Subscribe to the MTL WORLD (@mtlworld1) YouTube Channel.
***********************************
Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 4: [Shuangsheng Dao Sect (Twin Rice Sect)]
Chapter 99 (354): [The Altar, the Gu Curse]
(99th of Volume 4)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
***********************************
The wind had died down, and the waves had stilled, leaving the sea surface calm and peaceful.
Golden Xihe flowers floated eternally on the water, absorbing the light of the Fusang Divine Tree and the Golden Crow year-round, storing abundant fire essence within.
The smaller Xihe flowers, only fist-sized, glowed faintly. Having grown for just a year or two, they contained less fire essence.
The larger ones, over ten meters in diameter, blazed like miniature suns on the water. Their heat could boil the surrounding water, creating a sea of mist.
These had grown for thousands of years.
Even with the constitution of the seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors, they dared to consume only Xihe flowers the size of washbasins.
.....
Tang Wanzhou walked through the golden sea, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
Sometimes she would touch the petals with her fingers, other times she would fly into the massive Xihe to meditate.
Her gaze gradually softened as she sighed, "Li Weiyi, you're guarding an unimaginable treasure trove. No wonder your cultivation speed is so astonishing. How did we get here? A Space Teleportation Formation?"
Seeing her composure, Li Weiyi replied, "If you wish to return to the Lingxiao Realm, we can leave at any time. But Young Lord, you haven't answered my previous question."
Tang Wanzhou shook her head: "I'm not going back! That Blood Mud Land earlier, with its mysterious Blood Qi and spiritual energy, can help me quickly break the Second Immortal Realm Shackle, the Soul Return Shackle."
"And this place can help me break the remaining Immortal Realm Shackles."
"Most people spend a Sixty-Year Cycle just to break one Immortal Realm Shackle, which is already a monumental achievement. But I aim for Great Immortal Realm within a Sixty-Year Cycle, even to transcend."
"What did you ask just now?"
"Right now, my focus is primarily on my inner world, on the Soul and the Spirit. My reactions to the outside world are much slower."
Li Weiyi had some understanding of the Martial-Mystic Dao Immortal Realm.
Each Immortal Realm Shackle breakthrough granted one Sixty-Year Cycle of lifespan.
Why were Great Immortal Realm Cultivators, with lifespans of several centuries, so rare?
Because most Immortal Realm Great Powers spend an entire First-Class Cycle (sixty years) just to break a single Immortal Realm Shackle.
All Immortal Realm Great Powers are constantly pursued by their own lifespan, racing against time. Only by cultivating with utmost dedication can they hope to reach the Other Shore Realm, where Transcendents reside.
For this reason, Immortal Realm Great Powers generally avoid managing worldly affairs, lest they waste their limited energy and lifespan. They delegate authority to Dao Seed Realm Martial-Mystic Cultivators, the "Overlords of the Mortal Realm."
Meanwhile, Dao Seed Realm elders above the Seventh Heaven are also desperately striving to break through to the Immortal Realm.
Consequently, the true power in the mortal realm, including that of the Ancient Myriad Sects, ultimately rests in the hands of Dao Seed Realm experts under sixty years of age.
This is because they possess ample lifespans.
The title "First Commander" emerged naturally.
The First Commander became the public face and strongest representative of each Major Power.
Tang Wanzhou's claim to break through to the Transcendents within a First-Class Cycle (Sixty-Years) was no longer mere arrogance; it was a blatant insult to all the elder Great Powers of the world.
Li Weiyi asked, "Young Lord, you mentioned the Fusang Divine Tree is not simple. So I asked, 'How is it not simple?"
"Whoosh!"
Tang Wanzhou gracefully floated onto the Jade Boat.
The title "Young Lord" grated on her ears, feeling different from her memories.
She stared intently at Li Weiyi: "Is it true that my memories and consciousness from the past year have been compromised? I can sense that you're not a treacherous villain. Your decision to stay earlier speaks volumes about your integrity."
Gazing directly into the eyes of the formidable Young Lord of the Northern Territory, Li Weiyi felt as though he were facing a beautiful and dangerous enemy, preparing for a unique challenge.
The sense of impending doom stemmed from the uncertainty of whether she might suddenly draw her sword again.
The perception of her beauty arose from the false memories in which they seemed to share a bond beyond mere friendship.
In this world, if anyone could capture Tang Wanzhou's heart and embrace the Young Lord of the Northern Territory, it would be an achievement comparable to reaching the Ancient Heavenly Emperor level in the Martial-Mystic Dao.
Beautiful yet dangerous, passionate yet wise.
Li Weiyi couldn't help but smile at the praise from such an opponent.
"The fact that you're asking this question suggests you've recovered significantly. Your rationality can now distinguish between truth and illusion."
Tang Wanzhou replied, "It's only my rationality that can suppress my emotions. Clarity has temporarily subdued the chaos. Amidst the confusion, I glimpsed a corner of the truth within my Sea of Consciousness."
"It was an Altar, suspended in the starry sky, with two identical old men seated upon it. They appeared to be engaged in a battle of Dao and Law, leaving them with no energy to spare for me."
"I cautiously advanced, but before I could get close, a wisp of light mist emanating from the Altar struck me. My consciousness vanished, replaced by chaos."
Li Weiyi was shocked.
He knew this must be the place Tang Wanzhou had reached through the Space Teleportation Formation in the Southern Purity (Nanqing) Palace, where she had stumbled upon a great secret of the Twin Rice Sect.
"Were they the two Rice Ancestors?" Li Weiyi asked, using seawater to conjure the image of the Rice Ancestor statues he had seen.
"I can't recall their faces clearly. Everything is blurred," Tang Wanzhou replied.
Li Weiyi asked, "How do you know they were engaged in a battle of Dao and Law?"
Tang Wanzhou recalled, "Because at the center of the Altar, there was a straw figure of a woman, wrapped in Golden straw. Her palace robes were covered in mysterious blood-red inscriptions, resembling ancient Curse Techniques and Gu techniques. Many corpses lay scattered around the Altar's edge, piled into mountains. They were all fresh corpses, their blood pooling into an endless crimson sea."
The more she described, the more terrifying it became.
If true, Li Weiyi suspected the two Rice Ancestors were using the Altar to cast a Gu curse on the Grand Palace Master of Lingxiao City.
After all, Tang Wanzhou had experienced a similar state after being struck by only a wisp of light mist.
Fu Prefecture itself bordered the Cloud Heaven (Yuntian) Immortal Plain.
Who knows if the Underground Immortal Mansion extends beneath the Cloud Heaven (Yuntian) Immortal Plain?
Of course, it could also be a delusion born from Tang Wanzhou's confused state.
After a long silence, the two fell into thought.
Tang Wanzhou suddenly remembered something and said, "The space beneath the Fusang Divine Tree is highly active and inaccessible."
Li Weiyi continued, "Earlier, you said I underestimated the people of the world. Unless... what were you going to say?"
Tang Wanzhou looked extremely serious.
"The Golden Crow Flame contained within your Spirit Light is indeed incredibly powerful, comparable to the perfected second layer of a Great Technique. Moreover, you can wield it with perfect control."
"A Five-Star Spiritual Master corresponds to a Martial-Mystic Cultivator at the Fifth Heaven of the Dao Seed Realm."
"Let's set aside those with average talent, like Pure Immortal Physique and Nine Springs Supremes, and focus solely on Inheritor-level figures and above."
"Inheritors who reach the Fifth Heaven of the Dao Seed Realm typically take a decade or two to achieve it. Some may take as long as two or three decades. Given that much time, anyone with even a first-rate level of comprehension can almost certainly perfect the second layer of a Great Technique."
"Mastering the first layer of a Great Technique in two or three years is the mark of a prodigy. Achieving it in five or six years is merely average. Taking a decade to do so is considered mediocre."
"Inheritors master the first layer of a Great Technique in the Lower Three Realms. They master the second layer in the Middle Three Realms, and the third layer in the Upper Three Realms. That's considered normal progress!"
"Moreover, Inheritors never lack top-tier spiritual artifacts. They are the talents carefully cultivated by the Major Powers."
"What advantages do you have against them?"
"Therefore, your current Psychic Power combat strength should aim to defeat Inheritors at the Fifth Heaven of the Dao Seed Realm. Even among Inheritors, there are tiers. You should have noticed this during the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival. At least three distinct levels can be identified."
Li Weiyi wore a half-smile, finally understanding that this Young Lord's standards were terrifyingly high. He didn't even bother mentioning Inferior Root Dao Seed Realm cultivators, and Pure Immortal Physiques and Nine Springs Supremes were dismissed as trash. Only Inheritors even remotely caught his eye.
Li Weiyi, of course, refused to accept this: "How about a duel?"
Tang Wanzhou turned his head slightly and glanced at him.
Facing an Immortal Realm Great Power, Li Weiyi held nothing back, seizing this opportunity to test the limits of his Psychic Power in actual combat.
"Swish!"
He summoned the Myriad Manifestations Staff-Spear from his Wind Mansion.
A crimson-gold light flared from Li Weiyi's brow as Golden Crow Flames erupted wildly.
Star-track patterns swirled around his body, and the spear thrust forward like a dragon.
"Boom!"
Empowered by the Myriad Manifestations Staff-Spear, the Golden Crow Flame's powers surged even further.
Blinding light erupted, and the air exploded.
Tang Wanzhou deflected the attack with his Protective Spiritual Qi, remaining completely unfazed.
Even the Jade Boat beneath his feet remained perfectly stable.
"This is an excellent psychic staff! With it, even against Inheritors of the Fifth Heaven wielding top-tier spiritual artifacts, you wouldn't be at a disadvantage. But against top-tier Inheritors like Tang Wanqiu and Cang Li... it's hard to say!"
"Those two? They're both Dragon Seed Dao cultivators. They've covered the same distance in two years that other Inheritors take over a decade to traverse. Their physical bodies and Dao Techniques likely have obvious shortcomings."
Li Weiyi raised the Myriad Manifestations Staff-Spear above his head.
Instantly, countless starlight rays descended, converging at the spear's tip.
He uttered a single word: "Fight!"
Flames and starlight coalesced around him, forming a two-meter-tall, awe-inspiring suit of armor.
He leaped forward, slashing down with immense force, creating violent ripples in Tang Wanzhou's Protective Spiritual Qi.
The Bright spearhead plunged completely into the barrier.
This was Li Weiyi's most powerful psychic attack yet.
A flicker of surprise crossed Tang Wanzhou's eyes.
Li Weiyi landed back on the Jade Boat, sending ripples spreading across the water: "How was that?"
Tang Wanzhou smiled faintly: "The staff's ability to harness starlight for its own use is even more remarkable than I anticipated. Combined with that Psychic Technique, it truly places you among the top tier at the Sixth Heaven of the Dao Seed Realm. However, to reach the pinnacle or become invincible, your Psychic Power must continue to advance. After all, you've only just broken through to become a Five-Star Spiritual Master."
Flattered by her praise, Li Weiyi sheathed the Myriad Manifestations Staff-Spear and humbly replied, "It's just borrowed power! If this staff were taken from me, I'd instantly revert to my true form."
"Spiritual Masters seeking to overcome higher realms must rely on external forces,"
Tang Wanzhou continued, "Insect Tamers use swarms of insects, Talisman Masters rely on talismans, Formation Masters on formations, and there are also Curse Techniques, Beast Taming, Spirit Summoning, and more."
"The key to a Spiritual Master's invincibility within their own realm lies in accumulating resources and external advantages."
"A Spiritual Master like you, who has cultivated the Golden Crow Flame, is one in a million, an extreme rarity."
"That's what I meant by 'unless' - unless you can prepare a vast supply of talismans, formations, and insect swarms."
"A Spiritual Master's confidence stems from these very foundations."
"With your exceptional talent, if you prepare adequately, you might even be able to challenge the Seventh Heaven of the Dao Seed Realm, not just the Sixth Heaven."
_______________________
END OF CHAPTER
Subscribe to the MTL WORLD (@mtlworld1) YouTube Channel.
*************************************