Chapter 239: 大年十五，晨

East City, Underground Ghost Market.

A brothel and elegant garden named Drunken Flower Shade served as the Earth Wolf King Army's secret stronghold in Qiuzhou State City.

Led by Shi Shishi, the three entered through the back garden.

The door was opened by Baishu, who wore a veil.

Baishu looked at Li Weiyi, who was slumped on Qi Xiao's back, his face as pale as paper, and asked, "What trouble have you gotten into now? Why are you so badly injured?"

Shi Shishi quickly walked forward, saying, "We fought Ge Xiantong; the dangers were indescribable. To put it simply, the top individual of the younger generation was repelled!"

Baishu scoffed at his nonsense, "The three of you combined are not yet qualified to make Ge Xiantong act."

Qi Xiao gently placed Li Weiyi onto Baishu's bed, then proudly declared, "Miss, you are mistaken this time! Even though Ge Xiantong is the top individual of the younger generation, and his master is the strongest in the world, this time he could only obediently serve as a foil for Brother Weiyi. Today, countless eyes witnessed Ge Xiantong retreat, having run out of options."

Baishu knew of Qi Xiao's reputation, and he wasn't one to brag. Her charming eyes widened in disbelief. She felt as if the man lying on the bed was glowing all over, clearly a banished immortal descended to the mortal world.

"Cough, cough!"

Li Weiyi's internal organs were burning with sharp pain, as if on fire. Fortunately, they had been sculpted with immortal earth, making them extremely resilient.

Mobilizing the immortal glow within his Divine Que to nourish his injuries, he suddenly sat up and said, "Have you cleaned up all traces and auras? We absolutely cannot give the enemy any chance to track us."

"Don't worry!" Shi Shishi thumped his chest and guaranteed, "The Earth Wolf King Army's greatest skill is concealment; otherwise, we would have been annihilated by the imperial court long ago. My anti-tracking ability is second to none below the Dao Seed Realm!"

Qi Xiao nodded slightly, "While there's some bragging involved, he does have genuine talent. The members of the Earth Wolf King Army are truly among the worst in the Southern Region in terms of character, but their ability to survive until now proves their extraordinary escape and hiding skills. I think we should leave the city quickly. You are too severely injured, and staying in Qiuzhou State City any longer is pointless."

Baishu had long wanted to flee. "If you want to leave the city, I'll make the arrangements. I have secret channels that guarantee your safety."

Li Weiyi pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked, "Where are your Dragon Seed Tickets and Dragon Bone Tickets?"

Shi Shishi replied, "They're already hidden! While the invitations can be located, a city shrunk to the size of a palm means a small dot on it represents a large area. It won't be easy for anyone to find them in a short time."

"You discuss it first, I'll go gather information. If the Zuqiu Clan and the Nine Li Tribe have been defeated, then there's no need to hesitate; quickly abandoning the Dragon Seed and Dragon Bone to save our lives is the top priority. Sigh! I'm truly unwilling..."

Qi Xiao sighed deeply and left.

For him, the Dragon Seed and Dragon Bone were treasures that could change one's destiny in a single leap to success.

Li Weiyi said, "King Shishi, you're unwilling too, aren't you?"

Shi Shishi said, "What good is being unwilling? Do you think that if I take this Dragon Bone Ticket and go to the imperial court or the Extreme West Ash Territory now, I'll actually get the Dragon Bone the night after tomorrow?"

"I actually saw Cang Li's invitation and know where the Dragon Lantern Festival will be held the night after tomorrow," Li Weiyi stated.

Shi Shishi was overjoyed. "Is there a chance to hide until the end and sneak in?"

"If Zuqiu Hong and Cang Li are defeated, the enemies will likely guard the outside of the venue and kill you on sight," Li Weiyi replied.

"I knew it..."

A vigorous fighting spirit and morale surfaced in Shi Shishi's eyes. "Give me some advice: should I lead the hidden martial cultivators of the Earth Wolf King Army to help Zuqiu Hong? To fight for our prospects, for our future."

Everyone was willing to risk their lives to squeeze into the narrow path of advancement.

Li Weiyi knew the importance of the Dragon Bone, Dragon Seed, and Longevity Pill to him and the seven youngsters. He didn't want to fall behind others, and naturally, he didn't want to give up just yet.

Many of the top martial cultivators attending the Dragon Lantern Festival were at the peak of the Seventh Qi Sea Realm; obtaining the Dragon Seed would allow them to attempt to break through to the Dao Seed Realm.

Once they entered the Dao Seed Realm, they could lock in their vital energy and physical stamina, delay aging, transition from martial arts to the Dao, and officially join the ranks of human powerhouses.

As for Li Weiyi, he still needed to accumulate for a long time in the Five Qi Sea Realm; the Wind Mansion, Ancestral Field, and even the Divine Que were all long roads. If he couldn't obtain the Dragon Bone, Dragon Seed, or Longevity Pill, he risked falling behind in the Dao Seed Realm.

Once he fell behind, it would mean decades of time.

Li Weiyi looked at the fervent Shi Shishi. "You'd better not be impulsive. Power hidden in the dark can play a better role. Zuqiu Hong, Cang Li, and Zhu Yibai are backed by millions of ancient clans and countless great families. They have significant resources and can afford the losses, and they definitely have backup plans."

"How about this: wait for me for two days. If I can heal my injuries, no matter the outcome for Zuqiu Hong and the others, I'll lead you and Qi Xiao to make a push."

Shi Shishi laughed heartily, "With that promise from you, Brother Weiyi, I know we have at least a fifty percent chance! Baishu, I'm entrusting him to you. Please take good care of him. I need to go check on my tickets."

That day, the sounds of battle ceaselessly echoed throughout the city. The slaughter spread to the Underground Ghost Market, and a battle even erupted outside Drunken Flower Shade.

Li Weiyi didn't stabilize his injuries and have the pain in his internal organs disappear until evening. However, to say he could fight anyone now would be a pipe dream.

In contrast, Da Feng, after consuming the most precious roots of a 1,600-year-old Black Dragon Grass, was full of vigor and vitality.

Its previous state of severe injury seemed like an act.

A thousand-year-old essence herb, reaching 1,600 years, had its medicinal power doubled compared to one only a thousand years old, and its price was also twice as much.

For the next two days, if Li Weiyi wanted to achieve anything, he would still have to rely on those seven.

Thousand-year essence herbs were naturally provided in abundance.

After nightfall, the sounds of battle gradually became sporadic.

After fighting for a day and a night, all factions were naturally exhausted and needed to rest.

Qi Xiao returned to Drunken Flower Shade with injuries, bringing back a healing elixir for Li Weiyi. His expression was grim. "I saw Zuqiu Hong, the top expert of the Zuqiu Clan's younger generation. They broke out of the Governor's Mansion, but after a day of bitter fighting, they couldn't breach the Attendant Hall. Both sides suffered heavy losses. She asked me to tell you that she's extremely grateful for this morning's battle, but the general trend is difficult to reverse... you should leave the city quickly."

"Cang Li said he couldn't leave, vowing to live or die with the Nine Li Tribe's martial cultivators."

"Li Ling said that since her brother couldn't leave, neither could she!"

Li Weiyi sighed, then pondered, "Even if they didn't breach the Attendant Hall, after a full day of fierce fighting, the imperial court must have suffered heavy losses. What's the current situation?"

Qi Xiao replied, "Originally, around dusk, a large number of martial cultivators from the Extreme West Ash Territory moved out, intending to encircle and eliminate the alliance of the Zuqiu Clan, Nine Li Tribe, and Zhu Clan. However, a hidden force suddenly intervened, resolving the crisis. It seems to be the Zhu Clan's last trump card."

Li Weiyi secretly guessed that it was most likely the Zhu Clan's Hidden Gate that had acted!

The Nine Li Hidden Gate alone had five or six Qi Sea Realm experts under thirty. The Hidden Gates of the Zhu Clan and Zuqiu Clan wouldn't be far behind.

The Hidden Gates definitely followed a path of only cultivating top experts.

Otherwise, they couldn't remain hidden.

Qi Xiao continued, "The situation is very delicate now. The battle between the imperial court and the Zuqiu Clan has stopped. The Snow Sword Tangting is patrolling the periphery, engaging and retreating as needed."

"The Dragon Gate and Thunder Cloud Sect rushed to the battlefield but held their troops without moving, busily building fortifications and setting up formations, without participating in the fight."

"Only the Extreme West Ash Territory is restless; who knows if they'll make a big move tonight."

Li Weiyi said, "The Extreme West Ash Territory has now clearly become the most powerful force. If they don't act quickly, all the other factions might collude overnight and then unite to deal with them..."

"Could Ge Xiantong have been right all along!"

"Has the world situation really evolved to the point where the Zuqiu Clan and the Zhu Clan can only ally with the imperial court?"

With his injuries unhealed, Li Weiyi could only watch, even if the situation in the city deteriorated further.

He no longer paid attention to the outside world, took the healing elixir Qi Xiao had brought back, and focused entirely on recuperating.

Another day and night passed.

On the morning of the fifteenth day of the lunar new year, it was still dark.

Shi Shishi finally returned to Drunken Flower Shade. The one who opened Li Weiyi's door was Baishu, dressed in white sleepwear.

Li Weiyi was meditating on the floor, his vital energy robust. He drew the Six Paths Battle Method's intent back into his body and said, "You're finally back. I thought you'd been killed."

"Look who I brought!"

Shi Shishi looked outside the door, as if presenting a treasure.

Yin Shi flashed inside and was overjoyed upon seeing Li Weiyi. "This is incredible! The whole city is buzzing with rumors that you repelled Ge Xiantong. Also, I don't know which son of a b*tch exposed your identity as a Hidden Person, but now everyone knows you're the leader of the Nine Li Hidden Gate for this sixty-year cycle."

Li Weiyi's eyes shifted. "I suspect it was most likely Lord Yin who deliberately spread the word, intending to use the Nine Li Hidden Gate to protect me."

Yin Shi's smile froze. He thought it was highly plausible, as other Hidden Persons wouldn't dare to leak such information. He awkwardly chuckled, "I didn't say anything just now, did I? Let's talk about serious matters first."

Li Weiyi said, "First, tell me, what have you been doing for the past half month? I thought you had died on New Year's Eve."

"I was almost killed by Huan Shenglin's palm, but didn't I inherit the battle intent of the Nine Li God? After falling into the river, I used my Jiaolong-like mutant physical talent and the Nine-Headed Demonic Flood Dragon Battle Method's intent to escape underwater, fleeing to the Bingzuze Sea, and have been hiding in the Moonlight Seven-Star Pavilion to recover ever since."

Yin Shi's eyes sparkled. "Guess what I encountered in the Moonlight Seven-Star Pavilion?"

"What did you encounter?" Li Weiyi asked.

Yin Shi replied, "People from the Zuqiu Hidden Gate! You wouldn't believe it, but Moonlight Seven-Star Pavilion is the final stronghold prepared by Zuqiu Hong and Zuqiu Ting. The Zuqiu Hidden Gate is their ultimate backup, and I'm leading them now. Hehe!"

Shi Shishi laughed, "Brother Weiyi, you didn't expect this, did you? Zuqiu Hong actually has another trump card, definitely prepared for the final battle."

"It's true they're prepared for the final battle! But the fact that he has to lead them indicates that the Zuqiu Hidden Gate's strength is only so-so, capable only of providing support and surprise attacks."

Li Weiyi suddenly smiled, "Do you know where the Dragon Lantern Festival venue is tonight?"

"Where?" both asked in unison.

Li Weiyi replied, "Cang Li's invitation says: 'A bright moon rises from the sea, an immortal turtle carries the Dragon Palace.'"