Tug of War

That single glance caused real harm.

It was as if countless people were hammering Li Qi, causing it to crack and split open.

The mere sight of him was enough to penetrate the World Barrier and cause the surrounding mountain walls to crack.

Li Qi frowned, recalling some unpleasant memories.

Back in the White Snake Mountain, when facing the same sixth-rank demon, the Bear Kill King, a single glance from the other party almost crushed him to dust. The slightest hint of killing intent he revealed was enough to completely destroy his mind.

However... things are very different now.

He gently waved his hand, summoning all the Inner Gods. Apart from his Primordial Spirit, all the other Inner Gods appeared around him.

Now, he is a mountain god, hundreds of feet tall, a giant made of piled rocks, with a robust figure. A sense of oppression and aura increases rapidly around him, while a protective barrier is erected.

The water god had a human head and a snake's body, was four or five zhang long, and commanded great rivers around him, surrounded by water vapor that seemed to have a tangible form.

The Sun Moon Heavenly God each float on either side, balancing the yin and yang energies.

As for Li Qi's Primordial Spirit, it sat upright at the center of his body, and the surrounding world gradually converged towards Li Qi's microcosm.

A common tactic of Shaman is to replace the surrounding world with their own personal microcosm, so that the surrounding area becomes their own 'domain', making themselves stronger and their opponents weaker, thus gaining a considerable advantage in the back and forth.

Although under normal circumstances, using this trick is not very effective.

After all, Shaman are too weak in close combat. Even now, Li Qi is destined to be sent flying by a single punch when he gets close to someone. He is not even as good as Shen Shuibi in terms of physical skills.

Although Daoist practitioners are not strong in close combat, they do have sword and fist techniques, including the extremely profound Tai Chi Chuan. They also have enhancement methods such as the Golden Light Incantation and the Great Strength Mantra, and even the Nine Syllable Mantra contains secret incantations to strengthen the physical body. Therefore, although Daoist practitioners generally do not choose to engage in hand-to-hand combat, they can be quite formidable if they do fight.

Just now, Shen Shuibi rushed up to the Sky Swallowing Demon Lord and delivered a fierce blow to him.

The Shaman, on the other hand, lack all of these skills, so once they get close, they can only rely on their intelligence and wit.

But Li Qi didn't seem afraid. Faced with the Green Mountain God's question, he used his Inner Gods to protect himself and replied with a smile, "Is the Mountain God afraid that there are other people here?"

"This time, the Green Mountain Kingdom Lord won't be helping you. The consequences of being glib can be severe," the Green Mountain God said, looking at Li Qi with cold eyes.

Only a seventh-rank official, yet he dares to act so arrogantly...

Who do they really think he is? The young master of Wushen Mountain? Or a member of a prestigious family from the Imperial Academy? Or perhaps Buddha Child from the Western Paradise?

Just kidding. Once we break through this World Barrier, we'll tear him apart, throw him into the eighteenth level of hell, and condemn him to eternal damnation.

She dared to cut off her own precious son's Dao Path success; she deserved it.

Killing him would be too lenient.

"The Mountain God seems to have a lot of grudges against me. Can you guarantee that the Green Mountain Kingdom Lord hasn't arrived yet?" Li Qi retorted, deliberately creating suspicion.

To everyone's surprise, the Green Mountain God burst into laughter upon hearing this, and breathed a deep sigh of relief.

Hahaha!

It was just a bluff after all!

He had already gone to great lengths to get other kingdom rulers and the Sky Swallowing Demon Lord to help him, creating a huge problem for the Green Mountain Kingdom Lord! He must be overwhelmed with problems right now and has no chance to come here and attack him.

How could the Green Mountain God not know that he had a mortal enemy called the Green Mountain Kingdom Lord? He had come to the outer realms for adventure, how could he not make any preparations? Making sure that his enemy could not catch up with him at this time was the first thing the Green Mountain God prepared for when he set out.

Therefore, he could conclude that the Green Mountain Kingdom Lord was definitely not here!

This young man named Li Qi is just bluffing!

He then burst into laughter, ignoring Li Qi, and addressed the other demons. "Hahaha! Minions, continue setting up the formation and tear open the world barrier! My followers are ready inside!"

After all, it's a sixth-grade World Barrier, not so fragile. Given the resistance of the Heavenly Dao, it would be difficult for him to directly intrude.

This is the function of World Barrier; these things are not just for show.

Seeing that the other person was no longer talking to him, Li Qi didn't say anything more and slowly looked down.

Below, there was a group of 'officials' from the Sacred Flame Realm.

They were all Gaga's subordinates, the officials in charge of his jurisdiction.

This was something Li Qi had prepared long ago.

The main purpose of summoning them was to conduct a sacrificial ceremony.

Li Qi issued orders to these people. "All of you are to be from the south, and the officials in charge shall be appointed in order of civil and military officials!"

"Civil officials are on the left, military officials on the right, all facing each other. Each rank changes position, facing north towards the south. Military officers and above, the northwest envoys are to the west of the military officers, and the civil officials are to their west. They all proceed in reverse order, each rank changing position, facing north towards the east!"

Li Qi roared and gave orders to these officials.

The officials didn't understand why Li Qi was doing this, but no one delayed; they quickly followed Li Qi's instructions and set off.

They are all capable of being managers; they possess basic wisdom and comprehension.

A few days ago, they received orders from Lord Gaga to come and take command, saying, "Do whatever you're told, don't question it."

At first, some people found the order strange, but Gaga told them about the battle between the immortals.

So everyone quieted down.

And now, no one questions Li Qi.

Everyone witnessed the strange phenomenon in the sky and the terrifying pressure emanating from Li Qi.

For these people, Li Qi's power was also unattainable.

Those who Inner Gods alone are enough to easily crush all living beings in this world, including that sixth-rank, heavily injured Sacred King, who is no match for him.

This was a power far beyond what the natives of the Sacred Flame Realm could imagine, so no matter how noble their status was in the Sacred Flame Realm, they dared not say anything and could only follow along.

Li Qi shouted again, "Let us jointly offer sacrifices to Heaven and Earth at the Altar of Heaven and Earth, and continue!"

These officials continued forward, acting according to Li Qi's previous training.

Offerings of sacrificial animals, jade tablets, and precious stones were laid upon the burning firewood.

Since the large sacrificial animal had already been burned, a red sacrificial animal was added to fill the sacrificial offering, and two calves were added as well, which was far from the proper etiquette.

Looking at the altar, a circular platform had been erected, five zhang wide and nine chi high, with the soil of each color according to its shape.

Then, a square altar was built on the circular platform, which was twelve feet wide and nine feet high. Each of the four sides of the platform had a step. The jade tablet was one foot and three inches long, five inches wide, and five inches thick. The tablet was inscribed with characters and filled with gold. It was stored in a gold box.

"The sacrificial offerings should be placed in a treasure box of the appropriate size and depth, 2.7 inches deep, with a small stone lid corresponding to the seal mark, to verify the seal's authenticity. Place it beside the seal mark, with three gold ropes wrapped around the stone, each five times, and 3 fen in diameter!" Li Qi commanded from the side.

These high-ranking officials, like worker ants, immediately began to carefully build the structure.

After they completed this step, Li Qi continued to give instructions.

"Set up the Heavenly Dao Wine Vessel above and below the round platform, with two Supreme Wine Vessels, two Dressed Wine Vessels, two Sacrificial Wine Vessels, and two Mountain-shaped Wine Vessels on the altar, facing north in the southeast corner. Place two Elephant Wine Vessels, two Pot Wine Vessels, and four Mountain-shaped Wine Vessels below the altar, all facing west and northeast of the Heavenly Dao Wine Vessels. Below the mountain is the Sacrificial Altar, where the Altar of Ancient Sacred King is set up, with two Supreme Wine Vessels on the left side of the altar."

Under Li Qi's command, a group of high-ranking officials gradually set up the sacrificial altar and perfected the entire scene, using specific instruments and sacrificial utensils to complete the ceremony.

If these officials were to take notes, it could be an invaluable asset to them.

It is so precious that the entire Sacred Flame Realm could not afford to buy it.

This was a sacrificial ceremony prepared by Li Qi, combining a great deal of knowledge, specifically for the Sacred Flame Realm, and it was made for the Sacred Flame Tribe itself.

The purpose of this ritual is very simple.

That is to have the Sacred Flame Tribe offer sacrifices, using their popularity and national fortune to give what they possess to the world, so that the Sacred Flame Realm itself can receive a great boost.

Li Qi was certainly no match for the Green Mountain God, let alone those million demons.

However, the World Barrier are not so easy to overcome. With the resistance of the Heavenly Dao, it is not so simple to enter.

Of course, it's just 'not that simple'. In reality, it's not that difficult to break down the World Barrier with some time.

The Green Mountain God is a sixth-rank mountain god in the world, and he has ten thousand ways to create World Barrier.

There is only one premise—

That means no one is interfering.

What Li Qi needs to do right now is to cause disruption!

He used the sacrificial ceremony to the heavens, along with his own abilities, to create various rituals and sacrifices, allowing the beings of the Sacred Flame Realm to perform sacrifices, thereby strengthening the Heavenly Dao and the World Barrier!

With the World Barrier as an insurmountable barrier, Li Qi had the capital to buy time.

Of course, he himself couldn't afford so many offerings, but the Sacred Flame Tribe itself had no problem.

You know... there's still a war going on.

Li Qi had already calculated it all.

The war between Gaga's assembled army, the remaining third of the city-states, and the sect that worships the Green Mountain God.

These could number in the hundreds of millions of deaths.

These wars were all 'sacrifices' and 'expenditures' that Li Qi had planned for.

It's cruel, but there's no other way; it's all for the protection of the Sacred Flame Realm and the Sacred Flame Tribe themselves.

This is a war to protect themselves, and no one in the Sacred Flame Tribe can stand aside. They should even thank Li Qi, because if Li Qi hadn't provided these things, they wouldn't even have the right to 'sacrifice'.

Once the Green Mountain God descends, things won't be so simple; it really will be transformed.

World Barrier are an advantage, but we cannot rely on them alone.

Li Qi studied military strategy at the Imperial Academy.

He deeply understood the principle that "favorable timing cannot protect an incompetent ruler, and advantageous location cannot save a country from chaos and ruin."

The danger or ease of a place depends on the people who live there.

Now that we have the advantage of the Sacred Flame Realm's World Barrier and the Heavenly Dao, we should make good use of it.

Li Qi directed the sacrificial ceremony.

The local Heavenly Dao also reacted accordingly.

Meanwhile, outside the realm, the World Barrier of the Sacred Flame Realm was being peeled away layer by layer by the external array.

Wind and thunder merged with metal energy, scraping against the World Barrier like a scraper, while countless demons maintained the formation nearby.

This is a formation based on the earth's energy from the green mountains.

The earth's energy is clear, the earth carries the spirit energy, the spirit energy is wind and thunder, the wind and thunder flow in form, thus enhancing power, when strong it becomes square, advantageous to the master, the color is yellow which is Kun, forming a wind array, the wind attaches to the sky, the wind is like a peak, its shape is sharp, it is metal, the first advantage is the guest, the color is yellow and red, it is Xun.

A massive array of gold, red, and yellow colors was in operation, with the Green Mountain God at its core. Millions of demons around it also danced and contributed their power, covering an area of tens of thousands of miles.

Although it is tens of thousands of miles long, it is just a small hole in the World Barrier, but once this hole is made, the entire World Barrier will be rendered useless.

"Get ready, we should be able to break through in four more Chen." Jin Chi gave orders to the demons while maintaining the stability of the formation.

These demons responded with Jin Chi laughter.

This made Jin Chi frown, but he still didn't say anything.

He actually disliked demons.

You can tell from the outside as well.

Looking at him from a distance, Jin Chi shone with divine light, majestic and powerful, exuding the aura and nobility befitting a 'deity'. The numerous gold ornaments and jewels adorning his body made him appear incredibly wealthy. Even the fierce and sharp aura emanating from the 'White Tiger' seemed like divine punishment, without a trace of impurity.

But the million Demon Soldiers beside them were different. Each of these Demon Soldiers was more bizarre than the last, and their evil and Sha Qi were almost overflowing. They were also extremely ugly. The two were completely different things.

This is the difference between 'gods' and 'demons'.

Therefore, many Demon Race, such as those from the Rat Soil Tomb, take becoming a god as their goal.

It doesn't matter, it's just cooperation. These are just subordinates of the Sky Swallowing Demon Lord, there's no need to have too much of a problem with them.

Just then, a seventh-rank demon, a leader among the demons, suddenly spoke up, "Mountain God, the World Barrier is being repaired! And it's being repaired faster than we are!"

Jin Chi frowned slightly. "It must be that Shaman inside who has made his move. Don't worry, he can't hold on for long. He's only a seventh-rank shaman, so his abilities are limited. Just ignore him and keep pushing forward."

"We obey the decree of the Mountain God," the demon said, bowing, before retreating to continue participating in the formation.

The Green Mountain God's attitude has already been made clear.

This is a protracted battle.

However, this is normal, since it is a battle between those of the sixth rank and above, including the fierce resistance of the sixth-rank Heavenly Dao. It will always take some time to determine a winner.

If neither the Sky Swallowing Demon Lord nor that remnant of Mount Luofu escapes, the battle between them will last at least ten days to half a month.

In battles between high-level experts, it's either a swift victory or a slow and drawn-out fight.

A quick victory or a quick defeat goes without saying. If the difference in strength is too great, or the countermeasures are too obvious, no matter what methods are used, they will be ineffective, and the opponent will defeat the opponent directly.

If a quick victory cannot be achieved, then everyone has an endless supply of cards to play, each responding to the opponent's moves. Who doesn't possess tens of thousands of magical Law Treasure, Divine Ability, and Technique Method? Even if one is defeated, it will take a day or two to recover, and it will be difficult to see results in a short time.

As for endurance?

That's a joke. They can traverse the void at cruising speeds for tens of thousands of years without running out of energy. They have countless ways to replenish their energy. As long as they are not disturbed, and as long as they precisely control their consumption and recovery, and as long as there is still energy in the external environment, they will not run out of energy.

So let's take it slow.

For the foreseeable future, the fate of the Sacred Flame Realm remains uncertain.