Chapter 125: Child of Destiny

Soon, two days passed, and Li Qi truly gained a clearer understanding of the rules of this world.

As expected, only through experimentation and theoretical study can one make rapid progress.

By comparing various data and personally witnessing the formation process of Earth Oil in this world, he made significant advancements.

Now, he even tentatively applied this knowledge to his own spellcasting, making slight adjustments to make the rituals more suitable for this world, thus making the power of his spells and rituals stronger in this world.

“If, in every world, I can instantly grasp these not-so-difficult changes and then make corresponding adjustments, then I’ll always have a home-field advantage… This should be a path to progress, right?” Li Qi pondered.

Then, he walked out of the laboratory and personally witnessed the spectacular scene of Earth Oil extraction.

Tens of thousands of people crowded the ground, using various machinery to extract Earth Oil together.

Various forklifts, conveyor belts, and manual labor simultaneously appeared at this large construction site, and the Earth Oil gushing out from the drilling wells was loaded into barrels and then transported away.

Because the rules of this world are subtly different, it allows for the production of the peculiar substance known as Earth Oil, and according to the unique Dao of the Universe, this substance will not collapse when taken to another world.

This led to such a peculiar scene: each world has its unique resources, and as the most powerful ‘天下’ (world/realm), it rules over all the extra-territorial worlds within its sphere, so various forces exploit the resources of their own worlds, some for trade to exchange what they have for what they lack, and some for their own use.

This was truly a strange sight.

The Great Deer Kingdom, in that ‘天下’ (world/realm), maintained a backward and primitive ecology, yet it had initiated industrialization in the extra-territorial regions, wantonly exploiting the resources of these extra-territorial worlds.

The extracted Earth Oil would be transported to a spatial passage opened by the Great Deer Kingdom Lord, and then sent to various different places, sometimes to other extra-territorial regions, and sometimes to that ‘天下’ (world/realm).

It’s just that…

Li Qi felt a hint of something amiss.

“What’s going on with these Qi?” Li Qi observed countless streams of Human Qi gathering through the labor of the people at this large construction site.

And the gathering point was right near him.

In fact, it was getting closer and closer!

Li Qi became vigilant, secretly mobilizing his Vermilion Bird Divine Qi, while simultaneously observing various different progress bars around him to guard against sneak attacks.

Even though he was in one of the industrial company’s main bases, he remained highly alert.

But at that moment, he heard a voice speaking to Li Qi: “Young Master need not be so vigilant; I am merely here to deliver documents as requested by Bai Di.”

As he spoke, a middle-aged man walked in from the nearby stairs.

Li Qi could clearly see that all the laborers’ Qi were linked to him.

It was as if… a giant formation.

Seemingly noticing Li Qi’s expression, the man proactively explained: “This is a cultivation method taught to me by the Great Deer Kingdom Lord, a Human Dao method that can gather the strength of many for one’s own use.”

“I use ‘contractual agreements’ as a medium to establish connections with them, allowing their power to be used by me, forming a Human Dao cluster. This way, I can reach the Ninth Rank. The Country Lord said that once I unify all companies in the Earth Oil Realm, then even the Eighth Rank will be within reach.”

Hearing this, Li Qi was a little surprised and said, “Your Excellency is the president of the industrial company here?”

“I am unworthy of Young Master’s respectful address. You may call me by my name; my name is Zhang Le.” He seemed somewhat flustered.

“Then I’ll call you President Zhang. You said you’re here to deliver documents; is it the intelligence I requested earlier?”

Zhang Le lowered his head and produced a document package: “Precisely, please take a look, Young Master.”

“Thank you.” Li Qi took it and began to flip through it.

Zhang Le stood respectfully to the side, waiting for Li Qi to review the information.

And Li Qi looked at the contents of the document.

It listed the two largest Earth Oil industrial companies in this world: the current Zhang’s Company and another, the Polar Industrial Development Company.

Zhang’s Company controlled the inland Earth Oil extraction, while the Polar Development Company controlled the Earth Oil extraction in the polar and oceanic regions.

These two companies regarded each other as enemies and competed fiercely.

Because the cultivation method given to them by the Great Deer Kingdom Lord destined them to compete; there was no coexistence in the Human Dao evil methods. The two sides would inevitably compete for each other’s population, labor, and Earth Oil extraction sites.

“So, you’ve come to tell me that the Polar Industrial Company also has a ‘Young Master’ on their side?” Li Qi finished reading the document and frowned.

He guessed correctly; there really was a competitor.

Moreover, the other party wasn’t planning on getting along well; they weren’t just going to look at their own stuff and then leave.

“Yes, that’s right.” Zhang Le said, “This is actually not just a struggle between the two Young Masters… The Zhang’s Group is willing to assist the Young Master in defeating the other party. This way, for you, Young Master, you can also get more rewards, right?”

“Rewards are secondary… They’re not very useful, but someone is planning to make a move on me, and a heavy one, without even meeting me. I can’t not retaliate.” Li Qi put the documents away and pondered, “It’s impossible for me not to fight back.”

“Exactly, so our group will fully cooperate with the Young Master’s actions to collapse the Polar Industrial Company!” Zhang Le declared his determination.

Li Qi glanced at him.

He understood that the reason Zhang Le was doing this was actually out of concern that Zhang’s Industrial Company, without the protection of another Young Master, might be suppressed by the Polar Industrial Company and thus lose in the struggle.

And now that he had arrived, Zhang Le certainly needed to cling to him, forming the kind of standoff that existed before.

However, this also had benefits for him. At least, in this world, acting alone would certainly not be as smooth as with a local expert.

“Alright, then, that’s how it is. I definitely need to deal with him, and your help would be good.” Li Qi nodded.

“Zhang Le will definitely not disappoint the Young Master!” He immediately pledged his loyalty.

“No need to be so formal. First, help me deliver a visiting card. It shouldn’t be far from here to the Polar Industrial Company’s territory, right? Can we get there in half a day?” Li Qi patted his shoulder and said.

“Ah? A visiting card? You want to go deep into enemy territory?!” Zhang Le immediately reacted upon hearing this, realizing what Li Qi intended to do.

“What do you mean ‘deep into enemy territory’? Look at what you’re saying.” Li Qi smiled.

“We are all fellow Senior Brothers, not enemies. Your Earth Oil Realm is also a subordinate world of the Great Deer Kingdom. There is only competition between us, not mortal enmity.”

“Since that’s the case, what’s wrong with me paying a visit?” Li Qi said with a relaxed expression.

——————

Soon, a visiting card was sent from Zhang’s Industrial Company, on Li Qi’s side, to the Polar Industrial Company via mail.

Still in that small room in the snowy mountain.

“This is a provocation.” The middle-aged man from before said to the Diviner Young Master nearby.

Clearly, his identity was also obvious; he was the boss of the Polar Industrial Company.

“No, this is not a provocation; he wants to negotiate with me.” The Diviner Young Master, however, shook his head with a smile.

What a brilliant move.

The struggle between Invoker and Diviner is also a struggle of Dao, but it hasn’t reached a point of no return; it’s merely a struggle for influence within Shaman God Mountain.

Unlike Shaman Dao and Human Dao.

“Negotiation?” The boss of Polar Industrial frowned, puzzled.

He didn’t understand; was there still room for negotiation between these two Young Masters?

“Yes, it’s negotiation. He doesn’t want to get into a dispute with me, so he wants to meet me and have a good talk, so he’s being straightforward. However, though he says ‘negotiation,’ I’m afraid he intends to use his power to pressure me.” The Diviner Young Master, with a smile on his Face, toyed with the dagger in his hand.

It was a black stone dagger, seemingly hammered into shape, with mottled hammer marks still visible, appearing newly made rather than a smoothed stone tool from long use.

“Invoker is powerful and can draw strength from mountains and rivers, making him very strong in direct conflict. You see, the huge crater you collected information about last time, comparable to an Earth Oil extraction equipment explosion, was his doing.”

“His strength has already reached this level, so if I show up for this negotiation, it means putting the outcome in his hands, and then I’ll have no room to negotiate.” The Diviner Young Master deliberated, muttering to himself.

The Polar Company boss remained silent.

This Young Master loved to talk to himself, but if anyone interrupted him, he would get angry.

“But if I don’t go, it’ll make me seem too petty, and it won’t sound good when word gets out.” The Diviner’s brows furrowed tightly, his expression looking very displeased.

He didn’t want to lose Face.

He wanted both Face and inner substance, to achieve a complete victory.

The room fell silent, with only the sound of him continuously toying with the dagger.

However, after a while, he suddenly looked up at the boss of Polar Industrial Company.

“I remember, you are a Human Dao Ninth Rank, right?”

“Yes… yes.”

“Alright, I will use the substitute technique to temporarily transfer my Qi to you. You will go and meet him in my place.”

“But, there’s such a big difference in appearance between me and the Young Master…”

“Just change it with an illusion. The intention is to let him recognize it deliberately.” The Diviner Young Master waved his hand impatiently.

“Deliberately let him recognize it?” The boss looked up, deep in thought.

“Exactly! Isn’t he being arrogant, wanting to meet me himself to pressure me with his power? Making me take a risk if I go, and lose Face and seem petty if I don’t.” The Diviner Young Master stood up from his chair: “Then I won’t be polite either. Since he dares to put himself in danger, I’ll truly arrange enough danger for him.”

“When he’s lying on the ground waiting to die, I’ll personally show up and have a friendly ‘negotiation’ with him. At that time, won’t I have both Face and inner substance? It’s decided then. You, go and do as I arranged!”

Hearing that the Young Master had made his decision, the boss of Polar Industrial immediately bowed: “As you command!”

With that, he hurriedly left, without even waiting for the Young Master to explain the specific details.

Because he knew that in a moment, the Young Master’s ‘plan’ would emerge from his shadow.

This Young Master seemed to be everywhere.

——————

While the two Young Masters of Shaman God Mountain were scheming against each other, Shā’ěr and Lu Li, completely bewildered, were given a car and a few days’ worth of food and water, and then told to leave.

Yes, Li Qi directly told them to leave.

His exact words were: “You two go back and tell your companions to be at peace for a little while, don’t make any moves. I will help solve your Heavenly Dao matters, but when the time comes, I will need your help, and by then, you should already know who you will be helping.”

“Now, go back. Go back and tell your leader all the information you’ve learned here.”

After saying that, he had someone send them away.

Then, they were indeed sent away, and even received food, supplies, and a new car.

The car drove through the desert.

Kicking up a cloud of dust.

The two looked at each other, unable to understand what that Young Master was thinking.

Was he just acting on a whim? Or was there some deeply hidden conspiracy behind it?

They didn’t understand.

But one thing was certain.

The other party was an Immortal, and an extremely powerful one at that, and showed no hostility… at least for now, so they shouldn’t make an enemy of him.

On the desert, a cloud of dust.

The car occasionally passed some dry riverbeds, and sometimes encountered a patch of dead trees.

Decades ago, these places were originally lush with green waters and mountains.

But with the extraction of Earth Oil, the earth veins became blocked, and the water Qi was cut off, leading to the gradual disruption of the world’s water Qi circulation, resulting in the birth of these vast expanses of desert.

This was not a so-called desert terrain, but a thorough, lifeless wasteland where no life could exist.

Desert terrain is merely a type of landscape; in reality, Earth Qi is abundant, water veins are continuous, there is groundwater, geothermal heat, and various life forms and plants exist there.

But in this wasteland, life couldn’t find even a speck of sustenance. The ‘Qi’ here had been cut off, Earth Qi no longer generated, water Qi no longer flowed, Jin Qi (Metal Energy) formed mineral veins were mined to exhaustion, Wood Qi had long since withered and died, and it was even dry and cold, without even an underground fire.

Of the Five Elements Qi—Jin Qi (Metal Energy), Wood Qi, Water Qi, Fire Qi, and Earth Qi—not even one could be found in this wasteland.

This was the consequence of exploiting the world’s resources without regard for the future.

The Five Elements naturally generate each other and could slowly increase in scale and maintain existence, but now, the Five Elements are cut off, turning into a dead land.

This was the plight of the Earth Oil Realm.

It was also the plight of all resource worlds that were endlessly exploited.

And the Earth Oil Realm was just one very, very insignificant one among them. Its Heavenly Dao was also extremely weak, so much so that even a Ninth Rank like Li Qi could, with the help of much knowledge and the foundation of the original ‘天下’ (world/realm), manipulate it with ease.

“Captain, you say… is that Young Master planning something else, or…?” Lu Li asked, driving the car, while looking at Mother Lion Shā’ěr, who was curled up in the back seat.

Shā’ěr was too big, so she could only curl up to fit into the car.

“Don’t overthink it.” Shā’ěr replied in a muffled voice: “We cannot resist the power of an Immortal.”

“So, we can only rely on Number One.”

“She is the Child of Destiny.”