Yin Nine

Directly become a Divine Hidden One? Hearing those words, Li Weiyi could not help looking up at the cliff carving overhead. That was the legendary martial intent of the God of Jiuli—something any martial cultivator under heaven would yearn to comprehend, wouldn’t they? This script… It bore an uncanny resemblance to the bird-track script carved on the stone pillar in the Soul Sea that read "Ancient Road of the Red County." Yet he knew little about ancient characters, so naturally he could not decipher it. The young men and women present all wore burning gazes. After kowtowing in worship, they stared unblinkingly at the four ancient characters on the cliff, painstakingly contemplating every stroke and groove, each longing to prove themselves an innate prodigy capable of rapidly gleaning some insight from the words. Upon reaching the Wuhai Realm, the most urgent task for a martial cultivator was to cultivate their own martial intent. Otherwise, when faced with the telekinetic attacks of a great mind master, their only option was to flee for their lives. Whether one had cultivated martial intent—and how strong that martial intent was—was second in importance only to one’s cultivation realm in the Wuhai Realm. Yin Twenty-Four stood quietly to one side, accustomed to the sight. Two years ago, had she not been just the same? After waiting for half an hour, she finally spoke. "Do not obsess over this. Since ancient times, only the Cang King has ever derived the God of Jiuli's martial intent from these four characters. "Once inside the valley, your time will be precious beyond measure. Every day is a race against death. Do not squander your time here. "Saying this to you now, most of you probably won't listen. Each of you thinks of yourselves as the chosen one. But in the future, you will regret it—regret having wasted your time." Li Weiyi asked, "I’ve heard that the martial intent of Wuhai Realm cultivators is derived from moves of Heavenly Dao Dharma Convergence. Do the four characters on this cliff have corresponding stances for us to cultivate?" "None!" Yin Twenty-Four replied, "However, preserved within the valley are nine fundamental martial arts left behind by the Nine Kings in their own hand. They are more primal, more precise, and more comprehensive than what you learned in your clan academies. They carry a richer heavenly dao resonance, and naturally make it far easier to cultivate Heavenly Dao Dharma Convergence." The Nine Kings were the nine founding ancestors of the nine major clans, all of them sons of the God of Jiuli. The youths exchanged glances, their eyes lighting with joy. "Does the Hidden Gate have the Cang King’s fundamental martial art?" Yao Yin asked. Since the Cang King had once comprehended the God of Jiuli's martial intent, cultivating his fundamental martial art might well be the best shortcut. Yin Twenty-Four said, "The fundamental martial art left by the Cang King is the Heavenly Demon Thirty-Six Axes. It is not suited for everyone. You have already cultivated in your clans for years, even a decade or more. Suddenly switching to a completely different discipline is tantamount to crippling your own cultivation. "Remember, you have only a month, or a few months, left to live. "Are you confident you can master the Heavenly Demon Thirty-Six Axes to perfection within a single month, or even a few months?" A tiger-like mutant youth who had opened eight springs beamed with wild delight. "I have practiced axe arts since childhood! The first nine moves of the Heavenly Demon Thirty-Six Axes are taught in every clan academy, and I mastered them long ago. The first move, Cleaving Heaven and Earth, I have already cultivated to the verge of Heavenly Dao Dharma Convergence." Many in the group looked on with envy. With such a foundation in axe techniques, who could hope to match him? Li Qing scoffed, "You haven’t even achieved Heavenly Dao Dharma Convergence yet, so what is there to brag about? Since ancient times, countless prodigies and heroes have entered the Hidden Gate, yet not a single second person has ever comprehended the God of Jiuli's martial intent." A chill flashed through the tiger-like mutant youth's eyes, his battle intent surging. "Then let us see who emerges as the final victor a year from now!" Yin Jun had already departed in silence while they were gazing at the four characters on the cliff. Yin Twenty-Four led the group through the misty river valley, traversing a grove of unknown trees radiating a purple glow, until they arrived beneath a precipice. The rock wall glittered like red jade ore. Looking closer, one could see spiritual light flowing within it and scriptures rising and falling beneath its surface. Shrouded in mist, its full height remained hidden from view. Yet the grounds beneath the rock wall were remarkably flat and expansive, like a martial training square. Yin Twenty-Four said, "If you wish to bypass the life-and-death trial and the struggle among Hidden Ones to directly become a Divine Hidden One, there are actually two other paths. "The wall before you is a telekinesis mural. "Every martial cultivator who enters the Hidden Gate and reaches the nine springs ancestral field imprints their martial portrait here. At the same time, the Hidden Gate purchases martial portraits of other top cultivators across the Lingxiao Realm of the Living to engrave upon it. "You need only defeat three people within these portraits to directly become the Divine Hidden One of this sexagenary cycle. All Hidden Ones, including myself, will become your hidden servants, obeying you unconditionally." A stir swept through the crowd. "This is far simpler than trying to comprehend the God of Jiuli's martial intent! You only have to defeat three people rather than chase after a legendary god." Yao Yin immediately asked, "Can I challenge it now?" As a Pure Immortal Physique, she was filled with confidence. Yin Twenty-Four shook her head. "You must be at least a nine-spring cultivator to qualify for the challenge." Yao Yin fell silent. Cultivating to the nine springs realm within a single year was utterly impossible for her. It seemed that, no matter what, she would have to strive to become Yin Twenty-Six. "Doesn't that mean I am the only one present qualified to challenge it? How could I not test the waters on everyone's behalf?" Li Qing stepped forward with absolute confidence, his gaze burning as he fixed his eyes on the rock wall ahead. As if anticipating this, Yin Twenty-Four said calmly, "Press your palm against the wall and channel dharma qi into it. The martial portrait of the first person will naturally manifest to fight you." Li Qing followed her instructions. *Whoosh!* Spiritual light, dharma qi, and scriptures swiftly converged within the red jade cliff face, forming a vivid, lifelike mural. Depicted within was a youth of thirteen or fourteen years, unremarkable in appearance, yet possessing deep eyes wholly mismatched with his age. In his hands, he wielded a massive axe that seemed entirely disproportionate to his slender frame. The boy stepped out from the mural as a semi-translucent glowing entity. "Are you ready?" "Begin!" Li Qing drew his dharma artifact longsword, not daring to underestimate his opponent. All nine springs within him surged, and dharma qi seeping from his pores enveloped his entire body, bringing him to his absolute peak in an instant. *Swish!* He struck first with a thrust, his sword flashing like a shooting star, blindingly fast. *So fast—considerably faster than Xue Zheng.* Li Weiyi watched the duel intently to better gauge Li Qing’s level of strength. He had to admit that a nine-spring Perfected Person was indeed formidable. Stronger even than Xue Zheng, that Pure Immortal Physique. *Clang!* Li Qing’s all-out thrust was effortlessly deflected by a casual swing of the glowing youth's axe. "How is that possible?" Li Qing’s eyes widened in sheer shock, unable to believe his opponent was merely at the nine springs realm. After knocking aside Li Qing’s dharma artifact sword, the glowing youth abruptly hoisted his axe and brought it down in a cleave reminiscent of splitting heaven and earth. Its momentum billowed forth with overbearing, unmatched ferocity. Every spectator was forced backward by the sheer pressure. Li Qing’s expression shifted dramatically, the immense pressure weighing heavily on his mind. Throwing caution to the wind, he immediately mobilized the dharma qi within his ancestral field to unleash his strongest sword strike at the level of Heavenly Dao Dharma Convergence. A single sword slashed forth! The Fengfu was a small qi sea, which was why those who opened eight springs were called Lesser Wuhai. The ancestral field, however, possessed a qi sea whose scale rivaled the first qi sea of many Wuhai Realm cultivators. Li Qing’s strike concentrated a colossal volume of dharma qi from his ancestral field. It was his true trump card, capable of butchering seven-spring and eight-spring cultivators like cattle. *The dharma qi in the ancestral field is that dense?* Without relying on his potent dharma artifacts, Li Weiyi estimated that with his current seven springs cultivation, his chances of victory against Li Qing were no more than fifty percent. It was terrifyingly powerful. Being merely two minor realms lower, he would still struggle to win. Of course, the most crucial reason was that the Fengfu and the ancestral field could store dharma qi just like qi seas, granting Li Qing an absurdly devastating burst of power. Li Weiyi currently possessed no such means to unleash an all-out, maximal strike. *Boom!* All the dharma qi and sword qi unleashed by Li Qing were shattered by the glowing youth's single axe stroke. Axe and sword collided. Li Qing felt as though a fist had hammered into his chest. His face went stark white, and he stumbled backward repeatedly, blood dripping from the torn webbing of his thumb. The sword in his hand had long since flown from his grasp. The glowing youth pressed his advantage, unleashing a second axe strike. "Surrender at once!" Yin Twenty-Four called out. As if granted a reprieve from execution, Li Qing shouted, "I surrender!" The massive, razor-sharp axe came to a halt right above his head. The spiritual light radiating from the axe blade clearly illuminated the fine beads of sweat dotting his forehead. *Whoosh!* The giant axe vanished. The glowing youth dissipated like smoke. Trembling all over, Li Qing let out a long breath, unable to regain the color in his pale face for a long time. "Who was he? A Pure Immortal Physique?" Li Qing refused to believe a mutant nine-spring cultivator could possess such combat strength—let alone a mortal. Yin Twenty-Four said, "He is Yin Nine! At eight years old, he entered the Hidden Gate after opening four springs. At eleven, he opened eight springs. After two more years of bitter cultivation, he opened nine springs at the age of thirteen. What you encountered was him at thirteen years old. "He is not a Pure Immortal Physique. He is merely a mortal." All of Li Qing’s confidence and pride were thoroughly crushed. He smiled bitterly. "To think I lost to a thirteen-year-old child!" "Among nine-spring mortals, you are already very strong. Enduring an axe strike from Yin Nine with only minor injuries is no small feat," Yin Twenty-Four said. "Yin Nine represents the foremost nine-spring combat strength among all Hidden Ones in this sexagenary cycle." The young men and women present, whose morale had been battered, immediately breathed a sigh of relief, feeling somewhat better. Several eight- and nine-year-old children suddenly gained renewed confidence. If Yin Nine could emerge as that year’s ultimate victor, so could they. The younger one was when entering the Hidden Gate to cultivate, the more benefits one would clearly reap, and the stronger one would become in the future. Li Weiyi asked, "We must challenge three people to directly become a Divine Hidden One. Aside from Yin Nine, who ranks first among nine-spring Hidden Ones, who are the other two?" Yin Twenty-Four answered, "The second is a nine-spring Pure Immortal Physique with all veins silver. "The third is the Lingxiao First Chief at the nine springs realm. "Aside from this path, there is one other, but it has nothing to do with you. Only Hidden Ones of the Wuhai Realm may compete for it." Upon hearing this, everyone present instantly gave up on the idea of directly claiming the title of Divine Hidden One. For a mortal or a mutant to defeat a Pure Immortal Physique within the same realm was nothing short of a pipedream. Even so, as a Pure Immortal Physique, Yao Yin still had a chance. Yet to defeat the Lingxiao First Chief at the nine springs realm… Were the Divine Hidden Ones of the Jiuli Hidden Gate meant to aim for the pinnacle under heaven? The Lingxiao First Chief was no mere Jiuli First Chief, Lizhou First Chief, or Southern Realm First Chief; it represented the undisputed number one among all martial cultivators under sixty years old in the entire world. Yao Yin asked, "Does 'all veins silver' mean having more than one hundred trace veins in one's body, and all of them tempered to the silver rank or higher?" Yin Twenty-Four said, "Precisely." "That requirement is the standard for Inheritors of ten-million estates!" Yao Yin remarked. Yin Twenty-Four said with pride, "The Jiuli Clan is the only ten-million ancient clan in the Lingxiao Realm of the Living. Even if it has declined on the outside, the Hidden Gate must demand that the Divine Hidden Ones it grooms meet the standards of a ten-million ancient clan. "A Divine Hidden One should be stronger than an Inheritor!" The colors of trace veins within a martial artist’s body were ranked, from lowest to highest, as white, red, silver, and gold. For nearly all martial cultivators, the baseline trace veins were white. Reaching the seven springs realm was a watershed. Some chose to break through immediately into the Wuhai Realm, pursuing higher cultivation realms. Others chose to pause, tempering and solidifying their foundations. The more red trace veins one tempered, the greater the chance of breaking through to the eighth spring, the Fengfu. To break through to the ninth spring ancestral field, one needed to temper as many silver trace veins as possible. Li Qing smiled. "I understand now! I see the gap between myself and Yin Nine! I tempered twenty-seven silver trace veins to break through the ninth spring, and even now, the number of silver trace veins in my body is only forty-six. I must temper all ninety trace veins in my body into silver before I stand a chance of competing with him." Li Weiyi was also calculating silently. *The number of trace veins in my body is eighty-four. It seems I didn't need to temper them at all—they were naturally silver trace veins from the start. No wonder it’s hard for me to defeat Li Qing right now. He has more trace veins than I do, and over half of them are silver.* Li Weiyi surmised that his ability to cross realms and defeat other martial cultivators was bound to be tied to the grade and quantity of trace veins within his body. Yao Yin gave a bitter smile. "A Pure Immortal Physique is indeed blessed by heaven, a one-in-ten-thousand genius of cultivation. But only a Pure Immortal Physique with all veins silver is a true Pure Immortal Physique." "You could put it that way," Yin Twenty-Four said. "Aside from physique and trace veins, combat strength in the same realm is influenced by stances, techniques, physical resilience, breathing methods, dharma force application, telekinetic reinforcement, dharma artifacts, and more. All of these can make you stronger. So do not be disheartened by differences in innate talent and physique; a Pure Immortal Physique is not invincible. "Li Qing, if you had cultivated a movement technique at the level of Heavenly Dao Dharma Convergence, you definitely could have dodged Yin Nine’s second axe strike. As long as you cultivate enough moves of Heavenly Dao Dharma Convergence, your combat strength in the same realm will naturally be greater." Having finished speaking, Yin Twenty-Four led the group toward their living quarters. "You are not yet Hidden Ones and cannot enter the Hidden Gate proper. You may only reside in the cave dwellings carved along the river valley. "Those who have opened four springs will stay on the first tier. Those who have opened five springs will stay on the second tier. Those who have opened six springs will stay on the third tier. "The first month is a grace period. Anyone who dares slaughter a fellow cultivator of the same batch will be executed without mercy!"