Chapter 78: Hidden Nine
Directly become a Hidden Person?
Hearing this, Li Weiyi couldn’t help but look toward the cliff face stone carving above his head. That was the Battle Intent of the Jiu Li God from legends—any Martial Cultivator under heaven would want to comprehend it, right?
These characters…
They actually look very much like the Bird Track Characters used to engrave “Chi Xian Ancient Path” on that stone pillar in his Soul Sea.
But he didn’t have much knowledge of ancient characters, so he naturally couldn’t decipher them.
All the young men and women present had eager looks in their eyes. After kowtowing, they stared unblinkingly at the four ancient characters on the cliff face, carefully experiencing every stroke and groove, hoping to be a heaven-sent genius who could quickly comprehend something from the characters.
After reaching the Five Seas Realm, the most urgent thing for Martial Cultivators to do was to cultivate their own Battle Intent. Otherwise, facing a Great Mind Master’s Mind Force Attack, they could only escape to preserve their lives.
Whether one had cultivated Battle Intent, and how powerful it was, was second only to cultivation realm in importance in the Five Seas Realm.
Yin Twenty-Four quietly stood to the side, accustomed to the sight.
Two years ago, hadn’t she been the same?
After waiting for half a shichen, she finally spoke: “Everyone, don’t obsess over this. Since ancient times, the only one who has comprehended the Jiu Li God’s Battle Intent from these four characters is Cang Wang alone.”
“After entering the valley, your time will be extremely precious. Every day is a race against the god of death. Don’t waste time here.”
“I’m telling you this now, and most of you probably won’t listen. Everyone thinks they are the chosen of destiny. But in the future, you will regret it—regret wasting time.”
Li Weiyi asked: “I’ve heard that the Battle Intents of Five Seas Realm Martial Cultivators are all comprehended from moves integrated with Heavenly Law. Do these four characters on the cliff face have corresponding moves for us to cultivate?”
“No!”
Yin Twenty-Four said: “However, in the valley, there are nine Fundamental Martial Arts left behind personally by the Nine Kings, more primordial, more precise and detailed, with greater Heavenly Dao essence than what you learned in Tribal School, and of course, much easier to cultivate Heavenly Law Integration from.”
The Nine Kings were the nine founding ancestors of the Nine Great Tribes, all sons of the Jiu Li God.
Everyone looked at each other, joy in their eyes.
“The Hidden Sect has Cang Wang’s Fundamental Martial Arts?” Yao Yin asked.
Since Cang Wang had once comprehended the Jiu Li God’s Battle Intent, cultivating his Fundamental Martial Arts might be the best shortcut.
Yin Twenty-Four said: “The Fundamental Martial Arts left by Cang Wang is the Thirty-Six Heavenly Demon Axes, not suitable for everyone to cultivate. You’ve already cultivated for several years, even over ten years, in your tribes. Suddenly switching to another martial art would be tantamount to crippling your own cultivation.”
“You must know your lives have only one month or a few months left.”
“Do you have the confidence to cultivate the Thirty-Six Heavenly Demon Axes to perfection within one month, or a few months?”
A tiger-like Deformed Humanoid Race young man who had Opened Eight Springs was overjoyed: “I’ve cultivated axe techniques since childhood. The first nine moves of the Thirty-Six Heavenly Demon Axes are taught in the Tribal Schools of every tribe. I’ve already refined them to perfection. The first move, Heaven and Earth Opening, I’ve cultivated to the point of being infinitely close to Heavenly Law Integration.”
Many present showed envious looks. Who could catch up to such an axe technique foundation?
Li Qing disdainfully said: “You haven’t even cultivated Heavenly Law Integration. What’s there to brag about? Since ancient times, countless heavenly prodigies and heroes have entered the Hidden Sect, yet no second person has comprehended the Jiu Li God’s Battle Intent.”
A chill appeared in the eyes of that tiger-like Deformed Humanoid Race young man, his battle intent thick: “Then let’s see, in one year, who will be the final victor.”
Hidden Lord had already silently departed while they were contemplating the four characters on the cliff face.
Yin Twenty-Four led the group through the misty River Valley, past that jungle of unknown trees emitting purple glow, arriving below a stone wall.
The stone wall shimmered crystal clear like Red Jade ore. Upon closer inspection, one would discover spiritual light flowing inside, with scriptures rising and falling.
Due to the mist, the height of the stone wall couldn’t be seen.
But the ground below the stone wall was quite flat and vast, like a Martial Training Square.
Yin Twenty-Four said: “If you want to skip the life-and-death trial and the competition among Hidden Persons and directly become a Hidden Person of the Jiu Li Hidden Sect, there are actually two other paths.”
“The stone wall before you is a Mind Power Mural.”
“All Martial Cultivators who enter the Hidden Sect and reach Nine Springs Ancestral Field will imprint their Battle Technique Portraits here. At the same time, the Hidden Sect will also purchase Battle Technique Portraits from some top Martial Cultivators of Lingxiao Life Realm and imprint them here.”
“You only need to defeat three people in the portraits to directly become the Hidden Person of this Jia Zi. Including me, all Hidden Persons will become your hidden servants and obey your orders unconditionally.”
There was an uproar around them.
“This is much simpler than comprehending the Jiu Li God’s Battle Intent! Just defeat three people, instead of chasing a legendary god.”
Yao Yin immediately asked: “Can I challenge now?”
As a Pure Immortal Body, she was very confident in herself.
Yin Twenty-Four shook her head: “At least a Nine Springs Martial Cultivator is needed to have challenge qualification.”
Yao Yin fell silent. For her to cultivate to Nine Springs within one year was simply impossible. It seemed no matter what, she had to become Yin Twenty-Six.
“Doesn’t that mean, among those present, only I have challenge qualification? How can I not try it first for everyone?”
Li Qing confidently stepped forward, staring intently at the stone wall ahead.
Yin Twenty-Four seemed to have expected this and said indifferently: “Place your palm on the stone wall, inject Magic Energy, and the first person’s Battle Technique Portrait will naturally appear to fight you.”
After Li Qing did so.
“Crash!”
In the red jade stone wall, spiritual light, Magic Energy, and scriptures quickly gathered, condensing into a vivid mural.
In the mural was a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old young man, plain-looking, but with a pair of deep eyes incongruous with his age, holding a giant Battle Axe extremely disproportionate to his slender body.
The young man stepped out from the mural, a half-virtual, half-real glowing entity: “Are you ready?”
“Begin!”
Li Qing drew his Magic Tool Long Sword, not daring to underestimate the opponent. All Nine Springs in his body erupted, Magic Energy overflowing from his pores enveloped his whole body, his state instantly reaching Peak.
“Crash!”
He struck first with a sword, like a meteor, extremely fast.
“So fast, speed surpasses Xue Zheng by quite a bit.” Li Weiyi watched the battle seriously to better judge Li Qing’s strength level. Nine Springs Supreme Persons were indeed very strong.
Even stronger than Xue Zheng, that Pure Immortal Body.
“Clang!”
Li Qing’s full-force sword thrust was casually blocked by the spiritual light entity young man with a swing of his axe.
“How is that possible?”
Li Qing’s eyes were full of shock, absolutely unwilling to believe the opponent only had Nine Springs cultivation.
After the spiritual light entity young man deflected the Magic Tool Long Sword in Li Qing’s hand, he suddenly raised his axe and swung it down like Heaven and Earth Opening, momentum rippling, domineering beyond compare.
All the onlookers were so awed they retreated.
Li Qing’s expression changed drastically, immense pressure in his heart. Ignoring everything else, he immediately urged the Magic Energy in his Ancestral Field and unleashed his strongest sword at Heavenly Law Integration level.
One sword swung out!
Feng Fu is a small Sea of Qi, so those who Open Eight Springs are called minor Five Seas.
As for Ancestral Field, the size of the Sea of Qi can rival the first Sea of Qi of many Five Seas Realm Martial Cultivators.
This sword of Li Qing gathered massive Magic Energy from the Ancestral Field, his true trump card sword, slaying those who Opened Eight Springs or Seven Springs like slaughtering pigs and dogs.
“Is the Magic Energy in Ancestral Field so thick?”
Without using those powerful Magic Tools, Li Weiyi felt that with his current Seven Springs cultivation, against Li Qing, his chance of victory wouldn’t exceed fifty percent.
This was terrifyingly strong—just two realms lower, yet hard to defeat.
Of course, the most important reason was that Feng Fu and Ancestral Field could store Magic Energy like a Sea of Qi, making Li Qing’s explosive combat power extremely heaven-defying. Li Weiyi currently had no such means to unleash a strongest strike.
“Boom!”
All the Magic Energy and Sword Qi swung out by Li Qing were shattered by one axe from the spiritual light entity young man.
Axe and sword clashed.
Li Qing was like being punched in the chest, his face instantly turning deathly pale. He retreated repeatedly, blood dripping from his tiger mouth. The Long Sword in his hand had already flown out of his grasp.
The spiritual light entity young man pursued, swinging the second axe.
“Quickly concede.” Yin Twenty-Four said.
Li Qing, as if granted amnesty, immediately shouted “I concede.”
That huge, sharp axe head hovered above his head.
The spiritual light emitted from the axe blade clearly illuminated the fine sweat beads on his forehead.
“Crash!”
The Battle Axe disappeared.
The spiritual light entity young man dispersed like mist.
Li Qing trembled all over, exhaling a long breath. His pale face took a long time to recover as he asked: “Who is he? Is he a Pure Immortal Body?”
Li Qing didn’t believe a Deformed Humanoid Race Nine Springs Martial Cultivator could have such strong combat power, let alone a mortal.
Yin Twenty-Four said: “He is Yin Nine! Opened Four Springs at eight years old to enter the Hidden Sect, Opened Eight Springs at eleven, spent two more years in hard cultivation, and Opened Nine Springs at thirteen. What you encountered is him at thirteen.”
“He is not a Pure Immortal Body, just a mortal.”
All of Li Qing’s confidence and pride were shattered. He smiled bitterly: “To actually lose to a thirteen-year-old child!”
“Among Nine Springs mortals, you are already very strong. Taking Yin Nine’s one axe with only minor injuries.” Yin Twenty-Four said: “Yin Nine represents the number one combat power among all Hidden Persons of this Jia Zi at Nine Springs.”
The young men and women present, all severely struck, suddenly felt relieved and a bit better.
Some eight- or nine-year-old children immediately gained confidence.
If Yin Nine could become the final winner that year, they could too. The younger one was when entering the Hidden Sect for cultivation, the greater the benefits, and the stronger they would be in the future.
Li Weiyi asked: “We need to challenge three people to directly become the Jiu Li Hidden Sect’s Hidden Person. So besides Yin Nine, the number one Hidden Person at Nine Springs, who are the other two?”
Yin Twenty-Four said: “The second person is the Nine Springs Pure Immortal Body with Hundred Veins All Silver.”
“The third person is Lingxiao Jia Shou at Nine Springs Realm.”
“Besides this path, there is another, but irrelevant to you. Only Five Seas Realm Hidden Persons can compete for it.”
After hearing this, everyone present instantly gave up on directly challenging for Hidden Person.
For mortals and Deformed Humanoid Races to defeat a Pure Immortal Body in the same realm was simply a pipe dream.
Even so, as a Pure Immortal Body, Yao Yin still had a chance.
But to defeat Lingxiao Jia Shou at Nine Springs Realm… the Jiu Li Hidden Sect’s Hidden Person was aiming for number one under heaven?
Lingxiao Jia Shou was not some Jiu Li Leader, Li Zhou Leader, or Southern Territory Leader—he represented the number one Martial Cultivator under sixty under heaven.
Yao Yin asked: “Hundred Veins All Silver means having over a hundred Veins in the body, all elevated to Silver Veins or above, right?”
Yin Twenty-Four said: “Exactly so.”
“This requirement is the standard for successors of ten-million-gateway inheritances!” Yao Yin said.
Yin Twenty-Four said proudly: “The Jiu Li Tribe is the only ten-million-year Ancient Clan in Lingxiao Life Realm. Even if decayed outside, the Hidden Sect must demand its cultivated Hidden Persons meet ten-million-year Ancient Clan standards.”
“The Hidden Person should be stronger than successors!”
The colors of Veins in a martial cultivator’s body, from low to high, are white, red, silver, gold.
Almost all Martial Cultivators have the most basic white Veins.
Reaching Open Seven Springs is a watershed.
Some choose to break through directly to Five Seas Realm, pursuing higher realms.
Others stop to temper and refine their foundation. The more Red Veins tempered, the greater the chance of impacting Eight Springs Feng Fu.
To impact Nine Springs Ancestral Field, one needs to temper as many Silver Veins as possible.
Li Qing smiled: “I understand now! I know the gap between me and Yin Nine! I tempered twenty-seven Silver Veins to break through the Ninth Spring. Now, the number of Silver Veins in my body is only forty-six. I must temper all ninety Veins in my body into Silver Veins to have a chance to compete with him.”
Li Weiyi also calculated inwardly: “The number of Veins in my body now is eighty-four, and they seem to be Silver Veins without needing tempering. No wonder it’s hard for me to defeat Li Qing now. He has more Veins than me, and over half are Silver Veins.”
Li Weiyi guessed that his ability to cross realms and defeat other Martial Cultivators must be related to the grade and number of Veins in his body.
Yao Yin smiled bitterly: “Pure Immortal Body is indeed heaven’s favorite, a one-in-ten-thousand cultivation genius. But only a Hundred Veins All Silver Pure Immortal Body is the true Pure Immortal Body.”
“You could say that.”
Yin Twenty-Four said: “Besides physique and Veins, factors affecting same-realm combat power include move techniques, Physical Body strength, Breathing Technique, Magic Power usage, Mind Power stacking, Magic Tools… etc. All can make you stronger. So don’t lose heart over differences in talent and physique. Pure Immortal Body is not invincible.”
“Li Qing, if you had cultivated a Heavenly Law Integration level Movement Technique, you absolutely could have dodged Yin Nine’s second axe. As long as you cultivate enough Heavenly Law Integration moves, your same-realm combat power will also be stronger.”
After speaking, Yin Twenty-Four led the group to the living area.
“You are not Hidden Persons yet, so you can’t enter the Hidden Sect. You can only live in the Cave Mansions chiseled along the River Valley.”
“Those who Opened Four Springs live on the First Layer. Those who Opened Five Springs live on the Second Layer. Those who Opened Sixth Spring live on the Third Layer.”
“The first month is the protection period. Whoever dares to kill Martial Cultivators from the same batch—kill without mercy!”
