"Chance Encounter"

It felt like the end of the world had come.

Amidst mountains of corpses and seas of blood, even the green mountains turned red.

Only scavenging birds sat atop it, seemingly unaffected as they pecked at the remains of those high-ranking cultivators.

Countless years of cultivation were transformed into pieces of flesh and blood, to be pecked and devoured by wild beasts.

In the heart of the green mountains, Jin Buhuan coughed up a mouthful of blood.

Even Elder Si seemed somewhat listless, as if his injuries were quite severe.

"Phew, that was close. But what Li Qi said was actually true," Jin Buhuan said with a smile.

He wasn't worried about his own safety, which is why he dared to come back.

This is Green Mountain, his hometown.

Here, he may lose, but he will never die. His father will surely notice in the last moment before he dies.

Everyone else has to hold back some of their strength in order to survive, but he and his brothers can go all out without restraint. How can they fight against each other?

Therefore, after a fierce battle, Jin Buhuan just as he had planned.

Elder Si had concealed his weakness and returned to his usual demeanor. "This thing is indeed real, but just as the other party said, it needs a moderate and peaceful energy to harmonize it so that the yin and yang can operate smoothly and become one."

"But there's a question, young master. How did Li Qi know all this so clearly, even about the divine weapon appearing tonight?" Elder Si asked cautiously. "Even I don't understand these things. How could he, a mere ninth-rank official, know?"

"It's alright. Everyone has their own methods. Why bother digging into those things? This person was provoked by me earlier, but he remained calm and composed and still befriended me. This shows that he has no intention of clashing with me."

"He knows so much, so he must also know that my father is about to break through to the fifth rank. With my father's immense killing power, if he can break through to the fifth rank, even Wushen Mountain will probably send an envoy to confer a title upon him. At that time, he will not just be a pillar of a country, but a great god who will be known throughout the entire Baiyue Myriad Mountains, and will be ranked among the top among the Baiyue Earthly Deity."

As Jin Buhuan spoke, his face was full of arrogance. "He was willing to be provoked by me and then try to curry favor with me with this kind of news, which shows that he knows my father's reputation."

Jin Buhuan was always a wise man, but he never wavered in his belief in his father.

Throughout his life, from birth to the present, no matter where he was or who he was facing, his father had always been a tall and upright figure. In his mind, there was never the concept that 'his father could fail'.

I never even thought about it.

My father is invincible. Even now, at the sixth rank, he can withstand a direct attack from Fifth-Rank Great Expert in the outer realms. The aftershocks of the battle even destroyed two small worlds.

Jin Buhuan, who had accompanied his father to foreign lands, had personally witnessed his father's great prowess on the Outer Domain Battlefield.

So majestic, so powerful.

He was so powerful that he could never have imagined that anyone could defeat his father.

Jin Buhuan a few deep breaths and wiped the blood off his body. "Since the other party is willing to make amends, it's time to mend the relationship. I'll visit him again when I get back tonight."

Jin Buhuan concluded, "This time, I'm going to mend the relationship. Perhaps my foundation in Clear Mist City can be strengthened further. I believe he can also distinguish the situation clearly."

After all, compared to the Green Mountain Kingdom Lord, who was so old that he hadn't made any progress in who knows how long, the Green Mountain Mountain God, who was about to break through to the fifth rank, was clearly a more worthy person to please.

Jin Buhuan could clearly arrive at this conclusion based on his own logic.

"Young Master is wise. Shall we set off back now?" Elder Si asked.

"Yes, let's go back to Clear Mist City," Jin Buhuan said.

Then, he wiped away the golden energy he had snatched, took flight, and left the place, returning to Clear Mist City.

It was already close to dawn, but Li Qi was still working tirelessly through the night, moving between various factions.

Overnight, Li Qi used the Technique Method of the Clear Mist Sect to travel throughout the city, lobbying and persuading people everywhere.

This was the solution Li Qi had come up with.

Where does Jin Buhuan's power and influence lie?

Li Qi's analysis concluded that there were three points.

First, there's his own strength. He has two eighth-rank experts under his command, Yan Jun and Elder Si, which is a force to be reckoned with in Clear Mist City. He himself possesses a mouthful of eighth-rank golden energy. Although it's only ninth-rank, his strength is extraordinary. Relying on the power of his weapon, he can briefly contend with eighth-rank experts and harvest a large number of ninth-rank cultivators in a short period of time.

Moreover, he has many retainers, including hundreds of ninth-rank warriors, which is already a formidable force.

Cultivators who have reached a certain level are already among the best in the world.

Only by standing on high ground and looking down can Li Qi see the whole picture clearly.

Each subordinate who reached a certain rank controlled some resources, just like Li Qi's former Boatman Gang and things like radishes.

Several hundred people who have reached the ninth rank represent several hundred city vegetable vendors, Boatman Gang, and laborer gang leaders. They are considered to be influential figures. These are Jin Buhuan's grassroots forces, the tiny tentacles through which he controls the city.

This is Jin Buhuan's top priority and the foundation upon which he stands.

That's the first point.

The second point is his fans.

Through various means, whether bribery, coercion, or exchange of benefits, Jin Buhuan has a group of forces firmly surrounding him.

These forces are even more deeply entrenched; they are natives of Clear Mist City and local bullies.

These forces were only able to be united because of Jin Buhuan himself; they were built upon his prestige, or rather, his Lineage.

Only with Jin Buhuan present could these people temporarily unite; even Jin Buhuan's brothers couldn't do that.

To break up these forces, we need to eliminate Jin Buhuan.

Then they will naturally disperse.

Finally, the third point is the existence of the Green Mountain Mountain God.

How did Jin Buhuan manage to build up his own power and win over a group of allies?

Besides his own methods, it was the support and background of the Green Mountain Mountain God.

Without the Green Mountain Mountain God, it would be difficult for him to establish himself in Clear Mist City.

To dismantle Jin Buhuan's power, these three points must be eliminated simultaneously. Li Qi referred to these three points as Jin Buhuan's three legs.

First, his loyal followers— Li Qi had already made arrangements for this.

Secondly, his collateral allies, which necessitates killing Jin Buhuan himself.

Third, there's the influence of his father's family, which is the most difficult aspect. It's precisely because this issue is unsolvable and the consequences are unbearable that no one has been able to deal with Jin Buhuan for so long.

These three legs formed a triangular support, firmly supporting Jin Buhuan and making him one of the actual rulers of Clear Mist City.

Tonight, Li Qi is going to dismantle all three of his legs.

The first leg, his direct subordinates, those tentacles, will be dealt with by a group of people.

These were the people Li Qi had gathered; Li Qi had persuaded them through the promises made by the Clear Mist Sect.

Therefore, tonight, Clear Mist City will likely be engulfed in a bloodbath.

These forces will break off relations and suppress Jin Buhuan's influence.

Beyond the tentacles, Jin Buhuan's high-end forces consist of two eighth-rank individuals, plus Jin Buhuan himself.

These things will be handled by Li Qi himself.

The second leg involved those forces that were dependent on Jin Buhuan, which Li Qi handed over to the Clear Mist Sect.

Yes, these are local bullies, they're not easy to deal with.

But when it comes to local bullies, who can compare to the Clear Mist Sect?

The reason Li Qi went to find the Clear Mist Sect was to ask her to suppress these forces for one night. By tomorrow morning, after Jin Buhuan died, these clinging forces would naturally fall apart.

Finally, the third leg represents the power of the Green Mountain Mountain God.

There's no good way to deal with this. It's precisely because of the existence of this great deity that neither the Green Mountain Kingdom Lord nor the Clear Mist Sect has dared to make a move against Jin Buhuan.

After all, Jin Buhuan is an extension of this great god's power and a means for him to control Clear Mist City. Jin Buhuan's existence means that he also has a place in Clear Mist City.

In Li Qi's view, Clear Mist City was actually a pawn used by the Green Mountain Kingdom Lord to control the Green Mountain Mountain God.

If the Clear Mist Sect or the Green Mountain Kingdom Lord were to directly Jin Buhuan, it would mean that the Green Mountain Kingdom Lord would directly declare war on the Green Mountain Mountain God. The two powerful figures of the Green Mountain Kingdom would break off all pretense of civil war, leaving absolutely no room for negotiation, and it might even lead to an immediate split and civil war.

That's why Li Qi is needed.

Li Qi took the initiative to assume the responsibility of the knife and to attract the wrath of the Green Mountain Mountain God. As an outsider, his appearance foreshadowed the intervention of other forces.

When two tigers confront each other, one is bound to die, but when three tigers vie for supremacy, many more variables arise.

With this layer of lubrication, if the Green Mountain Kingdom Lord were to intervene and protect Li Qi, the conflict wouldn't be so intense, and it could also protect Clear Mist City, a territory that was originally intended to be used for checks and balances.

That's what they say, but that only applies to the conflict between the Green Mountain Kingdom Lord and the Green Mountain Mountain God.

Li Qi himself, being a sharp blade, would inevitably have to directly face the wrath of the Green Mountain Mountain God.

The sharper the knife, the easier it is to break.

This is why the Clear Mist Sect was suspicious of Li Qi's motives; in her view, Li Qi was courting death.

The Green Mountain Kingdom Lord can protect Li Qi afterward, but at the very beginning, Li Qi will definitely face the wrath of Jin Chi, the Green Mountain Mountain God.

That moment was one that Li Qi had to face himself.

The Clear Mist Sect felt that death was inevitable.

A ninth-rank individual facing a sixth-rank individual, and one who is already among the strongest of the sixth-rank individuals, Jin Chi... no matter how you look at it, there seems to be no way out.

The difference is beyond description.

When Li Qi, who was only a ninth-rank cultivator, faced the Curse Demon King, he was nearly crushed by just one glance at the king's true form, his body and soul being completely pulverized.

If one were to face the opponent's attack in a single instant, there would be absolutely no chance of survival.

It's impossible to let the Green Mountain Kingdom Lord prepare in advance to intercept him, otherwise wouldn't that confirm that Li Qi was sent by the Green Mountain Kingdom Lord?

In other words, Li Qi must rely on himself to withstand the Green Mountain Mountain God for a moment before the king can intervene to protect him, thereby creating a situation where three tigers vie for supremacy.

Li Qi himself couldn't withstand it for even a moment, which means that he had no one behind him at all, and there was no third tiger.

Although in reality, that's exactly right.

But on the other hand, as long as Li Qi holds on...

Then, Jin Buhuan's third leg will also be cut off, a third tiger will appear, and it will join forces with the Green Mountain Kingdom Lord to withstand the pressure from Jin Chi.

With all three legs broken, Jin Buhuan's influence in Clear Mist City, including his own life, will vanish into thin air and turn to ashes.

Jin Buhuan was truly 'brought down'.

All traces of this young master will be erased.

Even if someone else takes over later, they will be his other brothers, and it will have nothing to do with Jin Buhuan.

Li Qi has already said that he wants to bring down Jin Buhuan.

From the root.

Breaking down the goal of bringing down Jin Buhuan means cutting off his three legs; further subdividing it means what he's been doing tonight, running around lobbying.

Ultimately, Li Qi was left with two tasks.

First, eliminate Jin Buhuan himself and the eighth-rank officials around him. Moreover, the Clear Mist Sect will not provide assistance. This is to prove that Li Qi did it on his own initiative, rather than at the behest of the Green Mountain Kingdom Lord, thus creating a situation of three tigers vying for supremacy.

Secondly, facing the Green Mountain Mountain God for at least a moment was equally unhelpful, for the same reasons as above.

Thinking about all of this, Li Qi headed out of the city after leaving the last faction.

He sat on a rock outside the city, waiting quietly.

As he waited, the weather around him gradually changed.

The influence of the microcosm of the human body is gradually spreading.

The wind became calmer, the land became more level, and the surrounding air gradually began to change in a way that suited Li Qi.

This is a method of altering the surrounding heavens and earth by using the human body as a microcosm. If a great shaman were to use this technique, his mere existence would be enough to force a region of heaven and earth to yield, and make all the rules around him revolve around him.

All around Li Qi, the sunlight shone down, the colors were clear and bright, the blue sky was crystal clear, like autumn water.

The atmosphere of the whole world has become more peaceful and gentle.

Li Qi took a deep breath and adjusted his state.

Jin Buhuan is no weakling.

Elder Si and that maid were also by his side.

In other words, one was an eighth-rank official and two were ninth-rank officials.

To be honest, Li Qi wasn't 100% sure.

However, what can be 100% certain?

A Chen later, the sun rose.

Li Qi opened his eyes.

A voice came.

"Brother Li, what brings you here so early in the morning? Are you cultivating?" Jin Buhuan asked Li Qi as he descended from the sky with a smile, fanning himself with a folding fan.

"It's not really about cultivation, I'm mainly here to wait for Brother Jin. After all, I'm also very curious whether Brother Jin succeeded or not?" Li Qi stepped forward and asked with a smile.

"Thanks to you, everything went smoothly. From today onwards, I will definitely hold a banquet to thank Brother Li for his guidance. If you hadn't reminded me, this thing would really have fallen into my brother's hands~", Jin Buhuan replied with a smile.

"It's good that everything is alright. I have something to discuss with Brother Jin. May I step forward a little?" Li Qi asked.

"Haha, it's alright, we're all on the same side, no need to hide it," Jin Buhuan said casually, seemingly unconcerned.

"No, no, no, this matter is far too important, otherwise why would I have come all the way here to wait for you?" Li Qi said seriously.

Jin Buhuan frowned, then stepped forward.