Numb

Inside the hall sat six high priests, two men and two women, and two others whose genders were not conventional.

It's hard to say whether they are male or female, because they don't even have a human form.

Rather than being a person, it is more like some kind of peculiar incarnation.

It is intangible and formless; one can only vaguely sense a slight fluctuation, confirming that there is indeed something sitting there, and that it is not just one's illusion.

Even though they can't see them, they can somehow sense the people in that place.

When the other person speaks, there is clearly no sound, but you can still 'hear' it.

He leaves no trace when he acts, yet you can still 'see' him.

Moreover, he can describe what he did, have an impression of the object, sense its temperament, and even vaguely perceive its appearance.

But when you actually describe what he looks like, the viewer will suddenly realize.

Ah, so it turns out I can't actually see, touch, or hear this thing.

It's like something that can be perceived by instinct but not by the senses.

Quite strange.

However, others seem to have become accustomed to this situation.

Moreover, at this moment, everyone except Zhu Fengdan was laughing heartily, their expressions full of joy.

Another great shaman cheerfully picked up a cup of wine and drank it down. "I see that your apprentice is thoughtful, considerate, steady and dignified. He is a good boy. It's a waste that he is with you. Why not give him to me? I will definitely make him shine!"

"Get out!" Zhu Fengdan was so angry that she lost her appetite for the wine.

He was furious, but the other high priests were all smiles.

Another great shaman said, "I heard that Zhu Laosan's disciple has been neglected since he was taken in as a disciple. He was allowed to roam around on his own until he reached the eighth rank. Only because of the Tang Kingdom, he has to return to the mountain to prepare. He will have to go to the Tang Kingdom, which will take at least three years."

"He hasn't paid any attention to his apprentice for a single day. Don't you think that's why the kid is so outstanding?"

Upon hearing this, the other high priests clapped and laughed, filling the entire hall with a joyful atmosphere.

Zhu Fengdan's face darkened, but she couldn't refute it.

He is capricious and willful, but he is not unreasonable.

He indeed never taught Li Qi; he simply threw away the textbooks and let him learn on his own.

His original plan was to let Li Qi walk all the way back, and he estimated that he would reach the eighth rank by then, and officially enter the mountain gate. He would definitely have been tempered along the way.

What are we honing? We're honing our chivalrous spirit, of course.

From his early days as an unranked disciple, he trekked through the Baiyue region, eventually returning to Wushen Mountain. Along the way, he undoubtedly endured hardships and experienced the coldness and warmth of human relationships. This experience naturally eroded the arrogance of a disciple of a major sect. Only after that, when he was taught skills, would Li Qi understand how to cherish them and study even more diligently.

Removing arrogance can make a person more clever and better suited to Zhu Fengdan's temperament.

Only those who have experienced hardship know how unbearable it can be.

Having experienced the coldness and warmth of human relationships, I now realize how precious what I have is.

And by wallowing in the world of mortals, he will definitely learn all kinds of tricks, and he won't have naive ideas. When the time comes, he will be proficient in killing decisively, bragging and spanking, and running away for his life.

That was Zhu Fengdan's original thought.

But who knew that this apprentice was so outstanding that he didn't suffer any hardship on the way!

He advanced to the ninth rank in just one year! That's faster than most young masters.

With a solid foundation and a calm temperament, he defied the odds by defeating a seventh-rank official from the ninth rank, and single-handedly designed and presided over a grand ceremony without making a single mistake.

He had planned out the entire path to the seventh rank for himself, clearing away all obstacles. Now, there is no hindrance to his advancement to the seventh rank.

"Jianghu spirit"? What is that?

Since his debut, Li Qi has always been treated as a master and has never been tainted by the arrogance of the underworld.

On the contrary, his strategic planning and execution throughout the process gave him the air of someone in a position of authority.

It's unbearable.

It was completely different from what Zhu Fengdan had arranged.

However, he wasn't the type to lie down and let others mock him. Seeing how happy everyone else was, he slammed his hand on the table and said, "So what? It's a good thing that my apprentice is doing well. So what if he's not like me? What kind of logic is that an apprentice has to be like his master?"

"You bunch of sarcastic people, how could you possibly understand the wonders of my teaching methods? I knew he was exceptionally talented, so I taught him Cultivation Method, gave him Technique Method, and provided him with protective energy, letting him venture out into the world and be tempered by trials and tribulations before he could become a useful person. You know nothing!"

"What's the use of protecting your disciples, leading them into the sect, laying a solid foundation for them, and then letting them go out after they reach the seventh rank? A bunch of flashy but ineffective fighters, they still have to hone their skills outside, right? Let me tell you, your teaching methods are a pile of shit! If you're not happy, I won't bully you. If you can't beat me in a one-on-one fight, then let your disciples try it out!"

"Wisdom, Divine Ability, Technique Method, knowledge, foundation, cultivation! Whatever it is, each of you choose your disciples. You can even have a tag-team battle. My disciple alone can take on all of you!"

Zhu Fengdan slammed her hand on the table and shouted angrily!

Although he hadn't considered whether Li Qi was willing or not.

Just kidding. If Master gets slapped in the face, isn't it only natural for your disciple to come and help me save face?

But a high-ranking shaman immediately spoke up to advise, "Third Master Zhu, don't go mad. We know your disciple is promising, but children have their own paths. As his masters, we can't force him to grow up just to make him like us. You're dragging him out to confront the other disciples. Do you really want him to end up like you?"

Zhu Fengdan stood up abruptly and waved her hand dismissively. "Bah! Me, in this state? Me, in that state? Just because the Witch God said my Dao Path is wrong, I'm really wrong?! Nonsense! The Witch God's opinion doesn't count for my Dao Path! You say I'm bad at teaching disciples, then let's try and see if your hand-in-hand teaching is more effective, or my disciples'!"

He had barely finished speaking.

But then a strange wind blew out.

At this moment, Li Qi had just bid farewell to Yu Mengniang and was happily holding that wisp of Daoist charm in his hand.

This rhyme was indeed extremely important to him.

His personal world, though seemingly well-founded, was actually already filled with the land of a single state, making it bulging and unable to progress further.

How outrageous is it for a whole province? Just look at his previous fight with that dark-skinned young master to find out.

The other person was sent flying by his collision.

His personal world was thus overloaded.

If one can comprehend the effects of this Daoist rhythm and apply it to one's own personal microcosm, one can accommodate more, resolve the current state of overload, and move forward more easily.

He wasn't greedy for it, but he genuinely needed to learn it.

Holding the Daoist charm, Li Qi had just parted ways with Yu Mengniang when suddenly, he felt a strange wind blowing towards him!

He immediately became vigilant! He activated his Daoist aura, causing the area around him to expand to a hundred feet, and at the same time, he immediately used the Five Mountains and Four Guardians to firmly root himself to the ground!

Mountains overcome wind, using the methods of the Five Mountains and Four Guardians, as if a wind-stabilizing stake is tied to one's body, making it unmoved by ordinary wind.

But when the strange wind approached Li Qi, Li Qi had no power to resist at all and was blown away!

Almost instantly, he was lifted into the sky, and before he could react, he was swept up and carried into a grand hall.

He was moving so fast that he didn't even notice how far he had traveled.

When he regained his senses about his surroundings, he found himself in a grand hall.

Hundreds of gauze lanterns hung at varying heights in the main hall.

The colorful bushes were illuminated as if it were daytime. The palace gates were wide open, with three rows of white jade steps leading down in seven tiers. The ground was covered with purple silk, and the incense of a hundred kinds of spices was burned. A curtain of cloud brocade was hung.

The newly made Ritual Vessel were placed to the side, and the number of the bamboo, dou, fu, and gui vessels was all determined according to the ceremonial rites.

The hall was brightly lit with candles and exquisitely furnished, but it looked like a place where ordinary people would sit. Despite its luxurious decorations, Li Qi could have built it himself if he had the money, so there was nothing special about it.

If I had to point out something unusual...

Those are the six beings mentioned above.

Li Qi could only see four people.

But True Knowledge Dao Charm could 'see' the other two.

The six great shamans each possessed a distinct aura.

The two high-ranking officials sat upright, each with a serious and methodical demeanor.

The clan leader is in charge of the rituals for establishing the state. Internally, he is responsible for the internal discipline of Wushen Mountain. Externally, he is responsible for communication and arrangements with various subordinate forces. He also controls money, food and supplies. It is a standard management position, so they are basically all of this kind of temperament.

The two Great Shaman, including his own master, were a man and a woman. His master was radiant and full of energy, but he looked a little angry. There was a large handprint on the table.

The other female Great Shaman appeared dignified and composed, but exuded an indescribable warmth, just like... a mother?

Although she was pretty, she wasn't stunningly beautiful; it was just that her approachable demeanor made it difficult for people to feel hostility towards her.

The Great Shaman is in charge of all matters concerning the gods of heaven and earth. He needs to be dignified and have a respectable appearance. In other words, the Great Shaman must be able to control all the gods, but not by force. He must have authority and be able to serve as a bridge between gods and humans. Only someone who Qi Ingestion by both sides can become Shaman.

Li Qi, as Shaman, believed that to achieve this, one must uphold 'righteousness' and 'justice' in order to gain the trust of all the gods and the approval of all the people.

But this is not absolute. Obviously, the teacher does not think so, and the female Great Shaman should also be different from Li Qi.

This is the difference in their paths.

However, there is no right or wrong in this matter; it's simply a matter of choosing one's own path.

The real mistake on the Dao Path is when the chosen method and goal are contradictory, leading to going in the opposite direction. That is the great error that will shake the foundation of the path.

There were two other invisible people. Li Qi couldn't tell their identities, but judging from their appearance... they should be Da Bu.

Why are the Great Diviners like this? They should have normal bodies, so is it that their original forms are missing?

In the blink of an eye, Li Qi only glanced at the situation before him before immediately performing the disciple's salute and bowing to the six great shamans before him. "Greetings, Master! Greetings, Great Shamans!"

He put the teacher first.

Clearly, this gesture pleased Zhu Fengdan. With a wave of his hand, Li Qi was once again standing right next to him.

Before Li Qi could even speak, Zhu Fengdan blurted out, "My apprentice has arrived, where are yours?"

The other high priests waved their hands or shook their heads, their opinions surprisingly unified.

"My apprentice is in seclusion, don't disturb him."

"Who's going to argue with you about all this nonsense? You're unreliable, but do you think we don't have our own problems? You're dragging the kids into this? What do you take them for?"

"My child is dull-witted and can't compare to your apprentice. It would be embarrassing to have him compete with you. If the fight damages his pure and innocent heart, will you compensate for it? You can play by yourself. My child is destined to be a late bloomer. He just needs to work hard quietly in the early stages and not compete for empty fame."

"My disciple is the continuation of my Dao Path, not a tool for comparison. I will not let him get involved in such matters."

"Our path requires a thorough study of mathematical methods, which are profound and difficult. My disciples are diligent in thinking but slow in action, not good at fighting, and only good at studying and meditating. They will not get involved in this kind of physical competition."

The high priests each spoke, but none of them agreed.

Li Qi listened in from the side.

Based on the conversation between the high priests, he pondered for a moment and guessed what they were doing.

Based on the teacher's personality...

Could it be...?

The teacher planned to drag himself along to slap them in the face, to beat up each of these great shaman's disciples one by one, then he would stand with his hands on his hips, laugh heartily, look down on the crowd, feel exhilarated, and leave in style.

Holy crap, now that I think about it, it's quite possible!

Given the teacher's personality, it's perfectly normal for him to do something like this.

However... he must have been provoked to make this choice.

What triggered this?

The only things that could provoke them here are these few high priests. They probably have conflicts with each other, but they wouldn't start arguing every time they meet, so something must have happened in between.

These people shouldn't be the powerful sorcerers behind those young masters. If they were, given my teacher's personality, they would have already started fighting.

So, the current situation is—

These great shamans weren't the ones who stopped him; the proof is that his teacher didn't make a move.

However, due to something he was unaware of, the teacher had a conflict with these great shamans, and the teacher planned to have him fight their apprentice in order to win this round.

What is that?

If you can resolve disputes using your disciples... then you must have risen through the ranks because of your disciples, otherwise you wouldn't have gotten involved.

But I wasn't there just now.

In an instant, Li Qi understood.

Oh no, did I just have to be watched by these guys the whole time?

Upon thinking of this, Li Qi immediately stepped forward. "Great Shamans, please hear what this humble one has to say!"

The other high priests, including Zhu Fengdan, all smiled.

That smile sent a chill down Li Qi's spine.

Wait a minute, these great shamans seem to be able to read minds.

According to the teacher, "After one has cultivated to a high level, one can see every detail of the hearts of others."

My thoughts have definitely been read!

At this moment, a kind-hearted shaman said, "You child, you are indeed quick-witted. Don't worry, just speak. We will not be watching your mind as you speak."

He seemed to be in a good mood as he said, "We'd like to see how you manage to persuade Zhu Laosan without making us angry. Don't try to please us and get Zhu Laosan to back down, he might really beat you up. You'd better watch out."

Li Qi turned around and glanced at his teacher.

I'm numb.

How can this be resolved?