The Other Side

Upon hearing Li Qi's words, Zhu Fengdan's mouth dropped open in a wide smile, almost bursting out laughing.

The other high priests also gave wry smiles.

I must say, this was a very well-executed solution.

Is the conflict unsolvable?

Let's just shift the blame.

Shifting blame is a useful tactic at any time.

Since you great shamans are having conflicts among yourselves because of your disciples, I will make a big fuss myself and make you shift your conflicts onto me.

Now that my power has increased dramatically, my foundation is unstable.

If you fight me, you'll have to worry that my skills have greatly increased and you won't be able to defeat me, and you'll also have to worry that my foundation is unstable and your victory will be unfair.

No matter how you fight, it's embarrassing.

Besides, is there really some irreconcilable conflict between these great shamans?

Li Qi thought, perhaps not.

The adults were at most a little unhappy.

At that moment, as a junior, I smashed the cup to draw everyone's attention to myself.

Then everyone did come to see me, and they even helped me clean up the cups.

So now, do you guys still have the nerve to go back to arguing about the previous topic?

Moreover, I wasn't just smashing bowls and causing trouble; I was showcasing myself.

Who else in the entire Wushen Mountain could do such a thing?

These great shamans could discern the hidden meaning in what Li Qi did.

"Who else among the eighth-rank new generation of Wushen Mountain besides me?!"

He appears polite, gentle, and fair in his dealings with others.

But in reality, what's the difference between her and Zhu Fengdan?

Just as arrogant, just as unpredictable!

But can we blame him?

Judging from Zhu Fengdan's wide, uncontrollable smile, she is clearly very satisfied.

Moreover, aren't these great shamans... satisfied?

They had just witnessed firsthand the brilliance of an outstanding younger generation.

The great shamans were not narrow-minded, mean-spirited old men who would do everything in their power to suppress any descendant who was more outstanding than their own disciples.

If that were true, all the descendants of Wushen Mountain would have died long ago.

The eighth rank presides over the grand sacrifice, using the grand sacrifice and the Myriad Dances to worship himself!

Even a seventh-rank cultivator wouldn't dare to do something like this, but he managed to do it by relying on two Daoist auras.

Although he had the protection of a high-ranking shaman, he truly accomplished it on his own.

It's like a mountain blocking your Dao Path; you can only climb over it yourself, no one can help you.

The six great shamans can at most act as safety ropes, ensuring that you won't fall to your death if you fail to climb.

But ultimately, climbing a mountain is something you have to do yourself, one step at a time.

Even with a safety rope, it can only guarantee that you won't die; you still have to rely on your own efforts and wisdom to solve the problem.

However, Li Qi did it in front of the six great shamans.

This left the six high priests, who were forced to work overtime, quite speechless.

Li Qi used this method to shift the conflict onto himself, and then demonstrated his excellence, thus naturally resolving the conflict.

This not only greatly boosted Zhu Fengdan's reputation but also left the other great shamans speechless.

"Hahaha, you old fogies, are you Qi Ingestion now? Come on! Disciple, let's go back." Zhu Fengdan was in high spirits, grabbed Li Qi with one hand, and prepared to leave the hall.

Li Qi was taken aback. "Wait, teacher, we didn't come here for a banquet..."

Zhu Fengdan grabbed Li Qi and dragged him out, saying boldly, "What kind of banquet is this? Do you lack food? I'll arrange dragon liver and phoenix gall for you when we get back. We won't eat theirs!"

Li Qi was helpless.

Didn't they say that a Dream Divination here divined their future and held a banquet for it...?

What happened?

Oh well, I guess I'll just have to get used to my teacher's unreliability.

He seems to always be like this, acting on a whim. Right now, he's in a great mood, so it's best not to disturb him.

If you insist on staying, he might really beat you up and take you back.

You should just obediently go back with them.

But...

Thinking of this, Li Qi immediately closed his eyes, controlling himself from thinking about that 'however'.

Because of this "however," if other high priests see it, conflicts might arise again.

As for Zhang Zidu...

Uh, he should be fine standing there a little longer, right? He'll probably leave on his own eventually; we can't keep waiting for Li Qi, can we?

Impossible, impossible.

Li Qi was dragged along by Zhu Fengdan until he felt himself being stuffed into the carriage and then started moving, before he finally opened his eyes.

"Teacher..." he sighed.

Zhu Fengdan chuckled, urging the Iron-Eating Beast to speed up, while turning back to Li Qi and saying, "Kid, you did a great job this time! We men keep our word! I'll get you tidied up when we get back, give you a haircut, change your clothes, and then I'll take you to Luofu's cave abode. Whether you want to meet him or propose marriage then is up to you!"

"Uh..." Li Qi was speechless.

However, he didn't dwell on that topic, but instead said directly to Zhu Fengdan, "Teacher, have you planned everything out?"

"Huh? What did you say?" Zhu Fengdan hummed a song, answering absentmindedly.

"That Wu Yu and the Cosmic Space Dao Charm, are they not coincidences?" Li Qi guessed.

Before Zhu Fengdan could answer, Li Qi continued.

"Teacher, you arranged all of this long ago. You deliberately sent me to buy things so that I could discover the Cosmic Space Dao Charm on my own, and then use that as a pretext to capture me."

"Then, based on my reaction, you can force those five great wizards to work for you for free, and you won't have to lose face by begging them, and the matter will be completed perfectly."

"The only variable is my reaction. I need to react just right without any prior planning in order to reap the benefits."

"But it's impossible for me to tell you in advance, because if I did, it would inevitably leave a clue."

"So just let me do my thing. If it works, then I've passed the test. If it doesn't, then teacher, just pretend nothing happened, wait for the Dream Divination to tell my fortune, and then go back."

"Is... is that what I guessed?"

Li Qi looked at Zhu Fengdan's retreating figure and asked this question.

This banquet, from her own arrival to the market and the subsequent performance, was all arranged by Zhu Fengdan.

Li Qi felt that his teacher must have known about the existence of the Wu Yu and the Daoist rhythm long ago.

If I can continue to play along, things will remain the same as they are now.

Even if you can't do it yourself, you can still get the fortuitous opportunity to have your fortune told; you just haven't passed the teacher's test.

"Hmph." Zhu Fengdan chuckled. "You guessed 60% right, but let me tell you, kids shouldn't think about so much all the time."

"Thinking too much can be painful; children should be happy more often."

"Thinking is a form of torture in itself. Be kinder to yourself." Zhu Fengdan looked up outside, her previously relaxed expression suddenly becoming empty, her eyes looking...

That's terrifying.

Li Qi fell silent.

However, he thought about it for a moment...

Unable to resist, thinking had become a part of Li Qi's life.

What does it mean to say that thinking itself is a form of torture?

I don't quite understand what the teacher said.

However, Li Qi skipped that topic and continued to ask Zhu Fengdan, "Then, teacher, what's next?"

"After that? I'll tell you what will happen next. We'll get your hair done, change your clothes, and then we'll go to Luofu cave abode! You can experience it first, stabilize your realm, and savor the feeling of reaching the seventh rank. We'll speed things up!" Zhu Fengdan laughed.

After laughing, he took out a fishing rod with a golden bamboo shoot on it and hung it in front of the Iron-Eating Beast.

Speed increased dramatically!

Li Qi was slammed into the back seat by the acceleration.

This car does not accelerate normally.

The acceleration indicates that the teacher no longer wants to talk to me.

Then shut up...

First, consider your own level of understanding.

Li Qi closed his eyes and focused on introspection.

From the initial entry into the eighth rank to the peak of the eighth rank, only a few hours have passed.

This directly resulted in Li Qi having an extremely poor understanding and unfamiliarity with his own power, so he needed to spend time getting to know it properly.

The peak of the eighth rank, only one step away from the seventh rank.

What strengths do I currently possess?

The Inner Gods is now more secure.

Its Law Power is several times stronger than before.

And then there's this feeling of the Unseen.

I've reached a certain threshold.

Stepping into the threshold of immortality.

This is a fundamental difference. If I take another step forward and cross this mountain, I will no longer be an 'ordinary person'.

They may even no longer be called 'children'.

Li Qi knew this; he had read about it in a book.

Among the various Daoist paths, whether one achieves immortality is the mark that determines whether one has reached adulthood.

Only when you achieve immortality and are not erased by time can you call yourself an adult, and only then will the great shamans not call you a 'child'.

Only then will they acknowledge that you've grown up and can truly understand them.

This step is an extraordinary one.

Before this, as a short-lived being, you were simply incapable of understanding these eternally great beings.

The mark of the seventh rank is achieving immortality.

Every moment of breathing and metabolism in this world causes damage to the body, which is then repaired. When the repair can no longer keep up with the damage, that is aging.

Even those at the eighth or ninth rank, while able to extend their lifespan, cannot stop the aging process.

But once you reach the seventh rank, everything changes.

After reaching the seventh rank, the Daoist sect can choose from many options, such as the Pure Body of Lapis Lazuli, or other methods, such as the Nine Elixir Transformation into Fetal Essence method, all of which are ways to achieve immortality.

The same applies to the golden bodies of Buddhist monks. Li Qi also knew of another Movement Method called the Three Bodies Method, which uses one's true nature as the Dharma Body, one's virtuous deeds as the Reward Body, and the True Body as the three, combining the three into one to achieve immortality.

To advance to the seventh rank in the Shaman Path, one also needs to accomplish something similar.

What method should I choose to advance to the seventh rank?

Although it's not time to make a choice yet, we should start thinking about it in advance.

There are thousands of ways to advance to the seventh rank in Wushen Mountain. How should I choose?

Li Qi couldn't help but let his mind wander.

But he quickly calmed himself down.

Never mind, it's not time to choose yet.

Take your time.

Although I'm very curious about what it feels like to become 'immortal', I still think the foundation is the most important.

He has not yet fully learned and comprehended the Cosmic Space Dao Charm, nor has he fully mastered its power. He has not accumulated many Technique Method and abilities that should have been gradually developed. He has the cultivation level of the peak of the eighth rank, but in reality, he is just an empty shell. Many of his skills are still at the level of someone who has just entered the eighth rank.

It's like a computer that has just had its specs upgraded, from a 3060 to a 3080.

However, the software running is still the same old software; although it will be smoother, there will be no fundamental improvement.

This is the drawback of rapidly increasing one's cultivation level.

There's still a way to go before reaching the seventh rank.

Let's take it one step at a time.

Li Qi planned to spend a little time familiarizing himself with his powers and making preparations, which would probably take a few days.

At this time, only seven or eight Chen had passed since he arrived at Wushen Mountain, not even a day had passed.

During this time, Shen Shuibi finally arrived at the cave abode Lady Luofu was temporarily residing.

Rabbit has always been someone who can't hide his emotions.

She walked along with a distressed expression.

She had only just arrived near the cave abode.

This cave abode was built on a sacred peak, which covered an area of a hundred miles in circumference. All the area in the middle was given to the remnants of Mount Luofu.

This sacred peak is divided into four directions, each with its own four seasons, forming a unique Time Ring, making it an exceptionally beautiful place.

Spring is warm and gentle, summer is lush and verdant, autumn is sparse and thin, and winter is gloomy and dim; the Qi of the Four Seasons surround Lingfeng.

Lingfeng is home to short pines, dwarf poplars, firs, cypresses, plums, and willows, all of which are lush and green.

Flowers include roses and chrysanthemums, as well as peonies and tree peonies. Flowers of all four seasons bloom here, without being restricted by the season.

The stream flows around the area, where small animals lean against the water, drinking and rinsing their teeth. There are also many water birds, their white feathers just beginning to grow, playing and frolicking in the water.

A narrow path emerges from the rocky crevices, interrupted by rugged hills, winding and turning, followed by wooden planks that lean against the rocks and rise in a circle, with the stream flowing beneath it, becoming more and more winding as it goes.

Small stones are scattered around, called "flower, tree and stone embellishments", mostly made of yellow stone, Xuan stone and Lingbi stone.

There is a waterfall cascading down a dangerous stream, and below it, in an open space, there is a marsh where small fish swim, a scene described as mountains and water complementing each other.

Butterflies flutter among the flowers, and sparrows rustle on the green branches.

The gurgling of the spring tells us the water is swift; the approaching clouds make us feel the mountains are near.

A peaceful and natural atmosphere prevailed.

Wushen Mountain is not a domineering Dao Lineage, so it provides them with ample private space and does not have surveillance. Even the great diviners deliberately avoid being seen here.

In fact, the Shaman Path has always pursued equality for all things, and this is also true for Mount Luofu. There has never been a case of being treated poorly.

Even though they wanted the First-Grade Great Dao Opportunity contained within the Sun Moon True Lead Cauldron, they did not choose to seize it by force, but instead prepared to continuously bestow favors until Lady Luofu voluntarily handed it over.

Therefore, this place looks quite peaceful and undisturbed by the outside world.

Shen Shuibi had just arrived at this spot when she saw a flock of larks suddenly fly in from the horizon.

The rabbit's gloomy face suddenly broke into a smile, and it looked at the larks with some surprise.

But then those tiny larks, no bigger than a palm, flew quickly toward Shen Shuibi, then landed on the ground with a thud. They transformed into human forms, all of them thirteen or fourteen-year-old girls dressed as maids, their faces beaming with joy.

"The Moonlit Lady has returned!"

"Welcome back to Your Highness!"

"Your Highness, did the people from Wushen Mountain treat you any badly on the way?"

A flock of larks chirped and swarmed over, their expressions a mixture of worry and joy.

What worries me is that the Moonlit Lady has been wronged, but what pleases me is that another powerful figure from our side has finally returned.

Only when they arrived in front of Shen Shuibi did a slightly older leader, Yun Que, who looked about fifteen or sixteen years old, step forward. "The True Lord sent us to greet Your Highness! Your Highness, why do you look so downcast?"

Shen Shuibi smiled and said, "It's nothing. Let's go back and talk about it. How is Yang Ning?"

Yun Que immediately replied, "The True Lord Chi Qi is waiting for you inside, but she still needs to embrace the Great Sun to nourish her damaged soul, so she cannot come out to see you and can only send us."

Shen Shuibi nodded and took the first step. "I see. Then let's hurry up. By the way... how many families have been found and brought back to Wushen Mountain?"