Chapter 294: Brother-in-law
The two walked out of the Southern Clear Palace gate.
Li Weiyi sensed something and glanced toward the forest, cupping his hands and saying, “Master, please wait a moment for your disciple.”
Yao Qingxuan always liked to maintain a cold and aloof demeanor, so she nodded lightly.
Southern Clear Palace was located south of Spirit Valley Hall, in an area with a dense cluster of buildings, backed by low mountains, adjacent to the Blood River, with dense forests ahead extending toward the open rice paddy area in the distance.
Zuo Sheng had seen Li Weiyi before and was a seasoned figure who had lived for a hundred years, so he was dispatched by the Fourth Divine Son to call out to Li Weiyi and inform him of Qi Xiao and Tuo Ba Bu Tuo’s current situation.
Unfortunately, Li Weiyi spent most of his time cultivating in the Tanggu Sea and simply did not hear his calls.
Thus, Zuo Sheng stood guard outside Southern Clear Palace, ready to report back immediately as soon as Li Weiyi appeared.
“He’s finally out. It’s indeed him. That is…”
Zuo Sheng spotted Li Weiyi and also saw the heavenly beauty in white robes standing beside him, immediately drawing in a sharp breath as he realized who she was.
Just as he was about to leave…
“Whoosh!”
The air became viscous, like being trapped in a swamp.
“Not good, I’ve been enveloped by mind power!”
Zuo Sheng’s first reaction was that the Southern Venerable intended to deal with him; he never imagined this mind power came from Li Weiyi.
Because the mind power was too strong, even with his Dao Seed Realm Second Heaven cultivation, his mobility was severely restricted.
Only when he saw Li Weiyi charging forward with sword in hand.
“What a powerful aura.”
Zuo Sheng was shaken to his core and immediately released his Dao Heart External Manifestation. Countless ice crystal patterns spread from his body, breaking through Li Weiyi’s mind power imprisonment, and he hurriedly fled.
Three flame light whips flew out from Li Weiyi’s brow, tearing through the void and sweeping out, forming triple layers of flame waves.
Zuo Sheng had cultivated for a hundred years with profound mastery of Daoist Arts, having refined the minor technique “Ice Thorn Entanglement Technique” to the second layer. Once unleashed, it could double his combat power, surpassing the power of ordinary Hundred Character Artifacts.
Daoist Arts were divided into minor techniques, great techniques, and imperial techniques.
Minor techniques had only three layers and were the primary choice for Dao Seed Realm Martial Cultivators.
Generally, it took one or two years of diligent practice to achieve the first layer.
To reach the second layer required more than ten years of polishing. The third layer needed a Jia Zi cycle to have a chance of success.
Of course, for Longevity Realm Martial Cultivators, the time to cultivate minor techniques was greatly reduced.
Great techniques had six layers and were the primary choice for Longevity Realm Martial Cultivators and Dao Seed Realm successors.
Even for achieving the first layer, the power of a great technique far exceeded that of a minor technique.
Moreover, great techniques had a fourth layer, fifth layer, and sixth layer, with power increasing progressively, capable of destroying heavens and earth, moving mountains and shifting seas. Only those great longevity experts who had lived for hundreds of years might cultivate a great technique to the sixth layer.
Precisely because Daoist Arts were hard to cultivate, the younger generation of heaven’s chosen generally used high-grade magic tools to compensate for gaps in combat power.
Older generation Martial Cultivators preferred to use Daoist Arts.
Because Daoist Arts could be unleashed at will, without fear of being seized or destroyed—they forever belonged to oneself.
Moreover, many Daoist Arts could also promote breakthroughs in the martial way realm, with technique and magic progressing in tandem, complementing each other.
“Bang! Bang…”
With the second layer of Ice Thorn Entanglement Technique unleashed, over a dozen ice thorns spread from Zuo Sheng’s body, clashing in the void with the three Golden Crow flame light whips released from Li Weiyi’s brow, whipping with whistling winds.
The scene was grand; in an instant, the entire jungle was leveled.
Everywhere were scorched ashes and frozen icy soil.
“What powerful Daoist Arts. With this Daoist Art, Zuo Sheng is like wielding a fourth-rank Hundred Character Artifact against me.”
Li Weiyi used the flame light whips and mind power to hold him back, employing movement technique to swiftly pursue and keep him there.
A fourth-rank Hundred Character Artifact was worth tens of thousands of Spring Coins; a Dao Seed Realm Second Heaven Martial Cultivator would have to empty their savings to afford one.
But now, Zuo Sheng was erupting with such combat power using only Daoist Arts. And given his age, how could he possibly have cultivated only one Daoist Art?
Unfortunately, he had run into Li Weiyi.
Li Weiyi wore ninth-grade Hundred Character Artifact level Blood Handprint Demonic Armor; such defense could not be pierced by minor techniques. Although Li Weiyi had not yet reached the Dao Seed Realm and could not unleash the true power of the Blood Handprint Demonic Armor.
Unleashing the Blood Handprint Demonic Armor’s defense, Li Weiyi moved through the ice thorns, feeling the cold air slashing at his face. After closing in, he slashed straight down with one sword.
Two defensive ice thorns were severed, and Zuo Sheng was sent flying, his protective magic energy shattering.
“How can he be this strong?”
Zuo Sheng was terrified to the bone and unleashed an escape technique Daoism.
“Whoosh!”
Li Weiyi’s brow flickered as mind force attack turned into a spider web, layer by layer enveloping him.
Zuo Sheng’s strongest skill was his escape technique Daoism; even against experts on the《Jia Zi List》, he had a chance to flee.
But enveloped by mind power, his techniques were severely limited, and even his mind and reactions became rigid. He was quickly caught up by Li Weiyi.
Zuo Sheng controlled the ice thorns to block while retreating and fending off Li Weiyi’s war sword: “Qi Xiao and Tuo Ba Bu Tuo are both in the Fourth Divine Son’s hands. Li Weiyi, do not act recklessly.”
Hearing this, Li Weiyi’s gaze grew colder. He dared not use his six-zhang-tall battle intent, but the sword strikes in his hand grew faster and faster, forcing Zuo Sheng into dire straits.
“This is the Divine Cult headquarters. Do not be arrogant! If you dare kill me, even the Southern Venerable cannot protect you. Ku Rong Hall will tear you to pieces and throw you into the fields to fertilize the rice.”
Zuo Sheng’s space to maneuver shrank smaller and smaller; the more he fought, the less confident he became, feeling his hundred years of cultivation like a joke, pushed to the brink by a junior who had only cultivated for two years.
“Whoosh!”
“Crack!”
Li Weiyi severed all the ice thorns Zuo Sheng released, his figure shifting unpredictably as he slashed a sword onto his shoulder.
Zuo Sheng activated his second-rank Hundred Character Artifact battle robe to resist, dissipating most of the force as his body was flung out, crashing and rolling on the ground more than ten feet away.
Li Weiyi gave Zuo Sheng no chance to stand again, his foot stepping down with a jade cauldron light shadow in a booming strike.
The earth sank, forming a two-zhang-wide depression.
Even Dao Seed Realm Second Heaven cultivation could not withstand it; bones cracked explosively throughout his body, suffering severe injuries on the spot, vomiting blood, unable to rise again.
“Li Wei…yi… you cannot kill me… I know who is behind Zuo Qiu Qingying… she wants to kill you… the Zuo Qiu Gatehouse targeting you is an even more powerful figure…”
Zuo Sheng, who grew more afraid of death with age, was no exception, lying at the bottom of the pit begging for mercy.
Li Weiyi rushed into the pit, stripping off Zuo Sheng’s second-rank Hundred Character Artifact battle robe and seizing his boundary bag.
He knew his limits; how could he possibly kill Zuo Sheng?
A living Zuo Sheng was far more useful.
He was quite short on money now; with money, the Dao Seed Realm was within reach.
Besides Zuo Sheng guarding outside Southern Clear Palace, the homeless Yang Yun was also staking out nearby.
Yang Yun failed to escape and was escorted over by six Phoenix Wing Moth Emperors. Without any of his former arrogance, his legs gave out and he knelt directly, crying out: “Brother-in-law, give me back my money. If I can’t recover the money, my sister won’t want me as her brother anymore! Now, I can’t even return to the Goddess Mansion and am wandering outside like a lost soul.”
Li Weiyi was thrown off by this reversal and moved aside, not daring to accept his grand gesture: “Get up, don’t shout nonsense.”
“Brother-in-law, I was wrong. I must have been wrong before. For the sake of us being family, give me a way to live!” Yang Yun tearfully crawled over on his knees.
Li Weiyi shifted direction again to dodge him, noticing that many onlookers had appeared in the distance—all core disciples and true disciples of the Twin Rice Cult.
“Get up first. I happen to have something here that needs you to handle for me. If you succeed, I’ll figure something out with your sister.”
Yang Yun looked up, showing delight: “That one hundred thousand Spring Coins?”
“If you’re willing to kneel, then keep kneeling.”
Li Weiyi squatted down, grabbed Zuo Sheng’s left leg, and suddenly exerted force with both hands.
“Bang!”
Zuo Sheng screamed as his left leg bone snapped.
Yang Yun was struck by familiar memories and shot to his feet, standing ramrod straight: “Brother-in-law, whatever you need, just instruct me.”
Li Weiyi said: “Go to the Fourth Divine Son for me and tell him that Zuo Sheng is in my hands. Bring five hundred thousand Spring Coins to redeem him—this price is very fair. As a Divine Son, if he can bear to watch his follower live in pain, ignoring and disregarding him, I’m afraid no one will follow his lead in the future.”
“Every word I just said must be relayed exactly as is.”
Yang Yun was not stupid and knew the consequences of getting involved in this.
Li Weiyi was not only using him but also intended to drag his sister into it.
“Bang!”
Zuo Sheng’s right leg was also snapped.
Yang Yun wanted to cry but had no tears, regretting so deeply his guts turned green. Shivering, he said: “Brother-in-law, this isn’t a way to live—you’re pushing me down a dead end.”
Li Weiyi snapped Zuo Sheng’s arms as well, breaking all four limbs so he could not escape—this was the most barbaric but also the most reliable method.
He stood up, walked over, and patted Yang Yun’s shoulder: “It’s just passing a message—don’t overthink it. I am now part of the Divine Cult, a disciple of the Southern Venerable.”
“Ah?”
Yang Yun was stunned, his scalp tingling with shock.
“Let’s go!”
Yao Qingxuan had long lost patience and headed toward Spirit Valley Hall first.
Li Weiyi tossed Zuo Sheng into Southern Clear Palace, instructed the six Phoenix Wing Moth Emperors to guard him, then walked out again, passing by Yang Yun: “Are you stupid? Helping me means I won’t kill you. One hundred thousand Spring Coins for your life—what’s so expensive about that?”
Yang Yun was scared half to death and knelt on the ground.
Only then did he remember that he had once nearly taken Li Weiyi’s life.
“Brother-in-law, rest assured—this matter is on me!”
Yang Yun scrambled away, but his first stop was not the Fourth Divine Son’s Mansion; instead, he rushed back to Yang Qingxi’s Goddess Mansion to bring back the explosive news of Li Weiyi becoming a disciple of the Southern Venerable.
Li Weiyi was well aware that he could not let Wang Shu lead him by the nose or go to his home turf to save people—that would be too passive.
Thus, the Zuo Sheng card had to maximize its value.
Breaking Zuo Sheng’s four limbs earlier was deliberately done for the Twin Rice Cult disciples to see, forcing Wang Shu to take the initiative.
As a Divine Son, he represented the Twin Rice Cult’s face; having enjoyed the glory, he was now put on the spot.
Yao Qingxuan said: “You’ve just arrived. Even as my disciple, do not go too far—everything must stay within the rules. If you provoke the wrath of the younger generation, even I cannot protect you. Cultivating golden rice is what you should be doing.”
“They first used puppet rice scarecrows to assassinate, and Zuo Sheng boldly hid outside Southern Clear Palace, surveilling your mansion with ill intent. How can I tolerate that? Punishing him is perfectly justified,” Li Weiyi said.
Yao Qingxuan said: “Wang Shu reached the Dao Seed Realm third realm three years ago and is already close to the fourth realm, condensing the Dao Lotus. You are not his match!”
Li Weiyi asked: “Actually, I’ve always had a doubt in my heart. Wang Shu is not a pure immortal body—why could he become a Divine Son?”
Yao Qingxuan said: “The Hundred Meridians Pure Silver Immortal Body is the standard for successor-level geniuses in the Five Seas Realm, but in the Dao Seed Realm, it may not keep up.”
“Martial Cultivators who lag in the Five Seas Realm still have a chance to catch up in the Dao Seed Realm. It’s just extremely difficult, requiring great effort, great opportunity, or great aptitude.”
“Cultivation is like rowing against the current—compete in every realm, as others may catch up in any realm.”
Li Weiyi said: “Which type is Wang Shu?”
Yao Qingxuan said: “He has extremely high aptitude, especially in Daoist Arts cultivation. In just three years since breaking through to the Dao Seed Realm, he successfully cultivated the first layer of the great technique《Golden Armor Mountain Moving Technique》, gaining golden armor body protection and supernatural giant strength. Relying solely on physical body power, he matches same-realm successors, thus becoming a Divine Son in one move.”
“If he can cultivate the second layer of《Golden Armor Mountain Moving Technique》, he can instantly use it to forge the Dao Lotus, reaching Dao Seed Realm Fourth Heaven.”
“Before this, among the Divine Cult’s young prodigies below Dao Seed Realm Fourth Heaven—even successors—no one had cultivated a great technique.”
“Great techniques are profoundly wondrous, not something piled up with time alone; they are attack methods cultivated by Longevity Realm tycoons.”
…
End of the month—begging for monthly tickets…
