Chapter 99: Soaring Serpent
Chapter 99: Soaring Serpent
After returning, Li Yi lived in seclusion, lying low for quite some time.
He thought that since You Honghu was, after all, one of You Clan’s Heaven’s Pride prodigies, such a prodigy dying violently was bound to cause an unavoidable huge uproar.
Unexpectedly, the entire Dusk Capital, including Dawn Cliff, remained calm and undisturbed, with not a single ripple caused.
Instead, it was Wang Sheng’s disappearance that stirred bigger waves, spawning many rumors and whispers.
Some even swore solemnly that after Wang Sheng’s energy vortex shattered, he joined a deity’s presence, becoming a Divine Attendant, his divine magic now unfathomably profound!
Many rumors were vivid and detailed, claiming someone had seen Wang Sheng traversing the sky, vast radiant angel wings spread behind him.
Naturally, very few believers existed, most dismissed it with disdain.
Troubled by a guilty conscience, Li Yi immersed himself in cultivation, shunning worldly affairs, training harder than ever.
“Huh~~”
His heartbeat was heavy, like that of a Behemoth; his breathing deep and long, like a dragon’s breath.
During this period of seclusion, he stayed hidden, his mind becoming calmer and free from distractions. This dedicated focus brought him unexpected gains.
Through relentless day and night training, burning his candle at both ends repeatedly, Li Yi vaguely sensed something within his body. It was like a dormant volcano – one as fierce and unruly as a young dragon!
— Siren Splits the Tide.
Elemental Tide, surging and ebbing, with the constant sound of the tide.
The surface of his skin rippled and rolled like churning waves. Li Yi seemed to become a mass of flowing water, twisting and bending with flexibility beyond human limits, his movements mysterious and unfathomable.
His cultivation realm still remained at the “Tide Sound” stage.
However, unlike the initial need for total concentration, now, the moment a thought arose, the change occurred. It gradually showed signs of “the way of transformation resides entirely in the mind.”
On the surface, it seemed like no progress, but this was actually laying a solid foundation. Once this foundation stabilized, he could soar effortlessly to great heights.
Therefore, he felt neither arrogant nor impatient.
“Hah!”
Li Yi opened his mouth. A deep, resonant roar erupted from his tongue. In an instant, the Elemental Tide seemed to obey a command, swirling in, rebounding, striking again and again, huge waves crashing against the void.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of dense, violent sounds rang out continuously. Li Yi’s body, washed by the elements, became increasingly supple and stronger.
Before long, the elemental currents dispersed like firework sparks. Li Yi’s body faintly gleamed with flowing light, radiant and brilliant.
Each baptism was a layer of strengthening.
“Huh~~”
After several long breaths, he stopped cultivating. He stretched his body, a look of exhaustion on his face.
In just a short while, he was dripping with sweat. Fortunately, he wore only shorts; otherwise, his whole body would have been soaked.
His gaze drifted into the air. Li Yi stared blankly, pondering something. He seemed both yearning and hesitant.
“Much time has passed. Any possible suspicious trails must be buried in dust by now.”
“Besides, I’m only half-step cultivation level and had no connection with You Honghu whatsoever. No matter how hard they try to connect any dots, they won’t link it to me.”
“Given this, it should be fine…”
Having convinced himself, Li Yi gestured with his hand. His Sumeru Ring flashed, and a yellowish booklet appeared before him.
Myriad Array Collection!
He opened the first page, glanced briefly, paused, then his fingers uncontrollably flipped through the pages in a rustling sound, going straight to the very end.
His breathing grew heavy.
He knew full well that his mastery of arrays was far from sufficient to support constructing a Super Magic Array.
However, that curiosity, the kind that kills the cat, was truly hard to resist.
The Super Magic Array—”Wheel of Six Paths”. Li Yi had witnessed its profound mysteries firsthand. That soul-stirring shock had utterly captivated him.
Moreover, he wasn’t aimless. During this period, a vague outline had already formed in his mind.
He couldn’t handle the entire Wheel of Six Paths, but what about just one piece?
Forming his Magic Vortex was inevitable, eventually. He didn’t need the whole Wheel of Six Paths for that.
Out of the Six Gods, taking one or two would be enough!
Li Yi had a plan brewing. His preferences were for “Vermilion Bird” and “Soaring Serpent”.
The Vermilion Bird symbolized “Fire”. Fire-based spells were fiercely destructive, the strongest in killing power. Furthermore, it complemented “Maple-Shadow Flowing Fire” perfectly.
The Soaring Serpent symbolized “Water”. In truth, apart from countering fire elements and having healing effects, Water-based spells were mediocre in all aspects like attack, defense, buffing, cursing, and divination—quite literally a chicken rib.
However, the Water attribute aligned perfectly with Li Yi’s mana and bloodline.
As a Mage, one doesn’t necessarily need the best option, but must choose the most suitable one.
This was the most fundamental principle for a Mage.
Focusing his Mind, Li Yi read ten lines at a glance, contemplating carefully.
Before long, a bitter smile touched his lips. His plan had, predictably, not anticipated this outcome.
The essence of the Wheel of Six Paths lay in the Six Gods coiling into a ring, forming Samsara.
The power of the Six Gods, mutually generating and mutually constraining, formed a delicate cycle where none could be absent.
Taking any single god out would cause a mana imbalance and the collapse of the entire array.
“Forget it, just give up that thought.” He muttered to himself, shook his head, and continued reading.
…
The moon reached its zenith.
Atop the Star Radiance Tower, within the Nine Elders’ residence, the Astral Fate Chamber.
“Sister, this matter…” A gaunt old man leaning on a bone staff said with an appeasing smile, seemingly about to explain.
“Sister? Such a form of address is quite inappropriate.” A harsh, elderly female voice cut him off sharply. “When I was expelled from the family long ago, I was no longer a part of the You Clan.”
The bright moonlight illuminated an ugly face. The woman was none other than “Stellar Weaver” You Qiushui.
The old man paused, awkward.
He had personally witnessed the clan’s actions and knew them all too well. Back then, when You Qiushui was in dire straits, the clan discarded her like worthless trash. Later, as she climbed within Star Radiance Tower, no one offered help. Now that she held an Elder position, they shamelessly sought her favor whenever convenient. Even he was disgusted by such conduct.
But bound by the clan’s directive, he had no choice but to plead. “Even if you refuse to acknowledge your ancestral home, your blood still carries the You lineage’s Dark Rope… You Honghu was a Heaven’s Pride of the You Clan. His death cannot go unpunished.”
“Him? Heaven’s Pride?” You Qiushui snorted derisively, her face full of contempt. “Which of you esteemed elders doesn’t know he was merely You Kongque’s whetstone… Even You Kongque isn’t a true Heaven’s Pride, just the main course on someone else’s plate!”
“Even if not Heaven’s Pr,” The old man, fearing eavesdroppers, hurriedly stopped her and spoke softly, “You Honghu was, after all, a direct bloodline descendant. There needs to be an explanation!”
“Same terms as before. One Starglow Crystal.” You Qiushui lifted one finger.
“Deal!” The old man hastily paid.
“See for yourself…”
You Qiushui was prepared. With a wave of her hand, the Stellar Liumen Disk on the table shimmered with bewildering starlight, and a watery, mirror-like illusion materialized in the air.
The old man leaned forward, scrutinizing carefully.
The scene showed You Honghu howling in agony, surrounded by Chimei Wangliang (evil spirits) tearing at his flesh. It was gruesome and bloody.
However, there was no trace of another person near him.
The old man stared for a moment, disbelief etched on his face. “You mean he died from qi deviation? That… that’s impossible!” he questioned.
“Impossible? Why impossible?” You Qiushui sneered. “Look at the background. Where is that?”
“Let me see… That’s the Desolate Peaks?” The old man frowned thoughtfully. “Then he went there to…”
“Obviously. What else? The Night Feast.” You Qiushui’s voice was raspy, filled with disgust. “That boy lacked mental strength. Always looking for shortcuts, trying to succeed through trickery. Did he think it would end well?”
The conclusion deeply disappointed the old man. He forced a bitter smile. “Then… I shall take my leave.”
“No need to see me out!”
The old man’s smile turned even bitterer. She certainly wouldn’t.
In the Astral Fate Chamber, You Qiushui sat in silence for a while. She raised a hand, and another watery illusion rose from the air.
Within this swirl, Wang Sheng’s figure took clear form. His plain, unremarkable voice, completely lacking passion, flowed out slowly.
“If she is happy, I am glad. If she suffers, I grieve…”
Perhaps because Li Yi feared implication and kept his distance, his image didn’t appear.
You Qiushui gazed at the resolute figure, lost in thought. After a while, her voice lazy, she murmured softly, “Be it true feelings or pretense, Wang Sheng, just for those words, I’ll spare your life.”
Turning her head, she looked with undisguised revulsion at the shrieking, wailing image of You Honghu.
“Murder demands life in payment. Debts must be repaid. You killed your wife. Dying like this in revenge is only just!”
…
In the Meditation Chamber, Li Yi continued to pore over the booklet, though his expression wasn’t pleasant.
Eyes locked onto the small volume, he licked his lips. After a long pause, he shook his head with a bitter laugh.
“This guy… Seems righteous and loyal, but he’s actually deeply corrupt…”