Chapter 60: Fourfold Lizhou

They were from Coffin Mountain.

Yang Qingxi's captivating, bright eyes flashed with surprise, then fixed on the burly, bearded monk in a red kasaya standing outside the main gate. The monk was nearly two meters tall, robust and dark-skinned, with a face as round as a plate. His eyes were as sharp as lightning, devoid of any compassionate expression.

Yang Qingxi, capable of representing the Yang Clan in dealings with major powers, had clearly earned the older generation's approval for her cultivation, wisdom, and tact. How could she not recognize the monk before her? He was Grand Zen Master Yuzhen, the abbot of Five Burials Temple. A highly renowned figure from the "Jiazi Records." This identity certainly qualified him to represent Coffin Mountain.

What Yang Qingxi found unbelievable was that just a month prior, they had been plotting against Coffin Mountain, framing the Buddhist bandits. Yet, tonight, the other party had come not to demand accountability, but to discuss cooperation.

Shi Jiuzhai stated, "The Heavenly King's intention is that with Coffin Mountain's inclusion, our four factions will possess enough power to conquer Lizhou, even through a direct assault."

The four factions were:

First, "Suizong," the faction backing Yang Qingxi.Second, the "Dragon Gate," a prominent sect among the Myriad Gates.And finally, two of the Southern Realm's three great barbarian bandit groups: the "Earth Wolf King Army" and the "Coffin Mountain Buddhist Bandits."

Yang Qingxi immediately understood everything. It was clear that after the framing incident was exposed, Coffin Mountain's leadership had confronted the Earth Wolf King Army. Ultimately, the two major bandit groups had buried their animosity and were now prepared to join forces and divide Lizhou.

From the perspective of Suizong and the Yang Clan, they naturally did not want Coffin Mountain to be involved. Suizong's motivation for taking Lizhou was to secure its own territory. Currently, Suizong's influence is spread along the Sui River, with its power dispersed across both banks. Although the Sui River traverses the Lingxiao Living Realm from north to south, flowing through seven states with tributaries reaching over a dozen, they understood their precarious position. The river itself was not solely theirs; powerful clans and sects across various states frequently exploited them. Moreover, they constantly had to defer to colossal powers like the Myriad Gates, always treading on thin ice.

The Sui River was like a vine. Suizong needed this "vine" to have land where it could take root; otherwise, they would remain rootless wanderers forever. Only by conquering Lizhou and becoming its masters would Suizong truly establish its own territory. And only by first securing a state would Suizong have the future opportunity to grow into a major sect, or even advance north to contend for supremacy.

The Earth Wolf King Army and Dragon Gate were both distant from Lizhou; all they desired were resources and provisions for their conquests. However, Coffin Mountain was close by. If they participated, how could they not demand territory? How could they not claim the Blood Sea Otherworld Coffin, that enormous resource mine blessed by nature?

Yang Qingxi's gaze swept over Shi Jiuzhai, Grand Zen Master Yuzhen, and the others. "Young Master Long," she began, "what is the Dragon Gate's stance?"

The young, noble man surnamed Long, standing at the bow of the ship, replied, "There's no other option now; we must launch a forceful assault to eliminate the Nine Li. With an additional faction involved, the cost to us will naturally be lower. After all, the Dragon Gate and the Earth Wolf King Army are currently fighting multi-front wars against the Lingxiao Palace army, so the forces we can dispatch to Lizhou are quite limited."

"My suggestion is to act swiftly. We must seize the cultivation resources, provisions, weaponry, exotic beasts, elixirs, and all other accumulated assets that the various Nine Li tribes have stored for millennia, and send them to the front lines. If we don't claim them, should we leave them for Lingxiao Palace?"

With even the Dragon Gate supporting Coffin Mountain's involvement, Yang Qingxi knew there was no room for negotiation. She began to consider how to secure more benefits.

From outside the door, among the Coffin Mountain contingent, an aged, cold laugh echoed. "Are you truly treating the Nine Li tribes as mere granaries or treasuries, ripe for the taking?" he scoffed. "You severely underestimate the Nine Li clan's millennia of accumulated power!"

All eyes turned towards the source of the voice, including those of the man surnamed Long and Shi Jiuzhai. This person did not appear to be from Coffin Mountain! Coffin Mountain had brought an outsider with them.

The aged voice belonged to an elder completely enveloped in a wide black robe. He stood behind Grand Zen Master Yuzhen, the abbot of Five Burials Temple, shoulder to shoulder with the white-robed lay scholar. His head was covered by a hood, and his entire body was shrouded in black mist, making his face indiscernible beneath the hood.

The hooded elder, shrouded in black mist, continued, "Yang Shenjing did indeed display overwhelming power during the Longshan Battle fourteen years ago, successively defeating six Nine Li tribal chiefs. But if those six chiefs had joined forces, would he still have been their match?"

"Moreover, the Nine Li clan's true strength has never been what you see on the surface. Have any of you heard of the Nine Li Hidden Gate?"

Having followed the Nine Li clan for many years, Suizong naturally possessed a deep understanding of them. Yang Qingxi replied, "The Nine Li Hidden Gate has always been merely a legend, never truly manifesting. Even during the fierce conflict fourteen years ago, they didn't appear. I don't believe this legend is true."

"Even if it were true, I imagine it's merely a name, vastly exaggerated. Otherwise, how could they idly watch the Nine Li clan decline? Or see their core interests carved away?"

The hooded elder, shrouded in black mist, cackled, "If Suizong holds such a view, you will undoubtedly pay a terrible price for your arrogance. Just observe... that 'cat and mouse' game on the shore, as you perceive it, mirrors the state of affairs in the world; it will reverse in an instant, bringing forth strange new developments."

Yang Yun could hardly believe his eyes. Three of the top hundred martial artists, including Shi Chuanyu, who had opened eight springs, were all instantly sent flying by a severely wounded individual. From start to finish, he had been in a jocular mood, never taking this unknown Seven-Spring martial cultivator seriously. But now, meeting the opponent's gaze again, Yang Yun's heart lost that comforting sense of control, as if he were being hunted by a beast in the jungle.

Li Weiyi's Sixth Spring had opened, but only two silver mark-veins had emerged from the spring eye. It would take time for them all to fully open. Shi Chuanyu, who had landed on a fishing boat to Li Weiyi's right, was the first to stand, his chest aching intolerably. In the recent clash, he clearly felt the opponent's immensely powerful palm force. Even without the enhancement of the silver-thread glove artifact, he doubted he would have gained even a slight advantage in strength. Yao Zhengsheng, who had fallen into the water, climbed out. Though the water was two meters deep, it only reached his waist. In the Surging Spring realm, when had he ever been outmatched in strength? After Lu Can was sent flying, he crashed into and broke a mast. When he stood up again, a trail of blood ran from the corner of his mouth. With one of his tiger claws already pierced by the Yellow Dragon Sword, his combat power was significantly reduced.

Yang Yun composed himself, toying with the Yellow Dragon Sword in his hand, and chuckled, "He's broken through! But it can't be the Five Seas realm; at most, he's opened the Eighth Spring, and his power comes solely from his artifacts. Why would people like us, below the Five Seas realm, ever fear anyone? Kill him, and whoever claims his artifacts keeps them. Of course, you can also exchange the artifacts with the Yang Clan for a Five Seas Pill."

Li Weiyi's burst of power was indeed terrifying in that moment, but everyone also observed his injuries. No matter how strong a person is, there will always be a moment of collapse. There will always be a point of exhaustion. Earlier, Li Weiyi had used the Spring-Breaking Needle to pierce the Tanzhong acupoint with extreme speed, concealed by the night. None of the Surging Spring martial cultivators present saw it clearly; they had no idea he had broken through to the Sixth Spring.

"Boom!"

Li Weiyi lifted his foot and stomped on the fishing boat, his body leaping into the air with the momentum, instantly shattering the vessel into pieces. He moved through the air as if on solid ground, charging directly toward Yang Yun. Yang Yun's face showed no fear. He channeled the eight-spring spiritual power within him toward the Yellow Dragon Sword, then his brows furrowed deeply. The sword in his hand... showed no reaction, unable to unleash its sword aura. A palm wind swept across his face; Li Weiyi was already upon him.

Yang Yun temporarily shifted the Yellow Dragon Sword to his left hand and clenched his right into a fist. Spiritual power surged brilliantly on his fist, piercing through the palm wind like a radiant star, and collided with Li Weiyi's silver palm.

"Boom!"

At this moment, Yang Yun profoundly understood why the three top hundred martial artists had been sent flying earlier. The opponent's palm force was immensely powerful, strong enough to cleave mountains and shift peaks. This was merely a palm strike delivered by the opponent after leaping, without having fully charged his power. Cracks appeared in the boat beneath Yang Yun's feet as he stumbled backward. With each step, the wooden boat groaned. Finally, he slammed into the thick cabin wall, halting his retreat. The fist that had directly met Li Weiyi's palm print was aching as if its fingers would split. The third mark-vein of the Tanzhong spring eye instantly extended within his body, fully formed after that powerful palm strike.

In the distance, from the top of a five-zhang-tall mast, there was a twang. Murong Xiao shot her last arrow. The swiftly flying arrow vanished into the night as soon as it left the bow. The next instant, a sight that caused Murong Xiao's expression to change drastically unfolded: Li Weiyi, without dodging, bent his legs like a bow, his arms generating ripples of spiritual power. With a bright silver glow, he delivered a heavy punch to the incoming long arrow. He had endured enough of these constant hidden arrows. He no longer wished to dodge; he simply wanted to punch through them all.

"Boom!"

The two forces collided. The thumb-thick, two-meter-long arrow was knocked down by the punch. The wooden arrow shaft could not withstand the force and shattered immediately. The fourth mark-vein formed within his body!

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh..."

Led by Shi Chuanyu, Yao Zhengsheng, and Lu Can, over a dozen figures attacked simultaneously from various directions. All of them emanated spiritual power, with a smoky aura swirling around their bodies; none were weak. Li Weiyi knew that no matter how strong he was, having only opened six springs, one person couldn't possibly fight an entire group... unless it was a fair contest among those of the same realm. If this group of powerful adversaries, each at least one realm higher than him, surrounded him, a single move from each would be enough to tear him apart.

"Whoosh!"

While seeking weak points in the enemy's encirclement, he channeled spiritual power into the Ghost Flag. Instantly, chilling air and spectral mist surged from the flag, enveloping the surrounding dozen or so fishing boats. The chilling air unleashed by the Ghost Flag was even more piercingly cold than when he had activated it with five springs, rapidly forming white frost on the fishing boats' surfaces. For these powerful Surging Spring martial cultivators, the Ghost Flag's might was not severely damaging, but it could instill a psychological fear of the unknown within them.

"This artifact is definitely not simple; we must be careful," they thought simultaneously, looking down at the ice crystals on the ground. The spectral mist was so thick that all surrounding lights vanished. With their vision obstructed, they could only rely on sound to pinpoint locations, growing even more apprehensive.

Li Weiyi fixed his gaze on the injured Lu Can. Moving his feet, he flashed before him and unleashed the Heaven-Overturning Hand Seal, which he had already charged and prepared.