Chapter 320: Surname Li

The wet, misty swamp was eternally dim, exuding a desolate, oppressive, and heavy feeling.

They continued to venture deeper.

The rotting mud and aquatic plants gradually gave way to a turbid, watery expanse.

The Provincial Governor's jade boat glided over the marsh, where the water was only three feet deep.

Li Weiyi sat at the bow, his palm injury completely healed and his severely depleted spiritual energy restored. After all, he was only at the first level of the Dao Seed Realm; continuously unleashing powerful, grand-level attacks consumed immense spiritual energy, preventing him from fighting for extended periods unless he utilized his liquid magical power.

Unlike dragon-path cultivation, martial cultivators at the first level often require years of arduous training to accumulate, comprehend, and experience.

From his dimensional pouch, he retrieved the piece of dark, millennium-old essence herb.

According to Tuobabu Tuo, it grew deep underground and moved so quickly that they almost failed to catch it.

“It should be a millennium Earthling.”

Li Weiyi already possessed a fairly detailed knowledge of all kinds of precious and essence herbs in the world.

To walk the path of a Spirit Master, one must be widely read and possess an exceptional memory.

Earthlings grow underground, nourished by Yin energy. After a millennium, they can take on a human form and develop sentience.

Heavenlings, conversely, grow in the clouds, absorbing Yang energy.

Additionally, there are Waterlings, Firelings, Windlings, and more.

If one can grow for ten thousand years and transform into an Imperial Herb, it can shed its plant form, develop a body of flesh and blood, and while its combat power may not match a Martial Dao Emperor, it would be sufficient to contend with transcendents and possess the ability to protect itself.

Er Feng crept closer, carefully moving along Li Weiyi's arm toward the Earthling.

“You want to keep it all to yourself?” Li Weiyi asked.

Er Feng nodded vigorously.

Li Weiyi said, “Da Feng has already developed other intentions; you should motivate it. Take this, and grow to the third level of the Dao Seed Realm as quickly as possible. Bear the main responsibility and shoulder this important task.”

Ever since it followed Tang Wanzhou, Da Feng frequently mentioned her to Li Weiyi, urging him not to fear danger and to use a teleportation array to find her, or even to just send it there alone.

While its physical form remained with Li Weiyi, it had clearly become psychologically unfaithful.

Er Feng gave a loyal glance that seemed to say, “Don't worry, you have me.” Then, it snatched the millennium Earthling and began to eat it by itself.

Qi Xiao sat at the stern, examining Sikong Ce's circular shield.

This shield was an extraordinary treasure; sealed within it was the lost spirit of a scaled-lion giant beast, whose combat prowess could rival a master at the fourth level of the Dao Seed Realm, making its value exceptional.

However, its power was still only at the fourth level of the Dao Seed Realm, far less precious than the Ghost Flag.

In this regard, magical artifacts had a distinct disadvantage compared to Dao techniques.

As a martial cultivator's realm of cultivation advanced, they had to switch to higher-grade magical artifacts and then adapt to them. For instance, Sikong Qin, Sikong Ce, and Sikong Jingyuan suffered immense losses when their magical artifacts were lost, causing a significant drop in their combat power.

Li Weiyi summoned the golden ancient mirror from his ancestral field, examined it for a moment, and then handed it to Tuobabu Tuo, warning, “Never use this artifact at the main altar, or it will bring about your demise.”

Tuobabu Tuo accepted it without hesitation. “I understand,” he said, “after all, it's connected to the Hall Master of the Ku Rong Hall. Brother Weiyi, the opposite bank of this Netherbloom Black Marsh leads directly to the entrance of the underground immortal abode we came through. Who knows how many masters are exploring and searching there? It's been almost a year. Do you think anyone would break into the underground immortal abode to search for our remains because of us?”

After a year of being missing and out of contact with the outside world, anyone would presume they met a grim fate.

Li Weiyi could sense Tuobabu Tuo's sadness and longing, while Qi Xiao, at the stern, also appeared lost in thought.

The first image that surfaced in Li Weiyi's mind was, surprisingly, Jiang Ning's captivating figure. But a self-mocking smile quickly spread across his face. Even if their paths had crossed only briefly, his prearranged marriage to Zuoqiu Hongting was enough to extinguish any faint feelings of goodwill.

Later, with the ancestral field being rendered useless and his descent into suicidal despair, it was more than enough to invite any woman's scorn and disappointment.

This was especially true for a noblewoman from such an influential family.

The ten of them went to Du'e Monastery nearly two years ago; it was uncertain if they had returned by now.

Compared to Jiang Ning, Li Weiyi felt it was more likely for Zuoqiu Hongting and Yao Yin to come to the underground immortal abode to find him. After all, the former was nominally engaged to him and shared a sibling-like bond. The latter, meanwhile, was more sentimental.

Dismissing the various distracting thoughts in his mind, Li Weiyi said, “The moment we joined the Twin Rice Sect, our destiny veered in another direction. To break free from these shackles and return to our former lives will be anything but easy. With our current cultivation, all we can do is stay true to ourselves and take things one step at a time. Only by surviving can we hope to cast off these constraints.”

Qi Xiao nodded in deep agreement. “The Twin Rice Sect has at least three transcendent beings: two Rice Ancestors and the reanimated spirit from Coffin Mountain,” he stated. “The hall masters and deputy hall masters of the four halls, the five great venerables, the leaders of the God-Slaying Servants... all are Eternal Realm powerhouses, their strength surpassing countless other sects. If we betray them, we will surely die, and our families and friends may even be implicated.”

“This is only a fraction of what we know,” Li Weiyi added.

Of the main altar's seven levels, they had only explored two.

In the distance, the roaring sound of water grew steadily clearer.

Tuobabu Tuo stood up, looking toward the sound. “We've arrived!”

Li Weiyi and Qi Xiao were stunned speechless by the sight before them, holding their breath in awe.

Above the Netherbloom Black Marsh, stretching several thousand meters high, a false sky was formed, shrouded by miasma and dark mist.

Upon reaching this spot, a colossal, terrifying hole appeared in the false sky, as if it had been punched through in ancient times, with a diameter of dozens of miles. Where did it lead, they wondered?

A blood-red waterfall cascaded down from the “sky” thousands of meters above.

The blood-red waterfall was abundant in volume and roared mightily, yet when viewed from the edge of the colossal hole in the distance, it appeared as merely a thin crimson line.

Here, the marsh transformed into a boundless, blood-red ocean.

Qi Xiao remarked, “No wonder they say one cannot venture beyond three hundred miles. Coming here, I feel an inexplicable unease, as if I've stumbled into hell, and my mood is inexplicably agitated.”

Tuobabu Tuo said, “If it's not hell, it's certainly close! A world-shattering battle once erupted here. Beneath the mud of this blood marsh lie countless bones, forming a veritable sea of corpses. The millennium essence herb and spears were salvaged from under this very sea of corpses. So, my two brothers, do you dare to venture down with me and explore again?”

Li Weiyi replied, “Other areas have been explored by Rice Sect disciples for years, so the chances of finding anything valuable there are slim. This place, however, is a genuine treasure trove.”

“Precisely!” Tuobabu Tuo affirmed. “Some of the armor and weaponry on the corpses below haven't completely decayed and can fetch a substantial price. As long as we have money, need we fear being unable to acquire cultivation resources?”

“Sikong Jingyuan could arrive at any moment; someone must remain up top, otherwise, we risk being ambushed by them. I'll stay!”

Li Weiyi released the five Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors, excluding Da Feng, allowing them to explore the underwater depths together in search of millennium essence herbs.

To their surprise, these five creatures even summoned a large number of fierce insects as their soldiers. They not only searched for millennium essence herbs but also worked enthusiastically with Tuobabu Tuo and Qi Xiao, salvaging armored skeletons and decayed weaponry.

Tens of thousands of years later, most of the former magical artifacts had decayed into worthless scrap.

“This armor is still good; cast from extremely dense metal, it can be melted down and reforged, fetching thousands of Spring Coins.”

“What a pity about this pill furnace. In its prime, it must have been a Thousand-Character artifact, capable of both refining pills and serving as a weapon. Its internal scriptures have long since dissipated, and it's been pierced through. Still, a small portion of its material remains uncorroded and could be worth tens of thousands of Spring Coins.”

Li Weiyi sat on the boat, identifying each item one by one and placing those with residual value into his dimensional pouch.

He instructed the six small creatures to search for items made of materials similar to the spear, as well as Spirit Platform Fiery Star Stones.

Given that so many masters from the Bhagalpur Sect had perished here, it was inconceivable that they wouldn't have carried Spirit Platform Fiery Star Stones. There were bound to be some discoveries.

Whoosh!

A gust of eerie, chilling wind swept through.

Li Weiyi quickly looked up, glancing at the vast, crimson marsh-sea before turning to peer behind him. A faint tension tightened his chest; he worried their commotion might be too great, attracting something terrifying.

This place hardly seemed like a benevolent one.

Yang Qingxi stood within a grotto-like dwelling. Its interior was immensely vast, towering dozens of meters high, featuring bronze beams, steps, stone pillars, and stone beasts. Some elements were naturally formed, while others had been artificially carved.

This was the very treasury that Wang Shu had discovered.

The treasury was divided into outer and inner chambers.

Ascending the steps on the distant cliff face granted access to the inner chamber.

However, the steps were protected by formations from the ancient Bhagalpur Sect era, and only at the end of each month would their power weaken.

Yang Qingxi believed this place must have been the dwelling of a prominent figure from the ancient Bhagalpur Sect, and that ultimate treasures surely lay within the inner chamber. However, despite numerous attempts, she had been unable to pass the stone steps.

From behind, a fragrant breeze drifted towards her.

Yang Qingchan, clad in a green robe, drifted down onto a stone pillar several yards away.

The lost spirit residing within her was extremely fond of beauty. As her physical body strengthened and her power increased, it began to meticulously focus on its outward appearance, drawing eyebrows, painting lips, and dusting powder onto her snowy cheeks. This made her even more alluring and refined than Yang Qingxi, who wore no makeup, and her entire being exuded an extraordinary radiance.

“Sikong Yanlun has retreated!” Yang Qingchan announced.

“Oh, he doesn't seem like someone who gives up easily,” Yang Qingxi said, somewhat surprised. Worried about the treasury being exposed, Yang Qingxi had been hiding inside the cave for the past few days, while Sikong Yanlun had been roaming the nearby area in search of something.

“He was summoned away by Sikong Jingyuan,” Yang Qingchan clarified.

“Has Sikong Jingyuan found the one named Li?” Yang Qingxi's heart skipped a beat.

Previously, Yang Qingxi had already encountered Sikong Yanlun and Sikong Jingyuan once, resulting in a disastrous defeat. Fortunately, Yang Qingchan's physical body was already immensely strong, allowing her to unleash formidable combat power, which enabled them to escape back to the treasury.

However, this encounter inadvertently exposed the treasury's secret location in the nearby area.

Yang Qingxi knew Li Weiyi had also come south because Sikong Yanlun had boasted about “slaying Li Weiyi right before her eyes, making her willingly submit.” The implication that her refusal was solely due to some man infuriated Yang Qingxi.

She merely awaited breaking through to the fourth level of the Dao Seed Realm; then she would first smash his foul mouth, then tear him into a thousand pieces, to avenge the recent siege.

“You might not believe this,” Yang Qingchan said, “but Sikong Jingyuan was actually defeated by that Li you mentioned, which is why he came to find Sikong Yanlun to rally and go back.”

A strange expression crossed Yang Qingxi's eyes. “That's impossible!” she exclaimed. “Li Weiyi's martial path has reached its limit. Spirit power cultivation is a slow process; where would he get so many Star Day Pills?”

Li Weiyi possessing Star Day Pills was already an open secret.

“Sikong Jingyuan dispatched Sikong Qin to rush back to the Ku Rong Hall to summon the Grand True Disciple Chang Yuyan,” Yang Qingchan explained. “I intercepted him midway and compelled him to reveal many things. That Li, his spirit power might have already reached the level of a four-star Spirit Master, and he successfully cultivated the Dao in his Wind Mansion.”

“Where is he now?” Yang Qingxi pressed.

Yang Qingchan poured Sikong Qin out of her dimensional pouch. “He was severely wounded in battle, injured by the Yin Ghost Commander, so what he said should be true,” she stated. “That Ghost Flag is an extraordinary treasure; you should find a way to seize it. Sacrificing some allure would even be worth it.”

“Allure? What kind of person do you take Li Weiyi for?” Yang Qingxi retorted, looking at the old man on the ground. “When it comes to him, you'd best not act on your own; you might well spoil things by being too clever.”

Sikong Qin's limbs were all broken, leaving him in a dreadful state, bleeding from all seven orifices, his face bruised purple.

“What happened to him?”

“I employed some secret techniques on him! How easy do you think it is to extract information?”

Yang Qingxi asked, “Does he know Li Weiyi's current whereabouts?”

“He apparently hasn't left the Netherbloom Black Marsh; instead, he's ventured deeper into the swamp. His audacity is extraordinary,” Yang Qingchan replied.

“Netherflowers and Spirit Platform Fiery Star Stones are both invaluable treasures for Spirit Master cultivation. He must be after those two items.”

A thought sparked in Yang Qingxi's mind, and her eyes lit up. “How about we go join the commotion as well?”

“The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind,” Yang Qingchan chuckled, her laughter like silver bells and her red lips sparkling.

“Whether we become the oriole or not is beside the point for now,” Yang Qingxi said. “What if that Li loses to those two brothers, allowing them to acquire the Ghost Flag, Demon Armor, and seven strange insects? Where would our chance to turn things around be? Submit ourselves to them? I didn't even fancy Yao Qian, let alone *them*.”