Chapter 148: Invitation

In the end, Yan Jun still didn't refuse the request. Instead, he bowed to Li Qi, turned, and left, leaving only a street full of gifts in place, emitting waves of dazzling treasure light.

Unfortunately, no one dared to touch them.

Li Qi glanced at them, his eyes momentarily dazzled.

So rich.

However, with that glance, he suddenly frowned and quickly walked over to the so-called 'incomplete eighth-grade' Jin Qi (Metal Energy).

It was a long saber, its entire form appearing naturally occurring, without any trace of forging or casting. There wasn't even any ornamentation; it simply looked like a piece of iron that had naturally grown out of a section of deadwood, like a lizard with its scales flared in anger.

But, this piece of iron happened to grow into the shape of a long saber, perfectly precise, and that section of deadwood became the hilt.

This was… a naturally born divine weapon?

The Jin Qi (Metal Energy) was sharp, boiling like firelight illuminating the night, with a red-white aura swirling around it, like a蛟 snake lunging at people, unstoppable.

However, there was a slight imperfection; the tip of the saber was broken off, causing a significant reduction in its overall power, rendering it incomplete. Even its sharp Qi seemed dulled by half.

With the saber tip no longer complete, its killing power was naturally diminished by more than half. No wonder it was called an incomplete eighth-grade. This item was much stronger than all ninth-grade Spiritual Artifacts, but it was far from any true eighth-grade Spiritual Artifact.

However, what attracted Li Qi was not the power of this Jin Qi (Metal Energy); he hadn't yet reached the point of being swayed by money or Spiritual Artifacts.

If one receives ten thousand zhong without discerning propriety, what benefit is ten thousand zhong to me?

If it wasn't something obtained through proper channels, what attraction could it possibly hold for him?

What truly attracted him was the missing piece on this incomplete Jin Qi (Metal Energy).

This missing piece… looked exactly like the throwing knife Piao Xu had given him.

No, not just like, it was!

It looked perfectly seamless, identical. As long as it was filled in, this would be a complete eighth-grade Jin Qi (Metal Energy), a naturally born divine weapon, without any flaws!

Therefore—!

Li Qi suddenly awoke.

Jin Buhuan was hunting a tiger Yao, for unknown reasons and purposes. It was in pursuit of this tiger Yao that he came across Piao Xu.

Piao Xu was a wild fox that happened to pass by the corpse of a hunted tiger Yao and inherited a portion of its soul. This resulted in the death of both the original tiger Yao and the original wild fox, giving birth to 'Piao Xu,' a brand new Yao creature that inherited elements from both sides, including this ultimate throwing knife among ninth-grade items.

Could it be that Jin Buhuan was the one who initially wanted to hunt the tiger Yao and retrieve the eighth-grade Jin Qi (Metal Energy) fragment?

Was the reason Jin Buhuan suddenly acted in the marketplace to reclaim this fragment?

So, by giving him this Jin Qi (Metal Energy) at this moment, was he being generous, or was he actually trying to test if that item was in his hands? Or in Piao Xu's hands?

Giving a gift, forcing him to accept it, besides being a show of force, was it also a test? And… to lay a trap?

Just for this little bit of my own thought… so he committed such an evil deed?

Li Qi took a deep breath. The surrounding ashes had gradually been dispersed by the wind.

Jin Buhuan…

You deserve to die.

— — — — — — — — — —

At this moment, inside Jin Buhuan's residence, Young Master Jin had his legs propped on a table, with several beautiful maids massaging his legs, as he questioned the physician kneeling below.

Upon closer inspection, it was actually the physician who had previously met Li Qi and others, the one Qi Ya had called to treat Piao Xu.

Despite only having a brief encounter with Li Qi, Jin Buhuan had managed to find him and question him directly.

“So, that person also possesses extremely profound medical skills?” Jin Buhuan asked distractedly, picking his ear.

“Reporting… reporting to Young Master Jin, it is indeed so. My medical skills, compared to his, are like a flower-pecking bird compared to a True Dragon in the clouds; the difference cannot be measured.” The physician said, trembling.

“What level of skill? Ninth-grade? To you, a ninth-grade Cultivator of medicine would be much stronger than someone like you who is unranked, wouldn't they?” Jin Buhuan continued to ask.

“Although… although this humble one's medical skills are not refined, there are several ranked elders and Great Masters in my sect. I have witnessed many ranked medical techniques. While they are miraculous, compared to that esteemed person, they still seem a bit immature…” The physician said, trembling and sweating profusely, but it wasn't sweat from nervousness.

If one looked closely, they would notice that his ten fingers were embedded with fine needles, clearly indicating he had been tortured. The cold sweat now was obviously from pain, so much so that his voice was shaking.

“Oh? Even ninth-grade physicians can't compare? Hmm, that makes sense. Si Lao is, after all, an eighth-grade, and to resolve his curse, it would certainly require an eighth-grade physician.” Jin Buhuan nodded.

“An eighth-grade physician… and he can even give pointers to Yan Jun. He must be a Dual Cultivation practitioner of Dao and medicine, which is quite natural,” Jin Buhuan mused, talking to himself.

It was indeed very natural. Dao Orthodoxy initially sought longevity and eternal life, the Dao of not aging. For countless years, many Daoists have been dedicated to research in the field of life.

After all, the ultimate pursuit of Dao Orthodoxy is eternal freedom and immortality.

Longevity is not difficult; what is difficult is eternal life.

Even some animals and plants can achieve longevity on their own, existing indefinitely if not affected by external forces.

But eternal life is different. Eternal life requires immortality, not being killed, not dying from illness, not being restrained or suppressed, and being able to exist forever according to one's own will.

To achieve this goal, Dao Orthodoxy developed methods of combat and methods of healing. Whether it was combat or medicine, the purpose of all this was to protect one's eternal life.

An eighth-grade Daoist Senior who also cultivates medicine is very natural.

It's just that…

Jin Buhuan narrowed his eyes.

The presence of Dao Orthodoxy practitioners is very natural, as Shaman Dao does not discriminate against any Dao Orthodoxy, maintaining a peaceful attitude towards both Dao Orthodoxy and the demon race.

Even towards humanity, Shaman Dao is not very hostile; it has always maintained a passive resistance rather than actively seeking to destroy. It is merely that humanity's aggressiveness is too strong, leading to an increase in the intensity of warfare.

Shamans believe that all things in heaven and earth exist naturally, and their role is to maintain balance and harmony, not to be used by any one side.

However, what kind of force would have a ninth-grade Shaman accompanied by an eighth-grade Daoist powerhouse as their Dao Protector?

This combination is too strange.

Does Great Deer Kingdom have such a force?

Is he not from Great Deer Kingdom?

Then where did he come from?

Jin Buhuan fell into contemplation.

However, at this moment, Yan Jun walked in from outside.

Jin Buhuan immediately stood up, kicking away a concubine in the process, but he paid no mind. He put on his shoes, straightened his collar, and rose to greet him: “Ah, Yan Jun, you're back. What did he say? Did he accept?”

“No, Young Master, he did not accept. All the ritual officials were killed, but he showed no change at all.” Yan Jun said calmly.

Upon hearing this, Jin Buhuan clicked his tongue in wonder, fanning himself with his folding fan, and exaggeratedly said: “Wow, what a ruthless person! He can draw his sword to help a stranger in need, without hesitation confronting this Young Master, yet he can also sit by and watch over a hundred people slowly die in front of him without a ripple in his heart. This shows that his Dao Heart is extremely firm. He only does what he believes he should do, unswayed by other things. He truly lives up to being a Genius capable of having an eighth-grade powerhouse as a Dao Protector. I wonder which sect or family's disciple he is? How interesting.”

As he said this, he then asked: “So, Yan Jun, given your personality, if he didn't accept, you should have waited. Why did you suddenly return?”

Yan Jun calmly replied: “Li Qi asked me to invite Young Master to his residence for a discussion.”

“Ha? Hahahaha! Interesting, alright, I'll go. Yan Jun, you go rest. Si Lao, let's go!” Jin Buhuan's eyebrows raised upon hearing this, and he immediately accepted the invitation without hesitation.

Li Qi invited him?

How interesting, this time it will be a true face-to-face encounter, right?

Last time was just a chance encounter; this time is a real head-on confrontation.

Jin Buhuan really wanted to know what the person who stopped him from hunting the tiger Yao and gathering his own eighth-grade Jin Qi (Metal Energy) was thinking.

But just as Jin Buhuan was quickly preparing to leave, Yan Jun suddenly spoke from behind him.

His tone was low: “Young Master, that Senior…”

Jin Buhuan waved his hand: “Yan Jun, don't worry. If the flaw in your cultivation method cannot be mended this time, then I will naturally ask my father later to find a Daoist Grandmaster with profound knowledge, no less than that person, to mend it for you.”

Yan Jun bowed, expressing his gratitude, and then watched Jin Buhuan leave.

His goal was only this much.

Shen Shuibi's explanation being interrupted last time caused him great pain, but Jin Buhuan promised to make it up to him, so that was good.

— — — — — — — —

From Jin Buhuan's residence to the inn where Li Qi was staying, it was only a fifteen-minute walk.

If he were to put on a grand display, with an entourage and a six-man sedan chair to carry him, the time might triple or quintuple.

But he was already impatient to meet Li Qi.

He wondered how the other party planned to welcome him?

Si Lao followed behind him, and a maid also accompanied them. Jin Buhuan quickened his pace, swiftly arriving at Li Qi's inn.

However, as soon as they stepped onto that street, all three stopped simultaneously.

Because all three of them simultaneously felt that the atmosphere of this street was different from the outside world.

The entire street was as if washed by water, cleansed of impurities, with a refreshed aura, and even the smell of the air was different.

Besides that, countless gazes seemed to surround them, making them feel a chill to their bones.

The ground seemed to be faintly warm, and the colors of the sun and sky were somewhat pale, unlike their usual appearance.

The entire street, despite only taking one step in, made them feel like they had entered another world.

“…Reconstructing the regional Yin and Yang with a human body's minor universe, changing heaven and earth, reversing the four seasons. What a technique! Can a ninth-grade person arrange this?” Si Lao, also a Shaman, was somewhat startled.

What kind of Genius is this? He only learned this technique after reaching the eighth-grade.

“Interesting, what's the use of this move? Besides making people uncomfortable?” Jin Buhuan asked.

“It can manipulate the flow of Qi within a small range, essentially setting up a home field in advance. Within it, his strength can increase by one level, and our strength will decrease by one level. Back and forth, against an enemy of the same rank, it's equivalent to a two-level difference in strength, which can almost guarantee victory. However, it's useless against this old man. If Young Master dislikes it, I can break it now. It's merely a ninth-grade human body's minor universe; breaking it isn't difficult,” Si Lao said.

“Since it can be broken with ease, then there's no need to bother. Let's go in. Consider it as him decorating some trinkets for us,” Jin Buhuan said magnanimously, waving his fan, indicating he didn't care.

Si Lao nodded and did not attempt to break it. However, he added: “It's just… Young Master, normally, when a human body's minor universe is set up, it wouldn't be arranged to look like such a gloomy and chilling place. Instead, it would be more in line with the individual's characteristics; what kind of person, that's what their expanded minor universe would look like.”

“I observe that this person is not a sinister individual. Normally, this minor universe would not be in this state. He must have intentionally made it look like this. You see, the surroundings are filled with ghostly Qi, and there's the intent of the gazes of the dead. He must be satirizing Young Master's previous immoral actions. Are you still not going to break it?” Si Lao asked.

“Immoral? Hmph, morality is for the strong to restrain themselves, not for the weak to restrain the strong.” Jin Buhuan scoffed: “To complain about me with such methods is like a petty woman's angry tantrum, lacking any masculine spirit, making me look down on him for nothing. This Young Master even thought he truly didn't care about the dead at all.”

With that, Jin Buhuan put his arm around the maid's shoulder: “Come, let's go and see what other abilities he has besides this little arrangement.”

As they walked along, the entire street remained deserted. Si Lao looked around, seemingly examining the profound mysteries of the place.

As an eighth-grade Shaman, he was theoretically much stronger than Li Qi. To say he could crush him would probably not be an exaggeration.

But now that he had walked in and observed, he found that while he might be able to break the changed minor universe by force, in reality… many of its profound mysteries, he simply couldn't understand.

“How does the Qi here… change?”

“Why does a human body's minor universe have this ‘thunderous and boiling’ momentum, and yet it's hidden within a haze? How is this achieved?”

“This stance is ‘seeking a needle in a haystack.’ Is this a method of music? No, it doesn't seem to be… What is it then?”

“This… is it ‘lonely moon, solemn Qi’? No, no, no!”

The more Si Lao looked, the more startled he became. With so many arrangements, he could fully understand 30%, somewhat understand 30%, barely infer 30%, but there was still 10% that he simply couldn't understand no matter what.

They were both Shamanes, and he had even had a fortuitous encounter, possessing several techniques that had flowed out from Shaman God Mountain. He had achieved the Dao of eighth-grade and prided himself on his profound knowledge, yet now he couldn't even understand the stance arranged by a ninth-grade Shaman!

How could this be!

Who exactly is this person!?

With this thought, Si Lao stepped forward and stopped Jin Buhuan: “Young Master, be careful. There are some strange places here. There are a few points that I can only break by force, but I can't see through the specifics.”

Jin Buhuan frowned: “Even you can't understand it?”

But before Si Lao could answer, Li Qi walked out of the inn's main door not far away.

“We meet again, Brother Jin!”