Chapter 109: Crimson Land
At night, lamps lit up brightly on both banks of the Sui River.
On the multi-story ship, there were songs and dances, with the sounds of strings and pipes melodious and pleasing.
The Jiu Li were very efficient; in less than two hours, they had gathered all the cultivation resources Yao Yin wanted, and Li Songlin personally delivered them on the ship.
Li Weiyi sent Yao Yin away.
After only he and Li Songlin remained in the cabin, he bowed and solemnly called out, “Fourth Uncle!”
Given Li Songlin’s status, for him to personally deliver cultivation resources meant there was something he wanted to discuss privately.
During the daytime situation, many things couldn’t be said directly.
“Weiyi, I am ashamed of your call of Fourth Uncle. I had promised to take good care of your senior disciple brother and the others, but an accident still happened.” Li Songlin’s face showed bitterness, extremely ashamed and helpless.
Li Weiyi’s expression changed abruptly, and he asked, “What happened to my senior disciple brother?”
“Don’t worry first.”
Li Songlin soothed his emotions and said, “It’s still a problem within the Li Family…”
Then Li Songlin recounted the events. The cause was that Li Songlin’s eldest brother Li Songjian’s son Li Changfeng, seeing that Cai Yutong had a Pure Immortal Body and failing to pursue her, then sought his parents to force a marriage alliance, but was blocked by Li Songlin.
Li Changfeng was naturally unwilling and during one entanglement, Zhao Meng could no longer tolerate it and clashed with him.
Li Changfeng was an Eight Springs martial cultivator; how could Zhao Meng be his opponent? He was beaten into severe injury.
At this point, Li Songlin said, “Zhao Meng’s injuries have already healed, but after leaving this letter, he chose to leave. Weiyi, Fourth Uncle truly has no face to see you.”
Li Weiyi took the letter from Li Songlin’s hand, opened it, and confirmed it was his senior disciple brother’s handwriting.
The letter was written to him.
“Weiyi, Senior Disciple Brother doesn’t want to depend on others’ roofs; I’m going to find Senior Disciple Sister! Don’t blame Fourth Uncle and Li Ling; they are good people, but the Li Family is too big, and the Jiu Li Dao Academy has all sorts mixed in. Staying here is really stifling.”
“Everyone has their own path; no need to worry about me. From the day I left the sect, I’ve been surviving alone. Senior Disciple Brother doesn’t rely on anyone; in the future, not only will I rise above others, but I will also stand tall between heaven and earth.”
“Wait and see! Who knows, one day in a night with dim lights, clear winds, and bright moon, when you look up, on the rooftop, it won’t be me and Senior Disciple Sister coming to find you for a drink. Forgot, you don’t drink, but you will. When you grow up a bit more, you’ll understand that in this world, unhappy things are always more than happy ones.”
“It’s almost dawn; that’s all for now!”
Li Weiyi read the letter again and silently closed it: “Is Senior Student Cai okay?”
“I believe Li Changfeng won’t dare provoke her again!” Li Songlin had already taught him a lesson and continued, “Actually, behind this is the Yang Clan directing it, wanting to force you out using Cai Yutong and Zhao Meng. Li Changfeng’s mother, that is, my eldest sister-in-law, is surnamed Yang. Yang Qingxi has to call her aunt!”
Li Weiyi was not interested in the Li Family and Yang Clan’s complex intertwined relationship and just asked, “Fourth Uncle, if I killed Li Changfeng, would you hate me?”
Li Songlin had long been exasperated by that family, only restrained due to the blood brother relationship.
Back in Yaoguan City, it was that family shamelessly demanding exotic medicine that forced Li Weiyi away.
Li Songlin said, “This is a grudge between you all! However, Li Changfeng has already broken through to Five Seas, and he might just be bait the Yang Clan is using to lure you out. Don’t underestimate Yang Qingxi; among Li Zhou’s young generation, her strength ranks in the top five, and her scheming is second to none.”
…
The night passed uneventfully.
The next morning, the Medicine Li Tribe provided a sturdy horse each for the three, and they galloped along the Sui River toward Zangxian Town.
Soon, they caught up with the hundreds of young Jiu Li cultivators.
The number of participants for the Mang Mountain Grand Sacrifice was fixed: thirty per tribe, totaling two hundred seventy, all teenagers in the Spring Gushing Realm martial cultivators and mind masters, with quite a few Pure Immortal Bodies among them—absolutely the top elite of a generation in the tribe.
In addition, a large group of Five Seas Realm martial cultivators and Great Mind Masters led by Cang Li were responsible for escorting along the way.
The nine leaders brought up the rear.
Li Weiyi and the other two followed at a distance of dozens of zhang behind, without joining the main group.
Before the anomaly in Zangxian Town, the journey from Yaoguan City was three hundred li.
After traveling two hundred li, the immortal mist between heaven and earth had become so thick it obscured vision. Li Weiyi, who had been continuously using the breathing technique, clearly noticed that the power of laws between heaven and earth had become unusually active.
This activity level was even starting to affect the operation of magic power within his body.
The nine leaders exchanged a few words with Cang Li and the others before all stopping together.
Li Weiyi, Yao Yin, and Yin Twenty-Five were all puzzled and rode up to the nine leaders.
Li Songlin said, “Around Zangxian Town, a formation like the Nine Palaces Eight Trigrams has appeared. Different directions and areas have completely different energies. This road, with our realms, we can’t go further!”
“Further ahead, the magic power in the body will become chaotic and uncontrollable, with the risk of the body exploding and dying.” The Beast Li Leader said.
The Qing Li Leader said, “The way along the river is not peaceful; we may encounter departed spirits, fiend demons, fierce insects.”
“Don’t be scared; if you encounter Dyeing Cloud Exotic Medicine, remember to pick it. Haha!” The Chi Li Leader said.
Yao Xingyue looked at Yao Yin and instructed, “Don’t be reckless; pay attention to safety. If you encounter danger, hurry back. The nine of us will always wait here to receive you.”
…
After parting with the nine leaders, they traveled another hundred li.
“Why is it getting hotter and hotter?” Yin Twenty-Five said.
Yao Yin said, “The vegetation has also decreased; farther from the river channel, the ground is already cracked.”
“Something’s wrong!”
Li Weiyi had been calculating the distance the whole time; he had walked the road from Yaoguan City to Zangxian Town before, and by rights, they should have arrived after a full day.
Yet now, they hadn’t even seen a shadow of Zangxian Town.
After another few li, it grew even hotter.
Vegetation was completely invisible; the earth was a piece of red, the wide river surface actually began to boil, with golden substances like lava flowing at the river bottom, evaporating large amounts of mist that severely obscured vision.
The Jiu Li young cultivator main group ten zhang ahead was completely invisible; only the sounds of their mounts could be heard.
Cang Li, riding the Zou Wu exotic beast, suddenly stopped. On both sides of the road ahead, he saw two giant stone statues several meters tall each, with massive heads and high noses. In the mist, this sight was truly strange and frightening.
With the giant stone statues as the boundary, Five Seas Realm were not allowed to cross.
Cang Li raised his voice: “This road, Five Seas Realm cannot go further; past the giant stone statues, the body will self-ignite. But below Five Seas Realm, you can continue forward.”
“Martial cultivators participating in the Mang Mountain Grand Sacrifice, this is your path. Remember, this competition is extremely dangerous; don’t just focus on gathering medicine, and don’t fight each other. Ranking is secondary; surviving is most important.”
“Besides guarding against Departed Spirit Fiend Demons, you must also guard against human martial cultivators—they are the most dangerous. Go!”
Soon, all the young Jiu Li martial cultivators participating in the Mang Mountain Grand Sacrifice passed through the two giant stone statues and gradually disappeared into the mist.
Cang Li added, “Spring Gushing Realm along the river, Five Seas Realm up the mountain. You take the mountain path into Zangxian Town, gather medicine along the way, pay attention to safety. Li Ling, you stay; come with me!”
The Jiu Li Five Seas Realm experts had long been unable to endure, feeling their magic energy burning inside like it was aflame, their bodies on the verge of exploding at any moment.
Only First Realm of the Five Seas Realm martial cultivators were a bit more at ease.
The higher the cultivation, the greater the influence of that scorching heavenly secret energy on the body’s magic energy and mind power.
They quickly went up the mountain.
At the road junction, only Cang Li riding the Zou Wu exotic beast and Li Ling riding the fire fox exotic beast remained, watching Li Weiyi, Yao Yin, and Yin Twenty-Five slowly riding toward them.
After several months of cultivation, Li Ling’s cultivation had advanced extremely quickly; her mind power cultivation had reached “Square Inch Heavenly Fire,” completely beyond normal, causing quite a stir even in the Jiu Li Divine Palace.
She still carried a bronze ancient lamp emitting a dim blue fluorescence, wore nine silver bracelets on her hands, her snow-white feet dangling under the fire fox exotic beast’s belly, her toes crystalline and dainty. Her whole person was like a fire elf, exuding a mysterious aura.
Cang Li naturally knew the identities and strengths of the three before him and said, “Don’t underestimate the enemy; their many forces are gathered together, led by Tian Ya Ridge and Sui Sect, like a pack of hungry wolves eager to devour the Jiu Li. Among them, Nine Springs Supreme Persons exceed ten, most having opened Ancestral Fields by consuming Dyeing Cloud Exotic Medicine.”
“I expect they must carry mid-grade magic tools; the enemy is more terrifying than you imagine.”
“No need for extra words! The two hundred seventy Jiu Li elite seedlings participating in the Mang Mountain Grand Sacrifice are entrusted to the three of you; Cang Li is endlessly grateful.”
Cang Li cupped his fists and saluted the three.
Li Ling’s sweet and pleasant voice rang out: “Especially protect little sister Yao Yin well; she’s young, with an immortal body and jade appearance—I’m afraid many will have designs on her. Little sister Yao Yin, you also need to be more careful!”
Li Weiyi glanced at Li Ling, just happening to meet her lively eyes, and immediately sensed the strong mind power fluctuation on her.
“Thank you, Senior Sister Li Ling, for your concern.”
Yao Yin then asked, “Did the enemy set off first, or are they behind?”
Cang Li said, “They originally planned to set off early and ambush on the road. But I have a spy among them, and I received the news last night, so I changed the departure time—we should be ahead of them.”
“The trial time is nine days; after nine days, I will come here early to receive you.”
After Cang Li and Li Ling went up the mountain.
Yin Twenty-Five said, “Cang Li still has some ability.”
“A person cultivated as a successor can’t have shortcomings; mind and cultivation are both top-notch.” Li Weiyi said.
Yao Yin looked at the two giant stone statues in the mist: “Let’s go; hurry and catch up.”
Li Weiyi nodded: “Some say Yang Qingxi’s scheming ranks first among Li Zhou’s young generation. If I were her, I wouldn’t predict things after Cang Li. I guess there must be masters already waiting ahead. Even among the many young martial cultivators participating in the Mang Mountain Grand Sacrifice, it’s not surprising if she bought some off in advance.”
Just as the words fell, screams from Jiu Li martial cultivators came from the mist ahead.
Yao Yin and Yin Twenty-Five’s expressions changed, and they rushed past the two giant stone statues, spurring their horses to gallop madly.
“Clop clop!”
The sturdy horse under Li Weiyi walked neither fast nor slow, stopping beside the two giant stone statues.
He dismounted and observed for a while.
Mobilizing all his magic power, he struck one giant stone statue with a palm, causing it to topple and crash to the ground with a boom. Then, he carefully examined the ground that had just been covered by the giant stone statue.
Li Weiyi laughed: “Sure enough, it was just moved here—interesting! The true Five Seas Realm Boundary should be a bit further ahead. Yang Qingxi didn’t disappoint me; she’s an opponent who can stir my fighting spirit.”
…
Lately, I’ve been focused on writing, in a high-intensity writing state for Old Fish, so the live monthly ticket draw was delayed! Tomorrow night at seven, squeeze in half an hour or an hour for a Douyin live draw.
Brothers who can’t watch the live, no problem; the draw results will be posted in a single chapter notice.
Finally, still those three words—monthly ticket!
