouldn’t he return to camp with us? It’s clear he wanted to pocket the treasures for himself.”

Zuoqiu Ting, not wanting to listen to their bickering, stood up and walked out of the tent. He gazed at the verdant, towering Thirty-Three Li Mountain; the air was fresh, and the energy of the Dharma was dense.

The glow and mist had already receded to the mountaintop.

If any Five Seas Realm martial cultivators were still lingering in the mountain, they would have certainly spontaneously combusted by now.

He walked towards the stone monument at the entrance of the mountain pass.

There, figures, carriages, and exotic beasts converged, numbering in the hundreds. In this immortal realm, the radiant exotic herbs in the searchable areas had been almost completely gathered. Only the strange and majestic Thirty-Three Li Mountain still yielded them, so naturally, everyone gathered here.

Who wouldn't want to transform into a pure immortal body? Who wouldn't want to rapidly break through and join the ranks of the younger generation’s elite, then sit back and watch events unfold? As for the undetectable areas deep within the immortal realm, Dao Seed Realm old-timers had fallen there one after another. The latest news was that even a Long-Life Realm behemoth had perished inside, making it terrifyingly dangerous, and many people were contemplating retreat.

In front of the colossal, wall-like stone monument, young martial cultivators from various major forces were engaged in heated discussions and arguments; it seemed something significant had occurred.

The leaders of the four major sects, Tianya Ridge, and Coffin Mountain, all looked grim.

They had been waiting for Xue Qi, Chen Song, Diran, and others to return, but to no avail.

So they dispatched martial cultivators from the Spring Realm to search the mountain, and they brought back a large number of corpses.

The bodies were devoid of treasures and money. There was no need to guess; they must have fallen victim to human foul play, not mountain oddities.

“Who on earth did this? If I find out, I will boil them, fry them, eat their flesh, and sleep in their skin!” Miedi’s rage had nowhere to vent, so he could only utter such a threat, secretly observing everyone present.

“The targeting is very precise. Why does it feel like the Jiuli Tribe’s doing?”

In Shi Shishi’s mind, the figure of “Sima Tan” appeared, but he felt that with Sima Tan’s cultivation, he couldn't have accomplished something of this magnitude.

Could it be the legendary Jiuli Hidden Sect that made a move? “King Shishi is formidable; with a single word, he pinpointed the crucial aspect. This was a siege against the four major sects, and Tianya Ridge was also implicated.”

Chen Wenwu added, “A large number of magical artifacts, radiant exotic herbs, and golden springs were stolen. Most likely, they will flow into the market soon. As long as we investigate, we will surely find the source. Three Chen Palaces will definitely avenge this!”

Among the younger generation of Three Chen Palaces, two of their three Supreme Beings had fallen in succession; the losses were undoubtedly tragic.

Now, only Chen Wenwu remained as the sole heir.

Zuoqiu Ting silently observed the corpses laid out on the ground, his smile growing wider. He mused to himself, “What a Li Weiyi! His appetite is truly enormous. How many treasures did he seize? He used my Zuoqiu family’s talisman robes to enter the mountain, made an immense fortune, and then absconded with the treasures. Can a monk escape the temple even if he runs away?”

“Is the Hidden Lord here?”

Li Weiyi surveyed the low, grassy hills before him. The view was unobstructed; for dozens of miles, there was no sign of human presence. Where could the Hidden Lord be? *Whoosh!*

On the small hill ahead, only dozens of meters high, a rift suddenly appeared, and an invisible, shadowless curtain lifted.

The Hidden Lord’s tall, sturdy figure materialized. Wearing a metal mask and a wide black robe, he exuded an aura of authority without needing to rage. From a distance, he said, “Weiyi, was your cooperation with the Zuoqiu family pleasant? Did you help them dig up any immortal soil?”

Li Weiyi observed the curtain, noticing the array patterns. He quickly ascended the hill and reported, “We dug up nearly a jin of immortal soil, along with a large amount of spiritual earth. Zuoqiu Baiming has already taken it down the mountain.”

“A jin is a bit little, but establishing a good relationship with the Zuoqiu family is most important. You will have many more opportunities for cooperation in the future. Speaking of which, it was I who personally invited the Zuoqiu family’s ancestor to Lizhou,” the Hidden Lord said.

Hidden Twenty-Four and Hidden Twenty-Three followed closely up the hill, both maintaining natural expressions, not daring to expose the truth of Li Weiyi’s secret departure and embezzlement.

Li Weiyi felt a slight unease and said, “Isn’t the Hidden Sect about being hidden? Couldn’t this cooperation have been handled by Cangli, the inheritor? And by the way, if you, Hidden Lord, personally invited the Zuoqiu family’s ancestor, wouldn’t that expose the existence of the Hidden Sect?”

The Hidden Lord, who was usually solemn in front of other hidden people, smiled and said, “For a thousand years, as the two transcendent forces in the Southern Territory, the Zuoqiu family and the Jiuli Tribe have always probed each other’s depths. Among them, the most intense probing has been between their respective Hidden Sects.”

“You wouldn’t think the Zuoqiu family doesn’t have their own Hidden Sect, would you? For a myriad of families, ancient clans, and sects, the existence of Hidden Sects is an open secret.”

“The Hidden Sects of the Jiuli Tribe and the Zuoqiu family compete with each other and engage in clandestine struggles. But they also cooperate to deal with other forces in the Southern Territory that might grow into myriad families or sects.”

“This kind of dirty work is handled by both Hidden Sects; they will not allow a third myriad-level force to emerge in the Southern Territory.”

“Furthermore, to gain the support of the Zuoqiu family, the Jiuli Tribe—especially the Hidden Sect—must demonstrate the strength befitting a myriad ancient clan and offer a sufficient price.”

Li Weiyi heard something unusual, and his expression turned grave: “Has the situation become so dangerous that we must invite the Zuoqiu family’s help to overcome the crisis?”

The Hidden Lord’s gaze was profound: “Tianya Ridge’s involvement was unexpected; no one thought the demon race would dare to interfere in the struggle for dominion. Of course, even so, the Zuoqiu family’s help isn’t strictly necessary. Rather, if there’s an easier way to solve a problem, why stubbornly resist it alone?”

“Weiyi, if you are to become a Divine Hidden person, you must understand one principle. As a leader, your consideration shouldn’t solely be about a life-or-death struggle with enemies. You should also consider how to minimize your own casualties while securing victory.”

“The hidden people follow you, so you must take good care of them.”

“In the seven states of the Southern Territory, forces vie for supremacy: barbarians, families, powerful clans, sects, demon races, gangs... The strong are numerous. To survive, one must seek allies as much as possible. We need allies, and the Zuoqiu family needs them too.”

Beside the Hidden Lord were two other black-clad figures, who had been observing Li Weiyi.

“What should I call these two?”

Li Weiyi’s gaze shifted to them.

One of the black-clad figures had fair skin and a soft, round face, appearing to be in his twenties. He stepped forward, showing no contempt despite Li Weiyi’s relatively shallow cultivation, and bowed with a smile, saying, “Hidden Thirteen.”

“Hidden Two.”

The other man was shorter, with a thinner face, deep-set eyes, and a weighty aura, appearing to be in his thirties or forties.

Both were wearing high-grade magical artifact night-traveling robes.

The difference was that a corner of Hidden Thirteen’s blue brocade official robe could be seen beneath his night-traveling attire, indicating his extraordinary identity.