Inquiry

Piaoxu, along with Qi Ya and some other laborers, took their leave and went to hide in the backyard.

After making his harsh remarks, Li Qi did not take any action but remained standing at the door, waiting silently.

However, in reality, he was not idle.

He was observing the terrain and calculating the placement and orientation of the altar.

There isn't enough intelligence yet. For Li Qi, who likes to plan carefully before acting, and who is often indecisive because of this, he would never directly confront Jin Buhuan at this moment.

Knowledge and intelligence are the foundation for action. To act without them is reckless and will only bring disaster upon oneself.

Li Qi observed for a while, determined the location, and then began to set up the altar, place the offerings for knocking on the door, and begin the sacrifice with reverent etiquette.

After a while, there was a response from the altar.

The sacrifice was then completed.

The Sacrificial Ritual, the Shaman, and the Earthly Deity were all in agreement.

Li Qi felt a lightness, and he arrived at that familiar chaos...

Wait, this space is completely unfamiliar!

What happened to that originally empty, chaotic, the Unseen dark space?!

How come this place has mountains and rivers, and although there is no life, one can still feel a certain vitality hidden within it?

With the sky clear and the earth bright, and the three yang energies in harmony, the previously chaotic space has now become a tangible little world.

Li Qi immediately realized what had caused this change.

It turns out that the chaotic space where he once performed sacrifices was actually his own personal microcosm!

The space where the ritual takes place is actually inside one's own body?

Previously, my cultivation level was too shallow and I had not yet entered the ranks, so my human body's microcosm was still a chaotic mess. Now that I have entered the ranks, a microcosm has evolved within the chaos, and the surrounding scenery has also changed.

For the first time, he clearly felt the evolution of the small world inside his body.

Li Qi attempted to unleash his power here, only to find that his breath created wind, flying sand and stones, and his footsteps stirred up dust in the void.

Pointing to the sky, the sun, moon, and stars appear; pointing to the earth, mountains, rivers, and lakes emerge.

He can stir up clouds with a breath of water, raise fog with a wave of his hand, gather soil to form mountains, and pierce the earth to form abysses.

It's as if the world is at my mercy.

Li Qi was still trying to gain control of the area when he heard a dry cough.

After a dry cough, a gentle and cautious voice came. "Ahem! Young master, what brings you here?"

It is a deity that one summons.

Li Qi felt somewhat embarrassed.

He certainly didn't forget his mission and knew what he was there to do, but he hadn't seen this person before, which was why he tried something else.

He still didn't see it until the other person spoke.

"Ahem... I don't know where you are, senior. I really didn't notice." Li Qi looked around embarrassedly, but still couldn't see where the other person was.

"Young master, look down. This humble god is here," the voice said again.

Li Qi looked down at his feet.

Nothing's changed; I'm not standing on the ground...

Wait, the ground is moving.

The earthquake spread from the ground beneath his feet!

Each vibration makes the solid act like a liquid, spreading through the soil and stones as easily as it spreads through the air!

Countless mountains were forcibly created, and the earth was directly uprooted. From the sky, it looked as if countless barbs were rising from the ground, piercing the dome!

The shockwave surged forth like an endless tide, threatening to collapse the Earth's core!

The sky and the earth are changing, and thousands of mountains are rising!

From Li Qi's perspective, it was as if hundreds of thousands of cubic kilometers of land had been turned upside down!

Earthquake thousands of miles away!

Then, a white snake raised its head from the middle, almost overturning the earth's crust.

This white snake was thousands of miles long and tens of miles wide. A city could be built on a single scale. At first glance, it seemed to stretch endlessly and almost occupied the entire small world of Li Qi's body!

Li Qi was terrified.

No wonder I can't see it.

It's so big, it would be a miracle if you could even see it!

After raising its head slightly, the giant white snake buried its body again.

The gentle voice continued, "Young master's cultivation is still shallow, and the human body is too small for the world to contain my Dharma body projection. Therefore, I had to bury myself below so that I could come and talk to you."

Li Qi was so surprised that he stammered, "Then... then, how did you descend to this place in the past?"

Yes, the altar Li Qi set up and the person he invited was the mountain god of White Snake Mountain, with whom he had a past connection.

Unexpectedly, the body of the White Snake Mountain God was actually a white snake, and such a huge one at that!

"Ah, young master, are you referring to the first time you summoned me? Was the space you saw then a chaotic mess?" the giant white snake asked.

"No, I remember it was a beautiful garden," Li Qi replied.

"That's it. What I went to back then wasn't your personal microcosm, but a space I constructed myself using my own power. Now you know why you might not receive a response when offering sacrifices to powerful deities. The reason is simply that your personal microcosm can't withstand it," the white snake said with a smile.

"That time, I deliberately expended my power to construct a stable space and descend by myself. It was mainly because the young master's offering frightened me. If it were an unfamiliar deity, they probably wouldn't have done that," the white snake explained calmly.

Li Qi nodded. "I see."

"However, young master, you are only at the ninth rank. The fact that your human body can barely contain my will shows that your talent is already top-notch. Even in the Wushen Mountain, there are probably not many disciples who can do this. You are already proud enough. No wonder you were accepted as a disciple by the Great Shaman. You are indeed Jiujiu phoenix. Given time, you will surely become a soaring phoenix." The white snake praised.

"Ahem, senior, there's no need for that. You're making me feel too embarrassed," Li Qi quickly declined.

The phoenix and owl myth is one thing to say, but it's another...

"Now, let's get back to the main topic. Young Master, is there some problem you need me to solve?" the White Snake asked.

"On the way back to the mountain, I'll handle whatever happens on my own. How could I trouble you, senior? Besides, my teacher probably wouldn't be happy if I did," Li Qi quickly explained.

If he were to actually use his status as a young master to ask these deities to solve his problems, the teacher would probably crush his head.

"And who is this young master?" the White Snake Mountain asked in confusion.

"Well, I'd like to ask you, senior, are you familiar with the Green Mountain Mountain God?" Li Qi inquired.

"Ah, I see. Young master, you've come to inquire about something. The Green Mountain Mountain God... is it Jin Chi? I do know him, and we're acquaintances. Why are you asking this, young master? Have you offended Jin Chi?" the White Snake Mountain asked.

"That's not it. I'm only a ninth-rank official. How could I possibly offend a sixth-rank powerhouse? It's just that I was passing through Clear Mist City and accidentally offended the young master of that family, Jin Buhuan, and we had a conflict. But I don't know the specifics of his situation, so I've taken the liberty of inviting you, senior, to ask you a few questions."

"I see. The young master from the Jin Chi family is indeed a bit unruly and arrogant. It's good that he's been taught a lesson." The White Snake Mountain smiled, seemingly understanding the reason.

But Li Qi shook his head. "I dare not hide it from you, senior. I am not just preparing to teach you a lesson."

After Li Qi finished speaking, the White Snake Mountain was stunned for a moment.

"Young master is...?" he asked tentatively.

Is this young master so bloodthirsty?

"This person killed dozens of people in order to force me to accept the apology, intending to hold a grudge against me, to undermine my principles, and to attack my Dao heart." Li Qi explained, "He is cruel and inhumane, acts improperly, is unjust, and is arrogant and reckless. Keeping him alive would only make him a scourge to the region."

"Young master's words... do have a touch of Human Path, but young master comes from the Great Deer Kingdom..." The White Snake Mountain stopped abruptly, not continuing, and quickly changed the subject.

He changed his tone and said, "Alright, young master, please just ask whatever you have to say. I will answer everything I know. But please don't mention me in front of Jin Chi. He is extremely bloodthirsty, and I am not good at fighting. I was suppressed by the Cursed Demon Bear who killed two demons before. If I were to face Jin Chi, I would probably only be defeated..."

At this point, the White Snake Mountain's voice turned mournful. "Among the sixth-rank beings, Jin Chi is probably the most lethal and strongest. If I were to face him, even twenty of me wouldn't be enough to defeat him..."

"Of course." Li Qi immediately promised, "I will definitely not reveal the existence of the senior. If he causes you any trouble because of this, I will never forget it."

"Hmm, what would you like to know, young master?"

"First, let's talk about Jin Buhuan's Cultivation Method..."

Li Qi began his questioning.

While asking the questions, he also discovered and confirmed something else.

The mountain god of White Snake Mountain... is really not good at fighting.

A Chen later.

Li Qi returned from the feeling of being detached from his body during the sacrificial ceremony.

When Shaman communicates with the gods of heaven and earth, he temporarily loses control of his body. To outsiders, this period appears as a state of confusion and bewilderment, as if he is performing a ritualistic dance.

Li Qi used to think this was ridiculous, but now that he understands the specifics, he can only feel helpless.

He really doesn't like shamanistic rituals.

There's not much that can be done. Perhaps when I can multitask in the future, I'll be able to control my body.

However, that would be disrespectful to God. Multitasking always seems perfunctory, and it certainly shouldn't be done when making a formal invitation.

He opened his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Miss Shen, how is the formation?" he asked Shen Shuibi, turning around to look at her.

"Almost there, don't rush me, I'm finishing up." Shen Shuibi replied absentmindedly, her head held high.

"Okay, I'll go outside and take a look." Li Qi nodded, stood up, pushed open the door, and went outside.

Outside, Yan Jun remained standing, motionless.

There was no one left around him.

The crowd of onlookers had dispersed; everyone had left.

Although it was still daytime, the entire street was deserted. Even the shops were closed, and pedestrians were all taking detours, not daring to come in at all.

All the officials, even the sedan chair bearers and laborers, who were originally standing next to Yan Jun had disappeared.

Instead, there was a pile of ashes, and Yan Jun standing in the ashes.

The sedan chair bearers, laborers, ceremonial officials, and various masters of ceremonies and other people, all added together, probably numbered over a hundred.

Now, only ashes remain.

"Mr. Li, you've arrived? Have you thought it through and are you willing to accept my young master's apology?" Yan Jun asked politely, his attitude extremely respectful and his tone very humble.

These words made Li Qi's face darken, and his feigned indifference crumbled once again.

Li Qi sighed; his self-control was lacking.

"Yan Jun... is that your name?" Li Qi asked.

"Yes, Mr. Li, you may call me by my name." Yan Jun was very respectful, though Li Qi could see that there wasn't much respect in his voice.

However, when he occasionally looked at the house, his eyes showed a great deal of respect.

Clearly, he did not think Li Qi was worthy of his respect or esteem, while Shen Shuibi was a respected senior master.

That's quite normal. No matter how you look at it, Li Qi is just an ordinary ninth-rank cultivator, while Shen Shuibi is more like his protector, who is the real master.

Seeing Li Qi asking him a question, Yan Jun tilted his head, a hint of helplessness in his eyes.

To be honest, Yan Jun didn't care much about the ninth-rank person in front of him. Even if the other party had a high status and perhaps great talent, at least for now, the other party had nothing worthy of his respect except for his background.

But it was precisely this point that forced him to show respect to this young man who, apart from luck, was superior to him in no other way, and even had to address him as "sir".

What is a gentleman?

Those who are accomplished come first, and those who know how to learn live. This is the title of "Master," a respectful term reserved for seniors who are talented, capable, and skilled.

It's definitely not for a junior like this.

But just because they were lucky enough to be born into a good family or have a good master, they could rise to the top in one step and become someone he had to respectfully address.

Really...

Unfair.

Yan Jun thought this, he raised his hand and asked, "What does Mr. Li think?"

Li Qi vaguely thought he saw a cold glint in the other person's eyes, but he couldn't be sure. Besides, whether he was sure or not, it didn't change the fact that he couldn't beat this person.

The difference between the eighth and ninth ranks is too great.

Therefore, Li Qi replied directly, "If I accept these now, wouldn't all those people have died in vain?"

Yan Jun laughed and said, "If Mr. Li doesn't accept it, then they died in vain. If he still doesn't accept it, my young master will be furious, and I'm afraid even more people will die."

"Is death a very common thing?" Li Qi asked.

"Isn't it normal? Clear Mist City has tens of millions of people. Every day, hundreds of people die of old age, accidents, or illness. It's perfectly normal for thousands of people to die every day. The deaths of these hundred-odd people won't even cause a ripple," Yan Jun replied.

Then, he asked in confusion, "Did Mr. Li come here just to say these things?"

Li Qi shook his head and said, "No, it was just a casual question. I came out mainly to visit Young Master Jin Buhuan and have a face-to-face talk with him. Could you please introduce me, Yan Jun?"

Then, he made a request that greatly surprised Yan Jun.