Chapter 396: Breaking the window paper

So what? How does this relate to Li Qi?

You've said so much that Li Qi doesn't know is true or false, even the Shaman God came out, and you said there are five Second Rank Cultivators who want to contend for the Sun-Moon Orbit, this great Dao opportunity.

Do these things have anything to do with Li Qi?

It's completely meaningless; Li Qi can't verify it, and for him, these matters are too distant.

"Saying these empty words is meaningless. The Shamanic Silkworm Artifact can bring too many things later on. I can't let you buy it out directly," Li Qi said.

"Yes, but do you have enough resources and manpower for the initial investment? You know, research and development is one thing, and subsequent production investment is another. If you want to draw resources from other places to do this, I think... the price they offer won't be lower than mine."

"Feelings are feelings, business is business. Especially since you are a Shaman Dao practitioner, there will probably be some disputes within the Shaman community because of your creation. The final result will be nothing more than neither support nor denial, letting you handle it yourself. You can only seek support outside of Shaman Dao."

"Other places... do you really think you can keep it safe?"

"But if you plan not to sell to anyone and produce it yourself, that is indeed a path, but within two or three thousand years, you will probably only be able to do small workshop business, which won't solve Moonborne Daoist Master's predicament."

"Your thinking coincides with a research project of the Eclectic School, which is why we came to you. No other Dao Orthodoxy will offer such a high price as us, Li Qi, please think carefully. You are not stupid, are you?"

"Sometimes, it's not possible to achieve the optimal solution in everything," Yu Zao said.

After speaking, she stared quietly at Li Qi, awaiting his answer.

Li Qi was now certain.

The person in front of him was definitely not the Yu Zao he had seen before.

Does this artificial person have other secrets? Or is 'Yu Zao' just a codename?

Is there really a person named 'Yu Zao'?

Li Qi temporarily hid his suspicion.

But he still spoke in his usual tone: "Resources are indeed a bit scarce, but how could there be no people? There's no need to guide my thoughts, Yu Zao."

Li Qi spoke calmly: "The remnants of Mount Luofu, are they dead? Or are they useless? Are there really no usable people among them? As far as I know, at least Granny Mei, a Fourth Rank Dao Cultivator, still maintains sufficient mobility."

"With people, are resources still lacking? The Shamanic Silkworm Artifact can only produce products of around Seventh Rank currently. I have a Sixth Rank world in my hand, which is more than enough to supply the resources needed by the Shamanic Silkworm Artifact."

"Furthermore... my goal from the beginning was not the world. People in the world have high standards, and it's difficult for me to stand out among those high-quality refiners, nor can I defeat the Spiritual Artifact assembly line jointly created by the Mohists and Dao of Reason in terms of quantity."

"I want to sell in the Heavens. In the Heavens, this kind of Spiritual Artifact will be very popular, won't it? This must also be within your considerations, I haven't guessed wrong, have I?"

Li Qi said these things to Yu Zao while observing her reaction.

Unfortunately, Yu Zao was expressionless, not even turning her eyes, like a lifeless mannequin, her muscles not twitching in the slightest.

The expressionless Yu Zao was silent for a moment, then replied: "Hmm... you are indeed a smart person. As expected, it's really too difficult for me to be a persuader. I'm truly not good at this."

"However, since you are unwilling to sell this, but I do need the core technology, can we talk about this? We will never compete with you commercially, it's just... the idea of how to combine Shaman Dao and humanity is what I need now."

"I? Not 'we' anymore?" Li Qi noticed the change in her tone.

"Yes, I, Yu Zao, I am purchasing this technology from you in my personal capacity, unrelated to the Eclectic School," Yu Zao said.

"You are Yu Zao? But I don't think you are," Li Qi shook his head.

Such a big change, and still claiming to be Yu Zao? Who are you trying to fool?

"No, I am indeed Yu Zao, it's just... not the previous Yu Zao." Yu Zao pondered for a moment, as if weighing something.

"Hmm, that sounds too difficult to understand. How about this, you come with me, just a few steps, two or three miles at most." Yu Zao stood up and invited Li Qi.

Li Qi looked at the venue.

Inside, treasures shone brightly, and the atmosphere was turbulent, with many people's roars still coming through.

The competition was very fierce. He wondered which young talent would become the first place.

However, those who casually go to compete with others are either fools or professional players. Li Qi was neither, so he would definitely not go.

The competition probably wouldn't end anytime soon.

"Alright, then I'll go with you," he nodded.

Yu Zao also nodded, walking silently forward.

Li Qi followed behind.

After walking a certain distance—

Li Qi was led underground.

An underground station, which was where the Earth Flow Vehicle was located.

However, strangely, this station had no passengers, no ticket gates or similar places. It seemed... to be a private station.

"Please wait a moment, my vehicle will be here soon," Yu Zao said.

"Are we going somewhere far? To actually need an Earth Flow Vehicle?" Li Qi frowned.

She wouldn't be taking him to some remote valley, would she?

The plot felt a bit off.

Fortunately, Yu Zao shook her head.

"No, the vehicle will bring the things over. We just need to wait here," she said calmly.

Li Qi checked the time.

He had only taken a few minutes to walk from where they were before to here. So it seemed... not much time was needed. He would wait then.

After waiting for about ten to twenty minutes.

Indeed, with a rumbling sound, the myriad feet of the Earth Flow Vehicle were thundering through the earth veins.

Li Qi focused his attention and looked at the Earth Flow Vehicle.

A few minutes later, an Earth Flow Vehicle indeed stopped at this location.

Li Qi immediately noticed that this Earth Flow Vehicle was not 'official'; it was not an Earth Flow Vehicle publicly arranged by the station and the court. It seemed to be private property, just like this station.

The Eclectic School... built its own independent Earth Flow Vehicle logistics system?

Was it necessary?

How was this approved? Or was it using a public network?

Li Qi knew that according to the rules of Dao Orthodoxy, although some things might not be publicly disclosed to everyone for the greater good, all large-scale projects definitely required court approval.

What reason did the Eclectic School use to apply for such a strange, isolated Earth Flow Vehicle? How many resources would it take to build this?

Just as Li Qi was surprised, the Earth Flow Vehicle stopped.

The door opened.

Yu Zao made an inviting gesture: "Please, Li Qi."

Li Qi said nothing, walking into the carriage of the Earth Flow Vehicle.

The essence of an Earth Flow Vehicle is an artificially bred centipede, with countless pavilions built on its back. These pavilions are the carriages, divided into numerous rooms. The centipede carries the pavilions and travels rapidly through the earth veins to achieve the purpose of travel.

This Earth Flow Vehicle was the same. Following the stairs that descended, Li Qi walked up to the pavilion on the centipede's back and once again confirmed that this was indeed a private Earth Flow Vehicle.

The pavilions on top were clearly specially made, containing a large number of Formations that Li Qi couldn't even understand, but these things were definitely not casually arranged.

This Earth Flow Vehicle might be very important to the Eclectic School.

"Other places are off-limits, I'll take you to my room," Yu Zao said.

Li Qi naturally had no objections and quietly followed Yu Zao.

Walking through the corridor, they arrived at a room. Pushing the door open, Li Qi froze.

He saw—

The room was filled with "Yu Zaos."

The room was generally decorated in a girl's boudoir style, but much larger, at least enough for over a hundred people to live in. Various furniture, tables, and chairs were complete, but there was no bed.

However... Li Qi ignored all of that.

What he truly noticed were the dozens of 'Yu Zaos' in the room!

These Yu Zaos were all asleep, like sleeping beauties, but not in beds. Instead, they were suspended in the air by Formations, like puppet dolls hanging by strings, arranged in neat rows.

This scene was indescribably eerie.

Dozens of identical young girls, surrounded and entwined by runes, hung from the ceiling. They were not corpses, but living Physical Bodies. From time to time, one could see these bodies instinctively curling up, or sucking their fingers, or blinking, emitting faint breaths.

Just like... babies in their mother's womb.

"This is..." Li Qi looked at the indifferent 'Yu Zao' beside him.

"Are you surprised? You must have heard, right? Liu Canzhi told you that I have no parents; I am an experimental product of the Eclectic School," Yu Zao said calmly.

As she spoke, Yu Zao walked forward to an empty 'hanging thread' spot.

The activated runes on the Formation above extended fine, shimmering threads that pierced into her spine and limb joints.

Then, she was hoisted up.

The light in her eyes immediately faded, replaced by a puppet-like gaze.

Li Qi stared at this scene in astonishment, momentarily speechless.

Liu Canzhi had told him that Yu Zao was not an ordinary person, but he hadn't said... she would be such a bizarre existence.

But then, Li Qi suddenly realized that Information Stream Vision and True Knowledge Dao Resonance simultaneously detected a strange energy, similar to Spirit Soul but not Spirit Soul, as if it were a product in between 'mind' and 'Spirit Soul', leaving the Yu Zao who had just been hoisted up.

Through a specific 'medium,' which was the ceiling Formation and the threads extending from it, that 'mind' shifted its position and quickly entered another body.

Another 'Yu Zao' woke up.

Then, she revealed her usual lively smile: "Mm~! It's still more comfortable using this body. See, don't I seem much more accustomed to myself now? I don't use that other body often, so it felt a bit strange."

After she finished speaking, the threads on her body began to retract on their own, and she descended to the ground, stretching lazily with full Origin Qi and making a cute sound.

She was completely different from the indifferent Yu Zao from before.

"Hmm? What's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost. No... you Invoker should often deal with ghosts, shouldn't you have seen all sorts of strange things? Why are you like this?" Yu Zao poked Li Qi curiously.

The current her was truly like the mischievous Yu Zao.

"You... what's with this change?" Li Qi realized something and immediately asked.

"What's with what?" Yu Zao tilted her head: "Is there any change?"

"Your... personality, why has it changed so much? Didn't you just change bodies?" Li Qi stared at her, asking cautiously.

In his recent Information Stream Vision, he clearly saw an existence between mind and Spirit Soul, changing into a brand new body.

The 'boundaries' involved even far surpassed Li Qi's understanding.

Li Qi found it difficult to comprehend how such a delicate state, precisely between pure logic and physical entity, was maintained.

But that was irrelevant. Although Li Qi was curious, he wasn't urgent. He had already entered the Dao, and he would eventually come into contact with such things.

What truly left him with a chronic doubt was... Yu Zao's change.

According to Li Qi's current knowledge and understanding, he believed that changing bodies simply meant changing the vessel. How could it cause such a drastic change?

"Ah? Is it strange? When you change bodies, you're bound to have different feelings, you know," Yu Zao tilted her head.

"For example, Li Qi, if you were to become a woman now, after some time, under the influence of the Physical Body's nerves and hormones, you would naturally lean towards feminization. This is definitely not something that can be changed by your will."

"The 'self' itself, isn't it the sum of everything you are? Body, Spirit Soul, mind, and all the other things, they are all parts of the self. If one part is replaced, isn't it natural for a change to occur? Why are you surprised?" Yu Zao retorted.

She pouted and said: "You don't think it's strange that my body changed."

"My personality changed, and you're surprised by that instead. I think you're the strange one, aren't you?"

Yu Zao's words struck Li Qi's mind.

His eyes widened abruptly.

The confusion given by the Heavenly Demon, the enlightenment given by the Shaman God, the encounter with the Demon of the Five Aggregates, and Zhu Fengdan's question that lasted a whole day, as well as the inspiration from the Lord of Pestilence, plus his continuous thinking and analysis, and the accumulation of knowledge and foundation!

All of this, now with Yu Zao as the final straw.

He understood!

I, as I am!

The answer to 'I, as I am,' and it was an answer that belonged only to Li Qi himself!

This answer might not be 'absolutely' correct.

Because everyone's Dao path is different, so everyone's answer is different. The answer to each self-inquiry might be wrong for others, but for the Cultivator themselves, it is correct.

But this was the correct answer for Li Qi, a summation of all his thoughts and encounters over the years!

He had found what 'I, as I am' truly meant!

At the same time, he immediately closed his eyes, releasing all his senses!