Chapter 78: Telekinetic Breakthrough

"The first trial will commence at the end of the month."

"The difficulty of the trial will differ for martial cultivators of each realm."

"A word of caution: the first trial consistently has a high mortality rate. Therefore, regardless of your realm, you must strive to enhance your combat power as quickly as possible. A month will pass by in no time."

"Those at Seven Springs or above, follow me."

Only seven people were at Seven Springs or above. These included two Seven Springs cultivators, Li Weiyi and Yao Yin, four Eight Springs cultivators, and one Nine Springs cultivator.

Yin Twenty-Four led them to the opposite bank of the river valley, where they walked across a lawn emitting a blue glow, the dew-soaked grass wetting their shoes. In the distance, numerous tall hillocks rose up… In this underground space, even these hillocks appeared towering.

"Undoubtedly, your most important task now is to temper the 'trace veins' within your bodies. Blood Tree Forest Cliff is most suitable for helping to temper red trace veins. You two Seven Springs cultivators should stay here!"

Clearly, Yin Twenty-Four had already probed their cultivation levels when they boarded the ship, indicating Yao Yin and Li Weiyi.

Li Qing showed a look of surprise, glancing at Li Weiyi. He had personally witnessed the battle by the Sui River and had always believed Li Weiyi to be an Eight Springs cultivator. He couldn't imagine a Seven Springs mortal achieving such terrifying combat feats, secretly suspecting that a master from the Earth Wolf Royal Army had sealed his eighth spring to enhance his survival capabilities within the Hidden Gate. It didn't matter. There was no significant difference between Seven Springs and Eight Springs; he just needed to find an opportunity to eliminate him.

Yao Yin's brows furrowed. "Can I refuse to live in the same place as him?"

"Yes," Yin Twenty-Four replied, "then you will live with the Eight Springs and Nine Springs cultivators."

"Never mind!" Yao Yin chose to compromise. The protection period, during which mutual killing was forbidden, was only one month. Who knew what rules would apply after that month?

Li Weiyi asked, "Is there a place that helps temper golden trace veins?"

Yao Yin stared at Li Weiyi as if he were an idiot, then was the first to walk into the Blood Tree Forest. Yin Twenty-Four, who had shown little expression until now, rolled her eyes at this point, saying, "First, reach Nine Springs, then we can talk." She then led the remaining five people to Silver Beach River Valley, a place capable of helping them temper silver trace veins.

Li Weiyi felt that he had asked so sincerely, yet why had he earned so many eye rolls? He absolutely had to temper golden trace veins. Otherwise, what advantage would he have if he encountered a martial cultivator with entirely silver veins in the future? Someone like Cang Li, the top figure of the younger generation in Li State, would almost certainly have all hundred of his veins fully silvered.

Sighing, he walked into the Blood Tree Forest. This was a small grove, only a few feet taller than a person, but it was clearly mutated vegetation. Its leaves could emit a faint bloody glow, and its trunk and branches were incredibly hard, like pig iron. The cave dwellings were carved into the cliff face deep within the Blood Tree Forest. There were five entrances in total, each equipped with a stone door and formation runes.

Yao Yin stood outside one of the cave dwelling entrances, staring at him as if he were a thief. Of course, Li Weiyi wouldn't make things awkward for himself. He deliberately chose a dwelling furthest from hers. He simply closed the stone door, and the ten formation runes on it automatically lit up.

After tidying up the cave dwelling, Li Weiyi entered the Blood Mud Space of the Buddhist Relic. "Master Coffin," he said, "I have entered the Hidden Gate." He then recounted the whole story, explaining the causes and effects.

Upon hearing this, Master Spirit Tablet spoke first: "Clearly, Coffin Mountain and the Earth Wolf Royal Army have joined forces, and there's a traitor among the high-ranking members of the Nine Li Clan. Most likely, other forces are also involved in this. What they fear most, undoubtedly, is the Nine Li Hidden Gate, so they want to ascertain its strength before making a move."

Li Weiyi said, "I believe the Nine Li Hidden Gate's strength is beyond imagination. If Coffin Mountain and the Earth Wolf Royal Army misjudge it, they might suffer heavy losses. However, the premise is that Li Qing absolutely must not leak this information, allowing them to prepare in advance. Because I heard that the Dragon Gate, one of the Ten Thousand Sects, is also involved, which is not to be underestimated."

"Then eliminate him," Master Coffin's voice resounded.

Li Weiyi asked, "Should we now adopt our initial plan and go directly to Lord Hidden?"

The initial plan, of course, was to leverage Master Coffin's identity to gain the absolute trust of the Nine Li Hidden Gate. Then, by virtue of being an insect master who controlled seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors, he would directly become the Divine Hidden One for this sixty-year cycle. Li Weiyi's urgency was certainly not about completing the task within a month to receive the 'Babbling Brook' reward prepared by Shi Liuyu. Rather, this was the simplest and most direct approach: he could use the Hidden Gate's power to eliminate Li Qing and expose the traitor.

After a long period of contemplation, Master Coffin said, "Weiyi, do you have confidence in yourself? That is, to contend for the position of the Divine Hidden One based on your own strength?"

Li Weiyi smiled, "To be honest, after hearing Yin Twenty-Four's explanation, I truly want to give it my all and go for it."

"The letter, I've already written it. It contains my aura and that of the Nine Emperor Banner, and the handwriting is mine, bearing a hidden mark from the Chieftain! You decide whether to give it to the Hidden Gate now." The lid of the stone coffin opened slightly, and a letter was extended out. Li Weiyi had already placed paper and a pen inside the stone coffin long ago.

After taking the letter, Li Weiyi asked, "What is Master Coffin worried about?"

Master Coffin replied, "It's the grade of the Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors. They far exceed my expectations, and I worry that exposing them too early might cause problems. If they were merely seven Marquis-grade creatures, you could reveal them freely and tell everyone; no one in the Hidden Gate would covet them, and they would readily confer upon you the title of Divine Hidden One for this generation."

"But these are seven Emperor-grade creatures!"

Master Jar's voice came from underground: "Not to mention them, even I, at my peak, would be tempted to kill and seize them. No... it's not as simple as killing; it would be slaughtering cities, unleashing a storm of blood and gore, stopping at nothing." Master Jar's ashes had long been buried in the blood mud.

Master Coffin then added, "Don't be too afraid. After all, my letter is here. In the letter, I stated that I would return in ten years and that you are my successor. This statement alone is enough to deter them; the risk is actually not great."

Li Weiyi considered carefully and said, "How about this? I'll try to push myself first. If I truly encounter a life-threatening situation, this letter will be more than enough to serve as my life-saving charm."

"Great changes have occurred in Immortal Burial Town, bringing about extraordinary opportunities, which will surely tie up Coffin Mountain and the Earth Wolf Royal Army. There shouldn't be major problems within a few months. As long as the Hidden Gate's news doesn't leak out, they won't dare to act rashly."

"Four months. If I cannot become the Divine Hidden One within four months, then we will revert to the initial plan."

Master Jar from underground asked, "So urgent? Why must it be four months?"

Li Weiyi gave a bitter smile, "Because Shi Liuyu planted a Six Desires Talisman on me. If I don't go to see him within four months, I'll be... finished!"

"Let me see," Master Spirit Tablet said.

Li Weiyi walked to the spirit tablet, pulled open his collar, revealing his muscular chest. Strands of spiritual light overflowed from the spirit tablet, condensing into a luminous hand that pressed onto his chest. Since arriving on Shaoyang Star and absorbing its power, Master Spirit Tablet's remnant soul had noticeably strengthened.

"Whoosh! Whoosh..." It tapped him seven times in a row. A complex green rune appeared in the very center of Li Weiyi's chest.

Master Spirit Tablet withdrew her hand. "Indeed, it's the Six Desires Talisman. This is somewhat troublesome!"

"Can it be unbound?" Li Weiyi asked.

"Yes, it can." Master Spirit Tablet explained, "However... while the runes of each Six Desires Talisman are identical, the stroke order varies. Only by finding the correct sequence can it be unbound."

Li Weiyi gave a bitter smile, knowing he still had to seek out Shi Liuyu. There were too many strokes, and the different permutations and combinations numbered far more than ten thousand.

"We can try it step by step," Master Spirit Tablet said. "With my proficiency in talismanic arts, we should be able to figure it out in a maximum of a hundred attempts."

Before Li Weiyi could rejoice, she added, "But you'll first need to find two or three close female companions to be by your side, because each time you make a mistake, you'll suffer a severe backlash from the Six Desires Talisman."

"Never mind, it's more reliable for me to just go to Shi Liuyu." Li Weiyi firmly refused. He certainly didn't want to become emaciated like Shi Liuyu from the backlash. As long as he became the Divine Hidden One, he could use the Hidden Gate's power to capture Shi Liuyu, ensuring his compliance. Besides, where would he find two or three close female companions? He didn't even have one now. Even if he did, it would be strange for others to be willing.

He exited the Blood Mud Space. Li Weiyi squeezed the letter in his hand, immediately wrapped it in oiled paper, and hid it securely close to his body. To contend for the Divine Hidden One position within four months, he had to open the Ninth Spring and defeat the three figures on the Spirit Power Mural within that timeframe. As for comprehending the Nine Li God's combat intent and methods, that was too elusive, and he hadn't considered it. At least not before becoming the Divine Hidden One; he couldn't afford to waste that time.

"My biggest advantage now is that I don't have to spend a lot of time tempering trace veins, so my breakthroughs will definitely be faster than other Seven Springs martial cultivators."

"Moreover, the spirit energy here is dense, comparable to a Dao Domain."

"I also need to quickly practice a few more Heavenly Dao Harmonization moves from the Twelve Scattered Hands of Chanmen. This way, my combat power will be stronger at the same realm. For the third move, I'll practice the Heaven-Overturning Hand Seal!"

Inside the insect tube, the seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors began to act up again. Li Weiyi had no choice but to release them and cut off a pound of Cistanche to feed them. Although they disliked this common medicinal herb, the seven ravenous Moth Emperors still quickly pounced on it and devoured it.

"The Hidden Gate definitely has many rare medicinal herbs. This place clearly looks rich in resources." Li Weiyi's eyes lit up. After opening the formation, he rushed out of his cave dwelling.

Just as he exited the Blood Tree Forest, he saw Yin Twenty-Four returning from Silver Beach River Valley. Li Weiyi quickly approached her. After much deliberation, he thought, *she's younger than me, I can't possibly call her 'Elder Sister,' right?*

"Miss Twenty-Four," Li Weiyi said, "do you have any more rare medicinal herbs? I... seem to be hungry!"

"Trying to get close won't work," Yin Twenty-Four replied. "Just call me Yin Twenty-Four."

Yin Twenty-Four stood with her back to the Blood River. Although only sixteen, she possessed a valiant and spirited demeanor. With a stern face, she said, "Where would I find so many rare medicinal herbs? If you're hungry, you can go to the Medicinal Cuisine Hall near the Spirit Power Stone Wall. Beast Blood Medicinal Cuisine is provided daily. It can temper your physical bodies, making you stronger, but most of the ingredients are common and aged herbs; only one or two rare medicinal herbs are added per pot."

Li Weiyi felt a slight disappointment, then immediately asked, "I'm an insect master. Can I bring the insects I raise to eat the medicinal cuisine with me?"

"You're an insect master too?" Yin Twenty-Four looked at him with newfound respect, saying, "It's rare to cultivate both martial arts and spirit power simultaneously. What is your spirit power realm?"

"I'm still cultivating a small flame of spirit light, but I should soon reach the 'Square Inch Blazing Fire' stage," Li Weiyi replied.

Yin Twenty-Four felt she had been fooled. She had initially been somewhat hopeful, thinking Li Weiyi might have the potential to become Yin Twenty-Six. After all, this place was called Nine Li Insect Valley, and insect masters naturally had an advantage here. But his spirit power turned out to be so weak. Or rather, non-existent.

"You may bring your insects to eat the medicinal cuisine." Yin Twenty-Four dropped these words and was about to leave, but then suddenly remembered something and stopped. "If you want rare medicinal herbs, strive to pass the first trial next month. You'll have a chance to collect them during the trial. Those who pass the trial will also receive rare medicinal herb cuisine as a reward."

"Why is she rolling her eyes at me again?" Li Weiyi felt he was truly sincere, polite, and humble. However, the thought of being able to bring seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors to eat for free instantly banished all his unhappiness.

"Hmm... it seems I also need to intensify my spirit light cultivation and reach the Square Inch Blazing Fire realm as soon as possible. Otherwise, it will be difficult to command those seven little fellows. Moreover, underground is the domain of insect races; the stronger my spirit power, the greater my advantage will undoubtedly be." Li Weiyi clenched his fingers, then joyfully returned to his cave dwelling, took his insect tube, and headed straight for the Medicinal Cuisine Hall.

A month passed by swiftly. Peaceful, serene, worry-free, like a paradise – this was Li Weiyi's assessment of his past month at the Hidden Gate. He sat cross-legged in the Blood Tree Forest, secretly using the spatial power of the Buddhist Relic to continuously draw the bloody radiance emanating from the leaves into his glabella. Ten days earlier, he had a breakthrough. The small flame of spirit light in his Glabella Spiritual Realm had grown into a Blazing Fire of Spirit Light. After his spirit power realm breakthrough, his control over the Buddhist Relic's spatial power increased, allowing him precise control within a three-zhang radius. Therefore, he dared to boldly absorb the bloody light from the Blood Tree Forest. In just ten short days, the Blazing Fire of Spirit Light in his Glabella Spiritual Realm had grown to resemble a ripened red date. Perhaps due to absorbing the bloody light, his Blazing Fire of Spirit Light had taken on a reddish tint.

Noticing Yao Yin emerging from her cave dwelling, Li Weiyi immediately stopped activating the Buddhist Relic, retracted the Dao Ancestor's Taiji Fish into his collar, straightened his robes, and quickly left the Blood Tree Forest. Initially, he hadn't left so quickly, instead remaining seated deep within the forest... This had led to considerable misunderstandings.

"It's him again!" Yao Yin was speechless. That guy was always lurking stealthily in the Blood Tree Forest. Heaven knew what he was up to! Before, he would even feign cultivating spirit power by sitting cross-legged on the ground. Now, it was even worse; as soon as she stepped out of her dwelling, he would immediately rush away in a panic. Of course, from Li Weiyi's perspective, he didn't feel he was being even slightly sneaky or panicked; each time, he acted with composure and calmness.

"No, I must break through to Eight Springs as soon as possible. I can't continue living alone with him at Blood Tree Forest Cliff. The one-month protection period is almost over. What if he's planning something..." Yao Yin knew Li Weiyi was strange; despite being a Seven Springs cultivator, his strength was exceptionally formidable. Most crucially, he had long been targeting her. During this period, Yao Yin had dressed much more conservatively, even wearing a veil and staying largely secluded.

Li Weiyi arrived at the Medicinal Cuisine Hall before Yao Yin. Yao Yin chose a seat furthest from Li Weiyi. Her gaze was not only cold but also conveyed disdain, as if being under the same roof as Li Weiyi made her intensely uncomfortable. The other young men and women from their group arrived one after another. They rarely gathered so completely.

The first trial was about to begin, and this upcoming meal would be the last for many of them.