Chapter 93: Hidden Ancestor

The Nine-Li Insect Valley is incredibly deep and vast, shrouded year-round by clouds of spiritual energy, making its full extent unclear. Yet, walking within it, one can feel the immense space, with towering, steep cliffs on both sides and buildings suspended in the void.

It is said that some ancient recluses reside within, though secretly imbued arrays and talismans prevent confirmation.

The dense spiritual energy and unique underground environment have nurtured many rare glowing plants within the valley.

Whoosh!

A startled ancient ginseng shot out from underground, using its roots as legs, and dashed away, emitting a refreshing medicinal fragrance from its entire body.

At a glance, it resembled a legendary thousand-year essence spirit.

These essence spirits and demonic spirits are living fossils of heaven and earth, privy to many ancient secrets. Some possess terrifying combat power, capable of contending with immortal Dao Seed cultivators.

Soon after, the valley cliffs turned golden, like a massive, rich gold mine, radiating brilliant light and suffused with colorful mists.

Deep within the golden cliffs lay a black, chilling ice wall.

The ice wall stretched endlessly upwards and horizontally as well.

The Hidden Lord stopped, his eyes solemn beneath his mask. He bowed towards the black ice wall, then began to chant in a strange language. His voice, enveloped in spiritual energy, penetrated the ice wall.

Li Weiyi waited silently behind him, feeling only the bone-chilling cold of the environment.

A 'ding-dong' sound of dripping water echoed in his ears. He looked over and saw golden spring liquid dripping from the golden cliff face to his right, gathering into a palm-sized pool on the ground.

Inhaling a wisp of golden mist emanating from the spring pool, Li Weiyi felt an unparalleled comfort throughout his limbs and bones, as if his entire physical body had been refined.

Whoosh—

Inside the black ice wall, strands of golden light appeared, like countless golden lightning bolts darting through.

The darkness was illuminated.

The ice wall transformed into a crystal-clear golden wall, releasing an ancient aura that pressed down on heaven and earth, and the space itself seemed to tremble.

Li Weiyi was greatly startled, unable to remain standing. He knelt on one knee, just like the Hidden Lord, and immediately followed with, "Greetings, Hidden Ancestor!"

A deafening yet melodious insect chirp resounded from within the ice wall.

On the ice wall, a pair of immensely colossal golden insect wings faintly appeared. The wings gracefully flapped up and down, and countless light particles scattered from them.

Each wing was hundreds of meters long, dispersing the clouds and exuding an oppressive aura.

"News of the Chief Yuanzhe..."

Li Weiyi couldn't lift his head at all and could barely breathe. He only caught those few words, secretly shocked, thinking, "So the Hidden Ancestor is a strange insect. No wonder this place is called the Nine-Li Insect Valley. For an animal to live for a thousand years without dying, that's truly astonishing."

Whoosh!

The letter in the Hidden Lord's hand was swept away by the light particles and flew into the ice wall.

A moment later, the Chief's secret symbol and imprint that Master Coffin had left on the letter appeared on the ice wall.

He then heard the Hidden Lord conversing with the Hidden Ancestor in that strange language.

Li Weiyi distinctly felt a pair of intensely penetrating eyes fixated on him. His body felt as if it were being illuminated by blinding sunlight. Gradually, the light receded, and the entire Nine-Li Insect Valley returned to darkness and cold.

"You may rise. The Hidden Ancestor has fallen back into slumber."

The Hidden Lord had already risen, staring at Li Weiyi with a complex and astonished gaze. His recently calmed heart was once again stirred.

"What a terrifying aura! I couldn't breathe at all, like a magnificent mountain pressing down on me." Even after standing up, Li Weiyi remained shaken.

"That's normal! How many years have you cultivated, compared to the Hidden Ancestor? Once you cultivate a battle-art intent, it will naturally be much better."

The Hidden Lord continued, "The Hidden Ancestor said that the handwriting, aura, secret mark, and even the energy fluctuations belonging to the Nine Sovereign Banner, all match perfectly."

Li Weiyi mused inwardly that Master Coffin was truly meticulous in his actions, worthy of being the former Chief of the Nine-Li Clan.

The so-called Chief is the patriarch of the entire Nine-Li Clan.

The Hidden Lord now regarded Li Weiyi as an important member of the Hidden Sect and sighed with emotion: "The Firmament Realm has endured ten years of war, with countless rebel armies, corpses strewn across every province, people struggling to survive, and seven or eight out of ten households ravaged. Tens of thousands of sects and factions have raised their banners, powerful clans like the Suizong, numbering in the millions, are ambitious, and bandits from the East Yi, West Rong, South Man, and North Di are all eager to contend for dominion over the world.

"The demon kings entrenched in the remote wilderness have also begun to stir, cultivating their forces and supporting human armies to seize cities and territories for them.

"Furthermore, with the Realm of the Departed constantly seeking to devour the twenty-eight provinces of Firmament, the world today faces internal strife and external threats, with dangers approaching from all sides.

"Weiyi, where exactly is the Chief, and why can he only return after ten years? The Firmament Realm, Li Province, and the Nine-Li Clan likely cannot wait ten years."

Although the Nine-Li Hidden Sect is powerful and has deep foundations, the Hidden Lord knows that there are always greater powers and people beyond his ken, and has always walked on thin ice, trembling with apprehension, for no one knows where the world's situation will lead.

Only the return of a figure like the Chief can truly stabilize the realm.

Li Weiyi, of course, knew that the reason Master Coffin set a ten-year timeframe was to hope the Hidden Sect and the Nine-Li Clan could protect him for ten years and provide him with cultivation resources for a decade of training.

After ten years, Master Coffin naturally could not return.

But Li Weiyi after ten years might have grown to the Chief's level of strength, which would, in a way, be another form of the Chief's return.

Li Weiyi feigned a bitter smile: "When I met my master, I was just a mortal. How could I know his secrets? Since my master said he would return in ten years, he will certainly return. We cannot influence anything. In times of great chaos, heroes are bound to emerge, and even serpents can transform into divine dragons through fierce struggle. Such a sight is impossible in times of peace and prosperity. I'm actually quite looking forward to it."

"I was mistaken in my thoughts!"

The Hidden Lord sighed, looking at Li Weiyi with eyes filled with wonder, sensing that this young man was indeed incomparable to ordinary people and seemed to possess an unending fighting spirit. He said, "Weiyi, with your talent, you must refine your Golden Trace Veins. Collecting some of that golden spring water should be quite helpful. If you can refine nine Golden Trace Veins, you will surpass the inheritors of most of the tens of thousands of sects."

"It can help refine Golden Trace Veins? That's excellent!"

Li Weiyi's interest was immediately piqued. He found a ceramic pot on the ground and went to collect the golden spring water from the puddle.

His Ancestor Tablet Master had said that when his spiritual cultivation reached the Bright Flame of an Inch Square realm, his Blood Earth Space would undergo further changes, which might help him refine his Golden Trace Veins.

But this was, after all, uncertain.

How could that compare to the tangible golden spring water right before him?

The Hidden Lord watched Li Weiyi collect all the golden spring water from the puddle, not leaving a single drop. His brows furrowed tightly, thinking, "This young man is truly unreserved."

The two began to walk out.

The Hidden Lord explained, "The secret of Chief Yuanzhe's return in ten years must not be revealed at this stage, and your identity must also remain confidential. Therefore, I cannot directly make you a Divine Hidden One for now. You still need to challenge the three individuals on the Spiritual Power Stone Wall. With your talent, breaking through to the Nine Springs realm should not be a problem."

Li Weiyi had precisely this intention, not wanting to be pushed into the limelight. If the news leaked, it would surely attract formidable old monsters.

He asked, "What are the benefits of becoming a Divine Hidden One?"

The Hidden Lord wanted to tell him that being a Divine Hidden One represented responsibility.

But considering Li Weiyi was not a native of the Li people, it would be inappropriate to directly burden him with the Nine-Li Clan's responsibilities. So he changed his tone: "Becoming a Divine Hidden One is extraordinary. The resources you can enjoy far surpass what ordinary Hidden Ones receive. For example, the golden spring water in your hand is only something a Divine Hidden One is qualified to drink.

"Furthermore, after a Divine Hidden One emerges, they can mobilize various resources from the Hidden Sect and the Coffin Sea Pavilion, and command all Hidden Ones across the entire Firmament Realm. In major events, even Hidden Ones from previous generations must obey you.

"Also, to cultivate the leadership qualities of a Divine Hidden One, they are not implanted with a Death Spirit Fire upon leaving the Hidden Sect, granting them great freedom."

Li Weiyi's eyes grew brighter: "So, if I become a Divine Hidden One, I can leave the Hidden Sect whenever I want?"

"That is natural," the Hidden Lord replied.

Li Weiyi nodded in satisfaction, then suddenly remembered something: "The problem with the Six Desires Talisman must be resolved within two months. I only have two pills left that Shi Liuyu gave me."

The Hidden Lord asked Li Weiyi to take out the pills.

He picked one up and sniffed it: "Shi Liuyu cannot be touched for now, but these pills are not difficult to refine. I'll refine a few more for you later."

To completely resolve the Six Desires Talisman, Shi Liuyu would certainly have to be captured and forced to remove the runes. But doing so would expose many traces of the Hidden Sect and might even draw the Heavenly King of the Earth Wolf Royal Army to Li Province.

This was not a result the Hidden Lord wanted to see!

Keeping the Hidden Sect mysterious, or even allowing enemies to underestimate it, was most advantageous.

Li Weiyi, carrying the ceramic pot, walked out of the Hidden Sect's mountain gate alone.

Aside from the gate-keeping elder, who was meditating as usual, Hidden Twenty-Four was also waiting at the gate.

She quickly walked up and asked, "How was it? Did you see the Hidden Ancestor?"

Li Weiyi remained silent, his expression stern.

Hidden Twenty-Four looked thoughtful, feeling a strange sense of guilt, but still said coldly, "I truly had no knowledge of the trial. But everyone has to go through it. Why are you angry?"

Li Weiyi wouldn't be that petty, but deliberately spoke in a displeased tone: "At the most dangerous moment, I first considered your safety and told you to go first. But what about you? You should have at least warned me, right? Do you know how dangerous the Changlin Gang was after you left?

"Wang Daozhen tried to kill me, severely wounding me with a single palm strike. Yang Qingxi tried to deal with my companions, threatening me with them. The most terrifying was Yao Qian; he knew many of my secrets. Who knows what cruel tortures and torments I would have suffered if I fell into their hands?

"Shi Liuyu wanted to throw me into a wolf's den, making me wish for death but unable to die. Shi Jiuzhai and Shi Shishi, meanwhile, wanted to bind me and take me to the Earth Wolves..."

Hidden Twenty-Four imagined the scene at the time, her mood growing heavy, and said with extreme certainty, "I will kill Wang Daozhen... Next time, I'll let you go first!"

Li Weiyi said coldly, "Do I need you to kill him for me? His life is mine to take. Where are the Radiant Flame Pills?"

Hidden Twenty-Four fumbled, took out a pill bottle, and handed it over with both hands: "There are five in total! If you need more, I'll figure something out."

Li Weiyi took the pill bottle.

After opening it, an incredibly bright beam of light shot out from the mouth of the bottle, illuminating the area around the mountain gate as if it were midday.

He quickly closed it.

He was in high spirits, eager to return to his cave dwelling to consume them. Seeing the nervous Hidden Twenty-Four beside him, he put on an act and said, "Consider this as offsetting five hundred thousand silver coins for you! Have you verified the strength of the Three-Headed Serpent Blood Soul? What's its combat power exactly? Don't trick me; I have a rough idea."

Hidden Twenty-Four could, of course, sense Li Weiyi's sincerity towards her and thus did not try to deceive him further: "In its strongest combat state, it should be able to reach the fifth stage of the Five Seas Realm. However, to unleash that level of combat power with my current cultivation, I must be prepared to sacrifice my life."

"What about its value then?" Li Weiyi quickly asked.

Hidden Twenty-Four said, "Conservatively estimated at three million silver coins... I will gather the money as quickly as possible, but it might take several years..."

She dared not say more than ten years, fearing Li Weiyi would take the bracelet back.

Li Weiyi secretly held his breath, his heart pounding.

This was much higher than his Ancestor Tablet Master's estimate!

He figured that since his Ancestor Tablet Master did not belong to this era, it was normal for him to misjudge the value of blood-sacrificed artifacts.

"Conservatively, three million silver coins. Unconservatively, four or five million. Let's say four million silver coins for you!"

Li Weiyi waved his hand and walked down the mountain: "You should still cultivate diligently and break through as soon as possible! Once your cultivation improves, activating the Three-Headed Serpent Bracelet's strongest combat power shouldn't require sacrificing your life. When I need money, I'll come find you for payment."

Hidden Twenty-Four heard no trace of anger in Li Weiyi's voice, but rather a hint of faint concern. She realized he had just been bluffing her, and her small face suddenly radiated a cold light. She quickly caught up to him and whispered, "When will we go to the Spider Cave?"

"No hurry. I'll first consume these Radiant Flame Pills and see if I can quickly break through to the next realm."

Upon reaching the Blood River, Li Weiyi stopped and looked at the graceful figure still seated beneath the "Nine-Li Insect Valley" cliff carving.

The carving was majestic and full of ancient charm.

Yet Yao Yin was so frail, like a delicate blade of grass, attempting to shake a sacred mountain.

Li Weiyi asked, "What's wrong with her? What's the problem with her body? From her tone earlier, it sounded like she didn't have much time left."