The warm, gentle March sunlight filtered through the tender green leaves of the poplar trees, casting dappled shadows across the ground.
Li Weiyi sat down on a stone stool opposite Li Songlin. Not daring to act presumptuous, he asked humbly, "Senior, wasn't the quota for the Jiuli Dao Academy already full?"
Li Songlin smiled and explained in an unhurried voice, "The Jiuli Dao Academy is the highest hall of martial arts in the Jiuli Clan. It admits only the most talented youths from each tribe, and the maximum age upon entry can only be extended to twenty. The older one is, the higher the threshold to enter.
"Although Gao Huan is over the age limit, he is short, and having just undergone the Pure Immortal Physique transformation, he shed his dead skin and cast off any trace of age. No one could tell at all, so Cang Li reported his age as sixteen.
"In ordinary years, each tribe receives twenty slots, totaling one hundred and eighty people. More than half of them are selected early from the clan academies of the nine major tribes.
"This year marks the quadrennial Mount Mang Grand Sacrifice, so every tribe has been granted an extra ten slots. In other words, the Cangling Tribe has thirty slots this year, and every prominent family is scrambling for them."
He narrowed his eyes, their divine radiance restrained within, and fixed his gaze on Li Weiyi. "I can help you secure a chance to issue a challenge. As long as your strength is sufficient, what is wrong with snatching a slot for yourself? Everyone will have to accept it.
"Given that you took care of two seven-spring martial cultivators and an insect tamer single-handedly, I don't think entering the Jiuli Dao Academy will be much of a problem for you.
"To tell you the truth, I came here today first to express my gratitude, and second because your strength is formidable enough to draw the attention of the Cangling Tribe. How many springs have you opened?"
"Seven springs," Li Weiyi answered. He figured that since Li Songlin asked, he would not pry by actively probing him.
With his current cultivation of five opened springs, even without using dharma artifacts, he truly possessed combat power on par with a seven-spring martial cultivator.
Li Songlin's expression tightened slightly, a chill flickering through his eyes. "Last night must have been perilous indeed. Fortunately, you had dharma artifacts. A nineteen-year-old at seven springs and a fifty-year-old at seven springs are entirely different concepts. Based on your age and current cultivation, your talent has a shot at ranking in the middle tier among this year's thirty candidates.
"Enter the academy to cultivate. Only there will you have hope of breaking through to the eighth spring, Fengfu. It will also make pushing toward the Wuhai Realm easier in the future.
"You must realize that in Jiuli City, the Outskirts Domain, the City Domain, and the Dao Domain are three distinct cultivation environments. The Jiuli Dao Academy is situated in the core of the Dao Domain. Anyone capable of cultivating within its walls is bound to become a pivotal figure in the tribe."
Li Weiyi could feel Li Songlin's sincerity, but he harbored too many secrets. Entering the Jiuli Dao Academy would mean completely exposing himself to the eyes of others, and whether that would bring fortune or disaster was impossible to tell.
After all, the Jiuli Dao Academy belonged to the nine major tribes, not just the Cangling Tribe.
He planned to discuss the matter with Senior Coffin first.
"Thank you for the guidance, Senior First Chief, but I would like to think it over," Li Weiyi said.
Knowing the young man before him possessed a cautious nature, Li Songlin did not press him. "No rush. Whenever you have made up your mind, come find me at any time... or find Fourth Girl; she can reach me. Focus on your cultivation. If you break into the Wuhai Realm within five years, I will go talk to Second Brother about you and her. I don't care about social status or pedigree, and besides, I still owe you an immense favor for saving my life."
Given Li Songlin's status, he would never make a promise lightly, but once made, his word was as good as iron.
Li Weiyi laughed awkwardly. "Just what did she say to you, Senior?"
"Stop calling me Senior. Just call me Fourth Uncle," Li Songlin replied.
There was simply no continuing this conversation!
Li Songlin drew the cloud of dharma qi back into his body, stood up, and added, "As for the Changlin Gang, you don't need to worry. I will make a personal trip over shortly. However, the Yang clan and the Cangling Tribe have been on good terms for generations, and Yang Qingxi has already come in person to apologize, so it wouldn't be appropriate for me to come down too hard on them. I can only issue a warning."
"Thank you, Fourth Uncle."
Li Weiyi accepted the gesture with gratitude. After all, having suffered such a massive loss last night, the Changlin Gang certainly would not let the matter rest, which was like a sword hanging perpetually over his head.
With Li Songlin personally strolling over, even if he did not utter a single harsh word, the Changlin Gang would never dare to act recklessly again—at least not out in the open.
"Why did you start calling him Fourth Uncle too?" Li Ling teased with a smile.
Li Weiyi could not be bothered to answer her.
Li Songlin recalled something and asked, "Right, do you plan to continue living here, or move to the City Domain? Although the laws of heaven and earth are denser in the City Domain, the Cangling Tribe consists of numerous internal families, with vast assets and countless petty squabbles.
"Besides, there are external rivals... In the past dozen years or so, wars outside have driven too many powerful figures into Lizhou, and Jiuli City is no longer just the Jiuli Clan's Jiuli City. Moving into the city without entering the academy will stir up tremendous waves. Weigh the pros and cons for yourself!
"Fourth Girl, I leave this to you. Settle them in properly.
"I'll take a walk over to the Changlin Gang first!"
Li Songlin walked out of the courtyard gate, waved away the driver who had arrived with the carriage, and strolled off alone at a leisurely pace, looking just as if he were taking an idle stroll down the street.
Watching Li Songlin depart, Li Ling said, "My Fourth Uncle is just like that. Aside from martial cultivation, he finds everything troublesome. Living in the city is actually quite nice. Even if you can't get into the Jiuli Dao Academy, you can still enter the Cangli Clan Academy. Uncle Qi, where is the gift I prepared for Senior Brother?"
Carrying a massive wooden crate in both arms, Li Qi stepped into the courtyard.
Behind him followed two middle-aged servants, a man and a woman, holding tailor's rulers.
The wooden crate was opened to reveal neatly folded, giant-sized robes.
Li Ling bustled about enthusiastically. "Knowing that Senior Brother has an extraordinary build and has never had suitable clothes, I had people rush these out overnight during the past two days. They probably won't fit perfectly, but I brought the tailors along. Let them take proper measurements so they can make several more sets later, all billed to my account."
Zhao Meng looked toward Li Weiyi.
Li Weiyi felt a headache coming on. Here it was again—and worse, he had no way to refuse.
What he dreaded most was Li Ling's inexplicable enthusiasm and her being so inexplicably good to him and the people around him. Details he had not even found time to consider were things she had already taken to heart.
"We brothers are truly grateful for the Fourth Young Mistress's kindness," Li Weiyi said.
Li Ling beamed happily. "Finally, a heartwarming word from you! Later, I'll have two sets made for you as well."
Cai Yutong recalled when she had first seen Li Ling in the Mist Domain of Departed Spirits. Back then, Li Ling had been the mysterious, cold Nether Lamp Wayfinder; how could she have possessed this kind of lively, exuberant young maiden's disposition?
Cai Yutong asked, "How did you establish such a deep friendship with the Fourth Young Mistress?"
"It's a long story."
Li Weiyi offered a string of bitter smiles, not knowing where to begin, before asking, "Qi Shanshan... or rather, that white-boned demon—what serious business is she actually busy with?"
"Hard to say!"
Cai Yutong said, "I get the feeling she is exceptionally attentive to that young clan head. She probably wants to become the young clan head's wife."
Li Weiyi was dumbfounded, wondering if he had heard wrong. That was Chanhai Guanwu, the foremost powerhouse of this land a thousand years ago! Could she truly have fallen for a young man? And she even seemed to be taking the offensive initiative.
He had to admit Cang Li was remarkable—noble birth, the appearance of a Pure Immortal Physique, talent seen once in a millennium, and a generous, chivalrous nature. There was virtually no flaw to be found in him.
It would not be surprising for any woman in the world to be smitten upon seeing him.
Yet that was Chanhai Guanwu...
Cai Yutong said, "Qi Shanshan does not seem to have been possessed. I tested her, and she has her own independent consciousness. At this stage, the white-boned demon seems unable to leave her body and has fallen into a slumber. The one currently in control of that body is Qi Shanshan herself."
"That makes a lot more sense!"
Li Weiyi's thoughts stirred. Since Chanhai Guanwu was slumbering, could he seize this opportunity to eliminate her once and for all, rooting out any future trouble?
He constantly felt that Chanhai Guanwu would come looking for him again.
His blood and soul seemed to serve some special purpose for her.
At the same time, he was eager to uncover the truth about his origins from Chanhai Guanwu. Li Weiyi had asked the three remnant-soul seniors about this, but they had never heard of the ancient clan Chanhai Guanwu mentioned, nor had they ever heard of the concept of a dao-protecting wife.
Li Ling walked over with a smile. "What are you two whispering about? Li Weiyi, I was just about to talk to you about Yutong.
"She has a Pure Immortal Physique, so by right, she could enter the Jiuli Dao Academy to cultivate. But with Gao Huan already in, cramming in another Pure Immortal Physique who has never cultivated before would surely provoke the other eight tribes to dig into the secrets behind it, which wouldn't end well.
"I spoke with her and suggested she enter the Cangli Clan Academy, but she seems to prefer staying with you all. Why don't you try persuading her?"
Li Weiyi smiled. "Naturally, I respect her wishes."
Li Ling said, "Are you sure you can protect a woman with a Pure Immortal Physique? You've seen the cruelty and perils of Jiuli City. If she stays by your side, how much greed and covetousness will she attract? Possessing a Pure Immortal Physique is a blessing, but without formidable strength, it becomes a catastrophic disaster."
Li Weiyi looked at Cai Yutong's peerless beauty, which remained captivating even concealed behind a veil, and pondered the matter seriously. "Senior Cai, I think Li Ling has a point. Have you run into any trouble, or do you have any concerns?"
Cai Yutong had always been blunt in her speech, like a stubborn old pedant. "I don't trust a bunch of strangers; I only trust you."
It was a simple, honest truth, yet to any man, it was lethally disarming.
Hearing this, Li Ling immediately glanced sideways at her. Her gaze toward Cai Yutong instantly lost its earlier warmth, as if saying, *So the two of you have this kind of relationship?*
Recalling Cai Yutong feeding him fish soup as he lay in the sickbed aboard the Bronze Ship, Li Weiyi felt an inexplicable rush of hot blood surge to his head. "Alright. Then stay, Senior Cai. No matter what circumstances we face, I will risk everything to keep you safe."
His words rang with conviction, every syllable radiating unshakeable resolve.
Naturally, Li Weiyi's decision to let Cai Yutong stay was not merely a moment of hot-blooded impulse.
He knew full well that wherever people gathered, strife and entanglements were inevitable. Li Songlin had already made it very clear that the Cangling Tribe had a complex internal web of factions. Senior Cai had no foundation in cultivation whatsoever; would she truly be safe entering the Cangli Clan Academy all by herself?
A Pure Immortal Physique would be valued, but it would just as easily attract covetous eyes and jealousy.
Li Ling rubbed her fingers together inside her sleeves. "How about you all enter the Cangli Clan Academy together?"
If he was going to enter one, it would be the Jiuli Dao Academy; Li Weiyi had little interest in the clan academy of a single tribe.
Chapter 52