Sudden Incident

In this simply decorated inn, Li Qi asked with some curiosity:

"Competing for it? What grade of this innate golden energy is it that we need to use the word 'competing for it'?"

He also knew that Green Mountain would indeed occasionally give birth to a divine weapon.

"Innate" means something that is born naturally and has not undergone any changes.

It is said that one's destiny is innate, while one's actions are acquired.

In theory, most things in the world can be called 'innate', since everyone is born this way.

However, there are also innate differences. Just as some people are born smarter or stronger than others, some stones are naturally harder than others.

These people or things are born with special characteristics, which is why they are given the name of something innate.

Just like the innate divine weapons of today, they were naturally formed from the rich golden energy of the Green Mountain. Without any carving or polishing, they naturally took shape into the form of weapons. They possessed divine power and were the best among weapons for martial artists. Whether they were nurtured or used as raw materials for further forging, they could surpass ordinary weapons.

Upon hearing this, the fox chuckled at Li Qi, "When the golden energy first appeared, the Sky's Five Colors. Then the light subsided and burst forth again, the crimson light reaching the heavens, like the sun at its zenith. The great master of the Clear Mist Sect looked up and said, 'The Essence of Gold Shines Bright, while the impure cannot. This light shines without impurity.' Thus, he concluded that it was a naturally formed eighth-grade gold."

The Essence of Gold Shines Bright, while the most impure gold cannot.

Li Qi nodded after hearing this evaluation; it was indeed a high compliment.

Zhao means bright and dazzling. The phrase "bright as the sun shines" is derived from this meaning. This sentence means that only the essence of metal can emit light, while impurities cannot. Judging from the pure appearance of this metal's light, it must be without any impurities.

It is a rare and precious weapon, born at the eighth grade, with pure and flawless golden energy, and it has even become a divine weapon in itself. It is indeed quite rare, and it is no exaggeration to say that it is a weapon to be fought over.

"Sir, do you wish to inquire about the rumors surrounding this matter? Although our shop is small, we always manage to catch some gossip from the streets. Why not buy some more food, and I will explain it to you in detail?" The Fox Demon said gently, her tone soft. Although there was no obvious seduction in her words, a subtle allure always lingered in her speech.

Although he had restrained himself considerably, Li Qi was, after all, a ninth-rank martial artist with keen senses, and he could still detect it.

However, what he sensed was not deliberate showing off, but rather a slight hint that still leaked out despite the effort to conceal it.

Looking at the elegant surroundings and the Fox Demon's conservative attire, it's probably her own choice.

But ultimately it had nothing to do with Li Qi, so he shook his head and replied with a smile, "My cultivation is too low to compete for those things, and I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself if I hear too much about them."

The Fox Demon spirit understood his polite refusal, so she stopped talking about it, smiled as she checked him in, ordered his food, called the waiter to take the Old Ma away, and then went to attend to the other tables of guests.

Li Qi and the others sat in the center of the hall, waiting to go to their rooms after finishing their meal.

Although there was only one room, we've lived in various places for a year now, enduring wind and rain, and we've encountered this situation many times before, so we're used to it.

After sitting down, Li Qi poured himself and Shen Shuibi a cup of tea and said with some emotion, "It was only after leaving the Great Deer Kingdom that I realized that all living beings can live together in such harmony."

"Look, in this Clear Mist City, demons and monsters live together, but no one finds them strange. Instead, they take them for granted. This is something you would never see in the Great Deer Kingdom, which regards demons as a calamity."

Hearing Li Qi say this, Shen Shuibi covered her mouth and laughed, "After all, we have already entered the territory of Wushen Mountain. Wus don't care about racial differences. I heard that there is a Buddhist Kingdom further west beyond the Shaman Path. The equality there is even more thorough. The Shaman Path will judge the superiority or inferiority based on strength, but the Buddhist Kingdom is said to advocate the equality of all living beings. Even the lives of livestock are equal to those of cultivators."

"So, does that mean the Great Deer Kingdom is like this because it's influenced by Human Path? Because Human Path dislikes demons?" Li Qi asked curiously.

"I suppose so, but not entirely. Human Path is clearly divided. Unless you consider yourself a member of Human Path, there is a relatively stable path to advancement within the system, and you won't be overly discriminated against. But if you are not a Human Path of humanity, then Non-Self kind, and your heart will surely be different," Shen Shuibi recalled and commented.

She is a victim of the concept of Human Path.

Once regarded as an enemy, the Tang emperor did not hesitate to order the annihilation of Mount Luofu, showing no mercy whatsoever.

"You think so?" Li Qi was somewhat surprised to hear this description.

"Yes, just like I said before, Human Path is not limited to race, but only recognizes your self-identity. If you agree with its concept, then even a monster is a companion. If you do not agree, even if you are human, you are an enemy."

"Therefore, Human Path is extremely united and can easily gather the strength of the masses, expanding very quickly," Shen Shuibi sighed.

Seeing this, Li Qi immediately changed the subject. "Miss Shen, there are so many Dao Path in the world. Besides the ones we often hear about, are there any other powerful Dao Lineage?"

"A powerful figure? Hmm... that's hard to say." Shen Shuibi pondered for a moment, then said, "As the saying goes, horses may have different coats but are equally fine, and jade may have different colors but are equally beautiful. Both fine and swift horses can travel a thousand miles. How can one distinguish between good and bad?"

Upon hearing this, Li Qi nodded in agreement.

Horses may have different coat colors, but they can all be fine steeds; jade may have different colors, but it can all be beautiful jade. Whether it is a fine steed or a rare steed, these horses can travel a thousand miles a day. Therefore, no matter what Dao Lineage, it has its own unique characteristics.

"Therefore, you must never be complacent just because you come from Dao Lineage. Oh, Li Qi, you've already figured this out, so I won't say anything more." Shen Shuibi subconsciously reminded him as she spoke, then realized that Li Qi was no longer bothered by arrogance, so she fell silent.

Just as the two were talking, the food was served, all of which were exquisite dishes.

The first thing delivered was half a tender pig. A tender pig is a small pig weighing five or six pounds, fed with rice, so its bones are tender and brittle. When roasted whole, it has a fragrant aroma of pepper. When sliced and eaten, it tastes delicious.

There is also stir-fried bamboo shoots with fatty pork. The fatty pork is sweet, and when the sweetness is infused into the bamboo shoots, the sweetness is not visible, but the bamboo shoots are extremely fresh.

The main dish is a bowl of Four Delicacies Soup," made with land mushrooms and water shield, combined with crab roe and fish ribs, hence the name " Four Delicacies Soup."

Mushrooms are formed from the essence of mountains, rivers, plants, and trees. Those who eat these mushrooms are like those who inhale the essence of mountains, rivers, plants, and trees.

Water shield has a fragrant, crisp, smooth, and tender taste, somewhat like fish marrow and crab fat, but far superior in its light and refreshing flavor.

The addition of crab roe and fish ribs creates an exceptionally delicious flavor.

The meal was incredibly delicious, and Li Qi was very satisfied. Although there were only two dishes and a soup, and the ingredients were not expensive, the portions were generous and the taste was excellent, so he didn't complain about the two or three thousand coins spent on the meal.

After dinner, back in their room, Shen Shuibi began meditating, while Li Qi sat by the window, watching the night view of Clear Mist City.

The city lights shone like stars, and the hustle and bustle of the world was vast. Although it was getting dark, the uniform glazed tiles covering the city reflected the light of candles and luminous pearls.

Looking down at the city from here, you see a network of roads all around.

The city is supported by a dense, crisscrossing network, situated in the middle, where occasionally, people, carried away by their own joy, gallop across the dazzling streetscapes, singing and dancing merrily, creating a lively and bustling scene.

Only at night does Clear Mist City reveal its true form.

Beautiful scenery supported by various Technique Method is scattered throughout the city. Li Qi also saw mechanical puppets and illusions used to attract customers, and he could also see many demons walking among them.

They don't seem to be worried about their monstrous features, so you can often see a bunch of animal ears, fur, and tails.

But this is not a fairyland. The monsters have unique styles, and their Form Transformation are not all beautiful. Some have not yet shed their animal forms, some are strange and grotesque, and some have not even refined their crossbones. They speak in a babbling, gesticulating manner.

Moreover, these are considered to have gained sentience. There are also some strange beasts that have no sentience at all; they are purely animals. Even demons do not regard them as their own kind, eating their flesh and wearing their fur without any pressure.

For demons, intelligence is the only way to distinguish their kind. Only those that have gained intelligence are considered to be of the same kind. Otherwise, they don't really care if their own beast gives birth to a child.

For them, the beginning of life is the moment of awakening their wisdom, not birth.

But in a way, humans seem to be the same, the only difference being that humans have innate intelligence.

Speaking of this, Li Qi had also read in a book that humans are not the only ones in the world who have innate intelligence. For example, the Four Seas True Dragon is born with intelligence, and many spirit beasts, including Shen Shuibi and other Innate Variant, are also born with intelligence.

This is just the world at large; looking beyond that, there are countless other worlds, and the number is even greater.

Many people are born with intelligence, but even more are not.

Having grasped this point, Li Qi completely lost any desire for the word 'special'.

In this world, no one is special, and nothing is special.

The same applies to myself.

There is nothing new under the sun, and no one is unique.

While looking at the scenery outside, I pondered these things.

Thinking has now become a habit for Li Qi. He spends almost every spare moment pondering, reading, and researching different kinds of knowledge.

And now, Li Qi has finished reading the book "Zhu".

After reading it, the progress bar directly gave him the knowledge of the entire book, as if he had memorized the whole book, and the memory was incredibly vivid.

This is the power of the Dao.

Just as Li Qi was immersed in his own world, he and Shen Shuibi suddenly woke up from their own worlds at the same time and looked behind the door.

"Dead air, someone's dead?" Li Qi said.

"Not only that, there's also the Death Intent, which means he's not dead yet, but he'll be soon," Shen Shuibi said, frowning.

The two of them immediately got up and went outside to see what was going on.

Stepping out of the room, I saw that other people were also coming out of other rooms, and they all seemed to sense the deathly aura.

Looking towards the place where Death Intent was emanating, they saw a Fox Demon lying on the ground, barely breathing and clearly on the verge of death.

A man standing nearby, looking completely helpless, was desperately clutching his wound and shouting for his wife.

To Li Qi's surprise, no one went to rescue the person.

"Something's strange. I don't sense who killed me. This wound... it's a Curse from Shaman Path, but I don't know if it was castrated," Li Qi said, frowning.

After all, this is the territory of Wushen Mountain. Although there are very few people practicing orthodox Shaman Path, there are still many people practicing some unorthodox branches of Shaman Path. It is quite normal that a few of them are good at Curse.

"What should we do? It seems like no one is willing to help." Shen Shuibi looked around.

"We can't just watch people die, let's go check on them," Li Qi decided.

No matter what the proprietress did, even if she secretly committed heinous crimes, she should be dealt with according to the proper procedures after being rescued. She shouldn't be left here to die.

Having made their decision, the two immediately rolled down and jumped directly to the lobby downstairs.

At that moment, the panicked man was clutching the Fox Demon's stomach, his voice trembling as he cried out, "Wife! Hang in there! I've sent Qi Ya to find a doctor! Hang in there!"

"Get out of the way, let me handle this." Li Qi stepped forward and pulled the man aside.

The man was taken aback, but immediately realized that someone had intervened to help.

Li Qi glanced at the wound and then sensed the surrounding energy.

"It is indeed Curse, the work of Ghost Shaman." Li Qi examined the wound and confirmed it was true.

"The wound contains the Five Elements Qi, which is the Five Ghost Curse Technique. Someone dispatched five fierce ghosts to set up five kinds of talismans that restrain people according to the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth. They first cast a curse, and then sent the ghosts that restrained them to chase and control the soul of the living person. That's why there was such a sudden outbreak," Li Qi said.

"I'll use my divine energy to drive away the ghostly energy, but Miss Shen, you're better at treating injuries, so please take care of it," Li Qi said.

Shen Shuibi nodded. "Okay."

After they finished speaking, the two began to divide the work and cooperate.

Li Qi began to set up protective incantations. In addition to the divine energy of the four seasons, he also had the Five Sacrifices Spirit Qi within his body.

What are the Five Sacrifices? They are the gate, the door, the well, the stove, and the central hall.

Spring sacrifices are offered to the household, summer sacrifices to the stove, autumn sacrifices to the door, winter sacrifices to the well, and in June sacrifices to the central altar, all of which correspond to the Five Elements.

Therefore, when Li Qi first began his cultivation, he worshipped the household gods Shen Tu Yu Lei. Their divine power could drive away ghosts, and they lived on Great Peach Tree, so they belonged to the wood element. This is why the household gods were worshipped in spring.

The stove represents fire, the door represents metal, the well represents water, and the central pool represents earth in the center.

Li Qi deployed the Five Sacrifices Spirit Qi to counteract the Five Ghost Ghost Qi Five Spirit Divine Qi, preventing the opponent from harming people again.

Meanwhile, Shen Shuibi examined the wound and couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, it really is a Five Elements Demon! The Five Evils have entered the body. The external wound is just a small opening. The Five Evils interact, causing injury both inside and out. Therefore, the Qi rises in reverse, which is why it vomits blood. It's really vicious. The Qi of the Five Evils won't disappear after death; it will also pollute the soul. It's preparing to eradicate the root of the problem and destroy both the soul and spirit."