Chapter 301: Current situation outside the domain

In the Holy Flame World, Shen Shuibi was busy making books.

She was guiding the Child of Destiny according to Li Qi's instructions.

Though his name was quite peculiar, Ga Ga.

It was rather unpleasant to hear.

He used to be called Bai Gaga, but now he had abandoned the surname bestowed by the Immortals and reverted to his own name as a Sacred Flame Clan member.

Shen Shuibi had been closely following the progress of this Child of Destiny in recent days.

Currently, he had gathered a group of young Sacred Flame Clan members with similar goals, establishing himself as a leader, maintaining order in three small towns, and gradually building his own system of order.

However, at this moment, he always felt somewhat out of his depth.

If classified by the Nine-Grade system of the world, he was unranked.

Such strength was far too lacking; even in the Holy Flame World, where heroes were rising, he was pitifully weak, barely having escaped the ranks of the truly feeble.

Therefore, Shen Shuibi's arrangement was to make him stronger.

Ga Ga practiced martial arts, and Shen Shuibi planned for him to stumble upon a Secret Manual during an adventure.

As for the contents of the Secret Manual…

It was still being created; once finished, it would be aged to look like an ancient Legacy, then it could be given to him.

It was almost complete.

However, just at that moment, a message popped up on Shen Shuibi's terminal.

She was startled, hastily put down her work, and quickly picked up the terminal.

After a few operations, the message on the terminal disappeared.

She had hung up.

Sweating with anxiety, she frantically dialed back.

She had only just started using this terminal a few days ago and hadn't yet mastered its controls.

The main reason was that this device wasn't controlled by magical arts but by tapping on a projection formed in an illusion.

If it were controlled by magical arts, the rabbit would have learned it instantly, but the need to memorize touch gestures was quite frustrating for her.

Meanwhile, on the other end, Li Qi looked at the terminal in confusion.

Huh? Yu'er hung up on him?

Was she bathing?

No, that's not right; her Immaculate Body should have recovered. Compared to her body, everything except distilled water was a pollutant. She was genuinely cleaner than water, so there was no need for a bath.

But then it rang again almost immediately.

Li Qi answered at once.

On the other end of the terminal was a flustered Shen Shuibi.

"How... how is it? Is it connected? Can you see me? Li Qi, Li Qi?" Shen Shuibi anxiously patted around on her side of the camera, as if it would help.

"Yes, I can see you, I can see you. Don't tap randomly; that's zooming in," Li Qi quickly stopped her.

Any more zooming and her face would be out of frame.

"Oh, oh... Li Qi, are you done with your exams? How were your results?" Shen Shuibi performed a hand seal, using her magical arts to calm her emotions, and almost instantly regained her composure.

Only on the surface, that is.

"The results aren't out yet, but... it should be alright, I guess," Li Qi also didn't know how his results would be judged.

His written test scores should be good.

The practical test…

The three lives ancient mirror exploded, and his examiner died. Was that considered a good result or a bad one?

He'd better wait for Tang Nation to deliberate on it themselves.

"As long as it's good. You shouldn't have any problems with the Imperial Academy exam. Oh, by the way, why did you suddenly look for me? Do you have time to come back? Should I pick you up at Dou Su Six?" the rabbit immediately asked.

Li Qi himself couldn't travel from Dou Su Six to the Holy Flame World, as he didn't possess the ability to traverse beyond the domain.

No, it's not that he didn't have it, but at his speed, it would take him several centuries to fly from Dou Su Six to the Holy Flame World.

In comparison, Shen Shuibi only needed three days.

Li Qi was still far from having the ability to explore beyond the domain; to go to the Holy Flame World, he needed Shen Shuibi to pick him up.

"No need. I won't be able to come for the next two months. I need to study diligently at the Imperial Academy and consolidate my cultivation," Li Qi said.

"Consolidate cultivation?" The rabbit tilted her head, a little puzzled.

However, she quickly reacted, her eyes widening, and she leaned closer: "You... you're at the Seventh Grade?"

"Yes, I encountered something... I don't know if it was an Opportunity or a danger," Li Qi nodded, saying with a wry smile.

This wasn't humble-bragging, but genuine concern.

He was truly scared.

"Tell me about it, how did it happen...? How long have you only been at the Eighth Grade? How is that possible? What exactly happened?" Shen Shuibi's face was full of surprise and confusion.

Impossible, something was wrong.

From Eighth Grade to Seventh Grade in a few months.

Was that reasonable?

Shen Shuibi had never even heard of such a thing.

Although she was naturally Seventh Grade, born an Immortal, that was because she was a spirit nurtured by a Second Grade Spiritual Artifact.

Li Qi, however, was a Mortal.

Even though the rabbit knew that with Li Qi's talent and background, advancing to Seventh Grade was basically a certainty, the premise was that he slowly accumulated for several decades.

But to suddenly go from Eighth Grade to Seventh Grade in a few months, there probably wasn't anyone like that in the entire world, was there?

"This has to start from before..." Li Qi, however, didn't feel happy. He helplessly began to tell Shen Shuibi about the things he had encountered since his return.

From his return, to the exam, then the practical test, and finally the assassination and the matter of the three lives ancient mirror.

Li Qi trusted Shen Shuibi greatly, so he even explained his speculative reasons for the three lives ancient mirror's reversal.

The rabbit listened attentively, occasionally making notes.

By the time she finished listening, her expression had also become solemn.

"The Heavenly Demon of Enjoying Others’ Emanations... has appeared again. This is indeed a difficult choice," Shen Shuibi pondered seriously.

Soon, she offered Li Qi a suggestion: "Whether it's the Heavenly Demon of Enjoying Others’ Emanations or some other mastermind, they are undoubtedly beyond our ability to resist. The only good news is probably that you have Shaman God Mountain backing you, which makes them somewhat hesitant to act."

"So, there's no need to worry too much about this. If this mastermind wants to act, it would be very difficult for the two of us to truly put up effective resistance. It's better to pretend they don't exist, respond to all changes with no change, and honestly improve our own strength."

Hearing Shen Shuibi's suggestion, Li Qi also nodded helplessly.

To be honest, that was the only way.

"As for the three lives ancient mirror..." Shen Shuibi said this while glancing at Li Qi.

Li Qi was an outsider, and she was very clear about this, but before, she thought Li Qi came from some other world beyond the domain.

But now, a Third Grade Spiritual Artifact tracing Li Qi's past overloaded with energy and directly self-destructed, even tracing back to the edge of the Universe's expansion, yet still couldn't trace anything about Li Qi.

Where exactly did Li Qi come from?

This 'outsider' was an outsider to such an extent?

However, there was no need to ask about this; where he came from didn't matter. So Shen Shuibi continued: "The three lives ancient mirror has shattered. It's estimated that the chaotic temporal light has even scrambled Karma, making it impossible to trace further. This clue ends here. If you want to investigate, you probably still need to follow up with the Imperial Academy Vice-Chancellor, but that's not something you and I can interfere with. You should wait until Dali Temple comes to question you, then you might be able to find something out by subtly probing."

"Yes, I think so too. The assassination can be put aside. The most pressing matter now is the Holy Flame World, which is why I came to you," Li Qi said.

"I see. Well then, let me tell you what's been happening recently in the Holy Flame World," Shen Shuibi said, immediately getting to the point, very straightforwardly.

Li Qi, on the other hand, still wanted to exchange a few pleasantries, but seeing that the rabbit had already entered work mode, he didn't say anything and listened quietly to hear what had transpired in the Holy Flame World in such a short time.

Shen Shuibi began to recount:

It turned out that ever since Li Qi left that day, a relatively large upheaval had erupted in the Holy Flame World.

The Holy King seemed indifferent, so the Seventh Grade Sacred Flame Clan members below began a civil war to contend for power after the Immortals' departure.

"It's mainly divided into two factions, the two factions you predicted, Li Qi."

"One faction's leader is named Pan Si. He is a Seventh Grade, and he has a Seventh Grade younger brother. They are loyal supporters of the Immortal faction and have already converted to the divine Dao methods, believing that the Immortals will eventually return. They think the Lu Mountain God is the strongest in the world, and when he returns, all other rebellious traitors will be eradicated."

As she spoke, Shen Shuibi began to detail this faction, simply calling them the Immortal Faction.

It turned out that when the Lu Mountain God came here, he not only intended to change traditions but also to completely refine this Heavenly Dao with divine Dao, turning this place into his divine kingdom, inhabited by his believers.

The area where Pan Si resided was the focus of the Lu Mountain God's past missionary efforts. Pan Si himself had witnessed many divine miracles displayed by the Lu Mountain God and had long abandoned the original traditions, becoming a loyal believer of the Lu Mountain God.

With the Lu Mountain God's help, his younger brother also successfully advanced to Seventh Grade through divine Dao methods, which further solidified his faith.

As the leader of the Immortal Faction, he quickly encompassed two-thirds of the world, restored order, maintained stability, and swiftly quelled the internal strife with his own power. Using divine Dao methods, or 'faith,' he regulated normal production and life within his ruled territory, and even had enough resources to form a large army.

It could be said that although he was part of the Immortal Faction, the Holy Flame World avoided greater sacrifices largely due to him.

However, he wasn't doing it for the common people. According to Shen Shuibi, Pan Si believed that the Holy Flame World was the divine kingdom of the High God, and therefore needed to be preserved at all costs.

All property and people here belonged to the Lu Mountain God, and he was the Lu Mountain God's steward, the divine kingdom's vice-ruler, the right hand of God, responsible for protecting his property in the Lu Mountain God's absence.

Compared to the peace and prosperity in these two-thirds of the world, the remaining one-third of the Holy Flame World was a chaotic mess.

This area, simply put, could be called the 'Land of No Dao.'

There was also a Seventh Grade Sacred Flame Clan member controlling this area, named Jin Peng. He had always resisted the Immortal Faction, and as a Seventh Grade, he maintained this area, preventing it from being invaded by the large army.

However, this place was filled with widespread corruption, internal strife, and the resulting decline in people's livelihoods.

Most of the Sacred Flame Clan members here, under the pressure of survival, formed their own groups, creating small organizations like tribes and villages, fighting amongst themselves and rarely cooperating.

Currently, this area was far more chaotic than the Immortal Faction's territory.

But he had no way to stop such chaos.

Because to govern these, Seventh Grade military power could only violently suppress and prevent true civil war from starting, but it couldn't build anything.

Violence is merely a tool, but a tool needs a guiding ideology.

For what purpose should the sword ultimately be wielded?

This Sacred Flame Clan member named Jin Peng didn't know, didn't understand. The reason he acted as he did now was simply because he was unwilling to accept the Immortals' rule and refused to surrender.

He didn't want the Immortals' Dao, but he couldn't come up with a feasible Grand Dao of his own.

Because, in his territory, countless Daos quickly split into countless factions, with various ideas emerging endlessly. It was truly too chaotic, filled with the Sacred Flame Clan's doubts about the world.

Some doubted the Immortals, some doubted tradition, some doubted everything and wanted to forge new paths. Besides these major divergences, there were also many minor ones.

If they returned to tradition, should the good things from the Immortals be kept? Which ones to keep? Which ones to discard?

Just in the area where the Child of Destiny Shen Shuibi was located, there were dozens of schools of thought, many of which were utterly fallacious. Even among those who supported tradition, there were various disagreements due to various minor details.

Such chaotic thinking was bound to affect more practical operations. If you supported that, and I supported this, and everyone couldn't agree, then they would only fight independently, causing the entire environment to be extremely chaotic.

This situation was extremely unfavorable for governance and even less able to stabilize the situation.

Ideological confusion would inevitably lead to chaotic actions. Currently, for commoners here, life was far less comfortable than in the Immortal Faction's territory.

After finishing the specific situation, Shen Shuibi sighed: "Given the current situation, it's hard to say that the Holy Flame World's tradition is better. If we want to support tradition, then we would have to violently intervene, but in that case, what we'd be doing would be no different from what the Lu Mountain God did."

Li Qi nodded. Of course, he knew that the Holy Flame World's tradition couldn't possibly be better than the divine Dao of the world.

Divine Dao was a very complete social system, capable of guiding production and determining social positions. It was a method that had developed for a very long time in the world. The Holy Flame World's tradition, especially in its fragmented state, naturally couldn't win. This was to be expected.

Then, Li Qi said: "Of course it's different. I won't spread Shaman Dao or Human Dao here. The Holy Flame World's path must be walked by the Holy Flame World itself. They need to try it. It might be very chaotic now, but in a few decades, the dross will be removed and the essence preserved. It's not chaos that's to be feared, but a lack of vitality, preventing these Sacred Flame Clan members from even daring to have new ideas."

"You're not going to preach?" Shen Shuibi asked in surprise.

"No need. The natural way of the Sacred Flame Clan is the most suitable way for them to produce Sacred Flame. Forcibly spreading Shaman Dao here would instead lead to many problems," Li Qi said.

The Sacred Flame Clan still needed to have their own path. This could be considered Li Qi's compensation for taking their Sacred Flame.

Having taken their Sacred Flame, he would allow their own traditions and paths to be preserved.

Even if the people of the Holy Flame World might find Li Qi inexplicable and talking to himself, the truth was simply that.

This was 'right'.

"Alright then, it's good that you've made a decision," Shen Shuibi nodded.