The Primordial Law

Chapter 607 Showdown
The magical ship belonging to Wenren Tinghai, the newly crowned top scholar of the Demon Kingdom, is a seventh-grade thousand-character artifact. It boasts three grand formations set up by top-tier Holy Spirit Mind Masters, its power self-evident, which multiplies the ship's value several times over.

Even though Wenren Tinghai's ancestor was a living Demon Minister, with his current cultivation level, he is not qualified to be assigned this ship. However, the Demon Kingdom is going to conquer the Ancient Kingdom of Time Ruins, and the Demon Kingdom's Crown Prince faction wants to capture Li Weiyi and find the whereabouts of Yu Yaozi and Chanhai Guanwu. With these two major missions on his hands, he naturally has a powerful weapon.

Wenren Tinghai named this ship "Tinghai Ship," implying that he did not intend to return it and demonstrating his confidence in completing the mission.

The main hall of the Tinghai warship was extremely spacious and ornately decorated, with octagonal palace lanterns lit up and incense burning in the censer.

Wenren Tinghai comes from a wealthy and powerful family and is someone who knows how to enjoy life.

The wine on the table, steaming and fragrant, is a fine brew purchased from a time-honored shop in Xiaoyaojing. It has been aged for six hundred years and, just like its name "Drunken Longevity," it can intoxicate even martial artists in the Longevity Realm.

Each pot is priceless.

Wenren Tinghai looked at Zhao Tang and Li Weiyi across from him, who were drinking one cup after another, and his face was very cold. He only regretted that he had not poisoned the wine in advance. These people from Shaoyang Division had no idea what politeness was.

"This wine is definitely not cheap, yet it can quickly restore one's magical energy," Li Weiyi exclaimed repeatedly.

Zhao Tang, wearing a scholar's cap, with delicate features and a scholarly air, smiled as he held his cup: "This wine is brewed from the rare fruit of an ancient tree that has stood for ten thousand years. It is also aged in spirit crystals in the wine vat, making it rich in magical energy and inexhaustible in essence. Each pot is extremely expensive. Moreover, it is not something that ordinary people can buy. We have all benefited from the honor of being the third-ranked scholar."

He then downed another glass, becoming completely absorbed in it.

Qing Zijin was taken to the next cabin by Nangong and Yan Zhiruo to recuperate from her injuries.

Tang Wanzhou sat opposite Wenren Tinghai, her sword resting on the table. Through the half-open window beside her, the vast and bright moonlight shone. The moonlight illuminated her face, giving her already fair and jade-like complexion an even more luminous glow.

Wenren Tinghai pondered for a long time before letting out a wicked smile: "If it's just the army of the dead from the Seven Grievances Plain and the Ancient Ye City, what is there for my Demon Kingdom to fear? No matter how many come, we'll bury them all."

"Moreover, the Demon Kingdom must be their ultimate goal."

"The Sentinel Army is the number one enemy of the departed spirits. The true disciple of Inamiya has a deep grudge against Chu Yutian. The Western demon race and the Seven Grievances Plain often wage war against each other."

"The wisest choice is to wait until you are both severely weakened before our Demon Kingdom comes out to clean up the mess, collect the treasures you left behind, and also collect the treasures from the remnants of the undead army."

"If you want the Demon Kingdom to join you in attacking the past, to pay a heavy price, to suffer a crushing defeat... that's fine too. After all, when facing the Netherworld of the Dead, all living beings should unite and share a common hatred for the enemy, and not be too concerned about personal gains and losses."

Wenren Tinghai's lips curled up, his charming phoenix eyes fixed on Tang Wanzhou at close range. After a long while, he said again, "But there's a condition: leave Li Weiyi to me."

"As long as we capture Li Weiyi and send him to Xiaoyaojing, or let me search his soul to find out the secret of Yu Yaozi, the Demon Kingdom will pay any price."

"Seijuro, you have two choices, which one do you choose?"

Li Weiyi and Zhao Tang immediately lost their appetite for drinking.

Zhao Tang snorted, "I didn't expect the esteemed third-place scholar of the Demon Kingdom to be so short-sighted. He's so unable to distinguish right from wrong when it comes to matters of principle. What's the point of talking to him? Saint, let's go directly to Gu Zhenxiang!"

Wenren Tinghai leaned back against the chair, gesturing for the guests to leave: "Please, everyone! Hmm... you still have one option: escape quickly, you might still make it. But Li Weiyi, the Demon Kingdom will definitely capture him."

Zhao Tang slammed his hand on the table: "Without any old grudges or personal feuds, to openly plot against the Sentinel Spirit Army, what consequences will the Third Scholar know?"

"Did I? I was just saying, don't take it seriously. Even if I do make a move, I will definitely hide my identity and won't leave you any evidence." Wenren Tinghai put his hand to his mouth and whispered, his unbridled arrogance easily igniting his opponent's anger.

He likes to provoke his opponents first.

Creating anger is the simplest, most direct, and most effective way to weaken your opponent.

Tang Wanzhou stood up, his eyes sharp: "I originally intended to prioritize the greater good and temporarily set aside the grudges at the bottom of the East China Sea, but you have angered me!"

"So what? Even if you have enough Dragon Soul Source Light, you'll have to wait at least two or three years to reach the peak of the third realm. I don't think Chu Yutian will let you live that long. Once the news of you breaking the third Longevity Lock gets out, bloodshed will surely follow."

Wenren Tinghai's cultivation has advanced from the early stage of the third realm to the peak of the third realm. He did sense a dangerous aura from Tang Wanzhou, but that was all.

He didn't believe that Tang Wanzhou had the potential to defeat him across two minor realms.

Wenren Tinghai deliberately laid out the conditions in order to sow discord between Tang Wanzhou and Li Weiyi.

In Wenren Tinghai's view, Tang Wanzhou might refuse now. However, if Shaoyang Division were to fall into a deadly situation and she herself were in dire straits, she might very well use Li Weiyi as a bargaining chip to make a deal with the Demon Kingdom.

As long as the two of them develop a rift and become suspicious of each other, Wenren Tinghai will have an opportunity to take advantage of the situation.

Unbeknownst to him, Li Weiyi had already reached a level of combat strength that even a disciple of the emperor would take seriously.

The Shaoyang Division members disembarked and boarded the jade boat.

Wenren Tinghai stood on the side of the giant ship and reminded them from afar, "I forgot to tell you, Gu Zhen has entered Chunze. Now, the power of the Demon Kingdom in the Ancient Kingdom of the Year Ruins is under my control. Saint, I await your good news."

Yu Qi, the top expert under 100 years old in the Demon Kingdom's Imperial Guard, is a member of the royal family. He stared at the departing jade boat and said in a deep voice, "Why didn't you make a move on the boat just now? With the formation on the boat, even if you couldn't completely suppress them, you could at least have captured Li Weiyi and that mysterious woman from the Ancient Clan of Time."

Nangong's identity as a member of the Ancient Clan of Time is a secret to most people, but the higher-ups of the Demon Kingdom are fully aware of it.

Yu Qi was one of the three people in charge of managing the ancient kingdom of the Demon Kingdom, so he was naturally very interested in Nangong. He was interested in the secrets she held, and also in her as a person, because he knew she was the most beautiful woman in the Holy Temple Realm.

"Because they are members of the Sentinel Army, killing Sentinel Army members is a serious crime."

Wenren Tinghai returned to the main hall with his hands behind his back. What he truly feared was the potential power bestowed by Yu Yaozi that Li Weiyi might possess. Even if he were to attack, it would be a sneak attack—a surprise strike to take her down in one blow.

Alternatively, let the Taiyin Sect fill the gaps first.

Having suffered a crushing defeat, how could the Taiyin Sect not try to regain its former glory?
……

Time has taken over a quarter of the view ahead, and its spherical shape is now clearly visible. The mountains before it appear as low as black mounds of earth.

“It was Mo Duanfeng who saved us; he’s still alive,” Li Weiyi said.

The people present all showed joy.

"That's great, but why doesn't he join us?" Yan Zhiruo carried her pipa on her back, her severed hand now reattached.

Tang Wanzhou stood on the bow of the ship, deep in thought and wary of all sides: "He was confident that he could outmaneuver the Taiyin Sect, but he didn't expect to be severely injured by Chu Yutian, and even his knife and whistle were taken away. How can someone as concerned about his reputation face us? If I were him, I would also hide."

But Shirakawa is dead!

Li Wei then recounted the story of Jingzhen's soul-devouring and possession, and also mentioned Lu Qing, who was hanging outside the Brahma Leaf Valley.

Everyone was silent.

Zhao Tang said, "No matter what, in the battle of Fanye Valley, if Bai Chuan hadn't held back the enemy's top fighters, we might not have been able to break through. We must avenge this, and Jing Zhen must be killed."

Li Weiyi suddenly looked at Nangong: "Nangong, if you don't tell us the truth, I suggest we immediately give up cultivating in the Ancient Kingdom of Time Ruins and leave as soon as possible."

“Cultivating in the Netherworld can indeed allow us to catch up with those martial artists who are older than us. However, each weak cycle lasts only about a year, so even if we cultivate entirely in the Netherworld, it will only take ten years.”

"Compared to the dangers we will face next, I think giving up might be a wiser choice."

None of the people present were fools; they had already realized that Nangong was hiding something.

However, Li Weiyi's attack at this time still surprised and intrigued them.

what is the reason?
Nangong stood at the stern of the ship, wearing a white mask, her black hair swaying in the wind, meeting everyone's gaze, before turning to Li Weiyi: "You've pushed me to the edge of a cliff!"

Li Weiyi spoke about it in front of everyone at Shaoyang Division, rather than in a private discussion, because he wanted to get a clear answer immediately so he could make a definite decision.

He felt a strong sense of crisis and knew he couldn't afford to delay any longer.

Tang Wanzhou didn't quite understand their conversation, but knowing there must be something going on, he asked, "What exactly happened?"

Li Weiyi said, "It is said that the Ancient Clan of Time has long mastered the method of avoiding the curse and freely entering and leaving the Zone of Withered Flourishing. The army of the dead came in most likely to verify this matter."

"what?"

Even Tang Wanzhou, Zhao Tang, and Yan Zhiruo, who are all calm and composed people, were shocked.

Judging from Nangong's expression, they knew that this was likely true.

"No wonder, no wonder the Demon Kingdom has been migrating its residents to the Ancient Kingdom of Time Ruins on a large scale. They must be suspicious as well." Zhao Tang suddenly realized.

Li Weiyi said, "It's not just the Demon Kingdom; the experts from Ina Palace are also searching for answers on the border. Nangong, what do you say?"

Nangong neither confirmed nor denied, her tone gentle: "I cannot answer you, because I cannot make a decision."

She then bowed deeply and said, "Please keep this a secret and do not divulge even a single word of it."

Everyone present understood that her silence was an affirmative answer.

Seeing Nangong's caution and humility, Li Weiyi felt a pang of guilt and secretly wondered if he had made a mistake by pressuring her like this. After all, she carried the lives of countless clansmen on her shoulders.

The jade boat, over thirty meters long, sped swiftly, cutting through the wind and waves.

Li Weiyi arrived at the bow of the ship and stood side by side with Tang Wanzhou.

He released a burst of spiritual light, isolating himself from the outside world. He asked, "Did I do something wrong?"

Tang Wanzhou smiled and said, "You just raised a question that many people already know about. How she responds and answers is her business. She chose to believe us, so she gave an affirmative answer. If Chu Yutian had asked her, do you think she would have responded the same way?"

"She trusts us, so she doesn't want to lie to us?" Li Weiyi said.

Tang Wanzhou said, "More than that! I think she needs something from us, but she just hasn't said it yet."

"If she asks, will you help her?" Li Weiyi asked.

Tang Wanzhou pondered for a long time before suddenly saying, "Why don't we discuss whether or not to withdraw? I don't want to withdraw! Just as Wenren Tinghai said, the armies of the Seven Grievances Plain and the Ancient Ye City are not so terrifying as to be insurmountable. On the contrary, this is a battle in which we living beings have never had the advantage before, and we probably won't encounter a second one like it in the future."

(End of this chapter)