At the Zao Mei Manor in Yao Pass City, near dawn, the sky was still dim, and many had stayed awake all night. Inside the manor, the candles had been replaced once, and the wax had piled up.
Nearly a hundred figures gathered in the front courtyard, surrounding the silver corpse that had been split in two and just brought back. Half of those present were young martial practitioners from the Nine Li Tribe, all seasoned and unafraid of corpses. Instead, they marveled at the sight.
"This is Xue Zheng!"
"Before Xue Zheng even transformed into a Pure Immortal Body, he was ranked fourth in the Seven Springs Hall."
"These past few days, the Xue Clan and the Sui Sect have been hyping up, claiming that Xue Zheng would definitely break through the Nine Springs Ancestral Field. A Nine Springs Pure Immortal Body is extremely rare in any prefecture and could become the inheritor of countless sects. It's clear they're trying to groom him to challenge our Nine Li Tribe."
"If the older generation had intervened, or if someone below the Five Seas Realm had done this, things would have escalated! The Xue Clan and the Sui Sect would never let this go!" ...
Cang Li crouched down, carefully touching the spot where the corpse had been split by a sword, using his battle sense to perceive. In his mind, two figures emerged, and a faint image of Li Weiyi executing that final sword strike appeared, as if he had witnessed it himself.
His deep eyes revealed a look of disbelief as he stood up and said, "It was done by his sword! And he used that Heaven's Dao Fusion ultimate technique he cultivated. The aura is exactly the same as where Yao Zhengsheng's head was split."
Li Ling's Third Eye glimmered like a star: "It's his aura, I can sense it. I told you he wouldn't be afraid of Xue Zheng, but you didn't believe me." The young cultivators of the Nine Li Tribe around them were all astonished, murmuring among themselves.
"Could he have broken through to the Five Seas Realm?"
Li Qing'er asked. Cang Li shook his head: "The Five Seas Realm and the Spring Surge Realm are completely different when it comes to the same sword technique. If he had already broken through to the Five Seas Realm, this sword strike would have been even more domineering."
Li Songlin's expression was cold: "Then there's only one explanation. Weiyi has broken through to the Nine Springs Ancestral Sea. He's a Supreme Being."
"Boom!"
These words exploded like thunder in everyone's hearts. A Nine Springs Supreme Being is even rarer than a Pure Immortal Body. In Li Prefecture, they are even scarcer.
Even the most powerful clans, like the million-strong Xue Clan, often take ten or even several decades to cultivate one Nine Springs Supreme Being. Li Qing'er's face froze as she recalled yesterday's events. It was hard to connect that seemingly destitute and introverted figure with a Nine Springs Supreme Being.
A Nine Springs Supreme Being shines with unparalleled brilliance and can be cultivated as a banner and top seed in any force.
"Such a promising Supreme Being, not even twenty years old, was driven away by a bunch of scheming scoundrels. No wonder the Nine Li Tribe is declining. It's all their own fault," Li Songlin vented his frustration.
A rare heir with both character and talent—where can we find someone like that now? ... Dawn broke, and the first light of morning appeared. Four people were making their way through the mountains.
Shi Liuyu's body was as thin as a stick, and his normally sized robe hung loosely on him. He said to Shi Jiuzhai, who was walking beside him, "Old Nine, I heard some news yesterday. The head of the Cang Li Tribe's main lineage opened an otherworldly coffin at Zao Mei Manor and found something extraordinary."
"What was it?"
Shi Jiuzhai, who was as greedy as a ghost for treasures and wealth, was immediately intrigued. Shi Liuyu said, "The coffin wasn't opened... Look, you're so impatient.
Let me finish. That otherworldly coffin is said to have come from Kunlun. Just the coffin itself is comparable to a thousand-year-old spirit herb.
Not just one herb, but a pound of coffin equals a pound of thousand-year-old spirit herb." Shi Jiuzhai's pupils contracted sharply, and he held his breath, stopping in his tracks: "Is the news reliable?
Hmm...
You're not trying to trick me into risking my life while you go after Li Songgu's wife, are you? I heard she's a Pure Immortal Body, young and stunning, with a unique charm."
"Bah! Bah... We're brothers. Why would I trick you? What happened yesterday when the coffin was opened has already spread throughout Yao Pass City. You can ask anyone to confirm it," Shi Liuyu said.
Shi Jiuzhai's breathing quickened, unable to contain his excitement. He turned to Li Weiyi: "You were at Zao Mei Manor yesterday. You must know about the otherworldly coffin, right?"
Li Weiyi's mind raced, instantly realizing who Li Songgu was trying to lure—none other than the infamous Jiuzhai Dharma King, known for his greed. But he was also worried that Shi Liuyu might have some ulterior motive. After all, this Six Desires Dharma King was notorious for his lustful ways in the southern regions, almost universally despised.
Li Weiyi said, "The otherworldly coffin is real, nothing more to say. But I must advise the Six Desires Dharma King not to mess with the people of Zao Mei Manor. Otherwise, even if I get the information about the Nine Li Hidden Sect, I won't hand it over to you."
"You're in no position to threaten me!"
Shi Liuyu bared his teeth in a cold smile, summoning his magic power and rolling up his sleeves, ready to teach Li Weiyi a lesson. Shi Shishi stopped him: "Sixth Brother, he's worried you'll go after his beloved. Who could stand that?
He'd definitely fight you to the death. Why don't you go after Yang Qingxi instead? Didn't you say you've always wanted to make her stream murmur?
I've been waiting to see that!"
"Get lost! You're too young to be learning bad habits from that flirtatious Seven Desires woman. What 'stream murmur'? I never said such a thing."
Seeing no fear in Li Weiyi's eyes, only coldness, Shi Liuyu retracted his magic power and reassured him: "Don't worry, I, Shi Liuyu, have my principles. I won't target my own people, or I'd be abandoned by everyone and wouldn't have survived this long.
As long as you wholeheartedly work for us, not only will I arrange your beloved for you, but even if you want to personally experience the murmuring stream, the long-flowing stream, the sweet stream, I'll arrange it for you."
"I only seek peace of mind, nothing else," Li Weiyi thought to himself.
Since Li Songgu knew that the Earth Wolf King Army's three Dharma Kings had come to Li Prefecture and still dared to set a trap, he must have made thorough preparations. His worries eased slightly. Shi Liuyu took out three bean-sized pills and handed them over: "The Six Desires Talisman in your body will flare up once a month.
Each time it does, take one of these pills to suppress it. So, you have at most four months to complete your mission to the Nine Li Hidden Sect."
"I heard you have a grudge against Yang Qingxi. If you complete the mission in the first month, I'll arrange for you to experience the murmuring stream."
"What if I complete it in the second month?"
Shi Shishi asked with great interest, his eyes shining. Shi Liuyu said, "Then you'll have to wait until after me, becoming Yang Qingxi's second man."
"What about the third month?"
Shi Shishi asked. Shi Liuyu said, "Then you'll be her third man."
"What about the fourth month?"
Shi Shishi asked. Shi Liuyu laughed: "There are four of us here. What do you think?
Would I treat you unfairly?"
"Forget it, forget it. I'm more interested in food and drink," Shi Shishi shook his head repeatedly.
Shi Liuyu said, "Fine, I'll let you eat and drink then." Li Weiyi didn't believe Shi Liuyu's promises, nor was he interested in them. His heart was filled with worry.
After taking the three pills, he asked, "What if, after four months, I still can't leave the Hidden Sect and the pills are gone? What happens when the Six Desires Talisman flares up?"
"When the Six Desires flare up, you'll need six women every day to suppress the lust. Scared now?"
Shi Liuyu said. Li Weiyi visibly relaxed: "I thought it would kill me outright."
"See, young people have no sense of how serious things can get," Shi Liuyu pointed at himself.
"I used to be even fatter than Old Ten. After just two months of being tormented by the Six Desires Talisman, the damage to my body could never be repaired."
Shi Liuyu patted Li Weiyi's shoulder: "It's best to complete the mission within four months, then go to the underground black market in Nine Li City and find a woman named Bai Shu at the Love Flower Pleasure Boat. She'll bring you to me." Shi Liuyu continued leading the way.
Shi Shishi suddenly realized something and exclaimed, "Sixth Brother, those two months, you must have had hundreds of women!
My heavens!"
Shi Jiuzhai's lips curled into a smile, as if deliberately speaking for Li Weiyi to hear: "Your Sixth Brother was punished with the Six Desires Talisman because he failed to complete the Heavenly King's mission. Those two months, he was locked in the Wolf Den."
"Old Nine, shut your mouth."
Shi Liuyu wanted to kill Shi Jiuzhai. Not only were his eyes and hair green, but his face was also as green as vegetables.
Shi Shishi was hearing this shocking secret for the first time and said with lingering fear, "Weiyi, the Earth Wolf King Army is not stingy with rewards for those who achieve merit, but the punishments for failing missions are extremely cruel."
At this moment, Li Weiyi truly felt a chill run down his spine, filled with panic at the side effects of the Six Desires Talisman. ... A mysterious old man in black robes sat in a carriage, watching the four approaching figures. His gaze swept over Shi Liuyu, Shi Jiuzhai, and Shi Shishi one by one.
His voice was hoarse, masking his true tone: "You should trust me as much as Coffin Mountain. Sending someone else in will only increase the Hidden Sect's suspicion."
"Don't worry, this kid has a good relationship with your Nine Li Tribe. The Hidden Sect won't suspect him," Shi Jiuzhai said with a smile.
"Since you insist, I have no choice but to take him."
The black-robed old man continued, "But every year, the Nine Tribes send at least one youth, and only one survives. If he dies in the Hidden Sect at the hands of Li Qing, that's just the Hidden Sect's rules." Shi Liuyu chuckled, "If he dies in the Hidden Sect, we have nothing to say.
But...
I planted the Six Desires Talisman in him. If he dies, I'll sense it. If he dies on the way to the Hidden Sect, we'll have a lot to say."
"You still doubt me! The Earth Wolf King Army's lack of trust in allies will make it hard for you to achieve greatness," the black-robed old man said.
Shi Jiuzhai didn't care and looked at Li Weiyi: "Go on! Don't worry, this old man is one of the Nine Li Tribe's nine clan leaders. He'll safely take you to the Hidden Sect's reception area."
The conversation just now had stirred a storm in Li Weiyi's heart, leaving him unable to calm down. Why was Coffin Mountain involved? Didn't the Earth Wolf King Army frame Coffin Mountain before?
And why would a clan leader-level figure collude with barbarians? What are they trying to achieve by probing the Hidden Sect? What kind of terrifying storm is brewing behind all this?
He didn't dare to think too deeply. The more he thought, the more uneasy he felt. Not only was he worried about the safety of the Cang Li Tribe, but also about Zhao Meng, Cai Yutong, and the others who were cultivating there.
Li Weiyi tried to calm himself and walked toward the carriage, secretly observing the mysterious old man inside. But the carriage was like a black hole, swallowing all light and heat. He could only see a dark, aged shadow.
And when he looked at it, the shadow released a terrifying aura. Li Weiyi's mind was shaken, and he nearly collapsed. This old man was far more fearsome than Shi Jiuzhai or Li Songlin.
He was definitely one of the top figures in Li Prefecture. The black-robed old man chuckled coldly, then threw a black cloth bag out of the carriage: "Get in the back carriage and put this mind-sealing bag over your head. It will block all your senses.
This is the Hidden Sect's rule!" Li Weiyi went to the back carriage and climbed in. Inside, there was already a tall, thin figure in black, his entire head covered by a black cloth bag, his back straight and upright.
This must be that Nine Springs Supreme Being, Li Qing! Li Weiyi sat in the carriage, carefully observing and memorizing Li Qing's figure and aura. A voice from the front carriage urged, "Hurry up and put it on."
Not daring to disobey, he had no choice but to pull the bag over his head.
"Whoosh!"
The lower edge of the black bag flashed with spiritual light and instantly tightened. Li Weiyi panicked slightly, finding that his entire world had gone silent. He couldn't hear anything, see any light, or smell any scents.
All he could feel was the carriage moving beneath him. Fortunately, the bag was breathable. He wasn't interested in the route to the Hidden Sect, so he didn't make any rash moves.
Instead, he lay down in the carriage and fell asleep. After all, Coffin Master knew where the Hidden Sect was and surely knew how to enter and exit. Besides, his life was no longer in his own hands.
Worrying was pointless. He might as well take this chance to rest and recuperate. The mysterious old man surnamed Li in the front carriage sensed that Li Weiyi had fallen asleep in the back carriage and twitched his lips: "The Earth Wolf King Army sent all three Dharma Kings, and this is the person they found?
Truly a bunch of ruffians, incapable of greatness." ... Li Weiyi was exhausted. He had been through so much recently and had wanted to get a good night's sleep in Yao Pass City.
But things kept happening, and not only did he not get to sleep, but he also ended up in a fierce battle, leaving him even more tired. With the black bag over his head, he slept soundly, as if trying to make up for a month's worth of sleep.
He even dreamed of returning to Earth, playing baseball with his classmates and friends. The baseball bat was long and smooth, but someone kept trying to take it. Fortunately, he was strong enough to hold on tight, and no one could snatch it from him.
When he woke up, he felt something pressing against his chest. In his groggy state, he quickly reached out to feel its texture and material, only to find it was an extremely long leg. His final touch reached the other person's thigh, and his thumb lightly brushed their lower abdomen.
It wasn't Li Qing. Because there was no...
(End of Chapter)