Chapter 376: You Think I'm Jealous

Jiang Ning said, "This matter is too significant, I'm afraid..."

Li Weiyi took the chopsticks and began to eat: "If you report this, I'll be considered a traitor to the Dao Sect and will surely die. You asked me to trust you, and now that I do, you want to put me to death?"

Jiang Ning's delicate brows furrowed as she fell into an extremely difficult dilemma: "Since you came out of the underground immortal dwelling, it proves that the cult's main headquarters is indeed beneath Fuzhou. The gravestones and mounds now spreading out from Fuzhou must be the cult's Yin Corpse Rice Cultivation."

"A great catastrophe will befall the world. If the Lingxiao Palace doesn't eradicate the Sui Sect soon, the consequences will be unpredictable."

Li Weiyi said: "I know that an individual's life or death is insignificant compared to the lives of countless common people in the world. But do I deserve to die?"

"You... sigh!"

Jiang Ning, full of worry, looked at the list in her hand: "What is this list?"

Li Weiyi said: "I don't know much, only that many court experts who explored the underground immortal dwelling were captured by the Divine Cult. Thirty of them have now been released, but I don't know who they are. I want to find them and eliminate them, to do what I can for the people of the world."

Jiang Ning's eyes lit up, feeling that Li Weiyi seemed unchanged.

Li Weiyi's expression turned serious, and he lowered his voice: "My plan is this! I have death spirit fire within me, so I can't directly reveal that the Sui Sect is a power of the Dao Sect. But I can instigate conflicts among the Dao Sect's internal factions and use their hands to eliminate the Sui Sect."

Jiang Ning nodded: "That's one of the few ways to break this deadlock, but it will be incredibly difficult to execute. You'll need strong allies within both the court and the Sui Sect."

"The Nine Li Hidden Gate has someone within the Sui Sect, holding a high position," Li Weiyi said.

Jiang Ning said: "But within the court, relying solely on Zhuang Yue won't be enough."

Li Weiyi asked: "Then who else can we find? Taishi Bai?"

"The Taishi family is in charge of defense; they probably won't be much help. Besides, do you and Taishi Bai really have such a deep friendship? Are they truly unconcerned about your identity as a cult's divine son? Can they completely trust you?" Jiang Ning asked.

Li Weiyi said: "What about Ge Xiantong?"

"He's even less suitable than Taishi Bai," Jiang Ning said.

Li Weiyi, frustrated, buried his head in his food: "I'll think of another way."

Jiang Ning gazed at him sternly. Seeing his complete lack of understanding, after a moment, she finally couldn't help but say, "Are you not considering me?"

"Of course, Senior Jiang is my first choice. In terms of our relationship, your wisdom, ability, and character, you are impeccable. There's just one thing that worries me."

Li Weiyi said seriously: "I heard from Yang Qingxi that the Second Palace Master intends to arrange a marriage for Yao Qian to win over the Sui Sect. And the person intended for this marriage is you, the legitimate daughter of the Jiang family. A marriage alliance between the Sui Sect and the Jiang family would allow them to quickly integrate into the court, avoiding attacks and ostracization..."

Before he could finish, Jiang Ning said: "Nonsense. I've never heard of such a thing."

Li Weiyi said: "This comes from Yang Shenjing, so it should be true. Perhaps the matter was delayed because you went to the Du'e Temple. Yao Qian entered longevity at sixty; his character, appearance, talent, and demeanor are all top-notch in the world. I'm not sure what you're truly thinking, so..."

"Clap!"

Jiang Ning slapped the list in front of him: "You don't know what I'm thinking, but I know what you're thinking. Just like that remark you made at Nanyan Pass about a 'lover's assistance'—now that I think back, you must have felt quite unpleasant at the time."

"Pfft!"

Li Weiyi couldn't hold it in; he sprayed all the tea he had just drunk onto the ground.

Then, feigning composure, he said: "You think I'm jealous? Yes, the Feathered Immortal's reputation is vast, the most beautiful woman in the world, how many men lose sleep over you? But my fiancée, Hong Ting, isn't bad, is she? Dressed in a Daoist robe, she's like a celestial maiden descending to earth, and wielding a feather fan, she's heroic and spirited. In what way is she inferior to you?"

Jiang Ning lost interest in continuing the conversation. She put on her veil, donned her magical night-traveling attire, and prepared to leave: "I can help you with dealing with the Sui Sect; our objectives are the same. When you need my help, just have Zhuang Yue or Grandpa Zhuang send word to me."

"There's something right now!"

Li Weiyi, while flipping through the list in his hand, said: "Tomorrow, around 6:30 PM, find a way to have a powerful figure from the Luan Terrace visit Yao Qian."

"That's all?" Jiang Ning asked.

Li Weiyi said: "Yao Qian is extremely formidable. When dealing with him, we can't leave too many traces. Otherwise, it will backfire."

Jiang Ning walked out of the courtyard gate, lifted her misty almond eyes, and gazed at the starry sky above, letting out a long, quiet sigh. She could feel the difficulty of Li Weiyi's precarious existence. Facing behemoths like the Sui Sect and the cult, he could still force a smile.

Praised by the world, he is not encouraged; condemned by the world, he is not deterred.The Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, bringing fame and renown.Though the ancestral field was ruined, his resilience remained.Facing life's great tribulations, he never changed his original aspirations.

Jiang Ning's slender figure gradually receded, swallowed by the swirling, falling snow.

What lay ahead would be a difficult and dangerous struggle.

Li Weiyi finished all the remaining food. Seeing that heavy snow was coming, he called out: "Zhuang Yue, prepare a room for me; I'll stay here tonight!"

He was truly exhausted, and that night, he slept extremely soundly.

He didn't wake up until noon the next day. As he opened the door and the protective formation, a cold wind whistled in, and the sky was a dull gray.

Heavy hammering sounds echoed from the courtyard.

Li Weiyi descended from the pavilion, following the sound.

He saw the limping, white-haired old man from last night, bare-chested, vigorously striking with an iron hammer.

Beside him was a pile of damaged magical artifacts.

The old man was melting them down and hammering them into iron ingots.

"Grandpa Zhuang!" Li Weiyi called out, preparing to say his goodbyes and leave.

Old Zhuang put down his warhammer. His face was gaunt, but his entire body was powerfully muscled, brimming with vitality. He smiled: "Zhuang Yue has gone to the Luan Terrace! Don't rush off, want to chat for a bit?"

"Sure," Li Weiyi replied.

"We won't eat at home today; let's go to a restaurant."

Old Zhuang led Li Weiyi out. He limped on his right foot, walking through half a foot of snow.

Li Weiyi offered to help him, but he refused.

He smiled: "During the bloody battle of Cangyuan back then, my entire leg was broken. Although it was reattached later, the flesh, tendons, and bones were severely damaged by demonic power, so it couldn't fully recover."

"Grandpa Zhuang, are you a West Sea Slave?"

Li Weiyi had long noticed that Old Zhuang's cultivation was extremely high, and he had definitely cultivated a Dao Fruit.

Old Zhuang nodded: "Most of those living in Qingyun Ward are old veterans of the West Sea Slaves, similar to me—either disabled or with diminished cultivation. Fortunately, we're still somewhat useful; we can melt down and rework magical artifacts."

"The materials for crafting magical artifacts are extremely precious."

"Standard West Sea Slave sabers, like the 'Slave Steed Slash,' must use the densest metals from the Chenshan ore veins."

"Magical artifacts for ordinary soldiers are forged from Chenshan black iron. For hundred-character level Slave Steed Slashes, Chenshan ink-bronze is required. For thousand-character level, Chenshan dark-silver."

"But Yunzhou, where the Chenshan ore veins are located, was swallowed by the Nether Realm of the Deceased a thousand years ago. Mining there comes at an enormous cost."

They arrived at a noodle shop not far from the entrance of Minglun Lane, where Old Zhuang ordered two bowls of noodle soup.

He was familiar with the shop owner, a comrade-in-arms from the West Sea Slaves.

Old Zhuang continued: "Zhuang Yue's parents both died in the great battle of Cangyuan. I knew I couldn't properly care for her, so I sent her to the Luan Terrace. This child is actually quite lonely, perhaps because she grew up without her parents. That's why she's always been a bit naive, very stubborn, and set in her ways."

Li Weiyi understood Old Zhuang's unspoken meaning: "Grandpa Zhuang, don't worry. I'm not someone who would resort to any means to achieve a goal. I always see things through properly."

Old Zhuang waved his hand with a smile: "Last night, Zhuang Yue told me a lot. She trusts you greatly and spoke very highly of you... In fact, the entire Lingxiao City now speaks very highly of you."

"This morning, I heard many old comrades excitedly telling me about your legendary feats at the Prince's mansion last night: how you broke the Dao Image, severely wounded Xie Chucai, cultivated the Golden Crow Flame Psychic Power and the Fusang Divine Tree Spirit, and how your psychic talent is rare in the world, not inferior to that of those young emperors."

"I didn't even have the heart to tell them that the rare genius they were talking about was sleeping right in my home."

"By the way, how should this old man address you? Zuo Ning?"

Li Weiyi said: "Li Weiyi."

Old Zhuang nodded: "Xiao Li, I'm not telling you all this to blame you, but rather because I have a request. This old man is now exactly 120 years old, and my time is limited to these next few years. After I die, Zhuang Yue, with her personality, won't last long in the court or in these chaotic times. Jiang Ning can protect her for a while, but not for a lifetime. Just like the two years she was away at the Du'e Temple."

"It would actually be quite good if you took her away from the court, brought her to Lizhou, and let her live as a commoner. If she's fortunate, she could even stay by your side as a maidservant."

Old Zhuang had clearly been worried about Zhuang Yue's future all this time, and tears welled up in his eyes unknowingly.

Li Weiyi said: "Grandpa Zhuang, rest assured, I will definitely take her away."

"Eat your noodles, eat your noodles..."

Two bowls of noodle soup were served.

Li Weiyi asked: "Actually, there's something I've always been curious about. What was the real reason for the great defeat of the West Sea Slaves back then? The power of the Extreme West Ash Region and the demon race shouldn't have been strong enough to completely overwhelm you, right?"

Old Zhuang fell into a painful recollection: "In the Battle of Cangyuan, the West Sea Slaves suffered 30,000 casualties, almost all of whom were elite soldiers above the Fifth Sea Realm. From then on, our vitality was severely damaged, and we could never again reach our peak strength."

"Many of us old comrades have secretly analyzed the causes of that defeat countless times."

"Firstly, naturally, it was because the enemy was powerful."

"Secondly, many Ash Spirits were secretly lurking within the army."

"Thirdly, I heard a conspiracy theory that someone within the imperial court felt the West Sea Slaves were too great a threat and wanted to weaken us."

"Fourthly, at that time, we happened to encounter the Minor Field Order. Someone tried to forcibly implement it within the army, causing great chaos and low morale. Perhaps even the court didn't anticipate that the West Sea Slaves would suffer such a crushing defeat, with such severe casualties, leading to a decade and more of chaos throughout the land."

Li Weiyi asked: "Do you harbor resentment towards the court?"

Old Zhuang sighed deeply: "Yes, but if one day the fires of war spread to Lingxiao City, we will still pick up our Slave Steed Slashes and protect the honor of the West Sea Slaves and all lives worth defending."

Li Weiyi asked no more questions. After finishing his noodles, he asked Old Zhuang to help him contact Song Lin.

Afterwards, using another identity, he quietly entered the Prince's mansion with Song Lin to refine the demonic energy within Song Qingli.

By the time he walked out of the West Sea Prince's mansion, it was already late afternoon.

He rented a carriage and headed towards the Luan Terrace.

Inside the carriage, Li Weiyi examined a box of Starday Pills given by Song Lin. There were thirty pills in total, worth several million Yongquan coins. With this vast resource, becoming a Six-Star Spirit-Mind Master was now within reach.

He put them away.

His gaze sharpened, and he released a psychic energy field, enveloping the interior of the carriage. Only then did he activate the Buddha Relic, pulling Tang Wanzhou out of the blood-mud space... er...

...he 'invited' him out, which is why Young Master Tang did not fiercely resist.

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