Chapter 334: Seven-Clawed Heavenly Dragon The Outer Phenomenon of the Dao Heart

Qixiao and Tuobabu Tuo were both natives of the Lingxiao Living Realm, born into prominent families. Having grown up immersed in its culture, their understanding of the various forces naturally surpassed Li Weiyi's.

Li Weiyi asked curiously, "Is this Madam Taishi a Longevity Realm magnate?"

This information was crucial. It would determine whether they could handle a potential conflict and how they would choose to respond.

Although Ms. Long had been married into the Taishi family for many years, Li Weiyi dared not let down his guard against anyone from Dragon Gate.

Qixiao pondered. "That's hard to say! According to the information held by the Qi family and the Zuoqiu Gate, there are only three magnates in the Taishi family."

"They are Taishi Qingcang, the General of Nanyan Pass, and Taishi Qingshi, the Grand Minister of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices. The third is an elder whose information is vague; he broke through to the Longevity Realm after taking a Longevity Pill in the last sixty-year cycle."

"Among the three magnates, Taishi Qingshi is a Saint Spirit Mind Master, having inherited Duke Taishi's mind power cultivation method."

"Long Shexin, Ms. Long, should be around seventy years old by our estimation. She wouldn't have had the opportunity to take a Longevity Pill from the last sixty-year cycle. Normally, for someone with a Successor-level talent, breaking through to the Longevity Realm at seventy is not easy."

Tuobabu Tuo nodded. "Without a Longevity Pill, that step is very difficult. Successors merely have a high probability of reaching the Longevity Realm; there are countless who never manage to cross that threshold in their lifetime."

Li Weiyi was quite surprised. "Legend has it that the four great families of the imperial court can contend with the four million-strong sects. How can they only have two Longevity Realm cultivators and one Saint Spirit Mind Master?"

Qixiao laughed. "Brother Weiyi, you are a God-Hidden person from the Nine Li Hidden Gate and a Divine Son of the Dao Cult. You've witnessed the world's most mysterious ancient clans and top sects, so your perception of the number of masters in the world is skewed. How could the Longevity Realm be so easy to cultivate? We were able to break through quickly because of the Dragon Seed cultivation."

Tuobabu Tuo said, "Lingxiao Palace receives ten Longevity Pills every sixty-year cycle from the Doomsday Temple. Therefore, over the last thousand years, the Taishi family has historically cultivated fifteen Longevity Realm cultivators and three Saint Spirit Mind Masters. That's already quite impressive!"

"However, magnates are not immortal; they simply have longer lifespans. The weakest Longevity Realm magnates can only live for about two hundred years. Taishi Qingcang has already had six or seven principal wives, most of whom died of old age."

"The four great families can contend with the four million-strong sects because they rely on the imperial court."

"Take the Taishi family, for example. Although they only have three magnates, Duke Taishi still has three living Saint Spirit Mind Master disciples who hold high positions in the imperial court."

"In the Eastern Territories, the governors of Liang and Yong prefectures, along with all the officials of various sizes in the prefectures and counties below, all look to the Taishi family for guidance."

"At the same time, Taishi Qingcang also commands considerable influence within the military."

Li Weiyi secretly drew a sharp breath. "This is a true behemoth, wielding control over two prefectures, the military, and civil affairs, with disciples and former subordinates spread across the land. The Nine Li clan pales significantly in comparison."

Tuobabu Tuo smiled. "They appear infinitely glorious, but their foundation and heritage are far from comparable to an ancient clan like the Nine Li, which numbers in the millions. The Nine Li clan has no transcendent figures in this era, allowing them to shrink their territory, concede benefits, and survive in a corner of Lizhou, staying out of worldly affairs and seeking only preservation."

"The Nine Li clan has countless Longevity Realm magnates and Dao Seed Realm cultivators, all willing to fight desperately for their clan. Therefore, no one easily dares to provoke them."

"In contrast, if anything were to happen to Duke Taishi, the Taishi family would instantly face disaster and collapse like a falling tree with scattering monkeys. Those dependent prefectural officials, to protect themselves, would immediately switch allegiances. Those with poor character might even kick them when they're down."

"This is because the Taishi family has been in power for many years, vying for fame and profit, taking too much, and offending many factions. They are at the core of conflicting interests. If that day truly comes, they won't be able to retreat simply by wishing to."

"The various imperial court families appear infinitely glorious, but in reality, they carry a heavy sense of crisis. That's why they try every means to form powerful alliances through marriage, to increase their ability to withstand risks."

Li Weiyi returned to his private cabin, used the formation flags, and set up a formation.

Within the formation, he sat cross-legged in meditation.

"Whish!"

He channeled his mind power to activate the two "fish eyes" of the Dao Ancestor's Tai Chi Fish. As space twisted, chanting and Daoist incantations sounded, and his body reappeared in an ocean of Daoist texts and Buddhist scriptures.

Great chaos was imminent, and everyone was adrift in the storm.

Prominent families faced their own major crises, and individuals had their struggles and helplessness.

Most of the time, there were no sudden saviors, no one to turn the tide. Everything depended on waiting — waiting to endure the long night, waiting for the dawn that would arrive at an unknown time.

In such chaotic times, only by improving oneself as much as possible and becoming stronger could one gain more capital for survival.

Therefore, he had to seize every second.

The Dao Ancestor's Tai Chi Fish was indeed a supreme scripture, but it was too profound, like a child trying to read a celestial book.

Li Weiyi had borrowed almost all the Daoist and Buddhist texts from the Spirit Valley Hall, studying them from the basics and cross-referencing them. After spending a vast amount of time, he had only comprehended fifty-five scriptures.

Once comprehended, these scriptures would automatically appear on his Dao Seed, as if engraved.

Including the original twelve characters, his Dao Seed now had sixty-seven scriptures.

It remained like a stubborn stone, showing no "stirring" reaction.

Fortunately, after Li Weiyi reached the Four-Star Spirit Mind Master realm, he tested it. As long as he activated the pale blue "fish eye," whether entering this ocean of scriptures or condensing the Cocoon of Time, the time ratio to the outside world was approximately one to five.

This ratio was higher than when he was a Three-Star Spirit Mind Master.

In other words, Li Weiyi could cultivate for five days in the ocean of scriptures and the Cocoon of Time while only one day passed outside. He had ample time to ponder this celestial book, the Dao Ancestor's Tai Chi Fish.

This also indicated that the Four-Star Spirit Mind Master realm was indeed a significant hurdle.

Perhaps upon reaching the Seven-Star Spirit Mind Master and Saint Spirit Mind Master realms, the time ratio would be even greater, allowing him to catch up with those Longevity Realm magnates and transcendent beings.

Activating the time-altering power of the Dao Ancestor's Tai Chi Fish consumed a vast amount of mind power. He could only sustain half a month of cultivation at a time, which meant about three days passed in the outside world.

In the ocean of scriptures, ten days passed.

Li Weiyi only comprehended three more scriptures for his Divine Palace Dao Seed.

However, the Dragon Seed in his Wind Mansion, which he hadn't cultivated much, stirred first.

Fearing that the breakthrough's commotion would be too great, Li Weiyi immediately rushed out of the ocean of scriptures and entered the Blood Mud Space.

Then, he appeared on the Tang Valley Sea by boat.

The Dragon Seed stirred like a fetal movement; with each tremor, his Wind Mansion expanded in a circle, which then caused a vibration of all the Dharma Qi throughout his body.

His trace meridians, string meridians, and physical body all felt a painful sensation as they were further strengthened.

This was the process of a realm breakthrough, triggering a complete transformation of a cultivator's overall strength.

Within the Wind Mansion.

The scriptures within the Dragon Seed would sometimes surface and sometimes sink.

The power of the scriptures changed the properties of the Dharma Qi within his Wind Mansion. Gradually, the Dharma Qi became fiery red and scorching hot, emitting golden light, like the flames of the Golden Crow.

Strands of Dharma Qi twisted together, emitting a deep, resonant dragon roar, then transformed into dragon shapes.

The Dragon Seed was like a dragon's nest.

Ten thousand dragons surged around him.

Li Weiyi's comprehension and cultivation of the Dragon Seed primarily relied on the "Complete Commentary on the Heavenly Dragon Scripture."

The Heavenly Dragon is a legendary ancient immortal beast, born with seven claws.

The ancient Emperor's Flying Dragon only had five claws.

While the Flood Dragon only had four claws.

In Li Weiyi's Wind Mansion, the fiery dragon shadows formed by his Dharma Qi all possessed seven claws, cultivating towards the path of the Heavenly Dragon.

"After this stirring, upon reaching the second heaven of the Dao Seed Realm, I will be able to condense my Dao Heart Manifestation!"

"Whoosh—"

He fully exerted himself, moving the Wind Mansion's Dharma Qi, allowing it to circulate through his trace meridians.

At the location of his Wind Mansion, spatial fluctuations appeared, and Dharma Qi and consciousness surged out in a mighty torrent.

Dragon roars echoed across the sea.

The area within a hundred feet around Li Weiyi transformed into a crimson-gold fire domain. Streaks of seven-clawed fiery Heavenly Dragons flew around him, creating an imposing and powerful display.

"Is this my Dao Heart Manifestation?"

"Do all cultivators who cultivate with the Dragon Seed have such extraordinary and conspicuous manifestations? No, Old Qi and Tuoba's Dao Heart Manifestations didn't seem like this."

Li Weiyi felt his Dao Heart Manifestation was too exaggerated, with boiling flames and Heavenly Dragons dancing together.

Although his current cultivation realm wasn't very high, releasing his Dao Heart Manifestation would definitely attract attention, making it hard to keep a low profile.

"Something isn't right. I'm only at the second heaven of the Dao Seed Realm, so why can my Dao Heart Manifestation reach a hundred feet away? It's just a step away from a mile."

"It seems the Dragon Seed is indeed a remarkable high-grade Dao Seed."

Li Weiyi cast aside the various distracting thoughts in his mind and carefully felt his Dao Heart Manifestation.

With his gaze fixed, he attempted to control the seven-clawed fiery Heavenly Dragons solely with his mind, launching attacks to see what effects he could achieve.

"Boom! Boom..."

The seven-clawed fiery Heavenly Dragons were only about ten feet long, but their temperature was extremely high, causing white mist to rise from the sea as they burned. They either swung their claws, collided, or lashed their tails, stirring up massive waves.

Li Weiyi didn't need to lift a finger; as he sat there, groups of dragons flew out, attacking in all directions.

"I understand now! A hundred feet is merely the furthest distance my Dharma Qi and consciousness can reach."

"In reality, beyond ten feet, the attack power begins to decline, and my control weakens. By a hundred feet, the Dharma Qi is like a wisp of wind, unable to condense, making it difficult to achieve any damaging effect."

"The absolute effective attack range is only one-tenth of the Dao Heart Manifestation's reach."

This already far exceeded Li Weiyi's expectations. Consider Yao Qian, ranked first in the "Sixty-Year Cycle Roster," who was known as "Thirty-Mile Snow" before breaking through to the Longevity Realm. One-tenth of his absolute effective attack range would still be three miles.

Within three miles, any move was a full-power strike.

Beyond three miles, he could still kill enemies.

Such destructive power, if unleashed in any city, would alarm the Luan Platform and the Attendant Hall, leading to close surveillance.

How could one escape when encountering such a powerful expert?

Survival was only possible by retreating from thirty miles away.

Li Weiyi pondered silently, "Now that I've left Nanqing Palace, I can freely use the Dao Ancestor's Tai Chi Fish without worry."

"If I were to set aside my Divine Palace Dao Seed and mind power cultivation and focus entirely on cultivating the Dragon Seed, given my Dragon Seed comprehension speed and with the help of the Cocoon of Time, I should be able to reach the third heaven of the Dao Seed Realm in one month, the fourth heaven within three months, and possibly the fifth heaven within half a year..."

This thought was quickly dismissed by Li Weiyi.

If he were to primarily cultivate the Dragon Seed, he might as well have planted it directly into his Divine Palace in the first place.

The twelve-character Dao Seed, though difficult to cultivate, offered greater future potential, and he should not easily abandon the difficult for the easy.

"The Daoist scriptures of the Twin-born Dao Cult are still too few, and there are no true scriptures, only copied versions. If I could examine and comprehend some higher-grade Daoist true scriptures, or have a famous Daoist master teach and guide me, my cultivation speed would surely increase."

At this moment, Li Weiyi deeply missed his spirit tablet master.

If she were here, he wouldn't have to painstakingly grope his way forward alone, avoiding many detours.

After the "stirring" concluded, Li Weiyi retracted his Dao Heart Manifestation, and the Dharma Qi of the seven-clawed fiery Heavenly Dragons returned to surge and roam within his Wind Mansion. He returned to the Blood Mud Space and took a Xihe Pill to recover the mind power consumed in his spiritual realm.

The Xihe Pill was something he had refined himself, based on the formula for the Starlight Pill.

Instead of using the expensive Aurora Dew as the main ingredient, he substituted it with the dew from the Xihe flower.

It took many failures before he finally succeeded with the experimental refining.

Each Xihe Pill he refined provided only one or two tenths of the mind power boost of a Starlight Pill.

Li Weiyi felt that they were, at best, low-grade or mid-grade Dharma Pills, incomparable to those refined by Zen Sea Mist Temple. Fortunately, he had refined many of them, so he would just take one daily when he had nothing else to do, treating them like candy.

He didn't feel the slightest bit of regret, even when using them to restore his mind power.