Chapter 296: Divine Son Premier

Elder Xu said, "Legend has it that the Divine Cult's Imperial Art, recorded on the nine-page Book of Radiant Stars, is called the 'Three Thousand Stars Bhagavad Gita'. It allows one to draw upon the power of celestial stars for self-cultivation and to launch attacks."

"However, the Imperial Art is extremely difficult for even Eternity Realm powerhouses to access or master. Only truly transcendent beings, those with lifespans stretching for millennia, can gradually study and comprehend it. By mastering this art, they can then aspire to the Heavenly Emperor level, dominating countless life realms across Yingzhou and becoming supreme rulers."

Li Weiyi pondered for a moment, then cupped his fists and said, "Thank you, Elder Xu, for your kindness and guidance today. I will remember it. I'd like to continue studying the 'Sixfold Incineration Art' for a bit longer. If you have other matters, please feel free to attend to them."

"Haha!"

Elder Xu chuckled and departed, finding Li Weiyi to be astute and socially intelligent.

Li Weiyi had been chosen by the Southern Venerable, possessing extraordinary psychic talent, and was taken on as the eldest and sole disciple. Elder Xu believed that extending some goodwill and offering limited assistance in advance would not be a disadvantage.

Li Weiyi became completely engrossed in studying the various texts of the 'Sixfold Incineration Art'. For an ardent martial arts devotee like him, embarking on a new chapter of cultivation was an utterly delightful experience.

Each book he read brought significant insights.

He only emerged from his absorption when Yao Qingxuan arrived at the Divine Arts Pavilion.

Accompanying Yao Qingxuan was a strikingly handsome man in a green robe. A brilliant, grain-shaped crystal adorned his brow, signifying a Pure Immortal Body, and his every movement conveyed the profound bearing of an unfathomably powerful expert.

This was the Head Divine Son, Qiongji Daozi.

He had previously discussed the external situation with Yao Qingxuan.

The past year had been the most turbulent for the Lingxiao Life Realm.

"Venerable, please rest assured. I, the Head Son, will certainly look after Southern Clarity Palace. Young disciples need challenges to find motivation and vitality, though, of course, everything must remain within the rules."

Qiongji Daozi offered Yao Qingxuan a gentle smile, then cast an indifferent glance at Li Weiyi, who was emerging from the Divine Arts Pavilion. He then departed, stepping into the fine rain and green mist, with no apparent intention of speaking to Li Weiyi.

His external manifestation of the Dao Heart, known as "Grain Rain Cleansing Dust," seemed to wash away all distractions, leaving only the graceful silhouette of a sacred spirit.

Li Weiyi departed with Yao Qingxuan, asking, "That person just now had incredibly powerful cultivation. Is he an important figure from the Spirit Valley Hall?"

"He is the Head Divine Son, Qiongji Daozi. He ranks among the top ten in the 'Jiazi Register', and his strength surpasses that of most provincial leaders. Only the Imperial Court and the leaders of the six... no, five major million-strong factions can contend with him. Once he makes his presence known, he is destined to astonish the world; achieving immortality is merely a matter of time for him."

Given Yao Qingxuan's exceptional talent and combat prowess—her ability to defeat Zuo Qiuling, the leader of Lingxiao, at the same cultivation level—her standards were incredibly high. From her perspective, Qiongji Daozi's talent was, in fact, merely "acceptable."

Her praise was intended to motivate Li Weiyi, providing him with a goal to strive for.

Li Weiyi understood why Yao Qingxuan corrected herself from "six" to "five" major factions. This was because Yao Xingyue, her brother and the current leader of the Jiuli tribe (one of the original six million-strong factions), was far from being ranked in the top ten of the 'Jiazi Register'.

Indeed, Yao Xingyue was not even a match for Yao Qian, the leader of Lizhou.

Naturally, if she were to assume the position of the Jiuli tribe's leader, the situation would be entirely different.

Yao Qingxuan asked, "Xu Tingsheng said you wish to return to the surface for missions?"

Knowing the hidden dangers behind the question, Li Weiyi cautiously replied, "Master, please rest assured. Even if I return to the surface, I, your disciple, will never reveal any information about the Divine Cult."

"If you dare to reveal anything, the Death Spirit Fire will automatically activate," Yao Qingxuan stated. "After all, if something happens to you, I would also be held accountable."

Li Weiyi said, "Actually, I have no immediate plans to return to the surface. I wish to remain at the headquarters and first thoroughly improve myself, leveraging the safe, superior cultivation environment and abundant resources here. With the protection of Master and Hall Master An, I feel so content that I don't miss Lizhou at all."

Yao Qingxuan halted and fixed him with a cold stare. "I have never taken a disciple in my life; you are the first. Once a teacher, always a teacher. It's perfectly fine for us, as master and disciple, to speak frankly."

Li Weiyi, who found it hard to believe her, quickly reiterated, "I am speaking from the heart. I am happy here and don't miss Lizhou. The Divine Cult is completely different from what is rumored outside; it is certainly not an evil cult."

Yao Qingxuan continued walking. "What you see is only one part of the Divine Cult. Those who can come to the headquarters for cultivation are all geniuses, trained as elites."

"The upper echelons of any major power inevitably employ the best teaching methods; this is essential for a power to develop and endure."

"However, the Divine Cult also has another aspect: it must cultivate countless believers and followers. These are the staunch supporters, the fearless ones."

"Righteousness and wickedness coexist within any organization. If righteousness prevails over wickedness, the organization is considered righteous. If wickedness prevails, it is deemed wicked."

"Righteousness and wickedness are simply two different approaches to action."

"The Divine Cult requires individuals like Hall Master An, who lean towards righteousness, to be responsible for cultivating elite young talents. The Divine Cult has reached a point where it must establish firm, righteous foundations, or it risks eternal perdition."

Yao Qingxuan's words were subtle, but Li Weiyi grasped their meaning perfectly.

And she had spoken so candidly...

Li Weiyi asked, "Master, are you planning to leave the headquarters?"

"The global situation is constantly shifting, and the Southern Realm is a storm vortex second only to the Western Realm," Yao Qingxuan replied. "As the one responsible for the seven states in the Southern Realm, how can I remain aloof? The Divine Cult can no longer hide; it is time for us to reveal ourselves. We have been biding our time, only to sweep across the world."

Li Weiyi then asked, "What about Tang Wanzhou?"

"Chu Tianshu, the Deputy Hall Master of the Heavenly Principles Hall, has already taken over."

Yao Qingxuan continued, "You must be very curious why the Divine Cult, with its multitude of experts, didn't collectively move to hunt down Tang Wanzhou, right?"

Li Weiyi considered this, then said, "Given the current tense global situation, I believe every Eternity Realm powerhouse must be stationed in a crucial position. If we were to disrupt our own formation because of Tang Wanzhou, it would inevitably expose more weaknesses and lead to further losses. I suspect Tang Wanzhou is merely a pawn on the chessboard; it's the true manipulators behind him that the Divine Cult truly fears."

Yao Qingxuan, noticing his leadership qualities akin to those of a Divine Hermit, merely stated, "You may go to the surface for missions, but only when you possess the strength to defeat a martial cultivator at the Fourth Heaven of the Dao Seed Realm."

"Whether one has condensed a Dao Lotus or not serves as the true watershed of strength among inner disciples."

"More than half of the nine incompetent tribal leaders of the Jiuli tribe have only managed to condense a Dao Lotus."

"Once you possess such strength, you can come to the surface and assist me. Many matters in the Southern Realm, in my opinion, absolutely require your involvement."

Li Weiyi asked, "I only need to defeat someone at the Fourth Heaven of the Dao Seed Realm?"

As they exited the Spirit Valley Hall, Yao Qingxuan subtly raised her gaze and looked at him. "Dao Lotus martial cultivators aren't that simple; you're still far from that level. Alright, go back to Southern Clarity Palace on your own. If you encounter any insurmountable dangers, seek help from Qiongji Daozi. When asking for assistance, remember to humble yourself."

Whoosh!

She shot through the air like a meteor, akin to a flying immortal, vanishing from sight in an instant.

"Greetings, True Disciple!"

Two twin female inner disciples, both Pure Immortal Body Rice People, appearing eighteen or nineteen years old, saw Li Weiyi, clad in his True Disciple robes, standing beneath the Spirit Valley Hall stele. They approached, bowed, and sought guidance on cultivation.

Li Weiyi offered them some casual pointers, and they both felt immensely enlightened, dropping to one knee to bow in gratitude.

On his way back to Southern Clarity Palace, he no longer needed to hide. Simply by virtue of his robes and the life token at his waist, every young disciple he encountered respectfully saluted him.

"The strength of the Fourth Heaven of the Dao Seed Realm is indeed considered top-tier in a single state. Even a renowned Dharma King like Shi Jiuzhai is only at the Sixth Heaven of the Dao Seed Realm."

Li Weiyi swaggered along, thoroughly enjoying his new status as a True Disciple senior brother.

Upon returning to Southern Clarity Palace,

he saw a powerful True Disciple figure already waiting outside the entrance.

The figure, holding a golden spiritual artifact column as thick as a bowl in his right hand, exuded a palpable chill. "Ye Nanfeng, under the Fourth Divine Son!" he declared. "Junior Brother Weiyi, I, this True Disciple, have been waiting for you for a long time!"

Li Weiyi looked back.

Another True Disciple, an exact replica of Ye Nanfeng, appeared, blocking his escape route.

Li Weiyi looked at Southern Clarity Palace behind Ye Nanfeng and continued walking past him. "Calling me Junior Brother? My Master, the Southern Venerable, seems to have only taken me as a disciple so far. I am the eldest disciple; I have no senior brothers."

Ye Nanfeng said, "No need to play dumb. My brother and I are here for Zuo Sheng. Release him quickly. We highly respect the Southern Venerable and don't wish to make things too ugly."

"Today is a big day for you, becoming a True Disciple," Ye Beifeng threatened. "If we were to hurt you, or beat you to the point where you're forced to release him, wouldn't you become the laughingstock of the headquarters?"

The two of them already knew that the Southern Venerable had left the headquarters, which was why they dared to block the entrance.

Li Weiyi said, "Neither of you wants to resort to violence, do you?"

"Naturally," they replied in unison.

Li Weiyi said, "Yang Yun must have told you, right? Five hundred thousand Spring Coins. Just bring them, and I'll release him immediately. Zuo Sheng was audacious enough to monitor my Master outside Southern Clarity Palace. My Master is the Divine Cult's foremost beauty; how dare he covet her? This crime cannot be easily forgiven."

Li Weiyi couldn't directly mention Qi Xiao and Tuoba Butuo; everything had to be justified and carried out within the rules.

He couldn't afford to be given any leverage.

Ye Beifeng snorted coldly. "You killed Zuo Shi, Wang Zhi, and Wang Shouxin, three Dao Seed Realm powerhouses of the Divine Cult. It was only because they all belonged to the Southern Venerable's faction, and the Southern Venerable took responsibility for everything, that you were exempted from punishment. Now, you actually dare to attempt to rescue Qi Xiao and Tuoba Butuo? Are you a True Disciple of the Divine Cult, or an enemy of the Divine Cult?"

Li Weiyi said, "I don't understand what you're talking about. If you don't have the money, then get out. Southern Clarity Palace is now under my control. Anyone who dares to block the entrance will bear the consequences."

"You don't understand, do you?"

Ye Beifeng poured two bloody arms from his spatial pouch, then sneered proudly, "Even when disciplining a dog, one must consider its master. If you wish to tarnish the reputation of the Fourth Divine Son, have you considered that your two friends will suffer for it?"

Ye Nanfeng added, "Given Qi Xiao and Tuoba Butuo's cultivation, losing an arm won't be fatal!"

Li Weiyi looked at the two arms on the ground, then unhurriedly drew his Yellow Dragon Sword. "Using two arms to threaten and intimidate a True Disciple, and even blocking my return to Southern Clarity Palace—who gave you such audacity?"

Whoosh!

His psychic power burst forth first, enveloping Ye Nanfeng, who stood before the palace gate, assailing his consciousness and spirit.

Then, stepping on green smoke, he shot forward like an arrow piercing through clouds, raising his sword to strike mid-air.

He had to heavily injure one of them before they could complete their encirclement.