Inviting a Gentleman to Drink

Li Yixian watched the Daoist priest approach Qi WuHuo. He opened his mouth, wanting to persuade Qi WuHuo not to do this again, but he couldn't speak at all. He didn't even need to speak; his hands and feet went limp. While he was still struggling, the Daoist priest had already gotten close to Qi WuHuo. With a raise of his hand, black winds swirled, accompanied by the shrill cries of souls.

The black winds transformed into chains, binding Qi WuHuo's hands and feet!

The Daoist priest's fingers then moved towards Qi WuHuo's brow.

Just then, Qi WuHuo's knee suddenly thrust forward. The zither was propelled upward, smashing down towards the Daoist priest. The latter was startled. Qi WuHuo had already broken free from the surrounding black winds. Using the motion of pushing the zither, he got up and lunged into the old Daoist priest's embrace. A cold glint flashed, and the dagger he carried pierced the old Daoist's heart.

Clean and decisive, without a moment's hesitation!

In the blink of an eye, no one could react.

The Daoist priest's eyes widened, and the black winds around him dispersed.

Qi WuHuo's Primordial Spirit was extremely strong, and he cultivated the majestic Dao. It was faintly discernible that the black winds around the Daoist priest were actually controlled by his Primordial Spirit, a state formed by blending Primordial Qi with another type of Heaven and Earth Qi. At this moment, Qi WuHuo faintly understood why the old man with the same surname as the Dao Ancestor said that cultivation must achieve the Complete Three Talents.

And what it would be like to cultivate magical power without reaching such a state.

To him, who had received the old man's inheritance, that magical power was like a castle in the air.

With Qi WuHuo's Primordial Spirit strength, he could directly shatter these crude spells.

The dagger pierced his heart, and he used his weight to press down. Then, with a slight twist of his wrist, the Daoist priest's face contorted. Suddenly, a gust of wind rose.

The Daoist priest, whose heart had been pierced by Qi WuHuo, turned into wind and scattered.

A yellow talisman was threaded onto the dagger.

It was written in cinnabar: [Decree of Fengdu Underworld for Substitution and Soul Return Incantation].

Swish!

The talisman pierced by the dagger ignited spontaneously, burning to ashes in an instant, leaving no trace. The next moment, the winds converged, and the Daoist priest whose heart had been pierced reappeared fifteen meters away. His face was extremely pale, and he sat there clutching his chest, gasping for breath, looking at Qi WuHuo in disbelief. "You, how could you break free from my spell..."

Qi WuHuo did not answer. He spun and retreated rapidly.

The blue gown fluttered and fell.

He extended his right hand and grabbed the bow used by a nearby student for practicing the Six Arts of the Gentleman.

He took a step back, drew the bow, nocked an arrow, and did not hesitate.

He still didn't answer.

I draw my long bow like a full moon!

The bowstring vibrated violently.

Buzz!!!

An arrow shot directly towards the Daoist priest's brow!

Others would be blinded by the Daoist priest's illusionary techniques, but he would not!

"You!!!"

The Daoist priest's expression changed drastically.

He cast a wind manipulation spell, and his body shot away a long distance. Seeing the young man firing arrows continuously, his attacks ruthless and direct, he looked less like a country boy and more like a seasoned general who had commanded a war. He was cold and ruthless, and his Primordial Spirit was strong; his various spells could not deceive him. Finally, disregarding his current state, he tapped his forehead. A streak of light flew out from his brow, transforming into a Black Iron Sword Box, emitting a green glow. The sword box vibrated, spitting out streams of light and sword energy, tearing and shredding all the arrows.

Qi WuHuo's movements halted.

He looked ahead at the converging sword energy, which had transformed into a storm, tearing the very ground apart. The Daoist priest stood in the center, like an immortal god being revered. The violent sword energy flowed and changed, emitting a howling sound. The entire courtyard became extremely oppressive, making it difficult to breathe.

Qi WuHuo gazed at the storm-like aura before him.

Because his Primordial Spirit was strong, he could see through the flow of Qi, but he could not yet control his own Qi at will, unable to break through this condensed flow of Qi. The current arrows could not even get within three feet of the Daoist priest. The rapid arrows shot out, only to freeze in mid-air, vibrating with a hum, and finally bending in an arc from the center, shattering completely.

Qi WuHuo loosened his grip on the long bow.

"This is... a supernatural ability."

The Daoist priest's hair bun came undone, and a green aura appeared on his face.

"I underestimated you!"

"Such a young age, and so vicious!"

"I didn't want to use my magical treasure, but today I will kill you, a cultivator of the evil path, and take your soul to temper my lifespan by a few years!"

Everyone's faces were filled with panic and fear, including Li Puyü. Although Qi WuHuo had shot arrows continuously before, displaying remarkable archery skills, he was far from being a match for such divine means. He was clearly no opponent. The surrounding storm seemed to grow larger and larger.

Qi WuHuo put down the bow and borrowed a sword from a startled Li family student nearby.

Just then, as if stirred by the strong wind, he saw a wooden token beneath the Daoist priest's robe flutter. On it was a talisman character, like a dancing lightning snake. Qi WuHuo's eyes suddenly narrowed. He had seen this talisman character before—

Five years ago.

During that nightmarish great disaster that befell the world.

During that great disaster in the demon country where millions of common people perished.

The Daoist priest, finally able to catch his breath, cast a spell and said, "Wind, rise!"

The wind surged.

He then tapped his sword box, intending to use the wind to sweep the sword energy storm into a supernatural ability that could sever heads like cutting wheat. The Daoist priest pointed one finger at the sky and formed a sword seal with the other hand, pointing directly at the young man whose face remained calm, which infuriated him. He had originally intended to exhale and form a spell, but this brat was too strange.

He himself was not yet a True Person.

It's better to be safe.

Thus, he stepped through the Big Dipper formation, chanting the divine incantation—

"Primordial Beginning pacifies and secures, proclaims to all spirits. True Officials of Mountains and Rivers, spirits of mountain gods."

"The Supreme has decreed, hunt down evil spirits!"

"Swiftly as the law commands!"

This was a true transmission incantation, notifying all ten directions' Earth Deities and Mountain Gods, borrowing their power to slay demons and eliminate evil.

It was also how one forged a connection with them, forming the foundation for performing earthly realm rituals.

And the fundamental divine incantation.

A great magic circle had subtly formed beneath his feet.

The storm suddenly intensified!

It felt like dark clouds were pressing down on the city, threatening to crush it.

Even the Daoist priest himself felt surprised.

When had he gained such a powerful supernatural ability!

Ha, perhaps it was this brat's provocation that angered him. Anger is the fire of the heart, the heart is also nature, and one's magic power naturally becomes stronger.

Without further thought, he raised a finger and pointed at Qi WuHuo, with a touch of triumphant spirit, shouting:

"Kill!!!"

The low whistling of the wind grew increasingly violent. The gusts of wind seemed to obey the Daoist priest's command, swirling with clouds. The colliding clouds almost formed a thunderous might. The entire Li family, and even the town below the mountain, seemed to be engulfed by this unimaginable, heaven-sent storm. Trees rustled violently in the wind.

In this moment, it was suddenly fierce and violent. The next moment, the fierce wind abruptly converged and pressed down.

The roaring sound almost exceeded the limits of the storm.

Like spears, like hammers! Like cleaving, like smashing!

The Daoist priest was caught completely off guard.

He was directly swept up by the boundless, terrifying storm, bound, and then violently slammed down!

The wind was sudden and fierce.

The bells under the eaves rang incessantly.

That immense wind pressure made the Daoist priest's face go slack-jawed. His Blood Essence rebelled within his organs, and he spat out a mouthful of vital blood.

"This, how is this possible…"

The Li family members, who had expected certain death, were also stunned by this turn of events.

The Daoist priest's internal organs churned from the impact, and his body was unable to move. He saw a name light up on the jade slip he had been thrown with, and then it burned fiercely. His expression slowly froze.

This was a supreme treasure, recording the many Mountain Gods and Earthly Deities his sect's ancestor had encountered.

Only by using this item to perform the Earthly Deity Incantation could members of the sect communicate with the various regions and summon the aid of Earthly Deities. Otherwise, without the karmic connection or the ancestor's lingering blessings, the Mountain Gods and Earthly Deities would remain aloof, perhaps even beyond the Emperor of Heaven's jurisdiction. Who would come out to help specifically? Even with such an ancestral karmic connection, it was only a fleeting acquaintance, with little favor. Asking them to help once would cost a portion of that favor.

And now, this golden light was so intense…

The Daoist priest struggled, unable to move.

BOOM!!!

The wind converged, and the wind suppressing the Daoist priest vaguely transformed into a colossal tiger's claw, still emanating the aura of a storm. As the wind spread backward, it tore through streams of light. The Li family members turned pale, seeing within the sky-obscuring wind a faint, towering black Fierce Tiger, ten zhang tall, its eyes like the sun and moon, emitting a cold light from the oppressive mist.

Li Puyü's face was deathly pale.

Everyone's legs felt weak, some collapsing beside tables, others sitting on the ground.

Only the blue-shirted youth, his clothes fluttering in the wind, met the gaze of the terrifying Fierce Tiger directly.

The Fierce Tiger lowered its gaze.

The youth looked up.

Silence fell upon the four directions, no one daring to make a sound.

The Daoist priest's spitting, mumbling voice was like thunder.

"The foremost of the sixteen Mountain Gods of the Lianhe Mountain Range…"

"Lord of Lianhe Mountain, forgive me, forgive me…"

Li Puyü and Li YueLin's bodies stiffened, unsure of what was happening before them. Li Yixian, who had ventured outside before, knew the meaning of these words and turned deathly pale.

A wave of people collapsed, out of fear and reverence, bowing towards the Mountain God.

Footsteps sounded.

Before the Fierce Tiger's manifestation, the storm dispersed, and a man eight feet tall stepped out, holding a wine pot in one hand and a long spear diagonally in the other.

He wore a bright yellow robe, with black and white hair cascading down. His expression was solemn, his brows sharp. He strode forward, and the Fierce Tiger manifestation behind him did not dissipate but loomed, pacing forward, both real and illusory, its aura instantly profound. As everyone was almost unable to breathe, Li Puyü noticed that Qi WuHuo did not bow his head. He was anxious and even tugged at Qi WuHuo's sleeve, urging him to prostrate himself.

In the oppressive silence.

The deity suddenly smiled and raised the wine pot in his hand.

He joked with the young man in the blue shirt:

"You clearly said last night that you'd come find me for a drink today."

"Jun Chi didn't come."

"I had no choice but to come find you myself."

His tone was light.

Everyone's thoughts froze for a moment.