Li Qi Expounds the Dao

Li Qi was somewhat confused as to where this sudden blood debt came from.

However, it was only a very slight feeling, based on a sudden impulse... that I was just an accomplice?

This cause and effect had virtually no impact on Li Qi; it was something that didn't matter to him.

It's like being blown by the wind while walking; it has absolutely no effect.

However, even if I don't care, where did it come from?

Li Qi was puzzled.

However, his doubts did not last long.

Because, a bulge suddenly rose from the ground, and the Huaxiu Mountain God suddenly emerged from it.

He was still that comical little old man, rushing out with a grin and shouting to Li Qi, "Shaman! Shaman, we've found news!"

Li Qi stood up. "Hmm? Found him? Where is he?"

Huaxiu Mountain God hurriedly said, "Your mount..."

"Friends," Li Qi emphasized again.

Huaxiu Mountain God nodded hurriedly, but he didn't care much about that. He just said, "Oh, right, right, your friend is currently near the Dongling Mountains. There is a Wu Yu residence there. According to the information we have gathered, he has been traveling day and night to get there and has stopped there now."

"I see. Thank you, Mountain God. What are the coordinates? Could you give me a direct marker so I can get there quickly?" Li Qi said.

Huaxiu Mountain God nodded again like a chicken pecking at rice, then presented a piece of leather that exuded Literary Qi, saying, "Of course, we have already prepared it, but, Shaman, there is something..."

"What is it?" Li Qi took the leather bag and asked casually while looking at the information on it.

Huaxiu Mountain God quickly said, "It's like this, the main credit for finding your friend this time is due to several Shaman. They seem to want to participate in the outer sect assessment of Wushen Mountain, so they are very concerned about this search. This time, it was they who found the clue using Secret Method."

"They dare not hope to meet the Shaman, but only wish to ask Shaman for some guidance. Perhaps in the future, when they become disciples of the Wushen Mountain, they will have the opportunity to serve under the Shaman and be of service to him!"

"Oh, I see." Li Qi nodded, indicating that he understood.

Several Shaman also helped out when they went to see Old Ma this time, and they did most of the work. They are now preparing to take the outer sect exam of Wushen Mountain, so they hope I can give them some pointers.

That's only natural; it's about mentoring younger generations.

Although Li Qi felt that these Shaman were probably older than him, after all, he was a genius and had only been cultivating for four years.

But there is no order of precedence in learning; those who are accomplished are teachers. Judging from his cultivation, he is undoubtedly a senior.

"In that case, I will meet them. Let the other mountain gods or whatever else you have helped come along, and I will give you a sermon."

"You just said you'd give me a reply in four Chen, and it's only been a little over two Chen. I'll start preaching to you for the full four Chen."

Upon hearing this, the Huaxiu Mountain God was stunned for a moment.

Then he realized what was happening.

The mountain god was overjoyed and repeatedly bowed, banging his head on the ground. "Thank you Shaman! Thank you Shaman! Where is the sermon being preached? Is it here? I will go and call them right away!"

Li Qi shook his head. "If you stay here, how difficult will it be for you to run? Many of you who are slow will only have half Chen left to catch up. You should have a gathering place over there. Lead the way."

Huaxiu Mountain God hurriedly stepped forward to lead the way, speeding up their escape towards the centipede mountain they had just encountered.

He never expected that this Shaman would be so easy to talk to. He had only done him a small favor, and the person was willing to condescend to preach to him and others!

Although it was only a little less than two Chen, it was a once-in-a-lifetime fortuitous opportunity for everyone!

Especially those few Shaman, if they can really learn something, then the assessment will probably become a sure thing for them.

As for the other mountain gods, they will certainly receive tremendous benefits as well, at least their Dao Path will be much smoother afterward.

That's what they call fortuitous opportunity of luck.

For most cultivators, encountering a powerful figure preaching is a rare and precious opportunity.

Led by the Huaxiu Mountain God, Li Qi quickly arrived at the centipede mountain.

Huaxiu Mountain God was very fast, but Li Qi was already a seventh-rank official, so he easily kept up with her as if taking a leisurely stroll.

Surrounded by miasma, teeming with poisonous insects, and with a bleak atmosphere, it is a typical hot and humid place.

Li Qi looked around the mountain. There were many plants and trees on the mountain, which were probably cash crops planted by the mountain god to make a living.

To be honest, it's quite down-to-earth.

The mountain god and the people planted cash crops together. The mountain god was responsible for ensuring good weather and the people were responsible for taking care of the crops. After the harvest, everyone would receive their share.

This is a different production method from that of the Tang Kingdom, but its efficiency seems to be quite high as well.

Li Qi looked up and observed the various crops in Centipede Mountain.

At the foot of the mountain, there are many Inverted Plum plants. The clumps are not large, and the leaves are like those of bitter plum blossoms or hollyhocks. They are small and deep purple. The fruit is edible, and those who eat it always pinch off the stem, hence the name "Inverted Plum".

The flowers of the 'Daphne odora' can be used to dye fabrics, and its fruit is sweet and soft to eat, has a warming effect on the stomach, and can also increase muscle mass, which is beneficial to martial arts training, so it has a market.

Look again, there are maple trees in these mountains.

It wasn't an ordinary maple tree, but a maple tree with galls deliberately cultivated using Gu worms.

The insects need to be implanted into the bark of the tree. They feed on the tree and cause cysts to rise in the bark, forming galls.

This type of burl maple tree, when subjected to thunderstorms and heavy rain, becomes dark and is called "maple man". A Yue shaman said, "If you take it to carve gods and ghosts, it will easily bring about miracles".

This type of tree is used to carve statues or memorial tablets, which allows spirits to easily merge into them and receive nourishment.

There is also a special kind of bamboo that grows on mountaintops, called Silou bamboo.

This type of bamboo has a thin, hollow bark, with a diameter of no more than two inches. The bark is rough and can be used to make locks. Its serrated edges are sharp and its toughness surpasses that of iron.

If washed with rice water, it becomes strong and sharp, and when shaved into a knife, it can cut elephant hide as easily, making it an excellent material for armor and weapons.

There are a considerable amount of these products on this mountain.

However, looking at these products, Li Qi suddenly frowned; he noticed something strange.

"With so many industries, it must take a lot of people to manage them. I sense that there are industries on all four sides of this mountain, but only villages on three sides. What's going on? Is there any significance to this?" he asked the Huaxiu Mountain God.

He was indeed somewhat curious.

Logically speaking, since there are industries on all four sides, there should be villages on all four sides, each managing a part, which would be perfect.

But now, there are industries on all four sides, but only villages on three sides, which is a bit strange.

Li Qi was a curious and perceptive person, so he asked why this was the case, and what the benefits or reasons were for arranging it this way.

However, this question left even the Huaxiu Mountain God momentarily bewildered.

The old man transformed into a strange gust of wind and Upper Heaven. After examining the area carefully, he exclaimed in surprise, "Huh! I remember that there should be a village on each of the four sides of Centipede Mountain, namely the Xiong, Mi, Bei, and Li families. How come there are only three villages left?"

There were four of them a few Chen before he arrived.

When did it become three?

However, the Huaxiu Mountain God did not dwell on this matter too much.

After a moment of surprise, he simply said to Li Qi, "It's just a village. It's normal that it was relocated or fled due to some kind of mountain disaster or flood. Don't worry about Shaman. Let's start preaching."

"Yes, that's true." Li Qi nodded.

He wasn't familiar with the area either; it's entirely possible the place had moved.

As for why the buildings have also disappeared?

There's no need to be surprised at all. Everyone here is a cultivator, so it's perfectly normal for them to move their entire village along with them.

Wushen Mountain is a place of outstanding people and beautiful scenery. Animals, plants, and people born here are naturally superior to those born outside.

This all depends on the cultivation of the spiritual source of heaven and earth by the Shaman Path. This is a direct strengthening of heaven and earth themselves. When heaven and earth become stronger, the life within them will naturally become stronger as well.

Life born in the Ninth Rank World and the First Rank World is inherently separated by a chasm.

So Li Qi didn't think much of it, and soon he arrived at the mountain.

Although there is some miasma, it is understandable given that the mountain god here is a centipede.

Li Qi sat in the mountains.

Huaxiu Mountain God bid farewell to Li Qi and went to deliver a message to everyone.

Before long, all the cultivators gathered here.

Li Qi sat in the center of the Dao Field, with the few eighth-rank Shaman closest to him. They claimed to be aiming to enter the outer sect of Wushen Mountain. Relying on their own ability to fulfill the request of the Shaman, they were arrogant and sat at the very front.

Behind them are the mountain gods.

Some say they are transformed from fox spirits, others from python spirits, and there are also mountain gods such as mountain goblins, tigers, wolves, centipedes, and poisonous bees, numbering about twenty or more, which should be the social circle of the Huaxiu Mountain God.

Besides these mountain gods, a circle of minor demons surrounded the preaching Dao Field.

These lesser demons were numerous and varied. They were all well-informed and had little ability to Form Transformation. They carefully hid three or four miles outside the Dao Field, piled up in a clump, numbering probably several thousand.

Tigers and goats gathered together, while butterflies landed on the tree spirit's head. They jostled each other, forgetting about hunting or any natural enemies. They all gathered here, hoping to hear a few more words and perhaps gain Form Transformation, shedding their beastly bodies.

There are too many demons in the territory of Wushen Mountain.

Li Qi sat in this makeshift sermon Dao Field and began to preach.

He began by saying, "The universe is vast, and the Dao is within it. The Dao is originally formless, but it is also attached to the tangible, such as spring when things are born, summer when they grow, autumn when they are harvested, and winter when they are stored. These are all manifestations of the Dao's ceaseless flow, which are visible in things. If one seeks the Dao in the formless, there will be no sound to hear and no smell to smell. Those who do not know this will think that people cannot see the Dao. How can they know that the Dao exists when people are present? Therefore, the Dao is within oneself and there is no need to seek it outside."

As he spoke, amidst the lush greenery, a sudden mist and flowing clouds appeared, the fresh air dissipated like rain, and dispersed in all directions.

What he was referring to were some basic concepts of Shaman Path, roughly equivalent to the use of Pinyin in the Chinese language subject.

The first point to clarify is that "the Dao resides within oneself and need not be sought externally." This is the foundation of the microcosm of the human body in the Shaman Path. The Dao is attached to external objects and also to the human body.

Exploring external objects is too difficult, but exploring ourselves is much simpler.

Upon hearing this, many mountain gods trembled, their faces immediately showing an expression of 'I see'.

These simple eight words greatly inspired many of them, and they will surely make significant progress by relying on them after returning home.

These eight characters were written on the title page of the "Zhu's Path" when Li Qi entered the sect. He had already read it before he even started cultivating, and at that time he didn't even know what the words meant.

This is how the gap between people widens.

As for those Ghost Shaman, they were even more excited!

This is a true inheritance. Those mountain gods are demons who cultivate the divine path, but we are Shaman Path. This preaching is more important to them and is of great help!

Sure enough, we made a fortune this time!

However, listening to it alongside the mountain gods and minor demons made the three Ghost Shaman somewhat displeased.

But Shaman kind, let them take advantage of the situation.

As for the other people listening to the sermon, they all had joyful expressions, and the little demons outside also had different expressions.

Some people couldn't understand what I was saying and felt extremely irritable.

Some understood, but found it useless to them because they hadn't even entered the realm of enlightenment, so it was meaningless to them.

Some seemed to have grasped something, but their expressions remained unchanged.

A sermon reveals the myriad aspects of life.

But Li Qi, sitting at the very top, paid no attention to any of this. He closed his eyes and continued his sermon.

Amidst the resounding Daoist chants atop Centipede Peak, strange phenomena gradually began to appear as Li Qi preached.

The celestial bodies stand in neat rows, their forms illuminating the way; they possess the secrets of longevity and the understanding of life's principles.

The moon shines brightly forever, the purple fungus glows brilliantly, and the tender chrysanthemums are beautiful and charming.

However, this strange phenomenon did not last long.

Li Qi continued explaining the specific applications of the Technique Method: "To use this method, two spirit tablets need to be made of wood, painted in red with blue characters, 2 feet 2 inches high, 4.5 inches wide, and 0.9 inches thick. The base should be 4.5 inches high, 8.5 inches wide, and 4.5 inches thick. Before the sacrifice, place it on the altar, carry it in a low cart, and after the sacrifice, store it away. Then perform another sacrifice. This will allow you to skillfully utilize the spirit energy and use the divine power to nurture life."

However, less than two hours later, he checked the time and abruptly ended his sermon.

"That concludes this sermon. The Chen has come; you may all disperse," Li Qi waved his hand.

The strange phenomena around them immediately disappeared, the hanging light bars dispersed, the blue light vanished, and the swaying plants returned to normal.

The mountain gods bowed to each other.

Those in the know would greet the person as a junior and then leave quietly.

Those who didn't understand kowtowed repeatedly, but they didn't dare linger; they were all eager to go back and digest what they had heard that day.

The little demons outside kowtowed repeatedly, praising the Great Lord for his mercy and expressing their gratitude for Li Qi's preaching.

This is truly a great kindness to them.

Although in Li Qi's view, an immortal being, most of these minor demons would die of old age in the blink of an eye.

Centuries later, they were all dead, but Li Qi was still alive.

However, it can be considered a good cause with good results, although like the previous blood debts, it is of little use.

Everyone else had left, but the three Ghost Shaman remained.

Li Qi turned his gaze over there.

Why do these three people smell of blood?