Chapter 331: Already Winter Of The Next Year
The road leaving the headquarters is located in Under Heaven Hall.
Under Heaven Hall is responsible for matters under heaven. The Hall Master, three Deputy Hall Masters, five Venerables, and twenty-eight Elders are almost all scattered across the Twenty-Eight Prefectures of Lingxiao, not at the headquarters.
The building complex of Under Heaven Hall is situated south of the Mortal Layer.
Cultivators entering the hall gate almost all wear masks, having special identities outside.
Li Weiyi, Tuo Ba Bu Tuo, and Qi Xiao head to Nanyan Pass together, also wearing masks to cover their faces, changing their figures, and entering inside the hall. The three hand over their life tokens and successively plant death spiritual fire.
The old man responsible for registration then asks where they are going.
Li Weiyi is a Divine Son and has already been planted with death spiritual fire by Yao Qingxuan, so he does not need to plant it again. He assumes an arrogant posture and says displeasingly: “When a Divine Son travels, there must be an important mission. How could I easily tell you the destination? If news leaks, can you bear the responsibility?”
The old man quickly apologizes and says: “It’s like this: to hide the Divine Sect Headquarters and the headquarters entrance, everyone below Venerable must go through the space teleportation array, teleporting to several Rice Ancestor Temples outside, then quietly disperse.”
“It is normal for the Fourth Divine Son, who has never gone out, not to know this point.”
“For example, if His Highness the Divine Son is going to the Western Territory on official business but is teleported to the Eastern Territory, wouldn’t that mean taking a lot of detours?”
Qi Xiao recalls in his mind the Qingyi Town outside Qiu Zhou Prefecture City, where there is a Rice Ancestor Temple stationed by a Saint Spirit Mind Master, most likely with a teleportation array, one of the Rice Cult’s dispersal points.
Under Li Weiyi’s mask, the cold intent in his eyes diminishes: “To the Eastern Territory.”
Nanyan Pass is at the extreme north of Fu Zhou, belonging to the Southern Territory.
Deliberately saying Eastern Territory is because the registration information of Under Heaven Hall is too easy to leak. It’s possible that as soon as he leaves, the news will appear in some people’s hands.
Entering and exiting the headquarters must pass inspection by the Ten Thousand Character Buddha Statue.
Boundary Bag, Feng Fu, Zu Tian, organs and bones—all cannot hide people or objects.
Li Weiyi knows this and has already taken the risk, pulling Tang Wanzhou into the Blood Mud Space. The Dao Ancestor Tai Chi Fish is not something a mere Buddha statue can peep through.
Led by a young inner disciple, the three walk deep into the cave behind the great hall. An ancient space teleportation array appears before them.
Three zhang in diameter, with ancient immortal giant beast blood flowing in the array pattern grooves, inlaid with high-grade blood crystals, very similar to the one in Southern Clear Palace.
The cave is vast, with stone steps carved spiraling up along the walls, faintly visible light coming from above.
It is natural light.
Cool air blows down.
Li Weiyi and the other two raise their heads, gazing for a long time, clearly knowing that above is definitely the exit, leading straight to the ground. The space teleportation array cannot penetrate the barrier of the Underground Immortal Mansion; they are teleported out from the exit.
Trapped underground for over a year, everyone feels a surge of excitement, like about to walk out of a cage and return to the bustling mortal world.
The stone steps are sealed and impassable.
The three of them, along with another sixteen Rice Cult cultivators wearing masks, enter the space teleportation array together.
“Crash!”
The entire array is enveloped in blood light, unable to see the outside scene. One can only feel a strong sense of weightlessness, making one feel nauseous.
The body is like being kneaded, then rapidly pulled up and down.
Fortunately, everyone has profound cultivation and can remain calm and composed.
When the blood light dissipates, they appear in a pitch-black, damp cave. Li Weiyi and the other two follow their companions toward the ground, appearing in the inner hall of a Taoist Temple.
Exiting the Rice Ancestor Temple, the other sixteen quickly leave, scattering in all directions.
Li Weiyi and the other two stand outside the temple, in the vast white snowfield, spreading their arms, closing their eyes and breathing deeply. The gloomy emotions in their hearts are swept away, feeling a sense of a flood dragon entering the sea, with boundless sky and sea.
Qi Xiao roars wildly: “Finally fucking out! The outside is still more comfortable. I’m going to Heaven Pavilion to order the most expensive dishes, drink the best wine, and have the most beautiful young lady play the qin and dance. My Dao Seed banquet must be made up.”
“Haha, I have the same idea! But going to Immortal Forest fits our current identities. We’re not ordinary Dao Seed Realm now; we can invite immortal officials to accompany us,” Tuo Ba Bu Tuo says.
Li Weiyi chuckles softly: “If going to Immortal Forest, I won’t join, because I can’t get in.”
When entering the Underground Immortal Mansion, it was clear autumn weather.
Coming out again, it is already winter of the next year.
Soon, the three are pulled back to reality. Although they have death spiritual fire planted in their bodies and have left the Underground Immortal Mansion, they still have a rope tied to them.
Outside the Rice Ancestor Temple is an ordinary market town with over a thousand residents, used to cover eyes and ears.
“Old Qi, go inquire and get a carriage,” Li Weiyi says.
Qi Xiao puzzled: “Won’t this leave traces for people to track? I saw those masked cultivators earlier, all wary of each other, leaving by different routes, not even daring to leave footprints.”
Tuo Ba Bu Tuo says: “The fewer people who know, the less risk of exposure.”
Li Weiyi narrows his eyes slightly: “If others want to track and find us, they definitely have ways. My meaning is, since it can’t be avoided, why not first see who will come to track me? If no one does at all, we don’t need to keep worrying.”
“Understood!”
Qi Xiao’s eyes turn, instantly getting it, and immediately goes to inquire and buy in the town.
The residents in the town are not simple people, all having intricate ties with the Twin Rice Cult.
After a while, Qi Xiao drives an old and shabby carriage to Li Weiyi and Tuo Ba Bu Tuo, picks them up, and speeds straight out of the town.
The wheels kick up snow on the road, facing the cold wind, they officially embark on a journey of uncertain fortune and misfortune.
Qi Xiao whips the horse while saying: “This market town is called Chen Gu Town, located in Jin County of Taicang Fu, one of Liang Prefecture’s eight fus, only six hundred li from Qu County of Fu Zhou, and over two thousand li from Nanyan Pass where we’re going.”
Tuo Ba Bu Tuo says: “Twin Rice Cult is truly powerful, controlling the space teleportation array. Ordinary cult members, even if they go to the headquarters, don’t know where the headquarters is exactly. My Tuoba Clan is a northern giant clan with a Transcendental Ancestor, but today is still my first time seeing this legendary array.”
Qi Xiao is moved and nods lightly: “Twin Rice Cult can be called a billion-level power. What the world knows about it is just the tip of the iceberg.”
The standard for a ten million-level power is: first, inheritance of at least a thousand years. Second, at least ten thousand high-grade talent martial cultivators. Third, ten million people over whom direct influence can be exerted.
All three conditions must be met.
Of course, there are some hidden conditions.
For example, must have a Transcendent stationed, top-level codex, impregnable sect gate, at least nearly ten experts at Longevity Realm and Saint Spirit Mind Master level who completely obey orders… If these hidden conditions are not met, it’s hard to be recognized by the world.
The Jiu Li Clan became a joke among ten million-level powers because it has no Transcendent.
In over a decade of conquests under heaven, powers with Transcendents have almost all rapidly expanded, gaining massive benefits, with territory and populace reaching ten million-level power standards.
But, taking the Tuoba Clan as an example, although it has ten million people, it fundamentally doesn’t have that many Longevity Realm giants and high-grade talent martial cultivators who completely obey orders. Its foundation and heritage can’t compare to true ten million gateways, relying entirely on the Old Ancestor’s power.
Once the Old Ancestor falls unexpectedly, there is a risk of clan extermination.
Moreover, the Tuoba Clan in the Northern Territory must obey Snow Sword Tang Court and fundamentally lacks the momentum of ten million gateways.
And the number of high-grade talent martial cultivators is closely related to the number of Five Seas Realm level experts, involving how strong an army can be formed.
Billion-level powers are generally considered to need to reach more than ten times that of ten million gateways; only the Imperial Court can achieve it.
“The space teleportation array was left behind by the Ancient Bhakara Sect. Among the Rice Cult, there should be powerful mind masters who have learned the array-setting method. But not proficient enough, can only teleport us to areas around Fu Zhou,” Li Weiyi analyzes thus.
Tuo Ba Bu Tuo says: “Exactly! If the array-setting ability were strong, they would definitely teleport as far from Fu Zhou as possible, to avoid the risk of the headquarters being discovered.”
Li Weiyi has also studied space teleportation arrays and wanted to combine it with the Buddha’s Sarira. But it ended in failure; mind power not strong enough to draw a complete formation diagram.
Ten li out of the town, the three quietly get off the carriage, restrain their auras, and hide in the snow accumulation on the right side of the road.
“Rumble!”
The carriage continues racing ahead, the sound of wheels clattering loudly.
Disappearing on the snowfield.
After half a shichen, a team of martial cultivators with strong auras uses movement techniques, pursuing the carriage tracks without leaving marks in the snow.
After the piercing wind-breaking sound fades, Li Weiyi transmits sound to the two in the snow: “A total of five people, four Dao Seed Realm, one Spirit Mind Master, from Patrol Guard—quite a big move, seems determined to get us. Among them, one is Yi Zhouxue!”
“Could it be they just happen to have a mission?” Qi Xiao says.
Tuo Ba Bu Tuo says: “No! Yi Zhouxue is a figure who can enter《Jia Zi List》. Earlier, using movement technique to rush, aura already exposed, will be detected by《Jia Zi List》. The Imperial Court’s oversight of under heaven is indeed far less than before, but it is still a risk. Yi Zhouxue must be pursuing us, so not hesitating to expose under《Jia Zi List》.”
Li Weiyi laughs: “Both I and Tuoba have potential to enter《Jia Zi List》. To stay as low-key as possible, Old Qi, from now on, many things will rely on you!”
“Haha, never thought one day I’d be of great use because I’m not strong enough,” Qi Xiao laughs.
“Go!”
The three burst out of the snow, no longer waiting.
After Patrol Guard’s five experts catch up to the empty carriage and realize the trick, they will definitely turn back.
Qi Xiao wraps Li Weiyi and Tuo Ba Bu Tuo in magic energy, stepping on a magic energy cloud, feet not touching the ground, speeding east.
“Why not west, or south? Position-wise, Nanyan Pass is southwest of us,” Tuo Ba Bu Tuo asks curiously, not knowing what Li Weiyi is worried about.
Li Weiyi says: “Fu Zhou is now a place of trouble, with who knows how many masters gathered on the ground. A slight carelessness and we might be targeted; better to avoid. Before completing the mission, I don’t want to fight anyone.《Jia Zi List》and Luantai are headaches.《Mortal World Overlord List》, Zuo Qiu Gatehouse, and Du’e Temple are even more headaches, able to lock onto all Dao Seed Realm level martial cultivators.”
Dao Seed Realm is Mortal World Overlord.
Tuo Ba Bu Tuo suddenly realizes: “Then we can only detour to Nanyan Pass.”
Qi Xiao says: “I have a route: take a boat north from Qujiang, disembark at Leiling City, follow Xu Shan Heavenly Vein to Nanyan Pass. Guaranteed those chasing behind won’t know our real destination. Bad, it’s a Green Feather Crow! That Patrol Guard team has a tracking expert.”
A green crow circles in the high sky, sometimes in the clouds, sometimes appearing, like guiding the people below.
Qi Xiao has high alertness and spots it.
“Can you shoot it down?” Li Weiyi asks.
“Too high… I’ll try.”
Qi Xiao takes the bow and arrow from Tuo Ba Bu Tuo, pulls it open, and hundreds of scriptures swirl around his body.
