Transaction
Li Qi thought about it for a moment and felt that he was usually kind and gentle, and his words and actions were generally fair and peaceful, so he shouldn't have any enemies.
Even if such a thing existed, it would likely be something like the Sky Swallowing Demon Lord.
Of course, now that it has happened, it's impossible to say 'impossible'. Since it has already happened, we might as well speculate on who is plotting against us behind the scenes.
Among one's enemies, who might have the ability to contact a fifth-rank Flood Dragon?
After thinking for a moment, Li Qi felt that the most likely explanation was Buddhism.
Li Qi once killed the Chanzhi Zhi. Then Chanzhi's master, that nameless, dark-skinned demon monk, descended, only to be cursed to death by Le Ya, the protector of Bo Yue.
This dark-skinned demon monk is a member of the Black Heaven lineage, and it is known that he is also a legitimate successor, following the path of the fusion of Buddhism and demonism.
If we extrapolate from this direction, then we can trace the line back to Buddhism.
Hmm, that's a direction to consider.
Since that's the case, then so be it.
Having obtained what he wanted, Li Qi stood up, looked at the seventh-rank merman, and said, "The clues you provided were very useful. However, regarding this Flood Dragon, there is something else I would like to discuss with you."
"Could you sell me this dragon scale? By the way, I also want your method for Dragon Transformation the Dragon Qi within the dragon scale and then injecting it into other life forms. I don't need the process of cultivating the Mother Clam; I just need the method for converting the Dragon Qi."
Li Qi said this to the seventh-rank merman.
But the seventh-rank merman's expression changed, and his face was filled with anger!
What a joke! This is one of the core technologies of the Bai Zhu family, part of their very foundation!
This guy has such a big face, relying on his high level of cultivation, he actually asked for this thing right away.
However, since his cultivation level was so high that he couldn't defeat him, he didn't retaliate directly. Instead, he said, "I'm afraid you'll be disappointed. I can't make this decision myself. Even if you kill me, it will probably be of no use."
"It's alright, of course I know you can't make the decision. Just be a messenger and tell your superiors that I'm willing to exchange my witchcraft cultivation method for it. I see that your cultivation process is quite primitive, and the success rate of modifying the Mother Clam is not high. You're wasting too much Dragon Qi."
"I will exchange my orthodox methods of witchcraft cultivation for your methods of transforming Dragon Qi. Go and notify the person who can speak; I believe he will make the right choice," Li Qi said, waving his hand.
"The method of cultivating witchcraft... Who are you? This is the specialty of the Shaman of the Southwest, and ordinary people can hardly even glimpse it. As a member of the demonic path, how do you know the methods of Shaman?" the merman immediately asked.
"Just go. You've already said you can't make the decision. If you can't make the decision, what explanation do you need? When the person who can make the decision arrives, I will explain to him naturally," Li Qi scolded.
These words stifled the merman, but he couldn't refute them. He simply bowed slightly, said nothing more, and left.
Li Qi also disappeared here, entering a state of Body Merged with Nature.
He also needed to make some preparations to deal with a possible encirclement and suppression.
Who knows if the other side went to call for reinforcements? Li Qi is just pretending to be an expert; he's not an idiot. He wouldn't actually think he's invincible and therefore not take any precautions.
Both sides are making preparations in full swing.
About a Chen later, Li Qi had prepared his things, so he continued to sit in the same spot and began to observe the movement of the dragon scales and Dragon Qi, doing some preliminary work.
About fifteen minutes later.
Sudden--
An immense pressure descended!
Across the vast spatial distance, that aura surged towards Li Qi like a tidal wave!
The river surged and the sea roared, a white line rushed through the water like lightning, the waves crashed and roared like a white lion, a powerful and shocking sight!
However, a gentle moonlight suddenly rippled around Li Qi.
The moon shines pale on the clear spring, the water flows shallowly, unmoved by the vibrant flowers, its fleeting beauty vanishing without a trace.
Shen Shuibi's talisman unleashed its power at this moment. After all, it was something made by a rabbit who painfully plucked its tail fur. It easily resisted the pressure.
"Fifth rank... that should indeed mean I have some influence." Li Qi thought to himself as he sensed the stable pressure.
Releasing such pressure from a distance was probably just to scare people, but unfortunately Li Qi wouldn't be frightened by such a thing, and this pressure couldn't possibly break through the protective talisman given by Shen Shuibi.
The power released by the two canceled each other out, and Li Qi stood up from his seated position.
After all, he is a fifth-rank official, so we should treat him with respect and at least show him basic manners. We can't let him label us as 'rude' and then beat us up. Where can we go to seek justice in that situation?
The elders wouldn't take action for this.
However, Li Qi soon discovered that what had arrived was not the true form of a fifth-rank being.
Then they saw the seventh-rank merman from before carrying a Law Treasure that seemed to have projection capabilities, walking inside.
This projection... seems to actually transmit some of the power, which is why there is such a realistic pressure.
The projection is a Demon Dragon.
It was not a sea Demon Dragon, but a merman transformed into a demonic Demon Dragon.
This mermaid practiced demonic arts and Form Transformation a dragon, presenting a bizarre appearance.
His upper body still resembled that of a mermaid, but his lower body's fish tail had transformed into a serpentine dragon tail, commonly found among Demon Dragon, covered in scales.
Li Qi couldn't see what was engraved on the scales because the projection was blurry, but he figured it must be incredibly powerful.
The projection had just been brought in by the seventh-rank merman when he immediately said, "I heard... you want to use the method of witchcraft cultivation to exchange for the method of Dragon Qi transformation."
"Greetings, senior. Yes, I wish to exchange this method. It is a fair trade, and I think it is very appropriate. In fact, you could say that you have gotten a great deal. After all, there are many methods for transforming Dragon Qi, but there is only one method for cultivating witchcraft in the entire world," Li Qi said.
"Where did you get this kind of method?" the projection asked again.
"According to my sect, I am Shaman." Li Qi demonstrated his Shaman skills by altering the surrounding climate into his own personal microcosm.
The projection saw this, then glanced at the previous seventh-grade merman.
The seventh-rank merman hurriedly bowed. "Elder! I just clearly saw the demonic energy on his body. This person is definitely a demon! There's no mistake!"
"You're wrong," the projection said, then looked at Li Qi: "Shaman also cultivates demonic arts... no wonder he could propose such a deal. Aren't you afraid of being investigated by your sect? You're not afraid... but I'm very afraid."
Yes, if it was leaked because of something like this, then it might be traced back to us.
"If anyone comes after me because of this, the deal will just be void. I won't have the chance to pass on this method, and you will no longer use witchcraft to cultivate. This matter will be buried, but I will be the only one who suffers, right?" Li Qi said with a relaxed expression.
"Among the sorcerers, there are quite a few Ghost Shaman. How can I be sure that the one who comes will be a reasonable Shaman?" the projection countered. "Sometimes, it's easy to invite a god but difficult to send him away."
"Shaman," Li Qi replied. "Why don't you just have the one next to you learn it? If Ghost Shaman comes and wants to silence you, he won't be able to find you."
"Indeed, good idea. Baizhu Yingbo, go." The projection gave the order to the seventh-rank merman beside it.
The seventh-rank merman trembled all over, his lips moving constantly, as if he wanted to say something.
"If you are free, I will give you three lectures. If you are in trouble, I will give your son ten lectures and guarantee that he will live to reach the eighth rank. As for the seventh rank, that depends on his comprehension. You can choose," the projection said calmly.
The seventh-rank merman looked up at the projection, then at Li Qi, and fell silent. However, his expression was no longer flustered; he seemed to be deep in thought.
Li Qi, on the other hand, seemed to be deep in thought after witnessing this scene.
Does the Way of Evolution also value inheritance? Does it value inheritance itself, the bloodline, or the Dao Path?
If it is about the inheritance of the Dao Path, then it is the same as other Dao Lineage, requiring successors.
However, the Way of Evolution does not seem to require successors. No matter who is in which place, he/she always has to face the brutal competition of nature, especially in those underdeveloped worlds.
In the world, this kind of competition for survival has been eliminated. The struggle for the Dao has become the main form of conflict, rather than a competition for survival, since no Dao Lineage would worry about survival.
What is the significance of bloodline inheritance for the Way of Evolution? They seem to be exactly the opposite of other Dao Path.
Other Dao Path involve conflicting ideas, philosophies, and beliefs, but they do not concern themselves with the struggle for survival, nor do they require seizing the environment or resources for living; the environment is relatively relaxed.
However, the Way of Evolution is quite different. It has completely opposite properties. The Way of Evolution does not compete with any other Dao Lineage, but it strongly encourages competition for survival.
It seems that it's purely about competing for the sake of competing, fighting for the sake of fighting. Even though resources are not lacking, they deliberately create a lot of fighting, and even attract many outsiders to join this survival arena.
Li Qi was absolutely convinced that the reason no one was helping to clean up the remains of the Dragon King was to use them to intensify the competition in the East China Sea.
In such a competitive environment for survival, what is the purpose of passing down bloodlines? There is even a concept of power called 'Lineage'.
I can't figure it out, but... I'll keep it in my mind for now and think about it slowly later.
Just as Li Qi was pondering this, the seventh-rank merman named Baizhu Yingbo finally figured it out.
Although the elder said 'he can choose,' he actually had no choice.
If they can't go, the elders will send someone else.
The person who replaces him will not only take over this task, but will even take over his entire life. He will no longer be in charge of an East Isle the East, and may even be exiled to a foreign land...
So he rose shakily, walked to Li Qi, cupped his hands and said, "Please, Your Excellency... impart the Dharma."
"Okay." Li Qi nodded, then stretched out his hand and focused his divine will.
It was a day later when Li Qi left the water.
The mermaid girl named Lei Fang was lucky enough to return home, and at least for the time being, she was safe. Li Qi did not cause her any trouble, nor did he expose her existence.
As for what she thinks, and what she might encounter in the future... well, whatever. Li Qi can't take care of her forever. Besides, two Ninth Rank Magic Treasure are a huge sum of money.
The Bai family also successfully obtained the cultivation techniques for witchcraft.
Li Qi did not provide any specific method for cultivating Gu worms, but he offered a universal solution: the approach used by the Gu witchcraft lineage to induce mutations in ungraded Gu worms.
This is what Li Qi learned when he first developed the Witchcraft Silkworm. After all, the core of the Witchcraft Silkworm is actually Witchcraft and Poison Arts and the Human Path method of raising Demon Beast.
The Bai family had no interest in cultivating Gu worms, and there was no environment for cultivating Gu worms on the seabed, unlike the natural environment near Wushen Mountain.
The Shaman Path has always been dedicated to maintaining the balance of heaven and earth. Therefore, in the environment of Wushen Mountain, the Heaven and Earth Great Source is prosperous, and the Spiritual Qi is as abundant as in High Antiquity times. Even mortals can live to be two hundred years old, healthy and strong without illness or disaster, and their natural talents far surpass those of Human Path.
This kind of environment can naturally give rise to a large number of spiritual creatures.
The number of various plants, minerals, and even poisonous insects with strange abilities far exceeds that of the outside world. There are exotic species everywhere, and even the same species can have tens of thousands of variants, each with different characteristics.
Outsiders who come to the territory of Wushen Mountain will only feel that it is a place where all kinds of strange life forms coexist, where danger and opportunity coexist, where there are strange and dangerous plants and animals, and strange locals who are skilled in witchcraft.
This is the foundation for cultivating Gu worms.
It is thanks to these endless special plants and animals that the witchcraft lineage has been able to develop to this extent. Many of their poisonous insects do not even need to be cultivated; once captured and released, they can kill many people.
The seabed clearly does not have such conditions.
However, the underlying principles are the same.
The idea of inducing mutations in worms could perhaps be applied to Mother Clam to produce more variants. In this way, pearls would also have more unique characteristics. With large-scale trials, a variety with suitable yield, grade, and characteristics would eventually emerge. This variety could then be used to create new Mother Clam, thus creating new pearl fields.
This was something the Baizhu family couldn't refuse, so they handed over their core technology: a method to strengthen life forms using Dragon Qi, and a dragon scale still covered in dragon blood. This was the source of the Dragon Qi, belonging to the Flood Dragon Tianhong Jun, and this was Tianhong Jun's 'reward' to the Baizhu family.
This enhancement is extremely powerful and deadly. It can turn an ungraded pearl oyster into a 'Mother Clam', but it will also directly cut off all possibilities for the Mother Clam, destroy her inner world, greatly shorten her lifespan, and even lose her Divine Ability powers and Technique Method. It can be said that she can gain nothing except for the ethereal 'grade'.
But whether it's Li Qi or Bai Zhu's family, what they want is 'rank'.
Everyone was happy.