Li Qing looked at Li Weiyi, who was strolling toward him along the riverbank, a look of surprise crossing his face.
The combat strength Li Qing had displayed beneath the Telekinesis Stone Wall earlier had failed to intimidate the boy; in fact, Li Weiyi had taken the initiative to seek him out. More importantly, Li Weiyi exuded an air of casual nonchalance.
Where did he get such confidence?
On guard, Li Qing smiled and said, "Very well. Let me finish my business here first. An eight-spring Pure Immortal Physique is not to be underestimated, after all."
Li Weiyi stopped two zhang away. "I suggest we talk first."
"So you truly came to play the hero saving the maiden! Li Weiyi, the beauty of a woman with a Pure Immortal Physique certainly inspires pity and affection, but this is the Hidden Gate. If she lives, you and I die."
A sly glint flickered in Li Qing's eyes, and he smiled deliberately. "Since you have such tender feelings for the fairer sex, how about this? I'll let you into the cave for one shichen. Once the hour is up, she must die. After that, we can chat at our leisure."
He was adept at exploiting human weakness.
As long as Li Weiyi took the bait, Li Qing would naturally follow him inside and seize the opportunity to finish both of them off together.
Li Weiyi shook his head. "You underestimate me, and you'd best put away your petty cleverness. A month has already passed. Have you found a way out?"
Li Qing replied, "How could it be that easy? From when we entered the subterranean river to arriving here, we traveled for several days, passing countless fork roads. To return to the surface, there is only one way: become a Hidden One. And to become a Hidden One, one must..."
*Swish!*
The dharma artifact longsword in his hand suddenly burst with blinding radiance, lunging like lightning straight toward Li Weiyi's heart.
His dharma qi was intensely concentrated, a foot-long, brilliant, sharp ray spitting from the sword tip.
"...kill every last competitor!"
Li Qing did not underestimate Li Weiyi in the slightest, mobilizing the full power of his nine springs.
Both he and Li Weiyi knew each other's secrets, so he had to silence his opponent forever before the people of the Hidden Gate arrived. As for the rule that higher cultivation realms were forbidden from killing lower realms, he had already thought of an explanation for the Hidden Gate.
The Six Desires Rune.
All he needed to do was tell the Hidden Gate that he had discovered a Six Desires Rune implanted in Li Weiyi, marking him as an undercover agent dispatched by another force. Once dead men could tell no tales, the matter would naturally pass.
Li Weiyi stood in place with one hand behind his back, making no move to draw his sword.
Raising his right arm, the eight springs within his body surged in unison. Dharmic power flowed along his silver trace veins, converging into his palm.
The Heaven-Overturning Palm Print formed, warping the very air around his hand.
He struck outward with a palm.
In front of his palm, dharma qi condensed into a three-foot-square illusory image of a divine seal, clashing directly against Li Qing's incoming war sword, completely unconcerned about suffering the same fate as Yao Yin.
*Boom!*
The illusory seal flashed and vanished as forceful palm power rippled outward.
Li Weiyi remained planted where he stood, not budging half a step.
Li Qing, by contrast, stumbled back repeatedly, stomping deep footprints into the ground before finally neutralizing the ferocious, domineering force of the strike.
The hand gripping his sword trembled with unbearable pain, his eyes wide with astonishment. The palm print his opponent had just unleashed was far too extraordinary. How could this possibly be the method of a Yongquan Realm martial cultivator?
Hearing the commotion and realizing the two had already engaged outside, Yao Yin immediately dashed out from the mouth of the tributary cavern, gripping her dharma artifact dagger. Her feet trod upon dharma qi as she skimmed across the water like a dragonfly, her slender form soaring like a celestial maiden. "I'll lend you a hand! If we join forces against him, we might still have a chance!"
Li Qing was too strong, possibly already possessing all silver trace veins. She was certain this fellow who had come to act brave was no match for him.
Yet to Yao Yin's utter disbelief, despite possessing powerful dharmic power and being fully capable of taking on both of them at once, Li Qing suddenly turned and fled.
"Thinking of leaving?"
Executing the Qingxu Cicada-Chasing Step, Li Weiyi seemed to lose all weight. His feet never touched the earth as he skimmed across blades of grass, turning into a blur of afterimages that instantly blocked Li Qing's path of retreat.
The Yellow Dragon Sword had already been drawn, cleaving forward with a sea-parting strike of peerless dominance.
*Rip!*
A bright yellow blade of sword qi tore through the air, leaving a zhang-long streak of light in its wake.
Knowing full well how terrifying this sword strike was, Li Qing's face drained of color. Daring not hold back in the slightest, he channeled the dharma qi in his Fengfu and unleashed an ultimate sword art at the level of Heavenly Dao Dharma Convergence to defend himself.
*Bang!*
Shattered upon impact, Li Qing was hurled backward through the air, his robes bursting apart.
Li Weiyi pursued without pause, leaping several zhang into midair and thrusting his sword out. Sword shadows burst forth like flowers scattered by celestial maidens.
One sword transforming into a hundred swords!
Li Qing roared, summoning every ounce of desperate fighting spirit as the dharma qi in his ancestral field surged tumultuously through his body. Gripping his sword with both hands, he slashed outward with all his might.
*Thud!*
*Thud!*
His defense failed to hold completely. Li Weiyi's move, the Ruyi Qiankun Sword, left two bloody holes in his flesh, accompanied by the crack of fractured bones.
"You can't be in the Yongquan Realm... You're in the Wuhai Realm..."
Knowing full well he was no match for Li Weiyi, Li Qing screamed these words while fleeing with all his might, hoping to draw the attention of the Hidden Gate.
If he had to die, they would die together.
Li Weiyi was noticeably faster. In merely three breaths, he caught up and brought down a third strike.
A fourth followed immediately after.
Even though Li Qing mobilized the immense reservoir of dharma qi from his ancestral field, defending himself was excruciatingly difficult—far harder than facing Yin Nine. In the end, though the ancestral field resembled a qi sea in storing dharma qi, dharma qi could only undergo a qualitative metamorphosis upon reaching the Wuhai Realm.
Every sword strike Li Weiyi brought down felt like a collapsing mountain, suffocating him entirely.
*Squelch!*
His defense finally collapsed. The fifth strike pierced straight through the forearm of Li Qing's sword-wielding hand.
Li Qing let out a muffled shriek of agony, and his dharma artifact war sword clattered to the ground. Clutching his wound, he stumbled back in disarray, leaving drops of blood scattered across the riverside grass.
*Thud!*
Li Weiyi caught up and landed a solid palm strike squarely on his back, sending him spitting blood. Utterly robbed of his fighting strength and ability to flee, Li Qing tumbled to the ground.
By the time Li Qing tried to scramble back to his feet, the tip of the Yellow Dragon Sword was already pressed against his throat.
"It actually took six moves to defeat you completely. Among nine-spring Perfected Persons, you must be considered fairly strong." Li Weiyi had essentially fought with full strength just now, so he was quite dissatisfied with this result.
Granted, it was one move faster than Yin Nine's silhouette.
However, Yin Nine had merely been a wall mural endowed with combat techniques; its combat awareness and tactical intellect were naturally inferior to the living person.
Furthermore, Li Qing had been entirely focused on escaping just now, his fighting will weakened, his condition far inferior to when he had faced Yin Nine.
In the distance, Yao Yin was utterly stunned, at a loss for where to even put the dagger in her hand.
Seven springs? Eight springs?
Just what realm was he in?
Yao Yin had always known Li Weiyi was strong, but there was no way he should have been stronger than Li Qing. Even a nine-spring Pure Immortal Physique might not possess such combat strength!
"Speak. Which tribe do you hail from?" Li Weiyi asked in an interrogative tone.
The terror in Li Qing's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a sneer. "Whose side are you actually on? If I don't tell you this secret, doesn't that mean I get to live instead?"
"Cleverness backfires."
*Slash!*
With a flick of Li Weiyi's arm, Li Qing's left wrist was severed. "Two choices: die slowly, or die quickly."
Li Qing gritted his teeth and glared, finally realizing how terrifying Li Weiyi truly was. Blood gushed continuously from his severed wrist, and his entire arm was growing colder by the second.
Sensing something, Li Weiyi raised his head to look toward Yin Twenty-Four, who had just arrived.
Beside her, the usually taciturn, black-robed meal-brewing elder stepped upon wisps of spiritual light, covering over a dozen zhang with every stride at astonishing speed before appearing in front of the two.
"Asking like that won't get you answers. You need telekinesis to pry open his mouth."
A spot of light surfaced between the meal-brewing elder's brows as formidable telekinesis erupted. From his Yintang spirit realm, nine thread-like rays of telekinesis shot forth toward the major acupoints of Li Qing's skull.
His telekinesis was exceedingly powerful, the brilliance around his body shining like a scorching little sun.
Li Weiyi hurriedly stepped back, his heart shaken as he eyed the meal-brewing elder warily.
Without a doubt, the Hidden Gate was not as oblivious as it seemed.
Knowing his cover was blown and that death was certain today, Li Qing sought to drag Li Weiyi down with him. "He... he was sent by the Earth Wolf King's Army! Shi Liuyu planted a Six Desires Rune in him... Ahhh!"
*Bang!*
Amid a piercing shriek of agony, Li Qing's forehead burst open.
A burst of scorching spiritual flames erupted from beneath his brow, instantly reducing his entire head to ashes.
His death was unspeakably gruesome.
With a grim gaze, the meal-brewing elder drew back the nine threads of telekinesis, his brows furrowed tightly as he muttered to himself, "As expected, a death spirit fire was implanted in him. The moment telekinesis is used to manipulate his consciousness and make him speak, the spirit fire detonates."
The meal-brewing elder shot a deep, thoroughly displeased glare at Li Weiyi. "You've ruined our grand scheme! Little Twenty-Four, take the corpse and follow me to see Yin Jun."
Yin Twenty-Four picked up Li Qing's headless corpse with one hand and glanced at Li Weiyi, looking somewhat baffled and curious.
Clearly, the combat prowess Li Weiyi had shown had startled her as well, leaving her doubting her own senses.
After all, when boarding the ship, she had personally examined him and confirmed that this fellow was unquestionably at seven springs.
Li Weiyi was even more bewildered and curious. Watching the two walk further and further away, he couldn't help asking, "What about me? Don't I need to come with you?"
There was no reply; neither paid him the slightest attention.
*The Hidden Gate must have known Li Qing was problematic long ago. The reason they didn't touch him was to reel in the big fish behind him. But if they knew Li Qing inside and out, how could they not know I have issues as well?*
*Even if they didn't know before, Li Qing just shouted it aloud. Yet they didn't even bother to investigate me?*
Li Weiyi felt uneasy, contemplating whether he should take out Coffin Master's letter right away.
A faint fragrance drifted over.
Yao Yin appeared beside him, her almond-shaped eyes brimming with complex emotions as she asked in a soft, melodious tone, "Were you really sent by the Earth Wolf King's Army?"
"What you really want to ask is whether I have a Six Desires Rune implanted in me, right?" Li Weiyi said.
Yao Yin did not know much about the Six Desires Rune, but its name alone gave her a rough idea, instantly allowing her to understand Li Weiyi's previous peculiar actions.
After weighing her words carefully, she said, "You must have had no choice. I believe the reason the Hidden Gate didn't punish you is that they know this as well. In truth, as long as your performance is dazzling enough, you will still have a chance to become a Hidden One."
Yao Yin was no fool. She understood perfectly well that Li Weiyi had chased after them at that critical moment precisely to save her.
That was why she spoke these words of comfort.
Regardless of what Li Weiyi's identity was, he had treated her very well.
Li Weiyi gave her an odd look, thinking what Yao Yin said actually made some sense. However, with Coffin Master's letter in hand, he had no need to deliberately prove himself.
He would deliver the letter right now.
***
Only upon passing through the mountain gate did one enter the true Jiuli Hidden Gate.
Outside Yin Jun's cultivation abode stood a seventeen-story stone pagoda built against the cliff face. Within each level of the pagoda blazed a dazzling ball of spiritual flames, bathing the dim subterranean cavern in vibrant colors.
Wearing a mask, Yin Jun inspected Li Qing's headless corpse on the ground and shook his head. "That old fellow was cautious and left no traces behind. The lead is completely severed now! Which of the nine clan leaders could it be?"
The meal-brewing elder asked, "Even Yin Five doesn't know?"
"Yin Five said that clan leader is very close to Mount Coffin and has kept his identity hidden all along. In all likelihood, only Xu Fodu and An Xianjing know who he is."
Yin Jun added, "He was probably subdued by that taboo existence on Mount Coffin; otherwise, how could a figure of clan-leader stature ever defect?"
Shock filled the meal-brewing elder's eyes. "Even an ancient entity like that is entering the board?"
Yin Jun said, "The battle situation for Lingxiao Palace is unfavorable. They are retreating in defeat step by step, gradually losing the prestige that once awed the world. All the monsters and demons across the land who previously dared not act rashly naturally harbor ambitions now. Fortunately, the upheaval in Immortal Burial Town bought us ample time to prepare; otherwise, war engulfing the entirety of Lizhou would have erupted long ago."
The meal-brewing elder said, "This war is destined to be unavoidable, but before it comes, our internal ranks must be purged. Let us pass the news to the Dao Academy and the Divine Temple and have them investigate."
"No, that would startle the snake too easily and might lead to Yin Five's exposure. If they want to probe the state of the Jiuli Hidden Gate, don't they still have another chess piece?"
Yin Jun suddenly asked, "Did that kid truly defeat Li Qing in six moves? Could he have broken through to the Wuhai Realm?"
"That is precisely the strangest part! He clearly hasn't reached the Wuhai Realm, yet his combat prowess already seems comparable to Yin Nine's," the meal-brewing elder replied.
"If he truly is such a remarkable genius, then give him a chance. This game must still be broken through him. Yin Five reported that he did the Jiuli Clan a great service, holds friendly ties with the Cangling Tribe, and is merely a victim swept up by circumstance."
After a moment of contemplation, Yin Jun added, "Since his strength is so great, arrange the second trial for him immediately. At the same time, test what kind of choice he will make. Yin Twenty-Four, I leave this matter to you!"
***
Li Weiyi arrived outside the mountain gate and conveyed his desire to meet Yin Jun to the gatekeeper elder.
"Yin Jun? You think he's someone you can meet just because you wish to? Even for this old man, seeing him is no simple feat," the gatekeeper elder remarked.
"I have an affair of utmost importance. I must trouble the Elder to report it on my behalf."
Li Weiyi dared not let the secret of the Chief's impending return become known throughout the entire Hidden Gate. The more people who knew, the more eyes would be on him, and the easier his various secrets would be exposed.
It was enough for a select few among the Hidden Gate's highest echelon to know.
The meal-brewing elder and Yin Twenty-Four descended the mountain, one following the other.
The meal-brewing elder said, "Little fellow, no need to be so flustered. We know your background like the back of our hand. Whether it's the Six Desires Rune or the Earth Wolf King's Army, none of it matters. What matters is your choice and your talent. Old Twelve, come, play a game of chess with me."
The meal-brewing elder pulled the gatekeeper elder away.
Li Weiyi turned his gaze to the tall, gallant figure of Yin Twenty-Four. "I need to see Yin Jun!"
Yin Twenty-Four said, "Yin Jun has arranged your second trial. As long as you complete it, you will naturally be qualified to see him."
"My matter is extremely important," Li Weiyi said.
Yin Twenty-Four replied, "None of the matters Yin Jun handles are unimportant. Furthermore, whatever you know, the Hidden Gate knows. Whatever you don't know, the Hidden Gate also knows. Understand? In our eyes, you are completely transparent."
Li Weiyi held back his frustration once, then again. "Why is it impossible to talk sense into you? Fine... if you're in no hurry, neither am I. What is the second trial? Isn't it a bit too soon?"
The trials were perilous; no one wanted to participate more than necessary.
The reason Yao Yin had been so impatient to strike against Li Qing was precisely to become a Hidden One as soon as possible and take part in fewer trials.
Yin Twenty-Four said, "Exterminate all high-ranking leaders of the Changlin Gang above seven springs."
Li Weiyi froze.
Yin Twenty-Four looked very satisfied with his current expression. "Now do you believe that we know you inside and out?"
"I assumed all the trials were underground. The Changlin Gang is all the way in Jiuli City," Li Weiyi said.
"Far?"
Yin Twenty-Four smiled faintly. "You have already caught Yin Jun's eye. This is a test specially prepared for you. As long as you pass, Yin Twenty-Six will most likely be yours!"
Chapter 83