Eastern Sea Upheaval, Depths of the Netherworld

"To return to Lingxiao Shengjing, we must head south. However, the south is blocked by the Departed Spirit Army, so I must first go west and detour back through the Netherworld of the Departed." The stone coffin flew swiftly across the sea, and the Coffin Master said this.

Away from the battlefield, everyone's emotions gradually calmed down.

Ancient Hidden Lord, Li Minong, and the Mo Hai Great Priest all took elixirs to heal their injuries.

Old Qin looked at Li Weiyi meaningfully. "Once Yu'er's identity becomes known, you will inevitably be caught in the eye of the storm. What are your plans then?"

Li Weiyi understood immediately, knowing that if he stayed in Lingxiao Shengjing any longer, he would face endless trouble.

The Great Palace Master's side is also an uncertain factor.

Hidden Lord had remained silent, worried about the safety of Cangli, Li Ling, and the other members of the Jiu Li Tribe and the hidden members of the Hidden Gate. Hearing Old Qin's words, he couldn't help but say, "Of course he's going to Lingxiao City to take up an official position; after all, he's a favorite of the Great Palace Master. Chief, are we just going to leave like this?"

"I'll take you to a safe place first, then I'll go back to get the others. You are the pillars and foundation of the Jiu Li Tribe; you cannot be lost."

The voice from the stone coffin had barely faded when it was followed by a soft exclamation.

Golden streaks appeared on the surface of the sea below.

These golden patterns seem to be reflected from the seabed. The patterns become more numerous and brighter.

A moment later, golden mist appeared over the entire sea area within sight, stretching as far as the eye could see. Though in the East China Sea, one could not see the sea itself, only the golden mist.

Everyone was stunned, sensing a change in the Heaven and Earth Mana Qi, which had become imbued with an aura similar to that of Six-clawed Immortal Dragon Qi.

Is this some kind of Immortal Qi surging from underground?

"It's not as dense, but it far surpasses the magical energy in the Heaven Law Earth Spring. This is incredible! What strange thing lies beneath the East Sea?"

Li Weiyi's gaze shifted from the golden clouds shrouding the sea below to the sky. He discovered that in the far distance, rays of light were shooting straight into the heavens.

The scope of this anomaly is likely far greater than imagined.

"Esteemed seniors, are you aware of the Ancient Immortal Dragon Vein?"

Li Weiyi then recounted his and Wu Hongling's experiences in the underground world, naturally concealing the existence of the "Book of Earth" and the Immortal Seeking Bead.

"What? An ancient immortal dragon vein?"

"If this is truly an ancient immortal dragon vein, it will cause an upheaval of heaven and earth!"

All the old men of the Jiu Li Tribe were in an uproar. This news was absolutely earth-shattering, even more shocking than Yu Yaozi's appearance.

"Boom!"

The entire sea below suddenly began to shake violently, with waves rising tens of feet high, crashing against the golden mist.

Everyone fell silent, not daring to speak, knowing that something must have changed in the East Sea. The excavation of the Ancient Immortal Dragon Skeleton was a truly momentous event.

"Could it be that Yu Yaozi and Kirin Zhuang's underground battle has disturbed some taboo?" The Mo Hai Great Priest took out three coins, preparing to cast a divination.

Inside the stone coffin, the Coffin Master said, "She's catching up!"

"Who?" Li Weiyi asked.

"Whoosh!"

A shimmering, luminous light illuminated the horizon, and a magnificent, enormous Phoenix quickly caught up with the stone coffin.

Yu'er flew amidst the Phoenix's light and shadow, holding a sword in one hand and grabbing Li Weiyi's wrist with the other. "Come with me."

She was incredibly fast; the stone coffin couldn't keep up.

Li Weiyi was completely enveloped in spiritual light, unable to see the outside world, and couldn't even open his eyes. He heard a series of long howls behind him. "Yu Yaozi, return my Life Spring!"

"Leave the Phoenix Tree."

"Catch up with her. Her Other Shore Heavenly Pill is at Zen Sea Observing Mist. There's no magical energy she can mobilize, so she's not invincible."

Gradually, the sounds from behind disappeared.

Yu'er stared straight ahead, flying at an extremely fast speed.

Li Weiyi pondered silently what had happened, but had no clue. He asked the other party repeatedly, but they didn't answer at all, as if they couldn't hear him.

After flying for an unknown period of time, the spiritual light emanating from Yu'er's body gradually faded until it completely dissipated.

She closed her eyes and fell towards the ground.

"Great Palace Master, Yu Yaozi, Yu'er..."

Feeling weightless, Li Weiyi called out repeatedly. Then, he released his magical energy to condense gaseous wings, embraced her, and slowly landed on the ground.

Clang.

The Yellow Dragon Sword slipped from her hand and fell to the ground.

What exactly is going on?

Li Weiyi quickly put the Yellow Dragon Sword into the Wind Mansion, held Yu'er in his arms, and looked around.

They discovered that the world was pitch black, the temperature was cold, and the air was thick with yin energy. As far as the eye could see, there was no obstruction for dozens of miles; it was an endless plain.

Only black thorns could be seen on the ground, with no other vegetation.

This isn't nighttime at all.

She had clearly led him to the depths of the Netherworld of the Departed.

From the depths of darkness, a hoarse, eerie cry echoed. A black, python-like shadow, tens of meters long, swam through the air, its cry sounding like that of an old man with a broken throat.

They are malevolent spirits drawn by the yang energy emanating from them.

Li Weiyi took out the Sun-Avoiding Bead and the Invisibility Nightwalker's Robe, then chose a direction and fled.

They had to leave as soon as possible. Although Chao Ran might not be as fast as Yu Yaozi, he could still track their presence. Therefore, Li Weiyi dared not release his magical energy and instead traveled on foot.

After running three hundred miles and shaking off the python-like black shadow in mid-air, Li Weiyi used the "Forward" technique to disappear into the depths of the earth.

He didn't know much about the Netherworld of the Departed and dared not venture there recklessly, fearing he might enter a forbidden zone of death. He decided to hide underground for a while first.

Reaching a depth of several hundred meters underground, Li Weiyi glanced at Yu'er, whose eyes were tightly closed, and felt a sudden, intense headache. She must have stolen some powerful treasure from the ruins of Dragon City, attracting a horde of enemies who were after her.

Being hunted down was bad enough, but they dragged him, a Dao Seed Realm Martial Cultivator, away and into the extremely dangerous Netherworld of the Departed.

All of that is fine, but the key point is that she actually fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

Li Weiyi said she couldn't handle such a huge mess.

Li Weiyi searched Yu'er's body but found no treasures, including the bright blue bead she always carried, which was nowhere to be found.

Li Weiyi guessed that she had taken it into the ancestral field or the spirit world.

"Forget it, let's hide in the Blood Mud Space first and wait for her to wake up. Even if the Transcendent finds her, at least she won't be killed on the spot."

Li Weiyi activated the Dao Ancestor Taiji Fish, and with Yu'er, they vanished into the Blood Mud Space.

"Whoosh!"

Stepping onto the blood-red soil and looking at the vast space before him, Li Weiyi's anxious heart finally calmed down.

Once the tension subsided, the internal injuries surged back like a tidal wave, causing excruciating pain and blurred vision.

Gritting his teeth and persevering, Li Weiyi placed Yu'er on the jade boat, which was over thirty meters long, and took off his Provincial Governor's Official Robe, draping it over her.

He then looked at Yao Yin and Hidden Twenty-Four, who had been sealed away and thrown into the Blood Mud Space.

The two of them lay on the blood-soaked ground, their heads covered with black cloth bags that sealed off their senses.

The reason for doing so at the time was to avoid exposing the Blood Mud Space.

Li Weiyi led them into the jade boat and set up an array to shield them from the outside world. Then, he removed the black cloth bags from their heads.

To Li Weiyi's surprise, their eyes were wide open, and they were fully conscious.

"Let me make this clear first, don't ask why. For the next period of time, you will stay on this ship and are not allowed to go anywhere."

After saying this, Li Weiyi released the seals on them.

Hidden Twenty-Four regained his mobility, he immediately asked, "Why were we sealed away?"

Li Weiyi said, "Do whatever the Hidden Person tells you to do, don't ask questions. Don't you understand the rules of the Hidden Gate?"

Yao Yin, still wearing her veil, surveyed her surroundings. She could only see the array's Light Veil and Yu'er lying on the bow of the ship. In a clear voice, she asked, "Where is this place? How long are we going to stay? Have we escaped the East Sea?"

Seeing that Yao Yin's tone was so gentle, Li Weiyi finally explained it to her.

"I don't know how long we'll have to stay; it depends on when Yu'er wakes up. You two should stay here and cultivate in seclusion to digest the Six-clawed Immortal Dragon Qi you absorbed at Nine Ring Reef. Don't worry, we won't kidnap you; we'll take you back."

Li Weiyi stepped out of the array's Light Veil, and immediately felt dizzy, his injuries were hard to suppress, and he was extremely exhausted.

"We must never get involved in this level of competition for opportunities again unless absolutely necessary. The lives of Longevity Realm Giants are as worthless as grass."

This trip to the East China Sea was far more dangerous than anticipated.

Fortunately, he obtained the Longevity Flower, the Six-clawed Immortal Dragon Qi, Immortal Dao Scriptures, and the Dragon Soul Origin Light... so it can be considered a fortune gained amidst danger.

With unwavering willpower, Li Weiyi supported her injured body, weaving Time Cocoon to begin healing her wounds.

Six days later.

The injuries were fully healed, and the Blue Petal and Red Petal of the Longevity Flower were completely digested.

Li Weiyi didn't continue cultivating; he went straight to sleep.

After sleeping for two days and two nights, he was full of energy and vitality, his blood and qi were vigorous, his skin had a luster similar to that of Pure Immortal Body, and his muscles and internal organs were tough and strong.

"Bang! Bang!"

On the sea off Tanggu Sea, Li Weiyi practiced the Chan Sect Twelve Loose Hand Techniques three times in a row, his movements exhilarating and the sea roaring incessantly.

"It is said that a fully Longevity Body will generate a torrent of blood energy within its body, greatly increasing its physical strength, thus enabling it to directly confront Longevity Realm Martial Cultivator."

"Right now, it seems I haven't yet generated a torrent of blood energy; I can only be considered 99% of Longevity Body."

"Now that my physical strength has greatly improved, even without using the combination of martial arts and mental power, defeating top experts like Sheng Wulian and Si Wuyan is no longer a difficult task."

"Having studied the Earth Origin Essence Chapter and with the assistance of the blood energy of the Lesser Yang Star, cultivating that torrent of blood energy shouldn't be difficult."

Returning to the Blood Mud Space, Li Weiyi went to the Jade Boat and exchanged views with Yao Yin and Hidden Twenty-Four. Then, he once again wove the Time Cocoon and devoted himself to refining the Six-clawed Immortal Dragon Qi in the Wind Mansion and digesting the Immortal Dao Scriptures.

At the same time, he swallowed the Extreme Day True Pill that Yao Yin had bought for him before, and absorbed the radiance emitted by the <Bright Star Book> to enhance his spiritual power.

Li Weiyi didn't want to pull Yao Yin and Hidden Twenty-Four into the Time Cocoon; in fact, she trusted them. Her concern wasn't that they couldn't keep the secret, but rather that they might be subjected to soul-searching.

Time flies.

Two months had passed since Li Weiyi arrived in the Blood Mud Space. He had spent a year in seclusion cultivating using the Time Cocoon. The rest of his time was spent with Yao Yin and Hidden Twenty-Four, as well as practicing his moves and Daoist arts at the Tanggu Sea.