Chapter 176: Plan

"If he asks again, just tell him."

On the territory of the Zuoqiu Sect, maintaining a good relationship with its successors brings a hundred benefits and not a single harm.

Moreover, that person is a top-tier expert of the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival.

Li Youyi's heart stirred, and he asked again, "When you and Hidden Nine speak of 'the higher-ups,' do you mean Hidden Two, or the Elders of the Hidden Sect?"

"Why ask about that?" Hidden Ten said.

Li Youyi laughed, "My cultivation base is too low right now, so naturally, I want to advance as quickly as possible. You old Hidden Ones let us young Hidden Ones stay in the Diligence Garden to practice hard, and we are certainly very willing, but you must provide some resources for rapid cultivation, right?"

"The Nine Li Hidden Sect has birthed countless Hidden One experts. Every single one of them left behind some industries and wealth. Over thousands of years, that is absolutely a staggering number. Cultivation resources should be very abundant."

He did not believe that the industries left behind by those ancient Hidden Ones consisted only of this Diligence Garden before his eyes.

Seeing a spot, one knows the whole.

The Coffin Sea Chamber of Commerce, managed by Hidden Two, is likely just the tip of the iceberg among the Hidden Sect's industries.

"For matters of cultivation resources, go directly to Hidden Thirteen. He is responsible for the affairs of the Five Seas Realm!"

Hidden Ten had learned of this fellow's exploits and knew he had "earned" a huge sum in Burial Immortal Town; he was not someone lacking cultivation resources. Contacting the higher-ups was definitely an attempt to open his mouth like a lion.

The Hidden Ones left one after another.

Only three people remained in the courtyard.

Hidden Eleven leaned in and laughed, "Among the Hidden Ones in the Five Seas Realm, only those two can reach the higher-ups. It can't be helped; who told them to be the strongest with the highest natural talent?"

Li Youyi said, "I see your cultivation base is not weak either. Are you already cultivating the Seventh Sea?"

Hidden Eleven nodded, looking at the distant night sky where the Immortal Forest pavilions, bright with lights and appearing like one immortal figure after another, sighed, "Even though we are both cultivating the Seventh Sea, the combat power is worlds apart. Not everyone is like you, able to suppress pure immortal bodies of the same realm while being a mortal."

"Are other mortals and deformed-species really unable to beat pure immortal bodies in the same realm?" Li Youyi asked.

Hidden Eleven looked distressed and nodded again, "In the Gushing Spring Realm, the combat power of pure immortal bodies far exceeds that of mortals and deformed-species, capable of crossing a realm to counter-slay."

"Right, mortals and deformed-species can cultivate the Eighth Spring and Ninth Spring to chase down this gap. But pure immortal bodies find it easier to cultivate the Eighth and Ninth Springs than we do."

"At our current realm, those cultivating the Seventh Sea are all Nine Springs Supremes; no one has fewer spring eyes than anyone else. Crossing realms to counter-slay in the Five Seas Realm is difficult, but even an ordinary Nine Springs pure immortal body has combat power half a realm higher than ours."

Li Youyi said, "In other words, Hidden Ten's combat power is half a realm higher than yours just based on martial Dao?"

"A difference of half a realm is a huge gap in combat power; it is very hard to catch up."

Hidden Eleven added, "If you encounter a pure immortal body with all-silver hundred meridians, basically, the combat power difference is a whole realm! You tell me, how do you fight that?"

"Everyone seems to be cultivating the Seventh Sea and are all Nine Springs Supremes, but only the successors with all-silver hundred meridians stand at the very peak. Only they can be considered truly in the same realm."

Li Youyi thought for a moment, "I have seen the Extinction Truth and the Dao Truth among the Four Truths of Coffin Mountain. The Extinction Truth is a deformed-species, and the Dao Truth is a Nine Springs pure immortal body. The gap in their combat power does not seem too large."

Hidden Eleven said, "The Extinction Truth ranks last among the Four Truths of Coffin Mountain and is certainly no match for the Dao Truth. However, I have fought him; that fellow has some substance. His Golden Tiger combat intent was inherited from a coffin from another realm, which boosted his combat power significantly."

"Powerful combat intent cannot even boost combat power by half a stage? Then asking you to fight Yang Qingxi seems far from enough!" Li Youyi sighed.

He had originally thought that by having Hidden Eleven inherit the combat intent of the Nine Li God and then pulling him in, they could capture Yang Qingxi.

Now it seems he was purely overthinking it!

"Combat intent is a boost to the combat state, not absolute power; the stacking of combat power is limited. It is a profound and mysterious Dao. It can exert extraordinary effects in the Dao Seed Realm, so the growth potential of exotic combat intent is more important."

Hidden Eleven said, "Of course, it also depends on how strong the combat intent is! For example, the White Tiger combat intent inherited by Cang Li allowed him to stand out among the successors. He has never lost a one-on-one fight and sits firmly in the first chair of the Southern Region."

"Then what about the combat intent of the Nine Li God?" Li Youyi suddenly asked.

"Haha! If I could comprehend the combat intent of the Nine Li God, I would be a Divine Hidden One. Never mind crossing half a stage, I wouldn't even be afraid of those successors. Would I be absent from the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival? But do I look like I could?"

Hidden Eleven waved his hand with a laugh, "Since ancient times, only the Cang King could do it. By the way, Yang Qingxi is not simple. She is a Nine Springs pure immortal body. Even I can't beat her, so you must not go and provoke her. However, I suspect that during the Hidden Dragon Lantern Festival, even if Cang Li doesn't make a move, Hidden Nine and Hidden Ten will take action to eliminate her."

"Alright, you all cultivate well. Mortals and deformed-species indeed have a gap with pure immortal bodies in the same realm, but in the struggle of martial Dao, who is always going to fight you in the same realm? As long as your cultivation speed is fast enough, you can crush them with your realm. If one realm isn't enough to crush them, then use two realms."

"In martial Dao cultivation, the first priority is the realm, not the physique."

"Hidden Nine is only the strongest in the same realm! Among the Hidden Ones of our generation, the ones with the fastest cultivation speed and the strongest of the same age are Hidden One and Hidden Five."

"If pure immortal bodies were truly invincible, the Nine Li Hidden Sect might as well just recruit pure immortal bodies!"

Hidden Eleven moved forward with his snake tail, his body twisting and turning, preparing to leave.

Li Youyi called out from behind: "Take some time in a few days to come find me; I have important matters to discuss with you."

Hidden Eleven certainly didn't think he had anything very important, but since he was a future Divine Hidden One, he had to give some face, so he replied, "Fine, wait for my news."

Only Li Youyi and Hidden Thirteen remained in the courtyard.

The two walked outward.

Hidden Thirteen's face was round and soft, with a small mustache on his chin, and his voice was very gentle, "You all are currently at the cultivation base of the First or Second Realm. The only cultivation resources you can use are Qi-Increasing Pills."

"How much Qi can one Qi-Increasing Pill increase?" Li Youyi asked.

Hidden Thirteen said, "About five pills can increase one square of Qi."

Li Youyi was somewhat disappointed.

The Hidden Sect's Qi-Increasing Pills were too far behind the Qi-Raising Pills refined by Chan Hai Guan Wu.

One Qi-Raising Pill could increase one square of Qi.

But Hidden Thirteen's next sentence immediately made his eyes light up, "For all Hidden Ones, before the Fourth Realm of the Five Seas, Qi-Increasing Pills are provided in sufficient quantity. You understand, the Fourth Sea is the Main Sea, and the Main Seas of us Nine Springs Supremes exceed a thousand squares."

"If I take five thousand pills, wouldn't that increase it by a thousand squares?" Li Youyi said.

Hidden Thirteen's expression turned serious, "After you receive the Qi-Increasing Pills, you must not take too many. You cannot take more than two a day, otherwise, you might suffer from pill poison."

"Two pills? Pill poison?" Li Youyi was dumbfounded.

The Hidden Ones waiting outside heard their conversation. Hidden Twenty-Four couldn't help but interject, "In the First Realm of the Five Seas, you can only take one pill every two days. In the Second Realm of the Five Seas, it's one pill a day. Only in the Third Realm can you take two pills a day."

Hidden Thirteen said, "As long as it is a pill, there is pill poison; it cannot be taken in large quantities. Eating five thousand pills to increase Qi will kill you."

Li Youyi didn't believe it at all, only feeling that the Nine Li Hidden Sect's Qi-Increasing Pills were of too low a grade and the pill formula was not perfect enough, which was why there was pill poison.

When Chan Hai Guan Wu gave him the Qi-Raising Pills, she didn't tell him there were restrictions on taking them, or about pill poison.

Hidden Thirteen said proudly, "Only we, such an ancient clan and sect of ten million, possess the Qi-Increasing Pill formula, which can allow disciples to walk faster in the Five Seas Realm. Other forces can only buy them at high prices, greatly increasing the cost of cultivating disciples."

Li Youyi asked curiously, "When we reach the Fourth Realm, how should we rapidly increase magic Qi? It can't be that a sea of Qi of a thousand or ten thousand squares is all accumulated step by step, right? That would take how many years?"

"Of course there are shortcuts. When the time comes, it will naturally be arranged for you." Hidden Thirteen comforted him with a smile, "Rest assured, the Hidden Sect only has us Hidden Ones; no matter how precious the cultivation resources are, we can enjoy them."

Li Youyi said, "Is that so... Give me a thousand-year essence herb; I am in a great hurry to use it!"

Hidden Thirteen's smile stopped, and he almost choked, "A thousand-year essence herb is extremely precious. Even Hidden Ones in the Dao Seed Realm need strict conditions to enjoy it. You have only just reached the Five Seas Realm..."

Li Youyi was overjoyed, "In other words, the Hidden Sect can truly produce thousand-year essence herbs to provide for Hidden Ones to cultivate?"

"It can, but..." Hidden Thirteen said.

Li Youyi said, "You can contact the higher-ups, right? Help me apply for one with ice attributes?"

"No hope."

Hidden Thirteen said, "The Hidden Sect has many industries and abundant foundation resources, but they are also rapidly consumed in the process of cultivating Hidden Ones. Cultivation resources cannot be used recklessly..."

"I will exchange them with spirit soil and magic tools."

Li Youyi had quite a few magic tools on him.

Although most were of very low grade, there were a few hundred of them, enough to arm an army.

"If it is an exchange, it might be worth a try," Hidden Thirteen said.

Yao Yin walked in front to lead the way. Li Youyi arrived at his residence, which was a small building by the lake with a quiet environment and an independent small-scale array arranged.

Lighting a bone lamp, she prepared to leave.

Li Youyi looked at the young girl who seemed to be cast from white jade under the lamplight and asked, "During this period, has the Ice Soul Cold Qi acted up?"

Yao Yin shook her head gently.

In fact, it had acted up once, and she had survived it with extreme difficulty, but she didn't want to say. Because Li Youyi had once promised to help her pick the Supreme Yang Flower, she knew he was just acting on impulse.

The Supreme Yang Flower was a legendary divine flower; how could it be so easy to pick?

That he could impulsively say those words was already rare and commendable.

Li Youyi did not immediately take out the Xihe Flower; he had to wait for Chan Hai Guan Wu to return and have her personally check Yao Yin's physical condition to know if it could be taken.

Li Youyi took out a bottle of Golden Spring and placed it on the railing beside him, "Your talent is very high; those successors cannot compare to you. The road ahead is still very long, so don't be so heavy-hearted. It is impossible that you won't live past eighteen. I will watch over you, watch you grow year by year into a great beauty who tilts the world, even more beautiful than Hidden Ten, and become the number one beauty of our Hidden Ones. If the trace meridians in your body are all silver, take this spring to temper your golden meridians."

After Yao Yin smiled enchantingly, she pursed her lips and asked in a low voice, "How much silver money?"

Li Youyi looked at her hands, which were wearing the silver silk gloves she had asked for from him, "Do I care about those few silver coins of yours? Just give whatever you see fit!"

Yao Yin nodded seriously, "I will go and find out the price of Golden Spring."

"As you wish! By the way, tomorrow morning, come over once. I have a heaven-sent opportunity here; you can try to see if you can get it."

Regarding the combat intent of the Nine Li God, the first person Li Youyi considered was Yao Yin.

Who told Yao Yin to be the most obedient?

Naturally, let her try first.

There is a difference between closeness and distance; if a Divine Hidden One wants to cultivate Hidden Ones, they must first cultivate those who are obedient and loyal.

(End of chapter)