Seizing the Body

Li Qi clashes head-on with the Demon Prince!

The two were so engrossed in their work that they didn't notice a third person appearing at the edge of the battlefield.

The Demon Prince was surrounded by demonic energy, and the power of the Four Demons erupted!

The demonic energy was like a rumbling wave, like a sharp, piercing cry in one's mind. It seemed to have merged with the bustling world of mortals, with sounds like human voices, shouts, pleas for mercy, and laughter all coming together, like people fighting in a noisy market.

The aura of death caused the world to surge, and all around, frost light dispersed, fire spewed from the ground, Black Mist and gloomy clouds covered the sky and sun, stars shifted and constellations turned, and the universe trembled. The aura of death was like the sinister and foul breath of a venomous snake that devoured the world, wanting to drag this world into destruction.

The Affliction Demon manifests as sorrow, with many desires going unfulfilled, greed leading to inability, and love yielding no results. Born from delusion, one follows ignorance, seemingly experiencing immeasurable suffering such as birth, old age, sickness, and death. This torments sentient beings, disturbs their mind and body, obstructs true enlightenment, and prevents them from ever attaining the Dao Fruit.

The Five Aggregates Demon is formless and without characteristics, which leads to sixty-two kinds of wrong views. Form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness are obstructed, and the eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind are forcibly closed. Form, sound, smell, taste, touch and dharma are disturbed, the five senses are in chaos, and one falls into a rolling illusion. The filthy body still takes the illusory body as real.

The Demon Prince unleashed his full power; he had been preparing for so long just to face Li Qi at his full strength!

Now, my wish has finally come true!

Let's see how the weak, who have emerged from this chaos, survive under the crushing force of absolute power.

As for Li Qi, he mainly used heavenly lightning, but he also knew that if the power was not strong enough, even if water could overcome fire, it would still be evaporated.

Therefore, he must improve his cultivation level.

However, this is difficult. Li Qi's current cultivation level has reached the theoretical limit. If he continues to improve, his already fragmented inner world will not be able to withstand it, and the various Dao Lineage may tear him apart.

When one's cultivation surpasses Dao heart, coupled with the conflict between various Dao Lineage, this is the inevitable outcome.

However, he had to improve, otherwise he would not be able to suppress the Demon Prince.

I wonder how the Demon Prince cultivated himself, and why he was able to raise his cultivation to such a level.

However, if one wants to improve their cultivation level, how does one do so?

If Li Qi had followed his usual path, he would have diligently cultivated, accumulating knowledge little by little, until finally, like water dripping on a stone, he would have slowly broken through to the sixth rank, bringing joy to everyone.

But it's too late now.

He wanted to make a breakthrough in the final moments.

Becoming a sixth-rank cultivator would naturally allow one to surpass the Demon Prince in cultivation.

He had already figured out the specific method.

True Knowledge Dao Charm had already touched that head.

The head of a third-rank cultivator still retained the Daoist aura of that third rank, the Daoist aura of the Human Path Legalist School.

If Li Qi were to directly read the Dao principles on this thing, according to Li Qi own estimation, there would be at least an 80% chance of him being completely destroyed, and a 15% chance of him becoming an idiot who could only say "Aba aba".

The remaining 50% chance is success, and even if it succeeds, there will be a big problem: Li Qi's balance of Dao Path will be completely disrupted.

Breaking through to the sixth rank with the Dao of Human Path as its foundation means that the conflict within Li Qi's Dao Path has been resolved. Human Path will expand significantly, while the influence of other Dao Lineage will be greatly reduced, and may even surpass the Shaman Path, which was originally Li Qi's Dao foundation.

This could very well... drive Li Qi insane. If not handled properly, even if he becomes a sixth-rank official, he will only be a crazy, incomprehensible sixth-rank official.

Conflicts on Dao Path can be quite terrifying.

However, Li Qi had his own plans for this. He was prepared, and... prepared to bear the consequences.

Of course, it wouldn't be at the cost of death or madness; even if he were cerebral palsy, he wouldn't actually gamble on an 80% chance of death.

He had other ways to get himself to the sixth rank while still alive.

Li Qi charged toward the Demon Prince! His aura suddenly surged forth, and clear 'rules' appeared around him.

Without rules, nothing can be accomplished.

Without the Six Laws, one cannot correctly pronounce the five tones;

Without effective governance, the world cannot be brought into peace and order.

Rules and regulations are the means by which we understand the principles of square and circle, just as a sage fully embodies the way of being human.

Rules are one of the core elements of Human Path.

If standards are presented honestly and rules are established sincerely, then one cannot be deceived by length or shortness, and one can make use of all the lengths and shortnesses in the world.

The ultimate form of rules and regulations is Legalist School, a major branch of Human Path.

Legalist School, in the realm of Human Path, can almost be said to hold the same status as the three branches of the Divination Sect Shaman Path.

Without distinction of kinship or social status, severing ties of gratitude with righteousness, abandoning all grudges and affections, taking rules as one's own standard, neither elated by gain nor saddened by loss, purely practicing the rules, and in this way creating a perfect world.

So, what's the point of the demonic noise? Under the rules, demonic thoughts cannot exist.

The Death Demon then used the punishment of slaughter to suppress the riots, using killing to stop killing.

The Affliction Demon: wanting but not getting, being greedy but unable to achieve, loving but not getting results? If you follow the law and proceed step by step, then naturally you will get what you ask for, be punished for greed, and achieve results in love. Where do worries come from? They are just troubles created by those who overthink.

The Five Aggregates Demon and sixty-two kinds of wrong views, as long as one follows the rules, even if one's eyes are covered and one's ears are plugged, there is still a direction to follow and one will not be misled by the five aggregates.

As the rules expanded, Li Qi's cultivation level also improved rapidly!

His path is rapidly tilting towards the path of Human Path, True Knowledge Dao Charm is reading the knowledge and Daoist essence from that head!

Li Qi was constantly reading and understanding the numerous ideas from the schools of Human Path and Legalist School. Those principles that had already been clearly analyzed and demonstrated were laid out before Li Qi one by one. Each one would have taken him four or five years to think about in the past, but now, all the answers were right in front of him. He didn't even need to think about them; he only needed to read them.

This is the Dao Path of a third-rank cultivator after careful consideration and thorough analysis.

If we were to compare it to food, Li Qi thought to himself that it was like going into the mountains and forests to hunt with his bare hands, and then cooking it himself. Whether he caught a rabbit or a tiger, whether the meat tasted good, whether it was nutritious, or whether it was burnt, it was all up to him. It was the result of his own thinking and reflection.

The Daoist essence before you isn't even something prepared and served to you; it's like a ready-made nutrient solution being injected directly into your body without you even having to chew it.

This is the finished product.

However, there are also downsides.

For those who have no hope of ever reaching the third rank in their entire lives, this direct injection into their bodies is undoubtedly great news.

But for someone like Li Qi, in the future, after he reaches the third rank, these things will become stumbling blocks, hindering his Dao Path to success.

All of this comes at a price.

The Demon Prince and Li Qi collided, their two divine forms shaking the heavens and the earth. The flash of light from the collision lingered for a long time, and the sky was clear, like the bright moon hanging in the sky, illuminating the vast expanse of water with its radiant light.

Once, twice, three times.

The successive collisions caused three full moons to bloom in the sky and hang in the firmament.

The clash between heavenly thunder and demonic energy caused boundless Black Mist to surge around them, resembling twilight clouds, dust, gales, and torrential rain. Demonic deeds, demonic words, demonic intent, and demonic return continuously emerged. The aftershocks of the battle disrupted the surrounding celestial order, clouded the calendar, and caused various energies to become disordered. Light surged within hell, and debris from all directions fell like stars, crashing down upon the mortal realm.

Upon the first impact, Li Qi tried to breathe, but it was as if he were underwater, unable to speak. Countless corpses, evil spirits, and demonic energy were intertwined, clinging to each other like waves in the sea. Li Qi floated and sank within them, finding it difficult to breathe for a moment.

Upon the second impact, Li Qi broke through the demonic energy. Around him, heavenly lightning transformed into a majestic general, unleashing divine power. He wielded swords, spears, halberds, axes, hooks, and forks, displaying their divine might. He swung his spear and danced with his sword, instantly unleashing countless attacks, like a dense rain or a swift lightning bolt, displaying the power of a drawn crossbow, displaying his martial might!

It should be noted that when Li Qi was at the Imperial Academy, he studied the principles of Human Path, but he chose military strategy.

Military strategy, combined with Legalist School, results in an army that obeys orders without question! Based on this, there is that divine general, and the countless Soldier's Qi under his command, who are like a great army!

With just the second strike, Li Qi had already mastered the technique, incorporating the power of the head into himself, and his cultivation broke through the limit of the seventh rank!

In the third impact, Li Qi's cultivation had firmly surpassed that of the Demon Prince. Now, it was the Demon Prince who was walking on thin ice. The Demon Prince's demonic energy dissipated in large quantities, and even his cultivation level began to decline.

The Demon Prince's inner world was completely disrupted, and his Dao rhythm was suppressed by heavenly lightning three times in a row, showing signs of retreating.

But the Demon Prince himself did not back down.

Sixth rank? He hasn't reached that yet; he's only broken through the shackles of the seventh rank.

Since you haven't arrived yet, you can't beat me.

The fourth time, the fifth time—

The impacts lasted a total of eighteen times.

Now, it's the nineteenth time.

Li Qi's cultivation level continued to rise during these eighteen sessions, and his aura became increasingly intense. His discipline even began to regulate the timing of events and restrain demonic thoughts!

It's important to know that Legalist School is adept at restraining demonic thoughts. Throughout Human Path, countless demonic thoughts and evil intentions must yield under the rule of law and righteousness, preventing countless people from straying into the demonic path.

Meanwhile, the Demon Prince's army was routed, with a large number of Technique Method collapsing.

However, there was no sign of panic on his face.

The balance of power has not shifted.

He remains a strongman.

Because during the previous eighteen impacts, he had already used demonic thoughts to infiltrate the opponent's Daoist essence. Although he appeared to be below, if Li Qi continued to break through, the demonic thoughts would erupt the moment of the breakthrough, affecting his mind.

When breaking through, one is extremely vulnerable. If one's mind is affected, falling into a lower realm is the least of one's worries; one could even go insane.

So, continue to gather your strength, gripping the bamboo staff tightly, even though it has been struck by lightning and is covered in cracks.

However, when victory is assured, the desperate struggle of the weak is meaningless.

This last-minute breakthrough is likely the opponent's last chance.

The nineteenth impact—

Thunder roared! A pillar of electricity, spanning across space, pierced the heavens and the earth!

The heavenly lightning, being extremely yang and powerful, directly pierced through the demonic energy shield and struck the Demon Prince's staff!

The lightning struck the tree, sparks flew, and even the space itself seemed to react, with countless sparks leaping between the Demon Prince and Li Qi before spreading outwards.

This time, the Demon Prince was sent flying, his Dharma form cracked and gradually shattered.

And Li Qi, under this attack, successfully built up his strength.

His rank was elevated at that moment!

With the Daoist essence of Human Path third rank infused into his mind, he was able to achieve the sixth rank!

The moment he achieved the sixth rank, the laws of Human Path began to cover his personal microcosm, seemingly attempting to devour the territory belonging to other Dao Lineage.

Meanwhile, other Dao principles also began to resist, and the entire microcosm within the human body instantly showed signs of tearing apart!

At the same time, the demonic thoughts that the Demon Prince had planted long ago erupted, and countless demonic energies instantly eroded Li Qi's body. Under this double blow, Li Qi's advancement seemed about to be interrupted.

The Demon Prince covered his mouth, blood seeping from between his fingers, but he remained calm as he watched Li Qi fail to advance and be demoted.

But at that moment, Li Qi suddenly clasped his hands together.

Then, he accepted the demonic thought.

Not only the demonic thoughts planted by the Demon Prince, but also the Demon Prince path he analyzed during the previous battle, the demonic path that the Heavenly Demon had tempted him with, the demonic path of the Five Aggregates Demon that he understood, and the demonic path of the Devil Lord Moloyan that he had seen before.

The countless demonic paths he encountered on his Dao Path were all mixed together by Li Qi.

Then, using the Demon Prince's Four Demons thoughts as a catalyst, these demonic paths were combined into one.

Then, he swallowed it all.

The Demon Prince's eyes widened in utter astonishment, his jaw nearly dropping!

He understood!

This was Li Qi's initial plan.

The conflict over doctrines led to the splitting of all the various Dao Lineage?

Isn't the solution quite simple?

Then, why not just fall into the demonic path?

Once he enters the demonic path, these disputes will no longer have any effect on him. The demonic path is unrestrained and doesn't care about these rules at all. This was something that the Heavenly Demon had already told him when he initially wanted him to fall into the demonic path. (See Chapter 293 for details)

The struggle for the Dao is meaningless to the demonic path. Since everything is illusory, the struggle for the Dao is even more illusory. As for the Demon Prince's demonic thoughts, they became the catalyst rather than an obstacle.

Li Qi did not want to advance to the sixth rank of the Human Path, but rather to advance to the sixth rank of the Demonic Path, while retaining all his own Dao Lineage characteristics and encompassing all characteristics with the Demonic Path!

The Demon Prince watched all of this and knew that he had lost this round.

Li Qi is neither weak nor strong.

He is a wise man.

In terms of wisdom, I was still outmatched. I schemed for a long time and even listened to another person's advice, but in the end, I still lost.

Really...

However... wisdom has another quality compared to strength.

That is, wisdom can be used by others, but strength can only belong to oneself. Therefore, the strong are always leaders, and the wise are always assistants.

So, although her wisdom was inferior to Li Qi's, leading to her defeat, she hadn't actually lost yet.

Because there is another wise man who hasn't taken action yet.

As Li Qi broke through to the sixth rank of the Demonic Path.

A pure demonic aura, so pure it seemed to have come directly from the Heavenly Demon, merged into Li Qi's body.

Li Qi suddenly felt that something was beginning to overlap with his own inner world, and... taking advantage of his weakest moment, it began to seize control.

That was Demonic Energy Li Qi.

That was 'his' plan.

He had foreseen Demonic Energy Li Qi's arrival from the very beginning, and he was certain that Li Qi would break through to the sixth rank of the Demonic Path! As a being of demonic energy, it was only natural for him to merge into the Demonic Path that belonged to 'himself'.

From the very beginning of his operation, he had been fully prepared. He had planned countless things for this moment, even provoking the Demon Prince to take action and pushing the True Dragons to join the fray. He had also anticipated every single one of Li Qi's preparations!

It's all for now!

From this moment on, 'he' is the real Li Qi!