Chapter 238: The other side

As soon as Li Qi spoke, Zhu Fengdan's mouth split into a wide grin, almost laughing out loud.

The other Great Shamanes also smiled bitterly.

It must be said, this round was resolved beautifully.

Contradictions cannot be resolved?

Then just shift the contradictions.

Shifting contradictions is a useful tactic at any time.

You Great Shamanes are in conflict over your Disciples, so I will cause a big commotion myself, making you focus your contradictions on me.

Now my cultivation has surged, and my foundation is unstable.

If you fight me, you'll have to worry that you can't beat me because my cultivation has greatly increased, and you'll also have to worry that if you win, it won't be a fair victory because my foundation is unstable.

No matter how you fight, it'll be awkward.

Besides, are the conflicts between the Great Shamanes truly irreconcilable?

In Li Qi's opinion, perhaps not?

At most, the adults are a little unhappy.

So at this point, as a junior, I'll smash a cup below, diverting everyone's attention to me.

Then everyone indeed came to look at me, and even helped me clean up the cup.

So now, do you still have the Face to return to the previous topic and argue?

Moreover, I'm not just simply smashing bowls and causing trouble; I'm demonstrating myself.

In the entire Shaman God Mountain, who else can do such a thing?

From what Li Qi did, these Great Shamanes could all read the hidden meaning.

"The Eighth Grade new generation of Shaman God Mountain, besides me, who else is there?!"

He seemed polite, gentle, and fair and honest in his actions.

But in reality, what was the difference between him and Zhu Fengdan?

Equally arrogant, equally unreliable!

But can he be blamed?

Seeing Zhu Fengdan's uncontrollable laughter now, it's clear he's very satisfied in his heart.

And these Great Shamanes... aren't they satisfied?

They had just witnessed the brilliance of an outstanding junior.

Great Shamanes are not narrow-minded, sour old men who suppress juniors by all means if they see them more outstanding than their own Disciples.

If that were truly the case, the juniors of Shaman God Mountain would have died out long ago.

Eighth Grade, presiding over the Grand Ritual, sacrificing himself with the Grand Ritual and the myriad dances!

Even a Seventh Grade wouldn't dare to play like this, but he managed to do it by relying on two Dao Resonances.

Although he had the protection of the Great Shamanes, he truly accomplished it on his own.

It's like a great mountain standing in the way on the Dao path, which you can only climb over by yourself; no one can help you.

The six Great Shamanes can at most act as safety ropes, ensuring that you won't fall directly to your death after failing to climb.

But climbing the mountain, after all, still needs to be completed by your own hands and feet.

Even with safety rope protection, besides ensuring you don't die, nothing else is guaranteed; you still have to rely on your own effort and wisdom to solve it.

However, Li Qi did it in front of the six Great Shamanes.

This also made the six Great Shamanes, who were forced to work overtime, very emotional.

Li Qi used this method to shift the contradiction to himself, and then displayed his excellence, so the contradiction naturally dissolved invisibly.

It gave Zhu Fengdan a huge boost of Face, and left the other Great Shamanes speechless.

"Hahaha, you old fogeys, are you convinced now? Let's go! Disciple, we're going back." Zhu Fengdan was overjoyed, grabbing Li Qi with one hand, preparing to leave the main hall.

Li Qi was stunned: "Wait, Teacher, aren't we here for a banquet..."

Zhu Fengdan dragged Li Qi out boldly: "What kind of banquet? Are you short of this food? When we get back, I'll arrange Dragon liver and Phoenix gall for you, we won't eat theirs!"

Li Qi was helpless.

Didn't they say earlier that there was a Grand Diviner here to divine the future for them, and a banquet was held for this purpose?

What's going on?

Forget it, I should get used to Teacher's unreliability.

He always seems to be like this, acting on a whim, and now that he's in high spirits, it's best not to disturb him.

If I insist on staying, he might really beat me up and drag me back.

It's better to obediently follow him back.

However...

Thinking of this, Li Qi immediately closed his eyes, controlling himself not to think about that 'however'.

Because if that 'however' were seen by the other Great Shamanes, the contradiction might arise again.

As for that Zhang Zidu...

Uh, he'll be fine standing there a bit longer, right? He should leave on his own later, he can't possibly wait for Li Qi forever, can he?

Impossible, impossible.

Li Qi was carried by Zhu Fengdan until he felt himself being stuffed into a carriage, and then it started moving, finally opening his eyes.

"Teacher..." He sighed.

Zhu Fengdan chuckled, urging the Iron-Eating Beasts to speed up, and then turned to Li Qi, saying, "Kid, you did well this time, we men keep our word! When we get back, I'll tidy you up, give you a haircut, change your clothes, and then I'll take you to the Immortal Cave of Luofu, and then whether you want to meet or propose marriage, it's all up to you!"

"Uh, uh..." Li Qi was speechless.

However, he didn't dwell on this topic, but directly said to Zhu Fengdan, "Teacher, have you calculated everything?"

"Hmm? What are you saying?" Zhu Fengdan hummed a tune, answering distractedly.

"That Wu Yu, and this Dao Resonance between the heavens, it wasn't a coincidence, was it?" Li Qi guessed.

Before Zhu Fengdan could answer, Li Qi continued.

"Teacher, you arranged all of this long ago, deliberately making me buy things, letting me discover that Dao Resonance between the heavens myself, and using that to capture me."

"Then, based on my reaction, Teacher, you could force those five Great Shamanes to work for you for free, and you wouldn't have to lose Face begging them, and the matter would be perfectly handled."

"The only variable was my reaction; I needed to react appropriately without prior knowledge of the plan to get the benefits this time."

"But it was impossible to tell me in advance, because if you told me, it would inevitably leave a flaw."

"So you let me play it by ear. If it succeeded, it meant I passed the test. If it didn't, then Teacher, you would act as if nothing happened, wait for the Grand Diviner to divine for me, and then go back."

"Is that... what I'm guessing?"

Li Qi looked at Zhu Fengdan's back and asked.

This banquet, including his arrival, then the market, and then the subsequent performance, were all arranged by Zhu Fengdan.

Li Qi felt that the Teacher must have known about the existence of that Wu Yu and the Dao Resonance long ago.

If he could cooperate and play along, it would be as it is now.

If he couldn't, he could still get the Opportunity for divination, just that he didn't pass the Teacher's test.

"Tsk." Zhu Fengdan scoffed, "You guessed about sixty percent right, but I'm telling you, kids shouldn't think so much all the time."

"Thinking too much will be very painful; kids should be happier."

"Thinking itself is a kind of torment, be good to yourself." Zhu Fengdan looked out, his previously comfortable expression suddenly becoming vacant, that look in his eyes...

It was terrifying.

Li Qi fell silent.

However, he thought for a moment...

He couldn't help it; thinking was already a part of Li Qi's life.

What does it mean that thinking itself is a kind of torment?

He couldn't quite understand the Teacher's words.

However, Li Qi still skipped this topic and continued to say to Zhu Fengdan, "Then, Teacher, what next?"

"Next? I told you, I'll give you a haircut, change your clothes, and we'll go to the Luofu Immortal Cave! You can experience it first, stabilize your Realm, and taste the threshold of the Seventh Grade. We're speeding up!" Zhu Fengdan laughed heartily.

After laughing, he took out a fishing rod with a golden bamboo shoot hooked on it, hanging it in front of the Iron-Eating Beasts.

The speed surged!

Li Qi was directly pressed against the back seat by the acceleration.

This carriage usually had no acceleration.

Now that it had acceleration, it meant the Teacher didn't want to talk to him anymore.

Then he should shut up...

First, he should check his Realm.

Li Qi closed his eyes, focusing on inner vision.

From newly entering Eighth Grade to Peak Eighth Grade, only a few hours had passed.

This directly led to Li Qi's extreme lack of understanding and familiarity with his own power, so he needed to spend time to get thoroughly acquainted.

Peak Eighth Grade, only one step away from Seventh Grade.

What powers did he have now?

His inner body spirits were more stable.

His magic power was several times stronger than before.

And then there was this subtle feeling.

He had touched a threshold.

The threshold of stepping into Immortality.

This was a fundamental difference; as long as he took one more step, crossed this great mountain, he would no longer be a 'Mortal'.

He might even no longer be called a 'child'.

Li Qi knew this; he had read about it in books.

Among the various Dao Orthodoxy, whether one achieves immortality or not is the sign of whether you are an adult.

Only by reaching immortality, not being eroded by time, do you have the right to say you are an adult, and only then will the Great Shamanes stop calling you 'child'.

Only then will they acknowledge that you have grown up and can truly understand them.

This step is a transcendent step.

Before this, as a short-lived species, you simply could not intellectually understand these ancient and great existences.

The mark of the Seventh Grade is the achievement of Immortality.

People living in this world, every breath, every moment of metabolism, is constantly damaging themselves, and then repairing themselves again. When the repair can no longer keep up with the damage, that is aging.

Even the Eighth and Ninth Grades, while they can extend their lifespan, cannot stop the process of aging.

But upon reaching the Seventh Grade, everything changes.

After Seventh Grade, Daoists can choose many things, such as the Glazed Pure Body, or other methods, such as the Nine Elixir Supreme Transformation Embryo Essence Method, all of which are ways to achieve Immortality.

The Buddhist Sangha Golden Body is also like this; Li Qi also knows of a Three Body Method, which takes one's true nature as the Dharma Body, one's virtues and deeds as the Reward Body, and one's true body as the third, combining the three into one to achieve Immortality.

For Shaman Dao to advance to the Seventh Grade, it also needs to complete something similar.

What method should he choose to advance to the Seventh Grade?

Although it wasn't time to choose yet, he should consider it in advance.

Shaman God Mountain has tens of thousands of ways to advance to the Seventh Grade; how should he choose?

Li Qi couldn't help but let his thoughts wander.

But he immediately made himself calm down.

Forget it, it's not time to choose yet.

Take it slow.

Although he was very curious about what it felt like to be 'Immortal', the foundation was still the most important.

The Dao Resonance between the heavens had not yet been fully learned and comprehended, his power was not fully controlled, and many spells and abilities that should have been accumulated slowly had not been accumulated. He had the cultivation of Peak Eighth Grade, but in reality, he was just an empty shell; many of his means were still at the level of when he first entered Eighth Grade.

It was like a computer that had just been updated in configuration, from a 3060 to a 3080.

But the software running was still the old software; although it would run more smoothly, there would be no fundamental improvement.

This was the drawback of rapidly increasing cultivation.

There was still a long way to go to the Seventh Grade.

One step at a time.

— — — — — — — — — —

Li Qi planned to spend a little time familiarizing himself with his power and doing preparatory work, which would probably take a few days.

At this point, it had only been seven or eight hours since he arrived at Shaman God Mountain, not even a full day.

During this time, Shen Shuibi finally arrived at the Immortal Cave where Empress Luofu was temporarily residing.

The rabbit was always someone who couldn't hide her emotions.

Her expression was grim as she traveled.

She had just arrived near this Immortal Cave.

This Immortal Cave was built on a spiritual Peak, which occupied an area of a hundred li in circumference, with all the central area being allocated to the remnants of Mount Luofu.

This spiritual Peak was divided into four directions, each with four seasons, forming a pattern of four seasons surrounding it, making it an excellent place.

Spring was warm, summer verdant, autumn sparse, and winter dim; the Qi of the four seasons surrounded the spiritual Peak.

The spiritual Peak harbored short pines, dwarf poplars, firs, cypresses, plums, and willows, with lush trees.

As for flowers, there were roses and clustered chrysanthemums, setting off peonies and peonies, with all four seasons' flowers blooming here, unrestricted by the season.

Streams wound around, with small beasts leaning in to drink and rinse their teeth, and many water birds, with their white feathers newly grown, frolicking in the water.

Small paths emerged from rock crevices, with broken and rugged ridges, winding and curving, followed by wooden plank roads, leaning against rocks and suspended in the air, circling upwards, with rivers winding below, becoming more and more winding.

Small stones were also dotted around, called flower tree stone landscaping, mostly yellow stones, Xuan stones, and Lingbi stones.

There was a waterfall cascading down a dangerous slope, with a pond in the empty space below, where small fish swam, called mountains and water relying on each other.

Butterflies flew reflecting flowers, and Chu sparrows chirped on green branches.

The sound of springs indicated the water was swift, and the arrival of clouds made the mountains feel closer.

A scene of peace and natural ambiance.

Shaman God Mountain was not an overbearing Dao Orthodoxy, so they left ample private space for them, and there was no monitoring, even the Grand Diviners deliberately avoided looking in this direction.

In fact, Shaman Dao has always pursued the equality of all things, even towards Mount Luofu, and there has never been a situation of inadequate hospitality.

Even if they wanted the First Grade Dao Opportunity contained within the Sun-Moon True Lead Cauldron, they didn't choose to snatch it, but instead prepared to continuously bestow favors until Empress Luofu voluntarily handed it over.

Therefore, this place appeared quite secluded and undisturbed by the outside world.

As Shen Shuibi arrived, she suddenly saw a flock of cloud sparrows flying from the sky.

The rabbit's troubled Face suddenly showed a trace of a smile, looking at the cloud sparrows with a hint of surprise.

She saw those palm-sized little cloud sparrows flying quickly towards Shen Shuibi, then plopping down on the ground, transforming into human forms with a shake, all of them thirteen or fourteen-year-old girls, dressed in maid outfits, their Faces joyful.

"Moon Goddess is back!"

"Welcome back, Niangniang!"

"Niangniang, did the people of Shaman God Mountain not mistreat you on the way?"

A group of cloud sparrows chirped and swarmed over, their expressions a mix of worry and joy.

They were worried that Moon Goddess had been wronged, and joyful that another powerful being from their side had finally returned.

It wasn't until they reached Shen Shuibi that a slightly older, seemingly fifteen or sixteen-year-old leading cloud sparrow stepped forward: "True Monarch asked us to come out and welcome you, Niangniang! Niangniang, why do you look so unhappy?"

Shen Shuibi smiled: "It's nothing, let's go back and talk. How is Yang Ning?"

The cloud sparrow immediately replied: "Crimson Qi True Monarch is waiting for you inside, but she still needs to embrace the Great Sun to warm her damaged Spirit Soul, so she can't come out to see you; she could only send us."

Shen Shuibi nodded, taking the first step: "I see, then let's walk faster. By the way... Shaman God Mountain, how many family members have returned?"