Chapter 55: Heavenly Dao Integration

When the city defense force arrived, the gigantic ape-humanoid, nearly four meters tall, jumped into the river and disappeared. Li Weiyi didn't pursue, worried something might happen to Zhao Zhizhuo at such a critical moment. When he caught up to him, Zhao Zhizhuo was on his way to the Cangli tribe to seek help.

Zhao Zhizhuo angrily said, "The attacker was Yao Zhengsheng, the Silverback Ape, one of Lizhou's Top 100 Warriors from the Seven Springs Hall, a contemporary of mine. Yang Yun and Yang Qingxi must have promised him a Five-Seas Pill for him to dare to kill someone in broad daylight like this. This is utterly lawless! Let's go to the Chief of Armor; they are insulting his dignity, and he won't ignore this." Li Weiyi stopped him. "Do you have any evidence? Who can prove that Yao Zhengsheng was hired by Yang Yun? Even if the Chief of Armor believes our judgment and that Yang Yun hired him, what can he do without evidence? A senior attacking a junior?"

Zhao Zhizhuo quickly calmed down and said, "Since Yang Yun has taken such a brutal step, there must be a follow-up. How about we go to the Young Clan Leader? He is the foremost young person in Jiuli City; if he warns Yang Yun, it won't attract gossip." Li Weiyi also had a sense of pride within him. "It's just Yang Yun, not Yang Qingxi. Besides, the Young Clan Leader might suppress Yang Yun openly, but how can he stop Yang Yun's secret maneuvers behind the scenes? We shouldn't always think of seeking help whenever something happens; ultimately, we have to rely on ourselves in this world. Old Zhao, where is your past heroic spirit? Has it all been worn away over these past ten years?"

Zhao Zhizhuo gave a wry smile. "I'm old now; where is my former vigor? I was knocked to my knees long ago; talking about heroism now would only be a joke. Tell me, what should we do next?""First, meeting that senior to help you break through and reform your spring is the most urgent matter."

Li Weiyi stepped out, something coming to mind, and he said, "Yang Yun owes me a carriage; that's a lot of money! I've noted it down for him!" Zhao Zhizhuo followed him, looking at Li Weiyi's back, secretly admiring the young man's calmness and his enduring vigor. If it had been anyone else, they would either be hiding in the Cangli tribe or have already slunk out of the city by now.

The two walked along the river. Li Weiyi asked as they walked, "Old Zhao, what did you mean earlier by Seven Springs Hall and the Top 100 Warriors?" Zhao Zhizhuo replied, "The Seven Springs Hall is an arena established by the Governor's Mansion, where all Seven-Springs cultivators can go to make a name for themselves."

"You should know that once a Law Cultivator opens their seventh spring and activates their Hundred Insights, they can choose to attempt breaking into the Five-Seas Realm. Once someone breaks into the Five-Seas Realm, they become highly desirable to any faction.""However, eight or nine out of ten fail this hurdle. In the entire Lizhou, countless Seven-Springs cultivators are stuck below the Five-Seas Realm, some even reduced to serving as servants for prominent families."

Li Weiyi recalled the saying from the "Nine Springs Compendium": "With superior talent and twenty years of diligent cultivation, the Seven Springs are within reach." In other words, a cultivator with superior talent could hope to open their Seven Springs in their twenties. Yet, for those powerful clans and sects with millions of members, superior talent is merely the minimum entry requirement for cultivation. Not to mention the vast number of cultivators with average talent. Many of them might take decades to enter the Seven Springs.

Zhao Zhizhuo continued, "The initial purpose of the Governor's Mansion establishing the Seven Springs Hall was to select the strongest Seven-Springs cultivators, who would then be granted Five-Seas Pills by the Lingxiao Palace. This naturally drove Seven-Springs cultivators across the land into a frenzy, as they saw an opportunity to advance to the Five-Seas Realm.""During its most prosperous period, anyone who entered the top hundred of a provincial Seven Springs Hall could receive a Five-Seas Pill. The term 'Top 100 Warriors' emerged then, signifying both honor and the chance to ascend to the Five-Seas Realm."

"Ten years ago... or rather, three years earlier, after the Lingxiao Palace issued the Minor Field Edict, Five-Seas Pills became much harder to obtain!""After the wars broke out and the world collectively rebelled against the Lingxiao Palace, the supply of Five-Seas Pills stopped entirely.""However, the Seven Springs Hall still holds significance. It offers a small sense of accomplishment to those martial cultivators unable to advance to the Five-Seas Realm. Moreover, major powers still select individuals from the Top 100 Warriors, grant them Five-Seas Pills, and recruit them for their own use.""The path to advancement still exists, but it has narrowed. But Five-Seas Pills are incredibly precious; even major powers don't have enough for themselves. What great cost would you have to pay to get one that leaks out?"

Zhao Zhizhuo continued, "These veteran Seven-Springs cultivators, though unable to break through their current realm, can spend decades refining their techniques, almost to a peak level. Those who become Top 100 Warriors are all extraordinary. In the same realm, even young Pure Immortal Bodies might not be their match.""I've heard that some highly ranked individuals among the Top 100 Warriors have even defeated Five-Seas Realm cultivators.""Of course, that wouldn't be at the Seven-Springs cultivation level; eight springs is the most likely. After all, there are some in every province who have opened eight springs but cannot break through to Five-Seas, and Five-Seas Pills are useless for them."

"That Silverback Ape, Yao Zhengsheng, possesses natural divine strength, his physique far larger than other humanoid freaks. Ten years ago, he had already cultivated his Mountain-Splitting Staff technique to the Harmony of Law state, yet he was still ranked only in the lower half of the Top 100 Warriors.""He's already over fifty this year; if he doesn't fight desperately now, he'll completely lose his chance."

Li Weiyi asked, "What exactly is this Harmony of Law state?""Harmony with the Heavenly Dao!"

Zhao Zhizhuo explained, "It means cultivating a technique to the point where it can subtly align with some of the wondrous laws of heaven and earth. Of course, this alignment is only a slight touch. But it's still quite extraordinary, requiring daily practice and decades of arduous cultivation of a single technique. Very few manage to achieve it. Many Five-Seas Realm Law Cultivators don't even reach this stage.""Fortunately, you have a magical artifact; you could use its power to break his Mountain-Splitting Staff technique, otherwise, you would have been in danger today!"

Every time Li Weiyi recalled Yao Zhengsheng's unavoidable staff strike, he felt astonished. It seemed necessary for him to learn more about the Harmony with the Heavenly Dao and strive to cultivate such a technique himself. Earlier, when he cast "Taiyi Opening the Sea" in a moment of crisis, he had a strong sensation. Unfortunately, that sensation couldn't be sustained.

Li Weiyi led Zhao Zhizhuo on a long, winding route, even changing their clothes, and only after ensuring they weren't being followed did he casually find an inn. A senior master might not necessarily reside in a luxurious place. A more ordinary inn might be more suitable. Most importantly... rooms were cheaper.

Still a hundred zhang from the inn, Li Weiyi stopped and said, "Old Zhao, you should be able to tell that while we are outsiders, our identities are not simple." Zhao Zhizhuo had long suspected this; after all, how could ordinary people possess magical artifacts? How could they enable two companions to transform into Pure Immortal Bodies? He even speculated that Li Weiyi and his companions were not from the Lingxiao Mortal Realm, but perhaps from a minor tribe within some exotic secret realm.

Li Weiyi began to tell the story he had already prepared. "That senior is also from our side, but he's had some physical issues and is temporarily recuperating in Jiuli City. I only recently re-established contact with him. Logically, I shouldn't have brought you here, in case word gets out..." Zhao Zhizhuo quickly said, "I understand the rules! I swear by the God of Jiuli, if I utter a single word to anyone outside, may I lose everything I care about in this life, including my life."

"Then I'll go report first. Wait for me here." For safety, Li Weiyi gritted his teeth and spent two hundred silver for a month's long-term room payment. He took the stone coffin out of the Evil Camel Bell, arranged the room properly, and only then went to fetch Zhao Zhizhuo.

"Knock, knock!" Li Weiyi knocked on the door and asked, "Senior, my friend is here. May we come in?" The Senior in the Coffin's voice sounded, "Come in!"

The two pushed the door open and entered. Inside, thick spectral mist shrouded everything, making it utterly dark and impossible to see anything. The Senior in the Coffin had activated his Ghost Banner, clearly not wanting Zhao Zhizhuo to realize he was merely a remnant corpse.

Zhao Zhizhuo was so nervous he didn't know what to do. This moment had finally arrived, but he still felt uncertain, as breaking and reforming a spring was as difficult as ascending to heaven. What if the magical artifact the senior possessed wasn't high enough in grade? What if his spring had been damaged for too long? What if... there were too many "what ifs."

"Junior Zhao, come here!" said the Senior in the Coffin. Li Weiyi's senses were sharp; although he couldn't see, he instantly realized the Senior in the Coffin was sitting on the bed at that moment. His scalp tingled as he imagined a remnant corpse sitting there.

When the Senior in the Coffin helped Zhao Zhizhuo refine his spring liquid and reshape his spring, he didn't use the Evil Camel Bell, but rather his own Nine-Emperors Banner. This further solidified Li Weiyi's suspicions.

The assassination attempt on Shenlong Street reached the clan academy established by the Cangli tribe in Jiuli City just half an hour later. The head of the academy had already returned to Ancestral Mountain due to the Snow Wolf King's teeth incident. Currently, Li Songlin was in charge of the academy.

In the academy, Li Songlin, the Cangli Chief of Armor, heard the news, and all traces of his usual laziness vanished, making him sharp as a drawn sword. "How audacious! How are the people involved?" The messenger recounted the detailed events of the attack. "That Silverback Ape, Yao Zhengsheng, truly has some skills. To withstand his assault, even with the aid of a magical artifact, is still quite impressive," Li Songlin said. The messenger reported, "Witnesses claim that his broken staff's single strike already showed signs of Harmony with the Heavenly Dao."

"That's quite unexpected. How old is he?" Li Songlin became interested and a thought occurred to him, as he also cultivated sword techniques. He asked, "Did those two go to the Cangli clan mansion?" The messenger shook his head. "No, they didn't go to the Young Clan Leader, nor did they go to the Jiuli Dao Academy to find the Fourth Miss. It seems they want to handle it themselves.""They certainly have backbone," Li Songlin smiled, but his expression quickly turned cold again. "I'm not convenient to interfere in matters concerning the younger generation. Go tell Cangli that he is responsible for this matter. If he can't even suppress Yang Qingxi, his title as the Jiuli Clan's foremost successor likely won't be respected, and no one will take him seriously."

"Also, go deliver a message to the Yang clan: if anyone in that residence suffers any mishap within a month, I will sweep through all of the Yang clan's gangs in Jiuli City. At that time, don't blame me for being disrespectful." The messenger asked, "What about after a month?" Li Songlin chuckled. "I wanted that kid to enter the Jiuli Dao Academy; it's definitely much safer inside. But he's been timid, afraid of this and that, indecisive... So, consider this a push. A month is enough time for him to think it through!"