Chapter 120: Zuo Qiu Stops
The pages of the Iron Book were thin like blades, with extremely high hardness.
They were forged from dense metal, paper-thin yet weighing several pounds each, forming swirling vortices of air when spinning in flight.
“Bang!”
A giant stone by the stream was struck, sliced through like tofu, instantly penetrated.
“Mid-grade Magic Tool!”
Yuan Sheng’s eyes surged with shock as he turned and fled rapidly.
Only a very few Martial Cultivators of the Five Seas Realm First Realm and Second Realm possessed mid-grade Magic Tools. The reason Chen Jingtang could have one was, first, because he had broken through the Nine Springs to Five Seas with exceptional talent. Second, the battle at Zangxian Town was of great importance, and the Iron Book was bestowed by an elder of San Chen Palace.
A mid-grade Magic Tool like the Iron Book, with such immense power, cost nearly a hundred million, its expense rivaling high-grade Magic Tools.
Yuan Sheng knew he absolutely could not defend against thirty-five pages, and moreover, the pursuer behind was extraordinarily fast, likely another Five Seas Realm Second Realm expert. He could not escape; he would soon be caught up.
There was only one way: rely on his powerful physical body to tank it head-on, charge through, fighting with his life.
The piercing sound of wind-breaking grew closer behind him.
Suddenly.
Demonic Energy erupted from beneath Yuan Sheng’s feet, turning into a patch of gray cloud. His massive, ten-thousand-pound body suddenly leaped up, appearing over twenty meters high, evading all the pages.
He raised the hammer in mid-air.
His body was burly yet extraordinarily agile. He turned and smashed down toward Li Weiyi below.
The war hammer and demonic energy clouds scattered most of the flying Iron Book pages on impact. Only a few pages slashed toward him, but they were temporarily blocked by the demonic energy enveloping his body.
“I must heavily injure him within ten moves, or today I will not escape this death tribulation.”
Yuan Sheng was not comparable to those Spring Gushing Realm Martial Cultivators. With a ferocious battle intent for desperate fighting, he timed his strikes perfectly. This hammer even fused Battle Intent, locking onto Li Weiyi’s aura dead-on.
“This big fellow isn’t low in wisdom! As expected, no lifeform that cultivates to the Five Seas Realm Second Realm is simple.”
It was the first time Li Weiyi truly sensed the existence of Battle Intent.
The most direct sensation was a binding at the level of his mind and consciousness.
It was like a voice constantly telling him: “You can’t evade, you can’t dodge, you’ll be killed by this hammer, you’re dead!”
Martial Cultivators unable to resist Battle Intent would likely have their will crumble and collapse, only able to submit to death. Earlier, the Five Seas Realm First Realm human Martial Cultivator killed by Yuan Sheng’s hammer had probably faced the same plight.
It wasn’t just mental and intent suppression.
More tangibly, invisible walls seemed to appear from all directions, pressing down on Li Weiyi, locking, pulling, suppressing his physical body.
Spiritual Light Flame emerged at Li Weiyi’s brow, using Mind Power to resist this Battle Intent. His feet shifted sideways, his figure drifting like the wind, instantly landing a few meters away.
“Boom!”
The war hammer smashed the ground, forming a massive sunken pit.
The powerful Demonic Energy erupting around the pit turned into wind force, impacting Li Weiyi’s body.
Li Weiyi was not intimidated by the opponent’s ferocity. Instead of retreating, he advanced, leaping forward and seizing the momentum to strike out a Chan Sect loose hand move fused with Heavenly Law Integration, the Heaven-Overturning Palm Seal.
“Not a clash of Battle Intents, but evading my Battle Intent lock with Mind Power—could it be… he’s not Five Seas Realm Second Realm, just a Five Seas Realm First Realm Martial Cultivator?”
Yuan Sheng’s heart pressure eased greatly, secretly guessing that the invisibility cloak on the opponent was likely also a mid-grade Magic Tool, or even high-grade. The opponent was surpassing him in speed only due to the power of Magic Tools.
Likely a Heaven’s Chosen nurtured by a great power, who had broken Nine Springs to Five Seas.
After opening the Tenth Spring, with his Magic Energy grade elevated, the Heaven-Overturning Palm Seal Li Weiyi executed underwent incredibly profound changes.
Heavenly Law Integration manifested concretely.
“Sizzle!”
Strands of bright Magic Energy surged from his palm, weaving into a grinding mill-sized square Heaven-Overturning Divine Seal.
The base of the seal had blurry secret scripts, and its body featured a coiling dragon phantom.
Yuan Sheng punched out with a water jar-sized fist to meet it, startled by the divine seal’s radiant glory, but assuming it was light and shadow from a Magic Tool eruption, he didn’t take it too seriously.
“Boom!”
The human and demon, differing over tenfold in size, both exploded backward simultaneously.
“This kid has such strong power! That divine seal light shadow earlier—was it a high-grade Magic Tool?”
Yuan Sheng was secretly alarmed, even more convinced Li Weiyi was a peak Heaven’s Chosen of the Five Seas Realm First Realm, carrying a heavy artifact. Thus, he swung the war hammer, striding forward to attack and kill.
“So the power of the Chan Sect Twelve Loose Hands is this formidable—its unarmed outburst stronger than using Magic Tools.”
Li Weiyi looked at his palm, stunned by his own power for a moment.
Martial Cultivation seemed to become even more profound and wondrous.
Seeing Yuan Sheng charge like a mountain with majestic momentum, hammer raised, he decided to test the Heaven-Overturning Palm Seal’s power again. This time, not only did he mobilize Magic Energy, but also the Immortal Radiance in his Divine Threshold.
“Swish!”
Feet in a bow stance, he struck out with one palm. Amid flowing strands of Magic Energy and Immortal Radiance, the grinding mill-sized ancient Heaven-Overturning Seal condensed again, brighter than before, containing immortal light and Dao essence.
“Rumble!”
Yuan Sheng retreated, as if smashed by a stone mountain.
His hands ached from the shock, demonic blood flowing from his palms; the war hammer had nearly flown from his grip in the clash with that divine seal light shadow.
Li Weiyi stood firm, his feet sunk into the soil from the explosive force transmitted by the war hammer, his heart excited, battle intent soaring. He shouted loudly: “Again!”
His legs burst from the ground, charging up. While controlling the thirty-five Iron Book pages, he executed the Heaven-Overturning Palm Seal once more, carefully sensing its wonders.
Several li away, a figure wrapped in Magic Energy hurried across the grassland.
He stopped under a black giant tree on the mountain peak, his figure tall and straight—it was Wang Daozhen, one of the top three experts of the younger generation of the Sui Sect Wang Clan.
Like Yuan Sheng, he was ordered to guard this place and must capture “Sima Tan.”
Wang Daozhen recognized the Iron Book and night-walking clothes, knowing the one fighting Yuan Sheng must be “Sima Tan” without doubt. Shocked in his heart: “He’s broken into the Five Seas Realm? Just after breakthrough, yet already suppressing Yuan Sheng in speed and power—this kid really is a martial anomaly.”
“He is Sima Tan!”
Wang Daozhen shouted a reminder, then rode the wind with Magic Energy, striding rapidly toward the battlefield.
“He’s Sima Tan?”
Yuan Sheng was dazed by Li Weiyi’s strange palm seals. Hearing Wang Daozhen’s reminder, just as he was puzzled, an Iron Book page finally broke his demonic energy defense, slashing his chest.
His chest muscles were cut open, blood flowing profusely, the pain unbearable.
Seeing Wang Daozhen appear, Li Weiyi dropped his mindset of practicing and testing palms, going all-out to attack and kill, seeking a quick victory.
After Li Ling slew the lynx demon, she arrived nearby, her deep and serene eyes continuously observing the palm seal Li Weiyi had just used.
Wang Daozhen appeared on the hill opposite her, wariness in his eyes, knowing this sixteen-year-old genius girl had already reached the Heavenly Fire Realm. To save Yuan Sheng, he had to get past her.
A melodious whistle sounded, drawing near from afar.
Chen Ying, the Five Seas Realm expert of San Chen Palace stationed here, wrapped five young Jiu Li Martial Cultivators in Magic Energy clouds, arriving from afar, forming a triangular standoff with Wang Daozhen and Li Ling.
She appeared around fifty, with sharp eyes, wearing an Iron Cloth Battle Robe at low-grade Magic Tool level.
Upon arrival, Chen Ying directly grabbed the arm of a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old Spring Gushing Realm young man, throwing him like a stone toward Li Weiyi and Yuan Sheng, dozens of zhang away in combat.
At the same time, Wang Daozhen charged down the hill rapidly, drawing the Array Breaking Whip, killing toward Li Weiyi.
Li Ling glanced at the battlefield, seeing Yuan Sheng already covered in blood, so she had no intention of intervening. She looked at Chen Ying: “Just you three guarding here?”
“Three not enough?”
Chen Ying was calm and composed: “I know you’re strong, but I have four hostages here. Do you think saving people will be faster, or killing faster?”
From below the hill, a miserable scream sounded.
Yuan Sheng’s face was struck by a palm, his skull cracking, body crashing heavily down.
Li Weiyi looked at the Jiu Li young man falling from the sky and the whip-wielding Wang Daozhen arriving, secretly admiring the Four Great Sects’ understanding and exploitation of human nature’s weaknesses.
If Yuan Sheng had held out just one more breath, Li Weiyi would have been caught in a pincer attack by two Five Seas Realm Second Realm experts while saving the boy.
“Swish!”
Li Weiyi drew the Ghost Flag, his figure drifting as he rose into the air.
Using the Nether Mist surging from the Ghost Flag, he enveloped the Jiu Li young man.
Wang Daozhen looked at Li Weiyi still in mid-air, a cold smile of scheming success in his eyes. Calculating his descent speed and position, he leaped forward, the Array Breaking Whip slashing down from above.
Without that mysterious heavenly energy suppression, he could finally go all-out, his combat power greatly increased.
The long whip’s flames blazed dazzlingly, exploding space on impact.
“Roar!”
A dragon’s roar echoed through the mountains.
There, Li Weiyi, who should have fallen back to the ground, had a dozen-zhang-long Yellow Dragon phantom appear on his body. Stepping on the void, he actually ascended step by step into the sky.
Even Li Weiyi himself was startled by the dragon’s roar.
He had merely executed “Yellow Dragon Ascends to Heaven”—why had a dragon shadow appeared?
His body treaded the void, as if stepping on the back of a rapidly flying Yellow Dragon, each step covering several zhang.
By the time he landed, he had gone from below the mountain to the hilltop, appearing beside Li Ling. Wang Daozhen, stunned and dazed, was still holding his whip by the stream.
Li Ling’s big eyes blinked in surprise: “What technique is that?”
“Perhaps… this is the true Heavenly Law Integration!”
Li Weiyi hadn’t fully figured it out yet, so he could only explain thus, releasing the Jiu Li young man from the Ghost Flag’s wrapping.
Heavenly Law Integration referred to cultivating moves to the point of aligning with certain wondrous laws of heaven and earth—the more aligned, the more profound, the greater the power.
Others’ Heavenly Law Integration merely touched some law traces. Li Weiyi felt his diligent cultivation of the Chan Sect Twelve Loose Hands, unwavering for ten years, had touched more, thus stronger power, with Dao essence naturally manifesting.
“Why do I feel like this is Battle Intent Manifestation?” Li Ling said.
A Martial Cultivator’s Battle Intent was almost always comprehended from Heavenly Law Integration moves, then fused with one’s own essence, energy, and spirit.
“Not quite like it—I haven’t sensed Battle Intent yet.”
Li Weiyi’s gaze fell on the ruthless middle-aged woman on the opposite hill, chill intent thick in his heart, his tone calm: “Aren’t you going to save them?”
Li Ling said: “Not easy to save! She kills much faster than we can save.”
“Submit to her threats, or stand by and watch?” Li Weiyi wanted neither. Using Mind Power Transmission: “You’re a Great Mind Master—directly use long-range Mind Force Attack to pin her down, buy me time.”
“A bit risky, but worth a try—no other way.”
Li Ling formed a finger seal, a light pillar connecting to the sky’s clouds erupting from her head. Misty Spiritual Light Flame boomed outward, instantly reaching the opposite hill.
Earth Fire Realm was like earth’s flame, illuminating dozens of zhang around.
Heavenly Fire Realm was like a patch of sky fire cloud, its spiritual light reaching several li away.
“Roar!”
The dragon’s roar sounded again.
Li Weiyi seized the chance, executing Yellow Dragon Ascends to Heaven to charge out. The Magic Energy and Immortal Radiance surging from his body seemed to align with some law of heaven and earth, automatically condensing into a Yellow Dragon that flickered in and out of existence, heading straight to the top of the hill dozens of zhang away.
Wang Daozhen stood by the stream below the mountain, watching Li Weiyi tread dragon past in the sky, his mind shaken, unsure if this was really “Sima Tan.”
How could a Five Seas Realm First Realm Martial Cultivator defy the heavens to this extent?
Chen Ying was battle-experienced. The instant Li Ling launched the Mind Force Attack, she immediately activated Battle Intent to resist.
“Boom!”
Battle Intent and Magic Energy rushed from her body together, forming a near-human-shaped cloud.
This was Battle Intent nearing Manifestation!
It showed Chen Ying’s Martial Way Cultivation far surpassed Yuan Sheng and Wang Daozhen, already approaching Five Seas Realm Third Realm.
Chen Ying knew she was no match for Li Ling—defeat was certain—so she prepared to retreat. But before leaving, she resolved to kill the four Jiu Li Martial Cultivators behind her, making the enemy pay a price.
Glancing at Li Weiyi treading dragon through the air, Chen Ying spread her arms wide, countless Magic Energy flying needles condensing between her hands, shooting out like rain.
“While enduring a Heavenly Fire Realm Great Mind Master’s Mind Force Attack, yet still able to execute Martial Way means?”
Li Weiyi realized the opponent was no small fry, not daring to be careless. He hurriedly poured Magic Energy and Immortal Radiance fully into the night-walking clothes, while striking out a Heaven-Overturning Palm Seal in mid-air.
Chen Ying turned, about to kill and flee.
But she discovered the four young Jiu Li Martial Cultivators behind her had vanished silently.
This…
Even with Chen Ying’s steady state of mind, her face paled in fright. The surroundings became deathly still, only her heartbeat audible.
“Swish!”
A white folding fan flew from nowhere.
The fan spun in a circle, a ring of bloodline instantly appearing on Chen Ying’s neck. Her eyes bulged, and she toppled straight down.
A Martial Way expert nearing Five Seas Realm Third Realm died instantly.
To her death, she didn’t know who killed her.
Li Weiyi blocked the rain of Magic Energy flying needles but couldn’t maintain Yellow Dragon Ascends to Heaven’s movement, plummeting straight toward the base of the mountain. Alarmed, he hurriedly activated the corpse clothes soft armors’ blood mist and blood scriptures.
The fall was buffered; his body hit the ground without major injury.
But his nerves were still unsettled.
This Yellow Dragon Ascends to Heaven movement, once disrupted by enemy attacks, caused chaotic Magic Energy flow inside, interrupting the ascension momentum.
“Need to practice more! Or break through to Five Seas Realm, with thicker Magic Energy—it should be much better.”
Li Weiyi stood, looking toward the hilltop where Chen Ying had been, his gaze turning solemn. Earlier in mid-air, he had clearly seen a figure appear out of thin air behind Chen Ying—extremely strange, with speed beyond visual discernment.
From the mountainside, he walked to the mountaintop.
From afar, Li Weiyi saw a handsome man in a green robe holding a folding fan, standing gracefully beside Chen Ying’s corpse.
His body wasn’t tall, just over 7 meters, but it was a Pure Immortal Body, flawless skin, an extraordinarily beautiful face—sword brows, star eyes, lips and nose like heavenly craftsmanship. He wore a Confucian turban, a brocade belt at his waist, spotless.
The four young Jiu Li Martial Cultivators all stood behind him.
Li Ling arrived, appearing opposite the handsome Confucian-turbaned man, bowing gracefully with a red-lipped, white-toothed smile: “Thank you, Young Master Zuo Qiu, for stepping in righteously again—otherwise, these four Jiu Li youngsters would have died at that old woman’s hands.”
“No trouble, just a hand raised.”
He exuded an aloof nobility, but upon speaking, became refined, courteous, and humble.
Li Weiyi always felt an discordant strangeness about this Young Master Zuo Qiu, so he had no interest in befriending him. Looking toward the rapidly fleeing Wang Daozhen: “I’ll go chase him first!”
“Why bother with him, Brother Sima? Let him flee a hundred li, then chase—no rush.”
A breeze came, and the handsome man with the Confucian turban appeared before Li Weiyi. Cupping hands with a smile: “I am Zuo Qiu Ting, from Qiu Prefecture.”
“Zuo Qiu Gatehouse?”
Li Weiyi was forced to return the courtesy, lest he seem rude.
Li Ling walked through waist-high grass, her demeanor shifting back to playful and cute young girl, introducing to Li Weiyi: “Young Master Zuo Qiu is this generation’s successor of Zuo Qiu Gatehouse. Some time ago, when my brother was ambushed by the Dragon Gate Successor and Heartless Golden Ape, it was he who helped break the siege.”
Li Weiyi’s heart shook as he sized him up again.
He knew the other’s cultivation was high, but hadn’t expected a successor-level figure.
Undoubtedly one of the top few of the Southern Territory’s younger generation!
Zuo Qiu Ting closed his fan, waving hand with a hearty laugh: “Trifling matter, not worth mentioning. Zuo Qiu Gatehouse and Jiu Li have been on good terms for generations—how could I stand by when Jiu Li is in trouble?”
Li Weiyi asked: “This area is the barrier boundary for Spring Gushing Realm Martial Cultivators entering Immortal Realm Space. With your peak cultivation, Young Master Zuo Qiu, what brings someone like you here?”
Li Ling heard the suspicion in Li Weiyi’s words, fearing he’d offend him, about to speak.
Zuo Qiu Ting first said: “I came specially to find you.”
Li Weiyi was surprised, smiling: “What do you mean?”
“Sima Tan’s one-slash kill of the Dao Fire Ape, three-slash slay of the Demon King’s sixth-generation grandson—news has spread among all Five Seas Realm Cultivators, shocking everyone. Know Thirty-three Mile Mountain? Only Spring Gushing Realm Martial Cultivators can enter. I planned to ask you to help, enter the mountain to dig some Immortal Soil. But who knew you’d already broken through to Five Seas? Haha, too late!”
Zuo Qiu Ting spread his hands, laughing bitterly.
Li Ling clearly trusted Zuo Qiu Ting immensely, asking: “Has Yao Yin broken through the Nine Springs?”
“Young Master Zuo Qiu, please wait a moment.”
Li Weiyi pulled Li Ling’s sleeve, going aside alone, enveloping them in Magic Energy before saying: “This Zuo Qiu Gatehouse successor really helped you all?”
Li Ling said: “Young Master Zuo Qiu is a righteous hero, has helped us three times already. Without him, I probably couldn’t have broken through to here.”
“Why would he help you?” Li Weiyi said.
Li Ling said: “Jiu Li and Zuo Qiu Gatehouse have been allies for generations, supporting each other for thousands of years.”
“Sui Sect’s Yang Clan also has generation-long marriage alliances with your Cang Li Tribe, yet still harbors wolfish ambitions?” Li Weiyi glanced toward the distant Zuo Qiu Ting, who smiled back.
Li Weiyi whispered cautiously: “This person clearly has a cold and proud face, yet a refined and gentle demeanor. Plain green robes, but luxurious brocade belt. Short and slender build, feminine features—everything feels disharmonious, definitely something off.”
Li Ling smiled charmingly: “When did you get so biting in speech? Where’s he short and slender, where disharmonious? Not jealous he’s more handsome and dashing than you, are you?”
Li Weiyi was speechless, stating affirmatively: “I won’t let Yao Yin take risks.”
Li Ling’s smile faded: “Do you like her?”
“No point saying more to you.”
Li Weiyi trusted his intuition, very guarded against Zuo Qiu Ting, striding down the mountain. He searched Yuan Sheng’s body by the stream, finding the snow pear-sized metal Magic Tool Treasure Bottle.
Mobilizing Mind Power Spiritual Light, he entered the bottle.
Inside the bottle was indeed a square space, but only a thin layer of Golden Spring Water.
This Golden Spring Water was very similar to that of Jiu Li Hidden Sect’s Golden Spring, but higher quality, like liquid gold.
“Not sure if it can help temper Gold Veins?”
Li Weiyi frowned slightly, lacking understanding of this Golden Spring, not daring to consume it lightly.
After Zuo Qiu Ting and Li Ling sent the five young Martial Cultivators into the barrier boundary, they came down the mountain side by side. One handsome and refined, one lively and radiant—like legendary golden boy and jade girl, laughing and chatting, who knows what they discussed.
Zuo Qiu Ting’s gaze fell on Li Weiyi, eyes full of wisdom. After a slight pause, he called from afar: “If Brother Sima is interested in this Golden Spring, you must go to Thirty-three Mile Mountain—it’s a treasure for body refining and bone tempering.”
Li Ling followed: “Right! They say with good luck, you can find Golden Spring below the mountain, no need to enter.”
Zuo Qiu Ting said: “Li Ling already told me your concerns—no issue. Thirty-three Mile Mountain does have some danger, and Immortal Soil isn’t essential. It’s reasonable to worry about your loved one risking it. We can’t dig ourselves, but we can rob! Some powers’ Spring Gushing Martial Cultivators will dig some—we rob theirs.”
Li Weiyi stared at Li Ling: “Don’t talk nonsense—what loved one?”
Li Ling said: “Just say if you’re going to Thirty-three Mile Mountain or not? If not, we’re off!”
“Not going.” Li Weiyi said.
Zuo Qiu Ting removed the Insect Bag from his waist, opening it. A palm-sized green dragonfly flew out, wings buzzing.
“Zuo Qiu Qingting, enlarge!” he said.
The dragonfly’s abdomen erupted brilliant light, body rapidly enlarging to over six meters long. Wings beat up a gale, sound deafening.
Zuo Qiu Ting and Li Ling successively leaped onto the giant dragonfly’s back.
“He’s an Insect Tamer too! This dragonfly is probably a strange insect.”
Seeing the giant dragonfly about to fly away, Li Weiyi thought of something, asking: “What’s the current situation in the Jiu Li Clan versus the Four Great Sects’ Five Seas Realm Martial Cultivators’ fight?”
“It’s fine!”
“Rest assured, this young master will help Li Ling sister and them deal with the Four Great Sects people.”
Two voices came from afar, one after the other.
The giant dragonfly flew extremely fast, vanishing from sight in moments.
“Strange, why does Li Ling trust him so much?”
In Li Weiyi’s heart, Li Ling had always been extremely shrewd—she shouldn’t miss the issues with Zuo Qiu Ting.
…
No chapter division today, 6200 words.
