Young Elder

Li Weiyi said, "When I issued the Hidden Person Order, I didn't expect it would summon the elders as well. The enemy is incredibly powerful. What we are about to do in Lingxiao City will result in the deaths of many people, possibly most of them, or possibly the entire army being wiped out. I cannot guarantee everyone's safety."

"The Hidden Gate cannot be wiped out entirely in Cloud Heaven Immortal Plain. Therefore, those with important missions, families, or those not prepared to die in Lingxiao City, please withdraw now. I only need half of you."

"Those of you who left, don't feel ashamed. You must continue to uphold the Hidden Gate and shoulder your responsibilities."

You have fifteen minutes to consider.

Even the Old Zhuo and the Forty-fifth Grand Elder were unaware of the specifics, but they were all moved by how seriously Li Weiyi had described the situation.

A masked, reclusive elder said, "To become a recluse, one must have long since disregarded life and death. But we must first know who the enemy is, what we are fighting for, and whether it is worth dying for."

"That is exactly the reason. Please Hidden Person, tell us all this first," said another hermit elder.

Li Weiyi's eyes sharpened, and he said resolutely, "I'm sorry, I can't tell you. Only those who stay behind can know."

Then, a long silence fell.

Seeing that no one had left, Li Weiyi looked at the Forty-fifth Grand Elder: "Supreme Elder, you know them better than anyone else, why don't you tell half of them to leave?"

The Forty-fifth Grand Elder chuckled hoarsely, "Those who truly cannot leave the hidden sects did not come to Lingxiao City. Those present who do not wish to leave will be allowed to stay. The Hidden Gate has seeds; even if they are shattered, they can be rebuilt."

"The Hidden Person Order is not issued casually; we made all the necessary preparations before coming here," the old gatekeeper said.

He is the Twelfth Elder.

Li Weiyi understood their determination, so he said no more and went straight to the point, "Since you have all reached the Dao Seed Realm, you should all be aware of the perilous situation in the world right now."

"After Kirin Zhuang returned, the Far West Ash Region, Dragon Gate, Dongyi, and Xirong were connected, and the Demon Race forces such as Tianya Ridge, Yin Mountain, and Mountain Lord Huìhuò were all brought under his command."

"The various human forces in the Lingxiao Shengjing Human Race have been fighting for over a decade, their conflicts and hatreds are irreconcilable, and with no leader, they are all acting independently. The final result will inevitably be that they will be defeated one by one."

"Two years ago, the Great Battle of Transcendence left both sides severely weakened."

"Now that his injuries have gradually healed, Kirin Zhuang has realized that he cannot crush the humans of the Lingxiao Shengjing with pure brute force; it will only unite us like never before. For him, uniting allies and employing tactics and strategies have become especially important."

Li Weiyi then shared all the information he had gathered with everyone.

Immediately, the entire council hall erupted in uproar. Everyone was shocked, feeling as if dark clouds were gathering overhead and the sky were about to collapse.

Li Weiyi continued, "The Hidden Lord was robbed because of this matter. I was fortunate enough to survive, so I must take responsibility."

"Let me make this clear from the outset: I trust every hermit, so I'm only sharing this secret with you all. If anyone leaks it, whether voluntarily or under duress, even Heaven won't forgive them."

The Old Zhuo, "Before leaving the main gate, everyone must come to me to plant the Death Spirit Fire."

The Forty-fifth Grand Elder asked, "Is the Rice Cult really that powerful? Once the Yin Shi Zhong Dao is activated, the entire living realm will instantly turn into a ghost domain."

Hidden Five said, "The Demon Race's high-ranking members are already capable of fighting on par with the human race's high-ranking members. Now that they've brought in the Netherworld of the Departed and the heretical cult to help them, Lingxiao City absolutely cannot withstand them. Once Lingxiao City falls, all the other forces in the world will be scattered and disorganized. How can they possibly stop them? They will surely crumble."

A young, masked hermit said, "It's not that simple! I've been infiltrating the Li Tribe and recently discovered some strange phenomena. Combined with the appearance of the Demon Child, I suspect that the transcendent one of the Li Tribe has secretly returned from the Demon Kingdom."

An elder in seclusion said, "I am in charge of patrolling the southern border and have discovered that some ghost cities and Bone Mansion in the Netherworld of the Departed are currently gathering a large army of undead, but their direction is towards the Western Territory."

A reclusive elder, lurking within the Imperial Court, spoke in a melodious voice, "The Imperial Court has also received this information. Many Longevity Realm Giants in Lingxiao City have secretly departed for the Western Territory. It is estimated that Chaoran will also set off in a few days. If this is a feint by the enemy, Lingxiao City is in grave danger!"

Another reclusive elder said, "The Imperial Court is currently embroiled in the Ghost Infant incident, the <Nine Heavens Dao Image Chart>, the Liangzhou attack tragedy, and the Eastern Sea barbarian bandits. It has already thrown itself into disarray. How can it possibly withstand the millennia-long plan of the heretical cult?"

"I'm more worried about the Sui Sect. Sui Sect's now infiltrated every corner of the Imperial Court. If they launch an attack at a crucial moment, the consequences are unimaginable."

"The Demon Race only infiltrated with thirty powerful undead, which is enough for us to investigate. How terrifying must the Rice Cult's thousand-year plan be in terms of destructive power?"

The crowd discussed the matter animatedly, sharing their intelligence, offering their opinions, and searching for a way to break the deadlock.

In the last century, the Jiu Li Tribe has gradually declined, and the Jiu Li Hidden Gate has also adopted a defensive posture.

The Hidden Ones are mainly infiltrated by various major forces in the Southern Territory and by the Imperial Court.

The more crucial a power's fate is to the Jiu Li Tribe, the higher the talent of the hidden individuals who infiltrate it, aiming to rise to high positions and obtain crucial intelligence.

For example, the Daojiao sect sent Yao Qingxuan, the Earth Wolf King Army sent Hidden Five, and the Sui Sect sent Hidden One.

Night City, Coffin Mountain, Zuoqiu Courtyard, Jiang Family, and Lingxiao City are all key areas of operation for the Hidden Gate.

The reclusive elder who had infiltrated the Imperial Court looked at Li Weiyi: "If Lingxiao City falls, all of humanity will be affected. Like lips and teeth, no one can escape unscathed. This matter is not something we can resolve. I have a way to contact a transcendent figure within the Imperial Court; we need someone on our side."

Li Weiyi said, "Are you so sure that there's absolutely no problem with the transcendence behind you?"

"If she has problems, no matter what we do, Lingxiao City is doomed to collapse. Hidden Person, shall we talk privately?"

Li Weiyi nodded slightly, showing great interest in the reclusive elder hidden within the Imperial Court, whom he believed would prove invaluable in the future.

"Take this list and study it carefully, write it all down. Over the next month, you must find as many of the thirty powerful undead individuals as possible who are lurking within the Imperial Court."

The two arrived outside the hall.

The reclusive elder who had infiltrated the Imperial Court removed his mask, revealing a beautiful face with Pure Immortal Body. He looked to be in his early twenties, extremely young, with a faint silver-white Moon Star Mark between his brows.

She said, "Xing Yenu, disciple of the Third Palace Master, greets the Hidden Person."

"Such a young elder?"

Li Weiyi was slightly surprised. He had heard of her name before; she had fought Xie Chucai and lost in seven moves.

Xing Yenu put her mask back on. "In the previous sixty-year cycle, I ranked sixtieth. This year I am forty-two, only one year after Hidden One entered the sect. Within the Hidden Gate, everyone calls me Young Elder."

"I know what the Hidden Person are worried about! Half of the Defensive Formation of Lingxiao City and the four major passes are in the hands of the Third Palace Master. If something were to happen to her, Cloud Heaven Immortal Plain would have already fallen."

Li Weiyi said, "Have you considered this question? If the Demon Race and the Rice Sect didn't master the Defensive Formation left by the Emperor of Mist Breaking Son of Heaven, what made them dare to attack Cloud Heaven Immortal Plain?"

"The Taishi Family, and the Qilin Platform under the control of the Third Palace Master, are undoubtedly their most important targets for infiltration."

"Recently, Liangzhou City was attacked by the Demon Race, and Duke Taishi was tied up there. The deputy commander in charge of the city's defense and Defensive Formation at Nanyan Pass was killed, and Grand Taishi Qingcang was forced to take charge. The incident of Ghost Infant appeared at the Court of Taichang Temple Sacrifices, Taishi Qingshi was in a state of great distress."

"The three top experts of the Taishi Family are all currently tied down. Why is Qilin Platform so calm?"

Xing Yenu was moved. "You think Qilin Platform is in greater danger? But perhaps it's because the Third Palace Master's cultivation is too high, invincible, and they simply dare not act rashly."

Li Weiyi shook his head. "This is a life-or-death struggle, a battle that can't be won by anyone. I don't think the Third Palace Master is invincible. What do you think her weakness is?"

Xing Yenu pondered for a moment, then seemed to think of something and hesitated to speak.

Li Weiyi asked, "How many male favorites does the Third Palace Master have in total?"

An extremely awkward question.

Xing Yenu glanced at him, then looked at the snowflakes in the night mist. "I don't know! But in the last three hundred years, it's said that one occurs every sixty years. Do you think the Third Palace Master would make a mistake in this? Impossible, she is the controller, not the controller."

Li Weiyi said, "I'm only thinking from the perspective of a strong member of the Rice Cult! If I were the Rice Ancestor, from what angle would I try to obtain the Defensive Formation layout diagram from the Third Palace Master?"

"The Third Palace Master's cultivation is too high; this is his only weakness. I will do everything in my power to gain control of this weakness."

"This afternoon, I went to the West Sea Royal Mansion's Mansion and learned something from Song Lin. Song Yulou's parents both died in the Battle of Cangyuan."

Xing Yenu's beautiful eyes widened in shock. "You suspect the head of the Song family?"

"I have no doubt that the head of the Song family is an extremely charismatic person, exceptionally talented, humble, and flawless."

Li Weiyi changed the subject. "The top geniuses I've met are all arrogant and proud... I'm not saying there's anything wrong with being the Third Palace Master's male favorite; in fact, countless people dream of it."

"However, Song Yulou has the backing of the West Sea King and comes from a prominent family, unlike people like Yao Qian. What the Third Palace Master can give him, the West Sea Royal Mansion can also give him."

"He doesn't seem like the type to be obsessed with beautiful women. Hmm, if the Third Palace Master were just widowed, and not someone who changes every sixty years, I could accept it, let alone him. But it's not like that. This sixty years is fine, but what about the next sixty years? Will he have to serve the Third Palace Master with other men?"

"Does the West Sea Royal Mansion really think this is an honor? What exactly is he seeking? True love?"

Xing Yenu was swayed by Li Weiyi's words. "But... he is the number one person of the fourth generation of the West Sea Royal Mansion. Is it all because of the hatred for the West Sea Slaves Cangyuan's defeat?"

"Hatred may just be a weak point that the Inari sect used to break through him."

Li Weiyi smiled and said, "Of course, it's all just my baseless speculation, and maybe the direction is completely wrong."

"No... I think you might be getting closer to the truth."

Xing Yenu's expression was solemn. "Just today, Song Yulou became the Shaoqing of Qilin Platform. Having reached the Longevity Realm, the Third Palace Master will definitely entrust him with more affairs, and the trust he places in him is far beyond what we disciples can match. Some things are more alarming the more I think about them."

"If it really is him... perhaps it was also his doing that Qingli appeared at Danyue Ward in the guise of the Ghost Mother."

"Hidden Person, I'm starting to waver. Perhaps we really can't easily tell the Third Palace Master."

"Investigate first, let's investigate together. Keep an eye on other situations at Qilin Platform as well." Li Weiyi turned and went into the hall; there were more important matters to arrange.

Requesting monthly votes...

Also, I wish all the students taking the college entrance examination the best of luck and hope you haven't been reading novels in the period leading up to the exam, haha!