Chapter 60: Lizhou Divided Into Four
It’s people from Coffin Mountain.
Yang Qingxi’s captivating, soul-stirring bright eyes flashed with surprise, then her gaze completely fixed on the burly monk in the red Kāṣāya standing outside the main entrance.
This monk was nearly two meters tall, strong and dark-skinned, with a face as round as a plate and eyes as sharp as lightning, showing no hint of mercy.
Being able to represent the Yang Clan and contact the major powers, Yang Qingxi’s cultivation, wisdom, and handling of affairs had clearly earned the affirmation of the older generation. How could she not recognize the monk before her?
The abbot of the Five Burial Temple, Great Zen Master Yuzhen.
《 A figure whose name resounded loudly on the 》 Jia Zi List.
This identity was indeed sufficient qualification to represent Coffin Mountain.
What made Yang Qingxi find it incredible was that just a month ago, they were plotting against Coffin Mountain, framing the Buddha Bandit. But tonight, the other party wasn’t here to demand an explanation, but rather to discuss cooperation.
Shi Jiuzhai said, “The Heavenly King’s intention is that with Coffin Mountain joining us, with the power of our four families, we can take down Li Zhou even by force.”
Four families.
Firstly, “Sui Sect” behind Yang Qingxi.
Secondly, the “Ten Million Sect” Dragon Gate.
Then, two of the Southern Territory’s Three Great Barbarian Thieves: the “Earth Wolf King Army” and the “Coffin Mountain Buddha Bandit.”
Yang Qingxi instantly understood everything. Clearly, after the framing incident was exposed, Coffin Mountain’s higher-ups had gone to the Earth Wolf King Army to demand an explanation, and ultimately, the two great barbarian thieves made peace and prepared to join forces to divide Li Zhou.
From the perspective of Sui Sect and the Yang Clan, they naturally did not want Coffin Mountain to participate.
This was because the reason Sui Sect wanted to take down Li Zhou was to have a piece of territory of their own.
Currently, Sui Sect’s influence was distributed along the Sui River, scattered on both banks of the waterway.
Although the Sui River ran through the north and south of the Lingxiao Life Realm, flowing through seven prefectures, its tributaries reached over a dozen prefectures. However, they knew their own situation best; the riverbanks were not Sui Sect’s. The Million-Strong Clans and Million Sects of various prefectures often exploited them, and they had to bow and scrape before the colossal Ten Million Sects, always walking on thin ice.
The Sui River was a vine.
What Sui Sect needed was for this vine to have a place to root, otherwise, they would forever be rootless duckweed.
Only by taking down Li Zhou and becoming its master would Sui Sect truly have its own territory.
And only by first occupying a prefecture would Sui Sect have a chance in the future to develop into a Ten Million Sect, or even to head north and contend for the world.
The Earth Wolf King Army and Dragon Gate were both some distance from Li Zhou; what they desired was nothing more than resources and provisions for conquering the world.
But Coffin Mountain was nearby. If they participated, how could they not want territory? How could they not want the Otherworld Coffin in the Blood Sea, this massive resource mine gifted by heaven?
Yang Qingxi’s gaze swept over Shi Jiuzhai, Great Zen Master Yuzhen, and others, and she said, “Young Master Long, what does your Dragon Gate say?”
The young, noble Dragon-named Man standing at the bow said, “There is no other way now but to attack head-on and destroy the Jiu Li. With one more force joining in, the price we pay will naturally be smaller. After all, Dragon Gate and the Earth Wolf King Army are fighting on multiple fronts with the Lingxiao Palace army, so the forces we can mobilize to Li Zhou are extremely limited.”
“My suggestion is to act as soon as possible. We must seize the cultivation resources, food, weapons, exotic beasts, pills… and other foundations that the Jiu Li tribes have stored for thousands of years, and send them to the frontline. If we don’t take them, should we leave them for Lingxiao Palace?”
Even Dragon Gate supported Coffin Mountain joining. Yang Qingxi knew that this matter was irreversible. As she was contemplating how to secure more benefits,
Outside the door, from among the Coffin Mountain group, an aged, cold laugh rang out: “Are you all treating the Nine Jiu Li Tribes as just nine granaries to be plundered at will? Money vaults? You underestimate the Jiu Li’s foundation of thousands of years!”
All eyes turned to the source of the sound, including the Dragon-named Man and Shi Jiuzhai.
This person didn’t seem to be from Coffin Mountain!
Coffin Mountain had brought an outsider.
The aged voice came from an old man completely wrapped in a loose black robe. He stood behind the abbot of the Five Burial Temple, Great Zen Master Yuzhen, shoulder to shoulder with the White-Clad Hermit. He wore a hooded cloak, and his entire body was shrouded in black mist, making it impossible for anyone to see his face.
The black mist-shrouded old man continued, “Yang Shenjing’s impressive display in the Battle of Mang Mountain fourteen years ago did indeed crush everything, defeating six Jiu Li tribe leaders consecutively. But if those six leaders joined forces, would he still be their opponent?”
“Besides, the Jiu Li’s greatest strength has never been the power you see on the surface. Have you ever heard of the Jiu Li Hidden Sect?”
Sui Sect had followed the Jiu Li for many years and naturally had a deep understanding of them.
Yang Qingxi said, “The Jiu Li Hidden Sect has always been just a legend; they have never truly appeared in the world. Even during the intense conflict fourteen years ago, they didn’t show up, so I don’t believe this legend is true.”
“Even if it is true, it must be just a name, an exaggeration. Otherwise, why would they stand by and watch the Jiu Li decline? Watch their core interests be carved away?”
The black mist-shrouded old man chuckled, “If your Sui Sect holds such an opinion, you will pay a terrible price for your arrogance. Look… the game you perceive on the shore, like cats chasing mice, is a microcosm of the world situation. It can reverse in an instant and take on strange new developments.”
…
…
Yang Yun could hardly believe his eyes; three Top Hundred Martial Artists, including Shi Chuan Yu, who had opened the Eight Springs, were all instantly sent flying by someone who was heavily injured.
From beginning to end, he had a playful attitude, never taking this unknown Seven Springs Martial Cultivator seriously.
But at this moment, as he met the other’s gaze again, Yang Yun lost the sense of control he had felt, like being eyed by a fierce beast in the jungle.
Li Weiyi had opened his Sixth Spring, but only two silver veins had been born, rooted in the spring eye.
It would take time to fully clear them.
Shi Chuan Yu, who had fallen onto a fishing boat to Li Weiyi’s right, was the first to stand up, his chest in unbearable pain.
In the previous exchange, he had clearly felt the opponent’s palm force was incredibly potent. Even without the augmentation of those silver thread gloves, he might not have had any advantage in terms of power.
Yao Zheng Sheng, who had fallen into the water, climbed out. The water, two meters deep, only reached his waist.
In the Spring Gushing Realm, when had he ever lost in terms of strength?
After Lu Can flew out and broke the mast, when he got up again, bloodstains hung from the corner of his mouth. Coupled with one of his tiger claws being previously pierced by the Yellow Dragon Sword, his combat power could be said to have greatly diminished.
Yang Yun stabilized his mind, played with the Yellow Dragon Sword in his hand, and chuckled, “He’s broken through! But it can’t be a breakthrough to the Five Seas Realm; at most, he’s only opened the Eighth Spring, and relies entirely on the magic tools on his body to display his might. As figures like us, who has ever feared anyone below the Five Seas Realm? Kill him, and whoever snatches the magic tools on him gets to keep them. Of course, everyone can also exchange the magic tools they snatch for Five Seas Pills at the Yang Clan.”
Li Weiyi’s burst of power just now was indeed terrifying, but likewise, everyone also saw the injuries on his body.
No matter how strong a person is, there will always be a time when they fall.
There will come a time when strength is exhausted.
Previously, Li Weiyi used the Broken Spring Needle to pierce the Danzhong acupoint with extreme speed, concealed by the night. The Spring Gushing Realm Martial Cultivators present could not see clearly at all, and had no idea he was breaking the Sixth Spring.
“Boom!”
Li Weiyi raised his foot and stomped towards the fishing boat, his body leaping into the air in conjunction with the movement. The fishing boat instantly shattered into four pieces.
His feet trod the void as if on solid ground, heading straight for Yang Yun.
Yang Yun’s face showed no fear as he channeled the Eight Springs’ magic power within him towards the Yellow Dragon Sword. Immediately, his brow furrowed deeply. This sword in his hand… it remained unresponsive, unable to unleash sword light.
Palm wind swept towards his face, Li Weiyi had already reached him.
Yang Yun temporarily sheathed the Yellow Dragon Sword in his left hand and clenched his right fist.
On his fist, magic power radiance surged, striking through the palm wind like a brilliant star, colliding with Li Weiyi’s silver hand.
“Boom!”
Yang Yun at this moment, deeply understood why the previous three Top Hundred Martial Artists were sent flying, the opponent’s palm force was too mighty, its power was as great as if it could split mountains and move great peaks.
This was just a palm strike from the opponent when they leaped over, without even gathering strength.
Yang Yun’s body hull cracked under his feet, and he retreated “deng deng” with each step, the wooden boat creaking with every one. Finally, he hit the solid cabin wall, stopping his retreat.
The fist that directly took Li Weiyi’s palm seal was in so much pain it was about to split, its five fingers throbbing.
The third vein of the Danzhong Spring Eye instantly extended within the body as that palm strike was unleashed with exhilarating freedom.
In the distance, at the top of the fifty-foot mast, a ship’s bell rang out.
Murong Xiao shot out the last arrow.
The swiftly flying arrow disappeared from the bow under the night sky.
The next instant, something happened that caused Murong Xiao’s face to change drastically. Li Weiyi, without dodging or evading, spread his legs, raised his arms, creating ripples of magic power that, carrying bright silver light, met the incoming long arrow with a heavy punch.
He had had enough of these barrages of arrows and no longer wished to evade; he wanted to smash through it all with a single punch.
“Boom!”
Two forces collided.
Arrows as thick as a thumb and two meters long were struck down by a single punch.
The wooden arrow shaft couldn’t withstand this power and shattered directly.
The Fourth Vein was born within the body!
“Swish! Swish! Swish…”
Led by Shi Chuan Yu, Yao Zheng Sheng, and Lu Can, over ten figures charged from all directions, all emanating flowing magic power and surrounded by mist, none weak.
Li Weiyi knew that no matter how strong he was, he was only at the Six Springs realm. One person couldn’t fight a group… unless it was a fair fight among those in the same realm.
Once surrounded by this group of strong enemies, whose cultivation levels were all at least one realm higher than his, just one move from each of them would be enough to tear him to shreds.
“Splash!”
He searched for weak areas in the enemy encirclement while channeling his magic power into the Ghost Flag. Instantly, cold air and Nether Mist surged out from the flag, enveloping the surrounding dozen or so fishing boats.
The cold air that erupted from the Ghost Flag was even more bone-chilling than that summoned when opening the Fifth Spring, and it quickly condensed white frost on the surface of the fishing boat.
For these powerful Spring Gushing Realm Martial Cultivators, the might of the Ghost Flag was not very damaging, but it could instill in their hearts a fear of the unknown.
“This magic tool is definitely not simple, we have to be careful.” They looked down at the ice crystals on the ground, and the same thought arose in their hearts.
The Nether Mist was so thick that all surrounding lights disappeared.
Vision was blocked, so everyone could only determine positions by sound, and their hearts grew more wary.
Li Weiyi stared at the injured Lu Can, shifted his footing, and his figure flashed before him, unleashing the Overturning Hand Seal he had long prepared.
