Phone Call

Soon, Liu Shenzhi and Li Qi arrived at Shangyuan.

Along the way, the two were very happy, constantly talking and discussing their insights on their future Dao Path and methods for improving the Witchcraft Silkworm.

There are still many aspects of the Witchcraft Silkworm that can be improved; Li Qi has only solved the problem of practicality.

The two walked side by side on the street, a scene very common in Shangyuan, where scholars, travelers, and students walked in the same way, so it was not conspicuous at all.

Soon, they arrived at the place where the Trumpet Flower God was located.

Knock on the door from the outside.

A cold, clear voice came from inside. "Who is it?"

"The Flower Goddess is us, Li Qi, and... Liu Shenzhi," Li Qi said.

In Baiyue, such a gate would not be able to block anything, but this is Chang'an, and it is a scenic spot like Shangyuan. The entire Shangyuan is a complete formation, with hundreds of caves embedded in it.

Not only is violence forbidden here, but even Technique Method like clairvoyance are unusable. Apart from the difference in status, there is really not much difference between the fifth and ninth ranks in terms of 'human rights'.

Let alone the fifth rank, even the Human Emperor must bow before the law and rules. This is the foundation of the entire Human Path. To oppose this, one must oppose the entire Human Path.

The great masters of Human Path arts and crafts are all built upon rules and regulations.

The Confucian concept of "rites" emphasizes "establishing rites and righteousness to regulate people's desires and fulfill their needs."

The Legalist School's "law" supports the principle of "not distinguishing between relatives and strangers, not differentiating between the noble and the lowly, but judging everyone according to the law."

The Mohist concept of "Heaven's Will" is described in the Mozi: "I have Heaven's Will, just as a wheelwright has a compass and a carpenter has a square. The wheelwright holds onto his compass and square to measure the square and circle of the world."

The Yin-Yang School's "laws" are described in the Huainanzi as follows. "To govern the laws governing the movement of the sun and moon, to govern the Qi of Yin and Yang, to rectify the numbers of the calendar, to treat the noble and the lowly equally, to ensure that the strong do not oppress the weak, that the many do not bully the few, that the harvests are plentiful and not ominous, that all officials are upright and selfless, that superiors and inferiors are in harmony and without blame, that the sun and moon are bright and clear, that the stars do not deviate from their course, that wind and rain are timely, and that the five grains are ripe and plentiful."

Even other minor schools of thought, such as Military School, are all based on this.

It should be noted that the solar terms and seasons in the Tang Kingdom were set at the beginning of the year, and the weather forecast was issued directly on a table every year, with no surprises. All agricultural production was strictly planned, all of which was promoted by the farmers behind the scenes.

The Human and Shaman separation in High Antiquity times was mainly due to this difference in concepts.

It is precisely because of this consensus that they are one of the many schools of thought on 'Human Path,' sharing a common goal rather than being a separate Dao Lineage.

Therefore, Li Qi was not worried about any unexpected events.

There will be no surprises at all, unless the visitor is at the level of a Heavenly Demon.

The Heavenly Demon only arrived half a month ago; it's impossible for two First-Rank cultivators to descend upon Chang'an within a month.

If that's the case, then Human Path would probably go berserk. Given their nature, they would most likely launch a full-scale war, and I doubt anyone would want to risk it.

Except for the Heavenly Demon.

Thinking about all this, the door creaked open.

Li Qi was startled!

Why does the Trumpet Flower God Crescent look like she's been beaten up? Cracks are showing in her human form and her inner world!

Although there are no visible external injuries, in the eyes of True Knowledge Dao Charm and the information flow, this person is seriously injured.

I was just thinking that Chang'an was very safe and nothing would happen, but when I opened the door I saw an injured person!

"Flower Goddess, what happened to your injury?" Li Qi asked in astonishment.

"Having stayed in Baiyue for so long, they've become a bit ignorant of the rules, so they've just learned a lesson. There's no need to worry," said the Trumpet Flower God, shaking her head slightly.

Then, she looked at Liu Shenzhi front of her, gave him a deep bow, and asked, "This must be Young Master Liu."

"It is me, it is me." Liu Shenzhi nodded repeatedly and returned the greeting, saying, "It is my first time meeting the Flower Goddess. I did not present my name and invitation, which was very impolite. I hope the Flower Goddess will forgive me."

"No need for formalities, Young Master Liu. May I ask if this is your father's...?" Trumpet Flower God looked at the paper in Liu Shenzhi's hand with some urgency.

This was taken out when I knocked on the door earlier.

Liu Shenzhi nodded and presented it with both hands. "My father admires the integrity of the Flower Goddess, so he wrote this article. However, he is busy with affairs and work and cannot come in person, so he sent me to deliver it. I hope the Flower Goddess will accept it."

This is a nice-sounding statement, even though everyone knows what kind of nonsense "appreciating the spirit of the Flower Goddess" is, and everyone knows exactly where this article came from, but it's still nice to say something polite.

Upon hearing this, the Trumpet Flower God took a deep breath, her fingers trembling slightly. She lowered her head, bent over, and respectfully accepted the light, fluttering piece of paper.

Liu Shenzhi straightened his back and accepted the bow with composure.

This respect was not for Liu Shenzhi, but for Liu Donghe.

The Trumpet Flower God Creeper tremblingly picked up the piece of paper; it was as light as a feather, yet as heavy as Mount Tai.

She picked up the page and began to read it aloud in a low voice.

"On the nineteenth of the seventh month, I visited the White Horse Temple, standing alone in the empty mountains, the fresh rain dampening the soft..."

Read this magnificent article in a soft voice.

However, the more she read, the more serious her expression became, and the more her aura began to change.

A scholarly air gradually emerged from her, proving that she was completely immersed in the writing.

As she read, Li Qi was surprised to find that her cultivation level was actually improving!

The injuries inflicted on his body by the rules of Human Path were gradually healing, and his aura was becoming increasingly strong, even his expression conveying joy.

Li Qi sensed from her an aura of joy at hearing the Dao, a feeling he often experienced.

Even after reading the entire article, a certain charm seemed to have been bestowed upon her.

Her personal microcosm also opened up, and many strange phenomena appeared in this small room.

But then she saw a cluster of Trumpet Flower spreading upwards along her own body, as if her own body were an ancient tree, Trumpet Flower vines climbed up with her, the flowers blooming and flourishing, the branches spreading and the leaves casting shade.

Then, the flowers bloom, but the stamens gradually wither, revealing the fruit.

However, what this fruit produced was a sun and a moon.

The setting sun shines across the western mountains, illuminating the azure sky; the rising moon shines brightly over the eastern temple.

Looking up at the twin peaks above the azure sky, the small building echoes with the sound of wind through the pines and cypresses.

"The flowing light shines within, drawing out the sun and moon..." Li Qi, standing beside him, couldn't help but name this strange phenomenon.

There are countless strange phenomena in the world, but they are all finite. Moreover, the strange phenomena caused by the improvement of cultivation can be roughly classified, although there are quite a few types.

However, as long as there are numbers, there must be some cultivators who have studied this. Li Qi had read some books summarizing strange phenomena and knew what the Trumpet Flower God phenomenon represented.

Her words are all vibrant and colorful, drawing upon the light of the sun and moon to illuminate the universe. This is the result of her capturing the literary spirit that Liu Donghe wrote in his articles and reaping the fruits of her labor.

And this fruit is just like the sun and moon. Its essence is the literary charm of Liu Donghe, who said, "The sun and moon are like a perfect match. The sun and moon are the bright and righteous ones."

In other words, this phenomenon is the result of 'enlightenment', and enlightenment means to understand, to comprehend, and to see through.

Therefore, any extraordinary phenomena that result from learning something, achieving enlightenment, and subsequently improving one's cultivation often contain the element of the sun and moon shining brightly. This is a conclusion drawn by many scholars who study extraordinary phenomena.

In this world, those who fight and brawl every day, destroy families, steal treasures and kill people are a minority. The majority are those who do various jobs and use Cultivation Method as tools and means of production.

Li Qi discerned the source of this strange phenomenon and immediately understood the predicament of the Trumpet Flower God.

Meanwhile, on the side of the Trumpet Flower God, after a long while, these strange phenomena completely disappeared.

She sighed softly and recited in a low voice, "Spring orchids and autumn chrysanthemums, each with its own fragrance; birdsong and falling flowers, all possess Divine Ability..."

As she spoke, the surging atmosphere around them completely calmed down.

Both Li Qi and Liu Shenzhi could see that her injuries had completely disappeared, and the paper... had also lost most of its charm.

The words are still the same words, and the paper is still the same paper, but the spirit that Liu Donghe infused into it has dissipated. Even if another injured Trumpet Flower God were to read this article again, she would not achieve the same effect.

It's hard to describe Shen Yun.

This magnificent article, though well-written, would only be a copy if the person making it were an ordinary person with mediocre calligraphy skills. The result would be an article with excellent literary style and full of allusions. While it might have some refreshing qualities and could be placed by the bedside to help one sleep, it could never compare to the original.

Even the reading experience is different. When reading the original text, you can feel the pressure of the divine intent within, making you feel as if you are there, personally experiencing the author's State of Mind when writing the article. You might even be completely immersed in it, ignoring the outside world.

In this way, one can naturally gain a deeper understanding, and even learn something extraordinary from it.

If it is copied down, unless it is done by a calligrapher or someone using a similar method, it is very difficult to capture the essence of the subject.

This is similar to the divine intent in Cultivation Method, but Cultivation Method place greater emphasis on this, so the divine intent in Cultivation Method is difficult to lose and can be reused.

But this article is just a piece of paper; it only takes effect once it's read, and most of its essence is lost in the process.

However, the remaining ones are enough to recognize them as genuine works, and one can also sense some of their Heart Qi.

The Trumpet Flower God looked at Liu Shenzhi: "I am afraid I can never repay the kindness of Mr. Donghe in this lifetime, but I would like to trouble you to convey that Lingxiao will definitely remember it in her heart."

"I will definitely pass it on," Liu Shenzhi nodded in reply.

"Then please wait a few days. This literary gathering will take about four days to prepare. You can come directly then," said the Trumpet Flower God.

Li Qi and Liu Shenzhi nodded, and then the two left without lingering.

After leaving, everyone said their goodbyes.

There are still four days left. There's no need to stick together. Let's each do our own thing. It's just the end of the Witchcraft Silkworm project, so it's perfect to take a break.

After saying goodbye, Li Qi finally had some free time, and he was also suspended from classes at the Imperial Academy for investigation.

So he simply stayed in the house and began to meditate, a practice he hadn't done in a long time.

He pondered the matter of the Demonic Energy Clone.

Reflect on previous mistakes and omissions.

Think about what you plan to do next.

Of course, and most importantly, give the rabbit a call.

After returning to the small courtyard, Li Qi opened the window, reached out, drew a dust-removing talisman in the air, infused it with Spiritual Qi, and then struck it forward.

The suspended talisman disintegrated, turning into Qingfeng that dispersed the dust accumulated in the room, blowing it out the window.

Then, lying in bed, I took out my terminal and dialed Rabbit's number.

The call was connected very quickly.

Although there was a slight delay due to differences in cosmic light, it was acceptable.

As soon as they met, the rabbit came over, its face full of worry. "Li Qi, are you alright?"

"It's been resolved, nothing serious," Li Qi waved his hand and said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, the rabbit showed an unhappy expression, as if it was very excited and wanted to say something.

To be honest, it's quite rare to see her like this, considering she usually doesn't show much emotional fluctuation.

However, before she could even speak, the rabbit calmed down on her own.

She's not the kind of person who gets swayed by emotions.

After a brief moment of excitement, she calmed down and said in her usual calm tone, "Your fellow disciples, Bo Yue and Yan Ke, told me that you were urgently summoned back to Wushen Mountain. Even two great witches came to Chang'an for this. I knew something must have happened. What exactly happened?"

Seeing this, Li Qi spread his hands and said, "No matter what happened, I'm back safe and sound. Don't ask me anything else, it's hard to say."

There's no way to say it. The incident with the Heavenly Demon and the Witch God at Mount Luofu last time already reminded him that it's best to keep quiet about such matters.

"... Can't I tell you?" The rabbit looked thoughtful.

Then, she murmured, "If I can't say, then it must be something of a high rank or above. To be able to dispatch two third-rank great shamans, they must be people of the Ranked Shaman or above."

"No, this involves a mission to Chang'an. Even the Ranked Shaman cannot make a decision easily. In fact, you are involved in the Polaris Golden Core Method. You are essentially a hostage. It is impossible for a hostage to return easily without the approval of the Three Dukes in Chang'an."

"The Witch God, is that right? You were summoned back by the Witch God?" the rabbit asked, looking at Li Qi.

Li Qi gave a wry smile, "I can't say."

"I understand, then I won't ask anymore." The rabbit nodded and decisively skipped the topic.

She knew more about Gao Pin's existence than Li Qi, so she was more cautious than Li Qi.

Not only could she not speak of it, she couldn't even think about it; she directly eradicated the thought from her mind.

"Tell me something you can talk about, Yu'er. How is the situation in the Sacred Flame Realm?" Li Qi asked.

"About a year has passed here. That Child of Destiny is about to break through to the eighth rank and has already made a name for himself in this world."

"Moreover, through some of my arrangements, he has also begun to come into contact with many of the Dao Lineage of the Sacred Flame Realm. I estimate that he will soon be able to integrate them. Moreover, he has already built up some power. I estimate that in another two or three years, he can start to fight for supremacy in the chaotic world. I have given him some methods for refining Daoist weapons. He already has the capital to build an armed force."

Li Qi listened and nodded repeatedly.

Fortunately, at least everything in the Sacred Flame Realm is on track.

"However... judging by the time, Green Mountain God, and the others behind him, should be arriving soon," the rabbit said.