Setting Sail

"I'm not begging you! You must understand that the interests and honor of our two families are now intertwined."

Zuoqiu Ting in the rosewood chair by the table, casually crossing his legs. "Lizhou is a battlefield concerning your life and death. If it weren't for the deterrence of our Old Ancestor, the Four Extremes Ape King or the Coffin Mountain Taboo might have already entered the fray and killed all the Longevity Realm of the Jiu Li Tribe. How could you be in your current situation?"

Yin Shi sat down on another rosewood chair, his tone no less assertive. "And then? They join forces, and the next target Zuoqiu Courtyard? Zuoqiu Ting, you must understand, if it weren't for the Jiu Li Tribe holding the enemy back in Lizhou, those coming to Qiuzhou now wouldn't just be the younger generation of enemies, but real armies from all sides."

She continued, "Everyone can see that the Imperial Court is on the verge of collapse, within the next year or two. The situation in the world has reached its most critical moment. In the Seven Prefectures of the North, the Xue Jian Tang Ting has already subdued and annexed various rebel Rebel Army, becoming the sole dominant power. It has gathered experts from five states under its command, and a million-strong army of cultivators is ready for battle, training and preparing for war, assembled in the Misty Grassland. They are just waiting for the order to march south to the Sui River and unify the north."

"The seven states of the Eastern Territory are divided between the Dragon Gate and the Lei Xiao Sect, while the Three Island Barbarians are holed up in the East China Sea. They will surely complete their integration within a year and then join forces with the Xue Jian Tang Ting at the foot of Lingxiao City."

" Of the Western Territory provinces, the Zhu family has already taken three. Only the Quan Rong and Que Rong can still put up a fight against them, but they won't be around for long."

"The situation in the world is gradually becoming clearer. Only in the Southern Border, thanks to the joint efforts of the Zuoqiu Courtyard and the Jiu Li Tribe, has a stable situation been maintained in half of the border over the past ten years."

"That's right, the Jiu Li Tribe has declined drastically, but without their support, the Zuoqiu Courtyard Jiu Li Tribe have to pay a heavy price to unify the Southern Territory, losing all chance to contend for the world. Why are the Dragon Gate and the Far West Ash Region here now, sparing no effort to support the major forces in the Southern Territory in creating turmoil? They want you to lose that chance!"

"Who doesn't know that your Zuoqiu Courtyard intends to use the Qianlong Lantern Festival and the Du'e Temple's influence to unify the entire Southern Territory without bloodshed? Do you think they'll let you have your way?"

"Therefore, Zuoqiu, our relationship is one of mutual need, not master and servant."

Zuoqiu Ting listened quietly and nodded slightly. "Very good. Since the Hidden Person can see the current situation clearly, then I won't waste any more words! Behind the Three Chen Palace and Night City lies the Ash Region of the Far West, and the Sui Sect and Tianyi Gate also have a tendency to side with them."

"Your Jiu Li Tribe and the three major sects are already irreconcilable enemies. I want to wage war against them. Will you fight? If you do, you must go all out, and many people may die."

"Do we have a way out?" Yin Shi asked rhetorically.

Zuoqiu Ting shook his head. "No."

"Since there is no way out, why ask such a question, Zuoqiu?" Yin Shi said.

Zuoqiu Ting clapped three times. "Excellent! Don't worry, the Zuoqiu Courtyard will go all out in this battle, and the Zuoqiu Hidden Gate will also be mobilized. I have already found out that our greatest enemy, the Young Venerable, is named Phoenix-born Unicorn-young, the son of the great demon Qing Luan from the Ash Region of the Far West. He possesses the pure bloodline of Ancient Immortal Giant Beast, and can tear apart Dao Seed Realm Martial Cultivator with his physical strength alone. His martial arts are also astonishingly brilliant. He cultivates both the Qing Luan and Qilin Battle Intent simultaneously, and wherever he goes, birds and beasts all pay homage. He is no different from the Young Son of Heaven in the legends of the Demon Race."

"He has four top experts under his command: Hua Yuzi, Qi Jin, Ming Niansheng, and Cang Jin. Any one of them is comparable to the inheritors of Myriad Gate Families."

"In addition, there are the Left and Right Attendants, followers of various major forces in the Southern Territory, such as Yuwen Tuozhen, the young city lord of Night City, Coffin Mountain Four Truths, Chen Wenwu, and other top experts. As for the Heartless Golden Ape, Long Ting, Yang Qingxi, and others, we must also be wary of them."

Li Weiyi drank the second mouthful of Golden Spring and hammered the 140th bone, causing a layer of golden light to appear on the surface of his body.

Every bit of improvement in strength is valuable.

The discussion has ended.

Zuoqiu Ting got up to say goodbye. As he was about to leave, his gaze fell on Li Weiyi, who was standing by the window. He walked over and said, "Have you collected a lot of Golden Spring? Give me a pot!"

Li Weiyi opened his eyes, his pupils radiating golden light, and said in surprise, "Has Zuoqiu misjudged our friendship? Golden Spring is very precious."

Zuoqiu Ting said, "Would I even bother with something that isn't precious?"

That makes a lot of sense.

Li Weiyi thought of the Talisman Robe from last night, capable of withstanding one death calamity, which Zuoqiu Ting had given away so readily—few could match his generosity. So Li Wei said, "If Zuoqiu wishes to use the Golden Spring Bone Tempering technique to enhance his strength, he can consider exchanging it for Thousand-Year Elixir. However, I enjoy making friends, and I do have a secret technique I can offer as a gift."

The Seven Phoenix Wing Moth Emperors incredibly voracious eaters; raising them to adulthood would require a massive amount of resources, and even the Thousand-Year Elixir wouldn't be enough.

"Oh!"

Zuoqiu Ting seemed to be deep in thought, quite intrigued.

Li Weiyi leaned down to his earlobe and whispered, "The Bone Shifting God Changing Chapter!"

Now that he knew his Spirit Tablet Master was proficient in this lost Daoist secret art of the Zuoqiu Courtyard, how could Li Weiyi not learn it?

This is truly a remarkable Major Technique; once perfected, its effects are unimaginable.

Zuoqiu Ting suspiciously, "Did that deceased senior also pass on this secret technique to you?"

Li Weiyi immediately mobilized his internal magical power, flowing along his Trace Meridians throughout his body, thereby altering his muscles and bones. He grew half an inch taller, his shoulders narrowed, his facial features were adjusted, and his overall demeanor and aura changed.

In just a moment, Li Weiyi had transformed into a completely different person, utterly unlike before. "How about it? As long as you don't fight anyone or release your magical energy, you won't be exposed. If you learn this, don't transform into Long Ting's appearance anymore, or I might mistake you for someone else in the future."

Zuoqiu Ting's eyes lit up with admiration. "Excellent, Li Weiyi, I'll be your friend. Once this matter is settled, I'll come to you for further training."

Of course, what he wants to learn is not just the "Bone Shifting God Changing Chapter".

He believed that the person Li Weiyi Netherworld of the Departed must be the transcendent being who disappeared from Zuoqiu Courtyard a thousand years ago.

After Zuoqiu Ting, Yin Shi's expression turned solemn. He whispered, "You're right. The enemy is more terrifying than I anticipated. This is a tough battle that is destined to result in deaths. Li Weiyi, you and Yao Yin are the future of the Hidden Gate. You should leave Giant Marsh City immediately and not get involved in this matter."

Li Weiyi really wanted to take out the God of Jiu Li's Combat Intent right now and let the others try to integrate it, but time was of the essence and there was simply no time.

He said, "Okay, I'll leave as soon as possible so I won't hold you back or cause you any trouble. But you guys shouldn't fight too hard. If you can't win, just run away. It's not shameful. The key is to survive."

Li Weiyi took Zhuang Yue away, claiming he would send her to the Imperial Court's government office in Giant Marsh City.

In reality, Li Weiyi did not do that. For a proud and arrogant woman like Zhuang Yue, if everyone in the government office knew that she had become like this, and she was surrounded and cared for by countless people, it would actually be a more painful thing than death.

More importantly, the Imperial Court had already abandoned Qiuzhou, so how much power could the Giant Marsh City government office possibly have?

Inside a temporarily rented Exotic Beast Carriage.

Zhuang Yue, completely shrouded in Black Robe Nightwalker's Robe, sat on the left side of the carriage.

Li Weiyi sat on the right and said gently, "Skin can grow back. Just consume the petals of the Core Lamp Flower. I already had someone buy them last night. As for your eyes... I've checked. Your martial arts cultivation is very high. You can find the Demon Race's spirit eyes to reconnect them. You can slowly nurture them using your Trace Meridians and magic power."

Zhuang Yue reached out and grabbed Li Weiyi's wrists tightly, as if grasping at a lifeline. "Li Weiyi, don't worry about me, save my young lady! That Lord Qi is definitely trying to transform into my appearance to deceive her... You must quickly tell the young lady, if she falls for it, I will be guilty beyond redemption... Please, I beg you..."

"Don't worry about her. Even if she dies, what does it have to do with you? Is it your fault? People need to learn to care more about themselves. Do you even have a brain?"

Li Weiyi shouted, then sighed and took out the Core Lamp Flower from the Frost Jade Box.

The flower has nine petals, all of which are crystal clear.

The inner stamens emit a soft glow, like a lamp wick.

Li Weiyi plucked a flower petal and fed it to her lips.

Zhuang Yue seemed to be crying, but there were no tears. She opened her mouth slightly, trembling, and chewed gently. A faint white light appeared on her body, and her flesh and blood became slightly hot and itchy.

She ate all nine petals and the stamen. Zhuang Yue's skin regenerated, becoming very delicate, but it was still different from that of a normal person. It needed to be nourished with blood and magic power to fully recover.

At least the pain has been greatly reduced.

Li Weiyi's tone was gentle and mild. "That's right! The person who stripped your skin and impersonated you is an Ember Spirit named Lord Qi, whose cultivation is extremely terrifying, comparable to the inheritors of Myriad Gate Families. For the two of us to go and rescue him is tantamount to suicide."

"Go to the Giant Marsh City government office and ask the Imperial Court's powerful officials and army to take action," Zhuang Yue said.

"Great idea!"

Li Weiyi agreed and then took the Black Metal Box, which still contained Zhuang Yue's blood, from the Evil Camel Bell and placed it in the carriage.

The two men got out of the car, both dressed in Black Robe Nightwalker's Robe and wearing hoods.

Li Weiyi took out ten Silver Coin and handed them over, instructing the driver, "Take the boxes in the carriage to the government office. If they ask, say that the person who told you to do this has already gotten off at the North City. Go quickly!"

Outside the North City was a bustling sea dock, with boats of all sizes moored on the water, and fishermen and porters everywhere.

The large ship is like a grand pavilion, with its sails casting numerous shadows.

Most of the small boats are fishing boats, with colorful flags fluttering and fishing nets drying in the sun.

Giant Marsh City is not only located near Soldier Ancestor Marsh, but also at the confluence of the Sui River and the Li Zhi River. It is a place of thriving commerce and a hub for water and land transportation. Minerals from the Western Territory, rice from the east, and the transport of coffins from the south and beasts from the north all pass through here.

Li Weiyi bought a fishing boat that was over twenty meters long. After sailing two miles out, he stopped on the water, drinking from a spring to strengthen his bones, while secretly gazing in the direction of the city gate.

"Da da!"

At midday, the sea shimmered, and the heavy sound of hooves echoed from the city.

Huo Qiankun, the top expert of the younger generation of Tianyi Gate, wielded a silver spear and rode a strange beast resembling a tiger as he charged out of the city gate.

The two martial artists from the Tianyi Gate at the Five Seas Realm who were riding behind him immediately dismounted and asked around for information, describing Li Weiyi and Zhuang Yue's appearances.