Chapter 432: Plan

The stable boy helped Li Qi draw water from the well, then dumped out the dirty water, grunting and panting from exhaustion.

Drawing water was not an easy task; generally speaking, carrying water was the most arduous and tiring job.

Actually, it was completely unnecessary. Li Qi could condense pure water from water vapor with a wave of his hand, and it even contained Yin Qi, which would make the old horse feel cool and comfortable, dispelling his heatiness.

The water drawn from this ordinary well couldn't suppress the old horse's blood heat as a Dragon Steed at all; Li Qi still had to reprocess it after bringing it over.

Moreover, the dirty water didn't need to be collected and dumped; Li Qi could snap his fingers and evaporate the water with Yang Qi.

But if he did that, the stable boy would be terrified, scared to death.

Even though it was a futile effort, he always had to do something to feel at ease.

Li Qi didn't speak, just watched him busy himself.

What was he busy for?

For survival? To dispel the fear in his heart?

Li Qi felt it was neither.

After much thought, Li Qi concluded that it was this world helping him to be busy.

This was an ordinary Mortal, with little insight.

He was unlucky to be born in Baiyue, unlucky to be a commoner, and unlucky to be not smart.

Therefore, he had no Dao of his own, no principles of his own.

But how could a person not have their own Dao? A person cannot not have it; if they don't, they are a dead person.

So, this world became his Dao.

This world told him to revere the strong, so he revered the strong, revered them unconditionally, even if he were to be killed, he wouldn't resist.

Li Qi had his own Dao, and Li Qi's Dao would tell him to resist at that moment, even if it was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.

Yet, this world told the stable boy not to resist. It told the stable boy to curry favor at this moment, to submit at this moment, to busy himself with meaningless things at this moment, even if it exhausted him to death and served no purpose at all.

How many people have their own Dao?

How many people are dominated by this world?

But is the world necessarily bad?

Li Qi could even say that, including Tang Nation, most people go with the flow; it's just that their 'world' is much better.

People in Tang Nation only need to follow the 'world', and then they can far surpass the Dao that most people think out for themselves. They just need to live and study in Tang Nation step by step, and naturally, they will immerse themselves in humanity, taking the world as their own Dao.

Humanity, however, is far, far stronger than the Dao understood by most people. Many so-called 'own Dao' from outside the domain are simply not worth a laugh in front of humanity; there's no comparison at all.

But, for those who have their own Dao, who take the Dao in their hearts as their code of conduct, who haven't sunk into the world, who are unconventional—is that good or bad?

Li Qi was momentarily lost in doubt.

Because this question was particularly profound for him.

He wanted to forge his own Dao, which was beyond doubt, but the final result was a little bit from here, a little bit from there, absorbing some ideas from various schools.

So, did Li Qi ultimately forge his 'own Dao', or was he still constrained within the 'world'?

It's just that this 'world' is more profound; it's the 'world' of the entire 'realm'.

Looking at the busy stable boy, Li Qi's gaze was somewhat dazed.

The stable boy didn't know he was immersed in the world; he was still busying himself according to his own thoughts.

Li Qi stood higher than the stable boy, so he could see the stable boy's current mediocrity.

Then... was there any difference between himself and this stable boy?

In the eyes of those at a higher level, was what he was doing also similar to what this stable boy was doing?

Thinking about these things, Li Qi suddenly shook his head and muttered to himself, "Enough."

The old horse turned his head to look, puzzled.

"Nothing, you dry yourself, I'm going to rest for a bit." Li Qi stood up, no longer thinking about those things.

Even if he truly was a busy, helpless stable boy, stopping what he was doing would still be wrong. Even if the path he was currently on was incorrect, it didn't mean it was meaningless.

The path of Dao is not a smooth, straight road to heaven; there will be forks, even wrong turns, detours, and even turning back.

But one must always walk.

Now, Li Qi recalled the days when he practiced martial arts daily, and he knew that it was actually meaningless. If he could go back in time, even if he didn't practice martial arts, he wouldn't have any loss; he would even have better choices.

But if he didn't practice martial arts, there would be no Li Qi today.

Just like that stable boy, no matter what, he would continue to act in his own way.

It's just that Li Qi felt that perhaps in the future, he could examine himself from other perspectives.

If so... Li Qi suddenly felt that, perhaps, the matter of the current numerous Dao Orthodoxy Fusions within his body didn't seem so... urgent anymore.

Think about it.

When viewed from a higher perspective, many things are actually inconsequential.

Then the conflict of Dao Orthodoxy within his own body also seemed to be able to be put aside like this. This was just a temporary conflict, just because his level was not high enough.

Of course, it needed to be resolved, but... it wasn't as desperate as he had previously thought.

This wasn't a solution; it was just a perspective that allowed Li Qi to be more optimistic, similar to a terminally ill patient suddenly hearing that someone was developing a new miracle drug.

Although the medicine hadn't reached his mouth yet, and whether it could even be developed was a question, it was still a comfort.

As soon as this conclusion was reached, Li Qi immediately felt that the sharp contradictions within his microcosm, the human-witchcraft Dao and the Buddhist-demonic Dao, had greatly eased. They no longer seemed so opposed, no longer so urgently needing the Dao Orthodoxy Yin and Yang harmonization method as a buffer.

The Dao Orthodoxy of Dao Orthodoxy fabricated a Dao that governed everything, a Dao that existed before everything else.

Therefore, in front of this Ultimate Great Dao, all contradictions can be reconciled. The most common Taiji diagram in Dao Orthodoxy illustrates this point, and even the name 'Dao Orthodoxy' is named after this Dao.

So Li Qi had previously used this point to reconcile the sharp contradictions between human and witchcraft within his body, preventing him from exploding and dying. (See Chapter 295 for details)

The conflict between Buddhism and demons was also reconciled in this way.

And now, he seemed to... not need the Dao Orthodoxy method for reconciliation, and they could still coexist harmoniously.

No, it's not that he doesn't need to use the Dao Orthodoxy method for reconciliation.

Li Qi immediately noticed the difference.

Rather... the Dao Orthodoxy method and his 'higher perspective' idea had merged, and it could operate naturally without needing to be actively activated.

This so-called 'higher perspective' is layer upon layer, one higher than the next. Those without rank see those of Seventh Grade as high, Seventh Grade sees Fifth Grade as high, Fifth Grade sees Third Grade as high, and Third Grade sees First Grade as high.

Tracing back layer by layer like this, even First Grade is not enough; one can continue to go up, continue to go higher.

So, what is it when it reaches the 'limit', the 'supreme'?

Undoubtedly, it is the 'transcendent Dao' that Dao Orthodoxy virtually assumes to exist.

Li Qi's hypothesis of this 'higher perspective' unintentionally aligned with this Dao Orthodoxy thought, even allowing this method to operate automatically.

His Dao became more perfectly integrated.

It could be considered...

An unexpected gain.

With this thought, Li Qi raised his hand, and a wisp of mountain Di Qi (Earthly Qi) appeared in his palm. Then, using the Ox Strength Technique from the Ten Thousand Beast Diagram he had learned as his foundation, he exchanged it for a wisp of Di Qi (Earthly Qi) from the Qiong Cow.

Mixing the two, the stable boy was still strenuously drawing water, unaware that a wisp of Divine Qi had imperceptibly fused into his body.

This could be considered Li Qi's thanks.

This stable boy brought him new insight; this could be considered his reward.

There won't be any immediate supernatural phenomena, but tomorrow when he sleeps, he will have a dream. In the dream, someone will guide him in exercise and study, and impart a cultivation method to him.

It wasn't a very profound cultivation method; it was just an Eighth Grade martial arts practice method that Li Qi casually flipped through. It could only be cultivated to Eighth Grade at its peak, and it was used at the Imperial Academy for foreign laborers to practice and establish their foundation.

Li Qi wouldn't dare to transmit true humanity cultivation method; he would die.

With the mountain Di Qi (Earthly Qi) protecting his body, his skin would gradually harden without side effects, and there would be no petrification; it would simply become impervious to blades and spears.

The Qiong Cow Divine Qi, on the other hand, would grant him immense strength, the strength of ten oxen. In this world, the strength of ten oxen is at least sixty thousand catties.

This could be considered a small fortuitous encounter.

Hopefully, this stable boy can walk his own 'Dao' within the 'world'.

After all—

People eat people, people sacrifice people, people hunt people, people retaliate against people.

These are all human affairs.

They have nothing to do with heaven, and even less with Dao.

Li Qi clearly recognized the distinct boundary between his own Dao, the Dao of heaven and earth, and the Dao of others.

From a higher perspective, even his vision seemed to become much clearer.

Only falsehoods require external support; truth is self-evident.

Just as Li Qi was immersed in his insights, a strange gust of wind suddenly blew, making a whooshing sound in the sky.

The old horse neighed, looking warily at the sky.

Li Qi opened his eyes and looked beside him, cupping his hands and saying, "Li Qi greets the Governor of Li Prefecture."

The action he took during the day was to make the Governor of Li Prefecture appear.

Li Qi looked directly at the Governor of Li Prefecture. He had seen this important figure many times, every year during the river opening ceremony, but this was the first time he had seen his Face.

It really was... ordinary.

In the past, Li Qi had imagined many times what the Governor of Li Prefecture looked like: so majestic, with an unparalleled sense of oppression, a grand posture looking down on the Mortal realm from the clouds.

When the Governor of Li Prefecture's tall, black-armored guards formed a procession, and his palanquin slowly passed over Li Qi's head, the shock from that time, Li Qi could still recall it now.

But now, seeing this wary middle-aged man again, Li Qi's only thought was... so weak.

How could there be such a weak Seventh Grade? Not even as good as Ga Ga.

Completely reliant on sacrifices, forcibly elevating himself to Seventh Grade, at the cost of all possibilities for progress, just for Seventh Grade?

Oh, perhaps because Seventh Grade is the realm of longevity, he disregarded everything, just for longevity, even using some secret method to sacrifice himself, exhausting all his potential for it?

"Li Qi...? I haven't heard of Senior's esteemed name. May I ask what Senior's intention is in summoning me at this moment?" The Governor of Li Prefecture cupped his hands and respectfully said to Li Qi.

During the day, he had received a report from the Sect Leader of Qianji Gate, saying that someone was causing trouble.

So he hurried to investigate, only to find that the other party had used Yin Qi to nail the Sect Leader of Qianji Gate there at the moment the moon was above the treetops.

This was a hint, telling him to come when the moon was at this position.

He immediately saw that he was not an opponent for this person, who must be a formidable expert passing through, so he thought for a moment and still came.

And, upon arriving, he immediately addressed Li Qi as Senior, giving him ample Face.

It's just... he didn't know why, but this formidable expert passing through kept staring at him, as if he had flowers on his Face?

"Cough, cough, Senior?" The Governor of Li Prefecture looked at Li Qi and spoke again, waking him from his contemplation.

"Oh, sorry, I got lost in some memories. I called you here to help me with some small matters," Li Qi replied, having snapped back to reality.

Then, he directly gave orders, waving his hand and saying, "Prepare a good boat for me. I want to go from Li River down to South Sea, and then cross over to the East Sea. I'm not very familiar with the arrangements in between, but you are a local expert, you should know very well; help me arrange everything."

"Then, prepare a convoy, clear the way through the middle, and send some people to Song Kingdom. If anything happens to them along the way, I will come looking for you. Go, handle these two matters well."

After Li Qi finished speaking, he turned his back to the Governor of Li Prefecture and said nothing more.

This infuriated the Governor of Li Prefecture.

Although he didn't show it on his Face, anger was already surging in his heart.

What was wrong with this suddenly appearing stranger? Did he really think he was a servant to be ordered around?!

He just came and started giving orders, acting superior. Who did he think he was? They were both Seventh Grade; even if you were stronger, what then? Could he kill him in this realm?

One must know, the Great Deer Kingdom Lord stood behind him!

Thinking of this, the Governor of Li Prefecture prepared to retort stiffly, absolutely not allowing this person to gain momentum!

However, just as he opened his mouth, he suddenly realized that in his hand... it seemed like there was something extra?

He lowered his head and looked closely, and was greatly startled!

It was a Seventh Grade Spiritual Artifact.

The quality was quite good, far surpassing the mass-produced standard Spiritual Artifact he held.

He had acquired that mass-produced Spiritual Artifact by chance during the Tang Nation's invasion of Baiyue; otherwise, with his level, he wouldn't be able to afford a genuine Seventh Grade Spiritual Artifact.

And the one in his hand now, though not a refined product custom-made by an artificer, was stronger than the mass-produced standard Spiritual Artifact, and it didn't need to be replaced because it was a Magic Robe.

Undoubtedly, this was one of the Shamanic Silkworm Artifact's creations, a compressed Magic Robe.

Thus, the Governor of Li Prefecture, who had just been preparing to retort to Li Qi, immediately changed his attitude, bowing respectfully: "As Senior commands, I will surely handle it properly for you. Please wait two days in Li Prefecture."

With that, he rode the wind and departed.

Li Qi didn't pay much attention to him. The other party would likely inquire about him, and after inquiring, he would only be more diligent.

Now, let's think about how to tell Paibo Gang about moving tomorrow.

If the world is not good, then go somewhere else.