Chapter 336: Soul Fusion Secret Technique

"Such keen perception."

The instant Li Weiyi's eyes met Luansheng Linyou's through the formation, he immediately fled.

A moment later, Luansheng Linyou emerged from the courtyard, followed by Long Ting, Long Xiangcen, Chen Wenwu, and several other figures, preparing to leave the city for the Thirty-Six Thunder Tombs.

Reaching the ancient plum tree, Luansheng Linyou stopped and peered into its branches.

"Young Lord, what is it?" Long Ting asked.

Li Weiyi had been extremely careful, leaving no trace, not even disturbing the snow piled on the branches.

Luansheng Linyou gently shook his head and smiled, "The white plum blossoms on the branches are truly beautiful! In winter, when everything else is desolate, only they bloom with captivating vitality. If one only rushes on their journey without pausing to appreciate them, life would surely lose much of its splendor."

"Am I not more beautiful than it?"

Long Xiangcen's voice was sweet and delicate, sounding nothing like a renowned inheritor who had been famous for twenty years, but rather like a young girl experiencing her first crush.

"Both are beautiful, each in its own way."

Luansheng Linyou led the group away at a quick pace. As they walked, everyone employed various methods: some altered their appearance, some wore masks, and others activated talismans to conceal their faces and auras.

Li Weiyi stood at the top of a seven-story bell tower, leaning against a wooden pillar, watching them leave the Sky Pavilion.

He didn't watch them continuously, fearing his opponent would become alert again.

"Lu Cangsheng has actually returned!"

Images of Yin Jiu, Yao Yin, Jiang Ning, Zuoqiu Hongting, and Shi Shishi surfaced in Li Weiyi's mind, and the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved upward. He really wanted to know about their experiences at the Du'e Temple, how much their cultivation had improved, and whether Yao Yin had grown into a great beauty like Yao Qingxuan...

Two years had passed, and a growing sense of longing filled Li Weiyi's heart, yet he was unsure how to face them if they truly met again.

Should he face them as the Fourth Divine Son of the Dao Cult? As Yao Qingxuan's senior disciple? Or as the dejected and disgraced Li Weiyi?

He let out a breath and sighed faintly.

The Thirty-Six Thunder Tombs would undoubtedly witness an intense battle. Li Weiyi was eager to join the excitement, to observe the current cultivation levels of Luansheng Linyou, Lu Cangsheng, Long Ting, and others, and to see if there was an opportunity to eliminate Luansheng Linyou and Long Ting.

But reason told him that getting involved would be very dangerous.

What gave Luansheng Linyou the audacity to come to Thunder Tomb City?

What made him dare to ambush Lu Cangsheng?

This was a good chance to explore that courtyard.

Li Weiyi's appearance and figure rapidly transformed; his skin turned the pristine white of a Pure Immortal Body, then instantly shifted into the elegant and noble likeness of Long Ting, his eyes sharp and cold.

"Whoosh!"

He pointed a finger at the fourth-grade Hundred-Character Invisibility Robe he was wearing, and over four hundred scriptures materialized.

As the scriptures retracted, the robe's style instantly changed to match what Long Ting had been wearing.

In Long Ting's guise, he walked to the courtyard gate.

The formation opened from the inside.

"Lord Long Ting, why have you returned?"

The demonic martial cultivator, disguised as a middle-aged man, stood respectfully at the entrance and asked curiously.

Li Weiyi walked in with his hands behind his back, his gaze falling on the area in the southwest corner where coffins were placed. As he walked, he said, "The Young Lord was worried, so he sent me back to check again. Just to prevent any unexpected incidents after we leave."

Inside the courtyard, four demonic martial cultivators remained on guard.

They wore talisman robes capable of concealing their demonic aura and transforming them into human form; all were masters at the Dao Seed Realm level.

The demonic cultivator disguised as a middle-aged man followed closely, saying, "Please rest assured, Lord Long Ting. They are all undergoing soul fusion and should awaken within the next two days."

Li Weiyi was secretly startled; he had read about the Soul Fusion Secret Art at the Dao Cult's main altar.

It was a method used by powerful departed spirits from the Realm of the Dead to enter the mortal world for cultivation, hunting, recreation, or reconnaissance.

By capturing living beings and merging their own spiritual bodies with the living beings' souls, they could achieve perfect concealment.

This could only be accomplished if the departed spirit's spiritual body was far stronger than that of the living person.

If the thirty coffins before him contained thirty court martial cultivators at the Dao Seed Realm level, brought by Luansheng Linyou from the Dao Cult's main altar, then where did he find so many powerful departed spirits?

Indeed, Luansheng Linyou had departed spirits under his command at the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival. Later, Zuoqiu Menting discovered that those spirits originated from three of the two hundred seventy-two prefectures swallowed by the Realm of the Dead a thousand years ago.

Li Weiyi had some understanding of the distribution of the Realm of the Dead's forces around the Lingxiao Living Realm, having learned about it from Yang Qingchan when he was trapped in the secret treasure vault.

Among them, the two hundred seventy-two prefectures from back then were considered the fringe areas of the Realm of the Dead relative to the Lingxiao Living Realm.

In the former prefectural cities, two hundred seventy-two ghost cities, malevolent lairs, and bone mansions had been established. Internal conflicts raged incessantly within them, with battles even more fierce than those in the Lingxiao Living Realm.

Kirin Zang must have either subjugated some of the Realm of the Dead's titans and brought them under his command, or he was cooperating with some of them to jointly attack Lingxiao.

The Far West Ash Region, the Realm of the Dead, the Demonic Race, the Dao Cult—just thinking about these forces made Li Weiyi feel overwhelmed by dark clouds, a sense of crushing oppression as if the sky itself was falling.

The thirty coffins before him were merely matters handled by Luansheng Linyou, a member of the younger generation.

What were the older figures of the Demonic Race doing?

No wonder Luansheng Linyou dared to come to Thunder Tomb City; perhaps the Demonic Race had long made full preparations, and the Cloud Sky Immortal Plain and Lingxiao City were already like fish on their chopping board.

"Whoosh!"

Li Weiyi pushed open one of the coffins.

Inside the coffin, a chilling, malevolent aura permeated the air.

An old man with white hair lay within, malevolent energy spewing from his ancestral field, and the fluctuations of his spiritual power were as strong as a constantly booming divine drum.

He was an extremely formidable master from the imperial court, at least at the sixth heaven of the Dao Seed Realm.

He was not dead; his heartbeat was active, and his life force was vibrant.

Confirming his suspicions, Li Weiyi's scalp tingled. Before him were thirty terrifying departed spirit masters. If they were startled and leaped out of their coffins, the consequences would be unimaginable.

He couldn't act rashly.

He had to leave first!

Li Weiyi's sense of danger flared. Before he could turn around, he detected a sixth person in the courtyard. This newcomer was standing right at the main gate.

A faint fragrance wafted to his nostrils.

Li Weiyi remained calm and slowly turned around, looking up at Long Xiangcen, who was clad in an iridescent robe.

Large expanses of her fair skin were exposed, her arms and legs bare, completely oblivious to the winter chill. Her jade-like fingers cupped her chin as she smiled and examined "Long Ting" standing beside the coffin.

Li Weiyi finally had the chance to scrutinize her closely.

In terms of beauty, Long Xiangcen embodied both the ethereal grace of a Pure Immortal Body and the allure of the demonic race. Her figure was remarkable, with a captivating cleavage, translucent skin, and voluminous yet neat hair.

Li Weiyi murmured to himself, "It seems I still underestimated Luansheng Linyou's caution and vigilance."

Long Xiangcen smiled, her teeth white and lips moist. "Oh dear, it's so annoying! Why aren't you scared at all? I thought I could give you quite a fright."

"What man would fear a beauty? With a face like yours, Miss Long, I can't admire it enough; I simply can't take my eyes off you." Li Weiyi was no longer the same as before; he could handle sudden dangers with greater ease and confidence.

Long Xiangcen giggled, shaking with amusement. "Your words are so sweet, I almost don't want to kill you! You actually know me?"

"Of course, the Dragon Gate's elder inheritor!" Li Weiyi replied.

Long Xiangcen's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a frosty expression. "I'll cut your tongue into tiny pieces, knife by knife."

The other four demons in the courtyard had already sensed something was amiss. They each drew their artifacts and slowly moved to surround Li Weiyi, their eyes filled with hostility.

They had been suspicious when "Long Ting" appeared, but dared not offend him.

"Where is Luansheng Linyou?" Li Weiyi asked.

Long Xiangcen replied, "Am I not enough on my own?"

Luansheng Linyou wasn't certain if someone had truly been spying earlier, so he had only sent Long Xiangcen back to investigate.

"Are you sure you want to make a move here in the Sky Pavilion, Miss Long? If the imperial court discovers what's here, or if your presence becomes known to them, you might not escape Thunder Tomb City alive!"

Li Weiyi appeared calm, but in reality, his nerves were taut as he scanned his surroundings for a way to break out.

Who would dare underestimate an inheritor who had gained fame twenty years ago?

"So concerned about my safety? You're quite a kind person!"

A smile played on Long Xiangcen's lips as her External Dao Heart Manifestation exploded forth.

Instantly, the entire courtyard was enveloped in crimson spiritual energy, filled with countless demonic shadows and illusions.

"Boom! Boom..."

The other four demonic powerhouses also unleashed their External Dao Heart Manifestations, pressing down on Li Weiyi, layer upon layer.

It was as if five great mountains had descended, and thousands of chains bound him. Li Weiyi knew this battle was unavoidable. So, he took out the golden smiling Buddha mask given to him by Yao Qingxuan and put it on his face to conceal his power fluctuations.

Seeing the mask, surprise flickered in Long Xiangcen's eyes. "So it's you. Interesting. It seems Zuo Ning isn't your true identity either. Who exactly are you?"

Li Weiyi had worn this mask on the dispatch boat.

Long Xiangcen was discerning; she recognized that Li Weiyi wearing the mask at this moment was to conceal his power aura.

Li Weiyi didn't want to fight here; many of his techniques would be constrained. If he could break through and lure Taishi Bai to this location, he could inflict heavy losses on the demonic race.

Five streams of spiritual pressure bore down, intending to suppress him directly into submission.

"Boom!"

Li Weiyi formed a hand seal, and his spiritual power flared, repelling the mental attacks of the five masters.

The five layers of External Dao Heart Manifestations still pressed upon him, suppressing his strength, speed, and reactions, as if he were trapped in quicksand.

From his left, a demonic powerhouse at the fourth heaven of the Dao Seed Realm lunged, wielding twin axes.

Countless scriptures emerged on the axe heads, releasing dazzling colorful light.

Li Weiyi dodged back a step, evading one axe, then raised his palm to strike the other.

"Bang!"

Golden Crow flames enveloped his palm, and spiritual energy surged within him. His palm strike was powerful, producing a resounding clang of metal.

The demonic cultivator at the fourth heaven of the Dao Seed Realm had expected Li Weiyi to be a mind master; he never anticipated such a formidable palm strike, hitting an artifact barehanded. He couldn't hold onto his axe, and his fingers were throbbing as if they would split.

The battle axe flew out of his grasp.

"Bang!"

He himself was sent flying by Li Weiyi's kick, smashing into a distant glazed octagonal pavilion.

Li Weiyi was curious about the strength of his current pure martial cultivation and had long wanted to spar with someone. Unfortunately, he temporarily dared not use his External Dao Heart Manifestation, as doing so would reveal the secret of his Wind Mansion Dragon Seed. Nor did he dare to use his Blood Handprint Demonic Armor...

In short, he was greatly constrained.

"I never expected it; not only is your spiritual power remarkable, but your martial cultivation is also incredibly strong. There aren't many individuals like you."

Long Xiangcen moved slowly, closely observing the clash between Li Weiyi and the four demonic masters, then her mind stirred.

Immediately, the phantoms within her External Dao Heart Manifestation solidified into countless demonic cultivators. Their battle cries shook the heavens as they overwhelmed and engulfed Li Weiyi.

"Swish!"

The Myriad Objects Staff-Spear flew out from his ancestral field, propelled by Li Weiyi's spiritual light.

With a thunderous roar, the ten-foot-long battle spear swept out, unleashing raging crimson flames that sent all the illusions and the four demonic masters flying. Two of the demonic masters' bodies were pierced by the spearhead, their defenses broken, and blood splattered.

Li Weiyi formed a hand seal and opened the Heavenly Insight Eye on his forehead.