Chapter 378: Small Elder

Li Weiyi said, “When I issued the Divine Hidden Command, I hadn’t anticipated it would summon the elders too. The enemy is incredibly powerful. Many will die in what we are about to do at Skytop City; it could be the majority, or it could be a complete wipeout. I cannot guarantee anyone’s safety.”

“The Hidden Gate cannot be entirely lost in the Cloud Heaven Immortal Plains. Therefore, if you have important tasks, family, or are not yet ready to die at Skytop City, you may withdraw now. I only need half of you.”

“Those who leave should not feel ashamed. You will need to continue supporting the Hidden Gate and bearing its responsibilities.”

“You have fifteen minutes to consider.”

Even Elder Zhuo and the Forty-Fifth Grand Elder, who were unaware of the specific circumstances, were moved by the gravity of Li Weiyi’s words.

A masked Hidden Elder said, “Having become Hidden ones, we long ago cast aside concerns of life and death. However, we must first know who the enemy is, what we are fighting for, and if it is worth dying for.”

“Exactly,” another Hidden Elder said. “Please, Divine Hidden One, tell us everything first.”

Li Weiyi’s eyes sharpened as he stated resolutely, “I’m sorry, I cannot tell you. Only those who remain will be allowed to know.”

A long silence followed.

Seeing that no one had left, Li Weiyi looked at the Forty-Fifth Grand Elder. “Grand Elder, you understand them better. Please, you choose half of them to leave.”

The Forty-Fifth Grand Elder chuckled hoarsely, “The Hidden ones who truly cannot leave didn’t come to Skytop City in the first place. Those present who are unwilling to leave should be allowed to stay. The Hidden Gate has its seeds; even if shattered, it can be rebuilt.”

“The Divine Hidden Command is not issued lightly; we came fully prepared,” the Gatekeeper Elder said.

He was the Twelfth Elder.

Understanding their resolve, Li Weiyi spoke no further and went straight to the point: “All of you, having reached the Dao Seed realm, should be well aware of the perilous situation the world faces.”

“Since Qilin Xuan returned, the Far West Ash Region, Dragon Gate, Eastern Yi, and Western Rong have united. All demonic forces, including those from Tianya Ridge, Yin Mountain, and the Mountain Lord’s Calamity, have been brought under his command.”

“Meanwhile, the various human forces in the Skytop Living Realm have been warring for over a decade, with irreconcilable conflicts and hatred. Leaderless and acting independently, they will inevitably be defeated one by one.”

“Two years ago, a transcendent war left both sides severely weakened.”

“Now that the transcendent’s injuries are gradually healing, Qilin Xuan understands that relying purely on strength will not crush humanity in the Skytop Living Realm; it will only unite us as never before. For him, forming alliances and employing strategic tactics have become critically important.”

Li Weiyi then shared all the information he possessed with everyone.

Immediately, the entire council hall erupted in an uproar; everyone was astonished, feeling as if dark clouds covered the sky and the world was collapsing.

Li Weiyi continued, “The Hidden Lord met his demise because of this matter. I was fortunate to survive, and naturally, I must take on the responsibility.”

“To be clear, I trust every Hidden person, which is why I am sharing this secret with you all. However, if anyone leaks this information, whether intentionally or under duress, even Heaven itself will not be spared.”

Elder Zhuo said, “Before leaving the main hall, everyone must come to me to plant a Death Spirit Flame.”

The Forty-Fifth Grand Elder asked, “Is the Rice Sect truly that powerful? If the Yin Corpse Rice Planting is activated, the entire living realm will instantly turn into a ghost domain.”

Hidden Five said, “Even just the high-ranking demons are capable of fighting the human leadership to a standstill. Now, they have brought in forces from the Netherworld of the Deceased and the Evil Cult to assist them; Skytop City definitely cannot withstand this. Once Skytop City falls, all other forces in the world will be scattered and disorganized. How could they resist? They will surely collapse.”

A young masked Hidden person said, “It’s not that simple! I’ve been undercover in the Li Clan, and recently I’ve noticed some strange occurrences. Coupled with the appearance of the Demonic Child, I suspect the Li Clan’s transcendent has secretly returned from the Demon Kingdom.”

A Hidden Elder said, “I am responsible for patrolling the southern border. I’ve found that some ghost cities and skeletal mansions in the Netherworld of the Deceased have recently been assembling undead armies, but their direction is towards the Western Realm.”

A Hidden Elder, undercover in the imperial court, said in a pleasant voice, “The imperial court has also received this information. Many Immortal Realm grandmasters from Skytop City have secretly rushed to the Western Realm. It is estimated that in a few more days, the transcendent will also depart for that region. If this is a feint by the enemy, Skytop City is in great danger!”

Another Hidden Elder said, “The imperial court is currently in disarray, severely troubled by the Ghost Infant Incident, the ‘Ninefold Dao Image Scroll,’ the transcendent attack tragedy in Liangzhou, and the Eastern Sea barbarians. How can it possibly withstand the Evil Cult’s millennium-long scheme?”

“What worries me more is the Sui Sect. They have now become pervasive within the imperial court. If they were to cause trouble at a critical moment, the consequences would be unimaginable.”

“Just thirty undead powerhouses infiltrating from the demon race are already enough for us to track down. How terrifying must the destructive power of the Rice Sect’s millennium-long scheme be?”

Everyone discussed heatedly, sharing their intelligence and expressing their opinions, searching for a way to break the deadlock.

In the past century, the Nine Li Clan has gradually declined, and the Nine Li Hidden Gate has consequently adopted a defensive stance.

Hidden operatives are primarily embedded within the major forces in the Southern Realm and the imperial court.

The more critical a force is to the survival of the Nine Li Clan, the more talented the Hidden operatives embedded within it, seeking to ascend to high positions and obtain crucial intelligence.

For instance, Yao Qingxuan is embedded in the Rice Sect, Hidden Five in the Earth Wolf Royal Army, and Hidden One in the Sui Sect.

Additionally, Night City, Coffin Mountain, Zuoqiu Manor, the Jiang Family, and Skytop City are all key operational areas for the Hidden Gate.

The Hidden Elder embedded in the imperial court looked at Li Weiyi. “If Skytop City falls, all of humanity will be affected. Like lips without teeth, none will be spared. This matter is beyond our ability to resolve. I have a way to contact a transcendent within the imperial court; we need a transcendent on our side.”

Li Weiyi said, “Are you so certain that the transcendent you’re connected to is entirely trustworthy?”

“If she has problems, then no matter what we do, Skytop City is doomed to fall. Divine Hidden One, shall we speak privately?”

Li Weiyi nodded slightly, very interested in the Hidden Elder embedded in the imperial court, foreseeing great utility from them.

“Here is a list. Please take it, study it, and memorize everything. Over the next month, you must first find as many as possible of the thirty deceased spirit powerhouses hidden within the imperial court.”

The two went outside the hall.

The Hidden Elder embedded in the imperial court removed her mask, revealing a beautiful face of pure celestial form. She appeared incredibly young, barely in her early twenties. On her brow was a faint silver-white star-moon mark.

She said, “Disciple of the Third Palace Master, Xing Yue Nu, greets the Divine Hidden One.”

“Such a young Elder?”

Li Weiyi was slightly surprised. He had heard her name; she had once fought Xie Chucai and was defeated in seven moves.

Xing Yue Nu put her mask back on. “In the previous sexagenary cycle, I ranked sixtieth. I am forty-two this year, entering the Hidden Gate only a year before Hidden One. Within the Hidden Gate, they all call me ‘Little Elder.’”

“I know what the Divine Hidden One is concerned about! Half of the defensive formations of Skytop City and the Four Great Passes are in the Third Palace Master’s hands. If she were compromised, the Cloud Heaven Immortal Plains would have fallen long ago.”

Li Weiyi said, “But have you considered something? If the demon race and the Rice Sect haven’t found a way to bypass the defensive formations left by Emperor Pomu, why would they dare attack the Cloud Heaven Immortal Plains?”

“The Taishi Family and the Qilin Pavilion, which is overseen by the Third Palace Master, must be their primary targets for infiltration.”

“Recently, Liangzhou City was attacked by a demonic transcendent, tying up Duke Taishi there. The Deputy Commander of Nanyan Pass, responsible for city defenses and formations, was killed, forcing Taishi Qingcang to take charge of the situation. The Taichang Temple’s Ghost Infant Incident has left Taishi Qingshi utterly preoccupied.”

“The three grandmasters of the Taishi Family are all currently tied up. Why then is the Qilin Pavilion so calm and peaceful?”

Xing Yue Nu was moved. “You think the Qilin Pavilion faces a greater crisis? But perhaps the Third Palace Master’s cultivation is too high, making her impregnable, and they simply dare not make a move.”

Li Weiyi shook his head. “This is a world-shaking battle of life and death, where no one can afford to lose. I do not believe the Third Palace Master is impregnable. What do you think her weakness is?”

Xing Yue Nu pondered for a moment, then seemed to think of something and hesitated to speak.

Li Weiyi asked, “How many consorts does the Third Palace Master have in total?”

An extremely awkward question.

Xing Yue Nu glanced at him, then looked at the snowflakes in the night mist. “I’m not sure about that! But in the last three hundred years, it’s said there’s one per sexagenary cycle. Do you think the Third Palace Master would make a mistake regarding this? Impossible; she is the master, not the one mastered.”

Li Weiyi said, “I’m just thinking from the perspective of a Rice Sect powerhouse! If I were the Rice Ancestor, from what angle would I try to obtain the defensive formation blueprints held by the Third Palace Master?”

“The Third Palace Master’s cultivation is too high, with only this one potential weakness. In that case, I would do everything in my power to seize control of this weakness.”

“This afternoon, I visited the West Sea King’s Mansion and learned something from Song Lin. Song Yulou’s parents both died in the Battle of Cangyuan.”

Xing Yue Nu’s beautiful eyes widened in shock. “Are you suspecting the Song Family Head?”

“I’m not suspecting him. The Song Family Head is an exceptionally charismatic individual, supremely talented, modest, and flawless.”

Li Weiyi’s tone shifted. “The top geniuses I’ve encountered are all incredibly proud... I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with being a consort to the Third Palace Master; in fact, countless people dream of it.”

“However, Song Yulou has the West Sea King’s backing and a distinguished family background, unlike someone like Yao Qian. What the Third Palace Master can offer him, the West Sea King’s Mansion can also provide.”

“He doesn’t seem like someone who would be addicted to beauty. Well, if the Third Palace Master were simply widowed and didn’t replace her consort every sexagenary cycle, not just him, I could accept it. But that’s not the case. This cycle might be fine, but what about the next? Will he serve the Third Palace Master alongside other men?”

“Does the West Sea King’s Mansion truly consider this an honor? What exactly is he seeking? True love?”

Xing Yue Nu was swayed by Li Weiyi’s words. “But... he is the foremost talent of the West Sea King’s Mansion’s fourth generation. Is it just because of the hatred from the defeat of the West Sea Slaves at Cangyuan?”

“Perhaps hatred is just an opening for the Rice Sect to exploit him.”

Li Weiyi smiled. “Of course, these are all my baseless speculations; perhaps my direction is completely wrong.”

“No... I think you might be getting close to the truth.”

Xing Yue Nu’s expression turned serious. “Just today, Song Yulou became a Junior Official of the Qilin Pavilion. Having reached the Immortal Realm, the Third Palace Master will surely entrust him with more responsibilities, and her trust in him is far beyond what she grants us disciples. Some things, the more I think about them, the more unsettling they become.”

“If it really is him... then perhaps Qingli’s appearance at Danyue Workshop in the form of the Ghost Mother was also his doing.”

“Divine Hidden One, I am wavering. Perhaps the Third Palace Master truly cannot be easily informed.”

“Investigate first. We will investigate together. Keep a close eye on other situations within the Qilin Pavilion too.” Li Weiyi turned and entered the hall, as there were more important matters to arrange.