Chapter 79: Seven Springs Trial Ground

The Medicinal Cuisine Hall is located to the east of the Purple Tree Forest. It is quite spacious, with over ten sets of stone tables and chairs neatly arranged.

Medicated meals!

They are concocted from the blood of exotic beasts and dozens of precious medicinal ingredients. Naturally, taste is not a priority; they are simply palatable.

However, after just one month of consumption, everyone's physical strength and resilience noticeably improved. They became full of vitality, with seemingly inexhaustible power within their bodies.

For the past month, Yao Yin has been in her cave dwelling every day, practicing the 'Skywind Palm Art,' the foundational martial art of the Medicine King that she chose. She slept no more than four hours a day.

The force of her palm strikes made the cliff walls vibrate, making it impossible for Li Wei to sleep. He could only passively join her in the intense training.

The process of practicing martial arts techniques and performing breathing exercises also tempered the internal trace meridians.

It was precisely the aid of the medicated meals that allowed Yao Yin to push her body to such extremes, developing her physical potential without fear of collapse.

As long as one person strove vigorously, everyone else's pace was naturally influenced.

Li Qing and the four martial cultivators who had opened eight springs were also desperately practicing the Nine Kings' foundational martial arts they had chosen in the Silver Beach River Valley. Across the river valley, the younger, lower-level cultivators did the same.

Effort is merely the most insignificant basic condition for success.

Everyone was striving with all their might, not just for success, but for their very lives.

Today's medicated meal was quite special; during its preparation, a rich, inviting aroma continuously permeated the air.

In the bronze cauldron where the meal was being prepared, it boiled ceaselessly, emitting multi-colored, smoky medicinal mist. A precious glow illuminated the stone house. Even without tasting it, everyone knew that many valuable herbs must have been added to the cauldron today.

The young tiger-like deformed human, a martial cultivator who had opened eight springs and practiced the Thirty-Six Demonic Axes, saw everyone looking at the bronze cauldron and smiled. “Are you all anticipating this?” he said. “The Hidden Gate is still too humane; they know this is your last meal, so they’ve prepared a higher-quality medicated meal to send you on your way.”

In just one month, he had cultivated the first axe of the Thirty-Six Demonic Axes to the state of Heavenly Dao Harmony. Several silver trace meridians had been forged within his body, making him naturally high-spirited and confident.

He dared not imagine what heights he could reach a year from now.

A deformed human child who had opened five springs, with a tender voice, said: “The higher one’s cultivation, the greater the danger of the trial. It’s hard to say whose last meal this truly is.”

Everyone present was a life-or-death adversary.

Naturally, they were all at loggerheads, with no need for false pleasantries or feigned cordiality.

When the precious glow overflowing from the cauldron reached its peak, the elder preparing the meal instructed everyone to come and take their share.

The medicated meal was not distributed in fixed portions.

As long as it wasn't taken away or wasted, how much one could eat depended entirely on their appetite.

Naturally, the large-bodied deformed humans had an advantage. There was no way around it; even at the same cultivation level, deformed humans had greater combat power than ordinary humans.

Following his routine, Li Wei first filled a basin for the seven Phoenix-winged Moth Emperors. The basin he used was no smaller than those of the deformed human cultivators. The seven Phoenix-winged Moth Emperors had been eating to their hearts' content during this period, practically living in the Medicinal Cuisine Hall, and had visibly grown larger.

However, according to his Spirit Tablet Master, they needed to grow to two inches long before their combat power could rival a Five Seas Realm martial cultivator.

Currently, they were at most an inch and a half.

Three figures in black robes walked along the bluestone path beneath the psionic stone wall, arriving at the center of the training square outside the Medicinal Cuisine Hall. They looked towards those still eating their last meal.

“Twenty-Four, I heard this batch is of high quality. Who do you think will survive until the end?” Hidden Twenty-Three was a bear-like deformed human, whose physique, like Yao Zhengsheng’s, was much larger than ordinary deformed humans, possessing innate divine strength.

Hidden Twenty-Four said calmly: “There are two who are quite good! One is Li Qing, an ordinary human with nine springs and ninety meridians, who was able to withstand Hidden Nine’s axe strike shortly after arriving at the Hidden Gate.”

“The other is Yao Yin, the granddaughter of the Yaoli Tribe chief, who possesses a Pure Immortal Body. Both are very competitive!”

Not all of the Hidden people of the Hidden Gate live in seclusion. After reaching a certain cultivation realm, many are dispatched outside.

Either to travel the world and forge a new identity through competition.

Or to infiltrate hostile forces, hide within tribes, or infiltrate the Lingxiao Palace…

Although most Hidden people remain in a silent state, there are still those specially responsible for gathering information.

Therefore, the Jiuli Hidden Gate’s understanding of external information is no less than that of the Jiuli Daoist Academy.

Hidden Twenty-Three was surprised: “A Pure Immortal Body, and the tribe chief’s granddaughter, sent to the Hidden Gate?”

“I heard she has a physical problem and could only come to the Hidden Gate to seek a chance at survival,” Hidden Twenty-Four replied.

Hidden Twenty-Five, a slightly younger boy than Hidden Twenty-Four, said: “It’s said that Hidden Five sent back some news related to this group of people. Besides Li Qing, Li Wei was also specifically mentioned. Have you heard about it?”

Hidden Twenty-Three shook his head.

Doubt appeared in Hidden Twenty-Four’s eyes. Hidden Five had been silent for many years; anyone he suddenly sent back news about must be extraordinary. It seemed he had underestimated Li Wei previously.

Seven Springs?

An Insect Tamer?

After finishing the medicated meal, the twenty-six young men and women gathered in the square.

Hidden Twenty-Three’s voice boomed like thunder: “My name is Hidden Twenty-Three. I only arrived three years before you. I have bad news for everyone: starting now, the protection period is over.”

“You may use any means to eliminate competitors, making it easier for yourselves to survive until the end.”

“However, there is one iron rule: you must not, by any means, target competitors weaker than yourselves in cultivation.”

The tiger-like deformed human eight-spring cultivator said: “Does that mean only those of the same realm can fight each other, or those of lower realms can kill those of higher realms? But if a lower-realm cultivator dares to provoke me, can I kill them?”

“Of course,” Hidden Twenty-Three replied.

Li Qing scanned the crowd and said in a threatening tone: “Then let me first advise you all: don’t come seeking death. My sword is faster than a month ago, and it yearns for blood.”

Hidden Twenty-Three continued: “Now for more bad news: the trial officially begins now. Those who have opened nine springs and those who have opened eight springs, follow me.”

Hidden Twenty-Five said: “Those below seven springs, follow me.”

After everyone had left, Hidden Twenty-Four looked at the only remaining Li Wei and Yao Yin. “Let’s go!”

All three groups boarded boats by the Blood River, heading to different trial locations.

They boarded a flat-bottomed boat, over ten meters long, and drifted downstream.

All three had rather taciturn personalities. Hidden Twenty-Four stood at the bow, his back straight and upright, yet he appeared slightly slender and frail, not looking like a Five Seas Realm expert.

Yao Yin sat at the stern, head bowed in contemplation, her entire body glowing with paleness, beautiful enough to be a painting.

Li Wei, meanwhile, sat in the center of the boat.

He noticed that this flat-bottomed boat was actually two smaller boats joined together and connected by chains.

After traveling for dozens of miles, Yao Yin couldn't help but ask, “Am I to undergo the trial with him?”

“Naturally, those of the same realm undergo trials in the same place. The trial ground for Seven Springs cultivators is an aggregation area for soldier-class ferocious insects, the Winged White Spiders,” Hidden Twenty-Four replied.

Yao Yin’s delicate face grew serious. The protection period was over, and perhaps the Winged White Spiders weren't the most terrifying danger in this trial.

The flat-bottomed boat entered an underground river tributary only a few meters wide. Without luminous plants, the light became dim.

Li Wei’s glabella lit up, emitting spiritual light particles that faintly illuminated the darkness.

“We’re almost there!”

Hidden Twenty-Four glanced at Li Wei: “A word of caution: once inside the cave, try not to use spiritual light; rely on your perception instead. If you wake a large number of Winged White Spiders, both of you might be buried in there.”

Li Wei was someone who heeded advice, so his glabella dimmed.

Even without light, with his current cultivation, he could still make out the figures of the two girls within a few meters. Yao Yin, in particular, had skin that was somewhat conspicuous even in the dark.

Li Wei asked, “What do we need to do to pass the trial?”

“It’s just the first trial; you don’t need to do anything. Just safely pass through the spider cave on this boat. Generally, the boat will drift downstream and exit the cave in three days. I’ll be waiting for you at the exit,” Hidden Twenty-Four replied.

Is it that simple?

Entering the territory of ferocious insects and hoping not to disturb them — how could that be possible?

Hidden Twenty-Four walked over to Li Wei, unfastened the chains connecting the two boats, and added: “Oh, by the way! The spider silk in the cave is a treasure. You can collect some while you’re there. If you gather enough, you can exchange it for precious medicinal herbs.”

“I’ll see you off here. Good luck.”

Hidden Twenty-Four released spiritual energy from his body, enveloping the small boat beneath him, and it returned against the current.

Li Wei and Yao Yin, now on a boat half the size and only a few meters long, continued to drift downstream with the Blood River’s current. The surroundings were pitch black and exceptionally quiet, with only the sound of flowing water.

The underground river passage became even lower, requiring both of them to lie flat to pass through.

Li Wei could hear Yao Yin’s rapidly beating heart, so he whispered: “I know you misunderstand me. But I suggest that during this trial, it’s best we don’t kill each other. If we accidentally destroy the boat, we’ll all die here.”

Yao Yin replied: “That’s exactly what I wanted to say! Whatever your intentions, nothing is more important than your life. We are competitors, but why can’t we outlast everyone else first?”

“Also, don’t be greedy for small gains and bring about disaster. Collecting spider silk will certainly make it easier to disturb the Winged White Spiders. Our priority should just be safely passing through the spider cave.”

“Alright!”

Just as Li Wei agreed, he detected something, sniffing deeply: “So fragrant… this scent truly tempts one to take risks…”

Yao Yin gritted her teeth, hating him to death.

She thought Li Wei was intentionally flirting with her through his words.

She did indeed possess an inherent, special body fragrance, and in this dark and desolate cave, the scent would undoubtedly be magnified.

“It’s the scent of medicine; there’s a precious herb nearby.”

Li Wei suddenly sat up. The previously low cave had become vast. About thirty meters above his head, a crimson precious herb was growing.

“It’s fully crimson; in other words, this is a five-hundred-year-old Cistanche.”

Li Wei channeled his spiritual power to his ears, eyes, and nose, elevating his perception to its peak state. Only after detecting no trace of ferocious insects nearby did he leap up.

After Yao Yin sat up from lying flat, her jade-white cheeks became hot; she realized she had misunderstood him.

But soon, her feelings of guilt vanished, replaced by shock.

At a height of thirty meters, it was absolutely impossible for them to reach it directly with their Fountain Realm cultivation.

Yet, the man before her, with spiritual energy surging beneath his feet, could walk through the air, as if stepping on invisible stairs. His movement technique was so profound it hardly seemed like that of a Fountain Realm cultivator.

In the past month, Li Wei had newly mastered three Heavenly Dao Harmony techniques, including 'Yellow Dragon Ascends to Heaven'.

He took nine consecutive steps in the void, finally grasping the crimson Cistanche. It felt slightly warm to the touch.

After pulling it from the crevice in the cliff wall, Li Wei’s body rapidly plummeted.

Even though Yellow Dragon Ascends to Heaven had reached Heavenly Dao Harmony, soaring thirty meters was its limit. The spiritual energy beneath his feet had dissipated, making it difficult for Li Wei to control his descent.

Yao Yin was greatly startled and quickly executed the Skywind Palm Art. With a light push of her palm, she unleashed a gust of wind that swept up the falling Li Wei.

“Whoosh!”

Li Wei used the momentum to float back onto the boat, holding the crimson Cistanche, which weighed nearly fifty kilograms, and smiled. “Thank you!” he said.

“I was just saving myself! Who knows if the commotion from your fall would awaken a large number of Winged White Spiders?” Yao Yin’s pretty face was cold, filled with resentment. “Didn’t we agree at the start? Don’t be greedy for small gains; safely passing through the spider cave is the most important thing.”

“This isn’t a small gain!”

Li Wei corrected her: “This is a hundred jin (fifty kilograms) of five-hundred-year-old Cistanche, worth nearly a hundred million. Cistanche supplements yang and enriches blood; if consumed entirely, it’s enough to significantly enhance one’s physical body.”

Worth nearly a hundred million – even Yao Yin, as the chief’s granddaughter, was slightly shaken.

Of course, Li Wei had to take the risk and seize the opportunity. With this Cistanche harvested, feeding the seven Phoenix-winged Moth Emperors until they reached two inches would be just around the corner.

“You did help a little just now; when the time comes, I’ll give you two jin (one kilogram),” Li Wei said magnanimously, not wanting to owe a favor.

“You keep it for yourself!”

Yao Yin sat back on the boat, looking somewhat worried. “The medicinal scent emanating from the precious herb might alert the Winged White Spiders. I suggest you throw it away. Greed can lead to death, and I don’t want to suffer with you.”