Chapter 232: Attending the banquet

How strange…

Damn it, all fortune tellers in the world are the same.

However, Li Qi still managed to control himself, politely bid farewell to the man, and quickened his pace towards his Master's Immortal Cave.

After that, it was a smooth journey, but it still took several hours.

However, just as Li Qi was on his way…

— — — — — — — — — —

“Boring, truly boring. A bunch of Little rabbits acting all polite, how dull!” Zhu Fengdan shook her head inside her Immortal Cave, her tone very displeased.

She held a thousand-mile landscape in her hand, every blade of grass and tree perfectly clear. She had witnessed the conflict between Li Qi and his fellow Disciples earlier.

But it was truly uninteresting.

A bunch of children acting like little adults, each one more calm and restrained than the last.

Why didn't they fight? What's going on? Don't they have any youthful spirit?

Zhu Fengdan was very disappointed.

However, despite saying that, she was actually quite satisfied.

The entire situation might have felt subtly anticlimactic to an observer, but in reality, it was simply Li Qi's clever handling of it.

That handsome man in white, Zhu Fengdan remembered his name as Yan Ke, had a very interesting Dao.

He was from the Human-Ghost branch of the Invoker lineage. His temperament and abilities naturally made him adept at becoming a leader among people, and he could deeply understand human hearts and perceive the general trend. His talent was extraordinary, so he was taken in by a Grand Invoker as a Disciple.

After taking him in, that Grand Invoker, to help his Dao progress smoothly, spent a great deal of effort and paid a considerable price to find an unranked miniature heaven and earth with peculiar temporal flow.

Then, he even asked someone for help to refine the Heavenly Dao of this miniature heaven and earth, overcoming its unique temporal flow, allowing an external will to descend into it through the Grand Invoker's arrangement.

Then he gave this to Yan Ke, allowing him to descend his will into it and control the ‘civilization’ of this miniature heaven and earth.

Through repeated descents, time and again, relying solely on will and words to shake the direction of the entire world's civilization, he gradually mastered the ability to manipulate the ‘general trend’ through this learning method.

Even a miniature heaven and earth has a billion people. To influence history, relying solely on the descent of will, without any abilities, and purely through words, to make a billion people move in the desired direction.

Manipulating the course of history and artificially creating a general trend is a special cultivation method of the Human-Ghost lineage, perfectly suited to Yan Ke's talent.

That miniature heaven and earth was Yan Ke's Dao foundation.

Yan Ke's proposal to compete with wisdom in this miniature heaven and earth was actually a trap for Li Qi. After all, he had been playing this game for years, while Li Qi was encountering it for the first time. He thought Li Qi would surely lose.

But Li Qi was even more direct, stating that such a thing did not align with his Dao and firmly refusing to accept it, while simultaneously releasing his aura of the myriad people.

How did Li Qi acquire his aura of the myriad people?

It came from forming Karma with the myriad people, receiving their gratitude and even worship. Although Li Qi was from the Di Qi (Earthly Qi) lineage, he had done more in the Human-Ghost lineage, such as offering sacrifices to the heroic spirits of the White Rhinoceros Army to help them return to Reincarnation, saving a hundred thousand people and gaining their worship, plus the numerous Karma brought by a Grand Ritual.

It could be said that Li Qi had gone further than him in the Human-Ghost lineage. He was still in the laboratory researching how to control the general trend, while Li Qi had already substantially influenced the general trend of an entire province.

Therefore, after Li Qi displayed his achievements, he also stated that he would never accept such a method.

This was fundamentally negating his Dao foundation.

This was the root of the matter. Yan Ke had not truly pondered his own Dao foundation.

It was given to him by his Master, a Grand Invoker, so he naturally believed it was correct. This was his blind spot in thinking.

Originally, this was nothing. As he learned, he would naturally understand. It didn't matter at all. As he slowly cultivated and thoroughly comprehended all the Karma cycles within that miniature heaven and earth, all these doubts could be resolved. That was probably his Master's arrangement.

His future was a smooth path.

But now it was pointed out by Li Qi in advance.

It was similar to someone with better grades telling you that you made a mistake.

You would definitely start to think.

This thinking shook his original firm belief.

Thus, this caused his Dao foundation to waver for an instant. He was cleverly forced by Li Qi to withdraw and reconsider whether what he had done before was truly correct.

This was a good thing for him, so there would be no enmity after this incident, but it also resolved the roadblock situation.

From Zhu Fengdan's perspective, all of this was calculated by Li Qi, so she was very satisfied.

Meeting for only a few minutes, he immediately distinguished the other party's intentions and the different goals and threats of the five individuals.

First, neutralize Yan Ke, the leader, cleverly making him withdraw, thereby angering the black and red burly man, then defeating the burly man with force, which would scare away the two women.

So, overall, Li Qi's vision and strategy were commendable. Aside from not dealing with the blind Diviner, everything else was very good.

He handled it very well.

It's just that they didn't fight, which was really boring. It would have been even more exciting if they had fought.

Just as Zhu Fengdan was lamenting, Li Qi finally arrived outside the Immortal Cave.

— — — — — — — —

After half a day's journey, Li Qi looked up and finally saw his Master's spiritual peak.

To be honest…

It was no different from anyone else's.

It wasn't particularly unique; it felt very ordinary, even more plain than others, just a bare mountain.

Others had decorated theirs with unique features and all sorts of things.

But his own place…

Why was it just a dirt mound?

Could it be that there was a hidden Immortal Cave inside?

Li Qi curiously walked into it.

Entering the mountain, Li Qi bowed: “Master! I have arrived!”

As soon as his voice fell, the scenery around him abruptly changed.

The surroundings seemed to be an endless Void Realm, pitch black, without a trace of light.

But there was no sensation of falling; it was as if he was floating in mid-air, unable to move.

Then, suddenly, a lamp lit up before his eyes, and Zhu Fengdan's figure appeared in front of him.

“Disciple, you're here?” Zhu Fengdan appeared in this void.

Li Qi hadn't even had time to greet him when he shook his head and sighed: “What's wrong with you? You're back here, and you're still thinking about being kind to others and solving problems every day. You can't be like this. Why didn't you just fight them just now? Are you worried that I can't handle it?”

Li Qi pretended not to hear him.

He honestly performed the Disciple's bow, then spoke to himself: “Master, besides reporting back, I also have an important matter to inform you of.”

“Tsk, so serious, boring. Speak, what is it?” Zhu Fengdan waved his hand, rolled his eyes, and floated in mid-air, waiting for Li Qi to speak.

Who taught this Disciple anyway? Why is he so rigid in his speech and actions, without any youthful passion?

He should only be in his early twenties, even among ordinary Human Race, he's at a vigorous age. How did he become like this, without a trace of anger?

But Li Qi ignored all that and earnestly recounted the incident of being attacked.

Then, he took out the Dragon Soul and the corpse of the one who called himself ‘Ji Ding’, presenting them to Zhu Fengdan: “Master, please see, it is this object.”

“Alright, alright, I know.” Zhu Fengdan had a bored expression: “There's something fishy behind this, everyone knows that. Alright, just leave it to me.”

He looked at Li Qi with an expression of disappointment: “You, a young child, why are you always worrying about the country and its people? Is this something you should be worried about? Will your worrying even help? Really, you're not like me at all.”

Li Qi lowered his head.

Although the cultivation method and Spiritual Artifact he practiced were given by his Master… you never taught me a single day…

Honestly, all his common sense in the cultivation world was taught by Shen Shuibi, and what he learned from books.

Basically, he relied entirely on his Comprehension Ability.

It's normal not to be like you…

After grumbling inwardly, Li Qi heard his Master clear his throat twice, his expression awkward.

Oh, he forgot that he could read minds.

“Ahem, you child, you're too unlikable. Forget it, I won't bother with you.” Zhu Fengdan waved his hand.

Li Qi felt ashamed.

No… can you even bother with me? A dignified third-rank Grand Invoker, who knows how many years he's lived, bothering with me, a twenty-year-old?

No, I can't think about these things in my heart.

Li Qi immediately composed himself, silently recited one, two, three, four, five, pretending he hadn't thought of anything.

But at this moment, Zhu Fengdan waved his hand.

The surrounding scenery changed.

Suddenly, Li Qi found himself sitting on a chair, with many strangely shaped stones beside him, whose purpose he didn't know.

Next to the stones were three tea trees, barely alive, their leaves plucked bare, looking withered and yellow, as if they were about to die.

Li Qi picked two leaves and smelled them, feeling nothing special.

In the courtyard further away, countless strange things were piled up.

Spiritual Artifact, artifacts, oddities, various strange materials, his game console was also among them. These things were almost piled into small mountains, and he didn't know how many there were.

Is this… Master's residence?

Were those things outside stolen?

As soon as this thought crossed Li Qi's mind, an air cannon exploded on his head with a bang, directly stunning him.

He wasn't injured, it was just a clap of thunder.

“How dare you speak? Is that called stealing?! Treasures reside in the world, and those with Opportunity obtain them. I have half a connection with these items, and I'm just playing with them for a few days. I'll return them later, it's not forceful occupation.” Young Master Zhu clenched a circular disk in his hand and glared at Li Qi, rebuking him.

After Li Qi regained his senses, he immediately bowed and replied: “Master is absolutely right, I was shallow!”

Young Master Zhu simply sat down, clutching the disk: “Forget it, I won't argue with you about this. Looking at you, it's useless to say anything, so why don't I let you find some youthful passion.”

“You're very worried about that Jade Rabbit now, aren't you? I see that's the only thing left about you that's like a young person. I'll give you a task. After you complete this, I'll take you to visit Empress Luofu's Immortal Cave, how about it?”

Upon hearing this, Li Qi shuddered and immediately stood up straight: “Master, please command!”

“Go to the banquet,” Young Master Zhu said, narrowing his eyes.

“The banquet you were invited to earlier wasn't made up. It was held by a Dream Diviner, and its original purpose was to divine the Opportunities and dangers for you children, to help you avoid misfortune and seek good fortune. It's just that those people used this as an excuse to try and trick me, to make me lose Face.”

“Since you've already fended off those children's tricks, then we, Master and Disciple, will go to the banquet openly. It can also be considered as gaining some Opportunity for you. Don't hide in the crowd, avoid conflict, or try to persuade with words. If anyone provokes you, then smash their head in!”

“If you do that, after the banquet, I will take you to visit Empress Luofu's Immortal Cave, and you can go find that rabbit yourself, how about it?”

Zhu Fengdan said grandly, staring at Li Qi, watching his reaction.

Li Qi gritted his teeth upon hearing this: “I will obey your command! But, Master, what about the mastermind…?”

Zhu Fengdan was even more direct: “Why are you worrying about that? Don't I know better than you that there's a mastermind? Children should just enjoy their childhood. If the sky falls, your Master will hold it up. Just wait patiently for the diplomatic mission to be formed, and then go to Tang Nation to study.”

“As for those who want to scheme against you, I'll twist their heads off. You don't need to worry about that.”

Li Qi was speechless, he could only bow and then asked: “Then when do we leave?”

Zhu Fengdan immediately beamed with joy upon hearing this: “Right now! Let's go, let's go make them lose Face!”

He was a man of action, Zhu Fengdan had always been decisive.

He directly grabbed Li Qi, waved his hand, and a large carriage automatically drove over. He threw Li Qi into the back seat, sat in the driver's seat himself, and gave a sharp crack of the whip. Two…

Uh, two Iron-Eating Beasts appeared in front of the carriage?

Li Qi wiped his sweat. His Master's aesthetic taste was really…

Regardless of what was pulling the carriage, the speed was quite fast. The carriage began to rapidly advance towards its destination.

Within Shaman God Mountain, fast flying is prohibited, and space is protected by Restrictions, making it difficult to fold space for teleportation. So, most of the travel relies on either walking or transportation.

Li Qi sat in the carriage, watching his Master happily whip the Iron-Eating Beasts' behinds.

The flesh jiggled.

A little cute.

I have to say, being so fat and running so fast…

Wait, this aura.

This Iron-Eating Beast is a fifth-rank!?

Li Qi immediately put away his disrespectful thoughts, sat honestly in the back, and fell into contemplation.

Since Master said he didn't need to worry and he would handle these things, and that he should just enjoy his childhood, then so be it.

He wouldn't consider the conflict between Shaman God Mountain and Tang Nation anymore. Anyway, he couldn't control it, so he'd leave it to his Master.

And that fortune teller…

It seems he was right, he actually went to the banquet.

Damn it, he hated these riddle-tellers.

Forget it, he should still consider what he was most worried about right now…

What exactly happened to Shen Guniang?

Ever since the Grand Ritual, her attitude seemed to have changed somewhat.

Although it had only been four or five days since the Grand Ritual, many things had happened in these four or five days, each making Li Qi feel a bit estranged.

What was the reason?

Since it was after the Grand Ritual, that meant the matter also happened during that period.

Before the Grand Ritual, Shen Shuibi even rushed onto the altar to heal him, indicating there were no problems yet.

After the Grand Ritual, was there anything important during that time?

A third-rank attacked, and Master and Senior Yun Fang intervened to stop it.

Then, Senior Yun Fang said, ‘Shaman God Mountain and Empress Luofu are not of one mind.’

Wait, is it because of this?

He himself had also doubted whether he and Shen Shuibi were of the same Dao.

Did Shen Shuibi also have this kind of doubt?

And it was a more serious suspicion.

For example… Shaman God Mountain using him to turn her into a bargaining chip to persuade Empress Luofu… or something similar?