Recruitment

Having finalized the plan, Li Qi began to take action.

First, he put the sleeping rabbit aside.

The rabbit didn't wake up.

Li Qi's mind was filled with demonic thoughts.

There's something he's wanted to do for a long time.

So he put his hand on the rabbit's tail.

I pulled it.

Wow, a rabbit's tail can stretch this long!

Li Qi was satisfied, and his demonic thoughts dissipated.

Then he put those things aside and went to get down to business.

He first established the alliance.

He could only manually set up the covenant's rituals because Shen Shuibi's array plate could only summon Li Qi and had no other functions. It could only be considered a highly technical piece of junk, at most with some collectible value.

Of course, Li Qi still put it away.

The alliance was established, and he called out to those in the distance.

Then Li Qi carried Shen Shuibi out the door.

They had just stepped out of the secret chamber when two guards outside were startled and rushed over.

The blades in their hands drew out slivers of cold air as the guards, without even asking "Who are you?", directly attacked Li Qi with deadly intent.

This is the core of the Lower Nine Gates, Horse King is located here. If a stranger appears here, he should be killed without mercy, without any room for argument.

However, Li Qi knew this, so he took out a jade pendant and waved it around.

The guards immediately stopped, looking surprised and uncertain.

This is a plaque personally issued by the Horse King. Seeing this plaque is like seeing the Horse King himself. Only the most trusted confidants would receive it.

Who is this person? Why have I never seen them before?

However, despite their doubts, they immediately knelt on one knee and silently bowed.

"Don't reveal my existence. Prepare a carriage and take me to the Grain Alliance's owner. Tell everyone it's the Horse King's outing," Li Qi said coldly.

"Yes!" the two replied, and then left.

Before long, everything was ready, and Li Qi rode in a carriage, arriving at the manor where Wang Baiyan was located.

Along the way, apart from the core members of the Lower Nine Gates, no one saw any trace of Li Qi.

The avatars of deities have physical forms, so there's no need to worry about them; they're just weaker in combat.

The fighting power of Li Qi's current divided spirit is roughly equivalent to his time as a boatman.

Because it was a split-minded state, there was no equipment or the support of a microcosm within the human body, and the martial arts cultivation was also in the physical body.

Therefore, they could only barely fight with the help of temporary incense offerings, and were almost no different from ordinary people.

But now, he doesn't need to fight.

Only the pieces need to fight; the players can simply sit by the chessboard and drink tea.

When there aren't enough pieces, the player will personally step in and become a piece, but that would be beneath them.

Li Qi wasn't afraid of losing face; however, maintaining a relatively high level of prestige made things easier for him.

After a while, Li Qi, holding the sleeping rabbit, finally met with Wang Baiyan.

This is a secret room in Wang Baiyan's manor; however, despite being a secret room, it is decorated quite luxuriously.

Books, writing brushes, inkstones, and other writing implements were laid out on the table.

The walls are made of stone, which is hard, clean and smooth, and edged with sandalwood.

Inside the house is a large, transparent glass vat in which goldfish and water plants are kept; one can find respite from the summer heat by sitting quietly in its presence.

Li Qi looked around and saw many runes, suggesting that there was a formation here as well. However, Li Qi couldn't quite understand this formation, as it was not any type of formation he had ever encountered before.

While Li Qi was still observing the room, Wang Baiyan pushed open the door.

"Ah, Brother Li!" Wang Baiyan exclaimed with delight and sincerity, quickly approaching. "It's so good to know you're alright! That monk—"

Before he could finish speaking, he saw Li Qi put the sleeping rabbit on the table and punch it!

Wang Baiyan neither dodged nor avoided, and was directly punched in the face by Li Qi, crashing into the wall with a bang.

Li Qi's temporary golden body was partially disintegrated by the backlash.

Wang Baiyan rubbed her nose, seemingly unharmed.

He climbed up from the wall with a wry smile, "Why bother, Brother Li? Aren't we brothers who would live and die together?"

Li Qi, on the other hand, shook his hand, used the incense smoke to replenish the golden body, and sneered, "To live and die together, why don't you go knock on the door of that pagoda now, and we can have a heart-to-heart talk with that monk together? That would be what it means to live and die together, wouldn't it?"

"Haha, that's not necessary. If I went in too, who would help Brother Li allocate Tang Kingdom's resources? Right?" Wang Baiyan stood up, walked to the table, pulled out a chair, sat down, and said with a smile.

As he spoke, he opened his folding fan, fanned himself, and said casually, "Besides, you can't blame me for this, can you? Everything I said is true, not a single word is false, and I have never lied to you."

"Even if some things are not true, it's because I myself didn't know. I was completely fooled by that monk, so how can you blame me for that?"

That's true. From Wang Baiyan's perspective, he never told Li Qi a single lie. Even if some of his words were false, it was because Wang Baiyan himself was deceived.

"Speaking halfway through is a bigger problem than telling a lie," Li Qi said coldly.

Wang Baiyan replied innocently, "But Brother Li, you weren't deceived either, were you? You didn't destroy the Mountain and Water Formation, nor did you break ties with the Guangyang government. Even after returning to the White Rhinoceros Army, you didn't use any more radical methods to stop the Blood Sacrifice."

"If I were you, after recognizing the monk's location and situation, I certainly wouldn't risk my life to protect those disaster victims. Instead, I would decisively activate the Mountain and Water Formation to confront him. Wouldn't that protect my own safety?"

"I think I guessed right. Brother Li must have left a backup plan in that mountain and water formation and already made it his own, right? I calculated the time. You only need a little over two Chen to get back to Zhenguan from Guangyang, but you actually took more than three Chen. You couldn't have been sleeping in between, could you?"

"But what actually happened? Brother Li, you didn't activate the Mountain and Water Formation at all. Instead, you simply followed that monk. I was quite surprised when I learned about this. It turns out that from beginning to end, Brother Li, you didn't believe a single word I said."

Li Qi shook his head, his tone unfriendly. "If we had activated the Mountain and Water Grand Array back then, wouldn't we have fallen into your trap? I'm afraid that afterwards, you would have colluded with the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest to launch an attack and take the opportunity to gradually devour Guangyang, right?"

Upon hearing this, Wang Baiyan chuckled lightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, and did not continue on this topic.

He continued to discuss Li Qi's actions, "Moreover, what I didn't expect was that you actually had a backup plan in Guangyang City. That woman took the throne of the Horse King in half a day, and then negotiated with me and even managed to rescue Brother Li from that monk."

"The plan is intricately linked, with hidden tricks everywhere. I truly admire Brother Li's profound thoughts and far-reaching strategies. You are indeed a worthy disciple of Wushen Mountain. Now that you have escaped this predicament, you have come to see me again. I wonder what your thoughts are?"

He showered him with compliments, brushed aside the matter Li Qi had mentioned about himself, and then steered the conversation to the main topic.

If Li Qi continues to hold onto those issues, it would seem that Li Qi being unreasonable.

Of course, Li Qi could also see through these little tricks in his words.

But he couldn't be bothered to argue. He wasn't there to interrogate anyone; that was something to do after the matter was over. So he simply got straight to the point. "I'm not counting on seventh-rank soldiers, and I doubt you can produce any in Baiyue. Two eighth-rank soldiers, at least two eighth-rank combatants, appear before me within a month. Is that alright?"

Wang Baiyan dropped his playful demeanor, snapped his folding fan shut, and frowned. "What are you going to do? You don't mean to challenge that monk with your eighth-rank weapon, do you? Are you courting death? Even a hundred eighth-rank weapons would only meet their demise if they attacked together. Do you think seventh-rank weapons are so easy to deal with?"

"Of course not. I know better than you what a seventh-rank power is. I have other uses for me and will not be sent to the front lines," Li Qi said.

Wang Baiyan's expression was serious as he asked, "Why bother with all this formality? Now that you've escaped, why don't you ask Wushen Mountain for help? Instead, you've come to me, a member of the Daoist Human Path. It's utterly baffling. Inform the forces under Wushen Mountain that although Chanzhi Zhi is strong, he can't possibly challenge a ruler-level expert. It won't be difficult to expel him."

"You are a direct disciple of Wushen Mountain, can't you even call your own people over?"

Wang Baiyan was puzzled by Li Qi's attitude.

What does it mean to be a direct disciple of Wushen Mountain?

There are probably not many in the whole world, the number is definitely less than a thousand, but no one knows the exact number.

These people are referred to as "Young Masters of Wushen Mountain" to outsiders, which means that their masters are high-ranking members of Wushen Mountain of the third rank or above, and these chosen ones' future goal is to become their masters.

Even if they are only ninth-rank, their status is on par with that of fifth-rank officials.

As the son of the Aristocratic Clan in the Tang Kingdom, Wang Baiyan knew that there were similar prodigies in the Tang Kingdom who could rival him.

Those were the students of the Imperial Academy and the Emperor Lang Wei, all of whom were top geniuses.

In the Tang Kingdom, there were official schools in various places. People from villages went to county schools, and students in county schools could advance to higher levels. They had to pass examinations and recommendations to advance, and eventually countless people were eliminated. Throughout the Tang Kingdom, countless people competed for admission, and only a few dozen students could join the Imperial Academy every ten years.

This is a selection process for the literary lineage.

The Imperial Guards are selected from among the martial arts lineage. The greatest honor for a young martial artist is to be selected into the Imperial Guards, guard the palace, become the Emperor's personal guards, and receive guidance from many high-ranking officials. They serve as guards within the palace and are later appointed as generals outside.

The Wushen Mountain is rather crude. They don't have a systematic selection method in this regard. Most of the time, each great shaman accepts disciples according to their mood. However, those who can catch the eye of a great shaman are unlikely to be mediocre.

This reveals the difference between the two: the way of Shaman Path is loose and follows the natural order, while the Human Path is well-ordered and governed by strict laws.

Li Qi never revealed his identity to anyone, but Wang Baiyan knew it because he deduced it indirectly from the reaction of the Chanzhi.

Having made a guess, Wang Baiyan then went to find evidence. She quickly followed the trail and found Clear Mist City.

Considering the amount of secret knowledge and Cultivation Method possessed by the woman under his command, and after learning that Li Qi had directly blocked the Green Mountain God's attack in Clear Mist City.

Only after considering all three factors did he finally confirm Li Qi's identity.

Although Li Qi didn't tell him, Wang Baiyan was able to deduce the clues on her own.

To be able to do so many incredible things, one must either be the young master of Wushen Mountain or someone of very low status.

Upon hearing this, Li Qi glanced at him instead.

Wang Baiyan knows a lot.

That's normal, though. This person must have some status in the Tang Kingdom, otherwise he wouldn't be able to preside over a region with a ninth-rank cultivation level, and even mobilize eighth-rank combat forces to take orders from him.

He was transferred to an eighth-rank official position, but he was transferred from the Tang Kingdom, so the shady dealings involved are obvious.

However, Li Qi still explained, "It is precisely because I am a disciple of Wushen Mountain that I cannot arbitrarily order powerful people to come. Otherwise, what would I be?"

"The matter of Chanzhi originated with me, so it would be best if it ended with me as well."

Wang Baiyan was shocked. "Brother Li?! You really want to challenge a seventh-rank official?!"

"A son of a wealthy family would not risk his life under a dangerous roof. Why risk it?! A ninth-rank ability fighting an eighth-rank is already a feat of genius. To fight a seventh-rank is unprecedented in the world!"

Li Qi shook his head. "If I could defeat a seventh-rank opponent with my ninth-rank physique, then tell me, what would I do?"

Li Qi spoke casually, but Wang Baiyan was unsettled upon hearing this.

He understood what Li Qi meant.

This startled him, and he trembled violently. He stood up abruptly, unable to even suppress his cultivation. The floor tiles beneath his feet cracked with a series of bangs, shattered by the overflowing energy.

"Don't be so surprised, Brother Wang. Would you like to add your name to this achievement? You're a scion of a prominent family in the Tang Kingdom, and you've come to the Baiyue region at such a young age. You can't be here to retire, can you?"

"I see you've been scheming against me, scheming against the Prefect of Guangyang, maneuvering between the Chanzhi Master and the local forces for profit, and even daring to scheme against the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest. You must have some guts, right?" Li Qi asked with a smile.

Wang Baiyan took a deep breath.

To be honest, he hesitated.

He had been maneuvering around, but had never actually entered the fray. The Wang Family's power could protect him. As a young master of an Aristocratic Clan, he had several eighth-rank warriors under his command, as well as some trump cards. He could basically protect his life from a seventh-rank enemy.

But that only protected his life; he used his trump card to buy time to escape. It was impossible for him to truly confront a seventh-rank official head-on.

As for even stronger treasures, the Lineage does have some, but even if they were given to him, he wouldn't be able to use them.

A ninth-rank cultivator is already at his limit to be able to drive a seventh-rank Law Treasure. Although some supreme treasures do not require cultivation to use, those kinds of things are so expensive that even if the Wang Family sold their possessions, they couldn't afford them, let alone give them to him.

Therefore, his only Trump Card was to save his life.

If I intervene, although my life won't be in danger, I might ruin everything I've been doing in Guangyang.

Moreover, Chanzhi Zhi is not actually a seventh-rank monk. He also has the puppet of Guangyang Situ, which means that he is actually two seventh-rank warriors.

If we really have to confront this monk head-on...

Wang Baiyan could only say that he had absolutely no chance of winning.

But that was myself.

It's because I can't find a chance of winning.

The mysterious and unpredictable man before them was none other than the Prince of Wushen Mountain.

Can he do it?

Surely not? No matter how great a reputation is, can it bridge the huge gap between the ninth and seventh ranks?

Moreover, the Chanzhi was not just some random seventh-rank monk found on the roadside. He had the orthodox lineage of the Black Heaven and his strength was definitely top-notch among seventh-rank monks. Even Guangyang Sima, who was also a seventh-rank monk, was devoured by him and turned into a puppet.

How many more puppets does he have after he devours their hearts?

Wang Baiyan was covered in cold sweat, hesitating on the spot, unable to make a decision.

He didn't have the courage to challenge a top-tier seventh-rank expert, but he was also reluctant to give up.

If he gives up, he may never find another young master of Wushen Mountain willing to cooperate with him in this lifetime.