Chapter 165: Setting Sail

"This young master is not begging you! You must understand that the interests, honor, and disgrace of our two families are now bound together."

Brother Zuoqiu Ting sat on the rosewood chair at the table, leisurely crossing his legs: "Lizhou is a battlefield that concerns your survival. If not for the deterrence of our clan's ancestor, the Four Extremity Ape King or the Coffin Mountain Taboo might have already descended and slaughtered all the Longevity Realm cultivators of the Jiuli clan. Where would you get the current situation?"

Yin Shi sat on another rosewood chair, her tone not weak in the slightest: "And then? If they join forces, will the next conquest be the Brother Zuoqiu family? Brother Zuoqiu Ting, you must understand, if it weren't for the Jiuli clan pinning down the enemy in Lizhou, what would have arrived in Qiuzhou would not just be the younger generation of enemies, but true armies from all directions."

She continued: "Anyone can see that the imperial court is on the verge of collapse; it is a matter of these one or two years. The world situation has reached its most critical moment. In the seven states of the Northern Region, the Snow Sword Tang Ting has already incorporated and subdued various rebel armies, standing alone. He has gathered experts from the five states under his command, and a million-strong army of cultivators is waiting in full battle array, sharpening their weapons, assembled on the Misty Grassland. They only wait for a single order to march south, water their horses in the Suihe, and unify the North."

"In the seven states of the Eastern Region, the Longmen and the Lei Xiao Sect divide the world between them. The barbarian thieves of the three islands are cowering in the East Sea, but they will surely complete their integration within a year, and then join forces with the Snow Sword Tang Ting under the walls of Lingxiao City."

"In the seven states of the Western Region, the Zhu Men have already taken three states. Only the Quanrong and Querong can still contend with them for a bit, but they are like cicadas in late autumn, unable to call for many more days."

"The world situation is gradually becoming clear. Only in the Southern Region, through the joint efforts of the Brother Zuoqiu family and the Jiuli clan over these ten years, has a situation of stability been maintained in half the region."

"That's right, the Jiuli clan has declined severely, but without the support of the Jiuli clan, if the Brother Zuoqiu family wants to unify the Southern Region, the price paid would surely be a severely damaged foundation, leaving them with no qualification to contend for the world. Why did the Longmen and the Far West Ash Region come at this time, sparing no effort to support the major forces in the Southern Region to create chaos? They want you to lose this qualification!"

"Who doesn't know that your Brother Zuoqiu family intends to use the momentum of the Dueguan at the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival to integrate the entire Southern Region without drawing a sword? Will they let you have your way?"

"So, Young Master Brother Zuoqiu, we need each other; it is not a relationship of master and servant."

Brother Zuoqiu Ting listened quietly and nodded slightly: "Very good. Since the God Hidden person can see the current situation clearly, then this young master will stop wasting words! Behind the Three Chen Palaces and Night City is the Far West Ash Region, and the Sui Sect and Tianyi Sect also have a tendency to defect there."

"Your Jiuli clan and the three major sects are already at odds like fire and water. I want to go to war with them; will you fight? If you are going to fight, then you must go all out. Many people might die."

"Do we have a way out?" Yin Shi asked in return.

Brother Zuoqiu Ting shook his head: "No."

"Since there is no way out, why does Young Master Brother Zuoqiu need to ask such a question?" Yin Shi said.

Brother Zuoqiu Ting clapped three times: "Refreshing! Rest assured, the Brother Zuoqiu family will go all out in this battle, and the Brother Zuoqiu Hidden Gate will also be dispatched. I have already investigated clearly: our greatest enemy, the Young Venerable, is named Luan Sheng Lin You. He is the son of the Great Demon Green Luan from the Far West Ash Region, possessing the pure bloodline of an ancient immortal giant beast. His physical strength alone is enough to tear apart a Dao Seed Realm martial cultivator. His martial Dao is even more brilliant and talented; he cultivates both the Green Luan and Qilin battle method intents. Wherever he passes, all birds and beasts must bow down. He is no different from the young Son of Heaven in the legends of the demon race."

"Under his command are four great experts: Hua Yuzi, Qi Jin, Ming Niansheng, and Cang Jin. Any one of them is comparable to the inheritor of a thousand-sect family."

"In addition, there are the left and right attendants, and followers from major forces in the Southern Region, such as the Night City Young City Lord Yuwen Tuozhen, the Coffin Mountain Four Truths, Chen Wenwu, and other top experts. As for the Heartless Golden Ape, Long Ting, Yang Qingxi, and others, one must also not let their guard down."

Li Youyi drank the second mouthful of Golden Spring, hammering and forging his 140th bone, and a layer of golden light emerged on the surface of his body.

Every bit of strength gained is a bit more.

The discussion ended.

Brother Zuoqiu Ting stood up to take his leave. As he prepared to depart, his gaze fell upon Li Youyi, who was standing by the window. He walked over: "Have you collected a lot of Golden Spring? Send me a pot!"

Li Youyi opened his eyes, his pupils radiating golden mist, and said in surprise: "Did Young Master Brother Zuoqiu misjudge our friendship? Golden Spring is very precious."

Brother Zuoqiu Ting said: "Would this young master take a fancy to something that isn't precious?"

That also made a lot of sense.

Li Youyi thought of the talisman robe from last night that could resist a death tribulation; Brother Zuoqiu Ting had sent it as soon as he said he would, and in terms of generosity, few could truly compare. Thus, he said: "If Young Master Brother Zuoqiu wants to use Golden Spring to forge bones and improve strength, you could consider trading with thousand-year essence medicine. However, I am a person who likes to make friends, so I do have a secret technique I can gift you."

The seven Phoenix-Winged Moth Emperors were too capable of eating. To raise them, massive resources were needed; no amount of thousand-year essence medicine would be enough.

"Oh!"

Brother Zuoqiu Ting was thoughtful and quite moved.

Li Youyi leaned to his ear and whispered: "The 'Bone-Shifting and Spirit-Changing Chapter'!"

Since he knew his Master Lingwei was proficient in this Daoist secret technique that had been lost to the Brother Zuoqiu family, how could Li Youyi not learn it?

This was a truly remarkable great art; once perfected, its effects would be unimaginable.

Brother Zuoqiu Ting was suspicious: "That deceased spirit senior actually passed this secret technique to you too?"

Li Youyi immediately mobilized the magic power in his body, flowing along the trace veins to his whole body, subsequently changing his muscles and bones. His height grew by half an inch, his shoulders narrowed, his facial features adjusted, and his temperament and demeanor all changed.

In just a moment, Li Youyi had changed into a different appearance, looking like a different person from before: "How is it? As long as I don't fight anyone or release magic Qi, I will absolutely not be exposed. If you learn it, don't change into the appearance of Long Ting again; I'm afraid I'll recognize the wrong person in the future."

Brother Zuoqiu Ting's eyes shone with brilliance, and he praised him greatly: "Good, Li Youyi, I have made a friend in you. When this matter is over, this young master will come to find you to practice."

What he wanted to learn was, of course, more than just the "Bone-Shifting and Spirit-Changing Chapter."

He believed that the transcendent being Li Youyi met in the Nether Realm of the Dead must be the one from the Brother Zuoqiu family who had gone missing a thousand years ago.

After Brother Zuoqiu Ting left, Yin Shi's expression was grave, and she whispered: "You were right; the enemy is even more terrifying than I imagined. This is a hard battle where people are destined to die. Li Youyi, you and Yao Yin are the future of the Hidden Gate. You must leave Giant Marsh City immediately and not get involved in this matter."

Li Youyi really wanted to take out the battle method intent of the Jiuli God right now and let them try to fuse it, but time was tight, and it was simply too late.

He said: "Good, I will leave as soon as possible and not drag you down or add trouble. But you guys shouldn't fight too hard either; if you can't win, run. It's not shameful; the key is to survive."

Li Youyi took Zhuang Yue away, claiming he was going to send her to the imperial court's prefectural office in Giant Marsh City.

But in reality, Li Youyi did not do so. For a woman as proud as Zhuang Yue, if everyone in the prefectural office knew she had become what she was now, and she was watched and cared for by countless people, it would actually be a more painful thing than death.

More importantly, the imperial court had long since abandoned Qiuzhou; how much strength could the Giant Marsh City prefectural office have?

Inside a temporarily rented exotic beast carriage.

Zhuang Yue was wrapped in a black night-traveling robe, sitting on the left side of the carriage.

Li Youyi sat on the right side and said softly: "Skin can grow back; just take the petals of the Core Lamp Flower. I already had someone buy them last night. As for your eyes... I have checked; your martial Dao cultivation is very high. You can find the spirit eyes of the demon race to reattach them, and use trace veins and magic power to slowly nourish them."

Zhuang Yue stretched out her hands and grabbed Li Youyi's wrist tightly, as if grabbing a straw for survival: "Li Youyi, you don't need to worry about me. Save my young lady. That Qi adult definitely wants to change into my appearance to deceive her... You must go and tell the young lady quickly. If she falls for it, I will be guilty of ten thousand deaths... I beg you, I beg you..."

"Don't worry about her for now. Even if she dies, what does it have to do with you? Is it your fault? People must learn to care more about themselves. Do you have a brain?"

Li Youyi scolded, then sighed and took out the Core Lamp Flower stored in an ice jade box.

The flower had nine petals, all crystal clear.

The stamen inside emitted a soft radiance, like a lamp wick.

Li Youyi plucked a petal and fed it to her lips.

Zhuang Yue seemed to be crying, but there were no tears. She trembled as she opened her mouth and chewed it lightly. A faint white light immediately emerged on her body, and the surface of her flesh became slightly hot and itchy.

All nine petals and the stamen were eaten. Zhuang Yue's skin grew back, very tender, but there was still a gap compared to a normal person, and it needed to be nourished with blood Qi and magic power to fully recover.

At least the pain had been greatly reduced.

Li Youyi's tone was warm and soft: "That's right! The person who peeled off your skin and pretended to be you is a Spirit of Ash called Qi Adult, whose cultivation is very terrifying, comparable to the inheritor of a thousand-sect family. Just the two of us going to save people is equivalent to throwing our lives away."

"Go to the Giant Marsh City prefectural office and ask the imperial court's experts and army to take action," Zhuang Yue said.

"Good idea!"

Li Youyi agreed, then took the black metal box that still had Zhuang Yue's blood on it out of the Evil Camel Bell and placed it inside the carriage.

The two got off the carriage, both wrapped in black night-traveling robes with hoods on.

Li Youyi took out ten silver coins and handed them over, instructing the carriage driver: "Send the box on the carriage to the prefectural office. If they ask, say the person who told you to do this has already gotten off at the Beicheng Gate. Go quickly!"

Outside the Beicheng Gate was the bustling sea-going wharf. The water surface was filled with boats of all sizes, and fishermen and porters could be seen everywhere.

Large ships were like pavilions, with layers of sail shadows.

Small boats were mostly fishing boats, with colorful flags fluttering and fishing nets drying.

Giant Marsh City was not only bordering the Soldier Ancestor Marsh but was also the confluence of the Suihe and the Lizhi River. Trade was developed, and it was a hub for water and land transport. The minerals of the Western Region, the rice slaves of the Eastern Region, and the transport of beasts from the South and Coffin Mountain all had to pass through here.

Li Youyi bought a fishing boat over twenty meters long. After sailing two miles out, he stopped on the water, drinking spring water to forge bones while secretly looking toward the city gate.

"Clatter! Clatter!"

At noon, the sea surface was sparkling, and heavy hoofbeats came from the city.

The top expert of the younger generation of the Tianyi Sect, Huo Qiankun, holding a silver spear and riding an exotic beast resembling a tiger, rushed out of the city gate.

The two Five Seas Realm martial cultivators of the Tianyi Sect following behind him immediately dismounted to find people to inquire about news, describing the appearance information of Li Youyi and Zhuang Yue.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 166 =====