Chapter 84: Identity Exposed
Li Qing looked at Li Weiyi, who was approaching as if strolling along the river, a surprised expression on his face.
Just now, the combat power he displayed under the Mind Power Stone Wall had not deterred the other party; instead, the other party had proactively come knocking. More crucially, the other party exuded an air of indifference and casualness.
Where did this confidence come from?
Li Qing stayed vigilant and smiled, “Alright, wait until I’m done first. The Eight Springs Pure Immortal Body is not to be underestimated.”
Li Weiyi stopped two zhang away and said, “I suggest we talk first.”
“You’re indeed here to play the hero saving the beauty! Li Weiyi, the beauty of the Pure Immortal Body woman is indeed heart-stirring, but this is the Hidden Sect. If she survives, you and I will have to die.”
A sly glint flashed in Li Qing’s eyes, and he deliberately smiled, “Since you cherish the fairer sex, how about this: I’ll let you into the cave for one hour. After one hour, she must die. Then, we can chat slowly.”
He was skilled at exploiting human nature’s weaknesses.
As long as Li Weiyi took the bait, he would naturally enter, and he would seize the opportunity to deal with both of them together.
Li Weiyi shook his head, “You’re underestimating me too much. Also, you’d better put away your little tricks. It’s already been a month—have you found the way out?”
Li Qing said, “How could it be that easy? From entering the Underground River to arriving here, we walked for several days, passing countless forks in the road. To return to the Ground, there’s only one way: become a Hidden Person. To become a Hidden Person, you must…”
“Swish!”
The Magic Tool long sword in his hand instantly erupted with dazzling light, stabbing toward Li Weiyi’s heart like a bolt of lightning.
The Magic Energy was extremely condensed, with the sword tip emitting a foot-long bright sharp glow.
“Kill all competitors.”
Li Qing did not underestimate Li Weiyi and mobilized all his Nine Springs Magic Power.
He and Li Weiyi both knew each other’s secrets, so he had to make the other party shut up forever before the Hidden Sect people arrived. As for the rule that higher realms cannot kill lower realms, he had already figured out how to explain it to the Hidden Sect.
That was the Six Desires Talisman.
He just needed to tell the Hidden Sect that he discovered Li Weiyi had been implanted with a Six Desires Talisman and was a spy sent by another force. Anyway, with no proof after death, he could certainly account for it.
Li Weiyi stood in place, one hand behind his back, not even drawing his sword.
He raised his right arm, with all Eight Springs surging inside his body. Magic Power flowed through the silver Veins, gathering toward his palm.
The Heaven-Overturning Palm Seal formed, and the air around his palm distorted.
He struck out with one palm.
In front of his palm, Magic Energy condensed into a three-chi-square Divine Seal phantom, colliding with Li Qing’s stabbing War Sword without any worry of ending up like Yao Yin.
“Boom!”
The Divine Seal phantom flashed and vanished, with powerful Palm Force surging outward.
Li Weiyi still stood in place, not moving a single step.
In contrast, Li Qing retreated repeatedly, leaving deep Footprints on the Ground one after another before dissipating the mighty and domineering Palm Force.
His sword-holding hand trembled with unbearable pain, his eyes filled with shock. The Palm Seal the other party struck out just now was too extraordinary. How could this be the means of a Spring Gushing Realm Martial Cultivator?
Hearing the sound and sensing that the two outside had already clashed, Yao Yin immediately rushed out of the tributary river cave mouth holding her Magic Tool Dagger. She stepped on Magic Energy, skimming over the water surface like a Dragonfly touching water, her graceful figure flying up like a Celestial Maiden: “I’ll lend you a hand. Together we fight him; there might still be a chance.”
Li Qing’s Strength was too strong; he might already have all silver Veins. She knew that the guy who came to show off was definitely no match.
But, beyond Yao Yin’s expectations, Li Qing clearly had strong Magic Power and could fully handle one against two, yet he suddenly fled.
“Want to escape?”
Qing Xu Cicada Escape Step was deployed.
Li Weiyi’s body seemed weightless, feet not touching the ground, stepping on Grass Leaf, turning into a series of afterimages, instantly blocking Li Qing’s escape route.
The Yellow Dragon Sword was already drawn, unleashing a domineering and unparalleled sword that parted the sea.
“Rip!”
Bright yellow Sword Qi tore through the air, forming a zhang-long Light Mark.
Li Qing knew full well the power of this sword, his face changing drastically. How could he dare hold back? He urged the Magic Energy in his Feng Fu, deploying a Heavenly Law Integration-level supreme Sword Technique to block it.
“Bang!”
One strike and it collapsed. Li Qing was flung backward, his Robes exploding open.
Li Weiyi pursued, leaping into the air several zhang high, thrusting out one sword. Sword Shadows erupted like a Celestial Maiden scattering flowers.
One Sword Becomes a Hundred Swords!
Li Qing roared loudly, fully unleashing his desperate momentum. Zu Tian Magic Energy surged turbulently inside his body. Holding the sword with both hands, he slashed out with all his might.
“Puff!”
“Puff!”
He didn’t fully block it. Li Weiyi’s Ruyi Qiankun Sword left two bloody holes in his body, with the sound of bones shattering.
“You can’t possibly be Spring Gushing Realm… you’re Five Seas…”
Li Qing knew he was no match for Li Weiyi. While fleeing desperately with all his Movement Technique, he shouted this sentence to attract the Hidden Sect people.
If he died, everyone died together.
Li Weiyi’s speed was a notch faster than Li Qing’s. In just three breaths, he caught up, slashing the third sword.
The fourth sword followed.
Even mobilizing the massive Magic Energy in Zu Tian, Li Qing struggled extremely to block it, even more taxing than facing Yin Nine. After all, though Zu Tian was like a Sea of Qi that could store Magic Energy, Magic Energy could only undergo essential Metamorphosis at Five Seas Realm.
Each of Li Weiyi’s swords felt like a great mountain pressing down, leaving him unable to even breathe.
“Puff!”
Finally breaking his Defense, the fifth sword pierced through Li Qing’s forearm holding the sword.
Li Qing let out a low, miserable scream, and the Magic Tool War Sword fell to the ground. Clutching his wound, he retreated wretchedly, dripping drops of Blood on the riverbank Grass Leaf.
“Bang!”
Li Weiyi chased up, landing a solid palm on his back, making him spit blood, completely losing combat power and escape ability, rolling and falling to the ground.
By the time Li Qing wanted to stand up again, the tip of the Yellow Dragon Sword was already at his throat.
“It actually took six moves to thoroughly defeat you. Among Nine Springs Supreme Persons, you should count as relatively strong.” Li Weiyi had just gone all out, so he was very dissatisfied with this result.
Though it was one move faster than Yin Nine.
But Yin Nine was after all just a Mural, possessing only combat techniques; his combat consciousness and combat Wisdom definitely couldn’t match the real person.
Moreover, Li Qing had only focused on fleeing earlier, with weak combat will and state not as good as when fighting Yin Nine.
Yao Yin in the distance was already stunned, not knowing where to put the Dagger in her hand.
Seven Springs? Eight Springs?
What exactly was his Realm?
Yao Yin had always known Li Weiyi was very strong, but no matter what, he shouldn’t be stronger than Li Qing. Even a Nine Springs Pure Immortal Body might not have such combat power, right?
“Speak, which Tribe are you from?” Li Weiyi asked in an interrogative tone.
The terror in Li Qing’s eyes gradually faded, and he then laughed, “Exactly which side are you on? If I don’t tell you this secret, does that mean I might live instead?”
“Too clever by half.”
“Swish!”
Li Weiyi raised his arm, severing Li Qing’s left wrist: “Two choices: die slowly, or die quickly.”
Li Qing gritted his teeth and glared angrily, finally feeling Li Weiyi’s terror. Blood kept surging from his left wrist, the entire arm growing increasingly cold.
Sensing something, Li Weiyi looked up toward Yin Twenty-Four, who had arrived here.
Additionally, the usually taciturn Soup Elder in black robes stepped on strands of Spiritual Light, appearing before the two at an astonishing speed of crossing over ten zhang per step.
“Asking like that won’t get answers. You need to use Mind Power to make him speak.”
A cluster of light spots emerged at Soup Elder’s Brow, and powerful Mind Power erupted. From his Forehead Spirit Realm, nine Light Marks-like Mind Force Silk Threads shot out toward the various acupoints on Li Qing’s head.
His Mind Power was extremely strong, his body glowing like a scorching small Sun.
Li Weiyi quickly retreated, his mind shaken, warily staring at Soup Elder.
Undoubtedly, the Hidden Sect wasn’t clueless about everything.
Li Qing knew he was already Expose and would surely die today, so he wanted to drag Li Weiyi down with him: “He… he’s sent by the Earth Wolf King Army. Shi Liuyu planted a Six Desires Talisman on him… ah…”
“Bang!”
Amid the shrill scream, Li Qing’s Brow exploded.
An extremely high-temperature Spiritual Light Flame released from below the Brow, instantly burning his entire head to ashes.
He died in an indescribably miserable way.
Soup Elder’s gaze was stern as he retracted the nine Mind Force Silk Threads, frowning tightly and muttering to himself, “As expected, Death Spiritual Fire was planted. Once Mind Power is used to control his Consciousness and make him speak, the Spiritual Fire erupts.”
Soup Elder stared deeply at Li Weiyi, extremely displeased: “You’ve ruined our major plan! Little Twenty-Four, take the Corpse and come with me to see the Hidden Lord.”
Yin Twenty-Four single-handedly lifted Li Qing’s headless Corpse, looking at Li Weiyi with some confusion and some Curiosity.
Clearly, the combat power Li Weiyi displayed had shocked her too, leading to self-doubt.
After all, when boarding the boat, she had personally checked, and this guy’s Cultivation was indeed Seven Springs.
Li Weiyi was even more confused and curious. Watching the two walk farther away, he couldn’t help asking, “What about me? Don’t I need to go with you?”
No response; the two ignored him completely.
“The Hidden Sect must have known about Li Qing’s issues long ago. The reason they didn’t act was to root out the big fish behind him. But since the Hidden Sect knew Li Qing inside out, how could they not know I have issues too?”
“Even if they didn’t know before, Li Qing just said it. And they didn’t even check?”
Li Weiyi felt uneasy, wondering if he should immediately take out Jar Master’s letter.
A faint fragrant breeze arrived.
Yao Yin appeared beside him, her almond eyes full of complex emotions, asking in a soft and pleasant tone, “Are you really dispatched by the Earth Wolf King Army?”
“You’re wondering if I was implanted with a Six Desires Talisman, right?” Li Weiyi said.
Yao Yin didn’t know much about the Six Desires Talisman, but she could guess from the name, immediately understanding Li Weiyi’s previous behaviors.
After pondering repeatedly, she said, “You must have been forced into it. I believe the Hidden Sect didn’t deal with you because they know that. Actually, as long as you perform stunningly enough, you still have a chance to become a Hidden Person.”
Yao Yin wasn’t foolish and clearly knew Li Weiyi had chased up at that critical moment to save her.
So she said this to comfort him.
No matter what Li Weiyi’s true identity was, he had at least been good to her.
Li Weiyi looked at her with a strange gaze, feeling that what Yao Yin said actually made some sense. But with Jar Master’s letter, he didn’t need to deliberately prove himself.
Go deliver the letter now.
…
Entering the Sect Gate was the true Jiu Li Hidden Sect.
Outside Hidden Lord’s Cave Mansion, a seventeen-story stone pagoda was built against the cliff. Each level of the tower bloomed with a dazzling Spiritual Light Flame, illuminating this dim Underground Space with brilliant colors.
Hidden Lord wore a Mask and examined Li Qing’s headless Corpse on the ground, shaking his head, “That Old Guy is very cautious, leaving no traces. Now the clues are completely cut off! Which of the nine Tribe Leaders is it?”
Soup Elder said, “Yin Five doesn’t know either?”
“Yin Five said that Tribe Leader is very close to Coffin Mountain, always hiding his identity. Probably only Xu Fudu and An Xianjing know who he is.”
Hidden Lord continued, “He must have been subdued by that Taboo in Coffin Mountain. Otherwise, how could a Tribe Leader-level existence defect?”
Shock filled Soup Elder’s eyes, “Even such an ancient existence is entering the game?”
Hidden Lord said, “Lingxiao Palace’s battle situation is unfavorable, retreating steadily and gradually losing its deterrence under Heaven. The various Demons and ghosts who didn’t dare act lightly before naturally have ideas now. Fortunately, the great change in Zangxian Town gave us ample preparation time; otherwise, the Warfare sweeping the entire Li Zhou would have already erupted.”
Soup Elder said, “This battle is inevitable, but before that, we must clean up internally. Tell the news to the Dao Academy and Divine Hall, let them investigate.”
“No, that would be too easy to alert the enemy and might expose Yin Five. They want to figure out the Jiu Li Hidden Sect’s situation—don’t they still have a chess piece?”
Hidden Lord suddenly asked, “That kid really defeated Li Qing in six moves? Could he have Broken through to Five Seas?”
“This is the strangest part! Clearly not Five Seas Realm, yet his combat power seems no less than Yin Nine.” Soup Elder said.
“If he’s truly an extraordinary Genius, then give him a chance. This game still has to be broken from him. Yin Five said he helped the Jiu Li Tribe greatly, has a good Relationship with the Cang Li Tribe, and is a victim who stumbled into it by mistake.”
After pondering for a moment, Hidden Lord said, “Since his Strength is so strong, immediately arrange a second Trial for him. Also test him to see what choice he makes. Yin Twenty-Four, this matter is yours!”
…
Li Weiyi arrived at the Sect Gate and told the Gatekeeper Old Man of his desire to pay respects to Hidden Lord.
“Hidden Lord—do you think you can see him just because you want to? Even this old man wants to see him, and it’s not easy.” Gatekeeper Old Man said.
“I have a very important matter. Please trouble the Elder to help pass the message.”
Li Weiyi didn’t dare spread the secret of the Leader’s imminent return throughout the Hidden Sect. The more people who knew, the more eyes on him, and the easier it would be to Expose his various secrets.
Just let a few high-level figures in the Hidden Sect know.
Soup Elder and Yin Twenty-Four came down the mountain, one after the other.
Soup Elder said, “Little guy, don’t panic like that. We know your origins inside out. Six Desires Talisman or Earth Wolf King Army—none of that matters. What matters is your choices and your talents. Old Twelve, come, play a game of chess with me.”
Soup Elder pulled Gatekeeper Old Man away.
Li Weiyi’s gaze fell on the poised Yin Twenty-Four: “I want to see Hidden Lord!”
Yin Twenty-Four said, “Hidden Lord has arranged a second Trial for you. Complete it, and you’ll naturally qualify to see him.”
“My matter is very important.” Li Weiyi said.
Yin Twenty-Four said, “Nothing Hidden Lord handles is unimportant. Besides, what you know, Hidden Sect knows. What you don’t know, Hidden Sect also knows. Understand? In our eyes, you’re completely transparent.”
Li Weiyi endured again and again: “Why is it so hard to talk to you? Fine… you’re not in a hurry, neither am I. A second Trial—and so soon?”
Trials are dangerous; no one wants to participate in more.
Yao Yin had eagerly acted against Li Qing precisely to become a Hidden Person quickly and participate in fewer Trials.
Yin Twenty-Four said, “Eliminate all Chang Lin Gang higher-ups above Seven Springs.”
Li Weiyi was stunned.
Yin Twenty-Four was very satisfied with his current expression: “Now do you believe we know you inside out?”
“I thought all Trials were Underground. Chang Lin Gang is far away in Jiu Li City.” Li Weiyi said.
“Far?”
Yin Twenty-Four smiled, “You’ve caught Hidden Lord’s eye. This is a test specially prepared for you. Pass it, and Yin Twenty-Six will likely be yours!”
