Coffin Sea Pavilion

After the two walked down the stone bridge, they went up several hundred steps along the stone staircase and appeared in a dark and empty underground warehouse.

Although the light was dim, one could still see the mountains of iron boxes and Otherworldly Coffin piled up here. The sheer number of them meant that it might take ten days and ten nights to count them all.

An aged figure appeared silently behind Li Weiyi, holding a lamp, and said hoarsely, "Little Twenty-Four, is this this year's newcomer?"

Li Weiyi quickly shifted her body to the side, looking at the person behind her, her heart pounding wildly.

There's not a sound or a breath at all. Is it a person or a ghost?

He was so old and frail, with a hunched back and thinning hair, that in the dark underground warehouse he looked like a ghost from the underworld.

He wasn't holding a lamp, but rather grasping a ball of flame in his hand.

"He is not Hidden Twenty-Six, but he is someone personally arranged by Hidden Lord for a special trial."

Hidden Twenty-Four respectfully bowed to the Old Man and said to Li Weiyi, "This is the Forty-fifth Grand Elder of the Hidden Gate, responsible for guarding the entrance from Jiu Li City to the Jiu Li Hidden Gate."

In the Hidden Gate, those who have lived for sixty years are called Elders.

The Supreme Elder was a recluse from the previous sixty years.

In other words, the Forty-fifth Grand Elder before us is the hidden forty-five from the previous sixty-year cycle, definitely an old fellow over a hundred years old. His cultivation level is unimaginable, given his ability to guard such an important place.

Li Weiyi quickly clasped his hands in a bow.

The Forty-fifth Grand Elder held up the flame in his hand, leaned closer, squinted and carefully examined Li Weiyi, then smiled and said, "Indeed very interesting. You should change your clothes first!"

He walked away with a hunched back and unsteady steps.

The surroundings became dark.

Hidden Twenty-Four tossed a set of purplish-black robes to Li Weiyi, then untied his belt and began to take them off... Of course, he was still wearing his inner garment, only changing into his outer robe.

Li Weiyi took the purplish-black robe and examined it carefully. When he saw the Silver Coffin mark embroidered on the cuffs, he exclaimed with emotion, "This is the standard martial robe of the disciples of the Coffin Sea Pavilion!"

Hidden Twenty-Four said, "That's right, this is the third level of the Coffin Sea Pavilion's underground treasure vault, a forbidden area that only the Pavilion Master can enter. What we are wearing is the standard martial robe of the Coffin Sea Pavilion's External Affairs Hall disciples."

"Are we now beneath the core Dao Domain of Jiu Li City?" Li Weiyi confirmed again, somewhat incredulous.

Hidden Twenty-Four said, "The Jiu Li Insect Valley is located underground in Jiu Li City, directly beneath the Dao Domain. Otherwise, why do you think the Hidden Gate's magical energy is so dense? So suitable for cultivation? So easy for precious herbs to grow? Of course, there are layers of ancient formations blocking the way, which no one can break through."

"A true hermit hides in the city, how brilliant! I should have thought of that sooner!"

Li Weiyi smiled wryly and muttered to himself, "The Jiu Li Insect Valley is completely shrouded in magical energy, forming a Dao Domain. So there must be a super-large Heaven Law Earth Spring nearby. With such a large Heaven Law Earth Spring, where else could it possibly go undetected but Jiu Li City?"

After changing into the martial robes of the disciples of the Coffin Sea Pavilion's External Affairs Hall, the two used Disguise Art to change their appearance and physique.

Meanwhile, there were two other burdens that had been prepared long ago.

Open it, and inside is a low-level magical artifact-grade Nightwalker's Robe. When activated, it possesses a certain degree of defensive power and stealth ability, and is worn when carrying out missions.

There was also a bottle of powder, which, according to Hidden Twenty-Four, could cause trackers to lose their sense of smell for a short period of time.

"Will your Yellow Dragon Sword expose your identity as the perpetrator? Do you need to carry another magical artifact?" Hidden Twenty-Four asked.

Li Weiyi said, "Of course we need to."

"With our limited authority, we can only apply for one low-level magic artifact, and it must be returned after the mission is completed. If it is lost, compensation will be required," said Hidden Twenty-Four.

"Isn't it given away for free?"

"Do you really think the Hidden Gate's resources are inexhaustible?"

Li Weiyi waved his hand and said, "Then forget it! I think that since I already have a grudge against the Changlin Gang, it's more reasonable for me to seek revenge as Li Weiyi without anyone associating me with the Hidden Gate. The problem now is, just how strong are Xu Changlin and Tang Yan? I know nothing about their strength, or even about the strength of the Five Seas Realm."

If someone at the Five Seas Realm can lift the Five Seas Pillar with their physical body, and their level of magical power is higher than that of the Spring Realm, and their Qi Sea energy, then Li Weiyi feels that returning home now and smashing through the Hidden Gate with his Coffin Master's letter is the best choice.

Hidden Twenty-Four said disdainfully, "Both of them are at the Seven Springs to the Five Seas Realm, and they've only opened the first Qi Sea. With my strength, which only broke through to the Five Seas Realm two months ago, dealing with them will only require one hand!"

"I've only just opened the Eighth Spring," Li Weiyi said.

Hidden Twenty-Four's arrogant demeanor vanished instantly, and he coldly said, "Don't worry, they're just two good-for-nothings drained by wine and women. With me backing them up, go ahead and do it."

Li Weiyi dared not entrust his life to Hidden Twenty-Four. He secretly considered which trump cards he could reveal and then carried them with him.

Ultimately, he only used the Yellow Dragon Sword when he fought Yang Shen Realm.

That doesn't represent his true combat strength.

What's inside these metal boxes?

Li Weiyi was curious and wanted to open it to take a look, but it was covered by Formation Script.

"This is not only the most important treasure trove of the Coffin Sea Pavilion, but also the storage warehouse for the most rare and precious goods of the Coffin Sea Chamber of Commerce. Almost all the highlight items at the auctions are stored here. In addition, many of the resources and treasures of the Hidden Gate are also stored here," said Hidden Twenty-Four.

Coffin Sea Pavilion is a sect established by the Coffin Sea Chamber of Commerce.

Fourteen years ago, the Jiu Li Tribe suffered a major defeat, and four parts of the Jiu Li City Dao Domain were taken away, leading to the establishment of four major sects.

They are: Sui Sect, Three Chen Palace, Tianyi Gate, and Coffin Sea Pavilion.

In present-day Lizhou, the Jiu Li Dao Academy and the Sui Sect stand side by side, with the Three Chen Palace close behind. The Tianyi Gate and the Coffin Sea Pavilion were only established fourteen years ago, and their strength and foundation are far inferior.

Li Weiyi asked, "What exactly is the relationship between the Coffin Sea Pavilion and the Jiu Li Hidden Gate?"

Hidden Twenty-Four said, "Actually, the Sui Sect, the Three Chen Palace, the Tianyi Gate, and the Coffin Sea Pavilion, these four major forces, were originally the slaves and servants sent out by the Jiu Li Tribe to sell Otherworldly Coffin."

"The group Old Ancestor of the Sui Sect was responsible for waterway transportation, carrying the Otherworldly Coffin along the Sui River to various states in the Lingxiao Shengjing."

"The Old Ancestor the Three Chen Palace was in charge of the land transportation along three routes: the Beizhi Road, the Fuxi Road, and the Donglin Road, to the northern, Western Territory, and eastern borders."

"The Old Ancestor of Tianyi Gate and Coffin Sea Pavilion were in charge of sales, which are now Tianyi Chamber of Commerce and Coffin Sea Chamber of Commerce."

"Backed by the Myriad Ancient Clan Jiu Li Tribe, all the major and minor forces in the Lingxiao Shengjing naturally give them face. Under the name of the Jiu Li Tribe, their power gradually grew, and they established gangs, recruited martial artists, trained assassins, and expanded rapidly."

"With transportation routes opened up, ambitions grew, and business naturally expanded beyond the Otherworldly Coffin. Salt, iron, ore, cloth, brothels, gambling dens, restaurants, human trafficking... After a thousand years of operation, they gradually amassed wealth, parasitizing the Jiu Li Tribe, sucking its blood and flesh, and using its power to their advantage. From saplings to towering trees, several powerful clans with millions of members emerged."

"The Jiu Li Tribe, having lost its most powerful magical artifact, has been unable to select a leader who can command respect. They are all dreaming of a life of luxury, lying on the natural treasure trove of the Otherworldly Coffin. In order to retrieve more coffins and seize more wealth and benefits, the nine tribes are constantly fighting amongst themselves. The Daoist academies and temples, which should be in charge of the overall situation, have instead become the hardest-hit areas of internal strife and have lost their ability to govern."

"Against this backdrop, the Nine Clans instead recruited and cultivated those servants and slaves, pouring vast amounts of resources into them, believing they were their henchmen to be used against other tribes, completely oblivious to their wolfish ambitions. The Nine Clans profited from these servants and slaves, gradually growing in power and enjoying themselves immensely."

"Fourteen years ago, these servants and slaves saw through the Jiu Li Tribe's weakness and stopped pretending, which led to the six-month-long martial arts war and the Battle of Mang Mountain."

"It wasn't until then, after suffering such a great humiliation, that the high-ranking members of the Jiu Li Tribe were finally awakened and realized that they were no longer the Myriad Ancient Clan they once were. Afterwards, the nine clan leaders sat down calmly to discuss the matter. The nine tribes stopped fighting among themselves, and all the conflicts seemed to have a place where they could be compromised. But how could hundreds of years of decline be recovered in just fourteen years?"

Li Weiyi smiled sarcastically, "It's the same everywhere. Without external threats and with abundant internal resources, infighting is inevitable. But once an external enemy appears, they can unite. Why hasn't the Hidden Gate taken action? Why are they just letting their former servants bully their masters and even seize their Dao Domain?"

"If they aren't humiliated, how can they learn their lesson and be motivated to improve? When they know someone will back them up, they'll only become more reckless, decadent, and extravagant. Besides..."

Hidden Twenty-Four looked at the treasure vault before him and said, "Who said the Hidden Gate didn't make a move?"

Li Weiyi said, "The higher-ups of the Coffin Sea Pavilion have long been controlled by the Hidden Gate? Or rather, there are members of the Hidden Gate within the Sui Sect, the Three Chen Palace, and the Tianyi Gate?"

"I'm just a hermit who arrived two years before you, how would I know so many secrets?" Hidden Twenty-Four didn't want to say any more.

The Forty-fifth Grand Elder like a ghost, shifting sideways behind Li Weiyi, and said in a hoarse voice, "Everyone who leaves the Hidden Gate to carry out a mission must plant the Death Spirit Fire."

Hidden Twenty-Four clearly knew the rules. She closed her eyes and calmly accepted the flames overflowing from the Forty-fifth Grand Elder. The flames entered her brow.

Li Weiyi was horrified when she thought of Li Qing's death, and naturally resisted.

Hidden Twenty-Four said, "The Death Spirit Fire will only erupt when you are captured and your consciousness is invaded by a mind master. Do you think they will spare your life at that time? Don't worry, the Death Spirit Fire will be retrieved after the mission is over."

Li Weiyi asked, "Then... if I voluntarily reveal the secrets I know, will the Death Spirit Fire erupt?"

"Won't."

Hidden Twenty-Four immediately added, "But you will be hunted down by the entire Hidden Gate. And all those who know the truth will also be eliminated. Of course, if you are captured and do not wish to suffer the torment of psychic invasion, you can ignite the Death Spirit Fire yourself. There is no other way; the Hidden Gate must ensure its own safety."

Li Weiyi couldn't find a reason to refute it, so she nodded.

After planting the Death Spirit Fire, Li Weiyi and Hidden Twenty-Four went up the stone steps, passing through three layers of treasure vaults before finally reaching the ground.

The two disguised themselves as disciples of the Coffin Sea Pavilion's External Affairs Hall, helping to move goods from the first-floor warehouse. They then left the Dao Domain with the Chamber of Commerce's convoy and entered the bustling streets of Jiu Li City.

A cacophony of noise rushed towards me.

The two quietly got out of the car and disappeared into the bustling crowd.

The July sun was extremely harsh.

But finally feeling the sunshine again and seeing the blue sky and white clouds, Li Weiyi was overjoyed. "After eating medicinal cuisine for two months, I really miss the delicious food of the human world. Let's go, let's go have a good meal, it's on me!"

Hidden Twenty-Four was somewhat surprised, not expecting this guy to be so generous and magnanimous. Having not satisfied her appetite for so long, she was naturally looking forward to it as well.

But when Li Weiyi led her to the restaurant, she froze, scrutinizing the simple noodle stall on the street, trying to discern its extraordinary qualities. Perhaps she was just blind? Who knew, maybe there was something more to the pot, and the owner could conjure up a variety of delicious and visually appealing dishes in the next moment.

Li Weiyi had already sat down first and called out, "Shopkeeper, two bowls of noodle soup, extra beef. Come on, sit down, don't stand so stiffly."

Hidden Twenty-Four's expression was very unpleasant. "If it were just two bowls of noodle soup, you wouldn't have made me have such high expectations."

"How could it just be two bowls of noodle soup?" Li Weiyi said.

Hidden Twenty-Four said, "There's also beef, right? That joke isn't funny."

Li Weiyi took out the Three-headed Snake Bracelet and placed it on the table. "This is the real treat!"

Hidden Twenty-Four, being worldly-wise, immediately recognized the bracelet's extraordinary nature. He quickly picked it up and examined every detail with increasing fervor.

She whispered, "This is Blood Refined Magic Tool! There should be a powerful blood spirit sealed inside. Judging from the forging technique, it doesn't seem to be a low-level magic weapon."

"Good eye! No wonder you're from the Five Seas Realm."

Li Weiyi, never one to mince words, declared, "This is a high-grade magic artifact!"

Even with Hidden Twenty-Four's composure, his hands trembled, and the bracelet nearly fell to the ground.

High-level magical artifacts are treasures that only the top figures in the Five Seas Realm are qualified to possess.

Moreover, this high-level magical artifact also contains a sealed blood soul...

Li Weiyi, seemingly oblivious to her shock, looked towards the pot where the noodles were already cooking. He whispered, "Help me get rid of them. Since your Hidden Gate controls the Coffin Sea Pavilion, go secretly sell them to the Coffin Sea Chamber of Commerce. Buy me some Light Flame Pill. I need to break through my mental power as soon as possible and reach the Square Inch Bright Fire. Otherwise, I don't know how many years it will take to forge the Golden Meridian Lines. I can't wait that long."

Hidden Twenty-Four couldn't take it anymore and wanted to curse, "Are you crazy? The blood soul inside a high-level magic artifact has a combat power of at least the third level of the Five Seas Realm. You're going to sell it just to buy the Light Flame Pill? Fine, sell it to me."

Seeing Li Weiyi staring at her with surprise, she immediately put away the Three-headed Snake Bracelet.

Then, Li Weiyi asked a question that struck at the heart of her soul, "Can you afford it?"