Chapter 139: Dragon Lantern Festival

On the riverside plain, the Yaoli tribe's large encampment, covering an area of a hundred acres, was enveloped in the "Heavenly Tree's Shadow" created by a formation. It was as if an ancient sacred tree had truly taken root in the center of the camp, extending its branches and leaves to cover an area of several miles.

Around the periphery of the camp, the ground was covered with densely placed formation steles.

In the sky, twelve bright lookout lanterns floated.

Inside the camp.

Li Weiyi saw Yaoyin and Yin Twenty-Five waiting there. Both possessed pure immortal bodies; one wore a veil, the other a mask. They had not joined the young martial cultivators participating in the Mount Long Grand Sacrifice who went to the Jiuli Temple to avoid the war.

After exchanging greetings.

Li Weiyi's gaze fell upon Zhao Zhizhuo, who had rushed out of a tent and was walking towards them. "Old Zhao, how's your recovery coming along?" he asked.

In recent days, Zhao Zhizhuo had been staying on the boat, using the blood crystals Li Weiyi had given him to heal his lungs.

He looked several years younger, his steps light. He cupped his hands in a salute and transmitted his voice using mystic energy: "Reporting, young master, my five lung lobes are almost completely healed, and I can reopen my Qi Sea at any time. However, the injured tendons and bones, as well as my depleted physical vitality, will likely require cultivation with mystic energy for several years to recover to their former peak."

Fourteen years ago, Yao Qian had not only shattered his spring eye but also destroyed his Qi Sea.

The Burial Snow Sword Qi, upon entering the body, would also cause severe frostbite to tendons and bones, freezing the blood within a short period.

Back then, Zhao Zhizhuo was treated in time, which saved his life. But his tendons and bones had become brittle, like those of a frail elder, and his vitality no longer possessed the vigor of a Five Seas Realm martial cultivator.

"Take your time!" Li Weiyi replied. "Use more blood crystals to nourish yourself. Let me know if you need more."

Li Weiyi had earned a considerable amount of blood crystals on this trip, so his tone was naturally different from before, showing a certain air of a wealthy upstart.

Zhao Zhizhuo had something to report, but hesitated, then asked: "Young master, what are your plans next? Are you still entering Burial Immortal Town?"

Li Weiyi's heart stirred. "You want to go into the Immortal Realm space to seek opportunities too?" he asked.

If he could help Zhao Zhizhuo restore his cultivation to the Fifth Stage of the Five Seas Realm quickly, and the two of them went to Burial Immortal Town together, they might truly make another fortune.

Li Weiyi quickly dismissed this idea.

The Sunset Glow miraculous herbs in Burial Immortal Town had almost been completely harvested. Only Mount Thirty-Three Li still had some, but it was extremely dangerous inside. Li Weiyi couldn't guarantee that entering the mountain again would be as uneventful as the first time.

Moreover, to enter the mountain, one had to pass the trials of the most formidable young generation powerhouses, such as the Soulless Golden Ape, Yang Qingxi, and Chen Wenwu. The risks were immense.

Li Weiyi added, "A great war is about to begin. The area around Yaoguan City and Burial Immortal Town will certainly be one of the centers of the conflict. Given our cultivation levels, it would be wise to leave this place as soon as possible."

Having witnessed the methods and auras of Lord Yin and Grand Master, Li Weiyi profoundly understood the terror of battles between powerful individuals. If young juniors like them were to get caught in the battle zone, even a single ripple of residual energy falling upon them could result in instant death.

A deep voice came from the direction of the tent, audible only to their small group. "When that time comes, the entire Lizhou will be engulfed in conflict. Where do you plan to take refuge?"

Yao Xingyue, the Jiuli Chieftain, wearing mystic armor, his figure as tall and straight as a sky-piercing divine peak, strode over, accompanied by Yin Twenty-Four.

Li Weiyi had already met this renowned chieftain on the Medicine Banner's large ship. Now that he had entered the Five Seas Realm, he could still stand tall and calmly meet Yao Xingyue's gaze, even under the deliberately overflowing aura.

But after all, he was an elder, and Li Weiyi was by no means arrogant or conceited. He cupped his hands and bowed.

Yao Xingyue stopped about ten feet away from him. "Now you know the extent to which a chieftain-level figure can perceive if they use secret techniques and deliberately sense, don't you?" he asked.

"Thank you for the guidance, Chieftain," Li Weiyi replied.

The conversation he had just had with Zhao Zhizhuo had been conducted through mystic energy transmission, but it had still been heard by Yao Xingyue, who was twenty feet away.

The terrifying extent of his perception and the profound subtlety of his methods were completely beyond the comprehension of a Five Seas Realm martial cultivator.

"Be more careful in the future!" Yao Xingyue continued. "If you refine your mystic energy to the second-tier Qi of the Five Seas and solidify it, it won't be so easy for me to eavesdrop again!"

Yao Xingyue's gaze fell on Yaoyin, and he sighed. "You few, leave Lizhou immediately, and don't return before the outcome of the war is clear. This isn't deserting. It's about burying the best seeds in the soil when the wildfire spreads, so that new shoots will emerge from the ashes next spring."

Yin Twenty-Four, as if inherently rebellious, said: "The world is in chaos, slaughter is everywhere, and demons and ghosts run rampant. Do you think leaving Lizhou will lead to a peaceful place? I think it will be even more dangerous."

"Go to Qiuzhou," Yao Xingyue instructed.

"Currently, throughout the Southern Realm, Qiuzhou is the most stable," Yao Xingyue said, "followed by Fuzhou, which is still under imperial court control. Both of these prefectures belong to the Ten Prefectures of the Central Plains, are far from the Malevolent Death Spirits, have thriving civilizations, and populations exceeding a hundred million."

"The latest news we've received is that next year, on the Lantern Festival, the Due'e Temple will hold the 'Latent Dragon Lantern Festival' in Qiuzhou's provincial capital, inviting young talents from all twenty-eight provinces of Lingxiao to celebrate the festival. It is said they will offer a number of Immortality Pills, Dragon Seeds, and Dragon Bones as gifts to the 'Latent Dragons'."

"Given your cultivation levels, there's naturally no need to hope for those ultimate treasures of the Latent Dragons."

"But since Due'e Temple and the Zuoqiu Faction are holding such a grand event to build momentum, safety should certainly be guaranteed. You can temporarily take refuge there and also broaden your horizons."

"A'Yin, on your way, go to the Valley of Heroic Souls and sweep your mother's tomb," Yao Xingyue added. "Not being able to move her remains back to the ancestral mountain has always been a pain in my heart. Those old conservatives in the clan have always obstructed it. Once they're all gone, I will personally bring her home."

Li Weiyi didn't know what kind of existence this Due'e Temple was. He mused, "'Latent Dragon Lantern Festival'! That name... Does this mean they completely disregard the Lingxiao Palace?"

Yao Xingyue also evidently felt that the words "Latent Dragon" were taboo and might provoke powerful figures from Lingxiao Palace. He said, "Due'e Temple has its own backing! Legend has it that when Zen Sea Temple Mist defeated Thunder Heaven and established Lingxiao, it was supported by Due'e Temple, or perhaps Due'e Temple was its master sect."

"Due'e Temple's attitude like this is precisely telling everyone that Lingxiao Palace's destiny is exhausted, and this time, they stand with the Zuoqiu Faction."

Yang Yun had been taken by the Jiuli tribe to be exchanged for hostages with the Sui Sect!

After handing Shang Zhi's body over to Yao Xingyue for disposal, they left the Yaoli tribe's military camp that very night. Yin Twenty-Four, Yin Twenty-Five, and Yaoyin went ahead to the Hidden Gate's stronghold, Mount Monarch Taiqing's Tomb, to rendezvous with Yin Thirteen and the others.

"Crack!"

Li Weiyi and Zhao Zhizhuo spurred their horses and galloped towards Yaoguan City.

This was because Zhao Zhizhuo had informed him that the Cangli Chieftain, Li Songlin, had been severely wounded by Yao Qian and was on the brink of death.

"In the chieftain's battle by the Sui River a few days ago," Zhao Zhizhuo sighed on horseback, "the Qingli Chieftain was killed, and several others were severely wounded. Yao Qian fought one against six and achieved such a complete victory. Some say he could defeat nine chieftains of the Jiuli tribe, even one against nine. Yao Qian's current cultivation is more than ten times stronger than it was fourteen years ago."

Li Weiyi's expression was conflicted.

After coming to this world, Li Songlin could be said to be the most sincere elder to him. Perhaps there was a misunderstanding about his relationship with Li Ling involved. But kindness and loyalty were still kindness and loyalty.

If one couldn't distinguish between gratitude, resentment, and loyalty, then one couldn't stand tall in the world.

No wonder Lord Yin was enraged and insisted on killing him.

The Cangli tribe's army was the strongest among the Jiuli tribes.

Stationed outside Yaoguan City was the "Suspended Tower Army." Their discipline was strict, and their formations were grand. The light of their formation solidified into a hundred-zhang-tall azure giant tower the size of a mountain, suspended in mid-air, intimidating all martial cultivators within a hundred li radius.

After the chieftain's battle, Yaoguan City was filled with trepidation and had completely entered a state of war. All important figures of the tribe had entered the military camp.

After Zhao Zhizhuo produced the token given by Li Ling, a Seven Springs Realm soldier clad in mystic armor quickly entered the camp to report.

Li Ling was a Grand Seer of the Heavenly Fire Realm and also the Underworld Lantern Guiding Envoy, so she naturally held such influence.

Soon after, she emerged from the camp, dressed in red martial attire with armor over it, her hair tied in a ponytail, walking with a valiant and spirited gait. Her gaze naturally fell upon Li Weiyi, who had used a disguise technique.

"I've come to visit Fourth Uncle," Li Weiyi said, using his own voice.

"These two are fine, you can let them in," she said.

After entering the military camp's formation, Li Ling led the way, guiding Li Weiyi to Li Songlin's dark tent where he was recuperating. She followed him inside.

"Fourth Uncle!" Li Ling called out.

Li Songlin's condition was much better than Li Weiyi had imagined. He was half-reclining in a chair, his hair disheveled, his complexion only slightly sickly.

Li Weiyi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and chuckled. "At the Yaoli tribe's military camp, when Zhao Zhizhuo told me you were severely injured, it gave me quite a fright, so I immediately spurred my horse and came. And when I entered the camp, Li Ling looked so serious and didn't say a word, I still thought..."

"You thought I was dying?" Li Songlin interrupted, chuckling. "I just lost a battle, I'm not dead yet!"

Li Songlin then added, "I've always been this useless, but you're different; you won a great victory in Burial Immortal Town. When I heard that news, my injuries healed by more than half then and there. Amazing, I think your future achievements will be even greater than Cangli's. Fourth Girl, you better seize the opportunity!"

"Stop putting on a brave front!" Li Ling said coldly. "If my father hadn't treated you in time, Fourth Uncle, you would have already turned into an ice sculpture, not just lost the use of your legs as you are now. This grudge against Yao Qian, we must avenge."

The smile on Li Weiyi's face froze. He quickly crouched down and reached for Li Songlin's legs.

His arm swept past the wide, thick trousers.

"Swoosh!"

They were empty; there was nothing there.

Both legs were gone from the knees down.

Li Weiyi's heart plummeted like a roller coaster, falling from his earlier joy into a cold, abyssal bottom.

He grabbed Li Songlin's arm to examine it.

Like Zhao Zhizhuo, he had been corroded by the Burial Snow Sword Qi. His tendons and bones, having been frozen, remained brittle even after thawing and softening, no longer possessing the resilient physique of a former peak martial cultivator.

Fortunately, his spring eye and Qi Sea were not crippled. He could slowly refine the Burial Snow Sword Qi and recuperate his body.

"Such a formidable Burial Snow Sword Qi!"

At this moment, dense killing intent filled Li Weiyi's eyes. He only wished for Lord Yin to sever Yao Qian's head soon.

He took out a large bottle of Golden Spring from his spatial pouch. He placed it into Li Songlin's hand, crouched down, and said softly, "Fourth Uncle, this Golden Spring is a miraculous bone-forging treasure found in the Immortal Realm space. It will surely nourish your injured tendons and bones back to health, making them even stronger than before."

"Such a treasure, why give it to a cripple like me?" Li Songlin retorted. "You should use it to forge your own bones."

Li Songlin, of course, knew how precious this kind of Golden Spring from the Immortal Realm space was. He picked up the iron bottle, intending to return it to Li Weiyi, but then realized the iron bottle was completely full of Golden Spring. His eyes widened. "You brat," he exclaimed, "you actually found this much Golden Spring?"