Chapter 402: Conversation

Li Qi was prepared for this outcome.

Crushed by the Fifth-Rank Confucian Scholar's river of history, then backlashed by the Formation of Shangyuan, and even enduring that damage to forcibly destroy a certain item.

Rather, it was already very lucky that he hadn't turned to dust yet.

"Can this... still live?" Li Qi pointed at that lingxiao flower.

"How rude, Young Master, I am only injured, not dead." The Lingxiao Flower Goddess's voice came from the lingxiao flower.

"She's not dead yet... You're truly something. How did you survive?" Li Qi asked curiously.

At this moment, the Peony Flower Goddess spoke, softly saying, "Although the Baiyue Kingdom Lord's foundation is obvious, he still has his merits."

Upon hearing this, Li Qi immediately understood.

To speak of the Baiyue Kingdom Lord's strengths and weaknesses, it was naturally the existence of that 'Kingdom'. The Kingdom was an obvious weakness, and one that was basically impossible to defend against.

But this was also an advantage; as a Dao foundation, as long as that Kingdom was not destroyed, the Kingdom Lord himself would be very difficult to kill.

"Did you let the national destiny bear the other fatal damages for you? Then Lingxiao Kingdom will likely suffer years of disaster, and who knows how many people will die..." Li Qi sighed.

"No matter how great the disaster, one can deal with it while alive," the Lingxiao Flower Goddess said.

For some reason, when Li Qi heard her voice, he always felt that... she seemed to have let go of something. Although she was severely injured and couldn't even assume human form, it felt as if her cultivation had improved, and all her restraints had been released.

Li Qi wanted to say something else, but seeing the Peony Flower Goddess next to him take a step forward, he immediately tactfully retreated, walking to Zhong Minglou's side, pulling him along to retreat, giving the Peony Flower Goddess and Lingxiao Flower Goddess space for a private conversation.

However, he was also cunning enough not to retreat too far, merely adopting a 'I'm not listening' posture, but still able to hear.

As long as the Peony Flower Goddess didn't tell him to leave, he wasn't going to.

He wanted to hear what was going on.

Indeed, the Peony Flower Goddess did not tell him to leave, merely stood in front of the Lingxiao Flower Goddess, stroking her petals.

"Is it worth it?" the Peony Flower Goddess asked.

"Senior knows best, I am liberated. I will bear all the coming punishments myself," the Lingxiao Flower Goddess said.

"I don't understand. I advised you, but you wouldn't listen then. Later, you were expelled from Shangyuan, and I thought you would go to the Buddhist Kingdom, but you went to Baiyue and were still preparing to return. I even thought you would keep pushing forward, forging a path for yourself."

"Yet at this critical juncture, you chose to shatter Lingxiao Cave Heaven, severing your foundation in Shangyuan. Why is this?"

The Peony Flower Goddess asked softly.

Her voice was quite pleasant, seemingly able to cleanse the soul.

"Everything is fated. Perhaps meeting that Young Master of Shaman God Mountain over there was the Karma of this time... A thousand people could tell me a thousand times and I wouldn't listen, yet this time, I was enlightened by his single word. I don't know why, but there's no need to pursue the reason. Sometimes, understanding is just understanding." The Lingxiao Flower Goddess swayed her flower branches, making a sound.

"Indeed. Then, now you no longer have the title of 'Flower Goddess'. Lingxiao Cave Heaven is shattered, and your Flower Goddess status is broken. Although this is a good thing for you, there is no place for you in Chang'an. Do you have any other plans?" the Peony Flower Goddess asked.

And Li Qi, listening to all this from the side, seemed to understand something.

That one word 'cowardice' he spoke seemed to have shaken the Lingxiao Flower Goddess's Dao Heart.

However, she was not defeated by it. Instead, in her panic, she stabilized her resolve and questioned herself to find her own answer.

Thus, she chose to shatter Lingxiao Cave Heaven.

The Hundred Flowers Cave Heaven itself was a component of Shangyuan's grand Formation. The entire energy of Shangyuan's grand Formation was provided by the Hundred Flowers Cave Heaven, which is why the Formation reacted so violently.

However, the Peony Flower Goddess later intervened and saved the Lingxiao Flower Goddess's life.

From this, it seems there must have been countless other things behind the Lingxiao Flower Goddess's departure from Chang'an back then.

But those were her private matters.

Everyone has countless stories, everyone is the protagonist of their own story, but few people care what stories you have, even if you've had a magnificent romance or warm and kind family members.

But besides you and those close to you, no one cares about these things, just as it is now.

Li Qi didn't care what the Lingxiao Flower Goddess had experienced; he was only concerned about how he would sell his Shamanic Silkworm Artifact later.

However, this subjective feeling was mutual.

In reality, the Peony Flower Goddess and Lingxiao Flower Goddess didn't care what Li Qi thought either; they simply didn't care about each other.

Then, the Peony Flower Goddess lowered her voice and whispered something to the Lingxiao Flower Goddess.

Seeing this, Li Qi understood that the Peony Flower Goddess did not want others to hear her next words.

So, he looked at Zhong Minglou beside him: "Senior Brother, how did you find the Peony Flower Goddess?"

"Hmm... I followed a string," Zhong Minglou thought for a moment before answering.

"A string? What string?" Li Qi asked, puzzled.

"There are strings connecting people, and you can find them by following them," Zhong Minglou said.

Li Qi was momentarily stunned, somewhat confused. What did he mean by 'strings' connecting them?

However, in just a few seconds, Li Qi suddenly realized something.

Karma!?

The Karma strings between people!?

Zhong Minglou could directly see Karma strings and find people by following Karma?

What the hell!

However, Li Qi immediately realized again why Zhong Minglou had never mentioned the source of his abilities before, but had this time?

"Senior Brother, you never mentioned this before..." Li Qi immediately asked.

Zhong Minglou, however, showed his usual gentle smile and said lightly, "I always felt I couldn't tell you before, so I didn't. But just now, seeing you, I felt it was fine to tell you."

A very spiritual-style answer.

No reason, just a 'feeling', and he only needed to follow that feeling.

Li Qi, however, keenly noticed the difference.

In other words...

After he comprehended 'I am I', and after he perceived the existence of the 'Karma Network', Zhong Minglou immediately had a perception that he 'could tell Li Qi'.

This spiritualist... what exactly is his trump card?

It's a bit outrageous.

However, Li Qi didn't ask Zhong Minglou how he did it.

No need; he probably didn't even know how he did it himself. Zhong Minglou seemed to have a talent, a talent that allowed him to naturally know whether an event would have a good or bad outcome, how to act, and how to avoid or welcome it.

This talent, in essence, was no different from Bo Yue's Demonic Seed or Li Qi's True Knowledge.

It was precisely because of the existence of this talent that he was chosen by the Great Shaman to become one of the 'Young Master of Shaman God Mountain'.

It's just...

While the Demonic Seed and True Knowledge were strange as talents, they were still understandable. But Zhong Minglou's talent was simply too bizarre.

Li Qi was very curious.

So, he asked, "Senior Brother Zhong, why do you think... I am I? If another person with identical memories and body appeared before you, how would you determine that you are you?"

He hadn't dared to ask before, fearing that others' answers would influence his own, leading to future errors that would require immense effort to correct, or perhaps be uncorrectable.

Of course, sometimes others' answers could deeply move him, even leading to an Epiphany, making an answer he had pondered for centuries suddenly appear.

All of this was possible, but no one knew how to choose.

Before the consequences appeared, no one knew if their previous choice was right or wrong, so everything could only be chosen based on one's original intention.

This way, even if his choice led to bad consequences, he wouldn't regret it.

But now it was different. Li Qi already had his own answer, so listening to others' answers was harmless.

And when Zhong Minglou heard Li Qi's question, Li Qi suddenly saw his eyes lose their luster, and his body instantly stiffened.

Through the True Knowledge Dao Resonance, Li Qi saw that Zhong Minglou's eyes were covered by cloth, invisible to the naked eye, but the True Knowledge Dao Resonance would not be blocked by a layer of cloth, and he could still perceive the abnormality within.

Hmm?

What was going on? Did this question crash him?

But soon, Zhong Minglou blinked and returned to normal.

However, he looked very distressed, fiddled with his blindfold, and pondered before saying, "This question... is so sharp. I always feel that this question is very important, and if I say it casually, it will have an uncertain impact on the future."

"Then forget it, Senior Brother, no need to force yourself." Li Qi shook his head, not forcing him to speak.

Zhong Minglou was truly amazing.

It seemed his sixth sense was incredibly powerful, and he could even see Karma strings.

Even for a Diviner, this was too outrageous. Bo Yue was also a Diviner, and the difference between the two was truly not small.

"It's not forcing myself... but I feel I can say a little bit," Zhong Minglou thought for a moment and said.

Then, he began to narrate: "Each of us is connected by countless strings, so whoever is connected by these strings must be ourselves. These strings will not break or transfer."

Li Qi nodded.

It was roughly the same as his own answer, which put him at ease. If someone who could see Karma strings said so, then it could be considered confirmed.

Having said this, Li Qi still had one last question, so he spoke: "Then Senior Brother... even if you have the guidance of Karma strings, it wouldn't be that simple to meet the Peony Flower Goddess, would it? How did you manage that?"

This was also a major doubt for Li Qi.

Could divination be omnipotent? Was he divining or omniscient? How on earth could he, as a stranger, find the Peony Flower Goddess?

To this, Zhong Minglou did not hide anything. He pointed to a pavilion outside Shangyuan.

Li Qi followed the direction he pointed.

Over there, someone was secretly hiding.

Looking at her appearance and the Qi on her body...

He couldn't see through her; she had hidden her Qi and obscured her appearance.

But Li Qi had a cheat.

With True Knowledge Dao Resonance fully activated and combined with Information Stream Vision, such ordinary disguises were easily seen through.

That person was... Iron Begonia?

Tiger spurge, Iron Begonia, anyway, it was a thorny flower. Li Qi had heard of it; it seemed to have a very controversial reputation.

People who liked her liked her very much, and those who disliked her found her sharp-tongued and utterly detested her.

Hmm...

Did Iron Begonia introduce Zhong Minglou to the Peony Flower Goddess?

Such a thing? Wasn't she said to have a very bad reputation?

However, just as Li Qi was looking, he seemed to be discovered. Suddenly, a wave of energy rushed towards him, instantly making Li Qi dizzy.

This wave caused no damage, but it still made Li Qi lose focus for a moment.

When he recovered, Iron Begonia, who had been standing there, had disappeared.

Hmm...

Everyone has their own thoughts.

Li Qi shook his head, no longer speaking.

So Zhong Minglou also stopped speaking, and the two of them just stood there waiting.

Li Qi felt that when the Lingxiao Flower Goddess appeared later, he still had things to discuss with her.

As for why Zhong Minglou stayed there, Li Qi didn't know.

While waiting, Li Qi looked around at the surrounding scenery. Shangyuan had almost no signs of damage; the Formation had protected everything very well.

It was just that Lingxiao Cave Heaven had been shattered, and other hundred flowers would certainly be needed to fill this void.

Many wild flowers and grasses now had an opportunity; perhaps they could even be listed among the hundred flowers.

It would probably be another open and secret struggle, perhaps even escalating into a bloody storm.

In this world, different stories are happening all the time.

Li Qi sighed again.

In most situations, he was merely an observer, rarely personally intervening in something, which also suited his style of action.

If there was no need, then it was much better to study hard, improve every day, and gradually elevate oneself. Only fools and those who couldn't survive, driven by life to rush about, would think of causing trouble all over the world.

Just as Li Qi was thinking these thoughts, suddenly, the voice of the Peony Flower Goddess came.

"Young Master, Lingxiao has something she wishes to discuss with you. Might I trouble you for a moment?" The Peony Flower Goddess's polite voice sounded in Li Qi's ears.

"It would be my honor." Li Qi immediately replied.

Then he stepped towards the Lingxiao Flower Goddess.

Walking to the side of that lingxiao flower, he saw that the Peony Flower Goddess had already left, and... she had left with Zhong Minglou.

Was this why Zhong Minglou had stayed until now?

Never mind, no need to worry about that.

Let's look at the Lingxiao Flower Goddess instead.

Thinking this, Li Qi looked at that lingxiao flower: "Flower Goddess, in your current state... have you made up your mind? I'm afraid there will still be imprisonment in your future."

The lingxiao flower swayed and said, "Young Master need not worry about those things. I called Young Master here only to settle the Karma between us. Although it was mutual utilization, Young Master did nothing to wrong me, yet I used many despicable methods and delayed Young Master's business. I truly apologize."

"However, I see that Young Master conducts business for wealth. This item is the essence of Lingxiao Cave Heaven. Please accept it as a small token of my apology."

"Furthermore, please lean closer, Young Master. I have something important to tell you."