Chapter 259: Registry Of Hidden Ones
Standing at the cliff edge, the two stood with hands clasped behind their backs, overlooking Qiu Prefecture City.
“Everyone has been young, with fighting spirit high, in fine robes and furious steeds, fearless and undaunted, casual and freewheeling. I can understand that heart-stirring feeling when encountering a stunning person in one’s youth…”
Gradually.
The Hidden Lord fell into his own recollections, his gaze shifting from wise to dazed.
After hearing this, Li Weiyi hurriedly explained: “Actually, I knew Zuo Qiu Ting was Zuo Qiu Hong, also called Zuo Qiu Hong Ting. I was just teasing her to get revenge for the deception.”
The Hidden Lord wore a mask, but Li Weiyi could still see the astonishment in his eyes beneath it.
“You young people really know how to… hmm, emotional matters, I won’t interfere. But having seen all sorts of people and affairs under heaven for a Jia Zi, I have some insights and must remind you: don’t play with fire, or you might get burned.”
Li Weiyi nodded, taking the words to heart.
The Hidden Lord got to business: “For the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, you won, and did very well. Not only did you secure Du’e Temple’s support, but you also let the world see the splendor of the Jiu Li Clan’s ten-million-year ancient clan once more.”
“The news reached Li Zhou, and the entire clan was thrilled, with all nine tribe leaders sending congratulatory letters.”
“The Great Priest of the Jiu Li Divine Palace has already declared that you should hurry back, where they will hold a grand triumphal ceremony for you to announce to the Jiu Li God. Rewards will certainly not be lacking.”
“What do you think?”
Li Weiyi said: “How about having them send the rewards to Qiu Prefecture City? Especially the pills for mind power cultivation—I urgently need them.”
The Hidden Lord smiled: “What, don’t want to go back?”
“Does the Hidden Lord hope I go back?”
Li Weiyi countered.
The Hidden Lord’s expression turned serious: “For the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, you advanced through the Five Seas Realm too hastily! I don’t know how you suppressed the rejecting magic energy, but I hope that in the next few years, you properly go into closed-door cultivation and don’t leave any hidden dangers in the Five Seas Realm. Don’t let Qi Xiao and the others’ rapid cultivation progress under dragon seed assistance disrupt your own cultivation path.”
“On the Li Zhou side, forces like Coffin Mountain, Tian Ya Ridge, and Night City have temporarily withdrawn their troops, but people from the Sui Sect, San Chen Palace, and Tian Yi Sect within the Jiu Li Clan have not been fully cleared out.”
“If the younger generation all returns, the risk is too great.”
“Taoli Mountain has abundant heaven and earth magic energy, and the Zuo Qiu Gatehouse has a complete collection of classics—it’s an excellent place for closed-door cultivation.”
“But right now, I’m quite worried about one thing.”
Li Weiyi said: “Is it about Du’e Temple?”
The Hidden Lord looked at him with slight surprise.
Li Weiyi sighed deeply: “I was just wanting to discuss this with the Hidden Lord! This Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival was too strange. I always feel that Du’e Temple and the demon race have already made contact—perhaps even betting on both sides.”
“The secret of my body’s foundation is currently just speculation. But if that immortal master invites me to cultivate at Du’e Temple, the secret will inevitably be exposed.”
“I don’t believe everyone in Du’e Temple is a morally upright old immortal.”
The Hidden Lord hadn’t expected Li Weiyi’s temperament to be so remarkable—not only was he not blinded by the victory at the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, but he saw the huge risks within it.
The Hidden Lord was very gratified: “Beyond that, there’s another major risk. Have you considered that Du’e Temple might evaluate you as a hidden dragon?”
Li Weiyi was slightly stunned: “This… is this to put me to death, or to provoke the Jiu Li Clan and Zuo Qiu Gatehouse?”
The Hidden Lord said: “Zuo Qiu Ling and I have already discussed this matter and considered countermeasures. If you don’t go to Du’e Temple and let them use you, they could completely hype you up to the heavens and let you fall to your death.”
“Most crucially, your performance at the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival truly qualifies as hidden dragon material, more outstanding than Zuo Qiu Hong Ting and Luan Sheng Lin You. If they evaluate you this way, the world will only see it as fair and just.”
Li Weiyi developed a headache, knowing the aftermath of the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival wouldn’t be minor: “Since the Hidden Lord and the Zuo Qiu family head have discussed it, is there a solution?”
The Hidden Lord said: “This matter must be resolved before the Du’e Temple immortal master returns. It may involve some pain, but no matter what happens, you must trust me. This will be handled personally by Qin Lao.”
“Rest assured, this old man rarely errs in his actions and will ensure it’s watertight.”
Qin Lao walked over silently, undid Li Weiyi’s robes, and carefully probed the location of his Zu Tian.
Li Weiyi grew anxious: “Trust is no issue… but what exactly are you going to do? Can you explain it clearly?”
“The more you know about this, the easier it is to give yourself away.”
Qin Lao stood up and left, laughing: “No problem, this old man has it all figured out. You two carry on!”
Li Weiyi already had his guesses in mind, retied his belt, feeling a chill on his back, and looked around for traces of Qin Lao.
The Hidden Lord said: “The Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival has thrust you into the spotlight, so I must bring you down and hide you in the trough of the waves. This way, you can avoid most of the danger.”
“Longevity Pills—the Jiu Li Clan obtained two in total. One for you and one for Cang Li, saved for you. Your share of the dragon seed, I’ve given to Zhuo Lao—go get it from him when your Five Seas Realm is complete.”
“This boundary bag contains two dragon bones and the Hidden Person Roster.”
“I’ve already announced it: you are now formally the Jiu Li Hidden Sect’s Hidden Person. The Hidden Person Roster records information on all hidden persons of this Jia Zi, as well as some of the hidden sect’s industries and strongholds.”
“For now, specific affairs are still handled by Yin Er and Yin Shisan—you can make adjustments to that.”
“By the way, the Hidden Elder has sent word that you’ve been targeted by an evil cult! These people are extremely fanatical, many of them viewing death as transcendence, fearless and undaunted, capable of anything. So even in Qiu Prefecture City, you must be extremely cautious.”
“Once your matter is settled, I must return to Li Zhou. For anything, go directly to the hidden persons, or tell Qin Lao and Zhuo Lao.”
Li Weiyi was browsing the Hidden Person Roster and said in surprise: “Evil cult? I have no dealings with them, right?”
The Hidden Lord said: “Remember the decisive battle on the night of the Lantern Festival? A squad of black-armored cavalry appeared, wearing masks embroidered with rice ear patterns, all severely injured by your single Purple Heaven Thunder Seal strike. They were people from the Twinborn Evil Cult!”
“Just holding a grudge over that?” Li Weiyi was speechless.
The Hidden Lord shook his head: “It’s not that simple! If it were just that grudge, your status as the Jiu Li Hidden Sect’s Hidden Person would be enough to ward it off. It’s mostly because of the much-rumored golden body.”
“The Twinborn Evil Cult is no simple matter—their followers are spread across the twenty-eight prefectures but hidden very deeply, operating in the shadows. Even the tip of the iceberg I’ve learned of is already a terrifying colossus.”
“The hidden sect will quickly investigate the reason and strive to resolve the danger before it explodes.”
“Additionally, before reaching the Dao Seed Realm, do not use the Purple Heaven Thunder Seal again. I’ve already declared publicly that it’s the Jiu Li Clan’s heavy artifact, reclaimed after the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival.”
Hearts are made of flesh, and Li Weiyi was secretly moved—the Hidden Lord had clearly put much thought into considering these matters.
Moreover, on the night of the Lantern Festival, the Hidden Lord had rushed into the battlefield of the transcendental duel at great risk to rescue him first. Even his own son wouldn’t get such treatment.
Undoubtedly, the Hidden Lord trusted the Jiu Li Leader and valued Li Weiyi’s talent and character.
The Hidden Lord was the guide for the next generation of hidden persons—not master and disciple, but more than that.
Li Weiyi said: “I’m still far from the Longevity Realm. The longevity pill prepared for me—give it to Fourth Uncle first! That is, Cang Li Leader Li Songlin.”
The Hidden Lord snorted coldly: “Him? With his talent, giving him a longevity pill is like throwing it straight into water. Since his legs are broken, he should just enjoy his twilight years in the clan, teaching the younger generation’s cultivation in his spare time, and stop coming out to embarrass himself.”
If Li Weiyi didn’t know that after Li Songlin’s legs were severed by Yao Qian, the Hidden Lord had personally gone to pursue and kill Yao Qian in rage, he might have believed those words!
Li Weiyi said: “When I first arrived in Jiu Li City, I only wanted to buy a courtyard and live honestly as commoners with my companions, never thinking of getting involved in troubles. But this world has no place for us to stand—Chang Lin Gang came knocking that very day.”
“As Cang Li Leader, Fourth Uncle holds such a noble position, yet he was willing to stand up for us, personally going to Chang Lin Gang to intimidate them. When he obtained the Dyeing Cloud Exotic Medicine, the first person he thought of was me.”
“In your weak hours, when you have nothing, when you have no value, the person who shields you from wind and rain—how can you not remember them for life?”
“To be honest, when I learned of the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, I was well aware I had no qualification to participate. No matter what, I couldn’t catch up in cultivation or strength.”
“It was because of Fourth Uncle that I felt I could give it a shot, fight for him. I didn’t want to see such a free-spirited person spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair—what a painful thing that would be?”
After a long silence, the Hidden Lord said: “I’ll tell him these words exactly as they are, and he will surely be very moved. But you don’t understand him—he was already overjoyed knowing you shone brightly at the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival! If he knew you gave him your own longevity pill, he absolutely wouldn’t take it.”
“Then don’t tell him! Just say this longevity pill is an extra one.”
Li Weiyi added: “The Zuo Qiu Gatehouse is full of masters, and they must have obtained plenty of longevity pills that night at the Lantern Festival. I risked my life for them—if I don’t have a longevity pill, would they have the nerve?”
“Moreover, from what I know, Du’e Temple is likely to support the Zuo Qiu Gatehouse by providing a certain number of longevity pills each year.”
The Hidden Lord looked deeply at Li Weiyi and considered: “That’s not a bad idea. The Jiu Li Clan lost so many martial cultivators—they should compensate somehow. I’ll hold onto this longevity pill for you first, until you get one from the Zuo Qiu Gatehouse.”
Li Weiyi said: “One more thing: when the Hidden Lord returns to Li Zhou, please take extra care of my companions. Also, there’s this Li Changfeng—I have major issues with him…”
Before he could finish, the Hidden Lord walked away, saying over his shoulder: “Do you have some misunderstanding about Longevity Realm giants? Handle such minor matters with the hidden persons yourself—I’m very busy.”
“That makes sense!”
Li Weiyi’s eyes lit up.
Li Changfeng was a junior of the Cang Li Tribe who had once beaten Senior Disciple Brother Zhao Meng severely, forcing him to leave Li Zhou, with no news since.
How could this grudge go unavenged?
“Senior Disciple Brother, Senior Disciple Brother, where are you now? Have you found Senior Disciple Sister?”
