Hurrying Onward

Could this be a frame-up?

Or to put it more accurately, to sow discord and make both sides suspicious of each other.

That's unlikely.

The Dragon Soul from a true dragon is probably intolerable to the East Sea. Of course, this can be explained, since Li Qi and the others would not actively hunt down a young dragon.

In reality, young dragons wouldn't come to Baiyue. This place is separated from the East Sea by the Central Plains. Given how much true dragons value their young, they would probably have many caretakers around them.

Therefore, the blame cannot be shifted onto oneself.

That would make them doubt the true dragon?

It's unlikely. Li Qi doesn't think this thing has anything to do with a real dragon. This Dragon Soul is probably a victim as well.

Therefore, the final conclusion remains: muddying the waters.

"I'm afraid this is still a strategy to muddy the waters. If they can trick or kill us, that would be the best outcome. If not, and we kill them instead, they've probably achieved their goal," Li Qi said to Shen Shuibi.

If they succeeded in deceiving themselves, they would have the power to control both the young master of Wushen Mountain and the Moon Spirit, Lady Luofu cared about greatly.

This gives them a very important bargaining chip, which could definitely cause considerable chaos.

For example... preventing myself from going to the Tang Kingdom.

This will definitely arouse suspicion among others, who will question whether Wushen Mountain has hidden Li Qi and is actually preparing to secretly activate the Sun Moon True Lead Cauldron.

He went to the Tang Kingdom to appease the other forces. If he couldn't make it and disappeared in the territory of Wushen Mountain, that would be a real mess.

Even if they didn't manage to deceive them, the fact that the corpse could kill the two of them was still a good thing.

Wushen Mountain will certainly suspect that it might be the Tang Kingdom or some other force that took the initiative to silence him because they don't trust him. Such suspicion at this critical juncture will likely affect many decisions.

At the very least, if the two of them killed the corpse and reported the news, that would still put everyone on guard. Even if they didn't suspect each other, they certainly wouldn't dare to cooperate.

It's a very simple principle, just like in Werewolf. Everyone is a good person, so cooperation is very honest, as long as it's agreed upon on the table.

Now I'm telling you, among these people on the surface, there's a wolf lurking in the shadows.

Therefore, it is only natural to be wary of each other.

"Tsk... No matter how we handle it, it will only fuel suspicion from all sides." Li Qi rubbed his temples; this matter seemed unsolvable.

What if you don't tell anyone and keep it a secret?

If this leads to a misjudgment of the situation by those above, the matter will become even more serious. For example, if these corpses are indeed sent by the Tang Kingdom, and if I conceal this, it could lead Wushen Mountain to believe that the Tang Kingdom is still a viable partner...

Damn it, whatever I do is wrong.

This is a really tricky situation.

What should we do?

"Li Qi ...?" Shen Shuibi looked at Li Qi and noticed that his face was covered in pain.

It's really painful... I'm just a lowly eighth-rank official, why is it like this?

This is something I shouldn't have to worry about in the first place!

Finally, Li Qi sighed, "Forget it, we don't understand the situation, so let's not act rashly. I will report this to the teacher, but no one else should be told about it, and we should not report it to Wushen Mountain publicly."

"We don't know what's going on at the top, and they probably won't tell me. Let's tell the teacher and let him make the decision. We'll just be on guard," Li Qi sighed.

Fortunately, there is one thing that is reassuring.

It's unlikely that the other side will send someone strong enough to instantly kill them to cause trouble.

The actions of high-end combat forces are monitored by each other. Just like when the Great Witch takes action, the Tang Kingdom will definitely send out corresponding Perfected Person to counter it, and will not suddenly take action to cause trouble.

The same applies to officials of the third and fourth ranks; naturally, the same applies to officials of the fifth and sixth ranks. There will definitely be people to protect them.

An assassin who can truly conceal their presence is probably not much stronger than Li Qi.

Probably...

What else can I think?

Even if a fifth or sixth-rank official sneaks in, there's nothing that can be stopped.

That's the only way I can comfort myself.

Once the plan is finalized, the rest can be done step by step.

Soon, the real people from Wushen Mountain arrived.

It wasn't just one person, but an entire convoy.

A fifth-rank official led a group of over a dozen attendants, along with a convoy of Azure Bird pulling a rather luxurious carriage, as they slowly descended from the sky.

He was a fifth-rank official, with a calm expression and very ordinary clothes and appearance, just like a passerby on the street, without any air of superiority.

Behind him were a dozen or so followers, all of whom were seventh-rank officials. However, they were probably not disciples of Wushen Mountain. Li Qi could tell that these people practiced different methods, and some of them were not even practitioners of the Shaman Path.

Perhaps these followers have another origin.

The vehicle looked extremely luxurious, adorned with carved dragons and phoenixes, and featuring nine steps with patterns on it, depicting the moon reflected on the river and the willows swaying in the wind.

But that's about it; the rest of the vehicles look just like ordinary cars, nothing special.

However, the Azure Bird pulling the cart in front were all of the eighth rank.

"Young Master Li Qi, please get in the carriage. We'll return to the mountain to rest for a while before heading to the Tang Kingdom." The fifth-rank official stepped forward, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture to Li Qi.

Li Qi immediately returned the greeting, without the slightest hint of slackness.

Even if you have a special status, you should not be arrogant when facing a senior who is better than you.

So he greeted the other attendants one by one.

Most of the attendants were trembling with fear, addressing him as "Young Master," and some of the more timid ones even knelt down in obeisance.

They were clearly all more skilled than Li Qi.

Li Qi felt he couldn't bear it, so he quickly helped them up, which made them feel a little more relaxed.

As for those Azure Bird, although their cultivation level was eighth grade, they were all livestock. Despite their high cultivation level, they had no intelligence and were merely beasts.

Li Qi carried the Old Ma and boarded the carriage.

This behavior drew frequent glances from the attendants, but no one dared to say anything.

The Fifth-Rank Great Expert remained calm, opened the car door for Li Qi, and then got in himself.

Once inside, I discovered...

It's really ordinary.

It's so ordinary. Li Qi thought it would be something special, but it's just a car. The inside is exactly what the outside looks like.

Even with the drowsy Old Ma inside, it was still a bit cramped...

Very simple.

Li Qi and Shen Shuibi sat together, with Old Ma sitting on the aisle in front of them.

The fifth-rank official sat opposite, smiling broadly; he looked like a kind old man.

He seemed completely unconcerned. After sitting down, he lightly tapped his hand, and the convoy took off.

At the same time, he also said, "If I remember correctly, is this Young Master Li Qi's first time returning to the mountain?"

"What you say is true, senior," Li Qi replied honestly.

The fifth-rank official laughed and said, "That's really strange. Generally speaking, young masters will grow to the rank of entry-level within the mountain gate before they go down the mountain to travel to various small worlds and train themselves."

"He has been traveling outside since the beginning, and he has cultivated to the eighth rank before returning to the mountain for the first time. This is the first time I have ever encountered such a person."

"Hehe..." Li Qi chuckled awkwardly, without saying anything more.

What else can we do?

"The Great Shaman has already told me that Young Master Li Qi has never returned to the mountain and may not be used to it. He wants you to go to his cave immediately upon arrival. If you see anything you don't like on the way, you can deal with it as you feel like," the fifth-rank shaman said slowly and deliberately.

"Senior, what do you mean by 'can't stand'?" Li Qi was still thinking about the attack he had just encountered when he suddenly heard this question. He stopped thinking and turned his attention to this.

What does "can't stand" mean?

"What I mean is, if anyone else blocks your path or challenges or provokes you, Young Master Li Qi can handle it himself. He won't take action, but he will cover for you. Don't be afraid if something goes wrong," the fifth-rank official replied with a smile.

Li Qi wiped his sweat and didn't continue the conversation.

Forget it, there are still external forces causing trouble. The most important thing right now is to tell the teacher what happened and pass the trouble on.

Then they rushed to the Tang Kingdom to mend the rift between the two sides and quell the conflict.

As for someone blocking the way...

Forget it, we have no grudges or hatred, why bother?

Li Qi simply changed the subject and said to the fifth-rank official, "Senior, could we take a detour to Snake Tail County in the Great Deer Kingdom?"

"Hmm? As long as you're happy, young master. It's only a couple of Chen anyway." He didn't stop him.

Then, the carriage fell silent.

A Chen or two later, the carriage passed through the Great Deer Kingdom, in the Snake Tail County of the White Snake Prefecture.

But then a golden thread descended and landed inside the county magistrate's residence.

Then, the car drove away silently, and no one noticed that anything had been there.

Suddenly, the county magistrate of Snake Tail County died during a banquet. Apart from a bloodstain on his head, he was otherwise unharmed.

"Why?" the fifth-rank official suddenly asked.

He hadn't said a word since Li Qi shut up, but after Li Qi started to take action, he began to ask why.

Li Qi Qize replied politely, "I had some conflicts with him in the past because I helped him, and I escaped with my life from his hands. At that time, I said I would come back."

"Oh." He simply nodded and said nothing more.

Then, the car outside started going faster and faster.

I have no idea what those Azure Bird and their entourage are here for; they seem to be just standing there, putting on a show.

As the vehicle moves, it is surrounded by an air shield that isolates it from the outside, so it doesn't matter where you stand; it seems that their only task is to "look good."

What a waste.

The car sped up and then flew directly into the sky.

Li Qi watched the car pass through the clouds with his own eyes.

Above the clouds, a fierce gale raged.

A sudden gust of wind brought the sound of wheels turning.

Thunder and fire clashed, giving rise to clouds, mist, and lightning.

The vast sky blows, causing the celestial sphere to turn from right to left.

Under the blazing sun, the myriad wonders of nature stretch as far as the eye can see.

A faint wisp of smoke drifted down from the ninth point, and in an instant, the vast ocean stretched out, leading to this Gale Layer. Li Qi suddenly saw countless people, all seemingly traveling here.

Many cultivators, who were barely visible on the ground, suddenly increased in number once they reached the Gale Layer.

Above the Gale Layer, there are countless pavilions standing tall in the wind, with countless beams of light shuttling through them.

There were also many giant beasts, each several miles long, resembling boats, floating in the gale.

There are many more, like Li Qi's small cars and boats, each with its own unique characteristics, moving back and forth in the Gale Layer, and they are all probably carried by a single person.

This... how come I've never seen this before?

Shen Shuibi, on the other hand, looked completely used to it; she must have known all along.

No wonder we don't usually see cultivators traveling; it turns out they're all in the fierce winds above the clouds. If one's cultivation level is below the eighth rank, they simply can't get in.

However, Li Qi's vehicle seemed to have some kind of marking. As soon as he arrived, he saw hundreds of giant beasts turn around, many pavilions were driven by Technique Method to make way, countless cultivators stood still, and those who were far away began to flee.

The vehicle he was in completely ignored them and sped up into the sky.

It is higher than the Nine Heavens Gale Layer.

Above the Heavenly Gang, Li Qi saw the 'sky'.

That was the real sky...

It looked like a thin layer of foam, like the soap bubbles that children blow, with iridescent colors, and sunlight shining down from above.

The sun blocked out everything; the stars were nowhere to be seen, and there was no darkness at all.

In this place, the sun occupies the entire sky.

It was so enormous that the entire sky was filled with dazzling white light, so blinding that if an ordinary person were here, their eyes would probably go blind, and there would be no cure.

Magnificent, enormous, spectacular, like pillars of light piercing the sky.

These rays of sunlight, weakened by the Heavenly Gang and clouds, eventually become warm sunshine, falling to the ground and transforming into energy that allows all things to grow comfortably.

However, here, where the sky is, the sunlight is not diminished in any way.

Here, it seems the whole world is melted into the same light.

The torrent of light rippled like ocean waves, and pure energy surged and burned before everyone's eyes. Even Li Qi was blinded by the light, his eyes filled with tears. He could see nothing but a white blur, as if a thick layer of frosted glass covered his vision. Fortunately, he wouldn't go blind.

Everything was pulsating, like a boiling cauldron, filled with an inspiring and thriving atmosphere of prosperity.

Yang Energy, unparalleled Yang Energy.

So rich and powerful, it is enough to dispel all darkness.

Shen Shuibi huddled up, seemingly very uncomfortable.

Li Qi was somewhat puzzled. Although the light was extremely intense, the Yang Energy was actually blocked by the air shield outside the vehicle, so there was practically no sensation inside.

If there were no barriers, it's estimated that only those at the seventh rank or higher could survive here; otherwise, they would probably be burned to ashes.

This is probably why only those of rank seven or above can travel to the outer realms alone.

Li Qi protected Shen Shuibi, summoned the Taiyin Heavenly God to envelop the rabbit, and then placed his hand on her back to help her catch her breath.

Shen Shuibi remained silent, but moved forward slightly, causing Li Qi's hand to miss its target.

The fifth-rank Shaman driving the carriage said, "Don't worry, it's normal for the Essence of Taiyin to feel a little uncomfortable when exposed to sunlight like this, but it will be fine once we reach the outer realms."

"Hmm." Li Qi nodded, pretending nothing was wrong.

Just as he said, after about four or five minutes, the sunlight gradually weakened.

Li Qi was finally able to open his eyes, and then he looked back.

Then, he saw an extremely spectacular scene.

Two spheres and a continent float in the void.

It wasn't that Li Qi previously knew the sun was big and the moon was small, but rather that the sun and moon were the same size and revolved around a continent together.

"We've reached the outer realms. We need to speed up. Hold on tight," the fifth-rank official said.

Then, the speed increased sharply.

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