Chapter 215: Peace of mind

Once again back in Guangyang City, Li Qi rushed to the Sicheng Residence without stopping.

He didn't even bother with greetings, he just pushed the door open and walked straight in.

Pushing the door open, he saw Guangyang Sicheng already waiting in the courtyard.

With his seventh-grade perception, it was estimated that he had already sensed someone coming when Li Qi was still flying in mid-air.

Meeting Li Qi, although a hint of disgust and fear still hid in his eyes, he still maintained a respectful, welcoming, and grateful demeanor on the surface, cupping his hands and bowing: "Young Master, for gracing this humble place with your presence and bestowing your blessings, I have been most disrespectful, and I beg your forgiveness!"

"It's just that although this humble official's rank is low, he is slightly older, and dares not perform the full courtesy, lest the Young Master be criticized by others. I shall bow from here!"

His manners were impeccable, his words humble, and his attitude beyond reproach. Overall, he exuded a strong will to survive.

After all, standing before him was a person who could decide his life and death with a single word.

A Young Master of Shaman God Mountain wields great authority.

They are the reserves for the Great Shamanes, the next generation of Shaman God Mountain's power holders. Their purpose is to succeed and even surpass their Masters, and to achieve this, Shaman God Mountain will clear all obstacles for them.

Although they generally use these permissions very cautiously and are unlikely to abuse them, what if they accidentally angered the other party?

Guangyang Sicheng was very self-aware of this.

When they first met, he was unwilling to serve. Later, the second time, he still planned to escape, and only returned to fight desperately after Wang Baiyan showed him that two Young Masters had appeared simultaneously.

This kind of behavior had thoroughly offended them. Although he would likely be rewarded for his contributions upon his return, the two Young Masters probably truly found him annoying.

For example, now, Li Qi just pushed the door open without even an announcement, which showed that he still harbored some emotions.

So, as soon as they met, Guangyang Sicheng adopted a very low posture, fearing that he might anger these second-generation scions.

However, even if he had a thousand opinions in his heart, he had to admit one thing...

That is, these second-generation scions truly possessed the ability to live up to the title of 'Young Master'.

Without relying on the power of their sect, relying solely on two ninth-grade cultivators, they managed to maneuver in the local area for a month and a half, and then brutally killed a seventh-grade cultivator. Such a battle record... such wisdom, not to mention their inherent talent.

If these two targeted him... even if the other party didn't go home to call for reinforcements, just digging pits for him from behind would probably cause him to fall in.

However, Li Qi didn't think as much as the other party imagined.

He was simply anxious.

There was no need to take people like Guangyang Sicheng to heart; he was merely a greedy and cowardly person whose Dao path was cut off. He couldn't stir up any trouble, and if he didn't encounter some extraordinary fortune in this life, it was unlikely he would advance to the sixth-grade.

"Sicheng, there's no need for such formalities. By the way, Sicheng, do you know the current situation of Guangyang's earth veins?" Li Qi asked directly.

This question made Guangyang Sicheng's teeth ache.

Because... before Li Qi arrived, he was already packing his belongings, preparing to run away.

Guangyang was already rotten. Staying here was useless; it was better to slip away quickly, that was the right path.

As a dignified seventh-grade cultivator, and one who cultivated the Dao of Reason and was familiar with the methods of craftsmen, where couldn't he find a living?

This Sicheng position was not worth keeping!

So, at this moment, for this Young Master to suddenly say this... what did it mean?

"I do know, but... Young Master, why do you bring this up?" His teeth ached, his face wrinkled into a ball, barely maintaining a subtle smile, as he counter-questioned Li Qi.

"Nothing special, I just hope Sicheng can help me with two things," Li Qi said.

"Young Master, just give your orders. As long as it can be done, this humble official will never refuse, even if it means death!" He immediately pledged his loyalty.

"No need to die. The first thing is, I want you to help me forge an altar that can connect to the heavens above, the earth below, and gaze upon ghosts and gods in between," Li Qi said. "Wages will be paid, just name the required Materials. I only ask for perfection, and preferably, it can be shrunk and carried away."

Guangyang Sicheng immediately agreed: "A small matter. There's no need for the Young Master to pay; I can prepare the Materials myself. Consider it a gift to the Young Master. Please, Young Master, do not refuse. What about the second favor?"

"The second favor is also very simple. At present, among Guangyang's officialdom, the highest-ranking official is none other than the Sicheng. The Sima and Situ are dead, and the Prefect has long since fled. Only the Sicheng can preside over the overall situation."

"Sicheng, hearing that I want to build an altar, you probably already know what I intend to do. I ask the Sicheng to coordinate for me, to gather the power of Guangyang's aristocratic families and officialdom. It would be best if each family could send a representative. I will speak with them one by one and hold a small meeting," Li Qi said gently.

"That is natural! I will take care of this matter. Young Master, please rest assured!" Guangyang Sicheng immediately replied, without any hesitation.

He already knew what Li Qi was going to do.

Truly...

As expected of a Young Master of Shaman God Mountain.

Undertaking a Grand Ritual for an entire province... can a mere ninth-grade truly handle it?

Will he not make a mistake and die?

Never mind, that has nothing to do with me.

Since the other party has things they need him to do, it means that even if they hold a grudge, they won't settle it now. He still has a night of peace, so there's no need to be overly alarmed.

Having received Guangyang Sicheng's assurance, Li Qi nodded, exchanged a few more pleasantries, and then turned and left.

It was time to find the next person.

The next person was Wang Baiyan.

Riding his old horse at a gallop, he quickly reached Wang Baiyan's place.

Again, he simply pushed the door open and entered.

Wang Baiyan was sitting in the courtyard, with a pile of scrolls and documents in front of him, seemingly busy.

The others dared not stop Li Qi. They all knew this was someone even their Master treated with respect, so they could only watch as Li Qi strode quickly towards the courtyard.

However, this time, before Li Qi could speak, Wang Baiyan looked up first and started the conversation: "Ah, Brother Li, you're here? Come, I've just finished preparing this for you."

Saying that, he handed over a scroll.

Li Qi frowned, took it, and opened it, only to find that it contained the specific arrangements and plans for settling and dispersing the refugees.

It was incredibly detailed, down to the individual.

How many people went to a certain village, how many to a certain township, how many to which county, their respective travel plans, and settlement situations were all written very clearly.

Li Qi read while listening to Wang Baiyan's explanation.

Wang Baiyan stood up, opened his folding fan, and said while fanning himself: "I don't plan to send those hundred thousand disaster victims to the miniature heaven and earth anymore. Given the current situation, sending them to the miniature heaven and earth would be counterproductive."

"Guangyang's mountains and rivers are currently in decline. I see that Brother Li will certainly not ignore this situation, so I have guessed in advance that Brother Li will definitely use his own methods to resolve this matter."

"Brother Li is a Invoker. The best way to solve this problem is to hold a sacrifice."

"Therefore, I believe that this level of sacrifice will likely require a great deal of manpower and cooperation from the lower levels."

"Guangyang Sicheng, as the original official figure, can coordinate the government's power for you, but ultimately, it still requires mobilizing the people at the very bottom."

"Baiyue is not like Tang Nation. Tang Nation has widespread education and a flourishing human Dao. Whether it's education or law, they can effectively mobilize the masses. But the people of Baiyue are ignorant, and the government usually has little prestige. They rely more on family and neighborhood relationships. Clan and Gang forces are what the people of Baiyue trust more."

Li Qi listened to Wang Baiyan's explanation and nodded.

What he said was entirely correct. He himself came from the lower classes, so he naturally knew that the people of Baiyue fundamentally distrusted the government. To them, the government was just a villain that extracted taxes and exploited them.

Although without the government, it would be difficult for the people to maintain a stable living environment, as clearing demons and adjusting the earth Qi were all done by the government, if you were to ask how responsible the Guangyang government truly was... that certainly couldn't be said.

However, what did Wang Baiyan mean by saying all this?

Li Qi's expression gradually turned to confusion, waiting for Wang Baiyan's further explanation.

Wang Baiyan didn't keep him in suspense and went straight to the point: "I dispersed those hundred thousand people throughout various parts of Guangyang. Before they left, I constantly promoted the Young Master's benevolence to them, even organizing them to visit the previous battlefield. I also rewarded several people who actively built shrines for the Young Master and commemorated him with sacrifices, making their names famous."

"As a result, those hundred thousand people now have a concept of the Young Master's benevolence in their hearts. Once they spread out, within a month at most, they will spread the Young Master's benevolence. One will tell ten, ten will tell a hundred. By then, everyone in Baiyue will know the Young Master's name, which is much faster than government communication."

"Young Master intends to hold a Grand Ritual, and the support of the common people is indispensable. This way, it can save the Young Master at least half a year's time, and the support of the common people can also increase by more than fifty percent. It can be said to kill two birds with one stone."

After listening to Wang Baiyan's explanation, Li Qi sighed.

It's still more comfortable dealing with smart people.

As expected of a Tang Nation aristocratic scion, his mind is sharp, even better than Guangyang Sicheng's. He handles things appropriately and always prepares in advance.

"Brother Wang, you've gone to great lengths. Indeed, I came to you precisely for this matter, but it seems you've completed it ahead of time. Truly worthy of being a Tang Nation elite," Li Qi exclaimed.

Wang Baiyan replied: "Brother Li flatters me. My Grain Alliance and your Xi Jiu Men control countless Gangs, their roots extending into the populace. They serve as an intermediary channel between the government and the people. I will also liaise with the government to certainly pave the way for your Grand Ritual, after all, this is also for our own good."

"If Guangyang truly becomes a desolate land, not only the common people but also we will suffer."

At this point, he cupped his hands and bowed to Li Qi: "If the skin is gone, what can the fur attach to? Under a toppled nest, are there any intact eggs? I naturally understand the principle of lips and teeth. If Guangyang truly becomes a dead land, those of us who depend on Guangyang will not fare well either. I hope Brother Li will do his utmost to save Guangyang."

Li Qi nodded solemnly: "There's no need to say more about this matter. Leave it to me."

Both were intelligent people, and they said no more, each departing to do their own things.

So, Guangyang's military, civilian, governmental, and Jianghu forces all had someone to coordinate them.

The only thing left was the sacrifice that he himself was responsible for.

Walking back, Li Qi asked himself.

Can I really... as a ninth-grade cultivator, hold a Grand Ritual for an entire province?

Difficult.

It's truly not just any difficulty.

This is different from those previous sacrifices.

It's probably the difference between... elements and compounds.

Elements are very pure, but compounds are very complex and can cause big problems with just a slight movement.

If that's not easy to understand, you can also think of it as solving problems.

Before, Li Qi simply followed the steps, according to the specific form and situation, and then applied the patterns recorded in the book, as if he already had the formulas, and he just needed to calculate the answer to the word problem according to the formulas.

Although there was some difficulty, generally speaking, it was all about following the steps, all application problems, at most a little beyond the scope.

But now, what needs to be solved is not an application problem.

Instead, it's truly asking you to build a bridge.

On-site surveying, data calculation, ritual arrangements, conduit planning, even altar placement, and the use of sacrificial words—every point is intertwined and mutually influential. A single mistake will lead to a series of chain reactions.

How should one treat Heaven, Earth, ghosts, gods, and humans? So as not to show favoritism?

How to handle so many different types of Qi without causing chaos?

You know, with each additional element, the difficulty increases exponentially.

For example, if there is only one type of Qi, Divine Qi, there is only one solution: 'God'.

With two types of Qi, Divine Qi and ghost Qi, there are two solutions: 'God-Ghost' and 'Ghost-God'.

Five types of Qi would become one hundred and twenty solutions.

Add more, say twenty-six types of Qi, only twenty-one more, but the combinations are 1,413,720.

A full 1.4 million, more than ten thousand times more.

How many types of Qi are involved in a Grand Ritual?

Just for mountain gods, there are over ten types.

And in all of Guangyang, how many types of Qi are there?

Even when broken down to the basic components, there are no less than a thousand.

The complete permutation of a thousand types of Qi is a number that cannot be enumerated by brute force.

Using billions as a unit is not enough.

He must choose a usable option from these infinite choices. If he chooses incorrectly, the backlash from the Grand Ritual would probably send him directly to reincarnation.

Difficult, truly difficult.

However... difficult as it is, it must be done.

Since this is the way to practice his Dao, there's no need to hesitate; just do it.

Unlike the small Lifter who only needed to worry about his own safety in the past.

Now, he can, and he is able to bear the safety of others.

Li Qi could now vaguely understand Shen Shuibi's feelings.

The so-called 'Dao' is one's own principle.

Only by following one's Dao does this long path of life have meaning; otherwise, it is merely a walking corpse.

That's why Shen Shuibi was so angry when she saw the Jing Family woman from Snake Tail County claim to follow the Dao of the sword.

Calling a mere skill 'Dao' was indeed too superficial.

So, the next step is to prepare for the Grand Ritual.

The first step: traverse Guangyang, inspect the mountains and rivers, and survey all the natural and cultural landscapes.

To preside over a Grand Ritual, understanding the local脉络 is the most fundamental and important part.

If one doesn't even understand it, how can one preside over and coordinate it?

Having decided what to do, Li Qi no longer hesitated. He immediately packed his luggage, greeted Shen Shuibi, then mounted his old horse and went on his mountain inspection.