Chapter 52: Leader Of The Cangli Armor
The warm and gentle sunlight of March sprinkled down from between the tender green leaves of the poplar trees, casting mottled light and shadows on the ground.
Li Weiyi sat down on a stone stool opposite Li Songlin, not daring to act presumptuously, and said humbly: “Senior, aren’t the spots for Jiu Li Dao Academy already full?”
Li Songlin smiled and explained unhurriedly: “Jiu Li Dao Academy is the highest martial arts hall of the Jiu Li tribe, only recruiting the most top-tier young juniors from each tribe in terms of talent. The maximum age upon entry can only be relaxed to twenty years old. The older the age, the higher the threshold to enter.”
“Although Gao Huan’s age exceeds it, he is small in stature, and having just undergone metamorphosis of the pure immortal body with dead skin shedding and sweeping away the old, no one can tell at all. The age Cang Li Tribe reported for him is sixteen years old.”
“In previous years, each tribe had twenty spots, totaling one hundred eighty people, with more than half selected early from the tribal schools of the nine great tribes.”
“This year, during the Mang Mountain Grand Sacrifice once every four years, each tribe has an additional ten spots. In other words, Cang Li Tribe has thirty spots this year, and all the major families are scrambling for them.”
He narrowed his eyes, which concealed divine brilliance, and stared at Li Weiyi: “I can help you strive for a chance to challenge. As long as your strength is strong enough, snatching one spot from him is no big deal. Everyone will have to accept it.”
“With your ability to handle two Seven Springs martial cultivators and an insect tamer single-handedly, I think entering Jiu Li Dao Academy won’t be a problem for you.”
“To tell you the truth, my purpose in coming here is first to express thanks. Second, your strength is not weak and has already drawn the attention of Cang Li Tribe. How many springs have you opened?”
“Seven Springs.” Li Weiyi felt that since Li Songlin asked, he wouldn’t probe by force.
With his current cultivation at opening Five Springs, without using magic tools, he indeed possessed combat power not inferior to a Seven Springs martial cultivator.
Li Songlin’s expression slightly condensed, a cold glint flashing in his eyes: “Last night must have been extremely perilous. Fortunately, you had a magic tool. A nineteen-year-old Seven Springs and a fifty-year-old Seven Springs are completely different concepts. Based on your age and current cultivation, among this year’s thirty people, your talent has a chance to rank in the middle.”
“Go cultivate at the Dao Academy. Only there do you have hope of breaking through to the Eighth Spring Feng Fu. In the future, impacting the Five Seas Realm will also be easier.”
“You must know that in Jiu Li City, the suburbs, city area, and Dao Domain are three different cultivation environments. Jiu Li Dao Academy is located in the core area of the Dao Domain. Anyone who can enter to cultivate will surely become a pivotal figure in the tribe in the future.”
Li Weiyi could sense Li Songlin’s sincerity, but he had too many secrets on him. Once entering Jiu Li Dao Academy, it would mean complete exposure to the public, and whether it would be fortune or misfortune was unknown.
After all, Jiu Li Dao Academy was the Dao Academy of the nine great tribes, not Cang Li Tribe’s Dao Academy.
He planned to first discuss it with Coffin Senior.
“Thank you for the promotion, Leader Senior, but I want to think about it some more,” Li Weiyi said.
Li Songlin knew this young man before him had a cautious personality, so he didn’t press, saying: “No rush. Whenever you figure it out, come find me anytime… find Fourth Miss. She can find me. Keep cultivating hard. If you break through to Five Seas Realm within five years, for your matter with her, I’ll go talk to Second Brother then. I have no clan prejudices, and besides, I still owe you a huge life-saving favor.”
With Li Songlin’s status and position, he would never casually promise something. Once promised, it was definitely one spit one nail.
Li Weiyi smiled awkwardly: “What exactly did she tell you, Senior?”
“Don’t call me Senior anymore. Calling me Fourth Uncle is fine,” Li Songlin said.
No way to continue chatting!
Li Songlin withdrew the magic energy cloud into his body, stood up, and said again: “Regarding Chang Lin Gang, you don’t need to worry. I’ll personally go there shortly. But Yang Clan and Cang Li Tribe have been on good terms for generations, and Yang Qingxi has already come to apologize. I can’t strike too hard here, only warn them a bit.”
“Thank you, Fourth Uncle.”
Li Weiyi accepted this favor. After all, Chang Lin Gang suffered such a big loss last night and definitely wouldn’t let it rest. This was equivalent to a sword always hanging over his head.
With Li Songlin personally going for a stroll, even without saying any harsh words, Chang Lin Gang would at least not dare to act out openly in the future.
“Why are you calling me Fourth Uncle too?” Li Ling laughed.
Li Weiyi was too lazy to respond to her.
Li Songlin thought of something and asked: “By the way, are you planning to continue living here or move to the city area? Although the heaven and earth law is thicker in the city area, Cang Li Tribe has many internal families, and with its vast enterprises, there are tons of troubles.”
“Additionally, there are some external adversaries… In the past decade or so, due to warfare outside, too many powerful figures from Li Zhou have flooded in. Jiu Li City is no longer the Jiu Li tribe’s Jiu Li City. Moving into the city without entering the Dao Academy means facing huge waves. Weigh the pros and cons yourself!”
“Fourth Miss, this matter is handed to you. Arrange them well.”
“I’ll go take a turn at Chang Lin Gang first!”
Li Songlin walked out of the courtyard gate, waved his hand at the coachman who had driven up, and strolled away alone, as if leisurely shopping on the street.
After seeing Li Songlin off, Li Ling said: “My Fourth Uncle is like this—except for martial cultivation, he finds everything troublesome. Actually, living in the city is pretty good. Even if you can’t enter Jiu Li Dao Academy, you can still go to Cang Li tribal school. Uncle Qi, where’s the gift I prepared for Senior Disciple Brother?”
Li Qi entered the courtyard, holding a huge wooden box in both hands.
Behind him followed a male and a female middle-aged servant, each holding a measuring tape.
The wooden box was opened, revealing a folded giant robe inside.
Li Ling enthusiastically arranged: “Knowing that Senior Disciple Brother’s build is extraordinary and he’s always lacked suitable clothes, I had people rush to make this over the past two days. It might not fit perfectly. But I brought the tailors too—let them measure you properly and make a few more sets later. Put it on my tab.”
Zhao Meng looked toward Li Weiyi.
Li Weiyi had a headache—here we go again, and there was no way to refuse.
He was just afraid of Li Ling’s inexplicable enthusiasm, her kindness toward him and those around him without reason. Details he hadn’t even thought of, Li Ling remembered in her heart.
“Fourth Miss’s kind intentions—we brothers are deeply grateful,” Li Weiyi said.
Li Ling smiled happily: “Finally said something heartwarming. I’ll have two sets made for you too.”
Cai Yutong recalled the first time she saw Li Ling in the Departed Spirit Fog Domain—she was then a mysterious and cold Nether Lantern Guide Envoy. Where was this bubbly girlish enthusiasm now?
Cai Yutong asked: “How did you all build such a deep relationship with Fourth Miss?”
“It’s a long story.”
Li Weiyi smiled bitterly, not knowing where to begin, and asked: “Qi Shanshan… that White Bone Demon, what exactly is she busy with?”
“Hard to say!”
Cai Yutong said: “I feel she’s extremely focused on that Young Tribe Leader—probably wants to become the Young Tribe Leader’s Madam.”
Li Weiyi was stunned, thinking he’d misheard. That was Zen Sea Observing Mist, the strongest practitioner on this land a thousand years ago, actually smitten with a young man? And seemingly taking the initiative.
He admitted Cang Li was outstanding: noble birth, pure immortal body appearance, once-in-a-millennium talent, righteous and generous personality—almost no flaws.
Any woman in the world seeing him would be moved, not surprisingly.
But that was Zen Sea Observing Mist…
Cai Yutong said: “Qi Shanshan probably wasn’t body snatched. I’ve probed her—she has her own independent consciousness. At this stage, the White Bone Demon seems unable to leave her body and is in dormancy. The one currently controlling that body is Qi Shanshan herself.”
“That makes much more sense!”
Li Weiyi’s heart stirred. Since Zen Sea Observing Mist was dormant, could he take this chance to eliminate her and eliminate future threats?
He always felt Zen Sea Observing Mist would come looking for him again.
His blood and soul spirit likely had some special effect on her.
At the same time, he really wanted to get answers about his own origins from Zen Sea Observing Mist. Li Weiyi had asked the three remnant soul seniors about the ancient clan she mentioned—they’d never heard of it, nor of the “guardian wife” concept.
Li Ling walked over with a smile: “What are you two whispering about? Li Weiyi, I was just about to talk to you about Yutong.”
“She’s a pure immortal body, so in theory she could cultivate at Jiu Li Dao Academy. But with Gao Huan already in, stuffing another uninitiated pure immortal body would definitely make the other eight great tribes dig into the background secrets—probably not a good thing.”
“I’ve talked to her and suggested Cang Li tribal school, but she seems to want to stay with you all. Why don’t you persuade her?”
Li Weiyi smiled: “Of course I’ll respect her wishes.”
Li Ling said: “Are you sure you can protect a pure immortal body woman? You’ve seen how dangerous and cruel Jiu Li City is. Her staying by your side—how much coveting will that attract? Having a pure immortal body is good, but without strong strength, it’s a massive disaster.”
Li Weiyi looked at Cai Yutong’s peerless beauty, still captivating even veiled, and thought seriously: “Senior Student, I think Li Ling has a point. Have you run into any troubles, or do you have concerns?”
Cai Yutong was always straightforward, like a stubborn old scholar: “I don’t trust a bunch of strangers—only you.”
This simple truth had unmatched destructive power on any man.
Li Ling, hearing this, immediately glanced sideways, her look at Cai Yutong instantly less friendly than before, as if saying: “So you two have that kind of relationship?”
Li Weiyi recalled lying sick on the bronze ship, Cai Yutong feeding him fish soup—a surge of hot blood rushed to his head: “Alright then, Senior Student, stay. No matter what happens, I’ll protect you with everything I’ve got.”
These words rang firm, every one conveying unwavering resolve.
Li Weiyi’s decision to keep Cai Yutong wasn’t just hot-blooded impulse.
He knew clearly: where there are people, there are conflicts. Li Songlin had spelled it out—Cang Li Tribe had complex internal power structures. With Cai Senior Student having no cultivation foundation, was she really safe alone in Cang Li tribal school?
A pure immortal body would draw attention, but also coveting and jealousy.
Li Ling rubbed her fingers in her sleeve: “How about you all go to Cang Li tribal school together?”
If entering anywhere, it’d be Jiu Li Dao Academy—a single tribe’s tribal school held little interest for Li Weiyi.
