Near at Hand
The Old Ma rode on the clouds and galloped away.
Li Qi was still somewhat bewildered.
He expected a fierce battle, so he revealed his resources in an attempt to deter his opponent.
Who knew that the reputation of Wushen Mountain was so terrifying that it scared the other party so much that they wet themselves.
"This thing... is a double-edged sword," Li Qi sighed.
Shen Shuibi recognized the other party's background; the other party was also a practitioner of Shaman Path and was known as a "Ghost Shaman".
The sorcerer is associated with ghosts, therefore the sorcerer is called Ghost Shaman.
This means that when Shamanic Master and a demon form a gang, such a sorcerer is called Ghost Shaman.
Ghost Shaman are not orthodox Shaman. In fact, in Li Qi's understanding, Shaman do not have any means of Blood Sacrifice or controlling ghosts.
Therefore, he was certain that the other party was not a legitimate Shaman, so he quoted a passage from the "Zhu" about Ghost Shaman to prove his identity and show his backing.
Even if Wushen Mountain might not know of his existence, it's still a big deal... Besides, it's not like he's lying; Young Master Zhu said he would take him as an apprentice.
But the effect was just too good.
This was so good that Li Qi was filled with worry.
Li Qi himself liked to think ten steps ahead before taking a step, and even seemed somewhat indecisive because he thought too much. After this incident, he began to consider how to deal with the title of disciple of Wushen Mountain.
A big tree provides good shade.
But a tall tree catches the wind...
Forget it, we don't have much information yet, so let's keep a low profile for now. We'll consider those things after we actually see Wushen Mountain. Until then, we should avoid revealing our identities if possible.
But... just the title alone is enough to intimidate the county magistrate.
That's terrifying.
However, this also made Li Qi understand the difference between so-called "orthodox Shamanic Priest" and these rural Shamanic Priest.
Shaman can draw upon the power of ghosts and spirits, but only if both parties are willing, rather than through practices like Ghost Shaman that directly control ghosts.
Because ghosts lack the Five Constant Energies and have no intelligence, they can be subdued by Ghost Shaman and used as ghost slaves.
True Shaman would not do such a thing. When they encounter these ghosts, they would mostly drive them away directly and help them return to the cycle of reincarnation.
Once a true Shaman opens the door to controlling ghosts, then the problem will be huge.
A vengeful ghost... can be created by a person.
Injustice? Resentment?
It's so easy to build.
Li Qi didn't believe that the vengeful ghosts in the county magistrate's possession were all innocent victims who had died unjustly.
Judging from his words and actions, and listening to the Jing family's remarks, this person is definitely not a good person in Snake Tail County.
Li Qi also wanted to stand up for justice, but he figured he couldn't win, so he had no choice but to run away.
There's plenty of time in the future, so I should take care of myself first. Li Qi considered himself a reasonably good person, but he wasn't prepared to risk his life to help those in need.
I'll be back in Snake Tail County.
Along the way, Li Qi once again spurred his horse into a wild gallop. This time, he didn't care about other people's eyes and recklessly urged his Old Ma on, riding on clouds and galloping all the way.
It moved extremely fast; most mining teams could only feel a gust of wind and see the Old Ma's exhaust fumes in the pitch-black night.
Occasionally, some powerful mining teams might spot them, but they wouldn't pursue them.
Just kidding, chasing Dragon Steed?
Can a person really outrun a horse to death?
When Dragon Steed is traveling a long distance, it can run 800 li a day and 1,600 li day and night. This is the cruising speed, which refers to the speed without harming the horse.
When it's time to fight or escape, Old Ma's burst speed can easily reach 600-700 li in half Chen, and with a little more effort, he might be even faster.
However, after the burst of speed, not only does it consume physical strength, but it also greatly damages Old Ma, requiring a lot of food to replenish it so that he can avoid losing his essence.
It can't be ordinary food; it has to be some heavenly materials and earthly treasures containing pure energy.
During battle, a one- or two-minute charge is manageable, but traveling often takes one or two Chen, which is exhausting for the horse. After a Chen of travel, it needs to rest for a whole day.
You can't sprint a hundred meters to cover a long distance; you have to jog.
Even so, it's a speed that others can only dream of.
A night later, another city appeared before Li Qi.
"Looking at the map, this should be Qingshan County." Li Qi fiddled with his map, trying to determine the location.
"Miss Shen, how far are we from Lady Luofu?" he asked Shen Shuibi, turning around to look at her.
"Hmm... let me think... there seems to be another one, about ten thousand li away? We're heading in the right direction, so we should be able to see Her Your Highness in half a month at most!"
"Moreover, it seems that Her Your Highness hasn't moved from her position for the past two weeks, so she must have stabilized," Shen Shuibi said happily.
"That's good. We traveled all night last night, so let's rest in Qingshan County for a while and set off again tomorrow. This time, we won't stop and will go straight to Her Your Highness's side!" Li Qi arranged.
Then, he patted Old Ma on the shoulder. "Don't complain about being tired, old brother. This time you're meeting Lady Luofu. If she plucks a single hair from her body, it'll be enough for you to Dragon Transformation."
Shen Shuibi pinched Li Qi and said with dissatisfaction, "Your Highness would never pluck a feather!"
"To put it another way, even if Lady Luofu lets a little bit slip through her fingers, it will be enough for us to enjoy endlessly!" Li Qi laughed heartily, then spurred his horse into the city.
However, although Li Qi laughed and smiled, there was no smile in his eyes.
We're about to meet Lady Luofu.
Is it really a good thing?
Li Qi always felt that meeting such an important person was basically like walking into a dragon's den or a tiger's lair.
Although there are potential profits, the risks are just as high as the returns.
Not to mention, when you venture into a den of dragons and tigers, your life and death are in your own hands, and what you gain depends entirely on how hard you try. It may be dangerous, but your life is ultimately in your own hands.
But when you meet someone important, whether you gain anything or lose your life, it's all in their hands...
Besides, Shen Shuibi would have to leave after they met, right? After all, staying by Lady Luofu's side was her favorite situation, not to mention that she was actually a fifth-rank expert, and it was purely her good luck that she could travel with her.
So far, I have benefited greatly from her guidance. I have not taken any detours in my cultivation. My foundation is solid and my cultivation speed is very fast. All of this is thanks to Shen Shuibi's unreserved guidance.
That won't happen again.
Well... I'm feeling a little unwell.
Regardless, we still have to keep going.
Nothing particularly special happened along the way. Li Qi was no special individual; he encountered unexpected events and various crises whenever he went out. In short, after resting for a night, he continued his journey.
Fifteen days passed in the blink of an eye.
Despite enduring hardships and sleeping outdoors, and even though Li Qi used taking care of Old Ma as an excuse to rest for a considerable period of time, the distance was getting closer and closer.
Finally, on the sixteenth day, Li Qi followed Shen Shuibi's guidance and arrived at a deep mountain.
Li Qi was very wary.
Because it's different from the main roads between the county towns.
This is truly a remote, deep mountain forest.
"It's just ahead! At most twenty miles!" Shen Shuibi exclaimed excitedly.
We're almost there.