Chapter 300: Li Weiyi, You Have to Help Me

Li Weiyi mused, shaking his head gently: "Even if you get the results, it won't be that easy. The current world is complicated and treacherous. Humanity faces a formidable enemy in the demon race, while internally, the major rebel armies and the imperial court have irreconcilable conflicts. Even among the rebel armies, there's mutual suspicion and fear of being absorbed."

"The Twin Rice Sect has been planning for years, and they must have thoroughly infiltrated the major powers. With just a little manipulation, humanity's internal affairs would descend into chaos, leaving them too preoccupied to defend themselves against the demon race. How could they possibly spare any effort to attack the underground Immortal Abode?"

"The Twin Rice Sect and Qilin Zang must have had contact long ago; one is evil, the other a demon, but they are mutually exploiting each other."

Tang Wanzhou's eyes showed a hint of surprise: "You seem to know something."

Li Weiyi knew that with his current cultivation level, he couldn't get involved in the confrontations among the top echelons. Betraying An Xianjing would be a dead end. Therefore, he dared not reveal the secret that An Bodhisattva of Coffin Mountain was the Master of the Spirit Grain Hall of the Twin Rice Sect. Whether in Lizhou or at the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, both sides had open and covert cooperation.

He said, "The transcendental beings of the imperial court and the major sects, who have been in the Lingxiao Living Realm for thousands of years, are unsure if the Twin Rice Sect's headquarters are in the underground Immortal Abode. How could Qilin Zang, who just returned, possibly know?"

"So I speculate that both parties must have had contact and cooperation, using each other. It's just that the Twin Rice Sect didn't expect to be betrayed by Qilin Zang..."

At this point, Li Weiyi's heart stirred: "I've thought of an immature idea!"

"Tell me," Tang Wanzhou said.

Li Weiyi said, "Assuming the Twin Rice Sect and the demon race truly cooperate, why didn't they openly turn against each other after Qilin Zang's betrayal?"

Tang Wanzhou mused, "Yujia was the last ancient immortal beast on this land. As Yujia's grandson, it's not strange for Qilin Zang to know all the entrances to the underground Immortal Abode. I understand now; the Twin Rice Sect likely dared not speak out because Qilin Zang knows the true entrance to the cult's headquarters."

Li Weiyi said, "What if we use the demons to spread the secret that the headquarters are in the underground Immortal Abode?"

Tang Wanzhou chuckled, "They would undoubtedly become mortal enemies! Moreover, the cult would then have to cooperate with humanity to eliminate the demon race first. However, manipulating the situation to make the cult believe it was the demons' deliberate act won't be easy."

From Li Weiyi's perspective, he primarily hoped that the Undead Rice Cultivation wouldn't truly sweep across all twenty-eight Lingxiao Prefectures, leading to widespread devastation. He also didn't want the Twin Rice Sect to cooperate with the demon race. In such a chaotic world, he could only strive for survival within the cracks.

Li Weiyi, thinking of something, tentatively asked, "Who are the chess masters behind you?"

"Only the Snow Sword Tang Court and that old Confucian master from the Zuoqiu Sect," Tang Wanzhou replied frankly.

Li Weiyi said, "Given your talent and ability, and having been trapped in the underground Immortal Abode for over two months, they must have been active on the surface, right?"

Tang Wanzhou nodded gently: "The fact that I'm still alive indicates that the cult isn't having an easy time dealing with things, and the surface world must already be in turmoil."

Li Weiyi finally understood why An Xianjing and Yao Qingxuan had successively rushed to the surface.

"Li Weiyi, do you know where the entrance to the Sacred Core Layer is?" Tang Wanzhou asked.

Li Weiyi gasped: "Are you insane? The Sacred Core Layer is where the Rice Ancestor resides. If you trespass, you'll surely become rice fertilizer. By the way, how did you get into the Southern Purity Palace's formation?"

"I cultivate an emperor art related to space; ordinary formations can't stop me. Otherwise, why do you think I was able to escape from Yao Qingxuan?" Tang Wanzhou said lightly, lifting her chin.

"An Emperor Art!" Li Weiyi gasped in astonishment. Something even Longevity Realm grandmasters found difficult to cultivate, she had achieved at the Dao Seed Realm. No wonder she was so audacious as to want to go to the Sacred Core Layer.

"The Southern Purity Palace is absolutely not a safe place. Since you possess a spatial emperor art, hurry and leave the headquarters, return the way you came, and get the message out." Li Weiyi advised her, having done his utmost. Golden rice was cultivated in the Southern Purity Palace, and An Xianjing could return at any moment.

Tang Wanzhou said, "I can't go back the same way! I suspect there's a cult transcendental being stationed at the entrance hall; otherwise, it would be impossible for no news to have gotten out for an entire year. Li Weiyi, you have to help me!"

"I'm just a small Five Seas Realm martial cultivator. Not exposing you or turning you in for merit points is already a big help!" Li Weiyi stated.

Tang Wanzhou said, "You still have to help me more."

"If I help you again, can I still be a true disciple? Will I even keep my life?" Li Weiyi asked.

Tang Wanzhou said, "What if they knew about your 36,000 Wind Mansion points and that your seven strange insects are more than just monarch-grade?"

Li Weiyi realized that during Da Feng's transformation, Tang Wanzhou must have discovered something. "Young Monarch, are you threatening me?"

Tang Wanzhou said, "If I escape on my own, I will tell everyone that the reason you joined the cult was because Southern Venerable clouded your mind, and you coveted her beauty, becoming trapped in her embrace."

"You can say Yang Qingxi, but don't mention Southern Venerable." If she spread such nonsense, Li Weiyi would be too ashamed to face Yao Yin and Yin Twenty-Four!

Tang Wanzhou said, "You yourself said earlier that Southern Venerable is the cult's most beautiful woman, which makes it more convincing."

"How should I help you?" Li Weiyi asked.

Tang Wanzhou said, "Help me find out how many transcendental beings and Longevity Realm grandmasters the cult has. Also, what are the outside identities of the Hall Master and Deputy Hall Master of the World Hall?"

"Alright!" Li Weiyi said.

Tang Wanzhou said, "You need to find a way to become a Holy Son of the cult and uncover the secrets of the Sacred Core Layer. I suspect the altar formation for the Undead Rice Cultivation is located there."

"That's too dangerous; this is non-negotiable." Li Weiyi had finally managed to hide in the Valley of Waves, and becoming a Holy Son of the Rice Cult would once again push him into the limelight.

"Fine! Don't look so disheartened. I can help you solve your current predicament, and in the future, I can also clear your name to the world." Tang Wanzhou took out a medicine box from her dimensional pouch and handed it to him.

Li Weiyi opened the medicine box, and immediately, white light burst forth. A medicinal fragrance permeated the air, intertwined with electrical patterns, and the muffled sound of thunder resonated. Inside the box was half a stalk of Heavenly Origin Ganoderma, which had absorbed the power of heavenly lightning to evolve into a three-thousand-year-old specimen.

Li Weiyi immediately closed the medicine box, his heart pounding rapidly. Joyfully, he asked, "Why is there only half a stalk?"

Tang Wanzhou sat on the ground, pointing to Da Feng perched on the bookshelf: "It's too much of an eater. During its transformation, it absorbed a dragon seed and half a stalk of Heavenly Origin Ganoderma." She added, "The Heavenly Origin Ganoderma was originally a supplement I prepared for breaking through to the Longevity Realm."

Da Feng flew down, nestled affectionately against Tang Wanzhou's leg, and rubbed gently.

"What a waste!" Li Weiyi sighed deeply.

If it had been a complete three-thousand-year-old Heavenly Origin Ganoderma, supplemented with Xihe Flowers and dragon seeds, Li Weiyi felt it could have allowed all seven Phoenix-wing Moth Insects to transform to a foot long. With only half a stalk left, he wasn't sure if it would be enough for the six little ones to transform together.

Tang Wanzhou stood up and stretched: "Don't worry, I won't implicate you. I'm leaving the Southern Purity Palace now." Barefoot, she went downstairs!

Li Weiyi asked curiously, "Have you broken through to the Longevity Realm?"

"If I hadn't broken through to Longevity, how could I have constantly contended with Southern Venerable? Not only is she exceptionally beautiful, but her talent is also rarely seen within a sixty-year cycle. Once I get out, I'll have to investigate her thoroughly." Tang Wanzhou walked down the stairs, leaning weakly on a pillar, her other hand pressed against her chest, her face contorted in extreme pain.

Li Weiyi frowned slightly. This was the Rice Cult's headquarters; where could she go? The Deputy Hall Master of the Heavenly Principle Hall was clearly more formidable than Yao Qingxuan. After a moment of hesitation, he said, "How about... you stay?"

"Alright!" Tang Wanzhou looked up at Li Weiyi on the second floor and asked, "Do you have any good arrangements?"

Li Weiyi was stunned. Why did it feel like the Young Monarch was just feigning weakness?

In the Southern Purity Palace, there were several forbidden zones left from the ancient Bhadrakalpa Sect era, enveloped by formations, likely containing unknown dangers, and perpetually uninhabited. Li Weiyi used a cyan jade formation token to bring her into one such ruined Buddhist temple. Inside were fallen giant Buddha statues, blood pools that hadn't dried up for tens of thousands of years, dilapidated walls, not a blade of grass growing, and thick blood mist.

"This place is suitable for hiding. You absolutely must not come out on your own. The Southern Purity Palace doesn't just have Southern Venerable as a powerful figure," Li Weiyi admonished.

Tang Wanzhou observed her surroundings: "This place is quite interesting."

Li Weiyi exited the formation's light barrier, first provided some spiritual energy to the golden rice, then entered the formation area where the black pagoda was located, bringing the seven little ones to the blood-mud space. For the foreseeable future, Da Feng had to remain hidden here and not show itself again.

Time was pressing; he had at most three days, and it was even possible that Wang Shu would break through first and attack preemptively. Several months had passed, and the intense flame power within the six little ones had long since stabilized, allowing them to continue consuming Xihe Flowers.

He plucked a Xihe Flower the size of a plate from the Tanggu Sea. This particular Xihe Flower was larger than any previously consumed by the seven Phoenix-wing Moth Emperors, and it emitted even greater heat. Li Weiyi's spiritual energy was almost scorched through.

"I am now a Spirit Cultivator and possess the ability to refine medicinal ingredients." Li Weiyi decided to find time soon to try refining the Xihe Flower. If he could use its power to quickly master the Six Forms of Burning Karma Technique, he would gain another openly usable trump card. He had the Fuso Divine Tree's spiritual divine light projection, which made him close to the Xihe Flower—a clear advantage.

Li Weiyi took out six of the nine dragon seeds and gave one to each of the six little ones. As for how to use the dragon seeds to cultivate the Phoenix-wing Moth Emperors' Dao, Li Weiyi had previously consulted Tang Wanzhou. Tang Wanzhou said she had not guided Da Feng on the method of Dao cultivation; it had simply swallowed the seed whole.

The six little ones each swallowed a dragon seed, and the sound of dragon roars echoed within them. They then surged forward, frantically devouring the half-stalk of Heavenly Origin Ganoderma and the Xihe Flower.

Li Weiyi watched them for a while before opening the spatial barrier and taking his jade boat to the boundless Tanggu Sea, aiming to break through to a Three-Star Spirit Cultivator.

"Breaking through to a Three-Star Spirit Cultivator should make the pale green, fish-eye-shaped cocoons of time more stable and last longer."