Chapter 258: Hidden Person Roster

Standing on the cliff edge, both men had their hands clasped behind their backs, looking down at Qiu Prefecture city.

“Everyone has been young once—full of fight, dressed in fine clothes, riding spirited horses, fearless and uninhibited. I can understand that thrill one feels in youth upon encountering someone truly striking…”

Gradually, Hidden Lord became lost in his own memories, his wise gaze turning somewhat dazed.

After listening, Li Weiyi quickly explained, “Actually, I knew Zuoqiu Ting was Zuoqiu Hong, also known as Zuoqiu Hongting. I was just teasing her, getting back at her for deceiving me.”

Hidden Lord wore a mask, but Li Weiyi could still discern the astonishment in his eyes beneath it.

“You young people really know how to... Well, I won't interfere in matters of the heart. However, having observed all sorts of people and events for sixty years, I've gained some insights. I must warn you: never play with fire; you might get burned.”

Li Weiyi nodded, taking the advice to heart.

Hidden Lord then turned to serious matters. “You won the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, and you did exceptionally well. Not only did you secure the support of the Calamity Temple, but you also allowed the world to once again witness the grandeur of the ancient Nine Li tribe.”

“When the news reached Li Prefecture, the entire tribe erupted in celebration. The patriarchs of all nine divisions sent envoys with congratulatory messages.”

“The High Priest of the Nine Li God Temple has already announced that you should return quickly, as they will host a grand triumphal ceremony to inform the Nine Li gods. Rewards will certainly be abundant.”

“What are your thoughts?”

Li Weiyi replied, “How about they send the rewards here to Qiu Prefecture city? I'm especially short on elixirs that aid in spiritual power cultivation.”

Hidden Lord smiled. “What, you don't want to return?”

“Does Hidden Lord wish me to return?” Li Weiyi countered.

Hidden Lord's expression became solemn. “For the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, you advanced too rapidly in the Five Seas realm! I don't know how you managed to suppress the rejection of the Dharma Qi, but I hope that for the next few years, you will seclude yourself for proper cultivation. Don't leave any hidden dangers in the Five Seas realm. And don't let the rapid progress of Qi Xiao and others, aided by the Dragon Seed, disrupt your own cultivation pace.”

“In Li Prefecture, forces like Coffin Mountain, Heavenly Ridge, and Night City have temporarily withdrawn their troops. However, within the Nine Li tribe itself, people from the In Sect, Three Chen Palace, and Heavenly Unity Gate have not yet been fully purged.”

“It's too risky for the younger generation to all return now.”

“Peach and Plum Mountain has abundant spiritual energy, and the Zuoqiu clan's library is fully stocked with various texts, making it an excellent place for secluded cultivation.”

“However, I am currently quite concerned about one particular matter.”

Li Weiyi asked, “Is it about the Calamity Temple?”

Hidden Lord looked at him with a hint of surprise.

Li Weiyi sighed deeply. “I was just about to discuss this with you, Hidden Lord! This Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival was simply too strange. I can't shake the feeling that the Calamity Temple and the demon race had already made contact, perhaps even betting on both sides.”

“The secret of my foundational cultivation is currently just speculation. But what if that Immortal Master invites me to cultivate at the Calamity Temple? That secret would undoubtedly be exposed.”

“I don't believe everyone at the Calamity Temple is a morally upright old immortal.”

Hidden Lord had not anticipated Li Weiyi's exceptional discernment. Not only was he not carried away by the victory of the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, but he also clearly saw the immense risks involved.

Hidden Lord was very pleased. “Besides that, there's another major risk. Have you considered that the Calamity Temple might designate you as a 'Hidden Dragon'?”

Li Weiyi was slightly taken aback. “This... are they trying to set me up for death, or to sow discord between the Nine Li tribe and the Zuoqiu clan?”

Hidden Lord replied, “Zuoqiu Ling and I have already discussed this and are considering countermeasures. If you don't go to the Calamity Temple and refuse to be used by them, it's entirely possible they'll elevate you to the heavens just to watch you fall to your death.”

“The most crucial point is that your performance at the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival genuinely showed the potential of a Hidden Dragon; you outshone both Zuoqiu Hongting and Luan Shenglinyou. If they make such an evaluation, the world will only see it as fair and just.”

Li Weiyi's head began to ache; he knew the aftermath of the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival would be troublesome. “Since Hidden Lord and the Zuoqiu clan leader have already discussed this, do you have a solution?”

Hidden Lord stated, “This matter must be resolved before the Immortal Master from the Calamity Temple returns. You might have to endure some pain, but no matter what happens, you must trust me completely. Elder Qin will personally handle this.”

“Rest assured, this old man has rarely made mistakes in his life; he will ensure everything is meticulously handled.”

Elder Qin walked over silently, untied Li Weiyi's robe, and meticulously examined the location of his ancestral field.

Li Weiyi's heart began to pound. “Trust is not an issue... but what exactly are you planning to do? Could you explain it a bit more clearly?”

“The more you know about this, the more easily you might give something away.”

Elder Qin stood up and departed, chuckling. “No problem, this old man has it all figured out. Please continue!”

Li Weiyi already had a guess in his mind. He re-tied his belt, feeling a chill down his spine as he looked around for any trace of Elder Qin.

Hidden Lord explained, “The Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival has pushed you into the spotlight. I must bring you down, metaphorically speaking, to the trough of the waves. This way, we can avoid most of the danger.”

“The Nine Li tribe acquired two Longevity Elixirs in total. One is for you, and one is for Cang Li; we've set them aside. Your portion of the Dragon Seed has been given to Elder Zhuo; you can collect it from him once you've reached the peak of the Five Seas realm.”

“This interdimensional pouch contains two dragon bones and the roster of Hidden Ones.”

“I have already made the announcement: you are now officially a Divine Hidden One of the Nine Li Hidden Gate. The Hidden Ones' roster contains information on all Hidden Ones from this cycle, as well as some of the Hidden Gate's properties and strongholds.”

“Currently, specific affairs are still managed by Hidden Two and Hidden Thirteen, but you can make adjustments to this arrangement.”

“Oh, and an Elder of the Hidden Ones sent back a message: you've been targeted by an evil cult! These people are incredibly fanatical; many of them view death as a form of transcendence. They are utterly fearless and capable of anything. So, even here in Qiu Prefecture city, you must be extremely careful.”

“Once your matter is resolved, I will return to Li Prefecture. If you need anything, simply instruct a Hidden One to handle it, or inform Elder Qin and Elder Zhuo.”

Li Weiyi, who was flipping through the Hidden Ones' roster, asked in surprise, “An evil cult? I don't recall ever interacting with them.”

Hidden Lord replied, “Do you remember the decisive battle on the night of the Lantern Festival? A squad of black-armored cavalry appeared, wearing face coverings embroidered with rice stalk patterns. You used the Violet Heaven Thunder Seal to severely wound all of them with a single strike. They belong to the Twin Cult!”

“They hold a grudge just because of that?” Li Weiyi was speechless.

Hidden Lord shook his head. “It's not that simple! If it were merely that small grudge, your status as a Divine Hidden One of the Nine Li Hidden Gate would be enough to avert disaster. It's more likely due to the highly publicized 'All-Gold Body.'”

“The Twin Cult is far from simple. Its followers are spread across all twenty-eight prefectures, but they are deeply hidden, operating in the shadows. From the mere tip of the iceberg that I've observed, it's already a terrifying behemoth.”

“The Hidden Gate will investigate the full extent of this as soon as possible, striving to defuse the danger before it escalates.”

“Furthermore, do not use the Violet Heaven Thunder Seal again until your cultivation reaches the Dao Seed realm. I have already publicly stated that it is a powerful artifact of the Nine Li tribe and was retrieved after the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival.”

Li Weiyi was secretly touched, realizing how much thought Hidden Lord had put into these matters. Moreover, on the night of the Lantern Festival, Hidden Lord had risked great danger, rushing into the transcendental battleground to rescue him immediately. Even his own son did not receive such treatment.

Undoubtedly, Hidden Lord placed his trust in the Nine Li Chieftain, and valued Li Weiyi's talent and character. Hidden Lord served as a guide for the next generation of Divine Hidden Ones, a relationship not of master and disciple, but one even deeper.

Li Weiyi said, “I am still a long way from reaching the Longevity realm. Please give the Longevity Elixir prepared for me to Fourth Uncle—that is, Li Songlin, the Armored Head of Cang Li.”

Hidden Lord snorted coldly. “Him? With his talent, giving him a Longevity Elixir would be like throwing it into the water. Since his leg is broken, he should just stay in the clan, enjoy his old age, and spend his time guiding the cultivation of the younger generation. He shouldn't come out and embarrass himself again.”

If Li Weiyi hadn't known that Hidden Lord was so enraged after Yao Qian severed Li Songlin's legs that he personally pursued and hunted down Yao Qian, he might have believed those words!

Li Weiyi said, “When I first arrived in Nine Li City, all I wanted was to buy a residence and live peacefully as an ordinary citizen with my companions, never intending to get involved in any disputes. But in this world, there was simply no place for us. The Changlin Gang came knocking on our door that very day.”

“Fourth Uncle, with his noble status as the Armored Head of Cang Li, was willing to stand up for us, personally going to intimidate the Changlin Gang. When he obtained the Dyed Cloud wonder-medicine, I was also the first person he thought of.”

“How could one not remember for a lifetime the person who sheltered them from the storm when they were weak, when they had nothing, and when they held no value?”

“Honestly, when I learned about the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, I was very aware that I didn't have the qualifications to participate. My cultivation and strength simply couldn't catch up in time.”

“It was because of Fourth Uncle that I felt I could give it my all, to fight for him. I couldn't bear to see someone as free-spirited as him spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. How painful would that be?”

After a long silence, Hidden Lord said, “I will tell him everything you've said, and he will undoubtedly be deeply moved. But you don't understand him; he was already overjoyed just knowing you shone so brightly at the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival! If he knew you gave him your own Longevity Elixir, he would absolutely refuse to take it.”

“Then don't tell him! Just say this Longevity Elixir was an extra one.”

Li Weiyi added, “The Zuoqiu clan is teeming with masters. They must have acquired quite a few Longevity Elixirs on the night of the Lantern Festival. I risked my life for them; if I don't receive a Longevity Elixir, how could they possibly feel good about it?”

“Furthermore, to my knowledge, the Calamity Temple will likely support the Zuoqiu clan by providing a certain number of Longevity Elixirs annually.”

Hidden Lord gazed deeply at Li Weiyi, then mused, “That's not a bad idea. So many martial cultivators from the Nine Li tribe died; the Zuoqiu clan should indeed compensate them in some way. I'll hold onto this Longevity Elixir for you for now. We can discuss it further once you've obtained one from the Zuoqiu clan.”

Li Weiyi said, “One more thing, Hidden Lord. When you return to Li Prefecture, please remember to look after my companions for me. Also, regarding Li Changfeng, I have a very strong opinion about him…”

Before he could finish, Hidden Lord turned and walked away, calling over his shoulder, “Do you have some misunderstanding about Longevity realm magnates? For minor matters like this, arrange for a Hidden One to handle it yourself. I am quite busy.”

“Good point!”

Li Weiyi's eyes lit up.

Li Changfeng, a junior of the Cang Li tribe, had once severely wounded his senior brother, Zhao Meng, forcing him to leave Li Prefecture. There had been no news of Zhao Meng since.

How could such a grudge go unavenged?

“Senior Brother, oh Senior Brother, where are you now? Have you found Senior Sister?”