Chapter 415: Tug of war

Just that one glance brought substantial harm.

It was as if countless people were hammering around Li Qi, cracking his surroundings with a ‘ka ka’ sound.

Merely a gaze had already penetrated the world barrier, crushing and cracking the surrounding mountain walls.

Li Qi frowned, recalling some unpleasant memories.

In the past, at White Snake Mountain, facing the same Sixth-Rank demon, Bear Kill Great King, that casual glance almost directly crushed him to dust, and a sliver of murderous intent that leaked out could completely destroy his consciousness.

However… now, things were completely different.

He gently waved his hand, summoning all his inner body spirits; except for his Nascent Soul, all other inner body spirits manifested around him.

Now, his Mountain God within his body was a hundred zhang tall, a giant made of piled rocks, with a robust physique; a sense of oppression and Aura rapidly increased around him, simultaneously propping up a protective wall.

The Water God was human-headed and snake-bodied, four to five zhang long, bringing forth rivers around, with water Qi swirling as if tangible.

The Sun and Moon Heavenly Gods floated on either side, balancing the Yin and Yang Qi.

As for Li Qi’s Nascent Soul, it sat at the center of his body, and the surrounding heaven and earth gradually converged towards Li Qi’s personal microcosm.

This was a common technique for Shamanes: using their personal microcosm to replace the surrounding macrocosm, achieving the effect of making the surroundings their own ‘Domain,’ making themselves stronger and their opponents weaker. This back-and-forth created a significant advantage.

Although, in general circumstances, using this move was not very useful.

After all, Shamanes were too weak in close combat. Even now, Li Qi would still be sent flying by a single punch if he were caught in close quarters, not even as good as Shen Shuibi’s physical combat skills.

While Daoists weren’t strong in close combat either, they did have sword arts and fist arts, and even profound fist arts like Tai Chi Quan. They also had strengthening methods like the Golden Light Incantation and Great Strength Incantation, and even secret incantations within the Nine-Character True Words that strengthened the Physical Body. So, while Daoist cultivators generally wouldn’t choose to engage in melee, they could be very fierce if they really fought.

Just a moment ago, Shen Shuibi even rushed to Heaven-Devouring Demon Lord’s face and gave him a fierce blow.

Shamanes, however, were different; they didn’t even have these, so in close combat, they could only rely entirely on their intelligence.

But Li Qi didn’t seem afraid because of this. Facing Lu Mountain God’s question, after protecting himself with his inner body spirits, he smiled and replied, “Is Mountain God very afraid of someone else being here?”

“This time, Green Mountain Kingdom Lord won’t be helping you. The consequences of being glib are very serious,” Lu Mountain God looked at Li Qi, his eyes cold.

Only a Seventh-Rank, yet still daring to be presumptuous…

Did he really think he was something? A Young Master of Shaman God Mountain? Or a high-ranking official from the Imperial Academy? Or perhaps a Buddhist Son from the Western Heavens?

Joking aside, once this world barrier is broken, he will be flayed, his bones pulled out, and he will be thrown into the eighteen layers of Hell, never to reincarnate.

He dared to sever his precious son’s path; he deserved this.

Killing him would be letting him off easy.

“Mountain God seems to have a big problem with me. Can you guarantee that Green Mountain Kingdom Lord hasn’t arrived yet?” Li Qi retorted, deliberately creating a mystery.

Unexpectedly, Lu Mountain God heard this and burst into laughter, letting out a deep sigh of relief.

Hahaha!

It was indeed a bluff!

He had long paid a huge price to invite other Lords and Heaven-Devouring Demon Lord to create a big problem for Green Mountain Kingdom Lord! Now, he must be in a desperate situation, making it impossible for him to come here and attack him.

How could Lu Mountain God not know that he had a mortal enemy named Green Mountain Kingdom Lord? When he ventured outside the Domain, would he not make any preparations? Ensuring that his enemy could not pursue him at such a time was the first thing Lu Mountain God prepared before leaving.

Therefore, he could be certain that Green Mountain Kingdom Lord was definitely not here!

This young man named Li Qi was bluffing!

So, he laughed heartily, no longer paying attention to Li Qi, but instead said to the other demons, “Hahaha! Little ones, continue setting up the Formation, tear open the world barrier for me! My followers inside are ready!”

After all, it was a Sixth-Rank world barrier; it wasn’t that fragile. Under the resistance of the Heavenly Dao, it was difficult for him to directly invade.

This was the purpose of the world barrier; this thing wasn’t just for show.

Seeing that the other party was no longer talking to him, Li Qi said nothing more. He slowly looked downwards.

Below, there was a group of ‘officials’ from the Holy Flame World.

They were all Ga Ga’s subordinates, the officials who governed his jurisdiction.

This was also something Li Qi had prepared long ago.

The main purpose of calling them here was for a sacrifice.

Li Qi issued commands to these people: “In the southern direction, the officials shall arrange civil and military attendants in order!”

“Civil officials on the left, military officials on the right, all facing each other, each rank in a different position, facing north towards the south. Military generals and above, assemble northwest of the military officials, and civil officials to their west, all in double rows, each rank in a different position, facing north towards the east!”

Li Qi shouted loudly, giving orders to these officials.

The officials didn’t understand why Li Qi was doing this, but no one delayed; they quickly moved according to Li Qi’s instructions.

They were all capable managers, possessing basic intelligence and comprehension skills.

A few days ago, they received orders from Lord Ga Ga to come and follow someone’s command, saying, ‘Do whatever they tell you to do, do not question it.’

Initially, some found the order strange, but Ga Ga told them about the Immortal’s struggle.

So, these people all quieted down.

And now, no one would question Li Qi.

Everyone had witnessed the celestial phenomena and the terrifying pressure emanating from Li Qi.

To these people, Li Qi’s power was also unattainable.

Just those inner body spirits alone were enough to easily crush all living beings in this world, including that Sixth-Rank heavily injured Ancient Holy King, who was no match for him.

This was a power far beyond the imagination of the Holy Flame World natives, so no matter how noble their status in the Holy Flame World, they dared not say much and could only follow along.

Li Qi shouted again, “Continue the grand sacrifice to Heaven and Earth at the Round Mound!”

These officials continued forward, acting according to Li Qi’s previous training.

Offering the sacrificial animals, jade tablets, all placed upon the burning firewood.

Since the dark-colored sacrificial animals had already been burned, more crimson-colored animals were added, filling the sacrificial vessels, and two more calves were added, which was deeply contrary to ritual etiquette.

Looking at the altar, a circular platform had already been erected, five zhang wide and nine chi high, with soil colors according to their respective directions.

And on top of the circular platform, a square altar was erected, twelve chi wide and nine chi high, with four steps on each side of the platform and altar. The jade tablets were one chi three cun long, five cun wide, and five cun thick, engraved with characters filled with gold, and contained in golden caskets.

“Offer the sacrifices. The treasure boxes should be sized to fit the sealed area, two cun seven fen deep, all with small stone lids, crafted to match the sealed engravings, to press and Seal the lids. They should be placed next to the engraved area, with three golden ropes wrapped five times around the stone, each three fen in diameter!” Li Qi commanded from the side.

These high-ranking officials immediately began to meticulously construct it like worker ants.

After they completed this step, Li Qi continued to direct.

“Set up the Heavenly Dao wine vessels on and below the circular platform: two Grand Esteem vessels, two Esteem vessels, two Sacrificial Esteem vessels, and two Mountain Lei vessels on the altar, in the southeast corner facing north. Two Elephant Esteem vessels, two Hu Esteem vessels, and four Mountain Lei vessels below the altar, all northeast of the Heavenly Dao wine vessels, facing west. And below the mountain, at the sealed altar, set up the Ancient Holy King altar, with two Grand Esteem vessels on the left of the seat.”

Under Li Qi’s command, a group of high-ranking officials gradually built the sacrificial platform and perfected the entire scene, using specific instruments and sacrificial tools to complete this ritual.

If these officials had the presence of mind to remember it, for them, this might be an incredibly precious treasure.

So precious that the entire Holy Flame World could not afford it.

This was something Li Qi had created by combining much knowledge, a heaven-worshipping ceremony specifically prepared for the Holy Flame World, and tailored for the Holy Flame Clan itself.

The purpose of this sacrifice was very simple.

It was to have the Holy Flame Clan themselves offer sacrifices, using their own popularity and national destiny to dedicate what they possessed to this world, thereby greatly enhancing the Holy Flame World itself.

Li Qi certainly couldn’t defeat Lu Mountain God, let alone the million demons.

But the world barrier wasn’t that easy to deal with either; under the resistance of the Heavenly Dao, it wasn’t that simple to get in.

Of course, it was only ‘not that simple’; in reality, it wasn’t that difficult to tear open the world barrier with some time.

Lu Mountain God was a Sixth-Rank Mountain God of the world; there were ten thousand ways to deal with world barriers.

There was just one prerequisite—

That was no interference.

What Li Qi was doing now was interfering!

He used the heaven-worshipping ceremony, combined with his own abilities, to create various rituals and sacrifices, allowing the beings of the Holy Flame World themselves to sacrifice, strengthening the Heavenly Dao and the world barrier!

With the world barrier as a natural chasm, Li Qi had the capital to buy time.

Of course, he couldn’t provide so many sacrifices himself, but the Holy Flame Clan itself had no problem doing so.

You must know… a war was still ongoing.

Li Qi had everything calculated.

The army Ga Ga had assembled, and the remaining one-third of the city-states, and the war between them and the cult that worshipped Lu Mountain God.

These would likely result in hundreds of millions of deaths.

These wars themselves were the ‘sacrifices’ and ‘sacrifices’ that Li Qi had anticipated.

It was cruel, but there was no other way; this was all for the protection of the Holy Flame World and the Holy Flame Clan itself.

This was a war to protect themselves; no one in the Holy Flame Clan could stand aside. They even had to thank Li Qi, for if Li Qi hadn’t provided these things, they wouldn’t even have the ‘qualification’ to sacrifice.

When Lu Mountain God descends, things won’t be so simple; they will truly be replaced.

The world barrier was an advantage, but one couldn’t rely solely on it.

Li Qi had chosen military strategy as his elective at the Imperial Academy.

He deeply understood the principle that “Heaven’s timing cannot protect an incompetent ruler, and geographical advantage cannot save a chaotic and perishing nation.”

The dangers and ease of the land depend on the people.

Since there was now the Holy Flame World’s world barrier and the Heavenly Dao as a geographical advantage, it must be put to good use.

Li Qi directed the sacrifice.

The local Heavenly Dao responded accordingly.

At the same time, outside the Domain, the Holy Flame World’s world barrier was originally being peeled away layer by layer by the Formation outside.

Wind and thunder combined with Jin Qi (Metal Energy), scraping against the world barrier like a scraper, and countless demons maintained the Formation nearby.

This was a Formation with the Green Mountain Earth Qi as its core.

When the Earth Qi is clear, the earth carries Divine Qi; Divine Qi brings wind and thunder; wind and thunder flow in form, thereby enhancing power. When strong, it is square, beneficial as a ruler, its color is yellow, representing Kun, forming a wind Formation. Wind attaches to heaven, wind resembles a peak, its shape is sharp, representing metal, its sharpness is primary, its color is yellow-red, representing Xun.

The huge Formation, in golden, yellow, and red colors, operated with Lu Mountain God as its core. The surrounding million demons also danced, contributing their power, occupying an area of tens of thousands of li.

Although tens of thousands of li was just a small hole in the world barrier, once this hole was gnawed open, the entire world barrier would become useless.

“Get ready; in another four hours, it should be broken,” Jin Chi commanded the demons while maintaining the stability of the Formation.

These demons all let out piercing laughter, responding to Jin Chi.

This made Jin Chi frown slightly, but he said nothing.

He actually didn’t like demons.

It could be seen from the outside as well.

Looking from further away, Jin Chi was resplendent with divine light, majestic and imposing. He exuded the dignity and nobility that a ‘Deity’ should possess. The numerous gold ornaments and jewels hanging on him made him appear incredibly wealthy, and even the fierce Evil Qi and sharp Aura originating from the ‘White Tiger’ on him looked like divine punishment, without any impurity.

But the million demon soldiers next to him were different; these demon soldiers were one more grotesque than the last, their Evil Qi and Evil Qi almost overflowing, and they were incredibly ugly. The two were completely different styles.

This was the difference between ‘Gods’ and ‘Demons’.

That’s why many of the demon race, like Rat Soil Mound, made becoming a God their goal.

But it didn’t matter; it was just cooperation. These were merely Heaven-Devouring Demon Lord’s subordinates, so there was no need to have too many objections.

Just then, a leader-level Seventh-Rank demon among the demons suddenly spoke: “Mountain God, the world barrier is repairing! And it’s faster than our grinding!”

Jin Chi frowned slightly: “It must be that Shaman inside exerting himself. Don’t worry, his sacrifice won’t last long. A Seventh-Rank, no matter what, has limited ability. Ignore it and keep pushing.”

“As Mountain God commands.” The demon bowed and then retreated, returning to participate in the Formation.

Lu Mountain God’s attitude had already been made clear.

This was a tug-of-war.

However, it was also normal; after all, it was a conflict between Sixth-Rank and above, even including the fierce resistance of the Sixth-Rank Heavenly Dao. It would always take some time to determine a victor.

On Heaven-Devouring Demon Lord’s side, and with that Mount Luofu remnant, if no one escaped, it would take at least ten days to half a month.

Battles between high-ranked powerhouses either end in quick victory/defeat or require preparation for a prolonged fight.

Quick victory or defeat goes without saying: the power gap is too large, or the counter is too obvious, and no matter what means are used, they are ineffective, and one is directly subdued.

If one cannot achieve a quick victory or instant kill, then everyone has an endless supply of cards to play, countering each move. Who doesn’t have tens of thousands of Spiritual Artifacts, Divine Abilities, and spells? Even if one is defeated, it would take a day or two; it’s difficult to see results quickly.

As for stamina?

A joke. Everyone can traverse the Void Realm, cruising for tens of thousands of years without exhausting their energy. There are countless ways to recover Qi; as long as they are not interfered with, and as long as the external environment still has energy, they will not be exhausted.

So, let’s take our time.

In the short term, the fate of the Holy Flame World remains uncertain.