Chapter 343: Counterattack
Li Weiyi, with keen senses, tilted his head slightly, sensing the Dao Heart External Manifestation of a Longevity Realm Giant enveloping the entire city, with Magic Energy and Mind present everywhere.
He immediately slowed his pace, changed direction, and no longer headed for the City Gate.
At this moment, he naturally didn’t know who the Longevity Realm Martial Cultivator was releasing the Dao Heart External Manifestation, and he wasn’t that familiar with Yao Qian’s power fluctuations.
On the wide Street, people were panicking, and carriages were speeding along.
From the Shops on both sides, shopkeepers and customers emerged, gathering at the entrance to observe the direction from which the Combat Fluctuations were coming.
“The City Gate is closed! The second layer of the City Protection Great Formation has been activated. Could it be that a powerful demon has entered the city?”
“It seems something big has happened in the Fourth tier City Area. Even Longevity Realm Giants have made a move. Let’s just hope the battle doesn’t spread this way.”
“I heard that the Masters from the Attendant Hall at Nanyan Pass all mobilized just now. A major figure has personally rushed to Lingxiao City. It truly is an eventful period; is even the Immortal Plain no longer safe?”
…
“Boom!”
Outside Nanyan Pass, a great distance away, a muffled roar sounded.
The ground trembled slightly.
The light from colliding Magic Tools briefly overshadowed the radiance of the Sun.
Li Weiyi stopped and looked outside the city, his chest feeling constricted. He suspected that the Hidden Lord was in trouble, his Mind filled with chaotic thoughts, his mind blank. He quickly entered a Noodle Shop located at the crossroads.
He could sense that waves of Mind Power were passing over him from time to time.
This perception was subtle, like ripples on a calm lake.
Ordinary Martial Cultivators would not be able to detect it.
“Shopkeeper… a bowl of Noodle Soup!”
Li Weiyi stared at the White Mist above the stove beside him, forcing his violently shaking heart to calm down.
He breathed using the Jade Void Breathing Technique.
Gradually, his entire being entered an unprecedented state of calmness, clearing away all confusion, panic, shock, and indignation, falling into deep thought.
Even if the sky were to fall and the earth to shatter, one must not panic.
Nanyan Pass has a large population; as long as one can restrain their Aura and not cause chaos, they will be safe for the time being.
Wait!
He must first find out what exactly has happened.
He channeled his Magic Power to his ears, his hearing extending out from the Noodle Shop, passing through walls and streets, gathering useful Information.
As Time passed, more and more News spread through the Street and entered his ears.
“Young Master, hurry home! It was the Young Minister of the Attendant Hall who personally led the team, broke into Deputy General Zhou’s Mansion, and captured a major figure from the Evil Cult. Nanyan Pass is very unsafe now.”
…
“Deputy General Zhou colluded with the Evil Cult and has already committed suicide to evade punishment.”
…
“It is rumored that a Longevity Realm Giant from the Rice Cult met with him and has escaped the city, but was intercepted.”
“The Sui Sect Master personally took action; even a Longevity Realm Giant would be captured. He is a renowned figure below the Transcendent level.”
…
What happened at the Zhou Mansion caused a great stir. Coupled with Yao Qian’s direct use of the Dao Heart External Manifestation to envelop the entire city, it naturally became known to everyone.
“The Young Minister of the Attendant Hall is Yao Qian. It seems that was his Mind searching the entire city just now.” Li Weiyi’s eyes narrowed, and as he looked at the Noodle Soup the shopkeeper had placed before him, he clenched his fists, a bone-chilling coldness filling his heart.
Inside the city pass, all sorts of News were flying everywhere.
Yao Qian and Yang Shenjing had taken action successively, and their Magic Energy fluctuations were recognized by many Martial Cultivators, leaving no room for doubt.
Li Weiyi took a sip of the Hot Soup, picked up his Chopsticks, and his mind raced.
“With Yang Shenjing taking action, everything makes sense!”
“Only the Sui Sect truly understands the Jiu Li, so Yang Shenjing likely never trusted Yao Qingxuan.”
“Zhou Bida is a member of the Jiu Li. This secret was likely known to Yang Shenjing long ago. Therefore, he used Zhou Bida to set up today’s trap, intending to capture both Yao Qingxuan and the Hidden Lord in one fell swoop.”
“At the same time, this would allow them to publicly distance themselves from the Rice Cult and gain greater trust within the Imperial Court. Even if rumors later arise about a connection between the Sui Sect and the Rice Cult, as long as there’s no concrete evidence, they can use this incident to prove their innocence. It’s killing two birds with one stone!”
Through Yang Qingchan’s death, Li Weiyi could discern the styles of operation of Yao Qian and Yang Shenjing. They would employ any means to achieve their goals.
Such individuals were truly terrifying.
After eating a little more than half a bowl of noodles, Li Weiyi couldn’t taste anything, his mood heavy. He had just promised Zhou Bida that the Hidden Sect would not abandon any Hidden Person or their families. Yet, less than half an hour later, they were separated by death.
Facing Yang Shenjing, the Hidden Lord’s chances of survival were slim.
Moreover, since Yang Shenjing had already made a move, Yao Qingxuan at the Headquarters was likely also in grave danger.
On the Street outside, Soldiers were rushing about, their hoofbeats and the sound of Armor incessant.
Escape from the City Gate was impossible.
Next, there will inevitably be a large-scale arrest.
It’s unknown if Yao Qian obtained any useful information from Zhou Bida; being surrounded and captured by Longevity Realm Giants, the Attendant Hall, and the entire army of Nanyan Pass, it’s only a matter of time before he is found and apprehended.
Anyone in Li Weiyi’s current position would inevitably be terrified and at a loss. However, after finishing the bowl of noodles, a strong killing intent and fighting spirit surged within him.
So what if it’s the Longevity Realm?
What if it’s the entire Imperial Court?
He decided to stop holding back and fight Yao Qian at Nanyan Pass without regard for the consequences.
Zuo Qiu Hong Ting once said that cultivating the Disguise Art to a level where it’s indistinguishable from reality is more valuable than a Longevity Realm Giant.
Li Weiyi’s Disguise Art, passed down through true inheritance from the Spirit Tablet Master, compared to Zuo Qiu Hong Ting, his Mortal Body had fewer flaws in the Disguise Art.
This battle, we’ll fight using the Disguise Art!
Let’s see if the Disguise Art is more powerful, or if the Longevity Realm is stronger.
At noon, the scorching sun was high in the sky.
Paid the bill and left the store.
As the pedestrians on the street gradually decreased, the danger greatly increased, making it difficult to sneak by. However, Yao Qian’s Dao Heart External Manifestation and mind had been withdrawn, clearly indicating that his Magic Energy and Spirit had been greatly depleted.
Let alone a martial cultivator who has just entered the Longevity Realm, even a Transcendent would find it as difficult as ascending to heaven to find someone hiding in a city with millions of inhabitants.
Li Weiyi entered an uninhabited alley, changed into more opulent robes, altered his appearance once more, and headed directly for Guanlan Pavilion, the Rice Cult’s largest stronghold in Nanyan Pass.
He had to take this risk.
If Zhou Bida were already dead, his family would lose their value and become extremely dangerous. This was a result Li Weiyi absolutely could not allow to happen, as he had promised to save them.
To save people, we must now race against time.
We must rescue them before it gets dark…
The fifth-tier city area of Nanyan Pass, each tier inhabited by nearly hundreds of thousands of people, the city was vast, and the streets and alleys were dense. It was not just a city pass, but also a transportation hub between Yun Tian Immortal Plain and the Twenty-Eight Prefectures of Lingxiao, with countless merchants traveling to and fro.
The stationed troops and the families of soldiers are mainly concentrated in the First Tier City Area and the Fourth Tier City Area.
The third-tier city area is the most prosperous, with four main streets and a marketplace like a net, which is the place where various merchants gather the most, lacking the solemn atmosphere of military management.
Guanlan Pavilion is a garden building covering hundreds of mu. The gatehouse is four stories high, with flying eaves and pendant corners, and ornate decorations. The main gate is open, and it is already in business.
But during the day, there were very few customers, and it was quite deserted, completely different from the bustling crowds at night.
After Li Weiyi entered, two young women of superior appearance came forward to receive him.
He waved his hand to push it aside, his eyes like torches. With keen perception, he found a steward with high martial cultivation and took out the Divine Son Token.
That steward, with cultivation at the Fifth Realm of the Five Seas Realm, showed surprise upon seeing the Life Token and immediately bowed. He then led Li Weiyi through the covered corridor and garden to the backyard where a formation was set up.
After Li Weiyi entered the courtyard, he released his mind power perception and sensed multiple powerful auras.
As expected of a large stronghold, it has gathered quite a few formidable individuals.
“Greetings, Your Highness the Divine Son.”
The person in charge of the Guanlan Pavilion outpost is named Xu Xiangu. She appears to be in her forties, dressed in a light blue palace gown, like a kind noblewoman.
Li Weiyi remained silent, sat inside the hall, and activated his Heavenly Eye with a “beat the grass to startle the snake” effect, gazing at her. “Cultivation of the Dao Seed Realm Fourth Heaven, your status is not low. You are in charge of the affairs of Nanyan Pass, correct?”
“This old woman merely assists the Palace Elder! His status is special, making it inconvenient for him to appear for many matters.”
Xu Xiangu realized this Divine Son was not simple, and the vertical eye on his brow earlier had made her heart pound. She placed the White Ferret she was holding on the ground and secretly gave a look to the steward who had brought Li Weiyi over.
That steward lowered his head, understood, took two steps back, and prepared to leave.
How could these small movements escape Li Weiyi’s notice?
“Wow!”
Li Weiyi’s killing intent was heavy at this moment, he flicked his finger, and a finger force flew out.
“Puchi!”
The steward’s head was pierced, blood splattered, and he fell to the ground, dead.
Xu Xiangu was stunned.
Li Weiyi casually waved his hand, and a net woven from spiritual light captured the White Ferret, pulling it into his hand. “Without this Divine Son’s permission, from now on, no living creature is allowed to leave here. Including you!”
Xu Xiangu glanced at the steward’s corpse, suppressing her shock: “His Highness the Divine Son kills people so casually, the Palace Elders will surely have something to say about it.”
“Don’t try to pressure me with people.”
Li Weiyi petted the white ferret, fully releasing his mind power domain, his tone very calm: “Let alone a mere steward, even if I kill you, what can the Palace Elder do to me? Answer what I ask, and if you dare to deceive me, this will be your fate.”
Xu Xiangu was intimidated by Li Weiyi, this Divine Son arrived with immense killing intent, his aura extremely powerful.
“Do you know about the Zhou Mansion’s actions?” Li Weiyi stared at her.
Xu Xiangu was bewildered and asked, “What does what happened at the Zhou Mansion have to do with us? Could the rumors be true, that Deputy General Zhou is really going to meet with a big shot from the Divine Cult today?”
Li Weiyi summoned the Myriad Staff Spear from Feng Fu and struck the ground.
“Boom!”
Crimson-gold flame spiritual light and energy surged out, making Xu Xiangu unsteady on her feet, causing her to retreat two steps.
“Today, I don’t have much patience. I’ll give you one last chance. Where are Zhou Bida’s family members being held?”
Li Weiyi didn’t believe she didn’t know. With her cultivation and in charge of Nanyan Pass’s largest Rice Cult stronghold, how could she possibly not know that the Rice Cult was trying to sway Zhou Bida?
The more you try to cover it up, the more obvious it becomes!
Xu Xiangu could no longer maintain her composure. A cold light flashed in her eyes, and she explosively released her Dao Heart External Manifestation, breaking through Li Weiyi’s mind power domain.
Then, his long sleeves waved like clouds.
Magic tool needle rain swished out from his sleeve, like countless cold stars, covering the sky and earth as it rushed towards Li Weiyi.
Xu Xiangu did not linger in the battle, executing movement technique Daoist Arts, and rushed out like a fleeting shadow, preparing to summon reinforcements. This Divine Son should be the one mentioned by the Palace Elder.
“Boom!”
The Fusang Divine Tree Light Shadow rose from Li Weiyi, blocking all incoming Magic Tool needle rain, fixing it in mid-air, and melting it into droplets.
Li Weiyi sat steadily on the chair and casually swung out the Myriad Staff Spear. Suspended in mid-air, masses of crimson liquid droplets flew out rapidly, all striking Xu Xiangu.
A low, tragic sound rang out!
Xu Xiangu fell to the ground with a bang, her body covered in burn marks.
She was filled with terror and wanted to get up to flee again.
“Swish!”
The sharp and bright spear tip pointed at her brow, emitting a flame-like scorching temperature.
Li Weiyi held his spear, standing straight: “A mere Inferior Root Dao Seed Realm Fourth Heaven dares to act presumptuously before this Divine Son. Trying to escape, do you think you can?”
“I was wrong… this old woman was wrong… I beg His Highness the Divine Son to spare me. But, I truly don’t know where the family of Deputy General Zhou is being held. This matter is top secret, only the Palace Elder knows.” Xu Xiangu was suppressed by the Myriad Staff Spear and dared not move.
