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Novel: [The Primordial Law]
Volume 5: [Seeking Immortality in the Eastern Sea]
Volume 5 (Pinyin): [Dong Hai xun xian]
Chapter 31 (468): [Innate Dao Spirit]
(31st of Volume 5)
Translator: Shadow Knight AK
Editor: Shadow Knight AK
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Though the East Sea was an inland sea, it was vast and mysterious, stretching over ninety thousand li from south to north, earning it the title "Ten Thousand Li Lake."
Through the thirty-six major rivers that flowed into it, the East Sea exerted its influence over the surrounding lands.
For example, the Huang River system, one of the thirty-six River Demon factions, looked to the East Sea Demon Clan for leadership.
This immense demonic power, combined with the sea's abundant resources and endless treasures, made the East Sea a realm of unparalleled wealth.
Ten thousand years ago, during Yu Jia's reign, the East Sea reached the zenith of its glory.
In southern Yingzhou, it commanded both Human and Demon Clans, as well as Dead Spirits, none daring to defy its authority.
Ironically, three thousand years after the Zen Hai Guanwu slew the Flying Dragon, the East Sea had never again produced a Demon Emperor or Monster Empress.
Internal strife among its hundred clans had extinguished its former glory.
Only in recent centuries, with the emergence of powerful figures from both the Water Mother (Jellyfish) Clan and the Jiao (Flood) Dragon Clan - whose strength far surpassed ordinary Transcendent beings - did the internal chaos finally end.
These leaders subdued all factions, unifying the northern and southern regions of the sea under their respective banners.
The Jiao (Flood) Dragon Clan, a branch of the Dragon Clan, ruled over all Flood Dragon Pythons, Flood Dragons, and aquatic demonic beasts capable of transforming into dragons.
They were considered the foremost noble lineage.
The Flood Dragon Python Clan possessed immense power, each member comparable to a Giant of the Human Clan's Immortal Realm.
With such overwhelming strength, they crushed all opposition and established their dominance through sheer force.
The formidable Flood Dragon Python encountered by Li Weiyi and An Xianjing aboard the ship was a prime example of their power.
The Water Mother Clan, on the other hand, adopted a different approach. Lacking the Flood Dragon Clan's raw power, they forged alliances with various aquatic tribes and actively recruited River Demons from the land.
Over half of the thirty-six River Demon factions had sworn allegiance to their banner.
The remaining factions were primarily located within the Flood Dragon Clan's sphere of influence, suppressed by their hegemonic rule.
Otherwise, they would have undoubtedly joined the Water Mother Clan, drawn by their more conciliatory methods.
At that moment, on the water's surface a hundred zhang away, illuminated by lantern light, Princess Dengfeng and Prince Mingjiao, who had been locked in mortal combat moments before, now stood on the deck in human form, laughing and chatting amicably, their past animosity completely forgotten.
Princess Dengfeng remained a translucent humanoid silhouette, her white robes fluttering and dark hair swaying, her ethereal beauty as delicate as a painting.
Prince Mingjiao, clad in black armor, stood eight chi tall with a majestic physique. He bore a pair of Flood Dragon ears, his eyes burned like torches, and his every breath stirred the wind and clouds above. His body, forged like divine iron, radiated an unparalleled aura of power.
With just a glance from afar, Li Weiyi could tell that Prince Mingjiao's physical body had been cultivated to at least seventy to eighty percent of the strength of an Immortal Body, possibly even higher.
The Flood Dragon Clan inherently possessed an advantage in physical body cultivation.
Moreover, given his status, he would have access to the finest body refinement resources.
As the most formidable expert below the Immortal Realm, he drew countless gazes of reverence and fear from the shore. Some lesser demons even knelt in worship across the water.
The human Martial-Mystic Cultivators instinctively retreated, quickly distancing themselves.
Standing beside Princess Dengfeng and Prince Mingjiao was a graceful young man, dressed in simple, elegant robes. His refined demeanor and scholarly air were evident, though his face remained obscured by mist.
When he cast a glance toward the Sea Market, an invisible chill instantly permeated the air.
"Sizzle..."
A layer of frost formed on every stall.
Li Weiyi knew the man couldn't possibly have noticed him, yet he felt an eerie sensation of being watched.
Every creature in the Sea Market shared this feeling. Their hearts raced, and some were so frightened they packed up their stalls and fled.
"Such terrifying cultivation... Is that a Immortal Realm demon?" Li Weiyi murmured.
The hippopotamus demon beside him shook his head gently, "If it were the Immortal Realm, Princess Dengfeng and Prince Mingjiao wouldn't be the ones receiving him. Those are Ice Soul Eyes... Ah, if you want information, you'll have to pay."
Li Weiyi's curiosity was piqued by the mention of "Ice Soul."
"What's your pricing?"
"For information below the Immortal Realm, one question costs one hundred thousand Yongquan Coins," the hippopotamus demon replied.
"Goodbye," Li Weiyi said, turning to leave.
The hippopotamus demon grabbed his arm.
"Hold on! For a high-quality customer like you, I'll give you three pieces of information for free. Remember to come to Master Ma next time you need something."
"Master Ma is a man of principle," Li Weiyi said, his expression shifting to admiration, "If you keep doing business like this, you'll surpass Thousand Mile Mountain sooner or later."
Li Weiyi was skilled at changing his expression.
He adopted an impressed look, then asked with a smile, "What are these Ice Soul Eyes?"
"It's one of the White Phoenix's innate Dao Techniques among the Five Phoenixes! Of course, the Red, Azure, and Violet Phoenixes are dead now, leaving only the White and Gold Phoenixes," the hippopotamus demon explained.
Li Weiyi asked, "Does that mean the young man is a descendant of the White Phoenix?"
"Bai Yeqing, son of the White Phoenix, possessed unparalleled Innate Talent. He was born with all his acupoints open, and each month thereafter, he opened one Sea, reaching five Seas by his fifth month. By his first birthday, he had already attained the Dao Seed Realm cultivation, earning the title 'Innate Dao Spirit.'"
Li Weiyi stared in disbelief, astonished that such an extraordinary being could exist.
"What exactly is an Innate Dao Spirit?" he asked.
"The embodiment of the Great Dao's spiritual essence, molded by Heaven and Earth with a supreme foundation. They need not laboriously break through Springs and open Seas themselves. However, it's not entirely the work of Heaven and Earth alone," the Hippopotamus Demon paused.
"Then what else?" Li Weiyi pressed.
"That's your fourth question!" the Hippopotamus Demon declared.
Li Weiyi froze for a moment, secretly gritting his teeth as he suppressed his burning curiosity.
He turned to leave.
"Half price," the Hippopotamus Demon called out, grabbing Li Weiyi's boat.
"Set sail! Set sail!" Li Weiyi urged.
"One-tenth of the price," the Hippopotamus Demon countered.
Li Weiyi hesitated.
Now that he was flush with wealth, ten thousand Yongquan Coins seemed a trivial sum.
"Half price, just to make a friend," the Hippopotamus Demon said.
Li Weiyi reluctantly pulled out five thousand Yongquan Coins, shifting them back and forth several times before painfully handing them over.
If it weren't for Bai Yeqing's "Ice Soul Eyes" reminding him of Yaoyin's "Jade Shattering Ice Soul Physique," he would never have wasted this money.
After receiving the coins, the Hippopotamus Demon beamed, his smile radiating warmth.
"Bai Yeqing's father is White Phoenix. His mother's lineage is even more extraordinary. His innate Dao Spirit potential is partly due to her sacrifices during his gestation."
"You see, for powerful beings, especially mothers, giving birth is like losing a piece of their own flesh - a creation nurtured by their very Blood Qi."
"For example, a child born to a Transcendent mother has a Physical Body forged from Transcendent Blood Qi and a Soul Spirit nourished by Transcendent cultivation. How could a child born to ordinary beings ever compare?"
Li Weiyi nodded thoughtfully: "A fetus infused with Transcendent blood must have an unimaginably strong Physical Body and a terrifyingly robust Soul Spirit."
"Exactly! Being born into the right circumstances is more crucial than any innate talent."
The Hippopotamus Demon abruptly changed the subject: "Of course, childbirth drains a mother's Blood Qi and cultivation power immensely. That's why male Transcendent beings often have numerous offspring, while female Transcendent beings rarely have more than a handful."
The Hippopotamus Demon's gaze locked intently on Li Weiyi.
Li Weiyi knew exactly what it was waiting for.
He was indeed curious about Bai Yeqing's mother, but buying the information would mean falling into the Hippopotamus Demon's carefully laid trap.
"Fifth question," he said, "What's the price?"
The Hippopotamus Demon's eyes lit up.
"Ten percent off! Ten thousand Yongquan Coins."
'As expected, the price keeps rising,' Li Weiyi thought.
He produced ten thousand Yongquan Coins and handed them over, then fixed his gaze on the distant spiritual artifact warships.
"Bai Yeqing's cultivation is extraordinary, and his lineage is so prestigious that Prince Mingjiao himself came to greet him in his true form. Why did Princess Dengfeng send only a humanoid avatar?"
All three were leaders of the younger generation.
The other two had arrived in their true forms, while she sent only an avatar.
Clearly, she didn't consider this matter important enough to warrant her full attention, treating it as a mere formality to show her presence.
"That question will cost you more than ten thousand Yongquan Coins," the Hippopotamus Demon said.
Li Weiyi asked, "In business, what's most important?"
The Hippopotamus Demon slapped his forehead and sighed deeply, realizing he'd dug a pit for someone else only to fall into it himself.
"Fine, I'll admit it. At least there's some profit to be made. The Western Monster Race was invited by the Flood Dragon Clan, and their relationship has been strong since the Yu Jia Era."
"The Flood Dragon Clan is obsessed with excavating the Ancient Immortal Dragon Remains because the Nether Flood Dragon King might use this opportunity to break through his final cultivation realm and transform into the Nether Dragon Demon Emperor."
"This is the outcome the Water Mother Clan fears most!"
"High-level power struggles naturally affect the younger generation."
"Yet, in the younger generation's competition, the Demon Clan must cooperate in three factions to contend with the Rice Palace and Calamity Crossing Temple and secure greater benefits. This is why Princess Dengfeng is so conflicted!"
Li Weiyi suddenly understood, feeling this information was well worth the price.
Without understanding the Demon Clan's internal cooperation and competition, it would be impossible to see the full picture.
More importantly, the Nether Flood Dragon King's cultivation was already nearing that of the Martial-Mystic Dao Heavenly Emperor?
If this information was true, its value would skyrocket!
But whether it was true or false didn't matter - it only cost ten thousand Yongquan Coins anyway.
"Worth it, right? Master Ma's business philosophy is all about win-win," the Hippopotamus Demon said.
He continued, "Interested in the upcoming opportunity with the Ancient Immortal Dragon Remains?"
"What do you mean?" Li Weiyi asked, curious.
"Buy a position!" the Hippopotamus Demon explained, "The closer you are to the front, the more Six-Clawed Immortal Dragon Qi you can absorb, increasing your chances of seizing the opportunity. Plus, it guarantees your safety."
"Your Lingxiao Life Realm and Immortal Realm cultivators are too weak. None of you can stand alone; you'll have to follow behind the Calamity Crossing Temple. What can you possibly absorb then? You might end up with nothing at all."
"Besides, only Martial-Mystic Cultivators from the Zuoqiu Clan's faction can follow the Calamity Crossing Temple. Cultivators from other factions will be relegated to the back."
"After the Flood Dragon Clan brought in the Western Monster Race, the Calamity Crossing Temple has become the weakest player in this three-way game, at least among those below the Immortal Realm. Even they might struggle to reach the front."
Now that the Demon Child had broken through to Immortal Realm, it remained uncertain whether the Calamity Crossing Temple had anyone in the Dao Seed Realm's Ninth Heaven capable of contending with the Rice Palace's two Great True Disciples and the Demon Clan's three leaders.
"You can buy positions?" Li Weiyi asked.
The Hippopotamus Demon lowered his voice: "To be honest, I have two grandnephews, both top-tier powerhouses among the younger generation. They rank within the top ten - no, top five - under Princess Dengfeng's command. Traveling with them guarantees you'll be at the forefront. Spaces are limited, and the highest bidder wins. Just this much!"
He leaned closer to Li Weiyi and secretly held up two fingers.
"Two million Yongquan Coins?" Li Weiyi guessed, aiming high.
The Hippopotamus Demon rolled his eyes: "Twenty million Yongquan Coins! This is a chance to break through to the Immortal Realm! Those old geezers nearing the end of their lifespans would sell their entire fortunes for a spot."
Li Weiyi gasped. Even he was tempted by this business, wishing he could immediately break through to the Ninth Heaven and start selling escort slots himself.
'As expected, killing people doesn't make you money like helping them does.'
'And this is righteous money, earned by saving those in need.'
"Master Ma, how's the Essence Herbs we left with you selling?" the Water Beaver Immortal's voice drifted across the water.
The Hippopotamus Demon pointed to the Water Beaver Immortal and Crown Prince Ba on the distant boat, immediately introducing them.
"See? Those are my two grandnephews - the dragons and phoenixes among demons, Princess Dengfeng's favored red demons."
The boat, leaving ripples in its wake, slowly approached the stall from over sixty meters away.
Water Beaver Immortal and Crown Prince Ba stood at the bow of the ship.
A beaver and a capybara.
"Ah Li, Ba, and Master Ma," Li Weiyi murmured, taking another sharp breath.
This business team looked incredibly reliable; even he couldn't resist the urge to invest.
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END OF CHAPTER
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