Chapter 165: Encounter

Shen Shuibi was dozing off by the side of the road.

But she wasn't truly dozing off; she just hadn't told Li Qi what she was doing.

In reality, her Nascent Soul was traveling far, observing the situation at the border.

That's right, her Nascent Soul had already recovered to the Eighth-Rank.

After that night, she and Li Qi talked through the night, discussing many things, which greatly improved her mood.

Then, the next day… she dismantled and consumed the Moon Soul that held her memories.

Since the memories had been spoken aloud, they were no longer something she possessed exclusively, so the object carrying those memories was no longer unique. What was the point of keeping that Moon Soul then?

Shen Shuibi was very clear-headed about this, so she decisively consumed the Moon Soul fragments. With the help of the rich Yin Qi within them, she mended a portion of the cracks in her Physical Body, paving the way for her recovery to the Eighth-Rank.

Shen Shuibi also knew that this was Li Qi’s intention all along. The Moon Soul itself could help her repair her Physical Body, but only for now. After this, such a useless material would no longer be of any use.

If she didn't use it now, Li Qi’s kind gesture would be wasted, and Shen Shuibi didn't want that.

She didn't know how he knew, but he seemed to have seen through this point, which was why he found this Moon Soul fragment.

In short, after that day, their relationship seemed to have grown much closer, because in Shen Shuibi’s eyes, Li Qi was the only person, besides the Moon Soul, who had inherited her memories of Mount Luofu.

After recovering to the Eighth-Rank, nothing special happened along the way. Li Qi’s progress was very fast; he seemed to be naturally good at mediating among people.

However, they were about to reach the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest. It was said that there was a treasure in the Ming Lake there that could help Li Qi condense his Nascent Soul.

The Nascent Soul also exists in Daoism, but it's a different concept from the Nascent Soul in Shaman Dao.

The character 'Yuan' (元) originally meant 'human head.' The character 'Yuan' (元) evolved from the shape of a head, meaning 'first,' 'beginning,' or 'origin.'

Because of this, Daoism has the concept of 'Primal Beginning' (元始), meaning the first cause of creation, the prime mover of all 'effects' in the myriad things.

Therefore, there are sayings like 'Yuan (元) is the beginning of Qi,' 'Qian Yuan (乾元) is the beginning and prosperity,' and 'To call one Yuan (元) is to observe the great beginning and desire to rectify the root.'

And this character, when used in cultivation, generally also refers to the first, especially important part.

Therefore, the 'Nascent Soul' in Daoism is the beginning of one's cultivation, the origin of the 'Spirit' treasure among the three treasures of Essence, Qi, and Spirit. Correspondingly, there are also the concepts of Primordial Qi and Primordial Essence, referred to as the Three Primes.

When these three Primes gather, there is the ability described as: 'The Daoist school originated from the un-preceding, its traces manifested as responses, giving birth to the wondrous One. From the wondrous One, it divided into the Three Primes. From the Three Primes, it transformed into the Three Qi. From the Three Qi, it gave birth to the Three Talents. Once the Three Talents nourished, all myriad things were complete.' This is the root of the human body's miniature heaven and earth in Daoism, and it can be extended to all things in the world.

Corresponding to the reflection of the human body's miniature heaven and earth and the external Great World, what is reflected are the Three Primes: in the heavens, they are the three lights of the Sun, Moon, and Stars; on earth, they are the three essentials of Water, Fire, and Earth; and in humans, they are the three substances of Essence, Qi, and Spirit.

This perspective and method of cultivation have little to do with Shaman Dao. If someone doesn't understand the principles and simply starts cultivating after getting a few books, then mixes them together, they will definitely go astray and kill themselves.

For example, the ghost god Li Weng, whom they met in Great Deer Kingdom, was a dignified Eighth-Rank Cultivator who died at fifty or sixty years old.

The Nascent Soul in Shaman Dao, however, is much purer, referring simply to the 'inner body spirits of the head.'

The ancient meaning of 'Yuan' (元) is head, so the meaning of Nascent Soul is naturally the god of the head. Its function is to control the brain and also serve as the central dispatcher for all inner body spirits within the body, acting as the leader of the inner body spirits, just as the brain controls other parts of the body.

The first body god represents different priorities at the Eighth-Rank stage.

If one prioritizes condensing the Sun and Moon Heavenly Gods, then their eyes will be bright, they will have the ability of telepathy, their sixth sense will be very accurate, and they will occasionally suddenly perceive good or ill fortune.

Diviner generally condense this one first.

If the Five Peaks Mountain Gods are condensed first, the Physical Body will become more solid, physical strength and endurance will greatly increase, and the human body's miniature heaven and earth will become more resilient. There will also be many Di Qi (Earthly Qi) Divine Ability, such as burrowing into the ground.

This was Li Qi’s original choice, as he belonged to the Di Qi (Earthly Qi) branch, and condensing this one would make traveling more convenient.

Choosing to condense the Four Rivers Water God first means that the human body's miniature heaven and earth can accommodate more Qi that was originally incompatible. The Four Rivers connect the Qi of the four directions, which can strengthen the Shaman’s power in spells and also provide some Divine Ability related to water manipulation.

And if one chooses the Nascent Soul, their hearing and sight will be sharp, their mind clear, their body's operation smoother and more harmonious, capable of coordinating the power of all inner body spirits, greatly enhancing their control over their own Physical Body, and their reaction speed will also increase.

Li Qi prioritizing the condensation of the Nascent Soul suggests he wants to perfectly control those two Jin Qi (Metal Energy) at the Ninth-Rank. However, condensing the Nascent Soul is more difficult. If he had condensed other inner body spirits first, he probably would have successfully condensed one within the past six months.

The first one only represents emphasis; there is no superiority or inferiority, it simply depends on the Shaman’s own preference.

Li Qi prioritizing the condensation of the Nascent Soul suggests he wants to perfectly control those two Jin Qi (Metal Energy).

Shen Shuibi naturally fully supported him, so she followed along for half a year, and finally, they were about to enter the sphere of influence of the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest.

Crossing the border of Bailin Kingdom would lead them to the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest.

Shen Shuibi’s Nascent Soul was observing the situation near the border, spanning a distance of several hundred li.

However, she suddenly felt someone shaking her body.

“Hmm? Li Qi is back?” Shen Shuibi noticed this, and her Nascent Soul stopped resisting the pull of her Physical Body.

A hundred li distance, reached in an instant.

In just a flash, her Nascent Soul returned to her Physical Body.

“I’m back~.” Shen Shuibi opened her eyes, looked at the returning Li Qi, and said with a smile, “Are you done with everything? Are we leaving now?”

Li Qi nodded, “Everything’s settled. Let’s go to the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest.”

Their words were brief. Then Li Qi mounted the old horse, and Shen Shuibi sat behind him, heading towards the border.

They chatted about some irrelevant things along the way, and soon, the old horse reached the border.

After all, the old horse was now considered a ‘Demon.’ Although it hadn't yet reached a rank, its Dragon blood had been activated, and its speed had increased by two or three times. Now it could travel two thousand li a day, and four thousand li day and night, extremely fast.

No wonder Young Master Zhu said it wouldn't take ten years at all.

As long as Li Qi kept improving, these three million li didn't seem that far…

“Oh, right, Li Qi, when my Nascent Soul was out earlier, I saw that the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest side seemed very quiet, with nothing special. It was very peaceful.”

“Quiet?” Li Qi was surprised.

How could it be quiet?

“A border where battles are fought, quiet? Are they not fighting?” Li Qi asked.

“No, it seems there aren’t even any驻军, the city is empty.” Shen Shuibi replied.

At these words, Li Qi broke into a sweat.

Damn it, could it have fallen? What the hell, just arrived and found the border pass was an empty city?

“Hmm… I saw people evacuating on the road, they should be soldiers, all soldier, but they didn’t seem to be under attack. It should be a peaceful evacuation. Shall we go ask?” Shen Shuibi asked.

“Okay, let’s go ask. Which direction?” Li Qi said.

“West.” She pointed the way.

The old horse said no more, directly soaring into the air, treading on auspicious clouds, and galloping away quickly.

With lightning speed, great fortune… cough cough, in short, the old horse galloped rapidly towards the west.

After only about a quarter of an hour, a military unit indeed appeared before Li Qi’s eyes.

The military unit’s formation was neat, discipline strict, armaments excellent, and morale was not bad. The military flag bore the emblem of a majestic eagle.

As for cultivation, most were unranked Mortal, but generally, they had cultivation method. The Chiliarch-level ones seemed to be Ninth-Rank.

He didn't directly see the highest-ranking officer, but there was a general's flag and a carriage, so the officer must be inside. Thus, Li Qi couldn't discern the highest-ranking officer's cultivation.

This military unit, altogether, numbered about ten thousand people, not a large force.

These soldiers gathered together, traveling unhurriedly, with no wounded and no abandoned supplies, so there was no sense of chaos or panic; instead, it looked like a normal march.

However, as Li Qi passed by, the army seemed to have noticed him as well.

After all, the current Li Qi was a bit too conspicuous.

He was already handsome, seven and a half feet tall, well-proportioned, with a refined appearance, and clean, neat clothes. Beneath him was a Dragon horse soaring in the sky.

As the Dragon horse moved, auspicious clouds followed, and lightning surrounded it. Mortal might not notice due to the distance, but Cultivator who had reached the Ninth-Rank would hear a whistling sound, like the whooshing sound of a plane flying by.

If one looked up and had good eyesight, they could also see a beauty sitting sideways behind him. He looked every bit like a Young Master on a leisurely outing, exuding an air of carefree elegance.

At this moment, it was only natural for someone of such a demeanor to be noticed when passing by an army.

Seeing that he had been noticed, Li Qi said to the old horse, “Go down, I’ll talk to them.”

The old horse, hearing this, descended to the ground, snorted, and neighed. Immediately, electric snakes flickered all around, startling the soldiers, who instantly raised their long spears and formed a battle array.

“Wait here, I’ll go ask about the situation.” Li Qi lowered his voice, dismounted, and then slowly walked towards the army.

Walking about a li away, Li Qi cupped his hands towards the wary military unit: “Gentlemen, may I ask if this is the Bailin Kingdom border pass?”

Whispers suddenly arose within the military unit, but they quickly quieted down under the reprimands of the various officers, maintaining their formation.

After the army formed its array, one could see the Qi of the Military School of Thought floating, red Qi filling the sky and obscuring the sun, surrounding the military flag, creating circles of spiritual light. Like intertwined melon vines, they formed a giant illusory eagle with talons like sharp blades, staring intently at Li Qi.

Soon, a Military School of Thought Cultivator of the Chiliarch rank emerged. He was a Ninth-Rank Cultivator, with considerable strength.

The Chiliarch, holding a long spear, said to Li Qi, “Ahead is the Bailin Kingdom border pass. What is this Mister’s intention?”

“That’s good. I was just afraid I took the wrong path. My name is Li Qi, and I intend to go to the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest this time to slay a few Demonic Overlord as a form of training. However, I found the border pass deserted, which made me somewhat surprised. But it’s good that you, brave sir, say this is the border pass. Since I haven’t taken the wrong path, I shall continue forward.” Li Qi cupped his hands and turned to leave.

However, as Li Qi expected, the Chiliarch immediately called out to stop him: “Young Master, please wait!”

Li Qi naturally knew the other party would stop him.

An army that was evacuating its original garrison area, seeing someone about to head into a war zone, would be too abnormal if they didn't show any reaction.

If the other party truly didn't stop him, Li Qi would have followed this army to investigate the true situation.

Seeing the Chiliarch stop him, Li Qi turned around: “May I ask, brave sir?”

“Young Master, you wish to go to the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest? Do you know what has happened there recently?” The Chiliarch shouted from a distance.

“The Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest has changed?” Li Qi frowned, quickening his pace and walking directly closer to the army.

The soldiers nervously raised their spears, but without the officer's command, no one moved.

The Chiliarch was also somewhat wary, preparing to speak to make Li Qi stop and not come too close, as this could easily cause misunderstandings.

The other party was a Cultivator; who knew if he was a Demon disguised? The General hadn't spoken yet.

But just then, from the carriage behind him, a voice suddenly came. The General spoke.

The voice was not loud, yet it spread throughout the surrounding mountains and fields: “You say your name is Li Qi? Are you the Shaman Li Qi, whose fame has recently spread far and wide?”

“Ah? Fame has spread far and wide?” Li Qi was surprised; he truly hadn't heard of his own reputation.

But it was understandable, after all, he hadn't looked back since he started his journey.

“I, the General, have heard on the front lines that the Shaman Li Qi has risen to fame in Bailin Kingdom, often performing chivalrous deeds without seeking reward, traveling with a carefree spirit. I never imagined your ultimate goal was to slay Demons in the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest. Truly admirable.” From within the carriage, a General emerged, clad in armor, over nine feet tall. Li Qi only reached his chest.

He was not only tall but also robust, with a broad back and strong shoulders, muscles bulging, and veins like crawling snakes beneath his skin, exuding a strong Evil Qi. His Martial Dao Inner Qi was practically gushing forth.

Li Qi could tell at a glance that this was a Martial Dao Eighth-Rank! He was indeed the commander of an army.

It was his first time seeing a living Martial Dao Eighth-Rank!

The reason was not difficult to understand, as the Martial Dao path was incredibly difficult.

Honestly, Li Qi was even preparing to abandon his Martial Dao cultivation after condensing his Nascent Soul. No other reason, it was simply too arduous.

Daily practice of boxing, and even one day without practice would lead to a regression in cultivation. It also severely tested one's Comprehension Ability, a truly grueling path.

Later on, it would also conflict with Shaman Dao, so Li Qi planned to simply abandon it.

Therefore, seeing a living Martial Dao Eighth-Rank at this moment greatly surprised him.

Who was this extraordinary… ah no, who was this divine being?

Facing an Eighth-Rank, Li Qi still showed respect. He immediately cupped his hands and asked, “I dare not boast before the General. May I ask why the General has called out to me?”

“Nothing much. I just wanted to meet the renowned Young Master, and also to remind you that there’s been a change in the Swallowing Heaven Demon Nest. Entering there recently might not be a good choice.”